Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Demonstrating she was a fair bit stronger than even the 'upgraded' Nobu, Okita managed to cut a path all the way to the 49th Floor in just a few hours. The only thing standing between her, Tomoe, and the Model Omega was a humanoid automaton known as the Proto Dragonslayer.
Unlike the various Imperial Dragon Models that invaders would encounter along their way to the core, the Proto Dragonslayer was exceptionally small at only 220cm. It possessed an exceptionally lean body covered in pure, ivory white armor. In its right hand was a 340cm long runic weapon that served as a lance, a magical catalyst, and an executioner's blade.
As a weapon that had come about as a 'safeguard' against Imperial Dragons going rogue, the Proto Dragonslayer could be compared to beings near the absolute pinnacle of Tier 4. The core pulsating in its chest was capable of generating a functionally infinite amount of energy, and, despite being a machine, it had been programmed to possess capabilities on par with Artoria in her base state.
Sensing Okita and Tomoe the moment they trespassed the moon-sized 50th Floor, the eyes of the Proto Dragonslayer immediately came to life with a silvery-blue glow. Pressure hissed from each of its previously locked joints as the runes lining its A-Rank Weapon burned with fiery gold.
Without so much as a single moment of hesitation, the Proto Dragonslayer covered the distance between it and Okita in what appeared to be a single step. Its teleportation-like speed was enough to catch Tomoe by surprise, but, as someone once had a personality comparable to an automaton, Okita immediately intercepted with her Zanpakuto, an excessively long katana whose handle, alone, was nearly 100cm in length. As for the blade, even Da Vinci wasn't sure of its exact measurements, as, despite appearing to be around 143cm in length, the space around it was so compressed that its actual length was easier to measure in lightyears than centimeters.
Despite the rather drastic difference in their respective heights, it was the Proto Dragonslayer that was sent skidding backward after crossing blades with Okita. A hair-thin nick had also appeared at the point of contact, so, rather than attempting to defeat her in a contest of speed and strength, it began to generate an infinitely amplifying loop of energy using the crescent-shaped ring near the center of its weapon. It was exceptionally difficult for a machine to emulate a person's mastery over the Laws, so, to compensate for its lack of true comprehension, the Proto Dragonslayer was able to generate blades and beams of energy that could cut through entire planets like a hot knife through butter.
Spinning its weapon with a force comparable to a tempest, hundreds of skyscraper-sized blades of golden, highly penetrative energy beset Okita and Tomoe at near-lightspeed. Okita was able to cut through each and every one of these with a notably casual finesse, but, instead of dissipating once cut, the resplendent energy lingered in the environment like a glistening golden mist.
Sensing that something was amiss, Okita returned her Zanpakuto, Rengoku, to its sheath with such extreme speed that the cameras observing the battle failed to register the movement. Immediately thereafter, everything within the scene appeared to slow to a crawl as the Central Network adjusted the frame rate to be able to capture the fastest object on the screen, Okita.
From the perspective of observers, the Proto Dragonslayer, and even Tomoe, everything around Okita appeared to dim at an ever-increasing rate. Even the golden particles produced by the Proto Dragonslayer's attacks appeared to fade away as Okita, very slowly, grabbed the hilt of her katana.
For a brief yet unnervingly long moment in time, Okita appeared to solidify in her drawing stance. Then, despite the fact the cameras had been adjusted to a frame rate of ten undecillion frames per second, it was only able to capture a blindingly bright flash of light before Okita appeared behind the now-bifurcated Proto Dragonslayer.
Though it could survive losing its limbs or being sliced through at the waist, Okita had effectively annihilated the Proto Dragonslayer's core by unleashing an even greater amount of energy than the functionally infinite it was capable of outputting. As a result, the silvery-blue glow promptly faded from its eyes, golden vapor erupting from its joints as it slouched over and spontaneously heated up to a temperature that rivaled the core of a blue star on the verge of collapse, approximately 350 million degrees.
Despite the fact they were wearing a sports swimsuit and a bikini, neither Tomoe nor Okita panicked when the Proto Dragonslayer promptly unleashed a wave of radiation so intense that it would instantaneously kill most biological organisms. The heat it generated was also localized on the molecular level, so, while their surroundings suddenly heated up to nearly 40 degrees, it was offset by the fact the previous temperature had been close to -240.
Wiping away a trace of sweat from her brow, a radiant smile developed across Tomoe's face as she approached Okita and said, "Good job. It's no wonder our Lord entrusted you with this task. I'm not sure Nobu-dono and I would have been able to emerge victoriously at our current level."
Shaking her head, Okita maintained a calm, almost emotionless expression as she stated, "Nobu is a lot stronger than you know. Her physical strength and speed may be lacking but she makes up for it with sheer cunning, determination, and general shamelessness. If she was unable to defeat it on her own, she would have asked Master for help."
Smiling even wider at the mention of Vahn, Tomoe didn't even try to argue with Okita. It might not exactly be fair or honorable, but, if they were to ask for help, Tomoe had no doubt Vahn would step in to lend a hand. While others needed a reason to help others, Vahn was pretty much the opposite of a normal person. Unless he had a very good reason not to help, he would even assist his enemies if it meant improving their quality of life and helping them better themselves. It was just the kind of man, no, the kind of God he was.
Nodding her head in agreement with Okita's previous statement, Tomoe was about to mention that it was her time to shine when a petite, heavily sweating cat girl suddenly emerged from her shadow to grab her ankles. Okita was quick to act, but, due to the attacker's innocent, child-like appearance, she was hesitant to cut off her hands, much less her head.
Fortunately, at least for Tomoe and Okita, the petite cat girl was currently having 'a lot' of trouble maintaining her focus. Her intention was to immediately draw Tomoe into her shadow, but, due to a sudden and intense shudder assaulting her body, she ended up clinging to the former's ankles as if they were the only thing keeping her from sinking into the depths herself.
Coming to her senses, the muscles in Tomoe's long, pale-white legs flexed as she leaped from her would-be abductor's clutches. The force of her jump was more than enough to break free, and, due to the girl clinging to her, she ended up being 'yanked' out of the shadow. She tried to right herself in mid-air, but, the moment the cat girl reached the apex of her arc, Okita appeared like a phantom before planting the pommel of her Zanpakuto into the girl's stomach.
While most people would exhale and gasp upon receiving such a blow, the petite cat girl actually issued a whimpering mewl as she collapsed over Okita's left arm. This left the tanned beauty more than a little confused, a befuddled expression appearing on her face as she held the limp cat girl by the scruff of clothes and asked, "Are you horny...?"
"Okita-dono...!"
With a faint blush on her face, Tomoe promptly retrieved the panting cat girl from Okita's clutches before helping her to lay on the ground. She knew this was the girl that had tried to assassinate her previously, but, even before her meeting with Vahn, Tomoe had already given up the path of a true warrior. She also had a soft spot for children, so, after a moment of deliberation, she pulled out a blanket to cover the cat girl's torso before retrieving a bucket and a series of hand towels from her Inventory.
Taking advantage of the medical knowledge she had accumulated during her time as a Nun and a Midwife, Tomoe soaked the towels in cold and lukewarm water. The former was placed on the girl's head to help cool her fever while the latter was placed into the slits of her hakama, specifically over her thighs. After that, she pulled out a golden apple and a vial of opaque, rainbow-hued liquid as she explained, "This Elixir should treat any underlying conditions you may have. As for the apple, it will replenish your stamina and satiate your hunger."
Without waiting for the girl's response, Tomoe promptly poured the contents of the vial into her mouth. To her complete and utter shock, an even more violent tremor ran through the girl's body as she curled up into a fetal position and shivered like a kitten that had been abandoned outside in the cold rain.
Just as Tomoe's confusion reached its peak, a contented sigh suddenly escaped the cat girl's mouth as all the tension drained from her body. She immediately lost consciousness as a pitch-black liquid began to condense like beads of sweat on her body. The sight was similar to seeing someone expel the impurities from their body. However, due to the distinct lack of a pungent aroma, Tomoe didn't believe this was the same thing.
Donning a pure white glove, Tomoe spooned up a bit of the pitch-black liquid before watching as it dissolved from her fingertip. It was surprisingly cool to the touch, and, though it wasn't obvious at first, she could detect a very faint yet feminine aroma.
"Is it really just sweat...?"
Though she was intimately familiar with first aid and patient care, Tomoe couldn't be qualified as an experienced physician. She just trusted that the Elixirs developed by Da Vinci and Vahn were able to cure pretty much anything.
What Tomoe didn't know was that the Elixirs Da Vinci had prepared for use during the Gift Game were catalyzed from Vahn's blood. They didn't have a particularly long shelf life on their own, but, the moment they were used, Vahn would become aware of it. In essence, it was actually Vahn that was curing people rather than the Elixir itself.
At first, Vahn was content with letting the cat girl, Hanzo, reap the consequences of her actions. He had no obligation to help her expel the blood Nobu had forced her to imbibe. Rather, the moment he stepped in to prevent her from being controlled, he had already done the feline assassin a great service.
Since Tomoe had decided to help Hanzo of her own accord, Vahn no longer had a reason to delay her treatment. He quickly purged Nobu's blood from her body, but, due to the energies that had transmitted and settled into her body, the Elixir had actually exacerbated her condition. He was able to mitigate the effects, but, for a very brief moment, Hanzo experienced a wave of pleasure comparable to melding.
If not for her inhuman self-control, her back would have arched rather than allowing her to curl up into the fetal position in a last desperate attempt to stifle her moans. As for the black substance expelled from her body? Hanzo's cells basically existed in a state of quantum superposition. She was a real person, but, similar to someone that had mastered the Magia Erebea, her cells were also comprised entirely of Shadow Energy. In other words, she was basically a Logia with the physical properies of a Shadow Human.
Simply put, the substance excreted from Hanzo's body was sweat.
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Feeling more content than she had in a long time, Hanzo released an unrepentantly adorable, "Munyaaa...?" before stretching her body and sitting up with a dazed expression on her face. For the briefest of moments, she had completely forgotten she was supposed to be participating in a Gift Game. Instead, she just stared blankly at Tomoe and Okita, her cat-like ears twitching atop her head as she slowly pieced everything together.
With the towel having fallen from Hanzo's head, Tomoe took the opportunity to check the petite ninja's temperature. She had cooled down a lot, but, even after sleeping for the better part of an hour, she was still a little warm.
"You shouldn't get up just yet. Your fever has yet to break."
Despite her words, Tomoe brought out some apple slices and a cup of green tea. She spent a lot of time with girls possessing animalistic tendencies, and, more often than not, green tea with ginger or mint were their go-to's in terms of drink preference. Altria, in particular, enjoyed her tea with a hint of catnip sprinkled in. She apparently enjoyed the way it made her tummy flutter.
Though the gears in Hanzo's mind were spinning like high-performance servos, the expression on her face was a perfect mask of calm mixed with slight caution. She wasn't unaccustomed to playing the part of a child, so, seeing how Tomoe and Okita had lowered their guards, her mind was racing with thoughts of how she could kill them and complete her mission.
Extending her hands in a tentative, sheepish manner, Hanzo accepted the tea proferred to her by Tomoe, muttering, "Thank you..." in a meek tone. The ears atop her head lay flat, and, though she was very nearly 500 years old, she managed to give off the impression of an innocent, ostensibly harmless youth on the cusp of adolescence.
Unfortunately, at least for Hanzo, Vahn had given the girls accessories that allow them to know the true intentions of the people around them. Hanzo was exceptionally gifted in the art of masking her emotions, but, unless she could manipulate the flow of fate around her body, the accessories joint-manufactured by Vahn and Da Vinci would invariably give away her intentions.
Feeling the band on her right ring finger vibrating ever-so-slightly, the corners of Tomoe's smile became indiscernibly cramped. She didn't know how old the girl sitting before her was but it made her uncomfortable knowing a 'child' wanted to kill her. It wasn't going to prevent her from lending a hand, but it was still disheartening when the people you helped were willing to betray you. It was one of those things that just felt wrong...
Though she had noticed the subtle changes in Tomoe's expression, Hanzo could only guess at the white-haired woman's thoughts. All she knew for certain was that Tomoe had helped her, so, taking advantage of her kindness, Hanzo downed the entire cup of green tea before voraciously devouring each and every one of the peeled apple slices. Then, with traces of gratitude in her doe-like eyes and an expression of childish naivete superimposed on her face, she asked, "Where is this...?" in the same meek tone as before.
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Exhaling through her nose, a motherly expression of exasperation marred Tomoe's smiling face as she extended her hand to caress Hanzo's head and say, "Don't take things too far. We know there is nothing wrong with you. That Elixir I gave you can resurrect the dead, regrow limbs, remove curses, and treat every ailment imaginable. That includes ailments that affect the mind, so, please, drop the act."
While resisting the urge to slice off the hand that was caressing her head, Hanzo silently shifted her ruby-eyed gaze between Tomoe and Okita. She was pretty sure she could deal with the former, but the latter gave off a similar impression to the Angels found in the West. Her current form appeared to provide her some degree of protection, but, based on what her instincts were telling her, Hanzo knew the dark-skinned woman wouldn't hesitate to cut her down if forced.
Exhaling a sigh of her own, Hanzo moved her head away from Tomoe's hand as she asked, "What do want from me? If you expect me to betray my Master over something as mundane as medical care, you're severely mistaken. I may have lived my entire existence in the shadows, but I'm not a traitor."
Raising her brows, a mixture of amusement and genuine concern appeared in Tomoe's equally red eyes as she unhesitantly replied, "We helped you because we wanted to. Though I would prefer it if you stop trying to assassinate or steal me away, you're free to do whatever you please once you're able to move freely. Just be more careful in the future, okay?"
Pulling out another golden apple, Tomoe placed it onto Hanzo's lap before rising to her feet and adding, "Good luck." in her characteristically motherly tone. Then, alongside Okita, she made her way towards the massive, vault-like door that led to the chamber containing the Model Omega. Hanzo followed their departure with her eyes, but, instead of attacking, she ultimately ended up shaking her head before grabbing the apple, taking a bite, and sinking into her shadow...
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***Player Tomoe Gozen of the Sage Dragon's Hearth Community has managed to awaken a Model Omega. Space has now opened to those with the ability to access it.***
Hearing the announcement broadcast throughout the entire Game Board, a smile developed across Amaterasu's face as she immediately placed Susanoo in charge of the effort to besiege the Akuma Community. At this point, her Community had already managed to blockade the planets belonging to the Roc and Saurian Demon Kings, but, due to their scorched earth tactics, they had been unable to destroy them.
Now that space was open, Amaterasu had a lot more options.
Manifesting within the center of the Game Board's Sun, Amaterasu quickly expanded her Authority through it. Moments later, she had absolute dominion over the massive ball of plasma and gas. This gave her a sudden and intense urge to unleash a series of solar flares towards the planet belonging to the Sage Dragon's Hearth, but, feeling that she had already offended Vahn too much, Amaterasu set her sights on the various offensive and defensive satellites littering the surrounding space.
"Model Omega? Such toys are completely meaningless in the face of true power. Now, people of the Little Garden! Bear witness to the majesty of a Goddess possessing a Sun Authority...!"
With most of the external displays shifting their focus to her, Amaterasu manipulated the Sun to transform into an impossibly large fox with nine, flaming tails. Unlike a traditional kitsune, however, it had relatively tiny, dragon-like horns protruding from its head, as, like all constructs formed from a Sun Authority, Amaterasu's 'True Form' was also a Pure-Blooded Dragon.
Unleashing a radiance that caused clouds to dissipate and oceans to boil, Amaterasu was about to unleash her rage and indignation on the nearest planetoid when her instincts compelled her to look in the direction of the planet belonging to the Sage Dragon's Hearth. She hadn't been able to sense it in her base state, but, now that she was a Pure-Blooded Dragon, Amaterasu was vaguely aware of the tyrannical aura that Vahn was keeping contained within. It caused a cold yet imaginary sweat to break out across her body, but, at the same time, she also felt a growing sense of excitement...
"Vahn Aldrnari Mason...you really are a beast beyond compare..."
Though Amaterasu's words had been muttered under her breath, the murmurs of a star-sized fox weren't exactly discreet. Everyone in the Little Garden had heard her, and, as a result, a seemingly endless surge of power flowed into Vahn. Compared to the amount he already possessed, however, it was surprisingly minuscule...
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Sensing the focus of hundreds of billions of people spontaneously shifting to him, Vahn actually felt a little guilty about the illusion he was using to obscure him and Nobu. He could feel their desire to know more about him, so, after a moment of silence, he forced the half-conscious Nobu to look up at him as he said, "It's time..."
Though she was currently in a dazed state, a predatory smile developed across Nobu's face as she traced the razor-sharp nail of her index finger across his exposed chest and mused, "Go and steal the show..."
Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn manifested clothes to cover Nobu's body before surprising quite literally everyone as he rose from his throne and allowed her to take his place. She was still a little tired, but, thanks to the illusion he had created to cover the entire throne room, the version of Nobu that everyone saw was the confident, slightly terrifying woman that had pursued Hanzo like a possessed demon.
While the Little Garden was practically exploding due to the unexpected development, Vahn took a moment to stretch his body and pop his joints before gazing at the ceiling overhead. A part of him was tempted to smash through the very foundation of the planet, but, considering he had basically just transferred ownership of the Sage Dragon's Hearth to Nobu, it wouldn't exactly be appropriate to destroy part of her ceiling. Instead, he teleported directly into space, a relaxed smile developing across his face as he, very briefly, allowed the tensions of his body to relax in zero-g.
Feeling even more people directing their attention towards him, Vahn inhaled a 'breath' formed from the energies contained within the void. Once his lungs were completely filled, he opened his eyes to reveal shimmering golden pupils that were squarely focused on the massive fox staring at him in the distance. He could feel the fear exuding from the very core of Amaterasu's being, but, as he had already promised her the consequences of her actions, his body began to swell as he quickly took on a form resembling a bipedal dragon with taloned feet, four arms, golden scales, and several sets of wings.
By the time Vahn had finished transforming, the planet he had previously been sitting at the center of could now fit in the palm of one of his hands. He could feel the attention directed towards him shifting from curiosity to a mixture of fear and awe, but, thanks to the self-actualized nature of his existence, he was largely unaffected as he exhaled a breath of fiery golden breath, fixed his gaze on Amaterasu, and said, "We are Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor and God of Infinite Possibilities. Amaterasu Omikami, the time for your judgment is nigh."
Though she had been stunned by Vahn's transformation, Amaterasu's vulpine expression morphed into one of vexation and fury as she bared her teeth and growled, "We...we are not afraid of you...!"
Instead of shaking his head, Vahn actually nodded in response to Amaterasu's words. This left the spectators feeling confused until he began gathering energy in his palms, stating, "You will be." in a voice that spread through the Game Board and the Divine Realm in equal measure...
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As the scene of two star-sized entities facing off against each other was pretty difficult to miss, Wu temporarily ceased her destruction of the Forest of Owls. The blazing inferno she created was still rampaging, but, instead of empowering it further, she allowed it to roam freely she joined Sarina in staring at the heavens, asking, "Is that Vahn? And here I thought he was going to sit on his ass the entire game..."
Understanding Wu's confusion, a conflicted yet resigned look developed across Sarina's face as she explained, "Once this Gift Game has reached its conclusion, the Sage Dragon's Hearth will develop into an Alliance known as the Aldrnari Empire. Vahn intends to spread his influence throughout the entire Little Garden. I can't go into too many details while we're in the Game Board but I can reveal that Nobunaga-sama is one of the Eight Empresses he has selected to help govern and watch over the Little Garden. I believe her official title was something along the lines of 'Far Eastern Empress' or 'Empress of the Far East'..."
Furrowing her brows, Wu couldn't help feeling annoyed by the fact Vahn hadn't informed her about his plans. She understood why he had kept it a secret, but, now that they were a couple, she wanted to be a part of everything he was planning. Her pride wouldn't allow her to be kept out of the loop when even someone as 'weak' as Sarina was kept informed...
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"Oh-hohohohohoho~! That's what you get for thinking you could stand against me, the beautiful, powerful, and brilliant Lady Seraphina!"
Seeing the destruction wrought by the mechanical War Ladies, Seraphina couldn't help believing she had already won. With the exception of the massive dragon and a few of the larger opponents, everything else had been utterly obliterated by the torrential volley of magically enhanced missiles. The few that remained showed signs of tremendous damage, cracks covering their bodies as their limbs crumbled away like brittle earthware.
Among the heavily damaged golems was Gaia, who, despite being much stronger than each of the individual Mecha Girls, couldn't hold up against their combined assault. Each of her leaf-like wings had been burned away. The shield she had previously wielded in her left hand, much like the arm it was attached to, was nowhere to be seen.
Had she not defended at the last moment, Gaia may have been destroyed completely. As for the Earth Dragon piloted by Leshaad, it was the least damaged among the army of golems. It had been given the name Adamantoise for a reason. Unless it received a focused strike from someone with an advanced mastery over one of the more destructive Laws, it could withstand virtually any attack.
Seeing that the original invaders were still standing, Seraphina paused to consider whether or not she should send the War Ladies forward. Instead, an ostensibly sadistic smile developed across her face as she suppressed a laugh and ordered yet another barrage. There was a reason she preferred guns over other forms of weaponry. If her opponents could be defeated from a distance, why waste time with other methods?
Following Seraphina's order, the group of ten War Ladies ended up unleashing several volleys of their splintering, extremely wide range missiles. For several minutes, it was like fire and death was raining from the sky over one specific area of the defensive satellite. By the time the onslaught had ceased, even the Adamantoise was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a pock-marked, ocean-sized crater had formed where the golem army previously stood...
"Oh-hohohohohoho~!"
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After replenishing her Vahnobtainium reserves to their limit, Sarina, accompanied by Wu, returned to the planet occupied by Meng Zhang and the Guardians of the East. Shortly after that, they found themselves near the mountain range housing Meng Zhang's palace. It was there they encountered their first obstacle, a seemingly endless forest filled with dense fog and dead or dying trees.
"This wasn't here when I left..."
Shrugging her shoulders, Wu largely ignored Sarina's comment as her Ruyi Jingu Bang started to emit a fiery, reddish-orange glow. Her Fiery Eyes of Truth allowed her to ascertain the truth and see through illusions, so, having determined that the forest before her was real, she decided the safest course of action was to destroy it.
Noticing Wu's actions, Sarina was about to ask what the petite monkey girl was thinking when the latter suddenly leaned forward and dashed into the eerie-looking forest. Moments later, a scene that could best be described as an infernal tempest of destruction occurred. Wu ended up spinning her Ruyi Jingu Bang with such speed that it created a massive, fiery vortex. Each of the trees in her wake were uprooted or outright destroyed, consumed by the vortex and increasing the amount of destruction to her surroundings.
Teleporting several kilometers away, Sarina's expression formed into a deadpan as she watched the flaming pillar extend tens of kilometers into the sky. It was far from the most devastating attack she had seen, but, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, it still frightened her to her core. A part of her knew, even though she was durable enough to survive the destruction of a planet, she wouldn't emerge unscathed from the swirling vortex of flame.
"She kind of reminds me of Beerus and the Gods of Destruction..."
"Hey, watch your tongue. Don't go comparing me to some no-name losers."
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Following the unexpected response, Wu promptly manifested from one of the tiny golden hairs that had snuck their way onto and even inside of Sarina's clothing. Her right hand had formed into a fist, but, instead of knocking Sarina on the head, she just tensed the muscles of her fingers a few times before dropping her hand and adding, "You're someone important to Vahn. As your name spreads throughout the Little Garden, the weight of your words will gradually increase. I'll ignore it this time but don't expect me to turn a blind eye if you make any slanderous remarks in the future..."
As someone that had endured quite a number of hardships as a result of the Little Garden's system, Wu didn't take kindly to people comparing her to others. It was marginally more acceptable if they were compared to her, but, even then, it was basically an insult that depreciated her character, and, depending on the circumstances, her very existence...
Recovering from the shock she experienced due to Wu's unexpected appearance, Sarina swallowed the knot in her throat before nodding her head and saying, "My apologies. Despite being born in the Little Garden, I'm still getting used to the way things work. I'll be sure to watch what I say in the future."
Understanding that Sarina hadn't been trying to insult her, Wu offered an approving nod before joining the comparably busty beauty in her observation of the ongoing destruction. It was a little strange, but it actually felt nice not to have to pummel someone every time they said something that could be even remotely misconstrued as an insult...
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Mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted, Hanzo was struggling to pull herself together after her seventh resurrection. As a result, Nobu, still in her Demon King of Sixth Heaven transformation, managed to locate her long before her body had fully formed and matured.
"Ara, ara~? What's this? You're a real cutiepie, aren't you~?"
Forcing a smile, Hanzo attempted to accelerate her recovery as she looked up at Nobu and asked, "Who knows? It's been a while since I've seen my actual appearance. Why? Are you going to spare me for being cute...?"
Surprising Hanzo quite a bit, Nobu shrugged her shoulders in a careless manner, answering, "Sure? By this time, Mochita and Tomoe should be nearing the core of the offensive satellite. I also get the impression you're no longer a threat. So long as you behave like an obedient little kitten, I don't see the harm in sparing you."
Unbeknownst to Hanzo, Nobu had developed a particular fondness for girls with cat and dog ears. She blamed this on Vahn, but, in reality, she simply enjoyed caressing beautiful girls with animalistic traits. Since Hanzo currently resembled a young Japanese girl with cat ears and a tail, Nobu's desire to torment her had promptly vanished. At the very least, the form of torment she had in mind had changed drastically.
Noticing the unconcealed lasciviousness in Nobu's gaze, realization washed over Hanzo like a bucket of icy cold water as she internally remarked, ("She is significantly more perverted than I thought...")
Realizing she could have saved herself a lot of time, effort, and pain if she had just altered her approach, a pained groan emanated from Hanzo's throat as she cradled her aching head. Nobu, amused by Hanzo's reaction, promptly squat before the petite cat girl, fearlessly caressing the latter's head as she asked, "What's your name, kemono brat...?"
Pulling a tanto blade from the shadowy substance covering her body, Hanzo attempted to stab Nobu in the heart. To her surprise, the latter actually let this happen, a sadistic smile spreading across her face as she mused, "Bad kitty..."
Punctuating her words, Nobu jammed the index and middle fingers of her right hand into Hanzo's mouth. Even without biting, a bloody taste spread through Hanzo's mouth before quickly invading her throat. She attempted to jerk her head away and sink into her shadow, but she was incapable of escaping the vice-like grip Nobu had on her skull.
"There, there...no need to be afraid. I'm just making sure you behave for the rest of the time we're together..."
With Hanzo promptly biting through her fingers, the sadistic smile on Nobu's face became even more prominent as she instantaneously regenerated the two digits. Before she could follow through with her plan, however, the familiar voice of Vahn entered her mind, whispering, ("Nobu...I didn't say anything previously but you're clearly getting carried away. You know I hate when people are forced to act against their will...")
Clicking her tongue, Nobu removed her fingers from the confused Hanzo's mouth before rising to her feet and giving the petite cat girl a firm kick in the rump, saying, "Scat! Get out of here...!"
Without hesitation, Hanzo gave up trying to fully form her body as she sank into her shadow and disappeared. She didn't know what had changed Nobu's mind, but, understanding that she had just escaped something terrible, Hanzo didn't hesitate to flee far, far away.
Tracking her quarry's departure with the spirit imprint, Nobu had to take several deep breaths to suppress her almost instinctual urge to give chase. Fortunately for Hanzo, she really didn't want to make Vahn angry or upset. He wouldn't lash out or try to harm her, but, in many ways, that actually made things worse.
It might sound kind of childish, but Nobu couldn't stand whenever Vahn forced a smile through his disappointment...
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Exhaling a sigh of relief, Vahn contemplated pulling Nobu to his side and helping her calm down. Instead, he transmitted calming energy through the Unit Management Function. He would never classify Nobu as one of his subordinates but she was still listed alongside the tens of billions that had placed their trust in him over the years. In other words, he could link his senses with her, see through her eyes, and even experience her emotions whenever he wanted.
Sensing Nobu's inner turmoil and guilt, Vahn gradually absorbed it into himself before replacing it with pure, positive emotions. At the same time, he recalled some of the more precious memories he and Nobu had shared since the moment he first summoned her in the Nasuverse.
Though Nobu quickly realized what he was up to, Vahn sensed no desire for him to stop. Instead, a sense of relief washed over her as she mentally teased, ("If you wanted to get inside of me, you just had to ask...")
Returning a smile, Vahn decided to follow through on his previous urge to call Nobu to his side. She immediately appeared atop his lap, and, though she was slightly surprised by the sudden change in scenery, that didn't stop her from grinning like a demon, grabbing the sides of his face, and kissing him with the passion and fervor of a Succubus...
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After fleeing to a completely random planet, Hanzo took a moment to forcefully expel the contents of her stomach. She wasn't entirely sure what Nobu had in mind but her instincts were screaming at her to get the woman's blood out of her system.
Unfortunately, even after Hanzo had completely purged her stomach, she still had the impression that something was seriously amiss. A sudden and intensifying warmth was spreading through her body.
As someone who was intimately familiar with poisons, Hanzo's first instinct was that Nobu had forced her to imbibe a powerful aphrodesiac. Beads of sweat began to develop across her forehead, and, though she did her best to resist the excruciating heat, it wasn't long before she had collapsed in a heap, her ears and tail twitching violently as she found herself lying in a bed that had ostesnbily appeared out of thin air...
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Chapter 2222: Overcome