章節 1926: Engage
With Mikoto having fallen asleep, nestled against him with a contented smile on her face, Vahn was beginning to consider the prospect of taking a nap himself. It wasn't that he was feeling tired, but, much like a pet owner whose cat had just fallen asleep, it was hard to muster the willpower to move with the adorable mouse-type Pokemon sleeping peacefully against his chest.
Just as Vahn was preparing to give into the urge, Sis suddenly spoke out in his mind, saying, (*The environmental data in the surrounding mountains is consistently updating. There is also something directly interfering with my ability to gather more comprehensive information. If I'm not mistaken, I believe we are under attack.*)
Though there was a chance she might be wrong, Vahn unhesitantly recalled everyone using his Unit Management. This caught quite a few people by surprise, and, as could be expected, Mikoto found herself unceremoniously startled awake, sparks emanating from her cheeks in the process.
Drawn to the sudden release of electricity, nearly everyone present shifted their attention to the tiny mouse as varying expressions of amusement appeared across their faces. This left Mikoto feeling unbelievably embarrassed, and, though it ultimately made the situation even worse, she buried her face into Vahn's chest as if being unable to see the others meant they also couldn't see her.
Using his arm to support her, Vahn allowed Mikoto to continue hiding her face as he used his right hand to gently caress her back. At the same time, he clarified the reason for the sudden summons, explaining, "There are strange happenings in the surrounding mountains. There is a high probability of attack, and, though I can't imagine them breaking through the town's defenses, their movements indicate they have something in mind. I won't force you, but I'm asking that everyone incapable of relativistic speeds returns to the Little Garden. Once we get a better understanding of the situation, we will reorganize our forces accordingly."
As it was already a well-known fact that even Madara had been played by what many presumed to be Scathach's Sworn Enemey, few people questioned Vahn on the matter of their safety. There was a bit of disappointment, sure, but, rather than blaming him for their weakness, those with the desire to participate in future battles set for themselves the goal of obtaining relativistic speed. This was a lot easier said than done, but, with a bit of concerted effort, it should only take a year or two given that the majority of them were near the pinnacle of Tiers 3 and 4.
In the end, Vahn's forces consisted of Artoria, Mordred, Altria, X, Musashi, Madara, Yoruichi, Ichigo, Fenrir, Asuna, and, after hearing things were starting to heat up, Eva. Not all of them were capable of moving at relativistic speeds, but, thanks to their instincts and reaction time, they could easily contend with people much faster than themselves.
Fortunately, most of Vahn's most powerful Templates were currently exploring Actualized Worlds. If people like Whitebeard or Roger had been present, it would have been impossible to prevent them from running wild. Now, the only battle junkies he needed to worry about were Mordred, Madara, Yoruichi, and, to a lesser extent, Eva, Ichigo, Asuna, and Fenrir...
Realizing that more than half his companions were battle junkies, Vahn couldn't help smiling wryly as he said, "Try to stay in groups of two and three. Though the size of the battlefield should enable us to support each other in an instant, it is better to be safe than sorry. To that end, don't allow the enemy to lure you into a trap by baiting you away from the battlefield. If you genuinely believe it is worthwhile to give chase, make sure you inform me beforehand. I will either come with you or send people to support. Never assume you are alone with an enemy. Remember what happened the last time. Our enemies are capable of making copies of themselves and moving freely through the void. The moment you are isolated, there is a non-negligible chance you will find yourself overwhelmed."
With his eyes briefly settling on the more hot-headed members of the gathering, Vahn earned a few awkward and embarrassed smiles in return. This caused his smile to turn visibly amused, but, almost immediately thereafter, he adopted a severe expression and a stern tone as he added, "Don't forget that our enemies possess the ability to change form. If someone appears in the middle of a battle, it is safest to contact me directly. I'll tell you whether or not they are who they say they are. Never just assume they are an ally. Understood?"
Like soldiers preparing to march into battle, nearly everyone present adopted a serious expression to match Vahn's own. Then, without further delay, everyone except for Eva was teleported high into the sky before promptly separating into several smaller groups. As for Eva, Vahn had asked that she protect the Town of the Wandering Minstrels, so, the moment everyone else left, she extended her shadow to cover the entire town before releasing more than a thousand doll-like soldiers, each the equivalent of a lesser Ranker...
---
Benefitting from the information provided by Sis, it didn't even take a minute before Vahn, followed closely by Fenrir, Yoruichi, and Asuna discovered the location of an anomaly. This caused a frown to develop across his and Fenrir's faces, but, having been looking forward to this moment, Asuna and Yoruichi seemed rather excited by the sight of a marginally surprised Vahn in the midst of carving a notably crude magic circle.
Though he lacked an actual Ego, the Sworn Enemy version of Vahn proved to be quite expressive, smiling awkwardly before adopting a far more serious expression as golden scales began to spread across his body. This would have normally been the trigger for initiating combat, but, before any of the girls could charge forward, the real Vahn adopted a serious expression of his own, asking, "Why are you here? You've spent two weeks doing everything in your power to avoid revealing yourself to me. You also don't seem particularly enthused by the prospect of battling...what changed?"
With horns reminiscent of an eastern dragon growing from his head, S.E. Vahn adopted a wry smile as he said, "You have no idea how much I want to spill the beans..." before firing a massive golden beam towards the group of four. To his surprise, none of them even tried to dodge, not for lack of ability, but because the actual Vahn was standing at the front of the formation.
Despite his movements seeming slow and casual, Vahn was able to raise his hand long before the beam of light reached him. Then, borrowing a technique out of the Ethereal Queen's playbook, he created a tear in space-time that was the exact same dimensions as the beam of light. At the same time, another circular 'gate' appeared above the S.E. version of Vahn, it's interior pitch black until a vibrant golden beam of light emerged from within, smashing him to the ground.
Before the man could recover, Vahn turned his head towards the three girls, his gaze lingering on Fenrir for a brief moment before passing over Asuna and settling on Yoruichi as he said, "I'll leave this area to you and Asuna. His words have triggered my instincts in a bad way. Try and get some more information. Fenrir and I will investigate elsewhere."
Uncrossing her arms, Yoruichi performed an 'ok' gesture with her right hand before saying, "Leave it to us. I'll have this little lizard screaming within the hour~."
Deciding not to comment on the eagerness in which Yoruichi displayed while implying she would torture a version of himself, Vahn directed a smile towards Asuna, adding, "Let me know if anything unexpected occurs."
Returning a smile of her own, Asuna lightly waved Ko towards the direction of the mountain. This caused the upper half of the mountain to briefly separate from its base, a thin line dividing the two for a brief moment before gravity brought them back together in a rather destructive fashion.
Restraining a wry chuckle, Vahn gently ruffled Asuna's hair before he and Fenrir vanished from view. This left the orange-haired beauty alone with Yoruichi, the latter clicking her tongue before crossing her arms and muttering, "Show off..."
Giggling in response to Yoruichi's words, Asuna promptly returned Ko to her sheath, replying, "I just lucked out in regards to my Zanpakuto. Even if you spend half the day lazing about, I'm certain your skills with the sword are even greater than my own."
With a somewhat predatory smile appearing on her face, the tips of Yoruichi's tail and ears began to glow with a golden hue as she mused, "Where's the fun in ending things quickly~?"
As if in response to her question, a massive eruption occurred at the side of the mountain as two S.E. versions of Vahn, both resembling medium-sized humanoid dragons, emerged from within. This caused the predatory smile on Yoruichi's face to become even more potent, her prominent canines on display as she exclaimed, "You cheeky little brat! Did you really cut him in half so we would both have someone to fight!? How thoughtful of you! Ahahahahahaha~!"
With her laughter somehow resounding despite the roars of the two dragons, Yoruichi moved like a literal bolt of lightning, her figure flashing for a brief moment before reappearing above the golden dragon's head. This was responded to by the latter, but, despite raising his scale-covered arm in an attempt to block, Yoruichi's hyperextended ax kick smashed through his guard as if his bones and body were made of glass.
Though she was lagging behind a bit due to her lazy nature, Yoruichi was still near the pinnacle of Tier 4. The only thing keeping her from Tier 5 was a breakthrough in her Innates, so, while her size and weight weren't even a tenth of the dragon's, her blows were reminiscent of falling mountains. She could literally lift more than a hundred-million-kilograms without even needing to transform, so, with lightning covering her nearly-naked body like fur, the force of her blows wasn't something that just anyone would fend off.
Smiling in the direction of Yoruichi's battle, Asuna produced a thermace of hot cocoa and a variety of different cookies from her inventory as the form of her defeated foe gradually dissolved behind her. She was one of the 'fortunate' few to be born as a Tier 5 entity, and, more often than not, she could be found training within the Seventh and Ninth Layers. Thus, while she generally did her best to avoid standing out, she was easily one of the most powerful among Vahn's harem. She took their promise to fight together very seriously, so, while it was frustrating to see how quickly her husband progressed, Asuna never wavered in her resolution to grow stronger...
---
With massive explosions erupting all over the place, it wasn't difficult for Vahn and Fenrir to track down other anomalies. This actually resulted in them being attacked by Super Saiyan Madara, but, with a quick telepathic message and a demonstration of his ability to forcibly teleport her using his Unit Management, she was convinced he was the original. As for why she, Altria, and X were so on edge, it was largely due to the fact that they just so happened to stumble across Scathach's Sworn Enemy. This was the version of himself that emulated Laplace's Key, and, thanks to Scathach's near-perfect recall, it seemed to be exponentially stronger than his other selves.
Though he offered to lend them a hand, Vahn ended up getting smacked in the face by Madara's tail for his troubles. Madara was determined to win the battle through her own efforts, and, were it not for his order to stay in groups, she would have already chased off Altria and X. Their presence, along with the battle's proximity to the Town of the Wandering Minstrels, prevented her from going all out. As a result, she was using this as an opportunity to train her senses, so, if anyone tried to get in the way, she would automatically consider them an enemy.
Understanding how obstinate Madara could be when it came to battling a strong opponent, Vahn exchanged a few words with Altria and X before promptly departing alongside Fenrir. Rather than heading towards a scene of conflict, however, they followed Sis' directions towards one of the taller mountains in the distance. This happened to be the origin of the fluctuations in environmental data, so, while there was nothing guaranteeing the mountain served any actual purpose, it was still worth checking out...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Trying to pull a fast one over on Sis...smh...','Asuna is a little OP (O w O)...','It seems like fate has decided to earn Vahn's favor...')
(A/N: The first Side Stories chapter has been posted on my Patreon. Since it is the very first chapter, I decided to make it public. If you're interested, please check it out.)
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章節 1927: Lesson
Though his senses were far more attuned, effectively granting him a limited form of omniscience within his domain, Fenrir's long-range sensory ability far outstripped Vahn's. Her senses, especially when she was 'hunting' something, was on a level that simply couldn't be quantified. As a result, it wasn't Vahn or Sis who discovered the location of their 'prey', but Fenrir.
Noticing Fenrir's hair suddenly stand on end, Vahn was about to ask what happened when a frigid chill began to emanate from her body, her voice resembling a murderous snarl as she said, "She's here...I can smell her..."
Even without asking, Vahn was pretty sure he knew who Fenrir was referencing when spoke in such a manner. She had gotten pretty good at concealing her displeasure regarding others, at least when he was around, so there was really only one person it could be: herself.
Understanding this was something she needed to overcome herself, Vahn responded with an approving nod, saying, "I won't interfere unless you ask me to."
Returning a somewhat scary smile of her own, a bluish-black shroud veiled Fenrir's figure before her speed drastically increased. She was far from the relativistic requirement he had set previously, but, unless they could somehow work around her incomparable instincts and ever-advancing mastery of Devouring Laws, even foes far more powerful than her would struggle to defeat an enraged Fenrir.
Given that the mountain range was only a few hundred kilometers in length, it took no time at all for Fenrir, followed closely by Vahn, to reach her target. Rather than attacking, however, she ended up stopping in mid-air, her expression hard to read as she stared, wide-eyed, at the scene below. As for Vahn, his momentum was also brought to a stop, but, rather than gawking, his eyes narrowed as he asked, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
As if he had only just noticed their arrival, the red-cloaked man who was undoubtedly Jahad turned his head with a completely calm expression on his face as he plainly stated, "You really are a fool...to think you would come directly to me. Very well. I had intended to save this for later, but I'm nothing if not adaptable. Allow me to demonstrate what you should expect if you wish to continue pursuing this futile course..."
Seeing S.E. Jahad extend his hand towards S.E. Fenrir, Vahn's body moved even before his mind had willed it. At the same time, Laev-tan appeared in his hand, and, though he generally did his best to measure his strength, a black wall reminiscent of Ichigo's use of the Mugetsu extended for several hundred kilometers from his position.
With his pupils contracting in slow motion, Jahad attempted to pull his hand away from the wall of blackness only to discover that everything beneath his elbow had simply been erased. This was in spite of his efforts to reinforce his body with the Shinsu Black Hole Sphere, so, without attempting to posture, he immediately leaped backward while reaching across his body to draw his weapon, a special Needle known as the Alcedinidae(Kingfisher).
Taking advantage of the fact that the wall persisted long after his attack had completed, almost as if he had cut through the Hidden Floor itself, Vahn briefly shifted his gaze to the Sworn Enemy version of Fenrir to find her looking up at him with what could best be described as puppy eyes. This made him instantaneously question whether or not it was right to delete Sworn Enemies, but, rather than allow himself to get distracted, he had Sis remove the suppressed Vanargandr's limiters, saying, "I'll leave the two of you to sort things out..." before blitzing Jahad.
Freed from her compulsory obedience, S.E. Fenrir immediately returned to her nearly-naked human form, charging her true self with fangs and claws bared. This caused an annoyed frown to develop across the latter's face, not because she was being attacked, but because her S.E. counterpart made no effort to conceal her dignity. This, combined with the fact the data construct looked a lot like her younger self made Fenrir feel very uncomfortable, her expression fixing into a grimace as she easily evaded her feral self's charge before throwing a spare [REquip] system towards her and saying, "Put some clothes on. We're not animals."
Though her first instinct was to chomp on the silvery bracelet thrown towards her, S.E. Fenrir's ears perked up the moment her counterpart's message reached her. This caused a temporary lull in the fight as not only did the [REquip] system contain a vast assortment of outfits, several of which were clearly chosen for their appeal, there were also countless other items and accessories stored within.
Causing a tick mark to appear at the real Fenrir's temple, S.E. Fenrir ended up choosing what could best be described as a 'sexy schoolgirl' outfit in lieu of actual combat attire. To make matters even worse, it was one of the outfits that Fenrir had been keeping in reserve. She liked to dress up when her Master was in a bad mood, and, while it consisted of little more than a transparent white sailor top and a short pleated skirt, it was easily one of her sexier reserve outfits when accounting for her fluffy ears and tail.
Noticing the frustration on her counterpart's face, a rather vicious smile spread across the face of S.E. Fenrir as she huskily remarked, "Your time in the light has come to an end. You'll never be able to support Master if you keep holding yourself back. I'm a much better choice...!"
Snorting through her nose, Fenrir adopted an expression of disgust as she pinched the bridge of her nose and said, "You are tainted by men who are not Master. Even if you are willing to do what it takes to become stronger, the purity of those closest to him is vital for preserving Master's mental stability. If you truly understood Master, you would know the thing he needs least is the fanatical support of people he wants to protect. The only reason I seek strength is to remain at my Master's side. I do not try to make things easier or alleviate his burdens. I am there for the moments when the burden gets too heavy and he needs someone to help pick it back up...!"
With each word spoken, the aura emanating from Fenrir's body became more powerful. The thing that surprised the S.E. Fenrir most of all, however, was the transformation that occurred along with it.
Rather than turning into a giant wolf, Fenrir's ears rapidly shrank until her most iconic feature as a Vanargandr had completely faded. At the same time, her fluffy tail began to compress as pointed elf-like ears protruded from the sides of her head. By the time the transformation had completed, her tail resembled that of a cat or a monkey, and, while it wasn't noticeable at a glance, there was now a thin layer of purple surrounding her glowing red eyes.
Unable to make sense of this transformation, S.E. Fenrir's brows began to twitch madly before she furrowed them deeply and shouted, "What did you do!? This isn't us...!"
Though there was still a sleek layer of blue fur covering her forearms and the backs of her hands, Fenrir's paws now resembled dainty human hands as she raised her right palm and began to gather a phenomenal amount of energy. Then, in a tone reminiscent of a gentle melody, Fenrir smoothly replied, "I am Fenrir, my Master's most trusted companion. There is nothing I would not become if it means I could be closer to my Master. I have no need for things like pride. The only thing that has ever mattered is that I am able to stand at my Master's side..."
With that said, Fenrir's hair became noticeably spikier as it shifted from a midnight blue coloration to a color reminiscent of cyan. Immediately thereafter, her figure turned into a blur that seemed to tear through the space separating her and her Sworn Enemy counterpart. This caught the latter by complete surprise, and, had the original not shown her mercy, her head might have been blown off then and there. Instead, Fenrir's fist stopped less than a centimeter away from her snout before an irresistible wall of air pressure slammed into her like a thousand-car freight train.
Like a projectile fired from a rail gun, S.E. Fenrir became a blue blur that passed soundlessly through a mountain peak before the entire thing exploded moments later. Under normal circumstances, this would have been more than enough to defeat the befuddled data construct, but, rather than using it to attack, Fenrir had used the energy she previously gathered to produce a mana shroud around her opponent.
Fenrir had never believed for a moment that her Sworn Enemy would actually provide a challenge. Thus, from the moment she entered the Hidden Floor, her only goal regarding her Sworn Enemy was giving the more aggressive version of herself a beating before ultimately handing her over to their Master. It was important to her that he had the final say, and, knowing him, Fenrir had already prepared herself for the addition of a 'younger sister'. With this in mind, she took a few moments to crack each of her knuckles before popping her neck and muttering, "If I can't even make myself into a good girl, how can I expect to teach others...?"
---
Unaware of his most loyal companion's thoughts, Vahn had violated his own orders by moving his fight with Jahad several hundred thousand kilometers from the mountain range. He wasn't sure of the man's strength, so, rather than endanger everyone's lives with the sequelae of their attacks, he moved the battle far beyond the effective range of most attacks.
Though he could see through Vahn's intentions, Jahad made no effort to break away from the fight. He wasn't against taking hostages and forcing people to submit to his will, but, more than anything else, he was both a King and a warrior. If his foes were brave enough to face him directly, he would neither run nor hide. His dignity and pride would simply not allow it.
Extricating himself from the ruins of a forest filled with skyscraper-sized trees, S.E. Jahad looked up at Vahn with a snaggletoothed smile as he said, "I understand now. You certainly have the leeway to behave arrogantly with strength like that. It's a shame you're my enemy. With your power, we might have been able to usher in an era of true peace rather than peaceful coexistence."
With S.E. Jahad's voice passing through the void to emit directly into his ears, Vahn couldn't help squinting slightly as he muttered, "So even his data can use the power of authority...it's too bad that Ryun's imagination and understanding are limited. This might have been an interesting battle..."
Thanks to the power of authority, Jahad was able to ascertain Vahn's words despite the kilometers that separated them. As a result, the smile on his face gradually faded away as he remarked, "You speak as though your victory is assured. Though this form possesses merely a fraction of my true power, it is more than enough to defeat anyone outside the Top 10. If you underestimate me, you, your allies, and everyone you have ever spoken with is bound to suffer..."
Resisting the urge to laugh, Vahn apologized to Laev-tan before stowing her away within his soul and saying, "If we were outside, those words might actually hold some weight. Unfortunately, your inability to grasp the true nature of my existence puts you at a distinct disadvantage in a place like this. You might possess nigh-indomitable might within the Tower, but power will only get you so far on the path to grasping authority. Out of consideration for the 'lesson' you wanted to teach me, I'll be magnanimous and give you one of my own. Now, come. I'll give you a glimpse of the power you have failed to obtain even after twenty-thousand-years...!"
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn don't play o_o...','Fenrir is very intelligent (O w O)...!','Is this considered cyber bullying...?')
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