<h4>Chapter 2335: Last Minute Preparations</h4>


    Following the announcement of the Garden-wide Gift Game, the first of its kind in more than seven thousand years, the Little Garden was abuzz with anticipation and heightened tensions.


    Though it was never explicitly announced that Vahn was the cause of the event, spection ran rampant after information leaked from a number of Communities in the Inner Gates. As a result, the Leaders of thousands of Communities were attempting to reach out to them, some seeking to ally while others sought information.


    Unfortunately, while Vahn was usually receptive to the outreach of other Communities, the doors of the Sage Dragon''s Hearth and the gates of the Aldrnari Empire had been closed off in preparation for the impending Gift Game. He did meet with the Leaders of several affiliate Communities, but all he could really do for them was wish them luck. After all, while there were no rules prohibiting cooperation, there could only be a single victor once the dust settled and the smoke cleared.


    One of the few groups Vahn didn''t immediately send away, for obvious reasons, was the No Names. Yo, Asuka, Izayoi, and Lily had arrived less than twenty minutes after the Garden-wide announcement, so Vahn gave them a much more detailed exnation of what had transpired behind the scenes before lending them a Game Board at the request of Asuka. Izayoi had originally wanted to enter an Actualized World to ''maximize his gains,'' but Asuka shot him down as she didn''t want to spend decades, if not tens of thousands of years, preparing for a single game.


    Shortly after sending off the quartet with a Game Board they could freely customize, Vahn found himself roped into training with Kale, Cauli, Yuri, Madara, Mordred, Goku, Vegeta, Broly, and several others. The Ethereal Queen had agreed to sit things out until the Gift Game was nearing its conclusion, so they would have ample opportunity to cut loose and make a name for themselves...


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    With only a few hours remaining before themencement of the Gift Game, Vahn was enjoying nap time with his and ck Rabbit''s kittens when someone unexpected appeared outside the Sage Dragon''s Hearth. They were about to turn away after seeing the sign posted outside, but Vahn figured he might as well give them a chance to rebuild the bridge they had unceremoniously burned twice.


    "Hwah~!?"


    Finding Vahn towering above her the moment she turned around, Lau practically leaped out of her skin before abruptly leaping back to draw a sword that could humble even Ichigo. It was easily longer than she was tall, exceptionally thick, and, based on the subtle distortions it caused in the gravitational force of the Little Graden, ridiculously heavy.


    Realizing it was Vahn who startled her, Lau''s eyes widened before she promptly put away her sword. Then, with a slightly reddened face and twitching ears, she averted her eyes and softlyined, "It isn''t good to sneak up on people like that..."


    Adopting a faint smile, Vahn surprised Lau with a curt, "Sorry about that," before questioning, "Now then, what can I do for you, Ms. Pantera? I take it you didn''te all this way just to turn away and give up at the door?"


    Inhaling a deep, steadying breath, Lau looked around to find that no one was paying attention to her or Vahn. A sizeable crowd had gathered outside with the intent of requesting Vahn''s services, but none of them so much as batted an eye in response to his actual presence.


    Preempting Lau''s question, Vahn exined, "Just a little trick I picked up to prevent people from badgering me when I just want to walk around for a bit. Now please, speak freely. Or would you rather speak somewhere more private?"


    Balling her hands into fists, Lau briefly hesitated before surprising Vahn by dropping to her knees. He half-expected her to dogeza with her head pressed to the ground, but she took things several steps further by rolling onto her back and presenting her belly.


    With a ruddy expression that looked like she was prepared to bite him if he dared to touch her stomach, Lau was practically growling as she said, "I wanted to apologize for my previous actions...I was out of line and suspected you without merit..."


    Though he initially nned to dismiss Lau''s apology as water under the bridge, Vahn understood that would likely have the opposite in this particr situation. Lau was going out of her way to shame herself in front of him, so she presumably wouldn''t take kindly to him dismissing the matter outright.


    Forcing a smile, Vahn gave a curt nod and stated, "I ept your apology. I also understand the importance of appearing strong during negotiations, so I have no intention of holding a grudge against you or the Draco Greif Alliance."


    Relieved by Vahn''s words, Lau exhaled a sigh before rolling backward and bouncing back to her feet. She hated apologizing to others, not just because it made her appear weak, but because of the unique customs of her tribe. Fortunately, Vahn had epted her apology quickly as tradition dictated she would have needed to let him step on her abdomen until she peed herself...


    After quickly fixing her clothing, Lau regained her previous edge as she stared at Vahn and asserted, "Apologizing isn''t the only reason I traveled here from the South. If the offer still stands, I intend to request the aid of the Sage Dragon''s Hearth."


    Nodding his head, Vahn revealed, "I am well aware of the reason for your visit. Here, catch."


    Though she was a little caught off guard, Lau managed to catch the object Vahn threw at her with considerable ease. It resembled an ornate ss bottle filled with a strange grey liquid, so she couldn''t help asking, "What am I supposed to do with this...?


    Before Vahn could answer, the bottle''s ck and white stopper popped off, freeing the ghostly entity within. Lau nearly tossed it aside, but, not wanting to appear weak in front of Vahn, she stood her ground and stared intently at the grey, white, and blue creature that had emerged. It vaguely resembled a snow leopard but had a mane of ghostly energy and patterns of crystalline ice covering its body.


    Giving some insight into the creature''s identity, Vahn exined, "This is Gelid, the Lord of Ice. He is an entity known as a Companion, one of the most powerful of his kin. If you can prove yourself worthy of his trust, he will fight alongside you and drastically increase the rate of your spiritual development. He can''t bestow you power directly, but so long as you are willing to make an effort, he can help you be much, much stronger..."


    Resisting the urge to swallow the knot in her throat, Lau did her best to appear unafraid as she furrowed her brows and asked, "What do I need to do to earn your trust...?"


    As the question was directed toward it, Gelid adopted an uncanny smile as it telepathically replied, "Weakness may not be a sin, but staying weak is. If you desire mypanionship, prove to me you have what it takes to transcend your limits and rule over others."


    Without waiting for Lau''s response, Gelid turned into a ghostly grey, blue, and white mist, surging into her chest. The former felt a powerful chill permeate her entire body but felt no difort. Instead, she felt a rity of mind she had never experienced before, her senses sharpening to the point she could ''feel'' the presence of every living creature within a 30km radius.


    As Lau was still recovering from the shock of Gelid unceremoniously making itself at home within her petite frame, Vahn pulled out two more items from his Inventory. The first was a palm-sized coliseum, a Game Board that would allow Lau to challenge powerful opponents from a multitude of Vahn''s Actualized Worlds, while the second was an Asauchi, the base form of Zanpakuto.


    Hearing the exnation of both items, Lau''s mouth gradually formed into an ''o'' as she gawked at Vahn with a look that screamed disbelief. Her original intent was to request an A, maybe S-Rank Gift she could use as a stepping stool to secure her status as FLoor Master. In exchange, she had been willing to pay just about any price, yet, without asking for anything in return, Vahn bestowed her the means to enhance her strength, seemingly without limit. The coliseum even had a function that awarded challengers for each stage theypleted, prizes ranging from personalized Gifts to custom armaments...


    As Lau''s gaze began exhibiting an internal struggle, Vahn adopted his best smile and said, "Just take them. Doing so will save me the hassle of having to grant requests from other members of your Community. Now, if they want to grow strong, they just need your permission to challenge the coliseum. It can be configured to allow multiple people entry into unique instances, so feel free to use it as a training tool for the entire Draco Greif Alliance."


    Instead of feeling relief at Vahn''s words, Lau''s conflicted expression morphed into a pout as she stared down at the coliseum with her amber eyes. As allies, she believed that the Aldrnari Empire and the Draco Greif Alliance should have a reciprocal rtionship. However, even if she gave him her body, that wouldn''te close to the value of the items she had received from Vahn. The coliseum, alone, was something that could serve as a pir for generations toe...


    Seeing through Lau''s thoughts, Vahn''s expression softened as he said, "The value of an object can change drastically from person to person. If they are on the verge of death due to dehydration, the value of a simple cup of water could surpass a mountain of gold. While those items might mean a great deal to the Draco Greif Alliance, they are not something I''ll miss. In fact, had I not given them to you, they might never see the light of day. It is only because you have a use for them that they have such an extreme value in your heart...to me, they are just trinkets..."


    *I take exception to that...*


    Ignoring Gelid''s voice within his head, Vahn maintained his smile until Lau exhaled a defeated sigh and muttered, "I understand...thank you for everything you''ve done for my people. One day, I will return this favor with something of value to you..."


    Exhaling a light chuckle, Vahn''s smile broadened as he said, "Do your best to lead your people into an era of peace and prosperity. There is nothing I value more than the happiness, well-being, and freedom of others."


    "..."


    Hanging her head, Lau carefully considered each of Vahn''s words. She couldn''t fullyprehend what he was trying to convey, but she admired the sentiment. At the very least, she no longer viewed Vahn as a greedy and licentious God who took advantage of his station and wealth to bend others to his will.


    Adopting a faint smile, Lau''s tail swished behind her as she raised her head, meeting Vahn''s gaze as she said, "I will remember this kindness for as long as I live. If the Aldrnari Empire ever finds itself in a position where it requires aid, the Draco Greif Alliance will respond to the call without fail. I swear upon my pride as a member of the Pantera Tribe."


    Nodding his head in approval, Vahn responded, "I''ll hold you to it." before gesturing toward the Sage Dragon''s Hearth and asking, "Did you want to take a look around before you returned to the South?"


    Though she was more than a little interested in doing exactly that, Lau didn''t hesitate to shake her head and say, "Some other time, perhaps. For now, I must return to the South and finish my preparations for theing Gift Game. I imagine the Representative you have chosen will be a warrior beyondpare. If I am to have any hope of prevailing, I must spend the next few hours wisely."


    With nothing else to say, Lau gave Vahn a sincerely respectful bow before turning around and taking off like a rocket. She wasn''t able to fly, but her leaps could carry her tens of thousands of kilometers in a single bound. Thus, in the blink of an eye, Vahn found himself alone, exhaling a light chuckle as he waved his hand to erase the tell-tale aroma lingering in the air...


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    (A/N: Alternate Titles: ''Vahn should rename himself to Santa...'',''The items collecting dust in Vahn''s Inventory would make the Little Garden lose its proverbial shit xD...'',''Nothing escapes a Dragon''s senses (O w O)...'')