Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Following the instructions they had received the prior evening, Vahn, Arusha, and Arryn proceeded to the waiting room that had been assigned to them. The second round of the Workshop Battle had been scheduled for the early afternoon so all participants had been asked to be waiting within their respective rooms by 10:00 AM. This might seem a little early, but, by having everyone appear hours in advance, they could effectively eliminate no-shows and potential delays.Fortunately, the Workshop wasn't filled with idiots, so, in order to prevent contestants from feeling bored, they had been given access to a buffet, a mini-theater, and tablets that detailed the rules of the second round. Vahn found this last part particularly amusing as it also assigned a rating to each of the contestants for the purpose of gambling. His own rating gave him odds of 100:1, the highest among all competing Regulars.Since he would have access to his onboard the Archimedes until the end of the Workshop Battle, Vahn didn't actually 'need' to win the second round. This gave him to the notion of screwing with the event organizers by throwing his match, effectively rewarding anyone who bet against him a total of 100x their stake. He could also turn the entire event on his head by waiting until the last round and effectively bankrupting everyone who bet on his victory.Were it not for the spreading of certain negative rumors, Vahn wouldn't have had any qualms about allowing someone else the chance to win the Workshop Battle. Now, however, he felt an inclination to bite back at the people who had spread negative rumors about him, essentially slapping them in the face while demonstrating who, exactly, they were trying to offend. Some might consider this a little petty, but, compared to the pettiness of those who spread such rumors, he might as well be a Saint.---With four hours passing uneventfully, Vahn, who had been watching a movie with Arusha and Arryn flanking him, finally received a notice to move to the arena. Arusha and Arryn had received similar notifications, so, after confirming their participation, the three of them were promptly teleported to the edge of a giant stone pillar.Similar to the Seeded Tournament of the 20th Floor, the matches were scheduled to take place atop giant pillars that protruded from a massive pool of crystal clear, icy blue, water. For the sake of time, several rounds would take place simultaneously until only a handful of contestants remained. These would then go on to participate in a round-robin style tournament meant to conclusively determine who the strongest E-Rank Regular was.One of the things that distinguished this tournament from the one Vahn had participated in on the 20th Floor was that forty people would be participating each round, eight per pillar of stone. As for the objective, they were required to insert peculiar plug-like weapons into grooved located at the center of each pillar. The first three people to insert their plugs into the grooves would be allowed to advance to the next round, effectively reducing the number of participants for the second round to 90.What made things interesting was how things developed following the round of eliminations. From there, people who had been chosen as 'Gamblers', a title given to those who had earned the most points during the One-Shot One Opportunity Game, would be allowed to 'purchase' participating Regulars in order to organize a team. They would then act as Team Leaders during the Tournament Finals, an event scheduled to take place two days later so that each of the newly constructed teams would have a chance to familiarize themselves with each other.Though he could think of quite a number of flaws in the tournament structure, such as allies from the same original team conspiring together despite being pitted against one another, Vahn didn't think it was that bad an idea from an objective standpoint. So long as everyone followed the rules, it roughly balanced out the final teams, as, even if they managed to get ahold of the most powerful participant in the entire competition, they would need to put in a considerable amount of effort just to 'summon' them during the final round. This made it smarter to secure more economical Regulars as there was a very real chance they could grasp victory before the most powerful participants even became a factor.Fortunately, regardless of whether or not he was able to actively participate in the final round, Vahn could still complete his objective. All he needed was the island's approximate spatial coordinates to be able to teleport there whenever he wanted. FUG would likely take exception to this, but, as their strongest member on the 30th Floor was merely an Advanced Ranker, he wasn't particularly all that concerned. Rather, depending on how he played the current situation, he might even be able to get the other Elders of FUG to intervene with the faction that was causing him trouble...As these thoughts were playing across his mind, Vahn was waiting for the announcer to finish their explanation of the rules so that the tournament could officially begin. It was fortunate that his team was so small, as, due to the unique structure of the event, both Arusha and Arryn had been placed in the same arena. This virtually guaranteed all three of them would make it through to the Finals as the other five members of their group weren't particularly special. The only thing that distinguished them was their apparent hatred towards him, as, despite his 100:1 odds being published, all five of the male participants seemed determined to defeat him.Shaking his head in mild exasperation, Vahn waited until the start of the match before waving the club-like plug in a sweeping motion. He had already explained the situation to Laev-tan, so, while she was a little annoyed, she didn't manifest for fear of getting him disqualified. This turned out to be a mercy for the other Regulars, as, despite being pushed from the platform in an instant, they were, at the very least, spared a few burns.Ignoring the remarks of the announcer and the booing of the crowd, Vahn sauntered over to the center of the platform, smiling at Arryn and Arusha before placing his plug into one of the three grooves present. They offered slightly wry smiles in return, but, understanding what kind of being Vahn was, neither were particularly surprised by his ability to eliminate the other contestants with a casual wave of his plug. He was already at a level comparable to Rankers, and, when he went all out, even High-Rankers would struggle against him. For the average E-Rank Regular to last even a few seconds against him, the only reason imaginable was that Vahn had allowed it...---After returning to their private waiting room, Vahn was the first to take a seat on the rather lavish sofa before Arusha and Arryn promptly took their positions at his flanks. Neither had any aversion to him wrapping his arms around them, so, after unpausing their movie, he made certain to take a few liberties for their sake.Over time, Vahn had come to learn that, while they hated being objectified, the majority of women enjoyed feeling 'wanted' by their partner, so, whenever the opportunity presented itself, he made sure to express his affection through action rather than words. This might make him seem like an insatiable pervert from the perspective of others but the opinion of others had never mattered all that much to him. He might get annoyed by false articles and the spreading of rumors, but, so long as he could make his women happy, he had very little to complain about.Demonstrating how fortunate he truly was, Arryn eventually grew too restless to simply sit still and enjoy the sensual ambiance. Neither she nor Arusha had been paying any attention to the movie, so, after some silent communication through their gazes, she extricated herself from Vahn's hold, blocking his view of the large light display. Then, with her back turned to him, she looked over her shoulder with a 'hungry' look in her eyes as her hands slowly peeled away her skin-tight shorts.Understanding Arryn's intentions, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he made no attempt to stop Arusha from liberating his dragon from its confines with her teeth. She had become rather skilled at supporting others due to her deeply ingrained perception of relationship hierarchies, so, with Arryn being 'significantly' stronger than her, she believed it was only natural that she waited her turn. This was something Vahn had been trying to remedy as of late, but, similar to Mordred, Arusha could be 'very' insistent when it came to her observation of an established hierarchy.In order to make things a little easier for Arryn, Arusha showed no hesitation as she collected saliva in her mouth before taking the majority of his member into her mouth. Then, in an effort to ensure an even coating of saliva, she pulled away very slowly, her tongue wriggling around his shaft before she stopped at his glans and gave it a small kiss. This last part was something she had learned from Mira, and, though he always felt it was a little strange, Vahn didn't particularly mind the affectionate way in which some of his women viewed his penis...Due to Vahn's prior petting, Arryn didn't need to make any additional preparations of her own. The moment Arusha had finished lubricating Vahn's penis, she wasted very little time in positioning her hands on his knees, a lustful look in her eyes as she bit her bottom lip and allowed him to position himself at her entrance. Once his glans had penetrated her, sending a shiver throughout her body, she allowed him to guide her into a seated position, his member splitting her apart in a somewhat painful yet extremely pleasurable way.Though she hadn't been made aware of it, one of the modifications that had been made to her body by the Workshop included 'calibrating' her insides to make them as pleasurable as possible. Had it not been for Vahn, there was a very real chance she would have been sold off as a sex doll of sorts the moment she had reached her limits. To that end, her internal structure had been altered in a way that quickly adapted to her partner, effectively restructuring itself to best accommodate their size and shape. As a result, she was easily able to take Vahn's full length, and, though it caused her to feel short of breath, sensors in her brain trigged a chemical cocktail of endorphins to effectively flood her system.Unable to restrain herself, a sensual moan escaped Arryn's throat as she cupped both sides of her face with an intoxicated look in her eyes. She believed this was the result of her 'compatibility' with Vahn, so, the moment her grabbed her arms, she began twisting her hips in a circle, stirring up her insides as a series of mad trembles ran through her body. This always gave her an irresistible desire to have Vahn treat her a little roughly, so, without fear of censure, she vocalized her thoughts in a sonorous moan, exclaiming, "Please...harder...mess me up...fuck me senseless~!!!"Though he wasn't unaccustomed to Arryn's behavior whenever her 'switch' had been flipped, a wry smile still spread across Vahn's face as he hooked his hands behind her knees before rising from the sofa. He then spread her legs wide in what was known as a 'butterfly position' before increasing the tempo of his thrusts. This caused her words to become even more colorful, but, understanding that some women were simply more vocal than others, he didn't let it bother him. Rather, it gave him an inclination to try a little 'harder', much to Arryn's appreciation...After a solid twenty minutes of rather intense sex, Vahn finished inside of Arryn, pulling her legs together and hugging her close to him in a way he knew she enjoyed. This caused her eyes to roll into the back of her head, but, due to her unique constitution, it only took a few seconds before she recovered completely. She had inexhaustible stamina even before her upgrades, so, with a Dragon's Heart generating virtually infinite energy within her chest, she required neither food, drink, nor rest in order to continue indefinitely. Vahn could override these qualities with the use of Laws, but, as he quite enjoyed her 'persistence', he typically reserved such things until the very end.Fortunately, even if she wanted to continue, Arryn was a very sensible woman, so, once he finally set her down, she gave him a rather passionate kiss before moving to the kitchen to prepare snacks. At the same time, Vahn moved behind Arusha, who, in anticipation for her turn, raised her butt high as she used her elbows as support.Arusha had always been most comfortable with doing it from behind, but, for a number of reasons, she also insisted that he grab her twin-tails as if they were reins. It gave her a sense of fulfillment to be dominated by him, so, while it was a peculiar request, Vahn 'dutifully' invaded her absurdly tight cavern before gripping her black and white twin-tails. Then, as he pushed himself forward, he also pulled her hair back, lifting her elbows from the sofa. This was the main reason she lowered herself to such an extent, and, though her reaction was far tamer than Arryn's, a sensual gasp escaped her throat the moment his glans pressed against her cervix...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Omae wa mou...shikkaku!','Arryn is quite the carnivore o_o...','Vahn is a lucky lad...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Shortly after they finished with their shower, Vahn was going to let Arusha and Arryn rest when all three of their Pockets informed them to head to the location where teams would be chosen. Before they left, however, Vahn turned to the two girls and said, "There is a chance my enemies will target you if we end up on separate teams. If that happens, activate the pendants I gave you previously. It will alert me to the situation and allow me to teleport you to my side. You are free to try and fight if you really want to, but, at the very least, I want you to activate the tracking function of your Pocket before trying anything."Without any argument whatsoever, Arusha and Arryn immediately nodded in response to Vahn's words. They understood their own weakness after seeing some of the climactic battles between him and the other residents of the Emerald Grove, so, while they wanted to help him, their desire not to become a burden to the person who had 'saved' them was even greater. This was especially true for Arryn, as, despite only knowing Vahn for little more than a week, she felt like her life had been given meaning after their meeting. She had come to learn how truly vast the world was, and, despite the fact he was a God who stood above countless others, he lowered himself to her level and allowed her to love him.Noticing the tell-tale glimmer in Arryn's eyes, Vahn couldn't help but issue a light chuckle as he caressed both of their heads and said, "We'll have more fun later on. For now, let's go and see what our temporary allies are up to. I'm curious to discover which Gambler is daring enough to think they can purchase me and order me around..."Though Arusha glowered at the thought of anyone telling her Master what to do, Arryn understood that Vahn was just joking around. She returned a chuckle of her own, and, after enjoying his caress for a while longer, the three of them made their way over to where the other passing Regulars were waiting. They were the last to arrive, but, considering how quickly they had qualified during the first round, nobody was brave enough to criticize them for being late. Instead, they occupied one of the tables that had been prepared by event organizers, casually conversing until it was their turn to step out onto the stage...---In order to introduce an element of strategy and ensure things were as competitive as possible, the organizers of the Workshop Battle had the six qualifying Gamblers participate in an auction. Though they would each end up with fifteen people on their team, this allowed them to drive up the prices of certain Regulars in order to pressure their opponents into wasting resources. As for why this was important, it was due to the fact that, with the exception of weapons obtained during the Workshop Battle, others could not be used in the tournament.To prevent members of the Ten Great Families from effectively guaranteeing a win through the use of rare and powerful artifacts, all equipment used during the Workshop Battle was purchased with the Points the Gamblers had acquired during the previous rounds. This included Lighthouses and Observers, so, even if they managed to acquire powerful allies during the auction, there was still a chance they would lose if their equipment wasn't up to standard.Fortunately, even if they squandered all of their resources prior to the start of the Final Round, they weren't completely without options. So long as they were able to complete certain objectives or defeat members of the enemy team, they could acquire a surplus of Points to spend. This allowed them to purchase items from various summoning altars located within the tournament grounds.With the exception of some mass-produced goods, each of the articles available for summoning was hand-crafted by the Workshop. This meant, so long as they chose their allies well and worked together, each member of a team could walk away with substantial upgrades to their existing gear. The winning team would even be awarded 3,000,000 Points per member, and, for the duration of one month, they would be allowed VIP access to all publically accessible Workshop facilities. This effectively provided them a 30% discount to all items purchased, and, as a result, they garnered a considerable amount of interest from various sponsors seeking to benefit from their boon.Simply put, the Gamblers had to decide between purchasing items or summoning allies during the final round. Since the price of summoned allies was determined by their value during the auction, it was important to spread their Points out over a number of reliable Regulars rather than invest all of their resources into individually powerful participants. Vahn and Varagarv, for example, had starting bids of 1,000,000 Points, respectively. Having them on your team virtually guaranteed victory if you could summon them, but, with each team only starting with 100,000 Points during the Final Round, earning enough to actually summon them was very difficult.Among the six Gamblers, the person with the most Points was a blonde-haired woman with fair features and petite, angelic, wings. She had managed to accumulate more than 2.4 million Points, an ample sum considering the second-highest Gambler had only earned 1.9 million. Under most circumstances, this would have put her in a rather dominant position, but, due to being the handler of Varagarv, the so-called 'Strongest E-Rank Regular', the other Gamblers managed to force her to spend more than 1.4 million in order to obtain him. As for Vahn, he was more than a little annoyed when it was his turn to come out, yet, despite several calls from the auctioneer, nobody attempted to bid for him...Though they recognized that Vahn was exceptionally powerful, none of the Gamblers believed they would be able to control him. The angelic woman was actually Varagarv's 'Handler', so, even though she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter, she could, at the very least, control him. As for Vahn, the only information people had on him came from rumors and the dominant display he had put on during the first round. To the Gamblers present, he was an 'extremely volatile' purchase, and, though his presence might guarantee their victory, there was a chance he could just refuse to obey their commands and outright throw the match if he really wanted to.In the end, Vahn was asked to return to the waiting area and wait until the rest of the competitors had been bid on. This gave him a strong desire to just forfeit his participation then and there, but, understanding the reasons why nobody bid on him, he managed to calm himself down by inviting Mikoto to come out in her Pikachu form. She wasn't his first choice, but, with Fenrir and Ryun in the middle of some kind of special training, she was a good alternative. The fact she had 'begrudgingly' accepted his invitation brought a smile to his face, and, though she was incredibly embarrassed by the presence of others, she still allowed him to squish and massage her cheeks until his mood had improved.Once everyone else had been bid on, Vahn was 'given' to the only team that had an empty slot left in their party. As for Arusha and Arryn, they had been purchased for 120,00 and 200,000 Points by two different Gamblers, both planted FUG. He conveyed this to the duo with a hand signal they had decided upon prior to the auction before walking over to his own team, a group also acting in the interests of FUG. What made them 'special' was the fact that this was also the team with Varagarv, effectively guaranteeing that he would not be summoned during the Final Round.As if she hadn't participated in the orchestration of the auction, the leader of the team, the angelic blonde, offered a 'friendly' smile as she remarked, "It's a shame, really. Varagarv was greatly looking forward to battling against you. Who could have imagined that the two strongest E-Rank Regulars would end up on the same team~?"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn ignored the woman's remark as he stared directly at the tall and muscular Varagarv. Other than the unique hood covering his dog-like ears, the only garment he wore was a pair of bright red pants. This allowed his rather intimidating figure to be on full display, but, while others might be cowed by the murderous and untamed aura lingering around him, Vahn was completely unaffected as he stared into the man's glowing red eyes and said, "It looks like FUG decided not to sacrifice you. I guess the Elder supporting this farce is trying to curry favor with your Master. Lucky you."Frowning in response to Vahn's words, Varagarv rose to his full height of 210cm, staring down at Vahn as he asserted, "You are powerful...but I am no coward. If you want to fight, I will fight you..." in a deep and resonant tone. This caused the angelic woman to pale slightly, but, while he was 'very' tempted to put the dog in his place, Vahn didn't actually care about the title of 'strongest' in E-Rank. It was also impossible for him to take the threats of someone that was thousands of times weaker than him seriously, so, in the end, he just teasingly remarked, "I'm not fond of bullying the weak..." while releasing part of his aura.Though he didn't cower in the slightest, Varagarv was unable to prevent his pupils from contracting into small points when he sensed Vahn's aura. At the same time, goose pimples appeared along his forearms, and, though his instincts were telling him to retreat, his training as one of Yama's 'fighting dog' compelled him to issue a low growl. This earned him an amused smile from Vahn, not because he found the man's reaction particularly amusing, but because the Law of Identity was narrating the chaotic thoughts of the angelic woman behind him.Deciding there was no value in teasing a bunch of Regulars, Vahn ultimately issued a light chuckle before shifting his attention towards the woman and asking, "I'm assuming you don't need me for anything, correct?"Though she had already been warned that Vahn possessed an ability that allowed him to read a person's thoughts, the angelic woman, Ron Mei, hadn't expected him to see through their ploy so quickly. She couldn't shake the feeling that her entire being was exposed before him, and, though she was loyal to both Yama and FUG, she suddenly felt like it was a 'very' bad idea to oppose the man standing before her. It was no wonder FUG had them come up with a plan that involved 'not' fighting against him, something that was very rare for the rather violence-prone organization.In response to Vahn's question, Ron Mei forced a smile as she instinctually placed herself behind Varagarv and answered, "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't make you work with us. The reason we had to come up with a plan like this is because you're someone that refuses to 'cooperate' with others. Now, please just behave until the end of the Workshop Battle...so long as you don't try anything, we have no intention of making any moves against you or your allies..."With his brows furrowing ever-so-slightly, the pressure emanating from Vahn was enough to draw the attention of virtually every Regular present as he stated, "You shouldn't be so eager to speak on behalf of people who would willingly sacrifice you without a thought. If I were half the monster your Elders would have you believe, you would have been dead the moment your plot was uncovered. In the end, despite your loyalty, you are just a convenient tool that is being misled by people who only have their own interests at heart. Seriously, more than ten-thousand-years have passed yet they still need Regulars like you to act on their behalf? Other than asking countless people to make sacrifices for their personal interests, what have the Elders of FUG done to actualize any of your dreams? How many billions more need to die before you people realize you won't get anywhere while the leaders of your so-called resistance are sitting around on their asses!?"Not expecting Vahn to suddenly shout, Ron Mei turned whiter than a sheet as Varagarv shielded her with his muscular forearm. As for the other Regulars present, they felt an oppressive chill penetrate their bodies despite the fact that Vahn had prevented his aura from applying any direct pressure to them. They suddenly felt as though they had been locked in a pen with an exceptionally dangerous creature, one that could decide their life or death at its whim. This caused all discussion in the room to cease, and, until he had departed alongside Arusha and Arryn, not a single person dared to utter so much as a whisper...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'An Emperor arrives when he pleases...','RIP Vahn xD...','It seems like FUG is in the process of digging itself a rather sizeable hole (OwO)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After nearly two weeks of leisurely travel, the Archimedes eventually reached another of the 30th Floor's most scenic and beautiful regions, a group of volcanic islands known as the Ember Isles. This was one of the primary residential districts of the 30th Floor, and, thanks to its temperate climate and inordinate beauty, more than six million Regulars had taken up residence on the circular chain of islands.As one of the Floors that had come under the influence of the Workshop, the centermost region of the Ember Isles was host to a massive research facility that extended nearly 1.7km to the depths of the sea. Despite this, less than one-hundred-and-fifty personnel called the facility home. The rest of the inhabitants were different types of automatons, each involved in the cultivation and harvesting of resources that could only be found beneath the seabed.Due to the secrecy of the Workshop, few people knew what they were harvesting deep beneath the water's surface. Some speculated there was a deposit of Suspendium located within the interlinking magma chambers between volcanoes. Others argued that the massive facility had been constructed to imprison an ancient Shinheuh, a beast rumored to have created the massive, crater-like, hole that existed within the encirclement of the unique island chain.As was often the case, the truth was significantly less interesting than the speculation surrounding the mysterious facility. Its primary purpose was simply the mass-production of common goods that were used throughout the Tower. It did tap into the magma chambers beneath the seabed, but the reason for this was to harvest geothermal energy in order to allow the facility to run as efficiently as possible. This was also the reason why so few researchers were present within the facility and why the Workshop often used it as a venue to host the second round of the Workshop Battle.Had the facility held any actual value, even the Jahad Army, much less six-million Regulars, wouldn't be able to approach within three-thousand kilometers. After all, when there were numerous people who could move at relativistic speeds and collapse continental shelves, security was something that was taken 'very' seriously. For this reason, most of the genuinely important facilities operated by the Workshop had never even been heard of.The Workshop went to great lengths to prevent any an all information pertaining to their important facilities from leaking out. Thus, with the exception of certain networks belonging to the Empire and the Ten Great Families, they monitored virtually every communication between Workshop-produced Lighthouses, Observers, and Pockets. It was possible to bypass or disable this function if you were a skilled Light Bearer, but, the moment your actions were discovered, you would be blacklisted and consequently pursued by the Workshop's 'IP Enforcement Division'.Though Jahad and the Ten Great Families were the undisputed rulers of the Tower, even the former acknowledged the power and influence of the Workshop. After all, virtually every powerful item that existed within the Tower had been manufactured by the Workshop. This included the armaments in Jahad's personal armory, and, though they had their own production facilities, most of the Flagships and Fortresses that represented the Jahad Army's military might were provided as a courtesy by the Workshop. They had also been instrumental to Jahad's ascent to the position of King, so, unless his hand was forced, he would never even consider opposing them.Due to the unique relationship between Jahad and the Workshop, opposing the latter was the same as earning the ire of the former. As a result, there were 'very' few people who were willing to offend the Workshop, even within a notorious organization like FUG. Fortunately, there were a number of Elders within FUG who had close ties with several important figures within the Workshop, so, much like the Jahad Empire, they were afforded their own, private, communication network. After all, the Workshop wasn't subordinate to the Jahad Empire, so, if it meant furthering their goal of reaching the origin of all things, they didn't particularly care who they were working with...---With the Archimedes mooring itself in the skies above the geothermal factory, the Captain gave permission for the passengers and crew to disembark. They had prepared a number of Suspend Ships that could transport people directly to the surrounding isles, or, if you were more interested in the facility below, suites had been prepared for all qualifying participants of the Workshop Battle.Though he wasn't particularly interested in the Ember Isles, Vahn had felt a growing need to escape from the Archimedes ever since news of his activities had reached the paparazzi. This was primarily the result of several jaded male Regulars, who, despite being told 'nothing' had happened, jumped to conclusions. They found it difficult to believe that he would just listen to a woman's woes before offering them spa and beauty treatments that eclipsed those available onboard the Archimedes. As a result, he had gained a reputation as a gigolo despite numerous attestations that outright refuted these petty claims.Unfortunately, though they didn't bother him directly, that didn't prevent the various news outlets and gossip columns from spinning the hotly debated topic in a way that generated them the most revenue. This caused the negative sentiments he was receiving from other males to increase rather drastically, not because he had actually done anything wrong, but because they used the articles as an excuse to 'justify' their suspicions. This was one of the reasons Vahn had always hated the media, as, more often than not, it was just a means of manipulating people and generating propaganda.Even after more than three-hundred-years, Vahn still couldn't understand the propensity of people to base their opinions on unverified and unsubstantiated claims. He also completely disdained the notion of 'confirmation bias' as it was effectively the 'death of reason'. There were actually people who would, quite literally, ignore facts that had been documented and verified through countless hours of research in lieu of completely unsubstantiated claims that coincided with their own views. Even worse were the people who would use this information as a means to justify violence, often attacking anyone who disagreed with them as if it was 'everyone else' who was wrong.Fortunately, at least within the Empire, he didn't have to worry about such things, as, the moment people began to make libelous claims or disseminate misinformation, they would be immediately exposed as the frauds they were. He had no tolerance for people whose greatest contributions to society were its stagnation or regression, so, depending on the severity of their crimes, there was a very real chance they might be put to death. He didn't really care about rumors and gossip, but, the moment people began rallying behind a cause stemmed from misinformation, he wouldn't hesitate to expose, and, if necessary, crush them...---Though it didn't compare to the beauty of the Little Garden, Vahn had to admit that the Ember Isles were remarkably beautiful. Even the architecture of the coastal cities was similar to something you might find in a painting of a futuristic civilization that had learned to coexist alongside nature. There was virtually no pollution, and, though the waters could be exceptionally dangerous if you ventured too far, the interior sea was an awe-inspiringly beautiful, crystal clear, sapphire blue.Since it was a good opportunity, Vahn put Arusha and Arryn on the spot by inviting them on a date and having them choose the destination. This was exceptionally awkward for the duo, as they both possessed somewhat submissive personalities, but, with a fair amount of positive reinforcement, it didn't take long for them to get into the swing of things. It helped that they had similar styles, and, though she hadn't possessed one prior to her 'upgrades', the fact Arryn now possessed a tail gave them a good excuse to peruse a number of brand-name clothing stores.Though he couldn't deny it was very tiring at times, Vahn had always been fond of accompanying his women when they went shopping for clothes. He greatly enjoyed watching them change into a variety of different outfits, and, though he could always make or purchase apparel far greater than anything found in a store, it lacked the novelty of finding something new and trying it on then and there. It also gave him some insight into the girls' preferences, as, even with the Law of Identity, he couldn't know how someone truly felt until he had witnessed their behavior directly. After all, most people could list off a number of their likes and dislikes, but, as such things were never objective, it was impossible to know how they truly felt until you witnessed the emotional response it inspired in them.Proving this point, Arusha, despite genuinely believing she 'hated' girly clothes, currently had a wide smile on her face as she posed in front of a mirror while wearing a frilly dress. She would never even consider wearing such clothing under normal circumstances, but, after hearing him affirm how cute she would look, it wasn't long before she had tried it on. Her peculiar black and white hair, styled in twin-tails, actually complimented the dress quite a bit. There was also a large white ribbon that tied over her predominately black tail, a perfect contrast to the large white ears twitching atop her head.Since important things were often worth repeating, Vahn decided to hammer home the point by muttering, "Beautiful..." in an affectionate tone. This caused Arusha's smile to become even more radiant, and, though she didn't truly believe such clothing suited her, she convinced herself that it didn't matter so long as he believed they did. She had also come up with a number of 'convenient' uses for the dress, so, even if it was only for his sake, she wouldn't mind wearing a dress every now and again...As this thought crossed her mind, Arusha's reverie was broken by Vahn shifting his attention to the nearby changing room. Her gaze followed his, and, as a result, her expression immediately became a flawless deadpan as they both witnessed Arryn emerge in an extremely revealing white bikini. This put her pseudo-synthetic body on full display, but, unlike before, she showed no aversion to having several people eye the lines marking the connection points between her various parts with a mix of intrigue and morbid curiosity.Though there were connecting valves that allowed the fluids in her body to flow seamlessly, Arryn's body was constructed of fourteen parts, thirteen of which were interchangeable. This was originally intended to allow her to swap out damaged parts, and, when the situation called for it, she could also replace her limbs with various weapons and other augmentations. Now, however, they were a remnant of her former self, something she had asked Android 21 to preserve prior to her operation.Rather than show any aversion whatsoever, Vahn couldn't help but smile when he saw the unique structure of Arryn's body. He wasn't particularly fond of the team that had turned her into a Gynoid, but he couldn't deny that their workmanship, combined with Arryn's natural beauty, had culminated into a masterpiece. This impression was unquestionably influenced by his appreciation for elves and his experiences with the Einzbern Family, but, more than anything else, Vahn felt a strong attraction to the confident glimmer that had appeared in Arryn's reddish-amber eyes...It might be the result of her strength increasing far beyond her expectations, but, compared to her previous self, the current Arryn radiated an aura of tranquil confidence. She had not only accepted what she was, but who she was as a person. She was no longer someone's experiment, and, rather than feel unworthy of the grace she had been afforded, she felt blessed beyond comparison. All of this was the result of the man standing across from her, so, even though there were quite a number of other people present, only Vahn's figure entered her gaze. At the same time, she believed that he saw something in her that even she was unaware of, so, even though she felt guilty about stealing Arusha's spotlight, she couldn't help but want him to continue looking directly at her...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Wow. Such mystery. Much suspicion (OwO)...','Vahn might seem like a tyrant, but those who spread misinformation for personal gain are the cancer of society...','I can't help but wonder if Arryn has a 'literal' switch somewhere...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1846: Anticlimactic : Climax