Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Shortly after inheriting the position of Chief Administrator, Vahn found himself in yet another vast, seemingly infinite, space. Unlike before, the sky in his new location devoid of everything but a hazy mist that radiated pale white light. Below, what appeared to be an emerald green sea stretched out far beyond the horizon, yet, in spite of its apparent liquid state, Vahn was able to walk on its surface without as if it were solid ground.Dotting the 'landscape', countless pillars floated at various depths, while, at the center of everything, a massive cube, comprised of several digitized cubes, could be seen suspended in space. In a way, it looked like a three-dimensional object that hadn't completely rendered, many of the vertices giving way to reveal a golden sphere, surrounded by 'source code', within.Though it felt like he was only a few hundred meters away from the golden sphere, Vahn had the impression he was actually an infinite distance from its location. The various layers of code on the inside made his brain feel fuzzy just looking at them, and, though several orders of magnitude less advanced, he felt as if the cuboid structure before him was similar to the Root System itself.Since he had begun to bleed from both nostrils after observing the data stream for several seconds, Vahn manipulated his blood to form a tiny bead before turning to the silent automaton and asking, "What authority do I have as Chief Administrator? Explain your assigned purpose and the functions of the Moon Cell."Without any delay in its response, the purple automaton replied in its characteristic synthetic voice, stating, "Command Acknowledged. Answering the first query. As Chief Administrator, you have the authority to: assign secondary objectives, initiate root protocols, suspend non-vital systems, and alter the permissions of other designates. Answering the secondary query. The existence you know as the Moon Cell has three primary objectives, seventeen-thousand-four-hundred-and-ninety secondary objectives, two primary functions, and seven secondary functions, and nineteen tertiary functions."Fearing the automaton would begin listing all of its functions, Vahn interrupted its explanation, a wry smile on his face as he said, "Just tell me your primary objective and the primary functions available to me as the Chief Administrator."Following Vahn's interruption, the automaton briefly paused before answering, "Amendment to the previous inquiries has been acknowledged. Updating response to amendment. Answering amended inquiry. Primary objectives include the observation of SS-C3PB: GAIA, monitoring the development of life upon its surface, and creating a backup of all information accumulated prior to its destruction. Answering the second amended inquiry. As Chief Administrator, you are allowed direct access to all non-vital systems for the purpose of observation and data collection. Primary functions include the ability to move freely within the Photonic Abyss and initiate procedures to establish contact with the Root System."Hearing the automaton's response, Vahn fell into silent contemplation, as, going by its explanation, he didn't actually have the authority to expel Archimedes and his entourage. Thus, after sorting his thoughts, he asked, "Can I assign or transfer authority to other people?", followed by the automaton replying, "Answering inquiry. Only if they are on the list of authorized personnel compiled within the Primary Terminal. Administrative rights cannot be given to entities classified as a threat to primary objectives."Since his own authority seemed rather limited, even as Chief Administrator, Vahn wasn't surprised by the automaton's response. Just like Alaya, it was compelled to fulfill its primary function, and, though he had some liberty to influence it, arbitrarily introducing change was difficult. Thus, he shelved the idea of immediately transferring authority to Da Vinci, instead, saying, "Transfer me to the Primary Terminal, or, any area where I can monitor everything else within the Moon Cell. Also, if such a thing exists, make an exception for Artoria Aldrnari Pendragon. I want her transferred to the same location as me."Though Vahn could use his Unit Management to summon Artoria to his side, he wanted to see if the Moon Cell could transfer others. He had asked her to be patient and wait for him outside, but, with the passage of time, she would undoubtedly become increasingly stressed out. After all, they were supposed to be invading the Moon Cell together, not waiting for him to figure things out and make sure it was 'safe' for her to venture inside.Unfortunately, in response to Vahn's command, the automaton immediately stated, "It is impossible to transfer anyone without the requisite permissions. Access to vital systems can only be achieved in the event that contact with the Root System has been established. An existing request for access to the Root System already exists. Would you like to supersede the existing request and forcibly initiate the procedure to establish contact?"Feeling the Flow of Fate around him suddenly surge, Vahn peered into the near-future to find that an even similar to the Holy Grail War would be initiated if he replied in the affirmative. Instead, he didn't hesitate to shake his head, stating, "No, do not initiate proceedings. Also, cancel the existing request and restrict further access to any external functions that have no been directly approved by me."Vahn didn't have to inquire in order to understand that Archimedes had been the one to initiate the previous request. He likely intended to use the Moon Cell in a manner similar to the Greater Grail, using its connection to the Root System in order to have his 'wish' granted. As such an event would bring far too much trouble, he decided to nip it in the bud. After all, while the Flow of Fate showed that he would undoubtedly win the event, there were many troublesome scenes depicted within the same current.In response to Vahn's order, the automaton flashed its light a few times before saying, "Command has been executed. Do you wish to continue transfer to the Primary Terminal?"With the visage of Archimedes flashing across his mind, Vahn smiled knowingly in response to the automaton's question, answering, "Proceed." in a curt tone. In the next moment, he found himself in an extremely clean room that reminded him of the control room for CHALDEAS. There, on the verge of pulling his hair out in frustration, Archimedes could be seen hunched over, his fingers typing away with such intensity their movement was hard to follow.Unfortunately for Archimedes, every inquiry and command he typed into the terminal was answered with a massive 'Access Denied' notification. Though he seemed to be trying to circumvent this block, typing a series of runic coding into what appeared to be a command prompt, he hadn't been able to make much progress. After all, the Moon Cell was one of, if not the, most advanced pieces of tech in the entire Sol System. If it could be so easily hacked, at least in any meaningful way, that would be a farce in and of itself.Since Archimedes apparently hadn't noticed him, Vahn walked up behind the man, placing his palm on the former's shoulder rather roughly. In response, Archimedes turned statuesque, his rampant typing coming to an instantaneous halt as his heavy breathing sounded throughout the otherwise empty chamber. Then, after swallowing hard, he slowly turned his head, finding Vahn standing there with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes...Before Archimedes could say anything, Vahn interrupted him, stating in a tone that left no room for argument, "Sit down and remain silent. You will speak when I have given you permission. Do not test my patience, Archimedes. The moment you try anything, anything at all, expect to die..."Without waiting for a response, Vahn forced Archimedes to take a seat before navigating through his Unit Management and transferring Artoria. If he kept her waiting much longer, things would become increasingly complicated.The moment Artoria appeared within the Primary Terminal, the lighting within shifted to red, but, as he had already 'seen' this, Vahn plainly stated, "She has my permission to be here. Worry not, as she has no intention of damaging the Moon Cell and its systems. If she tries, I will personally intervene to protect the station."Though it gave off the impression that it wanted to argue, the purple automaton ultimately issued a synthetic, "Acknowledged." before the lights immediately shifted back to a neutral blue.Seeing how easily Vahn 'convinced' the Moon Cell of his intentions, Archimedes tried to give voice to his incredulity, but, the moment his mouth began to open, he found a startling hot blade tip resting against his tongue, followed by Vahn stating in a venomous tone, "I did not give you permission to speak..."Archimedes felt more indignant in the last few minutes than he had over the last fifty years, causing his expression to turn exceptionally dour. He didn't really care that his tongue was being scaled by the ambient heat of Vahn's [Lævateinn]. What really bothered him was the fact that he was being looked down on by a man who, at least in his mind, lacked the qualifications to do so. Vahn was the embodiment of everything he hated in humans: petulant, emotional, and overbearing when it came to anything that contradicted their beliefs.Unaware of the hypocritical thoughts swirling through Archimedes' mind, Vahn returned [Lævateinn] to his Inventory while making a mental note to clean it properly later on. Then, after pulling out two more chairs, one for himself and the other for Artoria, he sat down in front of the glowering man, his smile gradually fading away as he stated, "Though I can understand your reasoning behind trying to lay low, the methods you've been incorporating over the past few months seem specifically designed to annoy me. Had I not spent a fair amount of time thinking things through, the start of the meeting would have marked the end of your life..."Though he was doing his best to control his emotions, images of Scáthach briefly flashed through Vahn's mind. At the same time, his skin gradually shifted from a healthy tan to a progressive fairer complexion, followed by golden scales slowly growing from the enlarged 'pores' on his arms, legs, and face. More noticeable, however, was the ever-increasing pressure within the room, so potent it even caused Artoria to grimace slightly...If not for Artoria's presence, Vahn imagined he would have just crushed Archimedes, bringing an end to everything then and there. It would take very little effort, as, despite believing Archimedes had the means to protect himself, the reality of the situation proved otherwise. It was all but guaranteed such countermeasures existed, but, having never expected the spontaneous seizure of the Moon Cell, all of his plans had been undermined before they could be implemented.Taking solace in the fact he had near-absolute control over the current situation, Vahn took several deep breaths to calm himself before pulling out a vial of murky white liquid, saying, "This is a high-quality recovery potion. Apply it to your tongue...we have much to discuss."Having few options other than acquiescence, Archimedes stared at the vial in Vahn's hand before ultimately removing the cork and downing its contents. This caused the blisters on his tongue to quickly heal, restoring his taste buds and allowing him to taste the mellow, honey-like, fluid as it coated his throat and spread warmth through his body.Without waiting for Archimedes to completely recover, Vahn's eyes gradually shifted from gold to a ghostly blue as he said, "I will give you one opportunity to explain your actual reasons for coming to the past. Feel free to twist your story and embellish it as much as you'd like...just know I am able to see through falsehoods to peer at the truth. The greater your lie, the harsher your punishment...know this, not as a promise, but an incontestable truth..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Rotton potatoes are OP','Vahn be like, "Hello there..."','One final chance for transparency...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

True to his word, Vahn allowed Archimedes to make his case, sitting silently as the man explained the state of his world, the war leading up to humanity's near extinction, the discovery of the Moon Cell, and his awakening as a Security Administrator.According to Archimedes, mana began to fade within his world shortly after the moon landing in 1969. This was also the beginning of what most people refer to as the 'Era of Modernization', the period where Science and Technology slowly peeled back the veil of Fundamentalism, opening the eyes of society to the 'truth' of the world.Coinciding with the changing of the times, internal strife slowly split the Mage's Association into several smaller factions. Following their decline, two new organizations, the Western European Plutocracy, and the South East Asian Alliance rose to prominence, functionally splitting the world into two distinct halves.China, the de facto leaders of the S.E.A.A, managed to dominate the global economy due to their stranglehold on industrialization. Unfortunately, due to poor planning and even worse oversight, the overabundance of plastic and chemical waste ended up leading to a mass extinction of most marine life due to global warming and a sharp decline in the amount of oxygen within the world's oceans.While the S.E.A.A. was shouldering the blame of the planet's rapid decline, ushering in economic sanctions and the boycott of various goods, the Western European Plutocracy began a meteoric rise due to the fact they had been advocating for 'greener', more efficient, alternatives. They were also responsible for the development of various telecommunications breakthroughs, and, prior to the collapse of the global economy, they had already been developing shuttles capable of exiting atmosphere and traversing space.With the panic revolving around the planet's rapid deterioration, people around the world turned their eyes skyward, dreaming of worlds beyond. This led to an exponential increase in funding for space-faring technologies, elevating the leading family of the Western European Plutocracy, the Harway family, to celebrity status virtually overnight.What people didn't expect was, the moment the Harway family rose to prominence, securing a place for themselves at the pinnacle of society, the hopes and dreams of many were shattered in an instant. This wasn't due to any great betrayal on the part of the Harway's, but, after more than a decade of 'unfair treatment' from the rest of the world, various terrorist organizations, with strong connections to the S.E.A.A., began spreading chaos throughout the world.By the time the truth was exposed to the public, it was already too late, as, on December 25th, 2022, seventeen nuclear warheads were detonated in various world capitals. By the changing of the calendar year, the Third World War had begun, crippling the global economy and leaving millions fleeing for their lives.While the onset of the Third World War had come as a surprise to many, history recorded that the actual conflict only lasted for nineteen months. In this relatively short period of time, however, an estimated 1.3 billion people had lost their lives, many due to radiation sickness, famine, and the inability to secure clean drinking water. Diseases once thought extinct claimed millions and, even after the war, genetic mutations led to a startling decline in the number of births, decreasing the global population from 8.1 billion to 3.9 billion by 2030.Due to the acidic nature of the world's oceans, most shorelines were rapidly eroded, pushing what remained of humanity inland. This was when the true 'brilliance' of the Western European Plutocracy made itself known once again, as, in anticipation of the world's decline, they had already prepared various facilities to slowly reclaim the Earth. They publicized the existence of various underground cities, and, to combat the global depression, they even introduced the world's first Full Dive Virtual Reality system, a means of escaping reality and finding purpose in the fantastical world of the NET.As a result of their efforts, the Harway family quickly became the most profligate family in the entire world. Many even considered them the de facto rulers of the human race, primarily due to the fact that much of the world's infrastructure revolved around their businesses. People began to spend most of their time on the NETs and, integrating the global and digital economies into one cohesive entity. At the same time, the Harway family established a massive space elevator and a colossal space station that was more than 30km in diameter.While purporting they were making preparations for humanity's colonization of other planets, the Western European Plutocracy completely shut down space travel for other organizations. This was largely due to the fact that, during the previous World War, the vast majority of satellites had been destroyed. Though some argued that they should have access to the same shielding technology that had been developed to protect the Space Elevator, this was considered proprietary hardware and, after the recent World War, the exchange of such technologies became heavily restricted.What most didn't know was that, following the moon landing in 1969, the Astronauts had found more than just a barren rock waiting for their arrival. They ended up conducting a secret mission into the Moon's 'Umbral Sea', the shadow area of the Moon that was rumored to conceal many a secret. There, they discovered an indestructible Monolith, taking detailed photographs and soil samples before covering up the discovery.Due to their association with various affluent families within the United States, the Harway family, alongside twelve others, learned of this undisclosed secret. As a result, they began researching the Monolith, discovering it served a similar purpose to the legendary Rosetta Stone. The text on its surface was written in thirty-seven different languages, including many that had ceased to exist thousands of years prior.The existence of the Monolith, alone, was enough to usher in a completely new era, but, due to its contents, it's discovery was completely hidden from the public. This was due to the fact that, after the message was interpreted, the existence of the Moon Cell became known. More importantly, a small fragment of the same material as the Monolith had been discovered, situated in the center, much like a keystone. After further study, this fragment was revealed to house various blueprints and diagrams, many far more advanced than anything that had been developed on Earth.Using the knowledge contained within the Keystone, the Western European Plutocracy quickly rose to power during the decline of the Mage's Association. They set their sights on the far future, developing advanced technologies in secret while the world slowly marched towards destruction. It was only once humanity had been crippled, preventing any competition for the Moon Cell, that the Harway family, the leaders of the Western European Plutocracy, moved to claim the coveted 'Vault of Heaven' for themselves.Once the Moon Cell had been officially opened, Archimedes had been summoned to act as an Advisor and Security Administrator. When the expedition led by the Harway family arrived, he was there waiting for them, guiding them through the various facilities and informing them of the rules that governed the Moon Cell. Though this ultimately led to conflict, the Moon Cell was capable of producing an endless amount of Attack Programs, laying waste to the Harway family's forces until they ultimately acquiesced.The only way to gain access to the information provided by the Moon Cell was to 'earn' the right to access it. This was achieved by completing various challenges, the vast majority of which took place in the Virtual Reality Marbles manifested by the Moon Cell's primary control program. As a result, the Harway family began developing Virtual Reality for themselves, both to train their own people while simultaneously preparing 'sacrifices'.In order to trigger one of the Moon Cell's challenges, an increment of 128 people was required. When the requisite number of people had been gathered, willingly, an event similar to the Holy Grail War would be implemented, pairing each member with a Servant based on the data that had been accumulated by the Moon Cell over the past 4.6 billion years. They would then fight in a contest spanning seven weeks, beginning with a week-long preliminary, to reduce the number of contestants to 128, and six weeks of one-versus-one duels.Once a victor had been determined, they would be allowed to visit the Moon Cell itself, the large cuboid structure that housed the Main Core. There, a connection to the Root was established and, though not quite on the same level as the Greater Grail, it could grant virtually any desire, so long as it did not involve the destruction or management of the Moon Cell itself.---The entire time Archimedes was giving his history lesson, Vahn was peering into the multitude of currents flowing around them. This allowed him to view hundreds of instances of the Moon Cell Holy Grail War, many of which involved participants from the Empire and various other forces that had, somehow, been selected by the Moon Cell's control program. What 'never' changed, unless he went out of his way to allow it, was the fact that he won every single time.While it inflated his ego quite a bit to know that there were virtually no measures to prevent him from securing victory, the main reason Vahn peered into the various currents was to ascertain the true nature and intentions of Archimedes. He knew the man wasn't being forthright with him, but, instead of interrupting, he just lightly tapped his finger each time Archimedes deflected or footed around an issue.Archimedes had noticed the 'physical tell' performed by Vahn, but, as exposing the truth would be the same as choosing death, he couldn't simply give up. He kept telling himself that there was no way Vahn could know the truth, unless, of course, he also came from the future. However, due to the authority previously granted to him by the Moon Cell, he had been able to access Parallel Worlds and directly monitor the Quantum Time Axis. A singularity, regardless of whether or not it was in the past, present, or future, would be noted by the Moon Cell's Observational Lens, unless, of course, Vahn came from outside this observational field...As this thought crossed his mind, Archimedes gradually fell silent, and, though it was almost like putting a gun to his head, he asked, "What do you know of the Umbral Star...?"Vahn wasn't in the mood to be questioned, but when it came to this particular topic, he couldn't help but smile slightly as he plainly stated, "Less than I'd like, more than you can imagine."Sensing no falsehood in Vahn's words, Archimedes' expression darkened considerably, even though his face appeared as though all the blood had drained out of it. Then, with a voice that trembled with both fear and anger, he muttered, "Even if you kill me...you can't stop the return of the Umbral Star...you, your Empire, everything...it will all be destroyed..."Despite Archimedes' remark, Vahn's smile didn't fade in the slightest, as, based on Akasha's past explanation, his designation even gave him authority over Sol, much less a Rogue Star like Velber. Even if this wasn't the case, he was confident in being able to repel, if not outright destroy, the so-called Umbral Star. It had been repelled by various Sun Gods, so, with nearly a thousand years to prepare for its arrival, Vahn wasn't even remotely worried.Without bothering to dignify Archimedes' words with a response, Vahn turned to the automaton that had been silently observing them from the side, saying, "I believe Archimedes is no longer qualified for his current position. With your blessing, I will be rid of him for you..."Hearing Vahn's words, Archimedes pulled out a small crystalline baton, causing a black ripple to spread out, similar to a Reality Marble. An ocean of stars began to dot the horizon, but, before he was able to fully activate his Noble Phantasm, Artoria's blade pierced his chest to the hilt. She had been closely observing him, and, though Vahn could have easily intervened, she wanted to share in his burdens whenever possible.With his Noble Phantasm shattered, Archimedes made a vain attempt at pulling out [Excalibur], but, the moment his gloved hand touched the blade, holy light began to burn him. Immediately thereafter, the automaton seemed to have made its decision, stating, "Archimedes will be listed as an existence that threatens the Moon Cell, revoking his current rights and preventing all future summons. A new Security Administrator will be designated following his deletion."Following the automaton's words, a red barrier repelled Artoria from Archimedes, dividing the space within the Primary Terminal. At the same time, Archimedes' body began to rapidly flake away, revealing a glassy purple substance that looked like corrupted data. It started from his limbs and the wound around his chest, quickly spreading to cover his body as he bent and, releasing a primal scream in the moments before he was completely annihilated...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Feels like writing satire...','Being able to see the Flow of Fate is incredibly broken xD...','Archimedes' final words, "Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-!!!!"')(A/N: This is the last chapter for today so I'll let the readers decide. If you'd like for me to actually go forward with the Moon Cell Holy Grail War, let me know. Otherwise, I'll be proceeding with a few other events I have planned, wrapping up the Nasuverse arc over the next hundred chapters, give or take.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While Vahn was busying himself with burrowing through the outer shell of the Moon Cell, the group of would-be Heroes had gathered around Archimedes in the room designated as Control Center 47, a deadpan expression on his face as he read the report issued by SE.RA.PH.Gathered behind Archimedes, a group of nineteen people had gathered, each with appearances that distinguished them amongst 'normal' people. Some wore outfits that represented specific periods in humans history while others, despite wearing 'normal' clothes, gave off monstrous, ethereal, or, even godly, vibes.Amongst the group, primarily comprised of females of various shapes and sizes, a handsome man wearing a suit of gaudy golden armor stood out. He had pupilless green eyes that refracted light in much the same way as emeralds, but, despite wearing an ornate crown atop his head, he gave off a slovenly and scornful aura as he droned, "Hooo...that man seems to be trying his best, no~? Tell me, Archimedes, why have you gathered us here~? Don't tell me you can't even handle a single intruder on your own~?"Without a single change in his expression, Archimedes continued to monitor the large display as he answered, "That 'man', as you call him, is capable of destroying Photonic Crystals with raw physical power. Even if you were to strike at it for a thousand years, you would not be able to leave so much as a single scratch upon the Moon Cell's surface. I would suggest you prepare yourself for the battle to come, as, amongst everyone here, you are the most at risk of being put to death as a result of the Emperor's nature..."Hearing Archimedes' retort, the man released a shrill laugh that carried undertones of incredulity and scorn before adopting a crooked leer and shouting, "Do you think I'm afraid of some overgrown lizard!? It's good that his scales are made of gold because I could use a new pair of greaves...!!"This time, instead of Archimedes responding, it was Musashi who stated, "Shut up, Jason. You are the most useless person in our entire group. I'm not in the mood to give you another beat down so keep your mouth shut."Jason's expression immediately darkened when he heard Musashi's words, but, as she had always made good on her promises, he could only grind his teeth in frustration. Fortunately, he wasn't left to suffer complete indignation, as, in response to Musashi's words, two women stepped out. The first had doll-like features, with porcelain-white skin, lilac hair, and a petite frame. As for the second, she had distinctly eastern features, including jade-like skin, silky black hair, pale-blue, almond-shaped eyes, and, most notably, a willowy figure clad in a silken, cheongsam, robe.Being the first to step out, the lilac-haired girl shouted, "Musashi! I won't allow you to insult Jason as you please!" while brandishing a staff that was longer than she was tall. As for the cheongsam-clad woman, appearing marginally older than her counterpart, she kept her calm and composed look on her face as she politely stated, "Forgive me, Lady Musashi, but, I believe your actions are uncalled for. Now is the time when we should be uniting our strength to repel our foes, not sewing conflict and discord amongst ourselves."Despite the woman's demure and polite countenance, Musashi's eyes briefly flicked to the bladed fan tightly clenched in her hands. She could also sense magical energy flowing through the silken scarf floating gracefully behind the woman, knowing it could move with lightning speed to bind her foes.Never one to shy away from 'most' battles, Musashi adopted a battle-hungry expression on her face, placing her palm against the hilt of her katana as she muttered, "Behold, a true hero. Witness how he cowers behind women with a snide smile on his face, even as his balls shrivel into his stomach~."Jason's face paled in response to Musashi's taunting, but, before he could shout out in his defense, a ripple passed through the entire room, encompassing them all. In the next moment, he, along with everyone else, found themselves in some kind of plaza. The most concerning part, however, wasn't the plaza itself, but, high in the 'sky', a nebula of swirling energy could be seen amidst a vast expanse of zeros and ones.Preceding any questions, Archimedes, now floating in the air before the group, stated, "If you are so eager to do battle, take it out on the Emperor and his forces. This is a digitalized Reality Marble that has been created by the Moon Cell itself. Originally, I had wanted to delay things until the end of this year, but, given the circumstances, we have no choice but to fight. If possible, try and convince that madman that we're taking his previous warning seriously. The more time you can buy, the better the chances of success."Without explaining further, Archimedes tapped on a small window that had appeared in thin air, his figure, along with several others, vanishing in an instant. This left a group of fifteen behind, including the vast majority of Heroic Spirits, Musashi, and Caenis. As a result, Jason immediately tried to take charge of the situation, but, before he could open his mouth, Shirou preempted him by saying, "I will go and meet with the Emperor alongside Musashi. There is a chance we will be able to avoid a fight, but, in preparation for negotiations breaking down, each of you should make your own preparations. I'm certain Archimedes has constructed this Reality Marble in a way that is beneficial to our side so use this as an opportunity to familiarize yourself with it."Immediately following Shirou's words, Jason adopted an incredulous sneer as he droned, "Eeeeeh!? Does anyone else hear a dog barking~!?" Then, without waiting for a response, he began to laugh in a cackling manner before pulling along the doll-like girl and adding, "Come on, girls. We don't have to listen to his mongrel's prattlings. Let's find a nice and isolated place to cut loose and have some fun. Let that idiot go and die on the front lines like the dog he is, ahahahaha-grk...!"Just as Jason began to walk away, Musashi's figure vanished from view, reappearing behind him in an instant and whacking the back of his head with her sheath. This caused Jason to bite his tongue hard enough to draw blood before he collapsed onto the ground, his eyes rolled back as spittle and froth leaked from his mouth.The fall of Jason caused the two women who had previously defended him to each exclaim, but, by the time they turned to face Musashi, she, alongside many of the others, had already vanished. Thus, with bitter expressions on their faces, they helped each other shoulder the unconscious Jason before carrying him off to 'safety'...---Though he had expected some kind of response from the enemy side, Vahn hadn't anticipated that, after digging through nearly three kilometers worth of Photonic Crystals, he would suddenly be cast into a seemingly infinite expanse of space just as his claws found purchase. The strangest part wasn't that he had entered what appeared to be a Reality Marble, but, based on what he could tell, it gave off the same impression as the Virtual World. The primary difference between was, instead of being a virtual avatar, Vahn could feel that he was in his normal, draconic, body...Since there was nothing like gravity, nor any visible landmarks to guide him, Vahn just floated within this peculiar space for several minutes. It wasn't until flashes of light began to illuminate around him that he began to move again. This wasn't the result of his choice, however, but the 'restrictions' that had suddenly been placed on him. As a result, he found himself oriented towards the direction that now became the ground, while, numbering in the thousands, strange automatons comprised of red and black material began to manifest around him.Without any prompting, these vaguely humanoid automatons began charging at him, many using their pointed appendages to strike at the golden scales on his body while others, shaped like swords, shields, and even war hammers began to impact against his hide without causing any damage. While this was going on, Vahn silently observed them, his golden eyes blazing with understanding as he saw passed the vertices making up their form, peering directly at the complex network of code that governed their behavior.Vahn could even see through magical formations formed by higher-tiered beings so it took very little effort for him to interpret the runic coding that drove the automaton's logic. As a result, he was able to understand their function, and, after a few minutes, he expanded his domain, stating, "Stop." in a firm tone. In response, the seemingly mindless automatons all froze in place, transitioning from red to a gentle blue as he reverted back to his human form.Though it would take much longer to gain a complete understanding of the space he had entered, Vahn was about to ascertain that he was in a Virtual Reality Marble created by the Moon Cell. Each of the automatons surrounding him were known as Anti-Viral Attack Programs, designed with the sole purpose of expelling and deleting foreign entities. Unfortunately, while their attacks should even be effective against Gods, they were virtually powerless against him due to his past experiences within the Virtual World.If it were the same as Da Vinci's system, the Moon Cell should have been able to eject him whenever it pleased, but, from what he could tell, there was an underlying logic that prevented this from being the case. It was almost like the Moon Cell invited things into it, allowing them to run rampant within a simulated environment entirely under the governance of the system.What confused and intrigued Vahn was the fact that, despite clearly recognizing him as an invasive element, the Moon Cell seemed to 'obey' the influence of external forces. Its structure seemed to change in relation to the 'expectations' of those within, emulating an environment that allowed them to express their power with fewer restrictions. As a result, just by standing in one spot for a few short minutes, the floor, which had previously been a panel of solidified blue light, now became a series of marbled tiles while, around him, the Ivory Castle slowly manifested into existence...While he was curious about the true nature of the Moon Cell, Vahn momentarily discarded wayward thoughts, turning his attention to the peculiar arrangement of ones and zeroes above as he stated, "I invoke my authority as Type: Omega. Whoever is in charge of the Moon Cell, appear before me. Also, block any and all forms of observation involving secondary and tertiary sources. Nothing I say or do is to be disclosed to anyone but the primary Administrator without my direct permission."Though he didn't know how the Moon Cell was structured, Vahn knew that everything within had to be monitored by the governing system. Thus, even without establishing direct contact with the entity in charge, it should still be able to hear and understand his orders.Immediately following his command, Vahn felt a ripple pass through the surrounding virtual space, much like a Bounded Field being activated. At the same time, the feeling of being watched, which had been present from the moment he was pulled inside the virtual space, faded away. Then, after a few seconds had passed, one of the nearby automatons transitioned from blue to amethyst, its form changing rapidly into something vaguely humanoid, albeit with wing-like protrusions and a large metallic disc hovering above its head.Unlike the previous automatons, Vahn was unable to see through the structure of the entity before him, so, while not necessarily the case, it gave off the impression of a Tier 5 being. Then, in response to his previous words, it stated in a synthetic voice, "Input accepted. Elevating entity, Vahn Aldrnari Mason to the position of Chief Administrator. Do you wish to be transferred to the Primary Terminal or the Main Core?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The golden cuck appears','Furiously hits for 0 damage...','Top 3 anime betrayal moment')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 1434: Authority