Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Having finished their daily training hours prior, Vahn was relaxing on the beach chair wearing a pair of swimming trunks, sunglasses, and a pair of headphones. There was a large beach parasol next to him, but, enjoying the sun's warmth, he tilted it away from his body, exposing his tanned skin to the sun's gentle caress. He was quite fond of relaxing outdoors, and, though he knew the main reason Asuna had invited him was to show off her new bikini, that didn't stop him from enjoying the warm sun and the cool breeze...After spending nearly twenty minutes submerged, Asuna poked half her head out of the water, her contemplative gaze showing no hostility but reminding Vahn of an alligator waiting near the water's edge. He was pretty good at sensing when she was up to something, so, when Asuna invited him to go exploring an undersea cave, Vahn politely declined. He could sense that she had placed all kinds of magical barriers and wards around the area, and, after sending his intent to investigate, he found a few hundred candles decorating the interior cavern.Though she probably didn't have anything too risque in mind, confined quarters with atmospheric lighting were a breeding ground for licentious thoughts. Even if her intention was only to nestle up close to him, 'normal' behavior at most times, the fact she was wearing a white string bikini made it a lot less 'innocent'. She had even been tanning recently, so, while most of her body was kissed by a very healthy shade of brown, there were a few regions that were still pristine, fair, and, as was likely her intention, eye-catching.Seeing Asuna continuing to stare at him, the edges of Vahn's lips curled up as he gave her a casual wave. This caused her to flare her nostrils slightly, a mischievous glimmer flashing across her eyes as she dipped her head beneath the water's surface. Immediately after, her presence seemed to vanish in its entirety, but, unless she vanished from the outside of his Domain and snuck in, Vahn could still track her if he really wanted to.Sensing an almost imperceptible distortion in the fabric of Space-Time, Vahn turned his attention to his right, an area just outside his periphery. There, he found a smiling Asuna performing a ram seal, the index and middle fingers of both hands pressed parallel to each other as the ring and pinky of her left hand cupped her right. This was a familiar seal for those familiar with the Record of Naruto, but, as was the case with many principles, a number of things transferred between worlds.With some of the most powerful Ki users being practitioners of Chinese Kenpo and the ancient Japanese Ninja Arts, techniques like Kage Bunchin, Shunshin, and even the Substitution Technique actually existed in the Akamatsuverse. Asuna was well-aware of this, and, in her pursuit of knowing everything there was to know about him, she was equally aware of the fact he used to be a fan of Naruto. She had read a variation of the series that was drastically different from the one found in his memories, but, while there were some pretty major differences, many of the central elements remained the same.Taking advantage of her mastery over internal energy and Ki, a large cloud of pink smoke erupted around Asuna as she shouted, "Hāremu no Jutsu~!". The explosion was powerful enough to knock the sunglasses from Vahn's face, kicking up a considerable amount of sand in the process, but, with a thin aura protecting his body, he was left to smile wryly when a total of twenty bikini-clad Asuna's appeared around him.Though all twenty gave off the impression of the original, Vahn turned his attention to one specific Asuna amongst the group, asking, "What are you trying to pull this time?"Smiling wide enough to display her pearly whites, Asuna didn't hesitate for a single moment before saying, "Let's play the King's Game. Loser has to abide by one request from the winner."Understanding that the King's Game was essentially just an 'advanced' form of Truth or Dare, Vahn wasted no time in shaking his head, stating, "You are too young to play such a game. Also, even if you have a bunch of clones, there are only two of us present. What next, are you going to ask me to play Doctor?"Appearing slightly indignant, at least on the surface, Asuna puffed out her cheeks in an attempt to appear both pouty and adorable. This had worked well when she was younger, and, though Vahn had built up a resistance to it, Asuna couldn't help but laugh internally when she saw the edges of his smile twitch. There was also a slight contraction of his pupils before they returned to normal, a sure sign that he had wavered, even if only a little bit.By baiting Vahn with an unreasonable request, Asuna had primed him to be more accepting of her next request, something far tamer, but, for her, equally as exciting. She was confident in her speed and actually enjoying running around ever since the first time Vahn took her exploring the forests near Nyandoma. Thus, after pretending to pout for several seconds, she released a disappointed huff before crossing her arms and saying, "How about a game of tag then? The winner still gets to make a request of the loser, but, instead of 'anything', they are limited to choosing something that has already happened."Though he was almost positive that Asuna was baiting him, Vahn didn't really have anything else going on at the moment. He also trusted that Asuna wouldn't take things too far, so, after a brief moment of deliberation, he nodded his head and asked, "So, you want me to chase down each of your clones?"Hearing Vahn acquiesce to her 'compromise', a mischievous smile spread across Asuna's face as she explained, "That is just one of the rules. The other two are that you can only tag someone over their clothes, and, unless you burst them, my clones will be able to tag you back. I believe that's fair since you have the ability to control Space and Time."'Realizing' what kind of game Asuna was trying to loop him into, Vahn inspected her scanty white bikini, a garment that effectively only covered her erogenous zones. If he agreed to her game, his victory was predicated on his willingness to basically grope her, and, knowing Asuna, there was a very high chance she would discard one, or both, of the garments. He hadn't missed the face she tied a tiny ribbon around her left ankle, and, while most wouldn't consider that clothing, the actual definition encompassed item, object, or apparel worn on the body.Suppressing a sigh, Vahn was about to refuse Asuna's game when she very plainly pointed out, "It is just touching. You used to help me wash when I was younger and you see me naked several times a day. We also sleep and cuddle together, so what's wrong with a little touching? Besides, my mother has already given her consent and I don't even remotely mind you touching my body. I doubt it will be more intimate than those times you gave me a massage..."Though she spoke nothing but truth, empowered by cold hard logic, Vahn couldn't help but run his hand slowly from his forehead to the back of his head. Her most powerful argument was the fact that her mother had expressively given her consent following Asuna's first period, as, in accordance with Vespertatian Law, a woman could be wed so long as they were evaluated to be of sound mind and had completed at least one year of secondary education. Though Asuna had only attended a single year of Academy, her theoretical and practical knowledge even eclipsed that of the tenured professors, so, in accordance with Vespertatian Law, she had already become an adult...Vahn was well-aware of just how mature Asuna was, both in body and mind, but her attempt to try and 'entrap' him was proof enough that she was still immature. If he had been much younger, there might have been a chance her logic would have worked, but, now that he had actual grandchildren that were older than her, his inhibitions weren't so easily discarded. Even if she had a body that was on the level of someone like Artoria, Arcuied, or Musashi, Vahn wouldn't give in until he felt she was ready for such interactions...Fortunately, Vahn didn't actually have to shut Asuna down, as, near the very edge of his domain, a few powerful auras entered his perception. Immediately after that, seemingly able to sense that he had sensed them, two of the auras began to surge. Asuna also took notice of this, and, though she would normally be 'very' annoyed by such interruptions, Vahn heard a sigh of relief escape her lips as she dismissed her clones. She was aware that she had pushed a little too hard, but, after seeing her bikini-clad figure in the mirror, Asuna couldn't help but feel a little emboldened...Refusing to allow anyone but Vahn to see her scantily clad form, Asuna donned her usual battle attire using her personalized [REquip] system. Then, manifested from a block void in the center of her chest, the black hilt of the perpetually unsealed Ko emerged as Asuna stated, "If that brat wants to fight, leave him to me. I've been yearning for a rematch and I currently have a bunch of stress to release..."Though she said the last couple of words in a barely audible murmur, Vahn could still hear them as if his ear was right next to Asuna's mouth. This caused him to release a light chuckle, but, unlike the hotheaded young woman, he elected to remain in his swimwear. He didn't take Nagi seriously, and, though this might seem hubristic, the simple fact of the matter was that the youth wouldn't survive a single exchange if they went all out. He likely wouldn't even be able to land a hit on Asuna at the moment, as, with the benefits provided by the Little Garden, her base parameters had increased by nearly thirty percent...------------------------------------------------[Status]Name: [Asuna Vesperina Theotanasia Entheofushia]Age: 12Race: High HumanOffense: 1638Defense: 1219Mobility: 3,412Base Power: 6,269Soul Tier: 5 (Realm Soul)Skills: [Child of Destiny(Non-Standard): SSS], [Key of Twilight(Manipulation): SSS], [Magic Cancel(Mitigation): SS], [White of Mars(Creation): SS], [Black of Venus(Absorption): SS], [Master Swordsman: A], [Master Ki User: A], [Heavenly Sword of Division(Spirit Cultivation): B], [Sage's Path of Enlightenment(Mind Cultivation): A], [Primoridial Goddess' Divine Body(Body Cultivation): B], [Expert Cooking: D], [Master Seamstress: C], [Great Divide: SS], [Hands of Nirvana: D]Magic: [Shundo:SS], [Koku Shundo:S], [Cantus Bellax: SSS], [Mellodia Bellax: SSS], [Vis Maxima: SSS]------------------------------------------------Though her actual parameters should be a bit lower, the fact Asuna's Zanpakuto was always in its unsealed form gave her a status that could rival the Gods. Her only real weakness was her lack of experience, but, similar to Jack, she learned and adapted 'exceptionally' quickly. Unless it was simply beyond her means to counter, no same technique worked on her twice, and, while she might not be able to externalize her magical power, her raw speed and her Innate ability to outright cancel magic made her the nemesis of virtually all Mages.Confident in Asuna's ability to secure a victory, Vahn wasn't going to interfere in her desire to vent some of her stress. Rather, he actually felt a little sorry for Nagi, as, after their previous battle, there was no way Asuna would give him a chance to counter. She was durable enough to outright tank a howitzer round to the face, but, when it came to dealing with actual pain, she was in the category of people that did everything within their power to avoid it entirely.Even if she left him in a far worse condition, Asuna was still holding a grudge against Nagi after he crushed her wrist and electrocuted her. This was her opportunity for revenge, and, though it was a little childish of her to hold such a grudge, Vahn was of the mind that people should be allowed to make mistakes. If her desire for revenge caused her to make a few mistakes, he would address them after the fact, as, without setbacks, even prodigies like Asuna wouldn't take every lesson to heart.Interested to see how much they had both grown, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he looked up into the sky. There was an exceptionally tiny dot glowing in the distance, and, as if it was one of the only ways he knew how to make an entrance, a flash of light, followed by a thunderclap, hit the beach with explosive force. Then, before the dust could even clear, a phenomenal aura surged out as a youthful voice cried out, "I hope you're ready for a beating, lizard breath...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The 'logic' of children is dangerous...','It's a trap!','Hell hath no fury...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though Vahn didn't particularly care about Nagi's choice of vernacular, the fact he was making the same mistake as the last time gave him a strong urge to roll his eyes. As for Asuna, she seemed to take considerable offense to the boy's words, her expression morphing into an unamused scowl as she took a half-step forward.Without waiting for the dust to settle, Asuna's body disappeared before her foot could even hit the ground. She didn't even leave behind an afterimage, and, though there was a tremendous amount of lightning elemental energy beginning to surge from within the debris, she didn't seem to mind it at all as her figure appeared right in front of Nagi. Since she had entered the State of Nothingness, her movement had no real effect on the environment, so, rather than dispersing the cloud of debris, she seemed to blend into it as her fist came into contact with Nagi's face.Unable to sense Asuna's presence in the slightest, Nagi's eyes widened when a gloved fist suddenly entered his perception. He had less than a millisecond to react, but, with his lighting infused ki, this was generally enough to evade most attacks. He even had one of his magical barriers linked directly to his autonomic nervous system, so, even if someone tried to surprise attack him, his body would react instinctually to both repel and evade the sneak attack.Unfortunately for the youth, magical barriers had absolutely no effect against Asuna's attacks, so, the moment his mind became aware of her fist, he actually locked up for a very brief moment. This was more than enough time for her fist to connect, as, unless he was going all out from the start, it would be difficult for the current Nagi even to process Asuna's speed, much less keep up with her.Without any suspense, Asuna's fist struck Nagi's face hard enough to create a phenomenon similar to the stagnation of time. It was possible to see the shockwave passing through the softer regions of flesh, rippling under the intense force of the impact. For a brief moment, it even seemed like his left eyeball was going to 'pop' out of the socket, but, before it was able to, Vahn detected the same 'threads' that Nagi had started to use towards the previous encounter...Propelled by Asuna's fist, Nagi ended up being launched like a projectile from a railgun, his body spinning rapidly to create a pressure wave that parted the sea's surface. It was a surprisingly brutal blow, but, considering she could have ended the fight by cutting him apart with Ko, it could be said that Asuna had actually gone easy on him. Of course, Nagi being the stereotypical protagonist in a world rife with 'lucky pervert' moments and shonen-levels of power scaling, he managed to recover once his body began skidding across the water, a battle-hungry smile appearing on his face despite the fact his right eye and cheek were horribly swollen.Rather than give chase, Asuna just continued to glower at the boy, a resonant hum emanating from Ko as she prepared to counter whatever he threw at her. She was keenly aware of the fact she was a lot stronger than him, so, while she had a strong urge to beat him, she didn't want to be accused of 'bullying' the weak. After all, Nagi was 'just a child', and, though he was actually older than she was, Asuna already regarded herself as an adult, even if Vahn didn't feel the same way...Feeling the dangerous aura radiating off the somewhat familiar woman, Nagi didn't rush to attack like he normally would. Instead, he focused on recovering the function of his left eye, deciding to buy time by adopting a teasing smile as he transmitted his voice the several hundred meters that separated them, musing, "Wow, you're really something. I've never seen a woman as strong as you are. Tell me, are you the big sister of that chibi I fought last time? If she's going to grow up to be as hot as you, I might need to apologize for my behavior the last time we fought~."Hearing Nagi's words, Asuna completely lost interest in the fight, snorting before turning away as she said, "You are weak. Your only advantage is that we don't want to kill you. If you had any self-respect or decency, you would stop behaving like a child throwing a tantrum and focus on things that actually matter. I'm tired of your impertinent behavior and the petulance you have continued to display since our first meeting. If you aren't going to take this seriously, leave this place and stop wasting everyone's time..."Seeing the orange-haired woman turn away from him, Nagi's brow began to twitch as the smile on his face showed a mix of irritation and frivolousness. He wasn't used to people just abandoning the fight part-way through, as, more often than not, people would continue to throw themselves at him until he had either beaten them down or evaded their pursuit.Though part of him was tempted to attack the woman, confident she would react and continue the battle, he felt this would only prove her point. This put him in a rather difficult situation as he really wanted to continue fighting, but, despite his propensity for mischief, he didn't want to be regarded as a child. This was especially true when the other party was a beautiful woman who also happened to be more powerful than him. There very few people who could even trade blows with him, so, to encounter a strong woman, Nagi couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of being able to go all out against a beauty...Unfortunately for the youth, the beauty in question disappeared into thin air after approaching his arch-nemesis, the Sage Dragon Emperor. This caused the vein in Nagi's temple to pulsate slightly, and, after using a variation of shundo to close the distance, he didn't hesitate to ask, "Where did she run off to? We were just starting to have a bit of fun."Seeing the red-headed youth, body still crackling with lightning elemental energy, Vahn just shook his head, his voice carrying a cautious undertone as he said, "That is none of your concern. Now, tell me-"Without waiting for Vahn to continue, Nagi clicked his tongue before placing his hands behind his head in a casual manner and asking, "What? Don't tell me she is your woman? Aren't you like super old or something? Man, what a waste..."Though he wasn't amused in the slightest, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes spread across Vahn's face as Asuna's previous words echoed within his mind. As she had pointed out, there was no real need to tolerate Nagi's behavior. He wasn't absolutely necessary for the protection of this world, and, though he likely had some tragic backstory and a reason for his behavior, that didn't mean others were required to coddle and pander to him.Just as Vahn was thinking about sealing the boy's power and forcing him to live a 'normal' life in the countryside somewhere, a spatial tear appeared nearby, peeling open like the page of a book. From within, a man with emotionless purple eyes and matching hair, an expressionless youth with silvery-white hair, and a bespectacled man with Japanese features appeared. These were none other Nagi's three 'mentors', the remaining members of Ala Rubra, Albireo Imma, Filius Zect, and Eishun Konoe, respectively.Turning his attention away from the disrespectful youth, Vahn adopted a casual smile that matched the look on Albireo Imma's face as he asserted, "You seem to have wasted that last three weeks. Tell me, what sense is there in empowering this brat further? He can't even responsibly wield his current power, yet you keep helping him to grow stronger...completely irresponsible..."Nagi very visibly took offense to Vahn's words, but before he could say anything, he was silenced by his Master, saying, "There is some truth to your words. However, Nagi is still young, and, despite his sharp tongue and somewhat abrasive character, he is still a good kid. You shouldn't let his words affect you so easily."Resisting the urge to roll his eyes or release a sigh, Vahn just stared back at the trio before shaking his head slightly and asking, "Tell me, why have you come here? Though it is easy for me to assume, I want to hear your intentions directly. After these last two encounters, I'm beginning to reconsider whether or not your group is even worth my time..."Seemingly amused by Vahn's words, Albireo Imma covered his mouth with his sleeve, chuckling for several seconds before musing, "I never expected a God of Time to make such humorous remarks..."Raising a brow in response to the smiling man, Vahn couldn't help but adopt an expression similar to how one would look at a complete fool. Then, with a slightly incredulous tone, he asked, "Do you think yourself impressive for being able to deduce something so obvious? My status as a God isn't exactly a secret, so, unless you intend to get to the point and actually answer my questions, please leave."Preempting the response of his three mentors, Nagi zeroed in on the fact Vahn had proclaimed himself as a God, asking, "So you really are a God? It's no wonder you have such a bullshit ability like reversing time. Well, don't let-"Faster than Nagi could respond, Vahn appeared right in front of the youth with his hand extended toward his face. At the same time, Albireo Imma actually performed a completely soundless spatial movement, attempting to catch Vahn's hand by the wrist with a casual smile on his face. Before he could, however, the man found himself several kilometers away in an instant, forcibly transported in spite of his considerable master over Space, Time, and Gravity.Without anyone to stop him, Vahn's palm impacted Nagi's forehead with a loud 'pa' sound. There was nothing like a shockwave, but, without any flare or suspense, the boy collapsed like a sack of potatoes, faceplanting into the sand with his mouth open and eyes rolled into the back of his head.Though his first instinct was to wipe his hands like someone who had just completed a satisfying piece of work, Vahn's satisfaction was delayed by a very angry swordsman swinging an inordinately long wooden sword towards his arm. Vahn could actually feel the sword intent wrapped around the blade before it had even made contact with his skin, severing his exceptionally durable and resilient body with considerable ease despite being made of white wood.Vahn was actually very interested in the Shinmei-Ryu techniques, but, sensing the man was wholly committed to cutting off his arm, despite the fact he had only knocked Nagi out, his expression was less than enthused. He preemptively separated his body along the blade's path, repairing the tissue in its wake almost instantaneously. This created the illusion that the blade had passed through his body without any resistance, stunning the bespectacled swordsman quite a bit when the hand of the arm he had 'cut off' slapped him across the face with enough force to send him crashing into the surrounding treeline.With Albireo Imma occupied by being forcibly teleported every time he tried to use any kind of spatial movement, Vahn turned his attention to the last remaining member of Ala Rubra. His mood had diminished considerably by this point, so, rather than ask a third time, he firmly stated, "You are no longer welcome here. You have mistaken my tolerance as a license to act with complete and utter disregard for propriety. It's no wonder your group relies on weaponizing children to fight their battles...you are a grossly incompetent bunch..."Without showing any signs that he had taken offense to Vahn's words, Filius just remained silent for a few seconds before asking, "How badly do we lose?"Though he was momentarily confused by the question, Vahn quickly understood what the youthful-looking pseudo-spirit was asking. This annoyed him quite a bit, but, rather than forgo an answer, he adopted a serious expression as he answered, "Bad enough that it takes more than a hundred years, countless sacrifices, and the military might of the entire solar system to clean up after you..."Hearing Vahn's answer, Filius' expression became notably solemn as he turned his eyes downward in deep thought. Then, after remaining silent for nearly a full minute, he raised his head and asked, "What are your chances?"Resisting the urge to snort through his nose, Vahn maintained his grave expression as he very firmly stated, "I do not leave the fate of the world to chance..."Though he was slightly surprised by Vahn's response, Filius was able to conceal his emotions behind a carefully constructed mask. He was actually very relieved by Vahn's words, but, knowing the future was never set in stone, he didn't allow himself to feel complacent. He would continue to do his best to defeat Cosmo Entelecheia on his own terms, and, though Vahn probably wouldn't agree with his methods, he intended to continue training Nagi until the latter had become the Hero he had always aspired to be...(A/N: It is Nagi's dream to be a Hero, not Filius' dream to turn him into one.)With a small smile spreading across his face, Filius gave a polite nod towards Vahn before saying, "I suppose we should be leaving then. I would have liked to talk more, but, seeing as how you already have your own plans, perhaps it is best we act independently of each other. It's a shame, really...part of me was hoping to test the limits of my strength against your own..."Feeling the tensions in the atmosphere rapidly draining away, Vahn's own began to wane slightly as he just shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Teach this brat some restraint and I might be willing to put up with such requests. I had actually prepared a number of things to help this brat progress in a healthier manner, but, after seeing how he behaves, I've lost interest. He thinks too highly of himself and the three of you have only reinforced his behavior instead of correcting it. I'm not here to play the part of yet another babysitter for this brat, so, unless you can correct his attitude, I want nothing to do with any of you."Taking note of the fact that Vahn didn't say he was completely unwilling to help them out, the smile on Filius' face became more prominent. He could tell that Vahn was sincere when he mentioned the preparations he had made to help Nagi, so, after a moment of deliberation, Filius reasoned it might be time to expose his young protege to some of the darker elements of the world. He had originally intended to use the war as a means to help Nagi mature, but, now that peace talks were already on the table, they would need to find an alternative method to give the youth a reality check.With various thoughts running through his head, Filius gave Vahn another polite nod before picking up the unconscious Nagi and retrieving the battered body of Eishun. Then, after Albireo was finally able to teleport back to the beach, they quickly departed the secretive island to discuss their future plans...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'One puuuuuuuuuuuuuuunch','If you step to the Emperor, expect to get put in your place','Vahn be like, "Bruh, you guys weren't even close..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With Xuanwu and Qinglong feeding him information, Vahn was aware of most major events taking place within the Confederation and the Empire. As a result, he didn't really have to leave the island at all, so, while waiting for the arrival of Ala Rubra and the return of Eva, he spent his days helping Asuna train, meditating, relaxing, and testing the capabilities of the Little Garden.Vahn had been aware of the Law of Progression ever since his time in the Nasuverse, but, seeing it in action was, simply put, awe-inspiring. He had caught various types of fish outside, placing them in the waters surrounding the central island to observe their growth. This wasn't an exaggeration, as, due to the abundance of vital energy and the presence of Progression Laws, it was possible to see the growth of some specimens with the naked eye.Though the time dilation was one of the major perks of the Little Garden, that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to its true power. It greatly increased the rate at which flora and fauna developed, and, though it wasn't really something he could arbitrarily test, Vahn assumed it had a similar effect on people.With the outer edges of the Little Garden having a time dilation of 700x, Vahn tested his theory by creating a small habitat for Cicadas. They were a metamorphic species that, depending on various environmental conditions, developed into adults between fifteen and twenty years. Since this time was spent a nymph, generally requiring between four and five molts to reach maturity, they were a suitable species to conduct experiments with, as, during their nymph period, they generally spent all their time burrowed in the ground.Since animals within the Little Garden didn't need to eat and couldn't die from old age, Vahn spent a fair amount of time simply documenting the growth of various species. To his surprise, the cicada nymphs emerged from the ground after only seventeen months. This implied they developed at a rate ten times faster than normal, which, on top of the effect of 700x time dilation, approximated a 7000x increase in the rate of growth.After observing the adult cicadas in great detail, Vahn determined that they were far more resilient than other members of the same species. Not only that, but, after mating and laying eggs, they did not die as their evolutionary path dictated. Instead, they spent several days idling about, seemingly without a purpose. As for the new eggs, they were between ten and twenty percent larger than the first batch, and, among them, there were several with odd colorations.Surprising Vahn even further, the next generation of Cicadas only took fifteen months to reach their adult state. Among these, there were a number of 'giant' Cicada, but, far more notably, Vahn found more than a dozen derivative species. There was even a kind that had evolved to possess no wings, and, despite having no need to eat, it waited until the other Cicadas began laying their eggs before digging them up and using a stinger of sorts to implant its own eggs within the developing larvae...Unsurprisingly, the third generation of Cicadas was completely dominated by the terrestrial version, as, prior to their adult phase, the other types were also restricted to the ground. This allowed them to quickly eliminate the competition before resorting to cannibalism and territorial disputes. It was a rather disheartening development, but, perhaps as a result of Da Vinci's influence, Vahn continued to observe their progress into the fourth generation before burning them all when the larvae began to develop jaws in order to cannibalize each other.Fortunately, despite the experiments taking around fifty-nine months, the actual passage of time, at least outside, was less than three days. The only time Vahn had to check on them was when one of the World Trees sent him what amounted to a telepathic message, as, even without a name, each of the majestic trees had a nascent Ego. They had formed a network with all of their roots intertwining, so, whenever something 'peculiar' happened within the Little Garden, they would not hesitate to let him know.Though he would periodically venture into the outer rings, most of Vahn's time within the Little Garden was spent beneath the canopy of the largest World Tree, the one located on the central island. It was 'technically' the youngest of the World Trees, but, due to the others feeding it their vitality, it easily towered over those furthest from the center.Despite being the centermost region of the Little Garden, the energy concentration on the central island was many times greater than normal. This made it an exceptionally comfortable place to be, and, whenever he wasn't busy doing other things, Vahn generally kept a version of himself meditating on the inside of the Little Garden. This greatly increased the replenishment of his internal energy, and, so long as he didn't go overboard, it even offset the consumption of his mental and spiritual energies.Accompanying Vahn in his meditation, Fenrir had started to spend a considerable amount of time in the Little Garden. It wasn't as productive for her cultivation of Yin, Ice, and Darkness Elemental Laws, but, after taking a single deep breath of the energy inside the Little Garden, Fenrir firmly stated she would be training inside from now on. She stated that she could feel herself growing strong just by being inside, so, whenever she wasn't busy doing something 'outside', Fenrir spent most of her time just meditating or napping alongside the version of himself Vahn kept within the Little Garden.With Fenrir setting a precedent, it wasn't long before Medusa insisted that she also move inside the Little Garden. It was even safer than the Garden of Avalon, and, though Vahn was worried about the growth of Stheno and Euryale, she managed to convince him such concerns were pointless. Stheno was maturing extremely quickly, steadily closing the distance with her own mother, so, rather than worry about their physical development, she told him to be more concerned about their education and mental development.Since the energy within the Little Garden was extremely pure and refreshing, it had a calming effect on the mind. The fact it was governed by the Laws of Progression also meant it a significantly easier to comprehend new subjects, and, so long as you put in a concerted effort, it even had an effect on the time taken to master a skill. These things made it the 'ideal' place to train and learn new things, so, after a bit of convincing, Vahn built a cozy cabin within the Little Garden to house Medusa and his daughters.Of course, with even Euryale residing in the Little Garden, Vahn inevitably had to allow Asuna inside. She was even better at arguing than Medusa, so, on the grounds that it was the best place to both keep her safe and advance her training, Vahn ended up expanding the residence to include both a bathhouse and a training dojo. From then onwards, it became the place where he conducted all of his training with Asuna, and, even though she only spent a few hours inside each day, it was 'very' easy to see the gardens influence on her development...Asuna had already been in the midst of puberty, so, while not unexpected, her growth had been accelerated exponentially. It was like she had hit a growth spurt, and, by the time three weeks had passed in the outside world, she went from looking like a girl in her first year of middle school to a young lady in the midst of adolescence. Most people would approximate her age to be around 14 or 15 years old, and, though she still gave off the distinct impression of someone very young, her physique had already developed to the point that she could rival Irisviel.Though she appeared very lean and athletic, Asuna's bust, waist, and hips had developed to 83cm, 57cm, and 84cm respectively. When Vahn had first created Iris' new body, her dimensions, starting with height, bust, waist, and hips were 158cm, 85cm, 56cm, and 84cm. Since Asuna had also grown to a height of 158cm, the only thing she had lost out in was the size of her bust, but, with less than a one-centimeter difference, it was easy to imagine her growing up to rival Eva's adult form at her current pace...Fortunately, though he could tell she was definitely up to something, Asuna seemed to shift her focus, dedicating herself wholly to her training within the Little Garden. When she was outside, she spent a fair amount of time learning to cook, clean, and perform various household chores without the use of magic. Most of these things were taught to her by the Chacha sisters, but, whenever she was learning how to cook, Asuna always dragged him into the kitchen to teach her. She seemed to really enjoy cooking, and, though there were a few moments when she would lightly bump into him with her shoulder, that was the limit of her antics within the kitchen.The only time Vahn had any trouble with Asuna over the three weeks was whenever she wanted to take a bath, watch his memories together, or sleep. She pretended to be unaware of the changes in her body, but, whenever they slept together, Asuna tended to nestle up as close as possible to him, her breasts pressing into his arm and side. During their baths, her breasts would 'accidentally' come into contact with his back whenever she was helping to wash his hair, and, most notably, whenever they relaxed together, her butt was almost always perfectly positioned in a dangerous area.Vahn was aware that Asuna was emulating the behaviors she had observed from Arika, Theo, and even Eva, except, rather than make the same mistakes, she skillfully measured how she behaved at every moment. This actually reminded him a lot of his past self in Danmachi, back when he relied on his View Affection to determine how he should behave, but, rather than rely on observing the color of his aura and the rise and fall of his Affection, Asuna closely observed everything from his facial twitches to the rhythm of his heart.The fact such a young girl had 'figured him out' filled Vahn with various concerns, but, considering how prodigious Asuna was in everything she did, it wasn't that unbelievable. She was moving closer to the level of a Grandmaster with each passing day, and, though she had footed around the issue when they discussed it, Vahn was pretty sure she had already awakened her Bankai. In fact, he even suspected she had awakened her Bankai the moment she first called the name of her Zanpakuto, as, from that moment onward, it had always been in an unsealed state.Asuna had even been able to 'see' a draconic version of Laev-tan that Vahn himself wasn't aware of until after she mentioned it. All of his communication with the rambunctious Zanpakuto Spirit was in his head or within the Realm so it was quite a surprise to learn that Asuna could 'literally' see her using some special sense. She had even assisted Arika, Theo, Eva, and even Fenrir in the awakening of their Spirits by describing the features of their Zanpakuto, so, even if she was surprisingly evasive about the matter, it wasn't difficult to imagine that Asuna had already awakened her Bankai.At her current rate of growth, Vahn suspected that Asuna might even eclipse his own strength after a few more years. Though this would only really apply in the Akamatsuverse, the fact she could ever rival him demonstrated just how ridiculous Asuna's potential as a natural-born Tier 5 was. She likely at the greatest potential in the entire Record, and, so long as her perception continued to influence the Fate around her, even the Gods wouldn't be able to prevent her meteoric rise to the pinnacle.All Vahn could really do at this point was continue guiding Asuna along the path she had decided for herself. Though this path invariably led directly to him, pretty much everyone around, including Eva, had been aware of the inevitability from the start. In fact, the moment he first met Asuna, it was like her Fate had latched onto him, and, unless he forcibly severed it, Vahn knew the world itself was supporting her pursuit. The most he could do was delay the inevitable, but, even without having to put his foot down, Asuna was very aware of her limits. She always retreated just when it seemed like his patience was wearing thin, and, over time, she was gradually chipping away at his defenses until there was absolutely nothing left...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The legendary Chimera Cicadas...','(O w O)...','Thanos could learn a lot from Asuna')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1663: Bait