Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

(A/N: Voting is finally enabled. The problem was apparently related to the fact Zoe's name uses a special character, even though it has been that way for months. Let's show the ranking we're not playing around \>:D!!)

As time continued its perpetual march forward, Vahn's time was split between research, helping to babysit Ren, and, every now and then, going on small Adventures. There were quite a number of Textures with everything from floating islands to rivers that flowed and spiraled through the air. These were mystical lands filled with Phantasmal Species and all manner of unique races that had diverged from humanity millennia ago. This added a sense of wonderment that couldn't be found in something like the Virtual World, so, after dealing with the various 'rulers' of these Textures, the amount of traffic between them and the Surface world was gradually increasing.

Previously, there were a number of powerful entities that had eagerly sought to return to the Surface. Even if they had massive Realm-like Textures to rule over, they didn't like that they were basically imprisoned on the Reverse Side. Thus, in an effort to convince the more apprehensive Gods and Goddesses, Vahn had allowed many of them to explore the Surface world for a short period of time. He also promised to create pathways between the Surface and the Reverse Side, removing the need for a chaotic merger between the myriad Textures.

It would take a considerable amount of time to create a comprehensive network, but, so long as you had access to the transportation nexus, it was possible to traverse more than three-hundred different Textures. This number was gradually increasing at a rate of one gate every 2-3 days, so, by the end of the year, an additional 120 Textures would have been added, effectively converting Gaia into a pocket universe.

Knowing how amazing Gaia was, Vahn would still get a little upset when he heard reports about a community violating the Common Law by trying to dump their waste into rivers or oceans. There were still a number of people who didn't think the Empire would enforce the more 'inconvenient' aspects of the Common Law, so, despite countless instances of people being punished, others, as if it was some inherent instinct, would readily pollute the environment.

Fortunately, even with millions of people committing minor offenses, it was nothing compared to the amount of waste produced in the 'Modern Era'. Now, things like industrial factories no longer existed. Chemical and Nuclear plants had been effectively 'erased', and, with most vehicles being banned, the volume of emissions had decreased to a negligible amount. These factors, combined with the fact that Gaia had been receiving an ample amount of 'nourishment', all but guaranteed she would live on into perpetuity...

---

With a characteristically casual smile on his face, Vahn was enjoying the gentle rays of the sun as he absentmindedly observed a pleasant scene.

A few meters away from his position, playing in the shallows of a pristine blue lake, Gaia, Spenta, Tiamat, and another white-haired beauty were all happily playing together. If former members of the Holy Church were to witness this scene, they would be unable to hide the shock on their face, not just because of the white-haired woman's identity, but because she was wearing a pure white one-piece swimsuit while happily playing with others...

As if reacting to some unspoken cue, the young girl who had been sitting at his side, possessing similar features to the much older white-haired woman, mused, "You never cease to amaze me...I never would have thought that child would be able to find happiness. To see her happily playing with others... it's almost enough to make me think you had no ulterior motives..."

Hearing the voice of the young girl, Aura, Vahn turned to meet her seemingly blind eyes, smiling as he said, "Everything people do for others is done with ulterior motives. Even if it is just to make someone else happy, there is always an underlying reason driving us to act. It doesn't matter what my original intentions were...Mavis is much happier apprenticing under Vivian than she ever was as the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Church."

Rather than refute Vahn's statement, Aura gave a small nod before returning a smile of her own and saying, "I suppose that is all that really matters. I have yet to see you try and exploit her gifts, so there isn't much I can say on the matter. I only hope that things can remain like this for a very long time...peace is often too fleeting..."

Vahn was well aware of how quickly things could transition from peace to absolute chaos, so he couldn't help but nod in response to Aura's words. At the same time, however, he was gingerly poking Alaya's feline abdomen, earning a stink eye from her before she rolled over to protect her belly. This allowed him free access to her back, so, without any hesitation, Vahn began to caress her soft fur while staring at the invisible screen within his mind...

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[Quest: World Power]

Rank: SSS

Completion Grade: SS

Objective(s): Defeat a total of ten Dead Apostle Ancestors designated by the Holy Church:(13/10), Slay or subordinate Solon Yggdrasil, Director of the Mage's Association(1/1), Slay or subordinate Mavis Maxwell, Pontiff of the Holy Church(1/1), Slay or subordinate any weilder of True Magic:(1/1)

Optional Objective(s): Purify the Crimson Moon Curse from Arcueid Brunestud:(1/1), Destroy the Enforcement Division of the Mage's Association:(8/8), Destroy the Burial Agency of the Holy Church:(5/8), Slay or subordinate one of the three Monarchal Lords associated with the Mage's Association:(1/1)

Reward(s): 8,000,000,000OP, 1x[Heaven's Mandate], 1x[Seal of Heaven], 1x[Imperial Regalia], 1x[Crimson Moon Tiara], 3x[Anti-Origin Dagger], 1x[Sword of the Lord]

[Heaven's Mandate]

Rank: Unique

Use: Upon activation, allows the user to make a contract with the current Ruler or Guardian of the world. If they are successful, all life within a specified dominion will become aware of their status as the designated Ruler of the World, granting them nigh-absolute Authority within the dominion they have been assigned.

Restriction: Vahn Aldrnari Mason

[Seal of Heaven]

Rank: Unique

Use: Allows for a singular decree to be acknowledged by the World. This decree will become an absolute law within the dominion assigned to the user. Violation of said decree will result in the offender being punished by the World.

Restriction: Heaven's Mandate must be in effect.

[Imperial Regalia]

Rank: Unique

Use: Allows the transfer of Authority granted by [Heaven's Mandate]. The wielder of this dagger is recognized as the designated Ruler of the World.

Restriction(s): Heaven's Mandate must be in effect. This item can only be transferred willingly.

[Crimson Moon Tiara]

Rank: SS

P.Def: 0

M.Def: 2300

Abilities: Blessing of the Crimson Moon(SS), Mind Enhancement(S), Mind Resistance(S), Indestructible(S)

A beautiful silver tiara rumored to be cast from the light of the full moon. Greatly increases the wearer's mental clarity while providing an equal increase in mental resistances. When worn by its rightful owner, it increases all parameters by an amount corresponding to phases of the moon. It is most powerful on the night of the Full Moon, temporarily doubling the wearer's parameters for a brief period of time.

Restriction(s): Arcueid Brunestud, Anyone with Yin-Elemental Affinity

[Anti-Origin Dagger]

Rank: Unique

Use: So long as the user knows the Origin of the target, this weapon has a high chance of causing instant death.

[Sword of the Lord]

Rank: Unique

Use: A ceremonial item used in succession rituals. After being soaked in a person's blood, the blade of this sword will glow with a mystical blue light. This effect can be triggered by all direct descendants, making it a viable method to determine familial ties during succession disputes.

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With Phase Four looming on the horizon, Vahn had been forced to decide whether or not he wanted to complete certain Quests. He obviously didn't care much about the one assigned to him by Akasha, but, when it came to Quests like [World Power], the benefits were too good to simply ignore. Unique items such as [Heaven's Mandate] were phenomenal unlocks, and, with a constantly fluctuating pool of OP, it was always better to have more.

Though it would be difficult to achieve, Vahn wanted to stockpile around twenty-billion OP before leaving the Nasuverse. This could be achieved instantly if he completed his Main Quest: [Genesis Path: Dawn of Creation], but, as it felt like a waste to obtain a Divinity just as he was preparing to leave a Record, Vahn decided against it. He also wanted to try and complete each of the Optional Objectives, so, for the time being, he really only had [Gaia's Champion] and [Ruler of a Thousand Realms] for substantial OP gain.

Since [Gaia's Champion] would be completed the moment he exited the Record, the only Quest Vahn could focus on was [Ruler of a Thousand Realms]. Even this didn't require him to do much, however, as the Main Objective was simply establishing a transportation network between the Surface World and the myriad Textures on the Reverse Side. It was only a matter of time until he completed it, rewarding him a substantial, yet deceptively small, 1,000,000,000OP. With [Gaia's Champion], this would only bring him to around fifteen-billion, so, if he wanted to meet his goal, Vahn still needed to earn five-billion Origin Points prior to his departure...

Truthfully, five-billion OP wasn't actually that much in the grand scheme of things. He passively earned nearly a billion OP every year, so, if he decided to live frugally, Vahn would be able to stockpile plenty. He also had the option of simply grinding out a few Quests, allowing him to spend time with his children while exploring various worlds. There were no limits to the number of options available to him, leaving Vahn spoiled for choice.

The only thing that dishearted him was the fact that, with the passage of time and the introduction of things like the Virtual World, Vahn had grown weary of Quests. While they were immeasurably useful, allowing him to grow exponentially stronger in the pursuit of his objectives, Vahn felt like they removed a bit of his individuality. He didn't like the feeling of acting according to Objectives as it almost made him feel like a machine.

Shaking his head, Vahn decided to stop worrying about things he had full control over. He wasn't forced to accept Quests, and, if he really wanted to, he could completely ignore them. There was no sense in complaining about extra benefits, so, rather than create an issue out of nothing, Vahn decided to do something more productive...

Ignoring the curious gaze from Aura, Vahn cradled Alaya in his arms as he rose to his feet. At the same time, he unequipped most of his clothing, leaving only a pair of shorts. This was enough to alert Alaya, her violet eyes 'glaring' at him accusingly as he returned a mischievous smile and lept through the air, shouting, "Cannonball~!" before splashing into the refreshingly cold water...

---

While one version of himself was off 'bullying' Alaya, Vahn's main body was seated on his Throne, patiently listening to reports about the various affairs of the Empire. This was the most boring part of his day, and, though he had gotten used to it, Vahn still felt it was somewhat tedious. If not for the fact there were more than a hundred people present, each following decorum to perfection, he might not be able to resist slouching while listening to Gawain drone on for more than half an hour. Fortunately, towards the end of his report, Gawain wrapped things up by saying, "We have received a missive from Admiral Drake. Her fleet encountered an ambush from a foreign Empire in the Blue Sky Texture. There were no casualties on our side, but Princess Mordred crashed her ship into one of the enemy airships..."

As Vahn had just been thinking about joining Mordred and Nobunaga on their excursion into the Blue Sky Texture, he was pleasantly surprised to hear Gawain mention them. This brought a small smile to his face as he muttered, "That doesn't surprise me...Mordred has always been the type to fight her battles using more 'direct' methods..."

Hearing their Emperor's words, the assembly, now consisting of a large number of Gods, Spirits, and Fae, dutifully laughed in response. They all knew how 'spirited' Mordred could be and this wasn't the first time reports of her exploits had reached the assembly.

Since it was a good opportunity, Vahn gestured for silence before asking, "So, did Admiral Drake request for reinforcements? If so, I may intervene personally..."

Shaking his head, Gawain adopted a slightly wry smile as he explained, "I'm afraid the second part of the missive includes a request that Your Imperial Majesty 'not' intervene. Admiral Drake, Vice-Amidral Nobunaga, and Princess Modred have expressed an interest in handling this matter themselves..."

If not for the audience, Vahn felt as though he would have deflated like a balloon immediately after hearing Gawain's words. This was another reason why he harbored the desire to just travel freely in future Records, as, in the Nasuverse, his movements had become restricted. If he wanted to force the matter, he could do pretty much whatever he wanted, but, due to their desire to grow strong and support the Empire, he had to give everyone else a chance to spread their wings...

Restraining a sigh, Vahn gave a curt nod before dismissing Gawain and asking, "Are there any other matters that require our attention? If not, we will move to the next phase of proceedings..."

---

While Vahn was tied down by his responsibilities as an Emperor, Nobunaga was at the helm of a massive airship that was more than three-hundred meters in length. It was a beautiful craft that borrowed various Japanese aesthetics in its design, including a tiered bridge that looked like a five-story Pagoda. As for the rest of the ship, the hull was predominately black while the railings and support structures were painted a rich crimson hue. The only other dominant color was gold, but this was primarily used to adorn the massive cannons that lined the port and starboard sides of the ship.

Though it defied conventional laws of physics, Nobunaga's ship, the 'Sixth Heaven', was able to glide through the air with surprising grace. It required neither sails nor thrusters to keep it alight. Instead, it used an advanced system of gravitational anchors and graviton tethers to allow it to maneuver just as easily in the atmosphere as it could outside of it.

Currently, Nobunaga had split off from the main fleet, taking advantage of the Sixth Heaven's size to draw the attention of their enemy, the Melchiore Empire. They were a rather tyrannical bunch that had conquered hundreds of floating islands within the Blue Sky Texture. This made them one of the most powerful forces in the unique Texture, as, unlike others, it lacked a pantheon of Gods to maintain order. Instead, it had a few powerful Divine and Elemental Spirits that were commonly worshipped as local deities. Some of these qualified as Tier 4 entities, but, due to a lack of Divine Authority, they were little more than pseudo-immortal beings with limited mastery over various Laws.

After cresting around a mountain that was more than 8km tall and 23km wide, a vicious smile spread across Nobunaga's face as she pulled out a small gemstone and shouted, "Battle stations, on the double! I don't want to see a single person lazing about! If I find out anyone was slacking off, I'll plant a bullet so far up your colon you'll be tasting iron for the next six months...!"

Following the rather crude command, hundreds of crew members, each wearing matching uniforms and accompanied by Companions, began their battle stations. There were a number of anti-air cannons and defensive batteries on the deck of the Sixth Heaven, so, even if they weren't operating one of the 128 main cannons, everyone had something to do. The only exception to this was the specialized boarding crew, the only group wearing armor amongst the entire crew.

Leading the boarding crew, wearing a rather futuristic red mechanical suit that was designed to look like a sleek dragon, was none other than Mordred. After crashing her ship into one of the enemy vessels, both ships ended up 'sinking' into the endless abyss of clouds below. Fortunately, their uniforms were equipped with tracking beacons that allowed the crew to be teleported in the event of an emergency. She had been able to relocate her entire crew to the nearby Golden Hind before personally piloting her relatively small ship into the belly of her enemy. Since then, she had her Captain's license temporarily revoked, but, as it was infinitely more fun to lead the boarding party, Mordred didn't particularly mind...

With the Sixth Heaven rapidly approaching a small fleet of enemy vessels, Mordred donned her helmet, completing her draconic look as she activated her comms and shouted, "Let's show these bastards who the skies really belong to! Onwards! For the glory of the Empire...!!"