Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

With the death of Archimedes, one of Vahn's most significant troubles had been eliminated from the equation. Though there was a fair chance some of the other Heroic Spirits could continue to oppose him, this wasn't particularly concerning, as, like all people, they would be forced to comply with the Common Law if they wanted to avoid destruction. This wasn't up for debate, so Vahn still expected conflict between his, and the Hero's, forces.Unfortunately, after discussing matters with the Control Program of the Moon Cell, Vahn learned that he couldn't use it to observe and spy on others. He also didn't have access to the data that had been compiled over the last 4.6 billion years, unless, of course, he earned the right to peer into the past after winning the Moon Cell's version of the Holy Grail War.Though it was a tempting thought, Vahn wasn't particularly interested in the idea of holding the tournament-style event, as, based on the information provided by the Control Program, nearly every participant would end up losing their lives. There were ways around this, but it was still an event that, at the most fundamental level, was designed to sacrifice hundreds of people in the hopes of storing their 'souls' within the Moon Cell's memory banks. It used these fragmented Egos to produce what many would refer to as NPCs, non-player characters, which were just Artificial Intelligences used to establish a standalone virtual society.In essence, the Moon Cell took advantage of the fact that humanity often reached it when civilization was on the decline. Then, by luring them in with the promise of wishes, it would fulfill the desires of a single person in exchange for the 'souls' of hundreds. This, in turn, allowed it to continue observing humanity for all eternity, as, even if all biological life was extinguished, it could monitor them within a controlled, virtual environment.While he was privy to this information, Vahn quickly came to discover that there was very little he could do, even as the Chief Administrator. His only real power, outside of initiating the Holy Grail War, was teleporting within the Photonic Abyss. Yet, this was also limited as the Moon Cell had restrictions that guaranteed the privacy of anyone accessing the system. Archimedes could use it to 'spy' on people, but this primarily the result of his designation as the Security Administrator. This had allowed him to flag specific individuals as threats to the Moon Cell operation, gathering information on potential risks and removing them.Fortunately, with the exceptions of entities like Musashi and Caenis, everyone that had been pulled into the Moon Cell's Photonic Abyss had effectively been trapped inside. This meant, even if he just returned home and ignored them, the Heroic Spirits summoned by Archimedes would be confined inside the Moon Cell for all eternity. Their only means of escape, at least without the aid of Musashi, was to participate in, and win, the Moon Cell Holy Grail War.From this revelation, Vahn could deduce that Archimedes had intended, over time, to either summon 128 Heroic Spirits, or, based on his use of automatons, create Artificial Humans to serve as sacrificial pawns. There was even a chance that he had intended to use the Empire's forces to trigger the event, as, so long as there was an adequate number of participants, the preliminary phase could be initiated...Needless to say, Vahn was greatly relieved by Archimedes' death, despite the fact the Moon Cell, having now been activated, was 'compelled' to initiate the procedure to access the Root. If it was left to its own devices, it would slowly create 'Master Candidates' using the data it had compiled, setting the stage for future troubles if ignored. Thus, he would need to closely monitor the Moon Cell, doing his best to limit the number of people inside so that the faux Holy Grail War cannot be initiated and exploited by third parties.Fortunately, so long as he left a single powerful 'guardian' inside, they should be able to win any unexpected Holy Grail Wars without much effort. After all, the Master Candidates each received a compatible Servant, so, with two Heroic Spirits fighting side-by-side, the chance of anyone being able to defeat them was slim. He could also use his Chief Administrator position to access the 'Far Side' of the Moon, an Imaginary Number Space that was used to quarantine the still-living Velber: 02.Vahn wasn't in a particular rush to meet with the infamous White Titan, as, in most of the visions he had peered into, they end up fighting. From these same visions, he learned that she, basically, just wanted to be left alone, biding her time until the return of the Umbral Star. Since this was an event that was scheduled to take place around the year 3030, Vahn had more than a thousand years to prepare, ample time to form countermeasures against virtually any threat...---Before heading off to confront the group of would-be Heroes, Vahn decided to wait around for the selection of a new Security Administrator. He was given access to the list of available candidates, so, while it wasn't his decision to make, he could still give his input on the matter. He would have to work alongside the new Security Administrator, potentially for hundreds of years, so it would make things a lot easier if he could convince the Control Program to select someone amicable.After perusing the file for a considerable amount of time, finding names like Sherlock and Da Vinci both listed, Vahn ended up asking, "I noticed this list doesn't contain any Gods or Demigods...is there a reason for this?"In response to his question, the purple automaton, using the same synthetic voice as before, stated, "Answering inquiry. The beings known as 'Gods' inherit their authority from their Parent Star or have it bestowed unto them by the Planetary System they inhabit. The Moon Cell is capable of emulating this phenomenon. However, due to potential conflicts of interest, Gods and Demigods are excluded from the standard selection criteria. Many have strong ties to specific beliefs and ideals, making their existence a danger to the Moon Cell's operations."Vahn was tempted to nominate this Record's version of Hestia, but, knowing how troublesome the Greek and Roman Gods were, giving them an excuse to interfere with the Moon Cell didn't seem like the best course of action. Thus, he ultimately decided to leave the decision to the Control Program, albeit after reading the Flow of Fate and determining there wouldn't be any issues. As a result, the Control Program ended up selecting a Russian-American Philosopher named Ayn Rand, the woman who had laid the foundation for the philosophy of Objectivism.---Without knowing of Archimedes' death, Musashi, accompanied by Shirou, Berserker, and Caenis. The latter had a unique Skill known as [Pursuit of Vengeance: A], so, as long as she recognized someone as her enemy, she could track them virtually anywhere, even crossing Time and Space. In the distant past, approximately four thousand years in the future of a divergent world, Caenis had used this Skill to track down and ultimately kill Poseidon, stealing his Divine Authority in the process.It was the slaying of Poseidon, relying on the help of many others, that ultimately elevated her to the status of a Divine Spirit. Since then, Caenis had made it her mission to hunt down and slaughter any men who believed they could use their status and authority to have their way with women. No matter how much time had passed, she had never forgotten the shame of that fateful day, using it as fuel to propel her through the vast ocean of eternity without losing her way.With Caenis leading the way, it didn't take long for the group to reach a half-formed Ivory Castle, which, as a result of Vahn's departure, had started to fragment at the edges. Despite this, several thousand Attack Programs were waiting in the vicinity, protecting the region with zeal befitting of actual Knights. They had even formed rows and columns, emulated the formations expected of a real army. There were even twelve powerful figures seated atop horses, interspaced among the army of automatons like actual commanders preparing for war.Seeing the sight with crystal clarity, despite being several dozen kilometers away, Shirou explained, "I don't like this...there are twelve shadows at the back, each giving off dangerous auras. Based on our knowledge of the Empire, I assume these shadows are meant to represent the Knights of the Round Table...how irksome..."Musashi's eyesight wasn't as developed as Shirou's, but, even without his [Clairvoyance:C], she was able to sense the power contained by the twelve figures. This stirred up her desire to battle, but, at the same time, her intuition told her there was something wrong about this situation. Vahn wasn't the type to hide away while others fought his battles. He had even personally come to attack the Moon Cell, so it made no sense for him to be hiding away inside his castle while strange automatons fought on his behalf.Never doubting her instinct, Musashi turned to Caenis, asking, "Are you certain Vahn is inside? This doesn't feel right..."Hearing Musashi's question, Caenis gave her a pointed stare, but, knowing the former was generally right about such things, she didn't immediately lash out. Instead, she focused her senses for several minutes before saying, "I'm not sure...that bastard is different from normal people. It always feels like there are multiple versions of him spread out. I can still sense his presence in this area...almost like it is the castle itself...?"Musashi frowned slightly in response to Caenis' words, but, seemingly having thought of something, Shirou followed by adding, "This place functions similarly to a Realy Marble...in other words, this is a part of the Emperor. He must have used this castle to lure us out...maybe he already knew of Caenis' Skill before releasing you. Our safest option is to have me scout the interior while the three of you stay posted outside. Try to establish contact with the others while I'm gone..."Without waiting for a response from the three girls, Shirou pulled up his hoodie before lifting the scarf around his neck to reveal that it was a baklava, concealing all but his eyes. Then, in an instant, his figure seemed to dissolve into the surroundings, his presence vanishing shortly thereafter.As this wasn't the first time Shirou had gone on a dangerous solo mission, Musashi just released an exasperated sigh before muttering, "That guy is always so eager to place himself in danger..."Hearing Musashi's comment, Caenis snorted through her nose in response, adding, "He just wants to show off. All men are a bunch of idiots who only think with their lower body, not their brains. Even if he pretends to be a nice guy on the surface, his true nature is no different from that golden bastard."Since Caenis rarely passed on an opportunity to lambast the very existence of men, Musashi rolled her eyes in response to the horse-like woman's retort. It was impossible to reason with her, leading to Jason referring to her, not-so-affectionately, as an obstinate donkey. This, of course, resulted in him getting thrashed pretty severely, but, considering most of the women in their group had beaten him up, that was par for the course.With the exception of his personal dolls and the ever-annoying Chang'e, most of the Heroes actually disdained Jason quite a bit. He was a coward that hid behind others, yet, despite his weakness, he touted himself as some great Captain, destined to lead others. His Noble Phantasm was one of the most powerful in their entire group, but due to the conditions required to trigger it, he was all but useless in a short engagement...Thinking of Jason, Musashi couldn't shake the feeling that he would suffer a rather tragic fate in the near future. It was easy to imagine him saying something to offend Vahn, and, given what she knew of the latter, he wouldn't be very tolerant towards the infamous Captain of the Argonauts. To this end, she could only hope that Jason wasn't the first of their group that Vahn encountered. Fortunately, he had A+ Luck, making Brynhildr, the Valkyrian woman who couldn't even walk a few hundred meters without tripping over her own feet, the most likely target...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Moon Cell is like a baby version of the Root System','Caenis is quite the feminist...*cough*','Someone with the same Luck rating as Lakshmibai!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

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

Chapter 1435: Truth