Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With less than a few hours remaining until the start of the Gift Game, Vahn found himself seated in the library of the No Names. Jin had used a specialized Communication Stone to request a meeting, so, while his main body headed to the location of the Gift Game, another version of himself split off with Black Rabbit to see what the youth wanted to discuss."Vahn...thank you for coming on such short notice. I'm happy to see you as well, Black Rabbit."While Vahn returned a simple smile, Black Rabbit adopted a slightly apologetic expression as she said, "Sorry, Jin. I know I haven't been around as often as I should..."Shaking his head, Jin said, "I'm not upset or anything. Quite the contrary, actually. I used to worry all the time that you were wasting your life trying to support us. Seeing you happy has removed one of my greatest burdens. I suppose that is yet another thing I should be thanking Vahn for...""Master Jin..."Though she felt even guiltier after hearing Jin's words, Black Rabbit also felt a considerable amount of relief. She had been spending a lot of time with Fenrir and Usalia as of late so she was afraid the No Names might start hating her. Instead, everyone seemed more lively than ever as they worked hard to support each others' happiness.Since she was sitting next to him, Vahn took the opportunity to caress Black Rabbit's head as he asked, "So? What's up? Why have you called me? I'm guessing it has something to do with the impending Gift Game?"Nodding his head, Jin appeared to hesitate for a brief moment before saying, "I have no doubt you will be able to emerge victoriously in the coming game. To that end...I wanted to ask you to return Leticia to us. This is her home...it's not right to treat her as some kind of prize to be won or lost in a game..."Furrowing his brows in response to Jin's words, Vahn rose from the table without responding to the youth's request. He actually agreed with Jin's view. However, it didn't take into consideration where they were or what their relationship was. This wasn't just any other realm. It was the Divine Realm. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that 'everything' was a prize to be won or lost in a Gift Game."Vahn...?"Seeing Vahn depart, Black Rabbit's ears began to twitch nervously as her gaze shifted between his back and the downcast expression on Jin's face. She wasn't sure whose side she should be taking in this particular situation as Moon Rabbits were basically hardwired to observe and obey the Laws of the Little Garden. In other words, she understood that Jin was wrong by making such a request, but, at the same time, both he and Leticia were her friends...Stopping just before the door, Vahn looked over his shoulder, his tone and expression severe as he said, "I am disappointed in you, Jin..."Flinching in response to Vahn's words, Jin balled his hands into fists beneath the table as he hung his head in shame. This was quite the pitiable sight to behold. Unfortunately, Vahn had no intention of sparing the youth as he added, "Tell me. If I were to return Leticia to you...could you even protect her? You're aware that this was a plot perpetrated by the very same group that led your Community to ruin. Even your previous leaders, some of the most powerful people in the Little Garden, failed to protect themselves. If the Ouroboros Demon Lord Alliance returns to claim her; tell me, how do you intend to keep everyone safe?"Unable to respond to Vahn's words, Jin remained absolutely silent as he processed everything the former had said. This allowed Vahn the opportunity to exhale an exasperated sigh, his expression and tone softening as he stated, "I didn't tell you to take her from me because I regarded Leticia as some kind of possession. The simple fact of the matter is that everyone is safer while Leticia is in my care. Now, stop moping. If you've got time to sit around lamenting your strength, you have time to improve it."With that said, Vahn tossed yet another grimoire over to Jin. What made this one unique was that it had been hand-written by Eva. The title was a direct insult to anyone reading it, but it was easily the most comprehensive magical text related to the magic system from her world.Staring at the title, Jin's brows furrowed ever so slightly as he read, "How to be a Proper Magus for Dummies..."Waving his hand in dismissal, Vahn said, "Don't mind the title. The Author is a bit eccentric. Now, if there's nothing else, I have a game to win. See you around, kiddo."Since he had already sent a telepathic message asking Black Rabbit to help cheer the young Magus up, Vahn's vessel promptly ceased to exist the moment he stepped out of the library. He really did have better things to do right now, so, while a non-existent version of himself focused on gathering information, the 'main' Vahn was enjoying coffee and snacks alongside Fenrir and Hime at the same Inumimi Cafe he had discovered previously.........Seeing Vahn seated alongside a different set of beauties than before, an approving smile appeared across the face of Sigurd. His elder sister, Ragna, had inherited a Gift that allowed her to summon a ruby-eyed raven that could link its perspective to a mirror. Vahn was the only anomaly participating in the Gift Game so Sigurd had been keeping a close eye on him as his people gathered any and all information pertaining to the Sage Dragon's Hearth."That man seems to possess a particular fondness for beautiful women. Unfortunately for him, none of his women can compare to the beauty of my two sisters. Isn't that right, Ragna~?"Staring up at her little brother, Ragna snorted through her nose before releasing his penis from her mouth with a 'pop'. Then, after quickly arranging her disorderly hair, she straddled his waist with an annoyed yet hungry expression on her face as she answered, "If our Father caught us doing this, he would wring your neck like a chicken..."Smiling in amusement, Sigurd grabbed his sister's plump yet toned posterior as he said, "Isn't that why we left the South and threw our lot in with demons? That old fool wouldn't recognize true love if it smacked him in the face like a brick..."Returning a smile of her own, Ragna began to move her hips in a figure-eight motion as she teased, "If only you didn't have to sacrifice your muscles in the process. You look even more feminine than I do these days..."Exhaling a sigh, horns began to protrude from Sigurd's forehead as he muttered, "Don't remind me. My skin crawls every time Gyda stares at me with that disappointed look on her face..."Nodding her head in understanding, Ragna linked her arms around Sigurd's neck, her abdominal muscles tightening as she asked, "Can you really blame her? You were the big brother she looked up to. Now, despite all the power you've gained, you're even shorter than she is. That girl has had a muscle fetish ever since she was a brat..."With his body becoming even leaner as he transformed, Sigurd had to fight hard against the urge to release a second sigh. Though he pretended to care about them both equally, the truth of the matter was that he preferred his little sister's voluminous body over the firm and muscular physique of his elder sister. She would still spread her legs whenever he demanded it, but, compared to how clingy she had been prior to their escape from the South, there was an ever-increasingly feeling of distance between them.Feeling frustrated, Sigurd pulled Ranga's body close so that he could bite her nipple with his razor-sharp teeth. This caused Ragna's brows to twitch, but, despite a fair amount of blood flowing from the wound around her nipple, her movements became markedly more vigorous. She had received training as a Berserker ever since she was a child so blood had always excited her.........With no upper limit placed on the number of people who could participate, thousands of people representing more than a hundred Communities had gathered to compete in the Gift Game hosted by the Leviathan's Tail Community. There was even a Caster's Desk present as many high-profile Gift Games were broadcast throughout the entirety of the Little Garden. This was the primary reason for many burgeoning Communities to participate. They wanted to draw the attention of sponsors from lower-digit Communities. After all, so long as they could join a larger organization, it would be a lot harder for opportunistic individuals to target them...Demonstrating little regard for the massive crowd of people, Vahn continued to lounge on a bench using Hime's lap as a pillow. Lying across his chest was Fenrir in her shrunken puppy form, so, while others were stressed out about the impending Gift Game, he was enjoying the relative calm before the storm. Hime and Fenrir had very soothing presences due to their natural affinity with Water, Ice, and Yin Elemental Energies so it was very relaxing to have the former caress his head while gingerly tracing his fingers through the cool and soft fur of the latter..."My Lord...people are staring..."Despite humming in acknowledgment, Vahn made no effort to rise from Hime's inordinately soft thighs. It was only when the temperature began to steadily increase that he issued a light chuckle and teasingly inquired, "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me~?"Though she wanted to say no, the Laws of the Little Garden prevented Gods from willfully telling a lie. Hime's only options were to remain silent or answer truthfully. Since she didn't want to ignore him, this meant gathering her courage before meekly replying, "A little..."Returning a smile, Vahn grabbed Fenrir before sitting up, placing her in his lap, and saying, "Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away."Shaking her head, Hime did her best to clear the misunderstanding by saying, "My Lord hasn't done anything wrong. While it is certainly embarrassing to be seen, it makes my heart swell to know you find comfort in my presence. It's just...I don't want anyone other than my Lord staring at my body..."Ever since Vahn had commended her beauty, Hime had developed the habit of wearing garments that showed considerably more skin than she was generally comfortable with. This wasn't an issue when they were alone, but, when there were other people present, it took a considerable amount of willpower not to lash out at them for daring to covet her beauty. She was, after all, a Water God and a Lesser Dragon. They, quite literally, had no right to look at her like that.Nodding his head in understanding, Vahn extended his hand to caress Hime's head as he said, "No worries. After this, you shouldn't have to participate in any Gift Games for quite some time. Even if you decided to just laze about the workshop or become the guardian goddess of our hot springs, I wouldn't particularly mind..."Though other Water Gods might have been insulted by such a proposal, Hime's ears flushed red as she seriously considered it. The only real duty she had at the present was cleaning and maintaining the bath so her lifestyle wouldn't really change all that much. Rather, she could bless the water and provide all kinds of benefits to the current and future members of their Community..."If that's what my Lord desires...I'll consider it..."Chuckling in response to Hime's words, Vahn brought his mouth closer to her pointed ears before whispering, "Careful with your words...if you keep being this adorable, I might not be able to hold myself back..."Punctuating his words, Vahn bit the very tip of Hime's elf-like ears. This caused her body to become ramrod straight, but, despite the surrounding temperature becoming rather balmy, she managed to appear relatively calm as she restrained a surprised yelp.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jin still has a lot of growing to do...','I always knew Alabama was in the South...','Vahn can't resist teasing taciturn girls with long ears xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and everything in between~! Welcome to the inaugural high-profile Gift Game hosted by the Leviathan's Tail Community~! Today is an especially-"Hearing the announcer begin their opening address, Vahn rose from his position alongside Fenrir and Shirayukihime, stating, "It's showtime." before proceeding to stretch his arms and pop his back.Vahn wasn't particularly well known for his patience when a person's freedom was at stake so he had been feeling increasingly itchy as the Gift Game drew closer. Now that it was about to begin, the only thing preventing him from releasing his aura was the knowledge that it would trouble both Shiroyasha and the residents of the Little Garden.Fortunately, the opening ceremony was more for the spectators than the participants. As a result, it wasn't long before a massive teleportation array appeared in the square where the contestants had been asked together. Moments after that, they found themselves transported to a vast stretch of icy terrain surrounded by snow-covered forests and dominated by a colossal mountain that pierced the clouds.Raising his brows, Vahn was about to try and teleport directly to the top when a massive Geass Roll appeared out of thin air, its text glittering like golden runes."Oh? They really shot themselves in the foot on this one..."------------------------------------------------&lt;Feast of the Einherjar&gt;[Win Condition]Access the Bifrost, ascend Himinbjörg, and gain the recognition of Heimdallr.[Hidden Conditions]1: ?????2: ?????3: ?????[Rules]1: Players attempting to access the Bifrost need to occupy at least half of the Sigrun's 8 Altars.2: Defeated Players will be escorted to the Halls of Valhalla by Sigrun's Valkyries.3: Defeated Players will continue to spawn as Einherjar until the end of the game.4: Einherjar are charged with protecting the mountain and preventing enemies from invading.5: Einherjar that have defeated at least 10 other Players will be given the opportunity to respawn at their original location.6: Only one person can earn the recognition of Heimdallr.[Restrictions]1: Flight above 1000m is restricted.2: Teleportation beyond 500m is restricted.3: Gifts that summon Familiars, Constructs, Djinn, and other Non-Player entities are limited to a total of three summons.4: Gifts that override Immortality or cause Permadeath are strictly prohibited.5: Gifts that allow Players to overwrite or invalidate rules are strictly prohibited.6: Duels between Players cannot be interrupted by other Players.[Time Limit]000:000:09:59:43------------------------------------------------Amused by the nordic theme, a smile developed across Vahn's face as a massive, largely cosmetic magic circle appeared beneath his feet. Immediately thereafter, an inordinately tall and muscular man appeared, his chest glistening with a glowing green pattern that vaguely resembled a dragon. At his side was a remarkably beautiful woman wearing a skin-tight bodysuit, her purple hair waving gracefully despite the harsh wind as she cast her scarlet gaze over their surroundings."Yo, Siegfried, Scathach. Welcome to the party."Smiling wryly in response to Vahn's words, Siegfried replied, "I never expected you to summon me like this. It's been a while since I had a spiritual form..."Showing considerably less perturbation than the silver-haired warrior, Scathach adopted a far more sincere smile as she said, "It's good to see you, Master. How might I be of assistance...?"Since the Geass Roll had already vanished, Vahn quickly explained the situation to the two Heroic Spirits. When Siegfried learned he had been summoned because he fit the theme of the game, the smile on his face became even wrier. Despite this, he was actually looking forward to helping out as he had always wanted to repay Vahn for his benevolence. He had literally lost count of the number of things he was thankful for. Thus, even if Vahn ordered him to draw his blade and assault the sun, he would do so without fear or hesitation."To surmise, I need the two of you to take over and hold two of Sigrun's Altars. You can strike down your opponents but make sure you don't use any anti-immortal or anti-divine weapons. Someone's freedom is on the line and I don't want to be disqualified."Nodding his head in affirmation, Siegfried manifested his Balmung before giving it a few practice swings. It had literally been decades since he last participated in anything more than a spar. As for Scathach, she had mastered her body to such an extent that she could control the flow of blood in her veins. Thus, the moment Vahn finished speaking, she answered, "I will not fail." before using a variant of Shundo that left behind a crimson glow."She certainly seems spirited..."Chuckling in response to Siegfried's statement, Vahn mused, "I've tried getting her to mellow out but she still takes everything seriously. Don't let it bother you."Shouldering his Balmung, Siegfried returned a nod as the symbol on his chest began to release a vibrant green light. At the same time, a rather thick tail covering in black scales erupted from his lower back as two relatively small yet draconic-looking wings sprouted at its sides. This was a half-manifestation of his Armor of Fafnir, an ability that had essentially made him invulnerable back in the Nasuverse."A thousand meters, right?"Seeing Vahn nod, Siegfried returned one of his own before flapping his wings and taking to the sky like a silvery-green meteor. This left the former alone with Fenrir and a very confused-looking Hime. Siegfried's sword had caused her body to tense up, but, compared to the horrifying aura emanating from Scathach, even the anti-dragon sword in the former's hand seemed tame.Noticing the befuddled beauty's state, Vahn extended his hand to gently caress Hime's head as he said, "They're two of my closest friends and companions. You'll never have to worry about fighting them..."Feeling the calming energy spreading through her body, Hime exhaled a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding."Did you say their names were Siegfried and Scathach? I have heard rumors of similarly named individuals. I believe Siegfried is called the Dragon Knight while Scathach is known throughout the Little Garden as The Witch of Dun Scaith. The latter is particularly famous since many of the people she has trained ended up becoming heroic figures whose names resounded throughout the Divine Realm..."Since it would have been infinitely more surprising to learn that Scathach didn't exist in the Divine Realm, Vahn simply nodded his head in response to Hime's explanation. At the same time, he found himself wondering if there were parallels between the Divine Realm and the Nasuverse. They might not be directly related to each other, but, considering the number of remarkably beautiful women he had already encountered, he wouldn't be surprised to learn that certain heroic figures had been converted to heaven-sent beauties due to the machinations of a few Poets...Shaking that thought from his mind, Vahn retracted his hand from Hime's head before saying, "For now, we'll stick together. I can easily take over and occupy each of the altars on my own so this is a good opportunity for the two of you to show off. The enemy was gracious enough to provide us an icy terrain. Might as well make use of it."Though Hime seemed hesitant to proceed without an actual plan, Fenrir happily stepped forward, a tremendous volume of magical energy erupted from her body as she freely manipulated the water, ice, and snow in the environment. It took her less than thirty seconds to create a literal fortress of ice and snow that stunned both spectators and casters alike as it began a slow and gradual advance towards the nearest Altar. She had even included an icy throne for Vahn to sit in before curling up in his lap and focusing all her attention on piloting the fortress........."Are you freaking kidding me...?"Sitting within an observatory decorated with a twenty-meter tall statue of a golden god holding a double-bladed sword, Sigurd couldn't help but stare in disbelief as he saw the massive fortress of ice and snow float across the battlefield. It was basically a Game Board within a Game Board, and, to make matters even worse, laser-like beams of ice-elemental energy would bombard anyone that got within a few kilometers of the monstrous behemoth."Such a ridiculous mastery over ice and snow...it's almost like he knew what kind of Game Board we would be using in advance..."Responding to her brother's incredulity, Gyda's voice was cold as she focused her crimson eyes on the image of Vahn lounging atop his icy throne. His bronzed skin, dark hair, stylish clothes, and glowing green cut quite the figure against the frozen backdrop. He was almost like a God-King, all-powerful and utterly unconcerned by the efforts and machinations of his would-be opponents.Though he noticed the look on his little sister's face, Sigurd convinced himself it was nothing as he waved his hand and changed the image to reflect Scathach. If his affections weren't fully invested in his two sisters, he might have found her unreasonably attractive. Demons, including those with high ranks and titles, generally only had a single thing they obsessed over. For Sigurd, this obsession was his two sisters. They were the reason he had given up his humanity, so, other than intrigue, he felt nothing towards the phenomenal beauty cutting through an entire Community without even batting an eye."Do you think you can take her...?"Seeing the same image as her brother, Gyda only hesitated for a brief moment before shaking her head and saying, "Impossible. I've never seen anyone with movements that sharp and I'm positive she is still holding back. Even if Ragna and I were to team up against her, I doubt we would be able to win."Having reached a similar conclusion, an excited smile developed across Sigurd's face as he mused, "In other words, we're completely fucked! Gyahahahahahahahaha~!"While most people would feel dejected or annoyed when they encountered a setback, Sigurd was the type that became exponentially more excited as the odds were stacked against him. It was this trait of his that had allowed him to sway the hearts of his two sisters, as, no matter what, he never gave up.With horns protruding from his head and red markings spreading over his face and hands, Sigurd looked Gyda straight in the eyes as he asked, "Will you stand with me? It's been a long time since we fought together..."Meeting her brother's gaze, Gyda's expression remained unreadable for several seconds until she invariably released a sigh and complained, "Do you really need to ask? I've already violated one of the greatest taboos of our people. I'm not going to get cold feet this late in the game..."Smiling wide enough to display his unnaturally angular teeth, Sigurd appeared even more excited than before as he pumped his fist and exclaimed, "Alright! We might be up against a completely ridiculous foe, but that doesn't mean we can't go out with a bang! Let's make this a battle the Little Garden will be talking about for generations! Gyahahahahahahaha~!"Nodding her head in response, Gyda did her best to return a smile of her own even as she watched her brother's body contract to the point he began to appear emaciated. She hated seeing him like this as he couldn't even be called a shadow of his former self. People in the East might find this kind of appearance attractive, but, back where she was from, men were valued based on their manliness and physique. She used to enjoy being forced down by her brother as his tree-like arms had always made her feel safe and secure. Now, his arms were even thinner than hers, and, whenever he was in his fully transformed state, he barely weighed more than nine stones...(A/N: 58kgs/130lbs)Unaware of his sister's thoughts, Sigurd pulled out a massive battleax that made the pair wielded by Ragna appear cute and dainty. His physique might have diminished ever since he became a demon, but, compared to his past self, he was actually several times stronger."Vahn Aldrnari Mason, huh? Our battle will be legendary...!"......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Imagine summoning an ice-themed Game Board when your opponent has a Water God and The Queen of the Frozen Abyss on their side...','Fenrir knows how to show off and pander to her Master at the same time~','Oof. Can I get an F in the chat for Sigurd...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

"Vahn, Vahn, buy this for me~!"Smiling in spite of the fact Seraphina had been dragging him around for several hours, Vahn stared down at the piece of jewelry that had caught her attention, asking, "Are you sure? I can easily forge you something similar..."Giggling in response to Vahn's words, Seraphina nestled a little closer to him before saying, "It's not about the items we purchase. It's about sending a message to the masses. Besides, if you're serious about forging me something..."Drawing her lips closer to Vahn's ear, Seraphina seductively whispered, "I'd rather you focus your efforts on making me a wedding band..."Ever since Vahn had introduced her as his fiancee, Seraphina's body had been burning up from the inside. Instead of returning to the workshop to have a bit of fun, however, she forced him to take her on a date. After all, she was the Supreme Overlord of Gorgeous. She would feel an itch if she didn't spend a significant amount of money. Since Vahn had a functionally unlimited amount of resources, Seraphina felt it was only natural that they flaunt their wealth in front of others.Returning a smile of his own, Vahn waved down the store clerk, a young woman with blonde hair, pointed ears, and emerald-green eyes. If not for the fact she was around 140cm tall, she could have easily been mistaken as an Elf. Instead, Vahn supposed she was something like a halfling or a half-breed between an Elf and a Dwarf."Y-Yes...? H-How might I be of assistance...?"Since Seraphina stood out like a polished gemstone among a pile of unpolish opal, she and Vahn had garnered a considerable amount of attention with their public displays of affection. The people of the East Side were relatively conservative compared to the other regions of the Little Garden so it was rare to see a couple happily flirting without any regard for their surroundings.Earning an amorous giggle from Seraphina and a blank look from the petite blonde, Vahn inclined his head towards the display case, asking, "How much for everything?"......While Seraphina was satisfied with shopping, at least until they returned, there was really only one thing on Usalia's mind these days. Thus, the moment they entered the workshop, she immediately pounced on Vahn before they even left the foyer. She was feeling frustrated after having hundreds of people staring at her with lust-filled eyes, so, now that they were alone together, she was unable to hold herself back.Fortunately, Vahn wasn't oblivious. He was well aware of the condition she was in, so, the moment Usalia pounced on him, he teleported them to her bedroom before his back could hit the ground. As a result, he ended up landing on her bed as the voracious bunny used her inordinately fluffy yet deadly paws to tear at his clothes with a voracious expression on her face. This might sound like an exaggeration, but it really wasn't. After getting a taste of him the previous night, there was literally a line of drool running from the side of her mouth as she eyes him with a hungry glimmer in her eyes."I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be the one eating you up..."Stopping in the middle of tearing apart Vahn's tunic, Usalia tilted her head to the side, her rabbit-like ears following her movement as she asked, "Did I do something wrong, plip...?"Though she was familiar with matters related to sex, all of Usalia's experience was with Vahn. Thus, the moment she heard his words, she briefly believed she had made a mistake.Smiling in response to the befuddled bunny's inquiry, Vahn sat up so that Usalia was straddling his lap before answering, "I don't particularly mind, but there's no need to be so aggressive. We have a few hours until I need to go pick up the girls. Let's take things nice and slow."Despite believing that sex was supposed to be a passionate affair comparable to a climactic battle, Usalia didn't hesitate to nod her head, answering, "Okay, plip."With his expression softening, Vahn pulled Usalia in for a prolonged, tender, and affectionate hug. This left her feeling slightly confused, but, after a few seconds had passed, she eventually wrapped her arms around him. Then, for the better part of half an hour, Vahn simply held her in his embrace, gently caressing her back before removing his tunic and silently guiding her mouth to his shoulder in a manner similar to how he might treat Eva when she was feeling pouty.........With his time split between training the No Names, taking care of the workshop, and tending to the needs of his growing number of women, Vahn could feel the days beginning to blend together. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Rather, he quite enjoyed being busy. He didn't actually require sleep, so, even when he had time to rest, he would generally go and hang out with Shiroyasha so that she wouldn't feel lonely.If there was anything that Vahn felt troubled by, it was the rapid progression of Usalia's pregnancy. He had seriously underestimated a Wererabbit's reproductive capabilities. It had only been a week since they started having sex yet her stomach had begun to swell as though she was in her seventh week of pregnancy. Even more frightening was the fact that she had a total of twelve little buns in the oven, far more than he had anticipated.In hindsight, Vahn realized that he shouldn't have underestimated Usalia's desire to fill multiple planets with their offspring. It turned out that Wererabbits had a gestation period of around 42 days. Even more terrifying was the fact that their 'average' litter size was around five kittens, the colloquial term given for rabbit babies. When environmental factors were in their favor, however, the total number of kittens they could give birth to often exceeded ten with the record being a startling twenty-seven. When you factored in that they could become pregnant mere hours after giving birth, it was no wonder that Wererabbits were among the most infamous races in the entire Netherworld when it came to their reproductive ability...Fortunately, Vahn had managed to convince Usalia to treat her first litter with the same care and attention her parents had given to her. In other words, they would raise her first twelve kittens to maturity before worrying about producing more. He convinced her this was to allow her to accrue experience, but, in reality, Vahn was genuinely concerned that she would pop out more than thirty children by the time the problem children arrived.As ridiculous as it might seem, Vahn realized that Usalia could literally produce more than a million offspring by the time the first generation reaches maturity around the age of 1500. In other words, she hadn't been exaggerating in the slightest when she suggested filling multiple planets with their offspring. She was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her species wasn't pushed to the brink of extinction a second time, even if it meant giving birth to millions.........While most of the people present were watching Usalia caress her small yet noticeable baby bump, Vahn did his best to keep everyone focused as he explained, "There are less than two days until the Gift Game hosted by Leviathan's Tail. Given...recent developments, the people participating will be Fenrir, Hime, and myself."Adopting a slightly pouty look, Seraphina was about to object when Vahn focused his gaze on her and said, "I want you to look after the No Names and keep Usalia safe. Don't worry. This is only the beginning. Once the name Sage Dragon's Hearth begins to spread, the entire Divine Realm will be talking about the beautiful Demon Goddess managing its treasury."Hearing that she would be in charge of the treasury, Seraphina's pointed ears began to wiggle ever so slightly as she enthusiastically replied, "Of course~! It's only natural that the wealthiest Overlord in the Three Realms would be placed in charge of our Community's finances! Oh-hohohohohoho~!"Nodding his head in approval, Vahn made a mental note to construct a vanity vault for Seraphina before going on to explain, "We won't know the details until the game has begun, but the basic format follows the King-of-the-Hill ruleset. The Community that occupies the centermost position on the Game Board at the game's end will be declared the victor. As for the time limit and any other victory conditions, we'll have to wait and see. Every Host Community tends to include some kind of gimmick to give themselves the advantage in situations like this. Any questions?"As one of the people who would be participating, Hime raised her hand, waiting for permission to speak before asking, "Is there a plan for if we get separated? Though our individual might should far exceed that of our opponents, we could be placed at a disadvantage if the other Communities combine their efforts to oppose us."Smiling in response to Hime's words, Vahn pushed his chair away from the table a bit before using his Unit Management to teleport the befuddled beauty directly into his lap. Sarina and Nono were having a sleepover with Lily so he didn't have to worry about the former blowing up if he resorted to a bit of playful theatrics.With the tips of her ears turning red, Hime averted her eyes from Vahn as she muttered, "My Lord..." in a nervous yet slightly heated tone. She wasn't accustomed to public displays of affection, so, with Black Rabbit, Fenrir, Usalia, and Seraphina staring at her with envious expressions on their faces, she felt as though she had suddenly been asked to give a speech to a crowd of thousands.Enjoying Hime's reaction, Vahn placed his right hand on her hip as if it were the most natural thing to do as he explained, "I possess the ability to freely teleport my companions to my side. I can also freely teleport people within space designated as my territory. The best part is that this ability has nothing to do with spatial transference. Even if the enemy tries to block it, I can still call you to my side whenever I please..."Swallowing audibly in response to Vahn's words, Hime began to realize that her Lord was in one of his 'active' states. This caused the agonizing heat that had already begun to permeate through her body to drastically increase in intensity. Most of her nervousness began to fade away, and, though she was still hyper-aware of everyone else's gazes, she responded to Vahn's words by leaning into his embrace with an expression that could best be described as puppy eyes."Well then...if there are no further questions..."......While Vahn was enjoying the company of five remarkable beauties, a youthful-looking woman with a petite frame, long golden hair, red eyes, and a disposition reminiscent of an emotionless doll was staring up at the full moon visible from the window of her cell. Since the only piece of 'clothing' she was wearing was a large black ribbon and the manacles around her neck, wrists, and ankles, it was possible to see that there wasn't a single sign of injury anywhere on her body."My, my, it seems our favorite Knight has found herself in a rather pitiable situation...ufufufufufu~."Accompanied by the sound of chains grinding against each other, the chained beauty turned her attention towards the hooded figure that had appeared outside her cell. This caused the smile on the person's face to become more prominent, their voice simultaneously feminine with masculine undertones as they said, "You're in luck. It would appear our mutual acquaintance was wrong. Not only did the No Names not take the bait, but your little predicament has drawn the attention of a rather...peculiar individual. This may very well be the last time we see each other for quite some time. I'm going to miss you, Princess..."Believing that the woman was just trying to give her false hope, the golden-haired beauty simply returned her attention to the moon lingering in the sky. This caused the hooded figure to chuckle, her sonorous laughter echoing through the prison even after she had disappeared into the shadows.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Seraphina is a hoarder...','Usalia be like, "Stonks...!','Longing beneath the light of the Moon...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2084: Expectations : Calm Before the Storm