The bowstring drew taut, a crescent moon of tension and anticipation. Heavy fruits bent slender branches, swaying gently with each subtle movement.
[Ding! Character Temporary Quest: Dojo Defense Battle - COMPLETED.]
[Congratulations, Host. Rewards distributed: Normal Capture Ball ×2. Saeko Busujima's loyalty forcibly increased to 100—Absolute Loyalty!]
Akira glanced at Saeko's panel. The number had indeed maxed out—100, gleaming like polished obsidian.
[Ding! Captured character Saeko Busujima's loyalty has reached 100.]
[Chain Quest: Absolute Loyalty - COMPLETED.]
[Congratulations, Host. Rewards distributed: Platinum Capture Ball ×1, Normal Capture Ball ×2.]
Whoo-hoo!
He mentally tallied his inventory. Four new Normal Balls. One new Platinum. Total on hand: Platinum Capture Ball ×3, Normal Capture Ball ×8.
Over ten Capture Balls now. Not a bad night's work.
[Ding~! Chain Quest: Evolution - ACCEPTED.]
[Quest Objective: Make any captured character undergo one evolution.]
[Quest Reward: Master Ball ×1.]
[Master Ball: Can capture target characters with favorability of 75 or higher. Guaranteed capture. After capture, Host dynamically gains 10× the target character's strength and skills. Warning: Due to the Master Ball's special properties, if the captured target character dies, the associated Master Ball will permanently lose all effect.]
Master Ball.
Of course there was a higher tier. The guaranteed capture clause alone made it invaluable—designed specifically for powerful target characters who would never willingly submit.
But for now, none of Akira's current circle qualified for such an investment.
He ran through possibilities. On the One-Punch Man side—Fubuki, Tatsumaki, Psykos. All met the conditions. On the Chainsaw Man side—only Makima. Power had useful abilities, but her personality made her a liability. As for Jujutsu Kaisen—Mei Mei, Yuki Tsukumo. Others yet to appear.
Fantasy time over.
He cupped hot water from the bathtub and splashed it on his face.
The immediate priority was completing this quest. Kasumigaoka Utaha had reached 45% Evolution Charge after a single training session. At most two more sessions, and the Evolution chain mission would be complete. The Master Ball would be his.
Saeko Busujima had finished showering.
She walked to the edge of the bathtub with unconscious grace, her long, wet hair clinging to her skin, tracing the contours of her oval face. In the steam and soft light, her features seemed especially striking—perhaps because of her absolute loyalty, perhaps because she was no longer holding anything back.
Her eyes, when they met his, were full of tenderness.
Akira felt himself falling into them.
Gulp.
She stepped into the water, settling in front of him, close enough that their knees almost touched. Her luminous eyes moved closer.
"Bai..."
No need for words. Silence was more eloquent.
"Mmm~!"
It was her first time initiating something like this. A flicker of shyness crossed her face. But the bathwater concealed them, and she quickly let go of her reservations.
Today's training limit had already been reached. This would be extra training—rewardless, unrecorded by the system.
But who could refuse Saeko Busujima's invitation?
His hands found the steering wheel. The engine roared. They drifted—happily, wildly, without destination.
Bang!
A loud crack.
Akira looked down. The engine had fractured.
Phew. Time for repairs.
Dried and dressed in his school uniform, Akira hugged Saeko at the dojo entrance.
"Go rest. See you tomorrow."
"Mm. See you tomorrow."
After accompanying him on that final "lap," she truly needed a good night's sleep.
He stepped carefully around the scattered corpses on the ground—the remnants of the night's work—and walked quickly to the main road. A taxi appeared almost immediately.
Buzz.
His phone vibrated just as the taxi pulled away from the curb.
Kitagawa Marin: Are you there? [Cute emoji attached]
Akira smiled. The fish had taken the bait.
Akira: What's wrong, Marin-chan?
Seeing his instant reply, Marin swung her legs excitedly on her sofa, her energy spiking.
Kitagawa Marin: What I wanted to ask was... if it's okay with you, Bai-kun... would you be willing to do cosplay with me?
Kitagawa Marin: Like... we could cosplay together. Take photos of each other. Edit pictures. That kind of thing.
The messages came in fragments—eager, nervous, barely contained.
Akira's lips curved.
Akira: ...Won't that be too much trouble? I can do some crafts, but I can't do makeup at all.
Akira: I did try making cosplay outfits before. Embarrassing, but true. I threw them away a long time ago.
Marin nearly launched herself off the sofa.
In her excitement, her oversized T-shirt rode up, revealing pink-and-white lace-trimmed panties. She didn't notice. Didn't care. Her father lived in another city for work, and her parents were divorced. She was the only one in the family home—comfort was the only rule.
Her slender fingers flew across the phone screen.
Akira leaned back in the taxi seat, the city lights streaking past the window as his fingers moved across the screen.
Akira: "Bai-san, can I see your work?"
He snorted softly. Work. As if.
Akira: "I've already thrown them away. No pictures saved."
A pause. Then:
Kitagawa Marin: "I happen to be preparing an outfit and props for a character recently. I wonder if Bai-san would be willing to help?"
Kitagawa Marin: "No, wait—I'll pay for it."
Akira raised an eyebrow. Payment? That wasn't the angle he was playing.
Akira: "Eh? Pay for it? Also, what character?"
Kitagawa Marin: "This... wait a moment! I'll find it for you."
The next second, his screen illuminated with a two-dimensional illustration—a succubus. Horns, wings, a scandalous outfit that left little to the imagination. Not Megumi. Not any of the characters he'd expected.
Straight to a succubus?
Tsk tsk tsk.
Progress is fast.
He wiggled his fingers, then typed:
Akira: "..."
Akira: "It's a good thing it's me. You shouldn't send pictures like this to just anyone."
On the other side of the screen, Marin Kitagawa suddenly felt a wave of shyness wash over her. She'd been so excited, so eager to share, that she'd forgotten—they'd only known each other for two days.
Two days.
And she was already sending him succubus reference images.
But...
Kitagawa Marin: "I trust Bai-san."
The words came out before she could second-guess them. They felt true.
Kitagawa Marin: "Can you make this?"
Akira: "Yes. But this kind should be very simple, right?"
Kitagawa Marin: "I'm sorry, I'm terrible at crafts. I can never make anything well!"
Two photos followed—beautiful selfies, her makeup immaculate, her expression full of energy and charm. But the outfits and props in the background were a chaotic mess. Crooked seams. Mismatched fabrics. Things that clearly hadn't survived their first fitting.
Akira studied them, then smiled.
Akira: "Alright. I'll figure something out."
[Kitagawa Marin - Favorability: 80 (+2)]
[Status: Grateful, Excited, Barely Containing Herself]
The taxi pulled up to the Souo estate. Akira paid, stepped out, and looked up at the dark windows.
Somewhere inside, Yumi was probably waiting up. Or pretending not to.
He walked toward the door, already thinking about fabric patterns and seam allowances, about the weight of a succubus's wings and the curve of a costume that didn't yet exist.
One thing at a time.
Tonight, he'd sleep.
Tomorrow, he'd build.