Endless Path : Infinite Cosmoa

by Srtyi

Vahn was an atypical youth. Due to a rare mutation, his blood had the potential to target and attack ailments within the human body. Touted as a universal cure, people had elevated his status above the norm and given him the classification "Panacea". In the media, he was hailed as a great hero who would usher in a new era or human wellness. However, behind the scenes things weren't

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Chapter 94 - New Dawn

Vahn awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling, though it wasn't much of a ceiling considering he found himself in a tent. Looking around, he was able to see a few other people sleeping, and he noticed the banner of the Hephaestus Familia on the fabric. Rolling out of the bedroll, Vahn winced and felt a painful sensation from his ribs. The sudden sensation reminded him of the 'death grip' hug that Tiona had given him during her excitement. They must have brought him here after he collapsed.

It was now around 5 AM, and it would be another hour or so before most people began awakening. Vahn yawned and made his way out of the tent to relieve himself in the forest. It had also been nearly half a day since he had anything to eat, so after he finished his business he relaxed against a tree and ate some crepes he had stored within his inventory. As Vahn slowly ate away at the delicious, and still warm, crepe, he began looking around at the campsite.

People were slowly beginning to wake up, and there were a few making their way around the campsite to prepare breakfast. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits, and Vahn could tell most people enjoyed the atmosphere of the camp environment. There were men and women, both young and old, working alongside each other to help complete tasks both big and small. It was inspiring seeing people come together to make each other's burdens lighter.

Vahn thought back to all of his experiences with other people and, for the most part, it didn't seem like he had many interactions like that. Most of the time, it was just people helping him out, while he just offered bits of advice every now and then. His interactions with Lili were always him trying to help take care of her, while she sought his approval and praise. When he was with Naaza, she relied on him for advice and insight but seemed to always have an awkward atmosphere when they were alone. He couldn't help mix the potions, and when she saw him processing the ingredients, she had him stop out of guilt.

Both Hephaestus and Tsubaki were just helping him out...Vahn felt like he owed them both for various things. He wanted Tsubaki to be able to relax more, and he still had his promise to keep with Hephaestus. One day, he would forge an item that impresses her and then he could drive away her loneliness. Even Chloe was someone he was heavily indebted to, and Vahn always felt a hint of guilt whenever he would visit the Hostess of Fertility with other people.

Of all the people he interacted with, it was always closer to give and take than actual compromise and cooperation. Vahn didn't have any memorable incidents in his mind where he worked alongside others to overcome difficulties and help each other out. Seeing the camaraderie possessed by everyone in the camp, Vahn questioned if the things he was doing now were correct.

After finishing his meal, Vahn decided to relax and clear his head a bit. He wasn't far from the river, and if he followed it further, there would be a small lake that continued onward until it joined the larger patchwork of lakes on the floor. Making his way through the woods, Vahn couldn't help but yawn. His body hadn't completely woken up, and the breakfast had made him a little drowsy. Taking a bath should help clear his mind and wake up his body for the coming day.

Vahn continued through the woods until he came into the clearing with the pond. Though he was still in a sleepy state of mind, he immediately recognized the presence of others the moment he entered the clearing. After staring at their figures for a bit, he stretched and decided it was probably better for him to leave. Since people over-reacted to his body, Vahn assumed it wasn't a good idea to be caught looking at them.

As he turned around, a pair of arms grabbed him from behind and Vahn could feel the cold water from their skins penetrate through his clothing. "Hahaha~ I caught you now Vahn! Where are you going after coming this far?" The person who had grabbed Vahn was Tiona, one of the four girls who had been taking a bath in the pond. She was also the primary reason Vahn had decided it was better to retreat, but when he had looked at them earlier, they were also staring towards him with surprised expressions.

Lefiya, who was also bathing, screamed out in a shrill and girly voice as she tried to hide her figure within the cold pond. Ais stared with a seemingly unperturbed expression, but Vahn noticed there was a slight blush on her cheeks. The only two acting 'normally' were Tiona and Tione who didn't seem to mind Vahn at all, especially considering Tiona was currently hugging him from behind and dragging him to the edge of the pond.

"Come on Vahn, why not take a bath together? This way, we'll have all seen each other n.a.k.e.d and it won't be awkward in the future~!" Before he was able to answer, Tiona already started undressing him, while Vahn didn't put any real effort into stopping her. Instead, he decided to speak out his concerns, "Mmm, I don't really mind, but other people seem to be uncomfortable..." As he spoke, he looked toward Ais who continued staring at him and the young Lefiya who was blowing bubbles while submerged into the water. Vahn didn't know someone's face could become so red.

"Ahahaha~It's fine, it's fine! You don't care do you Tione, Ais?" At this point, the only thing preventing Vahn from becoming completely n.a.k.e.d were his socks and boxers. Tione stared at the sight before speaking her mind, "Ehh, I'm surprised he is bold enough to be nude around a group of women. Most boys would have run away or try their best to make excuses. As long as you don't make a move on me, I don't really mind, but remember I'm saving myself for the Captain!"

Ais, who had been standing without making too much effort to hide her body, considered for a moment before speaking. "It's fine... Everyone stared earlier..." The moment Tione and Ais gave their consent, Tiona quickly separated Vahn's boxers from his body. In doing so, she had knocked him over a bit which allowed her to relieve him of his socks before dragging him into the pond.

Vahn thought the cold water was pretty relaxing, but before he could make himself comfortable, Lefiya screamed out. "W-w-w-w-what are you thinking!? We can't just let a b-b-b-boy take a bath with us!!!" Lefiya, who was still crouching down in the water was incredibly fl.u.s.tered after everyone else seemed completely okay with the situation. She began to think she was the weird one, but after seeing Vahn's n.a.k.e.d 'glory', she couldn't help but scream out in protest.

Vahn frowned after hearing her scream and couldn't understand why she was acting so strangely. She was acting a lot like Lili had the first time she walked in on him in the onsen. Every time after that she seemed perfectly fine, though her tolerance to the heat seemed a bit lacking since she always turned red the moment she entered the bath.

Tione saw Lefiya acting shy and a big grin appeared on her face. Sneaking up behind the bashful elf, she lifted Lefiya up while groping her chest. "There isn't anything to be ashamed about Lefiya, aren't you growing perfectly fine~!" As Lefiya was lifted out of the water, Vahn was able to see her unguarded body flailing about. Seeing Vahn's 'intense' gaze, Lefiya quickly gave in to the pressure building up in her head as she passed out with a slight nosebleed.

Tiona and Tione laughed at the sight, but Ais seemed a bit saddened by the turn of events. "Lefiya..." Vahn noticed her look and felt like he was the reason things had gotten out of hand. Without thinking anything, he walked toward Lefiya, who was still being held by Tione. Tione looked at him skeptically as he began stretching out his hand.

"Hey now, nobody gave you permission to touch. I'm sure if you're curious Tiona would be more than willing to assist you." Tiona seized the moment and tried taking advantage of the situation. "That's right Vahn, come, ask me about anything you want to know! I asked you a bunch of questions earlier, I don't mind~." As she spoke, Tiona was gently trying to pull his arm to the side. She was a bit envious seeing how he 'stared intensely' at the unconscious Lefiya.

Vahn shook his head as if to dismiss her offer, but he was just trying to convey he wasn't doing anything strange. "I'm just helping, not doing anything bad." As he said the words, Vahn placed his palm on Lefiya's head and used [Hands of Nirvana] to help calm her overtaxed mind. The other girls stared at him with confusion, but it quickly turned to interest as they saw his actions.

A few seconds later, Lefiya, in a dazed state, slowly opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize what was happening because there was an arm obstructing her vision. As the hand that had been resting on her head pulled away, Lefiya caught sight of Vahn, still n.a.k.e.d, smiling toward her. "Sorry if I caused you any problems. You should be okay now. Do you feel any discomfort?"

Lefiya, who was still dazed, slowly shook her head without saying anything. Hearing the concern in his voice and seeing the gentle expression on his face, Lefiya actually felt guilty about making him worried. Of course, this was only temporary as the pressure began to rapidly build up in her mind again as she continued catching glimpses of Vahn's figure. She slowly covered her face with her hands as Tione finally released her body. No longer supported by another person, Lefiya fell forward...into Vahn's arms.

Vahn had caught Lefiya, who had suddenly fallen towards him. He could feel her body immediately twitch as she seemed to freeze in place. Thinking there was something wrong, Vahn once again placed his palm on her head and began channeling [Hands of Nirvana]. "Are you okay, Lefiya?"

Lefiya's mind was in a chaotic state by the paradoxical feelings tearing through her mind like a hurricane. She felt happy, angry, sad, fl.u.s.tered, excited, confused, and a variety of other emotions all at once. Feeling the warm energy coming from the palm on her head, Lefiya felt at ease, but it also prevented her from releasing her emotions and she felt like they were slowly building up to a critical level. Removing her hands slightly, as she had been facing downward, Lefiya got a first-person close-up of the offending 'figure' as her mind blanked out.

For a few seconds, everyone noticed Lefiya completely freeze which caused Tiona to come and investigate. "Lefiya...are you okay?" As she asked the question, Tiona poked Lefiya in the shoulder. Almost as if she had been released from a spell, Lefiya stood up completely straight before rushing to the shore and grabbing her clothes. Without waiting for anyone to say anything, she bolted into the nearby woods and disappeared from everyone's sight while emitting a strange and aggrieved noise.

For a few seconds, everyone just stared in awe at the departing figure, unable to process what kind of reaction she had. Eventually, Tione took her fist and hammered it slightly into her palm like she had figured something out. "Ah! Maybe it was a bit too early for someone like Lefiya? Vahn isn't exactly...normal?" As she spoke, both Ais and Tiona looked towards the boy who was still standing unabashedly before them.

They could see he had an athletic figure with well-toned muscles. His skin was a healthy tanned complexion and he had a handsome face with a somewhat naive. His dark hair and vibrant aquamarine eyes enhanced his facial features and brought his appearance up a notch. But, the most important thing, and the reason Lefiya had run away...their eyes slowly drifted down past the relatively toned abdominal muscles of Vahn and saw his companion. Even in its dormant state, it caused people to feel almost 'intimidated'.

Vahn, noticing their gazes, followed their eyes before looking at his own p.e.n.i.s. At that moment, he recalled all the other times he had been n.a.k.e.d around others. Without exception, every single person would at some point fix their gaze on his exposed genitals. Vahn was confused, and since there were three people currently staring, he decided to ask. "Is there something wrong with it?"

Ais blushed a light shade of pink as she averted her eyes. Tione laughed while loudly proclaiming, "Hahaha, there is nothing wrong at all. If anything I'm worried about my sister's future!" Tione was laughing so uncontrollably that her b.r.e.a.s.ts jiggled, dislodging the built up moisture from the pond water. Looking towards Tiona, Vahn gave her a questioning look. Tiona gulped slightly, but Vahn could see a determination in her eyes like she was about to fight a fierce battle. "I won't be defeated so easily!"

Vahn was even more confused after seeing her reaction. He couldn't help but wonder what would she be defeated by, but for some reason, his instincts triggered slightly so he avoided asking.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Yanorth's Contribution','Denser than Adamantite','Skinship','Elves are quick to recognize Lewdness')

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Chapter 95 - Finn's Frustrations

Vahn spent about twenty minutes bathing with the three girls. After Tiona voluntarily washed his back, she remarked about how warm his body was in the cold water and stuck close to him afterward. Curious about the claim, Tione put her palm on Vahn's chest and was surprised to find that he was like a furnace even in the chilled environment. She was almost tempted to replace Tiona, but seeing the glint in her sister's eye made her feel a little intimidated.

Afterward, everyone got dressed and made their way back to the campsite. Halfway along the path, they came across Lefiya standing next to a tree that looked like it had been used for martial arts training. Vahn thought it was a bit strange, and then he noticed the abrasions on Lefiya's tiny fists. Frowning, Vahn grabbed her hands and started healing them, much to the girl's surprise and apparent frustration. After telling her to be more careful with her training, Vahn continued along the trail, leaving behind a stunned and befuddled Lefiya who was teased by Tione.

It was still early back at camp, but many people had awoken by now. The site was alive with the hustle-and-bustle of people going about their business and performing their various duties. After saying a short goodbye, everyone split into two separate groups to tend to their respective tasks. Tione, Ais, and Lefiya left to seek out Rivera and await orders from Finn, while Tiona followed Vahn to the Hephaestus Familia tents.

Similar to the previous day, Tiona stuck very close to Vahn, but this time she didn't seem like she was trying to prevent him from running away. Instead, she stood very near to him and, as they walked, they would periodically come into contact with each other while making small talk. Vahn had been curious about the village of the Amazons, Telskyura, and inquired about what kind of place it was.

Tiona seemed to think for a moment with a strange melancholy present in her still smiling face. To Vahn, he felt her eyes showed an uncharacteristic sadness, which made him feel uncomfortable. While she was still thinking, Vahn reached out his hand to pat her head. From his experience, most of the girls he interacted with seemed to enjoy when he did so and they would appear more at ease.

Tiona didn't seem to be the exception to his, as she nuzzled her hair against his palm with the melancholy in her eyes vanishing in an instant.

"It is kind of a sad and harsh place, but it wasn't all bad. As you'd expect, everyone there are Amazons and are led by the Goddess Kali. Men aren't allowed in the village, but there is a small settlement of would-be suitors not far. Some men think they have a chance of courting an Amazon if they are 'conveniently' nearby, but it rarely happens." Tiona laughed at the last part of her soliloquy.

Vahn was curious, so he asked, "Why does it only happen rarely?" In response to his question, Tiona leaned against him and reached her arms around the back of his neck. Pressing her body to his chest, she looked into Vahn's eyes with a 'predatory' expression as she slowly enunciated. "It is the instinct of Amazons to desire strong men. Men that think they can take a shortcut to try and win the heart of an Amazon are usually weak-willed and even weaker in strength."

As Tiona slowly closed the distance between their faces, Vahn could feel his heartbeat begin to accelerate and a cloudy haze filled his mind. Staring into the eyes of the approaching Tiona, Vahn remarked, "But, I'm not that strong. There are many people stronger than me." Even as Vahn spoke the words, he felt like there was something strange in them, almost as if he was making an excuse.

Tiona hummed slightly, it was like she found his words very amusing. With their noses practically touching, she spoke once more. "You are strong Vahn...and I can tell you will become even stronger in the future. That is why 'my' instincts are telling me." As she finished her words, she leaned forward and gently kissed Vahn's lips.

Vahn's mind completely blanked the moment their lips touched and he spread out his hands almost like he was afraid to touch anything in his absent state-of-mind. Tiona, as if unaware of his distress, continued kissing Vahn and even pulled his head more firmly toward her own. After a few seconds, she finally released him and stared toward Vahn's face with a mild blush covering her healthy browned skin.

"You know, I don't mind being the one to kiss others...But, I'd be happier to be on the receiving end some day." After she spoke the words, Tiona spun around with her hands behind her back and walked away while humming a happy tune. Vahn followed her figure in a daze and for the first time began looking at her slightly differently. His eyes wandered from her head, down the line of her uncovered back, past the cloth wrapping her waist, and all the way down to her bare feet. He just stood there in stunned silence until she had long disappeared through the assortment of tents.

Reaching his hand to his lips, Vahn couldn't help but mumble, "That was my first kiss..." For some reason, the thought brought a blush to his face and Vahn felt an uncomfortable yet pleasant feeling build up in his body when he began recollecting the event. Her lips were very soft, and he could remember the heat from her body pressing itself against his own. Vahn became increasingly fl.u.s.tered the longer he thought about the scene and felt a strong urge to run off into the woods and destroy something.

In all of Vahn's interactions with women, he had never considered the greater implications behind his, or their, actions. He knew he enjoyed being around them, but he never experienced such conflicting emotions before and didn't know how to deal with them. Now that Tiona had kissed him, he began to worry that all of his previous experiences were actually more intimate that he had realized. He began replaying all of his memories and looking at them through a 'new perspective', and Vahn couldn't help but feel the frustration in his body build to a critical point.

Finally, unable to deal with the emotions anymore, in a manner very reminiscent of Lefiya's scene from earlier, Vahn ran off into the forest. For nearly an hour after that, people within the campsite could hear the sounds of destruction in the distance. It was the sound of trees falling and boulders being shattered. Those with better hearing could even pick up the anguished cry of a young boy who sounded like an aggrieved spirit.Within a large tent in the center of the camp, Tiona was sitting on a table while dangling her legs about. A large smile was plastered on her face as she hummed a tune with her eyes closed. When asked why she was so happy by the other girls, she acted like a bashful maiden and laughed in a silly manner while holding her cheeks. "I had my first kiss with Vahn~" Hearing her response, her sister Tione seemed to suffer a massive mental blow, as she ran out of the tent screaming, "Captaaaain~!"

The group watched Tione depart into the distance, almost as if she had some kind of beacon showing her the way to Finn. Ais seemed to furrow her brows a bit as she looked at Tiona's beaming face. "He kissed you?" Hearing Ais's question, Lefiya began to frown from the side while Tiona just answered directly, "Not yet. I had to kiss him, but I think it was his first kiss too, so I'm very happy~"

Ais's expression relaxed a bit, while Lefiya's seemed to only get worse. Remembering everything she had experienced with Vahn, Lefiya had a lot of conflicting emotions. But, the one she was sure about was, she didn't like seeing Ais pay so much attention to him. Even though she knew Ais was actually a lot kinder than people thought, Lefiya felt a bit jealous seeing Ais concerned about a boy. Especially a handsome boy that was similar in age...Suddenly, Lefiya's thoughts wandered a bit and she had to cover her fiercely blushing face.

Riveria was watching the strange scene with a mildly shocked expression. She couldn't imagine what Vahn had done to impact all the young women in the group so severely in such a short period of time. Riveria was also interested in Vahn, primarily due to his strange ability to manipulate the elements, but she didn't think his act of killing the Goliath was enough to affect the hearts of Level 5 adventurers. She began to grow more interested in the boy and wondered if he harbored any more secrets she was unaware of.Finn was heading back from Riviria, the settlement near the large tree, and he had a grim expression on his face. Gareth too walked with a solemn countenance and kept silent for the duration of their trip. He was in the area when Finn received the order, and he knew things were going to be troublesome in the coming days.

They had been assigned the task of subjugating the Juggernaut on the 13th floor, primarily due to the fact that it had killed a number of adventurers already. The people of the City wanted answers, and it fell to the Loki Familia to find out the reasons behind its appearance; the Guild felt that waiting too long would make the future investigation too difficult so they issued an emergency mission which was approved by their goddess Loki.

Finn was busy thinking about the best way to distribute manpower and determine the most appropriate course of action to take. They definitely had the numbers to take on the beast, but it wouldn't be an easy fight no matter how cautious he chose to be. The biggest problem he faced was dealing with the Hephaestus Familia and making sure they understood the necessity of the current task.

This expedition they were on had been at the request of the Hephaestus Familia so they would be able to safely gather materials between the 25th and 30th floors. Some materials needed to be carefully harvested and weren't suitable to be retrieved by adventurers. The Loki had accepted the task of being their escorts, and the commission fee was already paid in full. Finn didn't want to abandon the mission, as it could harm the reputation of the Loki Familia, but he couldn't ignore the emergency mission either. Hopefully, things would work out and they would be able to complete both without any major problems...

While Finn was lost in his own thoughts, a slight rumbling could be felt through the ground. Thinking it was some beast that had ascended from the lower floors, Finn and Gareth got into combat stances and stressed their senses to detect the incoming threat. In his state of heightened awareness, Finn could hear the sound of a woman screaming in a frantic manner. He even thought, though he couldn't understand why, the girl seemed to be shouting his name...

A few moments later, the yell became clear in the ears of both Gareth and Finn and they quickly ran toward the direction it came from. The voice belonged to one of their companions, Tione, and she sounded like she was in a state of duress. Something urgent must have happened at the campsite to force her to seek Finn out. With the worst in mind, they increased their pace and doubled their efforts to meet Tione as quickly as possible to discover what the matter was.

After a short period of time, the three made visual contact with each other and Finn's mind entered an emergency state. He could see that Tione seemed visibly fl.u.s.tered, almost like her life was on the line as she waved toward his direction. Thoughts of what could have occurred to make a Level 5 act in such dire straights began to pass through his mind as they quickly closed the gap. When they were a few meters apart, just as Finn was about to have Tione explain the situation, she suddenly launched herself toward him.

"Caaaaptain!! Quick, give me a kiss!" Tione shot at Finn like a bullet, and even though he was in a dazed state of mind, he quickly evaded the human missile. Gareth looked at Finn with a humorous expression and began to laugh while hoisting his axe onto his shoulder. "Good luck, Finn." With those parting words, Gareth began walking toward the campsite while issuing an amused and explosive laugh from time to time.

Finn could feel the veins in his temples twitching furiously as he looked toward Tione who seemed devasted that he dodged her 'attack'. "What is this about Tione..." With an aggrieved expression, Tione turned toward him while rubbing her nose. "Its not fair Captain. Tiona shouldn't be able to get the march on me, the older sister. I want a kiss too!" With crocodile tears, Tione tried acting pitiable before once again launching herself toward Finn.

Dodging her second 'attack', Finn sighed deeply before walking toward the campsite. "Let's go Tione, there are important matters to discuss." After he spoke, Finn didn't bother to entertain her anymore. Tione vaulted from the ground after hearing his words and shouted, "Yes, Captain!" before following him obediently. Though, she wasn't too obedient as, during the rest of the trip, she would occasionally sneak glances at Finn's lips with an expression of desire plastered on her face.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Finn is 40, Tione is 14','Tiona gets ahead','Vahn's brain gets broken','Deforestation')

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Chapter 96 - Hephaestus : Day 1

(A/N: This is thanks for all the support I've been receiving about the novel~! Enjoy Hebaestus's suffering 3. This is kind of like a teaser for the POV recap at the end of the Volume as well.)

(Warning: NSFW Ahead.)

The day Vahn had left for the dungeon had become one of the most memorable in Hephaestus's several million years of experience. The fact that the young boy she had met only a few months prior was not only able to find his way into her heart, but also heal the mark on her face left a deep impact on Hephaestus. For the rest of the day, she just lazed about on her workshop table unable to think clearly.

Hephaestus just lay about in a daze while staring toward the ceiling with both of her eyes. In her hands, she held a polished mirror and would periodically peer into its surface to once again confirm the mark was gone. Every time she did so, she felt a pang in her chest and wanted to cry, but remembering the face of Vahn as he had left, she managed to hold back the feelings. She understood that she had more than simple affection for Vahn, but couldn't overcome her own inhibitions to act on them.

Thinking of Vahn, Hephaestus closed her eyes and relaxed her body in a lazy manner. She began replaying all the memories and experiences she had with him while listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. As she had grown accustomed to the act as of late, Hephaestus had begun to associate the rhythm with her own peace of mind. Listening to the steady, powerful, beating heart of Vahn, Hephaestus was able to relax and let her worries fade away.

Of course, this was not always the case, as several hours after Vahn left, Hephaestus noticed his heart rate increasing. She could feel excitement build inside of him, almost as if he was reveling in some enjoyable act. It was times like this that had caused her a great amount of stress lately. Since she couldn't see or feel what Vahn was going through, the only thing she could do was try to interpret the events from how his heart was beating. She hoped that, in this instance, he was simply working hard to increase his strength.

Remembering the promise he had made earlier, Hephaestus believed this to be the case so she allowed herself to experience his excitement as well. Almost as if to respond to his heart rate, Hephaestus's also increased and she began to experience feelings of excitement as well. She imaged the brave figure of Vahn defeating monsters with a smile on his face, so she too smiled and wished she could be there to see it.

Fortunately, as the day faded and night came, Vahn's heart seemed to calm down and Hephaestus was able to relax once again. From what she had experienced, she felt as if he had been in combat for a long period of time and was glad he took the time to take a break. Dragging her body lazily toward the couch in her office, Hephaestus lay down on the bed face-first and tried recalling the fragrance which had long faded. It felt like, if she focused enough, she could recall that peculiar smell that made her heart tickle.

Finding the 'fragrance', or at least imagining she had found it, Hephaestus began to blush fiercely. Looking toward the door and noticing the locks were properly in order, Hephaestus heaved a sensual sigh as she let her imagination begin to wander. Today had been a mixture of highs and lows, and her body was in high tension, especially after Vahn had restored her face to an unblemished form. As her emotions continued to rise, Hephaestus reached down to ease the ache that had been building inside her.

Entrusting her body to the couch, Hephaestus slowly lowered her form-fitting trousers and inserted her hand into the hidden garments within. She could feel a powerful heat and a dampness that had spread within the fabric as she began trying to release her pent-up emotions. Though her current body was that of a v.i.r.g.i.n, Hephaestus was not unaccustomed to the acts of s.e.x and self-pleasure. As most gods found her unappealing, she had long adapted to a life of self-comfort when it came to releasing her urges.

Unlike the sessions of the past, now Hephaestus began to lose herself in the moment. She began gasping for breath, and no matter how much air she drew it never seemed to be enough. As her left hand continued its endeavors, she unfastened the buttons on her blouse and found some small measure of relief in her free right hand. She squeezed her left b.r.e.a.s.t and let out a gasp that almost sounded like a name.

As she continued to service herself, Hephaestus tried focusing on the steady rhythm within her soul. It was like a beacon of light in the stormy seas she was experiencing, and she sought after the warmth and security it offered. The closer she allowed herself to get to that light, the greater the feelings became and she earnestly wanted to take that light for herself. This time, Hephaestus couldn't hold her voice as she cried out in a weak m.o.a.n, "Vahnnn..."

The aching feeling in her body continued to increase, and no matter how much Hephaestus tried to chase it away with her hands, she couldn't stop the surging tide. She began to gently repeat the name over and over in her mind while doing her best to stifle her own voice. Her body bent forward in the search for greater pleasure as her lungs cried out for more air. Her actions intensified until they had reached a critical point where her body suddenly inverted.

Bending backward like a bow, Hephaestus twitched while releasing a powerful groan through her clenched teeth. She felt all the feelings in her body surge and explode outward in an unstoppable wave. The wave continued echoing within the emptiness that had emerged as Hephaestus collapsed powerlessly into the couches embrace. In her disheveled state, she just stared lazily toward her dark office as a powerful loneliness began to permeate throughout her body.

In the silence that followed, while Hephaestus felt like she had become lost, she could hear that ever-present rhythm beating within her soul. She thoughtlessly listened to each individual thump as she allowed the feelings it brought to spread. It slowly, steadily, chased away the empty feelings. Bundling herself up into a ball, Hephaestus tried to keep those feelings from escaping using her own body to contain them. In this state, she slowly drifted off to sleep, for the first time embracing the hope that had been ignited within her.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Doki Dokie','Unstoppable Tide','Vahn's Presence')

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Chapter 97 - Emergency Mission

After Vahn had calmed down, he stared at the wreckage of the forest around him. Though he still had a lot of emotions swirling about in his body, he was at least able to rid himself of the majority of the problematic ones through physical exertion. There were more than a dozen trees that had been turned to mulch and several giant boulders that had been ground into fine powder in his immediate area.

Releasing a powerful sigh, Vahn began making his way back to the campsite. He still needed to meet the representative of the Hephaestus Familia to explain the situation. Now that he would be joining the expedition, he would have to follow along with the plans of those in charge. After seeing how well everyone coordinated with each other, Vahn didn't want to be the one to cause chaos and unrest in the group.

Arriving at the camp, Vahn made his way toward the largest red tent. Several people gave him strange looks, as he wasn't part of the original party, but nobody stopped him. Once he made it to the tent, he entered through the opening and came across a mature man eating breakfast alongside a woman. The man looked to be in his early thirties and had a powerful build with a neatly trimmed beard that merged into the blazing red hair on his head. The woman next to him had a beautiful, yet sleepy looking, face with drooping purple eyes and green hair fixed into a loose ponytail. She had a supple figure without any fat and rather large b.r.e.a.s.ts restrained by the dark purple b.r.e.a.s.tplate she was wearing.

The moment Vahn entered the tent, the man put down his utensils and spoke in an amicable manner. "You must be Vahn Mason, the 'Vulcan', correct?" Vahn was surprised that he was identified, but didn't think it was that odd as he had been left inside a tent earlier. Seeing his surprise, the man continued, "No worries kiddo. Riveria and the little amazon girl came by and explained things. Also, you're pretty famous within the Familia, so it was pretty easy to identify you." At the last part, the man started laughing and Vahn thought it was odd.

"Famous? Why? I haven't done anything..." As Vahn spoke, the woman began to laugh with a bell-like tone that sent a chill down one's spine. "Hephaestus-sama is quite fond of you and spread your image around in the Familia, Mr. Vulcan~" The lady looked at him with her sleepy eyes and Vahn almost averted his away instead of looking toward her.

In response, the man nodded his head and continued, "Yes, that is correct. Goddess Hephaestus told us that, if we were to meet a boy of your description in the dungeon, we should do our best to ensure your safety. I never expected to see you here on the 18th floor, much less accompanying the main party of the Loki Familia!" The man started laughing and nearly knocked the glasses on the table over.

The woman gave the man a sidewards glance and he quickly stopped laughing. After pretending to cough for a bit, the man spoke up."Ah, let me introduce myself. I'm Grant Messer, Level 3 and representative of the Hephaestus Familia for this commission. People call me the 'Sledgehammer'." As he said his title, the man patted the massive brown and orange hammer to his right.

After his introduction, the woman smiled toward Vahn and said, "And I'm Meryl Messer, his wife, also Level 3 and people call me the 'Witch'. Though, I would prefer if you just call me Meryl. I've never been fond of my nickname." When the woman had said her alias, Vahn saw a cold glint in her eyes that made him feel that, if he called her by that, he would likely pay a price.

Once all the introductions were made, Grant talked to Vahn about the purpose of their mission and his role should he decide to join them. They were currently on an expedition to collect various items between the 25th and 30th floor, with their ultimate goal being the bones and scales of the Bloodsaurus on the 30th floor. If Vahn joined the expedition, as he was both a capable fighter and apprentice blacksmith, he could either protect the group alongside the vanguard or stay in the back and perform maintenance and various other tasks.

After a bit of discussion, it was agreed that Vahn was better served at the vanguard. Though he had picked up a lot of skills with Tsubaki, he wanted to continue improving his strength. If he spent the entire trip in the backline, it would defeat the purpose of joining the expedition in the first place. Vahn wanted to quickly complete his quest and return to the surface. He began feeling that, the longer he stayed within, the more difficult it would be to deal with things in the future.

While they were discussing things and having a polite conversation, Riveria showed up at the entrance of the tent. She had a 'serious' look on her face and, seeing Vahn present, she nodded before stating the purpose of her visit to Grant. "Finn is gathering together all the decision-makers for an important discussion. As the representatives of the Hephaestus Familia, he needs you, Meryl, and Vahn to attend."

Grant nodded without questioning the order, but Vahn was somewhat confused. "Why does Finn need me to attend?" Vahn had only known Finn for a very short period of time, and definitely wasn't one of the 'decision-makers' in the expedition party. In fact, he wasn't even a member more than an hour ago...

Riveria looked toward Vahn and spoke plainly,"You are the only person present that has any information pertaining to the upcoming mission. Finn will explain the details, but know that we have been tasked with an urgent mission by the Guild." Hearing her words, Vahn suddenly understood what she was talking about. As he had anticipated, the Loki Familia had likely been assigned to subjugate the Juggernaut. Grant, who was also listening, frowned but kept his words to himself for the time being.

The group made their way to the largest tent in the center of the camp where Vahn saw all the main members of the Loki Familia's ace party, including Bete who seemed down in the dumps. The moment Bete saw Vahn enter with the Hephaestus Familia members, he snarled and almost lashed out but Finn stopped him. "There is no time for that Bete, stand down. We have important matters to discuss." Ever since the fiasco with Tione earlier, Finn had been a bit on-edge and appeared to be a little impatient.

Bete clicked his tongue and just sat at the periphery of the group while ignoring everyone. A large table occupied the center area of the tent, and there were several stumps that had been collected from the nearby forest to act as chairs. After sitting down with the rest of the group, Tiona, who had been watching Vahn since his entrance, exchanged seats to sit next to Vahn.

Vahn felt awkward the moment she sat next to him, and when he looked at her smiling face the emotions he had fought hard to expel earlier began to build back up. To counteract the emotions, Vahn began to channel his [Will of the Emperor] and his domain slowly spread out through the tent with his [Stealth] applied. Though it was almost imperceptible, nearly everyone in the tent except Grant and Meryl noticed it.

Finn frowned, and Tiona had a confused expression on her face as she noticed Vahn was trying to ignore her. She felt a peculiar sensation in her chest after seeing his efforts to avoid interacting with her. Before anyone else said anything about the current situation, Riveria spoke up while slowly moving her hand through the air. "Fascinating...this space almost seems to be isolated with concealment and sound-dampening properties. This should prevent anyone from outside the tent from picking up on our discussion. What a versatile skill..."

After listening to Riveria's explanation, Finn's expression loosened as he though Vahn was just trying to ensure the privacy of the information they would be discussing. He found Vahn's caution commendable and thought the skill was also quite useful. "Thanks, Vahn, it saves us a lot of trouble this way. Now we don't have to worry about causing a panic before we make a decision."

Vahn wasn't paying much attention to what was said, but hearing someone call his name he slowly nodded. Right now he was trying to focus his awareness on other things within the tent instead of the warm body sitting to his right. Even now he could 'feel' Tiona looking at him, but Vahn was doing everything in his power to avoid acknowledging this fact. Tiona, from the side, seemed to notice this and her brows began to furrow as if she was going to pout.

Finn noticed the atmosphere between Tiona and Vahn, but he decided to ignore it for the time being. There were important things to be discussed, and they could work out their problems later. "Okay, I'd like to thank everyone for gathering on such short notice. As you may be aware, the Loki Familia has been assigned an emergency mission by the Guild which was accepted by our Goddess, Loki. We understand that this puts the Hephaestus Familia in a difficult situation and are willing to refund the entire original commission fee as well as a contract cancelation fee. However, if possible, we would like to borrow the services of the Hephaestus Familia for the time being. Once we are able to accomplish our mission we will continue the expedition if there are further difficulties."

Finn explained the basic premise of the meeting without revealing too many details. Grant, who was experienced with such things, knew that he had the option of denying the mission and retreating to safety. Unless he decided to help the Loki Familia, they wouldn't reveal any of the information about their mission as other parties could interfere with its completion and contest for rewards.

After discussing things with his wife for a few minutes, Grant turned towards Vahn and asked,"What are you going to do kid?" Vahn was curious why Grant would ask him, but he considered things on his own before responding,"I am going to help. I probably have some relation to the mission, and if possible, I would like to take part." Grant, hearing Vahn's reply, nodded his head looked toward Finn. "The Hephaestus Familia will take part in the Loki Familia's emergency mission, but we expect to be compensated for any equipment and consumables used to ensure its completion. We also expect 20% of the posted rewards as well as the right to purchase any materials or drops earned at a premium."

Finn nodded his head and agreed to the terms. If things went well, it would be better to give up part of their rewards and continue the expedition. If the Hephaestus Familia left now, the penalty for breaking the contract would be immense and it would potentially damage the reputation of the Loki Familia. This was the best possible outcome in a lot of ways, and Finn knew that Vahn was the reason for Grant's cooperation. He too had heard of the rumors surrounding Vahn and Hephaestus, and this made Finn believe there was some truth to the matter.

"Very well, then I will explain the details of our mission. We have been given the task of subjugating the Juggernaut that has appeared on the 13th floor. If possible, we are also to investigate any strange occurrences that have happened and report back to the Guild at the earliest possible time. As it is an emergency mission, we have been given 30 hours to complete it. As I received word two hours ago, that only leaves us less than 28 hours to form a strategy to defeat the Juggernaut and conduct the investigation." Finn said the explanation with full seriousness while making eye contact will everyone present.

Hearing the mission entailed killing a Juggernaut, Grant immediately began regretting his decision to lend their aide. Though they were unlikely to participate in the combat, if the Loki Familia failed to kill the Juggernaut it would likely wipe out the entire expedition team, the Hephaestus Familia included. His face was set with a deep frown, but a gentle hand was placed on his thigh by his wife Meryl. Looking into her perpetually 'calming' eyes, Grant found his conviction before nodding to Finn.

Finn gave the two an appreciative smile before nodding his head at Vahn. "Okay Vahn, I would like you to recount everything you know about the Juggernaut. We need as much information you have about its size, characteristics, location, and anything else you may find important. Please, don't hold anything back as this may concern the lives of everyone present."

Vahn felt like the words weighed heavily on his body, and he couldn't help but look at the expressions of everyone in the tent. There was a solemn atmosphere and everyone had a serious look on their faces as Vahn slowly scanned them. When his eyes had made the full rounds, he set his sight on the person sitting next to him. Unlike everyone else, Tiona looked toward Vahn with a gentle and encouraging smile.

Suddenly, all of the tension seemed to go away and Vahn felt the pressure that had been weighing him down vanish. Unable to contain the 'relief' he had felt, Vahn released a sigh before a smile appeared on his lips. Looking toward Finn, he began recounting all the information about the Juggernaut, including how it seemed to have suffered a severe amount of damage from an unknown source.

(A/N: Alternate Title: 'Trauma', 'Round 2...','Negotiations')

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Chapter 98 - Strategy

As Vahn had been recounting his experience, Riveria and Finn had been taking notes. Once he was finished, the two compared notes and began discussing strategy with the other members present. "It's good that the Juggernaut is already injured, but we need to discover how such a thing happened. It may have something to do with the reason it was summoned in the first place."

Riveria nodded, "Yes, anything capable of dealing such a serious blow to a Level 7 creature could easily cause enough damage to the dungeon to summon it. The question is, why would they do such a thing? There may be more to this than anyone suspects..." Riveria spoke seriously and all the veterans of the group seemed to agree with her.

On the side, Vahn was sweating a bit hearing their words. He knew how the Juggernaut was injured and, as far as he knew, it had nothing to do with why it was summoned. There was no way to explain how he was the person that nearly destroyed it. As far as everyone in the room was concerned, he was just an abnormally strong Level 2, which was a far cry from the combat potential required to deal such a heavy blow to a Juggernaut. For now, he just sat silently and waited for the discussion to conclude.

It was ultimately decided that the group would be split into two lines of defense and one garrison unit. As the Juggernaut would immediately take action the moment the stepped onto the floor, it would require a team of elites to draw it into a position and fight it in direct combat. A secondary line would be in a room not too far away from where the majority of the combat potential would prepare an encirclement to attack the creature. The third group, the garrison, would actually be stationed near the holes on the lower floors. Vahn had provided an incredibly detailed map, so they were able to consider working the plan from multiple floors. In the worst case scenario, people could retreat down the holes where they would be received by the waiting members and treated.

It was decided, after asking for his agreement, that Vahn would be in the second group. As he only had the combat potential of a high-tier Level 3, there was no way he could be part of the group that draws the attention of the Juggernaut. That group would be lead by Finn, who would also be accompanied by Gareth, Bete, and Ais. The second group was lead by Riveria, as magic wasn't effective against the Juggernaut and she was lacking in speed. Her support units consisted of Tione, Tiona, Lefiya, as well as the majority of Level 3 or higher adventurers. Everyone else was in the third group, which was led by Meryl with the support of the majority of the Hephaestus Familia.

After nearly two hours of planning and discussion, they now had slightly more than 25 hours to execute the mission so everyone went about performing their duties. Finn wanted the entire camp prepared and ready to move within three hours and they would begin their march to the 14th floor at the earliest possible time. Taking into consideration the setup and communicating the strategy with the other members, Finn expected there would be less than 18 hours to actually subjugate the Juggernaut.

Though it seemed like a lot of time, the logistics behind the operation were a nightmare. Every setback could hold up the entire group for hours and could lead to further problems if not addressed immediately. If the leadership broke down, the entire group could end up being wiped out. Taking into account all the possible issues that may arise, the estimated 18 hours was likely closer to 10.

While trying to leave the tent, Vahn was 'captured' by Tiona. She had noticed he was being especially cautious of her, so instead of sticking to him like normal, she just tugged at his sleeve with a bit of strength. Vahn, feeling his sleeve being pulled, almost tried to jerk his arm away, but, seeing the somewhat sad expression on Tiona's face, he couldn't muster the courage.

Noticing that Vahn hadn't tried to run away as she expected, Tiona smiled and got a little bit closer without directly touching him. "Are you angry with me Vahn? I didn't mean to upset you earlier...I just got caught up in the moment and couldn't help myself." Unlike her normal, vibrant, self, Tiona was acting in a reserved manner. Seeing her uncharacteristic behavior and the drooping aura coming from her body, Vahn felt an itching in his heart and wanted to make her go back to normal.

"No, I'm not angry or anything Tiona. I was just surprised...I don't really know how to deal with that type of thing. Until now, I've never really even thought about girls, or kissing, or anything like that. I've just focused on becoming stronger and trying to live freely..." Vahn looked into her eyes as he tried to explain his feelings, but the more he talked, the more confused he became. Everything he was saying was the truth, but as he said it, he felt like that wasn't how he had been living at all.

Though he did try to become stronger, it was only after certain events triggered him to do so. He did spend a lot of time training, but that was only because he felt like he needed to. Hephaestus and Tsubaki both had expectations for him, and Vahn didn't want to let either of them down. However, most of his time other than that was spent idling around. He enjoyed relaxing and talking to people, spending time in comfort, and he especially liked when he was embraced by the other girls. Before Tiona's kiss, he never thought anything of it, but now Vahn was overly aware that the things he had been doing were slightly abnormal.

Tiona could see him struggling internally, and she wanted to hug him to make him feel better. But, thinking he might still be uncomfortable, Tiona did the same thing he had done for her when she was feeling down. Reaching out her hand, she started gently stroking his hair with a smile on her face. Vahn, feeling the touch, let his thought slowly fade as he just enjoyed the sensation. He wondered if this was how the other girls felt when he rubbed their heads...it was relaxing and helped calm the turmoil in his mind.

Seeing that he had cheered up a bit, Tiona smiled and said, "You don't have to be in such a rush. Just take things slow and try your best to understand how you feel. I just don't want to see you acting so strangely over something so small Vahn. The way you were earlier today, and especially yesterday, was much much cooler. Even if you're stuck like that for a long time, I think it is better than getting caught up in the expectations of others?" Tiona wasn't entirely sure of her own advice, but she felt that the heroic Vahn that pushed himself beyond his limits was the ideal him...at least in her mind.

Vahn recalled all his actions in the past, and focused on key moments, primarily those where he had been most happy. In each and every one of them, he was either enjoying the comfort of another person or reveling in overcoming his own limits. He felt that Tiona was right, but he still didn't know what to do with the feelings that, even now, were bubbling inside of him. Though it was different from the excitement he experienced in fights, it was almost overwhelming and Vahn felt like his heart was going to twist itself into a knot from his own frustration.

Tiona was patiently waiting for Vahn to work through things while she continued to pat his head. She noticed he had become a lot more relaxed, and tried closing the distance between them a bit to probe things out. Seeing that he didn't shy away from her, Tiona felt emboldened and decided to give Vahn a hug. She noticed his body flinched a bit, but he didn't try to escape her embrace. After a while, Vahn completely relaxed and Tiona began to gently hum a song while caressing his head.

The anxieties in his mind cleared up once again, and Vahn just listened to the humming of Tiona. He could feel the reverberations of the tune resonating from her collarbone as the notes spread throughout his body. He was reminded of the time when Hephaestus had embraced him, and Vahn couldn't help but wonder why it was always so comforting to be held by another person. Slowly, he wrapped his own arms around Tiona and asked, "What is that song you're always humming..."

Tiona laughed a bit and responded, "I'm not sure...I just remember it from my childhood. I remember someone always holding me and humming that tune, and it always made me feel safe and happy. Now, whenever I feel happy, I can't help but hum to express it..." Tiona, having been embraced by Vahn in return, spoke the words in a slightly higher pitch.

Vahn could tell from her voice that she was happy, but he decided to ask anyway. "Are you happy right now?" Tiona tightened her grip on Vahn and rested her head on his shoulder. "I am, but I was also humming because I wanted you to experience the same thing I used to experience when hearing that song. You seemed so lonely and confused, and I wanted you to feel safe and happy."

Vahn released a sigh, and as his breath tickled her neck, Tiona squirmed slightly before looking toward him. Matching her eyes, Vahn's heart began to beat faster and the feelings that started to diminish returned in full force. He could see that her lips were a bit moist, and from her expression, Vahn could see a hint of expectation in the depths of her eyes. Swallowing his saliva, Vahn decided to speak out his mind. "I feel like I want to try kissing, but every time I think about it...weird feelings spread in my chest and I get dizzy. I don't like feeling like this, but for some reason, I can't get the thoughts out of my head. I think I may be going crazy..."

Tiona smiled widely after hearing Vahn say he wanted to 'try kissing'. From his words, she realized Vahn was way more innocent than she had expected. It was no wonder he didn't seem to be shy around other people, it was like he had no experience interacting with anyone. She began to believe he may not even know about the relations between man and woman, so she decided to ask. "Vahn, do you know how babies are made?"

Vahn nearly faltered at the question, but because he had decided to confide in her he gave what he thought to be the correct answer. "It should be s.e.x..." Tiona nodded her head in approval; maybe he knew more than she expected? "Okay, but do you know what s.e.x is?" For Tiona, this was something very important to her future, and she wanted to make sure Vahn didn't have any misunderstandings.

Swallowing his saliva, Vahn contemplated for a moment before answering. Though he knew s.e.x was required to make babies, none of the books he had read went into any details about the process. Even in his previous life, other than a basic education and learning to read and write, Vahn had no education regarding s.e.x. In fact, in his entire life, he had only ever met two women...and he wasn't fond of either. Trying to recall some of the things he had seen in books, Vahn gave a hesitant response."Umm, it's when...a boy and a girl get married...and then the girl gets a fat belly and a baby is born."

Tiona was stunned at his response, but before she could say anything, laughter could be heard coming from inside the tent. Turning her head, she could see Tione, Ais, and Lefiya, who had been eavesdropping their conversation. Lefiya had a blushing face, while Ais had her usual expression, but Tione was laughing so hard that it looked like she would fall over. Tiona felt pissed off seeing her reaction, especially since she was laughing at Vahn.

"Don't laugh Tione! I think it's cute how innocent he is. It makes everything that happens after more meaningful!" Tiona was in a flurry and had even let go of Vahn; it was almost like she was preparing to fight her sister if she couldn't control herself. Tione, completely unfazed by her angry stance, continued laughing. "At least I don't have to worry about you getting the march on me any more! Hahahaha...marriage...fat belly...hahahahaha."

Hearing her sister continue laughing, Tiona was about to enter into a berserker rage and teach her a lesson. Just as she was about to step forward, two things occurred which made her nearly fall over after stopping her momentum. Vahn, who had been standing behind her asked a question while Ais, who was standing next to Tione, knocked Tione on the head with her fist and made a declaration.

"Is that wrong?" "It's not nice to laugh at people."

(A/N: Alternate Title: 'Doki Doki Vahn~','Tiona's Concerns for the Future','Ais's hammer of justice','Lefiya's overactive imagination')

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Chapter 99 - Birds and the Bees

Everyone was standing around with an awkward atmosphere at the sudden lull in the events. After Ais had punched Tione's head, she was now rubbing the bump with her hands and giving her an aggrieved look. "Dat hwert Aith!" Because she had been laughing at the time, Tione bit her tongue when Ais had hit her. She has tears on the edge of her eyes.

Ais stared at her with slightly furrowed brows. "Sorry...Don't laugh." Ais apologized and walked toward Vahn. Tiona was just about to laugh at her own sister's misfortune, but seeing Ais approach she became cautious. Ais completely ignored her and stepped in front of Vahn before reaching out her hand. "Come." Vahn, who had just asked his question earlier, was somewhat confused by the turn of events, so he just accepted Ais's hand.

After he grabbed her hand, Ais started leading Vahn towards the tent with the other three girls trailing behind. Tiona wanted to stop her, but seeing the serious expression in Ais's face, she knew it wouldn't be easy to stop her. For now, she decided to just follow along to make sure nothing happened without her knowledge. Lefiya, who was standing next to Tiona, frowned as she stared at the two holding hands in front of her.

The tent had multiple sections, and Ais took Vahn into the eastern area which he discovered was the room where Riveria worked and slept. She was currently looking over the map Vahn had drawn previously, but after everyone entered her room she looked at them in a curious manner before asking, "What is it; did something happen?"

Ais pulled Vahn forward before she had him sit down in front of Riveria. After settling him, Ais sat down next to him on her knees and looked towards Riverira. The other girls didn't know what was going on, but Ais eventually spoke and they all had very different expressions after hearing the words. "Riveria, teach us how babies are made." Ais had a serious expression as she made her request.

Riveria frowned before she looked towards Tione and Tiona with an accusatory look. "What happened...?" Tione, who had nearly fallen over in another fit of laughter, froze after hearing the cold tone of Riveria. Tiona, who had a shocked expression at hearing the 'brilliant' idea of Ais began to explain. "Umm...it's like this~" She recounted the events but spun the story slightly so as not to embarrass Vahn. Lefiya, who was at the tail-end of the group had nearly passed out with a red face after hearing Ais's request.

After hearing the full story, Riveria frowned a bit before looking at the two sitting before her. "I can understand why Vahn would be here, but why are you Ais?" Riveria could feel the echo of endless future headaches resounding like an armed battalion in her head. Ais was already a very beautiful girl who many men had tried courting, but she had never shown an interest in matters related to s.e.x no matter how many men tried seducing her.

Ais stared towards Tione and frowned slightly before turning her head to look at Vahn. After another few seconds, she looked towards Riveria and said. "Tione laughed at Vahn. I don't want to be laughed at." Ais had trouble expressing herself, but she knew that seeing Tione laugh at Vahn had made her very uncomfortable. Since the question he had asked was one she didn't know the answer to, Ais felt that she was being treated like a fool unless she knew the answer.

Riveria nodded in understanding. "So you're saying the culprit behind all of this is Tione. Yes, I understand now...I will have to make sure she is properly disciplined later." The more the spoke, the colder her voice sounded. Tione, who was standing at the entrance to the room gave an awkward smile and started backing away. "I have some things to take care of for the mission...I will excuse myself here." Afterward, Tione left through the flaps of the door and disappeared from the site without another word.

Releasing a long sigh, Riveria looked toward Vahn and Ais for a few seconds before turning her gaze toward Lefiya and Tiona. "I know you're fine Tiona, but are you going to stay and listen as well Lefiya?" Lefiya had been in a daze since earlier, and hearing Riveria speak her name made the small girl startle. With a red face, she stared at Ais and Vahn with watery, frustrated, eyes before nodding her head.

Releasing an even longer sigh, Riveria had Lefiya sit next to Ais while Tiona sat loosely on a cushion at the side. She pulled her feet together with her hand and sat un a very unladylike posture as she also intended to listen to the 'lesson' that Riveria would give. Though she already knew the process, she wanted to make sure nothing was left out from the explanation. As far as she was concerned, it would make her life more difficult if anything was overlooked. (A/N: For those imagining how Tiona is sitting, think of modified groin stretch in yoga.)

Seeing that everyone was ready, Riveria began to explain the process from start to finish. As her explanation dragged on, Vahn seemed to have an incredibly shocked expression as he listened. Ais's expression hadn't changed much, but she had a serious look in her eyes with a slight blush on her cheeks. The most affected by the lesson was Lefiya, who had long turned a fierce crimson and was muttering a 'wa wa wa' sound while flailing her hands around. (A/N: I didn't bother explaining the birds and the bees in detail because I assume all of you are 17!)

After everything was wrapped up, Riveria looked at the three and asked, "Any questions?" Vahn immediately wanted to retort that he had several, but he wasn't able to speak any of his thoughts. The only thing going through his mind was all his previous interactions with girls in the past. He began to realize various things and understood that his actions weren't simply strange, they were completely abnormal.

Mustering up what courage he had, Vahn asked, "Is it wrong to be seen n.a.k.e.d by other people?" Remembering all the times he had been nude around others, Vahn began to think he had done something terrible. Riveria seemed to consider his words before Tiona spoke up, "No! It isn't wrong, at least not when the person you're n.a.k.e.d with is someone you like! As long as you're n.a.k.e.d around people you trust, it is okay~!"

Vahn seemed a bit relieved after hearing Tiona's words, but he still looked toward Riveria who had furrowed her brows slightly. So far, other than some members of the Loki Familia, Vahn had only ever been n.a.k.e.d around the people he trusted. If what Tiona said is true, then it should be fine.

Riveria was a bit at a loss of how to answer. Technically, what Tiona said wasn't wrong, but there was definitely a bit of bias in it. Though she didn't mind Vahn having a bit of matters to work through on his own, seeing Ais and Lefiya also listening, she had to try and alter things a bit or it would cause problems later. "Hmm, what Tiona says...isn't wrong. However, it usually requires trust between people to be much higher, especially for members of the opposite s.e.x. Here is an example...Girls typically only bathe with girls, while guys usually only bathe with guys. If guys and girls bathe together, it is usually because they are lovers...though sometimes young siblings and children are exceptions." Riveria thought she explained the matter clearly, but she could see Vahn became confused by her words.

"Other than Lefiya, nobody seemed to mind when I had entered the lake earlier...But I'm not lovers with any of them..." Vahn considered Riveria's words and realized, though he wasn't lovers with any of the girls, he did have a bit of trust toward them. He could see they all had clear auras and everyone treated him well. As he had made contact with each girl, even the lowest among them, Lefiya, had an affection level of 71. Vahn guessed it wasn't necessarily wrong, so he felt like a load had been removed from his shoulders.

Hearing Vahn mention the lake earlier, Lefiya finally succ.u.mbed to the pressure and passed out; It almost looked like her soul had escaped from her body. Tiona started laughing awkwardly while making her way to the door, while Ais had a somewhat dazed expression as she was recalling the events. Riveria, seeing the strange reactions of everyone, looking towards Tiona and ordered, "Tiona, explain what this is all about..."

"Ahahaha, you see..." Tiona, unable to escape in time, ended up telling the full story to Riveria. She told her about how Vahn had stumbled into the area where they were bathing and she ended up inviting him to join. After getting permission from 'everyone' present, Vahn ended up taking a bath with them and they washed each other's backs. Tiona made sure to say that nothing 'dangerous' had happened during the entire scenario.

Riveria felt the veins in her temples pulsing slightly as she wanted to beat the amazon girl with her staff. If what Tiona said was true, it wasn't Tione who was the culprit behind this mess, it was Tiona. Riveria wanted to confirm her suspicions, so she turned to Vahn and asked, "Vahn, what made you so curious about all these things. I noticed you had been acting strange since earlier." Hearing the question, Tiona could feel a cold sweat begin pouring down her back.

Vahn didn't think there was anything strange about the question, so he answered honestly, "Tiona had given me a kiss when I had left for the Hephaestus Familia camp. Afterward, I felt a lot of strange emotions...and went off to destroy a bunch of things in the forest nearby." As Vahn spoke till this point, he actually realized his actions were very embarrassing. Coughing to relieve some of the tension, Vahn continued, "After that, I wanted to better understand the strange feelings...and that lead to this situation after Tione started laughing at me."

While Vahn explained everything, Riveria kept nodding over and over with an angry look on her generally emotionless face. Vahn could see the yellow and purple aura on her body begin to turn slightly hazy and red, but he could tell the emotions weren't directed at him as they were orienting towards Tiona who had nearly exited the tent. "Tiona, both you and your sister need to come to see me after this mission is over. I feel like there is a lot we need to talk about."

After the 'lesson' was over, Rivera gave some advice to her three 'students'. She told them some things they had to be aware of and explained that, even if they give in and want to experiment with their emotions, they needed to always act reservedly around others. Though it wasn't wrong to be affectionate, it was typically considered inappropriate to perform such acts in public.

As she explained, Vahn was listening attentively and trying to match everything she said to his own experiences. Other than a few instances, just as Riveria said, Vahn didn't see anyone acting too affectionate in public. The only exceptions seemed to be when people were on dates or had just experienced an event and were celebrating. As long as he took care to watch how he acted in public, Vahn didn't think his behavior needed much correcting.

The entire 'lesson' took nearly half of the three hour period they had to prepare for the mission. Riveria had them leave, as she had many things that still needed her attention. After Vahn, Tiona, Ais, and Lefiya left the tent, Tiona got close to Vahn and asked, "Have you figured anything out now?" Vahn could see the same expectant look on her face from earlier. Considering the affection she had for him, Vahn didn't think it was strange for them to be close to each other. He showed her a gentle smile and said, "There are still a lot of things I'm concerned about, but I don't think what has happened is wrong. Now that I know what these feelings mean, I want to try and get used to them in the future. I feel like there aren't enough trees on the entire 18th floor if I keep bottling things up."

Hearing Vahn's words, Tiona began to get excited and got very close to him. "Then, can you try kissing me!?" Vahn was a bit taken aback by her energy, but considering everything that had happened in the last few hours, he decided he owed her a bit. As he had never kissed anyone himself, Vahn awkardly tried placing his arms around Tiona's head like she had done so previously.

Tiona laughed at Vahn's mimicry of her actions, then she took his hands and placed them around her waist. "Its better if a man holds a woman by the waist when he kisses her~" Vahn listened to her words and noticed that it did feel much easier to hold her at the back. The springy and warm sensation on his palms made the feelings in his heart bubble up even more than when he had tried to grab around her neck.

Tightening his grip a bit, Tiona put her arms around Vahn's neck and he bent in and kissed her on the lips. As it was only his second kiss, Vahn didn't try anything outside his own experience. He noticed that, unlike when Tiona had kissed him previously, he was a lot more calm. Though there was still a fuzzy feeling in his head, he felt like he enjoyed the kiss a lot more the second time. As he focused his mind on the sensation, Vahn seemed to lose track of time until a sound came from his right.

Ending the kiss, Vahn turned away from the enamored expression of Tiona and saw Lefiya and Ais looking at him. Ais seemed to somewhat upset, as Vahn could see her brows furrowed slightly. Lefiya, on the other hand, seemed to actually be angry at Vahn's actions. He noticed her aura was flickering like a flame as she looked at him with an accusatory look. "Didn't Riveria say to keep that kind of stuff in private!? Y-y-you two need to get a room before you do anything like that!"

Staring at the shaking hand of Lefiya, Vahn felt a little annoyed and confused. Right now, the only people around him were the three girls, all of which he had some degree of trust toward. He didn't know why Lefiya seemed so upset over something like a kiss, especially since it was supposed to be a lot milder than being n.a.k.e.d like they all were earlier.

Tiona finally broke out of her daze as she looked toward Lefiya with what Vahn could only describe as a mock-angry expression considering the smile on her face. "Leeefiya, why did you have to interrupt." Tiona had noticed that Vahn was beginning to get into the kiss, and she wanted it to continue for much longer. Lefiya, who was just accused, shook her head before turning her finger toward Ais. "I wasn't the one who made a noise..."

Turning toward Ais, Tiona, who had known her for several years at this point, could see that she was angry. Frowning, she asked, "What's wrong Ais? Why did you stop us..." Instead of answering her question, Ais walked forward and looked at Vahn's face. She continued to stare, and the longer her gaze lasted the more uncomfortable Tiona felt. She had a bad feeling about the situation.

Ais, who had been staring directly at Vahn for a while, spoke,"Kiss...I want to try..." As she spoke the words, a slight blush appeared on her face as both Tiona and Lefiya screamed out at the same time, "Eeeeeeeeeeeh~!?"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Trouble','Birth of the Kissing Demon','S.e.x-Ed is Dangerous when misunderstood','Vahn's Misunderstanding','Hephaestus's Lamentation')

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Chapter 100 - Differences

Hearing that Ais wanted to kiss him, Vahn paused for a moment while thinking about his experiences with her. Much like Tiona, he had only known Ais for a short period of time and, in that time, they shared many of the same experiences. They had both dueled him, seen him n.a.k.e.d, bathed with him, and each had relatively high affections for him. Tiona was leading with her 100 affection, but Ais was sitting at 81, which was very high considering the short period they knew each other.

Ais was still looking toward him as he was mulling over the thoughts in his mind, almost like she was waiting for his decision. Vahn made eye contact with her and, after considering things, decided there was no reason to refute her. She hadn't done anything to make him dislike her, and according to what he had learned from Riveria, there shouldn't be any problems. Vahn nodded his head, and Ais walked closer to him before stopping right in front.

Off to the side, Tiona stared at the two with stars in her eyes as she held Lefiya's mouth shut. Though she didn't plan to let anyone take away Vahn from her, it didn't mean she would prevent him from being with other people. For her, as long as she managed to secure all of Vahn's firsts, everything else just increased her prestige and Vahn's appeal. Lefiya seemed like she desperately wanted to stop the events that were about to transpire, so Tiona had sealed her mouth shut for the time being.

Vahn and Ais stared at each other without either making any movements for a while. Seeing the blushing Ais and her peerless complexion and doll-like face, Vahn felt the emotions that had been plaguing him lately begin to build up. She really was a very beautiful girl and, though she lacked expressiveness, Vahn thought she seemed to be the kind and gentle type. Well, as long as she wasn't fighting a monster...

After a while, Vahn got closer to Ais and reached his hands around her waist. Unlike Tiona, Ais actually wore much more armor than she did in the manga. Though there was a gap near her back, it was somewhat awkward to grab around the plating and leather bandings of the armor. Vahn took a moment to find a better spot to seat his hands as Ais's blush began to grow deeper. Finally, Vahn gave up trying to hug around her waist and just settled in the opening around her back, almost like he was hugging her normally.

Once his 'preparations' were complete, Vahn looked into Ais's eyes and noticed they were slightly watery. Though her expression hadn't changed much, Vahn could see her brows had raised a bit. Slowly leaning his face toward her's, Vahn overlapped his lips with Ais's and gently kissed her. The moment they made contact, Ais tensed up a bit, but as the kiss continued she slowly began to relax.

The first thing Vahn noticed during the kiss, was that her lips were both similar but very different to Tiona's. They were soft, but they had an extra springiness to them which made his head fuzzy. The next thing he noticed was the fragrance coming from her body. Unlike Tiona, who had a somewhat earthly smelling fragrance like fresh greens, Ais's fragrance actually smelled a little like distilled honey. It was a subtle, but almost addicting aroma and it seemed to seep into Vahn's mind and settle itself into the fuzzy feelings.

Just like when he had kissed Tiona, Vahn lost track of time as he began focusing on the different emotions and sensations building in his mind and body. He enjoyed kissing more than he expected, and it seemed like the longer the kiss went on, the better he felt. Suddenly, Ais began to squirm in his arms and Vahn pulled himself away from her. He could see that her face was red and she was breathing heavily with watery, almost pain-filled eyes. "Air...can't breath."

Hearing her words, Vahn felt very awkward and a bit anxious. "Sorry, I got carried away..." Without thinking, he apologized and bowed his head slightly. Ais, who had been trying to recover her breathing, shook her head after hearing his words. "No. It was good...fluffy." Thinking that Vahn was blaming himself, Ais tried encouraging him using her thoughts about the experience. As it was her first kiss, she had blanked out very similarly to how Vahn did so previously. While she was struggling with all the new emotions inside of her, she forgot to breathe and began to panic slightly towards the end.

After she had calmed down, Ais wrapped her arms around Vahn and tried to give him a kiss this time. Before she was able to do so, Lefiya managed to free herself from the somewhat dazed Tiona and shouted. "Noooo~! Ais, you can't!!!" Lefiya immediately pulled Ais away from Vahn's grasp, and she gave Lefiya a sad look with her brows furrowed slightly. "Lefiya...you want a kiss too?" Ais thought Lefiya had stopped her, much like she had stopped Tiona previously.

Hearing Ais's words, Lefiya's face turned beet red and she began to stutter. "N-n-n-n-n-no way! No way, no how! I can't k-k-k-k-kiss this, this BEAST!!!" Lefiya was flailing her arms around trying to deny the question before pointing toward Vahn when she shouted 'beast'. Vahn frowned after hearing her call him a beast, as he doesn't recall doing anything to offend the small elf girl.

Tiona had recovered by now and began to laugh playfully at Lefiya's innocent actions. "Ahahaha, he really is a 'beast' in a way~! Vahn is a 'kissing-beast' that makes a girls heart flutter, isn't that right Ais~?" Tiona knew which aspect Lefiya was talking about, but decided to twist her words a bit to tease her. Hearing Tiona's question, Ais paused for a few seconds with her head tilted. After finding an answer, she nodded her head saying, "Nnn, it made my heart beat very fast."

As Lefiya listened to Tiona and Ais talk about kissing, she desperately wanted to try and 'correct' them, but she felt like if she tried clarifying things she would seem like a pervert. The pressure had been building up in her brain for a while, and the more she tried processing her chaotic thoughts, the closer she felt she was getting to passing out. Lefiya began to feel like today was the worst day of her life when, suddenly and unexpectedly, a hand landed on top of her head.

All of the thoughts in her mind faded away at the unexpected contact as a gentle warmth began to flow through her head. Just like all the other times she had experienced it, it was a very pleasant feeling, but it also made Lefiya feel terrified at the same time. Turning her head slightly, she could see Vahn looking at her with a concerned expression. "It's okay Lefiya, I won't kiss you. I am not a kissing beast or anything like that."

Hearing Vahn mentions the words 'kissing beast' while showing her kindness made Lefiya feel like she wanted to cry. Everyone seemed to be misunderstanding her feelings, but there was nothing she could do to explain it. She had experienced so many ups and downs today, and they were almost all because of Vahn. Lefiya wanted to resent him for inserting himself into her life and making things so chaotic, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't seem to hate the naive, gentle, strong, and handsome boy.

All Lefiya had wanted after joining the Loki Familia was to spend time with her friends and try to get to know Ais better. Now, it seemed like Ais was being taken away from her, and it made Lefiya feel like she was losing something she had never had the chance to obtain. She knew Ais didn't think of her in any strange way, and it was just her own fantasies mixing with reality, but Lefiya still felt very sad at seeing her so affectionate towards another person...especially a handsome boy.

Feeling the warmth flowing from the palm, Lefiya could no longer hold back her tears as she dropped to the ground and started crying softly. Vahn continued trying to 'console' her, and the more he did so, the more terrible Lefiya felt. Not because he was being kind to her, but because she couldn't hate him for all the things he had been doing. She could understand why other girls would fall for him as she also felt strange after interacting with him in such a short period of time. Lefiya felt it was very unfair...

Suddenly, Lefiya was embraced by a hard, but warm figure. Ais, who had been watching the incident, felt really bad for the crying Lefiya. She felt like she had wronged the girl in some way, but was unable to understand the reason. Instead of trying to figure it out, she decided to comfort the crying elf, so Ais kneeled down and embraced her gently. Unfortunately, as Ais was wearing armor, it wasn't a soft embrace, but Lefiya seemed to cheer up almost instantly.

After Ais hugged Lefiya, Vahn removed his hand and smiled at the sight. Lefiya had stopped crying a bit, but there were still a few tears in her eyes. Ais, seeing that Vahn had removed his hand, began gently patting the girl's head like she was a small animal. "There, there, Lefiya. Don't be sad." Lefiya, hearing her words, turned her body and embraced Ais in return. She snuggled her face into the hard b.r.e.a.s.tplate of Ais and treated it like the most comfortable pillow in the world. "I won't be sad anymore Ais. As long as I can be like this for a little bit longer..." In response, Ais just kept patting the girls head and said, "Nn, but not too long."

Tiona, seizing the moment when Vahn was free, ended up dragging him away while Ais followed their retreat with her eyes. She seemed to want to say something, but she was busy coaxing the small elf that was dripping snot and tears on her armor. Vahn allowed himself to be dragged away by Tiona as he gave an awkward smile towards the 'disgruntled' Ais.

Once they had gotten a far enough distance away, Tiona once again embraced Vahn and quickly gave him a kiss before he could react. It was just a small peck on the lips, and then she immediately pulled away while laughing. "Ahaha~! As expected, a hero has many heroines at his side. Just make sure you always have a place in your heart for me, okay~?" Though Tiona was acting playfully, Vahn could tell she was very serious when she spoke her words.

Vahn nodded his head before giving her a serious response, "I will try, but I don't know much about love and things like that. There are still a lot of things I want to do, but I will do my best as long as I don't make anyone I care about sad..." Tiona beamed after hearing his statement, and then seemed to ponder for a while with her index finger to her chin. "That's right, there were a bunch of others girls around you at Tsubaki's place. I thought they might be your lovers, but seeing as how you didn't have any experience, that means I am your first, right?"

Vahn was very confused, and without thinking, he asked, "Eh? We're lovers?" Vahn knew they had been intimate, but he didn't think they had crossed that line yet. He thought lovers had to have s.e.x or get married. Tiona saw his fl.u.s.tered state and closed the distance between them. She bent forward with her hands behind her back, low enough so that she could look up at Vahn's face from below. "Do you not like me, Vahn?" Tiona had a pleasant smile on her face as she asked the question.

With how Tiona had approached him and asked her question, Vahn felt a bit nervous and swallowed his saliva. It was true that he didn't dislike Tiona, and he didn't think he would feel so strange if he didn't like her. "I think I do like you..." Vahn slowly spoke the words, almost as if he was testing them on his lips for the first time. After hearing himself, Vahn realized that this was technically his first confession to a girl...

Tiona smiled with a smile more radiant than the crystals shining overhead. "Good, because I really really like you~! Since we both like each other, that means we can be lovers, right? You don't have to worry, even if we have a baby it won't interfere with your life. I will do my best to raise it at the village before I come back!" Tiona was getting very excited since she felt like she had finally found the 'hero' she had been looking for. Not to mention, the 'hero' was a boy her age and he was both handsome and strong!

Vahn felt like he was getting caught up in her excitement. Seeing how happy she was, Vahn didn't think he had enough courage to refuse her. Desperately holding back a sigh, Vahn smiled toward Tiona and said, "Sure, but I think we should take things a bit slower...we are both still young..." Vahn didn't even believe his own words as he spoke, and Tiona seemed to completely ignore them as well. "Ahahaha, you don't have to worry about that Vahn~! My body is perfectly capable of having kids already! Don't underestimate the strength of an Amazon~!"

Hearing Tiona repeatedly talking about kids, Vahn began to feel a cold sweat build up on his back. No matter how he thought about it, he didn't think he was ready to be a father...as Vahn had that thought, he felt a peculiar emotion build up in his mind. Frowning, Vahn began to think about various things. He wondered if he had a father, and why he had never heard anything about him. Even his memory of his birth, the only person in the room beside the hospital staff was his mother...

Vahn began to realize that, in his mind, he didn't really have any expectations for what a father should be like. Even in the manga he read, most of the main characters either didn't have parents, or they would only have a single parent. Vahn had no idea how to be a father, but he also noticed something bubble up from deep inside him. Recalling what Tiona had said about raising their child away at the Amazon village, Vahn felt like it was unacceptable...

Tiona had noticed the grim expression on Vahn's face, and she began to feel anxious. "Vahn...is something wrong?" Tiona was worried that she had pressed too hard and made Vahn change his mind about things. Vahn, hearing Tiona call out to him, looked toward her with a firm expression on his face. He slowly spoke the words, "If I have a kid, I won't abandon it. I can't let you take it away to a village...I just can't!" Vahn felt like, if he let his kids be raised in a place away from him, he would have failed himself as a person.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Lefiya's Confusion','Ais's Competitive Nature','Tiona is sneaky')

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Chapter 101 - Firm

Hearing Vahn's words, Tiona felt a bit of anxiety begin to build inside her. "But, Vahn, all Amazons have to be born back at the village. It is our law, our tradition. Every Amazon only gives birth to other Amazons, and if they aren't raised properly, the entire clan would be up in arms." Tiona could see that Vahn had a very serious expression, and she wanted him to understand she wasn't doing it just to be selfish.

Vahn frowned heavily after hearing her words. His brows were low, and he had an angry expression as he spoke, "I refuse. There is no way I can let a group of people I've never met raise my kid for me. I may not be ready to be a father, but if I let that kind of thing slide, I wouldn't be WORTHY of being a father." Even Vahn didn't know why he was so angry; seeing the somewhat scared and sad expression of Tiona, he wanted to hold back his words, but something inside of him made him unable to do so.

Tiona was very concerned about this sudden change, but she also understood where Vahn was coming from. His desire to be a good father wasn't wrong, but it wasn't such an easy matter to deal with since it concerned the differences in their species. Though she didn't mind trying to protect the child with Vahn, she knew there was no way she would be able to keep the child safe from all the Amazons that would come after them. She would be labeled a traitor to her people and a failure as an Amazon.

Vahn could see fear and anxiety in Tiona's face, and just like all the previous times, he thought it didn't suit her normally cheerful self. Reaching forward, he pulled Tiona's arm and then embraced her. Though she was a bit surprised, Tiona didn't resist and just allowed herself to be held by Vahn. Even though he was smaller than she was, Tiona still felt a bit of security in his embrace. Looking into his eyes, Tiona believed that, if Vahn made the effort, he would be able to protect their child...

Staring into her eyes, Vahn could see that Tiona had calmed down a lot. Though she wasn't smiling, he could see a hint of expectation had replaced the anxiety that previously clouded her eyes. Vahn mulled over his words before speaking, "If we have kids...I will move to the village you mentioned previously. Even if I can't be there in person, I will always be nearby if you need me. If I have to, I'll become strong enough to break those traditions that separate families."

Vahn hugged Tiona against his body, almost as if he was trying to affirm the promise and make her remember it. Seeing Tiona nod her head, Vahn continued, "But, for now, I want to focus on increasing my strength here, so I don't think I can have children yet. There are a lot of things I want to do...no, things I HAVE to do." Using the same forceful tone as before, Vahn spoke each word with force and conviction.

Tiona looked into his eyes and saw his resolve, and it made her feel more secure about the future. As Vahn said, she wasn't really that old, and she also liked fighting alongside everyone in the Loki Familia. She didn't have to rush things, as there was plenty of time for the both of them to mature and become stronger. One day, they may even be able to walk into Telkyura and force Kali to concede and allow them to raise their child away from the village.

Gripping him tightly, Tiona smiled before passionately kissing Vahn. Unlike the tame kisses from before, Tiona put strength into her arms and forcibly kissed Vahn's lips. The thought of becoming strong enough to break away from the village made her instincts act up. She became overly excited and, since the person she liked was in front of her, she was unable to control herself.

Vahn, who had been focused and serious previously, was now fl.u.s.tered and panicking. The moment Tiona grabbed him, it felt like he had been captured in a vice. As she started kissing him, it wasn't long before she broke through his defenses and began invading the inside of his mouth with her tongue. Vahn was frantic, but he couldn't stop the invasion and was helplessly pushed to the ground with Tiona's body on top of his.

Tiona had pinned him to the ground with her body, and she continued passionately kissing Vahn. From his perspective, Vahn could see her skin had become flushed and she had a dazed, but hungry, look in her eyes as she continued putting more strength into her grasp. Vahn felt like Tiona was trying to merge her body into his, and his instincts began triggering his danger sense. It felt like, if Vahn couldn't stop her, she would devour his body until there was nothing left.

Suddenly, a flash of gold passed through his vision as Tiona was pulled from his body. Since she had been gripping him so fiercely, Vahn's body was also pulled forward and he nearly fell to the ground after the fact. Looking upward, Vahn was able to see Ais and Tione holding back the rampaging Tiona. She was flailing about and had a fierce look in her eyes as she stared towards Vahn. Failing to free herself from the combined grasp of two Level 5 adventurers, Tiona cried out. "Ais, I don't care if you want him to, but don't stop me when it's my moment!!!"

Ais frowned and responded without letting loose her grip on Tiona, "Muu, Riveria said in private." Ais's words seemed to have impacted Tiona somewhat as she began looking at her surroundings. There were several adventurers from the Loki and Hephaestus Familia looking at the site with various types of expressions. Some of them had amused looks, while others seemed annoyed at the events that had taken place.

Tiona realized that, because of the words Vahn had spoken to her, she had gotten too excited and attacked him in the middle of the camp. There were more than twenty people in the area that had watched her attack and pin his body to the ground in the middle of the path...This realization made Tiona's mind calm down a lot, and now she started blushing for an entirely different reason.

Seeing that Tiona has regained her senses, Ais and Tione released her, but Ais still took up a defensive position to block Tiona if she tried to 'attack' Vahn again. Tiona stared toward Ais with a bit of frustration but seeing Vahn kneeling on the ground like he was struggling for air, the most powerful emotion she was feeling was shame. Since she was still much stronger than Vahn, he wasn't able to resist her advances even if he wanted to. If someone hadn't stopped her, she might have ended up forcibly taking Vahn's first time, and he might even hate her for it.

Bowing her head low, Tiona looked toward Vahn with a sad expression. "I'm sorry Vahn...you were just so manly that I couldn't stop myself." Even now, Tiona felt the urge to try and attack Vahn, but she was restrained by the atmosphere and the environment. She was both grateful and vexed at the situation, but she was still concerned with Vahn's reaction to everything that had happened.

Vahn, seeing her sad look yet again, frowned a bit before mustering up a laugh. He tried acting like he wasn't bothered by what she did as he said, "Haha, it looks like I need to get stronger. It feels a bit awkward to be on the receiving end of someone's affection." Though Vahn had done his best to brush over the matter, Tiona could see that he was still shaken by everything that happened. So as not to deny his efforts, Tiona gave a fake smile of her own as she said, "Become stronger quickly. Next time, I want you to push me down, okay?" After her words, Tiona allowed her sister to take her away from the area. As a fellow Amazon, Tione knew it would take a bit of time for Tiona to calm down.

Watching their two retreating figures, Vahn felt like his desire to grow stronger had increased a bit. The previous scene was one of the few times he had actually felt fear in his new life, and all the others were incidents where he had nearly died. Ais, who had been standing in front of him to protect him from Tiona, looked toward him and helped him stand. After thinking for a bit, she said, "Tiona is a good girl. Don't hate her." Ais had known Tiona for a long time, and she was able to understand that her current state was abnormal.

Vahn sighed, but afterward, he showed a real smile. "I don't think I can hate her, even if I wanted to. Seeing someone have so much affection toward me, I would feel guilty if I pushed her away. I just need to get stronger and become more reliable..." Ais nodded at his statement before saying herself, "Nnn, you will become strong. It is strange." Ais seemed very sure of what she said, but even she couldn't understand why she believed her own words.

"What's strange?" Vahn asked because, he too, wasn't sure what she was trying to convey. Ais seemed to seriously contemplate her next words, as Vahn was able to see a genuine expression on her face. She seemed to be very concerned with what she would say next and had a big frown plastered on her face. "You never give up. Even when bad things happen, you always try hard. In the duel, against the Goliath, and now. You always keep trying."

After her words finished, Ais looked into Vahn's eyes and paused a moment before continuing. "I think you can become stronger than anyone. I want to see it." Vahn could see a hidden passion in Ais's eyes as she continued her words. The small spark made Vahn feel like she had placed some of her hopes in him, and it made him feel courageous, almost like he could accomplish anything.

Smiling towards her, Vahn felt full of conviction and positive feelings about the future. Placing his right hand over the 'eternal flame' in his heart, Vahn spoke, putting that conviction into words. "I will become the strongest. No matter what, I will never give up!" As he nearly shouted the last words, Ais's eyes opened slightly as applause began sounding from the surroundings.

Hearing the applause, Vahn felt incredibly embarrassed as he looked toward the adventurers that were 'cheering' him on. "You can do it kiddo~!", "That's right, keep fighting, hahahaha!". Several people in the surroundings had been paying attention to the scene since earlier. They were amazed after seeing the passionate Vahn make his declaration, and they couldn't help but tease him a bit.

Ais saw the crowd and the embarrassed Vahn, so she took his hand before dragging him away from the area. Seeing her actions, the crowd starting cheering even louder as the two disappeared from the central area of the campsite. Ais continued dragging Vahn until they were on the periphery of the camp and away from everyone's line of sight. Once they were 'safe', Ais let go of Vahn's hand and stared at him.

Vahn, who was still feeling embarrassed, looked towards Ais and thanked her. He could see that she was also blushing slightly as she nodded to accept his thanks. Afterward, they both stood in silence for a while until they had begun to calm down. Vahn released a sigh and plopped down on the ground; it felt like he had been through a lot in the last few hours, and it felt like both his stamina and mental energy had been severely drained.

While he was sitting down, Ais seemed to be lost in her thoughts and would periodically look towards Vahn. Though he wanted to ask, considering that Ais was the type to mull things over before speaking, Vahn decided to wait for her. Unfortunately, his patience ended up being a mistake, as the words she finally decided upon nearly drained what little energy he had left.

"I want to try it. S.e.x."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Oh shit','Vahn is in danger, quick, sound the alarm!','Hephaestus's instincts doing acrobatics in her mind')

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Chapter 102 - Preparations

Hearing Ais's words, Vahn's mind exploded. He felt like all the energy that had remained in his body spontaneously drained out and he hung his head like a marionette that had its strings cut. Ais, who had been watching him, frowned slightly and said in a sad sounding tone, "You don't...like me?" Her words made Vahn's brain buzz, and he felt like everything that happened in the last few hours was too much for his mind to handle.

In a small voice, Vahn tried to muster a bit of strength as the responded, "But we're not lovers or anything...and you are too young..." Ais seemed to agree with what he said, but she said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, "Yes, but, I will be 14 soon. Then we can try." Each word she spoke made Vahn feel like a heavy weight was pressing down on him. He didn't know if he should laugh or cry because he could tell she was being serious.

Vahn looked toward her and asked, "Why me?" Even though he knew her affection had risen to 88 after their earlier kiss, Vahn didn't think he was close enough to Ais for her to go so far. Ais tilted her head sideways in confusion at his words. "Mmm, you are different. Pleasant feelings..." As she spoke, she placed her hands on her chest and closed her eyes. After a while, she looked at Vahn again and said, "I think I can become stronger too..."

Seeing the conviction in her eyes, Vahn couldn't help but release a sigh and smile at her. "I believe in you as well; I know you will be much stronger in the future." As Vahn had known the future version of Ais from the manga, he knew she would mature a lot in the next two years as her strength increases. Right now she was barely taller than he was and looked a lot like a young girl, instead of the cool beauty she was in the future.

Ais, hearing the 'certainty' in Vahn's words, nodded her head and displayed a happy smile. Though it was minute compared to a normal person, Vahn could see she was pleased with what he had said. Returning a smile of his own, Vahn tried rising to his feet since he had recovered a bit of strength. Ais, seeing him try to rise, stepped forward and stopped him from doing so. Being pushed back to the ground, Vahn began having flashbacks of his earlier experience with Tiona.

Fortunately, Ais didn't throw herself on top of him as he expected. Instead, she sat down next to him and locked eyes before saying, "You are tired. Rest here..." As she spoke, Ais patted her thighs which were covered in a metallic plate skirt. Her gauntlets made a 'thunk-thunk' sound as the two pieces of armor collided. Vahn knew she was trying to be kind, but he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive seeing the hard metal surface covering her thighs.

Ais noticed his look and realized her mistake. Standing, she removed the clasps that were holding her armor together and revealed a pleated black skirt underneath. Setting her armor to the side, she sat back down next to Vahn and once again patted her thighs. Unlike the metallic thumping from last time, it was now a soft a muted noise that sounded much more comfortable. Seeing her actions, Vahn laughed a little before resting his head on her thighs.

Unlike his expectations, Ais's thighs were a bit more muscular than he thought. They were still very soft, but he could feel the tension of the muscles on the back of his head. He lay there, enjoying the strange sensations as he looked toward Ais. As he had been laying with his head facing upward, Ais was looking down on him with a blank expression. Seeing that he wasn't properly 'relaxing', Ais remoted the gauntlet on her hand and placed it on his forehead.

"Sleep. I will wake you when it's time." She continued stroking her hand along his head, and Vahn felt a mild blush touch his cheeks as he felt she was treating him like Lefiya. Instead of the normal 'patting', the way Ais touched people almost seemed like she was 'petting' them. Vahn almost wanted to laugh, but he managed to hold it back as he tried relaxing. Closing his eyes, he just enjoyed the moment and tried to focus on recovering his energy.Though nearly twenty minutes had passed, Vahn was unable to fall asleep on Ais's lap. Though he had originally been focusing on recovering, the longer he laid there, the more distracted he became. The 'awkward' patting of Ais began to become more pleasant feeling, while the sensation on the back of his head made his heart begin to beat at a faster pace. The most problematic thing though was the honey-like smell that came from Ais's body. The longer he lay on her lap, the more aware he became of the smell and it began to make his mind start to feel numb as a feeling of anxiety welled up in his temples.

Vahn felt like, ever since the first kiss with Tiona this morning, his emotions had been entirely out of whack. Though the 'lesson' from Riveria was very insightful, it now made Vahn overly conscious of everything that was happening when he was in contact with a girl. He felt like, the previous him, would have been comfortably enjoying a lap pillow, much like he had been in every other situation prior. But now, instead of being comfortable, it made him feel anxious and excited.

Ais had noticed he was still awake, so she spoke out, "Can't sleep? Uncomfortable?" She felt sad after thinking Vahn was dissatisfied with her attempts to help him relax. Vahn shook his head slightly before opening his eyes and seeing her sad expression. He didn't want her to misunderstand, so he explained what he was feeling. "It's not uncomfortable, but I don't think I can sleep easily either. My mind is too focused on the feeling of your thighs, the touch of your hand, and the smell coming from your body."

The first part of Vahn's words made Ais feel 'fluttery' in her chest, but when he continued to the last part she couldn't help but frown."Do I stink? I took a bath..." As she asked the question, Ais couldn't help but sniff at her own body a bit. To her, the only thing she could smell was the soap they had used to wash with. Vahn shook his head again before trying to explain, "No, it's not a stench, it is more like a pleasant smell that makes my body get excited."

After his clarification, Ais nodded with a small smile on her lips; she was glad she didn't stink and that Vahn found her smell 'pleasant'. Curious, she bent forward and began to smell his body to see if she could catch his scent as well. Vahn, seeing Ais bend forward, became a bit fl.u.s.tered. It felt like Ais was about to bury his face into her b.r.e.a.s.tplate, but fortunately, she stopped before he made contact with the cold metal. Vahn noticed she began to smell him, and he started feeling very nervous...

"Do...do I stink?" Vahn asked the words and began thinking back to all the previous incidents where girls seemed to smell his body. He wondered if he smelled bad, and recalled that he used to have issues with hygiene in the past. Ais shook her head before looking into his face and saying, "No...it smells strange, but I don't dislike it. It smells like you?" Ais didn't seem to understand how to express the words. After a while, she just nodded her head and said, "It smells good."

Vahn gave an awkward laugh for a few moments before releasing a sigh. He was glad he didn't smell bad, but it made all the times when girls were sniffing him seem more awkward. Both Lili and Naaza often took care of his laundry, and Vahn had, on occasion, caught them smelling the dirty garments. He didn't think anything of it at the time, but now he understood that girls seemed susceptible to his aroma, just like his mind seemed to be influenced by Ais's.

Apparently still curious, Ais bent forward and continued to smell Vahn's body, but before she was able to do so for long, he quickly escaped from the lap pillow. Knowing that she found his smell to be 'good', Vahn felt incredibly awkward just letting her sniff him. He felt like, if he remained in that situation for too long, any benefits he gained from resting would be entirely wasted.

Ais stared at Vahn who had jumped away from her body so quickly. She wondered if her actions were a bit weird, but before she asked, Vahn began waving his hands back-and-forth. "Don't worry about it Ais, I'm just going to clear my head a bit and try to meditate a bit to recover my energy. If I stay on your lap any longer, I feel like my efforts to rest would be lost due to my excitement." Vahn disliked when his actions made the girls upset, and seeing how Ais has so few expressions, he didn't want any of them to be 'sad'.

Ais nodded at his words before standing up herself. After re-attaching her armor, she turned toward Vahn and stared at his face, or somewhere slightly below his face. Realizing what she was looking at, Vahn felt his tensions rise a bit, but he decided to take the initiative as she seemed to be thinking to herself. Closing the distance, Ais made eye contact with him before opening her arms slightly. Vahn reached his hands around her body and gave her a gentle kiss. He continued to do so for a few seconds before pulling away after what he thought was an appropriate amount of time.

Seeing the watery look in Ais's eyes, Vahn couldn't help but ask, "How was it?" Ais, who had been somewhat dazed, blushed a bit before she looked at him. "Nnn, it was good." After that, she separated from Vahn and began to head toward the center of camp. Taking a few steps, she stopped and looked at Vahn who had been watching her departure. "It was better than the last time." With those final words, Ais turned and quickly walked away from the area.

After she had completely disappeared, Vahn let himself fall backwards onto the grassy ground below. Once again, he felt like all of his energy was drained as he looked toward the shining crystals of the ceiling. He didn't know 'dealing' with girls was so mentally and physically taxing, but at least he was able to increase Ais's affection to 90 after their second kiss. She was now one of the people with the highest affection towards Vahn, and it made him feel a mixture of emotions including happiness.

In his reflection, Vahn felt like there were going to be a lot of difficult situations like this in the future, and he began to worry if his body and mind would be able to hold out. He began to worry if there were any other girls that liked him, and Vahn began to seriously consider how he would deal with them in the future. According to Riveria, it wasn't uncommon for people to have multiple partners, but Vahn felt like he wasn't even capable of dealing with Tiona and Ais, much less other girls. Remembering Ais's words and her interest in s.e.x, Vahn began to feel both anticipation and dread for the future.

"I should have asked when her birthday is..."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The future is scary','Tiona smash','Thunk-Thunk')

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Chapter 103 - Operation Start

Vahn felt something poking at his cheek, and he was slowly awakened from his unconscious state. While he was worrying about the future, he had finally managed to fall asleep and get some rest. Opening his eyes, Vahn froze up a bit as he saw Tiona smiling at him while poking his cheek. "Wake up sleepy head. It's time for us to go~" Tiona no longer had her amorous, and mad appearance, from earlier. Instead, she had returned to her normal and cheerful state which allowed Vahn's body to relax a bit.

Accepting the hand she had offered, Vahn was raised to his feet and noticed that all the tents that were previously in the area had vanished. Now there was a large group of people being briefed and split into groups as they made their way toward the stairs. "Were you able to rest any?" Tiona, who was standing to his right, seemed to be overly concerned about the state of his body. Since she was unable to control herself earlier, she worried she may have injured Vahn.

Vahn stretched his body before smiling toward her. "I feel great. Turns out I just needed a bit of rest after being high-strung for so long." Tiona nodded and showed a cheerful smile, and just as she was about to say something, Vahn placed his hand on her head. "Don't worry about it Tiona, I don't blame you for anything. I'd rather we put everything behind us and look toward the future from now on." Vahn had noticed she was acting down, and he wanted to cheer her up a bit.

Tiona rubbed her hair against his palm and let out a satisfied laugh as she nestled herself closer toward him. Vahn didn't shy away from her affection, but he could see people giving them stares from the distance. Amongst the group of onlookers, Vahn saw Finn sighing with his hand on his forehead. Next to Finn, Riveria and Ais both looked over with their blank expressions, while Lefiya seemed to have calmed down a lot as she looked toward him with a small smile on her face.

Though everyone had different reactions, there was one person who seemed to be genuinely upset by the show of affection. Bete, who was standing amongst the elite members of the Loki Familia, looked at Vahn with a glare and a grimace. "You two gonna keep acting like idiots, or are you ready to do some actual work?" Tiona, who had been enjoying the moment, looked at Bete with a fierce expression. Ais also seemed offended as she muttered in a low and cold voice. "Jerk."

Bete's hair seemed to rise a bit as his expression turned very sour. It looked like he had just swallowed a bug, but instead of saying anything, he just glared toward Vahn with a dark expression in his eyes. "Really, a manly man. Hiding behind women suits you..." He spoke the words in a cruel and condescending manner which caused Vahn to frown deeply. Vahn didn't know what Bete had against him; there hadn't been anything between them, but Bete seemed adamant about trying to pick a fight with him.

Looking directly into Bete's face, Vahn asked, "What do you have against me? I have never done anything to you." Even if it was his 'normal' personality, Vahn was dissatisfied with the common poor treatment he received from Bete. Hearing Vahn's question, Bete smiled and said snidely, "It is because you're weak, yet you have people building expectations for you. Without strength, what can you do!? How can you protect anyone!?" Bete's voice cracked a bit as he shouted out.

Vahn hadn't known at the time, but Bete had lost most of the people he cared about due to his own selfishness and weakness. Nearly three years prior, Bete had been the Captain of the Vidar Familia. After he had obtained level 3 and became confident in his strength, he left the City to seek revenge against a fierce monster that had wiped out his clan. Unfortunately, when he should have returned back to the City in glory, he was instead met with tragedy. The majority of his Familia had been killed or injured while on an expedition, and to make matters worse, his Vice-Captain and lover had also died. Devastated, Bete spent the next few months squandering away all of his money while wasting away in pubs. It wasn't until he had picked a fight with Finn and Gareth in a drunken stupor that he was torn away from his cycle of self-destruction.

After those events, Bete's personality had changed a great deal. He was now focused entirely on increasing his strength, and whenever he saw those weaker than him, especially other males, he became irritated seeing how complacent they were. He couldn't tolerate how they went about seemingly without a care, unaware that a single moment of carelessness could cost them everything they loved.

Though Vahn didn't understand the reason, he could see Bete's aura fluctuate as a deep blue color began to spread until it encompassed the green that had been present till now. He understood that, though Bete was trying to hide it behind his anger, he was suffering inside as he lashed out at Vahn.

It was very frustrating seeing how complex people could be, but he still didn't think Bete had any right to take out his emotions on him.

Staring into the light-grey, pain-filled eyes of Bete, Vahn spoke, "Two years." Bete frowned after hearing the low voice of Vahn. He screamed out, "What 'two years', huh!?" Vahn held the eye-contact as he continued in a firm voice, "In two years, I will prove to you that I am not the weakling you think. I will become stronger than you, strong enough to protect everything! Just because you failed, doesn't mean I will fail!" The longer Vahn spoke, the more his emotions began to build, so by the end of his words, he had practically shouted.

Bete gnashed his teeth and looked like he was about to charge at Vahn. He had anger in his eyes and the onlookers thought he wanted to tear the brave dark-haired boy apart. Ais, Tiona, and Tione became alert and prepared to intercept if he tried to attack. However, contrary to expectations, Bete spoke through clenched teeth, "Don't f.u.c.k it up." With those parting words, Bete spit onto the ground and went to stand next to Gareth.

The moment he stood next to him, Gareth reached his hand over and patted Bete on the shoulder with a proud look on his face. Bete saw the look and clicked his tongue as he looked away from everyone. As nobody had expected Bete to suddenly stand down, there was a moment of silence among the entire group until Gareth loudly 'harumphed'. Finn, who was also among the stunned onlookers, immediately clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"Okay, it's time for us to move out. We don't have long to get everything set up, so we need to make haste to the 14th floor. Everyone keep your wits about you and stay safe." Everyone in the area nodded toward Finn while some made small cheers and tried to psyche themselves up. Vahn could see that the morale of the group was actually pretty low, as most people had little to no confidence when it came to fighting something like a Juggernaut.

Vahn wanted to do something to change the atmosphere, so he let his domain expand until it covered the majority of the expedition party. Most people didn't notice, but he got a few curious looks from some within the crowd. The one who was most interested was obviously Riveria, as she began to wonder what he was trying to do 'this' time. Reaching out his hands, Vahn tried channeling his [Hands of Nirvana] and infusing the effects into the domain. As he had been able to infuse almost all of his previous skills, Vahn was hoping he would be able to do so this time as well.

The gentle white light in his palms slowly dispersed as an almost imperceptible wave passed through the crowd. Suddenly, everyone felt warm energy penetrating their bodies, and all of their anxieties were slowly dissipating. Looking toward the boy who was standing with his arms outstretched toward them, they realized he was trying to help cheer everyone up. Some of the people in the crowd recognized Vahn from the earlier 'events', while others knew about him from the images that had circulated in the Hephaestus Familia recently.

Vahn noticed his attempt was a success, so he began trying to infuse the energy with greater efficiency this time around. The white light began to spread from his palms, as some people in the crowd began to get riled up due to his efforts. Some of them began laughing while others looked toward their comrades and saw the conviction in each other's eyes. Nobody wanted to die, but it didn't mean they had to go into the situation expecting to. Seeing such a small boy working so hard was a powerful motivation for a lot of the veteran adventurers.

Finn gave Vahn an appreciative smile as he loudly shouted out, "Let's go kill ourselves a Juggernaut! Nothing can stop us if we work together~!" This time, instead of a dismissive acknowledgment of his orders, everyone in the camp loudly cheered, "Oooooooou~! Kill the Juggernaut!!" They loudly began making their way toward the stairs in much higher spirits.

Tiona, who had been standing next to Vahn, gave him a hug from behind and laughed in his ears. "Ahahaha, you really are a hero~! Just a casual wave of your hands and everyone became so much braver!" Feeling Tiona on his back, Vahn noticed there was a soft, yet very subtle-feeling pressing into him. His emotions began to rise a bit as a notification sounded in his mind.

[Hands of Nirvana] increased to rank: B/

Suddenly, the light glow from his hands intensified as his emotions seemed to be conveyed into the area of his domain. Accompanying the 'healing' light, now people felt an excitement begin to well up inside of them. They began to cheer even louder, and Vahn felt like the entire atmosphere began to shift toward a peculiar direction. Tiona, who had been leaning on his back began to laugh out loud as she gave Vahn a big kiss on his cheek.

Releasing his neck, she lifted up the huge weapon she had left on the side and hefted it onto her shoulder. "Let's go, let's go~! Onwards to victory~!!" Tiona was in incredibly high spirits as she flailed her left arm about and practically danced while following along with the marching party. Vahn was in a slight daze as he watched her figure, and it wasn't until the main group of the Loki Familia passed by him that he snapped out of it.

Ais approached him and stared at the light emitting from his hands. Reaching out her own, she traced her fingers through the light before she issued a small smile on her face. "It is a good feeling. Is this what you used on Lefiya?" Hearing Ais mention her name, Lefiya, who was standing behind her began to blush after recalling the earlier events. She had been the first to notice that the 'light' was what had 'healed' her earlier, but hearing Ais mention things made her blush slightly.

Vahn nodded his head at Ais's question which prompted her to grab his hand and place it on top of her head. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth slightly as she enjoyed the sensation coming from his palms. "Nnn, it is very comfortable." Vahn was shocked at her actions, and his energy fluctuated a bit and almost dispersed.

Sensing his struggles, Ais blushed a bit before removing his hand. She began to follow along with the rest of the group before looking back toward Vahn. "Let's go Vahn..." She extended her hand out and Vahn walked forward to grab it. Ais had only intended to motion for him to follow, but seeing Vahn grab her hand and feeling the warm energy, she decided to keep her mouth shut. She walked alongside Vahn as they trailed slightly behind the main group. Lefiya, who was not much further behind them had a befuddled expression and looked like she was suffering from conflicting emotions.

Vahn and Ais noticed the writing elf, and after a brief hesitation, Ais extended her other hand. "Lefiya, come..." Lefiya, who had been losing herself in her own delusions, immediately snapped out of it. Seeing the extended hand, her face beamed and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. She quickly closed the distance and grabbed the outstretched hand. She now had a content smile on her face as she walked side-by-side with Ais...and Vahn.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Hand holding? Lewd!','The Lonely Elf','Will of the Emperor is bae')

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Chapter 104 - Juggernaut Subjugation(1/2)

Though Vahn enjoyed walking alongside Ais (and Lefiya), it wasn't long before the happy atmosphere began to fade. By the time they had reached the stairs, even with Vahn's domain, the mood was beginning to turn grim. When they made it past the 'Wall of Grief', the site where Vahn had recently slain the Goliath, everyone had solemn expressions. However, after Vahn inspected them, he noticed they weren't expressions of helplessness, but conviction and determination.

Due to the nature of the 17th floor, it eventually came time for Vahn to release Ais's hand or else it would be difficult traversing through the dungeon. The atmosphere had influenced him as well, and Vahn continued forward without speaking much. Along the way, there were a few monsters that spawned, but they were all instantly annihilated by the vanguard. Each successive kill seemed to increase the atmosphere a bit, so Vahn was thankful for the dungeons 'cooperation'.

The group made fast progress through the 17th floor and arrived in the corridor before the stairs that led to the upper floors. Everyone began to break off into their assigned groups, so Vahn had to move ahead of the majority and stand amongst Tiona, Tione, and Riveria. Lefiya ended up joining as well, while Ais continued forward and joined the advance group. Seeing the small party of adventurers, Vahn felt slightly concerned. Ais was still just a very small girl and watching her join the team that was expected to draw the attention of the Juggernaut, Vahn couldn't help but feel worried.

Vahn noticed that the sword Ais was carrying wasn't of a very high quality, even though the materials it was made of were very sturdy. Remembering that she seemed to destroy her weapons commonly in the manga, Vahn made his determination and ran up to the vanguard group. Seeing his approach, Finn frowned slightly before saying, "Vahn, I know you are strong, but it would be very difficult for you to fight against the Juggernaut. You should stay with the second group and provide support with your unique skills."

Shaking his head, Vahn ignored Finn and walked up to Ais. Pulling out his tamahagane sword from his inventory, Vahn selected the gift function with Ais as the recipient. As he had just recently got her affection to 90, he was able to gift her a single item per month. "Ais, take this with you. It should be much stronger than your current sword." Seeing the concern in his eyes, Ais smiled and received the sword. She was shocked when she felt how light it was, so she gave it a few practice swings and was amazed at how easy the large blade was to handle.

Finn also noticed the unique quality of the blade and asked if he could take a look at it. Vahn tried to stop him, but Ais had handed it over without thinking. The moment Finn's hand made contact with the handle, the blade jerked away and spun until it had stuck into the wall of the dungeon. Finn stared in shock at the display before he turned toward Vahn with a questioning look on his face. Vahn said plainly, "The items I have are made with a special technique, and they can only be used by myself and those I gift them to. Right now the sword belongs to Ais, and nobody else can touch it."

Finn seemed surprised by the claim as Ais walked over and grabbed the sword from the wall. Vahn quickly explained its uses, "The blade has an enchantment that greatly increases its sharpness while reducing the weight. It might be a bit awkward at first, but I think it is very suitable for your style of combat." Hearing his words, Ais focused her energy into the blade and saw the runes begin to glow. By the time they had spread across the body of the blade, she noticed that the weight had almost disappeared.

Ais had the biggest smile on her face that Vahn had ever seen. It was almost like her eyes were glowing as she marveled at the sword's capabilities. Turning towards Vahn, Ais stepped forward and in front of the entire gawking crowd, she kissed Vahn. She held the kiss for a few seconds before pulling away and saying, "Thank you Vahn." She then separated from him and started practicing using the sword a bit away from everyone else.

Finn, who had been unaware of the 'progress' that had been made between Vahn and Ais recently stared between the two of him as if he had just witnessed the most unbelievable scene in the world. After a while, when he finally managed to compose himself, he looked toward Vahn and said, "I thought you would end up with Tiona...I never expected Ais to fall for you as well. It hasn't even been a day..." As he spoke the last words, Finn just shook his head and sighed.

Motioning towards Gareth, who was giving Vahn a 'thumbs up', Finn began to lead the fuming Bete and the 'excited' Ais away. Before she had joined them, Ais removed the sword from her hip and ran over to give it to Vahn. "Here, just in case." Vahn received the sword with a smile before watching her join the rest of the Vanguard team. Seeing her 'happily' move away while carrying his tamahagane blade made Vahn feel a little less worried about what would happen.

Rejoining the 'ambush' party, Vahn noticed that Tiona was looking toward him with a smile on her face. Once he got near, she closed the distance before saying, "I am really jealous she got a gift before me~ Make sure you remember that for later, okay~?" Though she was 'acting' mad, Vahn noticed she was very happy for some reason. He decided to ask her, "You seem very happy?"

Tiona laughed cheekily before saying, "That's because I realized you're the type that worries about people, even if they are stronger than you. It makes me happy knowing you look at us like girls, instead of just strong warriors. It was my dream to be treated like a princess, ya know~?" Vahn noticed that she mentioned 'was', so he once again spoke. "Was? Why not anymore?"

The smile on Tiona's face froze a little as a small amount of melancholy appeared, very briefly, in her eyes before fading away. "I learned when I was very young that you can't always wait for a prince to come and save you. Now, I've become much stronger than I was then...so I guess it just kinda faded away naturally~?" Tiona spoke in a chipper tone, but Vahn understood she was having sad thoughts as he could see her aura flicker slightly with a bluish hue.

Vahn reached out his hand to place it on her hair, but before he finished the motion, he changed the trajectory of his hand and placed it on her cheek instead. Tiona stared at him with wide-eyes as Vahn gently stroked her cheek and passed his fingers through her hair in an affectionate manner. "I may not be able to do so now, but I will try to treat you like a princess in the future. Don't be sad, okay?"

A red hue began to appear on Tiona's face as her eyes began to slowly build up moisture. Vahn could feel his instincts begin to trigger, and he realized he may have pushed his actions a little too far. Luckily, since everyone seemed to be interested in what Vahn was going to do, Tione had stepped in after noticing the change in her sister. "Alright you two, break it up! We don't have time for your lovey-dovey stuff right now. Stay focused!"

Tiona was dragged away by Tione as she stared at Vahn with a somewhat heated expression on her face. Fortunately, she hadn't lost her mind like earlier as she allowed herself to be pulled away without resisting. Vahn just stood there watching as a voice sounded out from his left. "You cheater..." Vahn turned his head and saw Lefiya glaring at him while standing next to Riveria who had a slightly exasperated expression on her face. Seeing Vahn look over, Riveria said, "Vahn, the dungeon isn't the place to pick up girls. Flirt when you get back to town, we have a mission to do."

Riveria began giving orders to the 'ambush' team and the group made their way to the area outside the 13th floor. The 'garrison' group split off from the main party and went to their designated area on the 14th floor. Eventually, Vahn's group had caught up and he was able to see the 'vanguard' party acknowledge their presence before entering the 13th floor proper. The 'ambush' group waited outside the door as Riveria listened for the sounds of combat.

Everyone remained absolutely silent as they were waiting for the signal to enter the floor. The 'vanguard' was charged with drawing the attention of the Juggernaut before pulling it away if necessary. In the time they were engaging the creature, the 'ambush' group would move to their assigned spot on the 13th floor, an area that connected to the 14th floor through a series of holes.

Twenty minutes of soul-crushing silence later, the group was able to feel the reverberations of the dungeon. Riveria's ears twitched slightly as she signaled to the 22 members of the 'ambush' party. "Let's move, we don't have a lot of time!" Before her words even finished, Riveria began leading the charge into the 13th floor. Following closely behind her were Tiona and Tione, while Vahn ran alongside Lefiya slightly ahead of the rest of the group.

While they were running, Vahn noticed that Lefiya was holding her staff so tightly that her fingers were turning white. She had a fearful expression on her face, and she looked somewhat out of place amongst all the older adventurers in the party. As she was only 12, Lefiya was the youngest person in the entire group. Though she had the option to join the 'garrison' party, she had resolved herself to join the 'ambush' team so she could be of use. Though attack magic wouldn't work on the Juggernaut, Lefiya was also a capable healer and could case various buffs with the support of her unique skill [Elf Ring]. (A/N: Elf Ring lets Lefiya use ANY elven magic, as long as she knows the chant. Because of this, she is known as the Thousand-Elf in the canon.)

Vahn felt Lefiya was very brave, but it was somewhat pitiful to see her current appearance. Without notice, he reached out his hand and channeled the strongest version of [Hands of Nirvana] he could while placing his hand on her shoulder. Lefiya startled a bit at the contact, but after seeing it was Vahn, she actually felt a little relieved. Feeling the calming and warm energies enter her body, the fear that had begun to settle in her mind was rapidly chased away.

After a few seconds, Lefiya blushed slightly before knocking Vahn's hand away. She continued to run in silence without making eye contact for a few seconds before whispering in a low voice. "Thank you..." Vahn was still paying attention to Lefiya, so even though she spoke the words very quietly, he was able to hear her. Smiling, Vahn said, "You are very brave Lefiya, but don't try too hard. If things get dangerous, I will try to protect you."

Lefiya gave Vahn a sideways glance before sighing in an exasperated manner. She gave Vahn a strange look and asked directly, "Don't tell me you aren't satisfied with Ais and Tiona, now you're aiming for me as well?" Vahn hadn't expected the sudden words, and he nearly lost his footing on the uneven ground of the dungeon.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Can't a guy be nice to a girl without bad intentions?','Where is the Juggernaut!?','Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon? Probably.','Vahn creating future troubles with his handsy hands')

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Chapter 105 - Juggernaut Subjugation(2/2)

Vahn found his footing before he looked at Lefiya, who had still been staring at him with her accusatory look. Seeing her expression, Vahn felt like something in the back of his mind was sinking and he thought anything he might say would just sound like an excuse. "Sorry...I just don't like to see people sad." Lefiya's expression softened a bit at his words, but it wasn't long before her brows furrowed again.

"So why is it that all the people you try to 'comfort' happen to be girls? I'm sure there are plenty of men and women in the rest of the group that could use your 'support'." Lefiya emphasized the important words as she continued to stare at his fl.u.s.tered appearance. Vahn was actually considering her words, and turning his head, he was able to see a number of people that were also worried or scared.

Vahn noticed that Lefiya wasn't entirely wrong in her claim, and he had actually been focusing more on the characters he knew from the story instead of the entire group as a whole. Realizing his 'mistake', Vahn frowned and began channeling his [Hands of Nirvana] into his domain with his maximum effort. A gentle, almost imperceptible white aura began to permeate throughout the corridor. The adventurers behind felt all of their stamina recovering, as the dark shadows that had begun to creep their way into their hearts were diffused by the warm energy.

Lefiya noticed Vahn's actions and sighed even deeper than she did previously. In a quiet voice, she muttered in a manner that even Vahn wasn't able to hear. "I see, you're just an idiot..." Lefiya thought Vahn was the type to just mislead and chase after women, but recalling all the experiences she had with him up till this point, she realized he was just ignorant regarding a lot of things. He seemed completely devoid of a lot of the common-sense possessed by normal people. Even she, who had grown up in a somewhat sheltered environment, had more awareness than he did.

Lefiya felt like, in a lot of ways, Vahn was just a child. Even when he had entered the bath with them earlier, he seemed to be completely immune to the presence of n.a.k.e.d women around him. It wasn't until Tiona kissed him afterward that he began to question his actions. She began to wonder what kind of life a person would have to live to be so devoid of common social skills. In a way, she even began to feel pity for Vahn...she felt like, if someone had tried to take advantage of his apparent kindness, he would have suffered a lot if he hadn't met Tiona and Ais first.

Vahn continued channeling his [Hands of Nirvana] until the group arrived at their setup location. They could hear the sounds of fighting nearby, and the reverberations of the powerful attacks were shaking the very dungeon itself. The party split into small groups and began forming a concave formation surrounding the corridor that the 'vanguard' would be pulling the Juggernaut through. Tensions began to rise as everyone prepared various long-range weapons and defensive spells.

Vahn was assigned the role of acting as a support unit, so he was at the back of the group with Lefiya and Riveria. Tione and Tiona waited at the flanks near the corridor's entrance and were preparing to blindside the Juggernaut the moment it entered the room. Riveria began chanting a powerful one-way defensive magic that would be able to protect the party while still allowing them to attack. She then began chanting various area-of-effect buffs while targeting the various adventurers in the group.

Lefiya, who was also supposed to be using support magic, looked toward Vahn before she performed her duties. "Vahn, no matter what, make sure you survive. Not just here, but no matter what happens in the future." Lefiya, like Tiona, believed that Vahn had the makings of a hero. His naive personality, combined with his desire to grow stronger and protect others, meant that, as long as he was able to survive, he would likely save countless lives in the future. Even if his relationship with Ais bothered her, she didn't want him to die just because he was currently weak.

Vahn gave a bright smile toward Lefiya as his form rapidly changed into that of his Báihǔ transformation. "Thank you Lefiya. I promise I will survive." Vahn then pulled out his bow and knocked a mithril arrow onto the string. Lefiya was a bit surprised seeing his transformation up close, even though she had seen it during his previous fight. The transformation seemed to enhance his features a bit and gave him a 'wild' aura and a confident demeanor. It was almost like, with his physical transformation, his mentality also underwent a drastic change.

"Lefiya, I need your help with the preparations. We are short on time." Riveria was slowly beginning to become annoyed with how Vahn seemed to distract all the girls in the party since his arrival. She agreed that he had some fascinating aspects to him, but she didn't expect him to so drastically influence 'experienced' adventurers. She felt like, if she hadn't said anything, she would have had to buff the entire party on her own while Lefiya just stared toward Vahn.

Lefiya jumped after hearing the cold words of Riveria. She began to quickly cast her buff magic on the groups starting from the left, the opposite side of where Riveria had started. Within a few minutes, everyone was ready and the shaking of the dungeon grew in intensity. At this point, the 'ambush' party could feel the individual explosions of the attacks and the powerful impacts that resulted from the collisions.

A few moments later, Ais exited from the corridor, and everyone could see she was slightly covered in blood with a few bruises. Vahn, seeing her state, almost ran out to help her, but Riveria shouted, "Wait, Vahn. Stick to the plan or you'll only make things worse!" Riveria's command was sharp, and the words seemed to cut straight into him, making Vahn unable to move forward. Moments after Ais's appearance, Bete and Finn also exited the corridor in a somewhat worse-for-wear state.

Finn was marginally less injured, and he immediately shouted out to the 'ambush' party, "Prepare yourselves!" After his shout, Finn spun around and held his spear low to the ground while waiting for the thundering creature to make its appearance. Bete and Ais retreated and began applying potions to their wounds so they could rejoin the fight. After another twenty seconds, a somewhat small figure came launching out of corridor at a fast speed. Sliding about 15m, Vahn recognized the figure as Gareth, who was in a much worse state than everyone that previously appeared.

Almost immediately after Gareth was launched into the room, an incredibly fast moving monster emerged from the corridor. Vahn immediately recognized it as the 10m long, skeletal, Juggernaut. Like before, it was missing half of its face, and it now seemed to be covered in a variety of other wounds. The atmosphere in the room became intense in an instant as the two amazon sisters immediately attack from the sides of the creature.

Tiona, wielding her massive Urga, landed a powerful blow into the torso of the Juggernaut, while her sister, Tione, tried to sever ones of its seemingly frail-looking limbs. Unfortunately, almost as if to make a mockery of the fierce attacks, Tione's daggers barely left a scratch on the thin arms, while Tiona's Urga only knocked the Juggernaut into the ground while leaving a small crack on its shell.

Finn tried to use the moment when it was pressed to the ground to impale its head with his spear, but the blade only penetrated a few inches before the Juggernaut flailed and sent him flying with its spinning motion. Using its incredible speed, the Juggernaut tried to attack toward the nearby Tiona, but it was awarded for its efforts by a powerful body slam by Gareth. Though he hadn't fully recovered yet, Gareth wasn't the type to stand by and watch his companions get injured.

The Juggernaut sent Gareth flying as Tiona opened up the distance and tried to lose it's aggro. At this point, there was nobody around the Juggernaut, so a barrage of attacks from the 'ambush' party came raining in on it. Though they were predominately ineffective, there were a few lucky attacks that managed to leave light wounds on the creature. Vahn had also loosed an arrow toward the remaining eye of the Juggernaut, but there seemed to be a strange force preventing it from penetrating the eye-socket.

Screaming in rage, the Juggernaut released a powerful aura that knocked many of the projectiles from the sky. Almost as if had realized something in the attack, the Juggernaut turned its gaze before leaning forward in a crouching position. The arrow that had almost penetrated its eye reminded it of a previous encounter, and it turned towards the source and saw the enemy that had escaped it previously. A hazy steam began to build up around the Juggernaut as it began to enter a berserker state.

At the end of its vision, Vahn suddenly felt as if he had been gripped by an imaginary force. The moment his arrow had landed, it was almost like the Juggernaut had locked onto him amongst all the adventurers present. He could see a seething hatred in its eye as his instincts began ringing alarms in his head. Vahn's pupils shrunk to the size of pinholes as the figure of the Juggernaut began accelerating toward him in slow motion.

Unfortunately, no matter how slow the Juggernaut seemed to be moving, Vahn's body didn't seem to be listening to him. He stood there in the motion of just have loosed an arrow as the Juggernauts figure began to approach. All the sounds in the area seemed to become muted as the colors started fading from the vision he was seeing. The only thought passing through Vahn's mind was that of his impending death.

As the enraged Juggernaut lurched forward to attack, it slammed heavily into the shield Riveria had formed to protect the 'ambush' party. She began to frown as she continued channeling her mana to sustain the shield. Finn, who had seen the strange actions of the Juggernaut, was incredibly confused by the turn of events. Though monsters sometimes displayed intelligence, Finn had never seen one completely ignore the people close to it and try to eliminate the weaker opponents first.

Jumping to attack the enraged creature, Finn tried to follow its gaze and noticed that it seemed entirely focused on Vahn who was standing behind the rest of the party with Riveria and Lefiya. Finn thought, ("Could the Juggernaut remember Vahn having escaped its grasp previously? But, even if that was the case, there is no reason for it to act in such a ferocious manner..."). Suddenly, Finn remembered the green arrow that had collided against the shadowy substance of the Juggernaut's eye. Seeing the bow in Vahn's hand, Finn realized it must have become enraged after nearly losing its only remaining eye.

Seeing the Juggernaut smash into the shield, Vahn was finally broken from the spell he was under. The moment of his demise that he had anticipated never came, and now he was able to see the Juggernaut smashing its claws into the shield in a rage. Finn, Tiona, Tione, Gareth, and Ais all began attacking its exposed back with heavy attacks. However, the Juggernaut just flailed and pushed them away with its arms and legs as it continued trying to destroy the barrier. The only thing on its feeble mind was destroying the accursed boy that had destroyed half of its face.

Riveria's shield began showing cracks, but Lefiya began chanting a spell that enforced its structure. Every time new cracks would appear, they would rapidly heal which caused the Juggernaut to rage even more. Vahn, believing the barrier may not hold, repositioned himself behind Lefiya and Riveria and placed his palms on their backs. Though they were curious about his actions, they couldn't interrupt their chanting to question him. However, their concerns were soon blown away when they felt a powerful energy seeping into their bodies. Their diminishing mana reserves were rapidly restoring at a rate faster than they were being consumed.

Instead of focusing on inputting the energy into his domain, Vahn imbued the entirety of his energy into his [Hands of Nirvana] with the support of his [Yggdrasil's Blessing]. He was converting his pure 'source' energy into mana, and it was easily able to replenish the mana stores of the two girls. The barrier that had been struggling to maintain itself now became solid and even glowed more brightly than it previously had.

Seeing the barrier restored, the tensions in the room exploded as everyone began to shout out with loud war cries. The ambush party began focusing their attacks on the damaged areas of the Juggernaut as the Level 5-6 members continued to land heavy blows on the creatures frame. Slowly but surely, the Juggernauts actions began to slow as blood was dripping from the wounds all over its body. In its last moments of life, just as Finn channeled his strongest attack in a leaping lunge toward its core, the Juggernaut stared at Vahn with a hate-filled expression.

Vahn felt a mental attack hit his mind as a powerful and corrosive energy tried to destroy his brain. His [Will of the Emperor] immediately exploded and resisted the attack, but Vahn still took a heavy amount of damage. A nauseous filling immediately overwhelmed him and it seemed like all the energy was draining from his body. Falling between the gap of the two elves, Vahn made contact with the ground at the exact same time as the Juggernaut did.

The two stared at each other one last time before both falling into different forms of unconsciousness. Before Vahn completely blacked out, he mouthed the words that he had used to previously part with the Juggernaut. 'F.u.c.k you'

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Chapter 106 - *Spoilers: Title at End*

Vahn felt a heaviness in his body as a deep throbbing pain was emitting from his head. He felt like his skull had been cracked open and his brain had turned to mush. Unable to form any thoughts, he just allowed the pain to encompass his entire being, almost to the point he was unable to distinguish between where the pain began and where it ended. He felt like the pain stretched out endlessly, and it was almost as though his body was infinitely expanding along with it to allow for more pain to fill him.

Suddenly, from a place deep within, a cooling sensation began to build from a minuscule point at the very center of the seemingly endless pain. It began to expand, almost as if it was trying to erase the pain from existence, but no matter how quickly it spread out, it was always slower than the pace of the pain itself. Vahn felt like his soul was beginning to tear apart by the duality of the two contrasting feelings. One filled him with energy and life, while the other seemed determined to destroy everything and erase it from existence.

Vahn tried focusing on the 'cool' sensation and tried to tear his mind away from the pain that had wracked his body for what felt like an eternity. He could feel his consciousness accelerating toward the center of the sensation, but no matter how fast he thought he was moving, he never seemed to get any closer. A fear began to grip his mind as Vahn felt, if he was unable to reach the center, he would lose himself entirely.

Suddenly, along with the cool sensation, Vahn was also able to feel a soft and warm sensation that seemed to surround the entire space. What previously seemed like an infinitely expanding void, now seemed to be much smaller as the warmth quickly spread through his mind and banished the pain. The cooling sensation, no longer suppressed by the pain, now spread out at a speed faster than perception itself. Before an instant had passed, the cooling sensation encompassed Vahn's entirety as he began to feel at ease.

No longer wracked by the pain, Vahn began to enjoy the feeling of warmth that was spreading from an unseen area outside of this strange space. It felt gentle, kind, and full of things that Vahn couldn't quite describe. All he knew is, the feeling made him feel very safe an secure, very similar to something he had lost long ago. Slowly, the cooling sensation began to recede, allowing for the warm feelings to replace the emptiness where Vahn currently resided.Vahn opened his eyes and noticed he had difficulty seeing in the dim light coming from a source outside of his line of sight. Currently, the only thing he could see was the sleeping figure of a woman, resting against the bedside where he was currently located. Vahn's mind froze for a moment because he couldn't understand why the person he saw would be present. The last thing he remembered was staring into the eyes of the Juggernaut before spending what felt like an eternity lost in that painful black space.

Feeling his movements, the figure woke up with a start and stared into Vahn's eyes with a surprised expression on her face. The two stared at each other for a few moments before the woman, Hephaestus, threw her arms around Vahn and began to embrace him in a powerful and emotion-filled hug. "Uuuuh, Vahn, you idiot! Don't scare me like that!" Hephaestus cried out in an aggrieved manner, and the pain-filled voice tore away at something in Vahn's heart.

Without explanation, tears began falling from Vahn's eyes as he returned the embrace of the crying Hephaestus. Feeling the warmth coming from her body, Vahn realized the thing that had brought him away from that painful darkness had been her embrace. He didn't know how long he was unconscious, but he felt a great deal of time had passed. Without her gentle warmth, Vahn wasn't sure he would have been able to come back from that abyss of pain and despair.

For now, Vahn allowed Hephaestus to embrace him while he rubbed her back in an effort to return some of the comforts she had given him. He could hear her mumbling accusations and various curses about him under her breath, but Vahn just allowed her to express her emotions as she pleased. Eventually, just as she started to calm down, Vahn spoke, "Thank you Hephaestus...you saved me. I don't think I could have come back on my own."

Hearing Vahn's words, Hephaestus put more strength into her embrace before pressing Vahn's head into her chest. "You stupid..." Hephaestus wanted to curse him again, but seeing the grateful expression and relief in his face, she couldn't find the words to berate him any longer. Instead, Hephaestus spoke gently, "You had me worried...Vahn. I'm glad you came back."

Afterward, the two enjoyed each other embrace until one of the doctors had come by with a number of people in tow. "Oh? Finally awake, my goodness, you sure know how to sleep, kid." Vahn turned towards the voice and recognized the familia figure of Granny Marin. She was the same doctor that had treated his injuries when he collapsed outside of the dungeon previously. Behind her, there were five figures that looked toward Vahn with happy expressions after seeing him awake.

Before Vahn could greet them, Lili and Naaza both rushed toward his beside while Ais, Tiona, and surprisingly, Lefiya approached in a more moderate manner. The two girls had tears in their eyes as they neared, especially Lili who literally jumped into Vahn's chest and began crying. Hephaestus, who had already had her time with Vahn, made way for the other girls before moving away to speak with Granny Marin.

Lili was inconsolable as she cried into Vahn's chest. Even when he tried comforting her, she just nestled her face into his hospital gown and continued crying. Naaza took the seat that Hephaestus had left vacant as she stared at Vahn with a tear-stained face. Unlike Lili, she wasn't crying loudly, but her silent sobs made Vahn feel even worse than the small pallum on his chest.

Vahn made eye contact with Tiona, Ais, and Lefiya and noticed they were acting more reserved than he expected. Noticing his confused expression, Tiona opened her mouth and explained. "The moment we brought you out of the dungeon, these two had been in a flurry after seeing your unconscious body. In the entire 9 days you were unconscious, they barely left your side."

Hearing that he had been unconscious for nine days, Vahn was very surprised. The last-ditch efforts of the Juggernaut had done more damage than he expected, and it was very likely he had been on the verge of death at that time. Seeing the two crying girls that he had parted ways with previously in a confident manner, Vahn felt a terrible feeling in his heart. Placing his hand on both of their heads, Vahn muttered in a low voice, "I'm sorry...Lili...Naaza. I didn't mean to worry you."

"It wasn't just the two of them that were worried, ya know~? Ais and Lefiya have been down in the dumps all weeks after you failed to wake up." Vahn stared toward Ais and Lefiya, and he could see a sad look in Ais's eyes. She looked directly at Vahn and said, "I'm glad you woke up. I was worried." Ais didn't deny Tiona's claim at all, but Lefiya seemed somewhat hesitant as she said, "I'm also glad you are awake..."

Vahn felt happy to have the two girls' care, but he was a bit confused by a matter and couldn't help but ask while looking at Tiona,"Were you not worried?" Tiona began to smile with all of her teeth showing as a passionate fervor filled her eyes, "No way~! The entire time you were asleep, I kept telling everyone you would wake up! There is no way a hero would be defeated in such a way, hahahahaha-ack!" Toward the end of her laugh, Tiona choked a bit and Vahn could see that, while she likely believed he would wake up, she was still worried about him.

Vahn began to laugh out loud after seeing Tiona's gaffe, and the entire room seemed to go silent as he was unable to repress the emotions that had been building inside of him. Seeing so many people concerned about his well-being, Vahn felt incredibly happy and fulfilled. Tiona's actions had been the last straw and, even though he felt guilty for having worried them, he was unable to repress his happiness any longer.

Everyone in the room stared at the boy who was both laughing and crying at the same time. Though he seemed unaware of it himself, Vahn was currently in tears as he widely smiled at everyone in the room. They could all feel the relief and happiness contained within his voice, and everyone present began to feel happy, chasing away all the negative feelings that had been present previously.After everything had settled down, Vahn was required to give every girl a hug before Granny Marin shooed them all out of the ward. Even Lefiya gave Vahn a short hug before departing with the rest of the girls. Once everyone was gone, the only people left in the room were Granny Marin, Hephaestus, and Vahn. Hephaestus sat next to the bedside and grabbed Vahn's hand while Granny Marin began speaking.

"Kid, I honestly don't know how you're alive right now. After the Loki Familia brought you to me, I checked your condition and, by all rights, you should be dead. Your brain had suffered severe trauma and the liquid inside had increased to such an extent that, even if it didn't kill you, you should have been in a coma for the rest of your life." Granny Marin looked at Vahn like he was a corpse that had got up off the table and started parading around.

"For now, you'll need to take time off from adventuring for the foreseeable future. I would suggest you spend time recuperating to see if there are any sequelae that present themselves. If nothing happens within three months, you should be fine to head back into the dungeon. And don't try to sneak in either; I already informed all of the Guild Staff to bar your entrance, and if they catch you there will be consequences." Granny Marin had a firm tone to her voice, and Vahn didn't feel like there was any room for negotiation.

From his side, Hephaestus had decided to speak up and piggyback the words of Granny Marins, "Don't worry, until I've confirmed with my own eyes that he is fit and healthy, I won't allow him to enter into the dungeon. Even if I have to lock him away inside my workshop for the entire three months." Hephaestus, much like Granny Marin, also spoke with a firm tone. Her words actually made Vahn a little scared but, seeing the concern in her eyes, he couldn't find it in himself to refute her.

Vahn could see from his system that he was in perfect health, but he felt he owed it to everyone that had been concerned about him to rest for a while. He could always spend the time improving his blacksmithing skills and studying medicine with Naaza. Vahn hadn't made much time to explore the City, and this would be a good chance to do so while he was unable to enter the dungeon.

Nodding his head, Vahn looked toward the two 'fierce' women and said, "I understand. I will take the next three months off to recover fully. I'm not in any particular rush to go back into the dungeon anyway." Granny Marin nodded at his response, while Hephaestus released a relieved sigh. She knew that, if Vahn wanted to, he would find a way to enter the dungeon somehow. Seeing him so cooperative, a lot of the feelings that had been stressing her out in the two weeks faded away.

Hephaestus asked Granny Marin, "When can he go home?" The Doctor shook her head and nearly spat out the words, "Just take him. With my prognosis, he should have been in that bed for the rest of his life. He obviously has something special about him to bring him back from the brink. I'm not going to meddle in your Familia's secrets, just make sure to foot the bill properly." Granny Marin had quickly become paranoid about a patient like Vahn. It seemed like every time she saw him, it lead to a mess and an increase in the pressure she had to deal with.

Hearing Granny Marin's 'consent', Hephaestus had a big smile on her face. Looking towards Vahn, she spoke her next words with more affection than she had ever mustered in all her millions of years of existence, "Let's go home, Vahn." Vahn noticed how happy Hephaestus was, and it felt like her mood had seeped into him from the point of contact in his hand. He nodded his head and returned her smile, "Let's go home."

Title: Return

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sleepy Boi','A wild Hephaestus appears!','Surrounded by fire and flowers')

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Chapter 107 - Hephaestus's POV

On the morning of Vahn's second day in the dungeon, Hephaestus awoke in a groggy state. She felt uncomfortable, and after looking at her disorderly clothing, she began to recall memories of the previous night. Hephaestus was fl.u.s.tered as she tried to fix her clothing, but noticed there was a discomforting feeling coming from within the fabrics. Sighing, she eventually left the couch and changed her clothes at a wardrobe located on the far side of the office

After wearing some fresh clothes, Hephaestus stared at her dirty laundry and powerful embarrassment enveloped her. She couldn't believe she had used Vahn as an accompaniment to her self-pleasuring. Remembering how innocent and naive he was, Hephaestus couldn't help but feel ashamed of her actions. She felt as though, just like the clothing she had soiled, she was a very dirty person...

Trying to push the matters aside, Hephaestus tried to get some work done since she had slacked off the day prior. Unfortunately, this was also around the same time Vahn began his escapades on the second floor, and Hephaestus immediately became distracted by his increased heart rate. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, especially after the matters of the previous night, she was unable to do so. Eventually, she gave up trying to work and just put her head down on her desk while using her arms as a pillow.

Focusing her mind, she could feel the various moments of excitement Vahn was going through. Hephaestus felt like he must be enjoying himself, and she wondered what kind of monsters he was facing to be having so much fun. After listening to and experiencing the various emotions, Hephaestus was disturbed by a knocking at the door. With a grim face, she left her desk and approached the door to see who had come by.

Opening the door, Hephaestus recognized the man as one of her security detail. He was a tall man with lanky arms, black hair, and brown eyes named Jakk. "Yes, what is it Jakk? Why disturb my work...I am busy." Hephaestus asked the question, but she noticed that Jakk just stared at her like he had seen something unbelievable. After a few moments, just as Hephaestus was beginning to get annoyed, the man pointed to her face and said, "Your eyepatch...it's gone?"

Seeing his pointing, Hephaestus reached her hand up and touched her face. Just as Jakk had said, ever since Vahn healed her eye, Hephaestus hadn't been wearing her eyepatch. Due to her dazed state, she had completely forgotten about the matter and answered the door out of habit. Hephaestus noticed that, as she was touching her face, the man named Jakk had a change in his expression as he smiled slightly. "I didn't know you were so beautiful under the eyepatch. It's a shame you don't take it off more often."

Hearing Jakk's compliment, Hephaestus immediately felt sick in her stomach. In the years he had been working for her, other than a few looks every now and then, most of the security detail didn't have the courage to speak to her, much less try to flirt with her. His words, though the sounded polite, were nothing by a grating noise in Hephaestus's ears. "I asked why you are here," Hephaestus spoke in a cold tone as she stared toward him angrily.

Jakk became fl.u.s.tered after seeing Hephaestus get angry; his eyes grew wide as he put his hands up in a defensive posture. He was just trying to give her a compliment, and he didn't think she would take so much offense. "A-ah, there was a customer that wanted to establish a contract with you. They are waiting at the negotiations table..."

Hephaestus continued to glare at Jakk, even after he explained the purpose of his visit. In a cold voice, she spoke, "Tell them I am busy working on personal projects right now and am not taking any new clients for the time being. Leave here, and do not disturb me for the rest of the day." Hephaestus disliked how, even though she was obviously annoyed by his 'look', Jakk continued to stare at her face and eye even after she gave him a harsh look.

Jakk nodded his head like a chicken before making his way toward his post. However, after he walked a few steps, he couldn't help but turn his head to catch another glance at Hephaestus. Seeing the audaciousness of her employee, Hephaestus felt her anger reach a boiling point in an instant. In a cold voice, she slowly spoke the words, "You are fired. If I see you around my workshop in the future, I'll have the City guards detain you."

Hearing her words, Jakk's mind blanked out and he tried to mumble an excuse but, seeing how angry Hephaestus looked, he didn't have the courage to say anything. Bowing as low as he could, Jakk turned around and quickly left the premises without turning back. After a few minutes, the chief security guard Zaff came by and inquired about Jakk's departure. Hephaestus still had her face uncovered, but Zaff had enough tact to keep his comments to himself. After hearing the reason, he apologized to Hephaestus and swore such a thing wouldn't happen in the future.

For the next few hours, Hephaestus was in a foul mood. The fact someone thought they could hit on her the moment her face was healing really pissed her off. Even if they had no ill-intent, she wasn't the type to take any flattery others were willing to dish out. Now that her face was no longer disfigured, Hephaestus felt an overwhelming sense of pride and confidence inside of her. She wouldn't defer to anyone that simply saw her looks and planted a target on her without considering their place and capabilities.

In her angered state, the vision of a young boy flashed in her mind, and Hephaestus began to calm down. She released a long sigh and decided today would be another day where she was unable to get any work done. Instead, she decided she would visit the Divine Bathhouse and clean her body while relaxing. Even though she changed her clothing earlier, there was still a bit of discomfort which she wanted to wash away...After her day at the Divine Bathhouse and a peaceful nights sleep, Hephaestus was in a much better mood than the previous day. When she had left yesterday, Hephaestus did so without wearing her eyepatch. She walked around confidently and drew the eyes of many onlookers along the way to her destination. When she finally arrived at the Divine Bathhouse, many of her fellow goddesses were in complete shock at seeing her uncovered face. Hephaestus spent the rest of the evening talking about Vahn and surrounded by people that teased her for doing so. After returning home, she was very tired and immediately fell asleep while listening to Vahn's heartbeat.

Hephaestus decided she had to do some work today, or it would begin to pile up and become a problem in the near future. As the most prolific blacksmith in the City, she didn't have much leisure time to sit around idling. No matter how much Vahn's heartbeat distracted her, she still had to do her job, so she resolved herself and entered her workshop.

Several hours later, Hephaestus was making good progress on a sword, when she suddenly felt a powerful fear grip her chest. She immediately tossed the sword aside and began to focus on the beating in her soul. She could feel that Vahn wasn't excited, but very, very afraid. The fear continued to build inside, and Hephaestus knew something was wrong, and Vahn had come across something that scared him terribly. The stronger his fear, the more afraid Hephaestus grew as well because there was nothing she was able to do to help.

Hephaestus immediately sent an emergency message to Tsubaki, who began gathering members for a rescue party. Those that showed up were predominately the members that had been gathered the previous time, and seeing their goddess without an eyepatch surprised them greatly. However, the most impactful part of the scene was how pale and concerned Hephaestus was acting, and they knew the matter was very serious for her to be in such dire straits.

As the members gathered outside of the entrance of the dungeon, similar to the previous incident, Hephaestus's heart began to calm. She could sense that Vahn was no longer afraid, and realizing this, Hephaestus nearly collapsed to the ground in relief. Tsubaki had been nearby, and she caught Hephaestus before she was able to fall. "Is he okay now?" Tsubaki was also very concerned about Vahn, as Hephaestus had informed her about the connection they shared.

Hephaestus had a relieved smile on her face as she explained what she was feeling to Tsubaki. After understanding the situation, Tsubaki informed the rescue party and, though some of them were a bit annoyed, most of them were happy things had taken a positive turn. They stayed in the area for a while before agreeing to meet up later and have drinks, courtesy of Tsubaki, as repayment for their troubles.

Afterward, Tsubaki informed Hephaestus that there was an expedition heading into the dungeon later that day, so the two met with the representatives and passed Vahn's information to them. Hephaestus made them vow that, if they met Vahn and he was in trouble, they would do whatever they could to assist him. Grant and Meryl agreed without much resistance, as they could see the concern and worry in their goddesses' face. They wondered what kind of boy Vahn was to have made such an impact on their usually 'cool' and 'stoic' goddess.The next two days passed relatively uneventfully. Hephaestus was still concerned with Vahn, but she could feel his heart beating steadily in her soul, and it brought her some level of comfort. Other than a few instances where he seemed excited, the next few days were much easier to deal with than the previous two. Hephaestus actually managed to get some work done and completed some of her contracts. The 'eternal flame' had become much more powerful recently, and Hephaestus even saw wisps of vermillion in the flame from time to time. With its cooperation, she was able to finish her tasks with incredible efficiency, so much so that it even surprised her.

After a relatively peaceful nights sleep, Hephaestus was awoken early the next morning by a knock on her door. As she was much calmer lately, she answered the door without any negative emotions clouding her mind. Instead of Jakk, the man she had fired, the messenger was now a powerful looking female. She was slightly taller than Hephaestus with auburn hair and purple eyes. "Good morning Hephaestus-sama, there is a Goddess named Anubis here who would like to speak with you."

The woman was very polite, even though she had the build of a fierce warrior. Hephaestus made a note to commend Zaff for his selection of personnel later as she moved to the private meeting area where Hephaestus dealt with her VIP clientele. Entering the room, Hephaestus saw a very beautiful goddess with olive-brown skin, long black hair, large pointed chienthrope ears, a bushy tail, and a very regal attire. The most notable thing though were the eyes of the goddess, which seemed to contain a gentle golden light similar to the full moon.

Noticing Hephaestus's entrance, the goddess put down the tea she was drinking and gave a polite bow toward the crimson-eyed goddess. "Greetings Goddess Hephaestus, I am known as Anubis, Goddess of the Anubis Familia that recently arrived in the City." Hephaestus gave a curt nod before sitting on the opposite sofa. It wasn't uncommon for gods and goddesses that recently arrived in the City to seek her out. Many wanted to form bonds and even establish cooperation with her, as she was the head of the 3rd most powerful Familia and the largest of all the production Familia in the City.

"What can I do for you, Anubis?" Hephaestus expected the normal courtesies and requests but was surprised when Anubis handed her a letter instead. Holding the envelope in her hands, Hephaestus gave Anubis a questioning look. Anubis said, "I was entrusted this letter by a boy named Vahn. He had given it to my children after they had...a misunderstanding." Anubis frowned after recalling the event as recounted by her children. She felt both angry and thankful to the boy named Vahn, and his action of sparing her children was what led her to Hephaestus.

After hearing that it was a letter from Vahn, Hephaestus immediately opened it while asking,"What kind of misunderstanding? Vahn isn't the type to approach people and cause trouble." Hephaestus had noticed the 'discomfort'of Anubis and thought she was concealing something. Before reading the letter, she wanted to confirm her suspicions. Anubis, hearing the question, sighed before explaining the events. As the recounting the second-hand tale, Hephaestus could feel the blood in her body turn cold as she glared at the goddess in front of her. For Vahn to attack people, he must have felt threatened or had a very good reason for doing so.

Hephaestus began reading the letter, and the cold blood in her veins seemed to drop an additional twenty degrees as a fierce rage began to spread through her mind. Within the letter, Vahn explained the events that had transpired from his perspective. He spoke of a god named Osiris that had been targeting him, and Hephaestus even believed he may have been the cause for Vahn's fear previously.

Anubis, who had been sitting quietly across from Hephaestus, began to feel a cold sweat on her back as she stared toward the angry Goddess. As she was unaware of the contents of the letter, she had hoped it didn't complicate the matters since Vahn seemed to be the rational type from her understanding. Eventually, Hephaestus finished the letter before coldly looking at Anubis. "Why are you and that idiot god after Vahn? Even if Vahn says you aren't a threat if your answer doesn't satisfy me..." As she spoke, Hephaestus's expression grew grim as the stared into the frowning face of Anubis.

Anubis wasn't afraid of Hephaestus, but imagining the danger her children would face, she couldn't help but swallow her saliva under the pressure. "Even I am unsure of the reason. I was asked to come to the City by Osiris to help deal with an anomaly. According to him...the boy named Vahn does not have a soul. As both our divinities are related to death, we can see the soul of all living creatures. Osiris seems to have a grudge against Vahn, but I only wanted to confirm if the matter was true..."

Hephaestus nodded, but her expression hadn't become any better after hearing Anubis's explanation. She said, "For now, I want to meet this idiot named Osiris. As long as you stay out of my way, I'll arrange for your meeting with Vahn once he returns. I can assure you, this is probably some scheme of that pathetic friend of your's." Hephaestus said the words with such confidence that even Anubis believed she had been tricked by Osiris. She already expected there to be a greater reason behind his hatred for the boy, and seeing the firm manner in which Hephaestus spoke, she felt like she had been used.Later that day, the Hephaestus Familia had surrounded the location of the Osiris Familia, which happened to be in a disreputable location near Daedelus Street. It was a small, run-down facility that looked like a criminal's hangout. After a brief conflict between the two Familia, Hephaestus ended up confronting Osiris who tried lashing out at her with various accusations and curses. Hephaestus struck the god fiercely across the face before detaining him using a seal specifically created to imprison gods. She would leave him with the Guild as they conduct their investigation, and if it turns out he was plotting against Vahn for personal reasons, she would make sure he received a one-way ticket back to Heaven.

Anubis had been present during the raid, and seeing the unquenchable anger of Hephaestus, she felt like she and Osiris had accidentally awakened a fierce beast from its slumber. She suddenly felt very thankful for Vahn having spared her children and writing the letter to redirect Hephaestus's hatred away from her own Familia...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Roller coaster of emotions','Don't mess with bae','RIP Osiris')

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Chapter 108 - Changes

Vahn accompanied Hephaestus out of the medical ward and the two exited the Tower of Babel. Along the way, Hephaestus seemed very happy, and her mood had infected Vahn who also had a pleased smile on his face. While they were walking, Vahn noticed they were heading the north-west, instead of toward Tsubaki's place. Vahn was curious, so he asked, "Are we not going to Tsubaki's manor?"

Hephaestus laughed a bit before looking at Vahn with a smiling expression and saying, "You'll still be staying there, but at least for today, I'm going to keep you at my workshop." Seeing Hephaestus's expression, Vahn's heartbeat began to increase which promoted Hephaestus to give him a curious look as she too was aware of the change. "Is there something wrong, Vahn? Is your body okay?" Hephaestus was very concerned about Vahn, especially considering he just awoke from a nine-day slumber.

Vahn wanted to explain what he was feeling, but before he found his words a strange sound emitted from his stomach. The moment the noise ended, Vahn began to blush a bit as he looked at Hephaestus trying to hold back her laughter. "Let's get some food on the way, okay?" Hephaestus led the way, and Vahn followed slightly behind her while rubbing his stomach. He hadn't eaten anything in more than a week, and he was incredibly hungry...

On their way to the workshop, they stopped at a small stand fried meats that had been seasoned with a variety of different spices. Vahn thought it was interesting because the basket he received had several different types of mystery meats with different seasonings. He had a wooden skewer to eat with, and every bite was a different flavor he had yet to experience. Hephaestus had gotten some for herself, but seeing Vahn happily eating away at his food, she couldn't help but offer him some of her own. Vahn gratefully accepted the food and ate directly from the skewer she offered.

After around twenty minutes, Hephaestus and Vahn arrived at her workshop and she dismissed the security personnel. She instructed Zaff to stay in the area and ordered a variety of foods to be delivered for later in the day. Zaff affirmed her orders before giving Vahn a heavy pat on the back,"Good job coming back kid. You had me 'n the boys worried there for a bit." Vahn smiled at Zaff's words and gave him a polite bow in return.

Hephaestus led the way into her office before promptly locking the door after they both entered. Looking toward Vahn who was taking in the sights of her office, she spoke in a gentle tone,"It seems like you have influenced a number of people. I was very surprised when so many members of the Loki Familia kept coming to visit you in the ward. Even Loki herself stopped by to discuss the matter of your reward and pay reparations."

Vahn's brows raised after hearing Hephaestus speak. He didn't think he did anything deserving of a reward or reparations, or anything like that. Noticing his look, Hephaestus frowned and had a sad expression as she said, "If Loki hadn't tried to negotiate personally, my Familia probably would have had a falling out with her if you didn't wake up. What concerns me more than that is, you seem to have made a lot of...friends in the Loki Familia?"

Vahn nodded his head and explained, "The Loki Familia was present when I fought against the Goliath. Afterward, I ended up joining them on the expedition and various things happened before we finally fought against the Juggernaut." Hearing Vahn mention fighting against the Goliath in such a casual demeanor, Hephaestus felt like she had taken a blow to her mentality. She had yet to know the full account of Vahn's adventures in the dungeon, and the fact he had even gotten to the 18th floor in the first place had surprised her.

Hephaestus moved to the couch and patted it while saying, "Take off your shirt, I'll update your status while you tell me everything that happened in the dungeon. Don't try to hide anything, as I can easily tell if you're lying...you may not know this, but your expression makes it very hard for you to keep secrets." Vahn was surprised and he held his hand to his face like he would be able to discover something from her words.

Watching his response, Hephaestus laughed before saying, "It's not a bad thing, just make sure you're careful around people trying to plot and scheme against you. Especially people like that imp Loki..." As Hephaestus spoke, Vahn walked over after removing his tunic. Hephaestus had been watching him, and after seeing his body, her words trailed a bit and she closed her mouth.

Though Vahn wasn't aware of it himself, his 150cm frame had now grown to 156cm, while his frail looking body had started to develop in a more mature fashion. Unaware of Hephaestus's strange gaze, Vahn laid down on the couch so Hephaestus could update his status. The moment he put his head on the cushion, Vahn smelled a strange scent that made his mind feel a little bit numb. Curious about what it was, he turned his head and inhaled the scent while trying to identify its source.

Hephaestus, who had been dazed at seeing Vahn's body, now saw him smelling the couch and she immediately recalled that she had been sleeping there recently. She had even, on the night after he left, done something unmentionable on the very spot Vahn now rested. In a fl.u.s.tered manner, she actually grabbed Vahn's head before turning it sideways. "Y-you can't talk if your face is down. Look to the side while I read your status and, don't smell that cushion. I spilled something on it previously and forgot to get it cleaned."

Vahn, who felt like his neck had nearly been broken, nodded his head slowly in response. He wondered what she had spilled on the cushion and thought about asking, but seeing the fl.u.s.tered look on her face, Vahn thought she would be embarrassed if he asked. Instead, he began recounting his adventures since the first day as Hephaestus kneeled next to him and dropped a bit of her blood onto the crest on his back.

The moment the numbers popped up, Hephaestus was in shock as she listened to Vahn's tale. Vahn was curious at her response, so he decided to ask, "What's wrong, Hephaestus?" Hephaestus was broken from her stupor as she looked at Vahn with a serious expression on her face. "Vahn, how did you level up?" Now, it was Vahn's turn to be surprised as he checked his status window in the system.[Stats]

Name: [Vahn Mason]

Age: 14

Race: Human, *sealed*

Parameter: [Danmachi: 1-4]

-Level:3(3)

-Power: 1906(I14)

-Endurance: 2221(I44)

-Dexterity: 1807(I11)

-Agility: 1959(I21)

-Magic: 3562(G251)

Total:11455(341)( (A/N: For those curious, Vahn's total at level up was 5908.)

Soul Tier 2 (Hero Soul)

[Karma: 2,003

[OP: 411,259

[Valis: 171,630(A/N: As an example of a normal total after just reaching lv 3, most adventurers would be between 7000-8500 total points. That makes Vahn about 1.4-1.6 times stronger without buffs! Some Level 4 adventurers only have 10,500-12,000 parameters after reaching Level 4.)

Vahn was shocked after seeing his stats. Not only had he leveled up without his notice, but he even had an increase in his magic afterward. Sis, who is always present within his mind, explained. (*When you suffered that mental attack, it nearly destroyed your brain. [Will of the Emperor] tried to protect you against the attack and slowly heal your mind. Since it was repairing your badly damaged brain for a whole nine days, it shouldn't be a surprise that your magic would increase. As for the level increase, that was due to the stress that was being placed on your body as your parameters grew. Without leveling up, your body would have exploded before your mind was able to recover.*)

Hephaestus saw Vahn's expression and believed he had been unaware of the change himself. She suspected it could be a result of his blood, so she tried asking, "Vahn, has there ever been anything strange with your status before? Have you ever been able to feel changes after fighting?" Since most adventurer's parameters didn't increase without their status being updated, Hephaestus figured Vahn would be aware of there were any changes.

Vahn slowly nodded as he began to repeat the words Sis was speaking in his mind."Yes, I often feel my body become stronger after fights. That is how I was able to progress so far into the dungeon. Even I was surprised by how far I was able to go, but every time I encountered a dangerous situation, I seemed to get stronger afterward..."

Hearing his admittance, Hephaestus sighed and began to marvel at the mystery of Vahn's body. If her speculation was true, not only did Vahn not need a Falna to improve, but he seems to even be able to update any Falna he has received. With this thought in mind, Hephaestus suddenly recalled the little Pallum girl that often followed Vahn around. Hephaestus had learned from Tsubaki that Lili was a member of the Soma Familia yet, after training with Tsubaki, her status seemed to rapidly increase.

"Vahn, that Pallum girl, Lili, were you the one who updated her Status Board?" Hephaestus asked the question casually, and Vahn responded without thinking, "Yes, but how did you know she was a Pallum?" As far as Vahn could remember, Lili had always kept her cat person transformation ever since moving in with Tsubaki.

Hephaestus frowned a bit before saying, "A little transformation magic isn't enough to disguise her from my eyes. I knew she was a Pallum the moment we first met. I assume she is hiding from the Soma Familia after you rescued her from the dungeon, but that isn't important right now. Tell me Vahn, how did you update her Status?" Vahn realized there was something wrong with how Hephaestus was questioning him, and as if to affirm his suspicions, a voice rang in his head.

(*You're an idiot sometimes Vahn...*)

Seeing Hephaestus look at him, Vahn began to sweat under the pressure and decided to speak the truth, "After you told me about my origin, I thought I would be able to update someone's status using my skill [Yggdrasil's Blessing]. Though it wasn't easy at first, I was able to do so after a bit of practice." Hephaestus, hearing Vahn's confession, began to panic a little inside her mind.

If what Vahn said was true, if anyone found out about it, he would likely become a target of other gods or syndicates. A mortal that can update status would be invaluable to organizations where their gods weren't willing or able to perform the ceremony themselves. Vahn could probably even become a powerful tool for exploitation if anyone found out. Grabbing Vahn's face, Hephaestus looked directly into his eyes after bringing her face right in front of his. "Never, ever, tell anyone you can update the Status of another person. Promise me, Vahn."

Vahn, for the second time today, felt like his neck was about to break as he slowly nodded his head. "I promise Hephaestus..." He could see the panic and concern in her eyes, so Vahn knew it could be very dangerous if word were to spread of his ability. Though Vahn never planned to publicize it, if anyone from the Soma Familia found out about Lili, rumors might begin to spread.

Hephaestus realized this as well, as she said, "We'll need to have Lili undergo the conversion ceremony. I know she wanted to do something about the Soma Familia herself, but this is no longer just her problem. Even if she became strong enough to crush the Familia on her own, it would raise too many questions and would draw too much attention to the people close to her." Hephaestus planned to inform Tsubaki immediately, so she pulled out a strange parchment and a red magic pen.

As she wrote a message onto the parchment, the words slowly began to burn and dissolve into ashes that disappeared into the air. Vahn thought the sight was very interesting, so he couldn't help but ask,"What kind of magic tool is that? I've never seen such a thing." Hephaestus sighed after seeing how casual Vahn was acting given the severity of the situation. However, seeing the honest look on his face, she answered, "The parchment is made from the hide of a magical beast and has been linked to a sister scroll. Using this Fire-link Quill, anything written onto the parchment would be sent the scroll on the other end. Its only effective within 100km, but it's quite useful in emergencies."

Vahn began to realize there was still a lot about this world he didn't know about. He planned to use the next few months to familiarize himself with the City and learn all kinds of new things. Seeing the letter Hephaestus was writing, he suddenly had a thought and asked, "Hephaestus, did anyone come by to give you a letter when I was in the dungeon?" Hephaestus's quill stopped a while before she looked at Vahn with slightly widened eyes. "Yes, I had almost forgotten about that matter. I'll have her stop by tomorrow and we can get to the bottom of that situation." Toward the end of her words, Vahn saw that Hephaestus had a fierce and angry expression. He almost felt bad for the person on the receiving end of her wrath...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Level 3','Hephaestus noticed Vahn's growth','Within the Couch's Embrace')

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Chapter 109 - Lamentation

After sending the messages, Hephaestus put away the parchment and quill before looking toward Vahn. Right now, he was sitting topless on the sofa and watching her with intrigue. Hephaestus smiled before leaving her desk and sitting next of Vahn on the couch. After she got comfortable, she pulled Vahn's head into her chest before gently patting his head. "You know Vahn, I was very worried about you. After your promise and healing my eye, the next time I see you is on a hospital bed. I feel like you're trying to worry me to death..."

Vahn was a bit fl.u.s.tered at first, but after hearing Hephaestus's soothing tone, he began to relax and enjoy the embrace. Of all the people that have held him, Vahn always felt the most comfortable with Hephaestus since she always seemed to show so much care for him. After a few minutes, she sighed before bringing Vahn's head to rest on her lap. "Tell me everything that happened in the dungeon..."

As she had been holding in for a while, Vahn was very relaxed and complacent. He began recounting everything he had done in the dungeon since he entered. He talked about how he killed monsters at the pantry to get revenge for Naaza, how he hunted monsters in the mist, and about his crusade against the Minotaurs. Hephaestus closed her eyes and tried to imagine everything that Vahn had experienced and matched it against her own experiences in the recent days. She could recall the excitement he had felt during certain events, and wondered what kind of battles he had gone through to grow so quickly.

Vahn continued his story, conveniently avoiding talking about the Juggernaut, and recounted how he saved a father that was protecting his two sons against a variant Wyvern. Hephaestus smiled and gently stroked his head; she felt very proud that Vahn was willing to save people instead of overlooking their troubles. After that, he told her about how he first arrived in Riviria and about his encounter with the 'Hounds of Anubis' and their young leader Rasui.

While speaking of the young chienthropes, Vahn actually began to feel embarrassed after remembering certain events. Hephaestus noticed his looked and asked, "What's wrong Vahn? Did anything else happen while they were tracking you?" Vahn took a deep breath and told Hephaestus how he had dealt with their 'attack'. He even mentioned how he had lodged arrows into the lower backs of two of the young girls and how awkward it was having to remove them later.

Hephaestus had conflicting feelings when Vahn mentioned having to pull arrows out of two young girls backsides. She wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or berate Vahn for his excessive behavior. After hearing that he used his [Hands of Nirvana] to heal their wounds, she almost wanted to squeeze his little head to alleviate her own rising emotions. She was glad he was being honest with her, but she didn't think he would casually say such embarrassing things.

Afterward, Vahn told Hephaestus about how he encountered a Wyvern and was able to tame it. Hephaestus was very impressed, as monster taming was an incredibly rare ability. When she heard that, after taming it, the monster even evolved, she was incredibly shocked. "Where is your 'Dragon' now? Did you leave it in the dungeon...?" Vahn shook his head and withdrew Fafnir's core from his inventory. Hephaestus received the core and began to inspect it only to discover that her god's eye couldn't actually see through the crystal.

Vahn explained how the crystal seemed to be able to contain Fafnir, and by channeling his energy into the core, he was able to materialize its body whenever he wanted. Once again, Hephaestus was incredibly shocked by the revelation and sighed before telling Vahn, "This is another thing you need to keep a secret...who knows about this?" Vahn answered, and after Hephaestus heard that the ace party of the Loki Familia knew about the secret, she nearly screamed in frustration after thinking about the future troubles.

Unfortunately for Hephaestus, her troubles were already beginning, as Vahn continued talking about his fight with the Goliath and meeting the Loki Familia on the 17th floor. Hephaestus originally thought he fought alongside them, but hearing that Vahn defeated the Goliath on his own, she didn't know what to feel. While she was shocked, sure, she was also slowly becoming numb to the surprises Vahn was giving her. She started to think that allowing Vahn to enter the dungeon alone had been a mistake in the first place...too many abnormal things happened around him.

In her daze, Hephaestus almost didn't hear the words Vahn spoked after defeating the Goliath, "What was that, Vahn?" Vahn repeated his words, "I said that, after the fight, the amazon girl Tiona tackled me to the ground while I was n.a.k.e.d. I didn't mind much at first, but I realized later how embarrassing that was..." Vahn didn't consider the words anything worth hiding, so he repeated them without worrying.

Hephaestus nodded slowly as if she had realized a few things before urging Vahn to continue. She would later come to regret this as Vahn started telling her about all the events that followed. He told her about how Tiona had hugged him until he collapsed and then when he finally woke up, how he took a bath with Tiona, Tione, Ais, and Lefiya. At this point, Hephaestus had a dazed expression and was just listening to Vahn speak. Recalling all the girls that had visited Vahn in the ward, she began to think there was a lot more to the story...which she soon found out.

Vahn talked about his first kiss with Tiona, how she confessed to him, and how in his first experience of mental frustration, how he destroyed a small section of the forest to relieve the emotions that had built up inside him. Hephaestus wasn't too surprised that Tiona would confess to Vahn after his previous words, but when she found out that, because of his embarrassment, he started to become aware of women, she felt a bit of panic in her heart.

His next words made Hephaestus want to march into the Loki Familia and strangle Riveria since she found out that Vahn had received 'lessons' from her on s.e.x.u.a.l education. With his newfound knowledge, he had apparently decided it was okay to kiss not only Tiona but Ais as well. When he got to the part about how Tiona 'attacked' him, Hephaestus was no longer able to think straight. It wasn't until he told her about Ais's desire to have s.e.x on her birthday that Hephaestus finally returned to her senses.

Hephaestus lazily looked at Vahn and could see that he had a slight blush on his face as he recounted the events. "Vahn, what are you going to do?" Vahn was surprised at seeing how strange Hephaestus was acting, but he responded anyway, "Ah, they're both very affectionate toward me, so I don't think it will be a problem. I promised Tiona I would have a baby with her when I am strong enough, and I'm also interested in sharing experiences with Ais."

"I see..." Hephaestus felt like a lot of her strength had left her after listening to Vahn's experiences in the dungeon. She didn't even process the words he spoke about his battle with the Juggernaut; she just sat in a daze while thinking about each of the girls that always hung around Vahn. Eventually, once Vahn had stopped talking, Hephaestus showed him a sad smile before saying,"I'm glad you found girls your own age to be with..."

Vahn noticed that Hephaestus was no longer just acting strange, but she was acting sad, almost like she had lost something she cared about. Vahn felt a painful feeling in his chest seeing her sad look. "Hephaestus, what is wrong? Why are you sad?" Though Vahn had seen all kinds of faces from Hephaestus, he had never seen such a sad look before. Even his vision of her heart's desire, when she was lost in that infinite loneliness, she didn't seem as sad as she was now.

Hephaestus just shook her head in response and said, "It's nothing Vahn...I just had a strange expectation. You don't have to worry about it, just focus on finding your own happiness." Hephaestus began to gently stroke his head, but Vahn felt like her hands, which were usually warm, were now cold and clammy as they weakly made their way through his hair. Vahn didn't like this feeling, so he sat up and looked Hephaestus directly in her eyes.

"Something is wrong, this isn't like you. Please, tell me, I will do my best to help you." Vahn hated seeing Hephaestus this way, and he really was willing to do anything if it would return the kind person from his memories. Hephaestus, seeing the earnest and caring expression of Vahn, felt her heart twitch, but it wasn't enough to drive away the melancholy that has overtaken her.

Looking weakly into his eyes, Hephaestus spoke softly as tears began to cloud her vision, "I just...thought that...after your promise..." Hephaestus couldn't form a complete sentence, and every word seems to strike at something deep within Vahn. He recalled his promise, about how he would help drive away her loneliness, and it wasn't until now that he understood the context contained within. Vahn realized the companionship Hephaestus was looking for wasn't for a person of equal skill to appear, but she was looking for someone worthy of being her lover.

Vahn began recalling all the memories he had with Hephaestus. He remembered all the kindness, all the care, all the emotions, everything she had given him just to protect him. Even now, just so he wouldn't be in danger, she was dealing with the Osiris Familia and Soma Familias just to protect his secrets. This realization broke something within Vahn, and he felt like he had wronged her severely...

Vahn grabbed her hands, which seemed to contain no strength, and looked into her sad eyes. "Hephaestus, I..." Before he could finish, Hephaestus side and removed her hands from his. "It's okay, Vahn...I'm just happy if you are happy." As her words finished, Hephaestus gave Vahn a fake smile and tried to get off the couch. Vahn, seeing her actions reached out his hand and grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, you don't understand, I didn't know..." Vahn felt like, if he let go of her hand now, he might never be able to close the distance between them again. Hephaestus tried to free herself from his grasp but noticed that his hand was like a vice and she couldn't escape. Sighing, Hephaestus looked toward Vahn was an 'angry' look and said, "Let go of my Vahn, I don't blame you. Even now, I'll do my best to protect you. You are my 'child' after all."

Hearing the emphasis she placed on the word 'child', Vahn felt an incredible panic build up inside of him. Without thinking further, he pulled Hephaestus toward him and she fell into his embrace since she hadn't been putting much power into supporting her own body. The moment their bodies made contact, Hephaestus began to struggle, but Vahn just held her body in his embrace without letting go.

Hephaestus continued to curse and try to free herself from Vahn's clutches, but no matter what she said or how much she tried to escape, he just silently held onto her. Eventually, after several minutes, she began to cease her struggles and just allowed herself to be held. Vahn's embrace loosened a bit as he began to channel his energy from [Hands of Nirvana] into her back. Hephaestus felt a warm energy enter her body, almost like it wanted to drive away all the negative feelings in her heart.

Vahn continued to hold Hephaestus close to him; he wanted her to feel his care and his affection for her. He was trying to assure her that, no matter what happened, he would never let her go and be lonely again. After a while, he could feel tears on his bare chest as Hephaestus slowly embraced him as well. She began crying in his arms as he continued channeling his energy into her back while gently patting it.

Nearly half an hour later, Hephaestus had stopped crying, but Vahn was still holding onto her. In the silence, she just rested her head against his chest and listened to the familiar heartbeat that had accompanied her for every waking moment in the last few months. "Your heart...it brings me comfort you know that? I listen to it when I go to sleep..." Vahn was a bit surprised at the confession, but he just tightened his grip a little bit to show her his concern.

Hephaestus continued in a low tone, "I even...on this couch..." Hephaestus didn't continue her sentence, but Vahn could feel her heartbeat increasing as well. It was a powerful and fast tempo that he could feel through her b.r.e.a.s.ts that were pressing into his stomach. It made his heart rate begin to increase as well, which caused Hephaestus to lift her head and smile.

Vahn could see the light blush covering Hephaestus's tear-stained face, and her smile made his head no numb. Without thinking, he reached his right hand to the back of her head and, before she could react, sealed her lips with his own. Hephaestus immediately reacted by opening her eyes wide and trying to separate from Vahn, but since she was in an awkward position since earlier, she was unable to muster any real strength.

Vahn continued to kiss her, and similar to how Tiona had done so previously, he began invading her mouth with his tongue. Her struggles nearly doubled in intensity, but Vahn was unwilling to release the kiss until she understood his feelings. Eventually, Hephaestus stopped her struggles entirely and Vahn could feel the heavy breathing from her nostrils as she began returning his kiss. Noticing she had begun to seek after his mouth now, Vahn pulled away slightly and smiled.

Hephaestus, unprepared for his withdrawal, actually closed the distance and continued the kiss on her own. Her momentum knocked Vahn onto the couch and she embraced him from above. Hephaestus could feel the passion in her body begin to take over as she sought out the boy that had been dominating her thoughts recently. Though she was scared he would leave her behind, she now saw that he cared about her just as much as she cared about him.

The emotions began to steadily build inside Vahn as well, as he could feel the weight of Hephaestus's body press against his own. He was startled by her passion, and how soft her body was. Her b.r.e.a.s.ts especially, as Vahn felt them against his own chest, made his mind go numb and he began exploring her body to discover what other parts were soft. Eventually, his hands found their way to Hephaestus's pert butt and she gasped slightly before moving her kiss away from his mouth and onto his neck. She began to kiss his neck and collarbone as his hands continued to grope about and enjoy the springy sensation through her trousers.

knock* *knock* *knock*

A knock was heard at the door, and both Hephaestus and Vahn immediately froze. Staring toward the door, Hephaestus heard it begin to open from the outside as the latch holding the door closed became undone. The only people that had a key to her workshop were herself and Tsubaki, and the figure that came through confirmed her fears. Tsubaki walked through the door with Lili in tow, and the two stared at the figures of Vahn and Hephaestus on the couch.

Lili pointed toward the two and screamed, "Aaaaah! Hephaestus-sama, thats sneaky!!!"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I feel the Lili hate coming','Hephaestus x Vahn','Embrace')

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Chapter 110 - Ceremony

Hephaestus, still leaning against Vahn, was unable to form any thoughts. She just stared at the pointing finger of Lili with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth, still wet from her kiss with Vahn. Tsubaki snatched up Lili who began to struggle as she slowly made her way toward the door while laughing. "Hahaha, I guess we should come back later!" Tsubaki carried out the flailing Lili before closing the door behind them.

Hephaestus looked toward Vahn, who also had a shocked expression, before finally coming to her senses and separating from his body. Vahn also recovered after she moved away, and sat up on the couch while Hephaestus ran to the door. "Wait, come back Tsubaki!" Hephaestus was incredibly embarrassed after the incident. She had completely forgotten that she had told Tsubaki to bring Lili by, and now they had both seen her in a compromising position with Vahn.

Tsubaki hadn't gone far before Hephaestus caught up with them. Tsubaki stared a the heavily breathing Hephaestus with a big grin on her face, "Are you sure, Hephaestus-sama~?" She let her words linger in the air and Hephaestus began to blush fiercely. "Get back inside Tsubaki! We have important matters that need to be dealt with!" Different from her normal self, Hephaestus screamed with words before returning back to her office in a huffy fit.

Watching her fl.u.s.tered figure, Tsubaki couldn't help but laugh out loud as she carried Lili into the office. She could see Hephaestus leaning against the top of her desk while Vahn was sitting up straight on the couch as he stared at the two as they entered. Tsubaki released Lili before giving Vahn a big thumbs up and saying,"I didn't know you had it in you, Vahn. Good job!" Vahn was incredibly embarrassed to hear her words as Lili took the empty spot next to him.

Lili inspected Vahn's body and noticed his skin was lightly flushed. She could see that his lips were slightly swollen and there were kiss marks on his neck. She glared toward Hephaestus and said, "Hephaestus-sama...no fair." Seeing the accusing look of Lili, Hephaestus coughed loudly and tried to clear the atmosphere. "We...weren't going to do anything. I just got caught up the moment...I had been rather stressed out lately while Vahn was in the medical ward."

As Lili continued to glare at Hephaestus, she felt a weight on her head and the familiar hand of Vahn as it began to ruffle her hair. "Don't blame Hephaestus, Lili. She tried to resist at first, and I was the one that kissed her." The words Vahn had intended to diffuse the situation practically exploded in the ears of all the girls present. Hephaestus couldn't prevent herself from covering her face as Tsubaki was bent against the wall while loudly laughing. "Way to go, way to go~! Ahahahaha!"

Lili had taken the most damage from the words, as she knew Vahn was trying to comfort her. If what he said was true, she really couldn't blame Hephaestus at all. "Uuuuh, Vahn...I was worried too you know!?" Lili was practically frantic now, and Vahn frowned slightly as he looked toward Hephaestus who refused to make eye contact with him. Seeing that Tsubaki wasn't any help, he decided to try and placate Lili.

Removing his hand from her head, Vahn reached around her shoulders and pulled Lili into an embrace. Since Lili was so small, her face ended up landing right in the center of Vahn's chest as he began to gently stroke her back. "Thanks for worry about me, Lili, I'm sorry to have put you through so much." Lili felt slightly aggrieved after hearing his words because she knew Vahn was trying to comfort her, but the smell coming from his body made her heart feel sour. Mixed in with the scent of Vahn, Lili could smell the fragrance of Hephaestus, and it made her feel a bit jealous.

After a while, Lili seemed to have made up her mind and she pulled away from Vahn a bit. "Vahn, can I get a kiss too, please?" Hephaestus seemed to awaken at the words, but she didn't stop Vahn from making a decision. Tsubaki also looked over, but she was no longer laughing and had a more serious expression on her face. Vahn contemplated Lili's request and realized that, much like Ais, she had very high affection.

However, unlike Ais, Lili was different, as she was still very weak. Vahn was afraid that, if he was too lenient and giving toward her, her personality would become distorted as she sought more affection from him in the future. So, instead of kissing her on the lips, Vahn grasped Lili's face and, outside the expectations held in her gaze, kissed her on the forehead. Lili's eyes opened wide and it looked like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words to express herself.

Pulling their faces apart, Vahn spoke in a soft and gentle tone, "I don't want to see you become reliant on me, Lili. For now, I want you to enjoy your life and focus on increasing your strength as much as you can. There is plenty of time in the future, so just enjoy the moment." Vahn felt like his advice was good, but Lili seemed somewhat upset by his words. Tears began acc.u.mulating in her face and she spoke in muted sobs, "I will become stronger Vahn...please don't leave me behind, okay?"

Vahn shook his head and laughed a bit while stroking her head, "Silly girl, I'm not going anywhere. You are very important to me, just not in that way. At least, not for now." Tsubaki, who had been standing at the side, spoke out, "He is right Lili. You know exactly what kind of person Vahn is, and what you need to do to overcome your own past. You've made a lot of progress, so don't stumble and waste it all."

Lili nodded her head, but there were still tears in her eyes as she looked at Hephaestus. "Hephaestus-sama...please don't keep Vahn to yourself in the future. There are other people that care about him a whole lot, okay?" Hephaestus considered Lili's words before nodding in affirmation. She knew, especially after hearing it from Vahn himself, what kind of things she'd have to deal with in the future. As a Goddess who had lived for millions of years, and as someone that would never age as Vahn grows old, she could be patient and accepting. She never believed for a moment she would be able to keep someone as powerful and mysterious as Vahn to herself.

Tsubaki saw the quiet atmosphere as a cheeky smile began to grow on her face. Looking towards Vahn and Lili on the couch and said, "Lili. Strip." Lili, who had been looking toward Hephaestus all this time became startled after hearing the 'commanding' tone of Tsubaki. She looked over and saw the 'devilish' grin on her face as she asked, "Eh? Tsubaki-sama?"

Hephaestus nodded and reiterated the words, "She is right, you need to take off your top. We're going to conduct the conversion ceremony and make you an official member of my Familia." Seeing Vahn sitting next to Lili, Hephaestus frowned a bit before saying, "You can stay Vahn, but don't interrupt the ceremony."

Lili was surprised at hearing she was going to undergo the conversion ceremony, but a bit of expectation began to build inside her when she heard Hephaestus give Vahn permissions to stay. "Yes, please stay, Vahn! I want you to see the exact moment when I join the same Familia as you!" Lili was suddenly in high tension, and all her apprehension flew out the window as she began to undress.

Suddenly, as her hands touched the buttons of her blouse, she looked at Hephaestus for a moment before turning toward Vahn. Spreading her arms wide, Lili looked at Vahn with an excited expression as she said,"Vahn, help me undress~!" Vahn was surprised, and he could see from the side that Hephaestus flinched after hearing Lili's words. After a brief moment, she made eye contact with Vahn and nodded with a sigh.

Vahn, who had never really thought of Lili as one of his potential partners, reached out toward her blouse and was surprised to feel his emotions begin to become disordered. Before his hands reached the buttons, he couldn't help but gulp slightly. Even though Lili was small, it was primarily due to her race, and she had in fact been growing in all the places a woman would. Though they weren't as large as in the original story, her b.r.e.a.s.ts had already reached a mature state.

Lili was watching Vahn the entire time and, seeing his hesitation and how he gulped, she felt slightly proud of herself and extended her chest forward. Even though she couldn't compete against Hephaestus in bust size, she wasn't considered lacking amongst members of her own race. When she pressed her b.r.e.a.s.ts out, they collided with Vahn's hand and he became slightly started.

Feeling as though his actions were somewhat embarrassing, Vahn shook his head before quickly reaching for the buttons. Now it was Lili's turn to blush as each individual button on her blouse was slowly unfasted by Vahn. By the time he had reached the last button, her bare skin had been exposed to him including the lace bra she was wearing underneath. Lili had a fierce blush on her face as she grits her teeth and willed her body not to move.

After Vahn removed the final button, he could clearly the see the front of Lili's body. Though she often showed her stomach in casual clothing, Vahn felt the current sight to be unique. It was his first time undressing a girl, and it made blood rush to his face as he continued. Reaching towards her shoulders, he slowly moved down the garment and couldn't help but swallow again when the blouse fell from her body. Now, Lili stood before Vahn in nothing but a bra, skirt, and stockings as she trembled in front of him with her eyes closed

Vahn just sat there staring for a moment before Tsubaki, at the side, spoke out,"I wonder how long you are going to stand there and let Vahn oggle you?" Vahn turned his head away after Tsubaki spoke while Lili flinched before trying to cover herself in her panic. Hephaestus, who had been growing more annoyed as time passed, loudly moved a chair to the center of the room. "Sit here, Lili. This won't take long, but it will be somewhat uncomfortable. Vahn...just stay there for now."

Vahn nodded his head mechanically as Lili sat in the chair. Perhaps by accident or by design, but Hephaestus had oriented the back of the chair facing the couch. Since the chair was wooded and had gaps, when Lili sat down, Vahn was able to see a bit of the exposed skin through the openings. The thing that made his heart suddenly pump with one vicious throb was when Lili first straddled the chair, she opened her legs and her skirt rolled up slightly. Vahn could see a very similar fabric as the bra Lili was wearing and understood that the sight he could see through the gaps were Lili's panties.

Lili had a fierce blush as she stared at each of Vahn's reactions. Every time his expression changed, she felt slightly happy and her tiny heart was beating a million beats per minute. It felt like, if this situation went on for too long, her heart would explode out her chest. Suddenly, and without any warning, Lili could feel an incredibly painful and burning sensation on her back. All of the excitement she had been building was immediately dashed and replaced by the aching pain that seemed to penetrate all the way through her body.

Hephaestus had let Lili get a little riled up by using Vahn as a distraction. The moment her 'happiness' had reached a critical level, Hephaestus began the conversion ceremony by dripping her blood onto the Soma Familia crest. As her blood came into contact with the crest, the black tattoo lit up with a bright red light as it began to forcibly change into the Hephaestus Familia crest. Because a conversion could damage a person body and harm their foundation, it was impossible to perform more than once a year. Any more than that and the recipient could suffer permanent damage.

Even though it wasn't her fault, Hephaestus hadn't quite forgiven Lili for her earlier intrusion. Though she meant to punish Tsubaki as well, right now Hephaestus just wanted Lili to feel a bit of what she experienced earlier. The moment she was having a lovey-dovey atmosphere with Vahn, that was precisely when she decided to start the ceremony. Vahn, unaware of the secondary motives behind Hephaestus's actions, just continued to stare on and watch.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Revenge of the Forge Goddess','Glimpse through the gap','Uncontrollable Laugher of the Cyclops')

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Chapter 111 - Relaxation

The ceremony lasted nearly ten minutes, and the entire time it was going on, Lili continued to stare at Vahn with clenched teeth. Eventually, the light began to fade, and the crest of a moon and chalice had now turned into two hammers with a flaming volcano. Lili released a gasp as the pain slowly began to fade, and began drawing deep breaths to help ease the aching in her back. Vahn, seeing that the ceremony had finished, stood up and walked forward before placing his hand on Lili's head. He began to channel his energy through [Hands of Nirvana] and her pained expression rapidly turned into one of comfort.

Hephaestus removed her finger from Lili's back and said, "You withstood that well. From now on you are a member of the Hephaestus Familia. If anyone, including the bastards from the Soma Familia, tries to harm you, I will make them pay." Even if Hephaestus wasn't too fond of Lili, she was very protective of her 'children'. She fully intended to have the Guild investigate into the Soma Familia and find out what had been going on behind the scenes.

Lili nodded her head and continued to enjoy the warm feeling coming from Vahn's hand. "Thank you Hephaestus-sama, I will do my best to not embarrass the Familia." Tsubaki spoke up in response, "From now on you can join official parties if you'd like, or even act a supporter on expeditions. Once you earn enough experience and exilia, you'll be able to freely increase your level from now on."

Lili continued to nod her head, but she was feeling a little uneasy on the inside. She knew the Soma Familia couldn't touch the Hephaestus Familia, but she still wanted to do her best to get revenge on her own. She couldn't easily forgive everything the Soma Familia had put her through, and there were many people within that she wanted to punish herself.

Vahn, as he could see auras, noticed that Lili's began to fluctuate and he knew she was hiding her anger. He couldn't blame her as he if he could one day return to earth, would probably try to seek revenge against the people that mistreated him as well. Even if he found out they were destroyed by someone else, Vahn didn't think it would make him happy. But, Vahn had also promised his mother that he would try to live happy and free, and he had slowly been letting go of his hatred as he spent time in this world.

Tilting Lili's head toward him, she opened her eyes and stared at him with confusion. Vahn slowly spoke, "Lili, there is no meaning to a life lived in the pursuit of revenge. The only way you can overcome your past is to live free and happy. Don't let distant memories ruin the experiences you're having now." Lili's eyes opened wide at Vahn's words, and she could tell that he had been able to sense the hatred she had kept hidden. In response, she muttered in a low voice, "I will try...Vahn."

Afterward, Lili stood up from the chair and, to Hephaestus's mild annoyance, had Vahn help her dress. With slightly less awkwardness, Vahn helped Lili wear her blouse, but he noticed a strange feeling of loss as he slowly fastened the buttons. By the time she was properly wearing the clothes, Vahn almost felt sad, though he wasn't sure why. Tsubaki, who had been paying attention to the entire event with interest, smacked Vahn on the back before saying,"Don't be sad, Vahn! You'll have plenty of chances to undress women if you work hard; isn't that right Hephaestus-sama!?"

Hephaestus flinched at the loud voice of Tsubaki before hanging her head a bit and muttering, "Maybe...after your forge an item that can satisfy me. I can't abandon my own vows, and the incident earlier was just a slight lapse in judgment..." Vahn frowned after hearing Hephaestus try to explain away the earlier events. He felt like she was trying to build up a wall between them again, so he slowly approached until he stood directly in front of her.

Reaching out, Vahn placed his hand on her face and had her look into his eyes. He said in a firm tone, similar to how people tried to convince him, "I will forge an item for you, but that doesn't mean I want us to be apart all the time. We don't have to have s.e.x, but I think hugging and kissing should be fine." Hephaestus was shocked to hear his words, while Tsubaki had an almost 'proud' look on her face as she nodded at Vahn's actions. Lili, who had been enjoying her moment with Vahn previously, just stood there in silence as her breathing increased a bit.

The moment Hephaestus tried to say something, Vahn leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. It was a little awkward, and he almost fell over because of their height distance, but he wanted to convey his feelings to her in the most direct manner he could. Vahn felt he wasn't that good at expressing himself through words, so he decided a kiss was the most appropriate course of action.

Unlike earlier, Hephaestus didn't try to resist, but she pulled away after a few seconds with a blush on her cheeks. After a few seconds, she 'glared' at Vahn before biting her lower lip and saying, "...only...every once and a while." As he heard her words, Vahn couldn't help but smile with a large grin on his face.

Hephaestus saw his look and grit her teeth before releasing and sigh. She felt mixed feelings about her future and sat at her desk before putting her head down into her arms. While everyone stared at her in curiosity, she just closed her eyes and ignored their gazes as she tried to calm herself by listening to Vahn's heart. Even though she was vaguely aware that her actions were strange, it had become a habit for her recently, so she couldn't help herself. Unfortunately, she could feel Vahn's heart beating quite quickly as well, so it took much longer than normal for her to relax.

Tsubaki saw Hephaestus acting strangely, and she grabbed Lili's arm before slowly making her way to the exit. "Come on Lili, there are plenty of things we need to take care of now that you're officially in the Familia. You can try your luck tempting Vahn later." Lili had been quiet since earlier, and she kept changing her gaze between Hephaestus and Vahn. Right before she exited through the door, she spoke toward Hephaestus, "You are lucky Hephaestus-sama. Vahn cares about you a lot...it makes me a little jealous." With those parting words, she followed Tsubaki out the door and closed it behind her.

Hephaestus raised her head slightly and watched as the latch on the door secured itself. After a few more minutes of silence, she placed her head back on the table and tried to relax a bit. She hadn't actually been getting much sleep the last nine days since she had been spending most of her time at Vahn's bedside. Now that she had been in high tensions for so long, she felt incredibly tired, both physically and emotionally.

Vahn stood in front of her desk and didn't know if he should say anything. It was already late in the day, and he would probably end up sleeping her in her office. Seeing how strange the atmosphere had become, he wanted to do something about it and decided to help Hephaestus relax.

Walking to the side, Vahn reached out and gently reached for one of the arms of Hephaestus. Hephaestus had noticed his approach, and seeing him reach for her, she actually began to feel even more tired expecting him to try to do more. Though she didn't mind his advances, she kind of wished he would be a little considerate of her. Staring towards him, she asked in a lazy voice, "What is it, Vahn? I'm very tired right now."

Vahn just showed her a gentle smile before saying, "I know, I won't do anything strange. I just want to help you relax, so can you rest on the couch instead of the desk?" Hephaestus, seeing the honest and concerned look of Vahn, couldn't help but give in to his demands as she allowed Vahn to escort her to the couch. Seeing the familiar sofa and recalling the events from earlier, her heart began to race slightly, but she did her best to keep calm. She trusted that Vahn would keep his word and wouldn't try doing anything to her right now.

"Okay, Hephaestus, it may be a bit...difficult, but I need you to lay on your stomach and relax your body." Hephaestus noticed that, as Vahn said the word 'difficult', his eyes had wandered to her b.r.e.a.s.ts for a brief instant. She couldn't help but laugh slightly as she said, "It's fine, I sleep on this cough a lot without any...difficulties." Hephaestus also placed emphasis on the word which caused Vahn to laugh awkwardly.

After Hephaestus laid down, she did as Vahn suggested and tried relaxing her body. She was unsure of what he was going to do, but her concerns were answered shortly after as she felt one of his fingers touch her shoulder. Before she could ask what he was up to, she felt a gentle but penetrating warmth flow into her shoulder.

After a few seconds, all the tension in the muscles had completely relaxed and Vahn moved on to another point and repeated the process. Hephaestus quickly realized that Vahn's method to help her relax turned out to be some kind of massage using his energy to diffuse tension. She couldn't help but feel happy that he was so thoughtful, quite unlike the concerns she had earlier about him being inconsiderate.

When Vahn had originally learned [Hands of Nirvana, it also discussed the various pressure points on the body. With practice, he could use the technique for everything from relieving stress to sealing arteries to stop blood flow. Right now, he was using one of the techniques that were supposed to ease muscle tension. He had hoped it would help Hephaestus to relax a bit, and judging by how she had fallen asleep after only a few minutes, he was very satisfied with the results.

Since Vahn had never given a massage before, he became strangely focused on his actions and slowly moved to the various muscle groups on Hephaestus's back. He was once against surprised with how soft a girls body was, but he also marveled at the tension and strength in her muscles. As she was an experienced blacksmith, the area around her upper back and shoulders were far more developed than normal. Even though it didn't 'look' like she had any developed muscles at all, Vahn was able to feel the 'steel-like' tension flowing through what little she had.

Vahn's only frustration at the situation was, according to the manual, the patient was supposed to have removed their clothing for the procedure. Since Vahn was worried that Hephaestus would think he was going against his promise, he didn't mention anything and allowed her to keep her clothes on. It made the process much more difficult, but Vahn also kind of enjoyed 'discovering' the proper locations through trial and error. It was kind of fun when he was able to insert his energy into one of the nerves and the muscles around would twitch slightly.

After nearly an hour of massaging, Vahn noticed that Hephaestus's body had now completely relaxed. She even had a bit of drool coming out of her mouth, which Vahn thought was kind of cute. After wiping up the dripping saliva, Vahn dried his hand on his tunic before tracing his hand through Hephaestus's hair and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Even in her sleep, she seemed to recognize his presence and smile slightly in response.

Vahn, satisfied at having been able to keep his promise, laid down on the floor next to the couch and slowly drifted off into sleep himself. Before his thoughts faded into darkness, the last thing that passed through Vahn's mind was the thought of improving his massage technique in the future...Throughout the City, for no discernible reason, the backs of several girls felt a chill pass down their spines.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Godhand Vahn','Sleeping Hephaestus Discovered!','Hope for the Future')

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Chapter 112 - Anubis Appears

Hephaestus woke up early in the morning and felt completely refreshed. All of the fatigue she had been building up as of late had completely disappeared from her body. She could even feel her joints crack in a pleasant manner as she lifted herself from the couch. To the side, she was able to see Vahn curled up next to the couch. Seeing his sleeping face, Hephaestus felt that Vahn was very adorable. He had been so focused on her previously that he never even bothered to put his shirt back on before going to sleep.

Reaching out her hand, she gently poked his cheek like she had done so the first time he slept in her office. Seeing the 'sad' look and frown that he had after being poked, she nearly laughed out and wanted to squeeze his cheeks to tease him. Suddenly, while she was distracted by poking him, Vahn's hand reached out and snatched her wrist. He opened his eyes and looked into the startled face of Hephaestus before smiling. Hephaestus blushed a bit before pulling her hand free of him and rising from the couch. "Good morning, Vahn. I'm sorry you had to sleep on the floor..."

Vahn jumped up from the floor and began to stretch his body to loosen up the tension in his joints. Hephaestus watched him perform his routine and marveled at how quickly his body had been maturing over the last few months. Though he was never skinny, now his muscled had slowly started building up and he cut a slightly masculine figure in the dim light of her office. Hephaestus was in a daze as she watched his muscles stretch and contort, and was genuinely surprised when she noticed how flexible he was.

Because Vahn had been using his Báihǔ form a lot in the dungeon, his body had slowly been changing to assume a more light and muscular shape. His muscles were incredibly flexible, and even his bones seemed to possess some degree of malleability as he contorted his body into uncommon positions. He was even able to nearly turn his torso 180 degrees while twisting his h.i.p.s to stretch his back. Eventually, he noticed Hephaestus gawking at him, so Vahn assumed what he thought to be a 'manly' poses with his arms outstretched and his muscles flexing.

Hephaestus saw his display and nearly snorted before covering her mouth and stifling her laughter. Vahn smiled and said, "It is must better like this. It makes me feel happy when I see you laugh and smile." After speaking, Vahn finished his routine and wore his tunic while Hephaestus stared at him with a vacant expression on her face. It felt like everything Vahn was saying and doing recently was slowly cementing itself into her heart.

She felt a mixture of emotions well up inside of her, and as Vahn had just finished putting on his tunic, she approached and gave him a hug. "I want to see you happy as well Vahn. Don't push yourself too hard in the future. I don't know how long my heart can last if I have to sit helplessly at your bedside again." She put strength into her arms and prayed to a god greater than herself that he would be safe from harm in the future.

Afterward, Vahn and Hephaestus spent some time talking about various topics including her clients and the matters regarding the Osiris Familia. Anubis was supposed to be coming by soon, and Hephaestus began recounting the events that had happened in the City while Vahn had been away. He was surprised after hearing that Osiris had already been captured and detained by the Guild. Though he had expected Hephaestus to take action, he didn't think she would make her move the same day the letter arrived...

After another hour-and-a-half, Hephaestus led Vahn to the waiting area where they had enjoyed tea and coffee previously. Just as she had done then, Hephaestus made Vahn some coffee and the two just sat in silence and enjoyed the atmosphere. While Vahn was thinking, Hephaestus looked at him with a lazy expression and a soft smile on her face. He returned the smile and noticed her eyes squint a little which made his heart flutter a bit as he slowly sipped away at his coffee.

Eventually, around 7 AM, Anubis, as well as her children, arrived outside Hephaestus's workshop. Hephaestus tried to rise from the table to answer, but Vahn set his cup down before motioning for her to stay. She frowned slightly, but let Vahn do as he pleased as she replaced his coffee cup with her own. Hephaestus followed his back with her eyes as she slowly sipped away at the coffee he was previously enjoying.

Vahn opened the door and was greeted by a total of eight people, all of which were dark-haired Chienthropes. He was a bit surprised at the beauty of the woman who he assumed was Anubis, but managed to keep his calm before inviting them in. Anubis cave a curt nod, but her children immediately tensed up after seeing Vahn inside the residence. The last time they had seen him, he had beat them all while two of them, the girls at the very back of the group, instinctively moved their hands to their backsides.

Seeing their goddess enter the premises, they cautiously made their way passed Vahn who was having trouble keeping his smile. The looks the kids gave him made him feel incredibly guilty, especially the two young girls who stared at him with a begrudging expression. Had he known their identities at the time, he never should have shot them with his arrows in such a sensitive spot.

Vahn had learned that chienthropes and cat people were especially sensitive around the tops of their tails, which just so happened to be the spot where his arrows connected. He couldn't even imagine the pain they had experienced and remembered that they had both blacked-out when he had originally retrieved their bodies.

After everyone entered, Vahn closed the door and secured the lock before making his way to the table where Hephaestus was seated. Anubis had joined Hephaestus at the table while her children scattered around in a loose circle and sat on the floor as they watched the scene with fear and intrigue. Vahn noticed that, after Anubis has originally set eyes on him, she had been staring at him almost exclusively since he arrived and sat with them.

Hephaestus noticed her gazed and made curt introductions, "Vahn, this is the Goddess Anubis. Anubis, he is the boy you wanted to see. Well, is there a problem?" Both Vahn and Anubis could sense the hostility in her words, especially when she asked her question. Anubis continued to stare at Vahn, and he could almost see her pale golden eyes glowing with a strange luminance. He felt like the two perfect circles were very reminiscent of the full moon, and they had a somewhat calming feeling.

Anubis slowly enunciated her words, "Are you human?" Hephaestus's expression grew a bit darker, but Vahn shook his head slightly before responding. "I'm not sure of my origins, but I can say for certain that I am human." Though Vahn knew Hephaestus thought he was 3/4 god, he was aware that was not the case but a misunderstanding due to his domain.

Frowning slightly, Anubis looked toward Hephaestus and asked, "Do you not sense anything strange from this boy?" Though Vahn had tried to keep her calm, Hephaestus didn't like how Anubis was acting after meeting him. She continued to frown as she asked, "And what would that be, Anubis?" Anubis's frown grew deeper because she knew Hephaestus should be able to sense the abnormality in Vahn, but didn't see to notice for some reason.

Looking into Vahn's face, her eyes flashed with a more prominent glow as she said,"He has no soul...or I cannot see it at the very least." Hephaestus, who had been frowning the entire time, suddenly had her eyes widen in shock. She was aware from their previous meeting that Anubis's Divinity was related to death, but she couldn't understand why she would claim Vahn had no soul. If he didn't have a soul, he wouldn't be able to receive the falna of a god!

As Hephaestus was about to speak out her point, both she and Anubis were stunned when they saw Vahn nearly plant his face into the table. It was almost like he lost all the power in his body as he began to laugh in a dry voice. "Is that all this is about...?" Releasing a deep and long sigh, Vahn willed his [Veil of the Traveler] to allow others to see his soul. He never expected that his countermeasure against Freya would actually attract trouble to him...now he felt even worse about the situation with the hounds than he did previously.

Though Anubis was confused at first, her moonlight eyes opened wide in shock as she saw Vahn's soul practically 'explode' into existence in an instant. Unlike a normal soul, his was much larger than most mortals, and instead of the calming azure blue color, it was instead a vibrant gold with a rainbow assortment of colors within the core. Before she asked, Vahn explained, "I'm aware that my soul is somewhat unique, so I keep it hidden when I can..."As he spoke, he disabled allowing his soul to be viewed and it seemed to blink out of existence in the eyes of Anubis.

Anubis slowly calmed down and, after a few moments of thinking, began bowing her head toward Vahn. Her children seemed startled at her actions and looked at Vahn with a greater amount of fear than before. Anubis said, "I sincerely apologize for this misunderstanding. I had unfairly put you into a position that brought great inconvenience to not only you but Hephaestus as well. My mistake nearly even cost me the lives of my children...I now owe you a great debt, Vahn Mason."

Vahn tried to say she didn't owe him anything, but before he could verbalize the words, Hephaestus spoke up. "That is indeed the case. Vahn has always tried his best to help others and is even known as a hero to many in the City. The accusations of that idiot Osiris might have had some truth based on how Vahn is able to conceal his soul, but the fact that he maneuvered to endanger Vahn cannot be changed. You also got wrapped up in his scheme, yes, but your impatience nearly led to a tragedy that could not be undone. The fact you nearly turned my Vahn into a murderer is unforgivable!" Hephaestus's soliloquy was spoken with power and conviction, and nobody within the room was able to refute her words.

Anubis seemed to take a lot of damage from the claims Hephaestus made, and she bowed even deeper toward Vahn. "I have done something unforgivable...I only ask that you spare my children. As long as you can accede to that request, I am willing to endeavor to repay you no matter how long it takes." Anubis always had a powerful sense of responsibility, and her pride would not allow her to leave debts unpaid. She could not allow her children to bear the burden and intended to do everything in her power to redeem her mistake.

/'Anubis' Wishes to become your subordinate: Y/N?/

Vahn had been confused about how he should deal with the bowing goddess, but he became incredibly shocked after seeing the notification in his system. Hephaestus thought his shock came from the proclamation of Anubis, so she spoke out,"Don't mind it too much Vahn. Though it's uncommon, it isn't unheard of for gods to make a vow of repayment, even to mortals. If you're concerned, I can always find a use for her..."

Anubis spoke at the end of Hephaestus's sentence. With a firm conviction in her eyes, she looked toward Vahn and said, "Please, allow me to repay this debt personally. If I have to pay it through other means, I would not be able to satisfy my own pride. Though it may sound arrogant, I cannot go against my own principles." The moment her words finished, Vahn was buffeted by another notification.

/'Anubis' Wishes to become your subordinate: Y/N?/

All eyes in the room were focused on Vahn at this moment. The 'hounds' all stared at him with a mixture of fear and hatred, but they were unable to speak out against the goddess they adored. They knew better than anyone the type of person she was, and that was the very reason they dedicated themselves to her. Hephaestus was slightly annoyed by the persistence of Anubis and began to suspect there was a greater purpose behind her willingness to repay the debt. Anubis herself stared at Vahn with a serious expression as she said, "Please, Vahn-sama..."

/'Anubis' Wishes to become your subordinate: Y/N?/

The moment he heard a goddess address him with an honorific, Vahn's mind practically exploded from the mental damage. He wanted to deny her, but seeing the serious look, combined with his own intrigue at subordinating a goddess, Vahn sighed within his mind while selecting yes. At the same time, he spoke out in the real world, "Okay. I will accept."

/'Anubis' has become your subordinate/

[Current Units] [Active: 2[Dormant: 2]

[Active Units: (Eternal Flame),(Anubis)

[Dormant Units:(Fafnir),(Nameless)

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gotta Catch 'em All, Goddess Edition?','A wild fluffy goddess appears','Buy 1, get 7 free')

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Chapter 113 - Alpha (1/2)

After accepting Anubis as a subordinate, Vahn quickly scanned the notifications in his system and saw she had a Loyalty value of 70, which seemed pretty high considering the circ.u.mstances. Anubis, who had heard Vahn agree to allow her to repay her debt, bowed low in a deferential manner while saying, "Please order me as you will. As long as it does not go against my principles, I will do my best to fulfill your commands."

Seeing the somewhat mature exotic beauty bow to him, Vahn felt his heart palpitate a bit before he turned to look at Hephaestus. She seemed to be looking at Anubis with a contemplative look but, noticing Vahn's gaze, she turned toward him and spoke. "You should have her make a vow, or there is nothing binding her to the debt. If things are left as they are, she could just flee the City the moment you drop your guard."

Anubis raised her head and frowned at Hephaestus's accusation, but before she could refute she saw Vahn shaking her head. "That isn't necessary Hephaestus. Even if she fled the City, I wouldn't stop her. Though she may have acted a bit rashly, she is also one of the victims of this event. I don't mind if she takes her children and continues to live as she pleases." As Vahn finished his words, he noticed the Loyalty value of Anubis increase to 74 which surprised him a little.

"I will never forsake my pride and do something so shameless. I don't mind making a vow, and I certainly will not flee the City. Even if Vahn-sama has no use for me, I will do my best to ensure his life is not burdened by my presence." Anubis spoke the worlds boldly and without hesitation while looking into Hephaestus's eyes. Hephaestus didn't seem entirely convinced as she asked, "And how long do you plan to serve him? When is your debt 'repaid'?"

Anubis tilted her head slightly like she was confused. After a brief moment, she said, "My actions may have resulted in the death of an innocent. I will repent for a life with a life. As long as Vahn-sama draws breath, I will continue to serve him." Vahn noticed that, once again, Anubis's loyalty had increased. She now had a value of 77, but Vahn wasn't entirely focused on that as his eyes were drawn to the twitching ears on her head.

Hephaestus sighed as she could see how serious Anubis was being. She felt a headache begin to build inside her head as she mentally added another potential 'problem' that she would have to deal with in the future. Gathering her thoughts, Hephaestus spoke while looking into Anubis's eyes, "Then go ahead and make your vow-" Before she could finish, Vahn interrupted, "I said that wasn't necessary. Even if I accept her as a subordinate so she can repay her debts, I will not bind someone into a life-bound contract or vow. The idea of restricting the freedom of another person makes my stomach sour..."

Both Anubis and Hephaestus were surprised by Vahn's interruption but strangely, after a bit of time had passed, they both issued subtle smiles toward the boy. Hephaestus felt a little proud at seeing Vahn's firm stance on the matter, but she still had to make a compromise of her own. She looked towards the smiling face of Anubis before sighing, "If that is his decision, I won't interfere. However, I will have you make a vow to cooperate with the Guild's investigation to deal with Osiris. I assume that will not be a problem for you?"

Hearing Hephaestus mention Osiris, Anubis couldn't help but frown in dissatisfaction as she said, "That scoundrel deserves everything coming to him. The night of the raid, I couldn't believe how many criminals he had been keeping as 'children'. As he can also see souls, he had to know what kind of people were in his Familia. The fact he allowed murderers and other foul-hearted people to represent him sickens me." For those that could see souls, they also had the power to roughly determine what kind of person someone was based on the colors contained within. For murderers, rapists, and scoundrels, they would often have flakes of black or putrid greens contaminating their souls.

After their agreement, Hephaestus and Anubis went through the process of establishing the vow and arranging when they would report to the Guild. Since it was very difficult to detain a god for long without charges, they decided to take care of it within the next two days. After they had come to an agreement, Hephaestus brought up a subject that had been overlooked till now.

"So, what about those kids? If you're going to follow Vahn, are you going to release them?" Hephaestus pointed to the seven children that had been sitting in silence for the entire discussion. The previously large pointy ears on their heads now drooped low, and they each had sad expressions after everything that had happened. Anubis saw their melancholic demeanors and couldn't help but release a sad sigh. "We came to this City because of the invitation from Osiris, and now that our funds have run low, there is little I can do to ensure their livelihoods. Though they are considered strong back in our home country, they have some difficulties within the dungeon. I don't want them to have to suffer while trying to support the Familia."

Anubis looked towards Vahn with a hopeful expression in her eyes, "I cannot bring them with me, as my debts are not their burden. The choice ultimately lays in what Vahn-sama wishes to do..." Vahn recognized the look in her eyes and he turned towards the children who had previously feared him. Now, instead of fear, there was a pleading look on each of their faces. For some reason, the combination of the drooping ears and large eyes of the children had a big impact on Vahn and he began to smile before saying, "If they are willing to follow you, I will do my best to ensure they are taken care of. Even if you say you are willing to serve me, I have no need for servants or anything like that. Besides, there is no way I can say no if they look at me like that..."

Anubis began to laugh like a bell as she squinted her eyes with a large smile on her face. "I had hoped, but I never expected Vahn-sama to be so magnanimous. Well, children, are you willing to follow Vahn-sama alongside me?" The moment she asked the question, almost as if they had rehearsed it previously, the entire group of kids jumped to their feet and bowed together. "Please, Vahn-sama, allow us to follow you!"

Vahn could see excitement and expectation in their eyes as he nodded his head with an awkward smile. The moment they saw him agree, their tails began to wag excitedly before they resumed sitting in silence. Unlike the previous gloom, they now looked remarkably happy. Vahn wondered why children were so easily influenced, but he attributed their current mentality to their devotion toward Anubis.

At the same time as Vahn accepted the children, Anubis's affection reached 81 as she showed a gratified smile on her face. Hephaestus, who had been watching the 'play' with a skeptical look on her face, spoke out again, "And, where will you and your Familia be staying from now on?" The moment Hephaestus asked the question, the tails of the children immediately froze while even Anubis seemed to be somewhat awed by the question.

Clearing her throat for a few seconds, Anubis lowered her head a bit before she looked toward Vahn and Hephaestus and said in a low voice, "We...don't have a place to stay. Our funds ran out two days ago and we had been living around the Babel Tower since then..." Anubis seemed incredibly embarrassed by her own admission, and it only got worse when she saw the incredulous look on Hephaestus's face.

Vahn started laughing after hearing that the goddess who had committed to serving him ended up being homeless. He began to suspect that the only reason she wanted to be his subordinate was so that they had a place to live. Anubis seemed to be even more embarrassed after Vahn began to laugh and Vahn saw a blush cover her cheeks for the first time. Before the situation devolved any further, Vahn said with confidence, "Don't worry about it, I may not have much, but I should be able to pay for a place for you and you Familia for the time being. Though I won't do it for free and I'll expect everyone to work hard to earn their keep." Right now Vahn had 171,530V, which was enough to lease a small house if he wanted. It wouldn't be the highest quality place to live, but it should be enough for the small Familia.

Hephaestus shook her head and brought up a matter before Vahn continued, "You actually have a lot more funds than you might think. Remember the reward and reparations given by the Loki Familia? You will be able to pick them up when you go to the Guild, and I'm certain it will be more than enough to cover living expenses for a while. But, I have to ask this, are you not intending to stay with Tsubaki anymore?"

Hearing Hephaestus's words, Vahn began to become excited until she continued further. He had never considered leaving Tsubaki's place, but if he had agreed to help take care of another Familia, it wouldn't make sense for him to live elsewhere. Vahn began to worry that he had gotten himself into a matter that would be difficult to resolve, but luckily, Hephaestus seemed to already have a solution.

With a sigh, Hephaestus said, "Don't worry about it too much. When you had joined the Familia long ago, you were guaranteed a place to live as well as your own workshop. I had arranged matters to have your workshop located in the lot behind Tsubaki's current manor. It's not nearly the same size, but it should be more than enough for your current needs..." Vahn was incredibly grateful for what Hephaestus had done, and he verbalized it the only way he could think of, "Thank you, Hephaestus, I love you."

Hearing Vahn's sudden bomb and seeing the affectionate smile on his face, Hephaestus's heart began to race and she was unable to form any thoughts. She just kept repeating the words over and over in her mind as the pressure began to build up in her face causing a blush to touch her cheeks. Anubis saw the reaction and heard Vahn's declaration before asking, "Are you two lovers~?" She seemed somewhat intrigued by the notion as there was extra inflection on the end of her words.

Hephaestus seemed to want to say something, but because of her dazed state, Vahn managed to speak first. "We will be. I promised that, once I manage to forge an item that meets her standards, I will make her my lover, no matter what." Vahn's eyes were wide and his brows were furrowed as he loudly proclaimed the words. Anubis seemed a bit surprised, but she just smiled before looking toward the fiercely blushing Hephaestus. At this point, she was literally covering her face with both hands and refused to look at anyone. Anubis thought that the Hephaestus that acted cutely was much more preferable than the wrathful demon that had struck fear in her a few days ago.

Vahn seemed to agree, as he reached out his hand and began channeling [Hands of Nirvana] to help ease Hephaestus's chaotic mind. The duality of her situation seemed to influence her even more, as Hephaestus glared at Vahn between her fingers. However, though she tried to look angry, Vahn could see the smile hidden behind her palms.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Declaration of LOVE!','Cunny doge','Bundle of Puppies')

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Chapter 114 - Alpha (2/2)

After Hephaestus had finally calmed down, partially due to Vahn's help, she began discussing other matters before finally bringing the conversation to an end. As Vahn needed to head to the guild and tend to the matters regarding his move, Hephaestus gave him a hug before sending him on his way. Vahn, though he gratefully accepted the hug, felt like Hephaestus was a bit sad at sending him off. Before he left, he closed the gap when she had dropped her guard and gave her peck on the lips. It was a very brief kiss, but Vahn saw her brows raise before she pushed him away with a smile.

"Get out of here!" Vahn allowed himself to be pushed out into the street by the bashful Hephaestus. Seeing her expression made him laugh, and it drew the attention of the some of the passersby who had shock and curiosity written all over their face. Hephaestus glared at the crowd before looking at Vahn and saying, "You had better work hard to improve your forging. If you keep me waiting too long, someone else might come along and steal me."

Vahn looked straight into her eyes before pulling out the hammer she had forged for him. "I swear Hephaestus, I won't allow anyone to take you away from me. No matter what, I will fulfill my promise and shatter your loneliness with this hammer!" Though Hephaestus had spoken quietly to him, Vahn gave his response in a loud voice. He didn't care if the crowd heard him, and it made him feel proud to publicly chase after Hephaestus. Though he hadn't intended it at first, Vahn felt a powerful rush of excitement build inside of him after his declaration.

Unlike Vahn, Hephaestus seemed to mind the onlookers a bit, but seeing his confidence and the hammer that represented her hopes, she stepped forward and gave him a light kiss on the cheek in front of all the onlookers. Though she initially wanted to give him a proper kiss, she panicked at the last moment and altered her target slightly. After her public display of affection, she retreated into her workshop so quickly that Vahn had flashbacks to his fights with Tsubaki.

Anubis began giggling at the side which broke Vahn from his reverie. Looking toward, she bowed slightly with all of her children behind her. "What shall we do now, my Master?" Hearing the new form of address, Vahn felt a chill run down his spine and he couldn't help but shake his head to clear the strange sensation that had taken root. In response to her question, he said, "For now, take this Valis and get the kids something to eat. If you've been staying outdoors for the last two days, I have a feeling they haven't been eating properly. I'm going to head to the Guild, and we can meet up at the northwest plaza entrance when I'm finished."

Hearing that they would get to eat food, the kids started looking at Vahn was reverent expressions. Seeing their 'hungry' looks, Vahn laughed and gave Anubis twice the initial amount. "Make sure they get a good meal in them." Anubis accepted the money, and Vahn flinched a bit when he got the notification that her Loyalty had increased to 85. He was slightly curious to know what would happen if he could increase it to the cap.

Anubis gratefully accepted the money before ushering the kids forward. "Children, what do you say to our Master?" Vahn, hearing Anubis implore the kids to call him 'master' tried to speak out, but the representative of the troupe, Rasui, spoke out first, "Yes! Thank you, Master. Once again, I am Rasui, and I will be in your care!"

Vahn stood there in shock and got caught up in the tempo of the children. They took turns repeating similar introductions, and Vahn finally learned each of their names. The other three boys, excluding Rasui, were named Nour, Akil, and Ata, while the girls were, Chione, Maat, and Nanu. The girls Chione and Nanu still seemed to be a bit cautious of Vahn, but they managed to get through the introductions before repositioning behind Anubis.

After all the introduction were done, Anubis spoke out, "From now on, you are their Master and the Alpha of their pack. Hierarchy is very important to the Southern Tribe, so make sure to do your best...Master." Vahn felt like Anubis was using the word to tease him at this point, and he cleared his throat while trying to act more 'manly'. "Very well. Go and eat with Anubis and wait for me in the plaza." Vahn tried to speak in a commanding tone and the entire group saluted toward him with a 'Ha!' sound. Anubis giggled and escorted the kids away from Vahn who felt his stomach cramp slightly.

Once they were far enough away, Vahn released a sigh and felt the tension release from his body. He began making his way toward the Guild while inspecting the parameters in his Unit Management. At this point, Anubis had a value of 86 and Vahn was curious what function Loyalty actually had. When he was fighting with Fafnir, it seemed to be able to understand his intent, even without him saying anything. He was curious, so he tried sending a 'command' to Anubis who had long vanished from sight. Within the 'command' he had asked her to purchase candy for the children that they weren't able to eat until his arrival.

After traveling for a few minutes, Vahn arrived outside the Guild for the first time in a while. Trying to recall from his memories, he realized it had been nearly two months since his last visit. Now that he had increased his level, he could also take the opportunity to report the change and receive his new Guild card. Stepping through the double-doors, Vahn took in the sights that he hadn't seen for quite some time. As it was early, the time when most adventurers were beginning to set out, there were a large number of people present.

Vahn wasn't sure which line he needed to stand in to receive his reward, so he joined the long queue where they handled general inquiries and missions. Since the Juggernaut had been an emergency mission, Vahn assumed it would be the appropriate line to wait in. After waiting nearly twenty minutes, Vahn finally reached the front of the queue and was just as surprised as the person looking back at him.

The girl that had been at the counter was none other than Eina Tulle, who Vahn had teased on his last visit by telling her 'I love you!' in front of the entire Guild. Seeing Vahn, who had been missing for so long, Eina immediately flagged a replacement before looking at him with an 'angry' expression. "Mr. Mason, please come this way..." Hearing the way she addressed him, Vahn felt a little uncomfortable, but he just followed her to a private booth which facilitated secret transactions and high-value mission rewards.

After entering the room, Vahn sat on one of the sofas while Eina sat on the opposite sofa. She seemed to have an accusatory look as she asked, "Where have you been for the last two months? All I've heard lately are rumors, including one where you had apparently suffered irrecoverable brain damage." Vah noticed that her generally yellow and pleasant aura was now flickering a bit like a flame, but it was still yellow which meant she had no malicious intent. Out of a habit he had recently developed, Vahn looked through the system and noticed her affection was at 62, so he knew she wasn't truly angry with him.

Vahn bowed slightly and gave her a sincere apology before explaining what he had been up to. Eina listened to his story while maintaining her angry expression, but hearing some of the things he had been through, her brows slowly began to ease up. When Vahn finally got to the point about his miraculous recovery and the fact he had come to the Guild immediately after his release from the ward, she had recovered her smile. Though she knew he didn't come by to meet her, after remembering his proclamation from before, she had the slightest bit of expectation.

Now that she had recovered her professional demeanor, Eina got down to business and asked, "And what bring you here today Vahn? Don't tell me you wanted to visit me...?" Vahn noticed she was in a much better mood now and decided to play to the situation as he responded, "It may have not been my original intent, but I'm happy to have the opportunity. My true purpose was to receive the items left behind by the Loki Familia as well as report my change in level. I wouldn't mind continuing in this manner for a while, however." Vahn smiled toward Eina who was now looking at him like he was some kind of monster.

As the person who had recorded his last level up, she knew how little time had passed since then. If she was correct, Vahn had likely set a new record for the fastest increase between levels two and three. She completely ignored the fact how he had said he wasn't here to visit her as she began processing the information she just received in her mind. She had known that the Loki Familia had left behind a reward, but she hadn't expected Vahn to be the recipient.

Rising from the sofa, Eina gave a profession curtsy to Vahn before excusing herself to check the details and process his request. Vahn was a bit disappointed with how he completely ignored her remarks previously, and he began thinking of ways to tease the serious half-elf girl. He didn't know why, but seeing her fl.u.s.tered made him a little happy. By the time she returned carrying a large black container, Vahn had already prepared a method to get a rise out of her.

Vahn had noticed that she had gotten her hair styled since he last saw her, and wanted to try complimenting her to see if she would react. "I hadn't mentioned this earlier, but I think your current hairstyle suits you. It is very cute and accents your ears well." Eina, who had been treating the matters seriously, faltered a bit before stopping and looking toward Vahn. "Mr...Mason. Thank you for your compliment."

Afterward, she sat down and opened up the black container toward Vahn. He was a little dejected at seeing her response, and even the impressive items displayed before him didn't interest him much. Eina saw his sad look, but she put it to the back of her mind as she said, "These are three high-grade magic cores that were left by the Loki Familia for your acceptance. You should know the value of these cores is nearly twenty-million Valis each. It looks like you're rich now Mr. Mason." Eina tried laughing at her remark but noticed Vahn didn't seem interested in the massive increase in wealth at all.

Vahn reached forward and casually put the items into his inventory without remarking about their value. He really was impressed at the sudden gain, but he was more focused on trying to think of how to get Eina to return to normal at the moment. Eina thought Vahn was upset with how she had been addressing him, so after sighing, she said, "Vahn, I don't know what you think of me, but I'm not such an easy girl that a simple confession can move my heart. I'm certain you were just teasing me, so can't we just put that matter behind us for now?"

Hearing her call him by name, Vahn was a bit happy, but he frowned on the outside as he said seriously, "Though its true that I wanted to tease you, it doesn't mean I was lying. Even if I didn't understand the implications at the time, I'm not the type to take back my words so easily." Eina had been one of the characters Vahn found interesting even in the manga. It was the reason he had wanted to tease her similar to how Bell had done in the original story. He was really happy seeing her reaction at the time.

Eina looked at Vahn and saw that he was 'serious' as he spoke. A bit of doubt seeded itself into her heart, and she believed he may have been serious in his words. A strange feeling began building in her stomach, and she felt both sick and happy at the same time. "Fine...if you're serious, I don't mind giving you a chance..." Though there were several people trying to court her, there were few that had all the 'qualifications' as Vahn. Not only was he handsome, but he had incredible potential as an adventurer and even possessed strong connections and personal wealth. Eina thought he wasn't a bad candidate for her first boyfriend.

Vahn was surprised by her words, and he actually began to panic inside. Though he was serious, he still only intended to tease her. He never expected that she was seriously willing to consider being together with him! Remembering all the girls he had recently interacted with, Vahn felt like he had just walked head-first into a brick wall made of adamantine.

Seeing his suddenly befuddled expression, Eina frowned slightly before saying in a low voice, "Were you actually lying to me after all?" Vahn noticed her aura begin to darken slightly, and he raised both of his hands in a panic, "No, that isn't true at all. I was just incredibly surprised that you were actually willing to consider being together with me!" Vahn spoke the truth and it seemed Eina bought his reason as she gave a relieved sigh.

Showing a genuine smile, instead of her professional one, Eina said, "Okay then, we should go on a date this weekend. Since you said you were spending the next three months recovering, it's a good opportunity to spend time together." Eina was suddenly in a chipper mood, and the happier she appeared the more worried Vahn became. Images of all the girls he was currently dealing with passed through his mind. Near the end of his recollection, he saw Anubis's figure as she repeated a variation of her words from earlier, "You're the Alpha now...do your best Master."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You dun f.u.c.k.i.e.d up now boi','It's a trap!','Vahn is digging a grave deeper than the dungeon')

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Chapter 115 - Precipice

After spending time going over the specifics of their upcoming date, Vahn parted ways with Eina after receiving his updated Guild card. He was surprised that he was also given an additional 3.7m Valis as a reward for his participation in the Juggernaut subjugation. It seemed that the Loki Familia gave him a great deal of credit for his participation, but Vahn also suspected it was part of their apology for his injury. Vahn's funds now consisted of 3,871,630 Valis and the three high-grade magic stones which could net him an additional 60 million if he sold them.

Vahn suddenly felt like he had become incredibly wealthy, but considering how expensive high-grade equipment was, he knew it wasn't really that much. He would be able to buy a house, even a mansion if he wanted, but he would only be able to buy one or two pieces of equipment forged by a Master Smith. Even Bell's weapon from the manga cost a total of 200,000,000 Valis, but that was due to its nature as a growth weapon.

As he was making his way toward the rendezvous point with Anubis, Vahn began to worry about trying to consult someone about the problems he was facing with women. The only two people that came to mind were Tsubaki, Naaza, and Chloe, but none of them seemed to be an ideal choice. While he was lost in his thoughts, Sis spoke out in his mind, (*Vahn, you should convert those high-grade cores into OP. The energy within each is worth between 120k-150k OP each.*)

Vahn was surprised at Sis's claim and he immediately gave her permission to convert the crystals. Though he could sell them or use them to forge gear, Vahn was still concerned with completing his quest as soon as possible. He had even considered forging weapons and converting them into OP to finish off the remaining points. After the conversion, Vahn now had 818,309 OP and wasn't too far off from the required one-million.

In a much better mood than he had been previously, Vahn increased his speed before arriving at the plaza within fifteen minutes. His agility growth had made it so that, if he was even slightly in a hurry, his natural pace made him move faster than the average citizen running. The trip that used to take him twenty minutes while sprinting, now only took him fifteen while casually moving at a brisk pace.

Looking around the area, Vahn quickly found Anubis standing near all the children who were sitting in a circle around her as she sat on a bench. They had calm and patient demeanors, and Vahn noticed they were sitting with their eyes closes, almost as though they were in meditation. Anubis noticed his approach before lightly clapping to get the children's attention. "Our Master has arrived, you all did very well to wait~"

Vahn saw Anubis reach for a bag that contained hard candies and she began passing them to the children who received them with a smile. With this, he was able to confirm that she could actually receive his orders even if he wasn't around. Curious, Vahn asked, "Candy?" Anubis smiled and explained, "For some reason, I felt like the children deserved some candy to celebrate the earlier happenings. However, I made sure they ate their meal properly and waited for your return before rewarding their patience."

Seeing that her aura hadn't fluctuated at all, Vahn was able to reason that his 'orders' were interpreted as a thought or impulse for the receiver. He became very curious and tried sending another 'order' to have Anubis look toward the top of the tower. It was vague enough that it wouldn't infringe on her free-will too much, and it would also allow him to confirm his conjecture if she followed through.

A few seconds after he sent the 'order', Anubis had a thoughtful expression as she looked toward the top of Babel like she was searching for something. Vahn followed her gaze before asking, "Is something the matter?" Anubis frowned slightly and responded, "It felt like my instincts were telling me to look toward the tower, but I can't understand what triggered them." Anubis seemed confused about her own behavior and shook her head to clear her thoughts.

Vahn noticed that, when she shook her head and stopped looking at the tower, her Loyalty had actually decreased from 86 to 85. He was surprised and realized that, if his orders conflicted with the person's thoughts, they would feel like something was strange and it directly affected their Loyalty towards him. It seemed like Loyalty was not only easy to increase if you could earn the other party's favor, but it could decrease just as easily if they receive strange orders.

Anubis noticed Vahn's contemplative expression before speaking out, "Don't worry about it Vahn, I'm sure it's nothing." She showed him a gentle smile, and Vahn actually felt somewhat guilty for having 'ordered' her at all. However, he also knew it was somewhat necessary so that he could understand how his functions properly worked. Since he wasn't able to communicate with Fafnir or the nameless Kobold, he was unable to understand how they were interpreting his commands.

Remembering Fafnir, Vahn recalled the scene of its self-mutilation and he suddenly overlapped the image with Anubis in front of him. He felt fear grip his mind and he almost vomited after imagining the beautiful girl tear away at her own flesh. Seeing the drastic change in Vahn, Anubis walked forward and began patting him on the back. She didn't know what had caused his sudden change but realized that he was suffering from something mentally. Anubis knew Vahn had just been released from the ward after sustaining a serious injury to his mind, and she suspected his behavior may be an aftereffect.

Vahn felt a bit better as she rubbed his back, and he looked toward her with an apologetic smile as he righted himself. "Sorry about that...Let's head home. The reward I received at the Guild was larger than I expected, so we should be fine for the time being." Vahn started leading the way, and Anubis followed right behind him like a professional secretary. Feeling that something was strange, Vahn looked back and noticed that the children were still waiting in the area they just departed from.

Looking toward Anubis, Vahn saw her staring at him with a subtle smile and slightly squinted eyes. "Remember, I told you that you are their Alpha now. Unless you order me, or them, they aren't going to move from their spot. They can be...very cute with how loyal they are." Anubis covered her lips with her hand and giggled a bit. Vahn released a sigh before shouting toward the children, "Keep up, we're going home!" The moment his words sounded out, the seven kids immediately ran over before stopping behind him and Anubis. Looking toward her, Vahn could see her smiling at him and he felt like the number of problems he had just increased by eight.

As they walked toward their home, Vahn felt like he was leading a parade as Anubis walked behind him while keeping pace with his steps. The children were in a somewhat orderly formation as they followed behind Anubis while nobody spoke a single word. Vahn felt a bit of discomfort, but he just continued leading the way so that he could bring the experience to an end even if only one second faster.

Finally, after what seemed like a much longer period of time than had actually passed, Vahn and his new 'troupe' arrived outside Tsubaki's manor. He was tempted to go inside but didn't think it would be appropriate to bring in the eight new faces without permission. Looking around, Vahn could see the lot that had been assigned to him. He noticed that, as Hephaestus had said, his residence was located off the street and was only accessible through a side passage that ran alongside Tsubaki's manor.

He led the way along the path until he came to a residence roughly a fifth the size of Tsubaki's. It looked somewhat off the beaten path, and there didn't seem to be any other routes to get to the entrance. Vahn realized that the residence that had been given to him was somewhat abnormal and was likely Hephaestus's consideration for maintaining his privacy. Using his keys, he opened the front door after navigating through the small courtyard.

Stepping through the threshold of the door, Vahn could smell a vaguely familiar smell that he was unable to identify. It was pleasant and made his heart throb in a strange manner, but the feeling quickly passed as he led the rest inside. The moment Anubis and the 'hounds' entered the building, they stopped and started sniffing at the air. Vahn noticed their actions were similar to his own, so he didn't bother asking what they were doing.

Anubis seemed to come to a conclusion and asked, "Is this a place where Hephaestus stays often?" She seemed to have a bemused expression as she asked Vahn the question. Vahn, unsure of the truth of the matter, said honestly, "I'm not sure, this is the first time I've ever been here. Why, did you realize something?"

Anubis laughed before responding, "This place smells exactly like Hephaestus. Unless she stays here often, there is no way it would have absorbed so much of her scent." The children seemed to agree with her statement as they gave various forms of affirmation to support the statement. Vahn was curious and activated his Báihǔ form so he could smell the air better. The moment he transformed, Anubis's eyes widened while all the children seemed to enter a state of high alert.

Vahn hadn't noticed their reaction as he was busy trying to identify the scent. Now that he had the increased senses of his Báihǔ form, he was able to pick up the aroma much easier. The longer he smelled it, the more his brain began to buzz, and Vahn recognized the fragrance was very similar to the cushion Hephaestus had stopped him from sniffing previously. Following the smell, Vahn began tracing it back to the source and eventually found a room with a large king-sized bed covered in expensive looking bedding.

Anubis had followed along while the children stayed in the foyer. Seeing the room, she remarked, "This is definitely someplace that Hephaestus had stayed in often. Her smell permeates throughout the entire room." Vahn nodded his head, as he too could smell the powerful scent in the room. It made his heart palpitate, and he dispelled his transformation before it overwhelmed him.

Seeing him return to normal, Anubis couldn't help but ask, "That form, may I ask what it was?" Anubis had been very curious about Vahn since she saw his soul earlier. As someone that had the ability to see souls, she had seen a countless number across the eons. The shape, size, and coloration of Vahn's soul showed that he had a powerful destiny and a righteous character. Even compared to the 'heroes' she had seen throughout history, none of them even came close to the standard Vahn set. It was this reason she decided to devote herself to him, as it would be the best way to guarantee the safety of her children.

Vahn explained, "It is a magic that I learned when I faced dire-straits in the dungeon. Ever since then, I've been steadily improving it and even managed to fight a Goliath when I reached the third form." Hearing Vahn mention he had more than one form, Anubis became even more interested but decided to keep to herself for the time being. She intended to accompany Vahn for the remainder of his life, so she wasn't in a hurry to uncover all of his secrets yet.

Hearing the system mention that Anubis's Loyalty had increased, he turned toward the calm woman and smiled at her. She seemed pleased as her eyes squinted and she returned his smile with one of her own. Making his way back toward the foyer, Vahn looked toward all the kids and made an effort to recall their names before telling them to find whichever room they preferred. The kids seemed interested in their new residence and quickly spread out to explore the interior. Though it was much smaller than Tsubaki's, Vahn felt like the residence still had more than ten rooms, so they should be fine.

After all the kids had left, Anubis asked, "And where will you be staying, my Master?" Hearing the address she had adapted for him, Vahn once gain felt like a chill run through his body. Looking into her eyes, Vahn said, "You don't have to call me Master. Just Vahn will do..." Even before he finished his words, Anubis already started shaking her head to refute him. "That will not do, Master. As I said, the hierarchy is very important in the culture I come from. As I have sworn myself to serve at your side, I must address you as Master until your title changes."

Vahn was curious what she meant by his title changing, so he asked, "How would my title change?" For the first time, Vahn saw Anubis adopt a mischevious look as she laughed with her hand over her mouth. Her tail seemed to wave about slowly behind her as she said, "If you became my husband, I would have to call you Danna-sama." The moment she spoke the words, Vahn clenched his teeth and took a step back.

Seeing his reaction, Anubis laughed in a higher tone than before. "Ara, you don't have to treat it so seriously, Master. I was only joking...at least for now." As she finished her words, Anubis walked by the stunned Vahn and let her tail pat him in passing. "I assume you will be taking Hephaestus's room, so I will be taking the room next door...make sure to call me if you need 'anything', Master."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Danger within the home','Scheming Pupper','Rich Boi, Vahn Mason','Endless Trouble : Infinite Women')

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Chapter 116 - Responsibilities

After settling into their new home, the Hounds, Rasui, Chione, Nou, Maat, Nanu, Akil, and Ata, were now surrounding Vahn in the main dining room as Anubis stood behind him. Unlike Tsubaki's manor, Vahn's residence looked more western in design, very much like a small mansion. The total rooms ended up being eleven, with two bathrooms between the west and east sides of the residence. Vahn's room was located the further east, oriented in the direction of Tsubaki's manor, while most of the children actually occupied two rooms.

Though Vahn said they could have their own rooms, it seems they preferred to split between genders and stay in two rooms instead. Rasui, Nour, and the twins, Akil and Ata, were both staying in one of the smaller rooms, which Vahn was surprised about. The girls ended up occupying the third largest room in the house located next to the second bathroom. Vahn found it strange that everyone was staying somewhat far apart from each other.

The most notable features of the house were the workshop and the main bathroom. The entire residence was squarish in shape, with all the rooms surrounding the large workshop in the center of the house. Vahn was surprised to find a variety of materials already stocking the shelves, including some rather expensive things like mithril and magisteel. The bathroom wasn't an onsen like Tsubaki's, but it was still a very large shallow tub that was 5x5m and had marble tile flooring. Vahn thought the design of the bathroom looked expensive, even more so than everything else in the house. If he had to guess, the entire structure likely cost several tens of millions of Valis when it was constructed.

After investigating everything, Vahn had gathered everyone together and was now sitting in the main dining area which originally had a long rectangular table which Vahn stored into his inventory. Now he sat on the ground with all the 'kids' surrounding him and waiting for his words. Vahn felt it was somewhat strange to call them kids, as they were all only slightly younger than he was, but now his position was much higher, at least according to their 'hierarchy'. Anubis stood behind him at his side, overwatching the entire scene play out with a smile on her face.

Vahn was sitting cross-legged with his arms crossed in contemplation as he tried arranging everything he needed to say within his mind. After several minutes, he opened his eyes and in a firm tone said, "Rasui, as the eldest, you will still be required to look after your 'siblings'. You know them better than I do, and I trust you'll handle the responsibilities with care." As his words fell, the young boy bowed slighting before saying, "Yes, Master Vahn!"

Though Vahn was a bit off-put by the address, he let it be for now as he directed his gaze to the other children. Rasui had been in the center, while the boys flanked his right with the girls on his left. Maat was the oldest of the girls, at 13, so Vahn put her in charge of the matters within the girls 'den' as they called it. Maat seemed very excited and her tail was wagging to express her emotions as she too answered, "Yes, Master Vahn!"

Hearing a girl similar in age to him call him Master, Vahn felt a peculiar feeling in his mind. It wasn't the normal 'excitement' he had been experiencing lately, but it made him slightly concerned for some reason. Now that he had assigned 'leaders' to the two rooms, Vahn took a note out of Tsubaki's book and began trying to lay the foundation for their future.

"Though I still need to learn more about everyone and each of your capabilities, from now on you will all be undergoing training in the mornings. Though I am by no means a master, I think I can help improve your skills through sparring and other means. We will start early, every morning except for weekends, and you will be expected to continue your traning until 10 AM each day. From then on, you will have free time until 8 PM in the evening, though you can request an extension if you make any plans." Vahn slowly spoke the words, and he was satisfied to see that the 'kids' were listening attentively.

Nodding his head, Vahn continued, "As for your individual responsibilities, that can wait until I get a better understanding of each of you. You should, however, think of what you're capable of doing and try to develop your skills so that you are able to become capable a.d.u.l.ts. As my understanding goes, you will each be considered a.d.u.l.ts within two years and will need to be somewhat self-sufficient by then. As I am not the leader of your Familia, I will not force you to leave as Anubis told me was often the case back in your country."

Hearing they wouldn't be forced to 'leave' the Familia when they became a.d.u.l.ts, all the kids' tails began to wag and they seemed to struggle to keep their usual 'calm' expressions. Anubis had given Vahn a bit of information about her practices, and it turned out she treated her Familia very much like an orphanage back in the Southern Sands. Though she couldn't take in everyone, whenever she found children that seemed pitiable in her eyes, she would accept them into her Familia. Though she had almost no combat capabilities, she was very knowledgeable and gave them a general education while having them train and become stronger on their own. The primary thing she taught them was discipline, and she developed them into people that were very loyal and considerate of others. Whenever they weren't performing their duties, they would often be around the various Bazaars passing out food and rations to other orphans.

As Anubis only took care of the children until they were capable 'a.d.u.l.ts', whenever they reached the age of 14, she would 'release' them from the Familia and have them travel so they could spread the kindness they had received to others. She never wanted to keep a Familia to develop her own power, and even though many wanted to stay, it was Anubis's practice to have everyone leave when they reached a.d.u.l.thood. Because of her pride, she was unwilling to make any exceptions previously, but now that she had chosen to follow Vahn, Anubis left the decision to him. Anubis thought he would be a good influence on the kids and expected they could become a part of his own power and influence in the future.

After his 'speech', all of the kids were in high tension and went through a small ceremony where they each pledged allegiance to Vahn as their sword master. Though it was a nerve-wracking few minutes, Vahn was confused about why he didn't receive any notifications to accept any new subordinates. There was still a lot about his system that he needed to discover, but for now, Vahn just assumed it was because they didn't truly intend to follow him. Either that, or there was something different about them and Anubis which he didn't yet understand.

Vahn dismissed the kids and told them to familiarize themselves with the grounds as much as they were able. They nearly ran out of the room after his words ended, and Vahn felt like this should be their real selves, not the quiet and patient children that seemed to have very high discipline previously. Anubis giggled while staring at Vahn who was currently smiling due to his own internal dialogue.

Arranging her dress, she sat down slightly to his right and began speaking, "Master is more aware than I thought. The fact you moved the table, in the beginning, was a smart move, and you seem to be adapting to the mentality of an 'Alpha' quickly." Anubis had a gentle smile on her face as she spoke. Her tail gently swayed and lightly patted her own leg in a slow rhythm which distracted Vahn a bit. Continuing, Anubis said, "Ever since I descended three-hundred years ago, I felt like my methods weren't the most practical. Though I was able to make many children into independent and capable a.d.u.l.ts, there were very few instances where they seemed as happy as my current children. It always pained me seeing how their tired expressions from when I found them only turned into solemn and serious expressions with my teaching. When I first started accepting children into my Familia, the only thing I wanted for them at the time...was to see them smile and be happy."

Vahn could see a sadness in her eyes as Anubis recollected her long history. For Vahn, it was almost unimaginable living for three-hundred years and taking care of hundreds, or thousands of orphans in that time. He couldn't understand how someone could be so 'selfless' and dedicated to others, even when it seemed to make them sad in the process. Remembering the loneliness inside Hephaestus's vision, Vahn began to suspect it wasn't easy being a god in this world. They seemed bound to follow a strict set of regulations and always had to act based on those principles.

More than the children Vahn felt he owed a debt to, he genuinely began to take pity on the beautiful goddess looking at him with a melancholic expression. Even though she had a smile on her face and was still waving her tail, Vahn could see the sadness in her eyes and the aura slowly dispersing from her body. He even suspected that the smile and tail wagging were practiced habits of the goddess...

Anubis had become lost in her own thoughts as she recollected the past, and she was unprepared for what happened next due to her dazed state of mind. Suddenly, a hand was placed on her head between her two large ears and a gentle warmth began to pass from the palm into her mind as it gently stroked her hair. With surprised on her face, Anubis looked and saw that Vahn had spontaneously started petting her without saying anything.

Gently reaching her hand to intercept his, Anubis grabbed Vahn's hand and moved it away from her head. With a smile on her face, she softly spoke, "You don't have to worry about me, Master. The fact that you are taking care of my children is already more than I deserve. After all, I am meant to serve you, not the other way around." At the end of her sentence, she laughed but Vahn could see the sad aura was still hanging around her.

In a firm voice, Vahn said, "It is my choice to comfort you. Even if it is just to appease my own emotions, I don't want to see anyone around me with such a sad expression. Unless I am bothering you, I would like you to allow me to comfort you, even if just a bit." Since Anubis at least seemed to respect him as a 'Master', Vahn tried speaking honestly and with a resolute voice.

Hearing his words, Anubis's expression didn't actually change, but inside her mind, there were various thoughts running through her head. She was thinking to herself, 'Is this the actions of someone with such a powerful soul?'. She closed her eyes to ruminate for a moment before opening them and staring into Vahn's serious face. Even though a bit of time had passed, he continued to look at her without averting her eyes, so she just smiled and tilted her head forward. "If that is my Master's wish, I will gladly abide..."

With her permission, Vahn reached his hand out and began petting the top of her head again. He noticed her aura fluctuated slightly at his contact, and he continued to observe it as he moved his hand around her head. Whenever he came into contact with her ears, they would twitch which made Vahn feel like his heart did the same. Curious, Vahn tried stroking the ears directly and noticed that Anubis had an immediate reaction. She had her eyes closed since he had begun, but Vahn noticed they flickered slightly as her tail began to beat at a faster rhythm against her legs.

When his hand moved to the back of her ears, Anubis seemed to try and pull away from his hand, but prevented herself from doing so at the last second. Her reaction seemed to awaken something in Vahn, so he began channeling his [Hands of Nirvana] with a soothing effect as he stroked the area around her ears and behind her head. Slowly, Anubis's face began to scrunch up a bit and Vahn noticed she began to blush a bit. Vahn was incredibly fascinated by her reaction and wanted to laugh after hearing the loud 'smacking' sound her tail was making as it struck her legs now.

Suddenly, a notification sounded in his head, and Vahn realized Anubis's Loyalty had dropped to 83 which made him pull his hand away. He wasn't sure why the value had dropped but assumed it was likely due to his excessive 'petting'. After he stopped his actions, Anubis opened her eyes and Vahn noticed they were somewhat watery as she said, "Has nobody ever told you that, if you pet the ears of a chienthrope, you have to be prepared to take responsibility? I may be a goddess, but I still abide by the culture and traditions of the Southern Tribe."

Vahn listened to her words carefully and recalled a similar saying from both cat people and chienthropes previously. Lili, Naaza, and even the mother-daughter pair of Milan and Tina had said something similar before. Anubis, seeing that Vahn was listening attentively, continued, "I don't mind receiving your affections, but remember to keep it in moderation. If you go too far, I can't be held responsible for the consequences you'll have to face...my Master." Vahn felt like he could see a light pass through her pale golden eyes, and he suddenly noticed a clammy feeling coming from his palms.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Godhand Strikes','Household Management','Foreshadowing?')

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Chapter 117 - Life Lessons

After settling matters at his own residence, Vahn left his own house as if he was fleeing a scene. The 'warning' Anubis had given him was still on his mind, and he began to worry about his past actions a bit. He wasn't sure when, but he had developed the habit of patting/petting girls whenever they seemed sad. Vahn always thought it helped placate them and improve their mood, but now he began to worry that his actions had been improper.

Making his way alongside the walls of Tsubaki's manor, he eventually arrived at the main road before turning into the entrance of Tsubaki's courtyard. The front door was almost perpetually open, and Vahn entered to see Tsubaki performing maintenance on some equipment. The moment she saw him enter, Tsubaki smiled widely before saying, "I heard from Hephaestus-sama, you'll be staying at the house behind my manor from now on?"

Vahn nodded and began explaining, "I ended up accepting...something a bit troublesome. For now, I'll be helping Anubis's children increase their strength while I try to improve my forging abilities. There are many things I need to do..." The more Vahn spoke, the less energy he seemed to have.

In response to his worries, Tsubaki seemed to find his 'suffering' to be interesting as she began to laugh loudly.

Vahn looked at her with a begrudging look, but she just furrowed her brows with a 'predatory' smile. "You've changed a lot since I last saw you Vahn, how about a spar?" Hearing her words, Vahn was slightly surprised and wanted to refuse. However, before he was able to respond, Tsubaki had already started leading the way to the training area while saying, "Let's go." Vahn didn't hear any room for argument in her tone, and he followed behind her while feeling even worse than he had previously.

Much like their previous spars, Tsubaki stopped at an appropriate distance before waiting for Vahn to make his preparations. Vahn sighed before getting into a defensive stance and preparing for the thrashing that he would likely receive. However, no matter how long he waited, Tsubaki just continued to look at him as if she was waiting for something. Vahn began to get worried, so he asked, "Tsubaki?" The moment he spoke, he prepared his defense as he had expected her to attack the moment he 'dropped' his guard.

Tsubaki had a serious expression instead of her usual playful and smiling look. She frowned a bit while creasing her brows as she asked, "Are you taking this seriously, Vahn?" Vahn had rarely seen Tsubaki angry, so he was a bit concerned seeing her current appearance. After a while, he responded, "I am ready to spar...even though I don't really want to." Tsubaki continued to stare at him with her fierce look and he began to sweat a bit as an apprehensiveness began to build inside him.

Suddenly, Tsubaki's expression changed from anger to one of condescension. She lifted her head like she was looking down on Vahn and had a snide smile on her face as she said, "I thought you were growing up, but it looks like you have actually become more immature." Her words were sharp, and they even angered the usually calm Vahn. As he had been making efforts to improve, hearing someone say he was actually getting worse made him upset.

Dropping his defensive posture, Vahn balled his fists as he said in an aggrieved manner, "What do you mean, Tsubaki? I'm trying my best!" In response to Vahn's shout, Tsubaki just laughed with a single loud 'HA!' as she looked at him coldly and said, "Tried your best, so what? What are you doing right now, is this YOUR BEST!?" Almost if challenging Vahn's tone from earlier, Tsubaki shouted her words this time. From the corridor on the side, both Naaza and Lili had appeared and watched the scene with concern on their faces.

Once again, Tsubaki's words weighed heavily on Vahn's heart as he couldn't think of a way to refute her. He had shown up at her residence in somewhat low spirits, and she immediately challenged him to a spar even though he wasn't in the mood for it. Now that he joined her, instead of beginning the spar she started to berate him instead. Vahn began to feel a frustration in his mind and he wanted to shout, so he did. "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THEN!?"

Tsubaki waited for a few seconds after his shout, and just started into Vahn's eyes as he began to grit his teeth in frustration. The moment it seemed like he was about to explode, she said plainly, "Do whatever you want, Vahn, but never get so caught up in the moment you stop moving forward. Seeing you lost in your thoughts and worrying about matters within your control is pathetic. You're acting like a spoiled child and actually lamenting that so many things are going on around you? Well, who is the person driving those events, have you thought about that? Is this the same conviction you had when you confessed to Hephaestus-sama!?"

For the third time, Tsubaki's words struck at his mind, but this time they were like an explosion that cleared away all of Vahn's emotions. He had just, this very morning, spoken so confidently to Hephaestus. But, now that only a few hours had passed, because of events he had set in motion himself, he was now losing confidence in himself. He began to realize why Tsubaki seemed to upset with him...he really was acting like a spoiled child. Everyone around seemed to be responding to his actions and desires, but for some reason, he had started treating it like a problem he had no control over.

Vahn lifted his hands and stared blankly at his palms as he muttered in a low voice, "I...don't know what to do. So much is changing around me, and I feel like I can't keep up with it all..." Vahn just wanted to do what he liked, and he wanted to make those around him happy at the same time. But, his actions were also increasing the tensions that were building up inside of him, and it made him feel incredibly tired the moment he removed himself from the 'problem' he had created.

Just from a general recollection, there were now nearly twenty people that he had to pay attention to, and it was rapidly developing to a point beyond his control. Though he put the matters to the back of his mind, for now, Vahn knew there would likely be a lot of issues that would arise in the future because of his actions. Hearing Tsubaki's words, Vahn began to feel very lost...

Breaking his reflection, Tsubaki said plainly in a firm tone, "Fight, Vahn. No matter what you choose to do, fight for it. The moment you stop and get caught up worrying about things, the less you'll be able to act when you're required. So, win or lose, you need to fight. That is the only way to live without regrets." Tsubaki got into a combat stance like she was about to attack.

Vahn kept repeating her words in his mind like a mantra. She said he should fight, regardless of if he wins or loses. It was almost like she was implying it was okay to make mistakes, but Vahn couldn't accept that so easily. He felt he needed to take responsibility for his actions...and that is when it hit him. He already knew what he wanted, but for some reason, he was ignoring his own intentions. Vahn...wanted to win. He didn't want to escape the responsibility, but instead, he wanted to meet their expectations as best he could.

Seeing Tsubaki standing before him patiently, Vahn realized what she had been trying to tell him. She wanted Vahn to move forward confidently, and not forget his own reasons for why he chose the path he was walking. With a smile and a 'confident' look, Vahn began to transform into his Báihǔ form while spreading his domain throughout the entire training area. Unlike the times where he held back the repressive aura of his domain, Vahn now concentrated it on the surroundings and it felt like the pressure in the air had greatly increased.

Tsubaki saw the renewed confidence in Vahn's fierce blue eyes and smiled at him as she said, "Seems you are beginning to grow up..." She tightened her fists and lowered her waist. Vahn assumed a crouching stance as he said in a confident manner, "I have a lot of great people that have been helping me. If I stay a kid forever, they'll be disappointed." Vahn and Tsubaki both smiled at each other as their figures vanished from the sights of Naaza and Lili.

Unlike all their previous fights, with Vahn's increased parameters and the improvement in his Innate abilities, he could now match Tsubaki's speed. Noticing this, Tsubaki had an excited expression on her face as their fists collided mid-air. Vahn could feel a shockwave emanate from the point of contact, and with his enhanced senses he even saw the transition of the shockwave through both of their arms.

The strike knocked them away from each other, and Tsubaki immediately dashed forward in a blink and tried to strike Vahn in his kidneys the moment he landed. Vahn, using his increased flexibility, turned his body in a bow and evaded the hit as he flipped over the top of Tsubaki. The entire fight felt like it was playing out in slow motion, and while he was upside down he could see her head turning slowly toward him. Kicking off from the ground with her foot, Tsubaki performed a front-flip and tried to intercept Vahn's head with her foot while he was still in the air.

Vahn received the blow with his hands and used the force to vault away from Tsubaki before landing firmly on the ground 10m away. Tsubaki stood away from him with her back facing his direction as she gazed over her shoulder with a 'mad' look. Vahn too was feeling excited by the fight and, before she reassumed her stance, he kicked off from the ground with an explosive force that caused winds to disperse through the surroundings.

Aiming his palms at her lower back, Vahn prepared to strike her unprotected body with his full strength. He felt a powerful desire for victory building inside of him, and there was no hesitation in his strike that could rival the strength and speed of a Level 4. The expression of Tsubaki changed slightly as her smile grew wider at seeing Vahn's decisiveness. Unfortunately, that was the last thing Vahn saw as his hands passed through the image of Tsubaki without any feeling of resistance on his palms.

With his body extended forward with both palms striking out, Vahn was completely defenseless as he heard a voice coming from his left ear. "Good effort...Vahn." The instant the voice sounded, he felt a powerful force grip his legs and his forward momentum was immediately brought to a halt as he crashed face-first into the ground. Before he was able to recover, he felt a heavy, but somewhat pleasant sensation on his back as Tsubaki sat on top of him.

Tsubaki sat on his back with her legs and arms crossed while she laughed loudly and said, "I believe that makes our total score 6,148 to 24. Looks like it will be a while before you start catching up!" Vahn, hearing her words, exhaled his breath and just collapsed onto the ground with his arms spread out helplessly. This wasn't even the second time Tsubaki had sat on him, as she seemed inclined to do so whenever he got 'overconfident'. However, unlike all the previous times, Vahn was now vaguely aware of the sensation on his back and it made him feel strange.

Noticing his silence, Tsubaki look sideways and saw his expression which made her brows raise. "What, don't tell me I'm in your strike zone too!? Hahahaha, I think you'll have to grow up a bit if you want to 'conquer' me, Vahn! I'm not lovey-dovey like the other girls around you." As she laughed, Tsubaki began slapping his lower back with her palms. Vahn felt aggrieved at her actions because he didn't think of her in that way. To Vahn, Tsubaki was more like an older sister, or even a mother figure. He was even feeling guilty about enjoying the sensation, but now he began to feel frustrated at her teasing.

Vahn swore in his mind, one day he would even the score between them. He didn't know how long it would take, but as long as there was an opportunity, he would slowly close the gap between them and make her recognize his efforts. Every strike that she was currently landing on him would be paid back in time. With that thought, Vahn waited patiently for Tsubaki to get bored and finally get off of his back. Tsubaki offered her hand and helped him up from the ground, but the moment Vahn rose, he reached his free hand forward and, using [Hands of Nirvana, traced his index finger up the line from her navel to below her b.r.e.a.s.ts.

Tsubaki's eyes widened at the sensation that sent a shock up her back, and she gripped Vahn's hand and powerfully slammed his body over her shoulder. When his body impacted the ground, it actually made a large crater which spread out like a spider web. Surprised by her own actions, Tsubaki stared down at Vahn who was looking at her like a child that just succeeded in a prank. Even though he was coughing blood, Vahn smiled and said, "6,148 to 25." Immediately after, he passed out and left the blushing Tsubaki dumbfounded on the spot.

Tracing her hand along her own stomach, she looked down at the mischievous boy in a contemplative manner before turning her eyes to the two girls that had been watching the events play out. "Take this idiot inside and get him cleaned up." She then walked away as Naaza and Lili quickly ran over to dig Vahn out of the ground.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Nothing escapes the hand of God','Problems? Suck it up!','What it means to be a man')

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Chapter 118 - Qualifications

Vahn awoke nearly three hours later, fully recovered, but still bandaged up as he raised his body. He recognized the surroundings as Naaza's workshop and understood she had treated his body after Tsubaki's ruthless counterattack. Remembering her blushing face, Vahn felt a bit of pride well up inside him.

Naaza, who had been mixing a solution at her work table, heard the noise and looked toward Vahn with a relieved expression as she said, "I really don't understand how you're able to recover so quickly. From the time I started treating you, you had multiple fractures and bruisers signifying internal bleeding, but before I even applied the medicine, the bruises slowly started fading away. It was a strange sight you know, watching a wound heal visibly without any magic being used..."

Toward the end of her words, Naaza began to trail off as she recalled the fact she had watched Vahn's n.a.k.e.d body for nearly an hour as his wounds healed. She began to blush, and Vahn realized the implication behind her words as he noticed he was nude under the covers. Seeing the clothes at the side, he was tempted to tease her by pretending to not notice them. Naaza seemed to sense some though, as she looked at him with and said, "Wear the clothes properly, or I'll see to it that you spend the rest of the night in that bed..." Though she started off with a firm tone, Naaza blanked after hearing her own words.

Seeing the fierce blush cover her face, Vahn began to laugh out loud as he started dressing. He had never been shy in front of Tsubaki, Naaza, and Lili, so he made no efforts to cover himself which caused Naaza to gave him sidewards glances from time to time. After properly wearing the clothes, Vahn walked over to her work table and she turned around and started fumbling for her tools. Coming to a stop at her side, Vahn asked, "What are you working on now?"

Naaza released a sigh before she explained, "My mixing skills have improved immensely with your help. I even showed my results to Miach-sama, and he was really surprised to see how innovative your ideas were. With a bit of refinement, he said they would be able to easily produce higher quality medicines in the future with less effort."

Vahn nodded his head and started looking at the ingredients she had been mixing. From what he could tell, Naaza was attempting to make a high-potion, someone that only veterans with decades of experience could confidently make. As Vahn had previously purchased Alchemy, Chemistry, and Potion Making manuals from his shop, he had helped her make several changes to the recipe. Now, even though she wasn't as skilled as a master, Naaza was able to produce high-potions with nearly 40% efficacy.

As he started helping her prepare the ingredients, Vahn said, "You have made a lot of progress, Naaza. It won't be long before you become a master or learn the [Alchemist] development ability." Naaza slowly nodded her head after stopping herself from preventing him handling the ingredients. Even though she had stopped him time and again, he never seemed to listen for long and always tried to help her. Naaza was frustrated with how casually he did the actions, as Vahn was even more adept at the process than she was...at least before the mana infusing stage.

They both continued preparing the ingredients, but Naaza was somewhat distracted by Vahn's presence. She always felt guilty when he helped her because she was never really able to help him with anything. Even though she tried to teach him mixing, and watched him perform all the necessary steps, he always ended up failing in the end. It had been a hit to Naaza's confidence, and she felt like she was a useless teacher. Even Miach wasn't able to help her understand the reason behind Vahn's inability to mix potions.

After their months together, Naaza had long become aware of how she felt about Vahn, and she could even see that he cared about her as well. But, before his sudden 'awakening', as Lili called it, he never acted like he was interested in her as a woman. He always showed her kindness and affection, but Naaza felt more like a companion or colleague to Vahn instead of a potential love interest. Even now, although he acted somewhat promiscuous, he made no efforts to approach her in that manner.

Naaza had seen all the girls that visited him in the ward, and was aware that he had also confessed to Hephaestus. When Lili and Tsubaki had returned earlier, Lili began complaining to her about the development and talking about how it would be difficult to stay around Vahn unless they increased their 'efforts'. Naaza knew what she meant by 'efforts', but she couldn't find any confidence to approach Vahn. In her mind, he was someone with infinite potential who always tried his best, while she spent most of her time cooped up in her workshop.

Ever since she had been attacked in the dungeon, Naaza had a fierce trauma within her mind and refused to put any real effort into training. Now, other than a bit of archery practice, she proactively tried to avoid conflict. She just focused on her research and trying to apply Vahn's theories to the knowledge and experience she had obtained since entering the Miach Familia. Comparing herself against Vahn, Naaza felt incredibly inferior...

While she was stuck in her own thoughts, Vahn had noticed her hands stopped moving and saw the sad expression in her eyes. Vahn frowned and felt a bit frustrated since it seemed like all the girls around him were prone to sudden and spontaneous bouts of sadness. He really wished they would always be happy, so he reached out and started patting her head like he had done so several hundred times before.

Naaza felt the familiar feeling but noticed there was now a warmth coming from Vahn's palm that seemed intent on driving away all the negative feelings inside of her. It was a very calming and relaxing sensation, and it made the experience she had already grown fond of in the past even more impactful. While she had her eyes closed and began losing herself in the comforting warmth, Naaza heard a gentle voice ask, "Tell me, Naaza, why are you sad?"

Shocked that Vahn would ask the question so directly, Naaza paused for several seconds before releasing a sigh. The hand on her head brought her a lot of comforts, and it made the surprise and inhibitions she had melted away. In a dull voice, Naaza said, "I was thinking that...I am unworthy to be at your side. You have done so much for me, including saving my life...restoring my arm...so many things. And, no matter how hard I try to repay you favor, I am unable to do so."

Naaza heard a loud sigh come from Vahn, and she looked toward him with a scared expression, afraid that her answer had upset him. Vahn saw her expression and pulled the back of her head until her face became nestled in his chest. In a somewhat tired manner, Vahn laughed as he said, "I can kind of understand why Tusbaki was mad at me earlier. Seeing people worry about things can be very frustrating."

Hearing his words, Naaza felt like crying a bit but was distracted by all the other emotions she was feeling. Vahn continued to gently stroke her hair as he said, "I don't know why people seem to treat me like I'm some special existence...the only thing I care about is that the people around me are happy. All I've ever wanted to do since arriving in this place is protect those near me, and help to ensure their happiness. Seeing you sad because you feel unworthy to be around me...well, it is a very painful thing."

Naaza was greatly affected by his words as she remembered the 'spar' from earlier. She had seen how Tsubaki pushed Vahn to have his own realizations, and now she was suffering just like how he was at the time. Like Vahn, before the fight, she was lost in her own thoughts and had stopped moving forward when the only thing she actually had to worry about is doing her best. There was nothing stopping her except her own worries...

Suddenly, Naaza felt her chin lifted and she started at Vahn in a confused expression as he leaned forward and kissed her lips. She was very surprised by his sudden action but didn't have an adverse reaction to the intimate contact. Instead, Naaza closed her eyes and a single tear rolled down her cheek as she accepted the kiss.

After a few seconds, Vahn pulled his face away while still holding Naaza's between his two hands. She had a dazed and happy expression, and Vahn found it much more appealing than her previous sadness. Vahn smiled and said gently, "Have confidence in yourself. You are very cute, and already someone that I can't imagine my life without. Even if we never became lovers, I would never be ashamed to have you at my side."

Naaza, as if all her earlier concerns had been a joke, began laughing while covering Vahn's hands with her own. However, the laughter didn't last long, as Naaza leaned her head forward and began crying into Vahn's chest after hugging his waist. As he had been standing while Naaza sat in a chair, Vahn was now stuck accepting her embrace while she held his body at an awkward angle. The only thing he could do was use his [Hands of Nirvana] to pat her back while she let out her pent-up emotions.

After she finished crying, Naaza continued to hold Vahn's waist for several minutes, and he began to feel like his body was going to cramp up if he had to hold his awkward position for much longer. Curious as to why Naaza was still holding onto him, Vahn was about to ask but his words froze in his throat. From above, he could see Naaza with her eyes closed slowly breathing in his scent without trying to draw attention to herself.

Vahn wanted to laugh out after seeing her 'sneaky' actions. Since he was able to transform and experience what it was like to have enhanced senses, Vahn was keenly aware of how sensitive chienthropes and cat people were to the scent of others. To Naaza, it was likely that his scent brought her comfort and security, and her current actions were probably the most natural way she could express herself at the moment.

Pretending he hadn't noticed, Vahn continued to pat her back until she finally released him nearly ten minutes later. The moment she let him go, Vahn felt like he had been freed from a heavy burden and he couldn't prevent himself from leaking a relieved sigh. Naaza stood up from her chair, and Vahn noticed for the first time that their heights weren't too different from each other. Naaza was now only a few cms taller than he was, and it brought their faces very close to each other when they stood so close.

Before Vahn could say anything, Naaza grabbed his face and returned a kiss of her own upon his lips. Out of 'practice' or 'instinct', Vahn reached his hands around her waist and pulled her body close. It was a curious feeling because he could feel her tail brushing against his wrists as it flailed back and forth. Naaza continued kissing Vahn for nealy a minute before she pulled away in an embarrassed manner.

Immediately resuming her seat, Naaza picked up her tools as she said to Vahn with a hint of excitement still in her voice, "You shouldn't stay here for too long. There are other things you need to attend to, and I need to focus on my work." Naaza seemed to be focused on anything but her work, and Vahn wanted to comment, but she continued, "I...will learn to move forward. At that time, I want you to give me a chance. I feel like, if you accept me now, I will have failed myself as a woman..."

Vahn hummed an affirmation before he gently kissed the top of her head. Before he left the room, he said over his shoulder, "I believe in you, Naaza." With those parting words, he exited her workshop. Naaza waited for his footsteps to disappear before turning toward the door with a glaze covering her eyes. "Just make sure you have a place for me when the time comes...you idiot." She then took a deep breath and began focusing on her work. Naaza was determined to increase her own qualifications. Even if Vahn was willing to accept her as she was, Naaza herself was dissatisfied and wanted to prove herself.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Smell is a powerful sense','God-hand strikes again','Naaza's conviction')

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Chapter 119 - Restless Night (1/2)

As Vahn was exiting Naaza's room, he made his way towards the reception area where he saw Tsubaki powdering a long claymore-like weapon. She looked toward him and smiled slightly before saying, "Next time I see you acting up, don't blame me for bullying you. Try something like that little stunt again and you'll be lucky to walk away the same day." Vahn nodded and made his way toward the exit, but stopped before crossing the threshold.

Turning around, Vahn smiled and said in a cheeky manner to Tsubaki who had been following his back as he left, "I'll just become strong enough to get away with it." The moment he finished the words, Vahn lunged forward and rolled along the ground as the claymore that had been in Tsubaki's hand pierced through the place he had previously stood. Bounding to his feet, Vahn ran out of the courtyard while laughing at the raging Cyclops behind him.

Tsubaki walked out of her workshop and picked up the claymore that had been lodged into the ground. She knew Vahn was ready to dodge her attack, but she decided to play along with his little 'play'. Looking at the direction he had retreated, Tsubaki smiled before saying, "Kids growing up faster and faster. Hope he doesn't get hurt too badly." Shouldering the claymore, she turned and walked back inside her workshop.

Vahn noticed that Tsubaki hadn't chased after him, so he slowed his speed until he came to a complete stop. Teasing Tsubaki, who had tormented him so much in the past, was very fulfilling and Vahn resolved himself to continue doing so in the future. Even if she got very angry with him, Vahn knew that she wouldn't intentionally harm him just for messing around. At this point, it was nearly 3 PM, and Vahn didn't really have anything to do so he decided to walk around the City.

Unlike his typical, fast-paced, movements, Vahn leisurely strolls through the City and just 'experienced' the sights and sounds of the people. Though all the people were strangers to him, Vahn noticed that the majority of people had neutral or even positive impressions of him. Unlike when he had first entered the City, people looked at him with smiles instead of intrigue or disgust.

There were even several women, both young and old, that would try to call out to him or strike up a conversation with the 'handsome' boy. Vahn found many of them to be very cute, and even some of the mature women were very charming, but he just gave them curt responses and nods as he continued walking through the City. Considering all of the things he had been wrapped up in lately, Vahn couldn't divert his attention to people that had yet to influence his life.

Using the opportunity, Vahn decided to map areas of the City he had never visited and started thinking about appropriate places for his upcoming date with Eina. Since Vahn had decided to make an effort, he felt like he owed it to Eina to make the date enjoyable. Though he didn't know much about her, he assumed she would like to stroll around and go shopping like most of the girls he had seen. Vahn visited several scenic locations and marked them on his map while trying various foods from stalls along the paths.

Vahn really enjoyed the food in Orario, as there seemed to be an infinite variety to enjoy. Though he still loved the food at the Hostess of Fertility the most, Vahn had yet to find anything that was unpalatable amongst any of the vendors in the City. He especially enjoyed seafood, and the crepes he often ate had quickly become one of his favorite foods. Using his newfound wealth, Vahn tried the food at nearly twenty different places before bringing his journey to an end.

Anything that he liked, Vahn had purchased a large amount of it and stowed it away in his inventory when nobody was looking. He could eat the dishes later, or even give it to the children once he returned. Vahn was especially fond of sharing the things he enjoyed with others, and he looked forward to the expressions they would have when he gave them the delicious food.

Vahn arrived at his own workshop/house at around 8 PM and made his way through the courtyard and into the foyer. Curiously, the moment he entered, Anubis was patiently waiting to receive him. She smiled and said, "Welcome back, Master." Vahn nodded his head and asked, "Where are the children now?" Anubis raised her brows after seeing how composed was as she responded, "They are waiting in the dining room for your return. As members of your 'pack', they will not eat until you tell them or until you arrive."

Imagining the seven kids sitting around and patiently waiting, Vahn felt a strange emotion, but it didn't cause him any discomfort as he had expected. Walking forward, he placed his palm on Anubis's head and stroked her ears a bit before pulling away. Anubis seemed surprised by his actions, but before she spoke, Vahn said, "You were waiting for me to return as well, right?" Walking by her, Vahn called out as he passed into the corridor, "Let's go, I'm not fond of keeping people waiting long."

After his exchange with Tsubaki, Vahn now decided to face his matters head-on. If he had to be an 'Alpha' within his household, he would do his best until the children became self-reliant. If Anubis was going to call him 'Master', he would act the role to the best of his ability in order to match her resolve. Moments after he left her behind, Vahn heard a notification in his mind that told him her Loyalty had increased to 91 which brought a smile to his face.

As expected, the moment Vahn entered the dining room, the kids were waiting in a semi-circle that had a space reserved for him. He complained to himself that he should have purchased a low table for everyone to sit at, as sitting on the floor seemed a bit strange after he had adapted to living at Tsubaki's manor. Without a word, Vahn sat down at his designated position and waiting for Anubis to take her spot to his left.

Seeing that she sat outside of the circle, Vahn turned to the kids and said, "Open the circle a bit; make room for Anubis." The kids had been paying attention to Vahn ever since he entered, and the moment his words fell they made enough space so that Anubis could sit within the circle. Vahn looked toward Anubis and she matched his gaze before rising and reseating herself next to him.

Once she sat down, Vahn spoke, "From now on, we eat together unless the situation prevents us from doing so. Anubis is the Goddess of your Familia, and though you may have a reverence toward her, you should treat her as a family member from now on. As long as you recognize me as the 'Alpha', you will continue to abide by this simple rule, understood?" His voice was firm, and Vahn wanted them to know he was absolutely serious.

Rasui was the first to speak out and loudly responded, "Yes, Master Vahn!" Moments after his voice fell, all the other kids repeated the words in concert. Vahn nodded his head before removing one of the dishes he had stored into his inventory. First passing it to Anubis, she began distributing food to everyone in the circle. Vahn thought her act was very motherly, and he wanted her to get closer to the children if possible. Seeing the melancholy on her face earlier, made him slightly uncomfortable.

Vahn continued conjuring more food, with each new dish bringing a surprised expression to each of the children. In their eyes, Vahn was essentially pulling delicious food out of thin air, and any inhibitions they may have had toward him seemed to quickly diminish within their minds. Each person received a dish from Anubis, who presented them with a cheerful smile on her face. Once everyone had food in front of them, Vahn realized he hadn't actually stored any beverages.

Seeing the anticipatory looks for the kids, he felt like he was going to end up in an embarrassing predicament before Anubis spoke out from his left. "Now that everyone has received food, I'll go ahead and prepare tea. You all should converse with our Master and patient await my return, okay?"

The kids nodded after hearing Anubis's words, and she slightly bowed towards Vahn with a bemused expression before heading into the kitchen.

Vahn realized that it wasn't just him paying attention to Anubis, but she was also taking into consideration his thoughts and actions. The moment she noticed he hadn't prepared anything to drink, she immediately stepped in and drew the attention away from him. Afterward, she excused herself to cover for his mistake and even opened the floor so the kids would converse with him openly. Vahn laughed to himself as he marveled at the awareness and adaptability of a goddess that had lived in the mortal world for three-hundred years.

He began making casual conversation with the children, and they seemed to appreciate the opportunity. Though they still spoke in a deferential manner, Vahn noticed they were making an effort to meet both his and Anubis's expectations. He realized they were a lot like he was, how he was always trying to please those he cared about. This recognition made Vahn feel more self-aware and he swore in his own mind to match their expectations as well as he was able.

The only ones that seemed to have any major inhibitions were the two sitting the furthest from his current position, the two young girls named Maat and Nanu. Vahn felt guilty every time he saw them because it always brought back memories of when he had shot the two with arrows. He knew he didn't have any room to apologize, so he just promised to treat them well in the future.

After a few minutes, Anubis returned with a tray for of empty cups and a large kettle of tea. Resuming her position next to Vahn, she poured each cup individually before passing them around the circle. Once everyone had a cup, the entire group looked toward Vahn with expectations in their eyes. Seeing their expressions, he smiled before raising a portion of the chicken that comprised his meal. He wasn't that hungry, as he had eaten plenty throughout the day, but he still prepared to take a bit before saying, "Let's eat." The moment he finished his words, he took a bit of the crispy meat and watched as the kids started politely eating away at their meals.

Seeing their manners, Vahn actually felt a little embarrassed since he had picked up the good with his bare hands before confidently taking a bite. He never expected such young children to be so disciplined when it came to eating. To his left, he heard a slight laugh and looked over to see Anubis staring at him with a smile as she slowly picked away at the food on her plate. Vahn felt even more embarrassed after seeing her actions and immediately understood where the kids' table manners came from.

After the meal, Vahn had the kids do some stretching exercises before telling them to prepare for the bath. He went ahead and led the exercise, and the kids seemed to really enjoy the repetitive routine as the mimicked his actions with smiles while their tails wagged back and forth. Once everyone had burned some energy, she told the girls they could take a bath first and that the boys would enter later.

The entire group stared at him like he had something strange, so Vahn looked toward Anubis and she explained, "They are all children, and we rarely had access to anything like an actual bath. Usually, they would help each other bathe with a bucket of water and a damp cloth." Vahn realized that his sensibilities had changed a bit recently. Even he wasn't concerned with bathing with the opposite gender just recently, but now he was paying more attention to matters and tried to segregate the two groups.

While he was lost in thoughts, Anubis spoke out at his side, "The bath is plenty large to accommodate everyone. You shouldn't worry too much and just enter with them. If you start treating them like a.d.u.l.ts before they mature, they might develop strange thoughts about the hierarchy." Her words were incredibly low, and Vahn noticed that the children made an effort to ignore what she was saying. As they had sensitive ears, Vahn knew they would be able to hear her if they made an effort.

Vahn realized he underestimated the hierarchal relationship that Anubis kept bringing up. Resolving his mind, he turned to the kids and said, "Okay, we'll enter together. Work together and make sure everyone is properly clean." Finishing his words, Vahn let the way into the bath and began undressing. He noticed that, even when the children entered after him, as long as he remembered his role as the 'Alpha', he was able to keep his calm easily. Vahn never cared about being seen n.a.k.e.d, to begin with, and realized there was no reason to concern himself with others either.

The problem came shortly after when Vahn had undressed completely and was making his way to the bath. Other than the children, Anubis also entered and began undressing in a casual manner. Though Vahn typically didn't care and had even bathed with women often, his interactions with Anubis today had left an impression on his mind.

Vahn noticed there was exotic quality to her body compared to the other women he had seen. Her olive-brown skin seemed to have a slightly golden hue as it reflected the light. She had a slim and tight figure with almost no fat on her body at all, and Vahn could see the muscles of her body stretch and contract with her movements. It was one of the few times Vahn had ever proactively watched a woman undress, and each garment that she removed seemed to increase the tensions building in his body.

Eventually, Anubis had discarded all of her clothes and turned toward Vahn and the bath. The moment she turned, Vahn got a full glimpse of her figure as she too stared at him. Both of their eyes opened wide as they viewed the other. Vahn could tell that Anubis was around 166cm tall and he found every aspect of her body to be nearly flawless. She had medium sized b.r.e.a.s.ts, probably around 82cm, a thin and exotic curve to her 58cm wide h.i.p.s, and a pert and full waistline that balanced out her figure at 84cm. The most surprising thing to Vahn was, unlike the majority of girls he had seen, Anubis had no hair on her body other than her hair, ears, brows, and tail.

As Vahn had been taking in the sight of her body with an undisguised intrigue, Anubis was simply shocked at the sight around his waist. Though she considered Vahn an a.d.u.l.t, she still thought he was similar to a child in some aspects. However, there was no way she could consider Vahn a 'child' after seeing how 'mature' his body was. Though she had some experience with other gods in Heaven, Anubis had never seen anything comparable to Vahn. Because of her pride, she had avoided interactions with mortal men, but Vahn actually made her heart begin to beat at a marginally faster pace.

Suddenly, as if not sure what else to say, Vahn asked, "You're going to join as well?" Anubis snapped awake and matched his eyes as she responded, "You are my Master, if you are going to bathe with the children, I need to be present. If I take a bath on my own later, it will interfere with the hierarchy..." Anubis spoke the words slowly, but she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive after realizing the current situation.

Vahn seemed to accept her explanation as he turned toward the bath where the other kids were already helping clean each other. "Very well, lets go..." Though Vahn tried to say the words with 'conviction', he couldn't help but let his statement trail at the end. Taking a deep breath, he moved forward and entered the bath with the other seven. Moments later, Anubis also entered and sat to his left as she said, "I will wash your back, Master."

Vahn had thought he was becoming used to the form of address, but this time he seemed to take a critical damage to his mind. He blanked out for a moment before he could feel a warm sponge touch his shoulder. Anubis had already begun washing his back, and Vahn decided to just go with the flow. He noticed that the kids would give them looks periodically, and Vahn felt he needed to maintain his image. Taking slow breaths, he calmed himself and just enjoyed the comfort brought by the warm water.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The beast appears','Exploration, Discovery','A Delicious Meal')

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Chapter 120 - Restless Night (2/2)

After the bath, everyone got dressed together in the changing area and Vahn couldn't help but stare forward into space. He had made a gross overestimation of his own resolve, as even when he had decided to maintain his calm and reasoning, he couldn't prevent his eyes from wandering when he was taking the bath. As the 'hounds' were all similar in age to him, he couldn't help but inspect their figures to satiate his own curiosity.

Each of the girls, similar to Anubis, but on a much smaller scale, were very lithe without almost any fat on their bodies. They were very similar to Tiona in a way, except their b.r.e.a.s.ts were marginally larger. The most distracting thing was the bush black tails that splashed around the water while they helped clean each other. They even seemed to notice his gaze but made no attempts to conceal themselves which just made matters worse for Vahn. Vahn noticed that, from the moment he entered, they too had taken glances at his p.e.n.i.s with expressions of mild shock before quickly averting their eyes.

As he had never compared himself to another boy before, Vahn now had the opportunity to do so and looked toward Rasui, Nour, Akil, and Ata. Ever since he had entered, Vahn noticed they seemed to be keeping a bit of distance from him. He noticed their gazes had wandered and their brows furrowed as they compared between each other. Vahn, too, was doing the same, and noticed that he wasn't just marginally larger than the similarly aged boys.

Though they had various sizes, except for the twins, they weren't that dissimilar from each other. Vahn inspected himself and tried estimated his p.e.n.i.s to be nearly 18cm long, which was a striking sight for anyone that saw his 156cm height. Though he had never thought of it before, he began to realize that he was strange, but after remembering the reactions of the more mature women than had seen him, Vahn didn't understand it if was a bad thing.

Unable to resist his own doubts, Vahn quietly asked Anubis, "Is it a bad thing to have a bigger p.e.n.i.s?" Anubis, who had been focusing her efforts on Vahn's back, immediately froze at his question. Everyone else in the bath also looked at him in a strange manner, and Vahn felt like he just asked something he should have kept to himself. Anubis, after a brief pause, looked around at the other children and they began busying themselves cleaning each other.

Once everyone was 'distracted' she spoke quietly to Vahn, "It may be a problem in certain aspects, but it isn't necessarily a bad thing. There are several women that prefer a larger size, as long as you have the proper technique and show adequate care." Though he knew she was just explaining things, Vahn felt like the words were very heavy in his mind, as he began to think about the context of her explanation.

The moment Vahn started thinking about s.e.x, an unexpected event occurred which brought silence to the room. His previously intimidating dragon seemed to be awakened from a long slumber and proudly raised it head as though it was about to soar into the sky and pierce the heavens. Vahn was incredibly surprised by the reaction of his own body, but the surprise wasn't just his alone. The eyes of everyone in the room seemed to be pulled towards the sight, almost as if they were unable to avoid watching the unstoppable ascension of the fierce beast.

Vahn heard a gulping sound from behind him as he inspected the phenomenon that was occurring to his own body. Turning his head, he saw Anubis's gaze drawn to the awakened dragon and he could even see a bit of fear in her eyes as she said, "That...could be a problem." The moment her words hit his ears, Vahn felt a fear of his own build up in his mind which seemed to seal the dragon away and return it to its slumber.

Looking around, Vahn could see the boys staring at him like he was a monster, while the girls had actually moved to the other side of the bath like their lives were on the line. They each had pale faces, and even Maat, the eldest of the trio, who always had a confident expression on her face, seemed like she had encountered an unconquerable foe. Vahn was suddenly concerned about the future and recalled the words spoken by Tiona previously, "I won't be defeated so easily...". He wondered if she would be able to repeat that phrase in the current situation...After Vahn was dressed, he sent the children off to be before making his way to his own quarters. Anubis followed closely behind him, and the atmosphere was incredibly awkward for the duration of their short trip. Standing outside his door, Vahn turned his head toward Anubis and said, "Good night, Anubis." He turned the handle of the door and began to step through, but stopped when Anubis spoke out to him.

Though she hesitated to speak at first, Anubis wasn't able to allow Vahn to walk about in such a 'lifeless' manner. Ever since the incident in the bath, he lost his presence as the 'Alpha' and it seemed like his confidence had taken a big hit. To help him, she swallowed her own fears and called out to him as the tried entering his room. "Master...If you lack confidence, I am willing to help you."

Vahn looked toward the beautiful and exotic chienthrope goddess and he could see her aura was fluctuating even though she was trying to keep a calm expression on her face. He knew she was just worried about him and wanted to help him, but Vahn wasn't willing to have someone make such a 'sacrifice' just to ease his mind. Her intent was clearly felt by him, and it had brought back some of his motivation even without her having to do anything to appease him.

With a genuine smile on his face, Vahn reached out and stroked Anubis's head gently as he said, "Thank you, Anubis, but your concern is more than enough for me. I am proud to have such a faithful attendant, but I'll never ask you to bear the burdens of my mentality with your body."

Anubis, after Vahn had reached out to her, actually clenched her teeth a bit until Vahn started speaking. Seeing his smile and the concern in his eyes, Anubis felt both relieved and a bit sad. Even she had no confidence in being able to properly tend to Vahn, and she was glad he seemed to be able to recover a bit on his own. However, since she had resolved herself, she was somewhat unwilling to step back just because he was worried about her.

Anubis tried to speak out, but Vahn used his index finger and poked the middle of her forehead and interrupted her words. "That is my decision, Anubis. If you truly consider me to be your Master, you will respect my will." Vahn didn't leave any room for discussion as he gave her another gentle smile before closing the door behind him. Anubis just stared at the closed door for a few seconds and mulled over his words and actions in her mind. Eventually, she sighed and made her way toward her own room next door.

After Vahn closed the door, he got a notification that Anubis's Loyalty had reached 95, which was a bit surprising to him. He wondered what would happen if he was able to raise it to 100, and his intrigue in the subject pushed away his other concerns. Looking through his system, Vahn noticed there was something strange within his 'View Affection' so he asked Sis, ("Sis, why is there no affection displayed for Anubis?") He had clearly touched her several times, and he could even see her aura, but she wasn't displayed on the affection list for some reason.

Sis responded in his mind, (*Loyalty is a higher functioning parameter than affection within 'The Path'. To those that have subordinated themselves to you, they functionally have maximum Affection and Intrigue. It is typically impossible for someone to immediately become your subordinate without either being suppressed by you or possessing very higher values for affection, to begin with. Anubis seems to have realized something after you revealed your soul, so she managed to circ.u.mvent the process of developing affection entirely and became your subordinate.*)

Vahn was surprised at the information and couldn't help but ask, ("Does that mean, when I fulfill someone's 'heart's desire', I'll be able to subordinate them?") If that was true, Vahn was worried that his functions may not be inherently good-natured. As if to drive away his concerns, Sis responded, (*That isn't always the case. Loyalty is only one of the 'hidden parameters' that can be obtained through the system. Loyalty is only for those that desire to follow you as a subordinate, and not those that want to grow closer to your personally.*)

Vahn was relieved after hearing Sis's clarification. It turned out there was much more to his system functions than he had discovered, and it was fortunate he didn't seem to be able to accidentally subordinate others. He wanted to help fulfill the 'hearts' desires' of those that were affectionate toward him, so he would have had inhibitions if the ultimate result put them under him. With that thought in mind, Vahn remembered that he had obtained one [Heart's Desire: Tiona] that he had yet to use.

Laying down on the bed, Vahn was somewhat distracted by the fragrance, but he did his best to keep it from his mind as he used the item. Similar to his previous experiences, the air seemed to freeze around him as time seemed to come to a stop. Unable to move, Vahn just lay powerlessly on the large bed as the vision entered his mind.Vahn was alone in the darkness, outside of a place that filled him with despair and sadness. The only thing that brought him comfort was the presence of the young girl next to him. Upon closer inspection, he realized the girl looked very similar to Tione and Tiona, but she was much younger, probably around ages 5-6. She was wearing next to no clothing and was prevented from being fully nude by two small cloths wrapped around her chest and waist. Inspecting 'his' own body, Vahn noticed he was also attired in a similar garb, and his body had now become that of a small girl as well.

Though Vahn felt the situation to be strange, he understood that he was currently experiencing things from Tiona's perspective. He could feel a powerful sadness in her heart as she resisted the cold night by seeking warmth from her twin sister. As one of the only pairs of twins to ever be born among the Amazons, they were ostracized and beaten by the other children and even avoided by the a.d.u.l.ts. Everyone treated them like a jinx, all except for their Goddess Kali, who seemed to take an interest in the two.

Unfortunately, her interest manifested itself in the form of various trials which pitted the two identical girls against others. Tiona was forced to spend her days fighting against various opponents, and she hated the feeling of being beaten, so the only thing she could do was beat them instead. She often spent the latter half of her days wiping away the blood from her body with a sick feeling in her stomach. She wanted nothing more than to escape this cruel way of life, these people that didn't care about her, and this endless cycle of pain and cruelty.

Unable to free herself from the torment, the only thing that brought solace to her mental state was the belief that, if she never gave up, a hero would one day show up and free her from this prison. She imagined a dashing man would show up any minute and rescue her and her sister, but as the years passed, this belief slowly faded away. As she grew stronger, she lost a lot fewer fights until she eventually got to the point where she was unbeatable amongst her peers. Eventually, without a hero every appearing, she and her sister managed to earn their freedom through their own efforts.

However, even when she was allowed to wander the world, it always felt like something was missing in her heart. Unlike other Amazons, that was just drawn to seeking powerful males to sire their children, Tiona wanted something different. She became determined to find the hero that failed to appear in her childhood, and she would do so by her own efforts. She wanted to meet that fated person so she could understand why they had failed to save her when she so desperately sought freedom.

Over time, her efforts to find the 'hero' became slightly warped, and she simply wanted to meet anyone that met the qualifications in her mind. Even when she lost fights or came across valiant and powerful men, she was never satisfied. Tiona began to hate the men that thought she could be courted so easily, just because she was an Amazon and they were stronger than she was. To escape their pursuit, she once again worked hard to increase her strength until the point there was no-one around that harbored those intentions.

Eventually, both she and her sister, now stood at the pinnacle most people were never able to reach. But, no matter how far she had traveled and how strong the became, Tiona never met the hero she was looking for. She began to feel an emptiness build up inside her, and she tried filling the void by acting playful and dismissive. When her sister found someone that she wanted to pursue, Tiona was happy for her, but it made the void in her heart grow much larger in size. It got to the point where, when she wasn't looking, Tiona began to resent her sister. Especially since, after she fell in love, Tione's b.r.e.a.s.ts began to grow and they were no longer identical.

Now Tiona felt like the only person that had understood her suffering and would always be at her side was now leaving her behind. The only solace she found to ease her suffering was battle, and she became so proficient in it that she developed skills like [Berserker] and even earned the alias 'Amazon' as a testament to her accomplishments. She was now considered one of the idols for all Amazons and had a new burden to bear atop the emptiness in her heart.

Just as she was beginning to give up, Tiona found something that tore her from the darkness. In the time when she needed it the most, a hero finally appeared before her. She heard rumors of his exploits and couldn't wait to meet the boy people were calling the 'Vulcan'. After she discovered where he resided, she convinced Gareth to allow her to accompany him so she could meet the boy she had been waiting for.

As she had hoped, the boy was very kind and trustworthy. He had an aura that made her feel both calm and excited, and for some reason, he was even willing to fight against her. Tiona was very excited because she would get to experience her hero's capabilities first hand. Though he was much weaker than she expected, he was incredibly powerful for a Level 2, and she noticed that he had been concealing his strength. She looked forward to the opportunity to see his full potential in the future.

Fortunately, not even a week later she got to see her hero go all out against an opponent he should have had no hopes against. But, no matter how many times he was knocked down, just as Tiona expected, he always got back up. Not only that, he became stronger and was slowly overcoming the insurmountable foe. There was even a point where it looked like he was going to be defeated, and she nearly jumped in to save the young hero. But, against everyone's expectations, he made another breakthrough and instantly defeated the giant beast that was just about to crush him moments before.

Unable to contain her excitement, Tiona rushed the boy and tackled him to the ground. She knew that the boy named Vahn was the person she had been looking for all this time. The reason he had been unable to save her, was because he was also very young. She could see he had his own hidden tragedy and was likely too busy saving himself to help others. Any resentment she had towards the hero she had in her mind vanished without a trace and replaced with the image of the boy before her.

Her emotions overwhelmed her, and she was unable to contain them as she looked at the boy she had pressed to the ground and said, "I want to have your baby!"Time returned to normal, and Vahn just lay in his bed in a dazed state. It felt like he had experienced Tiona's entire life, all of her pain and suffering, and he felt pity for the young girl that was forced to become stronger against her own will. Though he had already resolved himself to be with her in the future, now Vahn was determined to make the girl's dream come true. No matter how many she wanted, Vahn would give her as many children as it took to satisfy her heart.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tiona's Heart','Everyone has a tragic backstory',Anubis's failed attempt')

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Chapter 121 - Trouble : Questions

Vahn took a long time before he was able to fall asleep that night. Though he had expected to have a bit of trouble, given the intoxicating smell coming from the bed, the thing keeping him awake was the vision he had. He felt like his emotions were going to explode, and it wasn't until near midnight that he was finally able to rest.

The next morning, Vahn woke up before the sun had even risen. Without about four and a half hours of sleep, he cleaned himself up before preparing to head out. Anubis had awoken when he started making noise, so she was able to catch him before he left. When she saw the fierce determination in his eyes, Anubis became worried so she asked, "Master? Did something happen?"

Vahn looked at her, and his expression didn't change in the slightest as he said in a firm tone. "Take this Valis and buy the kids and yourself some clothing and anything else you may need. I'm not sure if I'll be back today, so don't wait up for me." Vahn handed her a large sack containing more than 100,000 Valis which only made her brows furrow even more.

Shaking his head, Vahn said, "It's nothing dangerous, I just have something I need to do or it would tear me apart. I will be back tomorrow, or the day after at the latest. If you need anything, you can ask Tsubaki and she should be able to help you." Anubis felt relieved when he explained, so she bowed her head low and said, "Then I wish you well in your endeavors, Master." With a curt nod to acknowledge her, Vahn set out through the door and quickly made his way toward the north area of the City; his destination, the Loki Familia.

Though the distance wasn't short, Vahn managed to make the nearly 20km trip in less than ten minutes. The few adventurers and pedestrians that were out at this time of day gave him looks and wondered what important matter he had to attend to. A few even called out to ask if he needed help, but Vahn just shouted to alleviate their concerns as he maintained his fast pace throughout the City.

Vahn stood outside of a gigantic manor, larger than any he had ever seen before. Within the City, it was known as the Twilight Manor and was the home of the most powerful Familia within the City, the Loki Familia. Though Vahn had never met the mischievous Goddess, he knew his presence wouldn't be accepted easily given his budding relationship with Ais. Hardening his resolve, Vahn made his way through the large gates into an area that looked like a reception desk at a large Inn.

There were a few people loitering around the area, including someone that Vahn recognized. Seeing the stout and reliable figure of Gareth, Vahn felt like he would be able to avoid a lot of trouble. He quickly made his way over, and some people tried to stop him before Gareth waved them down. With a smile on his grizzled face, Gareth said, "I'm glad to see you've recovered. After you went down during the fight with the Juggernaut, a lot of people were concerned. You did well to come back from that, kid."

Vahn was gratified to hear his words, and they brought a smile to his face as he bowed low and said, "Thank you very much, Gareth, but I have come here with a purpose in mind. Please, can you inform Tiona that I am here?" Seeing the intensity in Vahn's gaze, Gareth had some suspicions and asked, "What is this about kid, why the urgency?" Even though he had a good opinion of Vahn, he wouldn't expose any of the younger generation to danger if he could prevent it.

Noticing the suspicion in his eyes and the flaring of his aura, Vahn tried to calm himself as he said in a low tone, "Please, tell Tiona I came to make due on my promise. If she is unwilling, I will depart without causing a scene." Gareth's brows raised as he saw the sincerity in Vahn's demeanor. With a gruff sigh, he waved one of the younger members over and had him go to pass Vahn's message to Tiona.

After sending the young man away, Gareth turned toward Vahn and asked in a similarly low tone, "What kind of promise did you make with that hyperactive girl?" Hearing the question, Vahn's mind blanked for a moment and he couldn't prevent a blush from touching his cheeks. Gareth immediately noticed what kind of thoughts were passing through Vahn's mind and he began to laugh loudly while patting Vahn's back. "Hahaha, ain't it good to be young!?"

Ten minutes passed quickly, but Tiona had yet to show up which made Vahn feel like he had made a mistake. Gareth too noticed there was something wrong before he showed a shocked expression on his face and said, "Ah, I think I know what this is about. The girls should be off spending time with Ais, so Tiona probably can't be pulled away right now." Vahn felt relieved after hearing the explanation and asked, "Why are all the girls spending time with Ais?"

Gareth nodded his head and explained with a smile, "Ah, today is the lass' birthday, so they were preparing to go out and celebrate. You're lucky you stopped by so early, or you might have missed them entirely." Vahn nodded and agreed that he was lucky, but then something clicked inside of him and he began to panic a bit as he asked, "Did you say...Ais's birthday?" Vahn remembered his 'promise' with Ais, and prayed he had misheard Gareth.

Though Gareth noticed Vahn was acting strange, he nodded his head and said, "Yeah, girl just turned 14 today, so they were gonna go out and celebrate. Lass could never hold her alcohol, but now that she is an a.d.u.l.t she needs to start building a tolerance." Gareth began laughing at his own words. As a dwarf, he had a unique disposition toward alcohol and only truly respected those that could hold their own against the brew.

The warm-hearted laughter of Gareth sounded like a death-toll in Vahn's ears. If Ais had been serious at the time, that meant she had wanted to have s.e.x with Vahn after she turned 14. Though it didn't necessarily have to be today, he felt like Ais wasn't the type to wait around for things that interested her. Almost as if announcing his inevitable demise, a loud shout passed through the room.

Vahn saw a flash of healthy-brown skin as he opened his arms and caught Tiona who had launched herself at him. She immediately began to rub her head against his chest, but Vahn was distracted by the group of people that followed behind her. Ais was walking over, accompanied by Loki, Riveria, Tione, and Lefiya. Seeing the difference between each of their expressions, Vahn felt like he had willingly just entered a death trap.

Ais, unlike her normal expression, was actually smiling slightly and had a hint of 'expectation' in her eyes as she looked at Vahn. Walking alongside her, Loki was looking at Vahn with slits for eyes and he felt like she was a snake that had stumbled upon a field mouse. The smile on her face, looked more like the invitation of a demon instead of anything cheerful. Riveria had a somewhat fed-up expression, while Tione and Lefiya seemed to be vexed as they walked over.

Tiona, who had noticed Vahn's lack of response, separated from him a bit before tilting her head sideways, "Is there something wrong, Vahn?" When the messenger had shown up and told her what Vahn had said, Tiona had nearly wrung the unfortunate boy's neck to find out Vahn's present location. It took the combined efforts of Tione and Ais to free the boy from her grasp.

Loki, who was in the area and enjoying the preparations for the coming day, teased Tiona and asked what the matter was about. Tiona unashamedly told the entire group of women what she and Vahn had promised each other. Since she had expected to have to wait for a long period of time, she was overwhelmed by excitement. Tione seemed dissatisfied by the turn of events, but Loki thought the matter was amusing, at least until someone spoke up.

"Ah, I have a promise too." Like she was unwilling to admit defeat to Tiona, Ais spoke out in a low and firm voice. Loki looked toward the girl she had been molding into a weapon and asked in a curious voice, "Oh, Ais~? What kind of promise did you make?" Ais looked around at everyone before fixing her gaze on Tiona. "Vahn, me, we would have s.e.x when I turned 14. I will go to him as well." The moment Ais's voice sounded, silence spread through the room and people could even hear the distant sound of the foot traffic generated by the pedestrians.

Nobody spoke for what seemed like an eternity until Tiona broke the silence, "Even if that is the case, I will go first. Vahn came here specifically to visit me, so you'll have to wait your turn." Tiona expected Ais would try something sooner or later, so she was the least surprised by the turn of events. After her proclamation, the entire room came alive and they spent the next few minutes explaining to Loki the events that had transpired in the dungeon.

After their discussions had ended, Loki seemed livid before leading the entire group to meet the boy that seemed to have created huge problems for her Familia. Though she was also interested in Vahn based on what she heard from Finn and Riveria, she had never expected that, before she even got to meet him officially, he was already 'pouching' the powerful members in her Familia.

When Loki finally laid her eyes on Vahn, she had to admit that he was both handsome and young. She could see why the younger girls would fall for him, as even she wanted to tease the boy if not for the current situation. Arriving with the remainder of the group, she continued to gaze at Vahn as she said, "You must be the 'Vulcan', Vahn Mason? I've heard so much about you...shall we talk in private?"

Vahn could see the aura from Loki was massive compared to others, and it was a mixture of purples and crimson reds. Though he could somewhat understand why she was upset, he had never seen someone that had such a deeply chaotic aura before. He felt like, if he lowered his guard, he would be devoured by the chaotic energies. But, seeing Tiona at his side and remembering his purpose, he looked toward Loki and said, "Yes, please."

Loki was surprised to see how calm Vahn was able to act in front of her intimidation but, as there were too many watching eyes, she led the group to a private room that had various formations and seals to prevent sound from escaping. Vahn sat on one of the four sofas, while everyone else spaced themselves around on the remaining seats. Both Tiona and Ais took the seats next to him, while Loki sat directly across. Vahn suddenly felt like he had come to pick up the two girls, and now had to deal with the beast guarding the property...

Seeing the two girls sit next to Vahn, Loki frowned a bit as she sat in a very un-ladylike manner on her sofa. Vahn's vision fluctuated at the sight, and it didn't escape Loki's vision as she smiled and asked, "Oh? A girl on each arm and now you even covet this Goddess? Quite the appetite you have there...Vahn Mason." Vahn almost refuted that it was her posture that caused his momentary lapse, but remembering his prior offenses against other people, even he didn't believe the excuse.

Instead of responding to her goading, Vahn mustered his conviction and said, "I am sorry for dropping by unannounced, but I had a terrible premonition that, if I didn't come here today, I may lose something important." Though it wasn't the entire reason behind his visit, Vahn knew there was some truth to his statement. He felt that, if he ignored Tiona who had suffered for so long, he would end up hating himself.

Loki looked at him and found his 'courage' commendable, but she could see there was more behind his statement than he made known. She wanted to find a hole in his words so, after looking between Tiona and Ais, she decided to ask,"I heard you came here for Tiona, correct? And what of your promise with Ais? Don't tell me, you intend to take both of the girls with you?"

Vahn flinched after hearing her words, because, no matter how he tried to spin the situation, he had come here only for Tiona, and not Ais. If he tried to tell her he wanted to take both girls away just so he could have s.e.x with them, he felt like the atmosphere might explode. As he was trying to come up with what to say, a voice came from his left where Ais was seated.

"I didn't tell him when my birthday was," Ais remembered that she had only told him she wanted to try having s.e.x when she turned 14 but had never informed Vahn of the actual date. Even if he only came here for Tiona, she felt like she would lose out if she backed down without trying to take a stand.

Loki frowned after hearing Ais answer instead of Vahn. If he had tried to make an excuse, she could use it against him but if it was Ais that made the excuse she had nothing to use against him. Instead, she looked at Tiona before fixing her gaze back on Vahn and saying, "So she says, but are you going to change your plans with Tiona and try to fit Ais in as well? Even if Riveria taught you a few things, do you really think you can tend to two women at once?"

As Vahn had never had s.e.x, he didn't know how to answer Loki's question. The incident from the previous night was still in his mind, and though he had confidence Tiona would be able to manage, Ais was much smaller and more fragile than Tiona. While Tiona had a healthy figure with visible muscles, Ais looked incredibly frail, almost like one of the porcelain dolls he had seen in the market.

This time, while Vahn was considering his word, Tiona spoke out, "I don't care if, even if Vahn wanted to bring every girl in this room with him~! I know he'll be able to overcome anything!" Once again, the entire room became silent after Tiona's outburst. She seemed to be enjoying the situation and had a big smile on her face as she made her proclamation. As long as she got to be with Vahn first, she didn't care who came after her.

Loki looked at Tiona like she had just met the biggest idiot of her several million years long life. Her mouth was wide open and her body had frozen in the pose she had held after asking her question. After recovering, she began to get really annoyed that the girls were answering instead of the person she was questioning. She said sharply, "You two be quiet for a moment! You think I'll let some strange boy steal you away if he can't even answer simple questions!?"

She flailed about like an enraged demon, and it was fortunate nobody else was sitting on the sofa with her or they would likely have to suffer her tirade. After calming down, she leaned forward like a thug and asked, "You answer this time, boy. I want to know exactly what your intentions are. If it's just s.e.x, sure, fine, whatever, I can accept that. You're all stupid and young, and it's part of the natural cycle to try and sate your urges. However, you should know their role and the significance they have to the Familia. What happens if they get pregnant or get taken out of commission? A lot of people could end up dying for your selfishness if you're not careful. What can you, a measly Level 3, provide in exchange for taking two Level 5s out of commission?"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Boi...','Loki Appears','Flowers on both arms')

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Chapter 122 - Unwilling to Back Down

Hearing Loki's question, Vahn felt something inside him grow cold as his [Will of the Emperor] acted without his prompting. The way Loki talked about value made him feel like the only way she looked at people was from the perspective of their usefulness. He was reminded of the people that had tormented him in his previous life, and he felt a sickening feeling as he looked at the small goddess in front of him.

The moment his domain spread out, everyone entered a state of high alert but, seeing Vahn unmoving, they didn't take any action yet. Even Tiona and Ais at his sides felt a threatening feeling come from Vahn who was presently glaring at Loki with a look of 'contempt' and undisguised anger. Loki, who was the one experiencing the full brunt of Vahn's 'pressure', grits her teeth and opened her slitted eyes as she returned his glare. Unable to reset the repressive force any longer, she had to activate her Divinity to resist the pressure.

Seeing her activate her Divinity, Vahn couldn't help but sneer at seeing her actions. "You have to use your Divinity to resist a mortal who hasn't done anything? And you dare ask what I have to offer; what I can provide?" Vahn looked coldly at Loki as he enunciated each syllable of his next few words, "I will become strong enough to protect them, no matter what it takes. My question is, what can YOU offer?"

Loki had converged her Divinity and the entire room was shaking but, even though others seemed to be affected, Vahn, who was arguably the weakest in the room, sat in front of her without any signs of being pressured. The most baffling thing was, even when she activated her aura, she was unable to prevent the 'dangerous' feeling that seemed to be coming from the domain generated from Vahn.

When Vahn made his statement and then questioned her, the domain he was emitting seemed to be slowly repressing her Divinity. Loki couldn't believe what was happening, and various thoughts began racing through her mind. For Vahn to be able to repress a god's Divinity, there had to be something unique about his origins. She began to understand why Hephaestus did so much to protect Vahn over the last few months; she was likely aware of his origins or had gained some insight using her 'god's eye'.

Suddenly, Loki smiled while withdrawing her Divinity. She looked toward Vahn and started laughing as she said, "Great! I like you, you are very manly! Hahahaha, I almost want to keep you for myself; what say you join my Familia and I'll let you do whatever you want~?" Loki had to have someone unique like Vahn in her Familia. She could see that he had a potential that dwarfed others, and couldn't stand the thought of him being in something like a 'production' Familia.

Vahn continued to focus his [Will of the Emperor] without answering, and Loki began to sweat while pretending to be unaffected. The entire time she had been trying to 'convince' him, Vahn noticed that her aura hadn't changed in the slightest, it just fluctuated wildly like a possessed demon. He had no doubt she would accept him into the Familia, but it made him sick imagining himself as one of her pawns.

The atmosphere began to get progressively worse, and Loki was nearing her limits and almost ordered her Familia to capture Vahn. If he was unwilling to compromise after she withdrew her Divinity, she didn't think he was capable of being reasoned with. Fortunately, it didn't have to come to that as Ais grabbed Vahn's hand and got his attention. The moment he looked away from Loki, it felt like a mountain had been removed from her shoulders and she released a heavy sigh.

When Ais grabbed Vahn's hand, he looked toward her and saw sadness and concern in her eyes. She squeezed his hand and said, "Don't, Vahn. That is enough." Hearing her words, his immediately dispersed his domain, but he still couldn't forgive Loki. He patted Ais's hand before turning his vision back toward the scheming goddess.

Seeing Vahn turn back to her, Loki felt a chill down her spine as she asked, "What's wrong, kid? Was my offer not good enough?" With a smile on her face, she tried playing off the situation to lighten the mood. Vahn squinted his eyes and furrowed his brows even further, "I refuse to become a pawn of someone else. I will walk my own path, no matter what difficulties I have to face. Though I may not have the best grasp of my own emotions, I know that Tiona and Ais both desire to be with me right now, and I refuse to let either of them down."

Loki seemed surprised by the conviction in Vahn's voice, and even she felt like he could keep his promise. She looked around and saw the members of her own Familia even seemed to respect the boy, especially the two 'enamored' looking girls at his sides. Even Ais, who rarely had any expressions, seemed to be happy after his words finished. Thinking she had run into a wall, Loki tried thinking of how she could benefit from the current situation.

The room remained silent for nearly a minute before Loki spoke up with a 'cheerful' voice and a smile on her face. "Fine, but if you want me to agree, you'll have agree to a request of mine. Tiona seems to believe you are some kind of hero, so you won't just take without giving anything, would you?" Vahn frowned, but he didn't shy away as he said, "If it's a request that I can do, and doesn't compromise my integrity or the safety of those I care about, I don't care what your request is. I'll do anything to protect the ones I care about."

The smile on Loki's face nearly doubled in size as she said, "Oh, it's nothing too serious. It's just, I want you to accompany my Familia when they perform expeditions into the lower floors. You'll even be able to be with your precious Tiona and Ais, so it should fall in line with your desire to protect them, isn't that right~?" Even if Loki couldn't get Vahn to join her Familia, it didn't mean she couldn't use him. It was common for members of the Hephaestus Familia to act as a support unit, and she could just get Vahn to be the representative. Even Hephaestus wouldn't be able to say anything if she played her cards right.

Vahn considered the words for a few moments before nodding and saying, "Even if I had to travel to the bottom floor of the dungeon, as long as I could protect the people I cared about, I would do so without hesitation." Vahn could feel his heart beating powerfully in his chest, and he felt proud to be able to make the claim. It was the truth, and he genuinely believed he could confront anything if it meant removing the burden from his loved ones.

Loki started clapping after hearing Vahn's declaration as she shouted out, "Bravo! Bravo! Well said, a true hero~! But, are you willing to make a vow to guarantee your support?" Loki wasn't the type to take 'personal' promises seriously when there was a way to bind people to their words. Keeping true to his words about not hesitating, Vahn nodded and said, "As long as the vow includes traveling alongside Tiona and Ais, and not simply accompanying any random expedition you might stage."

Loki's brows raised when she saw how cautious Vahn was. She suspected he was the type to act based on emotions and didn't expect him to be able to maintain his rationality if she praised him. From her perspective, Vahn seemed to possess a greater insight than she had previously considered. Of course, she didn't know Vahn could see 'affection' and wasn't fooled by her act. The only reason he agreed was to protect Tiona and Ais.

Speaking of the two girls, Tiona was currently cuddling Vahn like he was some kind of precious treasure. She had a slighted heated expression on her face, and even Vahn had begun to sweat as she pressed her body against him. Ais, to his left, had never released his hand, and after his words, she held it slightly tighter and had a small smile on her lips.

After they had come to an agreement, Vahn made his vow in front of all the ace members of the Loki Familia. When the ceremony was concluded, Loki showed a 'grieving' expression as she looked at Tiona and Ais and said, "It's a shame that I have to let two beautiful girls get soiled by such an inexperienced boy~! If he isn't able to satisfy you, my door is always open at night!" As she spoke, she even tried to take 'advantage' fo the situation and grabbed towards Ais's butt.

Ais, accustomed to her 'advances' immediately swatted away the hand and moved closer toward Vahn. Loki seemed to be very upset by her actions as she held her hand with tears in her eyes, "Boo-hoo, my Ais has been stolen away by a strange boy from another Familia." As she was 'crying' Loki faltered and seemed to stumble in the direction of Lefiya, who had been watching the events with an incredulous expression on her face. There were tears in her eyes as she saw Ais standing next to Vahn, but the tears began flowing after what happened next. Loki, who had 'stumbled' had reached behind Lefiya and reached around to begin fondling her b.r.e.a.s.ts.

Loki shouted, "Oooooh~! At least I still have my darling Lefiya~! And it looks like you are growing?" Feeling Loki fondling her b.r.e.a.s.ts yet again, Lefiay shouted out with tears in her eyes, "Loki-sama, you idiooooooot~!" Managing to free herself from the mischievous goddess, Lefiya ran out of the room like she was trying to escape. Loki held out her hands as though she had just lost something precious as she too shouted, "Nooo, Lefiya~! Don't you leave me too!" She then ran towards the door, but slowed down slightly as she passed by Vahn and whispered, "If you hurt them, it won't be just me that you have to deal with."

As she ran out the door, Vahn followed her retreat with his eyes. He noticed that at the moment she passed by him, her chaotic aura briefly diminished. If Vahn's intuition was correct, that was one of the only 'real' things Loki had said since their meeting. Though he didn't like her, he swore in his mind that he would never willingly hurt Tiona, Ais, or any of the women he chose to be with.

After Loki left, everyone made casual, albeit awkward conversation, and Riveria even 'congratulated' the two girls. Tiona laughed in a carefree manner while Ais bowed her head slightly to accept the congratulations. Tione, who had been present for the entire event, seemed to have suffered a major setback as she begrudgingly congratulated her younger twin. At this point in time, there wasn't a large difference between their figures, as Tione's b.r.e.a.s.ts had yet to reach the point they had in the original story. The fact that Vahn would be able to 'experience' a body that was nearly identical to her own made her feel a strange frustration in her heart.

She grabbed Vahn's collar and shouted, "Don't get any ideas, okay!? My body is being saved for the Captain!" Tione felt like she had to say the words because she felt like, the moment he had s.e.x with Tiona, it was almost like he had s.e.x with her as well. It was a very frustrating feeling and one of the reasons she had wanted to experience the act before her little sister. At least that way she could keep her pride as the elder sister.

Though Vahn didn't know why she seemed angry, he just nodded his head and said,"Yes, I won't try to do anything to you." The moment he spoke the words, Tione seemed to suddenly get even angrier and looked like she was about to pummel him. Hearing Vahn says he wouldn't try to pursue her, she wanted to retort that he shouldn't go after her sister then. Though they were two different people, they were twins and Tione had hoped that one-day Tiona would come around to liking Finn after she finally got together with him. Then they would be able to share the same man without any problems.

After Tione's mild breakdown, Tiona and Ais dragged her away from Vahn and made room for the last person present to speak to him. Gareth, with a smile on his face and a 'serious' expression in his eyes, approached Vahn and said, "Two girls for your first time? Better prepare yourself..." Vahn nodded his head, but before he could inform Gareth he would be careful, Gareth continued, "A lot of men are probably going to try to beat you up when the rumors get out. Tiona and Ais together probably have more than a thousand lovelorn suitors."

Vahn's mind suddenly froze and Gareth laughed loudly at his response. Smacking his hand heavily against Vahn's back, he said, "What's with that look? Men are meant to struggle when it comes to love! Do your best kiddo." Gareth left the room with everyone staring at him like he had gone mad.

Seeing Vahn's current state, Tiona asked, "What did Gareth say?" Everyone seemed interested in the answer, and Vahn just helplessly responded, "He said I'd probably have to fight the thousand people that tried to court you..."

Tiona didn't seem surprised at all and loudly shouted out, "Yup~! There were only around three hundred for me, but I think Ais was somewhere around 800~?" Tiona looked toward Ais as she asked the question. Without any hesitation, Ais nodded and said, "Eight-hundred-and-three."

Hearing the two numbers, Vahn felt a heavy pressure weighing down on him, but not just because of the two girls in front of him. He was also aware there were innumerable suitors for Hephaestus as well as Eina who he had a date within just a few days. Though he already knew he would have a lot of troubles in the future, the matter turned into something far greater than he had expected. He could vaguely feel the bloodl.u.s.t of thousands of unseen men calling out for retribution. Though he was certain he imagined it, he also felt like there were the voices of a few women as well...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'RIP Vahn','I feel like some of those voices are from the comments section','Gareth is a total bro')

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Chapter 123 - Preparations : Return

After everything was settling down, the fear inside Vahn was slowly beginning to change into excitement and anticipation. He looked toward Tiona and Ais who were talking with Riveria and Tione, and the back view of the two girls made his heart beat faster. He was still confused by everything that was happening in his own body, but looking at the two lovely girls gave him a strange sense of pride and brought a joy he had never experienced to his heart.

Riveria noticed his gaze since she was facing toward him while talking to Ais. Seeing the happy expression on his face, she felt a mix of emotions but most of all she was curious about what would happen after the fact. She knew Vahn had a lot of secrets, as even Loki seemed to pick up on some things, and she was wondering if this would provide her the opportunity to learn about him, as she expected he would linger around the two girls in the future.

Other than curiosity, she also felt the desire to tease the boy that was so full of anticipation, so she said to Ais, "Come with me, there are a lot of things we need to discuss to prepare you. Your body is still maturing, and it can be dangerous if you make any mistakes." Riveria took Ais's hand and led her toward a side door while Vahn followed them with his eyes. Tione, hearing Riveria, seemed to have realized something herself as she started pulling Tiona along with her. Tiona had been in high tension for a while, but she also knew there were things to prepare, so she looked toward Vahn was a big smile and waved at him in a playful manner. "See you soon~"

The moment everyone left, Vahn felt like cold water had been poured over his head. He stared at the door they had just left through and was tempted to follow behind. Eventually, he just shook his head to clear away his thought and sat on the sofa. Though he knew some of the details from the lesson with Riveria, he wasn't aware of the process very well. If they preparations they had to make would keep them safe, Vahn didn't mind waiting longer.

(*Looks like you're finally going to have your first real experience with women. I almost expected it to be that Chloe girl or Hephaestus. I'm surprised it ended up being two girls you hardly know, but I guess it makes sense with everything that happened. People can fall in love faster if they experience hardsh.i.p.s together.*)

After twenty minutes of silence, just as Vahn had started to feel dull and laid down on the sofa, Sis had spoken out in his mind. Her words brought thoughts of the two girls she mentioned, and Vahn felt a bit of guilt about everything that was taking place. He sighed and asked, ("Am I doing the right thing, Sis? I feel it's right, but the moment I stop to think about things, I end up feeling afraid and guilty.")

Sis sighed in his mind and explained, (*In matters of relationsh.i.p.s, life, and love, there are no right or wrong answers. As long as you're doing your best, there really isn't anything wrong with how things are progressing. The problem arises when you have too many things you try to balance and you begin to lose control of your own life. If you are meant to live freely and pursue happiness, it will be difficult if others are making the decisions and influencing the path you choose to walk.*)

Vahn agreed with Sis, at least in a way, as he had felt like there was little he had done by his own volition as of late. He always got caught up in his interactions with women, and now he was even about to have s.e.x with two girls less than a day after promising to become a capable blacksmith to Hephaestus. The fact he was about to sleep with Tiona and Ais, while Hephaestus was waiting for him, made Vahn feel incredibly guilty.

(*It's good that you're at least aware of the situation. The more girls you try to build relationsh.i.p.s with, the greater the impact it will have on your life as well as their lives. Though polygamy is very common in this world, that doesn't mean every woman is willing to share with others. Imagine if the first girl you were with had been Lili, do you think she would have been open to the idea of you being with other women?*)

Remembering the small girl that seemed overly possessive, Vahn imagined what kind of life he could have lived if he had accepted her affection early on. It felt like, with how earnest and willing to please she was, Vahn would have become corrupted by her. Over time, the two would have turned into some kind of deviants, and Vahn felt like his progress would have stopped. There was even a chance that he might have gotten caught up in the Soma Familia and had to kill dozens of people to help complete her revenge.

Releasing another sigh, Vahn asked, ("Is there really no way to make everyone happy? I feel like, whenever a girl seems to like me, I have to do my best to meet their expectations. How do I prevent it from becoming a complicated mess in the future...?")

(*That isn't something I can answer, but it seems like the current direction of things isn't necessarily bad. Tiona is a lot like Lili in a way, except that she never seemed to harbor any intentions of keeping you to herself. And, that Ais girl, though she seems to just be going with the flow due to her competitive nature and curiosity, there are a lot of parallels between the two of you that will help both of you move forward. Being with both of them will open a lot of doors and will fundamentally change the impression other people have of you; that includes other women. Even girls like Lili will be forced to change, or else she would risk losing you in the future to more 'understanding' women.*)

After listening to Sis, Vahn just lay lazily on the couch for nearly an hour as he quietly listened to the ambiance of the room. There was a large clock on the wall, and each successive tick seemed to resonate in Vahn's mind almost as though it was counting down to the beginning of his problems, instead of counting forward in time. However, even though he seemed to be lost in a melancholy, there was a fierce confidence burning in his eyes. Just as he had said to Tsubaki previously, Vahn would do his best to face any challenges without backing down. Even if he had to face multiple challenges at once...

By the time almost two hours had passed, the door to the room began to open, and Vahn sat up on the sofa with excitement beginning to build within his heart instantly. The moment the two girls stepped through the door, Vahn felt a powerful desire to jump up from the sofa but instead did his best to appear patient.

Tiona and Ais saw Vahn's excited expression, and Ais began to blush slightly as Tiona cheerfully walked forward and grabbed Vahn's arm. Unable to contain her own excitement, she asked in a happy voice, "So, where are we going to go~?" The moment Tiona grabbed his arm and started pressing her body against his, Vahn's mind went blank for a moment and he was unable to answer her question. It wasn't until Ais had sat down next to him and looked into his face that he was finally able to answer, "It's a place outside of the City, but not too far away. With our speed, we should be able to make it in an hour or two..."

Tiona hugged Vahn's body as she nearly shouted, "Okay then~! Let's go, let's go~!" Without waiting, Tiona pulled Vahn's arm and lifted him from the couch. She seemed more excited than everyone else, and her carefree mentality made Vahn feel calmer about the whole situation. His original intention when he came here today was to make Tiona happy, and seeing her act so 'bubbly' made his heart dance along with her.

Even Ais seemed to be influenced by the mood, as she nodded her head and rose from the couch faster than Vahn would have normally expected. He noticed she seemed a bit nervous, and even fearful, which made him a little worried. Before they left the room, Vahn asked, "Are you okay Ais? We don't have to do anything today if you're having doubts." Vahn never wanted to force people against their will, and seeing her inhibitions made him very worried about her state of mind.

Ais shook her head with a bit of force as she said, "No, I'm okay. I want to try." Tiona saw the interaction between the two and realized what was going on, so she pulled Vahn's head and whispered in her ear, "Riveria spent the last two hours giving her a crash course on what to expect as well as all the dangers associated with s.e.x. She seemed to be trying to traumatize Ais, but I don't think it will be a problem as long as you do your best~" Tiona's hot breath on his ear made Vahn's head buzz, and her words made him feel a bit of pressure.

Looking toward Ais, Vahn wanted to help ease her mind so he said, "I will do my best..." Ais stared at him for a few seconds without saying anything, but she eventually nodded with a slight smile on her face. "Nn. I know." After that, the three made their way out of the Twilight Manor with the eyes of every person they passed follow them. Seeing the 'stranger' with two of their Familia's women, a lot of people gave Vahn strange and incredulous looks. There were even a few that seemed to look at him with anger and even hatred, but Vahn ignored them all as he led the way forward with Tiona and Ais following close behind.

Vahn led the group outside of the northern gate of the City since the Twilight Manor was located very close to the exit. After registering their information, the trio picked up their pace as Vahn led the way toward the Western Forests. Though the two wanted to ask where they were going, the only person that would have, Tiona, was too busy repressing her own emotions to make conversation. The closer they got to their destination, the greater the flush that started to cover her body became. Vahn could even feel her gaze sticking to his back, and it sent a chill down his spine that made him pick up his pace.

Because of their incredible speed, the group ended up arriving at a clearing next to a river in less than an hour. Tiona and Ais looked around and noticed a cave within a serious of rock formations, as well as signs that someone had lived here not too long ago. Though Vahn had destroyed most of the evidence, there were still the log posts he had used to train, as well as various markings on trees from when he was practicing his CQC.

Tiona, who had begun to calm down a bit after they stopped running, asked with a hazy manner, "What is this place..." Vahn looked over and saw that she was still flushed and seemed to have a dreamy expression in her eyes as she looked around the area. Ais too was looking around, so Vahn explained, "This was my home for a long time before I went to Orario. It isn't much, but it should give us some privacy and I wanted the two of you to know more about me. This place has a significance in my heart and was where my journey officially began. I wanted to return here someday, and this seemed like an appropriate time to do so..."

Hearing that this was Vahn's home, the two girls seemed to be a bit more interested in the area and began to look around. Ais looked toward the cave entrance and asked, "Did you stay in the cave?" Vahn nodded his head and began making his way through the once familiar entrance. Since he hadn't wanted it to become a nest for goblins, or other creatures, he had barred the opening to prevent passage to anyone that didn't clear it out.

Tiona and Ais followed him inside and continued along the path until they arrived at the large cavern that was once Vahn's home. Tiona seemed to find the cave interesting as she curiously looked around and even picked at some of the glowing stones on the walls. Ais muttered in a low voice while standing next to Vahn, "It looks beautiful...like stars." Vahn nodded, as he once spent seven months staring at the 'star's she had mentioned; he could even name each of them if someone had asked.

Seemingly satisfied with her exploration, Tiona bounded over and asked, "Is this where we're going to do it?" She had a big smile on her face as she leaned forward and said the words with exuberance. Vahn nodded before moving toward the center of the room and pulling out a large futon from his inventory. Tiona nearly exploded in excitement the moment the cushion was laid on the cavern floor. "Ahahaha, that is much better~! I didn't mind if we used the cave floor, but a futon will be a lot more comfortable!"

As her words ended, she had already sat on top of the futon and grabbed some of the pillows that Vahn had laid out and began to hug them as she sat cross-legged. From over the top of the pillow, Vahn could see her staring at him with a 'hungry' expression, but he tried to keep his calm and continue preparing things. After a short while, even Ais had made her way over before removing her long-boots and sitting on the futon with her legs underneath her. Unlike Tiona, who seemed almost unable to contain herself, Ais was very composed and sat properly. However, Vahn smiled at her since he was able to see her aura fluctuating very rapidly almost as if to mock her 'stoic' appearance.

After everything was ready, Vahn sat down with the two girls and they were in something like a triangular formation as they looked toward each other. Tiona sat to his left and was squeezing the lift out of her pillow, while Ais sat to his right and maintained eye contact with him every time he looked over. The seconds grew into minutes as the three just sat silently staring, unable to say anything while the tension in the air continually increased.

At this point, Vahn's heart was beating in his chest so loudly that he was barely able to hear his own thoughts. Though he had steadied his heart for the event, now that he had 'prepared' everything, he actually found that he had no idea what to do. Seeing the expectant looks of the two girls, Vahn felt incredibly nervous and slowly asked, in a very low voice, "So...what do we do now?"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Dangerous silence','The moment of truth','Endless Excitement')

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Chapter 124 - Tiona and Ais (1/2)

(Warning: NSFW content ahead. If you are under the requisite age listed by the novel, please turn away.)

(Disclaimer: The characters represented in this novel are a work of fiction and have no relation to real people/places. As fictional characters, according to the background information and cultural relevance of the situation, all parties are of an acceptable age to engage in s.e.x.u.a.l acts. This chapter is not intended to be p.o.r.nographic in nature and has been written with the express purpose of artistic expression while remaining culturally/ethically/canonically accurate. Also, though I will not go into too many spoilers, know that Ais' actual age is closer to 998 (chronologically), something that will be explained much later in the story.)Hearing Vahn's question, Ais remained silent while Tiona seemed to recall that they were all inexperienced. She had the most 'knowledge', but there were problems if she was going to be the one teaching them. After a bit of hesitation, she pulled out a small leather pouch and removed the cap. She emptied the crimson contents into a small cup before drinking it as Vahn and Ais watched her actions with confused expressions.

Vahn wanted to know what she was doing, so he asked, "Tiona? What is that liquid...it has a strange smell." Even from where he was sitting, Vahn felt like the liquid was 'dangerous' just based on the odor it was emitting. After gulping down the liquid with difficulty, Tiona looked at Vahn and gave an awkward smile as she explained, "It's called 'Ambrotos' by some, but many Amazons call it 'Fallen'. To get experience with men, not every Amazon is willing to wait for a strong man, so they take the 'Fallen' to decrease their strength. I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself if we do it normally, and this will make it so that I can barely use my strength."

Hearing her explanation, Vahn suddenly felt very ashamed of himself for some reason. He could already see that she was having trouble supporting her own body, and it made him feel like he had failed as a partner. Tiona saw his look and laughed, "Don't worry, Vahn. This will be better for you and Ais, since I'll be able to keep my clarity for a longer period of time. Besides..." Vahn looked at her and saw a fierce blush covering Tiona's face as she continued, "I want to be spoiled sometimes."

Hearing her words, Vahn recalled that it was Tiona's dream to be a 'princess' and that he had previously promised to 'spoil' her. He even remembered in his vision how she had waited for a hero to free her from her powerlessness when she was a young girl. Now, the strong woman that had lived her life pursuing a strength she never desired, lay almost helplessly in front of him with a passionate gaze in her eyes.

Vahn shifted his body and reached over before placing his hand on her hair and began stroking her head. Tiona giggled and weakly hugged his body while looking toward Ais and saying, "I'll be going first Ais. Amazons are a bit different than humans, and it'll be less dangerous if he uses my body to learn a bit. You should also pay attention, as it will help you when the time comes." Ais, hearing Tiona's words, slowly nodded her head before repositioning herself to the side. Instead of sitting in a composed manner, she now sat while holding onto her knees while looking at the two acting intimately before her.

After Ais moved away, Tiona buried her head into Vahn's chest and mumbled, "Undress me...Vahn. I don't have any strength..." Vahn's heart was already beating harder than he had ever felt before, and each word she spoke slammed into his ears and had a stunning effect. Swallowing his saliva, he moved his hands down the line of her body until he came in contact with the belt that fixed the cloth around her waist.

As he had been moving his hands, Vahn couldn't help but gawk at the figure of Tiona and marvel at how soft she was. He could also vaguely smell the fragrance coming from her hair and body, and Vahn started having difficulty with the belt due to his distracted state of mine. Tiona, keeping her head down and focusing on Vahn's actions, said slowly, "You have to untie the cloth first...or the belt can't be removed..."

Vahn could hear the struggle in her voice, so he tried to remain calm and listen to her words. He used his slightly shaky hands to unfasten the knot that had been holding the large cloth that hugged her waist. Once the knot was undone, the fabric loosened up and he was able to unfasten the belt that held the bundle of fabric hanging from her h.i.p.s. Tiona released a long sigh and said, "That's good...Vahn...now the top..." At this point, tiona could only form short sentences as she slowly focused on taking long breaths. She weakly moved her arms up before hanging them around Vahn's neck, but she still hadn't avoided looking at his face.

Vahn traced his hands up her back and noticed she had begun sweating, but he tried to keep his focus until his hands came into contact with the band of fabric that wrapped around her b.r.e.a.s.ts. Vahn always wondered how it managed to stay on without falling, and now he was able to tell that the fabric was somewhat elastic in nature. It was comprised of a double layer of elastic cloth and some kind of leathery fabric on the inside. The leather had small holes in it, and looked like it was intended to increase friction so the garment wouldn't slide while also absorbing sweat.

Slipping his thumbs under the fabric, Vahn slowly moved it upwards and revealed the contents contained within. Though Tiona was relatively small for most girls, it wasn't like she had no b.r.e.a.s.ts at all. The moment Vahn moved the fabric away, his mind numbed a little after seeing the bouncy mounds that seemed to cry out for acknowledgment. His hands stopped for a moment as he stared at the light-brown protrusions in the center of Tiona's b.r.e.a.s.ts and noticed they had turned rigid unlike when he had last seen them.

Noticing his hands had stopped, Tiona quietly mewled out, "Vahn...quickly..." Vahn was awakened by her 'pained' and 'sensuous' voice as he continued pulling the fabric up. He managed to work it through her arms, and was able to free the fabric after raising her hands above her head. Tiona continued to hang her head, even when Vahn had pulled her arms up. The moment her hands were free of the fabric, they fell back down and she nearly collapsed onto the bed.

Vahn tried to catch her body, but because of their combined sweat, she ended up slipping through his grasp before falling backward onto the bed. The face she had been hiding from him for the last few minutes finally came into view, and Vahn experienced a powerful shock within his mind. Tiona's face was incredibly red and covered in sweat as she looked at him with a blank expression and watery eyes. Tiona looked into his eyes and muttered, "The bottoms..."

At this point, Vahn's tension was at an all-time high as he looked at Tiona's figure. Though she seemed to be in pain, Vahn found her appearance to be captivating and it was almost like something was scratching away at his heart and his reasoning. Right now, the only clothing on her body was her jewelry and the white fabric that looked like small shorts wrapped around her h.i.p.s. It was made of the same material as her 'bra' and Vahn slowly placed his hands at the side of Tiona's h.i.p.s before slowly pulling down the white fabric.

After pulling it down toward her thighs, Vahn felt a pressure in his brain as he saw the contents that had been kept hidden by the fabrics presence. Though he had seen it previously, now Vahn stared at the unguarded v.a.g.i.n.a with a powerful curiosity welling up inside of him. Tiona was already emitting some kind of strange transparent liquid and her healthy-brown skin glistened in the low light of the cave. There was a smell that made the itching in his mind and heart grow in intensity, and he forced himself to look away as he removed the 'shorts' from her legs.

Just as he had to lift her arms previously, Vahn had to raise Tiona's legs to remove the shorts and he had to trace his hands along her legs to do so. Vahn noticed that Tiona had an incredibly beautiful and muscular pair of legs, unlike any girl he had seen other than perhaps Tione. Seeing them in their current powerless state made him feel that it was a bit of a shame as he slowly lowered them back to the futon after having separated the fabric from their grasp.

Now Vahn could see the entirely nude Tiona looking at him with an even more 'painful' expression than she had previously. Vahn wasn't even sure if her eyes could see anything at this point with how hazy they looked. While he was staring at her body, Tiona's legs twitched and she slowly tried to put strength into them to bend her knees. Vahn noticed what she was doing, so he helped support by placing his palms at the back of her knees and helping complete the motion.

Tiona released a heavy sigh, almost like she was relieved at receiving Vahn's assistance. She used what strength she had left to trace her hands along her stomach before bringing them to a stop at her own genitals. Turning her head to Ais for a moment, Tiona started speaking in slow and low tones, "Pay...attention to this spot...it will make it easier for the girl...and..." Tiona used her fingers and spread open the inside of her v.a.g.i.n.a so Vahn could see the interior. The moment she did so, Vahn's eyes opened wide and he was paying full attention to each of her words.

Tracing the inside of her v.a.g.i.n.a, Tiona explained, "This...is where you put...your p.e.n.i.s...don't mix it up...with other holes..." Tiona's words kept getting lower and lower, and Vahn almost had to strain himself just to hear what she was saying. The pounding of his own heart had drowned out almost everything else, and he couldn't free himself from the sight in front of him.

Tiona took a deep breath before moving her hands away and resting them on her stomach. She seemed to have almost no power left in her body as she quietly said, "Now...do your best...Vahn." Vahn clenched his jaw at her words and began removing his own clothing piece by piece. Ais stared from the side, and at this point, she had almost hidden her face from view as she watched the action between the two. If Vahn had been paying attention, he would have noticed that her eyes were also a bit watery as they reflected the low light of the cave.

After removing all of his clothes, Vahn was standing on his knees looking down on Tiona who gazed at him with her same dazed expression. It didn't seem like she had any strength left to speak as she waited for Vahn to take action. Gulping, Vahn realized there wasn't actually any saliva in his throat. His mouth was dry, and he actually felt a powerful fear welling up inside of him as he stared at Tiona. But, seeing how far she had gone and having experienced the trust and hope she had for him, Vahn did his best to overcome his hesitation as he tried positioning the tip of his p.e.n.i.s where she had demonstrated.

From the side, Ais squeezed her legs tightly after seeing the size of Vahn's p.e.n.i.s compared to the entrance of Tiona's v.a.g.i.n.a. From her perspective, there was no way such a large thing would be able to fit into such a tiny place, and she began to recall the advice Riveria had given her before accompanying Vahn. Though she was still curious and wanted to try having s.e.x, she was afraid that Vahn might break her in the process. She watched as he slowly found the correct angle before grabbing Tiona's h.i.p.s and leaning over her body.

Ais wasn't the only one worried, as even Vahn was scared at comparing the two. The entrance that Tiona had pointed out earlier seemed so small compared to the head of his p.e.n.i.s, and it took a bit of effort before he was properly able to insert the tip. He was overwhelmed by the powerful heat that assaulted him, and he would have gasped if not for the fact he already clenched his jaw. Adjusting his angle a bit, he leaned over Tiona and stared into her face as he slowly put strength into his own h.i.p.s.

As he made his way further into the depths, Tiona started taking long and deep breaths and a bit of her strength seemed to recover as she tried embracing Vahn with her arms. Vahn pressed himself closer to her body to allow her to do so, but he realized it made his progress more difficult. He could already barely resist the build-up of pressure and the powerful sensation from his own p.e.n.i.s every time he moved even a little. Tiona didn't seem to mind what was happening to her own body, as she weakly sought out Vahn's lips but couldn't lift her head from the futon.

Vahn saw her attempts and started kissing her, and he began to struggle even more by the conflicting sensations. His lower body seemed to be directly linked to his brain, and he felt a wave of pleasure that assaulted his senses while the kiss with Tiona made his mind slightly numb. He even felt like he was beginning to lose his own awareness, almost like he was beginning to drown within his own emotions.

As Vahn hadn't made any progress for a while, Tiona stopped her kiss and slowly said, "Vahn...do...your best...you promised..." Hearing her words, Vahn grits his teeth even harder before adjusting his angle and putting force into his waist. The sensation brought about from his efforts almost made him explode, and he barely resisted the urge to shout out. After entering slightly more than halfway, Vahn suddenly reached a hard yet flexible spot which sent a jolt along his back. Tiona also flinched before releasing a powerful m.o.a.n that tickled his ears.

It seemed that the longer they continued, the more strength she had, as Tiona started digging her fingers into Vahn's back while gritting her teeth. After a few gasps, she mumbled to Vahn, "Its a little...too big..." She laughed a bit at her owns words while Vahn was frozen like a statue. The moment he had hit the 'end', Vahn had begun to experience a phenomenon that threatened to devour his mind.

When his p.e.n.i.s had contacted Tiona's cervix, the entire inside of her v.a.g.i.n.a squeezed him like a vice and seemed to wriggle, almost like it was trying to pull him further into its depths. Vahn was nearly overwhelmed by the powerful 'suction' which had yet to cease. He slowly tried to pull himself out, but any efforts to do so made the force more powerful, almost like her v.a.g.i.n.a was unwilling to let him retreat. The moment he moved back, Tiona released a loud m.o.a.n and put more strength into her hands. At this point, Vahn's back was bleeding a bit, and she slowly said, "You have to be...more forceful...an Amazon's body...isn't like normal girls..."

Vahn wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but he did his best and put more effort into his motions. After mustering a certain amount of strength, he was finally able to overcome the powerful suction, and Vahn felt like the entire inside of the v.a.g.i.n.a vibrated as he withdrew his p.e.n.i.s back. His body echoed the vibrations, and he thrust forward again with a bit of force in his h.i.p.s. Unlike when he pulled out, it was much easier to enter into Tiona, perhaps due to her Amazon biology. It was like her body was willing to accept but unwilling to allow him to escape.

The powerful suction immediately encompassed his p.e.n.i.s, and Vahn couldn't help but groan out this time. Ais flinched when he did so, but Tiona just laughed a bit as she moved her arms behind his head and kissed him. Her tongue invaded his mouth and began to suck on his. Vahn was distracted by the sensations on his p.e.n.i.s, but he did his best to reciprocate the kiss. He repeated her action and entangled his tongue with hers as they exchanged saliva for nearly a minute. It wasn't until he pulled back his waist and thrust in again that they both stopped the kiss and sighed.

Tiona gasped and muttered, "It won't end...at this rate...don't mind me...do your best" Tiona buried her head into Vahn's chest and hugged around his back while refusing to look at him again. Vahn wanted to remark that it was difficult to move when she grabbed him like that, but he thought saying so would have been selfish. The amount of pleasure he was feeling had already begun to change something inside of him, but he wasn't willing to act just in his own interests. He wanted her to enjoy it just as much as he was, instead of continuing to 'suffer' like she seemed to be.

Vahn reached down and grabbed the back of Tiona's knees and lifted her legs further up so he could get a better angle while she clung to his body. He was briefly surprised by how flexible her legs were as he was able to lift her knees near his ribcage without any difficulty. His actions seemed to awaken something in Tiona, as she then wrapped her legs around him as well, almost like a Koala.

Since Vahn's efforts to make his movements easier backfired, he almost laughed out due to his own frustration. He wanted to try and make things easier for her and wanted to try increasing her pleasure by rubbing the spot she told him about earlier. Instead, she made his efforts more difficult because she was now clinging to him with her whole body and didn't seem willing to let go any time soon. Now, he couldn't even pull back his waist at all, and it seemed like his p.e.n.i.s was slowly being buried further inside her v.a.g.i.n.a as the suction force continued to grow.

For a while, the only thing he could do was slightly rock back and forth as he slowly sunk deeper and deeper into the greedy insides of Tiona. Vahn actually started to get afraid that she would devour him, as nearly 80% of his p.e.n.i.s had been inserted at this point. It was like her body was adapting to his body, or maybe her v.a.g.i.n.a was just becoming more flexible with the increased arousal. Vahn wasn't sure of the answer, as even his curiosity was being kept at bay by the powerful sensation.

Tiona slowly started taking long and deep breaths, and Vahn noticed that every time she did so, the suction force increased by a great extent. He had actually started to gasp in sequence with each of her breaths, and he wasn't sure how long he could last if things kept up. It was an incredibly frustrating feeling for Vahn because he felt an incredible amount of pleasure, but it was also like he could never get to the peak that his body sought out.

Eventually, his frustrations reached a level where even he couldn't restrain himself anymore as Tiona's words replayed themselves in his mind. She seemed to be encouraging him to put in more efforts and try to overpower her, so Vahn put his right hand behind her shoulder while resting on his elbow as he used his left hand to pry her right leg from his body. Eventually, he managed to break the vice-like grip Tiona had on his waist, and he managed to pull her right leg to the point it passed his ribs and was nearly parallel with the futon.

Tiona tried to keep a hold of his waist with her left leg, but Vahn had enough freedom to pull back his waist and continue his movements on his own. The grip Tiona had around his back increased, and he could feel her hot breath tickle his chest every time she gasped from his movements. Vahn continued putting more strength into his actions, and the peak of pleasure that his body sought after continued to rise until he almost felt like he was going to go mad. He held his breath and continued colliding against the back of Tiona's v.a.g.i.n.a as both of their bodies twitched from the collision.

Eventually, Vahn's thoughts started to blank out and he felt like he might actually pass out from holding his breath. He could feel so much pressure in his chest at this point, that he wanted to release his breath and gasp for air. But, he couldn't stop, as the pleasure had reached a critical point and continued to grow. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Vahn felt a wave pass through his body and he couldn't help but clench his glutes as he released a powerful ejaculation into Tiona's insides. He released the breath he had been holding, and Tiona used the opportunity when he dropped his guard to wrap her legs back around his waist. The suction in her v.a.g.i.n.a increased to nearly double what it had been previously, and Vahn felt like it was draining all the energy from his body. He drew in a sharp breath and held it until Tiona finally decreased the strength in her legs and released him.

Vahn, in his panic, rolled to the side and slid out from Tiona and began gasping for air. Though he already had his own expectations, s.e.x had been something far greater than anything he had imagined. In his dazed state, while he was trying to process everything that had happened, Tiona crawled onto his body and rested her body against his. He could feel the hard protrusions and the springy b.r.e.a.s.ts press into his chest as she began kissing him with a fierce passion.

Out of habit, Vahn reached his hand around her waist and pulled her tightly into his embrace to make the kiss more intense. They continued seeking each other lips for nearly three minutes when Tiona pulled her head away and gazed lovingly into his eyes as tears began building in hers. She slowly said, "I'm glad, Vahn, thank you..." Vahn, seeing the tear-filled eyes, pulled his hands from her waist and cradled her face as he wiped away the tears with his thumbs. He returned her gaze with a smile and said, "I'll do my best to make you even happier in the future." Then, before she could say anything else, he sealed her lips with another kiss. This time, Vahn was even more passionate, and he began to lose track of time as his emotions continued to build. It wasn't until a noise sounded at his side that he was finally broken away from his self-imposed spell.

"It's my turn." Ais had been in a bit of a panic earlier when she saw the scene of their s.e.x turn intense. She feared that Tiona was going to be hurt by Vahn, but seeing the happiness and joy on Tiona's face after the fact made Ais feel strange in her heart. By the time Tiona and Vahn started hugging each other and kissing again, Ais's fear and panic had faded and now she had a bit of frustration building inside of her. She suddenly felt a little lonely while hugging her knees at the side, and couldn't prevent herself from interrupting their intimate moment.

Vahn and Tiona froze after Ais spoke out, and they both looked over at the girl that seemed to be staring at them with a bit of blame in her eyes. Tiona started laughing as she lazily pulled herself away from Vahn and moved off to the side a bit. Seeing Vahn, who had a bit of a confused expression on his face, Tiona smiled and said, "She is right. It wouldn't be fair if I kept you to myself any longer. Make sure you take care of her properly, okay?" Vahn sat up and looked between the two girls before nodding his head and saying, "I promise. I will do my best."

Ais seemed satisfied by his answer as she released her legs and crawled forward a bit on her hands and knees. Vahn didn't know why, but seeing the young girl crawl toward him made his heart begin to itch. By the time she stopped next to him and raised her arms, almost all of his thoughts had flown out of his mind when she said, "Undress me."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'These chapters are so f.u.c.k.i.n.g long','Submissive Tiona?','The Physiology of an Amazon')

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Chapter 125 - Tiona and Ais (2/2)

Since Ais had been preparing to go out and celebrate her birthday earlier, she wasn't wearing her armor at this moment. Instead, she was wearing a white one-piece short dress with blue accents that extended to the center of her thighs. The dress looked very cute and was an interesting contrast compared to her generally expressionless face. Generally, because right now she was frowning slightly with a blush while waiting for Vahn to remove her clothing.

Vahn couldn't help but retort in his mind, 'What is this adorable creature!?'. His emotions had been out of whack for a long period of time, and after having s.e.x with Tiona he felt a little unstable at the moment. Seeing Ais acting cute in front of him, he could feel a tingling sensation in the back of his mind and had an urge to pamper the bashful girl.

Similar to how he had done so with Tiona, Vahn gulped before reaching out his hands and grabbing the bottom of the dress. Before he even began to move, Ais's frown grew deeper and she squinted her eyes a bit. The moment he came into contact with the dress, he began rolling it up her body which caused her to close her eyes and hold her breath. Vahn noticed that Ais was wearing a pair of tight blue shorts beneath her dress and he paused for a moment before continuing to remove the dress. He rolled it up over her navel and continued moving upward until he once again paused after revealing her b.r.e.a.s.ts.

Though Ais was nowhere near her future self's proportions, she still had a decent pair of budding b.r.e.a.s.ts that were currently hiding behind a white featureless bra. Vahn had expected Ais to be wearing something more 'fancy', so he was a bit surprised at the simple design. At the side, Tiona remarked with a sigh, "Why are your b.r.e.a.s.ts bigger than mine, even when you're younger?" Ais, who had been holding her breath for a while released a sigh and tried to answer, "They just...grow that way?"

Tiona groaned out in frustration before asking, "Vahn, do you like girls with big b.o.o.b.s, or small b.o.o.b.s?" Vahn was a bit confused by the question, as it wasn't the first time someone had asked him before. He couldn't remember who asked, but he recalled saying that he didn't particularly mind either size. Even though his thoughts about the female body had changed since then, he still believed each type had their own charms.

While removing the remainder of the dress and pulling it over Ais's head, Vahn said, "Honestly, I think it's a bit fascinating either way...everyone seems to have their own beauty. Your b.r.e.a.s.ts, even if they are small, are very springy and soft and look very healthy. I think they suit your cheerful personality a lot and it makes your h.i.p.s stand out more." Vahn was a bit distracted by his own words, and he was able to continue undressing Ais without any hesitation.

He reached out his hand and tried to roll up the bra, but Ais stopped his hands while shaking her head and saying, "Back. Clasp." Vahn had never unclasped a bra, so he reached forward and tried feeling his way around Ais's back. At this point, they were very close to each other, and Vahn could feel her breath tickling him and her ambient body heat. Tiona spoke once again from the side, "What do you mean my h.i.p.s? Are you saying my butt is big?"

Vahn was now distracted with trying to unfasten the bra, so he responded while nodding his head, "Yeah, with how you move about so much, it really makes your butt and waist stand out. It's like all of your movements are like a dance." Tiona seemed to be happy with his compliments, so she continued fishing for more, "And, and, what else do you like about me~?" Vahn finally found the clasp and managed to unfasten it as he thought about her question. Unfortunately, his mind blanked a bit when he removed Ais's bra and revealed the stark white b.r.e.a.s.ts underneath.

Unlike the healthy, light-brown color of Tiona's n.i.p.p.l.es, Ais's had a rose-like coloration and a healthy blush to them. Since she already had very fair skin, her b.r.e.a.s.ts were stark white and it was an almost indescribable sight for Vahn. Tiona seemed a bit saddened by his reaction and failure to answer her questions. She muttered in a low voice, "So you do like bigger b.r.e.a.s.ts more..."

Vahn heard her words and frowned a bit as he was broken from his reverie. He was about to try to explain but Ais, who had been quietly struggling on her own, said in a slightly frustrated tone, "Tiona. Don't distract Vahn. He already likes you." Tiona and Vahn were both surprised by the 'forceful' tone of Ais. Tiona laughed awkwardly while Vahn followed up with Ais's statement, "Ais is right. I already like everything about you. You shouldn't compare yourself to others and...I need to do my best for Ais right now."

Tiona seemed convinced by his words, so she just sat with her legs spread while holding her ankles and watching the two proceed. Vahn had glanced over when he spoke, and seeing the way she was sitting made his heart itch a bit. Though she sat that way often, it was a much bigger impact when she was n.a.k.e.d. (A/N: Tiona sits like this a lot: https/vignette.wikia./dungeon-ni-deai-o-motomeru/images/9/93/Sword_Oratoria_Volume_5_142.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20151018143325)

Vahn tried putting Tiona out of his mind for a bit as he focused his sight and attention on Ais. He could see that her fair skin already had a light blush, and even the n.i.p.p.l.es on her b.r.e.a.s.ts were standing slightly. The only thing remaining was her blue shorts, so Vahn placed his hands on her h.i.p.s while Ais leaned forward slightly to help him remove them. Vahn noticed that, unlike Tiona, Ais had white panties on under her blue shorts, so he thumbed the fabric and removed them with the shorts.

Ais repositioned herself during his movements so that he would be able to remove them easier. Vahn felt like her movements were rigid and awkward and it made him feel a bit of excitement as he slowly removed the garments from her long and fair legs. Now, Ais was fully nude and leaning backward with both of her feet in the air. Perhaps following Tiona's example, she allowed herself to lean back onto the futon and opened her legs slightly.

Vahn felt a sudden rush in his head, and he almost thought his nose was going to bleed after seeing her actions. Since Ais had full control over her body, everything she did had a strange peculiarity to it that made Vahn's mind race. Seeing the unguarded v.a.g.i.n.a of Ais, Vahn couldn't help but fix his eyes on the slightly damp and puffy mound. Though she wasn't nearly as wet as Tiona had been, the slight moisture and flushed white skin made Vahn feel a dangerous feeling in his heart. The sparse golden hairs glistened in the low light of the cave and made the entire scene hard to deal with.

Mimicking Tiona's actions, even more, Ais reached her hands down and slightly spread open her v.a.g.i.n.a which made Vahn feel faint. When Tiona had done so, it seemed natural and it made him feel anticipation, but seeing Ais do the actions actually made Vahn feel a little terrified. Ais was a lot less mature looking than Tiona was, and Vahn felt like, if he tried to have s.e.x with her, there was no way he wouldn't end up hurting her.

Tiona saw his fear and hesitation and spoke out, "Ais, I think you should try it different than how I did. I could barely move my body at the time, and it doesn't look like you're ready yet." Ais frowned before sitting up and looking between Tiona and Vahn. She then turned her eyes to her own v.a.g.i.n.a and tried to inspect the insides, but couldn't get a good angle to see for herself.

Everything Ais was doing seemed to strike like a hammer in Vahn's brain. Even though he had next to no experience, he didn't think he was as naive as Ais was acting. He understood she was doing this out of curiosity and her competitive nature, but it seemed like she genuinely lacked an understanding of what was going on. Watching her try to bend over and look at the inside of her own v.a.g.i.n.a, Vahn almost wanted to call off the event entirely before Tiona spoke.

Tiona had a smile and said in a happy voice, "This is actually a good opportunity. Since Ais is a human, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done anyways. Vahn, why don't you help her?" Looking over, Vahn could see a somewhat 'mischevious' look in the young Amazons eyes, but he agreed that Ais probably needed assistance as well so he nodded his head.

Tiona laughed before moving a bit closer and saying, "Okay, Ais, lay back and spread your legs open as far as you can without it being uncomfortable." Ais hesitated for a moment, but she eventually listened to Tiona and lay on her back. She pulled her feet closer to her body and spread her legs out in an M shape that gave Vahn a full-view of her genitals. He felt a numbing wave pass through his mind and Tiona spoke out again, "That's good~! Now, Vahn, remember that spot I told you about earlier? Why don't you try experimenting with it a bit~ Just remember to be gentle, as that is a girl's most sensitive area!"

Vahn nodded his head and moved closer to Ais who stared at his actions with interest and a bit of hesitation. Things weren't going as she expected, and the new development worried her a bit. Even without Tiona telling him, Vahn was already aware that the spot was very sensitive. In the manuals, he had read about [Hands of Nirvana] and other techniques, they showed the area as being a large nerve cl.u.s.ter on a female's body. It even listed several warnings about properly handling the area so as not to cause adverse effects on the body in the future.

Reaching forward, Vahn placed his thumbs on the sides of Ais's v.a.g.i.n.a and spread it open a bit. Unlike when she had done it, Vahn felt even more uneasy after doing so himself. He traced the inside a bit and Ais squirmed slightly with widened eyes. Moving his thumb to the small hood of flesh at the top of the v.a.g.i.n.a, Vahn began to gently prod it while paying attention to her reaction.

The moment Vahn contacted her most sensitive spot, Ais jerked her h.i.p.s a bit and tried to pull away from the unfamiliar touch. Vahn was very surprised by her reaction, as he hadn't expected the normally 'stoic' Ais to show so much expression on her face. Though she normally had a somewhat blank look, the moment Vahn rubbed the little nub her face became full of shock and she suddenly had a very expressive look.

Tiona spoke out once again, "If you run away, Ais, Vahn won't stop you. You can always try doing this again later." Tiona had known Ais for a long period of time, and she could see how afraid she became the moment Vahn started touching her. Unlike Amazons, who had extensive education about the matter, Ais only recently learned about s.e.x and had no familiarity with the sensations associated with the procedure.

Ais heard Tiona's words and spread her legs open again while looking into Vahn's eyes. She suddenly seemed full of conviction as she 'pleaded', "No...don't stop." Once again, Vahn's mind blanked after seeing how Ais reacted. He slowly reached forward and continued his actions of tracing around and proding the inside of her v.a.g.i.n.a. Unlike her previous reaction, Ais now seemed to be willing herself to remain still and bear the unfamiliar sensations.

Vahn noticed that, slowly but surely, the pink flesh in her v.a.g.i.n.a began to turn a slightly crimson color as more liquid was secreted from the interior. Whenever he would rub the nub, her entire insides would twitch a bit while the two holes within would contract almost entirely closed. Vahn was fascinated by the various reactions, and he kept turning his attention between his hands and Ais's face. As he continued his efforts, she had grown more relaxed and was acting somewhat docile with a blush on her face. She watched Vahn's actions and would periodically draw in sharp breaths when he would poke at her sensitive spot.

Vahn started getting immersed in the act, and in his haste, he ended up triggering something that nobody in the room had expected. Using one of the techniques in the manual for [Hands of Nirvana, Vahn put a small amount of energy into his thumb as he pressed it onto the bright red nub that had recently pierced the hooded veil of Ais. The moment his thumb made contact, Ais released an ear shattering scream and arched her back while Tiona stared on in 'horror' at the unexpected reaction of the generally complacent Ais. Though she had expected Vahn to eventually bring Ais to climax, she never thought it to be so soon and in such a spontaneous manner.

Vahn immediately became terrified that he had made a large mistake as he saw Ais writhing about on the futon in 'pain'. Her hands gripped the cushions so hard that it tore through the thick fabric and her yell had yet to cease as she arched her h.i.p.s. Vahn just stared blankly at her reaction with both of his hands withdrawn. All he had done was insert a bit of energy that should have stimulated the nerves a bit; he thought he could make her feel even better, and never expected his actions to actually harm Ais.

Eventually, Ais's body finally lost strength as she collapsed onto the futon and started taking heavy breaths. She had a dazed expression and there was even a bit of drool coming out the side of her mouth. Before Vahn could move forward, Tiona had gotten near Ais and began inspecting her state. She knew from the fear and regret in Vahn's face that he had probably gotten carried away, and she wanted to make sure Ais wasn't in any danger.

Tiona confirmed that, other than a serious mess, Ais's v.a.g.i.n.a was completely fine and there shouldn't be any permanent damage. After that, she gently placed her hand on Ais's cheek to get her attention. Even when Tiona had been inspecting her v.a.g.i.n.a, Ais hadn't moved at all, almost like she had become lost within her own mind after the sudden and intense pleasure. Tiona was a bit worried after seeing her state, and she began to call out in a concerned voice, "Ais! Ais! Snap out of it! Are you okay!?"

With Tiona's shouts, Ais finally snapped out of her daze as she stared at the concerned face of her friend. She continued to stare for a few seconds before lifting her body and looking at Vahn. Seeing the 'terrified' look on his face, Ais knew he had probably done something wrong, but she didn't blame him. The feelings of pleasure had been so intense that she felt like her entire body was dissolving until it finally ended and she felt completely empty and relaxed. Seeing Vahn's worry and concern, Ais actually felt a little sad in her heart; though it was unexpected, she didn't dislike the feeling at all...even if it was a little scary.

Ais looked at Tiona and said, "I'm fine...", before crawling toward Vahn. Noticing her approach, Vahn fell back a bit and said, "Ais, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." Ais continued to make her way to him and slowly crawled her way into his chest. Before he could ask anything else, Ais kissed him deeply and pressed his body down onto the futon. The moment he fell back, he felt Ais's tongue enter his mouth and he almost instinctively wrapped his hands around her waist before stopping.

Ais kissed him for a few more seconds before lifting her body and straddling his stomach. She could see that he still had fear in his eyes, and both of his hands were held out to the side like he was afraid to touch her. Ais grabbed one of his hands and began to inspect the contours and shape. She ran her fingers along each of Vahn's before saying, "That feeling...what was it?"

Vahn didn't feel like he would be able to refuse her questions, so he answered mechanically, "I have a skill called [Hands of Nirvana]...it is the same thing as what I used back during the Juggernaut fight. I can put energy into my hands to heal wounds...and other stuff." Ais tilted her head like she was recalling the events Vahn had mentioned. Suddenly, she leaned forward a bit and put Vahn's hand on her head and asked, "Lefiya?'

Realizing what she was asking, Vahn started channeling energy into his palm and it began to flow into Ais's head. She closed her eyes and seemed to be enjoying the sensation as she said, "Warm." She then slowly moved his hand, while he was still channeling energy, and put it on her left b.r.e.a.s.t near her heart. Though she didn't seem to dislike the feeling, she muttered, "Different?" Vahn, instead of channeling energy to 'heal' altered the flow a bit. The light faded from his palms and seemed to condense on his fingers and Ais twitched before pulling the hand away.

When Vahn had changed the energy to the type used to stimulate the nerves, it made her chest feel like it had been electrocuted. After pulling his hand away slightly, she poked the tip of his fingers with one of her own and felt an energy flow into her finger that made it feel slightly numb. Vahn was just laying there while Ais did whatever she wanted with his hand. Ever since he thought he hurt her, he had been too afraid to do anything proactively.

From the side, Tiona was watching the events play out with a mixture of shock and intrigue. She knew about Vahn's 'hands', as he had comforted her head previously. It was a very warm and calming sensation, but now it seemed like he could use it to 'stimulate' as well. She almost wanted to replace Ais, but now that the medicine had almost completely worn off, she was slightly concerned that she would be the one to injure Vahn.

Ais seemed to be incredibly curious about the energy coming from Vahn's fingers. She stared at his index finger for a bit, before leaning her head forward and placing it into her mouth. Her eyes widened a bit as she immediately pulled it away. Vahn was incredibly confused at this point because it didn't seem like she was afraid of him at all. Instead, she seemed interested in his [Hands of Nirvana] and was experimenting with his body. He felt conflicted feelings because he didn't like people doing things with his body normally but, for some reason, watching Ais made him feel excited instead.

As his intrigue began to grow, Vahn moved his other hand and starting poking the various pressure points on her abdomen and chest. Ais was surprised by his touch, but she didn't make any efforts to move away. Instead, she held Vahn's right hand, which she had been holding onto, and hugged it into her chest as she let him poke around on her body.

Though Vahn's stomach was already damp from Ais sitting on him, he could feel a warm liquid begin to flow from her v.a.g.i.n.a and it began to slide down his stomach after having built up to a certain point. Vahn continued to perform his massage technique on her torso and was slowly becoming immersed in his actions as Ais's reactions were very interesting to him. She seemed to breathe heavily, and her usually expressionless face seemed happy as she m.o.a.ned quietly with a deep blush on her face.

After more than ten minutes Tiona, who had been watching with anticipation from the side, suddenly snapped out of her dazed state and asked, "Are you two going to have s.e.x?" Vahn and Ais both froze for a moment as they looked over at the Amazon that had a slightly flushed expression on her face. Ais looked down at her crotch and could see the pool of fluids that had been building up on Vahn's abdomen. She felt a bit embarrassed after seeing her own liquids tracing the indentations of his muscles.

She moved back slightly and could feel a hard feeling on her butt, and turned to see the erect p.e.n.i.s of Vahn pressing against her backside. Ais suddenly remembered that Vahn was supposed to be helping her 'prepare', and remembering the state of Tiona previously, she understood her body had long been ready. Vahn tried saying something to her, but before he could utter a single syllable, Ais sat on his abdomen and slowly dragged her body down to his pelvis.

Vahn was surprised by the sudden maneuver, and he could feel his p.e.n.i.s pass through a hot and moist tunnel as Ais dragged her body backward. For Ais, she had only intended to change her position a bit, but having contact with Vahn's p.e.n.i.s made her stomach feel fluttery and hot, so she continued moving back while rubbing her own genitals against Vahn's. After she moved back a farther distance than she expected, the organ was finally freed from her suppression and bounced up as if it would never be subjugated.

She stared at the erect p.e.n.i.s for a while before turning her gaze to Vahn and saying, "I want to try..." Vahn noticed her hot gaze and nodded his head slowly before trying to sit up. Ais pushed back on his stomach a bit and prevented him from changing positions. With a confused look, Vahn watched as Ais grabbed his p.e.n.i.s with her delicate fingers, slowly trying to adjust the position on her own. As Vahn had only ever experienced having s.e.x with Tiona, he was slightly unprepared for her actions.

Tiona, from the side, suddenly called out, "Wait, Ais! That is a dangerous position for your first time!"Ais didn't seem to have any intention of stopping as she finally managed to get the tip of the glans into the proper hole. Placing one of her hands on Vahn's stomach, she slowly tried to lower her body which caused Vahn to draw a breath and gnash his teeth.

Though Tiona has been tight and put an incredible pressure on his p.e.n.i.s, Ais's v.a.g.i.n.a seemed to have no room for movement at all. Even though she was incredibly wet, it felt like his p.e.n.i.s was being crushed as she slowly tried to envelop his member. Ais had a pained but serious expression on her face as she began drawing deep breaths. Every time she inhaled, she would put more force into her h.i.p.s and Vahn's p.e.n.i.s would move in a bit deeper. To Ais, it felt like she was being wrenched open by a hot metal rod, but she was unwilling to give up without achieving her goal.

Eventually, Vahn's p.e.n.i.s hit a point of fierce resistance and both he and Ais flinched. Ais, unable to bear the pain that had been building up cried out a bit as sweat began dripping from her face. Unlike Tiona, Ais had a h.y.m.e.n and, since she had never had s.e.x before, she was informed by Riveria that her first time would be painful. The other three girls tried to give her medicine for the pain, but Ais didn't want to take anything as she wanted to experience everything herself. Unfortunately, even with all her efforts, she was barred from proceeding further the moment Vahn's glans reached her h.y.m.e.n.

Vahn saw her pained expression and instinctively reached out to the area right above where they were connected. He began channeling the energy from his [Hands of Nirvana] to help ease the pain Ais was going through. Feeling the warm energy from his hands and the hot stake piercing her body, Ais had a lot of conflicted feelings. She felt like she had lost a bit of her own pride after receiving Vahn's help, but seeing the concern in his face, she didn't say anything. Instead, she used the moment when the pain had eased to take a deep breath before trying to drop her weight onto Vahn's waist.

Ais felt a painful ripping sensation in her body while Vahn felt a muted pop as his p.e.n.i.s was further enveloped by Ais's v.a.g.i.n.a. Ais nearly cried out, but she was able to suppress her scream as she had taken a deep breath to prepare herself. For Vahn, the only thing he could feel was the heat of Ais's body and an almost painful sensation from his p.e.n.i.s. She had taken nearly 70% of his length in an instant and he could see blood dripping from the area they were connected.

Vahn had a terrified expression on his face, but Tiona informed him from the side in a calming voice, "Don't worry, Vahn, that is just the sign that a human girl is a v.i.r.g.i.n. Other than Amazons, almost every other race can identify their v.i.r.g.i.ns with the existence of a h.y.m.e.n. You should feel proud to have been the person to break Ais's."

Though Vahn was still a bit worried, he felt a bit of relief after hearing the explanation. Looking into Ais's pained face, he noticed that she was staring at him with her golden eyes almost like she was trying to assure him things were okay. After taking a few deep breaths, she spoke in a pained voice, "I'm okay...Riveria told me it would hurt. It will get better later." Ais seemed to have found hope in her own words as she raised her h.i.p.s a bit.

Vahn had been healing her with [Hands of Nirvana] the entire time, and she had been able to adapt to the pain a bit. After raising herself halfway, she looked at Vahn and reached for his left hand. Vahn had placed both palms on her lower abdomen, slightly above where her v.a.g.i.n.a was and had been inserting a lot of energy to heal the 'damage'. He was confused when Ais removed his left hand until she said, "Make it tingle."

Vahn somewhat understood what she was planning, but he had to ask, "Are you sure?" Ais nodded her head confidently and moved his hand to the area they were connected. She put his index finger on her nub and grit her teeth. Vahn, realizing she had 'prepared', began to channel his energy into his index finger. The moment he did so, Ais dropped her h.i.p.s and cried out in a loud gasping voice once again.

Ais had used the moment when Vahn stimulated her c.l.i.t.o.r.i.s and dropped her h.i.p.s with all the force she could muster in the brief moment. In doing so, she managed to fully envelop Vahn's p.e.n.i.s before bending forward and scrunching up her body into a ball while they were connected. Vahn was incredibly surprised by Ais's action, but he was so overwhelmed by the sensations assaulting him that he couldn't form any words. While Ais was going through her second climax, Vahn's fully enveloped p.e.n.i.s was being wrung by the interior of her v.a.g.i.n.a. There were so many conflicting sensations, and the tightness felt like it was trying to rip his p.e.n.i.s off and grind it into a paste.

Vahn was so overwhelmed by the intensely convulsing v.a.g.i.n.a that he quickly reached the peak of his own pleasure and released himself deeply into the interior of Ais's body. The moment he ejaculated, Ais's twitching seemed to begin anew and Vahn couldn't help but draw in a cold breath as he waited for the intense stimulation to finally end.

After a few minutes, both Vahn and Ais were just laying powerlessly while unmoving from their position. Ais still straddled his h.i.p.s with Vahn's p.e.n.i.s still inside of her, while she leaned her weight against his body. Vahn was gasping for air as he slowly released his hands from Ais's butt. He didn't know when, but at some point, he had grabbed her waist and held her against him and he could feel his fingers sinking deeply into the firm flesh of her butt.

The moment he released his hands, Ais sat up a bit before kissing his lips for a few seconds. When she was satisfied, she pressed against his chest and raised her body. Her motions pushed Vahn deeper inside, and they both let out a muted gasp as he was once again fully enveloped by her v.a.g.i.n.a. Ais looked at the connected part and dragged her finger across the area. Noticing there was no gap between their bodies, she looked toward Tiona with a 'pleased' look in her eyes as she said, "I win."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The terror of curiosity','Competitive Spirit','Longest Chapters Ever'

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