Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After a long training session with Scáthach, Vahn found himself lounging in one of the smaller and more homely rooms of the castle. Other than the light from the fireplace, the room was otherwise dark as he sat flanked by two women, Nobunaga and Ereshkigal, with a contented smile on his face. They were just watching the flickering of the fire and listening to the periodic crackles and pops as Vahn had the two women reclining against him as he gently stroked their abdomens. He liked to spend his free time in this manner and, despite the fact she would antagonize him on occasion, it was a time enjoyed by Nobunaga as well.Among the three of them, however, it was Ereshkigal who enjoyed the quiet moments like this the most as, with her head nestled against his shoulders, she had a subtle smile on her face as her maroon eyes reflected deep emotions. She had her left hand overlapped with Vahn's as he gently rubbed her belly and, every now and then, she would look up at him with a hazy moisture covering her eyes. At times like this, Vahn would return an affectionate smile to her and, as if to remind her that she wasn't dreaming, he would give her a gentle peck on the lips. Even Nobunaga knew better than to make a fuss while Ereshkigal was around as, if she attempted to tease Vahn even a little, the blond-haired Goddess would practically erupt as a result.Since they obviously had the right to know, Vahn eventually broke the long silence, explaining in a subdued tone, "Da Vinci is also pregnant now...there is a good chance Circe and Luvia will follow..." This comment only elicited a thoughtful glance from Ereshkigal but Nobunaga followed it up by giving him a sly smile, her blood-red eyes reflecting his image in the low light of the room. Rather than complain, however, she poked him in the side with her index finger, musing, "You really don't know restraint. Don't tell me you intend to knock up everyone now? Did I start a trend~?" Though she was only teasing him, Nobunaga didn't miss the subtle change in Vahn's expression, causing her to laugh uninhibitedly for a few seconds, continuing until Ereshkigal's ice-cold maroon eyes caught her attention.Though she would never admit it, Nobunaga was more than a little intimidated to be glared at by a Goddess of Death but, rather than show it, she adopted a dauntless smile as she stated, "You are too overprotective. Have more confidence in our man..." This remark caused Ereshkigal's brows to furrow as her nose scrunched up in a manner Vahn found adorable. Since Ereshkigal was very inexperienced when it came to socializing, she didn't fully understand when people were just joking. Thus, before she could show any hostility, Vahn brought his hands from the two's stomachs before pulling their heads to rest against his chest. Then, to dismiss the matter, he stated in a firm tone, "Don't fight..." before kissing the tops of their heads.From their resting place against Vahn's chest, Nobunaga and Ereshkigal were only a few centimeters away from each other. This caused Nobunaga to cheekily poke her tongue out towards the pouting Goddess but, not wanting to upset Vahn, Ereshkigal just closed her eyes and lightly snorted through her nostrils. Nobunaga also knew better than to antagonize her any further, causing her to trace her fingers around Vahn's abdomen as she asked in a somewhat serious tone, "What are you planning?"For Vahn to have the thought of impregnating everyone all at once, Nobunaga knew he must be up to something else.In response to Nobunaga's inquiry, Vahn spent a few moments collecting his thoughts, staring into the flickering orange flames of the fireplace. When he finally spoke, Vahn's expression had become serious, his brows furrowed as he answered, "I feel that it is a mistake to spend all of our time inside of the Projection. It feels like we are becoming detached from the rest of the world..." Then, holding the two women a little tighter, Vahn released a sigh as he added, "I enjoy moments like this more than anything...but I can't shake the feeling our enemies are doing whatever they please while I just sit here and idle about..."Rather than refute his words, Nobunaga nodded her head in agreement before extricating herself from Vahn's embrace to address him more seriously. Her expression became serious and, though it was tempered considerably, there was a vicious glint in her eyes as she stated, "Now that I'm like this, I've had a lot of time to consider the future..." As she spoke, Nobunaga lightly stroked her belly without breaking eye contact with Vahn, adding, "I am not afraid of death. Even when I died the first time, I accepted it with a smile on my face. No, what I fear is that our child will grow up in a world filled with individuals who would want nothing more than to exploit or kill them. If you did not take action, I would have taken it upon myself to do so in the future..."As much as she loved Vahn, Nobunaga felt that, with each passing day, her passion for conquest had awakened once again. Just as she once lifted her blade against the corruption of the Shogunate, all for the benefit of her people, Nobunaga wanted to create a better world for her child. Though she still had the ambition to conquer other planets and star systems, she would never be able to do so without first strengthening the foundation of the Empire.Understanding Nobunaga's words better than most, as they had very similar natures, Vahn nodded his head with a cold glint in his eyes. What neither woman could see was his system display which, at the present moment, reflected the objectives of his [World Power] Quest. He had already discussed these objectives with Artoria and Da Vinci, as they were the closest things to Advisors that he had, so he had already been given 'permission' to act. To that end, Vahn needed to activate CHALDEAS and, if necessary, disregard the status quo entirely as he worked to shape the world into his vision of the future.Though it would take a few more pushes before he took more decisive action, Vahn took a deep breath through his nose before stating, "Soon, I may not be able to spend as much time as I'd like with everyone..." Then, shaking his head, Vahn built up a little more conviction as he said, "I need all four of you to be strong in the future. As both Empresses and Mothers, the way you carry yourselves will have a powerful impact on the rest of the castle's residents. I will always do my best to return when I can but, when I'm not here, it will be your strength and guidance that allows our children to grow happily..."In response to Vahn's words, Nobunaga lightly snorted through her nose before leaning against his body and stating matter-of-factly, "In my era, it wasn't uncommon for warriors and warlords to be away from their territory for months and years at a time. So long as you are doing your best, they will never come to resent you just because you aren't around as often as they'd like. Leave it to the mother's of the household to manage the internal affairs..." With this said, Nobunaga unabashedly hooked her hand around Vahn's head, punctuating her statement by pulling him into a kiss.Seeing the passion shared between the two, Ereshkigal felt a small bout of jealousy that was quickly swept aside once the two separated. Then, though she wasn't a well-spoken individual, Ereshkigal held Vahn's hand supportively as she stated in a demure tone, "We will support you...leave it to us..." As these words left her lips, Ereshkigal's hair underwent a change and, though they could not keep it up for very long, all three personalities manifested together. Vahn couldn't help but smile when he saw this, earning one from the three girls as they mimicked Nobunaga's actions with a fair amount of fervor...---Though it was still early in the day, Vahn left the comfortable warmth of the small study with a smile on his face and a focused glint in his eyes. He still had a few hours before he was supposed to start his training again so, while greeting the Homunculi he passed in high spirits, Vahn exited the castle before 'flickering' out of existence. The next instant, as it was only a few kilometers away, Vahn had appeared next to the frozen lake containing the underwater castle and shrine. Unlike the majority of Spirits and Fae that had come to reside on Avalon, Vivian had been able to access the Projection from the start. Though it was impossible for her to enter Avalon by her own means, there was little she couldn't do once Merlin had invited her back. After all, though she would lose if they were to genuinely battle it out, Vivian was nearly as skilled as Merlin himself when it came to Magecraft.Almost immediately after his arrival, a dazzling blue light emerged from the surface of the icy lake before coalescing into the figure of a beautiful, albeit translucent, woman. Today, perhaps as a result of the sunlight, her body was shrouded in a subtle white halo as her eyes glimmered like sapphires that, despite their clarity, seemed to have a depth that rivaled the ocean. She had an elegant smile on her face and, picking up the edges of her watery-dress, Vivian gave a polite curtsey as she bowed her head and stated, "It is our pleasure to welcome His Majesty, the Sage Emperor..." Then, with the corners of her smile curling at the edges, Vivian added, "Please excuse my behavior..." before waving her hand and creating a bubble formed from the water of the atmosphere. Moments later, complex runes, many comprised of the Language of Faeries, formed a very powerful barrier that served as a special Bounded Field to obscure Merlin's attempt to spy on them.Without showing any discernible signs of perturbance, Vahn waited for the barrier to form, cutting off even his domain from the outside world. He found this use of Magecraft rather interesting as, if it could actually circumvent Merlin's voyeuristic nature, Vahn felt it would be worthwhile to learn. Even though he knew the flowery Magus was on his side, that didn't change the fact that it was annoying to be spied upon.Though she could not read his mind, despite her attempt to do so, Vivan could understand the glint in Vahn's eye as he looked at her barrier. This caused her to giggle from her place atop the icy lake's surface before saying, "If His Majesty is interested, I can teach you the Language of Faeries."Hearing Vivian's offer, Vahn shook his head, surprising her somewhat when he casually explained, "I am already familiar with the Language of Faeries. In fact, I can speak interpret all languages, even those of Divine origin. Thank you for the offer, Lady Vivian."Despite her shock at Vahn's claim, Vivian's expression didn't change all that much but, in response to his words, she once again giggled before stating, "His Majesty seems quite capable~." Then, causing Vahn's brows to rise slightly, Vivan walked across the icy surface of the lake, sending gentle ripples through the hardened ice as if it was liquid water. When she stepped on dry land, her delicate steps caused the grass in a three-meter area to frost over, creating a trail of as she walked within an arm's length of Vahn.Understanding some of the questions he had, Vivian preempted Vahn by asking, "Your Majesty, may I speak freely...?" As he gave her a nod of approval in response, Vivian smiled radiantly for a brief moment before adopting a more serious expression as she explained, "You are an anomaly that should not exist within this world..." Though these words sounded harsh at first, Vivan's expression softened a bit towards the end as she added, "For that, you have my gratitude."Following her words, Vivian gave a gracious bow, holding it for several seconds before raising her head and explaining, "I believe His Majesty is aware of the fact that Merlin has been sealed away. I do not know how the information circulated, but it seems to be common knowledge that I sealed him away due to his pestering....haaa..." Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Vivian then added, "The truth of the matter is, I have and always will love Merlin. However, once I understood the type of entity he was, I had no choice but to seal him away. I could not tolerate his adherence toward fate and his unwillingness to do anything about it, despite the pain it caused him. I'm certain he even allowed me to seal him away for the same reasons..."Now, Vivian had a hurt expression on her face and, despite the fact she was made from water, Vahn could tell she was on the verge of tears. He couldn't help but swallow nervously as, if she were one of his own women, he would have embraced her to calm her tumultuous heart. His concern seemed to be conveyed to her, however, causing Vivan to wipe at her eyes with a smile on her face as she commented, "You are a kind man, Your Majesty..." Then, after collecting herself for a bit, Vivian went on to say, "I truly am grateful for your presence. If things had continued along the course that Merlin and I had seen, our paths would have never intersected. It would have taken several impossibilities for us to be together once again but, now that you are here, I believe there is a chance the course of our fate has been altered..."In response to this, Vahn's expression softened a great deal as he mused, "You really do love him...I hope your paths truly do align in the future..." This remark caused Vivian to smile radiantly yet again, followed by her nodding her head and explaining, "That is why I wanted to meet with Your Majesty as soon as possible. Merlin already explained your ambitions and, while it is hard to even fathom the world you wish to create, know that I will dedicate my everything in support of the Empire. All I ask is that you never stray from the path you have set yourself upon...if you are unable to control the flow of fate around that woman, Merlin's duty will never be complete..."Though Vahn understood what Vivian was trying to say, he still asked, "And what exactly is his duty? I have some understanding of his nature but there are many things Merlin keeps to himself..."Nodding her head in understanding, Vivian calmly explained, "Merlin's father was the King of the Incubus species. He was placed in charge of observing the progression of the world and implanting the seeds of ambition by shaping the dreams of people throughout history. However, due to Gaia's hatred for humanity, as a result of their corruptive nature, he became influenced by their negative emotions. Fearing he would be corrupted even further, Merlin's father started devouring only the good and pleasant dreams. This caused humanity's corruption to spread even faster, resulting in Gaia imploring the Moon to punish him for causing her even greater anguish. This resulted in the exile of Merlin's father, forcing him to descend upon Gaia's surface so that she could punish him directly. In order to evade his inevitable end, the former King fled into the dreams of a young woman born in the British Isles..."As Vivian recounted Merlin's past, Vahn listened attentively as several questions appeared within his mind. He didn't quite agree that humanity was a corruptive force by default but, when he considered the history of the Nasuverse, this actually seemed to be the case. Not only were they slowly killing the planet they inhabited, but their actions often caused an incomprehensible amount of bloodshed, usually for no other reason than a few people wanting to gain benefits for themselves. They also had the responsibility of corrupting the various Spirits as, prior to the emergence of humanity, all Spirits simply carried out their roles in nature without fail. It wasn't until they began to interact with humans that various malicious Spirits, Demons, and Ghosts came into existence...While thinking about these matters, Vahn began to reflect upon all of the stories and books he had read. He also recalled his past experiences as a lab rat and blood bag in his first life, causing him to frown deeply, at least internally. It certainly seemed to be the case that corruption was widespread in all worlds, including the Records that had come into existence as a result of the dreams of sentient creatures. Since the world needed to exist in a state of balance to function healthily, Vahn began to realize that sapience itself may be the 'source' of corruption. So long as the possibility of benefits existed, regardless of how they might affect others, there would always be people who seek to rise above the norm to elevate themselves above others...Having nearly completed her recounting of Merlin's past, Vivian wrapped things up by explaining, "Merlin was heavily influenced by his mother who, even knowing his birth would result in her death, willingly sacrificed herself so that he could live. This caused him to develop a self-sacrificial mentality as well, setting him upon a path where he sought the 'best end' for everyone. It was this desire that led to him getting involved with human affairs and, after the birth of Artoria, she became the most instrumental part of his entire plan. Since her fate was far more powerful than normal, he helped to shape her into the 'Perfect King', preparing her for the time when she would usher the world toward a true utopia. Merlin's goal is to create a world where everyone has a chance at happiness, free from the fates that had been assigned to them..."Understanding this, Vahn nodded his head before stating, "So, our dreams are pretty similar...to that end, the success of the Empire is the same as fulfilling his ultimate ambition, In turn, that will free him from the duty he had taken upon himself, allowing him to retire to the Stone Prison where you intend to join him...is that correct?"In response to Vahn's inquiry, Vivian gave a curt nod before answering, "Unlike humans, we Spirits only ever imprint upon a single person. When I imprisoned Merlin, I also isolated myself in the coldest and most distant part of the ocean as penance. You may think I am a cruel and petty woman but I would not have been able to imprison him at all unless he allowed it. Merlin understands better than most what he had gotten himself into after making a Spirit fall in love with him...please keep that in mind, Your Majesty."Though it sounded like she was just making excuses, Vahn knew that Vivian was actually trying to warn him. As history made very apparent, Spirits were perfectly fine living lives completely separate from humans but, once they did become involved, they completely dedicated themselves to the role they had adopted. This is what often led to the corruption of said Spirits as, with their nature being fundamentally different from humans, any negative emotions they experience were amplified by several times. They could quickly become vengeful and destructive Spirits due to misunderstandings, sometimes causing small countries to disappear from the map overnight...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nobu, the trendsetter o3o...','The default state of the world is pure and unblemished. It is the passage of time and the desire for progress that leads to corruption and, ultimately, stagnation through control','Spirits be scary')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Rather than returning to the castle quickly, Vahn walked at a normal pace, his mind in deep thought as he reflected on what Vivian had told him. As it was her ultimate goal to stay at Merlin's side, she was willing to offer her full support, so long as it did not involve directly interacting with others. Even though she had already 'imprinted' on the flowery Magus, Vivian could still be corrupted if she were exposed to too many negative emotions. Thus, rather than provide direct assistance, Vivian offered her service as a High Elemental Spirit who had full mastery over the Language of Faeries.The Language of Faeries, if languages could be classified in such a way, was what Vahn would refer to as a peak Tier 4 language. It had an incredible amount of potential, to the point that Artoria's armaments and physical enchantments were all derived from the Language of Faeries. So long as the user had a proper understanding of the language's structure, much like [Primordial Rune]s, there were no limitations to its uses. It could even grant people immortality, manipulate time, or, in the most extreme example, allow a person to move between 'Imaginary Spaces'.One of the most well-known forms of Magecraft used by the Fae was the Faerie Circles which, if used to their full potential, could even allow for passage to the Reverse Side of the World. As for its lesser, but arguably more useful applications, it could be used to enchant weapons and armor, promoting them to the level of Noble Phantasms. Though all of these uses depended on the amount of mana and materials, these were things that could be dealt with easily. After all, Vivian also had the ability to manifest concepts, albeit limited to aspects of Nature, Water, Yin, and Purification.What Vahn needed to keep in mind was the warning that Vivian had given him at the very end, the very thing that caused him to take his time when returning to the castle. She had explained that the efficacy of 'Faerie Runes', which was the written form of the Language of Faeries, relied on the caster being alive. They were intrinsically connected to their creations which also meant that, if used for evil and malicious acts, the creator could be corrupted. It was for this reason that powerful enchantments would be placed on their creations, making it impossible for the vast majority of people to use.As Vivian had already made a vow to him, stating that she would do anything he asked, Vahn, quite literally, had the authority to have her do whatever he wanted. High Spirits, especially Elementals, were incapable of lying and breaking their vows. Though he would never exploit this, it was enough to make him cautious and considerate of his future actions. After all, Vivian wasn't the only High Spirit he would interact with in the future and, if he erred along the path he had decided upon, there was a good chance his actions would have disastrous consequences.Vahn found that it was unfair that humans were able to make pacts and contracts with Spirits, Daemons, and Demons, binding them to their will. The fact that these were all Nature Spirits, existing as part of the natural order of the world, while humanity was more of an 'infestation', made little sense to him. Though he knew this was a quirk designed by the Record's Creator, Vahn couldn't help but feel troubled by the reality he had to face. For better or worse, humanity seemed to be the principal race within most Records, at least those existing within the scope of his knowledge.Though it wasn't the first time he had such thoughts, Vahn was now realizing that his ascent into the higher Tiers would be marred by his encounters with two groups, being 'normal' humans and those who oppressed and controlled them. Unless he proactively sought out Records that functioned from a fundamentally different perspective than what was considered 'normal', he would be plagued by the same tropes endlessly. This meant, even if he passed through a hundred Records, Vahn would be stuck in the same cycle over and over again, almost as if he were being refined and tempered like a blade being hammered tirelessly...Shaking his head, Vahn turned his eyes towards the blue skies above, muttering, "The only thing I can do is keep moving forward...when I reach the pinnacle, I won't allow this kind of structure to exist within the reach of my power..."In response to Vahn's words, the gentle and soothing voice of Sis flowed into his mind like water, guiding him in the same way she had always had, (*When you have enough power to link and create your own Records, it will ultimately be up to you to decide how the world itself functions. Even then, you must not forget, Vahn. So long as you endeavor to create a world where everyone can be happy, there will always be forces at play that serve to counteract your efforts. Creation, Destruction, Life, Death, Yin, Yang...for a Record to function, it must exist in a state of balance...*)Hearing Sis's words, Vahn nodded his head before continuing along the path toward the castle. As troubling as the thought was, Vahn knew he could not stamp out concepts like evil. Despite his best efforts, there would always be a few people who resist the system, doing everything in their power to break free and rise above others. Even if he promoted a system where they were able to rise up to their full potential, this would not satisfy everyone. At the same time, there would always be people who feel that the system itself is restricting them, despite the reality being that they simply didn't put in the requisite amount of effort to succeed.So long as there were differences between people, the seeds for potential conflict would always exist, waiting for the time they could blossom and thrive. It could even happen amongst people who seemed pure and incorruptible as, once they are in a position of uncontested power, just the reality of dealing with the same mundane problems could eventually wear them down. Even Vahn felt that way at times, finding the machinations of existences such as Nobles and Gods to be mundane and repetitive. Most of his enemies had common traits, being that they were either greedy, licentious, despotic, tyrannical, or all of the above. The only real differences between them were their respective crimes which, after a while, seemed to blend together into the same monotonous representation of corruption...Vahn found himself wondering if it wouldn't just be easier if he created a system that could interpret the karma of individuals, automatically sorting them into tangential realities where they would only interact with likeminded people. This would pit those with high amounts of negative karma against each other, allowing 'evil' to prosper in isolation while 'good' would flourish on its own plane. What made this impossible, or at least foolish to consider, was the realization that planes like Heaven and Hell were an example of such a system which, given enough time, ultimately failed...Resisting the urge to ruffle his own hair in frustration, Vahn's figure vanished from the path he had been walking. He next appeared at the entrance to the castle, deciding it was fruitless to think about such things on his own. His path was not one where he arbitrarily decided everything, passing down commands from on high without proper consideration for those who had to follow his decrees. Even when he ruled over entire Records, which was an inevitability at this point, the best he could do was create a system that incorporated the aspects of balance. He might not be able to come up with the most ideal system on his own but, with the help of people like Da Vinci, and the support of all his allies, lovers, and children, Vahn felt they could come up with something...---Though there was still a few hours until he had to return to the Training Orb, Vahn decided to vent some of his frustrations. Scáthach spent practically all of her time there, sometimes preparing a few 'surprises' for him while, other times, building obstacles and altering the terrain for future lessons. If he showed up early, he was essentially allowed to ask for supplementary lessons or just seek general guidance from her so, without having to worry about being trashed the moment he stepped inside, Vahn unhesitantly dropped into the Training Orb. There, as always, he found Scáthach waiting for him, her expression almost unreadable as she stared back at him with crimson-red eyes.Before he could state his reasons for arriving, Scáthach preempted him by saying, "You are lost and confused..." This was obviously not the first time she had seen Vahn in such a state, something which she had learned indicated that he was on the precipice of a big decision. With just this small amount of information, Scáthach was then able to reach her own conclusions about what plagued his mind, causing her to nod in understanding before saying, "There are none who can force you to bear the burdens you accept upon yourself. Hesitation and frailty of the mind will lead to ruin...if you do not have the conviction to abandon everything, stay focused on the things you want to protect."As she spoke, Scáthach walked over until she was standing just a few centimeters away from Vahn, close enough that she had to crane her head to look up at him. She could see that her words had an effect on him but, with doubt clearly visible in the depths of his eyes, Scáthach issued a rare smile as she said, "It is good that you are troubled. If you were not, you would have lost the qualifications to rule over others. This is why so many people support you. You should never have doubts, however, as doing so is an insult to everything you stand for..." Then, placing her palm against Vahn's chest, Scáthach added, "It is time you learn to be more selfish...you cannot live for others."Hearing Scáthach's words, Vahn had a wry smile on his face as he grabbed her wrist, saying, "If I were more selfish, I fear that I would become a monster...I do not want to become part of the corruption I fight again..." To this, Scáthach maintained her smile, staring back at him with an unwavering gaze as she replied, "This is why you've surrounded yourself with so many people. Do not look down on us, Vahn...if you step out of line, there will always be someone there to correct you. So long as you do not forget this, it is fine to act like a spoiled child..."At the end of her words, Scáthach prevented Vahn from saying anything further, extending her arms like in a blurred motion that was almost impossible to follow before hugging his face into her chest. She began to stroke the back of his head while adjusting her center of gravity towards the back ever so slightly. As a result, once Vahn began to relax, he naturally fell forward, causing her to tumble to the ground in a much smoother motion than an actual fall. This brought Vahn into a position where he was leaning over her body, his aquamarine eyes emanating a light that was invisible to most, but clearly discernible by Scáthach. Seeing this, her usually emotionless face softened somewhat, a small smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "So greedy...you want me to spoil you as well...?"Though her words were obviously enough to give Vahn pause, as he knew the repercussions of such actions, Scáthach didn't afford him the time to think about it. Instead, she pulled herself closer to him, her lips close enough to tickle his ear as she whispered, "Give me everything...if you cannot bear the burden, you can entrust it to me...as your teacher, that is another of my responsibilities..." With this said, Scáthach flicked Vahn's earlobe with her tongue before pulling his center of gravity forward so that he was pressing into her. This was enough to cause Vahn to inhale deeply through his nose as he bit his upper lip to restrain himself.Everything that was happening right now was completely outside his expectations but, seeing the woman who had 'tormented' him for nearly a year suddenly pressed beneath him caused his brain to buzz instantly. Though he knew she was only 'acting', as this was also a Skill within her endless list of capabilities, Vahn felt an almost irresistible temptation. This was only exacerbated when he saw the taunting look deep in her eyes, followed by the edges of her lips curling into a condescending smile. At the same time, practically making the decision for him, Scáthach's bodysuit vanished into motes of purple light as she hooked her calves around his legs and pulled him closer to her body...Despite his inhibitions, Vahn felt that backing out at this point was impossible, but, despite this, he placed his hands down hard, flanking Scáthach's head. He stared into her usually emotionless eyes, resisting the temptation of her immaculately sculpted body and the stimulating heat that was being transmitted into him as he said, "I will not have sex with someone who does not love me...even if I have feelings for them..." Since he had already known her for a very long time at this point, Scáthach had become someone very important to him. She not only helped him grow stronger but, due to her own machinations, she now served as one of his 'goals', something he shouldn't be able to obtain arbitrarily.Hearing Vahn's words, Scáthach had a rare pause, her expression distorting slightly as she squinted her eyes. Then, after a few seconds had passed, she stated in a firm tone, "You are the person most precious to me, Vahn Mason. If I didn't want to give myself to you, there is little you could do to take anything from me..." Following this remark, Scáthach quickly reversed their positions, pinning Vahn to the ground in an instant. Before Vahn could say anything further, she grabbed the sides of his face and said very matter-of-factly, "I want to spoil you. I want to give my body to you. If you want me to love you, make me. Don't make excuses."Though he was very familiar with how vicious Scáthach could be, Vahn had been caught unprepared by her sudden actions. She made it very clear this was something she wanted and, even though he did his best not to rely on it, Vahn couldn't help activating his View Affection. The moment he did so, Vahn saw something rather discomforting as, with each second he delayed, Scáthach's Affection had started to decrease. What surprised him most of all, however, was the fact that her value had already broken through the threshold, represented by the hidden parameter 'Faith' at 413. This was the first time he had seen such a value, indicating that Scáthach had a lot more trust toward him than he had expected...Despite his confusion at the peculiar parameter, Vahn was very clear about what he needed to do as, with the activation of his View Affection, he was able to see Scáthach's aura. Though her expression had become somewhat vicious, there was actually no anger at all visible within her aura. Instead, it was a mellow yellow, tinged with sky blues and a healthy amount of pink. It could be the result of the fact she had riled up her own body so that it would be more responsive to him, but it was clear that Scáthach wasn't playing around. This became even more apparent as a small flower of purple began to bloom at the center of her aura, indicating frustration and a small amount of fear...With his mind calming down a bit, Vahn looked directly into Scáthach's eyes, causing her expression to return to a more neutral state. At the same time, her Affection started increasing, albeit at a much slower pace than the previous decline. Upon seeing this, Vahn adopted a smile as he extended his hand out and tested the feel of Scáthach's ample bosom while saying, "I will make you love me using my own methods...don't disappoint me, Shishou..."Hearing Vahn's words, Scáthach's face formed into a frown but, doubt filling her usually placid mind. It wouldn't be the first time she had sex with a student and, feeling that Vahn needed a 'boost' to his ego, she was fully willing to play the part required of her. What she didn't expect was him regaining his confidence in an instant, causing her current actions to feel like a 'mistake'. This wasn't the first time he had surprised her, however, so Scáthach quickly adjusted her mentality and adapted. As he began to fondle her breasts, she began to grind her hips against his, only stopping when Vahn's eyes became sharp.From this, she could conclude that he wanted her to remain an almost unreachable goal, something he could obtain, not something to be received. Though she should be happy with Vahn's decision, Scáthach felt a sudden 'emptiness' in her heart, even though she was certain there had been nothing there moments before...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shit be whack, yo','Ara Ara...','Doki Doki')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

After a long and very eventful evening within the Projection, brought to an end by sleeping in the Menagerie with Fenrir, Medusa, and Circe, the sun began to creep over the horizon and, with it, another long day of training was slated to begin. Though Vahn was also intending on getting in contact with Luvia, he knew from Alaya that she was currently visiting New York on business. With there being a five hour time difference between the famous city and Avalon, he would be able to visit her at the end of the day while it was still early in the afternoon for her.With that in mind, Vahn alighted to Rin's and Mordred's room, picking up Sakura from the former as she had been sleeping with Ereshkigal as of late. He had a habit of helping them prepare for their morning training and escorting them over, hoping it would keep them motivated throughout the day. Thus, with Mordred riding his shoulders and Sakura seated on his arm, Vahn enjoyed his short time together with his two lovable little daughters, doing his best to ignore Mordred pulling his hair as she wiggled around happily.After leaving the two in the care of Artoria and Gray, Vahn left for his own Training Orb with a bit of pep in his step. He was in a great mood from the previous night and, though it was still very painful to train with Scáthach, it was hard to get upset when he was making rampant progress. Of course, as he thought back to the previous night, Vahn had a somewhat sly smile on his face as he recalled the rather 'interesting' time he had in the Menagerie. Since Circe was highly inexperienced, Fenrir had, once again, become a 'teacher' of sorts. As a result, he got to experience the fumbling efforts of a girl who was completely enamored with him, something that always brought a smile to his face...While thinking of inexperienced women, Vahn's smile became even wider as he remembered how adorable Olga had acted. There was nothing that could have prepared her for his massage and, after the fact, the way she tried to 'goad' him into going further was rather endearing. Fortunately for her, Vahn didn't plan on pushing her too hard just yet so, rather than take advantage of the situation he had machinated, he just shifted Olga to straddle his hips as they made out for a 'very' long period of time. Since she had still been in her white swimsuit, which had become slightly transparent from her sweat, it was quite a memorable experience for both of them...Wondering when he might 'eat' the little white rabbit, Vahn felt a little bit like the 'big bad wolf' as he shook his head with a wry smile and entered the Training Orb. Then, as if his lighthearted state of mind had been nothing more than an illusion, a powerful pressure radiated out from Vahn's body as his gaze became sharp enough to, quite literally, bore through steel. He extended his hand outward as black scales spontaneously erupted to cover his forearms while a large pentagonal shield, similar in appearance to a semi-translucent topaz, formed in front of him.No sooner had the shield appeared than a massive beam of malevolent red light slammed into the barrier, causing the sky around to darken from Vahn's perspective. The shield held up, as it had anti-magic and slightly reflective qualities, but the surrounding terrain was ripped apart as the beam of red energy broke into thick streams of lightning. Vahn stayed calm throughout this chaos, however, shaping energy into his right arm before a pair of golden draconic antlers sprouted from his head. In the next moment, just as the crystalline shield shattered into pieces, Vahn had already teleported to a location more than thirty kilometers away, right behind Scáthach.Without any delay in her response time, Scáthach spun around in a manner that was both graceful and mechanically precise as a scarlet red spear naturally formed in her hands. As Vahn had already been prepared to receive this attack, he didn't even try to evade as he stepped forward fearlessly. In response, Scáthach awarded his efforts with an unfathomable fast sweep of her spear but, instead of leaving a gaping wound or bisecting his body in two, Vahn's torso seemed to extend as the injured section of flesh was discarded. He grew a new body in a similar fashion to how he would produce an Avatar, leaving behind the damaged section as it quickly dissolved into nothingness.As this was not the first time she had seen Vahn use his 'cicada skin shedding' technique, Scáthach was unperturbed by the sight as her spear ruthlessly changed directions at the end of its arc, cutting back like a beam of malicious red light. Before she could cut him a second time, however, Vahn used the energy he had been stowing withing his right arm, extending it toward Scáthach as he shouted, "Longinus...!" As this exclamation left his mouth, a golden spear erupted from Vahn's palm, tearing through his flesh as he had shaped it inside his own arm to hide it from Scáthach's perception.While releasing her spear, allowing it to continue its trajectory towards Vahn, Scáthach twisted her body while simultaneously teleporting away. This allowed her to completely evade the golden spear which, seemingly moving near the speed of light, smashed into the white stone of the Training Orb with enough force to create a plume of debris more than 300m in height. The shockwave was strong enough to tear through Vahn's defenses, which made him immune to anything by A-Rank attacks or higher, but his body was far more injured by the spear sticking in his ribs than the explosion.After struggling to extricate the spear from his body, as it had an effect of piercing deeper when the target tried to remove it, Vahn released a sigh of relief before teleporting away himself. In nearly the exact same moment, several meter-long arrows of light pierced into the space he had been standing, causing nearly just as much destruction as his surprise Longinus. Scáthach wasn't the type to just let him stand there and recover so, as long as the battle was ongoing, Vahn knew he needed to be on the move. At the same time, he made his movement unpredictable as, rather than think about the destination, Vahn sent out random tendrils of energy through his domain, giving him several anchor points for an instantaneous [Shundo].With a powerful offense substituting for most conceivable defenses, Vahn appeared near Scáthach after several successive [Shundo]s and a 'space transfer'. This time, she had five spears floating near her body with a short golden spear in her left hand. Vahn visibly winced after seeing that particular weapon, a momentary gap that was instantaneously exploited by Scáthach. He knew it was futile to even try to teleport away or dodge so, deciding to fully commit, Vahn's body became onyx-black as scales spread across his entire body, albeit after he had already been skewered. Rather than try to remove it, however, Vahn's body began to lose its shape, wrapping around the spear's shaft as he attempted to 'absorb' it.Scáthach found that it was nearly impossible to extricate the spear through normal methods so, in the next moment, a black haze flowed into the golden spear. This completely negated Vahn's efforts while leaving a gaping hole in his abdomen. At the same time, the spears floating behind her back pierced forward, aiming for Vahn's head, shoulders, and thighs. Vahn reacted to this by removing a few dozen Elemental Stars from his Inventory, causing Scáthac to frown as her spear danced, quickly dispersing those nearest to her. What she couldn't do anything about were the ones that Vahn had brought out inside his own body so, as the five spears pierced him, a cascade of explosions spread out, enveloping his and Scáthach's forms in an instant.As she had already made a shroud of Void Elemental energy, Scáthach was mostly unaffected by the explosions but, having been aware of this, Vahn obviously left a 'surprise' for her. This was something Scáthach fully expected but, the moment she tried to shift away, the space around the area became locked as a golden hue spread through the surroundings. Then, amidst the continuous explosions, a very different type of elemental energy made its presence known, taking on the form of pure white light that dispersed the chaotic energy in an instant. Scáthach brandished her spear to disperse the pulse of energy, her face forming an almost indiscernible smile as she curled her body into a ball just as a ten-meter wide beam of light slammed into her.Just as Scáthach had taught him, there were counters to virtually everything but, at the apex of most other forms of energy, Holy and Divine were nearly uncontested. However, as his own body was not well-suited for using such forms of energy, someone other than Vahn appeared as the pillar of white light faded away. There, standing at a relatively petite 154cm, wearing a skin-tight combat uniform, was a carbon-copy of Artoria. Instead of her normally stoic appearance, however, she had a visibly awkward expression on her face that seemed to amuse Scáthach, despite the fact her body felt like it had been baked in an oven.Releasing a sigh, Vahn, looking indiscernible from Artoria, adopted a combat stance as a shroud of pure Holy Elemental energy surrounded 'his' body. This was just the basic activation of [Vis Maxima] but, at the very least, it granted him almost complete immunity to Void Elemental energy. What had him troubled was, despite the fact he had tried to make a 'male' version of Artoria, her Mana Circuits and affinity only worked properly in her base form. Vahn even suspected the entire reason she was stuck in her youthful form was due to this very fact and, though he could emulate Holy Elemental energy well enough in any state, being able to control it almost intuitively was very useful...---After a long session of combat training, Vahn had returned to his default appearance as he stared up at the empty white void above, visible only if he looked beyond the two large peaks obscuring his vision. At the same time, he listened to Scáthach's lecture regarding what he could have done better while allowing her to trace her hands around his neck and chest. It was very comfortable and, as he had been able to get a few good hits in on her, this was one of the ways in which she 'rewarded' his efforts. He also had the option of taking liberties with her body but, as this was always more than a little disconcerting, Vahn elected not to...While Vahn was enjoying Scáthach's caress, a pair of violet eyes were watching him, belonging to a small blue creature that sat weightlessly on his abdomen. She had been watching him for nearly a year at this point and, with so much having changed in recent months, a small amount of frustration had seeded itself in her 'core'. This had become especially prominent in recent days as, with Vahn being on the 'warpath', she was often forced to float idly at the side, simply observing his antics due to her agreement not to interfere when he was with his women. As this also applied to his training, the amount of time she had to drain his 'fluids' had decreased considerably, causing the supposedly emotionless entity to feel something akin to anxiety.Shaking her head to dismiss her wayward thoughts, Alaya plopped her body down, laying against Vahn to feel his warmth. Since she had been observing him for a long time, she knew what it would take to get him to pay more attention to her but, refusing to be 'tamed' by him, Alaya continued to tolerate her displeasure in silence. Part of her knew that, when she started pandering to Vahn, she would already be on the path towards becoming fully obedient to him. She had even stopped trying to influence him with her pheromones as, fearing what would happen if they actually had sex, Alaya instead focused on her tasks of observation and collecting samples.Though she had been aware of it, Alaya made no attempt to stop Vahn when he suddenly shifted his hand to lightly stroke her hair and ears. Instead, she just closed her eyes while monitoring billions of people within her globally expansive mind. She could see how chaotic things were becoming all over the world as, despite the fact Angra Mainyu was years away, the tensions experienced by some had already caused them to start doing horrible acts. Some believed the world was fated to end and, in order to experience life to the fullest while they could, many Magi enacted terribly acts of violence all over the world. At the same time, civil and political strife was beginning to spread in the heart of many countries for the same reason, to the point global war seemed to loom on the horizon.Despite these things, the man who was both responsible for such events spent his days in relative bliss, even though he was also 'determined' to make the world a better place. If not for the fact she could recreate all of humanity, if need be, Alaya would have been significantly more frustrated at the way Vahn lived. She sometimes wished he was one of her Counter Guardians as, if this were the case, it would be her telling him what to do. He would also have to proactively protect the world instead of seemingly leaving everything to fate. Instead, she was the one placed in his charge and, despite the fact he could do 'anything' he wanted with her, Vahn just treated her like a 'Companion'...While thinking about the troubles Vahn had caused, Alaya could feel calm and comfortable energy flowing into her body, something she had grown accustomed to due to his incessant efforts. Though she was tempted to just let him affect her, there was an entire world within her mind and, feeling she had to be the responsible one in their relationship, Alaya dutifully observed the activities of people all over the world. This included people like Luvia, Catherine, Siegfried, and Astolfo so, with her limited omniscience, Alaya was able to observe nearly everything that was going on around them.Currently, Luvia was sleeping snuggly in her bed, as it wasn't even 3 AM for her, while Astolfo and Catherine were recovering from a long night of having sex. As for Siegfried, her rarely ever slept and, somewhat similar to Vahn, spent a lot of his time idling about as he pampered his Companion and cat. Alaya could see him laying barechested on his bed as the two creatures stretched themselves across his chest and abdomen, much like she was doing with Vahn. While they made themselves comfortable, he would gently stroke their bodies, play with their ears, and feed them small snacks with a small smile on his face as Susu licked his fingers...Without doing it intentionally, Alaya found herself giving Vahn's thumb a small lick, causing him to gently stroke her face and chin in a comfortable manner. She wasn't really paying attention to this, however, despite the fact she was fully aware of it. Instead, she was absentmindedly looking down at a young woman with golden hair that reached her ankles as she clasped her hands together in futile prayer. Despite the fact she was adorned in pristine white robes that were decorated with gold and a plethora of gemstones, she was no closer to 'God' than anyone else within her organization. Though Alaya would humor them a bit in the past, as they helped to preserve humanity, the only thing she could do now was watch the young woman stress out as a result of her silence...After wondering whether or not she should mention this to Vahn, Alaya ultimately decided against it as, just like during their first meeting, she felt Vahn needed to learn the consequences of his actions by experiencing them first hand. If she wanted to proactively assist him, there were few things that could conceivably prevent his rise as, with the majority of the world within her perception, she could inform him of the location of almost every threat long beforehand. She could even guide him toward all of the world's treasures and, though she could not actively intervene against his enemies, there were a number of methods Vahn could use to summon her Counter Guardians.While thinking about the people under her charge, Alaya had a rare mischevious smile on her face that went completely unnoticed. There were two individuals that would be paramount to shaping the world according to Vahn's vision but, knowing how much 'stress' they would cause Vahn, Alaya was somewhat looking forward to their meeting. If he arbitrarily asked her to summon one of her Counter Guardians in the future, she would summon the one that was simultaneously the most useful while also being the most troublesome. Though he might get annoyed with her as a result, Vahn wasn't the type to 'blame' others so, at least for a while, she would get to see him experience a part of the frustration she felt...Though she understood how 'petty' her thoughts were, Alaya didn't really care as, after talking with Vahn hundreds of times, she knew he wanted her to become more 'independent'. As a result, Alaya was very aware of her own changes but, 'knowing' it was impossible to overcome her programming, she carried out her duties unerringly. Thus, even though she would try to get even with him at times, Alaya would always follow orders to the letter, so long as it did not go against her prime directives.If Vahn provided her with enough Magical Energy, she would even act as a catalyst to help him erase an entire Continent, including its inhabitants, without even blinking an eye. She could even reverse time or, in the most extreme cases, emulate the Throne of Heroes by pulling someone from a past timeline. In this way, so long as Vahn provided her with enough energy and put proper thought into his actions, he didn't even have to worry about any of his allies dying. After all, she could just remove them from the time axis at the instant before their deaths, heal their bodies completely, and then bring them back into the time axis after things had calmed down...Without realizing it, while also being fully aware of her thought process, Alaya was already thinking about ways to help Vahn. As the energy of his Petting Laws flowed into her body, she had already come up with billions of potential solutions to most of his problems, the only caveats being that he would need to provide her with enough Magical Energy while putting actual effort into how he used her. Unfortunately for Vahn, his nature of not wanting to use people, despite the fact he treated her like a battery and portable space transfer terminal, prevented him from thinking about such things. This was something Alaya was fully aware of and, though she was reluctant to admit it, the primary source of her frustrations...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Every day Vahn trains with Scáthach, he becomes a little less human xD...''Vahn is a hentai...','Poor Alaya. Vahn doesn't realize she WANTS him to use her (o,...,o)')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1213: Lakeside