Night Battle (1/3)

When Vahn arrived in the dining room, he found that there were far fewer people than he expected present. There was still time before dinner was actually served, but most of the girls showed up early to help set the table and to chat long before dinner began. He could sense that there were some girls still bathing, but he noticed the distinct lack of Tiona, Ais, and Tione at the table. It was a strange thought to have, but Vahn felt like they were already waiting for him at the rendezvous point even though there were more than two hours until they were supposed to meet up...

Because he expected things to get rather 'intense', they weren't going to be using his room since he still needed to 'conquer' the two powerful Amazons. Without anything to hold them back, he would either end up at their mercy or they would be 'defeated' by him. This was the only way to make them 'calm' in the future since it would appease their instincts based on their recognition that Vahn was stronger than them. It would also serve as the catalyst for their future growth as well since they would try to 'defeat' him in turn. Still, until they were able to get a victory against him, Vahn would be able to enjoy a 'normal' relationship with them in the future which was something to look forward to.

During dinner, Terra, Ais, Tiona, Tione, Eina, Chloe, Arnya, Lunoire, and Haruhime were all absent, which made the atmosphere a little peculiar. Vahn ended up sitting with Syr and Ryuu at his sides while Fenrir 'glared' at Shirohime, who was currently covering her eyes with her paws and sitting on the top of his head. Eventually, she couldn't tolerate Fenrir's gaze and ended up climbing down to his shoulder before nuzzling around the collar of his tunic and jumping down into the interior. Fenrir's eyes glowed after seeing this but she didn't say anything when Vahn shook his head gestured for her to calm down. Shirohime seemed especially happy with her 'discovery' and curled up into a ball within his shirt and seemed to be enjoying his body heat.

Because of the tension in the air, dinner ended up being a little shorter than normal because most of the girls at the table understood that Vahn was going to be 'busy' soon. Immediately after everyone started cleaning up, Fenrir came over and eyed the bulged in Vahn's tunic with her paws opening and closing in a frustrated manner. Vahn reached out with both of his hands and 'gripped' the sides of her head before looking into Fenrir's eyes and saying in a firm tone, "Fenrir is a good girl...right?" The light in Fenrir's eyes wavered like a candle on the verge of being blown out as she slowly nodded and said, "Fenrir is a good girl..." Vahn smiled and began moving his hands to stroke her face and head to comfort her anxiety.

Though he knew the girls were waiting for him, Vahn didn't plan to show up until it was the agreed upon time since he still needed to talk with Haruhime before then. Since Fenrir seemed to be especially stressed out today, like because of her feelings of jealousy toward Haruhime and Shirohime, Vahn spent around forty minutes pampering her even though Shirohime pawed at his abdomen in a frustrated manner. He had let Fenrir sit in his lap as he simultaneously combed his fingers through her hair while massaging the pressure points in her neck and shoulders to help her relax. Since she seemed to intentionally 'squish' Shirohime every now and then, the little fox eventually ended up poking her head out of his tunic without saying anything and just 'pouting'.

Toward the end of their small session, Vahn wanted to give Fenrir something to help her 'cope' for the rest of the evening so he tilted her head up and looked at her confused expression before giving her a short peck on the lips. Fenrir's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her paws with a happy expression on her face. As for Shirohime, she showed a from and made a 'hmph' sound before diving back into his tunic and wriggling her way to his back. Vahn felt that it was a little awkward to have a small animal crawling around inside his tunic, but he decided not to mind it for the time being and made his way towards Haruhime's room.

Haruhime had been in a daze ever since she awoke from her nap earlier in the day. She felt like everything that happened earlier was a dream, but the aches in her body and the pleasant heat from her chest were all the proof she needed to know this was reality. There were also several instances where she could feel phantom sensations all over her body and many of them were very pleasant. Though she was surprised earlier when her butt was 'tenderized', awakening her from her nap with a start, Haruhime felt the warmth spread through her backside a little later and hugged her pillow tightly as she fell back asleep. She wondered if there was a way to drop Vahn a hint that she didn't mind if he wanted to spank her for real. Even though it had been very surprising, Haruhime didn't really mind it and it made her heart race feeling the comfortable heat spread through her butt after the fact...

Vahn reached Haruhime's door and Shirohime crawled up his back before peeking out from his collar once again. It had occurred to Vahn previously, but it was strange how she was able to 'solidify' herself in a selective manner like this. She didn't even disperse water when she was swimming in it, but now that she had climbed into his tunic it was very 'apparent' that she was there. It could have been an 'illusion', but Vahn felt like the sensations were a little too real and he wasn't fond of the idea that her influence over him was strong enough to make him hallucinate physical phenomenon.

After hearing Haruhime's acknowledgment, Vahn made his way inside and found her sitting in her bed with her clothes in a somewhat disheveled state. She hadn't made any attempt to fix her clothing after knowing Vahn was at the door, but Vahn didn't mind the scene at all since it was somewhat tantalizing seeing a young woman partially clothed. Haruhime seemed to understand this as well and was doing it intentionally, even though it was something she had 'learned' during her time as a prostitute in training. She had decided not to be ashamed of her past since the only person she had ever actually 'serviced' was Vahn.

Vahn reached behind his back and Shirohime immediately ducked back into his tunic to 'escape' his clutches because she knew what he was intending. Unfortunately for her, Vahn simply unequipped his top and snatched the surprised fox before she fell down. She immediately began to struggle as she said, "No, we don't want to stay here! You can't abandon us like this!" Haruhime laughed as she reached out and grabbed Shirohime and began patting the teary-eyed fox as she soothingly stated, "Vahn will never abandon us...but we can't make him take care of us all the time little Shiro. Unless you want to see him with other girls, you'll have to stay here with me for a bit. Besides, there are a lot of things I want to talk about with you..."

Shirohime turned her head up at Haruhime and said, "Vahn should be with us always...he shouldn't go to other girls when we're lonely!" Haruhime hugged the little fox tightly and pressed it's head against her chest as she said, "You can feel it right...? Vahn is always with us, so be a good girl so we can get plenty of rewards later~." When Haruhime mentioned 'rewards', Shirohime's body flinched a little as she recalled the various forms of pampering she had received throughout the day. Every time she misbehaved, Vahn would 'neglect' her, but the rest of the time had been pleasant...

Without waiting for Shirohime's decision, Haruhime reached out her right hand and chanted, "Grow. That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion. -Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you... ~Grow!" as a 'divine' light struck Vahn's body and greatly increased his parameters. Most importantly, his Power reached 3594, only 300 points lower than Tiona. With Haruhime's buff, Vahn was able to close the gap between their strength to a negligible level while being marginally stronger than Tione.

Vahn showed a gentle and somewhat apologetic expression as he said, "Thank you, Haru...take care of Shiro for me, okay? I'll make sure to pamper you both in the future..." Haruhime showed a loving smile in return and said, "I'll always be waiting, Vahn...we both will be, isn't that right little Shiro?" Though she had a pouty face, Shirohime nodded her head and said, "We don't like being alone. You have to make sure to come back to us..." As the little fox spoke, her golden eyes became slightly watery until she eventually hung her head as Haruhime hugged her tightly. She had a lot of insecurities, but Vahn knew things would get better with time since they could rely on each other and the people around them to be happy. He would also do his best for both girls until they never had any doubts about his affection ever again...

After leaving Haruhime's room, Vahn made his way to the nearby study and opened the window before jumping down and disappearing from sight with the use of [Shundo]. He only had an hour to make use of Haruhime's magic, so there wasn't much time to meander about and waste time. Since things were going to be somewhat intense, Vahn had decided to make use of the residence to the east of the Manor, the same one that was designated for his meetings with goddesses and diplomats in the future. There were three large rooms, including one that was apparently made to be much more durable than the others. It was made as a reinforced structure that was completely soundproof and impervious to 'spying' magic, such as Clairvoyance and Divination. Since the matter of using [Enkidu] was a highly guarded secret, they needed a chamber that was able to protect the secret while also ensuring that the goddesses themselves couldn't be spied on.

Vahn arrived at the residence in an instant before passing his perception across the rather stylish building and confirming there was a black 'void' within his vision surrounded by a dense assortment of runes. The fact that it even blocked his Innate [Eyes of Truth] was a credit to the security of the room and Vahn was impressed, especially considering the room was larger than the aboveground building itself. The only access point to it, besides a secret door that connected to a corridor leading to the Hearth Manor, was a small elevator that was concealed by a bookcase. Without being accompanied by someone that was registered to the formations, it was completely inaccessible since the room below was sealed off until the mechanism above was triggered.

It was very apparent to Vahn that the number of 'secret' doors and chambers had increased a great deal after Hephaestus' and Hestia's influence was incorporated into the architectural structure of the Manor. Hephaestus was an unrivaled [Master Smith] that liked to create mechanisms, while one of Hestia's primary Divinities was related to Architecture. With the two goddesses working in concert, the Manor was slowly turning into a 'fortress' full of secret passageways and hidden chambers. Vahn was certain that the underground structures that were being constructed right now were even more complex and he was looking forward to discovering each secret. For now, however, his main focus was on the three girls that entered his perception after the elevator cleared through the 'seal' below.

The moment Vahn saw Tiona, Tione, and Ais, he realized things were coming to a head very quickly since Tione had a fervent and almost predatory look on her face. Tiona was in a better condition, but there was eagerness radiating from her body while Ais, the only person with a normal reaction, had a little bit of concern in her eyes. She had been with the two girls since earlier and the atmosphere had worried her a bit since it seemed like Vahn might be in danger. Even though they were in a private room filled with people she trusted and loved, Ais was just as alert as if she were about to face a Monster Rex in the Deep Floors.

Vahn stepped forward and let his own aura spread through the room as the pressure inside noticeably increased along with the temperature. Though he was interested in the structure of the room, Vahn focused his attention on the three girls and matched Tione's gaze as he said, "Sorry to keep you waiting...I hope you've prepared yourself properly." Tione was already drawing deep breaths and, the moment Vahn finished his words, she leaped toward him fast enough to form an after-image. Though he could track her movements, Vahn allowed Tione to grip his tunic before immediately unequipping it when she moved to pull him back. She lost her footing slightly and wasn't able to recover it in time as Vahn had already stepped forward to push her down.

Though it felt a little scary, Vahn let loose because he knew it was 'necessary' for the two girls to receive the full benefits of what was about to happen. After pinning her quickly, Vahn reached forward and grabbed at Tione's top before ripping it away from her body and revealing the budding brown breasts with pale protrusions. Tione grabbed at his hands and tried to reverse their position, but Vahn pinned her forearm to the ground with enough force to crack the magically reinforced marble of the floor. Instead of showing any signs of pain, Tione's expression became even more fervent as she tried to buck Vahn forward with her hips.

At the same time, unable to contain herself any longer, Tiona had come forward and actually worked together with Tione to pull Vahn off balance with an excited expression on her face. Ais looked to be concerned and was about to step forward before Vahn and Tiona disappeared from sight before a crashing sound was heard from the far wall. Vahn shouted out, "I'm okay, Ais, just give me a few minutes..." Tiona, who had been embedded into the wall, curled up her body and kicked against Vahn's chest with her bare feet to knock him back. Tione appeared behind him and grabbed him in a reverse hold before trying to suplex him in the same motion.

Vahn briefly considered that they should have done this aboveground before shifting into his Xuánwǔ form and completely dispersing the incoming impact. Tione ended up in an awkward position without the ability to follow through as Vahn quickly shifted his weight and pinned her shoulders to the ground as he released a pulse of energy into her body intended to relax her muscles slightly and fatigue her. Though it made her frustration rise up a level, it wasn't enough to cause her any real stress as Vahn rolled to the side and evaded Tiona's attempt to grab and pin him. At this point, they were in a position where each party was trying to pin and 'take' what they wanted from the other person. Vahn was in a bit of a disadvantage considering it was two-against-one, but the smile on his face showed that he was enjoying the 'tussle' greatly.

Tiona immediately vaulted from the floor, twisting her body through the air, before kicking off the roof in an incredible display of acrobatics and flexibility. When she landed, her hips rocked as she shifted her weight from side to side and traced a zig-zag pattern with her feet in an attempt to 'corner' Vahn. Tione stayed on alert a bit away and was prepared to grab Vahn the moment he tried to evade using [Shundo]. Contrary to either girls' expectations, however, Vahn stepped forward in timing with Tiona's movements and forced her into an internecine struggle by locking hands with her. His agility was actually higher than both girls, neither of which had any reliable way to increase their parameter, while Vahn could push his own even further as he transitioned into his Báihǔ form.

Tiona's expression turned simultaneously serious and 'eager' at the same time as she tried to step in and break Vahn's footing to get an advantage. Tione had also jumped forward the instant their hands locked together because she was confident Tiona would be able to hold Vahn long enough by using the difference in their Power. Just as Tiona stepped forward, Vahn converged his intent in an instant and completely suppressed her actions for less than a single millisecond. He had long ago mastered 'stunning' enemies with his domain, so creating a momentary lapse in his opponent's movements to exploit was something second-nature to him. Tiona hadn't expected it at all and quickly found herself bereft of the cloth at her waist as it flew into Tione's face.

Vahn grabbed slipped behind Tiona in the same motion and ran his finger up the line of her back was a powerful electrical stimulation radiated from his index finger. She released a startled cry as she jumped forward and crashed into Tione, who had her vision blocked by the cloth. The twins overlapped with each other and fell to the ground as Vahn appeared overtop them, and pressed down into Tiona's back the instant she tried to recover. She crashed into Tione once again before shifting her weight forward and trying to kick Vahn while somersaulting at the same time. Vahn completely vanished and her foot passed through empty space before he was suddenly in the same position reaching out to grab her legs.

It was a bit awkward, but Vahn grabbed Tiona's ankles and spread her legs in a single motion, forcing her to stand on her hands as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. A lot of a person's strength came from being firmly rooted to the ground, and Tiona had never been in this type of situation before. However, she wasn't known as a prodigy without reasons and she also had the support of Tione. She tucked in her body at the same time as Tione kicked upwards toward Vahn's abdomen while supporting Tiona's back so she could roll back to her feet. However, though he had been momentarily distracted by the sight of Tiona's split legs, Vahn had forced this situation intentionally and had already prepared his next course of action.

Vahn transitioned into his Xuánwǔ form and absorbed Tione's kick while stepping forward and pulling down on Tiona's legs at the same time. With Tione having pushed up against her back to let her roll, Tiona found herself in an awkward position where the roll wasn't stopped and her body was forced into the arch of a shrimp as Vahn pulled her legs down. Tione had no choice but to lower her hands since she couldn't help Tiona complete her motion so the two ended up overlapped in a strange manner where Tiona was contorted almost 'dangerously'. Her head was pressed against Tione's abdomen as Vahn forced her legs down from above while pressing into Tione and forcing her knees toward Tiona's abdomen. At the same time, Vahn shifted his weight forward and sat against Tione's arched back and had effectively pinned both girls in a position where neither could easily maneuver their bodies.

Just as he was about to release a sigh of relief, Tiona didn't seem dismayed by the situation, even though she was in the most awkward position, as she reached out and grabbed behind his knees before jerking him forward. She couldn't make use of the majority of her Power in the current situation, but it was very difficult to prevent your knees from buckling if someone pressed into the pits behind them with enough force. Vahn immediately lost his footing, even though he was 'sitting', as Tione kicked outward at the same time. Before he was able to react, Tiona had rolled with the motion she initiated and sat directly against his face before clamping it between her thighs like a vice.

Tione had coordinated with Tiona and found herself at Vahn's belt as she tried to keep his hips from bucking them away. She ripped away Vahn's defenses in an instant before striking near his navel with her palm to stop him from moving. Every time he lifted his legs to try and get his feet to the floor, she reached back and struck at his knees with a hard strike that made his bones creak. His head was completely locked down by Tiona and she was making an effort to seal both of his hands at the same time. Vahn was honestly impressed by their coordination with each other, but he was never the type that liked to be on the 'receiving' end of things like this. At the same time Tione ripped off his briefs, Vahn once again converged his intent on Tiona and temporarily caused her body to tense up, though not as a result of her own strength.

Effectively defenseless, Vahn reached up with both hands and pulled Tiona's body forward while also raising his upper body using Tione's weight and the movement of Tiona's 'fall' as leverage. Tione reached up her hands to grab her sister's body as Vahn struck forward and knocked both girls away from him while snapping his hand shut at the same time, ripping off Tiona's top. Her remaining clothing amounted to a pair of tight white bottoms because both girls had removed their jewelry and adornments in preparation for the 'battle'. As for Tione, she had removed her own waist cloth after tearing away Vahn's clothing so she was wearing nothing but a pair of red bottoms with a torn top hanging around her neck.

Vahn smiled at the two fervent girls as he rolled his shoulders and remarked, "I guess we'll call the first round a draw..." before stepping forward the moment they stood back up...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Marching To Battle','This is definitely not pod-racing','The Battle Isn't Over Until The Twin Ladis 'Sing'~!')

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