Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Without caring about the response of the Hellas Empire and Megalomesembrian Confederation, Vahn focused his efforts on investigating the regions flooded during the brief confrontation against the Leviathan.Fortunately, due to the existence of the Leviathan itself, there were very few cities located anywhere near a large body of water. The only real exceptions were places like Al Jamila and Sirenum, regions where the native population could survive in both the sea and on land. Their coasts were also lined with massive sea walls that reached upwards of 100m, well above the threshold of the Leviathan's average tsunamis.Other than some environmental damage, which would quickly recover due to the presence of both elemental and magical energy, there were no disastrous consequences of Fenrir's 'minor' gaffe. The only nearby population centers were the agricultural nation of Eos and a number of frontier military outposts owned and operated by the Megalomesembrian Confederation. These facilities, as could be expected, were surrounded by excessively high walls, so, regardless of whether or not the flood reached them, they would be largely unaffected.---After several hours of search-and-rescue, saving various animals and a few magical beasts that had been affected by the flooding, Vahn, accompanied by Fenrir and Asuna, made camp in the valley of a small mountain located a few hundred kilometers North of Lake Argyre. This region often served as a secondary battleground between the two superpowers, so, with their 'preferred' battleground now impassable, they had little choice but to change venue if they wanted to continue the conflict.Though there was a considerable Hellas presence in the region, the valley occupied by Vahn and his entourage was sparsely populated by ancient ruins. Such areas were often the breeding ground for powerful monsters, and, for reasons Archaeologists and Scholars had yet to understand, a variety of malicious magical traps, many specifically targeted people, could be found in such ruins. Disarming these traps was ultimately futile, as, after a few hours had passed, new traps would spring up, many far more dangerous than those which preceded them.While dungeoneering or delving into ruins, the most common approach was to simply map out as many traps as possible without triggering them. Traps wouldn't just randomly move around, so, if they had yet to be triggered, identifying the locations and triggering mechanisms of a trap would allow for 'relatively' safe passage through an area.With the ability to instantaneously map out everything within his perception, it took very little effort for Vahn's party to trespass the ruins. It took them less than half an hour to reach the most isolated region of the ruins, a vast underground chamber that was actually guarded by a large baboon-like creature with a snake-headed tail.Though it had a breath attack that allowed it to turn anything it touched into stone, the ten-meter tall monstrosity was ultimately defeated by Asuna in an instant. She had been excitedly leading the way up until then, and, after defeating the 'boss-like' entity, she happily pried open an ornate stone chest that had appeared in a hidden room following after the monkey's defeat. This also ended up being a trap, but, with her ability to negate external magic completely, Asuna ended up destroying the magical formation without even noticing its existence...---Taking advantage of the empty chamber formerly occupied by the giant baboon, Vahn pulled out a homely-looking cottage from his Inventory and began fixing dinner while Fenrir and Asuna washed up and changed clothes. He was mentally exhausted from his earlier escapades, but, after watching Asuna happily conquer the game-like dungeon, much of his usual vigor had returned. Cooking also helped a lot, as, not only was it something he genuinely enjoyed, it had always been a therapeutic way for him to simply cut loose and relax.Though it might seem somewhat contrary considering his penultimate goal, Vahn wasn't actually all that fond of conflict. He certainly enjoyed friendly competition and battling strong opponents, but, as such things were often predicated by exacerbating circumstances, it generally left a bitter taste in his mouth. There simply weren't enough opponents he could go all out against, and, more often than not, those that could actually compete with him were vile and despicable existences he simply couldn't enjoy battling.Shaking his head, Vahn finished decorating his dishes by cutting a few sausages and apple slices into the shape of cute octopi and pointy-eared rabbits. He always found it rather amusing to see the conflict in Asuna's eyes whenever she was forced to choose between eating what he had made or letting them go to waste. It might be a little 'mean' of him, but, even after the passage of more than two-hundred-years, Vahn simply couldn't help but enjoy teasing people. It was a core part of his character, and, though he sometimes got out of hand, most incidents quickly turned into fond memories that he could reminisce with the people he cared about...---After enjoying a rather lively meal, Vahn was seated on a large sofa with Fenrir and Asuna nestled on his right and left, respectively. The latter had already changed into her pajamas, but, rather than pay it any mind, Vahn just enjoyed their company as they watched a rather cinematic representation of the incident above Lake Argyre. Seeing it from the outside helped to put things into perspective, and, most importantly, allowed them to understand how others might view the event.Ever the astute young lady, Asuna didn't hesitate to offer her own opinion on things, saying, "I like the idea of drawing a visible line between the two sides but I feel like it will have more of an impact on the creatures living in the lake and anything trying to fly over than the two superpowers. Unless it could also block magical energy, they could continue to bombard each other from a distance and just use the 'Warp' spell to transport their fleet across. It will certainly make things more difficult for them, but I can't see it ending the war..."Well aware of the points she was making, Vahn didn't try to refute any of Asuna's claims. Instead, he just issued an approving nod before explaining, "Even if we prevent them from openly fighting, they will still find ways to undermine and sabotage each other. Stopping the war won't actually bring the fighting to an end, so, until we can draw out Cosmo Entelecheia, I intend to draw as much attention as possible to myself. This will allow Theo, Arika, and Eva greater freedom of movement, and, if fate allows, it will also draw the members of Ala Rubra directly to us."Hearing mention of Ala Rubra, Asuna scrunched up her nose slightly before remarking, "I don't like those people. Though I've never met them, everything I have read seems to imply that man, Albireo Imma, is the mastermind behind numerous troublesome events. Even if he did what he thought was necessary to defeat the Mage of the Beginning, the methods we use are equally as important as the outcome we desire. The moment we cease caring about the particulars, we become no better than the enemies we want to defeat."Having learned a similar lesson the hard way, Vahn issued another approving nod in response to Asuna's statement. There was no such thing as a finite outcome, and, even after you achieved your goal, there was always something more to follow. The compromises you made along the way would invariably lead to a karmic deficit, and, as a result, many Heroes often found their lives wrought with tragedy in the wake of their triumphs.Unless an incident occurred to drastically decrease your power, victory against any established 'evil' would subsequently lead to an extreme imbalance in power. As a result, 'something' would need to fill the power vacuum created, and, though this could sometimes take thousands of years, the end result was always the tragic end of the Hero. There were even situations where the former Hero of a Record became the very threat a future protagonist would have to confront, as, over time, humanity and karmic deficits could even lead Saints down a very dark route.Having nearly strayed down such a path twice, both in the Nasuverse and Danmachi, Vahn knew better than most how quickly power could lead people astray. It was one of the reasons he desired stronger opponents, as, without something 'above' him, it was inevitable that a threat would come from 'below'. This would remain the case until he reached Tier 7, as, by then, there would simply be no opponents that could ever pose a threat to him. Rather, at that level, all conflict would become completely irrelevant...Envisioning the peak he was aiming for, Vahn felt a peculiar feeling of 'emptiness' in his heart for a very brief moment. Memories of all the people he had met along the way, including his family and lovers, quickly replaced any inhibitions he had about the future. This was the path he had decided upon, and, though it might seem like life would lose all meaning once he achieved such a degree of power, it wasn't as if power was the thing that gave his life meaning. His greatest desire had always been to live freely, not without restraint, but in a way that allowed him to be proud of the path he had walked and the bonds he forged in the process...---Back within the 'observation room' that allowed them to observe Vahn's actions, all one-hundred of Sis's avatars released a sigh of relief when they saw their troublesome little brother pull Fenrir and Asuna a little closer. They could feel his tensions gradually fade away, and, in their place, feelings of affection, positivity, hope, and a fair amount of ambition quickly replaced any feelings of negativity, at least for the time being.Though he had an almost ridiculous amount of power at his disposal, Vahn had always had a fragile heart. His mind was actually very stable, largely thanks to her presence, but, due to the existence of his most powerful Innate, currently sealed by The Path, there were moments when his raw emotions transcended even his [Will of the Emperor]'s ability to cope with.One of Sis' primary responsibilities, even if it seemed contrary, was actually delaying the awakening of Vahn's 'primary' Innate, as, depending on the circumstances, it could easily lead him far from any and all paths. She couldn't actually 'stop' it from awakening, as it was simply inevitable, but, until he had obtained the happiness he sought, she would sooner sacrifice herself than allow him to endure the burden of the truth...After lightly patting their rather voluminous chests to calm down, several versions of Sis rose from their seats in order to conduct some 'routine maintenance'. Vahn was clearly reaching a point where his own power was becoming a burden to him, so, before he experienced an existential crisis or did anything drastic, they would filter through his memories in order to 'purge' the emotions contained within. This would cause Vahn to feel a sense of indifference when he recalled these memories, but, in the grand scheme of things, people simply weren't designed to recall feelings of negativity with 'perfect' clarity.Even a normal person could be consumed by negative thoughts, so, with the ability to recall even the individual particles of sand on a beach, one of Vahn's greatest strengths was also his principal weakness. When he was happy, he was 'very' happy, and, as a result, everyone around him would experience a greater sense of happiness and fulfillment. This was because he literally translated his feelings through his domain, and, while it wasn't intentional, these emotions greatly affected those around him.Vahn had yet to realize it himself but he actually 'radiated' his happiness and positivity like a flame giving off heat. He could quantifiably increase the happiness of others, but, in exchange, he actually drained his own happiness as if it was a finite resource. At the same time, further exacerbating the problem, he proactively absorbed the negative energy radiated by others, overdrafting his mental and spiritual energies in the process. This was one of the reasons his Karma increase so quickly, as, rather than simply helping people, he qualitatively improved their lives by altering their fates and setting them down a path that would invariably ensure their happiness...Depending on how much of his empathy they had stirred, Vahn would place a disproportionately large 'seed' of happiness within a person's body. This was generally enough to ensure they would live a relatively free and happy life, but, by remaining near Vahn and receiving his care, attention, and the nourishment of his Source Energy, this seed would inevitably blossom. By then, you would become a source for his happiness, and, depending on the circumstances, there was a chance you would become a part of something far greater than any individual...Unfortunately, as Vahn's concerns and empathy spread beyond his immediate surroundings, the amount of happiness he spread greatly eclipsed his intake. If he tried helping too many people in a short period of time, he would gradually fall into a depressive state that exponentially increased the chances of him doing something regrettable. This could quickly result in a negative feedback loop, so, whenever Vahn was on the verge of a meltdown, Sis did her best to filter out as much negativity as possible, stopping short just when it seemed like her actions would directly affect his personality.Though it was certainly troublesome, everyone needed a bit of negativity and sadness in order to maintain a state of mental wellness. If they were unable to recall tragic events without feeling even a small amount of sadness or remorse, they would gradually feel more detached and apathetic. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing if you were a loner with a keen sense of purpose, but, when you were the lynchpin of both a Realm and an Empire, apathy became the catalyst for countless tragedies...In the grand scheme of things, balance was equally as important in ensuring the stability of reality as it was in preserving the stability of the mind. Too much of any emotion, including things like love and happiness, could lead to dependence. This left you susceptible to breaking down when things weren't going your way. More terrifyingly, you might even lose your ability to find happiness in the things that once brought you the greatest joy, desperately seeking means to fill the void that had been created in your heart...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Map Function is secretly the MC','Shokugeki no Sage Dragon Emperor','The secret of the *sealed* remains concealed...but for how long...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the Empire and Confederation entering a tentative period of peace, at least on the surface, Vahn decided to shift his focus away from existential issues and politics. There were a countless number of ways to spend his time more productively, so, until Theo, Arika, or Eva requested his assistance, Vahn decided to just cut loose and do things he enjoyed.Though it couldn't quite compete with the reality he experienced on a daily basis, especially as the Supreme Overseer of a Realm, Vahn still enjoyed reading, perusing manga, and watching anime. He always found it interesting how Authors had manipulated or construed certain Laws to add realism to their worlds, as, on the most fundamental level, these were actually ways in which the Laws could manifest. This inherent truth had made quite the impact on Da Vinci, and, with his blessing, she had made a number of breakthroughs in her attempts to test the limits of 'reality' itself.Vahn always felt blessed to have someone like Da Vinci in his camp. Her personality made her fun to be around, and, though she could get out of hand at times, her research had become more than just a foundational pillar of the Empire; it had become one of his principal sources of strength. She was constantly making breakthroughs in various subjects, and, after learning about the true nature of his existence, much of her research was directly focused on helping increase his comprehension and strengthen his abilities. She had even made several breakthroughs regarding Innates, breaking down the various different types, the method to awaken them, and, most importantly, the different ways in which they might 'evolve'.Though Innates were fundamentally unquantifiable existences with no upper limits on their growth and development, that didn't mean it was impossible to quantify the variables surrounding them. To that end, Da Vinci had managed to define Innates using nine standardized categories: Mind, Body, Spirit, Emission, Absorption, Mitigation, Creation, Manipulation, and Sensory. Everything outside of these categories were classified as a 'non-standard' Innate, and, while it was possible for an Innate to have aspects from multiple categories, Da Vinci hypothesized that people could not develop two Innates in the same category.If Da Vinci's hypothesis was true, it meant that, no matter how much a person trained, they could never develop something like two Body Innates. Instead, their existing Innate would evolve to be more adaptive to their intentions, even branching out into other categories if necessary. This was something Da Vinci had proven herself, as, after being artificially elevated to Tier 5, she managed to develop and 'customize' her Innates to the point that, even if he removed her Authority, she would retain much of her power.Fortunately, Da Vinci didn't care about power in the slightest, disdaining all conflicts as a 'waste of time and resources'. The only things that really mattered to her, in a very specific order, were him, their children, her research, and the stability of the Empire. It was for this reason that Vahn could trust her with virtually unchecked Authority within his Realm, as, even if she had the power to create stars in the palm of her hand, Da Vinci couldn't even rationalize misusing her power. She had never cared about things like status or arbitrarily declaring herself superior to others, and, if you were to ask her, she could drone on for hours about how inane it was to even consider pursuing something so 'meaningless'.Thankfully, while she considered such pursuits a waste of time, Da Vinci understood the situational need for such power. Thus, after learning about The Path and his desire to link the Records, she had been working tirelessly to help him understand the nature of reality itself. She had even helped to classify his Innates, and, further cementing her status as an Omnipotent Genius, Sis actually verified that Da Vinci's assertations were correct.After reading through various research papers Da Vinci had compiled in her ongoing efforts to try and understand him, Vahn learned that he actually only had three Innates. This had come as quite a shock, as, according to the same research papers, he had barely even reached Tier 4, much less the pinnacle he assumed himself to be at.In the end, it was his Source Energy that allowed Vahn to exceed the average Tier 4 and emulate the abilities of Tier 5. It was a form of energy that even exceeded Origin, the energy that gave form and function to all things within the Tier System. As a result, it was actually 'easier' for Source to emulate higher forms of energy, such as Realm and Divine, than it was to dilute into something like Magical Energy or Ki. This meant that his Source Energy actually become more powerful the higher the Tier of a Record, as, with the presence of purer forms of energy, the conversion process would become progressively easier.Unfortunately, while the results of Da Vinci's research had been very insightful, it meant Vahn was much further away from Tier 5 than he anticipated. As for the reason why, this was largely due to the fact that his [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] wasn't actually one of his Innates. Rather, it was what Da Vinci referred to as a 'non-standard' Innate, an ability that, unless certain conditions were met, simply couldn't exist as an inborn ability. Instead, non-standard Innates were 'inherited' or 'given', and, as had been verified by Sis, Vahn's [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] had been directly given to him by The Path.Though non-standard Innates could drastically increase a person's power, they had very little effect on the development of a person's Soul Tier. This meant that Vahn currently only had three Innates, his [Will of the Emperor], [Rakshasa Body], and [Eyes of Truth]. The former, rather than being related to the Mind, was actually classified as a Spirit Innate, and, as could be expected, [Rakshas Body] was principally classified as a Body Innate. As for his [Eyes of Truth], they were actually categorized as a Creation Innate, as, despite their apparent effect on his eyes, Vahn was actually able to 'see' without eyes at all. He could also create and destroy things simply by focusing his intent on a specific point, so, with the concept of Oblivion serving as their cornerstone, the [Eyes of Truth] had stronger ties to Creation than any kind of Sensory enhancement.If Da Vinci's research was accurate, which was heavily implied, this meant that Vahn had managed to reach Tier 4 with only three Innates. This was, once again, largely thanks to his Source Energy, as, even at Tier 2, he had been able to sense, manipulate, and emulate Divine Energy. The presence of so many Goddesses around him also helped to drastically increase his comprehension, but, more so than anything else, it was his ability to 'meld' with an existing Divinity that allowed him to reach Tier 4 with relative ease.When Vahn first learned these things, it really put into perspective just how phenomenally powerful Source Energy was. It might not have any 'actual' power, requiring a conversion into other forms of energy to have any real effect, but, so long as he understood what he wanted, Vahn's Source Energy would adapt to suit his needs. It truly opened up all paths to him, as, without exception, all things in the order of creation, no matter how abstract, could be traced back to Origin. Since Origin itself was only possible due to the presence of Source, there was, quite literally, nothing beyond its scope, as, on the most fundamental level, 'everything existed as a result of Source'.The only real restrictions on the use of Source Energy was the comprehension of its user. It could not emulate things they did not understand, and, while it could certainly 'fill in the gaps', this was primarily due to the significance Willpower and Intent. The Records themselves were derived from an amalgamation of these two things, so, when the conditions allowed, such as within a Realm, the influence of Source was 'absolute'. If he really wanted to, Vahn could 'erase' beings much stronger than him, as, within his Realm, they couldn't even exist without his 'permission'.With his understanding of Source, Vahn had been developing a skill that would, theoretically, allow him to defeat any foe. Unfortunately, the conditions to trigger this ability required a nigh-absolute understanding of the Laws within the Record he inhabited. This meant he would need to become an existence on the level of a Record's Overseer, a level of power that basically invalidated the need for such an absurd ability. Still, it was something worth developing, as, during the creation process, he would be required to learn how to reconcile the differences between the Laws of different Records.One of Vahn's primary objectives was to develop a means to manifest people from within his Realm into the outside world. Pulling them inside was actually pretty easy, as he could simply create a new body for them the moment they entered his Realm. Manifesting them externally, however, was very difficult, as, due to the nature of the Ego, they were comprised of energies referencing very specific Laws. This meant, unless their Ego was erased completely, it was virtually impossible for a person to traverse between the Records. The only exception to this rule were entities that had been named by the [Keeper of the Akashic Tome], as, from the moment they received their names, they functionally became an extension of Vahn himself.Since there was a fair chance that he wouldn't be able to pull anything outside of his Realm before he reached the pinnacle of Tier 6 and created a Record of his own, Vahn had previously decided to focus on the development of his unawakened Innates. Sis had given him a few hints, pointing out that most of his 'original' abilities were directly tied to his Innates. This included his [Chainbreaker], and, though he had originally thought it was related to his Source Energy, it seemed that skills like [Yggdrasil's Favor] and [Friend of the Spirits] were actually tied to something else entirely.To his surprise, Sis pointed out that even Development Abilities such as [Spirit Healing] and [Wound Transfer] were already related to unawakened Innates, so, if he included [Veil of the Traveler], Vahn, from the very beginning, had the capacity to awaken seven Innates. This seemed to be the case for most people, as, with the restrictions of the Tier System, it was generally impossible for people to develop more than seven Innates. All Records existed between Tiers 1 and 7, and, regardless of how powerful something became, exceeding Tier 7 was impossible unless you already existed outside of the system.As the wielder of The Path, Vahn's 'true body' currently existed outside the Tier System entirely, so, if he really wanted to, it was possible for him to exceed Tier 7. Doing so, however, served no real purpose, as, according to Sis, Tiers 8 and 9 were known as Aspect and Origin. The former was where all the Laws were derived from, and, though she couldn't go into any specifics, Sis surmised that the only way to reach Tier 8 was to 'abandon everything'. As for Tier 9, Origin, it was a place where 'all things existed outside the governance of the Laws'.The most important takeaway from the information provided by Sis was that the Laws themselves were derived from Tier 8 Aspects. As a result, they were 'absolute' within the Records, and, if your understanding was advanced enough, you could basically 'ignore' the difference in Soul Tier. This was the reason Grandmaster swordsmen were able to cut through concepts, as, even without truly understanding the nature of their opponent, they could simply 'ignore' everything else as a result of their mastery.Vahn's swordsmanship had already reached a transcendental level, to the point he was confident in being able to defeat most opponents within relying on most of his Innates. Despite this, he was far from the pinnacle, as, at the highest level, even cutting through Realms and severing fate should be possible. Thus, in the hopes of pushing his swordsmanship to even greater heights, Vahn had set his sights on developing a Sensory or Mind Innate. He wouldn't mind obtaining an Innate in any of the other categories, but, considering his current skillset, developing his senses and mind had the most potential for qualitatively increasing his capabilities.Since Innates were heavily influenced by a person's intent, desires, and comprehension, Vahn was 'absolutely certain' that his Sensory and Mind Innates would enhance his abilities. The problem was, even with Da Vinci's research, Innates were still difficult to awaken. Her research concluded that the most effective trigger was a significant emotional event, suggesting you either had to experience a tragedy or push yourself to such extremes that your perspective of yourself and the world around you was fundamentally altered.As tragedies weren't something you could artificially create, Vahn felt the most effective means for him to awaken his Innates was to focus on blacksmithing and trying to comprehend the Mantra of Eternity. The former was intrinsically related to his state of mind, and, though he understood very little about it, Vahn felt the Manta of Eternity greatly influenced his mentality. It also had the effect of allowing him to replenish his reserves at an accelerated rate, so, while this might not allow him to develop a Mind or a Sensory Innate, it had always been worth exploring...---With the cryptic sounds of the Mantra of Eternity whispering in the back of his mind, Vahn couldn't help but smile wryly when Asuna, who had been reading next to him, began to spontaneously 'kick' him with her socked feet. She was laying down on the same sofa that he was sitting on, and, though she seemed to be engrossed in one of the various versions of a manga called Fairy Tail, Vahn knew she was always paying close attention to him.Having just finished reading through his own manga, the seventeenth volume of a rather pleasant adventure series called Tama's Journey, Vahn tossed it into his Inventory as he said, "I was thinking about grabbing something to eat. Want to join me...?"Snapping her manga shut with a loud 'pa', Asuna transitioned to a seated position, smiling as she answered, "Perfect timing. I was actually just beginning to get a little hungry. Come on, we'll make it together this time. I want to try cooking a dragon steak~!"Chuckling lightly at the twin-tailed Princess' antics, Vahn habitually extended his hand to stroke her head as he said, "Sure. Go wash up and I'll meet you in the kitchen. When you're done, I'll show you how to prepare Dragon Hamburger Steak."Though it wasn't exactly what she had in mind, Asuna wasn't going to argue. Vahn always made the most delicious food, so, in response to his statement, she became even more bubbly as she happily exclaimed, "I can't wait~!" before running into the bathroom to wash her hands.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Da Vinci, "Ain't nobody got time fo dat!"','Source Energy is dummy strong','I would also like a Humber Steak-desu...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though they were one of the Confederation's most powerful war assets, especially against foreign mages and Airfish, the Demon-God Soldiers were wholly unprepared to engage a Grandmaster Ki User and Swordsman. It didn't matter how big or durable they were, as, even at the Master level, it was possible for many swordsmen to cut through concepts such as 'Immortality' and 'Invincibility'.As a Grandmaster who had comprehended the duality of Infinity and Nothingness, Vahn's skill had reached a transcendental level even before his entry into the Akamatsuverse. It didn't matter what his actual Base Power was, as, unless they embodied a greater concept or possessed some abstract Innate, there was 'nothing' he couldn't cut through.Reacting to the Demon-God Soldier's attempt to grab him, Vahn simply contracted his wing, cutting it forward to 'slap' the colossal creature's fist aside. It had an absurd amount of forward momentum due to its size, but, as if time has been frozen, the 100m tall entity came to a complete stop as Vahn swung his Laev-tan in an unnaturally slow motion from its hip to shoulder.Though the phenomenon occurred almost instantaneously after the slash, anyone with heightened senses would have witnessed the Demon-God Soldier remaining stationary for 'several seconds' as Vahn casually stepped around it. It was only when he bent forward in preparation for his next target that a glowing red line spread across the former's body. Then, as its body began to slough into two distinct pieces, both halves began to corrode away under the influence of brackish-red flames.Without sparing the first Demon-God Soldier a glance, Vahn took what appeared to be a single step forward, his body flickering as he appeared directly beneath his target, his sword already raised in a striking motion. Then, similar to his previous attack, the claymore-like Laev-tan fell forward in a perfectly natural motion, almost as if it was being propelled by gravity alone.As they were far more advanced than their white counterparts, the second Demon-God Soldier did its best to try and defend against the sudden attack. It actually tried to catch the 33m long blade in between its massive palms, but, long before it brought its hands together, Vahn's sword was already pointing towards the ground. As a result, the colossal creature effectively gave itself a simple round of applause, accelerating the manifestation of the cutting line that perfectly bifurcated its body.Rather than move on to his next target, Vahn closed his wings with enough force to crack the icy surface of the lake as tempestuous wings sent the massive creature tumbling backward. It hadn't actually died from his first blow, so, before he finished it off, Vahn wanted to see what else it was capable of.Though its body had been cut in half, the wound had been so precise that the regeneration of the black Demon-God Soldier allowed it to remain whole. It wasn't able to absorb Vahn's Sword Laws into its body, but, much to the latter's surprise, it was able to absorb Laev-tan's flames. As a result, it was able to gradually repel the energy preventing it from healing completely, gradually mending its injuries as it attempted to climb to its feet.Before the black Demon-God Soldier could get ahead of itself, Vahn pointed Laev-tan toward its body as he muttered, "Well, I should have expected as much from the Black of Venus..."Following Vahn's utterance, the flames that were being gradually consumed by the black Demon-God Soldier intensified with explosive force. It quickly spread through the colossus' body, burning the artificial magic circuits that allowed it to maintain its form.Though it had an affinity with absorbing energy derived from the Laws of Destruction, Laev-tan's flames were far more than simply 'Flames of Destruction'. They were infused with Source Energy, and, under Vahn's direction, they were even able to tear through Space, much less the body of a magical construct.After a few seconds had passed, the black Demon-God Soldier looked like a massive chunk of chared brimstone. There were fiery cracks covering its body, and, due to the drastic difference in temperature, it didn't take long for it to begin fragmenting into smaller chunks.Nodding his head in approval, Vahn turned his attention to the remaining Demon-God Soldiers, a smile on his face as he released one of them from the bindings of Enkidu, saying, "Come. I'd hate to leave any doubts in the minds of the fools who created you."Now freed from its bindings, the third Demon-God Soldier charged towards Vahn with just as much zeal as its predecessors. It was capable of very basic thought, but, without the ability to receive new orders, the only thing going through its mind was 'buying time', 'killing', or 'capturing' its target. As a result, it made no attempt to gauge Vahn's strength or try to free its companions. Instead, it used reinforcement magic to amply its speed and strength, fearlessly charging forward with its large eye recording and analyzing as much as it could about its opponent.Seeing the Demon-God Soldier use a variant of Cantus Bellax, the smile on Vahn's draconic visage became more prominent as he embedded the massive Lave-tan into the frozen lake. He wanted to completely shatter the hopes of any 'normal' people targetting him, so, rather than end the fight in an instant by cutting down all six Demon-God Soldiers in a single strike, he was drawing things out and putting on a show.Similar to his previous displays with Laev-tan, Vahn seemed to casually extend his hand without any care or concern. The fist of the Demon-God Soldier covered nearly his entire upper body, and, with a mass approximating thirteen-million-kilograms and a speed nearing Mach one, even something as simple as punch carried a force exceeding sixteen-billion Newtons. This was the equivalent force of four tons of high explosives being detonated on a point of contact, but, as such calculations had no relevance at all, Vahn simply caught the Demon-God Soldier's fist with his palm. There was none of the usual shockwaves that accompanied such an exchange. Instead, it was almost as if the force of the punch had been negated in its entirety...Feeling a little more overpowered than usual, Vahn had to fight hard to prevent a goofy smile from spreading across his face. There was nothing quite like the feeling of shattering the expectations of your enemies, fools who went to great lengths to exercise their power for malicious ends. It would have been even better if he used his own power to do so, but, as there simply wasn't time to reach such a level, Vahn didn't mind exploiting the [Runed Halo] to deter unnecessary bloodshed.Channeling his Source-infused Ki through his palm, Vahn sent a spear-like pulse of energy into the arm of the Demon-God Solder. It was able to travel without any perceptible obstructions, climbing up the monstrosity's arm before exploding near its shoulder. It's entire arm ended up being blown off as a result, and, as could be expected, the explosion was more than sufficient to knock it off balance.Without giving the Demon-God Soldier a chance to recover, Vahn's spread his wings to their full length as he drew both of his fists toward his waist. Then, preempting a series of massive shock waves, his fists seemed to multiply as his arms turned into a golden blur. At the same time, large indentations appeared across the body of the Demon-God Soldier before massive chunks of its body began to tear away from the force of the shockwaves.With nearly a hundred ki-infused strikes impacting the Demon-God Soldier before the shockwaves from the previous strikes could fully radiate, its body ended up being shredded to ribbons once the forces began to overlap with each other. By the time Vahn retracted his fists, returning to a neutral position, the only thing indicating there was ever a Demon-God Soldier present were the intact feet that had been spared his onslaught. Even then, they ended up being sent sliding several hundred meters from the site of their original owner, milky white blood staining the ice in their wake.Satisfied by his display of power, Vahn gave himself a curt nod before turning his attention to the final three Demon-God Soldiers. There were still two black variants remaining, so, after loosening Enkidu, Vahn extended his hand, forming a claw, towards the off-balance entity. He wanted to see how resistant it was to abilities derived wholly from mental power, completely lacking an elemental affinity. Thus, despite feeling as though someone had lodged an ax into the back of his head, Vahn ignored the pain as he slowly formed a fist.Though it attempted to resist using its raw physical might, it only took a few seconds before the black Demon-God Soldier appeared to be contracting its body. An invisible force was acting across its entire body, and, after several seconds more, a thunderous cracking sound could be heard as the durable material comprising its body gradually succumbed to the growing pressure. Following that, murky black blood began to erupt from cracks appearing across the surface of its body, and, after a full minute had passed, its substantial one-hundred-meter tall frame had been compressed into an egg shape barely eclipsing twenty.Restraining the urge to release an exhausted sigh, Vahn placed the Demon-God Soldier's corpse into his Inventory before raising his hand toward the sky and opening it once again. At a glance, it appeared as though he was just standing there with his hand up, but, if you shifted your focus to a point in Space seventeen kilometers above, you would find several 'acceleration gates' manifesting as the body of the Demon-God Solder was brought out of his Inventory.Like a hammer of judgment, Vahn dropped his hand toward the final white Demon-God Soldier as the corpse of its predecessor crashed into it with meteoric force. This caused the surface of the lake to fracture for tens of kilometers, and, due to its proximity, the black Demon-God Solider suffered a substantial amount of damage from the resultant shockwave. Enkidu kept it bound in place, so, with no means to bleed off the force of the explosion, its body ended up being pulped as the large eye glowing in its helmet-like head shattered into tiny pieces.Waiting until the dust and debris had cleared away, Vahn took Laev-tan into his hands, raising her tip toward the sky. This action alone caused a massive rift to appear in the storm clouds overhead, but, compared to the sequelae of his actual attack, this was negligible. It was a strike that carried his comprehension of Infinity and Nothingness, two contrary forces, which, like the ground before him, were perfectly divided by an incomprehensibly fine line.Though it wasn't perception-based like Asuna's Zanpakuto ability, Vahn was able to draw a perfect and inviolable line between the forces of the Hellas Empire and Megalomesembria. Unless someone exceptionally powerful destroyed it, this 'line' would remain indefinitely, visible even from hundreds of kilometers away. Anyone foolish enough to try and cross it would be bisected in an instant, much like the final Demon-God Solider...Staring at his own handiwork, even Vahn felt a little unnerved by the eerie black line that seemed to follow the movements of his eyes. It was incredibly thin, no thicker than a simple string, but, even if he looked towards the distant clouds or turned his attention to the lakebed, it was always visible. At the same time, like an invisible glass pane had been erected, the clouds above were unable to form together into a singular whole. Though the individual molecules were still able to pass through the region, anything bigger than a string's thickness, even a cloud, would be perpetually sliced through by the thin black line.Putting his own theory to the test, Vahn swallowed hard before extending his claw and attempting to bypass the region. There was actually a brief moment where 'nothing' happened, but, after a few seconds had passed, Vahn wasn't surprised by a sudden pain as the tip of his claw was sliced into a number of thin slices. All he felt prior to the pain was a strange vibration, and, even though he was supposed to be immune to damage thanks to the [Runed Halo], it seemed that his capabilities with the sword exceeded the SS-Rank when fusing the two dualistic concepts into one.Satisfied by the result of his efforts, Vahn turned his attention to Gaia's Light, negating its effects so that he could actually fly. His wings didn't give him actual flight capabilities, and, though he could largely ignore the effects of Gaia's Light, doing so in his dragon form was difficult. He didn't possess an ability related to increasing his size, so, despite his effective damage output increase, Vahn could only grow to a point that he was physically able to manipulate. Forty meters was pretty close to his absolute limit in a bipedal form, so, after demonstrating his abilities and swinging around Laev-tan, his body was on the verge of breaking down completely.Fortunately, from the perspective of the Hellas Empire and Megalomesembrian Confederation, he had suffered absolutely no damage in his battle against the Demon-God Soldiers. Rather, it seemed like he was messing around and putting on a show to demonstrate his power. His theatrics all but confirmed this, so, even after returning to his human form, thus confirming his identity, neither side had any intention of trying to re-engage him. His message had been received loud and clear, so, at least for the time being, an impromptu ceasefire agreement had been mandated by both sides...With his job done, Vahn communicated his intent to the nascent elementals that had congregated in the skies above Argyre. He wanted the lake to remain frozen so the Empire and Confederation could send people to investigate the area without having to take a boat or fly an Airfish over. The black line was visible from both shores, so, before trying to escalate the conflict further, they were bound to send someone over. Once they realized what the line represented, his intentions would have been made loud and clear, so, rather than stick around, the three versions of himself that had been prepared for the engagement simply vanished into thin air...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A forty-meter tall Grandmaster swordsman...','MUDA MUDA MUDA...!','Cross the line. I dare you. I double-dare you!','Flexin' ain't easy')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1633: Balance