Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After listening to Musashi recount the events of the preceding days, Archimedes had a grim expression on his face. He didn't consider himself an emotional person, often finding it one of the principal weaknesses of the human race, but, at this moment, he couldn't help but feel indignant. If Musashi's words were true, it meant they had very little time to act, even though time was one of the things they should have had a surplus of...While Archimedes was still hanging his head, an expression of deep thought visible on his face, Shirou took the liberty to interrupt, saying, "If the Emperor really does know the location of our Headquarters, we should take his previous warnings into consideration. The amount of power he has at his disposal makes it difficult to fight defensively. Most of us lack the means to fight in a vacuum so we need to begin making preparations to take the fight to him."Immediately following Shirou's words, Musashi nodded her head, adding, "Going by his words, it seems like the Emperor has been tolerating our group specifically because we're 'Heroes'. Now, it feels like he is testing us...if we fail to meet his expectations, I get the feeling things won't end well for our group..."Hearing the two's remarks, Archimedes showed a dull expression before shaking his head and saying, "This is likely just an effort on their part to get us to expose ourselves. The fact they were led around by Lovecraft is evidence enough to discredit the possibility the Emperor is aware of our location. Even if he does arrive, I have already prepared countermeasures against anything they can throw at us. Unless he intends to destroy the entire moon, we'll be able to trap both him and allies without difficulty..."Having been the one to fight against Vahn, Musashi didn't take kindly to the fact Archimedes so easily dismissed her warning. She showed a rare frown, her tone harsh as she stated, "Listen here you arrogant asshole! If you keep underestimating that man, we're all going to get killed! None of our plans have accomplished anything beyond pissing him off. If your next plan fails, how many of us will lose their lives as a result of your negligence!?"The entire time Musashi was shouting, Archimedes just stared back at her with the same dull look on his face. This was one of the things he hated the most about people, and, though Musashi was not a 'human', the fact she emulated their emotions made her weak, at least mentally. Even if he used logic and reasoning to try and convince her, she wouldn't actually listen as, much like other humans that acted based on their emotions, she had already convinced herself that she was right.Instead of arguing, Archimedes just typed a few commands into the terminal before him. At the same time, the mirror-like partition separating them turned into a display, allowing Musashi and Shirou to read the information presented. It was only when they started reading that Archimedes explained, "Based on the information you provided, we were able to gain some insight into the true identity of the entity calling himself Vahn Mason..."Seeing the data on display, Shirou's face formed into a frown as he muttered, "Yellow Emperor Huangdi...so he is some kind of Dragon God?"In response to Shirou's question, Archimedes stated, "The Moon Cell has existed for more than 4.6 billion years. It has observed the Earth since it was nothing more than a cloud of space debris. In its records, the entirety of human history, including the feats of every Hero that has ever existed, can be found. In all of these records, the existence of Vahn Aldrnari Mason cannot be found...it is as if he appeared, quite literally, out of nowhere."Hearing Archimedes' explanation, Musashi showed a troubled expression, asking, "Does that mean he is like me...?" At the same time, she recalled the fact that Vahn had openly admitted to being from a different world, something she had also conveyed to Archimedes while explaining what had transpired since the battle.Archimedes just shrugged in response to Musashi's question, answering, "I can't know for certain without analyzing the person in question. What I can say with some certainty, however, is that his existence has fundamentally changed since the time he first emerged in Fuyuki City, Japan. Since then, he went from being a marginally powerful person to a literal God over the course of a short few months. Even more nonsensical is the fact that the Moon Cell only has limited information on the Emperor and the Empire he has founded...almost as if there is something directly interfering."Following his words, Archimedes changed the display to show a view of Avalon from a bird's eye view. Then, after typing in a few commands, several filters overlapped the image until, much to the surprise of Shirou and Musashi, a massive serpentine creature appeared above the island.Anticipating their questions, Archimedes continued to type away on his terminal while explaining, "This creature is another anomaly within the current time axis. There is no mention of its existence in any of the Moon Cell's records and, if not for the interference it causes in scans, discovering it would have been impossible. The truly troubling thing is, even though I am able to identify its size and proportions, there is no method to determine exactly what it is... almost like it doesn't exist..."Though he had never underestimated the Empire, Shirou paled slightly after seeing the creature of impossible proportions. Before he could ask any questions, however, Archimedes went on to add, "From what I have been able to determine, there is a high probability that the Emperor used the Greater Grail to cement himself as something akin to a lynchpin of reality. It was only after the conclusion of the Holy Grail War that his power began to increase beyond comprehension. Worse still is the fact that, by unknown means, he seems to have gained access to the Throne of Heroes, potentially using a route linked to the Root itself..."The more Archimedes explained, the louder the alarm bells in Shirou's and Musashi's minds. They had already known the Emperor acted a Temporal Singularity, but, seeing how quickly his power and influence had spread, courtesy of the graphics provided by Archimedes, it felt like the time to act had already come and gone. Despite this, neither gave up; instead, their convictions had only strengthened, resulting in Shirou stating, "He must be stopped. Treating the world like it is some kind of sandbox is inexcusable."Though he didn't share Shirou's bravado, Archimedes nodded his head in approval, saying, "That is the entire reason you were summoned. Even if our methods aren't the kindest, they are nothing compared to the damage caused by the Emperor. We may have to get our hands dirty, but, if left to his own devices, the Emperor will continue to act with impunity, ruining billions of lives without remorse. Tell me, Musashi, do you really think we can trust the word of someone like that...?"Hearing Archimedes' question, Musashi's resolute looked dissolved into a conflicted expression as, despite how 'extreme' his actions were, she didn't get the impression Vahn was evil. Even if his words had been an attempt to deceive them, his actions hadn't exactly been roundabout. He was the type that seemed to throw himself into conflict, facing enemies directly rather than relying on subterfuge and deceit. He also seemed to genuinely care about the people he wanted to protect, rather than treating them like tools to further his agenda...Seeing Musashi's conflicted look, Archimedes had to fight hard to prevent a sigh from escaping his lips. Part of him even wanted to shout at her for being so emotional, but, recognizing this was a contradiction of everything he stood for, he forced himself to remain calm.Instead of focusing on Musashi, Archimedes turned his attention to Shirou, who, despite giving off an aura of skepticism, seemed convinced. This made things a lot easier, as, for reasons that defied common sense, Shirou had become one of the central figures in their resistance. He had a way of drawing people to him, and, though he was remiss to admit it, Archimedes needed the idealistic man to control some of the more troublesome members of their group.Without waiting for Musashi to respond to his previous question, Archimedes decided to issue a small compromise, saying, "I will take the information you provided into consideration. There is a small probability that the Emperor was telling the truth, so, in an effort to ascertain the veracity of his words, we will establish contact. Based on your account, he won't take drastic action against us until we do something he considers 'underhanded'. Thus, we will reach out to the Empire and, so long as they do not demand we expose ourselves, I see no reason not to take advantage of his proposal..."As Archimedes rarely changed his mind, Musashi and Shirou were left momentarily at a loss for words. This caused the shaggy-haired inventor to roll his eyes before rising to his feet, releasing a long yawn, and saying, "I'll entrust the matter of sending a message to you, Assassin Shirou. As for you, Musashi...return to control center forty-seven when you get out of Quarantine. If the Emperor does know the location of the Moon Cell, we'll need to take appropriate measures. I'm sure you'd like the chance to get your revenge so I'll need your assis-"Before Archimedes could finish his words, a small tremor could be felt by everyone present. In the next moment, the fluorescent lighting transitioned from a vibrant white to a cautionary red . At the same time, the walls began displaying red, blue, and green arrows. These, in order, indicated the location of enemy forces, injured allies, and medical stations, respectively.Though not 'entirely' unexpected, Archimedes' expression hardened as he muttered, "It would seem we have company..." before turning around and addressing the air on his way out of the room, saying, "SE.RA.PH., cancel override quarantine protocols and direct all pertinent personnel to control center forty-seven. Begin preparations for the activation of Automaton on my order..."---Unaware of what was going on inside, Vahn was floating above the surface of the Moon with a slight frown on his face. Though he had the ability to locate Musashi and Caenis using the Strings of Fate, the Moon was still massive. It had a diameter exceeding 3,400km, and, while only a fourth the size of Gaia, it wasn't something he could explore in a short period of time. This left him with the option of burrowing into the Moon directly, or, as he was currently doing, striking the surface with enough force to alert those hiding within to his presence...After waiting for a full minute, Vahn pulled out three golf-ball-sized Elemental Stars, releasing them toward the surface of the Moon. This caused Artoria, who had been floating next to him, her face masked by a rather ornate helmet, to say, "Perhaps they wish to feign ignorance...cowards..." in a rather icy tone.Though Artoria couldn't breathe in space, she would still be able to survive indefinitely due to her unique constitution and infinite mana reserves. Her main reason for wearing a helmet was due to the pressure differential, and, while it might not lead to death, suffocating wasn't exactly pleasant. It also allowed her to communicate directly with Vahn, so, contrary to her belief that a true warrior always showed their face, Artoria, temporarily, had her's concealed.In response to his Empress' words, Vahn just shrugged dismissively as the Elemental Stars, having reached critical mass, erupted in massive plumes of destructive energy. He intended to gradually increase his output with each round, starting from one and stopping only when someone came to stop him. If they wanted to pretend they weren't inside, he could continue making a larger hole in the Moon, drilling through to the core if necessary...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Moon Cell is worse than Big Brother','Archimedes' glib tongue','Hello? House Keeping~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After boring a hole several hundred meters across and a few kilometers deep, Vahn released a sigh into the surrounding vacuum. He had expected an almost instantaneous response, so, after twenty minutes had passed, he began to feel a little awkward. Though the Moon was 'technically' dead, as Crimson Moon had been killed by Zelretch, he still felt a little guilty about arbitrarily laying waste to its surface.Since he didn't know how deep the Moon Cell actually was, Vahn decided to save his Elemental Stars for the time being. Then, after having Artoria back away, made possible by her [Mana Burst] Skill, he extended his hand toward the surface of the Moon, his arm transforming into a muscular appendage covered in golden scales as he muttered, "Zhūquè, lend me your aid..." in a voice audible despite the fact they were in a vacuum.In response to his request, Vahn's arm swelled, vermillion flames breaking through the gaps between his scales as a massive octagonal magic circle expanded from his palm. It grew to more than 50m in diameter, appearing much like an eight trigrams formation with a massive void in the center. It was from this void that a fiery gateway opened, allowing a massive pheasant-like bird to, quite literally, erupt into existence amidst plumes of vermillion flames.Though the gateway was only 50m across, the bird that had emerged from within spread its wings to cover more than 300m, waves of flame following its every move as it's five-colored plumage danced gracefully despite the lack of gravity. Then, with a piercing cry that resonated with the surrounding space, it dove towards the surface of the moon, shifting into a meteoric form that blended together vermillion and emerald flames in an indescribably beautiful manner...Despite its movements appearing slow and graceful, Zhūquè impacted the surface of the Moon in an instant. This caused a large portion of the lunar surface, forming a perfect circle precisely 9km across, to sink inwards as the surrounding space was converted into a pure Yang Elemental Energy. This was, in many ways, similar to a Reality Marble, but, instead of creating an isolated space, it imprinted itself onto reality, much like Nero's Noble Phantasm or ORT's [Crystal Cavern of the Slaughter God].While it may seem to contradict his intention of avoiding further destruction, Vahn had unwavering trust in Zhūquè's control over flames. It only burned what it chose to burn, so, even if it burrowed all the way through the Moon, any structures would be left entirely untouched. The only downside was, it cost him a ridiculous amount of energy to manifest the Four Divine Beasts, leaving him nursing an arm that had turned into an appendage resembling a still-burning piece of charcoal...As she never liked seeing Vahn injured, Artoria gracefully floated over to his side, placing her hand against his blackened flesh to transfer some of her Magical Energy into his body. This did very little to ease the pain he was feeling, but, knowing she just wanted to help, Vahn managed a smile as they began to descend into the perfectly cylindrical tunnel Zhūquè had left in its wake.By the time they reached Zhūquè's actual position, it had come to a stop around 235km beneath the surface, floating soundlessly above a rainbow-hued membrane that, at a glance, appeared to be a massive crystal. What surprised them, even more, was the fact that this crystal was indiscernible to the 'Photonic Crystal Pillars' used to seal the Welsh Dragon, a material that had been instrumental to the development of all Spiritron related technologies...With its Master appearing, Zhūquè bowed its head low and, in a feminine voice that inspired a calm state of mind, stated, "I humbly request your forgiveness, Sovereign One. My power is not enough to influence this mysterious substance..."Vahn hadn't even thought to blame Zhūquè so he was actually a little surprised to hear 'her' demure plea. As a result, he adopting a calming countenance as he extended his hand to stroke the center of her fiery crest. This caused her to release the peculiar cooing sound only birds could manage, and, if not for the massive difference in their size, Vahn could easily imagine the massive bird affectionately nuzzling against the palm of his hand.After calming Zhūquè, Vahn allowed her to return to his body, filling him with an incredible amount of power and mending his wounds in an instant. His total reserves decreased while the Divine Beasts were summoned, so, while he liked to spend time with them, doing so in the 'real' world was still a little too taxing at his current level. Still, the fact his evolution allowed him to call upon them, at the expense of losing the ability to borrow their transformations, was something that always brought a smile to his face. He could still remember the time when Mordred's 'Guardian', King, first met Báihǔ, as, despite the fact one was a lion while the other was a lioness, she ended up submitting to him in an instant...With Zhūquè having cleared out a large area for them to explore, Vahn was able to conclude that the majority of the Moon, at least in their location, was one massive crystalline geode. His domain could probe upwards of thirteen kilometers in his base form, so, from what he could ascertain, this meant the true form of the Moon was hollowed geode that was approximately 3,000km in diameter. What most people believed to be the Moon was just a 235km layer of space residue that had built up over the course of 4.6 billion years, concealing a perfect sphere formed from Photonic Crystals. Since even a thumb-sized piece of the substance was enough to create an Artificial Intelligence on the level of Ark, it was a truly awe-inspiring discovery that, under different circumstances, would have left a deep impact on civilization...After marveling at the beautiful structure for several minutes, Vahn placed his palm against the warm surface, muttering, "Now, how are we supposed to get inside...?" to nobody in particular. His domain wasn't able to penetrate the crystal membrane, and, due to the nature of Photonic Crystals, even the most powerful Noble Phantasms would be hard-pressed to leave a single scratch on the surface. Any damage they did would be 'ignored' as a result of the quantum state of the material, which, in all but a few circumstances, would return to its 'default' state in an instant.Vahn was one of the few people that could actually damage Photonic Crystals, a benefit provided by his Source Energy, but, at least for the time being, he was unwilling to do so. He knew the Moon Cell was older than the Moon itself, so, even with the death of Crimson Moon, the system governing the massive supercomputer was still alive. It undoubtedly had an Ego of its own, and, due to his status as Type: Omega, Vahn knew it would obey his orders so long as he didn't direct it to violate its primary objective.Since he didn't want to leave a bad impression on the governing system of the Moon Cell, Vahn had to find something like an entrance. Fortunately, he knew such an entrance existed, as, in many of the materials he had obtained to further Da Vinci's research, such an entrance was generally found in the early 2030s to the late 2100s. The only problem with this was, no matter how much he had searched for details on the entrance, it was a 'very' closely guarded secret. Though the coordinates had to be stored somewhere, it was impossible to find them in any historical documentation, as, preceding the discovery of the Moon Cell, humanity is usually on the brink of extinction due to war.Without exception, the Moon Cell had always been discovered after mana had started to fade, and, in the hopes of securing their future, humanity began expanding into space. Prior to this, the Moon Cell remained in an idle state, observing the development of Gaia and closely record the actions of every entity that had ever existed on her surface. This meant there was a slight chance the entrance didn't exist, but, considering Archimedes and his team were able to get inside, Vahn knew there had to be an entrance 'somewhere'.After organizing his thoughts, Vahn turned to Artoria, mentally activating his comms as he said, "I don't want to damage the Photonic Crystals just yet. The Moon Cell will likely become one of the pillars that supports the Empire so we should avoid damaging it as much as possible. Even if it is able to repair itself, I imagine the system governing its maintenance wouldn't be too happy with us."Though she could understand Vahn's concerns, Artoria frowned inside of her helmet, asking, "Is this truly the wisest decision? The enemy may misinterpret your unwillingness to damage the Moon Cell as a sign they can freely hole themselves within. If they have a way to completely seal the entrance, leaving no traces, what will we do?"Knowing there was a considerable amount of truth behind Artoria's concerns, Vahn mulled over his options for a few minutes before nodding his head and saying, "You're right. There is a chance the entrance isn't in a fixed location so searching for it could ultimately prove futile. I guess Da Vinci is going to have a lot of Photonic Crystals to study in the near future..."Following his words, Vahn gestured for Artoria to give him a bit of space. Then, after taking a few deep 'breaths', despite the fact he was in a vacuum, he calmed his mind to the best of his ability. He had become increasingly proficient at clearing his thoughts in recent days, and, by paying attention to the Flow of Fate around him, he was able to strengthen the current that led to his desired mental state in the shortest period of time.After around twenty seconds of oppressive silence, Vahn's eyes opened to reveal golden irises that blazed like stars within the shadowy valley carved by Zhūquè. His body then began to swell up, his height rapidly exceeding eight meters before he began to take on a distinctly inhuman appearance. Large wings sprouted from his back, radiating an intense golden light from their leather membrane as resplendent golden scales sprouted across his entire body. By the time their light began to fade, he had grown to a height exceeding twelve meters and a length exceeding twenty. His wings were even larger, covering nearly thirty-five meters in length while, along his back, blade-like ridges ran down the length of his body, extending into a thick, glaive-like tail.With a draconic visage that inspired awe and reverence in any who bore witness to its glory, Vahn inspected his complete dragon transformation, basking in the indescribable feeling of power that radiated from the center of his chest. Each breath the drew caused the gaps between his abdominal plating to radiate intense golden light, and, if he inhaled deeply, Vahn felt like he would be able to release a powerful breath that could destroy anything in its wake.Since using his Dragon's Breath actually took a considerable amount of his reserves, Vahn ignored the urge to devastate his surroundings. Instead, he used his powerful front claws, set with four large talons and a thumb-like appendage, to begin tearing away at the Photonic Crystals below. They were extremely resistant, but, with a palpable amount of Source Energy radiating from his body, his intent to tear it apart overwrote their ability to instantaneously repair. Thus, with speed that could humble even the most advanced excavators, he tore away large chunks of the beautiful crystal, stowing them away in his Inventory as he quickly burrowed into the crystalline structure below...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Zhūquè, I choose you...!',That's a big ass crystal...','The descent of the Dragon God xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Due to his usual combat style, Vahn rarely went out of his way to wear anything like armor. At his level, there were very few instances where armor actually served any purpose, but, in order to show solidarity between himself and his forces, Vahn donned the same outfit that he had worn during the duel between Artoria and Lorelei.Though it didn't match his usual style, which typically combined muted colors like black and grey, Vahn found the style adapted from Artoria's era rather suitable for 'war'. He was especially fond of the furred cloak, as he thought it look cool, but, more than anything else, Vahn just liked matching Artoria. She gave off a regal and dignified appearance when she donned her armor, so, despite the fact it was somewhat uncomfortable, Vahn was inspired by her example. (A/N: [Charisma] OP)With his preparations ready, Vahn thanked Gray and Gareth for their assistance, rubbing both girls' heads before teleporting everyone to the staging area, the large courtyard that served as an area to rally troops and conduct parade. There, more than fifteen hundred people had gathered, each with similar armor that denoted their rank and occupation within the Imperial Militia, the majority being Shieldmaidens and Pikewomen.Since there was little they could do against actual Heroic Spirits, the combat forces comprised of the Einzbern Homunculi had been taught to maintain a defensive line. The Shieldmaidens were outfitted with shields that, alone, would struggle to block B-Rank spells. Together, however, they could form a massive defensive wall that, according to Da Vinci's calculations, could block an A-Rank, Anti-Island Noble Phantasm. This was due to the fact that the shields, while wielded by individuals, were all part of a unified 'Set'.Vahn had painstakingly forged each of the shields by hand, imbuing them with an ability known as [Unbreakable Phalanx]. This ability amplified the Physical and Magical Defense of every shield used to form a defensive wall, so, while the Homunculi might not be able to match against the average Heroic Spirit, only the most powerful had any hopes of breaking their defensive line.To support the Shieldmaidens, the vast majority of Homunculi were outfitted with long pikes, each upwards of six meters in length. What made these pikes special wasn't simply their sharpness and durability, which would allow them to easily penetrate magically reinforced metals with ease. What really made them exceptional was the fact that, despite their appearance, they were actually A-Rank magical staves.By channeling their magical energy into their pikes, the Homunculi could shoot out piercing beams of elemental energy. The element could be adjusted to deal with enemies, but, no matter which was used, they were capable of dealing heavy damage to both physical and magical barriers. They could even be charged for upwards of three minutes, greatly amplifying the amount of damage they were capable of outputting by converting the focused beams into condensed energy that, on contact with a target, would explode to cause massive area of effect damage.Though there were actually a number of different roles each member of the militia could fill, such as Shock Troopers and Combat Healers, these positions were entirely dependent on the situation. As a result, the only group that really stood out amongst the assembly of nearly identical women were the troops led by Kenshin. They were each outfitted in armor that gave off a distinctly Japanese feel, looking more like Samurai than Knights.Seeing all of the units gathered together, Vahn couldn't help but be overcome by a sense of awe, as, despite their relatively small numbers, their momentum filled him with power. He could feel the eyes of nearly everyone shift to him the moment he appeared and, though it was always a little awkward to have thousands of ruby-red eyes staring fervently toward him, Vahn still managed an appreciative smile as the entire assembly saluted him due to Gawain's outburst...---After putting the 'soldiers' at ease, Vahn stood in a loose circle with his usual War Council, listening as Gawain reported, "Your Majesty, we have completed equipment checks and have ample supplies to form and maintain a defensive line for upwards of six months. Troop morale is at an exceptional level with each and every member of the Imperial Militia fully committed and capable of fulfilling the duties they have been assigned. We are ready to move on your orders."Following Gawain's report, Kenshin nodded her head in affirmation, adding, "This is something we've been looking forward to for nearly three years. These girls have dedicated themselves wholly to the Empire's goals, but, more importantly, they all believe in Your Majesty's dreams. If ever a time comes when you feel any kind of doubt, recall this scene. Notice there is no fear or hesitation in any of their eyes, only resolution and the sincere belief that they are contributing to a noble cause."Even without Kenshin's reminder, Vahn was well aware of the status he held in the hearts of nearly every Einzbern Homunculi. All of them treated him as their Savior, but, due to his actual status as a God, many had come to proactively pray to and worship him. This had been the case even before he had summoned Jeanne, but, after being exposed to the highly devout woman, seventy-three percent of Homunculi had transitioned from being Subordinates to True Believers. As a result, Jeanne's status had changed from True Believer to Apostle, a title she shared with Kenshin, Lakshmibai, and, as could be expected, Fenrir.If he ordered them to, Vahn had no doubts in his mind that every Homunculus would willingly lay down their lives for his cause. This awareness placed a heavy burden on his shoulders, but, as a result of his [Will of the Emperor], it also filled him with immense power and confidence.After letting Gawain's and Kenshin's words sink in for a moment, Vahn gave an understanding nod before stating, "While they are willing to lay down their lives for the Empire, it is our duty to ensure this is never required. I have high expectations for each and every one of you. Show me the results of your efforts..."Immediately following Vahn's words, everyone gathered in their circle performed a full salute, Artoria included. Then, in preparation for the coming occupation, the various Commanders returned to their individual units while Vahn, accompanied by Artoria, Gray, and Gareth, returned to the interior of the Ivory Castle. There, they found nearly every resident of the Inner Sanctum waiting to send them off, the children included.Though he wasn't going to be away for a terribly long period of time, Vahn was still heading off for what could, technically, be considered a war. Even if he would be leaving one of his bodies behind to protect Avalon, it would be stuck in focused meditation in order to supplement his rather ridiculous energy expenditures. Thus, if the battle turned into a prolonged engagement, it could take several weeks, projection-time, before he saw any of his children again.For many of the children, this was their first time seeing their 'Papa' wearing his armor, but, after the momentary awe wore off, they adopted the same expressions as their mothers, being concern and, in their own way, support. The only real exceptions to this were those like Mordred and Isanna, the former showing a slightly annoyed expression while the latter had a mischievous glint in her eyes.Vahn had already talked to Merlin and Ishtar about keeping an eye on Isanna, as her pseudo-divinity related to War could cause some problems. This was especially true for the Vanir, as, unlike normal Gods and Demigods, their Divinity wasn't tied to the planet's authority. As a result, they could freely use their power even on other planets while Goddesses like Ishtar and Ereshkigal would quickly lose their power as they moved further away from the planet.With Merlin and Ishtar watching her every move, Vahn wasn't too worried about Isanna successfully sneaking out, so, after exchanging words with most of the other children, he caressed the pouting Mordred's head and reminded, "You still have a responsibility to fulfill within the Clock Tower. This isn't a battle for things like status or glory so don't let it get you...you don't see Fenrir trying to force me to bring her along, do you...?"Hearing her name uttered, Fenrir's ears twitched slightly while, with a defeated look on her face, the pouting Mordred released a sigh before saying, "At this rate, there won't be any battles left for me to fight..."Though he had been putting a lot of effort into cultivating a calm and collected demeanor at times like this, Vahn's brows perked up in response to Mordred's words. This brought a lot of attention to him, resulting in Mordred looking around confusedly before staring up at him with a similar look. As a result, Vahn released a dry laugh before ruffling her hair and saying, "It would be nice if that were the case. Unfortunately, even if there are periods of peace, the path I walk passes through countless battlefields. Trust me, Mordred, you will have your fair share of battles...for now, please just focus on becoming stronger..."Hearing her Chichiue's words, Mordred felt a twinge of guilt, as, toward the very end, she could hear the concern in his voice. This wasn't the same as the concern a parent would have for their children, rather, it sounded a lot like the tone used when you knew the other party was going off on a suicide mission. Since she had led Shock Troopers in her past life, Mordred knew this tone better than most, so, even without him elaborating further, she was reminded of her current aspirations. If she became a God, it was to be expected that, in the future, other Gods would be her opponents...Realizing the future battlefields were on a much grander scale, Mordred felt like her motivation had been rekindled, changing from a bonfire into a raging inferno. She was still a little disappointed that she couldn't accompany her Chichiue in the present, but, as this was primarily due to her weakness, the only person she had to blame was herself. Thus, with a resolute look on her face, she nodded her head in understanding, firmly stating, "I will become much stronger...I swear to you...to myself..."Though he had already 'seen' this scene, Vahn felt vindicated hearing Mordred's response so, after planting a kiss on her forehead, he ruffled her hair again and said, "I believe in you, Mordred. You fill me with pride each and every day so I have no doubts you will greatly exceed my expectations..."If her motivation could be compared to an inferno, before, Mordred felt like the fire inside of her was akin to a solar flare after hearing her Chichue's words. She could feel her body, literally, begin to heat up and, though it earned her an exasperated look from her Hahaue, her face had become visibly red as a wide smile spread across her face...---With Mordred temporarily pacified, Vahn was forced to give most of his daughters a goodbye kiss, either on their cheek or forehead, before departing alongside Artoria. When they were alone, making their final preparations for the assault on the Moon Cell, she released a tired sigh before saying, "As a mother, I can't help but be worried about that girl. Tell me, Vahn, will things become easier once I ascend to godhood...?"Though Artoria had already accepted Mordred's affections for Vahn, understanding how she must feel, that didn't make it any easier. Even if Mordred really was just a clone of her, she had come to truly accept the troublesome girl as her daughter. Mordred's accomplishments filled her with pride and, in many ways, it was her desire to ensure the former's happiness that led to Artoria accepting her feelings toward Vahn.Truthfully, Vahn didn't really know how to answer Artoria's concerns despite having an inordinate amount of experience with similar circumstances. Thus, in response to her question, he released a sigh before saying, "Honestly...it is up to you. I have come to learn many things about Divinity, but, in the end, the way it manifests is up to the weilder. Even then, however, I believe the most important thing is staying true to yourself. It is fine to be uncomfortable with something, Artoria, so I hope you never have to force yourself to think or believe something that contradicts your character..."Vahn's words weren't exactly what she wanted to hear, but, knowing things like this were never easy, Artoria nodded her head in understanding. She had already made her decision, discussed it at great length with various people, and, most recently, even began helping Mordred in her pursuit of even greater strength. Thus, while it filled her heart with a moderate amount of discomfort, Artoria fully intended to support her daughter. She just liked to vent her frustrations to Vahn, as, while she would never admit it, his efforts to calm her always made her happy...Even without Artoria vocalizing her feelings, Vahn had come to understand almost everything about her character over the last few years. Her resolute nature was one of the key elements that gave him the confidence to carry out his own duties as an Emperor. This was something he had conveyed to her several times in the past, so, during moments like this, he dutifully fulfilled the role she required of him. As for her discussion about godhood, that had never really mattered...rather, if anything was going to influence Artoria's mentality, it would be her draconic heritage.The fact Artoria had been the one to spearhead the situation that led to the development of his Sex Divinity showed just how much her bloodline influenced her decision making. While it was still in its nascent stages, Vahn's experience with Terra and Alexa allowed him to see the signs of Artoria's slow, but inevitable, awakening. The more they fought alongside each other, and the more he showed off his own draconic forms, the more prominent the changes in her behavior became. Thus, every time a battle approached, Vahn couldn't help but offer a silent prayer, hoping Artoria remained the same woman he had come to love, no matter how much she changed...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Waifu squad, assemble...!','The battles have only begun','I wonder how long it will be before Artoria's transitions from 'Phoenix Empress' to 'Dragon God Empress'...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1431: Tremor