Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With everyone falling into the groove of their Positions, life within Evankhell's Resort became rather routine. Though there were a few noteworthy incidents, such as Rachel apologizing to Baam, Anak showing up outside of Phae's door in the middle of the night, and Endorsi trading in her heels for a pair of sneakers, everything else was just 'business as usual' up until the final week of class.As could be expected, the final week was far more important than the three preceding it. Not only would there be a Final Exam at the end of the week, but, in order to make sure everyone was able to fulfill the responsibilities of their Position, joint training sessions had become the norm. After all, it didn't really matter how talented you were if you couldn't actually work together in a team.Unfortunately, due to having completed the Special Tests, Vahn, Phae, and Gandr were required to sit back and watch the joint training sessions from within the Administration Command Center. This was to prevent them from effectively 'carrying' each of the teams through the Tests, so, while all the other Regulars were hard at work, the Imperial Trio were seated alongside Rak and Ghost, the only other candidates to have passed their Special Tests.Fortunately, watching the tests from a birds-eye view allowed Vahn to get a better grasp of which Regulars would be useful for his future plans. The Administration had also prepared a large quantity of food and drink for them to enjoy, so, while it was pretty boring to just sit around all day, it wasn't all bad. The only person greatly affected by the turn of events was Gandr, who, in accordance with his character, was lying upside down with his head and ears dangling off the sofa, an exceptionally bored expression on his face.Seeing Gandr's ears twitching convincingly, even without his willing it to, Vahn had a thoughtful expression on his face that was mirrored by Phae. The only difference was, his features gave off an impression of solemnity while hers vaguely resembled a concerned mother wondering about the future of her child. This was, of course, the impression that Vahn was going for, but, whenever he was around his fairer and younger counterparts, he couldn't shake the feeling they were gradually becoming completely different people.Sharing her Lord's thoughts, for obvious reasons, Phae offered a polite smile as she habitually combed back her bangs. This was a reaction so deeply ingrained into her character that, even without putting any conscious thought into it, Vahn would perform the action through her as if it was completely natural. There had even been instances where he was completely caught off guard by her responses, irrespective of the fact he was the one controlling them...At this point, Vahn was pretty sure that Phae and Gandr were becoming 'unique' existences, entities intrinsically linked to him but with their own, separate, Egos. This was actually something he tried to accomplish during his training, but, likely as a result of being inside his Realm, his efforts had been limited by his own omnipotence. As for why he wanted to accomplish any kind of separation at all, Vahn was intending to use the Memory Fragment he had saved from his time in Danmachi to create an Avatar for himself after linking the Records. He also wanted to give Sis a chance to 'pilot' a vessel of her own, one which she would be able to manage without having to separate from him.If he were being honest, Vahn was pretty excited by the growing 'independence' of Phae and Gandr; he just hadn't expected it to happen so soon after entering the Record. After all, he had spent years developing Phae's and Gandr's characters without achieving any noteworthy results. Now, after less than a month in the 'final' Record, he was already on the verge of a breakthrough. There was even a chance their autonomy was the result of his Mind Innate beginning to awaken, something Vahn had been anticipating for decades...Restraining the urge to sigh, Vahn offered a curt nod in response to Phae handing him a cup of tea, yet another action he seemed to perform 'instinctually' through her. As for Gandr, he had relocated to where Rak and Ghost were engaged in an unscheduled eating contest. They each had a large pile of chocolate bars in front of them, quite literally shoving the sugary sweets into their maws without even bothering to remove the wrappers.As could be expected, neither of the massive men were a match for Gandr, as, despite his small size, he could, quite literally, eat an infinite amount of food. Every excess calorie he consumed became a meager amount of energy that was stored within the complex seal imprinted upon his back. There was no limit to the amount of energy that could be stored within the seal, but, upon activation, it would immediately consume every last drop in order to drastically increased Gandr's parameters for a short period of time.It wasn't an exaggeration to say that, while weaker than both Vahn and Phae, Gandr had the highest combat potential between them. He not only wielded Laev-tan but, thanks to the restraints that had been placed on his body, [Chainbreaker] allowed him to demonstrate remarkable speed and power, even eclipsing that of Vahn. The only downside was that [Chainbreaker] was directly influenced by the state of a person's mind, so, in order to benefit from the powerful ability, Gandr was prone to bouts of frustration and anger.Back within the Realm, Gandr's seal didn't really seem to influence him that much since he could always remove it, quite literally, with a single thought. Now, however, his power was greatly limited, and, unless he put in an extreme amount of effort, it was impossible to remove the seal without the 'key'. The best he could do was activate it, burning away all the stored energy in order to mitigate the strain placed upon his body by the seal.Since it was meant to emulate Fenrir's Innate, the most potent effect of the 'Vanargandr Seal' was placing a literal strain on the user. The seal would feel heavier depending on the amount of energy stored within, and, though this had absolutely no effect on physical weight, it placed a tremendous burden on the mind and spirit. This could actually be used to strengthen both, but, similar to how Fenrir would grow increasingly frustrated the more her power outgrew her ability to control, Gandr would suffer very similar effects. As for why this had no effect on Vahn and Phae, they largely offset it with some liberal usage of the [Will of the Emperor]...---While Vahn and co were idling about within the Control Room, the rest of the 'surviving' Regulars, those who had yet to be eliminated due to serious injury or death, were participating in a Capture the Flag style competition. This involved diving the Regulars into four teams with 6-8 people, each defending a fortress located amidst heavily forested or extremely rocky terrain.As was the case in most Capture the Flag competition, the penultimate goal of the game was to secure the enemy team's flag while simultaneously protecting your own. You earned points based on the total number of flags your team was able to capture, the caveat being that you would lose all of your points the moment your flag fell into the hands of another team.In a vain attempt to ensure things were fair, Endorsi, Anak, Laure, and Khun had all been placed in charge of separate teams. To further balance things, Endorsi and Anak were both part of teams that only had six members. They were forced to choose between protecting their flag or venturing into enemy territory to try and eliminate as many other Regulars as possible. After all, every Regular they took out of the battle was one less person they needed to worry about.Unfortunately for the two Princesses, their propensity towards violence made it easy for others to predict their actions. They ended up getting baited into a trap and pitted against each other after some careful wordplay by Khun. Around the same time, members of both his and Laure's teams performed a raid on the Princesses' Fortresses, securing the flags and ultimately winning the game without any real suspense. Later on, Baam asked Khun what he had said to get the two Princesses to fight against each other despite knowing it was a trap. As for the answer, he produced a rather peculiar cookie from his Inventory, one loosely resembling a certain onyx-haired Vanargandr...---With classes having wrapped up for the day, Gandr had gathered within Baam's room alongside Khun, Shibisu, Hatsu, Laure, Chunhwa, Aleksai, and Rak. They had decided to have something like a 'boys only' sleepover while most of the girls had all gathered together within Phae's room to learn advanced hair care and beauty treatments. It was a well-known fact at this point that the changes in Rachel's appearance were thanks to Phae, so, as could be expected, she instantly became the center of attention among girls who were concerned about their appearance.As someone extremely knowledgeable regarding the care and development of women, Phae had quickly become the big sister that everyone looked up to within the relatively small group of girls. Even Endorsi looked up to her quite a bit, probing Phae's brain for advice on everything from men to fashion. This led to a few rather 'pointed' questions being thrown Phae's way, but, with several years of practice preparing for these exact types of questions, she was able to avoid embarrassing herself, often flipping the table entirely to put Endorsi on the spot.In the beginning, Endorsi didn't truly respect Phae due to her rather inflated sense of self-worth. It was only after the latter completely destroyed both her and Anak in an arm-wrestling contest that she accepted Phae as the de facto leader of the girls' group. From that moment on, she, alongside many of the other female Regulars, congregated in Phae's room after hours. They even spent a few nights within the confines of the room, a trend that had started when several people noticed Anak emerging from the motherly woman's room early in the morning.Though it wasn't every night, Anak had made a habit of sleeping in Phae's room whenever she had a particularly hard day. The latter always had cookies and other snacks waiting for her, and, though she had trouble expressing herself, Phae always seemed to understand what was on her mind. This caused Anak to develop a bit of a dependence on the woman, but, considering she had spent more than three-hundred-years stuck in a suspended mentality, any change was a step forward. The fact Anak's body had started to subtly develop was the biggest indicator of this, even if these changes were largely due to her rivalry with Endorsi and her growing awareness of Gandr...Even if it was more competitiveness and curiosity than anything else, it was clear to most that Anak treated Gandr differently than everyone else. She hardly talked to other people, and, the few times she did speak, it was often to say something condescending or abrasive. In Gandr's case, however, she was usually very quiet, and, at times, even appeared shy and demure. She also sat next to him during meal times, and, though she never thanked him for the compliments, she would sometimes smile whenever he commented on the changes in her hair and clothes.From Gandr's point of view, Anak was like a little sister to him, and, as far as he could tell, at least for the time being, she viewed him in a similar light. The fact they were always competing against each other was the best example of this. They would often race through the hallways, and, when it came time for training, their spars would quickly devolve into rather brutal slugfests. After all, Anak had a very similar style to Gandr's when they were fighting unarmed so the latter had been training her in the basics of the Heavenly White Tiger Style.Though it wasn't completely necessary, possessing a tail greatly aided in the execution of several techniques common within Baihu's patented style. Anak's, in particular, allowed her to nearly bend forward at ninety degrees without falling over. This, combined with the fact she was only 154cm in height, gave her an exceptionally low center of gravity. As a result, she was able to slip into the gaps created by foes much larger than herself, gaps easily exploited by the phenomenal strength stored within her petite frame.With strength being the most important thing within Anak's mind, second only to her revenge, she always put an inordinate amount of effort into her training. This was the reason she didn't want to 'waste time' fighting against foes weaker than herself, but, after some careful guidance, Anak was slowly beginning to accept that others not only had their own desires, they also had a right to grow stronger. Her selfishness would only be a detriment in her pursuit of revenge, so, while she would show considerable dissatisfaction at times, she at least made an effort to advise others during their group training sessions. She had even helped Shibisu in his physical training, albeit by sitting on his back as he struggled to do even ten pushups with the addition of 140kgs weighing him down...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's only a matter of time before Sis appears (O w O)...','Phae is da wae...','That is one thiccc cucumber...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the Final Exam scheduled to take place the following day, everyone was given the day off to rest, recuperate, and make mental preparations. The Administrators had even opened up the part of the Resort that catered to Rankers, allowing Regulars to experience a taste of what it was like to be a part of the most coveted class within the Tower.Though not every Ranker was wealthy, they had access to residences and facilities that were simply unavailable to anyone who was not a Ranker. They were also universally respected within the Tower, some, specifically High Rankers, even being treated like Gods in certain regions of the Tower.After being invited out by Endorsi, Phae was enjoying the relaxing massage of a genderless creature with six tentacular arms and a series of six eyes circling its dome-like head. It was a rather enjoyable experience, but, compared to the [Hands of Nirvana], it was comparatively tame.Following the massage, the two girls met up with Anak, who, despite warnings, had been sitting in the sauna for more than an hour. She had originally been with Rozeal and Nare, but, after spending a few minutes in the steamy chamber, they both went to get their hair and faces done.Seeing Anak 'melting' at the top of the sauna, her towel serving as a blanket, Phae released a small sigh while Endorsi directly remarked, "Oi, lizard-breath. Even if you're not the genuine article, have some dignity as a Princess of Jahad."Hearing Endorsi's remark, Anak turned her head to the side, an exceptionally lazy look on her face as she replied, "Bite me, Ghost-Pepper..."Annoyed by the increasingly-common form of address, Endorsi held up her fist, a smile that wasn't quite a smile appearing on her face as she prepared a rebuttal. Before she could, however, Phae sat down on one of the wooden benches, removing her towel before asserting, "This is neither the time nor the place for bickering. Tomorrow is a very important day for both of you. Take this opportunity to relax both your body and your mind. No fighting."Feeling the wind taken out of her sails, Endorsi briefly studied Phae's naked body before releasing a defeated sigh. Then, after placing her towel down, she also took a seat before asking, "How are you able to keep your breasts from sagging? I've never seen you wear a bra or wrap your chest. It's not fair..."Raising her brow in amusement, Phae mirrored Endorsi's action, briefly sizing up the latter's body before asserting, "You're just being silly. You have a lithe and athletic figure combined with features that would make others green with envy. There is no need to compare yourself to me, Endorsi. You are a beautiful young woman. Be proud of your figure. Just don't be vain."Though she felt gratified by Phae's compliments, a radiant smile spreading across her face, Endorsi still remarked, "I'm more worried about my future than my present. Even if they've yet to start, I still worry about sagging. Tell me, do you have some kind of secret method to keep your breasts perky and full...?"Feeling slightly exasperated, Phae released a tired sigh before staring down at her own breasts, two sizeable melons that, in spite of their volume, had an immaculate shape. She had honestly grown a little fond of them, even if they often required her to periodically stretch just to alleviate the pain in her back and shoulders.After briefly considering her response, Phae raised her head to find even Anak had started listening in on the conversation. This brought an amused smile to her face, as, while she wasn't completely flat, Anak could compete with Fenrir's original form when it came to bust size.Deciding against making a joke at Anak's expense, Phae continued smiling as she said, "There are a countless number of ways to prevent, or even reverse, sagging. When it becomes an actual issue, I'll go into greater detail. Until then, your best bet is to keep growing stronger. The more powerful you become, the less likely you'll have to worry about such things."Though she felt like Phae's comment was a cop-out response, Endorsi decided not to keep pressing the issue, yet another sigh escaping her lips as she muttered, "It is pretty hot in here..."As the sauna was intended to be used by Rankers, it wasn't an exaggeration to say only those with superhuman physiques could stay in for long periods of time. Phae was perfectly fine, for obvious reasons, but Endorsi was still susceptible to the heat. As for Anak, she was a bit of an exception in this particular situation, as, despite not being cold-blooded, her body temperature was a lot lower than normal. This gave her a fondness for warm things, so, even though her body was covered in a rather thick layer of sweat, she continued enjoying the sauna, arms and legs sprawled out as she lay on her stomach with a contented look on her face...Resisting the urge to 'correct' the not-so-young young lady, Phae just lightly shook her head before smiling back at Endorsi and replying, "Indeed..." in her characteristically husky yet soft tone.---While the girls were off enjoying their day at the spa, most of the guys had gathered in the Rankers' recreational facility. There were various activities to enjoy within, including a full-size movie theater, but most of them had gathered to play a game of squash.Squash was a game where 2-4 players hit a durable rubber ball against the back wall of a closed-off arena. The primary objective of the game was to use a racket to hit the ball against the wall in such a way that your opponents would be unable to hit it back. There were various other rules due to the super-human capabilities of Rankers, but, unless you were playing 'seriously', the main goal was to smack the ball as hard as you could in order to bypass your opponent's defenses.After completely destroying everyone he had been matched against, Gandr was currently sitting on the sidelines with Shibisu and Baam while watching Khun and Chunhwa face off against Hatsu and, somewhat surprisingly, Hoh. The latter wasn't particularly known for his physical capabilities, but, as everyone else had agreed not to use Shinsu enhancement, he was able to just barely keep up.Vahn, and, by proxy, Gandr had originally been worried that Hoh was deviating down a very dark path, but, with a few choice words of advice, it seemed like the man had gradually stepped back into the light. He still kept to himself most of the time, but, as part of Shibisu's circle of friends, he would occasionally appear whenever something interesting was taking place.Seeing the effeminate blond smiling as he dashed around the squash court, Gandr had a relaxed smile on his face as he answered Baam's question concerning Vahn's refusal to join everyone else in their recreation games, explaining, "Whenever my Master is around, others find it hard to stay calm. I'm sure you've experienced it during your classes, but he gives off an aura that makes people feel both inspired yet terrified. It's like he can see through everything, and, whenever he takes action, it is always decisive."Remembering how nervous he felt whenever Vahn just looked at him, Baam could understand what Gandr was trying to convey. He wasn't the only one either, as, every time the 'Emperor' was around, it was like everything immediately revolved around him. Whenever he spoke, everyone immediately fell silent, and, whenever he offered advice, it was almost like hearing someone speak an irrefutable truth. Administrator Yuga had even gone so far as to say that Vahn was exceptionally gifted when it came to teaching others, encouraging him to apply to a position within the Imperial Palace once he inevitably became a Ranker.Misinterpreting the look on Baam's face, Gandr lightly nudged the boy as he said, "Hey, you don't have to worry so much. My Master isn't lonely or anything like that. He is just giving Phae and me a chance to get close to everyone. Once we move up to higher Floors, he will probably interact with everyone more often. He is just holding back right now to prevent everyone from grouping around and becoming reliant on him."Though Baam was slightly confused by Gandr's remark, Shibisu had been listening closely from his position at the side, chiming in to comment, "I thought that might have been the case. The way you and Phae treat everyone is a little strange considering how much power you possess. That man, the Emperor, is going to offer us some kind of power at some point. Is that right?"Rather than refute Shibisu's claim, Gandr just laughed before answering, "You can see it that way. In the end, however, your growth will depend entirely on your efforts. I can't go into too many details right now but I can tell you this...all of my skill with the sword is the result of my Master's training. If you have the motive to become strong, there is no faster way than listening to my Master's advice."Having witnessed Gandr's skills throughout the entirety of the Position Test, Shibisu felt a chill run through his body as he asked, "If you were to fight-"Without having to hear the rest of Shibisu's inquiry, Gandr adopted an uncharacteristically serious expression as he asserted, "Even if every single one of us teamed up against him, we wouldn't be able to defeat my Master. Phae might be able to win under certain conditions, but that is because he can't really go all out against her. If it was a real fight, even the Administrators wouldn't be able to defeat my Master...he is an existence most people can't even comprehend..."Though it was a little awkward talking about himself in such a way, Gandr wasn't really lying when he made such bold claims. Their existence as The Path was beyond even the comprehension of an Omnipotent Genius like Da Vinci, and, while it was possible for them to be defeated, it would never be a true defeat unless they 'allowed' themselves to be killed. It didn't really matter how strong the opponent was, they were simply inevitable...Hearing the certainty in Gandr's tone, Shibisu suddenly felt as though the surrounding temperature had decreased substantially. After all, Gandr was close to being able to compete against a Ranker in speed, so, while it was difficult to imagine a Regular being strong enough to take on Test Admins, it sounded a lot more credible coming from the Vanargandr at his side. Vahn's demonstration during the Crown Game was another point in his favor, as, prior to him voluntarily stepping down from the throne, everyone else was powerless to even approach it.Noticing Shibisu's pale expression, Gandr's serious look faded into a relaxed smile as he pat the man on the shoulder and said, "You don't really have anything to worry about. We're already on the same side. Besides, once you learn what my Master has to offer, all your worries will seem pointless. He isn't some demon that offers power in exchange for life force or anything like that. It would be more accurate to say he gives you the opportunity to pursue your own path. You can think of it as a more advanced version of what he has done in the Wave Controller class. He was even the one who asked Phae to help Rachel, hoping it would change the woman for the better."At the mere mention of Rachel's name, Baam immediately became more attentive. Though she was still keeping her distance from everyone, she had come to his room several weeks ago to apologize for lying to him. Since then, they had eaten lunch together a few times, and, though it was different from when they were alone outside the Tower, he felt like things were gradually going back to the way they once were.Since this was his first time hearing that Vahn was the reason behind Phae helping Rachel, Baam's opinion of the man skyrocketed in an instant. Thus, with a smile that seemed to light up the entire Recreational Facility, he happily chimed, "Your Master is amazing, Gandr. I can't wait to become his friend when we reach the next floor!"Shifting his gaze to Shibisu for a brief moment, both he and Gandr smiled wryly before the latter turned back to Baam and replied, "I'm sure he would like that..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Phae(Vahn) over here casually sitting in a sauna with two Princesses...','We are inevitable...','Baam is too pure for this world')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Since he was clearly stronger than everyone else in the current batch of Regulars, Gandr had agreed to several requests to help people train. As a result, Shibisu, Hatsu, Chunhwa, Nare, Aleksai, Endorsi, and, starting today, Anak had gathered together within one of the Resort's training areas at 5 AM.As the only one who wasn't really there to train, Nare was still wearing her pajama as she hugged a pillow off to the side. She was already struggling with the normal Scout training, so, while it would undoubtedly be beneficial to her in the future, she wasn't at the point where she could train before her actual training even started. As for her Knight, Hong Chunhwa, he was pretty eager to improve before the second Special Test for Fishermen began.Chunhwa was one of the eight candidates that had passed thanks to Endorsi and Anak eliminating each other, so, with less than a week to prepare, he was pushing his limits to try and learn physical reinforcement. Fortunately, though he would have been allowed to participate regardless, Nare had told him about the morning training session hosted by Gandr, so, with a commendable amount of conviction, the rather handsome 'Knight' had taken to the training with gusto.Unfortunately, Chunhwa's training partner ended up being Endorsi, so, while he was doing his best, he was also getting played to death by the grudge-holding Princess. Despite this, Chunhwa didn't give up, and, every time Nare cheered him on, he seemed to become ever so slightly stronger than the moment prior. This earned him a fair amount of teasing from Endorsi, but, rather than show any embarrassment, Chunhwa pushed forward with a resolute light in his eyes.While Endorsi was beating up Nare's Knight, the other Princess present, Anak, was facing off against someone more than twice her height and several times her size. Despite this, it was the much larger man, Aleksai, who was constantly being pushed back. Anak wasn't very good at holding back so he had a number of cuts and bruises all of his body. Despite this, he would quickly get back up after a heavy blow, his reddish-brown eyes showing a calm determination as he adopted a boxing stance and attempted to anticipate the next blow.Despite several people claiming that Aleksai had fought like a fierce demon during the Deathmatch, the truth of the matter was that the man was a relatively gentle giant. Though he did have demonic wings protruding from his upper back, his combat style revolved around countering the opponent's attacks, rather than going on the offensive. He even had a surprisingly gentle voice, a stark contrast to his burly and muscular appearance.Seeing her opponent rise to his feet for the umpteenth time, Anak showed an expression of mild annoyance as she remarked, "You really don't know when to quit..."Though Aleksai rarely spoke, often choosing to keep a fair amount of distance from most people, he sometimes uttered a few words every now and then during training. Thus, in response to Anak's taunting, he just softly stated, "I'm ready..." as the muscles in his body tensed up.Without any hesitation, a ripple appeared near the base of Anak's feet as she closed the distance between herself and Aleksai in an instant. This was actually her first time at the training sessions so she was annoyed by the fact that Gandr was focused on helping others. She didn't see the point of sparring against people that were weaker than herself, arguing that it was a waste of time. What she never expected was for Gandr to use her own declaration against her, asking why he should 'waste time' sparring against her when she was, very clearly, weaker than him.Anak wasn't at all enthused by Gandr's statement, feeling as though he had somehow betrayed her by saying such a thing in front of everyone. Despite this, she ended up participating in the training, as, even if she wanted to, there wasn't really an argument to make against Gandr's rebuttal. He had used her own words against her, and, even if she went all out using the Green April, Anak couldn't even imagine a scenario where she emerged victoriously against the annoying Vanargandr...Due to the drastic difference between their physical capabilities and speed, Anak easily evaded the cross-counter of Aleksai, spinning under the blow and using her tail to hit the side of his knee. This caused the man's knees to buckle, utterly destroying his balance and causing his head to move into the perfect position for Anak's tiny fist to impact against his cheekbone. As a result, a visible ripple passed through the man's face, and, though she held back quite a bit, a visible shockwave formed at the impact point of Anak's fist.For the umpteenth time since the beginning of their spar, Aleksai was sent spiraling through the air before crashing, hard, into the ground. His right eye immediately swelled to a point where he could no longer see through it, but, much to Anak's chagrin, he still climbed to his feet after taking a few seconds to catch his breath and come to his senses.With the tip of her tail shaking in frustration, Anak was very near the point of going all out against the annoying red-head. An even greater density of Shinsu began to build up around her feet, but, before she could charge forward, her vision was obscured by a familiar figure. In the next moment, a not-so-gentle chop impacted the top of her head as Gandr plainly remarked, "You're letting your anger get the better of you. This is training, not a battle to the death. Aleksai isn't your enemy, he is your training partner. You should be guiding him and giving advice, not taking your frustrations and resentment out on him."Feeling a remarkable amount of pain from the crown of her head, Anak used both hands to cover the area, moisture building in the corners of her eyes as she glared back at Gandr. She wanted to say something in her defense, but, as was often the case whenever she faced off against the hateful Vanargandr, his words struck at the heart of the matter. She also knew he was trying to help her, so, even if she wanted nothing more than to chop his head in retribution, she ultimately managed to resist the urge, saving herself further embarrassment.Just as Gandr was about to release a sigh and apologize for hitting Anak on the top of her head, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. At the same time, his ears perked up to their full height, his body becoming illusory as the heel of a foot passed through where his head used to be.Despite failing her surprise attack, Endorsi didn't show any signs of backing down as she shifted her gaze to Gandr's new location, a malicious yet teasing smile on her face as she said, "I'll teach you to bully my niece, you furry-eared brat~!"Understanding Endorsi's true intentions, Gandr just rolled his eyes in response to her words before asserting, "We all know you're just looking for an excuse to fight. I would never allow someone to bully Anak, much less myself. Try coming up with something more convincing the next time, Ghost-Pepper Princess."Hearing the peculiar form of address, Endorsi managed to momentarily retrain her urge to charge, confusion visible in her subtly glowing eyes as she asked, "What did you just call me...?"Smiling mischievously in response to Endorsi's inquiry, Gandr adopted a teasing tone as he mused, "A ghost pepper has the traits of being super hot, spicy to the point of being unbearable. Since you have ghostly eyes, I figured it would be a good rebuttal whenever you call me a fluffy-eared brat~."Though she felt a little fluttery when Gandr said she was 'super hot', Endorsi quickly understood he wasn't simply talking about her physical appearance. As a result, her smile became somewhat dark, cracking her knuckles as she asked, "Are those your last words...?"Realizing he might have gone a little overboard, Gandr decided to backpedal a bit while continuing with the same theme, winking playfully as he took evasive action and mused, "Spicy things aren't so bad in moderation..."Failing her first punch, Endorsi was intending to follow up with a roundhouse kick when she heard Gandr's sudden addendum. Though she was still able to execute the action seamlessly, she became a little muddleheaded as a very light blush colored her cheeks. She knew he was teasing her, but, as someone who wore their vanity on their sleeve, Endorsi was still gratified by the boy's remark. As a result, she made a mental note only to 'half-kill' him...that was assuming she could ever catch him...---Similar to the first day of Wave Controller class, the first half of the day was spent focusing on the various theories and applications for Shinsu. Then, following an hour-long lunch, everyone gathered together to continue the practical lesson from the previous day. This would apparently repeat every day until the Final Exam, as, with very few exceptions, it took a lot longer than thirty days to reach a level where you could successfully pop all the balloons.Being such an exception, Vahn was given the option to either skip the afternoon lessons entirely or assist in helping other Regulars refine their skills. Vahn, of course, chose the second option, both as a means of building rapport with the rest of the class while concurrently keeping a watchful eye on Administrator Yuga.As could be expected, the Administrator had taken quite an interest in Vahn, showering him with praise and asking various probing questions. Vahn could tell the man was trying to get a feel for his character, likely to determine whether or not he was a threat to be eliminated or an asset that could be used to further the gains of whatever organization backed him.Based on Phae's and Sis' joint investigation, there were only a handful of powerful organizations within the entirety of the Tower. The Jahad Empire and the Ten Great Families worked tirelessly to prevent any rival organizations from trespassing on their territory, so, with the exception of the Workshop, a completely neutral organization, the only operation to oppose them was a criminal group known as FUG.From a narrative point of view, FUG was clearly intended to be the 'good guys', but, based on all the information present within the Administrator Archives, they were more-so a group of terrorists than a revolutionary army. This could be the result of careful manipulation of information, but, based on the general structure of the Tower and its political system, Vahn suspected they were likely just as bad, if not worse, than the Ten Great Families. They had likely been founded with good intentions, but, as was often the case when vast power disparities were involved, they had been corrupted by the passage of time and the clashing of individual interests.Vahn didn't know which organization Administrator Yuga represented, but, based on his propensity for showing off and the swirling mass of negativity hidden beneath his costume, it was reasonable to assume he was associated with the Jahad Empire. There were bound to be some egotistical types in FUG, but, more often than not, those who flaunted their arrogance were commonly associated with whatever group currently held the most power.Fortunately, it didn't seem like Administrator Yuga suspected him to be an Irregular. After all, only three 'known' Irregulars had appeared within the entire history of the Jahad Empire, so, even when a monstrously talented individual showed up, few people assumed they were Irregulars. There were countless examples of people possessing an inordinate amount of talent, and, though it was rare, a few even possessed unique abilities that led to them being poached by, and marrying into, the Ten Great Families.Though Vahn's capabilities stood out quite a bit, he made sure to hold back his true power in order to prevent too much trouble before he was able to find his footing. He didn't really care if his status as an Irregular was exposed. After all, he had already admitted it directly to Administrator Quant on the first day of Testing. Still, that didn't mean he would go around flaunting his Irregular status, as, when it ultimately came down to it, Vahn didn't even remotely care about the infamous title...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Chunhwa is fueled by the power of Loli love','The origin of the Ghost-Pepper Princess','Does this count as hiding in plain sight...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1721: Changes