Bab 1401: Realization
Though he still couldn't believe it, Vahn eventually touched down on the edge of the massive crater he had formed, taking a seat along the periphery as his mind entered a daze. He refused to admit it could be over in such a short period of time as, while he had, indeed, gone all out, it shouldn't have been enough to defeat his Shishou. Her immortality was tied to the Land of Shadows itself so, with the latter still existing around him, Vahn couldn't believe she was dead...
With little else to do, Vahn used the moment to reflect on the battle, staring at his own hands and the massive chasm that stretched out before him. He knew his destructive capabilities had reached a ridiculous level but, seeing how devastating his Dragon's Breath had been, an empty feeling welled up inside them. This didn't feel like an amount of power that someone should possess but, despite this, Vahn knew he was barely at the starting point on his journey to becoming Tier 7.
One day, perhaps a lot sooner than he expected, entire planets, stars, galaxies, and even universes would cease to be if he so willed it. Even entire multiverses would bend to his will and, though he was nowhere near that level just yet, even the Laws themselves would manifest in the way he chose. He would be able to create Gods, shape worlds with his will, and alter the flow of time on his whim. It was a truly terrifying amount of power, not only because he would possess it one day, but because others already did.
With even Alaya absent from within the Land of Shadows, Vahn only had one person to talk to so, after falling onto his back and staring up at the ashen-gray sky above, he asked, ("What should I do, Sis? I know I need power but, what is the point of possessing it if I can't even control it well enough to avoid killing my own allies? I feel like I'm becoming a monster, not a God of Creation...will I ever be able to enjoy a battle at higher levels...?").
Immediately after his inquiry, Vahn could hear a sigh within the back of his mind but, when Sis finally spoke, she had her usual reassuring voice as she answered, (*Your ability to use Source Energy allows you to leap over the Tier gap and even damage people you shouldn't be able to harm. Just like how you are able to affect Artoria when she is using Avalon, there is no classification of immortality that is beyond your means to destroy. I can't say whether or not you will ever be able to enjoy yourself in a battle but, as most of your conquests are against your enemies, is it not better to have the power to defeat anyone...?*)
Though there was a lot of truth to Sis' words, Vahn still missed the times when he had first started his journey. Before he had gotten wrapped up in trying to protect others, elevating his strength to ridiculous levels, he had been a bit of a battle junky. He used to enjoy the heart-pumping thrill of battle, letting his instincts take charge as he zipped around the battlefield at high speeds. Now, he had enough raw power that, if he was back in Danmachi, he would probably be able to crack open the head of Achron with his bare fists...
Vahn knew that, as his power continued to grow and develop, even minor conflicts would turn into climactic battles with the fate of entire realms on the line. One day, rather than throw marble-sized Elemental Stars, he may be using actual stars, hurling them towards monstrous entities the size of Nebulas. It seemed so ridiculous to think about but, with even Tier 5 being able to create a system-driven multiverse, it wasn't really an exaggeration. He still couldn't even begin to fathom what Tier 6 and 7 were like as, in the present moment, he couldn't even truly comprehend his own power...
Fearing that Vahn may be falling back into his old habits, Sis' voice became more prominent within his mind as she stated, (*There is no going backward, Vahn. Just as you encourage others to do, you need to have the strength to constantly move forward. There are no limits to The Path, only how you choose to use it. The power you seek is necessitated by your desires but that doesn't mean you will be forced to use it. When the time comes, you can choose to seal your power away or even manifest as an Avatar amongst the many worlds you have created; just like the Gods in Danmachi...*).
Hearing Sis' guiding words, Vahn exhaled a tired sigh before rolling to a seated position and kicking off against the side of the massive hemispherical chasm. Though he still felt empty inside, he knew it was only a temporary phenomenon. He actually had quite a number of things to fill the void caused by his ever-increasing power so, rather than mull over it, taking action was the more sensible choice.
Even if he reached a level of power that others couldn't hope to compete with, that didn't mean he was out of options. If he wanted to, he could just become a teacher, helping his comrades, guiding his children along their own paths, and even setting others unrelated people on their own. He didn't have to focus on his own life as the central point of all things as, with enough power, there were no limits to the options available to him. The only thing he really needed to get better at was managing his Karmic footprint as, if he kept repeating the same cyclic behavior in every Record he visited, there would be no end to his troubles...
---
After several hours of aimlessly flying around with no particular destination in mind, Vahn began mulling over ways to leave the Land of Shadows. He could still feel his link to the seven Heroic Spirits of Scáthach so, if it came down to it, he could summon her Caster version to open a gate back to the real world. There was a good chance they were already aware of what had happened so, at the very least, he could learn whether or not the 'real' Scáthach had died.
Truthfully, Vahn didn't understand how Scáthach had been able to manifest the Land of Shadows in the real world, especially with her Heroic Spirits still present. After all, she wasn't a standard summon as, much like Merlin, Scáthach had never actually died. It was for this reason that each version of her was linked together so, now that the original may have perished, common sense stated they should have vanished alongside her. Inversely, so long as they were alive, Scáthach would still have a vessel to inhabit, much like how he used his own bodies.
Since it was easier to just ask Scáthach herself about what had happened, Vahn touched down near the epicenter of the 300km deep crater, marveling at its size for a brief moment before opening his Unit Management and transferring Caster Scáthach to his location. He could have used a Command Spell to accomplish the same feat but, with his Unit Management able to circumvent all interference, it was the simpler solution.
What surprised Vahn was the fact that Scáthach manifested in what appeared to be a column of ice, reminding him a lot of Eva's [Eternal Ice Coffin]. The only real difference was that Scáthach had used [Primordial Rune]s to achieve the same effect, giving the glacial pillar a peculiar and ancient aura.
Seeing the naked woman sealed away in the ice coffin, Vahn briefly considered summoning the Lily version of Scáthach but, as the Land of Shadows was filled with the Laws of Death, it didn't seem like the best idea. She was the only version of Scáthach that didn't have a direct link to the deathly lands so, while she had been linked to the other six, it was fundamentally different than the others.
At one point, Vahn had an inkling that Scáthach had insisted on her Lily version in the hopes of using it as a scapegoat of sorts. Now that things had come to this, he had the terrifying realization that this may have actually been the case. From what he could ascertain, Scáthach had gone to great lengths to ensure that her other six forms had been sealed away completely. She had even made the coffins in such a way that, while still active, he couldn't send mana to any of them. This meant, after they ran out of internal Magical Power, all six of the sealed versions of Scáthach would fade away...
Realizing what she had done, Vahn gnashed his teeth hard enough to bloody his gums and, with a furious howl, he smashed the ground beneath his feet in a frenzy. Though her nature wouldn't have allowed her to go easy on him, it was obvious that Scáthach had played him for a fool. She had used him to effectively commit suicide, removing any chance he had of preventing it. To make things even worse, she had forcibly transplanted her original self into the current time axis so, even if he wanted to, summoning 'his' Scáthach would be impossible...
---
While Vahn was raging within the Land of Shadows, the person responsible for his mental anguish was standing silently atop the Sage Aldrnari College Commons. Though she knew she had wronged Vahn considerably, this was all in the hopes of teaching him an important lesson. After all, unless he really wanted to become one of the very things he hated, Vahn had no right to decide her fate. She had been seeking death for thousands of years so, while she understood, and even appreciated, his intentions, this was the only course of action.
So long as she was connected to the Land of Shadows, Scáthach knew she would never be happy. It wouldn't matter if Vahn found a way to liberate her from the duty she had been assigned as, after being imprisoned for far more than the 2200 years that had passed in reality, her mental state had reached a point of no return. Though Vahn had rekindled some of her passions, the person she had become wasn't someone who was even worthy of staying at his side.
Though her Lily version had been connected with the other six, this mental link would be severed once they ran out of mana. Then, finally, she would be liberated from her position as Queen of the Land of Shadows. She would no longer be burdened by the [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground] and, while her power would understandably decrease, she was still a peerless warrior. Now, she even had actual goals, breathing newfound vitality into her cold and desolate existence.
After seeing how powerful Vahn had become in such a short period of time, Scáthach was wholly determined to become even stronger than her original self. She would not give in to the temptation of easy power and, even if it took hundreds of years, she would surpass herself in every way. At the same time, she would dedicate herself to the man who had forced himself to fall in love with her, all while forcing her to love him in kind. This was the least she could do for the man who had given her everything, including the release of death she had sought for the vast majority of her existence.
Remembering the promise she had made with Vahn prior to the twelve challenges, Scáthach couldn't help but allow a sincere smile to spread across her lips. This time, she would be a better mother than before as, even if she didn't really know how, Scáthach knew she could rely on the other women in the Ivory Castle to help her. Now that she had finally been liberated from her fate, there was no end to the number of things she wanted to experience but, before that, Scáthach started off by planting a vibrant [Primordial Rune] directly into her forehead...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'TFW you accidentally kill the final boss with a glitch and the credits start to roll...','Vahn's Temper Tantrum','The longest con')
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Bab 1402: Frustration
Though it took longer than he would care to admit, Vahn eventually managed to calm himself after laying waste to a considerable section of the Land of Shadows. It was hard to describe just how frustrated he felt but, after a bit of counsel from Sis, and even more introspection, he was able to accept that Scáthach hadn't actually betrayed him but, just as he wished for all the people around him, she did what was necessary for her happiness.
If he were being honest, Vahn had always felt guilty about the relationship between him and his Shishou but, after cementing his convictions, it was hard to take a step back. He had wanted to help her but, from the very beginning, she hadn't desired help. She didn't simply want liberation from her situation but absolution for the life and decisions she had made.
The fact Scáthach had gone out of her way to prepare a version of herself without a connection to the Land of Shadows proved that she had, perhaps, shown him more consideration than he had shown her. He had been forcing her to live a life she did not want to live, using his selfishness and his convictions to drag her along with him. He was convinced he would be able to slowly change her perspective when, from the very beginning, that isn't what she had desired.
It was hard to accept but Scáthach had every right to do what she had, even if it gave him strong destructive urges. He even suspected there was some greater lesson she had wanted him to learn but, in his current state of mind, Vahn wasn't able to rationalize what it was. All he really knew was that he didn't like this outcome in the slightest, even if he could understand her motivations.
It might be childish but part of him vehemently resisted the decision she had made. Despite this, he resolved himself to let the matter lay as, in the end, it was her decision to make. Perhaps the lesson she had wanted to teach him was the importance of moving on, pulling a page out of his own book and forcing him to accept that there were times when his selfish desires wouldn't be tolerated...
Since he might as well ask the person herself, Vahn spent a fair amount of time sulking within the Land of Shadows before finally calming down enough to make his exit. He honestly didn't know how to face Scáthach right now but, as there was little sense in avoiding her, it was better to get it out of the way sooner, rather than later. The dynamic between them had been utterly destroyed so, in order to move on with his own life, he needed to reconcile his current emotions.
Fortunately, while Scáthach had left no way for him to leave the Land of Shadows, Vahn could use the Quest Boards as a waypoint to connect him to the outside world. Then, using his Qīnglóng transformation, he tore through the fabric of Space, finding it difficult but not impossible to rend with his claws.
It took longer than expected, as most teleportations were nigh instantaneous, but Vahn managed to find his way back to reality using his fragments as a beacon. As a result, he ended up emerging near the Knight's Training Field within Avalon but, with Alaya instantly appearing at his side, Vahn was able to teleport back to the Isle of Skye in an instant, reuniting with Arcueid. At the same time, he created a second body from the material of the Quest Board, using it to teleport directly to the Clock Tower.
Though it would have been infinitely better to decompress by discussing the matter with Artoria and the others, Vahn didn't feel like delaying things. He needed to understand Scáthach's actual intentions as, despite resolving to respect her decision, he still hadn't completely accepted it...
Fortunately, undoubtedly seeing through him, Scáthach had been waiting for his arrival atop the roof of the Aldrnari College Commons. She was wearing her military-style school uniform and, even from behind, Vahn could tell there was something 'different' about her. This caused him to tense up and, though he had initially been preparing to confront her, Vahn found it hard to take even a single step forward as he asked, "Scáthach...?" in an uncertain tone.
Hearing her name called, the young woman standing on the edge of the building turned just enough that she could see over her shoulder. This was all Vahn needed to see in order to know the full extent of Scáthach's plan as, compared to the cold and borderline ruthless eyes he had become accustomed to, the young woman before him had a more innocent and curious glint to her ruby-red eyes.
Just as Vahn felt his body temperature decrease significantly, his fears were actualized when she suddenly smiled in a perfectly natural way, happiness audible in her tone as she said, "Master, it is good to see you. I have been waiting...?"
Though the original Scáthach could act well enough to put even the most seasoned professionals to shame, Vahn could tell the young woman standing before him wasn't acting. She seemed to be genuinely happy to see him but, based on the inflection at the end of her second sentence, it was obvious she didn't know why. This caused Vahn to feel deflated and, after pulling a chair out of his Inventory, he was compelled to take a seat, his head hanging in his hands.
Seeing her Master in such a state, Scáthach felt as if her heart was breaking. She didn't know why but, seeing him like this caused her immense pain. Thus, while it made her stomach flitter about a considerable amount, she quickly went to his side, placing her hand on his shoulder in the hopes of comforting him. This, unfortunately, just resulted in him tensing up for a brief moment before deflating even further, his shoulders drooping in an expression of defeat and exasperation...
Suddenly, replacing her anxiety from before, Scáthach felt as if her brain was buzzing in frustration as, without thinking about her words, she exclaimed, "Raise your head this instant! This is no way for an Emperor to behave! How would the people who support you feel if they saw you like this!?"
Hearing Scáthach suddenly shout, Vahn lazily raised his head to meet her gaze, finding her ruby-red eyes awash with various complex emotions. Though her brows were furrowed, she seemed more embarrassed than angry, complete with a slightly flushed expression. This was so different from what he had come to expect from his Shishou that, in the back of his tumultuous mind, Vahn couldn't help but remark, ("She really did it...").
Though he didn't know to what extent she had gone, it didn't take a Master Detective to deduce that Scáthach had modified and erased many of her memories. She had likely selected only the memories she considered most pertinent to living a 'normal' life and performing her duties to the Empire. Though her strict nature still seemed to be intact, her personality had been altered so far beyond recognition that she was virtually a different person from before...
Seeing her Master's 'lifeless' eyes, Scáthach couldn't help but frown deeply as she added, "This isn't like you at all...did something terrible happen? I can listen if you need someone to talk to...I don't like seeing you like this."
Feeling Scáthach's concern for him, combined with the fact she seemed entirely unaware of the fact she was the cause for his current state, a dry laugh escaped Vahn's lips. He didn't have words to describe how he felt right now but, apparently dissatisfied with his response, Scáthach's frown deepened even further before she spontaneously slapped him across the face, her hand turning into a blur as a loud 'Pa' sounded out.
With his natural resistances, Vahn was entirely uninjured by Scáthach's slap but, as it wasn't often someone dared to strike him in such a way, his mind immediately snapped back to awareness. At the same time, his left hand moved instinctually to prevent her second attempt to strike him. This caused Scáthach to pale slightly but, with a frown still visible on her face, she muttered, "Finally..." in a somewhat hesitant tone.
Realizing he had been acting in a rather shameful manner, Vahn briefly looked around the area before releasing Scáthach's hand and saying, "Well, at least your violent streak hasn't changed..." Then, before she could respond, he plopped his hand down on top of her head, adding, "Don't worry about it...you've changed enough...too much, in fact. For now, I just want you to answer my questions, okay?"
Though she still felt there was something 'off' about her Master, Scáthach ultimately nodded her head in response. She could tell there was something troubling him so, if she could make things easier by answering his questions, it was her duty to do so. Thus, after sitting down on the roof and patting her thighs, Scáthach was surprised to find herself saying, "Come, rest your head. If it is within my ability, I will answer all of your questions..."
Seeing the confusion on Scáthach's face, Vahn could tell that her memories and character hadn't been fully reconciled just yet. This implied that the alteration was pretty recent but, while he was tempted to whisk her away to have Merlin try and recover them, Vahn ultimately just released a sigh before laying with his head atop her lap. This caused Scáthach's face to redden slightly but, as she had been the one to offer, it was exceeding difficult for her to rescind the offer...
Feeling the comfortably soft and plump sensation against the back of his neck, combined with the fact he couldn't even see her face due to her rather large breasts, Vahn couldn't help but release a tired sigh. though this was the Lily version of Scáthach, that didn't mean she looked like a child; quite the contrary. While she lacked the raw sex appeal of her adult self, the current Scáthach still had a relatively mature appearance, standing at 160cm with secondary sexual characteristics that put women like Rin and even Olga to shame...
Knowing there was no way Scáthach would have left him without any answers whatsoever, Vahn took it upon himself to break the awkward silence between them, asking, "You were waiting here for my arrival...is there something you were supposed to give me?"
Though her mind had been racing from the moment her Master placed his head atop her lap, Scáthach immediately came to her senses when she heard him speaking. In response to his question, she was momentarily confused but, like someone being reminded of an important date, realization suddenly dawned upon her. In the next moment, she pulled out a small orb from her storage ring, answering, "I was supposed to give you this...?" in an uncertain tone.
Seeing the [Memory Projection Orb] in Scáthach's hand, Vahn couldn't help but release a heavy sigh of relief. If she hadn't prepared anything at all, he would have felt even more conflicted than he already did so, after gingerly accepting the baseball-sized orb, Vahn unhesitantly activated it.
While it could be problematic for Scáthach to see a memory she couldn't recall, Vahn knew the original her wasn't the type to make such oversights. If there was any chance at all he would use it in the presence of her Lily form, she would have prepared countermeasures in advance. After all, she must have put a considerable amount of thought into this entire scheme so, if this ended up being her one mistake, he would be more than a little surprised...
As expected, rather than a normal memory orb, Vahn felt his consciousness being pulled within. Lily Scáthach's act of having him lay down suddenly made a lot more sense as, while the nature of the orb had yet to be revealed, it seemed to function similarly to the pseudo-reality marbles that Da Vinci had been developing. Scáthach had either stolen one of the prototypes or made use of her ridiculous capabilities, developing a version of her using [Primordial Rune]s and her mastery over various Laws...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn can be pretty selfish, at times o_o...','Some things change, others remain the same...','Scáthach could give Loki a run for her money...')
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