Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Following the display of the Sage Dragon Emperor, tensions within the Empire and Confederation were at an all-time high. Neither side had suffered many casualties, but, as could be expected from having their fleets forcibly grounded, the repair costs were astronomical. This was especially true for the Megalomesembrian Fleet, as, unlike the Southern Fleet hailing from the Empire, they had been in motion during the incident. They had also lost six of their War-God Soldiers, three of which were the black variant meant to secure their momentum during the early stages of the war.Unable to take the offense laying down, the Megalomesembrian Senate placed a bounty of eight-hundred-million Drachma on the Sage Dragon Emperor's head, the second-largest bounty that had ever been issued. The only person with a higher bounty was the Dark Evangel, but, considering she had actually gone to war against Megalomesembria in the past, leading to the downfall of the old monarchy, this didn't surprise anyone.As could be expected after such an offer was made public, hundreds of specialists were eager to try their hand at hunting down the now-infamous Dragon. Many of these groups gave up after finding out exactly what Vahn had accomplished above Lake Argyre, but, as there were always people who sought to leave their name in history, the strongest among them was undeterred. There were even groups from Mundus Vetus migrating over to join in the search, the most notable being a group of Shinmei-Ryu swordsman and the leader of an ancient dragon-slaying clan from China.Even when Eva had been at her peak, earning a reputation as the most powerful Mage in the entire world, there had never been a lack of groups willing to hunt her down. Many of these groups were just seeking to increase the fame of their organization or make a name for themselves, but, among the rabble, there were always some true powerhouses mixed in. These people cared little about the rewards offered, as, after reaching the pinnacle within their respective disciplines, their only concern was finding strong opponents to battle against. Thus, after hearing about the power demonstrated by the Sage Dragon Emperor, many 'old monsters' came out of the woodworks.Though all of Vahn's feats had firmly cemented his place as one of the strongest in the world, it was the line he had drawn across Lake Argyre that left the deepest impression. It's existence had shaken both the Empire and Confederation, as, even after a comprehensive investigation, they were unable to make sense of the mysterious phenomenon. All they knew for certain was that it was some kind of sword technique, so, during the tentative ceasefire agreement, they sought counsel from various famous sword schools.Unfortunately, even after requesting the assistance of the 'most powerful swordsman in the world', the Grandmaster of the Shinmei-Ryu school, they were unable to remove the eerie black line. The most they had been able to accomplish was creating a gap large enough for a single person to pass through. In exchange, they ended up sacrificing a six-hundred-year-old heritage item that had been passed down through successive generations of Shinmei-Ryu practitioners. This was a tragic loss for the legendary sword school, but, rather than be deterred, the Grandmaster saw it as an opportunity to stage a succession competition, asserting, "Progress lays in the future, not clinging to the past."For hundreds of years, the Shinmei-Ryu had been stagnating within the mountains of Kyoto, Japan. In the modern era, there was only a single Grandmaster among the entire organization, as, after the previous World War, several rival schools had spared no expense in trying to eliminate them. If not for the assistance of the Kansai Magic Association and additional support from Megalomesembria, their thousands of years of heritage would have been lost.Since the time of the Second World War of Mundus Vetus, the Shinmei-Ryu school had been deeply indebted to both the Kansai Magic Association and the Megalomesembrian Confederation. This led to many of their techniques being leaked, and, over time, many of their external disciples had been swayed by the convenience of technology and modern living. Only the Main Household continued to strenuously follow tradition, but, as a result, they had developed an 'elitist' mentality that made it very difficult for them to thrive and prosper in a changing era.The Grandmaster was already 139 years old, so, with the threat of death constantly looming over them, they couldn't help but worry about the future of the Shinmei-Ryu school. The line drawn by the Sage Dragon Emperor reminded them that there were pinnacles of swordsmanship that had yet to be reached. This gave them hope for the future, and, for the first time in more than forty years, a strong desire to battle had awakened within their tired bones...---Though he wasn't unaware of the bounty that had been placed on his head, Vahn didn't particularly care about the machinations of Megalomesembria. He was more amused by the fact that the Hellas Empire seemed to be on the fence regarding how they should respond to him grounding their fleet. They had yet to issue a public response following the incident, and, despite a fair amount of tension within the Imperial Court, the Emperor adamantly refused to place a bounty of their own. Instead, it seemed like he was proactively supporting his daughter's position, expanding Theo's influence, and taking measures to eliminate some of the dissidents within the Imperial Court.Vahn wasn't quite sure what was going through the Emperor's head, but, based on his behavior, it was apparent that he had already guessed the relationship between himself and Theo. Despite this, he didn't seem to oppose the arrangement, but, considering Theo's dominant performance during her Rite of Passage, that wasn't too much of a surprise. The Empire was founded on the principle of individual might and merit, so, with tremendous public support, not supporting Theo would be the same as compromising the integrity of the Imperial Family.Though there was bound to be some backlash once his relationship with Theo came to light, Vahn had already come to terms with the inevitable. He had already promised her a child, so, regardless of his original intentions, he would do everything in his power to protect both her and their future offspring. His only real concern was handling everything in a manner that would allow him to take both Theo and their future child along with him. He didn't actually intend to spend that much time in the Akamatsuverse, so, if she insisted on fulfilling her duties as an Empress, there was a chance he would be subsuming the entirety of Mundus Magicus in the future...---Thinking about the future, Vahn had to repress a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair in an increasingly-common self-calming gesture. Then, with the most relaxed smile he could manage, he turned to the skulking Asuna, nodding his head to indicate she was clear to take action.Though she wanted to inquire about what was troubling him, Asuna ultimately decided against it as she nodded her head and leaped from her perch more than 130m from the forest floor.Despite falling from such a height, the only sound to mark Asuna's landing was the gentle ringing of a bell. This greatly startled the group of five who had been silently trespassing the forest, their leader immediately crying out, "Enemies from above!" as he drew out a peculiar sword made from pure white wood.In response to the man's exclamation, the other members of his group drew their weapons, two of the younger sword-wielding individuals protecting what appeared to be a Japanese Shrine Maiden at the center of the group. As for their final member, a woman with dark-black hair tied into a high ponytail, she drew a similar sword to the rest of her companions, her black eyes glowing with a hazy blue light as she calmly stated, "There are no other enemies within three kilometers..."Hearing his companion's words, the man who had first reacted to Asuna's presence furrowed his brows as he half-lowered his sword and asked, "What business does a child have wandering in a monster-infested forest? If you do not answer honestly, we will be forced to apprehend you..."Before answering the man's question, Asuna looked between each member of the group before fixing her gaze on the young girl protected near the center. She had the appearance of a young Japanese girl around fourteen-years-old, but, unlike everyone else present, her eyes were almost completely white. Rather than cataracts, however, they were glossy like pearls, and, compared to everyone else in the group, she was the only one that gave a 'dangerous' feeling.After instantaneously formulating a strategy within her mind, Asuna turned her attention back to the man as she honestly answered, "My Master has tasked me with defeating your group. You don't have to worry about serious injury or death so feel free to go-"Not waiting for Asuna to finish her explanation, the woman with the high ponytail turned into a blur as she shouted, "Zanganken(Stone-Cutting Sword)...!"Though the woman's sword was made from a thin blade of white wood, a bluish-crescent formed from pure Ki emanated from her blade as she swept it towards Asuna's right arm. This blade quickly expanded to more than five meters in length, and, after passing through the former's illusory figure, it passed cleanly through a tree trunk more than twenty meters in diameter.Seeing Asuna's figure slowly dissipate, the woman's sharp eyes widened slightly as a childish voice echoed behind her, musing, "You're not bad at all."Before she could respond to the teasing remark, the woman experienced a sharp pain to the back of her neck. The last thing she remembered was a dull thud pass through her body when she hit the ground. After that, complete darkness descended upon her consciousness as she face-planted into the mossy undergrowth of the forest floor.After knocking out her first opponent, Asuna smiled naturally towards the other four as she flipped the tanto in her hand so that the blade was facing backward. Then, with a single step forward, she closed the distance between herself and the presumed leader of the group, saying, "Please give it your best," as the back of her blackened blade collided with the pure white wooden edge.To the man's horror, he felt himself being pushed back almost immediately after the two blades came into contact. By pure instinct, he managed to change the angle of his blade to try and deflect the unknown assailant's attack, but, rather than follow the initial momentum, he noticed the girl's body 'flicker' as the trajectory of her attack instantaneously changed, the tip of her blade pointing at his shoulder.Due to the weight behind the original blow, the man was unable to protect his exposed shoulder as Asuna's blade pierced through it with considerable ease. This caused her to feel a little queasy, but, knowing this was a part of her training, she steeled herself as her blade pierced cleaning through the man's supraspinatus, supraspinate, infraspinate, and teres minor muscles. This would leave his left arm completely useless for the remainder of the battle, and, if he didn't receive proper medical treatment, he would likely never recover full use of the appendage.To the man's credit, he didn't cry out as his shoulder was made useless. Instead, he simply grit his teeth while trying to twist his body in a way that would disarm his opponent. At the same time, a flash of vibrant blue lightning spread across the surface of his blade as he cut upward, shouting, "Raimeiken(Thunderclap Sword)~!"Though Raimeiken was a technique created to oppose Demons and Evil Spirits, lightning was just as useful against biological opponents as any other. It could completely overwhelm a person's nervous system, and, due to the nature of lightning infused Ki, most magical and ki barriers were completely ineffective against it.Unfortunately for the man, he severely underestimated the sharpness of Asuna's Zanpakuto and her reaction speed. His attempt to disarm her resulted in part of his shoulder being gouged out. As for his Raimeiken, it passed harmlessly through another afterimage as the voice of Asuna echoed in the surroundings, stating, "Reckless..." in a dull tone.By the time the man's brain has processed the singular word, his consciousness was already fading from his body. He didn't even feel the attack that knocked him out, but, in the moments preceding his reunion with the ground, a tingling feeling had started to spread from his mangled shoulder...---Seeing the strongest members of their party defeated in an instant, the two remaining swordsmen had pale expressions on their faces as they looked towards their twin-tailed assailant like she was a demon. Even if they combined their strength, they wouldn't have been able to defeat either of their Senior students. Despite this, neither backed down, as, even compared to their lives, their pride as a member of the Shinmei-Ryu school did not allow them to retreat.After meeting each others' gaze, the two youths gave each other a small nod before raising their white swords in concert with each other. Before the could attack, however, a bell-like voice echoed from behind them, saying, "Do not attack. That girl is not a true adversary. Attacking will only bring unnecessary harm to both sides."Hearing the young maiden's words, the younger of the two boys had an incredulous look on his face as he exclaimed, "Kyoko-sama!? We can't just back down. That girl killed Ken-nii and Ayane-sama! Even if it costs us our lives, we must seek vengeance and protect the honor of the Shinmei-Ryu school...!"Rather than try to argue with the hot-headed young boy, the petite Shrine Maiden just furrowed her brows slightly before producing two talismans from her oversized sleeves. Then, before either of the youths could react, she used a skill similar to Telekinesis to direct the talismans toward them faster than a bullet. The moment these pieces of paper came into contact with the youth's bodies, a sound similar to air escaping a flute could be heard as she formed a simple seal with her hands and said, "Mahi-Fuin(Paralysis Seal)~!"Seeing both of the boys fall to the ground, the Shrine Maiden, Kyoko, adopted an apologetic look on her face as she said, "Forgive me, Ryouta-kun, Seiji-kun. I cannot just stand by and watch the two of you sustain unnecessary injuries..."Following her words, Kyoko bowed towards the two paralyzed boys before turning her pearl-white eyes towards the silent Asuna and asking, "Are you satisfied...?"Feeling a little awkward, Asuna couldn't resist smiling wryly as she rubbed the back of her head and answered, "It was never about being satisfied. I just wanted to test my skills against opponents from a famous school. Since it doesn't seem like you are willing to fight, I'll go ahead and pull back here. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."Finished with her words, Asuna performed a polite bow of her own before raising her head and offering one last smile as her figure faded away like a phantom image. She had originally intended to stick around until everyone's injuries had healed, but, after slicing through human flesh for the first time, she was feeling a little sick to her stomach...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Let's put a bounty on the guy that just solo'd our fleet!','The strong seeketh the strong','Asuna after returning to Vahn, "Rub my belly..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With Asuna purporting not to feel well, Vahn dutifully carried her back to their hideout so that she could rest. Her reaction wasn't a surprise, as, unless there was something 'very' wrong them, it was perfectly natural for people to feel queasy at merely the sight of human blood. It was a biological response that generally took years of training to suppress, so, in preparation for Asuna's sickness, Vahn prepared carbonated ginger ale and peppermint tea. Then, for the better part of an hour, he just sat with her on the sofa, hugging her close and sending calming energy into her body through her stomach.Though she felt Vahn's reaction was a little excessive, Asuna had the expression of a contented cat as she nursed the contents of her cup. She enjoyed being pampered quite a bit, and, though she was well-aware nothing would happening, being alone with Vahn always made her heart palpitate in a pleasant rhythm.Unfortunately, all good things were enjoyed in moderation, so, after a little more than an hour had passed, Asuna released a small sigh before muttering, "I never expected it to be so 'easy'...life seems so fragile...it's scary..."Reaffirming his hold on the subtly shivering young girl, Vahn nodded his head, his voice as gentle as he could manage as he said, "It is for this reason that we use our power to preserve life. It takes very little effort to take a life, a fact our enemies are all too aware of...though it can be terrifying to wield the power to decide between life and death, the world would be far more terrifying if there weren't kind-hearted people willing to take up arms to oppose the wicked..."Feeling comforted by the warmth flowing through her body, a small smile spread across Asuna's face as she rested her hands atop Vahn's. She would continue to protect the world even without his guidance, but, knowing she could rely on him when things got difficult, she felt extremely safe and secure in his embrace. If she really wanted to, she could even set aside her sword, and, rather than blame her, she knew Vahn would silently shoulder her burdens with an understanding smile...---While one of his vessels was comforting Asuna back at their hideout, another version of Vahn was idling a few hundred kilometers outside of Vulcan, the Holy Land of Fire.Though it was located far to the South, adjacent to a large body of water, Vulcan was one of the hottest regions in the entirety of Mundus Magicus. The average temperature, even during winter, was close to 46 degrees, and, if you moved closer to the center of the region, temperatures of 60 degrees, or higher, became relatively common.Despite the heat, Vulcan was actually one of the more populous Holy Lands, as, with the exception of the Wind Element, Fire Elemental Affinity was the most common. For this reason, many warriors and mages migrated to Vulcan to either increase their affinity or harvest the precious minerals that could be found within the vast underground mines. Many of these were publically accessible, as, unlike other nations, Vulcan was located almost entirely underground.As could be expected from a world with Mages, Magical Creatures, and Elves, Mundus Magicus also had a sizeable population of Dwarves. Like their counterparts in other Records, the Dwarves native to the magical world were exceptionally skilled artisans, craftsmen, and blacksmiths. They were also notorious and miserly merchants, but, unlike the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, they disdained the use of Slaves. Instead, they made use of the foreigners entering their country, allowing entrance to all but their most important mines in exchange for a negotiable fee.Vahn had always felt something of a kinship with Dwarves, largely due to Tsubaki and Gareth, but, much to his surprise, the natives of Vulcan were just dark-skinned humanoids with slightly pointed ears. Though they were a bit stockier than normal, their bodies rippling with powerful muscles, he wouldn't have blamed anyone for mistakenly identifying them as 'Dark Elves'. Very few actually had beards, and, with the exception of the children, the average height of a Dwarf in Vulcan was pretty close to 180cm...Needless to say, Vahn felt a strange sense of incongruity during his short exploration of Vulcan, so, after wandering around for a bit, he ended up departing the peculiar nation in low spirits. They had a number of skilled craftsmen present, but, as could be expected from a world where even an Elixir could cost tens-of-millions of Drachma, even poor-quality items were worth a fortune. This resulted in the skill level of the Dwarves gradually waning as it was simply more profitable to mass-produce mediocre magical armor than it was to invest an inordinate amount of time and effort into an item that would never sell.Even after exploring the workshops of a few 'Masters', Vahn hadn't been particularly impressed. The only thing he found even remotely interesting was the design of a few Airfish, but, as these were a far cry from even the Custos Rosea, they were more novel than anything. Most of them would never even see production, as, much like the items themselves, even the materials used in the production of high-qualities goods were inordinately expensive.Blue Orichalcum, used as a bonding agent in various magical alloys, cost upwards of 6,000 Dracha per gram. With even a gauntlet taking upwards of a kilogram of the substance, without accounting for other material costs, purchasing a single suit of 'high-quality' armor could cost over a hundred-million Drachma. Of course, this was only the price if you were a 'normal' person, as, much like the technology spread through high-society, it was much cheaper to purchase such items if you were a member of the aristocracy or the representative of a nation.With the exception of Ostia, the structure of virtually every nation was designed to prevent 'power' from falling into the hands of the people. A nation like Hellas or Megalomesembria could purchase a suit of magical armor for around 4,000,000 Drachma for a mass-produced model. This was a sharp contrast to the 150,000,000 price tag presented to normal buyers, so, unless you had connections in the Black Market, obtaining such a 'high-quality' piece of equipment required a chance encounter.Though Vahn could understand the reasoning behind limiting the availability of powerful weapons and armor, he was never fond of systems that one-sidedly served the wealthy, often corrupt, upper class. It always annoyed him to see so-called 'Nobles' selectively enforcing laws and acting however they pleased, not because they were strong, but because they were born into an environment that arbitrarily elevated them over others.At this point, Vahn sincerely believed that 'people' were simply incapable of ruling over others, no matter how kind, capable, or competent they were. There would always come a time when even the most benevolent individuals acted in their own interests, so, in the grand scheme of things, the only entity capable of ruling over the people were the people themselves.Unfortunately, people in groups were often exponentially dumber than the average individual, so, rather than a democracy, the only real 'solution' was to entrust the task to an objective system. Only by removing the illusion of choice could a government function wholly for the people, as, no matter how sound an argument, there would always be people for and against any proposed change. As a result, they would elect people to represent and argue their opinions, oftentimes disregarding other qualifications just so they could purport themselves correct.As the average person struggled to even manage their own household, finances, or health, it was a little strange to think anyone was qualified to represent the 'majority'. Rather, even the concept of the majority was dangerous as it led to a situation where people were suppressed for belonging to the minority, even if they were right. Nobody wanted to become a victim, so, even if they knew they were correct, there were countless examples of people acquiescing and conforming to the majority just to avoid censure or literal violence.By removing the illusion of choice, as people seldom had an actual say in politics and policy, it was possible to create a system that unilaterally benefitted everyone. This often required relinquishing a few 'freedoms', such as privacy, but, more often than not, such things were also just an illusion. The average government, even if it wasn't actually corrupt, would never allow a system they could not directly monitor and influence to exist. This was especially true when transactions were involved, as, without a way to track money and trace people, there would be nothing stopping foreign countries or hackers from arbitrarily stealing vast amounts of wealth.Even Mundus Magicus had a global network similar to the World Wide Web, and, unsurprisingly, it was saturated with snooping programs. Just gaining access to the network through normal means drew the attention of several nascent Artificial Intelligence programs. They wouldn't interfere with anything you were doing, but, from the moment you logged in, they would attempt to trace your location, logging all of your keystrokes and keeping track of every site you visit.Vahn had numerous ways to avoid detection, chief among them being Sis, but, unless they were some kind of computer whiz, the average person had no choice in the matter. Everything they did was closely monitored, and, from the moment they started making transactions, several programs specifically designed to manipulate their purchases would take notice. Some of the more invasive programs even directly tapped into any microphones or cameras you made use of, recording your voice and monitoring your facial expression when you perused various sites.Though he believed in privacy and the importance of secrets, Vahn knew the absurdity of trying to guarantee such things. So long as people congregated in large groups, they 'needed' to be closely monitored, as, without such things, criminals would run rampant. He could never tolerate things like kidnappings, violent crimes, and ****, so, rather than turn a blind eye just for the sake of something that didn't truly exist, he would rather implement a system that objectively scrutinized everything in order to make the best decisions for the populous.There would always be some random group of omniscient beings observing everything, so, rather than pretend privacy existed, creating a system to protect and govern the people seemed to be the most sensible solution. Few people genuinely cared about politics, and, unless it directly concerned their livelihood, they didn't really care about what was happening to other people. They just wanted to be happy and protect the things that were important to them, so, even if they had a choice in the policies of their nation, most people defaulted to whatever was most 'convenient'.Vahn had witnessed the success of the Ark, Mother, and Shadow systems, so, while he was certainly biased, that didn't really affect the truth of the matter. People, regardless of their wealth, power, or intellect simply weren't suited to rule over others. Even he wasn't an exception to this, as, if put in a situation where he needed to choose between caring for his loved ones and the Empire, the former would always take precedence. If he couldn't even protect the things he cared about, pretending he was qualified to rule over an Empire would be completely asinine...---While ruminating over various 'truths', Vahn continued to spread his senses through the area, using his domain to keep track of several groups of people.After his previous display above Lake Argyre, there were a number of groups who had been eagerly trying to track his location. These particular groups, however, belonged to delegations representing both the Empire and Confederation. They were trying to secure trade agreements with the Dwarven nation of Vulcan, as, after having two of their largest fleets grounded, they were in desperate need of capable craftsman and supplemental resources.Like most nations governed by a Great Spirit, Vulcan was considered neutral territory, often trading with both sides during times of war. For this reason, Vulcan was one of the few nations that hadn't experienced a recession prior to the war. Rather, a large number of people had migrated there for work, as, every time war broke out, they were sure to profit immensely.Vahn wasn't particularly fond of arms dealers that supplied both sides of a conflict, but, as is wasn't like they were the ones to trigger the war, he couldn't really blame them for wanting to benefit. The only other option was to shore up their defenses and risk antagonizing both superpowers, as, in the pursuit of profit, the Dwarves had literally built Vulcan in between the two nations. This was one of the reasons the two powers chose to fight near Lake Argyre, as, with the heavily fortified Dwarven nation in the way, they didn't have much of a choice...Even if their main purpose was profiteering, it was impossible to deny that Vulcan was responsible for preventing things from getting too far out of hand. Due to their country's location, Hellas and Megalomesembria were generally forced to kill each other in their own territory. Though this didn't really stop them from fighting elsewhere, the positioning of Ostia forced them to travels thousands of kilometers just to avoid antagonizing the ancient kingdom.Though it wouldn't have made much of a difference in the original timeline, Vahn was impressed by the efforts of nations like Vulcan, Ostia, and Al Jamila when it came to restricting the movements of Megalomesembria. They effectively forced the infamous industrial nation to fight in the deep South, a sparsely populated region of ice and snow. Their only other option was to travel more than eight-thousand kilometers East, traversing a vast ocean in order to try and attack the Empire by invading Ariadne.As it simply wasn't feasible to extend their supply line through a massive wasteland, requiring them to circumvent the Noctis Labyrinthus in the process, Megalomesembria had little choice but to play by the 'rules' that had been imposed upon them. This was one of the downsides to being an almost universally hated nation that bullied others into acquiescence. They ended up making an enemy out of virtually everyone, and, if not for the large number of supplies they received from Mundus Vetus, it wasn't difficult to imagine Megalomesembria crumbling under the weight of its own ego.Vahn was in a unique position where he could greatly accelerate the corrupt nation's collapse by simply putting his foot down and preventing the creation of weapons of war. He could also sever the supply lines of both the Empire and Confederation, forcing them to gradually withdraw until it was simply impossible for them to continue waging war. Then, if he genuinely wanted to act as a deterrent, he could systematically remove the corruption from both sides. The only downside to this was that he would effectively trigger a civil war, as, the moment they thought he was on their side, those who had been lowering their heads would not hesitate to lift their banners and commit even more heinous deeds in the name of 'justice'...Shaking his head, Vahn repressed a sigh as he lightly pat the tiny wolf cub that had been nestled in his lap. This caused the midnight blue pup's ears to stand on end before she looked up at him with rounded eyes, an unspoken question lingering in their ruby depths. To this, Vahn gave a small nod, and, without needing to inquire further, Fenrir's body rapidly grew to nearly twenty meters in length as she leaped from her perch and prepared to disable or destroy all of the passing vehicles...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Life is fragile...','People and Politics don't mix','Vahn is finally taking action!?')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

Chapter 1635: Stirring