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Hearing that Vahn had revealed the truth to Yoruichi, Rias, seated at a table with him, Sona, and Ravel, blinked in surprise and remarked, "Oh, my. We expected the truth to come to light sooner rather than later, but not this soon. Do you have something in mind?"
Nodding, Vahn affirmed, "I do," before adding, "As you said, it was only a matter of time before the truth came to light. Trying to preserve the plots of various worlds for the sake of the residents undermines the purpose of Invirtua as a concept. I wanted to create a scenario where we could see, experience, and interact with various fictions while freeing the inhabitants of those worlds to shape their future. I still believe we shouldn't intervene directly unless requested, but I also feel we could be doing more with the Tower..."
"If nothing else, I believe it would be a good idea to increase the number of Ascendees in each batch," proposed Ravel, noting, "If we maintain the current restriction of fifty per cycle, it will take more than a hundred years just to accommodate the existing population of Termina."
"To that end, I was thinking of following the example of the Dragons from Aileen's world," revealed Vahn. "They coordinate with the Gods of various worlds to have linked copies of their Towers appear near major population centers. We could do something similar or, in the case of worlds without a presiding God, have the population put it a vote. I feel that, at least in the case of fairly modern settings, many would jump at the chance to become Hunters, Players, or Awakened."
"That sounds remarkably destructive..." noted Sona, her flat expression and tone making it clear she didn't agree with the suggestion. Instead of simply refuting it, however, she reasoned, "Presume we allow a world with a population similar to our own to make such a decision. Even if just ten to twenty percent of the population is against the proposal, that would result in 750 million to 1.5 billion people becoming victims of a societal shift they did not consent to. Thus, rather than drop the Towers into existing worlds, would it not be better to give those who desire change and adventure the opportunity to pursue it elsewhere...?"
Piggybacking off Sona's words, Ravel agreed, "That would undoubtedly lead to societal collapse in the original world, but it's an effective way to separate those who seek to break free from the mundane and those who are content living simpler lives..."
"Why not go with what Azazel suggested a while back...?" proposed Rias, drawing everyone's gazes as she reminded, "If the setting is modern, we could introduce Full-Dive VR with a setting centered around the Tower of Ascension. Then, similar to the actual Tower, those who manage to reach the Fiftieth Floor and surpass its Trial could be given the right to enter the genuine article. Such premises are fairly popular nowadays, are they not?"
"That would be considerably more straightforward than translocating tens or even hundreds of billions of people..." conceded Vahn, nodding, "And if we establish the Dragon's Pavilion as an organization within the game, we could potentially accumulate faith by shaping Player perspectives..."
"I prefer this idea over previous suggestions, but what shall we do about worlds where things like the internet don't exist?" asked Raval. "Though, I believe there is merit to prioritizing worlds without supernatural elements. That way, everyone starts on relatively equal footing. Those with greater wealth or freer use of their time would obviously have an advantage, but I assume we could implement measures to ensure those with strong morals and righteous character rise to the top."
"We could also do corporate sponsorships or privately fund a Guild within the game," proposed Rias, her blue eyes gleaming with anticipation as she found the idea increasingly interesting.
"While that's certainly a possibility, we're severely lacking in personnel..." noted Sona, crossing her arms and cupping her chin with her right hand as she reasoned, "We'll need to contract existing companies, presumably offering those in charge power or longevity..."
"Not necessarily..." muttered Vahn, drawing everyone's attention to him as he explained, "Most modern settings heavily depend on innovations such as the internet and wired transactions. They are incredibly susceptible to cyber-attacks and manipulation, so if we employ a sufficiently advanced AI linked to the Tower's Administrator, it should be able to dominate the systems it's introduced into, screen employees, and set up the necessary infrastructure for development and distribution with minimal oversight. We should have some, but I am confident in the Administrator's analytical and managerial capabilities..."
(As you should be~) hummed Sis, sounding exceedingly pleased with herself.
'Don't make me have you manifest a butt so I can pinch it...' responded Vahn, unable to prevent a smile from developing across his face as Sis's refined laughter echoed in his mind.
"If the Players are going to transition to the Tower at some point, it does make sense to have the Administrator involved," affirmed Rias. "Though, since we're on the subject, I've been curious regarding the nature of the Administrator's existence for quite some time...they're clearly something more than an Artificial Intelligence at this point..."
Shaking his head, Vahn revealed, "There's nothing artificial about them, but it's difficult to explain. The most straightforward way to view them is as an extension of myself, kind of like an inner voice given awareness of its own..."
"You mean, like a conscience...?" asked Sona, raising her right brow as she recalled the Administrator being an exceedingly beautiful woman.
"More like a counterpart..." corrected Vahn, an awkward smile adorning his face as he reiterated, "As I said, it's difficult to explain. But if you're familiar with anime and manga that incorporate game-like interfaces, you can think of them as the consciousness that oversees the protagonist. It's just that the Administrator's knowledge is derived from my own, and their abilities are an extension of my power..."
"In other words, you empower them rather than the other way around..." surmised Ravel, causing Sona to nod in understanding while Rias crossed her arms and leaned back slightly, ostensibly lost in thought.
"Is something the matter...?" asked Vahn, tilting his head slightly.
"Of course not," responded Rias, shaking her head before smiling, meeting Vahn's gaze, and revealing, "I was just considering who would be the best suited to head this project. Excluding Bulma and perhaps Jack-O, we don't have many technically-minded or computer-savvy individuals in our ranks. Azazel seems the obvious choice, but I personally feel such an important position should be held by someone with a less sordid past..."
"What about the Sisters?" asked Ravel, pointing out, "They can interface with systems and electronic devices directly. If nothing else, they would make excellent support staff."
"I feel like they've become an integral part of the lower floors, and they're pretty committed to advancing through the Tower..." stated Vahn, shaking his head as he added, "If they hear about what we're doing and volunteer of their own accord, I think it's acceptable. But let's not burden them with even more responsibilities."
Punctuating his words, Vahn tapped the table he and the girls were sitting around, causing a transparent blue panel to spread a centimeter above its surface before the holographic bust of Yuuki Asuna appeared, causing the three girls to raise their brows in recognition. She was from a world where the technology to actualize full-dive VR already existed. More importantly, she had previously contracted the Dragon's Pavilion to gain independence from her family and start her own business, so while she may not possess the technical knowledge required to manage a large-scale enterprise, she wasn't lacking in drive or motivation...
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After parting ways with Rias, Sona, and Ravel following their brunch date, Vahn found himself in a pensive, introspective state while ambling through the palace. Venelana's suggestion that he consider mentoring others had stuck with him, but as he weighed the idea, the more he felt he would be forcing undue expectations on those he brought under his wings. After all, he was the Dragon God of Intertwined Fates...anyone apprenticing under him earnestly was bound to feel compelled to achieve favorable results or distinguish themselves...
'Then there's the question of what I should teach...' thought Vahn, the prospect of traveling to various worlds and challenging their strongest or most skilled martial artists crossing his mind. If he heeded the restrictions placed on Ascendees by limiting his parameters to the power threshold of each verse, he could theoretically hone his skills anywhere...
ding
"Hmmm...?"
Prompted by the sound of a priority notification, Vahn opened his direct messages, noticing he had received quite a few but focusing on the one that was pulsing—sent by Tatsumaki.
"Oh? I wonder what she's up to..." Vahn muttered, prompting Sis to open a display that depicted Tatsumaki staring half-liddedly at her chat interface. More notably, she was outfitted in a cream-colored, off-the-shoulder top, a black sports tank top, pleated jeans, and ivory-white sandal heels with a salmon pink purse hanging diagonally across her body.
Reading Tatsumaki's not-so-urgent message, which said he should come over if he weren't busy, Vahn couldn't help smiling. He didn't know what had led to her contacting him, but it was fairly obvious she wanted to go on a date or something similar with how she was dressed. It wasn't how he had planned to spend the early afternoon, possibly even the evening, but since he hadn't cemented anything, he promptly responded that he was on his way, causing a rare smile to bloom across Tatsumaki's usually surly face. It was nowhere to be seen when they met up, but from Vahn's perspective, that only made her more adorable...
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"I want you to take the initiative and have sex with my sister..." expressed Tatsumaki, catching Vahn a little off guard as she lay atop him, completely naked after their post-date lovemaking.
"Did something happen...?" asked Vahn.
"Not yet, but there have been more and more predatory and opportunistic assholes trying to cozy up to both of us these past few months," revealed Tatsumaki, narrowing her eyes as she appended, "I honestly don't want to share the same man as my sister, but at least you can keep her safe if shit hits the fan..."
"I'll see what I can do..." responded Vahn, resisting the urge to point out he could protect Fubuki without the two of them having sex. Instead, he gave Tatsumaki a peck on her lips, causing the ruddiness in her cheeks to deepen before they exchanged several more...
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Since she would presumably find it suspicious if he suddenly contacted and propositioned her for sex, Vahn had Sis keep an eye on Fubuki so he could catch her in the bath or somewhere similar. Unfortunately, her work kept her fairly busy, so even though she visited the palace daily, she often teleported directly to her room to relax and get a full night's sleep without the threat of a monster attack or assassination attempt.
'Looks like tonight is a miss...' thought Vahn, seeing Fubuki undress in the comfort of her room before plopping face down on her bed in her lingerie without taking a bath or shower. Being CEO of one of the fastest-growing companies in her world left her understandably spent, so while he wanted to keep his promise with Tatsumaki, Vahn, observing various displays from the confines of his spherical deprivation chamber, left Fubuki to enjoy her moment of respite.
Shifting his gaze to another display, Vahn observed with slightly narrowed eyes as Urahara, Yoruichi, and the muscular, mustachioed Tessai watched the Bleach anime. Yoruichi looked increasingly bored, as even the highest quality animation couldn't capture the speed and impact of actual battles, but Urahara and Tessai had serious, immersed expressions, with the latter even taking detailed notes of everything that transpired on-screen.
'Let's see what Rukia is up to...' thought Vahn, prompting Sis to open a display depicting the petite, raven-haired Shinigami sitting meditatively within a cell formed from thick wooden beams. There were still sixteen days until her execution, so she had yet to be moved to the Repentance Cell overlooking the giant glaive that would, under normal circumstances, annihilate the condemned criminal's soul.
'She's pretty cute...' noted Vahn, having only paid cursory attention to the events transpiring in Bleach. As such, it was only his second time seeing Rukia and the first he was paying close attention to her. Unfortunately, her detention was a confluence, binding the fates of countless people and setting several significant events in motion. Thus, even though he could reach through the display and pluck her from her cell, Vahn suppressed the urge as the karmic deficit he would accrue would effectively make him responsible for the entire world...
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