Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Down to her last weapon, a dagger-like parrying blade with a hooked end, Elaine's assault gradually slowed to a stop. It had taken her several minutes to reach this point, and, as a result, the tears from her eyes had largely ceased. Instead, a glimmer of conviction could be seen burning in their depths as she asked, "What do you want from me...?"Resisting the urge to sigh, Vahn closed his eyes for a brief moment, shaking his head as he said, "If anything, the only thing I would ask of you is that you live. Be a better person than the monster the Lo Po Bia and Po Bidau Families forced you to become. As for matters such as revenge...honestly, it would be better if you put them behind you. Though I can help you obtain the power you seek, my journey cannot be delayed for every individual seeking revenge. I have more than enough power to bring about an end to the suffering caused by Jahad and the Ten Great Families. Let me take care of it. You have already wasted more than a thousand years of your life at their behest. Don't waste the rest of it arbitrarily chasing revenge."Expecting Vahn to try and convince her to join his cause, Elaine didn't know how to respond to him telling her to simply move on with her life. She had spent more than a thousand years locked away inside the Name Hunt Station. She had no direction or purpose beyond her identity as Kaiser, and, even if she did leave, her Family would hunt her down as a traitor. The orders of the Family Leader were absolute, so, even if she never took any action against them, all twenty branch families would seek her out for daring to abandon the duty assigned by their 'God'.As this thought crossed her mind, Elaine pointed the parrying blade in her hand towards Vahn's throat, the light in her eyes gradually faded as the monotonously replied, "My role is to do what the family tells me to do...I am nothing without the purpose they have assigned me...if death is the only option left before me, I would rather spend my final moments fighting to protect my beliefs...even if they are ultimately nothing more than a delusion..."Unamused by Elaine's words, a sullen look spread across Vahn's face as his aura began to permeate the surroundings like a gravitational force. It wasn't that he was particularly angry with Elaine, but, knowing the Lo Po Bia and Po Bidau Families had pushed her to this point, his frustrations with both began to compound. More specifically, he was annoyed with Gustang's practice of always putting the end before the means, and, though he couldn't fault the Lo Po Bia Family Leader for his loyalty, the fact he was willing to sacrifice his own family members in order to pander to the Jahad Empire was...unpleasant...Reacting to Elaine lunging at him, Vahn deflected her blade to the side before forming a 'gun' using his index and middle fingers. Then, far faster than she could react, he placed the tips of said digits against her mask, saying, "From this moment onward, the being known as Kaiser is dead..."With those words have left his mouth, everything above Elaine's shoulders simply ceased to be as a directional shockwave ripped through the interior of the Grand Gallery. In its wake, the farthest wall was completely devastated, and, though her Spirit remained, Elaine's physical body collapsed to the ground lifelessly.Shifting his attention to the ethereal figure that seemed to blend together seamlessly with the void, Vahn continued to frown as he asked, "Are you satisfied with this outcome?"Before answering his question, Elaine took a moment to inspect her ghostly figure before staring down at her headless corpse and saying, "I won't lie...this outcome is rather unpleasant. Did you really have to blow my head off? With the power you possess, I'm certain you could have used a less extreme method to get your point across..."Rather than deny it, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation, saying, "There was an infinite number of ways in which I could have ended the fight without needing to resort to violence. Things ended up like this because I wanted to teach you a lesson and afford you the opportunity to forge your own path. You harmed a considerable number of people during your time as Kaiser. Though the fault for this set of circumstances ultimately lies with the Ten Great Families, you would have never been able to move on unless you had received some kind of punishment...at least, that is what I believed..."Furrowing her brows slightly in response to Vahn's words, Elaine continued to stare at her lifeless body for several seconds before shifting her ghostly green eyes to him and asking, "So, what now? I have heard the rumors of your ability to resurrect the dead. Are you going to offer me some kind of deal...?"Though he didn't like how things had settled, Vahn ultimately shook his head, explaining, "This kind of ending honestly pisses me off. In the end, however, it was always your decision to make. If this is the outcome you believe you desired, it is not my place to question it. I do my best to try and help everyone I meet, but, regardless of my personal feelings on the matter, I learned, long ago, that you simply can't live for others. I can carry the burdens of countless people, but, no matter how strong I become, the only person I have the right to make decisions for is myself..."Frowning intensely, Elaine's eyes continued to inspect Vahn's face for several seconds, seemingly searching for any sign that he was trying to deceive her. Despite her earlier 'bravado', she didn't truly wish to die. There were actually a considerable number of loose ends she wanted to attend, and, if Vahn's words were true, her family needed her now more than ever. It had been hundreds of years since she met another member of her branch, so, if it was true that her funds had been going to support her enemies, it was safe to assume that the Grey Wolf Family was currently in dire straits.Exhaling a sigh, Elaine took a moment to collect herself before adopting a slightly pointed look as she said, "I'm not sure if this is just another scheme to turn me into a tool...but, so long as it allows me to reunite with my family, I am willing to do whatever it takes. Please, allow me to serve you to the fullest extent of my capabilities...that is the least I can offer in exchange for my life..."Adopting a deadpan expression, Vahn met Elaine's pointed gaze with one of his own as he said, "If I was the type to treat others as tools, why would I charge into battle on my own? I have no problem reviving you, but you are mistaken if you believe I have some ulterior motive for doing so. Don't get me wrong, you're pretty strong for a Regular and your looks are nothing to write off, but...well, let's just leave it at that...you'll understand the truth of the matter soon enough..."Understanding the futility of trying to convince her with words, Vahn decided it would make things significantly easier if he just let Elaine figure things out on her own. This might result in her having an existential crisis of sorts, but, depending on the choices she made from then onward, she would be able to grow exponentially stronger after a few setbacks...Ignoring the perturbed glimmer in Elaine's eyes, Vahn began to reverse the order of entropy around her body, quickly restoring it to an uninjured state. This resulted in her Spirit being yanked forward as if it was under the influence of a powerful magnet, a rather disorienting experience that resulted in the masked beauty having to quickly tear away the silver covering in order to expel the contents of her stomach. Then, with a conflicted look that was equal parts frustration and admiration for the strong, she wiped away the astringent residue using her sleeve before bowing ever-so-slightly and saying, "My life is yours to command..."Since he was literally in possession of her Name, allowing him to order her at his leisure, Vahn just rolled his eyes in response to Elaine's words before directing his gaze towards nothing in particular and saying, "Now that I'm in charge, I want to abolish the rules of the Name Hunt Station. You are free to change them however you want, but, no matter what, I never want anything even remotely similar to what has taken place here to ever occur again. As for the responsibility...you can just leave that to me. If Jahad and the Ten Families have a problem, they can seek me out and attempt to put an end to me. If they succeed, feel free to change things back to how they were."Though it might seem like he was talking to nobody, the Guardian of each Floor was effectively omniscient in any region containing Shinsu. After all, the Shinsu of each Floor was a part of their body, and, similar to his domain, they could sense everything occurring within without exception.Rather than answer him directly, the Guardian attempted to pull Vahn into the sub-dimensional space in which it resided. Unfortunately, Vahn was in no mood to deal with the massive angler fish, so, rather than accept the 'invitation', he resisted its pull, adding, "I have no intention of trying to compromise with you. I don't care about the contract you made with the Great Warriors all those years ago. The rules dictate that the person in charge of the Name Hunt Station has the authority to alter or outright annul them. Though I might not be here to watch over things, neither are the Great Warriors. Don't go playing favorites when you're supposed to be objective."Seemingly realizing it couldn't pull him into its sub-dimension, a massive vortex of Shinsu appeared within the Grand Gallery as a paradoxically thunderous yet gentle voice echoed, "The Great Warriors have always selected a Champion to represent them and help maintain order...if you wish to uphold these changes, you must do the same..."Frowning in response to the Guardian's words, Vahn briefly entered a contemplative state, eyes cast downward as he considered a number of solutions. It was around this time that Elaine tried to make herself useful by stepping forward and suggesting, "I will stay here as your representative. I cannot escape being branded as a traitor, so-"With Elaine being close enough for him to reach out and touch, Vahn ended up holding his hand up to her face, silencing her completely as he looked towards the spiraling vortex of Shinsu and said, "Rather than choose a representative directly, I would like to establish a trial to decide the future Ruler of the Name Hunt Station. The Floors exist to test those climbing the Tower, not keep them bound to one place. You trying to force the issue is contradicting the purpose you have been given."Though it couldn't be seen through the massive vortex of Shinsu, a low grumbling could be heard emanating from the other side as the Guardian replied, "Very well...what kind of trial did you have in mind...?"Rather than answering directly, Vahn pulled out an elegant sword that looked virtually identical to the Caliburn before stabbing it into the ground and activating the Law of Authority. Then, in a voice that resonated even more so than the Guardian's, he uttered, "This sword can only be drawn by the pure of heart and the righteous of character. Whoever possesses the power to pull this sword from its purchase shall become the true and rightful Ruler of the Name Hunt Station..."Though it was invisible to people like Elaine, Vahn and the Guardian were able to perceive a peculiar golden shimmer spreading through the area in response to the former's words. This light effectively made the stone in the surroundings completely indestructible, and, so long as they possessed less authority than him, a Tier 5 being, nobody would be able to break the enchantment he had placed upon it.Satisfied with the result, Vahn nodded his head in approval of his own work before looking towards the spinning vortex and asking, "I trust you have no objections~?" in a discernably proud tone.(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Clinging to what remains...','Vahn be like, "You're about a 7..."','Can someone please smack this smug and unoriginal asshole...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With his business largely complete, Vahn emerged from the Grand Gallery with Elaine following silently in his wake. He was, honestly speaking, tempted to just leave her behind, but, knowing this was the same as sentencing her to death, he ultimately allowed her to accompany him.Fortunately, while her presence made him feel a little uncomfortable, her delusions weren't nearly as potent as someone like Helen. She still acted like he was supposed to be the one claiming her, but, rather than looking down on him for entirely contrived reasons, her heritage as a member of the Grey Wolf Tribe meant she held his strength in high regard. He had both defeated and killed her, so, while it was a little perturbing, it was hard to miss the glimmer of admiration contained in her gaze as she made sure to follow at a close yet respectable distance.Noticing said glimmer almost instantaneously, Fenrir, in particular, couldn't help squinting her eyes as she began scrutinizing Elaine's expression and demeanor. Before she could make any headway, however, Alphine was the first to speak out, concern visible in her countenance as she asked, "Is it over...?" in an uncertain tone.Despite the unspecific nature of her words, Vahn could guess what Alphine was trying to ask, his voice calm and steady as he said, "I did not steal your Master's name. Her decision to follow me is entirely her own. I'm guessing that means you're going to want to tag along as well, right?"Not expecting Vahn to be so direct, Alphine found herself at a loss for words, eyes slowly moving between the former and Elaine as if to determine the veracity of his statement. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't much help in this regard, as, due to her masquerading as Kaiser for the last thousand years, she had developed an extremely taciturn and moderately cold demeanor.Though she felt a considerable amount of concern for their future, Alphine ultimately suppressed a sigh as she bent a knee, lowering her head and placing one hand atop her heart as she said, "Please allow me to follow you...I vow to dedicate my everything, my mind, body, and soul in the service of your goals..."Due to the nature of the Tower and the administration of the Guardians, Alphine's pledge could be considered a binding oral contract if Vahn wished to take advantage of it. Instead, he just shook his head ever-so-slightly, saying, "I require none of those things. If you want to follow your Master, I'm not going to stop you. It's not like you could betray me in any meaningful way so I don't need your forced loyalty. Do what you want..."With that said, Vahn bypassed the still-kneeling Alphine to caress the heads of Fenrir and Mash, his expression relaxing as he said, "It's still a little early, but let's return to the others. Things are going to get a little hectic pretty soon."Nodding their heads in affirmation, Fenrir and Mash stayed relatively close to their Master as Vahn initiated the long and leisurely walk back to the Hell Express. This made things a little awkward for Alphine and Elaine, but, with the former loyal to the latter and the latter trapped inside of her own delusions, Vahn wasn't particularly concerned with pandering to either. If anything, he was far more interested in their peculiar, highly pettable, Shinheuh...---Once per year, precisely twenty-four hours after the arrival of the Hell Express, a Grand Festival was hosted. The main objective of this festival was to pit the Named and Unnamed against each other in various contests that helped to determine their value during the Grand Auction that occurred at the end of the day.Though there were a number of Unnamed who had absolutely no interest in being sold off, it was considered a great opportunity for those who had been trapped in the Name Hunt Station for long periods of time. Some had been imprisoned on the relatively small island for hundreds of years, so, while it was a little disheartening to consider, it was understandable that some would do everything in their power to make a positive impression on the people purchasing them.So long as they could appeal to one of the Ten Great Families or join one of the major factions of the Tower, there was always a chance that they could eventually earn their freedom. This wasn't too likely, but, at the very least, it was better than staying cooped in a prison-like facility for the rest of their lives. This was especially true for any female Regulars, as, due to their relative sparsity, being trapped in the Name Hunt Station could, at times, be a fate far worse than death...Fortunately for some, Vahn's sudden arrival and subsequent takeover of the Name Hunt Station had effectively freed them from their fates. For others, this was an extremely troubling affair, as, similar to Elaine, they had been installed there as the representatives of various factions. This was the true purpose of the 'Ten Bosses', and, though some had been hand-picked by Elaine herself, others had only risen to power because she was ordered to allow it.Now that their merchandise had effectively disappeared, including a number of Regulars that the Ten Great Families had intended to erase, nearly every Ranker that frequented the Auction House was, as could be expected, thoroughly incensed. Some of the more extreme representatives even sent their people to surround the Name Hunt Station, effectively sealing every exit until they could send their own teams of Regulars in to investigate.As the de facto rulers of the Name Hunt Station, the response of the Lo Po Bia Family was the most extreme. They immediately sent a team to surround and monitor the Hell Express, and, though they had absolutely no authority to do so, it didn't stop them from attempting to establish contact with the Train Conductor, demanding the names of every Regular inside. This placed Poe in a relatively difficult situation, but, with Vahn promising to allow him to retire to the Little Garden, he resolutely stood his ground, quoting the Hell Express' rules before effectively telling the representative of the Snow Leopard Family to 'fuck off'.Fortunately, the actions of the Lo Po Bia Family weren't simply ignored by the representatives of other Families and Factions. Though there were some who attempted to sneakily make contact with the Conductor themselves, several other Families openly criticized the Lo Po Bia Family for trying to illegally interfere with the affairs of Regulars. The most vocal among these groups were the factions that had been screwed over by the Lo Po Bia Family manipulating prices and forcing them to hand over exorbitant amounts of money in exchange for liberating their people. This, combined with the fact that the Lo Po Bia Family was almost universally disdained due to their perpetual pandering to the Jahad Empire, caused quite a number of people to come out of the woodworks in response to their attempted tyranny.Despite the combined censuring of six representatives from other Families, the representative of the Snow Leopard Family had simply ignored them until the appearance of a sudden outlier. The 39th Floor had been under their control for a long time, so, regardless of how vocal the representatives from the other Families might be, there wasn't really much they could do. They even had the Floor Ruler on their side, and, if necessary, the 5th Army Corp stationed on the 50th Floor could mobilize within hours to come to their aide.What the representative of the Snow Leopard Family never expected was the sudden appearance of, not one, but two Princesses of Jahad. To make matters even worse, one of these Princesses was in possession of two of the 13 Month Series, a status that gave her near-absolute authority over the Jahad Empire's forces. This was more than enough to keep them in check, but, most troubling of all was the fact that the Princess in question was none other than Ha Yuri Jahad, infamous for causing all kinds of trouble throughout the Tower. Fortunately, not that it made them feel any better about the situation, the other Princess was the inarguably more famous Rank 69 Khun Maschenny Zahard, one of the few Princesses actively participating in the contest to collect the entirety of the 13 Month Series...---Though he was aware of the events taking place outside, Vahn had very little interest in the politics of the Tower. He would emerge to help Yuri if she was in danger, but, knowing Maschenny had only appeared due to the message he had sent, the odds of them fighting seriously were slim. She might be one of the most powerful among the current Princesses, but, similar to Adori, there wasn't much she could do about Ureko. Killing Yuri was the same as inviting the monstrous half-dragon to pay her another visit, one that would end with the loss of far more than her dignity and a pair of baby-blue panties...Unfortunately for both Princesses, Vahn had no intention of emerging from the Hell Express unless the situation changed. Yuri was terrible at acting, so, the moment he made an appearance, anyone with a functional pair of eyes would be able to discern that their relationship wasn't exactly normal. As for Maschenny, his message asserted they would meet on the 50th Floor, so, while he was a little interested in the things she wished to discuss, he wasn't going to simply appear at her behest.Fortunately, even without meeting Maschenny directly, Vahn knew what she wanted to talk about, so, while it was difficult to have a cohesive conversation, he could learn the specifics by talking with the Law of Identity. This removed all subterfuge from the equation, and, though he had to make a number of extrapolations, it wasn't hard to figure out what the Princess wanted from him without having to meet directly.In essence, Maschenny wanted to ask him to recover an item contained within the Hidden Floor, something he was already intending after his encounter with Gustang. The only change was that she also wanted him to defeat and kill the 'data' she had left behind, a reflection of herself that was generated the first time she accessed the Hidden Floor. The idea that a younger and more naive version of herself still existed made the proud Princess feel uncomfortable; so, using the justification that he would be releasing them from an eternity of experiencing the same mundane existence, she wanted him to destroy the system maintaining the Hidden Floor.Coincidentally, Maschenny wasn't the only person who wanted to see the Hidden Floor, or, more specifically, have their 'data' destroyed. The same could be said for Ureko and a number of other Rankers who had previously cleared the Hell Express. For the former, this was largely due to the fact that the Hidden Floor simply couldn't copy her data properly. This resulted in a corrupted version of herself, something that she simply couldn't tolerate. As for the rest, they had changed a lot during their climb up the Tower, so, while they found the idea rather novel at the time, the idea that others might encounter a younger version of themselves made many Rankers feel uncomfortable.Unfortunately, sharing any information about the Hidden Floor erased all knowledge of its existence from a person's mind. This made it exceptionally difficult to come up with measures of erasing said data, even among Jahad and the Ten Great Families.This was where Maschenny's cleverness as a member of the Khun Family came into play. She knew of his ability to 'read minds', so, even without discussing the matter directly, he could ascertain her intentions simply by being in 'close proximity'. To this same end, she had come up with a number of different plans, several of which were intended to entice him to her side. She knew the vast majority of these were pointless, but, by figuring out which ones made him the most uncomfortable, she was intending to discover as much as she could about his nature and personality. Her ability to ascertain the intentions of others was on the level of an Innate, so, while he wasn't exactly afraid of her, Vahn wasn't in any hurry to meet the machinating Princess...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn isn't fond of women who are 'resolute' in their delusions...','Ureko is the MVP xD...','Someone more powerful than Yuri and more intelligent than Khun...*heavy sweating*...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though there was a brief moment of hesitation before she took action, Elaine was ultimately able to show why she, of all people, had been selected to rule the Name Hunt Station. She had never been the type to simply 'give up' when her convictions had been questioned, as, even now, the two most important things to her were protecting her family and redeeming herself in the eyes of the people who had once supported her.After quickly confirming the condition of her weapons and other armaments, Kaiser unsheathed a silvery rapier that glistened with a pale green glow. Then, rather than attempting to overwhelm him with ranged attacks, she charged in with a surprising burst of speed, rapier tracing a difficult to read trajectory that ultimately culminated in a thrust to Vahn's throat.Similar to when he had been evading the Needles, Vahn simply tilted his head a little to the left, his foot sliding forward at a slight angle that allowed him to shift his weight enough to deftly evade the rapier's point. At the same time, his right hand traced the length of the blade before coming to rest on the hemispherical guard protecting Elaine's hand.Unlike Inieta, Elaine didn't hesitate for a single moment before abandoning her rapier and pulling out a scimitar-like shortsword from her Arms Inventory. This tempted Vahn to use the rapier he had just acquired to deflect the attack, but, knowing it would only make Laev-tan pout, he ended up just taking a few steps backward, his body seemingly glitching in and out of reality as he evaded Elaine's blitzing blows.Realizing her speed was lacking compared to her opponent's, Elaine began to increase the amount of Shinsu contained within the muscles. This caused aquamarine bands of electricity to dance across her body, and, much like when Endorsi and Anak pushed themselves far beyond their limits, several tears started to appear in Elaine's sheer black tights as parts of her outfit started disintegrating due to the violent energy she was releasing.Resisting the urge the roll his eyes and shake his head, largely due to the fact his own clothes had a habit of dissolving, Vahn thrust his hand in Elaine's direction, compressing the Shinsu between them to form a wall of pressure that sent her smashing through one of the Grand Gallery's massive pillars.Though she felt as though a Suspend Ship had just crashed into her at high speeds, Elaine was able to avoid sustaining any severe injuries due to strengthening her body with Shinsu. Despite this, she made no attempt to pull herself from the rubble. Instead, she used the moment of 'reprieve' to try and organize her thoughts, mind racing in an attempt to come up with a method of defeating her foe.Unfortunately, by the time she was ready to jump back into the fray, Elaine nearly fell face-first into the ground when she saw the rapidly increasing number of golden Baangs orbiting around Vahn. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, and, to make matters even worse, she could feel the Shinsu in the surroundings rapidly dissipating. Once it had vanished completely, she would no longer have the means to protect herself, as, despite the boons she had received over the years, she had never been provided an ignition weapon.In a desperate attempt to prevent Vahn from absorbing all the Shinsu in the surroundings, Elaine strained her body far beyond its limits, blood erupting from various muscle groups as she charged forward like a pale-green meteor. At the exact same moment, a phantom figure burst free from the void behind Vahn, it's form resembling a ghostly grey wolf with fierce golden eyes.Ignoring the wolf entirely, Vahn used his open palm to intercept the spiraling green vortex at the tip of Elaine's attack, dissipating it in an instant. This allowed the ghostly grey wolf to sink its teeth into his left leg, and, due to the unique properties of its saliva, a glimmer of excitement could be seen in Elaine's eyes as she attempted to kick against his body to gain some distance.Moving significantly faster, Vahn grabbed Elaine's proffered ankle before her foot could even make contact with his body. She responded to this by trying to manifest her Armor Inventory, but, before she could get the plates under control, Vahn had already pivoted on his heel, twisting his body with extreme speed as he flung her sprawling body like a ragdoll.Though her Armor Inventory sped over to try and cushion her fall, Elaine's body ultimately crashed into the exceedingly durable wall for a second time. This time, however, she was embedded directly into the wall, her arms and legs splayed out as the protective plates formed a protective membrane to try and shield her from any subsequent attacks.Deciding to afford Elaine the opportunity to consider her surrender, Vahn shifted his attention to the ghostly wolf that continued to gnaw at his ankle and calf. He actually felt a strange connection between him and the noble-looking creature, and, though its name was marginally different, Vahn couldn't help but crack a smile when the Law of Identity revealed that its name to be Fenryl.Ignoring the fact that it was persistently trying to tear his leg apart, Vahn bent down to caress the ghostly wolf's ethereal fur as he said, "Fenrir is going to get a kick out of you..." in an amused tone. This resulted in Fenryl attempting to bite at his hand, but, rather than evade, Vahn just chuckled as he used his free hand to scratch behind its ears...---Feeling a strange 'fluttering' in her chest, Elaine emerged from her momentary unconsciousness with a start, eyes wide as she found herself in a world of darkness. Fortunately, this was merely the result of her Armor Inventory covering her body, so, after a brief moment of panic, she was able to calm down enough to realize the pain she was in. It felt like every bone in her body was crying out in protest, and, for the first time in nearly eight-hundred-years, she felt a sudden and intense urge to join them...Suppressing the urge to tear up, Elaine took a few deep breaths to steady her mind as she used her internal reserves to mend her broken body. At the same time, she began to think about the reasons behind Vahn's actions. If it were another monstrous Regular, she would have assumed he was just tormenting her for the hell of it, but, unlike a typical sadist, Vahn didn't seem to derive any pleasure from his actions. Instead, his mood seemed to become more depressive as the fight continued...Realizing that Vahn might be attempting to 'tame' or 'help' her, a wave of frustration permeated through Elaine's body as she clenched her teeth in indignation. The former wasn't that bad, as it was simply the 'privilege of the strong'. The latter, however, was something she couldn't stand, as, regardless of what she had gone through, she refused to accept someone's pity.Though her body was far from fully healed, Elaine manipulated her Armor Inventory aside as she extricated herself from the wall with a pained but resolute grunt. Even if she had to die a hundred times, she was determined to land at least one blow against Vahn before going down for good. He would never break-Just as she was beginning to form her resolution, Elaine's mind blanked as she saw an absolutely incomprehensible scene playing out before her...Unlike a normal Anima, Elaine had inherited an inordinately rare trait that appeared only once every thousand or so years within the Grey Wolf Family. This was the origin of her phantom Shinhueh, the 'Legendary Wolf Spirit, Fenryl'.Though it was classified as a Shinheuh, Fenryl was not a real living creature. Instead, it was the form her Shinsu took once she had learned about Qualities. In other words, it didn't require a Bowl, and, so long as there was Shinsu in the surroundings, Fenryl was effectively immortal. It could be 'killed' any number of times, but, much like mist being scattered, it would invariably reform and continue attacking her opponents. This, combined with the fact that its bite inflicted wounds that only healed with her consent had allowed Elaine to become one of the strongest members of her generation...Simply put, Fenryl was an intrinsic part of Elaine's very being, and, even if you searched throughout the entire Tower, you would never find another. This made it 'impossible' to tame, as, unlike normal Shinheuh, it simply didn't exist as a biological organism. Unfortunately for both Elaine and common sense, Vahn didn't call himself the 'God of Infinite Possibilities' just to sound cool. Thus, without any consideration for either, he could currently be seen seated on the ground, nonchalantly smiling as he stroked the panting Fenryl's exposed underbelly...Sensing its Master's thoughts, Fenryl seemingly came back to its senses in an instant, flipping its body upright before attempting to tear out Vahn's throat. In response, the latter just opened his arms like someone about the initiate a hug, an awkward chuckle emanating from his throat as he wrapped Fenryl in his embrace and mused, "I'm afraid that doesn't work on me..." while digging his fingers into the former's dense fur.Though it was well aware of the fact its attacks had no effect, Fenryl didn't release Vahn's throat from its maw. Instead, it attempted to crush his windpipe, but, no matter how tightly it clenched its jaws, Vahn's skin didn't even indent. It was a phenomenon that made absolutely no sense, almost as if nothing happening had any effect on him whatsoever...With Fenryl's teeth unable to find any purchase, the wolf spirit ultimately fell away from his body as Vahn rose to his feet and began wiping away the drool from his neck with a hand towel. This caused Fenryl to try and bite at his ankle, but, without paying it any mind, Vahn directed his attention to the stunned Elaine, asking, "Ready for round three, or would you like me to heal your body first?"Coming back to her sense in response to Vahn's words, Elaine's expression hardened as she pulled out two swords and said, "I don't know what your aim-"Cutting her off before she could finish, Vahn exhaled a tired sigh before saying, "You know exactly what my aim is. I literally explained it to you before our fight began. My only goal here is to destroy the Name Hunt Station and erase its influence from the Tower. This requires me to either defeat or kill you. Since I have no desire to do the latter, everything happening right now is a direct result of your obstinancy and your unwillingness to believe that the people using you always had the intent to do so. They took advantage of your natural instincts, pitting you against someone much stronger in an attempt to forcibly sway your heart. The only way you could have avoided that situation was by completely ignoring your instincts, something that is impossible for a girl who spent her entire life being pampered and praised by others. You were set up to fail from the very beginning,..."Though she wasn't sure why she had waited, Elaine allowed Vahn to finish speaking before charging at him with tears streaming from her eyes. This time, however, the latter made no attempt to dodge her attacks. Instead, he just stood there like an immovable statue, sympathy visible in his gaze even as Elaine attempted to skewer his eye with the tips of her swords. Unfortunately, even this couldn't phase the current him, and, though it took a considerable amount of effort to suppress the urge to blink, Vahn managed to appear unperturbed as the point of Elaine's sword deflected off his sclera.Despite the apparent futility of her actions, Elaine didn't stop swinging her swords at Vahn even as blood began to pool from the edges of her elbow-length gloves. Even the breaking and bending of the blades weren't enough to deter her. Instead, she just tossed them to the side before procuring a new set from her Arms Inventory and releasing a feral scream filled with the pain and anguish of someone who had suffered futilely for more than a thousand years...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "I'm fast a fuck boiii~!"','Don't worry, Common Sense-chan is a Masochist (O w O)...','Release...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1885: Resolution : Solution