Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With the fragment of Altrouge dealt with, Vahn turned his attention to Arcueid who, at this point, had collapsed onto the ground. Only a few seconds had passed since the time he forcibly pulled the malignant energy from her body but having fragments of your spirit forcibly separated was one of the most painful things imaginable.

So as not to prolong her suffering, Vahn unhesitantly made his way through the expanding pool of black liquid. In much the same way as Sakura's shadow, it attempted to encroach upon his body but, here in the [Space-Time Orb], a place Vahn was intimately familiar with, such attacks had no effect on him. His Ego could not be corroded by external forces so the corrosive liquid flowed around his body like a cold and viscous liquid without singing even a single hair.

Upon reaching Arcueid's side, Vahn kneeled down, lifting her body into his arms and holding her tight as he sent his Source Energy flooding through her system. This was a method he had actually hypothesized in a path, a means to strengthen the Ego of another person by infusing his Source Energy directly with their spiritual body. There seemed to be no limit to the ways in which he could make use of this unique form of energy so, after a few seconds, the darkness flowing from Arcueid's body more than tripled in volume until it had been completely expunged.

It was amazing to see something as inconsequential as a few strands of energy forming something like a veritable lake of corrupt ether. Vahn was reminded that his comprehension of the Laws was still lacking but, at some point in the distant future, he reasoned that creating an entire planet from what appeared to be a single drop of Source Energy should be possible. After all, he could fit an infinitely vast space within the palm of his hand so, in the grand scheme of things, everything was a matter of perspective...

Due to the intense pain she had experienced, Arcueid was still a little pale as she nestled into Vahn's embrace. Damage to the psyche wasn't something that could be remedied by any amount of passive regeneration so it would take a few hours for her to make a full recovery, at the very least. Despite this, she was able to retain her consciousness and, after a few seconds had passed, she even opened her eyes to ask, "Are your methods...always so extreme...?"

Though it might have seemed like she was complaining, Arcueid had a contented smile on her face as, even in her current state, she felt better than before. Previously, she had a feeling similar to what others would experience just before they got a cold or came down with a severe sickness. Now, her body felt lighter and, for the first time in centuries, the sickly cold feeling that was always present in the pit of her stomach had vanished entirely...

Understanding she was actually trying to joke around with him, Vahn's smile softened and, despite the inky black liquid still staining her lips, he surprised her with a small peck on the lips. This caused color to return to her face, albeit several shades of red darker than a more natural complexion. Vahn always enjoyed seeing these types of reactions as the visible surprise and giddiness were second only to when a woman smiled sincerely.

Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to appreciate Arcueid's reaction as the corrupted ether began to coalesce into an exceptionally pale man with long black hair. Like most Vampires, he had blood-red eyes but, compared to the ruby-like glimmering of Arcueid's, his were like polluted pools of congealed blood, made worse by the fact he was glaring with a vicious scowl.

Since she could see the man that had formed clearly, Arcueid's aura became ice-cold in an instant as she venomously spat, "Roa...!" This caused the ink-haired man to turn his attention toward Arcueid and, as if he only just now noticed her, a sadistic smile spread across he has as he licked his lips and mused, "Ah, Princess, it is truly a pleasure to see you in such a state. Will you cry for me this time as well~?"

Before Arcueid could respond to the vile man, Vahn beat her to the punch by contracting [Enkidu] around Roa's body. He had been paying close attention to the corrupted ether from the beginning so, from the moment it began to coalesce into a figure, he had already sent [Enkidu] to coil around the area. He wasn't going to let Roa traumatize Arcueid any further, especially after promising to make her happy only a few minutes prior...

Though he would have been able to avoid it with ease at his full strength, the current Roa was just a small fragment of an already fragmented Ego. He didn't even have the power of a B-Rank Servant so, with Vahn having made preparations for his emergence, there was virtually nothing he could do. As a result, his body was bound in glimmering golden chains and, before he could say any snide remarks directed toward Arcueid, one of the links of [Enkidu] pierced directly through his mouth, forcing its way through the back of his head.

Arcueid was at a loss seeing how easily Vahn dealt with the person she hated more than anything else in the entire world. He didn't even turn to look back at Roa and, while the latter may have just been a small fraction of the original in strength, it was still an incomprehensible sight. This caused her to look back up at Vahn, his smiling face seeming more radiant than before while his embrace brought her a feeling of security she had never experienced before...

Reading the mood, Vahn dutifully lowered his lips to meet with Arcueid's, this time prolonging the contact for several seconds. Her face became nearly as red as her eyes, her heart beating madly as she ended up freezing in much the same way as Olga. Vahn found this rather adorable but he was more taken by the fact that, after a few seconds had passed, Arcueid gingerly poked at his lips with her tongue, either out of instinct or curiosity.

Tempted as he was, Vahn didn't want to push Arcueid too far so, after meeting her tongue with his own, for a very brief moment, he pulled away from her with a large grin on his face. He was certainly happy with the development but, more than that, the fact Arcueid had her tongue sticking out was simply too adorable. Better still was the fact that, after realizing he had pulled away, Arcueid's eyes snapped open as her tongue retreated back behind her inviting lips, now clean of the black liquid from before.

Since he still needed to deal with Roa and the legacy of Crimson Moon, Vahn helped Arcueid stand on her own two feet before gently stroking her face and saying, "Wait for me...after I deal with this bastard, I'll give you as many kisses as you want..."

To punctuate his statement, Vahn stole yet another kiss from Arcueid's lips, taking advantage of the long pauses she required to come up with a cohesive response. With her reaction time, she would be able to evade his lips with considerable ease so, by allowing him to kiss her, Arcueid was essentially giving him permission to continue doing so.

With Arcueid temporarily pacified, Vahn approached the writhing figure of Roa and, in much the same way as Altrouge, he enveloped the man's body before purging him. This was actually one of Vahn's most powerful techniques as, unless the target was able to free themselves in an expedient manner, they were doomed to be expunged by the purifying properties of his body. The only real countermeasure against his encroachment was to not have any malicious intentions, something that obviously didn't apply to entities such as Roa, a person who basked in the suffering of others.

Now that the two lesser presences in Arcueid were eliminated, Vahn turned back to find the latter waiting obediently where he had left her. Based on how she was fidgeting slightly, he imagined she had taken his previous words literally but, before he could shower the over-eager princess in kisses, there was one final matter that required his attention. Fortunately, this one would be much easier to deal with than the other two as Vahn didn't even need to forcibly extract it.

After returning to Arcueid's side. Vahn brought her into his embrace as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Arucied offered virtually no resistance to his actions but, just as she was about to purse her lips, Vahn placed his index finger against them and said, "There is still one more..." in a soft tone. This reminded Arcueid of the reason they had entered the space but, more so than the matter of Crimson Moon, she was embarrassed by the fact she had tried to continue where they had left off.

To avoid her having a minor breakdown, Vahn hugged Arcueid tightly in his embrace, lifting her from the ground slightly as a result. He waited until she naturally returned his embrace before whispering in a commanding tone, "Designation Type: Moon, I command you to leave this woman's body. From now on, your contract with Gaia has been voided. You may return to your progeny but I forbid you from granting them the power to exploit and harm others..."

Arcueid was somewhat confused by Vahn's words but, before she could make any inquiries, a strong tugging force could be felt in her body. In the next moment, a beautiful man with blood-red eyes and long golden hair manifested behind her. He was dressed similarly to a nobleman from the early Victorian Era and, even at a glance, he radiated an extraordinary and dignified aura.

Though she had never met him personally, Arcueid understood that the man before her was none other than the first of the True Ancestors, Crimson Moon. Even she was filled with an urge to lower her head but, much to her surprise, Crimson Moon was the one to bow politely as he stated, "I will carry out your order without fail. In exchange, please visit the Moon one day and help restore my physical body. Existing in this manner has been less than pleasant..."

Vahn knew that Crimson Moon, while credited with a few terrible deeds, wasn't actually an 'evil' existence. Rather, he was akin to a force of nature, an existence on an even higher level than most of the Gods that had appeared throughout history. With this being the case, he didn't mind giving the man a new vessel to inhabit, especially if it meant he wouldn't be troubling others in the future. This would have to wait until after the Empire had established itself but, as this was only a matter of time, Vahn nodded his head and answered, "It will take some time but I promise to assist you once things have stabilized."

In response to Vahn's words, Crimson Moon gave another bow, stating, "Your benevolence knows no bounds...". Then, after raising his head and adopting a distant look in his eyes, Crimson Moon faded from the [Space-Time Orb] as his essence, back in the real world, separated from Arcueid's body. At the same time, a moon-shaped emblem, previously hidden, flaked away from her forehead.

With the seal's disappearance, Arcueid no longer had any relation to Crimson Moon and, as a result, even her status as a True Ancestor had been revoked. Now, she was truly a Greater Divine Spirit, her connection to the World granting her a completely unique status. After all, she still had unrestricted access to the Counter Force so, as long as the planet existed, and vice-versa, Arcueid would forever remain one of the most powerful forces in the world...

As could be expected from these changes, Arcueid's body and spirit experienced a few of their own. While her hair stayed the same color, her previously blood-red eyes changed to reflect the color of pristine sapphires. At the same time, her aura gained a quality similar to the one produced by both Spenta and Aura, enough so that Vahn could feel his skin tingle just by being in contact with her. She had become a being of purity and, if not for his interactions with people like Artoria, he would have been a little worried about their future together...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Can't touch this...','Type: Omega OP','Vahn over here purifying girls before he corrupts them...')

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