章 1843: Guiding Hand

Though it allowed its user to both fly and teleport, Vahn ended up gifting the Bong Bong to Arusha. He was perfectly capable of performing both functions without the aid of an item, so, with the Bong Bong manifesting as a pair of pink fairy wings, he couldn't shake the impression it was better suited for a woman's use.

Not expecting to receive a B-Rank item as a gift, Arusha fallen silent for several minutes following their return to his VIP suite. Then, despite being moderately submissive during all of their previous romantic rendezvous, she suddenly became 'very' proactive. It seemed that the members of the Lo Po Bia Family regarded gifts and favor in higher esteem than most, so, while there were no actual misunderstandings, she felt 'compelled' to work harder after receiving such a blessing.

Vahn had never been the type to expect his women to remunerate him for actions he performed as a matter of course, but, as it was always more fun when both partners were enjoying themselves, he didn't prevent Arusha from expressing her 'gratitude'. After all, he was just as blameworthy as many of his women when it came to handing out rewards, so, rather than make a big deal out of nothing, he decided to, quite literally, just enjoy the ride...

---

As a vessel designed almost exclusively for use as a Cruise Ship, the Archimedes was equipped with a number of facilities that even exceeded the accommodations of most Rankers. There were even a number of shops that were fully stocked by the Workshop, shops which, unlike those back in Sepia Harbor, had no restrictions. The only thing that mattered was that you had enough Points to spend, so, if you had somehow managed to accumulate billions of the coveted currency, there were even A-Rank defensive items available for purchase. As for weapons, anything above B-Rank was highly regulated by the Jahad Empire, so, unless you had obtained one during a conquest or as the result of a challenge, they were nearly impossible to obtain.

With the ability to produce comparable items without too much difficulty, Vahn wasn't particularly interested in the items being peddled by the Workshop. They wouldn't just allow him to analyze the items at his leisure, so, with only a few million Points to his name, he spent most of his time aboard the Archimedes at the pool or lounging within his suite. There was an entire waterpark inside of the city-sized craft, so, with more than a week until the second round of the Workshop Battle was set to begin, he decided to spend it observing and analyzing the tens-of-thousands of Regulars who had purchased passage onto the massive cruiser.

Fortunately, while he had earned a fair amount of attention from both solicitors and the paparazzi, they were less insistent than he had imagined. There seemed to be a rule against badgering people who were trying to relax onboard the Archimedes, so, after refusing them once, journalists from the same organization stopped bothering him. This was quite the surprise as, even in his Realm, people who purported themselves as 'advocates of the truth' could be 'very' insistent.

By the eve of the second day, Vahn's relaxation was only ever disturbed by teams seeking to recruit him or women seeking a momentary escape from the stresses of climbing the Tower. When it came to the former, Vahn didn't even need to consider his answer before politely refusing them. When it came to the later, however, he ultimately ended up accepting quite a number of their invitations. It had always been difficult for him to ignore people who were in pain, so, even if it was just for a few hours, he didn't mind listening to their stories and helping treat some of their mental scars before returning them safely to their original teams.

Though it wasn't really the reputation he was trying to build, these actions earned Vahn quite a bit of 'appreciation' from members of the opposite sex. Rumors could spread quickly even in a large city, so, with everyone confined to the same ship, it wasn't long before his name became common among intertwining information networks. This basically forced him to act as both a confidant and a therapist to numerous women, but, as this was par for the course when it came to his life, he didn't mind becoming their emotional anchor for a short period of time. As for the men who begrudged him for his actions, they ultimately had nothing but their sensitivities and personal expectations to blame...

---

Finished with yet another massage, Vahn used a clean towel to wipe away the oil from his hands before gently caressing the head of the white-haired Gynoid lying on the table. His skills weren't limited to beings of flesh and blood, so, even though she perceived pleasure and satisfaction in a fundamentally different way than wholly biological lifeform, it only took him a few minutes to both map out and master the unique beauty's weak points.

Feeling a sensation similar to a rush of caffeine or a small dose of adrenaline, the woman lying atop the table quickly blinked into awareness, her expression briefly showing confusion until she saw the figure of the man she had been conversing with several hours prior. After that, all the memories of their time together came surging back, and, though blood hadn't pumped through her veins in a very long time, the artificial chromatophores in her cheeks allowed her to emulate a blush as she averted her eyes and remarked, "It seems the rumors of your skills weren't exaggerated..."

Chuckling in response to the woman's remark, Vahn passed her a bathrobe to help cover her nudity as he casually replied, "I won't deny that I have a penchant for showing off, especially in front of a beautiful woman. Despite that, none who have known me personally have ever referred to me as a braggart. I'm just 'very' capable."

Punctuating his words with a playful wink, Vahn left the woman to ruminate for a few minutes as he retrieved her clothes from the wash. She had an important decision to consider so he didn't want to put her under even more pressure by just standing around. He knew what kind of effect he had on people, especially those who had experienced his 'attentiveness', so this was the least he could do to respect her autonomy. He had already deactivated the tracker within her body, so, regardless of what she chose, her future would be, at the very least, a little brighter...

Carrying back a pair of form-fitting shorts, a skintight top, and a rather stylish jacket, Vahn wasn't particularly surprised to find that the peculiar beauty was still naked. She had been lost in thought as she sat atop the table, her ruby-red ocular lenses flickering with light as she attempted to weight the positives and negatives of the choice he had presented to her. This, combined with the fact that she had no actual aversion to being seen naked by him, resulted in her simply sitting in silence until his return.

Coming back to her senses in response to his arrival, the woman showed a considerable amount of apprehension as she muttered, "Though I greatly desire for my body to be remade flesh, I still have many things I wish to accomplish. Prior to the procedure that turned me into this...thing...I was little more than a sickly girl who placed a heavy burden on her family and friends. With this body, I now have the power to fight and make my dreams come true...though it might sound hypocritical after all my prior complaining, I realized long ago that the weak are fated to suffer at the whims of those who hold power. Even if I am ultimately nothing more than someone's experiment, I never want to go back to being the same helpless girl as before..."

Suppressing a sigh, Vahn had to forcibly combat the urge to reveal everything he knew about both her and the people who had turned her into a Gynoid. She was just being used by one of the more errant members of the Workshop to test a number of different experimental technologies. Though she possessed a considerable amount of power compared to the average Regular, her current form also prevented her from growing stronger. As a result, she would have little choice but to undergo several other procedures as she climbed higher up the Tower. If she proved incapable or unwilling to abide by their demands, the only fate that awaited her was being 'recycled' for parts...

Unfortunately, regardless of the truth contained within words, that didn't make people willing to believe them. The most natural response was to adamantly refute inconvenient truths, as, without some form of direction in their lives, the average person would simply feel lost before ultimately giving in to despair once they had confirmed the truth for themselves. From there, very few were ever able to recover, so, after several seconds of tense silence, Vahn's casual expression gave way to a far more serious one as he said, "Even if it is only temporary, I want you to join my team. Allow me to show you a better way, one that doesn't require so many sacrifices..."

Since she was well aware of the fact that Vahn had refused a number of pleas to join his team, the biomechanical woman couldn't help but show considerable confusion as she asked, "You want me to join your team? Why would you extend that offer to someone...'something' like me? With your looks and capabilities, there are surely countless women who would happily accept such an offer..."

Understanding that a detailed explanation would actually make things more difficult, Vahn ignored the woman's self-deprecation as he approached the table. This caused her to recoil slightly, but, as he gently guided her to look back at him, most of the anxiety and apprehension in her countenance quickly gave way for a ruddy and embarrassed look. Then, once she had finally turned her eyes up to meet his gaze, he simply stated, "Everyone has the right to make their own choices. I know that, if you were to leave here without me having done my best to help you, I would regret it for the rest of my life. Though it might be selfish of me to put you on the spot like this, I would never be able to forgive myself if I didn't at least try..."

Though it was inarguably manipulative of him, Vahn had moved his hand to gently caress the side of the woman's face during his speech. He even went as far as to trace his finger along the back of her elf-like ear, exacerbating the blush on her face in spite of the fact that her left ear was almost entirely biomechanical. Then, just as she was beginning to show doubt, he tenderly placed his right hand at the side of her stomach, his palm resting against her unnaturally cool yet exceptionally soft skin.

Feeling a little overwhelmed by the situation, the woman's lens-like pupils began to expand and contract rapidly as her brain failed to process everything that was happening. If one were to look closely, they would even be able to see numerous 'error' texts appearing across her pupils, each an indicator of how she was currently feeling. Despite this, she continued to stare into Vahn's eyes, her conflicted feelings gradually melting away until she inevitably replied, "Okay..." in a meek tone.

Though a smile immediately blossomed across his face, Vahn knew she would still feel doubtful if her answer was something so half-hearted. Thus, as he brought their faces progressively closer, he adopted a firm yet guiding tone as he said, "You'll need to be clearer than that...I want to hear you say it directly...tell me, what are you going to do...?"

Having already acquiesced before, an almost imperceptible glimmer of conviction spread through the woman's eyes as she answered in a slightly more confident tone, "I will join your team...I want to follow you up the Tower...please, take me with you..."

Hearing her say 'please' towards the very end, Vahn began to feel a little awkward, but, burying his burgeoning feelings of guilt, his smile became even more prominent as he softly remarked, "That is a much better answer..." before giving her a simple yet passionate kiss.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Arusha smash (OwO)~!','You thought he was having sex with all of them? Tsk tsk...','Is this the Legendary Cyber Elf Waifu...!?')

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章 1844: Compromise

Following Arryn's, the name of the Gynoid, decision to join him, Vahn promptly introduced her to Kisuke, Android 21, and the remaining residents of the Emerald Grove. She was, understandably, very surprised by the existence of his miniature Realm. However, even this couldn't compare to the unbridled shock she experienced after learning of his status as both an Irregular and a God.

As could be expected, Arryn didn't believe she deserved to be given the opportunity to live within the realm of a literal God. She had very low self-esteem due to the fact she considered herself to be nothing more than an 'object'. This was a perspective she had cultivated over the last 130 years so it would take some time before she was able to accept herself.

Fortunately, with nearly every resident of the Emerald Grove possessing an extraordinary degree of empathy, it was difficult for anyone to feel isolated and 'unworthy' for very long. Rather, after a few heart-to-hearts with women such as Mira, Kushina, Hinata, and even Arusha, Arryn's confidence was steadily improving. Of course, the person who had made the deepest impression on her, sans Vahn, was Android 21.

Prior to revealing her 'former' identity, Arryn had introduced herself with the designation CE-20, the code that had been assigned to her following the Workshop's procedure. With the exception of her family, which she hadn't seen in decades, this was the way everyone referred to her. As a result, she felt detached from her original identity, and, over time, the idea that she was nothing more than an object had been reinforced to the point that she felt undeserving of her own name.

With Android 21 representing everything she had been aspiring towards, Arryn expressed a keen interest in the research that was being conducted within the Seventh Layer. She had even broached the subject of 'upgrading' her current body. This ultimately led to a discussion regarding her return to a pure flesh and blood body, but, despite numerous attestations that she could become stronger in a new body, Arryn was determined to keep her current one. She wasn't comfortable with the idea of 'discarding' her original self, as, in more ways than one, it reinforced the idea that she was just an object.

Since she had been pretty resolute about the matter, Vahn ultimately gave Android 21 permission to perform numerous upgrades to Arryn's body. This included replacing the fluids in her body with bio-organic nanomachines and supplying her with a unique power core derived from the 'heart' of a dragon. This would provide her an effectively limitless supply of energy, but, in exchange, it would also place a heavy burden on her mind, body, and spirit.

Fortunately, the cells provided to Arryn were cultivated directly from Android 21's body so they had an almost 'unreasonable' degree of adaptability. So long as she focused on strengthening her mind and spirit, specifically through meditation and Innate development, she would be able to grow and evolve without any limits. She had also gained the ability to regenerate from virtually any injury, so, as long as she avoided having her head and core destroyed simultaneously, Arryn could effectively live forever.

The only downside to the success of Arryn's procedure was that it encouraged both Arusha and the former Empress, Xiao Xinyue, to consider undergoing a similar operation. The former, as could be expected, had recently developed a 'very' strong desire to be of use to him. She had even become a member of Fenrir's 'pack', a group of women who were excessively loyal to him. As for Xiao Xinyue, it hadn't taken long for her to realize that she would never be able to convince any of the Emerald Grove's residents to support her ambitions. Her status as a former Empress meant nothing to them, and, much to her chagrin, she was even weaker than the weakest member of Vahn's 'entourage'.

Though she had recently started to consider just allowing Vahn to resolve things while she focused on improving her status, the 'ease' in which Arryn was able to gain power was extremely alluring to her. After all, her twenty-thousand-years of isolation had allowed her to cultivate an exceptionally powerful spirit. Her mental capacity was also far beyond the comprehension of normal people, so, as long as she had such power at her fingertips, Xinyue was confident in her ability to become one of the strongest beings, not just within the Little Garden, but the worlds beyond the Tower.

In the end, Vahn was able to use Xinyue's own confidence against her, pointing out that, if her mind and spirit were truly as powerful as she believed, it wouldn't take long for her to cultivate to a point that exceeded Arryn's capacity for growth. He used everyone in the Emerald Grove as an example, and, though she rightfully pointed out how unfair this comparison was, Vahn countered by pointing out that life had never been fair; and, unless she was willing to put in the effort to obtain power, she had no right to rule over others.

Xinyue hadn't been particularly amused by this exchange, but, after residing within the Little Garden for more than a month, she had gradually come to realize just how trivial her Empire and her former existence had been. She understood that Vahn was an existence that, at least for the time being, she couldn't even begin to comprehend. There were absolutely no merits in opposing or offending him, so, after cooling her head for a bit, she ultimately sought him out to both apologize and ask for his guidance.

Vahn understood that Xinyue's ambitions were a little dangerous, but, out of consideration for her twenty-thousand-years of isolation, he couldn't help but be tolerant of her. The fact she had spent most of that time guiding the souls of her subjects and preventing them from becoming evil spirits was the main reason for this, but, more so than even that, he knew that Xinyue was, at the very core of her being, a good person. It was just that, after more than twenty-thousand-years with nothing but her own thoughts to keep her company, she had an understandably difficult time considering anyone's opinions but her own.

In the hopes that it would help her move beyond her desire for revenge and live a more peaceful life, Vahn provided Xinyue with a cultivation method he had transcribed from the Sacred Tome, the grimoire containing virtually all knowledge within the Transcendental Path to Heaven. This method, known as the 'Avesta az Spenta Ameraiti', was a technique derived from a Zoroastrian Goddess that presided over 'creative harmony', 'holy devotion', and the 'beauty of nature'.

The Divine Beings that gave rise to the concept of Zoroastrianism constituted one of the three most powerful factions in the entire Divine Realm, second only to the Primordial Dragon Gods. So long as she made an earnest effort to comprehend the cultivation method that had been provided to her, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Xinyue could, eventually, reached Tier 6. This would likely require several million years without any assistance, but, as one of the most powerful cultivation methods in the entire Order of Creation, she couldn't exactly complain.

Assuming she was able to comprehend the Laws contained within the 'Avesta az Spenta Amerait', Xinyue would effectively gain control over all terrestrial bodies within the Heavens. She would also gain absolute dominion over all plants and animals, including entities on the level of Yggdrasil and the Ancient Dragons that served under the Primordial Dragon Gods. The only downside was that, in exchange for unrivaled power, she would ultimately lose any desire to wield it. After all, in order to truly understand the Laws related to Creation, Life, and Nature, you would need to become a wholly selfless existence...

---

Unaware of Vahn's 'machinations', Xinyue was happily practicing the cultivation method that, thanks to Index, had been imprinted directly into her memories. This was one of the most 'broken' abilities possessed by the latter, and, unless the information was tampered with, it allowed anyone who had received knowledge from her to 'perfectly' recall every single detail. As a result, Xinyue had made a few minor breakthroughs in a very short period of time, so much so that she could now 'encourage' plants to grow faster simply by speaking to them.

Mastery over the Laws didn't require anything like energy reserves to power themselves, so, as long as the user had adequate comprehension, they could effectively alter reality through nothing more than their intent. The only thing that could counter or resist this effect was greater mastery over the Laws or an inordinately powerful will; so, unless you were facing off against something beyond your comprehension, mastery over the Laws superseded virtually all systems of power.

Motivated by the knowledge that she could effectively erase her enemies with a thought, so long as she truly believed it was possible, Xinyue was very earnest in her pursuit of mastering the 'Avesta az Spenta Amerait'. It helped that, due to the power of the cultivation method she had been provided, she was able to witness drastic results even after a few hours of reciting the mantra. Her confidence in her mind and spirit hadn't been baseless, as, after more than twenty-thousand-years of isolation, she could enter a meditative state almost instantaneously.

Since there were few things more cathartic than overcoming your past traumas in order to further your growth, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Xinyue's cultivation was very therapeutic for her. She seemed to genuinely enjoy conversing with various plants, and, though there were only a few varieties of animals contained within the Little Garden, she found it rather amusing that she could understand and command them. It gave her the impression that she was a Goddess, and, knowing there was a very real chance she could become one, it had become increasingly common to see her smiling.

Though it would likely take several years for her to make a full recovery, Vahn was optimistic after witnessing how quickly Xinyue was changing under the influence of her new cultivation method. It was almost like she had found her purpose in life, something far beyond the concepts of revenge and grand ambition. She had also found companionship in Mavis and Xerneas, so, while he couldn't help but worry about her, Vahn was confident she was now walking a much brighter path than the one she had been set upon by fate...

---

Coinciding with events taking place in the Little Garden, Vahn had also been kept busy aboard the Archimedes. His reputation among the female population had been steadily increasing, and, after his acceptance of Arryn, even the women who had previously given up on joining his team decided to try their luck at convincing him. This included one of Arryn's former teammates, but, knowing she was actually someone who had been commissioned by the Workshop to document the progress of the former, Vahn 'politely' informed her about the consequences of earning his ire.

Fortunately, even though the woman had been an agent of the Workshop, that didn't provide her with any actual authority. The person who had hired her was just a low-ranking Disciple, someone who had been stuck in their position for hundreds of years. He didn't even have a Teacher backing him, so, even if he was angered by Arryn's 'betrayal', there wasn't really anything he could do about it. Rather, with Phae having already become a Head Disciple, Vahn's influence in the Workshop was far greater than the average Disciple's.

In the end, largely due to Arryn's feelings of guilt, Vahn ended up soothing the tensions between himself and her former teammates by granting them numerous inconsequential items and a few hundred-thousand Points. He wasn't particularly fond of this method, as it felt like he was buying her from them, but, out of respect for her sentiments, he ultimately agreed to pacify the group's frustrations on the grounds that he had effectively poached the strongest member of their team. Afterward, however, he told them that, if they ever tried to pressure or exploit Arryn at any point in the future, they, quite literally, wouldn't be able to live with the consequences...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this the advent of Android 22!?','Xinyue is well on her way to becoming a Goddess of the Earth (OwO)...','These people are in for a shock once the next round starts xD...')

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