Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos
chapter-1202

With everyone else benefitting from his Quest function, Vahn felt a lot less self-conscious about taking advantage of it himself. During the period where everyone was discussing how to help each other complete their Quests, he went through his own list to accept a few he had been on the fence about. Most of these fell into the category of 'daily' Quests, meaning they required him to do a specific action over a certain number of days. He also had the kind that required completing specific tasks, such as meditating, performing an exercise, or forging a piece of equipment.

Unfortunately, while Vahn had many ways to exploit the system, his memory fragments were unable to work towards the completion of his Quests. This still left him with the option of teaming up with the other castle residents but, as his Quests were either directly related to his own actions, there were only a few situations where such opportunities were available, at least for the time being.

Though there weren't any Main Quests listed, as these seemed to only appear during the moments when his convictions had reached a certain peak, there were a number of Quests that 'felt' like Main Quests. These pertained to major events in the world while, much like his Alliance Quest back in the Record of Danmachi, there were numerous Quests directly tied to various powers. Among the Quests he had chosen to accept, Vahn picked one that required him to either enter an Alliance or subjugate the three different branches of the Mage's Association. As Da Vinci seemed to be preparing for an 'altercation' against the Atlas Temple, combined with the fact he was somewhat at odds with the Clock Tower, Vahn felt it was a good idea to pick up a Quest directly related to them.

Towards the goal of 'cooperation', however, Vahn had several Quests that required him to either recruit people from within the Mage's Association, either by contributing knowledge or through less 'proper' channels. There was even one that tasked him with serving as an Interim Professor, with an Optional Objective of becoming an actual Lord. However, while this would undoubtedly make him popular amongst certain groups, this route undoubtedly led to significant conflict. At the same time, it was a rather heinous reduction in his status as, even though his Empire hadn't spread its influence, Vahn was still an Emperor. Becoming a 'Lord' under a different system, where others would have a higher ranking than him, was out of the question.

Still, even without becoming a Professor, Vahn had a few other Quests related to the Clock Tower, many of which only required him to exchange specific items and resources for various favors. Since one of Vahn's short term goals was to gain access to the Spirit Tomb: Albion, he figured these would be positive measures towards that goal. Though Luvia was already making arrangements of her own, Vahn felt his methods could have more immediate effects, especially if he made Luvia herself aware of them. She had a business sense that reminded him a lot of Fortuna and, by revealing his hand to her, Vahn believed that Luvia would be able to deal in his favor.

Of the Quests Vahn selected for himself, the most difficult was one adequately titled [World Power]. As it was already his goal to become one of the major factions in the world, accepting a Quest that literally related to that goal was a small motivator. It also gave him a generic roadmap towards the route he could take while also tying into several of his lesser ranked Quests. Curiously, he already had the power to complete this Quest but, deciding against more 'forceful' methods, due to the promise he had made with Artoria, Vahn would at least try the more diplomatic approach before passing his judgment onto others.

[Quest: World Power]

Rank: SSS

Objective(s): Defeat a total of ten Dead Apostle Ancestors designated by the Holy Church:(0/10), Slay or subordinate Solon Yggdrasil, Director of the Mage's Association(0/1), Slay or subordinate Mavis Maxwell, Pontiff of the Holy Church(0/1), Slay or subordinate any weilder of True Magic:(0/1)

Optional Objective(s): Purify the Crimson Moon Curse from Arcueid Brunestud:(0/1), Destroy the Enforcement Division of the Mage's Association:(0/8), Destroy the Burial Agency of the Holy Church:(0/8), Slay or subordinate one of the three Monarchal Lords associated with the Mage's Association:(0/1)

Reward(s): 5,000,000,000OP, 1x[Heaven's Mandate], 1x[Seal of Heaven], 1x[Imperial Regalia]

Failure Conditions: Expulsion from the Record, Destruction of Avalon, Deaths of more than ten allies. Current: (0/10)

Penalty: 1,000,000 Karma

Fortunately, even though the objectives of the Quest seemed rather extreme, none of the terms actually required him to kill anyone. Vahn suspected this was due to the Quest function taking into consideration his circumstances as, unless his hand was forced, he didn't exactly plan to go around killing people. Though his actions would undoubtedly result in the deaths of several people, some of which would be innocent, Vahn would do his best to be just and fair.

To that end, he would rather increase his strength to the point that he could outright capture and seal away his enemies, putting them on trial for their crimes. He wasn't fond of imprisonment and, knowing what he knew about the cycle of reincarnation, it was for the best that they simply moved on to their next lives. There was no such thing as an 'evil' Soul so, with the death of the Ego, it was free to return to the cycle, hopefully, to live a better life in the future...

After accepting a few Quests related to the birth of his future children, as he wanted them to have just as many benefits as his children back in Danmachi, Vahn found himself inside his Training Orb for what felt like the first time in months. Though Da Vinci, and several others, wanted to discuss the Quests in greater detail, there were a few matters Vahn wanted to attend before he got too caught up in other things. Thus, even though he couldn't sense her, Vahn confidently stated, "Come out, Scáthatch." Immediately after this, Scáthach appeared out of thin air, her face a perfect mask that hid the few emotions she seemed capable of experiencing.

Before Vahn said anything further, Scáthach pulled a pair of spears out of thin air, asking in the same cold and icy tone he had heard thousands of times, "Do you wish to resume your training? I want to see how much you have been slacking off while I was away."

Fortunately, as Vahn showed no signs of attacking, Scáthach remained attentive as she awaited his response. This allowed him to state in an appreciative tone, "Thank you for everything you did back in Germany. I promise that I will train hard in the future to make up for lost time..." Even before he had finished saying this, Scáthach put away her spears, understanding he had no intention of doing battle. Instead, Vahn relaxed a little after seeing the fierce red spears put away, adding, "There are some things I would like your help with. Since you are the most capable person I know, I believe you are the best suited to the task..."

In response to Vahn's words, Scáthach tilted her head to the side slightly, surprising him by stating, "You are trying to deceive me...?" Though she couldn't understand which part of his words were a lie, Scáthach felt that Vahn had spoken a falsehood. She didn't have to wait for an answer though as, the moment the inquiry entered her mind, images of Da Vinci and Artoria flashed across her mind. This caused Scáthach's brows to perk up slightly as, before she left for Germany, neither woman could be compared to her. However, when considering what Da Vinci had done for the Empire, and the fact that Artoria was now even beyond her means to defeat, it made sense that her value in Vahn's eyes had been reduced.

Instead of inquiring further, Scáthach shook her head slightly, stating, "Go on. Tell me what you need help with." Deducing that the 'falsehood' in Vahn's words was related to her being the most capable, the rest could be construed as the truth. This meant he did consider her the best suited to the task and, though it brought her little pride to be considered in such high regard, she considered helping Vahn the same as 'teaching him everything'.

Understanding the Scáthach didn't want to discuss her prior remark further, Vahn gave a small nod before explaining, "We have discussed the existence of Innates in the past. As they are the core part of a person's strength, I want you to help me draw the most out of them. I know combat may be the fastest method to increase adaptability and improve the mastery of oneself, but I feel Innates are an exception, better understood through meditation and comprehension. At the very least, I would like you to help me better understand the Laws of Creation, Destruction, Life, Death, Space, and Time..."

As Scáthach was literally capable of using all non-unique skills at B~A-Rank, she had a foundation in virtually all Laws. She was even able to use his Petting Laws after just witnessing them a few times, making her the best choice when it came to understanding both primary and abstract Laws. Even Da Vinci, having almost absolute mastery over all forms of Thaumaturgy, wasn't able to compete against Scáthach when it came to Laws. After all, her knowledge was mostly predicated on existing schools of Magecraft and, though she was able to innovate infinitely, Da Vinci needed to observe, analyze, and test her theories before making any significant progress. Scáthach, however, could simply use them instantly, despite how abstract some of the concepts behind their usage were.

Hearing Vahn's request, Scáthach gave an affirmative nod as, having already agreed to teach him 'everything', she wasn't going to refuse such a request. However, as she taught according to her own methods, not the way her students thought she should teach them, Scáthach explained, "I will split our training into two parts, much like our current system. Instead of helping you familiarize yourself with your [Laplace's Key], I will guide you through the process of some of my personal skills. Though I am able to use what you call 'Laws', I do not have full comprehension of how they work. I can only teach you skills associated with the Laws you have mentioned. I cannot teach you about the Laws themselves."

Though her [Wisdome of the Haunted Ground] included a vast amount of information pertaining to the subject of Mystery, which Vahn had directly associated with the Laws, Scáthach herself wasn't certain of his claim. She only knew what she knew, which was virtually everything, and very rarely tried to intuit and comprehend new things. Though Vahn was very interesting to her, and she found it rather refreshing how his existence itself made everything 'uncertain', this didn't translate to her spending time thinking on the new concepts he introduced. As far as she was concerned, the only things that mattered were fulfilling her duty and, once that was completed, finally earning herself a worthy death.

As this wasn't actually their first time discussing Laws, Vahn already expected Scáthach to answer as such. He was just happy that, rather than get beaten for several hours at a time, he would now have a 'techniques' portion to his training, even if this would undoubtedly translate to him getting beaten even harder in the future. Still, knowing his comprehension would benefit greatly from her guidance, Vahn gave a respectful bow towards Scáthach as, despite her rather brutal treatment, she was still one of his few Masters, someone worthy of his respect.

After giving an approving nod, Scáthach was prepared to leave the Training Orb but, before that, she asked, "Is there anything else, Your Majesty?" In response to this, Vahn surprised her slightly when he nodded his head and answered, "There is something..." Then, with Scáthach's attention focused on him, Vahn asked, "Since you seek death after knowing 'everything', can you tell me what I would need to do in order to preserve your life? I understand we will likely be together for hundreds of years, but there are so many things 'beyond' what you have come to learn, Scáthach...if possible, I would like to have you as a true ally in the future..."

This time, it was Vahn's turn to be surprised as, instead of showing an adverse reaction, Scáthach plainly stated, "I seek an honorable death at the hands of someone strong enough to defeat me in single combat. If you would go against your word and deny me such an end, then I was wrong about the type of man you were. However, if you can survive my wrath after the fact, I do not mind staying at your side. Throughout history, strong men have always needed strong women to prop them up. I do no believe you would force me to live out an eternity...if it is only for a few thousand years, I will tolerate your selfishness..."

Though her words were rather harsh, Scáthach produced a rare smile towards the end before her figure disappeared from within the endless white space. In truth, Vahn would not force Scáthach, or anyone for that matter, to keep living beyond the life they had decided for themselves. She wasn't actually suicidal, as she wanted to die an honorable death, so Vahn didn't have to worry about her going on the deep end. This meant, if he could help her grow stronger, and put her on the path of learning new things, Scáthach would never reach the point where she had taught him 'everything'. It might be bullying her a bit but, with how tragic her existence had become, Vahn wasn't content with just letting her die. This was because, unlike others, Scáthach probably wouldn't be happy in her next incarnation either...

Since Innates were tied to the Soul, this meant that it was pretty much Scáthach's fate to be reborn as herself and, though it might be sealed for a time, she would undoubtedly reawaken it. Then, in an almost infinitely repeating cycle of eternities, she would continue to live out her immortal existence, the only thing driving her forward the pride she had as a warrior and her desire for death. Since he was even planning to break Alaya free from the control of the Root System, Vahn felt it was a simple matter to end the cycle of suffering Scáthach had been fated to undergo. He just needed to help her reach Tier 5 and, with what he knew of Innates, there was a good chance she would develop one that allowed her to regulate the [Wisdom of the Haunted Ground].

With Scáthach already being around mid~peak Tier 4, it wouldn't be all that difficult to help her grow beyond her current capabilities. As she continued to pull out his potential, Vahn knew that she herself would continue to grow stronger. She might be holding back now but, if he could increase his strength faster than she could adapt, Vahn knew their positions would reverse in the future. Then, as she would still have more to teach him, regardless of the fact he was stronger than her, Vahn felt he could drag Scáthach over the threshold of Tier 5. If necessary, he was even planning to use his [Innate Awakening Pill] on her as, while it was certainly one of his most valuable items, Vahn knew it was only a matter of time until he awakened his other Innates. He also didn't want to seal any of his current ones for a year so, rather than 'waste' it on himself, Vahn had considered using it only people like Fenrir and Medusa to help them increase their own Soul Tier further...

One of the things Vahn had started to understand towards the end of his time in Danmachi, which had now become one of his biggest regrets, was the fact that he didn't do enough to help those around him reach their full potential. Though he certainly helped them quite a bit, the concept of using his own body to create bodies for their use was something he could have easily realized if he had thought about it seriously. After all, he had seen how quickly Lefiya had grown after having her Magic Circuits nourished by his Source Energy. If people like Ais and Tiona had been given bodies comprised of Source Energy, Vahn had little doubt they would have been able to achieve great things in a very short period of time.

Though it would have complicated matters quite a bit, there was a very real chance he could have brought some of the others with him. This would have potentially restricted his growth considerably, while also making it harder to adapt his plans to the current Record, but Vahn knew he would have been much happier at the start of his new adventure. At the same time, their presence likely would have prevented him from having too many interactions with other people of this world, at least until he had reached the point of contending against them for power. With just the inclusion of a few of his closest allies, Vahn knew his time in the Nasuverse would have played out very differently...

Now that he had already repeated some of his past mistakes, 'somehow' ending up with decently sized harem, Vahn was determined to 'fix' a few for the future. During the instant he had first made a body for Iris, he already had the thought of potentially taking others with him to future Records. If he had people like Da Vinci to accompany him, Vahn felt that, even if he ended up on a lifeless planet in a completely incomprehensible Record, it would only take a few years before they turned the entire wasteland into an expansive metropolis. At the same time, any combat personnel he brought with him, especially those like Artoria and Scáthach, would greatly increase his odds against foes like the Mage of the Beginning...

While thinking of the Record Eva had originated from, Vahn's mind briefly wandered to the [Pactio] spell. Thus far, he had avoided using it due to the fact that his reserves were simply too low. Having others draw from his pool during their training would drain him in a very short period of time. Since he also needed to have a considerable amount of Od compared to the recipient, the only people who would really benefit at the present were those like Rin and Luvia. Everyone else, including Medusa, actually had higher reserves than he did, despite his efforts to improve. Curiously, Vahn knew he could increase his reserves by accumulating more Karma as, with Od being tied directly to fate, those with high Od also had greater yields when acquiring Karma...

Karma felt like the bane of his existence but, knowing he was going to shape the fate of the entire World, Vahn knew it was only a matter of time before his value shot through the proverbial roof. Just giving Heroic Spirits a body comprised of his Source Energy had increased his value considerably while, after his battle with Solon, Vahn now had a disheartening 143,226 Karma. Most of this was positive but, as this meant 'evil' forces in the world were bound to butt heads against him, Vahn was not too optimistic about the number.

Still, it was considerably less than the billions he had back in the Record of Danmachi so, as long as he kept his guard up, there was a good chance he could stay ahead of the curve. Fortunately, Artoria's aura of Fate had actually grown stronger after she became his Empress and, once they finally got married, Vahn expected it would grow even larger. Her presence served as a barrier of sorts as, even though she also invited misfortune toward them, the only thing that could kill Artoria was someone like him. With [Avalon] in her possession once again, she was virtually unbeatable in combat as, even using True Magic, there were no enemies that could damage her. This, combined with a functionally infinite amount of mana, and an attack power that could even sink entire islands, made Artoria a living natural disaster...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is like the guy that donates a dollar to charity and then treats himself by buying a Porsche xD...','Scáthach be like, "Come and get me...if you think you will survive..."','Artoria is the true MC!!!')