Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Due to his Realm existing in a completely separate Temporal Axis than the standard Time Axis of the Akamatsuverse, Vahn didn't have to worry about anything happening to his body on the outside. In fact, even if he idled in his Realm for eons, no time would pass in 'reality'. If not for the fact they were influenced by two entirely separate sets of Laws, it might have even been possible for him to train in the comfort of his Realm, growing exponentially stronger in the 'real' world. For now, however, that would have to wait until he was at a high enough Soul Tier to rectify the differences in Laws between Records.

Fortunately, even if he couldn't grow stronger, that didn't mean he was unable to accumulate more experience. If his comprehension was high enough, there was nothing stopping him from using the things he learned inside his Realm in the outside world. This made it a perfect training ground to test certain theories, and, with enough time and effort, it was only a matter of time before he could move things from one Record into the world of another. Even if he couldn't find a way on his own, Da Vinci would undoubtedly figure something out. He could now tell her all about The Path and the Records, so, with her unwavering determination, she might even find a solution in a relatively short period of time...

---

With thoughts of how he would explain things to everyone back in Avalon occupying his mind, Vahn spent the better part of seven weeks just helping Gaia, Alaya, and Tiamat familiarize themselves with their vessels. It actually only took Tiamat around five days before she was bouncing around excitedly, but, due to the nature of their existence, it took Gaia and Alaya much longer.

Perhaps as a result of her relatively recent rehabilitation, Gaia managed to move around without too much trouble after around 655 hours. In actuality, no time had passed at all, but, due to his ability to perceive its concept, Vahn could still keep track of the recovery process. Because of this, he knew it had taken Alaya around 1156 hours, even if she 'should' have been able to recover much sooner.

It could be due to the fact they were no longer under the influence of the Root System, but Gaia and Alaya both experienced subtle shifts in their personality. Gaia became even more bubbly than she had been in the past, becoming quick friends with Laev-tan. As for Alaya, she was still an intellectual tsundere, but, compared to her past self, she seemed far more bashful. She even took advantage of the fact he was taking care of her, greatly extending her recovery time just so he would pamper her a little more. It wasn't until Tiamat outright asked if they were allowed to have sex that Alaya made a very sudden and 'miraculous' recovery...

Since his main concern had already been dealt with, Vahn surprised all 'four' girls by answering, "Yes. Now that you are free from the constraints of the Root System, there is no danger in having sex. You can even get pregnant and have a baby, though I would ask that you limit yourselves to just one for the time being."

Like a trio of True Dragons, the pupils of Gaia, Alaya, and Tiamat all became fine lines as the eyed him like a juicy piece of meat. As for Laev-tan, she didn't even seem to think about trying to include herself, seemingly 'knowing' the answer. In fact, she was likely the most 'attuned' person to him right now, her Ego functioning as a second imprint upon his Soul. They were basically a singular entity, so, while she certainly enjoyed being pampered, the thought of having sex or rearing children had never crossed her mind...

---

After removing the 'restriction' on the three carnivorous sisters, Vahn learned just how scary women could be when they were starved for affection. This was true for all three of them, as, despite being the mothers of various Gods and Phantasmal Species, Gaia and Tiamat had never actually had sex. It wasn't something that was really 'necessary' for Tier 5 entities. As a result, they became a little crazy due to their draconic heritage. It wasn't as bad as when Artoria first became a Dragon, but, for nearly as long as it took them to recover, Vahn wasn't 'allowed' to leave the trio unattended.

Surprisingly, the most demure of the three ended up being Alaya. Gaia and Tiamat were relatively honest with their feelings, allowing them to very clearly state what they wanted. Alaya, however, had spent so much time distancing herself from everything, solely focused on her duties, that she wasn't able to properly convey her wants and needs. It almost felt like she was getting revenge for making her wait so long, forcing him to seek her own and behaving much like a disinterested cat until he got her in the mood...

Fortunately, no matter how carnivorous the trio was, Vahn's prowess within his Realm could never be matched. He never tired, and, no matter how powerful they were, it was virtually impossible for them to get any real advantages against him. Even when it felt like Tiamat was going to 'break' him due to her excitement, his body held firm, ensuring his victory in more than a hundred bouts. By the end of their typical sessions, there were times when she struggled to even maintain her form, turning into a semi-transparent mass of primordial ooze with a rather silly smile on her face...

Of the three, Gaia was the most 'reserved', even if she was also equally as honest as Tiamat. She was very eager to try new things, but, rather than go to 'extremes', she seemed to enjoy the emotional connection more than anything. There were times when they just stayed locked together for several hours at a time, embracing each other as her wings coiled around him like a cacoon. Vahn found this to be very relaxing, and, as it was a stark contrast to his usual intercourse, he quickly became fond of the very long and slow sessions of love-making...

If there was anything to 'complain' about, it was the somewhat voyeuristic nature of Laev-tan. She was a very curious creature, and, though she never asked to try things herself, there were a number of instances where she would be attentively observing, her eyes glimmering with a curious light as she hovered a few centimeters away from where the 'fun' was taking place. To make matter worse, she would spontaneously ask questions or try to give 'advice' on what she thought would be more fun. Once, leading Vahn to sit her down for a long talk, she even tried poking him in the butt after commenting how 'cute' it was...

Fortunately, after a stern talking to, Laev-tan became surprisingly obedient, watching things play out with an ever-intrigued smile on her face. She seemed to be happy when he was happy, and, though it was a little unnerving at times, her innocence was rather endearing. It helped that, instead of trying to insist he pamper her humanoid form, Laev-tan enjoyed being polished and caressed as a Shikai. In her mind, her Shikai was her true form, and, if not for her desire to appear cute and fit in with others, she might not even have a humanoid form.

Since it had become something of an unbreakable habit, Vahn dutifully polished Laev-tan around five times a day. He would also practice with her for a few hours every day, allowing her to release her tensions. She had a very tomboyish nature, and, if she sat around for too long, she would begin to grow restless. This was directly translated to Vahn through their mutual connection, so, whenever he could free up some time from the trio of True Dragons, he would teleport an incomprehensible distance away so they could both cut loose.

---

Before he had realized it, even though he had been keeping track of every single day, nearly four months had passed since Vahn entered his Realm. He was starting to feel as though he had been inside for too long, so, after discussing it with the three sisters, he decided it was about time for him to return to the 'real' world. They would remain inside the Realm to stabilize the Laws, but, until he was confident there wouldn't be any issues, everything else would remain frozen.

As he had yet to reach Tier 5, there was a non-negligible chance things would simply 'break' if he were to start Time before stabilizing the Laws. There wasn't even a sun to illuminate the planet, so, if he didn't awaken Amaterasu and help her create a proper 'true body', Gaia would lose its luster and become a world devoid of natural light.

Though it was possible to create planets and stars out of thin air, this only functioned due to the fact that things like gravity and other natural laws were currently under his complete control. This would not be the case when he turned his attention away from the Realm, however, meaning star basically explode the moment he turned away. Even worse, the bonds between atoms might not even hold up properly, meaning everything would simply turn to cosmic dust. This wouldn't actually kill anyone, as even the Law of Death didn't exist in his Realm, but it would become a big issue if he had to basically reform the bodies of nearly a trillion people...

In order to get his Realm up and running, Vahn was intending to do things in phases, starting with the assignment of Authority to Tier 5 beings. They would serve as the foundation that ensured the stability of the Record, basically serving as his pantheon of Primordial Gods. Then, once everything was in order, Time and Space could become more defined, rather than existing as little more than 'potential'. From there, he could begin awakening Tier 4 entities, assigning them weaker, more niche Authorities that would ensure balance within the confines of the Planetary Bounded Field.

With a full pantheon of Primordial and Planetary Gods, Vahn was confident his Realm would be able to remain stable, even when he was focused on other things. For now, it would have to remain in a state of suspension. Fortunately, due to the quirks of The Path, he could still convert entities such as Fenrir and Medusa into their core forms. They were the only people he was 'guaranteed' to be able to take outside, so, once he had enough power to do so, he would eventually summon them.

Though he couldn't be certain, Vahn had started to suspect that the reason why Medusa chose to stunt her growth was so that she would have an advantage when he moved to a new Record. At his current level, it would likely take months, at the very least, before he had enough power to summon Fenrir. As for the adorably sly snake, it probably wouldn't take more than a month before he had the ability to summon her. She was 'much' weaker than Fenrir, so, for a while, she may be his only 'real' companion in the outside world.

Since he wouldn't get any answers by stalling, Vahn spent one last night of passion with all three sisters, promising to return often. He had left all three of them with an 'egg', so, even if they were lonely, their instincts would keep them preoccupied. As for how long it took for the eggs to hatch, that was ultimately up to him. At the very least, he wanted them to wait until he had jumpstarted the Realm, but, depending on the circumstances, it could be much sooner. After all, he was 'very' curious about how powerful his children would be when their mothers were things like 'an actual planet' and 'the manifestation of humanity's will to survive'. There was even a chance they could fill the roles of some much-needed Primordial Gods, further stabilizing the Realm...

---

Opening his eyes, Vahn noticed that the Imperial Guard who had been yawning prior to his entry into the Realm was still stuck mid-yawn. This confirmed that no time had passed while he was inside the Realm, bringing a satisfied smile to his face. Then, startling the guards who had been eyeing him from a distance, he extended his hand and said, "Set alight the all-consuming flame, Laevateinn...!!"

Without needing to manifest his Asauchi, a plume of brackish-crimson flames erupted from Vahn's right hand. When it faded away, a 185cm long claymore with a smoldering blade had manifested, its presence alone enough to cause people to collapse to the ground. This was quite a surprise, even to Vahn, but, remembering how Captain-Class Shinigami were able to achieve the same effect, it wasn't too unexpected. Rather, even in the [Asauchi-Production Manual], it mentioned that the awakening of a Zanpakutou Spirit could place a heavy strain on the physical world, potentially endangering the lives of 'normal' people.

Understanding that Laev-tan was basically just trying to show off, Vahn lightly tapped the draconic visage on the guard, saying, "Restrain your aura. We're not fighting anyone."

Though it wasn't immediately, Laev-tan ultimately retracted her aura, releasing an annoyed hum that caused crackling sounds to emanate from her blade. She couldn't speak in this form, but, after being together for several decades, Vahn could still understand her. As a result, he just shook his head with a wry smile, promising, "We'll have plenty of enemies to fight against. For now, I'm just happy to see you in the real world like this..."

Understanding the 'anatomy' of Laev-tan's sword form, Vahn gently caressed the area of the blade that was her 'back' when she was in human form. At the same time, he somewhat roughly scratched the area that represented the top of her head, earning a pleasant hum in response. Though she had a tomboyish personality, she was exceptionally weak to being pampered. After all, he had carried her with him for nearly forty years, spoiling her quite a bit in the process...

---

Despite seeing their 'prisoner' pull a sword out of thin air, none of the Imperial Guardsman made any attempt to confiscate it. Some even pretended not to have noticed while others, after processing the scene before them, went to report to the Warden. They needed to report that their prisoner was able to use Magic within an area where orthodox forms of Magic would be useless. This was an important discovery, as, with the exception of Royal Magic, only Ancient and Spiritual Magic could be used so freely.

Vahn was perfectly aware of the fact he was 'showing off', but, after realizing the power currently in his possession, most thoughts of laying low had faded away. While he couldn't directly compare his capabilities to his Master, it was a simple truth that her magical power was actually very low. She was unable to become stronger due to the nature of her body, requiring her to supplement her power by sucking blood. The thing that made her so powerful was her absolute mastery over certain Elements and Laws, elevating her from around 300 Base Power to levels he couldn't comprehend. All he knew for certain was that, in her prime, Eva was even able to kill Demon Gods in a single blow.

At the present moment, Vahn's power was a little unstable due to his recent arrival in the Record. By the time he fully acclimated, he should be able to increase his Power Level to around 8100. This was without the use of Magia Erebea, so, if he really pushed himself, even exceeding 20,000 wouldn't be a stretch. It all depended on whether or not his power level would plateau beyond a certain point...

Vahn wouldn't know for certain where he stood in relation to others until he fought against powerful foes. Theoretical strength meant nothing when fists and magic started flying, so, unless they tried to use underhanded means, Vahn was still considering 'accepting' his punishment. He wouldn't allow them to put a slave collar around his neck, but, if it was just fighting in the Coliseum, he was actually looking forward to it. For now, however, he just pulled out a fresh cloth from his Inventory, ignoring the stares from the Imperial Guards as he began to polish Laev-tan...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Seven weeks...','Laev-tan is very curious (UwU)~!','I kind of feel bad for these Imperial Guards...')

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