Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

After spending nearly three hours discussing theory and walking his students through several basic control exercises, Vahn lightly clapped to draw everyone's attention before saying, "Well, it's almost time for breakfast. We'll stop here for today. If you have any questions, write them in your journals and ask about them tomorrow."Following Vahn's instructions, Baam, Laure, and Hwa Ryun quickly wrote a few things down in their journals. They, unsurprisingly, had a lot of questions about the things they had covered, but, thanks to the benefits provided by the Laws of Progress, they had actually made a considerable amount in just a few short hours.Nodding his head in approval, Vahn waited until everyone had gathered their stuff together before teleporting alongside them back to the Surface. This brought them into the central courtyard of a large mansion that existed within the seventh outer ring, a place where the time dilation had been adjusted to emulate a flow of 7:1. This would allow them plenty of time to wash up, rest, and eat a hearty breakfast before returning to the outside world to continue their daily activities.Though it was relatively small compared to the mansions that existed within the higher floors of the Tower, Laure and Hwa Ryun were awed by the aura emitted by the immaculately constructed estate. There were innumerable magical formations present, and, though the majority were invisible to the naked eye, their ability to see the flow of energy, not just Shinsu, allowed them to ascertain the true majesty of the relatively homely-looking mansion.Before his students could ask questions, Vahn gestured to the east wing, explaining, "That is the location of the women's bath. The flow of time in this place is different from the outside world, so, even though there is only fifteen minutes before the agreed-upon time, you will have 105 minutes to relax your bodies and minds within this place."Finished with his basic explanation regarding the different flow of time, Vahn gestured to the west wing next, adding, "As you might have expected, the men's bath is located in the west wing. There are a lot of protections that prevent members of the opposite sex from roaming places where they are not meant to be, so, if you want to avoid some pain, you will do well to stick to your own baths and changing rooms. Do I make myself clear...?"Though he was speaking to everyone, Vahn's eyes settled on Hwa Ryun, compelling the woman to blush. Her powers as a Guide actually functioned within the Little Garden, so, while it might be hard for others, she would eventually be able to find a way through the formations protecting the men's bath from wayward women. She had just been thinking about a way to find Vahn's bath, so, to hear him suddenly say such words, she couldn't help but feel a little bashful after being seen through so easily...What Hwa Ryun was unaware of was that her thoughts and desires, especially when she got excited and was thinking about him, were directly transmitted to Vahn. They were like silent prayers that, in spite of his lack of Divinity, echoed within the back of his mind. Under normal circumstances, Vahn would ignore these murmurs, as there were far too many to count, but, as Hwa Ryun, Hoh, and Grey were his only Believers in the current Record, it was pretty easy to make out their individual appeals.Fortunately for Hwa Ryun, Vahn was feeling more 'decisive' after his motivational intervention just a few hours prior. As a result, he casually reached out his hand, gently caressing the redhead's hair as he said, "Behave yourself. There will be plenty of time for things like that in the future. For now, you should focus on increasing your strength and guiding Team Wolf Pack. Though I'm confident in my ability to protect you, the enemies we will face are the strongest within the Tower. You'll need to be much stronger if you want to continue standing at my side..."Understanding the meaning behind Vahn's words, a fiery determination blazed in Hwa Ryun's eye as she replied, "I understand. In order to witness your glory firsthand, I will endeavor to overcome my limits. Please continue to guide me from now on..."Though she felt compelled to bow, Hwa Ryun was enjoying having her head caressed far too much to willingly part with Vahn's palm. She was also feeling 'extremely' excited right now, and, though she was doing her best to restrain herself, the upper half of her face became a vibrant shade of red as an uncontainable smile made its way to her face.Finding Hwa Ryun's reaction rather cute, Vahn felt a strong desire to continue petting her, but, with a subtle glow beginning to emanate from her body, he ultimately retracted his hand as he said, "Go and wash up. Breakfast will be ready and waiting within the central dining hall."With that said, Vahn gave Baam's hair a casual ruffling before walking past the trio and entering the front door of the estate. He felt like cooking alongside Phae, so, while everyone else was enjoying a much-deserved rest, he was looking forward to engaging in one of his favorite pastimes.---Despite having 'seen' what was awaiting her within the onsen-like bath, Hwa Ryun still paused for a brief moment when she stepped into the interior. There was Hinata sitting near the very edge of the bath, knees tucked up to bashfully conceal her figure, Yoruichi swimming around happily in her cat form, and, most notably, three 'corpse-like' figures floating lazily within the large pool of water.Noticing someone else enter the bath, Hinata turned her attention towards the entrance, smiling timidly as she said, "It seems you are the last to arrive, Ms. Ryun."Almost immediately following Hinata's remark, a flash of brown appeared directly to Hwa Ryun's left, stealing the towel concealing the redhead's body with a loud, "Let's see how the new girl stacks up~!" in an excitable tone.Though she had been 'disrobed' by Yoruichi, Hwa Ryun didn't fluster in the slightest. Instead, she puffed out her chest slightly, a hint of a smile on her face as she asked, "Well? How is it...?"Amused by Hwa Ryun's response, Yoruichi issued a light, 'Hooo~?' before adopting an appraising stance, eyeing the woman from head to toe before answering, "Not bad at all. You could benefit a lot from a bit of exercise, but the base material is pretty good. Still, you're far from being able to compete with me~!"Despite the fact she was 12cm shorter than Hwa Ryun, Yoruichi's lithe body had excellent balance and immaculately sculpted proportions. What truly made her stand out, however, was her darker skin tone and the subtle trace of muscle that could be seen whenever she made a large movement. Vahn had always had a thing for women with athletic bodies, so, while her form was a little different from what it would have been in the Record of Bleach, Yoruichi's body was pretty close to 'perfect', at least within the eyes of her accidental creator.Rather than refute Yoruichi's claim, Hwa Ryun ultimately nodded her head in response, saying, "You are, indeed, a very beautiful woman. However, I do not wish to compete. So long as I can remain at my God's side, I am more than content."Hearing Hwa Ryun's remark, one of the three corpses floating within the onsen, Endorsi, seemed to regain a bit of its vitality, stirring to life in order to ask, "Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask. What is your relationship with Vahn? And I don't just mean Ryun. I'm curious about all of your relationships with that man."Surprising nearly everyone within the baht, Yoruichi raised her hand like an excited schoolchild who had the answer to her teacher's question, firmly asserting, "I'm his pet!" with a massive grin on her face. This was enough to resurrect both Anak and Nare, each adopting incredulous looks as they stared back at the bronze-skinned woman.With all eyes focused on her, Yoruichi proudly crossed her arms under her breasts as she explained, "I'm won't bother going into any details, but Vahn has had a crush on me ever since he was a snot-nosed brat. Now I get to tease him, eat tasty food, and enjoy his pampering to my heart's content. I won't give up my position to anyone, so, if you do wish to compete, don't expect me to go easy on you."Even Hwa Ryun was a little taken aback by Yoruichi's words, but, whenever she imagined her God giving her head pats and spoiling her, she couldn't help but feel a little envious. This seemed to be noticed by Yoruichi, who, with an even bigger grin on her face, added, "Don't worry. Like the fuzzy butt said prior to the training, Vahn is pretty generous when it comes to rewards. Though the other girls might not have a chance, you just need to keep working hard. Before you know it, pampering is the minimum you can expect from that overachiever."Though she had no particular intention of aiming for Vahn, Yoruichi's words caused Endorsi to feel slightly offended. As a result, she stood up within the bath, proudly puffing her chest out with arms akimbo as she proclaimed, "Ha! If I put in the effort, do you think that man would be able to resist my charms? Even a God wouldn't be able to resist my charm, you know~?"Shifting her attention to Endorsi, Yoruichi adopted an 'unimpressed' look on her face, smiling in a teasing manner as she stated, "You can give up right now. It is impossible to seduce someone like Vahn. Back in Avalon, he has literal Goddesses of Sex, Love, and Beauty as his wives. You're a pretty flower, sure, but your personality prevents you from appearing truly beautiful in the eyes of Vahn. Besides, don't you already have a thing for that furry brat? Don't bite off more than you can chew, girl. That boy is already too much for you to handle. Aiming for the leader of the pack is suicide."Raising her fist like she wanted nothing more than to punch Yoruichi in her smug face, Endorsi was seriously considering her odds when Anak suddenly asked, "Huh? You actually like Gandr? I thought you said he was a brat...?"Since she rarely paid any attention to what was going on in her surroundings, Anak was genuinely confused by Yoruichi's remark. This caused Endorsi to feel a little awkward, her smile straining a bit as she tried to think of a way to explain the complexities of her relationship with Gandr. Before she could, however, Yoruichi and Hwa Ryun approached the bath, the former saying, "You shouldn't fret stuff like that, lizard-britches. Gandr isn't going to be taken away from you. That boy is more than capable of taking care of multiple women, so don't waste your time on things like envy or jealousy."Following her statement, Yoruichi sat down in the space next to Hinata, hooking her arm around the bashful girl's shoulders as she added, "I won't stop you from competing to be Gandr's only woman, but you're seriously underestimating him if you think just one of you has what it takes to deal with him. Seriously, that boy might look like a wolf, but he is hung like a horse."Though horses didn't exist within the Tower, everyone present could understand what Yoruichi was trying to convey with her words. This caused the upper half of Endorsi's face to go red, and, though she generally didn't think about such things, Anak began to blow bubbles near the surface of the water. As for Nare, she adopted a somewhat impish smile on her face, cupping her right cheek as she mused, "Oh my~." with a rosy blush coloring her cheeks.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Give that Witch a headpat. Witches love headpats...','Yoruichi is like the main character of her own story xD...','Gandr has been betrayed...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1765: Training Begins