Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 1969 Principles

Though there had been a marginal amount of pushback from some factions within the Hendo Lok Family, Vahn’s journey through the Tower had become remarkably unimpeded. All he needed to do was treat the people who came to him. The rest of his time was spent rather leisurely, not because he had nothing to do, but because he needed to keep an eye on everyone in the exploration group.

Despite a concerted effort by several families to begin restructuring, there was still a phenomenal amount of corruption within the Tower. Many attempted to conceal this by lying low while Vahn’s group was exploring the Floor, but, more often than not, the residents of the Floor were more than willing to reveal the truth of the matter. This led to a series of one-sided conflicts, as, even on the low end, each resident of the Emerald Grove was more than a match for the average High Ranker.

The only saving grace for the factions that had drawn the attention of Vahn and his entourage was the fact they only spent three days on each Floor. This disappointed many of the opportunists who wanted the Empire to resolve all their problems, but, possessing no desire to become involved with the politics of the Tower, Vahn didn’t particularly mind how people viewed him and his group. They helped who they wanted, and, once everything was resolved, it was up to the people left behind to choose how they would move forward from there. This might come across as irresponsible, but, just as the people were not beholden to the Empire, Vahn and his compatriots had no obligation to take care of and provide for them.

By not expecting anything in return, be it status, power, or resources, the Aldrnari Empire was in a rather unique position. Its members could act with impunity, and, most importantly, they could not be bribed, swayed, or corrupted. They were like a fiery wave of justice that swept across everything, and, the moment anyone tried to oppose them, they would be annihilated without the opportunity for recourse. This included branches of the Ten Great Families, so, by the time Vahn had reached the 70th Floor, the territories around the Gateports had become progressively more deserted. Inversely, the presence of the Royal Enforcement Division and Imperial Army had increased, not to get in the way, but to try and resolve things in a ’less destructive’ manner.

Heading this effort were the Corps Commanders of the 2nd and 4th Army Corps, specifically High Rankers by the name Ari Senna and Kallavan. They had been given the task of mediating between the exploration group and the various factions related to the Jahad Empire. This generally involved arresting and imprisoning certain persons of interest, but, every now and then, it meant small fights would break out between the 4th Army Corps and the exploration group.

The Corps Commander of the 4th Army Corps, Kallavan, was a remarkably powerful individual with an unyielding sense of justice and a penchant for ’collecting’ people he found interesting. His entire Corps was comprised of ’Servants’ he had collected over the years, and, depending on their power and contributions, they were further broken down into various Tiers.

Though ’collecting’ people sounded wrong, the truth of the matter was that Kallavan allowed the people he had defeated to redeem themselves through service. Had they refused, he would have been forced to kill them in the fulfillment of his duties, so, in more ways than one, he had afforded them a second chance at life. This, combined with Kallavan’s nature and power, led to many within the 4th Army Corps dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, man. In their minds, he was the greatest hero in the entire Tower, and, should he ask it of them, they would not hesitate to lay down their lives to fulfill his aspirations.

Unfortunately, as was often the case when the leader of an organization was considered righteous and heroic, the people beneath them were quick to act if it meant preserving these ideals. In simple terms, the members of the 4th Army Corps were zealots who genuinely believed that Kallavan was the hero who would unify the various peoples of the Tower. In their minds, he was the only person qualified to achieve this completely arbitrary dream, so, with many in the exploration group being rather zealous themselves, it was only natural that the two sides would have disagreements...

---

Having been keeping a close eye on things, Vahn promptly teleported to the scene just as Mordred released her Dragon’s Breath towards a Needle-wielding woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, white military-style garb, and a red cape. This was a recurring theme as of late, so, with Mordred’s breath diverted towards the heavens, a wry smile developed across Vahn’s face as he stated, "I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m beginning to see a bit of irony in your parents naming you Bright..."

Unamused by Vahn’s words, the woman, Ari Bright Sharon, adopted a potent frown as she forced herself to say, "Thank you for your assistance..." through gritted teeth. At the same time, she made sure to back up out of arm’s reach, an action that elicited a light chuckle from Vahn’s throat.

Shifting his attention away from the petite blonde, Vahn directed his gaze towards a mechanically modified woman with porcelain-white skin, red eyes, and a sky-blue gemstone embedded in her forehead. This was one of the only First Tier Servants among Kallavan’s forces, and, as her red eyes and phenomenal aura indicated, she was a member of the Ha Family. Unfortunately, she had given up the blessings associated with her Family in exchange for an advanced prosthesis that drastically improved her ability to manipulate Shinsu. As a result, she looked more machine than human, and, though she wasn’t exactly ’ugly’, Vahn couldn’t help feeling a marginal amount of disappointment whenever he laid eyes on her...

Recognizing the look in Vahn’s eyes, the inordinately pale woman, Ha Cheonhee, resisted the urge to ball her hands into fists as she explained, "We have taken control of the situation and intend to conduct a thorough investigation into the Aris Family’s offenses. Please withdraw your forces. There is no need to exacerbate matters any further."

Choosing to disregard the woman’s remark, Vahn shifted his attention to Mordred, who, since his arrival, had been doing her best to calm down. In response to his gaze, however, a fiery aura began to erupt from her body as she heatedly explained, "These assholes are trying to protect a bunch of pedos involved in human trafficking! Those bastards don’t deserve a trial...!"

Understanding how disadvantageous things could get if Vahn was triggered, Cheonhee did her best to clarify things, immediately adding, "Blaming the entire family for the actions of a few isn’t justice! You have every right to be angry, but there is a process to deal with-"

Interrupting Cheonhee’s remarks, Vahn’s aura descended upon the entire compound as he said, "I’ll resolve this matter personally. Move."

With the final word carrying the Power of Authority, Cheonhee, Sharon, and several other members of the 4th Army Corps experienced the horror of having their bodies move against their will. At the same time, all the Shinsu in the surroundings began to dissipate as the compound housing the Aris Family began to fragment into its constituent parts...

---

Observing the incident up until the point that the connection with her Lighthouse was interrupted, a tired sigh escaped Ari Senna’s throat as she looked at the muscular man seated across from her and said, "This is the seventh incident. I’m afraid I have no choice but to consult the Commander-in-Chief and have her select a replacement. Please recall your forces and have them begin making preparations for your departure."

Without so much as a single change in his expression, Kallavan, appearing as steady as a mountain, stared directly into Senna’s eyes as he firmly declared, "We will not withdraw without a direct order from the King. The acquiescence of the Empire’s forces threatens to propel the Tower into a state of disarray and unbridled chaos. If our intelligence is accurate, he will become an even greater threat if he is allowed to enter the 77th Floor and ally with Wokhaiksong. Before then, I will do everything in my power to hinder that man’s progress...even if it means going rogue..."

Frowning in response to Kallavan’s words, Senna was tempted to chide him, but, understanding the futility of such actions, she simply released a sigh before saying, "I’ll have to record your dissidence in my report. If you’re going to take action, you have until Headquarters sends its response to carry it out. After that, I will have no choice but to mobilize my forces against yours. At that time, the 4th Army Corps will be formally acknowledged as traitors to the Empire. If you are prepared to take that risk, it is beyond my powers to arrest you. I can only pray that you take the lives of your people into consideration before deciding on any drastic course of action..."

Nodding his head in understanding, Kallavan reached up to his collar to remove his rank insignia before rising to his feet and flatly saying, "It has been an honor to serve alongside you. When the time comes, I will order my people not to resist. Please take that into consideration when you’re deciding on their sentence."

Finished with what he needed to say, Kallavan performed a courteous bow in lieu of a salute before unhesitantly turning around and departing the command room. This left Senna feeling more than a little exasperated, as, despite the many scandals and complaints associated with the 4th Army Corp, they were, inarguably, one of the Empire’s most loyal forces. This incident was bound to be used as a justification for their disassembly, and, as a result, the Empire would lose its most dependable and inclusive unit...

Exhaling a tired sigh, Senna combed her fingers through her maroon-red hair before staring up at the ceiling with her faded, leaf-green, eyes. This incident made her painstakingly aware of her age, and, though she had no intention of stepping down any time soon, ten-thousand-years was a long time to hold a single position. It was more than enough time to seed the notion that she had been doing this for too long, and, while his beliefs were certainly contentious, it was difficult to shake the feeling that people like Kallavan were what the Tower needed most...

---

Though he did not slaughter them all, Vahn ended up executing most of the Aris Family. They might have been working on the orders of their Elder and several criminal members of the Workshop, but, regardless of the circumstances, they had been profiting off the illegal trafficking and ’harvesting’ of infants and children in the Middle Tower. Such actions were simply unforgivable, so, after compiling a list of every researcher and affiliate related to the incident, he ended up reducing more than 70% of the Aris Family to ash. The only people who were spared were those who had attempted to help the children in secret and those too young to fully understand the horrors perpetrated as a result of their family’s greed...

It was around the time when Vahn was restoring the Aris Family’s compound to its original structure that a large, seemingly infinite, aura descended upon him. This immediately drew his attention, but, rather than showing even a hint of concern, disdain was the only emotion visible in his countenance as he asked, "Is this really the hill you want to die on? Defending pedophiles and monsters engaged in human trafficking?"

Without so much as a single change in his expression, a subtle yet remarkably powerful blue aura began to exude from Kallavan’s body as he replied, "As people with the power to force our version of justice unto others, it is even more important that we adhere to the laws implemented by those responsible for regulating society. We cannot expect those beneath us to obey the law if we choose to disregard it at our leisure. As reprehensible as their actions may have been, it was not your place to play the part of judge, jury, and executioner. Even if you are a God, there should be limits to what you can and can’t get away with. The Tower is not your playground."

Frowning in response to the resolute man’s words, Vahn was prepared to point out the hypocrisy in his claims and ask who afforded him the right to pass judgment, but, before he could utter so much as a single syllable, violent plumes of gold and blue Shinsu erupted around him. This was the result of an artifact known as the ’Essence of Bravery,’ a sacred treasure that, in the distant past, Kallavan had stolen from his own people for no better reason than to alleviate his boredom and obtain even greater strength. It was rumored to be infinitely close to S-Rank in Grade, and, as a basic function, it provided a functionally unlimited amount of Shinsu to its user.

With the Essence of Bravery in hand, quite literally, Kallavan had risen from the status of a relatively unknown Ranker to one of the most powerful High Rankers in the entire Tower. This was in spite of the fact he was only Ranked 117th on the official Rankings, not for a lack of power, but for a lack of ambition. If the Rankings were actually based on power, he would easily be in the top 50, and, if he managed to catch them in a region of unstable Shinsu, even those in the top 20 would have a hard time defeating him. As for the reason, it was due to the Essence of Bravery’s most potent effect, an ability that granted its user a form of Invulnerability so long as they genuinely believed in what they were fighting for...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: ’No room for discussion’,’Senna be like, "I’m too old for this shit..."’,’Imagine stealing the treasure your clan has protected for countless generations only to walk around with a justice boner for more than three-thousand-years...’)

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