When Da Vinci finally returned with Musashi’s weapons, totaling two katanas, two wakizashi, and an ornate tanto, the latter was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Though several conflicting trains of thought were currently plaguing her mind, having her bindings removed and her swords returned to her was a qualitative improvement. She could have broken free whenever she wanted, but, with Vahn within instantaneous striking distance, it didn’t seem particularly wise to try and show off.
While Musashi was busy tying her sheathes to her modified obi, Vahn was watching her vigilantly while seated at a table pulled from his Inventory. He had Okita and Altera pull back, as there were too many currents that led to conflict while they were around, so, for the time being, it was just him, Da Vinci, and Musashi present within the underwater research center.
Once her weapons were securely fixed, Musashi eyed up Vahn and Da Vinci before making her way over to the seat that had been prepared for her. She would normally exchange a few quips with her enemies, but, considering Vahn’s earlier display, he obviously wasn’t in the mood for such things. It was actually a little unnerving as, while her [Nothingness] and [Empyrean Eye] would allow her to escape virtually any situation, Vahn’s ‘Infinity’ counteracted her ability better than she cared to admit.
The moment Musashi sat down, Vahn pulled out a file from his Inventory, pushing it toward her as he said, “You aren’t the Musashi from our Time Axis. According to the data we have been able to collect, our Musashi was a sixty-three-year-old man who died from lung cancer. He was a patient and solemn man who, in the later years of his life, dedicated himself to Buddha and the way of the sword. While you may, indeed, be Miyamoto Musashi, your status as a Divine Spirit leaves a lot of doubts about your identity…”
Seeing the old man wearing tattered robes within the file, Musashi couldn’t help but wince as she closed the document. She actually recognized the man in the file as, in the distant past, long before she had been displaced from her timeline, the same man had appeared before her. He had been trying to escape a heavy downpour and, feeling sorry for him, Musashi had parted with her favorite sake, warmed by her own body. As an expression of gratitude, the man gifted her his sword mere moments before taking his final breath…
Feeling a deeply rooted melancholy, Musashi adopted a serious expression on her face as she asked, “Is this man truly Miyamoto Musashi…?”
Though he was annoyed by the fact Musashi hadn’t answered his questions, Vahn squinted his eyes and answered, “I benefit nothing from trying to deceive you over the matter of your identity. I refuse to believe you aren’t aware of your true nature so stop footing around the issue. Tell me, where did you come from? How did you end up working with Archimedes? What is your group’s true motive for invading my timelines?”
Hearing the impatience in Vahn’s tone, Musashi released a tired sigh before pushing the documents back to him and answering, “Contrary to what you might believe, I am Miyamoto Musashi. As for the answer to your question…well, I don’t really have a way to answer it? I left on a journey to pursue the path of swordsmanship to its extremes. In my pursuit, I ended up wandering into a world completely different from my own and, after trying to return, I found my timeline, my home, no longer existed. I can’t even begin to fathom how much time has passed since then, but, after countless years, I ended up meeting with Archimedes…”
Upon reaching this point in her story, Musashi’s expression became more serious as she explained, “I never liked that man, but, due to his efforts, I’m able to stay within a single timeline without being randomly sent elsewhere. I also learned about the existence of Quantum Time-Locks and Temporal Singularities…really, this World is a ridiculous place…haaaaa….”
Since Musashi failed to elaborate, it was Da Vinci, with an expression of mild surprise, who explained “Quantum Time-Locks are a theoretical phenomenon concerning the existence of the Multiverse and infinite tangential timelines. Based on mine and Sherlock’s research into the Second, Third, and Fifth Magics, I was able to form a hypothesis about the true nature of the world. Quantum Time-Locks are one of the hypothesized control factors of the World, accounting for and purging timelines without the possibility of divergence. I had never brought it up before, but, you should be able to confirm if this is the case by asking Alaya directly…”
As Da Vinci’s words weren’t exactly spoken in secrecy, Musashi furrowed her brows while Vahn just nodded his head and said, “Alaya, I know you are listening. Come out.”
Following Vahn’s command, a woman with pale-blue skin, dark-blue hair, and violet eyes manifested at the side of the table. She had her characteristic ’emotionless’ expression and, knowing what Vahn was going to ask, she nodded her head and stated, “It is one of the methods used to cull worlds that end in the finite destruction of mankind. Due to my current restrictions, I am unable to determine if this woman is truly from a culled world. I am only charged with the Administration of timelines that branch from my original axis and have no knowledge regarding displaced individuals…”
While Musashi was struggling to try and make sense of what was happening, Vahn issued a light hum before asking, “You can still track her, right? I can see the flow of fate around her body so she should be bound to this Time Axis, at least for the moment.”
In response to Vahn’s question, Alaya nodded her head, answering, “As an…apology…I already used up the requisite energy to complete your request. There will be no problems…”
Knowing Alaya was referring to her attempt to probe his mind, Vahn lightly squinted his eyes, but, as it was undoubtedly the result of an order from above, he decided to drop it. Blaming Alaya for trying to fulfill her duty was pointless, and, even if he could somehow leverage it against Akasha in the near future, associating with the powers that be brought various risks. He was already given the liberty of acting as he pleased, so, at least for the time being, Vahn couldn’t afford to split his focus on forces he had no means of opposing…
Seeing the confusion on Musashi’s face, Vahn gestured toward Alaya, saying, “I doubt you’ll believe me, but, allow me to introduce you to the Manifestation of Humanity’s Will to Survive, Alaya. Despite the labels people force upon me, the truth of the matter is that I am doing my best on behalf of the World itself. Yes, a lot of people have died as a result of my choices, but, I have also taken measures to ensure the preservation of as many innocents as possible. Unless you intend to tell me the worlds you have visited were all some grand utopia, you have very little ground to stand on.”
Though she couldn’t tell what exactly the predominately blue woman was, Musashi resisted the idea that she was actually the better-known half of the Counter Force. She had actually fought numerous Counter Guardians over the centuries, so, seeing how subservient the woman seemed to Vahn, she couldn’t help but refuse the reality that had been presented before her. All she knew for certain was the fact that, even with her [Empyrean Eye], Musashi got the impression there was nothing she could do against the peculiar blue woman…
It would have been convenient if Musashi believed his words, but, as Alaya had already informed him that the Strings of Fate worked on both her and Caenis, it no longer mattered. Even if negotiations ended up breaking down, locating the enemy base now became much easier. Now, it was really only a matter of time before Archimedes’ group fell, as, by meeting with Musashi like this, Vahn had been able to link together their fates. There was a tiny string that connected them, so, no matter what she had up her sleeve, Vahn would be able to track her down.
Much like before, Musashi couldn’t shake the feeling that Vahn was in control of the situation. It was surprisingly uncomfortable, as, even if she drew her blade and fought it out with him, the most she could hope for was an internecine outcome. Vahn seemed even stronger than he was the last time they had battled, while, inversely, her confidence had been shaken by the previous defeat. She didn’t even know if everything around her was an illusion, but, based on the fact Vahn readily returned her weapons, it certainly felt like it…
Electing not to give Musashi time to organize her thoughts, Vahn shifted in his chair, leaning forward slightly as he said, “So, you’re someone who got displaced from their original world…I can empathize with that. Though you seem to be in a state that won’t believe anything I tell you, everyone close to me knows that I came here from a different world. One day, I intend to return to my world, but, until then, I will do everything in my power to make this world a better place. You accuse me of cutting off various futures, but, in the end, I’m opening up countless others. The primary difference is, as a result of the foundation I am laying now, all races will have a greater chance of living a happy life, not just humans. If you can’t see the injustice in humans wasting resources, taking advantage of each other, and killing the very planet itself, there really isn’t much I can say to convince you…now, tell me, I’m really curious about the ‘perfect utopia’ that Archimedes hails from…tell me about the world you will die to protect…”
Though she had a complicated expression for much of Vahn’s monologue, the aura around Musashi became as sharp as a blade when she heard the last part. Despite this, Vahn continued to lightly tap his fingers atop the table, observing her with an unperturbed look that seemed to dare her to draw her sword. As a result, Musashi clenched her teeth and, faster than even the most precise instrument could capture, placed her sword at Vahn’s throat as she asked, “You really know how to piss people off; did anyone ever tell you that!?”
Without bothering to defend himself, even after Musashi’s blade pricked his neck, Vahn snorted through his nose and asked, “And I was supposed to be happy when you tried to kidnap innocent children? Sit down and stop deflecting every time I ask you a question! Don’t tell me your world isn’t a perfect utopia without things like crime, corruption, murder, and rape? You seem intent on ruining every effort we’re making to eliminate these things so you must have a pretty fucking good reason, right!?”
Rather than shy away from Musashi’s blade, Vahn allowed it to cut deeper into his flesh as he glared at her, his rage gradually building to the point of an eruption. He hadn’t even asked tried asking her to betray her allies, yet, in spite of showing considerable leniency, Musashi continually deflected or outright ignored his questions. He had even given her a fair amount of information, but, due to her apparent distrust, she didn’t take anything he said at face value.
Feeling the pressure released by Vahn rapidly increasing, Musashi clicked her tongue before falling back into her seat, her sword already sheathed as she crossed her arms and complained, “Seriously, everything you do is so extreme…haaa…”
Unamused by her response, the room around them became suffused with a golden hue as Vahn released both his aura and [Enkidu]. He had seen several currents where Musashi used her swords to cut apart Space in an attempt to flee. Thus, taking advantage of the fact she was a Divine Spirit, Vahn locked down the surrounding Space with [Enkidu], earning another click from Musashi’s tongue as she rolled her eyes and asked, “Is that really necessary…?”
Growing increasingly annoyed with Musashi’s behavior, Vahn’s hand, which had been tapping on the top of the table, began to grow golden scales as he solemnly stated, “Last chance…if you keep trying to play games with me, don’t blame me for escalating things. This is a serious discussion, and, after what your group pulled, I expect a proper response to my questions. If you’re so eager to do battle, expect no quarter…neither for you nor your allies…your group was the first to throw away civility so it is only natural I return the favor, right…?”
Though she had an overwhelming urge to cut Vahn into pieces, Musashi managed a smile that did little to convey any positive emotions. It was the kind of smile those consumed by the thrill of battle adopted in the moments prior to their death, the kind that allowed them to take countless lives with them. Despite this, Musashi’s voice was eerily calm as she answered, “Okay, fine, sure..I’ll answer your questions. Archimedes’ world is a shit hole where mana dried up and, as a result, humanity tore itself apart! Most of the world became uninhabitable, relying on science and technology to preserve what remains of the human race! Are you happy now…!?”
Finished with her outburst, Musashi kicked against the table in a huff, knocking it into Vahn’s chest as she muttered, “Fucking asshole…” in an annoyed voice. Despite this, it was clear that she was more than a little shaken, so, while her reaction caused the atmosphere around Vahn to solidify, he did his best to remain calm. Musashi’s admission of the truth was the first step towards compromise, so, if he followed her outburst with one of his own, he would lose the momentum he had generated.
Seeing Vahn taking several deep breaths to calm down, Musashi squinted her eyes and asked, “So? What now, Mr. Emperor? Does it make you feel better about yourself to know that the future is just as fucked up as the present? Does it help to silence the voices of billions of people crying out for justice…?”
After placing the table into his Inventory, Vahn rose to his feet, putting Musashi on guard as she prepared to draw her katana. What she didn’t expect was for Vahn to turn his back and say, “You can leave. I already told you how you should approach this situation if you want to deal with me, so, feel free to contact me if you want to fight. Your admission of the truth exposes your previous hypocrisy so, if you have any sense at all, you will reflect on today’s events. The Empire is truly trying to make the world a better place, so, unless you can come up with a method to improve it, stop wasting my time with petty schemes. This is your chance to prove whether or not you’re a Hero or just a fool that is being manipulated for another person’s agenda…”
With his words finished, Vahn, hand clad in golden scales, tore a gaping hole within the void. Unlike a normal tear, however, this was an actual spatial tunnel, surprising Musashi due to the fact Caenis could be seen chained up on the opposite side. She was even more surprised when Vahn looked back at her, saying, “I know you have the ability to cut through Space so take your companion and go. Pass on my warning to all of your allies as, depending on your next course of action, you will all be held accountable together…” Then, after grabbing Da Vinci’s hand, Vahn added, “There have been too many deaths…don’t force me to kill good people just because you’re a bunch of idiots…”
(A/N: To all the people that choose to whine about the fact Vahn let Musashi go, without taking into consideration the context of the novel…well, I hope you have a pleasant day (^_^). To those with the patience to actually read the story and see how it develops, I hope you have an amazing day :D…’)
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