Chapter 1974: Little Bae
Stepping out onto the 77th Floor proper, Vahn was unsurprised to find a vast, seemingly endless, forest. What did surprise him was the fact that, despite being a forest filled with countless different life forms, an unusual aura emanated from the soil beneath their feet. It was almost like the forest was a single superorganism, and, no matter how far he spread his senses, the same aura could be felt emanating from every plant and animal within his domain...
Though she was unable to sense the same things as Vahn, Artoria could still feel the overwhelming vitality emanating from their surroundings. In many ways, it reminded her of the network of World Trees located in the First Layer, but, rather than inspiring peaceful serenity, the seemingly endless forest was rife with an atmosphere of wild, unfettered, excitement.
Passing her gaze over the surroundings, Artoria's expression remained an irreproachable mask of stoicism as she remarked, "It seems Ureko is not the only danger present within this Floor. There is an unbelievably powerful presence emanating from all around us. Though there are a few distinct differences, this place reminds me of Madara's Ode to an Endless World of Trees."
Though she had no idea who Madara was, Soo-Yun chimed in, saying, "You're probably sensing our Lord, Baek Ryun. It is rumored that he became one with the forest in his youth. He also managed to teach himself how to manipulate Shinsu prior to becoming a Regular, and, according to legend, he is even able to do so without permission from the Guardians. Because of that, some have ascribed the status of 'Irregular Regular', and, based on several reliable sources, it was actually Headon who first approached him about climbing the Tower. In other words, he entered the Tower without any ambition, and, as a result, is not subject to the same restrictions as everyone else."
Resisting the urge to laugh, Vahn earned the attention of everyone present as a wide smile spread across his face. In response, Soo-Yun adopted a pretend pout, but, before she could even ask what he found so funny, Vahn explained, "Your Lord seems to be unaware, but that title is actually quite accurate. According to my knowledge, he is the abandoned child of two Irregulars, each a member of the group that supported Jahad and the Great Warriors during the Age of Climbing."
Surprised by the sudden revelation, Soo-Yun, Tarou, and Marble each found themselves at a loss for words. With the obvious exception of Yeon Ilarde, Yeon Hana's aunt, it was a closely guarded secret that Jahad and the Great Warriors had ascended the Tower alongside a number of friends and close family members. Some of these people ended up dying during the ascent, but, unbeknownst to the general residents of the Tower, the vast majority had been hunted down during The Great War. The Empire had hunted them down without mercy, not because they had sided with Arlen and V, but to limit the number of Irregular bloodlines in the Tower.
While the Wolhaiksong trio was in the midst of processing his words, Vahn and Artoria shifted their attention to a nearby tree. Immediately thereafter, a young man with inordinately pale skin, tinged with a green hue, emerged from the trunk like an immaterial phantom. At a glance, he was no older than 14-15-years-old, but, much like the vast majority of Rankers in the Tower, his aura gave off the impression of someone much older. As for his features, he had leaf-green hair stopping just before his shoulders, pupilless green eyes, and, while it wasn't noticeable at first glance, it was possible to make out a pattern reminiscent of tree grain covering much of his robe-veiled body.
Giving voice to the notion that had just crossed Vahn's mind, Artoria tilted her head indiscernible to the side as she inquired, "Solon?"
Though the youth had initially directed his gaze to Vahn, the confusion in Artoria's tone caused him to shift his gaze to her, mirroring her head tilt to an almost comical extent as he said, "You seem to have confused me with someone else. My name is Baek Ryun. As friends of Ureko, you are welcome to refer to me as Little Bae or Greenie. It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of the Sage Dragon Emperor and the Phoenix Dragon Empress."
Following his words, Baek lowered his head as a sign of respect, but, as was often the case when a person's power had exceeded a certain point, there was a certain whimsy to each of his movements. He even had an expectant smile on his face, and, were it not for the undisturbed nature of his aura, some might even misconstrue his demeanor as an indication of an unbridled fascination bordering on obsession. This was emphasized by his lack of pupils, a trait that, more often than not, bestowed its possessor an inherent 'creepy' factor.
Habitually gesturing for Baek to raise his head, Vahn maintained a relaxed smile as he asked, "I'm guessing you want to know more about your parents?"
Unsurprisingly, Baek immediately nodded in response to Vahn's words, his smile becoming even more prominent until the latter added, "I don't mind humoring you, but, after thousands of years, are you sure you want to know the truth of your origins? I can empathize with your desire to know more about your family, but, trust me when I say the truth isn't always pleasant to hear..."
Understanding the implication in Vahn's words, Baek adopted a solemn expression that didn't quite suit his appearance, asking, "Are they alive?" before following it up with, "Were they murdered?" in a hardened, direct, tone.
Since Baek had every right to know the truth, Vahn decided not to beat around the bush, nodding his head before saying, "They were killed by members of the Royal Enforcement Division. Afterward, their bodies were confiscated by the Po Bidau Family's Research Association. Though I will tell you if you insist, it's better you didn't know what happened after that..."
Unable to suppress his rage, Baek's irises began to release a murderous gleam as the forest around them seemed to come to life, violently oscillating as the grass beneath their feet writhed about in a manner reminiscent of countless tentacles.
Suppressing a sigh, Vahn lightly shook his head in response to Baek's reaction. He could certainly empathize with the youthful-looking man, but, knowing the thoughts going through his mind, he couldn't approve. The man was thinking about annihilating the Po Bidau Family down to its roots, sparing absolutely no-one, not even the innocent and the children.
Fortunately, Baek was bound to the forest around him, so, even if he wanted to seek vengeance, his options were extremely limited. The only way he could wipe out the Po Bidau Family was if each of their members entered the 77th Floor at the same time. His only other option was having someone act at his behest, but, with the exception of Ureko, someone who would beat him the moment he mentioned wiping out an entire family, there wasn't anyone in Wolhaiksong even remotely capable of taking on a Family Leader.
Deciding to offer the man some solace, Vahn ignored the now waist-high grass, stepping forward to pat Baek's head as he said, "Calm down. Hatred and animosity should never be directed towards an entire group of people. If you followed through on the thoughts currently clouding your mind, you would become an even greater monster than the people who wronged you. Rather than waste time on something like revenge, you should focus on living your life to the fullest. Obtaining happiness is the only way to overcome past grievances and prevent the perpetuation of even greater misfortune. Besides, you still have family in the Tower. In fact, one of your relatives has been near you quite a bit as of late."
Though he was more than a little confused by Vahn's casual caressing of his head, Baek perked up quite a bit in response to the mention of his family. This caused the forest and the surroundings to gradually settle, and, as a result, Vahn dutifully revealed, "Your parents were distantly related to the Tu Perie Family. The Spirit of the Green April is actually your mother's second cousin, once removed. It isn't happenstance that her ignition resembles a collection of grassy vines erupting outward to try and crush her opponents."
Having never seen the Spirit of the Green April or its ignition, Baek was more than a little surprised to learn that he was related to one of the most famous weapons in the Tower. As for his relation to the Tu Perie Family, he didn't particularly care. It had been a pretty popular rumor during his ascent, and, at several points during his journey, the Tu Perie Family had even sent delegations to try and recruit him into the main family. This had been a big deal at the time, but, due to his earnest desire to return to his home forest, Baek ended up refusing every invitation before ultimately slaughtering everyone who attempted to bar his passage through the higher floors.
Eager to meet and converse with his not-so-distant relative, Baek swatted Vahn's hand away before saying, "Come. Ureko has been waiting for you for quite some time. At this rate, I fear she may very well destroy my forest. I'd rather avoid such an outcome, so, while it might be a mild inconvenience, please hurry along. If you fly above the trees, the path to my core will be made clear. I look forward to seeing you near the base of the winged tree."
Finished with what he had to say, dashed head-first into a nearby tree, but, rather than smashing into it, his body phased through the incredibly dense trunk as if it was a projection. Then, as if to indicate the direction they should go, the branches of every tree, shrub, and even the blades of grass in the surroundings all pointed in a single direction. This was quite the sight to behold, but, having interacted with Gods who clothed themselves with the fabric of reality, Vahn simply smiled before passing his gaze over the four girls encircling him, asking, "Shall we?" in an amused tone.
While Soo-Yun, Tarou, and Marble were still recovering from their shock, three pairs of silvery-white wings sprouted from Artoria's back as she dutifully replied, "Where you lead, I will follow." in a curt yet respectful tone. This immediately drew the attention of the other three, who, despite thousands of years of experience, had never seen anything quite as beautiful as Artoria's wings. She suddenly seemed even more majestic, and, though they had never actually intended to compete against her, the notion that they could now seemed like a distant dream.
With the edges of his smile curling up into an appreciative grin, Vahn returned a nod before several pairs of wings emerged from his back. These were completely unnecessary, but, feeling inspired by his inordinately beautiful Empress, he ended up sprouting six distinct wings, each representative of a different element. At the same time, pitch-black horns protruded from his head as a rather thick dragon tail emerged from his backside. This might have seemed contradictory to his status as the 'Golden Dragon', but, immediately following their emergence, blazing golden runes began to shine across both as vibrant golden scales emerged across his shoulders, arms, and legs.
Having never seen Vahn in his half-dragon transformation, Soo-Yun, Tarou, and Marble were more than a little surprised. As for Artoria, her pupils immediately contracted, and, though it didn't show on her expression, her aura had become chaotic and agitated. This, in turn, caused Vahn's blood to boil, but, understanding there were other matters to attend, the duo of Dragons simply exchanged a silent promise between them before promptly taking to the sky...
(A/N: I woke up with a mild earache so I decided to publish this chapter as filler. Baek is actually a pretty important character in ToG, Ranked 9 in the entire Tower, so I figured I might as well take the opportunity to introduce him. After this, I'll probably write another chapter but don't expect it to be published today. I want to release the actual fight chapters within an hour of each other so they will all come out around the reset tomorrow. Sorry for the delay.)
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Chapter 1975: Chiding
Under normal conditions, the structure of the 77th Floor made it virtually impossible for outsiders to navigate. The forest was constantly changing shape, and, thanks to Baek being the Floor Ruler, a number of restrictions had been placed on abilities related to flight. This forced both residents and interlopers alike to traverse the all-encompassing forest, and, as a result, only those with permission were allowed to smoothly navigate the 77th Floor.
Fortunately, even without Baek making an exception for them, Vahn could have easily navigated the 77th Floor. His contract with Headon allowed him to move with impunity through each Floor, and, if he really wanted, he could even trespass the Inner Tower at his leisure. This privilege extended to all who bore his Familia Crest, so, with the recent addition of Tarou and Marble, everyone in his current entourage was able to effectively 'ignore' the laws each of Floor.
This was important, as, despite acknowledging each member of the group, Baek had only made an exception for Vahn and Artoria. Even the upper echelons of Wolhaiksong were required to traverse the forest on foot, not because he liked forcing people to walk, but because it allowed him to keep a close eye on each of them. He didn't like being unable to see and track the locations of people in his forest, so, with the exception of Ureko, someone he couldn't really do anything about, very few people were permitted to fly freely through the skies of the 77th Floor...
---
With even Marble capable of moving tens-of-thousands-of-times faster than the speed of sound, on the low end, it only took Vahn and Co a few minutes to reach the exact center of the 77th Floor. There, a crystalline white tree reminiscent of an amalgamation of wings over everything, it's height quite literally extending from ground level to the ceiling of the 77th Floor.
Though it wasn't the biggest tree he had ever seen, Vahn couldn't help admiring the spectacle of a glowing white tree that loosely resembled a pillar between heaven and earth. Unfortunately, he was only able to admire it from afar, as, shortly after trespassing the invisible barrier veiling the Winged Tree in perpetual night, a golden beam of light instantaneously erupted from its canopy, impacting Artoria as she moved to defend him.
Not expecting someone to block her meteoric kick, an amused, "Hooo~?" emanated from Ureko's throat as her glowing red eyes met Artoria's resolute silver gaze.
Under normal circumstances, Ureko would have readily complimented anyone capable of blocking her attack. She had even developed a habit of offering people Winged Tree Badges in accordance with their strength, but, the moment her eyes met Artoria's, so too did a certain aroma.
With a somewhat vicious smile immediately spreading across her face, Ureko forcibly extricated her foot from Artoria's grasp before attempting to grab the latter's horns, fully intent on trying to knee her in the face. To her surprise, Artoria simply ignored her actions, charging forward with her hands drawn back in a rather peculiar stance that left her wide open. At the same time, the ivory gauntlets covering her arms rapidly transformed, their form vaguely resembling the heads of two dragons as she dauntlessly presented her head for Ureko to grab.
Though she was fully aware that it was a trap, that had never stopped Ureko from charging head-first into danger. Instead, Artoria's actions only stirred her excitement to an even greater extent, a toothy grin developing across her face as she grabbed the former's horns and motioned to draw her forward. This was where something unusual happened, as, despite mustering a considerable amount of strength, she felt that Artoria was simply immovable.
As that thought crossed her mind, the ends of Artoria's gauntlets released a phenomenal amount of energy, quite literally acting as thrusters as she struck forward and exclaimed, "Sōkotsu..!" in a grave tone. This was one of the most powerful physical attacks in the Record of Bleach, and, under normal circumstances, it could completely ignore conventional resistances and destroy an opponent from the inside.
Despite feeling as though an explosion had been set off inside her stomach, Ureko simply cackled in response to Artoria's attack before returning a full-force headbutt. This wasn't an exaggeration, and, as a result, even Vahn ended up being pushed back slightly as a shockwave strong enough to destabilize the surrounding space devasted the verdant forest below.
Unamused by the destruction of his forest, Baek immediately emerged from the devastated terrain with what could best be described as a 'severely pissed off' expression. At the same time, a series of massive trees began to erupt from the ground in a manner evocative of a Wood-Style Ninjutsu. This promptly drew the attention of both Artoria and Ureko, the latter immediately adopting a wry smile, hands waving from side-to-side as she exclaimed, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It was an accident! No need to blow a gasket! We'll move somewhere else!"
Though she was exponentially stronger than him, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that, prior to her kinship with Yuri, Baek had been the closest thing to family that Ureko had found in the Tower. The youthful-looking Wave Controller had comforted her during a period where she was unbelievably depressed, and, as an expression of gratitude, she had gifted him an entire Floor and even helped him build an organization capable of rivaling the Great Families. Wolhaiksong existed entirely as a result of their shared dream, and, had she never found Vahn, there was a very real chance that Baek would have been the man she had chosen as her partner...
Finding it impossible to stay mad at Ureko, a tired sigh escaped Baek's throat as he powered down his attack and said, "There is nothing wrong with friends fighting in order to strengthen their bonds and improve upon themselves. This, however, is unacceptable. I can sense the animosity that exists between the two of you. As a result, this is no longer a fight between friends. It's basically a pissing contest between two children trying to demonstrate their superiority. I had higher expectations for both of you..."
With an awkward laugh emanating from her throat, Ureko rubbed the back of her head as Artoria, understanding her fault in the matter, offered an apologetic bow, saying, "Please accept my most sincere apologies..." while placing her hand over her heart. This would have been a big deal if her status as an Empress held any weight within the Tower, but, having never cared about such things, Baek just shook his head, answering, "Whatever. Just don't do it again." before directing his gaze to Vahn and asking, "Is this what you came here for?"
Though he would have liked to deny it, Vahn understood he was the principal offender, not because he had any intentions of destroying the 77th Floor, but because he had both delayed his arrival and primed Artoria for battle. He could have easily settled things by allowing Ureko to vent a bit before inviting her into the Little Garden, yet, for his own convenience, he had manipulated the situation in a way that all but guaranteed they would fight it out the moment they encountered one another...
Noticing Vahn's hesitation, a disappointed look flashed across Baek's face as he plainly stated, "I'm sure you have your reasons. Even so, I would rather you not get my forest and its people involved in your personal matters. You may very well be the person we have been waiting for, but that doesn't give you the right to act however you please. I can't speak for everyone, but, regardless of whether or not you are a God, Wolhaiksong will never follow a tyrant. We have gathered here, specifically, to escape such things. If you can't respect that...please leave..."
Feeling guiltier the more Baek spoke, an extremely apologetic expression developed across Vahn's face as he exhaled a sigh and said, "I have wronged you unnecessarily. Please, rest assured knowing that it was never my intention to harm you, your forest, or your people. I know my words might not hold much weight, given the circumstances, but, please, accept my apology. From now on, I will do everything in my power to ensure you and your people never have reason to doubt me. I only want to help..."
Though he hadn't paid it any mind when Artoria lowered her head, Baek was quite surprised to see Vahn do the same. He could also sense the sincerity in the latter's words, so, rather than continuing to censure the trio, a genial smile spread across his face as he said, "Very well. I have heard many a tale attesting to the value you place in your words. With that in mind, I can rest easy knowing you will remain a friend to Wolhaiksong, hopefully into the far future."
Following these words, Baek offered a bow of his own before immediately proceeding to repair the damage caused by Ureko's attack. This left everyone else feeling awkward and embarrassed, much like a group of children who had just received a chiding from overly concerned parents. Even Vahn was no exception to this, not because he held Baek in high regard, but because it hadn't even been a half-hour since he was the one giving the lectures...
---
Though there was still a palpable tension in the air, Ureko had calmed down a lot after the rebuke from Baek and the consequent return of Artoria to the Little Garden. This allowed her to give Vahn a tour of the region surrounding the Winged Tree, a journey that started with a reunion with Yuri and ended with a long discussion with Baek and the other leaders of Wolhaiksong.
Unsurprisingly, several of the twelve-winged members had doubts about Vahn's status, and, most importantly, his ability to open the way forward. Unfortunately, they couldn't really oppose Baek's decision to move the forest into the Little Garden, as, despite their status in the organization, they had no say over the structure, management, and location of the forest. They also couldn't survive in the Tower without the protection of Ureko, so, while the discussion ended up lasting several hours, it was more of a formality than an actual debate.
In the end, Vahn managed to convince everyone by assuring them he didn't require their power to make good on his promise. They could literally stay inside the Little Garden until he had conquered the Tower. More importantly, he demonstrated his ability to manipulate the flow of time within, so, if they were feeling impatient, he could literally slow the flow of time to such an extent that only a few seconds would pass before it was time for them to leave.
While a few members were understandably horrified by the prospect of being at the mercy of a God who could manipulate time in both directions; Baek managed to calm them by pointing out that, even if Vahn did drastically accelerate the flow of time, that was just an opportunity for them to live their lives in peace. They would also be immortal so long as they were within the confines of the Little Garden, so, even if thousands of years passed, they didn't have to worry about dying of old age.
To many within the Tower, the promise of immortality was more important than anything else, so, with the only real alternative being to separate from Wolhaiksong, it wasn't long before each of the twelve-winged members agreed to Baek's decision. They were also uncomfortable with the idea of having to reincarnate into a completely random world; so, understanding that Vahn might very well be their only method to leave under ideal conditions, the discussion concluded with the creation of an additional layer, the transplantation of a planet-sized forest, and the migration of several million residents into the Little Garden...
(A/N: I'm doing my best to focus on recovering right now. Sorry for another single-chapter release.)
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