Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Entering the backroom of the tavern, Vahn was unsurprised to find a moderately attractive woman with ashen-pink hair and apathetic blue eyes among the people waiting inside. What did surprise him, albeit only a little, was the fact she had a thin scar running from her forehead, through her left eye, and down the left side of her face. As for why he was surprised, it was due to the fact there was a tenacious sword intent radiating from the scar, almost as if the person who had inflicted it upon her otherwise flawless face refused to let it heal...Resisting the almost instinctual urge to offer his assistance in treating the wound, Vahn shifted his gaze from the calculating woman to the others present. This included a rather blind man with grey-blue hair and peculiar horns, an inordinately petite woman who was clearly a member of the Red Witch Tribe, and, most importantly, a mature beauty with similar features who was a carbon copy of Ryun, albeit with a more 'seasoned' appeal.With the latter being the reason for his visit, Vahn offered a polite bow, saying, "Ryun has told me a lot about you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Elder Hwa."Smiling in response to Vahn's words, the red-headed beauty, full name Hwa Hae Yon, offered a bow of her own before directing her gaze towards Ryun and softly musing, "I see now why you made the decision you did. In hindsight, it was perhaps a little hubristic for us to believe we could guarantee a specific result when we are capable of witnessing how even minor changes to the present can affect the fates of countless people in the future..."Nodding her head, Ryun maintained her usual calm and collected demeanor as she explained, "In my time following Vahn, I have witnessed splendors beyond imagination and come to understand much about the true nature of the world. Though I still believe it is my duty to Guide others, I have also come to realize that we have just as much a right to determine our future as anyone else. I do not fear my fate, but that does not mean I must march towards it without questioning whether or not anything could have been done to change the outcome. From now on, I will focus on bettering myself as a person while doing everything I can in the present to find happiness. There is no future for those who do not embrace the present, only remorse."Though Hwa Yon couldn't help smiling in response to her daughter's words, the comparably petite Red Witch standing next to the muscular man with horns seemed dissatisfied with her statement, a mixture of disdain and frustrating marring her countenance as she said, "This is ridiculous. How can you trust this...thing...with our fates? If you are unwilling to follow your destiny, everything we have sacrificed for over the last ten-thousand-years will have gone to waste. What makes you think you are entitled to happiness when thousands of our sisters have willingly met their end!? How can you be this self-centered!?"Turning to meet the petite Red Witch's gaze, Ryun's expression hardened as she plainly stated, "You speak as though you are dissatisfied with the fate you have been given...if it bothers you so, change it. Had I truly betrayed my purpose and endeavored to defy my fate, my powers would have already been sealed. Instead, they grow stronger with each passing day. Your unerring commitment to what you believe to be your duty has blinded you to the other paths that are available. You have allowed your fate to control you, yet, even if I were to ask you here and now, you could not detail the events leading up to your inevitable death...you only know the final outcome and have allowed it to dictate every decision you have made for the last ten-thousand-years...how tragic..."Hanging her head, the petite Red Witch, better known as Soo-oh, clenched her teeth with enough force that everyone present could hear her molars grinding against each other. Were it not for the presence of several unbelievable powerhouses, she might not have been able to restrain her desire to wring Ryun's neck. At least that way, she could be satisfied knowing she had done something to punish the divergent Red Witch for turning her back on the countless sacrifices that had been made to clear a path and ensure she was able to fulfill her destiny...Having known Soo-oh for much of their lives, Hwa Yon could easily empathize with her younger cousin's frustrations. In the end, however, Ryun's fate had always been in her own hands, and, regardless of what she chose, they were duty-bound to provide her as much support as possible. After all, she was the Red Witch described in Enryu's prophecy, so, unless they intended to refute his words, contradicting their very purpose, they had little choice but to conclude that Ryun had chosen the correct path. This was the most frustrating thing for the petite redhead, as, any action she took against Ryun would be a direct contradiction to everything she believed in...Deciding to inject himself back into the conversation, Vahn maintained a relaxed smile as he calmly explained, "As it stands, it is only a matter of time before the dream of the Red Witches is realized. I can understand your frustrations, but there is ultimately no need for this kind of drama. Those who have sacrificed themselves did so willingly. There is nothing anyone can do in the present that will change that fact. Holding Ryun accountable for the decisions of others is unfair. Rather, you should be thanking her for liberating the Red Witches who have yet to be sacrificed..."Raising her head, Soo-oh glared at Vahn with such intensity that, if looks could kill, he would have died at least a thousand times. This made it pretty clear she wasn't very satisfied with the hand she had been dealt with over the last ten-thousand-years, but, regardless of her personal feelings on the matter, that had very little to do with Ryun. If anything, her actions made it seem as though she envied the latter, but, due to her personal convictions, she couldn't allow herself to shift gears and begin searching for happiness after dedicating herself to a cause for thousands of years.Understanding that the woman would only be convinced after witnessing the final outcome of his time in the Tower, Vahn decided to simply ignore her, directing his gaze to the muscular man at her side before saying, "My only reason for coming here was to introduce myself and meet with Ryun's mother. The ambitions of FUG mean very little to me. If you want to avoid destruction, you will take my advice at face value and carry out the necessary reforms. I will eventually be sending auditors to check on and observe your progress. If your organization is still comprised of cutthroats, murderers, and rapists, don't expect any clemency from me. I am not Jahad. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume the best of them, but I will not hesitate to annihilate those who have veered too far from the light. The revolution you desire is upon you. Prove to me you aren't just a bunch of hypocrites upset at Jahad because he managed to seize power you coveted for yourselves..."Despite lacking any irises or pupils to speak of, the man, better known as Khel Hellam, one of the most active Elders within FUG, met Vahn's gaze without any change in expression. Even without the Law of Identity, however, Vahn could tell the man was in deep thought as he carefully weighed his response. Unfortunately, this resulted in a rather lengthy silence, and, as a result, it was Sophia who answered, "You're pretty intense." before offering an amused smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.Turning to meet the woman's gaze, Vahn noticed a distinct lack of emotion in Sophia's pale-blue eyes, the result of an inordinately long and turbulent life. She gave off the impression of someone that was tired of existing, yet, due to her convictions, refused to succumb to her own apathy before completing her objective. This would have normally made her seem rather pitiable, but, considering the types of organizations she supported, Vahn found it difficult to empathize with her.Noticing the peculiar way in which Vahn looked at her, Sophia felt uncharacteristically unnerved, a cold sweat breaking out across her body as she maintained a professional smile and asked, "Does His Imperial Majesty have some thoughts he would like to share? I am certain I would benefit from any advice you wish to bequeath my humble self..."Furrowing his brows ever-so-slightly in response to the woman's words, Vahn was tempted to tell her to absolve her organizations, but, understanding how the people beneath her might suffer, the words couldn't quite make it to his lips. The factions and organizations she supported were intrinsic to the survival of countless female Regulars, and, while many were forced to suffer due to their lack of power, it wasn't as if Sophia was responsible for the existing structure of the Inner Tower. Rather, if she hadn't taken the initiative to create her own faction, the influence of the Ten Families would be even greater...Resisting the urge to exhale a sigh, Vahn rose to his feet and said, "There isn't much to discuss at this point. I am not unwilling to compromise, but, until your organization demonstrates its sincerity and willingness to change, there can be no cooperation between us. Your desire to have me shield you from Ureko's wrath demonstrates a lack of accountability I cannot condone. Your people toyed with the residents on the Floor of Death, manipulated her friend, and created a whole host of other problems. If you want to avoid such consequences in the future, unfuck yourselves. It's that simple."Understanding they couldn't simply lay the blame on Karaka, a wry smile developed across Sophia's face as she asked, "Can you at least ask her to show a bit of restraint? She had already annihilated a total of thirteen bases, none of which had anything to do with the events on the Floor of Death. You are right to hold us accountable, but that is drastically different from holding everyone accountable. At this rate, countless innocents will die for a crime they neither committed nor had any knowledge of..."Adopting a slightly incredulous look, Vahn was very tempted to ask if there was something wrong with the woman's head. Instead, he offered a very simple solution, saying, "Then tell her where the culprits are. Ureko isn't a monster incapable of reason. If you don't want her arbitrarily destroying your bases, present Karaka to her and offer an apology. The problem with people in positions such as yours is that you hold unrelated people more accountable than the members of your own group. Stop protecting Karaka just because he is a Slayer. That entire system has been a farce ever since it was implemented."Having noticed the incredulity in Vahn's gaze, combined with his chiding tone, Sophia felt more embarrassed in the present moment than she had in the past several thousand years. She now understood the reason for Gustang's warning, as, despite giving off the impression of someone politically competent, Vahn didn't actually enter negotiations with the intent of receiving any kind of benefits. This allowed him to one-sidedly make demands as he simply didn't care about what others might offer. Instead, he held them accountable for their words and actions, so, unless they were willing to compromise, there was absolutely no room for negotiations with him. Thus, for a brief moment, it almost seemed like Vahn was the only adult present in a room filled with children...Realizing this, the briefest hint of a blush suffused Sophia's cheeks as she reconsidered whether or not to broach the subject of entrusting her apprentices to his care. Unfortunately, the moment this thought crossed her mind, Vahn exhaled a sigh before rubbing his temples and saying, "You lot are going to cause me an aneurism..." before turning around and adding, "Ryun. We're going." in a firm tone. This left everyone but Yon feeling at a loss for words, but, fortunately for Sophia, Vahn ended up motioning for the two girls guarding the entrance to follow him on his way out...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Soo-oh is hella jaded...','As if Vahn could control Ureko...','Vahn be like +2')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After depositing Ryun and the duo named Sola and Namo into the Little Garden, Vahn decided to stick around the Wall of Peaceful Coexistence for a short while to observe how the residents went about their everyday lives. This might have aligned with FUG's intentions but it wasn't in his nature to simply ignore the suffering of others. Yes, the residents might have been the ones to choose this particular lifestyle, but, based on the depressive atmosphere that permeated the entirety of the wall, it was pretty obvious they weren't satisfied with their current lifestyle.Since it ultimately wouldn't cost him anything but time to transplant the residents and afford them the opportunity to start anew, Vahn was looking for any excuse he could find to justify providing his assistance. What he found strange was the fact that most of the residents didn't even seem to know why their ancestors had originally chosen to settle within the wall. All they knew for certain was that 'something terrible' was supposed to happen if the person sealed within was to awaken.What made this situation particularly odd was the fact that it was a relatively well-known fact that the Walls of Peaceful Coexistence were built to seal away the Heroes from both sides of the conflict. Despite this, the residents within the wall actually seemed to resent the person who had effectively sacrificed themselves to afford them ten-thousand-years of peace. Some even went as far as to try and harass the former hero's only living relative, fearful of the fact that she possessed the ability to break the seal. As a result, she was forced to live on the outskirts of the settlement, and, every time she went to visit the chamber containing her sister, people would gather to lambast and even throw stones at her.Though he could understand the fears of the residents, Vahn found it more than a little ridiculous that they would proactively insult someone who had endured for more than ten-thousand-years on their behalf. If she was as great a threat as they purported her to be, she would have snapped long ago as a result of their malicious actions. Instead, despite being exponentially stronger than virtually every resident of the Wall, she silently tolerated their slights out of respect for the sacrifice her sister had made all those years ago. This demonstrated a level of commitment that most people couldn't even begin to fathom, yet, instead of praising the woman for her perseverance, she was scorned for preserving the peace everyone around her desperately clung to...Watching the woman named Khane carrying a bouquet of forget-me-nots as people hurled more than just insults at her, Vahn had to suppress his almost instinctual urge to step in. Fortunately, the woman could probably withstand a mountain crashing into her without sustaining any meaningful injuries, so, while a few stones did make contact with her, she didn't even flinch as she proceeded to carry out the routine she had taken part in every day for the last ten-thousand-years: being the only one to thank her sister for the peace she had afforded them all.Needless to say, Vahn wasn't at all amused by how the residents of the wall rewarded Khane for her fidelity and sacrifice. The only reason he didn't immediately intervene was that this was the path Khane and her sister had chosen. More specifically, Khane's sister, a remarkably prodigious Wave Controller named Dowon, had used her unique power to erase her existence from the memories of everyone but her sister. This was originally intended to absolve her people of any feelings of guilt they might possess regarding the need to sacrifice, but, despite what some might attest, ignorance was not always bliss. Instead, it had become the primary source of suffering for her sister, someone the residents of the wall should have respected and admired more than any other...Waiting until the understandably depressed-looking Khane had completed her daily routine and returned to her sparsely furnished home, Vahn surprised the flowery-haired beauty quite a bit by immediately knocking on her door just as it closed behind her. This was something that shouldn't have been possible under normal circumstances, as, despite stagnating somewhat over the last ten-thousand-years, she was still a High Ranker. This, combined with the fact she was a talented Wave Controller, made it exceptionally difficult to sneak up on her, yet, here, at this moment, a knock had sounded behind her back before she could even kick off her shoes.Fortunately, though she was understandably on high alert, Khane ultimately cracked her door open, asking, "What do you want?" while peeking through the gap to see who was on the other side. The fact her room lacked even a peephole showed just how poor her living conditions were, but, rather than commenting on the state of her abode, Vahn did his best to appear friendly and disarming as he raised his hands in a faux-gesture of surrender and replied, "If it would not inconvenience you, I would like to talk..."Much to Vahn's surprise, Khane's response was to immediately open her door, indicating for him to come in as she said, "Come in. I don't really have a place for you to sit, but I should have some tea in the cupboards. Give me a few minutes to get ready..."With an understandably confused look on his face, Vahn followed the woman's back with his eyes until the Law of Identity dutifully revealed, "She thinks you came here to solicit her for sex..."Frowning deeply in response to the Law of Identity's words, the tiny seed of hatred Vahn had been nourishing towards the residents of the wall began to sprout as a sudden desire to purge the entire community welled within the back of his mind. Fortunately for them, the Law of Identity seemed to realize the misunderstanding she had caused, appearing directly in front of him to say, "Wait, wait, wait!" while waving her hands from side to side. Then, seeing him calm down a little, she released a sigh of relief before explaining, "It isn't what you're thinking. She isn't being forced to whore herself out or anything like that. She is just a little lonely. Since you aren't a face she recognizes, she thinks you're someone visiting from outside who was attracted by her beauty..."With the Law of Identity currently appearing as Khane herself, most of Vahn's anger was replaced by a feeling of awkwardness as he resisted the urge to avert his eyes in shame. The fact it was the Law of Identity lecturing him made him feel even more self-conscious, as, more often than not, she did everything in her power to rile him up and get a rise out of him...Exhaling a sigh of relief, the Law of Identity, still appearing as Khane, patted her chest a few times before looking up at him and revealing, "She is watching you." before immediately disappearing into thin air.Shaking his head, Vahn pulled out a few cushions and some snacks before sitting down and taking a look at Khane's room. Despite being a living space, the walls were formed from cold stone and the floor was covered in muted grey tiles that made the room seem more like a prison cell than an abode. The only pieces of furniture present were a twin-sized bed covered in tattered linens, a small wooden dresser with a broken leg, and an ancient-looking wardrobe filled with nothing but white t-shirts, denim jeans, and two pairs of high-heeled boots...Emerging from the equally barren kitchenette with two hand-made ceramic cups in hand, Khane offered a slightly apologetic smile as she alleged, "It's not as bad as it looks. I'm not going to reveal my age, but let's just say I lost interest in material possessions a long time ago. Besides, if there isn't anything to steal, I don't have to worry about burglars breaking and entering."Though he accepted the proferred cup, Vahn couldn't resist furrowing his brows as he said, "You're a poor liar..." in a somewhat subdued tone. This earned him an awkward smile from the pink-haired beauty, who, despite her plain clothes and depressive aura, still managed to give off an impression comparable to a wild rose. She also had inordinately long hair reminiscent of pink flower petals, fair skin utterly devoid of blemishes, and an athletic figure that had withstood the test of time to such an extent that a normal person would sooner assume she was in her early twenties rather than her late ten-thousands...Feeling a little awkward after hearing Vahn's remark, Khane combed back her fringe bangs to reveal diminutive elven ears as she averted her eyes and asked, "So...what did you want to talk about? You might have deduced from the state of my apartment, but my life isn't particularly interesting. Most of my free time is spent tending to flowers and the only time I really go out is to visit my sister for a few minutes each day...other than those two things, I really don't have much else to say..."Seemingly depressed by her own words, the light in Khane's hazy pink eyes dimmed considerably as a silent yet profound sigh escaped her throat. She gave off the impression of someone who had completely given up on life, and, were it not for her sense of duty and the fear that her sister would be completely forgotten, Vahn suspected she might have ended everything long ago...Accelerating his mental processes to afford himself more time to think, Vahn carefully considered his words as the bitter herbal tea provided by Khane washed over his tongue and coated his throat. He wasn't bothered by the fact there was a paralyzing agent and a Shinsu suppressant mixed into it, as, from Khane's perspective, he was a stranger with enough skill to sneak up on a former High Ranker without any indicators of his presence prior to knocking...Exhaling a sigh of his own, Vahn set aside his cup before meeting Khane's gaze and saying, "Before anything, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Vahn Aldrnari Mason. To some, I am known as the Sage Dragon Emperor. To others, I am the God of Infinite Possibilities. In this situation, however, I would like to think I am a friend to you and your sister. If you will allow it, I would like to offer, not just to the two of you, but everyone you wanted to protect a path towards happiness..."Despite the relative isolation of the Wall of Peaceful Coexistence, it's inhabitants were surprisingly well informed of events taking place in the Tower. More specifically, they proactively kept track of any incidents that might threaten the status quo they had worked so hard to maintain for the last ten-thousand-years. Thus, with Vahn's exploits spreading like wildfire, combined with the rumors of his status as an Irregular, Khane was understandably surprised to hear that the person seated across from her was claiming to be the very person she had both prayed for and feared might arrive...Noticing the woman's eyes worriedly shifting to the cup in his hand, Vahn offered a disarming and relaxed smile as he said, "Don't worry. I know you didn't have any malicious intentions. I'm also not going to force your hand. I just wanted to make you aware of your options. Nobody should have to live like this, and, while your sister's intentions may have been pure, it is unfair that you, alone, have to bear this burden. To that end, if you ask it of me, I can even break the seal without requiring you to give up your memories. I can also provide you and your sister the means to leave the Tower and experience the closest thing to true peace most people can imagine...you need only ask for my help and I will grant both you and your sister the happiness you deserve...there are no requirements, no obligations, no sacrifices necessary. You need only say the words and it will be done..."Taken aback by the intensity of Vahn's words and the peculiar aura of 'sincerity' that was radiating off of him, Khane found herself at a complete loss for words. He seemed absolutely confident in his ability to carry out his promises, and, based on his own words, he didn't seem to expect anything in return. This seemed completely irrational, but, having heard the rumors of his past actions, a part of Khane wanted nothing more than to believe he could free both her and her sister from the burdens forced upon them due to their sense of duty and responsibility...As that thought crossed her mind, Khane hung her head low enough that her bangs concealed the conflict in her eyes. Memories of the last ten-thousand-years began to resurface in her mind, and, along with them, so too did the resentment she harbored towards the people her sister had given her life and freedom to protect. This caused the faded colors in her aura to become tinged with a murky purple, but, almost immediately thereafter, the negativity that was threatening to overwhelm her was completely neutralized by the gentle warmth flowing from the palm that had come to rest atop her head...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Let's bully and antagonize the person that controls our fate...!','This is a very depressing chapter...','Vahn coming in with the clutch, last-second, save...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the Guardians' Tests offering no real challenge, Vahn's ascent had become relatively peaceful since his departure from the 44th Floor. Even pacing himself, however, resulted in him reaching the 49th in only two months. This brought him to a region in the Tower known as the Endless Sandsea, a massive desert that covered the entirety of the Floor, sans a few dungeon-like ruins and oases.Being one of the Floors with the sparsest population densities, Vahn chose the Endless Sandsea as the place where he would deposit Eduan. To his surprise, however, the man was promptly ejected to the Middle Tower by the Floor Guardian. As for the reason, it was apparently due to the fact that the 'real' Eduan still existed as one of the ruling powers within the Tower. Because of this, the Guardian refused to acknowledge the candidacy of the former data construct as a Regular. Thus, if he wanted to climb the Tower, he would need to start from the Floor of Tests, just like everyone else.Fortunately, Headon had been paying close attention to Vahn's progress, so, shortly after the blue-haired man had been expelled from the Inner Tower, the enigmatic rabbit extended an invitation for him to open the gate. This annoyed Eduan quite a bit, but, as it was also an opportunity for him to experience the Tower's changes in the most direct manner, he ultimately accepted after confirming that his status as an Irregular would remain unchanged. As for how Vahn knew of these happenings, it was largely due to his ability to share senses with his subordinates, and, as was often the case, the Law of Identity's ability to transform into persons of interest to reveal their thoughts and intentions.Since he could always recall Eduan through his Unit Management, Vahn decided to leave the man to his own devices to see how he would react to the changes introduced to the Tower following his initial climb. This would provide a retrospective account of the changes that had occurred over the last ten-thousand-years, and, most importantly, it would provide him the opportunity to experience his 'legacy' first-hand. After all, even in the Lower Floors, the corruption of the Ten ran rampant and without reservations...---A stark contrast to the majority of missions he had received from the Floor Guardian's, the Test of the 49th Floor had Vahn eliminate a hundred colossal Shinheuh known as Sandworms. These were omnivorous creatures that rarely appeared within the Endless Sandsea, but, when they did, disaster was the only thing left in their wake. They were also directly responsible for the perpetuation of the floor-wide desert, so, while it wouldn't solve the underlying problem, killing a few of the mountain-sized creatures made living on the Floor much safer than it otherwise would have been.Though he wasn't particularly fond of kill missions, Vahn and Co ultimately hunted far more than the required amount of Sandworms. It had only taken a single encounter with the nine-kilometer-long beasts to understand the danger they posed to the average resident of the Floor. They were also as close to mindless beasts as you could get, as, rather than having a centralized brain, their bodies were lines with several cerebral nodules that formed an intricate network reminiscent of a collection of creatures comprising a single super-organism. Their only purpose in life seemed to be tracking down and devouring rich sources of Shinsu, so, while there was nothing inherently evil with fulfilling their biological purpose, the destruction they were capable of simply couldn't be ignored.In the end, Vahn's hunting party ended up tracking down and eliminating a total of 338 Sandworms over the course of a twenty-three-day period. They only stopped because they were unable to find any additional Sandworms, not because the population had been wiped out, but because those that remained were either in hibernation or had fled to the depths of the Sandsea.As a result of their efforts, several additional oases began to pop up throughout the Sandsea as the average concentration of Shinsu qualitatively increased. There was even Shinsu-infused rain for the first time in several hundred years, an event that was perceived as both a pleasant surprise and an ill omen by those who had become accustomed to the inhospitality of the Floor. Fortunately, while a bit of flooding couldn't be avoided, none of the 'great disasters' prophesied by any of the Floor's would-be soothsayers came to pass...at least not in the manner they had predicted...---Though he would have liked to immediately head for the gigantic Floating Fortress known as The Nest, there were a number of matters Vahn needed to attend to before making contact with the Lo Po Bia Family. It was also rumored that the artifact used to access 'The Frozen Waterfall', one of the largest pieces of Suspendium ever discovered, took upwards of a year just to prepare. This made it exceptionally difficult to steal anything from the infamous 'Vault of Jahad', as, the moment you tried to forcibly access the interior storage, failsafes built into the system would ensure the destruction of everything inside.Fortunately, due to the influence that Suspendium had on the surrounding Space, it was remarkably difficult to approach The Frozen Waterfall, much less damage it. Even High Rankers required special equipment to get anywhere near it, and, even then, there was always a chance that wayward spatial fluctuations could rip them apart without affording them the opportunity to defend themselves. For this reason, The Frozen Waterfall was one of the most secure storage facilities within the entirety of the Tower, so much so that Jahad had entrusted countless priceless artifacts to the Lo Po Bia Family for safekeeping.Though he was confident in his ability to circumvent both The Nest's and The Frozen Waterfall's defenses, Vahn had already decided to try and settle things in an above-board manner. This meant negotiating with the Lo Po Bia Family directly, and, depending on the circumstances, confronting Lo Po Bia himself. The man was known to spend a significant amount of time within The Nest itself, so, with the device used to activate The Frozen Waterfall taking up to a year just to charge, there were ample opportunities for their paths to cross. Before that, however, there were a few other important matters he needed to attend to, so, at the behest of Ryun and Ai, Vahn eventually found himself on the outskirts of a place known as the Wall of Peaceful Coexistence.As the name implied, the Wall of Peaceful Coexistence was built near the end of the Era of Genesis as a symbol of peace and compromise between the Jahad Empire and the various forces that had opposed Jahad proclaiming himself King.In the beginning, there were walls located on every Floor between the 50th and 100th Floors, but, with the passage of nearly ten-thousand-years, only three remained to this day. Because of this, it was rumored that once the remaining three walls fell war would, once again, return to the Tower...Staring up at the massive stone wall supported by pillars of Suspendium that dwarfed skyscrapers, Vahn could feel an oppressive atmosphere radiating from within. It was like the people inside had completely lost their hope, and, even without seeing them directly, he could feel the melancholy that had pervaded the majority of their beings. This gave him the urge to avoid entering the wall, but, with Ryun urging him inside, he ultimately ascended the hazardous stone steps leading to its interior. There, after bypassing a number of security checkpoints, he followed Ryun through streets lined with people who emitted a depressive yet remarkably hostile aura.Noticing the desperation in the eyes of nearly every person they passed, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head. The people living within the wall reminded him of those he had encountered on the Floor of Death, yet, unlike the aforementioned immortals, the residents of the wall could leave whenever they wanted. Instead, the majority chose to stay for fear of being persecuted by those affiliated with the Jahad Empire, and, as a result, fear, paranoia, and self-preservation had become the foundation upon which society within the wall was built. This led to an extreme aversion towards foreigners and refugees, as, more than anything else, the people living within the wall feared change.Sensing her Master's frustration, Ryun decided to stick a little closer to him so that he wouldn't feel alone within the ocean of resentment. She had come to understand that he was heavily influenced by the sentiments of those around him, so, despite feeling more than a little embarrassed, she did her best to counteract his diminishing mood by sticking close to him and willfully waggling her tail.Understanding Ryun's intentions, Vahn did his best to ignore the looks directed their way until they reached the back entrance of what appeared to be a tavern. There, dressed in contrasting blue and pink robes decorated with yellow ribbons, two young women, one with dark blue hair and the other with bright-pink, synchronously bowed as they said, "Welcome. Our Master has been awaiting your arrival. Please, come inside."With the Law of Identity hovering behind him, Vahn promptly became aware of the fact that their Master was none other than Sophia Tan, one of the most influential Elders in the entirety of FUG. This left a slightly sour taste in his mouth, as, despite being the benefactor of various organizations protecting and promoting females within the Tower, Sophia's other titles included Chief-Mistress of the Pleasure District and Grand Matchmaker of the Noble Families. In other words, her organization sponsored nearly every successful whorehouse and prostitution ring within the Tower, and, for the sake of expanding her information network, she trained women to serve as courtesans, spies, and assassins within the ranks of the Ten Great Families.Though she rarely forced them to comply, the structure of the Tower left most women with very few options if they wanted to avoid a tragic fate during and after their ascent. Thus, with the exception of a few rare talents and those belonging to the Ten Great Families, most female Regulars ended up joining one of the various female-only organizations, the majority of which were backed by Sophia and a few other influential and opportunistic women within the Tower. This was the only way many of them could avoid becoming victims, so, while it might be true that Sophia didn't force anyone to join her organizations, she also hadn't done much to solve the underlying issues that forced nearly 70% of female Regulars to join her organizations and sex-trafficking rings...Noticing the look in her Master's eyes, Ryun tightly gripped his hand, whispering, "Please hear them out before you make a decision..." in a pleading tone. This left Vahn feeling exasperated, but, having already promised he would do just that, he ultimately nodded his head and said, "Don't worry...even if I don't appreciate these types of organizations, I learned long ago that they are an intrinsic part of most societies. I'm not going to hold those at the bottom accountable for a system necessitated by circumstance. Besides, this isn't all that different from what the Great Families have done to try and earn my favor..."Exhaling a sigh of relief, Ryun gripped her Master's hand a little more firmly before resting her head against his shoulder and muttering, "Thank you..." with as much sincerity as she could manage. This caused the two girls standing at the entrance to give her scrutinizing and slightly incredulous looks, but, as they had already performed their duty, neither said anything until after Vahn and Ryun had disappeared into the tavern's interior. Then, with a slightly excited expression, the pink-haired girl turned to her blue-haired counterpart, green-eyes glistening as she mused, "He is a lot cuter than I expected. What do you think, Namo?"Showing very little change in expression, the girl named Namo looked towards her counterpart with a slightly contemptuous glimmer in her dandelion-yellow eyes, monotonously replying, "I would be happier if you weren't here..." before immediately returning her attention to the alleyway they were tasked to guard. This caused the brow of the pink-haired girl to twitch quite a bit, but, knowing she wouldn't be able to get a rise out of the former, she ultimately just snorted through her nose before pulling out a tablet-like device to complete her 'dailies' on one of the Tower's more popular gaming apps...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I feel bad for the Regulars who have to test alongside Eduan...','A beginning is a very delicate time...','Endless Politics : Infinite Concubines')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1954: A Cursory Exchange