Chapter 1364 - Ceaseless Pursuit

Though he could have gone on, quite literally, forever; Vahn decided to call it quits after everyone except Illya, Arcueid, Aoko, Okita, and Fenrir collapsed. He had been enjoying himself for a few hours and, soon enough, he would have to take the children to school. There was also the simple fact that, if he didn't stop soon; girls like Medea, Jeanne, and Okita may end suffering a trauma.

Vahn had been curious about their presence at first but, after Circe began an impromptu lesson on sexual etiquette; it became clear why they had stayed. She wasn't the most qualified teacher but, with Fenrir having difficulties explaining things in an easily understood manner; Circe was the best alternative.

It was a little awkward being observed so attentively but Vahn had grown accustomed to such things due to his past experiences. He wasn't a particularly shy person so, knowing it would make things a lot easier for the inexperienced girls; he let himself be a test dummy. Besides, it was amusing seeing Circe try to restrain her own urges while trying to explain things to her fiercely blushing niece.

Medea had gone so red that her ears were practically glowing with a crimson color as she sat at the edge of the bed in a pale-lavender dress. As for Jeanne and Okita, the former had a wide-eyed look as she formed her lips into a perfect line; a rather interesting reaction as it looked like she was trying to avoid saying something. Okita, however, just watched on with a disinterested expression despite the intense focus in her gaze...

Though the lessons alone were rather intense, Vahn's Divinity ensured they wouldn't soon forget the event. He generally projected his aura in a radial fashion so, like the other girls on the massive bed, they were well within the area of his influence. As a result, they could basically feel everything Circe was experiencing; albeit to a lesser extent. Still, this was more than enough stimulus for pure girls like Medea and Jeanne, even if the latter took it surprisingly well at first.

Fortunately, Medea had Medusa hugging her from behind, the latter's hand lightly stroking the area beneath her navel to help her relax. Medusa was still a virgin but she was rather fond of 'helping' out when Vahn was having sex with the other residents of the Menagerie. She had also dutifully learned the very basics of [Hands of Nirvana] so; while her skills were negligible compared to her Master's, it was useful for things like massages and helping people relax.

The real problem was the inclusion of girls like Arcueid and Illya as, compared to 'normal' women, they experienced something that could only really be described as transcendental. Even Vahn wasn't able to fully resist their influence so; shortly after he and Illya began making love, Medea ended up briefly losing consciousness. Since she insisted on being allowed to stay, regardless, she ended up being put through the wringer along with the rest of the girls present...

In the end, only those who had a high tolerance, immortal bodies, or a considerable amount of experience had been able to stay conscious. The rest ended up succumbing to the shared waves of pleasure; Hati and Medusa included. It was actually Hati's collapse that caused the event to come to an end as, though fundamentally different than Fenrir; she was still a Vanargandr. For even her to fall prey to the veritable ocean of pleasure, well, it was a red flag in a lot of ways.

Fortunately, Arcueid and Aoko were pretty easy to calm down so, after coaxing Illya and Cath Palug for a few minutes; everyone was freed from the seemingly endless cycle. Afterward, Vahn helped to wake up the collapsed girls; checking on their bodies to make sure there were no sequelae. Though Medea ended up needing to cool her head for a short while after awakening, Jeanne, Hati, Gareth, and Medusa were all in high spirits.

Once Circe had finished talking with Medea, everyone decided to take a bath together using the large in-ground bath. Though not quite an onsen, it served a similar function as it was capable of easily seating fifteen people; something that would undoubtedly be necessary for the future. For now, Vahn just enjoyed soaking his body in the steamy water with Illya and Fenrir flanking him. They had always been relatively close so, after sharing a bed together; they were practically on the same wavelength; both completely infatuated with their 'Master'...

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As much as he would like to spend all of his time with his family and lovers, the latter of which could be attested to by his Divinity; Vahn couldn't allow himself to be consumed by the sense of fulfillment he got interacting with them. He still had a purpose to fulfill so, after a brief meeting with Gawain to discuss the deployment of Imperial Forces, visiting Olga to spend a bit of time with her, check up on Lilith, and wrapping things up with Semiramis; Vahn entered his personal [Space-Time Orb] with the ever-mischevious and adorable Aeterna.

One of the things Vahn felt compelled to complete was the forging of [Lævateinn] so, even if he was busy with other matters; he always found at least an hour to focus wholly on forging. This translated to fifty hours within the [Space-Time Orb]; time necessary to keep his skills sharp and Aeterna happy. He had once failed to visit her for three days in a row, resulting in the Dwarves having to send a plea to have him visit as she had effectively made the Great Forge unusable due to feeling neglected.

Spirits were very sensitive creatures and, as a Greater Elemental Spirit; Aeterna was no exception to this rule. She was also pretty young so it was easy for her to fall into a negative mindset, even if she was smart enough to know he hadn't actually abandoned her. Rather, the main reason for her dour mood was due to the fact that, much like Vahn himself; she was very eager to complete the forging of [Lævateinn]'s penultimate form. It was something they had been working for virtually her entire life so, in a way, [Lævateinn] was even more important to Aeterna than it was to Vahn.

Now, Vahn could focus all of his attention on the internal structure of the blades they were forging as Aeterna dutifully managed the heat. Their cooperation had long reached the point where it didn't require them to verbally communicate with each other so, while they had yet to achieve their shared dream, even the 'failures' they produced were always A-Rank and higher. This didn't only apply to their [Lævateinn] prototypes, either, but all the weapons they forged together. Vahn had even been able to outfit both Gawain's and Kenshin's battalions; earning him quite a bit of rapport with both the Commanders and the Homunculi themselves...

The curious thing about this was; by having people appreciate and laud his work; Vahn noticed that the quality of his forged equipment gradually increased. He didn't know if it was due to his [Will of the Emperor], which unilaterally increased his capabilities based on things like Loyalty, Respect, and Adulation, but it was a 'very' noticeable change. The only other explanation was the 'Power of Belief', a very real thing that needed to be accounted for in the Nasuverse. After all, it was these beliefs that allowed many Heroic Spirits to make use of unique abilities; some of which they may not have had during their lifetimes.

Semiramis was one of the best examples of this quirk as, during her lifetime, she literally had nothing to do with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. She hadn't even seen it during her lifetime but, because she was often associated with the Hanging Gardens by countless people; it had become a part of her actual Legend. Because of this, she has an instinctive knowledge of how to construct it and, despite the actual Hanging Gardens being nothing more than an intricate garden; it was even able to fly due to the imaginations of people who imagined what it 'might' be like.

Since even Concepts could be given actual form, Vahn wasn't too surprised by the fact that his own skills and abilities were becoming more powerful due to the perception of people around him. Even his ability to please his women had experienced a marked improvement so there really wasn't much to complain about. Rather, it encouraged him to continue working hard; constantly aspiring to reach even greater heights...

It was with this mentality that Vahn was able to forge an S-Rank [Lævateinn], one of five 'successes' he had managed to achieve over the last few months. This caused Aeterna to happily rub her cheek against the rather vicious-looking blade before flittering up to Vahn's face; kissing him on the cheek before chiming, "We did it, Vahn~! Hurry, name it, name it~!!"

With a gratified smile showing his appreciation and pride, Vahn did as Aeterna suggested; pointing the newly forged blade toward the sky as he exclaimed, "Henceforth, your name shall be [Lævateinn: Epsilon]. Become a blade that vanquishes the Empire's foes and protects its people...!"

Since this was his only real opportunity to use [Keeper of the Akashic Tome] these days, Vahn didn't hesitate to use up his current charge. Each successful [Lævateinn] he forged was infused with his and Aeterna's hopes and dreams so; while not on the same level as his actual children, Vahn wanted his masterworks to be able to grow without restrictions.

As if to respond to this desire, [Lævateinn: Epsilon] flashed with a destructive red light as it emanated an awe-inspiring, albeit tyrannical, aura. At the same time, it's four 'brothers' resonated around it as Vahn always made sure they bore witness to the birth of their sibling swords. They currently lacked a true Ego but there was a nascent seed of awareness within each of them; crying out in celebration of their newly forged brethren.

When the light had faded away, [Lævateinn: Epsilon]'s Grade had been elevated to what Vahn would estimate to be the middle of the S-Rank. Like it's sibling-swords, however, it had an almost unlimited ability for growth; represented by the sword's parameters and its abilities. Though this would require it to be used in battle; Vahn's journey towards the peak hadn't exactly been a peaceful one...

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[Lævateinn: Epsilon]

Rank: S (Divine)

Slots: 1

P.Atk: 2407+240

M.Atk: 1692

Abilities: Acknowledgement of the Emperor(-), Lævateinn(S), Flame Wreath(S), Spirit-Siphon(A), Familial Bond(-)

One of five swords possessing the legacy of the legendary Lævateinn. The flames emitted by this sword cannot be extinguished by normal means; burning all things recognized as an enemy by the Creator. Due to its Creator's desire to forge a blade with limitless potential, this sword has a very high chance of developing a Spirit that embodies this desire.

Restrictions: Vahn Aldrnari Mason, Progeny of Vahn Aldrnari Mason

Special Restriction: Can only be used by those with a sincere desire to protect the Empire and its citizens from harm

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Seeing Epsilon's stats, Vahn felt even more pride than before he had named it. He was unable to restrain himself so, along with the other four [Lævateinn] variants: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, he exited the forge to give the newly forged blade a test run. He could feel their excitement bubbling up with his own; each desiring the thrill of battle.

Fortunately, he could create a new Memory Fragment on the fly so, for the remainder of his session within, Vahn, and the five vermillion blades, cut loose. Though the Memory Fragment lacked the use of his Innates, it was able to freely change its shape and; with its ability to use [Laplace's Key], Vahn was one of his most terrifying opponents. By the end of his session, it had become a 'beast' that was more than 10m in height; formed from metallic black ooze that unhesitantly used various Laws in unique and 'educational' ways...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn is a monster o_o...','Aeterna doesn't like being ignored (T ^ T)','Vahn is basically an eldritch entity at this point xD...')

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