Download App
23.34% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 547: Darkness

Chapter 547: Darkness

Once they had finished their breakfast, Vahn headed toward the Dungeon with Chloe and Shizune, allowing Chloe to cling to his left arm while he held Shizune's hand like a child. She was still rather small, around 121cm, so Vahn escorted her like a little lady as Chloe playfully stuck to his left arm. Much like yesterday, Vahn was walking around in a transformed state but this time he had taken on a form that was easily recognized by many people, his 'white tiger' form. Nobody really knew the name Báihǔ within the City, so the rumors regarding his transformation simply described it as a 'Beastification', similar to a Weretiger but with white fur.

As expected, Vahn drew a lot of attention while a few people were more focused on Chloe and Shizune than Vahn himself. Chloe's identity as 'Black Cat' was unknown, but they had to make some concessions with the Guild to register all of the girls with ties to the underworld properly. Though it had faded into obscurity, as it was known to be related to 'false allegations', there were still a few people that would try to claim the bounty on Ryuu's head if they knew who she was. As for Arnya, Lunoire, and Chloe herself, they also had former reputations and had now assumed different identities, though Arnya's spear kind of gave her away for those that knew of her past actions. Even if it became a point of contention in the future, there were few people that would actually try to inflate the issue because the power of the Alliance was simply too strong.

The Guild had the most power within the City, as they were the organization that managed the Familias, controlled access to the Dungeon, and had a monopoly on monster core distribution. However, this didn't mean there wasn't a governing body that ruled over Orario and passed laws, regulated businesses, and managed things like taxation and property rights. There was a Governor, though Vahn had never met him, and several other people with various political positions that tried to wrest power from the Guild every now and then. They were the most likely candidates to stir up trouble, but there were few ways they could pressure large Familia since public opinion often favored the Familia over politicians that were known to be somewhat corrupt.

There wasn't anything like an electoral system within Orario, so most positions were things that had been arbitrarily created when the City first came into being and many were inherited. This made it so that, even though they were technically the people that passed laws, the politicians within Orario, including the Governor himself, had very little actual power. Without making compromises with the Guild, negotiating with the large Familias, and paying concessions to criminal organizations, they had almost no authority. However, this didn't mean they wouldn't just at the opportunity to try and tarnish the reputation of the Hestia Familia if they had the chance, and they were the primary perpetrators behind Vahn's own reputation being in the dumps at times...

After reaching the 1st Floor, Vahn looked over his shoulder cautiously and scanned the area before leading Chloe and Shizune into the interior of the Floor. Though it had been for a brief moment, Vahn had detected a large amount of hostility directed at him that had even been picked up by Chloe as her smiling face had become somewhat serious, even without her expression changing much. They had already discussed the possibility of their enemies taking action against him as he built up a pattern for them to follow, and it seemed like it would be sooner than expected.

Shizune hadn't sensed anything awry, however, and was just looking around the Dungeon with a curious expression on her face as her aura started to flicker somewhat chaotically. She had heard many rumors about the Dungeon and the dangers contained within, but it didn't seem nearly as scary as she expected. Shizune was more excited about the opportunity to grow stronger than she was genuinely worried about dying or suffering grievous injuries. Though she wasn't complacent at all, as experiencing pain was never pleasant, Shizune was confident that Vahn and Chloe would watch over her. She knew well how expensive her own equipment was so offering any complaints seemed petty and inconsiderate considering the difficulties other people would have to face when they first enter the Dungeon.

After progressing through the Beginning Road, Vahn brought their progress to a stop and freed himself from Shizune's somewhat clammy and worriedly small hand. She was even smaller than Tina, though her mental and chronological age made her much older, so Vahn couldn't help but worry a bit. Fortunately, he had watched over Liliruca and Tina in the past, so he knew his concerns weren't that necessary and that Shizune would be fine if she did her best. Reaching out his hand, he pat the 'mature' little girl on the head and said, "From here onwards, you'll be leading the way at your own pace. Make sure to consider your actions seriously and do your best to overcome difficulties without relying on our assistance. I will heal you if you suffer injuries, but don't expect me to step in unless you are in great danger..."

Shizune squinted her eyes slightly, enjoying the warmth of Vahn's hand, before asking, "How many enemies did Tina manage to kill~?" Though the difference in their 'age' was great, Shizune still considered Tina her 'older' sister and closest rival. They had very similar physical ages, sizes, and starting points. She was confident in being able to outgrow Tina if they trained at the same pace, but Shizune knew that Tina actually trained much harder than she did. Because of the difference in the amount of time they had lived, Shizune had a slightly jaded mentality compared to the earnest young cat girl and believed that doing things 'efficiently' and thinking ahead was better than working hard and following instincts...

Vahn briefly thought about inflating the number to urge Shizune to try hard, but he didn't like lying to people just to achieve results. After considering the matter, Vahn said, "She managed to kill twenty-eight Goblins, including a group of four..." Shizune nodded her head, knowing that Vahn's words were the truth because she had already heard about it from Tina herself. She was curious if Vahn was going to try and rile her up, but it seemed like he had confidence that she would do her best regardless. This made Shizune feel a little more relaxed and she smiled, saying, "I'm not sure I'd be able to fight four at once, but I think I'll be able to defeat more than twenty-eight before we return. I heard you gave Tina a massage for her efforts, so please take care of me properly if I work hard~." Though it was nice to be pampered by Vahn during their picnic, Shizune wanted a more 'meaningful' reward from Vahn.

Though he knew she was probably going to be a bit mischevious, Vahn nodded his head and said, "Sure, but you'll have to behave properly and I'll also have Milan and Chloe there to accompany you. I made a few mistakes yesterday, so having people watch the process will allow me to make more sensible decisions." Shizune looked like her brain had stopped working for a moment while Chloe began laughing cheerfully while holding her stomach. Everyone that interacted with Shizune closely knew that, though she had made great strides in her progress, she still 'struggled' whenever she was around Vahn. Even yesterday, though Shizune might have wanted to be alone with Vahn, Chloe would have never allowed it from the start...

---

Shizune had a somewhat dark and serious expression as she took soundless steps toward an unsuspecting Goblin. She had been studying assassination techniques with Chloe and was more fond of the idea that enemies could be killed without exposing oneself to danger. Though she would undoubtedly have to fight large numbers of enemies at once, one of the reasons she wanted to greatly increase her speed, Shizune still wanted to polish her ability to kill unseen. She already had the [Featherfoot] ability, but she was trying to awaken the [Stealth] skill by silently stalking her enemies. There was also an urge to 'vent' that had appeared in her body from earlier and she felt like the Goblin needed to pay the price for her own frustrations.

After approaching within five meters of the Goblin, it began to turn around and inspect the area as Shizune pressed herself low to the ground near a small rock. Though she had skin exposed in some places, her entire outfit, including her kimono, was a matte black in color and Shizune was trying to 'will' herself to be invisible. Fortunately, Goblins didn't have the best senses and their ability to see in the dark wasn't that great. After smelling around for a bit, the Goblin started walking off which prompted Shizune to step forward with quick, nearly silent, steps as she stabbed her dagger, [Moonshadow], into its back. Much like Tina, she tried to focus on precise strike but had easily managed to hit the monster core with her sneak attack.

The Goblin turned into dust in an instant and Shizune didn't get a speck of blood on her at all, also managing to preserve the majority of her stamina since she fought indirectly. This was already her seventh Goblin but she didn't feel like she had vented nearly enough. After releasing a sigh, she picked up the monster core and carried it over to Vahn in exchange for a few head pats from him. It made her feel a little frustrated knowing how childish her actions seemed, but the warm energy coming from his hand and the way he stroked her head and ears was strangely addictive. Shizune had vehemently disliked having her ears touched by men in the past, because they were often very aggressive and sometimes teased her cruelly, but Vahn always showed a lot of care in his caress. When he would inevitably pull his hand away, it always made her feel like the moment was very short and her urge to 'vent' on monsters became progressively stronger.

Vahn watched Shizune fighting from the side with Chloe, using a thin membrane of air to prevent their voices from traveling. Chloe had been explaining the type of training she had been doing with Shizune, including her assassination training. Since he had already noticed how Shizune was drawn to such methods, Vahn wasn't too surprised and, as long as she didn't actually want to become a 'child' assassin, he didn't have any problems with it at all. Chloe had also been worried about Shizune's nature and had said, "I think she wants to track down her previous 'owners' and kill them with her own hands...even though her body has changed, Shizune can't seem to let go of the past so easily. The happier she becomes, the more she wants to 'erase' the past completely..."

Not just Chloe, but even Vahn could understand Shizune's desire for vengeance as he couldn't even imagine being able to easily move on from that kind of treatment. Knowing that the people who caused him harm were still out and about, potentially harming other people, would make him want to seek vengeance as well. If not for the fact he was in a completely different world, Vahn couldn't deny there was a possibility he would have sought vengeance against the 'scientists' and 'doctors' that had experimented on him. It was a way of 'taking back' power from the people that had hurt you and he would have wanted to 'prove' to others that he had more value than something that was decided by others. As someone who was literally exchanged for currency, Shizune most likely felt a similar urge and Vahn couldn't blame her for it at all.

After thinking over the matter, Vahn asked, "Have you been able to find out who they were?" Chloe's expression became serious but she shook her head and explained, "Once she had been purchased and shipped to Orario, the trail had gone completely cold. Other than the name of the handler she had been purchased from, I haven't been able to find out anything. Without tracking him down and tracing the source back from one individual to the next, there isn't any way to find out who Shizune wants to kill unless she tells us. I've tried talking to her about it, but she has been tight-lipped so far..."

The fact that Shizune was keeping the matter under wraps was pretty much a clear indication that she wanted to take care of the problem herself. Though Vahn didn't expect that she would outright leave the Manor in the future, there was a fair chance she would hunt the men down if she got the chance. He would likely travel around himself and, when he went to the Far East, she would undoubtedly want to come along. Vahn worried about Shizune and would want her to avoid that kind of path, but he also didn't really have the right to stop her from doing so. What people decided to do with the power they obtained was entirely up to them, so the most he could do was try to guide her onto a better path. At the very least, he would have to make sure she kept her vengeance tied to the people that had harmed her instead of targetting the innocent.

As if she could understand his thoughts, Chloe nodded her head and said, "Don't worry, I think she will mellow out with time and there is little chance she would leave the Hearth Manor any time soon. There are too many things she has attachments to and this place really has become the closest thing to a home she has ever known. It likely wouldn't even be for several years and, even then, only when things had calmed down or the opportunity presented itself. Other than myself, there are several people looking after her so you just need to keep being the 'light' so she doesn't stray too far away..."

Chloe knew that the greatest reason many people had for wandering into the darkness was that they had lost direction in their lives. As long as she had a stable environment, Shizune would likely never actually go through with her plans to seek vengeance at all. She would be too worried about the people she was leaving behind, especially the voices of guidance and reason she had come to rely on. Vahn nodded his head with a serious expression and followed behind Shizune silently, making sure she never left his sight and wandered off on her own...

---

Almost as if decreed by fate, Shizune ended up coming across a room that had a total of four Gobline present. She had originally intended to avoid the confrontation but, after imagining Tina coming out ahead in such a situation, Shizune found it very difficult to take a step back. She didn't really consider herself to be a competitive person but, imagining a girl that was younger than her possessing more conviction, made Shizune feel anxious and a bit frustrated. After thinking for several minutes, she eventually unsheathed her black dagger and psyched herself up by saying, ("The only way to experience true growth it to willingly face your limits and overcome them.."). These were words that had been repeated often during their lessons, but Shizune specifically recalled hearing them from a confident Vahn and she had replayed the scene in her mind several times in the past few months.

For several long minutes after she decided to fight, Shizune waited in absolute silence with her dagger at the ready. She used the cover of the corridor itself to obscure her body and was paying attention to the paths and actions of the four Goblins that 'communicated' to each other with guttural sounds and ticks. They weren't actually intelligent, at least not by common standards, but they had a rudimentary form of communication when they weren't in combat. Eventually, two of the Goblins seemed to find the room less interesting and started to wander toward one of the connecting corridors in search of 'prey'. Shizune used this as an opportunity to stalk forward because the other two Goblins had been watching the departure, almost like they were seeing off their companions.

Shizune moved around to the flank of the closest Goblin, well outside of its peripheral vision, before running low inside its blind spot. She didn't have confidence in being able to hit the monster core without immediately alerting the other Goblins so she instead targetted the neck and jumped forward to nearly severe the monster's head from its body as she rolled across the ground and dashed to the next Goblin. It had been alerted to her presence and released a loud cry that caused the two departing Goblins to come running back from the corridor they had entered. Shizune pulled out her second curved dagger, and dual-wielded as she swung forward at a low angle at the Goblin's stomach.

Mindless as it may be, the Goblin wasn't going to simply take the dagger to its gut without trying to evade so it jumped back and arched its body to avoid the swipe. Unfortunately, Shizune had twisted her body and dragged the curved dagger toward its exposed head in the same motion, cutting through its ocular cavity and completely blinding the Goblin. The other two ran towards her, but Shizune used the flailing Goblin as cover and kept it between her and the two assailants. Unable to see, the blinded monster swung out at its surroundings and this made it difficult for the other two to attack since they were 'programmed' not to harm each other.

Shizune used the opportunity when one of the Goblins tried to move around its companion to throw one of her needles into its soft stomach, causing it to release a shrill shriek and mindlessly try to charge at her. This allowed Shizune to fight it in a 1v1 situation by stepping around to its flank away from the final uninjured Goblin. At this point, Shizune was already breathing a little heavily but she kept her focus and sheathed her dagger as she backstepped, reaching into her small pouch immediately afterward. Finding the familia orb she was looking for, Shizune tossed it forward into the screaming face of the Goblin and a small explosion of dust and smoke erupted in its face. It was a simple tool called a [Blinding Ball] that had small particulates that acted as a powerful irritant. On contact, exposed skin would become itchy, eyes would be blinded, and it could even cause weaker monsters to spasm just by breathing it in.

After taking a direct hit to the face, the Goblin breathed in a large volume of the small dust-like irritants and wailed loudly as it tried to rub away the particulates from its eyes, only causing further damage. Shizune waited for the dust to settle, as she didn't currently have the [Abnormal Resistance] Development Ability yet, before moving forward and stabbing the Goblin in the center of its chest after unsheathing her [Moonshadow] once again. She knew that the growth of the weapon depended on how she used it, so Shizune made sure to deal the final blows with her growth weapon whenever possible.

With the second Goblin dead, the one she had previously blinded continued to thrash about while it looked as though the final uninjured one was considering fleeing. Shizune watched it from the 'safety' provided by the blinded Goblin before moving forward in a swift motion when it had turned its back to her. She had used a few seconds to catch her breath and killed the third Goblin before moving toward the 'fleeing' final Goblin. Realizing it couldn't escape, it tried to turn around toward her and attack, but Shizune jumped forward with the greatest momentum she could manage and tried to keep to the back of the Goblin as it turned. It tried to turn to match her, but Shizune spun around and used their counter-motions to 'slam' both of her daggers into the Goblin's torso before it was able to actually face her.

Though the attack hadn't hit its core, the severe trauma experienced by the Goblin caused its body to turn into dust as the monster core fell to the ground at almost the same time as the exhausted Shizune. Fortunately, instead of the cold and dirty ground, Shizune found her body landing in a warm embrace that made her laugh awkwardly and say, "I have a little more respect for Tina now..." Vahn also laughed as he cradled her body and pressed his palm directly around her stomach to replenish her energy and help regulate her labored breathing. Thus far, Shizune had only killed 19 Goblins and there was still plenty of time left for her to continue onward. However, she surprised him a bit when she grabbed the sleeve of his tunic and said, "I'm not in a hurry to get stronger... let's go home, I'm tired."

---

(A/N: Some people have worried about how 'weak' Tina and Shizune are and how their stamina drains so quickly even against relatively weak monsters. To put it in perspective, an average adult would 'normalize' their parameters around 100 Power, Endurance, Agility, and Dexterity even without killing a lot of monsters. Since they are still very young, Tina and Shizune are fighting opponents that are marginally stronger than themselves while pushing themselves to their limits with their relatively lower parameters. This means that Tina actually achieved the 'base' parameters of a weak Level 1 Adult after a single day of fighting while Shizune actually has a bit of difficulty as a result of the damage to her soul. It hasn't bee that long since she used the [Virgin's Promise], after all. After a few weeks in the Dungeon, this type of thing wouldn't happen anymore and they would have 'superhuman' levels of stamina with the increase in their Endurance. If you think moving around in combat isn't that draining, you are in denial xD...Even boxers only have rounds that last 3 minutes long.)

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Animosity','The Right to Vengeance...','Lacking Stamina...')

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

paypal.me/Einlion

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


Chapter 548: Mischievious

Though it was rather early, Vahn wasn't going to push Shizune too hard given that she really had done her best in the earlier fight. Mental fatigue was one of the biggest factors when you were first starting out and there were very few people that would push themselves beyond that point just to get a little stronger. Besides, there wasn't a great difference between 19 and 28 Goblins as far as general exilia gained was concerned. Depending on the mentality of the person, that is what decided how their parameters developed and, if Shizune felt like this was her current limit, that was good enough for real growth to take place.

After helping her body calm down from the effects of her battle, Vahn bent down and allowed Shizune to climb onto his back. She happily did so and Vahn once again realized how small she was as her almost negligible weight pressed against his back. He was a bit worried that her butt would peek out while he was carrying her, since she wore a very short kimono with spats, so Vahn materialized a cloak and had Chloe put it over her. Shizune laughed at Vahn's concern and teasingly asked, "Do you not want other boys to stare at my bottom, Vahn~?"

Vahn released a small sigh and said, "You can say it that way if you'd like, but I might make you walk back if you continue to misbehave." Shizune gave a bit of an awkward laugh and said, "Aya, I'll behave, I'll behave~." as she rested her head on his shoulder. Chloe watched this from the side and held her finger to her chin before saying, "Make sure to hold on properly, and don't actually go to sleep Shizune. We never know when an enemy might attack, so keep your guard up until we reach the Manor properly~nya!" Shizune opened her amethyst-like eyes and looked at Chloe, seeing the seriousness contained behind her relatively playful words. At the same time, she tightened her relatively weak grip around Vahn's neck and focused her mind...

Even if their enemy didn't attack today, it was a fact that both Chloe and Vahn had sensed a hostile presence on their way to the Dungeon. Though many people gave them strange looks, some containing anger, envy, resentment, and a variety of other negative emotions, there was a big difference between the people that 'thought' about hurting them and the people that 'wanted' to hurt them. Chloe's instincts had been honed since she was a child while Vahn's were like an instinctual trigger from The Path itself that allowed him to sense danger. He had even been able to detect the Juggernaut in the past, during a time when his domain wasn't that large and his perception was rather weak. The fact that they both had sensed something was a testament to the hostility that was directed toward them by their yet unseen pursuer.

As they hadn't progressed that far into the Floor, the trio reached the surface in less than ten minutes using Vahn's map as a guide. They could have gotten back even faster, but Vahn wasn't in a particular hurry and was sending out indiscernible pulses of energy to try and detect any invisible enemies that may be present. He didn't know if the person following them had been the earth mage, but there were few people that could avoid his detection and it was typically only through the use of powerful obscuring artifacts. The only exception to this had been Ouranos himself, but Vahn felt like this was just a difference in the level of their existence or some other secret that Ouranos had.

Without any major incidents, Vahn carried Shizune all the way back to the Manor with Chloe walking cheerfully at his side, almost as if she didn't have her guard up at all. However, other than a random Adventurer nearly bumping into them after exiting an alleyway at a fast speed, there weren't any actual threats, or even hostility, detected on the way back. Chloe had sent the rather unfortunate woman careening through the streets after quickly diverting her course, but that was the end of the matter...

Once they were inside, Hestia was waiting for them with a big smile on her face as she said, "Welcome home, Vahn, Chloe, Shizune~!" in a happy tone. Vahn set down Shizune before walking over and giving Hestia a momentary embrace and a quick kiss before asking, "Anything happen while we were away?" Hestia had a 'loose' expression and a happy smile on her face before she resumed her normal appearance and said, "Nnn, there hasn't really been anything? You weren't really gone that long, after all." Though it wasn't really directed at her, Shizune's ears drooped a bit and she said, "I'm gonna go find Tina and maybe take a nap..." as she tried to run off with a pitter-patter of footsteps.

Vahn quickly reached out and snagged the collar of her kimono and picked her up, as the tension was around the obi wrapped around her body and wouldn't cause her any real discomfort. Shizune had a startled expression with a mixture of confusion until Vahn explained, "I need to update your Status Board before you run off. You should also take a bath unless you plan to go play and exercise when your parameters increase." Realizing she had forgotten about that rather 'important' aspect, Shizune showed an uncharacteristically bashful smile and said, "Sorry, I forgot..." The truth of the matter was, Shizune actually had to use the bathroom quite badly but she was too embarrassed to bring it up right now.

After moving to the study, Shizune loosened her obi and lowered the back of her kimono, displaying her relatively small back for Vahn to trace a line of blood down. The blood vanished like evaporating liquid as the Hestia Familia crest appeared with a subtle magical light emerging from the hieroglyphics contained within. Hestia herself watched with interest, as she was always amazed to see how Vahn was able to do something that was previously unique to the gods. There were no real differences from her own method, so Hestia was a little confused about how Vahn could discern information her eyes were unable to see...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[STATUS]]

Name: Shizune Yuel

Race: Kitsune

LV. 1

POW: I17->I40

END: I14->I36

DEX: I26->I73

AGI: I36->I97

MAG: I15->I26

Skill: [Tamomo: Innate(sealed)], [Featherfoot:I]

Magic: [Moon's Prayer: Innate(sealed)]

Development Skill: [Abnormal Resistance(sealed)], [Insomnia(sealed)]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vahn filled out Shizune's parameters on a piece of paper before handing it over to her and documenting her growth within a magenta colored notebook. Shizune had a small smile on her face after seeing how much she had grown, but quickly gave the paper to Hestia and ran off wearing nothing but a loose kimono and spats. Vahn was a little confused by her actions until Chloe said, "I think she needed to go to the bathroom; no peeking, Vahn~nya!" Because he was wondering what she was up to, Vahn's eyes had turned blue, a sign the girls had recognized to mean he was seeing much more than they would like at times.

A small amount of heat reached Vahn's cheeks and he showed an apologetic expression, saying, "I think I'll go work in my workshop for a bit. It's still pretty early and I don't want to start salon treatments before the others start returning." Right now, the only people within the Manor were Vahn himself, Hestia, Tsubaki, Chloe, Shizune, Milan, Tina, Aki, Syr, Arnya, and Preasia. Terra was also present, but she was most likely in the garden and well outside of Vahn's current detection radius. As for Hephaestus, she seemed to be at her own workshop dealing with her clients and would likely be back before noon.

Hestia seemed to have intended to take a bath and relax with Vahn for a bit, but she showed a smile and said, "Okay, I'll let you know if anything happens~!" before giving him a kiss on the cheek and heading back to her own room. She had been able to spend the night with him and also got to receive his massage previously. Though it never really felt like 'enough', Hestia didn't want to pressure Vahn as she did in the past. Ever since Hephaestus started living in the Manor, she had calmed down a lot because it was easier when there were friends she could vent to. Even Syr was a good listener and Hestia had even had something akin to a slumber party with them both in the past.

Chloe didn't seem intent to let Vahn get away so easily, however, as she tilted her head to the side when Hestia left and asked, "Do you mind if I come with you~nya? I've never really been inside your workshop and it could be interesting~?" Though she had a very composed look, Vahn could see the pink and subtle red contained in Chloe's aura. He couldn't quite understand what had 'activated' her, but Chloe's body seemed to be heating up a bit and she was clearly seeking his attention. Thinking it had been a while since he spent time alone with her, Vahn smiled and said, "Sure, I'll show you around a bit and maybe you can help me...?"

---

Though they had originally made their way towards his workshop, Vahn and Chloe had been passing through the corridors of the East Wing when she leaned against him and teasingly said, "Nyahaha, we're in the East Wing, does that mean we can play~?" Vahn felt like his heart was being scratched by a cat as he asked in a quiet voice, "I don't mind, Chloe, but are you okay? What's making you act like this so suddenly?" Seemingly, Chloe found Vahn's words very interesting and showed a thoughtful smile on her face before saying, "Well~, we're rarely alone like this, and I've been a little tense since I saw you give ribbons to Milan and Tina. There is also the bloodlust we felt earlier, and I was feeling anxious watching Shizune fight~nyahaha."

Because she had been in a combat-ready state and hadn't been able to cut loose, Chloe was feeling a little bored while the tensions of her body had been steadily increasing. Though she hadn't minded it too much at first, the moment she realized there was an opportunity to have Vahn to herself, Chloe felt like she needed to seize it. Even before she brought it up, her body had already started 'preparing' and she couldn't deny she was feeling very excited.

It was a bit strange, even from her own perspective, because she didn't remember being such a 'needy' girl in the past. In fact, she cared more about Vahn's mental health than simply being with him at first...it was interesting seeing how hearts and minds could change. Though, if she had to give a real reason after thinking about it seriously, Chloe couldn't deny that the information she received from the Divination was probably the biggest reason for her change in behavior. She didn't want to be the girl that caused Vahn to go down a lonely road and she had been thinking about all kinds of things she wanted to do before she actually died, matters she hadn't considered much in the past...

Vahn could tell that Chloe wasn't being entirely truthful with him, but he didn't really care since her desire to be with him was more than enough reason for him to take action. He could tell that her reaction was 'normal', meaning she wasn't under the influence of an external source, so Vahn pulled her close to him and embraced her tightly, saying, "Your body seems very hot...let me help you cool down a bit, Chloe." As if to emphasize his words, Chloe released a hot breath against his neck before casually licking the spot with her dry tongue. Vahn had grown fond of the sensation as of late, but he didn't want to stand out in the corridor and 'stall' so he picked up Chloe in a princess carry and moved into one of the nearby rooms where they could enjoy some privacy.

Once they reached the relatively empty room, Vahn pulled a bed from his inventory and plopped it down in the center of the room before laying Chloe against it. She was still wearing her Adventurer's attire, but that actually just made things a little more exciting. Vahn was actually very interested in different types of clothes and outfits, something he had 'discovered' when he had gone shopping with the girls, so seeing her in 'combat' attire made his tensions increase a bit. Chloe realized this as well and decided to entice Vahn a bit as she rolled over to her hands and feet, looked over her shoulder with a playful smile, and asked, "What do you think of my outfit, Vahn~nya? Does it suit me?"

Because she had to dress distinctly different than her 'Black Cat' alias, Chloe wore a dark-blue sleeveless tunic that 'proudly' displayed her navel and a relatively thin breastplate that only covered the front and back side of her heart. Instead of the small white shorts, she used to wear, she now wore a somewhat loose pair of light-grey shorts with visible spats underneath them. She had also traded in her two small brown pouches on the sides of her legs for two tan-colored ones that rested on her backside, similar to Aki. She had on matching tan gloves and boots with a pair of stockings that were the same color of blue as her tunic. Overall, she didn't change her style that much, but the color palette had undergone a swap and she looked more lively than previously.

With her butt pointed toward him, Vahn could see the blue ribbon firmly tied around Chloe's tail as well as the small gap between her thighs where her secret garden was protected by two relatively thin layers of fabric. He habitually swallowed a bit of saliva as he walked forward and stroked her butt, to which she responded by rolling onto her side and laughing mischievously. Vahn could feel his heart itch a little more at her antics but he was effectively triggered when she relaxed her body in a lazy pose and said, "I believe you owe me a massage~." A smile appeared on Vahn's face and he nodded his head, saying, "Yes, and much more..." as he reached out and rubbed her belly, causing her to laugh as she rolled away a second time.

Chloe skillfully kicked off her boots and unbuttoned her tunic, showing off her relatively modest breasts that had a skin-colored 'tape' protecting her dignity. She then began peeling away her gloves as Vahn crawled into the bed after her, prompting her to 'discard' the freed articles toward him as if she was fending off an attacker. Vahn reached out very quickly with his hands and grabbed the pouches on her backside before the belt around her waist loosened and, in a single swift motion, Chloe freed herself from the shorts. She also tossed her tunic back into Vahn's face, leaving her wearing nothing but an extremely thin pair of spats and dark blue stockings. With her raven black hair and green eyes, she looked especially tantalizing to Vahn and he wanted to pamper this mischievously little kitten until she mewled loudly in satisfaction...

Leaving the 'last line of defense' on her body, Chloe laid down against the bed and supported her upper body with one of the pillows as she kicked her feet playfully and waited for Vahn. Knowing what she had in mind, Vahn discarded the majority of his clothes as well before moving over and grabbing Chloe's playful feet and laying them against the bed. She looked back at him with mock confusion on her face and asked, "Nyaa? What are you planning~?" as Vahn straddled the back of her thighs. Rubbing his hands together, Vahn showed a smile and said, "Though I want to help your body cool down, I figured it would be better to fight fire with fire so you'll be more satisfied later on. We'll start with a massage and, when you're nice and warmed up, I'll pamper you as much as you want~."

Chloe laughed cheerfully as the temperature of her body steadily increased to the point that small drops of sweat began to emerge from her pores. Vahn leaned over her and placed his hands at her sides before slowly tracing them up her body with a bit of pressure. Chloe took in a deep breath and released a sigh at the sudden wave of energy and the 'heavy petting' method of Vahn. Because he had enough Power to move around much heavier objects than the relatively light and lithe Chloe, Vahn was able to lift up her torso with his movements. Chloe arched her back to match his actions until Vahn's hands came to a stop around her relatively modest breasts and he gave her sensitive little protrusions a light pinch as a thread of energy tickled the underlying nerves.

Though it was only the prelude, Chloe released a stifled 'nyaaa~' that tickled Vahn's ears as he let her body come to rest against the bed once again. Next, he 'molded' her shoulders and neck with his thumbs and helped ease any tension she felt in her muscles with a deep tissue massage to loosen up her body. He then traced his thumbs along the lines of her scapula and pressed into the pressure points around her trapezius muscles and the rhomboid muscles beneath them. Slowly working his way down, Vahn pressed into several points around her spine before drawing his index finger slowly down the line of her back, all the way until he reached her tail.

As if she understood what Vahn was thinking, Chloe turned her head to the side and gave him a deeply affectionate look just as Vahn began to fiddle around with her tail. Her body tensed up as a natural response to the action and she tried to curl up her legs while pressing her face into the pillow beneath her. With Vahn sitting on her thighs, she couldn't move too easily but Chloe was strong enough to lift him completely when Vahn gripped her tail a bit firmly. He had somewhat expected this to happen, as his own weight really wasn't that much compared to Chloe's significant strength, so Vahn ended up behind Chloe as she raised her butt up and pressed her head to the bed.

Other than various seated positions, the next favorite position of many of the Cat Girls was being taken from behind. It was also a fact that Vahn found the pert little butt of Chloe being hugged by the black spats especially tantalizing. With his left hand gently holding Chloe's tail, Vahn used his right hand to stroke her butt as he traced his thumb along the somewhat hot and steamy mound near his waist. Other than the spats, Chloe wasn't wearing any actual underwear so Vahn could see a perfect outline of her vagina after it had become damp with her own love juices. As he was only wearing a pair of thin underwear himself, Vahn pressed his hips to the hot opening and caused Chloe's body to tremble slightly.

After taking several deep breaths to 'compose' herself, Chloe looked back and had an incredibly seductive look on her face as she said, "Vahn, I want it, nyaaaa~" Vahn felt like Chloe was being far more forward than normal and activated his [Eyes of Truth] out of concern as he slowly probed against her backside while massaging her pert little rump. Chloe gripped the bedspread tightly and wiggled her butt against him at the same time but, no matter how much Vahn looked around, he couldn't see any abnormalities in her body at all. He suspected it could be an aspect of her Innate, [Cheshire], but he had no way of knowing at all since even Chloe had no idea what it did.

Deciding there were more important matters to worry about right now, Vahn unequipped his own underpants before grabbing the extremely thin fabric protecting Chloe's garden. Without much hesitation, Vahn pulled the fabric apart with his hands and, as a result of the very stretchy nature of the fabric, it 'snapped' and created a large hole in the previously skin-tight garment. Chloe's body tensed up in expectation as Vahn placed his 'scalding' hot glans against her steaming hot vagina and began rubbing it to stimulate her vulva while lubricating his penis. She had long adapted to his size, but it didn't mean it wouldn't cause her any discomfort if he suddenly forced himself inside of her. However, with the massive volume of fluid being produced by her steamy insides, Vahn was ready almost immediately and deftly found the correct angle before his long session of spoiling Chloe began...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Bladder-chan...','Cat in Heat!?','Nyaa, nyaaan, meow~!?')

(A/N: I'm about 6k words under quota right now, but I think I'll take a nap before writing the next two chapters before the reset. Have a good day, and thanks for reading <3)

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

paypal.me/Einlion

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


Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C547
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank 200+ Power Ranking
Stone 181 Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT