Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

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

Though it had only been for a brief moment, Hana releasing her flames within the Palace of Swords had reduced much of the Sword Altar's interior to superheated slag and molten stone. Despite this, Hon, Han, and Eduan could be seen standing around rather leisurely, unperturbed by the heat.Using a pocket watch he had carried with him even before the Age of Ascension, Han, showing far greater concern than his two compatriots, asked, "How long are we going to continue idling? I trust in Hana's Immortality, but what if the Sage Dragon Emperor attempts to capture her? If he takes her into his Little Garden, negotiations will be difficult..."Reacting to Han's concerns, Hon, who had been standing silently with his eyes closed, opened them to answer, "The Sage Dragon Emperor has illustrated, time and again, that he has no interest in the politics of the Tower. Do you really believe he would do something like taking hostages? What does he stand to gain?"Answering in Han's stead, Eduan chimed in to note, "Hana is quite beautiful...." in a dull monotone. This earned him slight frowns from the other two, but, seeing a nascent smile develop on the blue-haired man's face, they quickly realized he was just messing with him.Suppressing a sigh, Hon snapped his pocket watch shut before placing it safely within his Inventory and asking, "What do the two of you intend to do when all of this is over? I can already guess what most of our compatriots will choose. Still, it's better to know for sure. Truth be told, I wouldn't mind traveling together like we used to. It's been...a long time..."Though he wasn't particularly fond of Han's implication they had already lost, Hon took a moment to spread his senses through their surroundings before answering, "Regardless of what happens in the future, I will most likely remain here. I realized, long ago, that I would never be able to reach the pinnacle. Now that I am being forced to abdicate my position, I will most likely act as a Guardian for my family. Once I have groomed a suitable successor, I will challenge the trials of the Tower with my own hands. After that...well, only the future knows..."Surprised by Hon's honesty, both Han and Eduan showed varying degrees of astonishment on their faces. Hon, at normal times, possessed a rather frosty, borderline unfriendly, disposition. He was the type of person who wouldn't even bat an eye if one of his own children were cut down right in front of him. Rather, depending on the circumstances, there was a fair chance he would be the one to cut them down, not as punishment, but to 'preserve' their skill and power within the Arie Family...Feeling that it was his turn to speak, Eduan was about to express his own intentions for the future when a not-so-subtle spatial ripple appeared a few meters above them. This was more than a little surprising, but, rather than showing it on his face, Eduan maintained an apathetic expression as he asked, "Back so soon? Hana might not have been the most powerful among us, but I can't imagine she would lose this quickly..."Ignoring the man's remark, Vahn focused his gaze on Hon, saying, "There is no need to discuss the specifics. As for my representatives..."Waving his hand, Vahn manifested Yuri and Mikoto out of thin air, adding, "There is myself, Vahn Aldrnari Mason, one of my personal Pokemon, Misaka Mikoto, and one of your former Princesses, Ha Yuri. As for the matchups-"Before Vahn could finish, a small jolt of electricity entered his body, courtesy of a red-faced Mikoto. Though it made her feel a little happy, being casually introduced as Vahn's 'personal Pokemon' was more than a little embarrassing. Sure, she might have been the one to ask him to 'choose her', quite some time ago, but that didn't mean she was comfortable with him announcing it to the world...Though he paused for a very brief moment, Vahn's expression ultimately remained unchanged as he pointed towards Han and said, "We'll start with the lowest ranking member of each team. Since you're Ranked 19, that means you'll have the misfortune of facing off against Yuri. Good luck."A stark contrast to the uneasiness visible in Han's expression, a rather sizeable shockwave erupted from Yuri's body as she shouted, "Hell yeah! I've been looking forward to this! I can't wait to see the looks on those smug bastards' faces after I wipe the floor with you...!"Further emphasizing her excitement, Yuri allowed her tail to uncoil from around her waist as violent red Ki exploded from her body. This surprised the three Family Leaders quite a bit, not because she had an overwhelming aura, but because Ki and Mana had been their main source of power prior to entering the Tower. Unfortunately, neither had been present within the Tower, so, the moment their internal reserves ran dry, it took days, if not weeks, for them to fully replenish their stocks. This was what had forced them to undergo Revolution all those years ago, as, prior to that moment, most of them had been entirely reliant on Ki and Mana.Sensing the phenomenal power surging from Yuri's body, a glimmer of excitement appeared within Eduan's eyes as he remarked, "Remarkable. A truly splendid woman..."Following his words, Eduan's figure vanished like a phantom, but, before he could grasp Yuri's hand and attempt to woo her with his heinous power, Vahn appeared between them, saying, "You've lost your fucking mind..."Without waiting for the man's response, Vahn attempted to punch Eduan in his perfectly sculpted face, his fist forming a black trail as it ripped through both space and time. To the latter's credit, he was able to react to this, but, the moment Vahn's fist met with his guard, Eduan was sent smashing through the Sword Altar with such speed and intensity that he appeared to teleport from his initial location.With vibrant blue lightning dancing across his left hand, Vahn flexed his fingers a few times before looking towards Mikoto and saying, "You might want to fight him in your Pokemon form. That man is even worse than me when it comes to women. Be careful of his right hand. I doubt he will be able to force a Tier 5 to submit, but it's better to be safe than sorry."Nodding her head, Mikoto promptly transformed into her Pikachu form, tiny gold runes appearing beneath her fur as a shroud of golden lightning enveloped her body. Then, far faster than even Han could perceive, she completely vanished. Moments later, the sound of a distant explosion could be heard, but, rather than focusing on that, Vahn shifted his attention to Yuri, saying, "Good luck." with a relaxed smile on his face.Though she experienced a moment of panic when Eduan focused his intent on her, Yuri ultimately managed to retain a confident smile, asking, "Luck? Who needs that? I already won the lottery when I managed to sink my teeth into you. Now I just need to kick this brat's ass. Easy peasy."Punctuating her words, Yuri drew the Black March and Green April from her Reel Inventory, igniting both as a violent red aura erupted from her body. She had been waiting a long time to teach the Ari Family a lesson, so, now that their Leader was right in front of her, there was no way she would back down. This placed Han in a somewhat difficult position, but, understanding the temperament of the Ha Family, he responded by drawing his rapier-like Needles and saying, "Let's see how much you've grown..."Without thinking deeply about the meaning contained in Han's words, Yuri lunged forward faster than a flash, the Black March leaving an abyssal black trail as she attempted to bifurcate her rather petite opponent. To her surprise, fairy-like wings appeared at Han's back and ankle as he used the very tip of his Needle to deflect her attack, muttering, "Ari Style Secret Technique - Fairy Waltz..."Faster than most people could react, Han's Needles began tracing countless silvery arcs towards Yuri's tendons and joints. He wasn't particularly fond of bloodshed and killing, so, more often than not, he dealt with his opponents by disabling them with extremely precise and swift strikes. He even coated his weapons in a special anesthetic, a medicine designed to numb the body and inhibit pain.Though she did her best to deflect as many attacks as she could, Han's speed was far beyond Yuri's expectations. It felt like, for every two blows she deflected, eight more would prick various parts of her body. Fortunately, like the majority of Vahn's women, she had received a number of accessories that effectively made her immune to status abnormalities. This, combined with her inordinately high regeneration, allowed her to ignore minor injuries, so, rather than focusing on defense, the intensity of Yuri's eyes increased as she shouted, "Eat this, you little shit...!"Punctuating her words, a phenomenal amount of Ki gathered at Yuri's left foot as she attempted to kick between Han's legs. This caused a violent tremble to pass through the latter's body, compelling him to evade backward as Yuri exclaimed, "Nuclear Kick...!"Though the name might have sounded a little flashy, the massive explosion generated in the wake of Yuri's kick demonstrated it wasn't to be taken lightly. From a distance, you could even see a large mushroom cloud forming as the energy began to disperse and fold in on itself after breaching the upper atmosphere.With a few beads of sweat appearing on his brow, a wry smile developed across Han's face as he remarked, "I understand your desire to win, but can we try and avoid aiming for each others' more 'sensitive' regions? Even if I'm Immortal, that's the kind of pain that can make one wish they were dead..."Using the Green April to disperse the remnant dust and debris, Yuri eyed Han with an inordinately serious expression on her face as she asked, "What's your deal? You aren't behaving as a Leader of a Great Family should. I understand that the Ari Family is filled with petulant cowards and uptight assholes, but I didn't think it extended all the way to the top."Aiming for the moment when Han was about to answer her question, Yuri extended the blade of the Black March, its tip impacting his chest like a bolt of black lightning. This caused a deep frown to develop across her face, not because the attack had failed, but because Han was clearly looking down on her if he couldn't even evade something like the extension of the Black March...---Observing the battle between Yuri and Han from the distance, Vahn stood in the air with his arms crossed, eyes focused despite the fact he was also linking his senses with Mikoto. At his side, fewer than ten meters away, Hon stood with a pristine white sword in hand, clearly indicating his intent to start their own battle. Unfortunately, even though he was looking directly at Vahn, he couldn't sense the latter's presence. This left him unsure about whether or not he should attack, so, at least for the time being, he just stood in the air, calmly awaiting the moment their climactic battle would begin.Understanding the inordinately handsome man's thoughts, Vahn continued to willfully ignore him. His brief encounter with Hana had demonstrated that the Great Warriors weren't actually that great, so, while he had yet to lose interest in them completely, he no longer felt any pressure to deal with them. Even Hon's fangs had clearly dulled with the passage of time, so, now that he had confirmed their state with his own eyes, he was seriously considering just teleporting Jahad and the rest of the Great Warriors to him. He could always continue his journey after demonstrating there was nothing they could do against him, so, while Hon was eagerly looking forward to the fight to come, Vahn's mind had already started to wander to worlds beyond the Tower...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'At least they're being realists xD...','Eduan be digging his own grave...','Tier 4 is practically fodder at this point...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

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

Chapter 1991: Ablaze