Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After a cataclysmic battle that devastated their surroundings and even caused a cave-in of sorts, a 'chibi' version of Mordred could be seen breathing laboriously with a malcontent-looking lion cub in her arms. The latter had a remarkably humanoid expression, resembling someone who had just eaten a 'very' sour grape, as, no matter how much it tried, it could not liberate itself from Mordred's grasp.Feeling a little annoyed at the writhing creature, Mordred opened her mouth wide before biting down on its fluffy, rounded, ear. This caused the cub to writhe about even more, teary-eyed as it shouted, "Ah! You wretched woman! How dare you bite me! Are you some kind of wild animal!?"Releasing the cub's ear from her teeth, Mordred gave it the kind of look people reserved for times when they heard something completely ridiculous, quipping, "The hell are you on about? You can bite me, but I'm not allowed to bite you? What kind of crap is that? If you're going to start spewing hypocritical nonsense, you can just fuck right off."Grumbling in response to Mordred's words, the lion cub resisted the urge to try and chomp down on her forearm as it mumbled, "This damn brat...how did I end up with such a foolish woman as my host...?"Rolling her eyes, Mordred flipped the lion cub around, holding it up by the pits of its forelimbs as she asked, "What do you mean when you call me your host? I don't recall a creature like you ever existing, so how the hell could you end up inside of my soul? If you were a foreign entity, there is no way my Chichiue would have missed you."Rather than answer Mordred's questions, the lion cub just snorted through its nose before turning its head to the side rebelliously. This caused the former's brow to twitch quite a bit, an urge to give the cub another beating welling up inside of her as dark-red scales began to sprout from the backs of her hands.Sensing the changes in Mordred, the lion cub did something the former never anticipated, pulling up its hind legs before releasing a spritz of steamy golden liquid directly at her face. The fragrance was the worst thing she had ever smelled, and, due to her mouth being partly open, a sudden and almost irresistible urge to vomit welled up from her stomach as she threw the cub like a ragdoll.Free from its captor's clutches, the cub adopted a haughty expression, chin raised as a slight sneer spread across its face. Before it could say any taunting words, however, a crimson aura surrounded Mordred's body as she slouched forward and said, "You really fucked up this time...I was going to let you go after asking you a few questions. Now, just watch as I skin your ass and turn you into a pair of lion-hided britches..."Feeling the hairs on its back and neck stand on end, the lion cub attempted to turn tail and flee, but, the moment it did so, Mordred was already looming over it, hand reaching out to grab the scruff of its neck. This caused it to tense up, and, for the first time since their meeting, it began to shiver in fear as the incensed draconic princess glowered at her with sun-like, golden, eyes...Seeing the tiny creature scrunch up into a fetal position, a frown immediately developed across Mordred's face as an uneasy feeling filled her chest. She didn't know where the notion came from, but she suddenly felt as though the cub represented something 'very' important to her, something she had been keeping suppressed for a very long time...Exhaling a sigh, Mordred set the lion cub down on the ground, her expression appearing bored yet thoughtful as she said, "Just go...be free and do whatever you want. Run amok or idle about in my soul for a thousand years. I don't care what you do, just stop appearing so pathetic...it's not like I'm going to force you to become a part of me or lend me your power. Besides, we're already one and the same, right? Papa...I mean, Chichiue, said it best...we have no right to enforce our expectations onto others when we can't even accept or understand ourselves. I get that you're supposed to be the part of me that wanted to rebel against my 'Father', opposing her draconic heritage, right? Well, you can just give up on that. That version of me died in Camlann thousands of years ago. You need to stop living in the past and start looking toward the future. Dragon? Chimera? Human? Things like race don't mean a damn thing. It's our struggles in the present and our aspirations for the future that shape who we are. I'm not going to betray the people I love in exchange for power...I might be the daughter of Morgan, but my parents are Vahn Aldrnari Mason and Artoria Aldrnari Pendragon..."Finished with her improvised speech, Mordred ruffled the bristly yet soft fur atop the lion cub's head before turning around and walking to the center of the massive clearing formed from their prior battle. Then, with her forearms turning into rather fierce-looking draconic claws, she began to work away at the durable foundation, slowly and steadily increasing the depths of her potential as the lion cub eyed her in the distance...---Though the Hell Express's route was decided by an automated system, it's speed, acceleration, and deceleration were all manually controlled by the Conductor. This was what allowed it to stop at the various stations between the Floors, so, with Pedro in custody, the only one qualified to operate the Express was, curiously enough, a Regular named Poro Poe.The notion that a Regular could operate something as important as the Hell Express was more than a little strange; but, rather than concern himself with such things, Vahn hacked the Pocket of Pedro in order to contact the stout fellow, startling him quite a bit. Fortunately, the not-so-young Regular, Poro Poe, just so happened to be a former colleague of Sachi, Aka, and Boro. More specifically, he had fallen in love with the same woman as virtually every member of the ill-fated team, a lively and vivacious woman named Roen Yuia.Similar to the other members who had become infatuated with Roen, Poe had spent the last six-hundred years doing everything in his power to find a way to both eliminate White and resurrect their former comrade. Thus, by explaining the situation in greater detail, including Pedro's affiliation with FUG, they were able to convince him to continue operating the train at their behest. This would ensure it arrived at each station on time, and, most importantly, allowed Ryun to use her powers as a Guide freely.As a Special Testing Area with countless hidden secrets, the powers of Guides were highly restricted for the sake of ensuring 'fairness'. This could be circumvented through the use of certain items, but, as could be expected, such tools only allowed them to see a very specific route. Now, however, the Hell Express had effectively become a region without an Administrator, so, for the time being, Ryun had unrestricted knowledge of every path present aboard the notoriously labyrinthine locomotive...With Ryun guiding the way, it wasn't long before Vahn and Co reached the residential car housing the team associated with FUG. There, they encountered a group of five people, the leader of which seemed to be a man with dirty-blond hair, striking blue eyes, slightly pointed ears, and a noticeable snaggletooth. His companions were a vicious-looking man with spiky purple hair, two remarkably beautiful women, one with flowing orange hair while the other was most assuredly a member of the Asterian people considering she had inordinately blue hair, matching eyes, and several stars floating around her.Though the aforementioned four were quite interesting, it was the final member of their entourage that stood out the most, a young boy that resembled Hoaqin to a startling degree. Anyone could tell the two were related, but, unlike Hoaqin, the intelligent-looking youth safeguarding an ancient-looking tome possessed distinctly male features. They could clearly be identified as a boy from the structure of their face and body, and, a stark contrast to the pristine white locks that cascaded from Hoaqin's head like a waterfall, their hair was cut short and neatly styled.With the Law of Identity providing commentary, Vahn smiled disarmingly at the unperturbed bunch as he remarked, "I never expected that FUG would be able to recruit someone as famous as Ha Yura into their ranks...ah, I see, you were intending to use her status as an idol to attract large crowds of Regulars in order to use as sacrifices? Quite the devious plot for someone who relies on the support of the people to evade persecution by the Ten Families..."Frowning in response to Vahn's words, the Asterian woman, better known as the pop idol, Ha Yura, adopted a troubled expression as she huffily remarked, "Those people don't really care about me. If they could, any number of my so-called fans would happily whisk me away and have their way with me. I did what I had to in order to survive. If not for my fame, the Ha Family would have killed me a long time ago...!"Adopting an accusatory deadpan, Vahn met the blue-haired beauty's eyes directly as he said, "Your mother might have been cast out by the Ha Family, but that was largely due to her breaking of the taboo prohibiting members of the Ten Families from becoming involved with descendants of the Native Ones. Even then, the only members of the Ha Family hunting her down were those directly involved with the Jahad Empire. With the reputation they enjoy, do you really think your little play as an Idol would have protected you from the notoriously unruly Ha Family if they really wanted to kill you? While I can understand your bias towards them, the hatred and resentment you inherited from your mother can't be used as an excuse to step on the lives of those who supported you. You need to grow up and accept accountability for your own actions before you start laying the blame onto others."Though she wanted to interrupt Vahn's words numerous times through his long lecture, Ha Yura, along with every other member of FUG, could do little more than remain statuesque. It was like an irresistible force, something fundamentally different from Reverse Flow Control, was locking them in place and preventing any interruptions. This caused everyone present to pale slightly, the only real exception being the white-haired youth, who, from start to finish, showed absolutely no change in expression.Shifting his attention away from Yura, Vahn shifted his attention to the man with dirty-blond hair, the last of the group of four-man group infatuated with Roen Yuia, Danial Hatchid. Vahn wasn't actually sure how to deal with this particular fellow, as, though he had wandered down a very dark road, Daniel's reasons for doing so were actually to eliminate White and rid the Tower of one of its greatest monsters. Most of the people he had killed were pretty vile individuals pursuing their own interests, and, while he wasn't devoid of flaws, the man was even willing to condemn his own soul to an eternity of torment in exchange for a minuscule chance at resurrecting the woman he loved...Shaking his head, Vahn's momentum began to gradually diminish as he explained, "The task given to you by FUG can no longer be completed. Hoaqin has already been killed, and, once I exorcise the remnants of his spirit from his remaining siblings, the monstrous entity known as White will become just another footnote in the Tower's dark history. As for you lot...well, the best I can do is offer you a bit of advice, hoping you'll wisen up before you get yourselves killed on behalf of people who don't give a damn about you or your dreams. Even though some of their so-called Slayers are more than ten-thousand-years-old, they have yet to even injure a single one of the Ten Warriors. All they do is sit around and pester the weaker members of the Ten Great Families, fearful of committing to any meaningful action for fear of the repercussions it would invite...these are the people you want to lay your lives down for? People who won't even bat an eye even if your entire group was annihilated?"Unable to say anything in response, the four members of FUG showed varying degrees of conflict and frustration on their faces. They all had very good reasons for hating the Ten Great Families, but, just as he had pointed out, the most they could do was follow orders in the hopes that their dreams would be achieved by people infinitely more powerful than them...people who, despite the passage of more than ten-thousand-years, had yet to make any headway towards eliminating the seemingly insurmountable Jahad Empire...Taking advantage of their silence, Vahn directed his attention to each of the group members in turn, starting with the inordinately beautiful woman with orange hair and startling blue eyes, frowning as he said, "Lo Po Bia Cheonsa...Angel...you have suffered far more than any person should ever have to suffer...if you so choose, I can liberate you from the situation you have been forced into. You will never again be forced to service vile and detestable people for the sake of a woman you resent and people you abhor..."Hearing Vahn's offer, the seemingly perpetual smile Angel had been forcing since the start of the encounter gradually faded away, her blue eyes radiating a murderous glow as she asked, "I heard you were an Irregular...if I accept your offer, can you grant my wish?"Furrowing his brows in response to the woman's words, Vahn briefly considered his response before saying, "I will not arbitrarily kill at the behest of others. Instead, I can provide you with the means to grow stronger without needing to make any further sacrifices. I can also provide you an opportunity to obtain your revenge, but, rather than dedicate yourself to killing someone you have never met, I would encourage you to reflect; discover the true reasons behind your suffering, and move beyond it...no amount of killing will alleviate the pain you have been forced to endure...only acceptance and a desire to rise above the circumstances of your birth will allow you to find true happiness..."Though she didn't trust Vahn's words, not in the slightest, Angel had even less faith in a group like FUG. Her mother had sold her off at a very young age, forcing her to experience horrors far beyond the capacity of a normal person to bear. If not for her unique ancestry, providing her a strong body and an inordinate talent as an Anima, she would have died long before she had the opportunity to become a Regular. Unfortunately, the Floor of Tests had already fallen under the influence of FUG by then; so, the moment she believed she could 'start over' and live a new life, she was coerced into joining, eventually becoming the personal 'Angel' of one of Slayer Yama's three Mad Dogs, Buelsar Elliot...Shifting her gaze to the half-canine man with spikey purple hair, a sadistic smile spread across Angel's face as she asked, "Can't I kill at least one person...?"Realizing her intentions, Elliot immediately bared his fangs towards Angel, coldly growling, "You damn bitch...I knew you were using me for the sake of your revenge, but I still agreed to let you become my Angel. This is how you repay me after I protected you for the last hundred years...!?"With a smile that could even send chills down the spine of someone like Loki, Angel cocked her head coquettishly to the side as she chimed, "Protected me? Is that what you were doing all those times you ripped my clothes off and forced yourself upon me at your leisure? Gee, I wonder how I could ever harbor any resentment towards such a paragon of gentlemanly virtue~?"If not for the invisible force locking him in place, Elliot wouldn't have hesitated for a single moment to end Angel's life then and there. Unfortunately, other than trembling in frustration, the only thing he could do was run his mouth, shouting, "You ungrateful whor-" before a vice-like grip silenced his exclamation.Dangling the unresisting man by his neck, Vahn's cold expression gradually relaxed into a calmer disposition as he looked towards Angel and said, "I can understand your hatred towards this man, but, in the end, it cannot be denied that he was trying to help you. His treatment toward you was predicated on the fact that you 'belonged' to him. The canine people are bound by an instinctual observation of hierarchies. I won't deny that you were forced to experience countless injustices, but it is also true that you were using him for your own ends..."Unable to refute Vahn's words, Angel just clenched her teeth, averting her eyes to the side as she huffed, "Fine! So long as you keep your promise, I don't give two shits what happens to this damn mutt...!"Responding with a curt nod of approval, Vahn released Elliot from his grasp, meeting the man's dark red eyes as he said, "There is currently no enmity between me and Yama. Once we reach the next station, you will be allowed to depart freely. What you do from there is up to you. However, you should know better than me that Yama has no interest in the affairs of FUG. I would suggest you return to the Cage and resume your training before progressing further up the Tower. Letting FUG treat you like a bloodhound is unbecoming of someone hand-picked by the King of Fighting Dogs..."Though his movements were no longer restricted, Elliot made no attempt to try and attack Vahn. Instead, he just rubbed his neck, eyes glimmering with a mixture of hatred and respect as he said, "I'll remember this...once I become stronger, don't blame me for tracking you down and biting out your throat..."Chuckling in response to the man's words, Vahn resisted the instinctual urge to extend his hand to pet the half-canine's head as he remarked, "Good luck with that..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lioness-chan fights dirty...','Man, Roen must have been a babe for all these fools to be simping even after six-hundred-years...','I can vividly imagine Vahn petting Yama and several other Canine people...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though he couldn't exactly call their matters resolved, Vahn shifted his attention away from Angel and Elliot, his eyes passing over the other three before settling on the white-haired 'youth' named Vicente. This caused the latter to furrow his brows slightly, but, rather than show any fear, his voice was extremely calm as he asked, "Did you really kill Hoaqin?"Nodding his head without hesitation, Vahn produced a tiny silver crown from his Inventory as he explained, "Your plan to fuse with your siblings and gain control over your combined form would never have worked. The moment you agreed to Hoaqin's plan all those years ago, you had already become a part of him. He sacrificed the four of you, binding your 'souls' to his while superimposing his Ego unto yours. The only reason you were allowed to keep your sense of self was to prevent any hiccups from occurring immediately after the ritual had been performed. Now, it is only a matter of time before Hoaqin overwrites your Ego with his own, becoming the master of your body."Showing the first noteworthy change in expression since the start of the encounter, Vicente's face morphed into a deeply perturbed frown as he asked, "How do you know all of these things? Who, exactly, are you?"Offering a casual smile in response, Vahn performed a very slight bow as he said, "My name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the anomalous entity known as the Sage Dragon Emperor. How I know what I know is completely irrelevant in this matter. What matters most is that I'll be exorcising Hoaqin from your body. Your options are to cooperate, freeing you from the burden of your brother's sins, or resisting and joining him in death. What will you choose?"Since he could hardly even move in the presence of Vahn, Vicente didn't need much time to weigh the options he had been given. Being forced to 'sleep' for thousands of years had been unpleasant, so, now that he had the chance to experience the world beyond the confines of his family's floating castle, he wasn't going to squander it in the vain pursuit of a profane power.Having made up his mind, a resolute glimmer flashed across Vicente's silvery-white eyes as he said, "I will choose the former. I have come to learn that there are considerably worse things than living a life where I am unable to surpass my father. Even if I am fated to become a failed product, there are still things I wish to see, experience, and obtain through my own efforts. To that end, I ask you with as much sincerity as I can manage...please, free me and my siblings from Hoaqin's curse..."Nodding his head in approval, Vahn's expression morphed into a slightly appreciative smile as he said, "You can leave it to me. I have a surprising amount of experience with things like this so it will be a simple matter to remove Hoaqin's influence from the four of you. Before that, however, there are a few other small matters that require my attention..."Shifting his attention to the man with dirty-blond hair, Daniel Hatchid, Vahn's brows furrowed ever-so-slightly as he said, "Your plan to resurrect White and have him revive Roen was fated to fail from the start. He has never possessed the power to resurrect the dead, even at his peak. The most you could have hoped for was acquiring Roen's soul, but, without the means to identify it, he could have just given you any soul. Even then, you lack the means to anchor it to a physical vessel or remove it from the Hell Express. In other words, even if White did honor the promise made between you, both you and Roen would have been absorbed shortly thereafter..."Glaring in response to Vahn's words, ghostly purple flames began to spread across Daniel's body as he shouted, "What are you saying!? What, was I supposed to just give up and abandon Roen to her fate!? Do you have any idea what-"Before the man could continue his tantrum, Vahn appeared right in front of him in an instant, index and middle finger pressed against the former's head. This caused the ghostly flames to immediately fade away as he calmly stated, "Relax. Just like I told your former colleagues, I will do my best to try and help Roen. Unlike White, I actually possess the power to revive the recently deceased and those strong of spirit. So long as her spirit hasn't been irreversibly tainted by negativity, reviving Roen is a simple matter."Retracting his fingers, Vahn extracted what appeared to be a fetus-like parasite from Daniel's head. This caused the latter to instantaneously collapse, the tattoos inscribed across his body evaporating as his body seized up from the pain.Incinerating the ghostly parasite using a combination of the Laws of Fire and Purification, Vahn left Danial to seize upon the ground as he returned his attention to the final member of the group, Ha Yura. Her body tensed up in response to his gaze, complexion paling as she averted her eyes to the side with a mixture of indignation and nervousness visible in her countenance.Though it had only been a few minutes, Vahn knew the insincere Idol had been ruminating over his earlier words. She had no easy way to refute them, and, after seeing what he was capable of, a small amount of guilt had been seeded within her heart. At the very least, she realized it was wrong of her to try and justify sacrificing the people who had supported her over many years. From an objective point of view, this was an inarguably monstrous thing to do; and, had she gone through with it, she would have become inseparable from FUG since nobody in their right mind would ever place their trust in her again...Understanding that Yura's hatred toward the Ha Family was primarily due to her mother, it was very difficult for Vahn to stay mad at her. She was a product of her environment, and, due to her unique heritage, she had been ostracized, pressured, and coerced countless times. She was forced to make countless sacrifices during her ascent, and, were it not for the power she inherited as a member of the Ha Family and the Asterian people, she would have been consumed by the Tower's degeneracy and corruption long ago...Suppressing a sigh, Vahn maintained a largely neutral expression as he said, "I have some powerful connections within the Ha Family and Wolhaiksong. I will try and smooth things over with them so that you and your mother no longer have to live in fear. You also have the option of retiring from your life as a Regular and living amongst your people, the Asteria Tribe. I have removed their curse and arranged a place for them to live out the rest of their days alongside other Native Tribes..."Having learned about her father's tribe from her mother, Yura couldn't help but feel taken aback by Vahn's sudden mention of the 'formerly' Cursed People. She found it difficult to believe that he had managed to both remove their curse and move them to a secure location without causing massive ripples throughout the Tower. As for his mention of powerful connections within the Ha Family and Wolhaiksong, his status as an Irregular made the former sound completely nonsensical...With the Law of Identity revealing Yura's rude thoughts, Vahn's expression morphed into a deadpan as he explained in a dull monotone, "Unlike FUG, I can prove the veracity of my claims with extreme ease. If you want, I can let you meet with your people here and now. Seriously, what reason would I have to lie about such things?"Though he had asked the question rather offhandedly, Vahn's deadpan became even more potent as the Law of Identity revealed, "She thinks you're trying to deceive her so that you can get into her pants. By the way, she is currently wearing baby-blue panties with a star pattern on them~."As if to prove her point, the Law of Identity attempted to lift her skirt, but, by shifting his attention away from her, Vahn was able to make her momentarily disappear as he said, "I won't deny that you are a beautiful woman, but, as you can see, I'm not exactly wanting in that regard..."Reacting to Vahn's words, Eva's brows perked up as she asked, "Did this brat think you were trying to hit on her?"Gesturing for Eva to remain calm, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he explained, "Just as any other, her expectations have been shaped by the life she has lived. It is difficult for those born within the Tower to believe that there are people willing to help them without expecting something in return. Don't worry, even if I allow them to enter the Little Garden, I have no intention of allowing either of them to stay within the Emerald Grove."Though she wasn't fond of being silenced, Eva just rolled her eyes in response to Vahn's words before crossing her arms under her breasts and muttering, "The women in this Tower are all thirsty little minxes..."Hearing Eva's remark, Yura's already ruddy complexion became even redder as she balled her hands into fists and bit her bottom lip. She realized that the rumors regarding Vahn's ability to read minds were true, so, with a somewhat indignant glimmer in her eyes, she attempted to mentally admonish him. Unfortunately, he was currently ignoring the Law of Identity, so, despite her best efforts, Yura's words ultimately went unheard as Vahn manifested the Little Garden and explained the basics of its functionality...---Without anything to mark the passage of time, Mordred couldn't be sure how long she had been in the Rice Pot. Her best guess was that a month or so had passed, but, without something like a day-night cycle, it was hard to be sure. All she knew for certain was that her boredom had exceeded her usual tolerance, and, though she was still making slow progress, she was starting to wonder if there was a reason to be tearing through the foundation of her own potential. After all, there was nothing preventing her from increasing her potential in the outside world. Rather, with the guidance of her Papa and the presence of several powerhouses in the Little Garden, there had never been a limit to her growth...As this thought crossed her mind, Mordred entered her 'low-power' state, sprawling out across the cold metal foundation before calling out, "How long are you going to keep spying on me? Do you enjoy watching me struggle...?"Reacting to Mordred's words, a juvenile lioness with eagle-like wings appeared out of thin air, its face fixed into a very humanoid expression of annoyance as it replied, "We're one and the same. How can I be spying on you? You're really beginning to lose it, aren't you?"Rather than immediately reply to the lioness' words, Mordred yawned rather loudly before looking over at the golden-furred creature and saying, "Even if we're the same person, the fact we can talk like this is proof enough that there is 'something' separating us. If I had to guess, you inherited my willfulness. You refuse to become a part of me and simply disappear. I certainly wouldn't be able to accept such a thing, so I imagine we'll eventually become two distinct entities. Who knows, you might even become my Zanpakuto? If that happens, try and become a greatsword or something..."Feeling inordinately sleepy, Mordred punctuated her statement with another yawn before folding her hands behind her head and closing her eyes. This left the lioness staring at her with a rather helpless expression, her voice failing to reach the former's ears as she grumbled, "Selfish brat...just you wait and see. If I do become a Zanpakuto, I'll be so massive that you can't even hope to wield me...hmph...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Casually plucks demonic parasite*','Thirsty little minxes xD...','Poor lioness-chan...that would just make Mordred even happier...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the restoration of White being their primary objective aboard the Hell Express, Vahn wasn't surprised to find the Conductor, representing FUG, waiting for them outside of Hoaqin's chamber. He had actually expected the man to take action immediately after the seal was first removed, but, as they hadn't actually broken any rules, doing so would result in his authority being stripped away, and, in some cases, instantaneous termination.Gesturing for the girls to stand down, Vahn preempted the onset of combat by stating, "So long as we don't attack, he has no grounds to directly intervene with us. Even an Advanced Ranker working under a Slayer of FUG isn't bold enough to violate the Laws of the Tower within an area designated for Regulars. Isn't that right, Mr. 'Death Eyes' Pedro...?"Glowing in response to Vahn's taunting tone, Pedro, appearing as a Hispanic man with light brown skin, a thin frame, short brown hair, and mechanical red eyes, began releasing a deathly aura as he asked, "Do you have any idea who it is you're offending? This operation was authorized by the Elder Council and my Master, the Great Slayer Karaka. Are you trying to start a war?"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn took a few steps forward, ignoring the aura released by the incensed man as he said, "Something like White shouldn't be allowed to exist within the Tower. Any organization that sides with such a creature has some major underlying issues they need to resolve before they go around telling others what is right and wrong. The means always matter. If you can justify becoming a monster that feeds off the innocent in order to fight against your foes, you have lost the right to tread the moral high ground. Now, return to your Conductor station, report to your Master, and stay the hell out of our way. The next time you appear like this, don't blame me for the consequences you will have wrought upon yourself."Though he wanted nothing more than to silence Vahn for his 'impudence', Pedro had been given strict orders not to fight against him. If the rumors were to be believed, Vahn was already powerful enough to defeat High Rankers despite the fact he was just a D-Rank Regular. This level of growth had only ever been observed in Ureko, who, during her climb, critically injured two Slayers and even killed one of FUG's Elders. They had tried to control her just like any other Irregular who entered the Tower, but, as could be expected, she wasn't the type of creature that could be placed under thumb by a group of people who sat around for thousands of years without making any progress towards their goals.With his eyes releasing a mechanical whirring sound, Pedro continued to glare at Vahn for several seconds before shifting his gaze towards the women at his back. He was powerless to do anything against the anomalous women, but, as someone who had failed on the Floor of Tests, Ryun had no right to board the Hell Express. Many within FUG even considered her a traitor, so, with a malicious smile spreading across his face, Pedro was preparing to teach Vahn a lesson.Understanding the man's intentions before they had even fully formed within his mind, Vahn's smile had faded before Pedro could utter so much as a single syllable. At the same time, an eerie stillness permeated the entire room as even the most minute particles of Shinsu disappeared from within his domain. This caused Pedro's body to instantly seize up in pain, and, most importantly, it effectively robbed him of the powers he would have normally had access to as a pseudo-Administrator aboard the Hell Express.Though he could never be completely emotionless, Vahn managed to appear cold and detached as he walked progressively closer to the choking man and asked, "Do you enjoy using your power to prey on the weak and defenseless? Do you believe you are qualified to teach other people a lesson? Did you even think about the price FUG would have to pay for your petulance?"Without waiting for the man to respond, Vahn grabbed him by the throat, lifting the writhing figure from the ground as he added, "No! People like you never take that kind of thing into consideration! You are so possessed by the power given to you that you never even consider the repercussions of your actions! You accuse Jahad and the Ten Great Families of being corrupt Tyrants, yet, without so much as batting an eye, you willfully torment others using powers you have no right to possess! I'm sick and tired of your hypocritical bullshit...!"To punctuate his words, Vahn smashed Pedro head-first into the ground, denting the durable metal platings that furnished much of the Hell Express' interior. This wasn't enough to kill the man, but, as a matter of course, it was enough to place him into a 'very' deep coma while destroying both of his mechanical eyes. Immediately after that, Shinsu came surging into the room like a deluge, washing over everyone present like a cool breeze that allowed them to breathe a little easier.Tossing the unconscious man into an abandoned section of the Ninth Layer, Vahn exhaled a slightly exhausted sigh before turning around, eyes fixating on Ryun as he stated, "It seems FUG is in need of some restructuring..."Realizing Pedro had tried to use her to hurt Vahn, Ryun's ears drooped somewhat pathetically as she nodded her head with an irresolute "Nn...". There were actually a number of people she cared about within FUG, and, though she knew the organization attracted despots of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, she still believed in their overall mission. Fortunately, it didn't seem like Vahn had any intention of destroying the organization, so, as long as they stopped antagonizing him, they should be able to cooperate.In the hopes of smoothing things over, Ryun averted her eyes as she said, "After we're finished with the Hell Train and the Floor of Death, there is a place I'd like to take you..."Shifting his gaze towards the Law of Identity for a brief moment, Vahn paused for several seconds before nodding his head and saying, "Very well. I will meet with the Elder of the Red Witch Tribe and afford FUG one last opportunity to compromise. So long as they are willing to stop interfering with my plans, I have no reason to seek out and annihilate them."Breathing a sigh of relief, Ryun returned her gaze to Vahn, a gleam of reverence flashing across her ruby-red eyes as she said, "Thank you..." in an emotion-filled tone. To this, Vahn could do little but exhale a sigh of his own before 'manifesting' right in front of the red-haired woman to pull her into his embrace and caress her somewhat unkempt hair. This caused her to nestle closer to him as if by instinct, while, at the side, Fenrir, and the rest of the girls, just shook their heads helplessly...---After more than a week of forcibly tunneling through an increasingly dense array of machinery and cogs, Mordred was forced to a stop as the last of her claws fractured against a golden gear. It was only at that moment that the pain radiating from her hands seemed to reach her mind, the result of a seemingly endless rush of adrenaline finally wearing off.Resisting the onset of tears by defaulting to a breathing technique, Mordred's figure rapidly shrunk until she appeared as a young child of approximately eight years old. Her physical form was directly related to the amount of physical, mental, and spiritual energy remaining in her reserves. It was for this reason that she, alongside her mother and every other True Dragon created by Vahn, appeared as a slightly younger version of herself.Mordred's physique might be powerful, but her mind and spirit were still in the process of healing after the taxing experience of migrating from the Realm. Thus, despite a seemingly endless amount of energy coursing through her body, her mind felt sluggish as a deep pain permeated through the entirety of her body. She had pushed herself far beyond her limits, and, though she didn't regret it in the slightest, she had little choice but the suffer the consequences of her actions.Feeling a sudden urge to call out to her father, Mordred curled up on the ground, clutching her knees as she continued to regulate her breathing. This was the second greatest pain she had ever experienced, but, unlike before, she didn't have anyone around to help ease her suffering. Instead, she had to tide through it alone, the pain steadily increasing despite her best efforts to keep it at bay. For a moment, she even considered just letting it all out in order to ease her burden, but, just as that thought crossed her mind, a husky yet sonorous voice suddenly asked, "Have you given up? Is this your limit...?"Sniffling to fight back her tears, Mordred tilted her head to see what could best be described as a massive lioness staring down at her. Its size was even greater than her dragon transformation, but, what stood out most of all, were its glistening golden fur, the ornate golden plates covering much of its body, and six pairs of massive wings, each seemingly belonging to a different kind of creature, forming a canopy over the surroundings.With eyes that resembled oceans of stars, the massive lioness brought her nose to within a meter of Mordred's body as it grumbled, "Absolutely pathetic...this is what you get for denying your true self and choosing to become a useless lizard. Tell me, was it worth it? Violating your own body and soul in order to pander to an infantile Emperor who assembles women like a child drawing pretty stones from a stream?"Though she was still a little confused by what was happening, clarity returned to Mordred's mind as she realized what the peculiar lioness was implying. This caused the pain in her body to fade away in an instant, replaced by a seething rage as she bared her teeth and riposted, "You can go choke on a fucking hairball and die for all I care! Do you think I'm just going to lay here and listen to you insult my Chichiue!? If you're a part of me, shut the fuck up and give me access to my power! Who the hell do you think you are, acting all haughty despite sitting around on your ass and hiding away in my soul!?"Squinting its eyes in response to Mordred's outburst, anyone observing the lioness might assume it had an inviolably majestic disposition, one far above petty squabbles. This illusion only persisted for a very brief moment, however, as it quickly reared back like a cat preparing to pounce as it shouted, "You cheeky little brat! Did your brain also become a lizard!? I came here to help you, and this is the thanks I get!?"Raising her middle fingers towards the 'majestic' lioness, Mordred's body began to rapidly age as she rebutted, "Fuck you! When did I ask for your help, you shitty cat!? I didn't see your pussy ass appear when I was trying to break through my limits! You think you can just appear at my lowest point and try and entice me with power that is already supposed to be mine? How about you just cough it up and stop nagging me you lazy ass tabby cat!?"Though it didn't attempt to attack, the lioness began to frustratedly stamp the ground with its front paws as it bellowed, "Oooooooh! Don't make me eat you, you blonde bimbo! Killing us both would be a lot better than watching you continue whori-"Before the lioness could finish her statement, leathery wings covered in vermillion scales erupted from Mordred's back as she leaped towards the titanic figure without an ounce of fear. This seemed to catch the lioness by surprise, her mouth still partly open as Mordred's fist impacted the bottom of her jaw, slamming it shut. In the next moment, Mordred's body spontaneously erupted in size, her figure becoming wholly draconic as she began to wrangle the lioness, all while shouting, "You think you can threaten me with my own power!? Just watch as this lizard teaches you a lesson, you goddamn pussycat...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn don't play with it involves his loved ones...','Dig A Tunnel Dig Dig A Tunnel. Dig A Tunnel Dig Dig A Tunnel. Dig A Tunnel Dig Dig A Tunnel. Quick, Before The Lioness Come~!','You gon' learn today...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1866: Compromise : Encounter