Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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 her own anxieties growing alongside her Master's, Fenrir was more than willing to vent some of her frustrations on the unsuspecting arms dealers and covert delegations.Though he was doing his best to keep it hidden, Fenrir knew her Master was reaching the breaking point of his patience. The departure of Eva and the happenings in the world weighed heavily on his mind, as, unlike most, he had more than enough power to influence and outright force change.Before her Master could fall into his usual pattern of handling everything himself, Fenrir wanted to do everything she could to lessen his burdens. She also wanted to demonstrate, not her power, but the results of her meditative disciplining. The next world they visited might very well be the last, so, in order to alleviate her Master's concerns about taking her along with him, Fenrir was willing to do whatever it took to demonstrate her competence and control. To that end, she was dashing across the terrain, her scarlet eyes glistening as she set her sights on the first of many targets...Though it was remarkably slow compared to her maximum speed, Fenrir was able to move across the rocky and twisted terrain that surrounded the Dwarven nation of Vulcan with supersonic speed. Despite this, there was no shockwave generated in the wake of her passing. Instead, a bluish-black 'flame' emanated from the point where her paws had come into contact with the ground, seemingly dissolving the surface before fading away several seconds later.With the same mysterious flames flickering across her body, Fenrir was able to move silently despite her large size. This would normally be attributed to Ki, which allowed skilled practitioners to effectively 'ignore' physical Laws. Unlike a traditional shroud, however, Fenrir's was saturated with Severing, and, at times, Devouring Laws. The combination of these two energies allowed her to move through areas of dense Space and Time unobstructed, and, unless they were inordinately powerful, she could even pierce through most physical and magical barriers with impunity...---Due to the uneven terrain surrounding Vulcan, combined with the large number of merchants moving in and out of the country, ambushes and bandit attacks were rather common. To combat this, experienced convoys would travel with an Airfish escort or hire skilled Mercenaries to provide additional protection through the rugged, monster-infested, terrain. The average Magical Beast was exponentially stronger than the common residents of the Magical World, but, so long as they used tactics, strategy, and wit, veteran Mercenaries could quickly dispatch even large groups of enemies with relative ease.Unfortunately, amongst the Magical Beasts that roamed Mundus Magicus, there was one group in particular that even the most skilled Mercenaries tended to avoid. These were Magical Beasts that demonstrated a keen intellect and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances. These types were far more terrifying than the average beast, as, even if you made all kinds of preparations to counter them, such as setting traps, they could simply avoid them.Unless they were seeking fame, most groups would stay away from any commissions that pitted them against a sapient magical creature. There were few things more terrifying than a beast that was already more powerful than you using its abilities intelligently.Intelligence was often the only advantage most people had when it came to contending against magical creatures. When this advantage was removed, even the most famous group of Mercenaries could be wiped out by a single Magical Beast. Thus, over the centuries, countless methods to scout areas, analyze the terrain, and identify magical creatures had been created.Among the most popular methods available, especially when you were trying to be discreet, was using miniature drones to scout ahead and analyze the terrain in the surroundings. Other methods including using Familiars, and, if you had an exorbitant amount of money to spend, there were also portable magical wards that could detect and repel even weaker Magical Dragons. These came in the form of large black pylons covered in runes, and, so long as they were powered, large arcs of lightning elemental energy would emanate from them whenever a monster got within 300m of the convoy.Larger versions of the defense pylon existed in most cities, but, unless there was a large group of monsters approaching, colloquially known as a Wave, they generally remained dormant. As for why such artifacts weren't using during times of war, besides being banned by international convention, it was largely due to the fact that the pylons needed a powerful magical signal to lock onto. It was possible to calibrate them to target specific types of enemies, but, if something went wrong, there was a very real chance the pylon could go haywire and start frying anything, allies included, within its proximity.Due to this possibility, most people, including the technicians and Mages required to power and maintain them, felt nervous just being around the crackling black pylons. Though the actual number of incidents were few and far between, there were countless stories involving people being fried by the eerie black artifacts, either by accidentally grazing it or getting caught in between the arc and whatever magical creature it had targetted. There were even incidents of powerful Mages being turned to ash after being mistakenly recognized as a magical creature due to their inordinately high reserves of magical energy. Thus, even if the black pylons provided security against even virtually all magical creatures, most people gave them a wide berth...Unfortunately, not everyone had the option of steering clear from the malicious black pylon, as, due to their nature as magical artifacts, they generally required a lot of care and maintenance. There was also a technician specifically tasked with deactivating the pylon if it ran wild, so, despite most of her hair standing on end, a young woman with messy auburn hair, thick circular glasses, and an outfit that clearly identified her as a mechanic was stationed near the base.Every time they pylon would activate, the young woman would tense up considerably as a thick bolt of blue lightning flashed across the surface. A thunderous roar would immediately follow this flash of light, and, though she wore both earplugs and magically enhanced earmuffs, a painful trembling would spread through the woman's body with each activation.Seeing the tell-tale flicker across the black surface, the auburn-haired woman shrunk her body as much as she could, internally cursing, ("I'm going to apply for Medical Separation after this bullshit job is over. These earmuffs are fucking useless and I'm pretty sure I'll be shell shocked by the time we reach that godforsaken city!")At nearly the exact same moment as the woman's internal musings, a painful ripple spread through her body as a blinding light completely obscured her vision. Her only comfort was knowing that the creature on the opposite end was faring much worse than her. She had once seen a wyvern explode like a blood-filled balloon after being directly struck by the pylon's lightning, so, while it did little to alleviate the physical and mental duress she was under, the technician was satisfied knowing there was at least one creature having a worse day than her...Unfortunately, just as she was about to rise to her full height and shake off her jitters, the technician was knocked to the ground when the pylon began emitting several bolts of lighting in sequence. It wasn't just her pylon either. Both the front and back pylons were also going crazy, and, though she couldn't make sense of the situation, the young technician knew something was very wrong when a number of painful vibrations spread through her body. She could feel magical energy surging in the surroundings, and, rather than a potent and mind-numbing heat, a sudden chill had spread through the area in an instant.Preceded by an even more excruciating feeling of cold, the auburn-haired woman felt a physical wave of energy slam into her body. The air was forced out of her lungs in an instant, and, after a very brief feeling of weightlessness, a sharp pain radiated from her left leg as she impacted the ground and was sent rolling several meters.If not for her compression suit and the thin magical barrier than protected her body, meant to prevent her from accidentally contacting the pylon, the young woman was pretty sure she would already be dead. She was certain her pylon had exploded, and, after recovering her sight, the first thing she did was stare at the icy pillar that had completely enveloped her workstation.Rather than display fear or confusion, the young technician couldn't help but issue an unnatural laugh as she pushed up her cracked glasses and mused, "Good riddance, you loud piece of shit..."Following her musings, the woman began to absentmindedly stare at her surroundings, briefly pausing in her twisted leg before looking toward the massive wolf tearing apart even the most heavily reinforced vehicles within their convoy. The sight of the inordinately large wolf caused her to release another small chuckle, as, like a force of nature, it completely ignored the efforts of the soldiers attempting to stop its rampage. Even the overbearing members of the Armored Knight Squadron, who brazenly harassed any females with a lower ranking than them, were batted aside with a single swipe from the wolf's paw. There was nothing they could do against the terrifyingly powerful magical creature, so, rather than make any efforts to preserve her life, the woman just released another chuckle whenever another vehicle was destroyed...---Though Fenrir hadn't expected there to be any powerful foes among the covert convoy, she was still a little disappointed by how disorganized the group was. They had largely ignored her initial approach, a few even pointing in her general direction and laughing as they lazily prepared their defenses.At first, Fenrir was confused by their complacency, but, the moment she entered within range of the strange black pylons, she understood the source of their hubris. Several thick bolts of blue lightning immediately impacted her body, but, unlike a normal Ki shroud or Magical Barriers, hers provided more than adequate protection against the nigh-instantaneous onslaught.With Lightning being one of the more popular elements among powerful Mages, Eva and Arika included, Fenrir was very familiar with its uses. Her status as an Archmage wasn't just for show, and, though she was most proficient with Ice, Darkness, and Water elemental magic, she could easily use most other elements. The only thing she really struggled with was fire, but, even if it wasn't her most proficient element, she could still use Ultimate-Grade Fire Magic so long as she had a catalyst.Though she had worked hard to become a competent Mage, Fenrir's primary motivation, excluding her Master, was simply increasing her comprehension. Her [Heaven Devouring Wolf] allowed her to increase her proficiency and comprehension in things she already had a solid foundation in, and, at times, she could even copy the techniques of creatures she had devoured. There was no limit to this ability, so, even if it took her thousands of years, Fenrir was determined to master every element so that she could freely consume and convert even concepts into power.As dozens of magic circles appeared in the air behind her, Fenrir opened her massive maw without regard for the bolts of lightning singing her fur. A visible twisting of Space began to appear almost instantly, and, by the time she had opened her mouth fully, all of the lightning targetting her body had converged towards Fenrir's maw.Feeling power surging through her body, the magic circles behind Fenrir's body began to revolve at a high speed, her scarlet eyes glistening as massive spears of ice manifested around her. Then, as if the barriers surrounding the convoy simply didn't exist, Fenrir's spears of ice were released, twisting at high speeds as they tore through the thin membrane and slammed into all three pylons.Without waiting for her enemies to recover, Fenrir stopped absorbing the surrounding energy, her figure turning into a slight blur as she descended upon the convoy in an instant. She wasn't used to fighting against groups in her wolf form, but, with most attacks impacting powerlessly against the bluish-black flames enveloping her body, Fenrir could feel her excitement grow alongside her thirst for battle.Rather than give into the siren's call that was her own battle lust, Fenrir forced herself to remain calm, an icy sensation washing over her mind as she swat aside a man trying to spear her side with a javelin-like magical weapon. There were close to eighty people using similar weapons, and, while their movements weren't particularly swift, they were able to buzz around her like flies using their faux-magical wings.Despite feeling a little annoyed, Fenrir continued to systematically destroy each vehicle within the convoy. At the same time, she forced the surrounding temperature to rapidly decrease, her magical energy spreading for hundreds of meters and causing the world around her to appear as if it was moving in slow motion.Ice Elemental Energy had a unique quality in the Akamatsuverse, as, rather than simply freeze things, it actually decreased movement speed, reaction time, and, when the user was proficient enough, it could even slow the passage of time.With the exception of Eva, who was an incomprehensible monster when it came to manipulating Ice Elemental Energy, Fenrir was confident even the Great Spirit of Ice couldn't compare to her. She was even able to reduce the temperature in her surroundings to -270 degrees Celsius without the use of a single spell. If she got serious, she could even reach a state beyond 'Absolute Zero', a point where even quantum mechanical movement ceased. This effectively forced an object into a dualistic state of both 'infinite heat' and 'absolute cold', anchoring them within Space-Time and causing them to atomize the moment any external forces acted upon them.The theory of 'negative-infinity' was something that had been postulated by Da Vinci, and, after a series of experiments correlating Yin Elemental Energy with Space and Time, transcending Absolute Zero was no longer impossible. Instead of reaching 0 degrees Kelvin, however, the objects affected reached a temperature exceeding any natural state of matter. In Da Vinci's words, it was similar to assigning a value of negative one in a looping system that traditionally only accounted for values between zero and infinity. As a result, cooling something 'beyond' Absolute Zero effectively placed it at the upper end of the spectrum, registering close to four-trillion degrees Celsius before simply breaking the tools used to record the temperature.Though she would obviously never use such an ability against such weak opponents, Fenrir couldn't help but feel a slight urge to do so every time one of the armored knights attempted to stab her in the eye. There was even a bold individual who had fired a powerful magical spell towards her butt, seemingly attempting to exploit a 'weakness' in her defenses. This caused her to feel a great deal of shame and indignation, so, before she even realized it, the man had become one of the few people turned to meat paste during her assault...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'For Master (O,...,O)...!','RIP Technician-chan','YOU DARE!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1636: Bias