Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After things had settled down a bit, Vahn listened as Catherine and Astolfo both explained their reasons for participating in the Holy Grail War. The former had been born into a declining Magus family who, other than Catherine herself, lacked a fifth-generation successor. This wouldn't have been the worst thing if not for the fact that Catherine, due to her weak constitution, could hardly use Magecraft without injuring her body. What made matters worse was that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer in her teens, leading to a situation where her family had tried to arrange a marriage with another Magus family in order to obtain an heir. This endeavor ultimately proved fruitless, however, as the number of Magi in the world was already low and, seeing no benefits in helping a family on the decline, Catherine had ultimately been abandoned after the family finally fell apart due to a struggle over what little wealth and property they owned.The one thing Catherine wished for was to, for the first time in her life, have a healthy body that was not plagued by sickness and disease. She wanted to travel around the world and experience all of the things in life she had missed out on due to her heritage. After learning about the Holy Grail War, she had used what remained of her personal savings to secure a plane ticket to Fuyuki to try her luck. When she managed to actually summon a Servant, Catherine had been extremely grateful as, not only did she get a kindhearted soul like Astolfo, but she was able to free herself from the feeling that she was incapable of succeeding. Though she harbored little hope of actually obtaining the Holy Grail, she was happy just to have experienced even a small amount of success before the end of her life...Astolfo's reason for participating in the Holy Grail War drew a few parallels with Catherine's, even if the nature of their upbringing was decidedly different. His wish, if it could even be called as such, was to be allowed to continue his many adventures into the present. He was endlessly intrigued by the world and, even though there were many sad and heartbreaking things present within, Astolfo saw the potential beauty in all things. When he had been summoned by Catherine, he wasted no time in promising to fulfill her wish, even going so far as to swear he would escort her on a journey to visit all of the most beautiful sights and scenes the world had to offer. His own dream didn't matter nearly as much as his simple desire to make her smile, even as they both knew it was a reality bordering on the impossible...All the while Astolfo and Catherine were recounting their stories, Vahn was seated on a lavish leather sofa as he absentmindedly worked away at the contents of a wine glass. He was honestly more than a little upset about how Catherine had been treated and, if such a thing had happened in front of him, Vahn knew he would have stepped in. Since Astolfo had already 'saved' her from the darkness she had fallen into, however, he felt a little awkward before ultimately deciding to adopt a somewhat dismissive attitude. Though he was still intending to have Astolfo become his Servant, Vahn had no intention of interrupting their rather unique relationship.With that in mind, Vahn waited until Astolfo had finally finished rambling on about the various places they would go sightseeing before saying, "As your wishes are something that can be obtained without the Holy Grail, I would like for you, Catherine, to remove yourself from the competition. In exchange, I will swear to completely heal your body before restoring its damaged vitality. Forget about having just a month left to live, you'd be hard-pressed to die before you're one-hundred once I've completed the operation. As for you, Astolfo, I will require your assistance during the remainder of the Holy Grail War. There are several ways in which I can guarantee you will be able to remain in this world after the conclusion of the Heaven's Feel ritual, effectively granting both of your wishes in exchange for your service."Catherine had started to tremble before Vahn had even finished his words while Astolfo, showing confusion at first, practically exploded into a vibrant smile as he jumped forward and tried to grab Vahn's hands. Using an instinct he didn't know he possessed, Vahn lifted his foot at the same time that Astolfo jumped towards him, effectively kicking the peculiar boy in the gut as a result. He then fell to the floor, arms supporting his abdomen as an uncommon amount of drool poured from the side of his mouth as he released a dry and pained laugh...After Astolfo finally recovered, Vahn found himself in a situation where the youthful Paladin was kneeling solemnly before him as he pledged, "Henceforth, I, Duke Astolfo Ada Mercia swear, so long as these lungs draw breath, my allegiance will belong to the Sage Emperor, Vahn Aldrnari Mason." As a True Knight and Paladin, Astolfo was very aware that he owed Vahn a great debt for saving the life of his charge, not once, but thrice. Not only did he prevent Assassin from succeeding in his task, but Vahn had also started healing Catherine's various ailments. If he truly managed to emerge victorious in the Holy Grail War, Astolfo believed he would do everything within his power to make good on his promises. Even for someone as whimsical in nature as him, he knew what he ought to do in exchange for the favor Vahn had already paid them...Vahn didn't really know how to feel about the fact that a man that was prettier than most women was currently kneeling before him. The fact that he wore a skirt only exacerbated the situation as, if he looked just a bit lower, Vahn was certain he would be able to see something he did not wish to bear witness to. Fortunately, Astolfo was close enough to him that it would require craning his neck a great deal to accidentally expose the Paladin's secret. For reasons he would never fully understand, Vahn's mind was filled with a powerful sense of incongruity as, even though he didn't 'want' to look, he was simultaneously curious to know if Astolfo wore normal underwear, or if he pushed his peculiarity to the extreme and dawned panties...Hearing Astolfo complete his oath, Vahn used the former's sword to tap both of his shoulders before saying, "Rise..." in his 'Emperor' voice. As if being liberated from a great pressure, Astolfo bounded up to his feet fast enough that both of his feet left the ground for a brief moment. He had a radiant smile on his face, laughing in an easy-going manner as he said, "So long as someone didn't end up summoning Charlamagne as their Servant, there shouldn't be any issues. I always was an outlier among the other Paladins so I don't think they would freak out too badly knowing I pledge my allegiance to another Lord, ahahaha~."With Astolfo's words ringing in his ears, Vahn furrowed his brows slightly since it almost felt like the whimsical Paladin had just set in motion something that would trouble him in the near future. This was a sense he had been honing since his time in Danmachi, making Vahn keenly aware whenever 'something' had been set in motion. As a result, Vahn pinched the bridge of his nose before shaking his head in exasperation as he said, "Just make sure you don't run off without conferring with myself and our other companions. Even if your speed is bolstered as a Rider-Class Servant, we'll all be troubled, Catherine included, if you end up falling into the enemy's trap."In response to Vahn's words, Astolfo gave an exaggerated salute as he loudly exclaimed, "As you will, my Lord~!" Immediately following this, Astolfo turned to Catherine and appeared to be on the verge of asking a question before Vahn preempted him by explaining, "She can seek refuge at the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel. The Mage's Association has established the entire building as a neutral territory where conflict is strictly forbidden. The representative, Lord El-Melloi II, will see that she is well protected until the Holy Grail War has come to an end. After that, both of you will be free to move about at your leisure. Though you will obviously need to plan accordingly, that is something to worry about once the War has drawn to a conclusion."Understanding that Astolfo was still concerned about her, even though she had already relinquished her Command Spells, Catherine gave a gentle smile before stroking his cheek and saying, "Your care has already saved me...now go, be the Hero I know you can be. I will wait for you..." By the time she had finished her words, Astolfo had overlapped her hand with his own, solemnly nodding his head. From Vahn's perspective, it almost appeared as if the two were deeply infatuated with each other. Observing more closely, however, would reveal that Catherine obviously didn't think herself worthy of Astolfo's concern while, as much as he genuinely seemed to care about Catherine's well-being, she was not someone he could dedicate himself to...Knowing it wasn't his place to intervene, Vahn gave them some privacy as he moved to the roof, pulling out his radio before turning it to the proper frequency and saying, "One more Master has been removed from contention. We now have a Rider-Class Servant to provide support...over."While waiting for Rin's response, Vahn slowly ascended to the sky to both increase the reception and get a better vantage over the City. Even if he drew attention towards himself in the process, Vahn's urge to experience a 'real' fight had reached a critical point. If he couldn't find someone to vent on, Vahn felt like he might not be able to resist Scáthach's 'direct' nature if the two of them were to do battle against each other. His instincts told her that she would be even more overbearing than Tsubaki during their training, almost guaranteeing that his 'habit' would act up as a result. He had an instinct bordering on a compulsion that, whenever a strong woman put him through the wringer a few times, Vahn 'needed' to tease them in return...Amidst his straying thoughts, Vahn heard Rin's words over the radio, explaining, "We managed to track down a Master-Servant pair in section D-11. They're currently holed up in a warehouse that has been surrounded by a few powerful trap spells. As some are a little 'too' complex, there is a good chance the enemy Servant is a Caster-Class...over."Hearing Rin's words, Vahn released an involuntary sigh as, regardless of hower powerful the enemy Caster might be, it wouldn't be much of a fight once he managed to close the distance. Unless they could pepper him with A-Rank Spells and higher, which was extremely unlikely, he wouldn't even need to worry about taking damage. This was one of the things he was struggling to adapt to as, even compared to his high durability in the Record of Danmachi, the 'protection' granted to him as a result of his classification as a 'Greater Divine Spirit' made him almost invulnerable. Even someone as powerful as Scáthach, striking him directly in the neck, was only able to make his skin itch a bit...Deciding to give Rin and Fenrir a chance at personal-redemption, as they were undoubtedly still thinking about the previous night, Vahn held up his radio to say, "I'll move to support from a distance. This is yours and Fenrir's time to shine...over..." Even without hearing Rin's response, Vahn could feel 'excitement' in his heart, not due to his own emotions, but the direct result of how excited Fenrir was at the prospect of getting a second chance to fight. She had been excessively frustrated after Scáthach dealt with her with extreme ease so Fenrir 'needed' a battle just as much as Vahn did. He even credited some of his building urges to what she was going through, a testament to how synchronized their emotions were at times...---Having heard her Master's voice over the radio, Fenrir's ears immediately angled backward as her hair began to stand on end. She turned her glowing red eyes towards Rin, causing the latter to produce a wry smile before saying, "I can create a hole in the formation surrounding the warehouse, but there is no guarantee this will provide you any advantages. Many Caster-Class Servants are capable of a phenomenon known as 'Territory Creation'. The moment you step into their territory, you will already be put into a disadvantageous position..."As Fenrir was familiar with the concept, the result of her 'eternal' rivalry with Terra, she knew better than most how troublesome such an ability could be. However, knowing that she should have the edge against most 'real' Mages, Fenrir wasn't afraid. The Magecraft she had seen after being summoned by her Master was nothing compared to the magic system she had studied under Eva. Even if the Caster-Class Heroic Spirit was capable of using Magecraft that bordered on True Magic, Fenrir was confident she could evade even large-scale anti-army abilities before severely injuring them with her claws...After her embarrassing failure with a spear, Fenrir was now equipped with a pair of sleek black gauntlets that had A-Rank [Magic Resistance] and [Shock Resistance] as their primary boons. She should be fast enough to evade most spells but having the means to defend against any stray spells sent her way was never a bad thing.Seeing that Fenrir was a little 'too eager' to battle, Rin released a tired sigh as she muttered, "You and your Master are both battle junkies..." Though she had gotten this impression after seeing how 'serious' Vahn took training, Rin constantly found herself being surprised with how attuned to battle Fenrir and Vahn were. She knew that battles were a daily occurrence in the world they had originated, but it was still a little abnormal from the perspective of someone that lived in the 'modern era'. Most Mages proactively avoided direct combat, choosing to hole themselves up in their workshops as they performed their research in secret. The only time Mages would proactively seek conflict was if both sides coveted the same resource or wanted to steal the research of the other party...As being compared to her Master could only be a 'good' thing, Fenrir ignored the frustration in Rin's voice as she said, "Master will probably be close by, but you should transform when the battle begins. There is no point in trying to conceal a secret if it will result in your death..." Though she wasn't trying to be harsh, Fenrir had felt her Master's anxiety when Rin was pierced through the heart. This was accompanied by a profound sense of 'failure', a feeling far more prominent than the frustration she felt after being tossed aside by Scáthach...Feeling a shiver run along her spine, not because of Fenrir's words but because she could still remember the sudden and intense 'heat' that had spread through her body the previous night. If not for the [Effigy of the Hero], Rin knew that would have been her unceremonious end. Even though she had two Goddesses within her body, she had almost been eliminated without even having the chance to show her hand. Thus, understanding the inherent truth contained within Fenrir's words, Rin opened up the large carrying tote she had brought along with her and said, "Give me a moment..."After having a few sets of clothing destroyed, including a set of [Aegis Mk 5], Rin was better prepared for Ishtar and Ereshkigal taking control of her body. Using a cashmere poncho to cover her figure, she quickly stripped down until she was standing naked as the day she was born. With this finished, Rin closed her eyes as a purple hue spread across her black hair. In less than two seconds, Ishtar had completely taken over her body before she effortlessly lifted from the roof and began floating in the air as if it was perfectly natural. While Ereshkigal was a Goddess presiding over the Earth, her fundamental purpose was as one of the Goddesses presiding over Heaven. Though she made an 'exception' when it came to being indoors, Ishtar refused to tread upon any grounds that had not been sanctified in her name...Seeing Fenrir staring at her, Ishtar giggled playfully before muttering, "Boat of Heaven Maanna..." in the Language of the Gods. As a result, Fenrir winced as both of her ears laid flat against the top of her head, all whilst an enormous bow formed from the void before floating alongside Ishtar. It had two distinct arcs, the first of which curved like a blue serpent adorned with gold, while the second looked like half of a circular gateway. The two sections were linked together, not by a bowstring, but a braid made from the hairs of a Celestial Stallion. Instead of firing normal arrows, though it also possessed that functionality, Ishtar's bow had the ability to open a gate between the two aligned circles located at the very center of each arc. If she was serious, even wiping out entire mountains was not beyond her ability as an Archer second only to Artemis herself...Fenrir didn't like feeling 'beneath' anyone except for her Master so, from the moment Ishtar's bow manifested, she began to feel an itchy feeling over her entire body. She knew, on an instinctual level, that Ishtar would be able to kill her with great ease. Now, even though she was the one to tell Rin to transform, Fenrir was regretting it a little as she gave a curt nod and said, "I'm going..." This caused Ishtar to laugh in mild amusement before laying down on the arch of her bow and saying, "You are that man's most precious person. Have more confidence in yourself, dear Fenrir..."Having Ishtar suddenly trying to 'encourage' her, the hair on Fenrir's tail became slightly pointy as she leaped from her perch without comment. Ishtar didn't seem to mind this much as she leaned her arms against the second arch of her bow and began to playfully dangle her legs. She had been tempted to just destroy the entire warehouse but, remembering that Vahn wanted to try and recruit the enemy Servants, Ishtar felt it would upset him if she did something so 'selfish'. For reasons she didn't quite understand herself, Ishtar felt intrinsically drawn to Vahn as, for the first time in her long existence, he felt 'bigger' than even she was. This was a feeling she only ever experienced with her Father, the King of the Highest Heaven, Anu...Thinking of her Father, Ishtar ran her finger along one of the golden lines of her bow before staring off into the distance. Just as she was in his range, Vahn was well within her own. As a Goddess that ruled from the Heavens, Ishtar had a natural awareness of all things beneath the infinitely vast sky. Though she, like most other Gods, completely ignored this awareness at most times, Ishtar was now using this ability to locate Vahn atop a roof a little under 4km away. He almost immediately looked back at her, causing Ishtar to giggle playfully before licking her lips in an overtly seductive manner...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I can't help but imagine a Vanargandr version of Astolfo...','Fenrir's desire to prove herself is like a constant flag (O,...,O)...','Some things change, others stay the same...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though it was already later than they would normally eat dinner, Vahn found a rather disgruntled Rin laying listlessly with her head against the dining room table. She had eaten a light lunch but, due to her increased activity over the last week or so, Rin's appetite had increased greatly. Now, she was grumbling nearly as much as her stomach as she complained, "Gnnuuu...if he doesn't show up soon, I swear I'll take a bite out of him instead...fuuu...." Unaware of the fact Vahn had just entered the room, Rin was partaking in one of the little soliloquy's she was known for. Vahn felt like this was another expression of her 'fate' or 'luck', as the fact she murmured such a thing now seemed rather 'conveniently' timed...Deciding to play along, Vahn approached Rin in complete silence before pulling a slice of her favorite cheesecake from his Inventory sliding it in front of her face. Suddenly having something enter the periphery of her vision, Rin startled like a frightened rabbit as she jumped up from her chair, nearly headbutting Vahn's chin in the process. Vahn easily evaded the 'surprise' attack before placing his hands on Rin's shoulder to keep her from falling backward as he softly whispered, "It's okay, Rin...it's just me..." This caused her to immediately release a heavy sigh before leaning back against his chest and complaining, "Now isn't really the best time to try and spook me..." in a monotone voice.Knowing she was right, Vahn felt apologetic but, understanding she would recover faster if he gave her a few small pushes, he responded by kissing the top of her head wrapping his arms around her body. This caused Rin's face to form a frown as her cheeks quickly began shifted from her usual fair complexion into a deep, ruddy, color. Since she had fallen silent, Vahn started to gently rock her body in his arms while asking, "Are you okay...?" in an even softer tone than before.Staying silent for several seconds longer, Rin finally responded by overlapping his hands with her own as she somberly stated, "I would be dead if not for you...thank you, Vahn..." As shaken as she was from her experience, Rin was surprised that she seemed to care more about his state of mind than her own. Since she had been the one to insist on their plan, knowing full well Vahn didn't want them exposed to danger, Rin felt extremely apologetic but had no way of expressing it. Fortunately, while Vahn had been busy throughout the day, she had a lot of time to talk with Ereshkigal and Ishtar to get her thoughts in order. This was why she chose to thank Vahn as soon as possible, hoping it would prevent him from blaming himself too much for what had happened...As she had expected, Vahn did indeed feel a little relieved when he heard the gentleness contained within Rin's expression of gratitude. He knew she hadn't recovered from the near-death experience, especially since the 'culprit' was now lingering around the Manor, but it was a testament to Rin's steadfastness that she was already walking towards the road to recovery. This caused Vahn to hug her a little more firmly before slowly releasing her body as he said, "Come, let's get you something to eat. There is no rush to head out...I'll cook you up something nutritious while you work away at this cheesecake..." With that said, Vahn rubbed Rin's shoulder one last time before making his way to the kitchen to prepare something fresh. Even though he could just purchase a meal from the system shop, he knew Rin would appreciate it a lot more if he prepared it manually...---Following Vahn with her eyes until he had vanished into the kitchen, Rin then proceeded to slouch like a deflating balloon as she absentmindedly muttered, "He is impossible to keep up with...I don't even know what kind of relationship we have right now..." Since she had known the resolute and serious Vahn a lot longer than this 'gentle' side to him, Rin felt like she was steadily sinking into a swamp of her own emotions. Not only did he come to her side, albeit a little slowly, when she 'needed' him the most, but he had now even saved her life. With how he treated her like something fragile, which wasn't wrong compared to him, Rin felt simultaneously blessed and frustrated at the same time. Though the 'swamp' she found herself in was warm and surprisingly comfortable, she was afraid that, at any given moment, she might sink into it and suffocate completely...Managing to sit upright in her chair, Rin picked up her fork before staring blankly at the perfectly crafted cheesecake Vahn had set out for her. This immediately caused her stomach to release a loud grumble, announcing its presence to the world as it 'demanded' satiation. Rin's cheeks became red as she forked up a small piece of fluffy white pastry and placed it in her mouth. She was nearly overtaken by the urge to squeal in satisfaction but managed to keep it contained by pinching the outside of her thigh. Even if she had a full stomach, Rin always had 'extra' room for the sweets prepared by Vahn...After releasing a small sigh, Rin looked down at her own stomach before muttering, "You traitor...if you don't fix your attitude, what am I going to do if Vahn actually leaves in the future...?" Though she had been the one to invite Vahn to become her 'chef', Rin hadn't expected a day would come when just the thought of eating food prepared by someone else caused her to grimace. She had eaten a small cup of plain rice earlier, one of the few things she could prepare without burning, and it had tasted so bland that she barely managed to keep it down. By the time she was done eating, she was actually even hungrier than before...Just as she was having her existential food crisis, Rin felt another hand on her shoulder that caused her body to jolt for the second time tonight. Instead of Vahn, Rin was able to immediately identify the 'intruder' based on the white glove adorning the hand. With her expression souring, Rin was about to complain before Nobunaga preempted her by teasing, "Aww, is the princess disappointed that the Knight she had been expecting is busy elsewhere? You're going to break my heart..." Before Nobunaga had finished her words, Rin had swatted her hand away before following up by saying, "I'm really not in the mood to deal with you right now..."Hearing Rin's words, Nobunaga rolled her eyes before taking the seat next to her and saying, "You're not as bad as Vahn, but you have a lot of baggage, don't ya? If you really want to follow him, that idiot wouldn't be able to stop you. The only thing you have to worry about is what you want to 'pack' before you chase after him. If you want my advice..." At this point, Nobunaga was leaning forward so much that she was well within Rin's personal space as she added, "You shouldn't waste time packing at all. I'm sure you've sensed it as well, right? The longer you wait, the further down on his list of priorities you'll become...that brat, I don't even think he knows how to love just one woman..."Though she wanted to rebuff Nobunaga, Rin found herself unable to offer any resistance as she averted her eyes to the side, struggle clearly visible within. This seemed to amuse Nobunaga as an 'evil' smile spread across her lips as she moved her hand to grab Rin's chin before saying, "You have the gall to destroy the Grail with this kind of conviction? You and your little friends play at being resolute and prepared but you can't even bear the burden of your own emotions, much less the pressure of the numerous enemies you will make if your plan succeeds. Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter..."Letting her fingers trace across Rin's chin as she pulled them away, Nobunaga's expression became absolutely serious as she said, "Unless he meets an early end, I can't imagine what kind of monster would be able to slow that man down. I want to see what he is capable of with my own eyes so don't blame me for taking the lead if you continue to remain indecisive. Now that you broke down his defenses, I'm confident in my chances...consider this a declaration of war, Rin Tohsaka. Let this Demon King show you the meaning of an 'aggressive offensive'..."Without being afforded the opportunity to respond, Rin was left gawking as Nobunaga vanished into motes of light. As lascivious as Nobunaga seemed, Rin never pegged her as a 'rival' she needed to concern herself with. She was pretty sure the former even liked women but, now that she had been declared war upon, Rin realized that Nobunaga was far more 'open-minded' than she had realized. Now, instead of just having to worry about Fenrir, she had an evil and charismatic tyrant to contend with. Since Scáthach also seemed like a ticking time bomb, Rin suddenly felt a lot more pressure than before...Realizing her own thought process, Rin's eyes widened in shock as, without even noticing it beforehand, it seemed that she already treated Fenrir as her rival. Though she knew it wasn't possible to get between her and Vahn, Rin had been subconsciously thinking about how she could garner more of Vahn's attention. Just as Nobunaga implied, it would depend on her decisiveness whether or not she was placed highly within Vahn's expanding list of 'priorities'. If she managed to earn his affections early on, Vahn's sense of pride and responsibility would guarantee that he showed her more affection than other girls...inversely, if she allowed his attention to wander, Rin was 'positive' Vahn's attention would be captured by others.At the moment her anxiety reached its peak, Rin's eyes lost their light as her consciousness was 'pulled' into a small black and white room that was perfectly divided down the center. Sitting on a small golden altar, affixed with thick red cushions, Ishtar was leaning on her side as she mused, "It seems you have forgotten about us in your chaotic state of mind...did you forget what Divinities this Goddess possessed? The boy may not have realized it himself, but we can sense the feelings he directs towards you. More than carnal desires, there is genuine affection and love contained within. You need only trust in your own feelings and the rest will take care of itself. As for 'other' things, that is something we can help you with, right, Eres~?"Unlike Ishtar, seated upon her lavish throne, Ereshkigal was sitting in the corner on her side of the room as she pieced together bones to form a make-shift human doll. There was a dreary and dark atmosphere surrounding her but, strangely, the figure of Ereshkigal seemed to blend in perfectly with this scene, almost as if to prove that there was 'beauty', even within death. When she heard her sister's words, Ereshkigal held up the bone-doll in her hands before softly stating, "I want to stay here a bit longer...this is my first time seeing the surface world..." Then, stroking the doll's head, which had a few patches of dark brown hair, Ereshkigal smiled as she added, "We will help...to separate with our kin...I do not desire this..."Though Rin was more than a little weirded out by Ereshkigal's behavior, Ishtar showed a radiant smile as she stated, "Well, that settles it then. We're also rather fond of Vahn so let's do our best to keep his focus on us for as long as possible. With the three of us working together, this Goddess refuses to believe we can't keep him grounded for at least a few centuries. So long as we reside within your body, you need not worry about age and illness...now go, knowing you carry with you the blessing of the Goddess of Love..."As if she was rising to the surface of a deep pool, Rin's consciousness was returned without even ten seconds passing in reality. She had 'missed' her opportunity to even argue against Ishtar as the latter simply left no room for a counter-argument. Now, as if her decision had been made for her, Rin placed her forehead against the table and released a frustrated whine. This coincided with Vahn stepping into the dining room, carrying with him an aroma so fragrant it could only be described as heavenly. Rin was briefly tempted to 'ignore' him but, as soon as the aroma tickled her nose, an even louder rumble than any of the previous once escaped her stomach...---After spending quite a while trying to pacify Rin, Vahn found himself standing at the highest building within Fuyuki City, the Center Building. Vahn questioned why it was given such a name, as it was located four kilometers away from the actual center of the city, the Fuyuki Bridge spanning the Mion River. As this ultimately didn't matter, Vahn set the matter aside for later consideration as he tapped his finger against the railing that prevented normal citizens from accidentally falling to their deaths. It had been an uneventful night thus far as, after a chaotic first evening, many of the participating Masters were likely focused on gathering information. The majority should know that this particular Holy Grail War was different than those that had taken place previously so none of them were extending their necks out, fearing they would be among the first to be eliminated...Further than his domain could extend, Vahn saw a flash of light in the distance that, even with the various lights polluting the city, stood out. A few seconds later, a 'ripple' of mana reached the periphery of his domain, allowing Vahn to determine the approximate distance and the strength of the attack based on its fallout. He immediately determined that the enemies were weaker than Scathach, causing Vahn to lift a small radio to his mouth, saying, "Battle in area C-7. Unknown number of combatants. Threat level: Minor..." It wasn't exactly code, but Rin had come up with the idea of using radios that had been tuned to carry signals, even with the interference of the city-wide formation. They could only transmit messages directly, meaning buildings could still block the signal, but everyone had taken posts on some of the tallest buildings to make sure the signal would get through.Shortly after he sent his message, Rin's voice came through from the other end, saying, "Make sure you say 'Ove' at the end of transmissions...over..." This caused Vahn to roll his eyes before jumping from the building and landing almost silently on the ground twenty stories below. While dashing down the freeway at a casual 600km/h, Vahn brought the radio back to his mouth, saying, "I'm going to engage. Stand by for Orioles...over..." Though it wasn't particularly hard to infer what he meant, assuming any Magus even bothered to try and intercept their transmissions, Vahn was sticking with their agreed-upon jargon.Without waiting for Rin's return message, Vahn established a connection with Scáthach, saying, ("I will entrust Rin and Fenrir to you. If they get into a fight, I'll leave it up to your judgment whether or not you need to intervene.") Then, establishing a connection with Nobunaga, Vahn's tone became stern as he said, ("If you get a shot, feel free to eliminate the enemy Masters. Don't expose your position trying to support me...") Vahn had the distinct feeling that Nobunaga was trying to make him feel 'indebted' to her so, while he also trusted her judgment, he felt compelled to tell her not to intervene. His urge to vent on a strong opponent had only grown stronger over the last few hours so Vahn didn't want to complicate things by having to chase down enemies that discovered her location. Once a Servant engaged in active combat, they couldn't revert back to their Spirit form for a full hour so Nobunaga would be forced to run away if the enemy was powerful...With their connection still established, Vahn could imagine Nobunaga snorting through her nose before she answered, ("Yes, moooom...don't worry, your little Nobu-chan will be a good girl.") As soon as she said this, Vahn felt their connection was severed from her end. Shaking his head, Vahn kicked against the ground, spontaneously doubling his speed to just under the speed of sound. It was around this time that Rin's message came to him, albeit a little broken up as she said, "Ma...sure no...to...nderestimate...enemies." Since she had seen how 'riled' up Vahn was prior to heading out, he wasn't too surprised that she was worried about him...Though Vahn didn't know the precise location of his enemy, it didn't matter all that much once he managed to get near their battlefield. There were sonic booms and explosions resonating off the concrete superstructure of the surrounding buildings while, on the very edge of his domain, Vahn sensed three presences. Two were much larger and, based on the speed at which they were moving around, it was easy to determine who were the Servants and who was the Master. It bothered him that there was only one Master present but, after thinking about it for a brief moment, Vahn realized that one of the Servants may be the Assasin-Class. The most likely scenario was that the latter had tried to eliminate one of the Masters before they were intercepted by the Servant...Coming to a stop a few blocks away from the conflict, Vahn found himself at a crossroads as he had to decide whether or not to confront the Servants or take the more 'direct' route of eliminating the Master. If he did the latter, it might be possible to recruit a third Servant, further strengthening their side in preparation for future battles. This was the most prudent course of action, as it also reduced the chances of his hubris coming back to bite them if he failed to take down the enemy Servants before their Master could either support them or escape the battlefield...Raking a deep breath, Vahn's eyes flashed with a subtle blue light as he muttered, "I'm not suited to skulking around in the shadows...an Emperor should stand tall for the entire world to bear witness to..." Even if he wasn't an Emperor within this world, Vahn still held the title and identity of the man who had led to the formation of the Alliance and the unification of all Eden under the banner of his Empire. Though his arrogance had been 'shattered' by the existence of a force he could not oppose, Vahn knew it ran counter to his nature to hide from his enemies. If he started fearing conflict, it would be much harder for him to grow stronger in the face of any future setbacks...With this conviction in mind, Vahn removed the [Cloak of Shadows] he had been wearing before donning armor similar in form and function to his Imperial Regalia. Since they had yet to make their appearance thus far, Vahn decided he would throw the Holy Grail War into even greater chaos as, instead of a Master, he intended to reveal himself as a rogue 'Ruler'. In the blink of an eye, Vahn's hair shifted as if it were blown by the wind before fixing itself into position. Instead of growing loose and wild around his face, it now spiked backward like a lion's mane as his eyes blazed like blue flames in the night. Then, while channeling [Enkidu] into his domain to cause a golden radiance to spread through the surroundings, Vahn tore through the void and entered the fray...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Traitorous Stomach','Nobunaga's Battle Strategy!?','The Emperor Takes To The Battlefield')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1049: Sage Emperor