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17.84% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 417: Pride

Chapter 417: Pride

For the rest of the week, Vahn continued working on the wedding dress he had intended for Hephaestus. He had completed the bodice of the dress long ago and had spent the remaining time embellishing the details as he overlapped several layers of semi-transparent silk for the gown section. The entire gown flared wider and would eventually drag to the ground somewhat and Vahn had sewn it in such a way that it appeared to spiral slight before branching out into 'flames'. To conceal the split seam, as it was meant to be detachable, Vahn had gotten the idea to use the feathers from a Firebird, an incredibly rare monster that typically appeared around the 19th floor of the Dungeon.

By the time he had finished the gown itself, Vahn had been inspired to intermix synthetic emerald colored feathers amongst the 'plumage' and had altered the dress to be reminiscent of a phoenix's tail. He then made a second layer, overtop the original bodice, where he inlaid several types of cut magic cores that would act as catalysts for the enchantments Vahn intended to imbue into the dress. Vahn had gotten the idea to actually 'sew' the formations that connected each magic core on the inside of the dress, and this was why he had to make it two layers instead of the original one. At the 'core' of the formation, Vahn had used one of the Magic Treasure Stones, which looked like a large ruby, that would be seated in the 'valley' of Hephaestus' breasts.

After inlaying all the formations, Vahn spent the remainder of the time he had left to embroider a flame-like pattern into the dress and, though it wasn't necessary at all, he also made a clasp where Hephaestus would be able to 'store' her hammer at the back of the dress. Even though she might only wear the dress once, Vahn still wanted it to have 'functionality' and had ensured that the fabric was flexible enough that it wouldn't restrict her movements at all. The only part he couldn't really exercise any control over was the gown, as it was intended to stand out and enhance Hephaestus' natural beauty and draw the eye of onlookers.

To prevent the dress from getting dirty, as it would be dragging along the ground, Vahn had painstakingly rubbed a special oil on the underside of the fabric that would prevent it from collecting dust and debris along the way. It also made the entire underside of the dress waterproof, so Hephaestus wouldn't have to worry about cleaning it too much after the fact. The last step was to actually finish the 'mechanism' that would allow the gown to detach from the bodice at a moments notice. Vahn had interwoven small gemstones between the feathered plumage that were linked together in a locking formation that firmly held the dress together. However, if someone possessed the 'key', they could simply touch any of the gemstones and will them to 'unlock' and separate the two parts.

Though he hadn't gotten the real Hephaestus to try it on yet, Vahn took a great deal of pride in the dress he had made for her. It might not be the same quality as the one she had already prepared, but Vahn was confident it would be far more 'practical'. Assuming, of course, that the final phase of his plan actually succeeded. Vahn had interwoven small threads of sinew into the inner layer of the fabric and had used several precious materials in its construction. Though it hadn't required any 'forging', Vahn knew that sewing could still be generalized and influenced by the [Master Smith] Development Ability.

It might not have required the use of a hammer, for the most part, but it was still an item he had painstakingly 'forged' for an entire week. Confident that everything would go well, Vahn focused his intent and willed that the dress would be able to protect Hephaestus from harm while also enhancing her beauty even further...since she had spent so much time shunned by even her fellow gods, Vahn wanted the whole world to see the beauty that Hephaestus had become, the beauty that belonged solely to him...with that thought in mind, Vahn uttered, "Henceforth, you will be the first 'masterpiece' I have created in the form of a dress. Please, protect the woman I love...[Phoenix Fire Dress].

Though it wasn't to the extent of when he used the [Keeper of the Akashic Tome], there was a very brief phenomenon where the dress glowed with beautiful scarlet light. When the light faded, the dress remained relatively the same, though there was now a subtle sheen to the fabric and each of the magic cores glittered like stars that were affixed to the flame-like bodice that was shrouded by the plumes of the Firebird. All of the colors seemed more vibrant now and Vahn knew that, once Hephaestus wore the dress, they would stand out even more without distracting from the beauty of Hephaestus herself...

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[Phoenix Fire Dress]

Rank: A (Magic)

Slots: 0

P.Def: 370

M.Def: 900

Ability: Phoenix's Pride(A), Fire Immunity(A), Shock Resistance(C), Weatherproof(B)

A wedding dress created with care by a skilled Master Smith for the Goddess of Forging, Hephaestus. Makes use of a variety of precious materials, as if embodying the feelings the creator had for Hephaestus during its production. When wearing this dress, the user creates a flame-like aura that causes them to stand out from everything else in the world, like a proud phoenix rising to overshadow the sun itself.

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As Vahn held the dress in his hands, he noticed that he was shaking a great deal and slowly put focus into his [Will of the Emperor] to calm down. Not only was this a dress he had created for the woman he loved, but it was also the first piece of 'cloth' armor that he had been able to complete with his [Master Smith] ability. Though the physical defense was lacking, as one might expect from fabric, the magic defense was arguably the more important of the two values. It also had, not Fire Resistance, but Fire 'Immunity' alongside a powerful effect like Shock Resistance. The ability to absorb shocks almost gave the outfit inherent Endurance parameters, even though it had no actual effect on the body...at least for the time being. Now that Vahn knew it was possible, this had opened up the floodgates in his minds and he began to get very excited about the garments he would 'forge' in the future.

Though he was very excited, and even tempted to immediately give the dress to Hephaestus, Vahn contained himself and covered the dress in a protective film before setting it off to the side. He still needed to design a dress for Eina before giving them to both girls at the same time. If not for the combined efforts of the two caring women, Vahn wouldn't have been able to arrive at the point he currently found himself. He probably wouldn't have even gotten into forging at all, at least for a very long time. Now, he could create items that would protect himself, the people he cared about, and the people he would come to care for in the future. Equipment might interfere with the growth of the user, especially when it came to weapons, but it was still an important protective measure that could guarantee their safety during an emergency. Taking a small hit to your growth in exchange for preventing potential death was a fair trade any day of the week.

There was only an hour left before he was supposed to be wrapping up things within his workshop, but Vahn started on cutting the fabric for Eina's dress using the time remaining. Vahn had a bit of trouble choosing a color he thought was suitable for Eina since every neutral and cool color seemed to accent her beauty equally. He inevitably settled on blue, as it would create a contrast between her and Hephaestus while also emphasizing the 'soothing' qualities that Eina embodied for Vahn. Hephaestus was like the fire that burned in his heart, literally, that pushed him forward along the path he had decided for himself. Contrarily, though she still supported him, Eina was more like a refreshing spring where Vahn could refresh himself and relax when he needed to ease his tensions.

As for the design itself, Vahn wanted to make them nearly identical to each other though, instead of Firebird feathers, red gemstones, and green magic cores, Vahn was going to use the incredibly valuable Frost Falcon feathers, blue gemstones, and a combination of white and pale blue magic cores. This would make Hephaestus look like a Phoenix, wreathed in flames, while Eina looked like an Ice Phoenix, that glittered like the cool night that calmed the mind and brought thoughts of peaceful sleep to observers. Now that he had a better understanding of the process, Vahn expected he would be able to finish the dress within four days and could use the remaining time to create accompanying garments, such as lingerie, stockings, and other adornments. There were infinite possibilities open to him now and, though he hadn't paid much attention to it earlier, he had even gained more than 4,000OP after creating the [Phoenix Fire Dress].

Though he hadn't been entering the Dungeon for the entire week, word had spread on the network that he could absorb the energy in monster cores to fuel his 'creation' ability. They weren't purchasing them from the market, as that would cause a stir within the public, but Vahn had been receiving all of the monster cores from the girls when they return in the evening. The combined efforts of sixteen people were far more than Vahn's personal efforts and he had been able to increase his OP reserves to 1,984,559, even though he had spent a fair amount buy supplies for the dresses. Now, not only was his personal wealth increasing, but Vahn was passively generating a fair amount of OP through the combined efforts of the girls themselves.

As for other changes that had taken place over the last few days, it had also gotten around that Vahn was showing interest in the girls' pasts and he had spent a fair amount of time each day speaking with a different girl about their pasts, their current desires, and what they hoped for in the future. Thus far, he had talked to Tiona, Ais, Tione, Syr, Lili, Naaza, and today he would be talking with someone he had been curious about for a while, Arnya. Vahn knew that there were several things Arnya was keeping a secret, but she seemed to be willing to open up to him a bit and was going to explain things to him. She was in her third week of pregnancy, so she had already resolved herself for the future and now intended to clue him in on the 'important' bits he needed to know.

Vahn hadn't completed cutting all the fabric, but his time was coming to a close and he had already detected Arnya's presence outside of the workshop. After the small 'fiasco' with Tiona and Ais, Vahn had installed a sofa outside of the workshop and even set out a pot of tea with a tray of snacks for them while they waited. Once he had finished organizing his tools, a habit he had picked up when he was learning from Tsubaki, Vahn made his way out of the workshop and saw Arnya lazing about on the sofa while nibbling on some fish-shaped crackers that he thought she would enjoy. Though he was certain she had noticed his presence, Arnya continued to act in a somewhat unladylike manner as she ignored his approach.

After several interactions, Vahn already knew many of Arnya's weaknesses, but he knew the best way to tease her was through a very simple method. Reaching out his hand, Vahn gently rubbed her belly as he kneeled next to the sofa and put his ear to her stomach. Arnya began laughing in mock surprise as she said in a coy tone, "Nyahaha, can't you see inside without having the check every day~? You're so helpless~nya." As she spoke, Arnya stroked the back of Vahn's head with her hands, without wiping the crumbs from her fingers at all. Realizing her 'mistake', Arnya spent a bit of time picking the pieces of out Vahn's hair as he absentmindedly listened to the sounds of her body.

This had become a habit that Vahn had developed a few days ago when Hephaestus had visited and, after they made love with each other, had Vahn rest on her belly and listened for the sounds of the extra heartbeat that pulsed quietly, but with a steady rhythm, deep within her womb. She was the furthest along in her pregnancy, so Vahn was able to actually 'experience' the first signs of the life he had helped to create. Even though there were other girls present, Vahn couldn't stop himself from crying silent tears before he simply started thanking Hephaestus over and over while they all comforted him.

Ever since that night, Vahn had been taking the opportunity to listen to the bellies of the other girls that were bearing his children. It was this action that had incited Arnya to actually agree to talk with him, so Vahn was also indirectly reminding her of the situation through his actions. He could tell she was still hesitant about the situation, and he wanted to help ease her heart and give her the confidence she needed to put the thoughts that burdened her to words. Not only physical burdens, but emotion burdens were something that others could help you carry. They had created a life together and would spend several years doing their best to raise their child to maturity, so it was a little late to 'hesitate' now that the deed had been done.

After several minutes passed, Arnya asked in a soft tone, "Do you hear anything?" Without raising his head, Vahn opened his eyes and smiled at her and replied, "Not yet...it's still a bit early. From what I've read, it'll take around five to six weeks before the heart begins to beat audibly..." Arnya chuckled silently as she stroked his hair and asked, "Then why do you insist on checking~?" Vahn had already thought about his answer, as he had expected the question, so he said simply, "I feel even closer to you like this...closer to the life we created together. Even if it odds aren't in my favor, I want to hear the very first beat of our child's heart..."

Arnya's expression broke for a brief moment and a bit of moisture began to build in her eyes as she laid back her head and closed her eyes. If not for the small quiver in her lip, it would have looked like she was simply relaxing and letting Vahn do as he pleased. Vahn also closed his eyes and gave Arnya as much time as she needed to find her resolve as he continued to listen for the signs he knew wouldn't appear for at least another two weeks. He could, however, hear the natural functions of her body, her breathing, and her rapidly beating heart. Vahn could also sense the chaotic fluctuations in her aura and knew she was feeling very anxious, even though she was doing her best to not show it.

Nearly twenty minutes later, Arnya continued to stroke his head and said in a quiet, almost inaudible voice, tinged with a sob, "I don't want to talk about my past, Vahn...if I could, I would put those matters behind me and never think about them ever again. There are some things you should know though...you have that right." Though she still had her eyes closed, Vahn could see the tear fall from the corner of Arnya's eye and he reached out to wipe it away before sitting next to her on the sofa and pulling her into his embrace. He had already felt her body shaking earlier, but it was a lot more obvious now that he was holding onto her.

Arnya took several deep breaths and said, "Most of my family died a long time ago...but the people who killed them are already dead. My only remaining family is my brother, Allen Fromel...the man known as Vana Freya, the fastest spear serving Freya. Though we cut ties with each other long ago, I know he still tries to look after me since Mama Mia scouted me to work at the Hostess of Fertility when it had just opened. Even though he only ever showed up when I was off duty, I know he stopped by every now and then because Syr and Mama Mia had told me about it..." Vahn nodded his head and continued to rub Arnya's back to help keep her calm with the assistance of his [Hands of Nirvana].

Feeling a warm energy entering her body, Arnya paused for a few seconds as she tightened her grip on Vahn's tunic and buried her head into his shoulder. After a short period of silence, she continued, "Allen blames me for my failure back when we were younger...when he finds out I'm pregnant, he might try to cause trouble for you...I'm sorry, Vahn. I know...I know I might have any right to be a mother...but I want to have a family again!" Since she hadn't told him about her past, Vahn didn't know why Arnya considered herself undeserving of being a mother. It likely related to the 'mistake' she had made but, unless she told him about it, he was more likely to learn about the matter through the brother. For now, that wasn't important at all, however, since he currently had a heartbroken cat girl crying on his shoulder.

While Arnya was sobbing, Vahn spent a bit of time collecting his thoughts before grabbing her shoulders and pulling her away from his shoulder. She had a slightly incredulous look on her tear-stained face until Vahn reached out with both hands and placed them on both sides of her cheeks. With a gentle look in his eyes and a soft tone, Vahn said, "Arnya...the past doesn't determine our worth as parents...if that were the case, I may very well be the least qualified person to have children. However, I'm doing my best to become a man that can take pride in everything I do, everything I've created, and everyone I've loved. You're such a loveable and earnest girl, and I'm certain you'll make a great mother...I will help bear your burdens until you realize it for yourself."

Arnya nodded her head slowly before muttering, "Vahn, please, no matter what it takes...don't die...promise me..." Vahn smiled in a natural manner and rubbed the sides of Arnya's face as he said in a casual tone, "Arnya, you don't have to worry about that at all...I don't think I'd be able to die at this point, even if I wanted to. I have too much to live for...too much to look forward to..." As he spoke, Vahn lowered his gaze to Arnya's belly and it was clearly seen in his expression the expectation and pride he took in his 'accomplishment'. Arnya, seeing Vahn's expression, nuzzled against his hands slightly after covering them with her own. Vahn could see that her aura was beginning to stabilize and she said in a somewhat playful, yet scarily serious tone, "Vahn...I want to have lots of babies...even if I have to raise them on my own, I want to have lots and lots...sorry for my selfishness."

Though he might have had a problem with it previously, since he didn't want to be overwhelmed by having too many children at once, Vahn had recently worked out a plan for creating a school alongside Riveria. He couldn't reasonably be expected to run an entire school if he couldn't even manage a few of his own children, so he was feeling more confident about things with every passing day. Though he didn't understand how many 'lots and lots' implied, Vahn nodded his head with a confident smile and said, "Even if you have a dozen, or a hundred, I will do my best to care for them all. I imagine it would be rather lively to have a bunch of adorable Cat Persons running around...we do have a big yard, after all..."

Arnya laughed in a somewhat silly manner as she said, "With a beautiful mother and a handsome father, our children are bound to be more than simply adorable~nyan! Our son's will be heartbreakers and our daughters will be tyranyacle maidens~nyahahaha." Vahn felt a cold sweat start to build upon his back, but he laughed alongside Arnya before hugging her close to his body and saying, "I can't wait, Arnya...I love you." Arnya began rubbing her head against his chest as she responded in a plain tone, "I know, Vahn, and that is why I love you as well. Thank you for picking up this abandoned cat, nyufufufu..."

Vahn continued to hold Arnya for a while when she suddenly began 'grinding' against him slightly and he could see her aura flaring up with a passionate red. He could feel a pressure in the bridge of his nose as his heart begin to itch when she said in a sultry tone, "We've never been alone together like this...I'm getting excited...nyufufufu~." Though he hadn't done anything with Ais, Lili, and Naaza, it was 'well known' that Vahn had a long rendezvous with Tiona and Syr after their discussions in the past. As Arnya said, it was relatively 'rare' to get Vahn alone, and now was a period of time that had been allotted to just her. Understanding her desire, Vahn picked up Arnya as she began to playfully laugh as he carried her off into a private room...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hephaestus about to be looking fiery~!','Eina's 'watery' image','At least Cat Persons don't have litters~!')

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Chapter 418: Reflection : The Way Forward

As the days continued counting down towards the wedding, Vahn was spending the majority of his time within his workshop to make preparations. He knew the girls had long suspected he was up to something as they had stopped seeking him out during the lunch block. Vahn planned to spend more time with the rest of the girls in the future, as he really wanted to know more about them, but he was grateful for the time they had given him. The matters regarding Tiona, Ais, and Arnya, weighed somewhat heavily on his mind and, now that he had some success making armor out of fabric, Vahn was in a creative frenzy.

Of course, before he got to into his current groove, Vahn had completed Eina's dress within the four-day time frame he had set for himself. The final product looked nearly identical to the one he had created for Hephaestus, except that it made use of blues, purples, and icy whites with the inclusion of the Snow Falcon feathers. Instead of a flame pattern on the bodice, Vahn had decided to sew white threads that linked together glimmering gemstones that made the entire outfit appear similar to constellations in the night sky. If Hephaestus's dress was supposed to represent a Phoenix standing out against the backdrop of the sun, Vahn wanted Eina's to embody the cool embrace of the night and the peaceful end of the day. Eina's dress didn't 'compete' to stand out amongst anything and almost seemed like a natural part of the night sky with wispy clouds that slowly ambled through the upper atmosphere...

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[Phoenix Night Dress]

Rank: A (Magic)

Slots: 0

P.Def: 349

M.Def: 920

Ability: Phoenix's Embrace(A), Ice Immunity(A), Shock Resistant(C), Weatherproof(B)

A wedding dress created with care by a skilled Master Smith for the Half-Elf, Eina Tulle. Makes use of a variety of precious materials, as if embodying the feelings the creator had during its productions. When wearing this dress, the user creates a calming aura that affects everyone that enters their vision, like the night overtaking the day and welcoming them into a peaceful and pleasant rest.

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When Vahn had first laid eyes on the completed dress, he imagined Eina wearing it and had a strange urge to simply rest his face against the mannequin and go to sleep. The best part was that the cool colors of the dress wouldn't compete with the neutral brown hair of Eina, her gentle expression, and her emerald green eyes which would shine like two beautiful stars when the ensemble was brought together around her thin frame. He planned to have the two women try on the dresses this weekend so he could tailor them, though it likely wouldn't be necessary, before the wedding on Wednesday. Even though it hadn't been publicized much, the entire City was talking about Hephaestus' wedding to Vahn and, as he had come to know through the rumors, her intent to make an 'Eternal Vow' pledging herself to him.

The fact that Eina was also going to be marrying Vahn was also being spread, but it was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that the most prolific forging goddess in all eight regions of Heaven was marrying a mortal man and making an Eternal Vow to him. This meant that, no matter how much time passed after Vahn's death, Hephaestus would continue to devote her love solely to him until the very end of her immortal life. When Vahn learned about this, he was completely overwhelmed by the information and his behavior after the fact had been the reason why the girls gave him a bit of space.

Vahn knew it was very possible for him to live forever, but only if he forsook the growth of his soul and restricted himself to this record for the rest of time. He had even discussed the matter with Sis and learned that it was possible to work hard to obtain his own Divinity, which would make him immortal within the record of Danmachi, same as the other gods and goddesses. Doing so would upset the balance of the world if he remained in the mortal plane, so he would have to 'ascend' to Heaven if he wanted to take that route. This would make him suffer the same restrictions as other gods, except that he would have The Path to help him resist the compulsion of his Divinity. The downside to this was, Vahn's ascension would fundamentally alter the record and cause it to evolve over time to match the limitations of his own soul, which was inherently without limit.

It might not happen any time soon, but Vahn's presence would eventually cause the record to proceed to Tier 5 and, if an incredible amount of time passed, all the way to Tier 9. This might not seem to bad if not for the fact that the laws that would come into play within the record could drastically change the power balance of the world. Just like the chaos and uncertainty during the Age of Myths, Vahn would throw the entire record into perpetual chaos and, after enough time passed, there would even be several entities naturally born into the world that would exceed the current gods. He couldn't learn all of the Tiers just yet, but Vahn knew that Tier 4 was called the 'Divine Soul Tier' while Tier 5 was known as the 'Realm Soul Tier'.

At Tier 4, a person at the peak of power could even create entire worlds if their understanding of the laws was comprehensive enough. Once someone grew beyond the peak of Tier 4 and entered the Realm Soul Tier, they could conceivably create an entire realm, which divergent timelines, parallel worlds, and a nearly infinite number of planets that could support life. This sounded like an incredible thing, if not for the fact that the laws themselves would create a being to 'regulate' things at this tier. Before Vahn even reached Tier 5 himself, it was very likely a different entity would be born into an existence that would be much stronger than the power he would possess at the time.

The records constantly had to maintain a balance, which was regulated by karma, which meant that the more powerful and good Vahn became, the stronger the influence of evil that would emerge to counterbalance his power. Unless he could throw away his emotions and become the balancing factor himself, Vahn would enter an eternal contest against progressively stronger enemies that would be created by the record itself to serve as his 'labors'. Overcoming his enemies would further increase his growth, which would, in turn, lead to even stronger enemies coming into existence. Since his soul was fused with The Path, there was a very real possibility that other records would eventually become linked with the Danmachi record and he could conceivably bring chaos to every record in The Path if enough time passed...

Even if that was the case, Vahn actually didn't mind that much at all, as there would always be an infinite amount of chaos that intermixed together with all records. Linking them would introduce new variables within the world, but things would always stabilize after enough time passed and he would be one of the guiding forces in such a world. One of the problems Vahn faced, if he were to accept such a life, would be the feelings of 'loss' he would have to deal with when his loved ones inevitably died. He might live forever, but that didn't mean all the girls around him would have the same capacity. The same applied to his future children as well and, even if he could conceivably make them all immortal, this wouldn't necessarily be a good thing for the record itself.

Vahn had no delusions that all of his children would be good, and he also knew that not everyone wanted to live forever. One of the things that made life worth living for so many people was knowing that each of their actions in the present were 'significant' in their shorts lives. They could measure their own value by the life they led and accept death peacefully before returning to the cycle of reincarnation. By the time Vahn helped people become immortal, they would eventually go through the same thing as the various gods and goddesses, where their mentality would slowly wear down over time unless they fulfilled their 'purpose'. One of the reasons gods could tolerate eternity was because they always had a purpose that defined them from the very beginning, a fundamentally different mindset than that which was 'enjoyed' by mortals.

Other than the ones that would die naturally, after refusing to live forever, Vahn knew he would be faced with a decision in the future where he might be asked to let the girls he loved die after they simply get tired of living. It was also a near-guarantee that, after enough time passed, Vahn would even have to strike down one of his former lovers that had turned to evil or even put down his very children because they had gone down a deviant path. Unless he stopped having children, Vahn's progeny would eventually spread through the world, and perhaps all worlds, that would come about as a result of his ascension. As the lynchpin for everything, it would always fall to Vahn to take action and there was even a very high chance that his own children would try to 'overcome' him for their own ends. This wasn't even the worst case scenario, however, which would be if Vahn himself entered the deviant path...

Vahn really did want to visit more worlds in the future, but if he became the core of the Danmachi record and propelled it into higher planes, the only way to do so would be to link the worlds using The Path as an intermediary. Unless he was also strong enough to keep them from influencing each other, this meant that entire multiverses would eventually collide in the future, simply because Vahn was 'curious'. The sheer devastation that would result from his actions would be incomprehensible and, if Vahn himself decided to destroy things after having a change of heart, he might become some kind of universal threat that gave birth to a powerful force of good that would eventually eject him from the record after striking him down. Depending on how he dealt with the situation, Vahn might enter a cycle where he visits several worlds solely for the purpose of destroying them or trying to connect them back to the Danmachi record itself...such a concept sent shivers down Vahn's spine just thinking about it.

The most frustrating thing of all was knowing that Vahn would eventually have to face a situation where records overlapped in the future, regardless of if he wanted to or not. Unless he completely stopped his own growth by sealing away his power, Vahn would continue to rise to greater height and would eventually find his way in a record where that kind of thing was considered normal. If Tier 5 could create an entire universe, with divergent timelines, that meant Tier 6 was likely capable of creating entire multiverses, or more. Vahn couldn't even wrap his head around what Tier 7 and Tier 8 were like, though he knew that Klyscha, the Goddess of Dreams, was an entity that existed at Tier 8. From what Vahn could infer, she was literally the lynchpin for a nigh-infinite number of records, each with a potentially infinite number of worlds, fates, and the lives that lived them...

It was hard to conceptualize, but Vahn would one day be at the same level as Klyscha herself, and inevitably even exceed her with enough time. Vahn couldn't comprehend what kind of changes he would go through in order to reach such a point, but the one thing he knew was that he didn't want to arrive at the apex through cruel means. He might have to ruthlessly strike down his enemies, destroy entire species of terrifying creatures, and even create entire universes, but Vahn didn't want to be cruel in his methods.

Ultimately, the decision Vahn found himself facing was a relatively simple one...he had to choose if he wanted to walk The Path alone, before eventually reuniting with some of the girls in the future, or he would walk it alongside them and face the challenges of the future together...at least, that was what Vahn believed until Sis stepped in with a chuckle and said, (*There are so many more paths you can walk, Vahn. The Path itself is here to help guarantee your freedom, not force you down a tragic route that would bring you heartbreak. As long as you search for a way forward and truly desire it, you will always find the route that leads to the greatest amount of happiness.*)

Vahn blinked, shocked by Sis's sudden interruption of his internal reflection. Sis, as if finding his reaction amusing, laughed within his mind for a short while before continuing in a gentle tone, (*You will have to deal with several difficult situations and it is almost guaranteed you will face heartbreak and loss...but that doesn't have to be how you define your life in the future. Death is a natural part of the cycle of all things and, as you yourself have realized, not everyone desires eternal life. The vast majority that seek it aren't capable of comprehending what that means and, like in the case of Eva, it often quickly turns into a curse...*)

Listening to Sis's words, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation because he knew she was speaking the truth that he had already discovered for himself. What he didn't understand is what she meant by there being other paths forward, other than the ones he had seen for himself. Answering his unasked question, Sis said, (*You may lack the power yourself, but you can use The Path to 'buy time' for yourself in the future. If you still want to visit other worlds without having to worry about the passage of time in the Danmachi record, you can always seal away the entire thing and put it into stasis. You might not possess the power yourself, yet, but that doesn't mean you can't make use of The Path to obtain the means...you simply have to desire it with all your heart and it will be so...that is your power, Vahn.*)

Almost at the same exact time as Sis finished speaking, Vahn heard a loud notification within his mind and became startled when he investigated the source. Vahn intuitively believed almost everything Sis said, as she had been the compass that had guided him forward for his entire second life. When he heard her words, he knew she was showing him the way forward and, as she had suggested, he believed that there would be a 'path' that would allow him to experience the necessary growth without having to guide an entire world forward and face constant strife in trying to deal with the aftermath. This belief was answered immediately, and now Vahn laughed loudly within the confines of his soundproof workshop as he scanned over the notification several times before saying, ("Sis, you really are the best...if you were a real woman, I think I might fall in love with you.") Sis began to laugh like a bell within his mind as Vahn took one last look at the notification with her soothing laughter as the background music...

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//Optional Quest Triggered//

[Quest: I Shall Seal The Heavens](A/N: Kappa o3o)

Rank: SSS

Objective: Obtain 100,000,000,000 OP and purchase a [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis] from the system shop.

Rewards: All unlocked functions in 'The Path' evolve, 3x[Spirit Vessels], 1x[Enlightenment Stone]

Failure Condition(s): Death, Failure to obtain requisite amount of OP before leaving the record.

Penalty: Danmachi Record inaccessible until Tier 8, All Karma Nullified after leaving the record.

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eina's Ethereal Beauty','The Burden of Eternity','Thats a lot of zeroes...would only take 1,369 years of farming Bloodsaurus to obtain though~!')

If you'd like to support me as a writer so I can write even more stories in the future, please follow the Patreon link below (O,...,O)~! Stay beautiful <3. Since it was requested, I also added a Paypal link if that is preferable~!)

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=14397149

paypal.me/Einlion

Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh


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