Mental Preparations

Vahn couldn't be certain his handling of Mordred's situation was the best but, considering how fervently she threw herself into training, it was better than letting her spiral in negativity. Though it did cause some awkward tensions between them, especially when he was doing things like helping baptize her body in Source Energy, it wasn't that different from normal. Rather, Mordred seemed a lot happier than before so, while things would eventually come to a head in the future, Vahn decided not to worry about it too much.

Fortunately, or perhaps not, he had far more pressing matters to attend as every version of Scáthach, sans the child-like form she used to attend the Clock Tower, had vanished. She had traversed back to her homeland and, though only a few days had passed in the real world, a massive stone castle now stood along the banks of Loch Eishort. This was the location of Dunscaith Castle, the place that had served as Scáthach's home prior to her disappearance into the Shadow Lands.

Like all Heroic Spirits, Scáthach would be most powerful at the location where her legend had begun, so, when they next met, Vahn had little doubt she would be far stronger than he was used to. If the final challenge really was a battle to the death, the Isle of Skye, and even Scotland itself, may not be able to withstand their clash. Fortunately, he had Arcueid on his side as, even if he tried to use one of Da Vinci's modified [Space-Time Orbs], there were no guarantees it could withstand the strain of their all-out attacks.

The only real preparations Vahn needed to make were mental as, after training under Scáthach for years, part of him 'expected' to lose. Though he wasn't lacking in confidence, there were times when Scáthach forced him onto the defensive and, despite his efforts to reverse the momentum, she was almost always able to overwhelm him. The only way around this was to remove his mental blocks as, if he truly went all out, even he didn't know the full extent of his power. All he really knew was that, if it came down to it, even Aoko and Arcueid, two Tier 5 being, might not be able to last more than a few hours against him...

To prepare himself for the climactic battle, Vahn left Artoria and Gawain to deal with most official matters while Luvia and Bedivere worked together to arrange the upcoming ball. Though he kept to his normal schedule for a few days, Projection Time, he spent nearly three full days doing little more than meditating atop Leviathan. As a result, his mind slowly became completely devoid of thought as his existence itself seemed to blend into the surroundings. The only thing going through his mind was the subtle sounds of the [Mantra of Eternity], its words just as imperceptible to him as the day he had first obtained it.

Even Sis didn't know how powerful the [Mantra of Eternity] was but, at the very least, it was graded as SSS-Rank, even within the Nasuverse. This indicated that, from the perspective of The Path, it was an existence at the very peak of Tier 5, likely even Tier 6. The fact he had obtained it 'randomly' in the past, when he most desired strength, indicated it was The Path's answer. If he focused on trying to master the [Mantra of Eternity], it was all but guaranteed he would reach the ridiculous amount of strength he needed. With that being the case, Vahn could even rationalize, as scary as it might be, there was even a chance it could be Tier 7.

All Vahn really knew about the [Mantra of Eternity] was, when used, it made him feel 'greater' than his usual self. It was almost like he was expanding, becoming something far more than the person he currently was. If he gave himself to that feeling, Vahn had no doubt he would obtain something far beyond anything he currently possessed but, in exchange, there was a chance he would lose that which was more precious to him. Thus, for the time being, the [Mantra of Eternity] served as a means to rejuvenate his Spirit, rapidly replenish his Source Energy, and calm his mind.

When Vahn finally opened his eyes, the 'bubble' that had formed in the atmosphere, creating a void nearly ten kilometers across, slowly dispersed. Vahn then sloughed off the layer of ice that covered his entire body, blinking a few times to remove the flakes sticking to his eyelashes. Then, before he went down to inform the others he would be departing, he lightly caressed the top of Leviathan's head, saying, "Thanks for the assist."

In response to his words, Vahn felt a ripple pass through his shadow and, in the next moment, a soft voice answered, "You need not thank me...your growth is my reward. I look forward to seeing how far your efforts will take you."

Hearing Leviathan's supportive words, Vahn issued a light chuckle before taking a few phantom-like steps and leaping off the side of the 30km long whale-like serpent that made its home high above the clouds. He could just teleport down but, after a long session of meditation, Vahn always had the desire to 'experience' the world. It was hard to describe just how comfortable he felt at times like this and, though it wouldn't last long, Vahn enjoyed the sense of 'oneness' with the world around him.

By controlling his descent, Vahn was able to land soundlessly atop the ivory-white walls of his castle and, for a brief moment, he enjoyed simply gazing out over the peaceful island that was his home. It would take some effort but, one day, he would ensure everyone had the opportunity to experience this same kind of peace. Even if Karma and other factors ensured there was always conflict within the world, he would still make it a place where those who sought it, could find peace.

With a natural smile spreading across his face, Vahn gave one last look at his surroundings before expanding his domain. As a result, his peaceful state was replaced with a phenomenal amount of information, to the point that Vahn was even aware of individual blades of grass, the composition of the dirt, and every insect crawling around inside of it. Despite this, it was a very different feeling than the 'oneness' he experienced during meditation as, rather than being just a part of something bigger than himself, he was now the 'center' of everything within the bounds of his domain.

Sensing Artoria alongside Gray, Nero, and Rin, Vahn teleported just outside the room the occupied and, after lightly knocking, made his way inside. As per usual, Artoria, Gray, and Nero all rose to their feet but, having always been more casual regarding matters of propriety, Rin remained sitting with a cup of tea in her hands. Vahn didn't particularly mind this but, based on the wry smiles on Artoria's and Gray's faces, combined with Nero's 'curious' expression, he expected it wouldn't be long before the latter also dismissed with propriety.

Though it would be nice to stay and chat for a while, Vahn didn't move from the threshold of the door as he plainly stated, "I will be going." in a calm tone. He didn't need to explain where, exactly, he would be going as, prior to his meditation, he had already discussed the matter, at length, with most of the girls. Thus, in response to his statement, Artoria released an almost inaudible sigh before adopting a supportive smile and saying, "Go. I will take care of the Empire while you are away. We will all be awaiting your triumphant return..."

Vahn had already been smiling but, hearing Artoria's words, he couldn't help but reveal how happy her support made him, his smile widening until his eyes squinted slightly. Though she may not hold the central position in his heart, Artoria had been one of his life's greatest blessings. Just like in the Record of Danmachi, things would have been a lot different if he didn't have competent, powerful, and tolerant women at his side. With the exception of Fenrir, she had become the person he relied on the most in the Nasuverse and, knowing she would continue to support him far into the future, he nearly teared up on the spot.

Seeing Vahn's unexpected reaction, all four girls were more than a little taken aback as, while he wasn't exactly lacking in expressiveness, it was rare to see Vahn appear 'vulnerable'. Since she had been the catalyst for his reaction, Artoria's supportive smile melted into a far more affectionate one as she glided over to his side and wrapped her arms around him. Their size difference made hugging while standing a little awkward but, much like how it would during combat, her body had moved on its own...

---

After finally parting ways with his infinitely compassionate Empress, Vahn could feel his momentum begin to surge up in anticipation for what was to come. His calm was slowly leaking away and, after a much longer embrace than was necessary, it felt like his Spirit had been supercharged with positive emotions.

By the time he reached the garden, where Arcueid was tending to the flowers alongside a group of adorable Companions, Vahn had regained his usual, confident, smile. This caused Arcueid to greet him with one of her own and, after lightly patting each of the helpful Companions, she rose to her feet and quickly alighted to his side. Since his presence at this time could only mean one thing, she gingerly placed her palm over his chest, asking, "Is it time?"

In response to her question, Vahn took her hand into his own, nodding his head as he answered, "I'll be counting on you."

Hearing the 'magical words', Arcueid's smile became even more vibrant as she tip-toed and planted a delicate kiss on his lips in response. Then, her sapphire-blue eyes putting to shame even the most beautiful gemstones, she happily replied, "You can always count on me~", before giggling and stealing another kiss as her reward.

If it wouldn't undo all the preparations he had made, Vahn would have whisked Arcueid away to give her a 'real' reward. She always behaved in a way that made him want to relax and spend more time with her but, with Scáthach already waiting a few days for his arrival, Vahn felt a strong compulsion to seek her out. He didn't want to be seen as a coward in the eyes of his Shishou and, knowing she would be able to ascertain what he had invested his prep time on, Vahn elected to remain focused.

Fortunately, though she could be quite 'greedy' at times, Arcueid already knew Vahn's intentions so she didn't do anything to rile him up further. She had learned quite a bit from her sisters in the Inner Sanctum so, if she really wanted to, it wouldn't be that difficult to egg him on. The main lesson she had learned, however, was to do her best to support Vahn as, when it really came down to it, there was little he wouldn't do to support them. Thus, even if her body always felt like it was on fire when they were together, she settled by just nestling into his embrace for a few moments, knowing there was a good chance she wouldn't be able to spend time with him for a few days.

When Arcueid was finally done 'recharging', Vahn kissed the top of her head before pulling her along as he said, "We'll fly to the Isle of Skye. I want to feel the cold wind against my face and body before facing off against my Shishou. There is always a chance something unexpected will occur so make sure you stay on your toes, okay...?"

Though she nodded her head in understanding, Arcueid wasted no time in clinging to Vahn's arm with a wide smile on her face. Flying through the sky was one of the things she enjoyed most so, to have Vahn to herself for even a few minutes longer, she was more than happy to accompany him...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Eternity echoes throughout all of time and space...','Endless Blessings : Infinite Tolerance','Prelude to the climax...')

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