Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though he would have liked to explain it was just a simple misunderstanding, trying to convince a group of armed guards he had no intention of harming their beloved princess, despite 'sneaking' into her room wasn't exactly easy. Fortunately, instead of trying to outright kill him, the armor-clad soldiers pinned him to the ground with halberds infused with paralysis magic. They weren't able to actually paralyze him, but, at least for the time being, Vahn decided to play along as they dragged his limp body through the corridors of a massive palace.

With the ability to spread out his domain in a 4.5km radius, Vahn was learning much about the world he had found himself in. Based on the concentration of mana in the environment, combined with the fact there were various different species present, it was safe to say he was in the magical world, more specifically, the Hellas Empire. This was one of the benefits of knowing the Record prior to entry, as, during his training with Eva, Vahn had read thousands of books related to the history, geography, and even the laws of the Magical World, Mundus Magicus.

Seeing the emblem embossed on the knights' armors, combined with the fact there were hundreds of banners hanging in the palace, Vahn knew he had been transported into the heart of the Hellas Empire, the Southern Capital, Tougen. Many residents referred to this particular city as Shangri-La due to the prevalence of mercenaries, gambling, and the world-famous Coliseum, but, in reality, it was also a hotbed for human slavery. Hellas was home to nearly half the population of Demihumans within Mundus Magicus, numbering roughly 340 of the 700 million non-human species. This made them one of the most powerful factions in the entire Magical World, as, overall, there were roughly 500 million total humans split between four continents and various countries.

Though he could change into something other than a human, Vahn was curious about how he would be treated. Racism was actually outlawed in the Hellas Empire, and, though there millions of human slaves, most were former slave traders or criminals who had been captured by the Empire. They likely assumed he was either an assassin or a slave trader, the penalty for both being a life in the Coliseum. There, if he could win one-hundred consecutive victories, Vahn would be able to reclaim his rights as a free citizen, and, depending on the situation, request a reward from the Emperor, Michael Bashireia Herasu De Vesuperisujimia.

As could be expected, the heavily armored Imperial Knights roughly dragged his body to a holding cell within the dungeon located beneath the palace. Here, criminals suspected of treason and other political crimes were kept imprisoned until the Emperor or one of his Magistrates was able to decide on a suitable punishment. Fortunately, unless he had actually killed a member of the Royal Family, it was all but guaranteed he would be sentenced to fight in the Coliseum, a place that gathered more than 500,000 visitors on a daily basis.

After being dragged to an empty cell, Vahn was thrown in rather unceremoniously by the larger of the two Imperial Guards. He was a bronze-skinned man with vibrant golden pupils and pale blond hair that was visible beneath the cracks of his spartan-style helmet, so, as could be expected, he was not all that enthused by the fact a human man had snuck into the princess' chambers. He had a very fierce glint in his eyes, and, seemingly dissatisfied with leaving matters lay, he handed his halberd to his companion and said, "Let me teach this piece of shit a lesson..."

Vahn was many things, but a punching bag was not one of them. He could make exceptions during training, but, as he hadn't actually done anything deserving of a beating, he escaped his bindings in an instant, flipping to his feet. This was more than enough to surprise the two guards, allowing him to close the distance in a split second, a smile on his face as he said, "Sorry, but you kind of asked for this..."

Without giving either of the men a chance to react, Vahn swiftly jammed his fingers into the opening between their helmets and breastplates. His overall power had been drastically reduced, but, due to the nature of the dungeon, the Imperial Guards were unable to use magic. Their halberds and armor were still enchanted in such a way that allowed them to be used, but, without physical enhancement, it was impossible for them to keep up with his speed and precision.

Like marionettes with their strings cut, both guards collapsed to the dungeon floor, creating quite a bit of noise in the process. This earned him jeering and demands from the few prisoners locked away in the dungeon, but, with more important matters to attend, Vahn ignored them. Instead, he focused on the group of guardsmen charging toward him and the barricade that was being erected near the entrance of the dungeon.

With a wry smile on his face, Vahn couldn't help but internally remark, ("How is it that I'm already in a position to become a criminal the moment I enter this world? I wonder if this is to make it easier for me to track down Eva...")

Since Eva was one of the most infamous criminals in the entire magical society, to the point of being used in children's bedtime stories, becoming infamous himself would draw the attention of the same forces hunting her down. This served the dual purpose of allowing him to simultaneously eliminate the people chasing her while also obtaining information on her location. If he used his Magia Erebea, there was even a chance Eva herself would come seeking him out...

With various thoughts running through his mind, Vahn casually deflected the halberds being jabbed toward him. The halberds were actually able to fire magical arrows, but, perhaps as a result of being in the Imperial Palace, they were holding back. This allowed him to exploit the small gaps in each of their attacks, surprising the entire platoon of jailers as his strikes easily penetrated their magical and shock-resistant armor, causing them to collapse in a single blow.

Ninety-five years of fighting against Grandmaster and Master Class warriors had tempered Vahn's skill to an extreme level, so, even without a weapon, he could fight enemies much stronger than him. This wasn't even the tip of the iceberg when it came to his overall capabilities, but, unless he decided to go all-out, revealing his hand too early would draw unnecessary attention. There were a number of enemies who could even give Eva a run for her money, so, at least for the next few months, Vahn wanted to focus on increasing his strength.

Before he realized it, seventeen armored guards were littering the ground around him, earning Vahn a few hateful glares from the palisade of guards who had completely sealed the entrance using large magical shields that linked together. They had also closed the three reinforced gates that separated the dungeon from the Imperial Palace, each formed from a special compound that made them close to indestructible, at least using magic.

As could be expected from a place called the Magical World, Magic was a 'supreme' existence within the Akamatsuverse. Though there were also Knights and Magi-Knights, some of which used internal Ki to power their abilities, the most powerful people in the world were still Magi. This resulted in the advancement of technology that both made use of and directly countered Magic. There were even a few special alloys that completely sealed magical power, much like the kairoseki was so popular in the Record of One Piece.

Seeing the blockage, Vahn adopted a wry smile as he said, "You know, I really didn't do anything to earn such hateful glares. All of these men are simply knocked out. After a few hours, they will wake up and be ready to beat up defenseless prisoners with gusto. As for the matter with your Princess, I don't even know how I ended up in that room. I had no intention of harming anyone, and, if I hadn't been caught, I would have left the palace without a fuss."

Being professionally trained guardsmen, none of the men responded to Vahn's words. Instead, they gripped their shields more firmly, leveling their halberds toward him until a robust man wearing less armor than the rest said, "Even if that were the truth, we can't let you walk out of her so easily. You are guilty of trespassing the Imperial Palace, breaking free from your prison, and injuring members of the Imperial Guard. The Magistrate will hear your plea when the time comes. For now, return to your cell and behave. If this is truly a misunderstanding, prove it through your actions!"

Vahn was actually rather surprised by the reasonable argument of the Hellas man he assumed to be the Warden. He was also looking forward to honing his skill in the Coliseum, so, surprising the entire group of guards, he nodded his head and said, "Sure. If that man hadn't violated the law by trying to beat a prisoner who had yet to be sentenced, none of this would have happened. I was being pretty cooperative until unnecessary violence was involved."

As if it was a small matter, Vahn gestured in a 'what can you do' manner before turning around and entering his still-open cell. Then, to further cement his point, he closed the doors, allowing them to lock in place. This would have been enough to completely seal the magical power of other people, but, due to the nature of his Source Energy, he only experienced a mild discomfort. It was like trying to breathe in a pressurized environment, causing a heavy feeling in his chest and a small buzzing in the back of his mind.

Not expecting their quarry to simply lock himself inside a cell, the groups of guardsmen remained in formation for several minutes until the Warden finally sent a team to confirm whether or not the bars were secure. Afterward, they began to check the bodies of their fellow guards, confirming they were, in fact, unconscious. Most didn't even have visible injuries, a state which was confirmed when one of their healers checked their condition.

Seeing the armored men and women busying themselves on the other side of the bars, Vahn gave a curt nod of approval before smiling toward the Warden and closing his eyes. This earned him a hard look from the burly individual, who, sensing their captive was an exceptionally dangerous individual, sent a team to gather members of the Sealing and Magus Corps. Afterward, he walked over to the cell, asking, "What is your name?" in a stern tone.

Hearing someone address him, Vahn peeled open one of his eyes, plainly answering, "Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor."

Though he didn't have an Empire in the Akamatsuverse, Vahn took pride in the status he had built up over more than two-hundred-years. It didn't matter what titles and monikers others might give him in the future; he was, and would forever be, the Sage Dragon Emperor. The only person who could change this was himself, so, while he certainly intended to be a Vagrant Hero, that didn't mean he would lower his head and play the part of a fool...

The moment he heard Vahn's introduction, the Warden felt as though his legs had become rubbery, requiring him to grab the bars of the cell to remain standing. He could feel an overwhelming aura of dignity radiating from Vahn when he called himself the Sage Dragon Emperor, and, for a very brief moment, it almost seemed like his eyes had flashed with a golden light.

Doing his best to ignore the subtle trembling of his body, the Warden focused his own golden eyes on Vahn, stating, "You can call me Warden Pelias. I'll be in charge of your-"

Before Pelias could continue, Vahn's smiled faded away as he stated, "If you intend to insult me by calling my title into question, do not blame me for being rude. You are not my subject, and I have never been fond of formalities. However, if you think I will tolerate slights to my honor and dignity, you are gravely mistaken. I sit in this cell by choice, not because you have imprisoned me. Should a time come when you and your men forget yourselves, well, let's hope it doesn't come to that..."

Even if his power was nowhere near what it had been at during his peak, Vahn's Innates were still functioning in all their glory. By activating his [Will of the Emperor] and infusing a bit of his intent into his domain, anyone with weaker willpower would feel a spiritual suppression. If he condensed his aura to the limits, he could even kill people with a weaker Soul Tier. As for those near his level, he could still stun them for a brief moment, regardless of how powerful they might be.

Though he was able to remain standing, Pelias noticed that the majority of his soldiers collapsed in an instant when Vahn was making his 'threat'. It wasn't just them, either, as the prisoners within the Dungeon also collapsed, some clutching at their chest due to the fact they had blacked auras. As for those further away, Vahn didn't want to cause 'too big' a scene, so, with the exception of a few of the more sensitive individuals, everyone outside the dungeon hadn't even noticed what he had done.

Struggling to prevent himself from blacking out, Pelias stared back at Vahn with a visible amount of horror in his eyes as he muttered, "I'll...make sure...my men...follow procedure..."

Satisfied by the man's response, Vahn gave a curt nod of approval, his aura vanishing in an instant as he said, "As one would expect from a member of the prestigious Imperial Guard. If you were unable to follow your own laws, where would you get off expecting others to obey them? Now, you have a job to do, Warden Pelias. See that I am not kept waiting too long."

As if he had just received an order from his own Emperor, Pelias nearly saluted on impulse before catching himself in the act. This caused his eyes to visibly widen, and, after swallowing the knot in his throat, he sheepishly answered, "I will personally inform the Magistrate of your situation...I know not when she will be free to see you, but I'm certain it will be at the earliest possible moment..."

With nothing else to say to the man, Vahn gave a small nod of acknowledgment of before, once again, closing his eyes. He was trying to organize his thoughts and make sense of his current powers and abilities, so, rather than focus on the group of shellshocked soldiers, he turned his attention to the various screens in his mind...

[Status]

Name: [Vahn Aldrnari Mason]

Age: 250 (Ageless)

Race: Ancient Dragon, *sealed*

Parameter: [Akamatsuverse: 2-5]

Offense: 252

Defense: 398

Mobility: 303

Base Power: 953

Soul Tier: 4 (Divine Soul)

[Karma]: 108

[OP]: 22,001,843,221

Skills: [Will of the Emperor:SSS], [Rakshasa Body:S], [Keeper of the Akashic Tome:B], [Eyes of Truth:A], [Chainbreaker:S], [Veil of the Traveler:SSS], [Hands of Nirvana:SSS], [Divine Artisan:C], [Grandmaster Swordsman:E], [Archmage:S], [Expert Cooking:B], [Hand of God:S], [True Friend of the Elements:S]

Magic: [Magia Erebea:SSS], [Pactio:SSS], [Shundo:SSS], [Koku Shundo:SS], [Cantus Bellax:SSS], [Mellodia Bellax:SS], [Vis Maxima:SS], [Sagitta Magicka:S], [Reflexio:S]

[Divine Artisan]

Rank: C

Denotes the wielder as a master who has reached the level of the Gods. Be it magical or mundane, there are no limits to their capabilities as a craftsman. Even the elements themselves can be shaped by a Divine Artisan.

[Grandmaster Swordsman]

Rank: E

Denotes the wielder as a swordsman who has pursued the pinnacle, reaching a level most mortals cannot even fathom, much less reach. It is said that, in the hands of a Grandmaster Swordsman, even a blade of grass can be used as a deadly weapon.

[Archmage]

Rank: S

Denotes the wielder as a Magus who has mastered all manner of magical skills and abilities. When an Archmage first ascends, it is said that every other Archmage in existence would feel a tremble in their Soul.

[Hand of God]

Rank: S

Denotes the wielder as a Physician who has mastered both life and death. According to legends, this skill has only ever manifested in True Gods specializing in Medicine and Alchemy. With a single turn of their hand, they are able to decide whether someone lives or dies.

[True Friend of the Elements]

Rank: S

Denotes the wielder as someone who is beloved by the Spirits. So long as the Rank of this skill is higher than another, the Spirits within an area will always side with the wielder. Due to the nature of this skill, it makes the wielder virtually immune to Spirit-based Magics.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: "Awww, shit. Here we go again...','95 years as an Emperor doesn't just fade away xD...','I thought he was supposed to be nerfed o_o...')

(A/N: For those curious, Negi, the MC of Negima, has a Base Power of around 500. As for Eva, due to her body never aging/change, her Base Power is only 300. A Magic School Graduate would have, on average, 100BP, whereas gifted teacher would clock in at around 300-500. Base Power is, obviously, not a determination for a person's overall strength. This will be explained in more detail later on. As an example, however, know that Eva would clock in at around 15000, when she is serious, placing her even higher than Demon Gods and Manifested Gods, averaging between 6500~9000 depending on their number of believers.)