EPIC: Path of Demons and Dragons-Chapter 248: Introductions

Following Byakuya's Memory Orb, Vahn gifted S-Rank 10,000-Year Ash Wood Gauntlets to Komamura, granting him the ability to tank damage from designated allies, a Monkey's Gourd to Kyoraku, able to convert up to 100L of water into spirit-enhancing wine per day, a True Fire Essence Pill to Hitsugaya, drastically increasing his resistance to cold, ice, and yin energy, and a pair of War God Restraints to Kenpachi, special manacles that could be attached to the wrists and ankles to increase the wearer's personal gravitational field by upwards of three hundred times, severely restricting their freedom of movement.

"Huh...you people at the Dragon's Pavilion ain't half bad..." remarked Kenpachi, immediately trying on the manacles and cranking them up to their max setting. He didn't collapse to the ground, but his movements were notably slower as he flexed his fingers and twisted his neck from side to side to get a feel for his nearly 60,000kg frame.

"Just try not to drop down on any of my allies..." joked Vahn, causing the naturally vicious smile on Kenpachi's face to broaden into a toothy grin as he retorted, "I won't have to if you come out to face me directly. I want to see if that big-ass Dragon form of yours is just for show."

"You'll find out soon," responded Vahn, adopting a notably cheeky smile of his own but as he meaningfully appended, "Assuming you can endure until the rest of my team is defeated..."

Unable to suppress his amusement, Kenpachi reared his head back and laughed without restraint. There was nothing he loved more than a good fight, and Vahn's apparent willingness to oblige made his brain and spine tingle with anticipation.

"Hurry it up, will you?" hissed the black-and-white-faced Mayuri, his face fixed into a grimace as he groused, "I have better things to do than stand here peacocking."

With only eight chests prepared for their ten Captains, Mayuri knew he wouldn't be receiving Vahn's or the Dragon's Pavilion's grace. As such, he had long since lost interest in the proceedings, his silent fury growing by the minute as it wouldn't go unnoticed by those spectating that he hadn't received anything.

"I'm not overly fond of taking back gifts once they've been given, but I'm prepared to make an exception if you insist on trying my patience, Mayuri-taichou..." forewarned Vahn, his expression and tone flat as he shifted his piercing green eyes but didn't turn his head toward Mayuri. The latter was the type of person he despised the most, so the fact he was still alive and able to stand before him was a gift the mad scientist could cherish for the rest of his life...

Understanding what Vahn was implying, Mayuri's expression darkened even further, his fury nearly reaching a breaking point before he forced a release of chemicals within his brain to calm himself. The power exhibited by the Dragon's Pavilion wasn't to be made light of, but he was confident that, given enough time, he would reverse-engineer everything that made them special before someday winding up with Vahn himself secured to an operating table—fully conscious as he took his time harvesting his blood, organs, and bone marrow for analysis and study...

Recognizing the mad glimmer in Mayuri's eyes, Vahn's expression sank as he raised his right hand with his middle finger straining, restrained by his thumb. Mayuri visibly tensed, adopting a ready stance, but since he didn't think Vahn would actually attack him, he was too slow to try and dodge as the latter flicked the air, causing him to disappear.

Witnessing what Vahn had done, the other members of the Gotei tensed with Ukitake, in particular, sporting an expression of disbelief mixed with uncertainty. After all, they couldn't just turn a blind eye to Vahn attacking one of their own, but Mayuri's reputation wasn't exactly sterling...

"No need to be so tense. I just did him a favor by returning him to his lab," revealed Vahn, carefully scanning the conflicted Captains before settling his gaze on Yamamoto. He was well aware that he had crossed a line, but considering his status and the significance of the proceedings, it wouldn't be strange if Mayuri were given a dressing-down and forcibly removed for his discourtesy.

Following a tense silence reminiscent of a stand-off, Yamamoto surprised many by calmly asserting, "Captain Mayuri will receive a formal reprimand and be subjected to sixty days of non-judicial detention for his failure to uphold the probity his position demands and an additional two hundred and seventy days of probational supervision for his discourtesy toward an honored guest..."

"Mmn...then, for my involvement in this matter, the Dragon's Pavilion will gift four months of provisions to every Division but the 12th, alongside the year's worth I was planning to gift Ukitake-taichou. I insist..." stated Vahn, spurred by Venelana but understanding her reasoning as, once the Gotei understood how beneficial the provisions they provided were, they would desire more. However, due to their exclusivity deal with the Kuchiki Clan, any additional provision would need to come through them, strengthening their position and relationship with the Dragon's Pavilion.

"We accept the Dragon's Pavilion's conciliation..." affirmed Yamamoto, his crimson eyes shimmering with a perceptive gleam.

'Looks like he saw through us...' noted Vahn, offering Yamamoto a slight, acknowledging nod before returning to his position next to Grayfia. Now that the gift-giving was over, it was time to introduce those participating in the Rating Game.

"Alright...!" exclaimed Vahn, clapping his hands and beaming as he stated, "Now that you've witnessed some of what the Dragon's Pavilion can offer, it's time to meet those who will stand across you as rivals and beside you as brothers and sisters in arms!"

Following Vahn's exclamation, Grayfia used Voice Amplification Magic to calmly broadcast, "Introducing the first Pawn representing the Dragon's Pavilion, Daughter of Duke Ignis Ford Dustiness and Willing Shield of the Dragon God, Lalatina Ford Dustiness!"

Contrasting her usual predilections under extreme pressure, Lalatina, sporting a relaxed smile with her hands folded neatly over her lap, made her way up and onto the parade platform in the elegant black, grey, and gold-accented kimono and haori she and the other female participants were wearing. With her long golden hair, usually fixed into a ponytail, tied up into a loose bun, the only thing the inhabitants of the Seireitei saw was a beautiful and proper noblewoman.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," expressed Lalatina, her voice smooth and refined as she bowed respectfully toward the members of the Gotei after reaching Vahn's side. This earned her several slight nods and looks of appreciation, particularly from Kyoraku, who cupped his chin and produced a low whistle that caused his Lieutenant, a very serious-looking bespectacled woman with obsidian black eyes and neatly tied-back black hair, to frown and exhale from her nose.

Following her bow, Lalatina rose to her full height and gracefully moved to her position with a suppressed smile and faint blush tinting her cheeks. At the same time, Sui-Feng narrowed her angular black eyes more than usual as she followed Lalatina's movements. Others might not have noticed, but as an expert at discerning the presence of concealed weapons, she could tell that Lalatina's body was tightly bound in the shibari fashion, affirming her belief that the Dragon's Pavilion was full of reprobates...

"Now for the second Pawn representing the Dragon's Pavilion..." started Grayfia, her amplified voice ringing pleasantly in the ears of everyone who heard it as she gestured toward the slender and refined figure making her way up the steps, appending, "It is my pleasure to introduce Lady Frieren Leise, Representative of Planar World, Aurenwelt, and Grand Magus of the Elvenholm Dukedom."

Though Lalatina's beauty was a standard few could compete with, the Seireitei's reaction to Frieren, a genuine Elf, was nothing short of awe. In the Seireitei, elegance, grace, and reticence were the most desired traits a woman could possess, so while Lalatina's proportions inspired passion, Frieren's 154cm frame, ethereal features, long, pointed ears, and silvery-white hair inspired possessiveness.

"It's a privilege..." remarked Frieren, her expression impassive and voice monotone, reinforcing her impression as a woman of temperance as she offered a slow, lingering bow toward Yamamoto before gracefully moving to stand in line with Lalatina...

psh psh psh psh psh

Before Grayfia could introduce her, Yamato, producing loud steps as she ran, leaped high into the air near the edge of the parade platform, flipping once before landing heavily in a dramatic, platform-cracking kabuki pose, her orange eyes gleaming with excitement and a broad smile adorning her face as she exclaimed, "Salutations, o' esteemed members of the Thirteen Court Guard Divisions! I am Yamato, Guardian Deity of the Land of Wano and Loyal Hound of the Dragon God! I am looking forward to our fiery and spirited clash!"

"Now this is a woman..." remarked Kenpachi, his vicious grin containing a hint of appreciation as it was the first time he, standing at 202cm, had to look up to a woman. Yamato's 263cm height nearly allowed her to see eye to eye with Komamura, and since she wore her kimono loosely to facilitate her pose, she gave the impression of someone who lived at her own pace.

"Oh? I wasn't aware our Kenpachi was interested in women..." remarked Unohana, her blue eyes narrowing and a murderous glint flashing across them before fully closing them into a close-eyed smile.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean...?" asked Kenpachi, glaring across the Gotei's formation at Unohana's location.

Interjecting in the exchange, Yamato changed her pose, standing tall with her hands on her hips and chest puffed out as she bellowed, "I'm afraid I must apologize, Kenpachi-dono! For, you see, I have already decided that my heart and body belong to my Lord! Nonetheless, I accept your praise!"

"S'that so? Good for you, I guess..." responded Kenpachi, looking up at Yamato with a rare, neutral expression. Rather than physical attraction, his sole concern was whether the person across from him could give him a good fight. Yamato's height, appearance, and bold personality gave the impression she was strong, but since they couldn't battle then and there, he effectively turned his brain off to make time pass faster.

"Alright, time for you to join the others, Yamato..." said Vahn, unable to conceal the fondness in his expression and tone after hearing Yamato's assertion and her presumably self-assumed title as his Loyal Hound. He certainly hadn't given it to her, so when everyone was considering titles and monikers to accompany their introductions, she either decided upon it herself or found it agreeable when another suggested it. Either way, it told him much about how she viewed their relationship.

"If my Lord wills, so it shall be...!" responded Yamato, presenting Vahn an ear-to-ear smile before joining Lalatina and Frieren, towering over the two considerably.

"Then, without further ado..." started Grayfia, smoothly continuing the introductions by calling up Robin. After Yamato's rather loud entrance, expectations for the remaining representatives of the Dragon's Pavilion were high. Robin's calm composure and practiced grace were a perfect contrast that helped to restore the harmony of the proceedings, almost certainly by design...

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With Robin's introduction restoring the formality of the proceedings, the remaining Pawns, Liban, Regulus, Kuisha, and Kiba proceeded smoothly, without incident. For a moment, it seemed like everyone participating in the Rating Game would be a beautiful woman, so the presence of Liban, Regulus, and Kiba helped to balance expectations and establish that the Dragon's Pavilion didn't exclusively champion females.

"I look forward to the opportunity to prove myself in battle against such an esteemed assemblage..." concluded Kiba, offering a courteous, hand-over-heart bow to the members of the Gotei before rising to his full height and adopting a natural, unpretentious smile as he calmly joined his fellow Pawns.

"And that concludes the introduction of our representative Pawns," stated Grayfia, offering a polite bow directed at Yamamoto, implicitly passing the buck of oration to the Gotei. Now, it was their turn to introduce the Pawns from their side, followed by a recess where the parade grounds would be transformed into a festive venue to promote cultural exchange. The Rating Game itself would occur that afternoon, giving the more opportunistic and foolish among the Seireitei's nobility plenty of time to show their hand and inadvertantly weaken their position in future negotiations...

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