Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

With Ureko suggesting they shelve their 'battle' until after he had resolved the deeper issues with his harem, Vahn had everyone, including those who had been away in Actualized Worlds, gather in the Emerald Grove.

Though he had a functionally infinite amount of time to make a decision, Vahn wanted to hear what everyone else had to say before making his final judgment. Their happiness had always been one of his highest priorities, so, even if it meant letting them go, he was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure they were the happiest they could possibly be...

---

Doing everything in his power to suppress a tired sigh, Vahn forced himself to appear calm as he reiterated, "To surmise, there are three opportunities awaiting everyone once we reach the top of the Tower. The most notable of these is reincarnation into a higher realm with all of your memories, innates, and soulbound items intact. You will undoubtedly face many hardships along the way, but this is the route that will allow you to reach the pinnacle through your own efforts. Once I reach the Divine Realm, I will be able to look back on the path you have walked until its penultimate end, and, depending on the circumstances, I can either recall you to my side, pick you up before your journey even began, or allow you to live happily in the new life you have built for yourself..."

Being one of the more intellectual among the group, Android 21, appearing just as disgruntled as a number of other people present, pointedly remarked, "I get what you're trying to say, but you seem to be skirting around a pretty serious problem. For those of us who choose to remain faithful, there is a very real chance we would have to spend an 'eternity' alone. You might be able to undo that by picking us up at an earlier point in time, but, statistically speaking, everyone here would eventually have a breakdown that compels them to seek companionship elsewhere. We might even be forced to endure millions of years of loneliness before finally seeking out and obtaining happiness...if that happens, will your guilt allow you to recall us to your side...?"

As similar questions had come up during the initial group discussion, Vahn was beginning to feel a considerable amount of mental fatigue. Despite this, he managed to appear relatively calm on the surface, explaining, "There are rituals that can bind people together. If necessary, I am prepared to make a Template to accompany each and every one of you. For those of you who wish to face fate directly, however, know that I will only view your lives for a period of time equivalent to the amount it takes me to reach the Divine Realm. In other words, if it takes me ten-thousand-years to reach the Divine Realm, I will only view your reincarnation for the first ten-thousand-years of its existence. My decision to recall you will depend entirely on your actions and experiences in that span of time..."

Though not everyone understood the implications of his words, the more 'resolute' among Vahn's women immediately perked up. One of the things that had always troubled them was the fact that he had a lot more time than them to become stronger. This made it impossible to match his pace, and, while this would always be an issue, they were confident they could reduce the distance with a comparable amount of time.

Deciding to continue while the mood had marginally improved, Vahn went on to add, "The second option is to continue living within the Emerald Grove. Given enough time, I'm confident that I could connect both my Realm and the Actualized Worlds to the Little Garden. That will allow everyone the opportunity to freely explore, but, as a result of my nature, it is impossible for me to guarantee your independence. I can't help my overprotective nature. I've tried numerous compromises, but, so long as you are within my sphere of influence, I will do everything in my power to protect you...no matter what..."

Hearing Vahn's words, helpless smiles appeared on the faces of virtually everyone present as Fenrir remarked, "Master has done nothing wrong. Though we come together, everyone here is ultimately responsible for their own happiness. Those who cannot find a pursuit worthy of their focus will only become a burden to everyone else. It is fine to desire a leisurely life where Master showers you with affection, but, if that is your only aspiration, you have no right to lament when he is busy with other things. You cannot wholly entrust your happiness to another. If you are unwilling to accept personal responsibility for your own life, you are poorly equipped to deal with eternity. Master exists to make everyone happy. He does not exist to make 'you' happy."

Though her words were more than a little 'biting', most of Fenrir's pack immediately nodded their heads in affirmation. They had learned the importance of self-improvement, and, while they would do everything in their power to support their Master, their primary focus was mastering themselves. It was impossible to know what the future held, so, more than anything else, they did everything in their power to enjoy life while subsequently preparing for anything it might throw their way...

With Fenrir sitting to his left, Vahn couldn't restrain the urge to extend his hand, roughly caressing her head as he said, "Thanks, but, even if I'm doing everything I can, it's still my fault when people aren't happy. If I didn't have my fair share of flaws, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. With that in mind, allow me to surmise the third option. Keep in mind that there are actually a functionally infinite number of alternative choices you can make, but, for the sake of simplicity, this is the baseline everyone has to choose from..."

Inhaling a deep breath, Vahn briefly closed his eyes, his perception momentarily lingering on the auras of everyone present before explaining, "The third option is personal resolution. I will seal the Little Garden and begin treating the 'outside' in a manner similar to an Actualized World. I will focus all of my efforts on attaining Tier 7, and, as much as possible, I will avoid entering sub-dimensional realms without a specific goal in mind. Simply put, I will put everything in stasis until these types of issues are no longer a problem..."

Though the first two options were far from ideal, the one Vahn feared most was the third option. In many ways, it was a direct parallel to what he considered to be his life's greatest mistake. The only difference was, if he really needed to, he could effectively end the stasis whenever he wanted. Either way, it was an extremely selfish decision to make, as, regardless of his level of conviction, he would eventually encounter something or 'someone' that slowed his progress. He would basically be living the life of a 'main character', and, as a result of his nature, he was bound to meet countless beauties on his way to becoming a Tier 7 entity...

Even if he became liberal with his Templates, Vahn knew it was impossible for him to ignore people with powerful fates. He was also exceptionally weak against women with tragic backgrounds, so, as his power and karma increased, fate would invariably draw tragic heroines his way. Even the Divine Realm wasn't free from tragedy, so, until he reached Tier 7, his harem would likely continue growing without limit...

As that thought crossed his mind, Vahn passed his gaze over everyone present, guilt swelling within his heart until he noticed Nobunaga rolling her crimson eyes. Then, drawing everyone's attention to herself, she rose to her feet and declared, "This forum is pointless. We followed you here in order to help you, not hold you back. Stop using us as an excuse to delay your progress. You're the only one with the ability to elevate yourself to Tier 7. If we're in your way, send us back to the Realm or order us to reincarnate. There is no need for you to be pussyfooting around like this. If we can't tolerate a few thousand years in another world, how can we expect to live for eternity in another?"

To punctuate her words, Nobunaga made of show of stretching her body and releasing a prolonged yawn before turning towards the exit and adding, "Well, let me know when you make a decision. I'm gonna grab something to drink. Feel free to join me once you're finished here."

With that said, Nobunaga departed the room without looking back. She had never been the type to care about the complexities of a situation. If Vahn didn't need her help, she wasn't going to impose upon him. She was pretty content with drinking alcohol, bonding with other members of the harem, and exploring the ever-changing Layers of the Little Garden, so, while she had noticed a number of issues as of late, they didn't really bother her. Rather, much like Ureko, she was more frustrated with the girls whose 'weakness' distracted Vahn and introduced pointless drama into an otherwise idyllic situation.

Though he wasn't particularly surprised by Nobunaga's departure, Vahn couldn't help adopting a wry smile as he watched more than half the congregation follow suit. In the end, the only people remaining were those with positions of authority, and, as could be expected, those who had only recently joined his harem. They were the ones with the most concerns about the future, as, unlike the girls who had originated from his Realm, they still had uncertainties regarding his status, and, more importantly, their 'place' in everything...

Passing his gaze over everyone that remained, including girls like Ureko and Yuri, Vahn regained a serious disposition as he advised, "There is no need to feel pressured. As I stated previously, there are actually countless options available to you. Regardless of what you choose, know that I will do my best to support you. Also, no matter what...please, never consider yourself a burden...that kind of mentality, more than anything else, is the greatest source of my stress. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a need for you to prove yourselves worthy of my love and affection..."

Though his words were intended for everyone, Vahn spoke the final few while looking directly at Ureko. He knew she wanted to say something now that the more resolute women had departed, so, before she could say anything hurtful, he wanted to put his foot down.

Snorting in response to Vahn's pointed look, Ureko ultimately just shrugged her shoulders before spontaneously leaning back and pretending to take a nap. This garnered her a considerable amount of attention, but, before anyone could comment on her behavior, Vahn guided the conversation in the direction of addressing everyone's concerns. He knew they had a lot of questions, so, now that he had put everything on the table, he wanted to do everything in his power to allay their concerns. The decision they made now would shape how they spent the next several thousand years, so, while it ultimately extended the conversation by seventeen hours, he believed it was important they had a proper understanding of what they might be getting themselves into...

---

(A/N: Though I'm still intending to have a climactic battle between Vahn/Ureko/Artoria/etc, the last few days have given me a considerable amount of time to think about how the novel has evolved over the years. We've come a long way, but, at the same time, some of the best parts of EPIC have been lost along the way. To that end, I've decided to breathe some life into the story by defaulting to one of the things I believe allowed EPIC to stand out in its inception. I want the readers to have more of a say in the story, so, with that in mind, the options presented in this chapter are, not just the characters', but your's to consider. Let me know what you think in the comments section. I will literally be reading every comment from now until we are preparing to exit the Tower~)