Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As even a sip of [Inari's Grace] was enough to make Shuten intoxicated, it took several hours for her to recover from her drunken stupor. When she awoke, she found Ibaraki clinging to her with a happy expression on her face, a large volume drool leaking from her mouth. This wasn't that uncommon, but, considering the circumstances, her expression turned into a deadpan as she silently cursed, "I didn't think that man was such a coward...haaaa..."If he had heard Shuten's remark, Vahn would have had a similar expression on his face. Instead, her words awoke Ibaraki, who, due to her poor sleeping habits, had nearly slipped out of her kimono. She slovenly scratched her exposed stomach, sleep clouding her judgment as she saw Shuten's serious expression and asked, "Shuten, what is the matter...ei?"Hearing Ibaraki's question, Shuten's expression defaulted to a mischievous smile as she mused, "Ara? You were so 'vigorous' last night...did you truly forget everything~?"The moment her brain processed Shuten's words, Ibaraki's expression became froze into a look of abject shock. Various thoughts began running through her mind, causing her face to turn a deep shape of red as she began to mutter, "Awawawawawa...?"Seeing Ibaraki's reaction, Shuten couldn't help but giggle as she ran her finger along the yellow-haired Oni's exposed abdomen, sending a shiver through the former and causing illusory steam to rise from her head. Then, overwhelmed by the steamy thoughts clouding her mind, Ibaraki's brain shut down, causing her to faint as a silent 'awawa' continued to escape her lips.Teasing Ibaraki was one of her guilty pleasures, but, with other matters to attend, Shuten ignored her surprisingly innocent companion, snaking her way out of the room. It didn't take her long to find Vahn sitting on the veranda, his yukata exposing part of his chest as he leaned against a pillar, casually drinking a fragrant, steamy, sake. When he saw her appear, he only offered a slight smile in response before adjusting his position, lightly tapping the spot next to him.Never one to refuse such invitations, Shuten giggled mischievously before making her way over and taking a seat next to him. She had left her kimono back in her bedroom, so, other than black bands covering a very small part of her body, she was basically naked. Even this didn't seem to elicit a reaction from Vahn, however, causing her to wonder if he simply didn't find her charming.Before Shuten could ask, Vahn preempted her, explaining in a calm tone, "There are a number of women at my side with features comparable to yours, including the mother of two of my children. Do not concern yourself over such meaningless things as appearance and preferences. The most important thing, at least in my opinion, is that your desires are sincere, not selfish..."Though he still intended to try and arrange a partner for Shuten, Vahn knew she would be able to see through him if he tried to be roundabout. Thus, he spoke a partial truth without going into the finer details, punctuating his statement by offering her a small cup of sake. It was weak compared to anything they had used during the drinking contest, but, as it was a product of the Dryad's that called Avalon home, Vahn was partial to the sweet, mana rich, taste.Since she didn't detect any falsehoods in Vahn's words, Shuten graciously accepted the cup of sake before leaning against his shoulder and asking, "What is her name? How many women do you have at your side...?"While he had no need to answer such a personal question, Vahn stared at the contents of his own cup for several seconds before answering, "It is hard to say, really. This is not my original world. In my travels, I have met many amazing women, siring various children between them. Even now, I'm certain that my actual harem is larger than the number of women I sleep with...it is a complicated matter, to be sure...as for the woman you're curious about, her name is Circe..."Shuten wasn't actually surprised by Vahn's words, as, even though it was undetectable through normal means, she could 'smell' dozens of scents intermingling with his own. This included the familiar aroma of Tamamo, leaving a slightly bitter aftertaste in her mouth as she didn't get along well with Amaterasu's Bunrei. Now that she had staked a claim to Vahn before her, Shuten found her 'fondness' for the vulpine woman decreasing rapidly...Rather than waste her time thinking about others, Shuten just giggled in response to Vahn's words, musing, "I'm envious. I wonder, Ten'nō-sama, what does it mean to be sincere when you surround yourself with so many women? Is it so wrong to simply desire a physical connection?"Hearing Shuten's question, Vahn took a sip of his sake, organizing his thoughts before releasing a hot sigh and answering, "Honestly, I can't really answer that question. I'm nearing 160 years old, yet, despite being involved with actual Goddesses of Love, I can't confidently claim to understand its complexities. All I know is, I would do anything for those girls, even letting them go if that was their true desire..."Though he would fight tooth and nail to keep them, Vahn would never force any of his women to stay at his side. It might cause him some pain, but, unless they had betrayed him, he would always do his best for their happiness. This was his responsibility after selfishly injecting himself into their lives, reshaping, for some, what it means to be happy...Sensing the conviction in Vahn's words, Shuten found herself staring reflectively into her own drink, emulating the former's actions from moments prior. Truthfully, she didn't understand his words, but, with one of her parent's being an unfeeling Dragon God and the other being a vile and crazed Witch, this wasn't entirely her fault. She had lived true to her desires from the moment she had become self-aware, never regretting her actions even as her head was severed from her body...As this thought crossed her mind, Shuten absentmindedly stroked her neck, a reminiscent smile on her face. Then, out of curiosity, she asked, "Does Ten'nō-sama possess the ability to see into the future~?"While it wasn't an incorrect way to view things, Vahn knew his ability didn't match what Shuten was thinking. Thus, after filling his cup again, he answered, "I can see the various paths towards the future, not the future itself. Every action, no matter how big or small, has a subtle effect on the Flow of Fate...I see things as a series of currents, some intersecting, others fusing together. It isn't easy to explain exactly what I see, but calling it the ability to see the future isn't accurate...it would be more accurate to say I see 'possibilities'...endless, never-ending, paths..."Hearing the profundity contained within Vahn's words, Shuten couldn't help but issue a sonorous laugh, her voice echoing through the surroundings. Then, with an amused smile on her face, she lightly poked Vahn's chest with her finger, musing, "Such a powerful yet unfortunate ability...I do not think I would be able to live happily with such a burden on my shoulders... Ten'nō-sama is an even greater man than I thought~."After rolling his eyes in response to Shuten's teasing, Vahn grabbed her hand, preventing it from snaking between his thighs. This caused the unrepentant temptress to snicker before finishing the contents of her cup and asking, "I wonder, what intentions does Ten'nō-sama have for? Now that I am your possession, I can only hope you have properly considered my uses. Given that power of yours, perhaps you have even decided my fate~? How overbearing, ufufufu~."Understanding what Shuten was insinuating, Vahn turned to stare directly at her as he stated, "If I had already decided your fate, I wouldn't have come here like this. You are free to make decisions on your own. So long as your actions do not bring harm or interfere in the happiness of others, I will do my best to make sure you, and all Yokai, are able to live peaceful lives. Defeating you in a drinking contest was just to make sure you would properly consider my words, rather than discard them the moment something catches your interest..."Sensing the shift in Vahn's aura, Shuten realized she had offended him with her previous words. In spite of this, her smile only became more pronounced, giggling mischievously as she leaned her head against his shoulder. She found his 'thoughtfulness' amusing, and, though it was more than a little overbearing, it didn't really bother her. Rather, even if he became possessive and wanted to treat her as an object, she wouldn't really mind it...As this thought crossed her mind, Shuten tried to extend her ivory fingers towards Vahn's waist, earning a light slap on the wrist in response. This only incited her onwards, however, causing her to giggle, once again, before musing, "I'm certain Ten'nō-sama has some kind of plan. Unless it is something truly unexpected, however, you won't be able to stop me from pursuing you. Even if you were to exile me from the Empire and forbid me from entering, I would continue yearning for you until you took pity on me. I wonder, will a thousand years of painful abstinence be enough to show my sincerity~?"Following Shuten's statement, Vahn could feel the Flow of Fate around her converge into a much larger stream. Though it still deviated at many points, his prior words seemed to have awakened her interest in a 'dangerous' way. This was one of the downsides to being able to see the Flow of Fate, as, unless he used it to measure all of his decisions in real-time, never thinking on his own, it left him susceptible to 'surprises' like this.As she could read his thoughts as they formed, Sis couldn't help but sigh within Vahn's mind, her voice possessing an accusatory tone as she said, (*You are becoming more careless after hearing Artoria's words. You're on the verge of repeating the same mistakes as before, allowing yourself to be swayed by the moment rather than taking hold of it...*)Not expecting Sis' sudden reproach, Vahn broke eye contact with Shuten, causing even greater misunderstandings as he mentally retorted, ("What am I supposed to do? Should I try to shut her down completely? I don't think she's joking about waiting for a thousand years...I might be here that long, but it will become troublesome later, won't it...?")While waiting for Sis' response, Vahn lightly swat away Shuten's hand again, eliciting a giggle that was slowly starting to grate on his nerves. As for Sis' response, she plainly stated, (*You have said it yourself, many times, in fact. You aren't responsible for the happiness of everyone, only making sure they have the chance to be happy. If she wants to hole herself away for a thousand years, that is her own prerogative. That just gives you more time to arrange things so that she will be happy for ten-thousand years after that. Don't let her words pressure you, as it only incites her further...!*)True to Sis' words, Shuten was becoming emboldened by Vahn's reactions, her eyes glimmering with amusement as she decided on a less 'direct' method. Instead of trying to sneakily cop a feel, she began snaking her hand down her own body, asking in a sultry tone, "Did you enjoy watching me drink the [Virgin's Cry]? The men that ravished my body looked a lot like you, Ten'nō-sama~."As her fingers approached the paper-thin black bands covering her lower body, the fabric began to rapidly peel away. Since her outfit left little to the imagination, however, this didn't have much of an impact beyond causing the fruity aroma in the air to become more potent. As for Vahn, he just gave her a deadpan stare before surprising her as he extended his hand toward her chest...Shuten's heart began to beat a little faster, but, as soon as Vahn's fingers contacted her soft flesh, a startling jolt of electricity passed through her body. This wasn't the same stimulating energy that she had felt before, however, but an unfiltered shock that ran through what constituted a Yokai's version of the central nervous system. As a result, she released a similar 'wawawa' sound as the unconscious Ibaraki, her toes curling before she collapsed against the cold wooden floor...Understanding Shuten's body converted even physical pain to pleasure, Vahn wasn't too worried about causing her any actual harm. His 'attack' would just leave her stunned for a bit, allowing him to rise to his feet, saying, "Forcing people to acquiesce by doing outrageous things isn't sincerity. Trying to earn my pity in such a way will not end the way you expect. In those thousand years you keep locked away, I will undoubtedly meet hundreds of women, siring thousands of children, all while living a fulfilling life. If you are serious about pursuing me, consider all of my previous words and think about their actual meaning."Without waiting for Shuten's response, Vahn tossed a warm blanket over her body before slowly rising into the sky. Moments later, his figure had completely disappeared, his next destination the location of the Heroes Faction. A few hours had passed since he entrusted Shirou with gathering them, so, after using his ability to read the Flow of Fate, confirming that they had mostly gathered, Vahn decided it was time to wrap things up...---Back on the veranda where Vahn had left her, Shuten stared toward the sky, continuing to lay on the hardwood floor even after her faculties had recovered. She noticed he had left her a parting gift of sake, likely as an 'apology' of sorts, but, rather than sample its contents, she took his words to heart, considering their deeper meaning. This ultimately didn't amount to much, however, so, deciding it was something she could figure out after establishing the Yokai District on Avalon, she rolled over to where Vahn had been seated, curling up around the still-warm spot and comforting herself beneath the blanket he had given her...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Teasing the banana~','TFW the entity that shares your thoughts is tired of your shit xD...','Shuten is really helpless...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Finding himself floating above a coliseum-like structure, surrounded by the statues of various Greek Gods, Vahn had a slight frown on his face. His parting with Shuten had soured his mood a bit, so, to see several 10m tall statues, each depicting nearly-naked Gods, he couldn't help but release a tired sigh. To make matters even worse, there was a 15m tall statue of Ares, depicted holding the head of a defeated enemy as if it were a trophy...As many of the Olympian Gods were fated to be his future enemies, Vahn had a slight compulsion to kill anyone that was truly loyal to them. He knew this territory couldn't belong to Caenis, as she held a considerable amount of hatred towards the Gods, so it could only belong to the scarlet-haired young woman, who, at that present moment, was battling against Shirou in the middle of the arena...Based on appearances, the young woman seemed to be around sixteen-to-eighteen years old. She possessed a lithe, athletic, figure that was easily discernible through her thin clothing, comprised of tanned leather and white cloth. What stood out the most, however, was her scarlet red hair, tied in a bun similar to Artoria's, and the blazing red sash she wore around her hips. It gracefully followed her every movement, and, while it annoyed him slightly, Vahn felt her combat style was a fusion between Tiona's and Tione's...Despite her rather petite frame, standing at only 159cm in height, the scarlet-haired woman's blows carried enough force to shatter the hard floor of the coliseum, appearing much like small explosions. As for her movements, they combined animalistic intensity with the grace of a prima ballerina, letting her transition between offense to defense seamlessly. It was actually a sight to behold, not because Shirou was in a half-beaten state, but due to the untapped potential that radiated from every fiber of the woman's body...As he had been proactively training people since the 'death' of Scáthach, Vahn had developed the habit of observing his students' movements and determining how they could improve. As he had an almost flawless understanding of the human body, combined with a unique sensitivity to all forms of energy, he had become adept at giving proper advice. Thus, while watching the woman beat Shirou until he was sent crashing into the far wall, Vahn couldn't help but internally remark, ("Despite being a Heroic Spirit, that woman seems to have a lot of untapped potential...how curious...")Privy to his musings, Sis 'heard' Vahn's words, leading her to remark, (*Is this the birth of a new bad habit? Are you going to start training your enemies to defeat you now...?*)Though it wasn't enough to make him fluster, Vahn felt slightly embarrassed hearing Sis' words. He blamed the woman's youthful appearance, making her appear similar in age to Mordred and Mash. In truth, he was thinking about making her a rival for them, not grooming her to be another one of his rather 'earnest' disciples. He knew Sis was aware of this, but, perhaps as a result of him getting cornered by Shuten, she seemed to be in a bad mood.Knowing what he was thinking, Sis' sigh could be heard in the back of Vahn's mind, followed by her saying, (*I'm not in a bad mood, I'm just worried about you. I don't want to see you doing anything that will lead to future stress. There are very few enemies that can threaten you in this Record, so I'm afraid you will become complacent and start acting as eccentric as your past self...*)Vahn knew Sis was referring to how he behaved towards the end of his time in Danmachi, back when he felt as if nothing could stop his meteoric rise. This left him feeling exposed and vulnerable when he encountered an enemy that could actually threaten him, causing him to panic and, ultimately, flee from his world. It was one of the greatest shames he had ever experienced, an incident derived from his naivete; his singular, true, regret.Though his mood had decreased a fair amount, Vahn felt sobered by Sis' reminder, nodding his head in understanding before timing his entrance to match the collision in the arena...With his mastery of [Shundo] and a deep understanding of Space Laws, Vahn was able to appear in between Shirou and the unnamed woman in an instant. Then, before either of them could react, he extended his hands toward them, repulsing them by spreading his aura outward explosively. To their credit, both Heroes were able to keep their footing, avoiding an embarrassing outcome and earning an approving nod from Vahn.Having yet to meet Vahn, the scarlet-haired woman didn't hesitate to launch herself toward him, releasing a sonorous battle cry as the sash around her body began releasing a divine light. This was enough to get Vahn's attention, but, without having to intercept her attack, Musashi's figure blurred into existence, deflecting the explosive blow with her sheath as she shouted, "Stand down! This man is the Sage Dragon Emperor! You're not his opponent...!"Vahn was slightly amused by the fact that Musashi had come to his aid, but, unlike how he normally presented himself, he had a serious expression on his face. Sis' words were still fresh on his mind, so, while he was tempted to mess around a bit, he realized this wasn't exactly the situation to do so. He was supposed to be enemies with these people, and, though there was no hatred between them, it wasn't proper to mess around inside of enemy territory.Hearing Musashi's words, the scarlet-haired actually seemed more excited, a smile spreading across her face as she exclaimed, "Good! I wanted to see how strong this so-called Emperor was for myself! Stand out of the way, Musashi! Let me test his mettle for myself...!"Rather than stand aside, Musashi placed her hand on the hilt of her katana, a serious look on her face as she said, "I won't let you endanger our entire group for your own selfishness. If you want to issue a formal challenge, that is one thing. If you're going to suddenly attack when we're supposed to be negotiating, you'll be forcing my hand..."Though there was a vast difference in their individual skill, the scarlet-haired woman, known as the Queen of Amazons, Hippolyta, was undaunted. She had been looking forward to a rematch since the last time Musashi defeated her, and, while this wasn't exactly the best opportunity, such things didn't matter to a 'true warrior'.Before Musashi and the unnamed woman could begin their brawl, Vahn interrupted, saying in a calm tone, "Move aside, Musashi. If she wants to fight me, I will accept her challenge."Since the woman was unarmed, Vahn adopted a loose stance, his hands forming a shape similar to claws as an almost imperceptible aura of a white tiger appeared around him. This caused the smile on the woman's face to fade in an instant, her expression becoming serious as she said, "Move aside. If I don't get a chance to see his skills for myself, I see no reason to follow the guidelines he has set for us..."With Vahn already accepting Hippolyta's challenge, Musashi could only release a tired sigh before looking toward Shirou and seeing a similarly exasperated expression on his face. As for the rest of their companions, they had mixed reactions upon seeing Vahn's sudden arrival, but, as few people were against watching a good fight, they couldn't help but feel slightly expectant. This included a trio of children, two possessing the characteristic features of 'Betty' while the other, the oldest, had an aura that even made Vahn feel slightly threatened.Knowing he would learn their actual identities in a relatively short period of time, Vahn lowered his sense of gravity in preparation for the coming battle. He intended to match the woman in speed and power, escalating only when she became frustrated and began using flashier skills. This was a way to test his own skills, and, though he didn't have any intention to actually train her, it also allowed him to test the depths of the young woman's potential...The moment Musashi and Shirou exited the field, the scarlet-haired beauty pointed towards herself with her thumb, announcing, "I am Hippolyta, daughter of Ares, Queen of the Amazons. Show me the power that has brought this world to ruin. If you are found lacking, do not blame me for striking you down in the name of justice...!"Hearing Hippolyta's words, Vahn's brows slightly furrowed as he repressed the urge to comment how foolish it was to say such a thing prior to a battle. If he were to use her same logic, it gave him the right to decide her life and death based on whether or not he found her lacking. While he was aware of the 'customs' centered around Hippolyta's culture, he still had a slight urge to reprimand her for such a foolish remark...Following her righteous spiel, Hippolyta's sash began to glow with Divine Light, spreading to her legs in an instant. This allowed her to kick off the ground with speed greatly exceeding the A-Rank, causing an eruption of dust and debris that only appeared after she had reached his side, her small feet packing a phenomenal amount of power as she attempted to kick him in the head.For a brief moment, Vahn had flashbacks to his first fight against Tiona, but, as he had grown a lot since then, his body moved even without him willing it to do so. He was easily able to catch her by the ankle, surprisingly her slightly, but, before her brows could even raise fully, he had already spun, throwing her with meteoric force towards wall furthest from the spectators. Her 50kg body smashed into the wall with enough force to break through it completely, causing the stands above to collapse as several tons of stone and debris rained down upon her from above.As he had mainly just diverted her force away from him, Vahn was a little surprised by just how much damage Hippolyta's attack had done. Though he had felt a spike of Divine Energy at the moment of her attack, the overall output was far higher than expectations. It was fortunate he had diverted her attack to the far side of the arena, preventing a case of 'friendly fire' due to the hot-headed Amazon Queen's inability to properly control the Strength and Destructive Laws coursing through her body...Without waiting for Hippolyta to recover, Vahn took in an unnaturally long breath, that, despite its length, was completed within a millisecond. Then, after sliding forward in a graceful arc that brought him close to the ground, a phantasmal white tiger formed around his body, launching forward with its jaws open when he brought his palms together, emulating a set of jaws. This attack moved slow enough that even the children in the stands could perceive it, but, in spite of this, it smashed into the area concealing Hippolyta in less time than it would take to blink...Though Vahn's attack was significantly flashier, it actually contained a similar amount of destructive potential as Hippolyta's. He was serious about matching her power, so, while the shockwave created by his strike seemed to tear through nearly a quarter of the coliseum, this was largely due to the fact its structure had been compromised by Hippolyta's explosion...Now that it was Hippolyta's 'turn', Vahn adopted a defensive pose once again, his expression as calm and serene as a placid lake. Even when a large boulder came crashing towards him, weighing several hundred kilograms, he simply extended his hand, pointing it like a blade. This caused the boulder to split in two the moment it entered within ten meters of his body, sliced apart by solidified Space and crashing harmlessly at his side.From behind the boulder, Hippolyta's slightly bloodied figure could be seen, a valiant expression on her face as she released a loud 'Ha!' while trying to break through his defense with an ax-kick. What she didn't expect was for her heel to strike against solidified Space. This allowed Vahn to exploit the gap in her defenses, exhaling a cloud of vapor as his 'slowly' pushed upward.The moment Vahn completed his motion, Hippolyta felt as if a mountain had slammed into her from the direction of the ground. Her body was launched skyward, her kicking leg forcibly hyperextended to the point of nearly snapping as the force of her own kick was leveraged against her.Though Vahn could no longer transform into his previous four forms, the power they granted had, in a way, always been his. So long as he partially transformed into his Huánglóng form, he could freely use the powers of Báihǔ, Xuánwǔ, Zhūquè, and Qīnglóng. This allowed him an exponential increase in all of his capabilities, pushing him well beyond the threshold used by the Root System to quantify Parameters. The only thing that hadn't broken through the limit was his Luck, but, considering the kind of life he lived, Vahn didn't really mind it all that much...Despite one of her legs being made useless, Hippolyta managed to land nimbly on a single foot. It looked like she could easily continue the battle, but, instead of charging a third time, she asked in a not-so-polite tone of voice, "Are you looking down on me!? You could have easily struck me while I was in the air. If you're not going to take this seriously, I will personally vow to hunt you down, never stopping until one of us is dead...!"Vahn was tempted to roll his eyes in response to Hippolyta's words, but, when it came to her type, he knew she was very serious about her claims. Thus, rather than dignify her outburst with a verbal response, golden light erupted from his body, momentarily blinding the spectators. This also caused Hippolyta to jump to the side, but, at nearly the exact same moment that her feet left the ground, an inviolable power closed around her neck, stopping her evasive maneuver in an instant.Hippolyta felt her airway closed off in an instant, but, even if this hadn't been the case, drawing even a single breath would have been impossible. She felt a wave of heat and pressure spread through her body, forcing all of her muscles to contract and lock. The last sound to escape her lips was a half-croaking groan, almost like a frog that had been stepped upon by a careless hunter. Then, just as her brain began to process the pain she was experiencing, she completely blacked out, her body going limp in Vahn's resplendent golden claws...After removing his palm from Hippolyta's abdomen, Vahn set the proud warrior on the ground, his expression still a mask of calm as he looked toward Musashi and said, "She will be out for an hour or so. If your side has anyone capable of healing, they should take a look at her leg. I can treat it, but I doubt she would be very happy once she woke up."Despite Vahn's casual tone, his partial-transformation made his voice significantly deeper, causing it to echo throughout the entire arena, lending it an unmistakably intimidating quality. Even Musashi felt a little nervous when Vahn turned his attention toward her, their previous battle still fresh in her mind. As a result, she laughed in a somewhat awkward manner before picking up Hippolyta's body and saying, "I tried to warn her..."Since he knew she was just trying to ease tensions, Vahn shrugged his shoulders dismissively as his transformation wore off. This caused the oppressive aura within the coliseum to fade away, allowing those who had experienced its pressure to breathe easily. As a result, several sighs could be heard, confusing the 'children' who, due to Vahn's careful control, hadn't experienced the same pressure as everyone else...---Fortunately, there were several people capable of using healing magic among the Heroes Faction. As a result, Hippolyta was allowed to rest within the coliseum's stands as a doll-like girl named Alice did her best to treat the valiant Amazon's injuries.Vahn was slightly curious about Alice's body, as he noticed that she, and her 'twin sister', both had artificial bodies. This was a stark contrast to the 'Betty' that had appeared before, but, as it wasn't his business to probe, Vahn would wait until the topic came up in a more organic fashion. He speculated that Alice's body was similar to the dolls created by Touko, but, based on the fact her joints could be seen clearly, the workmanship was incomparable to those produced by Aoko's sister...While leaving Alice to tend to Hippolyta's wounds, Vahn manifested a large circular table, allowing everyone to take a seat so they could discuss the specifics of their 'relationship'. This would include making proper introductions, and, once everything else was resolved, they would discuss adding more Heroic Spirits to supplement the group's diminishing numbers...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Olympians are so screwed xD...','Talk shit, get hit','TFW you have to rely on your 'mortal enemy' just to supplement your numbers...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he already knew the concepts of Space and Time could be freely manipulated, there was no better example of this than the Yokai District. While allowing Shuten to lead the way, Vahn was able to perceive Space contracting and distorting around them. As a result, they ended up tens of kilometers away from their starting location, finding themselves at a traditional Japanese villa that was located deep in the mountains.It was hard to imagine Shuten running through the streets in the same way as Benienma, so Vahn had been wondering how she was able to quickly intercept them. Now, he understood that she had, quite literally, just decided to take a walk. She likely had even more influence over the Yokai District than Raikou, so, by simply choosing her destination, it was almost as if the world around them contorted itself to make her passage easier...Seeing the curious look on Vahn's face, Shuten just giggled seductively before pressing her body into his right arm, asking, "I wonder, are you the type that is more interested in the journey, rather than the destination? You're alone in the mountains with a beautiful woman on a moonlit night. I believe there are better ways to spend our time, no~?"As Shuten spoke, Vahn could smell a potent aroma of fruit, flowers, and alcohol. It attempted to invade every opening of his body, even seeping into his pores.Though Shuten's actions could qualify as an attack, Vahn just smiled in amusement as he allowed the invisible energy to invade his body. Much like he allowed Semiramis to try and poison him, a habit she had gotten over in recent days, Vahn didn't mind Shuten's attempts to get him drunk. It was as much a part of her nature as the desire to breathe for most terrestrial life, meaning she had very little control over the unique pheromone-based ability.Seeing Vahn's calm, smiling, expression, Shuten knew her [Alcoholic Scent of a Fruit] was unable to affect him. This was generally only possible if the other party was an ascetic monk, protected from her influence by a type of divine protection derived from abstinence and temperance. She could smell a strong aroma of women lingering around Vahn's body, so, while the possibility of him being some kind of monk wasn't zero, Shuten wouldn't have believed anyone if they told her he was abstinent.More affected by her own ability than Vahn was, Shuten's complexion had turned ruddier, her blush tainted with a slight purple hue. She also felt emboldened by the fact Vahn hadn't reacted negatively to the activation of her ability, allowing her to attempt slipping his hand between her thighs as she stared up at him with a seductive smile.Vahn preempted Shuten's attempts to escalate the situation too quickly by allowing his fingers to trace her abdomen. At the same time, he activated his [Hands of Nirvana] to their limit, doing his best to map her body during the brief contact, targeting various nerve clusters in the process. To Shuten, this felt similar to a small electrical shock, but, rather than tense up, her tensions began to relax as a tantalizing heat spread from the tips of his fingers, coursing through her body...As could be expected, Shuten abandoned her intentions to 'sneakily' place Vahn's hand between her thighs, breathing heatedly as he gently stroked her abdomen. This caused a pink cloud of vapor to escape her lips, spreading an even more powerful aroma than before through the area. This time, her ability affected more than just Vahn, extending into the surroundings, rotting quite a number of sakura trees in an instant...Seeing this phenomenon, Vahn reaffirmed his decision to keep Shuten isolated within Avalon's future Yokai District, as, without at least A-Rank Magic or Poison Resistance, even Heroic Spirits would be brought low by her passive Skills. He could understand why she was considered one of Japan's Three Great Monsters, considered the least destructive, but most dangerous, of the three.Ignoring the intoxicating miasma that had started to seep from the surroundings, Vahn picked up Shuten's petite figure, startling her slightly and eliciting a seductive giggle from her purple-hued lips as she mused, "Ten'nō-sama is quite bold~."Following her musings, Shuten began to lightly rub her horns against Vahn's body, surprisingly him by how paradoxically soft, yet hard, they felt. He could even feel their heat through the fabric of his clothes, a stark contrast to how uncharacteristically cool Shuten's body felt in his arms...After making his way inside the nearby villa, the only place that appeared unaffected by Shuten's aura, Vahn carried her to the central chamber. This was a small room with various different types of sake containers adorning the surroundings, an impartial chaise lounge, and a single low-lying table. The floors were covered in tatami mats, making them comfortable to walk on, while, near one of the corners, a rather disorderly futon could be seen...Vahn could smell a scent other than Shuten's but, from the moment he entered the chamber, his ability to map his surroundings became highly restricted. There was even an effect that caused the flow of time to stagnate by a factor of ten, bringing a smile to Vahn's face as this actually made it easier for him. Avalon flowed at a rate of 7:1, so, with Shuten's chamber flowing at 10:1, he was freed from his mental burden of trying to pilot two bodies with drastically different flows of time.Though Shuten half-expected Vahn to carry her over to the futon, she wasn't surprised when he set her down gently atop the cushions surrounding the ornate wooden table. She knew her Skill had no effect on him, so, unless he had suddenly been captivated by her charms, dragging him to the bed would be difficult. Shuten felt this was a bit of a shame, really, as his draconic aura had an even more potent effect on her body than her most powerful sake...Seeing Vahn sit across from her, rather than at her side, Shuten adopted a playful pout, muttering, "Ten'nō-sama really knows how to toy with a maiden's heart." while puffing out her cheeks.Chuckling in response to Shuten's remark, Vahn pulled out a sake set from thin air, setting it out on the table as he explained, "Your charms aren't wasted on me, but your appearance and nature are problematic. If I had any confidence that you wouldn't try something, I wouldn't mind drinking at your side. For now, how about we get straight to the point of this little rendezvous...?"Hearing Vahn's words, Shuten's drunken expression seemed to melt away, replaced by a slightly more serious, yet equally seductive, look. Then, as if she was unaware of the meaning behind his words, Shuten took the bottle of sake from the table, removing the cork with a single deft motion before tilting the container to its side. This caused the crystal clear liquid to fill the space between her closed thighs, creating a small pool as the black bands around her lower body dissolved away into tiny black particles.Rolling his eyes in response to Shuten's antics, Vahn made a small gesture with his index finger, manipulating the spilled sake to climb up her body while saying, "We both know that isn't the reason I came here."Just as the sake was about to snake up Shuten's neck and enter her mouth, Vahn manipulated it to create a small bubble, pulling it away from her body before heating the interior to evaporate it in an instant. He also pushed the table forward slightly, ensuring that Shuten's naked lower body was kept hidden away, all while maintaining eye contact with the unamused Oni.To Shuten, the idea of wasting sake was intolerable, to the point she had readily drank poisoned wine during her previous life. Thus, compared to before, she was even more serious as she asked, "Oh, I wonder what Ten'nō-sama had in mind? I only wanted the company of a capable man to keep my body warm. You accepted my offer, yet, here I am, sitting alone as the cold evening air penetrates deeply into my bones..."In response to Shuten's words, Vahn caused the temperature in the surroundings to rapidly heat up, exceeding the temperature of a sauna as he brought out another container of sake and said, "I wish to challenge you to a drinking contest. As my victory is assured, I will allow you to set the terms of our wager. What say you, Shuten-douji...?"If she was pretending before, Shuten was now completely serious, the aura surrounding her body becoming solemn as she stared back at Vahn with glimmering purple eyes. Then, with a wave of her hand, one of the sake containers from the surroundings floated over, it's size large enough to be cradled in a person's arms. At the same time, she pulled out three differently sized saucers, the largest being 15m in diameter.Once her preparations were made, Shuten filled all three cups, explaining, "We'll see how far your confidence can take you. These saucers are enchanted, their effects varying based on the quality of the sake poured within. We will take turns providing the sake and choosing which container we will drink from. As for the stakes...well, I have promised to serve the man who can outlast me in a drinking contest. If you win, I will give you my everything. If I win, you will stay here for ten years, satisfying my every desire. It is possible to reduce the time of your service, but, based on Ten'nō-sama's confidence, I see no reason to discuss the specifics~."Knowing Shuten would simply request his bones as a keepsake, Vahn opted to ignore Shuten's goading, smiling as he picked up the smaller of the three saucers. His ability to read the Flow of Fate allowed him to choose the least dangerous cup, but, in order to completely defeat Shuten, he had no qualms about choosing the most dangerous. As a result, he took nearly twenty large gulps from the deceptively small container, emptying the entire saucer before showing her the interior.Shuten had a smile on her face when Vahn picked the smaller saucer, but, seeing how easily he downed nearly two gallons of sake, she stopped underestimating him. Her pride, however, didn't allow her to take the easy way out, so, instead of choosing the medium-sided saucer, the 'safest' option, she selected the largest, emptying the boiling contents into her stomach before releasing a steamy, pink-hued, sigh.As their contest continued, Vahn knew Shuten's powers would only become stronger. While she would eventually get drunk, her tolerance increased exponentially with the passage of time. If he allowed her the time to adapt, it was possible they would spend several days drinking before he was able to win. Thus, while his victory was already assured, Vahn wanted to eliminate any doubt in Shuten's mind that she could win against him.Since the sake in the middle container had magically evaporated, Vahn quickly filled the three cups, this time allowing Shuten to choose first. This caused her eyes to widen slightly, as, due to the quality of Vahn's sake, all three cups were exceptionally dangerous, at least for her. It wasn't for naught that the sake in his hands was known as [Oni Killer], its effects several times stronger against to notoriously affluent alcoholics.Seeing the amused smile on Vahn's face, Shuten squinted her eyes slightly, her smile curling up at the edges as she unhesitantly picked the most dangerous option. The results of the contest didn't actually matter to her, so, rather than let high-quality sake go to waste, she made the most of the moment, her body trembling as the powerful alcohol spread through her system.Even before Shuten had finished her cup, Vahn picked up the second-most dangerous option, ignoring the fact it contained a poison strong enough to kill a whale as he downed it all in one go. By the time they had both finished their portions, Shuten had a blush extending to her neck while, due to his unique constitution, Vahn was entirely unaffected by both the alcohol and poison.Shuten was beginning to realize Vahn wasn't full of false bravado, but, to put him to the test, she gestured to the side, pulling a small crimson container toward them. The contents, once poured, had a similar appearance to fresh blood, but, in spite of this, Vahn unhesitantly selected the most dangerous option, proving to Shuten he either knew the secret to the saucers or had terrible luck when it came to random selection...While watching Vahn down the contents of his saucer, Shuten smiled slyly as she explained, "This is a type of sake known as [Virgin's Cry]. Against a maiden, it is able to make them feel as though their entire body is being ravished by a horde of virile demons. As for men...well, I don't believe I have to tell you what kind of effect it has~?"Though his body filtered out the effect almost instantly, Vahn still felt a slight pain in his lower body, almost as if his penis was going to melt away. This made him feel slightly nauseous, but, by the time he set the cup back on the table, his complexion had completely recovered. This caused Shuten to issue a light chuckle as she picked up her own glass, eyeing the bloody contents within before ultimately throwing back her head and downing the entire saucer.True to her words, Shuten felt like her body was being ravished, causing her to collapse onto the ground, pained moans escaping her lips as she writhed about for several minutes. These quickly turned into sonorous sounds of pleasure, but, due to the soundproofing barrier he had erected, Vahn was freed from having to hear Shuten's cries as he did his best to ignore the immoral sight. Though this was ultimately futile, as he was perfectly able to sense it within his mind, Vahn still did his best to avoid looking directly, filling the cups on the table before patiently waiting for her to recover...While a normal human woman would be broken after a single sip, causing them to hallucinate for several days before ultimately falling into a coma, Shuten recovered after only a few minutes had passed. Then, with a drunken and noticeably content look on her face, she giggled mischievously before picking up her cup and toasting the air.Shuten knew Vahn wasn't pulling his punches, but, in spite of this, she fearlessly devoured the contents of her cup before releasing a hot sigh that was tinged with a girlish squeal. Then, with a silly smile on her face, her body collapsed like a marionette, her head nearly slamming into the table as she immediately lost consciousness. Fortunately, while it wouldn't have mattered, either way, Vahn had seen this coming, so, rather than let her bump her head, he supported her with his telekinesis while downing the contents of his own cup.After seeing how far Shuten was willing to go, Vahn decided to wrap things up by using the same sake he had gifted to her during the previous banquet, [Inari's Grace]. As a result, Shuten entered into a giggling fit, interrupted only by the periodic hiccup as her body radiated a startling amount of heat. Each of her breaths caused a palpable aroma of fruit to spread through the area, causing even Vahn's to feel warm as he rose to his feet, picking up Shuten's delicate body and laying her to rest in the nearby futon.With Shuten out of commission, Vahn cleaned up the sake set, stowing the remaining alcohol in his Inventory before leaving the room. He was unable to navigate the area using his senses, but, with his ability to ready the Flow of Fate, finding his way was a relatively simple matter. As a result, he quickly found his way to a much smaller room than Shuten's, opening it to find a blindfolded, bound, and gagged Ibaraki, tied in the shibari fashion with a deep flush covering her entire body.Seeing Ibaraki's dangerously youthful figure bound in such a way, Vahn couldn't help but release a small sigh as he made his way to her side. Then, taking advantage of the fact she was drunk off of Shuten's aura, he untied her body, fixing her loose kimono before carrying her to the former's room and allowing them to rest in the same futon. Based on the fact Ibaraki's mellow aroma had been present in the room, it wasn't hard to imagine that they usually slept in the same bed. Thus, in order to pacify both Oni, Vahn let them keep each other company before taking a seat out on the veranda, enjoying the perpetual full Moon and the lingering aroma of fruit as he sipped high-quality sake in silence...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shuten's persistence','The Pride of an Alcoholic',' 'Vahn ain't got time for lollygagging')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1464: Insufferable