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33.06% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 777: Brink

Chapter 777: Brink

Though his 'Lightning Emperor' mode gave him incredible speed, far above the standards of the world, Vahn was learning very quickly that it wasn't that suitable for use inside closed areas. He was still able to move through the various corridors and rooms at high speed, but it wasn't actually that much higher than if he were using normal [Shundo]. However, as he had already transformed, Vahn felt it would be a waste to transition back, at least for the time being. If necessary, even if it meant potentially spawning a Juggernaut, he was willing to bore 'through' the Dungeon in order to track down the errant Bell, who had immediately been promoted to the top of his bucket list.

Vahn knew that Bell wasn't exactly the most sensible person, always seeming to ignore the advice that people gave him, but he hadn't expected to get wrapped up in the boy's quirks from the start. Once he found Bell, Vahn intended to, at the very least, harshly reprimand the youth for not considering his actions. Depending on the circumstances, that lesson might become something a little more physical, assuming he was the one to even discover Bell from the start. Part of him felt like Ais would be the one to discover Bell's location, even though she had immediately gone down to the Second Floor with Tiona and Tione...

---

Ever since I can remember, at least after the time Grandpa had saved me, it had always been my dream to become a Hero. Hearing all the stories about great men and women who faced adversity and, against all odds, overcame the trials that prevented their rise...I had hoped, by aspiring to be a Hero myself, that I would be able to create a legend that could be passed down through the ages. Along the way, I would make lots of friends, save damsels in distress, and, if I was lucky, maybe even surround myself with several cute girls. I never told Grandpa, but it had been my dream to have a Harem filled with girls of various different shapes and sizes, comprised of the members of several different races. It didn't matter if it was a long-eared Rabbit Hume, an adorable Pallum girl, or even a goddess...in truth, however, I just wanted a real family to call my own, other than just my Grandpa...

I now understood why the stories of Heroes and Heroines were fairy tales or, at the very least, something that only a few exceptional men and women could become. My overzealous attitude, believing I was something special, caused me to overstep my boundaries a great deal. All because I was too embarrassed to talk directly with the beautiful girl that had the red marks on her face and ended up getting teased by her companions. I wanted to show them I wasn't just some useless kid that would burden them and, even though the nice people at the Guild had told me not to venture into the Dungeon before joining a Familia, I ignored their advice and now had to pay the price...

Still, I didn't feel like it was entirely my fault as, at least when I was fighting Goblins, it wasn't that difficult of a battle. As for the monster before me, it shouldn't even have been on this Floor at all, at least if the information provided by the Guild staff was accurate. Since they were very helpful and gave me lots of advice, I believe that their words had been the truth. That's why, even though I was probably going to die in a few moments, I only blamed my terrible luck and lack of foresight for the current predicament I was facing...at least, that's what I was trying to tell myself within my mind while my mouth only managed a guttural scream that sounded almost inhuman in its savagery...

Swinging my dagger forward, a simple blade of around 30cm long that was a bit heavy in the handle, it bounced off the hard surface of the strange blue lizards body and, as if to taunt me for my attempt, the lizard hissed before swinging its body like a whip, striking my abdomen with its tail. A very sharp pain spread through my body, almost like something inside of me had 'broken' while an overwhelming sense of powerlessness rose up from my stomach...or was that my lunch? It was hard to tell what was going on at this point and the only thing I could really discern was that a volume of liquid, filled with some dangerous looking bits, had burst forth from my mouth after I was pushed back into the hard Dungeon wall behind.

Though I had managed to get up and run after the first couple of hits, it didn't seem like my body was listening to me anymore. I didn't want to die, especially before I was even able to have a serious conversation with a single girl, but my body simply wouldn't listen. The only thing I got for my efforts was sharp and agonizing pain but, as if to exacerbate and mock my situation, something was blocking my throat, preventing me from even crying out any longer. As for the strange blue lizard, nearly 4m long and possessing thick blue hide as it skulked forward on four legs, I could swear it was laughing at me. Then, like a cat toying with a small field mouse, it began to move forward with a predatory glint in its deep red eyes, now reflecting the image of my own terrified face within their depths...

Step by step, almost as if time had slowed to a crawl, the strange lizard made its way forward until it was right next to my feet. As though it was intending to make things as painful as possible, it opened its mouth and aimed for my legs with its long and serrated jaws, lined with three rows of teeth that glistened with viscous green saliva. At this moment, just as another wave of pain was about to greet my existence, I was able to understand why my body had been getting progressively slower as the fight went on. It seemed to have some kind of paralytic venom, even possessing a light layer covering its durable blue hide...

Just as the lizard was about to bite down on my legs, I tried to muster what remained of my strength, pulling forth from reserves I didn't even know I had. Even so, other than moving my head away from the Dungeon wall slightly, my body simply refused to allow me to evade the sharp teeth. I could only watch helplessly as the lizards head lowered towards my legs, jaws agape as its head fell lifelessly to the ground in between my calves. Like a broken faucet under a large amount of pressure, blood shot out from the now exposed viscera of the neck and, even though it had completely soaked my body, the only action available to me was staring slack-jawed at the decapitated blue lizard as its body broke down into small particles of purple dust...

"Haaaaa...it looks like I made it in time. From now on, don't do such reckless things, okay, kid...?"

Even before I turned my head towards the voice, I could already sense a powerful and almost overbearing pressure weighing down on my body. The most noticeable thing, however, was the intense light that made it almost impossible to look directly at the source, which seemed to be a boy around my own age. When I looked towards him, it was like looking at a statue that had been carved from black marble as some great master sculptors take on 'perfection'. This look, however, caused me to realize I could actually move and, instead of being blocked, a natural, "Eh...?" came out of my mouth. Then, when the boy reached out his hand to pull me up, I absentmindedly grabbed it, feeling a powerful warmth spread through my body that chased away all the negative emotions that had been building up inside...

---

After helping Bell stand, Vahn looked into the dazed boy's red eyes, noticing they actually had a very unique and 'clear' feeling to them. His hair was also startlingly white, with a slightly translucent appearance that made it seem like fibers of pristine white jade. The weirdest thing was, unlike how he appeared within the manga, Bell's facial features were like a blend between a handsome boy and a cute girl. His face was slightly rounded in a youthful manner and, if not for the blood covering nearly half of it, Vahn had the strangest impression that Bell would have actually looked 'cute'. This, combined with the fact that Bell was actually thinner and smaller than he had expected, almost made the young Hero look more like a girl than the boy Vahn knew him to be...

Since it didn't seem like he was capable of forming any words at the moment, Vahn waved his hand in front of Bell's face and asked, "You okay, kid? I healed your physical wounds, so you'll be fine after returning to the surface and relaxing for a bit...sorry, I can't do anything if you experienced a trauma. If that's the case, the only thing you can do is work hard to overcome it..." Though he had always considered what he might say after meeting Bell, watching the boy simply stand there in a daze was making it very difficult to find his words. Fortunately, or perhaps not, Vahn had already sent messages to the other girls and, as they were only a few Floors apart, they immediately teleported to his side.

Upon seeing a group of beautiful girls 'pop' into existence, Bell's eyes widened and he backpedaled several times until colliding into the wall once again. Much like how Lefiya would in the past, his blood covered face became beet red and he uttered a 'wawawawa' sound. Then, as if compelled by some tug of fate, Ais, who had teleported the closest to Bell, walked forward with a curious and reminiscent expression on her face as she asked, "Are you okay...can you stand?" This caused Bell to release a 'squeak' but, unlike how he had originally run away, he just quietly stammered, "Ah...I'm okay...I'm...ah...I..."

Though Ais had extended her hand to help Bell stand, he didn't reach out to grab it and just kept looking into her face as a deep blush began to spread across his own. Seeing this, Vahn released a sigh while Tiona and Tione just looked at Bell, the boy who was supposed to become very strong one day, like he was some kind of strange animal. They had never seen an effeminate boy with white hair and red eyes before, causing Tione to incredulously ask, "Are you sure this is the right kid...? He doesn't really look on anything special...well, other than his appearance?"

Seemingly tired of extending her hand, Ais frowned slightly before turning her head towards Vahn and mentally communicating, ("This boy...it feels like I know him. It's hard to explain...almost like it is something sealed away in my memory..."). Vahn gave a small nod in response, saying, ("It is likely related to the 'blank' period in your memories that we talked about. Though he might not have a direct connection to your past, there is a good chance there is an indirect one. For the time being, just let me know if you realize anything and, if you feel any awkwardness or discomfort, please tell me...")

Vahn knew there was definitely more to the relationship with Bell and Ais than he had seen within the limited amount of manga he had read. Her reactions towards him had always been strange and, though it could just be a result of the crush he had on her, Bell's 'pursuit' of Ais had definitely been unnatural. He obviously didn't truly 'love' her, not in any obvious or meaningful way, or he wouldn't have paid so little attention to his emotions and influenced so many other girls in his life. After all, it was his 'focus' on Ais that had caused some resentment to build up within the girls around him, even though it wasn't truly that obvious that Bell had 'loved' her. It was like they were inextricably drawn to each other, which might have turned into love over time, but definitely wasn't love from the start...

Moving forward, Vahn reached out and, as Bell seemed incapable of 'functioning' right now, picked him up by the scruff of his tanned tunic and brought the boy to his feet. Since the latter only weighed around 60kg, it was almost like picking up a slightly heavier pebble, even though Vahn's Power was his lowest parameter. When the catatonic boy was finally back on his feet, Vahn released a sigh and asked, "What is your name, kid? Why are you here in the Dungeon on your own? How did you even encounter a variant Dungeon Lizard on the First Floor...?" Generally, variant monsters didn't even start appearing until you reached the Seventh Floor...after all, if such strong monsters could appear in an area with Rookie Adventures, the statistics of deaths recorded by the Guild would be much higher...

Hearing Vahn questioning him, Bell's mouth just opened and closed a few times before suddenly trying to run off. Vahn, however, quickly grabbed the boy's shoulder, asking, "You're not just going to run away after I saved your life, are you? I understand that you might want to hurry out of the Dungeon, but wouldn't it just cause misunderstandings if you run off...?" To this, Bell showed a face of embarrassment and hung his head as though he was contemplating what to say. He noticed that Vahn's grip on his shoulder strap hadn't loosened at all so, even though he wanted to run away and escape his embarrassment, it didn't seem like that would be possible...

After several long seconds of silence, Bell released a sigh and it seemed like all the tension in his body was slowly released as he muttered, "My name is Bell Cranel...thank you for saving me...I'm sorry for trying to run away..." Then, with Vahn's hand still on his shoulder, Bell tried to bow in a polite manner with an apologetic expression on his face. Vahn's brows raised slightly when he saw this and he couldn't help but smile before hearing a ping sound within his mind. Turning his attention to the system notification, Vahn resisted taking in a sharp breath and instinctually let go of Bell's shoulder as he read...

//Bell Cranel's Affection+44, Intrigue+50//

//Bell Cranel Affection:95(Reverence), Intrigue:100(Insatiable Curiosity)//

Bell, being released from the seemingly immovable grip, put on a bright smile with blood still covering his fair skin, almost as though he was oblivious to the fact he was covered in blood. With glittering red eyes, he excitedly asked, "Ah, I never got your name! Please, can you tell me who you are? Who are these girls behind you? How did they appear out of thin air!?" Reaching out, Bell clasped Vahn's hand, which had been hovering in the air, and seemed intent to keep holding onto it as his excitement continued to build. Vahn noticed his Affection go up another two points and was unable to resist the urge to pull his hand away, shocking Bell slightly in the process.

Though he was jolted by the ambient lightning energy, Bell just flinched slightly before resuming his smiling expression as if nothing had happened. From behind, Tione suddenly whispered, "This kid...is he an idiot...?" Tiona began laughing when she heard this while Fenrir just lightly nodded her head while continuing to watch the events play out. Chloe, Lili, Naaza, and Arnya had already been summoned back to the Manor by his Avatar, who was now explaining the situation to the rest of the girls. Even so, Vahn couldn't help but think that Bell was definitely a little scatterbrained, not that it stopped him from putting on a casual smile as he said, "My name is Vahn, Vahn Mason, Ca-"

Before he was able to finish, Bell's eyes became round like saucers as he practically jumped forward, asking, "You're Vahn Mason!? THE Vahn Mason!? Captain of the Hestia Familia? Commander in Chief of the Alliance!? The strongest Adventurer within the City, possessing the dual title of 'Flame Emperor' and the alias 'Sage Aldrnari'!?" Then, without giving his response, Bell had already let go of his hand and started sorting through a small brown bag at his waist before pulling out a small broken pencil and a piece of paper as he excitedly asked, "Can I have your autograph!?"

Vahn absentmindedly accepted the bloodstained piece of paper and quickly signed his signature, something he had gotten used to when the children at the School would approach him. This action caused him to suddenly see Bell as though he were one of the children in his charge and, considering how excitable the boy seemed to be, that didn't seem to be beyond the realm of possibility. Thus, adopting a softer smile, Vahn said, "Bell, there is nothing wrong with trying to venture into the Dungeon in order to become stronger. However, you'll learn that real strength is a combination of experience, wisdom, insight, and power...you can't just run headlong into situations without making the proper preparations. Though you may become strong enough to do so one day, you'll never reach that point if you end up dying to a random monster before you're even able to get your footing..."

The entire time Vahn was speaking, Bell's eyes continued to glimmer and it was almost like he was gravitating towards Vahn, only stopping when he was looking up into the latter's face with an expression that made him appear like a small and excitable animal. Vahn nearly took a step back but, instead of backing down, brought his hand up to Bell's shoulder and pushed him back to create some distance between them. Still, the smile on his face didn't fade as he asked, "I can't let you join my Familia, but I can help you find a good place within the Alliance if you're interested...?"

As if completely unaware of the distance Vahn had created between them, Bell tried to grab the former's hand again and ended up falling forward since Vahn had moved to evade. This put him on a crash course towards Tiona and Tione but, unlike what might have been expected to happen, both girls immediately stepped far outside Bell's trajectory. As they were aware of the boy's [Luck] Development Ability, even if it hadn't awakened, they were more than prepared to avoid any 'accidents' from happening. Vahn had also stepped in, grabbing Bell but the scruff of his tunic and holding him up so the latter didn't fall flat on his face.

Releasing a deep and profound sigh, Vahn once again asked, "So, did you want to join one of the Alliance Familia?" This time, with a face filled with embarrassment, Bell rubbed the back of his head, smearing more blood into his white hair as he said, "Yes, please...thank you..."

Setting Bell back on the ground, Vahn lightly tapped his shoulder and said, "You have to be careful and less excitable in the future...though some people might not mind, it would be pretty easy to offend someone if you end up tripping and falling into their women. Since you seem to know me, you should know that I'm pretty protective of the girls around me...please keep that in mind, Bell..." While speaking, Vahn put a little bit of strength into his hand, squeezing Bell's shoulder since he had very nearly had one of his 'accidents', seeming to make a beeline towards Tiona's chest as he fell. Vahn knew it wasn't exactly Bell's fault, as he had actually been 'victim' to the skill's influence before, but it still made his mind buzz slightly knowing that another man had almost touched the breasts of one of his women...even if Tiona didn't have much to touch...

Bell had an apologetic expression on his face again as he made no effort to even struggle out of Vahn's grasp. The fact that he was being held up by another person didn't really seem to phase the boy at all, seemingly more focused on the fact he had almost offended the person he respected. Thus, while still being held up by his scruff, Bell brought his hands together and exclaimed, "Please forgive me! It was never my intention to do something so-so-so...uncouth! Waaaaaaaaah, I'm sorry, please don't be mad..." Hearing this, Vahn let go of Bell's collar and just released a sigh as he turned to the girls and said, "I'll send all of you back to the Manor and take Bell over to the Loki Familia to get him situated."

Fenrir, Ais, and Tione all nodded their heads in affirmation while Tiona waved playfully towards Bell and said, "Sorry, little rabbit, but I'm already taken. If you touch my breasts, even by accident, I might break your fingers, okay~?" Then, as though she didn't just threaten bodily harm, Tiona began to laugh happily before vanishing in a magical light. When she was gone, Bell stared blankly towards space as the complexion on his face became slightly pale. It took him a few seconds to compose himself after the fact before he turned to Vahn with a wry smile and said, "I'll be more careful in the future...hahahaha..."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bell, lucky, or unlucky...?','Fanboy +1...','Bell avoids tragedy...')

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Chapter 778: Peculiar Energy...Fate?

Now that things had calmed down a bit, Vahn was able to observe Bell in greater detail than before. He had to admit, compared to his expectations of Bell, the white-haired young boy didn't really have the 'aura' of a Hero at all. Instead, he actually seemed somewhat wimpy and frail, a stark contrast to what Vahn had expected, even though he seemed like a good kid. Still, Vahn believed that Bell could undoubtedly become strong and, just like he didn't know much when he first arrived in the City, it was possible that Bell would change a lot in the coming months. After all, even in the original manga, Bell had appeared to be a wimpy kid until he started trying to pursue Ais...he just needed a 'push' in the right direction.

Seeing Vahn observing him, Bell couldn't help but squirm a little as he asked, "Ahh...umm, Vahn?" To this, Vahn raised his brow slightly, curious as to what Bell wanted to say only for the latter to surprise him by asking, "Umm...exactly how many girls are you in a relationship with...?" There was a glimmer in Bell's eyes, full of expectation and curiosity, as he asked his seemingly innocent question. Vahn, however, couldn't help but release a small sigh as he said, "That isn't really something you should concern yourself with. Though you'll probably meet some of them in the future, you should instead focus on increasing your strength and starting your own adventure..."

Bell just laughed awkwardly in response, then, as if the words didn't actually process in his mind, said, "You know, I heard a lot about you back in the village I grew up in. One day, I want to become a great hero that is surrounded by beauties, just like you!" This time, Vahn released a light chuckle and 'almost' reached out his hand to pat Bell's head before casually redirecting it to lightly pat his shoulder, stating, "You're making a small mistake there, Bell...men that only seek to selfishly increase the number of women they are involved with aren't heroes...instead, you should just focus on being the best you that you can be. If you work hard, girls will naturally be drawn to you...haaaa..."

Having learned from experience, Vahn knew this to be a truth as, with the prerequisite that you were handsome, rich, famous, or capable, any of these things could draw women to you. Though Bell had a somewhat girly appearance, he also had various unique features that gave him the semblance of a handsome young man. Once he matured a bit, there would undoubtedly be girls drawn to just his looks, even without him putting in much effort. Since he also had the potential of becoming very powerful, that meant money and fame would follow his rise to prominence. The only thing that would prevent Bell from having women gather at his side would be his own willingness to be with them...

Before Bell could continue asking questions, Vahn held his palm in front of the confused boy and used his cleaning magic to pull all the blood and gore away from his body. The fact that Bell seemed to be completely unaware of just how messy he had become made Vahn realize the former was more than a bit of an airhead. Though, as this thought crossed his mind, Vahn realized that many of the main characters within the manga he read matched that description. Luffy was a notorious idiot, Naruto had been a dunce that never would have graduated without fate guiding him along, and even characters like Goku and Ichigo had been the type to just 'go with the flow' of things, never really thinking for themselves...

After observing Tina for a while, and seeing that she had also become a little airheaded, Vahn wondered if the influence of fate actually made a person more 'oblivious' to their surroundings. This likely made them more susceptible to getting wrapped up in the flow of fate, instead of resisting it, which allowed them to walk the path that their 'creators' had established for them. At this point, though Vahn didn't know what level of influence they would have had, he understood that the 'creators' of the records, even though they were normal humans, had a powerful influence on 'fate' within the records that had come about as a result of their efforts. Going against the intent of the creator could potentially cause the record itself to identify you as a threat, even though it didn't actually seem to be something that had 'awareness'...

Shaking his head lightly, Vahn decided he would need to pay close attention to how events transpired around Bell in the future so that he could have a better understanding of how to manipulate the flow of fate in the future. Many of the records he would visit in the future would be places he had no information on, meaning he could actually experience innumerable setbacks if he didn't know how to recognize the machinations of fate. Fortunately, it seemed that he had an 'instinct' that allowed him to sense when something was afoot and, depending on what he 'desired' from The Path, there would be plenty of ways he could work around such troublesome matters.

Once Bell was completely cleaned, Vahn ignored the boy's starstruck gaze and began walking towards the nearest corridor, saying, "Follow me, Bell. I'll take you to the surface and help you get situated within a Familia...hmm, I also want to see how well you can fight, so take this..." Pulling out a nondescript black dagger, as Bell's had broken from his previous fight, Vahn handed it over while explaining, "I know you might be a little shaken after everything that happened, but it is events like those that will help you grow as a person. In order to avoid another situation where you are powerless to protect yourself, you need to constantly press forward, always aiming for greater heights..."

Bell accepted the dagger with both hands, holding it like some sort of sacred artifact as he put on a vibrant smile and exclaimed, "Thank you very much, Vahn! I swear, I won't let such a small thing set me back. Just watch, I'll show you that I can also become a great hero, just like you!" Hearing this, Vahn shook his head, surprising Bell a little until the former explained, "Having a goal isn't bad, Bell, but you should never aspire to be 'like' someone else. You can be similar, sure, but a 'real' goal would be trying to overcome the person that inspires you...if you are content with such a small goal, it will only prevent you from reaching your full potential. Even I, as strong as I might be, understand that there is 'always' someone stronger...never stop aiming for greater heights, or you'll eventually be overtaken by someone else you set their goal as exceeding you. If that person is good, it isn't a problem...but, if they were evil...well, there is no medicine for regrets..."

Though he said that, Vahn was curious if the system shop might actually have such an item. Given the myriad of different items contained within, and the functionally infinite number of records to pull from, Vahn believed the chance of there being such an item was actually close to 100%. Still, it was a cool phrase that he had been a recurring sentiment in several novels he had purchased from the system and, given the circumstances, it seemed like the correct things to say. It also helped that, after experiencing it himself several times, Vahn knew his words were an absolute and inviolable truth. Even Eva had always cautioned him to never assume he was the strongest and, considering she was 'only' at the peak of Tier 5, Vahn knew that entities from higher tiered records would be almost 'impossibly' strong from his current perspective...

As if he had just heard the most insightful words in the entire world, Bell's expression transitioned into a serious and reverential one as he firmly nodded his head. He fixed the dagger to his back and said, "From now on, I'll do my best to never forget those words, Vahn! I don't want to become the kind of person who can't protect the things he cares about, just because I thought I was the strongest in the world. As long as I draw breath, I swear that I will never stop pursuing even greater heights!" Bell held up both his fists as a fiery light was glowing within his ruby red irises. Vahn couldn't help but feel he was somewhat similar to Vana, a thought that made him more appreciative towards Bell, even while feeling slightly perturbed by the fact. He just hoped that Vana didn't become an airheaded person in the future...

Having Bell lead the way, though Vahn instructed him what directions to take, the duo began making their way towards the surface. When the encountered a pair of Goblins, Vahn didn't even have to give Bell any advice as the latter immediately dashed towards the two monsters and, using more agile movements than should be possible for his level, began attacking while evading the Goblins' attacks. This peculiarity caused Vahn to activate his [Eyes of Truth], noticing that formless energy was flowing through Bell's body as the latter fought against the two monsters as though his life depended on it.

This energy was unlike anything Vahn had ever seen before and seemed to be 'guiding' Bell's movements, making it seem like his earlier speculation about fate literally guiding the main characters more than a simple assumption. Vahn could see a 'path' created by the energy that, when Bell followed it, allowed him to slide underneath the sharpened stick of the Goblin, slicing into its side before Bell twisted around like his feet were almost frictionless surfaces. It didn't really make sense how he was able to pull off such movements, especially considering that Bell didn't even have a Falna at the moment...

Though it had taken around three minutes, Bell managed to kill both Goblins by cutting the first one across both eyes, blinding it, and somewhat severing the arm of the second. The dagger Vahn had given him was actually just a 'practice' weapon that he had forged for use by the School's students. It didn't have very high attack power at all and shouldn't have been sharp enough for Bell to cut through flesh, tendon, and even bone with a single strike. Vahn knew there had to be more going on than his eyes could currently see and figured it was like an Innate that hadn't been revealed within the original manga.

Once again, seemingly unaware of the blood staining his hands, Bell wiped the sweat from his brow and smeared blood there instead. Vahn didn't understand how the sweat could have bothered him since he was seemingly unaware of the blood, almost like he simply 'couldn't' be affected by it. One of the things that affected most newbie adventurers was a general aversion to blood, as it would cause people to tense up when they saw it, especially in large quantities. Bell seemed completely immune to this, however, almost like he was unaware it even existed...

Out of curiosity, Vahn asked, "Do you not care about the fact that you're smearing blood on your own face? You know, it will be difficult to impress girls if you're covered in blood..." While he was speaking, Vahn watched as Bell's face showed confusion, even going so far as to tilt his head slightly and mutter an, 'Eh...?' before looking down at his own hands. As if noticing the blood for the first time, Bell released a much louder, "Eeeeeeehhhh!?" before wiping it off on his own tunic. Vahn just laughed when he saw this, throwing a towel to the boy who graciously accepted it while asking, "How are you able to just pull stuff out of thin air? I've never heard of such an ability...is it something I can learn?"

Since this was a question he actually got asked a lot, Vahn casually responded by saying, "I've always been highly proficient with 'Storage Magic', and other space-related abilities...well, you'll understand better in the future, just know that everyone has elemental affinities that make it easier for them to learn specific skills. It isn't impossible for you to learn storage magic, but it would be very difficult if you didn't have an affinity with space..." While saying this, Vahn was inspecting Bell's internal flow of energy and saw that it was a triple helix of pure red, violet, and pristine white.

After seeing this, Vahn smiled and explained, "I've always been able to discern the affinities of other people and I can tell you that yours are Pure Fire, Pure Lightning, and Pure Light. It is already very rare to have a single purified affinity, so you should feel blessed having three...if you work hard, you will be able to use powerful skills, abilities, and magic related to your elemental affinities..."

Bell was very excited to learn of his own affinities, especially after hearing Vahn explained he had three rare ones, but he couldn't help but release a sad sigh when he realized Vahn hadn't said he had an affinity related to Space. It seemed like a super useful ability, being able to put things away and pull them out whenever he wanted, without having to carry them himself. Still, he didn't stay upset for long and immediately resumed smiling as he asked, "How can I learn how to use my affinities? I've never even heard people mention them before...and, can I really learn magic? I thought only Elves and a few exceptional geniuses were able to use magic...?"

Hearing this, Vahn shook his head and confidently stated, "That is a misconception that is held by many people, so I can't exactly blame you for believing that to be the case...however, you should know that there are no limits to a person's growth. As long as a person never gives up, even the impossible is something that can be overcome, as there is no such thing as impossible from the start...anyone that says otherwise simply lacks the comprehension required to perform such feats. If you had attended my School, you would have been able to learn magic there, regardless of your race..."

Bell's eyes lit up again as he asked, "Can I still join the School? I really want to be able to use magic!" Vahn, however, immediately shook his head and explained, "The cutoff for the School is being fourteen years of age...you should already be fourteen, so its a little late for you to enroll. Also, now is the middle of a semester and you would probably be able to become much stronger than most normal students before the next enrollment came around. Focus on increasing your own strength and understanding your own abilities before you start trying to learn things like magic. After all, with how little mana you currently possess, magic wouldn't really be a reliable way for you to fight. Overusing it leads to a state called Mind Down and, as you currently are, you would probably only be able to shoot off a few fireballs before you passed out and ended up getting killed by a stray monster..."

Hearing this, Bell released a sigh and slumped over, eyes becoming slightly moist as he said, "I really am just a weakling right now...aren't I...?" Vahn immediately nodded his head, making Bell release a pitiable whine until Vahn explained, "It is perfectly normal to start off weak, Bell, especially if you haven't actually put in an effort to become stronger...even I almost lost my life to a simple Goblin in the past. Heck, when I first came into the Dungeon, I almost died a second time when I first met a Kobold...that was only around two and a half years ago, so don't beat yourself up just because you aren't already strong. The fact you can already fight multiple Goblins, even without a Falna, actually makes you ridiculously strong for a beginner..."

Having been a fan of Vahn's, Bell knew that his words about only having been an Adventurer for a little more than two years were the truth. One of the things that made Vahn so famous was how he had been able to rise from a fresh Level 1 and, in less than two years, managed to reach the peak of all the Adventurers within the City. He had become an inspiration for all Adventurers, young and old, for how perseverance and determination could pay off. After all, it was also well known now that Vahn had actually been much weaker than normal and, only by constantly working to improve his strength, was he able to reach the point where he was currently at...standing at the top of a massive pyramid as he led the most powerful organization on the entire continent...

With Vahn's encouragement, Bell was excited to increase his own strength and, mid-conversation began running down the corridor as he looked for another monster to fight. Vahn blankly stared at the boy's back for a few seconds before following behind, wondering just what exactly went through Bell's head to make him act so spontaneously. One thing he did know was that, after giving Bell a bit of advice, the strange energy surrounding his body actually become slightly more noticeable. Vahn was beginning to wonder if this energy was 'fate' itself, being so thick around Bell's body that it actually became visible to those with the discernment to see it. He would need to get Anubis or Freya to look at Bell's soul and see if they were able to discern anything if he wanted to be certain...

While following along behind Bell, who had started to fight another climactic battle with a single Goblin, Vahn turned his attention briefly to his Inventory and inspected the [Fate Severing Knife] he had received from saving Bell previously. It looked like a straight blade with a tip that had a 45-degree angle instead of a curve, giving it the appearance of an angular tanto. The handle was comprised of interwoven black cloth and had a red cord tied around the end that spread out into a small tassel. Overall, it was a very strange looking blade but it was the description of the item that truly caught his attention...

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[Fate Severing Knife]

Rank: Unique

Use: Allows the user to sever the fate of a target, resetting their karmic value to 100 and breaking any vows, strings, or promises linking them to any other entities. [!!( Warning)!!] This knife has the ability to affect causality and fate, changing the perception of other entities towards the target. Using this item also severs any connections between the target and any soulbound items, including those acquired through special circumstances.

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By and large, this was the most 'powerful' unique item Vahn had ever obtained, even though it didn't actually seem that useful at a glance. The fact that it actually came with a warning showed that he would have to seriously consider how he wanted to use it in the future. After all, if his interpretation of the knife's use was correct, it meant that even his [Enkidu] or, at worse, Eva's fragment would be 'severed' and split from him. Since neither object was something that existed in a physical sense, they would likely be destroyed the moment they were separated from him, meaning he wouldn't be able to use the knife to 'reset' his own karmic value...even if it would have been a mistake to do so from the start...

Since he had obtained it in relation to Bell, Vahn felt as though The Path had actually given it to him in the event that he decided the boy was no longer 'important'. Severing Bell's fate would essentially remove his status as the protagonist and, as it seemed to affect how other people saw him, it would probably prevent Ais and other significant characters from even caring about their relation to him. If Bell's existence became too troublesome, Vahn now had a way to simply 'cut' ties with the boy and send him to an area where he would no longer be able to influence events...

Imagining 'severing' the fate of another person, Vahn couldn't help but frown slightly since it seemed like an inextricably cruel thing to do, at least in relation to someone destined to save the world. Though he hadn't exactly stolen anyone from Bell, there was still a small part of Vahn that felt somewhat guilty that he might have taken the girl that Bell had been fated to love at some point. If the original author was setting things up as they appeared, this meant that he and Ais probably would have become a couple at some point or, at the very least, had some kind of powerful fate binding them together. There was almost no chance of them being with each other now, but Vahn still felt it was 'wrong' to sever the bond between them, especially considering it might be important to Ais' past and helping her resolve the matters of her past...

Since he didn't plan to let Bell actually do anything that would negatively impact his family, Vahn didn't see the need to use the [Fate Severing Knife] on the boy. After all, Bell was a good kid who had never really wronged him in any meaningful way. He also had a powerful fate that meant, as long as he was given time to grow, meant he would be able to shoulder the burden of the entire record at some point. This made Bell a very powerful ally that would actually allow Vahn to relax a bit more in the future since Bell would likely be able to deal with most smaller matters without any direct involvement on his part...

With that thought in mind, Vahn decided to hold on to the [Fate Severing Knife] for the time being, as it would be very useful if he ever encountered someone with a 'tragic' fate. One such example was Eva herself as, from what Vahn was able to discern, she seemed to be one of the central characters from her record. If he used the [Fate Severing Knife] on her, it would allow her to avoid association with the Mage of the Beginning or, at the very least, allow her to be rid of any of the negative karma she might have garnered over her six hundred years as a Shinso Vampire...

(A/N: Today's chapters will be split into two parts. I have two coming out this morning, and two more coming out this afternoon.)

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The journey towards the top has no final destination~!','Protagonists are innately dense!?','Severing fate isn't something to be treated lightly...')

https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)

paypal.me/Einlion

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