Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With less than ten minutes before the Survival Test was scheduled to conclude, Vahn manifested, seemingly out of thin air, alongside Phae. This caught the members of Team Wolf Pack by surprise, but, after realizing who had appeared, most of them visibly relaxed. Endorsi, however, didn't miss the chance to complain, her voice sounding irritable as she exclaimed, "It's about time you showed up! Tell me, did you enjoy your vacation while the rest of us were suffering!?"Without missing a beat, Vahn nodded in response to Endorsi's question, smiling as he said, "It was a very productive and pleasant rest. Once we have time, I will show you the various changes that have occurred within the Little Garden. There are also a number of new residents for you to meet, several of which have agreed to help in your training. Look forward to it."Though she felt an overwhelming urge to punch Vahn in his smug face, Endorsi ultimately deflated when she noticed everyone was looking at her with troubled expressions. She wanted to complain about fairness, but, considering the Little Garden was exclusively the property of Vahn, she didn't have much ground to stand on. As a result, an exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head and remarked, "Whatever. As long as there are delicious foods and a hot bath, I'm not going to complain..."Since he hadn't been paying much attention to Team Wolf Pack these last few weeks, Vahn was a little surprised by Endorsi's 'mature' reaction. He couldn't help but nod his head in approval before looking to Gandr and nearly bursting out into laughter when he saw the boy's deadpan expression. This made it pretty clear that something had happened, but, rather than prying, Vahn continued to smile as he passed his gaze over everyone present and remarking, "You have all grown a lot in these last thirty days. I will make to reward you handsomely once time allows. For now, just know that I'm proud of each and every one of you. Well done."Hearing Vahn's praise, even Endorsi felt a little gratified, a smile spreading across her face as she puffed out her chest proudly. The only person who didn't really react positively was Laure, who, after looking towards Vahn and giving a curt nod, promptly fell back asleep...---After precisely 720 hours, indicated by a row of four zeroes on the Pocket, the same Administrator who had originally greeted the group appeared before Team Wolf Pack. Then, despite their purely synthetic voice, they managed to sound slightly enthused as they said, "Congratulations, Regulars. You have proven yourselves more than capable of ascending further up the Tower. Since you were able to hold the Central Supply Station for the entirety of the Test, your respective Party Leaders will be given 50,000 Points to split between you. I pray that you find similar success on future Floors."With those parting words, the Administrator input a command into their Terminal that caused both Khun and Phae to be awarded 50,000 Points. Then, in the blink of an eye, the entirety of Team Wolf Pack found themselves outside a massive teleportation array. There were more than a thousand other Regulars present, some looking a bit worse for wear; but, regardless of the state they were in, a celebratory atmosphere dominated the otherwise chilly room.Fortunately, though some suspected they would need to participate in some kind of tournament to move higher up the Tower, that wasn't the case. Instead, everyone who had endured the last thirty days, even if they were the only surviving member of their original Party, was allowed to transfer to the next Floor. They were gathered in batches ranging between 200-300 people, enough to fill the large teleportation array while guaranteeing people could still move around.Some people, Shibisu and Khun included, believed that it would be 'safest' to teleport alongside a weaker group of Regulars, but, after a few chiding remarks from Endorsi, Gandr, Anak, and Rak, they ultimately decided to leave things to fate. After all, so long as they worked together, other Regulars didn't really have much of a chance against them. Even their weakest members were above average; so, with several powerhouses on their side, they decided themselves to just go with the flow, joining a random collection of Regulars before transferring to the next Floor...---Perhaps as a reward for having endured thirty days without any real comforts or infrastructure, the 5th Floor resembled a series of beachside Resorts, high-end hotels, and shopping centers. It was a veritable metropolitan paradise, complete with an oceanic breeze that carried a salivating aroma that caused several Regulars to swallow hard as they impatiently awaited an explanation from the 5th Floor's Administration.Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long, as, less than a minute after the transfer, a fashionable young woman with short brown hair, blue eyes, and white pupils appeared out of thin air. She had a lean and athletic figure that was garbed in a skin-tight, long-sleeved, blouse, a pair of trousers, high boots that extended past her knees, leather gloves, and a stylish mantle that covered her shoulders. It was a little strange that her entire ensemble was various shades of brown, but, perhaps by design, this made her eyes, earrings, and the necklace she wore around her neck stand out quite a bit.With all eyes focused on her, the woman pressed an invisible icon on her Terminal. Others couldn't see it, but Vahn, Phae, and even Gandr noticed a 'magic circle' that resembled an old microphone head appear in front of her mouth, amplifying her voice considerably as she said, "Welcome to the 5th Floor, Regulars. I am Ranker Analize, Fear Analize. I serve as Senior Administrator and Proctor of the 5th Floor's 'Paradise Bay'. As you have undoubtedly noticed, there are various accommodations present within this Floor. We have even contracted the Workshop to host an auction at the end of each month. You are allowed to stay on this Floor for up to a year before being forcibly kicked out, so feel free to use this time to make preparations for future Floors."Hearing Analize's introduction, most of the Regulars present couldn't wait to venture out into the city and explore its many boons. Unfortunately, as was often the case within the Inner Tower, things were never quite that simple. After all, Analize had yet to explain the method to advance to the 6th Floor, a Test that was guaranteed to filter out more than half of the participating Regulars.Demonstrating how cruel reality could be, Analize's expression darkened slightly as she said, "Now, before I release you to go about your own business, allow me to explain the Rules of this Floor and the requirements to advance to the next. From this moment onward, each of you is considered an F-Class Citizen. F-Class Citizens can only step into facilities directly operated by the Administration. All other businesses, including residential areas, are completely off-limits without the requisite Class required to enter. Higher Classes of Citizenship can be purchased within the properties managed by the Administration. To advance to the next Floor, you must become a B-Class Citizen. If you want to continue climbing as a Party, each member of the same Party must be B-Class. As for the remaining rules, they are largely dependent on your Class so I suggest you promptly seek more information at the nearest Administration Office. Know that High-Class Citizens have greater rights than their Low-Class counterparts. There are even situations where you could suffer serious injury or even death so make sure you gather as much information as possible before roaming around at random. Now, as there are far too many of you for me to answer individually, I will not be taking questions. With that said, good luck. Without a surplus of Points, you're going to need it."Removing any chance for questions, Analize vanished into motes of bluish-white light immediately after her explanation was finished. This left many Regulars feeling unnerved and resentful, but, after coming this far, they were determined to go even further. Thus, rather than idle about, wasting time on complaining, they quickly sought out buildings marked with the house-like symbol representing the Administration. As for the members of Team Wolf Pack, they quietly disappeared from the plaza as Gandr, finding a suitable target, vanished into their shadow...---Having decided it was pointless to have the members of Team Wolf Pack compete in a Test that was essentially just 'Class Warfare', Vahn promptly pulled everyone into the Little Garden before explaining, "Though you will have to venture outside to obtain Points, the Little Garden will serve as your residence for the duration of your stay on the 5th Floor. We'll discuss the specific after Gandr returns from his reconnaissance. For the time being, let me introduce you to a few people before cutting you loose to wash up and decompress. You all worked hard over the last thirty days, so I'll allow you a three-day reprieve before training begins."Hearing Vahn's explanation, visible relief could be seen in the expressions and body language of everyone present. It might only be three days, but, compared to their original expectations, which involved immediately returning to training, it was a literal godsend. The fact they would be allowed to stay within the Little Garden was also an extreme blessing, so, with the exception of Rak, most of the other members of Team Wolf Pack appeared to have a tremendous weight remove from their shoulders.Chuckling lightly in response to the group's reaction, Vahn resisted the urge to tell them they would need these three days to avoid having a mental breakdown during their combining training. He had spent the last month coming up with a personalized training regimen for each of them, and, though the intensity wouldn't change much, the burden on their body and mind would increase drastically.Most of their training was scheduled to take place on the Second Layer, a place where the average Shinsu Density was equivalent to the 20th Floor. Moving further down would increase the Density by 30%, approximately seven Floors within the Tower. This meant that, by the time Team Wolf Pack managed to adapt to the Seventh Layer, they would have effectively adapted to the 55th Floor of the Tower. This would give them an absolute advantage over most Regulars, so, even if he left them to pursue his own path, Vahn was confident they would be able to overcome most challenges.Though some of the more perceptive members noticed the glimmer in Vahn's eye, none of them spoke out. Even Khun had come to trust that the man wouldn't do anything to harm them, so, while it was bound to be difficult, there were no challenges they couldn't overcome together. These were words that Baam had repeated so many times that they had effectively become a mantra within the group; so, rather than lament what was to come, Khun adopted an expectant smile as Vahn casually introduced their new tormentors...---Despite appearing to have teleported away previously, Analize continued to watch over the Plaza from the comfort of her invisible Lighthouse. She dual-specialized as a Light-Bearer and a Wave Controller, considered by many to be the most powerful combination within the entire Tower, so she had quite a number of powerful items and artifacts in her arsenal. She was also an Advanced Ranker that was gradually moving up the ladder towards becoming a High Ranker. This made her extremely attentive to her surroundings, so, feeling someone attempting to probe her during the speech, Analize decided to stick around to conduct an investigation of her own.Though she was unable to see Vahn and Phae within the playback of her Lighthouse, Analize had an intrigued glint in her eyes when she saw the rest of Team Wolf Pack disappear into thin air. This was an extremely abnormal event, not because they had disappeared, but because they were no longer detectable within the confines of the Administration's observation network. This was a system that worked in conjunction with the Floor Guardian, so, while it might not be able to tell them the exact location of Testing Regulars, it could at least confirm whether or not they were present on the Floor.With every other member of Team Wold Pack vanishing without a trace, Analize decided to monitor the person whose shadow Gandr had disappeared into. Her Lighthouse was B+ Rank, so, while she might not be able to sense him if he went into the State of Nothingness, his presence could easily be traced within a sub-dimensional plane. After all, Gandr wasn't the first person with such abilities, so, as an organization that was committed to uncovering the secrets of 'Origin' itself, the Workshop had developed countless methods to detect, trace, and analyze objects that couldn't be detected by normal means.Seeing Gandr transition between people's shadows without them noticing, an amused smile spread across Analize's face as she mused to herself, "It looks like there are some interesting Regulars this time around...I wonder which organization they belong to? Guess we'll have to find out by keeping a close eye on them, won't we? Ufufufufufu~."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Laure has life figured out','Vahn's Children be getting spoilt...','Gandr can't catch a break...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though not all of them had agreed to help out with Team Wolf Pack's training, Vahn had most of his Templates, thirteen out of eighteen, gather for the sake of introductions. This included Ichigo, Roger, Goku, and Latios from the men's side. As for the women, demonstrating Vahn's bias, there were the original duo, Hinata and Yoruichi, alongside seven new faces: Mira, Kushina, Morgiana, Latias, Xerneas, Kyogre, and, perhaps to serve as a constant reminder of the lesson she had tried to teach him, Madara.As could be expected, the members of Team Wolf Pack were quite surprised by the presence of so many people. The men, in particular, were awed by the almost overwhelming beauty possessed by the vast majority of women within the group. As for Endorsi, Anak, Nare, and Hwa Ryun, the latter of which had spent the entire month training alongside Fenrir, two of them couldn't help but feel a little helpless. As for the other two, Anak and Hwa Ryun, they didn't particularly seem to care about the presence of so many beauties. Rather, after noticing there were two redheads within the group, a fiery light of conviction could be seen burning within Ryun's pupil.While Team Wolf Pack had been participating in the Survival Test, Hwa Ryun had spent the entire month training under Fenrir. As a result, she now had a somewhat 'wild' aura emanating from her body, and, though it wasn't nearly as prominent as Fenrir's, her hair flowed more freely than before. She seemed to have become a 'predator' over the duration of a single month, and, though he wasn't too concerned, Vahn knew she had probably learned a lot more than Shinsu control from his most trusted companion.Ignoring the hungry look in Hwa Ryun's eye, Vahn explained the changed structure of the Little Garden. He wanted to give them an idea of what their future held before freeing them to enjoy their three-day vacation. Mental preparation was often more important than physical preparation, so, with that in mind, he cut everyone loose to go take a bath and wash up while Hinata, Kushina, Mira, and Morgiana went to prepare a feast. As for himself, he decided to spend some time with Fenrir, sneaking away to the outer rings to enjoy her company and listen to her explain how the training of her three students had been going...---With the opportunity to take a proper bath for the first time in a month, Endorsi ignored washing her body using the shower, unequipping all of her clothes using the [REquip] system before, quite literally, jumping into the mineral-rich waters. She had rinsed herself off in a river a few times, but, more often than not, she simply relied on Gandr's cleaning magic to remove the sweat and grime from her body. This had allowed her to remain relatively clean, but, compared to the comfort of a bath, there was no way she would ever prefer the former over the latter.Not caring about the judgemental looks she was receiving in the slightest, Endorsi allowed herself to float at the surface of the water, a contented smile on her face as she was pulled along by the gentle current that ensured that the heat and mineral concentration remained uniform. She felt like she had died and gone to heaven, a state of supreme bliss washing over her body and mind until a face spontaneously appeared a few centimeters away from her own...Jerking her body to a seated position, Endsorsi created a literal wall of water to protect herself as she shouted, "Who goes there!?" towards empty space. This earned her a pitying look from Anak, but, before the latter could think of an insult, she was just as surprised as Endorsi to see a red and white figure manifest out of thin air, answering, "I am Latias~!" in a happy tone.Recognizing the name, Endorsi breathed a sigh of relief as she allowed the water wall to disperse. Then, with her hands on her hips, she adopted a stern expression and said, "You shouldn't sneak up on people in the bath. You nearly gave me a heart attack!"Hearing Endorsi's exclamation, Latias showed an expression of concern as she unhesitantly invaded the girl's personal space, paw extending to touch the former's left breast as a tidal surge of healing energy invaded her body. This caused Endorsi to bite her lip, stifling a moan as she separated from the peculiar creature's paw and gently chided, "You're a naughty one..." before promptly asking, "Is that the same technique that Gandr uses?"With the three claw/toes of her paw opening and closing in a groping gesture, Latias adopted the closest thing approximating a smile she could manage before answering, "Hands of Nirvana! It is a skill we inherit from the Creator~!"Understanding Vahn to be the Creator that Latias was referencing, Endorsi nodded her head before taking a seat in the water and stating, "Well, I'm fine now. Thanks for your concern. Just remember not to sneak up on me in the bath, okay?"Though she looked like she was seriously considering Endorsi's words, Latias caused the former to deadpan as she happily chimed, "No! Sneaking up on people is fun!" before laughing mischievously and disappearing into thin air. This caused Endorsi to feel a sense of dread, but, fortunately, she was not the victim of Latias' next prank. Instead, Anak, who had been cleaning herself diligently in the shower area, released a surprisingly girlish yelp, covering her breasts and privates as her body was spontaneously lifted from the stool she had been seated on.After placing the startled girl on her feet, Latias revealed herself, snickering with both paws covering her mouth. She really enjoyed pranking people, and, though her Creator forbade her from doing so while others were cooking, he never said anything about the bath.Seeing the strange creature snickering at her, Anak's expression became a little gloomy, but, rather than complain, she adopted a stern tone before repeating the words Phae had once told Yoruichi, "The bath is not a place to play around. It is a place where people are intended to relax their minds and bodies. Your Creator...Vahn would not approve of this kind of behavior..."Hearing Anak's words, Latias scrunched up her snout with the intent to refute the former's words, but, before she was able to, Hwa Ryun added, "She is correct. If you do not believe her, you can go and ask the Creator yourself. He might not be angry with you, but he is certain to tell you this was wrong. Pranking people is supposed to be a harmless act. If you are disturbing or inconveniencing others, you are effectively bullying and harassing them...do you think Vahn would approve of such actions?"Showing an expression of panic that even Anak had to admit was adorable, Latias gasped a high-pitched, "Oh no!" while flailing her paws. Then, with a burst of speed that left everyone in the room stunned, she seemed to fly 'through' the walls, beelining towards Vahn while screaming, "Latias isn't a bad girl-!" in a voice that seemed to pierce through the void.Surprised by Latias' rather 'innocent' response, Endorsi, Nare, and even Anak felt slightly guilty. Hwa Ryun, however, had learned the 'importance' of being a 'good girl' from Fenrir; so, while the others were still a little stunned by the swift departure, she rinsed off with a bucket of water before walking over and plopping down in the bath, a contented sigh escaping her lips...---Unaware of the happenings within the Little Garden, Gandr spent the better part of three hours gathering information on the Class System, methods to obtain Points, the Workshop, and, most importantly, the various districts of Paradise Bay.As the Administrator had implied, things could get 'very' dangerous if you were a Regular caught in an area where you weren't supposed to be. The system was completely in favor of those with higher Class Citizenship, so much so that there were heavy penalties enforced upon lower-ranking Citizens for even perceived grievances against those two ranks higher. To make matters even worse, this was a one-way street, so, even if an A-Class Citizen outright murdered a C-Class Citizen, they would not be penalized in the slightest.To prevent Regulars from exploiting the system too much, anyone above D-Class was only allowed to maneuver in areas one rank above or below their current standing. This might seem like a means to balance the system, but, due to F~E-Class Citizens being able to venture into most regions, they were often treated like Slaves or Gofers for Higher Class Citizens. In fact, one of the ways in which a Regular could earn Points was by accepting jobs from other Regulars.The majority of businesses on the 5th Floor, a stark contrast to the 3rd, were operated by Regulars who had already obtained B-Class Citizenship. The Administration actually awarded bonus Points to people who operated successful businesses; so, rather than immediately move on to the next Floor, it was common for ambitious Regulars to momentarily delay their journey in order to accumulate as many Points as possible. The Workshop Auctions held at the end of each month regularly auctioned off D-Rank items, so, with the hope of making their future climb significantly smoother, competent teams of Regulars would often remain on the 5th Floor until the end of their eleventh month.Though things appeared relatively calm on the surface, there was actually an extreme competition taking place within Paradise Bay. There were even numerous gang-like factions constantly at war with each other, many backed by direct descendants or branches of the Ten Great Families. These factions had a tremendous edge over the competition, and, unless they were abnormally powerful, there was simply no way for a normal Regular to compete. The Ten Great Families and their affiliates had established an absolute monopoly within the city; and, thanks to the system that had been put in place by the Administration, it was virtually impossible to advance without placing yourself under one of these factions.Regulars could only obtain Points by selling materials to authorized business, the majority of which would only purchase from members of their own faction. This meant, unless you joined one of the existing factions, your only means of income would be earning a pittance from the Administration. The jobs they provided were barely enough to cover a day's worth of expenses, so, unless you were somehow able to stockpile the 200,000 Points necessary for B-Class Citizenship, you were basically screwed over by a system clearly designed to pander to the Ten Great Families.Fortunately, Team Wolf Pack actually had a number of ways to get around this system entirely, the simplest being the Guardian's Test. The most likely method they would employ, however, involved combining their Points to purchase a few B-Class Citizenships. Vahn would never allow this type of system to simply go unpunished, so, even if he had to make enemies with all of the other factions, it was only natural that he establish a business to help Lower Class Citizens.Gandr was well aware of Vahn's nature, for obvious reasons, so more than half his time was spent scouting the best location for their business. He was absolutely certain that his 'Master' would, at the very least, open up something like a Free Clinic to help struggling Regulars. Then, for however long they decided to stay on the 5th Floor, he would systematically pressure or outright eliminate the other factions. This was simply how Vahn did things, so, unless they were willing to compromise and 'fix' the clearly broken system, the various factions of the 5th Floor were guaranteed to feel his wrath...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir, rearing 'good girls' since 2019','Don't bully Latias (&gt;,...,&lt;)...!','The wrath of the Sage Dragon Emperor is more terrifying than a natural disaster...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With a look of fascination on his face, Vahn, accompanied by Yoruichi and Hinata, watched as Kyrie danced atop the surface of an 'ocean' he had created in the Sixth Layer. She hadn't even received a True Name, yet, in spite of this, her elegant dance caused massive waterspouts and whirlpools that were more than a hundred meters across to wreak havoc in her surroundings.Saying what they were all thinking, Hinata muttered, "Beautiful..." in a hushed tone while clinging to Vahn's right arm. This was met with an affirmative nod by the latter while Yoruichi, sitting in Vahn's lap in her cat form, added, "It's like watching a natural disaster...you've created a real monster this time, Vahn..."Though he never liked the term 'monster' when describing one of his companions, Vahn wasn't able to refute Yoruichi's statement. Kyrie's ability to produce rain and manipulate water was on a level far beyond his own understanding. If he wanted to perform a similar feat, it would take a considerable amount of time, preparation, and energy. Kyrie, however, needed only dance near the surface of the water, the long sleeves of her outfit swaying with her movements as her siren-like song seemed to carry for dozens of kilometers, echoing within the tempestuous winds produced by the churning of the ocean.Unfortunately, no matter how horrifyingly sublime the scene of destruction was, Kyrie was far from being 'all-powerful'. Her abilities were only truly useful against static opponents and infrastructure. Anyone with sufficient speed or strength would be able to blitz her relatively easily; so, while Hinata and Yoruichi might not be able to perform a feat even remotely comparable to Kyrie's manipulation of an ocean, both could defeat her, and similar opponents, without too much trouble.The greatest benefit Kyrie had was that Shinsu could be manipulated using the same abilities that allowed her to control water. This gave her unparalleled potential as a Wave Controller, so much so that she could presumably humble anyone beneath the status of a High Ranker. The only downside was that her abilities weren't very friendly; so, when Kyrie went all-out, both enemies and allies were equally affected...Feeling that the demonstration had gone on long enough, Vahn pulled out a spherical device with a magenta covering set atop a white base. There were two pink vents located on the upper half of the sphere while, at the very front, a circular button could be seen beneath an engraved letter M. Vahn promptly pressed this button, producing a phenomenon similar to lightning, instantly traversing the distance between himself and Kyrie as he said, "That's enough, Kyrie. Return."Without causing her any injuries, the vibrant white lightning veiled Kyrie's entire body, seemingly breaking it down into motes of similar white light before vanishing less than a millisecond later. At the same time, the spherical device in Vahn's hand, better known as a Master Ball, began to release a gentle hum as the ball promptly shrunk to less than a quarter of its original, grapefruit, size. After that, Vahn revealed his personalized Arms Inventory, upon which sat a total of seven identical balls.Though there were more expensive versions that could undoubtedly capture any living creature, the Master Balls wielded by Vahn were specifically used to capture and house Pokemon. They were the highest tier of a device known simply as a Poke Ball, and, so long as the target was applicable, they could be housed inside the miniature world contained within. As for why he bothered to use Master Balls, it was because they were simply the most comfortable for the Pokemon. They also had a high degree of indestructibility, and, most importantly, allowed anything inside to recover from virtually any injury in a relatively short period of time.With Kyrie safely secured within her Pokeball, the ocean below began to gradually calm due to the lack of tidal forces present within the Little Garden. It would likely take several days for it to become completely calm, however; so, rather than stick around, Vahn teleported himself, alongside Yoruichi and Hinata, back to the Eighth Layer.In the past, the Eighth Layer had been little more than Vahn's 'love nest', a relatively empty space that contained a single, massive, mansion. Now, however, it looked more like a nature preserve, the mansion replaced by a series of homely dwellings that were built directly into hills and trees. All of this was set within a massive emerald grove with the canopy of a World Tree dominating the region for nearly three kilometers.Following the aroma of delicious food, Vahn soon found himself in a dining room that was directly linked with the kitchen. This allowed people to smoothly transition between the two, and, though it was never said aloud, everyone knew that Vahn simply enjoyed watching the women cook. Most of the appliances and stoves were located on the far wall, so, if he sat at his usual spot, he could watch the back figures of the girls as they happily prepared food for the ever-growing population of the Eighth Layer.Fortunately, everyone, including Yoruichi, genuinely enjoyed preparing meals. This was one of the traits each of Vahn's Templates had inherited, and, if not for the 'ban' preventing men from entering the kitchen, he would happily cook alongside them. Instead, he, alongside the other male residents, traditionally sat at the dining room table, observing the scene of meal preparation while discussing various topics, most related to training.Having already separated from Yoruichi and Hinata so the two could go wash off in the bath, Vahn was alone as he stepped into the extremely fragrant kitchen. There, he saw three women wearing casual clothes and aprons, each humming the same song while Madara, still in her female form, sat silently with an open bottle of sake at the dining table. She couldn't actually get drunk, but, perhaps as a result of the time Vahn had spent with Tsubaki, Kenshin, Nobunaga, Musashi, and several other 'eastern warriors', Madara had always had a fondness for alcohol.Though they all noticed his arrival around the same time, the first to speak to Vahn was the shorter of the two red-haired women cooking alongside Mira. She had just grabbed the food that had been prepared for Madara, so, while carrying it over to the table, a radiant smile spread across her face as she stopped near him and asked, "Are you here to eat or just watch?"Since his stomach was effectively a bottomless pit, a trait shared by all of his 'unnamed' Templates, an amused smile spread across Vahn's face as he answered, "Both." while reaching out his hand to stroke the petite woman's head.Nodding her head in understanding, the youthful-looking red-head turned toward the kitchen, and, though it wasn't really necessary, she chimed, "Mira-nee, Kushina-nee, dinner and a show for one more~."Responding to the girl's words, Mira just issued a light chuckle as the woman to her right pumped her fists and spiritedly replied, "Yosh! Leave it to me, Mor-chan! I'll cook up something delicious and spicy~!" before taking her kitchen knife to a set of ingredients with intense enthusiasm.Giggling in response to Kushina's remark, Mor-chan, better known as Morgiana Fanalis, looked back at Vahn and said, "Come. I'll prepare your usual spot."Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn retracted his hand for Morgiana's head, once again finding it amusing that she was 2cm taller than Yoruichi despite the latter appearing more mature. This wasn't to say that Morgiana lacked feminine charm, but, when standing next to Mirajane and Kushina, 167 and 165cm, respectively, she did look a little childish. Of course, Vahn would never say this out loud, as, despite being a Template he had created, Morgiana could be pretty petty when you pointed out her height and figure; seemingly forgetting she could change both at will...After taking his seat next to Madara, Vahn watched as the barefoot woman scampered back to the kitchen, a contented smile on his face as he asked, "How was your day?" without looking directly at the person he was speaking to. In response, Madara picked up a piece of eel from her plate, deftly maneuvering it to her lips with chopsticks before plainly answering, "Calm..." in her characteristically soul-piercing tone of voice.Deciding against pressing her for a more detailed response, as Madara could be 'very' scary when she got mad, Vahn just nodded his head in understanding before replying, "That's good..." in a soft murmur. This caused a slight smile to spread across Madara's face, an amused glimmer in her onyx black eyes as she muttered, "Indeed..." in a curt tone...---With less than a day until the Survival Test was scheduled to end, the members of Team Wolf Pack had all gathered together near the large crystal that allowed them to summon items and supplies. It hadn't been all that useful to them over the last twenty-nine days, but, now that the test was all but completed, everyone pitched in to purchase a veritable feast.Originally, Khun had been prepared to sacrifice his own Points in order to boost everyone's morale and make sure they were prepared for the 5th Floor. This plan was promptly shot down by virtually every member of the Team, so, after a brief discussion, they decided to all pitch in a few thousand Points. The only person who hesitated was Nare, but, without needing anyone to convince her, she ultimately decided to go with the flow.After 'suffering' together for twenty-nine days, the sense of unity within Team Wolf Pack was at an all-time high. They had learned to set aside the self tendencies attributed to most Regulars, and, though it would likely take years for them to cement their bonds, they were already beginning to act like a proper Familia. This was largely thanks to Baam, his kindness having an infectious quality; but, more than anything else, it was their intrinsic desire to break free from the system that caused them so much torment that compelled everyone to work together.At this point, everyone was pretty much in agreement that the Tower needed to change, drastically. Fortunately, they had a literal God on their side, so, in preparation for the drastic changes that were bound to sweep through the Tower, they were determined to become the torchbearers that led the way towards a better future. This seemed to be the very thing Vahn was preparing them for, so, with a profound sense of purpose uniting them, Team Wolf Pack heralded the dawn of the thirtieth day with the light of conviction reflected in their eyes...---With subtle vibrations and heat spreading through his body, combined with the sound of purring tickling his ears, Vahn found himself in a situation where he simply didn't want to wake up or move around. He had decided to take a nap alongside Latias and Latios the previous evening, and, by the time he woke up, he had a black cat, a red lioness cub, and an exceptionally cute nine-tailed fox kit sharing his body as their bed.If not for the person incessantly poking him in the cheek with a stick, Vahn wasn't sure he would be able to separate from the veritable mountain of fluff he had awoken to find himself buried under. It was like his body was awash in an ocean of soft and pleasant warmth, a sentiment that was shared by the other residents of the pile due to their overlapping auras.Though he could perfectly fine without opening his eyes, Vahn adopted a half-lidded expression as he stared at the petite and delicate-looking woman poking him in the fact. She was extremely thin, appearing much like a doll, and, though she resembled a refined maiden with flowing blue hair and peculiar golden fringe, closer observation would reveal numerous peculiarities. This included a fluffy black tail, gold-adorned black leggings and gloves that were actually a part of her body, and, most notably, a jeweled crown that vaguely resembled antlers protruding from the top of her head. This last article made up nearly a quarter of her total height, and, though she had also had mesmerizing blue eyes, it was hard to take your eyes away from the massive crown...Seeing that Vahn had finally awoken, the exceptionally lithe girl adopted a gentle smile as she said, "Good morning, Master. It is time to wake up. If you don't prepare quickly, you will be unable to eat breakfast before returning to the Outside."Disturbing the trio that was pretending to still be asleep on his chest, Vahn stopped leaning against Latios' side, stretching his body and releasing an extended yawn before smiling back at the girl and replying, "Thanks for coming to get me, Nea. Don't worry, I'll still have plenty of time to brush your hair if we visit the outer rings."Smiling in response to Vahn's final remark, Nea, better known as Xerneas, performed a polite bow before promptly turning around and transforming into a remarkably elegant-looking deer. Vahn understood her intentions without her needing to directly convey them; so, even though it wasn't really necessary, he cradled Yoruichi, Kushina, and Morgiana in his arms, riding Xerneas back to the Emerald Grove as Latias and Latios happily dodged through the surrounding trees...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sublime Terror','Familia','Fluff')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1779: Ascent : Observation