章節 1916: Karmic Undercurrents
(A/N: Important announcement at the end of the chapter~.)
Peeking a few years into the future, specifically around the time that a second story was intended to take place, Vahn was unsurprised to find that his Template had elected to take matters into his own hands. More specifically, he had used his status as one of the most powerful and influential voices within the Pangalactic Federation to make amendments to the Underdeveloped Planet Preservation Pact. This allowed him to establish an organization that specialized in the research and observation of so-called Underdeveloped Civilizations, and, whenever anomalies were discovered, his team was uniquely equipped to deal with threats to the universe.
Though there was a significant amount of backlash in the early years, Vahn's Template, also known as Vahn, was eventually declared Hegemon of the Pangalactic Federation after establishing contact with one of the universe's oldest and most technologically overdeveloped civilizations, the Nedians. With their cooperation, he was able to, quite literally, prevent the destruction of the entire universe, and, as a result of his Guardianship over their final heiress, an adorable blue-haired girl named Rena Lanford, he was entrusted with nearly 700,000,000 years of data related to universe's development and every technological advancement the Nedians had ever made.
Seeing how successful his alternate self had become, Vahn couldn't help feeling just a little envious. It wasn't that he was wanting for things like power and beautiful women at his side. It was more so that he was envious of the 'stability' of their existence. His own life seemed exceedingly random at times, and, though he had a general understanding of the direction he was moving in, the goal he was reaching for was something beyond comprehension. Inversely, the Template he had created as his proxy in the Tri-Ace Anthology had a perfect understanding of the direction his life was heading, and, through a concerted effort, he was able to overthrow a plot more than four-billion-years in the making before ushering in an era of peace and stability that spanned nearly 1300 years.
While 1300 years might not seem like a long time, it was an astronomical amount considering he was the Hegemon of a Federation that spanned several galaxies and more than 60,000 'civilized' worlds. The longest era of peace prior to his reign was only eight years, as, whenever people made distinctions between 'civilized' and 'uncivilized', finding corruption was easier than finding grains of sand on a beach. It didn't help that there was no unified system of governance among the planets comprising the Pangalactic Federation, as, whenever someone tried to install such a government, they were bastardized as an autocrat or a tyrant by the powers pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
In the end, it took demonic creatures invading from another dimension to shatter the peace that had been wrought through Fellpool Vahn's efforts. This, in turn, led to the discovery that the entire universe had simply been a simulation created by higher-dimensional beings as a way for them to pass the time. This revelation led to widespread chaos throughout the Universe before Vahn and his allies, once again, fought to restore peace and establish peaceful coexistence between the 'Eternal Sphere', the name of their universal simulation, and the Fourth-Dimensional beings responsible for its creation.
Though he could have continued to rule as Hegemon, Fellpool Vahn took advantage of the fact that he had reached the end of his reality's established timeline to finally retire. In his place, he allowed the reality-spanning E.S.O.A.A, the system designed to monitor the Eternal Sphere, to manage, not just the Pangalactic Federation, but all civilizations within its sphere of influence. This led to quite a number of issues throughout the universe, but, with the threat of literal deletion hanging over their heads, most groups remained relatively reasonable in their opposition to Universal Governance. As for Vahn and his extended family, they became the bridge between the Eternal Sphere and Fourth-Dimensional Space, guaranteeing the preservation of the former while working with the people of the latter to uncover the truth of their own origin...
---
After what felt like an eternity, largely due to the fact he inherited the memories and experiences of his Templates, Vahn departed from his Internalized Realm to find himself relaxing comfortably in his own bed. This filled him with a momentary sense of incongruity, but, the moment he met the gazes of the noticeably fatigued Theo, Mira, and Lisanna, a natural smile spread across his face.
Returning a smile of her own, Mira decided to ask what the other two were thinking, her voice filled with undertones of concern as she inquired, "How long were you gone?"
Though it wouldn't be inaccurate to say he was gone for a much longer period of time, Vahn placed a kiss atop Mira's head before answering, "Eight months..." in a whispering tone.
Meeting Vahn's gaze, Mira got the distinct impression he was hiding something, so, without beating around the bush, she asked, "How many?"
Confused by the contextless question, Vahn tilted his head to the side, the gears of his mind turning until Sis took pity on him and explained, (*She is asking about the number of women you picked up despite stating you were simply going to observe.*)
Since his Template had been created around the time of the first divergence of fate, Vahn wouldn't be lying if he said he hadn't picked up any new women during his time away. Unfortunately, as his Template had only developed a true Ego towards the end of the journey, it wasn't wrong to say he was the one in control. Thus, rather than avoid any responsibility in the matter, he answered, "Just one..." since, prior to his Template gaining independence, they had shared a number of experiences with the remarkably affectionate Pericci.
Hearing Vahn's response, Mira, Theo, and Lisanna all showed genuine surprise on their faces as the eldest of the two Strauss sisters asked, "Only one? That is a surprising amount of restraint coming from you...can you show us what she looks like?"
Though his smile became somewhat wry due to her rather biting remark, Vahn extended his palm to create a three-dimensional projection of Pericci prior to their separation. The moment the three girls saw her, a glimmer of enlightenment could be seen in their eyes as Lisanna casually remarked, "She looks a lot like Fenrir...albeit a lot more 'bubbly'..."
Nodding their heads in agreement, Mira and Theo continued to observe the scale-model of Pericci, the latter tilting her head to examine the projection's backside, musing, "Oh my..." with an amused glimmer in her eyes.
Shaking his head, Vahn's expression relaxed as he dissipated the projection and briefly recounted the events that had transpired within the Actualized World. This explanation was aided by the use of Memory Projection Spheres, and, though it took several hours, he could easily control the flow of time within the room to afford them ample opportunity to witness his exploits. This led to a number of questions regarding the relationship between his Template and several other female members of the verse, but, as he was no longer in control at that point, he couldn't be held accountable for his Fellpool counterpart's actions...
---
With most of his frustrations thoroughly vented, Vahn departed the Little Garden alongside Theo, Musashi, Scathach, and, of course, Index. His return brought back a few unpleasant memories, but, having gained an additional 1300 years of experience over the course of an eight-month period, he was no longer as affected by the tragedy that had resulted from Chung's depravity and boredom.
After taking a few minutes to collect himself and organize his thoughts, Vahn decided it would be prudent of him to return to the Quarantine Area and liberate those within. He could always restore their data at a later date, but, rather than risk something happening in the future, it was best to take action in the present. He knew from the Law of Identity's acquisition of Data Eduan's memories that the latter possessed the means to effectively format the entire Hidden Floor, so, before karma and fate could reveal their hands, Vahn wanted to eliminate as many concerning variables as possible.
To aid in this endeavor, Vahn had compiled the data pertaining to the Hidden Floor's residents into a Memory Fragment that was then uploaded to the Intelligence Nexus that had been jointly created by Urahara and Android 21 in accordance with Da Vinci's original design specifications for the Ark, Mother, and Shadow Systems. This allowed them to mass-produce Gigai, artificial bodies that were functionally identical to normal humans, that perfectly emulated the physical appearance and base specifications of everyone who had been adversely modified by Chung.
Though it would normally take several hours to create a single Gigai, Vahn's ability to freely control the flow of time within the Little Garden reduced the time taken to a completely negligible amount. This was one of the most heinous exploits made possible through the combination of his status as a Tier 5 and the master of the Little Garden. Using it, he could even cultivate various medicinal plants and other cultivation resources that would typically take tens-of-thousands of years to mature. This, in turn, afforded him the opportunity to generate functionally unlimited OP, as, with the exception of goods purchased directly from the system shop, anything grown naturally could be traded in at roughly 1/10th its original value.
While it wasn't the most cost-efficient way to generate Origin Points, primarily because he would never task anyone with watching over plants for tens of thousands of years at a time, the gardens of the Seventh Layer had become the primary source of Vahn's OP income. The only caveats were that many 'heavenly treasures', plants included, became sapient after a certain amount of time had passed. They also had a propensity for killing and consuming nearby treasures, so, without anyone to keep order, a number of magical beasts, some of which were farmed for OP, had taken residence within the Seventh Layer. This made it a pretty popular place for live combat training, as, thanks to the influence of the Law of Progress, the creatures within grew powerful at an exponential rate...
---
Though he was quite accustomed to waiting, Yu Hansung was beginning to feel a little impatient after coming to learn that an Irregular different from the one he had anticipated had arrived on the Hidden Floor. To make matters even worse, the Irregular had freely trespassed the Quarantine Area to seek him out; and, according to the residents of the Seed, he had even greater authority over the Hidden Floor's systems than the Big Breeders selected to manage it.
Lamenting the lack of coffee within the Quarantine Area, Yu Hansung exhaled a troubled sigh as he vexatiously watched the bridge connecting the Seed to the larger structure of the Fruit of Good and Evil. He wanted to witness how the man named Vahn entered the area for himself, as, according to the reports of Batis and other trustworthy sources, the former had allegedly appeared out of thin air before disappearing in much the same manner. If this was true, it meant they could finally leave the Quarantine Area, as, according to the same sources, there had been several other people traveling alongside the presumed Irregular.
As if machinated by fate, a strange ripple appeared the moment this thought crossed Yu Hansung's mind. From within, a handsome man with windswept brown hair, energetic green eyes, and tanned skin emerged alongside two uncannily similar individuals. At a glance, the trio could be mistaken for triplets, but, with a few small variations in their facial structure, hairstyles, and choice of clothing, it was hard to be certain. The only thing Yu Hansung knew with absolute certainty was that they had the exact same eye pigment, and, as far as he could tell, power levels that were completely off the charts...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'TFW your Template is more successful than yourself...','Mira low-key taking pot-shots at Vahn's ego xD...','Karma is a bitch (O w O)...')
(A/N: It is no secret on the Discord server, but I've been severely ill for the past month or so. This has given me a lot of time to think about what I'm doing with both my life and the novel. As I have stated in the past, EPIC was always intended to be practice. To that end, I intend to continue writing until the story reaches a natural conclusion and all its central mechanics have been expanded upon. At the same time, however, I need to begin seriously considering my personal wellness and financial situation. I have neither a car nor health insurance, so, even when I could barely move around, I had little choice but to tough it out. Fortunately, writing doesn't require me to physically exert myself or leave my apartment. Had I been working full or part-time, I imagine I would have been in a similar situation as many of my fellow Americans. To that end, I am truly grateful for the support everyone has given me thus far. Unfortunately, this is also where a problem presents itself. Everyone is facing trying times these days, and, were it not for the benevolence of a few kind souls, I would probably be completely broke right now. Fortunately, someone was kind enough to contribute a $640 Path-level donation on my patreon, but, as a result, several others also reduced their pledges. Now, I'm roughly $300-400 dollars beneath the level that was previously supporting me. If things continue at this rate, I might be forced to do other work just to be able to get by. This, however, would put EPIC at risk, so, despite some serious concerns from my parents and friends, I've decided to just say 'fuck it' and go all-in on writing. To that effect, I will be doing my best to release three chapters Sat-Thur. At the same time, I intend to start writing on an offshoot called 'EPIC Side Stories' that will only be made available on my Patreon. I don't have the heart to hold actual EPIC chapters hostage, so, in the hopes of improving my situation, I will be holding polls to allow the community to decide what the side stories pertain to. Examples include things like: the events that had taken place in the Tri-Ace Anthology, NSFW scenes between various characters, and anything else EPIC-related. If you are interested in being a part of the community and quite literally helping me survive, I will be making all side-stories available for a single dollar. For those who think this is unfair, know that I intend to make all side-stories public once EPIC has finished. I am forced into this situation by circumstance, and I hope this decision hasn't offended anyone. You all are what make EPIC possible, and, were it not for the support of many amazing individuals, I might not even be here right now. Thank you for your patience and understanding during these trying times...and, while it is hard to sound sincere in text, know that I am sorry things have come to this. You all deserve better than this...we all deserve better than this...)
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章節 1917: Misgivings
Arriving on the opposite end of the bridge connecting to the seed, a frown immediately developed across Vahn's face the moment he spread his senses through the area. It wasn't that he sensed any danger. Rather, it was the complete and utter lack of anyone's presence that soured his mood.
Resisting the urge to sigh, Vahn slowly combed through his hair in an effort to remain calm as Sis analyzed the environmental data pertaining to the Seed. Everything within the Hidden Floor, from the smallest particle of sand to the giant Shinheuh that roamed the wastelands had positional and render data that determined everything from its X, Y, and Z coordinates to its ability to interact with other objects in virtual space. After all, while the system was unbelievably complex, it still relied on variable vertices, mathematical points similar to atomic particles, to realistically simulate physical, spiritual, and anomalous phenomena.
Though he could conceal himself from the systems designed to keep track of everything with the Hidden Floor, even Vahn was unable to completely hide his presence. After all, he still existed within the Hidden Floor, so, every time he took a breath or stepped on a piece of terrain, the environment data would update to reflect these changes. Were this not the case, he wouldn't be able to interact with, or even perceive, the world around him.
Noticing Vahn's grim silence, Theo, Musashi, and Scathach each exchanged looks before nodding in concert. Immediately thereafter, Scathach vanished from view, her intent to investigate the Seed's interior as Theo stepped forward to say, "There is no need to worry. From what I can tell, there are no signs of conflict taking place. Given the circumstances, the most likely scenario is that one of the Sworn Enemy versions of yourself convinced the people here to follow him. Even if the system took liberties to bastardize your character, I can't imagine any version of you choosing to willfully harm the victims of tragic circumstances."
Nodding her head in agreement, Musashi adopted a sincere smile as she nudged Vahn's arm and added, "Theo's right. If anything, I bet the people here were moved someplace safe before being provided with food and alcohol. Hell, they might even be in the midst of celebrating their escape."
Understanding that the duo was trying to comfort him, Vahn's grimace relaxed into a noncommital smile as he offered a nod and said, "You're probably right. Still, knowing this is basically a version of myself's efforts to screw me over...I can't help feeling a little annoyed..."
In an effort to ease the tensions, Musashi laughed rather boisterously in response to Vahn's remark, a toothy grin on her face as she teasingly remarked, "So, what's new?"
Blinking in confusion, Vahn was about to ask what she meant when Theo, with an accusatory glower directed towards the mischievous samurai, dutifully explained, "She is trying to indicate that you are generally the one responsible for screwing yourself over..."
With the light fading from his eyes, an awkward laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he made a mental note to give Musashi a light punishment once they returned to the Little Garden. The latter seemed to sense this, but, rather than showing even a modicum of fear, she returned a daring smile and questioned, "So, what's our next plan of action? This is clearly some kind of trap. Are we going to walk directly into it? I'm fine with anything, so long as I get to test out my Zanpakuto's edge."
Nodding his head in affirmation, Vahn sent a mental command to recall Scathach before explaining, "Though it is best to view them as anomalies, we will proceed with the assumption that your Sworn Enemies act in accordance with the behavioral guidelines established by the system. To that end, we can assume this incident is the precursor to a scheme to try and separate us. Since their objective is ultimately to eliminate their designated targets, trying to confront you while I'm around would be a direct contradiction of their prime directive..."
Hearing Vahn ramble on, Theo, Musashi, and even Scathach, none of which were particularly known for their ability to process information, just stared at him with neutral expressions and slight smiles. This left the former feeling slightly exasperated, at least until Index chimed in to say, "He is saying it is pointless to chase after them. They won't attack us directly until they can secure an advantage, so, unless they intend to go against their programming, we can just ignore them. If their disposition is anything like our Vahn's, they are probably going around and helping people in secret. Let them do what they want. We can always deal with them later."
Earning a slight pout from both Musashi and Theo, Vahn nodded his head, adding, "To be fair, we could avoid most problems by having everyone return to the Little Garden and simply wait. Even if we do nothing, it is only a matter of time before Sis takes over the entirety of the Hidden Floor. This situation is entirely the result of individual selfishness...not that that's a bad thing..."
Noticing the genuine annoyance and slight hurt within the girls' eyes, Vahn held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, supplanting his previous statement, saying, "Sorry. That was a poor choice of words on my part. Given my past actions, I can't exactly lecture others for wanting to get out and have a bit of fun. If anything, I'd like to provide more opportunities for everyone to get out and do as they please. It just gets a little complicated when situations like this present themselves."
Though they couldn't hide the slight blame in their eyes, neither Theo nor Musashi decided to hold Vahn's words against him. They knew what kind of person he was, and, though he could be a bit of a control freak at times, it was generally only when lives were at stake. He cared about their lives far more than his own, so, if anything were to happen to them, despite his ludicrous strength, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Misunderstanding the girls' silence as passive-aggressiveness, the edges of Vahn's smile began to twitch slightly as he suggested, "If you are that eager to fight...we could always split up? I can keep track of your status from afar, so, even if you get trapped or are unable to communicate, I should be able to teleport you to safety..."
As Vahn had already revealed the existence of The Path and its functions, none of the girls were particularly surprised by his words. Rather, despite their thirst for battle, the trio of warrior women began feeling a little guilty. They weren't exactly lacking powerful opponents to battle against, so, knowing there was ultimately no point in defeating their Sworn Enemies, it was hard for them to simply accept Vahn's offer. After all, their entire reason for reincarnating into the 'Transcendental Path to Heaven' was to help him. Instead, they had unnecessarily complicated the situation in an effort to alleviate some of their boredom...
Not expecting the girls' moods to suddenly diminish, Vahn was beginning to feel a little fretful until Theo took pity on him and explained, "We didn't choose to come out just to seek thrills. We wanted to spend more time with you, and, if possible, help relieve some of the burdens you carry. Now, it's beginning to seem like the only thing we've accomplished is adding to them..."
Experiencing some guilt of his own, Vahn's awkward expression eased into a somewhat sad smile as he extended his hand to caress Theo's head, whispering, "Never think that...with perhaps the single exception of my children, it is my life's greatest blessing to have all of you here with me. Regardless of what transpires...regardless of how challenging things get...sharing moments like this is what will allow our bonds to withstand the test of time. Rather than worrying about how your actions might inconvenience me, I would be happiest knowing you are doing everything in your power to secure your own happiness. It is my privilege to carry your burdens and fret over your safety...you are not obliged to avoid danger and suppress your desires just to make my life a little more convenient...if I had such expectations for others, I would be the biggest hypocrite in all of creation..."
With the added benefit of having her head caressed, Theo's mood drastically improved in response to Vahn's words. The thing she wanted least was to cause trouble for him, but, much like how things were back in her Record of origin, Vahn didn't seem to care about that in the slightest. His primary concern had always been their happiness, so, while she still felt a little guilty about contributing to the current predicament, she was happy knowing he would always stand beside her...
Though she belonged to the group of women who generally refused to let Vahn pet them, Musashi couldn't help but adopt a teasing smile as she asked, "What is this difference in treatment? Maybe I should consider getting hitched as well? I wonder if there are any capable men nearby..."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Vahn gestured for Musashi to come closer so that he could snake his hand around her waist. In response, she batted her eyes in a flirtatious manner, asking, "Ara? Are you certain? You didn't seem particularly worried about me when you were giving that longwinded speech and staring passionately into Theo's eyes..."
Understanding that Musashi was forcing him to come to her, Vahn planted a quick kiss atop Theo's head before approaching the buxom swordswoman and wrapping his arms around her remarkably durable yet impeccably soft body. Then, compensating for the eighteen-centimeter disparity in their heights, he supported her by her pert and shapely buttocks, enjoying the intoxicating sensation as his lips overlapped with hers for the better part of three minutes. When they finally separated, there was a line of saliva briefly linking them until Musashi subsequently licked her lips and asked, "Is this your way of proposing~?"
Though he assumed she was just playing around, Vahn allowed Musashi to stand on her own two feet, gently cradling her in his arms as he answered, "If that is what you desire, I would be honored to have you as my wife. Rather, I should apologize for making you wait this long...it has been quite some time since I defeated you in a duel..."
Snorting through her nose, Musashi averted her indescribably beautiful and unique eyes to the side, her voice audibly pouty as she replied, "Don't wanna..." in a mock childish tone. This, coincidentally, allowed her to meet Scathach's gaze, the latter adopting an accusatory deadpan as she mouthed, 'If you don't stop playing around, I'm going to hit you'.
Poking her tongue out at the taciturn beauty, Musashi's pouting pretense faded away as she looked up at Vahn and spontaneously grabbed the sides of his face in a vice-like grip. This was followed by a rather aggressive kiss, a precursor to her telepathically advising, ("Show some sincerity next time. I might prioritize being a swordswoman over everything else, but I still have expectations for how my partner proposes. At the very least, you should defeat me in a duel prior to uttering such words...")
Vahn wanted to point out that he had defeated her a number of times, but, understanding that she meant proposing to her immediately following their battle, he opted to remain silent. Instead, he let her lead the kiss, and, though it made him feel a little sheepish, he did his best to ignore the sounds of Index munching away as she twisted around to try and get a better view of what was going on...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is his greatest enemy (O w O)...','Everyone used accidental guilt trap...it's super effective...!','*Munching Intensifies*')
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