Ashan lay back on his bed, the cool sheets doing little to soothe the restless heat still simmering beneath his skin.
With a frustrated sigh, he closed his eyes and let his hand slide downward, wrapping around his still-throbbing length.
He started slowly at first, fingers rubbing over the sensitive head and shaft with deliberate, teasing strokes. The friction sent sparks of pleasure racing up his spine, and he gradually increased the pace, his breathing growing heavier.
His body quickly grew hot, a thin layer of sweat forming on his chest as his mind began to blur at the edges. Waves of sensation built steadily, promising release… yet something felt off.
No matter how intensely he stroked, the peak he desperately sought remained frustratingly out of reach.
Frowning, Ashan shifted positions, sitting up slightly and using both hands now, working himself with more urgency.
His grip tightened, movements faster and more desperate as he chased that elusive climax. Minutes stretched on, his patience thinning with every passing second. The pleasure coiled tighter and tighter in his core, but the final release never came. It was as if his body had forgotten how to finish when he was alone.
"Ahh… damn it!" he growled under his breath, voice thick with raw irritation and defeat.
He sat upright on the edge of the bed, staring down at his stubbornly erect manhood with clear displeasure, chest still heaving. The throbbing refused to subside, leaving him even more agitated than before.
"What the hell… Why can't I ejaculate?" he muttered, running a hand through his damp hair.
The built-up tension sat heavy in his groin, refusing to break no matter what he tried.
With a long, defeated groan, Ashan finally gave up and flopped back onto the pillows, yanking the blanket over himself in resignation.
"Screw it," he muttered. 'I'll just use blood manipulation or the Blood King's Authority to calm the flow. It's a pity to use such precious techniques on something this trivial…'
Without wasting another second, he focused his will inward. With surgical precision, he lowered the blood pressure in his lower body. The insistent throbbing gradually eased, the erection softening until it finally calmed completely.
A deep wave of relief washed over him, loosening the tension in his shoulders.
'Well then… let's sleep.'
He had barely closed his eyes, drifting toward the edge of slumber, when—
Knock… knock…
The sharp sound sliced cleanly through the quiet room.
Ashan's eyes snapped open again. Irritation flashed hot across his face as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, the fragile calm he had just regained shattering in an instant.
"…You've got to be kidding me," he muttered darkly, voice low and laced with restrained annoyance.
'Who the hell is it now?'
Too exhausted to rise immediately, he lazily activated his Byakugan. The veins around his eyes bulged faintly as his vision pierced straight through the wooden door.
What he saw in the hallway made him freeze, surprise cutting through the irritation like a blade.
It was Luphar and Roswayn, standing patiently just outside, waiting for him to respond. Both were carefully suppressing their mana leaks, concealing their overwhelming presence with the skill of seasoned professionals.
Ashan narrowed his eyes, a flicker of genuine worry crossing his features as he sat up fully.
'…Those two?'
The surprise was sharp enough to push him to his feet. The earlier frustration melted away, replaced by alert curiosity mixed with caution.
'What are they doing here at this hour? Their posture doesn't suggest hostility… or any real urgency. That only makes it stranger.'
'Still… let's see what's going on.'
He quickly straightened his night clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles before walking to the door and pulling it open.
The moment the door swung wide, the two S-rankers came into full view under the dim hallway lights.
Roswayn wore a stylish criss-cross long-sleeve blouse with daring cut-out cold shoulders, paired with fitted denim jeans, the ensemble only partially hidden beneath a sleek black coat that clung to her curves.
Luphar, by contrast, looked elegant and imposing in a luxurious black silk robe cinched tightly at the waist with a polished leather belt.
At that exact moment, a noticeable crowd of other students, both male and female, had begun peeking from cracked doors and around corners, whispering excitedly among themselves while failing miserably at staying discreet.
"Woah… they're really here," someone murmured.
"Roswayn and Luphar, right? What are they doing here so late? Aren't S-rankers supposed to have their own private quarters?"
"Wait… isn't that the fire-breathing guy, Ashan? Looks like they came specifically for him."
"They came personally? That's insane. It means he's already caught the serious attention of the top ranks."
"Considering how he fought in the arena… completely exceeding everyone's expectations… no wonder. His reputation is already on par with an A-ranker."
"So jealous…"
"Don't tell me they came here to sleep over with him?" a girl whispered to her friend, giggling.
"You idiot. That's impossible."
Ashan felt a faint headache blooming behind his eyes.
'…Great. Now we have a whole damn audience.'
Hearing the growing murmurs ripple through the hallway, Ashan forced an uncomfortable smile toward his unexpected visitors, though inwardly he was cursing up a storm.
'The heck with these two? They're causing a full-blown scene right outside my door.'
His gaze flicked over their outfits, and his thoughts sharpened with mild disbelief.
'Wait… what's with these clothes? I can excuse Luphar, he's clearly not used to normal fashion sense.. but this woman… Is she out of her mind? It's the middle of the night and she's dressed like she's going clubbing? This attention-seeking wench is really something else.'
Roswayn waved her hand with casual elegance, flashing a bright, alluring smile that could disarm most people on the spot.
"Hello, handsome. I hope we didn't disturb you too much," she purred.
Ashan held her gaze for a second longer than necessary, thinking dryly, '…You definitely did.'
But outwardly, he simply offered a casual shrug. "Nothing too serious," he replied evenly.
Luphar stepped forward a little, offering a more straightforward, apologetic smile.
"Sorry for coming this late. We didn't mean to cause any trouble."
Ashan scratched the back of his head, keeping his tone light and relaxed.
"Oh… hello. What a surprise. May I know what brought two mighty S-rankers all the way to my door at this hour?"
Roswayn let out a soft, melodic chuckle.
"Oh my, even when you say you're surprised, you don't seem all that shaken. How unique," she teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
'Huh… What do you want me to do, kneel down in gratitude? What a headache,' Ashan thought to himself, keeping his expression perfectly neutral.
"Hey, don't mess with him. We're already bothering him enough as it is. Let's get straight to the point," Luphar interjected, giving his companion a light nudge.
"But first… how did you even manage to find my room?" Ashan asked, genuinely curious now.
Luphar smiled proudly, chest puffing out just a bit. "It was easy. I tracked your scent. You have a totally unique and strong one, hard to miss, even from a distance."
Ashan felt a slight chill run down his spine at the casual revelation.
"Haha… I see. So I've basically been stalked," he said with a wry chuckle.
"Never mind that. So, what brings you here?"
Roswayn nodded and stepped a little closer, her presence suddenly more intimate.
"I'll get straight to the point. I assume you're aware that first-years can form or join special teams that operate in parallel with the official academy teams. We've created our own small team for practical training purposes. It only activates after regular daytime activities end."
She casually reached out and placed her index finger lightly against his chest, letting the touch linger just a moment too long, her nail tracing a faint circle.
"We came here to give you a special offer. After seeing your performance in the arena, we decided to invite you to join us. If you accept, you'll have the chance to grow much stronger, spar with far tougher opponents, and gain experiences you won't find anywhere else."
"So… what do you say?"
The offer immediately sparked genuine interest in Ashan's mind.
'Oho… So they finally created it, the foundation of the future savior squad.'
But the realization followed close behind, tempering his excitement.
'What's more interesting is that they're personally inviting me. It's a good offer, no doubt… but I need to think very carefully.'
'In the original timeline, the previous Ashan never joined their squad. Since I haven't significantly altered the world's fate yet, accepting this could trigger a serious butterfly effect and change the squad's entire future trajectory.'
'Until now, I've only interfered with events using the minimum possible disruption. Knowing the future becomes useless if I end up changing it in unwanted ways. If I decide to join, I really need to weigh this decision properly.'
Ashan nodded respectfully, keeping his voice steady.
"I'm amazed and honored that you would invite me to join your squad. But if it's alright with you, could I have some time to think about it?"
Roswayn let out a light, surprised laugh, clearly not expecting hesitation.
"This is surprising. You actually need time to think it over? Well, well… it's fine. Take as long as you need. We can't force you, after all. But it would be a real shame if you refused."
As she spoke, something about Ashan suddenly caught her full attention.
An overwhelming, intensely masculine scent radiated from his body, the lingering heat of his earlier frustrated arousal still hung thick in the air, heavily amplified by his perfect physical condition and the natural boost of his mana. The scent had taken on an almost intoxicating, upgraded quality that could easily affect anyone of the opposite sex.
It hit Roswayn's senses like a sudden wave, sending an unfamiliar, tingling frustration racing through every nerve ending.
She, who had rarely encountered such a potent, primal smell up close, felt her usual composure slip for a split second.
'This guy is really… This smell must be his. It feels unreal… so attractive and intense, like nothing I've ever experienced before.'
Her eyes widened slightly.
'No way… was he doing himself?'
Ashan nodded politely, oblivious to her internal reaction. "Thank you for understanding. Is that all?"
Roswayn's normally arrogant tone softened noticeably, a faint flush creeping into her cheeks.
"Y-Yeah. We'll be going now."
"Well then, good night," Luphar said warmly, raising his hand in a friendly gesture.
"Good night to you both," Ashan replied with a matching smile before gently closing the door.
Once the two S-rankers had walked a short distance down the hallway, ignoring the curious eyes still following them from the shadows, Roswayn turned to Luphar with a thoughtful frown.
"Hey, big guy… did you feel something odd from him?" she asked, voice lower than usual.
"Like what?" Luphar scratched his cheek casually, seemingly unbothered.
"Something funny… his scent. Isn't it strange?"
"Oh, his scent? It's so manly and strong, truly one of a kind, isn't it?"
Roswayn twisted her mouth in mild annoyance.
"What the hell? 'One of a kind'? What exactly do you mean by that?"
Luphar shrugged his broad shoulders. "You see, mana affects every aspect of living beings. It boosts physical performance.. running, fighting, everything. Naturally, it also influences sexual nature. That's why his scent is so potent right now."
"Woah, woah… since when did you start sounding so civilized?" Roswayn teased, trying to regain her usual edge.
Luphar gave a deep, mocking laugh.
"Did you think I was dumb or something? I'm considered one of the smartest among my kind. I gained plenty of knowledge with help from humans over the years."
"Oho… I see. Hmm… but why don't I feel that kind of strong scent from other guys?"
"You can't tell? He's clearly sexually active. That's why the smell is so intense and fresh."
"Really? Then that guy must be in heat right now."
"But there's more to it. It's because he himself is… strange."
"What do you mean?"
"Now that I think about it, his scent is a bit abnormal. Throughout all my studies of humans, I've rarely come across someone like him. He's undoubtedly a beast in human form. I bet he's really good at that."
Roswayn squinted at him. "That?"
"Are you playing dumb?" Luphar grinned widely, showing sharp teeth.
"What I meant was intimacy. He's indeed a breeding machine, the type that even the strongest women would find hard to tame in bed."
His words sent a strange, unexpected flutter through Roswayn's stomach.
She swallowed, fighting to keep her composure intact.
"Stop playing nonsense, will you?" she shot back, though her voice lacked its usual sharp bite.
"I get that your words might make some sense on the surface. The only special thing about him is that he can pull off unique and powerful tricks with slightly above-average physical abilities."
"But in the end.. he's still just a B-ranker. You're making it sound like even an S-ranker wouldn't be able to handle him in bed."
Luphar glanced at her with sudden, genuine seriousness.
"I wasn't joking. And that might very well be the case. My senses have never betrayed me. He is undeniably strong, with hidden potential buried deep inside. That's exactly why I suggested we invite him to join the team."
"Strong? Bullshit," Roswayn scoffed, crossing her arms. "Then tell me how strong he really is, with a convincing explanation."
Luphar paused, thinking for a moment, before turning back to her with a mischievous, knowing grin.
"You really want to know? According to what I believe… he could easily take five women at once."
"And that should be the minimum count."
Roswayn's face turned a deep, burning crimson. She hadn't expected anything so blunt or vivid.
"What!!!"