Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the chances of something going wrong increasing with each passing moment, it wasn't long before Vahn, accompanied by Okita and Altera, appeared within the underwater research center located in the depths of the Arabian Sea. There, he found Da Vinci standing in front of a clear tank, silently observing the bound woman within.Though clothes got in the way of Spiritron Suspension, Vahn's orders were to bind Musashi's upper body with a straight jacket while allowing her to keep most of her normal outfit. The only things that were taken from her, other than her swords, were the ornaments tying up her hair, her earrings, and a jade tomoe necklace that looked like half a yin-yang symbol. These all seemed to be Artifacts of indeterminate quality, so, in the hopes of preventing Musashi from escaping, they had been sealed away within Imaginary Number Space.With Vahn's arrival, Da Vinci was able to breathe a sigh of relief as, for the first time in more than three hours, she took her eyes off Musashi, a wry smile on her face as she muttered, "You took your sweet time, didn't you...?"Hearing Da Vinci's remark, Vahn offered an apologetic smile and, despite the fact her current body was just a 'doll', he ran his fingers through her hair before resting his head against her's and saying, "Thanks for keeping an eye on her...sorry for troubling you."As she hadn't actually been serious about blaming Vahn for his delayed arrival, Da Vinci just lightly giggled in response to his words before placing her hand against his chest and saying, "You can make it up to me later..." in a teasing tone.Seeing Da Vinci resort to her usual antics, Vahn rolled his eyes before lightly pinching her side and adopting a serious expression as he turned his attention to Musashi. Then, without worrying about whether or not she would escape, he walked over to the control panel, placing his palm against the surface to disable it. This caused the fluid to gain a pale-blue luster, losing its suspended state and transitioning into an active state. As a result, Musashi's body twitched and, after her eyelids fluttered a few times, she opened her eyes and began moving on her own once again.Knowing she could hear him, Vahn stated in a firm and resolute tone, "Wait until the fluid completely drains. This chamber is a very delicate piece of technology so you won't earn any favors if you go out of your way to destroy it."Since she was still breathing liquid, Musashi was unable to speak, but, knowing Vahn would have the ability to read her lips, she asked, "Are you always this intense? Relax, I'm not in any rush to fight you for a second time. I'm guessing you're wanting to interrogate me or something, so, as long as you don't try any funny business, I don't mind conversing for a bit. You're one of the few people that has ever matched me in battle, much less secured a victory. I can extend you the courtesy of answering a few of your questions."Vahn didn't really appreciate how easy-going Musashi was, but, after fighting against her, he knew this was just a part of her character. Since he could now see the flow of fate around her, he could tell she was serious about answering his questions, to an extent. In fact, if he focused on the individual currents around her body, he could see glimpses of the upcoming interrogation, including several instances where they ended up battling.Though basing his decisions on his foresight was ill-advised, Vahn was able to learn that Musashi, despite being bound, could break out whenever she wanted. As for her weapons, they seemed to be as much a part of her as Okita and Altera, meaning she could call upon them regardless of whether or not they were sealed away. Even if he managed to prevent her from manifesting them, however, Vahn saw one timeline where Musashi managed to get her hands on Okita's [Purgatory], something that was best avoided at all costs...Earning an incredulous look from both Da Vinci and Musashi, Vahn turned to the former and said, "Retrieve Musashi's weapons. The negotiations will go a lot smoother if we show some sincerity..."Da Vinci had misgivings about following Vahn's orders, but, believing he had his reasons, she didn't refuse his order. As for Musashi, she gave Vahn an appraising look as if she were trying to ascertain some veiled truth. This caused the flow of fate around her to become constrained to several larger currents, many of which showed them exchanging blows after negotiations broke down. While this seemed to be a detrimental development, the fact most of these currents 'stopped' at some point, each ending in Musashi's death, gave Vahn an air of absolute confidence.Musashi didn't fear strong opponents, quite the opposite, but the feeling Vahn gave off was different than most. Rather than hubristic confidence, he gave off a feeling of 'absolute assurance', almost as if he was in control of everything. It was an uncomfortable and unnerving feeling, as, despite facing off against thousands of opponents, Musashi never got the impression that she 'couldn't win' before.While waiting for Da Vinci to return, Vahn continued to observe Musashi until the liquid had drained completely. Immediately after that, the pressure differential caused a loud hissing sound, followed by a bit of icy-cool residue spreading throughout the laboratory. Once the pressure had normalized, the crystalline glass sunk into the floor, allowing Musashi some freedom of movement. Despite this, she continued to stare back at him, her peculiar Mystic Eyes glowing with a subtle light as she seemed to be searching, and failing, to find whatever it was she was looking for.After several minutes of tense silence between them, it was Musashi who spoke first, her usual smile returning as she muttered, "It seems our battle was beneficial for your growth...as you are, I wouldn't be able to defeat you without sacrificing everything. Tell me, was that part of your plan as well...?"In response to Musashi's question, Vahn adopted a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he shook his head and answered, "I'll consider answering your questions once you start answering mine. After what your group tried, my patience has been worn thin. Depending on how these negotiations go, I may be forced to take drastic action to prevent your group from indiscriminately causing chaos and leading to even more unnecessary deaths..."Hearing Vahn's response, Musashi couldn't help but frown as she immediately retorted, "We're not trying to cause chaos...we're trying to stop you from destroying everything just to suit your vision of the future. We wouldn't have to resort to underhanded methods if your Empire didn't have such a comprehensive stranglehold on the rest of the world..."Though it wasn't entirely unexpected, Vahn was unable to restrain his aura in response to Musashi's absurd reasoning. Her words basically amounted to an excuse that allowed them to act however they pleased, so long as it was in opposition to the Empire. Thus, despite knowing it wouldn't really help his cause all that much, Vahn's eyes began blazing with a golden light as he shouted, "That is complete bullshit! Don't try to justify your heinous actions on such fragile grounds! Do you think I'm a coward and a fool!? If your group wanted to oppose me, you could have literally sent a fucking message and I would willingly show up to face whatever you wanted to throw at me! Instead, you skulk around like snakes, causing trouble for other people, and even targetting innocent fucking children! Other than your group of selfish fools, have you even helped a single person since your arrival in this world!? How many unrelated people have you killed just to further your goals!?"Feeling the aura radiating from Vahn's body, Musashi was forced to take a few steps back, her face paling slightly as she did her best to resist the pressure. It was pretty obvious that he wasn't at all pleased by her choice of words and, despite wanting to deny his accusations, she would be lying if she said there wasn't some truth behind them. Though it was primarily due to the Empire's extensive information network, their group had been forced to lay low and act behind the scenes, doing what little they could to interfere with the Empire's plans...Not giving Musashi any breathing room, Vahn's aura continued to swell, his gaze becoming even more intense as he added, "I accepted the fact people would see me as an Evil Tyrant, but, from the very beginning, the rest of the Empire has worked tirelessly to help people. Among them, I am your only true enemy, yet, in spite of that, you continue to harass and badger the very people trying their best to prevent further loss of life! Your group is full of cowards! There has never been a point in time have I been afraid of you! If you want to stop me, feel free to do everything you can against me! Come up with all sorts of plans, weapons, schemes, or whatever else you want! I will face it all head-on and destroy every attempt you make with my power alone! Stop relying on underhanded methods to try and exploit those around me, harming people who have literally done no wrong in a vain attempt to put pressure on me! Tell me, Miyamoto Musashi, which part of kidnapping innocent children is the most heroic!?"As Vahn was doing very little to hold back his aura, the laboratory itself began to strain under the pressure as, in other parts of the undersea research center, various pipes began to burst. Musashi herself had to rely on her 'Nothingness' just to stay on her feet as, without her weapons, the only way for her to resist Vahn was to use her final trump card. This would cost her 'everything', however, so she was extremely resistant to using it, especially after hearing his words.In the hopes of getting him to calm down, even just a little, Musashi did her best to adopt a sincere and apologetic expression as she groaned, "Calm down...I already said I would try and answer your questions. There is no need to lose your cool like this...seriously, I can understand why you are upset, but, will you really destroy this facility just to yell at me...?"Musashi's words did very little to help Vahn calm down, but, as Okita and Altera were both silently watching him, he forcibly suppressed his anger. He had already conveyed the most important parts, so, if Musashi had any sense of accountability at all, she would consider his words. He really didn't care what kind of methods they tried to use against him, but, if they continued targetting the people he cared about, Vahn would crush them all. The only thing preventing him from doing so, thus far, is the knowledge that they are actual Heroes trying to resist against what they perceive to be a force of great evil. None of them had truly negative auras and, as he was still resistant to the idea of killing Heroes, Vahn wanted to at least try and reason with them.Despite going to great lengths to force himself to calm down, Vahn's tone remained just as grim and accusatory as before as he said, "You should have realized it from the past two battles, but, I am more than willing to accept responsibility for my actions, even if it means fighting directly against a group of Heroes that want nothing more than to see me ruined. I don't care what methods you use to try and defeat me, so long as it doesn't involve innocent bystanders and unrelated parties. If you continue using these cowardly means to advance your agenda, don't blame me for crushing your group of hypocrites. You have already seen it for yourself...my power grows exponentially with each battle. Do you really think I'm going to keep idling about as your group continues to use even more underhanding means to achieve its goals...? This incident is your last chance to prevent all-out war, so, during the upcoming negotiations, I hope you will properly consider your options..."Hearing Vahn's words, Musashi was tempted to retort that he wasn't exactly leaving her any options, but, knowing he likely wouldn't take kindly to such remark, she just nodded her head and answered, "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind..." while praying for Da Vinci to return quickly...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Under pressure...pressin' down on me...!','Vahn is an angry boi','The Heroes group is about to learn what happens when you play stupid games...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

When Da Vinci finally returned with Musashi's weapons, totaling two katanas, two wakizashi, and an ornate tanto, the latter was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Though several conflicting trains of thought were currently plaguing her mind, having her bindings removed and her swords returned to her was a qualitative improvement. She could have broken free whenever she wanted, but, with Vahn within instantaneous striking distance, it didn't seem particularly wise to try and show off.While Musashi was busy tying her sheathes to her modified obi, Vahn was watching her vigilantly while seated at a table pulled from his Inventory. He had Okita and Altera pull back, as there were too many currents that led to conflict while they were around, so, for the time being, it was just him, Da Vinci, and Musashi present within the underwater research center.Once her weapons were securely fixed, Musashi eyed up Vahn and Da Vinci before making her way over to the seat that had been prepared for her. She would normally exchange a few quips with her enemies, but, considering Vahn's earlier display, he obviously wasn't in the mood for such things. It was actually a little unnerving as, while her [Nothingness] and [Empyrean Eye] would allow her to escape virtually any situation, Vahn's 'Infinity' counteracted her ability better than she cared to admit.The moment Musashi sat down, Vahn pulled out a file from his Inventory, pushing it toward her as he said, "You aren't the Musashi from our Time Axis. According to the data we have been able to collect, our Musashi was a sixty-three-year-old man who died from lung cancer. He was a patient and solemn man who, in the later years of his life, dedicated himself to Buddha and the way of the sword. While you may, indeed, be Miyamoto Musashi, your status as a Divine Spirit leaves a lot of doubts about your identity..."Seeing the old man wearing tattered robes within the file, Musashi couldn't help but wince as she closed the document. She actually recognized the man in the file as, in the distant past, long before she had been displaced from her timeline, the same man had appeared before her. He had been trying to escape a heavy downpour and, feeling sorry for him, Musashi had parted with her favorite sake, warmed by her own body. As an expression of gratitude, the man gifted her his sword mere moments before taking his final breath...Feeling a deeply rooted melancholy, Musashi adopted a serious expression on her face as she asked, "Is this man truly Miyamoto Musashi...?"Though he was annoyed by the fact Musashi hadn't answered his questions, Vahn squinted his eyes and answered, "I benefit nothing from trying to deceive you over the matter of your identity. I refuse to believe you aren't aware of your true nature so stop footing around the issue. Tell me, where did you come from? How did you end up working with Archimedes? What is your group's true motive for invading my timelines?"Hearing the impatience in Vahn's tone, Musashi released a tired sigh before pushing the documents back to him and answering, "Contrary to what you might believe, I am Miyamoto Musashi. As for the answer to your question...well, I don't really have a way to answer it? I left on a journey to pursue the path of swordsmanship to its extremes. In my pursuit, I ended up wandering into a world completely different from my own and, after trying to return, I found my timeline, my home, no longer existed. I can't even begin to fathom how much time has passed since then, but, after countless years, I ended up meeting with Archimedes..."Upon reaching this point in her story, Musashi's expression became more serious as she explained, "I never liked that man, but, due to his efforts, I'm able to stay within a single timeline without being randomly sent elsewhere. I also learned about the existence of Quantum Time-Locks and Temporal Singularities...really, this World is a ridiculous place...haaaaa...."Since Musashi failed to elaborate, it was Da Vinci, with an expression of mild surprise, who explained "Quantum Time-Locks are a theoretical phenomenon concerning the existence of the Multiverse and infinite tangential timelines. Based on mine and Sherlock's research into the Second, Third, and Fifth Magics, I was able to form a hypothesis about the true nature of the world. Quantum Time-Locks are one of the hypothesized control factors of the World, accounting for and purging timelines without the possibility of divergence. I had never brought it up before, but, you should be able to confirm if this is the case by asking Alaya directly..."As Da Vinci's words weren't exactly spoken in secrecy, Musashi furrowed her brows while Vahn just nodded his head and said, "Alaya, I know you are listening. Come out."Following Vahn's command, a woman with pale-blue skin, dark-blue hair, and violet eyes manifested at the side of the table. She had her characteristic 'emotionless' expression and, knowing what Vahn was going to ask, she nodded her head and stated, "It is one of the methods used to cull worlds that end in the finite destruction of mankind. Due to my current restrictions, I am unable to determine if this woman is truly from a culled world. I am only charged with the Administration of timelines that branch from my original axis and have no knowledge regarding displaced individuals..."While Musashi was struggling to try and make sense of what was happening, Vahn issued a light hum before asking, "You can still track her, right? I can see the flow of fate around her body so she should be bound to this Time Axis, at least for the moment."In response to Vahn's question, Alaya nodded her head, answering, "As an...apology...I already used up the requisite energy to complete your request. There will be no problems..."Knowing Alaya was referring to her attempt to probe his mind, Vahn lightly squinted his eyes, but, as it was undoubtedly the result of an order from above, he decided to drop it. Blaming Alaya for trying to fulfill her duty was pointless, and, even if he could somehow leverage it against Akasha in the near future, associating with the powers that be brought various risks. He was already given the liberty of acting as he pleased, so, at least for the time being, Vahn couldn't afford to split his focus on forces he had no means of opposing...Seeing the confusion on Musashi's face, Vahn gestured toward Alaya, saying, "I doubt you'll believe me, but, allow me to introduce you to the Manifestation of Humanity's Will to Survive, Alaya. Despite the labels people force upon me, the truth of the matter is that I am doing my best on behalf of the World itself. Yes, a lot of people have died as a result of my choices, but, I have also taken measures to ensure the preservation of as many innocents as possible. Unless you intend to tell me the worlds you have visited were all some grand utopia, you have very little ground to stand on."Though she couldn't tell what exactly the predominately blue woman was, Musashi resisted the idea that she was actually the better-known half of the Counter Force. She had actually fought numerous Counter Guardians over the centuries, so, seeing how subservient the woman seemed to Vahn, she couldn't help but refuse the reality that had been presented before her. All she knew for certain was the fact that, even with her [Empyrean Eye], Musashi got the impression there was nothing she could do against the peculiar blue woman...It would have been convenient if Musashi believed his words, but, as Alaya had already informed him that the Strings of Fate worked on both her and Caenis, it no longer mattered. Even if negotiations ended up breaking down, locating the enemy base now became much easier. Now, it was really only a matter of time before Archimedes' group fell, as, by meeting with Musashi like this, Vahn had been able to link together their fates. There was a tiny string that connected them, so, no matter what she had up her sleeve, Vahn would be able to track her down.Much like before, Musashi couldn't shake the feeling that Vahn was in control of the situation. It was surprisingly uncomfortable, as, even if she drew her blade and fought it out with him, the most she could hope for was an internecine outcome. Vahn seemed even stronger than he was the last time they had battled, while, inversely, her confidence had been shaken by the previous defeat. She didn't even know if everything around her was an illusion, but, based on the fact Vahn readily returned her weapons, it certainly felt like it...Electing not to give Musashi time to organize her thoughts, Vahn shifted in his chair, leaning forward slightly as he said, "So, you're someone who got displaced from their original world...I can empathize with that. Though you seem to be in a state that won't believe anything I tell you, everyone close to me knows that I came here from a different world. One day, I intend to return to my world, but, until then, I will do everything in my power to make this world a better place. You accuse me of cutting off various futures, but, in the end, I'm opening up countless others. The primary difference is, as a result of the foundation I am laying now, all races will have a greater chance of living a happy life, not just humans. If you can't see the injustice in humans wasting resources, taking advantage of each other, and killing the very planet itself, there really isn't much I can say to convince you...now, tell me, I'm really curious about the 'perfect utopia' that Archimedes hails from...tell me about the world you will die to protect..."Though she had a complicated expression for much of Vahn's monologue, the aura around Musashi became as sharp as a blade when she heard the last part. Despite this, Vahn continued to lightly tap his fingers atop the table, observing her with an unperturbed look that seemed to dare her to draw her sword. As a result, Musashi clenched her teeth and, faster than even the most precise instrument could capture, placed her sword at Vahn's throat as she asked, "You really know how to piss people off; did anyone ever tell you that!?"Without bothering to defend himself, even after Musashi's blade pricked his neck, Vahn snorted through his nose and asked, "And I was supposed to be happy when you tried to kidnap innocent children? Sit down and stop deflecting every time I ask you a question! Don't tell me your world isn't a perfect utopia without things like crime, corruption, murder, and ****? You seem intent on ruining every effort we're making to eliminate these things so you must have a pretty fucking good reason, right!?"Rather than shy away from Musashi's blade, Vahn allowed it to cut deeper into his flesh as he glared at her, his rage gradually building to the point of an eruption. He hadn't even asked tried asking her to betray her allies, yet, in spite of showing considerable leniency, Musashi continually deflected or outright ignored his questions. He had even given her a fair amount of information, but, due to her apparent distrust, she didn't take anything he said at face value.Feeling the pressure released by Vahn rapidly increasing, Musashi clicked her tongue before falling back into her seat, her sword already sheathed as she crossed her arms and complained, "Seriously, everything you do is so extreme...haaa..."Unamused by her response, the room around them became suffused with a golden hue as Vahn released both his aura and [Enkidu]. He had seen several currents where Musashi used her swords to cut apart Space in an attempt to flee. Thus, taking advantage of the fact she was a Divine Spirit, Vahn locked down the surrounding Space with [Enkidu], earning another click from Musashi's tongue as she rolled her eyes and asked, "Is that really necessary...?"Growing increasingly annoyed with Musashi's behavior, Vahn's hand, which had been tapping on the top of the table, began to grow golden scales as he solemnly stated, "Last chance...if you keep trying to play games with me, don't blame me for escalating things. This is a serious discussion, and, after what your group pulled, I expect a proper response to my questions. If you're so eager to do battle, expect no quarter...neither for you nor your allies...your group was the first to throw away civility so it is only natural I return the favor, right...?"Though she had an overwhelming urge to cut Vahn into pieces, Musashi managed a smile that did little to convey any positive emotions. It was the kind of smile those consumed by the thrill of battle adopted in the moments prior to their death, the kind that allowed them to take countless lives with them. Despite this, Musashi's voice was eerily calm as she answered, "Okay, fine, sure..I'll answer your questions. Archimedes' world is a shit hole where mana dried up and, as a result, humanity tore itself apart! Most of the world became uninhabitable, relying on science and technology to preserve what remains of the human race! Are you happy now...!?"Finished with her outburst, Musashi kicked against the table in a huff, knocking it into Vahn's chest as she muttered, "Fucking asshole..." in an annoyed voice. Despite this, it was clear that she was more than a little shaken, so, while her reaction caused the atmosphere around Vahn to solidify, he did his best to remain calm. Musashi's admission of the truth was the first step towards compromise, so, if he followed her outburst with one of his own, he would lose the momentum he had generated.Seeing Vahn taking several deep breaths to calm down, Musashi squinted her eyes and asked, "So? What now, Mr. Emperor? Does it make you feel better about yourself to know that the future is just as fucked up as the present? Does it help to silence the voices of billions of people crying out for justice...?"After placing the table into his Inventory, Vahn rose to his feet, putting Musashi on guard as she prepared to draw her katana. What she didn't expect was for Vahn to turn his back and say, "You can leave. I already told you how you should approach this situation if you want to deal with me, so, feel free to contact me if you want to fight. Your admission of the truth exposes your previous hypocrisy so, if you have any sense at all, you will reflect on today's events. The Empire is truly trying to make the world a better place, so, unless you can come up with a method to improve it, stop wasting my time with petty schemes. This is your chance to prove whether or not you're a Hero or just a fool that is being manipulated for another person's agenda..."With his words finished, Vahn, hand clad in golden scales, tore a gaping hole within the void. Unlike a normal tear, however, this was an actual spatial tunnel, surprising Musashi due to the fact Caenis could be seen chained up on the opposite side. She was even more surprised when Vahn looked back at her, saying, "I know you have the ability to cut through Space so take your companion and go. Pass on my warning to all of your allies as, depending on your next course of action, you will all be held accountable together..." Then, after grabbing Da Vinci's hand, Vahn added, "There have been too many deaths...don't force me to kill good people just because you're a bunch of idiots..."(A/N: To all the people that choose to whine about the fact Vahn let Musashi go, without taking into consideration the context of the novel...well, I hope you have a pleasant day (^_^). To those with the patience to actually read the story and see how it develops, I hope you have an amazing day :D...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though lazing about in bed all day seemed like a pleasant idea, especially with good company at his side, Vahn knew he had other duties to attend. If he delayed dealing with Musashi and Caenis for too long, there was a good chance they would harden their hearts to resist him to their deaths. This was a less-than-ideal outcome as, if possible, Vahn wanted to reach an accord with the group, bringing an end to their current conflict.While it may be true that Musashi's group saw him as a villain, that didn't mean they were incapable of seeing reason. If he could convince them that the actions he was taking now were steps to ensure everyone could live a peaceful and happy life, there was a chance the conflict between their groups could be brought to an end. He would give them the opportunity to freely observe the changes his actions brought about and, deciding for themselves whether or not he was 'truly' evil.If Musashi's group insisted on fighting, even after his attempts to reason with them, Vahn would cut them down without mercy. He would not tolerate their hypocrisy, allowing them to throw the world into further disorder for their own selfishness. It may be true they wanted to protect the future, but, if it was at the expense of the past, they were, in many ways, worse than him. Unless their future was some comprehensive utopia, it would be easy to tear apart all of their arguments as, in the end, he had Alaya's and, by proxy, the World's interests at heart...After massaging the inside of Fenrir's ears with his thumbs, earning a contented cooing from the loveable Vanargandr, Vahn motioned to steal a kiss before smiling as he said, "Come, we shouldn't lounge around for too long. I can feel the others worrying so, even if I wanted to, sleeping would be impossible."Though she wanted her Master to rest longer, Fenrir wasn't going to argue against his decision. She gave him one last affectionate nuzzle, deeply inhaling his fragrance, before extricating herself from his body. Then, after a light tap of the gemstone on her collar, her lingerie-clad figure was covered in form-fitting white shorts, a grey undershirt, and a long-sleeved fur-trimmed jacket with the emblem of the Empire on the shoulders. On the back, a much larger emblem, depicting a wolf's head, served as Fenrir's own symbol, one which had been adopted by Hati as well.Before Fenrir could make way for him to go about his own business, Vahn pulled out the same brush he had gifted to her long ago, a nostalgic artifact that reminded them both of the home waiting for their return. This brought a smile to Fenrir's face and, even without having to convey his intentions, she happily sat in his lap and allowed him to brush her hair and fur...---Even without having to call anyone to alert them of his awakening, Vahn was greeted by a whole host of women when he finally emerged from his room. Leading the pack was, as could be expected, Artoria, but, with the exception of those participating in active operations, nearly everyone else was also present.Vahn ended up nearly being tackled to the ground by Illya but, as he had 'felt' her intentions before she even started to move, he was only pushed back a few steps as she complained, "I hate you..." in a tiny voice.Though he found her words somewhat amusing, Vahn resisted the urge to release a chuckle as he held her firmly in his embrace and countered, saying, "I love you..." in response. This caused her to adopt a look of blame before she ultimately buried her face into his chest and answered, "I love you more..." in an even quieter voice than before...After pacifying Illya for a short while, Vahn went through the entire crowd of women, understanding he had worried them quite a bit. After all, it was exceptionally rare for him to actually be taken out of commission, so, after being told by Merlin to stay away from him, they couldn't help but worry. Thus, before he moved on to more official duties, Vahn had the important responsibility of doing his best to allay the concerns of his myriad of lovers, all while marveling at the flow of fate surrounding each and every one of them.When things finally began to calm down, Vahn invited most of the girls to accompany him to the dining hall. He had already produced a second body prior to exiting his chambers so, after the larger part of the procession followed his main body outside of the Inner Sanctum, Vahn met with Artoria and Gray to discuss what had happened while he was asleep. Though he didn't actually need to ask, as it would have been pretty obvious if something unexpected happened, he knew it was important to Artoria that they had such moments together.As she had held herself back in the presence of everyone else, Artoria took the opportunity to sit at Vahn's side when they were 'alone' together. Though Gray sat on the other side of him, she had long grown accustomed to the presence of her distant descendant, coming to see her as an extension of herself, in many ways. Thus, Vahn found himself sandwiched by the near-identical woman, enjoying the softness of their bodies as Artoria explained, "Musashi is currently being held in the undersea isolation facility prepared by the Atlas Temple. Per her request, all other personnel evacuated the facility, leaving only Da Vinci to monitor her status. As for Caenis, she was moved to the Greenland Research Facility, imprisoned in their lowest level with chains and magical seals."Vahn wasn't fond of imprisoning people, but, as he needed information from the two, he wasn't left with much of a choice. He had grown weary of this battle between their two forces so, if possible, he would like to bring the conflict to a swift end. Searching the World's Bounded Fields would require a significant amount of time and effort as, unless they arbitrarily decided to destroy them, an in-depth investigation would be required before deciding on the Bounded Field's fate.There was also the fact that, while they had taken various precautions, Archimedes seemed to be the type that meticulously planned everything. It was for this reason that Musashi and Caenis had been moved to locations far from the heart of the Empire as there was a very real chance the capture of the two was a part of his plan. Their nature as Divine Spirits couldn't be ignored and, even if his tech was significantly less advanced than Da Vinci's, it was already proven they had the ability to traverse Imaginary Number Space.To circumvent whatever Archimedes had planned, Vahn couldn't afford to sit idle for too long as, with each passing moment, the shaggy-haired inventor was undoubtedly forwarding his schemes. This made him, in many ways, the most dangerous opponent among the enemy forces as, from what they had been able to deduce, he was the mastermind behind everything. If they could take him out or reason with him, a lot of future troubles could be avoided.Archimedes had to know by now that, no matter what kind of scheme he came up with, opposing the Empire was all but impossible. His only real option was to discard his so-called heroic visage and aim for mutually assured destruction but, even then, his efforts would be in vain. At best, he would be able to cause mass destruction among the civilian population, laying the blame on the Empire in a last-ditch effort to drag their reputation further through the mud. Even this would ultimately prove futile, however, as, even if humans were pushed to near-extinction, he would just have to help them rebuild after dealing with Angra Mainyu.Alaya carried the genetic sequence of every human, animal, and plant that had ever existed on the Surface World so, even if everything but Avalon was destroyed, they would eventually rebuild. Vahn had an infinite amount of time at his disposal so, even if he had to rebuild civilization from scratch, it was only a matter of time. There was no path to victory for Archimedes and his forces, so, if he could make them realize this, Vahn was hoping they would either return to the distant future or, at the very least, stop causing him so much stress...After listening to Artoria's explanation, Vahn nodded his head in understanding before hugging both her and Gray close to him. He knew meeting with Musashi and Caenis was an urgent matter but, just as before, Vahn prioritized the things most important to him. Artoria and Gray both had unshakeable convictions toward him, but, after seeing the state he had been forced into, they would obviously be affected. Thus, before setting out to deal with their captives, Vahn spent a fair amount of time trying to ease the uneasy feelings lingering in their hearts and minds...---Though nearly twenty hours had passed within the Projection, less than three had come and gone in the outside world. During that period of time, Da Vinci had continued to silently watch Musashi, her eyes rarely even blinking as she monitored the woman's vitals and physical makeup.Divine Spirits were exceptionally rare, so, while she resisted the urge to perform experiments on the rather buxom samurai, Da Vinci still wanted to collect as much data as possible. There were so many secrets locked away within Musashi's body, but, knowing Vahn would never forgive her, combined with her own inhibitions towards experimenting on unwilling participants, Da Vinci could only watch the monitors vigilantly.Contrary to how most people would act in the same situation, Musashi was surprisingly calm, much calmer than expected. Da Vinci knew that Caenis had been a lot more 'difficult' to deal with, so, she couldn't help but wonder what allowed Musashi to remain calm. The electrical activity in her brain was reminiscent of REM Sleep but, based on how other areas illuminated, it was obvious Musashi was completely aware of her surroundings. This made her state appear similar to deep meditation, but, as there were many incongruities, Da Vinci couldn't be certain.Unfortunately, in Musashi's current state, conversing in any meaningful way was all but impossible. Even if Da Vinci wanted to question her, it was simply too dangerous to do so, as, despite her own power being beyond comprehension, intuition told her that Musashi would be able to cut her down. This feeling hadn't faded away even after Musashi's weapons had been sealed away so, fearing what would happen if she panicked, Da Vinci had ordered the evacuation of the entire facility. Most of the unnecessary equipment had also been stripped away and, if it came down to it, the entire facility was set to implode as a final failsafe. Since they were more than 4500m under the sea, even the majority of S-Rank Heroic Spirits wouldn't be able to survive...Despite all these preparations, including making a faux-body using techniques similar to Touko's, Da Vinci had a distinct impression that Musashi couldn't be held. If she truly intended to escape, it was likely only Vahn, Arcueid, and Merlin could keep her at bay, as, since the time of her summoning, Da Vinci had only met a few existences that made her feel as if her knowledge amounted to nothing by comparison. These were the various Tier 5 entities Vahn had identified and, while Musashi gave off a subtly different impression, Da Vinci could tell she was hiding something unbelievably powerful...Fortunately, Da Vinci had already been alerted to the fact that Vahn had awakened, so, with any luck, he would arrive before Musashi lost her patience. She didn't seem to be in a particular rush, but, if her intuition proved correct, which was almost always the case, this was primarily due to the fact that Musashi was trying to ascertain whether or not this was 'reality'. After being captured the first time, it would have been pretty obvious that the Empire had the means to trick a person's senses, so, until she was certain the world around her wasn't an illusion, Musashi seemed to be practicing patience...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Taking care of what is important','Archimedes becomes more and more like a villain with each passing day...','Da Vinci's intuition o_o...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1419: Pressure