Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"Come on, is this really necessary...?"
Though Vahn had dispelled the demonic energy from Izayoi's body, he still ended up bound and, for a short while, gagged inside of a cell. After all, until the Gift Game came to an end, he was 'technically' on the side of Grimm Grimoire Hamlin.
In response to Izayoi's words, it was Asuka who answered, "Though it is partially my fault you ended up here, I'm siding with Vahn on this one. I can't believe you, of all people, made such a foolish mistake. Maybe a bit of prison time will make you think before the next time you run off on your own..."
Exhaling a sigh, Izayoi rolled onto his side with a bored expression on his face as he said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Princess..."
Squinting her eyes, Asuka was about to chastise Izayoi for his behavior when Vahn chimed in, asking, "Do you really intend to lecture someone under the influence of the Central Network's compulsion? Izayoi isn't the only one that needs to learn from this incident. You need to work on getting your priorities in order, Asuka."
Hanging her head, Asuka's confident demeanor momentarily cracked as she softly complained, "Not everyone can be like you. Some of us..."
Though she was about to say that 'some people' needed to work to obtain their power and authority, Asuka realized the irony of her words before they could part her lips. After all, she was born into a family with tremendous wealth with an ability that allowed her to get whatever she wanted. She also had one of the most potent Gifts, powerful allies, and a functionally unlimited number of supplies. Simply put, she didn't have a platform to stand on if she wanted to argue about fairness...
Believing Vahn could be reading her thoughts, Asuka muttered, '"Never mind...forget what I was about to say. I'm...I'm just not thinking clearly at the moment..."
Just as Asuka was about to excuse herself, Yo suddenly embraced her in a warm hug, whispering, "You don't have to be like Vahn, Asuka...we love you for who you are. Just be your best self, okay...?"
Surprised by Yo's words and actions, Asuka opened her mouth to speak but simply couldn't find the words. Instead, she hesitated for a moment before returning Yo's embrace in silence. Their interaction earned them a rather rude remark from Izayoi but, thanks to Vahn, his voice couldn't carry beyond the cell.
...
..
.
After Asuka's and Yo's moment of bonding, the duo reconvened with Sandora to discuss their next plan of action. Vahn was also present, but none of the girls paid him any mind due to the fact he was, momentarily, standing outside the Axis of Reality.
Having regained her confidence, Asuka was the one to start things off, stating, "Things aren't as bad as they could be. As much of a blunder as it was, Izayoi's actions prevented whatever was meant to happen when the glass panels were broken. If we go back to the Corridor of Displays, we should be able to resolve this without further issue."
Nodding her head in approval, Sandora stated, "We'll go together this time. I've assigned Forte, Frey, Ebony, and Raven to keep an eye on the members of Grimm Grimoire Hamlin. Let's try to end this without having to rely on Vahn a third time."
Though she was grateful for Vahn's intervention, especially in the case of Pest and her pestilence, Sandora couldn't help feeling as though she had failed in her original intent. However, instead of letting it bother her, she was more determined than ever.
One of the most important lessons she had learned from Vahn was that it was okay to make mistakes. Even if the consequences of your actions were catastrophic, you hadn't failed so long as you hadn't given up. The burden of your mistakes may weigh heavily on your body and mind, but that was even more of a reason to push forward. If you simply gave up, the deaths that came about as a result of your actions would have been in vain.
"Agreed. I can't stand being indebted to that man, so let's try to wrap this up with just the three of us."
As if to protest Asuka's words, the tiny Earth Spirit seated atop her head gave it a firm pat as she shouted, "Asuka~!"
Smiling wryly, Asuka plucked the faerie-like Spirit from her head, gently poking its cheek as she supplanted, &nbsp;"Make that the four of us. After all, there's a good chance you're the key to everything, isn't there...?"
Tilting her head to the side, the Earth Spirit had a supremely innocent expression on her face as she intoned a confused, "Asuka...?"
Producing a biscotti from her Inventory, Asuka fed the confused Earth Spirit a piece of the almondy cracker before returning her attention to Sandora and asking, "When do you want to set out?"
Returning a faint smile, Sandora said, "I would prefer to set out as soon as possible. The sooner we can solve this matter, the sooner my people can return to their lives."
"Can't argue with that."
Though she wasn't looking forward to getting crumbs in her bra, Asuka allowed the Earth Spirit to conceal itself in her cleavage before adopting a confident, resolute expression and saying, "Right! Let's do this...!"
Feeding off Asuka's energy, Yo pumped her fist in the air, shouting a spirited, "Ya-ho~!" while Sandora just nodded. Then, without so much as sparing him a glance, the trio bolted past Vahn with the Corridor of Displays as their destination. In their wake, Vahn walked over and made himself comfortable atop Sandora's throne, a pensive expression on his face as he called out, "Sis...?"
"Hmmm~?"
Aware of Vahn's present mental state, Sis elected to manifest in front of him instead of conversing with him from the comfort of his mind. Vahn's mood improved qualitatively the moment she did, so Sis chalked it up to a win-win as she snuggled up next to him and asked, "What's wrong...?"
Though he would normally bury his face in her breasts or enjoy her lap pillow, Vahn surprised Sis by wrapping his right arm around her, pulling her a little closer, and caressing the space between her cat-like ears. At the same time, his left hand nearly went for her breast, but he managed to catch himself at the last moment, his palm resting on her abdomen as he softly replied, "Yo nearly experienced something traumatic because of me..."
Ceasing her throaty purring, Sis's words and actions were somewhat contrary as she affectionately nestled her head against Vahn's chest and asserted, "You're wrong. Yo willfully participated in this event, and Izayoi's blunder was entirely the result of a personal oversight. Now, be a good boy and tell me why you're actually upset..."
Nestling his face between Sis's ears, Vahn closed his eyes to inhale a 'very' deep breath before opening them to reveal blazing golden irises as he said, "I'm tired, Sis...I'm tired of all the conflict, pain, and tragedy that is only ever a moment away from ruining everything. I have all this power, but it's utterly meaningless unless I abandon my principles and take control of everything. I've been trying so desperately to hold onto all the things that make me who I am, but they only ever seem to get in the way..."
"Mmm..."
Dragging the nail of her right index finger down the center of Vahn's chest, cutting through the fabric of his tunic as if it simply didn't exist, Sis asked, "So...what you're saying is that you're trapped between the decision to 'take control' or 'relinquish' it. And you believing choosing either option means losing yourself...is that it?"
Instead of responding to Sis's words, Vahn silently observed as she finished cutting a line down the entirety of his tunic. When her hand made its way over his heart, they could both feel the powerful organ pumping with enough vigor to power, not one, but innumerable stars.
"Does this remind you of anything...?"
Even without Sis helping to pull up his memories, Vahn recalled all the times when Chloe would affectionately caress his chest or listen to his heartbeat. He longed for those simpler times, a period in his life when-
"You're lying to yourself..."
Blinking in surprise, Vahn's face contorted into confusion as he asked, "What do you mean?"
Despite drawing a tiny heart shape in Vahn's chest, Sis's expression hardened as she asked, "Did you forget why you 'fled' the Record of Danmachi? If those times were truly as simple as you believe them to be, why are you here right now?"
"..."
Cupping Vahn's face to prevent him from looking away from her, Sis maintained a stern look as she added, "Every burden you carry is one you willfully picked up, Vahn. If you want to drop them, I will support you to the very end. However, I won't sit here and listen to you make excuses. Since the very beginning of this journey, you have been the only one that can make decisions for yourself. If you want to rampage for a bit, sleep for an eternity, or travel ten thousand worlds as nothing more than a guardian, there is nothing anyone can do to stop you..."
Near the end of her words, Sis brought her indescribably sharp nail to her blouse, her eyes glistening with even greater intensity than Vahn's as she purred, "Just do as you please..."
Feeling a knot forming in his throat, Vahn barely managed to mutter, "Sis..." in an uncharacteristically shaky tone. In response, Sis squinted her eyes, surprising Vahn as she said, "If you desired it, I would set out and conquer this entire reality, bundle it up, and present it to you with a neat little bow around it. You might have forgotten, but my power is the same as your own. If you're 'really' tired of making an effort, you need only say six words..."
Before Vahn realized it, he found himself being cradled in Sis's naked bosom, his body resembling that of the young boy that emerged in the forest so many years ago as she whispered, "Sis...please help me return home. Say those six words, and you won't have to worry about anything ever again...unless, of course, you choose to..."
Following her words, Sis emulated Vahn's habit of sniffing her hair. If he didn't recover his senses soon, she wouldn't be able to control herself...
Fortunately, though it caused the massive array of animalistic beauties within Vahn's mind to cry out in frustration, he promptly reverted to his 'true' form, whispering, "I still have a bit of fight left in me..."
Exhaling a hot sigh, Sis attempted to suppress her desires and resume her sisterly persona. Vahn apparently had different intentions, however, his voice gaining a soul-quivering quality as he said, "Sis...I love you..."
Feeling an insuppressible shiver spread through her body, Sis's eyes began to glaze over as she whimpered, "We shouldn't...if we do, I'm not sure I can contain myself. If I lose control-"
"I'll rein you in..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn leaned in to give Sis a deep and passionate kiss. At the same time, taking advantage of the fact she had sliced open her blouse, he reached up to squeeze her right breast. He could feel her jaw trembling through their connected mouths and tongues, his passion and desire increasing by the nanosecond.
Just as Vahn's hand began to move further south, Sis's eyes widened like a startled cat as she jerked away from him and said, "No! Bad girls!" in a shrill, panicked tone.
Before Vahn could ask what was wrong, women of various shapes and sizes began to manifest within the Chamber of Flames, quickly filling it as a strange feeling of 'emptiness' swelled within his mind. Then, like a horde of hungry animals swarming around someone holding a bag of treats, Vahn was quickly overwhelmed by what he would later come to know as the Sis Corps...
It was an experience he would never forget.
...
..
.
(A/N: Well, hello there (O w O)...')

Staring out across their shared battlefield, a veritable sea of animal girl bodies, nearly a hundred different Vahn's couldn't help succumbing to a profound reverie. They had been fighting for so long that they completely lost their sense of time. However, in the end, it was not the horde of cute, beautiful, and incredibly enthusiastic girls that won out. No. Once again, it was the Sage Dragon Emperor that had emerged supreme.
"We did it..."
Hearing the soft utterance of their brother, the other Vahn's all nodded their heads in concert. Then, starting from the periphery, each began to disappear into thin air. In the end, only a single Vahn remained among a field of more than ten thousand panting, mewling, and twitching women.
Just as Vahn was about to begin his search for the original, one of the 'surviving' Sis Corps members nearest to his feet grabbed his ankle. He looked down to find a petite cat girl with hazy pink eyes and ashen grey hair that extended well past her lower back. He immediately recognized her as Kaya, one of the 'Nekomini Maid Corps' that had assailed him near the beginning of the battle. She was nearly identical to her twenty-seven sisters, but Vahn could tell each of them apart without issue.
Putting as much strength as she could manage into her grip, Kaya issued a euphonious, "Myaastah...don't go..."
"Still got a bit of fight in you, eh...?"
Though he risked setting off a chain reaction in the surrounding Sisters, Vahn waved his hand to levitate Kaya from the ground. She was a little on the small side, around 144cm, but he still drew her close and gave her an intense kiss as she locked her legs around him and willfully guided the tip of his glans to her steamy entrance.
Fortunately, though Kaya cried out with a cataclysmically loud mewl when she dropped her hips, Vahn was able to suppress the sound as it escaped her lips. A few of the surrounding Sisters began moving about and making sonorous noises, but that was primarily due to the 'resonance' caused by Vahn's Sex Divinity...
...
..
.
After making his way through several other 'survivors', Vahn finally arrived at the epicenter of the cataclysmic battle, a large circular region occupied by a single slumbering figure with short black hair, tanned skin, and feline features.
Sensing Vahn's approach, the figure immediately stirred away, a dreamlike smile developing across her face as she teased, "Long time no see~? Oh my..."
Even before the cat-like woman had finished speaking, she found herself lifted into the air and supported by three nearly identical men. When they propped her up and spread her legs, she offered absolutely no resistance. Instead, she extended her left hand, willfully spreading apart her vulva to reveal a thin yet constant stream of lubricating fluids as she inquired, "Is this what you came for~?"
Without any hesitation, Vahn inserted himself into the woman in a single thrust. Her back arched as a silent scream emanated from her throat, but that wasn't enough to deter the four men surrounding her. Instead, they began to knead and caress every part of her body as the version of Vahn directly behind joined his counterpart in probing the woman's depths. He just took a very different route.
Feeling something hot and thick invade her rear, a giggle emanated from the woman's throat as she mewled, "Naughty boy...". Then, using her own version of the Hands of Nirvana, she began dexterously stroking the glans and shafts of the two Vahn's flanking her...
Breaking the woman's concentration, the Vahn in front of her leaned in as if he were about to kiss her. She eagerly extended her tongue to receive him, but before their lips could meet, he whispered, "You've been a very bad girl, Sis..."
"Eh...?"
Surprised by Vahn's words, a feeling of panic washed over Sis, her mind racing to understand what she had done wrong. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as she was expecting. Following his words, Vahn brought lips close enough to touch hers as he added, "If I had known you were this lewd, I would have claimed every version of you years ago..."
Feeling a sudden and pleasurable heat spreading through her body, Sis became keenly aware of the fact that two of the Vahn(s) had inserted their rainbow-hued hands into her body. She could feel them caressing the literal core of her existence, her features rapidly shifting between her ten-thousand-three-hundred-and-thirty-nine offshoots as Sisters across the battlefield began to disappear.
"Vahn...wait...it's too much..."
Shaking his head, Vahn allowed his other selves to disappear as he fell with Sis against the pillowy surface of the bed-like realm she had created near the start of the 'battle'. Then, with his fingers linked through hers, he leaned close enough that his lips tickled the delicate hairs within her cat-like ears as he said, "No matter what happens, I will always love you...just as you have always been here to pull me back together, I will do the same for you..."
As her rapid transformations came to an end, Sis's body tensed as Vahn's mind completely blanked. His previously steady heart began beating like a drum in his chest as he asked, "Is this the 'real' you...?"
Pulling her hands from Vahn's, Sis hurriedly covered her face, furiously shaking her head as she insisted, "It's a misunderstanding! This is just the form closest to your heart...!"
While doing his best to suppress the shaking of his body, Vahn scanned the pale and petite woman pinned beneath him. She had short, somewhat messy auburn hair, a lithe body, and, before she had hidden it away, Vahn noticed that were a shade of leafy green set within a lightly freckled face. The only differences between her and the woman Vahn was imagining were her tiny horns, her pointed ears, the lion-like tail protruding from her lower back, and the reptilian scales covering her hands, forearms, calves, and feet.
Feeling a sudden and overwhelming urge to pull out for the first time in his life, Vahn nearly did exactly that until he noticed the tears escaping from beneath Sis's hands. His panic and confusion were immediately replaced by a feeling of guilt as he pulled her into his embrace before shifting to a seated position and hugging her as tenderly as possible.
"Shhshhshhhshhh...it's going to be okay, Sis. What did I just finish saying? No matter what happens, I will always love you. I was just...really, really surprised..."
After a fair amount of sniffling, Sis lowered her hands to reveal a pair of large, green, teary eyes. Vahn could feel his heart seize in his chest the moment they made eye contact, but he quickly suppressed any and all feelings of discomfort as he tentatively inquired, "This is just a form you adopted...right?"
Understanding Vahn's concerns, Sis sniffled a few more times before resting her forehead against his exposed chest and meekly replying, "It's difficult to explain...however, no matter how things might appear, I'm not your mother. It's just...there was a time when I really wanted to become her..."
With most of Vahn's memories being recycled through the Kaleidoscopic Wheel of Karma, the most prominent image within his mind at the time of Sis' creation was the memory of his mother. Vahn had actually been lying through his teeth when he claimed to have always wanted a big sister to take care of him. In truth, the one thing he had always yearned for, even after thousands of years of existence, was his mother's embrace.
Long before she had taken on the traits of people like Chloe, Sis had silently watched over Vahn in the guise of his mother. She would even visit him whenever he had nightmares, slowly weakening their influence over his mind by introducing Vahn's most significant source of comfort. This was the actual reason Vahn rarely dreamed back in the Record of Danmachi. Sis had actively suppressed them so that he wouldn't have a mental breakdown upon discovering her in the form of his mother.
Exhaling a breath he didn't even notice he was holding, Vahn surprised Sis by releasing her from his embrace, an indescribably affectionate smile on his face as he asserted, "You're so fucking adorable..."
"Eh...?"
Since it was pretty unusual for Vahn to curse, Sis was momentarily taken aback by his words. Before she could form any further thoughts, however, Vahn's hands suddenly slid down her body, firmly grasping her hips as he began to rock her in his lap. A shiver of pleasure ran from her core to the crown of her head, but, fearing Vahn would regret his actions, Sis shakily inquired, "Are you sure about this...?"
Letting a soft chuckle emanate from his throat, Vahn put a bit of force into his shallow thrust, eliciting a yelping moan from Sis as he said, "No matter what form you take, it doesn't change the fact you're still my beloved Big Sis. I won't lie. It is more than a little disconcerting, but, at the same time, I can't help feeling obligated to 'reward' you for being so cute..."
As his right hand made its way to the small of Sis's back, supporting her as he continued to hasten his movements, Vahn's smile gained a wolfish quality as he teased, "Besides...you're far from the first woman who has wanted me to call her Mommy..."
With her jaw and teeth clattering each time Vahn invaded her depths, Sis found herself wholly unable to respond to his words. Her emotions were going completely haywire, but none were more powerful than the feelings of love and devotion she felt towards the boy, no, the man sitting in front of her. She still intended to view him as her beloved little brother, but Sis knew their relationship would never be the same after this...
...
..
.
After a surprisingly easy 'battle' against the Rattenfanger Community, Sandora, Yo, and Asuka watched as the 130 spirits slowly disappeared from the Little Garden.
"To think that the 'true legend' of the Pied Piper of Hamlin was something so mundane...tragic, but mundane..."
Though she was delighted to have acquired a new Gift in the form of a giant, seemingly indestructible red golem, Asuka couldn't help feeling a little empty inside. It turned out that the 130 children hadn't been killed off by a natural disaster or sacrificed by some demonic entity. They were simply a group of children who left home with the goal of forming a small community away from their oppressive parents. As for the cause of their deaths, it was entirely natural causes. Most of them had starved to death, while others had simply succumbed to the elements...
"At least with this, the matter has largely been settled. We just need to get out of here and inform the people they can return to their daily lives. After all, I'll arrange a commendation ceremony to make it known just how important a role the No Names played in the quick resolution of events. It will take a day or two to get everything organized, but it should give your Community a substantial increase in influence."
Regaining her smile, Asuka had to restrain the urge to give Sandora a big hug as she said, "I'm glad you're such a prudent person, Sandora. Let's be friends from now on, okay?"
Hearing Asuka mutter her trigger word, a radiant smile developed across Yo's face as she pulled together both girls and enthusiastically exclaimed, "That's right! From now on, the four of us will be the best of friends~!"
Though she initially smiled wryly in response to Yo's words, Asuka quickly noticed the discrepancy in her statement, asking, "The four of us? Do you mean Lily...?"
Answering in place of Yo, the tiny Earth Spirit hiding in Asuka's cleavage poked her head out, her mitten-like hands waving eagerly as she happily chimed, "Asuka~! Friend~! Friend~!"
Surprised that the tiny Spirit hadn't disappeared along with the rest of the Rattenfanger members, Asuka was briefly at a loss for words. In the end, however, she just accepted it as a good thing, smiling as she said, "Looks like Deen isn't our only new member. Welcome to the No Names...Merun?"
Tilting her head to the side, the diminutive fae pointed toward herself, asking, "Merun?" in an adorably confused tone. In response, Asuka just nodded her head, stating, "That's your name. We can't keep calling you Earth Spirit, now can we~?"
Though she didn't fully understand Asuka's words, Merun happily flew around the trio of girls, her voice a mixture of laughter and excitement as she sang, "Merun~! Asuka~! Merun~! Asuka~! Ehehehehehehe~!"
...
..
.
(A/N: Bet no one saw that coming (O w O)...')

After giving Izayoi a 'stern' talking, Asuka, alongside the aforementioned troublemaker, returned so that she could use her Oraculum on Ratten and Weser. The danger of Pied Piper Hamlin had largely passed, but they still needed to clear the game.
Fortunately, though their tales weren't exactly pleasant to hear, Ratten's and Weser's status as Lesser/Low-Ranking Demons meant their origins were considerably less tragic than Pest's. Weser, in particular, was just a spiritual manifestation of the Weser River. In other words, he had no real origin and was just given form as a result of the Weser River's association with the tale of the Pied Piper.
Similar to Weser, Ratten was also a derivative spirit associated with the tale. More specifically, she was the personification of a 'Piper who could play a sweet melody to control rats and children'. She wasn't the original Pied Piper associated with the tale, but her flute had a similar effect.
Upon hearing the two Demons reveal their origins, Izayoi was, once again, the first to speak, remarking, "So that was a waste of time." before turning around with the apparent intention to leave.
Following Izayoi with her eyes, Asuka's brows visibly twitched as she shouted, "Izayoi, wait! At least tell us what you're thinking before you storm off on your own...!"
Without turning around or removing his hands from his pockets, Izayoi looked toward the sky and said, "I remember seeing some stained glass panels portraying the tale of the Pied Piper while we were exploring the Corridor of Displays. Since that's where our busty blonde friend made her first appearance, I figure they might have something to do with this whole charade. Who knows, they may even be the key to solving the riddle. Only one way to find out."
Finished with his explanation, Izayoi leaped into the sky without further remark. Asuka wasn't particularly enthused by this, but she didn't have time to brood as the tiny Earth Spirit that had been nestled between her breasts popped out, shouting, "Rattenfanger! Rattenfanger!" while waving in the direction Izayoi had just departed.
Confused by the tiny spirit's behavior, Asuka let it stand on her palms as she asked, "Yes? Are you trying to tell us something?"
Seeing the diminutive, faerie-like spirit in Asuka's hands, Pest surprised everyone present by advising, "You should take that Spirit with you and follow that boy..."
"Pest-chan...?"
Snorting in response to the way Ratten addressed her, Pest adopted a catty glower as she said, "I told you to stop calling me that..." before meeting Asuka's gaze and adding, "That boy wasn't wrong to take an interest in those panels. They are one of the catalysts used to summon us. However, they are not the key. If you want to learn the truth, you'll need to look deeper..."
Squinting her eyes, Asuka asked, "Why are you suddenly helping us? If this is some kind of trick-"
Interrupting before Asuka could finish, Pest answered, "We've already lost. All I can do now is try to protect the members of my Community..."
Not trusting the petite Demoness, Asuka was prepared to use her Oraculum when Yo grabbed her sleeve, saying, "We should hurry..." in a soft tone.
Exhaling a sigh, Asuka allowed her Gift Card to dissipate as she looked to the bound trio and said, "If it turns out you're telling the truth, we'll factor that into the reparations you'll be expected to make."
Shifting her attention to the quietly observing Sandora, Asuka asked, "I trust Salamandra has no problem with that?"
Shaking her head, Sandora calmly replied, "So long as we can wrap this incident without any significant damages or loss of life, Salamandra will not request anything unreasonable. With how things have developed so far, we may even be able to pass it off as some kind of prank..."
Surprised by Sandora's words, Asuka was about to ask what she meant when Yo suddenly picked her up in a princess carry, saying, "We're going." in an uncharacteristically firm tone. Then, without further delays, she took off in the direction Izayoi had departed previously.
After watching the duo take off, accompanied by the high-pitched sound of Asuka's scream, a pensive expression gradually returned to Sandora's face. What Pest revealed about the panels had resonated with her. If her suspicions proved correct, Pied Piper Hamlin wouldn't be the ones to hold responsible for this incident...
"Brother..."
...
..
.
"You about ready to get out of here...?"
Though she heard Vahn's words, Leviathan didn't raise her head from his shoulder. Instead, she nestled a little closer to him as she asked, "Can't we just stay here? The outside world is so tiresome..."
In an effort to convince Vahn to accept her proposal, Leviathan snaked her hand up his thighs, firmly gripping the appendage nestled between his legs. They were currently relaxing in a bath of pulsing blue lava, but it was somehow colder than the heat radiating through her palm.
"Mmm..."
Closing his eyes, Vahn enjoyed the increasingly dexterous movements of Leviathan's hand for the better part of a full minute before saying, "There are people waiting for me. People whose importance I can't even put into words..."
Squinting her eyes, a glimmer of anger and moderate envy flashed across Leviathan's golden eyes. She hated when Vahn talked about other people. If it were up to her, she would lock him away and keep him to herself until the end of days. Unfortunately, she couldn't even imagine someone more powerful than he was. He had also forbidden her from fighting against the other members of his harem, threatening to cast her away into one of his self-created worlds if she tried. In other words, the only way they could remain together was if she behaved like a 'good girl.'
"At least promise me this won't be the last time...after what you've done to me, you have a responsibility to take care of me for the rest of my life..."
Though Leviathan's words were more than a little overbearing, Vahn just intoned a casual, "Nn..." before opening his eyes and adding, "I'm not the type to abandon others. So long as you don't cross my bottom line, you'll always have a place at my side..."
Inhaling a deep breath that ultimately came out from her nose in the form of two electric blue plumes of flame, Leviathan elected not to respond to Vahn's words. She hated being told what to do, but, unwilling to part with the man that had conquered her heart, mind, and body; she was willing to make an effort to play nice...
"Only the Sage Dragon Emperor could force a being of pure destruction to play the part of a pacifist...you damned tyrant..."
Despite her final words sounding like a curse, Leviathan planted a kiss on Vahn's neck. She actually preferred him to behave overbearingly, so the more potent her desire, the more profane her vocabulary. So long as she didn't bring up or insult maternal figures, he was generally willing to play along...
Meeting Leviathan's expectations, Vahn slid his hand up her waist until his scale-covered palm was over her breast. Leviathan was the type that got even more excited when he took on draconic features, so Vahn allowed a layer of gold and white scales to spread across his hand and forearm, his fingers growing to resemble talons as he gave her breast a firm squeeze.
Feeling a stifling surge of heat permeate her chest, an impassioned sigh that caused the magma within the pool to boil over escaped Leviathan's glowing throat. Her core temperature exceeded 6,000 degrees when she was excited, hotter than the surface of the yellow sun. This was nowhere near the millions of degrees certain Sun Goddesses could achieve, but it was more than enough to melt conventional metals and stone.
Immune to the rapid increase in temperature, Vahn lowered his head to give Leviathan's shoulder a not-so-playful nibble. His teeth sank nearly a full centimeter into her ashen-bronze flesh, but instead of screaming out in pain, Leviathan's back and tail arched, her toes curling as a moan akin to a dragon's roar emanated from her throat...
...
..
.
After reaching the Corridor of Displays and locating the panels depicting the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin, Izayoi inspected the metal placard underneath, eyes narrowing as he discovered it had been manufactured by the Rattenfanger Community.
"Figures..."
Since the original story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin was a German story called Rattenf&auml;nger von Hameln, Izayoi would have to be pretty dense not to notice the connection between the Rattenfanger Community and Grimm Grimoire Hamlin. He had even brought it up when Asuka initially discovered the tiny Earth Spirit. Thus, after a moment of deliberation, he promptly shattered the stained glass panels.
Accompanying the sound of glass shattering, an invisible domain spread outward at an alarming rate. Izayoi attempted to counter it with his Seiun, but that ended up being his biggest mistake. A cold sensation suddenly spread his mind, a soft, "I'm a fucking idiot..." escaping his mouth as the color of his eyes shifted from amethyst to blood red...
...
..
.
Despite rushing over to the Corridor of Displays, the sinking suspicion Yo had felt ever since Izayoi's departure ended up proving true. Her instincts were a lot more attuned than Asuka's, so she had been able to sense that something terrible was going to happen. Unfortunately, Asuka's numerous delays caused them to arrive just after Izayoi's inadvertent rule-breaking, their expressions paling as his hair transitioned from a golden blonde to a silvery-white.
Feeling an almost overwhelming sense of dread, Yo opened her mouth to shout out Vahn's name. Before she could, Izayoi appeared right in front of her, a devilish grin on his face as he grasped hers with a vice-like grip and said, "Uh-uh, can't have you calling in the cavalry just yet. I want to have a bit of fun first..."
Punctuating his words, Izayoi, much to the shock of Asuka, attempted to crush Yo's jaw with his immense physical strength. At that exact moment, a hand closed around his wrist, completely cutting off feeling to his hand as Vahn, seemingly manifesting in an instant, asked, "Seriously? You, of all people...?"
Catching everyone but Vahn by surprise, Izayoi leaped back with more than enough force to sever the tendons and bones in his forearm. Even more surprising, at least for Yo and Asuka, was his ability to regenerate the missing appendage in an instant.
Tossing Izayoi's severed hand to the side, Vahn's expression morphed into a deadpan as he said, "Even if you've turned into a Demon Lord, you should still have enough sense to understand how foolish it would be to fight me. Stand down and let yourself be pur-"
Surprising even Vahn this time, Izayoi manifested a blindingly white pillar of light in the palm of his right hand. In the very next moment, similar to Wu's Ruyi Jingu Bang, the pillar extended to a size that was impossible to dodge within the confines of the Corridor of Displays. At the same time, it tore apart the surrounding space with such brutality that massive cracks formed in the sky above the city, almost as though the sky was about to shatter and fall.
Returning the favor, Vahn arrested the momentum of Izayoi's pillar of light with his left hand while concurrently teleporting Yo, Asuka, and their little faerie friend to safety. His ring and middle fingers fragmented like pieces of stone, and several cracks extended from his palm to his elbow, but he managed to stand his ground as he asked, "Is that the best you can do?"
With a few beads of sweat forming across his forehead, Izayoi remarked, "I'm just getting started, old man."
Thinking Vahn was going to humor him with a fight, Izayoi was surprised a second time when the former stated, "Unfortunately for you, the fight was decided the moment you grabbed Yo's face..."
Opening his mouth, Izayoi was about to ask what Vahn was talking about when an irrepressible surge of energy welled within him. The moment he became aware of it, all the demonic energy that had permeated his body was forcefully expelled along with his own. He would normally be able to supplement his power with the pillar of light. Unfortunately, the last thing he saw before his eyes rolled toward the back of his head was a series of golden chains coiling around it...
"Damned Problem Child..."
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Someones in trouble...','RIP Leviathan...','Vahn be like, "Bruh..."')

Chapter 2289: Breaking Point