Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Due to the comprehensive nature of the procedure, more than three hours had passed by the time Vahn pulled out a warm towel, covering Arika's naked body as he said, "Take a few minutes to calm down before trying to move. Let's not have a repeat of the last time, okay...?"Rather than respond, Arika just lazily nodded, her forearm resting on the towel covering her eyes as she inhaled deep and impassioned breaths. Since the room was slightly chilled, each of her breaths caused a considerable amount of steam to expel from her lungs, adding to the thin vapor that was rising from her body. She had an appearance similar to someone who had just gotten out of a hot bath, her body suffused with a sensuous red glow, her glistening skin reflecting the low light of the chamber...Without minding the tantalizing sight behind him, as he had just spent the last three hours dutifully attending it, Vahn filled a marbled basin with ice water. Arika wasn't really in danger of overheating, the perks of having a powerful constitution nourished by magical and divine energy, but, as she still had more training in the afternoon, rapidly cooling down was necessary. Without it, she wouldn't be able to move properly, much less focus on her training, so, while it might seem a little extreme, the ice bath was very necessary. It was also very healthy, helping alleviate inflammation and improving blood flow after the blood vessels open back up, so Vahn often used this method to 'help' the girls recover.After waiting for a few minutes, Vahn approached Arika, gingerly removing the towels covering her body and eyes. Her slightly parted lips and the glazed look in her gem-like eyes were a particularly dangerous combination, but, even if there was a visible amount of expectation contained within, it did little to shake Vahn's heart. Instead, he pulled her weakened body into a princess carry, allowing her head to rest against his chest as he carried her over to the icy cold bath.Arika already knew what was coming, but she still sharply inhaled as her body was lowered into the water. For a brief moment, it felt like the heat of her body would resist the unforgiving cold, but, the moment this thought crossed her mind, it was like someone had poured a lake of water onto a fiery patch. The glaze covering her eyes melted away in an instant, her mental acuity returning as the icy water reached up to her neck.Though it was always a very jarring experience, Arika issued a sigh of relief almost immediately after her back came to rest against the marbled basin. The cold water was actually a mixture formed from the combination of Water and Yin Elemental Energies. This made it impossibly cold, but, rather than feel uncomfortable, it was extremely comfortable. It also had the effect of nourishing Yin Elemental Energy and enhancing beauty, so, despite not caring about such things in the past, Arika and Theo had both become particularly fond of the unique solution...While her body soaked in the icy water, Arika absentmindedly covered her chest as she stared back at Vahn, her voice calm and steady as she muttered, "Thank you...it was very pleasant..."As it was actually very rare for Arika to express her gratitude, Vahn's smile curled up at the edges as he casually remarked, "You're very welcome. I'm always happy to put my skills to the test and show people why I'm called the Godhand. Though it has caused me some troubles, it is one of the things I am most proud of."Towards the end of his words, Vahn held up his left hand, allowing a subtle rainbow glow to spread through his fingers before illuminating his palm. This caused the ambient energy in Arika's body to act up, but, thanks to the yin-infused water, she just chuckled silently before submerging down to her nose.Understanding she wanted to focus on her recovery, Vahn issued a light chuckle of his own before turning around and preparing her a change of clothes. Then, knowing Theo would likely be arriving within the next half hour or so, he began wiping down and cleaning the massage table. He also put down an absorbent cloth underneath, as, when it came to Theo, there was about a fifty-fifty chance she would pee herself halfway through the procedure. This was actually very common whenever he massaged mortal women, so, after more than two hundred years of experience, Vahn had become accustomed to dealing with the cleanup. Most never even realized they had relieved themselves, so, as a professional courtesy, Vahn never brought it up...---A few minutes before she had to leave, Arika slowly extricated herself from the still-icy water. As if she hadn't cooled down in the slightest, a hazy white mist rose from her body, but, rather than from heat, it was due to the intense chill that had pervaded her entire body. It was so extreme that, for a brief moment after she emerged, her steps left pure-white footprints, freezing the floor in her wake. Despite this, she showed absolutely no discomfort as she used her magical energy to quickly dry off so that she could properly wear the clothes Vahn had prepared for her.Though he cast Arika a glance when she emerged from the bath, Vahn didn't say anything, averting his eyes politely until she was properly attired. Even if it was just a skin-tight Aegis, leaving very little to the imagination, it was still better than gawking at someone while they were naked. He might be largely immune to such things, but, knowing how she felt about him, Vahn tried to maintain a sense of propriety. It was all but guaranteed they would be in a relationship within the next few years, but, until then, Vahn intended to adhere to the promise he had made with Eva...Around the same time that Arika had finished getting dressed, Vahn felt a presence appear near the beach house. He could guess who this was without needing to shift his intent toward her, so, with a wry smile on his face, he casually remarked, "Theo is about to burst in. I'd give the entrance a wide berth for the next couple of seconds..."As she was just preparing to say her goodbyes and depart, Arika halted in place the moment she heard Vahn's words. This ended up saving her some awkwardness, as, around the same time that she would have approached the door, it was 'kicked' open by a scantily clad woman with bronze skin and a wide grin. Before she had even taken three steps into the room, her clothes had been sent flying through the air as she shouted, "My turn~!" in an excited shrill.After side-stepping Theo's charge, Arika looked toward Vahn, nodding politely before running her hand through her fringe and departing. As for Theo, she had already hopped onto the table, belly down as she nestled into the soft cushion that deformed to accommodate her budding breasts.Seeing the mischievous Hellasian nestle into the massage table, Vahn ran his hand through his hair as a self-calming gesture. He was very aware of what she had in mind, but, knowing she would pout quite a bit if he didn't play along, his wry smile slowly turned into a severe look as he made his way over to her side...Though she pretended to be completely oblivious, Theo was aware of Vahn's encroaching presence, her shapely butt perking up slightly in expectation. Leg strength was very important for virtually all forms of martial arts, and, after learning about Vahn's 'preference' from Fenrir, Theo had put a lot of effort into honing the muscles in her calves, thighs, and glutes. She wanted to appeal to him as best she could, and, though she had never vocalized it, she had grown rather fond of being disciplined...Restraining a sigh, Vahn adopted a stern tone as he asked, "What did I tell you about kicking in my door and interrupting Arika's time...?"As if she had only just realized what she had done wrong, Theo adopted an apologetic facade as she buried her face into the circular hole in the massage table and muttered, "I'm sorry...I just got excited thinking about the massage..."A stark contrast to the demure tone used in her apology, Theo's toned but was trembling slightly, seemingly intent on drawing attention to itself. It was actually quite the sight to behold, easily one of Theo's greatest assets, but, feeling slightly exasperated, Vahn couldn't help but release a sigh as he lifted his hand before striking down and elicited a crisp smacking sound as his palm sent a ripple through the tender brown flesh. This caused Theo's toes to curl slightly as a squeaking moan briefly pierced her tightly closed lips...---After giving the slightly masochistic Hellasian a few firm smacks on the rear end, Vahn mechanically scolded her before finally proceeding to the massage. Her punishments had become more of a play than anything else, but, as she had made actual arrangements with both Arika and Eva, Vahn played along. He didn't have any particular issues with her developing deviancy, as, rather than Anubis, her behavior was more in line with that of Tiona. She couldn't help but get excited when fighting strong opponents, so, after coming to associate pain with excitement, Theo had always been a time bomb for developing masochistic tendencies.Even before coming to the Akamatsuverse, Vahn had known the Hellasians had a bit of a reputation for their sadomasochistic natures. Most of the women had curved horns on their heads, and, due to their fondness for black leather and tight clothing, quite a number of humans associated them with Succubi. Some Hellasians even played off this image, wearing artificial devil tails and wielding whips in combat. The fact they were descended from Dragons gave them a talent for taming both beasts and monsters, and, unless you were inordinately skilled, whips were actually 'extremely' difficult to deal with when your opponent was skilled in their use.Fortunately, due to the difference in their strength and status, Theo had deviated towards the path of a masochist rather than developing sadistic tendencies. Though this would inevitably cause him a few headaches, it was still better than the reverse. Eva already had a number of sadistic tendencies, likely contributing to Theo's condition, so it would have become an even bigger problem if the two ever teamed up. Like this, he could stay in control of the situation, as, according to Anubis, very few masochists shifted their loyalties once they had decided on their 'Master'...While worrying about Theo's future, Vahn continued to glide his hands over her body, pressing a little harder than absolutely necessary. She had chosen to lay on her stomach ever since she learned it required more pressure to reach the most important nerve clusters. This, combined with the fact it was a little harder to breathe, were all the reasons she needed to make her decision. The fact it also allowed her to show off the 'results' of her training was just an added bonus.Vahn didn't particularly focus on the butts of his clientele when he was giving massages, but, even if he explained that, it wouldn't stop Theo from believing it. She always paid more attention whenever he was massaging her butt and thighs, so, even if he showed the same amount of consideration for the rest of her body, it would always seem like he was focusing more on her butt. This was basically an example of confirmation bias, but, as he did actually have a slight preference for girls with toned butts, Vahn didn't make an effort to correct the misunderstanding...---Since she wouldn't be returning to training, Vahn extended Theo's massage to around three-and-a-half hours. Most of the additional time was actually focused on her feet, as, over the last few weeks, she had been trying to master an advanced form of [Shundo]. As a result, she spent all of her time within the diorama barefoot, seemingly trying to 'resonate' with the ground. By providing extra care to the nerves in her feet, he could increase their sensitivity quite a bit, and, though it made it a little difficult to walk on rough surfaces, Theo actually enjoyed it quite a bit...After finishing the procedure, Vahn gave Theo one final smack on her right butt cheek before firmly stating, "Get up. You've had enough time to cool down while I was massaging your feet. I want you to walk around for a few minutes while I prepare the bath. Dinner has already been prepared so try not to take too long..."Unlike breakfast and lunch, dinner was eaten at irregular intervals as everyone finished their training and went to bed at different times. The only person with a consistent schedule was Asuna, and, as a result, at least one version of Vahn. Rather, unless she was in class or learning theory from Eva, there was always at least one version of Vahn watching over Asuna at all times. This was primarily to keep her safe, but, at the same time, it was also due to Asuna herself.Though she would no longer pout, Asuna would enter a 'reflective' state whenever they were apart for any length of time. She would quickly lose her motivation, and, almost as if she had regressed to her original state, she would just absentmindedly absorb information. After a few hours had passed, she would become listless and slightly unresponsive, answering most questions in as few words as possible.Fortunately, Asuna's behavior had nothing to do with feelings of depression or sadness. Rather, she became unresponsive after entering a pseudo-meditative state, apparently to 'speed up' the flow of time, at least from her perspective. She had grown progressively more bored with the curriculum at school, so, whenever she wasn't playing with her friends, Asuna's would gradually stop thinking. All of her responses would become automated, and, unless it was something she was interested in, she would stay in that state, only 'rebooting' once Vahn showed up...Without bothering the censor herself, Theo released a sensuous giggle in response to having her butt spanked. She was tempted to try and convince Vahn to spank her a few more times, but, after stating his piece, the latter had already walked over to the bath. This caused Theo to playfully pout, but, rather than call out to him, she lifted her exhausted yet revitalized body, steeling herself for a few moments before stepping onto the cold floor. Despite her preparations, however, a girlish yelp escaped her lips as a torturous twinge resonated within her secret garden with each of her steps...Ignoring the sound of Theo's impassioned panting and giggling as she walked around the room, Vahn dutifully filled the marbled basin. At the same time, back on the surface, he kept himself distracted by skillfully running a brush through Asuna's and Fenrir's silky hair in preparation for bed...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is very professional (UwU)...','RIP Hellas Empire','I kind of wish I could just turn off my brain like that xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the time dilation of Theo's Resort Diorama, days quickly turned into weeks, and, slowly but surely, weeks coalesced into months. This was more than enough time for great changes to occur, sentiments to changes, and dynamics to shift. Vahn was able to see Asuna grow like a bean sprout, and, though they weren't exactly close, Eva and Arika had come to tolerate each other. As for Theo, she actually got along fairly well with Eva, her persistence slowly, inevitably, whittling away the walls around the former Demon Queen's heart.Though there were quite a number of hiccups along the way, such as Eva getting her first period and Theo requesting he become a very different kind of Master for her, things had been relatively peaceful. Vahn's strength had notably increased, and, though she had moments where she would become 'super serious', Asuna had become a rather lively girl. It was rare to see her without a smile, and, showing just how prodigious she truly was, she managed to awaken her Zanpakuto Spirit after a startlingly short 719 days.Vahn had already forged Asauchi's for Eva, Arika, Theo, Fenrir, and even Xiao Bai, but, compared to Asuna, they were advancing at a snail's pace. Her Zanpakuto, Kyo, allowed her to defeat Theo in a number of spars, and, though there was still a pretty big gap in their abilities, she even managed to catch Arika by surprise quite a few times.Asuna's speed and strength were monstrous for a girl that hadn't even turned eight years old, but, what made her truly terrifying, other than her completely 'broken' Zanpakuto, was the fact she had already started to encroach upon the concept of Nothingness. She could seemingly fade in and out of existence, and, though it wasn't as flashy as Laev-tan, Asuna's Kyo had no discernible counters.Though it looked like a simple black Tanto with a lotus-like Tsuba, Asuna's Kyo, seemingly inspired by his ability to cut anything within his domain, was able to cut anything within her field of vision; completely ignoring things like distance. What made this truly terrifying was that the damage was based on her perception relative to her target, so, if she cut a distant object like Phobos or Deimos, one of Mundus Magicus' two moons, it would create a massive gulf across the visible surface of the moon...If not for her ability costing an incredible amount of Spiritual Energy, to the point she could barely even use it a single time, Asuna would be even more monstrous. Still, as she was only seven-years-old, going on eight, this feat was already bordering on incomprehensible. She would only become even stronger in the future, and, once she obtained Bankai, she might not even have any opponents left in the Akamatsuverse.Fortunately, even with her monstrous talent, it would take several decades, at the very least, before she is able to reach that point. Spiritual and Mental energies were difficult to train as they relied on things like knowledge, experience, comprehension, and literal age. These weren't things that could be overcome with talent, so, until she matured physically, emotionally, and spiritually, Asuna would struggle to unlock her full potential. She would still be able to surpass all of her peers, growing far stronger than most people could even rationalize, but there would always be an upper-limit to her growth based on her age and experience.The thing that made most Protagonists so powerful, other than the protection of Fate, was the fact they were constantly experiencing, and overcoming, difficult situations. They were constantly forced to overcome the limits of both their body and mind, elevating even complete 'idiots' to a level that even the most prodigious and talented youth could never hope to match. In some stories, the Main Characters were even able to overcome people thousands, if not millions, of times older than them in a relatively short period of time. This seemed like utter nonsense from an objective point of view, but, considering the path he had walked, Vahn didn't have much room to talk. Rather, there were a number of instances where he wondered whether or not he, himself, was just the main character in someone else's story...---With a placid smile on his face, Vahn absentmindedly observed the five people meditating beneath the artificial waterfall he had constructed. This was a training method to help them enter a deeper state of meditation, and, despite her monstrous power, even Eva wasn't spared. She was seated at the very center of the group, her developing body covered in a weighted white Gi as mischievous Water Elemental Spirits guided the waterfall's flow to impact directly atop her head.One of the biggest changes to occur over the last few months was the revelation of Eva's true form. She had made the mistake of teasing Asuna in the bath, and, as a result of the latter's Magic Cancel acting up, Eva's transformation had been broken in an instant. This caused her to enter a depressive and antagonistic state for a couple of days, but, after realizing even Arika didn't care about her true form, she eventually got over it. Rather, after realizing the true tragedy of Eva's existence, Arika and Theo become more sympathetic toward her plight.Going by standard Earth time, which was the system they had unilaterally agreed to use, nearly four years had passed since Theo arrived with her diorama. This was more than enough time for nascent and burgeoning emotions to evolve into something far more powerful, so, as time passed, even the normally taciturn Arika had been losing her patience. She wasn't nearly as bold as Theo, but, during one of their massage sessions, she had enough wherewithal to grab his wrist, an impassioned look in her eyes as she guided his hand toward her most sensitive spot...Follow the revelation of Eva's true form, Arika and Theo had tempered their growing passions quite a bit. Arika, in particular, seemed to lose all of the animosity she had accumulated during the rather harsh training. Though she didn't exactly become close to Eva, she seemed to lose the motivation to hate her. She, alongside Theo, had even apologized for her behavior. This caused a fair amount of awkwardness, as Eva was weak against sincerity, but, by the end of it, Vahn was on kissing terms with all three girls...While the other five residents of the diorama were seated beneath the waterfall, Asuna, wearing a sukumizu-style school swimsuit, complete with her name and class number sewn across the chest, popped up from beneath Vahn. For reasons that only Sidra's ancestors, or the creator of the Record would know, the victorian-style city had adopted traditional Japanese-style uniforms within most of the higher level Academies. The students in Asuna's class typically wore a modified sailor uniform, and, during gym class, they even wore trimmed white t-shirts and bloomers.Seemingly bored, Asuna reached up, her body almost completely emerging from the water so that she could grab his ankle. In the next moment, Vahn felt an incomprehensibly powerful force pulling him downward, but, like an immovable mountain, he remained in place, a slight smile on his face as he mused, "You'll have to try a lot harder than that if you want to move me..."Her competitiveness triggered, a serious look replaced Asuna's mischievous smile as she said, "You asked for it...!"Following her words, Asuna's weight seemed to increase exponentially as the water's surface began to bow inwards, appearing concave. It was almost like she was bending reality to her will, and, even though he had already obtained Divinities related to Space and Creation, Vahn was still unable to prevent the spatial anchor he had formed from being destroyed. Asuna's 'authority' within Mundus Magicus seemed to overwrite everything else, and, though this wasn't the first time he had seen her do something 'nonsensical', he couldn't help feel a combination of intrigue and surprise as he was penultimately yanked into the water.Seemingly satisfied by her success, Asuna had a massive grin on her face as she used her tiny hands to squish his cheeks beneath the water. Then, using his chest as a springboard, she kicked off with a bit of force, creating a small shockwave as she darted through the water much faster than any non-magical fish could manage. She obviously intended for him to catch her, but, before giving in to his adorable Apprentice's antics, Vahn surfaced to find everyone except Xiao Bai, who seemed to have fallen asleep, staring back at him.With a wry smile on his face, Vahn discarded his training Gi for a pair of swim trunks as he said, "It's already been a few hours. How about we all take a break while I bring over a grill and cook up some barbeque...?"Before anyone could answer his question, Asuna, like an alligator slowly closing in on its prey, snuck up from behind Vahn, the water around her surging in response. This was the true reason for Vahn's wry smile, as, when she got excited, Asuna could be rather 'overbearing'. He could stop her without too much trouble, but, understanding she was just having fun, he was helpless as the wave carrying the mischievous loli crashed into him, pulling him under as she hugged his neck from behind.Since she had grown rather tired of meditating, Eva was the first to discard her Gi, revealing a rather 'adult' white bikini. She had matured quite a bit compared to her past self, growing from 130cm to a commendable 149cm, but her figure hadn't exactly blossomed into the mature beauty she often disguised herself as. Despite this, she radiated a considerable amount of pride and self-confidence as she pulled out a scrunchie to tie up her hair, saying, "Last one inside has to-"Without waiting for Eva to state the terms, Arika, Theo, and Fenrir leaped from the ledge they had been sitting on, Gi flying through the air to reveal the swimwear they had on underneath. The only exception to this was Theo, who, for a variety of reasons, decided to forgo wearing anything at all underneath her Gi. This wasn't too uncommon for her, but, before she was able to land in the water, Eva grabbed her by the horn, holding her in the air as she shouted, "Go get a swimsuit, you damned exhibitionist...!"Despite being tossed rather unceremoniously towards the shoreline, Theo just laughed in response to Eva's words as she landed nimbly on the embankment. Then, still naked, she bolted like a bronze blur into the surrounding forest, her laughter continuing to echo as flocks of birds took to the sky...After briefly considering sending an ice-infused Sagitta Magicka towards the retreating Hellasian's exposed butt, Eva ultimately shook her head, choosing to ignore the perverted woman. Instead, she jumped a few meters into the air, curling up her legs to perform a cannonball that displaced nearly all the water in the basin...---While three versions of himself were enjoying an impromptu swim break, another version of Vahn was enjoying a very different form of relaxation within the Sub-Space Orb he had created inside of Arika's Airfish. The time-dilation had been modified to allow a 12:1 flow, and, due to how occupied everyone else was with the diorama, it basically served as a personal paradise for him, Fenrir, and, Medusa.Though her gestation was rather slow, taking nearly twenty months, Medusa ended up giving birth to two adorable little girls: Stheno and Euryale. These two names were traditionally associated with Medusa's older sisters, appearing within the texts of various different Records, but, as if to forcibly break some kind of flag, Medusa decided to assign the two legendary names to her daughters...Like their mother, albeit even more adorable, Stheno and Euryale had the ability to shapeshift their maroon-red hair into various tiny snakes. Stheno was much better at this than her younger sister, but, unlike her older twin, Euryale had seemingly inherited his draconic bloodline. She had two tiny horns growing from above her temples, and, though it was only a few centimeters long, she also had a rather thick tail protruding from her lower back.Stheno lacked horns and a tail, but, with her pointed ears, silky-smooth hair, phenomenal magic power, and potent poison, she wouldn't lose out against her sister. Rather, despite the fact she was only seventeen-months old, it was 'very' apparent that Stheno would grow into a beauty. She even had an Innate that was directly related to charming, and, though her body was much weaker than her younger twin's, she seemed to be developing quite a bit faster, both physically and mentally...A stark contrast to her older sister, who had already grown to 79cm in height, Euryale was a rather petite 68cm. She was also exceptionally quiet, and, though she was just as clingy as her older sister, she wouldn't cry when separated from him. Instead, she would just become melancholic, remaining completely silent as she followed you with her pale-red eyes. She rarely ever smiled, and, even after learning how to speak, she 'very' rarely spoke more than a few broken words.Vahn was, honestly, a little worried about Euryale, but, whenever he turned on his View Affection, her aura always showed that she was happy and content. She was just a very quiet and shy girl, a stark contrast to what he had expected after seeing the Innates she was born with. One gave her a phenomenal strength, to the point she accidentally broke most of her toys, while the other, called [Descendent of the Dragon God], caused her tail to grow longer, scales to sprout on her arms and legs, and, most notably, gave her a pair of leathery, scale-covered, wings.Ideally, Euryale would become a reliable Vanguard, but, in spite of her physical blessings, she was a rather docile girl. She didn't even move around that much, a stark contrast to the hyperactive and ever-eager-for-attention Stheno. Fortunately, when the latter wanted to play, Euryale would never refuse, and, though it was very clear Stheno had a rather dominant personality, she seemed to care about her younger sister quite a bit. In fact, some of the first questions she had ever asked were in regard to Stheno's well-being, sincere concern visible in her countenance as she asked why Euryale was always so quiet...From what he could tell, there was absolutely nothing wrong with Euryale. Rather, she was a lot like her mother, and, if she didn't 'have' to do anything, she would choose to do 'nothing'. She seemed to enjoy being doted upon, and, though she would never proactively try to read, she enjoyed being read to quite a bit. At times, her tiny dragon tail would even tap lightly, manifesting the happiness that never seemed to show on her face...Regardless of his daughters' quirks, Vahn loved them both dearly, and, though they would spend upwards of ten hours a day just sunbathing together, it never felt like a waste of time. Rather, this was necessary for the girls to grow properly, as, much like their mother, they needed to periodically molt in order to mature. This was the main reason Stheno developed so much quicker than Euryale, as, unlike her younger sister, she was very active, even while sunbathing. She also enjoyed soaking in the bath, and, whenever it was time to eat, she could eat nearly a tenth of her body weight in a single sitting...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'If you tease Asuna, you will pay the price...','Theo is too far gone...','Euryale would make an excellent Nara...','Click on paragraph comment if you want to see adult Stheno and Euryale')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With Asuna dangling her feet at the side, Vahn lightly hummed a song as he mixed together the ingredients for everyone's lunch. Around him, preparing additional ingredients and side-dishes, a total of three identical doll-like women were silently supporting him. They had each been created by Eva's Innate skill, [Doll Maker], and, though they were mass-produced automatons with limited cognition, they skillfully took care of things like cooking and cleaning.Like Eva's 'partner', Chachazero, each of the dolls had mint-green hair and eyes, but, unlike the chibi marionette, they were modeled to appear around 16~18 years old. Since their main function was to provide support, primarily assisting with cooking and cleaning, each was attired in an old-fashioned Maid outfit, and, if not for their visible joints, unnatural complexions, and the cat-like antennae that framed their heads like a pair of stylish headphones, they would have been indistinguishable from normal, aesthetically pleasing, human women.By making use of a magical link, giving them a limited hive-mind, the 'Chachameido' were able to work alongside each other completely seamlessly. This made the process of cooking similar to an assembly line, and, if not for his presence, meals would always be prepared quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, without an actual skill related to cooking, the dolls were limited to emulating dishes prepared by first-rate or expert Chefs. This wasn't bad, not in the slightest, but, compared to Vahn, it was like the difference between eating sand and a perfectly cooked Dragon Steak.Even if he made something as simple as Onigiri, Vahn's food always tasted inordinately good due to the influence of his Source Energy and the 'heart' he put into every meal. As a result, he became the de facto Chef within the group, preparing meals with a smile in the hopes of putting a similar smile on everyone else's faces. Since even Eva didn't have the heart to complain about his cooking, Vahn was quite proud of every meal he prepared...With most of the cooking completed, Vahn quickly washed his hands, and, after drying them off on a towel he kept tucked into his apron, he smiled towards one of the Maids, saying, "Chachasan, I'll leave the rest to you and your sisters. You're free to arrange things as you please."Hearing Vahn's orders, the doll known as Chacha 003 neatly folded her hands before performing a perfect bow as she said, "I understand, Master. We will have everything prepared shortly. Thank you for your efforts."After a curt nod in response, Vahn folded up his apron before he and Asuna exited into the dining room. There, the eldest Chachameido, Chachaichi, was dutifully serving tea to everyone while her youngest sister, Chachanana, was setting the table. Though they both stopped to give him a polite bow, they quickly returned to their work as Eva, with a smile on her face, mused "I smell something pleasant. I wonder what you've prepared today~?"Rather than reveal the surprise, Vahn sent a playful wink toward Eva before passing his gaze around the table as he said, "You'll have to look forward to it. I'm certain you'll be pleasantly surprised..."As Vahn spoke, he gauged the reactions of everyone at the table, and, though it was very subtle, he quickly picked up on a citrusy aroma lingering in the air. His draconic senses could directly compete against Fenrir's base state, so, while he selectively blocked most pheromones, Vahn had memorized the unique aroma of his companions. He could also detect the traces of the various different soaps and oils they used, so, even without Arika giving it away by quickly averting her eyes, he knew what she had in mind for the afternoon.Contrary to what Arika and Theo believed, Vahn actually decided whether or not he would massage them based on the 'preparations' they had made beforehand. He had warned all of them about the 'dangers' involved with receiving too many of his massages, so, even without him putting an actual restriction on it, the girls would remain patient for around five-to-seven days before they began to give him hints that they wanted one. This usually involved using a higher quality soap, so, whenever Vahn smelled the familiar aroma, he instantly understood their intentions.Tactfully choosing to keep his thoughts to himself, Vahn just smiled slightly as he took his seat next to Eva. Then, for the remainder of the rather pleasant lunch, he made casual conversation about the girls' training and the various rumors circulating around Ariadne...---After entrusting Asuna to Eva for her afternoon theory lessons, Vahn, accompanied by a tense and silent Arika, made their way to an isolated chamber beneath the beach house. Since it was a good way to nourish the Elementals that had made the diorama home, there was now an underground network filled with various different types of workshops, production facilities, and ateliers. Vahn had even constructed a massive forge near the once-faux, now-real, volcano. It was truly amazing to see what Elemental Spirits could accomplish when put to task, as, compared to the state he had found it in, the interior of the diorama had practically become a 'real' world.Once inside the sealed, heavily reinforced, and soundproofed chamber, Vahn turned to Arika with a gentle smile on his face as he repeated the same warning as usual, saying, "Though this procedure will help unlock your potential, continued exposure will severely limit your growth. While this might help fool those in the outside world, you still need to properly consider whether or not you want to remain in your current state for the next couple of decades..."Though she had appeared very nervous after entering the room, Arika's expression became serious when she heard Vahn's words. Then, with the same conviction she showed when talking about her ambitions, she calmly answered, "My appearance has no bearing on my ability to perform my duty. Even if I am stuck this way for a hundred years, it will be worth it if I can bring prosperity and peace to Mundus Magicus..."Seemingly emboldened by her own words, Arike lightly touched the tiny amethyst attached to the choker around her neck. Immediately thereafter, her clothes dissolved away into motes of magical light, the resolution on her face faltering slightly as a blush quickly spread through her cheeks. She had become progressively more aware of her own body as they spent time together, her elegance and composure giving way for more maidenly emotions.Without gawking, Vahn's smile became slightly affectionate as he answered, "Very well...you can lay down on your back or stomach..."Though this wasn't her first time receiving a massage, Arika always felt exceptionally nervous in the moments leading up to the procedure. If she lay on her back, Vahn would give her a cool towel to cover her eyes and forehead, but, if she lay on her stomach, she might even fall asleep due to how comfortable and pleasant the process was. This was always very embarrassing as she would always wake up in her bed several hours later, much to the amusement of Eva and Theo.After considering her options, Arika swallowed hard before awkwardly climbing atop Vahn's hand-made massage table. Hundreds of years of experience had led to him developing his own model, a version that could, quite literally, change form to suit the recipient of his massage. It was graded as an S-Rank Artifact within the Akamatsuverse, making it an object that even exceeded the heirlooms and sacred treasures of most Kingdoms.Seeing Arika lay on her back, Vahn gave a small nod before pulling out a white towel and soaking it in a bucket of chilled water he had pulled out of his Inventory. She would quickly become feverish if she could see him massaging her body, so, after triggering a catastrophic nosebleed during one of their past sessions, this was the solution he had come up with. Though blocking her sight made her even more sensitive to his touch, not being able to see allowed her to remain relatively calm during the preliminary stages of the massage. Then, once she had relaxed completely, he could remove the cool cloth, allowing her to either observe the process or just relax with her eyes closed.After wringing out the cloth, Vahn folded it into a thin strip before carefully placing it over Arika's heterochromatic eyes. In response, she released a relieved sigh, and, though it would take a while for her tensions to completely relax, she was already beginning to calm down. She had a breathing technique related to the cultivation method he had given her, so, after a few deliberate breaths, her chest began to rise and fall at even intervals as he gingerly lifted her hand, starting with massaging her fingers and joints...---Vahn noticed it every time he gave Arika a massage, but the structure of her body was functionally identical to both her mother and Vesperina. At this point, he was absolutely certain they had been artificially created, and, though Asuna had apparently been birthed by Vesperina, there weren't any sequelae to indicate she, or Ana, had ever given birth. It was possible they had simply regenerated to a 'default' state, but, considering their cells decayed like a normal person's, albeit much slower, it didn't make sense for them to recover so completely.Though they each had their own ego, it was rather obvious that the members of the Ostian Royal Family were 'programmed' to think a certain way. Even Asuna, despite being two-years-old at the time, had this mentality hard-coded into her. She was fully dedicated to the purpose she had been given, and, prior to his intervention, she had rarely even spoken to her own mother. This seemed to be perfectly natural from Vesperina's perspective, and, if he had never shown up, Asuna would have kept studying for upwards of sixteen hours a day without even thinking about taking a break.From what he had gathered, Asuna hadn't even been taught how to read and write. According to Asuna, herself, she had 'always' known how to read and write. Her very first memories were of her reading books, and, even though she couldn't recollect everything from her first year of life, she could recount the information she had read from books with near-perfect clarity. This implied that, shortly after her birth, she had already begun researching Magic without any prompting, almost as if it was an instinct.Asuna was the most anomalous member of the Ostian Royal Family, but, other than the structure of her Mana and Spirit Bodies, she actually had the same basic structure as every other member. Other than the purity of her aura and the subtle differences in her affinity, Asuna was functionally identical to her mother, grand-aunt, and cousin. There was seemingly no genetic deviation, only a difference in the purity of their energy.While systematically linking all of Arika's nerves, to the point her entire body would 'vibrate' when he lightly pressed one of her pressure points, Vahn couldn't help wondering if her hair color would gradually change from pale-gold to the characteristic orange of Asuna. If she tied her hair up into twin-tails and stood next to Asuna, it would almost be like looking at past and future versions of the same person, albeit with inverted eye colors.As the two overlapped in his mind, Vahn could easily imagine a younger version of Arika, a slightly cold expression on her face as she buried her nose into thick magical texts. Though it was a rather adorable image, as studious children were especially cute, Vahn couldn't help but feel it was a little sad. He couldn't really do anything about it now, but part of him would have liked to help Arika in the same way he had helped Asuna. Though the end result might have been the same, she would have had a happier childhood if he had intervened earlier...Shaking his head free of negative thoughts, Vahn ran his ring and middle fingers down the line of Arika's abdomen. Her recent focus on physical training really showed, and, though she didn't have visible abs, it was possible to make out their shape when she tensed up. She had a lean and athletic figure, and, though her development had slowed considerably due to the effect of his massages, it wasn't as if she lacked the charms of a mature woman. Rather, she was actually very beautiful, and, due to the concessions made by Eva, Vahn felt she was becoming more attractive with each passing day.With a slight smile on his face, Vahn lightly massaged the pressure points around Arika's abdomen, the thumb of his right-hand pressing into her supple yet firm flesh. At the same time, without even a tiny fluctuation in his expression, he lightly pressed the index and middle fingers of his left-hand into some of the more 'sensitive' pressure points of Arika's body. He took special care to avoid any kind of direct contact, but, in order to ensure the greatest possible result, Vahn needed to channel his energy through 'every' part of her body.For a variety of reasons, the core of most females was directly linked with their uterus. It was the organ that gestated and nourished new life, and, under certain circumstances, it also served as a secondary nexus for containing power. This is the reason why females, especially virgins, had far more magical power than their male counterparts. There were even some cultivation techniques, similar to the method practiced by Circe, that created a literal core within the womb. Unfortunately, as was often the case, there were also quite a number of techniques designed for men that actively stole this energy from females in order to nourish their own...Ignoring the heated sighs that would periodically escape Arika's lips, Vahn took care to make sure there were no blockages in the unique pathways between her dantian and uterus. Vahn had come to understand that these pathways were instrumental in determining whether or not a woman was able to give birth. If they were closed, it was virtually impossible for them to get pregnant, and, as a result of how delicate they were, it was actually very easy for them to become blocked or damaged by the energy from the dantian. Even powerful shockwaves or strenuous activity could sever them, and, if they weren't treated early on, most powerful women actually became infertile as a result of trying to increase their strength.Ironically, especially for female cultivators, one of the best methods to strengthen the pathways between their dantian and uterus was to have sex. Most males, even those without an affinity for it, possessed yang elemental energy in their semen. This was one of the elements that allowed for the creation of new life, and, after mixing with the inherent yin in a female's body, most of which was concentrated in their egg cells, a baby would be produced. When an egg wasn't present, however, that same yang energy was absorbed by the pathways in the uterus, making them more resistant to damage, and, in some situations, greatly strengthening the recipient.Vahn obviously wasn't going to inject his semen into Arika's body just to help her grow stronger, but, as his Source Energy could emulate all kinds of energy, he could use it to directly nourish the pathways in her body. It was a shame he hadn't figured this out until a few decades prior, as, if he understood the principles behind it, Vahn might have been able to 'treat' the Gods in Danmachi without having to bind them with Enkidu. At the very least, he could have come up with an even better solution to the various problems faced by half-breeds like Tsubaki...Remembering the beautiful bronze-skinned woman, a reminiscent smile spread across Vahn's face as he removed his hand from Arika's lower abdomen. This caused her to release a profound sigh of relief, as, despite how 'pleasant' the treatment was, it could quickly become unbearable. No amount of calming energy could prevent the gradual ache that would spread through her body in response to the heat that flowed from Vahn's fingertips. If she had been a Cat Person, going into heat would have been inevitable as the treatment, quite literally, had the side-effect of increasing fertility and encouraging ovulation...Unfortunately, though she wasn't complaining, Arika didn't have much time to breathe. Rather, she knew what came next, so, in preparation, she began to focus on her breathing, clenching her teeth as she inhaled and exhaled through her nose. She couldn't see it, but she could feel her legs gently pried apart, supported by comfortable cushions that allowed her to splay out without straining her muscles and tendons. Then, causing her jaw to quiver despite the clenching, Vahn began to slowly and methodically massage the muscles of her inner thighs...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Chachameidos Assemble!','The Godhand knows no boundaries','Eva be like, "And you seriously expected them to fall for other people...?"')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1585: Blossom