Ignoring the molten stone gradually hardening around him, Vahn continued to stare up at the sky with an absentminded smile on his face. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he was in the center of a massive crater, his eyes glistening with a cyan reflection as he gazed at the massive spell circle spreading across the sky.
For a moment, it seemed like the inordinately complex series of magic circles would spread to cover the entire Heavens, but, after spreading three kilometers, the edges became wispy before ultimately disappearing entirely. This caused the entire spell circle to temporarily become unstable, but, under the nearly unrivaled control of the caster, it was quickly modified to fit within the confines of Vahn's domain. Then, seemingly without even a hint of mercy, the mature beauty floating near the center of the formation adopted a cruel smile as she softly uttered, "Kosmike Katastrofe..."
Immediately following the utterance, the temperature around Vahn, extending for several hundred meters, instantaneously dropped to absolute zero as jagged pillars of ice erupted from the ground. At the same time, the entirety of Vahn's domain was filled with a hazy white glow, the result of the interior temperature dropping to around -270°C. This gave the battlefield an appearance similar to a snow globe, and, for a brief moment, even time seemed to have been frozen by the catastrophic attack.
Seemingly unaffected by the surrounding temperatures, Vahn slowly rose to a seated position, his movements shattering the icy pillars that had encapsulated him. This subsequently resulted in him being buried by the icy debris, but, as if it had absolutely no mass, he was able to extricate himself from it by simply floating upwards like a balloon through empty air.
Coming to a stop right in front of the mature beauty who had attempted to imprison him, a wry smile spread across Vahn's face as he remarked, "I'll need to conduct additional experiments, but it seems like I've become completely immune to damage within my own domain...how troublesome..."
Rolling her eyes in response to Vahn's complaint, the woman casually closed the remaining distance between them, her arms wrapping around his naked body as she replied, "What meaning is there in taking damage when you can never truly die? The end result remains unchanged, so why would you be upset? Did you become a masochist when I wasn't looking...?"
Chuckling in response to the woman's words, Vahn returned her embrace with his own, cradling her in his arms as he mused, "Only in your dreams..." before planting a kiss on her forehead.
Seemingly interpreting Vahn's words as a challenge, a predatory smile spread across the woman's face as she attempted to grab his exposed member. Before she could, however, Vahn gave her butt a light pinch before phasing through her body and remarking, "There will be plenty of time for that later. Besides, if we're going to play around, I'd much rather keep the real you company. It feels like it's been a while since I last heard you crying out my name..."
With a crimson hue spreading across her face, the woman, Eva, gathered a phenomenal amount of mana into her hand before punching the back of Vahn's head. This caused a massive shockwave to ripple through the atmosphere, shattering the icy particles that continued to permeate the entirety of Vahn's domain. Unfortunately, other than flattening part of his hair with her fist, Eva was unable to deal even a minimal amount of damage with her full-force blow.
Turning to face his assailant, Vahn a similarly wry smile as before, rubbing the back of his head as he said, "I was just joking...besides, you know I like it when you call out my name. There is nothing to be ashamed of..."
With her face turning gradually redder, Eva looked like she was on the verge of exploding due to a combination of rage and embarrassment. This caused Vahn's expression to soften into a somewhat apologetic smile, but, before he could say anything, she just sighed huffily, crossing her arms as she remarked, "I'm not going to argue with you. Just know that I'll have my revenge once we return to the Realm..."
Choosing not to comment on Eva's still-present blush, Vahn nodded his head in response to Eva's words before equipping a new set of clothes. His previous set had been completely obliterated, a surprisingly common occurrence whenever he was involved. He had tried to prevent this numerous times, but, no matter how robust his personal armaments were, they invariably turned to dust the moment he faced off against a powerful foe.
Shaking his head in response to the wayward train of thought, Vahn surprised Eva by spontaneously lifting her into a princess carry. Then, before she could protest, he teleported to the location of an ongoing banquet that was attended by his primary vessel, more than thirty residents of Avalon, and virtually every inhabitant of the Emerald Grove. This included most of his wives, and, though it was a little risky, even Xysteria had been allowed to visit. She wasn't allowed to wander very far, but, at the very least, she was able to interact with others in a way that couldn't be achieved within the Realm...
---
After a 'very' long celebration, Vahn had most of the central figures within the Realm gather within the facility that had been constructed by the Little Garden's R&D Department. There was still a lot they needed to discuss, and, thanks to Da Vinci, Vahn now had a much better understanding of the current situation. To that end, he gathered everyone's attention by gesturing for silence, a serious expression replacing his usually relaxed smile as he said, "Now that things have developed to this point, everyone here has an important decision to make..."
Picking up where Vahn trailed off, Da Vinci went on to explain, "As it stands, our powers, nay, our very existences, are akin to realistic illusions. The moment we attempt to leave the boundaries of Vahn's domain, we will, quite literally, cease to exist within this world. Though it is safe to assume that Vahn can simply manifest us anew, this places a heavy strain on his power. The more of us he summons, the smaller his domain becomes. In order to stay in this world for any reasonable length of time, the best option seems to be transplanting our souls into physical vessels that are bound by the Laws of this world. This will require us to grow our power from scratch, but, so long as we make use of the Little Garden, it should only take a few years for us to regain our respective powers."
Without even a moment's hesitation, Mordred slammed the table with enough force to splinter it as she shouted, "I want to fight alongside Chichiue! Even if I have to be reborn and remade a thousand times, my decision won't change...!"
Though he felt a sense of vindication hearing Mordred's exclamation, Vahn still gestured for her to calm down as a wry yet prideful smile developed across his face. This caused the fiery tomboy's face to turn slightly red, but, even after plopping back onto her seat, an excited light continued to burn within her eyes. She was happy to be the first to speak out, and, seeing the appreciation contained within Vahn's gaze, it was difficult to prevent a toothy grin from spreading across her face...
Following Mordred's outburst, virtually everyone present expressed their desire to be reborn within the Transcendental Path to Heaven. They wanted to be of use to him, and, though they enjoyed life within the Realm, possessing 'absolute power' in a world that didn't require such extremes made it difficult to focus on things like training and research. The flow of time within the Realm could also be stopped at Vahn's leisure, so, even if they spent thousands of years helping him pursue his goal, no harm would befall the Empire in their absence.
In the end, the only person adamant about remaining in the Realm was Da Vinci. She, like any other Tier 5, could easily continue her research so long as Vahn allowed her to exist outside the Principle Axis of Time. There were a number of projects she wanted to complete, and, more importantly, she still wanted to help reconcile the Laws within the Realm with those of the Outside world. She knew it was only a matter of time before travel between the two became possible, so, rather than give up her power and abandon all her projects, she was determined to continue making headway until the inevitable moment when the Transcendental Path to Heaven became just another part of Vahn...
---
After what felt like months within the Little Garden, Vahn emerged to find himself within his room aboard the Hell Train. This caused him to pause for several minutes, his mind momentarily drawing a blank as memories of the events preceding his most recent awakening gradually resurfaced. Now, however, his rage had dulled considerably, and, after conducting a number of experiments with his [Actualization] Innate, the affairs of the Tower suddenly seemed distant and mundane...
Giving himself a few light pats on the cheeks, similar to someone trying to psyche themselves up in front of a mirror, Vahn extricated himself from the bed before summoning, not just Fenrir and Ryun, but Illya, Artoria, Gray, Mordred, Eva, Asuna, and Karin to his side. He had agreed to let them travel alongside him whenever he was inside of a Regular area, so, for the last five months, they had been training themselves tirelessly to master their chosen Positions.
As could be expected, Illya and Eva had both chosen to become Wave Controllers while Artoria and Asuna had dutifully selected Fisherman as their primary Positions. Far more surprising was the fact that Mordred, Karin, and Gray had all chosen to become Scouts, but, considering they could just as easily fill every other Position, it didn't really matter. Mordred just wanted the opportunity to charge ahead of everyone else, and, thanks to her experience leading shock troops, she was 'very' skilled at catching enemies by surprise...
Unable to contain himself, a natural smile spread across Vahn's face the moment he summoned the girls from within the Little Garden. He always felt happier whenever they were around, but, more so than that, it was the appearance of the girls that brought a smile to his face. With the exception of Karin, who currently sported a pair of perky cat ears and a tail, each of the other girls had adopted marginally more youthful, slightly draconic, features.
Though they had always greatly resembled each other, Artoria, Mordred, and Gray could now be mistaken as triplets. The only differences between them were their individual styles, and, as could be expected, their hair, eye, horn, and tail colors. Artoria and Mordred still possessed their golden locks, but, out of consideration for their original selves, the former's draconic features were white while the latter's were red. As for Gray, she was the most unique amongst the three due to her left horn being black while her right horn was white. This feature also appeared in her tail, but, rather than being split down the center, the exterior was covered in pitch-black scales while the underside was covered in a contrasting white.
Since Artoria and Mordred had already been dragons prior to their 'rebirth', they had a much easier time adapting to their new forms. Gray had a marginally more difficult time, but, after some 'careful' guidance from her senior dragons, she was eventually able to get her emotions and instincts under control. As for Asuna and Eva, neither had any particular issues due to their inordinate mastery over their own emotions. Asuna had even remastered the State of Nothingness in a very short period of time, and, though she had momentarily become a lot more 'fierce' during their lovemaking, it only took a few weeks for Eva to mellow out.
Understanding that the girls simply wanted to feel closer to him, Vahn had no problems recreating them as True Dragons. He had always been weak against such sentiments, and, though it resulted in him suffering quite a number of bites and bruises, he didn't particularly mind. Rather, he had always been rather fond of girls with tails, and, more than any other, dragon girls had thick, muscular, and pleasantly squishy tails. The only sensation he enjoyed more was fluffing up and snuggling Fenrir's ears and tail, traits that were now possessed by both Ryun and Illya...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Now he is almost indistinguishable from an Axis User...','It is difficult being a warrior in a Realm of perpetual peace...','RIP Tower-chan...')
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Since virtually everything in the Tower was new to them, the Hell Train included, Vahn gave the girls a detailed overview of the current situation while guiding them to where the God of Guardians was located. They had all basically 'reincarnated' into the current Record, and, unlike Fenrir, their origins had very little to do with The Path. He was hoping this would allow them to undergo the process of Revolution, and, if they were lucky, it might provide them a significant increase in power.
Though their combat experiences and mastery over certain Laws would allow them to fight against much stronger foes, each of the girls, on average, had the equivalent strength of a B-Rank Regular. This was in spite of the fact they possessed the inordinately powerful physiques of a True Dragons, and, most importantly, functionally unlimited reserves of energy.
Given enough time, the girls would invariably become some of the most powerful beings within the entire Record, but, for the time being, they were still adapting to the changes of their body and the instability of their Soul. The process of separating them from the Realm and transplanting them into the Record was an incredibly destructive process, and, if not for his recent breakthrough into Tier 5, effectively allowing him to manifest their Spirits within his domain, it would have been exceptionally difficult to prevent their Egos from fragmenting.
Unfortunately, regardless of his skill level, it was impossible to prevent some amount of 'loss' during the transition. The boundless energy comprising their Egos was something altogether foreign to the current Record, so, even after the transfer, they needed to stay within the bounds of his domain for several months. During this time, they were required to cultivate numerous techniques that would, slowly but surely, replace the energy within their Ego. This was an exceptionally painful process, but, considering the alternate was the effective erasure of their Selves, everyone who had chosen to exit the Realm had been required to endure it.
Now, after a month of rehabilitation and training, the girls were more determined than ever to stay at his side, and, just as they wished to support him, Vahn was more than willing to do the same. His journey might result in him standing alone at the pinnacle of all creation, but, until that penultimate moment, he was happy to journey alongside the people he loved. Just being around them filled him with a sense of purpose, and, though their presence reminded him of the family he had left behind, these same sentiments became the motivation propelling him further forward...
---
Giving voice to the words that had danced across everyone else's minds, Eva adopted a slightly incredulous expression as she looked up at the God of Guardians and remarked, "Someone's been eating their wheaties..."
Cocking his head to the side, visible confusion could be seen in Donar's countenance as he said, "I did not expect you back so soon...have you brought these people here to undergo Revolution?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn plopped his hand down on Mordred's head, ruffling her hair as he said, "These are my family and loved ones. Though they are far removed the concept of what you refer to as the 'outside', they should better fit the definition of what you call an Irregular. I want you to allow them to undergo Revolution, starting with this spunky young lady."
Happy to both have her head pat and her name volunteered to be the first to receive strength, a toothy smile immediately developed across Mordred's face as she puffed out her modest chest and exclaimed, "Give me your best! I can overcome any challenge you throw at me, mountain man...!"
Frowing in response to the woman's boastful words, Donar felt compelled to say something, but, with Vahn smiling up at him, he felt that doing so would be a mistake. Instead, he leaped up to the top of the Rice Pot, opening the lid as he explained, "I'm afraid only one person can experience the process of Revolution at a time. There are only five days until the train reaches the next destination. Are you sure you wish to start now?"
Preempting any further discussion, Mordred skillfully leaped to the edge of the Rice Pot before hopping inside. This was her opportunity to surpass her mother, and, though it might only be for a short period of time, it was something she had dreamed of for hundreds of years. Just the thought of being the 'strongest' made her feel giddy and excited, so, regardless of the consequences, she charged forward without any hesitation...
Understanding her daughter's thoughts, Artoria couldn't help but shake her head as she remarked, "That child still lacks discipline...I wonder which of us is most to blame...?"
Though he knew this was her attempt at making a joke, a glimmer of guilt could be seen in Vahn's eyes as he adopted a wry smile and rubbed the back of his head. This earned him amused giggles from several of the girls, Artoria included.
Fortunately, while they had each come to enjoy teasing him quite a bit, the girls generally held back their urges whenever 'outsiders' were present. This was especially true for Artoria, who, prior to her 'rebirth', asked if her status as a Knight could be reinstated. Becoming his Empress was one of the proudest moments in her entire life, but, first and foremost, she had the heart and soul of a Knight. She also had very little interest in politics after experiencing the idyllic structure of the Empire, so, at least for the time being, she wanted to walk a path separate from her status as the Phoenix Dragon Empress.
As his official Knight Commander, helping to maintain his image was one of the duties Artoria took most seriously. Because of this, her expression immediately turned into a more serious countenance the moment Donar, the God of Guardians, leaped down from the Rice Pot. She even moved to step in between them, her hand naturally gravitating towards the handle of her Asauchi. She had lost the ability to wield both Excalibur and Rhongomyniad, for obvious reasons, so, while he fully expected her to awaken a Zanpakuto with a similar shape, the current Artoria wielded a sword reminiscent of the Caliburn at her hip.
Understanding her expectations of him, Vahn performed a stopping gesture with his right hand as he stated, "Stand down." in a commanding voice. In response, Artoria promptly retracted her hand from her blade, and, though it was entirely unnecessary, she performed an irreproachable Knight's salute before taking her place at his side. This caused the God of Guardians no small measure of confusion, but, rather than comment on it, he asked, "Will you remain here until your companion emerges? In some cases, Revolution can take several months. When Jahad and the Great Warriors boarded this train in the ancient past, it took nearly six years for them to complete their training..."
Having already formed Pactios with Mordred and most of the other girls, Vahn shook his head in response to the God of Guardians' words, saying, "She possesses the means to contact us once she has completed her Revolution. Though I'll have someone periodically check in on her, our principal objective is the elimination of the entity known as White. If Mordred emerges before then, you can just teach her that unique Shinsu Control Skill of yours. Just be careful. She can be a little 'spirited' at times."
Though he felt like Vahn had just entrusted him with a short-fused explosive, Donar still nodded his head before saying, "Very well. Since each of your companions are qualified to undergo Revolution, they also possess the right to learn the same control technique bestowed upon Jahad and the Great Warriors, the Shinsu Black-Hole Sphere. You possess the same right, but, considering the power you already possess, I'm not sure how useful it would be for you..."
Chuckling in response to the man's words, Vahn gestured towards Eva, Illya, and Fenrir catching the trio's attention as he stated, "There are five days remaining until our arrival at the next station. Until then, I'll have you teach your control technique to these three lovely ladies. Among the people here, they are the most talented when it comes to the external manipulation of energy. They may not be able to master it in such a brief span of time, but I have absolute confidence in their ability to grasp the technique before the week's end."
Though they could appreciate Vahn's trust in them, the reactions of the trio were significantly less zealous than the fervor displayed by Mordred. Eva even adopted a frown, her brows creased ever so slightly as she asked, "Do you think I'll just let you run off while I spend the next five days training? I don't give a damn about some special control technique. Hell, I can probably create an actual Black Hole if I really wanted to. Why would I stay here and accept the teachings of someone else? Are you looking down on me?"
Finding himself at a loss, Vahn simply adopted an awkward smile in response to Eva's rebuttal. He hadn't exactly forgotten how willful she could be, but, now that they were traveling together, it was apparent he would need to take this into consideration when he was making decisions. At the very least, he could have avoided the current situation by asking for her opinion rather than putting her name forward and deciding without her input. Now, she would be very resistant to the idea of them separating, as, more than anything else, her primary reason for venturing into this world was to stay at his side. The idea of separating, even for the purpose of training, was something she was bound to oppose, seemingly with extreme prejudice.
Realizing she might have overreacted, Eva adopted a slightly apologetic expression, arms crossed as she added with a huff, "If you really want me to stay and learn-"
Interrupting before she could finish, Vahn shook his head, his smile turning gentle and affectionate as he remarked, "No. It's fine. I should have taken your feelings into consideration. Though I want to track down White before FUG manages to unseal him, I shouldn't be prioritizing some random guy I've never met over the people I genuinely care about. For now, how about we all learn the Shinsu Black Hole Sphere together? Who knows, Mordred might even finsh her Revolution in the next five days. I imagine she would be a lot happier if we're all waiting here when she emerges..."
Though she couldn't help feeling marginally guilty, a loving smile spread across Eva's face as she nodded in response to Vahn's words. She knew she had probably overreacted, but, after several months of painful preparations, the thought of separating so soon made her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to become stronger, sure, but, more so than anything else, she just wanted to spend more time with the person she loved. This was a sentiment shared by most of the women who had chosen to accompany him, the sole exception being Karin, who, despite coming to worship Vahn as her God, primarily emerged from the Realm in order to accompany Eva...
---
Unaware of what was taking occurring outside, Mordred could be seen lazily blowing bubble as she continued to descend further into the seemingly endless abyss. She had never been known for her patience, so, despite only a few hours having passed, she was already beginning to lose interest in the Rice Pot. The only thing the kept her calm was the knowledge that, the longer it took for her to descend, the greater her potential. She knew it had taken three days for Fenrir to reach the bottom, so, at the very least, she was prepared for her descent to last around the same length of time...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'True Dragons are hax...','Revolution~!','Imagine Mordred's reaction when it takes less than a day for her to reach the bottom xD...')
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