EPIC: Path of Demons and Dragons-Chapter 240: Looming Tensions

"Sounds like a tremendous hassle..." retorted Kukaku. "Though it would be interesting to see that monstrous monk bowing his bald head and treating me with deference..."

"It all depends on what you want to do..." Vahn reiterated, his right hand slipping into the water, prompting Kukaku to spread her legs wider as his middle finger tentatively stimulated her most sensitive spot. For several seconds, Kukaku didn't speak, various thoughts and possibilities crossing her mind. But as her insides spasmed and contracted of their own accord, causing her arousal to build, she leaned forward and grabbed the sides of the tub, allowing Vahn to position his glans at her entrance. Then, staring back at him, she grinned and teased, "Look at you...getting all excited the moment a woman shows you her rear..."

"Only select, generally exceptional women..." Vahn countered, resisting the urge to grab Kukaku's waist and seat her against him. Fortunately, she didn't leave him waiting long, lowering her hips and exhaling a hot, throaty sigh before leaning forward and catching him off guard as she expressed, "Lucky for you, your words have me feeling like a bitch in heat..."

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

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[January 5th TST/August 28th DBT]

Though he initially beamed when Vahn appeared from a flash of golden light, Ukitake, attended by a burly, goateed man and a short woman with a blonde pixie cut, couldn't help raising his brows when he saw the former shouldering a cloth-bound spear.

Preempting Ukitake's welcome and the question at the forefront of the man's mind, Vahn explained, "This is Laev-tan, my favored spear. She's a Spirit Weapon in the same vein as a Zanpakuto, but her power is such that even your Sokyoku can't compare."

"Oh, I see..." responded Ukitake, his smile becoming noticeably strained as he asked, "Were you expecting there to be trouble at today's meeting? Because I can assure you we have no intentions of making an enemy out of Vahn-sama or the Dragon's Pavilion..."

Waving his left hand dismissively in front of his face, Vahn answered, "Ah, it's nothing like that," casually. Instead of explaining why he was carrying Laev-tan around, however, he shifted his gaze to the duo observing him with considerable tension in their bodies, remarking, "Joint Third Seats Kotsubaki Sentarō and Kotetsu Kiyone—this is our first meeting, but I can see why Ukitake chose you as his subordinates. Your Reiatsu is very pure, and I sense great potential within you..."

"Yes, I have high hopes for each of them..." appended Ukitake, gazing back at the duo over his left shoulder and smiling gently.

"Uwaaaaaah, such kind words! We are undeserving, Ukitake-taichou...!" exclaimed the man, Kotsubaki Sentaro, gratuitously shedding tears while using his right sleeve to shield his eyes.

"Ukitake-taichou..." muttered the petite, sporty-looking woman, Kotetsu Kiyone, bringing her white-gloved hands together with an expression of starry-eyed reverence, inadvertantly leading Vahn to decide he would be spending the evening with Asia and Xenovia.

"Mmn...this is a good opportunity..." decided Ukitake, returning his gaze to Vahn as he revealed, "There is another who wished to meet and thank you in person."

"I don't feel I did enough to merit it, but it's not within my nature to reject heartfelt gratitude," affirmed Vahn, shifting his gaze to the entrance of the eight-tatami room he had appeared in, denoted by a sliding bamboo door. At the same time, Ukitake gave Kiyone an affirming nod, compelling her to hurry over and open it with a tad too much enthusiasm, revealing an even more petite woman with raven-black hair and notably sharp, dark purple eyes seated in seiza. Like all Shinigami, she wore a two-layer black-over-white garment known as a Shihakushou with a white, forward-tied sash around her slender waist and, though they weren't visible, pure white tabi socks and banded straw sandals.

'She must be on probation...' concluded Vahn, noticing that the woman, Kuchiki Rukia, didn't have her Zanpakuto. The Gotei required that active Shinigami have their Zanpakuto with them at all times, so while she had been released from captivity and her sentence commuted, it was evident that Rukia's life had yet to return to normal.

"Ryukami-sama...please allow me to express my sincerest gratitude for the nourishment and hope you provided at a time when I had all but given it up..." expressed Rukia, her expression and tone low, solemn-sounding as she placed her knuckles against the floor and bowed until her forehead met with the wooden flooring outside the room.

"Ryukami-sama...?" Vahn repeated, directing the question to Ukitake with a glance. In the same motion, he made a casual, underhanded sweeping gesture at Rukia, causing her to startle and cry out in a much cuter voice as she was forced to stand by an invisible force sweeping her to her feet and into the room.

Nodding, Ukitake carefully explained, "Considering Vahn-sama's status as the Dragon God of Intertwining Fates, the ceremonial title of Ryukami was created to facilitate smooth communication..."

'In other words, they want to restrict the circulation of my name to either curb my influence or because it sounds too foreign...' concluded Vahn, his eyes briefly narrowing. He didn't particularly care how people referred to him, but he didn't appreciate the blatant attempt to have him subjected to the Soul Society's peculiar homogenousness.

Deciding it didn't really matter, at least at that moment, Vahn turned his attention to Rukia, a faint smile adorning his face as he stared down at the much shorter Shinigami—presently staring up at him like a deer caught in headlights. Unfortunately for her pride, her diminutive stature compelled him to extend his left hand, his tone deep but soothing as he caressed her silky, notably cool hair and expressed, "Though I accept your gratitude, it was your compassion toward others and personal convictions that earned you my consideration. To that end, instead of feeling indebted to me, you should feel proud of yourself and the trials you've overcome. You did well, Kuchiki Rukia."

"I...I understand...thank you for your kind words and praise..." responded Rukia, not knowing how else to respond as she stood with her head low, shoulders contracted, and hands folded neatly over her lap with the tips of her ears burning bright red. Vahn's Charm parameter had only risen as his status and reputation grew, so while she ordinarily didn't pay attention to such things, Rukia couldn't help feeling embarrassed to have her head caressed by a man whose looks rivaled her brother's—albeit less refined and more exotic with his dark skin, short and somewhat flared brown hair, and bright, aquamarine eyes.

"You've got yourself an adorable subordinate..." remarked Vahn, directing the statement and smiling at Ukitake as he retracted his hand from Rukia's head. Ukitake laughed faintly in response, but for Rukia's sake, he resisted the impulse to agree with Vahn and transitioned to why he was there: his formal introduction to the Gotei and, more notably, a representative of the 0th Division...

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After reaching the recently renovated central meeting hall of the 1st Division, Ukitake politely excused himself, leaving Vahn to stand alone outside the oversized, hoop-handled double doors separating him from the incredibly powerful beings beyond. Fortunately, even the most potent Reiatsu among them couldn't compete with even the suppressed aura of a Great Black Dragon, so he felt more excited than nervous.

"Let's try and be on our best behavior..." said Vahn, squeezing Laev-tan's haft to make it clear he was speaking to her.

[That depends on them] responded Laev-tan, adding [I understand that you don't view the denizens of Invirtua as a threat, but you should. That will speed up the rate of Actualization while also giving you real threats to overcome. At this rate, your foil will either be someone you care about or one of your forthcoming children...]

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind..." responded Vahn, offering a curt nod. At nearly the same time, a heavy, clanking sound emanated from the two doors as they opened from the inside. Further in, the remaining Captains of the Gotei 13, ten in total, awaited him, formed up as if they were on the edge of a circle with Captain-Commander Yamamoto standing, hunched-over but unshakeable in the center.

Tapping his club-like cane against the wooden floorboards, producing a surprisingly loud sound, Yamamoto kicked things off by bellowing, "The Imperial Court Guard Divisions welcome the Ryukami, Vahn Mason of the Dragon's Pavilion!"

Following Yamamoto's exclamation, everyone but Zaraki, an eyepatch-wearing mountain of a man with a peculiar, bell-tipped starburst hairstyle and a tanned, muscular body covered in battle scars, cupped their hands and bowed respectfully. Yamamoto glowered at him in response, but the famously barbaric Shinigami completely ignored him, his visible grey eye focused on Vahn as a broad, battle-hungry smile materialized across his rugged, naturally vicious face as the former met his gaze with an undaunted smile...

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