Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Seeing a reddish-black inferno sweeping through the Arena was enough to leave even the most die-hard fans of the Coliseum in stunned silence. To many, it was like witnessing the end of the world, and, if not for the hundreds of Mages reinforcing the barrier, those closest would have been feeling more than just an oppressive aura.

From within one of the highly protected viewing booths that were reserved for members of the Imperial Family, one member of the audience was fretting more than the rest. More than almost anyone else in the Empire, she believed in Rakan's strength, so, seeing the massive vortex of flames, a layer of moisture had covered her eyes as she turned to the old man next to her and said, "You have to help him! Please...!"

Hearing the earnest plea of the young girl, the old man stopped stroking his chin, turning to her with a gentle smile as he said, "That man will not die so easily, Princess. Have a little bit of faith. You know he would tease you if he saw you with tears in your eyes..."

Despite his words, the old man, Vrixho Nagasha, felt that things weren't looking too good for Rakan. The flames swirling in the arena were unlike anything he had ever seen before, dealing magical, physical, and, most frighteningly of all, spiritual damage. Those who had suffered an attack on their spirit had a much harder time recovering than normal, and, in many cases, they could outright lose the will to live. It was one of the most painful experiences imaginable, not something you would ever expect to see from someone loved by the Spirits...

Though her worries weren't abated, Theo used the back of her sleeve to wipe away the tears and snot from her face as she complained, "I'm not crying...that idiot doesn't even know the meaning of death...I would never worry about him..."

As if in response to her words, the flames within the Arena rapidly contracted like an inverted explosion. Then, after converging for a few seconds, creating a fiery tornado that extended to the clouds above, they spontaneously dissipated. What she saw when the fire cleared left the deepest possible impression in Theo's, the audience's, and even Vrixho's hearts, as, near the very center of the Arena, Rakan, body still smoldering, could be seen holding up his fist with a smile on his face...

---

Seeing the charred-black man clinging to life with the fervor of an Asura, one member of the audience, accompanied by a woman with exceptionally long hair, couldn't help but smile as he mused, "The combination of Willpower and Fate is terrifying..."

Though his appearance had changed quite drastically, with rathe a rather wild hairstyle, two pointed ears, and a bushy tail, the man was none other than Vahn. He hadn't actually left the Coliseum after his final attack as there were still a few things he intended to accomplish in the Capital. He was also genuinely curious about whether or not Rakan could survive, so, after a quick change of both appearance and aura, he doubled back to pick up Medusa and witness the man's moment of triumph directly.

Having heard her Master's words, Medusa nodded her head in agreement, the venomous look in her eyes fading slightly as she remarked, "He has a long way to go before reaching Master's level, but he is closer than most. He will be useful in the future..."

Finding his companion's words rather curious, Vahn raised his brow before giving her an inquisitive look out of the corner of his eye. She had become increasingly more calculating since her time in the Nasuverse, and, based on her words, it wasn't difficult to imagine she would gladly try and manipulate others on his behalf. This wasn't really necessary, of course, but it was something to keep in mind since it seemed like her personality was taking a slightly dangerous turn...

Taking advantage of the fact most people had gone completely ballistic with their cheering, Vahn, closely accompanied by Medusa, alighted from the Coliseum. He had sensed both the Third Princess and her escort, so, while Jack was virtually on death's door, Vahn didn't have to worry about him. The Magical World even had a few methods to revive the recently deceased so there was little chance the indomitable man, wielder of a powerful fate, would succumb to the machinations of some corrupt Prince...

Confident in his assessment, Vahn, disguised as a Vanargandr, made his way to one of the few places that had garnered his interest over the last few weeks: the Warrior's Theater. He didn't particularly care about signing up to become an Adventurer or a Mercenary, but, considering it was one of the best places to obtain information, stopping by was only sensible.

Though he had a considerable amount of knowledge pertaining to the history of the Magical World, there were some things that were simply never mentioned in historical texts. It was all but impossible to find any accurate accounts regarding Cosmos Entelecheia and the Mage of the Beginning. His presence also irreversibly altered the flow of fate, so, even if he decided to simply watch things play out, there were absolutely no guarantees things would adhere to the original timeline.

Even toward the end of his battle against Jack, Vahn could sense the man's strength gradually increasing. This battle would undoubtedly lead to him becoming demonstrably stronger than he should have been in the canon timeline so there was no way of knowing what he would be able to accomplish. He might even rise up to become Emperor in the future, though, based on what Vahn could tell, the man seemed to have more of a Martyr's mentality than that of an Emperor...

---

Passing through the doors of a building with a strangely bulbous structure, Vahn ignored the glances of the various Mercenaries and Adventurers within. The way he carried himself was more than enough to deter the majority from trying seeking trouble, and, despite her rather adorable appearance, Medusa's aura gave people the impression of staring into the maw of a snake that was about to sink its fangs into your neck.

Seeing the two new faces, a man who looked like a bipedal bull wearing a bartending outfit craned his head to the side and asked, "Come to register or issue a bounty?"

Drawing a considerable amount of attention to himself, Vahn dropped an open pouch onto the counter. It was filled to the brim with silver and platinum coins known as Drachma, one of the primary currencies within Mundus Magicus. The values fluctuated quite a bit, especially in the period of time preceding and following a war, but the basic value ranged from 1~10,000, increasing in increments of 10 from bronze, iron, silver, gold, and platinum.

Seeing the shimmering pile of coins, the bull-faced man hardened his expression as he glared toward the greedier people in the bar before turning his gaze to Vahn and saying, "There is a fine line between boldness and stupidity...Even if you're confident in your strength, you would be remiss to underestimate the greed of the desperate. Now, out with it. Don't tell me you just came here to show off in front of your girl...?"

Ignoring the man's comment about boldness and stupidity, Vahn plainly stated, "Give me all the information you have pertaining to the Dark Evangel and any A-Rank threats both local and abroad. I also want everything you have related to dungeons and ruins, specifically those that are more than a five-hundred-years old."

Hearing the man ask about the Dark Evangel, the broker decided that Vahn was just another fool who would find an early death in their search for fame. These types appeared every now and again, but, as it had nothing to do with him, the broker deftly scooped up the coin purse and said, "Give me a few minutes. We'll have everything out to you after confirming whether or not this currency is legitimate."

Towards the end of his words, the broker poured two shots of an expensive bourbon before leaving the bottle on the table, adding, "Special service." as he disappeared into the back of the establishment.

Not worried about the drink being poisoned, Vahn threw back the shot in a single motion. As for Medusa, she tentatively smelled the aroma coming from the shot glass before poking her tongue out and almost immediately retracting it. As a Gorgon, she had an especially sensitive tongue so she had never been fond of alcohol, much less the poor-quality bourbon that had been brought out as a 'special service'.

Finding Medusa's reaction adorable, Vahn smiled as he lightly ruffled her hair. Then, before the men walking up behind him could speak, he said, "Go easy on them..." in a tone that was audible to the entire room.

From beneath the mantle concealing Medusa's hair and body, more than a dozen silvery-white snakes stuck out like bolts of lightning, striking the three ruffians before they could utter a single syllable. Their bodies were immediately paralyzed, dropping to the ground like sacks of potatoes. One was even unfortunate enough to land face-first, completely shattering his nose as blood began to pool beneath him.

Though the three men weren't exactly the strongest among them, even the most powerful Mercenaries in the bar could barely see the afterimages of Medusa's attack. Some couldn't even tell what kind of attack she used, instantly quelling any desire they had to try their own luck.

After scanning the bodies of the men and confirming their lives weren't in jeopardy, Vahn gave an approving nod before saying, "Well done. If possible, try and avoid killing unless you feel as though your life is in danger. I'd rather dirty my hands than see yours stained with the blood of fools..."

Enjoying the caress of her Master, a happy smile spread across Medusa's face as she rubbed her head against his palm. She would have actually preferred to inflict the men with one of her more potent poisons, but, knowing her Master disliked 'unnecessary' cruelty, she did her best to restrain the urge. As for his comment about not killing unless her life was in danger, it wasn't something she would take to heart. If there was an enemy that deserved killing, such as those who insulted her Master, she would not hesitate to give them a miserable end...

---

With three paralyzed bodies serving as a deterrent, things were relatively peaceful until the bull-faced man returned. When he saw the trio collapsed on the ground, his face formed into a frown, but, instead of commenting on it, he just handed over a literal crate full of journals, scrolls, and a special kind of crystal that stored information of various bounties.

Picking up the crystal, Vahn infused a thread of energy into it, smiling as he saw various three-dimensional monsters projected into thin air. It was a curious fusion of magic and technology, but, compared to the terminals developed by Da Vinci, it was a little lackluster. Still, it had all the information pertaining to the monster's ecology, known habitat, and, most importantly for aspiring Mercenaries, their bounties.

After tossing the crystal into his Inventory, earning an inquisitive look from the broker, Vahn asked, "What about the information on the Dark Evangel? I heard she has been seen in this area?"

Hearing Vahn's words, the bull-faced man dug into the crate full of documents, pulling out a dossier that was thicker than an encyclopedia as he explained, "This is everything pertaining to the Dark Evangel that has been collected over the last fifty years. You probably won't listen to my advice, but you shouldn't set your sights so high. Read through this information very carefully before you try and track down that monster. Thousands have walked this path before you, none accomplishing anything more than increasing the body count..."

Vahn didn't appreciate the man referring to Eva as a monster, but, as that was generally how most people thought of her, he suppressed his animosity. Though the man had a muted grey aura, he gave off the impression of someone who hated seeing people waste their lives. Since his current appearance made him look relatively young, mostly to match Medusa, the broker's intentions could be considered benevolent.

Forcing a smile, Vahn gave a polite nod to the broker before stowing the entire crate into his Inventory and saying, "I'll keep your words in mind. Don't worry, while the Dark Evangel is my penultimate goal, I don't imagine our paths would cross too soon. Thanks for the information. You can keep the change as my gratitude for the special service."

Without waiting for the man's response, Vahn turned on his heels and casually made his way outside. He had completed his objective, so, after one last stop, he would depart the Capital and be on his way. Mundus Magicus might only be around a third the size of the Earth, but it was still a vast land with large regions of unexplored territory. If the opportunity presented, he would venture into some of the ancient ruins that dotted the landscape. Some of these places contained powerful relics, and, though they were likely worse than anything he could forge, it would still be useful to collect them.

At this point in his ventures, Vahn's primary goal would be to increase his prestige and create a name for himself within the international community. There were quite a number of people who would be willing to grant him a favor if he handed over some lost relics from the ancient civilizations that had fallen into obscurity. Eva, in particular, liked to collect such things, so, at the very least, Vahn could begin preparing his apology in advance.

Though he would like to assume everything will go smoothly, Vahn knew how prideful and cautious Eva could be. It took literal decades for her Memory Fragment to truly open up to him, and that was only after a few drastic actions on his part. The 'real' Eva was bound to be even more closed off than her counterpart in the orb, so, even with [Magia Erebea], she might not open up to him. Rather, there was a fair chance their first encounter would involve a great deal of bloodshed, even if he didn't put up any resistance at all.

Shaking his head, Vahn decided there was no sense in worrying about his reunion with Eva until it had come to pass. Even if he had to suffer a bit, it was inconsequential compared to the thousands of years she had tolerated him. There was even a chance he could avoid a fight by simply allowing her to view his memories. Once he could convince her of his sincerity, it was only a matter of time before her icy facade began to melt away, revealing the lonely girl that desperately sought the companionship of others...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Birth of the God of Perseverance','When a currency has no meaning to you xD...','Eva is going to thrash this boy into next century')

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