Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Opening her eyes, Tarou just stared blankly for several seconds as her mind attempted to process everything that had happened earlier in the afternoon. Every muscle in her body felt like it had been wrung like a rag before being set out to dry near an air heater. Her entire body was suffused with a peculiar yet pleasant ache, and, though she normally never cared about such sentiments, she felt a strong compulsion to just continue sleeping in the embrace of the man who had run her ragged.Unfortunately, while her schedule wasn't particularly busy, Tarou still had duties to perform as a member of the Test Administration. She couldn't just lay around all day, and, though she was doing her best to escape reality, her Pocket showed she had missed calls from the Test Director.Tarou knew she was going to get chewed out the moment she returned to work, so, for the time being, she just continued to enjoy the moment while it lasted. After all, Vahn would be departing later in the day so this might very well be the last time she was able to experience his warmth...Sensing the fluctuations of Tarou's aura, Vahn pulled her a little closer to him, startling her with his embrace. Then, after planting a kiss on the top of her head, he said, "You don't need to worry too much. Though our paths might diverge later today, that doesn't mean this is the last time they will intersect. After all, there is a very good chance we'll be allies in the future..."Hearing Vahn's words, Tarou turned her face up at him, confusion visible in her hazy red eyes until he pulled out a certain six-winged badge. This caused her eyes to immediately come into focus, a potent frown marring her beautiful face as she sat up with a start and exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell me you were a member of Wolhaiksong!? Damnit! Now I really want to fucking punch you...!"Rising to a seated position himself, Vahn ignored the threat contained within Tarou's words, pulling her closer to him as he said, "I'm more of a friend than an actual member. This badge was entrusted to me by Princess Yuri after she learned about my status as an Irregular."At this point, Tarou was absolutely certain that Vahn got a kick out of seeing her dumbfounded and at a loss for words. This gave her a 'really' strong urge to punch him, but, after hearing him refer to himself as an Irregular, all the energy drained from her body as she exhaled a tired sigh and said, "I hate you..." before leaning her head against his chest.Selectively ignoring the insincere remark, Vahn hugged Tarou close to him, gently caressing her shoulder as he muttered, "Sorry. I didn't want to use my status as an Irregular to place you in a difficult position. Will you forgive me...?"Rather than respond to Vahn's words, Tarou opted to lightly headbutt his chest without raising her face to look up at him. She wasn't quite sure how to describe her feelings at the present moment, but, knowing Vahn was the person rumored to possess the ability to actualize their dream, several different emotions welled up inside of her. The most notable of these emotions was frustration, but, coming in at a close second, she also felt an incredible sense of relief knowing she didn't just have a one-night stand with a Regular...As that thought crossed her mind, Tarou extricated herself from Vahn's embrace before pulling out her private Pocket and saying, "Give me your contact information. I only have about three years left on my current contract. Once I wrap things up here, I'll travel up to the 77th Floor. I'm not going to try and force you into a relationship, but you better stop by and visit me at least once. I don't know if it's because you're an Irregular, but you're a real monster in bed. Unless you were just bullshitting me earlier, hit me up when you get the chance."While ignoring the snickering revelations of the Law of Identity, Vahn smiled in response to Tarou as he pulled out his Pocket and sent her his contact information. He had enjoyed himself quite a bit so he had absolutely no qualms about rekindling things on the 77th Floor. Rather, his decision to sleep with her was largely to set a precedent for himself as he moved further up the Tower.Though it was a little suspect, Vahn knew a lot of problems could be avoided if he took advantage of his more 'unique' skills and abilities. There were a number of beautiful and powerful women that had already taken an interest in him, so, rather than stress himself out by trying to dissuade them, it would make things a lot easier if he took the initiative. He had quite a bit of confidence in his ability to satisfy even Tier 5 beings, so, with Tier 5 seemingly representing the 'pinnacle' of the Tower, Vahn knew he was essentially 'unbeatable' in that regard.With that in mind, an amused smile spread across Vahn's face when he saw how happy Tarou was to receive his contact information. She immediately took notice of this, a ruddy glow spreading across her face as she attempted to avert her eyes. Before she could, however, Vahn affectionately cupped the side her face, preventing her from looking away as he smoothly guided her back to the surface of the bed...---Having earned the qualifications to advance to the 12th Floor, it wasn't long before Vahn and Phae found themselves at the top of a that made the mountains below seem like small hills. It was easily several tens of kilometers in height, and, based on the vibrations coming from below, there was a tremendous amount of machinery on the interior.Ignoring the hundred or so other Regulars that were eyeing them like exotic animals, Vahn allowed Phae to return to the Little Garden as he shifted his attention to the Ranker that was standing in the air. This time around, it was an exceptionally tall man, who, despite his sickly completion, appeared remarkably handsome with his intelligent features, glistening golden eyes, neatly styled white hair, and perfectly tailored clothes.Having seen the man's figure on several name-brand products, Vahn already knew his name before he introduced himself. He was an Advanced Ranker known as Hong Haneul, one of the top 10% of all Rankers within the Tower. He had become famous during his climb up the Tower after spending several decades as both an Idol and the leader of a team sponsored by the Ari Family. This allowed him to eventually marry into the aforementioned family, invariably becoming an inspiration for all Regulars with similar aspirations.With several Regulars recognizing who Haneul was, a number of excited murmurs could be heard as everyone promptly shifted their attention towards the white-haired man. In response, the man in question returned a practiced, highly photogenic, smile as he said, "Good morning, Regulars. Allow me to welcome you to the 12th Floor's 'Inverse Tower'. As many of you have undoubtedly noticed, I am Advanced Ranker Haneul. It is my privilege to serve as your Proctor for the duration of your stay on the 12th Floor."Though he radiated an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance, each of Haneul's words and actions possessed an inordinate amount of charm. His voice had a magnetic quality to it, his tone possessing a smooth and velvety timbre that compelled people to listen closely whenever he was speaking. Even Vahn couldn't help feeling a little impressed, a thoughtful light flashing across his eyes as he wondered whether or not he should modify his voice to sound similar...With all eyes focused on him, Haneul's smile became marginally more prominent as he went on to explain, "Your objective this time around is pretty straightforward. You need only reach the bottom of this Tower within the next thirty days. Unfortunately, only the first thirty people will be allowed to advance to the next Floor. Those who fail will be moved to a supplemental testing location near the base of the Tower. There, you will have six months to earn the qualifications to continue your climb before being forcibly ejected from the Inner Tower. Any questions?"Without hesitating for a single moment, Vahn was the first to speak out in response to Haneul's words, asking, "Are there any rules against climbing to the bottom from outside the tower?"Surprised by Vahn's question, an amused smile spread across Haneul's face as he answered, "The Inverse Tower is just under 53km in height. There are no rules prohibiting Regulars from trying to reach the bottom from the outside, but the exterior surface is perfectly flat. You will also be subject to the elements the moment you leave the field of Shinsu that is currently generating a breathable atmosphere. In other words, even if you had wings and could fly, you would suffocate or freeze to death long before you got anywhere near the bottom..."Having heard what he needed to hear, Vahn nodded his head in understanding before surprising everyone by promptly leaping over the edge. Even Haneul's face morphed into one of confusion, but, after several seconds had passed, he simply shook his head before turning back to the rest of the Regulars, chuckling as he said, "There always has to be at least one fool in every group. I would suggest everyone else takes the stairs. Remember, only the first thirty people will be able to qualify. You can check the remaining amount on your Pocket. Good luck."With that said, Haneul was about to teleport away to the control room so he could observe the Test in comfort. Before he could, however, a rather attractive Regular raised their hand, evoking a natural yet highly practiced smile as he inquired, "Is there something you'd like to ask me, young lady?"Though a vigorous blush bloomed across her face the moment Hanseul addressed her, the young lady in question still managed to voice her concerns, placing her Pocket into Visible Mode as she said, "Director Haneul...I think there is a problem with the count..."Noticing the girl's Pocket was displaying 28, Haneul found himself at a momentary loss for words as he habitually pulled up his personal Terminal. To his surprise, there were already two names listed in the category for passing Regulars. This further confused him, but, after pulling up their profiles, an amused chuckle escaped his throat when he noticed that one of them was the same man that had previously leaped over the edge...---Though freefalling 53km would normally take several minutes, at the very least, Vahn could easily reach hypersonic speeds so long as he enveloped his body in Shinsu. As a result, it only took him a few seconds to reach the ground, most of which was spent slowing down so he didn't impact the surface like a pile bunker dropped from orbit.Fortunately, just reaching the ground seemed to be the only qualifier for passing the test, so, after releasing Phae from the Little Garden, they made their way into the interior of the Tower to find, of all things, a large owl wearing a green harness. It seemed rather surprised by their sudden intrusion, but, rather than show any hostility, it inquisitively cocked its head to the side, "Who-hoo are you~?" in a surprisingly feminine voice.Realizing that the peculiar owl was actually one of the Test Administrators, Vahn did his best to restrain his urge to pet her head as he explained, "We're Regulars participating in the current Test. Director Haneul said there were no rules against descending from the outside, so we decided to take the most 'direct' route to the bottom."Showing a remarkably human expression of surprise, the presumably female used the tips of her flight feathers like fingers as she quickly pulled up her Terminal and confirmed the veracity of his claim. This caused her eyes to widen even further, an incredulous glimmer visible in her pale-green irises as she asked, "Did you really just jump over the edge? You must have an astonishingly strong body. Very impressive."Though he couldn't help but smile in response, Vahn waved his hand in a dismissive manner as he said, "It was nothing. Now, what do we need to do in order to advance to the next Floor? I haven't seen anything like a transfer array nearby."Nodding her head in affirmation, the owl went on to explain, "The actual transfer array is located a few hundred kilometers from here. We generally transfer all the passing Regulars over near the end of the month. Since you are clearly in a hurry, however, I can submit a request for a Suspend Ship to come and pick you up? If you don't want to wait around, I can also get permission to show you the way. You are clearly very capable so I don't mind escorting the two of you. It never hurts to build a bit of positive rapport with the rising stars of the Tower."Though he imagined she wouldn't feel the same way if she knew they were Irregulars, Vahn still nodded his head in affirmation of the amiable owl's words. The Law of Identity had revealed that she was actually a Scout belonging to the Royal Enforcement Division of Jahad's Army. Though her friendliness wasn't a facade, she was still a hardcore believer in the doctrine of the Jahad Empire. If it came to light they were Irregulars, she would not hesitate to try and kill them before they could become a threat to the Jahad Empire. This was a little disheartening, but, now that he knew there were such adorable creatures residing in the Tower, Vahn was looking forward to meeting other members of her species during his climb...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is a bully...','He should have done a backflip...','Vahn be like, "I will find you, and then I will pet you..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

---Thirty-Seven Days Later---After a relatively simple test that merely required them to journey several hundred kilometers to a specified location, Vahn and Phae found themselves among several other Regulars in an expansive plaza located on the 20th Floor. To their surprise, much like everyone else's, it was possible to see a massive planar wall in the distance.Though he had seen many strange things throughout his life, Vahn experienced a similar sense of incongruency as everyone else upon realizing that the distant 'wall' was actually the ground. They seemed to be standing on the side of a massive tower, the only thing keeping them in place being the artificial gravitational field holding them firmly against the tower's exterior...Recovering quicker than most, Vahn couldn't help but shake his head when he realized that the only purpose for such a building was to show off the 'incomprehensible' power of the Ten Great Families.The 20th Floor was special because it was the first Floor where Regulars could freely move between the Inner and Middle Towers. It was also the first Floor under the jurisdiction of one of the Ten Great Families, specifically the Po Bidau Family.Fortunately, while the Po Bidau Family was officially in control, they had no actual influence over the Tests conducted in the Inner Tower. They were also the Family famous for focusing on research and other scholarly pursuits, so, while there were undoubtedly a few bad seeds here and there, most of the Tower's residents had a relatively positive impression of the Po Bidau Family.Vahn knew it wouldn't be long before his path intersected with the aforementioned family, but, at least for the time being, he had other things to worry about. With this in mind, he raised his hand, surprising the Ranker that had been explaining the Test of the 20th Floor by saying, "My companion and I would like to forgo taking the Test until a later date. How might we gain access to the Middle Tower?"Though it wasn't particularly uncommon for new arrivals on the 20th Floor to immediately retire to the Middle Tower, that didn't stop the Test Administrator from frowning as he said, "If you forfeit now, the only way to take the Test in the future is to pay a hefty entrance fee. There are millions of Regulars who have fallen into debt after failing to pass the initial Test. Unless you want to become one of them, I would suggest you hold out and at least attempt the Test while it's still free..."Shaking his head, Vahn offered a smile towards the inordinately short fellow who had introduced himself as Mule Love. Then, in a resolute yet unenthused tone, he insisted, "We will take the Test at a later date. Thank you for your warning, but it is ultimately unnecessary. When the time comes, my companions and I will clear this Floor without issue."Crossing his arms, the chibi-like Ranker, attired in blue clothing that made him resemble a penguin mascot, stated, "Being confident is fine, but you shouldn't be arrogant. It isn't uncommon for even members of the Ten Great Families to get stuck on this Floor for several months so you shouldn't be too full of yourself. That kind of mentality will only cause trouble for you and your allies..."Though he understood that the boyish-looking man was actually being sincere, Vahn had already made his decision. With that in mind, he cupped his hands politely, an apologetic smile on his face as he said, "There is considerable wisdom within your words. However, I have friends waiting for me in the Middle Tower. I've heard that the Test of the 20th Floor can take several weeks to complete. I don't have that kind of time right now, so I have little choice but to take it at a later date."Having noticed that Vahn and Phae were the only two members of their group, an understanding glimmer flashed across Love's seemingly drawn-on eyes. The idea that Vahn and Phae must have been stragglers of a preexisting party briefly crossed his mind; so, rather than insist they continue with the test, he ultimately nodded his head before pointing towards a distant building and saying, "If you enter that building, a member of the staff will teleport you to a similar office in the Middle Tower. When you want to retake the Test, that is where you'll go to pay the fee. Good luck in your future attempts. I hope you don't become another one of the Regulars who gets stuck on the 20th Floor."Smiling in response to the Ranker's words, Vahn waved goodbye as he, Phae, and several other Regulars, all made their way to the massive rectangular building located several hundred meters from the plaza. There, they were met by several neatly dressed staff members, each giving off an impression similar to an android thanks to their lens-like eyes and unchanging expressions. Vahn suspected this might very well be the case, but, from the moment he entered the building, it was like stepping into an alternate dimension, one where even his senses were obscured...Proving this suspicion accurate, a frown appeared on Vahn's face as he stepped outside of the Administration Bureau to find that they were standing on the side of the strange tower. Now, however, there was a veritable metropolis present on its side, seemingly extending all the way to the 'ground' below. This gave him a slight urge to venture near the base of the Tower to see how two gravitational fields interacted with each other. Instead, he pulled out his Pocket, sighing as he sent a quick text message before promptly walking into the densely populated city...---Due to the high difficulty of the 20th Floor's Tests, it was colloquially known as the 'needle hole to heaven'. Many even considered it the 'starting point' for a Regular's journey up the Tower, as, prior to passing the numerous Tests, you were still considered an F-Rank Regular. Some interpreted this F to mean 'Fledgling', but, with less than 1% of Regulars passing through the 20th Floor, many more referred to it as 'Failing'.Fortunately, not that it really mattered, Vahn had no real business with the Inner Tower at this point. He was determined to climb the Tower using the 'original' method, ascending through the Middle Tower via the Guardians' Tests. He would only venture into the Inner Tower if it was to complete a specific objective. The rest of his time would be spent in the Middle Tower, and, should it become necessary, he was even prepared to venture out into the Outer Tower.Simply put, the rules implemented by the Jahad Empire and the Ranking Administration now had absolutely no bearing on him. He would move forward at his own pace, and, if anything got in his way, the only outcome would be capitulation or destruction. It didn't matter how many times they defeated him, how many setbacks he experienced, or how much time it took. In the end, he would emerge victoriously...Though that was how things were supposed to go, Vahn couldn't help but ponder his life choices as a tomboyish woman with blonde hair pinned him to the ground using a backbreaker leg lock. If her laughter was anything to go by, she seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit. Vahn, however, could only stare at the black-haired woman responsible for his current position, as, even after mustering all his strength, he wasn't put up any meaningful resistance against the woman currently sitting on his back.Fortunately, even if she bent his legs back even further, Vahn wasn't in any actual pain. He could literally roll himself up like a tube of toothpaste if he really wanted to. That didn't make the current situation any less frustrating, however, as there was a very powerful flow of Shinsu surging through his body after his previous attempt to use the State of Nothingness. This same flow was the reason he couldn't muster any strength, as, compared to his own, it was like an endless ocean, completely dwarfing the diminutive cup representing his own...With his frustration quickly growing beyond his tolerance for 'pranks', Vahn's expression became progressively more sullen as he muttered, "This is starting to get on my nerves...you know, there is such a thing as going too far..."Though he had been speaking to the black-haired woman spectating his suffering with a radiant smile on her face, the person to respond was the woman sitting on Vahn's back; her laughter fading as she pulled his legs further back, practically lying against his back as she said, "Don't be a drama queen. It's not like this is causing you any actual pain. I can tell by the structure of your body that you have the ability to alter your shape. I bet you can get out of this with ease if you really wanted to, right?"Even if the woman's words were true, Vahn couldn't help but frown as he said, "I don't like to alter the structure of my body around other people...it gives them a strange impression..."As if they were taking turns answering for each other, this time the black-haired woman, Yuri, was the one to answer, "This is your punishment for messing around on the 1st and 2nd Floors. I'm not usually the type to hold a grudge, but I can't help but feel annoyed whenever I remember that little act you were putting on. Don't think I'll forgive you just because you suddenly became handsome."Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Vahn briefly manifested the Little Garden, vanishing from view and causing the blonde-haired woman to plop onto the ground. In the next moment, he reappeared stand over her, a slightly sullen expression on his face as he said, "I won't deny that your power is ridiculous, but-"Before Vahn could finish his words, the blonde-haired woman seemed to 'glitch' out of existence for a brief moment before reappearing with her hand grasping his face as she said, "You should choose your words carefully. I'm not fond of being talked down to and scolded. I was just messing around a bit. Don't take things so personally."With those words of warning, the woman promptly released Vahn from her grasp before sniffing her hand and cheekily remarking, "Your oral hygiene is on point. Your breath actually smells kind of sweet."Deadpanning in response to the woman's words, Vahn chose to selectively ignore what the Law of Identity was saying as he shifted his attention to Yuri and asked, "What do you intend to do from now on? Are you going to continue waiting for Team Wolf Pack? Though I won't tell you what you should or shouldn't do, interfering with their climb is only going to inhibit their growth."Before Yuri could answer his question, Vahn's vision was obstructed by the relatively petite blonde, her arms spread wide as she stepped between them and said, "Hey! You've got a lot of nerve if you think you can just ignore Ureko Mazino! You can talk to Yuri all you want later. Before that, I want to hear your response to my previous question. Are you going to join Wolhaiksong or not!?"Though he already knew she was going to be troublesome, Vahn hadn't predicted that Yuri would actually bring Ureko with her to intercept him on the 20th Floor. He only found out when the Law of Identity informed him what her 'surprise' was back on the 17th Floor. This nearly resulted in him delaying his climb, but, having already decided he would participate in this year's Workshop Battle, he didn't really have the time to idle about.Resisting the urge to comb through his hair, Vahn, very plainly, stated, "I don't mind working with Wolhaiksong, but I have no intention of joining someone else's organization. I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to politely decline..."Clicking her tongue in a rather dramatic fashion, Ureko proceeded to cross her arms, puffing up her rather diminutive assets as she said, "That's going to be a problem. I already told everyone back at the Wingtree that I was going to recruit you. I really hate lying, so it would make things a lot easier if you just agreed to join. Come on, man. We're both from the Outside. Shouldn't we try and stick together?"With the same deadpan expression as before, Vahn shook his head, yet again, before explaining, "I am the Sage Dragon Emperor. Though I don't mind allying with others, there are countless reasons why I can't place myself beneath others. Unless you intend to hand control of the Wolhaiksong over to me, it is impossible for me to join directly..."Somewhat surprisingly, Ureko actually seemed to consider this proposal, a thoughtful expression on her face as she rubbed her chin and muttered, "Well...if it were up to me, I wouldn't really mind. The thing is, I'm not really the leader of Wolhaiksong. Its an organization I founded alongside my friend, Baek Ryun. It has become pretty important to them, so I can't just hand it over to others...hmmm..."Not expecting Ureko to seriously consider his words, Vahn momentarily found himself at a loss as he looked towards Yuri for answers. In response, she just shrugged her shoulders in a 'why are you looking at me?' kind of gesture before crossing her arms and leaning back against the wall.Shaking her head, Ureko looked back up at Vahn only to see the latter, once again, staring at Yuri. This caused an annoyed glower to develop across her face, not because she was particularly jealous, but because she hated being ignored. She had literally spent the last few months racing down from the 77th just for this one meeting so the least she expected was Vahn's undivided attention...Noticing the Shinsu in the surroundings gaining an 'ionized' quality, Vahn immediately shifted his attention back to Ureko, frowning as he said, "You're even more hot-headed than Yuri is..."Hearing Vahn's remark, Yuri's ears appeared to twitch prior to her shouting, "Are you trying to pick a fight you dumb lizard!? I might not be able to hit your face, but that won't stop me from beating the shit out of you...!"Deadpanning in response to the Princess' outburst, Vahn began to regret his decision to leave the 'safety' of the Regular area. Dealing with one of them wouldn't have been an issue, but, with two laughably overpowered tomboys in the mix, it was impossible to take charge of the conversation. They were the type of women that walked through life at their own pace, and, thanks to their truly monstrous strength, trying to rein them in without being demonstrably more powerful than them was virtually impossible. There was only one method he could use to 'guarantee' an advantage, but he wasn't quite sure he was mentally or physically prepared to deal with the consequences...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Mule Love is a good guy...','This ain't Tower of God~','Vahn be like, "Be still my right hand..."')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he had already known what to expect thanks to the Law of Identity, Vahn couldn't help but smile appreciatively as he watched Tarou, wearing little more than form-fitting shorts and a black top, scale a complex rock wall without the use of Shinsu. Her body might be a little 'compact', but the structure and development of her muscles was top tier. It was clear she had spent much of her life training, but, rather than inhibit her beauty in any way, it had only served to refine her petite figure into a beautiful work of art.After reaching the top of the 300m artificial rockface, Tarou slapped a buzzer near the top before breathing a sigh of relief as she released her grip. This caused her to fall rather slowly thanks to the pull of gravity only being around 8.3m/s2, but she still impacted the ground with enough force to create a massive explosion of dust and debris. As for the reason, it was entirely due to the fact that the manacles around her wrists and ankles weighed precisely 1000kg each.A thousand kilograms might not be a lot in a world where people could easily lift millions, but even a small amount of weight could be extremely troublesome under the right conditions. Climbing was just such a condition, as, rather than having solid ground to provide leverage against tremendous weights, success depended entirely on things like grip strength, body control, and the development of your joints, tendons, and ligaments.Generally speaking, it was extremely difficult to strengthen collagen fibers that made up tendons and ligaments. It required an inordinate amount of resistance training without reliance on things like body reinforcement of Shinsu Enhancement. This was something very few people actually put any effort into, as, rather than focus on strengthening their bodies, the majority of people thought it was better to expand their internal Shinsu reserves and refine their control.While it wasn't wrong to focus on increasing your internal reserves and control, those who survived through countless battles quickly learned the importance of strengthening the body and improving your foundation. After all, Shinsu primarily worked as a multiplier for existing parameters, so, when two people with similar reserves and control fought, the one with greater physical parameters had an extreme advantage. There were also numerous situations where you might find yourself unable to use Shinsu; so, more often than not, the centuries following a Regulars transition into a Ranker involved them having to painstakingly increase the strength of their body, a difficult task for those who hadn't developed the habit while they were young...After patting herself down and picking away a few bits of debris, Tarou wiped the sweat from her brow as she gazed over at Vahn and said, "I don't normally give a route demonstration. You're lucky I'm in a good mood. Now, just as I said before, you have thirty minutes to scale this wall and hit the buzzer near the top. You're allowed to continue if you fall but if you'll be disqualified immediately if you attempt to use Shinsu to cushion the impact."Though he understood the only reason she had given a demonstration was so that she could show off a bit, Vahn still cupped his hands in an expression of gratitude as he said, "It was a privilege to see Lady Tarou's example. Thank you."Feeling a little embarrassed by Vahn's words, Tarou picked a few loose strands of hair from her face, smiling as she said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Now, put on your weights and get on with it. I'm not exactly busy, but there are better uses for my time. I've already indulged you a lot more than I should have."Chuckling in response to Tarou's words, Vahn donned the thousand-kilogram manacles without any visible signs of strain as he said, "It's a shame. I've enjoyed our time together quite a bit..." before approaching the rock wall and adding, "I guess I'll have to wrap this up quickly..."Without looking back to observe the slight frown on Tarou's face, Vahn extended his hand towards the first hold. It was a bit smoother than he expected, but, after gaining absolute mastery over his body several hundred years prior, it was a simple matter for him to scale the artificial cliff. He didn't even have to strain himself in the slightest, surprising the white-haired Ranker quite a bit when he reached the top of the 300m face in less than a minute.After slapping the buzzer near the top, Vahn repeated Tarou's action of releasing her hold on the final grip. Rather than impact the ground like a meteor, however, his landing caused a wave of air pressure to emanate from his body, dissipating harmlessly into the surroundings. He had basically done the opposite of Endorsi's [Stillwalkers], absorbing the impact into his body and dispersing it outward instead of into the ground.Taking advantage of Tarou's stupefaction, Vahn repeated his earlier action of cupping his hands, this time bowing slightly as he said, "Your demonstration was very helpful. Knowing the path in advance made things a lot easier."Coming to her senses at the sound of Vahn's words, Tarou adopted a potent frown as she asked, "Is this a game to you? I won't deny that your power and control are remarkable, but do you honestly believe that puts you in a position to show off in front of a Ranker?"Rather than outright refute Tarou's words, Vahn shook his head slightly, a relaxed smile on his face as he explained, "I didn't take into consideration the fact you were a Ranker. I just wanted to show off a bit in front of a beautiful woman. I'm sorry if I offended you. Don't worry, come tomorrow, I'll most likely be advancing to the 12th Floor. After that, I'll be out of your hair."Though she was still a little nettled, Tarou's expression changed to one of confusion as she asked, "What? You're leaving tomorrow? Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? Even skilled teams of Regulars take several weeks to clear this Floor..."Shaking his head, Vahn affirmed, "It's the truth. While others might struggle to catch prey several hundred meters beneath the surface, it's a simple matter for me and my companion. Now that I've completed your Special Test, Phae will be able to gather more than enough resources to qualify us for advancement to the next Floor. Go ahead and check in on her using your Terminal if you don't believe me..."Resisting the urge to do just that, Tarou continued to glare back at Vahn, frowning as she said, "You really are treating this as if it were a game...I really hate your type. Tell me, why do handsome guys always turn out to be arrogant or cocky assholes? Seriously. I thought you might have been a little different, but you're just the same as all the other insincere jerks in the Tower..."Rather than take offense to Tarou's accusation, Vahn just exhaled a sigh before shaking his head, yet again, and explaining, "I'm just being honest with you. Nothing I've said thus far has been a lie. You really are an attractive woman and the structure of your body is simply amazing. Unfortunately, our paths were only ever destined to intersect for a very brief moment. Just as you are striving to fulfill your hopes and dreams, my own require me to climb the Tower as quickly as possible."Though she didn't feel any less annoyed after hearing Vahn's words, Tarou knew she couldn't really refute them. This made her feel even more annoyed, as, shortly after their first encounter, a fire had been burning in her body. She had tried to quench it by exercising her body, but, thanks to Vahn's intrusion, the previously small flame was now blazing like an inferno. It had been several decades since she last encountered a man who tickled her fancy so it was exceptionally annoying to hear he would be leaving the following day.Realizing that Vahn might just be bullshitting her in an attempt to get into her pants, Tarou snorted loudly before accessing her Terminal and tracing the coordinates of his companion. She wanted to see what made the man so confident in his claim. What she never expected to see was a strange-looking Lighthouse sitting near the bottom of the seabed. What made this scene even stranger was the fact that all Shinheuh in the surroundings had been 'frozen' in place, clearly under the influence of Reverse Flow Control. This allowed the Lighthouse to approach them, effortlessly capturing even powerful Shinheuh without any resistance whatsoever...With her mouth slightly agape, Tarou, once again, found herself at a loss for words. Phae's mastery over Reverse Flow Control was even better than most Rankers. Her ability to handle her Lighthouse was also exceptional, so much so that it was difficult to believe she was actually an F-Rank Regular...Shifting her attention back to Vahn, Tarou's expression quickly morphed into a frown as she realized that Vahn wasn't simply being arrogant. His confidence was backed by actual results, so, after a very brief moment of consideration, she decided to just get straight to the point, asking, "Are you trying to get into my pants, or are you just leading me on?"Understanding Tarou's nature and having already made the decision to stop holding himself back, Vahn adopted a marginally more serious expression as he answered, "I won't deny that the thought has crossed my mind..."Though she wasn't fond of such a 'roundabout' response, Tarou nodded her head in understanding before pulling out a keycard from her Inventory and tossing it toward Vahn. Then, with a somewhat fierce light flashing across the surface of her ruby-red eyes, she stated, "Third floor. Fifth room from the right. Be there in ten minutes."With those parting words, Tarou immediately teleported back to her room in order to take a quick shower. The thought of doing it then and there had briefly crossed her mind, but, knowing other Administrators would be able to peek in on things, she promptly decided against it. There was also the fact that she was a little self-conscious about the sweat covering her body, and, while it might not matter all that much in the long run, it would be pretty embarrassing if he commented on her stench...What Tarou never expected was that, immediately after teleporting to her room and stripping off her top, a jolt ran through her body as she heard the locking mechanism of her door deactivate. It hadn't even crossed her mind that Vahn was the one standing outside the door so she immediately entered a combat-ready stance as several silvery Baangs of Shinsu formed behind her.Surprising the white-haired woman for the umpteenth time, the door opened to reveal none other than the wryly smiling Vahn, hands raised in a gesture of surrender as he mused, "This isn't exactly the reception I anticipated..."Breathing a sigh of relief, Tarou appeared next to Vahn in an instant, yanking him into the room rather forcibly before reactivating the automated locking mechanism. Then, with an incredulous look on her face, she turned to him and asked, "How the hell did you get here so quickly? Didn't I tell you to arrive in ten minutes?"Tearing his eyes away from Tarou's immaculately sculpted and moderately perky breasts, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he shamelessly answered, "I couldn't wait. Can you really blame me?"With a tinge of red bleeding into her cheeks, Tarou instinctually moved to cover her breasts as she averted her eyes and said, "I need to take a shower..." in a surprisingly demure tone.Reading the mood, Vahn closed this distance between himself and Tarou as if it was completely natural before guiding her to look back at him as he said, "I really don't mind...if you still insist, let me take a shower with you..."Feeling the inferno in her body become a fiery tempest, Tarou made the executive decision to just set aside her inhibitions, answering Vahn's words by linking her arms around his neck and hopping up so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. Then, in a somewhat threatening tone, she said, "You better know what you're doing. There are no rules preventing Test Administrators from taking action against Regulars within their own chambers. If you fail to satisfy me, don't expect me to let you walk away so easily..."Chuckling in response to the woman's threat, Vahn surprised Tarou quite a bit by grabbing her butt and forcefully massaging it. This caused a powerful tremor to run through her body, a look of sheer incredulity spreading across her face when a girlish moan suddenly escaped her lips. Unfortunately for her, the time for talk had already come and gone. Now was the time for action, so, without any hesitation, Vahn readily demonstrated just how 'capable' he was...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Gimme a minute..."','Phae OP~','She ded')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1819: Detour