Chapter Text
7 years passed as Bam and the consolidated UFH, Union For Hope, continued to fight against the relentless forces of the Jahad Empire, locked at a constant stalemate. Many battles had occurred, each happening in an irregular span, and damages, both irreversible and fixable, occured through the Floors, as the UFH fought to protect the civilians as well as stop the Jahad Empire's tyranny, doing their best to do what was right over what was easy.
It caused quite a few difficulties amongst the UFH, especially as some factions in the Jahad Empire even tried to use the UFH's concern for civilians to their own advantage, but it proved fruitful as more and more fighters joined their side. Areas were taken and retaken again and again, mainly the areas that were managed by FUG as they still retained some of the old extremist and incompetent elements, but the other factions still managed to cover such mistakes up and in time, those from FUG learned to truly cooperate with the other factions for the greater good.
Bam himself had initially wanted to take a regularly active role in the field of battle, but Gustang had forbid it, rationalizing that as powerful as Bam had become, he still had quite a few ways to go left before he could defeat Jahad. As Jahad and the Family Heads on Bam's side knew of his potential, that meant they would try to stop Bam from reaching his greatest height of power, and while Bam could handle the likes of Traumerei, Han, and probably Tperie, those like Hon, Edahn, and Jahad himself were still too strong for him, so he had to be careful as to when he appeared.
Due to that, Bam was reserved as a backup where he would appear and eliminate enemy forces when he could afford to do so. It was frustrating to Bam, but the fight with Tperie had made him realize how he still had a ways to go before he could be a regular participant of the war, less he incur Jahad or the Top 2 Family Heads wrath. Still, it saddened Bam when he was unable to save the people who believed in him. Even if they weren't his friends, they still died for his cause, and Bam made sure they were given burials, their family recompensed to the best of his ability.
The only benefit of him having to be more on the sidelines was that he got to spend more time working on his friends and their developing combat skills, even as he also continued to train himself for the inevitable finale. Bam had to learn to compartmentalize as he pushed his friends hard, and he was grateful that they were willing to accept the necessity of it. His friends each also had their own desires, of course, other than just loyalty to him, and Bam was happy to help them out when he could.
Wangnan, Miseng, Goseng, and Yihwa had endeavored to find and finally bring Arkraptor's daughter to their side, and of course it was difficult, as she blamed them for her father's death, but their persistence and numerous statements of her father's wishes eventually got to her. It was a somber night as she finally tearfully confessed she just wanted to do right by her father and asked to join.
As a sign of trust, Bam, as she had became a Ranker, not only did his best to help her improve her skills, but also recommended her on a secretarial capacity due to her Position as a Light Bearer. She was assigned to work on the "Red Light District", a unit of the UFH named after Wangnan's origins, and she was thankfully flourishing. Bam made it a commitment to help her whenever he could, hoping to make amends for failing to save Arkraptor those years ago, and she was quite grateful for it, especially as Bam was the one who avenged her father by taking down White. Team Sweet and Sour all joined the Red Light District, and they became quite the capable figures indeed.
Wangnan threw himself more into the fight rather than just learning from Bam and leading, getting injuries but making visible improvements as he started to show particular competence with needles. He eventually discovered he was better off being a Jack of All Trades, as Bam's training revealed he was able to cover all Positions to an adequate degree, but only slightly leaned towards Fisherman, and he made the best use of it, taking over when his friends or allies couldn't and doing so well enough.
Yihwa was putting to use Bam's training, her Wave Controller skills not only serving as a powerful offense that soon became able to take out normal High Rankers with ease, but also a good support when working together with both her old teammates and other allies. As an honored member of the Yeon Family by Hana herself for being the first to join Bam, Yihwa was given a powerful spear named the Treasure of Heart, and she was steadily becoming one of the best Spear Bearers as she manipulated and threw spears with the finesse of a true master superior to even the normal Khun already, piercing through the heart of the enemy and taking out dozens with only a few throws of her spears.
Miseng's Scout skills meant she was sent just as much on combat missions as she was on recon, and she fulfilled both magnificently, taking out dozens of enemies with most of them barely able to react with mastery of stealth over the years. Even in direct battle, she was more than able to handle herself, dispatching multiple high-leveled Rankers with ease through her fists while she made use of her Hook as a last resort to take out entire groups of enemies swiftly.
With both quick judgements and good combat skill, Miseng was a perfect support for Goseng and they teamed up often, Goseng fulfilling her roles as a Light Bearer with great prowess. Her combat ability was a bit lacking compared to the others, but she still proved crucial as she was able to come up with numerous plans that saved them in pitched battles and provide good support. It also helped that she didn't need Miseng to act as a Defender around her often as she could fight back against anyone who tried to take her down with some excellent shinsu control and manipulation of the lighthouse that Bam had taught her.
Beta, Cassano, and Horyang made up part of a special unit amongst the Red Light District as they were all Living Ignition Weapons, making them especially powerful. They had all became High Rankers and each of them were on par with Miseng, making them a force to be reckoned with. They qualified as strong Fisherman, Scout, and Defender once they managed to master their powers, and were often assigned to more difficult missions. Still, Horyang and Goseng had started a romantic relationship over the 6 months before the war began, and Bam was happy for them.
Team Ship had became a Squadron of their own right too, named the "Variable Protectors", an admittedly rather odd name, but one Shibisu chose because he wanted to show how they "were the good guys and wanted to save everyone we possibly could!". He was always teased for it by everyone, but no one really fought him over it, not even Endorsi or Anaak.
Shibisu was similar to Wangnan, albeit a bit weaker, in that their combat abilities were actually inferior to the rest of the Squadron, but he was still made leader, like he had been made back then. This time, though, Shibisu also had actual brawn and combat to match his position, allowing to be of use in the field of battle as well. He was the only Light Bearer in the group, and as he used to be a Scout, Shibisu was able to stealthily infiltrate guarded bases and take out enemies on the Ranker level without being noticed, allowing him to gather information personally and be on the front as he lead his team well. Even if he was to be discovered, he would be able to protect himself with the good lighthouse control and decent knife-fighting skills Bam taught him.
Endorsi and Anaak, as befitting the two Princesses of Jahad, worked together with incredible skill. Having made it into the Top 500 Rankings, falling just a few bit short of Yuri but a match for Division Commanders, they were most compatible around each other, as Endorsi specialized more as a close-ranged fighter while Anaak turned out to be more on the middle-range. With Endorsi's hand-to-hand, bladework, shinsu techniques, and Reinforcement, as well as Anaak using the Green April she got back from Yuri, a Reel Inventory, and Spears, they could take out about 35% of a Squadron, including 7 High Rankers, 10 Advanced Rankers, and more Rankers, without much effort.
Endorsi was the main Fisherman of the group while Anaak normally chose to take a support role. This was a source of regular banter between them, but they worked well together and didn't hesitate to switch to the other's Position if they had to, which they could do pretty well after what Bam had taught them.
Hatz worked primarily alone, commanding a small amount of troops on his own right after having proven that despite his "ordinary blood", he was more than capable of surpassing members of the Great Family and Princesses of Jahad. In fact, Hatz's combat abilities were ahead that of Endorsi and Anaak, and Bam found himself both happy that his "normal" friend was able to prove himself and a bit exasperated whenever Endorsi's mood soured when Bam praised Hatz's word. Hatz preferred to be on the front lines, fighting alongside the troops he personally taught and commanded.
Hatz's swordsmanship had became so formidable that he earned the nickname "Common Blade Superior" as he cut down dozens of Arie and Ari Family members, even those who were actually fairly capable Rankers in their own right. He was also infamous for his superior shinsu control as he also proved to be a competent Spear Bearer, throwing accurately blades created of shinsu in any situation. His shinsu blade skills were remarkable with how he could use them for varying offensive and defensive techniques and even manipulated shinsu in the form of various cutting and slicing attacks, most famously when he decapitated 3 High Rankers with a focused swipe of his hands.
Not only that, Hatz's grueling focus and relentless determination meant he achieved a more thorough mastery over all Positions than all of his peers except for Khun. He practiced a particular style of defensive combat if he had to fight a superior opponent that Bam helped him develop that made him especially suitable for Defender, and he could operate as a Light Bearer to an "okay" level: The years of climbing made him fairly apt at strategizing and thinking ahead, and he was good enough with the weapon enhancement as well as fighting functions of a lighthouse
Even the other Team Ship members were doing fairly well. Aleksai was a powerful Fisherman-Spear Bearer hybrid who was able to dispatch dozens of enemies with the technical martial arts of boxing and mixed forms Bam taught him and hit the bulls eye or take out several powerful enemies with a single spear throw. Vespa, a prideful honey bee who once looked down on humans, became a lightning-fast Scout expert with the Needle after Bam managed to befriend her and convince her to learn from him.
And of course, who could forget his closest friends? His old team had formed a unit named "Harbingers", Aguero, now allowing Bam to call him by his true name, choosing that name to look more awe and fear inspiring. Bam wasn't too fond of it, but he respected his best friend's choice. Naturally, they were the strongest of the three units that composed of his friends.
Aguero was at the top of them all, holding the Rank of 550, about as strong as Hatz himself was but ranking above Hatz's 553 due to having greater influence. While he preferred to be a strategist, Aguero chose to also take a more active role in the field of battle, as he wanted to be strong enough to one day become Head of the Khun Family once Bam had won and ensure he was legitimately recognized as worthy rather than just having Bam's backing.
That, combined with his personal strength, seemed to have mended any fences between him and Hatz as Hatz came to respect Aguero for being willing to take responsibility and genuinely put in effort to obtaining strength. Aguero also came to admit Hatz definitely had a few "right points", and they were able to hold cordial and approving discussions whenever they worked together. It was enough that despite 3 years, Shibisu still couldn't get used to just how much their attitude had changed around each other.
Aguero was primarily a Spear Bearer and a Light Bearer, mastering both equally over time, with Wave Controller as his third Position due to how hard he had trained to master shinsu control. He was more of a long-range fighter, but his specialization was just as good as Hatz's own prowess in close-range. Aguero was able to seamlessly switch between the two Positions that best suited him and he also developed various combinations of his skills with both.
Of course, Aguero was also proficient in all other Positions. He was a fairly capable fighter in close-range combat with his knives and hand-to-hand, almost on par with Endorsi and Anaak, making him a competent Fisherman if he had to, and he also packed a particularly strong punch with his bow, even having the pragmatism to use arrows as stabbing weapons. He could defend himself pretty well whenever he had to, and was decently able to protect others as well when faced with having to save the injured.
Aguero had been given a powerful spear by Gustang that he affectionately dubbed the Blizzard of Moon, and had also mastered the dual attributes of lightning and ice. He could fight at close-range with remarkable skill using a spear, coming fairly close to Hatz's swordsmanship as he took out many Khun and Arie alike with his spear work, and had definitely exceeded Rak as a Spear Bearer, known for constantly scoring the bulls eye no matter the distance and able to create and throw shinsu spears so fast that he could kill even a dozen High Rankers before they could react. Aguero also had access to several powerful shinsu techniques using both elements.
With the Magnus Core Bam taught him, Aguero was just as capable as a frontal Light Bearer as he was in the rear. He used his lighthouses for the maximum-efficient support, primarily to teleport his spears, guide it's throws, or protect his blind spot, but also didn't mind using the offensive techniques of the Magnus Core as well, which included drawing shinsu from the lighthouse, which also drew power from the surroundings, to fire rings of light that paralyzed any enemies and exploded them after a while, and so on. Bam showed him the memory of his fight with Tperie and they worked together to improve the Magnus Core, so Bam was assured his friend would be able to protect himself.
Elaine was a Fisherman-Spear Bearer hybrid, due to her father having also been a Spear Bearer. Her mastery over her Positions made her a mid-range combatant, and ranked just as high as Anaak and Endorsi were, at the rank of 558. Elaine was a more direct fighter, admittedly, and often partnered with Hwa Ryun, her Guide allowing Elaine to make the best use of her skills.
She made use of both Reels and archery with masterful proficiency, overwhelming enemies as she could seamlessly chain in attacks by creating a bow made out of shinsu while manipulating the Reel with excellent accuracy or using a bow while creating a makeshift Reel. Elaine was also able to fight skillfully with the twin blades Bam gave her, Bam having taught her his dual-wielding techniques to help her grow stronger, and with her Armor Inventory, she could be a strong Defender for Hwa Ryun. They were really compatible around each other both due to their similar personalities and complimentary traits.
Elaine also had improved her Anima powers, and gained access to a few dozen Shinheuh beyond her wolf spirit. She was an expert on taking control over the animals used by the Lo Po Bia Family, and often did so when she could. She was invaluable in fights against the Lo Po Bia, and became feared as a bane for the Lo Po Bia Family.
Of course, while Elaine might be the main fighter between the two, Hwa Ryun had actually grown to a fairly strong High Ranker. Although she needed 2 more years of training before she reached that level, Hwa Ryun's fighting prowess was still above that of Shibisu and Wangnan, so she cannot be said to be weak in any sense. In fact, sparring sessions between the girls always had her putting up a surprisingly good fight.
She decided to take up a bow as her main weapon due to it allowing her flexibility as she could fire arrows rapidly and with good accuracy to take down dozens of enemies within a minute and if she got in close-range, she could always use her expertise with a staff to defend herself, with quite a few foes falling to her as she easily beat them with her bow and impaled them with arrows in close-range when they charged with the assumption she was weak at close-range.
Hwa Ryun had access to plenty of shinsu techniques, such as Reverse Flow Control, Reinforcement and Piercing Techniques, some control over water and fire, and capable of controlling up to 300 baangs from what Bam taught her regarding Wave Controller.
Hwa Ryun also had the mastery to use 60 lighthouses and observers, and she based part of her fighting style using their supplementary abilities, often freezing enemies with Lighthouse Flow Control or just trapping them, neutralizing enemy's defenses and observers, forming several duplicates of herself, and so on. Combined with her mastery as a Guide, she was a force to be reckoned with, even if she might not be all that strong.
Rak was a capable Spear Bearer-Defender, who had gotten used to protecting others while also doing what he could with his spears. His Ranking was 560, and he earned the sobriquet of "Protector Alligator" for his tendency to prioritize defending others first while targeting enemies second. Of course, in the front lines, Rak still got to fight often as he tended to the men he was in charge of while also taking out enemies who would regularly try to dispatch the long-range specialists. Rak had became an expert mixed martial artist with proficient spear work and good hand-to-hand combat skills, and he could create strong protective structures with his Earth shinsu or form crushing attacks with it.
Another year, and the time came for Bam to finally engage in a big battle.
Yama, Paul, and Doom had been preparing to finally wrestle control over all the Beastkin of the Lo Po Bia Army, no longer able to tolerate them being used as canon fodder and wanting to also take over the Pine Workshop that created the Beastkin to ensure they would be made to fight on Bam's side, rather than the Lo Po Bia Family. However, as Traumerei worked closely around the Pine Workshop since the war began and the three Baylord Brothers had barely survived a fight with the Great Family Leader, they needed Bam's help.
Bam agreed, seeing what Traumerei was doing as one of the greatest opposites of what Bam dreamed for the people of the Tower. He managed to convince all the leaders to accept it by volunteering to only go there by himself and the Baylord Brothers, with no more forces. Bam wasn't afraid, since he knew he could defeat Traumerei now. And so the operation was approved by the UFH, and Bam and the Baylord Brothers were granted 3 huge excavation ships to use to take the Beastkin in but nothing more.
Sure enough, as soon as Bam arrived on the scene, Traumerei warped out as well. Bam had to admit at first he hated Traumerei for how he treated his own family and saw troops as disposable "trifles", but after learning about Traumerei's past from Leviathan, Bam began to feel slightly sorry for him.
He indulged Traumerei's questions as to what Arlene and V was to him, doing so honestly, and of course, Traumerei reacted as coldly as he always did to betrayal, dismissing them as fools who deserved their fates and swearing to kill Bam and eliminate the last remnant of the true blood of the Grace Family. He also vowed that the Great Family Leaders who betrayed Jahad would pay for their betrayal despite "benefitting for eons under the King's reign" with their lives, but Bam just saw it as Traumerei lashing out with how far Bam had changed things. To be honest, he just pitied Traumerei right now, trapped by blind loyalty to a King who had all but distanced himself and unable to realize just how he could have had better things if only he chose to look the other way.
Of course, regardless of his feelings, Bam fought Traumerei, but he made up his mind he wouldn't enjoy defeating or killing him, instead wishing he find peace in death. Winning was much easier said than done, though, as Bam found out soon enough that Traumerei hadn't been sitting on his laundrels, as well. He had made efforts on improving his combat strength, most of which revolved around his foremost specialization as an Anima.
Traumerei had somehow figured out the power to use the inherent abilities of his creatures for himself, allowing him to cast their attacks with significantly greater power, which nulled the fact he couldn't summon the Shinheuh he was tapping into as it didn't mean a thing with how much more powerful he was, especially as it didn't hinder his other Shinheuh.
First, Traumerei now able to access his creature's powers without summoning them afforded him shinsu control in various aspects similar to even that of Gustang normally. He was of course already an exceptional shinsu user who had mastered many forms of shinsu manipulation, but his main advantage lay on his Anima, which closed the gap between him and the other Family Leaders. He would be stronger than Bloodmadder, overall, but he was only on par/slightly weaker than Hana even with his animals. Now, though, Bam estimated Traumerei's level would be that of Blossom's. Combine that with Traumerei's power and skill, and he was technically more formidable than ever, regardless of how whether or not his raw power was actually increased or not.
How he managed to make such breakthroughs, Traumerei simply said that Jahad gave him a few tips, and didn't bother to explain the rest, but it definitely made him a strong challenge for Bam.
Enraged Rapid's pyrokinesis went from simply firing huge blasts of fire to becoming a rain of huge fire balls, lasers of fire from dragon-like heads, and numerous other esoteric means. Traumerei also had access to a Lightning-Wind and Water-Earth Dragon to complete the "Three Sea Dragons", which Gustang told him were the strongest of creatures in the Tower beyond even a Killer Whale, and he made use of those dragon's abilities quite liberally during the fight, demonstrating elemental skills beyond a Khun, truly fitting that of a Family Head, calling upon storms, hails, and numerous forms that left the surroundings with a few permanent marks.
Thanks to that. Traumerei had access to what Bam now dubbed as "Environmental Change" amongst the Family Heads, which, as it was named, allowed them to use their massive power and skill to alter the very terrain to their fitting and use it to enhance their combat, as he turned the area around them full of windy storms that he capitalized on with fire to increase the intensity of his attacks, created electrical fields that he skillfully combined with water, causing quite a painful shock even for Bam, or transformed the area into a lake for him to use his electricity or create tsunamis.
Not only that, he could even transform his body or manifest certain weapons and appandages to emulate the abilities of his creatues. Fendore Harpe's sharp fish tail was casually summoned in dozens as Traumerei transformed his fingers and used them simultaneously to take control of his spears and turn them back against him, and even at one point to impale Bam cleanly in the chest and stun him long enough for him to be hit by a huge slash of lion-like claws. Kraken's tentacles were strong enough when they were formed by Traumerei to tightly hold him in place for Traumerei to flow in attacks of his own until Bam used bursts of shinsu to repel the tentacles from him.
Traumerei had also permanently mixed various Shinheuh of his to create an arsenal of 10 Shinheuh. He retained his 7 Shinheuh, but also mixed various Shinheuh he took from the fallen Branch Heads since the war to create combinations that could match his other Shinheuh. Each of them weren't exactly a threat, but Traumerei could create up to 30 clones while maintaining his "possession" of the powers of his Shinheuh, which made it an actual threat for Bam as he also had to contend with Traumerei.
He also didn't neglect other Positions as well. Lighthouses provided for Traumerei the support he required with adequate skill and he made use of barriers and enhancements from lighthouses on his creatures to make them more of a challenge, even teleporting them in and out of the thick of the fighting and positioning them strategically through constant proficient manipulation of the lighthouse one could only expect from a Great Family Leader. He threw thousands of green spears with good accuracy and managed to pierce through Bam's defenses at times.
However, what was also a noteworthy threat was Traumerei's physical prowess. Due to his admiration for Jahad, naturally Traumerei was more capable in Fisherman than what one would expect from such ranged fighters, but what really made him such a threat now was his Anima powers also supplementing him. Traumerei's manipulation of elements and creature appandages didn't extend to being just such a devastating Wave Controller, and he quite masterfully applied those advantages to his fighting style.
Traumerei was able to switch between lightning and water reinforcement seamlessly as he used lightning to make his blows somewhat stunning and water to create a veil that reduced damage around him and also lightened his body to gain more speed for quick evasion and attacks. He also didn't mind transforming his hands into claws that left a single permanent mark on him after it was also infused with fire or wrapping his hands with the tentacles of Kraken for additional force. It was a savage, but brutally efficient fighting style, and one that was also unpredictable enough to cause Bam trouble despite his superior skill.
And yet still, despite the fact Bam had to hold back a little as to avoid destroying the Pine Workshop and endangering the lives of the Beastkin as well as Yama, Paul, and Doom who were trying to gain freedom, it was that Bam overpowered Traumerei by the 50th minute of their battle, definitely battered but winning out fairly decisively and a bit sooner than his earlier fights with Bloodmadder and Hana.
His shinsu control was obviously superior to Traumerei, and his Spear Bearer was just as good as his, allowing Bam to fight with equal accuracy and superior raw power as well as skill. Bam had finally unveiled what he was truly capable of with the Second Thorn's power. Having completely mastered it, Bam was able to achieve various powerful space-bending effects that was especially effective for elemental-type fighters like Traumerei. He manipulated gravity to pin down Traumerei's creatures and buy him the time he needed to do other things, crushed dozens of Shinheuh with a focused well of gravity, created distortions of space that cut up anything it hit to shreds, and unleashed huge blasts of compressed space.
His sharpened mind and developed composure were also traits he worked on particularly as he knew if he were to defeat Tperie, he would have to be able to refine his quick-thinking and be level-headedly tactical. With that, Bam needed only a few exchanges before he was able to formulate efficient counters for anything Traumerei could threw at him, analyzing the style with which the Lo Po Bia Family Head threw his attacks and using swiftly planned tactics to make him expose more of his arsenal before pushing for the offense.
The finishing blow ultimately came when the Baylord Brothers had came out with their excavation ships, having completed their mission of rescuing the Beastkin and extracting what they could of the method to create one. Bam activated one of his most powerful moves, Twenty-Fifth Bam Style Spatial Control: Transcendental Skill - World of Moon, to unleash a large explosion of spatial energy, manifesting a galaxy-like surrounding and pulling Traumerei closer with dozen upon dozens of Orbs before the Orb that was filled with spatial shinsu exploded, unleashing a massive blast that took down Traumerei and killed all of his Shinheuh, critically injuring the Family Head.
Suddenly, however, Tperie appeared, simply humming as he took Traumerei and warped away, but not before addressing Bam.
Getting closer, are we? But don't forget, you'll still need to be several steps more powerful, more skilled, before you can stand a chance against Jahad.
With that, Tperie was gone along with the unconscious Traumerei, and as Bam was already worn out and knew Tperie was an opponent he wasn't assured to beat, he chose to leave, having completed the true mission anyway.
The Beastkin was now free, and freed of Lo Po Bia's brainwashing, they swore their undying allegiance to the UFH with Yama as their king. Bam also gave a public speech where he addressed the people with as much eloquence and sincere charisma that he could muster that he would fight for a better world for all. This resonated with some of the more rebellious souls, causing an increase in UFH's numbers. Hopefully, this would help turn the tides against the Jahad Empire.
After Bam's first "big" victory, despite the celebrating mood of it all and the additions to the UFH, Bam started to doubt his potential and worry for the future.
35 years had passed, and Bam had put his all into it, training hard like no other Irregular ever did in order to be able to face the previous generation of Irregulars. He had pushed his body to the hardest as he could, studied and worked over all forms of combat he could get his hands on, and even had the aid of such powerful teachers.
However, while the results of his current level would be extraordinary, Bam knew he still wasn't nearly close to reaching the height of power that he truly needed. He struggled still to overcome Traumerei and was probably only nearly on par with his mother, according to Lord Gustang. That meant he still wouldn't be able to fight Jahad himself, or even the likes of Khun Edahn and Arie Hon.
Unbidden, the words of Tperie continued to haunt him as he realized how right the man was. How much longer did he need? Bam still had clear room to grow on, but he dreaded how many more innocents and warriors who believed in him would die while he was trying to get strong enough to defeat Jahad. Would his friends, particularly, make it?
Such thoughts became evident, soon enough, as Bam started to insist on increasingly harder training with Lady Yurin and Urek, both being the only teachers who he hadn't surpassed yet. Bam even kept going when they told him to stop, and of course, his body started to feel the strain once again. Realizing this, as though it was fate's way of telling him to come to terms to his limits and grow in a suitable pace, Bam would find himself gaining yet another lover, easily the most unexpected yet quite helpfully making him see reason.
After 5 months since the victory on the Pine Workshop, Bam was asked by Lady Hana to take her out on a walk through the gardens, which Bam had agreed to at Yurin's insistence that he get some rest. Hana wore an uncharacteristically pretty orange dress that exposed a bit more skin, and cleavage and actually had Bam blushing a bit. She always dressed up modestly and had a soft tone to her, so her dress and her firm tone was a sign to Bam that something was wrong.
He eventually asked her about it, of course, as he was worried for the Great Family Leader who he was, as a person, closer to due to Hana being such a kind soul. Naturally, that was the last straw as Hana turned back and gave him a small blushing smile, before stating Bam definitely inherited that casual concern nature of his from his father. She then went on to ask about his romantic relationships, which made him blush a bit.
To be honest, over the years, they actually were hitting off fairly well since Bam wasn't able to participate in missions as often as he liked, as Gustang had "magnanimously" given him more time to spend with them. He was able to complete 5 dates with all of them within half a year's time due to the "lenience" given to him. He supposed Gustang was doing this to allow his romance with Enne to flourish more properly as a way to make up for her time as a Princess of Jahad.
Anyway, since their first times, the girls were eager to have more sexual relations with him, but Bam didn't really want to do it at such a regular basis, as he wasn't a type of a man who was proud of having so many girls, only thankful for their feelings. He also didn't want to have children yet and Gustang kept making it clear that he didn't exactly have the luxury to keep using the same spell on his women as he worried their bodies would be immune to it eventually. In the end, they agreed to do it only once a year for each.
They didn't gather together like they used to, since they wanted to have Bam to themselves, and Bam was willing to respect that. He didn't really mind that their stamina was lacking compared to his, causing them to fall unconscious after only 1 to 1 hour and a half hours of fucking, nor that he had to hold back to even allow it to last that much, and he hoped they were happy with it. They also were understanding enough to note that having sex with him just once a year was enough to make them feel like it lasted for much longer, stating he was the "best man", causing Bam to be embarassed.
Enne was the only one who could take him, but she eventually lost to him as of the fourth year when Bam fucked her for a full 5 hours. Still, getting Enne in bed was admittedly a guilty pleasure, but she was one of a kind. Bam might not be a womanizer, but he DID notice beauty and seductive appeal, even though he might not really acknowledge it that much.
That said, Hana then spoke out loud about how he inherited his skills at earning the heart of women definitely from his father. Apparently, Bam inherited his mother's brunette hair and eyes, but his "handsomeness" was definitely that of his father and he had an artless way of getting women to listen to him. Well, Bam answered by saying he was glad to have his lovers, and he supposed despite everything, it turned out well.
Hana wondered if Bam would be willing to get a few more girlfriends, which shocked Bam a bit, and she gave him a small teasing smile as she mused that she somehow had the feeling Bam would get several more girls before he finally stopped attracting women. When asked if Bam would enjoy it, Bam stated that he would be willing if that made both him and the people he was in a relationship with happy, as long as they also had known each other long enough and were close before.
At that, Hana giggled in a way that caused Bam to stare at her a bit confused as she admitted that kind of answer made him a "benevolent womanizer", unlike his father's "rejecting womanizer" and Edahn's "callous womanizer" types. Hana then decided to get straight to the point and finally admitted she loved him, which had Bam stunned even more than when his friends had confessed to him.
Like, sure Bam had came to accept that he was likely going to attract a lot of crushes and have to politely reject them if he doesn't think they'll be good for each other, having more or less resigned himself to it, but this was YEON HANA, the only Great Family Leader who hadn't been in a single romantic relationship. She was simply on a whole other level, so Bam could not believe his ears at first until he received what was surely Hana's first kiss as she pressed her lips softly to his.
It wasn't for long, as she quickly pulled away, but she admitted that while she had made the contract so she wouldn't be attracted to any other men out of fear for heartbreak, that was for the inhabitants of the Tower. Bam was an Irregular, meaning she was just as susceptible to his charms as most women would. As for her primary reasons, she admitted that at first, she just saw Bam as someone who reminded her of V, but in time, she began to realize Bam was an even greater of a man than his father was, a more resolute spirit, a gentle soul who was tolerant enough to care for dozens of women. She described him as having a bigger heart than anyone else she had met.
Well, Bam supposed after such a sincere confession he really couldn't reject her. Besides, she was a very beautfiul woman, their personality was quite compatible with each other, Hana with her softness and Bam with his firm compassion, and a partial reason was that Bam also felt inclined to redeem the sins of his parents. V had rejected Hana, had chosen Arlene, and caused her to make a Contract that almost doomed her to an eternity of never knowing romantic love. He might have been gentle with it, but Bam wouldn't lie that it still had impacts on Hana that V was willing to overlook in favor of his love for Arlene. Bam wanted to fix that.
Astonishingly enough, Hana asked to consummate as soon as possible, leaving Bam shocked with her confidence after so long of being a virgin. She was apparently determined to be "his" as soon as possible, and since Bam already had experience, she trusted in Bam to be able to treat her well.
She had teleported him to her room before quickly undressing. To be honest, Bam knew she was the most beautiful of the Great Family Leaders, but still, seeing her in all her naked glory was quite something. She had the largest breasts he had ever seen, not just amongst his girls, but also amongst everyone, her chest was attractively lean with only a few muscles, she had good lean shoulders and hips, and so on.
At seeing his reaction, Hana just smiled with a rather endearing blush as she mused about how she had at certain points exposed her naked body unwittingly to the men of the Great Warriors and of course punished them for it as it happened either when they entered her room without permission or when Edahn tried to peek on her. Still, she didn't really mind showing off, and even made a few sensual dances that made Bam gulp a bit as he wondered if Yihwa's pride in her beauty was inherited from Hana's teachings in her family.
Anyway, Bam knew this was the first time, so he tried to be soft towards her. He started out by gently kissing her, then caressing her all over her body while making sure to not apply much force, fondling her breasts particularly. Since he had learned that when a woman was wet, she would have an easier first time, Bam decided to use his hands on Hana's pussy at first, with Hana's specific permission.
It felt really odd that he was doing this with someone as ancient as Hana, especially as she had never involved herself with a man before, and it showed with how she was quite easy to moan and blush, but she never once asked him to stop. She seemed to take in the pleasure quite easily, no matter how long it had been for her since puberty. The smoothness of her skin and good looks, however, was nothing compared to how she really was sincere at this from the get go. While his girls were enthusiastic, Hana was out of her depth, but quite willing to act still and do her best without asking much from him, and Bam adored her more for it.
Once Bam felt Hana was wet enough, he was about to thrust inside, but Hana stopped him by saying she would like to return the favor and pushed him to the bed. She was admittedly not good at caressing, but her lips felt so good as she kissed his chest and made him gasp a few times. She made a surprisingly seductive comment of how toned Bam had became over the years, stating he definitely had more muscles than V ever did.
All that, however, paled compared to how he felt when Hana used her breasts to stimulate his cock. It felt so amazingly soft even Enne's didn't quite compare, her hands moving smoothly along with her breasts even as she sucked on it, doing so hard enough that Bam, despite all his composure, quickly began to get hard. It was truly a good first breast-fucking from her.
In the end, it took 7 minutes, and Bam was now able to take her virginity. He entered slowly but surely, tearing through her vaginal walls as he did what no other man ever did: Charm Yeon Hana and make her a real woman. And Hana had made it a point, as she actually managed to avoid her pussy bleeding, that she had been around and heard as well as seen outright many men trying to charm her or fantasizing about how they would love to enjoy her body, so he definitely was the "greatest man I ever knew".
Well, Bam was quite touched by her compliments, so sincere, and he made sure to treat her gently, taking it slowly as he moved in and out of her for a minute or two until he felt she had adjusted enough, so he tried to make it intense, and Hana definitely was approving, with how she soon started to encourage him to take it harder, ensuring him she was more than able to handle it. It honestly shocked him with just how loose her insides were, as though she allowed him to enter so willingly.
Anyway, Bam came inside her after a satisfying hour, and Hana's moan was more pure in it. She then stated she would love to experience all he had to offer, but as this was their first time, she decided to just end it after Bam fucked her once in the ass. She wanted to explore the boundaries before trying more, and that further endeared Bam to her.
And even her ass was fairly loose and not nearly as tight as the others. She was able to soon enjoy the feeling as he thrust inside her ass while also fingering her pussy, which caused Hana to tease about how he definitely had a more naughty side than one would expect, causing Bam to blush.
And so afterwards, they laid on Hana's bed, Hana using her fire to form fly-like structures and placing Bam's head on her bosom. As Bam blushed, Hana then earnestly told him that he shouldn't push himself so hard. While she understood his feelings, Hana also wanted Bam to understand that everyone admired and loved him because he was so patient while being determined, compassionate while firm, and to start obsessing towards gaining more strength wouldn't do. She didn't want him to become like Jahad, and revealed she knew they were similar.
Both of them had once fought for a better future towards all, and Hana knew well how such a noble goal could be twisted if taken too far. Hana advised Bam to hang around more with his friends and enjoy the loves he had, promising to always be there with him. Bam, realizing the truth of Hana's words, agreed.
And so Bam became further enlightened as he vowed to remain true to himself. The fact that he now had Hana was a pleasant surprise for the Family Heads and Urek. Yurin and Blossom earnestly congratulated her, even teasing him that perhaps they might let him get a shot at them, while Urek was happy that a Family Leader who was actually a decent bloke was finally able to find true happiness.
The rest of his girls were also willing to accept Hana, even coming to see her as a leading figure of sorts with how she was quite tolerant and respectful of them.
Bam also thought further about Jahad, though. He wondered exactly what experiences Jahad went through, if he was once just like Bam, to made him so opposed to the man Bam was now. Unfortunately, Hana admitted she didn't really know all of it. What she did know was that he started to harden after losing so many people who had faith in him, as he became more distant.
Bam supposed he would just have to ask Jahad about it when they fight. And Bam would defeat him.
For the sake of everyone who believed in him. He would not do it by becoming Jahad, though, but by being better.
So you're saying this project will be able to create powerful weapons for the Empire?
Yes, Jahad. I think we both know you could trust on my engineering skills. It might be a risk, but it's worth taking. Now that Traumerei's Beastkin have been taken, we should start coming up with new ingenious ways to get the advantage in the war.
... Very well, do as you wish, Tperie.
Also, I would like to clarify that I might not be aware of why you didn't kill the Son of Arlene as soon as you had the chance, but I know you need him for some reason. That you need him to grow strong enough to be a challenge to you.
...
I don't know your reasoning, but I have sworn to serve you with my life, and so has Traumerei and Hon. Do remember, however, that it doesn't mean our Families would should we perish. You're playing a dangerous game here, Jahad, but I can assume it's related to the 135th Floor?
Yes, but that's all you'll know.
So be it. I'll trust in your judgement, for now.
(