Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After going over the basics of the magic system from Eva's world, Vahn spent the remainder of his time practicing the formation of wards. With his ability to interpret any language, Vahn already had a ridiculous advantage over most people so they moved on to the more complex structure of wards, even though he could form most of them from memory. The problem with doing so, however, was the fact that the caster needed a proper understanding of the ward they were forming or it wouldn't activate properly. Vahn learned this the hard way when Eva had him try to replicate one of her more powerful darkness-based magics, effectively causing a massive backlash that charred nearly 20% of his body. After that, Eva had him always use [Cantus Bellax] to shield his body so that he wouldn't injure himself.

The biggest problem with Vahn trying to learn magic was, as Eva expected, the fact that he had an 'omni-elemental' affinity. His source energy was simply too pure for using normal magic so he had to form extra magic circles just to stabilize the structure of his spells. Because of this, by the time he was being forced to leave on the third day, Vahn could barely create a basic ward that comprised of a square surrounded by a circle. However, it wasn't all bad since the spells Vahn cast with his source magic were far more powerful than normal, even though the efficiency was terrible. There was also the fact that, though he struggled to cast magic outward, Vahn had no such difficulty when it came to reinforcement magic at all. Since the source energy was contained in his body, it didn't leak out like when he used external spells, meaning Vahn's enhancement was far more powerful than normal.

With a golden aura surrounding his body, Vahn slammed his fist into a giant pillar of ice that had been formed by Eva. Using just his raw power, the 40m thick pillar of enhanced ice shattered into pieces before the top toppled over like a tower collapsing. Eva observed his training very closely from the side, as she couldn't risk having Vahn lose control again, nodding her head as she said, "Very impressive, Vahn...your [Cantus Bellax] is almost 'perfect', even rivaling the basic levels of my [Vis Maxima]. You may want to consider just becoming a Magic-Knight instead of a normal Mage. Given your talent for reinforcement magic, you may even be able to learn the ancient magic [Fines Excedunt]..."

Presently, though it cost a great deal of source energy to sustain, Vahn could temporarily boost his physical parameters, not by a percentage, but by several times. With his current physical limitations, Vahn was able to reach a multiplier of nearly 14x for a duration of around three minutes. He also quickly learned that his Endurance would marginally increase as a result of the strain on his body along with his [Rakshasa Body]. If he pushed himself 'even further beyond', Vahn could even muster up enough power to reach 20x for a single strike, effectively giving him what Sis approximated to be 13,149 Power. This was a value that easily transcended the 'logic' of the Danmachi record so, though he had only been training for three days, Vahn already began to feel 'invincible'. The primary reason for this was because it also pushed his Endurance to nearly 14k while also giving him an aura that protected against both physical and magical attacks...

Feeling the large blocks of ice crash down, shattering harmlessly against his body even though some pieces weighted several tones, Vahn released a sigh. Turning to Eva, Vahn smiled and asked, "With my current power, how would I compare to other Mages...Master?" Eva tilted her head for a brief moment before forming a large ward on the ground that made an ice pillar more than 100m wide appear. Walking over the side, even without using any reinforcement magic, Eva struck the pillar with her palms and caused the entire thing to smash in a similar manner to Vahn. With a serious expression on her face, Eva turned to him and said, "There are probably less than ten people that could threaten me...all considered SSS-Rank Mages. At your current potential, I would put you at the high B-Rank, though your physical power could even allow you to defeat an S-Rank Mage if you got a direct hit."

In Eva's world, it wasn't uncommon for powerful mages to have the ability to fly, teleport around, or even shift between dimensions. Vahn was 'very' strong, but many of the Knights that protected powerful Mages would be able to defeat him. Though his magic was very 'unique', his efficiency was some of the worst she had ever seen and he would likely lose in a war of attrition. Going at his maximum potential, Vahn could only last for around five minutes of sustained combat while some Knights, or even Mages, could fight for days. She knew he would grow quickly though, so Eva smiled when she saw how serious he became and said, "Once you learn my [Magia Erebea], you'll automatically be considered an S-Rank threat even without any other magic...keep your head up high, my foolish disciple~."

At the end of her words, Eva teleported next to Vahn and framed his face with her hands before stealing his lips. It was just about time for them to separate and she needed to 'recharge' completely before then. Thus, for a period of nearly two hours, Eva got her 'fill' of Vahn before sending him away with a longing gaze. Around the same time, footsteps could be heard nearby as a somewhat melancholic looking Terra approached, watching the particulates of her Master disappearing. Eva released a very loud sigh before turning around and showing a complex expression as she muttered, "Thank you for staying with me Terra..."

Fenrir had already been returned to her core so she could return to the real world with Vahn but Terra had inevitably decided to stay. She really hadn't gotten to spend too much time with her Master over the course of the three days, something that pained her heart. Hearing Eva's words, however, Terra smiled as she continued to watch the spot where her Master disappeared, saying, "I want to become strong enough that nothing can harm my Master...also, I don't want to leave you in here by yourself, Eva. Call it pride, but if you're able to wait for my Master so faithfully, I want to at least be able to match such determination...ufufufu~." Terra had already started thinking about 'eternity' so she wasn't too concerned over a few hundred years. If she could become strong enough to protect her Master, Terra would tolerate the loneliness with a smile...

Eva showed a grateful smile to Terra, knowing that she was making a very big sacrifice just to protect Vahn and the people he cared about. She had actually gotten very close with the True Dragon over the previous four years and was genuinely impressed with the mental fortitude of her first real 'friend'. However, just as she was about to ask Terra to play chess, the exotic beauty suddenly grimaced as she held her abdomen, showing clear discomfort on her face. Eva's eyes widened and she teleported next to Terra, asking concernedly, "Terra, what's wrong!?"

Terra was beginning to sweat now and there was a flushed expression on her face as she said, "I...I'm not sure...ever since Master..." Unable to continue her words, Terra's legs buckled and she fell to the ground in a plop as her wings spread wide. Eva was panicking because she had no idea what was going on, magical light shining from her eyes as she tried discerning the cause. Since Terra was holding her lower abdomen, Eva inspected the area while placing her hand on Terra's stomach and saying, "Let the grace of Jupiter be the cure for your sake. Cure!" Though she could only use elementary healing magic, as a result of his unique disposition, Eva still wanted to try and help.

While Eva was trying to heal her, Terra felt incredulous at the sensations in her body since there was a very strong 'pressure' in her lower body. Ever since she saw her Master almost transform into a dragon, Terra had been trying to keep to herself. She had felt the pressure previously, accompanied by her heightened emotions, but thought it would pass with time. Now, however, Terra realized the pressure was increasing and she felt very 'frustrated' as a sinking feeling spread through her body. Though Eva's magic eased some of her pain, Terra felt like it wasn't actually doing anything to treat the cause, which she herself was clueless about.

Suddenly, Terra felt her body trembling greatly as the intense pressure continued to 'sink', causing her to lean forward and rely on Eva's small figure for support. Eva still had no idea what was happening and she began to feel very worried for her friend, cursing, "Stupid girl...why didn't you say something sooner...Vahn could have helped..." Though she was trying to fight it, Eva began to tear up as she put even more magic power into her healing, enough that it began to burn away at her own skin. She felt like Vahn would have been able to find a solution with his unique eyes and lamented the fact that the chaotic energy in Terra's body prevented her from seeing through to the source of the problem.

Terra's eyes became round like saucers and she began breathing very rapidly until she was unable to resist the urges in her body, releasing a loud, "Nnnuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhn~!?" that stunned both herself and Eva. At the same time, the pressure that had been 'sinking' in her body seemed to reach a point where it could no longer be contained, causing Terra to feel like her stomach had 'dropped' before the pressure suddenly vanished. She felt a great sense of relief, releasing a hot sigh against Eva while laying limply against the much smaller girl. Eva continued to just stand there with a blank expression, tears streaming down her face before she turned her eyes to something she hadn't expected to see at all...

Though Terra hadn't seemed to notice it yet, Eva was very aware of the existence of the object that dropped away from Terra as it rolled across the ground for a short distance. Eva had followed it with her eyes and saw an emerald-green egg that was covered in very small scales. It was around 10cm in diameter and around 14cm in length, scarily large when Eva considered where it might have come from. Even with Terra leaning her surprisingly heavy body against her, releasing hot and almost 'sensual' breaths, Eva just stared at the egg. This continued for around five minutes until Terra seemed to collect herself a bit as she attempted to stand.

Patting her chest, Terra continued to breathe heavily as she gave an apologetic look to Eva and said, "I'm sorry, Eva, I'm not sure what came over me..." Seeing that Eva had her eyes fixed on something, Terra also turned her head before her eyes widened to an almost comical extent. Less than a meter away from her, Terra could see an egg that had similarly green scales like the ones covering her tail. It didn't take her any time at all to realize where the egg must have come from as Terra was aware of a large volume of fluids that had stained her thighs. The 'pressure' she had been feeling, Terra now realized it had been a result of her body producing...an egg.

Since Eva seemed to be 'broken', Terra moved over to the egg, picking it up to inspect it more closely, feeling a heat coming from it and smelling a pungent fragrance of flowers. Strangely, she felt very 'annoyed' at the egg in her hands, almost like she was compelled to 'smash' it out of frustration. The longer she held it, the more powerful this urge became as her brows furrowed far greater than normal, alerting Eva to the abnormality in her reaction. With a hesitant tone, Eva asked, "Terra...you can make...e-eggs?" Hearing Eva's question, Terra's frown deepened even more as she said, "I've never produced an egg before..."

The urge to break the egg had reached a point beyond Terra's tolerance but, before she was able to smash it, Eva had moved forward in a blur before snatching it out of her hands, screaming, "W-what are you doing!?" For the first time in her life, Terra felt an urge to attack Eva but kept her calm as she took several deep breaths, staring with her sky blue eyes into Eva's deep blue eyes. After calming herself down a little, Terra explained in a firm tone, "Something...like an instinct...it tells me I need to break that egg. I feel a powerful sense of frustration and dissatisfaction...Eva...please, let me break it." Hearing Terra's words, Eva's eyes widened and she cradled the egg protectively as she asked, "You want...to kill it?"

When she heard Eva's words, Terra felt something similar to 'anguish' as she spat, "It isn't alive!" She didn't know why, but Terra had never felt so upset in her entire life and it bothered her seeing Eva trying to protect the egg. Seeing that Eva wasn't backing down, Terra continued to take deep breaths as her thoughts raced through her mind. Trying to maintain her rationale, Terra clenched her teeth before saying, "Eva...I can understand why you might want to 'protect' that egg...but it isn't alive...I don't know why, but I can tell. It feels like...I've failed...knowing that egg exists feels makes me feel such a powerful sense of shame...please, destroy it."

Eva was taken aback by Terra's words but she could tell her 'friend' was trying to reason with her, making Eva believe there was more to the situation. There was also the fact that the egg 'belonged' to Terra, something Eva was 'very' aware of after witnessing its production. Trying to make sense of the situation, Eva started to better understand what Terra might be implying as she thought of various animals that produced eggs. It was very likely that the egg in her hands had never been fertilized, meaning it wasn't actually 'alive' as she previously believed. If it was genuinely causing Terra duress, Eva didn't want to cause her friend any pain...

After thinking about it, Eva asked, "Can I try to store it away using space magic...? Vahn may want to...study it later..." Even as the words left her lips, Eva felt very uncomfortable and almost felt it was outright better to destroy the egg. However, she knew that dragon eggs were incredibly valuable materials back in her world and, if not for the fact it belonged to Terra, Eva wouldn't have had any qualms about keeping it. Since it did belong to Terra, however, Eva felt very uncomfortable and regretted the words she had just uttered. When Terra nodded her head, Eva felt even worse but still stowed the egg away to see if it would relieve her friends suffering.

Seeing the egg disappear, Terra felt even more frustrated and her wings began to bristle like leaves caught in a storm. Eva noticed this as well so she immediately pulled the egg back out before smashing it against the ground without a second thought. If it was truly an infertile egg, Eva didn't want to sacrifice her relationship with Terra over something so inconsequential. Almost immediately after it shattered, it was like all the tension in Terra's body drained out of her as she released a powerful sigh of relief. Plopping to the ground once again, Terra smiled and said, "Thank you, Eva...I don't understand it myself, but I feel very relieved to see it destroyed..."

Eva nodded her head as she eyed the 'contents' of the smashed egg, confirming the existence of a golden colored liquid that contained an amazing amount of vitality, but distinctly lacked 'life'. If it had been a fertile egg, there would have been an obvious placenta and Eva would have been able to sense the budding life inside. Confirming she didn't 'kill' one of her friend's children, Eva also felt very relieved and wanted to plop down on the ground alongside Terra. She could see that Terra had a very thoughtful expression on her face as she stared at the egg, causing Eva to feel a little pained, asking, "Did you...want it to be fertilized...?"

Understanding Eva's question, Terra smiled as she averted her eyes away from the destroyed egg, nodding her head as she said, "Yes...I think my body has changed greatly after my Master gave me a name. It may have been that my reproductive functions had yet to awaken since there wasn't a 'suitable' male to fertilize my egg. Seeing my Master nearly transform into a Dragon, one of a higher tier than myself, my body seems to have 'awakened'. I think, because my Master left, my body began to reject the egg since it would have been impossible to fertilize...it was like all of my instincts were screaming to destroy it from the very moment I laid eyes on it."

Eva blushed deeply when she heard Terra's words, eliciting a burst of playful laughter from the True Dragon as she rose to her feet and asked, "Care you play chess...?" Even though the egg was still nearby, Terra didn't feel anything towards it other than a very slight amount of frustration, not for the egg itself, but that she hadn't been able to have it fertilized. It was a strange feeling since Terra had never experienced anything remotely similar, even though she pined for her Master in the past. However, by the time she moved to the clearing with Eva, Terra's smiled had deepened as she looked towards the sky and began to wonder when, not if, she would be able to get her Master to fertilize her egg...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tier 5 Magic System, OP','*Plop*','Lewd Dragon Empress')

(A/N: This chapter is a little late, but know that things will be picking up starting tomorrow. Not going to lie, but my brother actually ended up getting into a car wreck so I had to spend the day at the hospital with him. Yesterday, I got together with my siblings and ended up drinking with my brother. He didn't drive drunk, but tried to leave early in the morning while nursing a hangover and ended up getting t-boned, with the other driver being responsible. He got a few burns and suffered a concussion, but he is mostly okay, just very shaken considering everything that has been happening. My schedule is cleared up though, so I'll be trying to release the normal amount of chapters starting tomorrow. I actually want to start building up the momentum of the story since this was one of the arcs I was looking forward to the most and its starting to bother me with how 'slow' things have been.)

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