章節 2036: Endings, Beginnings, and Redemption
"Uuugh...is sex supposed to be like this? I feel like you changed the shape of my insides..."
Hearing the petite bluenette's remark, a light chuckle emanated from Vahn's throat as he teased, "I tend to have that effect on people..."
After a not-so-brief foray in the Throne Room, Vahn had taken Maschenny and Chenny to a proper bed. From there, he allowed the duo to compete for several hours before they eventually gave up and decided to just go with the flow. They realized they should have been working together to try and eke out a victory against him, but, by the time they were feeling more cooperative, the pleasure he had carved into their bodies gave Vahn an absolute advantage.
Apparently having yet to learn her lesson, Maschenny responded to her counterpart's remark by forcing herself to a seated position and asking, "So? Now that everything's said and done, which of us would you say is better?"
Frowning in response to Maschenny's words, Chenny sat up from the other side of Vahn, glaring at her counterpart as she asked, "How did you become so annoying...?" before shaking her head and saying, "Whatever. Now that we've crossed this line, I don't give a damn about competing with your stupid ass. There are people here who possess power your ignorant ass can't even begin to fathom. So, go ahead. Keep acting like a pompous buffoon. As for me...I'm going to keep getting stronger..."
Though it had very little to do with increasing her strength, Chenny bent down and gave Vahn a kiss on the cheek before attempting to crawl out of the bed. Before she could, however, he grabbed her by the ankle and teasingly inquired, "Where do you think you're going...?"
With the tips of her ears turning discernible ruddy, Chenny resisted the urge to kick herself free and, instead, allowed herself to be pulled back. What she didn't expect was for Vahn to give her a kiss in turn before caressing her head and explaining, "I already discussed it with Scathach. She has agreed to let you take a break until we depart the Tower. For now, go take a bath. Someone will come by to help you get situated once you're finished."
Though her expression didn't change much, the ruddy coloration of Chenny's cheeks showed that she wasn't dissatisfied by Vahn's actions and words. The kicker, of course, was the look of envy she was receiving from her more mature counterpart. Sure, she knew Vahn was bound to provide them with similar accommodations, but, at least for the time being, she enjoyed the experience of feeling someone else's envy instead of having to direct her own towards the countless strong and beautiful women surrounding Vahn...
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After sending Chenny on her way, Vahn was left alone with her pouting counterpart. Maschenny had even gone so far as to turn her back to him, arms crossed as she radiated a slightly icy aura that periodically crackled with electricity.
Deciding to get straight to the point, Vahn asked, "What are you going to do from now on? So long as you follow the rules, you're free to stay within the central residential district of the Little Garden's First Layer. If you would rather-"
Rolling over and sitting up in the same motion, Maschenny spontaneously mounted Vahn's body, a somewhat annoyed expression on her face as she asked, "Do you enjoy teasing me? Because of our previous encounter, I've spent the last couple of months forming the resolve to set out on my own. Now you return and tell me I can travel countless worlds, and, so long as I behave, there will be no real consequences to my actions. You're offering me nigh-limitless power and a degree of freedom that others can't even begin to imagine. You also carved pleasures into my body that I hadn't even thought possible. Now you're asking me what I want to do? Are you completely heartless...?"
With tears beginning to build in the corners of her eyes, Maschenny looked like she was about to break down and start crying at any moment. Vahn, however, had a slightly amused expression on his face as he asked, "Are you done...?"
Exhaling a sigh, Maschenny stopped pressing him down and instead sat so that her but was pressed against his slumbering dragon. Then, with a helpless yet discernible foxy expression on her face, she shrugged her shoulders and answered, "Well, it was worth a shot. The real question is, are you really okay with me doing whatever I want? What if I meet a handsome man in some distant world and try to start a family? Or, better yet, what if I develop my own harem and then abandon them when I get bored? Will you still make love to me...?"
Though his hands had instinctually found themselves around Maschenny's hips, an annoyed frown marred Vahn's face as he replied, "You're overcomplicating things. I would never begrudge anyone for falling in love and wanting to experience a normal relationship. So long as you don't bring back trouble, we've already agreed that the lives everyone experiences in the outside worlds are entirely private affairs. The only time I would be upset is if someone returned and suddenly started trying to tell me off or convince the others to turn against me...at that point, you're not leaving things in the outside world. You're complicating the lives of everyone else for personal reasons..."
Not believing Vahn's words in the slightest, Maschenny began to laugh in an unrestrained manner, head titled back as she began to grind his hips. This caused Vahn's expression to turn gloomy, but, with the Law of Identity nestled at his side, whispering in his ear as a carbon copy of Maschenny, he quickly regained his usual smile moments before the blunette ceased laughing, a somewhat vicious smile on her face as she mused, "Your confidence knows no bounds...I wonder...is this the reason...?"
Reaching between her thighs, Maschenny grabbed Vahn's now fully awake dragon, a hungry look in her eyes as she added, "I admit...it felt a lot better than I ever imagined it would. Now, even if I did have sex with another man, I would probably only feel depressed or disappointed. Is that what you were aiming for~?"
Instead of answering Maschenny's questions, Vahn brought up his hands and placed them behind his head with a relaxed smile on his face. Arguing with her wouldn't really accomplish anything, as, when people like Maschenny felt like they had cracked the case, they became remarkably obstinate. Chenny hadn't been wrong when she accused the woman of being incredibly ignorant. She would eventually come to her senses and receive a reality check, but, at least for the time being, he didn't mind watching her fumble around in her own delusional little world...after all, he was getting quite used to dealing with people like her...
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Feeling as though he had been adding too many women to his harem in too short a period of time, Vahn decided to forestall his reunion with Hagipherione. Instead, he teleported to one of the most private and secluded regions in the entire Tower, a homely-looking forge hidden behind a massive waterfall that resembled the edge of the world. There, he found an ancient-looking man with ashen grey hair, a matching beard, and a misshapen yet remarkably muscular body working the billows of a peculiar purple forge.
Not wanting to interrupt a master in the middle of his craft, Vahn waited patiently at the side for the better part of three days until the man looked over, his voice aged and profound as he asked, "Why have you come here? I'm through with forging weapons and armaments to be..."
Before the man could finish speaking, Vahn produced the throne-like carrier he had created to hold each of the Thirteen Month Series. Immediately thereafter, a bunch of girls manifested around him, some closer than others, as he explained, "Ashul Edwaru. I have not come here to force you to craft weapons of war. I have come here to free you from your burden. Hand over the White February and Colourless December. I intend to free these girls from their curse. After that, you can finally rest..."
Though very few people had ever met him, even within the Empire, everyone within the Inner and Middle Towers had heard the name Ashul Edwaru. He was the legendary blacksmith responsible for the production of the most powerful weapons and armaments in the entire Tower, the most famous among them being the Thirteen Month Series. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was the greatest blacksmith in the entire Tower. However, once he had learned what became of the original wielders of his weapons, he became a hermit who had been forging and reforging the same pieces of metal for nearly ten thousand years...
Seeing the girls surrounding Vahn, smiles visible on several of their faces, Edwaru couldn't conceal the emotion within his eyes. He had spent a lot of time with each of the girls when he was reforging the weapons to suit them so he had been devastated when he learned of their fate. There had even been a time when he wanted nothing more than to kill Jahad, but, understanding better than most how 'impossible' this was, he ended up secluding himself in a vain attempt to atone for his failures as both a man and a blacksmith...
Dropping to his knees with a thud, Edwaru hung his face in his hands, his muscular body trembling as Vahn urged the girls to step forward with a silent nod. Most of them could no longer remember who Edwaru was, but, just as a skilled blacksmith would recognize the weapons they had forged, so too would the weapon in the presence of their creator. Thus, after a few seconds had passed, a few of the girls stepped forward to gently pat the man's head and shoulders, comforting his weary soul for the first time in several millennia...
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Though he had gotten relatively lucky with the series obtained from Maschenny, Vahn couldn't help but smile wryly as he conversed with the Spirits of the White February and Colorless December. The former appeared to be another young woman from the Arie Family. She had flowing white hair and pale-blue eyes that glistened with a silvery hue. As for her attire, she was dressed in a white poncho that extended from her neck to her knees. She also had on a pair of pure white panties. As for how he knew this, well, these two pieces of clothing comprised the entirety of her outfit. Thus, whenever she moved about or raised her arms, it was possible to see both her panties and the dainty frame they were attached to...
Appearing even younger than the White February, and virtually every other Spirit, was the Spirit of the Colorless December. Though her 'true body' was a monochromatic katana with a peculiar blue hue, her Spiritual form was a young girl roughly the same size and shape as Anak. Instead of green skin and a lizard-like tail, however, she possessed an ethereal complexion and blue hair that nearly resembled glass. It was like her entire body was transparent, and, though there was a blue hue to her entire body, it was almost like staring into the depths of an ocean. Things simply got darker as you delved further.
Unlike the other Thirteen Month Series, the Colorless December ended up being completely mute. Her Ego had been damaged beyond repair after she had 'rampaged' alongside Enne in the distant past. She was still cognizant of her surroundings, but, without a considerable amount of time and a substantial amount of support from other people, she would undoubtedly remain like a doll for the rest of her life. Fortunately, this wasn't the first time Vahn had dealt with such an affliction, so, even if it took a thousand years for her to recover, it was only a matter of time before she was able to run around and play like the young girl she appeared to be...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Maschenny is courting death...','Poor Edwaru...','I know it should be funny that Vahn picked up two new lolis, but I can't help feeling a little sad...')
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章節 2037: Fresh Start...?
Though it took a little longer than expected, primarily due to the fact he had met with a few people at the behest of the Template he created to replace Adori, Vahn eventually made his way over to the temporary estate of the Arie Family. There, he found Hagipherione watching over the younger members of her family as they practiced the training methods he had gifted them weeks prior. His sudden appearance had caught the ashen-haired beauty by surprise, but, as she had been expecting him for quite some time, she quickly passed on her duties to someone else before asking if he would accompany her to her private quarters.
As tempting as the invitation was, Vahn politely refused Hagipherione's offer. He doubtlessly would have said yes a few weeks prior, but, after spending a fair amount of time helping the other girls get situated, the fervor that had initially driven him to act began to wear off. Now, he just wanted to give everyone a chance to relax rather than inadvertently stressing them out with even more additions.
Fortunately, Hagipherione's desire to pursue him had little to do with any sort of emotional attachment. She merely wished to pursue the path of swordsmanship to even greater heights, so, after finishing the first phase of integration between his Realm and the Little Garden, Vahn asked Juuzou Shishimi and Jinbei if they would watch over the Arie Family before gradually making their way up through the Tower.
Though their mastery over the sword might not compare to his own, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Juuzou and Jinbei were Grandmasters near the pinnacle of swordsmanship. They had also been looking for something to do ever since their departure from the Nasuverse, so, after spending a bit of time familiarizing themselves with Shinsu, they agreed to lend him a hand on the condition they were allowed to quit whenever they wanted.
Vahn had no problems with this, so, after discussing the matter with Eva and introducing the duo to Hagipherione, he recovered the Red October, a rather temperamental Spirit that clearly descended from the Yeon Clan. She possessed their trademark black hair, pink eyes, and, despite having lost most of her memories, their general disdain towards men. This made her a little harder to deal with than the other Spirits, but, after a rather lengthy and meticulous session of maintenance, she mellowed out quite a bit.
With the addition of the Red October, the only part of the Thirteen Month Series Vahn had left to collect was the Dark September, an ownerless black dagger that had been sealed away for the past eight-thousand-years. As for why he waited till the very end to collect her, well, it was primarily due to the fact that she was the Spirit responsible for driving the Princesses who had attempted to wield more than one Thirteen Month Series mad...
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Trespassing a barrier located at the bottom of the deepest ocean trench on the 134th Floor, one of the few places untouched by Jahad's cataclysmic attack, Vahn found himself staring at a young girl with black hair lying atop a sacrificial altar. Her body was garbed in a black dress that left very little to the imagination, but, what stood out more than anything was the dagger sticking out of the center of her underdeveloped chest...
"Poor girl...it's no wonder Gustang decided to take his own life. Had I visited this place sooner, I would have invariably killed him myself..."
Though it was her own ambitions that led to the young girl attempting to become a Princess of Jahad, the simple truth of the matter was that the Princess Selection Trials shouldn't have existed in the first place. Jahad had no desire to marry, and, based on how he had spent the last ten-thousand-years, it was pretty clear he didn't care about allaying public concerns.
When it came down to it, the Princess Selection Trial was basically just an excuse for Gustang to experiment with the Power of Blood. When the victor of these trials learned the truth, she felt such an extreme level of despair that she ended up taking her own life in an attempt to curse Jahad, the Ten Great Families, and everyone associated with the Empire. Unfortunately, she failed to account for Jahad's precognitive abilities.
In the end, rather than cursing Jahad and the Empire, the girl ended up becoming the first Spirit attached to a Thirteen Month Series. This was a destructive process that resulted in the fragmentation of her ego, and, as a result, her anger was ultimately redirected towards future Princesses of Jahad. In other words, Jahad had weaponized the despair intended to be used against him as a convenient tool to prevent other Princesses from ever succeeding. He could have just nipped the entire program in the bud, but, just as he had done in nearly every other instance, he decided to simply observe from the sidelines with an impassive expression on his face.
Shaking his head, Vahn grabbed the hilt of the dagger and said, "With this, a tragedy of more than ten-thousand-years comes to an end. I pray you find yourself in a world where you won't have to suffer any longer..."
Though he could have provided such a world himself, Vahn, after discussing the matter with the other Spirits and most of the former Princesses living within the Little Garden, decided it was for the best if the Dark September return to the natural cycle of reincarnation. She would be a constant reminder of the dark history attached to the other Spirits. Thus, for the sake of everyone, including the Dark September, Vahn tightened his grip on the dagger's hilt before muttering, "Begone..."
Responding to his words, the Dark September immediately broke down into its constituent particles before fading from existence moments later. Fortunately, while this was unbelievably tragic, the Spirit of the Dark September was virtually guaranteed to experience great fortune in her next life. She had doubtlessly accrued a tremendous amount of negative karma in the years leading up to her sacrifice, but, from that moment onward, her actions were the direct result of someone else's machinations.
The Spirit of the Dark September had been exploited for more than ten-thousand-years so it was safe to assume that any negative karma she accrued would effectively be converted as compensation for the disproportionate suffering she had been forced to endure. He had also connected a thread comprised of pure Source Energy and intent to her dissipating spirit, so, even if the cycle of reincarnation refused to do her any favors, he could always take matters into his own hands once he reached the Divine Realm.
Choosing to believe in the same forces of balance that had complicated his life on countless occasions, Vahn stared off into the distance for several seconds, a contemplative look on his face, before sweeping his hand and effectively erasing the altar from existence. Then, with a slightly apologetic yet hopeful smile on his face, he gazed skyward, his eyes piercing through the barrier, the ocean above, and even the Tower itself as he muttered, "I suppose it's time to continue my own journey...let's just hope Shiroyasha extends me an invitation before I end up adding another twenty women to my harem..."
Though Vahn was intending to put the "what happens in the outside stays outside" saying to practice, he had very little confidence in his ability to leave women he had become attached to behind. He would do his best, but, understanding the type of person he had become, the odds were stacked against him. Thus, while it was unfair to place this burden on the Demon Queen who had been observing his journey from the comfort of the Divine Realm, Vahn was hoping she would act sooner rather than later...
"Well...either way, I'm looking forward to seeing where the Tower sends me. Will I end up in Heaven, the Netherworld, or Purgatory? Time to find out..."
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Despite his words, Vahn ended up spending several additional weeks within the Tower before making his way to the 200th Floor's Altar of Reincarnation. In that time, he helped solve a few problems for the Template he had placed in charge of the Tower before picking up Yurin and checking in on Phae, Gandr, and the other members of Team Wolf Pack.
Vahn felt like he had stolen the spotlight from the original heroes of the Tower, so, prior to his departure, he gave each of them a System Template before building a tiny cottage on the 200th Floor for Rachel to live in until she either reincarnated or allowed herself to be picked up by Baam. Either way, he wasn't going to let her remain in his Realm, and, no matter how much she begged, the Little Garden had no place for people who didn't even try to change.
When everything was said and done, Vahn found himself standing in the center of the Altar of Reincarnation with more than a dozen Templates and a few guests to see him off. Then, after a few parting words, he activated the altar with the intention of experiencing what it was like to reincarnate within a Record. He was sort of hoping there would be a God or Goddess waiting for him on the other side. Their reactions were always novel and amusing, and, depending on the circumstances, he might even be able to skip directly to the Divine Realm.
Unfortunately, the only thing Vahn experienced after initializing the reincarnation process was a slight tugging sensation reminiscent of the phenomenon he experienced when entering a new Record for the first time. This included passing through a number of layers that basically represented the various Laws of the world.
Feeling said layers attempt to strip away his power and authority, Vahn willingly relinquished it without any real resistance. He could literally become as strong as he needed to be, so, for the sake of enjoying his first few months in a new world, he didn't mind starting from scratch. After all, there was a very real chance that he might be reborn as an infant, a thought that previously terrified him until he discussed it with the girls. They seemed to believe he would benefit from experiencing a relatively 'normal' childhood, so, while the notion made him more than a little uncomfortable, he would be lying if he said he wasn't excited by the prospect...
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After a period of time that felt like several weeks, or even months, compressed into a single moment, Vahn was beginning to feel bored. This was taking a lot longer than he anticipated and he couldn't exactly return to the Little Garden since he had no idea what might happen if the process was interrupted partway through. Rather, unless he was feeling especially lonely, the consensus everyone had come to was that he would only visit the Little Garden once he managed to reach the Divine Realm. The 10Y:1D conversion had already been arranged, so, even if he spent a hundred years on his path towards Tier 6, only ten days would pass within.
Fortunately, even within the nebulous void that existed between dimensions, Vahn could still access the system function of The Path, and, more importantly, converse with Sis. He also had the option of reliving his memories, so, while the process was taking longer than expected, it wasn't like he had nothing to do. Rather, even if he ended up trapped within the void for what might equate to an eternity in the 'outside', he could always advance by simply expanding his Realm into the outside and creating his own reality. He was even beginning to suspect he had been reincarnated into a situation where he was the Progenitor God of his own Universe and the only reason things were taking so long was because he was being lazy...
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After what felt like an entire year, Vahn was pretty close to uttering the oh-so-famous phrase, "Let there be light.". Fortunately, Sis had talked him out of it, suggesting that the delay could be the result of his new body gestating. It would cause all kinds of problems if a reincarnator was transmigrated into a developing fetus, so, as he was wont to do, Vahn decided to place his trust in Sis's words. This ended up being the correct choice, but, unfortunately, he hadn't been reincarnated as a baby. Instead, he found himself waking up in what appeared to be a desolate wasteland filled with strange purple flowers beneath a crimson red sky. Infinitely stranger was the fact that he appeared to be a penguin-like creature with blue skin, bat-like wings, stubby arms, peg legs, and visible stitching along his stomach...almost like he was trapped inside a costume filled with flesh...
"What the hell...?"
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Hag...','Oof. Rachel just got destroyed...','Quite literally...')
https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu <-(p.atreon link)
paypal.me/Einlion
Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh
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