endless path, infinite cosmos

chapter 91

After seeing the system notification, Vahn was in a daze. The only other 'person' he had achieved maximum affection with was Hephaestus, and that was after knowing her for a long time. He didn't understand how Tiona was so affectionate toward him, and when he turned toward her and saw her beaming smile Vahn didn't know what to feel. His mind felt 'tingly' and it felt like there was a pressure, other than Tiona, on his chest.

Finn saw the 'discomfort' Vahn was in, so he tried to rein back Tiona. "Tiona, that kind of thing can wait for later. We should return back to Riviria for now." Finn motioned for everyone to head out, but Tiona hadn't let go of Vahn. She continued to cling to him for a few moments longer before asking, "Will you come with us Vahn?"

Hearing her question, Vahn was somewhat indecisive. He had to return back to Rivira himself, but it felt awkward to be dragged along with their group. After thinking things through, Vahn furrowed his brows a bit before he looked at the lively girl that had yet to release him. Seeing that her smile didn't fade in the slightest as she waited for his answer, Vahn finally gave up before sighing. "Sure..."

Tiona was very happy with his response and started walking with him toward the exit. Finn and the rest of the party were already near the stairs, but Ais and Lefiya had stayed behind a bit in the corridor for Tiona to catch up. Seeing that Vahn had come along, she gave a small nod before walking alongside them to join the rest of the group. Lefiya followed behind everyone, and Vahn could feel a discomforting 'glare' on the back of his head.

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The entire time they were going down the stairs, Tiona kept barraging Vahn with questions. She asked about his home, when he came to City, what kinds of food he liked to eat. Anything she could think of to ask, as long as it related to Vahn, she wanted to know the answer. Vahn answered most of the questions, though he felt helpless since Tiona was still clinging to him even while she bounced around.

Ais also asked a few curt questions about how Vahn was able to grow so much in the last week, and about if his Level had increased at all since their last meeting. When she asked, Riveria's ears twitched a bit, while Finn also slowed his pace by a small amount. Neither looked toward the direction, but they were listening in on the conversation. Vahn was paying attention though, so he only gave short responses that didn't reveal any important information.

He did mention, however, that his 'magic' that allowed him to transform his body had undergone a change after his narrow escape with the Juggernaut. Vahn knew it was possible for magic to develop and evolve under tense and stressful situations, so he found it an appropriate time to mention the encounter. As the Loki Familia was one of the strongest in the City, they may even be able to subjugate it, saving countless lives in the process.

Hearing Vahn mention surviving against a Juggernaut, Tiona started issuing a laugh like she was lost in her own little world. Though it was subtle, Vahn could feel her grip on him tighten by a small amount. The rest of the Familia, especially the senior members Finn, Riveria, and Gareth all had very serious expressions on their faces. They believed that it's somewhat justified Vahn's explosive growth and his unique skill, but they were also shocked that a Juggernaut was currently on the 13th floor. They had been in the dungeon for a few days, and they hadn't heard anything about its appearance at all.

The entire group stopped walking as Finn looked back and asked, "You're sure the thing you encountered on the 13th floor was a Juggernaut? It could have been some kind of Variant creature." If what Vahn said was true, they needed to inform the guild to either cordon off the floor or arrange an emergency subjugation team. They would also need to investigate the cause and find out what had happened for such a powerful monster to appear on the middle floors.