Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though Europe didn't fit the traditional definition of a Continent, as it was just the western section of a much larger landmass, there was a reason the Mage's Association had made it their core. It had the largest number of leylines present anywhere in the world and, with the exception of Egypt and a few regions of China, it had the closest connection to the Age of Gods. As a result, it served as a gateway of sorts for accessing the Reverse Side of the World and, despite their doctrine directly opposing the existence of Thaumaturgy, even the Catholic Church had exploited this property for their own gain.Since Avalon was also located in Europe, it was the most obvious choice for building a Supercolony. It was the region that would be most heavily affected by the coming convergence so, in preparation for what was to come, it was necessary to develop precautions against Gods, errant Spirits, and the Phantasmal Species that would soon return to the Surface.With this in mind, most of the Empire's forces had been consolidated around modern-day Czechia, specifically around the former capital, Prague. Here, much of the historical city had been reduced to a flat plot of land, one surrounded by a massive ivory wall a startling 50m in height. Though this was a relatively short wall from Vahn's perspective, it was monstrously tall from the perspective of normal humans. Even the Great Wall of China was only around 12-14m at its highest point, making the ivory white walls of the nascent European Supercolony tower over most modern structures.For the people that had seen the wall be built in a short two weeks, they had completely given up any semblance of resistance against the Empire. Even the former citizens of Prague accepted the loss of their city as, prior to the Supercolonies destruction, they were arranged temporary living quarters, ample food, and access to various temporary facilities. This included an Immigration Office where, so long as you were willing to uphold the Common Law, you were provided with a Companion, a set of form-fitting clothes to wear under your normal attire, and, as a way to entice even more people, full treatment of any past medical issues.It hadn't been long since the world was set on its current path so, while information regarding the existence of Alchemy and advanced medicine had been made public, most people didn't have the time to focus on developing even basic potions. Thus, with Paracelsus and Tristana literally healing things like blindness, deafness, lost limbs, and chronic diseases, a considerable number of people had been willing to take the Oath of Citizenship in exchange for treatment.Though there was a bit of resistance to the Companions, as the catalog detailing their treatment was offputting for those who had never even had a pet, it didn't take long for their popularity to increase. After all, while adults could be skeptical to a fault, it was hard to hate something that was both cute while simultaneously helpful. The hardest part for most people was treating Companions as partners rather than pets. After that, it was accepting the fact that, despite the number of children they had, a number of people were simply ill-suited to being parents.The Empire advocated that people be able to live freely but that didn't mean they were simply able to live however they pleased. If they had bad habits or poor parental skills, the Companions weren't going to just stand around and watch a drunkard beat their wife and children. Their opinion in the matter meant absolutely nothing to the Common Law as no child deserved to suffer violence and mistreatment from the people they should have been able to trust above all others.It would take a while but, given enough time, people would learn to accept that being a parent didn't grant you the right to treat your children however you pleased. You had an obligation to do your best to protect and love them, regardless of your personal faults and burdens. If you couldn't do that, you didn't deserve to be a parent from the very beginning. No child deserved to suffer just because their parents were ill-suited to taking care of other people so, if necessary, the Companions would become the primary caretakers of the children; backed by the Empire.This reality was impossible for some people to accept so, despite considerable protests, the Empire did not hesitate to separate Companions and children from bullheaded parents. Those that tried to fight the process had their crimes publically exposed and, if they attempted to cause trouble, incite a riot, or slander the Empire would face expulsion from the community. If they wanted to retrieve their children, they would need to prove themselves capable of parenting over a probational period, not stir up trouble just because they believed they were entitled to the lives they had created, regardless of whether or not their children were happy...---Once the outer wall of the European Supercolony had been completed, Vahn had arrived alongside Boudica and Nero to survey the land and its surroundings. The chances of an enemy attacking were all but guaranteed so, in preparation for the coming conflict, it was necessary for them to familiarize themselves with the terrain, the people, and environmental factors.Seeing the massive wall, with a circular diameter of 300km, Nero couldn't help but whistle, her hands on her hips as she mused, "To construct something of this magnitude in such a short period of time; the Empire is, truly, without equal. Umu, I'm starting to feel motivated."Nodding her head in agreement, Boudica looked around at the vast expanse of land, the place that would effectively become her dominion in the future. She couldn't even fathom what it would be like to have upwards of a hundred million people living in close proximity to each other but, trusting in the plan formulated by Vahn and his advisors, she decided not to question it. The only thing she had to worry about was protecting this land from those who would seek to bring it to ruin...While Nero and Boudica were familiarizing themselves with the region, Vahn was silently observing the people gathered outside. He could feel a palpable animosity present within the community, one which needed to be dealt with before people were allowed access to the Supercolony. Unfortunately, there was little he, personally, could do to remedy things as people were not so easily convinced.By the time the Supercolony had been completed, most of the people wanting to move inside would find themselves barred entry. After all, it wasn't meant to be a shelter where people just leeched off the resources of the Empire without contributing anything. Though most people would quickly fall in line when their livelihoods were at stake, Vahn knew a considerable number of dissidents expected to be allowed within the city. When they learned they couldn't get in, they would undoubtedly try to deter others from going inside and, in the worst-case scenario, attack those trying to gain entry.At times, Vahn was tempted to just use the Heaven's Feel ritual to get rid of the people who had no intention of even trying to get along with others. Unfortunately, this would be the same as running away from a problem he had created so, no matter how difficult things got, he would continue to try and remedy things using less 'extreme' methods. Eventually, he would cut off food and supplies to those still opposing the Empire as, if they had no intentions of changing, they would be left with no choice but to support their own way of life, still bound by the Common Law.Soon enough, the Common Law would be upheld with prejudice as it was the only way to convince those in opposition to the Empire to acquiesce. Until they were forced to face the consequences of their actions, those manipulating others to secure power for themselves would never cease leading others astray. These were the types of people Vahn hated more than any other as, in order to keep their ill-gotten positions, they would resort to the cruelest acts imaginable, all while believing they were in the right...Just as Vahn was about to release a tired sigh, a fair white index finger poked him in the cheek. It belonged to none other than Nero and, upon seeing him look back at her, she smiled happily and said, "Even when things get difficult, you should continue smiling. Umu, a lot of people rely on that smile of your's so don't hide it away, Master~."Hearing Nero's remark, Vahn issued a light-hearted laugh while caressing the top of her head. This caused Nero to 'Umu' proudly, her hands on her hips as she graciously accepted his praise. She was the type of woman who enjoyed being praised without any shame so, even if there was a crowd of people around them, Nero would, at times, openly ask for head pats. Vahn had gotten used to this so, even without her asking, he had developed the habit of stroking her head whenever she was in his effective petting range.After a while, Boudica ended up giving Vahn a 'warning' look so, as much as he enjoyed caressing Nero's silky-smooth hair, he ultimately retracted his hand and said, "After you finish your survey, let me know what kind of forces you think you'll need. If you feel uncertain about anything, Ark can help by making suggestions about personnel deployment and the allocation of resources. You don't have to worry about the construction efforts themselves as the Dwarves have agreed to help excavate and lay the foundation. Within the next three years, this place will become a marvel of engineering unlike anything the world has ever seen..."Since it wasn't really something that could be easily imagined, Nero and Boudica just smiled along with Vahn while imagining the grand city that was expected to emerge within the next three years. If not for the fact the walls they stood upon hadn't even existed a few weeks prior, they would find it very difficult to believe such a marvel of engineering could be completed in such a short period of time. Now, they looked forward to it with great anticipation and, in order to make sure nothing ran amiss, they would do their best to protect the nascent Supercolony.---Overlapping with his escorting of Nero and Boudica, Vahn was simultaneously idling about in his, Da Vinci's, and Sophia's workshop. He had originally come with the intention of discussing any changes to their initial projections but, after finding Sophia trying to test a pair of 'universal boots', all while Da Vinci busied herself with other work, he ended up babysitting his most brilliant yet troublesome daughter.Now, Vahn was walking on the roof with the Sophia monitoring various panels within her personal hovercraft. She used a pen-like stylus to quickly draft up new designs in one hand while, with no loss in focus, observing the readings of the boots while having her Papa perform various trials. In truth, it didn't really matter whether or not he had volunteered to assist, as her suit allowed her to fall from virtually any height without injury, but she still appreciated his willingness to assist.Since she had aspirations of building a personal spacecraft and moon base, Sophia had come up with several inventions that would allow her to easily traverse within a vacuum. These boots were no exception to this as, by relying on a neural link and an on-board computer, they were able to adapt to virtually any surface by using millions of tiny nano-machines to prevent detachment. This, when combined with her previous inventions, would allow her to freely navigate within a neutral or zero-g environment with considerable ease.Now, Sophia just needed to test their functionality in actual space, an environment where radiation and other factors needed to be accounted for. Thus, while her Papa was still messing around on the roof, she pulled out his ultimate weakness, her face forming a radiant and hopeful smile, her eyes glimmering with expectation as she asked, "Papa, can we go to space~!? I promise I won't wander off this time~!!"Hearing Sophia's words, Vahn nearly fell from the roof but, due to the nanomachine tread, he ended up sticking without issue. Then, rather than answer Sophia directly, he looked toward Da Vinci to find her smiling toward him with an amused expression. This indicated she had already given permission to Sophia, so long as he was in agreement. Since he didn't have the heart to refuse such an earnest request from his brilliant little genius, Vahn ultimately released a small sigh before flipping down to the ground and answering, "Sure, that sounds like fun. Don't think I won't spank you if you break your promise though."As she had received a number of light spankings in the past, Sophia flinched atop her seat but, in the name of scientific progress, she couldn't be deterred by something as base as corporal punishment!(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Don't you tell me how to raise my kids! *proceeds to beat them after drinking themselves into a drunken stupor* Aye knows was besht *hic* for them...!','Vahn surrounded by loyal women','FOR SCIENCE!')(A/N: As some already guessed, I haven't been feeling well since yesterday so my schedule is all over the place. Sorry for the late chapter today but I ended up sleeping for about eleven hours xD...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Vahn very rarely turned his attention away from the planet he inhabited but, every now and then, he enjoyed basking in the vast and chaotic energies of space. Though there was a fair amount of radiation present, he was completely immune to its effects since his body naturally filtered away anything harmful. He also had no DNA to damage so, even if he snuggled up next to a nuclear reactor for a few days, he would be none the worse for wear.Sophia, however, was not him so, while she was able to explore space, under close supervision, she did so using a craft that looked a lot like an adorable cartoon rabbit. It even had a snow-white hull, two eye-like sensory compartments, and flight wings that vaguely resembled angular ears. It was actually quite cute to behold and, while Sophia had inherited some troublesome traits from her mother, Vahn appreciated the fact they both designed things with an animal motif, rather than relying on more spartan designs.Though he didn't need to wear one, as he didn't need to breathe, Vahn was wearing a face mask that allowed him to communicate directly with the shuttle. Using this, he was able to alert Sophia to any dangers he sensed and, if anything ended up threatening her from the outside, he would be able to deal with it without putting the craft in danger. After all, while Sophia's craft was ahead of even the most advanced aerospace technology from the previous era, there were a number of environmental factors that posed a serious threat to her safety.Truthfully, Vahn had misgivings about even allowing Sophia into space but, knowing there was a fair chance she would venture out on her own, Vahn decided to directly assist in her research. It was one of the ways in which they got to spend some quality time with each other so, while it was more than a little disconcerting, he always enjoyed accompanying her. Besides, the view simply couldn't be beaten, something Sophia seemed to agree with as he heard her comment over the comms, "Simply breathtaking..."Hearing the remark, Vahn silently nodded his head before hovering near the front of the craft and reminding, "Beauty often conceals great danger. We should finish up quickly before heading back home. You know I can't help but worry about you while we're out here..."Following a peal of bell-like laughter, Sophia replied with a simple, "Understood, Papa~." before piloting her craft further out into space. They had previously been just outside of the Van Allen Radiation belt, an area where particles emitted by the sun gathered en masse, so, by heading just a few hundred meters, Sophia's craft would be bombarded by radiation. This always made Vahn a little uncomfortable, despite knowing her shielding was perfectly capable of withstanding such radiation levels, so he made sure to keep pace in order to prevent any hypersonic space debris from causing problems. Then, once they were within the region with the highest concentration of radiation, he had Sophia stay safely within her craft while he personally stress-tested her newest inventions...---Though it was currently the weekend, Mordred, Sakura, Mash, Zoë, and Astrid still made a point of attending the Clock Tower in order to build rapport with their fellow students. After all, more so than the educational aspect, the main reason for their attendance was to provide them with the chance to socialize amongst their peers. After all, even with the great changes that would be introduced in the coming era, it was impossible to completely abolish politics. Even if it was just from a social point of view, the central figures of the Empire would always be held to a higher standard and, if they didn't meet expectations, it was only a matter of time before the people lost faith in their would-be rulers.In order to set a proper example for others to follow, all five members of the 'Imperial Quintet' put in a considerable amount compared to their peers. They could almost always be found training hard or completing various Quests, constantly improving themselves through their own efforts. Though they also had the benefit of Vahn's attention, they used this as motivation to work even harder, opening a considerable power gap between them and the vast majority of students. Though anomalies such as Rani couldn't be overcome so easily, even Astrid had managed to get a few small advantages against her during their spars.Since even the most lackluster student within the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory had experienced a qualitative increase in strength, the progress made by the Imperial Quintet was even more noticeable. As a result, their group had expanded from their original five members to a total of seventeen, most of which were female. This included nearly every member of the top-ten, consisting of all five members of the Imperial Quintet and a host of students belonging to the Atlas Temple.Though Rani was still held the 2nd Ranking, she noticed how quickly the girls from the Empire were growing so, while not exactly the most competitive person in the world, she was compelled to put in a greater amount of effort to secure her position. Ideally, she would be able to overcome Mordred and secure the top position but, the harder she fought during their spars, the more she realized that the former wasn't going all out. Rather, there was such a vast gulf in their capabilities that, without a specially crafted weapon, Rani couldn't rationalize being able to defeat her.Despite this difference in power, Rani was undaunted so, along with the other 'combat type' Artificial Humans, she ended up spending much of her free time associating with the Imperial Quintet. It was an opportunity to observe the training methods and abilities of Mordred, Sakura, and Mash, so, even if she often found herself being inexplicably teased, Rani didn't let it affect her mentality or progress. Rather, spending time with the Imperial Quintet had taught her the importance of socializing as, in order to become even stronger, they freely shared information and honed their skills against each other without fear of undermining their own status and exposing their capabilities...Though the Atlas Temple believed in the propagation of knowledge, there were still a number of restrictions to this principle as, in order to secure a position for themselves, many Alchemists kept a few secrets. Rani herself was the amalgamation of various secret technologies so, better than most, she knew how peculiar it was for the Imperial Quintet to be so 'open' about their skills and abilities.This made them seem exceptionally confident, not in their current skills, but their ability to grow and develop faster than the people emulating them. If someone could surpass them following the same path, it indicated they either hadn't put in enough effort or that the other person simply tried harder than them. They didn't scorn the efforts of others, nor did they try to suppress them. Instead, in line with the policies of the Empire, they encouraged their peers to work hard, often giving advice freely and without embellishment.As a result of their nature, appearance, and, perhaps most importantly, status, the Imperial Quintet had quickly become the most idolized group within the entire Clock Tower. Unfortunately, unless you were a student of the Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory, it was rare to get a glimpse of them unless you encountered them on their way to, or from, the Aldnrnari College Commons. This led to a number of students lingering along the route whenever they had free times, some wanting nothing more than to catch a glimpse of the famous five while others, harboring the usual delusions of teens, prayed for a fateful encounter with one of the suspected Princesses...Today was no exception to this as, after finishing their morning lessons, Mordred could be found leading a rather large group of girls as they all jogged back to the Commons. They had formed into two neat lines and, without minding the fact she was making a scene, Mordred called out a military-style cadence to help everyone stay in pace. This was a pretty common occurrence within the Clock Tower these days, serving as both a show of unity and a deterrent to anyone trying to solicit any of the girls belonging to the infamous Department of Unified Thaumaturgical Theory.At this point, nearly every student within the Clock Tower lamented the fact they hadn't tried to join the Department in its nascent stages. Not only was it filled with a considerable number of beauties but, after the recent 'purge', it became the most influential Department in the entire Clock Tower. At the same time, all major factions had been abolished so, while several smaller factions still existed, it seemed pointless to join any organization unaffiliated with the Empire. After all, while London hadn't been as impacted as other cities, the complete collapse of the global economy and the massive shift from modernization all but guaranteed the Empire would be the only 'real' faction in the future.Unfortunately, it was exceptionally difficult to become a citizen of the Empire unless you had a clean record or extenuating circumstances that forced you to act against your will. Those over the age of fourteen, who had a past marred with terrible offenses against humans, spirits, or even Homunculi, had little hope of becoming official citizens of the Empire, at least without a considerable amount of effort. Their only option forward was to be placed into a probationary stage where they had to show very clear improvements in both character and mentality. It was only after passing a psychological evaluation, one that probed deep into their psyche, could they finally be liberated from the sins of their past.There had been a number of people who tried to get around this requirement by becoming friendly with the allies of the Empire but, despite their best efforts, they had been unsuccessful. This made it clear to everyone, including the few Noble families that had survived the 'purge', that the Empire was not simply throwing around pretenses. The current era wasn't simply the shifting of power between one overlord to another but, on a much grander scale, it was the enforcement of an ideology where malicious intentions and opportunistic mentalities wouldn't get you far.The only way to align yourself with the Empire and prosper was to make a sincere effort to be better, both morally and objectively. You had to adhere to both the spirit and the letter of the Common Law as, any grievous violations all but guaranteed death. The Empire seemingly had no mercy for people who attempted to game the system and get away with violating the law using wealth, status, and the privilege people had been born into. If you thought you could get away with something because of some misguided sense of superiority, only one outcome awaited you.This realization hit a number of people rather hard as, with the collapse markets, the severance of communications technologies, the grounding of planes, and the crippling of supply lines, even the wealthiest of families had no choice but to line up outside food distribution centers. Their pride was dragged through the dirt and, with the power possessed by the Empire, the best they could do was advise their progeny to perform well in school. The only hope a family had of surviving into the new era was by throwing their lot in with the Empire so, while many families had to swallow a very bitter pill, they did so in order to preserve their legacies...---Unconcerned with the thought process of struggling Magus families, Olga was sitting listlessly in her Director's chair, wondering when Vahn would pay her a visit. Around her, monitoring the information obtained by CHALDEAS, five identical girls could be seen. They each had peculiar pink hair, pale-blue eyes, and petite figures that made them appear to be in their mid-teens.Though it was a rather peculiar sight to behold, what really made the girls stand out were their large cat-like ears, glistening with a metallic sheen, their perpetually smiling expressions, and the tattoos on their upper left arm, each showing a different number. At the same time, if you were to observe them very closely, you would be able to see a stream of data flickering across their eyes and, if you had superhuman hearing, a virtually inaudible whirring could be heard emanating from within their tiny frames.While appearing human at a glance, these girls were actually automatons created by Merem after the latter continued pestering Vahn, asking if there was anything he could do to help. Since Merem could create completely unique forms of life at will, Vahn had conferred with Da Vinci and the others before tasking Merem with the creation of personnel that would be able to help maintain CHALDEAS without suffering from the same pitfalls as normal humans. As a result, they ended up with a rather adorable humanoid doll based on one of Touko's designs since Merem, by his own admission, lacked creativity.For the same reason, Merem ended up producing a total of thirty of the same model, naming the entire series of doll-like girls 'Operator Daemons'. This wasn't an incorrect designation either as, in spite of their appearance, each of the girls was, indeed, a Daemon. Instead of being an existence that fulfilled something like sexual desire, however, they had the sole focus of operating the systems of Chaldeas, ensuring everything was working optimally. This was the thing that made them happy so, while it was more than a little awkward, especially for the first few weeks, the tireless work ethic of the Operator Daemons had made a positive impression on everyone.Now, Olga often found herself with very little to do as, from the moment the Operators took over, they had performed their assigned tasks without a single error. They weren't emotionless machines that were incapable of adapting to changing circumstances so, even if there was a small hiccup, they would quickly resolve the issue by working together seamlessly. This resulted in Olga spending most of her time just observing CHALDEAS in silence, still fulfilling her duties, albeit in a much less hands-on way than before...Just as Olga's boredom began to get the better of her, she noticed the beautiful sapphire-blue glow of CHALDEAS change slightly, immediately followed by one of the Operators stating, "Director, there seems to be a temporal anomaly in sector C-17. SHEBA is no longer able to detect 73% of the Sector using the Near-Future Observation Lens. Shall we send a team to investigate?"Though it wasn't uncommon for anomalies to appear, Olga couldn't help but get a little excited as it was always far more interesting to investigate a problem than just sit around. Thus, hearing Nana's report, named as such due to the 07 on her arm, Olga rose from her chair with a start, a smile on her face as she exclaimed, "Send observation probes to the site and inform Delta Team to be on standby for immediate deployment! Come on, Vahn is relying on us to do our jobs properly. We can't let any surprises interfere with the Empire's plans~!!"Since she rarely had anything to do, Olga was always eager whenever something happened. After all, if she did well, Vahn would pamper and praise her even more than usual. She still had a weakness to being praised so, if the opportunity presented itself, she would give 110% to the completion of any task. As for the Operators, they replied with a simple, "Acknowledged." while simultaneously carrying out her orders without even a momentary delay...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Can't wait to see a bunny battle cruiser xD...','Adapt or fall into obscurity','The birth of Realians...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though it wasn't impossible for her to kill Demons, one of Kenshin's mission objectives involved the capture of their target. Da Vinci was developing a method to detect the unique energy within Demonic entities, updating the Companions' systems to be able to emulate the function of Pure Eyes. She had originally tried to study Jeanne's and Galahad's eyes but, without removing them and performing a detailed analysis, this was an ultimately futile endeavor.Once Yami returned carrying the [Demon Sealing Jar], Kenshin placed it within a special satchel that used Imaginary Number Space to store objects without any time passing. It was still a work in progress but, with Interspatial Artifacts unable to store organic material, it was the best they could do until Da Vinci created a new prototype.To thank Yami for its hard work, Kenshin affectionately rubbed the obedient Companion's cheeks before turning to the woman strapped to the table. There, Hikari was using magic known as 'High Heal', derivative magic that had been developed after researching items Vahn had produced with his unique ability. It used a completely different logic than standard Magecraft but, while the cost was several times higher than normal healing, the effects far exceeding the capabilities of modern healing spells.In less than twenty seconds, the woman strapped to the table had both of her legs restored so, to show her gratitude, Kenshin mussed Hikari's fluffy fur while muttering, "It seems I am indebted to the two of you once again~."Though the majority of third generation Companions were capable of speech, most still opted to communicate using cute sounds. Thus, in response to Kenshin's words, Hikari rubbed its head against Kenshin's palm, a happy mewl escaping its lips. At the same time, Yami jumped up to her shoulder, rubbing its head against her cheek without minding the mask covering Kenshin's face.While this was occurring, the three conscious prisoners were staring at Kenshin with abject terror visible on their faces. Though they hoped the mask-wearing woman had come to save them, they, like many others, had come to fear the forces of the Empire. It didn't matter how many people they rescued as, from the perspective of the majority, the Empire was to blame for everything that was happening. Prior to Vahn's announcement, they had lived in ignorant bliss, wasting their lives away in the pursuit of personal gain at the expense of the planet so, no matter the kindness they were shown, most people hated the Empire to the core.Kenshin had become accustomed to people failing to express their gratitude so, after treating the woman on the table, she looked towards the three cowering women, stating, "You will be safer if you live closer to the food distribution centers. The Empire is slowly expanding its influence to all regions. Times are tough but, if you stay resolute, you will find peace and prosperity in due time."Hearing Kenshin's words, one of the women began to tremble in frustration and anger but, due to the fear she was experiencing, words completely escaped her. The Empire was known for striking down dissidence without hesitation so, despite a strong urge to lash out and lambast Kenshin for the crimes of her Emperor, the trio could only shed tears. As for Kenshin, she flicked her wrist in a casual manner but, from the perspective of the girls, she hadn't moved at all. When they finally realized what had happened, their bindings had been cut and, as if she had never been there in the first place, Kenshin had disappeared...---After returning to the relay point, Kenshin removed her mask to take a breath of fresh air before stating in a commanding tone, "Report." In response, Nora gave a curt salute before explaining, "Squads Seven and Eight had to deal with a riot instigated by religious dissidents. Some of the people complained about the quality and quantity of the rations they were given so Theralise ran a cursory scan of the crowd, using logic and reasoning to try and control the crowd. This resulted in a riot breaking out but, after apprehending those responsible for riling up the crowd, the rest calmed down quickly."Hearing Nora's report, Kenshin couldn't help but release a sigh as this was a common occurrence as of late. Since those living away from the food distribution centers were generally hardliners and small factions, they sent agents to gather food from the Empire-controlled facilities. As the Empire only gave people enough food to sustain themselves and their immediate family, using a series of detailed scans to keep track of distribution, the total amount they obtained wasn't nearly enough for all the rebels they intended to feed.As a result, forces in direct opposition to the Empire, as if the people they were targetting were beneath them, freely robbed others, often committing other heinous acts in order to support their personal agenda. This was additional evidence proving that the change introduced by Vahn was necessary as, with people defaulting to this type of behavior, it was a testament to just deep the corruption of society had become.Since she wasn't smart enough to consider the finer details, Kenshin could only do what she did best; defeat her foes and protect the people that required her help. With this in mind, she gave a curt nod to Nora before stating, "We will expose those with relations to external factions, denying them access to further supplies unless they are willing to adhere to Common Law. If they choose to ignore their own words, they will be cut off and exiled."Without questioning Kenshin's orders, Nora gave another salute while exclaiming, "Understood!" in a resolute. She, like nearly every Homunculus serving under Vahn, had come to admire him far more than something as base as an Emperor. To them, he was basically their Savior and God, an idea that became even more prominent after he obtained a Divinity. Though it was kept a 'secret' from him, a considerable number of Homunculi even gathered together to celebrate their God in a rather 'improper' manner, often after hard training sessions.With Kenshin's own Loyalty to Vahn being unquestionable, those that had trained under her had been influenced by her teachings and behavior. Thus, as their Egos developed, they had become rather zealous in their views, especially when seeing how those serving directly under Vahn, such as Gareth, improved. She had quickly reached a point where they couldn't defeat her without the combined effort of more than twenty Homunculi, a testament to how much she had grown since the start of their joint training...After regrouping with Squads 7 and 8, Kenshin stood atop the high wall surrounding the food production facility while Nora listened to the oral reports of the two Captains. There, she saw a veritable ocean of people gathered around, their numbers reaching close to two-million, more than half of which only lingered around for free supplies and food. Though this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as that was the purpose of the facility, the number of dissidents intermixed among the general populace led to riots breaking out almost every day.Kenshin was reminded of the rampant slums that had been an issue during her era, lawless areas where the poor and downtrodden intermixed amongst criminals to take advantage of the various Lords governing the land. They were often a breeding bed of violent crime and, though she had done her best to provide jobs to those inhabiting them, a surprising number of people opted to just leech benefits while doing the least amount of work possible. This current gathering was no different as, without police to enforce order; theft, robbery, murder, extortion, and sexual assault were all too common...Since there were tens of thousands of people gathered in order to receive their weekly food and supplies, a considerable number of people noticed Kenshin atop the walls. Based on her armor, it was easy to deduce she was a high ranking officer within the Imperial forces so, from the moment she appeared, even those frustrated at the long lines became docile. Even without things like the internet to help spread information, most of the residents around food production facilities knew what each armor color represented so none of them wanted to caused trouble while Kenshin was around.Unfortunately, this wasn't an adequate method to maintain order as, if they kept someone with black armor present at all times, people would gradually become accustomed to their presence. In time, those with lingering thoughts of dissidence would feel emboldened and, after a series of petty crimes, they would eventually resort to something extreme just to spite the person watching over them. The only real solution was extreme violence but, as this was against the policies of the Empire, the best they could do is restore order when things got especially out of hand.Eventually, the community itself would rally behind influential figures in an effort to maintain order but, until people realize things weren't going to return to how they were, the current chaos would continue. According to Ark's estimates, the current transitory period, acceptance, would last for a total of three years. Once things reached that point, people would begin trying to rebuild society in accordance with the new order. This phase would take upwards of fifty years if left alone but, by building the Supercolonies and Sanctuary Cities, the Empire could reduce the time to around ten and twenty years depending on the damage caused by Angra Mainyu and other forces.Kenshin didn't have the best understanding of the Empire's plans but, in order to make sure their enemies weren't able to intervene, she hardened her heart to do whatever it took to ensure each phase was a success. Thus, much to the chagrin of the people who had gathered to receive their supplies, she activated a communication device that transmitted her voice throughout the entire slum-like settlement. From there, her forces went around forcibly marking those who had ties with external factions, warning them against causing trouble in the future.By marking those responsible for the interruption of service, the community itself would feel compelled to take action. Though this effectively turned the people against each other, it also promoted the idea that the Empire's property should be protected. After all, without a supply chain to provide goods and services, the only reliable method to obtain food, medicine, and other important goods was by relying on the Empire.Eventually, a clear divide would exist between those advocating for the benefits of the Empire and those in direct opposition to it. Since those who fell in line would receive greater benefits than those sewing discord, more people would develop the mentality that it was better to simply give in to the Empire's rule. After all, the Common Law would still apply to them so, at any given moment, a raid could occur on the settlement they were associated with, wiping them out in an instant...It had never been Vahn's intention to conquer the world but, in order to preserve as many lives as possible, he was compelled to do so. Though his means might be considered underhanded, they were the most effective method to shift the mentality of people without directly oppressing them. Since the only other alternative was to allow them to victimize each other, often at the expense of those that simply wanted to live a peaceful lifestyle, it was necessary to bring those seeking order together in order to repel those clinging to the past.With one side having unlimited military power, infinite energy, and inexhaustible supplies, it was only a matter of time before the Empire extinguished all other forces. Though some communities were bound to form outside of the Empire-controlled territories, they would still be bound by the Common Law so it didn't particularly matter how they chose to live. After all, Vahn believed that everyone should be able to live as they pleased, so long as it wasn't at the expense or detriment of those around them...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci's influence is extreme','Zealots can be scary...','Imagine, a world where your actions have consequences. A normal person's dream, a wealthy cunt's nightmare')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1377: Difficulties