Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After an exhaustive search that produced no leads, combined with growing tensions on both sides, the Megalomesembrian Senate ultimately moved forward with the election of a Dictator. This title granted a single person the 'absolute authority of the state to deal with a military emergency', and, following the collapse of the Megalomesmbrian Monarchy, it was the highest position of authority in the entire Confederation.What made the position of Dictator unique among other official titles was that the designate didn't have to be a member of the Senate prior to receiving the post. Instead, the position was often held by the most senior Legatus, the Confederation's version of a High-Ranking General Officer. This was a precautionary measure designed to prevent Senators from using the position to further their own political agenda, requiring a three-fourths majority just to designate candidates for the position.Needless to say, the designation of a Dictator was tantamount to an official declaration of war, so, before the candidates could be finalized, the Emperor gave his consent to engage the Confederate fleet along the Argyrian border. The icy region was the location of the largest freshwater lake in the entirety of Mundus Magicus, and, every time there was a major war between the two superpowers, it often served as the most important battlefront that determined victory or defeat.Immediately following their Emperor's decree, the Southern Fleet, comprised of a five-hundred-meter long Superdrednaught, three three-hundred-meter long Airborne Motherships, seventeen two-hundred-fifty-meter long Cruisers, thirty-seven one-hundred-eighty-meter long Destroyers, one-hundred-nineteen Airwhales of various size, and countless AAS-Class Individual Assault Craft charged over the Argyrian border. Their mission was to secure the side of Argyre occupied by the Confederation, the Naval State of Besperus, in the hopes of establishing a Forward Operation Base that would allow them to surround Megalomesembria from the West and South.Fortunately, depending on who you asked, the Megalomesembrian Fleet was more than prepared for the Hellas Empire's assault. Their fleet was also much larger, so, while the strength of an average Confederate soldier was much lower than their Hellasian contemporaries, they had unquestionable air superiority. They had also stationed three of their Superdreadnaughts along the Argyrian border to protect a new Prototype Flagship, the Svanhvit. This was a monstrous vessel that was nearly an entire kilometer in length, and, while it took a monumental amount of resources to operate, it was equipped with ten of the most powerful military assets in the Confederation, a type of autonomous Magical Construct known colloquially as War Gods or Demon-God Soldiers depending on the side you were fighting on.With the average Demon-God Soldier standing one-hundred meters tall and possessing a Base Power of 2800, calling them Gods wasn't entirely based on hubris. The average citizen of Mundus Magicus only had a BP of 2 without years of schooling or special training, so, from the perspective of normal people, they were incomprehensibly powerful. After all, even a Magic School Graduate was considered inordinately powerful with a BP averaging around 100, and, even if they trained for decades, it was exceptionally difficult for even skilled Magic Teachers to exceed 300BP. This was the reason Dragons were considered so powerful, as, even without magical power, their average BP was between 500~800 depending on their age.Fortunately, despite having nothing comparable to a Demon-God Soldier, which secretly took tens-of-thousands of sacrifices to produce, the Hellas Empire had always been known for its inordinately powerful knights, summoners, and beast tamers. They even had a batallion comprised of more than a thousand Dragon Riders, which, under the right conditions, could rout an enemy fleet or decimate a ground army using superior mobility and overwhelming firepower.While summoned beasts and tamed monsters might not seem particularly useful in an aerial battle between two aerial fleets, this was far from the truth of the matter. After all, even immature magical creatures were exponentially more powerful than the common residents of Mundus Magicus. They often had phenomenal reserves of magical energy, and, with considerable training, they could even be used in Ritual Magic Formations to cast devastatingly powerful spells against enemy forces.Though the average Demon-God Soldier could sweep through hundreds of summoned and trained magical creatures, their production requirements made it impossible to deploy them without ample consideration. Losing even a single one was the equivalent of losing a Superdreadnaught, as, with a few exceptions, the average BP of a 500m vessel was approximated to be 2500. This didn't account for the personnel on board, which greatly affected a vessel's effective output, but, from a logistical standpoint, it was a lot easier to replace a thousand personnel than it was to manufacture a single Demon-God Soldier.Due to both sides exercising a certain degree of caution, the Empire's blitzkrieg quickly devolved into an exceptionally slow push into Confederate-occupied territory. They had to maintain a tight formation to benefit from the magical link that allowed ships to transfer energy between each other to power ritual magic and barriers. This was a capability vessels within the Megalomesembrian Fleet didn't possess, so, as one of their few advantages, the Empire slowly advanced while deploying their elite ground forces to disable anti-air batteries and communications arrays.Using their superior numbers, exceeding the Southern Fleet by a factor of three, the Confederation attempted to slowly surround the advancing formation. This was noticed by the Vice-Amiral of the Southern Fleet, but, rather than give up their advantage, he directed the fleet to adopt a formation that would allow them to create a massive spherical barrier over the region they had captured. This would effectively trap them within Confederate territory, but, at the same time, it effectively cut off access to the Great Lake of Argyre, the most important tactical objective in the region.Seeing through the Empire's intentions, the Commander of the Svanhvit, Legatus Dalmas, a favorite to hold the position of Dictator, took it upon himself to authorize the deployment of three Demon-God Soldiers to halt the advance of the Empire's ground forces. At the same time, he instructed all three of the Superdreadnaughts to ascend high into the sky. This was a maneuver that would allow them accurately target the enemy fleet with their main batteries, but, at the same time, it also left their comparably soft underbellies exposed to enemy fire.As could be expected, the Empire did not hesitate to focus fire on the Svanhvit and the other three Superdreadnaughts. It would be a major achievement to so scuttle even a single Superdreadnaught during a war, as they were often protected by the rest of the fleet, so the Empire couldn't resist the bait that had been laid out for them. This diverted a considerable amount of fire from the deployed Demon-God Soldiers, and, though it nearly crippled two of the Confederation's Superdreadnaughts, it allowed them to prevent the Empire from securing their foothold.With Demon-God Soldiers capable of producing spears that could penetrate the most powerful of magical barriers, the Empire was gradually forced to withdraw before the colossal figures could get into a position to skewer their relatively exposed underbellies. They had tried to repulse the massive automatons by using Anti-Demon Lightning Cannons designed specifically to counteract the rather infamous entities, but, as could be expected, Megalomesembria hadn't slacked off when it came to upgrading their most powerful military assets.Though other countries might have become somewhat complacent during the extended peace that had followed the previous war, Megalomesembria wasn't considered the most preeminent military superpower for naught. Technological innovation wasn't even their main focus, yet, time and again, they were leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the world. They invested between seventeen and twenty percent of their annual budget on the military, so, every time a war broke out, they always enjoyed an overwhelming advantage in the early stages of the campaign.Fully aware of the so-called countermeasures against the greatest military asset, Megalomesmbria had produced a number of War God that were distinctly different than the rest. The standard variety was predominately white in color and possessed a humanoid figure that allowed them to use large scale versions of existing magical spells. These were still the most common model available, as they weren't exactly something that could be recycled, but, rather than deploy this variety, the three War Gods sent to halt the Empire's advance had a unique black coloration.At the cost of being able to use most external magics, the black variation of the War God had been given the ability to absorb magical energy and convert it into raw physical power. This characteristic wasn't known to the Empire, so, without hesitation, countless magical munitions were expended in a vain attempt to halt trio of onyx-skinned monstrosities. This wasn't completely ineffective, costing one of the colossal automatons an arm, but, with the ability to regenerate using the magical energy it had absorbed, it was inevitable that the Empire was forced to retreat.Even prior to the initiation of the battle, the Empire had little hope of being able to secure a lasting advantage against the Confederation. This wasn't the first time they had contended against the rival superpower, so, rather than risk losing ground when the Megalomesembrian Fleet pushed into their territory, their penultimate goal was to force the Confederation to reveal some of its cards. The only way to win a war against Megalomesembria was to starve them out and formulate countermeasures against their advanced weaponry, so, while the battle ultimately ended in their defeat, it was a small victory towards the war effort.In the end, the Empire managed to retreat without any substantial losses while the Confederation was forced to withdraw two of its Superdreadnaughts for repair. This subsequently forced Legatus Dalmas to rescind his candidacy for the position of Dictator, and, though this wasn't considered a grievous loss from the perspective of the Senate, Vahn couldn't help but find the turn of events a little interesting.In the original timeline, Legatus Dalmas would have ascended to the position of Dictator by a vote of 273 for and 27 against. He was a true loyalist of the Confederation and had held the position of Legatus for more than seventeen years. This made him one of their most experienced commanders, and, while he had made his fair share of mistakes during the war, his tactical brilliance was credited as the principal factor behind the Empire's defeat during their counter-invasion.Though it wasn't like Legatus Dalmas would no longer participate in the war, being demoted to the position of Conciliar Imperatum, effectively making him little more than an Advisor, was bound to have far-reaching consequences. His replacement, earning only three votes over the necessary 225 required for candidacy, had only been a Legatus for three years. To make matters even worse, they had never even participated in a war, and, though they were a top graduate of the Confederation's International Tactical Command Academy, their career advancements had been more so the result of political maneuvering than command prowess.Needless to say, the average soldier within the Megalomesembrian military wasn't all that enthused by the appointment of an untested leader to the most coveted position in the entire Confederation. It didn't help that, almost immediately after his appointment as Dictator, the relatively young forty-seven-year-old man, Lars Laetorius Primulus, wasted no time in promoting several of his friends and confidants to other high-ranking positions within the military. This included implementing his Uncle to the position of Magister Militum, the highest rank a person could hold within the military.Though it wasn't particularly uncommon for a Dictator to place people they trusted in a position of power, the fact his Uncle was a former Consul didn't go over well with many people. Unfortunately, the provisions established by the Constitution of the Megalo-Mesembria Confederation allowed an appointed Dictator virtually unchecked power so long as it directly related to their duties. Since the appointment of a Magister Militum was well within the scope of their authority, it would take more than a three-fourths majority within the Senate to even contest the decision...---While the affairs of Megalomesembria were worthy of notice, Vahn wasn't particularly concerned by the unprecedented developments within the infamously corrupt Confederation. It didn't matter who had been designated as their puppet ruler, as, behind the scenes, the organization with the greatest amount of power was the secret society established by the Demon Nobles of Venus. Behind them, it was the members of Cosmos Entelecheia pulling the strings, so, in the end, it didn't matter if it was the Dictator or the Megalomesembrian Senate; neither was truly in charge.It had always been a matter of time until Vahn was forced to butt heads with both the Empire and the Confederation, so, rather than worry about the inevitable, he was focused on more important matters. Though there had yet to be a public declaration of war, even children would be able to tell that the conflict had already begun. As a result, Eva could no longer delay her departure, so, after a few more days within the Space-Time Orb, they were entangled in a long embrace near the border of Tempe, a nation of Mercenaries and Treasure Hunters that bordered the Holy Land of Wealth and Mystery, the legendary Noctis Labyrinthus.Tempe also happened to be the actual Holy Land for wielders of Earth Magic, but, despite a general interest in all the Great Spirits, Vahn wasn't in a hurry to meet the infamously obstinate Tempe Terra, the Great Spirit for which the Continent itself was named. They were known to spend most of their time cooped up within an ever-changing Labyrinth beneath the Capital, so, unless you were willing to overcome thousands of traps and countless monsters, gaining an audience with them was nearly impossible...Ignoring all matters related to the Great Spirit of Earth, at least for the time being, Vahn continued to hold Eva, his expression somber as he asked, "Do we really have to part like this? I'm not sure my heart can-"Preventing Vahn from completing his words, Eva tiptoed to give him yet another peck on the lips before adopting a chiding tone and saying, "I have already explained it to you countless times, you stubborn oaf. Just as you have things you must attend without me, there are some things I need to resolve on my own. Now, unhand me. The sooner I depart, the sooner we can reunite. Neither of us will be happy if I have to force you to release me..."Though he knew she was being serious, Vahn didn't immediately release the stern-looking blonde. Instead, he held her even closer, deeply inhaling her fragrance as he affectionately nuzzled the nape of her slender neck. It was only after several more minutes had passed that he finally released the red-faced beauty, caressing her face one last time as he reiterated, "I love you, Evangeline Athanasia Katherine McDowell. Even when the final star in the night sky burns out, you will forever occupy one of the largest and most important places in my heart..."Taking note of the fact that Vahn said 'one of' the largest places in his heart, Eva couldn't help but turn her eyes up at him. Despite this, she chose to refrain from commenting on his choice of words, forcibly restraining her embarrassment as she stated, "You kept your promise and saved me from an eternity that I did not choose. Though I cannot promise you another eternity, I swear that we will be together until my ego has faded away into nothingness. The Gods know you would probably drown the heavens with your tears if I actually had the heart to leave you..."Punctuating her words, Eva placed her hand atop Vahn's heart, planting one final kiss upon his lips before pushing away several tens of meters. Then, like a phantom dissipating into the void, her red-faced figure vanished from view. In its wake, a cold chill spread through the area, but, hidden within the veil of the icy wind, a familiar warmth and a pleasant fragrance continued to linger for several seconds following Eva's departure...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I would not want to be a soldier on the ground...','When the system itself is a corrupt farce, it doesn't matter who is on top','That's amore...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Try as he might, Vahn was unable to avoid falling into a depressive state following Eva's departure. Fortunately, as was often the case, he could rely on his Realm to make a gradual recovery. He ended up spending the better part of five weeks focused on watching over his Empire, spending time with his children, babysitting his grandson, and tumbling through the cosmos with his myriad lovers.One of the benefits of having functionally unlimited power based on perception and intent was that it allowed Vahn to do virtually whatever he wanted. He could create distant stars just by pointing at the night sky, and, even more fantastical, he could link them together to make visible constellations linked together by silvery bands of light. This had originally caused quite a stir among the residents of his Realm, but, compared to the shock they experienced upon their 'awakening', it wasn't all that concerning...---With his return to the outside fast approaching, Vahn spent his final few hours seated on a Throne that appeared to be constructed from a solidified form of Space. In his lap, an inordinately beautiful woman with long white hair, ruby-red eyes, various wings, and a pure white dress nestled closely as they watched the gradual formation of a planet. It was currently little more than a flaming ball, but, given enough time, it was bound to become a planet filled to the brim with life.Vahn had actually abstained from the creation of any life-bearing planets within his Realm, as, from his perspective, a 'dead' planet was too dangerous. He had grown quite fond of the system present within the Nasuverse, and, with his Realm incorporating many of the same Laws, it just made sense to create Celestial Bodies with an Ego.As could be expected, creating a living planet was a 'marginally' more complicated than producing something like an Elemental Lotus. Fortunately, with a literal planet among his lovers, Vahn had an advantage few people could even conceptualize. His offspring with Gaia, an unbelievably cute little girl named Silva, ended up being a Planetary Spirit. She possessed an Innate called [Terra Genesis], and, as the name implied, it allowed her to create and develop a planet from scratch.There were several things that occupied Vahn's attention within his Realm, but, regardless of his state of mind, he always split a part of himself to bear witness to Silva's growth as a planet. There was just something about watching a planet form that brought him unparalleled peace of mind, and, with an inordinately beautiful woman to share the experience with, it had become one of his favorite things to do in the entire Realm.Ever since the 'birth' of Silva, Gaia had mellowed out considerably. She still had moments when she could be scarily aggressive, but, more often than not, she could be found contentedly watching the development of her daughter. Silva had become the most important part of her existence, and, like any good mother, she didn't want to miss even a single moment of her beloved child's growth...---After sitting in silence for several days, Vahn began to lightly caress Gaia's abdomen as he said, "It is time for me to return."Understanding Vahn's intentions, Gaia placed her hand overtop his before closing her eyes. Several minutes later, an unbelievably adorable girl with long silver hair, three pairs of angelic wings, a pure white dress, and energetic gold eyes came darting toward them like a homing missile. She had the appearance of a child around three years of age, but, due to the temporal bubble surrounding her planetary body, her chronological age was closer to three million.Knowing what to expect, Gaia had already alighted from Vahn's lap, clearing a path for the silvery 'bullet' mere moments before it crashed into the wryly smiling man with enough force to shatter the space-formed Throne.Though she wasn't really 'aware' of anything when she was developing as a planet, Silva always had the feeling that a very long period of time had passed every time she saw her Papa. Thus, whenever her mother called for her, she would come rushing to greet him, crashing into him with the force of a small planetoid as she happily exclaimed, "Papa~!"Contrasting the destruction of his Throne, Vahn was entirely undamaged by his adorable daughter's meteoric charge. Then, as if she didn't weigh close to septillion kilograms, he casually picked her up into a koala carry, smiling affectionately as he gazed into her diamond-shaped pupils and said, "You certainly seem to be in high spirits."Nodding her head with clear excitement visible in her expression, Silva happily explained, "My core finished filtering out most of the lighter elements that were gathered during its formation. It won't be long before my other layers begin to take shape and my crust begins to form~."Even if it felt like she was sleeping during the process, Silva was still aware of the changes taking place in her 'body'. As a result, she had helped Vahn glean some insight into the natural formation of planets, important knowledge any Creation God should possess.Knowing she would want to show him the results of her efforts, Vahn chuckled lightly in response to his daughter's words before gradually descending toward the fiery planet. As for Gaia, she was unable to enter into the Bounded Field of another planet, even if it belonged to her daughter, so, after watching their departure with a smile, her figure seemed to fade into the void. She spent more time than she ought to away from her actual body, so, whenever Vahn was spending time with their daughter, Gaia would return to make sure everything was okay. She also used it as an opportunity to visit everyone back in Avalon, and, though they were a little rambunctious, she enjoyed spending time with her niece and nephew...---Opening his eyes back in the Akamatsuverse, Vahn took a moment to collect his bearings before teleporting back to the island he had commandeered. His Realm had given him plenty of time to organize his thoughts, so, immediately after his arrival, he sought out Asuna and Fenrir, the only two 'people' left in the hideout. He had already moved Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale to Deimos, so, except for Chachazero, the Chacha Sisters, and an ever-growing population of Elemental Spirits, Vahn didn't have much to worry about.Sensing Vahn's presence at nearly the same time, Fenrir and Asuna shifted their focus to the void as the former seemed to apparate out of thin air. Their reaction caused a smile to spread across Vahn's face, and, as a result, the expressions of both girls visibly brighten as they stood up and moved over to his side.Preempting their questions, Vahn made a gesture to indicate they shouldn't worry before saying, "It is time for us to make our move. Now that the war has begun, we will be taking action to bring it to a swift conclusion..."Having said as much, Vahn shifted his focus to meet Asuna's gaze as he added, "The enemy might try to use your status as a Princess of Vespertatia against us. Rather than try to hide it, however, it is fine if you want to embrace it completely. The political positions and opinions of people who have been swayed by corruption have no real value. If you want to become a 'Hero' representing Ostia, I will support you. My purpose in this war is to act as a deterrent so you are free to choose your own path without fear of legitimate censure."Understanding she was one of the 'reasons' behind the current war, Asuna had already made ample mental preparations for all kinds of schemes. She also valued Vahn's teachings more than the ideals of the Ostian Royal Family, so, regardless of what others said, she had already chosen her path.With a resolute look that could rival her older cousin's, Asuna stared directly into Vahn's eyes as she said, "I will not let the greedy and corrupt decide the fate of this world. Titles like Princess, Hero, or even Demon Queen have no real meaning. I will do what I think is right, even if it requires me to cut down countless enemies."Though it made him feel slightly guilty to hear a young girl utter such words, Vahn still nodded his head in approval as he extended his hand to rub the top of Asuna's head. She was far more mature than her age would indicate, and, at times, she even made him feel rather childish. Thus, regardless of his apprehensions, Vahn recognized that Asuna was already capable of making decisions about her own life...While continuing to stroke the giggling Asuna's head, Vahn shifted his gaze to Fenrir, saying, "This will be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your power as well. Our future enemies will be even more powerful, so, before we move on, I want to see how much you have grown. Remember, our priority should always be to preserve life. I might not be a paragon of proper restraint, but, if it can be avoided, I would rather those I care about not become killers capable of striking down enemies with no remorse..."Though she could control it perfectly at normal times, Fenrir still had a penchant for losing control of herself in the heat of battle. This was especially true when facing off against powerful opponents or large groups of enemies, and, in the worst-case scenario, she would even enter a berserker blood frenzy. In this state, the only person who could pull her back was Vahn himself, so, while Fenrir was more than capable of battling against some of the strongest enemies in a Record, she was generally kept as a reserve force.Well aware of her own inadequacies, Fenrir wasn't even remotely upset by her Master's words. She knew how quickly she could descend into a feral state, so, when she wasn't busy carrying out her other 'duties', most of her time was spent meditating and learning how to control her emotions. It was something she had been working on for more than a hundred years, so, hearing she would be given a chance to fight, Fenrir did her best to remain calm as she said, "I will keep Master's words in my heart. Unless my hand is forced, I will do my best to avoid killing anyone unless it is absolutely necessary...!"Knowing how much effort Fenrir had put into her training, Vahn had absolute confidence in her self-restraint. It didn't matter how many times she proved this valuation wrong by losing control, as, regardless of anything else, she never stopped trying to control herself. She couldn't be blamed for an Innate that had been bestowed upon her as a result of his actions, so, even if she lost control a thousand more times, Vahn would never stop believing in the loveable Vanargandr.Sensing her Master's thoughts, Fenrir's tail began to wag happily as she rubbed her head against the palm of his outstretched hand. This earned her a calculative look from Asuna, and, after a few seconds of consideration, Vahn quickly found himself 'cornered' by two over-affectionate girls...---As one of the largest cities in Mundus Magicus, Tempe was home to one of the eleven Gateports that connected the Magical World to Earth. It was also a gathering place for Mercenaries, Bounty Hunters, Explorers, and anyone else seeking to make a fortune using unique skills and magic. As a result, it was the place where most of the groups searching for Vahn had gathered, so, shortly after entering the city, Eva wasn't surprised to hear several people talking about the various rumors that had been circulating even before the war...Unaware of the identity of the cloaked woman making her way through the streets of Tempe, a man with spikey orange hair and a scar over his left eye commented to one of his companions, "You hear the rumor saying the Dark Evangel was made into a sex slave by that Sage Dragon Emperor guy?"Ignorant of the landmine her friend had just stepped on, a purple-haired woman wearing an almost comically oversized witch hat answered, "Wait, isn't the Dark Evangel supposed to be a brat? I didn't know an Ancient Dragon could be a pedophile...makes you wonder what he was really doing during his stay in Ariadne..."Though many had heard the rumors mentioning Vahn's 'purge', information and rumors had a habit of being distorted the further it was from the source. There were many reasons for this, but, on the most fundamental level, it was the propensity of people to spread gossip and jokingly insult people more powerful than themselves that led to such distasteful alterations.Piggybacking off his companion's words, the spiky-haired man began to loudly guffaw, earning a number of annoyed looks before he added, "I guess being an Ancient Dragon doesn't guarantee you have a Dragon of your own. Maybe it makes him feel 'bigger' if he targets younger women?"Seemingly finding his words hilarious, the man was about to release another grating laugh before he noticed the stunned looks of his companions. They all had stupefied expressions on their faces, and, when he followed their gaze, a similar expression appeared on his own before quickly being replaced by a look of abject terror. At that exact same moment, a truly excruciating amount of pain began to spread through his body as his below-average dragon, frozen solid, fell to the ground...---Without sparing the man a second look, Eva retracted her hand into her sleeve before hastening her pace. She was intending to use the Gateport to return to Mundus Vetus, as, following the war nearly five-hundred years prior, most of her former companions had returned to Earth. It was a lot easier for their enemies to hunt them in Mundus Magicus, so, while Earth wasn't exactly the best place to live as a Mage, it was the first choice when it came to hiding away for long periods of time.Eva didn't have anyone she could truly refer to as a friend, but, after living for nearly seven-hundred years, she had met a few people she could trust. Like her, they had all been cursed with some form of immortality, so, while they didn't always see eye-to-eye, the burden of eternity allowed them to empathize with each other. After all, most of the people they had ever known were dead, so, in the end, immortals really only had each other for company...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*casually lifts the weight of a planet*','Trust in the Goodest Girl','RIP Tiny Dragon-chan...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though it was undoubtedly the result of his actions and interference, the war between the Hellas Empire and the Megalomesembrian Confederation had yet to break out. Both sides were prepared for an extended and bloody war, but, after the sudden and unexpected destruction of Elfenhof, the leaders of each camp had decided upon a 'wait-and-see' approach. At the same time, large groups of Mercenaries had been commissioned to gather information on the Sage Dragon Emperor and his location. This included a group of famous Immortal Hunters from Mundus Vetus, as, following their departure from Zephyria, rumors had begun to circulate asserting that the Dark Evangel had joined hands with the Sage Dragon Emperor.With Fairy Xuan supplying him with information, Vahn was rarely in the dark about any significant stirrings in the underworld. He knew the rumors were undoubtedly the result of Cosmo Entelecheia trying to make things difficult for him, but, regardless of their efforts, it would make no difference in the end game. Thus, rather than worry about the machinations of fools, he spent the remainder of their time together spoiling Eva and constructing his secret base on the Lesser Moon, Deimos.Though Mundus Magicus was located on the Inverse Side of Mars, it was actually possible to fly away from the planet and find yourself in the actual Solar System. This was due to the magical field surrounding Mundus Magicus working like a spatial membrane that connected the Inverse Side to the Outside, removing the need for projected celestial bodies and allowing those within the Magical World to freely gaze into the night sky without fear of discovery.Unfortunately, the moment you exited Mundus Magicus' version of a Planetary Bounded Field, you would find yourself staring down at a barren and lifeless planet covered in rust-red sand and dust. It was nothing like the vibrant world located on the Inverse Side, and, unless you had a spatial anchor or a magical beacon to guide the way, you could bore straight to the core without finding a trace of Mundus Magicus.Fortunately, Mundus Magicus' Planetary Bounded Field extended nearly 20,000km from the planet's surface. This allowed both Phobos and Demios to orbit within its bounds, as, at the furthest point of their orbits, the former was around 9600km away while the later skirted the edge at 19,312.Due to its proximity to the edge of Mundus Magicus' Planetary Bounded Field, Vahn decided upon Deimos as his base of operations. This would make it exponentially harder for them to be detected, as, despite having ships capable of easily traversing the vacuum of Space, international treaties had prevented any country from doing so. Any attempt to create and station a force in Space would be met with a military response, not just from other countries, but from Ostia itself.During his investigation, Vahn had discovered that Phobos had actually be hollowed out to perform a function similar to the Moon Cell. It orbited the planet a little more than three times per day, and, though it was significantly less advanced than the ancient archive that had been converted into Da Vinci's Workshop, it was still very impressive. The only downside was that it had fallen into a severe state of disrepair, and, though it was still able to perform its functions, the interior was inhospitable to all forms of life. Just cleaning up the radiation leaking from its core would take several years, so, while there was undoubtedly much to learn from such a facility, Vahn wasn't particularly concerned with unlocking all the secrets of the Akamatsuverse.Since it was all-but-guaranteed that the facility on Phobos belonged to the Ancient Civilization of Venus, Vahn spent a bit of time creating a massive formation using modified Yi arrows to lay the foundation. The formation only had two functions, one that concealed it and another that allowed it to gradually stockpile energy directly from the void. This energy would be stored within each of Yi arrows, and, if he ever discovered the ancient archive was being used by his enemies, Vahn would not hesitate to blow the entire moon out of the sky to deny them the opportunity...With Phobos effectively rigged to explode at a moment's notice, Vahn set his sights on the much smaller Deimos. It only had a mean radius of around 6.2km, so, rather than call it a Moon, it seemed more apt to refer to it as an asteroid that had been trapped in Mars' orbit, circling the planet once every thirty hours at a speed of 4,858km/h.Due to its size, it was actually possible for a reasonably powerful person to leap from the surface of Deimos with enough velocity to escape its weak gravitational pull. Rather, Vahn almost felt like he was going to fall off the fast-moving asteroid at any given moment, as, with gravity being less than 3266 times that of Earth's, only 0.003m/s², he was practically weightless.Fortunately, regardless of how ridiculously small Deimos was, Vahn had little trouble navigating its surface. He could freely move through both Space and Time under ideal circumstances, so, after an hour or so, he managed to burrow into the porous core of the icy rock before spending the better part of three days hollowing out and reinforcing the entire structure. In the end, he created a large spherical cavern that was approximately 4km in diameter, repurposing much of the original Deimos to increase the density of the surrounding walls.Vahn didn't want to affect the orbit of the minuscule moon too much, so, from start to finish, he did his best to avoid changing its overall mass and velocity. Then, once everything was complete, he set the 'Garden of Avalon' at Deimos' gravitational center. This would allow it to float freely within the perfectly spherical chamber he had created, but, knowing any random impact from an asteroid had the potential of altering Demios' course and center of gravity, Vahn reinforced its position with an exceptionally powerful gravitational anchor.To further protect the Garden of Avalon and make the interior space hospitable to anyone entering or exiting the former Diorama, Vahn layered hundreds of protective formations and defensive arrays along the interior surface. Once this was complete, he requested the aid of several Elemental Spirits within the Garden of Avalon, effectively remodeling the interior hollow into a fantastical garden that was rich with flora and microbial life suitable for such a low-gravitational environment. This caused a semi-permanant 'raincloud' to form around the Garden of Avalon, but, as this created the illusion of a tiny world suspended in the Heavens, Vahn was rather satisfied with the result. Thus, after six days of hard labor, persistently searching for just the right balance between form and function, he chose the seventh, a Wednesday, to enjoy a much-deserved rest...---While his main body had been hard at work thousands of kilometers above the surface, the rest of Vahn's vessels had been lounging about almost excessively. Though he still dutifully trained every single day, setting an example for his young protege to follow, the rest of the day was spent lazing about, pandering to Eva, and pampering virtually everyone. There was even a two-day period where they all just camped along the beach, complete with cracking open watermelons, swimming in the sea, barbeque, sunbathing, and stargazing.Overall, it had been a rather pleasant week, which, due to the Sub-Space Orb, amounted to nearly thirty days of rest and relaxation. This might seem a tad extravagant, but, when they had the option to spend upwards of seventy to one-hundred-sixty-eight days for every week that passed, it wasn't that bad. Instead, it provided them with ample time to focus on training, research, and relaxation, a combination that allowed for considerable progress without having to compromise on happiness.Though he understood the merits of hard work, Vahn had never forgotten the lessons taught to him by Tsubaki. He knew the importance of cutting loose and relaxing, so, immediately following his morning training with Asuna, everyone would take a bath around the same time while another version of himself prepared breakfast alongside the 'Chacha Sisters'. After breakfast, he would use one of his vessels to watch over Asuna and spend time with his children while the others attended Eva, Fenrir, and Medusa. He could push himself to maintain five bodies without too much trouble, so, as long as Medusa didn't hole herself up inside the Sub-Space Orb, there was enough of him to go around...---Having just completed the construction of their secret base, Vahn adopted a relaxed smile as he continued to rub his hands along Eva's exposed back, his fingers sinking into her soft flesh as the light from the sun reflected tantalizingly across her slightly tanned skin. She had made a concerted effort to spend more time in the sun, so, to prevent even the smallest of blemishes from appearing, Vahn made sure to dutifully coat her entire body in an oil-based sunscreen obtained from his ever-handy and infinitely stocked system shop.Making sure to leave no spot unattended, Vahn allowed his left hand to glide across Eva's pert yet pliant butt, his fingers gingerly tracing her intergluteal cleft. This earned him a slightly annoyed look from the person in question, but, despite her face turning a progressively deeper shade of red, she made no attempt to stop him. Instead, she just released a mildly exasperated sigh, allowing him to continue applying the sunscreen down her thighs and calves before ultimately coming to a stop at the tops of her feet.With her backside completely covered in the fragrant oil, Eva took the initiative to roll over before Vahn could attempt something like lightly smacking or groping her backside. She didn't particularly mind it, but, after seeing how far Theo had fallen, she wanted to avoid being led astray by Vahn's inordinately skilled hands. Just having him apply sunscreen brought her an indescribable amount of comfort, and, if she didn't force herself to stay awake, it was very easy to descend into a contented slumber that could last for several hours...Understanding his adorable fiancee's thought process, the edges of Vahn's smile curled to express amusement as he placed his hand on her abdomen and said, "I just finished installing the Garden of Avalon. Do you want to take a look after I finish applying your lotion?"Willfully ignoring the hand caressing her abdomen, Eva adjusted her position on the towels Vahn had laid out for her before answering, "I'll check it out after I return. I've already seen the inside of the Diorama and I don't see any reason to travel that far just to take a look. I'm also unable to use that convenient little method of yours, so, for the time being, it is best I avoid going there unless it is an emergency. A secret hideout serves little purpose if our enemies are able to track and discover its location."As he already anticipated her response, Vahn wasn't particularly surprised by Eva's logic. Instead, he just gave a curt nod before tracing his hand up her body and dutifully applying a layer of sunscreen to her budding breasts. They were far from the sizeable G-Cups of her Adult form, but, compared to the virtually non-existent breasts of her perpetually prepubescent self, they had grown substantially. They were already nearing the pinnacle of a B-Cup, and, due to a specialized diet and an extremely specific exercise routine, it wouldn't be long before Eva's 'true form' could be classified as a mature beauty.Though she couldn't make sense of his thought process at times, Eva was able to read Vahn like an open book most of the time. As a result, she instantly understood what was going through his mind as he 'shamelessly' fondled her breasts with an appreciative glimmer in his eye. This caused her ears to regain the red hue they had only recently lost, but, rather than 'correct' his behavior, she allowed him to do as he pleased. He had stopped teasing her overtly, so, as long as he didn't get too out of hand, she could tolerate a bit of mischief and wayward thoughts.After triple-checking to make sure he hadn't neglected a single micron of Eva's bared breasts, Vahn moved on to applying sunscreen to her neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers before returning to his base station near her navel. Then, after administering an admittedly excessive amount of the fragrant oil across her abdomen and torso, he used a towel to wipe her down before using his index finger to clear out the remnants from her belly button. This earned him another pointed stare from the red-faced maiden, but, considering what was to come, it seemed pointless to complain about having her navel played with.Unwilling to leave a single spot of his fiancee's body unattended, Vahn gradually worked from Eva's abdomen down to the exceptionally tender region between her navel and the immaculate shrine of purity below. This was the point when Eva would normally turn away and grit her teeth, but, likely as a result of her impending departure, she continued observing the process from start to finish, biting the back of her index finger throughout...---Around the same time that Eva was struggling to hold her void, Vahn was helping Asuna, Euryale, and even Stheno apply sunscreen to their bodies. Unlike Eva, however, they were already wearing their swimsuits, and, rather than applying it directly, he just made sure they had properly applied it to themselves. The last thing he needed was Stheno or Euryale imprinting on him in a problematic way, and, though this didn't seem too likely, Vahn had already been 'bitten' too many times to say it was 'impossible'.Fortunately, whenever his children were around, Asuna ceased her usual mischief and adopted the facade of a reliable older sister. She would patiently walk Euryale through the process of applying her sunscreen, and, though they didn't particularly get along, she would do her best to interact with Stheno, answering questions and offering advice when applicable. This had initially annoyed the eldest of the two gorgon sisters, but, having failed to gain even the smallest advantage against her rival, Stheno had gradually begun to mellow out over time...Confident she hadn't missed any areas, Stheno, wearing an intricate purple swimsuit that normally wouldn't suit someone her age, snaked her way over to her father's die, a sly smile on her face as she smoothly asked, "Did I miss a spot, Papa~?"Offering a smile that was equal parts wry and affectionate, Vahn gestured for Stheno to give a quick pirouette before answering, "It seems like you got everything. Good job, Stheno."Gratified by her father's praise, Stheno offered a sultry-looking smile that had none of the intended meaning as she leaned forward, naturally pressing her breasts together as she presented her head for petting. All of her behavior radiated a natural sex-appeal, and, though he knew she didn't even think about such things, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little concerned about his daughter's future as he extended his hand to habitually caress her head. Though it could be argued that he should be more worried about her future partner, Vahn's fatherly instincts compelled him to consider any man fortunate enough to date one of his daughters 'exceptionally' lucky...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'That's no moon...!','Oh my...','RIP Stheno's future husband(read as slave)')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1627: First Contact