Chapter 1921: Countermeasures
Though he had largely gotten used to such things, it wasn't long after his chat with Maschenny that Vahn had the physical body of the not-so-young girl lying atop a massage table with her pale white back exposed. Fortunately, while she had made a few impulsive and half-hearted remarks that were intended to rile him up, her desire for power prevented her from causing too much trouble. He also had a fair amount of experience with 'petite' women, so, even when she sat up without even trying to cover herself, he was largely unaffected, explaining, "It might take some getting used to, but that body should have a much higher affinity for Shinsu than your original. This will make things easier in the future, but you should avoid using self-destructive techniques like your Lightning Redan until you have become accustomed to your new body."
Staring directly at Vahn during the explanation, Maschenny waited until he had finished speaking before asking, "Are you used to seeing little girls naked?"
Adopting a somewhat stern expression, Vahn resisted the urge to give Maschenny's head a chop as he said, "I have traveled various worlds and interacted with species who look like human children in their adulthood. You're over 163cm tall and nearly a thousand years old. You might be petite, but it would take an extreme level of acting to convince anyone you're a child."
Snorting through her nose, Maschenny hopped from the table in an effort to try and step closer. In response, Vahn gave the center of her forehead a not-so-gentle flick, adding, "Don't push your luck. It should have been obvious from my conversation with Eduan, but I'm more than capable of seeing through your thoughts and intentions. Why do you think I added the sincerity clause to our little agreement? You are more than welcome to accumulate power through your own efforts. If you expect me to provide you with extra resources and direct support, you'll need to fix that venomous nature of yours. Don't think I'll just allow you to do as you please."
Rubbing the visible bump on her forehead, Maschenny adopted a moderate pout as she said, "You are too violent. If you can really read my thoughts, you would know I'm being sincere. I might not have any experience with relationships and such, but there isn't anything I wouldn't do in order to obtain power. For all I know, you've placed all kinds of charms, enchantments, and failsafes in this body to prevent me from betraying you. Rather than becoming something like a slave or a servant, I would rather take proactive measures to secure my position. I don't wish to waste the next several hundred years just trying to catch up to my counterpart inside the Tower. Tell me what I need to do to receive more power from you and I'll do it..."
Despite playing the 'little girl' card not even five minutes prior, Maschenny was now doing her best to appear alluring, eyes turned up as she reached out to tentatively touch Vahn's chest. Before she could, however, the latter gingerly grabbed her wrist, a melancholic smile on his face as he said, "If you try your best, it is only a matter of time before you surpass the other Maschenny. I'm not here to help you satiate your curiosities about the opposite sex, nor am I a convenient tool that can be used to increase your standing within the Tower. So long as you genuinely believe I'm trying to use you, it will be impossible to close the distance between us."
With that said, Vahn released Maschenny's wrists before ruffling her hair and adding, "I remember a certain someone telling me to have some self-respect. You should consider following their advice."
Clicking her tongue, Maschenny bat away Vahn's hand before pulling the covering from the table, concealing her body as she said, "Fine, then. We'll see how far 'trying my best' gets me. So long as you provide me with the resources you promised, I won't cause any trouble. If my power doesn't increase quickly, however, don't expect me to remain silent...!"
Rather than responding to Maschenny's words, Vahn used Unit Management to call Scathach to his side while manifesting the Little Garden in his right hand. This caused Maschenny to startle slightly, but, recognizing the purple-clad beauty as the one who had completely thrashed Asensio, a potent desire to do battle began swelling up inside of her. Unfortunately, though she would only come to realize this later, she was about to be provided with ample opportunity to test her skills against the crimson-eyed beauty.
Though it almost felt cruel to entrust her to Scathach, Vahn knew that Maschenny needed to be broken down and built up from scratch if she was to have any hope of redressing her bad habits and ill-tempered nature. She was the product of a remarkably flawed system, and, after spending hundreds of years inside the Hidden Floor, she had become unbelievably obstinate. It would likely take years for her to be able to nondestructively socialize with others, but, before that, she needed to understand exactly where she stood in comparison to everyone else within the Little Garden.
To this end, Vahn gestured to Scathach, smiling as he said, "This is the Goddess of Spears, Runes, War, and Slaughter, Scathach. She will teach you about true spearmanship, something even your father has yet to achieve. If you complete her training, I can guarantee that few within the Tower will even be able to comprehend your power, much less defend themselves against it."
Hearing Vahn claim that the presence-less woman before her was a greater Spear Bearer than her father, Maschenny couldn't help but frown. During the demonstrations in her childhood, she had seen her father completely erase mountains with a casual flick of his wrist. He also gave off an aura that made him seem unreachable even when you were standing right next to him or sitting in his lap. Thus, while it had always been one of her goals to surpass her father, Maschenny had a difficult time believing anyone was even remotely comparable to him in terms of his skill with a spear.
Smiling in response to Maschenny's disbelief, Vahn extended his hand to caress Scathach's smooth hair and deceptively soft horns as he said, "I'll entrust this one's training to you. Help her get to the point that she would be able to survive in the Seventh Layer without assistance for a year."
Ignoring the gawking gaze of Maschenny, Scathach shamelessly nestled against Vahn's palm, a faint smile on her face as she softly replied, "Understood..." before adding, "She doesn't seem to possess any real talent, but, if Master wishes it, I will turn her into a great warrior..."
Though she never had access to the Wisdom of the Haunted Ground, Scathach had tapped into and assimilated a vast amount of knowledge and experience from her former self. Her [Pathfinder] and [Scathach] Innates also provided her considerable insight into the capabilities of others, so, in a manner similar to her original self, she could ascertain a person's talent with a single glance. As for why she claimed Maschenny lacked talent, despite the latter being considered one of the Tower's greatest prodigies, it was largely due to how little progress she had made despite having nearly a thousand years to refine her skills.
Knowing nothing about the strange woman with curved horns and a dragon-like tail, Maschenny's expression darkened considerably as she asked, "You say I lack talent? I'm one of the youngest-"
Before Maschenny could finish speaking, Scathach cooly interrupted her, stating, "People who cling to past glory are just making excuses for their incompetence. If you want to prove me wrong, do so during our training. Now, come. The current you is so painfully weak that I'm afraid you might die if someone accidentally bumps into you."
Without waiting for Maschenny's response, Scathach appeared behind her with such extreme speed that a near-perfect afterimage persisted in her original location. Then, with a swift chop to the neck, Maschenny was out like a light, her body going limp as Scathach effortlessly placed the topless girl onto her shoulder. This caused Vahn's smile to turn somewhat wry, but, rather than saying anything, he just allowed the new Master-Disciple duo to return to the Little Garden before exhaling a sigh in their absence...
---
Though it took longer than Madara would have liked, Izuna eventually managed to defeat the version of Vahn he was faced against due to the latter being unable to use any potentially fatal attacks. This provided them a nigh-absolute advantage during battles, but, as the defeated Vahns were most certainly just clones, dissolving away after sustaining substantial injuries, securing a finite victory was going to be difficult.
Fortunately, as troublesome as they were, the Sworn Enemies were still a far cry from the original. Thus, with the exception of a few of the weaker and more passive residents of the Little Garden, it wouldn't take much effort to defeat them. The only real danger was that the Sworn Enemies would try and draw things out by turning the conflict into a war of attrition. There was also a chance that they might resort to one of Vahn's most troublesome techniques, using their clones as exceptionally powerful suicide bombers.
Before things could get further out of hand, Madara was intending to suggest that everyone swiftly retreats from the Hidden Floor. She was far from being afraid, but, considering who her opponents were, they were ultimately fighting a battle that simply couldn't be won. Vahn wasn't exactly known for fighting fair against his enemies, and, while he would happily face them directly, there was never a time when he didn't have some kind of backup plan.
Though the notion of battling against an army of Vahn clones was rather tantalizing, Madara could just as easily fight against the real Vahn if she wanted a challenge. Thus, rather than allowing things to escalate further, she had her group retreat to the Town of the Wandering Minstrels before finally informing Vahn of the situation. This caught the latter by surprise, not because he was unaware of the Sworn Enemy versions of himself, but because they had targetted Madara's group rather than attempting to kidnap Ryun and Ai.
Realizing that their primary intent must have been to recover the body of the Big Breeder that was almost assuredly Yura's brother, Vahn decided it was for the best that everyone regroups before the enemy could get a better grasp of the situation. It was obvious at this point that the Sworn Enemies were working together, so, at the very least, he wanted to implement a few failsafes and reorganize the teams so that no accidents occurred.
Fortunately, as was often the case, the system shop had quite a number of solutions to aid them in any future confrontations. This included a number of weapons with the ability [Data Drain], a rather unique ability that had the effect of irreversibly corrupting and ultimately erasing Data Constructs and other Digitalized Entities. This effect had been stringently studied by Da Vinci for the purpose of eliminating 'Cyber Demons' and 'God Programs' within the Virtual World, so, while it was a little underhanded to rely on such weapons so early on, Vahn wasn't particularly concerned with fairness when it came to eliminating people targeting his friends, family, and loved ones.
Since it would be disastrous to allow the weapons to fall into the hands of the Sworn Enemies, Vahn made sure they were Soulbound and limited them to one per team. As an additional failsafe, every member of the party was given a trigger that could remotely detonate the weapon if it turned out that, similar to himself, the Sworn Enemies could ignore the restrictions of Soulbound equipment by emulating the wielder. If this ended up being the case, everyone below Tier 5 would retreat to the Little Garden, as, from that moment onward, it would become far too dangerous for anyone with a Zanpakuto to face them.
Though he had limited success during his own experiments, Vahn was pretty sure he could forcibly wield the Zanpakuto of other people. This would, however, place an extreme burden on the original wielder's Ego, so much so that it might fracture completely after prolonged use. If the Hidden Floor was somehow able to replicate this ability, anyone beneath the absolute pinnacle of Tier 4 would be in extreme danger. Inversely, anyone above had absolutely nothing to worry about, as, the moment an enemy tried to forcibly wrest away the Zanpakuto of a higher-tiered Soul, they were in for a very bad time. Eduan was the perfect example of this, and, were it not for the artifact that was sealed in his right arm, he likely would have self-destructed during his attempt to steal Rho...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "You're twice my age, you damn granny...!"','Scathach about to learn ya (O w O)...','Tri-Edge would like to know your location...')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
Chapter 1922: Discourse
As yet another countermeasure against the encroachment of the Sworn Enemies, Vahn, and several others spent the better part of a day erecting a massive barrier around the entirety of the Town of the Wandering Minstrels. There was a good chance this was completely unnecessary, but, as the trio of Vahns had demonstrated, they weren't against 'bending' the rules of their programming.
Fortunately, while they were generated in such a way that their skills were eerily reminiscent of his own, the account of Madara proved that the Hidden Floor couldn't replicate things it didn't actually understand. This included various Laws, and, most importantly, anything related to foreign magical systems. After all, if the systems administering the Hidden Floor had the ability to deconstruct and emulate 'any' energy system, the Workshop would long-discovered countless means to get around the requirement of Shinsu within the Tower.
The only downside was, due to its inability to make sense of the energy being used, things like Ki, Chakra, and Magical Energy didn't function at full capacity within the Hidden Floor. This was where Vahn came into the picture, as, regardless of whether or not he was in a real or digital world, Source Energy had no limitations. It allowed him to effectively ignore the system's restrictions, and, thanks to Sis' efforts, they were able to reinforce the security around the town and make it inaccessible to specific types of entities within the system. This included Sworn Enemies, so, unless they were even more ridiculous than expected, the town was virtually inaccessible and functionally impervious to all forms of damage associated with enemy programs.
With the Town of the Wandering Minstrels serving as their garrison, teams were, once again, able to venture out into the Hidden Floor proper. Unlike before, however, they were tasked with providing periodic updates, and, every time they completed 3-5 stages, they needed to report back in person. This would drastically extend the amount of time it took to complete their objectives, but, as time was on their side, stalling wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It gave Sis the opportunity to complete her takeover of the Hidden Floor's systems, and, most importantly, allowed Vahn to venture out without having to worry too much about the safety of those defending the garrison.
It was only after these measures were fully implemented that Vahn returned to the Palace of Spears, his mood soured but not to the extent that he was at risk of lashing out at anyone. He was annoyed by the fact that Eduan hadn't bothered to seek him out, even after Maschenny had effectively been missing for the better part of a day. Sure, she might not be in any actual danger, but he could have at least sent Asensio or Icardi to ask how things were going. They literally had mirrors that allowed them to move freely throughout the Hidden Floor, so there was really no excuse for their negligent behavior...
Finding himself in the banquet hall adjacent to the throne room, Vahn's expression morphed into a deadpan as he saw the trio seated around the table with Eduan relaxedly enjoying a bowl of grapes. To make matters even worse, the man immediately offered an amused, stain-toothed, smile as he raised his hand and said, "Yo! I was wondering when you were going to return. You sure took your sweet time. Did you have fun playing around with Maschenny?"
Raising his hand in a slow-motion manner that paradoxically left no opportunity for others to react, a massive pillar of golden energy erupted from Vahn's hand, disintegrating the table and smashing into the pin-eyed Eduan in an instant. When the light faded away, a perfectly cylindrical tunnel had formed through the banquet hall, extending into and through the mountain upon which the Palace was built. This left Asensio and Icardi at a complete loss, the former's mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.
Gesturing for the duo to relax, Vahn pulled out a chair from his Inventory as a peculiar green hue spread through the area. Immediately thereafter, the flow of time seemed to reverse for everything except Vahn, his chair, and the increasingly stupefied duo. As a result, the table and everything on it were completely restored, yet, in spite of this, Eduan was nowhere to be seen. It was only after the manifestation of a large circular mirror that the unamused Khun made an appearance, asking, "Was that really necessary? You need to learn how to take a joke."
With a relatively relaxed expression on his face, Vahn shook his head in response to Eduan's words, saying, "Even if she isn't your actual daughter, such crass remarks are completely tasteless. Rather than telling me what I ought to do, perhaps you should pay better attention to the words spewing out of your mouth. Though I can be pretty easy-going at times, that changes rather quickly when it concerns children and being a good parent. I won't force you to act like a decent father, but sure as hell won't get away with making such remarks in my presence."
Though he was highly tempted to give Vahn a taste of his own medicine, Eduan could tell there was something bothering the man, so, rather than immediately resorting to violence, he took a seat and asked, "What crawled up your ass and died?"
Rather than answering, Vahn just shook his head before saying, "I recently completed the process of transferring Maschenny's ego to a physical body. She is currently training under the tutelage of one of my most skilled and trusted allies. Though I imagine her progress will be slow in the beginning, it should only take about a year or two before she is around your level."
Raising his brows, Eduan resisted the urge to grab a handful of grapes, saying, "That's a rather bold claim. That brat certainly has talent, but I can't imagine her getting anywhere near my level through her own efforts. I also can't see you providing her with power beyond her temperament. She would literally self-destruct if given too much. That girl's ambitions far outstrip her growth..."
After watching over Maschenny for hundreds of years, Eduan was confident he knew the troubled Princess better than she knew herself. He had seen countless people like her throughout the years, and, were it not for the circumstances of her birth and the support of many others, she would have been squashed long before she rose to prominence. Nobody liked an entitled upstart, and, based on what he had learned of his own family, standing out before you obtained power was the same as planting a massive target on your back. The only reason Maschenny had survived was that she was the first-born daughter of his counterpart's favorite wife, a remarkable beauty that shared the same name.
Understanding Eduan's thoughts, quite literally, Vahn couldn't help but nod his head, saying, "You would be right...at least, under normal circumstances. We do things a little different in the Aldrnari Empire, so, unless she gives up on herself, it is only a matter of time before Maschenny becomes a powerhouse without equal. My people have also deconstructed the enchantment placed upon the Rice Pot, so, once she is ready, Maschenny will also be able to undergo Revolution."
Blinking in surprise, Eduan sat a little straighter in his chair as he asked, "You managed to crack one of the Workshop's enchantments? The Hell Train and Rice Pot were created under the supervision of Macseth himself. You're telling me you have people capable of analyzing and emulating one of the Workshop's greatest masterpieces in what, six months? I find that pretty hard to believe, even if you seem to be telling the truth..."
Resisting the urge to chortle in response to Eduan's suspicion, Vahn did the exact opposite of the former, leaning back in his chair as he said, "As someone who has experienced Revolution, you are welcome to confirm it for yourself. Truth be told, the Workshop's understanding of magical systems is extremely shallow compared to the standards of the Aldrnari Empire. There are people on my end capable of creating planets, stars, and even universes if given enough time. As for the Workshop, it has become too deeply embroiled in the politics of the Tower. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before the organization destroys itself from the inside. An appropriate end for a group irreversibly tainted by Jahad's ideals and ambitions..."
Frowning deeply in response to Vahn's words, Eduan leaned forward with his elbows on the table as he asked, "If you have people on your side with that much power, what reason do you have to enter the Hidden Floor? What's preventing you from just rushing up the Tower and breaking through the top floor right this instant?"
Leaning forward to meet the man's gaze, Vahn's expression and tone became serious as he stated, "Questions like that prove just how ignorant you and the other 'Great Warriors' are. You see, there are Laws that govern each reality, and, while it is possible for those with substantial power to bend them, circumventing them is another matter entirely. This is where the misconception that only an Axis User can defeat another Axis User originates. In reality, the only thing that matters is authority. Chung is a good example of this. He is remarkably weak as a person, yet, when provided with the authority of a Big Breeder, he is practically a God amongst normal Data Humans. Another example is the Tower itself. Without rules and Laws that heavily favor Irregulars, do you really think you, Jahad, and the other Great Warriors could have risen to prominence in such a short period of time? No, you were aided by the system and provided an absurd number of advantages thanks to the Workshop. If you had existed in a different reality, one where you were not favored by the Laws and Fate, even a child incapable of doing a single push-up might be able to erase you with a snap of their fingers. You can argue all you like, but, considering you have a pill that can literally format the entirety of the Hidden Floor on your person, anything you might say would only make you seem a greater fool."
Resenting Vahn's admonishing tone, thick bands of lightning began to emanate from Eduan's body even as his mind rationalized the former's words. He found that he couldn't really deny what Vahn was saying, as, prior to the creation of the Hidden Hidden Floor, he had enjoyed the 'authority' of a system administrator. He used to be able to freely create people, generate terrain, and control the weather with a few simple commands, so, while it was hard to imagine something similar occurring in the 'real' world, it wasn't impossible. For all he knew, the Tower was just a simulation created by an Axis User, as, based on what Vahn had revealed about 'Higher Realms', he could be certain that someone or something was in control.
With the lightning gradually dying down, Eduan's expression became serious as he said, "Very well then...I will choose to believe your words. As you said, there is no sense in arguing when I have the option of confirming things for myself. How about you produce my daughter and then explain the process of how we can acquire bodies of our own? Isn't that the reason you came here?"
Relaxing into his chair, Vahn's severe expression melted away as he nodded his head and explained, "That's one of the reasons. Before that, I wanted to ask how your little meeting with Jahad went. I'm curious to see whether or not you will tell the truth or try to keep things hidden."
As Vahn had already revealed his ability to know a person's thoughts, Eduan wasn't surprised by the sudden mention of his liaison with Jahad. He actually thought this was the reason for Vahn's anger, so, without hesitation, he revealed, "Yeah, we had a few drinks together. What of it? If you really do possess the ability to read a person's thoughts, you should be able to confirm that I didn't say or do anything that could be misconstrued as betraying our partnership. If anything, I tried lending you a hand by convincing him to meet you directly. I figure, the faster we wrap things up here, the sooner I can return to the Tower and stretch my legs. That should be what you want as well, right?"
Though the account wasn't entirely accurate, Vahn chose not to press the matter as he manifested the Little Garden and checked on Maschenny's status. Unsurprisingly, he found the girl beaten and bloody at the end of a ditch formed from her own crash landing. Thus, rather than calling her out, he sent Scathach a telepathic message to clean her up before returning his attention to Eduan and saying, "It will take a few minutes for them to wrap up their training session. Until then, I'll explain the procedure of transplanting your Ego into a Gigai and the benefits associated with accepting my Blessing as the God of Infinite Possibilities..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sauce Energy wins the day~','Doctor Octogonopus! Blaaaaaah~!','Buying time to hide the evidence xD...')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
81 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment