Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Despite his tone and promise, Vahn's first action was to slowly lower himself to the ground. Then, with a relaxed yet no-nonsense look on his face, he adopted what appeared to be a basic boxing stance as he said, "We'll start with a warmup..."Thinking Vahn was trying to make fun of him, Jahad remained absolutely silent as he swung his Needle in a sweeping arc that caused the terrain in front of him to effectively vaporize. Back in the Tower, he had the authority to dictate whether or not his opponents were allowed to use Shinsu. As a result, it had become a habit of his to erase the ground upon which they stood, forcing them into an awkward situation where they did their best to remain aerial in a Shinsu-less environment.Simply put, Jahad liked being able to look down on his opponents and crush them underfoot with attacks that seemingly blocked the sky. Vahn was very aware of this, so, rather than dodging, he let the ground beneath him be destroyed before taking a half-step forward on empty air. Then, just as the golden-haired man was about to comment something in response, he performed a simplistic, seemingly slow-motion, jab with his left hand.Trusting his instincts, Jahad attempted to raise his Needle into a defensive hold, but, long before he could complete the motion, a sudden and solid impact slammed directly into his nose. It didn't do any actual damage, but it was still enough to both surprise and offend him. He was now certain that Vahn was toying with him, but, in spite of this, he didn't understand the mechanic behind the attack that had just hit him.Following his initial jab, Vahn appeared to begin a session of slow and methodical shadow boxing. This caused Jahad's pupils to shrink to the size of pinholes, as despite his ability to see each and every one of Vahn's moves, he found himself unable to block or evade them. Even side-stepping or guarding in the trajectory of a strike proved futile. Thus, without a single exception, each and every one of the light punches successfully impacted his body.With his anger exploding outward, Jahad decided to forgo defense entirely as he lunged forward and thrust with his prized Alcedinidae. Under normal circumstances, this would have allowed the blade to extend forward at a speed that most simply couldn't fathom. In its wake, a gravitational vortex would pull opponents inward, and, should they prove incapable of liberating themselves in a timely manner, it would rip them apart without fail.Without showing any consideration for the attack that attempted to instantaneously penetrate his body, Vahn continued his shadowboxing routine with an almost apathetic expression on his face. As a result, the Alcedinidae's point appeared to pass through his body, but, the moment he twisted his waist to perform a hooking motion, the traditionally indestructible weapon fragmented similarly to glass as Jahad's head was forcibly tilted by the invisible blow to his chin.Though it was incomparable to the true Alcedinidae, Jahad never expected that Vahn would be able to shatter it with such ease. This caused 'realization' to dawn upon him, his expression hardening as he said, "You're interacting with and manipulating my data directly...how sly..."Smiling in response to Jahad's words, Vahn didn't bother correcting him as he took a sliding step forward before twisting his body and performing an impeccable uppercut. This caused Jahad, who had been preparing to say more, to immediately close his mouth as the force from this particular blow sent him momentarily arcing into the sky.With Vahn's blow causing him to bite the inside of his cheek, Jahad spit a small amount of blood and saliva from his mouth before adopting a crimson-stained smile as he said, "So be it. You can't accuse me of using underhanded means if you're reliant on tricks like this to secure a victory. The next time-"Having never been fond of villain speeches and threats, Vahn gestured in a manner reminiscent of someone swatting a fly on a table. This caused the hairs on Jahad's neck to spontaneously stand on end, but, having already convinced himself it was 'impossible' to dodge, his response was to grit his teeth as he prepared for the imminent blow.Like a punishment from the Heavenly Buddha, the force of Vahn's downward strike phased through Jahad's defenses as if they didn't exist. As a result, the golden-haired man found himself face-down against the ground, his body forced to remain prostrate as the ground around him sank to form the impression of a palm.Understanding that Vahn had decided to dismiss with pleasantries entirely, crimson red tendrils violently erupted from Jahad's body, several piercing Vahn directly while others seemed to root themselves into the surrounding landscape. Anything unfortunate enough to be hit found itself converted into pure Shinsu, the majority of which was absorbed directly into the ever-expanding sea of tendrils. As for the rest, it was gathered to form countless blood-red Baangs, each a variation of the Shinsu Black Hole Sphere.Though he was completely unaffected by the tendrils, shattering them in much the same manner as the Alcedinidae, Vahn couldn't help but frown as he witnessed the effects of Jahad's 'demon' on the environment. It was far more destructive than he anticipated, and, though it presumably wouldn't have made much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, he now had a better understanding of what he should expect once the real Jahad was pushed into a corner...With the gravitational well generated by the Baangs growing to resemble a small star, Vahn decided it was time to bring this little educational session to an end. Jahad was clearly no longer interested in learning what he had to teach, so, without further dallying, he had Sis 'erase' the environmental data for the enclosing hundred-thousand-kilometers. This caused a massive gulf to instantaneously appear around the expanding tendrils, momentarily depriving them of nourishment as resplendent golden chains began to erupt from the void.Not content with leaving Enkidu to do all the heavy lifting, Vahn decided to spare himself the silent treatment by manifesting Laev-tan and pointing her towards the empty sky above. His training with Scathach, combined with his ascent to Tier 5, allowed him to effectively ignore Enkidu's suppressive effect. As a result, he was able to manifest a pillar of brackish flames that extended for hundreds of meters before tearing through space and emerging at the far end of Jahad's mass. Said flames then pierced through Jahad's body in an instant before entering another spatial crack and emerging at a different angle. In this manner, the crimson mass that represented Jahad ended up being skewered by dozens of flame pillars, each sharing a singular origin...---Though she was tempted to go and investigate the black void that had appeared on the horizon, Madara forced herself to remain calm as she spread her senses through the surroundings with her eyes closed. Her Rinnesharingan should have allowed her to detect her opponent easily, but, with the ability to blend seamlessly into the void, locating this particular version of Vahn was easier said than done.Fortunately, while he could have very easily run away, her opponent seemed just as determined as she was to finish their battle. This had led to a number of rather one-sided exchanges, but, as time passed, Madara was slowly adapting to her unseen foe.Despite feeling a near-imperceptible fluctuation in the surrounding space, Madara forced herself to stay absolutely still. She had learned first-hand, seven times, how futile it was to try and attack these subtle fluctuations. Thus, despite her nerves feeling as though they were on fire, Madara completely motionless, patiently awaiting her chance to strike...Seeing this scene play out from the sidelines, X couldn't help yawning in a rather theatrical manner before exhaling a bored sigh and remarking, "This fight is super boring..."Though she rarely agreed with anything her counterpart said, Altria, now with cat ears and a tail, couldn't help but nod her head before producing a curry bread from her inventory and taking a series of small but exceptionally quick bites. This caused X's brow to twitch, not because she was envious of the former's food supply, but because she had hoped to alleviate her boredom with a conversation.Exhaling an even louder sigh, a feeling akin to an electric shock suddenly passed through X's body as Madara spontaneously opened her eyes and sent a glare her way. At that exact moment, two red spears, one aiming for Madara's side and another attacking from her blind spot, appeared from the void. The former was easily evaded with a twist of her body, but, as a result, she ended up turning in the direction of the second spear, impaling herself in the abdomen.Despite having modified her body to be purely biomechanical with the Asura path, Madara still felt an unbelievable amount of pain when the crystalline spear pierced her abdomen. Despite this, she managed a smile, hands shooting outward as she shouted, "Banshō Ten'in...!"Rather than trying to repel the attack, Madara forced the spear further into her body in an attempt to extract the spear's owner from the void. There was a chance he was using a form of Telekinesis to guide the spears, but, as she had experienced countless times during her training, it was remarkably difficult to infuse the power of law into weapons detached from the body. Since Sworn Enemies had an extremely shallow understanding of the laws they attempted to make use of, Madara refused to believe for a moment that a fake version of Vahn could be more proficient in their application than even she was.As an additional precaution, Madara even went as far as extending the effect of her Banshō Ten'in to cover the surrounding thirty kilometers. This startled X and Altria quite a bit, but, without paying them any mind, the tomoe in Madara's Rinnegan began to spin rapidly as the void opened behind her like a mouth, enveloping her in a literal instant. At that exact same moment, a similar black void opened beneath a version of Vahn that had just been forcibly pulled through a mountain face in the direction of Madara's previous location.Extending her hand a nigh-incalculable speed, an ashen black bone protruded from Madara's palm as she unhesitantly impaled the emotionless-looking Vahn. This was a unique technique known as Ashen Bone Pulse, and, under normal circumstances, it would completely disintegrate any biological organisms it had come into contact with. Against this particular version of Vahn, however, it had no noticeable effect as, before she had even thrust her hand forward, his body had already produced a hole within itself to preemptively evade the attack.With an excited smile visible on her face, Madara increased her speed to the point that her right arm seemed to split into more than a dozen identical appendages. At the same time, five other versions of herself, Limbo Clones that had been hidden since the start of the fight, emerged from within their respective black voids, palms extending forward as they chorused, "Shinra Tensei...!"Though he had been able to evade the Ashen Bone Pulse without much difficulty, 'Laplace Vahn' lacked the means to resist an attack that directly targetted the electromagnetic field produced by sub-atomic particles. The Hidden Floor was powerless to make sense of Vahn's actual structure, so, unlike the original, each of the Sworn Enemies possessed true physical bodies.Due to the vast disparity between their power, Laplace Vahn ended up being crushed into a shape resembling a cube. This wasn't actually enough to kill him, but, before he could attempt to escape, the real Madara wrapped things up by slapping her palms together rather violently and shouting, "Chibaku Tensei...!" in a voice that echoed through the surrounding space for tens of kilometers.From within her palms, Madara produced a perturbing black sphere that emanated a strange white light reminiscent of distant stars. At a glance, some might mistake this as a gravitational singularity, but, rather than simply pulling things towards it, Chibaku Tensei had the effect of 'negating' gravity in the surroundings. It was also one of the most powerful Sealing Jutsus in Naruto, and, in the right hands, it could even seal god-level beasts with planetary levels of power.With five other Madara's keeping him at bay, Laplace Vahn was helpless to resist the Chibaku Tensei as it came into contact with his flesh. This caused his amorphous body to painfully wrap around the sphere as a mountain's worth of debris surged towards him, impacting, compressing, and ultimately sealing him in a highly compacted orb reminiscent of the Fruit of Good and Evil...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Non-series series, casual light punches...!','Vahn in response to Jahad turning into a nebulous red urchin capable of destroying entire floors, "Pfft...I could do it better..."','Madara is very thorough xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the environment having been subsequently restored by Sis, Vahn took a moment to enjoy the silence of the serene forest before directing his gaze to the peculiar red Needle presently bound by Enkidu's chains. It was extremely short for a Needle-type weapon, and, rather than appear sleek, the majority of its red frame was covered in ringlets. Most notably, however, was the eye-like gemstone that dominated the center, it's interior reminiscent of a crimson star flanked by six golden claws.Seeing the peculiar weapon, Vahn was finally beginning to understand what must have transpired to transform Jahad from an outgoing 'King of Adventurers' to a despotic and lonely individual who supposed himself a God. He, similar to a protagonist from a shonen anime, had been manipulated by those with a far greater understanding of the world, and, due to his unshakeable ideals, he had gradually been turned into a monster by the very people who set him upon his journey in the first place...Shaking his head, Vahn walked over to the peculiar weapon and grasped its hilt. In response, the claret sun in the center began to pulsate as an abrasive and synthetic-sounding voice uttered, "I didn't notice it before, but I can sense it clearly now. Though it is not of this world, you also possess the Seed of a King, don't you?"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn held up the Needle so that the 'eye' in the center was level with his face, apathetically inquiring, "You can sense it clearly but still need to ask? How curious..."Though it did not answer immediately, the voice within the Needle could be heard chuckling for a brief moment before replying, "Caution is a fine trait to possess for those with the qualifications to be King. However, with a bit of trust, your rise to the top will become a lot smoother. If you'll accept it, I can grant you power even greater than the current King's. What say you?"Feeling a foreign intent attempt to invade both his mind and body, Vahn manipulated his own to effectively strangle the comparably weak force as he plainly stated, "Though blame ultimately lies with your creator, this is the end of the line. I'm not sure who it is you were waiting for, but I'll not let another be corrupted for the sake of an experiment. Begone."With his final word causing a visible ripple in the surrounding space, the crimson sun sealed within the Needle promptly extinguished. Immediately thereafter, the interior of the orb grew foggy as the crimson hue drained away from the body of the Needle, its surface turning ashen before ultimately fragmenting into pieces reminiscent of spent charcoal.Exhaling a tired sigh, Vahn shook his head a second time before directing his gaze towards nothing in particular and muttering, "All this suffering over something as meaningless as the truth...at least now I can understand why the Workshop provided so much support for Jahad and his companions during their ascent..."Thanks to the Law of Identity being unable to violate the contracts of the people whose identity she had assumed, Vahn had been unable to peer into the truth behind the organization. All he knew for certain was that they sincerely pursued the 'origin of all things'. There was nothing inherently wrong with this sentiment, but, much like how there were a few startling differences between Da Vinci and Gustang, the pursuit of knowledge without restraint had a habit of leading to irredeemable tragedy and destruction...Thinking of his starry-eyed lover, Vahn was briefly tempted to convince the woman to reincarnate into the Tower. So long as he provided her with adequate resources, it would only take her a few years, if that, to completely dominate the Tower. In the process, she would either absorb or destroy the Workshop, and, in the end, she might very well become his most prominent pillar of support.Unfortunately, as he had learned during his time in the Nasu and Akamatsuverses, knowledge, while immensely powerful, was a limiting factor when aiming towards something that couldn't be defined through conventional reasoning. The more you know about something, the more consideration you would put into your decision-making, and, as a result, you ultimately ended up denying yourself the freedom to simply act as you please. This was surprisingly important when trying to comprehend the Laws and gain greater authority, and, while it was sad to think about, it was one of the reasons so many despicable or selfish individuals managed to climb their way up to monstrous heights.Though it wasn't the first thing that came to mind when people thought of the word Hero, Vahn had come to accept that heroes were some of the most selfish people in existence. The only real difference between them and something like a Demon King was the perception of the people. In a disheartening number of Records, this sentiment resulted in many former heroes later becoming known as villains simply due to public perception and politics. Thus, while he was tempted to make things easier for himself by inviting Da Vinci to solve his problems, Vahn understood that the path towards the pinnacle was never intended to be easy. He needed to be able to clear the way forward himself, and, though he was bound to make mistakes along the way, such instances were arguably even more important than his triumphs.Having successfully convinced himself, at least for the moment, Vahn swept aside the ashes of the crimson Needle before shifting his gaze in the direction of several ongoing battles. His domain was unable to cover such a massive distance, yet, in spite of this, he could still sense what was going on through the connection he shared with both his Templates and lovers. Because of this, an amused smile naturally developed across his face, as, more so than any other, he was able to ascertain what Fenrir had in mind whilst dealing with the Sworn Enemy version of herself...---Having witnessed Vahn's battle from start to finish, a slight smile spread across the face of young Jahad as he muttered, "It seems Eduan was mistaken. This man is nothing like me. He managed to see through what I could not and didn't hesitate for a moment to destroy the power offered to him. I wonder...if I had that same level of resolve, would things have turned out differently...?"Shaking his head in response to his own words, Jahad removed the three-eyed mask that covered the curse mark extending across his forehead and covering his right eye. This was a burden he had carried with him even before his ascent up the Tower, and, though he couldn't remember where it had come from, he knew it was called the 'Chains of Fate'. It was his desire to liberate himself from these chains that led to him becoming an Adventurer, and, though his journey ended the moment he cleared the Hell Train, he had taken notice of the fact that even his future self used red bindings to cover his forehead...With what could best be described as a pensive and melancholic smile, Jahad used his left hand to crush the three-eyed visor before muttering, "I've let you borrow my eyes long enough. From this moment onward, you will need to use your own to ascertain the truth..."Though it wasn't visible to others, Jahad could see a wisp of crimson energy flow from the visor the moment he shattered it. This was a nascent thread of his genuine self's intent, and, due to a special ritual, the three-eyed symbol allowed the real Jahad to know everything within his iconic marking's field of view. It didn't matter if it was scrawled onto a piece of paper or carved into stone. So long as the 'Symbol of the King' was present, it would become another source of information promoting the King's 'omniscience'.Now that he had effectively betrayed his future self, Jahad didn't hesitate to produce a small silver wristband from his pocket, a thoughtful glimmer flashing across his eyes as he proceeded to smash it into pieces. After Vahn's refusal to accept power, it was difficult to imagine the so-called Emperor swallowing his pride to accept something like a handout. Thus, rather than embarrassing them both by offering it as a convenient tool to defeat his true self, Jahad decided to follow Vahn's example by destroying it completely.Feeling as if a heavy burden had been removed from his shoulders, a smile returned to Jahad's face as he looked around at the encircling arena and mused, "It really is a shame...I was actually looking forward to experiencing my first real fight in the last six-thousand-years. It seems that is yet another thing my true self will get to experience that I missed out on..."Seemingly amused by his words, a light chuckle emanated from Jahad's throat as several golden Baangs, each reminiscent of liquid gold, formed around him...---After one-sidedly pummeling the Sworn Enemy version of herself for several minutes, Fenrir had the former's paws bound using Gleipnir's chains as she bent the teary-eyed Vanargander over her knee and firmly smacked her exposed backside. This was the result of her Sworn Enemy self transforming into an eldritch-looking version of her wolf form, a transformation the actual Fenrir had been trying to keep hidden ever since she accidentally uncovered its existence.Unable to break free from chains specifically designed to seal her, tears continued to pour from S.E. Fenrir's eyes as she shouted, "I said I was sorry! I won't do it again! Please stop spanking me...!"Despite her words, S.E. Fenrir continued to struggle in a desperate attempt to break free, her false Chainbreaker kicking into overdrive to aid in her efforts. Unfortunately, she was a version of Fenrir that had very little control over her own energy and emotions, so, every time the former smacked her backside, the energy within her body would be completely disrupted. This prevented her from mustering any meaningful resistance, and, due to the chains holding her firmly in place, it left her backside completely exposed to the seemingly endless series of painful strikes.Snorting through her nose, Fenrir gave her counterpart's bottom another firm smack before saying, "If you want me to stop, you need to stop struggling. You might not be the real me, but you should still have some of my memories. If you were a good girl, I wouldn't need to punish you like this. Do you think I enjoy speaking your backside?"Gritting her teeth in response to Fenrir's words, S.E. Fenrir made yet another attempt to break free before ultimately giving up following another crisp slapping sound. Then, while cursing the system for designing them to feel pain, she allowed her body to go limp as she begrudgingly muttered, "I give up...please stop spanking me..."Rather than taking the woman's words seriously, Fenrir allowed her hand rest on her Sworn Enemy's backside as she said, "I will have you sign a contract and swear it on our Master's name. I don't wish to kill you, but if you endanger the lives of the people around Master, you must be removed. Even if your head is filled with stone, you should understand the reason for this, yes?"Though she couldn't help but grit her teeth in frustration, S.E. Fenrir ultimately nodded her head in response to Fenrir's words, saying, "I understand...even if we want to be the only one Master needs, his existence is far too big for us to contain..."Frowning in response to her counterpart's words, Fenrir chose not to comment as she pulled out an extremely ornate scroll. This was something she had drafted with the assistance of Eva, and, though it didn't actually affect the Soul, it contained a Tier 5 spell known as a 'Soul Binding Contract'. In the Akamatsuverse, this spell was strong enough to bind Vampire Nobles and Demon Kings, so, while it functioned a little differently in the Transcendental Path to Heaven, using it to bind an artificial Tier 3 was relatively simple.Though she was tempted to try and appeal to their Master, S.E. Fenrir knew it would be impossible to convince him to abandon everyone and become her's. The only routes available to her, at least if she wanted to avoid deletion, was spending the next couple of years in isolation or working hard to fit in. There was also a very real chance that her Ego might be erased to free her from the burden of her own programming, so, before she lost the chance to make decisions regarding her own life, she bit her tongue to allow blood to drip onto the scroll.Unfortunately, not that she could have read it, S.E. Fenrir hadn't accounted for the fact that her true self had included certain provisions and stipulations into the contract. As a result, a crimson sheen flashed across her midnight blue fur, and, as a result, her hair became a healthy auburn color. At the same time, her crimson eyes became reminiscent of radiant copper as the tone of her skin changed from a pale and pristine white to a sunkissed golden brown.Confused by the sudden changes, S.E. Fenrir gazed absentmindedly at her paws before Fenrir took it upon herself to explain, "Others might possess a similar name, but there can only ever be one of me. This contract strips away all titles and designations you might have possessed. When you meet with Master later, ask him kindly to bestow a name upon you. From then onward, you will be both my little sister and your own person. I'm already walking my path. If you want to become someone Master can rely on, you'll need to make your own efforts."With that said, Fenrir allowed her Zanpakuto to return to its base state as she extended her hand to caress the still-glaring redhead. Then, just as the latter began emitting a low growl, Vahn appeared out of thin air, surprising the two girls as he said, "I'm glad the two of you were able to work things out. It seems like everyone else is just about finished up as well. Shall we return to the Town of the Wandering Minstrels and have a nice long chat...?"Without waiting for either girl to respond, Vahn extended his hands to caress both of their heads, his smile widening as noticed their respective ears twitch. Fenrir's, in particular, caught his eye, as, for reasons he still couldn't ascertain, he had always had a thing for girls with elven ears...Understanding her Master's thoughts, Fenrir allowed a blush to spread through her cheeks and into her ears as she habitually nestled closer to his body. This left her redheaded counterpart with a look of envy on her face, but, before she could say anything, Vahn tenderly pinched her nose as he softly alleged, "Red is a good color on you..."Though instinct was to bite anything even remotely close to her mouth, the former Fenrir managed to hold herself back thanks to the contract. The urge was still there, however, so, in the end, she did the next best thing, preventing Vahn from retracting his hand so she could gently nibble and suckle on his fingers. At the same time, she took advantage of her somewhat petite frame to turn her eyes up at him, their depths glistening with a copper hue as she traced her crimson tongue between his index and middle fingers...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The plot thickens...?','Data Jahad isn't as bad as he seems...','A new challenger has arrived (O w O)...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though his senses were far more attuned, effectively granting him a limited form of omniscience within his domain, Fenrir's long-range sensory ability far outstripped Vahn's. Her senses, especially when she was 'hunting' something, was on a level that simply couldn't be quantified. As a result, it wasn't Vahn or Sis who discovered the location of their 'prey', but Fenrir.Noticing Fenrir's hair suddenly stand on end, Vahn was about to ask what happened when a frigid chill began to emanate from her body, her voice resembling a murderous snarl as she said, "She's here...I can smell her..."Even without asking, Vahn was pretty sure he knew who Fenrir was referencing when spoke in such a manner. She had gotten pretty good at concealing her displeasure regarding others, at least when he was around, so there was really only one person it could be: herself.Understanding this was something she needed to overcome herself, Vahn responded with an approving nod, saying, "I won't interfere unless you ask me to."Returning a somewhat scary smile of her own, a bluish-black shroud veiled Fenrir's figure before her speed drastically increased. She was far from the relativistic requirement he had set previously, but, unless they could somehow work around her incomparable instincts and ever-advancing mastery of Devouring Laws, even foes far more powerful than her would struggle to defeat an enraged Fenrir.Given that the mountain range was only a few hundred kilometers in length, it took no time at all for Fenrir, followed closely by Vahn, to reach her target. Rather than attacking, however, she ended up stopping in mid-air, her expression hard to read as she stared, wide-eyed, at the scene below. As for Vahn, his momentum was also brought to a stop, but, rather than gawking, his eyes narrowed as he asked, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"As if he had only just noticed their arrival, the red-cloaked man who was undoubtedly Jahad turned his head with a completely calm expression on his face as he plainly stated, "You really are a fool...to think you would come directly to me. Very well. I had intended to save this for later, but I'm nothing if not adaptable. Allow me to demonstrate what you should expect if you wish to continue pursuing this futile course..."Seeing S.E. Jahad extend his hand towards S.E. Fenrir, Vahn's body moved even before his mind had willed it. At the same time, Laev-tan appeared in his hand, and, though he generally did his best to measure his strength, a black wall reminiscent of Ichigo's use of the Mugetsu extended for several hundred kilometers from his position.With his pupils contracting in slow motion, Jahad attempted to pull his hand away from the wall of blackness only to discover that everything beneath his elbow had simply been erased. This was in spite of his efforts to reinforce his body with the Shinsu Black Hole Sphere, so, without attempting to posture, he immediately leaped backward while reaching across his body to draw his weapon, a special Needle known as the Alcedinidae(Kingfisher).Taking advantage of the fact that the wall persisted long after his attack had completed, almost as if he had cut through the Hidden Floor itself, Vahn briefly shifted his gaze to the Sworn Enemy version of Fenrir to find her looking up at him with what could best be described as puppy eyes. This made him instantaneously question whether or not it was right to delete Sworn Enemies, but, rather than allow himself to get distracted, he had Sis remove the suppressed Vanargandr's limiters, saying, "I'll leave the two of you to sort things out..." before blitzing Jahad.Freed from her compulsory obedience, S.E. Fenrir immediately returned to her nearly-naked human form, charging her true self with fangs and claws bared. This caused an annoyed frown to develop across the latter's face, not because she was being attacked, but because her S.E. counterpart made no effort to conceal her dignity. This, combined with the fact the data construct looked a lot like her younger self made Fenrir feel very uncomfortable, her expression fixing into a grimace as she easily evaded her feral self's charge before throwing a spare [REquip] system towards her and saying, "Put some clothes on. We're not animals."Though her first instinct was to chomp on the silvery bracelet thrown towards her, S.E. Fenrir's ears perked up the moment her counterpart's message reached her. This caused a temporary lull in the fight as not only did the [REquip] system contain a vast assortment of outfits, several of which were clearly chosen for their appeal, there were also countless other items and accessories stored within.Causing a tick mark to appear at the real Fenrir's temple, S.E. Fenrir ended up choosing what could best be described as a 'sexy schoolgirl' outfit in lieu of actual combat attire. To make matters even worse, it was one of the outfits that Fenrir had been keeping in reserve. She liked to dress up when her Master was in a bad mood, and, while it consisted of little more than a transparent white sailor top and a short pleated skirt, it was easily one of her sexier reserve outfits when accounting for her fluffy ears and tail.Noticing the frustration on her counterpart's face, a rather vicious smile spread across the face of S.E. Fenrir as she huskily remarked, "Your time in the light has come to an end. You'll never be able to support Master if you keep holding yourself back. I'm a much better choice...!"Snorting through her nose, Fenrir adopted an expression of disgust as she pinched the bridge of her nose and said, "You are tainted by men who are not Master. Even if you are willing to do what it takes to become stronger, the purity of those closest to him is vital for preserving Master's mental stability. If you truly understood Master, you would know the thing he needs least is the fanatical support of people he wants to protect. The only reason I seek strength is to remain at my Master's side. I do not try to make things easier or alleviate his burdens. I am there for the moments when the burden gets too heavy and he needs someone to help pick it back up...!"With each word spoken, the aura emanating from Fenrir's body became more powerful. The thing that surprised the S.E. Fenrir most of all, however, was the transformation that occurred along with it.Rather than turning into a giant wolf, Fenrir's ears rapidly shrank until her most iconic feature as a Vanargandr had completely faded. At the same time, her fluffy tail began to compress as pointed elf-like ears protruded from the sides of her head. By the time the transformation had completed, her tail resembled that of a cat or a monkey, and, while it wasn't noticeable at a glance, there was now a thin layer of purple surrounding her glowing red eyes.Unable to make sense of this transformation, S.E. Fenrir's brows began to twitch madly before she furrowed them deeply and shouted, "What did you do!? This isn't us...!"Though there was still a sleek layer of blue fur covering her forearms and the backs of her hands, Fenrir's paws now resembled dainty human hands as she raised her right palm and began to gather a phenomenal amount of energy. Then, in a tone reminiscent of a gentle melody, Fenrir smoothly replied, "I am Fenrir, my Master's most trusted companion. There is nothing I would not become if it means I could be closer to my Master. I have no need for things like pride. The only thing that has ever mattered is that I am able to stand at my Master's side..."With that said, Fenrir's hair became noticeably spikier as it shifted from a midnight blue coloration to a color reminiscent of cyan. Immediately thereafter, her figure turned into a blur that seemed to tear through the space separating her and her Sworn Enemy counterpart. This caught the latter by complete surprise, and, had the original not shown her mercy, her head might have been blown off then and there. Instead, Fenrir's fist stopped less than a centimeter away from her snout before an irresistible wall of air pressure slammed into her like a thousand-car freight train.Like a projectile fired from a rail gun, S.E. Fenrir became a blue blur that passed soundlessly through a mountain peak before the entire thing exploded moments later. Under normal circumstances, this would have been more than enough to defeat the befuddled data construct, but, rather than using it to attack, Fenrir had used the energy she previously gathered to produce a mana shroud around her opponent.Fenrir had never believed for a moment that her Sworn Enemy would actually provide a challenge. Thus, from the moment she entered the Hidden Floor, her only goal regarding her Sworn Enemy was giving the more aggressive version of herself a beating before ultimately handing her over to their Master. It was important to her that he had the final say, and, knowing him, Fenrir had already prepared herself for the addition of a 'younger sister'. With this in mind, she took a few moments to crack each of her knuckles before popping her neck and muttering, "If I can't even make myself into a good girl, how can I expect to teach others...?"---Unaware of his most loyal companion's thoughts, Vahn had violated his own orders by moving his fight with Jahad several hundred thousand kilometers from the mountain range. He wasn't sure of the man's strength, so, rather than endanger everyone's lives with the sequelae of their attacks, he moved the battle far beyond the effective range of most attacks.Though he could see through Vahn's intentions, Jahad made no effort to break away from the fight. He wasn't against taking hostages and forcing people to submit to his will, but, more than anything else, he was both a King and a warrior. If his foes were brave enough to face him directly, he would neither run nor hide. His dignity and pride would simply not allow it.Extricating himself from the ruins of a forest filled with skyscraper-sized trees, S.E. Jahad looked up at Vahn with a snaggletoothed smile as he said, "I understand now. You certainly have the leeway to behave arrogantly with strength like that. It's a shame you're my enemy. With your power, we might have been able to usher in an era of true peace rather than peaceful coexistence."With S.E. Jahad's voice passing through the void to emit directly into his ears, Vahn couldn't help squinting slightly as he muttered, "So even his data can use the power of authority...it's too bad that Ryun's imagination and understanding are limited. This might have been an interesting battle..."Thanks to the power of authority, Jahad was able to ascertain Vahn's words despite the kilometers that separated them. As a result, the smile on his face gradually faded away as he remarked, "You speak as though your victory is assured. Though this form possesses merely a fraction of my true power, it is more than enough to defeat anyone outside the Top 10. If you underestimate me, you, your allies, and everyone you have ever spoken with is bound to suffer..."Resisting the urge to laugh, Vahn apologized to Laev-tan before stowing her away within his soul and saying, "If we were outside, those words might actually hold some weight. Unfortunately, your inability to grasp the true nature of my existence puts you at a distinct disadvantage in a place like this. You might possess nigh-indomitable might within the Tower, but power will only get you so far on the path to grasping authority. Out of consideration for the 'lesson' you wanted to teach me, I'll be magnanimous and give you one of my own. Now, come. I'll give you a glimpse of the power you have failed to obtain even after twenty-thousand-years...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn don't play o_o...','Fenrir is very intelligent (O w O)...!','Is this considered cyber bullying...?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1928: The Power of the Almighty