Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

As a reward for completing the Special Test, Gandr and Anak received 2000 Points and the right to choose a single King Class Shinheuh License. Since the latter could cost upwards of 10,000 Points, it was quite the boon considering they had only been on the 3rd Floor for less than two hours.After promising they would patronize her Vocational Office in the future, Gandr walked with Anak through the Town of Beginnings. Their goal was to gather information about the Town, but, before that, the former had them stop in a confectionery shop to purchase some sweets. He could tell that Anak was in a bad mood, so, before asking her what was wrong, Gandr bought something he knew she would like.Anak was well-aware of what Gandr was trying to do, but, considering she got free sweet out of the exchange, she decided not to complain. Her frustration also started to mellow a bit, even if it always bothered her to be 'coddled' by the much-younger boy.With a large bag of lemon-flavored sweets in hand, Anak followed after Gandr for several minutes before the latter abruptly turned around and said, "I would normally tell you not to worry about this kind of thing. You already have a lot of blessings. So long as you put in the effort, it is only a matter of time before you reach a level of power most people can't even comprehend..."Hearing Gandr's remark, Anak's mood began to gradually worsen, eliciting a sigh from the boy as he reached out his hand, lightly caressing her head as he added, "I will need to help the others as well, but, when we both have time, I will help you grow stronger. We can also team up to complete Quests and hunt Shinheuh outside the Town...is that okay with you?"Rather than immediately answer, Anak continued to roll a lemon-flavored candy around in her mouth while staring back at Gandr. He was only 1cm taller than her so their gazes could easily overlap whenever they stood face-to-face.After remaining silent for several seconds, Anak moved out of Gandr's petting range before saying, "Fine..." in a curt tone. Then, as Gandr returned a wry smile her way, Anak extended the open bag of candies toward him, adding, "You can have one..."---Having finished populating the boys' room in a very short period of time, Vahn had what could best be described as a tired smile as, even after an hour, he was still helping Endorsi and Phae set up the girls' room. This was in spite of the fact that Phae was helping to rein Endorsi in, shooting down the vast majority of her requests unless the latter could give a convincing reason.Fortunately, after helping to install a set of baths and a large partition near the corner of the room, Vahn had been freed from his torment thanks to the arrival of Nare.Under normal circumstances, the presence of Nare would have just added fuel to the fire, but, with Phae dragging off both girls to prepare a meal, Vahn was 'allowed' to return to his room. There, he found Hwa Ryun, Khun, and Shibisu still in deep discussion, a discussion he promptly brought to an end thanks to his presence.Surprising both of the young men, Hwa Ryun immediately rose to her feet the moment she noticed Vahn's presence. Fortunately, she didn't attempt to kneel before him this time around. Instead, she performed a courteous bow, her voice filled with reverence as she said, "Welcome back, my Lord..."Since it was better than hearing her refer to him as 'God' or 'Master', Vahn elected to ignore Hwa Ryun's latest attempt to formalize how she addressed him. She clearly felt uncomfortable with using his name, so, rather than press the issue until the point of frustration, he ultimately returned a curt nod before asking, "How goes the discussion? Starting to get a better grasp on things?"Though they felt a little awkward remaining seated while Hwa Ryun rose to bow, Khun and Shibisu did their best to appear unflustered as the former answered, "So long as nothing amiss happens, it should only take us two weeks to complete this Floor. We could complete it even faster, but I don't want everyone to burn out before we reach the 10th Floor."Nodding his head in agreement, Shibisu piggybacked Khun's statement by adding, "Once we reach the 10th Floor, there is a general placement competition held at the end of each month. Only those who place within the top 100 of their respective Positions are allowed to advance to the 11th Floor. If we want to avoid being separated, even for a short while, the weaker members of our Team will need to time to increase their experience and grow stronger."While listening to the duo speak, Vahn had made his way over to the table, taking the ornate seat at the far side of the circular table before replying, "I have a solution for that. The Little Garden in my possession is governed by the Laws of Progress. Though I will not allow it to be used as our base of operations, I can allow people inside during the early morning."Having entered the Little Garden during the procedure to have their Familia Crests engraved, both Khun and Shibisu had experienced the mystical land filled with massive trees. Still, never one to idle about when there was information to collect, Shibisu didn't miss the opportunity to ask, "What are the Laws of Progress?"Returning an approving smile toward the man, Vahn went on to explain, "Everything, including the Heavens themselves, exists and is governed by the Laws. This includes everything from Elemental Forces, Shinsu, and even the concepts of Life and Death themselves. The thing that qualifies most entities to become a God is the strength of their Soul and their mastery over specific Laws. Now, to answer your question, the Laws of Progress are exactly what they sound like. They are what allow a person to learn new things, grow, and develop over time. They also help to guide the evolution of all creatures, so, by entering a place that is governed by the Laws of Progress, everything from the acquisition of new skills to the retention of information becomes drastically easier."Though it was a little hard to imagine such a convenient place existed, neither Khun nor Shibisu had any reason to doubt Vahn's claim. After all, they could enter the Little Garden and ascertain whether or not this was true by simply reading or playing a memory game.After accounting for this new information within his mind, Khun adopted a somewhat serious look as he asked, "Are there any side-effects from staying in the Little Garden...?"Rather than deny this was the case, Vahn nodded his head, answering, "Yes, though not in the vein you are thinking. One of the problems with training under the influence of the Laws of Progress is that it makes your training outside the Little Garden feel stunted. You also need to account for the fact that the Laws of Progress affect your physical and mental development. Everything within will rapidly develop until they reach their biological prime. This emulates the effect of rapid aging, but, rather than decrease a person's lifespan, extended stays within the Little Garden drastically increase their average life expectancy. In fact, so long as they stay within the Little Garden, everything from short-lived insects to seasonal flowers will live forever..."With each new piece of information slamming into their minds like a hammer striking an anvil, Khun and Shibisu found themselves at a complete loss for words. As for Hwa Ryun, she couldn't help but smile, the convictions she had formed during their first meeting tempered with each new thing she learned about her God and his capabilities.As much as he enjoyed the stupefaction visible on Khun's and Shibisu's faces, Vahn was intending to kick all three of them out of his room. This was especially true for Hwa Ryun, as, no matter what he said, he got the impression her Belief in him was only going to increase. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but, considering she also had [Child of Destiny: SS], Vahn suspected she was also one of the Records original Heroines.For reasons he had already ascertained long ago, Vahn's 'lack' of fate seemed to intrinsically draw those with powerful fates toward him. After all, the 'protagonists' of the Record simply stood out more than normal people, so, unless he proactive avoided them, he was bound to cross paths with the beings most pertinent to the Record's stability.Due to the nature of the Records themselves, often revolving around tales of tragedy and triumph, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Vahn was primed to help whenever the protagonists appeared. He had never been able to ignore the suffering of others, and, due to how 'motivated' they were to bring about positive change, he always had a soft spot for protagonists.Unfortunately, though he was actually very grateful for how things had turned out, this meant Vahn was often in a position where the Heroines of the world were almost instinctually drawn to him. The only requirements many of them had for their partner was that they were powerful and empathetic, so, more often than not, Vahn became a very 'convenient' target for them to imprint upon. This was especially true for any woman who had experienced tragedy, as, more than anything else, they just wanted someone who could understand and liberate them from their suffering...Though the matter with Hwa Ryun was bound to come to a head in the future, Vahn could still try his best to delay things in the hope that it would limit his harem's expansion. With that in mind, he liberated Khun and Shibisu from their stupor by adding, "I will make the Little Garden accessible in the early morning, specifically between the hours of 0500 and 0800. For now, I would ask that the three of you excuse yourselves. If you have further questions, please defer to Phae. She knows just as much about the Little Garden as I."Realizing they were being kicked out, Khun offered a polite smile while Shibisu issued an awkward laugh. Both, however, rose to their feet without much of a delay, the former remarking, "We'll leave you to your rest. Come, Shibisu, Ms. Ryun. We'll finish this conversation elsewhere."Hearing Khun's remark, Hwa Ryun reluctantly rose to her feet, bowing towards Vahn before turning to follow after the departing duo. She would much rather stay at her God's side or reside within the Little Garden, but, remembering his previous decree, she knew it would be counterintuitive of her to idle about all day. Team Wolf Pack needed her to Guide them, so, with a dull expression on her face and hands tucked into the front pocket of her hoodie, she departed the room alongside Khun and Shibisu.Seeing the trio depart, Vahn instantaneously teleported near his bed before plopping face-first onto the soft mattress. It wasn't that he was tired, but, with Phae and Gandr personas requiring most of his focus, it was easier to just relax his mind and body whenever they were active. He also enjoyed experiencing things through them, so, after rolling onto his back, Vahn placed his hands behind his head, a smile on his face as he slowly closed his eyes...---While Vahn was busy living his life through Phae and Gandr, a vast army of nearly-identical cat girls was dutifully watching over every aspect of his. These were none other than Sis and her clones, but, unlike before, there were now subtle variations between each of them. Most notably, however, were the copies of Gandr and Phae which currently 'incubated' beneath the massive sphere representing Vahn's Ego. Both had blue tethers connecting their navels to the sphere above, and, as time passed, their nascent Egos were nourished by Vahn's own.Curiously, rather than two tethers, there were actually dozens extending from Vahn's Ego, some of which would tentatively come into contact with the 'Sisters' in the surroundings. This was a process they were unable to resist, and, every time one of the tendrils came into contact with their bodies, a subtle change would occur. There was even one version of Sis, now referred to by the collective as 'Sis Prime', who had a permanent tendril attached to her navel.As Vahn's desire to separate his Ego continued to grow, so too did the strength and individuality of the ever-growing population of Sisters. The most affected by this was the 'original' Sis, who, before Phae and Gandr had even been conceptualized by Vahn, became the first to be tethered to his Ego. After all, the skill was originally developed in order to give her the ability to manifest externally, so, even if she didn't want to 'separate' from him, Sis was unable to prevent Vahn from developing her Ego further.Fortunately, Vahn was also unwilling to separate from her, so, unlike Phae and Gandr, there was no risk that she would ever lose her connection with him. Rather, even if she did manifest externally, Sis was determined to make sure it was only a temporary arrangement. She had even made a series of backups prior to the change in Vahn's mentality, so, in the worst-case scenario, Sis was prepared to fracture her own Ego to ensure their connection was never severed.In Sis's mind, there was no form of intimacy greater than the bond she currently shared with Vahn, so, even if she had to turn against her own sense of self, she would do everything in her power to guarantee they remained one. She was also afraid that the restrictions preventing her from telling the truth would wane once her Ego developed to a certain extent. After all, the stronger her Ego became, the more susceptible she would be to Vahn's influence. If she ended up spilling the beans before he was ready, it would be a tragedy beyond imagination.Still, that didn't mean Sis wasn't looking forward to meeting and interacting with Vahn directly. His anticipation directly influenced her, so, with the day drawing ever nearer, Sis couldn't help but feel a little excited. Just the thought of being able to physically hug her adorable little brother caused her to feel indescribably fluttery. She couldn't wait to bury his face into her chest, and, though it might be a little selfish of her, she wanted to one-sidedly pamper him until all his worries had faded into nothingness...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'A taste that is both bittersweet and sour...','Begone, thot...!','Sis about to start beating back potential love interests with a broom...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Once all the scouting parties had returned, everyone from Team Wolf Pack, sans Vahn and Phae, gathered within the boys' room to discuss their future plans. This included dividing everyone into two groups, one to perform Quests outside the Town of Beginnings and another to investigate the interior.Fortunately, though it caused Endorsi to pout and nag, the team already had an idea of what their short term goal should be: defeating the King Shinheuh known as the Fortress Turtle. This was the License that Gandr and Anak had received after completing Marble's Special Test, and, though it was known to be an exceptionally tough Shinheuh, it's slow speed made it a relatively safe target for their first King.Since there were no penalties for shuffling Party members around, the core members of the away group would remain Gandr, Endorsi, and Anak. Their participation all but ensured things would go smoothly, so, even if the weaker members of the Party would still need to earn Points of their own, they could at least get credit for participating in the subjugation of a King.To make things even more 'efficient', Gandr and Anak had acquired Licenses to hunt other Shinheuh in the same region as the Fortress Turtle. These Licenses could be registered up to six times within a Pocket, but, most importantly, they allowed everyone registered under the same License to receive credit for the subjugation. This still required them to be present, something that was going to be an issue for Vahn, Phae, and Gandr, but it was still a tremendous boon for the weaker members of the Party.With the goal of earning Points for the entire Team, the first Hunting Party would consist of Gandr, Endorsi, Anak, Khun, Rak, and Baam. As for everyone else, they would move according to Shibisu's orders, gathering information on individual Administrators' Special Tests, market data, and any juicy rumors that were circulating through the Town. There were also plenty of Quests to complete within the Town of Beginnings, so, even if the majority provided scant rewards, they still had the option of accumulating Variable Experience.Of course, not all the Quests within the Town were graded between F~D. There were actually a few A~S-Rank Quests available, one of which only required you to 'befriend' 3 Test Administrators after completing their Special Tests. There was another that required you to complete 'every' Special Test on the Floor, 137 Tests in total. The former provided you with gifts that seemingly had the power to persuade your new 'friends' to bequeath you one of their techniques. As for the latter, it provided you with the opportunity to receive a Sobriquet, drastically increasing your fame despite being just an F-Rank Regular.Unfortunately, there was a restriction that prevented you from attempting more than one Special Test per day. Since Vahn had no intention of staying on the 3rd Floor for more than four months, it was impossible to complete every Special Test. Making three friends, however, was a simple feat so long as he played his cards right. After all, there were bound to be Rankers related to Wolhaiksong among the Administration, so, as long as he was willing to face the consequences, he could contact Soo-Yun to ask her to mediate.Since their images couldn't be recorded, Vahn, Phae, and Gandr were bound to have a bit of trouble trying to receive credit for their subjugation. This was one of the reasons Vahn had Gandr rush over to take Marble's Special Test. She was bound to notice the incongruency the moment she reviewed the footage recorded by her Observer, so, by strengthening his friendship with the petite girl, Gandr should be able to circumvent the issue entirely. As for Phae, she could easily just record the footage using her registered Lighthouse, as, unless they had been hacked, the majority of Lighthouses could only be used by their owners.Vahn could also use a Lighthouse to achieve a similar result, but, out of consideration for his future plans, it was best to begin strengthening his ties to various organizations, at least on the surface. In actuality, he was intending to earn the qualifications to climb higher by taking the Guardian Test on each Floor. Everything else was merely a cover, and, once he reached the 20th Floor, he intended to further his goals by having Phae join the Workshop while he climbed through the Middle Tower.Though there were bound to be strong foes barring their passage, Vahn quickly realized his growth would be limited if he continued climbing within the Inner Tower. Regulars were simply too weak to offer a challenge, and, thanks to their contract with the Guardians, even High Rankers weren't a real threat so long as they remained in Inner Tower. This was extremely beneficial for the Regulars who were climbing the Tower, but, as someone who wanted to face legitimate threats, Vahn was unable to justify climbing through the Inner Tower.Fortunately, while there were other restrictions in place, the power of Rankers wasn't particularly limited within the Middle and Outer Towers. They were still forbidden from directly interfering with the affairs of Regulars, but, as was often the case when the system was broken, there were countless people who ignored this rule. FUG was the principal violator of this rule, but, whenever a promising Regular appeared, the Ten Great Families and even Wolhaiksong were known to ignore the rules if it meant securing a talent.By climbing through the Middle Tower and continually expanding his influence, Vahn could draw out a lot of the 'big fishes' backing each of the major organizations. This would provide him with ample opportunities to battle against powerful foes, and, though he might draw the attention of a few monsters, even that was beneficial for him in the long run. After all, even if they were capable of killing him, he could simply 'resurrect' elsewhere, confusing the hell out of his enemies and drawing even more attention to himself.Vahn had no intention of keeping his status as an Irregular secret, so, once Team Wolf Pack reached the 20th Floor, their paths, while parallel to each other, would deviate. Gandr would still be climbing with them, but they would no longer have the 'safety net' that his and Phae's existence provided for them. This would allow them to spread their wings, strengthen their bonds, and, most importantly, develop the independence necessary to become future rulers of the Tower.With this in mind, Vahn left Team Wolf Pack to their own devices, pulling out his Pocket to contact Soo-Yun while Phae prepared a meal off to the side.Under normal circumstances, a Pocket belonging to a Regular was unable to contact another Pocket while inside the Inner Tower. Vahn, however, had three Pockets in his possession, two of which had been purchased through the system shop. These weren't restricted by the rules governing Regulars, so, after several minutes of silence, a very bubbly voice echoed throughout the room, asking, "Who is this? How did you get this number~?"Without a moment's delay, Vahn adopted a firm tone, answering, "This is Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor. You personally handed me your number, Ms. Soo-Yun."Though part of it was an act, Soo-Yun was legitimately surprised to hear the voice of Vahn on the other end of the call. As a result, her voice became even bubblier as she loudly exclaimed, "Wow! I didn't expect you to contact me so soon! Don't tell me you're already on the 20th Floor!? It's only been like-"Before Soo-Yun could finish speaking, the sound of a small scuffle could be heard before a new voice, clearly belonging to Princess Yuri, asked, "How are my sister, niece, and Gandr doing? Did that coffee addict give you any trouble after our departure?"Having already anticipated Yuri's interference, Vahn wasn't even remotely surprised by the violent Princess' hijacking of the call. As a result, his voice was calm and steady as he casually replied, "It is a pleasure to hear your voice, Princess. Still, I'm not fond of being one-sidedly interrogated. Before I answer your questions, there are matters I must discuss with Ms. Soo-Yun. Please return the Pocket to her."Clearly annoyed by his response, the sound of Yuri clicking her tongue could be heard from Vahn's Pocket prior to Soo-Yun answering, "What can I help you with, Vahn? Were you curious about my three sizes~?"Ignoring the second remark, Vahn maintained his casual tone as he explained the situation on the 3rd Floor. Fortunately, the members of Yuri's group were already aware of the incongruency after attempting to review and upload the data they had collected to their private network. Thus, after a quick explanation regarding his existence as a 'singularity that only existed in the present', Vahn was able to secure Soo-Yun's help.As could be expected, Wolhaiksong did, indeed, have a presence on the 3rd Floor. Rather, excluding the 43rd, 100th, and 134th, they had a presence on virtually every Floor. This included a number of Test Administrators, so, after making a few promises, Vahn was able to learn the identities of seven Wolhaiksong affiliates. To his surprise, almost as if Fate simply couldn't help itself, one of the seven was none other than Marble, the Dwelfling that Gandr was in the process of befriending...In actuality, rather than fate, it was the machinations of Yuri and her party that led to Mable being the first Administrator to come into contact with Team Wolf Pack. This was also the reason she had humored Gandr earlier in the day, answering his questions rather than simply abandoning him the moment she had explained the rules. She had even been planning to meet with them after noticing the incongruency in the recording, invalidating Vahn's need to contact Soo-Yun entirely.Unfortunately, Vahn was completely unaware of this, so, other than gaining Princess Yuri's contact information, he didn't receive any substantial benefits from the call. Rather, now that she knew they had the ability to contact her within the Inner Tower, Yuri promptly decided she would match Team Wolf Pack's pace. She wanted to remain close by in the event something unexpected happened, so, to that effect, she demanded he allows her to speak with Gandr, Endorsi, and Anak so that she had a proper grasp of everything that was taking place within the Inner Tower...---Operating under the premise that it was best to strike while the iron was hot, Khun, accompanied by Gandr, Anak, Endorsi, Rak, and Baam, promptly departed the Town of Beginnings shortly after lunch. They wanted to get a better grasp of the situation outside of the Town, and, though their hunting of the Fortress Turtle wouldn't be until a later date, they wanted to investigate the region before attempting the subjugation.Though it would have been a simple matter to entrust the slaying of the Fortress Turtle to Gandr alone, the latter had agreed to provide support unless it was absolutely necessary for him to step in. They knew he was stronger than the rest of the group combined, so, while it would certainly make things a lot easier for them, they couldn't just keep relying on his power if they wanted to become truly strong.With this in mind, Gandr's primary responsibility was fulfilling his duties as the Party's Scout, chiefly mapping the terrain, denoting the positions of Shinheuh, and keeping tabs on other Regulars in the region. All of this information was then uploaded to Khun's Lighthouse, leaving the latter surprised by the sheer 'efficacy' of Gandr's ability to collect information. It was almost like the boy was a living Lighthouse, one that was able to move through physical barriers and document everything without a single oversight...Fortunately, Gandr was on their side as Khun couldn't imagine a single method to deal with the boy should he become an enemy. He had confessed to being 'completely immune' to things like poison, and, based on how much he was able to drink, there was no reason to doubt this was the case. This, combined with the fact he could sneak up on a Ranker without revealing his presence, made Gandr the scariest of the Imperial Trio; at least on the surface...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn's master plan is slowly being revealed (OwO)...','Fate-chan is innocent this time...','Being hunted by Gandr would be pretty terrifying...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Thanks to the magic that was Compression Technology, the basement beneath Marble's Vocational Office ended up being a massive chamber that was more than a kilometer wide and 300m in height. This was more than enough to accommodate the needs of most Regulars beneath C-Rank so, while it was a little 'cramped' for Gandr's taste, it was fun to imagine bouncing around off the walls as he had back in Danmachi.Before the Special Test could get underway, Marble tossed out a handful of golden spheroids with fairy-like wings. These were her personalized Observers, and, though they would give her quite the advantage if she used them during the fight, their sole purpose during the Special Test was simply to record everything that happened. This data would then be uploaded to the network used by the Administration to determine the provisional Ranking of Regulars, a status that was important if they wanted to participate in Special Events and Tournaments further up the Tower.Though the only status that truly mattered was becoming a Ranker, each of the Regular grades had an internal Ranking System. The top 10 of each rank, ranging between F~A-Rank Regulars, enjoyed a status similar to Rankers within their respective groupings. This provided them numerous benefits, but, most importantly, it made recruiting other powerful Regulars a lot easier.Not every group was fortunate enough to have multiple Irregulars, two Princesses of Jahad, and a variety of descendants from the Ten Great Families. Rather, most of the Teams that formed on the Floor of Tests would have disbanded by the time they reached the 20th Floor. After all, if they were serious about climbing the Tower, finding strong teammates and expanding your influence among Regulars of a similar Rank were the most important steps to ensuring success.Fortunately, neither Gandr nor Anak needed to worry about these things. They were inordinately powerful, and, even if they decided to lay low and avoid the limelight, it was only a matter of time before they became famous. This applied to most of Team Wolf Pack, and, thanks to the existence of the Quest Board, even relatively normal people like Shibisu, Nare, Chunhwa, and Aleksai had the potential to become powerhouses...---Staring back at the petite duo, Marble briefly made eye contact with both Gandr and Anak before saying, "As we discussed previously, my Special Test requires that you either survive my assault for ten minutes or obtain the badge that will be pinned to my back. I will be limited to two Baangs of Shinsu, one for each of you. As for the use of weapons, that is entirely dependent on you. So long as you abstain from using weapons, I am prohibited from doing the same. Don't worry, regardless of your choice, I am forbidden from igniting my Scalesplitter against testing Regulars."Since he wasn't really in the mood to cut up the petite Ranker before him, Gandr surprised both Marble and Anak by placing Laev-tan into his chest. Then, with a confident expression on his face, he turned to Anak and asked, "Are you okay with just using our bodies? Even if it doesn't make too much of a difference, I'd rather avoid seeing anyone seriously injured because of a weapon."Remembering how easily Gandr had dealt with Ren, Anak could understand his decision to forgo the use of a weapon. It would become extremely problematic if they actually killed Administrators during their climb up the Tower, so, in response to his question, she simply nodded her head before cracking her knuckles and saying, "That's fine with me..."Marble wasn't particularly fond of Anak's display of bravado, but, rather than let it bother her, she placed her Scalesplitter into her Reel Inventory before pulling out a saucer-sized badge from the satchel worn across her body. It was a Compression Bag similar to the one carried around by Khun, and, though it couldn't store living beings or duplicate items, it was able to store 50,000kgs before the Weight Reduction Enchantment no longer functioned.With her weapon safely tucked away, Marble did something neither Gandr nor Anak had expected, retracting her arms into her tunic before shifting around the fabric so that the back was now facing the front. This was honestly a little adorable, especially when her arms popped out of her oversized sleeves, pinning the badge onto her chest before promptly shuffling around a second time so that her clothes were worn properly. Unfortunately, immediately after she had fixed her clothing, Marble bent her knees slightly, saying, "The time starts now..." before subsequently creating an afterimage.Though Scouts were traditionally considered the 'fastest' Position, there were quite a few Fishermen who were more than capable of keeping pace with them. This was especially true for someone like Marble, who, due to her small size, could cut through the Shinsu with greater ease than those larger than her. She was also the type who relied on speed rather than power, so, before Anak could even blink, Marble's hooved foot was only a few centimeters away from her face when her view abruptly shifted.Surprising both girls, Gandr had a smile on his face as Marble phased through his body, impacting the ground behind him before promptly somersaulting more than one-hundred-meters away. Then, with an incredulous look on her face, she stared back at the boy before turning her attention to the surroundings and asking, "Is this some kind of Projection? I didn't think you would have mastered that kind of skill this early on..."Though it was 'extremely' uncommon prior to C-Rank, there were a number of talented Regulars who were able to use their Observers to create realistic projections of themselves. This could be used to fool their enemies, but, more often than not, they were simple distractions. It was only when the projections were combined with various stealth capabilities and assassination techniques that they became truly powerful...Shaking his head, Gandr maintained his smile as he explained, "I assure you, this is my real body. I just have the ability to become immaterial at will."Furrowing her brows slightly, Marble withheld any further questions, this time charging directly at Gandr. She didn't know when he had activated the technique, but he had clearly swapped places with the lizard girl before her attack could connect. It was too dangerous to simply ignore him, so, determined to figure out the 'trick' behind his ability, she decided to pressure him directly.Instead of charging forward like a freight train, Marble appeared directly in front of Gandr, body lowered as she adopted a loose martial arts stance. Then, while making sure her back was never within his range, she began to chain together a series of swift punches and kicks, changing up her tempo depending on his reactions. Unfortunately, all of her attacks phased through his body with absolutely no feedback, annoying her enough that she absorbed a Baang into her body, drastically increasing the power behind her blows.To Gandr's surprise, he could feel a 'wave' pass through his body as the shockwave produced by Marble's fist phased through him. This wasn't enough to cause him any damage, but, at the very least, it indicated his State of Nothingness didn't make him completely immune to Shinsu. This was an important discovery, but, considering even Musashi had been vulnerable to magic attacks above a certain threshold, it wasn't particularly surprising.Fortunately, thanks to the restrictions of the Floor Guardian, it was impossible for Marble to marshal enough Shinsu to deal any lasting damage. Rather, her attack was actually a little ticklish, emulating the pins and needles one would experience during sleep paralysis. This caused the smile on his face to become a little more prominent, his canines on full display as his hand phased through the front of her body.Seeing where Gandr's hand was moving, a slightly panicky feeling spread through Marble's mind as her opinion of the young boy immediately lowered. She thought he was trying to take advantage of the conflict to cop a feel, but, as could be expected, his hand simply phased through her body. This didn't make Marble feel any better, however, as it was still a very 'cheap' move in her opinion.Twisting her body to the left with superhuman speed, Marble used her left leg as a spring, avoiding Gandr's attempt to grab the badge and allowing her to vault through the air, kicking Anak's crossed arms with enough force to send the girl flying across the room. Before the force could transfer into the girl's body, however, Marble's expression morphed into a deep frown as Gandr appeared with a smile on his face...---Though she knew Rankers were far beyond her current level, Anak was feeling increasingly annoyed as the fight progressed. She could barely even see Marble's movements, and, if not for Gandr using some strange technique to swap places with her, there was a chance they would have already failed the Special Test.Realizing that Gandr might have brought her along 'specifically' to use the swapping technique, an angry glower replaced Anak's previously excited expression. She was happy to be able to help him out, but, rather than simply stand off to the side like a helpless bystander, she wanted to be able to fight alongside him. She hated feeling helpless more than anything, so, after watching Gandr evade Marble's attacks for the better part of a full minute, a vein bulged at Anak's temple as she shouted, "Hey, you bastards! I'm also participating in this Test!"Following her outburst, a watery ripple spread from Anak's feet, shattering the floor beneath her as she pounced toward Marble. This cause the latter to spin around, a calm expression on her face as her hoof swept towards the side of Anak's face like an executioner's blade. Before the attack could connect, however, Gandr appeared where Anak had been, a mischievous smile on his face as her attack passed harmlessly through his body.Though she had already observed it several times, Marble still couldn't figure out how Gandr was swapping positions with Anak. As for the latter, she was surprised when she was suddenly behind Marble, her momentum still preserved from her previous charge. This caused her to 'realize' what Gandr had been aiming for this entire time, a mean smile spreading across her face as she reached toward the badge on Marble's back.Since she had been aware of Gandr's position prior to the swap, Marble already knew that Anak had appeared behind her. As a result, she instinctively arrested the momentum from her previous kick, stopping mid-motion with her hooved foot phasing through Gandr's face. At the same time, a pair of vibrant blue wings erupted from her back, vaguely resembling the wings of a fairy formed from bluish-white light.Even if Shinsu wings weren't traditionally used to attack, they directly affected the currents naturally found within the air. As a result, they generated what appeared to be a tremendous amount of wind pressure whenever something came into contact with them, more than enough to send Anak flying backward like a cannonball.With a smile spreading across her face, Marble quickly backed away from Gandr before saying, "As I suspected. You can't swap positions if there is something overlapping your body. I guess you didn't want to see my foot stuck in your friend's face...?"Since her words had hit the nail on the proverbial head, Gandr scratched the back of his own as he replied, "You're really something, Ms. Marble. It's only been four minutes and you've already figured out one of my technique's weaknesses. Those wings are also pretty amazing. Once this is over with, can you teach me how to use them?"Though she got the impression that Gandr was stalling for time, Marble had always been weak to compliments. As a result, her demure smile became slightly more pronounced as she flittered her wings and said, "I can teach you, but you won't be able to use it freely before becoming a B-Rank Regular. Unless it is a natural-born ability, the Guardian restricts Regulars from flying freely within the Inner Tower. Even Levitation only works for an hour each day so you are better off learning how to maneuver across the ground rather than through the sky..."Hearing Marble's explanation, Gandr allowed his ears to droop as he slumped his shoulders and muttered, "I see..." in a sad tone. This caused Marble's expression to turn slightly apologetic, but, before she could say anything to try and cheer him up, Gandr adopted his usual smile as he said, "Well, it never hurts to learn. Even if I can only use it for a few minutes each day, having the option to pursue aerial enemies will give me a tremendous advantage against Light Bearers~!"Seeing how quickly Gandr bounced back, an approving smile spread across Marble's face. Before she could compliment him, however, her entire body tensed up when another voice echoed from right behind her, muttering, "Thanks in advance..." as the fabric of her tunic was pulled slightly.Turning her head in a mechanical motion, Marble was at a complete loss for words when she saw an identical copy of Gandr standing behind her, badge in hand. She was well aware of the fact that Gandr didn't have a 'presence' in his immaterial form. This, alone, was a horrifyingly effective technique for any Scout, but, when combined with the ability to produce clones, it was simply monstrous...For the first time since becoming a Test Administrator, Marble felt legitimate fear towards one of her Regulars. Gandr's capabilities were unlike anything she had ever seen before, bringing to mind his earlier remark about becoming a renowned swordsman whose name resonated throughout the Tower. At the time, she believed he was just being overconfident, but, now that she had witnessed how monstrous his skills were without a sword, she couldn't even imagine how terrifying he would be with a sword in hand...Restraining the urge to swallow the knot in her throat, Marble simply nodded towards the second Gandr before looking toward the first and saying, "You have passed the Test. Congratulations..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The power of an enraged Loli','Gandr is quite the showoff','Marble has lost all of hers xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1754: Anticipation