Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

After breakfast and another short discussion about how they would explain his existence, Vahn and Rin made their way toward a rendezvous point within the downtown district, the Shinto region, of Fuyuki. Unlike Miyama town, on the West side of the Mion River, Shinto was filled with tall and densely packed buildings the represented the rapid modernization of the land after it had been reclaimed in the early 1990's. With more than twenty-four years of development, the region had become a highly developed metropolitan area where the vast majority of people commuted to work. Everywhere you looked, there were colorful lights and signs that were made necessary by the tens-of-thousands of pedestrians that constantly flowed through the City streets like the blood in a person's body, breathing life into Fuyuki and its surrounding regions.While walking through the densely packed streets, Rin kept close to Vahn as she muttered, "I hate this place. It feels like a failed attempt to forcefully repress the past as an excuse to drive people towards an uncertain future..." As the Shinto region had been destroyed during the Fourth Holy Grail War, much of the buildings present had been hastily built over a short ten year period. The City Planners had rushed the job, leading to the current situation where the City now looked 'clumped' together after newer buildings rose up aside those that had been built previously. Now that twenty years had passed since the 'Fuyuki City Disaster', the area had been converted into a central hub where people congregated, completely ignorant to the fact they walked upon grounds that were stained with both the literal corpses of thousands of victims, all tainted by the world's evil...Since Fuyuki was Vahn's only real exposure to a modern City, he didn't really share Rin's opinion, even though he also found the way people lived in the present 'lacking'. The City itself seemed rather charming, with most of the buildings having similar design and layout that made them mesh together, even if they were placed haphazardly. Everywhere he looked, there always seemed to be something new and interesting, giving him the feeling that, even if he explored aimlessly, there would always be something new to find. This was somewhat different from how Orario had been constructed as, though there were some pretty fantastical places to visit, the vast majority of shops and restaurants were similar. Even the way business was conducted was fundamentally different, though Vahn had already seen several overlapping practices that he had considered exploiting in the future...As they got closer to their destination, Vahn noticed that Rin was now practically bumpings arms with him as she grew increasingly annoyed with the people who had been gawking at them. Since Rin was quite the beauty in her own right, she generally garnered a fair amount of attention wherever she went. Standing next to Vahn, however, the two looked like a pair of Idols making their way to a movie shooting, a scene completed by the fact they both wore high-end clothing while carrying themselves with a natural dignity normal citizens couldn't match. As a result, they had created a curious phenomenon where people's heads turned like a wave to catch sight of them, many rudely taking pictures and commenting about the 'celebrity pairing' that seemed to be trying to remain incognito.By the time Vahn and Rin stepped into the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel, the largest and most extravagant hotel within the Shinto district, they actually had a small group of people following after them from a distance. Fortunately, though Vahn didn't exactly agree with the rather high-profile arrangement, the entire Hotel had been reserved while a private security firm kept normal people out. This caused people to speculate that the Hotel had been booked for a movie shooting, causing a group of bored pedestrians to congregate outside as they blindly speculated on the matter. Seeing so many people, seemingly without anything better to do, caused Vahn to shake his head in admonishment once he and Rin passed through the magic formation at the front door...Rin, sharing many of the same sentiments, released a tired sigh as her shoulders slumped almost as soon as they were out of view. She then looked towards Vahn's face, almost as if she were appraising him, before saying, "You might want to consider adopting a form that doesn't stand out so much in the future. I didn't think about it much before, but it will be difficult for us to walk through the City together with your stupidly handsome face..." Though Vahn had altered his appearance to remain untraceable, he still defaulted into a form that was like eye-candy to the ladies of the modern era.Instead of humoring Rin's slightly accusatory statement, Vahn adopted a teasing smile before remarking, "I'll change when you stop wearing makeup and spending a half-hour on your hair before leaving the Manor..." This caused Rin to immediately adopt a pouting expression but, unlike how she would act when they were alone, she kept mum since there were others present. Vahn wanted to point out that this was another way she paid attention to how other people perceived her, as it was obvious her upbringing had accustomed her to 'expecting' attention. She didn't want to stand out but, so long as she was out and about in public, Rin acted prim and proper while going through all the necessary steps to appear like the high-class woman her heritage made her out to be...After riding the elevator to the penthouse suite located at the very top of the hotel, accessible only by having a special keycard, Vahn and Rin stepped out into a lavish foyer where someone Vahn had previously met awaited. Wearing the same muted grey and black clothing as their first encounter, the ashen-haired woman, named Gray, looked back at Vahn and Rin with her striking blue eyes. When she saw Vahn, Gray gave a small nod, as if to say she now genuinely believed his words about being Rin's companion. As for Rin, her face formed into a complex expression that was hard to read, causing Vahn to wonder if there were some tensions between her and Gray. Since the latter had almost no reaction to Rin's presence, other than hanging her head slightly, Vahn felt like it had less to do with her than Rin herself...With none of the posted security preventing their access, Vahn and Rin entered into the penthouse proper, finding three people seated around an expensive-looking table. In fact, everything in the room seemed ridiculously expensive, causing Vahn to shake his head slightly as, from amongst the group of seated individuals, one showed extreme shock while the other two had curious gazes. Rin seized the initiative while she still could, casually gesturing to Vahn with her thumb before saying, "This is the guy I told you about, Vahn Mason. I know it might be a little late to change our plans at this stage, but I think his support will be instrumental to the success of our mission."While the two men seemed to be treating Rin's words seriously, the drill-haired woman, Luviagelita, who Rin not-so-affectionately referred to as just 'Luvia', had already risen to her feet as she walked over with hastened steps. Rin curiously took a 'defensive' posture in front of Vahn before reminding, "Are you looking to taste another loss so soon after the last one...?" In response to this, Luvia gave a haughty 'hmph' before crossing her arms to accentuate her rather large breasts, saying, "I swear, Rin, you become more barbaric every time we see each other. Worry not, however, as my 'heart' is more than big enough to tolerate your childishness. Now, if you would allow me..."Rin interrupted Luvia's words by holding up her index finger, forming a small orb of water at the very tip as she muttered, "If you're that thirsty, I don't mind help you out, Lu-vi-a~." This behavior of Rin's caused Luvia to instinctually take a step back as, compared to their prior meeting, she was currently wearing a white blouse, accented by flowers, atop a long blue dress that extended to her calves. If she ended up getting wet, it could 'complicate' things, requiring her to alight to her room for a quick change of clothes to avoid embarrassment.Though he didn't mind the ongoing rivalry between Rin and Luvia, Vahn's expression remained calm and implacable as he sternly reminded, "Rin, do not forget our purpose. We are here to discuss our future cooperation, not pick a fight...besides..." As everyone in the room was listening closely to what he was saying, Vahn gave a polite nod before erecting a soundproof barrier and adding, "I don't think Fenrir would appreciate it if we kept her waiting back home by herself." These words were all it took to send a shiver up Rin's spine, followed by her crossing her arms in a huff and saying, "I know, I know! Jeez...try to see things from my perspective, would you...?"Rin said the last part of her sentence as a soliloquy so Vahn chose to 'pretend' he hadn't heard it as he 'waved' away the soundproof barrier. The casual nature of his actions had caught the attention of everyone in the room, causing the atmosphere to immediately become more serious. Deciding to take advantage of this, Vahn placed his hand atop his heart before giving a polite bow as he said, "Miss Luviagelita Edelfelt, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. As Rin had previously stated, my name is Vahn Mason. For the period of our cooperation, feel free to refer to me by name."Vahn's formal introduction had caused Luvia to use her gloved hand to touch her lower lip as she remarked, "My, such a gentleman. How ever did such a high-class man come across my dear friend, Rin...?" As soon as these words left Luvia's lips, Vahn slightly squinted his eyes as an overbearing pressure suddenly weighed down on everyone within the room. With the same smile he had used to introduce himself, Vahn 'casually' answered, "Miss Edelfelt, the words I had directed towards Rin were intended for your ears as well. Surely, someone as noble as you seem to be would not pollute the purpose of this meeting with her own personal affairs...?" As Vahn was more than accustomed to dealing with 'Noble' ladies, he had decided to make certain that Luvia knew he wasn't here to pander to her whims...Feeling the overbearingly powerful aura radiating off of Vahn's body, Luvia felt her entire body break out in a cold sweat as she barely managed a sheepish, "Yes...you are correct..." At the same time, the two men, who Vahn knew as Lord El-Melloi II and Flat Escardos, had adopted a pseudo-battle ready stance. From behind, Gray and several private security guards entered into the room, creating a tense atmosphere that was on the verge of 'breaking' at any moment. In response to this, Vahn continued to steadily increase the pressure he was emitting until it reached the point that the entire penthouse had started vibrating. The only reason anyone was even able to remain standing was due to the fact he wasn't targeting any of them directly, knowing full-well that the weaker security forces may not be able to survive the experience.It was at this point that Rin, seemingly unaffected by Vahn's aura, lightly elbowed him in the ribs before saying, "Cut it out. You're making everyone nervous." Then, as if it had never existed in the first place, the pressure completely disappeared in an instant. Vahn returned a small nod to Rin before smiling as he said, "It seems I got wrapped up in the moment and caused one of the very same issues I had wanted to avoid. Please forgive my lack of decorum...this world's customs are still foreign to me." Making sure to emphasize the last sentence a little more than his excuse, Vahn garnered a few confused expressions from everyone present before Lord El-Melloi II looked towards the security forces and commanded, "Return to your posts. Gray, you may stay."Waiting for everyone else to leave the room, Lord El-Melloi II then turned his gaze upon Rin, asking, "What is this about, Rin? You have some explaining to do..." Immediately following this statement, Flat, Lord El-Melloi II's rather handsome blond-haired-blue-eyed Magus Apprentice remarked, "I didn't think we'd have a BOSS-class ally in our party at this stage of the game. Things are really starting to look up, ahahaha~." This remark earned him a glare from Lord El-Melloi II, something that Flat just laughed off in good spirits before raising his hand and saying, "Hey there, my name is Flat Escardos. I'll be in your care and look forward to working with you, Vahn."Lord El-Melloi II just sighed at his protege's lack of tension before shaking his head and returning a polite bow of his own before saying, "Greetings, Vahn Mason. I am Lord El-Melloi the Second, a Fes-Class Lecturer within the Clock Tower. I pray my students do not cause you too much trouble in the coming days..." With his own introduction done, Lord El-Melloi II gestured towards Gray but, much to his surprise, she simply stated, "We have already met previously. Vahn is very powerful...I couldn't do anything at all." This statement alone caused Lord El-Melloi II, Flat, and Luvia all to express shock as they were all aware of how powerful Gray was. Though not quite at the level of a Heroic Spirit, the only thing she lacked to qualify for the title was a 'legend' of her own.Piggybacking off of Gray's words, Flat smiled even bigger than before as he said, "Nice. If Gray says you're strong, that makes you more of a Raid-BOSS. I'm starting to look forward this~!" Seemingly sharing this sentiment, Luvia nodded her head before looking at Vahn with an appraising gaze and remarking, "Rare as it may be, I can't help but agree with Flat. What we're trying to accomplish here won't be well-received by those who desire the Holy Grail for themselves. The more powerful allies we have, the better. To that end, I will be in your care, Vahn. Please take care of me..." Punctuating her sentence with a wink, Luvia then 'retreated' to the nearby sofa under the close scrutiny of Rin's piercing gaze.Following Luvia's example, everyone else took a seat around the table, leading to the situation where Vahn was flanked by the two beauties as Lord El-Melloi II and Flat sat opposite them. Gray took up a position standing behind the sofa, causing Vahn to wonder whether or not she was treated fairly by the group since she seemed a little 'too demure' for someone possessing the power she had at her disposal. Now wasn't the time to look into such things, however, as the purpose of this meeting was to discuss their future cooperation. To that end, Vahn preempted the obvious questions by plainly stating, "I will not keep it a secret. As we will be allies in the future, you should have at least a basic understanding of my capabilities. Though I will not go into too many details, it is enough for you to know that I have the power to rival a Pseudo-Divine Spirit. As for my identity, I will allow you to know that I originate from another world, one on a completely separate time axis than your own. How I came to reside in this world is unimportant, as the less you know regarding the truth, the better off everyone will be."Vahn and Rin had decided to 'nerf' his capabilities a fair amount as, if his true power were known, there was no guarantee that the situation wouldn't escalate faster than they could control. Even being compared to a Pseudo-Divine Spirit elevated him to a point most people couldn't even fathom, however, resulting in everyone else showing expressions of shock and disbelief. Gray was actually the first to speak, providing some unexpected support as she said, "That is how you were able to block Add with your bare hand...you possess an immortal body?" As it was nearly impossible to harm a Divine Spirit, regardless of how powerful an individual may be, Vahn's 'revelation' provided an answer to the matter that had been concerning Gray since their previous meeting.Using Gray's words to his advantage, Vahn gave a curt nod before adding, "My reason for helping you, as I'm certain you are curious, is because Rin helped me when I first fell into this world. In order to repay the debt I owe her, you can count on my support in completing the task you have set out to accomplish. Know that, while I harbor the desire to return to my world, I am already aware that the Greater Grail lacks the power to grant my wish. As the thought of people squabbling like children to have their wish granted displeases me, I am more than willing to ensure the Grail's destruction." To avoid any kind of misunderstandings, Vahn had decided to be forthright about his feelings regarding the Grail. Everything he said was very close to the truth so, even if they might suspect something, it was impossible to see through the story he had concocted with Rin beforehand.Hearing Vahn's words, Lord El-Melloi II gave an understanding nod before saying, "I won't deny that I have some misgivings about working alongside someone who purports to come from another world. However, as there are several historical accounts of similar incidents, I will choose to trust in Rin's judgment. Having someone with your power on our side will greatly increase our chances of successfully destroying the Grail. Though I am a bit later than the others, allow me to express my appreciation for your assistance. I look forward to working alongside you, Vahn Mason. Perhaps, once this incident is behind us, you will be more willing to divulge the finer details of your situation. Though I may not have means beyond even the power of the Greater Grail, I will do my best to help you return to your world after we complete our current mission."Of everything Vahn had said, the most obvious 'truth' mentioned, something everyone had picked up on, was that he wished to return home. Even though Vahn had become exceedingly proficient at masking his emotions, it was hard to hide the 'longing' contained within his eyes when he briefly mentioned 'home'. It was primarily because of this that Lord El-Melloi II chose to trust Vahn, even if he still had several concerns regarding what exactly could have happened to allow a Pseudo-Divine Spirit to be thrown into their world. After all, this meant Vahn's existence was near the same level as a True Ancestor, placing him very near the pinnacle of power according to his current understanding of the world...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn got that celebrity swagger','How big is your power level? 'Cause mine's pretty big...','Imagine if Vahn introduced himself as 'Type Omega' xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

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

Chapter 1032: Investigation