Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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 she wasn't the last to finish up her fight, Fenrir's battle lasted a great deal longer than most. As a result, nearly everyone had gathered above the Town of the Wandering Minstrels, not because they didn't want to help, but because it was simply unnecessary.With the average strength of their combatants being near the peak of Tier 4, the absolute pinnacle for the Tower itself, it was nigh-impossible for the Hidden Floor to produce Sworn Enemies capable of contending against imperial forces. The most they could hope to do was draw out the battle, but, with weapons capable of corrupting data, even this was exceedingly difficult. After all, while each of the S.E. Vahn(s) were capable of producing clones of themself, said clones were fundamentally part of the same program. As a result, damaging one did irreversible damage to the program itself, and, after a while, most of the abilities attributed to the Sworn Enemies simply wouldn't function.Noticing the looks of everyone present, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he pushed the auburn-haired girl hiding behind him forward, saying, "Her official naming ceremony will be held a little later, but I'd like everyone to meet Angri(Ahn-gree). She will be joining us as a member of the Emerald Grove in the near future. Though she might be a little unstable in the beginning, it shouldn't take long for her to adapt so long as everyone supports her."Despite standing 7cm shorter than Fenrir, Angri actually stood out quite a bit due to her bright hair color, bronzed skin, and vibrant copper eyes. She had also substituted her risque schoolgirl uniform for a pure white, slightly translucent, sundress. This drew a lot of attention in and of itself, as, due to her skin tone, it was possible to vaguely discern her body through the unblemished fabric.Speaking out before anyone else could find the opportunity, Yoruichi adopted a rather mischievous smile as she asked, "She seems like a little troublemaker. Did you name her after Angrboda? I guess we know who to blame when she causes trouble in the near future."Upset by Yoruichi's words, even if there was a fair amount of truth to them, Angri glared back at the smiling cat woman before issuing a low growl that displayed a rather vicious-looking set of teeth.Undaunted, Yoruichi shifted her attention from Angri to Vahn as she asked, "Want me to look after her? If you leave her in the care of Fenrir, she'll become just another overzealous follower seeking affirmation and praise. I've been thinking about starting my own Corps, so I wouldn't mind taking her in as my protege. You could also make a Template of Soi Fon, but I'd rather not have to deal with a subordinate that has a higher Soul Tier than me."Displeased with the notion that she would be separated from her Master, Angri was about to say something in protest when Yoruichi sent a wink in her direction, adding, "Don't refuse so quickly. I don't know which memories you inherited from fuzzy britches over there, but I take pride in being one of Vahn's first crushes and one of his most beloved pets. Finish my training and you'll get to be as lazy and spoiled as you please. I can also teach you a few tricks that are guaranteed to get him in the mood...what do you say~?"Having already come to terms with the fact she couldn't keep her Master to herself, Angri couldn't deny the temptation contained in Yoruichi's words. She also wanted to get out of Fenrir's shadow as quickly as possible, so, after hearing the mischievous cat's final promise, she circumvented Vahn's attempts to intercede, saying, "I'll do it. It's better than getting brainwashed by this smelly bimbo."Snorting in response to Angri's words, Fenrir suppressed the urge to comment on her own body odor. Instead, she met Yoruichi's gaze, saying, "Don't go easy on her. If she is to receive Master's praise, she must work for it. If I don't like the way you are raising her, I will be forced to step in..."Finding Fenrir's words rather amusing, Yoruichi was about to teasingly refer to her as 'mom', but, feeling a sudden chill descend upon the surroundings, she promptly changed her mind. Fenrir had lost a lot of her playfulness due to her perennial cultivation of the Yin Element, so, while she could be exceptionally lovey-dovey when it concerned her Master, she could be surprisingly cold at other times.Stepping in to alleviate the tensions, Vahn plopped his hand atop Fenrir's head, casually stroking the area between her ears as he gazed into the distance and said, "It seems like Mordred is done playing around. We should return to the resort. Once everyone has gathered, I'll deal with Angri's body creation and naming ceremony while everyone else retires to the Little Garden. We'll discuss the specifics of the conflict once everyone has had an opportunity to rest."Though she was a little resentful of the fact that her original was getting headpats, Angri cheered up considerably when she heard her Master mention creating her body and assigning her name. It made her feel bubbly knowing that he prioritized those two things over everything else, and, while it might not have been his intention, the truth rarely mattered in such situations.Noticing Angri's rather 'hungry' gaze, Vahn did his best to maintain a relaxed smile as he created a hole in the barrier for everyone to pass through. He had a feeling that she was going to go through something of a 'clingy' phase, but, so long as it led to her developing in a positive light, he didn't particularly mind tending to her needs. The modifications Fenrir had made to her appearance made her especially cute, and, though he would forever prefer the original, having a little nymphette of a Vanargandr wasn't a bad thing...---Though the majority of residents within the Tower had no notion of the Hidden Floor's existence, largely due to the fact that openly discussing it would erase your memories of the interior, there were quite a number of people that were intimately aware of the events taking place inside. This included the 'Great Father' of the Workshop, the people directly responsible for the Hidden Floor's existence, and, as could be expected, Jahad himself.Located within a secretive chamber that fewer than a hundred people had ever had access to, Jahad could be found standing in the center of a mysterious formation comprised entirely of shimmering, rune-covered, bones. This was one of the most secluded regions in the entire Tower, not because it possessed inherent significance, but because it had great symbolic meaning to Jahad himself. It was here that he had first realized the truth, and, shortly thereafter, it was at this exact location that he had resolved himself to become King of the Tower.With a pensive look that would shock anyone that believed they knew him well, Jahad spent several minutes simply staring into nothingness before muttering to himself, "Even after reaching the point where I can observe fate from the perspective of a God, I still couldn't predict an outcome such as this...it would seem fate is even crueler than I realized..."Despite addressing an empty room, Jahad's words weren't greeted with silence. Instead, a cold and raspy voice immediately replied, "You simply need more strength. Absolute power and violence are the solutions to all things. If you ever find yourself in a situation where they aren't, you simply aren't using enough. This outcome is the direct result of your weakness. You made the mistake of showing your enemies kindness despite proclaiming yourself a God. If you were a True God, you never would have let your emotions dictate your actions. Now, your inability to relinquish your humanity has put everything you sought to obtain at risk. Were all those sacrifices completely meaningless!?"Choosing not to answer the voice's admonishment, Jahad continued to stare into empty space for several long minutes before muttering, "If that man wishes to destroy me, I will neither run nor hide. I have spent the last ten-thousand-years accumulating power. If it is my destiny to fall at his hands, I will not spend my final years desperately seeking to obtain more. When the time comes, I will bring to bear all my strengths, ideals, and convictions. If that is not enough, it does not mean I was weak. It simply means he was stronger..."Angered by Jahad's words, several crimson tendrils emerged from the right arm he kept concealed beneath his cloak. At the same time, his right eye released an eerie crimson glow as his own mouth moved to say, "You are the same coward now as you were back then! If you had just killed everyone instead of trying to play God, nobody would dare challenge you! What was the point of gaining all this power if you aren't going to use it!?"Once again choosing to remain silent, Jahad forcibly suppressed the crimson tendrils before fixing his cloak and turning to depart the chamber. Even taking a few minutes to gather his thoughts was far too long for someone in his position, so, now that he had a moment to reflect on why his Data self might have betrayed him, it was time to return to his duties as King. As for what the demon in his right arm had to say, he had never particularly cared about its opinion. A true King was not so easily controlled, so, while his younger self might have been swayed by its promises, the millennia thereafter had wisened him up to its schemes. Now that someone like Vahn had appeared, it was time to set in motion events thousands of years in the making.With that thought in mind, Jahad's steps briefly slowed as he directed his gaze towards the void. If one were to look closely, they would be able to see the image of a young woman with golden eyes, black hair, and pointed ears reflected within his irises. This caused his expression to turn noticeably melancholic, but, moments later, a nascent smile briefly appeared on his face as the giant of a man shook his head and stepped into the void...---After an uncharacteristically racy Familia Induction Ceremony, Vahn returned to the Emerald Grove alongside a practically glowing Angri. Fortunately, she was also rather fatigued after the experience, so, rather than suffering the awkwardness of having her appear before others, Vahn was able to lay her to rest within Yoruichi's largely unused room before reuniting with everyone in the tavern-like dining hall.Ignoring the knowing looks he received from quite a number of people, Vahn opted to occupy the empty seat between Artoria and Eva before saying, "I defeated one of the Sworn Enemies based on King Jahad. He seemed to possess a level of authority that greatly eclipsed that of the Big Breeders. As a result, he was able to effectively alter the prime directive of the other Sworn Enemies. I can't be certain this is the last we'll see of them, but I've reason to believe this might be the end."Though she hadn't participated in the fighting, Android 21, along with the rest of the R&D Division, had decided to attend the post-battle banquet. As a result, she took it upon herself to be the first to challenge Vahn's assertion, saying, "That is a bold claim. Did something happen?"Meeting the woman's steely blue gaze, Vahn adopted his characteristically easygoing smile as he explained, "I encountered what could best be described as parasitic Ignition Weapon. From what I could tell, it wasn't comprised of data like the majority of the Hidden Floor. Instead, it seemed to be an actual physical object. Though most of the information pertaining to its purpose was protected, I was able to ascertain that it was a product of the Workshop. It tried to spin a story about me having the qualities of a King and attempted to offer me something arbitrary like 'great power'. Now, it has become dust..."Frowning in response to Vahn's words, Android 21 wanted to chide him for destroying what could have proven to be a valuable find, but, knowing he wouldn't simply invite an unknown variable into the Little Garden, she ultimately restrained herself. Still, that didn't mean she had to be happy about it, so, to make her disdain known, she made a show of pushing up her black-rimmed glasses before crossing her arms disapprovingly.Resisting the urge to comment on Android 21's behavior, Vahn wisely decided to change topics, asking, "So? Does anyone feel like sharing their exploits? I don't mind going first, but I think you'll be disappointed. My opponent ended up jumping to conclusions and performing a suicide move pretty early on, so things ended rather anticlimactically."Waiting until the exact moment when Vahn had finished speaking, Mordred spontaneously rose from her seat while slamming her hands on the table, excitedly proclaiming, "I'll go first!" with such fervor that it was easy to imagine stars in her eyes. Then, much to his chagrin, Vahn found himself in the rather peculiar position of watching several versions of himself get beaten with varying degrees of passion and enthusiasm...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The best(worst) teacher for the job~','*brooding intensifies*','That's a mega oof...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1929: Resolution