Chapter 1530: Surprises Abound
Seeing his current Status, Vahn couldn't help smile due to the excitement that was welling up inside his chest. He had always assumed that his training with Eva would pay off when he finally visited her Record, but, seeing it for himself, he couldn't help feeling vindicated. With these Skills and Magic, it wouldn't really matter too much if he was weaker than others in his base state, as, when he powered up and transformed, there would be very few people that could match him.
Upon first awakening in the Akamatsuverse, Vahn had been surprised to sense so many people with a stronger aura than him, but, now that he knew where he was at, it wasn't too shocking. The Hellas people had powerful bodies and strong magical power by default. They also had an average lifespan between 300~500, depending on their mastery and control over Magic. Unfortunately, despite a very high Base Power, their aptitude for external magic, much like his own, was exceptionally limited. This forced them to rely on Magic that enhanced their body, but, more than anything else, they relied on various technological advancements to rival their foes.
If it came down to a fight using raw physical prowess and martial techniques, Vahn had an absolute advantage against most people. He might have lost his ridiculously overpowered [Laplace's Key], but it wasn't as if all his knowledge and experience faded away. He had accumulated so much experience fighting against true masters in their fields of expertise, elevating him to a level where his skill, alone, would allow him to fight much stronger opponents. When you included things like his Source Energy and [Magia Erebea], one of the most powerful abilities in the entire Akamatsuverse, it wasn't much of an exaggeration to say he was already S-Rank.
Now that he had gotten his bearings, Vahn's excitement for the Akamatsuverse had increased quite a bit. With a few months of training, he would be able to move around with impunity, as, despite the presence of a few truly monstrous individuals, the average power level for 'skilled' foes shouldn't be more than 500. This could be modified with various spells, but, considering his own were S-Rank or higher, that wouldn't matter too much. He was also one of only seven Archmages that should exist in the current Timeline, meaning only people on the level of Eva, Jack Rakan, and Filius Zect should be a match for him...
Considering his current location, Vahn was anticipating his meeting with the man who even Eva had called 'a living cheat character'. He likely wasn't nearly as strong now as he would be after the Great War, but, based on what Eva had said, Jack was a monster that could improve exponentially when he encountered strong opponents. He was known by titles such as the Ultimate Hard Worker, and, after earning his freedom in the Coliseum, he even became the undisputed King of Mercenaries, Jack of the Thousand Blades.
At this point in time, Jack would have already claimed his most noteworthy titles, and, though Vahn wasn't able to sense him, he knew the man had close ties to the Imperial Family. He was one of the few people who had ever won his freedom through the hundred-bout gambit, and, for a variety of reasons, was popular with the First and Third Imperial Princesses. The Third even looked up to him as an older brother, so, after arriving in the former's room, Vahn was expecting Jack to pay him a visit at some point...
Feeling his draconic blood boil in excitement, Vahn had to forcibly calm himself down as the ground around him had started to tremble. He didn't have perfect control over this new body of his, so, for the time being, he needed to remain calm and focus. There was also a matter of extreme importance that required his attention, so, after regulating his breathing, aided by the Mantra of Eternity, he let his consciousness slowly sink into his 'Soul Realm'. This was a similar process to sinking his mind into a [Space-Time Orb], but, instead of a physical object, he was attempting to enter his own Realm...
---
Before he even realized it had happened, Vahn found himself in an endless expanse of space. Unlike normal space, however, the sky was infused with an omnipresent rainbow hue, something that would only be discernible to him. This was a 'very' good sign, but, before he could even get his bearings to try and find Gaia, a massive 'meteor' came hurtling toward him. By instinct, he nearly 'obliterated' it from existence, but, after seeing what the object was, his mind drew a blank, allowing two fiery feet to smash into his face, accompanied by a raspy yet high-pitched, "Baaaaaakaaaaaaaa~!"
Though it did absolutely no damage, the figure continued to bicycle kick Vahn's face over and over as he just stood there trying to make sense of the current situation. He didn't know where this little girl had come from, but, seeing her scale-covered legs, her long, whip-like tail, and the two curved horns poking out from the sides of her head, he almost assumed she was his daughter. She even had aquamarine eyes and pointed ears, and, though her feet, tail, and horns were red hot with flames, it was very apparent this was 'normal' for her...
Seeing that her attacks were having no effect, even after a three-thousand hit combo, the petite girl seemed highly dissatisfied. Her tomboyish face formed into an expressive pout, tears building in the corner of her eyes as she asked, "Why did you leave me...? You said...we would always be together..."
Though he had made similar promises with quite a few people, Vahn was pretty sure he had figured out the girl's identity after analyzing the structure of her flames. This didn't really make much sense, however, causing him to tentatively asked, "Laevateinn...?"
As if her previous expression had been a facade, the petite girl absolutely beamed when she heard Vahn's words. Then, with a startling amount of strength, she pounced on him, squeezing his body hard enough that, if he had breakable bones, they undoubtedly would have shattered. Her horn was also stabbing him in the chest due to her height only being around 118cm, but, as she seemed to be genuinely happy, Vahn didn't mind it. Instead, he briefly flicked his eyes to his Inventory, confirming all twenty-four of his Laevateinn series blades were still inside...
By process of elimination, Vahn could only draw the conclusion that the petite girl, appearing to be around ten years old, was his Zanpakutou Spirit. He had been unable to communicate with her in the past, but, now that they were 'inside' of his Soul, it wasn't too surprising that she could manifest as a physical spirit. Rather, he felt like an idiot for not trying this method in the past, causing a dry laugh to escape his throat as he gently stroked the girl's dark-brown hair...
---
After coaxing 'Laev-tan' into calming down, Vahn was able to confirm that she was, indeed, his Zanpakuto Spirit. Due to her unique connection to his Soul, she was able to move around inside his Soul Realm, even when Time had yet to flow. This was due to her consciousness experiencing things like Time at the same rate as his conscious mind, basically making her an existence outside of Time within his Realm...
Though existence outside of time was typically attributed to beings at Tier 5, or higher, Vahn wasn't too surprised by Laev-tan's capabilities. Within his own Realm, he could even spontaneously create dead planets and play with them like marbles if he really wanted to. Until he wanted it to exist, even things like Time would not have any effect inside his own Realm. Thus, as an extension of himself, it was only natural that Laev-tan was able to move around with impunity. The real question was, how did his Zanpakutou turn into a 'Loli Dragon' that seemed to have stolen the name of his most prized sword collection?
Since there was no harm in asking directly, Vahn went ahead and did so, earning a mischievous grin from Laev-tan as she answered, "Though you couldn't hear me, I was always watching~! I know you created a bunch of brothers and sisters before forging me! I also knew that you were sad about not being able to use them anymore, so I became like this~!!"
At the end of her exclamation, Laev-tan turned into a plume of brackish-crimson flames, her body transforming from that of a petite young dragonling to a claymore that was nearly 2m in length. It had a scorched blade forged from a blackened metal that was filled with cracks, much like his very first Laevateinn. The biggest difference was, instead of a draconic visage that created a cross-guard, Laev-tan's guard had two curved horns, and, though others might not see it that way, the draconic visage seemed somewhat 'cute' in comparison to his previous creations...
Before he even realized what he was doing, Vahn grabbed Laev-tan's handle, earning a surprisingly girlish squeal in response. Her normal voice was somewhat husky, almost like she was pretending to be a boy, but her voice while transformed was almost sonorous. It reminded him of the pleasant hum she would emit whenever he was polishing her blade, an action that, in hindsight, now seemed a little awkward...
Ignoring the peculiar feeling in his gut, Vahn reminded himself that Laev-tan was just a sword, one that required careful and continued maintenance. He couldn't just stop taking care of her now that she had finally awakened, so, rather than let it bother him, he just began swinging her around with a smile on his face. She also seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit, releasing a gleeful laugh as massive plumes of crimson flames were released from her blade's edge.
Though it was hard to be certain, as he had nigh-absolute power within his Realm, Vahn noticed that Laev-tan gave him monstrous control over a unique kind of flame. It wasn't actually that hot, burning around 1600 degrees, but, unlike normal flames, it had a 'solid' quality similar to magma. It also had a brackish quality to it, and, after creating a pillar of Adamantine, Vahn confirmed his suspicions as he watched Laev-tan's flames rapidly eat through the dense metal.
Similar to the original Laevateinn, Laev-tan seemed to have flames that burned persistently, even in a vacuum. They also possessed a rather ridiculous corrosive property, eating through virtually any kind of material relatively quickly. It seemed to make use of an amalgamation of Destruction, and, of all things, Space Laws. He was able to sense the viscous flames collapsing the space around the point of contact, forcibly separating the bonds between molecules so that they were easier to 'digest' for the Destruction energy...
Unable to contain his excitement, Vahn joined Laev-tan in her laughter, swinging her through empty space and causing a veritable nebula to form from all the brackish flames she had produced. Since her flames were infused with Space Laws, they could even burn space itself, and, most importantly, tunnel 'through' space. Vahn had always been able to attack virtually anywhere in his domain, so, as a result, Laev-tan seemed to have 'copied' this ability. Now, he could direct her flames through his domain, manipulating them to appear virtually anywhere within his field of control. It was one of the most broken abilities he had ever possessed, bringing a massive grin to his face as he created giant swirls and vortexes of brackish flames...
Vahn had always assumed his Zanpakuto would be powerful, especially under the influence of his Source Energy, but he had never expected Lave-tan to be so 'amazing'. In many ways, she was his ideal weapon, allowing him to completely dominate the area within his own domain. Fire had been one of his principal affinities ever since his time in Danmachi, so, more than any other element, Vahn felt comfortable around flames. There had even been a time when he imagined conquering multiple Records with his original Laevateinn, and, while it wasn't exactly the same, Laev-tan seemed to have inherited that legacy...
---
After several 'hours' of brandishing his new Zanpakuto, Vahn was finally able to calm down, albeit with a massive grin on his face. Then, seemingly forgetting that Laev-tan was a 'Loli Dragon Spirit', he began to trace his fingers along her blade, an appreciative gleam in his eyes. It wasn't until he heard a peal of ticklish laughter that he came back to his senses, feeling slightly flustered despite his advanced age.
Turning Laev-tan upside down, Vahn gingerly released her handle, allowing her to revert back to her half-dragon form. Much to his surprise, she was breathing a little heavily. There was also a thin layer of sweat covering her body, almost as if she had just completed an intense workout.
Seeing how tired Laev-tan appeared, Vahn realized that, for one reason or another, she seemed to have stamina. This wasn't 'normal' for a Zanpakuto, so he had her turn around, displaying her back so that he could place his palm between her shoulders. She was wearing an outfit that consisted of a sporty black top, a pair of black panties, black leggings, black wristguards, and a black bodysuit that covered her exposed abdomen and thighs. It wasn't exactly the most appropriate attire for someone with her appearance, but, considering she was nearly forty, even if Zanpakuto didn't age, Vahn didn't let it bother him. Instead, he focused on the interior of her body, finding it was surprisingly close to an actual True Dragon's...
Since it was a good opportunity, Vahn asked, "What made you choose this form, Laev-tan?"
With the haughtiness you would expect from a True Dragon child, Laev-tan puffed out her virtually non-existent chest, proudly declaring, "Master has always treated girls with cute appearances very well. I wanted to be pampered lots and lots, so I became like this before I even noticed, ahahaha~!"
Hearing the rather spirited response, Vahn released a light chuckle before ruffling Laev-tan's boyish hairstyle. Her hair didn't even extend past her shoulders, and, due to the structure of her eyebrows and how her bangs parted in the front, she could probably give Astolfo a run for his money when it came to crossdressing. Rather, for reasons he couldn't fathom, Vahn could imagine Laev-tan trying to emulate his style of dress, appearing as a rather heroic youth who swung around a giant sword...
Shaking his head, Vahn cleared his thoughts before giving Laev-tan one final pat on the head and saying, "We should go to the others. Now that you have a form like this, I'd like it if you were able to become friends with everyone else. When I return to the outside, I may not be able to carry you with me at all times. I should be able to create a permanent link so you can see what I'm doing though."
Laev-tan seemed upset when he mentioned not being able to carry her around, but, after hearing the latter half of his words, a toothy grin returned to her face. She had the characteristic sharp teeth of most True Dragons, so, when she smiled, it was a combination attack of adorable and terrifying at the same time...
---
Though he mentioned having to 'find' the others, Vahn was able to locate Gaia instantaneously with little more than a thought. This allowed him to find the surprisingly radiant blue orb that represented the heart of his Empire. It was simply floating in the middle of an endless expanse of space, but, due to the fact time was 'frozen', there was still light illuminating more than half of it. Vahn was unable to understand how he could 'see' the planet, as there shouldn't be any light refracting off of it, but, as that wasn't really important, he dutifully descended into the isolated world with a curious glimmer in his eyes...
If a physical being were to move through stalled Time, the amount of destruction simple movements would cause couldn't even be fathomed. Even the act of 'breathing' would be like setting off infinite nuclear warheads once Time began to flow. Fortunately, it was possible to remove yourself from the Time Axis completely, allowing you to freely move through Space without affecting the world around you. This required mastery of both Space and Time, but, here in his own Realm, Vahn could basically ignore such requirements.
Confirming his suspicions, Vahn returned to where he had embraced Gaia, Alaya, and Tiamat, finding all three girls just as frozen as the rest of the world. This was a very peculiar thing to witness, and, for a brief moment, Vahn began to feel a little mischievous. It was a shame he couldn't actually interact with anything, but, if he really wanted to, Vahn could pull quite a number of pranks with this kind of ability. If he were more childish, he could look up the skirts or dresses of his lovers, but, considering he could just as easily ask them to remove them, such antics were ultimately pointless...
After burying his more childish urges in the deepest recesses of his mind, Vahn spent a few minutes thinking before tentatively saying, "I grant the three of you similar Authority to what you possessed in your original Record. You are allowed to move outside the Time Axis, though never with the intent to cause harm to others..."
Since he was basically the 'Administrator' or 'Overseer' of his own Realm, Vahn tried shaping reality according to his intent. Even if he couldn't properly imagine what he wanted, it should be possible to actualize his intentions by simply 'communicating' with the Realm itself. He could even stop and start the flow of time with a thought, so, using words, he should, theoretically, be able to do anything.
Proving his conjecture, Gaia, Alaya, and Tiamat burst into life, all three falling forward due to the fact they had been leaning into his chest moments prior. This had brought a small smile to Vahn's face, at least until all three of them began to phase through physical objects with distant looks in their eyes. They were propelled forward due to their previous moment, their bodies limp, seemingly lifeless...
Feeling a panic well up from within his heart, Vahn quickly recovered the trio with a wave of his hand, bringing them to his side and placing his hands against the chests of Gaia and Alaya. He lacked the ability to comprehend their structure in the Nasuverse, but, now that he was the Overseer, Vahn was hoping he could understand what was wrong with them. Fortunately, before he could even send a single thread into their chests, Alaya's eyelashes flickered almost imperceptibly as her lips began to twitch...
Realizing what was going on, Vahn released a sigh of relief as he continued to hold all three girls in his embrace. From their perspective, they had basically awakened to find themselves without any of the restrictions that previously influenced their actions. With the exception of Tiamat, the true forms weren't the vessels he was holding onto, but the planet itself and the consciousness of humanity. In the simplest terms, they would need to relearn how to control their vessels from scratch...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'It's almost like restarting a game you already mastered xD...','The eternal curse is going strong~!','I kinda feel bad for the sisters. Imagine having the same restrictions for billions of years, only to be forced to play by different rules in a single instant xD...')
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