Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though every battle was interesting and exciting, things eventually reached a peak when Vahn, smile on his face, announced, "We're down to the last few battles in the first set. Sakura, Mash, please step onto the training field."The moment the other students heard the names mentioned, everyone but the member of the Atlas Temple became tense. They had all been looking forward to seeing how strong the students hailing from the Empire were. At present, everything about the five girls was a mystery as, even when Vahn called their names, he didn't mention their surnames...After stepping into the starting zones, Sakura and Mash faced each other, the latter breaking the silence as she adopted a pleasant smile and politely stated, "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to battle against you, Sakura. As you know, this is my Companion, Proto-chan...we'll be in your care."As it was introduced, Proto-chan, a chimera-type Companion, flexed its non-existant muscles as it released an adorable war cry. This eased a lot of the tensions from the students but, as if not to lose out, Sakura's Companion, Momo, held up both of its hands to form claws, a 'ferocious' "Waaaaan~!" escaping its mouth as its tail waggled behind it with vigorous momentum.Sakura giggled at her own Companion's antics before politely crossing her hands across her lap and saying, "Momo and I are looking forward toa battling you as well, Mashu. Let's put on a good show for everyone~"Unlike the rest of the students, Sakura and Mash obviously had experience working alongside their Companions. They knew what the tiny creatures were capable of and, while their Magecraft was far behind the average second-year student of the Clock Tower, their physical capabilities and magical resistance were on completely different levels. Adding their overwhelming amount of Od on top of this and, behind those polite smiles, those with sharp intuition could feel oceans begin to stir...The moment Vahn started the fight, the majority of the class was left slack-jawed when, without the usual accompanying shockwave, Sakura's figure seemed to disappear. They didn't even know what happened until a small explosion, caused by pure physical power, erupted from where Mash had been standing. There, they saw Sakura performing what appeared to be a leaping kick that was easily deflected by a silvery buckler that had appeared in Mash's right hand.As if her previously gentle nature was an illusion, the current Mash had a calm expression that, in the eyes of some, bordered on emotionless. She was in a state of absolute focus and, despite the power behind the blow, she managed to hold her position without being pushed back a single centimeter. As for Sakura, she had a sharp and focused expression that, even at a glance, conveyed an inhuman amount of determination that didn't match what you would expect from a child...For a brief moment, it felt like the flow of time around Sakura and Mash began to stagnate. It wasn't until the latter's shield rippled outward with an explosion of magical energy that time began to flow at what felt like an accelerated rate as Sakura was sent flying through the air. At the same moment, Proto-chan used Mash's body as a springboard to follow after Sakura with enough speed to create several shockwaves that, somehow, only gently kicked up Mash's hair.Sakura managed to course correct in mid-air, reorienting herself so that she was facing Mash and the approaching Proto-chan. She didn't seem to notice the latter, however, as she had complete trust that Momo would step in. This gave her the confidence to use her underdeveloped [Mana Burst] to arrest her backward momentum before angling herself so that she could return to the ground. Being stuck in the air was an extremely disadvantageous position before you had the ability to fly as falling speed was ridiculously slow compared to ground speed.Mash had been intending to follow up and pressure Sakura but, as she saw a momentary flicker, she instead dove to the right in order to cushion the blow of Proto-chan as it was sent careening toward the ground like a meteor. In the air, Momo could be seen with an excited smile on its face as it made a small v-sign with its hand before curling into a ball and forming a protective membrane around its body.Though Mash had incredible potential as a Designer Baby, her only advantages against Sakura were age and experience. The latter had immeasurable potential and an ever-increasing amount of Od that, if made public, would shake the entire magical community. After all, the average mature Magus had around 25-40 Od while Sakura, owing to her ten-year fusion with the Greater Grail's mana, had close to 60,000 at the tender age of ten years old.Fortunately, Sakura could only output around 100 units of Magical Energy at a time so, as a Designer Baby with an Ouroboros Seal, Mash wasn't too far behind her. The training she had participated in had increased her Od to around 1300 units so, once she developed her skills, increase her control, and developed her body, she would even be able to compete against weaker Heroic Spirits...With the strongest 'normal' student only having an Od of 27, the majority of the class couldn't even fathom how strong Sakura and Mash were. They could only watch in awe as the two girls continued to use what they believed to be an advanced version of [Enhance] and [Reinforcement] Magecraft, their brains automatically excluding the possibility they were using their physical bodies to perform such feats.In this manner, it felt like only a few seconds had passed by the time Vahn vanished from his spot to intercept Sakura's and Mash's fists. They had been on the verge of an internecine outcome in their final attempts at securing a victory. When their supersonic blows impacted against the palms of his hands, however, all of their force was mitigated. There wasn't even a shockwave, just absolute silence as the climactic battle that awed nearly the entire class was brought to an instantaneous end.As if they had just awakened from a dream, one of the students couldn't resist the urge to clap. This started a chain reaction that even extended to the students from the Atlas Temple, despite the blank looks on their faces. Sakura's face became red as a result of this unexpected ovation while Mash, as if possessing two entirely separate personalities, instantly returned to her usually polite self.Before things could get out of hand, Vahn raised his hand in a silencing gesture. This quickly brought a stop to the applause and, though he wasn't really mad, Vahn adopted a slightly stern voice as he said, "Let us be fair to each other. While the battle between Sakura and Mash was a sight to behold, they should not be the only ones to receive applause. It may seem harmless right now but, if you get used to giving others special treatment, you make things difficult for them and yourselves..."In response to his words, nearly every student fell into silent contemplation but, before they were able to put too much thought into it, Mordred startled them to awareness by thumping against her chest and shouting, "Thank you for your guidance, Grand Advisor...!" in a commanding tone.Immediately following Mordred's outburst, Astrid, Zoë, and, reading the flow, Rani simultaneously chimed, "Thank you for your guidance, Grand Advisor...!" This set off a somewhat awkward chain reaction but, before it could get too far, Vahn raised his hand to return the room to silence. At the same time, he gave Mordred a knowing look that brought a cheeky smile to the girl's face as she struggled to resist bursting into a fit of laughter...---The rest of the student matches proceeded without incident as, whenever something went wrong, Vahn would always step in at the decisive moment. This made some people fight haphazardly but, as they were all experimenting with coordinating with their Companions, Vahn allowed them to make a few mistakes. They would learn over the following months how to refine their skills and abilities after observing the seriousness in which the higher ranked students treated the training.As could be expected, the most exciting battles were between the girls hailing from the Empire, the only real exception being Mordred's battles since they always ended in an instant. After all, she was no longer in her sealed state. This made her an A-Rank Heroic Spirit which, if allowed to go all out, had the potential to disrupt tectonic plates and collapse continental shelves.Even a middling blow from her [Clarent], if aimed at the city itself, could wipe out all of London in a single exchange. The only thing that prevented this was the restrictions of the world and the fact that, unless they were only seeking to cause destruction, most Heroic Spirits didn't aim their attacks at the ground.Due to the overwhelming gap in power, Mordred was rightfully given the highest rank in the class. As for the second position, it unsurprisingly went to Rani V, even though most of the students had originally expected Sakura to secure the position. Unfortunately, Rani had inherited the knowledge and experience of her preceding models. This wasn't a transfer of consciousness, however, so Rani still had her own Ego, much like the individual Einzbern Homunculi. Thus, while she had more than a hundred years of data to serve as a foundation for her Magecraft, she was still just a sixteen-year-old girl.Still, Magecraft greatly benefitted from experience, knowledge, and mental capacity so, having a brain that could literally humble a supercomputer, Rani was monstrously talented. She barely had to move in combat as, by the time her opponent had decided to act, she had already formed a magic circle that allowed her to counter their efforts. This, combined with a functionally infinite amount of Magical Power, made it almost impossible for other students to contend against her.It was unfortunate for Rani that her parameters and maximum output were restricted so, when she was matched against someone like Mordred, all of her benefits were nullified. Mordred had been able to train her [Magic Resistance] once again and, even though it was supposed to be a Class Skill given to Heroic Spirits, the training methods used by the Knights of the Round Table actually made it possible to learn. All it really took was nourishing your body with your own Magical Energy over a long period of time while performing extreme physical training and, as a result of the saturation and exposure, you would naturally become resistant to Magical Energy, you own included.This was the main reason why most Knights throughout history struggled to ever learn any advanced forms of Magecraft. Though there were a few exceptions, they were usually a Demigod or, like many Knight of the Round Table, recipients of powerful blessings and charms bestowed upon them by Fae and other Spiritual beings. The generations that followed saw this as an example so, while Artifacts and other unique magical armaments have always existed, the use of Mystic Codexes amongst Magi that specialized in physical combat became common.Needless to say, all of these factors meant it was nigh-impossible for Rani to even damage Mordred. The latter could tank most of her spells without suffering any injury and, with hypersonic speed and explosive power at her behest, there wasn't a match to be had. Mordred closed the distance so fast that Rani's mind was temporarily stalled as, while she could keep up with speed, calculating it with extreme accuracy, she was fundamentally unable to react to it. Thus, without any suspense, Mordred was able to hold out Neko, her personal Companion, right in front of Rani's face. This allowed it to tap against the stunned girl's nose and, without trying to extend the battle, Rani understood she had been bested, ultimately surrendering the battle.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I can imagine Sakura and Mash both laughing in an 'Ufufufu~' manner when they grow up...','Vahn OP','Like raising a lion amongst sheep xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

With the conclusion of the practice matches, Vahn could tell that several things had changed in the class. First, there was a newfound appreciation each student had for their Companions. Second, they now looked toward Mordred with both respect and abject fear. She wasn't just the highest-ranking person in the class but, even those with vivid imaginations couldn't imagine becoming even half as strong as her. This made them fear the Empire even more as, while Sakura, Mash, Astrid, and Zoë weren't nearly as terrifying, they were all much stronger than nearly everyone else in the class.Now, after everyone had formed back up in military-style rows and columns, Vahn could feel the tension from those closest to Mordred. She stood with her back straight, her bearing perfect as an imperceptible smile could be seen on her lips. This gave Vahn the urge to smile as well but, as he didn't want to be accused of playing favorites too soon, he resisted the urge to praise her for doing well. It was fortunate that they would be returning to the castle in the afternoon so he could always do so in the comfort of their own home...Maintaining his usual smile, Vahn passed his gaze over all the students in turn before saying in a calm tone of voice, "You all did very well. I hope this lesson helped you understand the importance of caring for your Companions. It may be difficult for you to believe right now but the words we told you are the truth. If you work hard and become close with your Companions, they will develop their own Ego and eventually evolve to become the creature that most closely matches your character. It could take several years for you to reach this point but, by the time you graduate, the majority of you should have evolved your Companions..."There was still a fair amount of skepticism amongst the students of the Clock Tower but, compared to before, it was obvious they were beginning to believe. Some still thought all of this was a ploy to draw them in and make them loyal, which wasn't exactly wrong, but they largely overestimated their own value.Vahn was giving them the same opportunities others would have in the future, they were just the sample batch to determine the most effective way to train future generations of students. Though he would treat them fairly, their future was entirely in their own hands. He wasn't proactively trying to bring any of them into his fold and, even if they all ultimately failed out of the program, it wouldn't be much of a setback.Still, Vahn hoped they would do well so he would do his best to encourage them whenever he was present. This was the primary reason behind his Advisor role and, if he could keep them on the right track, that was for the best. He wouldn't be like Zelretch had been in the past, caring only about the results and not the process that raised a young Magus into a mature adult. That would make him no better than the other Nobles within the Association, people who based their treatment of others entirely on their usefulness...---As promised, the children were given the rest of the day off to unpack and settle into their rooms. This also gave them the opportunity to socialize a bit as the Aldrnari College Commons had a large Cafe, recreation room, small theater, and, though they would not be able to access it any time soon, a 'Simulation Training Field'. The latter served as a control experiment for the Global Virtual World that Da Vinci was working on. Once it was ready, they would be allowed to freely enter the Virtual World during their leisure time, experiencing wonders far beyond typical human imagination.For now, the students would have to keep themselves entertained with each other. Though this was made a little more difficult with the size of the College, as it could hold a thousand students, most of them had been congregated close to the common areas. This served as a central gathering hub for everyone in the building as, for obvious reasons, the boys and girls were divided into two separate wings.To prevent any kind of shenanigans, there were extremely powerful barriers and a variety of other security measures to keep the students safe, both from the outside and each other. They would have to be on the level of high ranking Assassin Class Heroic Spirit to have any hope of overcoming even the most basic security measures as Vahn would not tolerate any 'incidents'. There was a time and a place for everything and, as students currently had their own rooms, he had no intention of allowing males to congregate in the room of a female and vice versa.Vahn didn't expect there would be any real issues early on but, as more students entered into the College, it was only a matter of time before something happened. The Companions would be able to prevent any heinous situations from occurring but it was inevitable that some students would begin to pair off with each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. As it seemed to be human nature for those in love to try and break every rule preventing them from easily meeting with each other, Vahn knew he would be dealing with some awkward situations in the future.Fortunately, at least for the time being, he didn't have to worry about such things. Though it was a given that any of the boys would wholeheartedly agree to become a pair with almost any of the girls within the department, everyone was currently too nervous to do anything drastic. They could hardly talk with each other at this point and, with a larger female population than males, Vahn knew only the boldest among the later would have any 'fortune' when it came to dating their fellow students.Until such a situation occurred, Vahn's own duties were extremely lax. He would only be stepping in for a few of the more important lessons so, while Mordred, Sakura, Mash, Astrid, and Zoë were in class, he would either be relaxing back in the College or the Faculty Room. The Clock Tower couldn't be trusted to protect his department just yet so, even though Scáthach was also skulking about, he wanted to be close by to make sure his children, and their classmates, were protected...Knowing he would be spending a lot of his time idling about in the Clock Tower, Vahn had removed his 'Soul Gem' from the Welsh Dragon's chamber. This would eventually become the Quest Board for the students to use but, in order to split his focus between Avalon and London, he currently used it as his second body. With it, he was able to tend to the affairs of the Empire while, back in London, he relaxed in a comfortable chair and simply observed everything going on around him while Gareth, Okita, and Jeanne dutifully attended him.At this point, Vahn could easily control upward of five bodies so, with only two 'active', he wasn't put under much mental strain. Though it was sometimes difficult to focus under the influence of the time dilation, he had a lot of experience doing so back in Danmachi. Becoming a God made the process a lot easier as well so, if he pushed himself, Vahn believed he could maintain seven bodies. This would require him to be experiencing the same flow of time for each perspective but it was still inarguably better than his previous two-vessel limit.Vahn's current goal, in so far as his vessels were concerned, was to try and create enough versions of himself to, theoretically, tend to all of his women. While this seemed virtually impossible, as he had a penchant for acquiring new lovers, he was determined to make it a reality one day. There were still times when he would feel a small amount of guilt about the number of relationships he had so, as his Soul continued to strengthen, Vahn would continue to practice controlling multiple vessels with ever-increasing proficiency...---Unaware of what their 'Advisor' was thinking, most of the students had used the time allotted to do just as Vahn had expected, familiarize themselves with the College and its inhabitants. A number of them had gathered in the Commons, drawn to the sound of conversation and laughter. There, they found the Imperial Quintet gathered around a Cafe table while a very motherly looking Homunculus waited on them.It was generally very difficult for someone to penetrate an established group of close friends but, every time Mordred saw someone enter the area, she would call out to each student by name. This wasn't exactly an invitation for them to sit at the table but, at the very least, Mordred was breaking down the walls of her classmates to make them more comfortable with associating with the group. She knew there would come a time when she needed to lead these people so it would be a very big problem if they couldn't even talk with her properly.Of course, not every person addressed by Mordred parted after a polite greeting. There were some students that, while not truly bold, had enough ambition to at least try and approach the group on amicable terms. This included none other than Silvain who, after being greeted from a distance by Mordred, acted very flattered before making his way over to the table and asking if he could take a seat.Hearing the boy's request, Mordred squinted her eyes almost imperceptibly as she remarked, "You really are making a show of your bravery, aren't you...?"Though he was visibly tense, Silvain still managed a smile before giving a polite but not subservient bow as he said, "I took your previous words to heart. Though it would be brash to call myself a man at this stage, I don't want to be treated as a boy my entire life. At the worst, I will only be refused a seat..."Silvain had a bit of trouble getting out the final few words of his statement as he noticed all of the girls at the table had turned their gazes upon him. He felt a considerable amount of pressure from them as, unlike Mordred, they weren't exactly smiling. The only exception to this was Mash but, if you looked closely, it was very easy to see that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.Just as Silvain began to believe there was something far worse than simply being denied a seat, Mordred shattered the tension by bursting into laughter. This drew the attention of everyone else who had been lingering about within the Cafe, each previously pretending to be unaware of the event playing out...Once her fit of laughter had come to an end, Mordred pointed to a chair a seat apart from where Astrid was sitting. Though she had the latter switch places with Mash, she allowed Silvain to take a seat, saying, "We're all classmates and comrades. There is no bad blood between us so there is no harm in sitting and talking with each other in public like this. Just don't lose your sense of propriety or even I won't be able to protect you."Silvain had mechanically moved to take his assigned seat but, hearing Mordred's words, he couldn't help but tense up even further. Everyone in the class had already assumed her identity so there was a very good chance that she, or perhaps all five girls present, were the Emperor's daughters. This had encouraged some into thinking that he allowed them to attend school in order to find spouses but none of them were brave enough to really attempt asking them out. The Emperor was too terrifying an existence and, if they somehow offended him, it was very easy to imagine simply being erased from the world with a wave from his hand...Believing Mordred was warning him not to try and coax any of the girls at the table, Silvain failed to swallow the knot in his throat, his voice breaking as he answered, "I'll keep that in mind..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Strive to be the best! The very best! Like no one ever was...!','I can imagine Ais walking into a room filled with dozens of Vahn's, fighting spirit burning in her eyes...','Boi best watch out. Papa Bear is always only one spatial transfer away (o,...,o)...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

The first two students called out were named Christopher, one of the few males in the class, and a tall girl with green hair tied into a ponytail named Reise. They were both students of the Clock Tower who had rather complicated backgrounds and a very strong desire to liberate themselves from their familial circumstances.Christopher was born the eldest son in his family but, due to the fact he only had a handful of Magic Circuits, his right of succession had been bestowed upon his sister. This alone wasn't all that bad but, while his Magic Circuits left a lot to be desired, he had a unique Sorcery Trait that served as leverage for his family to essentially treat him as breeding stock. They had formed several contracts with other Magus families so, upon graduation, he was expected to serve each of these families for up to a year as a borderline slave...Reise's fate was arguably worse as she had been born into a branch family with loose relations to the Trambelio family. She had inherited the unique Magecraft of her family that allowed her to perform a partial beast transformation, similar to Flatt Escardos. The primary difference was that her Magecraft borrowed from a panther and, due to her inability to control it properly, it made her mind regress to an animalistic state.This made her a prime target for those with more unique tastes so, shortly after she had awakened the ability, her family actually prevented her from mastering it after arranging her marriage with the progeny of a more powerful family. She was essentially being forced to become a much older Noble's pet as, with the right stimulus, she could be forced to stay in her beast form for the rest of her life...In order to seize control over their own destinies, the two had been among the first to try and enroll in the class. As most Magi had a very powerful enchantment cast on their mind, making it impossible to commit suicide, this was one of their only methods to liberate themselves from a terrible fate that had been decided for them. They experienced a significant amount of backlash from their families but, with the protections granted to them as students, they were virtually untouchable by such weak and despotic individuals...Upon being called out, Christopher and Reise took to the field, the latter taking the initiative to shout, "My name is Reise Hartmann! This...this is my partner...F-Fluffy...!"The moment Reise shouted out the name she had decided for her Companion, her face became beet red while the rest of the class, already silent, somehow became even quieter...To help her out, Vahn gave a light cough to draw attention to himself before turning to Christopher and saying, "It is your turn. Please, introduce yourself properly."Strangely, Christopher had paled almost immediately after his name had been called so Vahn wasn't at all surprised when the boy stammered, "Y-Yes S-S-Sir...my name is C-Christopher! This is my C-C-Companion, Snow...Snowball..."As could be expected, another heavy atmosphere descended upon the training field, not solely due to the names that Christopher and Riese had called out. Rather, many of the students had carelessly chosen names for their Companions as, despite the fact they were intelligent artificial creatures, most humans instinctually placed themselves above other races. This caused their minds to rationalize that Companions were closer in nature to pets, despite even the weakest Companion being a match for an Intermediate Tier Magus...Being one of the only people with a placid and calm expression, Vahn broke the silence once again, stating, "Choosing a name can often be difficult. It is fine to be a little indecisive and make a mistake on the first go around. So long as you are sincere, the Companions don't mind having their names changed a few times. Just make sure you figure something out in the next few days or it will interfere with your progress...now, shall we begin the first match? I'm certain everyone wants to return to the dorms and get to know each other a little better."With Vahn's 'reminder', the children relaxed considerably while, on the battleground, Reise, Fluffy, Christopher, and Snowball prepared for battle. Fighting was an easy way to release stress and work away nerves and, as fourth-year students of the Clock Tower, they were both very familiar with the process of sparring and magical duels.Seeing that both students were ready, Vahn sent a tiny burst of magical energy into the air to cause a very small explosion. He didn't need to convey the meaning behind the loud sound so, even before the light had faded completely, Reise charged at Christopher with Fluffy riding her shoulder. She had visible circuit-like patterns running up her legs and thighs that indicated her skillful use of [Enhance] and [Reinforcement] Magecraft.What none of the students, included Reise herself had expected, was for Fluffy, an adorable dog-like Companion with fluffy white hair, to open its tiny mouth far more than it ought to be able to as a beam of magical energy shot out. This was a modified version of [Gandr] that used Light Elemental energy as a base, something that Reise had learned how to do nearly two years prior.As could be expected, Reise's mind became tumultuous as she began to wonder why Fluffy was able to use her Magecraft but, after more than three years of practice, she was still able to focus on the duel. She just assumed that this is what her teachers meant when they explained that Companions were a catalyst that enhanced their Magecraft...While Reise and the rest of the class were surprised, the one experiencing the greatest amount of shock was Christopher. He had taken a defensive stance to counter Reise's charge, not even once considering that Fluffy would actually attack him. After all, none of them had fought alongside their Companions just yet so they had absolutely no idea what the adorable creatures were capable of.Fortunately, as was customary, Christopher defended against the pale-white [Gandr] using a thin membrane of Magical Energy. This still pushed him back more than a meter but, before Reise was able to follow up, Snowball jumped between them. With its tiny paw-like hands, it created a large hexagonal barrier that easily arrested the momentum of Reise's charge. This sent the girl leaping backward, giving Christopher enough time to regain his balance as he stared blankly at the tiny creature that had protected him...Prior to the battle, most of the students hadn't fully comprehended how useful Companions would be in everyday life. They were only now beginning to understand the true significance behind all the information they had been receiving about the tiny creatures and, while it was still hard to believe, the claims made about the Companions' evolution suddenly excited many of them. Even those that previously thought the Companions were going to be annoying to take care of suddenly saw their adorable little partners in a new light...It quickly became apparent to Reise and Christopher that their Companions were capable of using all the same Magecraft as them. They were also capable of taking independent action and using proper judgment, something that even advanced Familiars struggled with. This allowed them to focus more on the battle as, rather than nervousness, excitement began to well up inside them due to the rush of adrenaline and other factors.Due to them being equally skilled, the battle between Reise and Christopher ran out the clock as they were more focused on learning how to cooperate with their new partners than trying to outright win the battle. They even seemed a little surprised and disappointed when the battle came to an end but Vahn improved their moods immediately by reminding, "You both have several other matches coming up. Remember, these duels are meant to allow you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with your Companions so you both did very well. It is actually difficult to determine which of you performed better but, as Chris was the only one to land a damaging blow, I'll have to afford the victory to him this time around."Both students' mood improved upon hearing Vahn's opening statement but, after he declared the winner, Reise became slightly deflated while Christopher actually felt a little awkward. Due to how much fun he was having, he completely forgot about the purpose of the battle and, until Vahn had brought up the outcome, it hadn't really crossed his mind. Because of this, he decided to try and be a good sport about it and, with an awkward smile on his face, shook hands with Reise while telling her that it was a very close match.Vahn gave an approving nod at the display of good sportsmanship but, as they were a little pressed for time, he had the two rejoin the other students before calling the next two names. This time, both participants were female but, considering the gender ratio in the class, this was going to be a trend. Vahn actually felt a little bad for the boys in class as, if they didn't work hard, it was easy to imagine them feeling somewhat ostracized. After all, it took a lot of confidence for the average teen to even communicate with a member of the opposite sex due to hormonal surges and their inability to form platonic relationships.Over time, Vahn was intending to break down such social constructs and gender walls but, as it was the backbone of most cultures, it would be a long and arduous process. After all, even he wasn't that adept at maintaining platonic relationships as, due to his appreciation for the fairer sex, combined with his status and empathetic nature, most of the women around him quickly developed feelings for him...Fortunately, while some would foolishly believe themselves blessed to be in the same position, the majority of his male students wouldn't have to worry about juggling multiple relationships. While it wasn't rare for a prominent Magi to have multiple wives and mistresses, it was borderline impossible for even a Noble to have multiple partners amongst students. Just knowing they had one girlfriend was enough for the majority of capable female Magi to distance themselves from them as, due to the culture of the magus community, independence was one of the most highly sought after and cherished constructs...After the initial battle between Reise, Fluffy, Christopher, and Snowball, the rest of the students had some degree of expectation going into their own battles. Some even began to strategize and work directly with their Companions, attempting to pressure their opponents by chaining together several attacks. This further inspired everyone else so, by the time ten battles had taken place, things had started to become exciting on both the battlefield and along the periphery. After all, it was always exciting to watch intense battles, especially when both sides were capable of using flashy spells and high-speed movements.Vahn was enjoying the matches just as much as the students but, not wanting to break the illusion of composure that he was trying to build up, he showed a casual smile with his hands neatly behind his back. He would properly referee each fight and, if things got out of hand, he displayed his power by intervening in the fight, stopping even full-powered attacks with a veritable wave of his hand. Since his power was one of the most heatedly discussed topics on the school's secret BBS, it wasn't all that surprising to see the students react with abject shock and borderline confusion when he could wave his hand and essentially erase a spell. What the students didn't realize is that he already had control over nearly all the mana in the surroundings and, while he allowed them to use it, there was never a single moment when he wasn't in control...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Treat yo Companions with respect...!','RIP male students xD...','The Emperor reigns over all (UwU)...')(A/N: Chapters are slightly delayed. Webnovel was down for five hours for me and I'm too used to using Inkstone to write. I didn't have the motivation to open up a word document because I would have to adjust the format I'm used to. You'd be surprised how much of writing is based on comfort and familiarity xD...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1290: Climactic Battle...!?