Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos
chapter-1610

As it was exceptionally rare to have visitors within Elfenhof, the presence of Vahn's group stood out like an artificial sun shining in the evening sky. It was a fearful and confusing event that caused the older Elves to quickly secure the younger generation in a complex network of underground tunnels while the few warriors and mages among their population quickly congregated around the peculiar procession.

Though the reaction of the Elves seemed excessively cautious and hostile, Vahn knew they had a very good reason for behaving as such. Their total population had been reduced to fewer than six-thousand, and, without the protection of Yggdrillia, they would have been wiped out long ago. This made them extremely cautious of outsiders, as, throughout history, there were numerous examples of former allies turning into just another group trying to exploit them.

Fortunately, as a race that could read memories, intentions, and emotions through touch, there was no need for any complex explanation. It only took the members of the escort party making physical contact with their kin to convey everything that needed to be 'said'. This was an extremely coveted ability, as, not only did it allow them to pass knowledge from one generation to another, it virtually invalidated the need for a complex political system. There was no need for falsehoods, and, as they had always lived in close-knit communities, finding an Elf selfishly pursuing their own interests was 'exceptionally' rare...

While the Elves were busy exchanging information through touch, Vahn had a curious glimmer in his glowing blue eyes. He was trying to identify what made the Elves of the Akamatsuverse different than their counterparts in other Records, but, other than a few subtle differences, there was nothing that particularly stood out. Their ability to read and exchange memories actually seemed to parallel his ability to meld with other people. This actually made it seem even more intimate, but, unless he was overlooking something, it didn't actually seem to be the result of an Innate...

Unaware of what was going through Vahn's mind, Eva and Arika had awkward expressions on their faces as they watched the Elves silently communicate with each other. It was very strange to see so many people holding hands, touching each others' faces, and placing their foreheads against each other. This incongruity was exacerbated by the fact that most of the Elves remained silent in spite of the clear excitement that was visible on their faces. It looked like they would happily cry out at any moment, but, rather than do so, they would just smile radiantly while happily embracing their fellow Elves...

A stark contrast to Eva and Arika, Asuna and Fenrir had relatively plain expressions. The former had a curious glimmer in her eyes, and, after watching the scene play out for several minutes, she didn't hesitate to approach Vahn and grab his hand. To his surprise, he could feel something similar to her intent invade his body, probing around like an inquisitive traveler who had just entered a city for the first time.

Fortunately, Sis was always paying very close attention, so, rather than forcibly repel and potentially injure the mischievous young genius, she allowed Asuna to access the memories directly pertaining to her. At the same time, Vahn recovered from his incredulity, a wry smile on his face as he said, "It isn't polite to peek into someone's memories without permission, Asuna. Everyone has their secrets, and, if you aren't careful, you can experience a terrifying backlash if your target made preparations beforehand..."

As it was surprisingly difficult to speak while your intent was perusing something else, Asuna had a dull expression on her face as she nodded mechanically in response. She was doing her best to try and retract her intent, but, as if it was some kind of exceptionally comfortable labyrinth, she found herself lost within the complex network of Vahn's Spiritual Body. Part of her even considered never returning to her body, but, as this wasn't exactly an option, she didn't resist when Vahn's intent, like a reliable adult finding a lost child, guided her return.

Seeing the clarity return to Asuna's eyes, Vahn lightly pinched her nose before saying, "Promise me you won't use that ability on anyone that doesn't properly understand it. In the worst-case scenario, you might not even be able to return to your own body. Not everyone has the ability to control and guide their intent, and, more often than not, the mind reacts violently to external probing. We'll add this ability to your future training. Until you have proper control, I don't want you to use it when I'm not around."

Feeling uncharacteristically fatigued, Asuna issued a rather adorable yawn before rubbing her right eye and answering, "I promise. I just wanted to try it out and you seemed like the best choice. I'm sorry if I troubled you..."

Knowing Asuna didn't have any malicious intent, just childish curiosity, Vahn adopted a gentle look in his eyes as he affectionately rubbed her head. He also had a bad habit of trying out new abilities without properly considering the consequences, so, rather than rebuke her, he promptly decided he would help her master the ability. It would further enhance her already ridiculous capabilities, and, if used without malicious intent, it was one of the most 'honest' forms of communication imaginable.

With the combination of her mental exhaustion and Vahn's petting, it didn't take long for Asuna to succumb to the Sandman's call. Fortunately, she was still very petite, and, though the black mesh on her body increased her weight by 300kg, Vahn had no trouble holding her in a koala-carry. She had matured to the point where she didn't like being carried like a 'child', but, as she couldn't complain while asleep, Vahn defaulted to the most convenient hold.

Having witnessed the incident from start to finish, Eva couldn't help but remark, "That brat can be pretty terrifying at times..."

Hearing the remark, Vahn issued a light chuckle, gently patting Asuna's back as he answered, "The capabilities of a person should not determine how they are treated. There is nothing even remotely terrifying about such an adorable little creature...please remember that."

As children could be extremely perceptive of how others viewed them, Vahn couldn't help but feel a little worried about Asuna's future. She had an outgoing personality, but, as a result of her peerless capabilities, others were bound to feel suppressed by her existence. He knew this quite well, as, due to his own capabilities, it was almost impossible for him to have any close male friends. The best he could hope for was a master-protege relationship, as, even if he went to a place like Naruto or One Piece, it would be impossible for him to go at the pace of the main characters he once admired...

Though it would undoubtedly be enjoyable to just go with the flow, Vahn's character and mentality made it impossible for him to ignore wrongdoings taking place right in front of him. He would not be able to ignore the actions of the Celestial Dragons, and, if he went to a place like Naruto, there was even a chance he would outright 'adopt' the titular main character. He would then spend years bringing reform to the ninja world, removing elements like Danzo and Orochimaru long before they reached the pinnacle of their power. This would change the story on a fundamental level, and, while not exactly a 'bad' thing, Vahn's thoughts on the Records had changed quite a bit since his journey began...

When he first set out in the Western Forest nearly 260 years prior, Vahn had aspirations of visiting countless Records. He had always dreamed of being a character within the various stories he had read, and, though it was a little selfish, he wanted to use his knowledge of said stories to improve upon the plot. He wanted to save various characters, grow stronger, and, as he didn't understand the complexities of an actual relationship, there were even a number of female characters he had been crushing on. He even thought about using his knowledge to make them like him, ignoring the fact he would essentially be grooming them by directly manipulating their circumstances and taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.

Now that he had matured a bit, Vahn knew it was actually very selfish of him to enter into a Record. As a result, he had an obligation to either make the world a better place or empower those with the ability to do so. His power was quickly reaching a point where he was more involved with the forces keeping the Record together than the characters involved in the actual plot. Though this could be circumvented by entering a version of the Record with a higher tier, this would either fundamentally change the plot and its characters, or, far more likely, result in a world where the original plot took place in just one small part of a much larger multiverse.

After having ample time to prepare for the Akamatsuverse, Vahn had started to realize that it would become progressively harder to increase his Soul Tier if he knew what to expect from a Record. He needed to get out of his comfort zone, and, though it would undoubtedly cause him to experience a few hardships, he needed to contend against unknown danger rather than arbitrarily plan around variables he was already aware of.

Though it was currently a matter for the far future, Vahn had already decided that his next Record would be a variable world ranging between Tiers 1-6. Sis had informed him of the impossibility of overcoming a Tier 7 entity, as they could literally 'imagine' your existence away, so, in order to reach Tier 7 himself, he would need to overcome beings at the peak of Tier 6. This would require those at Tier 6 to be 'evil' entities, so, rather than enter a more structured world, he would have to enter one where even a normal person could conceivably rise to the pinnacle.

The downside to entering a Record where everyone had the potential of reaching the peak was that they were usually founded on a hierarchal structure. Though there would be 'infinite' exceptions to this rule, these would typically be governed by 'good' T6 entities, so, for his purposes, Vahn needed to choose a Record that was 'fundamentally' flawed. This virtually guaranteed the existence of a strength-based social hierarchy, and, as was often the case in such scenarios, it meant there would be a considerable number of people suffering from tyranny and corruption.

Vahn knew he grew the fastest when there were powerful enemies using their power to suppress others. Thus, if he entered a Record where even the Gods proactively suppressed people, his growth would be truly monstrous. He would fight his way all the way to the top of the Record, and, though it would be impossible to completely eliminate 'evil', reaching T7 should allow him to, quite literally, alter the Laws of the omniverse. He could create a system that rewarded the virtuous more than the wicked, and, though this was bound to have problems of its own, he would have a literal eternity to address them...

Seeing Vahn fall into one of his characteristic ruminations, Eva couldn't help but roll her eyes before looking between Arika and Fenrir. She didn't bother to comment on Vahn's remark about how she should treat Asuna, as, even without him telling her, she had no intention of treating the young girl poorly. Rather, she was quite fond of the twin-tailed 'monster', and, though there were times when she was annoyed by Asuna's behavior, she generally just used it as an opportunity to tease Vahn.

Noticing Eva's gaze, Arika offered an uncharacteristically wry smile before crossing her arms and lightly shrugging. They were both aware of the fact that Vahn had ambitions far beyond their world, but, at least for the time being, he couldn't tell them about it. Despite this, they placed a great deal of trust in him, as, even without an explanation, they knew he would always do his best to make the world a better place and help as many people as possible. This was a sentiment they all shared, so, even if Vahn could be a bit awkward at times, neither of the golden-haired beauties faulted him for it...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Touching intensifies...','Asuna would make a great Uchiha...','Vahn about to show some cultivators the breadth of the Heavens...')