Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Having wrapped things up in the North, Vahn's manifestations decreased to a meager three. There were usually around nine of him walking around at any given time, so his mind felt sharper and more focused than usual as he watched various versions of Xysteria dig an enormous cavity in Silva's outermost Layer.
Without any external prompting, Krona, Silva, and Xysteria had concluded that it was 'safer' for the forthcoming residents of their world if the latter's chaotic influence was contained to a single location. However, as neither Silva nor Krona wanted to completely isolate their sister's creations, they arranged for Xysteria's 'nest' to be located on the Surface.
Though it took a considerable amount of time and restructuring, Silva was able to shift around her Continents so that Xysteria would have a circular island, roughly 800,000km2, to do with as she pleased.
Of her own volition, Xysteria concluded that it would be better if she dug down instead of letting her creations roam freely within the island's basin. A colossal mountain range encircled the entire island, but Xysteria didn't believe that would be enough to prevent her 'children' from escaping. She also wanted explorers and adventurers to be able to visit in the future, so her solution was to bore a massive hole, nearly 700km in diameter, before asking Krona to place a temporal barrier over it as a type of lid.
While he didn't entirely agree with the trio's intentions, Vahn permitted his children to do as they pleased. Their solution reminded him of quite a few anime with massive dungeons, sky-piercing towers, and abyss labyrinths, so he simply concluded this was the natural progression of things. At the very least, it was the path that Krona, Silva, and Xysteria had decided for themselves.
Breaking Vahn from his reverie, Xysteria 'prime' used one of her ruby-red talons to prick the base of his chin as she petitioned, "Papa, want to make something with Xysteria?"
Raising his brows, Vahn calmly asked, "What did you have in mind?" with a faint yet perceptibly wry smile.
Sensing the subtle change in her father's mood, Xysteria's oversized ears drooped pitifully as she shrank within his lap and muttered, "Nevermind..." in a sulky tone.
Before Xysteria could fully retract into her 'ball form,' Vahn wrapped his arms around her and buried the lower half of his face into the inordinately thick fur atop her head. Her body was incredibly warm, almost hot to the touch, and her coat had an aroma most people would compare to freshly-baked bread. She could change it at will, but, as she liked being cuddled quite a bit, Xysteria, much like Fenrir, put a lot of effort into ensuring she was as fluffy and pleasant to hold as possible.
Though she didn't immediately relax, Xysteria eventually unfurled her tails and became lax in Vahn's embrace. A minute or two later, she appeared to be 'melting' within his arms, as, even when he wasn't making a concerted effort, Vahn was very proficient in the art of petting.
"Funyaaaaaa~."
Playing off the audio cue, Vahn exhaled a light chuckle before squeezing the semi-amorphous ball of fluff firmly and inquiring, "Now, tell me...what did you want to make?"
Becoming discernibly more solid, Xysteria hesitated for several seconds before answering, "Xysteria wants to make people..."
"Hmmm..."
Though he didn't think Xysteria was at a point where she could oversee a group of people, Vahn didn't immediately refuse her request. Instead, he absentmindedly fluffed up the hair around her ears and caressed the base of her chin as he considered various possibilities.
To get a clearer understanding of Xysteria's actual request, Vahn paused for a moment, asking, "What kind of people? Humans? Therianthropes...?"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Xysteria raised two of her arms and shouted, "Bug people...!" in an enthusiastic tone. This left Vahn more than a little speechless, not because he had anything against Insectoids, but because insects were Xysteria's favorite food...
Smiling wryly, Vahn couldn't help asking, "You're not planning to eat them, are you...?"
Tilting her head to the side, Xysteria didn't immediately respond to Vahn's question. When she did, he felt somewhat guilty as she curiously inquired, "Why would Xysteria eat them? Did they do something bad...?"
Instead of answering the adorable fluffball's questions, Vahn changed the topic to something more pertinent, asking, "Have you thought about what you want them to do? Creating people from scratch isn't particularly hard, but ensuring their survival can be challenging. Without knowledge, power, and purpose, they will need constant protection and guidance..."
"Muuuu..."
Feeling a little annoyed, Xysteria began to flex her claws open and closed. She had been spying on the various communities Vahn brought back from the Actualized World of Runeterra. Their culture and society caused her to feel things she typically only felt around her Papa, so she really wanted to have a 'people' of her own, not just monsters and copies of herself...
Saving Vahn the trouble of having to pry directly into his daughter's mind, Loi-chan materialized out of thin air, her form identical to Xysteria as she leaned against his back and whispered into his ear. Her words caused the smile on his face to cramp, but it returned to normal a few moments later as he asked, "Have you been feeling lonely...?"
Nodding her head, Xysteria admitted, "It's lonely without Papa. Xysteria tries to keep herself busy, but she's only good at breaking things. Brother Krona and sister Silva are very nice, but Xysteria knows...she knows she is only causing them trouble..."
Though she didn't appear sad as she was speaking, Vahn could sense the deeply rooted melancholy within Xysteria's heart. Her aura was a pleasant shade of gold, reminiscent of sunlight, but he had learned long ago that a person's aura wasn't a true reflection of their mental or emotional state. It might sound paradoxical, but it was more than possible for someone to be outwardly happy despite harboring profound sadness.
Shaking his head, Vahn wrapped his arms snugly around Xysteria's body, whispering, "Krona and Silva would never say that. You also aren't going out of your way to cause trouble, so you're innocent of any wrongdoing..."
"Mmm..."
As Vahn's warmth permeated her body, a faint smile naturally developed across Xysteria's face. She always felt the most 'complete' when he held her close like this. She didn't know if her feelings were the same as those between Krona and Silva, but she believed they were similar. If she didn't know it would burden him, she would want them to stay together forever...
Smiling affectionately, Vahn reached up to place his hand at the center of Xysteria's chest. She was a little surprised by his actions but offered no meaningful resistance even as his hand sank into her, disappearing up to the wrist. Her trust in him was so great that, even if he were to tell her the sky was purple and that the ocean was filled with caustic acid, she would accept it as the gospel truth.
Despite Xysteria's inordinately fluffy, four-armed, five-tailed, seemingly mammalian appearance, she was still the daughter of two True Dragons. The veins running through her body had a crystalline appearance, and the trio of hearts pumping rainbow-hued blood through her body had enough energy within them to destroy the arm of a galaxy if unleashed all at once.
After ensuring there wouldn't be any issues, Vahn removed his hand from Xysteria's chest, revealing a visibly pulsating crystal roughly the size of a plum. Upon seeing it, Xysteria couldn't help feeling confused, an anxious frown marring her face as she poked the crystal and questioned, "Are you taking a piece of Xysteria...?"
As it would have been understandable if Xysteria had freaked out, Vahn couldn't help exhaling a chuckle before answering, "Don't worry. I left a piece of myself where your heart used to be. Now, even when I'm away, you'll always have a piece of me with you..."
Blinking in surprise, Xysteria ignored everything else, using two of her hands to pry her chest open. It was an extremely gruesome sight, but the blood-stained fluffball didn't even flinch as she verified there was a near-identical gem where her heart used to be. The only difference was that it emitted an energy signature identical to her Papa's.
Realizing she would always have a piece of Vahn inside of her, a nearly crimson hue colored Xysteria's face as she used her bloody talons and paws to clutch and massage her cheeks. Her actions caused her usually white fur to become stained with blood, but Vahn quickly cleaned her up while also healing the rather ghastly hole in her chest. Then, as Xysteria watched him with unblinking eyes, he absorbed her crystalline heart into his palm, allowing the luminance to show through his skin as he directed it to the center of his being.
Unable to contain herself, Xysteria slipped under the nearly indestructible fabric of Vahn's tunic, eagerly pressing her head and ear to his chest. She couldn't distinguish between his heartbeat and the tiny pulsations coming from her crystal, but the notion there was now a piece of her inside of him caused her to feel fuzzy.
Without thinking, Xysteria began to 'nuzzle' against Vahn with a lot more force than usual. Since he let his guard down around his children, it didn't take long for one of her horns to pierce his body, creating a rather vicious gash that became the subsequent focus of Xysteria's nuzzling.
Though he was briefly taken aback by Xysteria's reaction, Vahn stopped Xysteria's apparent attempt to burrow into him by grabbing her scruff and phasing her through the fabric of his tunic.
"Ah..."
Seeing the wry smile on Vahn's face, Xysteria realized she had crossed a line she shouldn't. However, before she could think to form the words for an apology, Vahn dematerialized the excess blood from her face and fur coat as he mused, "I understand you're excited, but you're going to make your other-selves jealous if you burrow inside of me..."
Though she was momentarily confused by Vahn's words, Xysteria quickly understood when he turned her around and showed her the thousands of reflective eyes staring at them from a distance. She was the 'original' that dictated the actions of her offshoots, but she didn't have absolute control over them. She was more like a queen ant, so it wasn't out of the ordinary for versions of her to break off and even rebel against her self-comprised colony.
Disregarding the fact Vahn was still holding her up by the scruff, Xysteria spread her four arms in a threatening posture and hissed. Some versions of herself were 'very' powerful, but they had no hope of defeating her in battle. If they got close or tried to attack her, she could directly reabsorb them back into her body, so her hissing was generally enough to daunt all but her most obstinant offshoots.
With most of the eyes turning away from her, Xysteria ignored the rest as she turned to Vahn and asked, "Can we go somewhere else?" without her usual inflection. Vahn immediately noticed this but decided not to inquire as he replied, "Of course," before teleporting them to a small cottage he had materialized in the mountains.
As it was her first time in the cottage, Xysteria took a moment to take in her surroundings before asking, "Will this be where you stay during your visits?"
Though he had initially intended the cottage to be a temporary dwelling, Vahn nodded his head and replied, "Sure, why not?"
Returning a nod of her own, Xysteria momentarily liberated herself from Vahn's hold and began crawling around the floor, walls, and ceiling. She was using the scent glands within her tails to mark virtually every surface, so it wasn't long before a heavy aroma similar to freshly baked bread and pheromones permeated the entire residence.
Satisfied with her results, Xysteria crawled back over to Vahn, climbing onto his lap before circling around a few times like a cat attempting to get comfortable. However, instead of curling up like she was going to take a nap, she eventually turned belly up, using two of her paws to conceal her breasts and the other two to rub her abdomen as she demanded, "Rub my belly..." in a serious, almost commanding tone.
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"It's pretty rare for you to come to me first. Are you feeling guilty about what happened with Sala?"
Adopting a faint smile, Vahn replied, "Something like that..." as he reached up to caress Shiroyasha's neck and chin. She gave him a slight prick with her horns, but that didn't discourage him from tracing the line of her neck and collarbone as he added, "Though the situation has changed since our last meeting, I've more or less concluded my business with the North and South Sides. All that remains is collecting Sun Authorities, supplanting a few discordant deities, and ensuring our allies are well-protected during my ascension..."
As the current Laws of the Little Garden prohibited residents of the 1-3-Digit Gates from interacting 'directly' with people outside, Vahn needed to ensure his enemies wouldn't be able to strike in the brief period where he was pushing for the peak of the Little Garden. He could leave an 'Avatara' behind in the form of a Template, but, as Wu and others had shown, they didn't inherit the 'tenacity' afforded to him by his unique constitution and Innates. He could grant them power 'identical' to his own, but they would still lose against the more famous/infamous Gods.
Understanding Vahn's concerns, Shiroyasha exhaled a sigh before softly muttering, "I suppose it's about time I introduce you to an old...'friend' of mine. You know the one..."
As there were actually a few people that came to mind, Vahn muttered, "I'm assuming you're referring to Queen Halloween, but I'm unsure as the two of you aren't exactly friends..."
Rolling her eyes, Shiroyasha replied, "She has in her possession the Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Capricorn Authorities. If you can 'convince' her to join us, we will have eighteen of the twenty-five Sun Authorities. Nineteen if you decide to stop dallying and obtain the Ophiuchus Authority..."
"Right..."
Though he hadn't forgotten about his promise to Leticia, Vahn had placed her 'liberation' on hold at her request. She was currently in the process of gaining the power to free her sister while simultaneously helping care for the various children residing in the Sage Dragon's Hearth.
"If I took action directly, everything could be resolved in one fell swoop. However, Leticia, her sister, and the vampire race would become indebted to me in a way I'm not entirely comfortable with..."
Exhaling a slightly exasperated sigh, Shiroyasha adopted a mock deadpan as she remarked, "This would be a lot easier if you weren't so sentimental. I understand your desire to have people choose their own paths, but that doesn't mean you have to course-correct to give them time..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Vahn replied, "I still have 722 days to complete my current objectives. Besides, if you and Queen Halloween agree to work together, we don't even need the Ophiuchus Authority. Setting it aside, for the time being, hurts no one."
Feeling a little annoyed, Shiroyasha poked Vahn with the tip of her horns as she grumbled, "You're being unreasonable...while I do trust you, asking me to lend you multiple Sun Authorities places me in a difficult situation..."
Squeezing the pouty Sun Goddess's body, Vahn casually replied, "Then let's not worry about it. I told you before, but obtaining a majority of Sun Authorities is optional. I trust you not to betray me and side with the other Gods once I start taking action, so not having them doesn't really change anything."
Since he only needed a majority of Sun Authorities to prevent the Gods from abandoning the current Little Garden and creating a new one, Vahn didn't actually require them. Shiroyasha currently possessed fourteen, so unless she suddenly decided to betray him, he didn't have to worry about the Big Three attempting to flee once he began aiming for their thrones.
Instead of feeling relieved by Vahn's words, Shiroyasha's brows furrowed as she gave him another firm prick with her horns. She didn't like that he was basically saying he didn't need her help to achieve his goal, so, after jabbing him hard enough to draw blood, she turned around and straddled his lap before leaning forward to lap up the crimson liquid.
Realizing he had inadvertently upset her, Vahn allowed Shiroyasha to do as she pleased while habitually massaging her butt. He was tempted to point out that making concessions for her was functionally the same as making 'detours' for others but promptly decided against it. Instead, he waited until she was finished drawing his blood before muttering, "Tell me what you want, and I'll do my best to make it a reality..."
Licking the blood from her lips, Shiroyasha took a moment to look Vahn in the eyes before narrowing her own and answering, "You know damn well what I want. An enormous harem, revenge against those who harmed my friends, and changes to the current system. Beyond that..."
Linking her hands around Vahn's neck and shoulders, Shiroyasha licked her lips a second time before playfully appending, "Unequip your pants, and I might just scream the rest..."
Punctuating her words, Shiroyasha silenced any potential responses with a kiss. She was feeling a little frustrated after Vahn's earlier remarks, so she intended to have him relieve her stress before they returned to their original conversation. As for Queen Halloween, Indra, and everyone else she needed to arrange meetings with, they could wait. After all, it wasn't like Vahn 'needed' their cooperation...
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After pacifying Xysteria with a significant amount of belly rubs, Vahn had her explain 'exactly' what she had in mind for her colonists.
Contrasting Vahn's initial expectations, the 'insects' Xysteria had in mind weren't actual insects. Xysteria simply hadn't known the appropriate word for what she was attempting to describe: automatons.
Not wanting them to succumb to thirst, starvation, and the influence of her power, Xysteria intended to populate both the interior and the area around her 'nest' with purely mechanical lifeforms. Those inhabiting the interior would be known as Guardians, beings tasked with observing and cataloging the various creatures produced by her power. Those occupying the surface would be known as Keepers, predominately humanoid robots that would tend to the surrounding forests and establish infrastructure to accommodate people from the outside.
Using a bit of clay, Xysteria was able to give Vahn a pretty good idea of what she had in mind for both groups. The Guardians would be outfitted with enhanced sensors, borderline indestructible armor, various types of excavation equipment, and armaments capable of incinerating just about any form of biological life. They needed to be able to deal with outbreaks such as the mushrooms that had nearly overtaken one of Gaia's textures, so their incinerators weren't mere lasers; they were molecular disruption devices that forcefully separated electrons, converting virtually all other molecules into an inert form of atomized ash.
Contrasting the rather fierce-looking Guardians, the Keepers were made to be a lot more unassuming. The 'males' of the species had tanned skin and dark hair that vaguely resembled younger, child-like versions of Vahn. As for their female counterparts, they unsurprisingly ended up resembling Xysteria. However, instead of four arms, white fur, and multiple tails, they only possessed two arms and a single tail, ensuring they would always be 'lesser' in terms of adorableness and appeal.
Understanding there was a chance that creatures could escape her nest and run rampant on the surface, Xysteria decided to outfit male Keepers with a lesser variant of the 'Incinerator,' one that specialized in eliminating single targets. As for the females, they were to be blessed with enhanced senses, incredible strength, and the ability to discern creatures adversely affected by Xysteria's power.
Though he didn't mind the existence of a race of child-like automatons that vaguely resembled him, Vahn made a few tweaks before finalizing Xysteria's first experimental population. He gave the males pointed ears and bestowed both Guardians and Keepers with the ability to 'hibernate' for extended periods. It could be anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand years before outsiders showed up on their island, so being able to 'sleep' for years would be a boon in their exceptionally long lives. After all, unless they were damaged beyond repair, they were effectively immortal.
With the designs largely finalized, Vahn acquiesced to Xysteria's demand to give the males an 'affinity with all things fluffy' before creating a total of twenty males and females to populate the surface. Xysteria was still in the process of excavating her nest, so he didn't want to overburden her with having to look after hundreds of people when she still depended on others to care for herself.
As each Keeper was given form through a combination of her and Vahn's power, Xysteria became increasingly excited. If Vahn hadn't warned her about inadvertently destroying them, she would have pounced upon and cuddled each and every one of them. Instead, she waited until all twenty had been formed before tentatively approaching and examining them up close.
Though she was a little bothered by their blank, ostensibly emotionless expressions, Xysteria took the time to nuzzle and mark each of the male Keepers. She eventually did the same with the females, but only after a lengthy explanation on imprinting and a bit of 'encouragement' from Vahn. When she was finished, they worked together to come up with names for each of them before commencing the long process of 'programming' them via demonstration and verbal instruction.
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Seeing Xysteria's reaction to her 'children' from the perspective of his other self, Vahn couldn't help smiling. This was immediately noticed by Black Rabbit, who, after breastfeeding their six children, was enjoying some much-deserved cuddles.
Narrowing her eyes into an affectionate smile, Black Rabbit playfully inquired, "What's got you in such a good mood~?"
Returning an affectionate smile of his own, Vahn replied, "I'm watching Xysteria take her first significant steps toward maturing as a Primordial Deity. She now has a small population to supervise, one that isn't entirely comprised of other versions of herself."
Though she had only met and interacted with Xysteria a few times, Black Rabbit couldn't help feeling happy for the inordinately cute yet aggressive ball of fluff, responding, "Wow, that really is a major step forward for her. I hope everything turns out well."
Nodding his head, Vahn, somewhat shamelessly, replied, "I'll make sure it does. I've been anticipating this kind of development for a long time, so I won't let things fall through before Xysteria learns a lesson or two..."
"Mmm...how reassuring..."
Since she didn't want her cuddle session to become a discussion about Xysteria and her development, Black Rabbit ended the conversation by resting her head against Vahn's chest and nuzzling against him. His scent caused her body to feel hot, but it was nowhere near as 'agonizing' as it was before her pregnancy.
Understanding Black Rabbit's intentions, Vahn promptly left the matter of Xysteria to his other self, planting a kiss on the pink-haired beauty's head before squeezing her tightly. It was only a matter of time before someone came along to 'interrupt' them, so he didn't mind spending the moment in peaceful serenity. Things were going to get pretty busy in the weeks and months to come, so it was important to savor each and every moment he had with his loved ones...
Feeling Vahn's warmth fill her body, suppressing the heat radiating from her abdomen, an exceptionally contented smile developed across Black Rabbit's face. She wouldn't mind if he wanted to have sex, far from it, but, after becoming a mother to six seemingly insatiable kittens, she had come to realize just how precious moments of peace and quiet could be...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shiroyasha showing her Tsundere side...','Akihito Tsukushi would like to know my location...','Every mother in the multiverse just nodded their heads in agreement xD...')

Waking from a dreamless slumber, Sala didn't even attempt to process where she was or who she was with. It was only once Sandora gently caressed her face and said, "Good morning..." that she blinked back to awareness, asking, "Is this real...?"
Nodding her head, Sandora softly replied, "Yes. And if my presence isn't enough to convince you, just place your hand on my abdomen...can you feel the life gestating within...?"
As Sandora had taken the initiative to guide Sala's hand to her abdomen, the latter just paused for a few moments before adopting a faint smile and saying, "It certainly feels real..."
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Sandora pulled Sala's face into her bosom, gently caressing her head as she softly cooed, "Take your time, Sala...I'll be here as long as it takes..."
"Mmm..."
Feeling Sandora's warmth flowing into her, Sala promptly succumbed to a bout of respite. She had been 'sleeping' for so long that it was difficult for her to stay awake and distinguish her dreams from reality. She wanted to believe that the person cradling her was her sister, but she had dreamed of Sandora so often that an actual reunion seemed too good to be true.
Sensing Sala's consciousness slip away, a forlorn smile marred Sandora's face as she gently called out, "Vahn..."
Manifesting less than a second after Sandora had called his name, Vahn had a similar look on his face as he replied, "You called...?"
Feeling better the moment Vahn appeared, Sandora's smile regained its vigor as she returned a slight nod and asked, "I know this was something Sala decided for herself but isn't there anything we can do for her? I don't mind watching over her for as long as it takes, but it doesn't feel like she's truly returned to us..."
Having already come up with numerous solutions, Vahn narrowed his eyes affectionately as he replied, "We can entrust her to the care of the Eurasia Family, or I can directly cordon off the parts of her ego imprinted with the knowledge of the Throne. However, neither of those options respects the sacrifices she made in the Masadaverse. I doubt she would complain, but she may lose her confidence if she isn't allowed to overcome this with her own strength..."
Seeing the smile fade from Sandora's face, Vahn's became slightly wry as he appended, "The best thing we can do for her is simply give her time. It may take days, months, or even hundreds of years, but she will eventually regain her senses. What you have to decide is if you want to wait patiently or have her 'awaken' immediately..."
With the ability to manipulate Time, Vahn could expedite Sala's recovery to a single moment. However, while it might seem that from an outsider's perspective, thousands of years could pass from the viewpoint of Sala. Thousands of years that may have been shortened to decades if she had someone she cared about looking after her.
Though she was tempted to simply allow Vahn to solve everything, a look of conviction formed across Sandora's face as she said, "I will wait...this is the path Sala has chosen; I will respect her decision."
After nodding his head in approval, Vahn waved his hand to produce a series of shimmering golden runes. He intended to respect Sandora's decision, but that didn't mean he couldn't make things a little easier for her.
Over the course of three seconds, Vahn weaved enough runes to fill a grimoire more than ten centimeters thick before sending them floating into Sandora's chest as he explained, "That enchantment will effectively place your body into stasis whenever you're near your sister. I know you want her to be present for our child's birth, so that will allow you to spend as much time as you want at her side without having to worry about going into labor..."
Unable to restrain herself, an amused chuckle emanated from Sandora's throat as she covered her mouth. She was wondering what Vahn was up to when he began weaving runes. In hindsight, she should have realized it was something along these lines.
While some women would dread the notion of being pregnant for literal decades, Sandora found it somewhat novel. She also knew Vahn could create an Avatara for her if she wanted to walk around unencumbered, so she eventually narrowed her eyes and replied, "How thoughtful of you..." in a beguiling tone.
Placing his hand over his heart, Vahn's expression became equally playful as he performed a gentlemanly curtsy and replied, "I aim to please."
Though her pupils briefly narrowed into slits, Sandora managed to calm herself and retort, "Speaking of which, are you truly content with letting those girls go? I know you're trying to avoid collecting 'every' beautiful woman you just so happen to encounter, but won't you feel responsible if they run rampant?"
Instead of trying to refute it, Vahn nodded his head and replied, "Without a doubt. However, unless I intend to suppress free will, that's something I have to be willing to accept. They're aware of the repercussions of taking things too far, so they have just as much a right as anyone else to decide the paths they walk."
"Mmm...well, so long as they don't cause trouble in the North, I have little else to say on the matter..."
As her words trailed off, Sandora looked down at her sister to find a faint smile on Sala's face. That was more than enough to bring an affectionate one to both hers and Vahn's, the latter remarking, "She's nearly as cute as you when you sleep..."
Exhaling another light chuckle, Sandora picked a few strands of hair from Sala's face as she softly replied, "You should go now...I know you're busy with matters in the South and East Sides. You don't need to force yourself to stay here on my behalf. Finish what you need to and then return to us. I will always be waiting..."
Though he was tempted to point out that he could handle his other affairs without leaving her side, Vahn ultimately nodded his head and replied, "I'll be back..." before fading away like an afterimage. Sandora just needed to call out to him before he would instantly return to her side. So, knowing she probably intended to manipulate the flow of time within the room, he decided to give the two sisters the privacy they required.
Seeing Vahn fade away, a pang of loneliness briefly pervaded Sandora's chest before she promptly suppressed it. Vahn had informed her about his self-imposed time constraint. Thus, while she wanted nothing more than to spend as much time as possible with him, Sandora also understood it would be better for everyone if she allowed Vahn to focus on matters that concerned all of creation, not just her.
With such thoughts on her mind, Sandora used her Authority as both a Host and Floor Master to accelerate the flow of time within the room by a factor of 8760. This ratio meant that an entire year would pass within the room for every hour that passed outside.
While most people couldn't fathom spending years confined to a single room, Sandora knew this wasn't even a fraction of the 'time' Sala must have endured within the Throne. Thus, while she understood it wouldn't be easy, Sandora was resolved for the long haul. Fortunately, Vahn had previously gifted her a display linked to his Actualized Worlds. She could use it to view events of the past, present, and future in anime format, so, after a moment of hesitation, Sandora navigated to the 'Masadaverse' and prepared to witness her sister's journey from beginning to end...
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Sensing subtle fluctuations in the space above the opposite couch, Mitra opened her eyes just in time to catch Vahn manifesting out of thin air. The cat-like smile that had adorned her face immediately withered into a pout, but before she could say anything, Yvonne interjected, softly muttering, "I see you have decided to respect Sala's decision..."
Though he nodded his head in affirmation, Vahn's expression turned melancholy as he explained, "I recently used my power to give a girl name Shion a 'second chance.' I don't regret my decision, but I have also come to realize that my actions at the time were more than a little extreme. You could say this is an opportunity to prove to myself that there are always alternative solutions to a problem..."
"Mmm...I have experienced something similar. During the start of Sala's journey through the Masadaverse, I did my best not to intervene. After she appealed to me for assistance, however, I ended up tampering with the fates of trillions in a vain attempt to 'fix' things. In the end, I realized that the only permanant solution was the one Mitra came up with during our first loop..."
Shifting her gaze to Naraka, currently resembling a young therianthrope with lilac hair, draconic eyes, and androgynous features, Yvonne added, "The only way people can be free from the influence of fate is if they are granted the same power and authority as the Gods. By disseminating the knowledge contained within the Throne to all of Creation, we managed to create a world where everyone was equal...a world where Hegemons and the Root were simply unnecessary..."
Returning her gaze to Vahn, Yvonne's expression became inordinately serious as she said, "That's what we hope to achieve here in the Little Garden. I understand it doesn't make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but the imperfection of the Gods is a cancer that has claimed countless lives. Since even you cannot attain perfection, I say it is our 'obligation' to ensure everyone has the same opportunities...that is the only way everyone can be free..."
Though he furrowed his brows, Vahn didn't attempt to argue with Yvonne. He possessed all of her memories, so he knew her 'solution' had a degree of merit. It was far from perfect, but when everyone possessed the same knowledge, power, and functionally infinite resources, there weren't a lot of reasons to fight. There was still conflict, but it didn't matter when both sides were immortal and drew from the same, perfectly partitioned power source.
After a considerable silence, Vahn replied, "Your path is yours to choose. My goal has always been the same. I will reach the pinnacle of Tier 6 and link the Records. If you wish to create a reality where everyone is 'equal,' I have no intention of stopping you. However, if you intend to depose me or get in the way of my objective..."
Shaking her head rapidly, beads of sweat appeared on Yvonne's brow as she replied, "I would never dream of intervening in the reunion between you and your family. I know you intend to isolate the Record of Danmachi once the merger has taken place, and we have absolutely no intention of interfering with that. We simply wish to create an Order of Creation where everyone can exist on equal terms. We have no desire to superimpose our will over Orders outside the one we establish..."
Since she understood how impossible it was to defeat Vahn, the thought of getting in his way had never once crossed Yvonne's mind. No amount of training could ever surpass the 'concepts' he represented, so the best way to achieve their objective was to let Vahn return home and leave him to his own devices. Then, so long as they didn't touch his bottom line, he would afford them the same luxury.
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn replied, "Then we have an accord. I will permit you to establish a new Order, but ascending to the pinnacle will depend on your efforts. Just know that others, potentially even my other Templates, will rise to oppose you. I have made it so that each of you can choose your own paths, so don't expect me to intervene or take sides."
Exhaling a sigh of relief, Yvonne replied, "That is more than enough. Our belief won't be shaken by any amount of opposition. So long as you don't get in our way, we'll eventually be able to reach our goal..."
Though he was half-tempted to create a Template specifically to oppose Yvonne, Vahn resisted the urge and simply nodded. The penultimate form of Creation didn't really matter to him as there were limitless Records and his Actualized Worlds were wholly unrelated to the current Order. He also didn't disagree with Yvonne's and Mitra's somewhat unique solution, so, as long as they didn't go crazy and try to spread their system through the linked Records, he didn't mind letting them do as they pleased.
Everyone had the right to choose their own paths...
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Chapter 2317: Chaotic Affinity