Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"You don't have to participate, but this is an opportunity to gain publicity and begin building a legend of your own. If you intend to become a God or something similar, you'll need to work hard to obtain a Divinity. I can prolong your life and provide numerous forms of biological immortality but it is against my principles to grant power arbitrarily."Though he had jumped the gun a bit by deciding to host a Gift Game, Vahn was still interested to hear what everyone else thought. Thus, after explaining the events in detail, he had asked for their input while making it clear they didn't actually have to participate if they didn't want to.Fortunately, even Seraphina seemed interested in participating, musing, "There's a shooting event? Count me in. It's high time the people of the Little Garden were afforded the privilege of witnessing their future Empress in action. Oh-hohohohohohoho~."Understanding she would probably go on a rant if he made a comment, Vahn just nodded his head in remark to Seraphina's statement before passing his gaze over the rest of the table.As the first person Vahn had set his sights on, Usalia's expression morphed into a slight pout as she said, "I want to participate in the Pankration, but I don't want any men to touch me..."Combining the events of boxing and wrestling, the Pankration was widely considered to be one of the most ancient forms of mixed martial arts. Its origins could be traced back to the battle between Theseus and the Minotaur of the Labyrinth. Thus, when it came to ancient Olympic sports, it was the most celebrated among the entire roster. After all, people absolutely adored watching other people beat the living daylights out of each other.Having already taken this into consideration, Vahn supplied a curt nod before explaining, "Each of the events has been sub-divided into men's and women's categories. I can't promise there won't be any opportunistic perverts among the female competitors but there are precautions to prevent any mishaps."As that was her only real concern, Usalia visibly relaxed as an expectant smile developed across her face. She doubted any of the competitors would be able to compete with her but she was looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate her power. The way people looked at her when she was walking around with Vahn always bothered her so she wanted to prove she wasn't some trophy just anyone could admire.While offering a silent prayer for anyone unfortunate enough to cross Usalia's path, Vahn shifted his attention to Fenrir. To his surprise, she seemed to have already made her decision, a serious look on her face as she said, "I'm going to participate in the javelin toss."Though her decision was a little odd, it had been decades since Vahn questioned Fenrir's decisions. Instead, he just adopted a smile, musing, "I almost feel bad for the people competing against you."Snorting through her nose with a proud expression on her face, Fenrir's tail began to gently waggle even as Vahn's attention shifted to Shirayukihime.Understanding it was her turn to speak, Hime adopted a slightly awkward smile as she asked, "Does the women's swimming event require a swimsuit?"Nodding his head, Vahn explained, "For the sake of fairness, each competitor will be supplied all the necessary equipment to participate. There is also a provision that prohibits the use of Divinity, Gifts, Spiritual Energy, and Magic. In other words, everyone will be competing using their physical bodies. After all, this is a friendly competition."Since he knew she would ask, Vahn created a three-dimensional projection of Hime wearing a white and blue sports swimsuit. It left very little to the imagination but it was a heck of a lot more modest than the string bikini she was expecting.Though she couldn't help exhaling a sigh, Hime still nodded her head in understanding. Swimming was the only event she could realistically compete in without her powers, so, unless she chose to sit this one out, her options were limited. Since she wanted to be of service to her Master, Vahn, there was no way around it. She would swallow her shame and do her best.Resisting the temptation to remind Hime that she could participate using her true body, Vahn just smiled before shifting his attention to the next person in line, Sarina. When their eyes met, he could see her throat move up and down, a faint blush developing across her face as she stated, "I'm going to participate in the Horse Race. I'm not all that confident in my strength but I learned how to ride a horse during my time in the Game Board. I prefer a saddle but I'm confident riding bareback..."Now understanding the reason for Sarina's blush, a light chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as every girl at the table shifted their gazes to the raven-haired teen. Seraphina, in particular, seemed genuinely impressed by Sarina's bravado, hand covering her mouth as she exclaimed, "Oh my! How bold~!"Blushing even fiercer due to Seraphina's remark, Sarina eventually had to cover her face with both hands before sinking into her chair. Her remark had been intentional but that didn't mean it wasn't embarrassing.Sparing Sarina the awkwardness of prolonged silence, Vahn restrained his laughter as he directed a smile towards Nono. In response, the auburn-haired beauty returned a delicate smile of her own as she softly declared, "I will stay home to look after the children."Understanding that Nono was functionally powerless without her Gifts, Vahn simply nodded his head in understanding before shifting his gaze to the only person not seated at the table, Leticia. She took her duties as his 'Personal Maid' very seriously, so, while everyone else was sitting around the table, she had been standing next to him in a black and white maid outfit.Offering a curt yet polite bow, Leticia raised her head before stating, "I was going to participate in the Javelin Toss. However, as that honor has been taken by Lady Fenrir, I have chosen to participate in the archery event. I am confident in my ability to secure the Gold Medal."Though her words might sound arrogant to others, Vahn knew full well that Leticia was more than capable of securing the gold. There was a chance an outlier might appear, but, unless they were a literal God or some kind of Ancient Titan, there was little chance of them outperforming Leticia in a contest of strength and accuracy...-----------------------------------------------[Status]Name: Leticia Vespula DraculeaAge: 1637(23,492), AgelessRace: Vampire Lord, Demon, True Dragon(sealed)Parameters: [Transcendental Path to Heaven]Strength: 19,688,012SAgility: 401,444ADexterity: 712,105AIntelligence: 742,259ALuck: 19,411BSpirit: 1,005,437AWisdom: 882,599SCharisma: 629,793SDivinity: N/AAuthority: Overall Floor Master(sealed), Sun Authority: Ophiuchus(sealed)Soul Tier: 5Karma: 56,713,294,112,003(A/N: O_O...)Innate(s): [Child of Destiny: SSS], [Shinso Origin Bloodline: SSS], [Descendant of the Dragon: SS], [Lord of Shadows: SS], [Ophiuchus: (sealed)]Gift(s): [Lord of Vampire: SS], [Deceased Dragon's Portrait: S], [Sun Authority: Ophiuchus(sealed)], [Game Board: Millennium Castle(sealed)], [Game Board: Twilight Castle(sealed)]Talent(s): [Etiquette: S], [Swordsmanship: A], [Spearmanship: A], [Archery: A], [Riding: A], [Shadow Manipulation: SS], [Service: A], [Cooking: B], [Cleaning: B], literally hundreds more~.-----------------------------------------------While her parameters were quite a bit lower than his, disregarding Luck and Karma, Leticia was head and shoulders over the average resident of the Little Garden. Once he helped her to recover her Divinity, she would grow even stronger.Nodding his head in approval of his own thoughts, a smile developed across Vahn's face as he clapped his hands together and exclaimed, "Great! With the exception of Nono, everyone seems to have decided on the event they want to participate in. If you'd like to practice, just let me know. I've already finished working on the Game Board quite some time ago. The actual event is in seven days but I can literally give you as much time as you need."Though his words weren't intended as an innuendo, a rather fierce blush developed across Sarina's face. This left Vahn feeling a little helpless, but, considering they had spent weeks indulging in sex over the past two and a half days, he wasn't too surprised. Her stamina was a little lacking but she was quite the little nymph in the bedroom.Ignoring Sarina's reaction, at least for the moment, Vahn looked around to see if anyone else had anything to say before promptly dismissing them. They had already eaten dinner and it was long past their usual bedtime. This meant his night was only just beginning, but, rather than complain, he was quite looking forward to it.........As the others were all pretty confident in their ability to secure a Gold Medal, the only person to take Vahn up on his offer, at least officially, was Hime. He had told her she could use her dragon form if she really wanted to, but, fearing she might lower the Community's reputation by resorting to such methods, Hime was determined to win the event in her human form.Fortunately for Vahn, this meant he got to watch Hime swimming back and forth in a massive pool a literal kilometer in length. She had always been a remarkably beautiful woman, but, seeing her in a form-fitting one-piece that perfectly hugged her figure, he couldn't help feeling like the luckiest man in existence."I'm glad you asked me to accompany you. This memory is going straight into my most cherished collection. Hahahahahaha~."Having just pulled herself out of the water, Hime nearly slipped and hit the edge of the pool when she heard Vahn's words. She was, fortunately, able to catch herself but when she looked up at him her usually impassive expression had morphed into an extremely bashful look as she blushed to the very tips of her pointed, elf-like ears."Master...please don't say such things without warning...I need to prepare my heart..."Demonstrating just how bashful she could be, Hime elected to sit on the edge of the pool with her back facing Vahn. She had been seen naked by him countless times, but, no matter how much time they spent together, she still behaved like a chaste maiden. It was honestly adorable, and, for a brief moment, Vahn had to summon every ounce of his willpower just to resist pushing her into the pool and promptly joining her.("Stay focused...")(*...*)Ignoring the judgmental silence in the back of his mind, Vahn suppressed his rising urges as he held up his stopwatch and asked, "You ready to go again? If you're feeling sore, I can give your arms and legs a quick massage. Nothing lewd."Though her first instinct was to politely refuse, Hime's mind blanked when she heard Vahn promise he wouldn't do anything lewd. She would never admit it, but, for a very brief moment, she actually felt a little disappointed..."Very well..."Since she was feeling sore after swimming several kilometers with her powers sealed, Hime waited for Vahn to place down a towel before laying flat on her stomach. Her body tensed and began to heat up the moment he knelt next to her, but, true to his word, Vahn never once targeted any of her more sensitive regions. Instead, he focused primarily on her calves, the lower half of her thighs, and the muscles supporting her rotator cuffs. This helped her muscles relax but it also caused her to feel a growing frustration until Vahn leaned down to whisper, "If you improve your time by ten seconds, I'll make sure to give you a proper 'reward'..."......Fortunately for Shirayukihime, Vahn was nothing if not a man of his word.......(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn isn't going to let any other men touch his wives/lovers xD...','Sarina is quite bold (O w O)...','Dragon waifu working hard~')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Though they had already stopped accepting applications for participation, that didn't stop people from flocking to the Sage Dragon's Hearth in droves. Rather, once it became common knowledge that Vahn had the means to hand out hundreds of personalized Gifts without batting an eye, even famous Communities were extending invitations to cooperate. Unfortunately, this wasn't necessarily a good thing..."Your Community has made quite the name for itself these past couple of months. However, if you truly wish to ascend to the top, you'll need the backing of powerful allies. If you agree to become a part of our Alliance, we will do everything in our power to help you reach your full potential."As this was not his first time receiving such an offer, Vahn simply smiled at the handsome, silver-haired man seated across from him. He had sharp, intelligent features, lilac-colored eyes, and an outfit reminiscent of a Shinigami Captain. This included a sleek black kimono fastened by a grey sash, short black socks, black gloves that failed to cover his entire palms, and a dual-colored haori that was white on the outside and royal blue within."I'm afraid your journey has been for naught, Souta-dono. My Community does not require the assistance of others to reach its full potential. If you've nothing else to discuss, please finish your tea and be on your way."Though his expression didn't change, Vahn could tell Souta was bothered by how his previously placid aura began to fluctuate like a flame disturbed by a strong wind. The man was the second son of the Japanese God of Wind, Fuujin. He was also here at the behest of Kotoamatsukami, one of the top three factions within the East Side, so he didn't take kindly to being dismissed in such a succinct manner."Vahn-dono...I implore you to reconsider. As a Pure-Blooded Dragon, you have every right to be confident in your strength. However, raw power becomes meaningless once you transition to the lower-digit Gates. You see, here in the Divine Realm, true power comes from three things: a being's origin, how clearly defined their existence is, and their authority. I believe you've heard about the existence of Poets, yes...?"Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn gestured for Souta to continue. He really didn't care what the man had to say, but, who knows? He might be able to provide an iota of insight into the inner workings of the Divine Realm."You see, Poets have the power to influence concepts and alter the perception of others. To prevent this, denizens of the Divine Realm work tirelessly to cement their 'image' in the hearts and minds of others. The stronger this image is, the more stable their existence becomes. In rare instances, those with clearly defined existence can even develop something known as a Fragment of Origin. Without one, a Poet can redefine who you are on a whim. If they spread a rumor stating you were actually a woman, you would become one. If they said you were as powerless as an ant, you would be..."Unable to restrain the urge, an exasperated sigh escaped Vahn's mouth as he shook his head and asked, "Do you take me for a fool? I am well aware of the existence of Poets. Though their power is as you've professed, the conditions to activate it are extremely strict. If you've got a point to make, get to it. I have better things to do than sit here and listen to you try and scare me into joining the Kotoamatsukami."Suppressing his growing fury, Souta did his best to appear calm as he squinted his lilac eyes and answered, "Our Alliance is backed by three of the most famous Poets in the East Side. Kagutsuchi-sama has also taken an interest in your abilities as a craftsman. So long as you agree to our terms, he is prepared to accept you as his official disciple..."Noticing the 'mockery' in Vahn's eyes, Souta's words gradually trailed off his expression morphed into an unamused glower. He could tell the former wasn't taking him seriously. More importantly, his behavior was a direct insult to Kagutsuchi, the God of Fire and the Patron God of Blacksmiths.Had Vahn been anyone else, Souta would have cut him down on the spot. Unfortunately, even his father, one of the eldest and most powerful Shinto Gods, was cautious of the Dragon seated across from him. After all, Vahn's power was a complete anomaly. They had originally thought he might be a descendant of Meng Zhang, the Azure Dragon. Unfortunately, this was quickly refuted by the Jade Palace, who, much like them, had taken an interest in the anomalous Dragon.After taking a deep breath to calm his fury, Souta's expression gradually relaxed as he said, "I had high hopes prior to this visit. I can't express how disappointed I am that things ended up this way..."Shrugging dismissively, Vahn gestured toward the door as he said, "They didn't have to. You could have left when I gave you permission. Instead, you attempt to threaten me and even had the gall to insult me by offering me a position as someone else's disciple. Next time, bring your daddy. Better yet, bring Amaterasu. At least then your threats might have some weight behind them.""How da-"Finished with the conversation, Vahn snapped his fingers and promptly ejected Souta from the Sage Dragon's Hearth. To add insult to injury, he teleported each member of the man's entourage in the air above him. This caused a bit of a scene, but, having already dismissed the arrogant envoy from his mind, Vahn just popped his back before sprawling out and whining, "Lap pillow, lap pillow~" in a mock-spoiled tone.Exhaling a soft, inaudible sigh, Leticia made her way over, monotonously muttering, "Yes, Master..." in a soothing tone as she sat down and guiding Vahn's head to her lap. Then, as her fingers combed through his hair, she asked, "Are you sure about this? While Kotoamatsukami's power might not be a threat to you, their influence among the 4-Digit Communities will make becoming one that much harder...""Mmm...you're not wrong...Confused by Vahn's nonchalance, a very slight frown marred Leticia's doll-like features as she softly inquired, "Then why...?"Since it wasn't really a secret, Vahn just chuckled before explaining, "I have a bit of history with the Shinto Gods. I won't go into too many details but it might amuse you to learn I have, not one, but two Amaterasu(s) in my harem. If you count Tamamo, it's more like 2.5..."Deadpanning in response to Vahn's words, Leticia gave him a light poke as she pointedly asked, "You really do have a thing for women with fluffy ears and tails, don't you...?""Mmm...you're not wrong..."......While Leticia was busy pulling his cheeks in the other room, another version of Vahn was cuddled up in the nursery with Fenrir, Usalia, and several of his children. As for the rest, they were running around and playing with Companions roughly the same size as themselves."This is a lot easier when they have someone else to pester, plip...""Hey now..."Though he didn't mind if she complained when they were alone, Vahn didn't want their children to hear Usalia's grumbling.Realizing what she had said, Usalia's expression paled, ears drooping as she muttered, "Sorry..." in a sincerely apologetic tone. Vahn worked a lot harder than she did when it came to looking after and their children so she couldn't help feeling guilty when she heard the tone he was using.Shaking his head, Vahn's expression softened as he bent down to plant a kiss atop Usalia's. This caused the tensions in her body to relax, but, as was often the case when it came to parenting, that was the exact moment Luna decided to wake up and start crying.Extending his hand, Vahn made a motion as if he was turning down the volume on an analog TV. As a result, Luna's crying quickly became a distant murmur as he retrieved her from Usalia's hands and said, "The two of you can keep relaxing and watching over the children. I'll take care of this."As he spoke, an apparatus resembling false breasts appeared around Vahn's chest. Feeding a dozen ravenous bunnies had left Usalia's breasts feeling pretty tender, so, while he would never transform into her, he didn't mind helping out using artificial mammaries filled with her breast milk.........With the East Side abuzz with conversations regarding the upcoming Gift Game hosted by Vahn and the Sage Dragon's Hearth, it was only natural that Izayoi, Asuka, and Yo had heard the news. Rather, thanks to Black Rabbit, they had learned about the specifics even before the members of Vahn's Community."So, we doing this or what...?"Nodding her head in affirmation, Asuka answered, "Of course. Registration may have already come to an end but there's no way that perverted lizard will be able to refuse a request from Black Rabbit. We just need to convince Jin."Smirking in response to Asuka's words, Izayoi was about to comment when Yo, still garbed in her vanargandr-themes onesie, said, "Asuka...you shouldn't speak badly about Vahn. I know his actions upset you but he was just trying to help...I'm sure of it..."Exhaling a sigh, Asuka cradled her head as she complained, "I really don't understand what you see in that man, Yo. Anyone who surrounds themselves with that many women can't be a good person."Adopting a slight pout, Yo wanted to refute Asuka's words but couldn't. She hadn't really interacted with any boys prior to coming to the Divine Realm but she knew enough to be wary of ruffians and womanizers. She didn't believe Vahn was either, but, knowing he was in a relationship with at least five women made it difficult to argue in his favor..."Hey, don't say that. Having a harem is the dream of men and boys alike. Liking beautiful women doesn't make us bad people. Besides, as far as I can tell, that perverted lizard you mentioned keeps the women around him happy. I might not like the guy but he's clearly doing something right."Snorting through her nose, Asuka elected to simply ignore Izayoi's remark as she said, "Anyways, we still need to convince Jin. After that, we just need to talk to Black Rabbit and decide which of the 43 events we want to participate in. I was considering Horse Racing.""I'll take care of the great runt. As for my event...I was thinking about participating in the Boxing competition. Since we can't use our Gifts, I'm hoping at least one person will be able to withstand my punches."Shaking her head, Asuka muttered, "Men..." in an exasperated whisper before directing her gaze to Yo and asked, "What about you, Yo? I remember you being pretty light on your feet when we first arrived."With a fiery light in her eyes, Yo balled her hands into fists as she said, "I'm going to participate in the Pankration. I'm not sure I can win without my Gift but I'm confident I can secure a medal.""The Pankration? Isn't that the event that combines boxing with wrestling? Are you sure you want to participate in such a violent competition...?"Worried that Yo might be getting in over her head, Asuka was already thinking of ways to try and dissuade her. Unfortunately, her words appeared to have the opposite effect as Yo seemed even more determined, answering, "I want to fight...!" like a typical battle junky. This left Asuka feeling more than a little exasperated, but, not wanting to take the wind out of her friend's sails, she just smiled and said, "Very well, then. Now, let's hurry. If we wait much longer, we might not even be able to participate..."Nodding her head in understanding, Yo bade farewell to Izayoi before accompanying Asuka to track down Black Rabbit. They were confident in Izayoi's ability to convince Jin so they were intending to meet up with their Community's mascot before paying a visit to Vahn at the Sage Dragon's Hearth. Fortunately, Yo had found a pretty nice brush when she and Asuka went shopping so she was a lot more prepared than she was the last time.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Souta be like, "My Father will hear of this...!"','Imagine Vahn forgetting to take those off due to a surprise attack...','Ha! Jokes on you. Fenrir has her own brush (O w O)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After the fiasco that was their conflict against the Perseus Community, Vahn had come to the conclusion that it was time to improve the Sage Dragon Hearth's standing. There was only so much he could do as the Leader of a 6-Digit Community, so, before things got even further out of hand, he wanted to improve their standing within the Little Garden.Fortunately, there were well over a hundred Communities making up the Burgeoning Communities Accord. It was also possible to host a Gift Game without penalizing the participants, so, by hosting a high-brow game that promised rewards for every participant, Vahn was pretty sure he could secure their status as a 5-Digit Community.The problems came after that.The 1, 2, and 3-Digit Gates existed separately from the 4, 5, 6, and 7-Digit Gates. In ancient times, the Gates outside the central three were known as the mortal plane. There were Gods, Demons, and countless other creatures inhabiting it, but, by and large, the entities living in the Outer Gates were mortal.Though it was possible to transition from a 4-Digit Gate to a 3-Digit one, the effort required was beyond comprehension. Thus, while a handful of beings possessed even greater power, the highest position anyone could hope to achieve in the Outer Gates was the position of Floor Master.To qualify for the position of Floor Master, the only requirement was that you belonged to a 4-Digit Community. After that, you would need to either defeat the previous Floor Master in a Gift Game or be nominated as their successor.Since most of the beings capable of holding the position of Floor Master possessed some form of immortality, defeating them in a Gift Game was the most common method of acquiring the highly coveted title. The succession method was generally only used in the North Side as the Salamandra Community had effectively ruled over the North as Royalty for generations.With the 4-Digit Communities representing the pinnacle most people could hope to achieve, the requirements for becoming one were high. You needed ten other 5-Digit Communities to pledge loyalty to your Flag. After that, you needed an additional one-thousand sub-Communties to declare their allegiance to the Communities serving under you.Once these two conditions were fulfilled, the last step required you to convince at least nine 4-Digit Communities to place their rankings on the line in a war-like Gift Game. One of these Communities needed to be within the top 2500 and the entire event would be presided over by the current Floor Master.Fortunately, emerging as the ultimate victor within the Game was not necessary to improve the standing of your Community. You just needed to avoid being the first eliminated.While these conditions sounded difficult to achieve, the hardest part was convincing the existing 4-Digit Communities to place their ranks on the line. The prestige they would lose upon their defeat was so extreme that most simply weren't willing to risk it. After all, it was within these 4-Digit Gates that the Gods ruling over the lower realms were created and destroyed.Because the 4-Digit Gates still existed within the Little Garden's mortal plane, the Gods ruling over them comprised the various Pantheons found in the lower realms. For this reason, there were quite a few powerful deities that refused to ascend to a lower-digit Gate as they were simply too attached to their fame. They refused to give it up for the chance to gain true authority over the lower realms, as, from their perspective, it simply didn't matter.In other words, becoming a 4-Digit Community meant competing against Gods, Deities, Demons, Dragons, and other species that had made names for themselves across innumerable realities. This included the Olympians, the Biblical Faction, the Japanese Pantheon, the Nine Realms(Norse), and thousands of other organizations with comparable power and authority........."The way you talk, it almost sounds like you intend to become a Floor Master..."Looking down at the petite demoness sitting in his lap, Vahn nodded his head, saying, "Based on your prior words and actions, I can assume the political situation of the 3-Digit Gates and lower is going to be a nightmare. I want to try and fix things in the Outer Gates before I get involved with those ancient and timeless creatures.""Hmm..."Though she wasn't too surprised by Vahn's desire to become a Floor Master, Shiroyasha didn't want him to take up her position. He could change his appearance, sure, but it would cause a number of incongruencies in the lower realms if the subsequent Floor Master wasn't of Eastern Origin. This was the reason she had been trying to garner his interest in the North and South Sides. There, he would fit right in as the North was literally ruled by a clan of Lesser Dragons while the South was filled with unique and interesting creatures."Perhaps it is fate...?"Furrowing his brows, Vahn asked, "What do you mean...?"Amused by his reaction, a teasing smile developed across Shiroyasha's face as she explained, "Your Gift to the South has saved his life but Draco Grief is still intending to step down in the near future. At the same time, the Northern Floor Master is preparing to abdicate so that his youngest daughter can assume the position. The latter is scheduled to take place three months from now. If you time it right, you may be able to install yourself as the next Floor Master through Rite of Challenge..."Raising his brows this time, innumerable thoughts ran through Vahn's mind as he asked, "Wasn't Salamandra part of the previous alliance with the No-Names? It seems a bit mean spirited to take away the authority of a former ally..."Supplying one of her characteristic giggles, Shiroyasha traced her index finger across Vahn's chest as she mused, "Former being the key word. The current Leader of the Salamandra Community has always been greedy and licentious. He was so afraid of being implicated by the Alliance that ruined the No Names that he didn't even try to send support. To add insult to injury, he took advantage of the fact that most people couldn't remember who the No Names were to secretly anull the alliance. In other words, that bastard betrayed his allies just to save his own skin..."Sharpening her nail, Shiroyasha left a thin line across Vahn's chest. Revealing such information had a price, so, while he was busy contemplating her words, she leaned forward to lap up the carmine liquid flowing from the wound.After investigating matters on his own, Vahn knew quite a bit about the situation in the North and South. The information Shiroyasha provided just helped to provide a bit of perspective. Sure, it was a perspective through her heavily biased lens, but, having already come this far, he wasn't going to just ignore the petite demoness's input. She was basically his Loki 2.0, and, despite her mischievous nature, he knew she was acting in the interest of the Little Garden, not the Divine Realm."Three months is a bit of a time crunch but I should be able to manage if I go public with some of my abilities. The only question is...can my Community even challenge the Northern Floor Master...?"Understanding Vahn's confusion, Shiroyasha licked the excess blood from her lips before looking up at him and explaining, "Under normal circumstances, you would need to relocate to the region you wished to challenge. Things are a little different in the North. You see, whenever their authority shifts from one generation to another, they hold a grand festival and art display. It's a bit of a loop hole, but the celebration includes a clause that allows anyone, be they native or foreign, to initiate a Gift Game. Since there aren't any rules prohibiting challenges against Salamandra itself, they would have no choice but to accept. You just need to prepare a chip they can't refuse."Though he wasn't particularly fond of bullying the weak, Vahn understood this was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss. Besides, he wasn't fond of the idea that the next Leader of Salamandra was an eleven-year-old girl. Sure, she might be remarkably powerful but there was no way such a young girl was mentally prepared to govern nearly 2.5 million Communities. He also found it hard to believe that someone described as greedy and licencious by Shiroyasha would simply abdicate their position. In other words, someone was taking action behind the scenes to install Sandora, the name of the aforementioned eleven-year-old, as Floor Master.Resisting the temptation to have Loi-chan transform into Shiroyasha and simply reveal everything, a smile developed across Vahn's face as he answered, "Sounds simple enough. I'll just wager myself once word regarding my abilities begins to circulate. As coveted as the position of Floor Master is, I doubt the Central Network would evaluate it as being of greater value than he ability to produce a functionally unlimited number of Gifts."Unable to contain herself, Shiroyasha began laughing loudly in response to Vahn's remark. When she was done, she had to wipe a stray tear as she said, "You're not wrong. However, even if you're supremely confident in yourself, you should keep that ability a secret. Just being a Pure-Blooded Dragon is more than enough as collateral. After all, the Royal Family of Salamandra is comprised of Lesser Dragons. They would do anything to get their hands on a Pure-Blooded Dragon."Understanding the implication behind Shiroyasha's words, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he imagined Sandora pining after him like every other female Dragon he had come across...Shaking that thought from his mind, Vahn began massaging around the base of Shiroyasha's tail as he said, "The next three months are going to be pretty busy..."Feeling a fire spread through her abdomen, a seductive light flashed across Shiroyasha's eyes as her body swelled in size. She had been drawing his blood nearly every day for the past couple of weeks, so, despite having most of her power sealed, she could now manifest in her true form. She was still a little petite, but, compared to her previous form, her appearance was breathtaking. After all, prior to having her demonic nature sealed, she was among the top ten most beautiful Goddesses in the Divine Realm..."Then I suppose we should make the most of the time we have left..."......In an effort to make things easier for himself, Vahn hired the Thousand Eyes Community to help spread the word that he would be providing personalized, Gift-Quality Weapons and Armors to any Communities willing to participate in his Gift Game. To sweeten the deal even further, he mentioned there would be no cost to participate. In other words, all they had to do was sign up, and, even if they surrendered the moment the Gift Game began, they would still be rewarded.To further incentivize the participants, the format Vahn decided upon was the Olympics. In other words, it would be a bunch of sporting events with very few pertaining to combat. The medalists of each event would be able to exchange them with the Sage Dragon's Hearth for additional, A, B, and C-Rank Gifts. With 43 events and a number of rules limiting multiple participations, the chances of each participant winning a Gift were remarkably high.Since most high-brow Gift Games included a singular Grand Prize that Communities had to pay a steep price just for a chance to obtain, news of a Gift Game that rewarded Communities for their participation had taken the East Side by storm. Most people refused to believe it at first. After all, even annual events hosted by Floor Masters only rewarded a handful of Gifts.The notion that a prospective 5-Digit Community could stake hundreds of Gifts in a single Gift Game sounded like utter nonsense to the vast majority of people. As a result, most people treated it as a simple rumor until a number of Communities began to come forward professing that they had, in fact, received personalized Gifts just for signing up. After that, Vahn had to ask Thousand Eyes to issue an amendment as more than 400 Communities had signed up to participate over the course of a 48 hour period.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Gods comprising the various Pantheons are petty cunts competing for popularity. Who would have thought?','Floor Master Vahn has a nice ring to it...','Vahn is well on his way to becoming the Last Embryo representing excess...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2120: Event Selection and Practice