Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

In anticipation of the Final Exam, most participating Regulars retired early, many understanding it would not be easy to get any sleep. Fortunately, the test wasn't scheduled until the afternoon of the following day, giving them plenty of opportunities to sleep in and make final preparations.As one of the few people exempt from the exam, Vahn wasn't particularly worried about the coming day. His only real concern was that 'nothing' had happened over the last month. This implied there would be something going down during the final, or, depending on the circumstances, immediately after it. After all, he still had the Black March in his care after agreeing to return it to Princess Yuri, a major indicator that something 'had' to happen while he was on the 2nd Floor.Fortunately, even if caused him a moderate amount of exasperation, a soft 'pitta-pon' interrupted his evening meditation. He could sense Hwa Ryun on the opposite side of the door, so, after a brief moment of consideration, Vahn fixed his posture before opening the door to allow entry.Without being prompted, Hwa Ryun waited for the door to close behind her before taking a knee and deeply bowing her head. Then, in a highly reverential tone, she stated, "Thank you for allowing me entry into your room."Appreciative of the fact that Hwa Ryun was obeying his earlier decree to not refer to him as her God, Vahn nodded in approval before commanding, "Raise your head and explain the reason for this late-night visit. I'm assuming you wish to discuss the coming exam?"Raising her head, a smile blossomed across Hwa Ryun's face as she replied, "That is, indeed, the case. Now that things have developed this far, there are some concerns I wished to address before crossing the point of no return. I wanted to know your intentions for the boy named Baam. I have also been tasked with arranging a meeting between you and my former superiors..."Having already assumed Hwa Ryun was part of a larger organization, Vahn wasn't too surprised by her offer to meet with members of said organization. Her inclination towards worshipping him all but guaranteed she was a member of FUG, and, based on the natural progression of events, it was safe to assume their current objective was to kidnap and conceal the existence of Baam.Irregulars were considered a major threat by the Jahad Empire, a threat that must be eliminated at all costs. Though the methods they could employ were limited thanks to the structure of the Tower, there were countless Regulars and Rankers who would willingly act in the Jahad Empire's interest to intervene. This included several Test Directors, Administrators, and, at least in higher Floors, various members of the Ten Great Families. The only way to tide through these tribulations was if you were already very powerful, a concept far removed from the current Baam.After sitting in silence for several seconds, Vahn met Hwa Ryun's eye, plainly stating, "You are free to continue with your current plans. However, I will not allow that boy to become the tool of others. The fall of Jahad is inevitable. If your superiors are intelligent, they will bide their time until a power vacuum is created in his absence. If they intend to intervene in my personal matters, they will suffer the same fate as the Jahad Empire. I will not remove one group of tyrants just to replace them with another..."Having closely observed the actions of her God and his vassals, Hwa Ryun had no doubt regarding Vahn's final statement. He was the type that blazed a trail forward while empowering those behind him so they would be able to rule in his stead. He cared neither for politics nor power struggles as his goal lay, not inside of the Tower, but far beyond its confines. She could see the people following him becoming his own variation of the Ten Great Warriors, people who were bound to rule over the Tower following his 'inevitable' conquest...With an expectant smile spreading across her face, Hwa Ryun went on to add, "My current duty has me acting as Guide for a man named Ha Jinsung, a High Ranker of the Ha Family and a member of FUG. He was sent to secure the Irregular-"Before Hwa Ryun could explain further, Vahn silenced her by raising his hand in a stopping gesture. He had his own plans and it was too tiresome to plan around the machinations of others, especially when he didn't particularly care about their objectives. Thus, in response to Hwa Ryun's attempt at clarification, he plainly stated, "Tell your 'superiors' that I will meet with them after passing through the 20th Floor. I currently have no intention of negotiating with a group that has made a mockery of the current system, publically slaughtering countless people in the name of their 'justice'. If their ultimate objective is the death of Jahad and the absolution of the current system, they need only to bide their time. The moment they try to interfere with my plans, they will suffer the same fate as the Ten Great Families. I have no patience for hypocrites who merely seek to replace an existing system of corruption with a version that better suits their interests."Though she wasn't surprised by her God's words, Hwa Ryun couldn't help but feel a bit of concern for him. His current power was great, yes, but he was still far from the point of being able to defeat a High Ranker. FUG would do whatever it took to achieve their goals, so, the moment they heard he wasn't being 'cooperative', things were bound to get messy.Noticing the concern visible in Hwa Ryun's gaze, a very subtle smile spread across Vahn's lips as he said, "You need not worry. Even if my power is currently lacking, there isn't an existence within this Tower that is capable of killing me. They will learn this the hard way if they try to interfere with my progress through the Tower. As for you, I will have you join my group once the events of this Floor have come to pass. Until then, continue performing your original duties."Though her concerns were not completely assuaged, Hwa Ryun did feel a bit of relief in response to her God's words. He seemed absolutely certain, so, rather than question the person she had already dedicated her faith to, she ultimately brought her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, lowering her head as she answered, "I understand. I will continue following this path at your behest."Nodding his head in approval, Vahn gestured for Hwa Ryun to rise before pulling out a tiny figure that vaguely resembled a human, tossing it to her as he explained, "Make sure you keep that with you at all times. It is a special charm that is said to bring good luck to those who possess it. Now, be on your way. It is not appropriate to visit an Emperor's room in the middle of the night."Understanding that her God was making a joke, a smile spread across Hwa Ryun's face as she rose to her feet and said, "I look forward to being able to climb the Tower alongside you. This is the first time I am following the path set by another. My heart races in anticipation of what is to come..."Following her words, Hwa Ryun performed a respectful bow before quickly alighting from the room, Vahn's eyes following her departure until the door inevitably closed. Then, with an exasperated sigh escaping his lips, he fell backward onto his bed, arms spread out as he muttered, "It seems I need to have Phae stick closer to me in the future..."---After a restless night for most and a stressful morning for all, each of the remaining Regulars had been assembled in a floating lecture hall that hovered over a massive arena surrounded by dense jungle. Unlike when they had originally gathered, there were fewer than half of the original Regulars remaining, a total of thirty if you excluded those who had already passed. This meant, of the group who had originally been 'chosen' by Headon, only 5% had made it to this stage of Testing; a value that would soon drop to a mere 2.5%.As part of the group that had passed via Special Test, Vahn, Phae, and Gandr were seated alongside Rak and Ghost at the very front of the room. To further draw attention to themselves, they had each been given a special sash with the word Passed embossed on the front. This earned them withering stares from a few of the envious Regulars who were barely scraping by, a rather curious decision on their part considering five of them only made it this far as a direct result of the quintet qualifying in advance...Once everyone had gathered and taken their seats, Administrator Lero-Ro, who had been standing center-stage at the room's front, cleared his throat before shouting, "Good morning Regulars! First off, let me congratulate each of you for making it this far. Though there is still one final test that will determine your fate, you should all feel proud for having made it this far. Now, without further ado, allow me to explain the conditions and objectives of the Final Exam...!"With a quick press of a button, the display behind Lero-Ro lit up to show two separate columns of pictures and names. Immediately after that, the Administrator went on to explain, "The Final Exam is a joint test to determine the fifteen candidates who will be allowed to move on to the next Floor. As you can clearly see behind me, the thirty of you, excluding those passing vis Special Test, have been split into two teams. All the instructors have come together to ensure the teams are as balanced as possible so there will be no changes. If you are not satisfied with the team you have been assigned, you are more than welcome to pack your belongings and exit the Tower. Now, any questions thus far...?"Seeing that everyone was waiting silently for him to continue, Lero-Ro nodded in approval before adding, "Though you will be evaluated based on your performance as a team, know that you will also be graded individually by your Instructors. This grade will have the most impact on whether or not you pass or fail, so, if you have been struggling over the last thirty days, this is your last chance to make a positive impression. Remember, it is not always strength that determines whether or not someone is worthy to climb the Tower. Now, for details regarding the Final Exam itself, I would like to direct each of your attentions to the gentleman sitting amidst your Instructors. This is none other than the 2nd Floor's Test Director, Yu Han-Sung, the person who will ultimately determine whether or not you qualify to climb the Tower."Hearing Lero-Ro's words, the majority of Regulars present were completely gobsmacked, not by the fact that the Director would be determining their fate, but because the 'gentleman' in question was almost indistinguishable from a beautiful woman. He had an extremely fair complexion, golden hair that was neatly fasted into a bun, and delicate facial features that could rival famous idols within the Tower. In fact, many of them had seen this exact person depicted on various products, specifically a variety of different coffee brands.Further sewing confusion, Director Yu wore a blue and gold kimono that was fastened by a black and gold obi. He didn't even seem to possess an adam's apple, but, the moment he opened his mouth to speak, a deep yet delicate voice could be heard as he said, "Greetings, Regulars. As my colleague has pointed out, my name is Yu Han-Sung, Test Director of the 2nd Floor. It is a pleasure to see each of you once again..."Though they hadn't known the man's identity at the time, Director Yu had been the proctor of the second test most Regulars took upon arriving in the Tower: the Door Test. This was a rather simple test, merely requiring a team of regulars to open a single door before five minutes had passed. In spite of this, only 20-30% of teams ended up passing due to the presence of multiple doors and a series of intentionally vague rules. They were also told they had ten minutes to decide, so, with no clues to go off of, many teams were unable to make a decision before their time had run out. Those who failed were eliminated on the spot, their bodies dumped into a fiery inferno; names forgotten due to their indecision...While many were still struggling with the revelation of Director Yu's gender, the man in question went on to explain, "I'll now inform you of the rules regarding the test. Simply put, each team will take turns playing a game of Hide-and-Seek. In other words, rather than being pitted against each other, both teams will compete individually against a Seeker of our choosing. The rules are simple: choose someone among your Fishermen to be it. If your team's 'it' is able to reach the exit before the Seeker tags them, the entire team will receive bonus points. Inversely, if the Seeker tags the 'it' before they are able to reach the exit, the entire team will have points deducted from their original total. There is also a 'bonus' prize should your 'it' manage to steal the badge in possession of the Seeker. Not only will it be treated as an 'instant win' for the team, but, for the 'it' capable of dealing with our specially-chosen Seeker, they will receive an additional 2000 points, more than enough to ensure a passing grade."Hearing the Director's explanation, all six of the remaining Fishermen adopted serious expressions before four immediately backed down in response to the other two's fiery auras. Anak and Endorsi had been placed on separate teams, so, even if they wanted to be their team's 'it', there was no way they could compete for the position against the two Princesses of Jahad.While the Fishermen were lamenting their fate for being placed into the same group of Regulars as two troublesome Princesses, Shibisu went on to ask, "Director Yu, if you don't mind my asking, who is the Seeker you have chosen?"Smiling in response to Shibisu's question, Director Yu made a mental note to reward the boy an additional 100 points towards his final score. Though not as impressive as the other Best Seed for the Scout Position, it couldn't be denied that Shibisu was qualified for the designation. He didn't mind drawing attention to himself, and, even if it earned him the ire of others, he was willing to do whatever it took to gather as much information for his team as possible.Unfortunately, before Director Yu could answer the young man's question, the box that had been wriggling at his side suddenly exploded as a man with brown skin and fiery red hair jumped up to shout, "Great question! I knew my students were the best...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Shhh...no spoilers..."','It's a trap...!','RIP Regulars')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1722: Relaxation