Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though it paled in comparison to the Supercolonies being constructed by the Empire, several walled cities had already been constructed in the aftermath of The Fall. These were meant to be bastions for humanity, places where chosen survivors could escape the ever-growing population of monsters that now roamed the countryside...A stark contrast to the nearby metropolitan ghost town, one of the most prosperous cities to come into existence, Post-Fall, was the former residence of the Emperor of China, the historical landmark known as the 'Forbidden City'. It, much like the Clock Tower in London, had previously served as a public face to conceal greater secrets. Now that the world had descended into chaos, this facade was no longer necessary, so, while much of the surrounding cities had been brought to ruin in the wake of The Fall, the Forbidden City stood proud like an unblemished gemstone.Unlike the Magecraft and Sacrament used by the Mage's Association and former Holy Church, China had been practicing a unique method of energy manipulation known as Taiji for millennia. This was a philosophy that predated even the most ancient Chinese civilizations, founded upon the principles of Yin-Yang theory, the Five-Elemental Forces, and, more recently, the Chinese Zodiac.Users of the Taiji Arts were colloquially known as Practitioners, but, due to recent trends, many had adopted the term 'Cultivators'. They were the very same people most Chinese fantasies and folklore was derived from, so, compared to orthodox systems of Thaumaturgy, they relied heavily on the use of physical arts, principally represented by hundreds of martial schools.The ultimate goal of every Cultivator was to oppose a concept known as 'Heaven's Will', represented by Gaia and Alaya. They believed that, by refining their 'Qi', the combination of physical and spiritual energies referred to as Mana by Magi, they would be able to strengthen their Soul directly, elevating themselves beyond mortality and allowing them to enter the realm of Immortals.Unfortunately, 'opposing Heaven's Will' was not a simple feat, so, while the average Cultivator was far stronger than Magi of the same level, they plateaued much faster than skilled Magi. It often took hundreds of years for a Cultivator to break through the Houtian level, achieving a state where their Spirit Body fused together with their Physical Vessel. This state, known as Xiantian, allowed them to achieve a form of biological immortality, but, without the aid of various treasures, achieving this level was something many could only dream of.In all of China, there were a total of thirty-seven Xiantian-Class Cultivators, the vast majority of which belonged to one of three ancient families. Of these thirty-seven Cultivators, thirteen belonged to the Aisin family, nine belonged to the Zhou family, and seven belonged to the Khun family. As for the remaining ten, they were the patriarchs of various families, some with records predating the Shang Dynasty, a period between 1570-1045 BCE.Due to the availability of rare materials and resources, most ancient Chinese families had been at odds for centuries, if not longer. They proactively hoarded materials to cultivate their Descendents, proactively interfering in the Martial Paths of other, less-established, families. This had allowed them to strengthen the foundation of their own families, but, as a result, China had never been able to rise to prominence before the Modern Era.Now, setting aside past differences and representing a more unified front, twenty of the thirty-seven Xiantian-Class Cultivators had gathered together within a massive Spiritual Formation. This was their version of the Bounded Fields produced by Magi, but, instead of using Magic Circles and powerful Catalysts, they relied on various treasures to gather the 'Energy of Heaven and Earth', powerful seals, and runic symbols. This achieved a similar effect to the Projection used in Avalon, but, rather than refer to it as such, the colloquial term used to define the interior space was 'The Realm of Spirit and Illusion'.Though each of the elderly men gathered within the chamber was a powerhouse that had achieved biological immortality, none of them were bold enough to speak out in the presence of the trio that had gathered them. This included a young man with white hair, a robust Chinese man with fair skin and handsome features, and, most hatefully, a Japanese woman with soft-pink, almost silver, hair...Due to past conflicts, most orthodox families in China had a fair bit of hatred toward the Japanese, regardless of their origin. They were also a strictly patriarchal society, placing heavy emphasis on the development of males over their female counterparts. This was a byproduct of various female figures bringing entire dynasties to ruin, so, despite the beauty and skill possessed by the woman standing before them, the majority refused to truly respect her...Annoyed by the hateful looks sent her way, Musashi began to lightly tap the hilt of her katana, her eyes squinting slightly with a taunting smile on her face. This was enough to cow most of the men present, who, in spite of their pride, knew better than to 'seek death' against a far more powerful foe. She had already beaten most of them rather severely, so, even if they resented her quite a bit, they lacked the courage to openly state the disdain they concealed in their hearts.Shaking his head at Musashi's antics, Shirou said, "Leave them be, Musashi. They might be bigoted, but they aren't evil. The people still need their leadership so just ignore their petulant pride..."Hearing Shirou's remark, Musashi began to laugh uninhibitedly, much to the chagrin of the twenty elderly figures gathered in the room. One, no longer able to bear the 'indignation' in silence, gripped his hand into a fist, stepping forward to ask, "Lord Shirou, Ancestor Yi, are you certain that man will even bother to show up? What if he decides to lay waste to the Forbidden City? Though we would never doubt the strength of the Heroes Faction, are we not risking too much by exposing ourselves like this?"Turning his attention to the elderly man with streaks of silken black and white hair, Shirou couldn't help but frown slightly. Fortunately, Hou Yi was present as he had grown tired of dealing with these relics of the past, the youngest of which was more than three hundred years old.Freeing Shirou from the burden of having to answer, Hou Yi adopted an amicable smile as he said in a soft tone, "The Esteemed Patriarchs and Lords need not worry. While the Sage Dragon Emperor is a terrifying foe, he does not engage in wanton destruction. Despite his past actions, he is an honorable man who fears no challenge. So long as we are forthright in our actions, we need not fear his wrath."As Hou Yi was one of their Ancestral Gods, even if he had previously been stripped of his title by the Jade Emperor, the Throne of Heroes gave him an effect similar to [Charisma: EX] amongst those of Chinese descent. His presence had been instrumental to the meteoric rise of the Heroes Faction in China, and, though Shirou was the 'official' Leader, the difference in their treatment was like that of Heaven and Earth.With shimmering eyes reminiscent of young children meeting their Hero, all twenty Xiantian figures nodded their heads in understanding, many openly commenting on Hou Yi's wisdom. This brought a slightly wry smile to the former God's face. As for Shirou and Musashi, they exchanged exasperated looks, both finding it senseless that they were 'hated' for no better reason than being born Japanese.Deciding to interrupt the elderly group's never-ending praise, Musashi released a bit of her Sword Intent, silencing everyone in the room. Then, with an uncharacteristically neutral expression, she said, "It is almost time. I can't imagine the Emperor showing up late to an official challenge. You all might be useless in the upcoming battle, but you should still be able to provide some form of protection to the surroundings, right...?"Though they wanted to rebuke Musashi for her 'thoughtless' words, none of the Xiantian figures had the courage to step forward when she was still releasing her Sword Intent. She was a 'barbarian' that wouldn't suffer reproach in silence, so, unless they wanted to spend several days recovering in a bed, they had little choice but to grind their teeth in silence.This time, it was Hou Yi's turn to shake his head, but, rather than comment on Musashi's behavior, he said, "Lady Musashi is correct. After extending an invitation, the Sage Dragon Emperor will not afford us additional time to prepare. We have been preparing for forty days, let's not waste our efforts over insignificant squabbles. We have gathered here as allies, unified toward a common goal. If we allow past grievances to divide us, the path to Heaven will be close off."As if they hadn't been sending murderous glares toward Musashi just moments prior, each of the elderly figures nodded sagely in response to Hou Yi's words. They acted as if they had been given some great enlightenment, some even stroking their beards with distant looks in their eyes.Seeing the reaction of the old fogeys, Musashi just rolled her eyes before turning to Shirou and saying, "I'll be going ahead. If the Empress shows up, I'll do my best to draw her attention. Will you be fine...?"Hearing Musashi address Artoria by her title, Shirou couldn't help but adopt a bitter expression as he said, "I've already accepted reality. Don't worry, even if she shows up, I'll be fine. Do what you think is necessary to secure victory. We'll be relying on your skills to buy us some time."Nodding her head in understanding, Musashi gave Shirou a light pat on the back, a vain attempt to comfort his weary soul. She knew the drastic changes to Artoria still influenced him even to this day, as, compared to the sentiments that had been present during their reunion, the only emotion shared between them seemed to be disdain. Artoria had even severely injured him on one occasion, visible scorn visible in her countenance as she seemed to consider striking him down permanently...After leaving the mausoleum-like room behind, Musashi was finally able to breathe easier. She couldn't stand the stuffy feeling of being cooped up in the same room as so many relics, especially when the majority hated her guts. If they were stronger than her, she had no doubt they would see fit to 'punish' her for daring to slight them, something she found rather laughable considering they were supposedly 'righteous' Cultivators.Recalling how some of the men looked at her with covetous eyes, Musashi released a tired sigh, her fingers twitching on the hilt of her katana. She often found herself wondering why she bothered to stay with the Heroes Faction, but, remembering the changes to Artoria's personality and the effect it had on Shirou, she never found the resolve to partake of Vahn's 'offering'.With this thought crossing her mind, Musashi found herself holding the bottle of [Shōjō Sake] in her hands, tempted to just drink it and be done with it. All she had to do was remove the cork, and, after a single swig of the legendary alcohol, her fate would be tied to the Vahn. She would no longer have to run around at the behest of a bunch of old men who viewed her greater disdain than they would a stray dog. She would be able to spend her days idling about in Avalon, drinking sake, lazing about, and fighting powerful foes whenever she pleased...After absentmindedly loosening the cork, Musashi allowed a bit of the heavenly fragrance within to tickle her nose. The only thing that prevented her from drinking it was the feeling of guilt that would plague her whenever she thought about how Shirou and the others would react to her 'betrayal'. She could easily imagine Alice and Abigail crying for hours on end, their sorrow slowly giving away to far more negative emotions.Though she considered herself a pretty selfish person, Musashi didn't want to be hated by children that looked up to her as a big sister. Just thinking about it made most alcohols taste bland, so, even if she was highly tempted by the lifestyle promised by the Empire, she ultimately tightened the cork before placing it into her deep cleavage.As an immortal being, Musashi knew there was no need to rush into anything. Though they were at odds with the Empire, it wouldn't be long before most conflicts ceased entirely. One of the purposes of today's battle was to give an example of Vahn's power to the old fogeys that had been gathered, as, despite being globally resented, few people feared him as much as they should. This had caused the Heroes Faction a number of problems, as, with the passage of time, more and more people had begun to demand they take action against the Empire.No matter how much they insisted it was better to focus on surviving in the changing world, there would always be a subset of the community that mistakenly believed it was possible to return things to 'normal'. They were an exceptionally vocal part of the community, so, every time a Hero stepped in to defeat some terrifying monster or prevent an uprising, demands for a 'revolution' would sound out for weeks on end.Knowing most of these events had been set in motion by the thirty-seven Xiantian figures that ruled over China, the Heroes Faction had decided to try and settle the matter by displaying their power in comparison to the Emperor's. They had set a multi-layered trap that, by design, should even be able to seal away a God. This was one of the benefits of being able to 'summon' Vahn to a location, but, even if they set hundreds of such formations, Musashi knew they would be useless in the face of his 'Infinite'. Thus, despite more than a month of preparation, she would undoubtedly have to face off against the rather domineering man once again, a battle that was as frustrating as it was fun...Remembering her last duel against Vahn, a small shiver ran through Musashi's body. Following this, she could feel her body begin to heat up slightly, culminating in a hot sigh escaping her lips. Even if she tried to forget, her body still remembered their battle. It was like a part of his existence had been carved into her own, the echoes of their exchanges still present within her bones. She knew this was the result of his peculiar energy wreaking havoc inside of her body, but, as there was little she could do to resolve it, Musashi often found herself looking forward to the next time they crossed swords...As this thought crossed her mind, Musashi began to slowly draw her katana, exposing a small part of the blade as she muttered, "It looks like I'm in for another restless night..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Someone mixed a CN in my EPIC!','Smells like bigotry up in here...','Echoes of battles past, sounding far into the future...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though it was infinitely faster to teleport using Alaya's assistance, Vahn opted to fly whenever he set out for battle. He enjoyed the sensation of the cold air against his skin, the feel of the wind through his hair, and, most importantly, the rising anticipation he could feel welling within. Even if there was a vast disparity between him and his opponents, he couldn't help but get excited every time he set out.Seeing a massive storm on the horizon, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he mused, "I wonder if they prepared any surprises for me..."Following his musings, Vahn accelerated to several times the speed of sound. The golden aura that generally lingered around his body became suffused with a vermillion glow, and, despite the dark black clouds ahead appearing incontestable, he cut through them with tremendous force, waves of energy rippling out to annihilate the building storm in an instant.With clear skies marking his passing, Vahn couldn't help but release an uninhibited laugh, his voice carrying for several thousand meters with ease. Even the people who had been seeking shelter from the storm were able to hear him. Some even went as far as to kowtow, lowering their heads and bodies to the ground as they prayed to various Gods, none of which were him...Though it didn't really bother him, as he hadn't done anything to be worshipped, Vahn felt slightly annoyed whenever he heard people praying to other Gods. This wasn't due to any enmity, however, but, due to the prayers being directed at his actions, he was able to hear their murmurs like hushed whispers in the back of his mind.As there were several thousand people who proactively worshipped him, Vahn had already gotten used to hearing the voices of his believers. Still, it slightly grated on his nerves whenever other Gods were mentioned, as, for one reason or another, their names were a lot louder in his mind than the contents of the prayers themselves. It was as if the World was snitching on the people that attributed his feats to other Gods, allowing him to bestow curses upon them if he was so inclined...Vahn would obviously never go around arbitrarily cursing people, so, while it was mildly annoying to hear the prayers of random people, it did little to spoil his mood. He actually found their ignorance somewhat amusing, giving him a strong urge to descend upon the world just to see the reactions on their faces when they realized who they were praying to...Fortunately, while he was prone to teasing others, this was largely directed towards people he was close to, not random people. He had more important things to do than mess around with a bunch of people minding their own business, so, rather than pay much attention to them, Vahn cut through the atmosphere like a golden meteor, tracking the location of Shirou and the others using the String of Fate.---Averaging around 4,300km/h, Vahn reached his destination in just under two hours. He was a little surprised to see where the strings were directing him, but, guessing there was a reason behind the choice in location, a smile spread across Vahn's face. This would be his fifth battle with the Heroes Faction since their establishment. The previous four battles had all taken place in expansive Bounded Fields, so, while he was certain they had something prepared, it was a welcome change of pace.After considering whether or not he should just 'drop-in', Vahn decided to go with a more subtle approach. He never liked destroying landmarks, something the Heroes Faction was, no doubt, aware of. There was a chance they had prepared the venue for that specific purpose, but, as it didn't really matter, Vahn slowly descended until he encountered an invisible membrane.Feeling the Space attempt to repel him, an amused smile spread across Vahn's lips as his right hand became clad in golden scales. This allowed him to grab the Space itself, ripping a large hole in it, and the invisible barrier.With a degree of ease that would leave most Formation Masters shaken, Vahn forcibly entered the Spiritual Formation that surrounded the Forbidden City. He found the interior even more impressive, as, compared to the rather thin concentration of Mana outside, the inside was several hundred times denser. In fact, it seemed like the Forbidden City had been built atop a leyline, colloquially known as a 'Dragon Vein' to Taiji Practitioners. This allowed them to draw from a functionally infinite supply of Mana, but, as if not content with this amount, the formation maintaining the barrier seemed to draw in everything for several hundred kilometers...Shaking his head, Vahn muttered, "How greedy...instead of trying to nourish the land, they treat it as nourishment for themselves...makes me want to break their little toy..."Though he had been slacking over the last few years, Vahn actually had a considerable amount of experience with arrays and formations. He had recorded the knowledge for tens-of-thousands of books on the subject, so, even at a glance, he could see through the nature of the array being used. It was a type known as a 'Grand Spiritual Gathering Array', a means to concentrate energy from the environment to power more powerful formations. Though powerful, it had far more detriments than merits, and, if not for the leyline providing a functionally infinite supply of energy, the surrounding land would have likely died long ago.Had they been more patient, establishing a 'Five Elements Array' would have been able to achieve a similar result, but, instead of siphoning the vitality of the land, it would have increased it. Though this was a process that would take decades to achieve, the effects would be permanent, allowing various plants and animals to be cultivated within. In fact, while the start-up may take a while, the final result would be far greater, as, with a leyline feeding it, Beijing would have become a Spiritual Land in less than a single generation.Vahn could tell that the people who created the Grand Spiritual Gathering Array were infinitely more concerned about their own progress than the well being of their people. They siphoned the energies that would allow others to grow stronger, refining them into various treasures and pills for their own consumption. To make matters worse, this type of formation was able to siphon Mana, not just from the surroundings, but the plants, animals, and, most problematically, the people.Unless they had the ability to control and regulate their Mana, people would experience a variety of health issues if they were exposed to such an array for a long period of time. Vahn even speculated that the Grand Spiritual Gathering Array was responsible for most of the health issues that had been rather common in Beijing. Most people attributed this to environmental conditions, as China had the highest carbon emissions of any other country, but that didn't seem to be the case now that he was seeing it first hand...Though they weren't in direct violation of the Common Law by taking advantage of the leyline and siphoning Mana from the environment, it was a grievous violation to be stealing it from others. The array had obviously been set up to create some kind of equilibrium with the environment, but, even if that were the case, the effect it had on people was unforgivable...Deciding he would address the matter of the array later, Vahn began to descend towards what he knew to be the 'Palace of Heavenly Purity'. It was the largest of the three halls that represented the Inner Court, the region in which the Emperor and his Officials would have governed the nation. The other two halls were known as the Hall of Union and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, but, with the Strings of Fate pointing towards the double-eaved building in the center, Vahn decided he could always explore the others at a later date.Almost immediately after touching down within the central courtyard, Vahn sensed the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. All sound around him seemed to fade away, and, as if emerging from the void itself, a lithe female figure with sleek-black hair and golden eyes appeared out of nowhere. She was attired in what appeared to be a form-fitting bodysuit that was concealed by a velvety-red, thigh-length kimono. This matched the red scarf that followed her movements like a pair of wings, but, as he was more focused on the tanto aiming towards his neck, Vahn didn't have time to wonder about the peculiarities of its movements...Just as the pitch-black blade attempted to pierce his neck, Vahn's figure vanished from view, his form seeming to disperse into the surroundings. This caused the woman's eyes to sharpen, her spinning in an unnatural motion to reverse her blade as she swept it towards seemingly empty space. In the next moment, Vahn's figure manifested in the new location, but, rather than dodge a second time, he had a slight smile on his face as he caught the blade with his bare hand, saying, "It is good to see you as well, Danzō. I imagine you were sent to escort me...?"Despite nodding her head in affirmation, the woman, none other than the legendary Katō Danzō, twisted her body at an impossible angle, a blade protruding from the tip of her toe as she attempted to strike his temple. Vahn was able to deflect this with his free hand, but, as if it had been her intent to occupy both hands, a compartment in Danzō's abdomen opened, an 'upgrade' from the last time she had attempted to assassinate him.From within the mechanical compartment, several shadow shuriken tore through the air without making a sound, covering the short distance in an instant. Unfortunately, despite the success of the attack, Vahn was left entirely unharmed as, even with the Shadow Element's ability to penetrate both physical and magical defenses, he was immune to most attacks under A-Rank. Unless it was a Light Elemental attack, or another form of purified energy, there was little hope in breaching his defenses through normal means.Seeing her attack fail, Danzō muttered in a cold monotone, "You are tough..." before giving up any resistance. She could still continue fighting, but, as her primary mission was to act as Vahn's escort, going all out was impossible. The only attack she had that could reasonably harm him required she detonate her core, but, as this would result in her death, she could not activate it for fear of failing her mission.After chuckling in response to Danzō's taciturn statement, Vahn returned her tanto while eying her body with an appraising gaze. Though she was a Kunoichi from the Warring States period, her true nature was that of an Artificial Human that, with the exception of her core and brain, was completely mechanical. This allowed her to freely modify and upgrade her components, each concealing deadly weapons that made her a feared, ever-evolving, Assassin.As a craftsman himself, Vahn was very interested in Danzō's masterful design. Not only was she an extremely powerful combatant, classified as a B-Rank Heroic Spirit using Da Vinci's system, but her aesthetic was very pleasing to the eye. At times, he had even been tempted to summon her creators, but, as Kashin Koji and Fuuma Koutarou both had Chaotic*Evil alignments, they didn't seem suited to the task of working alongside the Heroes Faction...Noticing Vahn's gaze, even with her back turned to him, Danzō emotionlessly stated, "Staring...is not polite..."Though Vahn hadn't actually been 'staring' at her, he still offered an apologetic smile in response to her accusation, answering, "Sorry about that. I can't help but be interested in your design. One day, when things have calmed down, I'll introduce you to a masterful Doll Maker. She has developed her craft to the point of being able to emulate humans with 100% accuracy, without sacrificing the perks that come along with being a mechanical life form."Still with her back turned to him, Danzō issued a light hum before surprising him slightly when she said, "Touko Aozaki...we have searched for her...she must be in Avalon...?"Adding a bit of inflection to turn her statement into a question, Danzō turned around to look directly into Vahn's face, seemingly trying to ascertain the truth without requiring a response. Since it wasn't exactly a secret, however, he just smiled and said, "Yes. She has been staying there for close to eight months at this point. You'll need more than A-Rank [Presence Concealment] to break into Avalon, however, so I'd advise against it. Even if you did manage to track her down, she is more than capable of holding her own against a B-Rank Heroic Spirit."Sensing no falsehood in Vahn's words, Danzō showed the briefest hint of a frown on her face before turning around and muttering, "Troublesome..."Hearing her remark, Vahn couldn't help but lightly chuckle, even as a thin, virtually invisible, needle tried to puncture his eye. Danzō didn't enjoy having others laugh at her expense, so, with his habit of teasing 'women' with cold personalities, Vahn had grown accustomed to her sudden assassination attempts, many triggering imperceptibly, even to him.After stowing the sheenless black needle in his Inventory, Vahn decided it was time to stop playing around. He could sense a powerful force resonating through the surrounding Space, and, though it didn't exactly concern him, he still had a face to uphold. There seemed to be a few hundred sings of life in the surrounding area, including more than twenty relatively powerful figures. Thus, while it was certainly fun to tease Danzō, he decided to restrain himself until her next assassination attempt...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Casually destroying storm systems*','OnLy ThE cHoSeN cAn OpPoSe ThE hEaVeNs...','A mechanical waifu? Sounds like an Otaku's wet dream...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Time spent with Fenrir was never wasted. By the time Vahn was preparing to head out, his mood had improved considerably. This was something that had never changed between them, so, after dealing with the drama wrought but Shuten, Vahn happily replenished his reserves of Fenrir's healing energy. As for Hati, she was just a convenient 'bonus', one he had grown rather fond of, even if she also had a propensity to become rather 'insistent' when she was in the mood...Fortunately, whenever Fenrir was around, Hati was uncharacteristically obedient, even more so than she was toward him, her Master. This wasn't simply due to the fact that Fenrir was stronger than her, however, but more so due to the 'nature' of their existence. The Vanargandr species was yet another race that had a relatively defined hierarchy, so, with Fenrir's body being comprised of Source Energy, she had a suppressive effect on members of her own species. Hati had even been stronger than her at the time of her summoning, but, in spite of this, Fenrir had been able to claim victory in ten-out-of-ten bouts.From the moment their dynamic had been established, Hati became significantly more docile and attentive. Fenrir had been educating her on what it meant to be a 'good girl', so, despite being an entity that was infamous for their 'hatred', Hati got along pretty well with everyone. The only notable exception to this was Sol, but, as their legends somewhat pitted them against each other, this wasn't all that unexpected. Rather, the biggest surprise in their dynamic was that Hati got along well with Siegfried, who, after a series of 'extenuating circumstances', actually ended up getting Sol pregnant.Though Sol had originally been summoned as a Heroic Spirit, Vahn had no qualms about giving her a real body when the relationship between her and Siegfried began to get serious. She shared the same desire to protect the peaceful state of Avalon as the silver-haired Dragon Knight, so, after a lengthy period where everyone speculated whether or not they would end up together, Sol ended up being the one to approach Siegfried.From the moment Sol cracked the infamously durable Dragon Knight's armor, Siegfried's popularity seemed to 'explode'. He was now involved with four different women, and, perhaps as a result of his draconic heritage, it hadn't taken long for him to knock up all four. This had been a relatively major event when it first came to light, as, prior to that moment, many of the Einzbern Homunculi didn't seem to rationalize that they could truly get pregnant.While it couldn't exactly be called a 'trend', several other Homunculi ended up becoming pregnant shortly after the women in Siegfried's 'harem'. These were mainly the women that were involved with the former Knights of the Round Table, but, more surprisingly, one ended up getting impregnated by a member of the Faculty that had migrated from the Clock Tower. This was a youth named Thomas Anderson, an Assistant Professor that, as could be expected, worked as a member of the Faculty of Creation, specializing in Alchemy.When Vahn first learned of the young man's relationship with one of the Einzbern Homunculi, he had been pleasantly surprised. This served as validation of his belief that the Homunculi would be able to find their happiness without requiring direct 'intervention'. Rather, due to their beauty and nature, it wasn't that difficult to win one of them over. So long as your emotions were sincere, and you made a concerted effort to woo them, they would eventually open up to you.In celebration of the unexpected surprise, Vahn ended up stunning the already exuberant youth by 'crashing' a party his friends had thrown him. He couldn't pour the man a drink, nor could he stick around for very long, but that didn't stop Vahn from congratulating the man and providing several large bottles of expensive wine as a gift. This had caused a bit of stir amongst the other members of the Faculty, as could be expected, but there were no other major consequences other than Thomas' reputation exploding through the roof.Vahn knew there were actually a considerable number of hopeful men, both young and old, who had their eyes on the Einzbern Homunculi. After all, they were exceptionally beautiful women, who, under the right conditions, would never age a single day. While the latter part wasn't a publically disclosed fact, their beauty, alone, was more than enough to entice the average man. Unfortunately, for most, it was impossible for them to court one of the dutiful Homunculi, as, even if they had been vetted by the Empire, their status as Magi was a massive detriment against them.The Einzbern Homunculi had suffered greatly at the hands of Magi, accumulating thousands of years of painful memories. Thus, even if the opposite party was a relatively good person, that wasn't even remotely enough to win their attention, much less their favor. You needed to possess an unwavering kindness, the type that allowed you to persist through great adversity, so long as you would be able to help others. If you didn't possess this 'self-sacrificing' quality, something that had been imprinted onto nearly every Homunculi due to Vahn's actions, you had very little chance of success...---After a rather lively morning, both within the Enma-tei and Ivory Castle, Vahn was seated in his not-so-private study, accompanied by Artoria, Gray, Arcueid, Tamamo, and Illya. The latter had claimed his lap as her personal seat, a triumphant look on her face as she enjoyed the somewhat resentful expression on Tamamo's face. This had become a common occurrence between them, but, despite appearances, they actually got along relatively well when he wasn't around.Tamamo's knowledge of Magecraft and Curses was borderline encyclopedic, and, so long as Vahn wasn't involved, she made an effort to get along well with every member of the Inner Sanctum. This was largely an attempt to elevate her own status, but, with Artoria's position being unshakeable, she had settled on increasing her rapport with the others over a long period of time. Unfortunately, the moment he was around, she seemed to forget her plans entirely, proactively competing against the more 'honest' girls that vyed for his attention...Ignoring the staring contest between the animalistic duo, Vahn maintained a calm disposition as he stated, "I'll be heading out pretty soon. Afterward, I intend to stop by the Hanging Gardens to check up on Semiramis before stopping over at the European Supercolony. I'll be bringing Nero back with me, so let's have a small celebration when I get back. I already discussed it with Benienma so she has reserved the entire Enma-tei for our use. The Yokai District has gotten pretty safe as of late, so I want to take along the children as well."Though Yokai couldn't resist trying to startle and fool people, every resident of Avalon's Yokai District was forced to obey the Common Law. It was possible for the most powerful Yokai to dictate the laws of the entire community, so, in order to gain access to the rapidly developing region, they had little choice but to obey. Fortunately, while this put a bit of stress on some of the more 'infamous' Yokai, it hadn't become an issue due to [Das Rheingold]'s infinite supply of enchanted gold.While the primary nourishment for a Yokai was negative energy derived from emotions such as fear, they were especially fond of the inherent energies contained within purified metals. This was one of the reasons they loved gold so much, as, in lieu of other energy sources, it acted as a delicacy that was relatively hard to come by. In Avalon, however, Gold was exceptionally common. As a result, the vast majority of Yokai were relatively content with occasionally pranking Faculty and students that managed to wander into the moonlit dimension. They would even guide them out after the fact, so, while a few students had filed official complaints, there hadn't been any 'major' issues.Artoria didn't share Vahn's confidence regarding the Yokai District, but, knowing he would have gone through great lengths to confirm their safety, she ultimately nodded her head, stating, "Very well. We will spread the word through the Inner Sanctum while you are gone. If there are any issues while you are away, do not hesitate to summon me. I still owe that airheaded woman for the last time..."Remembering her previous indignation, Artoria couldn't help but release a small amount of her aura, increasing the tensions in the room to an almost palpable level. Fortunately, she managed to quickly rein it in, causing a very faint blush to spread across her cheeks as she politely bowed and said, "My apologies..." toward everyone gathered.Waving his hand to, Vahn lightly chuckled to ease the tensions in the room, musing, "It's no big deal. As for Altria, well, you can just settle your dispute with her in the future. I want to wrap things up fast today, so I won't be taking anyone with me. The last time, things got a little too chaotic so I want to try and avoid a repeat incident, hahaha~."Hearing Vahn's words, Artoria's face became even redder, as, during their last few encounters with the Heroes Faction, she had been the one to lose her cool. She had always rather 'fond' of battle, so, with her draconic instincts enhancing her pre-existing zeal, it was hard to restrain herself when there were strong opponents. The last time, Vahn even had to forcibly order her to pull back, resulting in a rather awkward apology after the fact...Seeing Artoria's reaction, Vahn lightly tapped Illya's back, causing her to hop up from his lap, albeit with a bit of reluctance. Then, without minding the looks he got from the other girls, he approached Artoria, framing her face with his hands and gently massaging the sides of her head as he said, "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Even I get more than a little excited during a battle, so don't blame yourself for having fun. Just focus on further mastering your powers so that, when the time comes, we can continue to stand side-by-side on the battlefield."To punctuate his words, Vahn pulled Artoria up, causing her body to leave the sofa so that he could kiss her. She had grown rather fond of more 'forceful' displays of affection, so, while it still made her a little uncomfortable to show affection around others, she no longer complained about it. Rather, at times, she would be the one to initiate things, pleasantly surprising Vahn with an unexpected kiss, or, on some occasions, a light squeeze of the butt when she didn't think others would notice...After a prolonged kiss, lasting for nearly a full minute, Vahn gently lowered Artoria back to the sofa, leaving her with a slightly 'hungry' look in her glimmering, silver, eyes. For a brief moment, she even seemed to consider pulling him into her Marble Phantasm, but, knowing the others would notice the irregularities caused by its activation, she decided against it. She knew better than to rile up Arcuied and Illya at the same time, so, while it was certainly tempting, Artoria convinced herself to wait until Vahn returned in the afternoon.Understanding his Empress' thoughts, Vahn sent her a playful wink, a somewhat cheeky smile spread across his face as he said, "I'll be going now. Take care of things while I'm gone."Though she met his cheeky smile with a look of blame, Artoria still nodded her head in affirmation, ever the obedient and faithful wife. This quality of hers grew stronger with each passing day, aided by her expectations as a mother and the 'guidance' that Tamamo had been giving to all the women inside the Inner Sanctum. Her inordinately long pregnancy had given her a lot of time to mellow out, so, while her instincts as a True Dragon were still somewhat problematic, Vahn's appreciation for her had only grown...As this thought crossed his mind, Vahn looked down to see Artoria's toned abdomen, still as flat as the day she first transformed. She had already been pregnant for over three years at this point, but, as she was insistent on nourishing the baby with her own energy, it wasn't an exaggeration to say she still had decades to go. Though the process could be greatly accelerated if they conducted the same ritual used in Alexa's birth, Artoria didn't seem to be in a rush to bring the child to term. She seemed to genuinely enjoy being pregnant, often having him pamper her quite a bit whenever they were alone in her Marble Phantasm...Seeing where Vahn's eyes had wandered, Artoria's smile became infinitely more affectionate as she said, "Finish your goodbyes and get going. We'll be waiting for you to return..."Towards the end of her statement, Artoria affectionately rubbed her lower abdomen, making it clear she wasn't just talking about her and the other women. This caused Vahn to lightly chuckle, his smile a mixture of amusement and infatuation as he nodded his head and conducted the usual departing ritual of hugging, kissing, and petting everyone in the immediate vicinity. Fortunately, there were only five people present this time, so, after around twenty minutes, he departed the Projection with a contented smile on his face, determined to wrap things up quickly...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Siegfried is so trendy xD...','Thomas is a True Hero...','Holy Pregnant Dragon, Batman! That is a long pregnancy...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1479: Tension