Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With nothing of interest happening on the 98th and 99th Floors, sans news regarding Ureko's rampage on the 97th, Vahn finally reached one of the most famous Floors in the entire Tower, the 100th. Here was where, prior to the Age of Genesis, Jahad and the Great Warriors overcame their most difficult trial, and, as a result, were granted immortality for their efforts. It could be argued that, with the exception of Revolution Road, this was one of the most symbolic places in the entire Tower, as, from the moment he became immortal, nothing could stand in the way of Jahad and his rise to prominence.Looking around, Vahn was unsurprised to find a vast cityscape that seemed to extend outward far beyond the horizon. The 100th Floor also served as the boundary separating the Lower, Middle, and Higher Floors. It was also the seat of power for the Arie Family, and, most importantly, the first Floor wholly dedicated to the Empire. Thus, compared to the Floors preceding it, the population was vast, and, more importantly, powerful. It was almost like stepping into another world, and, based on what he could sense, the density of Shinsu was several times higher than even the 99th Floor.Vocalizing the thoughts of nearly everyone present, Mikoto stared wide-eyed at the inordinately tall and ivory white buildings that dominated their surroundings, whispering, "It's beautiful..." in a voice filled with awe. In response to this, Vahn nodded his head, memories of Ostia briefly surfacing in his mind as he said, "It's no wonder people at the bottom believe 'anything' can be found at the top of the Tower. This place is heaven compared to some of the Floors below..."With countless automatons flying around to clean buildings, picking up trash, and run errands, the setting of the 100th Floor gave newcomers the impression they had stepped hundreds of years into the future. Even the various types of flora were all neatly trimmed, and, high in the sky, a seemingly endless stream of silvery-white Suspend Ships, reminiscent of a school of fish, could be seen flying in neat lanes as they transported their passengers to their destination.Shifting his attention from the sky, Vahn looked at the relatively small crowd gathered around. The 100th Floor, and beyond, was nothing like the preceding Floors, so, while there were still a number of people seeking treatment, everything was far more organized. He also noticed that, while there were still members of the 2nd Army Corps present, public order was actually being kept by a group of people with varying shades of white hair and neat outfits, clearly members of the Arie Family.As this thought crossed his mind, Vahn shifted his gaze towards the horizon, smiling as he mused, "Long time no see." in a carefree tone. In response, the woman standing in the distance promptly snorted, and, though there were more than ten kilometers separating them, Vahn could understand her when she stated, "My father wishes to meet with you. When you are finished with your business, head towards the Palace of Swords..."Having conveyed her message, the woman, none other than Arie Hagipherione Jahad, immediately vanished. This gave Vahn the urge to chuckle, but, having noticed the ashen-haired swordswoman's presence, Yuri interrupted, asking, "Was that the grey-haired hag?" before immediately following it with stating, "Collecting her won't be easy. Though it's mostly just speculation, she is pretty famous for her father complex. I don't think she would appreciate it if you beat her daddy."Sending a glance towards Yuri, Vahn immediately noticed the woman's mischievous grin, rolling his eyes as he flatly replied, "I don't regard women as collector's items..."Mirroring Vahn's actions, Yuri made a show of rolling her own eyes, arms crossed as she mused, "If you say so~" in a sing-song tone. Then, without waiting for his reply, she pulled Lotte's arm, adding, "We're gonna go shopping. The 100th Floor has some pretty interesting stores. Call me if anything interesting happens. Okay?"Though he shooed her away with a casual gesture, Vahn also nodded his head in response to Yuri's words, saying, "Yeah, yeah, I know. Stay out of trouble." while stepping towards the group of white-haired people who were clearly waiting to receive them.Shifting his attention from the departing duo to the approaching trio, the leader of the group, an inordinately handsome man dressed in predominately white clothing reminiscent of attire found in the far east, offered a courteous bow as he said, "We welcome the Sage Dragon Emperor to the City of White Lilies. My name is Arie Hien, son of Arie Hon and leader of the Civil Defense Corps. It is an honor to receive you."Passing his gaze over the youthful-looking man with short white hair and pale golden eyes, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he explained, "No matter how hard you strain your senses, you will not be able to detect my sword intent. Yours is certainly remarkable, but, compared to my own, it is the difference between a small bonfire and a star on the verge of a supernova."Though he didn't consider himself a braggart, Vahn rarely shied away from the opportunity to talk down to people who thought too highly of themselves. Hien might be able to hide it from others, but, even without the Law of Identity, Vahn could sense the threads of disdain and self-confidence mixed within the man's sword intent. His apathetic expression also did little to conceal the glimmer of pride contained within his eyes, each radiating a subtle light that greatly emphasized his slit-like pupils.Demonstrating just how confident he was in his abilities, Hien's response was to offer another bow, a nascent smile developing across his inordinately handsome face as she answered, "If fate allows, I would relish the opportunity to exchange pointers with His Imperial Majesty. Before that, however, I have other duties to attend. First and foremost, we would be honored if you would allow us to host you and your companions for the duration of your stay. We have prepared one of our most famous private residences, the Snow Apple Pavilion, to accommodate you."Without needing to consider his response, Vahn shook his head, saying, "Now that I've reached the 100th Floor, it's time for a change in pace. I mentioned, long ago, that I wouldn't be turning a blind eye to the tragedies wrought by the Great Families. To that end, I intend to investigate the Palace of Swords, and, if necessary, I will be passing judgment on your father, your elders, and everyone else who can be held accountable for your family's crimes. Now, unless you're eager to receive your own punishment, I would advise you to run along. I'm not here to play games."Squinting his eyes, Hien motioned to rest his hand on the hilt of his katana-like sword, but, before the muscles in his arms could respond to the input from his brain, Vahn's index finger had already come to rest on his forehead. This caused Hien's eyes to instantaneously widen, not because Vahn had closed the distance between them in an instant, but because he felt an indescribably powerful sword intent radiating from the tip of his finger.Shaking his head, Vahn retracted his finger from the youthful-looking man's head, saying, "You're still green..." before walking past him with Fenrir and Mikoto following close behind. This caused the other members of the Arie Family to tense up, but, the moment they got into their stances, it was as if time around them had come to a stop. The only thing distinguishing them from a group of statues were the beads of sweat appearing across their body, and, if you looked closely, the thin red lines covering their faces, necks, and wrists...---Unaware of the incident that had occurred immediately following her departure, Yuri dragged Lotte to a relatively famous clothing store before explaining, "We need to get you some new threads. The options in the [REquip] system aren't bad, but they lack the oomph needed to really capture Vahn's attention."Though she understood what Yuri was trying to say, Lotte immediately averted her eyes to the side, a ruddy glow spreading through her cheeks as she meekly replied, "I don't think that's appropriate. Vahn-sama has already done so much for me and my family. I have no right to demand even more from him..."Balling her hand into a fist, Yuri flashed behind Lotte, punching the latter in the back of her head with enough force to produce a small burst of steam. This alerted the store owner, but, recognizing the identity of the two women, he ultimately gestured for his security to stand down before pulling out a handkerchief and wiping a bit of nervous sweat from his brow.Shaking her wrist, Yuri adopted an uncharacteristically grave expression as she said, "How is your Intelligence supposed to be higher than mine? I swear, the only thing in that skull of yours is a lump of metal..."Suppressing her almost instinctual urge to smile, Lotte rubbed the knot on the back of her head, an awkward expression on her face as she asked, "What are you talking about? What does that have to do with anything...?"Exhaling an exasperated sigh, Yuri began to pull random outfits from the neatly arranged clothing racks, tossing them to Lotte as she explained, "He might be one of the smartest people you'll ever meet, but, when it comes down to it, Vahn is both a man and an idiot. Do you really think he would let you share a bath and a bed with him if he didn't have some form of affection for you? If I had to guess, the only reason he hasn't made a move on you is because of your uncertainty. All you really need to do is show him how serious you are and there is no way he'll refuse. Now, try those on. I'm not really sure how they would look on someone of your 'stature', but, considering you walk around in nothing but a halter-top and a thong, anything you wear is bound to catch his attention."Furrowing her brows in response to Yuri's words, Lotte remarked, "Everything you've picked thus far is either a dress or something that covers up a lot of skin...isn't that a little counter-intuitive? I'm not a child, Yuri. I know men like it more when women wear more revealing clothing."Rather than refuting Lotte's words, Yuri responded with an affirmative nod. Immediately after that, however, she went on to explain, "For most women, that is, indeed, the case. The problem, at least in your case, is that you are always wearing skimpy clothing. Once you get to know him a bit better, you'll realize that Vahn actually has something of a fashion fetish. I mean, the guy has literally hand-crafted panties, stockings, and other garments. If you really want to appeal to him, you'll need to do more than just expose your body. Here, try this on. It might just be a sweater, but the exposed back and high-cut hem would allow you to walk around without panties on. Combine that with stockings and you'll have created an outfit that would turn most men, even dragons, into wolves."Though she wasn't particularly known for her imagination, seeing Yuri hold the sweater up to her body allowed Lotte to envision what she might look like wearing something similar. Truth be told, she had actually been feeling a little self-conscious as of late, so, while she didn't want to endanger her relationship with Vahn by putting pressure on him after his refusal, she couldn't help but believe Yuri's words. More importantly, she had something similar from Mash in the past, so, remembering all the times Vahn had treated her tenderly, she ultimately accepted the sweater, forcing a smile as she muttered, "We'll need to find a bigger size..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The disparity between the elite and the mundane...','Hien be like, "I can slice a mountain in two with a single cut...!". Vahn be like, "I can slice through a trichiliocosm without even needing to draw..."','Preparing for a climactic battle (O w O)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though it would have been easier to charge directly into the Palace of Swords, Vahn's first course of action was to meet with the Corps Commander of the 2nd Army Corps, Ari Senna. The heads of the Arie and Ari Families were cousins, so, as the daughter of the Ari Family Leader, Senna was also the first-cousin, once-removed, of Arie Hon. She had also been working hard to coordinate with him on various matters, so, while it was all but guaranteed that he would cross swords with the Arie Family Leader, Vahn felt compelled to keep her in the loop...Having grown somewhat accustomed to dealing with Vahn, Senna had learned that, more often than not, he emulated the behavior of whoever he was interacting with. So long as you behaved casually around him, he would afford you the same courtesy, and, most importantly, he could be remarkably cooperative so long as you weren't going out of your way to try and deceive him. Thus, the moment he explained his intentions, an exasperated sigh escaped her throat as she rubbed her temples and asked, "Are you serious?"Nodding his head, Vahn explained, "The Empire and the Great Families might not be the origin, but they have become the publically recognized root of corruption within the Tower. If real change is to be introduced, they need to be held accountable for their actions. I cannot turn a blind eye to what they have become, so, even if it jeopardizes our cooperation, I will continue to push forward for the sake of the Tower, the residents therein, and the countless children who will be born in the future."Understanding how obstinate Vahn could be whenever he had made up his mind, Senna made no effort to try and convince him to commit to a different course of action. Instead, she pulled up her Lighthouse before going on to state, "Lord Arie has always been a rational man. So long as you can overcome his Test, he should be willing to implement the reforms you have in mind..."Though he had no problem accepting Arie Hon's challenge, Vahn ultimately shook his head, saying, "The problems with the Great Families transcend their individual Leaders. Even if they could remove the more toxic elements from their family, it doesn't change the fact they allowed things to develop to that point in the first place. I'm willing to afford them the opportunity to redeem themselves, but, no matter how things end up, they cannot be allowed to continue governing their families."Understanding the consequences of Vahn's actions far greater than the person himself, a dry knot began to form in Senna's throat as she said, "I understand what you're trying to say...but have you truly considered the consequences of such a drastic change in the Tower's structure? I won't argue that the Great Families are without their flaws. The main reason we split from the Arie Family, in the first place, was because of a difference in ideologies. Still, compared to how things were during the Age of Ascension, things are infinitely more peaceful now than how they used to be..."Rather than refuting this, Vahn decided to use Senna's own words against her, saying, "You're right. The Tower was filled with chaos and disorder, so, as a result, Jahad and the Great Warriors did their best to change things for the better. They bared their fangs at those in power, eliminating everyone who stood in their way before ultimately seizing power for themselves. Now, they have become the disease rotting the Tower from the inside, so, before the infection spreads even further, I will cut out the dead tissue at the source. If they are serious about performing their original duty, the Leaders of the Great Families will step down and allow the next generation to take charge. If they were actually concerned with maintaining the peace within the Tower, they never would have allowed corruption to take root within their own families..."Though he understood that corruption was bound to take root in even the noblest of families and organizations, those who claimed to be in charge were ultimately accountable for every misuse of their power and authority. If they were unwilling to accept such a responsibility, they had no right to proclaim themselves as rulers. Thus, knowing that most of them had simply grown bored of life within the Tower, Vahn had no qualms about forcing the current generation of leaders to abdicate. They already had the chance to rule and decided not to. Now, it was someone else's turn to, at the very least, try.Seeing the tell-tale look in Vahn's eyes, Senna knew he wasn't going to be dissuaded. He could be very reasonable most of the time, but, once he made up his mind on something, there didn't seem to be anything capable of changing it. Even worse was the fact that, more often than not, his words struck at the very heart of a matter, so, even if she wanted to come up with a counterargument, he had ten-thousand-years of evidence attesting to their mismanagement...Suppressing a sigh, Senna combed aside her bangs, a difficult expression appearing on her face as she said, "If you go through with this...the Empire might not be able to remain silent. Even if I don't disagree with you, my duty is to the Empire and its people. I will do my best to prevent things from getting out of control, but there is a very high probability that war will break out between the Jahad and Aldrnari Empires..."Though his expression softened for a brief moment, Vahn ultimately shook his head, saying, "That's impossible. Even if the Jahad Empire were to declare war, the Aldrnari Empire is under no obligation to accept. If a war were to be fought, it would be a purely civil matter. The people of the Tower have grown weary of the current status quo, and, unlike a conventional war, there is nothing like territory for your side to claim. All battles would have to take place in regions governed by the Jahad Empire, and, as a result, dissent against the current regime would increase exponentially. You would end up destroying yourselves from the inside, all while I continue pushing forward without any meaningful opposition..."Frowning in response to Vahn's words, Senna's voice became audibly strained as she asked, "What about all the people you've helped during your climb? Don't tell me you were just trying to sow the seeds of future dissent? If you commit to this course of action, they, as well as millions of others, are bound to die. Please, reconsider..."Adopting a slightly serious expression, Vahn met Senna's uncertain gaze, his voice firm as he plainly stated, "Such statements are filled to the brim with contradiction. I help people to help people, not to make use of them. If the vile and despicable would use that as a justification to punish them, that has nothing to do with me. If the righteous were cowed by the intimidations of those with malicious intent, there would be nothing to oppose the spread of evil."Furrowing her brows even further, Senna's tone became marginally more resolute as she said, "Even if it wasn't your intent, the fact remains-"Without waiting for the resolute redhead to finish, a powerful aura began to leak from Vahn's body as he affirmed, "People raise the banner of revolution when those above them have failed to govern properly, not because someone extended a hand to them in their time of need. Don't make excuses when the crux of the matter is that the Empire has become overrun with corrupt, opportunistic, and outright evil individuals. If you seriously intend to argue that the victims are to blame, I fear this will be the last time we are able to speak cordially..."With that said, Vahn promptly teleported away before Senna had the chance to defend her point or apologize. One of his pet peeves had always been good people attempting to shift the blame onto other good people despite ignoring the misdeeds of those truly at fault. Sure, Senna wasn't really in a position to hold the other families accountable, but, regardless of her personal circumstances, she had even less of a right to hold others accountable for their actions. If someone decided to murder every single person he had saved, that had absolutely nothing to do with him.Even as far back as Danmachi, Vahn had never been willing to compromise with those who tried to use his family, friends, and loved ones against him. It didn't matter how much pain and suffering he would have to bear. If his enemies tormented others as a result of his actions, they would be hunted without mercy. Compromising with the type of people who would use others as leverage only made the situation worse, so, even if his enemies were to threaten him with a knife at one of his children's throats, the only thing they would accomplish is ensuring their own, painful, end...Not expecting Vahn to simply teleport away after he was finished speaking, Senna found herself at a complete and utter loss for words. She felt as though she had just made a grave mistake, but, as there were more pressing matters to attend, she ultimately just exhaled a sigh before manifesting a keyboard. She needed to report this matter up the chain of command, but, even after a full minute had passed, she wasn't sure how to phrase it. Painting Vahn as a villain didn't seem appropriate, as, on the most basic level, his words weren't wrong. They were simply 'inconvenient' for the Empire, a notion that only served to further validate the points he had made...As that thought crossed her mind, Senna shifted her attention to the adorable creature nervously watching her from the side. She could see genuine concern in its glossy black eyes, and, though a few people had suggested that it was there to keep tabs on her, Senna knew better than most that Vahn didn't need others to spy for him. Thus, after several seconds of tense silence, yet another sigh escaped her throat as she bent down and said, "It's okay...come on..."Though it hesitated for a brief moment, it didn't take long for Teddiursa to waddle over to Senna's side, its three-clawed paws wrapping around her body as it cocked its head to the side and chimed a concerned, "Urrr..."Picking up the adorable Pokemon, Senna nestled her face into its soft fur for a brief moment before whispering, "Don't worry...I'm sure everything will work out. I just need to put in a bit more effort..."With that said, Senna activated her Pocket's visible mode, delaying her official report in order to call her father. This was a severe dereliction of duty, but, considering the consequences of organizing a military response, now wasn't the time to follow protocol. She could infer from Vahn's behavior that he was absolutely confident in his ability to come out ahead in the coming battle. This meant, at the very least, he was more powerful than the current Rank 5 in the entire Tower. Assuming this was the case, he wasn't a foe they could defeat with simple numbers, so, rather than ordering her people to their death, Senna had decided it was worth facing a Court Martial if she could resolve the situation diplomatically. Thus, the moment the call went through, she adopted an ingratiating and somewhat childish tone as she said, "Papa...I really need your help right now..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn treats people the way they treat others...just better...','There is a time for a compromise and a time for action (O ^ O)...!','The shit is about to hit the proverbial fan...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Just as he had on virtually every Floor since the 77th, Vahn spent the vast majority of his time on the 97th treating patients. The rest was spent within the confines of his temporary residence, effectively cut off from the rest of the world for around 8~10 hours. During this time, he would check in on all the groups exploring the Tower, his senses cycling through those of his Templates in order to get a first-hand account of everything that was going on.Fortunately, with the obvious exceptions of people like Mordred and, to a lesser extent, X, Nero, and Nobunaga, most of the groups behaved similarly to tourists. They were simply exploring the Tower, and, unless something 'obvious' caught their attention, they tended to avoid causing any kind of disputes, not because they were afraid, but because they wanted to avoid getting wrapped up in the politics of the Tower.Unsurprisingly, numerous factions had been attempting to establish contact and build connections with the Aldrnari Empire through the exploration groups. A few also tried to approach the girls with untoward and libidinous intentions, but, as could be expected, that didn't exactly end well. The girls all had artifacts that allowed them to detect such intentions, and, most importantly, protect against abnormal status ailments such as mental manipulation and poisoning. They were also around Tier 4, so, with the exception of a few High Rankers, few people could truly threaten them.The only people Vahn really had to worry about were the aforementioned, as, despite having the mental capacity of a super-computer, X could be irredeemably clumsy. She had a tendency to lose and misplace her equipment, and, so long as they were even remotely sly, she was dishearteningly easy to fool. Of course, compared to Nero, who accepted virtually any and all challenges, her antics could be passed off as cute and quirky.Though he had asked her to show a bit of restraint, Nero had basically been treating the Tower as her playground ever since she, Nobunaga, Yoruichi, and Angri set out. Fortunately, her talent was the real deal, and, though she had lost her [Imperial Privilege], she obtained an Innate called [Lead Actress] that, as far he could tell, qualitatively improved her luck. It also resulted in a fair amount of drama, but, more often than not, things would invariably turn out in Nero's favor.Checking in on the petite bombshell, Vahn found her laughing vivaciously across from a group of thug-like men with grim expressions. In front of her, there were thousands of casino chips piled up like a small mountain, a stark contrast to the insignificant amount present before each of the other gamblers. The only thing that kept them from attacking was the knowledge that they couldn't really do anything, as, even after spiking the beautiful blonde's drink, she continued laughing heartily with a massive grin plastered across her face...Severing the connection between him and the white-haired youth standing stoically behind Nero, the human form of a Pokemon called Reshiram, Vahn resisted the impulse to rub his temples and instead poked the belly of the sleeping Fenrir. The latter was currently curled up in his lap in the form of a small puppy, belly exposed as she nestled between his thighs on her back.Twitching in response to the unexpected probe, Fenrir quickly righted herself before tilting her head adorably to the side and asking, "Is it time to go?"Nodding his head, Vahn picked up the adorable pup before shifting his attention to his right. There, curled up with 'Mikotochu' nestled between their inordinately large breasts, Yuri and Lotte could be seen sleeping in little more than their lingerie. This immediately gave Vahn flashbacks to his time in the Akamatsuverse, not just because he was sharing a bed with a girl he had yet to actually start an actual relationship, but because Lotte was an extreme masochist. She might look adorable cradling Mikoto in her arms, but, when you took into consideration her fondness was predicated on the fact that the latter could deliver a powerful shock, the scene lost a fair amount of its innocent appeal...With Fenrir nestled in his arms, Vahn was able to resist his almost instinctual urge to smack Yuri's largely exposed bottom, his expression appearing calm as he firmly stated, "I know you're awake. Get up. We have less than an hour before we're scheduled to depart."Groaning in response, Yuri used her monkey-like tail to gently smack Vahn in the face, saying, "Five more minutes..." in a groggy tone. Lotte, however, immediately sat up, her melon-like breasts, each a great deal larger than his head, threatening to liberate themselves from her top as she stretched her body and said, "Good morning~" with an expectant look in her eyes.Returning a smile, Vahn promptly levitated from the bed, Fenrir still in his arms as he said, "Mikoto. Thunderbolt."Though she had never experienced an actual Pokemon battle, Mikoto, like the vast majority of the Templated Pokemon, reacted on instinct whenever she heard battle commands. As a result, vibrant golden electricity instantaneously erupted from her body, and, though she had made a last-second attempt to escape, Yuri ended up being caught in the violent bands of lightning alongside Lotte.With the light rapidly dying down, Vahn landed on the floor, a teasing smile developing across his face as he said, "Breakfast will be in fifteen minutes. If you're not ready by then, you'll have to settle for dried meat and hard bread."Immediately following this threat, a ripple spread in front of Vahn's face, effortlessly absorbing the blood-red energy ball hurled by the disgruntled Yuri. She hadn't actually taken any damage from Mikoto's attack, but, due to the remnant electricity coursing through her body, the hair across her body and atop her head had become noticeably frazzled. This was especially noticeable on her tail, which, for the time being, vaguely resembled that of a Snow Leopard rather than a monkey...---Though Rindo was currently exploring the Actualized World of an anime known as Toriko, Vahn's Inventory was filled to the brim with dishes she had either hand-prepared or mass-produced. This was very important, not just to himself, but to virtually everyone in the exploration group, as, when their supplies ran low, they would immediately seek him out to resupply. While this hadn't been his intention when he created Rindo, Vahn found it somewhat amusing, as, even with his ability to cook similar dishes, he couldn't go more than a few days without eating something personally prepared by the voracious redhead.Given its influence on him, it wasn't difficult to imagine how Rindo's cooking might affect beings of a lower tier. If she was serious, she could even prepare dishes that would fundamentally alter how a person thinks about the world around them, and, should her time in Toriko prove fruitful, she might even be able to cook a dish that could inspire mutual trust against previously warring nations. Thus, shortly after his departure from the bedroom, Yuri emerged with carelessly combed hair, throwing the brush towards Vahn before sitting down with a huff.With the brush slowing to a stop a few centimeters away from his face, the edges of Vahn's smile curled up as he rose from the table to give Yuri a helping hand. Her pouting might amuse him, but, as she was still one of his women, he couldn't exactly ignore her. Brushing a beautiful woman's hair was also remarkably therapeutic, so, for the better part of half an hour, he methodically combed her raven-black hair before saying, "There are only two Floors remaining until we reach the 100th. After that, we'll officially be on the 'Higher Floors'. Are you prepared?"Demonstrating remarkably unladylike behavior, Yuri, cheeks filled with food, answered, "You're still asking that? I already told you like ten times. No matter what happens, I'm going to keep pushing forward. Besides, so long as I continue following you, there will be plenty of opportunities to fight against powerful opponents. At the very least, I'm looking forward to being able to smack that old fart from the Arie Family."Chuckling in response to the former Princess's rather brazen words, Vahn tossed the brush into his Inventory before gathering her silky hair with his hand and quickly fastening it into the rather stylish side-ponytail she was famous for. The only difference was, now that she had decided to 'go rogue', she no longer wore the flower-like hair ornament gifted to her by her Great-Grandmother. Instead, she had become rather fond of a bright red ornament that visually resembled a camellia flower. At a glance, this wasn't a drastic change, but, combined with the fact she no longer wore a Symbol of Jahad, those who knew Yuri well would immediately notice the change.Finished with the arrangement, Vahn ran his hand through Yuri's hair one last time, saying, "I wasn't asking if you had changed your mind. I just wanted to make sure you're adequately prepared. Hon's skill with the sword might not be particularly impressive compared to a true Grandmaster, but there is a reason he is ranked 5 throughout the Tower. Even with your physique, you won't be able to stop his blade."Swallowing the remaining food in her mouth, Yuri placed her left hand on her right bicep, flexing as she said, "Don't underestimate my toughness. Besides, even if I lose a limb, you can always give me a new one, right?"With the final few words said with a massive grin, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head, a wry smile developing across his face as he said, "I won't stop you. Just know I hate seeing one of my women get hurt. I hope you'll take that into consideration...not for your sake, but his..."Feeling a fluttery sensation in her chest, the smile on Yuri's face became even bigger before she ultimately erupted into a vivacious laugh. She never thought the day would come when someone verbally laid claim to her, but, unlike other members of the Ha Family, she didn't particularly care about the hierarchy between men and women. This could be attributed to her Ari Family heritage, but, more than anything, she was just happy to be traveling with the person she had both chosen and been chosen by.Resisting the urge to shake his head, Vahn surprised Yuri with a kiss to her crown before saying, "Finish eating. There are a lot of people waiting for us and you know I don't like to break from my routine unless it is absolutely necessary."With that said, Vahn combed his fingers through Yuri's fringe before directing his gaze around the table, a teasing smile appearing on his face as he mused, "Of course, I can always 'make time' if you really need it..."---With breakfast coming to an end, an event punctuated by Vahn helping Lotte style her hair, the group of five made sure to check out of their hotel before immediately teleporting to the next Floor. There, like every other Floor in recent memory, a large crowd of people had gathered to receive them. This included a number of familiar faces, as, even with Mikoto's support, they had only been able to treat 1,074 of the 5,947 patients. Thus, for the umpteenth time, a friendly smile spread across Vahn's face as he announced, "General treatment will take place starting tomorrow morning. If you have an emergency or a more pressing condition, please share your information with the 2nd Army Corp. I will begin treatment after a brief period of rest."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I feel bad for the people who try to pull one over on Nero xD...','Lotte knows what she is about...','Routines are important but loved ones are even more so. Even if you're not a God of time, never be afraid to make some for what truly matters~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1985: Forward