Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With most of his business completed, Vahn teleported to the center of Fenrir's gradually expanding castle.Curiously, perhaps because she was able to sense his presence from the gemstone, Asuna reacted a little slower than usual. It was only after Fenrir raised her body that she seemed to notice his arrival, her face a subtle shade of red as she quickly 'concealed' the rainbow-hued gemstone from view.Though he found Asuna's behavior rather amusing, Vahn could only smile wryly as he extended his hand, materializing the gemstone in his palm. This caused the twin-tailed princess to puff out her cheeks slightly, but, as he really didn't need the stress of a precocious girl becoming increasingly bold with his gemstone, Vahn pretended not to notice her pouting expression.After walking over and allowing Fenrir to nuzzle against him for a few moments, Vahn hopped onto her back, ruffling the deadpan Asuna's hair before saying, "It seems our enemies want to draw this out. I guess it's about time we meet with the members of Ala Rubra. Are you ready, Fenrir, Asuna?"Though she was able to speak in her wolf form, Fenrir's response was a bored yawn. As for Asuna, her fake pout turned more genuine as she asked, "Are they going to be living with us?"Understanding Asuna's concerns, as she was going through a bit of a 'selfish' phase right now, Vahn smiled wryly in response before gently guiding her to sit in his lap. This was more than enough to pacify her mild frustrations, her ears turning a rosy tinge as she leaned into Vahn's chest and turned her head up, clearly expecting an answer to her previous question.While smiling back at her, Vahn explained, "Depending on how things develop, they will probably come to stay on the island. Don't worry, I have no intention of revealing the Garden of Avalon to them at this point in time. Even if it turns out the mastermind behind Ala Rubra is involved in some grand scheme, they won't be able to trace our movements if I'm serious."Knowing Ala Rubra wouldn't be able to enter the Garden of Avalon, Asuna could feel the tensions in her body melting away. She could already imagine Vahn helping Nagi train, and, while that wasn't a bad thing, she didn't want to spend years living in close proximity with the members of Ala Rubra. It was one thing to be allies, but, after reading excerpts about Nagi's various exploits during his youth, she wasn't comfortable with bathing or changing anywhere near him.Feeling a little angry just thinking about someone trying to 'prank' her, Asuna's expression became somewhat scary as she muttered, "I want to fight against Nagi. I need to overcome my aversion to injuring others and I can't think of a more suitable training partner..."Sensing the sword intent radiating from Asuna's body, Vahn was struggling to restrain a laugh as he internally remarked, ("I'm starting to feel sorry for that brat...")In the original timeline, Asuna would have undoubtedly grown fond of Nagi, and, though she might have felt forced by the circumstances, Arika likely loved him dearly. Now, however, both girls held a bit of resentment towards the boy. This was one of the downsides to learning about the future from a historical account. It allowed people to form a bias because all the finer details, such as the actual context and emotions involved, were simply missing.If he were being honest, Vahn had also formed a bit of a bias towards the legendary party, but, as they were undoubtedly the 'protagonists', he knew there had to be a greater reason for everything that happened. Nagi was probably a good kid, and, though he would undoubtedly be a little dense, he should have a natural charisma that drew people to him. As for his perversion...well, that seemed to be a common trope when it came to protagonists.Based on how people viewed nakedness in Mundus Magicus, it wasn't difficult to imagine that the world was created as either a romantic comedy or an action novel with a fair amount of fanservice. Even Eva had shown up in what amounted to a BDSM outfit, and, though she had defaulted to less revealing clothing after their reunion, her leather g-string wasn't something that could be forgotten easily. She also had a habit of wearing rather skimpy side-tie panties, and, though it was easy to just blame it on happenstance, even the wind within Mundus Magicus had a high probability of blowing up skirts to reveal the contents hidden beneath...Remembering his stay in Ariadne, Vahn couldn't help but shake his head slightly, a wry smile on his face as he answered, "I don't mind if you want to fight against him. If he is as strong as rumored, he will be a good rival for you. Just make sure you wear your Aegis properly to prevent any 'accidents' from occurring."Knowing what Vahn meant by accidents, Asuna's sword intent became even more potent, her eyes sharpening like blades as she said, "If he tries anything...I'll cut it off..."Feeling goosebumps spread across his body, Vahn found himself unable to reply to Asuna's rather 'dangerous' words. Instead, he just lightly pat her head before turning to Fenrir and saying, "We'll head West to draw out the people who are undoubtedly pursuing us. If anyone powerful shows up, you will probably need to return to your true form. You don't need to force yourself to fight in your transformed state."Understanding the weaknesses of fighting in a giant form, Fenrir didn't hesitate to nod in response to her Master's words. Then, after storing her [Pristine Jace-Ice Bed], her scarlet eyes began to blaze with an intense light as the palace around her began to vibrate and crackle. From the outside, it was like the entire structure was being illuminated from the interior, and, after reaching an intensity that could rival the side, the entire thing simply 'dispersed' into a veritable tidal wave of icy white light.Though the glacial palace only covered a few hundred meters, the ice elemental energy released by its dispersal spread out for several kilometers. In its wake, a large part of the bay was frozen down to the mud as a thick layer of frost covered most nearby structures. It was almost like a giant snow globe had been formed in the region, as, due to the presence of the ice elemental energy, any rain that entered the pale white bubble immediately turned to ice and snow...---Immediately following Fenrir's departure from the Megalomesembrian entry point, various forces that had been patiently lying in wait stirred to action. Fighting inside of the city was forbidden, for obvious reasons, so, even when Vahn had been making his way towards the Senate Building, they had been unable to act.Fortunately for the would-be bounty hunters, Megalomesembria had yet to even consider whether or not they were going to retract Vahn's bounty. Thus, without any fear that their efforts would be wasted, various groups decided to pursue the giant wolf that was somehow able to run across the surface of the water as if it was flat ground.Among the first groups to react, a youth with two-tone red hair and similar red eyes had a massive grin on his face tossed his staff into the air before leaping atop it and shouting, "I'm going ahead! I won't let them get away this time!"Without waiting for any of his companions to respond, the youth took off toward the horizon at breakneck speed, his body shrouded in a thin white barrier that mitigated air friction completely.Seeing their young charge take off without even considering a plan, the remaining members of the group had mixed reactions of amusement and concern. The oldest among them, at least going by appearance, was the first to speak out, worry audible in his tone as he said, "Shouldn't we be giving chase as well? Nagi is very powerful, but that monster seems to be in a class of his own...I'm worried he might be getting in over his head this time..."Hearing their Japanese companion's words, the other two members of the group turned toward the man, smiles visible on their faces as the truly oldest among them answered, "You are correct to be concerned, Eishun. Though Nagi has a propensity for shattering expectations, his current power is far from the Sage Dragon Emperor's."The moment the man finished his words, Eishun showed an even more fretful expression as he pullted out an inordinately long sword made from white wood and exclaimed, "Then what are we waiting for!? Nagi is our student! We can't just leave him to fight against that monster by himself!"Showing none of the concern visible on their companion's countenance, the younger of the two calmly stated, "Even if we were there, Nagi would ask us to stay out of the fight. We should certainly give chase, but, rather than interfere in the battle, our goal should be to prevent others from doing so. You don't have to worry about Nagi. Even if he emerges from the battle beaten and bruised, I do not believe the Sage Dragon Emperor would kill him."Annoyed by the words of the childlike individual, Eishun glared back at him, asking, "What makes the two of you so certain that is the case!? How do you know Nagi isn't currently flying towards his death while we stand here twiddling our thumbs!?"Continuing to show no visible concern in their expressions, the two ancient individuals, Filius Zect and Albireo Imma, looked toward each other with calm smiles on their faces. After the former gave a curt nod, Albireo turned back toward Eishun, explaining, "I would have thought someone of your talent and pedigree would have noticed."With a visibly annoyed expression on his face, Eishun continued to glare at the duo, his voice dark and heavy as he asked, "What was I supposed to have noticed?"After chuckling lightly in response to Eishun's reaction, Albireo explained, "That man, the one who calls himself the Sage Dragon Emperor, had already detected our presence. His perception is rather amazing. It reminds me of the domain of a God, albeit with a few peculiarities...I digress. The simple truth of the matter is, even after sensing our presence, he showed no sign of hostility. Rather, based on the impression I got, he seems to be familiar with us?"Nodding his head in agreement, Filius went on to add, "Indeed. There is a chance that man knows the true reason behind our arrival in Mundus Magicus. That girl accompanying him is actually the Key of Twilight, and, based on his actions thus far, it is fair to assume he comes from the future. He is far too powerful to have remained hidden for this long, and, based on how the elementals react to his presence, it is safe to assume he didn't come here from a different world."Not expecting Filius to suddenly mention time travel, Eishun couldn't help but look at the 'youth' as if he had lost his mind. Before he could say anything, however, Albireo added, "I have watched over this world since a time before its inception. In that time, there has never been a creature as loved by the Spirits as the Sage Dragon Emperor. The energy radiating from his body is also unlike anything I have ever seen, even during the eras preceding humanity. This energy has even started to affect the entirety of Mundus Magicus, so, if he had existed prior to his emergence in the Hellas Empire, there would have been a considerable amount of evidence."Though it sounded ridiculous, Eishun found himself unable to refute the words of Filius and Albireo. He knew the former was well over two-thousand years old, and, though Albireo Imma often skirted around the topic of his age, he was 'much older' than Filius. If they were both saying something like the Sage Dragon Emperor had never existed, that was very likely to be the truth. There was also the fact that the Sage Dragon Emperor wasn't discreet, so, if he hadn't come from the future, he would have already taken action long ago...Not expecting to suddenly face a time-traveling Ancient Dragon, Eishun couldn't help but release a profound sigh before looking back at his two ancient companions and saying, "After this is all over, I'm expecting an explanation. It's about time the two of you told me the actual reason you wanted to bring Nagi to this world. I'm tired of being left in the dark."As Eishun had already proven himself a capable ally, Filius and Albireo could see the merit in telling him the truth. Thus, after a brief exchange of glances, the duo nodded to each other before turning back to the slightly nervous-looking Japanese man, answering, "Very well then..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Let me just confiscate that...','Ice Age~!','Never underestimate the intelligence of Old Monsters...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Having anticipated that various groups would be pursuing them long before his excursion into Megalomesembria, Vahn had already selected a suitable battleground. It was one of the regions that had previously flooded, and, though there was a settlement a few dozen kilometers away, there was a decently sized mountain range separating it from the largely uninhabited valley.After reaching their destination in just under half an hour, Vahn had Fenrir come to a stop near the very center of the valley. Then, without him needing to advise her, she instantly reverted back to her true form, manifesting her Zanpakuto in the process.Nodding his head in approval, Vahn caressed the heads of both Fenrir and Asuna as he said, "I'll be watching closely. Remember, if you want to use any big attacks, aim them upwards or towards the South. Even if this region is largely uninhabited due to Megalomesembria's wanton destruction, we should try to avoid exacerbating the situation..."Though he didn't have much room to speak, the simple truth of the matter was that Vahn's attacks generally had a beneficial effect on the environment. His former battlefields became hotspots for a variety of different lifeforms, and, even if he were to fight in the middle of a desert, the area would quickly turn into an oasis over the course of a few weeks...Without drawing attention to the fact that Vahn often caused 'extreme' amounts of damage to the environment, Fenrir and Asuna both nodded their heads, the former answering, "Yes, Master!" while the latter followed up with a simple, "Nn."Satisfied with the duo's response, Vahn lightly pinched Asuna's nose before walking off to the side with Fenrir. Moments later, like a meteor descending from the heavens, a youth veiled in a cloak of vibrant white lightning crashed into the ground a few meters away from the trio's position.Understanding that the youth was trying to make a cool appearance, Vahn couldn't help but smile in amusement as a red-haired boy emerged from the small crater his landing had formed. His wild hairstyle was influenced by the infusion of lightning elemental energy into his Ki, and, like a Super Saiyan emerging on the scene of a battlefield, a chaotic shroud of crackling energy veiled his body as he leaned forward confidently and asked, "So, you're the Sage Dragon Emperor that's all the rage these days?"While ruminating over the practicality of having a magical staff spinning behind your body, Vahn shook his head, confusing the youth slightly as he said, "Who I am doesn't really matter right now. If you continue to ignore the enemy in front of you, you're bound to experience some suffering."Hearing Vahn's words, the youth showed a slightly incredulous look on his face as he briefly turned his attention to Asuna. Based solely on appearance, there wasn't much of a difference in their ages, but, disregarding this entirely, the red-haired youth craned his head and asked, "Huh? Enemy? This chibi? Come on man, you-"Unable to finish his words, the youth was forced to dodge to the right, his movement so swift that it was impossible for most to trace. Despite this, he was unable to completely dodge Asuna's attack, a rather sizeable chunk of red hairs serving as a testament to that fact.With widened eyes, the youth turned back to Asuna with an incredulous look on his face, a thin line of blood running down his left cheek as he exclaimed, "Holy shit. This little cutie is a real firecracker, ain't she?"Unamused by the youth's words, Asuna's eyes sharpened as she leaned forward slightly, her large parka flaring out in a rather cinematic display as she bolted forward with explosive force. She felt a weird disturbance in the surrounding air, so, rather than use shundo, she intended to rely on raw speed, footwork, and technique to punish the foul-mouthed boy.Getting a dangerous feeling from the small black 'dagger' in the girl's hand, the youth rightly chose not to try and block it. Just staring at it made him feel a little nervous, something he didn't even feel when facing against his teacher, one of the most skilled swordsmen in the entire world.With his enhanced speed and reflexes, the youth thought he would be able to create some distance between himself and the fiery young girl, but, even after doubling his speed, he was still barely able to dodge her attacks. A few even nicked his body, completely ignoring the multi-layered barrier of Ki and Magical Energy surrounding his body.Realizing the girl wasn't simple, an excited smile began to spread across the youth's face as he used a short-range teleportation spell to create some distance and say, "My name is Nagi Springfield, the man who will one day stand at the pinnacle of this world. Tell me, what's your name, cutie?"Emphasizing just how annoyed she was, Asuna's bells released a gentle chime as she took a slow-motion step forward as she muttered, "Vis Maxima..."With alarm bells screaming in the back of his mind, Nagi exclaimed, "Shit..!" as he extended both hands forward. In response to his gesture, several layers of magical barriers appeared between him and Asuna. Even this didn't silence the alarms, however, so, trusting his instinct, Nagi used another short-range teleportation as Asuna, shattering all of the barriers as if they were thin panes of glass, cut through the area where he had previously been standing.Shocked by the girl's ability to just crash through magical barriers with her body, Nagi adopted a slightly more serious expression as he muttered, "This little chibi is even stronger than I was at her age..."Though she hadn't heard the Nagi's mutterings, the edge of Asuna's Zanpakuto glistened with a dangerous light as she cut towards his direction. This caused him to instinctually use another short-range teleportation spell, but, much to his surprise, he still felt 'something' pass through his body as an intense, searing, pain spread from his chest.After reappearing in the air several hundred meters away, Nagi was compelled to cover his mouth as a large volume of blood surged from his throat. To his horror, an unnervingly large wound had appeared across his body. Its length ran from his right shoulder to just under his ribs, and, if it had been even a centimeter or two deeper, most of his vital organs would have been sliced through in an instant.Despite feeling extremely lightheaded, a smile spread across Nagi's face as the lightning veiling his body began to cauterize his wound. He realized the girl was holding back, as that attack could have easily taken his life, but, rather than show any fear whatsoever, all he felt was excitement as he said, "You're really something..."As she had been a little worried about the severity of Nagi's injury, Asuna didn't immediately follow up on her attack. This was where her lack of experience came into play, as, following his statement, a truly monumental amount of lightning surged from Nagi's body, tearing through the surrounding landscape as his figure seemed to blink out of existence. The next thing Asuna knew, there was a hand covering her view, and, if not for her defaulting into the State of Nothingness by default, she would have found herself being dragged through the terrain by the lightning-clad youth.Undaunted by the fact he had somehow passed through his enemy, Nagi grabbed his staff with an even more excited smile on his face as he shouted, "Great! Let's see how long you can keep it up!"Though he wasn't sure about the mechanic behind his opponent's intangibility, Nagi had learned how to damage incorporeal opponents from his teacher, a Master of the Shinmei-Ryu School. He was still far from the level of being able to cut through concepts, but, with a natural affinity for both lightning elemental energy and sealing, he was confident in being able to injure ghosts, gods, and spirits.With the head of his staff turning into an extendable blade formed from lightning elemental energy and ki, Nagi began to cut towards Asuna's body with enough speed to create tempestuous winds in the surroundings.Causing the smile on Nagi's face to become even more prominent, Asuna's figure actually began to flicker in a strange manner, deftly evading or cutting through his strikes. He could tell she was using a variation of shundo, but, before he could see through the technique, he was forced to duck under her blade as it swept through the area where his head had been.Understanding the danger of 'simply' dodging, Nagi attempted to grab Asuna's wrist while striking toward her abdomen with his left foot. He believed she wouldn't be able to attack in her immaterial state, so, unless it was a 'very' realistic feint, her deduced she had momentarily become vulnerable.Unfortunately, Nagi's quick-thinking provided little benefit this time around as both his hand and foot slipped through Asuna's body. This put him in an awkward situation that required him to use another short-range teleportation, but, having anticipated this, Asuna managed to place her hand on his back, teleporting with him.Not expecting a sudden passenger, Nagi was momentarily at a loss as his brain tried to process how Asuna was able to 'ignore' all of his barriers.Taking advantage of the very momentary gap, Asuna reentered the State of Nothingness in an instant, her hand slipping into Nagi's body. This wouldn't normally cause any damage, but, as a Master in the use of Ki, Asuna was able to release a series of destructive pulses in the interior of Nagi's body, ignoring his defenses entirely. It made her feel a little sick to the stomach, but, as the purpose of this battle was to overcome her aversion to injuring others, she pushed through it...Feeling as if a localized earthquake had just erupted in his body, Nagi ended up vomiting even more blood than before as most of his organs sustained heavy injuries. He was pretty sure his left lung had completely collapsed as well, but, with a dauntless smile on his face, he managed to look down at Asuna's hand before saying, "You know, I always thought I would be the one penetrating a cute girl. Who would have thought a day would come when the roles were reversed?"Stupefied by Nagi's remark, Asuna couldn't help but gawk as she stared back at the youth with an incredulous expression. This ended up being another mistake, as, without a clear mind, maintaining the State of Nothingness was very difficult. As a result, her hand 'materialized' inside of Nagi's side, a fact the youth in question was very aware of as he forced his lightning infused ki directly into her body.Unaccustomed to taking damage, Asuna's first instinct was to try and move away, but, rather than allow his chance to slip away, Nagi grabbed her wrist with enough force to fracture the bones as he mused, "I'm afraid you'll have to take responsibility..."To punctuate his words, Nagi attempted to release even more lightning-infused ki, but, immediately after his words fell, an irresistible force prevented all of his movements. He could feel his mind race faster than it ever had before, but, no matter how much power he tried to muster, he could do little more than being taken along for the ride as time began to flow in reverse...---Unaffected by Vahn's time reversal, Asuna began to tear up slightly as she cradled her broken wrist and attempted to mend the bones. Nagi's grasp was like a death grip so her wrist had turned nearly as black as Ko before swelling up to more than three times the normal size. (A/N: Ko is the name of Asuna's Zanpakuto for those who have forgotten.)Fortunately, while Nagi was stuck experiencing his battle in reverse, Vahn dutifully appeared next to Asuna, tenderly embracing her trembling body before carefully grasping her wrist. This caused her to release a pained yelp, but, rather than complain, Asuna just bit her bottom lip before burying her face into Vahn's chest and allowing him to mend her wounds...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I would have laughed if Vahn just answered, "No."','Asuna doesn't like being called a chibi (&gt;,...,&lt;)...','Death Penalty')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Seeing the remains of Senator Ricardos spread out across the ground, even Vahn couldn't help but feel a little sick to his stomach. He had actually expected the Senator to survive the blow due to his demonic blood so it was a little unexpected to see the man simply split apart...Shaking his head, Vahn turned his attention towards the projection of the Dictator, who, from start to finish, had remained unnaturally composed.Noticing Vahn's gaze, Dictator Primulus adopted an almost imperceptible sneer beneath his mask of calm as he asked, "How long are you going to continue this farce? Unless you intend to try and rule over Megalomesembria, I would much rather you just state your demands and leave us be. We have been seeking a compromise from the very beginning. Will you not be satisfied until you kill off half our population as well...?"Unamused by the man's words, Vahn snorted through his nose before asserting, "Your words might carry some weight if you didn't rule a nation built on a foundation of racial supremacy, slavery, and a complete disregard for the planet you call home. You will know I'm satisfied when you are allowed to live without the threat of my sword cutting you down at any moment."To punctuate his words, Vahn brandished his sword in a slow and graceful arc that even the weakest Senators present could follow. Immediately afterward, the projection of another Senator sputtered out of existence as his body, bisected at the waist, tumbled over...So as to remove any doubt from their minds, Vahn waited for the man's figure to vanish completely before adding, "My presence here is a simple courtesy. So long as I am aware of your wrongdoings, no amount of distance will be able to protect you. Hide behind your walls, erect your barriers, raise your armies. In the end, you will still be held accountable for your actions."Hearing Vahn's remark, the majority of the Senators present fell silent, many considering whether or not they should deactivate their projections and move to more secure locations.Breaking the graveyard-like silence that had begun to descend upon the Senate Chamber, Dictator Primulus surprised nearly everyone by saying, "There is only one absolute power in this world. You might be incomprehensibly strong but there will always be a limit to your power. Unless you intend to rule over this world and exterminate everyone who contradicts your views, you must be willing to compromise. Your threats certainly carry a considerable amount of weight, but, so long as there are differences between people, there will always be conflict. Your actions will result in the deaths-"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the man's mutterings, Vahn pointed his sword directly at the Dictator, interrupting his monologue by saying, "Seriously. Unless you've tried to better the system, you really have no ground to stand on. You are part of the problem. How about you correct yourself before you start spewing platitudes and lecturing others. Unlike the majority present here, I am well aware of the consequences of my actions. You can try to pin the blame of me for all the lives that will be lost, but, if your system wasn't so backward, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."Satisfied with the glowering expression on the Dictator's face, Vahn couldn't help smiling as he set Laev-tan on his shoulder, adding, "I will be restoring balance to this world. To that end, you have a year to shut down all factories and production facilities that don't directly contribute to the health and wellness of the environment. All Demihuman slaves will be released from their suffrage and all propaganda that purports the human race as being superior to others will be forbidden. I don't care about the opinions of individual people, but, when the state is purporting a completely bogus claim just to fan the flames of conflict, it is inexcusable. From now on, if you are found guilty of such acts, you will be removed from your posts. Any questions? No? Good."With his ultimatum issued, Vahn turned his back to the surviving Senators and began making his way towards the exit. He didn't particularly care about their reactions, and, even if they did have a question, it wasn't like he was just going to stand around pandering to them. He had already stated his case, so, regardless of what happened in the future, they only had themselves to blame when he arrived to demonstrate the consequences of their actions...Noticing the remains of Senator Ricardos still littering the ground, a wry smile spread across Vahn's face before quickly shifting into a more serious look as he looked over his shoulder and stated, "Do not forget my words. I am giving you a chance to prove yourselves, but, at any time, I can take away this chance without a moment's notice. Inversely, if you prove yourselves worthy..."Though it had nothing to do with a sword technique, Vahn cut down with Laev-tan once again, this time causing a mysterious green hue to spread through the area. Then, causing even the Dictator to show a serious expression, the body of Senator Ricardos, all of the slain magical knights, and even the armored spider-like tanks began to mend at a visible rate. To the observers, it was like time was reversing, and, while this wasn't exactly the case, the end result was virtually indistinguishable...---Without sticking around to see the results of his entropic reversal, Vahn allowed his primary vessel to dissipate within the Senate Chamber. This spontaneous disappearance was bound to cause even greater confusion, as, even if they reviewed a recording of the footage during his time in the Senate Chamber, finding even a single frame with him in it was impossible.Due to his existence as a singularity, even photographs of Vahn wouldn't show his figure, and, while it was possible to remember him, peering into someone's memories would return nothing related to him. This had caused quite a stir within the Inner Sanctum when people realized they could not create Memory Orbs related to him, but, with his own functioning just fine, he was able to recreate the memories they were interested in without issue.Needless to say, Da Vinci was very interested in this phenomenon, labeling it as Contemporaneous Cognizance, an overexaggerated way of saying that people could only perceive him in the present. They were still able to remember him, describing events with perfect clarity, but, the moment these memories were extracted in a way that could be analyzed, any and all information directly related to him simply didn't exist. The only exceptions to this rule were the Memory Orbs Vahn had created, as, unlike a normal person's memory, his memories were like an archive that systematically 'recorded' everything within his perception, himself included...Regardless of how and why it worked, Vahn found solace in the fact that, even if people could spy on him, they were unable to actually record anything related to him. It didn't matter if they used photos, videos, magic, or other methods of surveillance, as, unless they were observing him in the present, he simply didn't exist. It was for this reason that most of the people hunting for him didn't quite take his actions above Lake Argyre seriously, as, even if they reviewed the footage, they would just see a few incomprehensible scenes playing out without any rhyme or reason.Fortunately, even if he was functionally 'invisible', the effects of his attacks, especially if they used Elemental Energy as a basis, could still be seen. This was enough to horrify the average person, as, from their perspective, it was almost as if an invisible deity was passing judgment upon both the Empire and Confederation; a surprisingly apt reaction considering Vahn's triplicate Divinities...---With his main vessel destroyed, the remaining Vahn's, which had been spread around the city to increase the effective range of his attacks, began to converge. The only exception was the version of himself relaxing in what appeared to be a rather exorbitant fortune teller's hut.Located a few meters from where Vahn was seated upon a chaise lounge, a large reflecting pool with eerie black water could be seen producing countless ripples, almost as if invisible raindrops were hitting its surface. Even more eerie was the fact that, if you put your ear close to the water, it was possible to make out the almost inaudible screams of countless people...Though others would feel nervous just being inside the heavily veiled chamber, Vahn was able to relax without showing any sign of perturbation. The reason for this was rather simple, and, as if to demonstrate this point, a beautiful figure emerged from the shallow pool as if it was was actually much deeper. She had dark-green hair tied in a loose ponytail, and, similar to Vahn, albeit a shade darker, her eyes glistened with a deep aquamarine glow.Seeing the woman emerge from the pool's 'depths', Vahn rose to a seated position, an affectionate smile on his face as he said, "I couldn't have done this alone. Thank you, Fairy Xuan."Hearing her Master's praise, Fairy Xuan issued a very womanly laugh, her voice carrying deep and sultry undertones as she answered, "Our life is given meaning by being able to serve Master."Agreeing with Fairy Xuan's words, a rather large snake emerged from the water, it's voice incredibly deep as it added, "Indeeeeeeed. Eliminating Master's enemies brings us the greatest pleasure..."Finding her perpetual companion's words amusing, Fairy Xuan began to gently caress its head, her nails glistening with a dangerous light as she gingerly ran them across the snake's scales, it's purple tongue flickering contentedly in response...Seeing the interaction between the 'two', Vahn issued a light chuckle before rising to his feet and approaching the duo's side. This caused the snake to break free from the woman's caress as it lifted itself further from the water, revealing the fact it was directly attached to the woman's lower back.Unperturbed by the snake's actions, Vahn allowed it to rub its head against him as he dutifully ran his left hand along it's glistening black scales. At the same time, he extended his hand to the other half of Fairy Xuan, the female form that lulled prey into a false sense of security.After helping Fairy Xuan to her feet, Vahn helped to warm the duo's body by holding her female half close and allowing the snake to loosely coil around his body. Then, for the better part of an hour, he repaid their diligence by leading the naked Fairy Xuan around the room, slowly dancing to the tune of an enchanted zither. They had always been rather fond of dancing, and, while it wasn't something he partook of very often, Vahn actually enjoyed it quite a bit...---Though Vahn had killed a number of Senator's using his own methods, the person responsible for the instantaneous deaths of nearly a third of the entire assembly was Fairy Xuan.Using the nigh-cataclysmic storm as a cover, Fairy Xuan was able to infiltrate the personal bunkers and hideouts of various Senators. She could even manifest from a single drop of purified water, so, ever since her departure from Ariadne, Fairy Xuan had been amassing information on every Senator. This included information pertaining to their secret dealings, and, most importantly, whether or not they sincerely believed in the propaganda purported by the Confederation.In the end, Fairy Xuan had managed to compile a detailed dossier on more than two-thirds of the active Senators. She had invested most of her efforts in vetting the least corrupt among them, so, when it came time for the mass execution, it was the group she hadn't investigated fully that was executed.While this might not make a lot of sense, the primary reason Fairy Xuan wasn't able to compile a detailed dossier on the final third was due to their close association with Demons. This association limited her observation of them, so, rather than focus on the Senators themselves, she compiled as much information as she could obtain regarding the actions of their family and close associates. It wasn't difficult to find evidence of wrongdoing, and, more often than not, those with close ties to the Demon Nobility of Venus were the most likely to engage in taboo research.Though he didn't really want anything to do with Venus, that didn't mean Vahn could ignore the presence of Demons in Mundus Magicus. This had nothing to do with discrimination, as Demons actually acted under a very strict set of Laws. Rather, it was because they exacerbated problems by offering power and knowledge to corrupt, malicious, or outright evil individuals.The only thing that really mattered to a Demon was fulfilling the terms of their contract. The terms of these contracts could benefit both good and evil individuals, but, as the method for summoning a Demon was typically only known to people who dabbled in the dark and so-called forbidden arts, it was very rare to hear about a Demon's power being used for benevolent purposes. Thus, until he could reach some kind of agreement with the Demon King, Vahn was intending to kill anyone that was misusing a Demon's power, even if it meant becoming the target of one of the most powerful factions in the Akamatsuverse...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Bruh..."','Memories of Nobody','I feel like Vahn just wants to fight someone...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1643: Pursuit : Truth