Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Having finished their daily training hours prior, Vahn was relaxing on the beach chair wearing a pair of swimming trunks, sunglasses, and a pair of headphones. There was a large beach parasol next to him, but, enjoying the sun's warmth, he tilted it away from his body, exposing his tanned skin to the sun's gentle caress. He was quite fond of relaxing outdoors, and, though he knew the main reason Asuna had invited him was to show off her new bikini, that didn't stop him from enjoying the warm sun and the cool breeze...

After spending nearly twenty minutes submerged, Asuna poked half her head out of the water, her contemplative gaze showing no hostility but reminding Vahn of an alligator waiting near the water's edge. He was pretty good at sensing when she was up to something, so, when Asuna invited him to go exploring an undersea cave, Vahn politely declined. He could sense that she had placed all kinds of magical barriers and wards around the area, and, after sending his intent to investigate, he found a few hundred candles decorating the interior cavern.

Though she probably didn't have anything too risque in mind, confined quarters with atmospheric lighting were a breeding ground for licentious thoughts. Even if her intention was only to nestle up close to him, 'normal' behavior at most times, the fact she was wearing a white string bikini made it a lot less 'innocent'. She had even been tanning recently, so, while most of her body was kissed by a very healthy shade of brown, there were a few regions that were still pristine, fair, and, as was likely her intention, eye-catching.

Seeing Asuna continuing to stare at him, the edges of Vahn's lips curled up as he gave her a casual wave. This caused her to flare her nostrils slightly, a mischievous glimmer flashing across her eyes as she dipped her head beneath the water's surface. Immediately after, her presence seemed to vanish in its entirety, but, unless she vanished from the outside of his Domain and snuck in, Vahn could still track her if he really wanted to.

Sensing an almost imperceptible distortion in the fabric of Space-Time, Vahn turned his attention to his right, an area just outside his periphery. There, he found a smiling Asuna performing a ram seal, the index and middle fingers of both hands pressed parallel to each other as the ring and pinky of her left hand cupped her right. This was a familiar seal for those familiar with the Record of Naruto, but, as was the case with many principles, a number of things transferred between worlds.

With some of the most powerful Ki users being practitioners of Chinese Kenpo and the ancient Japanese Ninja Arts, techniques like Kage Bunchin, Shunshin, and even the Substitution Technique actually existed in the Akamatsuverse. Asuna was well-aware of this, and, in her pursuit of knowing everything there was to know about him, she was equally aware of the fact he used to be a fan of Naruto. She had read a variation of the series that was drastically different from the one found in his memories, but, while there were some pretty major differences, many of the central elements remained the same.

Taking advantage of her mastery over internal energy and Ki, a large cloud of pink smoke erupted around Asuna as she shouted, "Hāremu no Jutsu~!". The explosion was powerful enough to knock the sunglasses from Vahn's face, kicking up a considerable amount of sand in the process, but, with a thin aura protecting his body, he was left to smile wryly when a total of twenty bikini-clad Asuna's appeared around him.

Though all twenty gave off the impression of the original, Vahn turned his attention to one specific Asuna amongst the group, asking, "What are you trying to pull this time?"

Smiling wide enough to display her pearly whites, Asuna didn't hesitate for a single moment before saying, "Let's play the King's Game. Loser has to abide by one request from the winner."

Understanding that the King's Game was essentially just an 'advanced' form of Truth or Dare, Vahn wasted no time in shaking his head, stating, "You are too young to play such a game. Also, even if you have a bunch of clones, there are only two of us present. What next, are you going to ask me to play Doctor?"

Appearing slightly indignant, at least on the surface, Asuna puffed out her cheeks in an attempt to appear both pouty and adorable. This had worked well when she was younger, and, though Vahn had built up a resistance to it, Asuna couldn't help but laugh internally when she saw the edges of his smile twitch. There was also a slight contraction of his pupils before they returned to normal, a sure sign that he had wavered, even if only a little bit.

By baiting Vahn with an unreasonable request, Asuna had primed him to be more accepting of her next request, something far tamer, but, for her, equally as exciting. She was confident in her speed and actually enjoying running around ever since the first time Vahn took her exploring the forests near Nyandoma. Thus, after pretending to pout for several seconds, she released a disappointed huff before crossing her arms and saying, "How about a game of tag then? The winner still gets to make a request of the loser, but, instead of 'anything', they are limited to choosing something that has already happened."

Though he was almost positive that Asuna was baiting him, Vahn didn't really have anything else going on at the moment. He also trusted that Asuna wouldn't take things too far, so, after a brief moment of deliberation, he nodded his head and asked, "So, you want me to chase down each of your clones?"

Hearing Vahn acquiesce to her 'compromise', a mischievous smile spread across Asuna's face as she explained, "That is just one of the rules. The other two are that you can only tag someone over their clothes, and, unless you burst them, my clones will be able to tag you back. I believe that's fair since you have the ability to control Space and Time."

'Realizing' what kind of game Asuna was trying to loop him into, Vahn inspected her scanty white bikini, a garment that effectively only covered her erogenous zones. If he agreed to her game, his victory was predicated on his willingness to basically grope her, and, knowing Asuna, there was a very high chance she would discard one, or both, of the garments. He hadn't missed the face she tied a tiny ribbon around her left ankle, and, while most wouldn't consider that clothing, the actual definition encompassed item, object, or apparel worn on the body.

Suppressing a sigh, Vahn was about to refuse Asuna's game when she very plainly pointed out, "It is just touching. You used to help me wash when I was younger and you see me naked several times a day. We also sleep and cuddle together, so what's wrong with a little touching? Besides, my mother has already given her consent and I don't even remotely mind you touching my body. I doubt it will be more intimate than those times you gave me a massage..."

Though she spoke nothing but truth, empowered by cold hard logic, Vahn couldn't help but run his hand slowly from his forehead to the back of his head. Her most powerful argument was the fact that her mother had expressively given her consent following Asuna's first period, as, in accordance with Vespertatian Law, a woman could be wed so long as they were evaluated to be of sound mind and had completed at least one year of secondary education. Though Asuna had only attended a single year of Academy, her theoretical and practical knowledge even eclipsed that of the tenured professors, so, in accordance with Vespertatian Law, she had already become an adult...

Vahn was well-aware of just how mature Asuna was, both in body and mind, but her attempt to try and 'entrap' him was proof enough that she was still immature. If he had been much younger, there might have been a chance her logic would have worked, but, now that he had actual grandchildren that were older than her, his inhibitions weren't so easily discarded. Even if she had a body that was on the level of someone like Artoria, Arcuied, or Musashi, Vahn wouldn't give in until he felt she was ready for such interactions...

Fortunately, Vahn didn't actually have to shut Asuna down, as, near the very edge of his domain, a few powerful auras entered his perception. Immediately after that, seemingly able to sense that he had sensed them, two of the auras began to surge. Asuna also took notice of this, and, though she would normally be 'very' annoyed by such interruptions, Vahn heard a sigh of relief escape her lips as she dismissed her clones. She was aware that she had pushed a little too hard, but, after seeing her bikini-clad figure in the mirror, Asuna couldn't help but feel a little emboldened...

Refusing to allow anyone but Vahn to see her scantily clad form, Asuna donned her usual battle attire using her personalized [REquip] system. Then, manifested from a block void in the center of her chest, the black hilt of the perpetually unsealed Ko emerged as Asuna stated, "If that brat wants to fight, leave him to me. I've been yearning for a rematch and I currently have a bunch of stress to release..."

Though she said the last couple of words in a barely audible murmur, Vahn could still hear them as if his ear was right next to Asuna's mouth. This caused him to release a light chuckle, but, unlike the hotheaded young woman, he elected to remain in his swimwear. He didn't take Nagi seriously, and, though this might seem hubristic, the simple fact of the matter was that the youth wouldn't survive a single exchange if they went all out. He likely wouldn't even be able to land a hit on Asuna at the moment, as, with the benefits provided by the Little Garden, her base parameters had increased by nearly thirty percent...

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[Status]

Name: [Asuna Vesperina Theotanasia Entheofushia]

Age: 12

Race: High Human

Offense: 1638

Defense: 1219

Mobility: 3,412

Base Power: 6,269

Soul Tier: 5 (Realm Soul)

Skills: [Child of Destiny(Non-Standard): SSS], [Key of Twilight(Manipulation): SSS], [Magic Cancel(Mitigation): SS], [White of Mars(Creation): SS], [Black of Venus(Absorption): SS], [Master Swordsman: A], [Master Ki User: A], [Heavenly Sword of Division(Spirit Cultivation): B], [Sage's Path of Enlightenment(Mind Cultivation): A], [Primoridial Goddess' Divine Body(Body Cultivation): B], [Expert Cooking: D], [Master Seamstress: C], [Great Divide: SS], [Hands of Nirvana: D]

Magic: [Shundo:SS], [Koku Shundo:S], [Cantus Bellax: SSS], [Mellodia Bellax: SSS], [Vis Maxima: SSS]

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Though her actual parameters should be a bit lower, the fact Asuna's Zanpakuto was always in its unsealed form gave her a status that could rival the Gods. Her only real weakness was her lack of experience, but, similar to Jack, she learned and adapted 'exceptionally' quickly. Unless it was simply beyond her means to counter, no same technique worked on her twice, and, while she might not be able to externalize her magical power, her raw speed and her Innate ability to outright cancel magic made her the nemesis of virtually all Mages.

Confident in Asuna's ability to secure a victory, Vahn wasn't going to interfere in her desire to vent some of her stress. Rather, he actually felt a little sorry for Nagi, as, after their previous battle, there was no way Asuna would give him a chance to counter. She was durable enough to outright tank a howitzer round to the face, but, when it came to dealing with actual pain, she was in the category of people that did everything within their power to avoid it entirely.

Even if she left him in a far worse condition, Asuna was still holding a grudge against Nagi after he crushed her wrist and electrocuted her. This was her opportunity for revenge, and, though it was a little childish of her to hold such a grudge, Vahn was of the mind that people should be allowed to make mistakes. If her desire for revenge caused her to make a few mistakes, he would address them after the fact, as, without setbacks, even prodigies like Asuna wouldn't take every lesson to heart.

Interested to see how much they had both grown, a smile spread across Vahn's face as he looked up into the sky. There was an exceptionally tiny dot glowing in the distance, and, as if it was one of the only ways he knew how to make an entrance, a flash of light, followed by a thunderclap, hit the beach with explosive force. Then, before the dust could even clear, a phenomenal aura surged out as a youthful voice cried out, "I hope you're ready for a beating, lizard breath...!"

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The 'logic' of children is dangerous...','It's a trap!','Hell hath no fury...')

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