Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the ability to sense his surroundings even while unconscious, Vahn had been vaguely aware of the small argument between Nobunaga and Artoria. He was even aware of how Nobunaga lingered over his body for an awkwardly long period of time before ultimately deciding to drink alone at the side. She seemed to have been considering whether or not to do anything to him while he 'slept' but, other than a few curious touches, Nobunaga behaved herself properly. Vahn made a mental note to 'reward' her patience later on before deciding to use the present opportunity to sort through his Inventory and go over a few options he had been considering for the future. Before any of that, however, Vahn turned his attention to his status and couldn't help but smile, albeit only in his mind.-------------------------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Vahn Mason]Age: 155 (Ageless)Race: Human, Progenitor(sealed), *sealed*Parameter: [Nasuverse: 1-5]Strength: 33-&gt;35CEndurance: ★Agility: 38-&gt;39C+Magical Power: 45-&gt;48B+Good Luck: 13ECircuit Quality: EXSoul Tier: 4 (Divine Soul)[Karma]: 119-&gt;1,309[OP]: 3,141,419,213-&gt;2,978,400,125Noble Phantasm: [Enkidu:SSS]Origin: [?]Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:B], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth:A], [Chainbreaker:B], [Veil of the Traveler:SS], [Hands of Nirvana:S], [Type Omega:SSS], [Executor of Akasha's Will:SS], [Martial Arts:C](new), [Instinct:D](new)Magic: [Magia Erebea:S], [Administrative Function: Space Lock:SSS]Magecraft: [Magical Trigger:SSS], [Trace:SS], [Reinforce:B], [Gradiation Air:C], [Enchant:B], [Alchemy:E], [Shundo:E-&gt;C], [Cantus Bellax:D-&gt;C], [Sagitta Magicka:E], [Od Conversion:E-&gt;D], [Primordial Rune:B](new)[Martial Arts]Rank: CUse: The user's proficiency with all close-quarters combat techniques.[Instinct]Rank: DUse: The user's ability to intuit the most optimal course of action in combat.[Primordial Rune]Rank: BUse: The precursor to [Rune Magic], dating far back to the Age of Gods. Consist of a series of thirty-nine runes that allow the user to use B~S-Ranked Magecraft without the need for chants. Current comprehension limits the user from bringing out the full potential of each rune.-------------------------------------------------------------------Though his parameters hadn't changed all that much, Vahn knew that he wasn't even using his current capabilities to their fullest extent. Even though his Strength had only gone up by a value of two, Vahn felt like he was several times stronger than before just because the increased efficiency in how he moved his body. He felt both faster and responsive as well which, when combined with the [Instinct] skill, made it almost seem as if he was closing the gap between Scáthach and himself. If not for the fact she could use the same skill at the A-Rank, Vahn felt that it would only take a few months before he was able to start landing blows on her...With that in mind, Vahn turned his attention to some of the items he had been saving since the very start of his journey in the Nasuverse. He still had an [Innate Awakening Pill], the grimoires for [Inspiration] and [Might], an [Enlightenment Stone], and his trump card, the [Skill Advancement Scroll: SSS]. Though unique items like the [Innate Awakening Pill] and [Enlightenment Stone] were undoubtedly in a league of their own, Vahn could use the [Skill Advancement Scroll: SSS] to elevate any single skill to the maximum potential within the Record. If he used it on something like [Instinct], Vahn knew he would immediately become a force to be reckoned with as, according to Scáthach, it was one of the most powerful passive skills a person could have. As even Artoria only had A-Rank [Instinct] as one of her core skills, Vahn knew the SSS-Ranked version would be truly monstrous...-------------------------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Artoria Pendragon]Age: 15, Chrono-DisplasiaRace: Human, True Dragon(sealed)Strength: 43AEndurance: 36BAgility: 39BMagical Power: 48A+Good Luck: 50A++Soul Tier: 3 (Lord Soul)Noble Phantasm: [Excalibur:A~EX]Skills: [Child of Destiny:Innate:SSS], [Red Dragon's Descendant:Innate:SS], [Chivalrous Heart:Innate:S], [Charisma:B], [Instinct:A], [Mana Burst:A], [Magic Resistance:A], [Riding:B]Magic: (-)Magecraft: [Wind Manipulation:D][Charisma]Rank: BUse: The natural ability to command an army and inspire allies. At this rank, the user is qualified enough to lead a country.[Instinct]Rank: AUse: The user's ability to intuit the most optimal action in combat. At this rank, the user is not restricted by the five senses when engaged in battle.[Mana Burst]Rank: AUse: The ability to infuse the weapons and body of the user with Magical Energy before forcefully expelling it. Explosively increases offensive and defensive capabilities, creating a focused burst of magical energy that ignores most defenses.[Magic Resistance]Rank: AUse: The user's ability to resist all magic of equal rank and lower. Provides moderate resistance to higher-ranked magics.[Riding]Rank: BUse: The user's ability to use any type of animal or vehicle as a mount, guaranteeing proficiency equivalent to the skill's rank and lower.[Wind Manipulation]Rank: DUse: Allows the user to enchant the weapons, armor, and body with Wind Elemental magic.-------------------------------------------------------------------Perusing over Artoria's status, it was easy to see that she was one of the most important 'characters' within the story surrounding the Nasuverse. Though Rin also had the [Child of Destiny] Innate, the fact that Saber's was SSS-Rank implied that she was either the main character or closely associated with them. What he found most peculiar was the fact that, instead of being Ageless like other Servants, she had the unique status of Chrono-Displasia. This, combined with the fact that she wasn't a 'Fragmented' Soul was proof enough that she was a unique existence. After all, even Scáthach, who was also still alive back in the Shadow Lands, only had a 'Fragmented Divine' Soul after she had been summoned by the Holy Grail.While thinking about what he should do to increase his strength, Vahn couldn't help but humor the idea that, depending on the situation, Artoria might even be able to defeat Scáthach. Her fate made it almost impossible for her to actually experience a 'real' setback, assuming it wasn't one imposed on her by the original 'creator' of this Record. Since the flow of fate around her body wasn't of the negative variety, Vahn felt it was safe to assume that Artoria could probably bring an end to the Holy Grail War herself. She could very likely go far beyond the limits of her recorded parameters, taking down opponents that similarly skilled Servants would have no hopes of besting...Once again feeling that people with a strong fate were troublesome, Vahn set aside how 'broken' Artoria was and instead focused on his own cheat-like capabilities. Though they may not face against Gilgamesh and Circe in a short period of time, as their current location was unknown, Vahn didn't want to become fodder in the coming conflict. There was also the presence of Merlin, the existence of the shadow entity, and the peculiar Servant inhabiting Illya. All of these things had the chance of becoming a legitimate threat to himself and the people he wanted to protect, something Vahn was made keenly aware of after Merlin easily dealt with even Scáthach.To avoid having to drift along in the wake of Artoria's powerful fate, Vahn decided to bite the bullet as he looked between his [Martial Arts] and [Instinct] skills before ultimately deciding the latter was far more versatile. Then, after an extreme amount of hesitation, Vahn bid farewell to ten-billion potential OP as he used the [Skill Advancement Scroll:SSS] on his [Instinct]. At the very instant that Vahn used the scroll, it felt as if his mind had completely shut off. He was hyperaware of everything around him but, as if nothing mattered at all, he just allowed 'existence' itself to wash over him...Sensing the peculiar state Vahn had fallen into, Sis almost immediately asked, (*Vahn, are you still with me...?*). Though she had experienced the same 'nothingness' that Vahn had been developing lately, this was the first time Sis had seen him actually turn off everything. Even when Vahn was in a deep state of meditation, there would always be some kind of 'intent' contained within his actions. Now, however, it was as if all his thoughts had ceased in their entirety, causing her to feel more than a little worried, even as he immediately answered, ("I am fine.") The very same instant he said this, Sis could sense a massive flow of sensory information filling Vahn's mind until, almost as quickly as it had started, the phenomenon had come to a stop...Vahn wasn't really sure what he was feeling right now as, compared to the pleasant nothingness, his current experience was, for lack of a better descriptive, absolute apathy. Until he heard Sis' question, it felt like 'nothing' had mattered at all. Now that he was brought back to awareness, Vahn quickly decided on his next course of action before immediately 'stopping' once again. If someone were to ask what he was experiencing in these few moments, Vahn's only words would be silence as, no matter how he tried to describe the state he was in, it would be far removed from the truth. It was as if he was simultaneously experiencing 'nothing', even as an awareness of 'everything' existed within his mind...Now, instead of feeling just a little worried, Sis was genuinely concerned so she did something she would almost never do without Vahn's consent. She began to bring memories to the forefront of his mind, many showing the more unpleasant moments of Vahn's life. This caused his stagnant brain to immediately begin to cycle as, from depths even she could not probe, a cool sensation began to spread through his mind. At the same time, Vahn was brought back to a more 'solitary' awareness, more focused on his own thoughts than 'everything' else. With the clarity brought by his [Will of the Emperor], Vahn realized the state he had been in and, even though she had forced him to relive the memory of Milan's kidnapping, he eventually managed to say, ("Thank you for bringing me back...")Sis knew that Vahn wasn't all that happy so, even though he had thanked her, she still said, (*I'm sorry for doing something so extreme. I was worried you had gotten lost and couldn't find your way back without a powerful stimulus...*). Though she knew Vahn was already aware of this, Sis felt extremely apologetic and 'needed' to apologize directly. In response, Vahn fell silent for several long seconds before eventually saying, ("I forgive you..."). Since this wasn't just him trying to console her, as Vahn was slowly sorting through his actual thoughts on the matter, Sis felt a great deal of relief before answering somewhat sheepishly, (*I am always here for you...*).---Now in a semi-permanant [Will of the Emperor] state, Vahn looked at the description of his new skill with a combination of excitement and genuine shock. Instead of becoming an SSS-Ranked [Instinct], it seemed that the skill actually had evolutions further beyond. Now, following right behind his Innates, Vahn had a skill called [Laplace's Key:SSS]. When used, it would force him into a state of 'absolute awareness of all things' within a 50m space around him. It was almost like the 'ultimate' expression of his usual domain and, in a combat situation, this meant he wouldn't even need to rely on his senses at all in order to 'know' how he should react. If the skill worked in the way it seemed to work, Vahn shuddered at the thought he could simply 'turn off' his mind in the middle of a battle, becoming a perfect machine that took down his enemies...As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn couldn't help but wonder if that was how Scáthach felt when she was battling against opponents who lacked the means to obscure her [Clairvoyance]. In a way, it almost made the act of fighting feel 'pointless', as there was a guaranteed outcome against all but the most powerful opponents. Since Vahn was, technically, an existence without a fate, there should be no means for any of his enemies to counter such a ridiculous ability. Even he needed to rely on his most powerful Innate just to keep his sense of self, and that was only after Sis brought him back using extreme means...With Vahn thinking about her chosen action again, Sis gave a wry smile with non-existent lips before saying, (*There are a lot of positives associated with this skill. You have rarely fought solely for the purpose of enjoying a fight. If you are against an enemy that you otherwise would have struggled with, you now have the ability to use [Laplace's Key] to turn the tide. I do not believe you would reserve the skill if it meant you could have protected the people you care about.*). As she had the best understanding of Vahn's character, Sis knew her words would directly strike at the truth of the matter.Finding Sis' words compelling, Vahn relaxed a great deal before replying, ("You're right, Sis. The whole reason I used the scroll was to give me an advantage in the upcoming fights. If I complain about having an absolute advantage, I would be contradicting myself...hahaha...") Though Vahn still felt awkward to have such a powerful skill in his arsenal now, it was irrefutably better than not having it. Since he could still learn from himself through observing the memories of his battles, Vahn knew that [Laplace's Key] had the potential of being a powerful blessing, not a curse. Even if he got lost in the moment, Sis would always reliably bring him back. There was a chance he would even be able to master the skill through persistent efforts, making it just another part of his standard skillset in the future...Feeling far more hopeful about the future, Vahn decided he had been sleeping more than long enough. Though it had only been around half an hour, he knew that Nobunaga wasn't going to contentedly keep drinking sake at the side. He knew she was just trying to give herself a bit of courage and, after activating [Laplace's Key] for just a few seconds earlier, Vahn knew 'everything' about the current state of her body. Thus, after sitting up and rubbing his head for a short while, Vahn turned his eyes to Nobunaga who, surprising him, dropped her cup of sake and asked, "What the hell happened to you...?"Since she was looking directly at his face, Vahn pulled out a hand mirror before experiencing a small shock of his own after seeing his eyes. Though they were still the same aquamarine-green color as normal, his pupils now formed cat-like slits. Since he could normally control his appearance, Vahn stared at his own image until the pupils dilated into the form of a circle once again. He chalked it up to a side-effect of awakening his [Laplace's Key] but, as there was no skill in existence that could 'force' him to keep a certain change, Vahn simply undid it. Now, with normal eyes, Vahn smiled at Nobunaga before saying, "I can change my form however I like. When I was passed out earlier, I must have had a strange dream that caused them to change like that."As this wasn't new information to Nobunaga, she just nodded her head in turn, even though she knew there was something 'more' that Vahn hadn't alluded to. When he looked at her previously, she felt like a small child staring up at a large stranger for the first time. For a brief moment, she felt like Vahn could completely crush her without requiring any effort on his part. Now, even though he had returned to normal, Nobunaga could feel a subtle pressure lingering around his body that made her feel strangely nervous just to be around. This was mostly due to the fact he had his [Will of the Emperor] active but, after the 'shock' she had experienced previously, Nobunaga now felt 'fragile' with Vahn closer to the door than she was...Seeing the state Nobunaga was in, Vahn's expression softened a great deal as he asked in a quiet tone, "May I join you for a drink...?" He had been intending to take the lead and have a bit of fun with Nobunaga but, seeing the usually overbearing woman appear genuinely afraid, Vahn now just wanted to spend some time with her. The moment his intentions changed, Nobunaga seemed to visibly relax as an awkward but sly smile adorned her face when she said, "Sure, but you'll need to bring out a new bottle. This one is running a little low and I was starting to get a little tired of the taste anyways."Understanding that Nobunaga was doing her best to resume her 'normal' behavior, Vahn released a light chuckle before pulling out a small black bottle with gold lettering. This was another version of the [Emperor's Blood], the type of sake that had completely dominated Tsubaki, Harhime, Mikoto, Shizune, and Amaterasu. So long as you were of 'eastern' descent, hailing from a country even remotely similar to Japan, this was one of the most effective sake in his endless repertoire. Even without knowing what was inside, Nobunaga's eyes showed a glimmer of expectation from the very moment Vahn produced the bottle. It was a reaction bordering on 'instinct' as, with the exception of other types of [Emperor's Blood], there were no higher quality sakes in existence.Vahn filled a small ceramic cup with the crystal clear liquid which, in the right light, refracted a slight golden hue. Though there was no discernable aroma, Nobunaga inhaled audibly after picking up the cup, almost as if her nose was able to detect something his simply wasn't capable of. Then, after savoring the 'aroma' for a few seconds, Nobunaga downed the entire contents of her cup in a single swig. When she had finished, Nobunaga slammed the cup down on the small wooden table next to them before releasing a contented and slightly girlish, 'Phaaaa~'. Even if she didn't intend to, her eyes were slightly squinted with a happy smile on her face, something that was rare since she would normally have a more sly, snide, or mischevious look...Seeing Vahn staring at her with an amused smile on his face, Nobunaga gave a curt 'hmph' before robbing the bottle of sake from his hands. Vahn knew better than to try and keep it from her as, back in the Record of Danmachi, Tsubaki had nearly broken his arm after he tried teasing her. The only thing that mattered right now was that Nobunaga was in a much better mood than she was a few minutes ago. With that in mind, Vahn pulled out a bottle of expensive sake for himself, making sure not to pick another type of [Emperor's Blood], before the two spent a few hours just drinking, talking, and, for the first time, simply cuddling together...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Saber is a leet haxor','Vahn like a kid taking his first hit...','Nobunaga, conquered by a single bottle of sake xD. Must have been a +50 gift item...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Though he wasn't supposed to have to train again for a few more hours, Vahn had cut his time with Nobunaga short after she drank herself into a stupor. She could easily cleanse the alcohol from her system by returning to her Spirit form but, as the drunkenness associated with [Emperor's Blood] was quite pleasant, he didn't blame her for indulging in the moment. After setting her into the bed and tucking her in properly, Vahn made his way outside the lakeside residence to see that Scáthach and Fenrir were training in the distance. If he were being honest, watching the two train always made him feel a little frustrated so Vahn normally kept himself busy to avoid having to watch Fenrir get a beating. Her awareness of his presence actually caused her to make more mistakes so it was better for everyone if he didn't pay close attention to her progress...Since he didn't want to interrupt Fenrir's own training for his selfish reasons, Vahn turned his attention to the only other person present, Artoria. She seemed to detect his presence as well, causing her to rise to her feet and bow politely before saying, "I hope you were able to rest well, Master."Giving a curt nod in response, Vahn ignored 'correcting' the way Artoria referred to him as, much like Lakshmibai, it was simply her nature as a Saber-Class Servant and Knight. Instead, he gestured for Artoria to take a seat before sitting opposite of her and asking, "How are you feeling after having time to adapt? Are you interested in Fenrir's training?" Since Artoria had been silently watching Scáthach and Fenrir in the distance, Vahn figured she was either still bothered by the former or interested in the latter. When she answered, however, it seemed to be both as Artoria explained, "I do not agree with the methods employed by Scáthach-dono. She seems unnecessarily harsh and, though I can understand the justification, I believe there are better methods. As for Lady Fenrir, I can see that she is earnestly trying to improve...it is quite admirable."Without anything else to really talk about, Vahn decided to continue the conversational line, asking, "Oh? What kind of training did you do when you were younger? I imagine it couldn't have been all that easy considering how powerful you were able to become..." Though he had said these words in a casual manner, Vahn saw Artoria flinch in response. When she finally answered, Vahn did his best to avoid giving her a deadpan stare as she reluctantly explained, "Since before I was even self-aware, I have always been training to become a worthy King. I endeavored tirelessly to reach that aspiration, to the point that I even used the period of time designated for rest to receive an education. With Merlin's ability to enter dreams, he would teach me things like etiquette, strategy, negotiation, and anything else that would have made my duties easier..."Vahn knew that Artoria was leaving out a lot of details but even hearing the basic summary was a bit surreal. He remembered how upset the girls were when they learned about him using Eva's orb back in the day but, at least when he was relying on that, Vahn was still sleeping when he was tired. The fact that Artoria spent her entire day training, including when she was supposed to be sleeping, caused Vahn to shake his head. Before he said anything, however, Artoria gave a wry smile before adding, "Do not trouble yourself, Master. Even during my lifetime, there were people who pointed out the faults in how I was raised. I do not blame Merlin, however, as he merely endeavored to help me become the best King I could be. Had I refused the training, things would have been very different..."Even without him needing to point it out, Saber realized how comparable her own situation was compared to the 'complaints' she had towards Vahn and Fenrir's. If they refused the training, it would be impossible for Scáthach to insist upon it. Yet, much like she had refused the counsel of others during her lifetime, there was nothing disallowing them from doing the same. Realizing this, Artoria released a small sigh before hanging her head slightly, both hands neatly folded in her lap. even when she was 'brooding', Artoria had perfect posture and presented no 'flaws', at least from Vahn's perspective as an Emperor interacting with his Court...Contrary to how Artoria carried herself, Vahn unceremoniously leaned forward before using his hand as a perch with his elbow atop the table. Since he was looking at her, Artoria straightened herself before politely asking, "Is there a matter you require me to attend, Master?" To this, Vahn nodded with the same casual demeanor before saying, "I wish to spar with you. Other than our Strength and Luck values, our parameters are comparable to each other. I believe you will be able to accept the efficacy of Scáthach's training if you experience how capabilities yourself. Watching me get beat for a few hours is probably weighing heavily on your mind, no...?"Having never expected Vahn to ask her for a spar, at least this early on, Artoria was genuinely surprised by his request. He also seemed sincere when claiming their parameters were comparable, something that was even more difficult to believe than the fact he had been an Emperor above Gods. According to Rin, he had been significantly weakened after being thrown into this world but, as she herself had seen, Vahn was certainly abnormal. The fact he generated from wounds that would have killed most Heroic Spirits was evidence enough for this so, without much extraneous thought on the matter, Artoria nodded her head and said, "I understand. It would be my pleasure to spar with you, Master."Vahn returned a smile before rising to his feet and making a mental note to 'apologize' to Artoria later on. In truth, he had wanted to try his newfound [Laplace's Key] against Scáthach but, after considering that it could give Artoria a better impression of him, Vahn was willing to gamble. Since she had a powerful fate surrounding her body, combined with the SSS-Ranked [Child of Destiny], there was a good chance their spar would be 'eventful'. Just by interacting with Artoria in meaningful ways, Vahn knew that her fate would begin to incorporate his existence into it. There was even a chance, depending on how she felt about him, that Artoria's fate could protect him and the people around them in dire circumstances...---After moving to the opposite side of where Scáthach and Fenrir were training, so as not to distract them, Vahn and Artoria ended up standing a relatively short 20m apart from each other. She had immediately changed into her armored state while, in her right hand, Vahn could actually feel his skin burning slightly as a result of the gentle light radiating from her pristine white blade. It had a blue handle that was the same royal blue as her dress while a semi-crescent guard fed into the motif of a crucifix at the blade's base. Even at a glance, Vahn could tell he would not be able to forge such a weapon, even with his previous skill. It was like the embodiment of the Holy Element, meaning any blows Artoria managed to land on his body would deal upwards of six times the damage...As Artoria got into position, awaiting the start of the fight, Vahn decided to gain a few more future benefits as, if his plan backfired, any single attack from Artoria would cause him to suffer. With that in mind, Vahn smiled disarmingly before asking, "How about we spice things up with a bet...?" In response to this, Artoria's expression didn't wave in the slightest as she quickly replied, "It is ill manners to treat a spar as a game. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I would ask you to treat our spar seriously, Master."Hearing Artoria's words, Vahn felt more than a little awkward but, nonetheless, pointed out, "This battle would be meaningless if you didn't use your Excalibur. However, because of the constitution of my body, any attack you land on me is going to do way more damage than you might expect. In order to give myself a bit of extra motivation, I wanted to make a friendly bet to make up for any losses I may suffer. You can look down on me for it if you want but, even if this is going to be a serious spar, it doesn't mean we have to treat the matters outside of it with the same severity. Since we haven't even started, there is no reason to be so fierce..."Instead of acquiescing, Artoria looked a little annoyed as she commented, "Your way with words reminds me of my foster brother, Sir Kay. Though I bested him in all of our duels, I cannot claim to have won a single bout if his words were to be believed. Very well, Master, if that is how you wish to handle things, I will abide by your words. Make the stakes known...!" Towards the end of her words, Artoria held up her [Excalibur] in a ready-position that caused the burning sensation against Vahn's skin to more than double in intensity.Even if she wasn't actually threatening him in such a manner, Vahn felt as if Artoria was warning him not to make any uncouth demands of her. It could be due to the holy light radiating from her [Excalibur], but it almost felt like he was being judged by her crystal clear green eyes. Regardless of his apprehensions, however, Vahn retained a calm smile before saying, "If you defeat me, I will take to heart any suggestions you have regarding my future training methods. Should I win, however, I will have you copy the outfits Fenrir wears for the rest of our time within the Sub Space Orb..." Since Fenrir often wore frilly and girly clothing, almost the polar opposite of the prim and proper clothes worn by Artoria, Vahn felt this would be a push in the right direction without being too forceful...Having expected something much worse, a lot of the tension Artoria had been building up almost immediately collapsed in response to Vahn's words. For several seconds after the fact, she didn't move a single muscle. When she finally processed his request, Artoria released an exasperated sigh before her gaze become sharp once again. Without a single semblance of doubt contained within her gaze, Artoria confidently stated, "Very well. Even if I must train you myself, it is still better than entrusting you with that cruel woman. Draw your weapon, Master...!"Since he didn't actually trust himself with a weapon right now, Vahn shook his head before a pair of thin metallic gauntlets covered his hands and forearms. Then, just as he began deactivating his [Will of the Emperor], Vahn stated in a calm monotone, "You will look adorable in Fenrir's clothing..." With that said, Vahn felt like he took a backseat to his own consciousness, fully aware of everything going on around him but unwilling to do anything at all. This didn't stop him from taking action, however, even if it didn't feel like he had any control over his own actions...The moment Vahn finished his words, Artoria felt as if his entire disposition had changed in an instant. In one moment, he seemed rather casual and easy-going but, now that leaned toward her slightly, Artoria felt as if she weren't simply standing beneath a mountain, but looking up at one that was falling atop her head. The moment her finger twitched, Vahn's figure had already vanished from her perception, causing Artoria's eyes to widen as she parried to the right. Instead of trying to strike her, however, Vahn's hand slipped in the gap between her own swift strike before his fingers hooked into the plate protecting her neck. At the same time, his left hand pushed up the hilt of [Excalibur] with a sudden and spontaneous force that caused both of her hands to raise above her head.With Artoria losing her balance, Vahn, even if he wasn't directing his own movements, began to intermittently use [Shundo] in a way he had never even fathomed before. By using [Shundo] without creating a connecting point, his body and Artoria's flew forward with an incredible momentum before he actually used her foot as a marker and vanished once again. With her already intense momentum, Vahn appeared in Artoria's trajectory before holding out his hand. At the exact moment she came into contact with his palm, Vahn used [Shundo] in the opposite direction, once again without creating a landing point.With her momentum spontaneously arrested, before being reversed, Artoria's body experienced an intense whiplash as two contrasting shockwaves slammed into her body. She was sandwiched by the pressure before immediately being tossed along the white floor like a ragdoll after Vahn's third [Shundo]. Her eyes were wide with shock as she attempted to rise to her feet but, the moment she looked up to try and track Vahn's location, the only thing Artoria could see was a black fist filling her entire vision. It stopped less than a millimeter in front of her nose, causing her hair to blow backward from the wind pressure that accompanied the fist's original momentum. In the next moment, Vahn stepped back with what could only be seen as a completely emotionless expression before coming to a stop once again...Artoria didn't know if this was his way of saying the spar was over but, realizing the ridiculous series of events that took place, she was unwilling to back down just yet. However, just as she put strength into her arms and tried to lift her body, Vahn was already within her personal space, his fist forming a two-knuckled punch that directly impacted the center of her breastplate. Artoria felt a wave of hot and intense pressure pass through her body, lifting her slightly off the ground against the pull of gravity. Then, as if time had just restarted, a thunderclap sounded in her ears as she was sent flying away from [Excalibur] with nearly as much speed and force as the blow that had brought her to her knees previously...This time, Artoria didn't feel that rising to her feet was a good idea, even as her unwillingness to surrender blazed like a flame inside her chest. Even if this was supposed to be a spar, Artoria felt like her life was on the line so, after spitting up a mouthful of blood, she began to rise to her feet before extending her hand. The expected purchase she sought never came, however, causing Artoria to fall hard as an expression of profound confusion flashed across her green eyes. Throughout her life, any time she had called [Excalibur] to her side, it had always faithfully appeared. This time, instead of returning to her hand, she was left grasping at the air before no longer being able to support her aching body...---Under the guidance of Sis, Vahn slowly regained his senses, feeling just as shocked as Artoria after what had happened. It wasn't the fact that he had defeated her with much greater ease than he had expected that had Vahn shaken, however, but the fact that there was a foreign weight in his hand that shouldn't be there. Though it should have burned him on contact, Vahn was holding a perfectly tame [Excalibur] in his hands as it radiated a gentle light that no longer affected his body. He quickly released the royal blue handle, causing the blade to disappear in motes of white light before taking form in Artoria's hands once again. This allowed him to release a sigh of relief as, if he had actually managed to steal Artoria's [Excalibur], Vahn wouldn't really know how to act around her...In order to help Vahn understand the situation, Sis suddenly muttered, ("Vahn, your body...") in a guiding tone. Following her lead, Vahn looked down and saw two things that shouldn't have been there, immediately alerting him to the reality of the situation. Now that he inspected himself, he looked exactly like Artoria, matching her almost perfectly down to the structure of their magic circuits. After acquiring [Excalibur], his body seemed to have determined that the most 'efficient' way to end the fight was to take Artoria's weapon. To facilitate this, he became an existence nigh-indiscernible from Artoria herself. It wasn't until he released [Excalibur]'s handle that the sword seemed to realize that he wasn't actually its owner...After taking a few moments to restore his body to normal, Vahn [Shundo]'d next to the collapse Artoria and took in a sharp breath. She was laying on her stomach so Vahn was able to see the perfectly formed palm-print he had left on the back of her breastplate. He hadn't simply hit her hard, but with extreme precision. If not for her [Mana Burst] enhancing her durability, Vahn imagined that his [Shundo] stunt might have actually broken her back. Considering that this was nothing compared to the strike he had used to 'finish' the fight, Vahn redoubled his intentions to make it up to Artoria later on...Though Artoria hadn't completely lost consciousness, Vahn could tell she was on the verge as he gently rolled her onto her back. Her breastplate had five hairline fractures expanding out from a singular contact point that was supposed to be the thickest part of the metal. From the thin red lines running from the cracks, Vahn didn't even have to use his [Eyes of Truth] to know that his attack had done far more damage than he ever would have intentionally inflicted on an ally. There was even a pool of Artoria's blood on the ground from when she had been lying face down...Knowing that she needed his mana to recover her injuries, Vahn bit the bullet by cutting vertically along his index finger before sticking it int Artoria's mouth. He even forcefully accelerated the rate at which the blood was flowing, to the point that Artoria briefly coughed up a mouthful when it accidentally went down the wrong pipe. Fortunately, she quickly recovered her senses with the heavy flow of mana entering her body. As a result, Vahn found himself awkwardly sitting at her side as Artoria suckled on his finger with an increasingly red face. Then, though it was probably the last thing she wanted to hear right now, Vahn felt like it wasn't a bad moment to say, "Sorry about that. I treated the battle more seriously than I should have...it was never my intention to injure you..."Hearing Vahn's words, Artoria furrowed her brows as, even if he didn't intend them in such a way, it made her sound much weaker than he was. However, remembering how swiftly he had taken her down, Artoria realized this may not be far from the truth. Though he had certainly caught her by surprise, she couldn't even react to his movements after the battle had begun. It was almost as if he was able to use her own [Instinct] against her, slipping into the impossibly small gaps in her attacks. Then, after he landed the first hit, the rest of the battle was a foregone conclusion as she was never even allowed a moment's reprieve other than when Vahn had stopped his fist short of striking her face...Suddenly feeling a bit ashamed of her own performance, Artoria became hyperaware of Vahn's finger in her mouth, doing her best to avoid touching it with her tongue, even though it made draining his blood harder. He seemed to notice her struggle, pulling his finger from her lips with a 'fwip' before cutting his middle finger as well. Before Artoria could argue that she was already okay, Vahn had stuck both of his fingers in her mouth, plainly stating, "Drink..." in a commanding tone. Though this hadn't been the terms of their bet, Artoria still felt compelled to listen since she had been defeated in such a decisive manner. Now, instead of looking down on Scáthach's training, she wondered if it would be prudent to participate herself...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Target acquired...','Saber in cute clothes...kuwaii-desu~! (UwU)...','One-hundred percent maximum no-chill...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

As all good things were ought to do, Vahn's free time quickly came to an end and, though it was difficult to recall when it had started, he was currently on the receiving end of one of Scáthach's beatings. Because she still had the energy he had charged her with earlier in the evening, it had already been ten hours since they had started. Though he didn't realize it at the time, due to the persistent feeling of 'nothingness', this actually represented a marked improvement in Vahn's growth since the start of their training.Originally, Vahn had only been able to persist for around four hours before being completely drained of his energy. Though his reserves had increased a fair amount since then, so too had the intensity of Scáthach's training. The fact he had been able to draw things out more than twice the duration actually put a small amount of strain on Scáthach as her own reserves would be on the verge of depleting, denoted by how she would start consuming his blood in the midst of combat...While this was occurring, Vahn and Scáthach had a small audience in the distance as, much like he had expected, Artoria had been observing him after talking with Rin for a few hours. The latter had explained what she knew of Vahn's past as an Emperor, how he had been forced out of his world, his rather large family, and his desire to increase his strength to one day reunite with his family. These types of things weren't all that beneficial to his purposes, especially the mention of his large family, but Rin also mentioned the fact that he went out of his way to help people. As someone who had given her all to the people, only to believe she had failed them, it was especially pertinent that Artoria was able to draw comparisons between herself and him. The key difference is, Vahn had been relatively successful as an Emperor, to the point that even Gods and Goddesses willingly followed him...With her intrigue successfully stirred, Artoria had set out to obtain information from others and to personally observe Vahn's actions for herself. Seeing the intensity of his training, she was more than a little shocked, both at Scáthach's strength and Vahn's resolve. What she found strange, however, was that Nobunaga and Lakshmibai were just watching from the side, the former with a 'bored' expression on her face while the latter seemed somewhat listless. As they were sitting at a low table drinking tea, Artoria had elected to join them in order to get to know her companions better and see if they were willing to discuss their own impressions of Vahn.Now wearing a white blouse and a neat blue skirt that extended past her knees, Artoria smiled toward her two companions, asking, "May I sit here?" Though both girls had noticed her approach, it was Nobunaga who smiled before patting the seat next to her and saying, "You can take the seat right here, little lady. Come, I'll pour you some tea and we can get to know each other better~." Even though she was steadily being 'tamed' by Vahn, something she would never admit, Nobunaga found Artoria the textbook definition of beautiful. Since she had high bearing and a regal disposition, an irresistible urge to tease Artoria stirred within her heart the moment the latter asked for permission to sit down at an open table.Immediately placing Nobunaga into the 'troublesome woman' category, Artoria took the seat almost directly opposite the one she had been offered, politely stating, "Thank you for the offer, but I will have to politely decline." This caused Nobunaga to stick her tongue out in a playful manner before almost immediately turning her attention away from Artoria when a sickening crack resounded in the distance. Vahn had just been planted into the ground like a daikon, causing a huge fracture in the white 'stone' near where they were fighting. Seeing this, Nobunaga frowned slightly, complaining under her breath, "That purple monster doesn't know how to hold back..."Artoria, keying in on what Nobunaga had said, was intending to broach the subject and ask if Vahn always trained in this manner. Before the words could form on her lips, however, she saw the sad and concerned expression in Lakshmibai's eyes as she closely observed the battle between Vahn and Scáthach. Nobunaga, catching Artoria's movements out of the corner of her eye, cast her glance over before shifting her gaze to Lakshmibai. A mischevious smile formed on her face when she saw the confusion in Artoria's eyes, leading her to explain, "You don't have to mind her too much. She has been hopeless ever since Vahn gave her some 'special' attention. The girl can hardly even look him in the eye anymore, shishishishi~."Hearing Nobunaga's words, Lakshmibai's face turned red almost instantly as she quickly stammered, "It isn't that serious...! I just...I..." To this, Nobunaga just waved her hand dismissively before turning to face Artoria and warning, "You seem a little uptight so let me give you a warning, girlie. If you intend to try and muddy the waters over something like 'duty', you'd better properly prepare your heart and mind. There is nothing you could have experienced that can prepare you for what Vahn will do to you once you're alone in a room with him..." Though she tried to say this casually, even Nobunaga's face became a bit red when she remembered her most recent affair with Vahn. As for why she chose to give Artoria a warning, she had already seen through Vahn's intentions a bit and knew that 'challenging' a proud Knight was the quickest way to make them do something stupid.As even Rin had 'warned' her, Artoria furrowed her brows slightly before saying, "Surely, you must be exaggerating things..." In response to this, it was Lakshmibai who answered, her face a ruddy shade of pink as she shook her head and explained, "No, she is being serious. I had originally gone to our Master in order to have my strength bolstered for future battles. Though I knew my actions were troubling him, he still treated me so gently...I've never experienced anything like that before. During the time we were together, it was like nothing else in the world mattered at all..."Piggybacking off what Lakshmibai was saying, Nobunaga gave an understanding nod before adding, "She isn't exaggerating at all. I even have nicknames like the 'Demon King of the Sixth Heaven' and the 'Conqueror of the Warring States'. Once that man gets his hands on me...it feels like all of my ambitions and accomplishments lose their meaning. For the few 'hours' we are together, the only thing that seems to matter is that singular moment..." Though this was something she would never say in front of Vahn, Nobunaga felt 'safe' to mention it since Lakshmibai had already described what was on her mind. After all, this was the main cause for her current stress as Nobunaga slowly felt like she was losing the 'image' she had created for herself by associating with Vahn...Though Artoria had already head about the various Servants Vahn had recruited thus far, she still lacked the specific knowledge of their legends, accomplishments, and personalities. If Nobunaga was recognized as a Demon King and Conquerer by the Holy Grail, this meant she must have a strong personality. As for Lakshmibai, Rin had told her that the former was a Queen who had led a long revolution against a much stronger power in order to secure her people's independence. Neither girl had a weak personality so, seeing them act like maidens as they talked about the same man, Artoria felt a little more apprehensive about her own future. She knew that Vahn had the apparent ability to greatly empower his Servants and, believing her heart would not waver, she had intended to have her own strength increased as well. Now, however, her conviction was quickly dwindling in the face of Lakshmibai's and Nobunaga's seriousness...In an effort to guide the conversation away from bedroom talk, Artoria looked towards Vahn fighting in the distance as she asked, "Where do you think his strength and conviction come from? What drives him forward through so much pain and suffering...?" Seeing Vahn get his elbow inverted in the distance, Artoria's brow twitched almost imperceptibly as she imagined how painful such a thing would be. At the same time, Nobunaga answered, "Anyone that has known Vahn for more than a day would be able to answer that...it's because he is a hopeless idiot."Surprising Artoria, Lakshmibai nodded in response to Nobunaga's 'insult' with an affectionate smile on her face. As even Rin had referred to Vahn as a 'hopeless idiot', Artoria couldn't help asking, "Why would you say such a thing...?" This time, Nobunaga gave her a skeptical look before answering, "You must have sensed it yourself, at least a little bit. That man has no idea how to reach his goals but, no matter what he has to go through, he keeps moving towards the future without any hesitation. The thing that makes him an idiot is the fact that he could probably get there much faster if he focused on himself. Instead, he lets himself get sidetracked every time he sees someone that needs help...by the time that man reaches his goals, I imagine the whole fucking world would have been changed as a result..."Agreeing with Nobunaga's words, Lakshmibai's smile turned more radiant as she added, "For Heroic Spirits like us who had failed to reach out goals...seeing him endeavor tirelessly towards making the world a better place is inspiring. He doesn't even have to make it his primary objective...the world is changed by his presence alone..." Though she did not doubt her own cause, Lakshmibai felt a little silly when thinking about how much effort she had put into trying to protect a single Kingdom. She didn't even care about the rest of the world, choosing to focus on the people she had been charged to protect. Vahn, however, simply couldn't ignore the suffering of others once it had reached his ears. Even if he couldn't do anything at the moment, he would tirelessly endeavor to improve his own strength until he reached a point where saving 'everyone' was a possibility...Having 'failed' to protect her own Kingdom and guide its people towards the better future she had promised, Artoria was more impacted by Lakshmibai's words than all those preceding them. Since Vahn was supposed to hail from the Age of Gods, the scope of everything he did made her greatest efforts seem like those of a child playing at being King. She couldn't even manage the affairs of her own family while Vahn, seemingly without limit, extended his influence over actual Gods. Trying to compare their accomplishments made Artoria feel strangely insecure, especially since she hadn't even been able to keep order within her singular Kingdom...Seeing the reminiscent state Artoria had fallen into, Nobunaga's expression became somewhat severe as she said, "Hey now, you're not doing something pointless like regretting your life, are you? Tales of your accomplishments were even able to reach Japan more than a thousand years after you kicked the bucket. Sure, you might've fucked up a few times, but you shame everyone who believed in you by having that kind of mentality. I don't care how depressed you feel, you had better not let Vahn ever see that kind of expression on your face..."Shaking her head in response to Nobunaga's words, Artoria explained with a sad smile, "Do not worry. I have already come to terms with my failure and no longer seek to change the past. You are not the first to say such words to me, Nobunaga-dono, but I am grateful for the reminder." Though a time when she was truly without regrets would never come, Artoria had received two hard lessons in the form of the previous two Holy Grail Wars. She even treated the current and 'future' Grail Wars as a punishment for her folly of ever harboring the intention of altering the past. Even if she was to be used as nothing more than a tool to fulfill other people's dreams and desires, Artoria had hardened her heart to bear her punishment.Regardless of how resolutely Artoria made her claim, both Nobunaga and Lakshmibai were looking at her with skepticism clear on their expressions. Artoria might not be aware of it herself, but it was her mindset of 'accepting' an arbitrary punishment that Vahn would undoubtedly key in on. As a result, Nobunaga shook her head before releasing a tired sigh and muttering, "This one is going to be trouble..." Though she didn't say anything out loud, Lakshmibai was also in agreement with Nobunaga's words as, regardless of what Artoria said, even she could see the combination of sadness and acceptance within her eyes. These were two emotions that should almost never overlap, especially when it came to discussions regarding the future...Feeling that she had made the atmosphere awkward, Artoria showed an apologetic expression but, before she was able to say anything, Nobunaga interrupted by 'glaring' at her and saying, "Don't waste our time with your apologies, brat. I'd rather talk about something more interesting and just let Vahn deal with your uptight ass later on. If you don't have anything fun to talk about, just keep your mouth shut and sip on your tea like a good little girl..." Though her impression of Artoria hadn't been all that bad at first, Nobunaga now felt that she was an unbelievably troublesome girl. Knowing that Vahn would become a bleeding heart that tried to help Artoria was more than a little annoying, especially since it would eat into her own limited time with him...With that thought crossing her mind, Nobunaga sat up straight before looking at Lakshmibai and saying, "If you're gonna keep flustering about, you mind if I keep Vahn to myself for a bit?" This question caused Lakshmibai's face to turn redder, giving Nobunaga the answer she wanted. After that, she just supported her head with her elbow, completely ignoring the now-silent Artoria. It was obvious she was more than a little offended by the words Nobunaga had used previously but, as Nobunaga was even more offended by the unexpectedly 'selfish' person Artoria turned out to be, it didn't bother her at all to be hated.---By the time their training had crossed into the twelfth hour, Vahn was running on empty as his fatigued body fell forward like a marionette with its strings cut. Even going down, however, Vahn struck forward with his left hand on pure instinct, nearly impacting Scáthach's abdomen before she casually stepped to avoid it. She had originally been intending to catch him so Vahn's final attack, issued when he was already unconscious, had been a surprise for even her. As a result of his actions, however, Vahn fell face-first against the hard white floor. Though this did absolutely no damage to him, hearing the heavy 'thump' was enough to make most normal people flinch.Unfortunately for Vahn, Scáthach was far removed from any semblance of the word 'normal', resulting in her picking him up by the collar of his shirt and dragging him over to where the others were seated. She quickly glanced over Nobunaga, Lakshmibai, and Artoria, reading through each of their intentions before tossing Vahn in front of Nobunaga and saying, "He worked hard so make sure to reward him properly."As she was used to seeing how Scáthach treated Vahn, Nobunaga barely even had a reaction to her words as she prepared to pick up her beaten Master's body. Artoria, however, took exception to such uncouth actions, causing her to immediately rise up and exclaim, "Training is one thing! How can you treat the body of your Master in such a disrespectful way while still pretending to praise him!?"In response to Artoria's outburst, Nobunaga and even Lakshmibai looked at her as if she had lost her mind. As for Scáthach, her expression remained entirely unperturbed as she plainly stated, "You lack the qualifications to speak on the matter. If you intend to insult my student by insinuating he needs to be coddled, you will find I am unwilling to humor you. This is a path Vahn has set himself upon. It is not your place to speak for him, King of Knights." With that said, Scáthach wasted no time arguing with Artoria and simply vanished by returning to her Spirit form. This caused Artoria to frown even more but, as she looked around for support from the two girls that seemed infatuated with Vahn, the only thing she saw in their expressions was mild contempt and exasperation...Taking pity on Artoria, Lakshmibai explained, "This is one of the reasons why people like us are not able to achieve the things Vahn sets out to do. Almost everything he does, he does to an extreme most people can't even comprehend. Though Scáthach's methods seem ruthless, Vahn had grown much stronger over a short period of time. At the same time, his stress has eased considerably while his focus on progress has been steadily improving. He knew beforehand that Scáthach's methods were unbelievably fierce but, from the very beginning, he has never once complained at all..."Deciding to hammer the point home, Nobunaga nodded her head as she picked up Vahn's body in a princess carry and added, "If you had seen Vahn's growth with your own eyes, you would not be so quick to anger. Your words and actions are driven by pure ignorance, based solely on assumptions. Even though you have just become a part of something bigger than yourself, you are already trying to assume a position of authority that you have yet to earn. Perhaps that is why you are so filled with regrets...you are just a pretentious little princess who had everything handed to her from the start."Hearing Nobunaga's words, Artoria's expression became one of abject shock as, regardless of how desperately she wanted to refute them, she found herself unable to. Visions of her past failures played through her mind, memories that also accounted for several people saying almost the exact same words as Nobunaga. Even her own foster brother, Sir Kay, a man she had treated more dearly than most real kin, had uttered such words. She had wanted to know why he was always so brash and argumentative, leading to the man sighing deeply as he answered, "You an existence blessed from birth, forced onto a path that had been cleared by others. From the very beginning, you were intended to be a King 'beyond' the capabilities of any King past, present, or future. One day, all of this will come crashing down around you because the ideal you pursue was never possible from the beginning...you needed to earn your position, not be handed it..."By the time Artoria came back to her senses, both Lakshmibai and Nobunaga had vanished, the latter taking Vahn's body along with her. Then, much as Vahn was often inclined to do, Artoria found herself questioning the path she had walked once again...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn has become twice as good at receiving beatings~!','Nobunaga would make a good wingman xD...','Artoria is just a cyclic as Vahn (x _ x)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1075: Nothing : Everything