Though she wasn’t the last to finish up her fight, Fenrir’s battle lasted a great deal longer than most. As a result, nearly everyone had gathered above the Town of the Wandering Minstrels, not because they didn’t want to help, but because it was simply unnecessary.
With the average strength of their combatants being near the peak of Tier 4, the absolute pinnacle for the Tower itself, it was nigh-impossible for the Hidden Floor to produce Sworn Enemies capable of contending against imperial forces. The most they could hope to do was draw out the battle, but, with weapons capable of corrupting data, even this was exceedingly difficult. After all, while each of the S.E. Vahn(s) were capable of producing clones of themself, said clones were fundamentally part of the same program. As a result, damaging one did irreversible damage to the program itself, and, after a while, most of the abilities attributed to the Sworn Enemies simply wouldn’t function.
Noticing the looks of everyone present, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he pushed the auburn-haired girl hiding behind him forward, saying, “Her official naming ceremony will be held a little later, but I’d like everyone to meet Angri(Ahn-gree). She will be joining us as a member of the Emerald Grove in the near future. Though she might be a little unstable in the beginning, it shouldn’t take long for her to adapt so long as everyone supports her.”
Despite standing 7cm shorter than Fenrir, Angri actually stood out quite a bit due to her bright hair color, bronzed skin, and vibrant copper eyes. She had also substituted her risque schoolgirl uniform for a pure white, slightly translucent, sundress. This drew a lot of attention in and of itself, as, due to her skin tone, it was possible to vaguely discern her body through the unblemished fabric.
Speaking out before anyone else could find the opportunity, Yoruichi adopted a rather mischievous smile as she asked, “She seems like a little troublemaker. Did you name her after Angrboda? I guess we know who to blame when she causes trouble in the near future.”
Upset by Yoruichi’s words, even if there was a fair amount of truth to them, Angri glared back at the smiling cat woman before issuing a low growl that displayed a rather vicious-looking set of teeth.
Undaunted, Yoruichi shifted her attention from Angri to Vahn as she asked, “Want me to look after her? If you leave her in the care of Fenrir, she’ll become just another overzealous follower seeking affirmation and praise. I’ve been thinking about starting my own Corps, so I wouldn’t mind taking her in as my protege. You could also make a Template of Soi Fon, but I’d rather not have to deal with a subordinate that has a higher Soul Tier than me.”
Displeased with the notion that she would be separated from her Master, Angri was about to say something in protest when Yoruichi sent a wink in her direction, adding, “Don’t refuse so quickly. I don’t know which memories you inherited from fuzzy britches over there, but I take pride in being one of Vahn’s first crushes and one of his most beloved pets. Finish my training and you’ll get to be as lazy and spoiled as you please. I can also teach you a few tricks that are guaranteed to get him in the mood…what do you say~?”
Having already come to terms with the fact she couldn’t keep her Master to herself, Angri couldn’t deny the temptation contained in Yoruichi’s words. She also wanted to get out of Fenrir’s shadow as quickly as possible, so, after hearing the mischievous cat’s final promise, she circumvented Vahn’s attempts to intercede, saying, “I’ll do it. It’s better than getting brainwashed by this smelly bimbo.”
Snorting in response to Angri’s words, Fenrir suppressed the urge to comment on her own body odor. Instead, she met Yoruichi’s gaze, saying, “Don’t go easy on her. If she is to receive Master’s praise, she must work for it. If I don’t like the way you are raising her, I will be forced to step in…”
Finding Fenrir’s words rather amusing, Yoruichi was about to teasingly refer to her as ‘mom’, but, feeling a sudden chill descend upon the surroundings, she promptly changed her mind. Fenrir had lost a lot of her playfulness due to her perennial cultivation of the Yin Element, so, while she could be exceptionally lovey-dovey when it concerned her Master, she could be surprisingly cold at other times.
Stepping in to alleviate the tensions, Vahn plopped his hand atop Fenrir’s head, casually stroking the area between her ears as he gazed into the distance and said, “It seems like Mordred is done playing around. We should return to the resort. Once everyone has gathered, I’ll deal with Angri’s body creation and naming ceremony while everyone else retires to the Little Garden. We’ll discuss the specifics of the conflict once everyone has had an opportunity to rest.”
Though she was a little resentful of the fact that her original was getting headpats, Angri cheered up considerably when she heard her Master mention creating her body and assigning her name. It made her feel bubbly knowing that he prioritized those two things over everything else, and, while it might not have been his intention, the truth rarely mattered in such situations.
Noticing Angri’s rather ‘hungry’ gaze, Vahn did his best to maintain a relaxed smile as he created a hole in the barrier for everyone to pass through. He had a feeling that she was going to go through something of a ‘clingy’ phase, but, so long as it led to her developing in a positive light, he didn’t particularly mind tending to her needs. The modifications Fenrir had made to her appearance made her especially cute, and, though he would forever prefer the original, having a little nymphette of a Vanargandr wasn’t a bad thing…
—
Though the majority of residents within the Tower had no notion of the Hidden Floor’s existence, largely due to the fact that openly discussing it would erase your memories of the interior, there were quite a number of people that were intimately aware of the events taking place inside. This included the ‘Great Father’ of the Workshop, the people directly responsible for the Hidden Floor’s existence, and, as could be expected, Jahad himself.
Located within a secretive chamber that fewer than a hundred people had ever had access to, Jahad could be found standing in the center of a mysterious formation comprised entirely of shimmering, rune-covered, bones. This was one of the most secluded regions in the entire Tower, not because it possessed inherent significance, but because it had great symbolic meaning to Jahad himself. It was here that he had first realized the truth, and, shortly thereafter, it was at this exact location that he had resolved himself to become King of the Tower.
With a pensive look that would shock anyone that believed they knew him well, Jahad spent several minutes simply staring into nothingness before muttering to himself, “Even after reaching the point where I can observe fate from the perspective of a God, I still couldn’t predict an outcome such as this…it would seem fate is even crueler than I realized…”
Despite addressing an empty room, Jahad’s words weren’t greeted with silence. Instead, a cold and raspy voice immediately replied, “You simply need more strength. Absolute power and violence are the solutions to all things. If you ever find yourself in a situation where they aren’t, you simply aren’t using enough. This outcome is the direct result of your weakness. You made the mistake of showing your enemies kindness despite proclaiming yourself a God. If you were a True God, you never would have let your emotions dictate your actions. Now, your inability to relinquish your humanity has put everything you sought to obtain at risk. Were all those sacrifices completely meaningless!?”
Choosing not to answer the voice’s admonishment, Jahad continued to stare into empty space for several long minutes before muttering, “If that man wishes to destroy me, I will neither run nor hide. I have spent the last ten-thousand-years accumulating power. If it is my destiny to fall at his hands, I will not spend my final years desperately seeking to obtain more. When the time comes, I will bring to bear all my strengths, ideals, and convictions. If that is not enough, it does not mean I was weak. It simply means he was stronger…”
Angered by Jahad’s words, several crimson tendrils emerged from the right arm he kept concealed beneath his cloak. At the same time, his right eye released an eerie crimson glow as his own mouth moved to say, “You are the same coward now as you were back then! If you had just killed everyone instead of trying to play God, nobody would dare challenge you! What was the point of gaining all this power if you aren’t going to use it!?”
Once again choosing to remain silent, Jahad forcibly suppressed the crimson tendrils before fixing his cloak and turning to depart the chamber. Even taking a few minutes to gather his thoughts was far too long for someone in his position, so, now that he had a moment to reflect on why his Data self might have betrayed him, it was time to return to his duties as King. As for what the demon in his right arm had to say, he had never particularly cared about its opinion. A true King was not so easily controlled, so, while his younger self might have been swayed by its promises, the millennia thereafter had wisened him up to its schemes. Now that someone like Vahn had appeared, it was time to set in motion events thousands of years in the making.
With that thought in mind, Jahad’s steps briefly slowed as he directed his gaze towards the void. If one were to look closely, they would be able to see the image of a young woman with golden eyes, black hair, and pointed ears reflected within his irises. This caused his expression to turn noticeably melancholic, but, moments later, a nascent smile briefly appeared on his face as the giant of a man shook his head and stepped into the void…
—
After an uncharacteristically racy Familia Induction Ceremony, Vahn returned to the Emerald Grove alongside a practically glowing Angri. Fortunately, she was also rather fatigued after the experience, so, rather than suffering the awkwardness of having her appear before others, Vahn was able to lay her to rest within Yoruichi’s largely unused room before reuniting with everyone in the tavern-like dining hall.
Ignoring the knowing looks he received from quite a number of people, Vahn opted to occupy the empty seat between Artoria and Eva before saying, “I defeated one of the Sworn Enemies based on King Jahad. He seemed to possess a level of authority that greatly eclipsed that of the Big Breeders. As a result, he was able to effectively alter the prime directive of the other Sworn Enemies. I can’t be certain this is the last we’ll see of them, but I’ve reason to believe this might be the end.”
Though she hadn’t participated in the fighting, Android 21, along with the rest of the R&D Division, had decided to attend the post-battle banquet. As a result, she took it upon herself to be the first to challenge Vahn’s assertion, saying, “That is a bold claim. Did something happen?”
Meeting the woman’s steely blue gaze, Vahn adopted his characteristically easygoing smile as he explained, “I encountered what could best be described as parasitic Ignition Weapon. From what I could tell, it wasn’t comprised of data like the majority of the Hidden Floor. Instead, it seemed to be an actual physical object. Though most of the information pertaining to its purpose was protected, I was able to ascertain that it was a product of the Workshop. It tried to spin a story about me having the qualities of a King and attempted to offer me something arbitrary like ‘great power’. Now, it has become dust…”
Frowning in response to Vahn’s words, Android 21 wanted to chide him for destroying what could have proven to be a valuable find, but, knowing he wouldn’t simply invite an unknown variable into the Little Garden, she ultimately restrained herself. Still, that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it, so, to make her disdain known, she made a show of pushing up her black-rimmed glasses before crossing her arms disapprovingly.
Resisting the urge to comment on Android 21’s behavior, Vahn wisely decided to change topics, asking, “So? Does anyone feel like sharing their exploits? I don’t mind going first, but I think you’ll be disappointed. My opponent ended up jumping to conclusions and performing a suicide move pretty early on, so things ended rather anticlimactically.”
Waiting until the exact moment when Vahn had finished speaking, Mordred spontaneously rose from her seat while slamming her hands on the table, excitedly proclaiming, “I’ll go first!” with such fervor that it was easy to imagine stars in her eyes. Then, much to his chagrin, Vahn found himself in the rather peculiar position of watching several versions of himself get beaten with varying degrees of passion and enthusiasm…
(A/N: Alternate Titles: ‘The best(worst) teacher for the job~’,’*brooding intensifies*’,’That’s a mega oof…’)
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