Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though the distance between Nyandoma and Ariadne was only around 7,000km, it generally took between two and three days to traverse. They had to fly around Hellas controlled airspace, and, due to the restrictions placed on most flight technology within Mundus Magicus, Airfish were generally limited to traversing specific Air Streams. There were ways around this, primarily through the use of magical catalysts and other fuel sources, but these were significantly less efficient.

In total, there were thirteen circular magic currents that existed within the upper atmosphere of the Magical World, and, so long as you used these for travel, most Airfish could fly indefinitely. Though some were hybrids that could make use of traditional fuels, the majority made use of a special type of engine that recycled magical energy from the environment. These were generally referred to as Prayer Spirit Engines, but, as their true form was just an exceptionally complicated Array that made use of interconnected pentagrams, the full name was Prayer Spirit Pentagram Ritual Formation.

Due to the complex nature of Formations and Arrays, it took several years for even the most skilled Magical Engineers to construct a Prayer Spirit Engine with more than ten components. This typically meant that larger Airfish, such as Air Whales, required multiple engines to remain afloat. Even then, they had to rely on comprehensive auxiliary systems, often drawing power from a hybrid engine, or they would simply fall out of the sky.

A stark contrast to commercial Airfish, Arika's ship made use of a single 18 Prayer Spirit Engine, a marvel of Magical Engineering that had been designed by Arika herself. This allowed it to directly contend against much larger Airfish, and, when it came to speed, it could even outpace specialist craft that had been specifically designed to overtake other ships. It truly was the Queen of the Skies amongst Ultralight Cruisers, and, as a result, it was also the nightmare of any Sky Pirates that were foolish enough to mistake its 'endearing' design as a sign of weakness...

---

Though there were areas where clear skies could be found, all of Mundus Magicus' Air Streams were densely populated with a perpetual layer of white clouds. There were also countless rocks of various shapes and sizes, which, in defiance of the laws of gravity, listed aimlessly through the Air Stream. These rocks were often responsible for scuttling the ships of lesser experienced pilots, but, despite living most of her life in the palace, Arika was an exceptionally gifted pilot. As a result, she was able to dive in and out of the cloud sea without fear, relying on her super-human reaction time and split-second decision making to evade any obstacles.

A stark contrast to Arika's skills, the eight remaining ships pursuing them were quickly reduced to seven after failing to evade a pillar-like stone that 'gracefully' ambled through the sea of clouds, propelled only by the wind. At the same time, the Anti-Demon Lightning Cannons located near the aft section of the ship accurately targetted the remaining craft, peppering their barriers or forcing them to take evasive action to avoid destruction.

Despite the rather intense scene playing out before him, Vahn had a relaxed smile on his face as he sat atop the deck. He would periodically swat away physical projectiles and missiles that were shot toward them, but, other than that, he allowed Arika to deal with the situation herself. He knew she enjoyed the action quite a bit, as, after their previous engagement with a band of pirates, she had a rare smile on her face that even surprised Asuna...

Seemingly losing it over the death of several comrades, one of the only custom Airfish amongst the pirates, looking similar to a hammerhead shark, broke off from the rest. Immediately thereafter, two fiery lines erupted from the aft section of the ship, greatly increasing its speed. It was attempting to pass through the magical barrier surrounding the ship so it could use the javelin-like protrusion on the bottom to release powerful lightning magic at close range. This was a risky maneuver, but, if it could be pulled off, it was almost guaranteed to disable the ship due to lightning elemental energy having the ability to disrupt the flow of magical energy.

Under normal circumstances, a mid-sized ship like Arika's would struggle to deal with a smaller craft designed to pursue and harass a target. Unfortunately for her enemies, Arika wasn't a conventional pilot, nor was her Airfish constrained by common sense. As a result, she performed a maneuver that few would even attempt with a mid-sized vessel, rolling her ship belly-up so that the twin cannons on the underside could still be of use. Then, before the desperate pirate could penetrate the barrier, it was blasted out of the sky before Arika quickly righted the ship's orientation, executing the entire maneuver in a single smooth motion.

After the death of their presumed leader, the remaining six ships gave of pursuit, attempting to flee in multiple directions to reduce the number of casualties should their quarry decide to turn around and become the hunter. Unfortunately for the remaining pirates, their blackened auras had already determined their fates. The moment they turned to flee, invisible lines passed through space much faster than most people could perceive. Immediately thereafter, every ship was cleanly cut into two distinct parts, their pilots killed in an instant as Vahn returned to his seat, casually pulling out an oil rag to polish Laev-tan...

---

With the battle coming to an end, Arika exhaled a sigh tinged with a bit of warmth as she flipped a switch on her console, disabling Attack Mode. As a result, the lighting on the bridge shifted from red back to a neutral white color. At the same time, the extra terminals that had surrounded her station, giving her a panoramic view of the situation, slowly faded out of existence in a relatively futuristic manner, while, at the side, Fenrir could be seen stretching her body as she said, "That was kind of fun~."

Though she wasn't particularly fond of the woman, Arika felt it would be petty of her to not offer praise when it was due. As a result, she adopted an almost imperceptible smile, stating, "Your skills as a gunner are impressive. Had you missed the final target, we may have sustained a direct impact on our stern. Good work."

Hearing Arika's praise, Fenrir made an 'ok' gesture with her paw before rising to her feet and saying, "I wouldn't have been able to hit them if you didn't roll the ship at the correct moment. You deserve just as much praise for your piloting as I do for my accuracy. I'm sure Master will have something to say about it once he returns~."

The moment she heard Fenrir mention Vahn, Arika turned her attention towards the screen that showed the upper deck of the ship. There, Vahn could be seen polishing his cherished sword with a calm and reflective look on his face...

As if there was nothing outside his perception, Vahn immediately raised his head when she looked at him, smiling back at the small camera present near the base of the Airfish's dorsal fin. In the very next moment, he appeared within the bridge itself, sheathing his katana as he said, "The two of you did very well."

Since he had appeared next to Fenrir, Vahn began habitually petting her head as he turned to Arika and asked, "Did you have fun, Ms. Queen of the Skies...?"

Though she knew Vahn was teasing her, Arika combed through her fringe bangs, her face a mask of calm as she answered, "Indeed. The more Sky Pirates we can eliminate, the safer the Air Streams will become for both people and merchants. You did well by not letting any escape..."

Hearing Arika 'praise' him, Vahn lightly chuckled, barely resisting the urge to tease her further as he simply stated, "Thanks." before asking, "How long until we reach Ariadne? I'm actually surprised we have encountered so many Sky Pirates near a City-State famous for its Aerial Knight Squadron."

Tapping an icon on her console, a holographic panel showing the entirety of Mundus Magicus came to life in mid-air. Arika then pressed on one of the 288 squares, each denoting an area equivalent to 640,000 square-kilometers. The one she clicked on displayed runes that, when translated, denoted a small dot near the very center as Ariadne, and, a little to the East of that, a small green blip could be seen slowly moving across the map...

Truthfully, Vahn could have just looked at his own map to confirm their location, but, knowing Arika would want him to ask, he did so. She took being the Captain of the ship pretty seriously, so, unless he deferred to her every now and again, she would become moody.

With the map visible to everyone in the room, Arika pointed at the red icon near the center, a slight smile on her face as she explained, "We're approximately 284km away from Ariadne. At our current cruising speed, we should reach our destination in just under twenty-three minutes. Though we will have to undergo an inspection, Ariadne allows commercial and private Airfish to operate within the city limits. If I reveal my identity, we should be able to berth the ship within the Imperial Academy's private dock to avoid the inspection entirely."

Though it would likely cause an incident, Vahn understood the merits involved with docking at the Academy's private dock. It was easy to imagine the Grandmaster of Ariadne and the Arch-Dean of the Academy coming out to greet them. This would give them a considerable amount of freedom when it came to exploring the Academy City, but, in exchange, they would be closely monitored or escorted by the Ariadne Mage Knights.

Vahn wanted to avoid politics, but, in order to grant Asuna's request, he also wanted to observe the various Academies and Research Institutions within Ariadne. He might even be able to enroll Asuna into one of the more prestigious Academies, even if only for a few months. This would undoubtedly limit his movements, but, with the ability to produce multiple bodies, Vahn wasn't too worried.

With his mind made up, Vahn nodded his head, saying, "We'll go through official channels this time around. I made a bit of a scene in the Hellas Empire not too long ago, but they never officially put a price on my head. I'm somewhat curious to see how they will react once they learn I have appeared in Ariadne."

Though it would be a simple matter to conceal his identity, Vahn was intending to make a name for himself. He wasn't trying to hide away, and, though it would place a small burden on Arika, she was already prepared for the consequences of pursuing her ambitions. She wasn't afraid of the political backlash of being labeled an associate of someone who would undoubtedly become wanted, as, in the grand scheme of things, her reputation was more than enough to cast doubts on anyone that wanted to slander her name.

Hearing Vahn's response, a look of conviction flashed across Arika's eyes as she said, "I understand. I will do my best to secure allies within the Imperial Academy. With the support of the Ostian Royal Family, there is a chance Ariadne could be convinced to split off from the Hellas Empire before the onset of war. Even if that is not the case, I am confident I can find people willing to support my goal of creating a better world."

Resisting the urge to chuckle, Vahn smiled in response to Arika's words, reminding her, "You're free to act as you please, but don't forget your training. Unless something goes awry, there is a chance we will be staying here for a few months. Also, there are times when we will act independently from each other, but, if you feel it is necessary, I will always be at your side. You don't have to feel guilty or afraid of relying on me, as, until you finish your training, I am responsible for your safety. I might not fight your battles for you, but that doesn't mean I'll allow others to harm you."

Though she wanted to say she didn't need his protection, Arika understood there were people in this world who greatly exceeded her in strength. In the past, she would have performed her duties without taking this into consideration, but, after seeing Vahn's strength, she knew there was a vast gulf between her and the top. Thus, in response to his words, she lightly combed through her hair, a slight smile on her face as she answered, "I'll keep that in mind...thank you..."

Seeing Arika playing with her fringe bangs, a tell-tale sign that she was happy, the edges of Vahn's smile curled up slightly as he added, "I'm going to help Asuna get ready. She is pretty excited to be able to tour the Academy City so she has been reading a lot of books about Ariadne ever since we set out. Since meeting with the Grandmaster and preparing accommodations will probably take a few hours, I'll be splitting my body into three, one to accompany you, one to protect Asuna, and the other to guard the ship..."

As he was explaining his intentions, Vahn lightly ruffled Fenrir's hair, adding, "Though it will be a little boring, I'll have you accompany Arika and me. I want you to try and memorize the scent of the Grandmaster and any other important officials. We might have to go 'hunting' at some point, so it will make things easier if you can track them on command."

Hearing the word 'hunting', Fenrir's smile became a toothy grin before she answered, "Leave it to me. Even if they try to hide in another dimension, I'll be able to sniff them out without fail~."

Though it might sound like an exaggeration, Fenrir could actually lock on to a person's scent and trace it to the location where they had entered another Dimension or Realm. This hadn't really been necessary after the planetary body of Gaia became his territory, but, never the type to slack off just because her skills weren't needed, Fenrir continued to polish her senses to an extreme degree. She also enjoyed hunting together with the more bestial members of the Menagerie, so, while she still lost out to Tier 5 beings like Illya, Fenrir's sense of smell was nigh-unparalleled.

Feeling a bit prideful of his faithful companion, Vahn ruffled Fenrir's hair a little harder, causing the mischievous Vanargandr's tail to waggle as she nuzzled against his palm. This earned him a pointed look from Arika, but, without minding it, Vahn began using both hands to dig into Fenrir's fluffy fur, continuing even after being kicked off the bridge...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Arika, Aerial Ace, Queen of the Skies','Vahn about to educate the people of the Academy City (UwU)...','You think the Godhand can be daunted with a mere gaze!? Heresy!')

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