Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

While his temporary vessel was dealing with Baam within the Little Garden, Vahn, still in his dragon transformation, continued to hover silently above the arena. He was doing his best to stand out as much as possible, so, rather than power down after his instantaneous 'erasure' of Baam, he allowed his aura to continually increase as he turned his attention towards the other stages and said, "Sorry about that. You may continue."Though none of Team Wolf Pack truly believed that Vahn had killed Baam, that didn't prevent them from being stunned by the sequence of events. Even Phae, who was still a nascent Ego linked with Vahn, found herself at a loss for words so Vahn wasn't particularly surprised when a beam of red lightning, courtesy of Rak, emerged from the viewing area reserved for participants.Rather than attempt to dodge, Vahn allowed Rak's spear to impact his chest without so much as flinching. Instead, a terrifying smile spread across his face as he crossed his arms in what appeared to be a condescending manner. This further upset Rak, but, having violated the rules, he was rather unceremoniously ejected from the viewing stands before Khun and the rest could attempt to calm him down.Fortunately, there were still several minutes left before the next matches were scheduled to begin so the majority of Team Wolf Pack, after 'glaring' towards Vahn with masks of hatred, moved as a group to intercept the enraged crocodilian. Vahn was very impressed by this display, a 'taunting' smile spreading across his face as he watched the group depart in a hurry...Since the rest of the matches had yet to continue, Vahn shifted his attention back to the other four stages, his aura continually increasing as he asked, "What are you waiting for? I have already given you permission to continue."With the exception of Phae and Gandr, the rest of the Regulars, including Endorsi, Ran, and Aleksai, were still a little too surprised to take action. This was actually the trio's first time seeing Vahn in his dragon transformation. Prior to this, they thought his title as Sage Dragon Emperor was just that, a title. Now, however, they realized the title was, quite literally, a description of Vahn's 'true form'...Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces, the notion that he might have gone a little too far, very briefly, crossed Vahn's mind. Immediately afterward, however, he realized he could capitalize on this situation, a thoughtful glimmer flashing across his blazing golden irises as he looked towards Phae and said, "It seems my presence here is a distraction. Come, Phae, we're leaving."Though she was momentarily confused by Vahn's words, Phae quickly realized his intentions when he momentarily strengthened their connection. This made her feel a little melancholic, but, as they were already planning to separate following the tournament's conclusion, she quickly teleported to Vahn's side, smiling as she took a seat on his shoulder and said, "I forfeit my match. Good luck with the rest of the tournament."Before the meaning of her words could properly settle in the minds of everyone present, both she and Vahn vanished in an explosion of golden light. This left the majority of the crowd completely stunned, unable to process what had just happened. The only Regulars exempt from this were the few who had actually bet against Vahn and Phae, their excitement compelling them to shout out in glee as they promptly ran off to collect their earnings...---Having already familiarized himself with areas that weren't under the Administration's surveillance during his date with Ryun, Vahn teleported to the roof of a building located in one of the shadier districts of the Coliseum City. The organization known as FUG had created numerous footholds for themselves on virtually every Floor, and, thanks to their agreement with the Guardians, their actions were 'invisible' to the networks maintained by the Administration. This was one of the reasons they were able to recruit gullible Regulars, as it created the illusion they had power that superseded the authority of both the Administrators and the Jahad Empire.After spreading his senses to confirm their emergence had gone unnoticed, Vahn, now in his human form, pulled out the Little Garden before ejecting Baam from the interior. Then, after explaining the situation, he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and said, "You won't be walking alone, but, from this moment onward, you'll be treading a path of your own choosing. My last bit of advice, at least for the time being, is that you shouldn't be afraid to make mistakes. People learn more from failure than they do from success, so don't allow setbacks to prevent you from moving forward. When the time comes, I'm certain our paths will cross again...Noctis..."Though Vahn was tempted to give Baam his 'actual' name, he figured it would be more appropriate for him to receive it from his parents. Thus, after confirming Latin wasn't a language that existed in the Tower, he came up with the name 'Noctis', meaning 'Night'. It wasn't the most creative name, but, considering Baam's current name was derived from a date, Vahn didn't think it was that bad...Hearing his new name, a look of conviction flashed across Noctis' eyes as he balled his hands into fists and said, "I'll do my best to become strong enough to protect everyone. No matter how many times I stumble, I will always pick myself back up and keep moving forward. I promise."Smiling in response to the youth's assertion, Vahn ruffled Noctis' hair one final time as he said, "I know you will. Just as you believe in me, I also believe in you. See you at the top, kiddo..."With those parting words, Vahn retracted his hand from Noctis' head before standing next to Phae, both smiling as they teleported away in an instant. This left Noctis feeling a little melancholic, but, after hearing a ringing sound from his Pocket, the solemn expression on his face melted away as he was reminded of the fact he was never truly alone...---Appearing at the entrance to the teleportation terminal connecting to the 11th Floor, Vahn wasn't surprised to find the Ruler of the Floor, Celineth, waiting for them. There were several members of the Test Administration also present, but, as he hadn't exactly violated any rules, it wasn't like they could do anything to him. As a result, Vahn smiled back at the Ruler and his entourage, asking, "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"Returning a smile of his own, Celineth replied, "I was looking forward to seeing your performance in the finals. With your power, you could have easily won the entire tournament..."Chuckling in response to the Ruler's words, Vahn's tensions eased as he explained, "There is no real meaning in securing victory in a tournament with five winners. Besides, I have already demonstrated more than enough power to garner the attention of every major faction within the Tower. Going out of my way to bully a bunch of brats isn't really my style. Now, if there is nothing else of import, my companion and I would like to advance to the next Floor."Though he was amused by Vahn's bravado, Celineth couldn't help frowning slightly in response to the former's words. He was both a High Ranker and the Ruler of an entire Floor, so, while it might not really matter in the grand scheme of things, he still expected a certain amount of respect from others...Feeling a remarkable aura begin to emanate from the androgynous High Ranker, an exasperated sigh escaped Vahn's lips as he asked, "Are we really doing this? I have already earned the right to advance to the next Floor. Even as the Ruler, you lack the authority to revoke that qualification. Do you really intend to try and intimidate me when we both know you can't so much as lift a finger to prevent my passage? The Guardian will literally erase you from existence if you try something."With his impression of Vahn decreasing by the moment, Celineth's expression turned sullen as he said, "Even if you possess an extraordinary power, making enemies out of High Rankers is unwise. I had hoped to extend to you my friendship...now, however, it seems you are more interested in my ire. Tell me...did my Lo Po Bia Family offend you somehow...?"Rather than answer the man's question, Vahn extended his hand out, palm up like he was expecting something. This caused quite a bit of confusion, at least until he explained, "Information isn't free. If you want me to continue with this farce, the price is one-million Points per question."Vahn had never been fond of being 'interrogated' one-sidedly by people who assumed themselves to be in a position of authority above him. Even he never 'expected' people beneath him to answer his questions one-sidedly so it always annoyed him a little whenever someone expected him to just disclose things for their convenience. This could largely be attributed to Loki's 'training', but, more than anything else, Vahn simply disliked being talked down to by people who believed they could toy with him at their leisure.As could be expected, his words weren't particularly well-received by the Test Administrators, but, somewhat unexpectedly, Celineth seemed to relax slightly as he pulled out his own Pocket. In the next moment, a million Points had been added to Vahn's. Then, with a smile on his face, he asked, "Tell me...do you have any enmity against the Lo Po Bia Family?"Quickly realizing that a 'verbal contract' had been established a result of his previous statement, an exasperated sigh escaped Vahn's throat as he answered, "There is no particular enmity between me and the Lo Po Bia Family."Though he was a little disappointed that Vahn hadn't tried refusing to answer his questions after the contract had been established, Celineth managed to smile as he sent over an additional two-million Points and asked, "What is your reason for climbing the Tower? Are you currently affiliated with any known organizations within the Tower?"Resolving himself never to arbitrarily antagonize a Ruler in the future, Vahn's expression became increasingly annoyed as he answered, "My reason for climbing the Tower is exactly that: to climb the Tower. I have no particular goal, nor am I directly affiliated with any known organization within the Tower."Since he had never actually joined Wokhaiksong, Vahn wasn't lying when he said he wasn't 'directly' affiliated with any known organization. He was a prospective member, sure, but there was no need to clarify that.Satisfied by Vahn's responses, Celineth nodded his head in approval before sending him one last batch of Points, asking, "Tell me, that power you displayed...is that your limit?"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes in response to the man's rather vague questions, Vahn shook his head in mild exasperation as he answered, "I am steadily growing stronger, just like everyone else that is climbing the Tower. Why would you assume that was my limit?"Realizing his question hadn't been specific enough, a discontented frown marred Celineth's face as he briefly considered whether or not he wanted to continue throwing Points at the man standing in front of him. As a High Ranker, a few million Points was tantamount to a couple of drops in a very large pale, but that didn't mean he wanted to continue handing them out. The only reason he had accepted Vahn's 'proposal' was to ensnare the man by using his own words against him. Since this hadn't really worked out, he saw no reason to continue playing around; so, after several seconds of silence, he ultimately shook his head, smiling as he said, "I have no further questions. You and your companion may go. I look forward to meeting you once you become a Ranker."Though he understood the hidden meaning contained within the man's final remark, Vahn didn't pay it any mind. It shouldn't take him more than a few years to rival the average High Ranker, and, by the time he reached the 'top' of the Tower, even the Leaders of the Ten Great Families might not be his match. After all, this was just a trial linking the lowest Realm in the Record to the three major Realms above. If he got stuck in a place like this, he might as well give up on his goal of reaching Tier 7 in a 'timely' manner.With that in mind, Vahn returned a nod towards Celineth and his entourage before walking past the group without another word. This caused an arrogant smile to spread across the face of the High Ranker, but, having already disregarded the man's existence in its entirety, Vahn advanced toward the teleportation platform without taking notice...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Flex*','Loki's training really 'pays off' in certain situations (OwO)...','Vahn be like, "Bye, Felicia..."')(A/N: For those who are confused by the 'verbal contract', it was basically just Celineth's attempt to exploit his position as Ruler. The Guardians are generally the 'guarantors' of contracts, but, as the Ruler of a Floor, Celineth basically wields a similar level of authority. Since Vahn had issued terms, it was well within his power to recognize it as an actual contract; one which would have allowed him to take 'direct' action if the terms were violated. TL;DR: Vahn played himself.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the smell of saltwater tickling his nostrils, Vahn stared absentmindedly at the cloudy blue skies and the seemingly endless sea surrounding the platform he and Phae had been teleported to. A brief melancholy swept him at the notion that he wouldn't see the members of Team Wolf Pack for several years, but, understanding they had their own path to walk, he eventually just shook his head before shifting his attention towards the Test Admin that had appeared to greet them.Seeing that Vahn was finally paying attention, the Administrator, a petite woman with short white hair tied fastened into two tiny buns, crossed her arms and said, "It's about time you started paying attention. What, did your companions fail to qualify or something?"Though he was tempted to frown in response to the woman's words, Vahn just replied with a light chuckle before answering, "Nothing of the sort. Please, proceed with your explanation."Since it didn't really matter to her what the duo's story was, the Administrator quickly adjusted her oversized blue-blocker glasses as she remarked, "Well, whatever. The names Ranker Xia Tarou. For the duration of your stay on the 11th Floor, you can refer to me as Administrator or Lady Tarou. As for your Test...well, things are pretty simple, really. You need to catch a variety of different Shinheuh from the surrounding waters. Each Shinheuh has an exchange value depending on how well they are preserved or whether or not they are still alive. All exchanges and purchases can be made at the central residential platform. Also, while there are no penalties for leaving the area, you will lose your qualifications as Regulars if you attempt to approach any of the surrounding islands."Finding it rather amusing that a petite girl wearing strange combat fatigues would ask people to refer to her as 'Lady', a natural smile spread across Vahn's face as he mused, "Thank you for your explanation, Lady Tarou. I do have a few questions, however...that is, assuming you are willing to humor me..."Like most Rankers working as Administrators, Xia Tarou was typically bored out of her mind while supervising Regulars. As a result, she spent most of her time training in preparation for the annual Ranking Battles that occurred between the various factions inside the Tower. This was usually more than enough to deal with any 'urges' she might have, but, for some reason, Vahn's nonchalant and somewhat cocky smile caused her heart to skip a beat.Though he noticed the peculiar fluctuation in Xia Tarou's aura, Vahn's expression didn't change in the slightest until she answered, "Sure...just make it quick."With the edges of his smile curling up even more, Vahn went on to question Xia Tarou about the specific rules and regulations enforced on the 11th Floor. He also asked about the peculiar floating resort they had found themselves in, a curious installation that was composed of several buildings linked together by long piers. It was clearly something that constructed by the Workshop so he was a little interested to understand its true purpose.Xia Tarou would normally depart immediately after explaining the basics of the 11th Floor so she was more than a little surprised when she checked the time on her Pocket and noticed that nearly two hours had passed. This made her feel a little unsettled, and, for a very brief moment, she even considered the possibility that Vahn had used some kind of hypnosis against her. Of course, if that had been the case, the personal terminal issued to all Administrators would have informed her of the grievous violation of the rules. Since it hadn't, the only possible reason for her uncharacteristic compliance was that she had been pulled into the pace of a Regular...Feeling a little embarrassed, Xia Tarou adopted a slight frown as she abruptly interrupted the flow of the conversation to ask, "Are you a Scout? You're quite talented at guiding a conversation..."Chuckling in response to the sudden inquiry, Vahn shook his head before casually answering, "My official Position is Wave Controller. If anything, I'm just fortunate that Lady Tarou was kind enough to answer my questions. I understand your duties as an Administrator must keep you very busy so I am very grateful for the detailed explanation you have provided..."Waving her hand in a dismissive manner, Xia Tarou smiled awkwardly as she said, "You might not be a Scout, but you certainly have a way with words. I bet you were real popular with the ladies back in your home town, right? Well, you can forget about trying to butter up to me, you hear? You might be a handsome little bugger, but that won't get you any extra benefits from me."Though Vahn got the impression he could get 'numerous' benefits from the moderately flustered woman standing in front of him, he still nodded his head, a 'sad' smile spreading across his face as he replied, "I suppose I'll have to be content with the kindness you have already shown me...thank you, Tarou..."Hearing Vahn call her name directly, Tarou's heart skipped several beats as a contradictory urge to squeal happily and punch him square in the face welled up inside of her. The thought of a Regular calling her by name made her feel 'very' uncomfortable, but, at the same time, she couldn't really imagine herself punching Vahn in his 'stupidly handsome' face.Taking advantage of Tarou's momentary stupor, both Vahn and Phae offered her polite bows before attempting to walk past her. This caused her to immediately snap out of it, a frown marring her face as she reached out to grab Vahn's wrist by pure instinct.Rather than pull his hand away, Vahn raised his brows slightly as he looked down at the 156cm tall woman and asked, "Is there something you wished to discuss, Lady Tarou?"Surprised by her own actions, Tarou quickly released Vahn's wrist as she answered, "No...I just...you shouldn't just walk away from someone in the middle of a conversation. It's very rude...show some respect. I am a Ranker, after all..."Though he was tempted to point out he had been very polite, even offering her a slight bow toward the end, Vahn, instead, answered, "I understand...I was merely under the impression that Lady Tarou had other matters to attend. If there is something more you'd like to discuss, however, I don't mind keeping you company."With Vahn's statement basically reversing their previous positions, Tarou found herself momentarily at a loss for words. The way he spoke made it appear as if she wanted him to stay, and, considering she had literally prevented him from walking away, there was no way for her to argue against it.Feeling as though she had been played, Tarou balled her right hand into a fist as she asked, "Are you fucking with me, you impudent little rascal...?"Raising his brows at Tarou's poor choice of words, Vahn showed an amused smile as he replied, "I'd be a pretty lucky man if that were the case..."To punctuate his statement, Vahn sent a playful wink towards the befuddled Tarou before promptly turning around and walking away. This time, however, she made no attempts to stop him. Instead, she absentmindedly observed their departure for several seconds before clenching both fists and muttering, "You cheeky little brat..." while a vibrant red hue spread through her cheeks...---After familiarizing themselves with the facilities, Vahn checked himself and Phae into a suite that typically accommodated a full party of Regulars. Then, after doubling up on the privacy measures and security, they gathered within the living room. Before that, however, Phae didn't hesitate to tease him a bit, musing, "You appear to have made quite the impression on Lady Tarou..."Chuckling in response to Phae's statement, Vahn casually manifested the Little Garden atop his palm as he said, "She is pretty cute. White-haired women with red eyes have a certain charm to them and I've always had a thing for the feisty, combat-oriented, types. Even without her outfit giving it away, I can tell by the balance of her body that she is an exceptionally talented martial artist. I imagine she is pretty limber as well..."Sharing the majority of Vahn's preferences, Phae didn't blame him for going out of his way to tease Tarou. In fact, had she been in a position to do so, she would have done the same. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, she had other duties to attend. With this in mind, she skillfully filled Vahn's cup to the brim before taking a seat and saying, "Based on the information provided by our white-haired friend, we should be able to clear this Floor as early as tomorrow afternoon. Did you want to explore the surrounding islands, or will we be climbing up the Tower as quickly as possible?"Having already formulated a plan the moment he decided to separate from Team Wolf Pack, Vahn allowed the Little Garden to dissipate as he answered, "Based on what the Law of Identity revealed, the only thing on the islands are a few species of Shinheuh being researched by the Workshop. I'll send Latias and Latios to check things out, but it doesn't seem like anything suspicious is going on."Agreeing with his decision, Phae nodded her head in approval before asking, "Do you want me to begin gathering Shinheuh from the surrounding waters?"Rising to a seated position, Vahn adopted a somewhat apologetic smile as he answered, "I would appreciate it. My current plan requires us to reach the 20th Floor within the next two months. After that, I'll be aiming for the 30th in order to participate in the Workshop Battle. The next fragment of that artifact should be located on the island where the finals are scheduled to take place. Only the Archimedes has the coordinates for the island so my current objective is to reach the 30th Floor in the next four months. I'd rather not have to wait five years for a second opportunity, so we'll need to focus on clearing each Floor in a timely manner..."Though it wasn't a pressing matter, Vahn had learned of the existence of 'Enryu's Thorn' thanks to the Law of Identity telling him about it while assuming the identity of a FUG Elder. Since it was their 'trump card' against Jahad and the Ten Great Families, procuring it for himself virtually guaranteed that FUG would place all their focus on him.Vahn intended to do everything in his power to shift attention away from Team Wolf Pack, so, even if it guaranteed he would be hunted down and badgered by FUG, he still intended to collect each of the Thorn's fragments for himself. He was also very interested in its structure and properties, so, for the time being, most of his plans revolved around stealing the fragments and eliminating any major threats that might impede Team Wolf Pack's progress.With this in mind, Vahn rose to his feet alongside Phae before promptly departing the suite. Rather than follow her out to the pier, however, he made his way up to an observation deck that had been converted into a training gym. It was a place that had originally been intended for Regulars to use, but, for a variety of reasons, very few actually used it. Instead, he found Tarou inside, her lithe body dripping with sweat as she beat the living daylights out of an exceptionally durable sandbag.Sensing the presence of someone else in the usually empty gym, a frown immediately developed across Tarou's face as she kicked the 2,000kg sandbag with enough force to send it crashing into the nearby wall. She hated to be disturbed when she was trying to vent her frustrations, but, seeing who had entered the room, her anger immediately gave away to stupefaction as she asked, "What the hell are you doing in here?"Smiling in response to the expected question, Vahn peeled away the outer layer of his blouse to reveal his chiseled body hidden beneath a form-fitting black [Aegis] top. This caused Tarou's eyes to widen slightly, an audible gulp emanating from her throat as she adopted a low stance and warned, "If you try anything...I will fucking destroy you..."Rather than demonstrate even a modicum of fear, Vahn smiled in response to Tarou's threat before casually remarking, "I'd like to undertake your Special Test...."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn on the prowl...','I almost feel bad for FUG...','Oh my (OwO)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Following the unsurprising defeat of Shibisu, the rest of Team Wolf Pack won their matches with relative ease. The only other members who had any real trouble were Aleksai and Baam, largely due to their rather passives natures.Aleksai's skills had blossomed under the tutelage of Fenrir, but he was far more focused on resisting blows than dishing them out. As for Baam, his talent was simply monstrous, but, due to his kind and caring nature, he had no desire to harm other people.Were it not for his nature, Baam could have easily secured the 2nd Seed among Wave Controllers for himself. He was simply too kind-hearted, a trait that was bound to cause numerous problems for Team Wolf Pack in the near and distant future.Despite knowing this, Vahn had no desire to change Baam's personality as, much like Khun had put it, the Tower needed people like him. The same could be said for Team Wolf Pack, so, while he was bound to struggle early on, Vahn was certain Baam would help pave the way forward for the rest of his team.For now, Baam needed more experience. Even if these experiences included setbacks, there were numerous people who would support him. His powerful fate would also protect him, so, even if he couldn't help feeling a little worried, Vahn believed things would work out even if he wasn't around to protect and guide them...---After waiting for nearly two hours, Vahn, once again, found himself atop one of the five pillar-like arenas. His opponent was a sporty-looking girl with fiery-red hair, matching eyes, and bronzed skin that reminded him of Quant.Unsurprisingly, the announcer introduced the spunky little brat as Quinn Blitz, a descendent of the Blitz Family. They were a Special Family that was famous for producing Hwayeomsa, people capable of converting Shinsu, Divine Water, into Flames. This was an exceptionally complicated process, but, seemingly at the cost of their rationality, the unique family was filled with fiery-tempered redheads who could produce flames at will.The moment the rounds were started, a wry smile spread across Vahn's face as the rather petite girl, another characteristic of the Blitz Family, fearlessly launched herself toward him as a flaming Baang of Shinsu coalescend in the air behind her. Then, even though she didn't have any actual bloodlust, a somewhat crazed smile spread across her face as she screamed, "Die~!!" in an excited tone.Though he had humored the idea of taking it easy on his opponents, Vahn knew it would be for the best if he wrapped things up quickly. With this in mind, he raised his hand in much the same way as his first match. This resulted in Quinn immediately jumping to the side, seemingly in an attempt to dodge the 'shockwave' he had used to defeat his first opponent. At the same time, she manipulated the flaming ball of Shinsu to create a surprisingly swift whip of flames.Unfortunately for Quinn, Vahn was still making use of his Telekinesis, and, while her willpower made her feel a little 'heavy', it was ultimately futile. He managed to lock her in place mid-jump, smiling as her whip of flame impacted the invisible membrane produced by his Domain.Without affording the raging redhead the opportunity to muster a counterattack, Vahn tossed her over the side with an unceremonious sweep of his hand. She screeched a number of expletives on the way down, but Vahn ignored both her swearing and the booing from the crowd as he shifted his attention to the other matches...---Though Baam was nearly eliminated in the second round due to his opponent resembling a young girl, the rest of the matches had preceded without incident. Even Aleksai managed to dominate his opponent with relative ease, seemingly becoming more determined after the close-call in the first round.With the second round of matches out of the way, things were finally beginning to get interesting as Vahn was facing off against Baam while Ran was matched against Aleksai. The second match, in particular, was something worth watching as Aleksai was one of the few people Ran considered to be 'slightly bothersome' on a unique scale that included: 'slightly bothersome', 'a little bothersome', 'bothersome', 'very bothersome', 'too bothersome', and 'wants to kill'.Ran was a rare breed of 'male tsundere' so there was naturally no 'not bothersome' category in his personal evaluations of the people around him. Even Phae was in the 'very bothersome' category due to motherly treatment, something that made Ran feel awkward since his own mother hadn't been particularly caring. As for the rest of Team Wolf Pack, the majority fell into the 'bothersome' and 'very bothersome' categories. The only notably exceptions were Aleksai, Laure, and Yun-Yun; essentially anyone who didn't 'bother' him all that often.Since he was a little interested to see how Ran would deal with someone he had virtually no desire to fight against, Vahn could only smile wryly when Baam adopted a combat stance and said, "I'll do my best!" with determination filling his tone.Unfortunately for his young protege, this was neither training nor a stage where Vahn could afford to humor him. It was the venue he had prepared in order to demonstrate his skills, so, after shaking his head, Vahn adopted a serious look as he said, "This might be the last lesson I ever give you...with that in mind, pay close attention. Allow me to show you the difference that exists between us...the incomprehensibly vast gulf you'll need to overcome if you desire the power to protect everything..."Before Baam could ask any questions, Vahn exhaled a sigh that produced a cloud of white vapor. At the same time, an eerie stillness seemed to spread throughout the entire arena as everyone present began to feel an instinctual dread welling up from the most primal region of their hearts and minds.After taking measures to prevent his aura from interfering with the other matches, Vahn opened his eyes to reveal blazing golden irises. Resplendent golden scales began to spread across all across his rapidly expanding body as two majestic wings erupted from his back, their breadth surpassing the diameter of the stage as Vahn, now in his Huanglong transformation, seemed to become the sole existence within the arena.Though he felt like his body was tearing itself apart, Vahn managed to appear absolutely calm as he stared down at the trembling Baam with an apologetic glimmer in his eyes. He had actually planned to save this transformation for the finals, but, realizing it would leave a deeper impression if he used it against Baam himself, Vahn decided to teach the youth one final lesson: the difference between a mortal and a God.Without affording his young protege any time to think, Vahn created a massive golden Baang that resembled a small sun. Then, to the horror of every spectating member of Team Wolf Pack, he fired the Baang towards the wide-eyed youth, cutting through the durable arena and piercing deep into the foundation beneath the Coliseum. When the light faded away, a tunnel that was more than 10m in diameter had formed, it's depths impossible to determine even with bands of golden lightning illuminating the interior...---Rising with a start, Baam took several labored breaths as he looked around to discover himself beneath a familiar emerald-green canopy. He could also see the place that had served as a home and headquarters for his team, the aptly named Wolves' Den Manor. This allowed him to quickly calm down, his breathing nearly returning to a natural rhythm until he heard a voice from behind muse, "You certainly recover quickly..."Though he recognized the voice, Baam nearly jumped to his feet before a hand pressed down on his shoulder, keeping him seated. Then, with an apologetic smile on his face, Vahn took a seat next to the boy, asking, "Did you manage to 'absorb' anything with that power of yours?"Feeling a warm and comforting energy flow through his body, Baam exhaled a sigh of relief as the shadow of fear warping his expression quickly faded away. Then, after several seconds of silence, he answered, "I felt 'something', but I don't really know how to describe it..."Nodding his head in understanding, Vahn lightly ruffled Baam's hair as he said, "Don't worry. You'll get it...eventually..."At this point in time, Baam's Innate, [Primordial Sin of Gluttony], had yet to awaken. He thought a near-death experience might help the youth awaken, but, after seeing how quickly he recovered, it was pretty clear that he was more confused than anything else.After briefly considering whether or not it was a mistake to make things 'painless', Vahn shook his head in self-admonition before explaining, "As I explained to you previously, there are a number of people in this Tower who intend to try and use you as a weapon. Since we'll be parting ways pretty soon, I decided to use this event to temporarily conceal your identity from them. From hereon, your identity as The 25th Baam will only be known to the members of Team Wolf Pack."Though he didn't fully grasp Vahn's words, Baam still nodded his head as if he understood what the former was trying to say. This caused Vahn to chuckle in amusement, affectionately ruffling the lad's hair a second time as he added, "With your consent, I intend to modify your apparent age, race, and physical appearance. This should allow you to climb the Tower without having to worry about your friends being targetted by fools who only see them as a means to control you. I don't want to see a future where you become a weapon used to fulfill the dreams of others..."Hearing the concern in Vahn's voice, Baam managed the type of smile that only a protagonist could pull off as he replied, "I understand, Mr. Vahn. I also want to protect my frien-, no, my family. Please do what you think is necessary. I'm ready...!"After suppressing the sudden urge to continue watching over and guiding Baam during his ascent up the Tower, Vahn ruffled the boy's rapidly growing hair as he said, "Your appearance will actually be very important for a number of future events. With that in mind, I won't be changing your basic features too much. I'll simply be aging you up a bit while changing your hair and eye color. As for your race, you'll still remain human, but you'll have features resembling those of an ancient species of Elves."By the time Vahn had finished speaking, Baam had 'matured' quite a bit. His height increased from 168cm to just over 180cm, his body becoming noticeably more muscular as his hair turned a similar shade of brown to his mother. His eyes also lost their golden luster, becoming a rich hazelnut color while his ears became pointed and more angular. These made his already androgynous appearance become even more 'refined', but, so long as he cut his hair, he would resemble a 'pretty boy' more than a 'handsome lady'.Preempting any questions his not-so-young protege might have, Vahn pulled out a hand mirror as he said, "You should change clothes using the [REquip] system. Though Khun might deadpan if they saw you nearly bursting out of your clothes, others might laugh."Following Vahn's advice, Baam quickly changed clothes before accepting the hand mirror so that he could see himself properly. Vahn wanted to mention that he could have inspected himself using the [REquip]'s interface, but, after habitually pulling out a hand mirror, he decided to stay quiet. Instead, he just smiled as Baam began to make faces at himself, seemingly struggling to reconcile that the person staring back at him was himself...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'DIE, RIAJUU! EXPLODE~!!','*Insert Gilgamesh firing Ea sound*','Vahn over here making Khun's life more difficult xD...')(A/N: Today is the second year anniversary of the first chapter of EPIC. I had originally wanted to do something special by releasing a bunch of chapters, but my health hasn't been particularly great as of late. Still, I hope everyone is still enjoying the story. If there are any issues, please let me know in the comments section or send me a message on discord. We still have a long journey ahead of us so your feedback is very important to me. Other than that, I just wanted to thank everyone who has stuck around to see the story grow into the 'epic' is has become. Without your continued support, I never would have been able to continue writing like this. Know that, from my perspective, you guys and gals are the best part of EPIC. Thank you.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1816: Moving Forward