章節 1428: Purpose : Revelations
Though he was separate from the massive giantess by both Space and Time, Vahn could still feel the overwhelming pressure radiating from her body. It was like being pressed down, not by a mountain, but an entire planet. She was even looking directly at him, but, considering he always saw the visions from his point of view, this wasn't too surprising. What did surprise him, however, was that the giant woman vaguely resembled Altera, alluding to the fact they were intrinsically related to each other...
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Vahn was broken from his reverie as Altera inquisitively asked, "Master...?". It was obvious she still expected an answer to her previous question, but, due to the size and presence of the peculiar giantess, Vahn's thought processes had temporarily stalled. He knew he would be encountering the actual giantess in the near future, but, for the moment, he had the duty of helping guide Altera onto a less destructive path.
Understanding she was referring to herself when she asked if there was a purpose to a weapon that couldn't destroy, Vahn smiled sagely as he explained, "The purpose of a weapon depends primarily on two factors...the person wielding it and the will of the weapon itself. Weapons may be used to cause destruction, but, in the hands of those who desire to protect, it can be used to preserve, and, even create, life. In the hands of a true master, a sword can be used to sever sickness, destroy curses, or even alter the flow of fate. Destruction can be achieved through various means, often without the use of an actual weapon, so, in a way, it is the least unique way in which a weapon can be used..."
To emphasize his point, Vahn removed his hand from Altera's head, waving it through the air around them to cause a ripple within the void. As a result, one of the large pillars developed massive cracks and, a moment later, it began to collapse under the strain of fragmented Space. Though it could be argued as weaponizing the Laws themselves, Altera would end up falling into his trap if she were to point it out. After all, while capable of immense destruction, the Laws existed to give structure and form to all things. It was up to the user to determine how they were used, but, no matter how great their mastery, the purpose of the Laws remained unchanged...and infinite.
Though she didn't understand the meaning behind her Master's words, this was nothing new, so, after a brief moment of reflection, Altera asked, "What is my purpose...? My impulses tell me to destroy, but, everyone else tells me this is a bad thing. This makes me feel lost and confused...I don't understand why it is bad to destroy bad things? Tell me, Master, why do you get to destroy as you please? Why must I restrain my impulses when there are bad things happening and enemies waiting for a chance to destroy me? Wouldn't it be better to destroy civilization and be rid of everyone that can do us harm...?"
Based on Altera's line of questioning, it was easy to see she had been putting a lot of thought into this, perhaps since the time of her summoning. Though he felt it was a little strange for her to ask him these questions just as he was about to head off to the Moon Cell, the flow of fate around her indicated it was instigated by something he had done. Unfortunately, he couldn't see into the past, nor could he know how other people influenced the world around them without direct intervention.
Since Altera seemed to be basing her reasoning around his actions, Vahn spent a moment sorting his thoughts before answering, "There is no easy answer to your questions, Altera...objectively, the only thing that allows me to act with impunity is the power I wield. However, if I were to truly act without consideration for others, I would never be happy. I would find myself alone, as, even if I was able to make people fear and respect me, they would never open their hearts to me. Without these kinds of bonds, people begin to feel empty inside, and, after a while, everything else seems to simply lose its meaning...tell me, Altera, is there truly nothing you care about beyond destruction?"
Hearing her Master's words, Altera only felt greater confusion, but, hearing his final question, she adopted a complicated expression before muttering, "I like having my head pat...I also like the taste of sweet foods...the apples grown in the hills are my favorite..."
Though it was a little awkward to hear Altera prioritize head pats over other things, Vahn nodded his head in affirmation before asking, "These things, would they exist if they were destroyed...?"
As she had never actually thought about it before, Altera couldn't help but frown when she heard her Master's words. If someone wanted to destroy the things she liked, she would destroy them first, so, with a resolute look on her face she said, "I see...you destroy things to protect other things and let them grow..."
Vahn's smile turned slightly awry when he heard Altera's remark, his hand plopping on her head as he explained in an exasperated tone, "It is more important to create and build than it is to destroy. If people always resorting to destroying things, the orchards wouldn't even exist. Though other apple trees might be found elsewhere, they wouldn't have the same quality. The apples you enjoy are the result of several people spending countless hours cultivating and caring for them...while your desire to 'protect' them is not wrong, you wouldn't have anything to protect without building it up in the first place..."
Hearing her Master's words, Altera fell into deep thought for several tense seconds before simply replying with her characteristic, "I see..." in her usual monotone.
Despite her affirmation, Vahn had the distinct impression that Altera hadn't actually understood what he was trying to convey. She was the type that understood things better if they were shown directly, rather than explained. Thus, after sorting through his thoughts, Vahn said, "I will assign both of you a new mission..."
The moment these words left his mouth, both Okita and Altera became more attentive, their gazes focused as they awaited his orders. This was a habit he wanted to break, but, as it was convenient at times like this, Vahn gave a small nod before explaining, "Once I return, I will teach you how to grow and care for various plants and animals. Your mission will be to work alongside each other to create a garden filled with life. When you are finished, it will become a private place where only the people you have chosen may enter...also, for every unique plant and animal you properly care for, I will give you a suitable reward...the more difficult the endeavor, the greater the reward I will bestow..."
Though neither Altera nor Okita understood the real purpose behind their Master's words, it didn't actually matter. To them, his orders were absolute, so, while they had no particular interest in animal husbandry or gardening, they were determined to complete their mission. This was something that Vahn was very aware of, so, while it was a bit 'cheap' on his part, it was worth taking advantage of their nature if it meant they learned something important...
---
Since Okita's clothing had already repaired itself, Vahn decided it was best to let them get an early start, so, after exiting the [Training Orb], he took them to visit Iris. She was the best option when it came to teaching the taciturn duo, as, during Artoria's attempts to get Altera to fit in, the latter had spent a few months acting as Iris' escort and personal attendant. The hope was that Iris would be a good influence on her, but, in spite of her efforts, Altera remained largely unchanged.
After entering the Library, where Iris still dutifully carried out her responsibilities, Vahn raised his hand in greeting as the woman in question brightened up at his arrival. When she saw who was with him, however, she adopted a false pout, muttering, "And here I was thinking you had stopped by to spend time with me...I'm going to tell Illya you're bullying me again..."
Though he was used to Iris' teasing, the hair on the back of Vahn's neck stood on end, as, the last time Iris had 'complained' to Illya, he ended up getting crushed by the latter after she spontaneously increased her size to around sixteen meters. This wasn't an intolerable weight, but, considering she had been naked at the time, Vahn nearly suffered a trauma as a result of her body greedily seeking him out, even in her overgrown form. Even Illya had panicked at the time, so, while it wasn't exactly likely, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little unnerved by the possibility an 'accident' would occur...
Since there were very few things that could make Vahn pale, Iris knew what he was thinking about. Her own smile became a little awkward before she made a point of loudly clearing her throat and asking, "What brings the three of you here? Did you need my advice on something...?"
In response to Iris' question, Vahn gestured to Altera and Okita, explaining, "If possible, I would like you to teach these two how to properly care for plants and animals. I'll prepare a private [Sub-Space Orb] here in the Library so you shouldn't be inconvenienced too much...can you do this for me, Iris?"
Hearing Vahn's request, Iris covered her mouth and issued a womanly giggle before answering, "But of course. In exchange, I expect you will build a small cottage or a villa within the orb, correct? Make sure there are at least five bedrooms, a large bath, and, as a precaution, a private area with adequate soundproofing~."
Vahn didn't have to ask why they would need a soundproof room within the private orb, as, despite her motherly nature, Iris had a few hidden sides only he and Illya knew about. Thus, without having to really think about it, Vahn nodded his head and said, "That shouldn't be a problem. I'll also install a large lake to serve as both a water source and a pool. Other than that, is there anything else you'll need...?"
Since it was hard not to get excited about a private residence, Iris spent several minutes throwing a bunch of random thoughts and ideas at Vahn. This caused him to sit across from her with a wry smile while, at his side, Altera and Okita just listened in silence. The only thing that mattered to them was the completion of their mission, but, with how excited Iris seemed to be, even Altera began to feel as though the garden they would be making was something 'special'. If not, it didn't make sense for Iris to be so excited about it, so, even if she didn't really understand the purpose of the mission she had been assigned, Altera began looking forward to it...just a little.
---
While his secondary vessel was dealing with the trio of white-haired women, Vahn's main vessel was holding counsel with Merlin, Artoria, Gray, Gawain, and, as she had been manifesting more often as of late, Alaya. They were discussing his upcoming assault on the moon, and, as it was an important topic for discussion, the giantess that had appeared when he tried to view his fate in relation to the flow around Altera.
Though she was unaware of anything happening beyond the planet's atmosphere, Alaya was still aware of the identity of the 'White Titan', a being denoted as Velber: 02 when using the same system that designated him as Type: Omega.
According to Alaya, Velber: 02 was an offshoot of an alien entity that appeared within the Sol System every 14,000 years. This being, a Rogue Star known as Velber, would station itself beyond the edge of the Oort Cloud, beyond the influence of Sol, and, after scanning the Surface of each planet, shed parts of itself with the intent to eliminate any and all life detected. It was for this reason that every planet, with the exception Gaia, appeared barren and lifeless.
Nearly thirteen-thousand-years prior, Velber had shed off three fragments of itself and, as a result, most life within the Sol System had been destroyed. The only reason there were any survivors at all was due to the intervention of Sol itself. After seeing the havoc a foreign star was causing, it's own fragments, the entities immortalized as Gods of the Sun, took the battle directly to the invaders.
Unfortunately, every planet beyond Gaia ended up becoming a victim in this relatively short war as, the further away from their parent star, the less power each God of the Sun possessed. It was for this reason that Velber positioned itself beyond the Oort Cloud, more than 15,000,000,000,000km away from Sol, well outside of its influence. There, it could freely harass the outer planets and, while it had ultimately been repelled, nearly all life within the Sol System had been lost in the process...
In the end, Gaia herself remained relatively unscathed, but, by the end of the battle, most of the first generation Gods had been completely wiped out. Velber: 02 and single-handedly wiped out nearly every pantheon and, if not for the sacrifice of Mars, the principal God of War for which the Roman God was named after, all life would have been lost. Even then, however, Velber: 02 was not actually killed, only repelled.
While all of this information was important, it was what Alaya explained next that really caught the attention of everyone in the room. According to the memories she had inherited from Gaia, the few remaining Gods gathered the blood and essence of Velber: 02, sealing it away within a human body in the hopes of using them as a weapon against subsequent invasions. Unfortunately, this would-be weapon was beyond their power to control, so, in their desperation, they ended up sealing her away, using an entire mountain range to keep her contained.
Ultimately, due to the shifting of tectonic plates and various other factors, this humanoid weapon was eventually discovered by a nomadic tribe known as the Huns. From that moment on, the legend of Attila the Hun and Etzel were born, two legends representing a warrior known as the embodiment of destruction. She had inherited the sword used to repel her original self, [Photon Ray], and, with it, she knew no equal on the battlefield. As a result, her tribe conquered much of the known world, and, if not for the betrayal of her last wife, Kriemhild, Siegfried's vengeful widow, she likely would have conquered Rome and prevented the rise of modern civilization in its entirety. Instead, she ended up manipulated in another woman's scheme for revenge, and, instead of losing her life honorably on the battlefield, Attila ended up choking on her own blood after suffering a brain hemorrhage...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Those with innocent minds ask the hardest questions...','Illya and Iris are both scary...','
章節 1429: Reluctance : Resignation
While the flood of information pertaining to Altera's and the Sol System's past was pretty interesting, Vahn earned incredulous looks from nearly everyone as he stated, "Well...unless I am mistaken, this White Titan, Velber: 02, should still be within my authority to control. Unless you're trying to allude to the fact that Archimedes' group has something to do with the Velber Star, it doesn't really matter what happened in the past. We'll deal with any enemy standing in our way, regardless of whether or not they are alien, God, Hero, or human."
Though there were no guarantees that Velber: 02 would obey him, Vahn could be certain that Velber itself would fall under his authority as Type: Omega. As for the White Titan herself, she seemed to be sealed inside of the Moon Cell, so, even if he didn't have authority over her, he had Administrative Authority over the Moon Cell itself. He could also request assistance from Crimson Moon, but, as the group of so-called Heroes were inarguably more dangerous than Altrouge's faction, at least for the time being, it would have to wait until later.
In response to Vahn's confidence, Merlin showed a slightly troubled smile as he advised, "You should remain cautious, Your Majesty. As you are so fond of stating, there are no absolutes. I believe you are well acquainted with how quickly things can spiral out of control when you assume nothing can go wrong..."
Hearing Merlin's advice, Vahn was reminded of the incident where he fled his previous world, and, as could be expected, the most recent events involving Scáthach. This caused him to frown slightly, his eyes passing over everyone else in the room before he ultimately nodded his head and said, "You're right...which is why I'll be going to the Moon Cell alone. I can't go all-out with allies present, so, until I have a better grasp of the situation, I will be resolving it on my own."
Though it wasn't outside their expectations, nearly everyone present had expressions revealing their dissatisfaction and worry. Even Artoria adopted a deep frown, wasting no time in saying, "You can't just do everyone on your own, Vahn! You promised that you would trust us more! Even if we're not as strong as you are, none of us here fear death! I'm not going to let you go alone, not this time...!"
Ever since the incident with Scáthach, everyone within the Inner Sanctum could see how heavily it weighed on Vahn's heart and mind. His most recent awakening only exacerbated the concerns they had been feeling, so, to hear him advocate going off on his own once again, Artoria was unwilling to remain silent. She trained hard every day to be useful to the Empire so she couldn't help but feel a considerable amount of frustration every time she was left behind while Vahn ran off to fight against their enemies.
As it was pretty rare for Artoria to have an outburst, especially with others present, Vahn was at a loss for words. He knew she was right, and, at several points in the past, he had made promises to trust, not just her, but all of them. Instead, he usually only brought the most powerful people in the Empire along with him, often serving as backup forces as he personally dealt with their enemies. This was the 'safest' and 'most efficient' option, and, though he knew it also caused the girls left behind a great deal of frustration, he couldn't help but want to protect them.
Though it didn't actually need to be said, as everyone present knew how he felt, Vahn adopted an apologetic expression as he muttered, "I just don't want to lose any of you..." in a somber tone. Since the loss of Scáthach was still fresh on his mind, it was easy to hear the pain in his voice. Despite this, Artoria balled her hands into fists, her eyes moistening as she shouted, "We don't want to lose you, either! More than physical pain, mental anguish, or even the fear of death, the thing I'm most afraid of is you spontaneously disappearing. I won't allow you to leave me behind...I refuse...!"
Hearing an equivalent amount of pain in Artoria's words, Vahn felt like his heart had been tightly gripped by the golden-haired beauty. This caused him to release an audibly tired sigh, exasperation clear to see in his expression as he smiled wryly and said, "I'm not going anywhere...even if I were, I promise I will take everyone with me. This is a battlefield though...if something happened to any of you, I wouldn't be able to live with the regret..."
Even if his words were out of concern, Artoria's expression hardened when she heard Vahn's words. This caused him to avert his eyes slightly, as, even without anyone saying anything, it was easy to see they didn't take kindly to his words. After all, they hadn't been inscribed on the Throne of Heroes as a result of their cowardice. Even if they had to face insurmountable odds, they wouldn't hesitate if it meant they could fulfill their duty, protecting their honor and dignity in the process...
Realizing he was out of line, even if they were his honest feelings on the matter, Vahn took a deep breath before meeting Artoria's gaze and saying, "I understand. It was wrong of me to try and take care of everything on my own. You aren't flowers that need to be locked away within a garden...nor are you so fragile that you require my constant care and concern. You're all amazing, and, together, there is little we can't accomplish..."
Though his words were lacking in spirit, Vahn tried to be sincere when he was speaking. He actually did trust in everyone that had been gathered under his banner, but, knowing just how strong some enemies were, his first instinct was always to protect. He couldn't help but blame himself whenever something bad happened, so, whenever things became especially dangerous, he would rather deal with it on his own than expose anyone else to danger.
Unfortunately, even the best of intentions became overbearing restraints in the minds of the ones being 'protected'. Vahn knew how hard everyone worked and, if he really thought about it, even he wouldn't have been able to take such a refusal laying down. Even when he was weak, he would do everything he could to help out those that were stronger than him. Thus, even though it was never easy, he, for what felt like the hundredth time, told himself to believe in the people around him...
---
Once things had settled down a bit, everyone began formulating a multi-phase plan that included establishing contact, ascertaining the enemy's intentions, and, if necessary, invading and conquering the Moon Cell. As for the participants, the first phase would include Vahn, Artoria, and Da Vinci. They would try and come to an accord with the 'Hero' group, but, if negotiations broke down, the Imperial Knights would then move in, led by Gawain, Kenshin, and Lancelot.
There was no way of knowing exactly how big the Moon Cell was, so, after establishing a foothold, the Imperial Knights would establish a Forward Operations Base. From there, they would determine exactly how many troops and resources would need to be allocated to the occupation of the Moon Cell, determined by Gawain and verified by Da Vinci. She was the most qualified to understand the situation within the Moon Cell, so, while Gawain secured the area with the Empire's forces, most of the logistical matters would be dealt with by her.
If possible, Vahn would like to avoid an actual invasion, as it contradicted previous statements he had made, but, if the Heroes intended to continue skulking around like snakes, he wouldn't hesitate to squash them.
At this point, it was all but certain that Archimedes had some scheme related to Velber: 02, so, even if the Heroes were willing to compromise, they would still be expelled from the Moon Cell. There was no way Vahn was just going to let the errant inventor do whatever he wanted using technology that was designed to monitor and record things, not cause chaos and destruction.
If negotiations broke down, the capture or elimination of Archimedes was their highest priority. He was the apparent ringleader behind everything so removing him from the equation seemed to be the most effective means of reaching an accord. Though it was possible someone else was pulling the strings, this would be brought to light after they managed to track down the original and expose his plans.
There was still a chance that Archimedes was an actual Hero, but, as a result of his character, it was impossible to leave him to his own devices. People that were willing to use any means to achieve their goals were dangerous, especially when they could order their subordinates to target children. This, combined with the fact he had been able to produce an army of nearly 50,000 automatons in a relatively short period of time, made Archimedes one of the most dangerous elements amongst the group of would-be Heroes.
The problem was, the 'real' Archimedes was undoubtedly protected by their group's most powerful forces. Musashi was likely one of their strongest cards, but, considering who they were dealing with, Vahn wouldn't have believed her if she stated she was their most powerful. She might have the most individual strength, but, when it came to Heroic Spirits, the most powerful often had Reality Marbles that effectively functioned as entire armies.
Vahn could still remember how powerful he felt while using Gilgamesh's [Gate of Babylon] so, with the Throne of Heroes classifying it as an E~A++ Rank Noble Phantasm, the odds of more powerful abilities existing was high. Both Artoria's [Avalon] and Nobunaga's [Three-Thousand Worlds] were qualified as EX-Rank Noble Phantasms, so, in the grand scheme of things, it seemed impossible that Archimedes didn't have a few equivalent trump cards.
Until they were able to force the enemy to reveal their hand, most of the direct engagements against enemy Heroic Spirits would be handled by Vahn and Artoria. Though exceptions would be made if it was an emergency situation, only Gawain, Lancelot, and Kenshin were authorized to meet the enemy Heroes head-on. Everyone else was required to form teams with at least one A-Rank Heroic Spirit, and, unless it was mandated by the situation, their objective was to secure the Forward Operations Base, not chase after enemies.
Fortunately, Gawain had performed excellently as Commander of the Imperial Knights and, after the summoning of the former Knights of the Round Table, the Empire's forces had qualitatively improved in regards to individual prowess. Nearly every Homunculus had received some form of military-style training at this point, completely of their own volition, so there were now more than seven-thousand active and reserve members of the Imperial Militia. As for those that had gone on to become actual Knights, they numbered 735, each nominated by their respective instructors and knighted by Vahn himself.
The seamless coordination between Einzbern Homunculi made them an awe-inspiring force on the battlefield, so, while Vahn couldn't help but worry about the albino troupe, their results as part of the Imperial Response Force spoke for themselves. Everyone who was given the opportunity to lead one of their teams spoke highly of them, to the point that Gawain had even taken on three Homunculi as his personal Esquires, personally teaching them the skills necessary to rise to the position of Knight Commanders themselves in the future.
This would be the first major military operation conducted by Imperial Forces so, in a way, this was a litmus test to determine whether or not they would be useful in future campaigns. The fact each of the knighted members qualified as D+ or even C-Rank Heroes inspired a bit of confidence, but, the true test would be whether or not they can actually do anything to more powerful Heroic Spirits. If it was Vahn, he would be able to sweep through the Imperial Militia with impunity, so, while he didn't look down on them, he hoped the armaments he and Da Vinci had produced would be enough to sustain them against anything the enemy might throw their way...
(A/N: I'm going to be busy for the next two days so, unless I can free up some time, there will only be one chapter of EPIC and one chapter of Babel per day. Sunday, however, I'm intending to publish an updated release schedule (in calendar format), so, for those of you who like structured releases, that is something to look forward to. The schedule will be posted on both my Patreon and Discord so feel free to stop by and say hi on the server if you haven't done so (^ _ ^)~!)
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