Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos
chapter-1862

Though there were a number of exceptions, such as the Name-Hunt Station on the 39th Floor, the Hell Express typically stopped for a total of one hour at each of the nine stations. This was further broken down into two thirty-minute blocks, the first allowing passengers to debark and the second allowing new arrivals to board.

Just as he had done on the previous Floor, Vahn was intending to restrict access to the Hell Train. This time, however, he wasn’t going to allow ’anyone’ to board as the odds of them getting in his way was simply too great. He was about to hunt down one of the ancient Slayers of FUG, so, for their own sake, he couldn’t allow other Regulars to embark until he had finished his business.

With this in mind, Vahn waited until the doors opened before stepping out ahead of John and his companions. Immediately thereafter, his domain swept across the circular ring below, upon which more than three-hundred opportunistic Regulars had gathered. They had intentions for any of the Regulars who might be disembarking the Hell Train, and, so long as they played their cards right, it was possible to join a team of Ticket Holders after seizing the tickets of previous passengers.

Recognizing a few faces among the crowd, Vahn’s eyes squinted slightly as his figure seemed to vanish from atop the stairs. In the next moment, he appeared right in front of Sachi Faker and his team, smiling as he asked, "Are you looking down on me? I told you before. Aka has lost their right to board the Hell Express. Trying to sneak them onboard using a Lighthouse is a trick even a toddler wouldn’t fall for...I mean, really..."

Punctuating his words, Vahn forcibly teleported the Lighthouse concealed on the far side of the Hell Express. Then, before the Light Bearer accompanying Sachi could react, he smashed the pale yellow cube into several smaller fragments, forcing ejecting everything within. This included Aka, who, after a month of rest and relaxation, now appeared without so much as a trace of their former injuries.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Vahn directed his gaze towards Sachi, frowning as he released the man from his Reverse Flow Control and said, "I will be dealing with the person who killed Roen. If possible, I will also try and help her. For now, your group should wait patiently on the 44th Floor. Now that you’ve attempted this little stunt, you have all lost your right to board the Hell Express. If you continue trying my patience, don’t blame me for the consequences."

Without sticking around to humor the man’s response, Vahn teleported to a spot above the circular arena, a place where everyone present could see him. Then, in an authoritative voice that resonated throughout the entirety of the platform, he stated, "The Hell Express is off-limits this year. I will give you the next twenty minutes to depart. Any who remain after that will be forcibly removed from the arena and have their tickets seized."

Though some people had heard about what happened on the 35th Floor, very few people actually moved to withdraw from the arena. They also didn’t wander very far. Instead, they took up positions along the outskirts, most intending to spectate while others were awaiting an opportunity to take advantage of the ensuing conflict.

Rather than minding the opportunistic individuals hoping for his fall, Vahn gradually floated toward the Hell Express while scanning the crowd below. He noticed there were quite a number of Regulars belong to FUG mixed within the crowd. They stood out due to the fact that nearly every member of their team wore hooded cloaks, and, unlike the other Regulars gathered below, they radiated an air of ’confidence’ that didn’t match their strength.

Though he could easily guess based on the context of the current situation, Vahn still had the Law of Identity confirm their intentions. Unsurprisingly, they were intending to board the Hell Express, and, due to him ignoring the first team sent by FUG, they mistakenly believed he would allow them to do so.

Amused by their audacity, Vahn couldn’t prevent a light chuckle from escaping his lips as he came to a stop on the stairs leading up to the Hell Express. He obviously wasn’t going to let them board the train, as, not only would it be slapping himself in the face, it would also implicate him with the infamous criminal organization. He had no interest in being associated with them, and, considering he was about to kill one of their former Slayers, there was a pretty good chance that they would be at odds in the very near future...

With this in mind, Vahn gradually increased the pressure within his domain, an action that helped to ’convince’ several other teams to depart the arena. Then, once there were only two minutes left, his smile disappeared as a golden luminance spread beyond the confines of the platform. This caused the remaining Regulars to fall to their knees, sweat breaking out across their bodies as the pressure skyrocketed to the point of cracking the arena’s foundation.

Surprised by his own power, Vahn began to gradually release the pressure as he slowly descended the stairs. For a brief moment, he was seized by the notion that he could just ’erase’ everyone that had refused to obey him, their wills crumbling under the pressure of his own. This was more than a little perturbing, but, rather than allow it to affect him, Vahn mentally uttered, ("This is still just the beginning...don’t let your own power frighten you...use it...control it...")

Following his own advice, Vahn’s eyes began to radiate with an intensity that rivaled the Sun as he came to a stop at the very base of the stairs. Then, in a tone that seemed to pierce directly into the minds of everyone present, he simply uttered, "Leave."

Despite the pressure that continued to weigh upon them, virtually everyone within the vicinity of Vahn’s domain, including those spectating from outside the arena, began to migrate towards the elevators and stairs leading away from the platform. Those who couldn’t stand crawled on all fours while those who couldn’t even do that began to pull themselves across the ground. It was an eerie sight to behold, and, though he was the one who had caused it, even Vahn could hardly believe the scene playing out before his very eyes...

Feeling more than a little exhausted, Vahn saw off the marginally frightened members of Team John before returning to the Hell Express. There, Artoria and Asuna were waiting for him, concern visible in both of their gazes as the former asked, "Are you okay...?"

With two of his wives standing before him, Vahn was already beginning to feel better, so, without needing to lie, he managed a smile as he said, "I am now. Come, let us return to the others. I’m sure Fenrir is probably feeling a little restless. Once I deal with her, we can return to the Little Garden for some R&R. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten our prior arrangement."

In an effort to allay the duo’s concerns, Vahn punctuated his statement with a playful wink before casually snaking his hands around their waists. Fortunately, they both possessed the ability to see through him with remarkable clarity, so, while they could tell he wasn’t completely fine, they could also tell that he wasn’t lying. Thus, rather than press the issue, Artoria responded by changing into casual wear while Asuna planted a light peck on his cheek before uttering, "I’m looking forward to it..." in a voice amplified by a sensual purr.

Smiling wolfishly in response to Asuna’s bold words, Vahn attempted to slide his hand down her body and give her pert rump a light pinch. This was something she had seen coming, so, before he was able to, she planted another swift kiss on his cheek before blinking away like a phantom. Rather than simply open up some distance between them, however, she continued until her figure was out of sight, seemingly with the intent to give him and Artoria some alone time.

Though he understood she was trying to make up for her earlier selfishness, Vahn’s expression still melted into an affectionate smile when he realized Asuna’s intentions. As for Artoria, she issued a light chuckle before leaning her head against his shoulder and softly remarking, "Be sure to reward her plentily once we reach the outer rings..."

After a light chuckle of his own, Vahn gradually slowed his advance before stopping completely as he wrapped Artoria in his embrace. She responded to this by stealing his lips, preempting his words with action. She even slipped her hands into his back pockets, seizing the initiative by squeezing his butt and guiding his back against the nearby wall. These were things she could only do when other people weren’t around, and, though he wasn’t unfamiliar with such behaviors, her marginally more youthful appearance somehow made her actions seem exponentially bolder...

With Mordred showing no signs of completing her Revolution any time soon, Vahn had everyone return to the Little Garden so they could relax and discuss plans for the future. He also wanted to spend some time with his children, who, as could be expected, were growing at a remarkable rate. Every month that passed for them equated to five months of development, so, despite being only eight months old, they had the appearances of three-year-olds.

Though Naruto had found a place for himself among the verdant forests of the Emerald Grove, the same couldn’t be said for young Hana. She had never outgrown her penchant for spying on others. Rather, thanks to numerous people doting upon her and a burgeoning friendship with Madara, she had become a ’very’ successful prankster. She had even learned a few basic Jutsu, and, much to the chagrin of the less perceptive residents of the Emerald Grove, she had a remarkable talent for laying traps...

Fortunately, despite her persistent pranking, Hana was still adored by virtually every resident of the Emerald Grove. Most of her pranks were pretty harmless, so, rather than take offense to them, they would actually praise her for a job well done. This served to further encourage her, and, though this resulted in an ever-increasing number of traps, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It allowed her to gain an understanding of basic mechanics at a very young age, and, most importantly, it helped her grasp the difference between right and wrong via positive reinforcement rather than reproach.

Vahn genuinely believed in the inherent goodness of children, and, so long as they grew up in an understanding environment, the chances of them being led astray later in life were negligible. This was a sentiment shared by all of his Templates, so, while her pranks could be a little troublesome at times, the only times they admonished her was when she endangered herself or others. The rest of the time, they praised her ingenuity and even encouraged her to prank specific people, effectively becoming her accomplice.

Unfortunately for Vahn, the person Hana enjoyed pranking more so than anyone else was himself. This put him in a difficult situation since he could easily see through her traps, yet, in spite of this, had to walk into them. This had resulted in his hair being dyed a variety of different colors, and, on one occasion, he even had to walk into an invisible barrier that had been erected by Latias. This was Hana’s most common accomplice, and, after realizing she wouldn’t get in trouble, Latias’ penchant for pranks had increased to match the young Hyuuga’s.

Since they were exceptionally cute whenever they smiled, Vahn was utterly powerless to oppose the tyrannical duo. He couldn’t stand to see his daughter cry, and, though she could get a little out of hand at times, Latias had gradually become one of his favorite among the Pokemon. The only one he was really closer to was Arceus, but, considering the direction their relationship had developed, that wasn’t too surprising. After all, while it had yet to hatch, she was still the mother of one of his children...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: ’Tier 5 Vahn be scary...’,’Oh my (OwO)....’,’Better get to steppin~’)