Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he hadn't expected it to earn him any advantages, seeing his attack knocked to the side with a simple backhand from Vahn caused Jahad's eyes to widen, albeit only a little. It wasn't the first time the attack had been countered, so, while it was certainly impressive to see someone swat it away, it wasn't enough to deter him from continuing the fight. Instead, a hint of a smile could be seen on his face as he held his hands out to the side and muttered, "You can block one...let's see if you can block a hundred...!""Jahad Style Shinsu Control Technique - God-Skewering Golden Needles...!"Powered by a functionally infinite amount of Shinsu, golden needles more than three kilometers in diameter and a hundred kilometers in length began to fill the sky of the 134th Floor. Upon seeing this, the remaining residents felt an overwhelming sense of awe. A few, as if driven by some primal instinct, even fell to their knees and started to pray.Unfortunately, just as the impossibly large needles began to turn into beams of golden light, a loud thunderclap could be heard throughout the entirety of the Floor as an invisible wave radiated from Vahn's body. This wasn't anything like a technique. Instead, he had simply 'erased' all Shinsu within sixteen-thousand-kilometers. As a result, every single one of the massive golden needles dissolved into nothingness as the man himself began to slowly descend, saying, "You should get serious...this might be an important event for you, but it's eating into my anime viewing time. If you don't go all out, I might very well lose interest..."Though they were separated by several kilometers, Jahad could hear each of Vahn's words as if they were standing face-to-face. In response, he used his left hand to draw one of the three weapons at his side, a peculiar blade that resembled a curved fang more than a traditional Needle.Aiming the tip directly at Vahn, Jahad, his voice carrying through the void, muttered, "You're more arrogant than I expected..." as a runic pattern coiled up and around the length of his weapon.Recognizing the weapon as something forged from an inordinately powerful Killer Whale, largely considered the strongest Shinheuh in the Tower, an amused smile spread across Vahn's face as he manifested Laev-tan in his right hand. It hadn't even been two hours since the Tao Trio one-sidedly slaughtered a Shinheuh that thousands of Killer Whales wouldn't have been able to contest. Jahad was wholly unaware of this, but, the notion that he could be defeated by such a 'weak' weapon was very-nearly laughable.Though he was unable to sense Vahn's thoughts, Jahad knew he was being looked down upon. This caused the smile to drain from his face as he silently muttered to himself, "It seems you are not the man I had hoped you would be..."As the final few words parted Jahad's lips, a low rumble seemed to spread through the entirety of the 134th Floor as the runes along his weapon shone with an ocean-blue light. His weapon was an S-Rank Needle known as the 'Call of the Leviathan', and, while it only possessed a fraction of the original Shinheuh's power, it was still an item forged from the King of all Killer Whales.The thing that made Killer Whales so deadly wasn't their size. Instead, it was their ability to generate a veritable ocean of Shinsu from within their bodies. The King of the Killer Whales, the Levithan, was actually the offspring of the 134th Floor's Guardian. It possessed such tremendous reserves that it could submerge an entire Floor in a dense layer of Shinsu more than a hundred-meters deep.Shifting his attention away from Jahad, Vahn's pupils contracted ever-so-slightly as he wondered if this was how the people at Marineford felt when Whitebeard attempted to sink the island. After all, no matter which direction he looked, there was a tidal wave more than twenty-kilometers in height barreling towards him.While he didn't have any particular reason to fear the incoming wave, the sight was so fantastical that Vahn couldn't help feeling a little awed. It was unlike anything he had ever witnessed, and, for a brief moment, he even felt small and insignificant as the converting wave gradually blotted out the sky.Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Vahn extended his left hand and said, "Stop." in a solemn and commanding tone. To the surprise of everyone viewing the fight, the massive wall of Shinsu obeyed his command, ceasing its advance in an instant. Even Jahad was no exception to this, and, for a brief moment, he could be seen standing in the air, lips parted in incredulity.Nodding his head in approval, Vahn descended until he was roughly eye-level with Jahad before saying, "That's quite the cinematic ability. Unfortunately, your authority over Shinsu seems to have weakened your ability to control it. If only you had spent the last ten-thousand-years training...this might have been interesting..."Though he would normally ignore such remarks, Jahad couldn't help furrowing his brows. The main reason he could ignore most people was that their remarks were simply inconsequential. It was just the vitriol spewed by the weak and powerless in an attempt to drag others down to their level. This was a stark contrast to what Vahn as, unlike the base and mundane masses, he had ample leeway to look down on others. Thus, for the first time in several millennia, Jahad felt as though his blood was beginning to boil due to a combination of rage and excitement.With a snaggle-toothed smile spreading across his face, Jahad cast aside the Call of the Leviathan as if it were a useless piece of trash. Then, with his palms facing upward, hands formed into a shape reminiscent of claws, he asked, "You think my control is lacking? Let's test that theory...!""Jahad Style Shinsu Control Skill - Cosmos...!"Using the tremendous amount of Shinsu contained within his own body, Jahad produced a series of Baangs reminiscent of stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. This included a substantial number of black holes, and, more surprisingly, a singular 'white hole'.A white hole was basically the polar opposite of a black hole. If a black hole was a singularity from which nothing, not even particles or electromagnetic radiation could escape, a white hole was an impassable region of spacetime that spewed out a functionally infinite amount of highly condensed energy. In many records, white holes were often compared directly with creation events such as the 'Big Bang'. In other words, they were hypothetical points from which all matter in the universe could be generated.Seeing Jahad produce a white hole, seemingly with the intention of countering his ability to erase Shinsu, an intrigued and slightly appreciative smile developed across Vahn's face. Jahad was clearly an unparalleled genius, and, were it not for the machinations of the Workshop, he might have been able to ascend to the realm of a Creation God. Instead, he became a lazy tyrant playing the part of a deterrent, a mockery of the ideals that had spurred him to become King...Assuming Vahn's unresponsiveness was the result of his arrogance, Jahad didn't wait around for the former to speak. Instead, he swept his arms forward, commanding the planetoids and stars to circle around and crash towards his opponent. This caused the terrain of the 134th Floor to violently twist and crumble, as, unlike normal Baangs, Jahad's Quality allowed his to emulate the very objects they resembled. This meant they generated their own gravitational wells, and, as a result of the heat cast off by the various star-like Baangs, all foreign Shinsu instantaneously evaporated.One of the things that had made Jahad 'unbeatable', even before he gained authority over several Floors, was his ability to absorb an endless amount of Shinsu from his surroundings while making it nigh-impossible for his opponents to do the same. Even the Great Warriors were powerless against this, as, from the moment they underwent Revolution on the Hell Express, their power had become extremely reliant on Shinsu. They could still fight without it, but, against an opponent like Jahad, the skills they accumulated before their ascent were simply useless. After all, while his current display of power was enough to make even the most skilled Wave Controllers doubt their title, Jahad was, first and foremost, the greatest Fisherman the Tower had ever known.Unfortunately, this title was from the era preceding Vahn's entrance into the Tower. Any one of his Templates would be able to give Jahad a run for his money, and, were someone like Musashi to get serious, he might not even survive their initial exchange. As for Vahn, well, he was currently batting aside stars and smashing black holes with his bare fists, a feat that would have undoubtedly excited a certain raven-haired monkey.Though it was somewhat unpleasant to feel his cells being pulled every which way by a number of conflicting gravitational wells, Vahn was able to maintain his original position. His intent was to let Jahad play all his cards, and, once the King had nothing else to give, he would draw the battle to its conclusion in a single, swift, strike. There was absolutely no suspense concerning how things would end, as, from the moment he ascended to Tier 5, Vahn's power had eclipsed virtually everything in the Tower. The only person who could have given him a run for his money was Ureko, but, thanks to his most recent breakthrough, even that was doubtful.Simply put, even Vahn wasn't quite sure how strong he had become. His status simply displayed a bunch of question marks, and, even when he fought against his own Templates, he no longer felt even an ounce of pressure. It was like his upper limit had been removed in its entirety, and, so long as he willed it, any opponent standing across from him would simply cease to exist with a wave of his hand.A testament to this fact, Vahn, having grown tired of the endless barrage of heat and gravitational incongruency, waved Laev-tan in the direction of Jahad. From an outside perspective, this was little more than a casual motion. As the person on the receiving end of the attack, however, Jahad's eyes widened as an invisible pressure formed a massive gulf in his onslaught of Shinsu. Then, despite his best efforts to stand his ground, he found himself careening through the wall of Shinsu summoned by the Call of the Leviathan. It took several seconds for him to regain his bearing, and, when he did, the first thing he saw was a massive 'divide' separating the top half of the wave from the bottom...Sensing that Jahad hadn't sustained a single injury, almost as if he had just struck an indestructible object, an approving hum emanated from Vahn's throat. He knew Jahad's immortality was a much higher grade than the other Great Warriors, but, feeling a numb sensation in his hand, it was fair to say that had been an understatement. Were it not for Laev-tan shrugging off the brunt of the force, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that he would have sustained all the damage he intended to inflict."Immortality centered around damage reflection...my, you're just full of surprises, aren't you...?"Though Vahn hadn't transmitted his voice through the void, Jahad was able to ascertain what he was saying thanks to the subtle fluctuations in the surrounding Shinsu. His perception and control actually dwarfed most High Ranking Wave Controller, so, despite Vahn's earlier provocations, Jahad was justifiably confident in his abilities. Were he facing any other opponent, this wouldn't even be a contest, as, the moment his foes unleashed their most powerful attacks, they would find themselves reduced to a pitiable state by one of his many curses, specifically his 'Curse of Retribution'.Unfortunately, Vahn wasn't just any opponent. In fact, he was unlike anything Jahad had ever faced before. Thus, for the first time since the Age of Genesis, a toothy grin spread across his face as he excitedly replied, "I'm just getting started...!"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bully Mode Activated (O,...,O)...!','This confirms it. Vahn is denser than a black hole...','The demon that has accompanied Jahad since childhood is starting to awaken...and it ain't called Pride xD...')(A/N: Just thought I would let everyone know I'm starting up a new project called Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience(NOICE). You can find the link posted in the comments section. Give it a read and let me know what you think.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

"Jahad Style Secret Technique - Billion Fold Universe - Great Trichiliocosm...!"Though the celestial bodies he had produced previously were great in number, it was nothing compared to the amount of quality-infused Baangs that manifested in response to Jahad's call. It was like the entire Floor had filled with an infinite number of black holes, stars, planets, asteroids, and gaseous mist. At the center of it all, encircled by nine golden rings, each delineating the orbit of planets, was none other than Jahad.While his heavily outfitted appearance hadn't changed all that much, Jahad's hair was now glowing with resplendent golden light. Complex runes had appeared on the left side of his face, and, though his left still shone with a brilliant golden hue, his right eye had turned crimson as the eye-like tattoo covering it began to writhe about like a chain being pulled along a path.With what could best be described as an excited grin on his face, Jahad raised his right hand and stated, "All the world revolves around me..."As if responding to his words, the countless celestial bodies began to orbit around him, slowly at first but quickly building speed. Far stranger was the fact that even the terrain of the Floor began to follow suit, seemingly pulled along by the nigh-infinite gravitational forces acting upon it.Like a scene out of a disaster film, the entirety of the 134th Floor was reduced to rubble as even the largest mountains turned into little more than loose debris. Were it not for the fact Vahn had shown mercy by teleporting them to safety, most of the people overlooked during the previous evacuation would have been in danger of losing their lives.Still, Vahn had to give credit to Jahad for the cinematic nature of the attack. He had even managed to influence the massive wall of watery Shinsu stalled under his previous command. Because of this, the ten or so kilometer region encompassing them now resembled the eye of a truly awe-inspiring typhoon, one capable of rending stars and planets from the sky.Seemingly unfished with his theatrics, Jahad lowered his right before raising his left hand and bringing his thumb and middle fingers together. Then, in a voice that caused the void around them to tremble, he uttered a surprisingly familiar line, "I am become death, destroyer of worlds..."*Snap*As the sound of the snap seemed to echo across space and time, each of the fast-moving celestial bodies produced by Jahad suddenly exploded. A phenomenal amount of energy was released from their interior, and, due to the rotation provoked by Jahad's previous statement, the entirety of the 134th Floor became a sea of destructive energy and light. Within this seemingly endless torrent, the black holes he had produced began to steadily increase in size, greedily consuming everything that came near.........Understanding the energy would never dissipate of its own accord, Vahn raised Laev-tan as if she were a lighter being held in front of an aerosol can. As his power flowed into her, brackish flames erupted along her length. Immediately thereafter, the chaotic energy swirling around him caught fire, as, despite being comprised of a truly tremendous amount of Yin, Yang, and other Elemental Energies, there was, implicitly, nothing Laev-tan's flames couldn't burn.Similar to setting a piece of steel wool aflame, Laev-tan's spread quickly. The speed and rotation of the energy actually worked in his favor, as, shortly after he held Laev-tan aloft, a 'ring-like' void had formed within the tempest. This gave Vahn a bit of breathing room, an amused smile appearing on his face as he muttered, "This kind of reminds me of woodworking...or perhaps pottery...?"Likening the phenomenon to what might happen if he held a chisel to a piece of rapidly spinning wood, Vahn was briefly tempted to see if he could 'shape' the energy around Jahad into a specific form. This would be showing off a little too much, however, so, after a moment of consideration, he relaxed his stance, eyes closed as he thought, "Maybe I should demonstrate my own Trichiliocosm? I bet Suzuka would be happy if she learned I used her technique to defeat a 'boss'..."Recalling the somewhat brash yet easily teased Kitsune, a smile developed across Vahn's face as he made a mental note to visit his Realm. It had been a while, and, now that he had found a solution to the problem of inadvertently limiting his loved ones' freedom, it was probably time to start merging his Realm with the Little Garden. Keeping them separate served no real purpose at this point, and, while they were technically safer within his Realm, Vahn wanted his children to be able to play, grow up, and even venture into different worlds together.As that thought crossed his mind, the world around Vahn slowed to a crawl as the edge of Laev-tan's blade began releasing a thin white light. If you were to magnify this light with an extremely powerful microscope, you would find a veritable universe of stars, planets, and even life contained within. If you somehow possessed the ability to enter within, you could even be able to witness the birth and inevitable destruction of countless parallel worlds, all of space and time compressed into a single moment."Enter the infinite...Trichiliocosm...!"......Though he didn't expect Vahn to actually succumb to his attack, Jahad's pupils shrank to the size of pinholes as every single instinct he possessed screamed at him to evade. Unfortunately, before his brain could even begin to process these signals, a paper-thin ripple instantaneously passed through his body. His senses had failed to perceive this, and, as a result, he ended up teleporting away from the lower half of his body and everything beneath his right elbow.Discerning the state of his body immediately after his nigh-instantaneous spatial transference, an incredulous look replaced Jahad's previous glee as he whispered, "What just happened? How did his attack ignore my curse...?""The simple answer is: easily. A more involved explanation would require you to have an advanced understanding of the Laws. Unfortunately, I have better things to do so I'm afraid you'll have to be content with the former."Looking behind him, Jahad was surprised to discover that Vahn was less than five meters away from him. Since he hadn't been able to sense any spatial ripples, this implied that the latter had reached this location even before him. For this to be possible, Vahn's spatial transference would either need to exceed the speed of thought or, far more likely, he possessed the ability to peer into the future..."I expected you to draw this out a little longer...did you lose interest?"Shaking his head, Vahn spread his arms as if to gesture to the ongoing storm encircling them as he answered, "You escalated things a bit faster than I anticipated. I was originally intending to counter all of your techniques before ripping that little parasite out of your body and sending you on your way. This life has nothing meaningful left for you to accomplish. You let yourself stray too far from the path your younger self originally set upon. It's time for you to move on and start over."Having regained his apathetic appearance, Jahad muttered, "I see..." in a somber tone before raising his severed right arm and adding, "Then show me. Allow me to witness the power I failed to achieve even after all these years. Show me what it means to live freely, unbound by fate...!"Punctuating his words, crimson tendrils reminiscent of ribbed horn spears erupted from the stump of Jahad's right arm. Their speed was far beyond the reaction speed of most High Rankers, greatly exceeding the speed of light as they covered hundreds of kilometers in what most would quantify as an instant."Not bad for a borrowed power..."Though Jahad's tendrils had failed to push him back, the small puncture holes in the shield Vahn was wielding demonstrated the attack was nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, this would ultimately accelerate Jahad's defeat as the Zanpakuto Spirit residing within the rather futuristic-looking shield, Hyaku-chan, groaned, ("Papa...it hurts...")Hearing the demure and pain-filled voice, the smile on Vahn's face immediately vanished as he whispered, "Sorry...I'll be sure to make it up to you when we return home..."("Nn...okay...")As if motivated by his words, winged formed from pure energy radiated from Hyaku-chan's sides, instantaneously severing the tendrils. Then, activating her special ability, a complex magical circle resembling a cross manifested across her surface as Vahn shouted, "Divine Retribution...!"Since Jahad had previously reflected an attack back at him, Vahn decided to return the favor using one of his three shield-inspired Zanpakuto. The other two, Aegis and Svalinn, were better suited for mitigating damage, but, when it came to pure destructive power, Hyaku-chan even exceeded many of his offense-oriented Zanpakuto...Unable to resist the cross-shaped beam of light, Jahad's tendrils shattered like broken glass as the half-transformed man was sent spiraling into the ongoing energy storm. He had been attempting to fuse with the artificial demon sealed within his body. This would have made it marginally more difficult to purify his Ego after death, so, rather than allowing the metamorphosis to complete, Vahn figured he might as well save himself a bit of trouble by nipping the problem in the bud."This energy storm is starting to get on my nerves...hmmm..."Though he was keeping a watchful eye on Jahad to make sure the man didn't attempt anything too troublesome, Vahn had more than enough room to consider his options. Thus, after returning Laev-tan and Hyaku-chan, he opened his Unit Management and summoned a very startled yet pleasantly surprised Fenrir.Habitually petting the lovable Vanargandr's ears, Vahn explained, "I want you to try and absorb the energy rampaging on this Floor. Everyone has already been evacuated so feel free to go all out. I'll deal with Jahad."Squinting her eyes from both pleasure and glee, Fenrir could hardly contain her excitement as she replied, "Understood! Leave it to me...!"Amused by her vigor, Vahn gave Fenrir's bottom an affectionate smack, spurring her transformation into a massive wolf. This caused her cheeks to flush red, but, thanks to the layer of fur covering her entire body, it was indiscernible to the naked eye.Though the smack might have resembled a playful love tap, those with enhanced perception would have been able to witness a complex magical formation appearing the moment Vahn's palm sent a ripple through Fenrir's soft and incredibly pliant bottom. What made this formation unique was the fact that it was actually comprised entirely of Source Energy.While this might sound completely ludicrous considering Source Energy couldn't exist outside his body, Vahn's recent change in mentality had caused him to experiment with a number of ways to get around. Thus, drawing inspiration from the phenomenon he had witnessed during Yuri's battle against Han, Vahn came up with an outlandish yet surprisingly simple solution to the problem of keeping the people fighting alongside him safe: he would simply become a magic circle.As an entity that could literally exist without a physical or spiritual vessel, completely transcending the definition limiting creatures bound to the Axis of Reality, there were no limits to the forms Vahn could take. He could exist as a part of the void itself, and, even when he was emulating a physical form, the truth of the matter was that each of the trillions of cells comprising his body was, on the most fundamental level, the byproduct of Source Energy emulating actual cells.In essence, Vahn was a Conceptual Entity comprised entirely of pure energy. Magical formations were similar in this regard, so, while it was certainly an abstract way to manifest, there was nothing preventing him from materializing as a magic formation or even a single molecule within a person's body. This was all that was necessary for him to channel every ounce of the truly limitless energy at his disposal, and, as long as he maintained the connection, Vahn could both empower and protect the people around him without limit. There was no longer anything that could take away the people he loved...not even death...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Things just went from 0 to infinity real fast...','Vahn be like, "You call that a Trichiliocosm?"','The Legendary SSS-Rank Special Ability: Love Tap of Protection')(A/N: For those wondering where the chapters are. It's not that I'm not writing. I was just doing a mass release of NOICE in order to get it into the rankings xD. I'm really enjoying that story and it is helping me get back into the groove of writing 3+ chapters a day. In other words, even if it appears I'm writing less, I'm actually improving on my word count with each passing day :P.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Returning to the city, Vahn was unsurprised to find that it had expanded in the few hours he had been away. The theme they were going for something similar to a modernized 'Elven Forest', so, using her Mokuton(Wood Style), Madara had been rapidly expanding the burgeoning city's borders in preparation to accommodate future residents.Nodding his head in approval, Vahn expanding his domain as an invisible pulse, instantaneously mapping the layout of the entire city. This was becoming the most frequent way in which he used his domain. As for his reasons, well, the most prominent justification he had come to was that he simply wanted to make Sis's job even a little easier. She was against this, but, as she was also the main person advocating he does what he wants, Vahn made the decision for both of their sakes.Even as far back as Danmachi, using his domain had made him feel detached from the rest of the world. Now, he felt closer to the world than ever before, so, rather than compromising the peace he had found, Vahn intended to make the most of every moment. His power had also increased to the point that using his domain was simply overkill. Thus, at least for the time being, he intended to see and experience the world using his seven senses alone. (Touch, Taste, Sight, Smell, Hearing, Energy, Emotions.)Having located the person he was searching for, Vahn teleported to just outside his own bedroom before gently knocking on the door. Immediately thereafter, he heard a soft sigh before the voice of Artoria could be heard echoing from his surroundings as she said, "It's your own bedroom...you do not need permission to enter..."Opening the door, Vahn found Artoria wearing little more than pajamas. She had also let her long and beautiful golden hair down, so, for a brief moment, he found himself rooted to his position as he instinctually remarked, "Beautiful..."Though she did her best to appear calm, Artoria was unable to prevent a blush from creeping into her cheeks as she combed aside her bangs and asked, "Is it done?"Nodding his head, Vahn closed the door behind him before making his way over to Artoria's side, joining her on the bed and embracing her startlingly hot body as he explained, "Shen Long was the last of the Lords who refused to cooperate. The trio was able to make short work of him."Exhaling a hot sigh in response to Vahn's touch, Artoria habitually rested her head against his chest as she distractedly uttered, "That's good..."Feeling his own body temperature increasing, Vahn used his fingers to comb through Artoria's remarkably soft hair as he asked, "Do you want me to help...?"Responding with a rare chuckle, Artoria gently nudged Vahn's chest with her head before replying, "It's just a typical Dragon's Heat. Don't worry, I can manage it on my own. Besides, if you decided to 'help' me, you would need to tend to the others as well."Unable to refute her words, Vahn held Artoria a little more firmly while resting his head atop her own. At the same time, memories of a few weeks prior resurfaced in his mind. At that time, he had humored Mordred's request to demonstrate the Sage Dragon Emperor transformation he had used during his fight against the Great Mother. This ended up being a mistake, as, due to his most recent and drastic increase in power, he inadvertently triggered the reproductive impulses of nearly every woman with draconic features.At the time, Vahn had attempted to help them quell the fires burning within their bodies, but, much like Terra, the only permanent solution was to fertilize their eggs. This was something he was willing to do, but, as a result of the desires that initially brought them to this world, most of the girls were being remarkably obstinate. The only exception was Mordred, who, being the closest to him at the time, ended up receiving the brunt of his draconic aura. As a result, she could now be seen carrying around a pale-golden egg that was larger than her head, a proud smile blossoming across her face any time someone made mention of its size...Fortunately, not that he would have minded, Modred was the only one to wholeheartedly succumb to her instincts. Everyone else decided to simply bear with it, as, according to Da Vinci's research, it would gradually fade away so long as they limited the flow of energy from their Dragon Heart and avoided sexual intercourse. This would cause them to experience flu-like symptoms, but, after a few weeks had passed, they would eventually return to normal.Understanding this, Vahn made no attempts to help alleviate Artoria's symptoms. Instead, he simply held her for the better part of an hour, gently cradling her in his arms until she broke the silence by asking, "When are you planning to confront Jahad? If you're waiting for me to get better-"Pressing his index and middle fingers to her lips, Vahn prevented Artoria from speaking further as he softly replied, "Let's not mix personal and private affairs...Jahad isn't doing anything right now that would mandate his immediate destruction. Of course, if my beautiful Empress demands it of me, I wouldn't mind dealing with him right this instant..."While others might mistake his words as simple flattery, Artoria understood that Vahn was 100% serious. If she asked him to wrap things up, he would immediately trespass the Imperial Palace to confront Jahad. This would spell the end of an era, and, from that moment on, the Aldrnari Empire and its collaborators would be the dominant force within the Tower.Though she was momentarily cowed by the notion that a single request from her could decide the fate of the entire Tower, Artoria quickly recovered. She wasn't an Empress in name only, so, after a moment of consideration, she adopted a serious expression as she said, "You should go. The people of the Tower have been waiting too long for this day to come. We also need to advance beyond the Tower if we want to anchor the Little Garden to the outside world. This place is far too small to hold us..."Raising his brows, Vahn was tempted to ask if she were sure, but, knowing Artoria, there were very few moments when she wasn't completely serious. Thus, while he had originally been intending to wait a while longer, dealing with Jahad immediately shot to the top of his list of things to do...---With Vahn and the Aldrnari Empire's forces having 'vanished' three months prior, many within the Tower, specifically those who had been dreading a personal visit from the legendary Sage Dragon Emperor, were beginning to suspect they had already moved on. Thus, when a strange formation suddenly lit up the entire sky of the 134th Floor, the reaction of the Floors residents quickly went from confusion to absolute despair once they realized the Floor had effectively been isolated from the rest of the Tower.Sensing the disturbance even before the massive spell formation had appeared, Jahad rose from his throne before turning towards a spatial ripple that had appeared nearby. He half-expected Vahn to step out, but, instead, he came face-to-face with none other than Headon. Unlike the white rabbit most people were familiar with, however, this one had multiple mouths superimposed onto various parts of his body, each snickering as the entity in question declared, "It would appear your time has come...Your Majesty..."Seeing Headon grit his teeth near the end of his statement, a faint smile appeared upon the face of Jahad as he remarked, "I always knew you hated me. Tell me, are you the one who invited the Sage Dragon Emperor into the Tower? I suppose I should have anticipated that a monster like you would eventually discover a loophole to circumvent our contract..."Unable to suppress his laughter, the mouths all across Headon's body began snickering as Headon spread his arms rather theatrically and announced, "That's the beauty of this situation! I didn't have to raise a single finger! The Sage Dragon Emperor entered the Tower of his own accord. So you see, my dear King, this has nothing to do with any secret plot. No. It is fate that has betrayed you...!"As Headon continued to cackle like a pack of hyenas, Jahad simply turned away without bothering to continue the conversation. He was someone who had manipulated the fates of countless people, so, even if this was fate's hand, he had no intention of running away. Not only would his pride not allow it, but, more important than even that, he simply refused to bend the knee to fate. He would keep fighting until the very end. After all, long before he became a King, he had been both a Hero and an Adventurer...if he feared what lay beyond the horizon, he never would have left his home in the first place...---With the dual-purpose spatial seal/teleportation ward in place, Vahn used his authority to teleport anyone below a certain level of power to the 2nd Floor of the Tower. This would prevent them from returning any time soon, as, without their Suspend Ships, they would need to travel to each Floor's Warp Gate. As for everyone else, they were prohibited from leaving until Jahad had been dealt with.Though he knew there were a fair number of earnest and kind people amongst the Empire's upper echelons, the majority of residents who lived on the 134th Floor belonged to the Jahard Family and its forces. They were many of Jahad's most zealous supports, so, once the King fell, they would most likely serve as the backbone of the 'resistance'. After all, Jahad actually had a substantial number of clones spread throughout the Tower, so, even if the man himself was killed, it was only a matter of time before they rallied behind one of his "sons".As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn briefly considered whether or not he should go ahead and deal with Karaka once he was finished with Jahad. He was among Jahad's eldest 'sons', so, once the Empire lost its figurehead, the Elders of FUG would undoubtedly support him as the 'rightful heir' to the throne. This was the reason Karaka had been chosen as the Slayer to kill Jahad, as, the moment the King fell, a new one would need to take his place. If this person just so happened to be one of the former King's illegitimate children, a lot of the social and political resentment associated with a sudden change in power could be mitigated.Fortunately, Vahn was aware of at least two other candidates that could easily replace Karaka as the rightful heir to the throne. If he took them under his wing and raised them to be peacekeepers, not tyrants, there was a fair chance the Jahad Empire could be converted into a Republic. This might not be the most ideal outcome, but, so long as he left behind a few Templates to preserve the peace, he should be able to leave without having to worry about some opportunistic 'assholes' stepping in to make life difficult for everyone but themselves...Sensing a presence, even without his domain active, Vahn ceased thinking about which Templates would be best suited to long-term observation of the Tower. He had other things to worry about right now, and, though Jahad didn't pose a threat, he felt he owed it to the man to send him off with a bit of fanfare. After all, despite his innumerable flaws, Jahad's original reason for becoming King was to help people. He was simply an idealist who had lived far too long, and, as a result, he experienced the trope where a Hero lived long enough to see themselves become the villain. Thus, in response to the meteoric golden rods converging on him from all directions, Vahn smiled as he mused, "A waning candle shines brightest the moment before it is extinguished..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'OwO...','I kind of feel bad...the only time Karaka is mentioned is when he is about to be bullied xD...','Time to snuff him out...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2023: What is a King before an Emperor?