Try as he might, Vahn hadn't been able to completely harden his heart as, the closer his departure came, the less willing he was to actually leave the Record behind. Though he had been able to avoid giving in to his desire to see his children one last time, Vahn now sat atop the Tower of Babel, three hundred kilometers above the expansive City below as he passed his intent over the Manor's interior. Even without observing it directly, Vahn could 'feel' the sadness that had permeated through the place that, in the past, represented endless warmth and comfort for him. Part of him wanted to reach out and embrace his children, comforting them as best he could, but a larger part of him warned that he might not be able to follow through with his decision if he began to hesitate.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Vahn absentmindedly muttered, "The pain and loneliness I experience during my time in other worlds will be my punishment for the sadness I have caused you all...though time will cease to pass in my wake, I pray that my unborn children will not resent me for my hasty actions...I swear, when I return to this world, I will never allow anything to threaten our happiness again..." Unlike the vows he knew would cease to influence him upon exiting the Record, this promise was one he had engraved into his very soul. It was the 'meaning' he had given himself and, no matter how much time passed between now and his return, Vahn swore he would make good on his words one day.
Though not exactly in response to her Master's words, Fenrir hugged him from behind as she nuzzled her nose into the nape of his neck before muttering, "I will not let Master be lonely, no matter how much pain I have to bear..." Knowing full well that she would lose her [Cinder*Ella] upon leaving the Record, Fenrir had been making the best use of her time whenever she wasn't focused on devouring Tiamat's energy and hunting monsters. As a result, though they were atop the Tower of Babel, overlooking the City below, Fenrir was currently bereft of clothing as she pressed herself into his back and licked the side of her Master's neck.
As tempted as he was to go for another round, Vahn's mood had diminished greatly after peering into the Manor's interior. He grabbed Fenrir's hand, linking his fingers with her soft paws as he apologetically stated, "It is time for us to go...I fear that the temptation to remain will overwhelm my resolve to depart if I stay any longer..." This was one of the few times Vahn had ever 'refused' Fenrir, causing her to blink in confusion before finally nodding her head in understanding. Using her magic, Fenrir quickly wore a gothic-style dress before rising to her feet and saying, "I'm ready...please don't make me wait too long, Master." Since she would need to enter into Stasis in order to accompany him, Fenrir was a little worried about what she might 'experience' during the time she was locked away. Though time shouldn't pass for her, the same principle was supposed to apply to anything placed within her Master's Inventory. Since she still had memories of her time within the magic core, Fenrir felt anxious knowing that it could take months, or even years, before she was able to stand at his side again...
Knowing what she was worried about, Vahn tightly embraced Fenrir's delicate and light frame before kissing her deeply. Unlike before, where they had been unable to kiss as a result of her [Devour] skill, Fenrir had full control over when, and what, she was trying to consume. Over the last few days, they had both stress-tested this newfound functionality, confirming that it was now 'safe' to kiss in a more intimate manner. This didn't stop Fenrir from licking Vahn's lips as he attempted to separate from her, however, causing a smile to appear on his face as he rested his forehead against her's and said, "Once I am able to get my bearings, I will summon you at the earliest possible moment...I promise not to keep you waiting for too long."
Though she didn't doubt his words, Fenrir spent a few more minutes after that enjoying her Master's warmth and aroma before finally separating from him, exclaiming, "Okay, I'm ready...!" With this, Vahn extended his hand, activating the storage function of his Unit Management and placing Fenrir into stasis. This halved her total Loyalty but, considering she still had more than forty billion, Vahn wasn't particularly worried that she would be affected. Even with half the total amount, Fenrir dwarfed the competition as even Anubis only had around 347m Loyalty towards him. Since Vahn knew Anubis would likely even sacrifice her Divinity for his sake, Fenrir's Loyalty was something he would never call into question...
With Fenrir safely stowed away within The Path, Vahn's focus shifted to events that were occurring nearly three-thousand kilometers to the North. Currently, his avatar was seated at the center of a gathering where nineteen unique individuals, each representing the heads of various clans, were signing the treaty they had drafted. It was the near-completion of this process that had led to Vahn's momentary melancholy as, once the paperwork was finalized, he fully expected his Main Quest to be completed. Coincidentally, as the new Twilight Countess, a title that had been bestowed to her by Vahn, the final member signing the document was none other than the Dark-Elf slave he had rescued several years prior, Shiva. She still had a mature and cold disposition but, unlike how she presented herself in the past, there was now a 'regal' aura surrounding the dark-skinned beauty as she bowed her head low and pledged, "Henceforth, The Land of No Sun will share the same fate as the Empire..."
Nodding his head, Vahn gestured with his right, his voice echoing through the chamber as he said, "Rise..." From the perspective of the various clan leaders, there was a solemnity within Vahn's words that caused most of them to hold their breaths as the void around them trembled ever so slightly. Though he was doing his best to remain calm, Vahn couldn't completely bury his emotions as his time within the Record was swiftly dwindling down. Fortunately, Shiva was unaffected by the pressure he was emanating as she easily rose to her feet, a fervent and loyal glint within her deep burgundy eyes. The madness that had been present within them had now turned into sheer adulation as she smiled towards her Master and swore, "I will never forget the favor you have granted me...Master."
With the last word spoken in a tone that only Vahn could hear, Shiva gave a final polite bow before exiting the chamber at Vahn's behest. Though it wasn't wrong to consider their relationship as Master and vassal, it was obvious that the Dark Elf was placing emphasis on their past relationship, even though Vahn had freed her. Knowing this, Vahn followed her departure with his eyes but, instead of ruminating on the past, he immediately shifted his focus towards the future as a system notification sounded within his mind. Vahn didn't have much of a reaction upon seeing this, other than feeling a strange regret about having failed to complete all of the Optional Objectives...
--------------------------------------------------------------
//Main Quest Completed//
[Quest: The Path of an Emperor Begins With The First Step]
Rank: Zenith
Completion Grade: (-)
Objectives: Unify the Continent of Eden(9/9), Conquer the Living Dungeon, Tartarus(1/1), Form a Divine Council with a God of every Major Divinity(31/30)
Optional Objectives: [Curiosity] Form a Harem with at least one member of every race:(37/59), [Inspiration] Acquire 10,000 Followers, Subordinates, or Retainers(93,005/10,000), [Might] Overcome the restriction of Level 10: (10/10), [Virility] Sire 100 Children (24/100)
Rewards: 10,000,000,000OP, Quest Creation System Function Unlocked, 1x[Innate Awakening Pill], 1x[Page of the Akashic Tome]
Bonus Rewards: [Inspiration], [Might], 83,005,000OP
[Innate Awakening Pill]
Rank: Unique
Use: Allows the user to promote an Innate one full grade at the cost of sealing that Innate for one year. In the event that the user has no active Innates, forcefully awakens a sealed Innate in exchange for sealing all sources of energy for ten years.
[Page of the Akashic Tome]
Rank: Unique
Use: Allows the user to rewrite the fate of any named entity recorded within the Akashic Tome. **Warning: Use extreme caution as this item affects the causality of all Records accessible to Host entity: Vahn Mason**
[Inspiration]
Rank: Unique
Use: A Grimoire that bestows the user with the intrinsic ability to inspire their allies, greatly bolstering morale and temporarily increasing their base capabilities. At higher levels of Mastery, it is even possible to inspire targets to push beyond their limits, allowing a Miracle to occur.
[Might]
Rank: Unique
Use: A Grimoire that allows the user to increase their raw physical power by a factor of ten without any extraneous consumption of energy. Be warned, however, as the strain this skill places on the body has the potential of irreparably damaging weaker users.
//Quest Function Unlocked//
Allows the Host to browse through a list of compatible quests directly tied to the fate of a Record. Quests depicted are limited by the User's understanding of the Record and their rapport with entities tied to the Record's fate.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Though the descriptions of his rewards had caused Vahn's mood to improve a bit, it was only a temporary increase as the realization that he was about to leave the Record hit him like a truck. He suddenly felt an extreme amount of regret regarding how he had spent the last few weeks in the record but, having already made his resolve, Vahn allowed the emotions to wash over him as he opened the system shop and located the [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis]. Using fifty of his fifty-three billion OP, Vahn purchased the coveted item, causing another system notification to sound within his mind, this one far more comprehensive than his previous one...
--------------------------------------------------------------
//Quest Completed//
[Quest: I Shall Seal The Heavens]
Rank: SSS
Completion Grade: SSS
Objective: Obtain 50,000,000,000 OP and purchase a [Dimensional Anchor: Stasis] from the system shop. (completed)
Rewards: All system functions upgraded, 3x[Spirit Vessels], 1x[Enlightenment Stone]
Grade Rewards: 500,000,000OP
[Spirit Vessel]
Rank: Unique
Use: Serves as a catalyst that allows a soul to be bound to a temporary body. This faux body is capable of emulating the capabilities of the original but is incapable of growing any stronger.
[Enlightment Stone]
Rank: Unique
Use: Allows the user to enter a state of Enlightenment, granting insights into any singular compatible Law.
//System Shop Upgraded to allow the purchase of Unique items obtained by Host.//
//Records Function Upgraded to allow Host to trace the Origin of items obtained through The Path.//
//Unit Management Function Upgraded to allow Host to share senses with Subordinates, Followers, and Retainers//
//Gacha Function Upgraded to allow for one free Premium Gacha pull every 24H. The drop rate of Premium Gacha Tickets increased when defeating Unique enemies.//
//Upgrade Function Upgraded to allow Host to temporarily infuse the power of equipment directly into another target. Duration dependent on the number of times the equipment has been successfully upgraded.//
//Minimap Function Upgraded to allow the user to inspect and track any target within territory designated as their own.//
//Quest Function Upgraded to allow the user to assign Quests to Subordinates, Followers, and Retainers. Quest Rewards dependent on the capabilities of the target and the difficulty of the assigned Quest.//
//Inventory Function Upgraded to allow for the storage of 16,384 unique items. Inventory slot size increased from 1,000m³ to 10,000m³.//
--------------------------------------------------------------
Having each of his system functions upgraded caused Vahn's depressive state to recede even further, replaced by renewed confidence about what the future might hold. Reading what his system functions were capable of provided Vahn some small comfort in regards to how much time it would take him to return. This was especially true for the Quest Function as, previously, Vahn feared that his lack of knowledge regarding Records would be his weakness. Now, even without having studied the source material, Vahn at least had an idea about what course of action to take when appearing within the foreign land for the first time. He could always just read through the list of available Quests before deciding where to go from there while, after finding his footing, he could even assign his companions to complete tasks for him...
Now, feeling less 'lost' than before, Vahn took in a deep breath as he severed his connection with his avatar and opened up the Records function of The Path. He had only ever used it once before but could still recall the times he would often read through the list of myriad Records during his idle time back in the Western Forest. That now felt like a lifetime ago and, though the memories were as vivid as the day he had obtained them, Vahn viewed them as if he were an outsider now. He noticed that he had been able to perceive many things around his body, allowing him to play through the memories in the third person as, much like the phenomenon people would experience at death's door, Vahn watched silently as his entire time within the Record flashed across his eyes...
Seeing the many experiences he had obtained, Vahn allowed a small smile to spread across his lips as, though there were undoubtedly sad and trying times, much of his time within the Record was filled with happy memories. There were certainly a few things he would have liked to do differently but, knowing the folly of such ideas, Vahn allowed his regrets to fade away with the stream of memories as he turned his eyes skyward and muttered, "Eject..." in a somber tone of voice. Then, in an instant that couldn't be recorded by the passage of time, Vahn's body had vanished from the Record in its entirety. Following this, all of the items that had been purchased through the use of his system shop began to destabilize but, long before they finished breaking apart, the entire Record slowed before, moments later, coming to a complete stop...
---
Feeling himself passing through various viscous membranes, Vahn did his best to remain calm as an overwhelming sense of loss threatened to claim his mind. He reminded himself that everyone he had parted with wouldn't even mark his disappearance and, though this was a somewhat saddening thought, Vahn found comfort in knowing he wouldn't be missed. Now, regardless of the passage of time, he had a literal eternity to become strong enough to link the Records and reunite with his family. When they were next together, Vahn swore that even the machinations of Fate wouldn't be able to separate them again. Even if he had to create severe restrictions on the Records that would fall under his influence, Vahn didn't mind if he had to spend the rest of his days bound to the body of a sealed avatar if it meant he could stay with his family...
With such thoughts on his mind, Vahn found himself collide with something impossibly hard, even though he felt no pain in the collision. Upon taking in his surroundings, he noticed he had returned to the stone dais that had been present before he ventured forth into the Record of Danmachi. This was, as explained by Sis, his own personal Dimension that served as the resting place of his actual Soul. It was through the stone dais that he was able to traverse the myriad Records and, once he was strong enough, it would be this same stone dais that allowed him to link the Records, even if the means of doing so currently escaped him.
Releasing an emotional sigh, Vahn sat down with his legs crossed before pulling up the Records function once again. It was impossible to move from one Record directly to another, as there was simply nothing connecting them, so he was required to eject himself from the Record before moving to another one. This process resulted in the destruction of his 'physical' body within records he no longer habitated, forcing his awareness back to his own personal Dimension as a result. Now, using the Trace function he had just unlocked, Vahn designated [Enkidu] as his target before widening his eyes as a massive 'map' appeared before him. It looked like a series of points that were connected by small strings, leaving Vahn confused as to what they represented as the name 'Nasuverse: 2-5' reflected in his vision...
Without having any other information to go on, Vahn mustered up his resolve as, instead of dawdling atop the stone dais that was surrounded by literal 'nothingness', he was determined to face the next Record immediately. He told himself that, the sooner he started his journey, the quicker it would come to an end. Though his growth would depend heavily on his ability to comprehend various concepts that currently escaped him, Vahn knew there were no limits to his growth. Regardless of the challenges, he would face, nothing would be able to forestall his return to the place that had become his home...the place where his family was waiting...
---
Much like the first time he had entered into the Record of Danmachi, Vahn felt his 'body' traverse through several indescribable membranes, each imprinting a bit of themselves upon the vessel that would serve as his new body. He knew these membranes were the restrictions of the Record's Laws and, though he would invariably be able to 'bend' them a bit, Vahn was subjected to their influence just like every other entity within the Record. At the same time, however, Vahn felt as if his presence sent something akin to an 'echo' through the surrounding nothingness before a fierce tugging force originated from the place where his stomach would generally be located. This was an unbelievably powerful force that Vahn could offer no resistance against as he felt his consciousness rapidly descend towards a destination outside of anything he could have imagined...
With momentum beyond Vahn's ability to fathom, his 'body' descended towards what looked like a nebulous blob before he was unceremoniously brought to a stop just before slamming into a strange black platform. Carved into the surface, Vahn could see a complex arrangement of runes that were constantly changing shape and form, each tethered to angular lines that were interconnected to form a larger network. These lines seemed to extend outwards without end but, more important than the notion of where they led, Vahn's attention was drawn to what appeared to be their origin. There, at the very center of the black plane, the nebulous blob he had witnessed previously, albeit much smaller, was floating within the void. It seemed to contain an incalculable number of points that caused Vahn's mind to feel a strange sense of 'collapse' when looking at it directly...
Fighting against the desire to fade into unconsciousness, Vahn struggled to right himself before, seemingly appearing out of thin air, a strange-looking boy obscured his vision. He had pale white hair without any semblance of color while two red eyes were set within his expressionless face. Unlike the vast majority of humans Vahn had come across, the boy had solid black sclera and, while he was bereft of a single piece of clothing, his flesh seemed almost metallic in structure, even as an unfathomable amount of vitality radiated off of him. With his 'flesh' being an amalgamation of black and white, looking decidedly alien in structure, Vahn knew that the entity before him wasn't a normal existence as, much like when he first met with Ouranos, he could only feel the 'aura' radiating off the boy while his presence was something beyond Vahn's perception...
Observing the entity tilt its head to the side, Vahn noticed it didn't actually appear to have a gender, appearing more like a doll than anything else. He wasn't afforded any time to consider the peculiarity of the entity, however, as the latter stated in what could only be described as a purely synthetic voice, "State your designation and purpose. Failure to comply will result in immediate termination." Then, without affording Vahn an actual chance to answer, the entity extended its hand forward, eyes flashing with thousands of runes as it added, "Anamoly detected. Initiating operation: Expulsion From Eden. Requesting permission from Termina Nasu to remove Anomalous Factor: AF-002 from Root Designation: Akasha..."
Before Vahn was even aware of his inability to form words, he watched in abject terror as his limbs began to break down into particles of black dust, much like how a monster would vanish from the Dungeon. A sense of powerlessness far greater than what he had experienced when confronting Tiamat welled up inside him but, just as he felt as if something was about to 'break' within his mind, another synthetic voice echoed through the void, stating, "Request Denied. Termina Nasu has given AF-002 the designation: Type Omega. Submit to Root Designation: Akasha/Central_Axis_Terminal for processing."
With the second voice coming to a stop, so too did the destruction of Vahn's body which, as if the previous phenomenon had been an illusion, had returned to normal. He was once again denied the opportunity to make sense of what had happened, however, as the entity in front of him waved its hand slightly, resulting in Vahn's surroundings changing completely. Instead of the vast black plane he had found himself on previously, Vahn was now seated in a surprisingly comfortable chair across from three more distinctly inhuman entities.
Like the one he had met previously, they didn't seem to have an actual gender but, just as the previous entity appeared to be male at a glance, Vahn felt that the one seated directly across from him was a female while the other two were almost identical to the one that had nearly 'deleted' him. The only thing differentiating them was the fact that each of the 'male' entities had different hairstyles while the 'female' across from him had a 'dress' that seemed to be part of her actual body. She also had hair that looked distinctly synthetic, shaped into a perfectly symmetrical bowl cut, even though the left half of her hair was blonde while the other side was pitch black. Vahn couldn't even see light refracting off of the strands, almost as if he were looking into a void of nothingness that threatened to pull him without mercy...
With an eerie smile on her almost featureless face, the 'woman' spoke with a surprisingly soft voice as she said, "Greetings, Type Omega. My designation is Akasha, System Administrator of Root Designation: Akasha. Tell me, how have you found your way here? In 36,828,489,212,002,085,419 cycles, you are only the second anomaly to appear from beyond Termina Nasu's scope. What is your purpose here? Depending on your answer, I may have to deny you passage through the Root before sending you to Termina Nasu itself for analysis." As these words left 'her' lips without any emotion whatsoever, Vahn felt as if his heart had been tightly gripped in Akasha's hand as he instinctually answered, "I have come seeking strength...so that I may return to my family and protect them..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir's Resolve','Oh hey, it's Shiva o_o...','Those are some hefty rewards...','It would seem that entering a 'multiverse' isn't as easy as invading a lower-tiered Record xD...')
(A/N: This is the final chapter of Volume 18 and the official end of Vahn's journey through Danmachi. Though he will one day return, the next thousand or so chapters will detail his journey through 3-5 different Records, each with a subtly different writing style. Remember, I'm writing this story for practice so there are a few things I'd like to try out now that I have more 'freedom' in the plot's direction. There may be times when the story becomes 'very' dark, especially since he is in the Nasuverse, so please bear with me as I promise things will get better~! Also, make sure to vote for any Servants you would like to see appear as time is quickly running out before the poll will be closed! (https://poll.ly/#/G5KQjj8P))
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE
With the exception of anything related to The Path, Vahn recounted much of his experiences within the Record of Danmachi. Though it might have been possible to conceal the truth, his instincts told him that the entity known as Akasha wasn't someone he could fool with simple words. From the moment he found himself sitting in the chair, it felt as if even the individual particles of energy making up his body were seen through by her. He suspected that the only thing beyond her notice was the nature of his Soul itself which, thanks to the concealment of The Path, was effectively kept hidden from all prying eyes. Even if she had the means to analyze his ego with an Innate, Vahn suspected she would only be able to glean the most minuscule amount of information unless he willingly allowed her to snoop around...
Once Vahn had finished his explanation, Akasha's face remained a perfect mask, just as it had during the three-hour-long recounting. Vahn hadn't even seen her, nor the two at her side, perform so much as a single blink, much less any other biological process that would have made them appear to be genuinely 'alive'. He even questioned why they had things like eyelids in the first place as Akasha's eyes never wavered from his face even a single millimeter, almost as if they had locked onto him. When he had finished speaking, however, she instantly followed up, saying, "You have been granted provisional access to E-Ranked information. My analysis has determined that your story has a 93.20081% chance of pertaining to the truth. As the information you have provided will prove beneficial in our ongoing projects, Termina Nasu has provided you the minimum rank necessary to gain access to Root Designation: Akasha."
At the end of her statement, Akasha moved her hand in a precise and mechanical manner before a blue projection dominated Vahn's vision. Without affording him the chance to ask any questions of his own, she explained, "My primary directive is to observe the cycle of Souls within the Akashic System in order to assess a viable means of recreating Proto Root: Project Eden. Though my classification allows me administrative rights over Root Designation: Akasha, I am unable to directly intervene with ongoing experiments. In exchange for allowing you to pass through the Root, I have been granted the right to assign you temporary moderation rights to remove the variables that have prevented the current experiment from ending. Will you acknowledge the task that has been assigned to you?"
Though he was tempted to outright refuse Akasha's offer, as the thought of acting in the interest of a force he had no understanding of didn't sit well with him, Vahn had keyed in on the fact that she claimed to be unable to interfere with the world on the other side of the Root. Prior to hearing her offer, he had been thinking of leaving the Record and trying his luck with a different version of the Nasuverse but, now that she was asking his opinion, Vahn couldn't help but ask, "What do I stand to gain from accepting this task? I am obviously not from this world so I can't help but wonder why the entity you refer to as 'Termina Nasu' would entrust me to interfere with an ongoing experiment?"
For the first time since he had been forcefully teleported into the room, Vahn saw Akasha's expression change slightly as an incalculable number of runes streamed across her eyes like lines of information. They were moving so fast he was unable to discern any of their meanings as, with the disparity between his strength and the three seated across from him, Vahn knew it wouldn't be wise to activate his [Eyes of Truth]. This was especially true when considering the fact that the two 'male' entities flanking Akasha had been watching him with a calculating gaze that caused Vahn's instincts to scream of impending danger. He knew that, depending on the circumstances, it wouldn't take them much effort at all to 'remove' him from the Record. Since they were, theoretically, weaker than the Mage of the Beginning, Vahn felt as if he had received a wake-up call in regards to what he should expect in the future...
After a few seconds had passed, the lines of runes within Akasha's eyes faded away, leading to her response of, "Entities that have been able to pass through the Root from within have been granted the privilege of presiding over their own experiments. Though you have arrived here from beyond Termina Nasu's scope, you will be afforded the same opportunity while having your classification upgraded to access B-Rank information. As you have come to this world seeking strength, this should align with your own interests. Currently, your existence is limited to that of a Greater Divine Spirit. Once your task has been completed, your rank will allow you to strengthen your vessel to that of an Administrator, Lower-Grade."
As if to make the offer even more enticing, Akasha gesticulated towards the 'male' entities at her sides as she explained, "These are my assistants, Designations: Alpha293 and Alpha294. Their vessels are classified as Executors, Middle-Grade, a full three stages lower than the vessel you will be given access to. Though you will be required to bath in the light of Termina Nasu to ensure compatibility, this should more than compensate you for services rendered. Are you able to comprehend these terms?"
Though he was annoyed by Akasha's final question, Vahn felt as if the offer they were making wasn't necessarily the worst. His decision would ultimately depend on what he experienced after passing through the so-called Root, but there didn't seem to be too many reasons to refuse their request. At the very least, he would have some direction about what course of action to take upon reaching the world's comprising Akasha's experiment. Though the Quest Function would have given him a bit of guidance, it was helpful having an 'overarching' directive of sorts to guide his actions. Thinking until this point, Vahn decided to agree to Termina Nasu's request, so long as they didn't require him to do anything that ran counter to his morals...
Seeing Vahn nod, Akasha brought her arms to the front before the full-body images of seven individuals formed atop her palms. Vahn was shocked upon witnessing this, not because any of the people within Akasha's palms were particularly eye-catching, but because he could sense 'life' within each of them. Any questions he had about them would have to wait until later though, as Akasha immediately began explaining, "The Root Designation: Akasha has been stuck in a loop after this man, Astario Vale Hoenheim managed to reach the Root during the 30,000,000,000,000,000,000th cycle. Unlike others, he chose not to pass through the Root and instead gleaned insights into the true nature of Akasha before returning to the experiment. Since then, the number of variable timelines has increased beyond the system's capacity to observe. Though I have devised countermeasures to cull any timeline that would lead to the experiment's failure, it is estimated that the system will cease function before reaching the 39,000,000,000,000,000,000th cycle."
Even if it might not be the best idea, Vahn raised his hand slightly after hearing Akasha mention the thirty-nine quintillionth cycle. This caused the two 'Alpha' entities at her side to immediately stand up but they were prevented from taking action as Akasha held up her hand. Though it might have been misconstrued that they had stopped in response to the gesture, Vahn could see a subtle purple distortion around the two as both Space and Time seemed to freeze around them. Following this, Akasha asked, "Do you require clarification regarding any of the disseminated information?"
Feeling as if his nerves were exposed to the air, Vahn gave a nod in response to Akasha's question before asking, "What exactly is a 'cycle'? How long will I have after passing through the Root to complete my task?" As he currently lacked almost any information regarding the world beyond the Root, Vahn at least wanted to know if he needed to rush to complete his assignment. When Akasha plainly stated, "One cycle accounts for a passage of time between seventeen and twenty-three billion years, enough time for each variable timeline to conclude in its entirety. As a result of Astario Vale Hoenheim's interference, however, each cycle 'resets' before the time designated by the system. This has allowed infinite iterations of variable timelines to come into existence, many running contrary to the purpose of the experiment."
Hearing that he effectively had eight-hundred and fifty septillion years to complete his task, any apprehension Vahn had about accepting Termina Nasu's proposition flew out the window. He could barely even fathom such a number so, assuming he would experience the passage of time linearly, it seemed as if the task Akasha was giving him was something he could complete at his leisure. Long before he was even required to take action, Vahn knew he would have reached a point where Akasha and the Termina Nasu would be unable to influence him. They had no means of restricting him to the Record so, after reaching a comfortable point as a Tier 5 entity, Vahn would be able to exit whenever he pleased. This didn't mean he wouldn't try to keep his promise, as he wasn't fond of reneging on his word, but Vahn wouldn't act blindly on behalf of an existence he couldn't even comprehend.
Without interrupting her a second time, Vahn listened as Akasha went on to explain, "The location of Astario Vale Hoenheim can no longer be detected by the system in its current state. By allowing you to pass through the Root, there is a 67.31184% chance that a soft reset of the current temporal axis will occur. This will allow me to identify the location of Astario Vale Hoenheim before sending you the requisite date to locate him within the experiment's boundaries. Upon being discovered, I expect the second target, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg to interfere. Like Astarior Vale Hoenheim, he is a Magus that was able to reach the Root, deciphering the Second Verse of Akasha and gaining access to the Administrative Function: Operation of Parallel Worlds. Of your targets, he will prove the most troublesome as he is capable of existing in multiple axes of time simultaneously. You will have to lure him within an Imaginary Space that is separate from the primary axis of time."
Though Vahn wanted to ask what an Imaginary Space was, Akasha had already moved on to the next target, this time showing the figures of three people simultaneously. The first was a young boy, seemingly no older than ten years old, while the other figures were both inordinately beautiful woman. Each of the three had snow-white hair, ruby-red eyes, and a complexion so fair it was almost indistinguishable from their hair. Curiously, even at a glance, Vahn felt the aura coming from the three wasn't dissimilar from the feeling he got from Akasha and the two Alphas. When she was talking about them, there was a modicum of disgust visible within Akasha's eyes as she explained, "Though less troublesome than your first two targets, you should prioritize returning these three to the Root before all else. They are the Great Sage, Kanada Vaisheshika, the Holy Maiden of Winter, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, and the Saintess of the End, Eruru Alexis Emiya. Their lineage had deciphered the Third Verse of Akasha, gaining access to the Administrative Function: Heaven's Feel. As the Magus responsible for deciphering the Verse, Kanada Vaisheshika was able to abandon his physical body before retreating to the reverse side of the world, becoming an entity infinitely close to a Moderator. The other two, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern and Eruru Alexis Emiya have inherited the magic within their timelines, perverting the Third Verse in a vain attempt to retrace their Ancestor's steps. Upon passing through the Root, there is a 98.118% chance that your presence will be recognized by the Moon Cell as a participant in a cyclic ceremony known as the Holy Grail War."
Vahn had been listening attentively to Akasha's explanation thus far but, hearing he would have to participate in a war, he couldn't help but raise his brows in mild surprise. Seeing this, Akasha immediately explained, "The Holy Grail War is a ritual concocted by Kanada Vaisheshika to provide his descendants with the ability to retrace the path he used to reach the Root. Using the knowledge he gained from the Third Verse of Akasha, he was able to conceptualize a spiritual vessel capable of serving as an intermediary with the Moderation Terminal, Moon Cell. Because of the significance it represents, the Holy Grail War has become a central event within recent cycles, accounting for a total of 64% of all tangential timelines. Though I have taken steps to prevent the ritual's success, there is a .0000149% chance that a participant within the Holy Grail War will be able to reach the Root, greatly reducing the system's capacity to run future cycles. One of your secondary objectives will be to ensure that any Holy Grail Wars taking place within a timeline you inhabit are unable to be completed. Though it is not a high priority, you should always act in an effort to prevent any individual or organization from reaching the Root."
After completing her explanation of the Holy Grail War, even though it only created more questions within Vahn's mind, Akasha brought the sixth figure to the forefront before explaining, "This is your sixth target, the Dreamweaver, Kyrie Alternis. She is a Magus who was able to reach the Root, deciphering the Fourth Verse of Akasha and gaining access to the Administrative Function: Origin Axis. Thus far, she has been unable to activate the Administrative Function as her mind has been unable to adapt to having direct access to the Root's Archives, the Akashic Record. There is only a .000000000417% chance of her regaining her sense of self but it is best to return her to the Root as soon as possible. She is currently residing within the Reverse Side of the World, kept within the Moon God, Nanna's, treasury. In your current state, you will struggle to deal with Nanna but I will provide support once you are able to access the Reverse Side of the World and deal with Kanada Vaisheshika."
Vahn had been staring at the figure within Akasha's hands, noting that the woman named Kyrie Alternis actually had a similar appearance to Brynhildr. She even had a pair of wings but, unlike the steely black possessed by a Valkyrie, Kyrie's were a pristine white that emanated a subtle golden glow. Her beauty had an ethereal quality to it and, after hearing Akasha mention the 'Akashic Record', Vahn couldn't help but feel a bit of intrigue towards the woman who had seemingly been slumbering for trillions of years. He had already made the connection between Akasha and his own Innate, [Keeper of the Akashic Tome], but chose not to pursue the matter as asking too many questions could jeopardize his chances of passing through the Root. Once he was on the other side, Vahn wouldn't have to worry too much about the peculiar existence of Akasha as there was a chance Kyrie would be able to provide the answer to 'literally' everything...
Finished with her explanation of Kyrie, Akasha brought the final figure forward, this time allowing her expression to morph into the closest thing to a genuine emotion that Vahn had seen from her. Unfortunately, with her peculiar appearance, the fact that Akasha's expression was one of absolute disgust made it hard to appreciate the moment as he listened to her explain, "This is the Magus known as the 'Entropy', Aoko Aozaki. Though her Grandfather was the one to gain access to the Root, deciphering the Fifth Verse of Akasha, she is the first to Master the magic within the original time axis. By borrowing the mana from variable timelines that have been cut off by the system, she is able to increase the total amount of mana within the original time axis. At the same time, her Magic, derived from the Administrative Function: Magic Blue, has the capacity of 'erasing' futures that do not serve her interests. She had become the central figure within the main timeline and has partnered with Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg and Astario Vale Hoenheim to interfere with the experiment's proceedings. She will be your final target as her ability to use Magic Blue will require you to deal with Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg if you are to have any chance at eliminating her."
Seeing the hatred Akasha seemed to have towards what appeared to be a relatively normal girl from the Far East came as a shock to Vahn. Though he could understand her frustrations at having the experiment she was in charge of meddled with, this didn't explain why Akasha seemed to hold a grudge towards Aoko Aozaki. Deciding it was a question best left unasked, Vahn simply nodded his head in response to Akasha's words before he watched the seven figures in her palms turn to dust. Since he felt the small figures had been 'alive', the corner of Vahn's eyes twitched as he turned his attention to Akasha's face, asking, "Is there anything else I need to be aware of?"
As if her earlier expression had been an illusion, Akasha had already returned to what Vahn could now only describe as an eerie smile as she explained, "As a Moderator, you will not have to worry about being targeted by any of the system's automatic cleaning processes. So long as you do not interfere with their duties, they will proactively avoid taking action towards you in any of the timelines you cross through. You will be able to identify them by their designations as, under the influence of the system's manipulation of causality, they have all been given similar classifications, colloquially known as Types. They serve as a regulating force to guarantee the experiment's success so it is imperative you avoid situations where your actions overlap with the execution of their directive."
Hearing Akasha's explanation, Vahn was able to glean a bit of insight into the meaning behind his 'classification'. He wondered what kind of entities the other Types were, especially since Akasha was going out of her way to advise him to stay out of their way. With the emotionless and utilitarian way in which Akasha behaved, Vahn felt that anything created by the Root in order to 'clean' timelines wasn't something pleasant. If he interpreted the meaning of her words in a literal sense, the other Types were entities capable of wiping out entire realities, bringing an end to any timeline that didn't meet the experiment's parameters. Depending on the methods they used, he wasn't so sure he would be able to just stand by, especially if any took action within a world that he resided. Even if he didn't intend to stay for long within the Record, Vahn harbored no delusions that he would be able to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others...
With her explanation completed, Akasha gestured with her hands, causing a hexagonal pattern to appear in the air in front of her. Her fingers began to tap the hexagons faster than Vahn's eyes could perceive before, moments later, she tapped a small rune floating within the air before saying, "I have finished processing your information. With the analysis provided by Termina Nasu, this should provide an accurate accounting of your current capabilities. Note that these parameters are taken from the averages recorded in all variable timelines. So long as you plan accordingly, it should be possible for you to use this information when dealing with your targets. Do you have any final questions before I send your body through the Root?"
Though Vahn had a plethora of questions he desired the answer to, he ultimately decided against relying on Akasha for the answers as it unnecessarily increased the chances of her deciding not to send him through the Root. As for the infographic she had provided him, Vahn wasn't surprised at all when a system notification sounded within his mind, altering the layout of his Status to reflect the parameters provided by Akasha's analysis. Though it seemed somewhat arbitrary compared to the parameters of Danmachi, it was still useful to know how he matched up to others within the Record. It also helped that, along with information pertaining to his own Status, Akasha had provided seven glass-like cards that detailed the Status' of each of his targets, even if many of their parameters outright showed question marks...
Seeing that Vahn had no questions, Akasha's eerie smile turned strangely gentle as she said, "You need not kill any of the targets directly. So long as you can forcibly pull them back to the Root and have them contact it, I will be able to extract them manually. Do not feel troubled as, even though they have caused me innumerable headaches, I do not intend to destroy their Souls. Like all entities that have crossed through the Root, they will be provided the opportunity to conduct experiments of their own under the guidance of Termina Nasu. I will not blame them for their ignorance as one of the primary purposes of Root Designation: Akasha, was to encourage the development of unique individuals that would be able to aid in the creation of Proto Root: Project Eden. Your assistance will also prove useful in the future, so please do your best to complete the task assigned to you."
With these words having barely reached his ears, Vahn awareness of his surroundings immediately faded away in a rather unceremonious fashion. He wanted to remark that, if she was even remotely sincere, she wouldn't just send him on his way immediately. It was obvious that Akasha wanted him to get started as soon as possible, likely the result of the vast difference in how they perceived the passage of time. Vahn felt as if he, quite literally, had an eternity to complete the task 'she' had assigned him, even though Akasha's actions implied that time was short. She didn't even explain to him how to traverse between variable timelines, perhaps misconstruing his ability to reach this plane of existence as the ability to freely travel between worlds...
---
While Vahn's 'body' was being sent through the Root, Akasha's eyes began to produce an incalculable number of runes. This was data pertaining to the composition of Vahn's body as it was processed by the Root and adapted to the myriad worlds within. As she continued to interpret the data at a speed faster than the most powerful supercomputers in existence, Akasha's expression slowly morphed into one of abject shock as she intoned, "This is impossible. Termina Nasu's analysis showed that Type Omega did not possess an 'Origin'. Why is the Root treating him as if he is an entity with a Soul?" As these queries left her mouth, Akasha turned her attention to what Vahn had interpreted as a 'nebulous blob'. This was, in actuality, an external view of the infinite number of variable timelines that existed as a part of Akasha's experiment. Within this 'blob', seemingly no larger than 10m across, there were an incalculable number of universes, each containing trillions of unique Souls and an unfathomable number of planets and stars...
With her face now one of utter disbelief, the result of her inability to comprehend what was happening, Akasha watched as the 'blob' rapidly decreased in size until it was no larger than a basketball. This was a phenomenon she had never even considered as, even with the records of Termina Nasu feeding her information, there was nothing even remotely similar to what she was currently bearing witness to. It was as if, upon injecting Type Omega into the Root, all variable timelines had ceased to exist. The only thing remaining were the primary timelines that had been created at the start of the experiment, accounting for a mere 68,719,475,726 universes in total. This caused her eyes to glimmer with excitement, as it meant Vahn would have a much easier time completing his task. It wasn't until several other entities suddenly appeared, each more senior than herself, that Akasha finally returned to her senses...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jiiiiiiiii-','Holy Mother of Info Dumps...',That's a nice multi-verse you have there, would be a shame if someone were to destroy it by virtue of their very existence...')
(A/N: For those wise guys who feel inclined to point out that Vahn should gain a functionally infinite amount of negative karma, as a result of effectively 'killing' an infinite number of people, that isn't how Karma works. The intent of the person that is granted the karma matters a lot while, prior to entering the Root, it was actually impossible for Vahn to even accumulate Karma. The scope of Termina Nasu doesn't actually occupy real space, as it exists within an isolated dimension governed by conceptual Laws, much like an advanced form of the Space-Time orbs. The cycle of reincarnation within the Nasuverse is handled by the Root, meaning that Vahn was outside the influence of both Karma and Fate during his discussion with Akasha. Also, don't forget to check my comment and vote for any Servants you want to appear within the story...!)
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