Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After deciding to leave Vahn and Tamamo alone together, Artoria carried out her duties as both Empress and the Commander of the Imperial Knights. On paper, she actually had more authority over the Imperial Militia than Vahn, largely due to the fact that the latter was more inclined to deal with things on his own, rather than command forces. Thus, while the direction of the Empire was dictated by Vahn, Artoria was in charge of making sure everything was running smoothly, dutifully commanding her former Knights of the Round Table.

Artoria had already discussed the allocation of their forces with Gawain, deciding they would only rotate in a single battalion to protect the 'false' Avalon at any given moment. They still needed to allocate the majority of their forces around the planet, so, until the Mage's Association could pick up the slack, focusing on the Moon Cell was a larger priority for Da Vinci, rather than the Imperial Militia.

Fortunately, Da Vinci was more than capable of handling matters, both within the Moon Cell and on the surface. So long as she was provided with adequate resources, she could easily construct a massive laboratory on the surface, preparing it for colonization within a few month's time. So long as the Moon Cell didn't intervene, which could be avoided so long as they didn't endanger any of its functions, she could even cover the entire surface in a protective layer.

Vahn had 'harvested' several hundred tons of photonic crystals during the time he had attempted to burrow into the Moon Cell, so, with even a thumb-sized piece being capable of producing an AI on the level of Arc, Mother, and Shadow, she was very enthusiastic about the future. All of her previous photonic crystals had been purchased by Vahn through the system shop, at more than a million OP for a single gram of the coveted material, so his previous haul was a tremendous boon.

Da Vinci was in such a good mood that, rather than refuse Artoria's offer to enjoy a meal together, she happily accepted. Now, they were sitting near the head of one of the large dining tables, each making idle conversation as they sampled the rather luxurious dishes prepared by those that had volunteered. Even the least-proficient Homunculus was more capable than a world-class chef, so, being the glutton she was, Artoria's side of the table was filled with empty plates as she attentively listened to Da Vinci drone on about future projects.

It wasn't until Vahn spontaneously appeared that their conversation came to an end, followed by nearly everyone in the banquet hall rising to their feet as a courtesy to the Emperor. Then, after he put everyone at ease, Artoria and Da Vinci alighted to his side, the latter eyeing up Tamamo for a brief moment before commenting, "It seems the rumors of your beauty were not exaggerated. My name is Da Vinci. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Tama-chan~."

Few women were immune to compliments and, though Da Vinci's words sounded playful, there was a discernible sincerity to them that elevated her status in Tamamo's mind. Thus, while she had originally felt threatened by Da Vinci's overwhelming beauty, Tamamo managed a polite smile as she answered, "You are also quite beautiful, Lady Da Vinci. It's no wonder Ten'nō-sama is immune to my charms with so many splendid women at his side, ufufu~."

Following Tamamo's remark, the two beauties laughed in their characteristic manners, earning a wry smile from Vahn while Artoria simply released a small sigh. Then, without beating around the bush, she asked, "Will we be returning soon?"

As it was the primary reason he had tracked her down, Vahn nodded his head, answering, "I still need to speak with the Heroes Faction later on, but I wanted to summon Sakata Kintoki and Hou Yi before anything unexpected happens."

Vahn had largely recovered, but he was still feeling a little melancholic about what had happened within Chang'e's Moon Palace. He could easily visit Medea and Atalanta using his other body, but that would require him to shift his 'focus' from the Moon Cell to the Projection. Though he had all but mastered controlling a body inside and outside of the Projection at the same time, it was a lot easier to control the actions of his vessel outside than it was to manage his affairs inside.

Though he had only been away for a little under four days, that translated to nearly a month in the Projection. Many things had passed in that period of time, so, while he was very interested in the Moon Cell, Vahn was intending to leave Da Vinci in charge of all projects related to it. He was also going to evict most of the Heroes Faction, allowing only Chang'e the option to remain, should she decide against fighting.

After Artoria sent someone to inform Gawain about their departure, Vahn teleported back to the planet, instantly feeling refreshed. At the exact same moment, a second Alaya manifested at his side, taking her usual position on his shoulder as he used Unit Management to transport Artoria and Tamamo to his side.

As it had been more than a thousand years since the last time she was on Gaia, Tamamo took a deep breath before exhaling loudly and commenting, "The air seems fresher than I remember. I can also sense a large quantity of mana in the environment. It feels like my whole body is being nourished~."

Hearing Tamamo's remark, Vahn explained, "The concentration of mana in the atmosphere in other places might be a bit sporadic, but, here in Avalon, you won't have to worry about such things. Now, come along. I'll introduce you to everyone before helping you get situated in your new home. There will be plenty of time to explore the island once day breaks."

Immediately after hearing Vahn's words, Tamamo pounced onto his arm, grabbing it with a happy smile on her face as she answered, "Certainly, Ten'nō-sama. I can't wait to see what our love nest looks like, ufufufu~."

While lightly chuckling in response to Tamamo's words, Vahn extended his free hand to Artoria, linking arms with both beauties before entering the Projection and informing everyone of their return. Nobody was surprised by the fact Vahn brought another woman home with him. Rather, there was a betting pool to determine how many he would return with, averaging out to three and maxing out at nine...

Though Artoria had already told him that she and the others had discussed his nature, Vahn was a little troubled by Nobunaga's little game. He decided to 'punish' her later on, albeit after he dealt with his duties as both a father and an Emperor.

With this in mind, Vahn helped Tamamo get situated in the Menagerie, leaving her in the care of Fenrir before departing to spend time with his kids. A lot could change in a month, so, while his secondary vessel exited the Projection to activate the Throne of Heroes, Vahn opted to spend as much time as necessary to catch up with his children. This was even more important than going to pacify his women, something they understood well enough to leave him to his own devices...

When it came to using the Throne of Heroes, Vahn needed only to enter the Welsh Dragon's Chamber. There were no other preparations necessary, as, even without informing Maxwell of his intentions, Da Vinci had created several high-capacity batteries that could easily power the large summoning circle, each filled nigh-instantaneously by the gentlemanly Demon. This was one of the most cheat-like aspects of Maxwell's existence, something Da Vinci had taken full advantage of in her research.

After walking to the center of the summoning formation, Vahn briefly paused as he considered the fact this was his first time entering the Welsh Dragon's Chamber alone. This resulting in him looking at his surroundings for a brief moment, admiring the crystalline structure before setting his eyes on the massive dragon that had been sealed using pillars form of Photonic Crystals.

Vahn had always been curious about the origin of these pillars. Fortunately, the Welsh Dragon's revival wasn't that far off, bringing a smile from Vahn's face as he commented, "I'm glad you aren't a female, hahahaha~."

In response to Vahn's words, Sis's own echoed within his mind, musing, (*If you say such things, you are practically asking for something to happen.*)

Though he knew she was just teasing him, Vahn shook his head, answering with his thoughts, ("I have already seen it. My ability to read the Flow of Fate may not be perfect, but it wouldn't make a mistake regarding the gender of a True Dragon. I just hope Shuten, Ibaraki, or Kiyohime are able to take a liking to him. The former seems to have an interest in Kintoki, but there is no way for her to compete against Raikou. She'll be looking for a new partner so I'll have to prepare one if I want to avoid future troubles...")

Using his ability to read the Flow of Fate, Vahn had already seen numerous future timelines where Shuten endeavored to become one of his women. Though she still remained in the Yokai District, isolating herself in much the same way as Semiramis, there were a few futures where she ended up in conflict with the girls visiting Benienma's Enma-tei. While most of these disputes ended with nothing more than a few bruises and broken bones, it would save him a lot of trouble if he could pair her with another powerful True Dragon.

For now, Vahn knew there was no sense in worrying about the future, as, even with the ability to see the Flow of Fate, events more than a few days distant were pointless to observe. Unless he decided to follow a specific current without deviating in the slightest, every action he took shaped the future in a different way. Thus, for the time being, he activated the summoning circle, letting his consciousness sink into the Throne of Heroes...

After looking around the now-familiar expanse of empty space, Vahn made his way over to the Throne of Heroes, accessing the terminal with practiced finesse. It didn't take him long to find his timeline's version of Sakata Kintoki, but, out of consideration for Raikou, he invested a few hours attempting to isolate her's. This involved narrowing down timelines by looking for versions of the buxom woman that couldn't be summoned, as, while the Throne had very few restrictions, it was impossible to summon the 'exact' same Hero twice.

Eventually, Vahn narrowed down his search to thirteen likely possibilities, limiting the selection of Servant Classes to Berserker, Rider, and Lily. Though he had little doubt Raikou would appreciate the opportunity to raise Kintoki a second time, Vahn knew the man himself would take exception to the predicament.

After discovering Kintoki's [Mad Enhancement] was only E-Rank, despite being a Berserker Class Heroic Spirit, Vahn decided to give summoning him a try. The Rider version of him seemed to be a little 'unique', at least going by the Skills listed, so, considering nearly every version of Raikou had [Mad Enhancement: EX], Vahn felt summoning him as a Berserker was the lesser of two evils.

With his selection finished, Vahn found himself back in the real world, watching silently as a man with an exceptionally muscular body and a golden bowl-cut hairstyle manifested. He was dressed in clothes that didn't even remotely suit the time period he had been alive, causing Vahn to worry he had summoned the wrong man. He not only wore a wide-collared dress shirt, but he even had on a pair of slacks formed from synthetic fibers, a technology that didn't exist until centuries after his death. What stood out the most, however, were his various golden accessories, including what appeared to be a Rolex watch and a large belt buckle with the word 'GOLD' boldly displayed...

As he hadn't been transmigrated, Kintoki was fully conscious immediately after being summoned. This allowed him to stare back at Vahn with his blazing blue eyes, reminiscent of the sky on a clear day. Then, after a few seconds had passed, he pulled a pair of rose-tinted sunglasses out of thin air, covering his eyes completely before saying, "Yo, I guess you're my new Chief, eh? You could use more gold, you know? You got the whole 'cool' aspect down, but you look pretty lame in all that grey and black."

Hearing Kintoki's words, Vahn raised his brows slightly before smiling in amusement. He didn't care for formalities all that much, allowing him to pretty much ignore the man's rude remarks. It was still amusing, however, as he knew Kintoki would be fighting against him in the future. Thus, with an amused smile on his face, he stated, "I summoned you with the purpose of providing aid to my enemies. Specifically, you will serve under your former Lord, Minamoto-no-Raikou."

The moment he heard Vahn's words, Kintoki fell completely silent, lowering his head slightly as his complexion, momentarily, paled. Then, in an apprehensive voice that didn't suit a man of his stature, he asked, "So, you're one of Ma's enemies? You were actually able to fight against her?"

Though Kintoki would be his enemy in the future, Vahn didn't mind answering his questions. He harbored a bit of resentment towards the Heroes Faction, but no actual hatred. Thus, despite the fact they were in a rather sacred place, Vahn brought out a table, two chairs, and a few bottles of alcohol before getting Kintoki up to speed. The man's expression upon learning that Shuten and Ibaraki had also been summoned was rather priceless, resulting in him emptying an entire bottle in one go...

After a few drinks, Kintoki ended up asking, "You gonna summon the other three?", referencing his companions among the 'Four Heavenly Kings'. To this, Vahn dismissively shrugged, stating, "It depends on the needs of the faction you'll be joining. I'm afraid a division will occur in your side's forces if I were to summon all four of you. Besides, I think Raikou wouldn't mind having just you as company, at least for a short while..."

Understanding the meaning behind Vahn's words, Kintoki took another drink directly from the bottle, releasing an exasperated sigh as he answered, "Yeah, I know what you mean. I'll try to help her condition a bit. It shouldn't be that hard if you remove those monsters from the equation..."

Though her referred to them as monsters, Vahn could sense that Kintoki didn't harbor any hatred towards Shuten and her kin. Rather, based on the knowledge he had about those involved, there was a preexisting relationship between Kintoki and Shuten. The latter had disguised herself as a human, growing fond of the young Heavenly King after their first meeting. Despite this, he helped Raikou hunt Shuten down, severing the latter's head and spelling the end of their fledgling tryst.

Vahn knew there was a lot more to the story between Kintoki, Raikou, and Shuten, but, as it wasn't his business, he decided not to probe into it. He was intending to block the usual Mental Link that accompanied summoning a Heroic Spirit, so, if he spied on Kintoki's memories while denying the latter access to his own, Vahn would feel guilty. Thus, rather than respond to Kintoki's remark, he just tipped glasses with the man, downing the contents of his own cup without comment...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tamamo feels threatened...','Maxwell + Rheingold = infinite resources','I kind of feel bad for Kintoki xD...')