Early Morning : Looking Forward

Just as he had on virtually every Floor since the 77th, Vahn spent the vast majority of his time on the 97th treating patients. The rest was spent within the confines of his temporary residence, effectively cut off from the rest of the world for around 8~10 hours. During this time, he would check in on all the groups exploring the Tower, his senses cycling through those of his Templates in order to get a first-hand account of everything that was going on.

Fortunately, with the obvious exceptions of people like Mordred and, to a lesser extent, X, Nero, and Nobunaga, most of the groups behaved similarly to tourists. They were simply exploring the Tower, and, unless something 'obvious' caught their attention, they tended to avoid causing any kind of disputes, not because they were afraid, but because they wanted to avoid getting wrapped up in the politics of the Tower.

Unsurprisingly, numerous factions had been attempting to establish contact and build connections with the Aldrnari Empire through the exploration groups. A few also tried to approach the girls with untoward and libidinous intentions, but, as could be expected, that didn't exactly end well. The girls all had artifacts that allowed them to detect such intentions, and, most importantly, protect against abnormal status ailments such as mental manipulation and poisoning. They were also around Tier 4, so, with the exception of a few High Rankers, few people could truly threaten them.

The only people Vahn really had to worry about were the aforementioned, as, despite having the mental capacity of a super-computer, X could be irredeemably clumsy. She had a tendency to lose and misplace her equipment, and, so long as they were even remotely sly, she was dishearteningly easy to fool. Of course, compared to Nero, who accepted virtually any and all challenges, her antics could be passed off as cute and quirky.

Though he had asked her to show a bit of restraint, Nero had basically been treating the Tower as her playground ever since she, Nobunaga, Yoruichi, and Angri set out. Fortunately, her talent was the real deal, and, though she had lost her [Imperial Privilege], she obtained an Innate called [Lead Actress] that, as far he could tell, qualitatively improved her luck. It also resulted in a fair amount of drama, but, more often than not, things would invariably turn out in Nero's favor.

Checking in on the petite bombshell, Vahn found her laughing vivaciously across from a group of thug-like men with grim expressions. In front of her, there were thousands of casino chips piled up like a small mountain, a stark contrast to the insignificant amount present before each of the other gamblers. The only thing that kept them from attacking was the knowledge that they couldn't really do anything, as, even after spiking the beautiful blonde's drink, she continued laughing heartily with a massive grin plastered across her face...

Severing the connection between him and the white-haired youth standing stoically behind Nero, the human form of a Pokemon called Reshiram, Vahn resisted the impulse to rub his temples and instead poked the belly of the sleeping Fenrir. The latter was currently curled up in his lap in the form of a small puppy, belly exposed as she nestled between his thighs on her back.

Twitching in response to the unexpected probe, Fenrir quickly righted herself before tilting her head adorably to the side and asking, "Is it time to go?"

Nodding his head, Vahn picked up the adorable pup before shifting his attention to his right. There, curled up with 'Mikotochu' nestled between their inordinately large breasts, Yuri and Lotte could be seen sleeping in little more than their lingerie. This immediately gave Vahn flashbacks to his time in the Akamatsuverse, not just because he was sharing a bed with a girl he had yet to actually start an actual relationship, but because Lotte was an extreme masochist. She might look adorable cradling Mikoto in her arms, but, when you took into consideration her fondness was predicated on the fact that the latter could deliver a powerful shock, the scene lost a fair amount of its innocent appeal...

With Fenrir nestled in his arms, Vahn was able to resist his almost instinctual urge to smack Yuri's largely exposed bottom, his expression appearing calm as he firmly stated, "I know you're awake. Get up. We have less than an hour before we're scheduled to depart."

Groaning in response, Yuri used her monkey-like tail to gently smack Vahn in the face, saying, "Five more minutes..." in a groggy tone. Lotte, however, immediately sat up, her melon-like breasts, each a great deal larger than his head, threatening to liberate themselves from her top as she stretched her body and said, "Good morning~" with an expectant look in her eyes.

Returning a smile, Vahn promptly levitated from the bed, Fenrir still in his arms as he said, "Mikoto. Thunderbolt."

Though she had never experienced an actual Pokemon battle, Mikoto, like the vast majority of the Templated Pokemon, reacted on instinct whenever she heard battle commands. As a result, vibrant golden electricity instantaneously erupted from her body, and, though she had made a last-second attempt to escape, Yuri ended up being caught in the violent bands of lightning alongside Lotte.

With the light rapidly dying down, Vahn landed on the floor, a teasing smile developing across his face as he said, "Breakfast will be in fifteen minutes. If you're not ready by then, you'll have to settle for dried meat and hard bread."

Immediately following this threat, a ripple spread in front of Vahn's face, effortlessly absorbing the blood-red energy ball hurled by the disgruntled Yuri. She hadn't actually taken any damage from Mikoto's attack, but, due to the remnant electricity coursing through her body, the hair across her body and atop her head had become noticeably frazzled. This was especially noticeable on her tail, which, for the time being, vaguely resembled that of a Snow Leopard rather than a monkey...

---

Though Rindo was currently exploring the Actualized World of an anime known as Toriko, Vahn's Inventory was filled to the brim with dishes she had either hand-prepared or mass-produced. This was very important, not just to himself, but to virtually everyone in the exploration group, as, when their supplies ran low, they would immediately seek him out to resupply. While this hadn't been his intention when he created Rindo, Vahn found it somewhat amusing, as, even with his ability to cook similar dishes, he couldn't go more than a few days without eating something personally prepared by the voracious redhead.

Given its influence on him, it wasn't difficult to imagine how Rindo's cooking might affect beings of a lower tier. If she was serious, she could even prepare dishes that would fundamentally alter how a person thinks about the world around them, and, should her time in Toriko prove fruitful, she might even be able to cook a dish that could inspire mutual trust against previously warring nations. Thus, shortly after his departure from the bedroom, Yuri emerged with carelessly combed hair, throwing the brush towards Vahn before sitting down with a huff.

With the brush slowing to a stop a few centimeters away from his face, the edges of Vahn's smile curled up as he rose from the table to give Yuri a helping hand. Her pouting might amuse him, but, as she was still one of his women, he couldn't exactly ignore her. Brushing a beautiful woman's hair was also remarkably therapeutic, so, for the better part of half an hour, he methodically combed her raven-black hair before saying, "There are only two Floors remaining until we reach the 100th. After that, we'll officially be on the 'Higher Floors'. Are you prepared?"

Demonstrating remarkably unladylike behavior, Yuri, cheeks filled with food, answered, "You're still asking that? I already told you like ten times. No matter what happens, I'm going to keep pushing forward. Besides, so long as I continue following you, there will be plenty of opportunities to fight against powerful opponents. At the very least, I'm looking forward to being able to smack that old fart from the Arie Family."

Chuckling in response to the former Princess's rather brazen words, Vahn tossed the brush into his Inventory before gathering her silky hair with his hand and quickly fastening it into the rather stylish side-ponytail she was famous for. The only difference was, now that she had decided to 'go rogue', she no longer wore the flower-like hair ornament gifted to her by her Great-Grandmother. Instead, she had become rather fond of a bright red ornament that visually resembled a camellia flower. At a glance, this wasn't a drastic change, but, combined with the fact she no longer wore a Symbol of Jahad, those who knew Yuri well would immediately notice the change.

Finished with the arrangement, Vahn ran his hand through Yuri's hair one last time, saying, "I wasn't asking if you had changed your mind. I just wanted to make sure you're adequately prepared. Hon's skill with the sword might not be particularly impressive compared to a true Grandmaster, but there is a reason he is ranked 5 throughout the Tower. Even with your physique, you won't be able to stop his blade."

Swallowing the remaining food in her mouth, Yuri placed her left hand on her right bicep, flexing as she said, "Don't underestimate my toughness. Besides, even if I lose a limb, you can always give me a new one, right?"

With the final few words said with a massive grin, Vahn couldn't help shaking his head, a wry smile developing across his face as he said, "I won't stop you. Just know I hate seeing one of my women get hurt. I hope you'll take that into consideration...not for your sake, but his..."

Feeling a fluttery sensation in her chest, the smile on Yuri's face became even bigger before she ultimately erupted into a vivacious laugh. She never thought the day would come when someone verbally laid claim to her, but, unlike other members of the Ha Family, she didn't particularly care about the hierarchy between men and women. This could be attributed to her Ari Family heritage, but, more than anything, she was just happy to be traveling with the person she had both chosen and been chosen by.

Resisting the urge to shake his head, Vahn surprised Yuri with a kiss to her crown before saying, "Finish eating. There are a lot of people waiting for us and you know I don't like to break from my routine unless it is absolutely necessary."

With that said, Vahn combed his fingers through Yuri's fringe before directing his gaze around the table, a teasing smile appearing on his face as he mused, "Of course, I can always 'make time' if you really need it..."

---

With breakfast coming to an end, an event punctuated by Vahn helping Lotte style her hair, the group of five made sure to check out of their hotel before immediately teleporting to the next Floor. There, like every other Floor in recent memory, a large crowd of people had gathered to receive them. This included a number of familiar faces, as, even with Mikoto's support, they had only been able to treat 1,074 of the 5,947 patients. Thus, for the umpteenth time, a friendly smile spread across Vahn's face as he announced, "General treatment will take place starting tomorrow morning. If you have an emergency or a more pressing condition, please share your information with the 2nd Army Corp. I will begin treatment after a brief period of rest."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I feel bad for the people who try to pull one over on Nero xD...','Lotte knows what she is about...','Routines are important but loved ones are even more so. Even if you're not a God of time, never be afraid to make some for what truly matters~')

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