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...
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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...!)
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE
For what felt like several hours, Vahn continued to experience a sensation similar to free-falling except, instead of moving 'down', his orientation seemed to constantly shift. At times, he would feel a floaty feeling in his stomach, as if he was being lifted upward, while other moments caused him to feel as if he were flying sideways at a speed incomprehensible to the mind. Throughout this entire process, the only thing within Vahn's perception were bright blue lines that were similar in structure to those he had witnessed atop the infinite black 'plane' that likely represented Termina Nasu. With nothing better to do, Vahn was trying to make sense of their structure in order to decipher their relationship with the Laws of Space and Time. Unfortunately, just as it felt like he was beginning to 'sense' something, Vahn perception shifted once again, this time giving him the feeling as if he was 'literally' free-falling due to the rapidly approaching planet below...
Feeling his vision 'stretch', a phenomenon that occurred when traveling near the speeds of light, Vahn suddenly felt an extreme nausea that caused him to retch forward by instinct. At the same time, he noticed that he was now standing on some kind of concrete while, dominating the surroundings, there were several similarly designed buildings built in close proximity to each other. It reminded Vahn a lot of the slums of Daedelus Street, even though the houses seemed far more high-quality than the decrepit structures that often housed ten times the number of people they should have...
Just as he was about to look around to view his surroundings more clearly, Vahn heard an annoyingly loud sound blast his ears, accompanied by the screams of several girls from the surroundings. In that same instant, Vahn raised his head, no longer feeling nauseous, only to find his vision was dominated by what appeared to be a highly advanced wagon. He didn't have time to view it in greater detail, however, as the wagon unceremoniously smashed into him with a surprising amount of force. Vahn could feel the metal wrap around his body as an odorous smell of oil and gaseous fumes assaulted his senses. Though it didn't do any damage to him, Vahn felt annoyed that his first experience in a new world was being run over by a wagon so he kicked the offending transport backward before looking towards the coachman and yelling, "Watch where you're going next time...!"
In response to his outburst, Vahn's surroundings were dominated by silence for several seconds, at least until the driver seemed to return to their senses as they climbed out from their carriage and exclaimed, "W-what the fuck...are...are you okay!?" His words seemed to awaken the surroundings as, immediately following that, Vahn noticed several tens of people pull out small square plates before pointing them in his direction. He suddenly felt a mounting frustration at how rude their behavior was but, remembering he wasn't recognized as an Emperor in this world, Vahn remained calm as he looked toward the surprisingly fat Far Eastern man and said, "I will be fine. Now, tell me, why are you driving this...carriage...in such an enclosed area...?"
From what Vahn could see, the path in which the carriage was trespassing was hardly wide enough for it to pass through without potentially damaging the surroundings. Though it seemed to rely on mechanical parts to function, giving it a higher degree of precision, the man before him didn't seem like the dexterous type that would be able to properly use such a machine. At a glance, he seemed even weaker than most of the children back in the Record of Danmachi, even though his build would indicate he was in his mid-to-late forties. However, as even the younger people in the surroundings also had a completely negligible amount of mana flowing through their bodies, Vahn suspected he was in an area with a particularly low density of elemental energy.
Seemingly having failed to process Vahn's words, the man just kept gawking with a silly expression on his face as he muttered, "I...what...ah..." It was obvious he wasn't going to be much help, so Vahn just shook his head before turning his attention to his surroundings. Though he was used to being the center of attention, the behavior of the onlookers was distinctly different from how they ought to behave. Not only was it rude, but they seemingly ignored any potential dangers as they continued to shorten the distance, many holding up the rectangular plates in their hands, causing flashes of light to occur before they would inspect whatever was on the surface. Vahn could hear what they were talking about, quickly alerting him to the fact that his ability to withstand being hit by a 'truck' was abnormal...
Deciding it was best to break away from the situation, Vahn placed his hand on the fumbling man's shoulder and said, "Don't worry about it. Sorry about your truck...drive safely from now on, okay?" Then, once the man slowly nodded in response, Vahn closed his eyes to focus before trying to use [Shundo] to move into a nearby alleyway. His domain had shrunken considerably, at least compared to the 'maximum' he had achieved upon reaching Tier 4, but it was still nearly 4km in diameter. Vahn found an empty area, which was a lot harder than he expected, before establishing a connection between his current location and his destination. A sudden pain wracked his body as, from the perspective on the onlookers, he simply vanished from sight. This left many to loudly exclaim, talking about the possibility of Vahn being some kind of alien, while the driver of the truck was left with an expression of utter confusion as he muttered, "My boss will never believe this..." in a sobbing voice.
Upon reaching the alleyway, Vahn crashed to the ground rather hard, both of his legs feeling as if they had broken from the exertion. Fortunately, the bones had only fractured slightly so Vahn was quickly on his feet, even if his [Magia Erebea] was only functioning at a fraction of its full capabilities. Still, it was more pain than Vahn had expected to feel so he decided to sit within his back against the adjacent buildings side as he took a few breaths to get his bearings. It was at this point that Sis' voice echoed within his mind, sounding decidedly annoyed as she complained, (*Vahn...did you lose your ability to think when you left the previous Record...?*)
Vahn was startled by the tone in Sis' voice, causing him to sheepishly ask, ("Did I make a mistake somewhere?") Since he had never expected to be intercepted by an 'Administrative' force upon entering a new Record, Vahn suspected there was a very real chance he had erred somehow. He had just been in such a hurry to move on to the next Record that he had decided not to waste any time sitting atop the stone dais. Something about that area unnerved him, not because it was particularly scary, but due to the 'familiarity' he felt within his personal Dimension. He felt like, if he lost focus, thousands of years would pass within that space without him even noticing it...
In response to Vahn's inquiry, Sis released an exasperated sigh before practically shouting, (*You didn't use your accumulated Karma! After you selected a new Record, I barely had enough time to convert it into Origin Points for you before the transfer had begun. Vahn, I understand your desire to return as soon as possible but you can't simply stop thinking about the present moment. You won't get anywhere if your haste causes you to make such massive oversights...!*) As this was one of the few times Sis sounded 'heated', Vahn hung his head and seriously listened to everything she was saying. At the time, he hadn't even been thinking about how to use his Karma as, after living in Danmachi for what was 'literally' hundreds of years, it had been virtually useless to him. It never even crossed his mind that the troublesome value that had caused him endless headaches would be useful once he was transferring between Records...even though he knew this was supposedly the case.
Even without Vahn apologizing, Sis knew he was sorry so her voice quickly turned more gentle as she said, (*Don't let it bother you too much. I do not expect you to never make mistakes and it is partially my fault for not drawing your attention to it before you finalized your Record selection. Besides, there is nothing wrong with having a surplus of OP after entering into a new Record...*). Though the Karma to Origin Points conversion was terrible, making it a drop in the bucket for Vahn's already expansive reserves, it was still better than nothing.
Feeling better after Sis' consolation, Vahn raised his head and said, ("Thanks, Sis...") in a sincere tone of voice. Her response was an almost inaudible sigh before she gently stated, (*Of course, Vahn. Just make sure you are properly considering your actions from here onwards. You need to familiarize yourself with this new world as soon as possible. It is obvious that the people of this world live distinctly different lives from those within Danmachi. Even the make of their clothes is fundamentally different than the casual wear of civilians back in Orario. You should change clothing soon or you'll continue to stand out like a sore thumb.*)
Hearing Sis' words, Vahn looked down and only just now noticed that he was wearing a strange bodysuit that clung to his skin and left little to the imagination. He obviously hadn't transferred into the Record wearing any clothes so Akasha must have done something when she sent him through the Root. Though he was thankful that he hadn't 'literally' exposed himself in public, Vahn grimaced slightly since he recognized how strange his clothing was compared to what everyone else was wearing. Through his domain, he could see that most people wore surprisingly high-end clothing that was comprised of several different materials neatly sewn together with the precision only a god could manage. This was a bit surprising to Vahn as, even with thousands of people walking around nearby, he couldn't sense a single god amongst them...
It was only now that Vahn truly realized he was in a new Record as even the 'common sense' he had obtained within Danmachi seemed functionally useless here. Just the fact that people walked around without any form of protection, be it weapons or armor, was enough to indicate that the place he found himself in was very 'unique'. If they were attacked, Vahn felt like thousands would die before anyone was even able to react as, regardless of where he looked, there was a distinct lack of guards present within the City. Though there were some men dressed in blue uniforms posted at intervals, Vahn saw that they were only armed with batons and a strange device attached to their hips. They weren't even equipped with guns, the weapon he most associated with the 'setting' he found himself in...
Shaking his head, Vahn set the matter of this society's apparent complacency aside as he focused on more important matters, primarily his current capabilities. He also needed to find shelter at some as, from what he could see, there were only small sections of forested areas within the City, none of which seemed adequate for making camp. Though there was plenty of open space, Vahn saw that people treated more like a picnic area or a place to relax than an area to make camp. The grounds were highly maintained while no visible areas had been flattened, indicating there hadn't been any tents set within the area in the past few weeks. Since most of the surrounding buildings were tightly compacted together, with an incredible volume of people moving about, Vahn suspected that this particular society placed a heavy emphasis on making sure everyone slept indoors. He would need to find an Inn before nightfall or risk drawing even more unnecessary attention to himself...
After a quick change of clothes, electing to wear a black undershirt, blue jeans, and a pair of robust boots, Vahn turned his attention to his Status, specifically what was reflected within the system. As detailed as the information provided by Akasha was, there was no way she would be able to see through all of his secrets under The Path's protection. Vahn imagined he might even be able to garner an emotional response from her if he were to detail each of his true capabilities. For now, however, even he didn't know the full extent of his power as even moving a few hundred meters with [Shundo] felt like it was going to rip his legs apart...
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[Status]
Name: [Vahn Mason]
Age: 155 (Ageless)
Race: Human, Progenitor(sealed), *sealed*
Parameter: [Nasuverse: 1-5]
Strength: 32C
Endurance: ★
Agility: 38C+
Magical Power: 44B+
Good Luck: 11E
Circuit Quality: EX
Soul Tier: 4 (Divine Soul)
[Karma]: 100
[OP]: 3,141,903,713
Noble Phantasm: [Enkidu:SSS]
Origin: [?]
Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:B], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth:A], [Chainbreaker:SS->B], [Veil of the Traveler:S->SS], [Hands of Nirvana:SSS->S], [Type Omega:SSS](new), [Executor of Akasha's Will:SS]
Magic: [Magia Erebea:SS->A], [Administrative Function: Space Lock:SSS](new)
Magecraft: [Shundo:E]
[Enkidu]
Rank: SSS (Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm)
Passive: Greatly enhances the user's physical and magical resistances.
Active: Generate up to nine 'Chains of Heaven', allowing the user to bind a target, robbing them of their mobility and sealing all abilities.
[Type Omega]
Rank: SSS
Passive: Any damage from B-Rank spells, and lower, is completely nullified. Provide moderate resistance to all magical attacks.
Active: Enables the user to temporarily override the directive of other Types.
Restriction: Causes Anti-Divine magical spells to deal twice the amount of damage.
[Executor of Akasha's Will]
Rank: SS
Passive: Allows the user to draw power from the Root Designation: Akasha when encountering foes that have come into contact with the Root.
Active: Enables the user to trace the Root of a target, gaining access to any unique skills and abilities of the target for the duration of the skill's use.
Restriction: Skill is only active in worlds where a primary target has been identified.
[Administrative Function: Space Lock]
Rank: SSS
Use: Allows the user to 'anchor' a timeline to its Origin, preventing the use of any Magic related to Time and Space.
Restriction: This skill affects all entities within the timeline, including the user. Use with extreme caution.
[Magia Erebea]
Rank: A
Passive: Greatly increases the passive regeneration of the user. User granted immortality equal to the level of a Greater Divine Spirit.
Active: Able to absorb Magecraft equal to skill's rank and below.
Restriction: Resistances nullified in the presence of Light, Holy, and Divine Elemental Magecraft. Regeneration is nullified on sanctified ground.
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Though he wasn't entirely sure what to make of his actual parameters, Vahn felt melancholic upon seeing the absence of many of his most familiar skills and abilities. Knowing he no longer had the 'eternal flame', while also having lost the blessings of the goddesses he cared about, caused his heart to feel heavy. Fortunately, as a result of him developing the skills to an extreme on his own, Vahn still had access to his [Hands or Nirvana] and [Magia Erebea]. He could also use his previously learned magics, even though they were far more taxing on his body than anything he had expected. Now that he had gotten a better feel for the surroundings, Vahn noticed that the mana density in the air was almost non-existent, meaning he had to rely almost entirely on his own weakened reserves to use magic. He had never realized how reliant he was on the extremely saturated air present within Danmachi when executing his most common skills and abilities...
Fortunately, according to the status cards Akasha had given him regarding his targets, Vahn understood that his Parameters weren't actually that low. He had half expected to be as weak as a normal human once again but, considering he still had a Tier 4 Soul, it made sense his starting point wasn't that low. Parameters seemed to cap out at the surprisingly low value of 50, even though modifiers seemed to be able to push them beyond this restriction. The fact that his Magical Power was 44B+ meant that he was actually near the 'maximum' base Magical Power that an entity could possess on this side of the Root. The + indicated that he actually had a modifier of 50 whole Magical Power, meaning his actual value was closer to 94, at least when pushing himself to the limits.
What Vahn found most curious were the ★ and EX designations, the first representing a value that couldn't be quantified while the latter indicated that his base parameters exceeded the limit of the system itself. Since Circuit Quality indicated the conductivity of a person's magic circuits, the pathways in which they used mana through, Vahn wasn't surprised that his value exceeded the system's ability to comprehend. After all, his body was comprised of Source Energy and, even if he wasn't capable of using it efficiently, it was still far beyond the Record's standard. He could, quite literally, learn any kind of Magic, irrespective of Elemental Affinity and other factors...
Understanding that he actually had a pretty good starting point within this Record, Vahn felt more confident regarding the future. Though he would still need to gather information, this world didn't seem to be a particularly dangerous place, at least on the surface. The people walking around had their guards completely lowered, even without the presence of guards, indicating they had no fear of being attacked at any moment. They also seemed surprisingly healthy, even though their lack of mana and vitality would have indicated they were malnourished within a Record like Danmachi. Vahn could even see several overweight people while a surprising few seemed to place an emphasis on physical fitness. Seeing how little muscle the average person had, including the more athletic and handsome-looking men, Vahn couldn't help but shake his head as he rose to his feet and pulled out a small gold bar from his Inventory.
This was a bar he had forged from materials found within the Record of Danmachi so Vahn wasn't surprised as it instantly broke down into fine black particles before vanishing into nothingness. He had already known that anything he obtained in other Records wouldn't function outside of the Record but he had wanted to confirm it with his own eyes. Now that he had confirmation that the majority of his items were useless, Vahn sold everything that didn't have sentimental value, even though his current Inventory was in no risk of being filled. Just seeing the number of empty slots he had was a bit shocking for Vahn as, previously, he only had 419 total slots. Now that he had 16,384, with each slot holding ten times the amount as they could previously, Vahn felt like it might turn into a depository for random items he came across in the future...
After cleaning his Inventory, Vahn looked at his vast reserves of OP and was glad he had put in the effort to obtain more than what was necessary for his Quest. It didn't seem like there would be many ways to obtain OP in this world, at least from what he could tell, so his current reserves could very well be all he had to rely on for a while. Fortunately, he still had all of his prior knowledge and experience so, after familiarizing himself with the Record a bit, Vahn was confident he would be able to forge items to supplement his reserves, assuming it was ever necessary.
For the time being, he needed to prioritize finding a temporary residence to facilitate his need to acquire information. Thus, with that idea in mind, Vahn exited the alleyway and began looking around for a place to stay for the night. It helped that he could understand the oral and written language intuitively, as it didn't take long for him to find a number of places that advertised comfort and various other amenities at what seemed to be an affordable price, at least compared to some of the other good he had seen advertised along the way. As some of the foods he had seen were advertised to cost several thousand of the City's currency, denoted as Yen, Vahn was surprised that a hotel would only cost ¥4500 for a night's stay...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn's oblivious to what happened to the Root xD','Poor Sis has to put up with Vahn for all eternity...','Akasha's 'gifts' are a bit lackluster...')
(A/N: For those wondering about the janky release schedule, it is due to the fact that I've been feeling sick since yesterday morning. I've been sleeping most of the day while using the short period of time in which I'm awake to write chapters xD. I'm starting to feel better so things should be back to normal in another day or two~!)
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE
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