Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he shouldn't really care, as Hippolyta's problems were the result of her own willfulness, Vahn couldn't help but give her a bit of advice. His words were a little harsh, but, if she took them to heart, there was a chance her nation could thrive. For now, her lack of experience was bound to cause her a considerable amount of stress. There was even a chance that she, like a sad number of Heroes before her, would be 'broken' under the strain of trying to lead a bunch of people who saw her as nothing more than a means of securing their own self-interests.Back when Hippolyta had been alive, the Gods were still causing trouble in the world. There was also constant war and strife, ensuring the Amazons, a group that worshipped war, always had a battlefield to fight on. This allowed them to regulate their population, but, more importantly it was a method of empowering themselves during a time when most women were treated as little more than bargaining chips, often exchanging them for a breeding pair of goats or a pen of chickens. It was so bad that, at one point in time, it was normal for orphaned females to become the property of their Uncles or Cousins, forced into marriage as early as their first periods.While the current state of the world wasn't exactly pleasant, it was still significantly better than the average ancient civilization. The existence of Common Law made such arrangements impossible, and, with a Companion at their side, the average child had no need to fear an adult. The rights of children were one of the most highly protected aspects of the Common Law, and, depending on the severity of a violation, people could be put to death even for minor violations.Ultimately, the founding principles of Amazoness society had no grounds to stand on the modern world. Though it worked now, during a time of uncertainty, things would undoubtedly take a turn for the worse once the population of New Themyscira reached a certain point. There were simply too many people with extremist views taking up residence within the nascent nation, and, without a 'real' enemy to fight against, they would eventually tear themselves apart due to infighting.Eventually, Hippolyta would need to put her foot down just to keep order. This would only make things worse, however, as public opinion would undoubtedly turn against her once she began to use violence against her own population. Dissidence would grow in the shadows, and, with their morale broken, an increasing number of people would simply become lazy, keeping their heads down and leeching off the resources of New Themyscira, resources obtained from the Empire...---After returning to Avalon, Vahn spent the remainder of his time idling about and making a few minor preparations. Then, around three in the afternoon, he gathered every major combatant in the War Room, the place where his War Council generally assembled.Seeing everyone fully geared out in increasingly more futuristic weapons and armor, provided as a courtesy of Da Vinci, Vahn couldn't help but smile. His own confidence swelled up just seeing everyone with resolute and determined expressions on their faces. Though most of them would not have the chance to fight, as the enemies were simply too powerful, Vahn could tell they would not hesitate to throw themselves into the fray.Taking the initiative to lead the discussion, Vahn had everyone quiet down before showing a large projection of fifteen figures. Of these, only six were highlighted, including three distinctly alien-looking males and three beautiful, yet equally alien, females. These were the targets for today's raid, the figures representing Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, Hera, Artemis, and Aphrodite. As for the other nine figures, the majority occupied a completely separate sub-texture, leaving only Demeter as an outlier amongst their potential targets.With everyone's attention focused on the projection, Vahn explained, "Our primary goal is the elimination of Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and Aphrodite. If we can eliminate them, reaching an accord with the others is not impossible. At the very least, I would like to avoid killing Demeter, but, due to her relationship with Aphrodite, there is a fair chance she would want to take revenge. We'll deal with that when the time comes, so, for now, let's discuss our plan of action..."Following his opening dialogue, Vahn changed the projection to show a rather futuristic city that was seemingly situated in a starry void. There, countless Demigods lived relatively peaceful lives under the rule of Mount Olympus, a crystalline mountain that was nearly the size of present-day Australia. This mountain was actually an amalgamation of pure mana, harvested from the people that resided within the relatively small planar texture. It was used as nourishment by Zeus and the other Olympians, but, within his visions, Vahn had confirmed it would also be weaponized once the marble-skinned God was pushed to his limits.One of the greatest benefits of being able to view the Flow of Fate was the ability to 'simulate' future battles by viewing various currents. Though it was impossible to guarantee things went as planned, it was the most powerful tool for information gathering as Vahn could see his opponents use their trump cards before he ever faced them. This allowed him to strategize, prepare ample countermeasures, and, by picking the right people for the job, it was possible to all but guarantee a certain outcome.With this in mind, Vahn explained, "We'll need to keep Zeus away from the other Olympians to prevent him from subsuming their power and authority. If he is pushed into a corner, he won't hesitate to betray and absorb his fellow Gods, so, to prevent him from becoming even stronger, we must separate him from the rest. This also means we'll need to prevent the others from going to his aid, so, while I am distracting Zeus, each of you will separate into teams in order to deal with other Olympians..."Though they had already discussed the plan several times in the past, Vahn reiterated the tasks that everyone had been assigned. He would have Altera face off against the God of War, Ares, as there was simply no way he would ignore the existence of the Photon Ray in her possession. She also had a near-absolute advantage against him, as, due to the nature of her existence, Altera was able to slowly siphon his Divine Authority. This was an important aspect of Phase Three, but, more importantly, it gave Altera the chance to cut loose for the first time in years...While Altera was stealing Ares' Divine Authority, Artoria, Amaterasu, Arcueid, and Illya would be doing much the same. As for everyone else, several other tasks had been assigned, including the destruction of Mount Olympus at the hands, or, more specifically, teeth of Fenrir. She had the ability to devour the 'Heart' of Mount Olympus directly, and, in doing so, her power would greatly increase at the expense of Zeus' last resort. Fortunately, while his battle with Zeus would require a considerable amount of focus, Vahn still had a number of ways to completely overwhelm the other Olympians...Though the discussion had taken more than two hours, only seventeen minutes had passed in the outside world. This gave them close to twelve hours to finish preparations, but, due to how eager everyone was for the coming Raid, nearly everything had been finished prior to the meeting. As a result, Vahn decided to move up his schedule slightly, donning his own armaments before tightly clutching the Asauchi as he said, "Let's do this...!"Following a loud hurrah from a veritable army of females, Vahn created a live feed to show what was occurring on the other side before teleporting, not just himself, but Tiamat into the very heart of Mount Olympus. At the same time, he transferred Artoria and Illya to the location of Hera while simultaneously transporting Altera into the center of a large Coliseum, Amaterasu to a large bow-shaped space station, and Arcueid to an eerily organic-looking craft with two large, mushroom-like protrusions...---Though he had seen it through his intent, Vahn had to admit that the majesty of Mount Olympus was difficult to even comprehend in person. Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to admire it, as, immediately after teleporting, a thunderous roar, literally causing lighting to ripple through the surrounding space, exclaimed, "Who dares violate the sanctity of my chambers!?"Without flinching in the slightest, Vahn stared back at a tall man with skin that seemed to be cut from bluish-white marble. He had an overall height of 246cm and an impossibly muscular frame that would cow even the most committed bodybuilders. His golden eyes seemed to glow like small suns, and, with his majesty mane of white hair, flowing seamlessly into his beard, Zeus had what could only be described as a 'striking' presence.Currently, after creating several powerful barriers in a desperate attempt to get some peace and quiet, Zeus was lounging in a large bed with half a dozen women, none of which were Hera. The most disgusting part of this, however, was the fact that one of the girls was simultaneously Zeus' daughter and granddaughter, a woman who had been reared by her own Mother-Sister to serve as a replacement when the latter began to break.Fully aware of all the monstrous acts Zeus had committed, Vahn's answer to his outburst was to pull out an Elemental Star from his Inventory, smiling maliciously as he sent it hurtling towards the incensed God.Seeing the familiar orb, Zeus' anger became transcendental as he released an overwhelming aura of bluish-white thunder. The force was so great that his bed, and the women occupying it, simply disintegrated into nothingness as the furious God charged forward with the momentum of a tidal wave.Vahn felt some regret about the deaths of the six women, but, knowing they would have readily sacrificed themselves to grant Zeus even more power, there was little he could do. In fact, most of the residents of the futuristic city below had been brainwashed by Aphrodite to unhesitantly give their lives to power the Gods, so, while Vahn would have liked to liberate them, doing so was all but impossible. Even Merlin would struggle to modify the memories of a Demigods, meaning the vast majority of the Texture's residents were their enemies...Without having to block Zeus' charge himself, Vahn stood idly as Tiamat seemed to appear out of thin air, her mouth parting to reveal two rows of sharp teeth as she released a sonorous, "Aaah~."In response to her cry, an exceptionally powerful barrier appeared, receiving Zeus' attack without much difficulty.Seeing a nearly-naked female appear before him, a greedy look immediately flashed across Zeus' golden eyes as he shouted, "Good! I hope this woman is important to you! I can't wait to see the look on your face as I ravish her in front of you...!"Following his outburst, Zeus released an even greater volume of lightning, instantly creating a few cracks on Tiamat's barrier as he released a feral shout. He had a truly sickening expression on his face as his figure towered over the much smaller Tiamat, arms spread wide as if he was prepared to grab her the moment the barrier shattered.Tiamat's only response to Zeus' provocation was to release another sonorous shout, creating two more barriers, each more powerful than the previous one. At the same time, Vahn vanished from sight, appearing behind the enraged God, stating in an icy monotone, "I have never seen a more disgraceful God..." as he swung the Asauchi in his hand.Zeus had previously been naked, but, feeling the ripple in the surrounding Space, his raiment burst into existence. This included a massive golden shield, the legendary [Aegis], an armament that could even sustain direct blows from some EX-Ranked attacks without buckling. What he didn't expect was for his assailant to simply cut at empty air, completely missing the shield by several centimeters.Just as Zeus was about to ridicule his opponent for incompetence, he felt a searing pain pass through his body, interrupting the flow of Divine Energy in his veins. This came as a considerable shock, causing him to instinctually use his Divine Authority over the Sky to teleport a safe distance from the source of danger. At the same time, he left a golden scepter behind, the upper half of which was a brilliant blue lightning bolt.Vahn could feel the Space around him 'solidify', seemingly intent to keep them in place as the unbelievably powerful artifact began to release a torrent of lightning that was capable of tearing through virtually all defenses. Even Tiamat's barrier wasn't able to hold up, being pierced as if it were little more than paper. Fortunately, as he had other bodies present, Vahn simply teleported her to a location deep beneath a seemingly infinite expanse of ocean. At the same time, a large grin was plastered on his face as he ignored the rampaging lightning, gripping the [Thunderbolt] with his bare hands...---Finding herself in the middle of an expansive Coliseum, Altera looked around with a disinterested look, her wine-red eyes showing a complete lack of disregard even as a rhino-sized creature tried to trample her underfoot. Her only reaction was to raise her seemingly powerless arm, extending her delicate fingers to simply 'catch' the charging beast, stopping its momentum in an instant...With no wars to fight, Ares had very few ways to entertain himself while simultaneously dealing with his destructive urges. Thus, soon after they were forced to the Reverse Side of the World, he had built a large Coliseum. Here, powerful monsters were bred from the lineage of dragons and other Phantasmal Species, some of which could even give weaker Gods a run for their money.Ares never expected that, in the middle of a scheduled match between two gladiatorial factions, a strange woman with bronzed skin, white hair, and virtually nonexistent clothing would appear out of thin air. Her presence immediately reminded him of the Amazons from ages past, but, feeling a familiar presence inside of her, his blood began to boil before his mind could make sense of what he was experiencing...Seeing the woman about to be run over by an Armored Praxa, Ares' red eyes began to glimmer in interest, as, instead of moving, the woman simply raised her hand, stopping a monster that could slaughter even trained Gladiators with ease. Then, with a simple 'push', she forced the monster to fly back a few meters, seemingly without any effort whatsoever.Though he didn't know who the woman was, Ares found himself leaping into the arena before he even realized it. Something about her called out to his soul, compelling him to do battle against her. It was an irresistible urge, and, when the woman suddenly turned her attention to him, he was unable to even find words as he released a loud warcry, leaping toward her with his spear pointed toward the tri-colored gemstone embedded in her forehead...Altera didn't know who the bronzed-skin man charging toward her was, but, the moment she saw him, a strange sense of familiarity welled up inside her. This didn't cause her to hesitate when it came to drawing her weapon, however, as, based on the man's actions, he was undoubtedly an enemy. Enemies were meant to be destroyed, so, before the man's spear could get anywhere near her, she swung [Photon Ray], creating a massive wall of flames that crashed into the man's body before sending him flying with meteoric force into the far wall...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'People be lazy','Vahn be like, "It's free real estate."'','Marc, is that you...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After teleporting away from his attackers, a thin trail of golden blood flowed from Zeus nosed as he used a nearby pillar to support himself. He had long discarded the ability to feel pain, so, feeling the searing sensation that seemed to have cut through his entire body, he didn't know what to think. All he really knew was that the sword wielded by his assailant wasn't natural...Wiping away the thin trail of blood, Zeus adopted an almost contemptuous stare as he looked at the glistening substance and remarked, "I will rip that man's flesh apart...he will suffer until the last stars in the night sky grow dark..."Almost as if in response to his utterance, Zeus sensed a ripple in the surrounding Space. His golden eyes began to blaze with even greater intensity as he raised his right hand and roared, "You damned monkey...!"Following Zeus' outburst, a phenomenal amount of lighting began to dance through the room, but, in spite of this, a look of incredulity flashed on his face. He felt as if something was missing, his hand grasping at empty air, as, before his eyes, the figure of his most hated enemy appeared with a smile on his face.Understanding what Zeus was trying to do, Vahn's smile became even more vicious as he asked, "Are you missing something~?" in a taunting tone.Immediately after the words left his lips, Vahn felt an overwhelming sense of danger as Zeus' figure appeared within his vision, hidden behind a massive white fist. He felt like time had stagnated to a considerable degree, allowing several thoughts to race across his mind as Zeus' fist smashed crashed into him with enough force to sink an island.Due to Zeus' Divine Authority over the Sky granting him dominion over the surrounding Space, it took a considerable amount of effort to use skills such as [Shundo]. Thus, rather than dodge, Vahn grit his teeth as a phenomenal amount of golden light erupted from his body. At the same time, he tried to manipulate the force of Zeus' attack, repelling it back at him. Unfortunately, while this was able to mitigate the physical component of the attack, several different types of destructive energy still transmitted into his body, searing his bones and organs from the inside as he was sent hurtling towards the peculiar glyph-lined walls of the massive chamber...Seeing his enemy smash into the wall, leaving a significant amount of destruction in his wake, Zeus allowed an arrogant smile to spread across his face. Before he could taunt his enemy, however, he noticed that his right arm had several cracks extending all the way to his elbow. His hand had also been ruined beyond recognition, ivory white bones, pale blue sinew, and golden blood forming a pulpy mass at the end of his forearm...Now that he was observing the state of his body, Zeus' chaotic mind calmed down, replaced by an icy cold sensation. He began to analyze the situation faster than most supercomputers, organizing his thoughts and trying to make sense of the current situation. Then, in a booming, yet calm tone, he decided to buy time, asking, "Tell me, what grievances are there between us? What compels you to oppose the King of Gods?"Emerging from the hole Zeus had helped him to create, Vahn had an equally calm expression as he plainly stated, "You are an errant and corrupt God who has ruined countless lives. There may not be a personal grudge between us, but you have harmed people I care about. To prevent even greater tragedies, I will eliminate you here and now."The moment he heard his assailant's words, Zeus began laughing, his voice carrying enough force to produce small cracks in the surrounding Space. Then, with a smile wide enough to show off his dark-blue gums and pearl-white teeth, he stated, "When I am done with you, I will imprison your soul for eternity. I will peel back the layers of your memory, exposing the identity of everyone you have ever loved. Then, when I am satisfied with torturing you, I will track down your friends, family, and anyone else you have ever gotten along with. You will spend your days begging for a reprieve that will never come, watching as the people you care about are broken. In the beginning, the will beg for you to save them. In the end, they will curse the fact they ever met you."Though Vahn had seen hundreds of encounters with Zeus, his ability to read the tye Flow of Fate didn't include the ability to discern sound. He had underestimated just how vile and despicable Zeus' threats could be, but, rather than show any sign of being upset, he actually felt vindicated. Someone like this couldn't be allowed to exist in the world he wished to create.Rather than dignify the errant Zeus' threats with a verbal response, Vahn just smiled as his aura and domain began to rapidly condense. This caused Zeus' expression to turn fierce, but, before either of them moved from their starting positions, the proud God released a pained grunt as a phenomenal amount of pain began to wrack his body.With the pain compounding each moment, Zeus' eyes widened in fury as he shouted, "What trickery is this!?"Choosing to simply ignore Zeus' outbursts, Vahn pulled out several thousand Elemental Stars from his Inventory, spreading them in the surroundings. He took advantage of the fact Zeus had no idea what was happening to charge directly at him, now in his half-dragon transformation. Thick bands of golden lightning began to spread through the surroundings, preventing Zeus from teleporting away by forcibly seizing control over the surrounding Space, albeit only temporarily.Angrier than he had ever been in his entire life, Zeus barreled toward his attacker, his fury so great it could be felt throughout the entire Texture. He had no idea what was causing him so much pain, but, if he could defeat the draconic man before him, he was certain it would go away...---While his second body was contending against Zeus, Vahn's main body was within the throne room of a massive underwater vessel. From the outside, it looked vaguely like a crossbow in shape, but, from the interior, it had a very sleek and futuristic design that was obviously constructed in a way to resist incredible pressures.Currently, Vahn had Zeus' [Thunderbolt] in his left hand and the Asauchi in his right hand. The former was embedded into the chest of a man with similar features to Zeus, albeit with cobalt-blue skin, a mane of ocean-blue hair, and a massive golden crown embedded into the top of his head. This was none other than Poseidon, who, under the combined assault of Tiamat and the oppressive force of [Thunderbolt], feel surprisingly quickly.While keeping Poseidon under control, Vahn seemed to be absentmindedly swinging his Asauchi at empty air. The truth of the matter was that he was exploiting the fact he could attack anything within his domain, striking Zeus with impunity while his main body continued to distract him. This wouldn't be able to kill Zeus, but, so long as nothing unexpected occurred, it was more than enough to keep him from thinking clearly as other phases of the plan were carried out...Even with [Thunderbolt] embedded in his chest, Poseidon's aquamarine eyes glimmered with a fierce vitality, clutching at the surging bolt of lightning as he said, "You...you will never get away with this...I don't know who you are...but you will suffer for this...!"Ignoring Poseidon's threat, Vahn looked toward Tiamat, smiling as he said, "Go ahead and eat up."Hearing her Master's words, Tiamat smiled wide enough to display a rather fierce maw of teeth before happily chiming, "Okay~! Leave it to me, Vahn!"More than the man who had his brother's weapon embedded in his chest, Poseidon feared the strange woman who had easily suppressed him moments prior. He had been virtually powerless against her, his Divine Authority simply 'ignoring' his commands. As a result, his ship was currently sinking to the bottom of an unfathomably deep ocean. Soon, the barriers protecting his true body would break down, and, though it wouldn't immediately kill him, descending past a certain depth made it virtually impossible to break free...Fortunately, though Poseidon certainly didn't think so, he wouldn't have to worry about such an end, as, without any hesitation in the slightest, the strange woman began to tear his true body apart. She was like an unstoppable beast of destruction, her delicate fingers sinking into nearly indestructible metal before pulling it away with the ease of a child plucking flowers. In less than a minute, she had been able to tear her way to the location of his concealed core, mortifying Poseidon to the point of shouting, "No! No! No! You can't touch that! Stay away...!!"Completely ignoring Poseidon's protests, Tiamat's smile became even more vicious, growing beyond the boundaries of normality. She even managed to surprise Vahn slightly, as, instead of stopping, the corners of her mouth began to 'tear' away at her own skin, fracturing her face like porcelain. After a few seconds, this phenomenon had extended all the way to her collarbone, followed by the terrifying sight of Tiamat's 'mouth' opening like the unhinged jaws of a snake...As she instinctually knew the core would explode if she took smaller bites, Tiamat used her ability to restructure her body, increasing her size and altering the shape of her mouth. She would have liked to simply increase the size of her body to the point of being able to swallow the core like a piece of candy, but, due to the size constraints of the underwater vessel, more 'extreme' methods had been required. The end result was unchanged, however, allowing her to swallow the basketball-sized core in a single gulp, leaving both Vahn and Poseidon gawking with wide eyes and pale expressions...With the massive core swallowed, Tiamat's stomach had expanded to the point that, at a glance, she appeared to be pregnant. Though it was a little 'higher' than normal, the comparison could still be made, causing Tiamat herself to smile 'lovingly', caressing her belly as she said, "I did it, Master. Are you proud of me...?"Though the scene of Tiamat devouring the core had been burned into his memory, Vahn managed a smile of his own as he said, "You did great. When we return, I'll make sure to pamper you a lot."Hearing her Master's response, Tiamat's smile blossomed even further as she ignored the slowly dissolving Poseidon, leaping into Vahn's embrace and nuzzling against him. She had reduced the size of her horns a long time ago, so, while they were still present, they no longer got in the way when she wanted to cuddle the people she liked.With Tiamat's belly rapidly shrinking, indicating the core was being 'digested', Poseidon's time was very limited. Using the last bit of his energy, he released his grip on the [Thunderbolt], grabbing the leg of the man who had brought this calamity upon him, stating, "I curse you...may you never know a peaceful night for your remaining days..."As Poseidon's words trailed off, Vahn felt a surge of malicious energy enter his body. It even tried to invade his Ego, but, less than three seconds later, it was completely expelled. This caused the last bit of light in Poseidon's eyes to fade, an expression of incredulity as his lips soundlessly mouthed the word 'monster'.Rolling his eyes, Vahn pulled the [Thunderbolt] out of the floor, commenting, "Calling other people monsters immediately after trying to curse them for eternity...how petty..."With Tiamat's belly having already returned to its flat stated, Vahn lightly rubbed the area with his palm, eliciting a happy giggle from the draconic Goddess before she spontaneously kissed him on the lips. Absorbing the Divine Authority of a God with dominion over the Ocean was a very potent form of nourishment for her, filling her body with fluttery feelings. She didn't want to wait until later for her reward, so, when Vahn touched her belly, Tiamat greedily sought out his lips.---While Poseidon had fallen rather quickly, as it was almost impossible to even use his Divine Authority against the 'Primordial Goddess of the Seas, the first God to fall had actually been Ares. It had taken very little time for his humanoid vessel to be destroyed by Altera's [Photon Ray]. Afterward, he tried to get an advantage against her using his True Body, taking on the form of a giant mech that looked reminiscent of a Spartan Warrior.Altera could not receive blows from Ares' 20m long sword, but, with her small size and high Agility, she was able to evade him with considerable ease. Most importantly, however, was that her Divinity was derived from Mars, the precursor to Ares. This, combined with her [Civilization Erosion], allowed her to drain a little bit of his Divinity with every blow. By the time Ares realized what was happening, Altera's Divinity had increased from B to A+, eliminating the only advantage the proud God of War had.Despite knowing he had already lost the battle, Ares only grew more excited as he swung around his sword with enough force to create devastating cyclones. He held nothing back, rending the ground asunder and destroying large sections of the Coliseum without care. It didn't even phase him when Altera created a massive pillar of pure destructive energy, severing his left arm and leaving a massive hole in his shoulder. Instead, he laughed, his synthetic voice carrying an unrivaled thirst for battle as he shouted, "Great! You are the opponent I have been waiting for! Come, let's see if you can take my serious blow...!!"Burning what remained of his Divinity, using it as fuel for one final attack, Ares pointed his sword to the heavens. A massive blade of brilliant red energy then extended more than 1km in length before he cut towards the tiny figure that had pushed him beyond his limits.Taking Ares' words literally, Altera stood her ground, the tri-colored blade of [Photon Ray] swirling in her hands as she faced the monstrous torrent of energy directly. For a brief moment, there was even a small smile on her face, an exceptionally rare sight that would have earned her a double-take from nearly everyone in Avalon...At the exact moment before Ares' blade impacted her position, Altera raised [Photon Ray], the blade expanding to more than 3m across as a vortex of energy extended outward at the speed of light. It smashed through Ares' ultimate attack like a bullet crashing through a glass rod before piercing the God's already spent core.Due to the energy contained within Ares' attack, a large portion of the already devastated city was enveloped in a brackish inferno of pure destruction. Even Altera wasn't completely spared from the aftermath of the sword energy dispersing, but, with her A-Ranked Endurance and [Natural Body] at EX-Rank, the burns across her body healed almost instantly. The only indication she had suffered any damage at all was the fact that part of her veil had burned away. Her clothes had also sustained a small amount of damage, but, due to the 'precautions' Vahn had taken in designing her new outfit, it repaired itself at a rate visible to the naked eye.When everything was said and done, Altera was standing on the mechanical body of the deceased Ares, her eyes gazing off into the distance as her hair, driven by nonexistent wind, flowed gracefully at her back...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Zeus is despicable','Om nom nom','A picturesque scene, a delicate smile')(A/N: Webnovel isn't really telling me much atm, so I'm not sure how quickly things will be resolved. CKTalon told me to wait until Monday, but didn't tell me exactly what would happen at the time. I'm hoping things will be fixed by then, but my motivation is pretty much rock bottom right now. I'll try to finish up this arc before the reset, but it is hard to sit down and type when your mood is in the dumps.)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

Chapter 1516: Aldrnarimachia (1/5)