Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

In order to give Team Wolf Pack plenty of time to rest and focus on their training, the House of Miracles officially closed its doors between the hours of 8 PM and 6 AM. During this time, Vahn would venture outside to treat the Regulars with less severe injuries.Though it took a considerable amount of focus to restore lost limbs, treat diseases, and remove sequelae, most injuries could be treated without any special attention from Vahn. All he needed to do was place his hand atop someone's head, and, after a bit of theatrics with light-infused Shinsu, they would be fully healed.As could be expected, Vahn's reputation among the common Regulars had increased drastically in a relatively short period of time. He had even regained his title of 'Godhand' thanks to the efforts of Khun, Gandr, Shibisu, and Nare.Khun had coordinated with other businesses to spread his good name throughout the entirety of Paradise Bay. As for Gandr and Shibisu, the former enjoyed quite a bit of popularity, so much so that there were certain groups of Regulars who would take everything he said as an intrinsic truth. Shibisu was significantly less popular but this allowed him to easily infiltrate other people's social circles, gathering information and spreading rumors with remarkable ease. As for Nare, she had an easier time than the rest due to the fact she spent most of her time manning the front counter and working as 'mascot' for Vahn's clinic.Taking advantage of her disarming and relatively cute appearance, Nare was able to gather and disseminate all kinds of information during the brief few minutes when she was cross-referencing a Regular's data with the information they had on file. By simply referring to Vahn as the Godhand to the people with more serious injuries, they would naturally spread the rumor to others.At this point, most of the members of Team Wolf Pack had earned nicknames for themselves, Nare's being the 'Golden Cherub'. As for the others, they had earned provisional sobriquets such as 'Black Wolf Prince', 'Smiling Blue Demon', and 'Goddess of the Forge'. These obviously belonged to Gandr, Khun, and Phae, but there were also titles such as 'Gentle Giant', 'Violent Lizard', and 'Ghost-Pepper Princess' circulating around in regards to Aleksai, Anak, and, much to her chagrin, Endorsi...---While Vahn was busy strengthening his public image, effectively increasing his reserves of power, night had fallen within the Little Garden. This was the most relaxing part of the day for the majority of Team Wolf Pack, and, though it had lost a bit of its novelty after the first couple of nights, there were still a number of people who gathered beneath the canopy of the World Tree each evening.Though reason would dictate that the World Tree's canopy would block out the view of the stars, the truth of the matter was that boughs of the massive crystalline tree would become transparent under the cover of night. This allowed the starlight to not only pass through them but, thanks to the crystalline structure of the branches and leaves, the stars seemed to multiply in number. This created the illusion that the night sky was alive, gently swaying in a natural rhythm as the canopy danced under the direction of the wind...Despite rarely mentioning Rachel over the last two months, Baam couldn't help but think about her every time he looked up at the night sky. He wondered if she was happy being able to witness such a scene each night, but, at the same time, his heart was filled with doubt whenever he remembered that she had betrayed him 'just' to see the stars.Baam couldn't deny that the stars were exceptionally beautiful, but he didn't think they were worth betraying others just to witness. When he learned they were just giant balls of burning gas floating around in empty space, not something that could simply be 'obtained', Baam felt even less certain about her actions. He couldn't understand why she felt compelled to throw away everything just to witness something that had no real impact on her life. It just didn't make any sense...Turning his head to the side, Khun noticed the usual conflict in Baam's eyes, a tired sigh escaping his lips as he looked toward the heavens above and said, "If people could understand each other so easily, there wouldn't be any conflict in the world. We all do illogical things at times, so stop letting Rachel's decisions affect you. Even she probably doesn't understand why she was so obsessed with the stars...if I had to guess, she just wanted to be free...that's something most of us can understand, even if our views are fundamentally different from each other's..."As the desire for freedom was something even he could understand, Baam nodded his head in response to Khun's words. Then, after a long period of silence, he asked, "Do you think it's possible to create a world where everyone is free...?"Without even needing to think about it, Khun shook his head, disappointing Baam slightly as he answered, "There is no such thing as a perfect world, Baam. Rather, even if there were, most rational people wouldn't want to live in it...I certainly wouldn't. After all, it is our differences that allow us to move forward, grow as people, and have fun. If everyone was exactly the same, the world would be a very lonely and mundane place to live..."Imagining a world filled with nothing but himself, Baam couldn't help but furrow his brows as an uneasy feeling welled up inside his chest. Such a world would be no different than living alone in a cave; so, while he still wanted to create a world where everyone could be happy, Baam was able to understand a bit of what Khun was trying to convey.Seeing the slightly incredulous look on his naive companion's face, Khun couldn't help but chuckle as he placed his hands behind his head, smiling as he added, "Don't worry. So long as we continue trying our best to make the world a better place, it will gradually become one. We don't need to fix everything, Baam. We just need to become strong enough to prevent corrupt and malicious people from doing whatever they want...if we work together, I'm certain we can create a better system than the one that currently exists..."Though he was having trouble understanding Khun's words, a glimmer of resolution could be seen within Baam's eyes the moment he heard the former mention 'working together'. This phrase was always very effective against him, and, though it made him feel a little manipulative at times, Khun didn't hesitate to throw it out whenever he was trying to allay Baam's concerns...Feeling a little less uncertain about the future, Baam extended his hand towards the stars above, fingers spread as he lightly muttered, "You're right, Mr. Khun...so long as we work together, there isn't anything we can't do..." before clenching his hand into a fist. This caused the blue-haired man at his side to respond with a wry smile, but, rather than refute his own words, he simply extended his hand in much the same manner as Baam, muttering, "Together..." in a light tone...---Seeing Khun and Baam hold their hands up while lying next to each other, a sly smile spread across Endorsi's face as she mused, "Those two are totally gonna do it one of these days. I don't care what anyone else says. They're totally gay for each other."Since he had already heard about Khun's plan to exploit the 'advantages' of being a woman, even Gandr couldn't really refute Endorsi's words. Instead, he just chose to ignore them, rolling his eyes before kicking back and enjoying the evening breeze. He knew this was probably a mistake but he just didn't feel like talking about the 'bromance' between Khun and Baam like they were some kind of exotic animal pairing.Never one to take being ignored lightly, Endorsi squinted her eyes slightly, glaring at Gandr from the periphery of her vision. She was trying to give him a chance to make a move on her by taking the initiative to invite him out stargazing, but, rather than attend her, he was literally just staring up at the sky like an idiot. This wouldn't have bothered her as much if he was actually dense, but Gandr was easily the most perceptive person in their entire group...After giving him a full minute to reconsider his decision, Endorsi exhaled audibly through her nose before walking over to where he was lying down. They were currently located on the second-floor balcony so he was relaxing in a chaise lounge that was designed for sunbathing. It wasn't a piece of furniture that was meant to accommodate two people but this didn't stop Endorsi from taking a seat in his lap, her eyes glowing with a subtle yellow light as she placed her left hand on his chest and said, "You know I hate it when you ignore me..."Before Endorsi could take things any further, Gandr promptly grabbed her wrist, a warning look in his eyes as he asked, "Have you made your resolve? I understand you feel pressured by the fact that Serra and Jung are joining the team, but I already told you I don't have any feelings for them...don't push yourself..."Though she was annoyed by his opening statement, Endorsi's irritation waned a bit when she heard the concern in his final few words. She knew that Gandr was genuinely worried about her, and, after catching a glimpse of the little monster he kept sealed beneath his undergarments, she was equally as concerned for herself...Shaking her head free of lascivious thoughts, Endorsi adopted a serious expression as she stated, "I want you to become my boyfriend. I know you don't want to start a relationship, but you're too big a prize for women to just ignore you. If we make things official, I can at least keep the other girls in our party at bay...come on...I know you like me...you said it yourself back then..."Realizing there was actually a fair amount of truth within Endorsi's words, Gandr didn't immediately refute them. Instead, he adopted a contemplative expression, releasing his hold on her wrist before ultimately releasing a sigh and saying, "Fine...I'll become your boyfriend..." in a somewhat defeated tone.Though she would have preferred him to be more excited about it, Endorsi still smiled radiantly in response to Gandr's words. Then, before he could change his mind, a 'dangerous' glimmer flashed across her eyes as she said, "Let me touch your tail." in a tone that made her enthusiasm apparent. She had only ever been allowed to proactively touch his ears in the past; so, while she had snuck a few touches in the past, the thought of being able to stroke and caress Gandr's tail freely made her more than a little excited.Since he already expected her to make such a demand, Gandr just smiled wryly in response to his new girlfriend's request. Before he could answer her, however, she seemed to misunderstand the look on his face, a not-so-subtle blush developing across her's as she turned her eyes up at him and added, "You can also touch me...just be careful not to scratch me with your nails..."Though her words were somewhat ambiguous, Endorsi's actions made it very clear what she was allowing him to touch by pulling up the front of her skirt. At the same time, a wave of abnormally powerful pheromones spread through the area, tickling Gandr's senses with a robust fragrance of fruit and the characteristic musk of a beautiful woman. He also felt a sudden rush of heat flow into his body, so, if Endorsi hadn't already awoken her [Champion of Lust], it was very obvious she was about to...Rather than wait for Gandr to take the lead, an alluring smile spread across Endorsi's face as she adjusted her position, reaching between his legs to grab his tail. This also caused her to caress a certain part of his body, but, other than smiling even more alluringly, she made no comment on it. Instead, she began to rub his tail up and down, eyes glowing like moonlight against the backdrop of stars as she mused, "You look very cute right now..." in a sultry and seductive tone.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Violent Lizard xD...','I'm surprised they didn't start holding hands...','Gandr is about to get Ara Ara'd!? Where is Fenrir (O ^ O)!?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1790: Interest