Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Two days after his Coronation, Vahn found himself seated, once again, in the banquet hall within Babel Tower. This time, there was only the Divine Council and several of the more influential gods of the Alliance present as they were openly discussing the matter of the One-Eyed Black Dragon, his meeting with foreign dignitaries, and his upcoming visit to the Far East. Now that he was an Emperor, such things couldn't simply remain a secret as his affairs, especially in foreign lands, were now important matters of the Empire. This didn't mean Vahn was going out of his way to divulge his important plans and secrets but, as the Divine Council was literally supposed to help keep his Empire on the right track, they needed to be privy to certain information.Though he had already explained it to them previously, Vahn was doing his best to remain stone-faced as Loki and Kali snickered at him from the side. Many of the other gods present either had expressions of incredulity or bemusement as the last person Vahn wanted to hear weigh in on the matter, Dian Cecht, raised both brows high as he asked, "Did you really manage to win over that overgrown lizard? Good gracious, man, what is it with you and women...!?"Vahn furrowed his brows almost imperceptibly as he sent Dian Cecht a glance and plainly stated, "If a time comes when I require relationship advice, I'll make sure you are at the top of the list, Dian Cecht. For the time being, however, I'd ask that you show a basic level of decency and, instead of addressing me as man, you will refer to me as Sage Emperor. Though you may be a member of the Divine Council, it does not grant you the right to look down on my position and title without regards of propriety..." As he had never been a fan of Dian Cecht's nature, Vahn didn't appreciate that the elderly looking god seemed to be looking down on him with his thoughtless remark. Fortunately, there were many in the Divine Council who also gave him judging looks so the 'old man' simply gnashed his teeth before crossing his arms in silence.Shaking her head in admonition, Loki gave Dian Cecht a quick glance before turning her gaze towards Vahn and asking, "Well, what are you planning to do from now on...?" Though she already knew the answer, it was Loki who had advised Vahn to come forward with a few things so that the Divine Council was able to 'feel' as if they had some say in matters. In response to this, Vahn gave a small nod before explaining, "With very few exceptions, there are few alive today who have experienced the One-Eyed Black Dragon's supposed tyranny. Though she is certainly a bit overbearing, I was able to determine it was due to the nature of True Dragons that she had taken action in the past. So long as nobody goes out of their way to antagonize her, the One-Eyed Black Dragon is relatively harmless. For the time being, I will continue to observe her in order to affirm my judgment and, if it turns out I was wrong, I intend to deal with her personally this time around..."She may have thought her intentions hadn't been seen through, but Vahn was constantly thinking about how best to protect the people he cared about. He could see the One-Eyed Black Dragon's aura and knew she had intentions towards the other women around him. She simply couldn't allow anyone to directly compete against her and, lacking the pacifistic nature of Terra, the odds of conflict arising between her and the other girls in the Manor wasn't something he could ignore. There were even texts mentioning that True Dragons would kill competing brood so that their own would be allowed to propagate, a notion that Vahn found appalling in the extreme. If things ever developed to the point that the One-Eyed Black Dragon, or anyone for that matter, tried to endanger his children...well, even Vahn didn't know how terrifying he could become...Sensing the change in the atmosphere, many of the gods looked toward Vahn with solemn yet inquisitive looks as they were wondering what he was thinking about to emanate such pressure. The only ones who truly understood were Hestia, Hephaestus, and Loki, each producing wry smiles as their eyes turned gentle. They knew Vahn's mind would wander down dangerous tangents whenever he was thinking about how best to protect the people he cared about as, even with all the power in his possession, Vahn knew he wasn't omnipotent. It only took a series of small incidents for something truly tragic to occur, something they all strove to prevent by practicing extreme diligence when it came to the children...With his negative thoughts drifting away, Vahn opened his eyes and, as if laying the matter of the One-Eyed Black Dragon to rest, said, "Tomorrow morning, I'll be meeting with the dignitaries I had invited from outside the City. At present, the Empire's territory is limited to Orario, The Plains, and some fringe territories located near the northern and eastern mountain ranges. In the coming days, I will add the territory of the Western Forests, Westport, and the Iron Hills to my dominion. This meeting will also determine which nations, countries, and clans will be joining the Empire and which will need to be dealt with after the fact. My penultimate goal is to unify the entire Continent as, with the present state of the world, the dream I have envisioned for the future will never be a reality..."Vahn knew he already had more than enough power to start 'forcibly' recruiting other countries, if necessary, but his main focus, for the time being, would be on diplomacy and 'private' affairs. Even if a country didn't want to be part of the Empire, he wasn't particularly troubled by their desire for independence and sovereignty. The only exceptions to this would be those supposed Nobles and Aristocrats who treat their country as their own personal playground, worrying more about consolidating and securing their own power than ensuring that their people are able to prosper. Even then, Vahn wouldn't outright 'force' them to join the Empire, at least on the surface.Though it could be easily misconstrued as Tyranny, being that it wasn't far from the mark, Vahn intended to depose every corrupt Noble and, if necessary, replace them with a governing body that was more in line with his will. Since the people he would be dealing with were the type that had horrendous crimes to their names, to the point that simply listing out their crimes would take several hours, Vahn didn't feel as if his actions were 'unfair' to any party involved. If not for their actions, he would have never been required to bring a reckoning upon them. Therefore, even if he earned the ire of the populace in that region for a short while, Vahn was prepared for a few rebel groups to pop up at the behest of anyone that escaped his net and tried to undermine his rule from the shadows...In response to Vahn's proclamation, the Divine Council entered a short period of discussion before ultimately deciding he was not deviating from the 'correct' path. Though this wasn't something they would have been able to prevent, as Vahn's position granted him the authority to make decisions in regards to foreign affairs, it never hurt to listen to their counsel. Among them, gods like Fortuna, Minerva, Takemikazuchi, and Indra were especially helpful. They either had a strong grasp on politics, possessed a Divinity directly related to Wisdom, or were highly principled by nature. Since Vahn didn't believe that his logic and perspective were infallible, it was the counsel of wiser gods that he would rely upon before taking 'drastic' action as an Emperor. Though this would likely change when he assigned Ministers in the future, Vahn wasn't shy when it came to asking for advice from people who had lived far longer than himself.The last order of business, though there were some who still wanted to discuss the One-Eyed Black Dragon, was related to Vahn's 'visit' to the Far East. It was at this point that gods like Takemikazuchi spoke out though not nearly as earnestly as Tenjin. His eyes glimmered with slight anticipation from the moment the discussion had started as, over the past year, his impression of Vahn had increased a great deal. When it was mentioned that he would be visiting in the near future, Tenjin had placed down his ceramic teacup with a bit more force than necessary before asking, "Do you intend to annex the Far East as a territory of the Aldrnari Empire...?"Hearing Tenjin's question, Vahn paused for a brief moment before ultimately shaking his head and saying, "There may come a time when such action is necessary but, until I have managed to unify the Continent under a single banner, it would be irresponsible to try and meddle too much in affairs abroad. Instead, I will help to establish a more reliable means of transportation between Eden and the Far East while also building rapport with those capable of guiding our eastern neighbor along a path of mutual cooperation and benefit..." Though he had the option of interfering directly with the politics of the Far East, Vahn decided to leave the matter to the generation that was currently being trained for that exact purpose. He didn't want to change the culture of the Far East too much, as he was actually quite fond of it, so Vahn wanted to take a more roundabout approach in order to convert them into a powerful ally instead of a vassal state.Tenjin clearly understood Vahn's intentions, causing the smile on his face to broaden slightly since he, at least for a moment, was worried about how he would explain things to the families that had followed him on the harsh voyage between the Far East and Eden. Many of the young hopefuls that were attending the Sage Aldrnari School were training diligently in order to reclaim their homeland and guide it towards a better future. Though Tenjin had no doubts Vahn could do much the same, he held a small amount of pride as a god from the Far East that made accepting too much help unacceptable. He firmly believed that it was the people, standing in unity, who had the responsibility to fix the problems of their homeland. If Vahn did everything himself, the people would become too dependent on him and, in turn, lose one of the most important motivating factors for 'real' growth...Believing Vahn had thought things through to this point, Tenjin gave a polite bow to express his gratitude before releasing the tensions in his body. As for Vahn himself, he went on to explain the purpose behind his visit to the Far East and any potential actions he may take, largely dependent on how he was 'received' during his stay. There was a fair chance he would come into contact with Inari, Fuujin, and Susanoo, as they undoubtedly knew of his existence at this point, but that was something that couldn't really be avoided. Vahn would try and compromise with them but, depending on the circumstances, he openly admitted that he may be forced to take action to avoid future troubles.In order to support Vahn's decision, Tenjin had spoken up several times during the discussion before eventually suggesting, "I believe the most prudent course of action during your trip to the Far East would be to visit the Shrine of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. Though she has no standing military, Amaterasu enjoys a seat of almost untouchable power since she has the faith of many commoners supporting her. You can use her status as an intermediary to facilitate communication with other gods in the Far East. There is even a fair chance her Ladyship is willing to meet with you personally, Vahn..." Though his words were serious throughout, Tenjin obviously placed a bit of emphasis on his final statement as he looked directly into Vahn's eyes with a 'glimmer' contained within.Knowing what the 'elderly' god was intending, Vahn breathed in a little deeper than normal while resisting to urge to produce a wry and understanding smile. He was already going to meet with Amaterasu at some point, as she was both a goddess suitable for making an Eternal Vow as well as a goddess who had expressed interest in meeting him, but Vahn's instincts had prevented him from making the trip thus far. For some reason, whenever he pictured the enigmatic goddess, what came to mind was a small girl that was trying too hard to be an adult. He could imagine a petite figure enshrined behind a curtain that blocked the view of anyone she had an audience with. Her voice would undoubtedly be gentle and full of wisdom with the presence of the curtain but Vahn imagined she was the type to fluster if forced to meet someone face-to-face...It was ultimately decided that Vahn would be visiting the Far East within the next three months while his main focus needed to be on the development of the Empire, as the next decade or so would be paramount to ensuring there were no major issues that would crop up in the near future. As for the matter with the One-Eyed Black Dragon, the Divine Council had agreed to allow Vahn to handle things in the manner he had chosen, even if it meant he had to 'fool' the public by staging an event. Since he was, in fact, capable of fighting against the One-Eyed Black Dragon, it didn't really matter all that much if he actually killed her or not. In fact, depending on how things were spun, it was actually a far more terrifying to know that Vahn had yet another True Dragon on his side, especially one that had become the very symbol of fear throughout the Continent...Even without anyone pointing it out, Vahn was very aware of what 'influence' the One-Eyed Black Dragon would have if he publicized the fact she was his 'subordinate'. This would undoubtedly lead to many countries outright surrendering to him without much of a fight but, instead of a foundation built on hope for the future, Vahn's Empire would have the 'literal' symbol of fear as its most predominant feature. No matter how benevolent he was, his actions would always be seen through a lens of bias where people would never fully be able to place their trust in him. After all, they would see it as him 'obviously' being able to do whatever he wanted as, if anyone went against him, the One-Eyed Black Dragon would 'undoubtedly' be used to destroy his enemies...Imagining the trouble that the One-Eyed Black Dragon brought along with her, Vahn couldn't avoid releasing a tired sigh as he was flying through the air with seven goddesses in tow. The discussion had come to an end without any major hiccups and they were now on their way back to the Hearth Manor to enjoy an early dinner. Vahn was carrying Eirene in a bridal carry, as she had 'won' the right after an intense round of rock-paper-scissors, so she had noticed his sigh the moment Vahn allowed it to escape his lips. This brought a gentle smile to her face as her blue eyes gained a touch of softness to them when she asked, "Are you really that worried, Vahn...?"Hearing this question, Vahn was silent for a few seconds before eventually shaking his head and saying, "No. If I wanted, I could have avoided this outcome entirely. Though I'll have to deal with a few troublesome things along the way, I'm confident that I'll be able to handle them all without any major difficulty. If nothing else, it is good to have a powerful ally at my side when I'm venturing deeper into the Dungeon. With the One-Eyed Black Dragon's aid, I may even be able to reach the bottom of the Dungeon before the year ends..." Because he had used the mirror, Vahn knew what enemies he would encounter within the Dungeon, some of which were likely stronger than the One-Eyed Black Dragon's avatar. Still, if he went all out, Vahn knew it wouldn't actually be that difficult to breach into the 99th Floor of the Dungeon before accessing the secret 100th Floor where the strange table and candle were located...Seeing the confidence return to Vahn's eyes, Eirene gave a small nod before resting her head against his chest and enjoying the sound of his heartbeat. It had a slow and steady rhythm that seemed to resonate with inviolable power. Since she had 'melded' with him a few times at this point, Eirene found that she had become exceptionally fond of simple intimacy and small displays of affection. Just listening to the sound of Vahn's heartbeat brought her a sense of peace that she could have never imagined in the past, even as a 'literal' Goddess of Peace. His embrace also made her feel warm and protected, almost as if there was nothing in the three realms that would be able to harm her while they were together...Though he didn't know exactly what she was thinking, Vahn had noticed the small 'shift' in Eirene's aura so he held her a bit more firmly as he blazed a trail through the sky. In the periphery, there was Hephaestus, Hestia, Loki, Freya, Demeter, and Fortuna sending small 'glares' towards their fellow goddess. This wasn't the result of the intimate display between Vahn and Eirene, as such displays were extremely commonplace around Vahn, but due to the fact that they had lost the previous game of rock-paper-scissors. Each of them, with the exception of Fortuna, had also melded with Vahn so, much like Eirene, they had also grown a little 'too' fond of simply being in contact with him. As he was also very aware of this, Vahn had prepared himself for a rather long night as the cool afternoon air passed through his hair...(A/N: I wanted everyone to know that my time is even more stretch atm since I'm now on the West Coast (2-hour difference than my previous time). This means that I have even less time to pump out a chapter before the daily reset so if there are days when chapters come out a bit late, please forgive me. All of this will come to an end around Mid-August so your patience during these trying times is greatly appreciated. Fortunately, depending on how things play out, I may be able to avoid having Vahn's time in Danmachi come to an end before I return. If that is the case, you can expect a lot of chapters of the new arc in sequence, making things feel exciting and refreshing compared to the current pace xD...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Dignity','Don't disrespect Amaterasu-chan...!','Dual Cultivation has lasting effects xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With two sets of eyes, Vahn awakened to find himself staring at two distinctly different roofs. As was often the case, his body was surrounded by a comfortable warmth but, as was also often the case, the sources were very different from each other. Back in his own bedroom, Vahn had been spread out with his arms wide as Hestia, Eirene, and Artemis snuggled up against his body as if they were seeking out his warmth. Loki had also been present the previous night but had left shortly after their evening 'event' had come to an end. As for what his other body was up to, Vahn had participated in an impromptu slumber party within Preasia's room alongside many of his children. They had played around in the Dreamscape for what felt like several days, enjoying the fantastical world created by Preasia's Innate to the fullest extent.Feeling a wet spot on his arm, Vahn turned his head to see that his daughter, Meinya, had been openly drooling on his sleeve. Since he was used to more 'problematic' waterworks, this small, albeit rather uncouth display, simply brought a small smile to Vahn's face. This didn't last for too long, however, as a small figure lifted out from the area between two pillows, revealing a rounded head that was adorned with a vibrant pattern of scales. In the next moment, Vahn found a small tongue flickering against his cheek before a smooth yet slimy sensation passed across the area where the Rainbow Viper rubbed against him.Knowing what was about to happen, Vahn had a wry smile on his face since both of his arms were currently pinned by his children. As a result, he was unable to prevent the Rainbow Viper from taking her 'favorite spot' within his tunic as she coiled her body into a bundle near his navel. To make matters worse, Vahn felt a ticklish flicker against his bellybutton moments later that made him sweatdrop before he unequipped his tunic to use telekinesis to remove the troublesome creature. She looked as if she wanted to resist but, knowing the outcome of thrashing about when the children were around, the Rainbow Viper became limp as she made the closest expression to a 'pout' that a snake could manage.As if to capitalize on the moment, Vahn caught a silver shimmer out of the corner of his eye that revealed the 'smiling' face of the Silvervine Python as it enjoyed the suffering of its fellow reptile. The Rainbow Viper had noticed this immediately, glaring at Natalie's Guardian with eyes filled with blame. In response to this, Vahn simply stated, "Get along..." in a low voice, causing both snakes to turn their gazes toward him as a result. The Silvervine Python immediately gave a small nod while putting on an 'apologetic' expression as she curled up near the nook of Natalie's neck. As for the Rainbow Viper, she didn't seem to have gotten over things just yet but, with Vahn's eyes meeting her own, she gave a few small nods before playfully flicking out her tongue as if she had been 'playing' around the entire time.Releasing a small sigh, Vahn lightly shook his head before deciding it was time for him to go through the arduous process of liberating himself from the veritable pile of tiny bodies clinging to him. He quickly equipped a new tunic while using his telekinesis to gently remove each sleeping girl, doing his best not to disturb them from their slumber. Unfortunately, either as a result of their instincts or the training they had been receiving, Vahn hadn't been able to complete the task without both Meinya and Sakuya waking. To her credit, Sakuya managed to stay relatively silent as she quietly muttered, "Good morning, Papa...". As for Meinya, however, she still had a half-awake expression on her face as she began to laugh happily, and loudly.This time, Vahn withheld a sigh as Meinya's laughter stirred most of the children in the room awake. He knew he would probably be stuck in the room helping to comb hair and brush teeth for well over an hour now but, if he were to be honest, Vahn didn't really mind all that much. A gentle smile spread across his face as he began to help his children prepare for the day while, back at his other body, Vahn was manually wearing his clothes with the assistance of Eirene and Artemis. Though he could easily just equip what he wanted to wear, they had developed a habit of 'taking care' of him, much like he would take care of them after their long evening session had come to an end. It was a way for them to express their affection in their own way so Vahn had grown rather fond of the short few minutes where the girls would help him prepare for the day...---After enjoying a lengthy breakfast, Vahn found himself away from the comfort of the Hearth Manor as he made his way towards Babel Tower. He had been 'given' the top floor of Babel by Freya so, with no better alternatives to serve as the 'center' of his Empire, Vahn had accepted her offer. Hephaestus and Hestia had previously talked about having an actual palace constructed but, given the layout of Orario, Vahn didn't think it would be a worthwhile endeavor since the Tower of Babel was a landmark that would always overshadow other constructs. If anything, he would put in the effort to construct a floating palace once again as, even if the purpose wouldn't be the same, Vahn understood how useful it was to have a mobile teleportation platform. The most 'efficient' methods of teleportation connected spatial coordinates without any obstructions so it was much easier to teleport from the ground to a relay point in the sky before continuing to your destination.With such thoughts on his mind, Vahn landed at an open balcony on the 50th floor of Babel before making his way through an incredibly thick membrane of magical barriers. As an artifact that had been created in Heaven, the Tower of Babel had many ancient arrays that gave it almost unbreakable defense and inviolable security. Though it wasn't impossible to break in, a person's location would constantly be tracked by the Guild while long-term exposure to the mana within would 'mark' the person so they could be easily found even after leaving the tower. Fortunately, Vahn had been registered as the owner of the 50th floor so he wouldn't have to worry about such tedious affairs, not that the barrier would have actually been able to detect him if he chose to remain hidden.Unlike in the past, where there were very few people allowed within the confines of the 50th Floor, it was currently rife with movement as more than a hundred Valkyrie's moved around in their Maid attire. As they had taken to learning their new 'duty' very seriously, most of the Valkyrie had become very serious about their role as 'Battle Maids' after receiving a crash course from Syr, Emiru, and Maemi. Though some of them had been a little twisted by exposure to the two loveable Snow Leopard girls, gaining strange natures in the process, Vahn was happy to see that they had become a little more expressive...Almost as soon as he had arrived, Vahn was greeted by Brynhildr and Sigrun, both immediately bowing low as they greeted, "Welcome, Master." in elegant and respectful tones. Vahn gave them a small nod before raising his hand, allowing the two Valkyrie's to raise their head as he asked, "Brynhildr...how many have shown up at this point?" In response to this, Brynhildr's wings flickered slightly as a small smile adorned her beautiful face. She seemed happy to have been addressed by name and, instead of the relatively cold tone most Valkyrie were known for, there was a bit of warmth mixed in as she replied, "My Master, everyone on the guest list is already in attendance. They have been gathered together in a small banquet hall where my sisters have been 'attending' them."With their inherent pride, Valkyries would never serve anyone that didn't respect, the only exception being if they were given the duty to attend others by whomever they identified as their Master. Since Vahn hadn't told them to take care of the foreign dignitaries that would be attending his conference, the Valkyries had gathered everyone together before placing out a single barrel of wine that they could serve themselves. This wouldn't have been much of an issue, if not for the fact that the 'guests' hadn't been provided with anything to hold their beverages. Since they also had the eyes of several powerful Valkyries watching their every move, the banquet hall had been extremely silent as everyone within awaited the late arrival of their new Emperor.Because he could sense what was happening within the banquet hall, Vahn produced a small smile before giving a small nod in response to Brynhildr's report. Though he wasn't against extending courtesies to guests, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing to create a tense atmosphere for what was to come. Since he didn't want to 'force' the Valkyrie to serve other people, as it wasn't even their main duty, Vahn let the small disservice slide. He would hire a few normal servants that would attend to such matters in the future, though only after modifying the current status quo to make a clear separation between the Battle Maid Battalion that would serve as his Imperial Guard and the normal servants that would clean his residences, excluding the Hearth Manor.With Brynhildr and Sigrun following closely behind, Vahn made his way towards the central antechamber before entering into a large circular hall where an ornate throne now stood. Though the decor had previously been closer to that of an ancient temple, a few makeshift renovations had turned the area into a throne that was truly fit for someone with the status of an Emperor. Vahn even suspected that, until he had constructed his personalized floating palace, this place had held his original throne in the Divination. It was certainly in Freya's nature to try and bestow upon him such things so Vahn was relatively certain this had been the case during both timelines.Without worrying about the similarities between his present and Divination self, Vahn sat upon his rather comfortable throne without hesitation. From the side, a Valkyrie named Skeggiold, gave a polite bow as she proferred forth a red embossed cushion that held his crown. Since only gods were allowed to place it atop his head, a rule that had been created by the Divine Council, Vahn reached out to wear the crown with his own hands before accepting the scepter offered to him by another Valkyrie, this one named Gisela. She had a touch of gold to her wings, the result of her Innate, that set her apart from many of her sisters. Vahn gave her a small nod in response that caused Gisela to nearly fluster as she backed away from the throne. Another rule that had been established was that, unless he had given them direct permission, nobody was allowed to turn their back to the Emperor within the throne room.The last part of his getup was his mantle but, as it was an optional part of the attire, Vahn decided to forgo wearing it since it was uncomfortable to wear a thick cloak while seated. He also didn't want the fabric to get torn, a completely unnecessary concern as it would take a concerted effort from Vahn to even have a hope of damaging it. Regardless, it was his choice whether or not to wear it so Vahn continued sitting after gesturing towards the two Valkyries that were holding his cloak. They gave a polite bow in response before neatly folding the cloak and placing it into an ornate golden case that was embossed with various gemstones.His preparations now complete, Vahn took a deep breath before sitting with his back absolutely straight and his head slightly raised. With practiced movements, Vahn turned his eyes towards Brynhildr without moving his head much before saying, "I will now grant an audience to our guests. Brynhildr, I will entrust you and your sisters with keeping order during the coming conference."With each of his words causing the void to tremble slightly, even as he spoke relatively quietly, the atmosphere around Vahn had changed drastically in an instant. As a result, the present Valkyries all felt pride welling up inside themselves, Brynhildr being one of the proudest amongst them. Instead of bowing like a Maid, she gave a warrior's salute by placing her fist over her heart and exclaiming, "This one shall personally see to it that there are no issues...!" Normally, this action would have been rather inspiring as the Valkyrie would be wearing metallic breastplates and gauntlets. This time, however, Brynhildr was wearing a Maid outfit that was predominately comprised of durable fabric so her fist impacted her left breast, causing it to deform and shake slightly as a result...As if he didn't notice the red creeping up her face, Vahn gave a small nod before saying, "I will entrust this task to you. You may leave." In response to this, Brynhildr quickly performed an about-face before exiting the chamber with hasty steps. Since she had been given permission, Brynhildr was able to turn away to hide her shame, something Vahn had intended from the outset. When she had exited the chamber, Vahn was fighting back a smile but, seeing the usually proud Valkyrie's on the periphery unable to restrain themselves, he allowed the corners of his mouth to curl up slightly. It was very rare to see Brynhildr make such a mistake so Vahn was in a great mood, causing the rather solemn atmosphere to collapse for a brief moment...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Living the good life','A Throne fit for an Emperor','RIP Brynhildr xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With a tired and despondent expression on his face, Vahn was making his way back towards the 60th Floor with two very contrasting characters following behind him. There was Ais, wearing her pristine white dress, possessingly beautiful golden hair, and having an appearance that could literally take the breath away from anyone who bore witness to her. Her expression was marred with one of slight incredulity and caution but, even with the crease of her brow, her beauty wasn't diminished in the slightest. As for the reason why she had such an expression, it was due to the petite 'young' woman wearing a black dress that was following closely behind Vahn, quite literally blocking Ais from getting any closer.Vahn had been surprised to discover that the One-Eyed Black Dragon was still nameless but his intrigue hadn't lasted that long since he noticed her Loyalty towards him was a measly 18 points. Since 50 was supposed to be neutral, this showed that the One-Eyed Black Dragon didn't truly consider him to be her Master, even if The Path recognized her as his subordinate. He didn't know if it was due to the fact that she had split her body, leaving on a fragment behind, or because of how she interpreted her own standing in their relationship. Either way, things were beginning to become very troublesome and, knowing the promises he had just made as an Emperor, Vahn was lost in thought about the best course of action to take...Fortunately, the further upwards they went in the Dungeon, the more labored the One-Eyed Black Dragon's breathing became and Vahn already knew why. He could see she was constantly pulling in a massive amount of mana from the Dungeon and sending it through a spatial link, likely towards her main body. He postulated that she, like all monsters and Xenos, still needed the mana from the Dungeon to sustain herself. While her main body was in a state of deep meditation, her fragment had been left behind to serve as a tether that also provided her with ample mana reserves. As they went higher in the Dungeon, the available mana continually decreased and, by the time they reached the 63rd Floor, it didn't look like the One-Eyed Black Dragon would be able to continue much further...As if she was unaware of the state of her body, the One-Eyed Black Dragon continued to push on with a glimmer of determination reflecting across her eyes. She didn't seem willing to complain or give up and had instead taken to killing every monster they came across in order to devour its magic core. This made their progress much faster but it also completely killed Vahn's Origin Point gain since the One-Eyed Black Dragon would snatch up any monster core and drop items in an instant before throwing it into her mouth in a rather slovenly manner. This couldn't continue indefinitely, however, as the mana density only decreased the further upwards they went...Eventually, around the same time that the sun was beginning to rise over the distant mountains on the surface, Vahn, Ais, and their new 'companion' reached the entry point to the 60th Floor. At this point, the One-Eyed Black Dragon was standing on slightly wobbly legs while a frustrated expression marred her face. Her appearance wasn't much to look at, as she appeared rather plain compared to many of the girls Vahn associated with, but it was a very peculiar sight to see such a prideful and powerful entity essentially pouting like a child that couldn't get its way. Vahn noticed she would periodically look towards him as if she wanted to say something but ultimately kept quiet, even as the strain on her body continued to grow...Before entering the 60th Floor, Vahn withheld a sigh as he turned to the One-Eyed Black Dragon and said, "Though I said you should follow me, it will cause problems for both of us if you require such a vast amount of mana just to maintain basic functions. I could help supply you with enough energy to keep you in a stable state, but I can't see any reason to go to such lengths given how things are at present. There are a lot of people I care about back on the surface and, with how you've been acting towards Ais, I can't take you into my home..." Even as these words left Vahn's mouth, the image of an emerald-haired True Dragon was the predominant figure within his mind. Though Terra may not win against the One-Eyed Black Dragon's true form, it was almost impossible for her to lose against it within her territory. The moment the One-Eyed Black Dragon's avatar entered the Manor grounds, Vahn had no delusions that there wouldn't be some form of conflict between them.Hearing Vahn's words, the One-Eyed Black Dragon showed a discontented expression as she gnashed her teeth and spat, "You told me to follow you and now you are telling me I can't follow you...? Are you trying my patience!?" Since she was unable to admit that she had overlooked the fact of her own energy consumption, the One-Eyed Black Dragon decided to shift the blame to Vahn since he admitted to being able to help provide her with enough energy to sustain herself. She also wanted to see Vahn's home and meet with the people he claimed to care about as she was unable to accept that he had refused to stay with her and become stronger together.Since he had already expected the One-Eyed Black Dragon's outburst, Vahn's expression remained stoic as he quietly stared back at her until she fell silent once again. Though she was far from calm, Vahn knew she was waiting for an answer so he carefully explained, "Your existence is something that is universally feared on the surface world, to the point that millions of people dread the thought of ever encountering you. It was my duty to claim your life so that they could live in peace, devoid of the fear that you would one day scorch the surface world during your rampage..."Hearing Vahn's words, the One-Eyed Black Dragon puffed out her somewhat modest chest as if everything he said was something she took personal pride in. Because of this, Vahn's words became rather solemn as he squinted his eyes and added, "Though I might be able to twist things in a favorable light if you behaved properly, I can already see that you will cause trouble within my home and for my Empire. I just became Emperor and I won't allow anyone to destroy what I have just created, especially some relic from an era that I have personally decided to end...!" Due to the fact that the One-Eyed Black Dragon didn't actually have a malicious aura, Vahn had been relatively lenient towards her up until now. Since she seemed to take pride in the people she had killed, however, what little positive rapport he had allowed her to build-up had been diminished in its entirety. His mind had even started to contemplate how best to move her away from Enyo's seal so they could finish the fight that had been started the prior evening...Sensing the 'shift' in Vahn's demeanor, the One-Eyed Black Dragon became much more serious as a grimace spread across her face. She wanted to outright refute his words as, if not for the fact so many had invaded her territory and tried to attack her, she wouldn't have even known they existed. Though her own power had increased after exposure to the strange creatures that dwell on the surface world, she still treated them as nothing more than annoying ants who failed to understand their place. The only exceptions to this were those who had attacked her after the death of Echidna and the True Dragon pup that had tried to attack her after she razed the surface world to take revenge for her right eye...For several tense seconds, Vahn and the One-Eyed Black Dragon seemed to be having a staring contest of sorts where both parties refused to back down. The only thing breaking the silence was the labored breaths of the black-clothed Dragoness, something she seemed to realize as her expression became progressively grimmer. It was at this point that Vahn raised his head slightly before saying, "I return to the Dungeon daily to harvest resources and strengthen a magical seal. I'll also be delving deeper into the Dungeon to explore its depths so I'll need powerful allies at my side in order to avoid setbacks. We both know that there isn't much for you on the surface in your current state of mind so the best path forward would be for you to stay within the Dungeon and await my return. Once you have become more open-minded, there is a chance I will be able to take you back to the surface world...however, you need to prepare yourself for when that day arrives. A lot has changed since you last appeared..."Vahn had nearly stated that she may not be the strongest True Dragon on the surface any longer but, considering the type of 'person' the One-Eyed Black Dragon was, he decided against it. The last thing he needed was her true body making an appearance at the Manor in an attempt to fight against Terra for dominance. Since she was likely on the cusp of breaching into Tier 4, Vahn knew she would jump at the chance to devour the 'Dragon's Heart' of another powerful True Dragon. This was one of the many reasons, on a list that would likely span several meters if put to paper, that he didn't really want to take her to the surface...As much as the words spoken by Vahn bothered her, the One-Eyed Black Dragon still listened quietly and seemed to be considering them seriously. In truth, she didn't want to be reliant on Vahn for energy, as it made her feel somewhat anxious just thinking about it. There was also the fact that, while she was somewhat interested in his home and the people living with him, the One-Eyed Black Dragon didn't actually care about them at all. From her perspective, they were just ignorant fools who had sought after a prize that should have been hers from the start. Once she was able to take Vahn for herself, she fully intended to chase away the other girls around Vahn since he didn't need anyone else after realizing she was the best choice for a mate. Only by working together would they both be able to rise above those hateful gods before taking their rightful place at the apex of all creation.With this thought crossing her mind, the One-Eyed Black Dragon gave a small nod before turning her stark-blue eye towards Vahn and saying, "I will stay here, but I will not simply wait for your return like some pet. My nest is on the 73rd Floor and I expect you will show up within a few days time to pay me a visit. If you keep me waiting too long...don't blame me for coming to 'visit' you, pup..." Though Vahn had explained to her that he was a Progenitus during their excursion towards the 60th Floor, the One-Eyed Black Dragon didn't really know, or care, what that was. He had the ability to transform into a True Dragon and, after imprinting his scent and energy signature into memory, she had started to realize he was actually 'incomprehensible' to her. His energy was unlike anything she had ever sensed before and, even compared to her Mother and Father, Vahn seemed to be the most 'monstrous' entity she ever encountered. This both excited the One-Eyed Black Dragon and confused her, as she was absolutely certain he was her best potential mate while a very small part of her was actually a little afraid of him...Without wasting any more time, the One-Eyed Black Dragon tore through the void before disappearing from the 61st Floor stairwell. She had already been pushing herself quite a bit and needed to replenish her reserves within her nest on the 73rd Floor. The reason she had told Vahn to appear in a few days, instead of demanding he come to visit her tomorrow, was due to the fact that she needed a lot more rest than she was willing to admit. Vahn was, of course, very aware of the state of her body but, not wanting to inflate the issue, pretended as if he was unaware of the truth. He really didn't want to deal with such a troublesome existence right now and still needed to come up with a 'solution' regarding the promise he had made. It actually wasn't that difficult to fabricate the death of the One-Eyed Black Dragon but, knowing it would be extremely troublesome if anyone learned the truth, Vahn was still considering other options...Once the surrounding Space had stabilized, Vahn released a heavy sigh before turning to the patiently waiting Ais and saying, "I'm sorry you weren't able to get your revenge..." Though Ais didn't seem that bothered by the reality of the situation, Vahn still felt compelled to apologize since she had, quite literally, lived for vengeance for several years of her life. In response to this, Ais simply smiled before walking over to his side and embracing him without another word on the matter. Instead, she rubbed her face against his chest and said, "Let's go home...I think I'm ready now..." Though these words were rather vague, Vahn understood what Ais meant and it caused his heart to palpitate a few times as he habitually swallowed his saliva.Without tarrying too long, Vahn spent the necessary time to ensure that Enyo's seal hadn't been damaged before he and Ais returned to the surface. He had already been dealing with some important matters with his main body, which had been designated as his 'Emperor' self, so they almost immediately entered the Sub-Space orb for some privacy. Though they encountered a few 'hiccups' along the way, mainly in the form of girls who somehow had intuited what was going on, Vahn and Ais eventually found some privacy within her personal training grounds. Since he had been 'ignoring' her during the excursion towards the 60th Floor, as the One-Eyed Black Dragon was getting in the way, Vahn decided it was an opportune moment to spoil Ais as much as he could. He figured that a solid nine months of pampering would be enough of an apology...(A/N: Since I may not have explained it well enough, the One-Eyed Black Dragon is around 153cm tall with pert B-Cup breasts. She has pale skin that is covered with a black runic pattern while her forearms, calves, lower back, and ears are all covered in fine black scales. Her hair reached precisely to her ankles and is rather unkempt as it has never been combed in 60,000+ years. Her eyes fluctuate between red, gold, and blue depending on her mood though the primary hue is always a stark-blue in color. As for her facial features, she has a relatively plain face that looks like the very definition of 'average', as she didn't really have anyone else to imprint on when choosing her 'human' appearance. She also has a large scar over her right eye that extends past her cheekbone while her brows are somewhat angular, giving her a fierce expression by default (resting bitch face). Inside of her mouth, she has prominent canine teeth while her wings and tail are reptilian in nature, meaning her tail has small spines on it while her wings have thin membranes between segmented bones, much like a bat. Her most striking feature, other than her eyes, is the fact that the black scales on her body will actually glow with small blue runes, much like Vahn's own, whenever she is using her powers.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'What kind of personality is the OEBD? Yandere? Kuudere? Hinedere?','Vahn be like, "Ain't nobody got time fo dat...!','Poor Ais xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 982: Preparations