The smile on Vahn's face had frozen up a bit but he eventually managed to thaw out and say, "No, it's fine, you don't have to worry about it. However, I may...ask for your assistance in the future?" Vahn knew Terra would eventually have to relieve her body of the relatively valuable fluid and he was wondering how the organ functioned in her dragon form. It was a very awkward part of the body to obtain the sap from, but it wasn't as though Terra was actually a human so he would have to get over his discomfort eventually. For the time being, however, Vahn would ask for the assistance of Riveria or...
As Vahn was thinking about the reliable High Elf, he could feel a cold sweat on his brow as Sis immediately said, (*I'm sorry, Vahn, I completely forgot about that matter...*) Though Sis was very reliable most of the time, she was still part of Vahn and could make mistakes and oversights on occasion. She had been analyzing data for Vahn earlier and had forgotten to remind him that he promised to let Riveria observe the naming ceremony. He had been so 'intent' of taking care of it right after reaching the surface that his confidence had thrown her off. It happened very rarely, but this wasn't the first time Sis had made a mistake, not that it was actually her responsibility to remember things for him. Vahn would have to apologize to Riveria tomorrow when he introduced her to Terra...
After shaking the image of Riveria's cold gaze from his mind, Vahn gave Terra one last pat on the head before pulling his hand away. The corners of her eyes twitched slightly and she had a somewhat sad expression on her face before smiling gently. Vahn returned her smile and said, "Don't worry, I treat my Familiars like my actual family, so I will pamper you a little in the future..." Terra's ears twitched in response to his words and Vahn's eyes were drawn to the pointed ears that were actually lined with leafy-green scales that made them blend in with her hair. They were so similar that Vahn had completely overlooked them earlier because of how curly and long Terra's hair was. It extended nearly to the middle of her back, stopping just before her wings sprouted, and even her bangs nearly reached her brows.
Terra was a very 'interesting' woman, but Vahn would wait until she was more comfortable in her form, and had more loyalty toward him before he approached her in a studious manner. For the time being, he would let her adapt to the changes in her life while trying to ensure she can enjoy the peace she sought as the Green Dragon. Looking toward the other girls, who had slightly dazed expressions Vahn laughed and said, "Okay, I think it's time for us to return home. Remember, Terra is part of our family from now on, so look after her until she matures. She'll need everyone's help for her education, and make sure you don't teach her anything strange!" Though Vahn had already said it once, he felt like he needed to emphasize it seeing Haruhime's 'mischevious' smile.
Afterward, everyone climbed on Fafnir's back to prepare for the return trip, everyone except for Terra that is. As she watched the others climb aboard Fafnir, Terra actually felt a strange emotion that made her a little anxious, especially when she saw Vahn board as well. She didn't understand the reason, but it felt a little lonely and she was somewhat envious of the 'happy' look on Fafnir's expressionless face. Though other people might not be susceptible to its emotions, Terra could see through it and Fafnir was obviously very 'proud' to be giving everyone else a ride.
As Vahn turned to look toward her, Terra's frown turned into a smile and she said, "I haven't had the opportunity to spread my wings since obtaining this form. I'll follow behind, though please don't fly too quickly until I get used to things. My body feels a little unbalanced in my current state..." Hearing her words, Vahn's brows raised slightly before an intrigued expression appeared on his face and he asked, "Are you sure you can fly in that form?" Though her wings were 4m wide, Vahn didn't think they would be able to support Terra's weight. Because her bones weren't hollow like a bird, Terra was actually much heavier than her appearance might indicate. He hadn't verified it himself, but she was likely close to 170kg, much heavier than a normal person.
Terra didn't seem to be worried at all and simply spread her wings and the 'feathers' began to rustle slightly before she spread her arms to stabilize herself. Without actually needing to flap her wings, much like Fafnir, Terra lifted off the ground and Vahn could see mana flowing in a loop underneath her wings to allow her flight. Seeing that she was actually capable of replicating the feat in her human form, Vahn's intrigue was ignited and he began considering making a 'wing-suit' in the future. He could imagine the twins, Maemi and Emiru, flying around the sky in the Valkyrie armor he was going to forge for them and it was an awe-inspiring sight, even though it was just in his mind.
After wobbling about for a bit, Terra flapped her wings once and lifted herself nearly 30m into the air in an instant before spread her wings wide to stop her acceleration. Though she had shot above them, her voice still carried easily as she said, "It is very strange, but I think I'll be able to get used to it with a little bit of practice..." Vahn had noticed her speed was actually quite fast, which made sense considering she was a Level 4 monster evolved by the Akashic Tome. He wasn't sure how the two records influenced her growth, but she was already very powerful even without the blessing of a god. With her human form, she would be able to obtain the blessing in the future and this would promote her growth even further, at least in theory.
Vahn stroked Fafnir's back, as it had been focusing its gaze on Terra in the sky with a somewhat competitive glint in its eyes. Fafnir seemed very fond of Terra, but it also had the natural 'pride' of a dragon that often shone through. It was a little concerning to think about, but Vahn felt like it had been influenced by his tendency to show off a bit, even though they didn't interact that often. During the exhibition, Fafnir had even gotten a little carried away and had taunted Riveria quite a bit, something Vahn had lectured it on later on. Now that it had a companion, one which wasn't that much weaker than itself, Fafnir's competitive spirit was burning even stronger.
With Vahn's signal, Fafnir spread its own wings and sent out a powerful gust before shooting up into the air with a fierce momentum. However, as Terra had requested, it didn't actually fly that fast and their pace was closer to a 'glide' than accelerated flight. Fafnir could easily reach upwards of 4,000km/h, but their current pace was less than 350km/h. Terra seemed to be able to keep up, but her hair was obviously getting in her way since she couldn't control her own wind barrier properly. As she was still adapting to her body, this included her control over her own energy and she couldn't form an energy barrier to prevent her hair for fluttering about chaotically.
Vahn watched her flight with a bit of concern as she held both of her hands to her face to prevent her somewhat long sideburns from poking her in the eyes. Since she wouldn't be able to hear him otherwise, Vahn sent her an order to use the 'wake' of Fafnir as a shield since it created a somewhat calm cone of air behind it as it cut through the wind. Following Vahn's advice, Terra flicked her wings before tumbling through the air as she dropped into position behind Fafnir in a surprising display of skill. Even though she wasn't used to her current form, it was obvious she was very accustomed to flying as even her Green Dragon form had allowed her to do so. She seemed to realize that having a smaller body increased her mobility even further and, now that the wind wasn't battering her so strongly, she began to smoothly fly behind Fafnir with a smile on her face.
From his right, Vahn could feel someone tugging at his tunic and turned to see Lili with a somewhat concerned expression on her face as she asked, "Do you really prefer girls with tails and big butts so much, Vahn?" Vahn's smile twitched several times until he eventually released an exasperated sigh and hung his head a bit as he responded, "Though they are certainly interesting, I don't think I have any kind of preference like that Lili. There are things I like about everyone, and I never really consider things like that..." It was true as, even though Vahn was fond of girls with plump butts, it was mainly because he thought they suited the women that had them very well. He couldn't even imagine a Hephaestus or Tsubaki with a thin butt, so Lili's question wasn't something he was really fond of hearing.
Lili realized she had 'hurt' Vahn a bit and she could see the tired expression on his face as he spoke honestly, even if it was in an exasperated manner. She felt guilty and hung her head before looking around at everyone else to see their take on things. Haruhime had the same 'annoying' look on her face as she tried to act like an elegant lady, while Mikoto was gripping the handle on Fafnir's back with a pale expression. Naaza had a slightly troubled expression and showed a wry smile when their eyes met while Fenrir simply gave her a stink eye for 'upsetting' Vahn. Turning her head up, Lili saw Vahn's expression had softened as he reached out his hand and said, "It's okay, Lili, just remember that I have my reasons for liking everyone. I don't compare any of you, at least not intentionally...just be who you are, that is enough."
Vahn's words made her feel even more guilty, but she also felt happy at the same time so she showed an apologetic smile and said, "Sorry, Vahn...and thank you for being so nice to me." As he stroked her hair a bit roughly, Vahn chuckled and said, "You're welcome, Lili..." For the remained of the shot short flight, things were relatively peaceful and Vahn just kept looking back to make sure Terra was okay. Even if she fell from the sky, she wouldn't hit the ground with enough force to actually do any harm, but Vahn was still a little worried about her. He had no way of knowing what would happen if she landed badly, as it was easy to break limbs if the joints were twisted with enough force. Even Vahn didn't have any confidence landing on, for example, his fingers. He would probably survive easy enough, but there was a fair chance he would stub one of his fingers or potentially fracture one. Terra had very wide wings, so Vahn could imagine them getting twisted up a bit if she hit the ground fast enough.
With their speed, they reached the West Gate of Orario after around ten minutes before landing just outside the gate after everyone else trying to enter spread out in a panic. Terra landed behind them by flapping her wings several times to break her speed as she landed nimbly on the ground. Vahn could tell that the short flight had helped her increase her proficiency a great deal and she looked somewhat elegant with her wings folded up behind her. They were similar in color to her hair, albeit much shinier, so it almost looked like her hair reached near the ground as a result. Vahn wondered if this had been an 'intentional' design, but he couldn't be sure since he had no understanding of how the Akashic Tome decided their final forms.
Though some people looked disgruntled, none of them had the courage to step forward because the auras emitted by Fafnir and Terra were quite frightening if you weren't a seasoned Adventurer. Even though she was a peaceful dragon that embodied the Earth and Nature, Terra was still a True Dragon and carried herself with a certain dignity that made it hard to match her gaze. Besides, there wouldn't be things like natural disasters and the 'wrath' of mother nature if the earth wasn't capable of bringing about calamities. Beneath her elegant exterior, Terra possessed an incredible amount of power that could probably topple an army in a defensive fight. Her offensive power was somewhat lacking, but from the moment her enemies entered her territory with ill intent, she would be a monstrous force to contend against.
Just as before, the Gate Guards didn't delay Vahn's entrance into the City, though they did ask some questions about the 'new addition' to the party. Vahn explained that Terra was another one of his tamed monsters, just like Fenrir and Fafnir, to which the guards could only nod their heads to after seeing her rather large wings and the tail sticking out behind her robe. As there was no entrance fee required for 'pets', Terra was allowed to enter the City freely, though Vahn still had to register her with the Guild in the future. Since Eina, Rose, and Misha could file the paperwork, Vahn mounted Fafnir with the girls and they slowly flew towards the Hearth Manor with Terra following closely behind them.
If not for his impeccable knowledge of the surrounding area, Vahn wouldn't have believed the massive Manor that appeared beneath them was the Hearth Manor. As the two drastically different buildings shared the same plot of land, Vahn knew it was indeed the newly renovated Manor and it was very surprising just how many changes had occurred in the twenty-six day period. Instead of a Central Building with two Wings and an Annex, the Hearth Manor now made a huge square-shaped loop with a large empty area in the center where the bath and training areas were located. To the east of the Manor, there was now another small residence where high walls had been erected and concealed in a natural manner. Vahn presumed that would be where he met with various goddesses in the future so he turned his attention to the other changes instead. There was now a staging area on the west side of the Manor, with a path leading around to it, and a small building with the Guild's emblem affixed to the top.
Overall, the Manor was more than twice the original size and Vahn was wondering how they had managed to 'finish' things so quickly. However, when they landed in the courtyard, Vahn saw several signs of construction and there were more than thirty presences located beneath the Manor itself. Using his [Eyes of Truth], Vahn could see people working away to build a large underground network that even extended beyond the walls of the Manor in some places. He was very interested in the layout they had decided upon because it was obviously an improvement upon his own designs. As Hestia was a goddess of architecture, she had probably changed up a variety of things after discussing it with the gods and goddesses of the various Familias that had been contracted for the work.
Almost immediately after she crossed his mind, Hestia burst out of the front door of the Manor with an incredibly excited expression on her face before she leaped toward him like a missile and clung to his neck shouting, "Weeeelcome home, Vahn~!" Before Vahn could return the greeting, Hestia gripped the sides of his face like a vice and began kissing him in a somewhat forceful manner as she greedily seized his tongue with her own. Vahn's hands naturally moved near where most girls' waists would be as he gripped Hestia's soft and plump butt with both hands, effectively triggering an explosion of red and pink from her aura. Though he knew her very well, Vahn often 'forgot' Hestia's diminutive size and had walked right into a 'trap' set by the affectionate goddess.
Fortunately, Hestia returned to her senses a bit when the others began to arrive and eventually climbed off Vahn's body with a flushed and excited face as she turned to the other girls and said, "Welcome home, everyone..." As she stood out a great deal, Hestia found her eyes drawn to Terra and almost immediately noticed the abnormalities with her body. Terra simply smiled in return and said, "Greetings, my name is Terra, a dragon that serves my Master, Vahn Mason." Before they could begin questioning him, Vahn raised his hand and said, "Let's talk inside; I'll make sure to explain everything in detail." Having a group of nearly twenty people congregating in the front yard was a bit strange so Vahn wanted to move into the interior of the Manor.
Before they went inside, Vahn comforted Fafnir and allowed it to sunbathe in the yard and fly around as long as it didn't wander too far. Fafnir was pleased by this revelation and nuzzled against Vahn with enough force that it crushed him into the ground slightly. Afterward, Fafnir walked around in a circle for a little while before plopping down near the staging area and laying down with its wings spread out to absorb more sunlight. Vahn watched its actions for a short while before following the others inside. The interior, at least at the front of the Manor, hadn't changed much and Vahn found that the study they commonly used was also the same. It was more appropriate to say that the Manor had expanded several sections, whereas the original structure hadn't been changed that much.
As Ais, Tiona, Tione, Riveria, and Lefiya were all at the Twilight Manor, the only people present were Hestia, Tsubaki, Syr, Ryuu, a glowing Aki, Milan, Tina, Shizune, Maemi, Emiru, Preasia, Haruhime, Mikoto, Naaza, Lili, Fenrir, and the newly added, Terra. Hephaestus was taking care of some of her work, but she had already been informed of Vahn's arrival and would most likely stop by after lunch. As for Eina, she was sleeping in her room since she had done the night shift for the Guild office on the west side of the building. They had to maintain it 24/7, as it was the Guild's policy, so it was a bit difficult with just three girls. Mona had actually taken a crash course in Guild affairs and was now apprenticing with Rose to help out. As for the girls from the Hostess of Fertility, they were all working presently while Anubis and Nanu had simply yet to show up yet.
Though there were several 'eager' looking girls present, Vahn's side ended up being claimed by Tina and Shizune, the first of which was hugging his body tightly. She had been waiting for Vahn's arrival every day since he left and had prayed for him every night hoping for his safe return. Tina had lost her own father within the Dungeon in the past, so it was somewhat difficult for the young girl to imagine Vahn staying in the Dungeon for nearly a month without hearing any news. As for Shizune, she simply took advantage of her small size and association with Tina to claim Vahn's right leg as her own.
For nearly three full hours, Vahn explained what had gone on in the Dungeon, including the events related to the expedition, the growth of himself and the girls, and the speculations he had about their enemies' capabilities. Hestia and Syr also briefed him about the changes that had been taking place while he was away, including several underground chambers, a small prison, and the completion of Vahn's 'massage parlor' and spa. As he had expected, the residence to the East was for meeting with goddesses and holding negotiations with diplomats and gods. As Hestia didn't even want male gods in the Manor, they had set up a secondary area for such things and there was even a passageway connecting the two buildings.
During the long discussion, Anubis and Nanu had eventually shown up at the Manor and made their way inside after Fenrir went to retrieve them. Hestia and Vahn also took the time up update the Status Boards of the girls that had gone into the Dungeon and it had eased a burden off of each of them. Seeing that they were the only ones still at Level 2, Maemi and Emiru had resolute expressions on their faces because they knew Haruhime had gotten 'ahead' of them by a fair amount. There was even the addition of a new girl at Vahn's side, one that was far more 'exotic' than themselves.
When the topic had turned to Terra, Vahn explained that she was the same Green Dragon that he had subordinated back in the Dungeon during their expedition to hunt Bloodsaurus. The fact that she was a girl was something she had chosen for herself and Vahn also informed them that she had a 'dragon form' that reached nearly 14m in length. Since she was young and uneducated, Vahn entrusted her care to everyone present and also explained some of the 'benefits' she offered to smooth things over. Curious of Vahn's claims, Hestia went through the induction ceremony to accept Terra into the Familia. Seeing her completed Status Board, Hestia relaxed a bit because she could tell that she would be a great asset toward the protection of the Manor in the future...
(A/N: I was originally just going to put Terra's Status here, but I expect everyone would appreciate seeing the updates of everyone else. Btw, Vahn's won't be shown for a little while since his board takes up a massive amount of space and there have been no major changes.)
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Terra Evergreen
Race: True Dragon
LV. 4
POW: G293
END: C629
DEX: H144
AGI: D572
MAG: C696
Skill: [Avatar of the Earth:B], [Guardian of Nature:C], [Healing Sap:C], [Aroma Therapy:B]
Magic: -
Development Skill: [Pacifism:C]
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(A/N: Vahn has no way of knowing Terra's base parameters per level until he gets an approximate idea from how her growth develops.)
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Sanjouno Haruhime
Race: Renard
LV. 2->3
POW: 440+(C798)->(B801)->(I0)
END: 648+(B825)->(B828)->(I0)
DEX: 698+(S902)->(S911)->(I0)
AGI: 1053+(S940)->(S949)->(I0)
MAG: 1548+(SSS1258)->(SSS1266)->(I0)
Skill: [Inari:E], [Prometheus's Blessing:A], [Heroic Strike:C], [Featherfoot:S]
Magic: [Uchide no Kozuchi:B], [Kokonoe:B], [Icicle Edge:A]
Development Skill: [Moon Priestess:Innate(sealed)], [Spirit Healing:A], [Hunter:E], [Mage:I](new)
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Liliruca Arde
Race: Pallum
LV. 2->3
POW: 887+(SSS1236)->(SSS1243)->(I0)
END: 941+(SS1001)->(SS1006)->(I0)
DEX: 676+(C669)->(C672)->(I0)
AGI: 598+(B757)->(B759)->(I0)
MAG: 811+(SS1040)->(SS1044)->(I0)
Skill: [Artel*Assist:B->A], [Atlas: Innate:F], [Prometheus's Blessing:A], [Oniyuri:C]
Magic: [Cinder*Ella:A]
Development Skill: [Abnormal Resistance:E], [Spirit Healing:I](new), [Spearman:(sealed), [Swordsman:(sealed)], [Crush:(sealed)], [Fist Strike:(sealed)]
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Naaza Erisuis
Race: Chienthrope
LV. 2->3
POW: 457+(D572)->(D574)->(I0)
END: 434+(C636)->(C641)->(I0)
DEX: 615+(SS1040)->(SS1049)->(I0)
AGI: 722+(S907)->(S909)->(I0)
MAG: 378+(SSS1137)->(SSS1145)->(I0)
Skill: [Bow Mastery:B], [Eagle Eye:B], [Prometheus's Blessing:A], [Critical Eye:I->H]
Magic: [Awen:Innate(sealed)], [Darbh Daol:A]
Development Skill: [Mixing:B], [Spirit Healing:I](new), [Mage:(sealed), [Archery:(sealed)]
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[[STATUS]]
Name: [Fenrir]
Level:3->4
POW: 1302+(A811)->(A852)->(I0)
END: 1305+(B768)->(A809)->(I0)
DEX: 1639+(SSS1129)->(SSS1169)->(I0)
AGI: 1543+(SSS1304)->(SSS1322)->(I0)
MAG: 388+(B701)->(B719)->(I0)
Skills: [Insatiable Hunger:Innate(-)], [Lunar Cry:A], [Freezing Roar:A], [Chainbreaker:C], [Devour:SS], [Huntress:SS], [Endeavor:B], [Severing Claws:B]
Magic: -
Development Abilities: [Chain Attack:C], [Mimickry:I](new), [Fist Fighter:(sealed)], [Acrobatics:(sealed)]
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Lefiya Viridis
Race: Elf
LV. 3->4
POW: 421+(G294)->(G298)->(I0)
END: 692+(A913)->(A933)->(I0)
DEX: 1281+(B798)->(A811)->(I0)
AGI: 1459+(S908)->(S912)->(I0)
MAG: 1998+(SSS1708)->(SSS1893)->(I0)
Skills: [Fairy Cannon:A], [Concurrent Chanting:E], [Prometheus's Blessing:A]
Magic: [Rattatoskr:Innate:(sealed)], [Arcs Ray:C], [Fusillade Fallarica:C], [Elf Ring:C]
Development Abilities: [Daughter of Wishe:I], [Mage:B], [Abnormal resistance:F], [Spirit Healing:I](new)
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Yamato Mikoto
Race: Human
LV. 2->3
POW: 634+(C647)->(C651)->(I0)
END: 628+(C620)->(C623)->(I0)
DEX: 740+(SSS1209)->(SSS1218)->(I0)
AGI: 722+(SS1003)->(SS1015)->(I0)
MAG: 531+(S941)->(S945)->(I0)
Skill: [Yatanokurogarasu:B], [Prometheus's Blessing:A], [Battōjutsu:G->F]
Magic: [Futsunomitama:B], [Apocalypse: Innate(sealed)]
Development Skill: [Abnormal Resistance:C], [Acrobatics:I](new), [Swordsman:(sealed)]
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(A/N: I lied. After getting this far, I figured I might as well update everyone's o3o. RIP Info Dump.)
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[[Stats]]
Name: [Vahn Mason]
Age: 15
Race: Human, *sealed*
Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]
-Level:3->4
-Power: 2746+(I0)->(I28)
-Endurance: 3325+(I0)->(I69)
-Dexterity: 2746+(I0)->(I31)
-Agility: 2859+(I0)->(I19)
-Magic: 6297+(I0)->(G275)(A/N: Vahn's Magic would make him the equivalent of a Level 7 Mage.)
Total:17,974+(0)->(422)
Soul Tier: 3 (Lord Soul)
[Karma]: 9,435->9,561
[OP]: 4,113,548->5,628,058
[Valis]: 643,884,901
Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:E], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth: B],[Bow Mastery:S], [Stealth:B->A], [Chainbreaker:S], [Heart of the Eternal Flame:SS], [Prometheus:A], [Call of the Reaper:A],[Yggdrasil's Favor:S], [Veil of the Traveler: S], [Featherfoot:A], [Hands of Nirvana:S], [Metallurgy:B], [Fist Strike:A], [Friend of Spirits:A]
Magic: [Thria*Mimos:B], [Shundo:B]
Development Skills: [Wound Transfer:S], [Well of Spirit:I], [Swordsman:A], [Master Smith:H], [Mixing:C], [Mentor:A], [Petting:D->C], [Mage:C]
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(A/N: Yo dawg, I heard you like Status.)
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Tiona Hiryute
LV. 5
POW: 3577+(G208)->(F317)
END: 3439+(H185)->(G221)
DEX: 3161+(H137)->(H184)
AGI: 3199+(H151)->(H191)
MAG: 0+(I0)->(I0)
Skills: [Titan Virga:Innate(sealed), [Magic Devouring King:Innate(sealed)], [Berserk:B], [Intense Heat:B]
Magic: -
Development Abilities: [Fist Strike:A], [Diving:B], [Abnormal Resistance:C], [Crush:C->B]
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Ais Wallenstein
LV. 5
POW: 2241+(F305)->(E403)
END: 2182+(G290)->(F384)
DEX: 3293+(E447)->(D543)
AGI: 3266+(E433)->(D529)
MAG: 3600+(E480)->(D571)
Skills:[Sylph Queen:Innate(sealed)], [Progenitor of Wind:Innate(sealed)], [Avenger:A]
Magic: [Void Sword:Innate(sealed)], [Ariel:B]
Development Abilities: [Child of Destiny:Innate(sealed)], [Hunter:B], [Abnormal Resistance:C], [Swordsman:A], [Spirit Healing:A]
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[[STATUS]]
Name: Tione Hiryute
LV. 5
POW: 3273+(H191)->(G268)
END: 3069+(H163)->(G250)
DEX: 3130+(H144)->(H187)
AGI: 3128+(H145)->(H192)
MAG: 788+(I74)->(H103)
Skills: [Titan Bruna:Innate(sealed)], [Wrath:Innate(sealed)], [Berserk: A], [Backdraft:B]
Magic: [List Iorum:E]
Development Abilities: [Fist Strike:B], [Diving:A], [Abnormal Resistance:B], [Healing Power:D]
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Don't mind it...','Thats no waist!','Lemme, Lemme Update'cha~!')
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Toward the end of the conversation, and having everyone's statuses updated, Hestia had asked in a 'hopeful' tone, "So, what will you be doing from now on?" Vahn knew she had been somewhat lonely, and even more worried, about him as he had been away for nearly an entire month. In response to her words, Vahn showed a soft smile as he looked around and said, "Until the next expedition, I'll be staying around the Manor and working on various projects during the first block of my schedule. Though it may vary somewhat, I plan to use the four-hour period in the second block of my schedule to spend some time with everyone, similar to what I had been doing before. As for the afternoons, there are simply too many things I have to research and I want to make some headway on them. As for the evenings..." Vahn had seen some of the auras flaring up around him and he sent a playful wink to Hestia as he said, "I'll leave that up to everyone else for the time being. After reaching Level 4, I'm even more confident in my stamina."
A rudy blush appeared on Hestia's face a result of Vahn's teasing and she gripped the hem of her dress tightly as she said, "I've also been working hard..." before swallowing her words as a maroon blush appeared on her face. She didn't want to admit that she had talked to Hephaestus and Loki to learn 'coping' methods while Vahn was away. Hestia had even been exercising in the mornings by running around in the backyard for a few laps in an effort to improve her stamina. She wasn't the only one either, as Hephaestus' 'training' techniques had propagated on the network and had become popular. They had even gathered together to perform the routine a few times, something that would probably be put on a back-burner now that Vahn was present.
With a lull appearing in the conversation, Vahn felt the atmosphere become somewhat awkward because he could sense the 'intentions' of several girls in the room, all focused on him. It was still somewhat early in the day, just barely after high noon. Unless someone else brought up a topic of discussion, the tensions would continue to increase but Vahn wasn't quite sure of what to say. In an attempt to 'escape' the atmosphere, Vahn turned to Terra and said in a tone that was addressed to everyone, "Terra, I've been curious about your [Avatar of the Earth] and I was wondering exactly how it functioned. The Hearth Manor will be your home in the future, so you can set up your domain in the backyard if you wish..."
Vahn felt the tensions in the air 'break' instantaneously, though he earned a few looks of blame as a result. Instead of asking them more questions, Vahn had diverted the topic to a girl that he had just brought home. Knowing this would happen before he spoke, Vahn accepted their temporary ire and promised to make it up to them later. He didn't mind listening about their day for several hours, but being a single person involved in a discussion with twenty people was rather difficult. Though it felt like his mind was 'splitting' these days, Vahn only had one body and couldn't hold a conversation with several people all at once.
Terra had a perpetual smile on her face as she squinted her eyes slightly and observed the reaction of the other girls in the room. Though it was nearly indiscernible, the scales on her arms and legs raised ever so slightly as a pleasant aroma permeated throughout the room. She felt a bit of hostility directed toward her and wanted to avoid conflict outright if possible. In response to Vahn's question, Terra angled her head with a thoughtful expression on her face as she said, "It's strange...I think I need a fertile area?" As her Innates were related to records obtained from other worlds, Terra had a basic instinct about how to make use of them, but it would likely take her decades to truly understand the proper use of the abilities.
Vahn had expected Terra would need open ground and he mentally gave her a thumbs up as he turned to the group and said, "How about we all move to the grassy area behind the bath, there should be plenty of sunshine there and I remember there was even a small garden in the area?" As the person that had been tending to it, Ryuu nodded her head as a slight smile appeared on her face as she said, "Yes, I've been tending flowers there...spring is coming soon, and they should be blooming in the next month or so. Chloe has also been growing some herbs while tending to the plots that Naaza had set up previously."
Hearing there were even herbs in the area, Vahn's smile became even wider because he had high expectations for Terra's presence in the garden. There was even a high chance she would be able to get close to several of the girls in the Manor simply because she was able to promote plant growth. Accepting Vahn's 'invitation' to go view the garden, everyone moved to the back yard with the exceptions of Hestia, Syr, and Aki. They still needed to supervise the construction efforts, especially Hestia, and it was already bad they had been missing for over three hours. Vahn gave them all short embraces while patting the slightly bulging belly of Aki. Vahn felt like she had become even more beautiful in the month he was away and it made him feel giddy seeing her stomach bulge.
After a brief trip to the back yard, which was now contained by the Manor itself, Vahn led the group behind the tall wall that fenced in the bathing area and obstructed it from view. Though it wasn't that large, a plot of land had been neatly maintained by the girls as a private garden that grew behind the wall. It was around 500x400m wide and Vahn could see that a large part of it had been designated as an herbal patch where a variety of different medicinal plants were growing. As for the rest of the garden, there were numerous different types of plants that were pleasing to the eye including several bushes that had small buds that had recently started to open slightly with the warming weather.
Seeing the garden, Terra's expression turned somewhat gentle before she looked up at the clear blue sky and stared directly at the sun. Vahn was tempted to caution her about the dangers of such an action, but he could see a light layer of energy cover her eyes and it didn't seem to bother her much. Walking to the center of the garden, Terra looked around before spreading her wings wide and crouching down with her palms against the ground. Her tail tapped up and down in a steady rhythm as the 'feathers' on her wings began to rustle. With his [Eyes of Truth] active, Vahn could actually see that Terra was absorbing energy through her wings, including energy from the sunlight itself. Vahn felt like she was similar to a plant, and this process made it seem like shared even more similarities with them.
From Vahn's right, Ryuu had an expression filled with intrigue as she commented, "She is very attuned to nature...it's almost like she is a spirit of the forest itself..." Though it hadn't been that obvious when they were walking over, Ryuu could see the color of the grass had grown more vibrant around Terra as small flowers peeked up before blooming, irrespective of the fact that it was still somewhat chilly. Vahn nodded his head in response and continued to watch the strange phenomenon as he recorded every detail within his mind.
After a few minutes passed, Terra stood up straight before wrapping her wings around her body and emitting a green glow that caused the entire area to warm up slightly. Though it appeared as though the light was coming from her body, Vahn was aware that she was actually absorbing even more energy from her surroundings and was infusing it into her hearts before powerful bands of energy trickled down into her body before spreading out through her feet and into the soil below. Terra actually started to sink into the ground slightly, almost as if she were taking up root before the energy began to spiral around in the ground. Small threads of energy spread out, almost as if they were searching for something and Vahn had some expectations for what it might be.
Thinking that Terra actually needs 'seeds' or other forms of plant life to begin the process, Vahn took out something that shared a similar fate with her previous Green Dragon form. Sensing the presence of the vibrant life energy, Terra opened her eyes and smiled at the small Treasure Tree Vahn had pulled out of his inventory. Surprisingly, even without Vahn transplanting it into the ground for her, Terra reached out her hand and a thread of energy ran from her feet until it anchored itself to the Treasure Tree. In front of the startled expressions of everyone present, the tree began to 'walk' toward Terra.
Once it had reached its destination, the Treasure Tree actually split from its top and bisected itself into two parts that coiled around Terra's figure. Placing her palms against the green bark, it was almost like Terra was synchronizing with the Treasure Tree as it's roots dug into the ground and began to coil in the same pattern her energy had formed earlier. Adding to the two segments that currently coiled around Terra, several other sections of Treasure Tree grew out of the ground, similar to the roots that had protected the previous cacoon. Vahn could see that her energy was actually depleting rapidly, so he turned to the onlookers and said, "I'm going to help her..." before appearing behind Terra and placing his palms against her back, right behind her heart.
Feeling Vahn's energy enter her body, Terra's smile blossomed at the same time as three thick roots sprouted up from the ground and coiled alongside the previous two. They created a water-tight basin that could barely fit Terra's figure with her wings coiled up. With the addition of Vahn, it was an even tighter fit but he didn't mind it too much if not for the fact that his legs were more-or-less straddling Terra's tail. He was sure she wasn't doing it on purpose, but her tail twitched about slightly in between his legs and, as a result of her height actually being slightly greater than his, it was a moderately stimulating experience.
Vahn could sense tendrils of energy spread through the ground rapidly as runes similar to the ones on Terra's body appeared within the soil beneath the grass before 'disappearing'. As they dissolved into the ground, the entire area became full of natural energy which actually absorbed the weaker elemental energies from the air to increase the quality of the soil. Pulses of energy began to emerge from Terra's heart that spread through her body before passing through the ground through her feet. Each pulse carried out for about 300m before dissipating and the entire area around Terra's location began to be filled with plant life. There was even a small tree that had started to emerge from the ground, like from a stray seed that had lain dormant, and it was a captivating sight to behold.
Terra's wings fluttered slightly as she turned her head and asked, "Master, do you have any water?" Though he could produce water on his own, Vahn harbored a hope that the 'essence' would serve her purposes even better as he asked, "What do you need it for? I have plenty available." Terra squinted her eyes slightly and said, "I need to fill this wellspring to nourish the land around me and establish my territory...please, if you would be so kind." Understanding her intentions, Vahn resolved himself to get a little wet as he began filling the three-meter wide 'basin' that Terra had formed. Its height was around 80cm and Vahn filled it until it had reached around 74cm.
With her emerald-green 'tub' filled with water, Terra lowered her body slightly and it was almost like her leaf-like feather were losing their color slightly as it fed into slightly glowing 'essence'. Terra commented, "This water is very good...it can hold much greater energy than normal. It seems that my Master has many mysteries about him...how reliable." Terra's feathers had actually become an off-green color that was beginning to turn closer to yellow. If not for the fact he could see the individual follicles of the feathers, Vahn would believe they were leaves because they looked almost identical. Even now, it almost looked like Terra was going through Fall as the vibrant green faded from her feathers and was slowly becoming yellow and orange. Even her hair began to change slightly at the roots and Vahn felt like she was pushing herself quite hard to complete his request.
The 'essence' eventually took on an emerald color similar to the liquid that had encompassed Terra's body during her transformation and Vahn could sense an incredible amount of vitality within the liquid. It was slowly absorbed by the treasure tree through osmosis and fed into the surrounding along the unique formation that had been created by Terra previously. Not just the plant life that had 'emerged' from the ground earlier, but the plants in the garden, including the herbs, looked as though they were full of life and the weaker ones even began to grow at a visible rate until they reached maturity and simply became vibrant and impeccable quality herbs.
As she had crouched down earlier to submerge her wings, Terra had to stand up to end the ceremony but found that her legs were somewhat shaky. Though it was a bit awkward for him, Vahn lifted Terra up by her arms and pulled her out of the water since it seemed like she had lost her strength. Even with his support, Vahn's own energy had drained by a great deal and it would take him around an hour or two to recover naturally. Ryuu, Haruhime, and Naaza had come forward to help Vahn support Terra's body, but she just shook her head and said, "Set me down on the ground, I'll be fine in a short while." Following her words, Vahn settled Terra onto the ground and she rested on her knees before spreading out her wings wide.
Unlike the leafy-green color they had been previously, the majority of Terra's wings had become yellow while some of her plumage had turned orangish-red. The only thing that remained green were the tops of her wings, which hadn't been submerged in the water, and the majority of her long hair. After she kneeled down, however, the green began to spread from the tops of her wings and slowly diffused into the rest of her wings at a slow rate. Since he wouldn't be doing anything strenuous for the rest of the day, Vahn consumed a few mana potions from the system shop and placed his palm against Terra's head to speed up her recovery. As she had hung her head low previously, Terra turned up her expression to look at Vahn before smiling and closing her eyes.
Ryuu had taken a moment to observe the liquid in the 'wellspring', which was now down to around 50cm deep with Vahn and Terra having removed themselves from the inside. Elves were very sensitive to the fluctuations of mana, but they were especially sensitive to the presence of natural energy like what could be found right in front of her. The essence had a similar feeling as the sap of the Sacred Trees her family had tended to in the past. However, Ryuu felt somewhat 'guilty' about comparing the two because the essence in front of her had a much greater concentration of energy than any of the sap she had seen in the past. If they left this pool as is and came back in fifty years, Ryuu had no doubt the Hearth Manor would have long been reclaimed by forests and plant life.
After twenty minutes, Vahn had managed to help Terra restore the vitality to her wings before plopping down onto his butt and wiping his brow. As if she had been waiting for him, Haruhime actually stepped forward and handed him a towel, which Vahn accepted gratefully. She had seen him exerting himself and had leaped over the nearby wall and taken a towel from the nearby changing rooms. Vahn started wiping away his sweat as Terra lifted her body and rose to her feet in a 'sweeping' motion as the tips of her wings draped across the ground. When she stood up completely, Terra looked around before stretching out her wings after confirming she wouldn't hit anyone.
Vahn watched her actions with interest before asking, "What kind of effects will the wellspring provide? How does your 'dominion' work exactly?" Terra fluttered her wings a big before coiling them behind her body and saying in a slightly confused tone, "I'm not really sure, but this place will die after a while if I leave it. The wellspring is to make sure the plants don't die since my dominion would break if that happened?" Though she had only been using her [Avatar of the Earth] at first, Terra had been afraid her actions would kill the beautiful garden. The wellspring she had created was actually a product of her [Guardian of Nature], which was intended to nourish the plants around and keep them from wilting. The only part of her ceremony that had anything to do with her [Avatar of the Earth] had been the spiral formation she set up at the beginning.
Though she was very intelligent, Vahn could tell that Terra didn't know how to explain her actions properly, even though she seemed to have some understanding of them. He had seen everything she had done from start to finish, so he could always try to make sense of it later when her education level has increased. It was somewhat unfortunate that his [Eyes of Truth] couldn't see through Innates, as it meant Vahn had probably missed out on several key components of the ceremony. Hopefully, by the time she became more familiar with the skill, she would be able to intuit a bit of her own abilities and help him to understand them.
Taking advantage of the temporary lull, Ryuu stated in a serious tone, "We need to make sure this place is off-limits to other people in the future. Even a single ounce of that fluid would probably sell for several thousand Valis. The entire wellspring itself would be worth hundreds of millions of Valis. I would compare it's potency to the Cadmus Spring Water, but the quantity is completely different..." Vahn had already determined this as well, as he had been given the opportunity to see the coveted liquid during the expedition. A single drop of the wellspring essence could easily be used to make a high-quality Elixir, which would be worth around 10,000V. The entire pool could probably fund an A-Rank Familia for an entire year without having to enter the Dungeon even once.
As there wasn't any chance of the people present spreading information about the wellspring, the only thing they had to be wary of was other people stumbling into the area in the future. Though it was unlikely to happen under normal circumstances, there were situations like the present where construction was being performed on the Manor and there were people walking around at times. The girls had been vigilant about allowing people to wander, but there was never a 100% chance of something being completely secure. As a result, Vahn had the interesting experience of planting several trees in the back yard around the garden as Ryuu set up an illusion formation to protect the garden from people wandering into the interior.
Vahn found it interesting to have a small forest in his back yard, as he could set up a gazebo in the center of a clearing, so he didn't mind helping out. When they were finished, Vahn had jumped up into the sky for a better view and saw that, even though there had previously been a large clearing for the garden, it now looked like the forest took up the entire area. Even if people had the ability to observe the Manor from above, the only thing they would see is a miniature forest that in the clearing of the Manor. To make it look even better, Vahn filled out the 'empty' half of the space and only left a small 20m clearing in the center where they could have picnics and stuff in the future.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: '1 vs 20','Less than 4 hours as a human, already bathing with Vahn','Sure, Vahn is going to have 'picnics' in the clearing...')
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