章節 1995: Chance
Though she didn't understand what had happened, the notion she could deal damage to a Family Leader caused a massive grin to develop across Yuri's face. Her natural regeneration also helped to deal with the injury sustained by her fist, so, after lingering in the air for a short while, she grabbed the hilts of the two Needles sticking out of her body, saying, "You're so fucked." with fiery red eyes.
Having seen similar looks on the face of Yuri's mother, Han couldn't help developing a wry smile as he said, "Sorry, but this is the end..."
Glowering in response to the youthful-looking man's words, Yuri adopted a defensive stance, but, rather than attack, Han surprised her by adopting a strangely proud look as he stated, "I surrender. This is your victory."
While others might have been happy to hear such a thing, a visible tick mark appeared near Yuri's temple, her aura surging outward as she exclaimed, "Bullshit! You can't just surrender after a single punch! I-"
Before she could finish speaking, Han interrupted Yuri's outburst by calmly declaring, "I can. You're free to continue attacking, but, from this moment onward, I will no longer fight back. If you wish to strike someone who has already given up, be my guest. So long as you stop wreaking havoc on the rest of the Floor, I will tolerate your rage until you have settled."
Though she wouldn't have attacked any other opponent who had yielded, Yuri responded to Han's words by raising both hands and generating a massive, blood-red, sphere. This caused the ground to tremble violently, and, for a brief moment, it seemed like she was prepared to destroy the entire Floor just to force Han to defend himself.
Fortunately, this was never meant to be, as, the moment her 'primal rage' began to take over, Vahn appeared right in front of Yuri, gently embracing her body. His initial appearance nearly caused her to attack, but, feeling his familiar warmth, she quickly came back to her senses, whispering, "Sorry..." in an uncharacteristically meek tone.
Shaking his head, Vahn briefly strengthened his hold on Yuri's body, answering, "It's fine. You'll get used to it..." before loosening his hold and caressing her face. This returned the smile to Yuri's face, but, at the same time, it also lit a fire in her body that made it hard to resist pouncing on Vahn then and there.
Sensing the not-so-subtle shift in Yuri's temperament, Vahn fought hard against the urge to adopt a wry smile as he said, "Cancel your transformation. I'm going to send you back..."
Amused by Vahn's reaction, Yuri's expression became teasingly seductive, but, before she could say anything, he promptly teleported her to his proxy on the 199th Floor.
Though he wasn't particularly bothered by Yuri's behavior, even Vahn wasn't shameless enough to flirt with someone's daughter right in front of them. He wouldn't appreciate it if the partners of his daughters behaved in such a way, so, feeling Han's gaze on him, Vahn forcibly restrained his natural urges in favor of decorum.
With this same sentiment in mind, Vahn snapped his fingers, instantaneously erasing Yuri's lingering ball of Ki before looking towards Han and saying, "Sorry about that. She is still growing accustomed to her new race. Don't worry. Once she's out of range of any sufficiently powerful opponent, she will quickly return to normal."
Furrowing his brows in response to Vahn's words, Han adopted the kind of look reserved for young men meeting their partner's father for the first time, saying, "Normal...is it? Will she ever truly return to being a normal young woman after what you did to her? Unlike you, I don't know everything. Tell me, why did you turn my daughter into a beast?"
Adopting a deadpan expression, Vahn teleported in front of Han before answering, "I'm not fond of mistreating the family and friends of my lovers. You're also one of the few legitimately good people in the Empire, so, for both our sakes, I would suggest you never again refer to Yuri as a beast. She is a proud Saiyan warrior, an elite among elites whose potential surpasses the Gods. If you insult her a second time, don't blame me for a lack of courtesy."
Feeling the aura radiating from Vahn's body, a cold sweat developed across Han's as a phenomenal amount of spiritual pressure rooted him to the spot. It wasn't the first time he had experienced such an attack, but, when compared to Vahn's, every other person's spiritual pressure was like comparing a tiny candle to the sky being set aflame. It left people feeling small and inconsequential, and, for a brief moment, Han was seized by the impression he was an insignificant bug that had wandered far too close to an open flame...
Snorting through his nose, Vahn began to forcibly suppress his aura, adding, "I won't deny the role you played in Yuri's birth. However, unless she is willing to accept you, you have no right to refer to yourself as her father. A father is someone who watches over and protects their children from harm, regardless of the burden it places upon them. Instead, you shifted the burden to Yuri, forcing her to experience difficulties as compensation for your inadequacies as a parent. You can fool yourself into believing you were only trying to protect her, but, no matter how you spin it, the truth of the matter is that you failed all three of your daughters..."
Though others might have been tempted to try and refute Vahn's words, the subject was something Han had been brooding over for, quite literally, thousands of years. He had always regretted letting Yurin dictate how their twins were raised, so, following Yuri's birth, he pressured his ex-fiancee into concealing her identity and allowing her to experience life amidst both families. His intent was to let Yuri choose for herself what kind of life she wanted to live, but, as a result of her fiery temperament and prodigious talent, she ended up being ostracized and bullied by both families. To make matters even worse, she ended up being the target of numerous assassination attempts commanded by her elder sisters, the very people he intended to protect her from...
With the Law of Identity narrating the man's thoughts, much of Vahn's anger began to diminish. It was clear that Han deeply regretted his mistakes, so, while it did nothing to change the past, there was still hope for the future. A lot of people clung to the excuses they had constructed even when their lives were on the line so it was always refreshing to see someone willing to accept their faults without losing their cool or lashing out at their accusor.
Deciding to throw the man a bone, Vahn pat the youthful-looking leader's shoulder, saying, "Relax. So long as there is a future, there is hope. My presence in the Tower is an opportunity for all of you to improve. Rather than beating yourself up over things you can't change, start thinking about what you can do to make things better. Is that not the purpose of your Ari Family?"
Surprised by Vahn's attempt to console him, a moderately bewildered expression developed across Han's face. Unfortunately, due to his transformation into some kind of Fae-hybrid, Vahn's instinctual urge to tease people with pointed ears had been triggered. As a result, without even thinking about it, he ended up saying, "You should start by working things out with Yurin. If you don't act quickly, it might be too late..."
Realizing what he was saying, Vahn's words naturally trailed off as he awkwardly retracted his hand from Han's shoulder. To his surprise, this actually elicited an amused chuckle from Han, who, against expectations, answered, "Even when we were together, Yurin and I maintained an open relationship. I'm not sure how old you are, but she and I are approaching 24,000-years-of-age. That's a long time from the perspective of mortals, so, for our own mental wellness, we never forbade each other from trying out new things. We're also no longer together, so, even if you did manage to win her heart, it is no longer my place to intervene..."
Though Han's words actually aligned with his personal views, Vahn couldn't help staring at the man as if he had lost his mind. He knew Han cared deeply about Yurin, and, despite her amazoness-like nature, the latter was also deeply infatuated with him. Yurin had even made a commitment to never bear the child of another, so, even though they were currently separated, it was strangely annoying to hear Han say something so insensitive.
Before he even realized what he was doing, Vahn chopped Han's head with enough force to send radial cracks throughout the massive crater they were currently standing in. His Source Energy had also allowed him to overwrite the man's permanence, so, despite appearing relatively unharmed, a painful-looking bump had appeared on Han's head, his eyes turning noticeably moist as he asked, "What the hell?"
Blinking in surprise, Vahn looked between his hand and the knot on Han's head before adopting a stern look and saying, "That half-hearted way of doing things is the exact reason for your regrets. If you're going to separate with Yurin, make it clear. Running away and leaving things ambiguous isn't something a man should do. Seriously, you have three children together. Your eldest are more than twenty-thousand-years-old. At this point, they even have great-great-great-grandchildren. It's time for you to stop pussy-footing around and accept responsibility for the line you have created."
Remembering the reports filed by the Research Team, specifically those pertaining to Vahn's views about family and kinship, Han realized he had made a mistake in trying to trivialize his relationship with Yurin. He had also forgotten to consider that Vahn seemingly knew everything, so, while others might have been convinced by his statement, the draconic god before him was not so easily fooled. He also seemed to interpret everything seriously, as, rather than speaking with the intent of giving Vahn permission to act, Han's words had been intended to alleviate the tensions resulting from the former's verbal gaff...
Realizing this, Vahn promptly shifted his attention away from Han, his expression a hardened mask of solemnity as he added, "You should go. If you continue delaying things, someone else will report what has happened here. The one-sided defeat of four Great Warriors is bound to cause destructive ripples if spun in a negative light. Tell Adori and Senna I am willing to issue a statement disavowing rebellious actions so long as the Empire and the Ten are willing to announce their cooperation with the Aldrnari Empire. It is no longer a question of whether or not the Tower will experience a reform. The only question you need to be asking yourselves is: How many people are we willing to sacrifice in order to oppose the inevitable?"
Understanding the severity of the situation, Han did his best to ignore the throbbing sensation atop his head, answering, "Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Though I have a lot to say about how things have transpired, I also understand the meaning of displaying one's power. I just wish you had given us more than twenty-four-hours to prepare..."
Shaking his head, Vahn did his best to conceal his sudden melancholy, calmly stating, "Benevolence is one of the most valuable traits a leader can possess. Unfortunately, too much benevolence invites opportunists to take advantage of the situation. Others misunderstand it as a form of weakness that encourages them to do foolish things such as taking hostages and lashing out at others in the hope of 'teaching' someone a lesson. Truth be told, I've grown weary of such things. Had Gustang moved forward with his plan of trying to capture one of my loved ones during this competition, the Empire, the Workshop, the Ten Great Families, and everyone else who dares to oppose me would have been wiped out. Rather than complaining about the twenty-four-hours, you should be thanking whatever god you believe in for the innumerable chances I have afforded you since arriving in the Tower..."
Finished with what he had to say, Vahn turned away from the contemplative-looking Han, his eyes firmly fixed on the inordinately handsome man patiently observing him from a few kilometers away. Then, with Laev-tan appearing in his right hand, he muttered, "Bankai..." in a grim tone that caused the space for hundreds of kilometers to tremble...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Yuri nearly went full Frieza o_o...','Vahn's Greatest Weaknesses #03: Pointed Ears','Shit just went from 0 to ∞ in an instant...')
(A/N: Sorry about yesterday. One of my friends is very ill at the moment. I will be posting another chapter before the reset and an additional chapter in the next block.)
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章節 1996: Penance
Sensing the eruption of Vahn's aura, excitement began to swell within Hon's chest for the first time since his battle with Ureko. There were few things he enjoyed more than testing his blade against a powerful opponent, so, even if Vahn turned out to be much stronger than imagined, he was looking forward to their climactic exchange in the heavens.
Unfortunately, just as that thought entered his mind, Hon's mental faculties halted, as, surrounding his would-be opponent, more than a hundred teens and children had spontaneously manifested. To further exacerbate his confusion, Vahn's appearance had changed drastically. His ivory white armor had vanished entirely. In its place, abyssal black armor covered him from head to toe. It was such an extreme change that, for a moment, Hon briefly considered that he had already been defeated and was currently having a fever dream...
Ignoring the narration from the Law of Identity, Vahn maintained a stoic and cold demeanor as he spread his arms, ordering, "Dyrnwyn, Kusa, come."
Reacting to Vahn's words, two youths, one appearing as a handsome young man from Ireland and the other resembling a petite young girl from Japan, immediately transformed. The first, wielded in Vahn's right hand, became a long greatsword with a hilt nearly a third of its total length. As for the latter, she became a relatively plain-looking shortsword, but, depending on the angle you viewed it from, peculiar blue, green, and purple light would appear to flash across the surface of the blade.
With the two starkly contrasting swords in hand, Vahn began to slowly rise into the air as the rest of his Pseudo-Zanpakuto Spirits began searching for places to idle. Some even manifested snacks out of thin air, sharing their bounty with the others before finding a place for themselves...
Seeing this peculiar scene play out, Hon's apathetic expression gradually melted into a confounded look as he realized that each of the children below were actually weapons. This was far from his first time witnessing such a phenomenon. In fact, his own sword possessed a Spirit formed from his very soul. What made this situation so confounding was that his Sword Spirit, rather than feeling excited about the prospect of acquiring new skills and techniques, was actually trembling in fear...
Noticing the look on Hon's face, the makings of a smile briefly appeared on Vahn's face before he controlled himself and said, "Sorry, but, even if you were to ask politely, I have no obligation to tell you anything. You should address the issues in your own family before concerning yourself with the secrets of another."
With that said, Vahn lifted his greatsword, Dyrnwyn, igniting its blade with pure white flames. Then, without further delay, he used his variation of Shunpo and Koku Shundo to appear right in front of Hon. This caused the latter to immediately attempt a counter, but, unlike the majority of opponents Hon had faced, Vahn was perfectly capable of keeping up with the speed of his blade.
Seeing the pure white blade form a path towards his neck, a smile developed in slow-motion across Vahn's face as Hon's attack failed to penetrate the pauldrons protecting his shoulders. Then, before the white-haired swordsman could express his considerable surprise, Dyrnwyn cleaved through his neck and shoulder without resistance. The flames along its length also had the effect of draining a person's strength to empower itself, so, not only had Hon's immortality been ignored, the majority of his Shinsu had been drained away in an instant.
To his credit, Hon, now existing as little more than a right arm, head, and a severed torso managed to stay in the air. Dyrnwyn's flames had also cauterized the wound as it passed through, so, while a normal person would have already died, Hon managed to endure long enough to smile and mutter, "Truly remarkable..." before falling from the sky.
Rolling his eyes, Vahn shouldered the still-flaming Dyrnwyn as a green aura spread throughout the entirety of his domain. This caused the falling body of Hon to reverse at high speeds, his two halves becoming a singular whole in less time than it took most people to blink. Then, in a plain tone that left no room for argument, Vahn stated, "This fight is over when you've learned your lesson. Now, I suggest you stop relying on your Immortality and get serious..."
Without waiting for the stunned man to respond, Vahn stabbed forward with Kusa, the shortsword in his left hand. Because of his recent experience, Hon was unable to react to this, so, without any suspense whatsoever, he found his heart pierced by a vibrant green blade that seemed to extend beyond the horizon before instantaneously returning to its original length.
Though a wound to the heart was survivable for most Rankers, eerie black blood began flowing from Hon's orifices the moment Kusa penetrated his body. Almost immediately thereafter, taking less than two seconds to complete, his fair skin developed a necrotic appearance before his body began dissolving from his extremities.
Shaking his head, Vahn created a bit of distance between himself and the zombie-like Hon before the same green aura triggered a second time, this time appearing as little more than a flash of light from the perspective of those able to perceive it.
Having experienced death twice, cold sweat began to break out across Hon's body as he witnessed Vahn appearing next to one of the groups below, exchanging his previous weapons with two brand new ones. At that moment, the notion that Vahn was intending to kill him with each of the weapons crossed his mind, and, as a result, a sudden and intense desire to surrender immediately manifested from the very depths of his soul. Unfortunately, before he could voice this sentiment, Vahn, wielding a pitch-black dagger and a rapier that seemed to be formed from poisonous vines appeared before him, stating, "You have yet to repent for your actions. Come. Try and steal my techniques and intent. Isn't that why you challenged me to a duel?"
Paling in response to Vahn's words, Hon was about to answer when an immediate and intense pain spread throughout his body. He could feel thorny vines spreading through his nervous system, and, as a result, his body was twisted and contorted into a form resembling a cross as Vahn withdrew the crimson-tipped rapier from his chest. Then, for the third time in as many minutes, he experienced a brief moment of reprieve before, once again, losing his life at hands of a swordsman far beyond his comprehension...
---
Staring down at the dispirited and kneeling figure of Hon, Vahn loosened his grip on the runic ax wielded in his right hand, allowing it to return to the form of an adorable girl with icy blue hair as he said, "This is merely a taste of the helplessness you forced others to endure over the course of your life. From now on, I encourage you to act according to the principle that everything you mete out to others will eventually return to you. This includes pain and suffering, so, unless you wish to experience something far worse, I suggest that you correct your behavior..."
Raising his head, a scarcely visible light returned to Hon's silvery-white eyes as he asked, "How can one person be so powerful...?"
Furrowing his brows in response to the man's inquiry, Vahn was tempted to further admonish him, but, having already lost interest in continuing what was effectively a torture session, he ultimately just shook his head, answering, "You're mistaken..."
Confused by Vahn's words, Hon was about to ask what he meant when the former gestured to the veritable horde of children surrounding him, adding, "I have never been alone...not even for a single moment. While it is possible to become powerful by dedicating yourself to a singular pursuit, you'll never reach the pinnacle by abandoning the people around you. Personal motivation and pride can only take you so far. If you wish to become truly powerful, you need something to protect...it is only when we raise our swords in the defense of others that limitations no longer apply..."
Though there were countless paths to becoming stronger, the path towards the peak wasn't paved with the blood of your enemies. That was the path of a ruthless murderer, and, unless you had fate on your side, you would never break away from the laws of the world. Truth strength could only be obtained through comprehension, understanding, and sacrifice. It wasn't the blood of your enemies that allowed you to break through the limits of the world. it was the blood, sweat, and tears of you, your family, and friends...each working in concert to allow you to overcome any trial and tribulation thrown your way...
As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn turned his back on Hon, adding, "You might find this hard to believe, especially after everything that has transpired between us...still, from the bottom of my heart, I hope you find the path that takes you to the top..."
With that said, Vahn deactivated his Bankai, and, without further words, disappeared from the 100th Floor. This left Hon staring blankly at the place where he had been standing, a conflicted look on his face as he picked up his broken sword and whispered, "So this is the power that overwrote fate and defeated White...it would appear I still have a long way to go..."
Raising his sword so that it was level with his face, Hon stared at his reflection for several seconds, a self-deprecating smile replacing his usual apathy as he muttered, "I wonder...why does the thought of apologizing to my family and children suddenly fill me with terror...?"
As that thought crossed his mind, the image of Hagipherione immediately made itself known within Hon's mind. This caused the smile on his face to cramp, but, understanding he would never be able to move forward just sitting around, he forced himself to stand before tossing his sword to the side and subsequently vanishing into thin air...
---
Located deep within the Inner Sanctum of the Imperial Palace, Jahad, surrounded by innumerable golden Lighthouses, exhaled a tired sigh that seemed to emanate from the very depth of his soul. He had borrowed the remaining Opera from the Tu Perie Family in order to observe Vahn after his 'daughters' had discarded their respective emblems. Thus, ever since Vahn had departed the 77th Floor, he had been doing his best to keep tabs on the latter's movements. As a result, he had been able to witness the fight from start to finish, and, despite his demon promising even greater power, he couldn't envision a future where he emerged victoriously against the incomprehensibly powerful Dragon God...
As this thought crossed his mind, a snaggletoothed grin spread across Jahad's face as he rose to his feet and released a hearty laugh that caused every Lighthouse in the surroundings to tremble. Then, with an expression that radiated remarkable self-confidence, he said, "I'll need to prepare a suitable stage. Even if it is ultimately my fate to die at your hands, don't think for a moment I'll just bend the knee. You had better bring your A-Game, Vahn Aldrnari Mason. If you don't, I'll make sure you learn, first hand, why people still refer to me as the God of Fishermen...!"
Believing that Vahn had also been keeping tabs on him, Jahad raised his right fist towards the sky, teeth on full display as crimson red horns sprouted from various parts of his body. This caused the surrounding Lighthouses to begin fracturing, but, thanks to their self-repair function, they managed to stay operational long enough for the image of Vahn to turn around and furrow his brows...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn be like, "All legendary weapons are belong to us...!"','Some lessons are harder than others o_o...','Jahad over here getting hyped up while Vahn is already thinking about his plans outside the Tower xD...')
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