Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he could trust the girls to meet his expectations, that didn't mean Vahn had nothing to do. He still needed to convince multiple 4-Digit Communities to participate in his upcoming Gift Game, so, following Shiroyasha's suggestion, he sent a missive to the Jade Palace requesting an audience.After eleven days, leaving him with just 48 until the Coronation Ceremony in the North, Vahn finally received a response from the Jade Palace. They, or, more specifically, the Jade Emperor had invited him to participate in an event known as Zao Shin's Immortal Banquet.As the Jade Palace and its affiliate Communities believed in the ideology that gathering strength was to stand in opposition to Heaven, they were constantly competing amongst themselves in an effort to determine who was the strongest. Zao Shin's Immortal Banquet was an event where each of the Gods, Sages, Faeries, and Immortals affiliated with the Jade Palace would gather together to feast, and, more importantly, challenge each other for a more dominant position within the Imperial Court.Simply put, by inviting Vahn to participate in Zao Shin's Immortal Banquet, the Jade Emperor was giving him a platform to debut within the Imperial Court. The Communities affiliated with the Jade Palace respected strength and wisdom over all else. So long as he could prove himself their equal or better, Vahn would be accepted into the Immortal community without question.While he appreciated the Jade Emperor's very obvious intentions, Vahn had absolutely no desire to tie his fate to the Jade Palace. He wasn't particularly fond of the mentality that most people aspiring to become Immortals possessed. They regarded normal people as little more than cattle, and, more often than not, oppressed anyone outside their immediate line of succession.Though there were a few notable exceptions, nearly every cultivation/murim/wuxia novel Vahn had ever read revolved around a very similar premise. The Main Character almost always started out as a normal person or a cripple with a prestigious background. Everyone they came across, with the sole exception of potential love interests, venerable seniors willing to sacrifice everything for them, and simple-minded childhood friends who were no better than patsies, was a heartless monster, pervert, or someone with a massive ego who spared no effort to try and suppress or outright kill them.The thing that annoyed Vahn the most about such a premise was that, more often than not, even the close family and relatives of the Main Character treated them poorly. As a result, when the MC finally gained some kind of fate-defying power, their first victims were almost always their own kin. Then, despite being a clan that had dominated their regions for hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years, the very next town over would be filled with powerful experts that could have easily taken over the MC's hometown.One of the most ridiculous things Vahn had ever read was a cultivation novel where the Imperial Family of the MC's starting world or continent wasn't even in the top ten in terms of power. While there was nothing inherently wrong with this, the thing that irked him was the fact that they were described as having thousands of years of history and a tremendous amount of wealth during their initial introduction. Then, a few hundred chapters later, there were literally bandits and thieves with even greater cultivation than the literal Guardians of the Imperial Family, yet, instead of taking over and ruling as Emperor, they remained simple thugs in a region where any stray Young Master could kill them with a wave of their hand...As the Communities affiliated with the Jade Palace adhered to these kinds of sensibilities, it wasn't an exaggeration to say they were among the most contentious and confrontational groups on the East Side. Were it not for the existence of Shiroyasha, they likely would have taken over a long time ago. Instead, they treated their individual Communities as closed worlds/realms, each containing a society that directly reflected the types of stories Vahn had read about.With the Little Garden having a surface area equivalent of a medium-sized star, not even counting the surrounding landmass, it was possible for large Communities and Alliances to dominate an area even larger than a planet. This, combined with the fact that a Community's territory could be much larger than the plot of land they were assigned, allowed the more ambitious Gods to create literal metaversal structures that were wholly unaware of the existence of the Little Garden.While he wasn't particularly fond of the way they regarded their people, Vahn couldn't actually pass judgment on this particular subject. After all, he was host to an ever-growing number of metaversal structures. He had even converted a part of his Little Garden into an experimental testing ground so that he could better understand how societies developed and changed under certain conditions. He had even allowed a hell-like layer to form within, a place where negative energy pooled to produce creatures evocative of eldritch horrors...In the end, the only real difference between Vahn and the beings presiding over the three hundred thousand Immortal Communities was the fact that he cared more. He didn't view the people living within his Little Garden as resources. Instead, he had created a system where everyone, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, had a chance to be happy. Those that sought power were given the chance to obtain it while those who simply wished to live in peace could literally reside in a sub-dimensional plane reminiscent of Avalon or the Garden of Eden.From a subjective point of view, the structure of Vahn's personalized Little Garden was idyllic to the point of defying reason. Unfortunately, even this didn't really give him the right to judge others, as, even at the pinnacle of Tier 5, there was a limit to the amount of power and influence the Creators of various metaversal structures could exercise whilst under the influence of the Law of Equivalent Exchange. They needed to expend their Divine Power in order to create worlds, and, depending on the complexity of the verse, their powers would be drastically weakened. This was a limitation that simply didn't apply to Vahn as his body was basically a factory that produced an unlimited amount of Source. He might experience a bit of backlash from creating an Actualized World, but, after a few hours of rest, he would be fully recovered and demonstrably more powerful.........With the invitation allowing him to bring two additional guests, Vahn asked Fenrir and Mikoto to accompany him. The latter had decided to join the Sage Dragon's Hearth along with most of the girls that hadn't formed Communities of their own. She was also intimately familiar with the Laws of Lightning and Tribulation, so, if push came to shove, she had more than enough power to teach the participants of the banquet a lesson."Talk about excessive..."Smiling in response to Mikoto's remark, Vahn stared up at a massive gate that was more than a thousand meters in height. The Gods of cultivation worlds were among the most extravagant, so, prior to attending the feast, Vahn had been required to ascend to Heaven via a set of ivory white steps that had descended from clouds of gold.Though there had been tens of thousands of steps, it only took a few minutes for Vahn to ascend past the clouds and through an invisible membrane connecting to the Jade Palace's 'Lower Heaven'. This was the place where most Immortals lived, and, despite appearing as a vast and seemingly infinite expanse of clouds from the outside, the interior was clearly inspired by the Divine Realm. It was a literal island, and, while he couldn't grasp its dimensions, Vahn suspected it was even larger than the actual Divine Realm...Approaching the massive gate, Vahn's smile promptly faded as two gigantic statues, each more than 300m in height, used their massive spears to block his path. Then, in paradoxically soft yet booming tones that resonated through the surrounding void, they synchronously roared, "Thou who hast crossed the Silver Bridge, submit and allow thine bodies to be cleansed of impurity."Without a moment's hesitation, Vahn adopted a resonating tone of his own as he said, "I refuse." with a deadpan expression on his face."IMPUDENCE...!"Punctuating their words, the two statues swept their oversized spears towards Vahn and his two animalistic companions. Fenrir was presently in her wolf form while Mikoto was hanging out on his shoulder as a Pikachu wearing a Raichu hoodie. She had always enjoyed riding on his shoulder, and, though she was more than capable of protecting herself, she had elected to remain in her Pokemon form to reduce the chance of an incident occurring. Neither she nor Fenrir enjoyed being gawked at by licentious, overbearing, and egotistical idiots.Reacting the moment the statues began their assault, a runic pattern manifested across Mikoto's body as she released what appeared to be a very small spark of luminescent golden electricity. It was so small that you could have easily missed it if you weren't looking, yet, in spite of this, both of the statues paused mid-sweep as she said, "Our Master came here at the invitation, not the behest, of the Jade Emperor. The next time you attack him, do not expect mercy."The moment Mikoto finished issuing her threat, cracks began to manifest along the surface of the gigantic spears. Moments later, the inordinately large weapons began to crack and split as vibrant golden electricity danced about their interior. A similarly colored electricity affected the two guards, but, in spite of her words, Mikoto had no intention of killing them. Her paws weren't exactly clean, but, unless the situation forced her hand, she would never go out of her way to kill her opponents.Fortunately for the two guards, they wouldn't have to put her conviction to the test, as, immediately after their weapons were destroyed, a raucous laugh echoed through the surroundings. Then, from atop the massive gate, a rather heroic-looking man with three eyes, accompanied by a peculiar dog with ivory white fur and amber eyes descended like meteors towards the Silver Bridge.With a body covered in silvery golden armor and an inordinately large spear in hand, the three-eyed man adopted a friendly yet challenging smile on his face as he rose to his feet and said, "It has been centuries since anyone dared to threaten the Menshen. You said you were invited by the Jade Emperor? State your names. If you are who you profess to be, I, Erlang Shen, shall escort you to the Jade Palace. If it turns out you are lying, however..."Brandishing his spear, Erlang Shen caused a wave of pressure to descend upon Vahn, Fenrir, and Mikoto. To the God's surprise, none of them so much as flinched as Vahn proferred forth a letter, smiling as he said, "We have no reason to conceal our identities. Tell your father that Vahn Aldrnari Mason and his two companions have arrived."Recognizing the name, Erlang Shen's surprise turned into sincere exhilaration as he shouldered his spear and exclaimed, "You're the Pure-Blooded Dragon that recently appeared in the East! I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time! Please, enter! This old fellow will be more than happy to show you around~!"As rumors regarding Vahn had already disseminated through the Jade Palace and the surrounding Heavens, Erlang Shen wasn't lying when he said he was looking forward to their meeting. The thing he conveniently neglected to mention was that every War God in the Heavenly Domain was looking forward to trading blows with the Little Garden's most recent star. They knew Vahn was remarkably powerful, but, until they had confirmed it for themselves, most of the warriors representing the Jade Palace couldn't help looking down on him. Erlang Shen was no exception to this, so, while his smile was sincere, there was also a fierce glimmer in his eyes as he scrutinized Vahn like a succulent piece of dragon steak.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Deadlines are never fun o_o...','The return of Mikotochu~!','Battle junkies and bricks have a lot in common...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With most forms of flight being limited within the Heavenly Domain, Vahn and co were asked to board a silvery gondola whose base was surrounded by billowy, golden clouds.Using an ornate piece of white wood that only vaguely resembled an oar, the gondolier waved it through the clouds as if they were a liquid medium. This allowed the rather ornate-looking boat to move through the sky at a surprisingly swift speed, a comet-like trail following in its wake.Gazing out over the gondola's side, Vahn had to admit that the Heavenly Domain was a remarkably beautiful place. There were a number of ancient-looking ruins dotting the scenery, massive spheres that resembled miniature planets drifting through the sky, and, in the distance, a palace of jade so massive that it appeared to divide the world in two."Quite the view, isn't it?"Nodding his head in response, Vahn shifted his attention from the scenery to the man, or, more specifically, the God seated across from him. Erlang Shen was one of the more prominent Gods in Chinese Mythology. He had originally made a name for himself as a God of Infrastructure, but, after Sun Wukong ran rampant through the Heavens, he eventually rose up to become one of the most powerful warrior deities affiliated with the Jade Palace. His companion, the Howling Celestial Dog, had also been elevated to the status of Venerable Elder of all canines, and, according to legends, its howl could weaken demons while drastically strengthening allies.Noticing the husky-like beast staring at Fenrir, Vahn's brows furrowed as he said, "You're playing with fire, little pup."Turning to meet Vahn's gaze, the Howling Celestial Dog, in a deep and manly voice, answered, "You misunderstand my intentions. I am merely admiring the quality of her fur. It is obvious you've taken very good care of her. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little jealous."Hearing the ivory white dog's statement, most of the enmity that had been building within Fenrir's heart and mind immediately faded away. She didn't approve of the way he was looking at her but she could forgive him if he kept complimenting her Master."Besides, I already have seventy-three wives and more pups than I can count. As tantalizing as your companion's haunches are, I'm not exactly wanting for mates."Changing her mind in an instant, Fenrir bared her teeth, a low growl emanating from her throat as she stated, "Choose your words carefully. The only person who can talk about my haunches is my Master."Not expecting Fenrir to speak, a curious light flashed across the Howling Celestial Dog's amber eyes as it adopted a remarkably human smile. Then, with audible amusement in its tone, it stated, "Worry not, young one. I have no intention of stealing you from your Master."Unamused by the implication that he had any hope of stealing her away, a bluish-black aura began to rise from Fenrir's body until Vahn plopped his hand atop her head and said, "Calm down. He isn't trying to antagonize you. Even if he was, you have no reason to get upset. There isn't a force in this world that could take you from me."Though the Howling Celestial Dog frowned in response to Vahn's words, Fenrir practically beamed as she rubbed her head against his palm.Interrupting the strange atmosphere, Erlang Shen had a slightly incredulous look on his face as he remarked, "Your words make it sound as though you lay with beasts. Take it from me, friend. Even if she can transform into a human, you should not engage in such deviant-"Furrowing his brows, Vahn met Erlang Shen's gaze, stating, "You would do well to mind your own business. I have little tolerance for self-righteous fools and bigots..."Adopting a remarkably similar expression, Erlang Shen's friendly facade began to melt away as he said, "Calm yourself, brother. Just as my companion meant no offense, my words were not intended to generate enmity between us. You should not be so quick to place labels and insult others. A less magnanimous God might have taken offense to such a gross disregard for propriety..."Though he wasn't particularly fond of Erlang Shen's words and tone, Vahn couldn't deny the logic contained within. It wasn't like the man was trying to offend him, so, after several tense moments, he gradually relaxed, saying, "I may have overstepped my bounds by calling you a fool and a bigot. For that, I apologize. However, the first half of my statement remains. You shouldn't speak on such matters unless you are intimately familiar with both the person and their circumstances. Arguments made from ignorance are bound to cause offense."Caressing his chin with a gauntleted hand, Erlang Shen seemed to seriously consider Vahn's words before nodding his head in approval, stating, "Now that I have reflected upon them, I can see the wisdom contained in your words. It appears I was in the wrong this time around. Once we reach the Jade Palace, I will be sure to make it up to you. Tell me, Vahn Aldrnari Mason, do you like alcohol...?"Recalling that the Communities formed by Immortals placed a heavy emphasis on compensatory words and actions, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he replied, "Indeed. When the time comes, we can exchange drinks with one another. After all, while your words may have prompted my ire, they were not compelled by hatred or animosity. In that regard, the fault lies with me..."With his shimmering third eye, the Golden Eye of Truth, allowing him to see through illusions and falsehoods, Erlang Shen could tell Vahn was being sincere. His friendly smile immediately returned, as, with the exception of a few venerable Sages, it was pretty hard to find people who were willing to take a step back and admit they were wrong. This drastically increased Vahn's status in his eyes, so much so that he made a silent vow to support the man if anyone tried to bully him during the impending banquet.........After a relatively short, twenty-minute journey, the gondola carrying Vahn, Fenrir, Mikoto, Erlang Shen, and the Howling Celestial Dog finally reached its destination. From far away, it resembled a spiraling staircase that extended thousands of meters into the air despite being fragmented and broken at several parts. Up close, or, more specifically, at the very top of the spiraling staircase was an ornate archway covered in vines that, against logic and reason, produced softball-sized peaches.Upon closer inspection, Vahn also noticed a stream that formed a helix around the structure. There were several breaks in its flow, but, if you were to look closely, it was possible to make out a variety of different fish swimming around the inside as if they were attempting to scale the gravity-defying stream and ascend to heaven. This reminded him of the legend concerning the Dragon's Gate so he was moderately amused when Erlang Shen dutifully explained, "This is one of the gates we use to travel great distances in the Heavenly Domain. In the Mortal World, they refer to these archways as Dragon's Gates. It's said that a carp that manages to swim up the stream and pass through the gate is able to become a dragon, but, as you can see here, the stream doesn't actually intersect with the gate. I once tried carrying a carp through but it ended up slipping from my grasp and falling to the ground without transforming."Seemingly amused by his words, a low chuckle emanated from Erlang Shen's throat as he placed his palm against the glossy, jade-white stone comprising the archway. Immediately thereafter, a portal showing an ancient yet surprisingly bustling cityscape opened at the opposite end. The architecture was reminiscent of a fantasy illustration, but, what truly stood out was the diverse variety of people and races walking about. There were people with animalistic traits, people with bird-like wings, and even a number of demonic-looking individuals present. It was a veritable smorgasbord of races...Noticing Vahn's surprise, a wry smile developed across Erlang Shen's face as he explained, "Though it used to be pretty empty, the Heavenly City surrounding the Jade Palace has come to house more than three-hundred million lesser deities over the past seven thousand years. Most of the residents are pretty weak but you should still be careful about who you offend. Even someone as simple as a beggar might have familial ties to someone in the Imperial Court. Unless you have the ability to see through illusions and deceit, you should be careful who you trust."As if to demonstrate his point, Erlang Shen's form was blurred before coalescing into an aged man with a war-weary expression and a tattered black robe. At the same time, the Howling Celestia Dog shook his body as if he were trying to dry off. When he was finished, his ivory white fur had become a mangy grey, and, though there was still a glimmer of intelligence in its cloudy-brown eyes, it now resembled a stray on its last legs."This is a technique known as the 72 Earthly Transformations. I don't mean to sound braggadocious, but I'm a little too famous. If I were to appear in my normal form, the people wandering the streets would form together as if watching a parade. I'm not particularly shy, but, unless I'm returning from a conquest, I would rather avoid gathering a crowd."Pulling out a tattered bamboo hat, Erlang Shen covered his head in an attempt to conceal his third eye. Then, without waiting to see if Vahn was following behind, he stepped through the portal at a pace that better matched his present appearance. The Howling Celestial Dog immediately followed suit, head lowered and shoulders slumped as if it was just a few steps away from collapsing...Exchanging glances with his two animal companions, Vahn was unsurprised to hear Mikoto say, "I'm already in my Pikachu form. I don't want to look old and ugly."While Mikoto wasn't exactly vain, she still had standards regarding her appearance. She might not like attention but she didn't want people to think she was ugly. Thus, instead of changing her form to appear incognito, she just climbed into the front of Vahn's tunic before settling where Xysteria usually napped. As for Fenrir, she had always taken pride in the beauty of her coat, so, unless she was ordered to transform, she would remain in her current form.Extending his hand, Vahn gave Fenrir's head a pat before adopting a slight smile and following in the direction of Erlang Shen's departure. He wasn't particularly fond of crowds, but, at the same, he didn't really care about concealing his presence or identity. If push came to shove, he was confident he could shove back a lot harder. Thus, even if someone recognized him and tried to make trouble, he didn't, truly, mind. In fact, he quite enjoyed teaching people a lesson.........While most of the Heavenly City's residents remained completely oblivious to Vahn's visit, a few of the more influential Gods had been keeping an eye on him the moment he began his ascent up the Silver Bridge. It was no accident that Erlang Shen had been nearby. Rather, in the days leading up to the Jade Emperor's invitation, the Imperial Court had discussed everything from who would go out to meet him to where he would stay during the banquet.Though many argued that Vahn was receiving far too much consideration for someone that wasn't even part of the Jade Palace, there wasn't much they could say when the Jade Emperor was the one making the concessions. The inordinately handsome God had been keeping a close eye on Vahn's escapades ever since his debut against Leviathan's Tail. He was also one of the few people who had recognized Ziros as a former Deva, so, while others still doubted Vahn's ability, he knew, better than most, how powerful the Sage Dragon had to be in order to secure even a pyrrhic victory. Thus, the moment Vahn sent his message, he immediately convened the Imperial Court before spending the better part of seven days discussing how they would handle him during his stay...He really wanted Vahn to join the Jade Palace.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'How dare you mention Fenrir's fluffy haunches...!','It turns out that Erlang Shen is a pretty chill guy o_o...','Looks like Vahn found himself a fan xD...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With a helpless yet affectionate smile on his face, Vahn was currently staring at a map of the entire Little Garden while Xysteria, clinging to his head and back, curiously observed his actions.If she was just clinging to him, Vahn wouldn't have minded Xysteria's presence. The reason for his mild discomfort was the fact she would periodically sniff his hair, climb into his clothing, and bite him. She was also remarkably clingy, so much so that it was nearly impossible to separate her from him whenever they spent time together."Papa...Papa...hungry...!"Though she was well over three hundred million years old, Xysteria had never really matured. She was an extremely intelligent being, but, for reasons even Da Vinci couldn't understand, her mental development had stalled around the age of an extremely curious toddler. It was really peculiar, as, despite speaking in broken sentences, Xysteria's Wisdom parameter was even higher than Leticia's. She had memorized countless books, studied advanced magecraft, and could even dismantle and fix the advanced machinery produced in the Moon Cell. She just never matured.At first, Vahn thought that Xysteria's stalled mental development was similar to Fenrir's, but, even after spending a considerable amount of time with her, she hadn't progressed. This implied it had something to do with one of her Innates, but, as a being of Chaos, it was hard to ascertain the true nature of Xysteria's abilities. The more you tried to understand her, the greater your surprise when you later discovered that her ability had evolved into something completely different...Holding up an amethyst-colored insect that resembled the crystalline shell of a locust, Vahn said, "It's almost time for lunch. This is your last sna-"Without waiting for Vahn to finish, Xysteria extended her frog-like tongue to latch onto both the locust and his hand. Unfortunately, no matter how much she pulled, she was unable to move either as Vahn adopted a wry smile and muttered, "Someone is about to lose their desert..."With an adorably panicked expression on her face, Xysteria immediately retracted her inordinately long and sticky tongue before nuzzling her cur-covered head against Vahn's neck and lower jaw as she said, "Xysty be good..." in an assertive yet audibly anxious tone."Mmm..."Feeling even more fretful after hearing her Papa's response, Xysteria's body spontaneously became noticeably more malleable as she slithered around Vahn's neck and shoulders before slinking into the collar of his tunic. Moments later, she poked out the upper half of her face, amber eyes focused on the gem-like locust in his hand as she patiently awaited permission to eat it.Since he didn't want to stress his daughter too much, Vahn used a spell to increase the size of the insect as he assured, "Xysty is a good girl..." before drawing it closer to her mouth. In response, she promptly poked out the rest of her head, rows of razor-sharp teeth appearing in her maw as she bit down on the nigh-indestructible insectoid as if it was a rice cracker.Understanding she was probably going to curl up in his tunic to take a nap once she had finished eating, Vahn seized the opportunity to caress Xysteria's inordinately fluffy head as he returned his attention to the diorama of the Little Garden. It showed, in real-time, the current state of the Little Garden and its Communities. This included recently formed Communities so Vahn had been using it to keep track of the situation without making direct contact with the groups formed by Artoria, Da Vinci, Semiramis, Mordred, Tamamo, and Ureko.Unfortunately, the diorama wasn't always as cooperative as Vahn would like it to be...Tired of sitting still, Loi-chan reverted back to her default, scantily clad appearance before saying, "I'm bored." with a slightly pouty expression.Restraining the urge to both laugh and sigh, Vahn forced a smile as he asked, "Is there something you had in mind...?"Though Xysteria was a little confused by her Papa's sudden monologue, she just looked up at him for a brief moment before promptly descending into his tunic and curling up into a ball. The locust did little to satiate her hunger, so, for the sake of dessert, she intended to hibernate until lunchtime.Placing her index finger on her lips, Loi-chan appeared to be in serious thought as she slowly rotated in a mid-air, cross-legged position. This continued for several cycles until Vahn manifested a cup of coffee out of thin air before lying back against the fabric of space and time as if it were a hammock.Despite possessing an Ego of her own, Loi-chan had a difficult time forming thoughts of her own. Vahn had been trying to help her with this, so, even if she sometimes took several hours to make a decision, he didn't mind waiting. Time didn't have any real meaning to him at this point. After all, he could literally extend a single moment into eternity if he really wanted to.Fortunately, it only took Loi-chan around forty minutes to inquire, "Want to watch an anime? You can send a version of yourself inside or I can transform into all of the interesting female characters that appear on-screen. Though we have sex every time you have sex, it's been a while since we did it directly."Since she was fully aware of Vahn's exploits in alternate timelines, Loi-chan didn't see the harm in changing her appearance and personality to match the characters in an anime. They were all her, so, unlike other girls, she had no qualms about changing her appearance on a whim. Rather, she enjoyed seeing Vahn's reactions when she suddenly transformed into someone else mid-coitus...Smiling wryly in response to Loi-chan's suggestion, Vahn found himself seriously considering the proposal. He would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in quite a number of female characters that appeared in various 'fictional' universes. Loi-chan allowed him to fool around without directly expanding his harem, so, despite feeling it was pretty degenerate of him, it was hard to refuse her outright. It didn't help that she was literally cycling through all the women that came to mind as he allowed his thoughts to wander...Seeing Loi-chan settle on a slightly muscular woman with brown skin, dark-brown hair, and icy blue eyes, Vahn's left brow abruptly twitched as countless memories related to the woman's background and origin surfaced in his mind. She was the titular Main Character from a relatively low-tier Record known as the Legend of Korra. When he first watched it, Vahn had been fascinated by the animation style and plot, but, the moment the story began delving into the drama of Korra's love life, it wasn't long before things went south, fast.Though he would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in bedding Korra, it was far from the first thought that came to Vahn's mind when he saw her. Rather, it was her dysfunctional rearing and the gross incompetence of the people involved in guiding her as the Avatar, the Spiritual Leader of her world. She had been born in an era where people were transitioning from traditional sensibilities to a more modern perspective on the world around them. This placed her in a rather precarious position from the start. It didn't help that the organization responsible for training her allowed her nature to run rampant while they did everything in their power to 'protect' her by concealing the truth to the point she was effectively ignorant of the world around her...Interested to see what kind of changes his Template could introduce into the world, Vahn created a second version of himself so that Xysteria could continue her nap. Then, along with the transformed Loi-chan, he teleported to his private viewing room before making himself comfortable. Loi-chan immediately did the same, but, instead of paying attention to the screen, she straddled his lap before wrapping her arms around his neck and grinding against the bulge in his pants. In response, Vahn unhesitantly reached around to grasp her toned yet remarkably pliant bottom. He may not have any interest in pursuing the actual Korra but that wasn't going to stop him from having a bit of fun as the revised episodes began airing in the background.........After enjoying themselves for the better part of twenty-six hours, Vahn had Loi-chan revert back to the diorama of the Little Garden. He might have all the time in the world but he liked to stay on top of things whenever he was planning a conquest.Though it had only been nine days since he allowed his girls to venture out and have fun, a few were well on their way to becoming 5-Digit Communities. The only Communities lagging behind were Da Vinci's and Semiramis's but that wasn't too surprising. Progressing in the West required a fair amount of diplomacy and even greater amounts of scheming, so, despite having functionally unlimited resources, Da Vinci's progress was stalled by bureaucracy. As for Semiramis, she wasn't exactly the type to get her hands dirty so she was allowing Ebony and Raven to take charge while advising them from the comfort of her refurbished Hanging Gardens.Seeing one of the blue lights flash with a red light, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he connected his senses with the System Template active within Mordred's body. She and Ureko had founded their Communities in the South Side so they had been fighting multiple times a day ever since their formation.Finding himself in a familiar cockpit, Vahn could feel Mordred's thirst for battle as she piloted her crimson-red mech, the Mechanized Dragon: Red Clarent, against a horde of beasts led by a group of men and women resembling Viking Berserkers. They were literally charging at her without regard for life or limb, so, without disappointing them, Mordred cut through the seemingly endless horde using a massive claymore resembling her Zanpakuto, Superbia.Matching its name, Superbia was a sword that embodied Mordred's tremendous pride. As a result, it resembled a combination of Artoria's Excalibur and Vahn's Laevteinn. It also had a lion's face on the cross-guard, but, unless you looked closely, it resembled the visage of a Dragon more than the chimeric beast it was meant to resemble.Unsurprisingly, Mordred was making short work of her foes. Anything that got close to her was cut down, and, due to the tremendous heat emanated from her mech's numerous exhaust ports, much of her surroundings had caught fire.Shaking his head, Vahn sent a telepathic message reminding Mordred not to go overboard before cutting the connection. He knew his words would actually have the opposite effect, but, at the very least, they would prevent Mordred from behaving like a villain. Her affinity with War had a powerful influence over her nature, so, every now and again, he needed to remind her that she was supposed to be one of the good guys...Fortunately, the one thing that hadn't changed about Mordred's character was that she was very eager to please the people she cared about. Thus, if he really wanted her to calm down, the only thing Vahn needed to do was ask her to spread her influence without relying on violence. After all, wars weren't fought solely on the battlefield. A true God of War and Conquest was also proficient in diplomacy, delegation, and resource management. After all, while fighting was a core component of war, it wasn't the reason they were fought.Mordred was equally as skilled on the battlefield as she was at the negotiation table. If Vahn ever chose a successor, she would be near the very top of his list. Until then, she would remain his most pampered princess and one of his most reliable Generals...With that thought in mind, Vahn watched over Modred's battle from the perspective of Altria. She was the laziest member of the group, so, whenever he wanted to keep tabs on their progress, Vahn would usually interface with the cat-like woman to see what everyone else was up to.........(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Xysteria &lt;3','There are times when I can't help wanting to punch Vahn...','RIP Viking-sans...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 2147: Encounter at the Gate of Heaven