Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

Having obtained Divinities related to Space and Creation, Vahn was only a few Objectives away from completing the Zenith Quest, [Genesis Path: Dawn of Creation]. He had completed all but one of the Optional Objectives, but, if he really wanted to, it was surprisingly easy to create a few unique lifeforms, especially with his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome]. The only real 'downside', if it could even be called that, was that he would end up with a few more exceptionally loyal subordinates...One of the most important aspects when obtaining a Divinity related to Creation, even though it seemed rather contrary, was understanding that you should never arbitrarily create anything. As he had learned through his used of the [Keeper of the Akashic Tome], the things you create and name became an intrinsic part of your own existence, so, if you misused the ability to Create, it would be 'very' difficult to obtain a Divinity related to it.Fortunately, though it had caused him innumerable problems, Vahn had always been an empath, so, even before he meandered down the path of Creation, he never wandered far. He couldn't help but care deeply about the things he created, his instincts compelling him care for, spend time with, and love them. This was what truly separated Creators from those who used their mastery over the Laws to artificially create life, and, as a result of the love he felt toward his own creations, Vahn, rightfully, took exception to those who treated their creations as tools...---Though comprehending the Laws of Time were exceptionally difficult, especially with his existence representing a singularity within the Time Axis, Vahn had been on the cusp of a breakthrough for a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, he had Da Vinci's brilliant mind to aid him, and, though they might not seem like the best reference to draw from, Vahn could find inspiration in fiction. He knew all fictional worlds, including those based on real-world events, had the capacity to become a Record of their own, so, while some authors took 'extreme' liberties with concepts such as Time, the Laws were so mysterious and abstract that they had no trouble manifesting in virtually any form...If Vahn really wanted to, he could create a story where fire 'naturally' flowed like water, and, rather than oxygen and nitrogen, the people of that world could breathe the void itself. He could make up a completely ridiculous story, and, so long as it became relatively popular, a Record would be born from it. Thus, even if it seemed like a waste of time from a scientific point of view, he had purchased millions of fictional novels, storing them as information within his mind. Then, largely thanks to Sis, he was able to sort through the information, filtering and constraining it into a digestible form that, to an extent, reflected the true nature of the Laws.Ironically, the only thing preventing Vahn from obtaining a Divinity related to Time was himself. He had known it was possible to reverse the flow of time even back in Danmachi, demonstrating the process for Riveria quite a number of times, but, ever since learning he was a singularity within the Time Axis, Vahn had convinced himself it was impossible to travel back in time. Though this was still true, Vahn had ignored one fundamental flaw in his logic; while it may not be possible to travel to a point in time prior to his entry into the Record, there was nothing preventing him from inverting the flow of causality and entropy, effectively 'reversing' Time...When Vahn realized his mistake, he quickly retreated into his own Realm to put the theory to the test, and, as a result, he watched in awe as everyone, including Tier 5 beings like Alaya, Gaia, and Tiamat, moved backward through Time. Though they were still able to perceive that 'something' had happened, they were unable to understand the cause of the incongruity, interpreting it as a feeling of Deja Vu more than anything else.Upon realizing the power he held in his hands, Vahn was like a child with a new toy, as, within his Realm, he didn't have to worry about running out of energy. He could even reverse the flow of Time for the entire Realm all at once, but, much to his surprise, Vahn learned that the flow of Time within other Realms was unaffected by his changes. It could be due to the fact he wasn't a true Tier 5, but, during his experimentation, Vahn ended up causing Azathoth and Da Vinci quite a bit of confusion...After a series of long lectures, Vahn spent a few months learning how to properly manipulate the flow and direction of Time within a controlled environment. This, once again, reminded him of how truly brilliant Da Vinci was, as, after granting her the authority to govern Time, she became the one teaching him. Because of her, he came to realize that Time, as Sis had always told him, simply didn't exist. It was just another aspect of Space, a conditional function specifically tasked with observing the direction of entropy and record the location of individual particles along the Time Axis.Though it could be 'very' difficult to comprehend, the easiest experiment to show the relationship between Space and Time involved created an isolated temporal field, similar to a Sub-Space Orb. If you then destroyed an object within the field, taking special care not to use literal Destruction Laws, its constituent particles would basically be spread all over the place. No part of it would actually be destroyed, only converted into a different state.Most people would mistakenly believe that, if you reverse the flow of entropy around the object, it would simply revert back to its original state, but that wasn't the case. Depending on how long you waited, the individual particles ejected from the object might have moved outside your domain of control, so, unless your domain was the universe itself, reverting something to its original state was virtually impossible. In fact, if you constrained the temporal field to the dimensions of the original object, reversing entropy might not even leave you with ten percent of the original object...Fortunately, Da Vinci was never constrained by setbacks, and, having pioneered some of the most advanced quantum and spiritron computers in existence, it didn't take long for her to come up with a solution to this problem. She referred to this as creating a 'Save State', borrowing the term from a concept that existed within video games.Since Time didn't actually exist, you could effectively 'trick' distant particles into returning to their original position so long as you established a domain of control before the object was destroyed. In other words, you created a 'Checkpoint' to serve as a quantum reference point, and, so long as your domain of control was never destroyed, you could effectively create an entropic loop. If you created a trigger that activated upon death, it was possible to have the person infinitely revert back to that same point in Space-Time, and, so long as it remained, they were, effectively, immortal.Though the results could have been skewed by the fact they did their research within his Realm, it was possible to find countless examples of video-game mechanics within fictional universes. This meant there were an infinite number of Records where the world was structured like a game, and, if he thought back to Sis explanation prior to entering the Akamatsuverse, it was very possible that all Records met this criterion. If he had used his Karma more proactively, he could even turn a Record like Naruto or One Piece into a world with a Leveling System and other RPG elements...---Following his emergence from within his Realm, Vahn wasn't surprised when he felt his 'existence' surge outward. Since this wasn't the first time he had obtained a Divinity, however, there were no major, 'heaven-shaking', phenomena created by his ascension. Instead, it was a perfectly natural transition, his Time Divinity forming a pale-grey fragment that seamlessly fused with the golden Creation and bluish-black Space Divinities. They came together to form a tri-colored gemstone that, very slowly, siphoned away a bit of the Source Energy produced by his Soul Realm.Seeing the indescribably beautiful gemstone lazily floating within him, a calm smile spread across Vahn's face as he cupped his hands together like someone about to draw water from a river. Near the very center, tiny flakes of green energy began to manifest from the void, coalescing into a tiny green lotus that seemed to be formed from pure, unblemished, crystal. Then, while releasing a very pleasant hum, it began to slowly blossom into life...Whenever Vahn thought about creating life, his thoughts always took him back to the time he had created Jade, his first true creation. It always made him feel a little sad whenever he recalled the tiny white lotus formed from Pure Fire Elemental Energy, but, knowing they would meet again, he never allowed his melancholy to negatively influence him. Instead, it was one of the catalysts that allowed him to be a Creator, his memories of that time serving as a constant reminder of both his successes and failures...With the tiny green lotus floating in his right palm, Vahn manifested an equally beautiful blue lotus in his left hand, smiling affectionately as he said, "Celeste...meet Norn..."Responding to his words, the sapphire blue lotus released a mystical blue light as a resonant chime echoed through the surrounding space. This caused the light emanating from the emerald-green lotus to dim slightly, but, after a few seconds had passed, it gradually recovered before releasing a gentle hum. The two sounds blended together almost perfectly, and, without him directing them to do so, the two loti came closer before seamlessly fusing into a vibrant aquamarine green lotus.Vahn hadn't expected the two loti to suddenly fuse, but, considering the intrinsic relation between Space and Time, he wasn't too surprised. Instead, he tenderly caressed the petals of the combined lotus, eliciting an indescribably pleasant sound for the duo. It was impossible to describe, but, upon hearing it, Vahn felt as if he was becoming closer to the origin of all things. It even reminded him of the Mantra of Eternity, and, though he was capable of experiencing it, his mind couldn't process the 'truth' contained within the mysterious sound...After admiring the fused duo for several hours, Vahn coaxed them apart before having them both return to their dormant state. He had a very specific purpose in mind for the Elemental Loti he had created, and, until he linked the Records together, he wanted to keep them safe within the storage dimension of his Unit Management Function. They were the purest form of Elemental Energy, and, as a result, they were 'extremely' susceptible to all forms of corruption. If they somehow fell into the wrong hands or developed destructive tendencies, the amount of devastation they could cause was simply unimaginable.The last thing Vahn needed was for Fate to see the Elemental Loti, and, discovering they had no fate of their own, using them as it pleased. He knew best how inconvenient Fate could be to those who had none, so, until he bestowed them their True Names, Vahn wanted to keep them safe. They had the potential to become the principal representatives of the Laws within his unified Record, so, until he linked Danmachi and reunited them with their big sister, he wanted to avoid assigning them True Names and exposing them to the whims of Fate and Karma...---Before emerging from his seclusion, Vahn created enough vessels to attend to his numerous duties before turning his attention to the system interface and staring at his Zenith Quest. He now had the option to complete it whenever he wanted, but, if he wanted to obtain the greatest rewards, he still needed to complete the [Divine Father] Option Objective. This required him to create a total of ten unique lifeforms, but, despite being over 273 years old, Vahn had only completed five out of ten.Fortunately, four of the five had actually been created after he entered the Akamatsuverse, as, for a number of reasons, Zanpakuto were all considered unique existences. With the three Elemental Loti, Lave-tan, and Kyo, Vahn had already completed half of the objective. If he waited for everyone else to awaken their Zanpakutos, he would naturally complete the final objective, so, rather than stress over creating more life, Vahn just decided to wait. At the very least, Musashi and Eva should be able to awaken their Zanpakuto in a relatively short period of time, and, even if it took a few years, Arika, Theo, and Fenrir should be able to figure it out. The only real variable in the equation was Xiao Bai, as, despite having his own Ego and personality, he was still just an extension of an Innate. He might never be able to awaken his own Zanpakuto, as, on the most fundamental level, even his form and personality were completely dictated by Vahn's perception...Shaking his head, Vahn smiled calmly as he mused, "So long as I continue to believe he can awaken his Zanpakuto, there is no reason he won't be able to..."As Innates had no limits whatsoever, there was nothing dictating that they were unable to produce life. Rather, there were Innates that specifically related to the creation of life, so, with enough time, Vahn was certain the Divine Beasts would become truly unique existences.Confident in his conjecture, Vahn casually stepped through Space and Time, instantly appearing at the beach house without requiring any energy whatsoever. At this point, Theo's Resort Diorama had basically become a Sub-Realm of his, so, within its confines, he had an almost inexhaustible amount of energy. In fact, if Eva's words were to be believed, the number of nascent Elementals within the diorama had reached the point of being able to directly contend against the Magical World itself...It only took a few hundred nascent Elementals to ensure the health and prosperity of a large city, and, in the entirety of Mundus Magicus, there were only a few million of the intangible creatures. Whenever their population within a given area grew beyond a certain point, they would naturally fuse together, so, generally speaking, the actual population of Nascent Elemental Spirits depended wholly on the amount, and composition, of mana within the environment.As an endless factory producing Source Energy, Vahn's influence on his surroundings was, as Eva put it, 'absolutely terrifying'. His presence, alone, could slowly convert an illusory or spiritual space into a physical world, and, when he stayed in one area for an extended period of time, the number of Elementals would increase at a phenomenal rate. His influence was so extreme that, if you were to walk around the constantly expanding island, encountering Lesser Elemental Spirits wasn't even uncommon. If you ventured to the areas where the concentration of elemental energy was higher, you would even find Intermediate Spirits with enough sapience to converse.Though there weren't any Greater Elemental Spirits just yet, it was only a matter of time before one finally appeared. The Aspidochelone, in particular, had already grown to the size of a small island, and, if you sat on the beach long enough, you would eventually see it lazily circling the main island at around 2km/h. If you were especially lucky, you might even see it lift its massive head out of the water for a few minutes, its wrinkled face forming a vaguely human smile as it peered 'through' you with seemingly blind eyes...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The burden of a Creator's love...','Da Vinci, the ultimate cheat function','Vahn the type of guy that puts on a VR headset and slowly transform it into a real world...')(A/N: This chapter, despite its length, took over six hours to write xD...)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1586: Paradigm Shift