章節 1875: Product
With David's power allowing him to amplify another's, Vicente's instantaneous counter range had increased to more than 150m. This might not be that impressive compared to the heaven-shaking feats Vahn was used to, but it was rather impressive considering they were, technically, just D-Rank Regulars.
Though there were a few hidden enemies that greatly exceeded the strength of most D-Ranks, the God of Guardians being the best example, the Hell Express was a Special Testing Grounds intended for fledgling Regulars. This made it a playground for the 'former' members of the Arie Family, and, though they still had a long way to go in their training as both a Light Bearer and Scout, even Yura and Daniel had the approximate strength of a B-Rank Regular.
Simply put, the Hell Express wasn't a challenge for people whose strength exceeded the threshold of D-Rank. This was one of the reasons Vahn didn't like people 'doubling back' to board the express multiple times. Those who had completed the journey would have already earned the qualifications for C-Rank, so, no matter how you looked at it, it simply wasn't fair to allow them to board a Special Test meant for D-Ranks.
With the exception of a Special Test known as the Stairway to Heaven, the Hell Express was the only Test that could be participated in and completed numerous times. This had led to numerous issues throughout the years, and, if not for the restrictions placed on members of the Ten Great Families, it would have undoubtedly become a 'boosting grounds' for their progeny.
In the absence of a 'ruling class', otherwise normal Regulars took it upon themselves to exploit the Hell Express to an almost perverse degree. Some of this could be attributed to FUG, especially after the White incident; but, considering Sachi, Daniel, Boro, Aka, and Roen had been taking advantage of the Special Testing Ground for years prior to that event, laying blame on the odious organization wouldn't be fair.
By clearing the Hell Express multiple times, Regulars were able to drastically increase their strength while accumulating a variety of unique and powerful items by clearing hidden chambers or simply purchasing them from the shops located in the residential cars. This wouldn't be a problem if they used said items to continue advancing up the Tower, but, rather than be satisfied with the benefits they had already received, countless Regulars shamelessly took advantage of the Hell Express' rules to suppress others for their own, personal, gain.
One of the things that 'exhausted' Vahn the most when it came to sapient creatures is how they could resent others for suppressing them, but, the moment they were given an opportunity to reap benefits, they would unhesitantly rob others of the same opportunity. There were even people who justified their actions by shifting the blame to the Ten Great Families, arguing that they 'needed' to behave in such a way just to even the playing field. To make matters even worse, the more 'zealous' among them would even argue that the people who died due to their suppression were actually at fault for 'overestimating themselves' by 'daring to compete against the strong'...
Fortunately, the issues perpetuated by the lax restrictions of the Hell Express wouldn't be a problem for much longer. Vahn already had several ideas for how to circumvent its exploitation, and, should these prove ineffective, he could always just 'steal' the entire locomotive. There was plenty of space for it inside the Little Garden, and, though his domain might not be large enough to seize the entire thing at once, detaching the cars wasn't particularly difficult...
---
Though David had made an effort to convince Vicente and Anna to sabotage Vahn's attempts to track down their last remaining sibling, neither was willing to go along with his plans. This caused the 'youth' a considerable amount of frustration in the beginning, but, after eating a few delicious meals and witnessing the strength of Vahn's team first-hand, it wasn't long before he had 'wisened' up and changed his tone. Rather, despite the quality being far below Rindo's standard, Yura, Daniel, Vicente, Anna, and David were all 'exceptionally' fond of Vahn's cooking.
With David abandoning his thoughts of rebellion pretty early on, the ten-day journey to track down Albelda was beginning to seem like it would end without incident. Anna even managed to one-shot the Guardian posted outside her chamber, destroying its head using a massive Baang resembling a White Dwarf Star. In fact, that was the name she had assigned to the skill, specifically calling it 'Anna Style Shinsu Control Skill: White Dwarf Star'.
It was at the moment when Anna's skill began to fade away that Vahn's instincts triggered, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as Eva, Artoria, Fenrir, and Asuna spontaneously moved to protect the members of 'Team Yura'. At nearly the exact same moment, the vault-like door leading to Albelda's chamber began emanating a vibrant light as several white-hot lines appeared across its surface. Almost immediately thereafter, the entire vault was blown away in a massive explosion that spread throughout the exterior chamber, slamming into the barrier Eva had erected like a tidal wave crashing into a sea break.
Before things could get too far out of hand, Vahn promptly manifested the Little Garden in his right hand, unceremoniously drawing the shellshocked Regulars inside. At the same time, his expression hardened as a pulse of intent radiated from his body, emulating an advanced form of Conqueror's Haki as it shattered Eva's barrier like glass before forcing back the ghostly white tide with surprising ease.
Feeling a backlash due to Vahn shattering her barrier, Eva sent an accusatory glare his way, nearly breaking his concentration due to the shivers it sent through his body. Fortunately, while he wasn't without his flaws, Vahn was never the type to drop his guard when enemies were present. Instead, his mind overcompensated by becoming even more focused, his surroundings gradually darkening as the flow of time slowed to a crawl.
With a hazy green aura glistening across his body, Vahn was largely immune to the effects caused by the stagnation of time. His domain also allowed him to sense everything in his surroundings, so, rather than become blinded by his own enhanced perception, the world around him seem far more vibrant than normal. It was like he could sense the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and, if he really focused, even the structure of solid objects and living organisms became 'gaseous' due to his ability to see the constituent particles comprising their body...
Turning his head, Vahn wasn't surprised to notice that Eva, Asuna, and Artoria seemed to be 'aware' of his actions. They even seemed to be adapting, the energy in their cells gradually becoming more active with each passing nanosecond. Their status as Tier 5 beings wasn't for naught, and, should he afford them the opportunity, it was only a matter of 'time' before they shifted into the unique 'Axis of Time' he had created.
Though he could lend them a hand, Vahn knew it would be more meaningful if the girls overcame their limits without his assistance. Thus, for the time being, he simply smiled towards them before turning his head to face the enemy who had smashed through the sealed vault. This caused him to raise his brows slightly, not because he was awed by the white-haired figure's beauty, but because she was actually moving towards him, albeit 'very' slowly.
Recalling that the Arie Family's techniques specifically revolved around the manipulation of Space, a glimmer of understanding flashed across Vahn's eyes as he considered the best course of action. He didn't actually sense any animosity from the young woman. Instead, she seemed to be exceptionally excited, her aura comprised of a mixture of vibrant blues, resplendent golds, and pure white lights...
Recognizing the excited glimmer in the ruby-eyed woman's eyes, a wry smile spread across Vahn's face as he quickly intuited that she must be a battle junkie. She had most likely sensed the danger contained in the technique Anna had derived from Eva's teaching regarding the Shinsu Black Hole Sphere. It might not be that powerful in its present state, but, so long as she could catch them by surprise, even Rankers might sustain serious injuries from Anna's 'White Dwarf Star'.
Understanding what kind of foe he was up against, Vahn's eyes briefly focused on the tiny silver crown attached to her silver tiara. Though her hair was moderately more free-flowing, giving it a natural curl, the woman greatly resembled the androgynous Hoaqin. The only major differences were their eye colors, their choice of garb, and, as could be expected, their actual gender.
Hoaqin had silvery-white eyes, much like every other member of the Arie Family. The ghostly white woman in front of him, however, had red eyes that glistened like blood-colored gemstones. As for her attire, she wore a frilly black dress adorned with white pleat and two crimson ribbons, one tied around her waist and the other fastened around her collar, similar to a sailor uniform. She also wore a black half-vest beneath her dress, seemingly as a substitute for a bra, and, though her long white legs made it appear as though she was wearing hose, the reality was that she simply had an ashen white complexion that amplified her ethereal appearance.
Though the same could be said about most members of the Arie Family, Vahn had to admit that the woman before him was quite the beauty. Far more important than this, however, was the question of whether or not she was already under Hoaqin's influence. The crown atop her head was similar to the profane artifact worn by the original, and, though there were some slight differences, her sword was a near-perfect replica of the former's...
Fortunately, Vahn had an exceptionally simple way to ascertain a person's thoughts, so, with a smile on his face, he turned towards the redheaded beauty floating at his side, remarking, "I'm surprised. Don't you normally get a kick out of revealing a person's innermost secrets...?"
Without refuting his words, the Law of Identity nodded her head as if to say, 'certainly', but, rather than transforming into the white-haired woman, she remained in her base form. Vahn found this a little strange, but, before he could ask, the Law of Identity preempted his inquiry by revealing, "This person doesn't exist..." before adopting a slight pout.
Raising his brows in response to the sudden revelation, Vahn returned his gaze to the white-haired woman, his pupils contracting to points as they released a bluish-white light. Then, faster than any human could ever hope to blink, he appeared right in front of the ghostly figure, his hand coming to rest on her head as he analyzed the structure of her body in greater detail. This caused a thread of Sword Intent to course through his body, but, much like any other invasive energy, it was soon diffused due to the peculiarities of his constitution.
Spreading his senses through the woman's body, Vahn's expression morphed into one of absolute incredulity as he realized what, exactly, the woman was. At the same time, a wave of overwhelming nausea welled up inside of his body, but, unlike before, he was able to keep it under control as he retracted his hand and frowned deeply.
Though she looked like a relatively normal person at first glance, the white-haired beauty slowly turning her blood-red eyes towards him was actually an amalgamation of countless fragmented egos. It was like someone had siphoned the energy from billions of individual egos, fusing them together and having them devour each other until only a single dominant personality remained.
Realizing that the woman was effectively the 'power' that White had lost after separating his body into five, Vahn's brain began to buzz as he fought the urge to extend his hand forward and 'erase' the white-haired woman from existence. The only thing stopping him was the notion that, despite the circumstances resulting in her 'birth', the woman was, inherently, without sin. There was a truly ridiculous amount of negative energy contained within her Ego, yet, in spite of this, she appeared remarkably pure, innocent, and, after realizing the difference between them, afraid...
Breaking eye contact with the woman, Vahn stared at the palm of his right hand, slowly forming his hand into a fist as he wondered what the 'right' thing to do in this situation was. The woman was, in many ways, an existence that 'profaned' the Order of Creation. Despite this, she was, at least for the time being, completely devoid of sin...
As this thought crossed his mind, so too did the image of Xysteria, his beloved daughter who, due to the circumstances of her birth, possessed an unrivaled potential for destruction. Despite this, she was a curious, caring, and affectionate girl who did her best to avoid hurting others. She possessed an ability that others would unhesitantly label as evil, yet, in spite of this, she was one of the purest and most adorable beings Vahn had the fortune of fathering...
Shaking his head, Vahn removed the silver tiara from the woman's head before extending his hand to lightly caress her velvety white hair. Shortly thereafter, the fearful light in her eyes began to fade away as the flow of time gradually returned to normal. By then, the woman had lost consciousness, falling into Vahn's waiting arms as the momentum from her hypersonic movements was completely absorbed into his body...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: '*Vahn be like the dad who takes a toy away from two arguing children...','This is only the tip of the iceberg...','Xysteria must be protected at all costs...!')
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章節 1876: Burgeoning Resentment
Seeing Vahn holding the unconscious woman in a princess carry, Eva couldn't help roll her eyes, crossing her arms as she asked, "What are you intending? Based on what I can tell, that woman seems pretty dangerous. If I'm not wrong, she is some kind of Greater Wight. If you allow her-"
Though he knew he would 'pay' for it later, Vahn sent a pointed look towards Eva, interrupting her words before going on to say, "This woman is not all that dissimilar to you...she did not choose to become this...thing. Her existence is the byproduct of another's greed. Her very existence might be a danger to others, but, unless she willfully chooses to inflict harm, I will not pass judgment onto her..."
Adopting a slight pout, Eva shifted her gaze to the sleeping woman, brows furrowed for several seconds before she ultimately released a sigh. She knew her senses weren't as sharp as Vahn's, so, rather than simply assume he was arbitrarily picking up another woman, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Nodding her head in affirmation, Eva adopted a more relaxed stance as she remarked, "I still want to know what your intentions are. Are you intending to have us sit around on this train for the next couple of months?"
Shifting his gaze upwards, Vahn fell silent for several seconds, a thoughtful glimmer in his eyes as he said, "The next fragment of the Thorn is located on the 43rd Floor, the Floor of Death. I'm a little annoyed about what happened on the 30th Floor so I don't intend to let this one escape my grasp. As for the Hidden Floor, there are a surprising number of Quests pertaining to it, two of which have caught my interest..."
Though he could have continued explaining, Vahn ultimately shook his head, his expression turning slightly exasperated as he said, "Honestly, the matters related to the Tower are beginning to annoy me more than they ought to. It might be the result of splitting my time between the Little Garden and traversing various Actualized Worlds, but these incidents...the 'wrongness' of it all...it makes me want to simply destroy everything..."
Noticing the worried looks on nearly everyone's faces, a sad smile spread across Vahn's face as he added, "Don't worry...I'm not quite at that point just yet. Rather, as angry and frustrated as it makes me feel at times, I can't help but do my best to try and make the world a better place. If the people at the summit are unwilling to bear the burdens of the present...it is the future generations who will suffer for it...I will not entrust my children with a burden I could not shoulder. For their sake...for the sake of all who will follow the path I am currently forging...I will never stop..."
Though they were quite used to Vahn's speeches at this point, nearly everyone present was slightly taken aback by the resolution that seemed to emanate from every fiber of the former's being. Even Eva felt a strange feeling of awe wash over her, filling her with a slight sense of guilt and a powerful desire to act. As for the more zealous women within the group, chiefly Fenrir and Ryun, they looked like they might pounce on Vahn at any moment, a fiery fervor contained within their eyes...
Being the first to recover, Artoria startled everyone else to awareness by dropping to a knee, head bowed low as she attempted to reaffirm her vows. Before the words could leave her lips, however, a paradoxically irresistible yet gentle force guided her back to her feet as Vahn said, "There is no need for such things...I am well aware of your devotion...ever since we made that promise all those years ago, I have never once questioned your fealty and love..."
With his mood having already improved considerably, a loving smile spread across Vahn's face as he gazed into the beautiful blonde's eyes. This caused her to turn uncharacteristically bashful, but, rather than avert her eyes, she returned a loving smile of her own as she softly affirmed, "No matter what happens...we will continue walking this path together..."
Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn was about to say something more, but, before he was able to, Eva chimed in, teasingly remarking, "Speaking such flowery words with an unconscious woman in your arms...how bold..." with an amused smile on her face.
Issuing a light chuckle in response to Eva's teasing, Vahn briefly eyed the white-haired woman in his arms before suggesting, "Let us retire to the Little Garden. There are, approximately, nine days until we reach the next station. After that, we'll have about a month to explore at our leisure. They might not be particularly useful for us, but there are a number of secrets onboard the Hell Express. At the very least, I intend to locate the 'Soul Furnace' before seeking out the antechamber containing the entrance to the Hidden Floor."
Though there were secondary and tertiary power sources, the Soul Furnace served as the primary power source for the entirety of the Hell Express. With that being the case, Vahn imagined it was also the location where most of the spirits trapped within the hellish locomotive were located.
After analyzing her structure, Vahn was beginning to suspect that many of the 'souls' onboard the Hell Express had already been absorbed by the white-haired woman. It wasn't difficult to imagine FUG engaging in such a scheme, but, until he had confirmed it for himself, he wasn't going to give up. The fact the Hell Express was still operational proved there were still a number of spirits being used to power it, so, at the very least, he would liberate those that remained.
With this in mind, Vahn looked over everyone present, smiling in response to their resolute gazes. Then, without needing to actually extend his hand, he manifested the Little Garden out of thin air, transferring each of them to where his secondary vessel was located before taking the white-haired woman to a secure location in the outer rings...
---
Similar to the previous Floors, there were a handful of Regulars waiting to board the Hell Express at the 38th Floor's train station. This time, however, Vahn made no attempts to stop them. Instead, he let Anna's growing army of stuffed animals handle things on the platform while Vicente, Daniel, and Yura protected her.
With the average strength of Anna's dolls reaching C-Rank, without Shinsu Enhancement, very few D-Rank Regulars could hope to compete with them. Their only advantage was that Anna had been told not to kill, severely limiting the capabilities of her otherwise emotionless, unhesitant, dolls.
Though Vicente was a unique exception, most members of the Arie Family had been taught, from a very early age, never to hesitate when it came to killing. They were taught to 'become' swords, and, as a result, the vast majority of their kin were emotionally stunted.
What Vahn found most ironic was the fact that they were, very clearly, attempting to reach a state similar to the State of Nothingness. Unfortunately, this had nothing to do with suppressing oneself and inhibiting your emotions. Instead, it required them to gradually let go of everything, even their own sense of self. Though these might seem like the same thing, the former was similar to placing limits on oneself based on preconceived notions. In other words, it was unnecessarily complicating things while the latter, inversely, completely ignored such sentiments.
Though there were exceptions to every rule, the majority of people capable of entering the State of Nothingness had relatively laidback personalities. Musashi was one of the best examples of this, as, rather than hold herself back, she generally did whatever she wanted from a very young age. As for Asuna, she had seemingly started off as a blank slate, but, hidden beneath her expressionless mask, an inquisitive girl with a remarkable zest for life could be found.
The simplest way to describe the State of Nothingness was by comparing it to a state of absolute contentedness. It was a state where you wanted for nothing, and, for a brief moment, the only two things that mattered were your sense of self and the person standing across from you. Musashi had even likened it to 'falling in love at first sight', a moment in time where everything else just seemed to melt away, fading into nothingness along with the concepts of time and space...
As someone who had pursued the 'absolute pinnacle' of swordsmanship for tens-of-thousands of years, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Arie Hon was one of the most skilled opponents Vahn would ever face. Despite this, the man had failed to achieve the States of Infinity and Nothingness. Instead, he pursued the exact opposite path of most grandmasters, focusing on strengthening and becoming one with his sword rather than mastering both it and himself.
Though he found such comparisons rather peculiar, Vahn would liken Arie Hon to what some might refer to as 'overgeared' or 'pay-to-win' player. He had inherited a powerful sword in his youth, and, rather than focus master his skills, his primary goal had been to master said blade. This continued even during the 'Great Journey', and, while his skills improved to an arguably unreasonable extent, the majority of his efforts had gone into procuring progressively more powerful weapons.
Due to his obsession with obtaining even more powerful swords, Hon had come into possession of the only 'known' S+ Rank weapon in the entire Tower, the 'Peerless White Oar'. It was the only blade ever forged by Macseth, the Great Father and Founder of Gong Bang, the lesser-known name of the Workshop.
While each of the Great Warriors had made their own demands of the Workshop and the Guardians during their ascent up the Tower, Hon had been single-minded in his pursuit of the 'most powerful' weapon. Unfortunately, no weapon could remain the most powerful indefinitely, so, in an effort to meet Hon's requirements, Macseth had forged a weapon capable of, quite literally, devouring the sword intent of others.
The thing that made Arie Hon the most powerful swordsman in the Tower was neither his skills nor his functionally unlimited supply of Shinsu. No. What made him truly terrifying was the fact that he could effectively siphon the sword intent of others, and, as a result, assimilate their knowledge and experience into his own. In essence, his power was an amalgamation of other swordsmen, and, due to being the Head of a Family that produced countless prodigies, his power was forever increasing as a result of their effort and sacrifice.
As someone who benefitted extensively from the mere existence of his Templates, Vahn might not be the best person to make such claims, but, in his opinion, Arie Hon was an absolute monster. His only reason for creating a Family was merely to increase the power of his sword, and, as a result of his greed, countless members of the Arie Family had given their lives for his sake. Many even did so willingly, as, from the moment they were born, nearly every member of the Arie Family was taught that it was a 'great honor' to become a part of their father's sword...
Though Hon might not have any malicious intent, only asking those near the very ends of their lives to sacrifice themselves, Vahn couldn't help but disdain a father who viewed their children similar to whetstones. He didn't even bother to remember the names of any children who had yet to become a Ranker, and, to make matters even worse, the majority of their mothers were picked from a list to be artificially inseminated since Hon had no interest in such things. Then, once they had given birth, they were separated from their children and forced to accept 'compensation' in exchange for their silence.
Despite how terrible this sounds, this was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it came to the antiquated and oftentimes ruthless internal affairs of the Ten Great Families. The Arie Family wasn't even the worst among them, but, due to Hon's complete lack of interest in a family that effectively worshiped him as a God, Vahn couldn't help but resent him. He was also directly responsible for the monster known as White, and, as a result, the deaths of countless billions...all for the sake of making his weapon stronger...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Pot, meet Kettle...','Artoria is a good girl (OwO)...','Hon may as well have spent the last ten-thousand-years using that sword to dig a hole...')
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