Capítulo 1360: Recognition
After dispelling his Reality Marble, Ozymandias had a clearly somber expression on his face as he descended to rejoin the others. Altera was a monster beyond anything he could have imagined. She had even been able to cut down the Cosmos Sphinx, Wehem-Mesut; a being capable of reforming itself indefinitely; in a single blow. Since it had taken a blow in his stead, Ozymandias knew he had nearly lost his life at the hands of Altera; despite having taken her serious from the onset of battle...
What Ozymandias had no way of knowing was that Altera was an entity that, on a fundamental level, transcended traditional Heroic Spirits. She was a completely alien existence and, though the Throne of Heroes was able to call upon her Spirit; it also possessed the capabilities to call upon other Alien Heroes, Conceptual Entities, and even Outer Gods. She also possessed the titles of 'King of Combat' and the 'Great King of Destruction', legacies that granted her actual power through the Throne of Heroes.
Ozymandias also possessed two titles: 'King of Kings' and 'King of Construction' but, as a 'Great King of Destruction', Altera was basically a perfect counter to him. He could not create faster than she was able to destroy; even with a veritable ocean of magical power at his disposal.
From the very beginning, there had only ever been two outcomes to their battle: the first ending in Ozymandias' death and the second relying on Vahn's intervention. Now, the legendary King of Kings tasted his second defeat; this time learning the vastness of the heavens and the depths of history. He hadn't even been unrivaled during his lifetime so, while his pride would not allow him to easily lower his head to others; he understood there was a vast gulf between him and Altera...
Seeing the nightmarish woman passively receive Vahn's caress, Ozymandias was reminded of the fact that the latter wasn't a being to be trifled with. Altera wasn't even the strongest being under his authority so, while he had never harbored thoughts of rebellion; Ozymandias decided he would be an ardent supporter of the Empire. His time to rule had ended more than a millennium prior so now, fate willing, he would enjoy life alongside his beloved once again. This time, he would not allow his pride to invite tragedy into their lives...
---
With Ozymandias having joined them, Vahn stopped patting Altera's head to say, "I've decided to end our competition here. It was an error in my judgment to abstain from making a clear set of rules for everyone to follow. I wanted us to be able to go all out so that we might better understand each other moving forward. Ultimately, the victor of this event would have always been Artoria as, even if I went all out from the start; there is no real way to defeat her. If any of you would like to try, feel free to challenge her at your behest. For now, I officially declare this competition concluded."
Hearing Vahn claim that Artoria was the strongest among them, Nero couldn't help but give her doppelganger an intrigued look, musing, "Umu, I would like to challenge you. Forgive me if my words offend you but I can't begin to fathom how you could be stronger than me. I still wish to prove myself so I am unable to let things end like this."
Since she had been anticipating Nero's challenge from the start, Artoria was fully prepared to accept. She gave Vahn a look, asking with her eyes whether or not she could accept. As an Empress, she had a considerable amount of authority but; as Vahn had just announced the conclusion of the series of battles, she needed to confer with him. He may recognize her status as equal to her own but Artoria would not pass on an opportunity to elevate his status in the eyes of others.
Vahn would have preferred to end things there and then but, as a battle between Artoria and Nero could help to ease tensions; he ultimately decided to allow it. He was also curious about what would happen when Nero's performance came to an end so, without too much deliberation, he nodded his head and stated, "This will be the last battle of the day, then. Take care not to take things too far. If I feel things are getting out of hand, I will intervene without hesitation."
With Vahn's acquiescence, Nero gave her characteristic 'umu' while Artoria replied with a proper bow. Afterward, they both moved to their starting positions as Vahn, Ozymandias, Alexander, and Altera moved to the Imperial Viewing Area.
Once Vahn took his seat upon the Throne, he noticed that Altera was still holding her tri-colored blade in hand as she watched the battlefield with emotionless, calculating, eyes. He doubted she would jump into the battle without being told to but, just in case, he spoke in a faint tone, saying, "Altera, put away your weapon. There are no more battles for you to fight today. Relax and observe the battle..."
Hearing her Master's command, Altera turned to look back at him, answering, "I see..." in a soft monotone before placing her sword back into her chest. Then, with no other words necessary, she turned to observe the battle with an unwavering gaze.
Vahn had the distinct impression that Altera knew little other than battle so, while others may think it was a picturesque scene; with her delicate frame and veil-like hair flowing gently amidst a flurry of rose petals, he couldn't shake the feeling he was witnessing something somber and melancholic. He needed to learn more about her past before it caught up to all of them so, after the battle between Artoria and Nero; he needed to discuss the matter with Alaya, Merlin, Scáthach, and, Altera herself...
---
When the final battle between Nero and Artoria began, Vahn was slightly surprised when the former, instead of beginning her performance; charged toward Artoria with incredible speed. Her figure was momentarily shrouded amidst flames which, in the next moment, gave way to reveal a reddish-black sword without a guard. At the same time, her outfit had once again changed, this time into a brilliant red battle-dress accented with whites and gold. She also had a pauldron on her right shoulder, her dominant arm, and two form-fitting greaves that had prominent heels.
With a sudden and intense burst of speed, Nero closed the distance between herself and Artoria in an instant; the latter waiting to meet her blow head-on. Vahn was able to see exactly how broken the [Imperial Privilege: EX] was in this moment as, after having her somewhat clumsy blow deflected by Artoria, Nero's movements instantly became more graceful as she twirled around on her heel and began a flurry of blows; each faster and sharper than the last.
Artoria never looked down on her opponents so, even when Nero's movements became an almost perfect emulation of her own abilities; she hadn't been caught off guard. Instead, she decided to use it as an opportunity to push her own swordsmanship further, knowing full well there were heights far beyond her current level of skill. Thus, to the awe of everyone except Altera, the two near-identical girls began a hypersonic dance of death; the trajectory of their attacks nearly impossible to read as a gradually increasing number of rose petals danced around them...
Though he knew Nero hadn't gone 'easy' on him, Vahn could tell she had been keeping some of her skills a secret in order to display her full might against Artoria. The main purpose of her participation in today's challenge was to basically gain access to the Inner Sanctum so; from the beginning, Nero had set her sights on Artoria. In a way, she 'needed' to prove herself superior to the latter as, in her mind, it was simply unacceptable that someone borrowing her appearance was able to eclipse her in any category; even battle.
Unfortunately, even if she could display all of Artoria's skills with mastery, grace, and elegance, there was a gap in their parameters, overall battle experience, and ability to focus. Though she now had the earrings Vahn had given her, Nero still had trouble focusing her mind; even against an opponent right in front of her. Her nature made it nearly impossible for her to take a battle seriously as, due to her skewed view of what it meant to be an Emperor; she couldn't recognize that her opponent was a serious threat.
A stark contrast to Nero, Artoria entered into a state of absolute focus while in battle, her adherence to the chivalric code making it impossible for her to look down on opponents. She saw battles like this as an opportunity to improve herself, refine her skills, and breakthrough her limits. As for Nero, she saw battle as nothing more than a performance, a display of artistry, beauty, and elegance. Thus, as the battle progressed, Artoria was able to take advantage of the gaps in Nero's mentality; her holy sword periodically finding purchase to send out plumes of rose petals instead of blood...
During one particularly fierce exchange, Nero ended up getting cut from hip to chest in one clean swipe of Artoria's [Excalibur]. A massive plume of rose petals escaped from the wound and, as if she had only just realized she was in battle, momentary focus flashed across Nero's emerald-green eyes. In the next moment, she attempted to parry Artoria's follow-up strike but, with the latter putting a considerable amount of strength into the blow; Nero's sword was sent careening through the air as a second blow, running perpendicular to the former, crossed her body.
Despite these two blows, Nero's smile never waned in the slightest. She used her momentary focus to stare back at Artoria, finding the latter with an intense and dauntless expression. This seemed to be amusing to her as, with her body dissipating into thousands of rose petals; Nero smiled with even greater brilliance than normal as she mused, "Umu, truly a woman worthy of our Master. You do our appearance justice, Empress Artoria...now, allow me to answer your resolution in kind..."
With Nero's figure disappearing from view, Artoria turned her attention to the surroundings, looking for any sign of the former's figure. She noticed there was an incredible volume of rose petals flowing counterclockwise throughout the entire theater but, after seeing Vahn destroy the attack previously, she was confident in being able to do the same.
Just as during her battle with Vahn, Nero's body reformed almost immediately after her previous figure vanished. This time, she appeared next to where her sword had been lodged into a wall, one of the places Artoria had been paying attention to from the start. Thus, following the sound of a loud explosion, the two golden-haired beauties began another round of exchanges; this time with Nero's sword blazing with vermillion flames that intermixed with the mana shrouding Artoria's body in a beautiful, albeit explosive, manner.
Though the infusion of flames into her attacks might have pressured other opponents, Artoria had fought against Karna on several occasions. She was also adept at using [Cantus Bellax] to create a permanant shroud of mana around her body so, while the flames were intense enough to gradually melt the magically enchanted gold in their surroundings, it wasn't enough to singe a single hair on Artoria's head. Instead, her own attacks became more intense as she began to infuse a considerable amount of mana into each blow, pushing herself and Nero beyond their natural limits.
It was in the midst of these exchanges that Nero began to notice with increasing excitement that her usual headaches were nowhere to be seen. Even though she had started to focus on the battle, there was a gentle flow of energy in her mind that allowed her to remain calm; something that, if not for her status as an Emperor; would have brought a tear to her eye. Now, it brought an excited smile to her face as, with ever-increasing intensity, she began to meet Artoria's blows; her jubilation fueling her to continue.
As the intensity of the battle increased, so too did the volume of rose petals within the theater. There was also an audible sound of applause resonating throughout the grand hall, its volume tied to the intensity of the duo's 'performance'. Vahn had speculated this was the case during his battle against Nero so it was interesting to confirm it from the perspective of a spectator. From here, he could get a much better grasp on the nature of Nero's Noble Phantasm; using it as inspiration to empower his own Reality Marble in the future...
Eventually, the sound of applause reached a crescendo and, after one particularly intense exchange with Artoria, Nero allowed her sword to be knocked aside freely. Then, spreading her arms wide, she fell towards the ground with an almost amorous look on her face as she allowed herself to crash into the floor below.
Since she had already seen Nero perform this same technique previously, Artoria wasted no time in pulling out and activating her [Avalon]. Then, as Nero appeared in the center, how having reverted back to her rose-red dress, Artoria, surprisingly, stored away [Excalibur]. Instead, she pulled out one of the most powerful, and awe-inspiringly beautiful, armaments in the entire world: [Rhongomyniad], the Lance that Shines to the Ends of the World.
Even Nero was captivated by the beauty of Artoria's spear, stopping her dance mid-step as she could tell there was no point in continuing. Then, for the second time in a single day, albeit with a smile on her face, she watched as her most powerful attack was destroyed. Artoria needed only raise her holy spear towards the sky to cause a majestic pillar of light to shatter, not just her theater, but Arcueid's Marble Phantasm. Fortunately, in preparation for these exact circumstances, the original location of the battle had taken place high above Avalon; even further up than where Leviathan usually idled...
When [Rhongomyniad]'s light finally faded away, 80% of Nero's theater, with the exception of the Imperial Viewing Area and the first floor, had been completely annihilated. To further emphasize her complete victory, Artoria didn't even seem winded by the attack as she stood proud; her aura both majestic and inviolable. In this form, she was virtually immune to any kind of damage, even that from True Magic and High Thaumaturgy. At the same time, she had one of the most powerful weapons in the entire Record in hand, it's full power able to deal lasting damage to even Tier 5 entities.
With all of these things in her favor, even Altera wouldn't be able to contend against Artoria as, even with her monstrous power, she would be unable to 'reach' the latter. It was for this reason that Vahn had stated that Artoria was certain to be the winner as, even if he went all out, the best he could do is leave her with light wounds as they fought a literally endless battle. Though he would undoubtedly find some way to bypass her defenses, likely by entering Avalon himself, this wasn't something that others could hope to achieve without the all-powerful cheat that was Source Energy...
Thus, without any further suspense, the battle between Artoria and Nero was brought to an end as the latter gave a curt nod and muttered, "You performed exceptionally. Umu, this is my utter defeat." Then, having overtaxed her body far beyond its limits, Nero fell backward with her arms spread wide, a bed of rose petals spontaneously manifesting to cushion her fall...
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Capítulo 1361: Festive : Routine
With the battle between Artoria and Nero coming to an end, Vahn took the opportunity to applaud them both. It had been like watching a dance between two master swordswoman and, though the end had been determined from the start; seeing how things played out was a sight to behold. If he had any critique at all, it was that Artoria should have waited for Nero's attack to complete before she ended the battle...
Hearing Vahn clapping, Artoria briefly turned her attention toward the stands; performing a proper bow before moving to help Nero stand. The latter hadn't lost consciousness but, after falling onto the bed of rose petals, she just stared toward the sky above, a contented smile on her face. When Artoria came to help her up, she briefly glanced at the former's outstretched hand before accepting it and saying, "I will become stronger. Umu, one day, I will prove my worth as a woman worthy of our Master's affection..."
Though it filled her with a fair amount of exasperation to hear Nero's remark, Artoria had made her decision prior to the battle. It would be more troublesome to leave Nero to her own devices and, with her appearance being similar to several current residents; they would all have misgivings if she were to be involved with someone other than Vahn. Nobody wanted to see someone with a similar appearance to themselves behaving in an uncouth and unrestrained manner with a man other than the one they collectively loved...
Knowing full well how licentious and free Nero was with her love, having her devote herself to Vahn was the simplest solution to the problem. This victory was merely to forcibly change the perspective of the proud Empress as; if she continued to believe she was simply above everyone else; it would be impossible to restrain her. Like this, there was a chance Artoria could restrain some of Nero's more troublesome behaviors and, in time, there was a chance Nero could become something akin to a body double...
With this in mind, Artoria restrained a sigh; instead, adopting a slight smile as she stated, "You need not trouble yourself, Empress Nero. While I may have been the victor, none present would dare claim you lack worth. Though your behavior will need to be addressed, it would be my honor to invite you into the sisterhood of the Inner Sanctum..."
Hearing Artoria's words, Nero was at a momentary loss but, after a few seconds had passed, a smile spread across her lips as she intoned an 'umu' and said, "I'll be in your care then, Empress Artoria. It would seem I have much to learn about the etiquette of the Empire. Until then, I will observe your behavior closely. Umu..."
Seeing the two similar women shake hands with each other, Vahn's smile curled up at the edges. It would be best if Artoria and the others began proactively vetting and guiding girls like Nero, Altera, Okita, and even Jeanne. Though it was normal for an Emperor to have an entourage, Vahn felt a bit of pressure whenever he was accompanied by the usual trio. It made his interactions with others a little awkward while also distancing them from the others. There wasn't much he could do about his nature so he could only rely on the patience and tolerance of the many women under his umbrella...
---
With the event coming to a conclusion, everyone participated in a banquet to turn any bitter feelings into positive rapport. Most people were rather fond of festivities so, in order to celebrate the arrival of so many new residents of the Empire; Vahn gave a small speech before enjoying delicious food and drink alongside his new companions.
As could be expected, Alexander, Nero, and even Altera took part in a few active challenges; most of which involved food and drink. Alexander had tried to challenge Karna to an arm-wrestling contest but, due to their slight inebriation, they ended up smashing the table as soon as the match began. This put a stop to such activities, even if Alexander's infectious laugh turned the incident into an entertaining affair...
At this point, there were more than fifty people attending the banquet, not even counting the small horde of Companions, several very noticeable Guardians, and a whole host of Homunculi attendants. It made Vahn happy to see so many people gathered together; everyone having fun without caring for pretenses of status and other meaningless things. He could understand why the Gods back in the Record of Danmachi formed Familias as, while they may not care for each of their 'children' with the same degree of focus; just having a large number of people gathered together turned small events into festive celebrations.
Vahn knew many people would envy the position he was in but, even if they were given the chance to swap places with him; he doubted they would be able to truly appreciate what he had created. If they had that capability, they would have formed a small community, Kingdom, or even an Empire. Still, despite this, Vahn wanted to share happy moments like this, paving the way for others to taste even a fraction of what he experienced on a daily basis. To achieve this, he would need to carry out his plans without fail; no matter what his enemies, the world, or the cosmos threw at him...
---
Since nearly every resident of the Ivory Castle had gathered together for the banquet, Vahn used the opportunity to complete his daily rounds; intending to check up on Azathoth, Tiamat, and Semiramis in turn. The latter wasn't fond of loud celebrations so, despite having been invited to participate, she opted to remain in the Hanging Gardens; knowing full well that Vahn would eventually come to visit.
Knowing he would be stuck with Semiramis for a few hours, at the very least, Vahn opted to visit the slumbering Azathoth first. As usual, he found the infamous Outer God sleeping peacefully within the massive and comfortable bed that had been prepared for them. They rarely moved between Vahn's visits, caring little about the world around them and the universe that existed within their dreams...
Seeing the slumbering youth with a slight smile on their face, Vahn couldn't help but apologetically smile as he asked, "How are they?" in a somber tone.
Without moving in the slightest, Azathoth's youthful voice echoed within Vahn's mind, stating in a lazy but slightly happy tone, ("Some of them have done surprisingly well for themselves. It won't be long before they give in to despair, however. I can feel them break further with each death, the hope they had in escaping diminishing with every passing day~"
Hearing Azathoth's somewhat playful tone, Vahn released a small sigh as he reflected on his decision to toss various members of the Noble Faction into Azathoth's dimension. Even though the latter had done nothing to torment them, the chaotic dreamscape wasn't a place most people would be able to live. This was the most terrifying aspect of Azathoth, however, as death did not provide any form of release to those trapped within. Everything within had some form of immortality so, even if they wanted to take their own lives; they had no choice but to live on as penance for their past sins...
In a way, Azathoth was serving as the gatekeeper of 'Hell', much like how Ereshkigal had been the Queen of the Underworld during the Age of Gods. Those trapped within his dimension would keep dying over and over until they eventually broke completely; their souls effectively leaving their body to return to the cycle of reincarnation. It was an inarguably cruel punishment but, as their lives inside were lived entirely without interference, Vahn didn't actually accumulate much negative Karma; even if he felt somewhat guilty.
If he wasn't aware of the monstrous acts they had committed in life, Vahn would have granted those inside the mercy of a final death long ago. Instead, they would revive for as many people as they had killed in life; suffering the burden of their own sins...
Deciding not to ruminate over the fates of monstrous individuals, Vahn shook his head, clearing his thoughts before asking, "Is there anything you need?"
Since he didn't really care about anything but slumbering endlessly, Azathoth's laughter sounded in Vahn's head for a few moments before he answered, "Your concerns are appreciated...for now, I am content with staying here like this...my pillows are soft and my blankets are comfortable...I can think of nothing to make my current life more pleasant..."
Hearing Azathoth's usual answer, Vahn gave a curt nod before turning away and reminding, "If you think of anything, please, let me know. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
Following his parting words, Vahn began his ascent towards the surface; Azathoth's echoing in his mind, answering with a variation of their usual reply, ("Thank you for always visiting me...next time, maybe we can sleep together...I enjoy watching you interact with my dreams...")
Since he had been pretty busy with other things lately, Vahn didn't really have the time to delve into Azathoth's dimension recently. Though he could stay inside for years at a time without any seeming to pass in reality, it always left him with incongruous feelings after leaving. This didn't bother Vahn all that much but, with the current state of the world, he needed to keep to properly focus on his daily life.
Still, he didn't want Azathoth to experience anything like loneliness so, with a casual wave of his hand, he responded, "Once things settle down a bit outside, I'll be sure to explore your dreams once again. When that time comes, show me all the interesting things you've created, okay...?"
---
After leaving Azathoth's 'shrine', Vahn wasted no time in teleporting away; his destination a glowing white 'cacoon'; the outer shell that represented Tiamat's version of a Marble Phantasm. It was a place others were disallowed entry but, after placing his palm against the surprisingly warm surface; Vahn was transported to a massive cavern that appeared to be at the bottom of the sea. There was water flowing in a massive vortex more than 5km in diameter; it's overwhelming force seemingly kept at bay by an invisible membrane, one that allowed free passage while keeping out only the water and other organisms...
At the very center of this massive vortex, a 50m tall figure could be seen hovering in mid-air, its body bound by pale-golden chains as it stood ramrod straight; observing Vahn with cross-shaped pupils and uncommon pink eyes. Her aqua-blue hair, reminiscent of the sea itself, flowed gracefully around her body; a sight Vahn had grown increasingly fond of with the passage of time.
By the time he had approached the base of Tiamat's feet, she had shrunk from her 50m height down to a more natural 160cm. It was a little 'distracting' to see a 50m tall woman with virtually no clothes on so, during his previous visits, Vahn asked Tiamat to shrink down so he could easily converse with her. It was difficult to communicate with someone when their eye was bigger than you so, after the first time; where he had floated in front of her gigantic face; Vahn had ultimately asked her to reduce her size for his own convenience...
Though Tiamat hadn't spoken a single word since their first meeting, Vahn convinced himself that she was slowly growing accustomed to him. At the very least, she seemed to take all of his words to heart; even if he didn't voice them as orders. This showed that she was considerate of his words and actions as, even without conveying his intent; Tiamat hovered at a comfortable distance, presenting her head for petting. At the same time, Alaya manifested herself at a similar size, adopting a human form not all that dissimilar from her counterpart's...
Vahn knew Alaya still had the 'objective' of sleeping with him and getting impregnated but, as he had become rather fond of her over the last two years, he didn't mind pampering her. He wouldn't sleep with her until she was free from Akasha's influence but, with the amount of progress she had been making; it wouldn't be too much longer before they shared a few intimate moments. For now, she needed to be content with simple skinship; setting an example for Tiamat to follow...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Just according to keikaku...(keikaku means plan)','*Casually creates a version of Hell for sinners...*','The Godhand will conquer all, in time')
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