Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Following a lengthy discussion regarding the nature of the Tower and Vahn's plans for the duration of his stay, Eduan ended up falling silent for several minutes. During this period, he emptied nearly half the contents of a 40oz wine vase as his children, specifically Maschenny, Asensio, and a peculiar individual named Icardi, sat silently around a banquet table.

After finally organizing his thoughts, an uncharacteristically tired sigh escaped Eduan's throat as he muttered, "Who could have imagined that the Tower meant to choose a God was actually just a trial for reincarnation? Headon...that bunny-eared bastard lied to us..."

Though Eduan's words weren't intended for anyone, in particular, Vahn decided to chime in, saying, "That isn't exactly true. As counterintuitive as it might seem, reincarnation into a higher dimensional plane with your memories intact is one of the most expedient methods to becoming what you refer to as a 'True God'. Trying to obtain that level of power in a lower Realm is borderline impossible, as, without stabilizing and strengthening the plane you inhabit, you risk destroying everything in your pursuit of power. Don't get me wrong. I'm not exactly a fan of the current system. However, without it, the path towards godhood, and even higher realms of power, would be closed off to anyone who wasn't 'chosen'..."

Nodding his head lazily in response, Eduan emptied another glass of wine before setting the vase aside and asking, "How do you know of all this? Have you ever actually been to these higher realms you speak of?"

Shaking his head, Vahn adopted a slightly serious expression as he said, "I'm not obligated to reveal the source of my knowledge. The only reason I revealed these truths to you is to better prepare you for the future. The Tower is bound to be in an uproar the moment you appear outside. At least now you have an idea of what it is you're fighting for."

Raising his cup as if to issue a toast, Eduan adopted a somewhat sardonic expression on his face as he said, "Indeed. The question then becomes...what are you fighting for? Don't tell me you're doing all of this in the spirit of selfless magnanimity. I might not be the most learned person in the world, but the one unquestionable truth I have ascertained over the years is that those who play at being selfless and righteous are often the most selfish of us all..."

Adopting an amused smile, Vahn elected to raise his own glass, his eyes glowing in the low light of the room as he said, "I fight because I choose to. I don't pretend to be selfless, nor do I care about becoming a hero. The only things I care about are protecting my family and doing what I believe to be right. If there is one truth I have learned throughout my years...it would be that those who 'need' a reason to act are often looking to avoid some form of responsibility. I no longer have any interest in such things. The only people who can hold me accountable are those I have given that right. I am free."

Surprised by the resolve contained within Vahn's declaration, Eduan found himself at a momentary loss for words. In the end, however, he couldn't help but shake his head, a satiric smile developing across his face as he lowered his glass and remarked, "How irresponsible...though, I do suppose that is how it has always been, hasn't it? The truly powerful can only be held accountable by themselves and the people they have given power over them...ahahahahaha~"

Seeing their father enter a laughing fit, Asensio and the masked Icardi couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable. Maschenny, however, had been listening closely since the start of the conversation, her eyes radiating a shimmering blue glow as she quietly repeated, "The truly powerful can only be held accountable by themselves..."

Not missing Maschenny's musings, Eduan's laughter promptly ceased as both he and Vahn shifted their attention to the pale-haired Princess. This would have caused the average person to avert their eyes, but, demonstrating she was anything but, Maschenny adopted a resolute look of her own as she said, "I wish to leave this place, conquer the Tower, and venture to the realms beyond. Even if it means selling my soul to a demon, I will see for myself what lies beyond. Tell me. What do I need to do in order to receive your power?"

With Maschenny directing her gaze towards him, Vahn couldn't help but frown as he asserted, "I'm not a demon..."

Furrowing her brows, Maschenny crossed her arms somewhat defiantly as she asked, "Does it really matter? Based on the differences in mine and Asensio's treatment, you clearly have some kind of intentions towards me. Either that or you're the kind of pretentious pig who can't bring themselves to hit a girl. Since you claim to have fought against my true self, however, I doubt that. That means you sought us out for a specific reason, and, based on your behavior during our fight, that reason is clearly related to me. You either intended to use me against myself or as a way to slap Jahad in the face. Regardless, I'm all in. Tell me what I need to do."

Though her words weren't entirely on the mark, Vahn found himself unable to refute Maschenny's claims. This caused the surprisingly sharp Princess to adopt a victorious smile as Eduan, seemingly entertained, began to laugh in an annoyingly boisterous and uninhibited manner.

Resisting the urge to throw his half-emptied cup into Eduan's face, Vahn set it off to the side as he met Maschenny's gaze and explained, "I did intend to train you, not specifically to defeat your real self, but to demonstrate how powerful she could have become with proper guidance. What I didn't account for was the fact that your personality was already twisted before you even started climbing the Tower. I'm guessing being born into the Khun Family and being chosen as a Princess of Jahad at such an early age didn't really help..."

Seemingly dissatisfied by these words, Maschenny snorted loudly before asking, "So what? It's not like I could have done anything about the circumstances of my birth. Are you going to fault me for making the most of my situation? If I hadn't done my best, those envious of my talent would have readily killed me in order to clear a path for themselves. Don't tell me you're going to change your mind. What, are you afraid that I might stab you in the back or something? I didn't take you for a coward."

Understanding that Maschenny was trying to rile him up in an effort to force his hand, a dry laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he shifted his attention to Eduan and remarked, "See what I mean? This is what happens when you arbitrarily sire children without creating an environment to nourish them. When you get outside, I expect you to set a better example. If you end up walking the same path as your predecessor...well, let's just say I would take it personally..."

Since he had personally sired a total of zero children, Eduan couldn't help but roll his eyes as he nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, whatever. It's not like I actually intended to have children. I've had more than enough problems dealing with the brats who came here seeking to prove themselves. Besides, why worry about starting a family of my own when the penultimate goal is reincarnation? I'll worry about shit like that when I get to a higher realm."

Detecting no falsehoods in Eduan's words, Vahn nodded his head in approval before returning his attention to the moderately annoyed Maschenny and saying, "What you choose to do after leaving the Hidden Floor is ultimately up to you. If you wish to become stronger, I can certainly provide you with the means to drastically increase your power. However, it will depend almost entirely on your effort and the willingness of others to teach you. If you think power will just be handed to you, you are sorely mistaken..."

Tilting her head forward and turning her eyes up in an expression of mild contempt, Maschenny asked, "When did I ever simply ask for power? I'm well aware that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. I've said since the beginning that I'm willing to do whatever it takes, so you just need to tell me what it is you want. So long as you are more powerful than me, you won't have to worry about me ever betraying you."

Hearing Maschenny's words, Vahn was starting to understand how the 'real' her managed to claw her way up to her current position. The only things she genuinely cared about were proving herself and fighting against powerful foes, so, even if it resulted in her inevitable end, she was willing to do whatever it took to ensure there was conflict. She was the type of person who constantly aspired to reach the top, not because she cared about being number one, but because it virtually guaranteed there would always be people looking to dethrone her...

Deciding to see for himself how far she was willing to go, Vahn adopted a mask of seriousness as he somberly replied, "Very well then...since you appear to be confident in yourself, I'll make things easy for you. In exchange for the opportunity to become infinitely more powerful, I expect you to behave both adorably and sincere. The more convincing your act and the more sincere your sentiments, the more opportunities I will provide you."

Having expected Vahn to force her to become his wife, concubine, or sex slave, Maschenny believed she had already prepared herself for the worst. When she heard his conditions, however, her mental faculties promptly slowed to a crawl as she mechanically inquired, "You expect me...to act cute?"

Amused by Maschenny's reaction, a teasing smile developed across Vahn's face as he asked, "What? You can sell your soul to a demon, but acting cute is too difficult? It's no wonder your real self walks around wearing a t-back. You're surprisingly stuck up, aren't you?"

Rebooting in response to Vahn's teasing remark, Maschenny adopted a disconcerted glower as she asked, "What's wrong with wearing a t-back? I have sensitive skin and other garments cause chafing when I move around quickly. I tried wearing shorts and knickers, but idiots wouldn't shut up about them. Besides, what does that have to do with being stuck up? Don't you think you're being a little unfair by comparing me to someone I haven't even met for nearly a millennia?"

Ignoring the implication that the current Maschenny was wearing a t-back, Vahn decided to deflect back to the original topic, remarking, "It seems you'll be experiencing an uphill battle if you want to become stronger than your original self..."

Clicking her tongue in response to Vahn's words, Maschenny seemed to enter a state of deep and highly frustrated thought as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed in a huff. This earned her an amused chuckle from Eduan, who, understanding the conversation was nearing its end, turned his attention to Vahn, saying, "Since you're giving out bodies like candy, there is someone I believe you might be interested in. He is someone who seems to know the true history of the Tower. You might not care, but his knowledge will be useful for those following after you. I'll have Asensio guide you to his location. Once you meet him, you can make your own decision."

With the data of Khun Eduan having long gained an Ego of his own, the Law of Identity was able to reveal that the person he was referring to was none other than Yu Hansung, the Test Director of the Floor of Tests. This came as a moderate surprise, but, having already learned of the truths contained within the actual Hansung's mind, Vahn wasn't particularly interested in dealing with another.

Recognizing the look in Vahn's eyes, another laugh emanated from Eduan's throat as he remarked, "It seems like there is some bad blood between you and the original. Still, you should at least meet with him. People can change a lot in a single year, much less several hundred. I doubt he has done anything worse than me and my brats. You should give him a chance. Besides, there should be a lot of other data imprisoned in that quarantine area. Who knows, you might even come across the data of a few interesting Regulars? Though I only allow these three to stay here, there should be around twenty or so other members of my family running around. I imagine most of them would be willing to sell their souls if it meant escaping the Hidden Floor. This place gets pretty boring after the first couple of years."

Since there was no actual harm in meeting with Yu Hansung and traveling to the quarantine area, Vahn ultimately nodded in response to Eduan's words. At the very least, it was a better plan than simply 'full-clearing' the Hidden Floor in search of the Hidden Hidden Floor's entrance. There was no way someone like Yu Hansung wouldn't know the shortest route to reaching Jahad, as, similar to Rachel, he was someone well acquainted with the history of Arlen, V, and the Tower as a whole.

With this in mind, Vahn was prepared to leave when Maschenny suddenly slammed her fists on the table, crocodile tears in her eyes as she exclaimed, "How am I supposed to act cute!? Isn't that kind of thing entirely subjective!? If you want to caress my head that badly, there are more direct ways to go about it...!"

Understanding this was Maschenny's attempt to appear both cute yet confrontational, a dry laugh emanated from Vahn's throat as he finished rising to his feet, saying, "I'm sure you'll figure it out. If becoming a God was easy, everyone would be able to do it. If you're legitimately asking for advice, you could practice smiling without appearing like a predator. There is nothing wrong with having a few sadistic inclinations. Displaying them wantonly and letting them dictate your behavior is what causes problems."

Clicking her tongue for the umpteenth time, Maschenny fell back into her chair, arms crossed as she, once again, entered a state of thoughtful consideration. This left nearly everyone present with visibly wry smiles on their faces, the only exception being Icardi, who, for a number of reasons, hid his face away behind a mask...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eduan be like, "Okay then, keep your secrets..."','With great power comes limited accountability...','Imagine Maschenny's reaction to her younger self behaving cutely xD...')