Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though most of her efforts went into her Knight Training, Sakura had never slacked when it came to learning medical skills and magic. She had often helped to treat minor injuries during training, and, if there was anything 'major' going on, her father had allowed her to be present as his assistant.Now, for the seventh time in her life, Sakura was watching the miracle of life with a moderately pale complexion on her face. Despite the queasy feeling in her stomach, she showed no hesitation when it came to following her father's instructions, and, after three hours of hard labor, she bore witness to the birth of a beautiful baby boy. Then, with steady hands, she accepted the newborn into her hands, fighting back a sour feeling in her nose as she gave her baby brother his first bath before handing him over to his mother.Seeing her baby for the first time, Olga's strained expression became filled with love and warmth, tears pouring from her eyes as she held the bundle close and whimpered, "Thank you...thank you so much..."As could be expected, nearly everyone present had tears in their eyes, including the usually cold and serious Trisha. She even had to turn away, fanning her face with her hands in a desperate attempt to fight back her rising emotions.After making sure there would be no complications, Vahn accepted the towel offered by Sakura, an affectionate smile on his face as he said, "You did well. Go get some rest."The moment she heard her father's words, Sakura felt a considerable amount of pride, managing a radiant smile despite the tears rolling like precious beads down her porcelain cheeks. Then, joining her mother, they were the first to leave the room, quickly followed by Lakshmibai and a considerably pale Aoko.With Trisha the only remaining bystander, Vahn approached the side of the bed, his own tear ducts softening as he ran his fingers through Olga's hair and said, "You suddenly look even more beautiful. I'm so proud of you both..."Due to her sobbing, Olga issued a rather awkward laugh before nuzzling against Vahn's hand as she said, "You know...an hour ago...I wanted to kill you...now...I'm...just...so happy..."Barely able to complete her words, Olga began to sob even louder than before, her tears like refined pearls of bottled up emotions. She had so many doubts about whether or not she would be a good mother, but, now, seeing the smiling face of her son, combined with the comfort of Vahn's presence, it felt like every emotion she had been keeping since childhood was pouring out of her...Though there was a lot she wanted to say, Trisha quickly realized she was in the way, bowing politely and muttering, "Please excuse me..." with tears still building in her eyes. Then, without waiting for a response, she quickly did an about-face, alighting from the room under the gazes of Vahn and Olga.Turning away from the direction of the door, Vahn continued to stroke Olga's hair, smiling as he said, "It seems Trisha is more emotional than she lets on. How about making her the godmother?"With both of her hands occupied, Olga relied on Vahn to wipe away her tears as she answered, "Yes. I'd like that...thank you...so much..."Having learned his lesson in the past, Vahn resisted the urge to tell Olga she didn't have to thank him. Instead, he sat on the side of the bed, cradling both her and their newborn son as he said, "I love you...always and forever..."---Following the birth of his son, Hans, Vahn spent nearly two weeks without leaving Olga's side for more than a few minutes at a time. Being a new mother came with a lot of anxieties, but, fortunately, she had Trisha and Rin to help out and give advice. His responsibility in the matter was making sure both she and Hans were happy and healthy, but, considering the latter was nearly 3.5kg at birth, it wasn't an exaggeration to say he was 'very' healthy.Interestingly enough, Hans' Guardian was the first 'mechanical' Guardian amongst Vahn's children. It was a peculiar creature known as an Etherlite Strix, a type of owl that had synthetic feathers, metallic bones, sapphire-like eyes, and cobalt-blue talons that had a hypodermic quality. These rather fierce talons gave it the ability to rapidly drain both the fluids and magical energy from an object, allowing it to sustain both itself and Hans through their shared link.Vahn was very interested in the idea of a mechanical entity that could grow and evolve, as it was very similar to the Companions, so he had high hopes for Hans and his Guardian. For now, however, there were more important matters to attend, so, with a considerable amount of inspiration, Vahn returned to his forge after the initial two weeks. He still kept a version of himself back in the villa, but, with the inspiration of fatherhood driving him, Vahn felt like he could forge an entire planet, much less a few Asauchi...---With eyes that blazed like golden stars, Vahn took slow and steady breaths. Every time he exhaled, a phenomenal cloud of vapor would erupt, parts turning into ice crystals while the rest evaporated in an instant. In the end, however, all of the vapor would evaporate, as, resting atop an anvil formed of Divine Gold, a brilliant white blade radiated enough heat to collapse the space around it.Contrasting the phenomenal heat, Vahn's surroundings were filled with a bluish-black liquid formed from pure Yin Elemental Energy, its temperature so extreme that time stagnated in the vicinity. If not for the combination of his domain and Source Energy, Vahn's body would have been simultaneously frozen and incinerated, his body torn apart into its constituent pieces by the collision of Space, Time, Yang, and Yin Elemental Energies.Due to the extremes of temperature, Vahn had to relocate his Workshop more than ten-thousand kilometers from its original location just to feel assured that his family was safe. This process was so dangerous that, according to the manual, it could even critically injure the Soul. While this was an obvious exaggeration, as the Soul was something that transcended the Tier System completely, it was safe to assume that the Ego wouldn't come out unscathed if the process ended in failure.In order to keep her safe, Vahn had to coax Aeterna to stay home by offering her a small mountain of rare metal to simply 'burn' away. Even then, she had thrown a tantrum for several hours, calming down only after he expressed how worried he was for her safety. He had to explain to her how sad he would be if something happened to her, all while feeding her tiny pieces of candy and stroking her flaming hair...Fortunately, after he successfully coaxed her the first time, Aeterna seemed to have forgotten she was every angry in the first place. Instead, she played around in the hearth he had produced for her, and, with permission from Aoko, spent a considerable amount of time just burning the endless fields of glowing blue flowers. It was actually a little terrifying to see her cut loose, as she would laugh with uninhibited glee, but, since Aoko didn't seem to mind, Vahn elected to simply let her be...Now, in a state of absolute focus, Vahn spent seven hours just forming a workable tube of metal that was formed entirely from his body. The original process required a rare material called [Spiritualized Metal], but, as even a single gram cost 30,000,000OP, Vahn had learned how to perfectly emulate it using his Source Energy. This meant he only had twenty-four hours to work it into its final form, but, with each failed attempt costing nearly a billion OP, he didn't have much of a choice.Working [Spiritualzed Metal] required keeping it hot enough to 'completely annihilate' everything in the surroundings while simultaneously chilling it with purified Yin Elemental Energy. Since the flames used were formed from Yang Elemental Energy, establishing a careful balance was necessary, as, with a single mistake, the Yang would either try to consume the Yin or, inversely, be completely quenched by it.The aspect of this process that Vahn found most peculiar was the fact it required him to 'excite' the metal by striking it with a massive hammer that weighed nearly 300,000kg. This made the energy in the metal turn violent, but, before it could erupt outward, a surge of Yin-infused liquid would flow into the chamber, creating a violent hissing sound as the 'water' almost instantly evaporated.So long as he regulated the amount perfectly, the metal would be cooled down just enough to keep it stable, allowing him to, very slowly, shape it into the form of a blade. Though this wasn't actually necessary, as the final form could anything from a bat to a simple lump, the intent that went into the forging process was of paramount importance. An Asauchi was a manifestation of 'Infinite Potential', so, if you were half-hearted in your efforts, the final result would be a 'dead' blade.With his intent focused to extreme levels, Vahn stood completely naked with what appeared to be a massive black mallet, his muscular body poised and ready to strike. He waited until the luminance of the metal began to fade, an almost imperceptible shift in luminance, before striking in a perfect arc, the force enough to send powerful ripples through Space and Time. In response, the metal glowed with a brilliant golden light that, for a brief moment, created the illusion of a roaring dragon before it was mercilessly quenched by the yin-infused liquid. By the time the 'steam evaporated away, Vahn was already poised to strike another heavy blow, his intent never straying from the glowing piece of metal for a single moment.In total, the Asauchi forging process required 999 hammer strikes before it was considered a success. If the metal 'gave up' before then, it meant you had failed to properly control your strikes, breaking the 'spirit' of the nascent blade. Inversely, if you failed to reach an equilibrium at the 999th strike, the metal would erupt violently, attempting to punish the one foolish enough to try and tame it.While most would question the credibility of such steps, pointing out that the metal wasn't able to express itself in such a way, those aiming for the peak of blacksmithing knew better. All of the most successful Master Smiths considered the act of forging to be 'creating life' and 'shaping existing life into a new form'. They greatly respected their tools and infused their intentions into their materials with the same fervor as a parent trying to raise their children to be successful. As a result, some of the most skilled Master Smiths were, quite literally, able to create sapient weapons.After forging a total twenty-four [Lævateinn]s, Vahn knew better than most how his intentions could shape the 'personality' of a weapon. Though none of them possessed a true Ego, at least for the time being, he was able to clearly sense their intentions, their desire for battle. This could even be sensed by people who had never held a weapon, so, while common sense might argue against it, only fools were limited by such constructs...Approaching the 999th strike, Vahn's focus increased to the point that, for a brief moment, the only things in existence seemed to be him and the nascent sword. He felt as though time was slowing to a stop, a phenomenon similar to two warriors about to trade final blows with each other. A moment of hesitation would be the same as death, so, with his intent surging like a tidal wave, Vahn allowed his hammer to crash down on the glowing-hot blade as a flood of Yin Elemental Energy, colder than anything in existence surged in to consume them both...Despite feeling as though trillions of needles had pricked each of his constituent molecules, Vahn's glowing golden eyes could still be seen within the 'darkness'. His intent never wavered away from the blade for a single moment, his will alone seemingly compelling it into existence. Then, as if to answer his intentions, the blade, rather than cooling, seemed to absorb the energy used to heat it. This allowed the phenomenally cold liquid to come into direct contact with it, but, rather than break, the blade was like a miniature black hole as it sucked in every last drop of the bluish-black fluid.In a surprisingly short period of time, Vahn found himself staring down at a rather nondescript blade, which, seemingly dissatisfied with its form, sharpened itself to the point where simply looking at it caused pain. Then, causing a massive grin to spread across Vahn's face, the blade began to tremble atop the anvil as an invisible pulse spread outwards for several meters. This caused a dull sensation similar to 'static' within his mind, almost as if someone was trying to use Telepathy but didn't know how to speak...Ignoring the impossible sharp edge, Vahn picked up the blade without any hesitation, a proud smile on his face that was typically only reserved for his children. Then, using [Hands of Nirvana], he began to send calming energy into its body, softly stating, "It's okay...there is no reason to rush things...take your time..."As if it could understand his words, the blade's trembling quickly ceased before emanating a crisp, bell-like, sound. This caused Vahn to issue a light chuckle, his gleeful mood impossible to contain as he sat down on the ground and pulled out a polishing rag. He still needed to create a handle and a guard, but, before that, he wanted to bring his glorious creation to a mirror-like shine...-------------------------------------------------------------------[Nameless]Rank: UniqueSlots: 0P.Atk: (-)M.Atk: (-)Ability: Nameless Asauchi(-), Spirit Imprint(-), Spirit Evolution(-), Spirit Catalyst(-), Spirit Rending(-)A masterwork formed from the culminations of its creator's intent and the desire of the blade itself to exist. Though still immature, this blade possesses limitless potential. After receiving nourishment from its wielder for an extended period of time, this blade will develop its own identity, shaping itself into the form most suitable for itself and its user. In total, there are three stages of evolution, but, in the right hands, there are no limits to an Asauchi's growth.Restrictions: After imprinting, fuses with the user until death.-------------------------------------------------------------------(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I cri ever tiem','Naked forging? Tsubaki would be proud','Unlimited Potential')(A/N: I was originally not going to post a chapter today, but, I did my best to pump out this one since I know some people are pretty hyped about it. I'll be out of the house, but I intend to take my laptop with me so, if I find the time, I'll publish more chapters later this afternoon.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After spending a considerable amount of time polishing his new Asauchi, Vahn spent a few more hours adding the finishing touches. This included fashioning an ivory white handle wrapped in golden cord, a golden guard embossed with the motif of a dragon, and, last but not least, a sleek black sheathe that, like the handle, was wrapped with a golden cord.Unlike other weapons he had forged in the past, Vahn elected not to imprint the Asauchi with his Maker's Mark. It was his hope that, by leaving it unmarked, it would be able to grow in a direction of its own choosing, bonding with its user rather than representing his legacy as a Blacksmith. Thus, in lieu of imprinting the blade itself, Vahn carved a small taiji formation on the blade collar, a testament to the fusion of Yin, Yang, and Intent that had given it form.When everything was finished, Vahn had been working without rest for a total of thirty-nine hours. In spite of this, he felt none of the usual fatigue. Instead, he felt completely invigorated, his mind, body, and spirit experiencing a subtle change that was hard to put into words. The closest thing he could compare it to was the sensation he felt after creating Jade, the Fire Elemental Lotus that represented the birth of his Creation Divinity in the Record of Danmachi.Vahn knew he hadn't actually obtained a new Creation Divinity, as it would have been reflected in his Status, but, in spite of this, he felt like he had obtained something 'greater'. He even suspected it was related to an Innate, but, until the ability actually manifested, it was impossible to be sure. The only thing he knew for certain was that the unnamed Asauchi, with the exception of his children, was his greatest creation.Holding the complete katana in his hand, Vahn admired its edge for several seconds, an affectionate smile on his face as he ran his index finger along its length. Then, after creating a massive pillar that could be likened to Adamantine in hardness, he swept the blade at a thirty-degree angle, cutting in a smooth arc that didn't produce a single sound.Despite being more than three meters away, well outside of the Asauchi's blade length, Vahn had a wide grin on his face when a 'line' appeared along the glossy black surface. Then, under the force of gravity, the upper half of the pillar 'slipped' free from the bottom half, leaving a mirror-like surface in its wake.Though the Asauchi lacked attack power and an ability that enhanced its sharpness, the blade's edge was unlike anything Vahn had ever seen. Its sharpness was directly linked to the amount of energy channeled into it, and, due to acting as a near-perfect catalyst, it had unmatched sharpness when his Source Energy was fed into it. Thus, even though his understanding of Sword Laws and Sword Intent were both shallow, Vahn's mastery over Space and Time allowed him to cut anything that was within the effective range of his domain.Putting his theory to the test, Vahn set up several pillars in a line, standing so that one was blocking his view of the other three. Then, relying on his perception alone, he struck out towards the massive pillar, but, instead of leaving a line in its surface, the sound of metal against metal could be heard as the third pillar in the line crashed to the ground. This caused Vahn to laugh out uninhibitedly before spontaneously conducting one last experiment, this time cutting towards his own arm with a large smile on his face.Initially, Vahn expected the Asauchi to simply 'stop' once it reached his skin, but, as fate would have it, the blade cleanly passed through his arm without obstruction. He could feel an incredibly painful sensation, but, at a glance, his arm was perfectly fine. There wasn't a single sign of injury, but, for a brief moment, Vahn was unable to feel anything but searing pain as he struggled to even twitch his fingers.Since an Asauchi was a weapon that was supposed to be used by Soul Reapers, its attacks had little to no effect on the physical body. Instead, it targetted the Mana and Spiritual Bodies directly, cutting the flow of energy and paralyzing the affected limb in the process. It was very similar to the effect of [Mercy], the S-Ranked Dagger that Vahn had used during his conflict against the Dwarves of the Iron Hills. This effectively meant physical defense was completely useless against Asauchi's, requiring you to protect yourself with Spiritual Energy if you wanted to avoid becoming a cripple.Confirming his theory, Vahn, very slowly, ran the Asauchi through the black pillar. As expected, the blade slid through the material without any obstruction whatsoever, leaving no traces of any kind of structural damage. It wasn't until he 'wanted' to cut the pillar that he felt any kind of resistance, but, despite the hardness of the material, the sensation was similar to cutting through a stream, following the direction of the current.Satisfied with his discoveries, Vahn held up the Asauchi so that the blade was level with his face as he said, "You're really amazing...I can't wait to see how powerful you become in the future..."In response to his light utterance, the Asauchi released a high-pitched 'ting', similar to a tuning fork being struck with a metal rod. It was a very pleasant sound, and, though it was subtle, Vahn was able to feel the excitement of the Asauchi. It seemed to enjoy being praised, bring a smile to Vahn's face as he internally remarked, ("How cute...")---Though the process of forging an Asauchi was exceptionally tedious, it was only the first step in the formation of a Zanpakutou Spirit. It could take several years for the Asauchi to finish imprinting on its user, requiring them to keep it on them at all times. This meant that, even when you were eating, sleeping, or taking a bath, you always had to have your Asauchi on you. It was similar to raising a child, and, if you neglected it, even for a short period of time, the nascent spirit would actually begin to shun you, refusing to give you its name.Carrying around a 115cm katana for upwards of ten years would be a hassle, but, considering the Spirit within would remain at your side until death, this was a small price to pay. Vahn was also quite fond of his precious creation, so, rather than ten years, he was hoping his Zanpakutou Spirit would awaken within a few months. The process for awakening seemed to depend entirely on your bond with the Asauchi itself, so, with high hopes for the blade, Vahn felt it wouldn't be long before he met his eternal companion.Unfortunately, while he had enjoyed his time within the Marble Phantasm, it had already been close to six weeks since they entered. Thus, after spending a few days acclimating to the Asauchi, carrying it around with him everywhere he went, Vahn decided it was time to leave. He felt it was actually bad to try and rush the process of awakening his Zanpakutou Spirit, much like forcing a child to grow up too quickly, so, rather than stress over it, Vahn would let matters take their course. It would manifest when it was ready, and, until then, he would continue to live his life, allowing it to view and interpret for itself what kind of person he was.Before informing everyone of his decision, Vahn spent one last night just lounging about with each of them. This included spending some quality time with Rin and Sakura, arguing with Aoko over the importance of runic magic, cuddling with Lakshmibai outdoors, and, most importantly, sharing a bed with Olga as they cradled their newborn son between them. She had blossomed into motherhood in a very short period of time, so, while it was a little shameless, Vahn enjoyed getting pampered by the progressively more beautiful Olga alongside his son...---Following his emergence from Aoko's Marble Phantasm, Vahn updated Artoria on everything that transpired while he was inside. She wasn't too surprised that he had managed to succeed, but, upon seeing the Asauchi for herself, her eyes had widened considerably. Unfortunately, he had to refuse her request to handle the infant blade, as, more than other factors, contact with others during the imprinting phase could greatly increase the time it took for a Zanpakutou Spirit to form.After separating from the slightly dejected Artoria, Vahn teleported to the outside of Nobunaga's room, a wry smile on his face as he contemplated going inside. He had been thinking about Musashi ever since he completed the Asauchi, but, sensing what was happening inside the room, Vahn felt it might be better for him to come back later...Shaking his head, Vahn released a small sigh before opening the door and stepping inside. There, he found a half-naked Musashi with a light blush on her face as Nobunaga, ever the deviant, left quite a number of hickey marks on the former's exposed breasts and neck.As there were very few people who could enter her room of their own accord, Nobunaga only gave a brief glance toward the door, her expression forming a mischievous smile that starkly contrasted the abject shock visible on Musashi's. She generally wasn't very shy, but, not expecting Vahn to suddenly appear, Musashi cutely pushed Nobunaga away, covering her breasts as she said, "I can explain...!"Despite being pushed off the sofa rather unceremoniously, Nobunaga was cackling like a demon as she rolled around on the floor. This caused Muasash to feel even more embarrassed, but, before she could find an excuse, Vahn just shook his head with a wry smile, saying, "Don't mind it. I'm perfectly aware of how wily Nobunaga can be. Besides, this is pretty tame compared to the last time we were inside Aoko's Marble Phantasm."Hearing Vahn's dismissive words, Musashi laughed awkwardly in turn before saying, "Yeah, I guess you're right? Still...isn't your reaction a little too tame...?"As if to answer in Vahn's stead, Nobunaga rose to her feet with nothing but a loose shirt and dark red panties on, explaining, "Please. Do you really think Vahn would worry about things like this? This is nothing compared to the 'performances' I have put on with Kenshin. What kind of man wouldn't be able to enjoy the kinship between two beautiful women? Besides, even if I play around every now and then, that idiot knows full well who my heart belongs to...isn't that right, my beloved Master~?"Following Nobunaga's statement, she allowed her shirt to fall free from her body, revealing a highly detailed tattoo that covered much of her back, left shoulder, left breast, and arm. Though its primary function was to enhance her attributes, much like the seal he had designed for Tiona, the true reason behind Nobunaga's tattoo was, simply put, because she thought it was cool. She liked to pick outfits from various punk rock groups from before The Fall, and, seeing a few models with intricate tattoos, she had wanted one of her own.Though there were a number of interesting aspects of Nobunaga's tattoo, the most prominent was the Japanese-style golden dragon that coiled around a heart above her left breast. There was also a series of runes forming a circle, and, if you understood the structure of Divine Words, you would be able to read, 'A Demonic Heart devoted to a Dragon Emperor. To my beloved, Vahn Aldrnari Mason, I dedicate my Mind, Body, and Soul.'Seeing Nobunaga's exposed figure, wearing nothing but lace panties and the tattoo he had spent nearly three days to complete, Vahn could feel his pulse begin to race as he returned a smile and said, "It seems there is a Demon King in need of vanquishing..."Incited by Vahn's words, Nobunaga's smile spread until her prominent canines were on full display. Then, after snaking her way over to his side, her hips swaying seductively the entire time, Nobunaga pressed her chest against his, musing, "I have already given you my everything...now, how about we enjoy a few drinks while discussing the reason for your visit. Afterward, you can ravish us both like the greedy dragon you are~."Following her words, Nobunaga began to gently bite Vahn's collarbone, her arms linking around his waist to give his butt a tentative squeeze.Though he was well aware of it before entering the room, Vahn could tell that Nobunaga's switch had been flipped completely. Her face was slightly red, and, with a heavy aroma of alcohol present within the room, it wasn't difficult to imagine why. She and Musashi had both gotten drunk, leading to Nobunaga becoming even bolder than usual. In this mode, there was very little she wouldn't do if she thought it was fun or interesting. As a result, each of her usual drinking partners had fallen to her errant clutches, the only exception being Shuten, who, triggered by Nobunaga's teasing, showed the latter what it meant to be an Oni...With a few hours to spare until the afternoon Raid, Vahn decided to take Nobunaga up on her offer, but, with the Asauchi in hand, he had to create a second body. This caused the two women to show expressions of mild alarm, both having already learned how 'dangerous' multiple versions of him could be, but, before they could panic, he amusedly explained, "Relax. This body of mine can't really do anything right now. You don't have to worry...I'm not going to bully you..."Hearing Vahn's words, Nobunaga and Musashi couldn't hide the fact they were relieved. It was all but impossible for any singular woman to deal with Vahn, so, if he were to manifest multiple bodies, things quickly shifted in his favor. His combined assault was too much for even women like Artoria and Arcueid to bear, as, when he worked together with himself, Vahn was far more terrifying than any Demon King...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Unbelievably OP','*Clings tightly to sword for six years*','Now we just need a picture of a smiling Fenrir sitting on a sofa with five Vahn encircling her...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Deciding it was best to practice when there were fewer distractions, Vahn performed some minor repairs to his Workshop before throwing the entire thing into his Inventory. He could always seek out the assistance of Aoko to finish it up, as, in the past, she had expressed an interest in learning forging and engraving. She was actually pretty talented at it, though, compared to her sister and the Dwarves beneath Avalon, she still had a 'very' long way to go.After emerging from the [Sub-Space Orb] that contained many of his and Da Vinci's production facilities, Vahn expanded his domain to get his bearings before moving down a long corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. Despite this, he appeared at his destination almost immediately, the result of Da Vinci's restructuring most of their Workshop to function similarly to the Yokai District.Whenever he thought about the rapid breakthroughs his inordinately beautiful companion made, Vahn couldn't help but feel both proud and exasperated. Da Vinci was one of the most important allies he had gained in the Nasuverse, and, despite his many failings, it was Merlin's suggestion of summoning her that compelled Vahn to trust him. The flowery magus was always thinking about the future of Avalon, so, even if it felt like he was just 'trolling' at times, Vahn still took his advice to heart...Stepping into a rather messy laboratory, Vahn was stopped near the entrance by a vaguely egg-shaped drone with tiny rabbit ears. It quickly scanned him before the panel on the front, showing a pixelated 'angry' face, changed to show a happy '=^ w ^=' before stating in the familiar voice of Sophia, "Welcome to my Laboratory, Papa! I'm a little busy right now, but, if its an emergency, you can find me in Test Chamber 03~!"Though he had wanted to check in on Sophia and spend some time with her, she had inherited her mother's trait of not liking unexpected interruptions to her work. She preferred to have him arrange a meeting in advance, but, due to his relatively whimsical nature, Vahn usually showed up unannounced. He felt it was somewhat silly to have to schedule a meeting with his own daughter, but, knowing she was always serious whenever she stated she was busy, Vahn decided to give up on this particular visit.After scheduling an appointment with Chii, Sophia's self-modeled Artificial Intelligence, Vahn departed the Workshop, stopping in the adjoining corridor for a brief moment to consider his next actions. He still needed to wrap things up in the Yokai District, so, with a bit of time on his hands, he could either make preparations for the afternoon Raid or meet up with Aoko to request access to her Marble Phantasm.Since it seemed prudent to strike while the iron was hot, Vahn lightly poked Aeterna through her lantern, asking, "Do you want to go on a long trip with me...?"Not expecting such an offer, Aeterna's flames became a vibrant violet hue as she poked her head out and exclaimed, "Yay! Aeterna will go with Vahn! Let's go! Let's go~!"Bolstered by Aeterna's cheering, Vahn handed her a marble-sized crystal formed from his blood before teleporting near the Knight's Training Field. It was still early in the day, so, with his domain not showing Artoria, Vahn correctly assumed she would be inside the Training Orb. She primarily used her Marble Phantasm when she wanted a serious workout, but, in order to build rapport and improve morale, she often filled in for Kenshin when the latter was conducting field operations.Unsurprisingly, Vahn found Artoria wearing what appeared to be a kendo uniform, guiding more than a hundred 'students' through proper sword forms. She was only wearing the hakama and gi, so, whenever she moved, her breasts would shake somewhat violently as her long golden hair gracefully followed her movements. It was almost like finding a resplendent golden dahlia in a grove filled with white roses, her beauty several orders of magnitude above even the inordinately beautiful Homunculi...Sensing Vahn's presence the moment he entered the Training Orb, Artoria completed one final set before firmly stating, "For now, everyone split into groups of four. One person will be on the defense while the other three attack them. If you get hit in one of your vital areas, the person that landed the blow will move into the center. Now, move!"In response to Artoria's order, all one-hundred Homunculi released a synchronous 'Ha!' before immediately splitting into groups of four. As for Artoria, she used [Shundo] to vanish from her previous location, reappearing next to Vahn's side with a smile on her face as she said, "I did not expect you at this time. Did you come to ask permission for something?"Without beating around the bush, Vahn gave a curt nod, explaining, "I want to master this forging technique before the Raid this afternoon. It won't have an immediate effect, but this technique will provide a qualitative increase to our overall strength in the future. If she is willing, I intend to make use of Aoko's Marble Phantasm."As she was already aware of the fact Vahn was working on a new technique, Artoria just nodded her head, stating, "If you're going inside for training, you should take Olga and Lakshmibai with you. It feels like Olga has been pregnant even longer than me at this point so it would be best if you spent some quality time together before helping with the birth. If you're going with five, take Rin and Sakura with you as well. Rin has been holing herself up in her tower lately and I feel like Sakura would benefit from spending time away from Mordred."Though it was a little outside his original intentions, Vahn wasn't going to argue with Artoria, as, for a number of reasons, she generally knew best. Besides, he felt the same way regarding Olga's pregnancy, which, at this point, felt like it had been going on for years. This was primarily due to the fact she rarely stayed inside the projection, splitting the majority of her time between Chaldea and visiting her father in London. Thus, while it had been over a decade from his perspective, it had been little under nine months from Olga's...---Taking Artoria's advice to heart, it wasn't long before Vahn had gathered Aoko, Olga, Lakshmibai, Rin, Sakura, and, due to Olga's insistence, her former Governess, Trisha Fellows. Olga had grown increasingly anxious during her pregnancy, so, about four months into things, Vahn had made a concerted effort to reunite her with the woman who basically served as her surrogate mother. This had greatly alleviated Olga's anxiety, and, ever since then, Trisha had been living alongside her as an attendant and Midwife.Ignoring the perpetually cold gaze of the middle-aged woman, Vahn gave Aoko the go-ahead to pull them into her Marble Phantasm, an endless field of glowing blue flowers beneath a sky that was perpetually filled with an Aurora. It was a breathtaking sight to behold, and, due to this being the Marble Phantasm most commonly used by Nobunaga, Shuten, Kenshin, and other Japanese women, a thirteen-room Japanese villa, complete with an open-air onsen, could be found nearby.As this was the first time many of them had been inside Aoko's Marble Phantasm, Vahn allowed the glowing red-head to enjoy their praises for a brief moment before saying, "I'm going to set up my Workshop a few kilometers from here. Unless it is an absolute emergency, my Workshop is off-limits until specified otherwise. I'll be keeping at least one version of myself inside the villa, but, if I'm performing a task that requires a lot of focus, I may have to seclude myself for a few hours at a time."Everyone was already aware of the purpose behind this particular visit so nobody was surprised by Vahn's words. Immediately afterward, however, Lakshmibai and Sakura simultaneously asked, "Is there anything I can do?"Not expecting someone else to speak out, Lakshmibai and Sakura stared at each other for a brief moment, smiles spreading across their faces. In response to their inquiry, however, Vahn laughed in a light-hearted manner, explaining, "Once I finish cleaning things up, I'll show everyone around my Workshop. As for helping out, that is what I have this little cutie for..."Being complimented always made Aeterna very happy, so, in response to her Master's words, she created a gradient of different colored flames, giggling happily with a haughty smile on her face.Seeing Aeterna trying to show off, Vahn smiled affectionately before lightly stroking under her chin and adding, "One of my main reasons for coming inside is to spend time with all of you. The best thing you can do to help is enjoying our time together. I'll be in my Workshop and here at the same time, so, let's all do our best to make the most of our time. At the very least, we'll be in here for a few weeks so just relax and cut loose."Following up on Vahn's words, Aoko nodded confidently, explaining, "We have all kinds of neat and interesting things inside. There is even a fully stocked kitchen, a game room, and a massive open-air onsen. Come on, I'll show you around!"As Aoko took great pride in the things she had built in her Marble Phantasm, she couldn't help but want to show it off. She also had a way of pulling people along with her momentum, so, with the exception of Olga and Trisha, everyone followed her for a quick tour.Once everyone else had left, Trisha was the one who asked, "Will the baby really be born in this place? Are you not concerned something may go wrong?"Hearing Trisha's words, Olga also showed an expression of uncertainty, her hand instinctually moving to her almost spherical belly as she muttered, "Vahn..." in a demure tone.Gesturing for the two to calm down, Vahn stated without any hesitation, "There are absolutely no problems. Even if you were to travel to a thousand different worlds, there is no guarantee you will find someone with even half the skill and experience I have at delivering children. Just relax and rest your body as much as possible. I'll be here for you every step of the way."Though Trisha wasn't entirely convinced by his words, Olga seemed to relax completely, a loving smile on her face as she moved close enough to give him a small peck on the cheek, following it with a sincere, "Thank you..."---Since he hadn't set a deadline for mastering the [Asauchi Production Method], Vahn decided to forgo immersing himself in the process until Olga successfully gave birth. He would not be able to completely focus on forging while she was still pregnant, so, other than improving the quality of his tools and meditating for a few hours a day, he spent most of his time taking care of what mattered most, his family.Using upwards of five different bodies, Vahn was able to help Rin with her research, spend quality time with Sakura, go drinking with Aoko, idle about with Laskhmibai, and, most importantly, keep Olga from having a mental breakdown. This was one of the greatest benefits of using the Marble Phantasms, as, not only did it allow him to have as much time as he needed, it also allowed him to practice controlling more vessels simultaneously.At this point, Vahn had become adept at using three bodies, relatively decent at using five, and, if he really pushed himself, a total of seven were possible. This had the unfortunate effect of making his actions somewhat robotic, however, so five was his manageable limit, at least for the moment. Still, this was more than enough to spend time with each member of his harem, even without the use of Marble Phantasms. With them, however, Vahn had all the time he would ever need, even if it meant he was aging several times faster than everyone else.Fortunately, no matter how much time passed, Vahn's appearance only changed to reflect how he wished to present himself. He could freely change his shape, size, race, and, during a few unique circumstances, gender. Thus, despite nearing 190 years in age, Vahn wasn't particularly worried. It was nothing compared to the 150 years he had spent rearing Alexa, and, compared to Eternity, it was a completely negligible amount of time. The only 'danger' was that, at some point, he might stop caring about other things. However, based on the fact he only seemed to be 'more' involved with the passage of time, Vahn wasn't concerned. Rather, for a variety of reasons, he was growing more eager with each passing day...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sophia be like, "Every second I spend idle, humanity is set back by three weeks!','So, Vahn is borderline Omniscient, Omnipotent, and can even 'revive' the dead...I feel like filing a complaint to the Devs xD...','"Age is just a number." -Vahn Mason, shortly before the FBI knocked down his door')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1513: The Miracle of Life