Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After returning to his hotel room, Vahn wasn't even remotely surprised to find that Yuri had made herself comfortable in the living room. She liked to jump down from her own balcony in order to raid his fridge or fish for snacks. This was in spite of the fact that he had gotten an extra keycard for her to use the door. As for her reason? She thought it was more fun to enter from the balcony...Lying on the sofa in little more than yoga pants and a sports bra, Yuri craned her head back with a half-eaten potato chip in her mouth. Her brows raised slightly when she noticed his company, but, rather than show actual surprise, she just shook her head, finishing her chip before remarking, "I'm not really one to talk, but you need to show some restraint. It doesn't really matter to me, but Soo-Yun will be sad if you 'cheat' on her with another member of the Eurasia Family. They aren't fond of sharing their 'favorites' with others."With that said, Yuri hopped up from the sofa, her body seemingly blinking out of existence for a brief moment as she appeared in front of Arusha, the representative of the Lo Po Bia Family. This caused the latter to startle, but, rather than shy away, she instinctually threw a punch towards the former. She had been trained to 'fight' whenever her fight or flight response had kicked in, so, even though she could sense that Yuri was a lot stronger than she was, her body automatically reacted.Catching the fist with absolutely no effort, a smile spread across Yuri's face as she said, "Not bad. I heard that the Zebra family members were the weakest among the Lo Po Bia Branch Families. Your punch is a little light, but your reaction and instincts aren't bad. If you apply yourself, you should be able to become much stronger."Since she had been under the influence of Yuri's Reverse Flow Control, Arusha had little choice but to listen attentively to the former's words of advice. When her hand was finally released, freeing her from the irresistible freezing effect, she forced herself to take several labored breaths before saying, "Thank you for your guidance..."Waving her hand in a dismissive manner, Yuri's smile became even more prominent as she said, "No need for any of that. Since Vahn brought you here, that basically makes us sisters. You'll have to call me Princess when others are around, but you can just call me Yuri when we're alone."Though she didn't fully comprehend the meaning of Yuri's words, Arusha still nodded her head in mock understanding before saying, "My name is Lo Po Bia Arusha. My mother and blood kin call me Aruru..."Finding Arusha's pet name rather adorable, Yuri's eyes began to shimmer as she gave the former a thumbs up and remarked, "Great name! We're going to get along great, Arururu~."Though she noticed Yuri had tacked an extra 'ru' onto the end of her name, Arusha's only reaction was the subtle twitching of her ears. Then, alongside the former, she turned her attention to where Vahn had just emerged after placing Soon-He, the Eurasia Family representative, in the guest room.Before Arusha could even think to ask what she should be doing, her mind totally blanked as Yuri unabashedly remarked, "You really have a thing for girls with tails, huh? Is it because they usually have more toned butts?"As if to confirm her own suspicions, Yuri looked around behind Arusha, noticing that, while her butt was rather small, it appeared very toned. She also had plump yet muscular thighs, a trademark of the Zebra family that was known for their exceptionally powerful kicks.Having never been the type to restrain herself, Yuri surprised Arusha quite a bit by squatting down and spontaneously squeezing her thighs. She wasn't completely sure, but, thinking this was part of her duty, she ultimately chose to tolerate the intrusion until Vahn muttered in a slightly exasperated tone, "Yuri...we need to have a serious talk about invading people's personal space..."Without retracting her hands, Yuri just rolled her eyes in response to Vahn's words before retorting, "Lecture me when you stop petting everything within arm's reach. I don't recall you ever asking for permission to touch my head or place your hand around my waist."Though he wanted to argue that it wasn't the same thing, Vahn found himself unable to speak. He had a natural inclination to avoid lying, so, while they 'were' different, that was merely the result of his unique perspective on the situation. From the perspective of others, including the recipients of his petting, there wasn't that much of a difference between his own actions and Yuri's. He couldn't even make the argument that his petting was less invasive, as, the moment he placed his hands on their heads, he knew everything about the structure of their body...Realizing she had gotten one over on him, Yuri's smile blossomed into a toothy grin as she released Arusha from her clutches and added, "You might have brought Aruru here with good intentions, but don't think you can deceive me. You don't have the heart to mind control someone so your options are pretty limited when it comes to convincing people to remain loyal..."Hearing Yuri casually vocalize his intentions, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little guilty, his expression showing the conflict he felt in regards to the situation. He had been doing his best to ignore it, but, now that his intentions had been laid bare, he suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of perturbation. After all, he was basically intending to 'conquer' Arusha in order to spare her from suffering she had been fully willing to face. He had arbitrarily made the decision, and, due to her strong sense of duty, she wouldn't even resist...Not expecting Vahn to suddenly become depressed, Yuri's eyes widened as she adopted a slightly incredulous look and asked, "What the hell got into you? I didn't say there was anything wrong with what you're doing. I mean, not that you should let it go to your head, but anyone who catches your interest, regardless of the reason, is pretty lucky. The Little Garden is basically a paradise, and, once they get a taste of Rindo's cooking, anyone with a functioning brain would want to live out the rest of their days there. Don't even get me started about your displays of affection...honestly, I'm a little envious of Fenrir and Ryun..."Shaking her head free of such thoughts, Yuri took a half-step behind Arusha, smacking the latter's butt hard enough to produce a crisp sound while subsequently propelling her forward with Shinsu. This caused Arusha to crash into Vahn, but, thanks to the thin membrane surrounding her body, she hadn't even felt the initial smack. The only person affected was Vahn, his bewilderment preventing him from acting until Arusha had already crashed into him.Finding Vahn's compromised state rather amusing, Yuri's smile inevitably returned, crimson eyes shimmering as she added, "You're both consenting adults. Don't worry about the circumstances too much. Just like we in the Ha Family always say, 'No matter what, charge forward'. You already made up your mind, so what reason is there to hesitate? Go have some fun."Though he was used to her being pretty straightforward, this version of Yuri left Vahn feeling at a complete loss for words. Her behavior was like a mix between Tsubaki and Tiona, two of the most influential women present during his formative years. This filled him with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, and, though he couldn't simply set aside his guilt, he suddenly found himself unable to contain his laughter. This wasn't because of Yuri's words, however, but because Arusha's face had become beet red as she made no effort to separate herself from him...---Three hours after his entrance into the Little Garden, Vahn emerged from his room wearing nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms, his muscular body glistening with a thin layer of sweat. He had never activated his Magia Erebea constitution after entering the Transcendental Path to Heaven, so, while it wasn't completely necessary, he was quite fond of sweating in certain situations.Noticing his emergence, Lisanna, who had also just emerged from her room further down the hall, adopted a slightly impish grin as she mused, "You better not have paid more attention to that new girl than my sister~."Since Lisanna had taken the initiative to walk over to him, Vahn extended his hand to pat her head, his relaxed smile becoming somewhat wry as he answered, "I wouldn't dare. Though it's not as bad as her passive-aggressiveness, your sister can be pretty scary when she's mad. Besides, she actually took the lead this time around. When she gets like that, there isn't much I can do but go along with her suggestions."Giggling in response to Vahn's words, Lisanna continued to stand with her hands behind her back, head presented for his convenience as she remarked, "You're pretty bold to be petting the younger sister of your lover right outside your bedroom..."Rolling his eyes, Vahn ruffled Lisanna's short white hair as he said, "You shouldn't play with fire. I'm someone who has a thousand different Oyakodon 'recipes' contained within my mind. Do you think I have any reservations about 'eating' two sisters? If you're not careful, Mira might even be the one holding you down..."Rather than display any fear, Lisanna just giggled in response to his words, pristine blue eyes turned up in a playfully seductive manner as she traced her finger along his bare chest. This caused Vahn to squint slightly, his vibrant aquamarine irises gaining a golden hue as she drew herself close enough that her breasts were pressed against him.Though he understood that she was 'mostly' just playing around, Vahn surprised Lisanna quite a bit when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her, firmly gripping her rather bulbous butt and lifting her off the ground. This caused her mouth to open in surprise, but, before she could say anything, he sealed her lips with his own, kissing her for a full three-and-a-half minutes before pulling away to reiterate, "You shouldn't play with fire..."Not expecting her 'prank' to develop into such an intense and passionate kiss, Lisanna found herself at a loss for words. It took her several seconds to fully process what had just happened, her feet still dangling from the floor as an intoxicating sweetness pervaded the interior of her mouth. It was only after she swallowed the residual saliva that she fully returned to her senses, but, rather than petition for her release, her curiosity compelled her to lean forward and lightly nibble his collarbone...Surprised by Lisanna's escalation, Vahn felt a sudden compulsion to look over his shoulder to see if Mira was standing behind him. He knew she wasn't, but, for some reason, he felt like he needed to confirm it with his eyes. This hadn't gone unnoticed by Lisanna, who, feeling emboldened, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to his ear before whispering, "Don't worry...it will be our little secret~."Though he got the impression she was back to messing with him, Vahn could tell by the state of Lisanna's body that his previous actions had stoked the fires within her body. He suddenly felt as though he had gone a little too far, but, as Mira had already given him permission long ago, even going so far as to suggest Lisanna during the time when he was first creating new Templates, there was no particular reason to hesitate. Rather than whisk her away to engage in a secret rendezvous, however, he laughed like a madman as he drew the panicking beauty into the room containing her sister...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'What is this? Utawarerumono...!?','Yuri would make a great spokesperson for Nike xD...','Get burnt')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With only a few hours remaining until the start of the Workshop Battle, Vahn decided to pass the time by watching a few of his favorite animated movies in the master bedroom. He had converted the entire room into a makeshift theater of sorts, and, though he knew there would be a lot to clean up, he even provided food and drink to the many women who had huddled together atop the bed.Fortunately, though the room was only equipped with a king-sized bed, virtually everyone present had the ability to transform into a more compact form. As a result, Vahn found himself buried under a mountain of fluff, his hand casually meandering across the fields of smooth, velvety, or sometimes bristly fur. The only thing he had to complain about, not that it particularly bothered him, was that Yoruichi was the one to claim his lap.After wriggling her way in between his thighs, Yoruichi placed her head right where Vahn's sleeping dragon was located. Then, without requiring him to caress her, she produced a deep and resonating purr that caused the entire bed to vibrate slightly. Despite this, there was no actual sound produced by the action, as, over the past couple of months, Yoruichi had developed what she referred to as a 'silent purring' technique.Though he could accomplish perfect cellular control if he really wanted to, Vahn had developed the habit of allowing his body to respond naturally a long time ago. Because of this, a very noticeable outline had appeared in his left trouser leg. This garnered a considerable amount of attention from virtually everyone present, and, as a result, the fragrance of female pheromones grew increasingly stronger with the passage of time.Fortunately, even without resorting to more intimate means, Vahn had countless methods to satisfy or coax others into contentedness. He just needed to infuse his intent into his domain, and, though it was less effective than direct contact, he could effectively 'pet' everyone within. If he got serious, he could even pet their entire body all at once, eliciting sonorous and restrained mewls, moans, and whimpers from virtually everyone present.The only person to escape the influence of Vahn's Law of Petting, at least for the present moment, was Index. She was fully immersed in the movie, blissfully unaware of the scene taking place behind her as she happily devoured a number of different treats. It was only when the credits had started to roll that she turned around, her expression demonstrating remarkable confusion as she noticed that even Mikoto was breathing rather heavily.With her expression turning into a potent pout, Index, who had been snacking away in her Jirachi form, began to hover above the bed as she asked, "Why is everyone acting strange? Did you all do something naughty? Why didn't you invite me!?"Before anyone else could answer, Vahn gestured for Index to come closer, his expression softening as he caressed the side of her face and said, "We weren't doing anything naughty. I just got a little carried away while petting everyone. Don't worry, I'll make sure to give you plenty of headpats later on. For now, I think it's about time that everyone returned to the Little Garden. You can come out to play once the first round of the Workshop Battle has concluded."With Vahn cupping and caressing both sides of her face, Index couldn't help but produced a silly smile as she replied with a contented, "Ehehehe~.". As for everyone else, they reacted to his words by returning to their human forms. The only exception to this was Mikoto, who, fearful of how she would appear in her human form, alighted from the bed before disappearing into the bathroom as a Pikachu...---Though there were variations between each successive Workshop Battle, the basic structure of the event hadn't changed in more than a hundred years. This made it pretty easy to obtain information about the event, but, thanks to the Law of Identity, Vahn knew 'precisely' how things were going to develop. Because of this, while everyone else was shoring up their defenses and drafting numerous strategies, Vahn could be seen walking leisurely through the city streets with Arusha treading close behind.After witnessing the wonders of the Little Garden and learning the true nature of Vahn's existence, Arusha's views towards him had changed drastically in a very short period of time. She now viewed him as an actual God, and, though she was still terrified of opposing her Family, he had assured her that she could simply reside in the Little Garden after the Workshop Battle had come to an end. For now, she felt fortunate just to be able to follow after and witness his greatness with her own eyes...Sensing Arusha's focus on him, Vahn briefly glanced over his shoulder, a casual smile spreading across his face. This caused the sporty-looking woman to avert her eyes, a tinge of red bleeding into her cheeks as she seemed to be searching for an excuse. Before she could think of anything, however, Vahn had already slowed his pace, his arm wrapping around her waist as he guided her through the city streets as if they were a couple. This caused her face to turn an even darker shade of red, but, rather than pull away, she leaned a little closer, a contented smile spreading across her face as she muttered, "Thank you..."Rather than tell her there was no need to thank him, Vahn just planted a kiss on the top of Arusha's head before putting a bit of strength in his hold. This earned them quite a bit of attention from the surroundings, but, most importantly, it demonstrated to the Observers spying on them that his and Arusha's relationship was developing smoothly. This was crucial for a number of reasons, but, most importantly, it would help to improve the standing of the Zebra family among the other twenty Lo Po Bia Branch Families.Though he wasn't particularly fond of the way the Lo Po Bia did things, Vahn had promised Arusha that he would help her family elevate themselves from the 20th position, a standing they had been cursed with for nearly a thousand years. This forced them to act as 'beasts of burden' for the other Branches, and, though they weren't actually the weakest, their limited numbers ensured that weaker families, such as the Mouse, Rabbit, and Grey Wolf families were always ranked above them.Vahn didn't really have an interest in the politics of the Lo Po Bia Family, but, understanding how much Arusha cared for her 'blood kin', he didn't mind playing his part. It was the least he could do until he was in a position to take advantage of the Lo Po Bia's hierarchal structure to essentially take over the entire family. This would ultimately require him to defeat the Lo Po Bia Family Leader, but, considering his 'unique' skillset, Vahn was pretty confident in his inevitable victory. The only Family Leader he was even more confident in defeating was Yeon Hana, as, regardless of how much Shinsu she possessed, it was ultimately useless so long as she infused it with the flames of the Phoenix and the Three-Legged Golden Crow...---After a short detour, making the most of their time together, Vahn guided Arusha to an area that was supposed to be off-limits to anyone unrelated to the Workshop. At nearly the exact same time, both of their Pockets were 'forced' into visible mode as an excited voice began to recount the rules of the first round, a game known as 'One Shot, One Opportunity'. This was one of the most popular events routinely selected by the Workshop, so, even without an explanation, most of the Regulars who had done their research were familiar with it. As for the actual rules, they were as follows:-----------------------------------------------[One Shot, One Opportunity!]1: Every Regular will be assigned a unique revolver and a single bullet known as a 'Dark Bullet'. The first 248 Regulars to shoot an enemy with a Dark Bullet will be teleported to the Archimedes, thus qualifying them for the next round.2: If a Regular is shot with a Dark Bullet, they are instantly disqualified.3: It is possible to steal a bullet from another Regular. Anyone who has their bullet stolen will be immediately disqualified.4: If a Regular manages to steal an enemy's bullet, they will earn the right to switch their revolver between Light and Dark Mode. Bullets fired in Light Mode will instantaneously teleport anyone hit, including previously disqualified participants, to the Archimedes, thus qualifying them for the next round.5: Regardless of how many bullets a person has, missing with a Dark Bullet will result in immediate disqualification. This rule does not apply to Light Bullets.6: The first person to shoot someone with a Dark Bullet will receive the 'Dyrnwyn', a special weapon produced by the Workshop. The person who shoots the most people with Light Bullets will receive the 'Saint's Grace', another special weapon that can be used in the upcoming Workshop Battle. As a bonus, anyone who is lucky enough to shoot the wandering 'Bong Bong' will receive both it and a VIP suite onboard the Archimedes.7: If any non-participant is shot or harmed, the person responsible will be disqualified.8: Though fighting between participants is allowed, killing is strictly prohibited within the confines of Sepia Island. This is meant to be a special event, not a Test for advancing to the next Floor. Let's all do our best to make the most of this unique opportunity hosted by the Workshop!-----------------------------------------------Since the Workshop Battle didn't officially start until after the rules had been listed, Vahn waited until his Pocket changed to reflect the number of people who had qualified before blasting a large hole in the nearby wall. This startled the nearly five-hundred Regulars who were inside, each chosen by FUG to make a complete mockery of the event. They had coordinated with sleeper agents within the Workshop to find out which event was going to be held. As a result, they had already gathered a total of 248 'sacrifices', each ready and waiting to be shot with a Dark Bullet so that the Workshop Battle could be completely dominated by members of FUG.With all Rankers being forced to leave the city prior to the beginning of the Workshop Battle, Vahn was able to use Reverse Flow Control to freeze all but a single Regular. Then, using his telepathy, he began to extract the bullets from their guns while making his way towards the scythe-wielding man wearing a silver mask as the latter shouted, "How...!?"Even without additional context, Vahn knew what the man was asking. Thus, with a relaxed smile on his face, he answered, "Perception is a curious thing...people place too much emphasis on what they can see with their eyes. Perhaps you have forgotten that after losing your own all those years ago?"Though his face wasn't visible due to the expressionless silver mask, it was easy to tell how shocked the man was by how unstable his aura became. Immediately after, a shadowy black Shinsu began to emanate from his body as he darkly replied, "I see...the rumors regarding your 'awareness' were not exaggerated. Tell me, why do you oppose us when you know the reason why we fight?"Cocking his head to the side, Vahn adopted a slightly incredulous look as he asked, "What are you talking about? I'm not opposing you at all. In fact, I have proactively issued a compromise to your Elders. They are the ones standing in opposition to me because, like the Ten Great Families, FUG has also become a cesspool for politics and corruption. You are simply being used as a convenient tool by one of the factions vying for increased political power and influence within the organization."With the shadows around him becoming even thicker, the masked man leaned forward slightly as he shouted, "You're lying! You're just a fool who galavants around the Tower in the pursuit of sexual pleasure! Don't think you can shake my beliefs with such baseless accusations...!"Realizing he couldn't reason with the man who was literally burning his Ego in order to increase his power, Vahn just shook his head before adopting a loose stance and remarking, "I didn't come here to try and convince you, Reflejo. Now, show me how powerful that hypocritical zealotry of yours has made you..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is well on his way to petting the Heavens xD...','The Law of Identity is such a cheat (O - O)...','Oh Yeeaaaaaaaaaaaah~!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After a relatively uneventful evening, Vahn met up with Yuri and Evan to enjoy breakfast before heading to the cafe, where he was intended to meet the representatives of the Families who had pestered the Ha Family Leader. This included a fashionable young woman from the Khun Family, an intellectual beauty from the Yeon Family, an adorably petite girl representing the Eurasia Family, a cold-looking woman with silvery-white hair and matching eyes from the Arie Family, and, somewhat surprisingly, a sporty-looking girl with Zebra-like features from the Lo Po Bia Family.As was often the case whenever they were trying to 'scout' a promising Regular for inclusion into their Family, the Leaders of the Ten Great Families had sent delegations composed of members of the opposite sex. Though the Yeon and Eurasia Family was an exception, the intentions of the other delegates were pretty transparent. They had effectively been chosen as a 'honey pots', girls selected in an effort to try and bind him to their respective Families via seduction or the promises of various 'favors'.Truth be told, Vahn actually felt a little sorry for the girls since they were essentially being 'sacrificed' by their Families in order to allure him into their fold. Some, specifically the woman from the Lo Po Bia Family, hadn't even been given a choice in the matter. She was ordered to do 'whatever it took' to try and lure him in since the Lo Po Bia Family Head had taken a keen interest in his Pokemon. As for the rest, the Khun and Arie Family representatives were essentially just here to demonstrate that their Families weren't afraid of the Ha Family while the youthful-looking girl from the Eurasia Family had been sent to 'confirm' Soo-Yun's report.Simply put, none of the women had any particular interest in him, and, if not for the orders they had received from their respective Families, they wouldn't be here. After all, with the exception of the Zebra-like woman from the Lo Po Bia Family, forced to sit away from everyone else, the others were all Rankers. They each had their own ambitions, and, though they understood the importance of securing talent for the Family, none of them were particularly enthused by the prospect of being bound to a Regular. If not for the fact that their target was 'somewhat handsome', they would have complained quite a bit about the current situation...Understanding the innermost thoughts of everyone present, courtesy of the Law of Identity, Vahn couldn't help adopt a slightly amused smile as he made his way over to the table with the Zebra-like woman from the Lo Po Bia Family. This caused her to pale considerably, not because she was fearful of him, but because she had suddenly become the center of attention for all the Rankers present.Completely ignoring the tense atmosphere, Vahn casually asked, "Have you eaten? I had breakfast beforehand, but I can order something if you're feeling peckish."With an expression that seemed to convey, 'what the hell is wrong with you?', the representative of the Lo Po Bia Family forced a smile as she answered, "I'm fine...thank you for your-"Before she could finish her statement, a small rumbling could be heard from the woman's stomach, her expression freezing as her complexion became whiter than the representative of the Arie Family. This caused Vahn to respond with a light chuckle as he waved over the waitress that was standing nervously off to the side. Her expression also paled quite a bit, but, with a job to due, she ultimately came over to take his order before hastily departing for the back room as if she were fleeing for her life...Maintaining a casual smile, Vahn followed the waitress's departure with his eyes before shifting his attention to the four girls sitting at the nearby table. Unsurprisingly, the representative from the Yeon Family was completely incensed. As for the representatives from the Khun, Arie, and Eurasia Families, the first had an amused smile on her face, the second appeared completely expressionless, and, as could be expected, the third had yet to even awaken from her slumber...Matching gazes with the member of the Yeon Family, Vahn adopted a slightly teasing smile as he remarked, "A hateful glower doesn't suit you. Though I won't tell you to smile, I'm confident you would appear even more beautiful without such a severe expression marring your countenance."Not expecting a sudden compliment, the woman from the Yeon Family blinked in confusion as the representative from the Khun Family issued a light chuckle before stating, "You're rather bold, aren't you? Tell me, is it the backing of the Ha Family that gives you such confidence, or are you actually a little monster~?"Shifting his gaze to the blue-haired beauty, Vahn sent a playful wink in her direction as he replied, "I assure you, there is nothing 'little' about me." in a deep, velvety, tone. This caused the woman from the Khun Family to lick her lips in a rather seductive manner, a carnivorous glimmer flashing across her eyes as she mused, "This might not be a complete waste of time..."Though he was tempted to continue their little play, Vahn took advantage of the woman's words to explain, "I'm afraid you'll have to walk away disappointed. Though I am truly fortunate to be able to bear witness to so many remarkable beauties, I've no interest in those who look down upon others."Frowning in response to Vahn's words, the member of the Khun Family looked towards the empty space they had prepared for him to stand. She hadn't really cared at first, but, in hindsight, it might not have been particularly sensible of them to place their pride as Rankers before the duty they had been assigned. Unfortunately, the die had already been cast, so, with a dismissive shrug, she rose to her feet and remarked, "Shame...and I was actually starting to take an interest in you. See ya around, monster boy."With that said, the woman from the Khun Family began to make her way towards the exit, an action mirrored by the taciturn beauty from the Arie Family. Before they left, however, the former seemed to remember something, a smile spreading across her face as she glanced over her shoulder and said, "The name's Leticia, by the way. Khun Leticia. Commit it to memory. I'll be sad if you forget it before our next meeting."Finished with her words, Leticia promptly departed the cafe, leaving the silver-haired beauty from the Arie Family to idle for several seconds before she finally stated, "Sona..." in a refined yet frosty tone. Then, despite the fact she had nearly departed without so much as a single word, she offered a formal bow before raising her head and adding, "The Workshop Battle...I will be watching..." in the same icy tone.Since his impression of Sona had been entirely based on the Law of Identity's representation of her, Vahn was a little taken aback by her paradoxically courteous yet cold behavior. She was clearly not accustomed to conversing with people, and, had they been alone, he could easily imagine her just sitting in silence throughout the entire meal. She suddenly gave off the impression of an extremely elegant and refined blade; cold, emotionless, and perfectly suited for killing...Unfortunately, Sona departed immediately after her words, so, even though he felt a sudden desire to know more about her, the opportunity had come and gone. This was a little regretful, but, as he wasn't exactly hurting for companionship, Vahn could only shake his head in self-admonition before shifting his attention to the representative of the Yeon Family. Her hateful glower had returned, and, though it was significantly less prominent, it was rather obvious that she wasn't very thrilled about how things had developed.Seizing the initiative for himself, Vahn returned a smile as he remarked, "I'm surprised you decided to stick around. As far as I know, the members of the Yeon Family are notorious misandrists. Though any man would be lucky to be paired with such a remarkably beautiful woman, I have no interest in becoming a manservant of the Yeon Family."Though she was annoyed by Vahn's words, the representative of the Yeon Family couldn't maintain her hateful glower when he referred to her as a 'remarkably beautiful woman'. She, like the majority of the women in her family, had an excessive amount of pride and vanity. As a result, her expression relaxed in a haughty smile as she combed through her fringe and affirmed, "Do not view me in the same regard as these shallow and shameless trumpets. My only reason for being here is to ask you a few questions. Once you have answered my questions, I will be on my way."Chuckling in response to the woman's words, Vahn rekindled the woman's ire by plainly asserting, "I have no intention of being interrogated. If you want to avoid the indignity of having your questions completely ignored, I would suggest you move on to more important matters. Neither you nor your Family has anything of value to offer me, so what reason do I have to entertain you? The only thing you will achieve by threatening me is ensuring I side with another of the Ten Great Families. The Ha Family, in particular, has offered me quite a number of benefits..."Though her expression darkened with the addition of each sentence, the representative of the Yeon Family didn't immediately respond to his words. She wasn't in a position to speak on behalf of her Family, so, with Vahn making it clear he wasn't going to be pressured so easily, she wasn't sure how to move forward. They were currently in a district reserved for Regulars, so, while she could try and intimidate him, any actual attack against him would result in the Guardian of the Floor killing her in an instant...Realizing she was the one who had been backed into a corner, crimson flames began to manifest around the representative of the Yeon Family as she slowly rose to her feet and hissed, "The Yeon Family will remember this slight..." before storming out of the cafe. Unfortunately, due to her long black hair, Vahn wasn't able to enjoy her departure as much as he had the previous two.Now that all the troublesome elements had been dealt with, Vahn stretched his body to remove some of the tensions that had built up before looking towards the befuddled Zebra-like woman and saying, "I understand the position you're in, so I'm not going to make things complicated for you. I can't join the Lo Po Bia Family, but I can help you avoid punishment by allowing you to join me. I can't explain the details unless you're willing to submit to a contract, but I can assure you that even the Lo Po Bia Family Leader won't be able to extend his hand to you."Not expecting such an offer out of nowhere, the Zebra-like woman could do little more than gawk for nearly a minute before slumping her shoulders and answering, "That's impossible...nobody can guarantee such things. You might be very powerful, but you have no idea how strong the Leaders of the Ten Great Families are. Though I might suffer a beating if I fail to complete my assignment, I am sure to die if I abandon the Family..."Though he understood he couldn't save everyone, Vahn wasn't comfortable with the knowledge that he would effectively be sentencing the woman to a fate worse than death if he sent her away. The branches of the Lo Po Bia Family were constantly vying for a higher status so they spared no effort in trying to make a positive impression on the Family Leader. As a result, the leaders of her own branch were bound to take exception to the fact she had failed in the task assigned to her by the man they worshipped as a God. She wouldn't be killed, but, for the remainder of her life, she would be forced to endure tremendous suffering...Shaking his head in response to the woman's words, Vahn adopted a firm tone as he said, "Send a message to your Handler. Tell them you have succeeded in infiltrating my team and will be joining me for the duration of the Workshop Battle. You don't have to lie to them by saying I have agreed to join the Lo Po Bia Family. Just tell them I am also interested in the legendary creatures created by the Lo Po Bia Family Leader so I wouldn't mind doing an information exchange in the future. For the time being, you will accompany me to act as a liaison between myself and the Lo Po Bia Family. Do you have any objections...?"Hearing Vahn's final question, the zebra-like woman spontaneously snapped out of her momentary stupor, her eyes widening as she rapidly shook her head. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but, for a brief moment, Vahn gave off a similar impression as the Elders in her family. Her instincts compelled her to obey the strong, so, before she fully realized what was going on, the text message had already been sent. This earned her a comforting pat on the head, easing all of the tensions that had permeated throughout her body as Vahn added, "Let's go home..." in a firm yet guiding tone...Feeling a similar compulsion as before, the zebra-like woman rose to her feet alongside him. Before they could awaken the member of the Eurasia Family and depart, however, the waitress from before suddenly emerged from the kitchen with their order. This caused Vahn to pause for a brief moment, his expression similar to a Noh Mask. Then, following a lighthearted laugh, he urged her to sit back down so that she could pacify the demon rumbling in her stomach...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Top 10 Anime betrayals...','Vahn might mess around, but he doesn't play games xD...','RIP Zebra-chan...there is no escape...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1840: Charge Forward