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27.39% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 643: Development

Chapter 643: Development

With the arrival of the Expedition on the 39th Floor, the construction of the Supply Depot could begin in earnest. Much like he had previously, Vahn assisted in the procural of building materials for the construction teams while also setting up large amounts of supplies for their use. When everyone saw how much materials he had been carrying in his 'storage', people were utterly gobsmacked because Vahn's presence alone almost invalidated the need for 'normal' Expeditions. While other people had to establish large convoys, escorting materials on carts and wagons, Vahn could simply carry it all himself. Previously, some three-hundred-plus workers wondered how well things would go as they had expected to harvest materials from the Dungeon, not have them all outright provided by Vahn himself.

While everyone was getting the gear and supplies allocated to the proper areas, Vahn was sitting in the Command Tent with Finn, Gareth, Bete, Lefiya, and the representative of the artisans, a half-dwarf woman by the name of Quinn. She had wild purple hair, showing she didn't care much for her appearance, and pink colored eyes that looked soft and disinterested in most things. Unsurprisingly, she had a very full and angular build, showing she had been in her line of business for many years, which wasn't hard to imagine as she was in her early forties. As for why she seemed so disinterested in everything, it was apparently because she didn't really care much about anything other than building things. Though he couldn't be certain, Vahn suspected she might even be a demigoddess since her aura was larger than normal even though she was purportedly only Level 3.

Quinn was looking over the blueprints for the fortification Vahn had in mind, which he had worked out with Hestia and Hephaestus previously. After looking it over for several minutes, an almost 'fervent' glimmer appeared in the stout woman's pink eyes as she asked, "Who came up with this design? I've never seen such a unique balance between form and function before...was it a goddess? Ah, I believe your goddess has a Divinity related to Architecture...yes, I see. Fufufu, this project just got a lot more interesting..." It was a little off-putting seeing how quickly Quinn had 'shifted' from a lazy and disinterested appearance into a woman that could wait to get to work. She continued to scan over the blueprints with glimmering eyes as a smile continued to expand on her face.

Finn laughed at this display while Gareth stroked his beard with a small smile on his face, clearly impressed by the woman's fervor. As for Vahn, he had a wry smile on his face because he had originally thought Quinn was asking him questions when she was apparently having a conversation with herself. After collecting his thoughts, Vahn explained, "There are some things that will be changed, but I'll make sure to inform you and your team beforehand. Instead of using traditional formations, I'll be using a secret technique that will provide greater defensive capabilities to the fortress. As for everything else, I'll leave it to your discretion but know that I'll be inspecting everything in great detail. I don't want to find out about anything like secret tunnels being constructed outside the original plans and nobody has the authorization to build secondary buildings within 1,000m of the settlement when it is complete."

The current plan was to construct the Supply Depot like a 'Fortress City', meaning there would be a large external wall with a heavily fortified structure at the 'core' of the CIty. Though they will also be building things like Inns, Shops, Grocers, Entertainment Facilities, and even a Guild Office, nobody would be allowed to take up residence within the Supply Depot. Even the members of the Alliance could only stay within the area for upwards of two years before they would be forced to retire their post for a similar amount of time. This was to prevent corruption from taking root since everything would be managed and accounted for, including routine inspections by the Alliance itself.

Though it couldn't be completely rooted out, especially after several years time passed, Vahn was determined to make sure those in charge of management had strong moral characters and 'clear' auras. The Supply Depot would be managed by the Loki Familia, but Vahn had already gotten permission from Loki to be a 'Special Administrator' that could overturn decisions and replace people he found undeserving of the position. Since the Supply Depot would be an important waypoint for exploration deeper into the Dungeon, Vahn didn't want it to become a haven for criminals and information brokers like on the 18th Floor, Rivira

After the plans were finished being discussed, Vahn moved to the first perimeter where the fortress itself would be constructed, assisting the construction teams by cutting blocks of stone for their use. They had a five-stage plan for the construction, starting from the inner walls of the fortress, the fortress itself, the external walls of the settlement, the 'formation' creation, and then the buildings that would serve predesignated purposes. Everything was set up so that there would be plenty of space to move about while the buildings themselves were intended to be highly durable while also being somewhat spartan in design. This meant they could be repaired very quickly and made it much harder to disguise criminal activity since the space between buildings was much larger than normal.

In total, the construction process was expected to take slightly more than six months but the fortress itself should be completed within two. During this time, the Loki Familia would be in charge of the defense while the builders, artisans, and general construction crews would be working tirelessly in shifts. Since it would be very stressful otherwise, one of the biggest priorities was setting up a large mess hall and recreation center that would be soundproofed to external sounds. Providing good food, mildly alcoholic drinks, gambling, and relaxation were very important for the mental wellness of everyone. Of course, there were strict rules and regulations that everyone would have to follow at the same time, with some of the punishments being rather harsh.

As stress continued to build, it was very likely that people would look to each other for comfort and even Vahn planned to spend some 'quality' time with the girls. To prevent things from getting out of control, people were restricted in the amount of alcohol they could consume, easily justified as simple 'rationing'. Finn also gave a speech that, while it was perfectly fine to have relationships with people, everyone was required to always be at their post at the assigned times. He also, with a very serious and cold gaze, explained that crimes like sexual harassment and rape wouldn't be tolerated, promising a swift end for anyone found committing such atrocities.

The Amazoness team, headed by Aisha, had already volunteered to help some of the men vent. Accompanying them were a few other girls that had been scouted for the exact same purpose, recruited from the Red Light District and promised guaranteed salaries and additional benefits such as protection from predators. Though Vahn wasn't entirely in agreement with such practices, he understood it was 'nature' at work and it would be even more problematic if there weren't willing participants that were already designated for 'stress relief'. Since it was a much better life than being a simple prostitute, Vahn let it slide after briefly interviewing all the volunteers and learning of their reasons for volunteering. He also had a long conversation with Aisha, comforting the mature woman and apologizing for having never been in a position to reciprocate her feelings.

Aisha didn't seem to mind it much, as it hadn't even been that long since they first met, claiming she didn't mind waiting for a few years if necessary. As for her 'commitment' to be with him, it was, as she claimed, because other men didn't trigger her instincts anymore. After being bound and dominated in the past, Aisha had become 'frigid' in regards to other men, finding them to be unappealing and severely lacking. She was also very busy taking care of the other Amazons in her charge and wanted to ensure they were able to find their own happiness so it actually wasn't 'convenient' for her to get involved with him either. As she had also seen through Vahn's 'guilt' on the matter, she teased him a great deal and had him make it up to her simply by having him spend the night, not having sex, but just holding her...

While the construction efforts were continuing in force, Vahn was also spending a great deal of time within the orb, continuing his harsh training with Eva. She claimed that the only way to promote fast growth was to constantly push the body to its limits as it required a 'shift' in a person's mentality to become truly strong. Thus, regardless of how painful and tiring the training got, Vahn never complained and always did his best to meet his 'Master's' expectations. It helped that Fenrir and Terra also told him about their own experiences during Eva's training so he knew he wasn't getting 'special' treatment.

The simple truth of the matter was, much like in the record of Danmachi itself, people needed to push themselves beyond their preconceived limits to become stronger. It was much like how the characters in the novels he read had to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds before they finally obtained victory. The only 'requirement' to become truly powerful was to have a never-give-up mentality and an earnest desire to grow stronger, supplemented by talent and comprehension of certain laws and principles.

Vahn didn't truly consider himself a 'protagonist', but it was an irrefutable fact that his presence within the record had a large impact on the fate of everyone around him. With a limitless potential for growth, as a result of his own mentality and The Path, Vahn was geared to become one of the strongest forces in the world, assuming he 'wanted' to. This meant that, as long as he truly desired to become stronger and continued pursuing greater heights, Vahn would never reach the end of his path. The only 'restrictions' were the bonds he created and the limitations of his own mentality, things Vahn knew held him back but also gave him greater 'purpose'. Seeing the Divination had allowed him to put many things in perspective and Vahn determined it wasn't 'worth' becoming the strongest if he had to give up the things that made him happy.

Momentarily distracted, Vahn ended up taking a big hit from Eva that completely tore of his arm after it had been impacted by one of her spears of lightning. He was already accustomed to the occasional loss of a limb but felt like he would never be able to adapt to having electricity surge through his body as it causes his muscles to seize. Eva landed next to him, showing a cold expression that couldn't hide the worry in her eyes as she asked, "Why are you letting your mind wander, Vahn? We don't have much time left and you aren't nearly at the level I'd like..." At this point, there was only two more sessions until Eva would be unable to keep the orb stable. Since using the trial scroll for [Magia Erebea] took a bit of time as well, there wasn't much left for Vahn's training.

Vahn winced as he slowly regenerated his arm, ingesting a [Senzu Bean] to speed up the process as the flesh mended back together. Producing a wry smile, Vahn said, "I don't think I'll be able to get to that point any time soon since my own energy can't be converted so easily...sorry, Eva..." Eva didn't know about 'source' energy, but she knew Vahn's 'mana' was far more pure than normal, to the point that her body couldn't even process it all when she was sucking his blood. Thus, she wasn't really that surprised by his words since they had already talked about it in great detail in the past. It was fortunate he had a talent for drawing wards and using reinforcement spells, but very 'frustrating' to see that his use of external magic power was severely lacking.

Though Vahn had been able to manipulate the mana in the air to supplement his own magic power, it was simply too slow since his body interfered with the process instead of allowing it to flow freely. The biggest problem with this was the simple fact that Vahn didn't have enough internal magic power to sustain continued combat, at least not at the level Eva knew he would have to face in the future. Vahn's power was incredible, to an extent that he could even threaten an S-Ranked Mage when going at full strength, but his sustainability was some of the worst she had ever seen.

At best, Vahn could only keep up his [Vis Maxima] for around fourteen minutes before completely burning out. Fortunately, his regeneration was abnormally high and he had all kind of Elixirs to supplement his reserves, but external help was never favored by Eva. The type of magic that she taught, which made her one of the strongest in the entire world, was entirely dependant on a person's individual capabilities and didn't make use of things like magic wands or staves. Since Vahn was her first disciple, Eva was a little upset that he was incapable of reaching the point she would like, knowing full well it wasn't really his fault.

Releasing a sigh, Eva turned around and sat in Vahn's lap, resting her head against his chest while enjoying his warmth, even though they were surrounded by a world of ice. She tilted her head up to match his gaze, complaining, "You have such a ridiculous amount of power in your body, especially your blood, but you're unable to make use of it. I have several times Terra's magic power, but I can replenish my own reserves after draining your blood for less than an hour...how is it that you can't seem to make use of that same energy in your spells? It's so vexing!" It really didn't make much sense from Eva's perspective, so much so that she and Terra had spent nearly fifty years researching it without discovering its secrets. Vahn's blood was just as anomalous as the boy himself and it bothered Eva a great deal knowing there were so many unknowns about the boy she had fallen in love with...

Vahn held Eva tightly, understanding she wasn't really upset at him and was just worried about the enemies he would face in the future. She had already suspected they came from different worlds, a very long time ago, but didn't know they came from different 'records'. Since there were a few people that were even stronger than she was, Eva was worried he would face an enemy she couldn't prepare him for. Though [Magia Erebea] would put him at the pinnacle of power, Immortality wasn't actually that difficult to overcome if the other party was strong enough. She had already had him study about a variety of monsters that were specifically engineered to 'eat' immortals, some forcibly digesting them over several thousand years. It was also possible to be sealed away, though Vahn expected he would be an exception to that since his [Chainbreaker] would eventually allow him to escape.

Also, unlike other Immortals, Vahn's soul couldn't be bound by the record and he could even 'eject' from the world if things got too difficult. Ever since he reached Tier 2, a long time ago, Vahn had the Records option in his system become accessible again. At any point, he could pick another world and move on without any restrictions whatsoever. The only reason he didn't do so was that the record was no longer static after he entered it, meaning time would continue to move forward at the same pace, irrespective of the records he went to. Vahn would never abandon all of the people that he had come to love so he had never considered using the Records function ever since it had become available in the past...

While Vahn and Eva were snuggling up in the frozen tundra, Terra was sitting in her Atelier, running a few tests on Vahn's blood, primarily focused on using it as a catalyst for Alchemy. One of the things they had discovered was that his blood could be introduced into other magically active compounds to further enhance them, though the dilation required varied greatly. It was to the point where they were using parts-per-million for Vahn's blood and other catalysts, such as her own blood and nectar. The main reason Vahn had never had any success in [Mixing] was that using a single drop of blood was 'several million times' more than he should have been using.

Terra now had the [Alchemy] Development Ability after studying with Eva for so long and had awakened it after successfully making an Elixir with Vahn's blood in the past. She now performed all kinds of experiments, discovering very quickly that Vahn's blood was a 'perfect' binding agent between other materials. It was even possible to forcibly mix to materials with conflicting elemental properties by using his blood as an intermediary, allowing for one of her greatest masterpieces, the [Frost-Fire Explosive Flask]. It had the ability to create a large explosion that both froze everything it came into contact with while simultaneously burning the target like a powerful caustic solution as the concentrated fire elemental energy broke down whatever it touched.

The most important discovery was that most of the potions made using Vahn's blood as an ingredient were inordinately more powerful than normal, even bringing her own [Emerald Elixir] to the point where they could completely regenerate missing limbs. As for why this mattered, it was because the potions could be used by other people, unlike the items Vahn 'created' using his abilities. Terra had even gotten to the point where she emulated the mechanism behind chemical grenades so she could feed the [Emerald Elixir] into a canister to give it an area of effect, though the potency would be reduced...

Terra was watching as yet another one of her experiments was successful, showing a complacent smile even though her eyes were glimmering with intrigue. She had just managed to produce 'ink' that used a mixture of her Master's blood and her own, making it far more powerful than normal. It made Terra very happy knowing that her Master's blood was so much more 'potent' than her own, especially since she had become far more powerful than he was, at least for the moment. She had long since outgrown the Falna, even losing her Familia Emblem as it 'evaporated' from her body several years ago. Now, she carried her Master's crest on her back instead of Hestia's, which was preferable since it always bothered her having the mark of someone else marring her skin.

Taking the ink she had just produced, Terra separated it into several different types of storage mediums to allow them to sit over the next few years. Eva had taught her a great deal about Science so Terra always conducted a variety of tests, thankful for the time she had in the orb since it would have been very inconvenient to do so in the 'real' world. Though the first few decades had been very difficult, Terra had adapted to the long periods of separation and had continued developing her companionship with Eva further. They had even started sleeping together, though not in a sexual manner, as it was easier to cope with the loneliness by confiding in one another.

Of course, that didn't mean there wasn't any intimacy between them, as Terra had become very fond of Eva and enjoyed spending time with her. Sometimes, while they were watching a 'play' between the 'dolls' Eva had made, Terra and she would make out and touch each other's bodies. Eva felt a little guilty that she was going to 'impose' on her real self in the future with memories that didn't match her 'disposition' but, considering the number of women around Vahn, she got over it after a few awkward sessions. After all, she would undoubtedly have to share the man she loved with numerous other girls and it would be 'troublesome' not having assistance from people she could trust...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Quinn, the construction otaku','Complications, Expectations, Comfort','Terra, True Dragon Alchemist')

(A/N: Some people seem to have some confusion about why Vahn 'sucks' at using external magic. The simple fact of the matter is, Vahn's source energy may be capable of creating any kind of energy, but that doesn't mean Vahn knows how to facilitate that conversion. You might think he would be able to intuit it after a bit of practice, but remember that source energy 'exceeds' Tier 9, meaning there is no way a Tier 3 existence like Vahn would be able to make proper use of it. Even Tier 9 entities would hardly be able to glean any insights into the blood's true capabilities so cut the boy a little slack xD. Of course, this is also the main reason why Vahn gets inordinately more powerful in higher Tiered worlds, as his capabilities and understanding of the energies in his body continues to expand (UwU).)

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Chapter 644: Precipice

When Vahn returned to the real world once again, he opened his eyes to see Fenrir and Mikoto patiently waiting for him. Fenrir was always at his side to welcome his return while Mikoto would periodically check on him to make sure everything was okay, Seeing his eyes open, she tilted her head slightly in concern and asked, "How are you feeling...?" Ever since his last 'confession', claiming that she would always be his, Mikoto had put in a little more effort just being near him. She still trained, which was something all of the girls had been working on, but also spent time expressing her interest in their blossoming relationship.

Vahn smiled in response to Mikoto, stroking Fenrir's head and ears as he said, "I'll be learning Magia Erebea the next time I go inside since Eva is a little worried about waiting till the last minute. She wants to be able to have enough time guarantee the sealing process is smooth..." Hearing his words, Mikoto's expression showed more concern, reaching out to squeeze his hand with her own. Vahn traced her hand with his thumb, thinking about the fact he would be separating with Eva for several years this time around. However, she had spent more than a thousand waiting on him and he was determined to do his best for her in the future.

After taking a few breaths to calm his mind, Vahn shared a hug with Fenrir and Mikoto before they made their way out into the encampment. Instead of a tent, they were currently in a small building Vahn had made for their use. It provided much greater protection and privacy than a normal tent and made it more difficult for Asfi, who spent a fair amount of her time with Haruhime, to 'escape' and wander off on her own. She had done so on a few nights but had never gone too far away from their sleeping quarters, generally hesitating for several minutes before inevitably returning. Vahn had already identified her secondary mission objective, which seemed to be delivering a message, likely to the Xenos. He hadn't expected them to be this far down at all, but Asfi showed signs of having some means of contacting them, or 'someone'...

Seeing the relatively quiet and cool beauty once again enjoying tea with Haruhime and Lefiya, Vahn smiled and asked, "Are you going to stay here, Asfi, or did you plan to accompany me for the rest of the evening?" Generally, Asfi followed him around whenever he was working, observing his use of unnamed spells and asking several questions, some of which he humored her by answering. The rest of the time, like now, she stayed inside the small compound and communicated with the other girls, though Haruhime seemed to be the most 'accessible'.

Asfi had been swirly a sugar cube in her tea, so she tapped her silver spoon against the side of the ornate little cup before saying, "I was having a pleasant conversation with Haruhime and Lefiya. For the time being, I'll stay here under their care..." Haruhime began to laugh into her sleeve, apparently finding Asfi's words humorous if her squinted eyes were any indication. As for Lefiya, she produced a somewhat wry smile as she said, ("Asfi was asking about why you always seemed to be 'different' around 5 AM and 5 PM every day. It seems that, even without watching it herself, she has been keeping track of your schedule and habits.")

Vahn nodded his head noncommittally, waving at the three girls before leaving the compound with Fenrir and Mikoto. One of the biggest changes in the groups dynamic was the fact that the girls could now 'ping' him with a mental signal, allowing telepathic communication between them. The girls would relay any 'touchy' questions Asfi might ask, allowing Vahn to know what she was up to at all times. It was a little 'unfair' for the hardworking little spy, but that was a path she had chosen for herself and, besides, Vahn liked being able to talk with the girls.

They had already determined there were a few things that interfered with the ability, chief amongst them being that the Dungeon did, in fact, interfere with the active abilities of the [Pactio]. The more walls that separated them, or the greater number of Floors, the more energy it took to establish communication and 'summon' them to his side. The limit, thus far, seemed to be around six Floors distance, around 3-4km depending on the construction and composition of the floors themselves. Vahn suspected it was the natural sealing effects of the Dungeon at work and had already asked Eva about potential solutions to get around it in the future. Her idea was to set up teleportation wards in the Dungeon to act as relay points, though discovering how many Floors such wards could penetrate would require study and research.

Once they were outside the compound, Vahn headed to the second Floor of the command center to get an overview of the tireless construction efforts taking place. Thus far, there had been no major snags and it bothered him knowing that nothing had happened. Part of his instincts told him that something 'should' have happened before he was able to learn [Magia Erebea], but even the shadier individuals inside the Expedition hadn't tried anything. Quinn, and the Foremen(s) she had put in charge, had been very strict in their observation of the crews in their charge. Vahn had also inspected everyone's progress, scanning the areas with his [Eyes of Truth] to make sure people weren't trying to create secret passages and compartments.

To Vahn's surprise, he hadn't found a single one and a few of the shadier auras had started to mellow out a bit, almost as if they were pacified by the good food, friendly environment, and the relatively lax work schedule. So that people wouldn't overwork themselves too much, everyone had twenty-four-hour break for every two work days they put in. This was extremely lax compared to the conditions they were used to so everyone had been in high spirits, with the mess hall often having a celebratory and lively atmosphere during meal times. Of course, as not everyone would want to eat at the designated times, Vahn had the mess hall open 24/7 so people could drop by to grab a snack at any point they were feeling hungry. It was very important to him that the workers were 'content' with the conditions provided since their satisfaction would be instrumental in procuring workers for future projects.

The Supply Depot, which was being affectionately referred to as 'Lil Geirr', was an important first step to inspire people's interest in the 'Haven' that would be built on the 50th Floor. It was a much smaller project, as Haven itself would potentially rival the size of Orario in the future, so it was instrumental in ensuring things went smoothly. If they had difficulties on the relatively 'tame' 39th Floor, people wouldn't have any confidence in breaching down towards the 50th, even on a convoy. Vahn wanted to change the mentality of contractors and merchants so they were more willing to make the treck in the future. He even planned to create scrolls that would allow for the storage of items, which would only be accessible in Haven. Since procuring such a scroll required the person to visit in person, signing a blood contract to have access to the storage scroll, Vahn was confident that several merchants would make the trip.

Mikoto, standing at his side, looked out over all the people busy at work, smiling as she said, "It really is amazing, seeing how people can work together towards a goal many could have considered impossible. I'm glad to be able to stand witness to such progress..." Vahn blinked, slightly surprised by Mikoto's words as he turned to match the onyx-eyed gazes of the young swordswoman. She was still just fourteen years old, so hearing her say something bordering on the 'profound' was a little amusing. With a smile on his face, Vahn nodded slightly before saying, "I believe things will get even better as long as we don't exploit the power and opportunity we are given. As long as we endeavor to weed out corruption at the core of our group, we should always be in a position to guide people towards a better future."

Since Vahn was determined to make each of the girls strong enough to be 'unmatched' in the rest of the world, it wasn't an exaggeration to say they would be in an unrivaled position of power. If he followed a route similar to the one he walked as an Emperor, they could easily conquer the entire world and force change. Vahn, however, wanted to avoid such drastic intervention and instead focus on the younger generation of children, only changing policies when they became problematic or were clearly biased for personal gains.

Vahn didn't plan on crushing noble families outright, as some of them had created legacies that have lasted for centuries and they had worked hard to secure their power and authority. The exceptions would be those that had become despotic with time, forcing policies that helped them increase their wealth and authority at the expense of others. As long as such people existed in positions of power, Vahn knew corruption would continue to pervade through society and it would only complicate future matters by showing them leniency...

Seeing that Mikoto had an almost 'prideful' and 'reverential' look on her face, Vahn felt like teasing the stoic sword maiden so he said, "Make sure you work hard, Mikoto...after all, I've put a lot of trust in you. I look forward to the day when you're able to stand at the peak of swordsmanship and hope you'll be able to pass it on to our child in the future..." Mikoto had puffed her chest out in pride at the first part of his words, but she turned crimson after hearing the latter half. They hadn't really done much to progress their relationship further, but Vahn liked to tease her every now and then since her reactions were always very fresh. Seeing her blushing face, Vahn stifled a chuckle before giving the bashful girl a cheeky peck on the lips, breaking her free from the stunned state she had been in.

Mikoto lowered her face with an even deeper blush touching her cheeks, pushing her fingers together in embarrassment as she said, "I wish you wouldn't tease me so much..." in a pout. This time, Vahn couldn't help but laugh, earning a mild glare from Mikoto in the process as she thumbed her katana. Seeing this, Vahn stopped laughing but continued to chuckle for a short while before saying, "You're a very beautiful young woman, Mikoto. Since you don't smile enough, I have to settle for having you blush on occasion just to appease my own heart a bit. I don't mean to tease you that much, it's just that I'd like you to open up a bit more..." Though she smiled far more often than in the past, Mikoto usually has a serious expression on her face, marring her beauty a little because it made her seem cold, even though her personality was actually very earnest and considerate.

This wasn't the first time Vahn had mentioned wanting her to smile more so Mikoto wasn't too surprised as she took a deep breath and released a sigh. She always found herself wanting to be stalwart and dignified whenever she was around Vahn, after all, he was her Lord and Master. Though they were also Lovers, they had never really done anything 'bold' so it was difficult to act in accordance with his 'expectations'. She had gotten better about it, making an effort to improve her relationships with the other girls, but it was hard to do so around Vahn himself. He was like a mountain that she couldn't see the top of, causing Mikoto to feel a few inhibitions even though she knew he was a very kind and open person.

Fenrir suddenly released a loud yawn as she leaned against the short wall on the edge of the roof, scarlet eyes lazily observing the people working below. One thing her time in the orb hadn't really allowed her to understand was why some girls, even though they liked her Master, seemed hesitant about being with him. She wished they wouldn't make things so unnecessarily complicated since it only made things more difficult for everyone...

Mikoto and Vahn, seeing Fenrir's display of boredom, felt a little awkward since she typically was very quiet most of the time. Vahn walked over and leaned against the same wall, asking, "Are you bored, Fenrir? Did you want to go on a walk around the area?" Knowing they wouldn't be able to wander too far without going to pick up Asfi, Fenrir shook her head and just leaned against her Master's side, muttering, "Fenrir is just a little tired and needs to recharge a bit..." Vahn smiled, hopping up on the wall before patting his lap so Fenrir could sit down. She happily accepted the offer and enjoyed the warm and tingling sensation of her Master's source energy entering her body along with the pleasant sensation of his [Petting].

Suddenly feeling a little out of place, Mikoto became a bit sheepish and couldn't help but feel that the gaze Fenrir had given her contained a 'message'. Though she couldn't be certain, it was almost like she was telling her to be more decisive since there were always other girls trying to get closer to Vahn. Mikoto suddenly thought of all the girls that had been trying to interact with Vahn whenever they ate at the mess hall, though her biggest focus was on the newest addition to their group, Asfi. Though everyone knew she was simply trying to collect information, it was true that she had been showing greater interest in Vahn, even though she seemed hesitant about it. Realizing this, Mikoto frowned slightly since it was hard to accept that she might lose out to 'other' girls, even though she had already been around Vahn for almost a year...

Just as she was mustering up the courage to go sit next to Vahn, Mikoto felt her instincts trigger as she put her hand to the handle of her katana as a figure rapidly approached them. Seeing what it was, Mikoto released a sigh before standing at the side as Tiona came barreling towards Vahn, tackling him off the roof and hugging both him and Fenrir as she laughed happily. She had become very fond of flying around and spent a great deal of time in her transformed state. Though she hadn't developed her Magic parameter, even though she was clearly using Magic, Tiona didn't seem to care at all since she had already obtained one of her dreams.

Mikoto wished she could be as carefree and easygoing as Tiona, especially seeing how Vahn was smiling as he embraced the playful girl. Even Fenrir, who had frowned for a short moment after the 'interruption', didn't seem to mind Tiona's presence after a few seconds. Mikoto, remembering how lazy and 'exasperated' Fenrir seemed earlier, felt like the 'message' she had gleaned wasn't just a figment of her imagination. It was actually very easy to spend time with Vahn, as he was very reciprocative of when it came to showing affection. Mikoto knew that the only thing standing in her way of spending more time with him was her own actions. It wasn't really a complicated matter at all, just something she arbitrarily made more difficult because of her own 'pride' and 'dignity' as a swordswoman...

Vahn landed back on the roof with Fenrir and Tiona, taking a seat with the two girls as Tiona talked about thrashing some variant monsters on the 40th Floor. Mikoto felt a little left out at first but, before the conversation even got underway completely, Vahn turned to her with a gentle smile on his face as he gestured for her to join them. For a brief moment, Mikoto felt a twinge in her chest as a bit of warmth spread through her body, smiling as she walked over to join her companions. She noticed that, from the very moment she smiled, Vahn's own expression seemed to light up in response, making the warmth in her chest compound quite a bit...

---

Though there was more than an hour before he had to enter the orb again, Vahn was already awake, stroking Fenrir's hair silently as the time continued to count down towards his temporary separation with Eva. He would be using the [Magia Erebea] scroll when he entered this time, essentially becoming one of the strongest powers in the world 'literally' overnight. Thus far, nothing had happened that that would have disrupted his plans so Vahn was feeling strangely melancholic as the time continued to count down towards his inevitable rise to power.

By the time he returned, there would be few things that could stand in his way and he even humored the idea of going straight to the Deep Floors of the Dungeon to fight against Enyo's forces directly. This was, of course, a very terrible idea, but Vahn couldn't help but want to put his power to the test when he returns. Fortunately, his children would be born pretty soon so he wouldn't find waiting for Bell's arrival to be that difficult a matter. There were several ongoing projects that he was pushing forward, including the construction of the Supply Depot and the establishment of the School. This would keep him busy for a time while he trained the girls in the basics of increasing their magic power. Hopefully, by the time Enyo's plot was put into motion, even Tina and Shizune would be capable fighters that couldn't be easily endangered, especially with Terra guarding the Manor.

Vahn was curious about how Bell would be able to maintain relevance and wondered if the heroic youth would be able to become powerful even without guidance. Since he had promised Eva to only teach people the basics, the exception being those that he was in a relationship with, Vahn wouldn't be able to turn Bell into a powerhouse just by teaching him magic. This meant Bell would have to grow on his own, though Vahn would certainly make sure he had a bit of training and was provided with suitable equipment.

Bell's fate was probably the most powerful in the entire record so it was very likely he would be able to drive things forward even without help, though other people would get wrapped up in his affairs by proxy. Vahn even suspected Bell would 'make use' of him at some point, just by virtue of the boy's powerful [Luck] and the influence of his record defining fate. It wasn't difficult to imagine Bell somehow 'stumbling' into significant events that would help him grow stronger, potentially even involving a completely new cast of people since the fates of those he would have interacted with had already been changed...

Imagining the various 'troubles' Bell might cause, Vahn felt like his melancholy faded away a bit since he really wanted to try and be friends with the heroic youth. Though he wouldn't make concessions just to allow Bell to continue in his role as the main character, Vahn didn't mind helping him out and letting Bell walk his own path. Of course, the moment that path involved or endangered the people around him, Vahn would step in to resolve the matter outright. It was very likely that Bell's 'fate' would require him to do so as the record would likely always give the boy an out, even if it was by relying on the power and influence of others. As a central figure within the record now, Vahn felt like his own fate was intertwined with the youth and was curious about how that would manifest in the future...

As the time continued to count down, Vahn let his mind wander to the various Adventures he might have and found it was far more entertaining than thinking about the 'troubles' he had to face in relation to other countries. He began to consider using [Magia Erebea] to resolve a few of those problems so he could familiarize himself with the form instead of relying on Fafnir as a deterrent. Making himself the target was preferable to using his subordinates and it would give him a lot more negotiation power if he took direct action to resolve things. Depending on how powerful [Magia Erebea] made him, Vahn felt like it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to charge into Ares' court and outright duel the purportedly muscle-brained god to remove him from power, or at least force some concessions...

Deciding it would be best to consult Loki and Minerva before taking such actions, Vahn set the matter aside for the moment and observed the orb in his palm. Fenrir had turned her head up to watch him, muttering, "Good luck, Master..." in a quiet voice. Thus, with a smile on his face, Vahn kissed her forehead before saying, "From now on, there won't be anything standing in the way of our happiness..." With those words said, the girls around him began to stir awake as Vahn once again submerged his mind into Eva's orb...for the last time...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Unexpected Calm...','Mikoto's Pride : Internal Conflict','A few seconds away from becoming unstoppable...')

(A/N: Honestly, I can empathize with Vahn a bit when it comes to being melancholic about [Magia Erebea]. There is simply no 'threat' after that since he can 'eventually' win any fight by attrition. The only danger that would remain relates to fate, the strengths of the girls around him, and the schemes machinated by their enemies. Terra would be able to stop 99.9% of such threats just by virtue of her existence so, as long as the girls don't do anything out of character, its almost like there are no real threats left after he uses the orb this time. Don't worry though, as things are never quite that simple in stories like this (UwU)~!)

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