章節 2028: Release
"So? What do you intend to do from here on? You know my relationships with women aren't exactly normal. I will do my best to care for you. I will provide you everything you need, keep you safe, and, at times like this, I will dote on you as much as you require. However, at the end of the day, I cannot promise to love you as much as you want, need, or deserve..."
Not expecting to hear such words, especially at a time when she could barely even move her legs, Jaina just looked up at Vahn with an impassioned yet stupefied expression on her face. He was a lot more skilled than she had anticipated, and, though there was a sharp pain near the very beginning, it wasn't an exaggeration to say Vahn had exceeded every expectation she had about the relations between men and women. She even got the impression he could turn her stupid if he really wanted to, yet, at no point during the process did she ever feel like he was trying to dominate or make her submit to his will. Instead, he had started off exceedingly gentle, only increasing his pace when she sincerely wanted more...
After more than a minute of consideration, Jaina just laid her head against Vahn's chest, whispering, "I don't care...matters for the future can wait till the future. All I know is that I feel happier right now than I've ever felt in the past. So long as you don't begin actively avoiding me, I don't mind keeping things casual between us. A lot of my sisters have lived for thousands of years without being able to experience moments like this. Even if it was only a few times a year, I bet they would still be envious of our relationship..."
Remembering all of her sisters, a dangerous thought manifested within Jaina's mind, but, before it could mature, she shook it from her mind before staring up at Vahn and adding, "What I'm trying to say is that I'll be fine with the way things are even if a few thousand years pass. Just make sure you remember one important thing, okay...?"
Adopting an affectionate smile, Vahn pulled Jaina a little closer before saying, "Tell me what it is and I promise to never forget it..."
Though her cheeks became ruddier in response to his touch, Jaina managed to maintain a serious expression on her face as she stated, "Rabbits can die from loneliness...and being forgotten is even worse than death. I don't mind if you see me as a horny bunny. Even if you just want to have sex, I'll be happy so long as you come and visit me..."
Blinking in surprise, Vahn was unable to prevent the smile on his face from growing as he internally mused, ("It's truly amazing how adorable some girls can be...the real question is whether or not she is doing this intentionally or by pure instinct...").
Deciding it wasn't all that important to ascertain that particular truth, Vahn lowered his hands until he was cupping Jaina's small yet impeccably soft posterior before answering, "Of course. I won't be able to stop by every day but there's no way I could neglect such an adorable creature. I'm actually looking forward to it quite a bit...also, even if you were a thousand times more perverted, I'm sure I could handle it..."
With X and Altria lying at his sides, each wearing contented expressions despite the fact they were in a disheveled mess, Vahn's words weren't an exaggeration. His most recent 'awakening' had even affected his prowess in the bedroom, as, even without the girls telling him what they wanted him to do, the cells in their body produced a symphony of sound and desire. So long as he listened closely, he could even discover things about his partners that they might be wholly unaware of...
"Myuuunnn...!?"
Though she was about to say something, a fresh layer of moisture built within Jaina's amethyst eyes as a pleasurable tremble ran through her body. The culprit responsible for this reaction was Vahn's index and middle fingers pressing a nerve located to the right of her rabbit-like tail. This caused the pure white tuft to twitch, and, though she had only recently calmed down, Jaina felt as though a fire had been ignited near her butt, quickly spreading through the rest of her body.
With an almost pained expression on her face, Jaina placed her hands atop Vahn's chest, almost as if she were pleading, before mewling, "I want it..." in an impassioned tone. This caused a discernibly teasing smile to develop across Vahn's face, but, before he could even ask what it was she wanted, Jaina made her desire transparently clear, unabashedly stating, "I want your big dick to pound my bunny cunny until it remembers your shape..."
Taken aback by the statement, the smile on Vahn's face turned into a slightly incredulous look until Jaina averted her eyes bashfully to the side and whispered, "You said you wouldn't mind if I were a thousand times more perverted...I wanted to try it at least once..."
Unable to restrain the urge, a borderline guffaw emanated from Vahn's throat as he threw his head back and laughed without inhibition. This caused the red that had suffused through Jaina's cheeks to shift into a luminous crimson. Fortunately, just as she felt as though her extreme embarrassment might consume her, Vahn looked down at her with an almost wolfish grin as he said, "I'm starting to regret not coming to you first...you're an unbelievably adorable woman..."
...
..
.
Though he would much rather deal with his personal little bunny rabbit, it was only a few days after the fall of Jahad that Vahn decided to pay Headon a visit. He could have called the eldritch rabbit to him, but, having already reached a consensus with the residents of the Little Garden, it was time he begins preparing for their departure.
"How did you enter this place...?"
Not expecting Vahn to suddenly appear within the Tower's Core Room, a location that was more so the ruins of a massive altar than anything else, obvious shock could be seen in Headon's cyan-blue eyes. He had given Vahn virtually unchecked authority within the Tower, but, if he wanted to enter places like this, he still needed permission. The Core Room was also located within the non-existent medium isolating the Tower from the outside, so, even if Vahn knew of its existence, he shouldn't be able to come and go at his leisure...
Raising his hand in a pacifying gesture, Vahn casually explained, "My power has grown beyond what you can comprehend. Rather than question how I got here, what you should be questioning is what brought me here. To that, I would answer as such. The time to close our contract has come. Though I will require you to immediately reincarnate, I am prepared to sever the contract binding you to the Tower right here and now."
Though it was difficult to read the expressions of a creature whose only facial feature was a slit that accommodated both its mouth and eyes, Vahn could still make out the excitement and anticipation contained within Headon's gaze. There was also a predatory glimmer, but, even if the beast decided to bare its fangs the moment it was freed, Vahn was confident in his ability to cut it down.
"I see! This is spectacular news! Hahahahahahahaha~!"
Seemingly unable to control himself, the slit on Headon's mouth opened to reveal a toothy maw set with hundreds of impossibly sharp teeth. He would finally be freed after more than fourteen-billion-years of service so it was difficult for him not to feel excited. For a brief moment, even the agonizing hunger that had accompanied him throughout his entire existence seemed manageable, so, while it was true he desperately wanted to devour Vahn, he was willing to restrain himself in order to assure his freedom.
With the Law of Identity narrating the eldritch entity's thoughts, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head, a wry smile on his face as he suggested, "We should move to the Altar of Ascension. Once I've severed the contract binding you to the Tower, you'll need to activate the altar immediately. If you attempt to delay, even for a moment, I will completely erase you from existence. Understood?"
Recovering from his laughing fit, Headon grasped around his throat, almost as if here were fixing an invisible tie before answering, "Yes. I understand. I've been awaiting this day for billions of years. I'm not going to jeopardize my life and freedom at the very last moment."
Nodding his head in approval, Vahn didn't resist when Headon pulled out his dual-orbed staff and teleported them both to the 200th Floor's Altar of Ascension. This was yet another set of ruins, but, unlike the desolate wasteland surrounding the Core Room, the Altar of Ascension was surrounded by an endless expanse of space, filled with stars. It was the sight Rachel had undoubtedly dreamed of as a young girl, but, due to her sociopathic nature, she had to settle with the skyline of his Realm since she simply couldn't be trusted not to endanger herself and others.
"Is there anything you require of me?"
Shifting his attention away from the admittedly breathtaking veil of stars, Vahn met Headon's gaze before answering, "I would suggest you stand at the middle of the altar. You'll be less inclined to do anything foolish that way..."
"Shishishishi..."
Though he had already resolved himself not to do such a thing, Headon couldn't deny that he was 'very' tempted. Thus, rather than complaining about Vahn's apparent inability to trust in his words, Headon proceeded to the center of the stone altar before standing with his hands behind his back.
Nodding his head, Vahn produced a Fate-Severing Knife from his Inventory. He could now sever a person's fate using his own means, but, as part of the contract with Headon, he had agreed to use a Fate-Severing Knife. If he attempted to use a different means, he would be in violation of the terms they had agreed upon, and, as a result, he would have no choice but to put Headon down when the latter transformed into Gluttony and attempted to consume him.
Vahn had always been a man of his word, so, even if it was ultimately a waste of OP, it was a small price to pay compared to compromising his integrity. Thus, without any hesitation whatsoever, he swiped the Fate-Severing Knife towards Headon, saying, "I wish you well in your future endeavors. Try not to let your gluttonous aspects dictate how you live. In higher realms, there are a number of beings infinitely more powerful than you. Don't lose your life the moment you reincarnate..."
Though it was hard to describe what he was truly feeling, the one thing Headon knew for certain was that his contracts had been canceled. It was like countless chains had been removed from his body, and, for a brief moment, he felt as though he might float away due to how light he felt.
"So this is what it feels like to be free...amazing..."
As much as he wanted to give Headon the time to adapt to his newfound freedom, Vahn's domain immediately spread through the area as he asked, "Aren't you forgetting something? Do not try my patience, Sin of Gluttony."
Coming to his senses in response to the terrifying aura radiating from Vahn's body, Headon looked towards the former before performing a courteous bow and saying, "Thank you. If fate allows, our paths will cross again. Until then, I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, Your Imperial Majesty."
Since he was literally on the cusp of achieving his most heartfelt desire, Headon used every bit of his willpower to restrain his urge to devour Vahn and rampage throughout the Tower. There were few things he desired more than the complete and utter destruction of the place that had served as his prison for the last fourteen-billion-years, but, among them, departing the Tower behind was at the very top. Thus, rather than risk everything on a course of action that might result in his erasure, Headon held out till the very end, a toothy grin developing across his face as his body broke down into countless motes of bluish-white light...
"Farewell..."
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jaina might be a pervert but she is also quite the realist...','Vahn has always been weak to dirty talk xD...','Sayonara hunger-bunny...')
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章節 2029: Resolving a Few Underlying Issues
As per their original agreement, all of Headon's authority transferred to Vahn the moment their contract had been completed. This allowed him to spread his senses throughout the entire Tower, and, much like when he was in his personal Realm, he could control the flow of time at his leisure.
While he had also inherited the restrictions that came with his newfound authority, Vahn, unlike Gluttony, could simply ignore these. There was no contract that could bind him against his will, so, if there was something he didn't like, he could just 'shrug' it off like a loose chain dangling from his shoulders.
Along with his ability to stop time, one of the most important authorities Vahn had been granted was the 'right to open the door'. Some would misinterpret this as the ability to invite people into the Tower, but, in actuality, the tradition of inviting climbers into the Tower was something that had been developed after the Age of Ascension. Before then, the only people authorized to ascend the Tower were Irregulars and their companions. This was the reason so many people had rallied behind Jahad and the Great Warriors, as, without them, they simply weren't qualified to participate in Tests.
The person to introduce the invitation system was none other than Jahad. For the sake of peace, he had forged a contract with Headon that would separate selfish and power-hungry individuals from the common peoples of the Tower. He didn't believe it was wrong for people to seek wealth, power, and authority. Rather, he believed this was the natural way of the world. What he didn't agree with was taking advantage of people who simply wished to live peaceful and mundane lives. Thus, once it was determined that a person would do anything to achieve their dreams, they would quickly find themselves on the receiving end of Headon's invitation.
Simply put, Jahad had gathered the greediest and most selfish people in the Tower so that normal people could live in peace. This, unsurprisingly, created a society where the vast majority of people were greedy and selfish individuals who would feel no qualms about things like killing if it allowed them to achieve their objectives. There were exceptions to this, specifically among the people who were born 'inside' the Tower, but, from the moment they became Regulars, people wouldn't really have a choice. They would either exploit others or be crushed by the ambitions of people who had fewer qualms about committing atrocities.
Now that the contract between Headon and Jahad no longer existed, Vahn had absolute authority to dictate who could and couldn't climb the Tower. He could even remove the barriers between the Inner, Middle, and Outer Towers if he really wanted to, but, understanding Jahad's intentions at the time of their creation, he elected to keep them in place.
In the end, the only change Vahn introduced to the existing system was giving everyone the ability to ascend the Tower. There were other reforms he intended to implement, but, considering he was about to depart the Tower, such things were best left to his Template. He couldn't accurately predict how things would develop moving forward, so, rather than impose changes he wouldn't be around to uphold, Vahn shifted his focus to tying up loose ends.
Near the very top of his list of things to do, quite literally, was settling things out with Ureko. Before that, however, Vahn teleported to a secret location on the 30th Floor that not even the Opera could penetrate. There, in the ruins of an underground facility previously abandoned by the Workshop, he found a room filled with luminous green tanks, each containing the body of a young girl in various states of development.
Managing this secretive operation was a young girl with dark-grey hair, mechanical green eyes, and a petite yet impeccably balanced figure. She was attired in clothes that screamed 'cute', but, despite this, she still managed to give off an apathetic vibe as she asked, "Are you the one I've been waiting for...?"
Combing through his hair, Vahn took a moment to organize his thoughts before muttering, "What is it with super-geniuses choosing to be reborn as cute or inordinately beautiful girls...well, at least now I know how a man like Gustang could fall in love with a woman like Blossom..."
Though he resisted the urge to label Gustang as a Lolicon, for obvious reasons, that didn't prevent Vahn from thinking it. After all, the petite young girl standing before him was effectively Gustang's reincarnation, albeit without his memories. The only things the Homunculus-like girl had inherited were his tremendous intellect and a set of instructions intended to prevent her from being labeled as a candidate for elimination.
With her superhuman senses, the grey-haired girl was easily able to hear Vahn's mutterings. Despite this, she cocked her head to the side in an overly cute manner that didn't really suit someone with a blank expression, declaring, "If you're not the person I've been waiting for, please leave once you've finished looking around. It would also inconvenience me considerably if you messed with any of my equipment, so, if you're curious about something, feel free to ask me directly. The fewer things you touch, the better..."
Adopting a deadpan expression, Vahn flatly inquired, "And if I am the person you've been waiting for...?"
Like a computer processing a tremendous volume of information, the grey-haired girl momentarily froze in place before spontaneously lifting up the front of her pleated skirt and saying, "If that's the case, I suppose you're allowed to touch whatever you like? I'm quite confident in the parameters of this body. In exchange, I'd appreciate it if you afforded me the opportunity to join the Research and Development Division of the Aldrnari Empire. I would like to conduct my research without having to fear erasure."
With the same deadpan expression on his face, Vahn monotonously retorted, "Right...am I correct to assume your spirit will be transferred to one of those bodies if you're destroyed?"
Without releasing the hem of her skirt, the grey-haired Homunculus followed Vahn's finger, pausing for a moment before turning to meet his gaze and asking, "Do you prefer girls with a more youthful appearance? If so, please give me a moment. I have an inhibitor solution that can reverse the effects of aging. Please don't attack any of the girls in the gestation tanks. They are my important Research Assistants..."
As if she was afraid he would grow impatient, the grey-haired Homunculus attempted to scamper over to a display shelf lined with hundreds of neatly arranged, brightly colored, vials. This left Vahn with a helpless expression on his face, not because the petite Homunculus was pretending to be a lot more naive than she actually was, but because Gustang had really gone the extra mile when he came up with this plan. Not only had the man paid the penultimate price for his crimes, but, for the purpose of acquiring even greater knowledge, he had effectively left behind a daughter who was willing to do whatever it took to become a member of the R&D Division...
Though the Homunculus had inherited fragments of what could be considered to be the entity known as Po Bidau Gustang, the original Gustang had died the moment he attempted to probe Vahn's mind. This effectively made the girl fumbling around the potion cabinet a third-generation descendant of Gustang, and, while she had inherited the traits associated with the peerless genius, it wasn't an exaggeration to say she was a completely unique entity. This was further supported by the Law of Identity, so, while it was well within his right to simply ignore her, Vahn felt like he would be doing both the Homunculus and Gustang's memory a disservice by leaving the amalgamation of his hopes and dreams to rot within an underground facility.
"Are you done playing around...?"
Hearing Vahn's words, the grey-haired Homunculus stopped trying to reach for a vial that was just beyond the range of her dainty fingers. Then, in a mechanically somber tone, she stared back at him and said, "Sorry...this is the only solution I could think of. Without analyzing your character, I had no way of knowing how you would react to certain suggestions. Orchestrating an awkward scenario is one of the quickest methods to expose a person's true nature. I meant no offense. Rather, so long as you agreed to let me join your R&D Division, I was serious about letting you do whatever you wanted with me. I'm currently inexperienced but I'm confident I could make up for it with genuine intrigue and perseverance. Please give me the chance to prove it."
Having dealt with one omnipotent genius's intrigue, Vahn had no doubts regarding the grey-haired Homunculus' claims. Da Vinci had managed to convince him to 'assist' her in a number of lascivious experiments, so, given their similarities, Vahn could easily imagine the Homunculus pursuing a very similar course. After all, when it came to understanding the true nature of the world, hypotheticals and theories could only take you so far...
After slowly combing through his hair and staring up at the ceiling for the better part of a minute, Vahn lowered his gaze to meet the Homunculus' before saying, "Come over and stand right in front of me."
Though she didn't react immediately, it didn't take long for the petite Homunculus to scamper over and stop just a few centimeters away from Vahn. The top of her head stopped around the center of his diaphragm, and, while she was far from the most petite woman he had ever dealt with, a slightly exasperated sigh escaped Vahn's mouth as he proceeded to gently ruffle her hair.
"You might be able to change your appearance and age at will but you're still just a kid. I'll let you join the R&D Division, but, until your mentality had developed to an appropriate level, I don't want to hear you talking about things like sex and experimentation. You will apprentice under one of my Chief Researchers. She will let me know once you've matured. Until then, you have a better chance of wooing one of my children than convincing me to sleep with you..."
Demonstrating her first real emotion, a slight pout appeared on the face of the Homunculus. One of the hardcoded objectives within the database that was her mind included getting pregnant and experiencing childbirth. Since pregnancy was actually a very inconvenient thing, she wouldn't settle for receiving inferior genes. Thus, knowing Vahn was a being that existed near the very pinnacle of all species, she was absolutely determined to bear his child.
With the Law of Identity narrating the girl's innermost thoughts, the relaxed smile on Vahn's face became noticeably wry. He wasn't particularly surprised. After all, Da Vinci had gone through a very similar phase in the past. Still, knowing a hyper-intelligent loli was absolutely determined to bear his child, Vahn couldn't resist silently cursing Gustang for going out of his way to burden him with such a dangerous creature...
Retracting his hand from the youthful-looking girl's head, Vahn asked, "So? What should I call you?" while gesturing to create a portal between the 30th and 199th Floors. Even the Law of Identity was unable to reveal her name, so, when she unhesitantly answered, "I don't have a name." Vahn wasn't particularly surprised. She was, after all, just a Homunculus. She also lived in isolation, so, while she was more than capable of assigning herself a name, it wasn't necessary. She also understood that she could ingratiate herself to him by allowing him to choose a name, so, until now, the grey-haired Homunculus hadn't even considered what to call herself.
Learning these things from the Law of Identity, Vahn resisted the urge to shake his head as he said, "Very well then...henceforth, you shall be known as...Eureka..."(A/N: Pronounced similarly to Arika.)
Since it didn't particularly matter what her name was, Eureka forced a smile despite thinking Vahn had a terrible naming sense. She could always change it later, and, though she wasn't sure where the surname originated from, the name Aldrnari Eureka had a way of rolling off the tongue. Upon realizing this, the smile on her face became marginally more sincere, and, though Vahn had already been made aware of her original thoughts on the matter, he still ruffled her hair when she asserted, "Thank you. I will cherish it always."
...
..
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Jahad really did make an effort...','Gustang has found a way to deal constant damage of time even after his death xD...','Da Vinci is going to have a field day...')
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