Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though few people expected Rak's attack to succeed, especially after seeing the power exhibited by Phae and Gandr, absolutely no one expected his spear to stop fewer than a centimeter from Vahn's forehead, slowly spinning in place as the man who had declared himself an Emperor continued to smile casually.Without waiting for the peanut gallery to fully process what they had just witnessed, Vahn raised his right hand slightly, his smile becoming more prominent as he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Rak Wraithraiser. Unfortunately, I'll have to return the gift you have so graciously bestowed upon me..."During Vahn's short statement, the spear that had been revolving in front of his forehead spun 180 degrees. With a simple flick of his wrist, it was then launched back at Rak with comparable speed to the original throw. This came as quite a surprise to the gator-like man, momentarily stunning him in place and forcing the blue-haired youth to pull him aside by the cape.With nothing to obstruct its path, the ruby-red spear crashed into the ground with explosive force, propelling dust and debris like tiny pieces of shrapnel. Fortunately, the only group near the impact point was Baam, Rak, and the as-of-yet-named blue-haired youth. The latter had pulled Rak in such a way that his large and durable body acted as a shield, so, other than a few pockmarks and bruises, there were no major injuries...---Cursing his misfortune for having an idiot on his team, the blue-haired youth, known better as Khun Aguero Agnis, released a tired sigh before glowering at Rak and saying, "I told you not to charge in, you idiot crocodilian..."Annoyed by the former's words, Rak yanked his cape free from Khun's hands as he bellowed, "Blue Turtle! Do not interfere between me and my prey! I will hunt the Bearded Turtle and become even stronger!"While doing his best to ignore the smell and spittle emanating from Rak's mouth, Khun adopted a relaxed stance, shouldering his stylish leather briefcase as he said, "This isn't one of your hunts. If we want to defeat that man, we need to work together. If we violate his 'rules', the other two are bound to step in. If that happens, we'll have already lost this fight..."Agreeing with Khun's statement, Baam, clutching a wrapped Black March in his hands, nervously added, "Khun's right! That man is too strong for us to battle on our own. Maybe if we team up with the others...we might just win! Please, Mr. Rak, we need to win this game so we can move higher up the Tower!"Unmoved by the frail boy's appeal, Rak emanated steam from his nostrils as he plainly stated, "The only thing I care about is hunting strong prey. I agreed to climb the Tower with you, but that does not mean I will ignore prey right in front of me..."By the time he had finished his statement, Rak had liberated his spear from the ground. Then, with a firm and resolute gaze, he turned his attention toward the throne and added, "I will go first...if you and the other Turtles see an opportunity, take it..."With those parting words, Rak leaned forward, running at a surprisingly swift speed for someone his size before leaping high into the air. Vahn could detect a powerful and ancient aura surging from within the man's body, but, while it was certainly very impressive, he was far from the level required to reach the throne. This did, however, confirm that he was likely central to the Record's original plot as it was surprisingly common for allies of the protagonist to have power hidden within their bloodlines...Rather than waiting for the man to try and hammer down with his spear, stepping onto the throne's platform in the process, Vahn confidently raised his hand towards the meteoric figure. He could feel quite a bit of resistance due to the man's aura, but, without any real suspense, Rak's figure came to a halt in mid-air before Vahn waved his hand to the side, slamming him into the arena's wall before raising his left hand and repelling a glistening blue 'laser' formed from water Shinsu.Seeing her surprise attack dealt with so easily, the pretty-looking woman wielding a wand adorned with a watery blue sphere at the top completely froze in place. The projectile she had fired was split into three separate beams that curved around her body without causing her harm, but, knowing her opponent had the ability to 'reflect' Shinsu, the wand she had spent all her fortune on suddenly felt like a paperweight.Fortunately, she didn't have to worry about being the only useless Regular participating, as, with the exception of Baam, Khun, and the burly red-haired man, everyone else felt as though their bodies were squeezed by an invisible force. All the air was forced from their lungs, and, though they didn't sustain any heavy injuries, it wasn't long before most of them had passed out from asphyxiation. As for the rest, the also felt a restrictive force, but, due to their body's natural resistance and willpower, Vahn had a harder time applying his Telekinesis to them.Though Telekinesis was an 'exceptionally' useful ability once mastered, it could be interfered with by just about anything. Certain individuals could break free using raw power, and, should they possess an inordinately strong will, Telekinesis could be completely useless on others. Because of this, Baam and Khun were largely unaffected, earning an approving nod from Vahn. As for the remaining man, he was bound in place for a brief moment, but, seemingly drawing strength from rage, he managed to break free after a few seconds had passed...Noticing most of the other teams had been eliminated in an instant, a bead of sweat ran down the side of Khun's face as he realized they might have gotten in over their head. The opponent in front of them possessed the kind of power that schemes didn't work against, and, due to their hesitation, they had even lost the chance to team up with the others.Shifting his attention from the crater where Rak had been embedded into the wall, Khun observed the young boy standing to his right, once again surprised by the fact that Bam had made it through virtually unscathed. He wasn't even breathing heavily, and, though beads of sweat had formed on his brow, that was pretty normal considering the aura emanating from the man seated upon the throne.Though he knew it was useless, Khun suppressed a sigh as he smiled towards Baam and said, "We should forfeit the match. I now understand why the Test Admins decided upon this game. They are trying to get rid of this team to level the playing field. We can't hope to defeat these three at our current level."Without any hesitation at all, Baam shook his head in response to Khun's words, tightly gripping the Black March as he replied, "I'm sorry, Mr. Khun, but I can't just forfeit! I would rather try my hardest, even if it means I'll fail! I have to do everything in my power to catch up to Rachel...!"Unsurprised by Baam's words, Khun shrugged in a 'what can you do?' manner before pulling out a knife from his briefcase and musing, "At least he is still going easy on us..."---Hearing Baam shout out Rachel's name, several alarm bells began sounding in Vahn's mind as he slightly squinted his eyes. He didn't actually know Baam that well, but he got the impression they were very similar to each other. Rather, it seemed like he paralleled quite a number of protagonists in other Records...In Vahn's case, he had found people very early on to support and push him forward, shaping him into the man, and Emperor, he had become. Without this support group, he might have wandered down a very dangerous path, a truth embodied by his character in the Divination.If Baam was searching for the same Rachel that Vahn had been observing over the last few hours, it wasn't difficult to imagine what kind of fate awaited him. She was bound to betray him in order to further her goals, and, though he wasn't familiar with the original story, Vahn had compiled enough stories in his mind to intuit how things would develop.The Tower was a place that promoted those who were willing to do whatever it took to complete their objectives. It wasn't a place for a naive young boy with social anxiety to try and make friends, even if he was the protagonist. That meant there had to be 'something' that happened to alter his course, a significant enough emotional event that either changed the way he viewed the Tower or gave him the drive to conquer it.More than any other catalyst, it was acts of betrayal that had the deepest impact upon a person's character. This was especially true when the person in question had absolute faith or trust in the person who had betrayed them, the kind of faith that compelled them to fearlessly stand against giant monsters just for a chance at following after the target of their adulation.Vahn didn't owe a single thing to Baam, but, as someone who had always protected the innocent, he wouldn't just stand by and watch the boy suffer. Thus, in an effort to ascertain the truth of the matter, Vahn surprised the charging youths by raising his hand and saying, "Enough. That previous attack was my final test. Now that you have passed it, you have earned the right to wear this Crown. Guard it well, young heroes."Demonstrating he wasn't just trying to lull them into a false sense of security, Vahn subsequently removed the Crown from his head, placing it on the armrest before rising from the throne. Then, after a curt nod towards the stunned duo, he returned to his team's waiting room, his expression turning inordinately serious as he turned around to bear witness to the events to come...---Having expected Vahn to forfeit 'after' defeating all the other teams, Lero-Ro was more surprised than anyone else by the sudden turn of events. He suddenly felt as though he couldn't get a read on the man, someone who seemed paradoxically eager to participate in the Testing despite a very clear disdain for the system itself.Exhaling a profound sigh, Lero-Ro picked up the intercom with his left hand while simultaneously pulling up the information on the remaining contestants. His intuition told him there was a reason for Vahn's behavior, and, having talked with Baam during the Shinsu Resistance Test, he already had a number of suspicions as to what it might be...Seeing Baam's virtually empty profile, lacking everything from his age to his origin, Lero-Ro pulled up the data pertaining to Vahn, Phae, and Gandr alongside it. Like the former, the latter three were both anomalies within the system and confirmed Irregulars. Thus, unless Baam's data had somehow been expunged from the Tower's records, the chances of him also being an Irregular were high. The only reason he hadn't jumped to this conclusion previously was due to the fact that Baam had in his possession the Black March, indicating at least a middling relationship with the Jahad Empire.As the most powerful force within the Tower, the Jahad Empire had more than enough power and authority to expunge or alter the data of a single Regular. In fact, it was pretty common for most of the Ten Great Families to expunge some of their descendants' data in order to protect them as they moved up the Tower. This made it harder to learn their strengths and weaknesses while also serving as a preemptive measure against 'failures' within the family. There were even cases where Regulars who had underperformed were outright discredited as descendants of the Ten Great Families, many disappearing shortly after these claims had begun to circulate...Feeling that his headaches were only going to increase in the future, Lero-Ro released one final sigh before resuming his usual calm and slightly cheerful disposition. There would be plenty of time to conduct an investigation following the Crown Game, so, for the time being, he wanted to focus on wrapping things up as quickly as possible. Fortunately, there were only two rounds left, so, with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, he brought the intercom to his mouth to announce...a three-minute break...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'No u','The Force is strong with this one...','Lero-Ro can't catch a break...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Khun wasn't foolish enough to believe that someone as powerful as Vahn would simply vacate the throne for no reason. The man presented himself as an Emperor and even had two outrageously powerful people he referred to as vassals. There was clearly an underlying reason for his decision, the most likely scenarios being that the Emperor had taken an interest in something and wished to confirm it with his own eyes...With an imperceptible frown on his face, Khun looked between the half-dead Rak and the young boy with crystal clear eyes seated upon the throne. This was none other than Baam, and, though it was strange to admit, Khun had actually become rather fond of the boy in the very short period of time they had known each other.Unlike most residents of the Tower, Baam gave off the impression of someone who was 'untainted' by the darkness that seemed to have encroached upon the hearts and minds of most people. It was like he knew nothing at all about the world, yet, in spite of this, he had a unique radiance about him that drew everyone to his side. Khun couldn't really understand it himself, but Baam, despite being named after the 'night', was like a purifying light that glowed within the darkness, something that people naturally sought out in order to escape their own corruption...Noticing the gaze of Khun, Baam offered a friendly yet nervous smile as he sheepishly asked, "Is it really okay for someone like me to have the Crown? With Mr. Rak injured, I don't think we can win the game. I-"Interrupting Baam's defeatist claim, Rak loudly snorted through his nose, staring at the youth out of the corner of his eye as he stated, "I am not so weak that I need some Black Turtle to worry about me. Do not forget the conviction you showed when facing the Bearded Turtle. Only the strong and resolute ever have their dreams fulfilled..."Finished with his words, Rak issued a pained grunt as he rose to a standing position, towering over both Baam and Khun like an immovable mountain. This was enough to silence any kind of rebuttal, earning an understanding nod from the former and a helpless sigh from the latter.Deciding to go all-out, Khun removed the blue bandana that was tied around the braid on the left side of his head. Then, after tying up his hair in a ponytail, a confident smile spread across his face as he mused, "Look on the bright side. The most powerful team has already been disqualified from the competition. From what I can tell, there are only two other groups that pose a threat. So long as they don't team up against us, there is a fair chance we will emerge victoriously..."Inspired by Khun's words, an excited smile spread across Baam's face as he happily chimed, "I'll do my best not to lose the Crown!"Finding Baam's words rather amusing, Khun just lightly chuckled before looking up at Rak and saying, "Try to focus on recovering and protecting Baam. Unless something unexpected occurs, I should be able to deal with the next batch of teams on my own."Hearing Khun's statement, Rak issued another one of his characteristic snorts, but, unlike before, he didn't bother to retort. Instead, he adopted a proud and towering stance, chin raised as a subtle yet powerful aura emanated from his body...Understanding the crocodilian's silence as an affirmation, Khun adopted a wry smile as he lightly mused, "How reliable..."---With the strongest team already eliminated, the fourth round of the Crown Game had a full five teams participating, Baam's being a part of that number. This included a team led by a masked woman wearing full-body tights that showed off her curvaceous figure. She was one of the people Vahn had taken an interest in during his inspection, not because she seemed especially powerful, but because the fate around her was constantly shifting. Thus, even if he was more concerned by the participation of the fourth team, he quickly inspected the staff-wielding woman and her team members.Unfortunately, despite their aura of confidence, the two men accompanying the woman weren't particularly interesting. The first, a brown-skinned man with short brown hair and red eyes, gave off the impression of a simple brawler. As for their final member, he was an arrogant-looking man with black hair pulled into a high ponytail with a few loose strands forming a stylish tuft that hung over his left eye. He wielded a needle-like sword, but, based on his balance and posture, he wasn't very adept at its use...Shifting his eyes away from the trio, Vahn turned his attention to the other three teams, completely ignoring one of the teams before resting his eyes on the man sleeping on the ground. The flow of Shinsu around his body was continually increasing with each passing moment, so, while his other two teammates weren't particularly interesting, there was a chance he could sweep the rest of the competition on his own.Though he had an exceptionally lazy-looking appearance with messy dark-green hair, the man was actually rather handsome and inordinately fit. As for his two teammates, they consisted of a rather haughty-looking woman with dark-brown hair, brown eyes, and an ample bust. The final member, despite his rather feminine appearance, was a man with inordinately long golden hair, a frock-like robe, and a red ribbon tied to his chest. He gave off the impression of a priest due to his outfit, but the thing that stood out most about him was the large red horn protruding from his right temple...Vahn actually sensed a lot of untapped potential in the horned-man, but, based on the look in his eyes, he lacked the confidence and determination to awaken it. His eyes gave off the impression of a soldier who had spent too long in the battlefield, his golden eyes focused on things nobody else could see; the type of things that relentlessly haunted your dreams.Since he would have plenty of time to learn more about each of the contestants in the future, Vahn turned his attention to the final team participating in the fourth match. Now that his team had been disqualified, they were the team with the highest possible chance of claiming victory, as, despite the uselessness of one of their members, the other two were basically monsters. One was a Princess of Jahad, specifically Endorsi, while the other was a demonic-looking man that was easily several times stronger than a normal Regular.Based on how the demonic man was constantly watching over Rachel, a seemingly normal person, it was pretty obvious that 'something' strange was going on. The man never uttered a single word, and, the few times he did leave Rachel's side, it was to either grab her something to eat or drink. It was almost like he was her servant, something that didn't make sense considering she was almost certainly an Irregular...Vahn had forfeited the game specifically to see what kind of action Rachel would take while Baam was seated upon the throne. He wanted to confirm if there was a preexisting relationship between them. The chances of this being the case were exceptionally high, so, assuming they were familiar with each other, Vahn wanted to see how she would treat a boy who was clearly doing everything in his power just to follow after her. If she shunned him in the pursuit of her own goals, that was one thing. However, if it turned out she was taking advantage of his naiveté over something as arbitrary as 'seeing the stars', Vahn would have more than a few words for them both...Just as this thought crossed his mind, the match spontaneously began when the woman wearing tights immediately charged towards the peculiar trio that didn't draw much of Vahn's interest. They all had unique appearances, including what appeared to be a young girl with very pale skin, black hair, pupilless black eyes, and a monochromatic dress, but, based on her aura, she was probably the oldest among them. As for the other two, one was a lean man with an odd hairstyle and some kind of Shinsu powered gauntlet while the other, far more exotic than virtually every other participant, vaguely resembled a centipede with an abyssal maw and three-clawed hands.With the staff-wielding woman appearing in front of them in an instant, the trio of Regulars was immediately put on alert, but, before any of them could fully react, she used the heavy club-like ends of the staff to bash the centipedal man. This caused a sickening 'crunch' to sound throughout the arena, and, as a result of the massive dent in the creature's carapace, he immediately dropped to the ground with green blood pooling from his void-like maw.Demonstrating the 'reality' of the Tower, the staff-wielding woman demonstrated a complete lack of mercy and empathy as she evaded all of her opponents' attacks with swift and graceful movements. It was almost like she could predict every single attack coming her way, and, based on the constant ebb and flow of fate around her, Vahn assumed that was exactly what she was doing. She was even able to dodge a metallic boomerang aimed at her back without even looking, gracefully stepping around the trajectory of the blade before throwing her staff in a similar manner.Surprised by how his own surprise attack could miss, the man attempted to backpedal, slipping on a small patch of blood. This caused him to fall in such a way that the hardest section of the staff hit him directly in the temple, killing him on the spot before bouncing towards the woman as if it had a homing function. In reality, she simply knew where it would rebound from the moment she threw it, never losing her momentum for even a single moment as she ignored the last member of the team, who, upon seeing her allies killed, fell onto her butt, soiling herself as she muttered, "I forfeit..." in a sobbing tone...---Seeing another team decimated in an instant, the thief-like girl could be seen visibly sweating as she turned mechanically towards her no-longer-sleeping companion and stated, "I think we should return to our waiting room. That spandex-demon is too powerful. Come on, Ho, Laure! Let's get out of this hellish place! I don't want to lose my life during a bonus game!"As he was able to read the flow of Shinsu, including that of others, Laure didn't hesitate to shake his head, stating, "No. That woman isn't targeting us. The two of you can wait near the waiting room if you want, but don't you dare step inside. I will handle this myself..."Though he enjoyed sleeping for upwards of twenty-two hours a day, Laure was not a coward. He knew what he was getting himself into when he decided to become a Regular, so, while he would spend most of his time sleeping, he was actually training his Shinsu control and gathering all kinds of information. When it came to battling against opponents, he never showed fear, as, in his mind: fear led to doubt, doubt led to stagnation, and stagnation led to death. He might enjoy sleeping, but that didn't mean he was in a rush to experience what some referred to as the Eternal Sleep...Without waiting for his teammates to reply, Laure unfurled his blanket, a massive ball of Shinsu manifesting in the palm of his extended left hand. His target was the two members of the staff-wielding woman's team, not because they posed a threat, but because they would be the easiest to eliminate. He followed the mentality that you should eliminate the weakest members early on, as, in many situations, they were the most willing to commit to crazy schemes and strategies in order to secure victory.Though they noticed the veritable wall of Shinsu extending towards them like a column that had fallen on its side, it wasn't for no reason that Vahn had ignored the duo. The most they were able to do was put up their guard before the water pillar slammed into them, crashing into the bodies and pinning them to the distant wall of the arena. Once the 'water' had faded, they could both be seen lying on the ground, knocked out but otherwise okay...Noticing the mask-wearing woman didn't even flinch when her teammates were eliminated, Laure's expression became slightly more serious as he began to form a second ball of Shinsu. Rather than aim at the woman, however, he set his sight on the throne. The most important thing was securing the Crown. So long as he managed to steal it for himself and sit upon the throne, it wouldn't matter how many opponents were left; he would be the winner by default...---Khun had been closely observing the battlefield so he instantly noticed was Laure was up to, his scalp tingling as he shouted, "Rak!"In response, the crocodilian man bellowed, "I'm not blind, Blue Turtle!" before stepping in front of Baam, clearly intending to use his body to block the attack.Baam felt extremely guilty seeing Rak's massive figure blocking his vision, but, remembering the man's former words, he just tightened his hold on the Black March and whispered, "I need to be stronger...". As if to respond to his words, the Black March began to vibrate slightly, but, without noticing it, Baam continued to stare towards Rak's back as if he saw something very important in its breadth...---From within the 'comfort' of her own waiting room, Anak could be seen laying on the bench located closest to the back. There was still a visible hole in her blouse and vest, revealing a patch of healthy green skin underneath, but, as if such things didn't bother her in the slightest, Anak ignored both it and the battles. Instead, she stared lazily at the wall in front, her tail lightly tapping against the cold stone of the bench.Anak had always anticipated that there would be people stronger than her within the Tower but she never expected to encounter a setback as early as the second floor. She hadn't even able to react at all to her opponent's final few attacks, losing both the match and the Green April in the process. If not for the enemy taking pity on her, sparing her life, and even returning the Green April while she was knocked unconscious, her journey for revenge would have already come to an end.She didn't want to admit it, but Anak didn't even think 'ignition' was enough to give her an edge against the hateful 'Vanargandr'. His weapon gave off a similar impression to the Green April, so, while it might not be on the same level, she believed it was also capable of igniting. If that was the case, it meant he hadn't even been taking her seriously during their battle, a thought that filled her with both indignation and self-loathing...While thinking of ways she could get back at the hateful swordsman, Anak felt a sudden stir from the Green April. This immediately drew her attention, as, immediately thereafter, the spirit within the blade informed her that another Thirteen Month Series was nearby.Surprising both Hatsu and Shibisu, Anak rose from her lying position like a bolt of green lightning, reaching the gate in an instant. This caused Shibisu to ask what the matter was, but, with her mind fully focused on the battlefield, Anak didn't hear him. Instead, her eyes zeroed in on the boy seated atop the throne; her pupils releasing an eerie light as her aura began surging outward.Before anyone could even think to stop her, Anak didn't hesitate to break free from the locked gate, eyes fixated on the needle-like sword vibrating within Baam's hands...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I am Rak Wraithraiser...!','*Bonk*','Gimme gimme...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Hearing Phae's words, the trio of Regulars briefly exchanged look between each other before the bowl-cut man at the front said, "Deod, First Emperor, let me go. Our chances of winning this round were nill from the start. I don't want to have a reputation for teaming up against someone who is fighting honorably..."Agreeing with his companion's word, First Emperor, a hulking man with four eyes, a large nose, and ebony skin issued an understanding nod before crossing his arms and saying, "Very well, Leo. While you keep her distracted, Deod and I will face the other two. I will show this self-professed Emperor the might of my First Supreme King's Scorching Fist of Death..."Seemingly very confident in his words, First Emperor raised his right hand at the very end of his statement, his fist glowing red hot and releasing a considerable amount of steam. Unfortunately, the moment he tried to break away from his team's formation to approach the throne, it was like the heavens themselves had collapsed upon him, smashing him into the ground and creating a square-shaped impact crater...With the same 'kind' smile as before, Phae lowered her hammer to the side and reminded, "This is a match between the three of you and myself. Please keep that in mind..."Seeing their teammate 'hammered' into the ground without their opponent even needing to move, Leo and Deod couldn't help but pale slightly. The former even managed to stare directly into Phae's eyes, fearful of receiving his own punishment for starting elsewhere.Chuckling in response to the duo's reaction, Phae moved a few strands of hair from her face by combing them back with her gloved left hand. Then, at a relaxed pace, she began to walk forward, smiling as she explained, "If you won't come to me, I have little choice but to take more...proactive measures."Without waiting for a third warning, Leo immediately pulled out a short knife in response to Phae's words before blitzing forward with commendable speed. Phae even rewarded him an approving nod, but, the moment he attempted to lunge toward her abdomen, she, very easily, sidestepped the blow before, very lightly, bonking him on the head with her hammer.Despite the 'relatively' light tap, Leo ended up suffering a very similar fate to First Emperor, his body smashing into the ground as if a heavy pressure had descended upon him from above. Fortunately, other than a small bump atop his head, he didn't sustain any severe injuries despite a square impact crater nearly three-meters across forming beneath him.With two of her opponents defeated, Phae smiled toward the remaining member of the original trio. She could see visible beads of sweat on his pylon-shaped head, his singular red eye blinking in a strange rhythm as he stared back at her. He truly was a rather 'peculiar' creature, but, never one to judge people based on appearances, Phae, once again, combed back her unruly bangs as she asked, "What will you do, Mr. Swordsman?"Though he didn't have a visible mouth to speak from, the peculiar winged cyclops was somehow able to reply, "If possible...I would like to fight that youth...the further I get up the Tower, the less useful swords become. Before I set aside my blade for good, I would like to test my skills against a skilled adversary..."Rather than abide by Deod's request, Phae just thumbed a small gemstone embedded near the top of her hammer's handle. Immediately thereafter, it changed shape from a square-headed hammer to a thick-bladed rapier. At the same time, she used a small hair clip to keep her bangs from falling into her face as she calmly exclaimed, "En garde..."Demonstrating a fair amount of skill, Deod managed to swing down his peculiar brown katana in a practiced arc, the edge of his blade releasing a peculiar murky glow.With her sapphire eyes flashing with a curious light, Phae was able to stop her initial charge almost instantly. As a result, Deod's blade swung several centimeters short, leaving his broad body open to a counter. He attempted to evade this by using the winged appendage on his back to create some distance, but, with far greater strength, speed, and finesse, Phae brandished her rapier in a flurry of silvery sword strikes. By the time Deod was able to complete his action of jumping away, dozens of tiny cuts had appeared on his body, none deeper than three millimeters.If the only landmark on his face wasn't a single spherical eye, a very shocked expression would have been visible on Deod's face. He had never encountered someone who used such a flexible sword in all his years wandering the Outer Tower as a sellsword. As a result, he couldn't read the trajectory of Phae's blade at all, much less react to them...After tentatively touching a few of the wounds on his left arm, Deod gripped the hilt of his katana even firmer as he said, "Your swordsmanship is very beautiful...it is my honor to do battle against you...Miss...?"Humming in response to Deod's inquiry, Phae's smile became slightly more notable as she mused, "I was beginning to think there none within the Tower capable of displaying manners. My name is Ha Phae Stios. You may simply refer to me as Phae. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Deod."Not fearing a surprise attack, Phae offered a courteous half-bow towards the cyclopean warrior. In response, her performed a much deeper and respectful bow, his tone becoming solemn as he said, "It is an honor to battle against you, Ms. Phae. I am grateful for the opportunity to retire my blade against an opponent of your caliber."Offering a small nod in response, Phae raised the point of her rapier in a casual stance, her smile becoming even more relaxed as she mused, "I am humbled by your words...now, face me without regrets..."Determined to do just that, Deod held his sword up as if he were about to perform a downward slashing motion. The same hazy brown as before began to coat his blade, this time becoming ever-so-slightly more condensed as he plainly stated, "I'm coming..."With a surprising burst of speed, Deod managed to close the distance between himself and Phae in less than one second. Unfortunately, while he did manage to reach about one-hundred kilometers per hour, his movements were akin to watching a movie in slow motion from Phae's perspective. As a result, she managed to strike the very edge of his katana with the tip of her rapier, preventing it from completing its downward arc before slowly and gracefully, at least from the point of view of those who could perceive her movements, side-stepping the man with a sweeping flourish of her rapier.Feeling a strange vibrational force spread through his body, Deod collapsed to the ground, his right hand moving to stymy the flow of blood from his abdomen. Phae's rapier had only cut as deep as his subcutaneous tissue, but the wound extended from the front of his abdomen to the small of his back. From the perspective of others, it looked like he had been partially bisected, something Deod also believed before tentatively tracing the wound with his fingers.Noticing the man entering a state similar to shock, Phae adopted a pitying look before surprising nearly everyone present by manifesting a rather simple-looking rod in her left hand. This was none other than the [Heal] Vahn had once relied on during his first few years in the Record of Danmachi. It only had a limited number of uses, but it was still one of the cheapest and most efficient tools for general healing he had ever come across.Though he was surprised by the strange pink circular pattern that had appeared beneath him, Deod released a sigh of relief when he noticed his wound healing at an incredible rate. It wasn't just him, either, as Phae subsequently cast the same healing spell to treat his other team members. It wasn't enough to stir them awake, but, unless they had something like a tumor in their brains prior to her hitting them, they would wake up pretty quickly.With her duty completed, Phae returned [Heal] to her Inventory before returning to her position at Vahn's side and offering him a courteous bow. In response, Vahn returned an approving nod before looking directly at Deod and stating, "There is a vast gulf between your level of skill and that of my vassal. Despite that, you fought well without retreating. For that, you have my respect. Now, retrieve your allies and return to your waiting room. When the time comes, I will reward you for the bravery you have displayed today."Humbled by Vahn's words, Deod bowed his head in a sincere show of respect before shouldering the bodies of his companions and carrying them back to his team's waiting room. He didn't really care about the reward Vahn had mentioned, but, as someone who was committed to climbing the Tower, he certainly wouldn't refuse what little boons were afforded him...---With the second round drawing to a conclusion, another three-minute break was afforded to the winning team before the Test Admin, Lero-Ro, began counting down to the start of the third round. Immediately thereafter, four teams entered into the arena, two lacking noteworthy candidates. The other two teams, however, included Baam's team and another with a particularly strong man with a large build, red hair, and demon-like wings. He also had an inordinately small squirrel-like girl riding his shoulders, and, though he didn't stand out much, his final companion was a youth with a scarlet red bandana and a large metal bat.After briefly inspecting the trio, Vahn shifted his gaze back to Baam's group, sizing up the boy he believed to be the protagonist. The fact he had managed to acquire two powerful teammates in spite of his strength was a pretty big indicator this was the case, but, upon closer inspection, Vahn was surprised to find that the youth with pale-blue hair and the crocodile-like spearman possessed even stronger fates...Though he had noticed a few incongruencies previously, Vahn was quickly beginning to realize that fate within the [Transcendental Path to Heaven] didn't work the way he was used to. It seemed like a person's fate could get weaker or stronger depending on their actions, as, the first time he viewed Baam, the boy appeared relatively normal. It was only when the massive eel-like creature charged at him that his fate seemed to increase, guiding him towards the path that ensured victory.Vahn had heard about the existence of Guides from Gandr's conversation with Endorsi, but he still found it a little peculiar they were able to alter a person's fate. After all, the Records were supposed to be static prior to his entry, so, even if they did possess such an ability, the past, present, and even the future were already decided. This was likely still the case, but, unlike other Records, where it was pretty easy to determine whether or not someone was 'significant' from their aura of fate, it seemed the [Transcendental Path to Heaven] intentionally kept things vague...Finding the thought rather amusing, a smile gradually spread across Vahn's face as he wondered what other surprises this Record had in store for him. Having no information about the world was rather refreshing, and, though he was bound to learn its secrets in due time, he intended to enjoy discovering them directly rather than compiling millions of texts to effectively 'game' the system.With that in mind, Vahn gestured for Phae and Gandr to take a step back, his smile becoming even more prominent as he said, "Since we have so many bold competitors this time around, allow me to demonstrate my own capabilities. Though I'm certain you each have your own plans and strategies, I encourage you to attack me directly. So long as a single member of your team is able to reach this elevated platform, it is your victory. Now-"Before he could finish reinforcing his Emperor persona, Vahn was compelled into stunned silence as the crocodile-man among Baam's allies suddenly shouted, "Enough blithering you Bearded Turtle! I am Rak Wraithraiser, proud Hunter and Leader of this team! I will crack open all three of your shells in a single blow! Now, become my prey!"Without affording anyone the opportunity to intervene, Rak brandished a large red spear in his right hand before twisting his body and generating a tremendous amount of momentum. His form was borderline 'perfect', and, as a result, the spear generated a massive shockwave, momentarily forming the illusion of an unbroken red line as it traced a trajectory towards Vahn's smiling face...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Stop...Hammer Time~!','En Garde~!','Rak goes at his own pace')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1699: Crown Game (4/?)