Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"Master, my pack has taken over three of the Altars."Though it had only been a few minutes since Fenrir sent out her pack of puppies, Vahn wasn't surprised to hear they had already completed their objective. Even the weakest among them was stronger than the average 6-Digit Community member. They also had nothing to do with any of Fenrir's actual Gifts, so, even if someone tried to cry foul, it wouldn't take long to prove their innocence."Good girl."Running his hand along the side and bottom of her neck, Vahn compelled Fenrir to roll over so he could give her belly a vigorous rub. As this was happening, a horn could be heard in the distance, its sound carrying across the game board as a rainbow-hued pillar of light impacted each of the Altars."Oh. I half-expected something like Jörmungandr to show up..."Since this made his job a lot easier, Vahn created a double to teleport near the base of the Altar Fenrir's fortress had settled over. The rainbow-hued pillar had penetrated through the icy mass as if it didn't exist. This would have terrified most people, but, knowing he could just make another version of himself, Vahn immediately stepped into the beam.After a sensation akin to having his body broken down molecule by molecule, Vahn found himself reassembled in a large stone arena. There was a large runic symbol that had burned itself into the ground beneath his feet, but, rather than pay attention to that, he raised his brows toward the rather fierce-looking redhead standing at the opposite side of the arena, asking, "Is it just you...?"Furrowing her brows in response to Vahn's words, Ragna brandished her twin battleaxes, the runes across its surface emitting a fiery blue light as she explained, "The arena of Himinbjörg is a sacred place. Only two people can enter. Only one can leave. You will have to occupy this place until the end of the Gift Game if you wish to declare yourself the victor."As Ragna spoke, an updated Geass Roll appeared out of thin air. Now, instead of three hidden conditions, there were only two. The third row of question marks had updated to reflect what Ragna had said."Well, that simplifies things..."Raising his hand as he spoke, Vahn left Ragna frozen, the pupils of her eyes contracted as he caught the lightning bolt that attempted to strike him. If he had tanked it, she wouldn't have been that surprised. Instead, his touch had caused it to turn into a physical tendril of energy as he said, "You can have this back."Though she could deflect natural lightning, Ragna was barely able to tense her body before the bolt wielded by Vahn struck her like a whip. In the very next moment, she felt as though her body had passed through multiple membranes. In actuality, these were a series of stone pillars and a thick wall...With Ragna's body breaking down into bluish-white light, Vahn shifted his attention to the structure of the arena. It was approximately 500m in diameter with a series of ten, thirty, and fifty-meter walls forming three concentric circles. The circle he had presently found himself in was host to nine large pillars, each connected via a large engraving resembling a tree."Marvelous..."As a Blacksmith and an Artisan, Vahn was someone who could appreciate interesting designs and themes. It was obvious that someone had put a lot of effort into developing this particular Game Board. If he didn't know that everything would be reset the moment the game came to an end, he might even be reluctant to destroy it........."Greetings, friend. My name is Thanus Nyx, Leader of Twice Twilight. I owe you my sincerest gratitude. Without your help, we would have already been eliminated from the competition."Though he could sense of overwhelmingly dark aura emanating from the glowing-eyed man, Siegfried had learned from Vahn that he should never judge a book by its cover. Thus, without any discernible hesitation on his face, he accepted the former's handshake, stating, "It's not a big deal. I was just passing through and decided to lend a hand of my own volition. There are no debts between us."Smiling in response to Siegfried's words, Thanus gave the former's hand a firm shake before retracting his hand and asking, "What will you do now? I can't imagine you cooperating with us until the end of the Gift Game. Shouldn't you be helping your own Community?"Answering in Siegfried's stead, Dorothea, the same woman Vahn had encountered prior to his affiliation with Thousand Eyes, revealed, "He said he doesn't belong to a Community. He is the conjured spirit of another Player."Blinking in surprise, Thanus gave Siegfried another once-over as he remarked, "Amazing. Your Master must be a remarkable individual to summon someone as powerful as you. From what I can tell, you're no different from any other Player..."Returning a kind smile, Siegfried withheld any remarks related to Vahn. He had no intention of parting with any information related to his best friend and benefactor. Instead, he just nodded his head and said, "I should be going. I wish you and your Community the best of luck for the remainder of the game."Without waiting for Thanus' reply, Siegfried directed a second nod towards Dorothea before spreading his wings and taking to the sky. This caused the smile on Thanus' face to turn wry, but, understanding he wasn't a match for the silver-haired warrior, he ultimately just shook his head before looking back at Dorothea and musing, "You're as popular as ever."Blushing in response to her Leader's words, Dorothea adopted a slightly pouty expression as she rebutted, "Mooou! I told you to stop teasing me! B-Besides, the person I really like-"Before Dorothea could finish her impromptu confession, one of the Einherjar that had been knocked unconscious by Siegfried suddenly charged toward her. Unfortunately for him, he was only able to get about three steps before a bluish-black shadow resembling a demonic ant emerged from the ground, bifurcating him in an instant.........With five of the eight Altars under the control of his forces, Vahn wasn't surprised by the lack of people arriving to challenge him. Each individual member of Fenrir's pack could wipe out an average 6-Digit Community on their own, so, even if numerous Communities teamed up, there was very little they could do to shift the tide in their favor.Fortunately, the Gift Game seemed to have accounted for this particular scenario as another horn could be heard echoing throughout the Game Board after an hour had passed. Since he had another version of himself idling about at the base of the mountain, Vahn was able to see a massive blizzard forming along the edges of the playing field."So that's how they intend to force the Players inward. The playing area shrinks over time..."As soon as those words left his mouth, Vahn was unsurprised to see a Geass Roll manifest in front of him. Whenever Players discovered one of the hidden objectives, the rolls had a habit of updating for all participants. What he didn't expect was the actual description present on the scroll..."We have to protect the Altars from a Frost Giant invasion? That's sneaky..."With a clause dictating that everyone would be eliminated if more than half of Sigrun's Altars were destroyed, Leviathan's Tail would have been able to guarantee their victory against most other Communities. The rules of the game not only forced a Community to divide their forces to conquer multiple Altars but they would also need to send their strongest members through the Bifrost in order to ensure victory. In other words, only their weaker members would remain to defend against the Frost Giants' assault, and, due to the restrictions placed on summoning, someone like Jin would have been helpless to do anything.Unfortunately for the members of Leviathan's Tail, Vahn had no such limitations. Siegfried and Scathach weren't even considered summoned creatures, and, even if they had been, the rules of the game didn't designate that a Player couldn't use multiple Gifts to summon. It only said that Gifts related to summoning were limited to a total of three summons. Nowhere did it say you could only use a single Gift related to summoning.After briefly considering whether or not he should summon the entirety of Avalon's forces in order to deter future challengers, Vahn ultimately shook his head before patting the two pups in his lap and saying, "My turn."Though the pup representing Altria seemed unwilling to part with him, she ended up having little choice when Fenrir, appearing as a much larger wolf, picked her up by the scruff of her neck. This allowed Vahn to rise to his feet, his bones creaking and popping as the clothes on his body gradually disappeared. This created quite the sight for female viewers to behold. As for the men...well...Thanks to his numerous Divinities, Vahn was vaguely aware of how others, especially large groups of people, perceived him. Fortunately, he wasn't inexperienced with this phenomenon so he was largely able to ignore it as he appeared outside the frozen fortress. Then, under the shocked gazes of virtually everyone spectating the Gift Game, his body increased in size as an azure light erupted from his body.With the intent of increasing his familiarity with [Rakshasa Body], Vahn decided to transform into a proper Azure Dragon for the first time in quite a while. Instead of the humanoid version, however, he went with the full dragon transformation. By the time the light faded away, he had grown to more than 300m in length, his body resembling that of an eastern dragon, complete with a serpentine body, golden scales, large horns, whiskers, and an azure mane that crackled with electricity.Ignoring the ravenous look he was receiving from Hime, Vahn opened his maw to release a roar that, for a brief moment, created absolutely no sound. At the same time, the image most people were viewing appearing to freeze. It was like everything had suddenly come to a stop, and, were it not for the ambient sounds around them, some may have even believed they had been frozen in time.As a feeling of incongruency welled in the hearts and minds of the average spectator, a scene unlike anything they had experienced appeared before them. The image seemed to glitch for a brief moment as a majestic roar emanated from the screen, seemingly echoing throughout the entirety of the East Side. At the same time, incomprehensible devastation was reflected in the image they had been watching as thick bands of azure lightning tore through the blizzard that had been encroaching upon the Game Board.........Seeing the form of Vahn reflected on a floating jade tablet, a man with remarkable features, long white hair, sword-like eyebrows, and sky-blue pupils couldn't help raising his brows as he remarked, "What a curious fellow. I wonder if he has any relation to Meng Zhang?"Answering the inordinately handsome man's inquiry was a woman whose beauty could only be described as heavenly. She also had long white hair, but, instead of radiant, sky-blue eyes, hers were a shade of opaque pink that seemed to draw in anyone that stared into them. As for her response, she simply replied, "Perhaps."Returning a curt nod in response to his wife's remark, the inordinately handsome man pulled out a jade slip with his right hand, shattering it as he said, "Wang. Fetch Meng Zhang. There is a matter I wish to discuss with him."Shortly after the man had spoken, a remarkably reverential voice, seemingly emitting from the void, answer, "As you will, Your Imperial Majesty..."......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is it just you...?','That is a pretty sneaky clause...','Vahn takes showing off to another level...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Standing between four and nine meters tall, the Jotun, colloquially known as Frost Giants, were a race of monstrous humanoids with an extreme preference for cold. Rather than garments of fabric or armors made from metal, they garbed their blue-skinned bodies in frigid black stone held fast by perpetual, magically enhanced ice.In the myths related to their species, Frost Giants were among the most physically gifted races in the Nine Realms. Even their weakest members could overwhelm the average resident of Asgard, and, despite being a relatively primitive species, their raw physical power and magical resistance allowed them to wage war against the other realms.Under normal circumstances, the only way to overwhelm a Frost Giant was with magical flames and enchanted Asgardian metals. They were nearly unkillable using other methods, as, even if you were to throw them into a river of molten lava, it would simply freeze over without doing any meaningful damage.Unfortunately, as was often the case whenever Vahn was involved, such details simply didn't matter. He was far beyond the level where resistances, natural or otherwise, held any real meaning. Thus, to the surprise and horror of the simulated titans, there was nothing they could do as bands of vibrant azure lightning, many thicker than they were tall, tore through their ranks.Without any suspense whatsoever, everything touched by the azure lightning found itself torn apart at the molecular level before being cast into the void. From the perspective of others, it was like the lightning was erasing everything it touched. This included the magical energy sustaining the storm. Thus, by the time three minutes had passed, the battlefield had become eerily silent as Vahn, still in his Azure Dragon transformation, lingered in the sky like a God of Destruction overlooking creation."Three-hundred-meters may have been a little much..."Feeling the invisible membrane just a few meters above his head, Vahn didn't have a lot of room to move around. This tempted him to manipulate the space above the battlefield to give himself a bit of extra room, but, fearing people would cry foul play, he decided against it. Instead, he expanded his domain to cover most of the battlefield, powerful barriers erecting around each of the Altars as he grasped the position and strength of every remaining contestant.Sensing there were no major threats remaining, Vahn nodded his massive head before shifting his attention to Hime. It was impossible to tell due to his draconic visage, but a wry smile spread across his face the moment he saw the inordinately beautiful white serpent staring at him with an intense, slightly glimmer in her pale yellow eyes.Noticing Vahn's gaze, Hime immediately lowered her head in a respectful and subservient manner, muttering, "My Lord..." in an audibly impassioned tone.Issuing a resounding chuckle that caused the surrounding space to ripple, Vahn felt a sudden and intense urge to coil around Hime's body. Unfortunately, as shameless as he was, he wasn't quite at the level of someone like Scathach. Hime might not be able to control herself if he teased her in her current state, so, after several seconds of contemplative silence, he said, "Return to the fortress. I'll take care of the rest."Though her aura made it very clear she was reluctant, Hime didn't hesitate to obey Vahn's words. Instead of returning to her human form, however, she coiled around the icy throne in the hopes of cooling her remarkably hot body. She felt like literal flames had been ignited inside of her, and, as a result, the ice began to hiss and produce steam the moment she came into contact with it.("It appears Scathach isn't the only person I'll need to deal with once this game has been settled...")(*Vahn...*)("Yeah, yeah, I know...")As something similar happened nearly every time he transformed in front of a woman with draconic traits, Vahn knew he didn't have any leeway to act surprised. Rather, he would be far more surprised if Hime didn't have a reaction. After all, they were already mates. They might not be married, but he doubted she would even consider independence in the next thousand or so years. Dragons, even as servants, could be remarkably obstinate........."Gyda...are my eyes playing tricks on me? Did that man seriously just transform into a Pure-Blooded Dragon and wipe out the Frost Giants in an instant...?""..."Unable or perhaps unwilling to respond to her brother's words, Gyda just stared at the projection of Vahn with a pensive expression on her face. She had been born into a 4-Digit Community, but, even after sixteen hundred years of existence, she had never seen anything even remotely comparable to the strength Vahn had shown.Furrowing his brows, Sigurd changed the image to reflect the version of Vahn loitering in the arena. He had literally laid a pale-blue blanket across the ground, and, instead of exploring the area like a normal person, he simply relaxed with his hands behind his head."Dammit...you can at least pretend to take this seriously. Organizing an event this large takes a lot of planning and effort..."Though he had the backing of one of the most powerful alliances in the Little Garden, it had still taken months for Sigurd to establish his Community and make preparations for a high-profile Gift Game. The negotiations, in particular, had been a nightmare. After all, no matter how eager they were to claim a Pure-Blooded Vampire as their prize, most Community Leaders had enough sense not to leave their fate in the hands of a lottery.Vahn had managed to emerge entirely unscathed from the lottery process but some Communities had been unfortunate enough to draw lots that required them to hand over Gifts, members of their Community, or even their Flag. This was the reason so many Players became desperate the moment they became Einherjar. For some, their very futures were on the line.Had things proceeded according to plan, Leviathan's Tail would have received a tremendous boon once the Gift Game had concluded. They stood to gain numerous Gifts, several additional Players, and an ample amount of territory in one fell swoop. Afterward, they would have returned Leticia to the alliance so that she could be auctioned off or used as bait in future Gift Games.Shaking his head, Sigurd turned to Gyda, asking, "What do you think we should do? I was going to suggest attacking the Altars but most of our forces have already been eliminated. If we ascend now, we might not even have enough people to open the Bifrost for a return trip."Without any discernible changes in her expression, Gyda stated, "We don't know how many times that man can split his body. I also get the impression he hasn't gotten serious, so, even if we initiate the Ragnarok protocol, I can't imagine it having any meaningful effect against him. The power of a Strongest Species is simply beyond our means to deal with..."Though he was in agreement with Gyda's observations, Sigurd couldn't help frowning in response to his sister's words. Instead of getting angry at her, however, he just popped his neck rather loudly before saying, "Well, at least we can earn some brownie points with the spectators by ending things early. Fortunately, I doubt anyone will look down on us for failing to defeat a Pure-Blooded Dragon. They aren't called one of the Strongest Species for nothing."With that said, Sigurd shouldered his oversized battleax before stepping on a runic engraving that depicted the same pattern as the one left behind by the Bifrost. A rainbow-hued light immediately expanded from the center of the formation, but, before activating completely, Sigurd had enough time to turn around and say, "I know I promised we'll fight together, but you're the only person I can trust to hold the fort. Once I'm defeated, I'll see if I can do something about the Altars as an Einherjar."Finished with his words, Sigurd gave Gyda a cursory wave as a pillar of light erupted from his feet and instantaneously enveloped his body. He knew he couldn't defeat Vahn but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. Rather, once he became an Einherjar, he intended to descend the mountain and charge directly at the massive dragon that everyone else was avoiding. He had never fought a Strongest Species before. There was no way in hell he was missing the opportunity to do so...Understanding her brother's thoughts, a sigh escaped Gyda's throat as she sat down next to the reflecting pool and cycled through various images. Under normal circumstances, she would have focused all of her intention on her brother's fight. In this particular instance, however, she refused to do so since it might negatively impact her impression of him. It had been quite some time since she felt the same passion towards her brother that had compelled her to follow him to the East, so, for both of their sakes, she decided to ignore him.As that thought crossed her mind, Gyda's hand paused mid-swipe as the pool reflected the image of a handsome, and, most importantly, muscular man. His outfit left his chest and part of his back completely exposed, and, despite the strange runic pattern covering them, it was possible to make out every single muscle in his upper body.Feeling a bit of tension in her throat, Gyda swallowed audibly as she dipped the tips of her fingers in the reflecting pool's surface. There was a time when her brother's physique had been even more impressive. Now, he resembled a young boy who had never trained a day in his life. His personality had also changed rather drastically, so, while she still loved him dearly, there were times when Gyda felt that her brother had been replaced with someone completely different."We should have never left the South..."Shaking such thoughts from her mind, Gyda was prepared to change the reflecting pool's surface to focus elsewhere. The thing that stopped her was the kind and affectionate smile that had appeared on the ashen-haired man's face as he pulled out a silvery locket and gazed at the content. This was enough to garner Gyda's attention, so, rather than change the image to someone else, she adjusted it to take a peek at the locket."What in Odin's name...?"Seeing the pictures of nine women reflected in the locket, six of which were nearly identical to one another, Gyda found herself at a loss for words. Harems weren't particularly rare, but, based on the similarities between the six women, they were clearly sisters of some sort. She had never seen any man capable of wooing sextuplets, much less three goddess-like women."He must be quite capable..."Since there was an unbelievably beautiful redhead among the women displayed in the locket, Gyda couldn't help imagining herself in the ashen-haired man's muscular embrace. His horns, wings, and tail also made it pretty clear he had the blood of dragons flowing through his veins, so, even if she shouldn't be thinking things like this, she found herself contemplating how powerful their children would be.........Unaware of the fact he was being observed, Siegfried continued staring at his locket for the better part of three minutes before returning it to his pocket. It had been less than two hours since he was summoned, yet, in spite of this, he couldn't help missing his wives and children. It didn't matter that his true self was currently sleeping between two of them. Even a moment away from the people you loved could feel like an eternity.Exhaling a sigh, Siegfried turned his aquamarine eyes towards the peculiar phenomenon in the sky. It was like an azure-green filter had been superimposed over reality, and, based on the pulsing of his scar, Siegfried knew this was the result of something Vahn had done. This made it pretty clear that his friend and Master didn't actually need his help, but, rather than feeling like this was a waste of time, Siegfried felt privileged just to see the former in action."You really do have what it takes to unify everyone, don't you...?"......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hime be like: *jiiiiiiiiiiiiii-*...','Vahn needs to give Sigurd some protein powder or something...','Sumanai-san is a good guy...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With Fenrir eliminating virtually every group that appeared within her range, Vahn was beginning to think Hime wouldn't even get a chance to act. Fortunately, it wasn't long before spiritual versions of the people she had eliminated began to rain down from the sky, seemingly unrestricted by the rules prohibiting flight above a certain height as they attempted to assault the fortress."So these are the Einherjar? They seem stronger now than when they were previously eliminated..."Though it was just an observation of his, Hime mistook Vahn's remark as confusion, explaining, "It is most likely a type of blessing. The word Einherjar translates to "army of one". They are meant to be mythical warriors who have distinguished themselves on the battlefield. Upon death, the Valkyries of Sigrun would descend from Valhalla to escort them to Odin's Longhall. There, they would feast upon the meat of the resurrecting-"Placing his finger on Hime's mouth, Vahn adopted an amused smile as he said, "I know. There is a reason Fenrir is named as such. I'm intimately familiar with the legends and lore related to Norse and Icelandic mythology..."Freezing in response to Vahn's words, the tips of Hime's ears became red as the former issued an amused chuckle and wrapped his hand around her waist. Then, before she could recover, he moved his hand closer to her bottom, gently caressing it as he said, "You should lend a hand. Fenrir might have unlimited mana while we're together but her most powerful attacks would break the rules of the game. Besides, I want everyone in the Little Garden to know that I have a remarkably beautiful Water Goddess on my side..."Though a part of her wanted to stay seated next to him, Hime nodded in response to Vahn's words before rising from her seat and spontaneously transforming into a massive white serpent. This was actually her true form so it was more cost-efficient to maintain than her humanoid transformation. She also knew the people in charge of broadcasting the game wouldn't hesitate to take liberties with the viewing angles, so, while she had no problem showing off, she didn't want people staring at her with their lascivious gazes. She was a Goddess, after all. She could literally sense when people were having such thoughts about her...Taking advantage of the functionally infinite supply of ice and water produced by Fenrir, a massive vortex appeared around Hime as she ascended towards the sky. Anyone that got close to her was instantaneously shredded to pieces, and, thanks to the excess Ice Elemental Energy saturating the atmosphere after Fenrir's attacks, the sky above the fortress became a veritable ocean that froze anything that attempted to pass through it."Mmm...she's strong. With training, she could be even stronger..."Nodding in response to Fenrir's remark, Vahn continued to stroke her unbelievably soft and pliant fur as his senses briefly linked with Siegfried and Scathatch. He doubted they would have any real trouble dealing with the Einherjar but it never hurt to check.........After cutting down dozens of foes, Scathach had managed to single-handedly secure one of the altars located on the Northern side of the mountain. Under normal circumstances, this would have resulted in multiple people teaming up to attack her. Instead, her surroundings had become eerily silent as even the Einherjar had given up attacking her after experiencing the excruciating pain of having Gae Bolg pierce their bodies.With nothing better to do, Scathach was sitting atop Sigurn's Altar with a listless expression on her face. It wasn't that she was particularly bored. The enemies had just failed to couldn't excite her. She was used to battles against beings that exceeded the Gods and even defied common sense. Normal opponents were remarkably mundane no matter how great their numbers.While staring up at the mountain, Scathach's eyes widened ever so slightly as she sensed a familiar presence overlapping with her own. It took a tremendous amount of effort to prevent herself from smiling, but, thanks to her exhaustive training in mastering every single faculty of her body, she was able to play it off as if she hadn't noticed Vahn's presence.Demonstrating an acting ability that would earn the approval of her original self, Scathach exhaled a melancholic sigh as she laid across Sigrun's Altar and muttered, "Master..." in a longing, ostensibly anguished tone. She even placed her hand over her heart, its steady rhythm becoming increasingly unstable as her serotonin and dopamine levels dropped.Though it was impossible to discern from her physiological reaction, Scathach couldn't help feeling amused when the senses that had overlapped with her own suddenly radiated a concerned, slightly apologetic vibe. At the same time, she could feel a sudden and spontaneous longing from Vahn, an indicator that he was thinking about all the times they had spent together, and, most importantly, apart.Taking advantage of the vulnerabilities in Vahn's mental state, Scathach moved her hand from atop her heart to her breast. A warmth that didn't belong to her immediately suffused through her body, and, though there was a chance she was being spied upon, Scathach didn't particularly care as her free hand crept towards the darker purple fabric covering her lower body. Humans were covetous by nature and there was little you could do to prevent the Gods from spying on you. Thus, the only gaze she really cared about was Vahn's. She also knew that he could feel everything she was feeling right now, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, she began to unabashedly caress herself through the fabric of her clothes........."...""Master...?"Sensing her Master's arousal, Fenrir sneakily took a big whiff of his aroma before turning her head up and calling out to him.Offering a wry smile in response, Vahn grabbed the sides of Fenrir's face, shamelessly squishing and massaging her cheeks as he said, "We may need to speed things up a bit..."Understanding the implication within her Master's words, a familiar longing spread through Fenrir's abdominal region as she hopped from his lap and said, "Leave it to me!" in an excited tone of voice. Then, stunning everyone spectating the scene within the ice fortress, Fenrir began shaking her body like a wolf that had just submerged from a river. This caused her already fluffy coat to become even fluffier, but, more importantly, several nebulous wolf pups began spreading through the area until a rather sizeable pack had formed.Though the pups appeared similar at a glance, closer observation would reveal that the runes and patterns on their bodies were distinctly different. Some had patterns reminiscent of scales, wings, and other racial markers. Others had complex magical formations that glistened like icy blue light or destructive flames against a backdrop of black fur.As ridiculous as it sounded, each of these wolf pups represented one of the people in Fenrir's pack. The one with angelic markings on its back originated from Jeanne while the version producing fiery red flames actually drew power from Mordred. She had grown into her own woman, but, much like her respect towards her Mother, Mordred had never lost her appreciation for Fenrir. She was, after all, her first girl crush..."Go. Bring victory to our Master."Since the nebulous clones were effectively amalgamations of energy, they lacked the sapience to converse with words. Instead, they howled in unison before spontaneously turning into shadowy puddles that moved along the ground and passed through cracks with startling speed. The only exception was a pup with amber eyes and pale gold markings that formed the shape similar to a sword near its bottom.Ignoring Fenrir's adorably pouty expression, the disobedient pup mozied on over to Vahn before rubbing its body against his leg and jumping into his lap like a cat. This caused Fenrir to bare her teeth as she muttered, "Altria..." in an overtly threatening tone.Looking over at Fenrir, the pup based on Altria adopted a slightly taunting expression as it plopped down and made itself comfortable on Vahn's lap. It had inherited its original's mischievous and lazy personality, so, unless the situation was serious, it had no intention of exerting itself. It would much rather just laze about in Vahn's lap and receive his pampering. Just like the real Altria...Though she was tempted to bite the disobedient pup, Fenrir's anger faded in an instant when Vahn placed his hand on Altria's head and said, "Don't fight. The others will be able to handle things. For now, let's just relax until the Bifrost is active. There are still a few hidden objectives that have yet to reveal themselves. No sense in getting worked up before the climax."Ignoring the smug look on the clone's face, Fenrir returned to Vahn's lap before snuggling next to the annoying pup and making herself comfortable. The only thing she really cared about was her Master's opinion, so, understanding that she could always deal with the real Altria later, Fenrir didn't mind cuddling up next to the traitor if it meant she could receive additional headpats.........A stark contrast to the situation on Scathach's side, Siegfried was beginning to feel pressured as dozens of Einherjar persistently raided his position. This had nothing to do with a lack of strength on his part. Rather, the moment he reached the Altar, Siegfried discovered that another Community had already claimed it. More importantly, they were barely holding on as they desperately resisted a siege.Though the Community was technically his enemy, Siegfried was unable to simply ignore people in need. He also refused to raise his sword against the innocent, so, until he could ascertain what kind of people they were, he intended to help them. After all, there were a total of eight altars. Even if he gave one up, there were five others he could claim.With such thoughts guiding his actions, Siegfried released a three-hundred-meter wide blade of energy towards the group of Einherjar descending from the sky. This was far less effective than if he had targetted the ground, but, as an Anti-Army ability that could erase small islands from the map, he didn't want to get the people he was protecting or the altar caught up in the aftermath.Taking advantage of the momentary lull, Siegfried exhaled an ostensibly fatigued sigh as he casually blocked the sword of a young man with fox-like ears and clothing reminiscent of a ninja. The runic circle behind him denoted him as an Einherjar, but, rather than deal a fatal blow, Siegfried parried the young man's blade to the side before chopping the back of his neck. This added to the pile of unconscious individuals encircling his body, people he had chosen to spare due to their relatively young ages or overall weakness...Looking around, Siegfried confirmed there were no other enemies nearby before turning toward the purple-haired woman that had attempted to guard his back but was too stunned to actually do anything. Her slack-jawed expression caused his to own soften considerably, and, as a result of his handsome appearance, a rather potent blush developed across the woman's face as she averted her eyes and muttered, "Thank you for helping us...we wouldn't have been able to defend this place without you..."Shaking his head, Siegfried adopted a kind smile as he said, "I didn't do much. I'm sure that, even without my assistance, you and your friends would have been able to manage. I can sense great power dwelling within you. If you released it fully, even an army of Einherjar might not be able to match you."Though she believed Siegfried was just being polite, the purple-haired beauty couldn't suppress a smile as she said, "Thank you very much. My name is Dorothea, by the way. If it isn't too much to ask, I would be honored to hear the name of my savior. Who knows, maybe our Communities can work together in the future?"Returning a polite smile of his own, Siegfried's aquamarine eyes shifted towards the other members of Dorothea's party before answering, "Siegfried...my name is Siegfried..."......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hime is adorable...','Scathach is too bold (O////O)...','A very mischievous little pup...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2087: Awe