Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the unconscious Hugo floating behind him, Sherlock made his way over to where Lilith had crash-landed after her battle against Betty. There, he found a 30m wide crater, fortunately away from any heavy population centers. Lilith had enough wherewithal to aim away from pedestrians so, while the battle had done a fair amount of damage to the surroundings, it was infinitely better than what would have happened if they fought on the ground.Seeing Lilith carrying a battered and unconscious Betty with her tail, using it to choke the seemingly young girl, Sherlock showed a rare frown but, instead of rebuking her, he asked, "Is that necessary?"Without a moment's hesitation, Lilith immediately nodded her head, explaining, "That thing inside of her needs to be sealed away. Even if her unconscious state, it would still be able to take control of her body. If I let go of her or gave her any leeway to move freely, I imagine she will run away before we are able to get our answers."Understanding Lilith's concerns, as Betty lacked an actual corporeal form, Sherlock just nodded his head before stating, "Wrap your tail around her body, rather than her neck. Restricting her arms is certainly better than walking around dangling her by the neck..."Though she didn't completely agree with his assessment, as it was far safer to have the option to crush Betty's neck at a moment's notice, Lilith never refused the orders of her Master. Thus, with a number flick of her tail, she tossed Betty's unconscious body before catching it, this time around the body instead of the neck. To make sure she wouldn't wake any time soon, however, she put in a little more force than was absolutely necessary, causing a quiet cracking sound while forcing the air out of Betty's lungs.Sherlock lightly shook his head upon seeing Lilith's actions but, despite his own misgivings on the matter, he wouldn't intervene. He had already underestimated Betty once, so, until he knew what it was that had been sealed inside her body, he couldn't afford to show her much leniency. She was a very serious threat and, if his speculation proved truth, she only existed when people were actively perceiving her. If she was able to escape, capturing her a second time would prove inordinately more difficult...What Sherlock couldn't understand, at least for now, was why Betty had been allowed to freely roam, seemingly without purpose. Her words implied her association with the group that had appeared the previous month but, as they had yet to directly appear, it didn't make sense for them to let a childish girl wander around freely. The only rational explanation was that she was intended as nothing more than a distraction but, with the way Betty's ability manifested, this didn't seem likely. This meant they were either trying to get a feel for the Empire's ability to monitor the planet or, in the most troubling of cases, Betty was meant to serve as bait to draw them out...Seeing as how nobody had appeared, even after the battle had completed, Sherlock reasoned that her allies were either late or, despite his instincts telling him this wasn't the case, they really were just trying to get a feel for the Empire's observation network. Assuming this was the truth, it implied that, despite coming from the future, their enemies were unaware of Chaldea. At the same time, however, this entire plot could just be a means to get one of their people inside an Imperial facility as, if at any point they stopped observing Betty, there was a very good chance she would escape...Since there was no way of knowing to whole truth through mere speculation, Sherlock needed to gain more information. Betty herself could be a treasure trove but, with that darkness inside of her, it wasn't exactly safe to try and probe her mind. Thus, taking advantage of his unique Skills, Sherlock pulled out a pocket journal and began writing his hypothesis within. He could instinctually determine whether or not his speculation was accurate from writing it down but, as he enjoyed mental puzzles, it was rarely his go-to method.Though it spoiled the game quite a bit, Sherlock discovered that all of his guesses were accurate, at least to an extent. This implied his enemy severely lacked information but, considering the fact they had hidden away for more than a month, this wasn't exactly news. What bothered him was the fact that Betty was meant to be used as bait but, despite several minutes having passed, neither he nor Lilith had sensed anyone.Pulling out his pocket watch, Sherlock checked the time, finding it close to 21:00UTC. If they didn't show up before then, he would be forced to escort Betty to one of their extraction sites to come up with a method to monitor and contain her. Da Vinci would undoubtedly come up with a solution in the near future but, until such a time, it was his responsibility to prevent her from wandering freely...With time passing uneventfully, Sherlock snapped his watch shut before saying, "We'll take these two to one of the Atlas Temple's facilities. Can you teleport with her in tow? It would be unfortunate if she was able to escape the moment we try to move her."Hearing her Master's question, Lilith issued her characteristic giggle before unabashedly claiming, "Worry not, my Master. This girl's power isn't directly related to Space. I don't quite understand it but, so long as she is bound by my tail, her powers are effectively sealed~."With Lilith's assurance, Sherlock waited for another three minutes before giving her permission to teleport them. Though it was somewhat disappointing that their other enemies hadn't revealed themselves, it at least provided him with more information. After all, if Betty was intended to be used as bait, yet her allies failed to appear, this meant they were either incompetent or, after seeing Lilith's powers, decided against intervening.Just as this thought crossed his mind, Sherlock noticed something that caused his expression to turn dour in an instant. The moment Lilith initiated her teleport, Betty's figure vanished in the blink of an eye. In the next moment, they were outside one of the Atlas Temple's sites, bereft of the young girl they had put so much effort into capturing...---From within a dark, dreary, and unnaturally moist room, a man with a long face, dour expression, and pitch-black eyes sat hunched over a writing desk. The shadows in the room seemed to coil about in an unnatural way and, despite being in the middle of a forest, the room rocked about, much like the cabin of a ship. There was a heavy odor of salt on the air and, from the roof, murky water droplets persistently dripped onto the barnacle and moss-ridden floor.At the moment of Betty's disappearance, the man's pen, an ornate instrument carved from a strange black bone, came to a stop. Immediately after, the once-dark room became a perfectly normal, well-lit and cozy, cabin. Rather than a single gas lantern to light the entire room, there was a fire crackling in the nearby fireplace and, if not for the persistent odor of salt and fish, it would be impossible to associate this rather homely dwelling with the desolate scene moments prior.Despite the change in his surroundings, the long-faced man's expression hadn't changed in the slightest, his eyes seemingly staring at something in the distance, far beyond what normal people could perceive. It was almost as if his expression had been frozen in time as, even after rising to his feet and staring directly at the fireplace, he never blinked. Instead, the flames flickered in his eyes for several minutes before he picked up the book he had been writing in, a strange leather-bound book with blackened hide stitched together on both covers.Unlike a normal book, the one in the man's hands was covered in various runes and, despite how the surfaces seemed smooth at a glance, closer inspection revealed an intricate pattern that seemed to writhe about unnaturally. The longer you stared at it, the more it would seem to move about and, if you listened closely, even the sounds of breathing could be heard emanating from within...Hugging the book to his chest as if he were afraid to lose it, the man walked to the closed door of his cabin. Once there, he just stared blankly for several seconds as previously invisible runes slowly came into view, each flickering with orange light, much like a flame. This phenomenon eventually expanded to cover the entire room, revealing tens of thousands of seals that had been put in place throughout the relatively small cabin.Once the orange light faded away, the sound of several locks being removed could be heard on the other side of the door which, unlike normal rooms, locked from the outside. It was only after fifteen locks had been removed that the door finally opened, revealing a white-haired girl in a pure white dress. At a glance, this girl looked exactly like the Betty that had been captured by Lilith but, rather than ghostly blue eyes, she had pale-red irises that seemed to absorb, rather than reflect, light.Though his expression somehow looked even dourer, as a result, the long-faced man smiled at the young girl before reaching out his hand to pat her head. At the same time, a shaggy-haired man, nearly hidden behind a mountain of books and documents, peered over to ask in a lazy tone, "How did it go? Were you able to lure out anyone interesting?"Hearing the question directed toward him, the long-faced man looked directly at the shaggy-haired man, his black eyes somehow becoming even darker as he solemnly stated, "Sherlock Holmes and a demonic woman named Lilith. The latter was able to defeat the darkness...she is a true monster..."As if he had fully expected such a response, the shaggy-haired man just gave a lazy nod before turning back to his own work and saying, "Take it easy for a couple of days. We'll let them stress out trying to figure out what happened. If that man is truly Sherlock Holmes, he won't be able to let this matter lay. Once things settle down, we'll draw him into a more comprehensive trap..."Since he had been writing almost non-stop for the past five days, the long-faced gave a solemn nod in response before reaching out his hand to the white-haired girl, asking, "Will you read me another story...something pleasant?"Though her expression didn't change in the slightest, the doll-like girl readily grabbed the man's hand with her own, answering in a soft and delicate tone, "Of course. You have worked hard. It would make me happy to read for you."Hearing the white-haired girl's reply, the long-faced man released a sigh of relief. Though he hadn't expected her to refuse, it was comforting how quickly she agreed to his request. Her stories were like a ray of sunshine, brightening his dreary existence. Until he was once again forced to delve back into the dark abyss, he wanted to experience her light for as long as possible. It gave him something to hold onto when the darkness threatened to claim what little remained of his sanity so, despite being the elder between them, the man allowed himself to be pulled along by the girl. He was like an old and weary seafaring vessel being guided through a port by a tiny, yet steadfast, tugboat...(A/N: This will probably be the only chapter today. My housemate brought the sickness into our apartment once again.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With nothing to distract him, Vahn ended up spending several hours at Lakshmibai's side, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the forest clearing. Though they kissed and cuddled a fair amount, their time together was mainly spent feeding each other delicious morsels of food and just talking. Vahn always enjoyed moments like this as, while it was certainly enjoyable to have sex all the time, even he would begin to feel something was wrong if that was the only way he spent time with his women.Fortunately, while Lakshmibai had become a very 'open' woman, one who enjoyed sex a little bit too much, she fundamentally lacked the ability to take the lead. She always allowed him to take the lead so, unless he told her to do something, there was little chance of things spiraling out of control like when he was with Nobunaga or someone like Ishtar. These two, in particular, were rather notorious for leading things toward sex but, considering one was a prideful conqueror, while the other was a literal Goddess of Sex, this wasn't all that unexpected.Things like that made moments like this all the more important so, while it was somewhat tainted by his petting parade with Alaya and Tiamat, Vahn enjoyed just lounging about. There was something soul-cleansing about being able to use a beautiful woman's plump thighs as a cushion while having her hand-feed him grapes. Better yet, however, was when their roles were reversed as, in stark to his calm and relaxed demeanor, Lakshmibai became extremely bashful when doted upon...If not for Alaya's ill-timed request, Vahn would have been able to enjoy this peaceful moment to the fullest. Though he would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying what was happening on both ends, it was also extremely awkward due to his past inhibitions and the presence of Tiamat. The latter lacked an Ego of her own but that did little to stop her from emulating Alaya. She also had the instincts of a Primordial Goddess of Creation so, from the moment his petting devolved beyond a simple display of affection, the white crosses in her eyes gained a pink color.Now, Vahn had to deal with a bound woman affectionately rubbing against him while Alaya, a stark contrast to how she would react to similar touches in the past, straddled his right leg while releasing heated gasps. It was honestly a little perturbing as, even when he went all out previously, she would show virtually no reaction whatsoever. This implied she was allowing herself to be influenced by his touches and, while it was certainly interesting, Vahn couldn't help but feel fretful as the blue-skinned beauty rubbed her lower body along his thigh. Though she still lacked a sexual organ, there was still a palpable warmth, a characteristic squishiness, and, against all logic, gradually increasing moisture.Truthfully, Vahn was very interested in the peculiarities of Alaya's body but, as her behavior was far removed from how she normally acted, he found it difficult to take advantage of the situation. Part of him still had considerable inhibitions toward her and, knowing how 'potent' her affection was, he restrained his growing urges for fear of how she would behave in the future. Based on how far she was taking things after his earlier acquiescence, it was clear that Alaya would need clear direction in the future or she might even become worse than Hestia had been at the onset of their relationship...Just as Vahn was thinking about how best to restrain Alaya's overbearing affection in the future, the woman in question surprised him by suddenly resting her head against his chest, her body trembling madly as a phenomenal amount of liquid covered his leg. He didn't have to ask to understand what had happened but, seeing Alaya's pale-blue body become slightly translucent, Vahn couldn't help but ask, "Are you okay...?" in a concerned tone.Before Alaya could answer his question, Vahn found himself at a complete loss for words as, while Alaya continued to lean against him, Tiamat's eyes brightened considerably. At the same time, her water-like hair coiled around his leg and Alaya's lower body, intermixing with the fluids produced by the latter. Her hair was cool and pleasant to the touch but, knowing Tiamat was basically absorbing Alaya's bodily fluids, all while licking his neck with her impossibly long tongue, he didn't really know how to feel about the current situation...Lending to Vahn's incredulity even further, Tiamat didn't seem completely satisfied with what she had obtained from Alaya so, after clearing the evidence, her hair began to coil around the latter's thighs. This was enough to apparently return Alaya to her senses as, with a glare reminiscent of how one would view their mortal enemy, she looked toward Tiamat and firmly stated, "Stop."Like someone who had received a severe shock, Tiamat immediately 'bounced' away from Vahn's body, flying back several tens of meters in an instant. The white crosses in her eyes had turned red in an instant and, rather than flowing gently from her scalp, her hair now rolled chaotically like the sea during a storm. Then, much to Vahn's surprise, Tiamat freed her right arm from its constraints, her hand forming into a vicious claw covered in black scales as she bared her shark-like teeth at Alaya...As interesting as a battle between two Tier 5 entities would be, Vahn knew Tiamat fundamentally lacked the ability to hold back. Thus, before things could get out of hand, he repeated Alaya's words, stating, "Stop." in a commanding tone. This caused the red-hue to Tiamat's eyes to fade away in an instant, her hair regaining its usual calm state. She even returned her hand to its previous position, despite the chains no longer binding it in place, seemingly incapable of realizing she had broken free in the first place.With Tiamat temporarily pacified, Vahn released a sigh of relief before habitually placing his hand on Alaya's head and saying, "You should calm down as well. You know better than most that Tiamat has no control over her actions. Come, unless you want things to revert to how they were, you should try and make up with her..."Hearing Vahn's words, Alaya, for the first time in her long existence, wanted to scream. She wanted to point out that Tiamat was just an empty shell, incapable of emotions and fundamentally unable to even comprehend what an apology was. However, after observing Vahn for more than three years, she knew these types of arguments were completely useless against him. She also couldn't ignore his orders so, while it made her feel more frustrated than she even thought possible, Alaya floated over to Tiamat and obediently apologized...Vahn was actually aware of Alaya's frustration but, as this was a chance for both of them to grow, he pushed her to make amends. Though it could backfire on him in the near future, Vahn was confident in his ability to pacify Alaya, even if she somehow became vengeful. He just needed to treat her well in the future as, with her becoming increasingly more honest with her emotion, it was only a matter of time before their relationship became something more genuine. He had seen her develop from an emotionless being to an adorable woman with a propensity to pouting so, if he put a serious effort into guiding her, it wouldn't be that difficult to stabilize her mentality.With this in mind, Vahn surprised Alaya considerably by placing a simple kiss on her forehead after she returned to his side. Then, while guiding her over to Tiamat with his hand on her hip, he smiled affectionately and said, "Thanks. I know it isn't easy for you." This was enough to cause Alaya's face to transition from pouting to confusion and introspection. He could lines of data-like runes flickering across her irises, evidence that she was either communicating with Akasha or putting a lot of effort into processing something...While Alaya was distracted with her own thoughts, Vahn unabashedly grabbed Tiamat's right hand, pulling it away from her neck. This caused her to tilt her head to the side, her mouth parting slightly as an 'Owaaa...' escaped her lips. She then began to wiggle around her fingers with a smile on her face, seemingly just now realizing her hand was freed from its shackles.Seeing Tiamat's innocent reaction, Vahn couldn't help but smile before asking, "Can you free your other limbs now? Go ahead and give it a try..."In the past, Tiamat's chains had proven impossible for even Okita's [Purgatory Sword] to break so it was quite a surprise when he saw how 'easily' she pulled her hand free. He had tried to have her do so in the past but, after struggling for several hours, the ancient golden chains hadn't budged in the slightest. This meant that Tiamat was growing progressing stronger with time and, while this wasn't exactly a surprise, Vahn was hopeful she would develop an Ego in the near future.As she was compelled to follow the orders she had been given, Tiamat wasted no time in trying to break free from her restraints. Since most of the chains binding her right hand had also bound her left, it didn't take much effort for her to liberate both hands. Her legs, however, proved far more difficult and, even after generating enough power to cause the void to tremble around her, they remained unmoved.Since the bindings of Tiamat's legs were far more comprehensive than the ones on her arms, Vahn wasn't surprised she was unable to break them. Thus, before she could destroy the surrounding space with her raw power alone, he placed his hand on her head, softly ordering, "That is enough. You did well, Tiamat."Hearing Vahn's words, Tiamat immediately stopped exerting her power and, in response to having her head caressed, a happy smile spread across her face. She might not realize emotions in the same way as others but, with her instincts still intact, Tiamat was still capable of understanding things like happiness. This was one of the reasons why Vahn couldn't give up on beings like her, Skoll, and even Alaya as, in the grand scheme of things, patience, understanding, and a basic appreciation for life were all that was needed to nurture a nascent Ego...One of the things Vahn would never understand is how many people, for no clear reason, looked down upon others. This wasn't just unique to humans, either, as all sapient species seemed to have this trait. Even more nonsensical was the fact that, if they lacked a group to oppress, they turned against their own race, creating social and class divides in order to elevate the few over the many.In truth, Vahn knew it was the influence of Karma and various Laws that led to this phenomenon but, as the people committing these atrocities rarely took this into account, it seemed senseless. Knowing he would have to contend against these forces for the rest of eternity, Vahn couldn't help feeling just a little helpless. Though this wasn't enough to deter him from the path he had chosen, as there was simply too much at stake, it was evidence of the fact he still had a long way to go, both as a God of Creation and Destruction...Eventually, a time would come where Vahn became one of the things he hated the most, a passive entity that allowed evil to exist as a matter of course. He knew, the more he intervened, the harder it would be to secure his own happiness. Thus, at some point in the distant future, he would ultimately have to remove himself from the equation, becoming the lynchpin of a reality where atrocities may very well be committed in his name.In the past, Vahn had never even considered this but, as his power and responsibilities continued to increase, he began to understand the perspective of Gods and higher-tiered entities. He was slowly beginning to understand the futility of taking proactive action as, with such vast disparities in power, the matters of mortals became increasingly more mundane and insignificant. Though it would likely take him thousands of years to reach the point where he stopped caring completely, Vahn resolved to never turn a blind eye to senseless oppression. Even if he had to become a literal God of Order, it was one of the things he would never compromise on...(A/N: I am still very sick. Pray for me xD...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

There were some things that the minds of men were simply incapable of comprehending. Though they were given limitless imaginations, allowing them to rationalize even abstract concepts, there were times when they were presented with things they simply couldn't, or instinctually resisted, trying to understand. Such was the case with the massive maw of teeth, the swirling vortex within, the malicious purple eyes, and the absolute darkness that made them doubt whether or not they even existed...The only thing the men knew for certain was the chill that now permeated everything they once believed to be themselves. It was this, combined with an overwhelming sense of dread, that allowed them, at least for the time being, to know they still existed. Whether or not they were still alive was another matter entirely, however, as all other feelings had long-since faded away. Even the passage of time had stagnated to the point where they didn't know whether ten seconds or ten years had passed...Fortunately, just as the maw seemed to close around them, the vortex within shredding them apart in its chaotic tide, a sound similar to glass breaking cut through them like vicious shards. In the next moment, they fell like marionettes with their strings cut, the light in their eyes having faded almost completely as the white-haired girl, with furrowed brows, exclaimed, "Who is it!? You dare interrupt Betty's vengeance...!?"In response to the girl's outburst, the rhythmic tapping of a cane could be heard as, from the far end of the alleyway, an inky-haired gentleman wearing a modified Inverness coat appeared. This caused the girl, self-identified as Betty, to glower as she muttered, "You are the one that has been following Betty...a dog of that heartless man..."Hearing the girl's biting remark toward Vahn, the man issued a light hum before tapping his cane on the concrete, stating in a polite tone, "As this is our first time meeting, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sherlock Holmes, Master Detective. Though it is not the first time I've been called a dog, I would rather you address me in a less abrasive manner."As Sherlock introduced himself, several mechanical limbs appeared from within his coat, each ending with a golden magnifying glass adorned with complex runes. This caused the girl to take a few steps back, her expression darkening as she venomously stated, "To think, even someone as famous as you is now nothing more than a dog serving the Empire. Tell me, are you proud of what your Master has done to this world...!?"Ever the gentleman, Sherlock allowed Betty to finish with her outburst before stating in the same casual tone as before, "I'll not deny that things progressed in a rather...regrettable...way. However, I have little to do with the decisions made by our idealistic Emperor. All I seek is the truth in all things. Now, please enlighten me, Miss Betty...if you are so upset by the actions of the Emperor, what, might I ask, gives you the right to pass judgment onto more than fifty men and women? Tell me, why do you always have a sadistic smile on your face when watching them suffer?"Rather than respond to Sherlock's words, Betty clenched her teeth before spontaneously pulling up her skirt, revealing that, unlike the rest of her pure white outfit, she was wearing black lace panties, complete with tiny white ribbons. Though this was noted by Sherlock, his expression didn't change in the slightest. Instead, he waited for several seconds, his open pocket watch ticking loudly in his left hand.Seeing Sherlock unharmed, Betty's expression became darker than ever before as she released the edges of her dress and asked, "Are you a eunuch or something? How can you feel nothing when a woman is exposing herself to you?"Hearing Betty refer to herself as a woman, Sherlock cocked his eyebrow in mild surprise, an action that caused the white-haired girl's brows to twitch. Then, to further exacerbate matters, he plainly stated, "You'll have to forgive me...I'm afraid women of your...stature...don't suit my preferences. Still, I must thank you for confirming my suspicions. I'm curious, do you have any actual powers outside of messing with people's minds? If not...well, I'm afraid this will be a little anti-climactic."Incensed by Sherlock's words, Betty hunched over, her hands extended slightly to her sides as she began to laugh in an eerie 'kukuku' pattern. From beneath her perfectly straight bangs, her blue eyes shimmered with a cold light as she asked, "You think you can defeat me? You, a dog who can't even begin to comprehend the truth you seek!? Well, bear witness, Sherlock Holmes, to the endlessness that transcends all things!! You want the truth? Fine! Experience it for all eternity...!"Following Betty's outburst, it felt like the entire world had started to tremble, everything from the ground beneath their feet, the buildings in their surroundings, and even the void itself quaking as a result of the aura radiating from her body. This was enough to change Sherlock's expression to a far more serious one as, contrary to his initial speculation, it seemed that Betty did, in fact, possess a considerable amount of power...Before Sherlock could interrupt whatever Betty had planned, the latter began vomiting an endless stream of black liquid as her previously white hair and dress shifted to a shade of purple akin to an inky black. At the same time, her dress seemed to become more organic, gaining a hide-like quality as the frills turned into sharp, fang-like protrusions. Even her previously fair skin gained a purple hue while, affected by the encroaching inky-black liquid, her legs became pitch black, losing their shape and becoming something akin to a mass of darkness...Despite realizing he had erred, Sherlock remained completely calm in response to Betty's sudden transformation. Though he couldn't understand exactly how strong she was, he was able to deduce that her power was still lacking in comparison to the more monstrous entities associated with the Empire. Thus, while pulling out his pipe and stuffing a pinch of tobacco into the end, he muttered, "Lilith, be a dear and help our friend here calm down, will you?"Immediately following Sherlock's words, a sensuous voice, appearing from the voice itself, stated, "As you will, Master~." Then, just as Betty seemed like she was preparing an attack, Lilith, appearing in her true form, appeared right in front of her. This caused Betty to immediately shift the target of her attack but, before she could execute it, Lilith's clawed hand, covered in sleek black scales, closed around her neck. In the next moment, they were both propelled toward the sky at hypersonic speed, the buildings in the surroundings collapsing due to the force of Lilith's leap.Though his combat potential wasn't exactly low, Sherlock could tell at a glance that Betty was far stronger than him. Leaving her to Lilith was the most efficient course of action so, while they were wreaking havoc within the sky above, he made his way over to the unconscious Hugo. The other men were beyond salvation at this point but, from the very beginning, Betty had gone out of her way to spare the giant of a man.Sherlock wasn't arrogant enough to consider everyone who opposed the Empire as evil. He, like Vahn, accepted that the things they were doing weren't good, at least from the perspective of humanity. Though humans would undoubtedly prosper under the rule of the Empire in the future, the main purpose behind Vahn's actions had been to ensure 'everyone' was allowed to be happy, not just humanity. The latter had squandered the planet they lived on, subjugated their own species, and wiped out thousands of others. It would be impossible to create a prosperous world without drastic change so, while most humans hated the Empire, nearly every other race saw Vahn as a ray of hope, a chance to return from the brink of extinction.Still, this meant there would be many people, both good and evil, who opposed the Empire's rule. It was easy to see from Betty's modus operandi that she wasn't necessarily a bad person. Rather, most of her victims had been rather vile individuals her predated on others. Her power seemed to trigger in response to wicked thoughts and ill intent so, if you harbored no such intentions toward her, she was effectively powerless...well, at least in her base state...Assuming that Betty was part of the same group that had appeared a month prior, there was a good chance their enemies considered themselves the 'Heroes' trying to save the world. Since this wasn't far from the truth, it created quite the quandary from the Empire's perspective as, with Vahn's nature, he was unable to go all out against those who, on a fundamental level, were justified in their actions. Because of this, it was up to those who supported Vahn to prevent him from having to interact with these types of people as, if he had to crush Heroes fighting for justice, it would undoubtedly weigh heavily on his heart and mind...While wondering how he ended up with such a paradoxical Master, Sherlock bent down, placing his palm against the unconscious Hugo's back, healing him in an instant. At this point, he had mastered every form of Thaumaturgy, at least in theory, so he was able to use nearly every spell that had been recorded within the records of the Empire. His only real weaknesses were his lack of reserves and, as a matter of principle, his unwillingness to fight unless it was absolutely necessary.Fortunately, Lilith had no such principles so, high in the sky above Barcelona, a rather terrifying battle was taking place between her and an ever-expanding mass of darkness. Despite the latter seemingly having no form at all, it would, at times, appear like a mass of black flesh with a vortex-like maw filled with vibrant yellow teeth. In the next moment, however, it would look more like a storm cloud, albeit one that moved around and proactively attacked the phantom-like Lilith at every opportunity...Despite the fact that her opponent was growing progressively stronger with time, Lilith was enjoying herself quite a bit. There was still a vast gulf between her and the amalgamation of darkness so, with this being the first time she could cut loose in thousands of years, she wanted to enjoy the moment to the fullest. Thus, rather than try and end it as swiftly as possible, she would periodically form long spears of pure white light, each more than ten meters in length. These caused Betty great pain and, even though the darkness continued to increase in size, Lilith could tell her attacks were eating away at the former's stamina.In a desperate attempt to deal some damage in return, the black cloud shifted into its more organic form for a brief moment, the end facing Lilith opening to reveal a blood-red vortex filled with row upon row of teeth. At the back of its throat, a furiously luminescent purple eye could be seen and, despite the fact it didn't have anything like an eyelid, it was very easy to tell it was angry. As if to emphasize this, it shot out a purple laser that, despite Lilith's best efforts, she was unable to evade. Instead, she used her wings to envelop her own body, protecting herself from the magical attack that cut through the skies, reaching far out into deep space...When the thick beam of purple light faded away, Lilith's wings unfurled to reveal her undamaged figure and the seductive smile on her face. She couldn't help but lick her lips in anticipation and, if not for the fact Sherlock was watching her, she wouldn't have been able to resist giving in to her more carnal urges.Since it would become increasingly difficult to hold back, as pain only made her more excited, Lilith decided to bring an end to the fight. She flicked all six of her wings, ascending so quickly it appeared as if she had teleported several thousand meters in an instant. Once she reached the pinnacle of her ascent, a pulse of energy erupted from her body, carrying with it a tremendous force that dispersed all of the surrounding clouds and even affecting the buildings below. Then, shrouded in an aura of purple energy, she descended from the sky with meteoric force, crashing into the mass of darkness and dispersing it in an instant...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Betty. Sherlock is stone-cold xD...','Even Master Detectives aren't without faults','Lilith be like, "Harder...(UwU)"')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1387: Unknown