Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Shortly after Vahn finished healing the woman who belatedly introduced herself as Ranfan, Gandr's ears perked up from his position on the floor. This caught the attention of everyone else who was seated around the same table, interrupting their boardgame as Anak adopted a serious expression and asked, "Is it an enemy...?"Hearing Anak's question, Jung and Serra immediately became more focused, but, before either girl could express their willingness to come along, Gandr just shook his head, explaining, "Nah. Master just gave me an assignment. One sec."Following his brief explanation, Gandr performed a few quick hand signs, perfectly imitating Chakra thanks to the teachings of Hinata. Her internal energy had taken on the form of a refined version of Chakra the moment she received her True Name, and, while it might be a little difficult for others to emulate, Gandr benefitted a lot from being Templated from Vahn.While it might not be nearly as potent as Source, Gandr was able to manipulate a form of energy they had decided to call Origin. This energy was effectively the 'origin' of all energy systems within the Records, so, while it was ultimately derived from Source, it was able to emulate all other forms of energy 'except' Source. This made Gandr into a super prodigy, as, with just a bit of effort, he was able to emulate both Chakra and Reiatsu. The former allowed him to live out one of Vahn's dreams from childhood, pretending he was a Ninja, while the latter allowed him to drastically increase the amount of pressure he was able to exert onto others. He had also learned how to execute Yoruichi's Shunko, but, as he was currently trying to develop the Flying Raijin Jutsu alongside Kushina, he had yet to truly master it.With a quick eruption of shadowy black smoke, there were suddenly three Gandr's present within the room. This surprised Jung and Serra quite a bit, especially when two of the three suddenly sank into their own shadows and disappeared. As for Anak, she had witnessed the technique several times by this point, so, while it always made her feel a little 'strange' to see multiple Gandr's, she was already used to it.Never one to restrain her curiosity, Jung performed her usual act of 'accidentally' bumping the table whenever she was in a losing position as she shouted, "There were three Gan-chans!? Let me fight one of them~!"Since the game they were playing made use of numerous pieces and required a lot of setup, Gandr couldn't help issue a small sigh as he shook his head and said, "Denied. Now, return to the board to the way it was or you won't be getting any ice cream later."Though his refusal to fight made her feel annoyed, Gandr's threat to take away her treats caused Jung to adopt a very fretful expression, paling slightly as she muttered, "You can't take away my treats..." in an uncertain tone. Gandr, however, just smiled back at her with a very confident look in his eyes before crossing his arms in an, 'Is that so?' manner.With sweets being the second most important thing in her mind, Jung began to feel a considerable amount of panic as she looked between Anak and Serra, asking, "Do either of you remember where the pieces were?"Seeing the duo shake their heads, Jung felt like her world was beginning to collapse when a voice similar to a benevolent god's suddenly emanated from the surroundings, stating, "I have an image that shows the board state. You can fix things while I discuss something with Gandr."Looking towards the voice's origin, Jung found a blue-haired boy smiling back at her with a tiny blue cube in hand. Lighthouses had the ability to separate into smaller cubes that served a similar function to Observers. This reduced the processing power of the Central Lighthouse, but, at times like this, it was a very convenient function to possess.After thanking Khun rather spiritedly for his assistance, Jung began scavenging around for missing pieces so that she could restore the board state. While this was going on, Gandr, shadowed closely by Anak, stood near Khun as the latter ask, "What happened? Can you tell me?"Waving his hand as if it wasn't a big deal, Gandr didn't hesitate to casually explain, "Master wanted me to keep an eye on some girl named Ranfan. She has another companion, a Light Bearer named Fumiko, so I produced two Shadow Clones to keep an eye on them. If anything happens, I'll let you know."This wasn't the first time Vahn had Gandr protect a random Regular so Khun issued a relieved sigh before replying, "Thanks. We're in the final stages of our plan so it makes me uncomfortable when things are happening without my knowledge."Nodding his head in understanding, Gandr took advantage of Anak's propensity to stand within perfect petting range, habitually stroking her head as he said, "Yeah. No worries. I'm not going to do anything that might compromise your plans. Besides, I'm certain Master is feeling the urge to move on after healing people for the last thirty-five days. He gets antsy whenever he is in one place for too long, especially in a world like this..."Getting the impression that Gandr was telling him to 'hurry up' with his plans, Khun adopted a wry smile as he said, "I understand. The Lo Po Bia Faction was really the only troublesome group left to deal with. We just need to negotiate with the Bo Pidau and Tu Perie Factions. As for the Ari Faction, you can always ask Serra to help mediate. The Arie and Ari Families share a common ancestor and they have always had strong ties with each other. The only reason I haven't dealt with them before now is that they haven't really been engaging in the same antics as the other Factions. They have always been a Family that disdains war and violence, so, while they are not entirely innocent, they are the Faction with the largest number of 'unaffiliated' Regulars."Though he was already aware of everything Khun was saying, as he was the one to gather most of the information, Gandr still listened until the end before saying, "I don't mind asking Serra for help, but does that mean you've already made your decision...?"Hearing the troubled undertones within Gandr's voice, Khun couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's expense before explaining, "I've realized that your Master isn't going to simply erase the Ten Great Families from existence. With that being the case, I figure it will be prudent of us to cultivate a few seedlings from each of the Ten Great Families. Besides, even if Serra is a bit cold towards others, it's not like she doesn't have-"Before Khun could finish his explanation, Gandr adopted a somewhat accusatory look in his eyes as he crossed his arms and asked, "I guess that means you'll be inviting Yihwa to come with us then?"Appearing as though he had suffered some kind of mental attack, Khun seemed to lose his balance, hand rubbing his temples as he said, "No way...that woman is completely unhinged..."With his expression morphing into a perfect deadpan, Gandr denied Khun any chance to run away from his own troubles, stating, "There is only one woman from the Yeon Family born every hundred years. Yihwa is around the same age as you so we're unlikely to encounter another member of the Yeon Family without climbing much higher up the Tower. Besides, it's not like that Ran kid is any less troublesome. Don't play favorites just because he is family..."Unable to refute Gandr's words, Khun released an exasperated sigh as he realized the hole he had dug himself into. He would now have to tolerate the existence of an unstable woman who couldn't even control her own flames for the next fifty to a hundred years. This didn't even account for their interactions after climbing up the Tower...Fortunately, though Yihwa was currently obsessed with 'getting even' with him, Khun was pretty sure she would mellow out after becoming a member of Vahn's Familia and living inside the Little Garden for a few years. She had also shown an interest in Baam and Hatsu, so, while it annoyed him a little that she might aim for the former, Khun felt it was better than leaving him to Rachel. As for Hatsu, it was pretty difficult to make the man care about anything other than swordsmanship, but, as Vahn so often said, 'anything is possible'.After quickly formulating a couple of plans to dump Yihwa onto someone else, Khun began to feel a little less disheartened about the immediate future. He was also seriously considering becoming a woman in order to make some of his future plans easier to carry out, so it wasn't like she would be able to force his hand. Rather, once she actually got to know him, Khun was confident that Yihwa would want very little to do with him. As for Ran, he might be a little unstable, but he was pretty easy to manage so long as you provided an opportunity for him to become stronger.Approving of his own thoughts, Khun lightly nodded before adopting an 'evil' smile and saying, "I'll make sure to convince her the next time she visits the House of Miracles. To that same end, I'll leave Jung and Serra to you. I can't imagine them refusing so good luck dealing with all their fans..."Though neither Jung nor Serra particularly cared about their Factions, largely ignoring them ever since their defeat, that didn't mean they were without allies and supporters. After all, while Jung might appear a little young, both she and Serra were girls with an extremely high pedigree. It was only natural for them to have a considerable number of fans and a team of their own.What Khun seemed to be overlooking was the fact that both girls were insatiable battle junkies. He needed only to promise them that they would have plenty of strong opponents to fight. After that, they would be more than happy to 'deal' with their former teammates. This was especially true for Jung, as, prior to her defeat, she had been treating most of her stronger allies as punching bags and sparring partners...Returning a smile of his own, Gandr retracted his hand from Anak's head, evoking a frown from the latter as he turned back and casually asked, "Jung, Serra, do you want to climb the Tower with me? I promise you'll have plenty of strong people to fight against."Hearing Gandr's question, Jung immediately raised her hand, smiling as she exclaimed, "I want to go~!" in a cheerful tone. As for Serra, she actually averted her eyes to the side, a very subtle blush on her face as she muttered, "If you're inviting me...I won't refuse..." in a far more reserved manner.Though the latter's response made him feel a little helpless, Gandr managed to continue smiling as he explained, "You'll need to inform the members of your faction. We'll most likely be departing in a few days so make sure you wrap everything up before then. If you need any help, I can come along with you."Shaking her head, Serra gracefully rose to her feet, replying, "I will handle this on my own..." before turning around and promptly departing the room. This prompted Jung to consider doing the same, but, fearing she would lose out on her chance to obtain sweets, she haphazardly lifted up the edge of a sofa in order to search for the remaining pieces to the board game.Finding the girl's reaction rather amusing, Gandr couldn't help but chuckle before deciding to give the girl some clemency, musing, "I'll find the rest of the pieces. Go and take care of your business. Don't worry, you will still be able to eat Phae's ice cream."Like a wild animal that had just been freed from its bindings, Jung immediately bolted for the door with extreme speed, giggling childishly as she shouted, "You promised~!" while running down the stairs. This left only Khun, Gandr, and Anak left in the room, the latter still pouting until the shorter of the two boys smiled wryly and asked, "Want to watch anime with me?" before continuing to pat her head...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jung thinks she's sneaky, but she ain't xD...','Two big names appearing out of nowhere!?','RIP Ha and Arie Factions...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Just as Khun had predicted, not that it was any surprise, several members of the Lo Po Bia Faction, including Hakua, invariably showed up outside the House of Miracles. Unfortunately for them, they had yet to set aside their pride; so, after a failed attempt to make the hundreds of Regulars present clear a path, a very one-sided conflict broke out.Though the descendants of the Ten Great Families were certainly more powerful than the average Regular, their strength was not at a level where they could simply 'ignore' hundreds of extremely disgruntled Regulars who had been patiently waiting their turn. As a result, they ended up suffering a group lynching, and, if not for the timely intervention of Vahn, there was a very real chance they would have been killed as a result of the resentment their past actions had seeded.Fortunately for Hakua's group, Vahn currently enjoyed a reputation very similar to a God. His aura also had a suppressive yet calming effect, pacifying the crowd by merely emerging from the House of Miracles. This normally wouldn't be enough to calm such a large crowd, but, thanks to the signs that were posted all throughout the district, they quickly produced the beaten and bloodied bodies of the Lo Po Bia Faction without a fuss. After all, even if their resentment were far greater, none of the Regulars waiting outside wanted to sacrifice their chances of receiving treatment just to beat an already broken man.To reward the crowd for their 'cooperation', Vahn had the second-floor shut down a little earlier than usual so that Phae, Endorsi, Hatsu, Aleksai, and Shibisu could hand out goodie bags to the people waiting outside. He also had Khun contact the surrounding businesses to encourage them to conduct 'flash sales'. This made the tense atmosphere outside immediately become more festive, drastically decreasing the crowd's resentment while concurrently strengthening Team Wolf Pack's reputation as a group representing the common Regulars...---With Hakua's group slumped together within his treatment room, Vahn had a relaxed smile on his face as he pulled out an ornated winged-staff known as the [Sophic Cane]. It was far more powerful than the traditional [Heal] staff that was commonly used by Phae. The only restriction was that you needed a 'Pure Light Elemental Affinity' in order to use it, a limitation that, fortunately, didn't really apply to Vahn and his Templates...-------------------------------------[Sophic Cane]Rank: C (A/N: This would have been A-Rank in a T5 Record.)Slots: 0P.Atk: 90M.Atk: 1400Abilities: Asylum(B), Lucid Dreaming(C), Rescue (D)'A magical staff said to have been blessed by a Goddess of Light. Though the blessing has faded with the passage of time, it still carries her hope that only the purest of heart will be able to make use of its power.'Restriction: Pure-Light Elemental Affinity-------------------------------------Activating the [Sophic Cane]'s 'Asylum' Ability, a crystalline dome of concentrated Light Elemental Energy formed around Hakua and his group. This caused the majority of their wounds to heal in a very short period of time, and, had Vahn not stopped it short, even Hakua's shoulder would have been mended by the sacred light of the crystal.With most of their wounds healed, Vahn manipulated the Shinsu in the surroundings to create an icy flow, rousing the unconscious scion and his grunts rather unceremoniously. Then, before they could do something foolish like causing a scene within his clinic, Vahn manifested [Enkidu] to bind them together, squeezing them tightly against one another. At the same time, the density of Shinsu within the region began to decrease rapidly, effectively emulating a lack of oxygen.Shinsu was the most important building block for life within the Tower. Without it, even the most powerful High Rankers and Shinheuh would quickly meet their end, suffocating despite plenty of oxygen being present in the environment. This effect became even more prominent as you moved further up the Tower thanks to your body adapting to higher concentrations of Shinsu so it wasn't long before Hakua, someone born above the 100th Floor, began breathing laboriously, eyes turning bloodshot.Returning a casual smile in response to the group's glaring, Vahn continued to condense the Shinsu from his surroundings into a single concentrated Baang as he explained, "We have been monitoring your group for the past three weeks. In exchange for letting you walk away freely, you will be forced to hand over 70% of your Faction's accumulated Points. If you refuse...well, it is safe to say that your journey up the Tower will end here. So, unless you want to abandon your rights as a member of the Ten Great Families, you will pay the price for your crimes...I trust you understand my words...?"Though he was clenching his teeth hard enough to make his gums bleed, Hakua ultimately nodded his head in response to Vahn's threat. He knew that his family would not hesitate to disown, exile, or outright kill him if he failed to become a Ranker. After all, the 'dignity' of the Ten Great Families was far more important than any individual within the family. If you became a blemish to their pride, the best end you could hope for was being made into a servant or slave, the type responsible for latrine duty and waste disposal...While resolving himself to get revenge on the higher Floors, Hakua pulled out his Pocket alongside the rest of his cronies. They each transferred over the majority of their Points, approximating a sum total greater than two-million. This brought the total funds of Team Wolf Pack to around ten-million Points, enough to purchase more than a hundred B-Class Citizens. They could also use these Points to acquire 2~3 D-Rank items from the Workshop, but, considering Phae already had the capacity to produce A-Rank items, that would be a complete waste.With Points in hand, Vahn quickly healed the injuries of Lo Po Bia Hakua's group. He even treated the chronic illness of one of their members, surprising the young man quite a bit since there were no known treatments for the disease. Then, with a friendly smile on his face, he saw the group off so that they wouldn't be mobbed by the thousands of Regulars who had gathered for the festival outside. He was hoping they would learn from this example, seeing how they were able to gather so many people just by treating them kindly, but, unfortunately, the look in Hakua's eyes revealed that he was the type to hold a grudge...---Seeing the massive crowd of Regulars gathered in what was now known as the Black Wolf District, a well-dressed man with an unusually wrinkled face could be seen smiling from within the comfort of an invisible Suspend Ship known as a Spectre Class Corvette. At his side, lowering her head despite her position as a Senior Administrator, Analize replied to the elderly man's earlier remark about the success of Team Wolf Pack, explaining, "They are unlike any team I have ever seen. That man, Vahn Aldrnari Mason, possesses a healing ability that could humble the most skilled Light Bearers. As for his companion, Ha Phae Stios, she is able to produce items of an even higher quality than some of the articles released through the Workshop's auction..."Nodding his head in affirmation, the old man adopted a smile that accentuated the lines of his face as he said, "Indeed. Though her work might not compare to the true masterpieces produced by the Workshop, her talent cannot be denied. With proper guidance, it should only take a few decades for her to reach the Rank of Teacher...truly remarkable..."Though she knew Phae was extremely skilled, hearing the man say she had the potential to become a 'Teacher' was quite the surprise to Analize. Even the lowest-ranking Disciples within the Workshop enjoyed benefits similar to Rankers. As for Teachers, they had even greater authority than the vast majority of Rulers, a position that allowed a High Ranker full authority over a Floor's Shinsu. If Phae truly had the potential to become a Teacher, even saying she was 'truly remarkable' was a bit of an understatement...While Analize was thinking about how monstrous the members of Team Wolf Pack were, the elderly man, Graham, one of the Workshops 93 Teachers, continued to scrutinize the glove in his hand with an appreciative smile. It's effects might not be all that impressive, but the craftsmanship required to produce such an item was already beyond the level of most Disciples. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the item was flawless, a true masterpiece despite the fact it was only around the pinnacle of D-Rank.Nodding in approval of his own thoughts, Graham placed the ivory-white glove into his personal storage before folding his hands behind his back and saying, "Since it appears they have no interest in the auction, I will meet with the members of Team Wolf Pack directly. Please make the necessary arrangements before they depart the 5th Floor. It would break my heart to miss the opportunity to recruit such a remarkable talent..."Though it would normally cause a stir for someone of Graham's status to enter an area intended for Regulars, the Workshop was exempt from most of the restrictions imposed upon Rankers. They had a unique contract with the Guardians that allowed them to observe, and, at times, modify the rules of certain Tests. After all, they were responsible for most of the facilities used to Test Regulars so it was only natural that they had access to most regions within the Tower.Bowing low in response to Graham's words, Analize maintained a respectful tone as she said, "I will need to submit a request to the Test Director, but there shouldn't be any problems. I can have them appear before you at your earliest convenience tomorrow morning..."Shaking his head, Graham began to comb through his chest-length beard as he mused, "Feel free to file your report but do not pester those children. I will meet with them personally. If I'm to have any chance of taking that woman as my Disciple, a bit of sincerity wouldn't hurt..."Since it was pretty rare for talents to slip through the cracks without their notice, it was apparent to Graham that the woman known as Phae didn't have any particular interest in joining the Workshop. The reports also indicated that she was very loyal to the man known as Vahn, so, if he was to have any hope of recruiting her, appealing to her directly was the least he could do.Hearing Graham's words, the corner of Analize's mouth began to twitch as she found it very difficult to maintain her usual smile. A Teacher descending to meet with a group of Regulars was a very big deal, so much so that she had never heard of a similar incident occurring in the six-hundred years she had been alive. If word of this incident were to spread, Phae's fame and status within the Tower was bound to increase exponentially. The Ten Great Families would spare no effort to acquire such a talent for themselves, and, in the most extreme case, they might kidnap her the moment she leaves the area reserved for Regulars in the Middle Tower...Unfortunately, even if she empathized with the woman, Analize wasn't in a position to try and help others when she already had enough trouble trying to avoid forceful recruitment herself. The life of an unaffiliated Ranker, much like the lives of Regulars within Paradise Bay, was filled with numerous hardships. She had already spent more than five hundred years trying to overcome the system and establish her own Special Family, so, even if she felt a little sorry for Phae, Analize wasn't going to sacrifice her dreams for a Regular, even one with monstrous talent. Thus, in response to Graham's words, she kept her head low, answering, "Understood..." in a dull monotone...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You don't fuck with the White Mage','Who knew weeding out corruption could be so profitable~?','Who knows, Phae might even become a Princess of Jahad~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Feeling a pleasant warmth pervading her entire body, Hinata was somewhat reluctant to stir from her peaceful slumber. If not for the feeling of 'fullness' that gave her an almost instinctual urge to clench up her abdominal muscles, she wouldn't have hesitated to doze off. Instead, she took a slow and steady breath before contracting all of her muscles to their limits, a wave of pleasure spreading through her body that elicited a sharp inhalation from the man hugging her from behind.Realizing that Hinata had awoken, Vahn issued a light chuckle as he cupped her breast, pinching her left nipple as he remarked, "Naughty kitten..." before kissing the top of her head. This caused Hinata to answer with a giggle of her own before placing her hand overtop his, guiding his motion as she asked, "How long was I out...?"Without needing to calculate the time himself, Sis whispered the answer into the back of his mind, prompting Vahn to answer, "About five-and-a-half hours..." as his penis began to swell within the mischievous girl's perpetually moist pressure chamber.Hearing she had been sleeping for more than five hours, Hinata showed an expression of genuine shock, eyes widening momentarily. Before she could think to apologize, however, Vahn just hugged her a little closer, chin resting on her head as he whispered, "Don't...time spent with you is never a waste..."Feeling Vahn's warmth flow through her, a radiant smile spread across Hinata's face as she intoned a happy, "Nn~!". She loved that Vahn was always so considerate, and, though she knew he behaved the same way around others, it still made her feel special when they were together like this. Still, she knew that, whenever he was in the mood, Vahn couldn't be sated with just a single woman. He had quite the 'appetite', and, thanks to her previous 'lesson', she could perceive he was in a particularly voracious mood.Contrary to Hinata's expectations, Vahn was actually thinking about just binge-watching anime for the rest of his break. It was undeniable that he was in the mood for more, but, after thinking things through for the better part of five hours, he had largely calmed down. At this point, he just wanted to continue hugging Hinata, lounging about in their birthday suits, and casually playing around with each others' bodies.With nobody to correct the misunderstanding between them, Hinata decided to take matters into her own hands, rubbing her thighs together and twisting her waist from side-to-side as she asked, "Have you decided on your next Template? If not, I have a few...ahh...suggestions~."Though he was a little curious about who she might suggest, Vahn got the impression that Hinata's intentions weren't exactly 'pure'. He was actually trying to stray away from creating Templates that he wanted to have sex with, not because he was holding himself back, but because he wanted them to have the freedom to choose. If he created someone at Hinata's suggestion, right when they were in the midst of having sex, the process would invariably be corrupted by his wayward thoughts and expectations...Preventing Hinata from needlessly complicating an already complex social dynamic, Vahn tilted the girl's face toward his, sealing her proposals with a kiss. There were actually a number of Templates he was interested in creating, but, with seventeen unnamed Templates and potentially years before they reached the 20th Floor, he wasn't in any rush. He also had a number of ongoing experiments, most revolving around helping his Templates develop a True Ego, so, at least for the time being, he was more than content with the current situation.Quickly forgetting what they were even talking about, Hinata did her best to reciprocate Vahn's affection as they gradually eased into another long, slow, and passionate session of lovemaking. It was a lot less intense than usual, but, as she had yet to recover from her previous exhaustion, she didn't particularly mind it. Rather, the longer he tenderly scraped against her insides, the stronger her desire to remain connected became. For a brief moment, she even began to wonder what their children were going to look like as a burgeoning desire to become pregnant sprouted within her heart and mind...---After binge-watching three seasons of an adorable anime known as Dog Days, Vahn departed the Little Garden with a relaxed smile on his face. Hinata's words nearly caused him to create a template from one of the characters, but, having already made up his mind, no amount of temptation could force him to change it.Emerging from behind the blue privacy curtain, Vahn found Nare registering the information of a Regular who looked like she originated from the same region of the Tower as Hatsu, a place known as the Eastern Isles. This gave her dark black hair, matching black eyes, and, as could be expected, distinctly oriental features. Unfortunately, if her missing arm and the eyepatch over her eye were any indicators, she had been considerably less fortunate during her ascent up the Tower...Noticing Vahn's emergence, Nare was about to explain the woman's situation, but, before she was able to, the latter promptly kneeled down, head lowered to the ground in a one-armed dogeza as she firmly stated, "My sword is my life. If you are able to heal my injuries, I swear to abide by your will until my dying breath."Though he hadn't interacted much with Hatsu, Vahn knew he was the type of man who would not even hesitate to perform seppuku if it meant restoring his honor. He hailed from a land where pride and honor were the most important things, and, much like feudal Japan, it was considered 'normal' to dedicate your life to your Lord or Benefactor. This all but confirmed his suspicions regarding the woman's origin, but, with very little desire to have 'anyone' dedicate themselves to him, he casually replied, "Raise your head. I am neither your Liege nor your Lord. I heal everyone that comes into my clinic so there is no need to lower yourself in such a manner. If you want to thank me, just dedicate your sword to helping others from now on. Now, step behind this curtain and let me take a look at your injuries."Abiding by Vahn's orders, the black-haired woman reluctantly lifted her head before climbing to her feet with a sullen expression on her face. It was the penultimate goal of every swordsman from her home country to find a Lord worthy of dedicating both their sword and their lives to. Vahn seemed like an extremely suitable candidate for the position of her Lord, but, as the decision was ultimately his to make, she could only lament the fact he had refused.Waiting until the woman had walked passed him, Vahn lightly shook his head before disappearing behind the same curtain. He might have allowed her to join Team Wolf Pack if not for the fact she was virtually guaranteed to imprint on him. Had this not been the case, he might have introduced her into the group just to have a female who wasn't interested in Gandr. There were already quite a number of women vying for his affection, and, if something wasn't done soon, it was only a matter of time before his relatability with the other males was strained...Closing the curtain behind him, Vahn adopted a professional demeanor as he looked down at the 153cm tall woman and said, "You will need to remove all garments and bandaging covering your injury. The entire process will take around twenty minutes, and, though it will be extremely painful, this is necessary to ensure that all the nerves are properly attached. Don't worry. Even if you scream at the top of your lungs, there are soundproofing barriers that will prevent your voice from traveling beyond this curtain."Nodding her head in understanding, the petite woman loosened her red sash before taking a deep breath and loosening the fabric of her kimono-like top. Her culture considered it inappropriate for a woman to expose themselves before a man who wasn't their Lord or Husband. This was one of the reasons she had wanted to pledge herself to Vahn, but, as he had already refused, she did her best to ignore her apprehensions for the sake of restoring her dominant arm...Noticing the girl struggle with removing the bandages wrapped around her breasts and shoulder, Vahn had her turn around before helping to expedite the process. At the same time, he remarked, "These bandages are very neatly wrapped. Is there someone in your team who knows first-aid...?"Though she wasn't particularly in the mood to converse, the woman reacted with a curt nod before replying, "The Light Bearer on my team, Fumiko, usually helps me out...we're all that remains of our original group of six so we try to help each other when we can..."Sensing the depressive aura radiating from the woman's body, Vahn didn't need to ask in order to know what had happened to her other companions. Most females made the mistake of joining an all-women's team on the 3rd Floor, and, as a result, they ended up being targets for virtually every other team. This was one of the many reasons there were fewer women the higher you climbed the Tower, the only real exception being those who had integrated into powerful parties or descended from notable families.Finished with removing the woman's bandages, Vahn had to forcibly restrain a sigh as he saw the misshapen stump where her arm used to be. He could also see several other slash and puncture wounds on her body, several of which were disturbingly 'fresh'. It was clear that her time on the 5th Floor had been filled with trials, and, based on what he could tell, the most recent injury, a puncture wound that fully penetrated her abdomen, was only two days old...After promptly deciding he would have Gandr send a Shadow Clone to watch over the woman for a few days, Vahn handed her a leather bit, saying, "Put this in your mouth and bite down. You might have tremendous pain tolerance, but nothing will have prepared you for the experience of having your nerves regrown. For some, it helps to watch the area as it regrows..."Nodding her head, the woman placed the bit between her teeth before looking toward her stump with her one good eye. A few beads of sweat had already started to form across her body, but, with a look of unwavering conviction, she watched as Vahn placed his left hand on her shoulder and his right hand on her ribs. She was surprised by how startlingly hot his palms felt against her body, but, before she could think about the reasons, a sudden and intense pain began to surge from her right shoulder...Over the course of twenty agonizing minutes, Vahn kept the woman firmly seated in place as the stump of her right arm swelled like a bloody red balloon. Shortly after that, the scar tissue began to flake away as a bloody mass of bone, muscle, and sinew began to slowly extrude from the bulbous mass. This was where the pain truly set in, and, if not for the fact he was dulling her senses with his source energy, there was a very real chance the woman might have died from the shock alone...Seeing her arm regrowing at a rapid yet agonizingly slow pace, the woman clenched her teeth hard enough to nearly bit through the durable leather bit as she focused intently on the process. She felt like she would lose her mind if she looked away; so, no matter how desperately she wanted to pull herself free, she forced herself to continue watching even as bloody tears protruded from beneath her eyepatch...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "I already get enough hate in the comments section..."','Dog Days (OwO)...','Piccolo makes it look a lot easier...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1789: Expansion