With a quiet 'pitta-pon' echoing through his room, Vahn slowly peeled his eyes open, his domain extending outward as he moved to a seated position. Then, rather than use his remote to open the door, he made his way directly over; surprising the blue-haired young man on the opposite side by its sudden opening.
Before Khun could offer any words in greeting, Vahn preempted him by plainly stating, "Let's go." in a firm tone. This left Khun feeling slightly annoyed, but, rather than argue, he just nodded his head and asked, "Did Ms. Phae contact you through the Pocket?"
Offering a curt nod in response, a small smile developed across Vahn's face as he said, "It seems my young protege ended up causing a bit of mischief. I suppose I'll need to have a discussion with him later in the day."
Originally, Vahn was going to treat Baam's condition the previous afternoon, but, due to the matter regarding Anak, he temporarily shelved everything else. Thus, in order to alleviate Khun's growing concerns, Vahn had Phae stall Anak in the commissary until other Regulars began pouring in. Khun was among the first to arrive, and, as could be expected, he was eager to ask about when Baam's treatment could be performed.
Despite having known Baam for only a few days, it was pretty clear from Khun's behavior that he already treated the boy as an existence akin to a 'best friend'. It was more than a little strange, but, as someone who had sought friendships for quite some time, Vahn could readily empathize with the young man. Thus, after entering the medical ward containing Baam's room, Vahn made his way inside before promptly making his way over to the boy's bedside.
After observing Phae's capabilities during class and latter learning about Gandr's ability to compete against a Ranker in speed, Khun's expectations for the Emperor had increased quite a bit since the previous day. The man's vassals were constantly inflating his image by making statements that, to most, sounded like pure hyperbole. Despite this, they seemed to be completely serious, so, after his investigation turned up no information on the mysterious trio, Khun couldn't deny he was curious about the man's capabilities.
Seeing Vahn begin removing the bandages from Baam's head, Khun's expression suddenly turned serious as he asked, "Are you sure you should be removing those? The Doctors said to keep them on until he had already awoken…"
Stopping his actions, Vahn turned to look back at the young man standing behind him, smiling as he saw the concern visible in Khun's vibrant blue eyes. Then, in a voice that radiated an irrefutable level of confidence, he plainly remarked, "If there is a better Doctor than me in this entire Tower, I would cut off both my hands and feet. I didn't earn my Title as Sage without a very good reason, scion of the Khun Family."
With his words finished, Vahn completed the act of removing Baam's bandages before placing his hand directly on the boy's head. Almost immediately thereafter, Baam's eyes shot open as if he had been electrocuted, his body jerking to a seated position as he took a few hurried breaths.
Not expecting his friend to wake up 'instantly', Khan was at a complete loss for words as he stared blankly at the scene playing out before him. Then, just as he was about to rush forward, the door to the room was kicked open as a towering figure rushed in, roaring, "The Black Turtle has awakened! As expected of my prey!"
Confused by everything that was happening around him, Baam stared blankly at his surroundings, asking, "Where am I?" before immediately following it up with, "Where's Rachel…?"
Though Khun was about to answer Baam's inquiry, Rak preempted his attempts by shouting, "You are in the hospital! Now, come, we must feast! Eating will make you strong, strong enough for me to hunt!"
Frustrated by Rak's interruption, Khun kicked the three-meter tall crocodilian in the back of his trunk-like leg before shouting, "Go wait in the hall! I get that you're happy to see him awaken, but you're in the way!"
Seemingly offended by Khun's words, Rak thumped his chest before rebutting, "I was not worried at all! I am Rak Wraithraiser, you silly Blue Turtle!"
Emboldened by his self-assertion, Rak managed the closest thing approximating a smile his species could manage as he shifted his attention back to Baam and Vahn. It was only then that he seemed to acknowledge the latter's existence, crossing his arms and saying, "You did well, Bearded Turtle. I will remember this when I hunt you down. I don't normally give my prey a head start, but, for you, I will make an exception."
Understanding this was probably the closest thing to a compliment he could expect from the large crocodilian, Vahn offered an amused smile in response before saying, "When that time comes, you should take caution. Depending on the circumstances, the hunter can quickly become the hunted."
Squinting his eyes in response to Vahn's words, a glimmer of expectation could be seen in Rak's gaze as he replied, "You are different from the other turtles. What is your name?"
Maintaining the same smile as before, Vahn began to release a bit of his aura as he answered, "I am Vahn Aldrnari Mason, the Sage Dragon Emperor. I look forward to our future battle."
Though it was a bit unorthodox, Vahn extended his hand towards the giant humanoid crocodile. In response, Rak didn't hesitate to return the gesture, the muscles in his arm straining at max capacity as he attempted to assert his dominance…
While Vahn and Rak were having some kind of showdown of wills, Khun released a tired sigh as he sat down next to Baam's bed and explained, "You've been asleep for four days. How does your head feel?"
Surprised by the revelation, Baam's eyes widened as he parroted, "Four days!? What about the Test? What happened with Rachel!?"
Gesturing for the boy to calm down, Khun closed his eyes for a brief moment before answering, "It isn't an issue. Your instructor has yet to arrive so you have free time until then. As for that woman…I don't mean to upset you, but her name is Michelle Light. Sorry, Baam, but I don't think she's the girl you were looking for. I asked her after the Crown Game and she said she's never seen you before…"
Hearing Khun's answer, a look of disbelief immediately flashed across Baam's eyes as he gripped the hospital blanket tightly and muttered, "That can't be…"
Seeing how sullen his friend was, Khun was about to try and cheer him up when a firm and resolute voice emanated from behind him, asserting, "You should not lie to your friend, Khun Aguero Agnis. Your personal circumstances cannot be superimposed onto every situation. You accomplish nothing by attempting to lie on that woman's behalf. After all, there are more than thirty days left before the Final Exam. Unless you proactively kept them apart from one another, Baam was bound to learn the truth at some point. Let them work things out, even if it means causing a bit of drama."
In response to Vahn's words, Khun and Baam had very different reactions. The former looked like he wanted to punch the Emperor directly in the face, hands forming into fists while the latter produced a smile so radiant it seemed to visibly brighten the surroundings. Even Khun was a little taken aback by Baam's smile, his glowing expression rapidly melting away into a wry smile as he shook his head in an admission of defeat.
Finding both boys' reactions rather novel, Vahn lightly chuckled before adding, "Just remember, not all paths run parallel to each other. Even if it turns out her reasons were completely selfish, you have to respect the choices of other people, Baam. Sometimes, the hardest part about loving someone is watching them leave to find happiness elsewhere. If Rachel chooses to keep the truth from you, the best way you can prove your love is by letting her go. If she believed she needed you in order to be happy, she would not have ascended the Tower without you…"
Though Baam visibly deflated when he heard Vahn's words, Khun's expression brightened quite a bit. His impression of Rachel was that she was extremely manipulative and selfish, but, unlike Vahn, he couldn't find the words to express this in a way that Baam would understand. The latter was his friend, and, though Khun's instincts told him not to trust the mysterious woman, he was prepared to climb the tower alongside her if it would make Baam happy.
With a smile spreading across his face, Khun watched Vahn's retreating figure until the door closed behind him. Immediately after that, he shifted his attention to Baam, his expression turning wry as he lightly placed his hand upon the former's shoulder and said, "Cheer up, Baam. You have plenty of time to try and convince her before the Final Exam. Besides, even if she doesn't choose to climb the Tower with us, there is nothing preventing you from climbing ahead and clearing the path. If we manage to reach the top of the Tower, it would be a simple matter to help her see the stars."
Finding a few grains of truth in Khun's words, Baam's brightened as he said, "You're right, Mr. Khun. I didn't even think about that option. Still, I hope Rachel agrees to climb with us. I'm not sure I can go up the Tower if I know she is struggling with the Floors below…"
Though Khun found it rather amusing that Baam spoke in a way that made the Tower seem easy to climb, he did his best to restrain himself as he said, "That might not be a bad thing. The Tower is a very dangerous place, Baam. As you move higher up, the challenges steadily increase to the point that it becomes extremely common for people to die. If Rachel struggles with the lower floors, that means she lacked the strength to actually reach the top of the Tower. By moving ahead of her, you can remove most of the dangers before she ever has a chance to be affected by them. That will also make it easier for others to climb, making you a Hero to the people who have struggled for years to reach the top. How about it?"
Listening to Khun's words, Baam began to feel like some kind of resolution was spreading within him. He couldn't even imagine living without Rachel, but, if she really wanted to climb the Tower without him, he would try to respect her decision. Vahn's words had deeply resonated with him, and, though Rachel had abandoned him, Baam's love for her had never waned. If he could make her happy by staying away from her and forging a path up the Tower, he was willing to put his life on the line to achieve her dream. Thus, in response to Khun's words, Baam showed a surprisingly resolute expression as he said, "I'll do it, Mr. Khun. I'll climb to the top of the Tower! For Rachel…!"
—
Unaware of what was going on in the hospital ward following his departure, Vahn slowly made his way back to his quarters. He had agreed to meet with the other Wave Controller candidates in the afternoon, so, with nothing better to do, he felt it was best for him to just stay out of sight, out of mind. There would be plenty of time for him to interact with other people once he began his actual ascent up the Tower, so, for the time being, he intended to strengthen Phae's and Gandr's position within the group.
In order to make things easier for himself moving forward, Vahn was intending to use Phae and Gandr as his proxies, only stepping in when absolutely necessary. They would have an easier time interacting with the group without making things too awkward due to his status. Then, when the time came, he would begin mentoring the group and helping them grow exponentially stronger. This was the most effective way to bring about lasting change within the Tower, as, by empowering the residents, Vahn would be able to move on without having to worry about things going south immediately following his departure.
Though it might seem a little haphazard compared to his past behavior, Vahn had never forgotten the lesson Da Vinci had taught him all those years ago. Since this was the Record he intended to use as the foundation for his own, there would inevitably come a time when he had absolute power over the very structure of Space-Time. Because of this, even if he made mistakes along the way, he would always have the opportunity to repair them in the future.
After feeling suffocated within the Akamatsuverse, Vahn was even more resolute in his desire to be more of a deterrent force than an actual Emperor. He also found the concept of the Vagrant Hero rather interesting, so, unless the situation required him to take action, he intended to keep shaping events through others.
Vahn had all the tools necessary to expand his influence extremely quickly, so, when the time came, he intended to bestow his Blessing upon each of the Regulars within his party. This would not only allow them to benefit from the Quest Function, but, most importantly, it would enable him to keep track of them using his Unit Management. This would allow him to teleport people between Floors, and, though it would be some time before he bestowed them such powerful weapons, Vahn was even willing to have Phae forge Zanpakutos for those he had deemed worthy. Regardless, when all was said and done, the Tower was bound to tremble in the wake of his faction's meteoric rise…
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn playing 4D Chess…','Sometimes you gotta let a thot choose her own path…','RIP Tower-chan')
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