Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"Though your enthusiasm is laudable, I'm afraid our planet is no longer accepting guests. Please leave."
Hearing a voice echo in his ears, Ryouma practically leaped out of his skin, shouting, "Eros's perky tits!" in a surprisingly shrill voice.&nbsp;
A stark contrast to Ryouma, Cheshire immediately manifested her paw-shaped hammer out of thin air, yelling, "Battle formations!" as she attempted to strike one of the blue-skinned women that had appeared a few meters away.
"My, my, how violent~."
Tapping her Angel's Attendant Staff against the air, Marcarita created a column of gravity so intense it may as well have been a physical mass impacting Cheshire's body. The diminutive Dwarfette did her best to endure but the only thing she managed to accomplish was getting hammered, feet first, into the ground.
"Cheshire...!"
Reacting even before Ryouma, another exceptionally petite girl, this one possessing fox-like ears and four tails that were split between black and white, charged forward with a pair of bladed fans. At the same time, an eyepatch-wearing girl with inordinately long pigtails and a gothic lolita dress pulled out a massive, mana-powered Gatling Gun, shouting, "Heavy Rain...!"
Instead of firing at the trio of Marcarita, Vados, and Kusu, the petite lolita pointed her gun skyward. When the projectiles reached a few hundred meters above the ground, they exploded into a series of pitch-black magic circles. From within, equally black rain began to pour in a heavy deluge as the vulpine loli from before attempted to slice Marcarita to ribbons with an endless combo of vacuum blades.
Though she could feel her body getting heavier with each raindrop that hit her body, Marcarita just smiled as she effortlessly dodged each of the girl's attacks. As an Angel, her strength was very near infinite. Even if her weight increased a million times over, it wouldn't have much of an impact on her mobility.
As that thought crossed her mind, one of the few women Marcarita was genuinely concerned about raised her right hand. She had untamed black and white hair that extended well past her waist but the traits that earned Marcarita's attention were her curved horns, pointed ears, red eyes, and pale, ashen-purple skin. Simply put, the woman was a Demon.
From a cut in the demonic woman's index finger, a single drop of violet blood flowed against the direction of gravity. After moving ten centimeters, a tremendous amount of pure, dark elemental energy began to surge forward from the void before condensing around the drop of blood to form a grapefruit-sized ball of pulsating, purple-black energy.
With a voice as emotionless as her expression, the demonic beauty met Marcarita's gaze, muttering, "Darkness Hydra..." in a cold monotone.
Clearly responding to the woman's words, the sphere of pulsating darkness split into eight distinct beams of homing energy. Instead of curving towards their opponent, however, they could change direction at angles in excess of 90 degrees. Four would target and pursue the enemy directly while the other four attempted to cut off their path of retreat. Against a normal opponent, such an attack was basically a death sentence, but, against someone like Marcarita, even the pitch black rain wasn't particularly difficult to dodge. It was simply unnecessary.
Waving her Angel's Attendant Staff, Marcarita shattered the four beams attempting to pierce her shoulders and the upper part of her thighs, musing, "You're a lot weaker than the Demons back in my world. I'm honestly a little disappointed."
Furrowing her brows, the dichromatic demoness spread her arms with the intent to produce ten more spheres of darkness. Before she could, however, Ryouma finally came back to his senses, shouting, "C-Chotto matteeeee! Stop fighting-!"
Though the demoness ceased her attack due to the slave crest that compelled her obedience, the fox girl with the fans was too focused on avenging her friend to listen to reason. She had retreated when the Darkness Hydra was launched, but, the moment it was broken, she immediately charged forward with the intent of bifurcating Marcarita at the waist.
"Mana-chan!? St-"
Before Ryouma could call out a second time, Marcarita used her staff to smack the petite fox girl on top of her head, saying, "Bad girl." in a disapproving tone. There was absolutely no force behind the blow, but, thanks to her exceptional control, Marcarita was able to directly affect the part of Mana's brain that allowed her to remain conscious. It was a little trick she had picked up from Vahn and it was incredibly useful.
Demonstrating that he wasn't completely incompetent, Ryouma vaulted forward before Mana could collapse face-first against the ground. Upon confirming that she was simply unconscious, a sigh of considerable relief escaped his throat. Immediately thereafter, however, he glared toward Marcarita with an indignant expression on his face, asking, "Was that really necessary? I had already called to stop the fight. With your power, you could have easily evaded until I stepped in to intervene."
Raising her left brow, a hint of incredulity blended into Marcarita's amused expression as she asked, "Are you an idiot? All of my attacks were reactionary. Rather than blaming the victim, shouldn't you be apologizing? Not that I particularly care."
Pretending to ignore Marcarita's remark, Ryouma lifted Mana's body before carrying her over to one of the more mature members of his party, a remarkably buxom woman wearing attire that blended elements of the clergy with an incredibly inappropriate wedding gown.&nbsp;
"Take care of her for me, okay? I'll take care of the rest on my own..."
Nodding her head in affirmation, the sisterly woman accepted Mana in her arms before the entire group, sans Cheshire, retreated a considerable distance. As for the latter, she may look like a mascot but she was also Ryouma's strongest companion. If he told her to retreat, she would pout for weeks on end about him thinking she was useless. Ryouma didn't particularly mind putting in the effort to cheer her up but he would be lying if he said it wasn't extremely tiresome.
Adjusting the band on his left ring finger, Ryouma's wedding ring rapidly cycled through more than a hundred different designs before settling on one that vaguely resembled a cat. &nbsp;Shortly thereafter, Cheshire appeared at his side with a hateful pout on her face. Her oversized helmet and the massive bells she usually wore in her hair were nowhere to be seen. Being smashed hundreds of meters into the ground by a gravitational hammer hadn't been a pleasant experience.
"You okay, kitten...?"
Nodding her head, Cheshire re-manifested her paw-like hammer before answering, "I'll feel better after I smash that bitch's face in..."
Laughing dryly in response to his diminutive companion's words, Ryouma promptly reconsidered trying to convince the trio of blue-skinned beauties to go on a date with him. His Ero God System had evaluated each of them as Ultimate Rarity Heroines. If he could add even a single one of them to his harem, he would gain 30% of their total parameters. He didn't know exactly how strong they were but they had to be powerful to smash Hellabelle's Darkness Hydra...
Shaking his head, Ryouma was about to abandon his usual approach when a dark blue flash of light appeared nearby. He recognized this as some kind of teleportation magic, but, instead of focusing on the peculiars of how she had arrived, Ryouma's mouth immediately became agape when he saw the feral-looking beauty that had emerged from within. She had wild and untamed hair reminiscent of the night sky, a pair of ruby-like eyes, an incredibly soft-looking tail, and, most importantly, a pair of large, wolf-like ears.
Forgetting the situation, Ryouma practically teleported over to the new arrival before falling to one knee and stating, "You are one of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on. Will you marry me and become my Mofu-Mofu Goddess? I-"
Dodging the claw swipe directed at his head, Ryouma briefly admired the woman's furry paws and the bright pink pads present on their underside. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end, but, ignoring the danger completely, he teleported behind the woman and said, "At least tell me your name..." as he attempted to fondle her tail.
Seeing the woman tense up before spontaneously relaxing, a smile developed across Ryouma's face before he noticed a hand grasping his wrist. By following the attached arm, he was able to discover a man beaming at him with a smile that didn't quite reach his vibrant golden eyes.
"Uh...I'm guessing you're Vahn? Ni-"
Faster than he could blink, Ryouma's eyes widened as he found himself barreling through space at several times the speed of light. Far more terrifying was the fact he couldn't arrest his momentum or use any of his skills. An invisible force had clamped around his body like a vice, and, though it prevented the surrounding vacuum from affecting him, it also prevented him from escaping as he drew progressively closer towards the star located at the center of the Game Board...
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Though some people might call Vahn a hypocrite for reacting in such a way when he was known to casually pet women he had just met, they would immediately side with him upon learning the truth.
Part of Ryouma's Ero God System included a function that allowed him to tame monsters and other kinds of magical creatures. The world he had reincarnated into had a large variety of monster girls that appeared as common enemies. It was the type of world where the monsters drained humans of their life force as opposed to killing them.
As the Hero, Ryouma's 'essence' was even coveted by the Four Heavenly Generals that commanded the Demon Lord's Army. It was necessary for their evolution, so, after suffering numerous defeats at the hands of various monster girls, Ryouma had developed some rather...exotic tastes. This included a borderline obsession with women who possessed animal ears, fluffy tails, and, more importantly, feral natures.
During one of Ryouma's 'playthroughs', he ended up being captured by a tribe of warrior women with wolf-like traits. He panicked near the beginning, but, after being designated as the Chieftain's mate, his status within the tribe increased from a captive to a king. He could basically walk around and have sex whenever he wanted since his scent alone was enough to send the overly affectionate women into heat.
Though he had originally intended to conquer the Elven Queendom during that particular route, Ryouma ended up spending several years living among the tribe of wolfish women. In the process, he sired more than a hundred children, and, thanks to his 'essence' helping the girls increase their strength and evolve, it wasn't long before he had built an army that could blitz through the Demon Lord's Army with extreme ease.
When Ryouma laid eyes on Fenrir, he immediately activated the Max Level [Taming] skill. There was no chance of it working, but, just knowing the man was trying to claim Fenrir as his 'pet', Vahn had no choice but to step in. There were two reasons for this. First and foremost, he wanted to teach the man a lesson. This may sound like the most important reason but the truth of the matter was that Vahn had actually done Ryouma a favor. Had he grasped Fenrir's tail and attempted to tame her, he would have been lucky to respawn outside the Game Board with his head intact, much less either of his hands...
Simply put, if Vahn hadn't gotten rid of Ryouma, Fenrir would have permanently crippled or killed him. In that regard, Ryouma's quick yet fiery end was a mercy...a mercy that Vahn would not afford him a second time...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Aggroli Squad...','Angels OP...',I've never seen such an advanced display of death seeking o_o...')

Following Ryouma's disappearance, Cheshire leaped towards Vahn with a paradoxically fierce yet adorable expression on her face. Unfortunately, the moment her feet departed the ground, Vahn arrested her momentum and anchored her in place. She was still able to move around and swing her hammer, but, the moment she tried to throw it, Vahn just placed it into a pocket dimension, saying, "Calm down. It's not as though he has truly died. Once the game has concluded, you will find him outside."
Ignoring Vahn's words, Cheshire held up her hands as though she was about to grab the air. The dimensions of her mouth suddenly began to expand, but, before she could execute whatever she had in mind, Vahn waved his hand to produce a pair of paper talismans over her mouth, explaining, "They will fall when the game ends or when an hour has passed."
On that note, Vahn teleported Cheshire back to the Akuma Community's planet before using long-range telekinesis to physically rip their Teleportation Nexi from the planet's surface. This was pure theatrics on his part, but, as it looked pretty cool to see massive, ruin-like structures ripped from the ground, he doubted the spectators would complain.
Shifting his attention to the remaining members of Ryouma's party, Vahn took notice of the fact that less than half of the twenty-three women present bothered to try and 'avenge' their lost lover. Those that rushed forward found themselves temporarily frozen in place, not because Vahn didn't feel like dealing with them, but because there was a far more important matter for him to address.
Turning towards Fenrir, Vahn's expression softened in a tender and loving smile as he wrapped his arms around her and said, "Sorry for showing up so late..."
Chuckling in response to her Master's words, Fenrir's tail began to waggle slightly as she nuzzled against his chest and said, "Master arrived just in time. It was my fault for choosing to intervene. I just wanted a chance to show off but ended up embarrassing myself..."
"Mmm..."
Rather than commenting on what Fenrir had said, Vahn continued cradling her in his arms while nestling the lower half of his face and nose between her ears. He could sense the desire for revenge she was doing her best to keep concealed from him. Until it had abated to the point he was certain she wouldn't sneak off to teach Ryouma a lesson, Vahn had no intention of letting her go...
Understanding her Master's thoughts, an exasperated sigh escaped Fenrir's throat as she nestled even closer to his chest. She had been isolating herself with increasing frequency as of late so her anger and frustration had been increasing along with her desire to prove herself. It didn't help that she had spent the last seven months attempting to master the basics of the Magia Erebea...
Aided by her Master's scent and the meditation technique she had been practicing for decades, a calm and cooling sensation gradually spread through Fenrir's mind. By the time half an hour had passed, her desire to kill Ryouma had transitioned into the comparably tame desire to cut off his hands and feet. Ten minutes after that, she had convinced herself that she would be satisfied with someone else kicking him a firm kick in his reproductive organs. She was tempted to do it herself but she didn't want to get her paws dirty...
Sensing the flames of Fenrir's hatred mellow into smoldering ashes, Vahn planted a prolonged kiss atop her head, whispering, "Good girl..." in an affectionate tone of voice. This caused her drooping tail to begin waggling again, but, more importantly, it thoroughly smothered any lingering appetite she had for revenge. So long as Ryouma didn't go out of his way to rekindle it, she likely wouldn't even spare the dichromatic man so much as a single thought...
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While the primary version of himself escorted Fenrir, Kusu, Vados, and Marcarita back to the throne room, Vahn made his way over to where the members of Ryouma's party were currently waiting. He needed to act before Shion could announce that her Community had surrendered, so, shortly after sending Ryouma off to explore space, Vahn manipulated the flow of time to give them as much as he needed.
Waving his hand, Vahn released the frozen members from their temporal prisons before sending them skidding backward in the same motion. At the same time, he adopted his characteristically casual smile as he said, "You are free to attack me, but, as I mentioned to the diminutive girl with cat-like features, there is little point. Once the Gift Game has concluded, Ryouma will be perfectly fine. As for why I've kept you here...I merely wanted to ask each of you a series of questions. Who among you is willing to act as a representative?"
To Vahn's surprise, it was the little lolita with oversized twin tails and a massive Gatling Gun that stepped forward, stating, "When Ryouma-san is absent, I have the highest authority as Strike Team Leader. If you have something to ask, I will answer do my best to answer your questions. Just know that, no matter what you say, none of us here will betray Ryouma."
Though he had serious doubts about the little lolita's words, Vahn offered an understanding nod before ignoring her statement entirely as he asked, "Do each of you follow Ryouma of your own volition?"
"You...you asshole...!"
Preempting the little lolita's attack, Vahn held up his hand and declared, "From this point onward, aggression equates to docility. The angrier you become, the stronger your desire to sit in a seiza."
Immediately following Vahn's words, four of the girls present sat down in a flawless seiza with their backs straight and eyes forward. The look in their eyes made it very clear they were angry, but, due to the overwhelming difference in Authority, there was very little they could do to free themselves from their predicament.
Using the four as an example, Vahn passed his gaze over the other women present, stating, "I have no intention of harming or forcing anyone against their will. As I stated previously, I simply want to ask you a series of questions. Once my curiosity has been sated, you will be allowed to leave at your leisure."
Though he wasn't particularly fond of using his Authority in this manner, Vahn knew he would need to demonstrate his capabilities. This demonstration would serve as a deterrence against those who still viewed him as an 'upstart' with cheat-like abilities and limited Authority. In reality, his Authority was his greatest asset, so, while he couldn't help feeling a little guilty about forcing a bunch of girls to sit in seiza, he maintained his usual smile without so much as flinching.
Loki would have been proud.
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Following the impromptu interrogation, Vahn learned that nearly half of the women present had effectively been tricked into becoming members of Ryouma's harem. The moment they accepted his offer for a date, it was already too late to change their mind. So long as Ryouma kept pestering them and providing gifts, they would eventually feel 'obligated' to return the favor. After that, they would either become addicted to pleasure or offered power in exchange for becoming members of his harem. In many cases, both.
Though this explanation made it sound as though the girls were partially responsible for the events leading to their 'downfall', the truth of the matter was that Ryouma had approached the majority of them at taverns, restaurants, or cafes. He had figured out an exploit that allowed him to trigger the activation requirements of his System by approaching women and proposing to buy them drinks in exchange for their company. The moment they accepted, Ryouma would treat them with care and consideration for days, sometimes weeks on end. By the time most of them realized something was wrong, they were already being introduced to the other members of his harem.
Simply put, Ryouma had taken advantage of the fact that some girls visited taverns with the intent of receiving free drinks or having one-night stands. If he had respected their intentions, it would be difficult to say he had done anything wrong. Instead, Ryouma entered into such situations with the singular intent of adding new members to his harem. In other words, he ignored the fact that most of the girls present were simply looking for free drinks or casual relationships. He didn't drug them or anything, but, by tracking them down to their Communities and constantly pestering them on a daily basis, he effectively removed the right of the women to refuse his advances.
Ryouma was a textbook example of someone who used their 'kindness' and charisma as weapons to take advantage of people. To make matters exponentially worse, he didn't find anything wrong with his behavior. In his mind, he was still the protagonist of a world where every attractive woman he encountered was a viable target to romance. He basically treated everyone except for himself as non-playable characters, people whose only purpose was to add flavor and variety to his life.
The saddest thing about this was that Ryouma was a genuinely good person. He viewed himself as the Hero of the world so he never stopped trying to help the people around him. His perspective of the world had simply been twisted to the point it was almost impossible for him to change.
Fortunately, though it would take several years for Ryouma to accept it as a good thing, Vahn was there to guide the youthful-looking Hero back to the path of righteousness. His power allowed him to purge the influence of Ryouma's Ero God System from the girls' minds. This resulted in all but six of the girls choosing to seek asylum with the Sage Dragon's Hearth. As for the rest, they hailed from worlds that Ryouma had passed through on his journey.
By completing each of the girls' routes, Ryouma had effectively earned their unconditional love and support. There were times when they felt unbelievably frustrated by his incessant womanizing, but, understanding it was necessary for Ryouma to increase his strength, it never took long for them to forgive him. Some had even helped him pick up girls by accompanying him to various taverns and cafes. The presence of another female was a good way to lower the guard of a potential target, so, with the hope of having a date with the one they loved, many of the girls accompanied Ryouma in spite of the knowledge that their lovers' night out might turn into a plot to expand their numbers.
Armed with this information, one of the first things Vahn did in the days following the promotional Gift Game was ripping out Ryouma's Ero God System. At the same time, he helped Shion purge the more 'cancerous' elements of her Community. Instead of killing them, however, Vahn afforded each of the former 'Heroes' the opportunity to prove they weren't completely irredeemable. To this end, he marooned each of them in an Actualized World based on memories from the lives they had led prior to their first reincarnation/transmigration. He wanted to see what kind of decisions they would make if given similar opportunities but without the 'cheats' to back them up.
Though some would undoubtedly liken Vahn's decision to a form of imprisonment, he felt no guilt as it was ultimately the decision of the Heroes. He had given them the option of choosing between transmigration and returning to the cycle of reincarnation without memories. Each and every single one of them had chosen the former. Some may argue that Vahn hadn't really given them a choice, but, considering 99.99999999999999...% of people reincarnated without being given the option to retain their memories, it was kind of a moot point...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "Grab the Vanargandr and squash it against your body. It may not like it at first but it will eventually calm down. You just need to keep squashing it until it feels calm and secure in your embrace."','Authority is pretty terrifying...','I like to imagine that the only reason the Heroes got off easily is because they have A-SS Rank Luck (O w O)...')

Before escorting Tamamo and Kenshin to their encampment, Vahn joined the two girls in watching the destruction of Kotoamatsukami's planet.
As outlandish as it may sound, witnessing the destruction of a planet was a strangely grounding experience. It was something very few people were able to observe directly, so, whenever he got the opportunity, Vahn would find a nice vantage point to observe the planet's final moments. He was gradually becoming the type of person that found beauty in all things, even destruction...
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Before dealing with the planets belonging to the Akuma and Trāyastriṃśa Communities, Vahn decided to wrap things up with Karyou.
After suffering defeat at the hands, or, more accurately, the fur-covered paws of Usalia, Karyou had been brooding and recovering at the center of her planet. Her first action near the start of the Gift Game had been setting her planet ablaze and destroying each of the Teleportation Nexi. As a result, the only way for most people to reach her core was to bore through nearly 6000km of molten stone and metal.
Ignoring the wards Karyou had set to prevent it, Vahn teleported just outside of her throne room before adopting a wry smile as he stared up at the massive, superheated metal doors marking the entrance to a domain of destructive flames. Karyou's last line of defense had been to fill her control room with magmous flames running from floor to ceiling. Without a tremendous resistance against them, passing through the door was like trying to trespass the core of a star.
Likening Karyou to a pouting teen that had closed themselves off in their room, Vahn made his way up to the superheated door. Even temperatures exceeding tens of millions of degrees had very little effect on him. He had also become intimately familiar with the Law of Destruction during his time in the Actualized World of Dragon Ball, so, even when a sudden and intense wave of destructive intent washed over his body, he just smiled and said, "It's me, Vahn. I don't have to come inside if you-"
Before Vahn could finish speaking, the massive set of superheated doors spontaneously opened. A tidal surge of liquid flames poured from within, but, instead of attempting to sweep him away, they flowed around him to form a channel between Vahn and the delicate, raven-haired figure seated on the throne.
"Vahn Aldrnari Mason...what do you want?"
Though it was difficult to say they were on friendly terms, Karyou had always been the type to repay her debts. This included debts of charity and kindness, so, with Vahn coming to her aid and helping to preserve her dignity, Karyou felt she owed it to him to at least hear him out.
Crossing his hand over his heart, Vahn offered a polite bow before raising his head to answer, "The Gift Game will soon draw to its conclusion. I came to inform you that your elder brother and sister have already retired. I thought it would be rude of me to-"
"Kouryuu is one thing, but you mean to tell me that Wu has been defeated? Impossible. Even if that annoying Fox Goddess made use of her Authority, she wouldn't be able to beat Wu without paying a price. Tell me, what trickery did her opponent use?"
Understanding that it would probably harm Wu's reputation if he mentioned that her planet had been destroyed by complete accident, Vahn maintained a relaxed smile as he explained, "Wu was not defeated in a contest of speed, strength, or wit. Her planet was suddenly destroyed while she was protecting someone elsewhere."
Furrowing her brows, Karyou's crimson eyes appeared to be attempting to look through Vahn. He was remarkably proficient at fooling his enemies, but, whenever it came to people he trusted or felt sorry for, his expression and aura gave him away. Karyou couldn't tell he was lying, but, feeling that something was amiss, she stated, "You aren't telling the whole truth..."
Rather than trying to refute Karyou's claim, Vahn nodded his head and affirmed, "Your intuition is telling you the truth. However, I can say with certainty that I am not withholding information with the intent to deceive or exploit. I just reasoned that it would be more appropriate for you to learn the truth from your brother and sister directly."
Sensing no falsehoods within Vahn's words, Karyou fell silent for a moment as she considered her options. Wu was significantly more caring towards her than Kouryuu, so, unlike the latter, Karyou wasn't particularly concerned that she might receive a beating. She may even receive a 'reward' if she secured a lower-digit Gate and simply swapped places with Wu once it was over.
With that thought in mind, Karyou asked, "Which Communities still remain?"
Seeing through Karyou's intentions, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he answered, "The Akuma, Trāyastriṃśa, and Sage Dragon's Hearth Communities."
Furrowing her brows, Karyou gave up the notion of trying to secure a better position through her own efforts. Instead, she stared deep into Vahn's eyes as she asked, "Are you willfully choosing to place me beneath the Akuma Community? I was under the impression you were an ally to the Jade Palace..."
Shaking his head, Vahn adopted a more casual expression as he explained, "I am on friendly terms with the Jade Emperor, Erlang Shen, and a handful of others within the Jade Palace. However, as a Community that aspires to maintain neutrality, the Sage Dragon's Hearth does not forge alliances. We act in the interest of balance and ensuring the people of the Little Garden have the same rights as those who presume to rule over them. As fond as I am of the Jade Emperor and certain members of his court, the values of the Aldrnari Empire and the Heavenly Domain are drastically different. We have absolutely no obligation to act in their interest."
Though she kept her brows furrowed, Karyou didn't question Vahn's statement. In hindsight, she realized that the Jade Palace, or, more specifically, the members of the Jade Court would demand she hand over her lower-digit Gate. She could refuse, but, as a Community comprised of a single individual, she wouldn't be able to protect such a coveted Gate without the protection of a larger organization.
As that thought crossed Karyou's mind, so too did the words Wu had spoken to her in the weeks leading up to the Gift Game. Wu, between her ramblings, had implied that Vahn might be able to do something about her mother's injury and the corruption that was gradually spreading through her body. Karyou didn't take this seriously at the time, but, even if there was only a 0.000000001% chance that Vahn could help, it was infinitely better than nothing.
"You said I could make use of your Community's services without needing to pay, correct...?"
Recalling the conversation he and Karyou had the previous day, Vahn nodded his head. Before he could clarify, however, Karyou beat him to the punch, stating, "I need your help. Help me acquire a lower-digit Gate and I will join your Aldrnari Empire as a vassal. After that, so long as you can fulfill two of my requests...I will never refuse a single thing you ask of me..."
Though she disdained men to the very core of her being, Karyou trusted Wu's judgment. The latter never stopped talking about Vahn whenever they were together. She wasn't entirely sure what Wu saw in him, but, if Vahn really could help her mother, Karyou wouldn't mind becoming his servant...
Stopping time, Vahn took a moment to massage his temples and drag his hand along his face. Sis, viewing this as a perfect opportunity, chimed in to tease, (*Look on the bright side. As one of Wu's only friends, it was only a matter of time before you became entangled in Karyou's affairs. At least this way, you can secure the 1002nd and 1009th Gates at the same time.*)
Hearing Sis's words, Vahn's eyes widened as realization donned on him. His original intention had been to let Indra occupy the 1009th Gate. This would allow him to ease a lot of the fear and anxiety people held towards him and Aldrnari Empire as Indra was one of the original creators of the Little Garden. By demonstrating a willingness to cooperate with the existing powers, Vahn could ensure the establishment of his Empire was a lot smoother than it otherwise might be.
The caveat was that it was only a matter of time before Vahn instigated as Last Embryo scenario. In order to do so, he would need to occupy six of the Gates between the Digits of 1000 and 1010. The opportunity to seize two of these Gates in a single game wasn't something he should ignore...
"..."
(*...*)
Shaking his head, Vahn allowed the flow of time to resume as he calmly answered, "I am more than willing to help you even without such conditions. As much as I appreciate your intentions, I would much rather forge a contract that prohibits you from making such guarantees...no one should have to 'sacrifice' themselves just to help the people they love..."
Not expecting Vahn's response, Karyou found herself at a genuine loss for words. Anyone else in his position would have readily accepted such an offer. She may be on the shorter side but the number of people that had coveted her body could form a mountain linking the Heavens and Earth. Hearing Vahn deny her in such an earnest manner was touching, but, at the same time, Karyou couldn't help feeling mildly offended by how quickly he had refused...
Though they couldn't compare to Dragons and the Young Masters of insignificant clans, Phoenixes were among the most prideful creatures in the entire Heavenly Domain. Karyou's bloodline was far from pure, but, having never met her father, the only major influencers in her life were her mother, Wu, and her chosen siblings. Her mother was a remarkably kind person, but, as the manifestation of the Divine Phoenix, she wouldn't even look at or meet with people she considered beneath her.
Making no effort to conceal her displeasure, Karyou asked, "Is there something about me you find lacking...?"
Recalling that Vahn had seen her 'true' form, Karyou's eyes sharpened as the temperature of the surrounding flames began to increase. In response, Vahn's expression morphed into a deadpan as he telepathically replied, ("Are you seriously asking me a question like that despite knowing about my relationship with Wu?")
Blinking in surprise, a hint of confusion briefly appeared in Karyou's expression before realization donned upon her. She and Wu had remarkably similar proportions. If anything, she was actually a little more developed in certain regions, so, upon comprehending Vahn's words, the faintest hint of a blush colored Karyou's cheeks as she appended, "Forgive me...I may have spoken out of turn..."
Exhaling a sigh, Vahn shook his head in mild exasperation before saying, "Don't worry about it. Just make sure to stop by the Sage Dragon's Hearth when you get the opportunity. Any friend of Wu's is a friend of mine."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Karyou decided to save a bit of face by promptly announcing her intention to withdraw. When her body vanished, so too did the flames filling the throne room. The temperature was still unbearable for most people, but, from the perspective of someone like Vahn, it was actually a little chilly...
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In the midst of Vahn's conversation with Karyou, a figure resembling a zombie with black and white hair appeared on the planet belonging to the Sage Dragon's Hearth.
Unperturbed by the figure's ghastly appearance, an abnormally petite girl with coordinating hair color and an outfit reminiscent of a grinning cat made her way over, saying, "You don't have to look so dispirited, Ryouma. Even if the Captain refuses to give you the time of day, you still have us."
Exhaling a depressive sigh, Ryouma looked down at the petite girl with dead fish eyes as he said, "In the end, I had to promise not to ask her out for thirteen years. I appreciate your concern, Cheshire. I really do. It's just difficult to be happy when the person you like doesn't like you back..."
Resisting the urge to smack Ryouma with her oversized, paw-shaped hammer, Cheshire forced a smile as she said, "As I said before, you still have us. I understand that you really like the Captain but you're going to make everyone sad if you stay like this. Come on. Let's go ahead and prepare for our raid. Who knows? If we do well, the Captain may even change her mind..."
Though the first half of Cheshire's statement did little to improve his mood, the final part was like fuel on the cinders of Ryouma's motivation. Infernos appeared within the depths of his obsidian-black eyes, and, along with them, a powerful aura burst out from his body as he pumped his fist and shouted, "You're right! Alright, everyone! Let's do this...!"
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I imagine Vahn sitting in the middle of a burning room and being like, "This is fine."','What are Vahn's preferences, you ask? The easy answer is, "Yes." The best answer is, "Booty."')

Chapter 2244: The Hand That Feeds