章 1972: Imminent
Emerging onto the 76th Floor, Vahn was unsurprised to find a large crowd of people waiting for them. This time, however, it wasn't simply paparazzi, agents of the Ten Great Families, and members of the Royal Enforcement Division awaiting their arrival. Instead, there was a large group of cloaked individuals wearings similar outfits, several of which Vahn could identify at a glance.
Though things were made a little awkward due to the presence of more than twenty women in his surroundings, Vahn immediately adopted a smile as he said, "Tarou, Soo-Yun, Marble. It's good to see you again. I see you've each become even more charming since our previous parting."
Not expecting Vahn to call out to her, Marble, the Dwelfling that had assisted Team Wolf Pack on the 3rd Floor of the Tower, spontaneously turned bright red. As for Tarou, the Administrator Vahn had met on the 11th Floor, and Soo-Yun, the Scout of Yuri's party, the former simply adopted a gratified smile while the latter remarked, "You're playing with fire, dragon boy. If you don't pick up the pace, Ureko really might kill you."
Despite understanding the seriousness of her words, Vahn couldn't help chuckling in response to Soo-Yun's remark. Almost immediately thereafter, however, he nearly ended up choking due to Mordred quietly noting, "Wow. Did Chichiue really do it with someone so tiny? That girl with the hooves can't be more than 120cm tall. How brave..."
Resisting the urge to smack the golden-haired girl on the back of her head, Vahn sent a warning look towards Mordred before turning to face the beet-red Marble. He wanted to clear things up, but, before a single syllable could escape his lips, the Law of Identity whispered, "She has actually been looking forward to it..." directly into his ear...
Seeing Vahn at a loss for words, Artoria promptly decided to lend her support, stepping forward to state, "We should move this discussion elsewhere." before shifting her gaze towards the exploration group and adding, "Same as usual. You have seventy-two-hours to explore. Don't wander too far. If something happens, don't hesitate to send a report."
Though some wanted to stick around and witness the drama, most of the exploration group quickly dispersed. This left Artoria, Gray, Mordred, and Fenrir to accompany Vahn, who, taking advantage of the sudden shift, elected to simply disregard Mordred's remark and the fact that the Law of Identity was hanging from his shoulders while borrowing Marble's form...
---
With Wolhaiksong's main base located just a single Floor higher, the peace and stability of the 76th Floor were exceptional compared to the many Floors preceding it. They even had numerous bases and military outposts disseminated throughout the Floor, so, while it was formally governed by the Po Bidau Family, many considered the 76th Floor to be under the control of Wolhaiksong.
At the direction of Soo-Yun, Vahn and Co were led to a surprisingly homely-looking inn that served, primarily, as a tavern. Wolhaiksong was vehemently against the notions of wealth and excess, so, as a matter of course, most of their facilities were designed with simplicity in mind. Many, in fact, were shaped from natural materials, and, more often than not, were built in the middle of forests, within mountain ranges, or deep beneath the ground. This had led to many decrying them as savages and backwater hicks, but, as time passed, a greater number of people had been flocking to Wolhaiksong in the search of a simpler, more honest, way of living.
Rather than showing even a hint of discomfort, Vahn couldn't help smiling when he was introduced to the rather roughshod abode. Others might find the scent of wood and moist soil offensive, but, as someone whose first home had been nothing more than a cave in the middle of the woods, Vahn had always preferred such aromas over the repugnance present within most cities. It wasn't without reason that the Emerald Grove had been built into the hills of the Eighth Layer, so, even before they had been checked into their room, his mood had already improved drastically.
Seeing Vahn react according to expectations, an amused smile developed across Soo-Yun's face as she took the initiative to straddle his lap the moment he sat down. This caused the atmosphere to immediately become awkward, but, without minding it in the slightest, she buried her face into his chest, saying, "First things first..." before promptly dozing off.
With Mordred remarking, "Are all the chibis within the Tower this bold?", Vahn couldn't help issuing an awkward chuckle even as he habitually wrapped his arms around Soo-Yun's body. Then, as if his lap wasn't occupied by a loli wearing nothing more than a bright-red zentai suit, he shifted his gaze to Tarou, asking, "How have you been? It feels like years have passed since the last time we met. I'm glad you decided to come out and meet me like this."
After an awkward chuckle of her own, Tarou picked a few strands of silver-grey hair from her face as she explained, "The higher-ups have been recalling everyone, even those who were on missions and conducting secret operations. Rumor has it, a certain Sage Dragon Emperor possesses the ability to realize our long-held dream. As for why I was elected to come and greet you like this...well, let's just say my position has improved quite a bit these last few months..."
Emphasizing her point, Tarou produced a twelve-winged badge from a secret pocket hidden in her vest. She was nowhere near the level required to possess such a coveted symbol, but, after learning of her brief liaison with Vahn, Ureko had forced the badge upon her. She had also been elevated to the status of Sister within the upper echelons of Wolhaiksong, an honorary position that effectively implied that Ureko would personally deal with anyone senseless enough to injure, offend, or harass her.
Recognizing the badge, a wry smile developed across Vahn's face as he softly issued, "Sorry. I didn't really have a grasp of Ureko's character at the time. I hope she hasn't pestered you too much..."
Waving her hands in a 'what the hell are you trying to say!?' kind of gesture, Tarou promptly replied, "It's not a problem! Hell, if anything, I should be thanking my lucky stars. I mean, it hasn't even been a year since I mistook you for nothing but a cheeky Regular with a hyperinflated ego and a big dick. I just wanted to scratch an itch and ended up sleeping with the literal God who intends to make our dreams a reality. If that isn't winning the lottery, I don't know what is."
Though he appreciated her words, Vahn couldn't help feeling a little taken aback by Tarou's casual mention of his penis. She didn't even seem to realize what she had said, a radiant smile dominating her face as she excitedly pumped her fists...
Deciding to change the topic before things developed in a strange direction, Vahn forced a sincere smile, saying, "Thanks..." before directing his gaze to the red-faced Marble with the intent of asking how she had been these past few months. Unfortunately, the moment his eyes met with her amber gaze, she released a startled, "Fwah...!?" sound before promptly pulling down her bandana to cover her face. Then, to add insult to injury, Soo-Yun, despite the fact she was still asleep, whispered, "This is what you get for playing with the hearts of so many women~." in an amused tone...
---
Receiving Soo-Yun's report later that same day, Yuri, wearing nothing but an Aegis top and bottom, raised her head slightly before using it to nudge the side of the topless woman she was using as a pillow, stating, "You owe me an hour of your time. I told you Vahn wouldn't deviate from his routine that easily. At least now you have a good reason to beat him up once he finally arrives~."
Grumbling in response to Yuri's words, the topless woman, Ureko, promptly rolled onto her back in order to catch the former in a headlock before saying, "You're becoming cheekier by the day. Don't think I won't grind your head until your hair falls out!"
Despite the drastic increase in her strength, Yuri had learned first-hand that Ureko wasn't someone she could defeat with raw power. She was a being on the same level as Vahn, so, even if she could, somehow, secure an advantage, it was impossible to actually come out on top. Ureko's power was simply limitless, and, no matter what kind of injuries she sustained, it didn't even take a full second for her to regenerate completely. To make matters even worse, her strength seemed to be whatever she needed it to be, so, no matter how much she powered up, Yuri had come to accept that Ureko would always be stronger.
Pulling at the overpowered blonde's arm to prevent her circulation from being cut off, Yuri adopted a teasing tone as she exclaimed, "Go ahead and try, you tyrannical bimbo! I'll just get Vahn to grow it back and pamper me even more...!"
Twisting to wrap her legs around Yuri's torso, Ureko put a bit more strength into her arms, easily overpowering her raven-haired companion before warning, "Don't push your luck, brat. You might be one of my favorite people in this hellhole of a Tower, but that doesn't mean I won't beat the shit out of you. Do I need to remind you which one of us is the 'big sister'...?"
With her face instantaneously turning purple, the only words Yuri could offer in response to Ureko's threat were croaking sounds. Fortunately, just as she was about to power up to her maximum, the irritable blonde released her neck before plopping back with her arms sprawled out and muttering, "If that bastard is even a minute late, I'm going to tear off his tail and shove it so far up his ass that the tip protrudes from his mouth..."
Though she was 'very' tempted to retaliate, Yuri ultimately just rubbed her neck while continuing to lay back against the sprawled out Ureko. They had actually become a lot closer after their previous battle, so, while there were moments when Ureko's 'instincts' caused her to behave in an oppressive manner, Yuri did her best not to take it to heart. Rather, if their positions were reversed, she would, most likely, treat Ureko in a comparable manner. They were both the type to communicate affection and express emotion through physical contact, so, while there times when things got out of hand, it never reached the point where genuine animosity would build between them...
Demonstrating this sentiment to the fullest, it wasn't long before Ureko wrapped her arms around Yuri's body, gently embracing her as she whispered, "Sorry..." in an apologetic tone. Then, with her face nestled into the nook between Yuri's head and shoulder, she began to affectionately nuzzle the black-haired beauty before planting a few kisses against the nape of her neck. This elicited a ticklish giggle from Yuri, who, in response to Ureko fondling her breasts, promptly twisted around to gently bite the latter's exposed nipple. She knew how much the half-dragon had been 'suffering' these last few months, so, whenever the opportunity presented itself, she didn't mind offering her 'assistance'. After all, despite her various flaws, Ureko was still her best friend, and, most importantly, they were each the person the other most empathized with throughout the entire Tower...
---
Unaware of the storm brewing on the 77th Floor, Vahn coordinated with Soo-Yun to transplant the official members of Wolhaiksong into the Little Garden. This was something he had discussed with Ureko long ago, so, while it was undoubtedly a little 'unfair' to others, he was intending to help the entire organization transfer to a higher realm without the need to transmigrate. Not everyone was eager to die in order for a chance to experience a new life, so, out of consideration for the group's ideologies, Vahn was going to help them bypass the reincarnation process so they could remain a 'family'. He knew how painful it was to be separated from one's family, so, even if it earned him the censure of his detractors, he didn't particularly care. The most important thing was that it 'felt' like the right thing to do. Thus, for the duration of his stay on the 76th Floor, Vahn transplanted more than sixteen-hundred people into an unclaimed area within the Second Layer...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this what they call Karma...!?','Not your average 'sisterly' bond...','Calm before the storm...')
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