Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With only a few minutes remaining until the twenty-four-hour deadline, the temperature around the Sword Altar was steadily increasing as Hana, annoyed by the fact that Vahn had yet to arrive, huffily remarked, "The impudence of the Sage Dragon Emperor knows no bounds...are we certain he hasn't simply run away?"Laughing awkwardly in response to Hana's words, Han ceased playing with his notoriously unruly bangs, answering, "I trust my daughter's judgment. Besides, the Sage Dragon Emperor has proven himself a man of his word time and again. If I had to make a guess, I would wager he is intending to teleport into our midst the moment twenty-four-hours have passed."Hearing the word 'wager', Eduan's ears twitched, the briefest hint of a smile developing across his otherwise apathetic face as he flatly stated, "I will wager the 94th Floor against the Sage Dragon Emperor arriving on time..."With a wry smile developing across his face, Han was about to refuse the wager when Hana chimed in, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes as she promptly answered, "You're on! However, instead of a Floor you don't actually care about, I want the Flame of Fiama...!"Though it was impossible for most people to detect, everyone present could see Eduan's perfectly manicured brows rise ever so slightly as he remarked, "It's been ten-thousand-years, Hana...are you still hung up on-"With gold and scarlet flames erupting from her body, Hana's expression became extremely severe as she warned, "Don't you dare finish that sentence..."Closing his eyes, an imperceptible sigh escaped Eduan's slightly parted lips before he ultimately answered, "Unfortunately, the Flame of Fiama is no longer in my possession. One of my naughtier children ended up cleaning out my private collection. Assuming he hasn't been killed by another member of my family, I imagine it is currently hidden away in a location even High Rankers might not be able to access. He always was a clever child."Though she was extremely annoyed by the revelation, Hana was equally surprised by the fact that Eduan was actually saying something positive about a member of his family. He generally paid very little attention to anything outside of his own interests, so, more often than not, his children would actually have to reintroduce themselves whenever they met him. There were very few exceptions to this, and, according to rumors, there were even times when he would forget the names of women he had been married to for hundreds of years...Recovering from her shock, Hana asked the question that was everyone's mind, chiefly, "Does this 'clever child' have a name?"Adopting the slightest of smiles, a glimmer of amusement could be seen in Eduan's electric blue eyes as he answered, "Khun." in a curt tone. This earned him a hateful glare from Hana, but, before she could lash out and demand a serious answer, Hon drew everyone's attention, saying, "The Sage Dragon Emperor approaches..."Almost immediately after these words had fallen, a nearly indiscernible spatial ripple appeared a few meters off the ground, followed by a solemn voice stating, "Not bad. It would seem your little power-up has increased your sensitivity quite a bit..."Though he could have remained immaterial, Vahn punctuated his words by manifesting near the exact center of the vast, circular, chamber. Then, with a slight frown developing across his face, he met Hana's glimmering vermillion eyes, adding, "It's no wonder you've been having trouble using the Phoenix's flames...tell me, do you enjoy playing the part of Ilarde's patsy? Are you satisfied with living the life of a 'convenient tool'...?"Glowering in response to Vahn's words, Hana attempted to manifest a Baang formed from scarlet flames, but, before she was able to, a gentle voice in the back of her mind whispered, "No." before promptly throttling her connection to the flame's source. Immediately thereafter, a veritable pillar of golden flames erupted from her palm as an androgynous voice roared, "Release me! I will burn that man until not even a memory remains...!"Following the outburst that only Hana could hear, a complex emblem formed from vibrant golden flames appeared behind her body. At a glance, this emblem was similar to a magic circle, but, rather than being comprised of geometric shapes and symbols, the 'core' depicted a realistic-looking crow with vibrant golden feathers and three legs.Clenching her teeth, the shimmering golden hanfu on Hana's forehead began to gradually diminish as she fought to gain control of her own flames. This earned her a concerned look from Han, but, as this was far from the first time they had seen her lose control, Hon and Eduan simply observed from the side, veils of Shinsu protecting their bodies.With the Law of Identity helping to narrate each person's thoughts, Vahn couldn't resist shaking his head as he asked, "I gave you twenty-four-hours to make preparations for our duel and this is what you greet me with? It's no wonder the Tower exists in its current state. This is just sad..."Though there was a lot more he could say, Vahn decided to nip one of his bigger problems in the bud, his expression hardening as he raised his hand, seemingly seizing empty air. To the surprise of everyone present, the figure of a raven-haired woman spontaneously appeared in his hand, a mix of incredulity and fear on her face as he asked, "I'm guessing this wasn't a part of your plan?"Before the woman could even gag a response, a wave of crimson-black flames erupted from Vahn's hand, instantaneously enveloping her body. This caused Hana to produce a veritable tidal wave of golden flames, shouting, "Nooooo...!" at the top of her voice. Unfortunately, other than singing the thinner sections of Vahn's clothing, the golden flames had absolutely no effect on him. Rather, due to her inability to control them properly, she ended up scorching the back of the struggling woman, incinerating much of her dress and instantaneously reducing large chunks of her flesh to pure white ash.Raising his brows, Vahn increased the potency of his own flames, extinguishing those of the Golden Crow before subsequently enveloping what remained of the woman's cauterized form. This caused Hana to immediately regain her senses, but, before she was able to charge forward and attempt a less destructive means of providing assistance, the woman promptly dissolved into motes of black ash. Then, without minding the other three Family Leaders, Vahn moved to meet Hana's attack, his palm moving towards her head as her hand advanced like a spear towards his heart.Confident in her immortality, Hana made no attempt to evade Vahn's attack. Instead, she channeled as much Shinsu as possible into her attack, tearfully exclaiming, "True Flame Manifestation - Golden Crow's Spear of Annihilation...!"Though his palm had been able to make contact with Hana's head, Vahn felt as though he had been caught in a supernova as golden light abruptly covered his vision. This was immediately replaced by darkness, but, thanks to his extrasensory capabilities, he was still able to perceive the world around him as his body was hurled at near-lightspeed through several natural and artificial structures lining the 100th Floor.Fortunately, thanks to the unique structure of the Tower, Vahn wasn't actually sent flying hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Instead, he ended up smashing into the nigh-indestructible barrier that prevented people from simply tunneling their way out of the Tower and into the inter-dimensional space surrounding it. Even this, however, was slightly cracked by Hana's attack, as, despite being a Tier 4, she was able to demonstrate power comparable to a Tier 5 thanks to her Authority and the inheritance she had received from two Divine Spirits.With his body quickly regenerating, Vahn briefly allowed his body to be pulled along by the molten stone escaping the massive hole generated by Hana's attack, muttering, "I suppose this is what I get for feeling guilty whenever I see a woman crying...hahahaha..."Initially, Vahn had been intending to tank Hana's attack without allowing it to damage him, but, the moment he saw the tears in her eyes, a seed of guilt instantaneously sprouted in his heart. This was easily his greatest weakness, but, so long as he didn't acknowledge that his opponent had the right to kill him, he didn't have to worry about being defeated. At most, they would be able to annihilate his body, but, as he had proven time and again, that was far from enough to keep him down...Before emerging from his personal pool of golden lava, Vahn shifted his attention towards the sky, his view obscured by an ethereal golden crow that seemed to cover the entire heavens. At the very center of its forehead, he could see Hana glaring at him in a suit of armor that was clearly inspired by the spirit she had manifested. If he had to guess, it was similar in grade to the Raiment of a God, as, rather than being comprised entirely of metal, the connecting fabric and chainmail were entirely composed of violent golden flames.Sensing Vahn's gaze wandering across her body, the resentment in Hana's eyes became even more extreme as she asked, "Why? Why did you kill Ilarde? She was the only family I had left! How could be so cruel and heartless!?"Though the wall of the Tower was steadily melting around him, Vahn maintained a calm expression as he answered, "You know, deep in your heart, the answer to that question. I am sorry for your loss, but, so long as that woman drew breath, anyone who does not pander to her is bound to suffer. If it will make you feel better, you are free to continue trying to burn me. However, unless you sincerely believe she had done nothing deserving of death, your flames will not be able to affect me..."Demonstrating this point, Vahn formed a Baang using Hana's own flames before pressing it to his exposed chest, extinguishing the highly compressed ball of golden flames without leaving so much as a blemish on his skin. This drew attention to the fact that he was practically naked, but, thanks to the contract she had made with the 21st Floor's Guardian, Hana simply frowned as the golden crow surrounding her body flapped its wings, instantaneously melting a large section of the Tower's wall.While his statement had done very little to diminish Hana's hatred towards him, the calming energy Vahn had previously transferred into her mind made it impossible for her to simply ignore them. He also knew she was well aware of some of Ilarde's crimes, but, due to the latter being her only family member, she had always been quick to absolve her of any guilt. After all, Ilarde was also the mother of every single mainline descendant of the Yeon Family, so, without her, the family would eventually cease to be unless Hana took it upon herself to personally extend the line...Emerging from the veritable river of molten stone, Vahn inspected himself to confirm that Hana's flames weren't doing anything before manifesting a replacement outfit. He didn't particularly care about being seen naked, but, for the sake of his image, he donned a suit of ivory white armor that matched the version commonly worn by Artoria. This included a fur-lined cape, but, as a personal preference, his gauntlets resembled the claws of a dragon rather than something more traditional.With his preparations finished, Vahn turned to face towards the seemingly endless stream of flames, his eyes shifting from a vigorous aquamarine to a luminous golden hue dominated by abyssal black pupils. Then, inspired by the experiences of his Templates in Actualized World of Fairy Tail, a toothy grin spread across his face as he exhaled the remnant Shinsu from his lungs. Immediately after that, the endless stream of golden flames began to flow toward his pursed lips, a swirling vortex forming as he began condensing the energy from Hana's attack into a single, highly compressed, Baang...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Clever girl...','Tiamat would be proud...(&gt;,...,&lt;)...!','Vahn got that gud succ...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Under normal circumstances, Hana wouldn't have an issue sensing the location of her opponent. In Vahn's case, however, his presence was comparable to the peculiar ambiance one would feel when locked in a soundproofed room. It was possible to sense 'something', but, the moment you tried to focus your senses, it was easier to detect your own heartbeat than it was to discern his location.Though she had dealt with opponents who were skilled at masking their presence, Hana had never encountered someone who could conceal themselves within an attack. She should, at the very least, be able to feel feedback from her energy colliding with his. Instead, there was simply 'nothing', and, were it not for the fact he had started to forcibly manipulate her flames, she would have thought he had teleported away.Feeling indignant at the notion that Vahn was manipulating her flames without her permission, the center of Hana's pupils began to release a violent golden light as she spread her arms and shouted, "True Flame Manifestation - Solar Prominence...!"Following her outburst, the avatar surrounding Hana promptly collapsed into a sphere reminiscent of an actual star. There were even sunspots, solar flares, and a discernible corona, yes, as was often the case when such abilities were used, the user remained perfectly visible at the very center of the star. This made Hana resemble a Goddess of the Sun, and, thanks to her Authority, the potency of her attacks could easily trespass the realm of Tier 5.Unfortunately, being able to trespass a realm was far from being able to contend against it, so, even though the surrounding temperature instantly shot up to more than a million degrees Celsius, Vahn emerged unscathed from the ocean of golden flames, an awkward smile on his face as he said, "You interrupted my attack..."Without bothering to ask what he was talking about, Hana slapped her hands together, a vermillion Lighthouse appearing in front of her as she shouted, "Yeon Family Lighthouse Control Skill - Flame Boost!"Fearing that she would soon lose control of her flames, a mistake that would cost the lives of nearly every resident of the 100th Floor, Hana began compressing the energy of her Solar Prominence into a single point. She didn't believe that anything could be immune to the flames of the Three-Legged Golden Crow, so, even if she needed to sacrifice one of the most valuable Lighthouses in her entire family, it was a small price to pay if it meant wiping the smile off of Vahn's face.With Hana's emotions providing a boost to her willpower, Vahn could hear his armor creaking as the ivory-white plates covering his body began to blacken. This was quite surprising, not because he doubted Hana's willpower, but because this particular armor possessed SS-Rank Fire Resistance. The only thing he had that was even comparable was Laev-tan's Bankai, so, even if it wasn't enough to completely overwhelm his defenses, Vahn couldn't help feeling a little impressed.As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn's pupils shrank slightly as the space around Hana shattered, instantaneously turning pitch black. In the very next instant, his vision became dominated by a pillar of golden flames so compressed that, were someone to press their hand against it, they would feel physical resistance. This was in spite of the fact that the beam was traveling faster than the speed of light, a state that generally converted matter into energy, not the reverse.Unfortunately, as impressive as the attack was, the moment Hana released it, time effectively came to a stop from Vahn's perspective. Even as far back as Danmachi, his reactionary senses had been so exceptional that it was nearly impossible to catch him by surprise. The only detriment had been that his physical body had been unable to keep up. Now, however, he could transition between the axes of space and time, so, despite her best efforts, all Hana had accomplished was giving Vahn a pretty light show.Caressing his chin, Vahn took his time to inspect the pillar of flames before teleporting next to Hana and saying, "Not bad. Unfortunately, your inability to control the Three-Legged Golden Crow places the entire Floor at risk. It's time for you to go to sleep."Though she was unable to remove herself from the axes of space and time, Hana's status as a being near the pinnacle of Tier 4 created the illusion of her body vibrating at high speeds. If given enough time, say a thousand or so years, she might even be able to move relatively normally. Unfortunately, Vahn wasn't going to wait around that long, so, after conveying his words directly into her mind, he placed his palm against her abdomen, instantaneously dissolving the armor around her navel as he said, "Imperial Mandate - Seal of Heaven...!"Having accumulated knowledge regarding sealing and formations ever since his time in Danmachi, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Vahn was near the pinnacle of the art. He had even mastered a few extraordinary seals using the Sacred Tome, so, the moment his palm contacted Hana's stomach, three massive eyes seemed to open from within the void. At the same time, a pattern reminiscent of a circuit board instantaneously spread across Hana's body, complete with vias-like markings located atop each of her meridians. Immediately thereafter, inordinately beautiful white needles manifested out of thin air, each penetrating one of the tiny circles before promptly vanishing.Confirming the seal was in place, Vahn retracted his hand from Hana's surprisingly soft abdomen before nodding towards the trio of eyes closely observing his every move. In response, the eye at the center, located above and between the other two, promptly closed. This was an indication that the 'heavens' had approved of his decision, and, so long as he didn't remove the seal from Hana's body, he could only use the Seal of Heaven an additional two times.With the process completed, Vahn reintegrated with the standard axis of time, effectively allowing it to resume flowing. This caused the space shattered by Hana's attack to turn violent, her complexion paling as the golden flames erupting from her body spontaneously vanished. Fortunately, beautiful scarlet flames immediately replaced them, so, even without Vahn's support, she was able to protect herself from the extreme heat. At the same time, the fiery golden raiment covering her body began to dissolve, replaced by a stylish yet significantly less gaudy outfit with accents clearly inspired by a Phoenix.Though her face had become whiter than a sheet, tiny beads of sweat appearing on her brow, Hana still managed to glare at Vahn, asking, "What did you do to me...?"Surprised that the woman was still awake, a thoughtful glimmer flashed across Vahn's eyes as he responded with a question of his own, asking, "Does your Immortality Contract prevent you from sleeping...?"Rather than waiting for the woman to respond, Vahn shifted his attention to the Law of Identity, who, as per usual, readily revealed the truth, stating, "It seems they have to use a special ritual of some kind in order to emulate sleep? It's no wonder they all behave like they have a stick shoved up their bums..."Humming in acknowledgment to the Law of Identity's words, Vahn interrupted Hana's attempt to respond, answering, "I placed a seal on your body to limit your ability to manifest the Three-Legged Golden Crow's power. Without the support of the Divine Phoenix, you are unable to counteract the influence of Yang Elemental Energy on your mind, body, and spirit. This imbalance causes you to act in an unhinged manner, so, for the sake of everyone, yourself included, I have prohibited its use. Be grateful. Under normal circumstances, I would have either killed you or extracted the Three-Legged Golden Crow from your body."Though she felt a bit of panic in her heart, Hana maintained her glowering expression, exclaiming, "You want me to feel grateful!? Just how arrogant can you be...!?"Maintaining a calm expression, Vahn tilted his head as if he were actually considering his response before plainly stating, "Arrogance is when someone exaggerates their capabilities in order to make others think they are important. In that regard, I suppose I could be infinitely more arrogant? After all, I have never once considered exaggerating my capabilities. As for your other question...well, it's ultimately up to you. I have no intention of forcing you to feel grateful. I'm just informing you that you should."With Hana giving him the kind of look that would allow someone with an ocular Innate to bore a hole through seemingly indestructible matter, a teasing smile nearly developed across Vahn's face until Sis chimed in to say, (*Naughty boy...must you always behave like this when your opponent is a beautiful woman?*)Suppressing a wry smile, Vahn willfully ignored Sis' remark, saying, "You are free to continue hating me, but, regardless of the circumstances, you are ultimately responsible for the crimes perpetrated by your Aunt. Though everyone is ultimately responsible for their own actions, you, as the Leader of the Yeon Family, had every opportunity to rein her in. Instead, you allowed her to act with veritable impunity, and, as a result, millions of people, including members of your own family, have lost their lives...I wonder...what would Viole think of the person you've become?"Though she didn't lose her glare, the little color remaining in Hana's cheeks drained the moment she heard Vahn mention the name of Baam's father. Many were aware of her unreciprocated love, but, with the exception of her fellow Great Warriors, few knew that Viole was the man mentioned in the rumors.Under normal circumstances, Hana would lash out at anyone who dared mention Viole's name, but, now that the Three-Legged Golden Crow had been suppressed, tears immediately began welling in her eyes as she muttered, "You don't know what you're talking about..."With what could best be described as an 'oh really' look on his face, Vahn crossed his arms, saying, "Sure. Let's go with that. I mean, denial doesn't really change anything, but, after thousands of years of pandering to Ilarde, I guess it's only natural that you would resist anything that is inconvenient to your personal world view, right? I'm sure Viole would be proud..."Though the Divine Phoenix tried to stop her, a vibrant red Needle manifested in Hana's hand as she charged towards Vahn, tears streaming down her face as she attempted to stab him in the chest. To her surprise, he made absolutely no attempt to evade, and, as a result of her emotions empowering her attack, the Needle was able to pierce cleanly through his body. Unfortunately, despite piercing his heart directly, she could still feel it pulsing vivaciously through the grip of her Needle, almost as if nothing in the world could prevent it from beating.Feeling a little sorry for the teary-eyed woman, who, as a result of her sisterly bond with Arlen, had never even tried to confess her love, Vahn's expression softened as he grasped Hana's Needle and said, "Fortunately for you, Viole was never the type of person to pass judgment onto others. Even if you were the one to commit Ilarde's atrocities, I imagine would have forgiven you. He couldn't help seeing the best in people..."Shifting her gaze away from the hand grasped around her Needle, Hana gazed into Vahn's golden eyes, tremendous conflict visible in her own as she sobbingly stated, "I hate you...not only did you kill my only family member, you sealed my power and are now going out of your way to make me feel guilty...I don't think I've ever met someone as cruel and hateful as you..."Without losing his smile, Vahn just shrugged in response to Hana's words, extricating her Needle from his chest as he said, "That's life. Things don't always go your way, and, no matter how right you are, there will always be people who resent the things you do. This is something I have come to accept, so, even if others resent me, I'll willingly bear that burden so long as it allows them to reflect and grow. Viole wouldn't want to see you living like this, so, even if it's merely to honor his memory, you should seriously consider what you want to do from here on. Ten-thousand-years is a long time to be living in the past. It's time for you, and the rest of your companions, to begin moving forward again..."Finished with what he had to say, Vahn attempted to ruffle Hana's vermillion hair, but, the moment he extended his hand, she promptly swatted it away before bolting towards the horizon, tears still streaming down her face. This left him feeling somewhat helpless, but, with less than three minutes remaining until his scheduled battle with Eduan, someone else would need to comfort the bereaved beauty.With that in mind, Vahn cast his gaze upon the fiery wasteland created as a result of Hana's attack before ultimately shaking his head and vanishing from view. The destruction far exceeded the range of his domain, so, even if he wanted to repair things, he simply lacked the ability to do so. Reversing time was infinitely harder than driving it forward, so, after confirming that the devastation extended far beyond the horizon, he turned his attention away from the burning landscape, sights set firmly on the future...(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*insert Saitama face here*','This...this ain't even fair...','Nothing to see here...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With Lotte's body producing a tremendous amount of steam, Vahn's room had become a veritable sauna by the time Sis chimed in to remind him of his previous engagement. Fortunately, even with less than an hour remaining until his scheduled duel, Vahn could produce as much additional time as 'necessary'. It was important to him that his partners' first experiences were both memorable and satisfying, so, once everything was said and done, Vahn had dedicated the better part of seven days tending to the trio of Lotte, Yuri, and Fenrir.Though seven days might seem like a lot, the final forty or so hours were spent almost entirely on relaxation and recovery. Vahn didn't want his relationship with Lotte to develop in the direction of a traditional 'Master' and 'Sub', so, in the wake of the rather climactic battle, he took the opportunity to acquaint her with anime, manga, and video games. He might have grown accustomed to women with masochistic inclinations, but, rather than produce another Theo or Lisanna, Vahn would rather see Lotte develop in a manner similar to Tomoe.She might not be the most beautiful or powerful woman in his harem, but, compared to virtually every other member, Tomoe was one of the most content. She was the type of woman who went with the flow of things, and, though she had numerous regrets about her past, she never allowed them to interfere with her enjoyment of the present. Instead, she proactively sought out new and interesting things to experience, never doubting the path she had chosen for herself.If Tomoe had any faults, it would be her obsessive yet slothful nature. She was the type of woman who would immerse herself in her interests, so much so that, without someone to pull her away, she would neglect everything else, personal hygiene included. Fortunately, this was overpowered by her desire to care for others, so, rather than allowing herself to waste away in the single-minded pursuit of whatever had garnered her interest, she made sure to set a proper example for X, Altria, and Tamamo to follow.Vahn's only regret regarding Tomoe was the fact that she had ultimately chosen to remain in his Realm. She had taken his words at face value when he expressed that his only desire was that she be happy and healthy, so, unless he 'needed' her at his side, she was content with staying in the Yokai District in order to watch over Tamamo and Suzuka. The thought of leaving them alone, even in a world with stagnant time, made her feel uneasy, so, unless he changed tunes and told her that he needed her, she would rather remain in the place that had become her home.Though too much contentedness could be a bad thing, Vahn felt that Tomoe had reached an ideal balance between productivity and leisure time. She was also 'extremely' faithful, so, even if he was gone for days, months, or even years at a time, he doubted she would mind. Instead, she would just greet him with a demure smile upon his return, and, unless he wanted to talk about it, she wouldn't even ask what he had been doing. This had always reminded Vahn of how the girls would greet him whenever he returned to the Hearth Manor, so, at times, he had found himself thinking that Tomoe was inordinately close to what he would consider an 'ideal' woman.As much as he enjoyed traveling with his family, friends, and loved ones, Vahn was well aware of the fact that his progress was greatly inhibited by their presence. The only thing more deleterious to his progress was himself, so, while he would never go out of his way to force the people around him to change, Vahn would rather have more Tomoe-like women in his life than Mordred's, Theo's, or even Asuna's. He had nothing against their heartfelt desire to travel alongside and support him, but, time and again, he had demonstrated that this was simply 'impractical'. His progress was simply too fast, so, as much as he enjoyed their company, Vahn would rather they devote themselves to something more than just the fulfillment of his ambitions...Fortunately, despite having very little exposure to such things, Lotte was quite taken with watching anime and snuggling up with him on a comfortable sofa. It helped that he could rather easily prove that, despite the many fantastical elements present within, each of the fictional worlds they viewed were places that could, in one form or another, be visited. This made the viewing experience all the more exciting, as, rather than simply observing the lives of fictional characters, you were essentially spying on the lives of very real people. This viewpoint allowed the viewer to become infinitely more invested in the lives of the people on screen, so much so that Vahn had seen some of the girls get genuinely upset whenever something ill-fated happened to characters they had taken an interest in.To that end, Vahn introduced Lotte to the concept of Actualization by delving into an anime called 'Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o!'. Her nature had reminded him of one of the title's primary Heroines, a masochistic knight named Dustiness Ford Lalatina, so, after binge-watching the first 10 episodes, they rewatched the first season, this time with one of his Templates arbitrarily introduced to the story.As much as he enjoyed influencing the story directly, Vahn had come to realize that it was infinitely more interesting to create Templates and allow them to act independently. This allowed him to view the changes they had made to the world retroactively, and, so long as he didn't tap into it, he could seal the knowledge and experiences of his Templates to avoid 'spoilers'.Though the first viewing had been pretty entertaining, it was difficult to compete with a version that had been modified by one of his Templates. Not only had the tone of the story changed drastically, but, thanks to his Template's guidance, the main character transitioned from being a perverted idiot to a fairly dependable hero. This surprised even Vahn, as, more often than not, his Templates quickly supplanted the main character of a story, drastically altering the course of history as a result of their incontestible might.Attributing the development to the main character's, Kazuma's, luck, Vahn watched as his Template became something of a mentor for the party of would-be heroes. He only appeared briefly in a few episodes, and, after applying some 'spartan training' to the main protagonist, he promptly departed the starting city of Axel after deposing its Governor. His next appearance was at the very end of the first season when Kazuma's party, shortly after their defeat of a mechanical behemoth known as the Mobile Fortress: Destroyer, heard rumors regarding the King of Belzerg being forced to abdicate his throne. The scene that followed showed Vahn's Template smiling in the background as a young girl with golden hair sat issuing orders to various nobles from atop an inordinately lavish throne...Due to the way the episode was structured, casual viewers would be led to believe that Vahn's Template was some villainous mastermind plotting the events of the second season from behind the scenes. In actuality, he had spent his off-screen time traveling around and eliminating many of the more corrupt politicians, and, after refusing the offer of his daughter's hand in marriage, Vahn's Template agreed to serve as her Chamberlain on the grounds that the King accede his position and authority. There were numerous reasons for the King to agree to this proposal, but, more important than any other was the fact that Vahn's Template had won over the entirety of the Crimson Demon Clan due to his extensive knowledge and his ability to casually vaporize a mountain using Explosion Magic.In essence, Vahn's Template had secured an absolute position of power and authority in the span of a single, ten-episode, season of anime. Infinitely more surprising was the fact that he hadn't built a harem in that same amount of time. Instead, he ended up taking a liking to a raven-haired woman named Sena, a Royal Prosecutor he had encountered shortly after his arrival in Belzerg. What made this even stranger was the fact that the woman was both an 'ice queen' and what some might refer to as a 'BL Aficionado'. His Template seemed to find these traits rather amusing, so, over the course of several months, he ended up whittling down the delusional woman's defenses until she stopped picturing him with various men and started imagining herself as a participant in her fantasies.Though none of this was displayed on-screen, Vahn had unlimited access to all the knowledge and experiences of his Templates. As a result, he knew that his Template had actually considered inciting relationships with quite a few members of the Crimson Demon Clan, but, after failing to teach them even a marginal amount of common sense, he ultimately abandoned the idea. This caused a few of the senior members of the clan to come up with the title 'Platonic Great Sage', but, understanding they didn't mean it as an insult, he just went with the flow in order to prevent them from coming up with an even stranger title. This ended up being the correct choice, as, around that same time, the youngest member of the clan, an adorable little girl named Komekko, had taken to referring to him as the 'Super Cuddly Demon of Infinite Warmth and Headpats'...---As much as he enjoyed watching anime alongside various beauties, Vahn decided to wrap things up when Yuri began pestering him about creating a Template to reside within a manga where the main character was a young boy forced to endure the teasing of a number of 'onee-sans'. She seemed to enjoy this particular theme quite a bit, but, out of consideration for the mental states of himself and his Template, Vahn tended to avoid actualizing any worlds where he was bound to suffer some form of mental damage.Fortunately, so long as he allowed her to periodically cuddle a younger version of himself, Yuri was relatively easy to manage. Thus, after an awkward yet admittedly enjoyable bath, he had everyone gather in the kitchen to enjoy a meal and discuss their plan of action moving forward. He was well aware of the events that had transpired over the last twenty-four hours, so, to that end, he started off by saying, "It seems like you lucked out, Yuri. At present, our foes are considering a competition of sorts between the Aldrnari and Jahad Empires. So long as you're okay with being labeled a traitor by the common denizens of the Tower, you're more than welcome to participate as a representative of my delegation."Though she was excited by the prospect of being able to participate in the coming battle, Yuri did her best to appear serious as she asked, "Is there actually a need to accept their terms? What if they try something sneaky in the middle of the competition? I don't want you to put everyone at risk just to provide me a chance to cut loose."Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, Vahn attempted to allay Yuri's concerns, saying, "I'm a man of my word, sure, but that doesn't mean I'll sit idly by as my enemies attempt to play me. Even if it's someone like Gustang, they won't be able to take action without me taking notice. After that, there isn't a force in this Tower that can prevent me from seeking recompense. In fact, depending on how egregious their plot, today might very well conclude with the fall of the Jahad Empire. It wouldn't be the first time I destroyed a system of government...I don't take kindly to people targeting my family, friends, and loved ones..."Though he felt a considerable amount of guilt regarding his haste in the Nasuverse, Vahn had never once regretted his decision to effectively conquer the world. This, combined with the notion that he could always fix things once he ascended to the Divine Realm, allowed him to move forward in spite of his fears and apprehensions. This was simply another step in his journey, so, even if he fumbled a bit here and there, he wouldn't let it prevent him from moving forward. He also didn't want to keep holding the people around him back, so, even if it ultimately forced him to deal with pain and loss, he was willing to bear anything so long as it helped to ensure the happiness of the people he cared about...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Have I mentioned that Tomoe is one of my favorite characters in FGO?','The banes and boons of being able to produce Templates...','This is a dangerous way of thinking...unless, of course, you truly possess the ability to reach the pinnacle...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1990: Warming Up