Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though the energy radiating from Pram's body was exceptionally dangerous, Vahn managed to appear less than three meters away from her without fear or trepidation. It had been quite some time since he feared his own death, and, while he wasn't inherently immune to the energy she was casting off, she was far from the level of being able to influence him with her powers.

Not only had he been a God of Creation in various worlds, but, even as far back as Danmachi, it wasn't an exaggeration to say Vahn had been a 'Master' of death. His understanding of the Laws related to the concept wasn't all that far behind his mastery over creation. This could be attributed to his relationship with not one, but four Goddesses of Death. Melding with them had provided a tremendous amount of insight into the nigh-universally feared Law, but, even before that, Vahn had always been afraid of others dying more than experiencing it himself. After all, once he had received the path, death had just become another part of his journey...

Paying no mind to the frigid black energy washing over the surface of his body, Vahn approached the now blind and bloodied Pram before wrapping his arms around her. This surprised the balding beauty quite a bit, but, the moment she felt his energy flowing into her body, profound relief could be seen in her face as she immediately lost consciousness. Then, to the surprise of everyone in the crowd, both she and Vahn appeared to 'flicker' in place as every injury on Pram's body miraculously vanished. In reality, he had stopped time to both treat her condition and have a conversation, but, from the perspective of the average onlooker, Pram's recovery had been instantaneous.

Since she had asked to stick around until everything had dealt with, Vahn ruffled Pram's hair before asking her to join the rather sizeable group of beauties that had appeared out of thin air. Then, with a far more serious expression on his face, he completely ignored the crowd as he looked toward the trio seated in the VIP section, questioning, "How long do you intend to remain seated? You've spent the better part of a month preparing for my arrival. Are you expecting me to greet you first?"

Though his words had earned him the ire of virtually everyone in the crowd, this quickly changed to respect when Lord Lo Po Bia rose to his feet, a warm smile forming upon his face as he performed a courteous bow and said, "We welcome the Sage Dragon Emperor to our home. It is one of our life's greatest honors to finally make your acquaintance..."

Had Vahn not already defeated numerous Family Leaders, Lo Po Bia would have never lowered his head without a fight. The Family Leaders he happened to defeat were also among the strongest in the entire Tower, so, while this was a matter that could only be settled with a fight, he already knew where he stood compared to Vahn. Rather, if Eduan's words were to be believed, any one of Vahn's subordinates might be able to completely dominate a Great Family...

With their Lord lowering his head, everyone in the crowd, including those who genuinely hated the Aldrnari Empire, immediately mirrored his action. They couldn't disrespect someone their Lord had paid obeisance to, so, even before the fight had begun, much of the hatred directed towards Vahn, at least from the lower-ranking members of the branch families, had already begun to fade away.

Nodding his head in approval, Vahn briefly shifted his attention from the cat-like ears atop Lo Po Bia's head and instead focused on the pale-brown eyes of Gustang. This caused the man's focus to shift away from Blossom and Enne, his pupils contracting ever-so-slightly the moment his eyes met Vahn's. He could tell, even without a single exchange of words, that Vahn wasn't going to overlook his past and current actions.

Instantaneously losing interest in the fight that was about to take place, Gustang rose from his seat, saying, "I have important matters to attend..." before promptly teleporting away. This left the last of the three men profoundly confused, but, having never gotten along with Gustang, not even in their younger days, he didn't particularly mind the man's absence. Instead, he rose to his feet, and, much like Lo Po Bia, bowed courteously as he said, "The Lord of the Tu Perie Family recognizes the Great Sun of the Aldnari Empire. We are honored by your presence."

With the sudden departure of Gustang, Vahn's mood had improved quite a bit, so, in response to Tperie's greeting, he adopted a friendly smile and said, "There's no need for that. While we have yet to formalize the relationship, the Tu Perie and Aldrnari Families can be said to be on friendly terms."

Punctuating his words, Vahn gestured with his right hand, and, as a result, a bespectacled brunette wearing clothes reminiscent of a mechanic manifested out of thin air. This surprised both Tperie and the woman in question, but, quickly realizing the situation, the intellectual beauty waved toward the former, smiling as she said, "Grandfather. Though unexpected, it is good to see you."

As it had been more than a month since he had heard his Granddaughter's voice, visible relief could be seen in Tperie's expression until he noticed her state of dress. Her upper body was veiled in what appeared to be a pale-grey sports bra, and, while this wasn't exactly appropriate, what puzzled him was the distinct lack of 'something' his Granddaughter was relatively known for...

With a very subtle blush coloring her cheeks, more from embarrassment than anything else, the woman, Yvonne, promptly tapped the bracelet on her wrist. This caused a pale-blue light to flash across her body, instantaneously changing her attire to something more suitable. At the same time, she unequipped the top Vahn had crafted for her, a rather unique garment that was enchanted with a function that allowed female wearers to effectively store their breasts in a sub-dimensional space. While this might seem like a useless function in the eyes of some, it was a godsend for women with large breasts who enjoyed manual labor and physical exertion. After all, unless you were performing a 'very specific' kind of exertion, large breasts, more often than not, just got in the way.

Realizing he had been seen through, an awkward expression appeared on Tperie's face as he pulled out a cloth to habitually clean his square-rimmed glasses. Then, acting as if nothing had happened, he exhaled a bit of condensation onto the lenses before answering, "I am also pleased to see you in good health. If time permits, I would like to hear about what you and the Research Team have been up to these last few weeks. I would also be grateful for the opportunity to personally investigate the Little Garden, but, even if I am refused entry, I would understand and accept His Imperial Majesty's decision..."

With his final few words directed towards Vahn, Tperie was hoping the former would help him to alleviate the awkward tensions he had unintentionally incited. Fortunately for him, Vahn found his reaction rather refreshing, as, unlike the other Family Leaders he had encountered, Tperie appeared relatively normal and down-to-earth. This was in spite of the fact his political power and authority being second only to Jahad's, a position that would have invariably corrupted the vast majority of people.

Understanding that Tperie's interest in the Little Garden was the result of genuine intrigue and curiosity, Vahn decided to throw the man a bone, saying, "I would not turn away a friend if they came knocking at my door. Though I cannot promise you permanent residence, I would be more than happy to give you a tour of my home. I'm sure Yvonne would also enjoy the opportunity to present her findings rather than having to compile them into a report. Her efforts have not been without a few remarkable results."

Though she was somewhat used to his flowery words, Yvonne still blushed upon hearing Vahn's praise. Truth be told, she felt like a child fumbling with blocks when comparing herself to members of the Aldrnari Empire's R&D Division, so, hearing Vahn speak her praises with a sincere smile on his face, it was impossible to prevent her heart from skipping a few beats. He was also the man she had dedicated the majority of her 'firsts' to, so, even if it was only lip service, receiving his praise in front of a crowd of thousands made her feel as though she had accomplished something worthwhile...

Noticing Yvonne turn her pristine blue eyes up at him, an affectionate smile spread across Vahn's face as he instinctually extended his hand to caress her hair. This caused the blush on her face to intensify, but, understanding the social and political ramification of allowing Vahn to demonstrate his affection for her in public, Yvonne leaned into his palm with a bashful smile on her face and a calculating glimmer in her eyes. This was clearly observed by Vahn, but, rather than calling her out on it, he just chuckled before planting a kiss on her exposed forehead and returning her to the Little Garden. Then, with a markedly more serious expression on his face, he interrupted Tperie's attempt to speak by directing his gaze to Lo Po Bia and asking, "So, how are we going to do this?"

Amused by Vahn's ability to shift the topic in an instant, a snaggle-toothed smile developed across Lo Po Bia's face as he explained, "Though it is ultimately your decision whether or not you want to acknowledge them, our traditions dictate that only those who have defeated more than half of the existing Elders possess the right to challenge the current Leader. This was the consensus reached by the founders of the Lo Po Bia Family in order to deter people from arbitrarily aiming for the position of Family Leader before they had earned the respect and support of at least half the family..."

Though he had already been aware of this, Vahn nodded his head to express his understanding of Lo Po Bia's words. Then, in front of the confused eyes of tens-of-thousands of beast people, a mass of rainbow-hued energy appeared next to Vahn before taking the form of a muscular Japanese man with black hair and matching, albeit kind, eyes. What made this scene even stranger was the fact the man had appeared in little more than a wrestling singlet, animalistic three-toed boots reaching near his knees, black bands around his biceps, and a purple collar around his neck. He was also holding a strange mask in his right hand, but, with the exception of these peculiar features, his burly body was completely exposed.

Gesturing towards the newly created Template with a smile, Vahn failed to conceal his amusement as he explained, "Though I will be the one to fight you, this man will act as my proxy to govern the Lo Po Bia Family. You are free to pit as many Elders as you please against him. However, be warned. His combat style might be distinctly different than mine but his power is such that even someone of Yurin's caliber might not be able to withstand more than a few blows."

As if to emphasize Vahn's point, the muscular man, properly known as Genzo Shibata, donned the mask in his right hand. Immediately thereafter, a flaming red cape manifested into existence across his shoulders as an ornate golden belt appeared around his waist. Then, whilst flexing both arms, he released a powerful roar that not only caused the barrier enveloping the arena to tremble, but more than half the crowd to collapse. If a fan of One Piece had been present, they would have recognized this as Conqueror's Haki, a manifestation of willpower that was especially effective against creatures that obeyed their instincts and adhered to strict hierarchies...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gustang be sweating...','That top is a dream-killing device...','RIP Lo Po Bia Family xD...')