Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Early the next morning, around two hours before the sun was expected to rise, Vahn sensed Rin step into the backyard. Since he was in a state of passive alertness, her exiting the Manor caused his second thought process to immediately begin observing her actions. Without manifesting an avatar, Vahn had regained the ability to have two, nearly three, conscious thoughts. He could stay asleep with Fenrir in his arms while simultaneous 'shifting' his intent to Rin's location, finding her wearing similar training garments to the previous day. She wasted no time starting the stretching exercises Fenrir had 'taught' her the day prior, even if her body still wasn't adapted to them just yet. No matter how much pain and discomfort it brought her, however, Rin continued to push through the pain with a determined expression on her face...Understanding that Rin wasn't trying to wander off, Vahn stopped focusing on her directly to avoid detection. She obviously wanted to work through some things on her own so Vahn left Rin to her own devices for the time being. Then, with little else to do, Vahn went over his plan within his mind, having Sis offer her advice to help improve the chance of success. His current intentions were to allow Sakura, if she actually did intend to participate within the Holy Grail War, the opportunity to become a Master. This would allow him to eliminate several birds with a single stone, as it would give him the justification to take action against her as an enemy Master. Though he currently had no intentions to kill her, as it shouldn't prove difficult to purge the worm-like creatures from her body, Sakura's ultimate fate would depend on the choices she would make in the coming weeks...Knowing that Sakura was only six years old when she was taken out of the Tohsaka household, Vahn knew she was a victim of circumstances beyond her control. So long as she wasn't proactively trying to harm people after being eliminated from the Holy Grail War, Vahn would leave her be. It was the Matou family, and the Makiri family behind them, that would ultimately pay the price for what had happened to Sakura. Even without knowing the full details of what had transpired, Vahn knew that Sakura had been made to experience something 'beyond' normal suffering. Though only a small subsection of the family may have been responsible, Vahn had no qualms about abolishing them entirely to avoid their knowledge and crest from ever being passed down to future generations. It didn't matter if his actions would earn the ire and attention of other Magus families, as Vahn was perfectly willing to send the way of the Matou if they wanted to defend such reprehensible actions.At the present moment, Vahn had no intention of trying to repeat his actions of 'guiding' the world towards a better future. With the level of technology present within the world, combined with the ridiculous political climate of the various nations around the world, Vahn felt like it would be a futile endeavor unless he had the resolve to 'destroy' everything. With how people had been pacified by the existing system, the only way they would truly be able to move forward was if they received a wake-up call, forcing them to face the future instead of focusing solely on indulging themselves in the present. This, however, didn't mean he wasn't willing to shatter the 'backbone' of the powers that had led to the stagnation of the world behind the scenes. If they were willing to let humanity degrade to this point, all while desperately clinging to their own power, Vahn would remove them just as he had the Nobles in Danmachi...After enjoying his final half-hour of rest, Vahn and Fenrir awoke simultaneously to head down and conduct their own training. By this point, Rin already had a fine layer of sweat on her body as a thin mist rose as a result of the difference in her body temperature and the cool morning air. When she saw Vahn and Fenrir arrive, Rin showed a vibrant smile that didn't quite reach her eyes before saying, "I was beginning to think the two of you were going to sleep in until noon. Come on, I'm already warmed up and ready for whatever you want to throw at me...!"Raising his left brow, Vahn issued an amused 'Oh?' before vanishing from view in almost the exact same instant. To her credit, Rin actually tried to dodge forward, attempting a combat roll of sorts, but her reaction was almost laughably slow from Vahn's perspective. Without any suspense, he appeared behind her before extending his index finger forward and pressing into one of her nerves. Rin released a pained grown as it felt like a surge of electricity ran through her left shoulder, numbing her entire arm in the process. Before she was able to complain, Vahn sternly explained, "Focus your Od to clear your inner pathways. One of the biggest weaknesses I've seen in your Magecraft is that you are too reliant on your external Magic Circuits and the structure of your Family Crest. Since your internal Magical Power is something that is constantly active within your body, you need to get used to controlling it. You might not be able to increase your reserves much at the present moment, but you can still greatly improve the quality and activation rate..."Though Vahn was making it out to sound as if the process depending solely on Rin's efforts, he had sent a thread of Source Energy into her body with his [Hands of Nirvana]. It would cause her a fair amount of pain and discomfort, but the mana within her body would slowly be refined under the influence of his Source Energy. Though Rin actually had six different elemental affinities within her body, once again attesting to her status as a genius, it was obvoius that she didn't use them to the fullest effect. She was almost entirely reliant on her [Jewel] Magecraft, meaning each battle she fought would cost a small fortune. Vahn knew her capabilities would be crippled if her finances were drained so he wanted Rin to focus on refining her internal reserves so she could begin learning Eva's Magic System...Rin's expression still showed a bit of dissatisfaction but, instead of arguing outright, she began channeling her Od through her arm while quietly muttering, "How did someone so insensitive win the hearts of so many women...haaaa..." As she pushed her mana through the 'pinch' present within her shoulder, Rin noticed that the pain faded away quickly. Just as she was about to express her relief, however, Vahn's index finger pressed into a nerve below her clavicle before she was prepared. This caused Rin to painfully exclaim, "Mother fucker...!' as she jumped back and began rubbing the area with slightly teary eyes.Vahn followed Rin's retreat with his eyes, wearing a mask of calm as he plainly stated, "It is only going to get harder from here onwards, Rin. Until you reach the point where your body instantly reacts to clear any blockages, we will continue this training on a daily basis. This could very well be one of the most important kinds of training you can experience right now, as it will rapidly improve your control, both actively and passively." Since the speed at which people seemed to think in this world was demonstrably slower than the reaction times of Adventurers, Vahn wanted Rin to be able to continue fighting, even if she got surprised. He knew she had the [Parallel Thinking] skill, so it should be possible for her to clear the blockages while focusing on the fight.Through clenched teeth, Rin glared back at Vahn while slowly channeling her mana to clear the blockage. She was taking it a bit slower this time to avoid another sudden and unexpected surge of pain. Unfortunately, Vahn saw through this so, before Rin had even caught her breath, he vanished from view, appearing at her flank this time. Rin's only reaction was to widen her eyes before her entire body curled up after Vahn pressed a pressure point on the left side of her abdomen. This new pain seemed to overlap with the previous one in her chest, causing Rin to retreat into the fetal position as she quickly tried to clear the searing pain in her abdomen. When she finally managed to rise to her feet, she looked towards Vahn with reddened eyes as she said, "You...you...asshole..."Understanding Rin's anger, Vahn's expression softened a bit as he explained, "Your enemies will not be shy about striking your weak points..." His previous attack had overlapped with the circle-shaped scar on Rin's abdomen, causing her ten times the pain of the previous two strikes. Vahn wanted her to take this seriously as, even with his overprotective nature, it wasn't always possible for him to protect her. Fortunately, Rin didn't seem to resent him 'too' much as she rubbed her side and dropped into a combat stance. It seemed like she was tired of being on the receiving end as she quickly dashed forward before trying to kick the outside of his left thigh. Though he could allow her strike to land, Vahn deftly snatched Rin's ankle with his hand before cautioning, "It is dangerous for you to try and strike my body without protecting your limbs. Don't forget that my body is similar in nature to that of a Greater Divine Spirit. If I let your kick land, you might have fractured your shin in the process..."Even though he felt much weaker than he did in Danmachi, the way this world treated beings of a certain Tier afforded Vahn a lot of 'benefits'. Unless it was an attack that was anti-divine in nature, he was virtually immune to any kind of physical damage. He even had immunity to Magecraft that was graded as B-Rank and lower, making it possible for him to walk through an army of a million average Magi without even needing to defend himself. Since Rin's attack was the equivalent of kicking an immovable object with full-force, Vahn had to interrupt it to prevent injury. This led to the awkward scene of him holding her extended leg upwards, but it was better than watching Rin's leg snap due to her oversight.Pulling her leg free from Vahn's grasp, Rin's cheeks were tinged with a bit of red as she complained, "It is a little unfair that you expect me to just receive your attacks without even being able to do anything about it..." To this, Vahn nodded in agreement, explaining, "That is the nature of the world at times, Rin. Depending on the differences between you and your opponents, it can certainly seem unfair...however, when you live to be more than a hundred years old and have fought through entire armies on your own, only then will I humor such remarks. If you want to get 'revenge' against me for any perceived injustices, feel free to become strong enough to accomplish it..." As he spoke, Vahn lifted his right index finger to remind Rin that they were still in the middle of her training.With her brow twitching, Rin gnashed her teeth before muttering, "Just you wait..." under her breath. Vahn, however, didn't wait and instead chose to go on the offensive once again, this time pressing into a pressure point near the connecting point of Rin's collarbone and right shoulder. In truth, he had to resist pressing into more 'sensitive' areas, as Rin wasn't prepared for 'real' training just yet, so Vahn was limited in targetting larger nerve clusters. This meant that Rin was experiencing pain that verteran soldiers would have compared to being shot with a bullet. The impact was focused on a single point, causing an intense and searing pain that persisted until Rin finally managed to clear the blockage.After only ten minutes, Rin was desperately biting her lower lip as she fought hard against the tears trying to escape her eyes. She actually had much greater resistance than Vahn had expected, taking nearly forty 'attacks' before she could no longer hold in her anguish. Seeing this, Vahn dropped his hand before walking over to Rin, standing above her as he said, "You did well, Rin. I only expected you to last the first ten attacks...your willpower is incredible." Though he had nearly rubbed her head while complimenting her, Vahn managed to resist the urge since Rin, regardless of how she acted at times, wasn't a child. He wanted her to avoid developing any 'tender' emotions during their training, as the chance she would develop some kind of deviancy was remarkably high, at least according to what Anubis had taught him...Though her body was still wracked with the 'echoes' of Vahn's attacks, Rin managed to smile in response to his praise. She still had tears in her eyes but, as if she wasn't crouched down on the ground, Rin 'confidently' stated, "Of course...I'm a genius..." in a slightly sobbing voice. In response, Vahn nodded his head before allowing a proud smile to spear across his face. This was something usually reserved for his actual children but, seeing Rin put on a strong front, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little proud of his student. Rin seemed especially sensitive to this, causing her face to blush as she hung her head, a surprisingly sincere smile replacing the one she often forced...Leaving Rin to recover at the side, Vahn and Fenrir conducted their own training, even though they were severely limited by the size of the yard. This didn't stop them from making the most of things, however, as Vahn desperately evaded Fenrir's pursuit in an attempt to increase his proficiency with [Shundo]. She was currently much faster than his base speed, however, resulting in Fenrir happily tackling him to the ground every few minutes. Rin seemed to enjoy this the first time she witnessed it, producing a large grin as she prepared to make a snide remark at Vahn's expense. Her words ended up getting stuck in her throat, however, when Fenrir happily pinned Vahn to the ground before 'claiming' his lips as her prize...In this manner, Vahn's speed was gradually improving while Fenrir's was exponentially increasing. He simply couldn't evade her through normal means as, due to the borderline instinctual focus she placed on their bond, Fenrir could, quite literally, predict his movements. She also had strong 'chase' instincts, causing Fenrir to treat their little game very seriously as her eyes glimmered with a fervent and decisive light. Each time she would tackle him, Vahn felt like a mouse that had been caught by a kitten as Fenrir would laugh mischievously before placing her soft paws on both sides of his face and invading his mouth with her tongue. When the training session finally came to an end, Fenrir was in an exceptionally bubbly mood as she contentedly hummed the same song that Tiona would sing whenever she was happy.Vahn, looking a bit worse for wear, could only produce a wry smile on his face as he walked by Rin, the latter crossing her arms as she said, "Serves you right..." This might have been more impactful if she didn't have a red hue to her face, causing Vahn to feel a strong urge to tease her as he lifted his index finger. Rin immediately flinched before instinctually taking a step back, her body remembering the training that her mind seemed to have temporarily forgotten. Vahn smiled in response, even as he internally remarked about how 'quickly' things could change. Previously, depending on the person, Vahn could garner expectant and excited looks from women if he held up just a single finger. Seeing Rin 'spooked' was surprisingly refreshing, as he knew she actually had no idea how 'terrifying' his finger could be...Deciding not to tease Rin too much, Vahn dropped his hand before saying, "You should go ahead and use the bath first. I'll get started on breakfast...you'll be leaving around lunchtime I presume?" Surprisingly, Rin shook her head in response before explaining, "I already explained the situation to our collaborators. In order to put up a united front, they'll be leasing a nearby Manor before we regroup tomorrow. I'm going to introduce you to everyone so we can use today to discuss your cover story. Though the people we'll be meeting are trustworthy, I think you underestimate the impact your existence will have on the world. Even if you might not be directly threatened by any of the three major Organizations, don't forget that we're not at your level..."As he had essentially been forced to leave his previous world for the exact same reasons Rin was alluded to, Vahn gave an understanding nod as his brows lightly furrowed. Rin, understanding what he was thinking, gave an admonishing smile before lightly punching his arm and saying, "Unless you plan to live detached from others, the only thing you can do is your best, Vahn. I can tell that you're not the type to just sit by and watch people suffer so don't pretend otherwise. I'm fully aware of the fact that I could be hurt by people trying to get to you but that is a danger I'm willing to face. Don't look down on my resolve...I'm stronger than you think, okay?"Hearing Rin's words, which echoed similar words spoken to him by most of the girls he was closest to, Vahn smiled as various scenes played across his mind. He knew that Rin's words were the truth and, though it had always been his biggest weakness, Vahn simply couldn't stand by and do nothing. Even if he didn't intend to become an 'Emperor' and rule this world, that didn't mean he would ignore the corruption and cruelty that seemed to make up the backbone of the powers in this world. Though he couldn't save everyone, that didn't mean he couldn't eliminate a large portion of the forces that caused suffering in the world. If society was content with living a pacified existence, he would remove the darkness lingering beneath society to ensure that they could live in peace...After opening his eye, Vahn saw Rin looking at him with concern so he smiled even wider before extending his hand and plopping it down on her head. This surprised her more than a little but Vahn didn't really mind it much as he sent 'petting' energy into her head and mused, "You're a good woman, Rin. Thank you for your words..." Since Rin wasn't accustomed to such interactions, she quickly pulled away from Vahn's hand with a flustered expression on her face as she stammered, "Wh-what are you trying to do? I'm not someone you can just..." Though she wanted to continue on, Rin felt as if the 'aura' around Vahn had changed drastically compared to what she had experienced over the last month. There was a resolute light in his eyes that seemed to be looking towards a fixed point in the future, something only he had any say in...Having made his decision, Vahn inclined his head towards the sky before muttering, "The time to pass on the torch has long since passed...I wonder how desperately you will cling to it..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Poking Intensifies*','Fenrir's favorite game','The shadow of the Emperor...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

For the rest of the day, Vahn sat across from Rin in her study while Fenrir laid across his lap and dozed off. At this point, Rin seemed to have given up commenting on the way Fenrir behaved and instead showed an envious glint in her eyes as she watched Vahn gently scratch around the base of Fenrir's ears. This would cause her to show a contented smile as she snuggled up even closer to him, inhaling in an audible fashion that caused Rin's face to show a light blush. As for Vahn, he had long since adapted to Fenrir's habits so he showed no discernible change in expression while guiding the conversation forward. In this manner, the day proceeded without incident before Vahn and Fenrir retired to their own room, leaving Rin to fall exasperatedly into her bed. Her body was still sore from the morning's exertions so she didn't even change into her sleepwear before retreating to the comfort of her blankets...While Rin faded into the abyss of unconsciousness, Vahn and Fenrir were both wide awake as they spent their time together in silence. The reasons Fenrir had been sleeping during the day was to conserve her energy as, even though he wasn't required to act immediately, there were a few things Vahn wanted to look into. His instincts, honed over years of associating with people who possessed a powerful fate, told him that there was more afoot than Rin was aware. If the Holy Grail War was only supposed to have seven total Masters, it didn't make sense for there to be as much activity as he had observed. Though it wasn't hard to believe that every competing Master had their own support group, the War was supposed to be a highly regulated event that disallowed external interference. Rin and her companions were obviously intending to break the rules but, as could be observed from the failure of the previous two Wars, she wasn't the only one with such intentions...Once Rin had fallen into a deep state of unconsciousness, Vahn tilted Fenrir's chin towards him before giving her a short peck on the lips. This caused her to immediately smile, though not nearly as much as when Vahn asked, "Shall we go hunting...?" As a being with affinities related to Water, Ice, and Yin, Fenrir's dominion was the veil of night, especially when there was a full moon. Though they lacked the latter, there were few who could ever hope to achieve Fenrir's proficiency when it came to tracking down 'prey'. Without any fear visible within her subtly glowing eyes, Fenrir used one of her nails, tracing ita long Vahn's chest as she answered, "With only two exceptions, there is nothing I would enjoy more...Master..."Knowing exactly what Fenrir was implying, Vahn released a light chuckle before letting his hand trace the line of her back. This caused her to exhale a hot sigh as, even with its reduced efficacy, Vahn's [Hands or Nirvana], combined with his comprehension of Petting Laws made even a simple caress something that penetrated into the very core of a person's body...After warming up their bodies a bit, Vahn and Fenrir dawned cloaks that had been purchased from the system shop for 500,000OP each. They allowed the wearer to move undetected within the shadows, increasing the efficacy of all stealth-related abilities by 300%. Though Vahn and Fenrir both lacked actual skills and abilities related to stealth at the moment, the former could match his presence to the surrounding Mana while the latter could use the same magic that allowed her to change form like an optical camouflage. Fenrir could bend the light around her body to become nothing more than a hazy blur that was nearly unnoticeable unless you looked directly at her. Though this would be useless in areas of heavy fog and rain, it was when the sky was clear of everything but the moon and a few stars...Like shadows, Vahn and Fenrir quickly moved through the surrounding suburban residences before reaching their first mark only five blocks from the Tohsaka Manor. Vahn had detected the Magus that was staying here lingering around Rin's house several times over the past couple of days. Since he hadn't tried to establish contact, it was almost guaranteed that the Magus within an enemy or a spy. Thus, after confirming the presence of two people within, Vahn moved undetected through the surrounding magic barrier as Fenrir kept watch outside. Upon entering the main bedroom of the rather homely residence, Vahn found a man a woman, both in their mid-twenties, sharing the same bed. He had already peered into the room previously so he wasn't at all surprised, quickly setting to his task of sorting through the Magus' personal effects.It didn't take long for Vahn to find a leatherbound folder that contained information on not only Rin, but the two companions she had met with at the Cafe. There were several other people mentioned, leading Vahn to believe they were either other potential Masters or co-conspirators in Rin's plan. Since there was also a log that showed Rin's movements over the last few days, including timestamps, Vahn's eyes immediately sharpened as he looked towards the sleeping couple. The man didn't have a powerful presence but his companion had a few dense threads of mana running through her internal circuits. Vahn didn't know if she was a prospective Master, or if she was simply the 'muscle' on the man's investigation team. None of the documents, other than their passports, gave Vahn any information about the two so it was hard to determine if they were enemies he ought to kill...Ultimately, Vahn decided to use a method he wasn't actually that fond of, causing him to release a muted sigh that didn't escape the thin membrane he created with his domain. Without wasting too much time, he appeared at the woman's side before pressing his index finger against her forehead. Though this might have awakened her in any other circumstances, Vahn's touch could go completely unnoticed if he chose. Without her ever knowing something was wrong, the woman fell into a deep abyss of unconsciousness that she wouldn't wake from with outside intervention or the passage of a full day. After this was completed, Vahn moved to the opposite side of the bed before placing two fingers at the center of the man's chest. He made no attempt to conceal his presence this time, causing the Magus' eyes to snap open, though not before he had already lost control over his motor functions...Vahn watched as the man activated his Magic Circuits and tried to force his body to move but, with Source Energy coursing through his nervous system, it was far beyond his means to resist. Even so, Vahn waited patiently for the man to cease his struggling before staring directly into his eyes and saying, "This is not a negotiation. You will tell me what I wish to know, or you will die. There are no other outcomes to this situation. Though you may not trust that I will release you after the fact, I can promise you that there are far worse things in life than a swift death..." Even without a sadistic nature, Vahn still had more than a few means at his disposal if he needed his enemies to talk. If the man failed to comply, the next step would involve putting him into a deep state of hypnosis that he may never fully recover from...Since the man couldn't talk at the moment, he used his eyes to look at this sleeping companion without uttering so much as a grunt. After seeing that she was sleeping peacefully, he seemed to calm down a bit before blinking his eyes in understanding. Vahn returned a small nod of his own before placing his index finger below the man's laryngeal prominence, slowly restoring his ability to speak. Once this task was completed, Vahn picked up the folder containing the man's investigation notes before asking, "What is your purpose here? Why are you investigating these people...?"Vahn noticed there was no information on himself within the man's records so he didn't ask about Rin and her associates directly. As for the man, he seemed to put deep consideration into his answer before saying, "I'm just a simple Private Investigator that was hired to collect information on any prominent Mages moving around the Miyama region. I can't give you any information about the identity of my client, though I know they have connections to the Holy Church..." As he had only gotten notice regarding the job through an anonymous source, the unfortunate private investigator could only pray that Vahn believed his words...With an 'approving' nod, Vahn looked between the man and his companion before asking, "And what is the identity of your companion? Are the two of you partners...?" This line of questioning caused the man's expression to turn desperate as he said, "Please, don't hurt my Ayoko...if you want to hurt me, I don't care, just please leave her out of this..."Seeing the sincerity in the man's eyes, Vahn squinted his eyes slightly, even as he internally released an exasperated sigh. Before allaying the man's concerns, he repeated, "I asked you her identity and the nature of your relationship. If your concern is genuine, you will answer my questions directly instead of wasting my time..." Using his domain to put some pressure on the man's mind, something that was 'very' easy with how weak most people in this world were, Vahn's words were like massive weights placed on the private investigator's heart. Fearing what would happen if he failed to comply, the man answered, "Her name is Ayoko Fujima...we have been partners for the last seven years..."Discerning not falsehood in the man's words, Vahn gave another small nod before pulling out a thin bar of gold and setting it on the bedside table. Without leaving any room for discussion, he stated, "Your paralysis will wear off in around an hour...I would encourage you to use this time to think about what you should do after you regain your mobility. A warzone is no place to take your lover..." With these parting words, Vahn vanished like a phantom from the man's room, leaving him in a cold sweat that seemed to soak through to his bones. Following Vahn's 'advice', not that he had any other choice, he spent the full hour contemplating his travel itinerary...---Throughout the rest of the night, Vahn visited several other 'marks', many of which were just investigators that had been hired to gather information. It didn't take much effort for him to realize that their presence was actually meant to serve as a distraction, drawing attention away from 'real' threats, but it was still better to have determined this early on. He was able to gain a fair amount of information about various person's of interest so Vahn didn't feel as if his time had been wasted in clearing out the surroundings. Though he ultimately only ended up eliminating one Magus that had obviously 'evil' intentions, based on the half-dozen human hearts he kept under his bedside, it was still a productive evening...By the time Rin had awoken for their morning training, her body aching even more than the previous day, Vahn and Fenrir were already waiting patiently within the backyard. When the latter dragged her aching body outside, Vahn smiled in a teasing fashion as he mused, "I was beginning to think you were going to sleep in until noon..." Knowing these were the same words she had used the day prior, Rin glared towards Vahn and said, "Bite me..." in a tired voice. This caused him to raise his brow as Fenrir, apparently deciding to get in on the exchange, opened her mouth to reveal much sharper than normal teeth. Rin inhaled audibly when she saw this, quickly adding, "It's just an expression...!"Vahn laughed out loud when he saw this interaction before lightly tapping Fenrir's back and saying, "Make sure she does her stretches properly. I'm going to warm up on the side to give you a bit of privacy." Though Rin would probably claim to not care if he stayed around, Vahn made a point of minding the matter so that their status as a proper Master and Disciple wouldn't become skewed. Even if the distance between them continued to shorten, Vahn wanted to establish a few clear boundaries early on so that Rin wouldn't get any strange ideas. Though he wasn't against the idea of a temporarily fling, depending on the circumstances, Vahn wasn't in the mindset of having any permanant relationships within this world...Though Rin frowned as she watched Vahn walk off to the other side of a shrub, she didn't say anything until Fenrir unceremoniously appeared behind her and slapped the insides of her thighs. Against her will, Rin found herself falling into a painful split that caused tears to build up in the corner of her eyes as she exclaimed, "You...!" Before Rin could say anything more, Fenrir began to push down on her shoulders as she said, "Quiet. Stretch." in a cold tone. With the difference in their power, Rin didn't actually have any choice but to comply as she quickly found her chest pressed into the cold stone below. Fenrir felt the 'resistance', causing her eyes to sharpen slightly as she began to push Rin with varying degrees of force to make her 'squash' into the ground. Rin, after their first session together, knew it was better to just get it over with so she grit her teeth, withholding further remarks...With Rin 'cooperating', it only took them around twenty minutes to complete all of the 'required' stretches that Vahn had assigned her. When she was finally liberated from Fenrir's paws, Rin's eyes seemed to have lost a bit of their light as she gasped for air, huge plumes of condensation accompanying each breath. She didn't get much time to recover, however, when Vahn suddenly appeared above her with an amused smile on his face. Rin instantly groaned upon seeing him before rolling onto her side and muttering, "I don't care anymore, do whatever you want..." Her body was sorer than anything she had ever experienced, even under the intense and borderline sadistic training she went through in her childhood...Even though he knew Rin was just 'pouting', Vahn nodded his head in response to her words before using telekinesis to lift her body. This caused her to freak out, as the sudden weightlessness was similar to the feeling of falling backward in a chair. Before she was even afforded the opportunity to complain, Vahn had already set out a wooden barrel that was filled with a steamy green liquid. Rin hadn't even processed what was happening before she suddenly found herself dropped into the warm liquid, causing the chill that had settled in her body to immediately fade. Instead, the sudden change in temperature made the lukewarm liquid feel as if it was scaldingly hot, causing Rin to practically jump out of the water, shouting, "What the hell are you doing!?"Without a single change in expression, Vahn casually answered, "Whatever I want. Fortunately for you, what I want is to help your body recover so you don't have to spend the rest of the day moving around like a grandma..." Though he couldn't buy potions for Rin's consumption, Vahn could exploit a bit of a loophole within the system by purchasing medicinal herbs and mixing concoctions himself. His alchemical knowledge had a few massive gaps, but this didn't stop him from acquiring a list of ingredients to make an herbal bath that would remove Rin's fatigue and help to 'refine' her body. It was similar to how he had trained himself after first entering the Record of Danmachi, a form of training he knew would have demonstrable benefits to the current Rin.Hearing Vahn's words, Rin noticed that the pain in her body had actually faded by a large amount, a surprising feat since she hadn't even been soaking for a full minute. Now that she was beginning to adapt to the 'heat', Rin noticed it was actually pretty comfortable compared to the frigid morning air...Just as Rin was working through the process of 'accepting' Vahn's rough treatment, Fenrir's face formed a frown as she pointed towards her and said, "Shameless..." in a tone colder than the surrounding air. At the same time, Rin noticed that Vahn was blankly staring towards a flock of birds flying through the sky, causing a dreadful feeling to rise up from her stomach. Looking down, Rin noticed that her relatively thin workout clothes, while not transparent, hadn't done their job. Since she was dropped into warm water before being exposed to the cold air one again, her nipples had become just as frigid as the surroundings. Rin quickly covered her chest before sinking into the water until it reached her nose. Like this, she began to blow bubbles while looking towards Vahn with blame and discontent...Seeing that Rin was covering herself, Vahn turned to face her with a smile before saying, "Today, you will stay inside this barrel until the water gains enough transparency that you can see your feet. It should only take a half-hour and, after you're done, your body will be full of energy for the rest of the day." Vahn didn't bother to explain the other benefits of the herbal bath as it wasn't his intention to teach her to be reliant on external items to increase her strength. If she believed the only purpose of the bath was to help remove her fatigue, that was more than enough for the time being. With that in mind, Vahn picked up the despondent Fenrir, immediately causing her mood to improve. Then, giving Rin one last glance, Vahn said, "Fenrir and I will use the shower before preparing breakfast. Remember, don't leave the water until you can see your feet...okay?"Rin's only response was to poke her tongue out before turning around in the barrel and facing away from them. Then, as if to escape the cold air, she submerged up to her nose and continued to blow bubbles in silent protest as Vahn and Fenrir went indoors. It wasn't until the sound of the backdoor closing reached her ears that Rin complained, "Idiot...jerk...asshole..." If others were to see her, it would have looked like a vengeful spirit muttering a malicious curse that would bring harm to whoever was unfortunate enough to suffer their ire...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Let the hunt begin...','Poor PI-san...','It seems that Rin's 'fate' is to get bullied...'https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

When Rin finally returned home, she was in much higher spirits than when she had left earlier in the day. As she entered the dining room, she had a large grin on her face while humming a happy tune to herself. Upon seeing Vahn, Rin gave him a sudden thumbs-up before saying, "Thanks for the boost, Vahn. You should have seen the look on that hateful woman's face when she realized the difference in our power~." Though she recognized her actions were a bit petty, Rin had always been on 'rocky' terms with Luvia, primarily due to their intense rivalry that had been present since they were both young. They had always proactively competed against each other, something that had persisted through their days in the Clock Tower and even further beyond.Vahn returned a smile to Rin before waving his hand and setting out a few light dishes for her consumption. He knew she wouldn't be in the mood to eat later so, before breaking the news, Vahn wanted Rin to enjoy her dinner. Though she seemed to 'sense' something, Rin was in a great mood so she decided to let Vahn think whatever he wanted as she happily chowed down on her food. It wasn't until she was nearly finished eating that she looked around at the table and asked, "Where is Fenrir...?", her voice mixed with confusion and just a tinge of concern. In response, Vahn casually replied, "She is currently practicing a unique technique in order to refine the Water, Ice, and Yin Elemental Energy in her body. With her constitution, she needs to spend a few hours meditating each day to make sure her 'hunger' doesn't act up..."Rin listened to Vahn's explanation with her fork dangling from her mouth, savoring a small piece of foreign fish she didn't even know the name of. She couldn't tell if Vahn was telling her the truth or not but, considering he had never shown any signs of trying to harm her, she gave him the benefit of the doubt. Part of her was happy to have a bit of time with just the two of them as, even though Fenrir had only been around for a little more than a day, Rin found it hard to be around her at times. Seeing her cling to Vahn was a serious mood killer and, though she had used her Magecraft to deal with most of the pain, her thighs and legs were still sore from the morning. Strangely, Rin also felt as if her butt was a bit tender, almost as if there was a phantom sensation pressing into her muscles. She explained this away as simply being unaccustomed to the 'undergarments' Vahn had given her...Once Rin was finished eating, Vahn gestured to stop her from clearing away the plates before saying, "You had a visitor today...a woman by the name of Sakura Matou." Rin had been wondering why Vahn had been acting so strangely but, hearing the name of her estranged sister, her mood instantly did a 180 as a complex frown marred her face. In a voice filled the deep emotions, sounding dry and pained, Rin asked, "What did she want..." Even though she already had several ideas, Rin wanted to know what Vahn had heard as, based on the fact he knew her name, they had obviously talked.Seeing the complex emotions Rin was showing, Vahn knew that something serious had happened between the two sisters in the past. Instead of prying into it directly, however, Vahn answered, "She claimed the reason for her visit was to discuss an important matter and try to reconnect with you..." These words were outside of Rin's expectations, causing a glimmer of hope to flash across her aqua-blue eyes until Vahn added, "She then called me a Servant, asking for my name and trying to inquire about my strength..."As if she was riding an intense rollercoaster of emotions, Rin's expression changed with almost everything Vahn said. Though she knew the game was up, she tried to play things off by saying, "She must have thought I hired you to look after the house..." Since Vahn's expression didn't change in the slightest, Rin followed her words with a long and tired sigh. Vahn used this opportunity to squint his eyes, adopting a serious tone as he said, "You aren't a foolish woman, Rin. Even if you came up with a multi-layered scheme to try and divert my attention elsewhere, you can't honestly expect that I would just ignore the rapidly changing situation outside the Manor. I've been able to sense a shift in the flow of Fuyuki's Mana and, though they have been careful to avoid getting too close, there have been numerous Magi lingering around the area recently..."Knowing full-well how 'overprotective' Vahn could be, Rin knew she would no longer be able to convince him to go stay with her friend, especially after accepting his crest to grow stronger. Though it felt like there was a vast gulf between them, she also knew that their relationship was actually much closer than simple acquaintances. Vahn would never allow anyone he cared about to be in danger, especially since he had such an extreme amount of power at his disposal. Even if she tried to cut ties with him, Rin knew he was the type of 'idiot' that would still linger around to make sure she was able to tide through the coming dangers...Supporting her forehead with her left hand, as she suddenly felt extremely tired, Rin muttered, "You know, you can be a pain in the ass, Vahn..." In response to this, though it may not have been the best time, Vahn offhandedly remarked, "If you continue to stretch on a daily basis, you won't have to worry about things like that..." This caused Rin to look up at him with a profoundly confused expression, mouth slightly agape as a result of her inability to find words. Vahn just smiled in turn, adding, "You don't have to tell me everything, but I want to know the basics. With my ability to change shape and form, you won't find a better ally in whatever you have planned. Besides, even if I'm no longer a god, you can't expect me to just sit on my hands as my one and only Disciple goes off to battle...right?"Though she continued to look at him with a befuddled expression for several seconds, Rin eventually smiled before crossing her arms and releasing yet another sigh. Then, tilting her head back to look up at the roof, Rin said, "Sakura and I...we are sisters. When she was just a little girl, she was adopted by another Magus family, the Matou's, as a result of them lacking a successor of their own. With how much time has passed, she is probably the Head of the family by now..." As she spoke, Vahn could hear melancholy, frustration, and even a bit of envy contained within Rin's voice. This came as a surprise to him as, regardless of how he looked at Sakura, she didn't seem to be in an enviable situation at all...As if to explain away his confusion, Rin added, "Our father died shortly after Sakura was adopted by the Matou's. After that...well, our mother also ended up dying. I was left under the guardianship of a member of the Holy Church, a reprehensible man named Kirei Kotomine..." When she mentioned the named Kirei Kotomine, Vahn could practically feel the rage radiating off Rin's body. However, she didn't let the emotions persist too long, taking a deep breath before saying, "While I was left alone in this large Manor, Sakura was given the chance to live in a large family, treated like a princess that would eventually the Patriarch, Zouken Matou, as the family Head..."Hearing what she had said, Vahn was able to understand why Rin might have felt envy towards Sakura, at least if he ignored the fact that those evil worms resided in the latter's body. He couldn't imagine Rin would have wanted to trade places with her, meaning there was a good chance she was unaware of Sakura's actual situation. Since now wasn't the best time to broach the subject, Vahn decided to remain silent as he listened to Rin hesitantly explain, "She and I...we both ended up falling in love with the same boy...an idiotic boy named Shirou Emiya. You see...I..." When she got to this point, Rin's expression became a mask of pain before she finally squeezed out, "Emiya and I eventually became lovers. Sakura was devastated, accusing me of stealing the only thing she ever cared about. After that, Emiya and I became members of the Clock Tower before he..."With tears beginning to build in her eyes, Rin wasn't able to finish her words before hanging her head and falling silent. When she finally spoke once again, she had completely glossed over the topic, moving on to the more 'important' issue, the Holy Grail War. With a flicker of determination in her eyes, Rin looked directly at him as she said, "I once participated in a massive ritual known as the Holy Grail War. One of the longest-held desires that has been passed down through the Tohsaka family line for generations is the goal of reaching the Root. In order to meet that goal, my family allied with other prestigious Magus families to conduct a ritual called Heaven's Feel. Do to greed and infighting, however, it quickly evolved into an even that is currently known within Magus society as the Holy Grail War..."Pulling out a few gemstones from her purse, Rin placed fifteen on the table as she explained, "The Holy Grail War is a battle that is fought between competing Masters, each being assigned a Servant through the power of the Grail itself. These Servants each have a unique designation, consisting of the Saber, Archer, Lancer, Caster, Assasin, Rider, and Berserker classes. As for the form these Servants take, they most often take on the appearance of various Heroics Spirits that have been recorded on what Magi refer to as the Throne of Heroes. It records the various tales and legends for all Heroic figures that have existed in the past. On occasion, there are exceptions to this rule...but they are very rare..."Not wanting to recount her experience sharing a body with Ishtar, Rin did her best to clear her thoughts before explaining, "I was a participant in the Fifth Holy Grail War nearly ten years ago. Though it normally takes a period between fifty and sixty years for the ritual to cycle, the previous two Holy Grail Wars have concluded before anyone was able to reach the Greater Grail and have their wish granted. I was able to get close but there was external interference that nearly resulted in me losing my life. Ultimately, the Lesser Grail managed to appear but, without any Servants left to claim it, the ritual completed without anyone gaining access to the Greater Grail..."Though he could tell there was a lot that Rin wasn't telling him, Vahn knew it couldn't be easy for her to recall her past trauma. With how 'peaceful' this world seemed, it must have been difficult for her to fight for her life against other powerful Magi that wanted to claim the Grail for themselves. Since she had grown up alone, envying the lives of others, Rin's personal trial in obtaining the Grail meant she would have had to make several sacrifices along the way. Though it seemed she had allies of her own, most likely in the form of the boy named Shirou Emiya, she had now lost even him. Vahn didn't know exactly when Emiya had died but, based on how Rin behaved, it wasn't a distant memory...After explaining the basics of the Holy Grail War, Rin's mood had improved considerably, taking the form of a confident and determined gaze as she explained, "With the last Holy Grail War ending without a victor, the cycle was reduced to just under ten years. Now, the Sixth Holy Grail War is about to begin, causing another barbaric struggle between Magi to have their wishes granted. This time around, however, myself and several former Masters, each having personally experienced the horrors of the Holy Grail War, intend to ally together to bring an end to it. My goal this time around is to reach the Greater Grail, not to make my wish, but to dismantle it in its entirety...!"Rin's eyes were blazing with resolve by the end of exclamation, causing Vahn to nod in appreciation before saying, "No matter how powerful the other Masters and their Servants end up being, they're in for a surprise if they think I'll just watch from the sidelines. Now that you have told me your 'wish', it is my duty as your Master to make sure you are able to achieve your goals." Though he lacked even a fragment of Rin's resolve, primarily due to the fact he fully expected to participate in several Holy Grail Wars, Vahn was more than willing to help her out. After all, one of his optional objectives actually involved interfering with the ritual so, by helping Rin, he was also completing one of his own tasks...Hearing Vahn's words, Rin managed a gratified smile, even though it faded away rather quickly when she muttered, "The problem is Sakura...if she came here, there is a good chance she intends to participate in the Holy Grail War this time around. Though we haven't been on speaking terms for several years, I'd rather not have to fight her...even if she is an adopted daughter of the Matou family, she is also my only living relative. Damn it all..." Though her desire to bring an end to the Holy Grail War was still burning strong, Rin didn't want to face her own sister on the field of battle. If possible, she too would like to reconnect with Sakura, even though she knew the latter probably hated her even more after Shirou's death...Seeing the conflict in Rin's eyes, Vahn was positive that she wasn't actually aware of the kind of life that Sakura had lived at the Matou's. Compared to Rin's sincere desire to rekindle her relationship with Sakura, Vahn could only see negative emotions swirling around within the latter. If she was afforded the opportunity, it was easy to imagine there would be little hesitation on Sakura's part if she was given the chance to make Rin suffer. Now, Vahn had to make a choice about whether or not he should divulge Sakura's 'secret', placing even more stress on Rin, or if he should deal with the matter without her knowledge. This was turning into the type of situation where it might be better for Rin's mental wellness if she was never made aware of what her sister was forced to suffer through...Aware that Vahn was thinking 'something' regarding her, Rin gave him a questioning gaze that caused an awkward tension to permeate through the atmosphere. This caused Vahn to release a muted sigh before he looked directly into Rin's eyes and asked, "If you could..." Even without asking his question, Vahn's smile widened because he knew, without a doubt, Rin was the type that would do whatever it took to help friends and family. Though her disposition caused her to act in a peculiar manner, she was, at the very core of her existence, a girl who simply wanted a family. She had been alone for a large portion of her life and, though he had read several versions of History where she was happily married, there was no way of knowing if her current path led towards a happy end. After all, not every story that managed to become a Record was even intended to have a fairy tale ending...Before Rin could question him, Vahn stood up from the table and said, "Make sure you rest properly, Rin. Tomorrow's training will be far more intense than what you experienced this morning. Also, though I won't interfere with what you're currently doing, I'll be taking a few actions of my own in the following days. If anything important happens, I'll make sure to bring it to your attention immediately. For the time being, my priority will simply be scouting around the City and trying to determine the power and composition of enemy forces. I imagine your group is already working on something similar, but I doubt they have means that can match my own..." With this said, Vahn turned around and began walking towards the hallway without further comment. Rini was left with a confused expression on her face, knowing Vahn was up to 'something' while also being aware that there was little she could do to stop him...Once Vahn had left the dining room completely, Rin rested her head on the table before falling into a long period of silence. Now that she had exposed her intentions, it suddenly felt like a heavy weight had been removed from her heart. With Vahn's power, any doubt she had about the success of her mission seemed to fly out the window. At the same time, however, Rin felt that she had now become the 'bystander' that Vahn intended to avoid becoming. With him taking action, Rin felt that she would be relegated to a support role by default. After all, regardless of her prior experience with the Holy Grail War, Rin couldn't imagine anything truly getting in Vahn's way. If she helped him become a Master, it was almost guaranteed that the final victor would be Vahn and his Servant...Though the thought of gaining an easy victory was rather 'pleasant', as it was always better than a hard-fought battle where sacrifices were required, Rin felt a strange 'emptiness' where her convictions had previously resided. The situation was quickly developing into one where Vahn was doing several things for her, all while she barely managed to provide support in the rear. Though she could become much stronger under his tutelage, Rin felt various complex emotions knowing that, one day, perhaps in the near future, Vahn would move beyond her. Even though she harbored no desire to keep him 'anchored' to her, Rin felt 'small' when she thought about the larger stage Vahn would one day tread, all while she continued to fumble around amongst a community she hated interacting with...As her thoughts continued to spiral around within her chaotic mind, Rin lamented the fact that she couldn't help comparing Vahn to Shirou, the only man she had ever loved. They both had the type of personality that made them give their all to others, rarely expecting anything in return. Also, just like Shirou, Rin knew that Vahn wasn't the type to just sit around for long periods of time without taking action. Her intuition told her that, when he finally started moving, there would be few things that could ever stop Vahn's momentum. Though it was almost impossible to imagine him dying off in some foreign country, Rin knew that even the most powerful people could become a victim of circumstances. Just as Shirou had been betrayed by people that were supposed to be his comrades, there was a non-negligible chance that Vahn would share the same fate. Imagining this, Rin clenched her teeth as she buried her face into her arms and muttered, "Why do I waste my time with idiots like this...dammit..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'That's a nice day you're having there...would be a shame if...','I wonder how Rin would react if she knew the truth about Sakura at this point...?','Some say that the tears of a Tsundere are a rare and precious commodity for Magecraft...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1031: Will