Arcanus

Arianna breathed out a contented sigh as she began to settle in, already making herself at home within their temporary sanctum. 

Gladius mirrored her actions, though he couldn't help but notice how his own personal needs and urges seemed to be growing increasingly diminished with each passing day.

His vitality remained at its peak, his body truly not requiring the sort of rest and recuperation that most mortals craved. The only reason he would ever feel the need to meditate or slumber was to alleviate any mental fatigue or stress that might accumulate over time. But even those sensations were becoming increasingly muted, as if his body was simply nourished and sustained by the constant flow of sword energy coursing through his being.

Other bodily urges and needs, the sort that would typically send someone rushing to avail themselves of the restroom facilities, barely even registered as more than a faint whisper at the back of his mind these days. Those sensations were still present, hovering at the periphery of his awareness, but to a far lesser degree than what most would consider normal.

He wondered idly if such diminished corporeal needs were simply a natural side effect of the path he had chosen to walk, a consequence of his profound attunement to the worldly forces and the Sword Force progression. 

But as he glanced over towards Arianna, he noticed that she was already preparing to make use of the bathroom to attend to her own, distinctly human needs and urges.

As their gazes met, she flashed him a warm, radiant smile and inquired, "Do you want to use it first?"

Gladius shook his head, returning her smile with one of his own as he politely declined, "It's kind of you to offer, but no, I'm feeling perfectly fine at the moment. Go on and take care of your business."

"Mm," she hummed in acknowledgment, already turning towards the bathroom's entrance. "And once I'm done here, we can get down to some serious meditation and study. Do you want to start first with delving deeper into the 'Worldly Flow' book, or would you prefer to broaden your knowledge about the various cities, towns, and regions that make up this world?"

As Gladius took a moment to ponder her inquiry, he did come to realize that his overall knowledge and understanding about the geography and layout of this vast world was still quite lacking. While his comprehension of the fundamental mystical forces had grown by leaps and bounds, his awareness of the actual physical realm they inhabited remained somewhat limited.

With that in mind, he decided, "Let's start with expanding my understanding of the geography and layout first, then we can circle back to delving into the profound insights contained within 'Worldly Flow.'"

"Excellent!" Arianna exclaimed cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm before she swiftly disappeared into the bathroom to attend to her needs.

Gladius took the opportunity to retrieve the book Arianna had left out, its title proclaiming it to be 'The World of Arcanus.' 

Scanning the first few lines, Gladius found himself gleaning a considerable amount of information about the very planet they currently called home.

The world itself was named Arcanus, and apparently, it was estimated to be quite massive in scale – in fact, describing it as merely 'massive' would be a vast understatement. Just one side of Arcanus held numerous countries, many of them surpassing the largest nations back on Earth in sheer size and scope.

And it wasn't just the physical landmasses that boggled the mind; there were also special realm entrances that contained various cities and other civilizations, realms where immense danger was balanced by immense opportunity – places where only the strongest and most talented mages could hope to reside and thrive.

Just getting a general sense of the sheer enormity and grandeur of Arcanus was quite something to behold, a staggering realization that left Gladius feeling almost overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of the world he now called home.

The country they currently found themselves in, which was named the Astralpeak Province, was considered the fourth strongest realm on what the text referred to as the "Bright Side" of Arcanus. 

And just the Astralpeak Province alone was absolutely brimming with various places to explore and learn from, each one holding the promise of untold secrets and mystical insights waiting to be uncovered.

It was at this moment that Arianna stepped out of the bathroom, clearly not requiring much time at all to take care of her personal needs and biological urges. When she spotted Gladius sitting down and fully engrossed in the tome laid out before him, she swiftly made her way over and settled right beside him, leaning in to scan the pages he was so intently studying.

A light, knowing smile curved her lips as she murmured, "Ah, I see that look in your eyes... You're feeling quite a sense of awe and wonder at just how expansive our planet truly is, aren't you? It's quite a marvel to behold, I'll admit."

"You can certainly say that," Gladius agreed with a solemn nod, his eyes never leaving the pages as he drank in the wealth of knowledge contained within. "It does make me wonder just how you mages manage to travel and navigate across such vast distances. I'm assuming there are mounts, like magical beasts, and spatial magics to make traversing these immense realms a bit easier?"

"Indeed," Arianna confirmed, her eyes taking on a faraway, almost wistful look as she expounded on the subject. "The magical beasts inhabiting this world grow just as powerful and formidable as we mages ourselves. And the top-tier beasts boast an abundance of special abilities that often surpass even our own mystical prowess."

A slight, rueful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she added, "But of course, we also have mages who specialize in attuning and controlling these magnificent creatures, allowing us to harness and make use of their great abilities and strengths as needed. Flying magical beasts are often the preferred mounts for smaller groups undertaking long-distance travel."

Her expression grew pensive as she continued, "But we mages have also invented larger modes of aerial transport, such as immense flying magical ships and other innovative means, to facilitate journeys spanning vast distances. There is also a portal system in place, but..." A hint of amusement crept into her tone as she concluded, "That particular method of instantaneous translocation is only reserved for the 'truly' special mages of this world, if you catch my meaning."

The lightly mocking edge to her words drew a soft chuckle from Gladius's lips. "Then I can assume that's not anything we'll be able to take advantage of anytime soon. Well, it's far more enlightening and rewarding to travel at a slower, more leisurely pace anyway, don't you think? That way, we can savor the sights and experiences as they gradually unfold before us, rather than simply blinking from one destination to the next."

"Mm," Arianna hummed in agreement, a contented smile gracing her features. "There's a particular joy to be found in watching the unraveling vistas stretch out for miles ahead, and then approaching those breathtaking sights on foot, taking in every detail as you draw ever closer."

Like this, the duo fell into a smooth, natural rhythm, their energies harmonizing in a dance of mutual understanding and shared purpose. 

Gladius allowed his being to flow into a state of profound unity with the world around them, exuding that soothing, tranquil presence that seemed to resonate across the very fabric of existence itself.

And Arianna, in turn, immersed herself fully into this sublime sensation, basking in the warmth and serenity it brought as she patiently guided Gladius through any questions or curiosities that arose, serving as his mentor and companion on this journey of enlightenment.

They lost themselves in this blissful trance, time seeming to lose all meaning as their souls soared in perfect synchronicity, soothing into one another in a manner that defied the boundaries of individual identities. 

The hours slipped by, unnoticed and unheeded, as master and student delved ever deeper into the profound mysteries that awaited their unveiled gaze.

Hours quickly flew by, the deep embrace of night gradually giving way to the soft glow of morning before anyone quite realized it. 

When Gladius finally blinked open his eyes, he felt immensely refreshed, rejuvenated in a way that transcended mere physical restoration.

But along with that profound sense of reinvigoration, there was an intoxicating floral scent wafting into his nostrils, teasing his senses with its sweet allure. And there was a tantalizing warmth pressed against his side, a soft weight that seemed to radiate a pleasant, soothing heat that tingled across every inch of his being.

An unbidden, contented smile curled Gladius's lips as the source of these sublime sensations dawned on him. His eyes drifted over to Arianna's beautifully serene face, her features seemingly frozen in an expression of utter tranquility as she remained lost in the depths of a magical trance.

During the night, she must have immersed herself so deeply into her studies of the mystic arts that her body had simply gravitated toward him, instinctively seeking out the soothing warmth and comfort his presence provided. 

Gladius couldn't help but find the entire experience to be quite... pleasant, if he was being honest with himself.