Chapter 209: Impression
[November 29th DxD/July 22nd DBT]
After nearly a full day of laying waste to the area that once supported Onigashima's entry port, Vahn and Kaido were seated against a partially destroyed stone wall, sharing sake and food, when the latter questioned, "Remind me, why did you come here?"
"To send a message..." answered Vahn, taking several large gulps from a nearly meter-wide red sake cup before revealing, "You may not believe it, but I'm not from this world. I represent and patronize a transdimensional organization called the Dragon's Pavilion."
"I don't believe it..." asserted Kaido, taking several large gulps from his own sake cup before exhaling an alcohol-tinged sigh and adding, "But it would explain that fox's monstrous strength, this weird barrier, and your ability to recover from everything I throw at you..."
"Full transparency, I came here to invite your daughter to enter a place called the Tower of Ascension, a place where people from many worlds gather to meet, increase their strength, and pursue godhood..." revealed Vahn, producing a golden bangle atop his left palm, explaining, "This is a bangle that grants the intended wearer provisional access to the Tower's System and functions. That includes the ability to keep and produce items from a personal pocket dimension, the ability to see how powerful you are via a Status Window, and the means to communicate between dimensions with others who have access to the Tower's System."
"My daughter, huh..." muttered Kaido, hearing the rest of what Vahn had said but focusing on that specific part of the revelation as the image of a girl with white and turquoise hair, amber-brown eyes, and red-tinted Oni horns appeared in his mind. He thought of correcting Vahn by stating he only had a son, but he only referred to his daughter as such to ridicule her absurd dream...
"So, what happens if my daughter accepts your invitation...?" asked Kaido, glancing at Vahn out of the corner of his right eye.
"She would gain access to the Tower of Ascension every thirty days, as well as a hub space called the Intertwining Dragon's Palace..." revealed Vahn, shrugging as he added, "Time flows differently within the Tower of Ascension, so even if she only enters it eight hours each month, 120 days would pass in the Tower. As for the Intertwining Dragon's Palace, she can enter it whenever she pleases to meet and interact with other Ascendees. She could even take others there with her, but if they caused trouble, my foxy friend would be the least of their worries. It might sound absurd, but there are people in the broader multiverse who can destroy entire planets, much less smack around a few pirates..."
"It does sound absurd..." affirmed Kaido, nodding. But, at the same time, two feelings he hadn't experienced in quite some time swelled within him: curiosity toward the unknown and the desire to battle opponents far more powerful than himself.