บท 819: Towards the Xenos' Settlement...
Upon entering into the Dungeon proper, Vahn speculated they were somewhere on the 17th Floor since the walls, ceiling, and floor were all made of a dark bedrock. The space was cramped together, with several large boulders littered about while, in the distance, holes could be seen that led both deeper into the Dungeon and towards higher Floors. Since there was also very little light, it was easy to guess their approximate location and his suspicions were practically confirmed when a Lygerfang, monsters that only appeared between the 15th and 17th Floors, jumped out to attack. Unfortunately for it, the monster wasn't even able to complete its jump before several black 'spears' emerged from the walls and skewered it in an instant.
The Kobold-Xenos that had been the original target of the Lygerfang plopped to the ground and was shaking a great deal as Fafnir extends its hand out, saying, "It's okay, I won't let anyone get hurt~!" Here within the low-light of the Dungeon, Fafnir was even stronger than it was on the surface. Every surface was its domain and, if you were in an enclosed space like their current location, you had better possess some form of defensive or speed Innate if you wanted to survive even a few minutes against its assault.
Accepting the offered hand, the Kobold shakily rose to its feet and stammered, "T-Thank you..." in a sheepish voice. Fafnir smiled with a very innocent expression on its face and, likely emulating Vahn, reached out and began to stroke the Kobold's head as it said, "There, there, everything will be okay..." Vahn saw this and felt a small amount of pride well up inside of his chest as, even though Fafnir certainly wasn't his child, seeing his rather childish looking subordinate comfort others made his paternal instincts flutter about.
Piggybacking off Fafnir's words, Vahn turned to Xude and said, "I'll entrust you to lead the way. Leave the fighting to Fafnir and Fenrir and take your time moving forward...there is no rush." As if to emphasize that things were under control, Fafnir sunk into the ground and the primal whine of several monsters being slaughtered resonated through the cavern. Vahn set up a thin membrane to block out higher frequency sounds while also activating his [Stealth] to try and hide their presence a little. Though it wouldn't affect the Xenos, Vahn suspected that the Dungeon actually harbored them willingly instead of trying to kill them like it did Adventurers. This was another one of the things he wanted to investigate in the future, as it didn't seem like the Dungeon was wholly devoted to purging Adventurers and spewing monsters out onto the surface...
Xude nodded its head and gestured towards one of the passages, muttering, "It shouldn't take that long to reach the nearest settlement...let's move carefully..." Jude and Mest nodded their heads and quickly fell into step while the smaller of the two Almiraj, the one Vahn had pet previously, sleepily moved over to his side and gripped the pantleg of Vahn's trousers. Since it looked like nothing more than a large rabbit with two small horns on its head, Vahn found it to be adorable so he didn't mind picking it up and carrying it along. He also noticed that its Affection had already increased to 81 and it would very likely be his first 'retainer' if he could change its perception towards him into exultation or reverence.
Surprisingly, though he had tasked her with fighting off monsters as well, Fenrir used her [Cinder*Ella] to turn into an Almiraj with midnight blue fur as she jumped onto his shoulder before climbing into his arms. Vahn laughed boisterously, surprising the Xenos as he cradled the two adorable 'rabbits' in his arms and said, "It seems I'm pretty popular~." in a lighthearted manner. Fenrir just nuzzled into his chest, lacking the horns on her head of a normal Almiraj, not minding the fact that she was being a little selfish and unnecessarily jealous. Vahn didn't mind either and just held the two tiny creatures, even though Fenrir still retained the weight of her default form...
After traveling for around twenty minutes, Xude led the group to what appeared to be a dead end but Vahn could already see the tell-tale signs that it was a hidden entrance. As expected, Xude tapped around for a bit before the hard bedrock began to warp and deform, creating a passage that linked to another section of the Dungeon. Xude turned its head back, training the glowing red core at the center of its head on Vahn as it said, "I trust you, Vahn Mason...please, do not betray our people..." To this, Vahn just returned a casual smile and nodded, not bothering to repeat himself over and over since he genuinely had no desire to harm any Xenos that wasn't trying to proactively harm people he cared about.
Xude gave a nod of its own before leading the way into the 'safe' passageway that was much smaller than the normal corridors of the Dungeon. It continued downward, even leading to several sets of stairs that the group had to descend before the layout of the corridors completely changed. Instead of bedrock, the walls were now made of wood that was covered in a bioluminescent moss, showing that they had transitioned onto the 19th Floor and entered the Large Tree Labyrinth. Vahn's wasn't surprised that the Xenos would reside in the area that had the largest amount of natural resources and provided the most cover for concealing their movements.
Though there were several pathways within the Large Tree Labyrinth, much of the Floor itself was very open and the path forward were on elevated platforms that towered above the forests below. There were several massive tree-like structures that were similar to the roots of the massive tree on the 18th Floor but had branches of their own. It was easily one of the most scenic regions in the entire Dungeon and there were even several species of 'animals' present, not just monsters. With the addition of several types of flora, fauna, and fruit-bearing trees, it was almost like a paradise. Of course, to reside within this seemingly peaceful place, you needed to be strong enough to avoid the dangers that were constantly lurking in the shadows of the underbrush...
As Xude led the way forward into an open area that revealed a verdant forest, a swarm of Gun Libellula immediately tried to assault them. The projectile spines they shot from their abdomen made loud popping sounds like gunpowder exploding but it ended up being more flair than effective. Vahn's barrier, which had been erected to inhibit external noise, immediately condensed into a more solidified form that caused the lethal spines to ricochet away powerlessly. At the same time, instead of metallic black spears erupting from the shadows, 'beams' of Darkness Elemental energy emerged from a deep black pool where Fanfir's head could be seen poking out.
The beams of black energy cut through the Gun Libellua swarm and left incomplete bodies behind that continued to be devoured by the ambient energy. Eventually, their bodies broke down completely or were dispersed into purple-black dust that left behind monster cores and drop items. At this point, the Silverback-Xenos, Jude, remarked, "Your companions are very powerful..." There was an almost reverential tone to 'her' voice and Vahn could see Jude ball her hands into fists as a resolute light emerged in her sky-blue eyes. Silverbacks were always creatures that sought power and, even though she was an intelligent Xenos, this desire to grow stronger had never faded from her mind...
Seeing this, Vahn had a thoughtful look on his face and knew it shouldn't be difficult to get the majority of Xenos to follow him. Though they would end up as his retainers, Vahn knew this would be for the best since he was the only one in the entire world that would allow their potential to increase while also paving the way for their future on the surface. He could help them evolve and, in the future, ensure that they were an accepted part of society that people happily lived alongside. There were even thoughts cycling through his mind about making Xenos a 'guardian' species that could be paired with trustworthy people on the surface...the possibilities were functionally infinite as long as he didn't give up searching for a means by which they could live happily...
To prevent the harassment of the various insect-type monsters that were prevalent on these Floors, Vahn gradually lowered the temperature within his domain until it was below freezing while keeping the 'core' a very temperate warmth. This would be enough to dissuade most monsters and, as a result of allowing his 'pressure' to permeate through the region, Vahn could detect many monsters simply fleeing from their location. The Xenos in his company were completely unaware of this, however, so they kept moving forward with caution. Though they were confused about the frost building up on some of the plant life, they didn't ask any questions about it since they were slowly acclimating to the 'abnormal' existence that was Vahn Mason...
It took another half-hour, but they reached the other end of the forest before Xude pointed to the base of a tree that had what looked like a foxhole going deeper into the ground. Since the hole was easily large enough for a group of people to walk through, it stood out like a sore thumb once it had been pointed out. Even Jude, standing nearly 3m tall, ducked down into the hole and followed behind Xude and Mest without any hesitation. Vahn, still carrying the (Nameless) Almiraj and Fenrir, slid in behind them while the other Xenos and Fafnir trailed after him.
This time, the passageway looked like a series of roots that had been woven together before being forcibly split to make a tunnel. It was a very interesting sight and, though it was somewhat hard to walk on the roots, Vahn managed to bypass the inconvenience by lifting himself, the two Goblin-Xenos, and the remaining Almiraj-Xenos with his telekinesis. Since the War-Shadow Xenos were able to easily move across the uneven surface, and were also leading the way, Vahn let them remain on the ground. As for Jude, the Silverback-Xenos, she didn't seem to have any trouble navigating the terrain, even though she had to slouch slightly to avoid some of the areas where the 'ceiling' was quite low.
Eventually, the root-formed corridor came to an end, opening into a place Vahn hadn't expected to see within the Dungeon. There were several pools of mineral rich green water that appeared to be hot springs naturally formed between intertwining roots. Beautiful crystals dotted the rather open landscape and, in some of the pools, what Vahn correctly assumed to be Xenos could be seen enjoying the hot water. Though some of them bolted the moment their group exited one of several holes in the ceiling, there were a few amongst the bathing Xenos that remained behind.
Amongst the group that remained, there were two of the most human-like Xenos Vahn had laid eyes on thus far. The first, being the more humanoid of the two, had golden-brown feathers on her wing-like arms while also possessing a wind-swept hairstyle that was comprised of healthy brown hair and accented with what Vahn assumed were her own feathers. She had striking golden eyes and, perhaps the result of her bathing, two rather voluptuous breasts exposed for the whole world to see. It was easy to deduce she was a Harpy but her fair skin and unnatural beauty set her apart from any 'monster' Vahn had seen before. Though she still had scales that started from her thighs and continued down until ending in some rather scary looking talons, all of the 'womanly bits' were present, including a fleshy butt that was visible through the tail feathers barely concealing its presence...
Next to the Harpy-Xenos, likely her close friend and companion, there was what appeared to be a rather cute looking girl. If you looked closely, however, it was easy to see that she had compound eyes like an insect and, instead of two, there were a total of five. The three dots on her forehead also served as eyes because Vahn could 'sense' her looking towards him with measured caution. Her hair was somewhat boyish and short, comprised of pure white locks that framed her rather delicate looking face. The rest of her body appeared to be that of a young woman, at least above the waist, but Vahn could see a shadow beneath the water that was currently concealed. His eyes were able to make out several segmented legs which allowed him to deduce that she was most certainly the very rare species known as an Arachne.
Vahn was somewhat curious in how her body was structured by kept his eyes focused on the mature Harpy-Xenos who was standing 'proudly' without concealing any part of her body. Her fierce and confident expression gave her a unique appeal but, when she opened her mouth, Vahn nearly burst out laughing when one of the most adorable and cutesy voices he ever heard emerged from her rosy red lips. She almost sounded like a young Cat Person, with a very high voice, as she asked very pointedly, "Xude? Why have you brought a human here...?" Since it wasn't uncommon for Xenos to not see each other for several weeks at a time, it was hard to know when any of their members had been captured by Hunters. Given the fact that none of the Xenos around Vahn had any injuries, it was easy to mistake that they had simply brought him along after encountering him in the Dungeon.
Xude took in a wispy breath, causing Vahn's brows to perk up since he hadn't even noticed the shadowy Xenos breathing this entire time. When it spoke, Xude's tone was filled with respect as it said, "Terror...this is Vahn Mason...He saved us from Hunters and healed our wounds...Kiel and Soda died when we were captured..." As Xude spoke, Terror's expression changed several times, transitioning from surprise, happiness, shock, and then sadness, all over the course of a few seconds. Vahn had never seen someone's expression change so quickly, nor did he expect such a mature woman to have such a cute voice, all while being named 'Terror'...if not for the fact Xude had just mentioned losing two of their companions, Vahn wasn't sure he could stop himself from at least releasing a light chuckle...
(A/N: Some people may be confused about the 'Guardian' thing, as it could be misconstrued as making Xenos into Guardians that 'served' and 'protected' people. What Vahn has in mind would be more of a mutual relationship where the Xenos and their partner would pledge to protect and support each other. If society could get to the point where being paired with a Xenos was the 'norm', they would essentially be able to live alongside people regardless of their appearance. Even if they became 'true' Guardians like what Vahn's children have, being immortal isn't exactly a bad deal...?)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Casual stroll...','Vahn's domain is very versatile (UwU)','Moe-Gap Harpy and Bashful Arachne have appeared...!','We're getting to some advanced levels of fetish here...(o____o)')
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บท 820: Incongruity
Though she seemed to be heavily affected by the revelations, Terror's expression changed back to normal a few seconds later as her hawk-like eyes trained on Vahn. She then flitted her wings to dislodge all the ambient water, becoming somewhat puffy in the process, before stepping out of the hot spring. Her overall height was around 175cm, much larger than a normal Harpy, and Vahn could now clearly see the four curved talons that made small divots on the wooden floor as she walked forward. She also made no effort to conceal herself at all and Vahn noticed that, instead of normal hair around her pubic mound, there were small downy feathers that were speckled with golds, browns, and greys...
It was fortunate that he was able to see such things without looking directly or Vahn suspected this 'Terror' would have noticed his gaze instantly. Though she had eyelids, he hadn't seen her blink this entire time but, just as that thought crossed his mind, Vahn watched as a second set of eyelids moisturized Terror's eye, seemingly without obstructing her vision. He had to admit, the exotic qualities of a humanoid Xenos were very eye-catching...
Terror walked directly up to him without breaking eye contact, stopping less than 15cm away from him, almost to the point that her rather large breasts brushed against his arms. She tilted her head a few times, as if she were inspecting him before turning her eyes towards the two Almiraj in his arms, including the transformed Fenrir. For several seconds, her head tilted progressively further to the left before it looked like she was finally going to say something. However, instead of following this rationale, Terror used the claw-like talons on her wings to lightly caress Fenrir's head before smiling and walking away. She flapped her wings and began flying off towards one of the ceiling tunnels as the Silverback-Xenos, Jude, explained, "Don't let her behavior put you off, Vahn...Terror is a little bit of a bird brain..."
With this remark, many of the Xenos began laughing or chuckling as Xude rubbed the back of its head in an awkward manner. However, this atmosphere was broken very quickly as the small Arachne-Xenos suddenly shouted, "Eiii~! Don't make fun of Big Sis behind her back~!" Her lower body, which had been hidden by the hot springs, burst into view as she scuttled forward rather quickly. Though she had a 'relatively' normal upper body, everything past her pelvis was a rather difficult sight to behold.
Where the thigh of a person normally would have started, the seemingly young Arachne-Xenos had a curved carapace-like cephalothorax with two segmented leg-like protrusions sticking out of the front the curled protectively to hide her lower body. Around this cephalothorax, there were six other segmented spider legs that had a base coloration of black while being covered in dense white furs. This cephalothorax connected into an abdominal segment that was also covered in white furs but had a few areas of pure black that created a skull motif before ending in a series of spinnerettes. Honestly, she looked kind of cute if you didn't look 'too closely', but Vahn knew she would probably creep out numerous people on the surface. After all, even normal spiders could be very creepy, and the two black fang-like protrusions at the end of her forelegs weren't exactly inviting to look at, even if they appeared strangely soft at a glance...
As for how Vahn was able to attach the 'cute' descriptive to such an entity, it was because her height was only around 90cm tall, even when she was scuttling forward with her six tiny legs working in overdrive. She ran straight up to Jude and began to hammer against the latter's thick and muscular thighs, brows furrowed as she exclaimed, "Take it back, Jude~! Don't be mean to Big Sis~!" To this, Jude just released a steamy sigh and used her thick index finger to lightly rub the tiny Arachne-Xenos' head, saying, "Yare yare, Naho...you know I didn't mean anything bad by my words. Everyone loves your Big Sis a whole lot...that's why we can joke about her in good spirits..."
If Naho had been capable of crying, Vahn imagined her compound eyes would be misting up greatly as she looked up at Jude with an expression as though she had been greatly wronged. Even when Jude was rubbing her head, she didn't seem to believe the words intended to pacify her and scampered away from the extended finger in a huff. She turned her five eyes back towards Vahn and curled up what he assumed to be her 'mandibles' in a protective display to prevent him from spying whatever she was keeping hidden behind them. Since he could see that her flesh extended quite a bit below her navel, Vahn could only assume that she had somewhat worth protecting as she furrowed her brows and asked, "Are you really Vahn...'the' Vahn...?"
Though he heard her question, Vahn didn't immediately answer and instead wanted to test the limitations of his system shop by purchasing a dress for the tiny Arachne-Xenos. He was curious about what the shop would produce, especially since he also selected a pair of panties and brassiere. It didn't seem like any of the Xenos, including those that had humanistic sexual traits, wore clothing as he didn't see any around the hot springs. Still, it was obvious that the seemingly young Xenos didn't want to be seen openly so Vahn figured it would be a proper peace offering to give her cute clothing.
With a smile that likely would have caused Tsubaki to comment about him coaxing young girls, Vahn pulled out a black and white gothic-style maid outfit and noticed it looked relatively normal. The brassiere was much the same, even though it seemed to be sized for a child, and it wasn't until he saw the panties that the first disparity appeared. Instead of wrapping completely around the hips, which would have been impossible from the get-go, these were comprised of a strange material that seemed somewhat sticky, especially on the edges. Vahn likened it to the tape-bound panties that Mikoto often wore, except that there was only 'half' of the normal garment.
Though she had been spooked by the sudden appearance of clothing, scrunching down in a protective stance, Vahn noticed Naho adopt a curious expression when she saw what was in his hands. Then, with the same smile on his face, Vahn nodded his head and said, "I have never met another Vahn Mason so I can say rather decisively that I'm probably the one you're thinking about. That isn't really important though...here, these are clothes that I believe will be suitable for you. I'm not sure if Xenos wear clothing, but I can tell you're embarrassed to be seen..."
Vahn had already set down Fenrir and the unnamed Almiraj before he pulled out the clothes so he turned to Fenrir and asked, "Fenrir, can you help our little friend wear these clothes? I don't want to scare her away..." However, before Fenrir even changed back into her Vanargandr form, Naho had already scampered up with a curious expression on her face and actually 'crawled' up his legs. Vahn felt a slight shiver run up his back but it was quickly quelled by the ocean of calmness that had been a part of his existence over the last few days. Even so, he still eyes the 'fangs' on the end of Naho's foreleg/mandibles and saw a glimpse of tender flesh behind them.
Though it was strange to have spider legs touching him, Vahn tolerated it as Naho smiled excitedly and asked, "Can I really have these clothes!?" She practically snatched the dress out of his hands and moved around with little thumping sounds as her six feet tapped against the wood. Vahn was happy she was so excited but there was still a sense of incongruity as he watched what appeared to be a young girl with half of her body consisting of a spider's dancing around. He wondered if giving her a proper 'name' would alter her appearance into something more acceptable but, at the same time, Vahn couldn't help but reprimand himself slightly for humoring the idea that she 'wasn't' acceptable from the start...
Naho eventually calmed down a little before scuttling forward and asking, "How do I wear this...?" Since the dress was a little complicated, even for a normal person, Vahn wasn't that surprised by Naho's question. Fortunately, Fenrir had already adopted a Chienthrope transformation and had relatively normal hands as she said, "I will teach you how to wear it. First, you need to wear your undergarments..." Fenrir snatched over the bra and panty set from her Master while she was speaking and displayed them for the curious Naho to see, explaining their purpose at the same time.
Vahn left Fenrir to deal with Naho, even though he was admittedly a little curious about the physiology of all the Xenos, and turned his attention back to Xude as he asked, "Are we going to follow after Terror now?" This earned him a nod from the War Shadow Xenos who appeared to still be looking at the interaction between Fenrir and Naho. Still, this didn't stop him from answering, "This place is very close to the largest hidden village on the nineteenth Floor. Many of the most powerful Xenos reside there, serving at the leaders and protectors of our people. If she remembers to do so, Terror will likely inform the others of our arrival. Since you are an important guest that many Xenos have been looking forward to meeting...please prepare yourself..."
Xude knew that most Xenos, especially when they were younger, had almost no understanding of personal space at all. Seeing a human that wasn't hostile, especially when it was their 'Savior', would likely cause Vahn to get crowded by the more curious members of their kin. The few times they had interactions with peaceful surface-dwellers in the past often ended up with some light injuries if they weren't properly prepared. After all, there were some Xenos that had large frames as a result of their species, while others would have poisonous quills, barbs, spikes, scales, or even corrosive touches...
Vahn knew Xude was being considerate of him so he returned a smile and said, "Don't worry, Xude, I'm actually more durable than I appear. I'm not sure exactly how much the Xenos know about me, but there are very few things in this world that can genuinely harm me. Also, even in the event that some of the Xenos get out of control, I won't blame them for their behavior...rest easy." By the time he was finished speaking, Vahn felt like he had seen a heavy weight lift off of Xude's shoulders as the latter's core glowed relievedly as he said, "It seems like the day we Xenos may live upon the surface is drawing nearer..."
Off to the side, Fenrir had managed to 'adhere' Naho's panty-panel into place before helping the Arachne-Xenos fit into her pure white silk bra. Vahn had picked silk intuitively since it seemed like something a Spider Person might wear. He didn't doubt that Naho was capable of producing her own silk and had started to wonder if that was a way she could 'appeal' to people on the surface. If she could become adept at the production of fine clothing, Vahn knew that, at the very least, there would be plenty of Adventurer women that would appreciate Naho's existence...
Once Naho had on her undergarments, Fenrir helped fit her into the dress, noticing that the cords that normally tied up the back were instead on the front of this particular dress. Since Naho wouldn't have been able to tie them up at the back, and it would be difficult for others to assist in the effort, the system shop seemed to have 'inverted' the design slightly and made it appear more like a corset that tied together at the front. When she finally managed to get it on, Naho looked even more adorable than before, even though part of Vahn's mind still couldn't quite adapt to the segmented legs and the skull-motif abdominal section poking out from the back of the dress.
Naho was ecstatic in her new clothing and was spinning around in circles as she tried to get a better look at herself. Vahn pulled out a large mirror to help her out, giving the Arachne-Xenos the chance to see her actual reflection for the first time. She seemed to appreciate this greatly and, causing Vahn's hair to stand on end, ran over to him before crawling up his back and 'hugging' him with her arms and legs. Vahn noticed the 'fur' on her legs was actually very soft so the tension in his body melted away quickly as he reached up and pat the spiderling on the head and said, "I'm glad you like it, Naho..."
The following few minutes were a bit more taxing than Vahn had expected but, by the time the group managed to reach the rather wholesome looking village, he had grown accustomed to the two sharp 'fangs' that were resting on his shoulders as Naho happily played with his hair. Vahn never imagined there would be a day when he had a petite Arachne-Xenos clinging to his back. It was almost like he was giving her a piggyback ride, without the need to support her with his arms since her legs clung to him very firmly. Though this earned him looks of 'envy' from Fenrir and the smaller of the two Almiraj, neither voiced their complaints and just let Naho do as she pleased for the time being...
Moments before they reached the location of the hidden village, Mest had inclined its head back, seemingly with a curious glint to the red core near its face as it said, "I'm surprised that Naho opened up to you so quickly...she is usually a very shy girl..." This was a statement that didn't require Vahn's answer as Naho happily giggled and said, "Vahn is the Savior that everyone has been talking about. He even gave Naho clothing so Naho likes Vahn almost as much as Big Sis and Bigger Sis~!" Then, as if to emphasize this statement, Vahn noticed as Naho's affection jumped up a few more points, reaching 88(Familial Love). This was the first time he had seen this parameter on anything other than his own children and it was the primary reason he had 'adapted' to Naho's presence very quickly.
Since she seemed to call two of the other Xenos by familial associative names, Vahn reached up to grab Naho's hands, pulling her around to the front of his body and said, "If you want, you can call me Big Brother, or Big Bro, okay, Naho...?" Her six legs had already clung tightly to his torso but, upon hearing his words, Naho smiled radiantly and wrapped her two tiny arms tightly around Vahn's neck and said, "Big Brother~! I can't wait to introduce you to everyone!" In response to this, Vahn released a light laugh and, ignored the two coiled up 'mandibles' resting against his chest, gave Naho a warm hug while stroking her small back in a comforting manner...
(A/N: I never realized how 'creepy' Arachne could be until I started trying to think about the mechanics of how to interact with one...)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Birdbrain','This is some uncanny valley type stuff...','Kinda cute...?')
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