Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After meting out Ver&eth;andi's punishment, Vahn made his way through the stone gate leading to his next Trial. He found Skuld waiting for him there, but, unlike before, she kept her distance and her back toward the wall.
Shrugging his shoulders, Vahn attempted to justify his actions, explaining, "It's no secret that my children are my soft spot. If you're going to try and use them against me, you should prepare yourself for the consequences."
Swallowing the knot that had formed in her throat, Skuld muttered, "I'll keep that in mind..." before waving her hand and causing the room to turn into an ancient forest filled with white, leafless trees covered in runes. A dense fog emanated from the interior, broken only bouts of magical blue flames that periodically flickered in and out of existence.
"This is the Forest of Forgotten Dreams. To make your way through, you must have a powerful ambition or something that drives you forward no matter what. Spirits that get lost within this mist are doomed to wander without aim for all eternity..."
Manifesting an ancient-looking lantern constructed primarily from wood, Skuld added, "The fuel for this lantern is hopes and dreams. It will light your way even in the darkest of circumstances, but overusing it will lead to the consumption of one's spirit and will. Take it, and may your journey be swift..."
Accepting the lantern from Skuld, Vahn waited for a few moments without anything overt occurring. He could feel an intent within the lantern trying to probe at his mind, but it was far too frail to advance.
Seeing the flame failing to ignite, a touch of ruddiness spread through Skuld's cheeks as she recalled the previous incident with Vahn and her sister's mirror. If the lantern was unable to ignite, she could be punished by the Central Network for staging a Gift Game that couldn't be won.
Fortunately for Skuld, Vahn wasn't just standing around aimlessly as he eyed the peculiar lantern. Instead, he was deconstructing how it worked by deciphering the runes carved into its surface and testing the functions of the intent within. Once he was finished, a cerulean blue flame erupted from the lantern's interior before surging towards the Forest of Forgotten Dreams like a tidal surge.
Smiling at Skuld's slack-jawed response, Vahn mused, "I'll be taking the scenic route." before promptly vanishing into thin air. The rules for the Gift Game forbade teleportation and spatial movements, but he had more than a few ways around such restrictions.
With the ghostly forest fading moments after Vahn's disappearance, Skuld knew he had satisfied the conditions of the Sixth Trial. Her expression still revealed a fair amount of helplessness, but she couldn't help adopting a faint smile as she muttered, "He's quite something, isn't he...?"
In response to her younger sister's utterance, Ver&eth;andi appeared out of thin air, her expression significantly less approving as she poutily replied, "He's a brute, that's what he is."
Maintaining her smile, Skuld gave her sister a side-long glance before asserting, "Most men are. The Sage Dragon Emperor is just one of the few that possesses the leeway and character to get away with it."
Crinkling her brow and nose, Ver&eth;andi wanted to retort but found herself unable to find suitable words. Instead, she suggested, "We should hurry and prepare our future Trials. Given his performance thus far, I suspect it won't be long-"
Receiving a notification that Vahn had just entered her Trial, the look on Ver&eth;andi's face alternated between confusion and disbelief. It hadn't even been three full minutes since Vahn blazed through Skuld's Trial.
Restoring her sister's senses, Skuld reiterated, "We should be on our way." before disappearing into thin air. Ver&eth;andi followed shortly after that, but not before staring in the direction Vahn had departed, whispering, "I pray the Nine Realms never antagonize the Aldrnari Empire..."
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With Ur&eth;r's challenge requiring him to face everyone he had ever killed or failed to save, Vahn simply decided not to give her access to his thoughts and memories. As a result, the Central Network was only able to recall the people he had faced in the Tower and during his stay in the Divine Realm.
Since he was no longer in the mood to play around after the incident with Ver&eth;andi, Vahn shattered Ur&eth;r's illusory domain the moment Gandr, of all people, made an appearance. He knew better than anyone that the boyish Vanargandr harbored absolutely no resentment towards him, so Vahn just shook his head in exasperation, muttering, "What a farce..." before turning to Ur&eth;r and asking, "Want to try something else? Even I'm starting to feel guilty about how easy this has become."
Shaking her head, Ur&eth;r attempted an emotionless, unreadable expression as she replied, "With your success in this Trial, you've become the Master of the Past. I can stage another if you'd like, but the person who would be dictating the rules would be you."
Though most people wouldn't be able to notice it, Vahn could see Ur&eth;r's aura flaring with a mixture of fear, anticipation, and barely restrained lust. The Origins of her and her sisters coincided with the conceptualization of Time itself, so it wasn't an exaggeration to say she had been waiting since time immemorial for a man capable of completing her Trials to appear.
Adopting a wry smile, Vahn gave Ur&eth;r's scantily clad figure a quick once-over. She was easily one of the most stunningly attractive women in all of creation, but the same could be said for the vast majority of his harem. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted, but it just didn't seem right to claim her when she had been waiting for so long...
With Vahn observing her with his eyes rather than his other sensory abilities, Ur&eth;r's heart began to race as the purple feathers forming her garment began to flare, unfurling like the petals of a flower in bloom. If Vahn requested it of her, she was ready and willing to give her everything to satisfy his desires.
Understanding that Ur&eth;r probably wouldn't be content if he just 'tossed her aside,' a faint chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he shook his head and muttered, "Here we go again..."
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Upon teleporting to the location of the Seventh Trial, Ver&eth;andi was briefly surprised to find her elder sister floating behind Vahn, her arms wrapped around his neck and an absentminded smile on her face.
Furrowing her brows, Ver&eth;andi asked, "What is the meaning of this...?" in a disproving tone.
Since Ur&eth;r was more focused on nuzzling against him than responding to her sister, it was Vahn who casually replied, "I'm very good at what I do."
"..."
Though she was tempted to ask what Vahn was talking about, Ver&eth;andi already had the answer in her heart. After all, if he managed to complete the coming Trial, she too would be subject to his whims and desires.
Seeing through the lavender-haired giantess's thoughts, Vahn shook his head and remarked, "I'm not the type that forces people against their will. If you would rather accept my offer of freedom and find someone worthy of your care and attention, I would not stop you."
Hearing Vahn's words, Ur&eth;r promptly came back to her senses, squeezing him tightly as she stared at her sister and asserted, "I'll support whatever decision you make, but I'm convinced that Vahn is the person we've been waiting for all this time. I haven't felt this whole...this 'complete' since our initial separation from Mother."
"Clearly..."
Seeing her sister clinging possessively to Vahn, Ver&eth;andi had no doubts about the integrity of her words. Had the former not spanked her just a few minutes prior, she would probably be looking forward to what came next.
Exhaling a sigh, Ver&eth;andi tapped the twining, spear-like end of her staff against the ground, saying, "We'll see what Fate has in store..."
Since she hadn't been given much time to prepare, Ver&eth;andi left it to the Central Network to fill in the blanks for the Seventh Trial. Given Vahn's performance thus far, she was convinced it didn't really matter what she threw at him.
So long as it wasn't one of his children...
Fortunately for Ver&eth;andi, the will associated with the Central Network seemed to understand the futility of pitting Vahn against anything known to him. Thus, after a remarkably long and progressively tense delay, the world around the trio began to crack and fragment away, eerie grey light emanating from within.
Raising his brows, Vahn suggested, "You should probably stand back for this one." Ur&eth;r reluctantly complied but not before planting a kiss on his cheek and pressing her now-familiar breasts against his shoulders.
Adopting a faint smile, Vahn manifested Enkidu and sent it flying toward the cracks rapidly spreading across the sky. He didn't know what was on the other side, but it caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end, a phenomenon that hadn't occurred in quite some time.
Compelled by Vahn's intent, Enkidu tore through the cracks in space-time, eager to seal whatever lay beyond. From the golden chain's point of view, it was moving at incomprehensible speeds toward its target. What it didn't know, and what Vahn didn't expect, was for Enkidu to effectively freeze in place the moment it came into contact with the grey energy exuding from the cracks.
"Well, that's not normal..."
Dodging one of the beams of light that seemed to curve toward him, Vahn watched as it spread out across the ground like a mist, rapidly eroding the surface and converting it to a type of inert ash, utterly devoid of life and energy.
Furrowing his brows, Vahn waved his hand in an attempt to prevent the strange mist from spreading outward. He had reached a point where he could manipulate even the Void, but there seemed to be something 'off' about the peculiar grey mist. He could see it very clearly with his eyes, but it didn't have any presence whatsoever. It was like everything within range of the fog simply ceased to exist, leaving nothing for him to sense.
As it wasn't his first time dealing with something capable of erasing the very concept of existence, Vahn was relatively calm even as his efforts to stem the mist's expanse failed. This was a stark contrast to Ver&eth;andi and Ur&eth;r, who, for the first time in their lives, could not access their powers. It was like Time, Fate, and Reality itself were being eroded by the enigmatic mist.
To the horror of the two giantess's, especially Ur&eth;r, Vahn stopped trying to dodge and allowed the mist to encompass him. Enkidu had been frozen in place, but unlike everything else influenced by the mist, Vahn could still sense it. Thus, in order to get a better understanding of just what the mist actually was, he allowed it to affect him directly.
As the light-formed mist enveloped him, Vahn experienced a phenomenon similar to time stopping. More accurately, it was like time spontaneously ceased to exist, nearly severing his connection to the outside world as he looked around to find a world shrouded in ash.
Noticing that he couldn't feel the ground beneath him, nor the influence of gravity, Vahn experimentally moved his right foot. He felt as though every molecule within his body weighed as much as a small start, but that didn't prevent him from sifting through the ashen ground beneath his feet. There was absolutely no feedback, and, rather than being propelled forward, the ash clung to him like weightless mud, wholly unaffected by the laws of physics.
Recognizing the phenomenon, though he had never experienced it in such an extreme manner, Vahn peered through the cracks in reality to find what appeared to be an impossibly ancient man sitting motionless in the center of an empty grey void. Parts of his body appeared to have decayed away, but Vahn could feel an incomprehensibly powerful intent exuding from his body and permeating the entirety of the ashen world...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Speedrunning strats...','Some things never change...','O_O...')

Making his way toward the monochromatic figure, Vahn's expression became somber as he tried to speak, but no sound came out. There was no air to carry his voice, and while he could muster his intent without issue, it effectively dissipated the moment it left him. As a result, he couldn't even use telepathy to try and communicate with the ancient figure.
("How troublesome...")
Stopping less than a meter and a half from the motionless man, Vahn half-expected him to raise his head or at least try to communicate. Instead, he remained as motionless as the world around him, a milky grey glow emanating from the depths of his eyes as he stared into nothingness.
Though he was unable to sense the man, that didn't stop Vahn from kneeling down in front of him to get a better look at his face. It appeared human at a glance, but his flesh was knarled and twisted like a petrified tree. Deep scars covered his body, and several large chunks of his flesh appeared to have been gouged away by rune-covered stakes. A spear covered in similar runes had been stabbed through the gap between his left shoulder and collarbone, a non-fatal wound designed to prolong the victim's suffering for as long as possible.
("I guess I'm not the only one to have made it this far? How peculiar...")
As the man before him was one of the most ancient and powerful beings in all of Creation, the Demon Lord of Stagnation, Vahn found it a little odd that others had managed to approach him. He was one of the few entities that Shiroyasha had expressly cautioned him to be wary of, a Last Embryo whose domain would inevitably spread to consume all realities...
("Hmmm...")
Unsure of what, exactly, he was supposed to do, Vahn decided to confer with Loi-chan. He might not be able to form a link with the Demon Lord of Stagnation, but his connection with Loi-chan should give him some insight into what to do.
Appearing the moment Vahn thought about her, Loi-chan's face crinkled into a rare frown as she took a moment to view her surroundings.
"I don't like this place..."
Since she didn't actually communicate with sound, Vahn was able to hear Loi-chan's words without issue. In response, he adopted a wry smile and replied, ("I'll take you someplace fun once we return home. For now, can you tell me what, if anything, this man is thinking? If that doesn't work, try transforming into Laplace. If this is someone's attempt to try and 'seal' me away...well, some punishments will need to be meted out...")
Though there was visible reluctance in Loi-chan's expression, she didn't hesitate to nod and transform into the Demon Lord of Stagnation. As she did, even Vahn felt an unusual sense of 'dullness' in the back of his mind, almost like he was spacing out.
After a tense period of complete silence, Loi-chan eventually reverted to her original form, an apologetic expression on her face as she shook her head and revealed, "The only thing in this guy's head is a strange sound. It's kind of like the dial tone of a phone, but it reverberates around in your head and prevents you from thinking."
Extending his hand, Vahn ruffled Loi-chan's vermillion-red hair as he said, ("No worries. At least you tried.")
Feeling a lot better after Vahn's caress, Loi-chan's smile returned as she changed into the form of a remarkably voluptuous woman with purple hair that extended well past her feet. She bore an uncanny resemblance to the Medusa from the Nasuverse, but she was nearly two meters tall and 'a lot' more developed...
Aware of Vahn's thoughts, a teasing smile developed across Loi-chan's face as she put her hands on her hips and shamelessly wagged her butt. Her white and gold outfit left 'very' little to the imagination, large sections of her skin left entirely exposed while the rest was veiled in a paper-thin fabric that looked like it would become completely transparent when wet.
("Loi-chan...")
As much as he appreciated the sight of Laplace's ostensibly flawless body, Vahn didn't want to tarry in the Demon Lord of Stagnation's domain. He might be immune to most of its effects, but if his connection with the outside was somehow severed, the Little Garden might not even exist by the time he emerged. The likelihood of that happening was infinitesimally small, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Sensing Vahn's concerns, Loi-chan offered a curt nod before closing her eyes and focusing. Laplace possessed one of the most all-encompassing forms of omniscience within the Transcendental Path to Heaven. She was given the purpose of observing and cataloging all things within the Order of Creation, so, in many ways, she could be considered the younger sister of Loi-chan. Others would be completely overwhelmed by the vastness of Laplace's awareness, but Loi-chan felt a peculiar sense of comfort as she casually sifted through an infinite number of conscious threads.
"Found it~."
Opening her amethyst-purple eyes, a playful smile developed across Loi-chan's face as she revealed, "It was Laplace herself that intervened. She is concerned you're ruining the plan her friend sacrificed herself to set in motion, so she wanted to keep you here until things concluded. As for the clear condition of the game, you simply need to touch the Demon Lord of Stagnation's body."
("Ah...")
Understanding what Loi-chan was referring to, Vahn couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt. Unfortunately, while he didn't mind letting Izayoi and the Problem Children play heroes, he wasn't going to let trillions of people die in the wake of the Demon Dragon God's release. Canaria, Izaoi's adoptive mother, was an extraordinary woman, but the plan she formulated was no longer the only way to ensure the Little Garden's survival.
Extending his hand, Vahn gave the transformed Loi-chan another pat on the head as he said, ("Try to convey to her that the legacy of Canaria was never her plan, but the future that lies beyond it. So long as even a single additional person is saved, I doubt Canaria would mind events playing out a little differently...")
Nodding her head in understanding, Loi-chan closed her eyes and tried to convey Vahn's intentions to Laplace. She had no direct influence over the people whose identities she assumed, but Laplace was methodical to the point she would notice even subtle changes in her thoughts or intentions. Thus, from the moment Loi-chan assumed her identity, Laplace had been analyzing each of her threads of consciousness in search of the 'anomaly' that existed within.
While Loi-chan was busy doing her thing, Vahn floated over and placed his hand on the Demon Lord of Stagnation's shoulder. The moment he did so, the world around him began to dissolve away as the Laws of the world gradually came into effect. What was far more surprising, at least to Vahn, was the fact that the Demon Lord of Stagnation abruptly raised his head, a twisted smile adorning his face before his body dissolved away with the world around him...
Though he sensed no malice from the man, Vahn couldn't help thinking, ("Well, that was ominous...") as a destructive force collapsed in on him from all sides. The Demon Lord's domain had created a void within space and time itself, so the pressure differential between the interior and the outside was enough to generate a compressive force rivaling a singularity as the atmosphere attempted to achieve equilibrium.
Unaffected by the destruction, Vahn took a moment to assist with the stabilization process before turning to meet the stunned gazes of Ur&eth;r, Ver&eth;andi, and even Skuld. When he did, illusory hearts seemed to appear within pastel blue eyes before she abruptly teleported over to him, arms wrapping around his head as she forced his face into her bosom and exclaimed, "That's my darling~! Not even one of the Three Great Demon Lords is enough to stop you~!"
Seeing how shameless her elder sister was being, a faintly exasperated sigh emanated from Ver&eth;andi's throat. Immediately afterward, however, a smile developed across her face as she and Skuld floated over. Vahn still needed to complete the Ninth Trial, but that was more of a formality than anything else. By becoming the Master of the Past and Present, he could 'grasp' the Future whenever he pleased.
With Ur&eth;r releasing him after a gentle smack to the bottom, Vahn met the gaze of Ver&eth;andi as he mused, "That was quite the Eighth Trial..."
Smiling wryly, Ver&eth;andi attempted to defend herself by saying, "I have no control over who or what appears in my Trials. If I did, I would have never allowed that...thing to enter this place..."
Since there were no known means to stop the spread of the Demon Lord of Stagnation's influence, only slow it down, it wasn't an exaggeration to say his appearance had jeopardized the World Tree and the Nine Realms as a whole. Thus, even though she was still a little frustrated by Vahn's previous words and actions, Ver&eth;andi's most prominent sentiments right now were anxiety, gratitude, and a hint of expectation...
Though he felt it was wrong for Ver&eth;andi to refer to the Demon Lord of Stagnation as a thing, Vahn alleviated most of her concerns by nodding his head and stating, "No worries." before shifting his attention to Skuld and asking, "What now...?"
Averting her eyes, Skuled used her three pairs of wings to conceal her body as she meekly replied, "Now you just need to claim your prize...by becoming the Master of the Past and Present, you've gained the right to shape the Future as you please..."
Punctuating her words, Skuld slowly opened her wings to reveal she was nearly naked. A complex runic pattern covered much of her torso, almost like a corset, but the thing that stood out more than anything else was her ornate silver chastity belt. There was also a key attached to a silver chain around her neck, but Skuld promptly pulled it off and presented it to Vahn as she said, "The Future is yours..." in a solemn tone tinged with devotion.
Though he accepted the key, Vahn didn't actually need it if he wanted to remove Skuld's chastity belt. Thus, after a moment of deliberation, he left the blue-haired beauty at a momentary loss for words as he tossed it over his shoulder. Then, before she could misconstrue his intentions, he moved close enough to slip his thumbs under the metallic band of her belt as if it were comprised of ordinary fabric. Her body briefly tensed, leading to her closing her wings around him, but Vahn just smiled as he leaned closer in an attempt to kiss Skuld's lips...
*Ahem*
After loudly clearing her throat, a tinge of red bled into Ver&eth;andi's cheeks as she hugged her body remarked, "There is an order to everything...you can't become the Master of the Future without first claiming the Past and Present..."
Understanding what Ver&eth;andi was trying to say, a low chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as two more versions of himself manifested out of thin air. He had already crossed the line Ur&eth;r, so while he still believed the trio would be happier if they found someone else to dedicate their hearts and bodies to, he had no intention of leaving things half-finished...
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Distracting her from her search for Loi-chan, the eyes of the original Laplace widened as she 'witnessed' Vahn overcoming what should have been an impossible trial. Ever since the destruction of the original Little Garden and the advent of Gift Games, no one has managed to approach the Demon Lord of Stagnation. His power had increased drastically since then, so she couldn't fathom had Vahn had managed to break free, much less in such a short period.
Shifting her focus to Vahn, something she had rarely done throughout her entire existence, Laplace was unsurprised to find him having sex. She had witnessed such scenes countless times before, so she didn't so much as flinch upon seeing it. She did, however, pay attention...something she had never done before...
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Understanding that Ver&eth;andi wasn't entirely at fault, Vahn slowly reined in his anger as he turned to face the group of Doppelgangers. Their ranks included Sis, Fenrir, Mikoto, Usalia, Seraphina, Sarina, Nono, Leticia, and Shiroyukihime, pretty much everyone that had assisted in the formation of the Sage Dragon's Hearth.
If it were just the founding members of his Community, Vahn wouldn't have been that upset. He knew what kind of games the Central Network played, so it wasn't too surprising to encounter replicas of the people he cared about. He had even forewarned Yo, Asuka, and the rest of the No Names of this very possibility.
What annoyed Vahn was that the Central Network had included Xysteria among the ranks of Doppelgangers. When he was first transferring people from his Little Garden into the Divine Realm, there was a period where she would accompany him pretty much 24/7. He had been especially cautious around that time, evidently leading to the Central Network flagging her as a potential weakness.
It wasn't entirely wrong.
Combing his fingers through his hair, Vahn forced himself to calm down as he flatly inquired, "What are the clear conditions of the Trial?"
Sensing that the surrounding space had been sealed, prohibiting spatial movements such as teleportation, Ver&eth;andi swallowed nervously before answering, "It's similar to the previous Trial...you need to get past them if you want to advance further. However, you need not resort to violence. It is but one of many paths towards the future..."
Turning to stare back at the lavender-haired giantess, Vahn squinted his eyes and growled, "Lucky for you..."
With Ver&eth;andi making it clear he didn't 'need' to fight, Vahn returned his gaze to the group of Doppelgangers as potent, rainbow-hued light began to exude from his palms. The moment he stepped forward, Mikoto led the charge against him, her body becoming shrouded in Tribulation Lightning as she attempted to stab through his neck with her fingers.
Ignoring the non-existent threat to his life, Vahn allowed Mikoto's hand to slip through him, subsequently catching her waist with his left arm. Then, before she could even attempt to wriggle free, he ran his right palm from her shoulders to the small of her back in a swift yet extremely practiced manner.
"Hwaaaaaah~!?"
Grasping the structure of the faux-Mikoto's body in an instant, Vahn gave her bottom a firm smack as he said, "Bad girl." in a chiding tone. When he did, her body burst into a cloud of yellow smoke before reappearing as a very defeated-looking Pikachu.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn was about to set the Pikachu aside when a flurry of bright pink lasers impacted his position. He was able to sweep them away with a wave of his hand, but that ultimately created an opening for the feral-looking bunny girl charging toward him with razor-sharp teeth.
As a furrow marred Vahn's face, a series of golden chains erupted from the void in an attempt to bind him. When he looked towards the culprit, he found the faux-Sis smiling at him with a mischievous smile on her face.
Adopting a stone-faced expression, Vahn remained unmoving as the chains entangled his body and the faux-Usalia opened her mouth wide enough to try and bite off his head. From his perspective, everything had suddenly slowed to an imperceptibly slow crawl as his eyes glistened with a fierce golden glow.
Instead of shrugging off the chains, Vahn allowed them to sink into his body, instantaneously absorbing them as he reached up to poke the area just below the faux-Usalia's navel. Then, while everyone else appeared to be frozen in time, he slipped past the faux-Usalia's charging figure to pat the similarly fake Sis on the head, muttering, "You're lucky I'm keeping the actual Sis at bay..."
As if stimulated by Vahn's words, the world around him appeared to move again as the faux-Usalia tore through his previous position before curling up in the fetal position. At the same time, the faux-Sis's legs gave out, a low and sonorous mewl escaping from her throat as she fell onto her side with an enraptured look on her face...
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Seeing how Vahn had elected to deal with the Doppelgangers, a stupefied expression developed across Ver&eth;andi's face. She had heard some of the rumors regarding his 'prowess' but never anticipated that he could bring women to their knees with a simple touch.
Looking towards the downed Usalia, a shiver ran through Ver&eth;andi's body as she sensed the ambient pleasure exuding from the former.
"Did he trap them in some kind of illusion...?"
Suppressing the urge to glimpse into the Doppelganger's mind, Ver&eth;andi returned her attention to Vahn, her golden eyes reflecting the scene of him making short work of Seraphina, Leticia, Shiroyukihime, Sarina, and Nono. It was one of the most one-sided Trials she had ever witnessed as none of the Doppelgangers' attacks appeared to have even a minor effect while Vahn simply needed to touch them.
"Wait a moment...what's this...?"
Noticing that two of the Doppelgangers weren't even attempting to fight, Ver&eth;andi's eyes locked on the faux-Fenrir and the 'creature' she assumed to be the cause of his previous fury. While the other Doppelgangers were doing everything in their power to fight back, the peculiar duo was simply watching from the sidelines...
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After laying Nono next to Sarina in a bed he had manifested, Vahn shifted his attention to the final two Doppelgangers: Fenrir and Xysteria. When he did, the former stood a little straighter while the latter just stared blankly with her amber eyes.
"Hmmm..."
Extending his right hand, Vahn said, "Come." in a commanding tone. The moment he did, the faux-Fenrir rushed over and placed her paw into his hand, her thick and bushy tail swishing excitedly behind her.
"I guess even the Central Network couldn't turn my most loyal companion against me, huh? Good girl."
Exhibiting rows of razor-sharp teeth, the faux-Fenrir adopted an uncannily wide grin as Vahn caressed her head and fluffed up her oversized, almost rabbit-like ears.
While continuing to fluff up his loyal pup, Vahn shifted his attention to the faux-Xysteria before activating his Eyes of Truth.
"Ah...so that's how it is..."
Since Xysteria had never participated in a Gift Game and Vahn had taken extra precautions to keep her safe, the Central Network hadn't been able to emulate her skills and abilities. All it knew about her was that she could transform and that she was very timid around other people. It had no way of knowing just how 'terrifying' she could be.
Taking a seat on the ground, Vahn allowed the faux-Fenrir to snuggle up to him as he extended his hand towards the faux-Xysteria and whispered, "Come to Papa..."
Rather than listening to Vahn's words, the Xysteria Doppelganger hissed before turning into a wispy white phantom and darting to the roof. There, she metamorphosed into a veritable ball of fluff that stared back at him with caution.
"..."
Though it wasn't 'his' Xysteria, Vahn couldn't help feeling a little hurt by the Doppelganger's response. Even after all this time, he never had the experience of being shunned by any of his children. There were instances where he had been at odds with his sons, particularly Kamiya, but he had never tried to avoid him.
Suppressing the frustration he felt towards the Central Network, Vahn exuded an aura of calming energy as he manifested a series of gem-like beetles and bugs. If the Central Network had 'faithfully' reproduced some of Xysteria's behavior, she wouldn't be able to resist her favorite food.
With Vahn's presence suddenly disappearing, the faux-Xysteria spun her head around like an owl, seemingly oblivious to the fact he hadn't moved from his seated position. This was a trick Vahn had picked up a very long time ago, the ability to blend his aura into his environment so that animals and people alike would feel at ease. From the faux-Xysteria's perspective, he may as well be a tree right now.
After a prolonged period of hesitation, Xysteria began scuttling across the ceiling like a spider. Upon lining up with one of the gem-like beetles, she adhered one of her tails to the roof before pouncing down, snatching the beetle with her teeth, and returning to the ceiling like a yoyo rebounding to a hand.
Though a wry smile had developed across his face, Vahn couldn't help commenting, "Clever girl..." as he watched the faux-Xysteria scarf down her prey. She was unable to resist the allure of her favorite food, but she was smart or, at the very least, cautious enough not to simply trust in the fact she could no longer sense him...
Upon finishing with the first beetle, faux-Xysteria took a moment to take in her surroundings before lining up with her second target. Like before, she repelled down from the roof with incredible speed. However, before she could snatch up the beetle in question, it promptly moved out of the way in a zig-zagging pattern.
Though she allowed herself to be bungeed back to the roof, a very discontent look developed across faux-Xysteria's face as she eyed her missed quarry. The pupils of her eyes became like a cat's as she arched her body in the precursor to a pounce before launching herself with even greater velocity towards her target.
Instantly angering the bronze-skinned huntress, the beetle once again dodged her attack. When it did, she immediately broke her tether to the roof in order to pounce after it, much like a cat pursuing a laser pointer.
Despite possessing supernatural speed and agility, faux-Xysteria found herself unable to catch the emerald-hued beetle. Adding insult to injury, each successive beetle she attempted to catch seemed to move even faster than the last.
Feeling increasingly frustrated, faux-Xysteria's body became increasingly more animalistic as she began snarling through razor-sharp teeth. It was drastically different than the actual Xysteria, but the Central Network had no way of knowing what she looked like when angry.
Seeing several beetles gathering in the same spot, faux-Xysteria's pupils became thin slits as she sprang toward them with all four arms stretched outward. What she never expected was to collide with something invisible halfway through her leap.
"Gotcha~"
Before faux-Xysteria could make sense of the situation, warmth filled her body as a pair of arms wrapped around her. Her first instinct was to break away, but it was quickly suppressed by a feeling of contentment as Vahn scratched under her chin and said, "Behave." in a calm yet resonant tone.
Though he would never use his Authority against his actual children, Vahn made an exception for the discordant Doppelganger. Fortunately, it didn't take long for the faux-Xysteria to calm down as she lay across his lap and stared up at him with a curious expression on her face.
"There you go. Good girl."
Knowing how much the actual Xysteria enjoyed it, Vahn gently caressed the fake's smooth and pliable stomach. She immediately grasped his hand with two of her three-clawed hands but made no actual attempts to stop his actions.
Evidently recognizing Vahn's success in the Trial, the gate on the far side of the room promptly opened. However, instead of getting up and passing through it, Vahn continued petting the faux-Fenrir with his left hand while creating beetles to feed the faux-Xysteria with his right. At the same time, another version of himself manifested behind Ver&eth;andi, startling her as he said, "Sorry, but you deserve a bit of punishment."
Without giving the lavender-haired giantess the chance to protest, Vahn ran his index finger along the line of her back. As he did, her pitch-black wings promptly extended to their full width as a very loud yelp emanated from the giantess' throat...
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Woosah...','Fenrir is the goodest of girls (U w U)...','Vahn is an expert when it comes to luring young girls...')

Chapter 2305: On the Verge of Triumph