Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

After teasing the two Japanese beauties for several hours, one version of Vahn remained behind to take care of Nobunaga while the other, after helping her recover, ventured into his personal Training Orb with Musashi.As could be expected, Musashi expressed a keen interest in the Asauchi, so, despite a strong desire to just sleep for the rest of the day, her curiosity compelled her to follow after him. She was eager to see for herself what the mysterious, slightly intimidating, katana was capable of.With her face still somewhat red, Musashi performed a few simple exercises, allowing Vahn to enjoy quite the view until she drew her katana and asked, "So, how are we going about this? Did you want to fight it out or what?"Shaking his head, Vahn explained, "This Asauchi might have no limits, but it is still young. With your level of skill, there is a non-negligible chance you might even be able to cut through it. I don't want to leave it with any trauma, so, for the time being, I just want your opinion on its basic qualities."Letting her katana rest on her shoulder, Musashi issued a light 'hmm' before nodding her head and saying, "I guess that makes sense. It is a little strange that a sword needs to mature, but I can't deny there is something special about that beautiful blade of yours. I can feel my blood boiling just seeing it up close like this..."As someone with an extremely close kinship with her own blades, Musashi's sensitivity to the 'spirits' contained within was second to none. She treated her own katana as if they were her precious family members, often spending several hours just polishing each of them. Vahn even suspected that, if she was given an Asauchi, Musashi might awaken a Zanpakutou in weeks, rather than years.Under the mesmeric focus of Musashi, Vahn spent a little more than an hour just demonstrating all of the Asauchi's basic capabilities. This caused Musashi to become increasingly excited, and, by the end of the demonstration, he got the impression that the only thing preventing her from pouncing on him was the fact she was still fatigued from before.Musashi knew Vahn was a bit of a showoff, but, after seeing the Asauchi in action, she felt he had every right to be. Though his skills were extremely lackluster, the blade itself more than made up for its Master's inadequacies. It was a masterpiece far removed from the realm of normalcy, and, though it might not compare against her greatest blade, the [Myoujingiri Muramasa], she got the impression it wouldn't be long before her most cherished possession paled in comparison to his beautiful blade.Unable to resist, Musashi approached until her face was just a few centimeters away from the highly polished Asauchi, a greedy look in her eyes as she stated, "I want one. You have to forge me one. I won't forgive you if you refuse."Seeing how eager Musashi was, Vahn couldn't help but laugh as he watched her gaze become stern in response to him sheathing the Asauchi. For a brief moment, he even imagined her trying to steal the blade from his hands, but, rather than use a 'direct' method, a mischievous smile spread across her face as she began to pull at the front of her kimono, saying, "Come on...we can work something out, can't we~?"Rolling his eyes, Vahn resisted bopping Musashi on the top of her head, plainly stating, "I intend to forge several Asauchi in the future. For now, I need to observe the progress and development of the original. When the time comes, you'll have the chance to wield one of your own. Before that, you'll have to make peace with your current blades. It would be extremely detrimental to the development of an Asauchi if their wielder used other weapons. If you want to obtain a weapon that will be able to match your limitless potential, you'll have to be willing to part with your current katanas."Though she wasn't too surprised by Vahn's words, as he had already explained the basic nature of an Asauchi, Musashi's excitement quickly diminished when she realized the truth behind his words. Even then, however, she was willing to accept an Asauchi, albeit only after 'retiring' her current blades. The path towards the peak required both resolution and sacrifice, so, while it felt like a piece of her heart had been buried with each of them, this wasn't the first time Musashi had to exchange her blades for something more suited to her strength.After forming the proper resolution, Musashi's expression became especially serious as she said, "I'll be relying on you when the time comes..."Even without her going into greater detail, Vahn understood the implication behind Musashi's words. The only way she could part with her blades is if they had 'died', so, after his Zanpakutou Spirit had been awoken, he would need to shatter them in battle. This would be the best method to leave her without any regrets, as, if they were shattered by a more powerful sword, her katanas would be able to rest in peace knowing they had fought against a worthy foe.---With the afternoon Raid quickly approaching, Vahn was making his final preparations for the coming conflict. To this end, he made a quick trip to New Thymyscira, finding it had changed quite a bit since his last visit only three weeks prior. There was now a large Coliseum near the center of the city, while, in the port, several Grecian longships could be seen, each 'manned' by crews of nearly one-hundred females. It was a rather strange sight to behold, as, due to Hippolyta's insistence on traditional wear, it looked like they were filming a movie set in Ancient Greece.Looking around, Vahn could see tens of thousands of women wearing chiton, peplos, sandals, and shawls. For undergarments, the majority wrapped their chest in a garment known as a strophion, but, every now and then, you would see small groups that went completely topless. It would have been a sight to behold if not for the fact the majority of them looked relatively average, their appearances marred even further due to how some carried themselves around with an unnatural 'arrogance'...Shaking his head, Vahn flew over to the Coliseum, unsurprised to find Hippolyta in the middle of the arena with a few young girls. They were being pitted against a bull-like monster that was covered in various wounds, each member dressed in roughly the same manner as Hippolyta herself. From this, it was easy to determine the girls were being trained as Amazoness warriors, but, unlike the relatively unforgiving practices he had observed in Danmachi, Hippolyta fought alongside them, seeming to build rapport while also preventing them from sustaining any serious injuries.Since the trainees outnumbered the bull seven-to-one, they were able to use spears to harass it from all sides, hitting its blind spots every time it tried to attack. As a result, the bull eventually succumbed to blood loss, falling to the ground and kicking up a small plume of dust in the process. This elicited squeals of excitement and crude war cries from the young girls, while, in the viewing stands, several thousand women between the ages of twenty and thirty-five loudly cheered for them.Deciding it was best not to make a big scene, Vahn released a small amount of his aura, drawing the attention of Hippolyta but leaving others none-the-wiser.Seeing Vahn sitting lackadaisically atop the Coliseum's walls, Hippolyta's face formed into an almost indiscernible scowl. She also didn't want to make a scene, as, after losing against Vahn five times, she lacked the pride to face him while her people were watching. The majority of her citizens had been irreversibly corrupted by their former societies, so, until she could rear a generation of true Amazons, any setbacks could lead to a rapid collapse of their nascent society.Just as Hippolyta was thinking about the best course of action, she was slightly surprised to see Vahn simply 'vanish' into thin air. Moments later, however, she heard a voice right next to her ear, causing her body to tense without anyone's notice. Afterward, she felt both relief and frustration, comforted by the fact Vahn decided not to make a scene but annoyed by his ability to whisper directly into her.After forcing the crowd to disperse, much to the annoyance of the more haughty women, typically belonging to the 'older generation', Hippolyta quickly made her way over to her private residence, a rather homely abode considering her status as Queen. She believed that gaudiness and excess led to complacency and waste. The only things that should adorn an abode were trophies obtained during battle and conquest. Everything else should go towards the infrastructure, strengthening the nation rather than lining the pockets of fat politicians and opportunists...Finding Vahn standing in front of the only real decoration in her house, a statue of her patron god and father, Ares, Hippolyta couldn't help but frown as she muttered, "You really have no sense of shame, do you? Entering a woman's house without their permission..."As if he had only just noticed her presence, Vahn turned around with a look of confusion on his face, brows raised as he asked, "Does it really bother you so? You don't even have any servants or guards to protect your residence."Snorting through her nose, Hippolyta crossed her arms, stating, "My possessions belong, in equal measure, to my people. Now, speak, why have you come here...?"Though Vahn had never expected Hippolyta to suddenly begin respecting him, he couldn't help but deadpan in response to her words. By 'right', he could have claimed Hippolyta as his prize after their first battle, but, not wanting to deal with a misandrist, he would rather remain enemies with her than invite her bigotry into the Empire. He tolerated the existence of New Themyscira, but, based on how things were going, this might very well change in the near future.Hippolyta might put on a bold front, but Vahn knew tensions in New Themyscira were growing with each passing day. There were a number of women who bastardized the concept of Amazons, using it as a means to try and suppress men. If not for the presence of the Companions, some of the children might have even been brutalized, or worse, by the more extreme members of the growing faction.It was somewhat laughable, but, due to their past experiences with men, a number of women quickly got out of hand when the social dynamic had been reversed. They made no attempt to differentiate themselves from the men who had wronged them. Instead, they used their past trauma as a means to justify horrible acts and behave however they pleased, hiding behind the banner of Hippolyta and claiming themselves as Amazons despite having never earned the title.If not for Hippolyta's and Aife's efforts to quell the growing community of bigots, sentencing some to death due to violations of the Common Law, he would have already removed the sovereign status of New Themyscira...As if she could sense Vahn's thoughts, Hippolyta became noticeably pale, her peach-colored skin gaining a somewhat sickly color as her confidence seemed to evaporate. Despite this, she managed to avoid backing down, her expression perpetually fixed into a courageous visage as she glared back at him with her scarlet-red eyes.It was hard to say whether Hippolyta was fearless or foolish, but, considering she was only seventeen years old, Vahn refused to let her behavior leave a deep impression on him. Once she matured, most of the dissidence within her budding nation would be dealt with, so, rather than let it bother him, he just rolled his eyes before saying, "I won't go into any details, but I'll be having a showdown against the Olympians later this afternoon. I wanted to inform you and Caenis beforehand. There is nothing you can do to stop it, but you have the right to know."Hearing Vahn's unexpected statement, Hippolyta looked at him like she was viewing a drunkard, her expression turning incredulous as she asked, "What are you talking about? Did you hit your head...?"Rather than answer her question, Vahn looked around the area, asking, "Where are Caenis and Aife? I don't sense them anywhere within the City."Though she was annoyed by Vahn's deflection, Hippolyta didn't comment on it, glaring at him for a few seconds before answering, "They are searching for Amazoness candidates and informing others of the existence of New Themyscira. You have undoubtedly noticed it, but the people in this region leave a lot to be desired. There was even a group who tried to denounce the existence of my father, causing disruptions outside of the city with their ministrations. I've started to lose hope in the people of this region, so we decided to recruit some fresh blood from more distant territories..."Even before Hippolyta had finished her explanation, Vahn had already confirmed Caenis' and Aife's locations using his search function. He could see that Aife was wandering around Nothern Europe while Caenis had actually made her way over to South America.After verifying Hippolyta's statement, Vahn gave a light hum before closing his Map and saying, "I have finished what I came to do. Is there anything you wanted to discuss before I depart? I noticed an increase in the number of luxury goods in your recent supply requests. Mind explaining why your city needs two-thousand kilograms of gold? Even if the Empire's resources are infinite, that doesn't mean we'll just hand them out without consideration for what they'll be used for. If you're going to continue increasing your demands, you'll need to allow more Companions in the city."Not expecting Vahn to suddenly shift the conversation to the subject of supplies, Hippolyta clicked her tongue. She had the impression he was messing with her, as, with his information network, there was no way Vahn wasn't aware of why the needed gold and other precious minerals. This was one of the reasons she still disdained him, as, despite having such an extreme amount of power, he liked to play word games and dance around matters at the expense of others.Crossing her arms, Hippolyta plainly stated, "A lot of it will go into the production of golems and the formation of more powerful defenses. I doubt you will fork over anything more precious, so we need gold to use as a catalyst for Aife's magic. Some will be used to produce weapons and armor, used to rear the budding generation of Amazons. You know better than anyone how chaotic this world has become. Without suitable weapons and armor, my people cannot battle against an ever-increasing monster population."Emulating Hippolyta, Vahn also crossed his arms, his expression returning to a deadpan as he asked, "So, the Empire has the burden of equipping and protecting your people? Aife's Noble Phantasm is more than suited to the task of dealing with most enemies. We also have thousands of automatons providing security around large population centers. Tell me, Queen of the Amazons, why should the Empire proactively equip a foreign nation with weapons when we're already protecting your borders for you...?"Angered by Vahn's words, Hippolyta smashed one of the pillars of her own home, shouting, "Don't give me that crap! A civilian population that can't even protect itself is a liability! Are you intending to cripple other nations just to keep them under the Empire's thumb!? We're already following those ridiculous laws of yours! What more do you want from us!?"Without changing his expression in the slightest, Vahn plainly stated, "Tolerance. I am aware of the effort you have made to improve conditions, but your methods are simply outdated. You have seen for yourself how previously established societies have completely ruined their people. Even now, in the wake of The Fall, the number of people making a concerted effort to increase their strength is less than three percent of the global population. Everyone wants free handouts, no matter whether it is housing, food, or entertainment. Even within the nascent Supercolonies, this is a serious issue that will take several generations to remove completely. Your policies will only serve to inflate the egos and greed of people who want to reap the reward of other people's efforts. Tell me, what will you do when more than ninety percent of your population is resistant to fully adopting the culture you are so proud of? Will you drive them away? Will you kill them?"Hearing Vahn's increasingly harsh words, Hippolyta's expression morphed into one of sheer vexation and frustration. She was well aware of the truth behind his words, but, unless she was willing to take a step back and compromise on her own beliefs, there was nothing she could do about each of the issues he pointed out. All she could do was personally rear a young generation of Amazons, hoping they were able to bring about the change she wanted to see in her people. She believed that, once others saw what females were truly capable of, the dissidents within her society would slowly begin to change for the better...Seeing a light layer of moisture spread across Hippolyta's eyes, Vahn repressed a sigh as he closed his eyes and forcibly calmed down. He had already said enough to force her to reflect, so, instead of pushing her even further into a corner, he stated, "We will send the supplies at the beginning of next month. This time around, I will not force you to accept more Companions. However, I expect you to seriously consider whether or not this society of yours can sustain itself. Your culture always relied on war and plunder to reduce its numbers and accumulate resources. This isn't an option in the present day, so, without handouts from the Empire, can you truly survive? Would you be able to rear the next generation of Amazons with pride, lambasting the existence of men despite relying on the grace of an Emperor just to keep your people fed and armed?"With each of Vahn's statements like heavy blows, Hippolyta began to feel somewhat lightheaded. It felt like everything believed in was being questioned, and, unless she was willing to refuse all future shipments of supplies, there was no way she could refute his words. Without the Empire, it would be impossible to sustain the growing population of New Themyscira. Some women even migrated over a thousand kilometers just to seek refuge in her city, many without actually contributing anything...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Musashi be like, "Gimme ten!"','Revival of an Ancient Culture','Vahn over here bullying someone less than a tenth of his age...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1514: Kinship