Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the average physical taking around five minutes, it took more than ten hours for Vahn to finish each of the check-ups. As for Sarina and Nono. He sent them away around lunchtime and promised to meet up with them once all the examinations were finished.Fortunately, other than a bit of malnourishment and a few insignificant conditions, the children in the No Name Community were surprisingly healthy. More importantly, they were all in high spirits, a stark contrast to how most children in their situation would behave.After seeing off the last member of the 'seniors' group, a kind-looking young boy with short brown hair, pointed ears, and hazel eyes, Vahn turned towards the person who had been waiting patiently outside the cottage since lunchtime, smiling as he said, "You didn't have to wait up for me. Not that I don't appreciate it."Returning a smile of her own, the young woman, Black Rabbit, happily responded, "I know. I waited because I wanted to."Chuckling at the response, Vahn extended his hand to help the blue-haired bunny to her feet as he asked, "Where did Sarina and Nono run off to?"Though she blushed slightly when Vahn pulled her into a natural hug, Black Rabbit didn't resist as she answered, "They played hide and seek with the children before accompanying Lily to tour the manor..."Humming a curt response, Vahn didn't immediately continue the discussion. Instead, he stared into Black Rabbit's ruby-red eyes until tiny motes of pink light began to appear. Shortly thereafter, a hint of pink began to appear near the roots of her hair as she lowered her face and bashfully whispered, "You shouldn't stare so intensely..."Feeling Black Rabbit's tuft of a tail tickle the hand he had wrapped around her lower back, the smile on Vahn's face became notably more prominent as he whispered, "Thank you..." in the most sincere tone he could manage.With her hair becoming progressively pinker, Black Rabbit looked up with confusion visible in her eyes as she asked, "Eh? It's no problem. I wasn't waiting for very long..."Without losing even a trace of his smile, Vahn pulled Black Rabbit close enough that her breasts were pressed against him before shaking his head and stating, "I'm not thanking you for that. Now that I've checked them personally, I can say with absolute surety that these children were blessed to have someone like you looking after them. Jin and Lily did their parts, but the happiness they have acquired was only made possible because of your tireless efforts. For that, you have my gratitude. Few could have accomplished what you did here, Black Rabbit. It's obvious that you really love this Community..."Though she was feeling a little skittish after Vahn pulled her so close, Black Rabbit's will to separate from him faded in its entirety when she heard his words. Rather, had he not been holding her, she might have fallen on her butt and started crying. Instead, she leaned her head against his chest, a few light sniffles emanating from beneath her bangs as she whimpered a thank you of her own.........After a cursory check to see what Sarina and Nono were up to, Vahn, accompanied by Black Rabbit, entered a place called the Library of the No Names. It was located in the eastern wing of the manor, and, as the name suggested, it was a large library filled with thousands of books related to the lore and mythos of the Little Garden.Since the majority of high-brow Gift Games revolved around various legends, most Communities had libraries and teams dedicated to research. This was where Jin spent most of his time, constantly mulling over book after book in a desperate attempt to increase his knowledge and find a solution to the problems plaguing his Community."Yo. Having fun?"Hearing Vahn's words, Jin, who had been nose-deep in a massive grimoire, startled slightly before turning around and answering, "Ah, Vahn, Black Rabbit. I didn't hear the two of you come in. Please, take a seat. I've finished the list you asked me to write up."Rather than immediately sitting down, Vahn walked over to peer at the contents of the book Jin had immersed himself in. This caused the teal-haired youth to appear nervous, as, prior to Vahn's arrival, he had been searching for legends related to the Sage Dragon Emperor. The book on the table was a Gift-Grade grimoire pertaining to famous Dragons, their ecology, and the legends associated with them.Amused by the youth's attempts to learn more about him, Vahn ruffled Jin's hair before pulling out his Record of Origin and explaining, "Even if you possessed the Sacred Tome, you wouldn't find any information on me. I'm a singularity within space, time, and creation. A being that only exists in the present moment."As there were all kinds of conceptual beings living within the Divine Realm, Jin wasn't particularly surprised by Vahn's words. Instead, he just handed over a small journal containing his notes, and, most importantly, the things he believed his Community could benefit from.Deciding not to press the matter, Vahn needed only to place the journal into his Inventory in order to memorize all the contents. After that, he returned it to the slightly confused youth, stating, "You should be a little greedier. I appreciate your desire to solve problems on your own, but the children outside deserve a reprieve after everything they have experienced."With a complicated expression on his face, Jin explained, "I understand that, Vahn. I really do. What I'm afraid of is that our Community will become entirely dependent on you if we ask for too much. I don't want my friends and family to suffer. However, I also believe that it is our resolve to overcome the suffering that has been forced upon us that allows us to remain unified...""Are you a Buddhist?"Adopting a wry smile in response to Vahn's sudden inquiry, Jin shook his head, answering, "No. It's just a sentiment I developed after observing everyone's growth over the past two years..."Nodding his head in understanding, Vahn crossed his arms before calmly stating, "I am a being that has traversed dozens of distinct multiversal structures. To that end, I can conclusively state that your views are correct. What you're failing to account for is the fact we're currently located in the highest metaversal plane. Such sentiments only hold up when you can realistically forecast the future. Here, in the Divine Realm, such foresight is meaningless. It only takes a single conceptual being to flip the lesser Communities of the Little Garden on their heads."Seeing that Jin wasn't convinced, Vahn internally mused, ("He's still just a kid...") before going on to say, "Listen. This is what I'm going to do. First and foremost, I'm going to plant a Water Tree Sapling at your Source Spring. Afterward, I'm going to summon a few earth and water spirits to help restore vitality to the land. Placing that burden on Lily, alone, puts your entire Community in jeopardy. After that, I'm going to restore the nearby castle town and install a consultation office that will also serve as a branch location of the Sage Dragon's Hearth. That's where you'll go when you, or anyone else for that matter, requires my assistance or advice."Though he felt Vahn was doing a little too much for them, Jin didn't refuse. He got the impression that Vahn would move forward even without his permission if he believed it was for the benefit of the children. More importantly, he could tell that Black Rabbit trusted Vahn tremendously, so, rather than overcomplicate things by letting his pride get in the way, he ultimately accepted Vahn's terms with an awkward yet relieved smile.........Making good on his promises almost immediately, Vahn had Jin guide him to the Source Spring, an unbelievably important location to any growing Community as it served as the water source for the entire region. This wasn't an exaggeration either, as, without a Source Spring, even rain wouldn't fall as weather simply wasn't a natural phenomenon in the Divine Realm.During the battle two years prior, the No Names ended up losing their Water Tree. Ever since then, the children would have to make several trips to a distant river just to have enough water for daily use. They would literally spend hours walking back and forth every single day just to fill a cauldron to supply the few crops they were able to grow.Though food and water weren't absolutely necessary in the Divine Realm, foregoing them for long periods of time would lead to symptoms similar to malnourishment and dehydration. This was due to the body's natural consumption of spiritual energy to sustain itself. You wouldn't die if you didn't eat, but, without proper nourishment, your body would gradually atrophy until you simply lost the will to live.As someone who had been fond of baths ever since he first enjoyed a dip in a hot spring, Vahn believed that everyone should be able to relax and cleanse themselves at their leisure. After all, when it came to mental health and general wellness, there were very few things even remotely comparable to a nice, relaxing bath.Seeing the Source Spring quickly fill after Vahn placed a Water Tree Sapling near the center, most of Jin's reservations about the present situation simply washed away along with the crystal clear water. Water was, inarguably, one of the most important resources for a Community to possess. Now that they had their own source, they wouldn't need to purchase it from others or fetch it from a distant source. Instead, they could focus on farming, infrastructure, training, and other important factors for a Community's growth.Though Jin's thoughts might seem out of place in the lower realms, it was common for children to perform manual labor in the Divine Realm. They were several times stronger than even adults from the lower realms, and, more importantly, the laws of the Little Garden mandated that those without Gifts had to support the Players of their Community. In other words, the common inhabitants of the Little Garden were basically the servants of those with the power to compete.Immediately following the return of their water source, most of the children aged six and younger began to gather near the massive bathhouse attached to the manor. Then, without anyone telling them they needed to do it, they changed into simple tunic-style robes before eagerly gathering supplies to clean the inordinately large bath. Not for themselves, but for Jin, Lily, and Black Rabbit.While that was going on, Vahn had his group reunite with Sarina, Nono, and Lily so that he could teach the latter how to make a contract with nature spirits. Summoning Spirits in the Divine Realm was easier said than done, but, thanks to his functionally infinite Gifts, Vahn could ignore the Law of Equivalent Exchange by using his Creation Divinity and Source Energy to create entirely new Spirits.Since Lily was a kitsune, Vahn went out of his way to make the Spirits resemble adorable foxes with traits indicative of their elements. This included a wind spirit with pale blue fur, wings, and adorably large ears, an earth spirit with two-tone green-yellow fur with tiny antlers, mushrooms, and flowers growing from its body, a water spirit with features reminiscent of a goldfish, and, last but not least, a fire spirit that, quite literally, resembled a fox formed from flames.Vahn had originally intended to go with something along the lines of Eevee and its evolutions, but, fearing he would overcomplicate things by introducing Templated Pokemon into the Divine Realm, he decided against it. He also enjoyed creating things from scratch, so, after creating a few designs for her to choose from, Vahn ended up settling on the four Lily had liked the most. She deserved a bit of pampering after taking care of more than a hundred children from the time she was barely 8-years-old.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Black Rabbit has already been ensnared...','Vahn be like, "I'm going to help you even if you don't want it. Capiche?"','Lily is a good girl (U w U)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After completing all the tasks he had set out to accomplish within the No Names territory, a week passed in the blink of an eye. In that time, Vahn finished repairing the town, creating a barrier, and, once everything else was said and done, he installed an office within the No Names territory before coordinating with Shiroyasha to establish his main office and forge near one of the Thousand Eyes branch locations.Though he had yet to receive any actual customers, Vahn didn't particularly mind. Most of his time was simply spent idling around and adapting to the Divine Realm while another version of himself looked after Jin, Lily, Sarina, and Nono. He had, at the very least, ten years until he was supposed to return to his personal Little Garden. This was the amount of time he and the girls had agreed upon prior to his reincarnation so he didn't mind watching over the No Names until they could take care of themselves.Fortunately, Jin was a very studious young man, and, thanks to his phenomenal magical energy reserves, he was making quick progress towards mastering the basics. The three girls were 'much' slower, but, considering Sarina and Nono were relatively normal young ladies, Vahn wasn't all that surprised. Rather, even if they just spent the next few years playing around with the other children, he wouldn't condemn or criticize them.If there was anything Vahn had to complain about, it was the fact that Shiroyasha would drop in on him whenever she pleased. He didn't particularly mind her presence, but, more often than not, she appeared at the most inopportune times. More specifically, she had developed a habit of popping up when he was spending time with Black Rabbit, taking a bath, or preparing food.Much to Sarina's chagrin, the relationship between Vahn and Black Rabbit had been developing at a slow yet steady pace. She would often stop by whenever she had free time, and, after mustering up a bit of courage, she even offered to wash his back for him. Vahn graciously accepted this, but, as a result, they ended up having to share the bath with a genderless imp as well.Vahn had tried to coax Shiroyasha using anime, manga, and video games she was unfamiliar with, but, every time he and Black Rabbit were about to cross the line, she would invariably appear. He knew she was only doing this because she was concerned about Black Rabbit's well being but that didn't make it any less annoying. After all, she was the one that initially tried to pair them together.If he really wanted to, Vahn was absolutely confident in his ability to get Black Rabbit to bear her all to him. He just didn't want to force her before she was ready. This was the main thing that annoyed him about Shiroyasha's behavior. She knew he was letting Black Rabbit decide when they advanced their relationship, yet, every time the befuddled bunny mustered up her courage, Shiroyasha would appear to tease her........."Oho~? What's this? I'm sensing a bit of favoritism here...""Shi-Shi-Shiroyasha-sama!? W-What are you doing here!?"Picking up the towel she had just dropped, Black Rabbit's hair became bright pink as she used it to hide her frilly pink swimsuit. She had actually intended to come naked, but, after fretting over what might happen for the better part of three hours, she ultimately agreed to Vahn's offer of a massage with her swimsuit on.Staring at Black Rabbit, Shiroyasha wriggled her hands in a manner reminiscent of a lecherous old man until Vahn released an exasperated sigh and remarked, "I thought I tied you up. How did you escape so quickly? Even Nadeshiko shouldn't have been able to break those bindings...""Eh...?"Though Black Rabbit was surprised by Vahn's words, Shiroyasha simply snickered mischievously before puffing out her non-existent chest and answering, "It'll take a lot more than a few anti-divine ropes to keep me sealed, brat. Besides, I can simply accelerate time around my body until they turn to dust. You may be skilled when it comes to the production of Gift-Grade Artifacts, but even entire cosmologies are destined to fade away with the passage of time. I just made the ropes age a billion or so years and, voila, I was freed~.""Right...so? What are you doing here? I'm not going to give you a massage."Clicking her tongue, Shiroyasha muttered, "Greedy..." before regaining her smile and adding, "I just came to observe. I could see from my own shop just fine, but it's a lot more interesting to see Black Rabbit's reactions up close. Don't mind me."Punctuating her words, Shiroyasha manifested a thick cushion and some rice crackers out of thin air before taking a seat and adopting an expectant smile. This left Vahn with a deadpan expression, as, almost immediately after Shiroyasha took a seat, Black Rabbit meekly muttered, "Sorry Vahn...I think we should do this later..."Without waiting for his response, Black Rabbit fled from the room with an embarrassed look on her face. Her departure was closely observed by Shiroyasha, who, immediately following Black Rabbit's departure, erected a soundproof barrier to assert, "I'm not trying to get in your way. I just think your relationship is developing too quickly. At the very least, I'd prefer it if you wait until the matter with you-know-who has been settled..."Though they had yet to discuss the specifics, Vahn had been made aware of the plan that had been drafted by the former leaders of the No Names. Their previous Strategist, a woman named Canaria, was a reality-bending existence known as a Poet. Poets were considered to be the fourth 'Strongest Species' due to their ability to change the meaning of concepts and rewrite fate. Prior to her death, Canaria had used all of her power to manifest an ultimate trump card to deal with a nigh-unkillable threat known as Azi Dahaka, a Demonic Dragon God representing Evil and Destruction.So long as nothing unexpected occurred, the measures Canaria had taken all but guaranteed that Azi Dahaka would, at the very least, be sealed away. Black Rabbit had an important part to play in this plot, so, for the time being, Shiroyasha wanted to prevent too many variables from appearing. Vahn was considered an exception, for all kinds of reasons, but things would become inordinately more complicated if Black Rabbit were to suddenly have children of her own to look after."You do realize that I could probably defeat him on my own, right? I mean, I don't mind sharing the spotlight, but it's nonsensical to conform to fate when you've literally met people who can influence it at their will. It only takes another Poet to completely screw over your plan."Shaking her head, Shiroyasha stated, "You're underestimating Canaria. Even if another Poet did try to intervene, they would need to sacrifice themselves in a similar manner. The majority of Poets are extremely selfish individuals. There's no way they would lump themselves together with a bunch of Demon Lords. They usually spent their free time messing with Gods and Heroes by genderbending them and pulling similar pranks. Hell, most of the Second and Third Generation Deities came about as a direct result of the stories written by Poets. Even if one did appear, they would just spin a story that results in the Demon God having tits. It wouldn't be the first time."Though he wanted to point out that there was always a possibility, Vahn knew that Shiroyasha was right. Even he could sense the powerful fate around people like Jin and Lily. It would take someone willfully machinating against them to orchestrate a scenario where they ended up losing their lives. With him around, that was pretty much impossible.Exhaling a sigh, Vahn shook his head in mild exasperation before asking, "How long until the 'plot' begins to move forward? I remember you saying that the third generation of problem children is expected to arrive in seven months. How soon after that do you plan to confront the Demon God?"Shaking her own head, Shiroyasha shrugged her shoulders as she answered, "I have no clue. I don't even know what powers the third-generation problem children possess. Canaria used her power to make sure beings in the Divine Realm wouldn't be able to spy on the children of her friends and the trump card she had prepared. We'll have to see how strong they are when they arrive. After that, it's a matter of defeating the organizations targeting the seal and confronting the Demon God once he awakens. It could take a year, ten years, or even a hundred years. Who knows?""So, you're telling me to 'hold back' even though you don't know how long everything is going to take? What if it takes a thousand years? Do you really intend to make Black Rabbit wait that long before she can start a family?"Snorting through her nose, Shiroyasha immediately replied, "Bullshit. If it took the problem children that long to defeat the Demon God, we'd all be screwed. Besides, now that you're here, I doubt you would just sit around as some three-headed dragon bastard ran around destroying things on your turf. I know how territorial you lizards can be. At the most, I imagine it would only take a few years. After that, you and Black Rabbit can pump out as many baby bunnies as you want. Don't tell me the illustrious Sage Dragon Emperor can't control his libido for a few years?"Raising his brow, Vahn gave Shiroyasha the kind of look reserved for complete fools. This caused a visible tickmark to appear on the petite Demoness's head as he remarked, "Are you an idiot? Sure, I could wait a few years, but the time for me to be a one-woman kind of man has long since passed. I don't want to hurt Black Rabbit's feelings but it's only a matter of time before I find another woman who tickles my fancy or proactively targets me. It's an integral part of my character at this point. The only thing you'll accomplish by getting in the way is making Black Rabbit sad when other girls make greater headway than her..."Furrowing her brows and crossing her arms, Shiroyasha adopted a slightly hostile look on her face as she stated, "I never expected to hear something like this from you. I knew you had an extensive harem, but I didn't think you would be this arrogant about it..."Exhaling yet another sigh, Vahn combed through his hair in an effort to remain calm as he said, "I'm not trying to be arrogant. I'm just being realistic. Even when I make an earnest effort to limit myself or prevent girls from targeting me, something will always transpire to bring me closer to a member of the opposite sex. You observed it for yourself when I was climbing the Tower. Do you really think the various factions and Communities are just going to sit by as I continue to expand my power and influence?"Frowning even deeper, Shiroyasha suggested, "You could always disguise yourself as an old man, or, better yet, an aged woman..."Deadpanning in response to the suggestion, Vahn rebutted, "You could always do the same. Why don't you...?"Understanding what Vahn was trying to get at, Shiroyasha exhaled a sigh of her own before shaking her head and saying, "Fine. I get it. Can you at least wait until the problem children arrive? Once we have a better grasp of their power, you'll be able to act with a lot more impunity than you currently do. After all, if you're always much stronger than they are, it shouldn't be an issue for you to defeat that three-headed bastard on your own."Since it wasn't like he was desperate to have sex or produce additional children, Vahn ultimately just shrugged in response to Shiroyasha's suggestion before shaking his head and saying, "Sure. I'll give you a bit of face this time around. Still, you should know I'm not fond of other people interfering in my personal affairs. At this point, you're doing more harm than good by interfering in Black Rabbit's attempts to push our relationship forward. It's only been a week and she's already beginning to feel stressed out. What do you think will happen if this continues for an entire seven months?"Though she could understand what Vahn was getting at, Shiroyasha appeared confident when she stated, "Black Rabbit is a strong girl. I have watched her grow from an infant to the woman she is today. She might get a little stressed out, but, so long as you don't continue pushing her, she will eventually mellow out. The only reason she is acting like this is because she has no experience with love. If you weren't such a Casanova, she wouldn't be trying so hard to meet your expectations..."Wincing in response to Shiroyasha's accusation, Vahn was about to say he wasn't actively trying to seduce her when the petite Demoness chimed in to say, "Don't give me that. You know what kind of effect you have on women. You were already hugging her and placing your hands around her waist the first day you met. Now you have her offering to wash your back and deliberating over whether or not she should strip down to her birthday suit for a massage. You might not have been trying to seduce her, but you sure as hell aren't making an effort not to..."Understanding better than most the kind of effect he had on women, Vahn just shook his head in response to Shiroyasha's words. He wasn't trying to refute her. He just didn't know what to say in response. She had hit the proverbial nail on the head. In fact, every time he and Black Rabbit were alone together, he was always the first to initiate contact. It would be strange if she didn't think he was harboring even greater 'expectations' towards her.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Cock-blocking Demon Goddess','Poets sound like assholes...highly cultured assholes xD...','Vahn is a literal chick magnet...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

While allowing Sarina and Nono to perform the check-up, Vahn attempted to keep Jin distracted by making small talk. More specifically, he asked about Jin's history, how things had been the last two years, and, most importantly, what he had in mind for the future of the No Names."I just want our Community to keep growing, even if we aren't able to participate in Gift Games. The most important thing to me is everyone's happiness..."Shaking his head, Vahn, who had been conversing with Jin while sitting backward in a chair, plainly stated, "Naive. It's commendable to aim for a future where everyone is happy, but it's senseless to believe you can achieve it just because you want to. This is the Little Garden of the Divine Realm. I don't know why you haven't been targetted thus far, but it's only a matter of time before outsiders begin coveting your land. There are countless ways to address the barrenness of the land. Without the means to protect it, yourself, and others, prosperity will only invite tragedy."Though he was already aware of the truth contained within Vahn's words, Jin's expression darkened when the truth was laid bare. In fact, one of the reasons Lily had been returned to them was so that her presence could gradually replenish the land. In other words, the Community that targeted them two years ago wasn't finished with them. They just wanted to watch them suffer before returning to collect the remainder of their prize..."What else can I do? My Gifts are only suitable for things like puzzles and solving riddles. None of the surrounding Communities will accept a Gift Game on my terms as we have nothing of value to offer them. The only Communities that associate with us have the backing of Demon Lords. If not for Black Rabbit, we wouldn't have been able to last this long..."Having already heard the basics from Black Rabbit, Jin wanted to believe he could trust Vahn. He hadn't even discussed these matters with Lily because he was afraid of overwhelming her with an even greater burden. She already did so much more than him for the members of their Community, so, at the very least, he wanted to shoulder their external issues on his own...Shaking his head a second time, Vahn answered, "Honestly, there really isn't much you can do other than asking for help. You've been placed in an extremely unfair situation. Without external help, it is pretty much impossible for you to recover."Slumping his shoulders, Jin looked like he might begin tearing up. Even Lily seemed saddened by Vahn's words. Fortunately for them both, he was far from finished speaking. Rather, he actually had a lot more to say, so, before either could wallow in self-pity, he issued a light chuckle before asking, "What's with those expressions? You're literally talking to the person that has the means to solve all of your problems. Better yet, the only thing I expect in return is for each and every single one of you to be happy and healthy. Beyond that? Well, your lives are your own to decide."Though Jin adopted a somewhat awkward expression in response to Vahn's words, Lily practically beamed as she asked, "What can I do to help?"Amused by the young kitsune's fervor, a lighthearted chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat before he went on to say, "The simplest thing you can do is just tell me what you want. Prior to my ascent to the Divine Realm, many referred to me as the God of Infinite Possibilities. I cannot bestow power upon you, but I can provide you the means to obtain it. In Jin's case, I intend to develop him into a real Magus. As for you, little lady, I was thinking about helping you grow out your tails."Blinking in surprise, Lily repeated what Black Rabbit had told him earlier, stating, "If I grow out my tails, I'll end up becoming an adult. I don't mind growing up, but I'm afraid others will target us if I do..."Waving his hand in a dismissive manner, Vahn explained, "You don't have to worry about that. With your permission, I intend to place a seal on your body that will regulate your growth. I'm also going to lay a barrier formation around the entire No Name Community so that outsiders can't sneak in or spy on you. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I have quite a number of things in mind for the No Names. Of course, everything depends on whether or not our teal-haired friend is willing to ask for my help..."Noticing Vahn's gaze, a conflicted smile developed across Jin's face as he said, "Truth be told, I feel considerable misgivings towards the notion of entrusting our problems to someone outside of the Community. Unfortunately, I lack the means to resolve everything on my own. You are also a friend of Black Rabbit's, so, even if I must swallow my-""You really do talk too much, kid. Save that kind of dialogue for when we're ironing out the specifics of our partnership. For now, all I need to know is if you're willing to accept my help or not."Borrowing pages from his former mentors, Vahn was hoping to make Jin a little more decisive. As much as he didn't like Nagi, the teal-haired boy in front of him would benefit from emulating the hot-headed youth. This was especially true considering his Community was comprised of children. They wouldn't understand polite or complex speech. If he really wanted to motivate them, he just needed to be more charismatic and decisive.Though he was unaware of Vahn's thoughts, Jin could vaguely guess what he was thinking. Thus, after smiling wryly for several seconds, he did his best to appear more confident as he answered, "Please help us." while lowering his head.After smiling wide enough to show off his pearly white teeth, complete with prominent canines, Vahn began to laugh in an uncharacteristically boisterous manner before giving Jin a thumbs-up and saying, "No problem. Once you're done here, write up a list of all the things you think your Community needs. So long as it isn't something excessive like building you an army capable of conquering the entire Divine Realm, I should be able to manage."Unaware that Vahn could probably do exactly that, Jin issued a chuckle of his own before hopping off the examination table and answering, "Understood. Thank you, Vahn..."......With Jin's physical examination coming to an end after he had his height and weight checked, Vahn was suddenly left alone with three ten-year-old girls. Since Shiroyasha also had the appearance of a ten-year-old, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something special about the number. At the very least, he knew that whoever created the Record must have had a reason when they introduced a bunch of races that matured in stages rather than aging chronologically...As Vahn's mind briefly wandered towards existential thoughts, Lily, maintaining a completely calm and unflustered expression, chimed in to ask, "Should I take off my clothes now?"Nodding his head, Vahn answered, "Yes. Even if you don't develop in the same way as the rest of the children, it is important to periodically check your health. Don't worry, most of the examination will be conducted by Sarina and Nono. I'll only need to contact you when I'm inscribing the seal on your body."Tilting her head adorably to the side, Lily innocently replied, "I wasn't worried." with a happy smile on her face. Then, without any discernible hesitation, she removed her apron, yellow blouse, and orange miniskirt before neatly folding them up and placing them at the side. This left her in little more than her socks, a pair of worn-out brown loafers, and an adorable pair of pink panties with a white polka dot pattern. Vahn found the latter rather amusing as Jin had been wearing a matching pair of briefs beneath his robes.........Undoubtedly as a result of her desire to get rid of Lily as soon as possible, Sarina did her best to speed up the physical examination as much as possible. Unfortunately, this came back to bite her as Vahn had her take Lily's measurements three times. He knew the young kitsune's exact proportions so he made sure she kept taking them until she got it right.Throughout the entire examination, Lily was nothing if not cooperative. She offered no resistance to any of the tests, and, even though she admitted to being ticklish, she managed to remain still when Vahn was showing the girls how to check her ears and measure the quality of her fur. This was also when he inscribed the seal on her body, a small runic tattoo that formed a nail-sized circle near the base of her tail.Since granting her nine tails would be the same as bestowing her tremendous power, Vahn just made it so that Lily would be able to absorb spiritual energy at a much faster rate than normal. In other words, she would need to meditate or cultivate in order to increase the number of tails she currently had. As for her growth, he made it so that she would develop at a similar rate to the rest of the children until she reached the age of fifteen. From then onward, she could adjust her shape, age, and appearance freely, a trait common among kitsune.Unaware that Vahn had already inscribed the magical formation on her body, Lily waited until Sarina had gotten her breast and butt measurements correct before asking, "What do I need to do now? Should I lay down on the table?"Shaking his head, Vahn explained, "Since you already gave me permission, I've already completed the procedure. I tried making it as non-invasive as possible. Considering you didn't even notice, I'd say I was successful."Blinking in surprise, Lily looked behind her before reaching back to physically count the number of tails she possessed. This earned her an amused chuckle from Vahn before he went on to explain the specifics of the runes he had placed on her body. He also suggested a few methods for her to grow stronger, the simplest being to train alongside Jin, Sarina, and Nono.Ever-eager to make new friends, Lily happily accepted the suggestion before donning her clothes and scampering out of the examination room to tell Jin the good news. This gave Vahn hope for the future as he was actually intending to direct the affection of all three girls toward the young Magus. It would take a bit of effort, but, as Sarina's affection was more puppy love than anything else, Vahn was pretty confident he could shift her focus to Jin by nourishing the rivalry between her and Lily...Meeting Vahn's expectations, Sarina only waited a few seconds after Lily's departure before asking, "Do you prefer girls with animal ears and tails?"Offering a relaxed smile in response, Vahn gestured for Sarina to come closer before planting his hand atop her head. She believed this was to pet her, but, moments after his hand made contact, a pair of fox-like ears protruded from her head as he calmly explained, "Once you advanced beyond a certain level, things like age, appearance, race, and even gender become transient concepts without any real meaning. You're far from that point, young lady. For now, focus on the things right in front of you. Even Gods on the level of Shiroyasha and myself cannot accurately predict the future. Don't waste your time thinking about things you can't affect. If you lose sight of your surroundings, you'll end up being left behind by people who focus more on the present in order to assure themselves a better future..."Though he lectured Jin about being long-winded, Vahn didn't mind contradicting himself if it was for the sake of guiding someone. Unfortunately, Sarina was a little too young to fully understand everything he was trying to say. She was more focused on the ears atop her head, and, after he had finished speaking, she only hesitated for a brief moment before tentatively asking, "Can I have a tail too? I don't mind if you have to touch my butt..."......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Moshi moshi, God of Infinite Possibilities-desu?"','Lily is a very mature young lady','Sarina is not xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2064: Reprieve