Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the time drawing ever-closer to the moment they were supposed to begin their training, most of the members of Team Wolf Pack could be seen gathering outside of Vahn's room. A few of them had visible signs of a hangover, but, thanks to the blessings of Shinsu and an invigorating fruit drink provided by Phae, they were rapidly recovering.Since she was aware of the things taking place inside the Little Garden, Phae had already informed the group they were in for a surprise, but, no matter how many times she was asked, her response was simply, "You'll have to wait and see~." in a playful tone. Fortunately, most of them had started to appear after 4:30 AM, so, with only half an hour until they were supposed to begin their training, they weren't kept waiting for too long.What none of them expected was for a handsome man with healthy brown skin, dark-brown hair, and vibrant bluish-green eyes to open Vahn's door when there were only five minutes remaining. Even stranger was the fact he had a cat riding on his shoulder, an exceptionally rare Shinheuh that was generally only found above the 100th Floor. What made this cat even stranger, besides its rich coat of black fur, were its piercing, intelligent, golden eyes...Vocalizing what everyone else was thinking, Rak was the first to ask, "Who is this Green-Eyed Turtle? Where is the Bearded-One known as Vahn?"Understanding everyone's confusion, Vahn issued a light-hearted chuckle before promptly replying, "I am the God of Infinite Possibilities. Did you think my true form was that of an old man? That was just a convenient vessel I used to keep people at arm's length. Now that you are part of my Familia, there is no harm in revealing to you my true form."Though he technically had no such thing as a true form, the words of Sis, Fenrir, Yoruichi, and even Hinata had made Vahn realized the futility of trying to keep people at bay by appearing older. If he really wanted to deter them, he could easily transform into the ugliest existence within the entire Tower. Instead, he became an extremely fit and marginally handsome older gentleman, effectively changing the type of woman who was drawn to him rather than actually deterring them.Now that he had decided to stop holding himself back, Vahn assumed the form he often made use of within his Realm, that of a handsome man in peak physical condition. He lost a bit of the majesty his older form possessed, but, in exchange, he exuded an aura of confidence that was enhanced by his sharp features and relaxed smile.With the exception of Anak, all of the other women present were 'pleasantly surprised' by Vahn's sudden change in appearance. Hwa Ryun, in particular, had an exceptionally vibrant smile on her face, but, before she could make things awkward, Vahn liberated the group from their stupor by saying, "Hurry inside. Training is scheduled to start promptly at 5 AM. I'll explain everything else during breakfast."Following Vahn's suggestion, everyone promptly filed into his room before entering into the Little Garden. There, they found three people waiting for them: Gandr, a young woman with matching racial traits, and a demure-looking girl with short black hair and pale-lavender, almost-white, eyes.Though everyone could guess the identity of the woman with midnight-blue hair and scarlet eyes, none had any idea who the young girl with prominent fringe bangs was. All they knew was that she looked like a young and sheltered princess, but, before any of them could think to ask who she was, they found themselves gawking as the black cat on Vahn's shoulder leaped towards the other three, transforming into an athletic beauty with dark-purple hair tied up into a high ponytail.Taking advantage of everyone's stunned silence, Vahn gestured towards the group of four, casually explaining, "As I'm sure many of you have already guessed, this charming young woman who looks similar to Gandr is none other than Fenrir, my most cherished companion. As for the other two, you can think of them as my retainers. The woman with the cat-like features and predatory smile is one of the Captains of my Shadow Division, Yoruichi Shihoin. As for this adorable young lady with pearl-like eyes, her name is Hinata Hyuga. She might appear timid on the surface, but, when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, she is the second-strongest here. If you underestimate her, you're bound to experience some suffering."Since Hinata gave off the impression that she couldn't even hurt a fly, it was difficult to imagine she was as strong as Vahn had claimed. Despite this, none of them doubted Vahn's words, as, with the exception of Rak and Baam, many of them had learned from a very young age that you didn't judge people based solely on appearance. After all, if appearance dictated strength, Anak would be one of the weakest members of the group, not a powerhouse that could thrash virtually everyone with raw physical strength.With basic introductions out of the way, Vahn and Phae joined the group representing the Empire as he explained, "In accordance with my past promises, I will do my best to help each of you draw out your potential by the time we reach the 20th Floor. From that moment onward, your journey up the Tower will depend wholly on your efforts as a Team. You can't rely on my protection forever, so, if you're serious about achieving your objectives, you will use these next few months to strengthen your foundation and improve your teamwork. To that end, I will have Hatsu and Chunhwa train with Gandr. As for the rest of you, Shibisu and Nare will be under the supervision of Yoruichi, Aleksai and Rak will be following the direction of Fenrir, Endorsi and Anak will be training alongside Hinata, and, last but not least, Khun has the fortune of receiving Phae's tutelage while I, personally, will supervise the training of Baam, Laure, and Hwa Ryun. Any questions?"Though quite a number of people had questions, especially Endorsi and Anak, the first to speak out was Rak, arms crossed as he asserted, "I do not need a Fluffy Turtle to oversee my training! I am Rak Wraithraiser! What can-"Before Rak could finish speaking, a spear of ice passed by his head at hypersonic speed, missing his cheek by mere millimeters. This caused a layer of frost to spread along the left side of his face, but, much like everyone else present, he was too stunned to even move as Fenrir coldly retorted, "Until you complete my training, you might as well be a worm crawling along the ground. My Master has told me to train you, so, regardless of your personal feelings, I will whip you into shape. Unless you want to become the weakest member on your entire Team, you will follow my training schedule to the letter."As most of them couldn't even see Fenrir's attack after it had been launched, her words carried a considerable amount of weight. The only person who was unconvinced was Rak himself, but, after feeling the predatory aura radiating from Fenrir's body, his instincts compelled him to remain silent. His eyes, however, conveyed a strong desire to overcome the petite woman, securing his position at the very top of the food chain.Sensing Rak's desire to 'hunt' her, nine Baangs of Shinsu immediately formed a semi-circle behind Fenrir, stunning everyone present. Before she could teach Rak a 'lesson', however, Vahn plopped his hand atop Fenrir's head, shattering her Baangs in an instant as he ruffled her hair and said, "Go easy on them. Even if I can return them to life, experiencing death is pretty traumatic..."Hearing Vahn's casual remark about 'returning them to life', Khun's brows immediately shot up as he asked, "You can resurrect the dead? Does that mean you're the one who took Grey's body from the hospital ward?"Shifting his attention to Khun, Vahn smiled in response to the young man's inquiry before nodding his head and explaining, "Both Hoh and Grey are currently within the Little Garden. You will be able to interact with them at some point, but, for the time being, their training will remain separate from your own. Grey has chosen to return to the Middle Tower and Hoh has already made the resolve to walk his own path. Now, fewer questions, more action. It is already time to begin your training, so, unless it is something important, hold your questions until breakfast."Though nearly everyone had questions they wanted to ask, Vahn's words were enough to silence the majority. Anak, however, was not among them, her characteristically bored expression showing extreme anxiety and borderline desperation as she appeared before him, shouting, "You can bring back the dead!? What are the requirements!? Tell me!"Without minding the fact that Anak was forcibly pulling on his clothes, Vahn responded by patting the girl's head as he explained, "I can't bring back your mother right now. The future, however, is filled with infinite possibilities. Though it might take some time, I promise you will have the chance to reunite with your mother. For now, the most important thing is for you to obtain the happiness she would have wanted for you. Live a life she would be proud of so that when you finally reunite, she won't have any regrets..."With an extremely comfortable energy washing over her body, Anak's panicked expression quickly melted into one of moderate confusion as she found herself at a loss for words. She had only ever felt this relaxed during the times when she slept in Phae's embrace, so, for a brief moment, Anak's complex thought processes ceased entirely as Vahn's words settled within her heart and mind.Since he wasn't trying to 'tame' the not-so-young lizard girl, Vahn ended up retracting his hand after a few seconds had passed, smiling gently as he said, "Don't worry. Though we may not always be direct, Gods are incapable of lying. Now, run along and learn as much as you can from Hinata. I have great expectations for you, Anak."Similar to when he had instinctually pet Marble, Anak had a dull yet longing look in her eyes as her gaze followed his retracted hand. The efficacy of Petting Laws were inordinately powerful within the Transcendental Path to Heaven, so, even without [Hands of Nirvana], Vahn was able to forcibly calm someone down with a simple touch. It was actually a little terrifying, but, as he had no intention of misusing the power, Vahn was able to maintain his smile as he gently urged Anak in the direction of Hinata before turning to face the remaining Regulars.Noticing the cautious look in Khun's eyes, Vahn couldn't help but issue a light chuckle as he lifted his hand to explain, "As ridiculous as this might sound, I'm probably the closet thing to a God of Petting that exists within the Tower. If I wanted to, I could probably 'tame' each and every person here, much like the Family Head of the Lo Po Bia Family. Instead, I generally use my power to help people calm down, relax, or simply feel comfortable. Don't worry, I won't pet your head if you don't want me to. I respect established boundaries."Not expecting Vahn to just openly discuss his 'power', Khun's expression showed mild incredulity, a state that was exacerbated by Fenrir smiling proudly as she said, "Master's headpats are the best! If you work hard, he will be sure to reward you with plenty~!"Hearing Fenrir's remark, Vahn's smile turned slightly wry as he looked back at her and said, "Don't go making promises on my behalf, Fenrir. Even if there is some truth to your words, you'll give them strange ideas if you say things like that. Now, take your students and run along. We've already been standing here for far too long. We can talk more during breakfast."To punctuate his words, Vahn fluffed up Fenrir's hair and ears one last time before shifting his gaze to Baam, Laure, and Hwa Ryun to say, "The three of you are with me. Come along. I have much to teach you."Without waiting for the trio to respond, Vahn used his Telekinesis to grab all three of them, smiling as he teleported alongside them to the expansive sub-texture he had created to conduct Gandr's Naming Ceremony...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn make girls go brrrr','Fenrir is scary','The Godhand Returns (OwO)~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Seeing endless grassy plains and rolling hills stretching out beyond the horizon, Baam couldn't help but show an expression of wonderment as he muttered, "It's like an endless ocean of green...".Amused by the boy's utterance, Vahn ruffled Baam's hair as he explained, "This place is a spherical sub-texture with a diameter of two-thousand-kilometers. Though it might appear boundless, if you run towards the horizon long enough, you'll eventually find yourself back in this exact spot."As the concept of circumnavigation didn't really exist within the Tower, even Laure and Hwa Ryun were marginally surprised by Vahn's words. It was a little strange to consider you would end up in the same point after going in a 'straight' line, but, understanding the concept of a sphere, it didn't take them long to rationalize the concept. Baam, however, cocked his head to the side, confusion and amazement visible in his glistening golden eyes as he asked, "Is that true...!?"Rather than try and convince him through words, Vahn smiled in response to Baam's words before pulling out an inordinately large bow from his Inventory. This confused all three of them, but, after he loosed an arrow made of resplendent golden light towards the horizon, they quickly understood what he was trying to convey. Vahn had effectively put the arrow into 'orbit', so, after a few seconds had passed, a golden streak of light could be seen from the opposing horizon, passing over their heads to continue along its journey. (A/N: The arrow isn't moving at lightspeed, just very quickly.)For a variety of reasons, the trio was extremely surprised by Vahn's casual demonstration. Laure, in particular, had already calculated the circumference of the sub-texture to be greater than 9,000km, so, to see Vahn fire an arrow capable of traveling such distances with extreme ease, he couldn't help feeling as though the man was a monster. As for Hwa Ryun, she had an expression similar to Baam, an excited smile on her face as her left eye glimmered in expectation and excitement.Preempting any questions, Vahn raised his hand, gesturing for silence as he said, "I'll be more than happy to answer your questions later. For now, allow me to give you a demonstration of the type of control I'll be expecting from you in the future. Though it will likely take several years, I'm confident each of you will be able to reach this point if you continue making an effort..."Even before he had finished speaking, Vahn began to produce numerous Baangs behind his back, each manifesting like tiny stars until their numbers had exceeded a thousand. Then, with a casual smile on his face, Vahn created links between the Baangs, shaping them into a massive magic circle that radiated a tremendous amount of pressure.Thanks to his inordinately high Shinsu Resistance, Baam was largely unaffected by the suffocating pressure that had spread through the surroundings. Laure and Hwa Ryun, however, immediately fell to their knees, the former nearly vomiting on the spot while the latter only remained conscious due to a fervent desire to see what her God would do next. Fortunately for them both, though the latter was a little disappointed, Vahn promptly allowed the Shinsu to scatter into the environment, smiling as he began to explain the basics of energy manipulation and the structure of magical circles...---While Vahn's class was progressing relatively peacefully, other classes, with the exception of Phae's, were far more chaotic. This included Yoruichi's, which had Nare and Shibisu running laps around the first outer ring, Fenrir's, which involved direct combat training, Gandr's, which involved swinging a weighted sword a total of 10,000 times, and, most surprisingly, Hinata's, which had both Endorsi and Anak laying on the ground after a very one-sided spar.Though her personality and appearance were templated from Vahn's expectations, Hinata, at least for the time being, was still a direct extension of the former. This meant she had complete access to The Path, the system functions, and all of Vahn's Innate abilities. Because of this, even without the Byakugan, she had complete awareness of her surroundings, and, though she was unable to use the 'true' Gentle Fist, that didn't stop her from manipulating Shinsu as if it was normal Water Elemental Energy.By gathering Shinsu into her palms and at the tips of her fingers, Hinata was able to casually divert the attacks of the Princesses. This created considerable gaps in their defenses, and, thanks to her far greater speed, flexibility, and experience, Hinata was able to accurately strike each of their pressure points, stymying the flow of Shinsu within their bodies and causing their limbs to go numb.After gritting her teeth in frustration for several seconds, Anak managed to roll over to her stomach before attempting to push herself up. Endorsi, however, just flailed her arms and legs a few times in frustration as she exclaimed, "This isn't fair at all! Where do all these absurdly powerful people keep coming from!? How can such a timid brat hit like a train!?"Hearing Endorsi's remark, Hinata adopted an apologetic smile, but, before she could say anything, Anak was the one to answer, "Shut up, you stupid Ghost Pepper...this is supposed to be training. If you are going to keep whining, go somewhere else. As for me...I can keep going...!"Spurred onward by her own remark, the muscles in Anak's calves and thighs bulged slightly as she leaped toward Hinata with explosive speed. She wasn't able to use Shinsu right now, but, thanks to the natural strength of her body, she could perform feats many higher-ranked Regulars wouldn't be able to perform even with Shinsu.Though she wasn't very skilled at hand-to-hand combat, Anak attempted to punch towards Hinata's chest with her arm fully extended. This was easily side-stepped by Hinata, but, having expected this, Anak firmly planted her foot into the ground, stopping her forward momentum and allowing her to sweep to the side with her tail. This was enough to catch Hinata by surprise, eliciting a slight raising of the brows from the short-haired Hyuga.Unfortunately for Anak, she managed to use the same side-stepped motion to evade the tail sweep as well, pivoting on her foot and performing a half-spin to create just enough distance to avoid the attack entirely. Then, in the gap created by Anak's own tail sweep, Hinata stepped towards her back in an instant, a thin layer of bluish-white Shinsu gathered within her palm as she impacted the body of the green-skinned girl with enough force to send her tumbling nearly one-hundred-meters.Seemingly intending to take advantage of Hinata's focus on Anak, Endorsi appeared right behind the former, her ghostly eyes blazing with an eerie light as she mused, "Gotcha~!"Demonstrating the reward for hubris, Hinata managed to duck under Endorsi's attempted chop to the back of her neck. In the same motion, she spun on her heel with impeccable grace, extending her palm towards the ghost-eyed Princess' abdomen as she planted both feet squarely against the ground. This caused the soil, dirt, and grass around her to sink slightly, but, as most of the force was expelled through her palm, it was Endorsi who was sent crashing through a nearby tree, smashing the thick and sturdy wood into countless fragments of mulch.Since she could always heal the duo from virtually any injury, including death, Hinata wasn't holding back as much as she ought to. Endorsi and Anak both had inordinately strong bodies, even without enhancements, so she was trying to draw out their latent potential by sending waves of nourishing Source Energy into their body with each strike. This allowed her to effectively 'temper' their bodies, and, though it was bound to cause them some pain, they would invariably become a lot stronger by the time the training had completed...Feeling as though most of her ribs had been broken, Endorsi curled up into a fetal position, tears swelling in her eyes as she gnashed her teeth. Hinata was a lot stronger than she had expected, so much so that she couldn't help but wonder which of them was supposed to be a Princess of Jahad. Still, this didn't mean she was going to give up, so, after setting her bones and treating her injuries with Shinsu, Endorsi rose to her feet with a determined glimmer in her ghost-like eyes.With 'vision' that extended for hundreds of meters in the surroundings, Hinata immediately turned to Endorsi the moment she attempted to stand. She could see the resolution in the woman's eyes, so, after giving her a few seconds to recover, she leaned forward slightly before turning into a blur that instantaneously appeared right in front of Endorsi.Having only ever seen such speed displayed by Rankers, Endorsi felt a mixture of helplessness and indignation as she attempted to cross her arms in a defensive posture. This still left plenty of gaps, however, so, after squatting low with one arm pointed forward and the other pointed back, Hinata muttered, "Eight-Trigrams...two palms...!"The moment she heard Hinata's words, Endorsi felt two sharp pains, similar to being stabbed, near her lower left abdomen and her recently healed rib cage. Then, without any interval between them, Hinata, added, "Four palms...!", this time striking two points on her guard, an area above her navel, and a point near her forehead. This left her feeling extremely disoriented, her mind in a complete state of disarray as Hinated uttered, "Eight palms...!"---Since Shibisu and Nare were relatively normal people, Yoruichi had them performing a very similar routine to the one that Tsubaki had developed for Lili many years prior. This included considerable amounts of stretching, lots of running, and, though it could be destructive on the joints, she forced them to wear weighted compression suits beneath their clothes.As could be expected, even moving around with weighted clothing wasn't easy, so, after running for nearly an hour straight, Shibisu and Nare had collapsed numerous times. Unfortunately, each time they were on the verge of fainting or giving up, Yoruichi would appear next to them, a sadistic smile on her face as she placed her palm against the backs. Immediately after that, almost as if they had received a rush of adrenaline combined with an electrical shock, the duo would be forcibly returned to consciousness before being chased by the maniacal woman with cat-like features.Though it didn't aid her in any way, Nare spent half the training session loudly crying as she did her best to try and flee from her violent tormentor. She hated physical exertion, and, though she knew it would be better for her in the long run, her entire body was already sore from simply wearing the compression suit. She was certain that, once she took off the suit, her entire body was going to be one giant bruise.Unfortunately, despite her protests, Yoruichi didn't allow her to quit, stating things like, "This is what you decided..." and "It will get easier once you get used to it..." before promptly giving her a 'shock'. As a result, Nare was forced to continue running until her tears had completely dried up; her lament quickly turning to anger which promptly developed into indignation and a strong desire to get back at the hateful woman toying with her like a tiny mouse cornered by a cat.What the young blonde didn't realize was that she was playing directly into Yoruichi's hand. It was actually very common for new trainees to hate their mentors, especially when physical training was involved, but, after a few weeks, most of the resentment would fade away. In its place, the trainees would grow increasingly confident in their abilities, and, though they might hold a bit of a grudge, they would invariably grow to respect and appreciate the efforts their mentors had put into pushing them beyond their limits.Becoming truly powerful required an inordinate amount of effort, far more than most people were willing, or able, to put in. This barred most people from attaining their true potential, as, by design, it was a lot easier to make excuses to justify your weakness than it was to overcome your limits. As a result, only the truly determined and ambitious were able to reach the pinnacle; a pinnacle that all people, with varying degrees of effort, were able to achieve.Though she didn't have a true Ego of her own just yet, Yoruichi was more than capable of forming intentions based on the nascent Ego derived from her Template. She was intending to follow after Vahn when he separated from the 'kids' on the 20th Floor, so, until then, she wanted to push both Nare and Shibisu beyond their limits. She would help them lay a foundation that would allow them to become two of the greatest Scouts the Tower had ever seen, and, though they might hate her in the beginning, she knew they would be extremely grateful in the long run.With this in mind, Yoruichi began mixing in surprise attacks and feints whenever she thought the duo were slacking off. After all, a Scout needed to be fully aware of their surroundings at all times, so, even if they were mentally and physically exhausted, she expected them to react appropriately. To that end, Yoruichi performed a diving kick towards Shibisu, striking him in the small of his back with a vicious smile on her face as she shouted, "You're wide open...!".(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Casual Flex*','You're in my range...!','I'm doing this for your sake! Hahaha~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though she got the impression her Master was about to do something very 'dangerous', Fenrir did not hesitate to appear at his side, eyes focused and ready for anything. This elicited an appreciative smile from her Master, but, before he could explain his intentions, Yoruichi burst into laughter while Hinata, having seen Gandr's current state up close, covered her red face with both hands.Following the direction of Yoruichi's pointing, Vahn noticed that Gandr was still naked. His clothes had been destroyed during the naming process, and, now that he had lost access to the Inventory, he had no way to cover himself. He still didn't understand why Yoruichi was laughing, however, as the boy wasn't exactly lacking when it came to the development of certain body parts.Having been agitated by Vahn's Source Energy, Gandr wasn't at all amused by Yoruichi's antics. The nails on his fingers became progressively sharper, but, before he could act on his instincts, Fenrir's paw came down on his head like a hammer as she firmly intoned, "Bad boy. We don't bare fang and claw at family. Ask Master for some clothes and then go wait near the World Tree."As his template had him behave deferentially towards his older sister, Gandr's ears instantaneously drooped in response to Fenrir's words. His claws and teeth also quickly reverted back to normal as he lowered his head towards Vahn and asked, "Master, may I please have some clothes...?"Since things were beginning to get a little awkward, Vahn handed Gandr a [REquip] system from his Inventory before ruffling the boy's hair and saying, "Run along. We have training pretty soon."Nodding his head in understanding, Gandr placed the [REquip] system on his left wrist, donning his usual attire in an instant before promptly sinking into his own shadow. This caused his presence to disappear even from Vahn's perception. In the next moment, however, he had reappeared, now on the 'surface' Texture. He had used [Shadow Step] to cut through a 'Shadow Dimension', and, though it was normally impossible to pass between Textures so easily, Gandr's mastery over Space allowed him to ignore such restrictions.With the not-so-young Vanargandr out of the picture, Vahn turned his attention to Yoruichi, his expression a perfect deadpan as he asked, "So, what's so funny? Why did you laugh...?"Demonstrating no hesitation whatsoever, Yoruichi offered a fearless smile in return as she asked, "Are you kidding me? Why does a boy that 'young' need such a comically oversized member? He isn't even trying to woo any women, yet he's got a tail on both the front and the back? Come on, that's got to be some kind of joke, right?"Not expecting such a response, Vahn found himself at a complete loss for words, his expression remaining the same deadpan as before. For a brief moment, he found himself remembering the first time he had taken a bath with Tsubaki, but, before he could become awash in his memories, Hinata exacerbated things considerably by pressing her fingers together and murmuring, "I thought it looked cute..."With everyone's attention shifting toward her, Hinata, once again, buried her face into her hands, a scarlet red hue coloring her ears. This was met with an oppressive silence that lingered for several long seconds, broken only when Yoruichi burst into laughter and began furiously patting Hinata on the back as she exclaimed, "It seems Vahn imagined you as a closet pervert! Maybe he read a few too many doujinshi? Hahahahahaha~!"Hearing Yoruichi's remark, imaginary steam began to rise from Hinata's head as she regretted her honesty. One of the things that had 'secretly' troubled Vahn about her original character was that she was unable to speak her mind, so, now that she had developed a nascent ego that coincided with his perception of her, the most drastic change to her character was that she felt a need to tell people what she was thinking...Deciding to put an end to Yoruichi's antics, Vahn adopted a firm tone as he stated, "That's enough. I understand you're just playing around, but you're taking things too far. You shouldn't laugh at the expense of others, Yoruichi."Seemingly undaunted by Vahn's words, Yoruichi adopted a challenging smile, arms crossed as she asked, "Hooo~? Am I doing something wrong? It's not like I've insulted anyone. Besides, who is it that made me like this, I wonder? Aren't I the confident, mischievous, and whimsical woman of your dreams~?"Though he 'knew' Yoruichi liked to tease people, almost incessantly, Vahn found it difficult to simply accept her words. As a result, his expression became somewhat dour, compelling Yoruichi to adopt a frown of her own as she remarked, "You're no fun. I bet Hinata isn't even upset...you're just being overprotective. You should learn to cut loose a little. This whole Emperor play you've got going on is just going to make everyone's lives more difficult. You should just be yourself, not the person you think the situation needs you to be. I sure as hell won't pretend to be something I'm not...name or no name..."Taken aback by Yoruichi's words, Vahn's expression softened somewhat, replaced by a not-so-subtle look of conflict as he seriously considered her words. Unfortunately, or perhaps the reverse, he was unable to consider them more deeply as Hinata regained enough composure to say, "Ms. Yoruichi is right...this journey is pointless if you don't enjoy it. Even though I'm embarrassed to think about the future...I'm happy to be here right now...I want to see and experience lots of things...I want to do my best to help all the people that need our help...I want to support our friends and allies...I...I..."With her complexion quickly reaching dangerous levels of crimson, Hinata became a little unsteady on her feet. Fortunately, before she could drop any 'substantial' bombshells, Fenrir stepped in, her expression serious as she stated, "Master is at his best when he acts however he pleases. Going at the pace of others is going to make you feel suffocated, just like in the Akamatsuverse. You should just do what you want to do. Even if you make mistakes, we will help you clean them up."Unprepared for the sudden pep talk, Vahn could only stare blankly at the three girls, confused as to how the conversation had shifted towards him. He suspected this was orchestrated by Yoruichi in an attempt to lessen her own blame, but, considering the context of their statements, it was hard to be certain. All he knew for sure was that they were trying to get him to stop holding back, much as Sis had been...Aware of his every thought, Sis seized the opportunity to add her own opinion, stating, (*You need to learn how to trust yourself. Constantly holding back will never allow you to reach the peak. Stop being afraid of things like expanding your harem or disappointing others. You are the man who will stand up the very pinnacle of creation, shaping reality itself with your thoughts. Have confidence in the person you have become, Vahn. This is the best thing you can do to repay the trust others have placed into you...besides, even if you were to try and convince them that your harem wasn't going to increase any further, how many of your wives do you think would believe you?*)Though he couldn't help but question Sis' dual mention of expanding his harem, Vahn understood the basic premise of what she was trying to say. She, and everyone else, actually made a very good point. He was someone aiming for an absolute and incomprehensible amount of power; an amount that would see him rule over infinite cosmoses. There was no way he would be able to reach such a level if he continued doing things like playing by the rules of other people and observing from the sidelines as others grew into their power...Realizing he was focusing more on the growth of others rather than himself, an exasperated sigh escaped Vahn's lips. He was supposed to be aiming for an incomprehensible level of power, yet, in spite of this, he was slowing his pace just to protect a group of people he had met little more than a month prior. At the same time, he was ignoring the countless others who had similar aspirations and ambitions; idling about as the people he had 'chosen' gradually increased their strength.Vahn knew that, if he really wanted to, his power would increase explosively just by moving up the Tower. Even the Guardians wouldn't be able to hold him back, and, though he was bound to meet a few setbacks along the way, he could, quite literally, pull himself back together and try again. There were no limits to the things he could accomplish, and, unlike others, the chances of him becoming corrupt were virtually non-existent.With the exception of the family he had left behind, the family he was desperately trying to reunite with, Vahn already had 'everything' most people could ever desire. His potential was unlimited, he had absolute dominion over a functionally infinite Realm, a massive harem of passionate lovers, an ever-expanding family tree, trillions of believers, and, most importantly, an empathetic heart and a sincere desire to help other people.No matter how strong he became, no matter what he experienced along the way, the singular truth that resonated at the very core of his existence was that he wanted to help people. Despite the path his Divination counterpart had walked, Vahn firmly believed that he would never stop trying to help people. He felt genuine pain when others were hurt, and, though there were some people he could never forgive, it was impossible for him not to feel guilty after taking a life. Their pain and anguish resonated with something deep inside of him, and, though they had undoubtedly deserved to die, the fact they had been pushed down such a path saddened him.If Vahn were being honest with himself, the moments he had experienced as Gandr were some of the happiest he had accumulated in recent memory. He enjoyed the feeling of 'freedom' that came with just doing whatever he wanted, so, when he heard the words of the four, Vahn couldn't shake the feeling he had messed up the order of things. He was supposed to be walking a path towards the absolute pinnace, a place where others could follow but never reach. If he set his pace based on the growth of others, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that it would take thousands of years, if not longer, to reach the goals he had set for himself...As if to hammer the point home, Sis picked up on this train of thought, appending,(*Though there are bound to be powerful beings in the Tower, they are far beneath the entities that lay beyond it. If you want to experience a true challenge, you should move ahead at your own pace. The further and faster you climb, the more people will try to bar your passage. It is through overcoming these trials that your strength will blossom. You already have everything you need, and, even if you don't, you can obtain it along the way...what are you waiting for?*)Hearing Sis' words, a mystical light began to illuminate within the depths of Vahn's eyes, the void around him trembling in response to his aura. He knew she was right, and, if he genuinely pushed himself, it might only take a few years to conquer the entire Tower. There were bound to be people barring his passage, but, as he had attested to time and again, one of the things he feared the least was a challenge. In fact, it was something he craved to the point of foolhardiness, so much so that one of the first thoughts he had entertained after obtaining his new Innate was creating a powerful rival for himself.Realizing how contrary his actions had been up until this point, Vahn couldn't help but burst into a hearty laugh, startling the bashful Hinata to the point that she nearly fell down. As for Yoruichi and Fenrir, they both just smiled in response, the former raising her chin slightly while the latter seemed to grow increasingly agitated. She was the most affected by his mental state, so, as his excitement grew, so too did Fenrir's.Though he knew he would mellow out once he calmed down and had time to properly consider his future actions, the current Vahn was too caught up in the moment to hold himself back. As a result, he unabashedly fluffed up Fenrir's hair and ears for several seconds before turning to Yoruichi, hand extended as he said, "Come..."Despite closing the distance without any hesitation, Yoruichi didn't miss the opportunity to adopt a vicious smile of her own as she playfully remarked, "We'll see if you have what it takes..."Ignoring the woman's goading, Vahn made use of his Petting Laws to caress Yoruichi's silky, dark-purple, hair. It was something he had always wanted to do, and, though it more than a little selfish considering the circumstances behind her creation, he got the impression she wanted him to do it. Rather, much like her personality had been dictated by his perception of her, his adolescent crush on her had manifested in a way that made her uncharacteristically receptive to him. After all, much as she had alluded to previously, he had always thought about what it would be like to keep her as a pet. She was very likely the reason he had developed such a fondness for Cat People, and, though she lacked the characteristic ears and tail, her ability to transform into a literal black cat gave Vahn a strong desire to pamper and play with her...As if her earlier words were false bravado, Yoruichi quickly developed a contented smile in response to being caressed. She even began pushing her head against his palm, and, after a few seconds had passed, two purple cat ears spontaneously sprouted from the top of her head. This resulted in Vahn using both hands to fondle the newly formed ears, his fingers massaging their interior as the edges of Yoruichi's mouth curled into a vaguely feline smile.Petting one of his childhood crushes was a pretty surreal experience for Vahn, but, before he could get fully into it, a demure voice emanated from just outside his periphery. This caused him to turn his head to the side, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinholes before rapidly expanding when he saw the cat ears that had sprouted from the timid girl's head. Then, as if to destroy the last vestiges of his restraint, she pressed her fingers together and muttered, "Ano...I would also...like to be pet..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's better to have and not need than it is to need and not have (UwU)...','An unexpected intervention...!','A monster has just been created...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1764: Forthright