Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Sitting in a now-empty throne room, Vahn was reflecting on the day's events and the startling increase in his power. The moment when he had nearly 'crushed' everyone in the room was very similar to how he had created a massive hole with his first use of [Heaven's Fall]. His power had increased far more than he had imagined but, as a result of being rather busy lately, he hadn't noticed the full extent of this increase. Though he still sparred with the girls, part of him was always holding back since, even with a [Effigy of the Hero], Vahn would always pull his punches at the last moment. He was afraid that with the inclusion of his Source Energy pervading through their body, with the intent to 'harm', even an [Effigy of the Hero] might not save them...As a result of his contemplation, Vahn was leaning sideways upon his throne, taping the armrest in a steady and rhythm that emphasized his inability to remain calm. The primary reason for this was due to the fact that, with the increase in his power, it was a major red flag for what might come. Though he could now likely reach the lowest Floor of the Dungeon with even greater ease than before, Vahn was worried about what the world might have created in an effort to 'balance' things. He already had a monstrous amount of karma and, now that his power had reached a point beyond his own comprehension, there was always a chance some horrifyingly powerful threat was now lurking in the shadows.Releasing a heavy sigh, Vahn stopped tapping his finger as a determined glint flashed across his eyes. He felt as if he had been on an extended vacation ever since venturing to the Amazoness country of Telskyura and, now that things were coming to a head with him becoming an Emperor, Vahn felt like he needed to make a mental checklist of things to do before he could truly relax. The longer he put off completing his Main Quest, the greater the danger he, his family, and the world itself were in. His top priority needed to be conquering Tartarus while he still needed an actual Eternal Vow from Kali and, depending on the circumstances, Amaterasu. Since there was no way to know how things would develop between them in the future, it wasn't necessarily wise to continue putting things off for much longer...Vahn knew that, if he put a concerted effort into things, it likely wouldn't take much effort for him to get some form of Eternal Vow from the two Goddesses. In fact, if he really wanted to, Vahn was certain he could get Eternal Vows from more than just the two of them and, with how the system's rewards worked, he would likely benefit greatly from it. The only thing that ever really held him back was his own apprehensions and, if he simply focused on the 'goal', Vahn knew he could complete the first stage of his Main Quest before the year ended. He could even meet the requirements for all the 'optional quests' if he truly desired, as there was a veritable herd of women who would be more than willing to bear him a child...As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Vahn shook his head fervently to clear away such 'dangerous' whims before sinking into his rather comfortable throne and muttering, "Sis, why does it feel like everything just became more complicated when I became an Emperor...? I haven't even done anything yet and it already feels like every decision I make needs to be considered with extreme caution..." Though Vahn had a 'bad' habit of overthinking things at times, now that he was Emperor it felt as if everything had been exacerbated in the extreme. His decision now, quite literally, influenced the fate of the entire Continent. It wasn't wrong to say this had always been the case but, with the everpresent 'surge' of power that was flowing through his body, Vahn felt the expectations of his people weighing down on him like a sword pressed to the back of his neck...In response to Vahn's words, a soft and elegant voice sounded out within the deepest recesses of his mind as Sis remarked, (*This is the path you have chosen for yourself, Vahn...However, that does not mean it is the path you are bound to. If there comes a time when you wish to leave this world behind, there is nothing within the vast infinite records that could prevent you from doing so. You do not need to feel as if you are anchored to this world, even if your concerns for your children and the love you share with everyone feels as if they are tethers binding you here...*) As if to emphasize this, Sis navigated through the system interface on Vahn's behalf, showing that the Records function had long since been highlighted. When he had first entered the world, the icon had turned dark because he simply lacked the power and preparation to make a trip to a second record so soon. Now that he had spent more than two-hundred years within the record, with the use of various orbs, he could leave with nothing more than a thought...After staring at the Records icon for a little longer than he should have, Vahn shook his head before a small smile appeared on his face. He sat a little straighter in his chair before musing, "I didn't think you were the type to play around in such a fashion, Sis. Though, I suppose you are just looking out for me, aren't you...?" In response to this, Sis released a peal of light laughter before replying, (*My highest priority is your spiritual, mental, and physical wellness. Even though you would be devastated by guilt if you abandoned this world, such feelings would fade over the course of an eternity. I also believe that, even though there are negative consequences associated with failing to complete your Quest, there are a functionally infinite number of ways around them. As it is a part of you, intended to guide you down the path you have set for yourself, there is no way for it to truly limit your growth and actions...*)Vahn's brows perked up as he listened to Sis's words as, in the past, she was the very person who advised him to continue down the path he had chosen for himself. Though they had discussed, on more than one occasion, how best to 'exploit' the system functions, this was the first time where Sis was outright telling him that it didn't matter what decision he made. So long as he truly desired it, the path would 'correct' itself to facilitate the new path he had set for himself. It had done so several times and, depending on the circumstances, Vahn postulated that, by changing his goal, he could completely change how the system functions worked. Right now, he had set himself on the path of becoming an Emperor and, as a result, he was now seated in a throne room 'brooding' over the future. If he had changed his goal to become the greatest teacher in all records, or even something as simple as becoming a 'god' within the record, Vahn imagined it would have set him on the most efficient path to achieving both...Since she was perfectly capable of knowing everything he was thinking, Sis used the moment when Vahn had such a realization to respond in a gentle and guiding tone, (*That is correct, Vahn. Though it is far more complicated existence, it is best to think of 'The Path' as nothing more than a tool that, if used correctly, will set you on the fastest course to obtaining what you desire. Even if you changed your goal, deciding to focus on truly 'exploiting' the functions of the system, I'm certain you would get Quests pertaining to just that. The only real 'limit' is your comprehension but, as you have experienced several times, the Quests it assigns you often help in that regard as well.*)As Sis had stated, The Path would almost always give him sub-missions related to whatever his focus had been on at the time. A good example was how it had given him 'optional' quests related to his Unit Management as, compared to many of his other functions, Vahn was very interested in its use. On the contrary, the Upgrade system had gone relatively untouched within the system interface ever since he had obtained it. Though a 1% increase wasn't exactly terrible, if stacked multiple times, he simply never needed it since the power scaling in this world made it irrelevant. He had obtained it at a time when his weapons had failed him, likely as a means to supplement his lack of confidence at the time, but ultimately decided on a completely different path. As a result, The Path had never really given him any Quests pertaining to the Upgrade function, allowing it to remain idle within the system interface without ever having the opportunity to influence this world...Knowing that, once again, Sis had given him very helpful counsel, Vahn reclined his head against his throne before a genuine smile spread across his face. Even without saying anything, Sis was very aware of the gratitude he felt towards her. She didn't say anything in response to his silence but, for a brief moment, there was an almost inaudible peal of girlish laughter in the back of Vahn's mind. Vahn patiently waited for true silence to replace the laughter before sitting up ramrod straight and adopting a serious and determined expression. With absolute confidence in both The Path and Sis's guidance, Vahn raised his head slightly as he proclaimed, "I will master Space, Time, and Creation Laws. I also have no need for skills related to courting women any longer as, if I am unable to win over the hearts of people after all this, I do not deserve their affection...!"For several seconds after his proclamation, there was absolute silence in the throne room, the only exception being the echo of his own words of the massive curved walls. Though some people might have felt unnerved by this, Vahn remained steadfast with nothing more than a simple squint of the eyes to show that he was still cognizant of the situation. Then, just as the echo began to fade away, a small window popped up within Vahn's vision as a system notification sounded within his mind. This wasn't the first time he had essentially 'created' a Quest so Vahn wasn't really that surprised and, instead, showed a genuine smile on his face as he read...//Main Quest Chain: [Genesis Path: Dawn of Creation] Unlocked//------------------------------------------------[Quest: Genesis Path: Dawn of Creation]Rank: ZenithObjective: Obtain Divinities related to: Space[48%], Time[19%], Creation[92%]Optional Objectives: [Breath of Life] Successfully bind a soul to an organic vessel: [0/1], [Beyond the Flesh] Successfully bind a soul to an inorganic vessel: [0/1], [Divine Father] Create 'Unique' lifeforms: [0/10], [Little Garden] Create a Personal Dimension using own power and comprehension: [0/1]Rewards: 10,000,000,000OP, [Little Realm Guardian Contract]x1, [Book of the Dawn]x1, [Book of the Dusk]x1, [Book of the Twilight]x1Failure Conditions: Forfeiture of Main Quest ChainPenalty: Spatial Collapse of Inhabited Record Due to Instabilities in Space, Time, and Creation Laws------------------------------------------------Seeing the new Main Quest assigned to him by The Path, Vahn experienced a variety of different emotions, the most predominant being shock. He wasn't surprised that he had indeed received a new Main Quest, as that was the whole point of his exclamation, but because he had nearly completed one of the primary objectives already. Vahn sat in his throne simply staring at the third objective which, according to logic and reasoning, meant that he had very nearly reached Tier 4, gaining a Divinity related to Creation. Though many of the gods liked to talk about what pseudo-Divinities he might have, Vahn hadn't put that much thought into it himself and never realized exactly how close he was to almost becoming Tier 4...Feeling his palms become slightly clammy, Vahn calmed his mind as much as possible before rising to his feet and saying, "I need to conquer the Dungeon sooner than expected..." Something had prevented even his Emperor-self in the Divination from conquering the Dungeon so Vahn assumed it was related to his Divinity. If he wasn't able to probe the depths of the Dungeon before reaching Tier 4, there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to descend to the final Floor without getting near Tier 5.Since there was an unfathomably vast gulf between obtaining Tier 4 and nearly reaching Tier 5, Vahn knew it would take several decades, at the least, before he was able to come up with a means to circumvent whatever countermeasures the Dungeon had to prevent gods from descending too deep. Though he could 'will' The Path to create a Quest that allowed him to reach the depths of Tartarus, regardless of if he was Tier 4 or not, Vahn's intuition told him it wouldn't be that simple. After all, the Objectives he was given were things that he still needed to do, meaning nothing was outright handed to him without an extreme effort required on his part...Just as he was about to push open the doors of his throne room, Vahn's hand stopped in the air before he turned his attention back to the system interface once again. His mastery over Space and Time were still a ways away from reaching the point where he could obtain a Divinity related to him and, though there was nothing requiring him to complete the Quest any time soon, Vahn now felt like 'grinding' the two until they were also nearly at 100%. Now that he had a visible metric to gauge his progress, Vahn suddenly felt a lot more motivated than he had in the past. After all, every percent he managed to increase the numerical value put him one step closer to 'literally' reaching godhood...In response to Vahn's stray thoughts, a second system notification sounded within his mind that caused him to blink several times before he turned his attention to the new string of text. His eyes widened in response to what he had read before he opened up his Status Board and 'pressed' on one of the listed Skills. What he saw after that caused Vahn to laugh in a truly uninhibited manner, causing the nearby Valkyries, who had been waiting to 'escort' him back to the Manor, to show faces of confusion. Amongst them, Brynhildr was equally as confused but didn't allow it to show on her face as she said, "Our Master may be planning to leave soon. Make sure you are properly prepared to receive him...!" In response to her command, the other Valkyrie's became absolutely serious once again as the gave proper salutes and quickly set about preparing to receive the man they all referred to as Master.Back within the throne room, Vahn's smile hadn't faded away in the slightest as he once again read the string of text that had greatly boosted his mood...//System Interface Updated to Reflect Mastery in all Skills and Abilities////[Experience Tracking] Function has been unlocked//(A/N: I tried to release this one as soon as I could but I'm still very tired. I only slept for 7 hours and feel a bit sick so I may not release a second chapter today. Writing this made me feel a little better but I think I could use another nap before making my decision xD...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn's bad habit is back...','Sis saves the day!','You think this is some kind of game~!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After returning to the Manor, Vahn split his focus between two equally important tasks. Using his main body, he met up with many of the Manor's residents while his avatar entered into the Sub-Space orb to experiment with his new system function. Now that he could see even small increases in his mastery of specific skills, Vahn felt as if his training would become exceptionally smooth compared to the past. Though he had never felt as if his strength had started to stagnate, there was a distinct difference between feeling as if you're growing stronger and 'knowing' that you are growing stronger.The only real downside was that, as always, the new system function provided no real insight into any of his Innates. Unlike the rest of his skills, magic, and development abilities, each of Vahn's Innates simply showed a (-) whenever he clicked on them. This was due to the fact that Innates themselves were without any inherent limits, at least as far as growth and potential were concerned. Though other skills would eventually reach a point where the only way they could become stronger was if the user themselves became stronger, Innates were, by their own virtue, the very 'source' of a person's true power. Even if he decided to wholeheartedly commit himself to mastering just a single Innate, there was a very real chance it would be far more powerful than all of his other skills and abilities combined...Back within the Manor, after gathering nearly all of the permanant residents, Vahn found himself surrounded by a variety of multi-colored eyes, each having placed nearly their entire focus on him. Though it wasn't particularly rare for him to ask for a 'family meeting', the girls were always able to tell if the matter he wanted to discuss was important based on the subtle link they all shared. This was especially true for the goddesses and, as a matter of her own personal pride, Fenrir. The latter had long ago developed a powerful link with him through the loyalty she possessed and, after knowing the value actually existing, Fenrir had 'cultivated' her loyalty to the extreme in the hopes of one day overtaking the 'love' value of goddesses like Hestia...With a small smile on his face after passing his gaze over Fenrir, Vahn's eyes ultimately came to rest of the slit-like openings of Loki's, seated with two glimmering red irises that seemed to possess almost infinite intelligence. Over time, completely contrary to their interactions during their first meeting, Loki had become one of the most important goddesses within his life. Vahn knew he was almost too reliant on her but, seeing how much effort she put into making everything run smoothly for him, he couldn't help but feel a soft spot for this goddess that he once scorned out of ignorance. This was something Loki seemed to pick up on as well since, even though everyone was present, a light flush covered her cheeks as she averted her eyes to the side with a smile.Now in an even better mood than before, Vahn cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention away from Loki and back to himself, saying, "After my audience with the various dignitaries from around the Continent, I had a revelation of sorts that I needed everyone to be aware of..." In response to this, perhaps to get 'even' with him for shifting the focus to her for a brief moment, Loki teasingly asked, "Oh, a revelation, was it~? I wonder how many new 'sisters' we'll end up having to manage in the future...?"Though he knew she was only jesting, Vahn turned statuesque with his mouth slightly agape after hearing Loki's slight barb. Many of the girls snapped their heads toward her with disapproving expressions on their faces but, in that same moment, Vahn noticed that many of their auras had slightly flickered while some had even lost a single point of affection after realizing that Loki's words could very well be true. Everyone had already accepted that Vahn would have multiple lovers but, with the passage of time and the expansion of their rather large family, Vahn could tell that some of the girls were no longer as enthused about the idea since he continued adding more girls instead of focusing on those he already had...Realizing she had stepped on a landmine, Loki had also turned statuesque but, unlike Vahn, she was able to mask it exceptionally well without breaking her poker face at all. She did, however, feel extremely apologetic and, though she couldn't do much about it at the moment, Loki promised she would make it up to Vahn latter while also reprimanding herself for letting her Divinity spoil the mood. Vahn had been rather jubilant when he had gathered them all together but now things would become relatively awkward, at least for a short while. Loki wanted to make this transition a little faster so, instead of allowing the silence to persist, she made a dismissive gesture that indicated they would talk about it later before asking, "So, what did you see this time, Vahn? Was it a vision, or something else...?"With Loki's question snapping him back to reality, Vahn closed his gaping mouth and swallowed before saying, "Just like what we've seen in the girls' [Heroic Tale]s, I am now able to determine just how close I am to obtaining a Divinity. To my surprise, I discovered that I have very nearly obtained a Divinity related to Creation and, for fear of losing the opportunity, I have decided to probe the depths of the Dungeon. After I come up with a solution in regards to my promise about slaying the One-Eyed Black Dragon, I intend to venture forth into Tartarus until I have completely conquered it. If I go all out, there are very few things that would prevent me from reaching the lowest Floor in my current state..."Rather surprisingly, at least from Vahn's perspective, none of the goddesses within the room showed even a hint of surprise after the revelation that he had nearly reached godhood. From their perspective, he had always been closer than most and, if anything, Vahn's words actually proved to validate what they already 'knew'. As for everyone else within the room, with a few exceptions, they had almost grown desensitized to the presence of gods after living alongside several for such an extended period of time. Thus, instead of making a big deal out of what should have been a monumental event, Hestia showed a genuinely happy smile as she brought her hands together and said, "Congratulations, Vahn!"Following Hestia's congratulations, the room entered into a relatively festive state where everyone congratulated Vahn for the progress he had made. The only real exception amongst them, though she also gave him a fair amount of praise, was Jeanne. When Vahn had revealed that he had nearly reached godhood, she felt as if a hammer had struck both her heart and mind. After all, it had been the goal of Legend for nearly a thousand years to produce a mortal that was capable of becoming a god and, much like Helen, Jeanne had believed it was nearly impossible without 'certain' developments. Now that Vahn had confidently declared he was nearing godhood, Jeanne couldn't help but think about Helen and wondered how her long-time friend would react when she heard the 'good' news...For the rest of the afternoon, after allowing the children to invade the dining room, everyone celebrated Vahn's coming ascension while discussion about their own potential ascension became one of the hottest topics. Everyone was talking about what kind of Divinity they would obtain in the future while the goddesses within the group provided counsel and insight into what they should expect if they truly walk down such a path. Other than that, the most popular conversation was the Dungeon itself as Fenrir, Ais, Tiona, Haruhime, Lili, Tina, Shizune, and many of the other girls, kept offering to accompany Vahn on his journey into the heart of the Dungeon.Though he would have accepted under normal circumstances, Vahn had to refuse them this time around since the pace he would be moving at wasn't something they would be able to keep up with. There were also enemies in the lower Floors that even Ais may not be able to defeat while the most troublesome existence would be the One-Eyed Black Dragon itself. Vahn's instincts told him that she would be following him around for a bit as, every time he entered the 60th Floor to make sure Enyo's seal wasn't damaged, he could 'feel' an intent lingering around him. Her skills and abilities were very similar to his Qinglong transformation, meaning the One-Eyed Black Dragon had a high affinity with Space and, as a result, Time Laws. If she was a little smarter, Vahn felt that the One-Eyed Black Dragon would be one of the most terrifying enemies anyone could ever possibly face. Fortunately, she seemed closer to Kali in personality and, for better or worse, didn't seem too keen on the idea of spending much time and effort thinking about things...Deterred from following along at his side, many of the girls in the 'combat' group ended up gathering at the side to discuss something in private while three particular 'women' weren't so easily pacified. Terra was very aware of the existence of the One-Eyed Black Dragon and, knowing that it sought her Master, she suddenly felt that protecting the Manor was no longer her highest priority. Though she was a pacifist by nature, knowing that another True Dragon was trying to encroach upon her 'territory', Terra, with a dangerous glimmer in her eyes, professed, "You know, Master, I would really like to meet this One-Eyed Black Dragon~."Standing at Terra's side were Fenrir and, though she would never be allowed to accompany him in her current state, Alexa. The former was adamant about following him, regardless of how dangerous it was for her safety, while the latter would be in a very different kind of danger if she tried to accompany him. Vahn knew he would have to rely on his Qinglong form at times and, with Alexa present, that would either be impossible or outright problematic. She had barely recovered from the last incident and, regardless of how strong she was becoming, Vahn didn't want to trigger her instincts a second time, especially so soon.With that thought in mind, Vahn proffered an apologetic smile as he stroked Alexa's emerald green hair and said, "Please stay here and be a good girl, Alexa. If your mother ends up following after me, I'll need someone to look after Spero Village while we are away..." In response to this, Alexa showed a slight pout but still nodded her head in agreement, saying, "Okay, Papa...but you have to promise to go flying with me every morning, okay...?" Though she couldn't get what she wanted, Alexa knew she could at least get 'something' out of the situation, as her Papa was weakest when he was trying to make up for something.Vahn knew of his daughter's scheme but didn't mind it too much as he ruffled her hair a bit roughly and said, "Sure, that sounds very pleasant..." in a gentle tone of voice. This was enough to get Alexa to obediently stay back at the Manor but, contrasting her, Fenrir was not so easily swayed. Vahn could only smile wryly towards the scarlet-eyed Vanargandr before finally releasing a sigh that was soon followed by a grateful smile as he nodded his head and said, "Let's go together, then..." These words immediately caused Fenrir's ears to perk up in a way Vahn hadn't seen in what felt like years as she happily threw herself into his embrace while exclaiming, "Yes, Fenrir will follow Master~!"Fenrir's outburst had caught the attention of the other girls but, without making a big deal out of things, they simply gave her somewhat envious smiles before returning to their conversation. This only left Terra for Vahn to deal with but, with Yggy protecting the Manor, Vahn didn't have any real grounds to deny her following along with him. Since it didn't seem like she would back out without at least meeting with the One-Eyed Black Dragon, Vahn eventually wavered under her persistently smiling gaze before nodding his head in approval. This caused Terra to produce an admittedly adorable fist pump as her wings fluttered about happily in response to her Master's assent.Vahn's decision to allow Fenrir and Terra to follow him was largely due to the fact that, if something did happen, he could always return them to the surface with Unit Management in an instant. Since he didn't actually want to be alone with the One-Eyed Black Dragon, Vahn felt relieved knowing that he would have the company of his two most trusted subordinates. Though Terra and the One-Eyed Black Dragon would undoubtedly butt heads with each other, Vahn was a little interested to see the latter would respond to the presence of a True Dragon that could rival her main body in strength. When she learned how 'young' Terra was, Vahn suspected it might become much easier to get the One-Eyed Black Dragon to behave in the future...It was when he was thinking about such things, all while spoon-feeding his adorable son, Macht, that Jeanne had decided to interrupt his train of thought. While everyone was focused on the meal and having a good time, she had been relatively silent throughout the afternoon, even when 'pestered' by Loki and Syr. Now, as if she was unable to hold herself back any longer, Jeanne bowed low enough that her head nearly slammed into the table as she interrupted every ongoing conversation to ask, "My Lord, please allow me to accompany you into the Dungeon!"Vahn was more than a little surprised by Jeanne sudden outburst, as she wasn't the type to go against propriety and disturb others. He had expected her to speak with him privately later in the evening so, seeing her make a scene like this, Vahn was a little taken aback by the situation. This didn't last for long, however, as Vahn quickly understood the most likely reason for why Jeanne wanted to accompany him. She undoubtedly knew about the discussion between him and Helen and, as the latter likely would refuse any offer to venture into the Dungeon's depths, Jeanne likely wanted to discover what connection, if any, her best friend had to both Tartarus and Nuwa. Though there was also a chance that she simply wanted to 'protect' him, Vahn figured he could find out Jeanne's true motives later so, without putting too much thought into it, he simply smiled and said, "Very well, Jeanne. I will allow you to accompany me..."Seemingly unprepared for an affirmative response, Jeanne raised her head with slight desperation flashing across her eyes as she exclaimed, "Please, my Lord, I..." It was only halfway through her words that Jeanne realized Vahn hadn't refused her offer, causing her fair skin to gain a ruddy hue as everyone gathered at the large table looked towards her with a mixture of emotions, the most predominant of which was amusement. Even some of the children laughed at Jeanne's expense, causing her to fluster slightly before she inevitably excused herself from the dining room after giving a polite bow.Vahn followed Jeanne's back with his eyes before turning his attention to the various gazes that had shifted towards him in the aftermath of Jeanne's outburst. Many of these gazes came from the girls he had denied the opportunity to accompany him but there wasn't much he could do about it as, compared to Jeanne, the risk to their life was simply too high. Even in his current state, Vahn didn't feel as if he would be able to leave a mark on Jeanne's seemingly indestructible body so it wasn't incorrect to say that her Innates had nearly pushed her into the range of Tier 4 as well. However, as could be seen with existences like Yggy, even being near the 'peak' of Tier 3 meant you were still extremely far from actually reaching Tier 4. If Vahn had to make a comparison, it was as if he had currently expanded to form a small lake while Jeanne was still around the size of a large pond. As for Yggy, it wasn't wrong to compare her to a vast ocean as, even without having a Divinity of her own just yet, she had already broken into the realm of 'infinity' with her ability to produce limitless energy...Realizing he still had a long way to go, Vahn spooned up another spoonful of liquidized baby food before absentmindedly placing it into his own mouth. This earned him a 'devastated' expression from Macht who, prior to his Papa stealing his food, was looking forward to another mouthful of the delicious sustenance. Vahn realized his mistake just as the young Chienthrope was on the verge of tears, quickly pacifying the young toddler before the waterworks could officially begin...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'If only real life had experience bars...','Terra's Yandere is leaking out...','Poor Macht, betrayed by his own Papa...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Not allowing her slight mishap to set her back, it took significantly less time than Vahn expected for Brynhildr to gather the majority of the dignitaries that he would be granting an audience. She had them all file up outside in an orderly fashion as a small squad of Valkyries kept everyone from acting out. Regardless of if they were Kings, Governors, Mayors, or Clan Chieftains, their status was not important as, in the present moment, the only titles that mattered were those that Vahn allowed others to keep. If they decided to come under the influence of his Empire, Vahn intended to treat those worthy of trust with the respect they were due, allowing them to manage their own affairs. So long as they implemented the changes he required of them, it didn't matter who was in charge of any given territory. For those who decided to either rebel or take a stand against his budding Empire, Vahn intended to expose all of their crimes publically before either eliminating or imprisoning them. He had long grown tired of the type of people who thought they had a 'right' to rule over others by virtue of nothing more than the situation they were born into...In the span of a ten minute period, Brynhildr had gathered everyone together before giving them a very stern lecture on how they should behave in the presence of the Emperor. Though some didn't seem satisfied with the treatment they had received, there were none amongst those that had been gathered who were unable to understand the situation. Most of the truly troublesome individuals had forgone accepting Vahn's summons, making them easy to deal with at a later date. It was the calculating, moderately intelligent individuals, and cowards who had gathered together at Vahn's behest. Since he had already met with many of them during the months prior to the meeting, backed by the information that had been provided to him by his own network of informants, Vahn already had a relatively decent understanding of each person's true nature.After her explanation had concluded, Vahn could sense Brynhildr press her palm against a small magical ward, causing a small hum to resonate through the throne room. With this signal, he fixed his slightly lax posture before hardening his face and commanding in a low rumble, "Enter." This caused the two doors at the far end of the throne room to open soundlessly, creating a tense atmosphere as the Valkyrie began to direct each person to their assigned position. Vahn had those he had evaluated as trustworthy placed closer to him while those he had already marked as incompetent were placed at the periphery. This was noticed almost immediately, causing those at the front to restrain exuberant smiles while those forced to the outside had ghastly and solemn visages...Without allowing his gaze to wander, Vahn waited patiently while exuding a subtle pressure that, with the passage of time, seemed to increase in intensity. This wasn't the result of any action on Vahn's part but, from the perspective of those that were forced to stand before him, it felt as if they were standing at the base of a mountain that was even taller than the Tower of Babel. He may not be outwardly dangerous, as Vahn's reputation painted him as a rather benevolent and amiable personage, but there was the lingering 'promise' of a swift demise if you somehow managed to offend him. As a result, amidst a series of shuffling noises and some particularly audible heartbeats, there were absolutely no other sounds as everyone obediently took their assigned positions...Seeing that the strongest person present was only Level 3, belonging to the Chieftain of the largest Kyrie Tribe on the Continent, Beldum, Vahn couldn't help but internally shake his head at the blatant audacity of those gathered to believe themselves above others. As for Beldum himself, he was a massive individual who stood at 264cm tall, towering over everyone else that had been gathered. His position within the group was near the center but, just to keep things from looking grossly imbalanced, Vahn had him dividing the group by standing directly parallel to his throne. Beldum seemed to take pride in this fact as his rather fierce visage had softened slightly while a small smile was adorned on his lips. Vahn had a relatively good impression of the man so, even though it was somewhat rude to smile before the Emperor in such a fashion, he didn't particularly mind such a small sleight.Once everyone had assumed their positions, it was time for Vahn, as an Emperor, to speak his first words to those that would either become his vassals, allies, or enemies. Lifting his hand to prevent Brynhildr from trying to force everyone to kneel, Vahn waited for the Valkyrie to give a polite bow before she commanded everyone else to their own positions. As a result, the foreign dignitaries were flanked on both sides by a total of twenty-four Valkyries, even though a single one of them would have been enough to completely devastate the entire group. This was something everyone gathered was very aware of and, feeling the pressure of the steely womens' gaze, even proud warriors like Beldum had the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight.As soon as Brynhildr had taken her position near the base of his throne, Vahn inhaled a silent yet deep breath before his voice echoed through the chamber, sending ripples through the void in much the same fashion as Ouranos as he stated, "When I asked for your presence within the City, I was but the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. Many of you came here seeking power, opportunity, or, fearing an end to your line, absolution...now, as you are all undoubtedly aware, things have changed quite drastically. You are all aware of what I wish to achieve thus, without footing around the issue, I will ask you now...will you join me in uniting our peoples and creating a better future for everyone...?" Vahn didn't bother asking the second part of his question, which related to whether or not they would 'rebel' against him, as there was none present who were unaware of the consequences of such action.Almost as soon as his words had fallen upon them, those closest to Vahn took the opportunity to kneel in a respectful manner, regardless of their status and assumed Nobility. There were even some at the back of the group who had taken a knee, grasping at what little hope remained to them. Vahn found this strangely amusing, something he hadn't quite expected to feel while witnessing those he had already judged as incompetent trying to preserve themselves. He momentarily wondered if his nature was changing slightly with his rise to prominence but, having already made the decision, Vahn wasn't going to change his mind just because they had taken the knee. He would, however, show them some small amount of leniency by granting a reprieve to their children by having them attend the School to be evaluated for their candidacy as a ruler...Without waiting for the indecisive within the group to make up their mind, Vahn gave a curt and appreciative nod while passing his gaze over everyone that had taken a knee. This was immediately followed by his voice, once against echoing throughout the throne room, as he said, "The Empire, while having great power and wealth, will only truly prosper if there is unity between everyone within its borders. I have in mind a great many changes that must be implemented to ensure that, unlike the past, all those who reign over others will be highly qualified to take up the task. Each of you that have decided to pledge your loyalty to the Empire will be granted a grace period after taking your vows. I will allow you to bring forth your chosen descendants who, after graduating from the Academy on the 50th Floor, will be granted the title they have earned for themselves. If you truly believe your lineage to be unique, you must continue to put forth the effort to improve, all while holding yourselves to a higher standard than you would your own people. It is only through earning the right to rule that, in the future, such rights will be granted..."Though few understood the full meaning behind Vahn's words, everyone that had taken a knee still lowered their heads in a respectful manner. The one thing they were all aware of was the fact that, if they intended to continue ruling over their own countries, they would be required to take even stricter vows than the members of the Civilian Legislative Branch. They knew their new Emperor wasn't the type to simply take people for their word as, in this world, where even Gods were bound by vows and Laws, talk was cheap. One of the reasons that corruption had become so deeply rooted in many cultures is that, instead of treating their position with the seriousness it deserved, many took advantage of the power they had inherited to simply act as they please without repercussions. This would no longer be the case in the world that Vahn wished to create, as only those who had earned the right to rule would be afforded the opportunity to even consider themselves Noble.Immediately shifting his focus to those still standing, Vahn's gaze briefly passed over the mountain-like Beldum before a small smile appeared on his face as he stated, "I am not the type of person who is unable to understand the significance of cultural values, especially to an organized group that has persisted through the generations without causing great strife across the lands. Just because you have not pledged your loyalty to me, you need not fear that I will arbitrarily seize your ancestral lands and subjugate your people. I truly desire a world where everyone is afforded the opportunity to prosper without fear that they would be looked down upon as a result of their origin. So long as you continue to govern your people justly, the Empire will always recognize such capable individuals as allies. I will, however, require that you make a simple vow before you leave this throne room today. Not everyone born into a particular tribe is able to prosper in the conditions that have been provided to them. There are always outliers who, for no other reason than because they are slightly different, will be ostracised by their community and looked down upon for no justifiable reason. Do not misconstrue what I'm saying as a request as, from henceforth, if anyone wishes to migrate from their homeland to seek a better life within the Empire, I will not allow even the King of a nation to oppose such a decision. Though there will be obvious exceptions in regards to criminals, they must have been found guilty in an established court of law, not declared guilty at the behest of people who think themselves above the law..."In a world where individuals could gain enough power to even topple small mountains, Vahn knew that there would always be a few who rose to prominence that would try to repress others. It would take an even stronger power to keep such people in line which was why making it so that the Empire showed no tolerance towards such actions was very important. So long as he reigned, even the most arrogant individuals on the Continent would need to take measured action, lest they risk being outright eliminated as a result. After all, it wasn't necessarily 'power' that made someone a good ruler, at least within a peaceful society. Vahn knew he couldn't eliminate 'evil', as there was always a need for a certain balance within the world, but he could at least make it very difficult for anyone with oppressive personalities to rise to prominence...After letting his words settle for a few seconds, Vahn turned his attention to a few within the group that he knew would have to be 'removed' from their positions. This included several people kneeling at the back who, after feeling Vahn's gaze upon them, began trembling with a mixture of complex emotions. Some knew the futility of trying to resist, holding onto the hope that they would be shown leniency, while others were shaking as a result of the incredulity and rage they were experiencing. Amongst this second group, even before Vahn could speak out, a woman with violet hair raised her lowered head to suddenly shout, "What right do you have to make such decisions!? You are nothing more than a commoner that has been promoted to their position after becoming the pawn of Gods...!"Without Vahn needing to say or do anything, the woman's outburst was punctuated by a white light enveloping her body. Before she could even scream out in pain, her body was broken down into fine motes of light as a Valkyrie named Myst lowered her hand. There weren't even ashes left in the wake of the powerful Light Elemental magic, causing those that had thought to make complaints of their own to fall silent. The woman had been the Queen of a small country to the North-East, called the Rosemary Kingdom...Three generations prior, her family had been nothing more than wine merchants who, after finding a small territory that was highly suited to growing their precious strain of grapes, founded a small kingdom as a result. She had been someone who had been given everything she had wanted from a young age, causing her to become spoiled to the point that many within her own country hated her vehemently. Even so, as a result of being the only child to a sickly King, she had been crowned as the reigning Queen after his death and a small power struggle between herself and the former Queen...The only reason she had been able to gain the throne, however, was due to the support of a rising faction within the Kingdom that had intended to use her as a puppet, pacifying her wants and needs while controlling the direction of the Kingdom to fill their coffers. After sending her to the meeting, these same individuals had outright disappeared from the Rosemary Kingdom after completely emptying the treasury. Vahn had been aware of all of this, as the Shadow Corps had already captured most of the traitorous Nobles, so he held no pity towards the misguided woman who, upon their first meeting, thought she could seduce him to secure a position for herself...After sending a small prayer, hoping the woman would live a better life in her future incarnation, Vahn passed his gaze over the now silent gathering before saying, "There are those amongst you who have looked down upon others your entire lives, treating those you should have been dedicating your lives to as nothing more than a source of income. Now that I am Emperor, you will be held accountable for your actions, regardless of if you had manipulated the laws of your country to make your actions justifiable. If you have any real sense, you will face justice with the dignity of a genuine Noble and, so long as your progeny haven't been corrupted by your influence, there is still a chance for your lineage to continue. Know that I am not a cruel person by any means and, if not for the acts you had perpetrated before this moment, you would have never been required to face my ire and scorn. I would encourage you to take the necessary time to reflect upon the life you have lived before preparing yourself for what is to come...!"Though he had been restraining his aura for much of the audience, Vahn chose this moment to allow his domain to weigh down with full force. With the 'upgrade' he had received after becoming a genuine Emperor, even people like Beldum were immediately brought to their knees as a result of the irresistible power radiating from Vahn's body. It wasn't just them, either, as the surrounding Valkyries and the very foundation of Babel Tower seemed to tremble in response to Vahn unleashing the full power of his domain. If not for the fact he was trying to uniformly spread it outwards, combined with the sheer durability of the Tower of Babel, there was a very real chance that Vahn could have collapsed the 50th floor in its entirety.Surprised by the power of his own domain, Vahn began to reign it back a bit since those he had directed his intent toward had all passed out. Only the Valkyries around him and those that had already taken a knee were spared any serious consequences, causing Vahn to gulp slightly in response to his own power. He hadn't noticed it much during the fight against the One-Eyed Black Dragon, as her existence wasn't so easily suppressed by simple pressure, but Vahn now realized that his [Will of the Emperor] had experienced a qualitative increase after officially gaining the title. He had certainly been feeling much stronger than in the past but, up until this very moment, Vahn hadn't realized just how powerful he had become...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'New Emperor, who dis...?','You had your chance; now we do things my way...','Bruh...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 985: Exploit