章節 1976: Golden Sun

After spending weeks helping the members of Wolhaiksong get settled into their new home, Vahn returned to the Emerald Grove with less than an hour passing since his departure. There, he found Ureko and Mordred attempting to defeat Index in a drinking game, while, at the side, Enne could be seen conversing with Yuri and Lotte.

Since it was 'exceptionally' rare for Enne to leave her private residence, Vahn was highly tempted to listen in on their conversation. Instead, he made his way to the opposite end of the tavern-like hall, not because he wanted to ruin the fun everyone was having, but because it was never a good thing when Index got drunk. The last time she had a little too much to drink, she attempted to create an Imaginary Axis over the existing Eighth Layer...

Seeing Vahn approach, Ureko, Mordred, and several others immediately exploded into laughter as a spurt of alcohol erupted from Index's nose. Immediately thereafter, she attempted to run away with a sake bottle nearly half the size of her body, but, before she could get more than a few steps, Vahn teleported right behind her, grabbing the collar of her Jirachi-inspired garb as he asked, "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

While hugging the bottle of sake as if it was a precious treasure, Index turned her head, a nervous smile on her face as she answered, "It...it's water..." while attempting to cross her fingers and toes.

Deadpanning in response to the obvious lie, Vahn was about to say something when Ureko butt in, roughly smacking his back as she said, "Don't be such a sour puss! We're all having fun here! Come, I'll pour you a few drinks and then we can start doing some body shots~!"

Perhaps as a result of her similarities to Mordred, Vahn found himself instinctually chopping Ureko's head as he said, "There is a difference between having fun and letting things get out of hand. It's all fun and games until someone ends up accidentally destroying space-time..."

Rubbing the top of her head, a marginal amount of surprise was visible in Ureko's ruby red eyes as she instantaneously sobered up. She was able to tank attacks capable of wiping out entire planets without flinching, yet, in response to Vahn's relatively light chop, a small and throbbing bump had developed atop her head. This helped her to calm down, but, at the same time, a potent itch began to spread through her body as she looked up at him and asked, "Do you have a death wish?"

Though he squinted his eyes in response to Ureko's inquiry, Vahn first dispelled the alcohol from Index's body before setting her down and saying, "Behave yourself. If you end up doing something similar to last time, I'll place an enchantment on your body that makes it impossible to get drunk..."

Demonstrating a complete lack of regard for Vahn's warning, Index just beamed in response before scampering back to the circular table where everyone had been drinking. There, Mordred, Musashi, Mavis, Yoruichi, and Nobunaga could be seen quietly observing the growing tensions between him and Ureko. They wouldn't step in, but, based on Ureko's behavior, there was a very real chance she would lose all favor with the rather infamous group of drunkards.

Gesturing for the girls to relax, Vahn met Ureko's gaze, a relaxed smile on his face as he asked, "Do you want to go somewhere...?"

With her pupils contracting slightly, it was apparent that Ureko wanted nothing more than to settle things between them. Before she could reply, however, the group consisting of Yuri, Enne, and Soo-Yun made their way over, the raven-haired leader of the group chiming in to remark, "Oh~? Are the two of you going somewhere? Mind if we come along~?"

Seemingly surprised by Yuri's words, Lotte's face immediately turned bright red as she practically dragged Yuri to the side, loudly whispering, "Have you lost your mind!? That's Ureko Mazino! Let's just let them settle things and then try again later...!"

Extricating herself from Lotte's vice-like grip, Yuri appeared completely undaunted as she looked toward Vahn and Ureko, asking, "So? How about it? Don't tell me the two of you intend to run off and have fun all by yourselves?"

Recognizing this pattern, Vahn decided to step in before things could get further out of hand, his tone relaxed yet resolute as he said, "You're letting your excitement get the better of you. There is no need for all this drama. In this place, time flows as I see fit. Rushing things is unnecessary. Just relax."

Not expecting such a response from Vahn, of all people, Yuri found herself at a complete loss for words. As for Lotte and Enne, they both showed considerably relieved expressions, as, despite Yur's 'very' convincing words, they had yet to fully form their resolution. Enne, in particular, wasn't sure how she felt about Vahn. All she knew for certain was that she could lower her guard around him without having to fear he would take advantage of her. He was also an ideal sleeping companion, and, while that wouldn't change if they became a couple, she was afraid he would lose interest in her if most of their time together was spent sleeping...

Though he wasn't quite sure what Lotte was thinking, Vahn could easily ascertain Enne's thoughts based on her aura and the slightly melancholic glint in her eyes. As a result, he ended up casually caressing her maroon-red hair, a gentle smile developing across his face as he said, "In this place, even eternity is not too long to make a decision. Never let anyone pressure you into taking action against your will. Independence and personal happiness should never be sacrificed in the pursuit of something as abstract as love. Regardless of what you choose, I will always be here to support you."

Before Vahn could even finish speaking, Enne had already wrapped her arms around his body, not as an expression of love and affection, but comfort. Her favorite thing about him was that he never pushed her, and, no matter how long she took to make decisions, he would always treat her with patience, care, and understanding.

Seeing the duo embrace, Yuri couldn't help feeling a mixture of envy and guilt, but, rather than taking it to heart, she just shrugged her shoulders before meandering over to the drinking group's table and asking, "Room for one more?". In response, Nobunaga adopted a somewhat predatory smile, answering, "Plenty~." before making an opening between herself and the similarly grinning Yoruichi...

---

After escorting Enne and Soo-Yun to the former's abode, Vahn spent a bit of time with them, Latias, Latios, and Xerneas before teleporting to the former Ninth Layer. There, he found Ureko sitting atop a large boulder, completely topless. This allowed the fourteen-winged symbol on her back to be on full display, but, most notably, the tattoo of her own name could be seen glowing ever so slightly as she softly remarked, "You know...if we go through with this...there's no turning back..."

Following these words, Ureko leaned back onto her elbows in order to crane her head and stare at Vahn. Had she been a normal person, she undoubtedly would have slipped off the rock, but, almost as if she had adhered to its surface, Ureko remained affixed to her position, her modest yet flawless breasts on full display as she added, "I'll be perfectly honest with you. I don't think I'll be able to get along with most members of your harem. It's not really my place to lecture you on how you choose your women, but there is a clear disparity between the central members of your harem and the girls who seem to have been arbitrarily added to it. Things might be fine for the moment, but, as the size of your harem increases, so too will the disparity between the women passionate about supporting you and those who feel as if they're only there out of pity..."

Though he would have liked to refute Ureko's words outright, there were times when Vahn had very similar thoughts. He only needed to look at examples such as Arryn and Arusha to affirm there were a number of problems developing within his harem. The latter had even pushed herself to the point of a mental breakdown, not because she had a genuine desire for strength, but because she felt the need to prove herself 'worthy' of his affection. As for Arryn, she had dedicated herself wholly to her research, and, unless she made some kind of breakthrough, she would proactively avoid interacting with other residents of the Emerald Grove, himself included...

Seeing that Vahn was taking her words seriously, Ureko allowed her body to slide from the boulder, flipping in the process. Then, despite the fact she was wearing nothing but white shorts, she walked right up to him, stopping just short of her breasts pressing against him before asking, "Do you want my advice?"

Vahn's first instinct was to refuse, but, seemingly intent on getting her point across, Ureko adopted a serious expression as she said, "It's time for you to grow up. If you're serious about reaching the pinnacle, you can't keep playing these games. There's nothing wrong with trying to make everyone happy, but, if you keep this up, the only thing you'll achieve is placing an undue burden on yourself and everyone around you. Sure, you might be able to make everyone happy now, but, what will you do when they want to start exploring worlds on their own? As it stands, the only sensible option any of the women around you have is staying with you. None of them want to be the one to trigger you and make you upset, so, even if they have other interests, their only real choice is giving up on their dreams in order to support a pursuit they have no direct involvement with..."

Punctuating her words, Ureko jabbed Vahn in the chest with enough force to pierce the fabric of his tunic as she pointedly stated, "You're too strong! You know it. I know it. Everyone around you knows it. Despite this, you pace yourself and give those around the false hope when you can, quite literally, invalidate all their efforts on a fucking whim! If you really want them to catch up to you, give them a chance! Stop coddling and protecting them like defenseless chicks! Give them the freedom to make decisions without having to take into consideration how it might make you feel...!"

Ignoring the bloodstain spreading across his chest, a difficult expression spread across Vahn's face, followed by a deep frown as he resisted the almost overwhelming urge to ask who the hell Ureko thought she was. Instead, he forced himself to remain calm as he asked, "So? What would you have me do? They are the ones who chose to follow-"

Without waiting for Vahn to finish, Ureko's body appeared to move in slow motion as the world around them promptly lost its color. Before her kick could connect with his head, however, Vahn raised his left hand, deftly catching her ankle as a shockwave strong enough to create a massive crater around their position devastated the surroundings. This would have normally caused a large plume of dust and debris, but, thanks to the residual energy radiating from their bodies, an area of several hundred meters surrounding Vahn and Ureko remained devoid of even the most minuscule of stray particulates. Instead, the banks of the crater had been compressed to such an extent, that, despite exceeding their melting point, they resembled a glass-like solid.

Snorting through her nose, Ureko extricated her foot from Vahn's grasp, ignoring the solemn look on his face as she asked, "Tell me. If I were to gain an advantage in our fight, what would you do?"

Though he was more than a little annoyed right now, Vahn still found himself at a loss in response to Ureko's question. At the same time, he felt as though a wave of understanding had washed over him, and, as a result, Ureko's expression became even more severe as she balled her hands into fists and growled, "You fucking asshole..." before following it up, exclaiming, "Do you think I'm someone you can look down on!?"

Before he could even think to defend himself, Vahn ended up eating a meteoric golden fist directly to the center of his face. The force of the blow was so extreme, in fact, that his head spontaneously ceased to exist, and, as a result of the resulting shockwave, everything above his knees was reduced to ash as an explosion reminiscent of a miniature sun rocked the entirety of the Tenth Layer...

(A/N: This isn't the actual fight, only the prelude to battle. For those who are annoyed by Ureko's behavior, please consider her age, character, and what a union with Vahn is supposed to represent. She is looking for a life partner, someone she could fight alongside and compete with. The notion that Vahn can simply surpass her whenever he wants, literally in the blink of an eye, would be pretty upsetting. Even worse is the fact that she, and the rest of his harem, are basically denied the same right. In other words, she is basically calling out Vahn for being a hypocrite and a control freak xD...)

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章節 1977: Repudiation, Reminiscence, Resignation

Waiting until Vahn had fully regenerated, clothes and all, Ureko, now appearing much like a Super Saiyan due to her golden hair and aura, asked, "Tell me...do you know why I'm so angry?"

Restraining the urge to adopt his characteristically wry smile, Vahn maintained a solemn expression as he answered, "I didn't lie to you...I just...changed..."

Furrowing her brows, Ureko surged forward to grab Vahn by the collar, a wrathful expression on her face as she shouted, "And that's the problem! It hasn't even been that long since our first meeting! I believed you when you said you wanted to grow stronger without pressure! You pretended like you wanted a challenge, yet, whenever a real threat appears, you simply overcome it on a fucking whim! You made me wait for you, and for what!? If you wanted, you could have conquered the Tower back when you first entered! Instead, you're taking your sweet time, needlessly complicating the lives of people you supposedly care about just because you want to experience a challenge? Well? Where's the challenge!? Are you having fun!?"

Recalling his past experiences with Ureko, an apologetic expression developed across Vahn's face as he averted his eyes and uttered, "The situation has changed since then...I..."

With her grip on his collar tightening, Ureko interrupted Vahn's words, her tone venomous as she growled, "You name yourself the God of Infinite Possibilities and think you can get away with using 'change' as an excuse? Of course the situation has changed! Decades have passed since then! Time is constantly moving forward! The problem, Vahn Aldrnari Mason, is that you're moving forward on your own! Stop pretending to stand with the people around you when you're the only one allowed to do whatever the fuck you want! Either give them legitimate hope or man the fuck up and handle your shit before it becomes a problem for the people around you! You need to make a-"

Before Ureko could continue any further, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as a hand came to rest on her shoulder. At the same time, an expression of abject shock appeared on Vahn's face, his mouth opening but unable to offer any words as the figure standing behind Ureko said, "I thank you for attempting to educate my younger brother, but you're overlooking too many things and using violence to try and prove a point. There are women far more qualified than you to lecture him. With that in mind...please, shut the fuck up."

Feeling a cold chill pass through her body, Ureko spontaneously 'blinked' away, brows furrowed as she stared at what appeared to be a feline woman with bronzed skin, yellow-green eyes, and large breasts. Under normal circumstances, she would have found the woman fairly attractive, but, seeing the unconcealed 'contempt' in the woman's gaze, Ureko's frown deepened as she asked, "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

Ignoring Ureko completely, the cat-eared woman immediately turned to Vahn, her voice steady and gentle as she said, "I won't say you haven't done anything wrong. What you need to keep in mind is that you moved forward with the knowledge that you 'would' make mistakes. Never let anyone guilt you into second-guessing the path you have chosen. Just make better decisions moving forward."

With that said, the olive-skinned woman extended her hand to gently ruffle Vahn's hair as her body vanished from the feet up. Then, moments before she disappeared completely, she looked over at Ureko and added, "Nobody is forcing you to get with Vahn..." with a noticeably hostile look in her eyes.

Feeling another shudder run through her body, Ureko's anger mounted as she shouted, "Where the hell are you running off to, you damn cat!? If you have something to say, I'm all ears! Don't tell me you're going to run off after talking all that good shit...!?"

Shifting his gaze towards Ureko, Vahn was surprised to see the tell-tale signs of fear within her aura. This was a surprisingly common response among women with heightened instincts, not because Sis was particularly dangerous, but because an aura of 'absolute certainty' seemed to linger around her whenever she emerged. It was almost like she was an immutable existence, an intrinsic truth, that, if challenged, would completely undermine everything you thought you knew about yourself and the world around you.

Extending his hand towards the topless woman, a relaxed smile developed across Vahn's face as he asked, "Can we talk? Preferably without fighting..."

Frowning in response to Vahn's words, Ureko's first instinct was to refuse, but, seeing the apologetic look in his eyes, a weary sigh escaped her throat as she crossed her arms and said, "If you give me a massage and explain who the hell that woman was, I might consider hearing you out..."

Though he couldn't help developing a wry smile, that didn't stop Vahn from manifesting a massage table and answering, "It's a long story..."

Nodding her head, Ureko practically teleported atop the massage table, a serious glimmer in her ruby-red eyes as she said, "Good. That gives you plenty of time to deal with the tensions in my back and shoulders. For some strange reason, I've been under a lot of stress as of late..."

Choosing to withhold comment, a dry laugh escaped Vahn's throat as he deftly flexed his fingers in a manner reminiscent of a pianist. Then, for the better part of three hours, his fingers danced across Ureko's body as he recounted his past, and, most importantly, his aspirations for the future...

---

With her muscles relaxed to the point that she could hardly even move a finger of her own accord, Ureko allowed Vahn to hold her in his warm embrace, back pressed against his chest as she stared off into the distance with unfocused eyes. There, under the influence of Vahn's power, a projection of his battle against a being known simply as 'The End' was playing out over a distance of several hundred kilometers.

As the strongest being in the Toaruverse, The End stood very near the pinnacle of Tier 5. It was so powerful, in fact, that Vahn had needed the assistance of several Magic Gods and an entity known as 'The Beginning' just to be able to seal it. This was really the only thing they could do, as, so long as the concept of an 'ending' existence, so too did 'The End'.

Seeing the cataclysmic battle play out, Ureko couldn't help feeling a little envious. She had always wanted to stand at the pinnacle, not because she wanted to look down upon others, but because she wanted to face others capable of contending for the title. Unfortunately, the existence of Axis Users had made this impossible in her own world, and, now that she was seeing what a true battle at the pinnacle was like, Ureko was starting to realize she had been a little short-sighted.

Though her power was beyond the comprehension of most people, Ureko hadn't even been in the running for 'the strongest' of her own Universe. Even her father, considered by many to be one of the most powerful, couldn't afford to offend the true powerhouses of the Universe. There was even a time, back when she was just a young girl, that she found her father lowering his head to such an extent that the person he was talking to was able to step on the back of his head.

Back then, Ureko had been what many would refer to as a 'sheltered princess'. Many even likened her to a delicate flower on the precipice of a harrowing cliff, something meant to be observed from a distance and never disturbed. Her only purpose in life had been to study and refine her bloodline until her parents had decided upon her spouse. After that, her most important duty was protecting her children and nourishing the next generation, never questioning her place in the 'grand scheme' of things.

Had she never seen her father being trampled underfoot, Ureko would have happily followed the path her parents and clan had laid out before her. She had been led to believe that it was a great honor to dedicate her life to the clan, and, more than anything else, she enjoyed receiving praise from her mother and the Elders responsible for her education. They had treated her as if she was the most important person in the entire world, and, no matter how busy he was, her father would often drop whatever he was working on if she wanted to play with him. He had treasured her more than anyone else, so, after seeing him being trampled upon, Ureko couldn't resist the urge to try and help him.

Unfortunately, this ended up being a mistake, as, the moment she stepped out, her father lashed out at her, shouting and screaming despite the fact his head was still had his head pressed to the ground. Though she would later come to understand his reasons, this event had greatly scarred the young Ureko. For a time, she even resented her father, and, no matter how much her mother tried to convince her, she simply couldn't understand why someone as noble and powerful as her father could lower his head and lash out at his only daughter.

Following this incident, Ureko developed the mentality that the only person she could rely on was herself. She completely lost interest in her education, and, despite the efforts of numerous Elders, she ignored all their advice and became obsessed with gaining strength. She had convinced herself that her father was spineless, so, for the sake of her clan, she wanted to become strong enough to protect everyone and reclaim their shattered pride.

For a while, Ureko believed her decision had been correct, as, shortly after she began training in earnest, even those several-hundred-years her senior had trouble keeping up with her. By the time she had reached adulthood, she could smoothly defeat most of the Elders, and, if they were to fight seriously, she had convinced herself she could even defeat her father. The only thing that prevented her from trying were the feelings of respect, adulation, and love she still felt towards her father. She didn't want to embarrass him, so, despite the efforts of numerous people to try and convince her to take over, most of her effort went toward tracking down the man responsible for humiliating him in the first place...

Witnessing the incomprehensible battle between Vahn and the anomalous entity known as The End, Ureko couldn't help being reminded of her past. She had grossly overestimated her power, and, as a result of the zealotry she had inspired in her followers, more than seventy percent of her clan had been wiped out as a result of their arrogance. They had offended someone counted among the Top 5 of their Universe, and, rather than backing down when he gave them the opportunity, her people made the mistake of overtly offending and even threatening one of the most powerful Axis Users in existence, Phantaminum.

Recalling her powerlessness in the face of Phantaminum's power, a complicated expression spread across Ureko's face until Vahn suddenly held her a little closer. Immediately thereafter, a warm and comfortable sensation spread through her body, instantaneously suppressing any anxiety she might have been feeling as he gently inquired, "Should we change venues? The Little Garden has changed quite a bit since your last visit. I can show-"

Though her body felt unbelievably heavy due to her relaxed muscles, Ureko still managed to elbow Vahn's ribs with enough force to send a ripple through his body as she warned, "Don't remind me...I still haven't forgiven you for effectively treating me as an afterthought. Once we settle things, we're going to have to sit down and have a very long discussion. It might not be my place to tell you how to live your life, but you can't deny things have gotten out of hand. If you're serious about returning to your family, it's only a matter of time before you have to blaze ahead on your own. If your words are true, we can't be there for you when you cross that final threshold, so, rather than holding all of us back, yourself included, you should push ahead without hesitation. If you genuinely believe that everything will be resolved once you reach the pinnacle, why the hell are dawdling here?"

Adopting a somber expression in response to Ureko's words, several answers crossed Vahn's mind, but, no matter how he viewed them, they seemed more like excuses than anything else. All he really wanted was to make the people around him happy, but, the more effort he put into achieving this, the greater the burden he placed on everyone. This was especially true for the 'arbitrary' additions to his harem, as, not only were they comparatively weak, most of them had no real direction in life other than simply being with him. His efforts to make them happy even forced some to develop a dependency on him, and, as time passed, they became progressively less certain about whether or not their life had any actual purpose...

Exhaling a profoundly exasperated sigh, Vahn allowed his chin to rest against the top of Ureko's head, his arms closing around her waist as he said, "It seems we're going to need to have a long discussion...all of us..."

Though part of her was tempted to bump Vahn's chin with her head, Ureko ultimately managed to resist the urge, lightly nodding as she intoned a curt, "Nn..." in response to his words...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Onee-san don't play...','Guren Lagan vibes...','Nn...')

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