Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Despite spending weeks formulating a plan to efficiently defeat Zeus, Vahn was still surprised by how quickly the errant God had fallen. His original plan had even required the activation of [Laplace's Key] and the combined efforts of Artoria and Amaterasu. At no point in any of his visions did he see Zeus attempt to devour his energy directly, reinforcing the idea that Fate was constantly shifting in ways that were difficult, if not impossible, to predict.The only surefire way to 'know' the future seemed to involve not doing anything at all, so, despite all his efforts, Vahn was still victim to the whims of Karma and Fate. Even then, he could only accurately predict the future of other people, requiring that he never intervene in their lives after the fact. Since this was impossible, he needed to remain constantly vigilant, shaping his future with his own hands rather than relying on visions he had seen among countless currents...While his main body was busy reflecting and gathering treasures, Vahn's second body, which had been used to battle against Zeus, teleported down to the surface. There, he found Altera standing atop the 'carcass' of a large humanoid mech. Around her, hundreds of automatons and a number of powerful Demigods had been trying to avenge their fallen God, but, with a literal tempest formed from the Laws of Destruction, very few attacks had any hope of penetrating her defenses.Sensing the spatial fluctuations, Altera turned her hazy pink eyes toward the direction of her Master, her expression formed into a rare smile that seemingly had the effect of stunning anyone fortunate enough to witness it directly.Understanding Altera was uncharacteristically happy, Vahn returned a smile of his own, asking, "Did you have fun...?"Seemingly confused by his words, Altera tilted her head to the side slightly, asking, "Fun...? Mmm...it is hard to say...I can feel my heart beating faster...is that what it means to have fun...?"Now it was Vahn's turn to be confused, as, over the last couple of years, there were plenty of times when Altera seemed to enjoy herself. This left him at a loss as to how he should answer her, leading to a relatively tense silence as she stared at him, eagerly anticipating an answer.Not wanting to leave the ashen-haired maiden waiting, Vahn ultimately just smiled a little wider as he said, "It is hard to say. If it is something you look forward to, even without needing to do it, there is a good chance you find it fun. Tell me, if I didn't task you with defeating Ares, would you have still enjoyed trading blows with him...?"Before answering, Altera adopted a thoughtful expression as she used [Photon Ray] to sweep aside a few of the more powerful attacks heading their way. She noticed that none of these attacks had the effect of making her pulse quicken. Instead, she was beginning to gradually lose her patience, feeling that even the most powerful Demigods present were comparable to ants...After forming her thoughts, Altera's smile had largely faded away as she said, "He was a worthy foe. I would have liked to battle him again...even if I wasn't ordered to do so..."Though it lacked spirit, Vahn was satisfied with Altera's answer, nodding his head as he said, "If that is the case, I'd say you enjoyed yourself quite a bit. I'm glad. I've been worried about you lately so it is a great relief to see you smile, even a little."Hearing her Master's replay, Altera brought her hand to her face, gingerly feeling around her lips as if to confirm whether or not she was actually smiling. Vahn could only smile wryly when he saw this before turning his attention to the small army of Demigods that were, even now, fervently trying to mount a counter-offensive...Truthfully, Vahn felt somewhat apologetic towards this collective of immaculate individuals. Though their faith was largely the result of conditioning and brainwashing, they were still losing their parents and Gods. Their relatively peaceful lives had been brought to ruin as a result of his desire to remove future threats, and, though they were undoubtedly enemies, he couldn't help but pity them.Shaking his head, Vahn cleared his thoughts before arriving next to Altera and saying, "We should go. We've already done enough damage...let's leave these people alone..."Though she believed it was better to remove all potential enemies, Altera didn't refute her Master's words. Instead, she moved close enough that their bodies were nearly touching before gently resting her head against his chest. In response to this, Vahn habitually began to stroke her head, earning a few biting remarks from their surroundings as they vanished into thin air...---Unaware of the deaths of their kin, Aphrodite and Demeter were doing everything in their power to try and buy time until reinforcements arrived. They quickly realized that their opponent, Arcueid, was far more powerful than them, and, if not for Demeter's unrivaled defensive magic, they would have already suffered a rather gruesome end.Aphrodite's vessel was a woman with vaguely angelic features, complete with two pairs of vermillion wings. Though the outermost pair had two ghastly red skulls attached to the primary arch, they did little to detract from the Goddess' otherwordly beauty. She had an immaculate figure that could be clearly discerned through her semi-transparent silk garments, and, though her forehead stood out quite a bit due to her sparse bangs, the rest of her hair was a rich vermillion on the outside and a luminescent gold on the inside. It extended well past her shapely hips and tender thighs, flowing around her body like a fiery waterfall.A stark contrast to Aphrodite's exuberant and blatantly salacious appearance, Demeter had features that could only be described as motherly. Her figure was even more shapely than Aphrodite's, but, instead of appearing overtly seductive, her full chest, shapely hips, and milky-white complexion gave off the impression of someone well-suited to rearing children. Her facial features were delicate and kind, her full lips fixed in a perpetual smile as a gentle, infinitely patient, light radiated from her soft purple eyes. She even had wheat-colored hair formed into a loose braid that extended all the way to the backs of her knees, while, behind her, a massive golden wheel depicting the four seasons, slowly revolved like a physical magic circle.Of the two Goddesses, Arcueid was having a lot more trouble with Demeter. Not only did she have exceptionally powerful defensive magic, but, with the futuristic glove in her right hand, combined the sickle-like staff wielded in her left hand, she was able to instantly cast wide-range offensive magic. To make matters worse, the spells she used caused massive trees and other forms of flora to sprout in an instant, rapidly filling their surroundings.While trees and plants weren't typically difficult to deal with, it was another matter entirely when the plants, seemingly possessing a mind of their own, proactively sought to entangle you. Their bark was also harder than enchanted steel, and, even without being entangled directly, Arcuied could feel her power draining away. There were even flowers that continually produced fragrant spores, which, if inhaled, caused mushrooms to sprout within the lungs. These same spores also tried to invade the bloodstream, causing tumorous growths that would erupt into fungal colonies mere seconds after the first propagation.If not for her phenomenal strength and absolutely ridiculous vitality, Arcueid would have suffered a great deal at the hands of Demeter. Instead, her eyes glimmered with an intense blue light as she largely ignored the effects of Demeter's magic. She was able to break free from any bindings in an instant, and, though she had yet to break through the Goddess' barrier, massive cracks appeared every time she slammed her fists against it. This, combined with the fact she was rapidly adapting to the invasive energy, making the attacks progressively less effective, forced Demeter to stay on the defensive as Aphrodite, missing three of her four wings, slowly bled out behind her...Despite being on the back foot the entire fight, Demeter still had a kind smile and a patient glimmer in her eyes as she formed a globule of green energy in her right hand and said, "Please stop...there is no need for us to battle so intensely. I'm certain we can reach an accord if we just communicate and try to understand each other..."Immediately following her plea for peace, Demeter released the orb of energy in her hand, causing a gentle pulse to spread through the area. In an instant, all the plants she had created began to swell up in size as Arcueid's throat swelled painfully. Several large mushrooms began to protrude from her mouth before dissolving away due to the magical anti-bodies she had developed. Then, in response to Demeter's contradictory words and actions, Arcueid condensed a monstrous amount of energy in her right fist before slamming it into the rapidly regenerating barrier.Though her barrier remained, Demeter was forced back a few steps as a small trickle of golden liquid began to flow from her left nostril. She was actually pushing herself quite a bit, consuming her own Divinity to increase the strength and regenerative qualities of her barrier. Her only other option was to siphon energy from the world below, but, refusing to place such a burden on her own 'children', Demeter ignored the insistence of Aphrodite and continued burning her own essence...Seeing her aunt pushed back, Aphrodite grit her teeth before pushing the motherly Goddess aside and shouting, "Get out of the way! She is obviously here for me! I don't need your protection...!"Following her outburst, Aphrodite formed a sticky swirl of golden energy, releasing it toward the rampaging Arcueid like a tidal wave. Her actual offensive power was one of the worst amongst the Olympians, but, when it came to influencing the mind and manipulating a person's will, there were few who could even hope to contend against her.Being covered in the viscous yellow energy for the third time, Arcueid's expression became dour as she glared back at the vermillion-haired Goddess and said, "That won't work on me...do you think I can be controlled by someone like you...?"After having been controlled for much of her life by Michael Roa Valdamjong, Arcueid's had a nigh-absolute resistance against mental manipulation. Her Love for Vahn also provided her a significant increase against such abilities, causing the six-digit value to drop by a few points before the effect of Aphrodite's attack was completely mitigated...Rather than back down, Aphrodite's expression became even more resolute as she shouted in a shrill tone, "Oh yeah!? We'll see how you resist this then, you...you sow...!"Raising her hands above her head, Aphrodite began to gather a large quantity of the sickly yellow energy, forming a sphere more than five meters across in an instant. She refused to believe anyone was capable of resisting her influence, her amber-eyes glimmering with madness as thoughts of how she would make her attacker suffer were already playing through her mind.Just as Aphrodite was preparing to release her most powerful attack, the surrounding temperature suddenly skyrocketed. Most of Demeter's plants spontaneously caught fire, and, if not for the pale aura that enveloped Arcueid's body, she, too, would have been ignited as a peal of eerie laughter began to echo in the surroundings...As if they were unfurling from the void itself, a whispy tail of flame, followed by eight more, began to manifest out of thin air. They quickly formed into a 'ball' that looked reminiscent of a tiny sun before 'blooming' like a flower to reveal a child-like figure with a mischievous, borderline sadistic, smile on her face. Her two large ears and sakura-pink hair gave her a rather cute appearance, but, with vibrant red markings around her light-squinted eyes, she also radiated an unnatural amount of feminine charm.With the smile on her face curling up at the edge, Amaterasu brought her index finger to her bottom lip as she mused, "Ara~? Are you having a bit of trouble, Arcueid-chan~?"Before Arcueid could respond to Amaterasu's teasing, Aphrodite unleashed the now ten-meter wide ball of sickly yellow energy, shouting, "You can both die together...!"Moving her gaze almost lazily toward the approaching sphere of energy, Amaterasu simply raised her hand, stopping the massive globule in mid-air. Then, like a drop of water that had fallen onto a hot pan, the energy began to sizzle before evaporating away entirely in less than three seconds.With an incredulous expression on her face, Aphrodite appeared to be on the verge of tears as she shouted, "Who the hell are you people!? Why are you attacking us like this!?"Completely ignoring Aphrodite's outburst, Amaterasu briefly glanced toward Demeter, a predatory glimmer flickering across her eyes before quickly fading away as she turned to Arcueid, asking, "Why are you holding back~?"For a very brief moment, an awkward silence persistent in the air as a result of Amaterasu's sudden question. Aphrodite's expression became even worse, and, though her smile didn't fade away, there was a visible surprise in Demeter's pale-purple eyes. This was exacerbated quite a bit when Arcueid, as if it was an irrefutable truth, simply stated, "I think Vahn would be upset if I killed them both. He is already going to be somewhat depressed after this battle is over...I didn't want to make things more difficult for him..."Hearing Arcueid's response, Amaterasu released a slightly exasperated sigh before muttering, "Both of you are too soft...the only way to prevent chaos is to either subjugate or slaughter the other Gods. Mercy will only invite future troubles and increase the amount of competition..."Towards the end of her words, Amaterasu looked towards Demeter with an accusatory expression, confusing the motherly Goddess and earning an understanding look from Arcueid. In spite of this, however, she was insistent, stating, "He does so much for us...I just want him to be happy..."Realizing she wouldn't get anywhere trying to convince Arcueid, Amaterasu decided to ignore her, focusing, instead, on the vermillion-haired Goddess. Aphrodite was one of their primary targets, so, even if she ultimately decided to spare Demeter, the same courtesy would not be extended to the errant Goddess of Love. She was simply too dangerous, and, while not as bad as someone like Zeus, the total number of victims suffering due to Aphrodite's whimsical 'love' exceeded seven digits. She had a bad habit of brainwashing and controlling others, completely disregarding their free will and ruining countless lives, including Medea's, in the process...With no discernible hesitation, Amaterasu created a massive ball of golden flames, shaping it into a small sun before releasing it towards both Demeter and Aphrodite. This caused Arcueid to show an expression of panic, but, before she could take action, Amaterasu telepathically sated, ("You are too short-sighted. Those bodies are not their true forms so stop stressing out over nothing. Demeter is still floating around near the surface so you should have just destroyed this entire ship from the very beginning...")Stunned by Amaterasu's reminded, Arcueid could only stare blankly as the miniature sun impacted Demeter's barrier, fragmenting it in an instant. She attempted to form a replacement barrier in the brief interval before the sun reached them, but, due to the intense heat, such a chance never came. Her body, much like Aphrodite's, was incinerated to ash almost instantaneously. The only thing left behind was Demeter's giant seasonal wheel, her sickle-shaped staff, a laurel wreath tiara, and what appeared to be a futuristic gardening glove.With a wave of her hand, Amaterasu created a spatial lock around the four artifacts, ensuring they could not be recovered easily. She knew her Master would be upset after she toyed with Artemis in a rather vicious manner, so, rather than return empty-handed, she intended to offer her spoils of war in exchange for praise. She had grown rather fond of his peculiar sake, and, though she would never admit it, his warmth was even more addicting than his offerings...Thinking of her Master, Amaterasu was eager to wrap things up, so, seeing Arcueid standing idle at the side, she adopted a relatively serious expression, stating, "Get on with it. Who knows what this parasite is capable of if you leave her be? Destroy her core or consume it, I don't care which. Just do it before our Master is finished with his business. I don't know about you, but I'm eager to return to the Surface. I hate the feeling of being trapped on the Reverse Side..."Following her words, a slight shudder ran through Amaterasu's body before she quickly vanished from view. As for Arcueid, she released a small sigh before shaking her head and searching for the location of Aphrodite's core. She was very aware of the latter's wrongdoings, so, after finally locating the sickly yellow core, she immediately destroyed it without a second thought...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Master is Good Civilization...','Demeter is surprisingly OP?','Few can oppose the might of the sun...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After picking up Altera, Vahn teleported directly to Mount Olympus' centermost region, a massive chamber that, at a glance, appeared to be an open amphitheater. Here, thousands of automatons modeled to look like Greek soldiers could be found covering nearly every surface of the floor. There were also a number of humanoid figures that must have been Demigods, but, due to the amount of damage they had sustained, it was difficult to ascertain what they must have looked like during life.Amidst this veritable ocean of corpses, a large wolf-like creature with ghostly blue flames covering the majority of its body could be seen devastating the few surviving members of Olympus' security forces. This was Illya in her transformed state, now appearing almost exactly like a grown version of Cath Palug, appearing simultaneously adorable yet ferocious at the same time...Though Illya's transformation drew the most attention, Vahn's senses easily detected the presence of his beloved Empress, bringing a smile to his face when he saw her walking along the periphery like an untouchable Goddess. She was wearing her bunny-like raiment, but, contrasting past versions of the peculiar attire, she also had on a pure white fur coat that gracefully flowed as she moved. Since she was constantly using [Avalon], all damage was mitigated in its entirety, and, as a result, she was able to capture and disable her foes with impunity.What was truly terrifying about Artoria's abilities wasn't the fact she had almost unrivaled offensive and defensive might, but, as a Goddess of Fortune, she could control Luck in a similar way to Naavi. As a result, her foes would randomly trip, fail to release their spells, or even commit friendly fire as a result of unexpected deviations in their attack trajectory. There was even one instance where a pillar, seemingly undamaged from the fight, spontaneously cracked before pinning an unsuspecting group of automatons to the ground...Due to being awed by the presence of his bunny-like Empress, Vahn was nearly swept off his feet when a bluish-white figure spontaneously appeared in his periphery, nuzzling against him with soft and squishy fur-covered cheeks. This was obviously Illya, causing him to laugh aloud while rubbing his own cheek against her giant face. She was currently around five meters tall and seven meters long, excluding tail and ears, so her head was big though that he couldn't even wrap his arms around her properly.Seeing their hated enemy suddenly appear elsewhere, a group of Demigods, led by a burly man with bronzed skin and unkept purple hair, raised a golden spear in the air as he shouted, "The beast flees! Give it no quarter...!"Following his outburst, the man threw his spear with enough force to create a series of shockwaves. In spite of this, Illya just flicked her tail, seemingly at random, batting the projectile aside as if it was little more than a toothpick. This didn't actually deter the Demigods from continuing their advance, largely due to the conditioning they had experienced since birth, but it made it very clear where they stood in relation to Illya's power.While still snuggling with Illya, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he looked towards Altera and said, "I'll leave it to you."Without requiring clarification, Altera became like a living tempest as she charged to meet the group of Demigods directly. They were a little stronger than those on the surface, but, against a Tier 5 who embodied destruction, the outcome was determined before the battle even began...---Having looted most of the treasures contained within Zeus' vault, Vahn was carrying a large number of Divine Artifacts in a sling over his back. He hadn't been too surprised to find Artifacts belonging to the other Olympian Gods present, as, at some point in the distant past, there seemed to be some kind of conflict among the Olympians. Though the others were still alive in another Sub-Texture, they had basically been imprisoned there in their Avatars, their true forms having already been destroyed.Now that Zeus' tyranny had been brought to an end, Vahn was intending to either put Demeter in control or negotiate with the surviving Olympians to have them rule over the Olympus Texture. The surviving Demigods still needed the leadership of their parents in order to overcome this setback, and, since he wasn't willing to commit genocide, Vahn had the responsibility of placing a suitable guardian in charge of them.Fortunately, Demeter seemed to be the most caring of the Olympians, choosing to live among them rather than rule from above. It shouldn't take much effort to convince her to pursue peace, allowing her to guide the remaining Demigods away from the pursuit of vengeance. She would also have the support of Goddesses like Hestia and Hecate, so, with careful administration, there was a fair chance those born in Olympus would one day be able to live amongst the Surface dwellers without causing too much trouble.With this in mind, Vahn quickly teleported back to the Surface, turning over the Divine Artifacts to Da Vinci so that she could begin studying them immediately. It would take some time, but, with Da Vinci leading the project, it wouldn't be long before she uncovered all of their secrets. Knowing her, there was even a chance she could reverse engineer the Olympians themselves after scrutinizing the data and examining Demeter's True Body. This, of course, required the cooperation of Demeter herself, so, after reuniting Tiamat with Alaya and Gaia, Vahn returned to the Reverse Side, this time teleporting near what appeared to be a giant 'fruit' that had been cracked open.Demeter was responsible for food production, waste management, and the harvesting of natural resources. She was also responsible for terraforming planets, making them conducive to lifeforms that, in essence, provided sustenance for the Gods. As a result, her True Body was a peculiar sphere with a greenish-blue exterior and a pink, somewhat fleshy, interior. The top had two pink wings that didn't seem to serve a purpose, while, near the base, a strange metallic protrusion, set with a giant eye, closely observed the daily lives of her 'children'.One of the main reasons behind why Demeter was spared, other than the fact she didn't seem nearly as corrupted as the other Olympians, was her True Body housed a databank similar to the Moon Cell. Inside, billions of different lifeforms had their genetic code sequenced and stored. At the centermost region, there were even tens-of-thousands of fleshy nodes that served as artificial wombs, allowing her to birth a breeding population of virtually any species the Olympians had ever encountered.It wasn't an exaggeration to say that, with a bit of help, Demeter could effectively repopulate entire planets. She even had a Divine Authority related to Motherhood, one brought with her, not one she had usurped from another. This made her exceptionally important to the Empire, as, even if she was unwilling to cooperate directly, there was a good chance she would allow Da Vinci to research and analyze her systems in exchange for peace between the Olympus Texture and the Empire...Not too surprisingly, Demeter's True Body began to open as Vahn neared the surprisingly fragrant interior. There was a mellow, fruity, aroma that seemed to pervade the senses, and, though it was a little strange to see velvety membranes of flesh expand and contract like automatic doors, Vahn was able to proceed without any discernible discomfort. Rather, the deeper he descended into Demeter's True Body, the more potent the fragrance became, eventually reaching levels of saturation that could rival the rainforest in humidity.By the time Vahn reached the innermost region of Demeter's True Body, he was forced to create a membrane of protection around his body just to prevent his clothes from being soaked through. A palpable pink mist made it impossible to see more than a few meters, but, through his domain, Vahn was able to sense thousands of different organisms writhing about within bioluminescent incubation chambers. It was a rather unnerving sight, as Demeter's interior was almost indistinguishable from a living organism. There was even an omnipresent heartbeat, and, if you listened closely, the sounds of biological processes such as blood pumping could be heard.Fortunately, after spending some time in Illya's Marble Phantasm, Vahn had grown accustomed to such sights. This didn't completely remove the feeling of incongruity in the back of his mind, but, as it ultimately didn't matter, he approached the only isolated incubation chamber among thousands. There, through a slightly transparent membrane, he could see a child-like version of Demeter curled up in a fetal position, rapidly advancing through the stages of development at a rate visible to the naked eye.Though it was a strange sight to witness, Vahn couldn't help feel a small amount of fascination as he placed his hand against the thin membrane, sending threads of Source Energy into the interior to try and understand the properties of the luminescent fluid. This caught the attention of the budding life within, causing 'Demeter' to open her eyes, staring back at him with a perpetual smile on her face...Just as Vahn was expecting Demeter to begin speaking to him, a different voice sounded out from the surroundings. His senses were largely obscured within the body of a Tier 5 entity so Vahn hadn't noticed the arrival of a young woman with uncannily similar features to Demeter. The only difference was, rather than wheat-colored hair, she had pale purple locks and slightly sharper features. She also lacked Demeter's perpetual smile, her face fixed into a look of blame as she asked, "Are you the one who destroyed my mother's body...?"Though not exactly accurate, Vahn didn't try to refute the woman's accusation. After all, Amaterasu and Arcueid were acting on his behalf, so, even if he didn't destroy Demeter's body, he still held a bit of responsibility in the matter. Thus, with a small nod, he answered, "In a sense..." before summoning [Enkidu] to prevent the woman's attack.Seeing resplendent golden chains appear out of thin air, the woman, Persephone, manifested what appeared to be a futuristic-looking scythe. This was the limit to her resistance, however, as [Enkidu] had already locked down the surrounding space before contracting to bind her in place. As a result, her power was completely sealed, causing Vahn to offer an apologetic smile as he added, "Though it is understandable that you would be upset, there is little sense in battling within this place. Do you intend to injure Demeter's True Body and destroy her still-developing avatar...?"As she couldn't muster up any power whatsoever, Persephone had little choice but to listen to the invader's words. She realized there was a fair amount of truth contained within them, and, if he really had destroyed her Mother's previous Terminal, she had virtually no hope of defeating him. Thus, with a rather venomous look in her eyes, she muttered, "I won't attack...so can you remove these chains?"Shaking his head, Vahn answered, "I wasn't born yesterday. You can wait there until Demeter finishes developing. At this rate, I don't imagine it will take more than an hour...?"Seemingly able to hear him, the teen-like Demeter within the incubation chamber nodded her head before, once again, curling into a fetal position with her eyes closed. She seemed to understand the futility in trying to resist, showing no discernible signs of retaliation in any of the currents Vahn was peering into. The only time she showed any hostility was when he injured or threatened the purple-haired Demigoddess, so, rather than rile her up, Vahn pulled out a comfortable chair, choosing to relax as the scythe-wielding beauty cursed him from within a soundproof barrier...---With the inclusion of Altera, and Vahn himself, the battle within the amphitheater concluded after a relatively short period of time. In the end, a little more than three-hundred Demigods had survived the conflict, around five percent of the total number of casualties if you included automatons and other support machines. As for why they had been spared, this was primarily due to the influence of Artoria's Divinity, allowing those with higher Luck to survive otherwise critical injuries.Ignoring the hateful stares of the seriously injured Demigods, Vahn released an internal sigh as he looked towards Artoria, Altera, and Illya, forcing a smile as he said, "You all did well. Zeus ended up falling faster than expected, so, after we pick up Fenrir, we can return home. I've already picked up Amaterasu and Arcueid so she is the last one remaining. Circe has already cooked up a sizeable feast so we shouldn't keep everyone waiting too long."Though they could tell Vahn was beginning to feel down about the amount of death that had been wrought as a result of his actions, Artoria and Illya decided to remain quiet. They would comfort him after the celebration had ended, once everyone was preparing to retire for the evening. This wasn't exactly their first time having to comfort their empathetic lover, so, once everything had settled, they would take him into one of the Marble Phantasms until he had made a full recovery...Without anyone protesting his decision, Vahn teleported everyone to the hidden chamber that once housed the Heart of Olympus. Now, the house-sized crystal had vanished in its entirety, replaced by a rather 'fat' wolf that was laying belly up with its tongue hanging out.Usually, Fenrir would waste no time in greeting him the moment he arrived, but, due to the difficulty of digesting the Heart of Olympus, she had passed out after growing to the size of a small cottage. It was probably the first time in her life she had been genuinely full, a contented smile visible on her canine face as the usually insatiable vortex in her stomach slowly processed the golden crystal that had inflated her belly.As he had already seen this scene in his visions, Vahn wasn't really surprised by Fenrir's current state. Everyone else, however, had incredulous looks on their face, as, a stark contrast to the midnight-blue she was known for, Fenrir currently had vibrant gold fur. She looked like a fluffy golden wolf pup that had been scaled to gigantic proportions. The only parts of her body that weren't gold were the tip of her tail, her underbelly, the fur around her paws, and the markings on her face. These placed became a vibrant white that seemed to radiate a small amount of light, further cementing the fact that Fenrir had undergone a 'very' drastic change.Before the other could recover from their stupor, Vahn took the initiative to collapse into Fenrir's thick coat of fur, causing her body to twitch happily as he nuzzled her underbelly and explained, "It isn't something you have to worry about. Once her body finishes refining all of the energy contained within the Heart of Olympus, her fur color will return to normal. This is just a byproduct of absorbing too much Divine Energy for her body to process all at once. Once she is able to convert her magical energy properly, it will take on a dark blue color with a ghostly tinge..."Due to the phenomenal amount of Divine Energy she had absorbed, Fenrir's body was currently a lot warmer than normal. In fact, just snuggling against her gave Vahn a strong urge to nap as her aroma and warmth always made him feel calm and relaxed. Now, these two things were even more potent, so, for a brief moment, Vahn couldn't even hear the responses of Artoria and Illya until the latter had called out to him several times.Seeing the girls looking toward him with concerned expressions, Vahn just laughed in a lighthearted manner before saying, "You have to try this. Once she returns to normal, her fur will feel somewhat cool to the touch. Right now, it's like resting against a warm cloud..."Though Artoria and Illya didn't immediately move, Altera was the type that took things literally, so, after hearing her Master's order, she also plopped face-down against Fenrir's underbelly, nuzzling into the thick layer of ridiculously soft fur. From Vahn's perspective, it was almost impossible to see her, almost like she had concealed herself within tall, pure-white, grass...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'We have them on the ropes...!','Demeter's True Form is both amazing and terrifying xD...','A sudden reversal. Now, instead of Fenrir snuggling up to her Master, her Master snuggles up to her...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Similar to how Alexander's physique would change under the influence of his [Zeus Thunder], Zeus also experienced a qualitative strength increase every time he mustered his power. In fact, being the origin of the ability, Zeus' version was much stronger than the one bestowed upon his children. Not only did it increase his power by a considerable amount, but it also enhanced his endurance, agility, and, from what Vahn could deduce, his Divinity itself.Compared to when their battle first began, Vahn could no longer directly exchange blows with Zeus. The marble-skinned God's blows carried enough force to completely overwhelm any kind of defense, tearing away Vahn's scales even when the attacks barely grazed him. To further exacerbate matters, it was becoming increasingly difficult to move, as, the more Zeus unleashed his Divine Power, the more influence he had over the surrounding Space. He even had a startling mastery over Gravity, changing its direction mid-combat without even batting an eye.Vahn's flight was primarily achieved through the use of gravitational anchors or Telekinesis, so, with Zeus constantly changing the direction of gravity, it was extremely disorienting. Fortunately, it wasn't beyond his ability to cope with, and, though Zeus' power was mighty, it was obvious his body could not withstand the power increase for very long. After all, if he could increase his power without any side-effects, there was no reason for someone like Zeus, especially after constant harassment, to stay in a weakened state.Zeus was well aware of the internal damage his body was sustaining, but, as he could always make a new vessel, he didn't bother holding back. Thus, with a mighty roar that caused space to fracture, he wrapped his body in a veil of lightning, drastically increasing his strength and speed. His figure then vanished from view, and, before the sound of the thunderclap shook the surroundings, the back of his fist was already connecting with his assailant's folded wings.For a brief moment, Vahn felt like his insides had been cooked as a phenomenal amount of energy coursed through his body. He didn't even feel the impact of his body smashing into the wall until a sudden surge of heat brought him back to his senses. Most of his scales had turned to molten slag on the right half of his body, and, after tanking a direct hit from Zeus, his right wing was a tattered mess of seared flesh and charred bone.During the brief moment when Vahn was taking in the amount of damage he had sustained, Zeus created a sphere of lightning more than ten meters across. Despite its size, it was still able to move at the speed of lightning once thrown, homing in on its target and striking at speeds upwards of 300,000km/h. This wasn't actually that fast in the grand scheme of things, but, when someone was pinned down by thousands of tons of rubble, half of their body melted, it was more than enough.Seeing his view completely obstructed by an orb of bluish-white energy, Vahn attempted to release a dry laugh, but, before a single syllable could be formed, he was already enveloped. Even a normal lightning bolt could reach temperatures exceeding five times the surface temperature of the sun, so, with his Divine Energy powering it, Zeus orb of lightning easily exceeded 50,000 degrees...Though he wasn't able to sweat, Zeus wiped at his brow with the back of his hand, watching as his attack left a deep channel of molten stone in the surrounding structure. He could sense that his foe was still alive, but, with his lightning causing cracks to appear across his body, attacking so soon was a bad idea. Not only would he disperse the energy from his previous attack, but there was a chance he would leave a gap in his defenses. He was already in constant pain from the phantom attacks that continued to slice through his body, so, now that he had the opportunity, he was attempting to find the source.Just like any God with Divine Authority, Zeus had a limited form of Omniscience that allowed him to see and know everything happening within his dominion. This was an active ability, however, so, like other Gods, he only activated it whenever he needed to know something specific. The sudden influx of information was never a pleasant thing to experience, but, feeling as though something was very wrong, Zeus shifted his focus away from the battle to get a better grasp of the situation...Immediately after activating his Omniscience, Zeus' eyes so much lightning that they incinerated in an instant. Despite this, he could still 'see' clearly, his rage burning with fury he never even thought possible as he shouted, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to force it, Zeus found that he could not teleport away, a golden radiance making long-range teleportation impossible. At the same time, an annoying laugh could be heard echoing through the surroundings, followed by the manifestation of his most hated enemy out of thin air.With an almost sadistic smile on his face, Vahn fixed his gaze upon Zeus, golden eyes blazing as he said, "It's a curious thing, Omniscience. Though it is an unbelievably powerful ability, the burden it places on the user makes it very unpleasant to use. Tell me, Zeus, King of the Usurpers, how does it feel to be at the mercy of another? I wonder if you can empathize with your vic-"Not waiting for Vahn to finish, Zeus flashed in front of him, lightning ripping through his own body as he squeezed the former in a tight bear hug. Then, surprising even Vahn, the errant God opened his mouth far wider than normal, biting downward with the obvious intent to decapitate him. This caused Vahn to recall the legend of Zeus devouring his own children, fearing they would one day grow strong enough to oppose him...As the thought of having his head bitten off wasn't exactly pleasant, Vahn opened his own mouth wide, his teeth becoming more angular as a vibrant golden light erupted from his throat. It wasn't a full-powered Dragon's Breath, but, considering the circumstances, it was better than nothing. To his surprise, however, Zeus' head didn't immediately explode. Instead, he seemed to be breathing in the energy, the interior of his mouth turning into a vortex that seemed capable of devouring anything.Rather than stop, Vahn ramped up the amount of energy he was releasing, his facial structure slowly becoming more draconic as his body began to rapidly increase in size. He didn't care that Zeus was rapidly healing, his wounds closing up as the intensity of his lightning increased exponentially. After all, while Zeus was certainly able to absorb the energy within his attack, his body had absolutely no way to process Source Energy. He couldn't even sense its presence, allowing it to freely build up like a ticking time bomb.Zeus, unaware of what Vahn's intentions, began to grow somewhat giddy in anticipation. He never expected the energy produced by his foe to be so refined, rapidly replenishing his reserves before slowly increasing his maximum capacity. This was a startling discovery, and, though he had intended to kill Vahn and be done with it, he now began considering other uses for the would-be assassin. He had already lost most of his kin, so, at the very least, some remuneration was in order...The moment Zeus began considering ways to capture each of the intruders, Vahn's jaws snapped shut as spikes erupted from his body. This wasn't enough to get Zeus to release him, but, as this was never his intention, he couldn't help but smile with the ignorant God tightening his grip. By the time he realized something was amiss, Vahn changed the nature of the Source Energy within Zeus' body, giving it a very corrosive, anti-divine, property.Feeling like his very soul was on fire, Zeus released a pained howl as his grip on Vahn tightened to the point of shattered the latter's bones into powder. Despite this, Vahn began to laugh like a battle crazed lunatic, even as a large volume of blood and organ fragments erupted from his mouth. This fragments stained Zeus' face and beard, but, due to Vahn's [Magia Erebea] constitution, they quickly evaporated, returning to his rapidly regenerating body.Without his notice, Zeus' marbled skin began to turn brackish in some regions. Then, like a stain spreading through cloth, his body began to turn completely black as large parts of his flesh began to slough off. When he first noticed this irregularity, his entire left arm had broken off as a result of the muscles and tendons around his shoulder decaying rapidly. This should have allowed Vahn to break free, but, instead of escaping, the spikes produced by his body formed powerful binding, keeping Zeus from trying to flee.Realizing he had fallen into his attacker's trap, Zeus fury began rapidly increasing, but, unlike before, his aura only diminished in response. The lightning he attempted to channel only caused his body to break apart even faster, resulting in the lower half of his body, including his legs, to slough away and crash to the ground. Then, no longer under the protection of his aura, the detached limbs practically turned to ash in an instant, leaving nothing but a black residue in their wake...With the lightning in his eyes slowly fading away, black blood began to flow from Zeus' eyes, nose, mouth, and ears as he muttered, "I...kill...you...mon...ster..."Rather than continue laughing, Vahn's expression became solemn as he stared back at Zeus, the radiance in his golden eyes dimming slightly as he watched the proud God's hair began to fall out. It only took a few seconds before he was completely bald, allowing the encroachment of his energy to be witnessed in real-time. By the time five minutes had passed, Zeus' marbled skin had turned pitch black, gaining a quality similar to charcoal as it began to fragment away in large chunks...---Under normal circumstances, the death of his avatar would only be a mild inconvenience to Zeus. His true body, a massive interstellar flagship that was more than three kilometers in length, had a factory that was fully capable of creating a new avatar. Unfortunately, upon activating his Omniscience, Zeus quickly realized that things wouldn't be that simple...After dealing with the overly affectionate Tiamat, Vahn had teleported to an area of seemingly empty space. What made this place unique was the existence of a three-meter long 'keyhole' that floated in the void, hidden against the backdrop of an endless ocean of stars.Inserting [Thunderbolt] into the peculiar keyhole, lines similar to a circuit board spread across empty air before solidifying into a massive gateway that slowly opened. Inside, a seemingly endless amount of treasure could be found, but, most importantly, a massive ship that looked like a stone head with two massive sails floated in the exact center. It actually looked a little ridiculous, but, rather than let it bother him, Vahn approached the giant face, searching for a way inside.Truthfully, Vahn found it a little odd that the True Bodies of the Olympians were massive spaceships, but, considering Gaia was a literal planet, it wasn't too strange. What made less sense was the fact they implanted their conscience into significantly weaker vessels, leaving themselves vulnerable to subterfuge if their avatars were distracted. Zeus had tried to cover for this weakness by sealing his true body within an Imaginary Space pocket, but, perhaps fearing they might 'betray' him, he didn't even leave a single guard to protect himself...Shaking his head, Vahn flew to the backside of the massive spacecraft, finding a crystalline orb where most ships would have thrusters. It glistened like an impossibly large emerald, having dimensions of more than fifty meters across. More surprisingly, however, was the fact it caused small ripples in the surrounding space. From this, Vahn theorized that the ship manipulated the space around it, rather than moving through space itself. This meant that, so long as it had enough power, Zeus' true body would be able to move through space at faster than light speeds, ignoring physical laws by, quite literally, bending them around itself.If not for the danger it posed, Vahn would have tried to recover the crystal for Da Vinci's research. It would have undoubtedly propelled the technological advancements of the Empire even further, but, considering they already had Faster Than Light technology, courtesy of X, it wasn't that important.Having made up his mind, Vahn entered the small access port that was located in the stern of the ship. It wasn't exactly an awkward location for an access port, but, considering the ship was Zeus' true body, a shiver still ran through Vahn's body as he made his way into the cold interior. Having [Thunderbolt] in his possession made things very easy, as, in order to make use of it, his aura was almost identical to that of Zeus'. Thus, rather than try to keep him out, every door opened to allow easy access to the interior, even as Vahn approached the location of Zeus' core.Seeing the vibrant golden orb, Vahn couldn't help admiring it for a brief moment as he considered the true nature of the Olympians' existence. Their true bodies were actually giant spacecraft, but, much like the creatures from Danmachi, their consciousness and energy were derived from a core. They were basically just super-computers that had obtained an Ego, elevating them far beyond the level of a traditional Artificial Intelligence...Unfortunately, for one reason or another, Zeus, and many of the Olympians, had decided to lead rather tyrannical existences. They had usurped the Divine Authority of other Gods, cementing their place at the pinnacle of a world that had already suffered a great tragedy. Their actions had resulted in the suffering of countless individuals, so, without further hesitation, Vahn turned to Tiamat, a wry smile on his face as he said, "I hope you're still hungry..."Hearing her Master's words, the cross-shaped white pupils within Tiamat's hazy pink eyes began to radiate a shimmering light as a rather vicious smile spread across her face. Then, in a manner similar to her consumption of Poseidon's core, she devoured the entirety of Zeus' core in a single terrifying gulp. Vahn felt it was even creepier to see a second time, but, rather than look away, he watched on with morbid fascination as Tiamat's 'maw' quickly reverted back to a happy smile...---With Zeus taken out of the picture, the only remaining Olympians within the Olympus Sub-Texture were Artemis, Aphrodite, and Demeter. Of them, only Aphrodite was a primary target, but, due to her relationship with Demeter, the two Goddesses had teamed up to face off against Arcueid. As for Artemis, she had the misfortune of being pitted against Amaterasu, who, due to the vast disparity in their power, continued to toy with the former like a cat who had stumbled upon a tiny mouse.A stark contrast to her past self, Amaterasu's current appearance, rather than sexy and mature, could be called 'cute'. She had long-since discarded her raiment, which had given her the appearance of a dancer from the middle-east. Now, she wore a short-skirted black kimono, a red obi tied in a bow, a black haori that extended all the way to the floor, and a pair of black geta. All of her clothes seemed to be a little too big for her, as, instead of a mature and voluptuous physique, she now had a 'very' youthful figure. This was the result of Vahn showing her a [Memory Orb] containing the Amaterasu he was married to, something he immediately came to regret, as, ever since that moment, she had been teasing him incessantly about his preferences...Now, like a child who had discovered the process of using a magnifying glass to burn ant, Amaterasu had a sadistic grin on her face as she casually deflected Artemis' arrows into the structure of her true body. This caused the latter, a mature beauty with fair skin, thick thighs, toned butt, and a startlingly voluptuous chest, to grit her teeth in frustration. Her body was already covered in severe burns, and, though she was slowly regenerating, her previously pristine white hair had nearly been singed to the scalp.Taking advantage of the moment Artemis' attacks stopped, Amaterasu waved her hand, creating a miniature sun that lazily homed in on the former's location. It moved very slowly, but, in spite of this, Artemis was nearly on the verge of tears as she did her best to evade the persistent mass of intense heat. Even from a distance, however, her hair and clothes began to ignite, causing her immense pain as her Divine Energy was slowly consumed by Amaterasu's far more powerful Divinity...Seeing her prey running around, Amaterasu's smile became even more malicious as she habitually licked her lips. Though it was a title forced upon her by humanity, she wasn't known as an Evil of Man for no reason. She was very obedient towards Vahn, primarily due to their contract, but, when it came to her 'enemies', Amaterasu was without mercy. She knew her Master would reprimand her for being unnecessarily cruel, but, after being sealed away for long, she couldn't pass on the opportunity to bully another Goddess.With her nine, flame-like, tails flickering behind her, Amaterasu continued to watch Artemis struggle with a smile on her face. It wasn't until she sensed the disappearance of the most powerful aura that she finally decided to end things. She had been given the option of sparing her prey, but, rather than allow more 'competition' to exist, Amaterasu adopted a rather vicious smile as she mused, "It seems our playdate must come to an end. You should have stayed in your original Universe, ufufufu~."Following the sound of Amaterasu's laughter, another sun formed into existence, this one growing at an exponential rate until it had completely enveloped Artemis' true body. This was an attack capable of emulating Sol itself, so, for a brief moment, the interior of the miniature star was able to surpass fifteen million degrees, leaving no trace of the bow-shaped starship that had existed prior...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Everyone could use a hug~','Don't eat that, it's dirty...!','Birth of a Sadistic Sun Loli o_o...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1520: Aldrnarimachia(5/5)