Chapter 219: Shop Upgrade, Kōyō Women's Academy
Ren was currently sitting alone on a wooden bench inside the men's changing room, just as he had planned earlier.
The metallic clack of locker doors echoing against the tiled walls was notably absent. Since it wasn't a holiday or a weekend, there weren't many people around, leaving the usually bustling gym feeling rather deserted. The faint scent of ozone and citrus cleaning supplies hung in the cool, air-conditioned air.
Today, Ren had two specific reasons to be in a fantastic mood.
The first reason was a pleasant surprise that occurred right as he stepped out of his restaurant earlier. A familiar, ethereal chime had echoed in his mind.
[System Notification: Shop upgrade conditions have been successfully met. Upgrade is now available.]
However, to avoid shocking Courage too much, he had deliberately postponed initiating the upgrade sequence. He decided to wait until he participated in an upcoming match. That way, any sudden architectural or magical changes to his property would have a convenient, plausible excuse.
Ren still preferred to keep the existence of the Another World under wraps, not wanting too many people prying into his ultimate culinary sanctuary.
The second reason for his good mood was the nature of the shop upgrade itself. Just as Lucifer had fiercely hoped, this new system milestone finally granted him the ability to physically travel to the Another World.
There was a slight catch, however. He could only travel to the specific worlds of customers who had already visited his restaurant. Furthermore, he needed their explicit, voluntary consent each time he wished to cross over, though thankfully, only one initial blanket consent was required per world.
Ren hadn't shared this groundbreaking news with Lucifer just yet.
If the overly prideful, pancake-obsessed Demon CEO knew that interdimensional travel was finally on the table, she would undoubtedly lose her mind. She definitely wouldn't be able to focus on her workout today, likely pacing the gym floor while rambling about conquest or Hell's administrative duties.
It would be much better to wait and surprise her with the news tonight over a warm, decadent dinner.
Thinking about the sheer joy that would undoubtedly light up Lucifer's face, Ren exhaled a soft, contented breath. He stood up, stripped off his casual clothes, and smoothly changed into his black, specialized compression workout gear. The fabric hugged his lean, deceptively powerful musculature perfectly.
In a public gym, he firmly believed in proper etiquette—which meant trying not to take off your clothes outside the designated locker rooms.
Although the female patrons might not mind the view of a sculpted physique, Ren considered it deeply impolite and ungraceful behavior. Furthermore, if people continuously exercised shirtless on the same leather benches, they would inevitably leave behind pools of sweat. That kind of thoughtless behavior was incredibly unsanitary and annoying for the next person trying to use the equipment.
Ren went through a series of dynamic stretches, rolling his shoulders and loosening his joints with a simple warm-up routine.
Once his blood was flowing, he pushed open the heavy double doors of the locker room and walked out onto the main gym floor. To be perfectly honest, no matter who you were or how fit you looked, the moment you stepped out of the changing room and onto the mats, there was always a faint, exhilarating sense of challenge in the air.
The sprawling interior of Silverman Gym was massive, illuminated by bright overhead lights that reflected off rows of polished chrome and black iron.
[Akarin's Note: Silverman Gym is the main fitness center from the anime 'Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?' (How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?). It is an elite, world-renowned gym chain famous for its state-of-the-art equipment, hardcore bodybuilding culture, and its overwhelmingly muscular personal trainers.]
There were very few people on the floor at this hour—perhaps only four or five patrons scattered across the various zones. Among them, one or two individuals looked quite obese, their bodies trembling under the strain of the weights.
However, the gym's ridiculously muscular, overly enthusiastic coaches were right there beside them, guiding their posture with infinite patience. The other fit patrons in the vicinity either politely ignored them to give them privacy or offered warm nods of encouragement as they passed by to grab a drink.
Ren smiled softly at the sight.
In a proper gym environment, no one cared how fat you currently were, and no one judged you for how physically weak you might be starting out. If you already possessed a flawless, god-like physique, you wouldn't need to specifically come here and subject yourself to the torture of the iron.
People came to these hallowed halls for two reasons: either to sculpt their bodies into more perfect, aesthetic versions of themselves, or to lose weight and reclaim their health. Anyone who actively strived to become a better version of themselves through sheer willpower was entirely worthy of respect.
The stinging sweat that flowed into their eyes, the desperate effort of gritting one's teeth, the guttural, low growls that escaped when a muscle simply couldn't hold on anymore—these were all undeniable proofs of effort. It was a beautiful struggle that deserved to be affirmed and celebrated.
Ren's philosophy was simple: never be afraid of embarrassment at the gym. Ask the staff questions when needed, never pretend to know a machine's mechanics if you don't, and definitely don't be that annoying person who does one bicep curl just to hog the mirror for a twenty-minute selfie session.
Scanning the cardio zone, Ren noticed a middle-aged uncle running heavily on a treadmill near the window.
The man's face was pale, his chest heaving irregularly as he gasped for air in ragged, shallow bursts. Ren walked over at a leisurely pace, stepping onto the empty treadmill right next to him.
Ren tapped a few buttons on the digital console to start the belt, offering the struggling man a friendly, encouraging smile. "Sir, if you want to feel a lot less tired during your run, try not to just breathe exclusively through your mouth."
The older man blinked through the sweat stinging his eyes, turning his head slightly to look at the handsome young man beside him.
"Focus on a steady rhythm," Ren instructed in a calm, soothing tone. "Inhale deeply through your nose to filter and warm the air, and exhale smoothly through your mouth. It regulates your heart rate much better."
The man gave a breathless nod and quickly adjusted his breathing method, syncing his inhales with his heavy footsteps. Within moments, the pained grimace on his face eased slightly. Once his oxygen supply increased and stabilized, the relentless pounding of the run no longer felt nearly as torturous.
Ren didn't push the pace on his own machine. There was no need to do intense cardio for too long before a lift.
Basically, after completing basic joint mobility exercises, briskly walking for a few minutes was the perfect way to fully stretch the leg muscles and raise the core body temperature. Once a light sweat broke out, you were ready to hit the weights.
When it came to long-term fitness, Ren knew that one should never just do pure cardio, nor should they exclusively lift heavy weights without conditioning. Without a balanced combination of both, the body would never achieve its maximum potential.
After walking for about three hundred meters, Ren hit the big red stop button and gracefully stepped off the treadmill.
He glanced back at the somewhat overweight uncle next to him. The man's gray cotton vest was now completely soaked through with dark sweat, clinging to his back, but his posture was far more stable than before. Ren offered him a silent nod of approval.
Serious, unglamorous effort put in today would undoubtedly yield the most beautiful rewards tomorrow.
"Akemi! Hurry up! I'm going to do bench presses first!"
"Okay, okay! Coming!"
Just as Ren was turning away, preparing to head over to the machine zone to look for Courage and Cerberus, a bright, energetic voice echoed across the quiet gym floor.
Ren paused, his gaze drawn toward the free-weight section. He saw a vibrant blonde girl jogging excitedly toward a flat bench.
She was dressed in a snug black athletic tank top that highlighted her surprisingly generous curves, paired with bright red athletic shorts that showed off her toned thighs. Her twin-tails bounced with every lively step she took.
Following gracefully behind her was a tall, elegant girl with long black hair, radiating an aura of refined nobility despite her sporty attire.
[Akarin's Note: Sōryūin Akemi's older sister is Sōryūin Shion, the chairwoman of Kōyō Women's Academy, where the girls attend.]
True to her word, the blonde girl bounded straight into the bench press area, eagerly claiming the equipment. She laid back against the padded leather, her feet planting firmly on the rubber floor as she prepared to exercise.
Ren observed from a polite distance, his sharp culinary eyes easily calculating the load.
It was a standard twenty-kilogram Olympic barbell. The blonde girl had slid a single five-kilo iron plate onto each side. It brought the total weight to thirty kilograms, including the heavy bar.
Ren nodded slightly to himself. For an absolute beginner, thirty kilograms could be challenging, but for someone with decent natural strength, two five-kilo weights on each side were relatively light and perfectly safe for practicing proper form.
Ren had originally planned to start his own workout with heavy bench presses, but seeing the equipment currently occupied, he decided to pivot. It was a better use of his time to go find Courage and Cerberus anyway.
Although the heavy metal gym equipment posed absolutely no physical difficulty for a literal demon from Hell like Cerberus, he still desperately needed to teach her how to use it properly. If he didn't, she would likely treat the lat pulldown machine like a chew toy or accidentally launch a dumbbell through the drywall.
As Ren turned on his heel to leave, his foot suddenly froze in place.
His instincts, honed through countless high-stakes cooking battles and martial arts training, screamed at him. He had vaguely seen something horribly amiss out of the corner of his eye.
His mind rapidly replayed the visual data from a split second ago. The metal sleeves of the barbell.
The five-kilo plates. The distinct absence of the metal safety collars used to lock the weights in place.
Ren's eyes widened. He immediately reacted, pivoting sharply and walking toward the blonde girl with long, rapid strides.
"Three..." the girl grunted, her arms shaking slightly as she pushed the bar up toward the ceiling.
Her form was completely unstable, her elbows flaring out wildly. The sudden movement caused the barbell to tilt slightly to the right. Without a safety clip to hold it back, the smooth iron plate on the right sleeve began to slide dangerously close to the edge.
"Four... Eh? Eh?!" The blonde girl gasped, her bright blue eyes widening in sudden panic as she felt the center of gravity violently shift. "Why is it crooked! Ah!!"
Just as she struggled to push out her fourth repetition, the five-kilo weight hanging precariously on the right side finally slipped entirely off the metal sleeve.
It plummeted toward the floor with a heavy clang. In that terrifying instant, the sudden loss of counterweight caused the entire heavy barbell to violently tilt downward toward her neck, driven by the remaining weight on the left side.
The girl squeezed her eyes shut, crying out as she braced for the bone-crushing impact.
But the crushing pain never came.
Instead, a rush of displaced air brushed against her cheeks. The deadly momentum of the barbell was halted instantaneously, caught firmly in mid-air by a single, unwavering hand.
The girl slowly opened her eyes, letting out a long, shaky sigh of profound relief. Her heart was hammering violently against her ribcage.
She looked up, tracing the muscular arm that had just saved her life, and found herself staring into a remarkably delicate, handsome face. It was Ren. He was leaning over the bench, his dark eyes focused and entirely calm despite the explosive speed he had just used to cross the floor.
With an effortless flex of his wrist, Ren lifted the tilted barbell straight up, fighting the awkward leverage with pure, terrifying physical strength.
He smoothly guided the heavy bar backward, gently resting it onto the metal J-hooks until it clicked safely into place. Only then did he take a step back, exhaling a soft breath of his own.
"Are you okay?" Ren asked, his deep voice laced with genuine concern.
The blonde girl scrambled to sit up on the bench. She looked at Ren, her eyes tracing the sleek, black specialized workout outfit that hugged his broad shoulders, and stared at him blankly for a long moment. A heavy blush began to creep up her neck.
"I-I'm fine," she stammered, rubbing her chest reflexively. "Oh! Thank you!"
"Thank you so much! That really scared me to death..."
Ren offered a gentle, reassuring smile. "You didn't check the weights on both sides just now before you started your set. Not only were they not locked in with safety clips, but the one on the right was already resting right on the very edge of the bar's sleeve."
He pointed toward the heavy metal clips hanging completely unused on the side of the power rack.
"Next time, make sure to check everything carefully before exercising," Ren instructed warmly. "When you're doing heavy strength training like bench presses alone, you need to be incredibly careful. A slip like that can crush your windpipe."
The girl's face flushed an even deeper shade of scarlet as she realized how foolish her mistake had been. She nodded vigorously, her twin-tails bouncing in a blur of blonde.
She cleared her throat nervously, fidgeting with the hem of her red shorts. "Sir... um... is calling you 'sir' too old-fashioned? How should I thank you?"
Ren couldn't help but chuckle at her awkward, endearing polite tone. "You don't need to thank me. And just call me Ren~"
Her eyes lit up with a friendly sparkle. "Okay, Ren-nii!"
"Why haven't I ever seen you exercising here before? Is this your first time at this gym?"
Ren tilted his head, thinking for a moment. "Hmm... This is indeed my first time at this specific Silverman Gym location. I've actually trained at other Silverman Gym branches before."
He looked her up and down, noting her complete lack of callouses and her thoroughly uncoordinated lifting posture.
"But you look very much like an absolute beginner," Ren added honestly. "If you really are a beginner, it's highly recommended to train with experienced friends who can spot you, or better yet, find a professional coach to teach you the basics~"
Hearing this, the girl nodded repeatedly, a slightly helpless pout forming on her lips. "I actually came with experienced friends! Akemi is right over there!"
She pointed to the dark-haired girl who was currently rushing over with a look of concern. "And I also hired a personal coach before, but Machio-san seems to have something urgent to do this morning. He texted me that he won't be able to come in until noon~"
Ren nodded in understanding. He then glanced at her youthful face and the undeniable high school aura she projected.
He asked curiously, "You look like a student. Isn't today a regular weekday? Why are you out playing at the gym in the middle of the morning?"
The blonde girl beamed, practically vibrating with energy as she explained. "Because our school recently switched to a flexible class schedule! The administration seems to have some big event going on behind the scenes."
"If you want to attend classes, you can, and there are still teachers teaching, but there are a lot fewer mandatory classes right now. So, my friends and I came to the gym instead!"
Ren was visibly startled by this bizarre academic policy. He blinked, completely confused.
"Eh? What kind of high school has such a ridiculously lax rule? Wouldn't skipping classes like that severely affect your academic studies?"
"No, no~ Not really!" the girl laughed, waving her hands dismissively. "Because the rumor is that this schedule is only going to last for the next half month."
"Those who actually want to study hard can still go to school and sit in the library. But in return for this weird schedule, this year's mandatory school trip has been completely canceled!"
She puffed out her chest proudly, offering a blindingly bright smile. "As for the school, it's Kōyō Women's Academy!"
"Also, Ren-nii! I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Sakura Hibiki!"
"Eh?"
Upon hearing the prestigious name of the academy, and the undeniably familiar name of the energetic blonde girl standing before him, Ren froze completely.
[Akarin's Note: Sakura Hibiki is the main protagonist of the fitness anime 'Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?'. She is a high schooler at Kōyō Women's Academy who joins Silverman Gym to lose weight because she has a massive appetite and loves eating junk food.]
His lips parted slightly, a silent sigh forming in the back of his throat. Could it really be such a ridiculous coincidence this time? He had only stepped out of the changing room five minutes ago.
Sure enough, his strange luck as a dimension-hopping restaurant owner was inescapable. Whenever he went out to simply enjoy the gym, he was statistically guaranteed to encounter the main cast of some bizarre, animated world...
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