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50.95% Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos / Chapter 1200: Shift

บท 1200: Shift

After a few schedule adjustments, both for the sake of progress and his mental health, Vahn had designated a period during the evening where he would continue treating the remaining Homunculi. As was often the case when he was happy, Vahn's intuition had caused a lingering feeling of 'danger' in the back of his mind that he couldn't ignore. To that end, he felt the need to put more effort into his training and prepare a few countermeasures against future events.

Though he had been somewhat worried about how his renewed training with Scáthach would go, Vahn knew she was very 'reliable' when it came to helping him increase his strength. Thus, rather than focus entirely on the development of his combat potential, he instead decided to see if The Path couldn't provide him the means of making the most of his circumstances. Though his OP had been gradually decreasing, that was only one part of his system functions. Other than the Shop, he also had the Records, View Affection, Minimap, Inventory, Unit Management, Gacha, Upgrade, and Inventory functions.

Upon leaving the Record of Danmachi, the majority of his system functions had gotten a significant increase but, due to the situation that had presented itself, Vahn had never used them to their fullest potential. Even his Upgrade Function, which he knew was quite powerful, had been sitting idly within The Path, waiting for the day when he used the hundreds of upgrade resources he had been saving.

Since the upgrade materials were the same for F-Rank equipment and SSS-Rank equipment, Vahn had decided long ago that he would save all of his materials and resources until he reached Tier 6 or Tier 7. After all, while getting a temporary boost would certainly help increase his power in any of the Records he visited, even a weapon like [Enkidu] might not even be S-Rank in a Tier 7 Record. Thus, unless he intended to upgrade the same weapon an infinite number of times, carrying it with him between multiple Records, there had never been an opportune time to use this particular system function.

Outside of the Upgrade function, Vahn knew he hadn't been using his other functions to their fullest extent either. Even in Danmachi, he had used his Inventory as a means to transport and even attack enemies but, now that it had increased exponentially in size, he hadn't been using it to the fullest extent of its capabilities. At the same time, perhaps even more notably, was the fact that he had not been making proper use of his most important system upgrade, all because he didn't want to treat his life like a 'game'.

Vahn knew that the upgrade to his Quest function was ridiculously useful as there were even Quests listed related to his daily life. Not only that, but he could assign Quests to anyone that had been registered in his Unit Management, some of which had variable rewards that depended on who had been assigned. The only reason he hadn't exploited this was, just as he didn't want to treat his life like a game, where he based all of his decisions on quantifiable objectives, the idea of others taking on dangerous Quests just to grow stronger didn't sit well with him...

Moving forward, especially into higher Tiered Records, Vahn knew the Quest function would be one of the most important system functions he had available. Despite his inhibitions toward it, he knew it was necessary, especially for his companions who lacked something like The Path to rely on. He had a habit of telling them there were no such things as limitations but, despite their best efforts, Vahn knew it was exponentially more difficult for others to improve and keep pace with him. This was due to the fact that his body was comprised of Source Energy and, while others may have benefited from the bodies he had created, they couldn't actually use the energy contained within. He, however, was constantly being nourished by his Source Energy, constantly bringing him closer to the peak of the Record that he inhabited...

In the future, Vahn knew he would have a large Order of Imperial Knights and, though it would likely never reach the extremes of his ventures in Danmachi, he would still have thousands of followers, subordinates, and retainers. Just like the Haven Defense Force, which had posted quests that could be accepted by its members, Vahn knew such a system would greatly benefit the growth of his allies. Even the Clock Tower had a 'Mission Board', where both Faculty and Students were able to accept jobs both internally and abroad. This could include simple missions, such as collecting materials from the Spiritual Tomb or complex missions such as joining a political delegation to protect dignitaries in foreign countries.

Once his Order of Imperial Knights had grown, Vahn knew he would need to actually give them work to do as, while protecting the Castle was an important duty, there shouldn't be many enemies with enough gall to enter Avalon and try to attack them directly. This would be doubly so once they were aware of existences like Merlin, Scáthach, and Heracles who, despite having known legends, weren't known for their weaknesses. Since 'Camelot' was also quite legendary in its own rights, and would become known for its population of Fae in the future, Vahn suspected only a select few abnormal individuals would ever try to target them in a head-on collision. They were far more likely to use large-scale Ritual magic to bombard them from a distance with Tactical-Class Magecraft rivaling True Magic.

Knowing this, Vahn knew it would be necessary to have powerful defenses around the entire Island, something which Da Vinci had been seeing to since she first arrived in this world. As for his Quest function, much to his chagrin, Vahn knew it would be extremely useful for providing direction in his own life while also busying the current and future residents of the castle. After all, there were even assignable quests to produce a certain number of rune-engraved gemstones, something he could have given to Rin for some easy rewards. He also knew that, as time passed, people would want to leave the Projection and travel into the outside world as, despite the threat of Angra Mainyu, it was hard to treat the matter seriously when they already had several countermeasures against him...

Deciding it was time to get his priorities in order, especially with his first Court being held in less than a month, Vahn had Fenrir, Medusa, and Circe at his side as he conducted a few experiments. This had been rather easy to arrange as, after his latest session of treatments, they had all been together within the Menagerie. Thus, with the three girls standing behind him, Vahn was focused wholly on the expansive list of Quests, noticing for the first time that there were 'unique' Quests associated with specific individuals. He already knew Quests could be 'created' based on his intent and, now that he had decided to help the girls benefit from his system, it had already given him several methods to do so...

After perusing the Quests for a brief moment, Vahn selected one for Fenrir and tried assigning it to her directly. He noticed her ears twitch in mild surprise as her eyes began moving from side-to-side, obviously reading a screen only she could see. This provided him some valuable information, as it meant he could secretly issue out Quests to people. Even more important was the fact that, after reading, Fenrir asked, "How do I accept this...?" Though she could read it just fine, Fenrir had no experience 'navigating' a system interface using her mind. Fortunately, Sis chimed in at this point, having Vahn repeat her words, explaining, "You just need to focus your mind and the outline of the Quest should change from blue to green. After that, you can bring up the Quest just by focusing your thoughts on it in the future..."

With an understanding nod, Fenrir closed her eyes to better focus, finding that the screen was just as visible with her eyes closed. Then, as her Master had stated, the border of the Quest become green, causing her to feel motivated to the point of forming her paws into fists as she stated, "I will finish this Quest as soon as possible...!" As she could read the rewards, which had just updated in Vahn's Quest interface as well, Fenrir was quite excited to get started. Vahn couldn't exactly blame her as, after reading how the Quest had been updated to reflect Fenrir as the recipient, the rewards were considerably different from what he had expected...

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[Quest: Grace of the Moon]

Rank: B

Objective(s): Meditate beneath the light of the moon for 1,000 hours. Time is reduced based on the phases of the moon and the focus of the user. (0/1000)

Optional Objective(s): Increase comprehension of Water Elemental Laws through meditation(0/1000), Increase comprehension of Ice Elementa Laws through meditation(0/1000), Increase comprehension of Yin Elemental Laws through meditation(0/1000)

Rewards: 300,000 Variable Experience, 1x[Moon's Grace], 1x[Proof of Loyalty]

Failure Condition(s): Death, Failure to complete Quest within stipulated time: (364D23H58M14S)

Penalty: Afflicted with Curse: [Jad Ice Marrow] for the duration of one year

Current Variable Experience: 0

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Though the rewards were already quite nice for a B-Rank Quest, what had truly surprised Vahn was, much like Fenrir, he was able to read what Variable Experience was used for. Just as he could track his experience towards mastery, it seemed that his Subordinates had the same functionality, at least through him. According to the description for Variable Experience, it could be used to enhance any non-Innate skill or ability, albeit with even low ranked skills requiring quite the bit of experience to level up. Even Fenrir's [Ice Pulse], an ability she had learned from her training with Scáthach, took a total of 450,000 Variable Experience to go from E-Rank to D-Rank. As for her higher-ranked skills, such as [Shundo], it required a monstrous 40,000,000 Variable Experience to increase from B-Rank to A-Rank. Still, just having the option of stockpiling Variable Experience, much like how he saved up his Origin Points, was quite exciting for anyone who had yet to experience something similar.

If Fenrir chose to exploit her Quest to the fullest, she could easily finish the entire Quest in as little as fifteen days, assuming she exited the Projection during the day time and only cultivated during the long nights inside. However, knowing she wasn't the type to slack off, Vahn had Fenrir help him out with his second experiment while the tensions were still high. Though Medusa and Circe were both very confused at the moment, Vahn kept them pacified by promising they would understand shortly. He already had a few Quests picked out for their perusal but, before he handed them out, Vahn had something he wanted to try.

Currently, Vahn could maintain three bodies without any major setbacks but, as was often the case when it came to such things, three was not his limit. Since he kept his sub-processes in a deep state of meditation, something that had become almost second nature at this point, Vahn felt it should be possible to expand his mind even further. Instead of making another gemstone, however, Vahn was forming himself into a different kind of inanimate object, this time taking on the shape of a massive stone wall.

As even being a gemstone was quite a peculiar experience, Vahn felt extremely awkward to have a 'body' made from a slab of stone. Though he didn't even have any nerves to speak of, he could still feel his own dimensions and how 'cold' he felt, almost as if it was soaking into his Soul. To counter this, even without him willing it, Vahn felt the stone gradually heat up until it had reached a normal body temperature. Then, after collecting himself, Vahn began to focus on the [Mantra of Eternity], allowing his consciousness to sink into the comfortable abyss that had now become an intrinsic part of him.

With his fourth 'body' complete, Vahn released a sigh of relief while internally remarking, ("Give it a try..."). Though it hadn't been necessary to remind her, Sis answered in the affirmative before the wall in front of Vahn, Fenrir, Medusa, and Circe began to show lines of text. Sis wasn't able to control his body but, as the 'mediator' between himself and The Path, she was able to access its functions, even to the point of being able to purchase items on his behalf if necessary. In much the same way, she was able to make use of the Quest function and, though it would cause his mind to feel a strange 'pause', Vahn was able to transform his body in response to her manipulation of the system.

In this manner, Sis could post any Quests she thought were suitable while other Quests could be 'created' just by having a person place their palm against the stone. Since it was his 'body', Vahn was vaguely aware of his surroundings at all times, even in a deep state of meditation. When someone touched him, he would obviously become more aware of their presence and, after understanding their intentions, new Quests would form in his mind instantly. These would then be filtered by Sis before, much like how she guided him back from [Laplace's Key], she was able to cause his body to transform and display the Quest to the observer...

Vahn knew this would take some getting used to but, as he couldn't make himself available to assign Quests at all times, he needed a method that the others could use to pick their own. This was a way in which he could promote their independence further as, even though they would all have their own duties within the Court, Vahn wanted them to live free and unfettered lives. Even if someone wanted to travel into the outside world to complete a Quest, they should have that option, so long as it did not endanger the lives of others and expose Avalon to enemy attack. Not only would this provide him with more information about the world, but it would also prevent the residents of the castle from spending all their time in the Projection, something Vahn knew wasn't exactly healthy...

Now that the 'Quest Board' was complete, Vahn smiled toward Medusa and Circe, saying, "Just place your palm on this stone and it should show you a list of Quests. If there are any you think would be interesting, feel free to accept them. You should know that even low ranked Quests can give nice rewards so don't hold back..."

Though they were still confused by Vahn's words, Medusa was the first to jump forward and 'slap' her palm against the black stone surface. This caused Vahn to flinch slightly but he managed to keep his composure as a series of 'squares' appeared on the stone board, each displaying a Quest suitable for Medusa. Fortunately, while she was still learning Japanese, the Quest Board displayed the details in Koine, the language of Orario. This allowed her to read over each Quest before ultimately picking the one Vahn had expected. She had tried to select multiple Quests but, providing Vahn yet more useful information, Medusa's brows perked up as she stated, "It says I need to use Loyalty to accept more than one Quest~?"

As it had been 'triggered' by Medusa, The Path provided the necessary information to Sis, allowing her to explain, (*Other than a single 'primary' Quest, your Subordinates are able to accept secondary Quests, up to a total of five. Each Quest after the primary would take 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% of their total Loyalty respectively, though the value would not decrease below 0. Though this seems like a major detriment, completion of these Quests returns the Loyalty value with a bonus based on the difficulty. This would only be a few points for lower-ranked Quests but, for those that are B-Rank or higher, the total Loyalty could be increased by as much as 10~20% of the original value.*)

Hearing Sis's explanation, Vahn parroted her words to the others while also trying to rationalize how such a system worked. Considering that they were mainly completely Quests that had been dictated by him, it made sense that their Loyalty would increase based on the number they completed. Not only would they get rewarded for their efforts, which would already increase their Loyalty, but the stresses they experienced during the Quest would undoubtedly influence them considerably. This was especially true for S-Ranked Quests, and higher, as Fenrir even had one that required her to defeat Scáthach in battle.

Since the loss of Loyalty actually caused significant discomfort, especially towards his more Loyal Subordinates, Medusa ultimately only accepted a second Quest after her first. After all, she could just complete the current Quests before accepting new ones. There was no need to accept too many as, due to the quirks of the Quest function, they would all need to be completed before any could be turned in. As for why she chose the two she did, it was because they were loosely related to each other and, with the rewards promised, Medusa was looking forward to completing them quite a bit.

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[Quest: Gorgon's Heiress]

Rank: C

Objective(s): Befriend a total of 100 snakes: (49/100)

Optional Objective(s): Befriend 20 different species of snakes: (4/20)

Reward: 50,000 Variable Experience, 20x[Familiar Contract]

Failure Condition: Death

Penalty: N/A

[Chain Quest: Moulting I]

Rank: C~S

Objective(s): Bathe in water between 100~105°C for one hour: (0/10), Bathe in water between -5~0°C for one hour: (0/10), Bathe under direct sunlight for one hour: (0/100)

Optional Objective(s): Sleep surrounded by more than one-hundred different snakes for an hour: (0/100)

Reward: 70,000 Variable Experience, 1x[First-Layer Molting Pill]

Failure Condition: Death, Failure to complete Quest within stipulated time: (29D23H58M19S)

Penalty: Incomplete molting may occur

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Though it was hard to know the exact use of items like the [First-Layer Molting Pill], as it wasn't listed within the system shop as of yet, just reading the name was enough to have a basic understanding of its purpose. Medusa's race was listed as a Gorgon and, though she was technically Ageless, her body could still mature further based on how many times she molted. Currently, she would only molt around four times a year, each taking around two days to complete under ideal conditions. After the process was completed, Medusa would look marginally older than she had been in the past, though it wasn't an exaggeration to say she would take several decades to reach the 'mature' form she was determined to achieve.

As the Quest she had accepted was a Chain Quest, this implied that there were multiple steps, each providing progressively better rewards. The first part was only C-Rank, making it rather simple to complete, while the latter would be S-Rank, granting considerable rewards. As these were often relatively similar to the preceding rewards, it was easy to assume that Medusa would either be given multiple [First-Layer Molting Pill]s or higher-tiered rewards for her efforts. Since it was easy to intuit that a [First-Layer Molting Pill] would literally allow her to molt freely, it meant she could reduce the period it takes to 'mature' considerably, without much effort.

While Medusa was tempted to immediately head out to make more 'friends', she was more inclined to stay with her Master and keep him company, especially since he was the one to visit them. Thus, while thinking about the best methods to complete her Quest, Medusa made way for Circe to also place her palm against the stone, thankfully without slapping it. She hadn't been able to read the text of Medusa's Quests but, after seeing how happy both she and Fenrir were, Circe was more than a little excited to see what would be displayed for her. However, though her Loyalty wasn't exactly low, having reached 16,018 points, Circe's feelings towards Vahn were mostly those of Love. As a result, she had fewer Quests available but, while she was lacking in quantity, the quality of said Quests was quite high...

Due to being a Demi-Goddess and 'former' Heroic Spirit, most of Circe's Quests were B-Rank, or higher, with some even reaching SSS-Rank. Vahn had expected her to pick a few middling Quests from amongst those displayed but, much to his surprise, Circe immediately honed in on an S-Rank Quest before accepting it. As he had been watching her closely, Vahn knew exactly which Quest she had selected, causing his brain to buzz as she began to giggle, the light in her eyes flashing with a vibrant pink hue. Since this was her choice, however, Vahn accepted Circe's 'conviction' and, though it would likely complicate things in the future, she had already won a place for herself in his heart...

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[Quest: Apostate of Hecate]

Rank: S

Objective(s): Obtain Hecate's blessing by conducting the Red Moon Ritual: (0/1), Reach 100 Love with another person(33,993/100)

Optional Objective(s): Sacrifice 100 virgin lambs on the night of the full moon: (0/100)

Reward(s): 3,000,000 Variable Experience, 1x[Chastity Belt], 1x[Pendant of the Moon's Promise]

Failure Conditions: Death, Failure to obtain Hecate's blessing, Loss of virginity before Quest's completion

Penalty: Death

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn hasn't just been holding himself back...he has been holding everyone else back xD...')

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บท 1201: Quest

Following a rather relaxing rest period with the three girls, Vahn decided to strike while the iron was hot. Now that he knew there was even more to the Quest function than he had previously realized, the first thing he did was organize a gathering with everyone to explain his 'revelations'. This also included Da Vinci, even though he had to go retrieve her from the Einzbern Castle. She had slowly been converting it into a factory after Merlin had morphed the surrounding Bounded Field into a pseud-projection, slightly different from the one around Avalon.

Since the Einzbern Castle existed on the Surface, rather than in a Sub-Texture of the World, it was a lot harder to create a projection as, even with an Artificial Leyline, there simply wasn't enough mana to power it. As a result, only the 'factory' and a few other sections of the castle existed within the Projection. Da Vinci used this a second Workshop of sorts, even though the primary purpose of her time there was to increase the production of Companions and test a few of her other experiments.

With a time-dilation of 4:1, she could produce as many as 48,000 Companions in a single day, assuming she had the requisite resources to do so. As there was no need to create so many, at least for the time being, the actual production was closer to 1,000 per day, giving her ample time to innovate and develop newer models. Still, after seeing several thousand Companions wandering the rather solemn halls, Vahn felt like he had wandered into a dreamscape of sorts. As if to emphasize this, he had a veritable flock of adorable little creatures following after him by the time he reached Da Vinci's Factory. Some had even clung to his body, riding him as they produced adorable mewling sounds and other squeak-like noises...

After retrieving Da Vinci and returning to the Ivory Castle, it wasn't long before Vahn had everyone together inside of the Dining Hall, Companions included. At this point, even Paracelsus and Tristana had several Companions living with them, serving as simple assistants as they awaited the birth of their new owners. Since there were now a few thousand Homunculi in the castle, Paracelsus had slowed the production of his own, taking special care to make sure they would be able to live easy lives when they were finally 'born'. Even then, there were only a few weeks until the fateful moment, something Paracelsus had been looking forward to quite a bit.

What Vahn found most curious was the fact that, while Paracelsus was enthused about the birth of his Homunculi, there was actually another bundle of life that they had yet to announce. Since they had been living together for months now, often spending their entire days together, it wasn't too much of a surprise when Vahn discovered that Tristana was pregnant. What did surprise him was the fact that neither of them seemed to have realized it, as Tristana was only around two weeks pregnant at the time of the gathering. Though he wanted to talk about the Quests and the future direction of the Empire, Vahn couldn't help but open the conversation by smiling in amusement as he stated, "Paracelsus, Tristana, congratulations."

As could be expected, the two were rather confused by the sudden congratulatory remark, causing Tristana to furrow her brows as she asked, "What is this about?" Being a moderately capable Magus, Tristana's intuition alerted her to the fact that Vahn's congratulations were mostly directed toward her. As she rarely even saw him, she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to, especially after gathering everyone together like this. What she never would have expected was Vahn showing a surprised expression, accented with a touch of confusion, as he asked, "Do you really not know...?"

Feeling annoyed at Vahn's question, Tristana's expression turned rather dour and, if not for the fact the former was an Emperor, she would have lashed out at him. Fortunately, Paracelsus was always very calm and, shortly after he heard Vahn's words, he surprised Tristana by grabbed her wrist and taking her pulse. This caused her to fluster a bit as, though she didn't consider herself shy, they were currently surrounded by some rather high-profile and intimidating individuals.

Before Tristana could extricate her hand from Paracelsus' rather delicate looking fingers, the golden-eyed man showed an expression of genuine surprise that quickly turned into a smile. Even without asking, Tristana had started to realize what Vahn's comment was related to and, remembering how she had been feeling sick since a few days ago, she began to feel very anxious. At the same time, the rest of the people sitting around the table seemed to realize what Vahn's words meant, causing Nobunaga to be the first to say, "Oh? I figured the next woman to get pregnant would be that drill-haired gorilla."

Nobunaga's remark caused Rin to nearly choke on her tea, performing a spit take of sorts as Luvia had often called her a gorilla in the past. Hearing someone refer to her 'former' rival in such a way was rather entertaining but, considering the situation, she tried to keep calm. She also understood the implication in Nobunaga's words and, as Vahn had never officially announced it, asked, "Are you also pregnant, Nobunaga...?" This time, it was Vahn's turn to smile, explaining in a rather chipper tone of voice, "Nobunaga is around three weeks pregnant at this point. As for Tristana, she seems to be around two weeks into her pregnancy. If they both stayed inside the Projection, there is a good chance their deliveries would be around the same time."

Hearing Vahn comment on her pregnancy so casually, Nobunaga's face became a little red as she complained, "Hey, you lug-head. Don't discuss such things so openly." Then, as the cat was already out of the bag, Nobunaga turned to look at Rin, answering, "Yeah, I'm carrying this idiot's child. In the future, I might bother you a bit. Sorry in advance." Though she knew Sakura wasn't Rin's actual daughter, Nobunaga had a good impression of their mother-daughter relationship. She felt that Rin would be able to help teach her the things she needed to know as, while Iris was also a good choice, the latter was somewhat airheaded compared to the serious Rin.

Though it was somewhat awkward, Rin managed a smile in response to Nobunaga's words before politely stating, "Of course. I believe Sakura-chan and Mordred will be good big sisters as well..." As could be expected, Mordred immediately took advantage of the fact her name was mentioned, jumping to her feet excitedly as she announced, "Yosh! Leave it to me! I'll be everyone's big sister! Just leave it to me, Aniue~!" With Nobunaga having become something like an idol to her, at least as far as temperament and disposition were concerned, Mordred was more than willing to help look after her future children.

Shortly after Mordred's outburst, which had caused Nobunaga to produce a sly smile, Sakura also added, albeit in a more subdued tone, "I will also do my best...I always wanted to be a big sister..." While saying this, Sakura looked between her Okaa-chan and Otou-sama, her eyes communicating what her mouth couldn't say. They both understood the hidden meaning in that momentary gaze, causing Rin to flush slightly as she looked at Vahn as if asking for help. Unfortunately, his response was to smile in an affectionate manner, leaving the matter to Rin to decide. He was always happy to have more children but, knowing his part was only secondary to the role their mothers would play, Vahn always left the decision to his partners.

Understanding the meaning behind Vahn's smile, Rin's face paled slightly, even though her cheeks were flushed. Previously, she had already given up on having her own children as, after 'adopting' Sakura, she was worried that her treatment toward her biological children would alert the latter to the truth. Though she would do her best to always care for Sakura as if she was her actual daughter, Rin still had a lingering fear that her resolve might not translate well into reality. However, when she saw the expectant glimmer in Sakura's eyes, Rin looked towards Vahn with 'blame' in her eyes. This was her way of saying, 'take responsibility', causing Vahn to lightly chuckle at her expense before musing, "It looks like things are going to become lively in the future..."

---

After things settled down a bit, Vahn apologized to Tristana and Paracelsus for taking the wind out of their sails. To once again congratulate them, and to emphasize his apology, Vahn provided Tristana with a few [Maternity Band]s, which would greatly aid her during the pregnancy. She still seemed to be coming to terms with the fact she was pregnant but, with Paracelsus there to take care of her, it shouldn't be long before she accepted the reality and assumed the role of an expectant mother. As for Nobunaga, she shared a few words of 'triumph' with the girls around her before giving them a bit of 'advice' on what to expect if they sought children of their own.

Fortunately, before things could get too out of hand, Vahn guided the conversation back towards the original subject, explaining the Quest system that he intended to implement. When questioned about how such a system worked, Vahn explained that it was the result of his Familia Crest being able to bestow his 'blessing' upon others, combined with his Creation and Fate Laws. They were already aware of his Modify function and his ability to manifest physical objects the represented his bonds with other people so it wasn't too much of a surprise.

Though people like Da Vinci were obviously very skeptical, she knew there was undoubtedly some truth behind Vahn's words and, as was often the case, he probably just couldn't explain it properly. She knew his mind often made things overly complex, to the point that he was sometimes capable of doing things he didn't even comprehend properly. In fact, there had been several instances where she was the one to help him understand the proper uses of his skills and abilities. Because he was always very receptive to what she had to say, Da Vinci considered this rather severe flaw as one of Vahn's 'quirks', finding it more endearing than annoying.

With nobody calling him out on his half-truth, Vahn explained the benefits of the Quest system in great detail, including the fact there were likely benefits he was entirely unaware of. To that end, he wanted Da Vinci to keep track of every Quest and the rewards, compiling them into a system that used the Quest Board as a basis for data collection. Though he would always know when someone completed a Quest, as it alerted him through the system, Vahn knew Da Vinci would be able to make the most of the data. As for everyone else, Vahn encouraged them to freely accept Quests, so long as the Penalty did not include things like 'Death'.

After hearing about the potentially serious consequences of accepting Quests, it wasn't unexpected that Rin would ask, "Death? Do you mean failing a Quest could actually lead to death? Why would you incorporate such a thing?" Considering this was a question he had expected, Vahn answered in a serious tone, "The items that are created as a result of completing a difficult Quest could literally be world-altering. This system itself goes against the World's balance, altering Fate considerably based on the Rank of the Quest completed. It isn't even an exaggeration to say that some of the rewards you could obtain would even make the Greater Grail seem like a paltry trophy in comparison. Do you think such a system could exist without any setbacks...?"

Hearing Vahn's explanation, Rin couldn't help but furrow her brows, even though she understood the severity of his words. After all, the most basic principle in the world, outside of Life and Death, was Equivalent Exchange. She had also accepted a number of missions during her time as a student of the Clock Tower, some of which had put her life in danger, so Rin knew progress was often at the expense of endangering oneself. Still, while she could accept this, Rin looked toward Sakura before stating in a stern tone, "You are not allowed to accept Quests unless I am present, understood?"

Though Sakura was a bit started by the serious tone of her Okaa-chan's voice, she had no intention of going against her words as, even without having it explained to her, she knew death was a very scary thing. Fortunately, her own position was made easier when Artoria also added, "Mordred. Even though I believe you are more than strong enough, you are not allowed to accept any Quests to the outside world unless your father and I are aware of it. You are also not allowed to accept any Quests with Death as a Penalty before your apprenticeship is completed. Despite your skills, you have a long way to go before being able to declare yourself an Imperial Knight."

Even though she was brash by nature, Mordred had always been very obedient towards figures of authority, even in her past life. Though she had certainly led the rebellion against King Arthur, most of her interactions with Artoria before that were accepting and following all orders. As she had come to respect Artoria as her Hahaue, while accepting Vahn as her Chichue, Mordred would not ignore their words. Thus, showing a rare serious expression, similar to a Knight that had just received orders from its King, Mordred stated, "I understand, Hahaue. I will not be careless with my own life."

Nodding approvingly in response to Mordred's words, an action repeated by Vahn, Artoria turned her eyes over everyone else at the table, adding, "It may not have been officiated yet, but I hope you will all respect my decision as Empress. Unless it is at the behest of myself or His Majesty, never do anything that would endanger the life of yourself or others. There are no shortcuts to power and, even if this system will allow you to grow at an accelerated rate, you must never lose sight of why you seek power. If you feel inclined to accept dangerous Quests, please inform me or His Majesty beforehand. I am confident in speaking on his behalf when I say that we will always be willing to do our best to help you."

Piggybacking off Artoria's words, Vahn gave a firm nod before stating, "Though some Quests are more individualized, many can be completed by working together. Never ignore preparation and research as, if regarded seriously, most dangers can be avoided outright. As Artoria stated, I am more than willing to help you complete your Quests so never assume you are alone." With the Rank of the Quest seemingly determined by the person accepting it, Vahn felt that an S-Rank Quest for others might only be a B or A-Rank Quest for him. He obviously couldn't help when it came to things like befriending snakes, bathing, and meditating, but these were generally the types of Quests slated to specific individuals...

As nobody at the table really had the intention of seeking their deaths arbitrarily, the only thing that could have caused anyone to accept such a dangerous Quest was if the rewards more than made up for the danger. However, in response to Vahn's and Artoria's words, everyone around the table gave understanding nods, the only exception being Circe. She had already accepted a Quest with the penalty of death but, as it was very important for her 'life', she was more than willing to risk it. All she had to do was commune with Hecate and, as her relationship with the latter was actually quite good, Circe didn't expect she would refuse. Though there would be a trial that required her to prove her love, the fact she had a Love parameter of 33,998 filled her with confidence...

---

After the discussion regarding Quests, everyone enjoyed a rather lively meal before moving towards the Knight Training Field. While the discussion had been ongoing, Vahn transformed his Quest Board into a physical body before moving himself over and changing back. By the time the group arrived, there was a glossy black stone that was three meters tall and eight meters wide waiting for them. Da Vinci had almost immediately wanted to take a sample but Vahn was able to stop her by promising to explain its structure in greater detail later. He didn't really want everyone to know that the Quest Board was actually him, giving him full control over the Quests they were allowed to accept...

Though they could have all gone at once, everyone approached the Quest Board one at a time to see what their own Quests entailed. In response, the black stone dutifully translated their Quests into their native tongue, something that didn't even require effort on Vahn's part. As he would always use the language his partner was most comfortable with, to the point he still talked to Medusa in Koine, the text on the Quest Board did the same.

Being one of the first people to step forward, Da Vinci accepted a total of five Quests simultaneously, each graded at A-Rank. She was actually inspired just by reading the listed Quests, causing her mind to race with possibilities as, rather than completing the five she accepted, Da Vinci fully intended to complete ALL of her potential Quests. At the very least, she would prepare the necessary goods to finish them later so, by the time she turned in her current five, she would be able to mass accept and turn in several others. There was no way she could miss out on unique and mysterious rewards and, even though she only had a few Skills worth investing in, knowing she could freely enhance them was quite exciting.

Fortunately, Da Vinci's example wasn't repeated as Artoria was the next to step forward, placing her palm against the rather warm stone and viewing her available Quests. Surprisingly, she accepted an SS-Rank Quest that required her to defeat a total of 10 Heroic Spirits in serious combat. Though this was certainly possible to complete in the future, Artoria would be hard-pressed to convince people like Circe and Da Vinci to duel against her. This left only people like Scáthach, Heracles, Nobunaga, Lakshmibai, and Kenshin. Though she could also fight against people like Iris, Rin, and Illya, Vahn doubted that Artoria would trouble them in such a manner. Thus, until he summoned other Heroic Spirits in the future, Artoria would be stuck with her current Quest for a while.

Following Artoria's example, Mordred also accepted an SS-Rank Quest, hers being just as impossible to complete, at least for now. It required her to fight against an S-Rank Phantasmal Species, meaning something on the level of a True Dragon, Titan, or Pegasus. Since these types of creatures were very rare on the Surface World, she would have to venture into one of the Spiritual Lands or, depending on how things developed in the future, delve deep into the Spiritual Tomb: Albion. Still, with rewards like 500,000,000 Variable Experience and her very own Excalibur, named [Excalibur Λ], Mordred was more than up for the challenge.

With the Mother-Daughter duo of Knights accepting impossible tasks, Vahn breathed a sigh of relief when Rin picked a few relatively simple Quests. She also helped Sakura choose her Quests, with D-Rank being the highest. These included simple tasks such as performing exercises and completing chores, meaning they could incentivize themselves to grow stronger without any real danger. As a result, the highest amount of Variable Experience she could receive was only 1,500 but, considering Sakura was only seven years old, doing more difficult Quests could actually be detrimental to her natural growth.

As could be expected, even Paracelsus and Tristana accepted a few Quests as, if they were able to get rewarded for doing things they already would have done, why wouldn't they? Though Tristana picked a rather simple C-Rank Quest, as she was already starting to worry about her 'condition', Paracelsus accepted an A-Rank Quest. His Primary Objective was to create a thousand [Philosopher's Stone]s while his Optional Objective included making a new and improved variant. As the stones he made were already different from the 'original', Paracelsus already had some experience in this process and, with the information exchanges he had made with Da Vinci, Illya, and Iris, he was more than confident in finishing before the deadline...

When almost everyone had completed accepting Quests for themselves, making the atmosphere rather lively, Illya finally stepped up to the Quest Board. Curiously, in Vahn's vision, he noticed that the border of his current Quest became yellow while, at the very bottom of the list, a new Quest had formed. This was also displayed on the Quest Board, causing Vahn to inhale as he wondered what decision Illya would make. Previously, he had been on the fence regarding the completion of his own so, if Illya herself sought that route, Vahn could help her complete her objectives while also finishing his own Quest. This was the first time he had ever seen a Link Quest so he couldn't deny he was a little interested in the secondary rewards if they turned them in together...

As there were close to twenty available Quests, it took a little while before Illya's eyes passed over the 'unique' Quest that had come into existence just for her. When she saw the Objectives, her face became a little red and, though others had already read the details, she attempted to hide it with her body as she quickly accepted it. This caused a few of the closest people to giggle, including Iris as she had been standing next to Illya from the start. Still, willfully choosing to believe they were none the wiser, Illya stared at the screen that had appeared in her vision, her eyes becoming a subtle shade of violet...

-----------------------------------------------------------------

[Quest: Emergence of the Beast Queen]

Rank: SS

Objective(s): Convince entity [Cath Palug] to fuse with the host:(0/1), Integrate Magic Circuits with entity [Cath Palug]:(0/1)

Optional Objective(s): Obtain 100 Love with entity [Vahn Mason]:(99/100), Obtain an oath of love from entity [Vahn Mason]:(0/1)

Reward(s): 300,000,000 Variable Experience, 1x[Beast Queen's Divine Raiment]

Failure Conditions: Death, [Cath Palug]'s refusal

Penalty: Affection between host and [Cath Palug] reset to 0. Current:(3,411/100)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Surprise~!','Power, at a price','Quests Ahoy~!')

https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)

paypal.me/Einlion

Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE


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