Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Now that Vahn had placed conquering the Dungeon as his highest priority, there were several small matters he needed to attend before he could fully focus on the historic task. Fortunately, because of how young his Empire was, there weren't any major events taking place that required his full attention. Many of the dignitaries that had thrown their lot in with him had already left the City, this time under the protection of the HDF, while those who had been marked for 'removal' were being shadowed by Chloe's Shadow Corps. Only a few had actually come forward to accept responsibility for their crimes while the majority of such people were still clinging to some small hope of taking advantage of the situation or avoiding repercussions. As for their ultimate fate, Vahn expected he would find a report on his desk at some point that detailed, very briefly, their execution or imprisonment...Fare more important, at least from Vahn's perspective, were the matters related to the existence of Shizune's cousin and, after having been informed of the situation by Jeanne, Helen. The former had been formally introduced to her distant relative and, though things were a bit awkward between them, it didn't seem like Kiyone was in any real danger. Due to her age, there was a fair chance she would be able to forget the tragic experience she had been forced through without any significant aftereffects. With the assistance of Preasia, she wouldn't even have to worry about having nightmares in the future since everyone who received long-term treatment from the relatively famous 'Fluffy Saintess' had reported a stark increase in their own ability to manipulate their dreams, experiencing a lucidity that only those who had entered the Dreamscape could ever hope to achieve.With Shizune showing a great deal of concern for her young cousin, combined with the fact that Anubis seemed to have taken over the responsibility of raising Kiyone, Vahn knew he didn't have to worry too much about the young Kitsune. Infinitely more troublesome was the matter of Helen who, for the first time after settling in Spero, used the underground tunnels that connected to the Manor in order to pay a 'surprise' visit. Vahn had been in the middle of listening to Ina give an explanation of her latest creation when he sensed two massive auras moving in the underground passages below. Though neither was hostile, it had still caught his attention since it was an 'abnormal' situation that he hadn't been expecting to occur.Always paying close attention to her Papa's reactions, as she had been trying to impress him, Ina noticed his focus shift away from her almost instantly. She set aside the ornate gauntlet in her hand, a slight frown on her face as she asked, "Are you leaving...?" Even as she asked the question, Ina's eyes had already turned kaleidoscopic as she peered into her own future to see what would occur. Vahn gave a wry smile in response before pulled a thin cloak out of his Inventory and setting it around Ina's shoulders before pulling her into a hug. She didn't put up any resistance at all and just enjoyed the moment for a few seconds before releasing a small sigh and saying, "I'll be in my workshop for the rest of the day so please stop by if you're not busy..."Vahn knew Ina's words were her way of 'manipulating' the outcome of her visions as, with the passage of time, she had become increasingly familiar with her rather unique Innate. Since he had every intention of returning to spend more time with this adorable daughter of his, Vahn had no inhibitions at all when he stroked her platinum blonde hair and said, "Of course. I already have a good idea about what Helen wants to discuss so it shouldn't take much time...You should-" Before he was able to continue his words, Helen snorted through her nose, breaking free from the hug as she complained, "Even if I look like this, I'm not even four years old, Papa. You shouldn't be harping over such things so soon...!"Having been taught the unique forging techniques of Hephaestus and Tsubaki, Ina had long ago picked up the habits of the latter, much to Vahn's increasing worry. She was already at the point where her physical appearance was nearing full maturity, giving her the appearance of a young woman around seventeen years of age. Though she hadn't taken after her mother completely, unlike Vana, Ina still had more than enough charm to almost instantly captivate the heart of any 'sensible' man that laid eyes on her. Vahn didn't have any such feelings but, seeing his daughter wearing nothing but a glorified sports bra and a pair of small shorts, especially when her slightly tanned skin was covered in sweat, always made him feel a mixture of awkwardness and concern. This was the reason why he had pulled out a cloak to cover her before they hugged as, even though he knew it wasn't something he should mind, Vahn wanted to avoid having Ina develop the personality trait of not minding her decency just because he was around...Without a retort to Ina's words, Vahn just allowed his smile to become gentle as he crossed his arms and lightly shook his head. Ina produced a pouting expression when she saw this but, knowing he was about to leave, it didn't last too long before she released a sigh and said, "I suppose I'm not your average child..." As much as she wanted her Papa to spoil her, Ina knew he was just trying to do what he thought was best, even if she didn't outright agree with the methods he had chosen...Though she had been receiving an education from the women in the Manor, Ina never fully understood why she had to care about such things as, no matter how often she thought about leaving the Manor, there didn't seem to be anything for her in the 'outside' world. The two people she cared about the most were here, most of the time, while everyone else in the Manor treated her with extreme kindness and understanding. Every time she had looked into the future to see what might await her, Ina would have a frown on her face since there seemed to be an endless number of frivolous and shallow men trying to mislead her with words and take advantage of her. As a result, Ina had actually started to harbor a small hatred for men in the 'outside' as, compared to her Papa, everyone else seemed incredibly boorish. This was especially true for the few 'gods' that had appeared within her vision, something that had disgusted her so much that Ina had no choice but to 'complain' to her Second Mother, Loki, about...Considering the matter settled, as he couldn't see the aura possessed by any of his children, Vahn lightly rubbed Ina's head before giving her a small peck on the forehead and departing the workshop. Ina followed his departure with her eyes until he had completely exited the room before, moments later, the sound of a hammer could once again be heard echoing through the corridors. Once the door closed behind him, this sound vanished in its entirety but, knowing that his daughter was once again hard at work, Vahn felt strangely gratified and proud. If Hephaestus had been the one to hear the hammer strikes, however, her expression would have been one of exasperation and empathy for her daughter's plight...Without making any detours, Vahn proceeded towards the 'central hub' beneath the Manor, a large circular room that had several passages leading to different buildings that were of significance to the Alliance. Jeanne and Helen had been waiting there for him as, even though the latter's understanding of Vahn was still rather shallow, Jeanne had been closely observing the man she called 'Lord'. She knew he would be aware of their presence long before they even reached the Manor proper so, instead of causing an incident by escorting Helen upstairs, she had her friend wait on a small stone bench as the two awaited Vahn's inevitable arrival.Upon entering into the heavily reinforced stone chamber, Vahn experienced a small shock as, compared to the past, he didn't feel any particular 'pause' upon witnessing Helen. In fact, though she was still awe-inspiringly beautiful, Vahn felt like he had an extreme level of clarity compared to the past as, even without activating his [Will of the Emperor], it seemed to be passively preventing any abnormal sway in his thoughts. With this, Vahn could conclude that the mental resistances granted to him by his most reliable Innate had also received a large increase, causing him to produce a casual and confident smile to took both beautiful women by surprise. This was especially true for Helen who, for the first time since meeting Vahn, felt strangely 'afraid' after seeing him smile in such a manner...Jeanne snapped out of her momentary stupor much faster than Helen but, instead of bowing as she often would in the past, she instinctually took a knee while greeting, "Thank you for granting us with your presence, your Majesty..." The moment she realized what she was doing, Jeanne blinked in surprise but, feeling that her actions were actually very 'natural', she dismissed her slight unease in an instant upon hearing Vahn casually utter, "Rise, Helen...tell me, to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit...?" In response to this, almost as if she were compelled by some unseen force, Jeanne rose to her feet before immediately explaining, "Your Majesty, due to the significance of your next venture, this one had wanted to-"Feeling slightly uneasy with Jeanne's overly polite speech, Vahn raised his hand to interrupt her words before stating in a firm tone, "When we are not in an official setting, dismiss with such formalities. Though you may soon hold the status of the 'Imperial Shield', you do not need to lower yourself unnecessarily. After all, if there is to be true trust between us, I would rather practice mutual understanding and respect as, compared to subservience, it is infinitely more important that the people I entrust with the most important duties are those I genuinely respect." Since Jeanne was given the official duty of protecting his family, Vahn adamantly refused to treat her as some simple servant or knight. Though Terra and Yggy were perfectly capable of protecting the Manor on their own, Jeanne's power would be instrumental in guaranteeing his children were safe when they decided to venture out into the City in the future...Taking a deep breath that caused her relatively modest breasts to protrude outward pridefully, Jeanne allowed a smile to adorn her uniquely beautiful face. If not for the presence of Helen, Vahn felt he might even be charmed by such a pristine smiling expression but, even with his [Will of the Emperor] shielding him from Helene's influence, it was nearly impossible to compare the two side-by-side. Though Helen had a complete lack of expression, simply being in her presence made the rest of the world almost feel as though it had lost color. It was almost as if the world itself 'refused' to even try and compete with her 'Innate' beauty, giving way to her cold and apathetic visage without contest...Without waiting for Jeanne to fully recover her senses, Vahn gave her a small nod before turning his attention to Helen and asking, "I suppose you also wish to accompany me when I enter into the Dungeon, yes...?" Though Jeanne had yet to explain the situation, Vahn could only imagine a few scenarios that would lead to Helen coming to him personally. Each of these related to a request and, given her nature, Vahn knew any request of Helen's would undoubtedly relate to the 'fate' she had assigned herself. She was someone who had bound herself intrinsically with the fate she believed had been assigned to her, something Vahn simply couldn't understand since he often did his best to go directly against such concepts. Even though he had tried to 'free' her on several occasions, Jeanne had shielded both her heart and mind to outside assistance, to the point she didn't seem capable of ever moving forward.Having already recovered from her very momentary shock, Helen gave a small nod in response to Vahn's question before bowing politely as she stated, "Though you may not believe my assistance is required, I believe my presence will be necessary if you wish to conquer the Dungeon..." Since she also had an interest in the mirror Vahn had discovered, Helen wanted to accompany Vahn at least once. She had a lot of time to think after their last meeting and, after considering each of his words seriously, Helen had 'convinced' herself that her fate was entwined with the Dungeon. Each of the questions he had asked her had been, in her mind, distorted to reflect the inescapable fate she believed had been assigned to her from 'creation'. Now that Vahn was going to be venturing into the lowest Floors of the Dungeon, Helen had convinced herself that it was her 'fate' to accompany him as, even though Vahn seemed to genuinely believe he didn't need her help, Helen 'knew' her presence would be necessary if he wanted to overcome whatever trials awaited him...Though his first instinct was to shut down Helen completely, as he was absolutely certain her presence wouldn't be required, Vahn eventually nodded his head in approval of Helen's request. Since she hadn't listened to his words during their previous meetings, Vahn decided this would be a good opportunity to prove to her, without any shadow of a doubt, how foolish her mentality was. Even if Nuwa had orchestrated things to put Helen into a position where she would become the 'key' to someone else's rise to godhood, Vahn had no such need for assistance. Nuwa, as powerful as she may be, could spend several iterations of eternity without ever reaching even a fraction of The Path's true power. She was easily one of the most powerful Goddesses within this world, if not the most powerful, but that still only made her the most powerful in a record that, in the grand scheme of things, was entirely inconsequential...Having expected Vahn to refuse her, Helen was slightly taken aback by his quick assent before the gears in her mind shifted to 'align' things in accordance with her skewed perspective. She quickly convinced herself that he had seen reason and, as prideful as he may be, Vahn wasn't a fool that would refuse her assistance without due consideration for the negative consequences his hubris could bring. This caused Vahn's impression upon her heart to transition towards a favorable direction, allowing Helen to profer forward a small smile in lieu of words. Seeing that Vahn was seemingly unaffected by her rare display of emotion, Helen's smile became even more natural before she gave a polite bow and said, "I will now go to make my preparations. Please inform me when you are ready to leave, Vahn..."Completely ignoring the small flash of white skin as Helen bowed, Vahn turned his attention back to Jeanne as he said, "We'll likely be departing tomorrow morning. Now, as I have a prior arrangement, I'll be excusing myself. Please, take care of yourselves until our next meeting..." Though Vahn directed his words towards both girls, Jeanne misconstrued things to mean, 'protect Helen for me', while Helen had twisted them to mean, 'things will be inconvenient if something happens to you before the time arrives'. As a result, Jeanne gave a full salute, exclaiming, "Leave it to me, your Majesty...!" while Helen gained a resolute light in her eyes as she gave a small yet determined nod in response. Vahn didn't really know what to make of their responses so he just shook his head with a bemused smile on his face before exiting the rather cold and dull chamber...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Preasia, the Fluffy Saintess (UwU)...!','RIP, Ina's love life...','Helen is an eight-hundred-year-old Chuuni...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Now that he was an Emperor, there were several things Vahn needed to consider before he took any action, including venturing into the Dungeon. Though he could manage most affairs with one of his bodies, Vahn still spent the final days leading up to his expedition in several long meetings with the Divine Council. He was in the process of selected capable Ministers to help manage the affairs of the Empire as, instead of relying on the various goddesses around him, Vahn needed his own personnel to avoid overlap between his Court and the Divine Council. Fortunately, as they had long foreseen this moment, Loki and Fortuna had come forth with a list of potential candidates that could fill in the positions, both temporarily and long-term.Each candidate presented was either a successful merchant, personally groomed by Fortuna herself, or an acting member of the Civilian Legislative Branch. Now that he was the Emperor, there was a need to shuffle around the organizational structure of the CLB so it was helpful to have core members of the organization become, even temporarily, his Imperial Ministers. Though there were a few rumors circulating, especially since all but one of his Ministers ended up being a female, Vahn believed the candidates proferred forth by the two goddesses were excellent choices for the responsibilities required of them. Besides, though he wouldn't openly admit it to any naysayers, it was far more pleasant to spend his mornings in counsel with a group of rather attractive females than a bunch of old men...This was the thought going through Vahn's mind as he sat at the head of an ornate metallic table and listened to the preliminary financial report of his new Minister, a woman so capable she held both the titles of 'Minster of Finance' and 'Minister of the Treasury'. Her name was Arethusa, a young Demigoddess that, similar to Asfi, was forced away from her homeland before finding sanctuary within Orario. She had an impeccably sharp mind and, before receiving her current position, her fate had her walking down the path of becoming the Fortuna Familia's next Captain. With her light blue hair, neatly arranged in a braided bun, combined with her icy blue eyes, Vahn felt as if the air in the chamber had become rather frigid. Regardless of this, he still found her presence rather refreshing when accounted for alongside the other exotic and unique women that had now become members of his Court.Having finished her report, Arethusa gave a polite bow before returning to her seat at Vahn's behest. Each of the seven members that had been elected as his Ministers were polite to an extreme and, other than a few small noises from minor movements, there was absolutely no sound within the chamber after the report was completed. Even as Vahn sorted information through his mind, primarily with the assistance of Sis, nobody uttered so much as a single word of cross-talk until he lightly tapped the table with his fingers and said, "It may not be much in the grand scheme of things, but I will use my personal finances as the foundation for the Empire's Treasury. As for taxes, I will delay implementing anything for a period of three years...hmmm..."Vahn was trying to be considerate of the people and, as there was no great need to begin collecting taxes immediately, he didn't want to cause any unnecessary strain on people just as his reign had begun. This didn't mean he had the intention of bankrupting the Empire, however, as he immediately followed his words by adding, "Fortunately, we haven't begun selling the higher-grade items that were intended to be passed through the Alliance. From now on, those items will become proprietary goods that are regulated by the Empire. We will still allow the Alliance to auction off the goods, but the Empire will now become the sole source for items such as the [Interspatial Ring] and [Sage Aldrnari's Tears]..."Hearing Vahn's words, the expressionless face of Arethusa turned into one of mild surprise as she had never expected Vahn to make such a decision, at least this early on. She had already come up with a transition plan with Fortuna so that many of the Alliances finances would begin to overlap with the Empire, but that would have taken place behind the scenes. Vahn's method was almost like a power grab, at least from the perspective of the public. Though there were some small detriments involved, Arethusa knew that the positives would far outweigh the negatives as, in the future, this one precedent would give Vahn much greater power to act. After all, the Alliance was already considered the strongest power on the Continent and, though it was always planned to become the foundation for the Empire, the transition was, originally, going to be much slower...Believing that Arethusa's small 'slip' was the result of her finding his words acceptable, Vahn gave a small nod before waving his hand to store away the large stack of documents that had been set out for his perusal. This was noted by all seven Ministers who, without delay, rose to their feet and gave steep bows before Vahn was able to rise himself. With another wave of his hand, Vahn lightly uttered, "You are dismissed until our next meeting. If there are any other matters to attend, please send a notice through one of the Valkyries and I will schedule an audience at my earliest convenience. My focus will be on the Dungeon for the next few days, at the very least, so I would prefer that you deal with your own responsibilities without my guidance, so long as there are no issues..."Though he now held absolute power within his newly established Empire, Vahn had no intentions of being an overbearing Ruler that micromanaged everything. Many of the documents he had read regarding how to properly rule over an Empire showed that the most successful Empires were always helmed by an Emperor but were kept afloat by the capable Ministers beneath them. He needed to be able to trust them with their duties without them having to worry about him constantly breathing down his neck. This would give them the confidence to take future actions on their own and, though it also opened the route forward for corruption, such things could be prevented rather easily if he didn't become complacent...In response to his words, the seven Ministers gave a rather sonorous response, another benefit of having a predominately female Court, before quickly excusing themselves from the room. The only one to remain standing in their position was the only male with the chamber, excluding Vahn, which indicated there were matters he wished to discuss in private. Vahn waited until everyone else had exited the chamber before turning his attention to the silver-haired old man, smiling as he asked, "Is there something you wanted to bring to my attention, Sebas...?"Hearing Vahn address him, Sebas gave a respectful bow as he responded, "Your Majesty, no words can ever truly express how grateful I am for having been given this position and responsibility. However, I..." Without being able to finish his words, Sebas, the very same 'Bartender' that had been managing the affairs of his Clubhouse, came to a solemn silence. Vahn had raised his hand slightly, indicating for silence, so there was nothing he could do but swallow the words he already found rather difficult to say aloud. Fortunately, things didn't progress in a negative manner as Vahn quickly clarified things, saying, "I have already received a report about the situation of your village. Though now is not the most ideal time, I will allow you a temporary leave so that you may manage your personal affairs. I'm sure these recent changes have been difficult for you and, as I have my own matters to attend, I will not fault you for doing the same."Vahn had long developed an appreciation for Sebas' talents and, though there were certainly better people suited to the position, none held the same wisdom and experience as the elderly gentlemen before him. As a result, Vahn had nominated Sebas as his Minister of the Interior, placing him in charge of managing all of the personnel that would work within his 'palace' in the future. The only groups he would have no authority over were the Imperial Guards who, as one would expect, only took orders directly from the Emperor, Vahn himself. Even so, Sebas had found himself in a rather unexpected position where, instead of simply earning money to send back to his village, he was now one of the most powerful people within Vahn's Empire.Since Vahn had promised a 'stimulus' of 100,000,000V, combined with a protection agreement that would allow his village to prosper, Sebas had agreed to take up the responsibility after only a few days of consideration. Unfortunately, as 'Fate' was ought to do, the moment things appeared to be irrefutably positive, Sebas received a missive from his village that mentioned that his Granddaughter had become severely ill. The disease was supposedly incurable but, with one of the coveted [Sage Aldrnari's Tears] at his disposal, Sebas was confident his Granddaughter would make a full recovery. After all, the peculiar green potion could supposedly cure almost any ailment, regardless of severity, making it a highly sought after item after the Alliance had revealed its existence during the attack by Enyo's forces...Bowing even lower than before, Sebas felt an extreme amount of gratitude toward Vahn as he quickly excused himself after the latter gave a small nod in response. As for Vahn, he had a small smile on his face as he wondered what Sebas' reaction would be when he found out that his Granddaughter had already been treated. When Vahn had received the report, it only took a few minutes of his time to teleport over to the rather demure village before personally healing the adorable little girl that Vahn knew Sebas was incredibly fond of. Since it would take several days, at the earliest, for the information to reach Sebas' ears, Vahn felt pleased by the minor 'prank' he had pulled on his most senior Minister. As for why he allowed Sebas to return, it was to allay the old man's worries and allow him to spend time with his family, something that Vahn believed would greatly benefit Sebas' mental and physical wellness.With his duties tended to, Vahn stretched his body for a few moments before turning his gaze to the floor below. In an instant, Vahn's intent began to probe through the Tower of Babel, almost completely ignoring the various barriers that generally prevented such actions, before sinking into the Dungeon proper. Though it took incredible focus, Vahn was able to move his 'intent' around freely and, after assuming his Qinglong form, teleport to any location in an instant. Even the Dungeon could do little to stop him from probing into its depths, though this was only true up until he reached the 73rd Floor. The same mechanism that prevented new Adventurers from immediately accessing the 18th Floor also prevented Vahn's 'intent' from probing deeper than he had explored. It was a peculiar experience, crashing into an unseen barrier with something as abstract as his 'intent', but Vahn didn't really mind it too much since it would have been a little too easy if he could simply teleport to the lowest Floor in an instant...After entering the 73rd Floor with his intent, Vahn immediately sensed that he had been locked onto by a secondary force but, as this was not the first time he had taken a peek into the Dungeon like this, he wasn't too surprised when a spatial tear appeared near him. From within this tear, the One-Eyed Black Dragon emerged and, after looking around for a short while, she snorted a wisp of blue flames before loudly exclaiming, "Are you going to come out or not!?" Vahn couldn't help but lightly chuckle in response to this, something the One-Eyed Dragon seemed to take note of as her face furrowed into a deep frown moments later. Since she had gone 'out of her way' to come to where he was located, the One-Eyed Black Dragon was very annoyed by the fact that Vahn hadn't actually appeared as, though she was able to sense his intent, she was actually unable to sense his exact location as it was impossible to trace Vahn's origin through the spatial fluctuations caused by his Source Energy.Since he didn't want to transform into his Qinglong form right now, as he was planning to return home shortly, Vahn focused his mind before asking, "Can you hear me...?" Though he couldn't easily transfer matter through spatial tears, without turning into his Qinglong form, Vahn had been working on methods to send messages through the void. These messages could completely bypass most barriers and, as they were untraceable, Vahn had been able to play a few small pranks on the girls back at the Manor. The only people it didn't work against were the goddesses he had 'melded' with and, as was often the case, Fenrir...With Vahn's voice literally sounding out next to her ear, the One-Eyed Black Dragon showed a slightly startled expression as her scale-covered ear flickered in response. She nearly attacked the area out of habit but managed to restrain herself as her 'instincts' told her it would be very troublesome if she were to accidentally injure Vahn. Since she had made a promise not to attack him during their last meeting, the One-Eyed Black Dragon wouldn't easily go back on her word as it was simply 'beneath' her to do so. However, in an attempt to hide the fact that she had been startled, the One-Eyed Black Dragon sent a small ripple through the void with her own power, attempting to 'punish' Vahn as she replied, "I can hear you. Where are you...?"Vahn could sense the One-Eyed Black Dragon's on intent try to pass along his own but, other than a strange tingling sensation in the back of his mind, there were no other significant effects. Even so, as it would be even more troublesome if he riled her up, Vahn decided not to tease the One-Eyed Black Dragon too much as he plainly stated, "I am currently back on the Surface. I'm just sending this message to inform you that I'll be bringing some of my allies along with me during my next visit into the Dungeon. I can't force you to behave yourself so I'm letting you know in advance that, if you try to harm them..." Since he was able to imagine how he would react in such a situation with almost crystal clarity, the spatial fluctuations caused by Vahn began to ripple violently in response to his own rising emotions. The One-Eyed Black Dragon made a show of not being intimidated in the slightest but, much like Terra, Vahn could see her wings twitch slightly in response to the pressure he had instinctually sent through the void.Before she could front, Vahn calmed his mind in an instant before adding, "I'll be bringing along another True Dragon with me. Though she is a fair bit younger than you are...well, I'll let you experience first hand that time is forever flowing forward." Though Terra wasn't nearly as 'powerful' as the One-Eyed Black Dragon, Vahn was confident she would be able to emerge victoriously in seven-out-of-ten instances. Her Innates were much weaker than the One-Eyed Black Dragon's but, unlike the latter, Terra has full mastery over her magical energy and, with the hundreds of years she had trained with Eva, there were very few existences in the record that could even hope to contend against her. After all, the magic system from a Tier 5 world was simply beyond anything that had previously existed in this world, Innates included...Sensing the 'challenge' in Vahn's words, the One-Eyed Black Dragon puffed out her rather modest chest while flaring her wings outward in a domineering manner. Vahn made a mental note to 'train' her to wear proper clothing in the future before severing the connection, leaving the One-Eyed Black Dragon making a proclamation to thin air. He knew this would make her very angry but, for reasons he didn't quite understand, Vahn felt compelled to annoy the One-Eyed Black Dragon at every instance. There was something about her that grated on his nerves and, considering how she behaved towards Ais and Shizune, Vahn knew her existence would be increasingly problematic unless she was reigned in relatively soon...As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn felt small vibrations passing through his feet that caused his brows to rise slightly in response. He was currently on the 50th Floor of Babel Tower and, as there were no faultlines remotely close to Orario, it shouldn't be possible for him to feel any tremors when he was nearly 300km in the sky. To his surprise, the tremors actually continued to build until, moments later, Vahn felt a 'ripple' of magical energy pass through the surrounding barriers before dissipating into the air above. This ripple caused his blood to boil while, at the same time, Vahn felt a chill run up his spine since he could sense the intent contained within the pulse. He turned his attention back to the floor below, this time without sending his intent into the Dungeon, while asking himself, "Did I push her too hard...?"---Unlike the small tremors that Vahn was feeling, the people of Orario weren't nearly as fortunate as, instead of small vibrations, it was as if the entire city was experiencing a high-magnitude earthquake. Though the buildings were incredibly durable, enough to resist random monster attacks and the occasional brawl between High-Level Adventurers, they were not designed to resist sudden and intense earthquakes. As a result, several buildings that were under construction had completely capsized, primarily around Daedelus Street. The once quiet streets of Orario had immediately become chaotic as everyone trembled in fear and confusion, not as a result of the earthquake, but in response to the loud 'roar' that had passed over the entire City. Even without seeing it directly, even children knew that the ripple that had caused several hundred thousand people to collapse had originated from the living nightmare, the one and only One-Eyed Black Dragon...(A/N: Just a small update to let everyone know what is going on. I clocked in a whopping 93 hours last week and am feeling incredibly burnt out as a result. The fact that I released less chapters last week than when my own Mother died is something that kept me awake for quite a while after realizing the truth of the matter. Fortunately, now that my coworker is back in working order, I was able to 'negotiate' having a bit of extra time off over the next two weeks until I am finally free from my responsibilities. Though I still have to work full days, I'll have most of my evenings free so there shouldn't be any issues in the release schedule in the days leading up to the 16th. After that, I'll probably transition to releasing three chapters a day once I'm able to fly home and relax for a bit. Let's just say I am eagerly counting down each and every day before I'm finally able to write full-time once again xD...)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn, Emperor of the Flower Garden','Sebas getting pranked in the most wholesome way...this is how to breed loyalty amongst your Retainers xD...','You would think that Vahn would understand not to slight the pride of a True Dragon...')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

Chapter 987: Fate...?