Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos
chapter-1554

Feeling greatly refreshed, Vahn emerged from the Captain's quarters with Fenrir and Medusa close behind. The former had shown up while he was being pampered by Medusa, her arrival marking a shift from peaceful relaxation to far more 'affectionate' cuddling. Now, Vahn was feeling energetic and completely revitalized, more than ready to face whatever the Record would throw at him next...

Finding the person responsible for his emergence, Vahn adopted an affectionate smile as he asked, "Did you sleep well, Asuna...?"

As if she only noticed the presence of others when spoken to, Asuna, who had been sitting stock-still on one of the common room's sofas, raised her head slightly, plainly stating, "I am hungry." in her usual monotone.

Hearing the taciturn response, Vahn laughed out loud before pulling a tray of macarons out of his Inventory and saying, "We'll eat a proper meal once Arika awakens. For now, how about you join us for some tea and snacks?"

Though her expression didn't change much, it was easy to tell Asuna was excited by how quickly she jumped off the sofa, running over to his side with a pitter-patter of footsteps. She even tried to take one of the macarons from the plate by standing on her tip-toes, tugging at his tunic in order to reach a little higher.

Preventing Asuna from obtaining her prize, Vahn moved the tray out of reach, patting her head as he said, "Now, now, that isn't very proper. Come, we'll eat together, okay?"

After failing to obtain a macaron, Asuna showed a visible pout on her face, but, hearing what Vahn had to say, she fell silent for a few seconds before ultimately nodding her head with an 'Nn'. Then, as if she was programmed to behave as adorably a possible, she tugged on his sleeve in an effort to hasten the short trip to the sofa. Once there, she had him sit down first before hopping onto his lap and using his right thigh as her seat, a habit she developed during the times he would read to her back in the palace...

Perhaps as a result of the noise transmitting through the hull, it wasn't long before Arika appeared from the small spiral stairs that connected the common room to the belly of the ship. She was still wearing her creamy silk pajamas, and, forcing Vahn to repress a sigh as he saw more than just the curves of her body. The top button of her blouse was undone, and, due to not wearing a bra, it was possible to make out two tiny buds due to how thin the beige-colored fabric was.

Showing no outward signs of a reaction, Vahn simply smiled as he casually stated, "Just in time. We were just about to wrap up afternoon tea and enjoy a light lunch. Afterward, I'd appreciate it if you help Asuna wash up in preparation for our journey to Nyandoma. I could teleport us over, but, as this trip is supposed to be your opportunity to explore and experience the world, we will be moving through the forest."

Hearing Vahn's words, Arika combed through her long fringe bangs before lazily nodding her head and taking a seat across from Fenrir. She was still a little tired, so, rather than waste energy putting on a front, she just picked up the cup of tea that had magically appeared before her, sampling the rich flavor in contented silence...

Following a rather hearty meal, consisting primarily of vegetable stir fry and fried rice, Vahn created a second body, surprising Arika and Asuna slightly. Clone techniques and spells weren't uncommon in the Magical World, but, with their enhanced senses, even Asuna could tell this wasn't that kind of technique. As a result, she was the first to ask, "How...?" before immediately regretting it when she saw the teasing look in his eyes...

Surprising the doll-like girl, Vahn honestly explained, "Now that the two of you are my apprentices, I will trust you to keep the secrets I tell you. Though the actual explanation is far more complicated, it basically comes down to the fact that I can freely alter and create new bodies. As you have noticed, these are not simple clones. I have to control both bodies simultaneously, meaning I experience the stimulus from all my vessels simultaneously. It is a little disorienting, but, if I really push myself, I can even produce upwards of ten versions of myself."

Though he didn't try something like making eight more versions of himself, as it was simply too taxing for his current self, Vahn decided to demonstrate his transformation ability, ignoring his first instinct of transforming into a copy of Asuna. Instead, he became a chibi-version of his Vanargandr self, laughing mischievously in response to the visible incredulity visible on the two girls' faces. This had the expected consequence of his chibi self being snatched and cuddled by Fenrir, but, with his main body still intact, Vahn smiled as he explained, "You will learn more about my true nature over the duration of your training. For now, it is easiest to think of me as an Ancient Dragon with control over Creation, Space, and Time."

Showing the closest thing to an actual emotion Vahn had seen on her face, Arika had an expression of incredulity as she asked, "What is your true form?"

Understanding what she might be thinking, Vahn just shook his head, explaining, "I rarely go out of my way to disguise myself. What you see before you can be considered my true form as I have kept it for nearly a hundred years. Don't worry, I'm not going to suddenly reveal myself as some strange creature with an amorphous form and thousands of eyes."

Though she returned to a neutral expression, Vahn could tell that Arika was greatly relieved by his words, causing him to lightly shake his head before saying, "We'll be departing. I'll leave a version of myself to safeguard the ship and keep Medusa company."

Knowing Medusa wasn't fond of crowds, Vahn wasn't going to continue forcing her to accompany them. Fortunately, as someone needed to stay with the ship, she had the opportunity to freely idle about, and, with his ability to produce extra vessels, it meant they could spend all day just cuddling if they really wanted to.

Making no effort to hide her satisfaction, Medusa had a somewhat cheeky grin on her face as she added, "Don't worry, I'll make sure the ship is well guarded. Take your time and explore as much as you can. Even if you're away for a few days, I can guarantee nothing will happen~."

Seeing the cheeky smile on Medusa's face, Arika wasn't the only one feeling slightly annoyed by the mischievous Gorgon. Fenrir had a glowering look in her eyes, holding the miniature-version of her Master tightly as she said, "Make sure you behave, Medusa. If you cause any kind of problems, I'll be the one to punish you in our Master's stead."

Hearing Fenrir's tone, Medusa's hair automatically condensed to protect her backside as her eyes began to shimmer with a piercing light. She knew Fenrir was serious, but, doing her best to appear undaunted, Medusa adopting a taunting smile before trying to say a few biting words. Before she could, however, her Master interrupted, his hand plopping on her head as he addressed the group as a whole, saying, "Let's head out." in a casual yet firm tone.

Without waiting for anyone to respond, Vahn then picked up Medusa in a princess carry, allowing Fenrir to retain his chibi-form, who, following his larger self's words, added, "We'll be traveling on foot, so, unless you want to spend the night in the jungle, we should set out. Asuna will be setting our pace until she gets tired. Now, let's go."

Since he was still being carried, Vahn pointed towards the stairs leading up to the deck, causing Fenrir to 'flicker' near the base before leaping through the opening. She could be very clingy when he was in his Vanargandr form, but, when it was combined with his 'chibi' self, it was impossible to convince her to release him. He could transform back into his normal self, but, for the better part of half an hour after the fact, Fenrir would be in a dour mood...

Seeing the rather incredulous sight of Vahn being whisked away by Fenrir, Arika remained standing in the same place for several seconds. It wasn't until Asuna pulled at her dress that she came back to her senses, making eye contact with her adorable niece as the latter said, "We should go. I don't want to be left behind."

Nodding her head in understanding, Arika picked up Asuna with no discernible difficulty, holding the girl in much the same way as a parent holding their child. Then, in a manner similar to Fenrir, her body flickered before vanishing from view. She had never actually used [Shundo] before, but, after seeing it once, both she and Asuna had been able to memorize it. This was an ability unique to the Ostian Royal Family, and, though it didn't equate to mastery, it allowed them to become some of the most prodigious Mages in existence with very little effort...

Contrary to what some would expect when traveling with small children, Asuna small gait didn't slow the group by much. She was only a little over two-years-old, but, despite her small size and virtually non-existent muscles, she had enough strength to easily rival adults who had trained for years. She didn't move with assurance and confidence in her actions, but, after analyzing a problem for a short while, she was able to figure a way around or over most obstacles. The only thing that kept them from advancing even faster was the occasional appearance of monsters, causing Asuna to quickly retreat behind Vahn despite having more than enough strength to defeat most enemies in a single blow.

Rather than force a two-year-old to fight monsters several times larger than herself, Vahn allowed her to hide behind him before giving Arika a small nod. This would often result in her staring at him for a few moments, but, once the monster began charging, she would manifest a golden longsword out of thin air before vanishing in a flash. Her skills weren't very refined, but she was able to bisect a dinosaur-like monster that was more than 15m long in an instant before brandishing her blade in a rather flashy manner...

Understanding Arika was trying to show off, Vahn just smiled in response, saying, "Well done. Your skills are a little unrefined, but your talent is exceptional. I have great expectations for you once we begin our training."

Hearing Vahn's praise, Arika showed no discernible signs of satisfaction as she swung her sword in a smooth arc, creating a golden trail with her magical energy. Then, in an icy monotone, she asked, "Are you going to make me fight everything? I'm starting to feel as though I'm the one protecting you. I have yet to see your true power, so it is difficult for me to accept such remarks..."

Though not entirely unexpected, Vahn couldn't help but burst into laughter when he heard Arika's biting remark. This caused her brows to furrow slightly, and, if they had been closer to each other, he could imagine her trying to slap him for laughing so zealously in response to her words.

Taking the initiative to speak, Fenrir adopted a serious expression on her face as she said, "Master is far stronger than you can comprehend. I can tell that you are very powerful, but you are just brute-forcing everything without any real skill. Even without using his full power, Master could defeat you with technique alone."

Arika hadn't actually been serious with her comment, but, hearing Fenrir's remark, she couldn't help but feel a little offender, asking, "You think so little of my skill? I'll have you know that I trained hard to reach my current level. I might lack combat experience, but I'm confident that I would be able to defeat you in a battle. Vahn might be very strong, but I'm far from weak."

Hearing Arika's words, it was Fenrir's turn to be slightly offended, her hair becoming marginally more pointy as she plainly stated, "You overestimate yourself. It's a good thing that my Master has been placed in charge of your training. With your mentality, you and your allies would suffer as a result of your hubris..."

Though she knew there were a lot of people stronger than her, Fenrir had already lived for over a century. Even if Arika gave off a dangerous feeling, there were so many gaps in the woman's stance that she might as well be a complete amateur. If they were to truly go all out against each other, it would not be a match at all, but a one-sided slaughter...

Before the two could start a rivalry based on hostility, Vahn instructed Asuna to stand off to the side before flicking his wrist and pulling out the sealed form of Laev-tan. This caught the attention of the two girls locked in a staring contest with each other, Arika's expression revealing a small amount of trepidation as Fenrir began to snicker mischievously.

Without explaining anything, Vahn exhaled a breath that seemed to echo in the surroundings as his body seemed to 'melt' away. This caused Arika to instinctually assume a defensive stance, her sword held in a posture that would allow her to deflect most attacks from the front. Before she was able to complete the motion, however, Vahn had already appeared behind her, plainly stating, "When both sides respect each other, a healthy rivalry can help you increase your strength exponentially. Unless it is a matter of honor, never allow your pride to dictate your actions. There are people in this world who have trained for hundreds, or even thousands, of years. Never assume you are at the peak, only that there will always be someone stronger."

The moment Vahn finished speaking, hundreds of thin lines appeared across Arika's blade before it shattered into tiny motes of magical light. Despite this, she didn't move from her defensive stance, almost as if her mind had completely stalled while trying to process the visual and audio stimulus she had received. It wasn't until Vahn lightly tapped her shoulder that she 'rebooted', her mouth opening as if to ask a question she didn't know how to form.

Seeing the rather 'honest' look on the usually expressionless woman's face, Vahn adopted a smile as he answered, "I have pursued the pinnacle of swordsmanship for decades and have yet to reach it. I can confidently call myself a Grandmaster, but, compared to those who have dedicated their entire lives to the art, I still have a long way to go. Don't let this lesson be a setback. Rather, whenever you meet someone stronger than you, be grateful. It can be very lonely at the peak, and, without strong foes, even the most powerful entities in existence will begin to stagnate.

After listening to Vahn's words, Arika looked between him and the hilt that remained in her hand, a thoughtful glimmer in her heterochromatic eyes. She knew he was stronger than her, but, no matter how strong he was, she thought they could at least have a good match. Instead, she was powerless to even defend herself, and, according to him, he wasn't even the strongest...

Feeling as though her perspective of the world had broadened, Arika gave a brief glance toward Fenrir, seeing the somewhat hateful woman smiling haughtily back at her. This caused her to feel a small amount of indignation, so, unable to even understand Vahn's power at her current level, she adopted a competitive look in her eyes as she answered, "I understand...thank you for the lesson..." without breaking eye contact with the wolf-like woman...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Asuna is quickly becoming spoiled xD...','Arika, the Frog Queen','Fenrir be like, "OwO, what's this? Is someone seeking death~?"')