The Monday morning sun cast golden beams, gently illuminating the winding road up the mountainside. The fresh, pure air of the suburbs blew through the slightly cracked window of the SUV, carrying the scent of the earth and the dewy morning leaves into the car. It was a peaceful atmosphere, a stark contrast to the simmering determination in the heart of the woman sitting in the passenger seat.
Clara glanced at her reflection in the side mirror with satisfaction. Today, she had chosen to wear the latest shocking pink, luxury-brand workout set she had just ordered. It was a set designed to blatantly accentuate every square inch and curve of her body. The stretchy, shiny fabric hugged her full breasts and rounded buttocks until they almost burst out, like a fine canvas waiting to display a masterpiece. This wasn't just a workout outfit... it was armor for the "war" she was about to wage today.
Beside her, Owen controlled the steering wheel with a relaxed posture. He wore only a simple black tank top and short sweatpants, but the sharp, powerful muscles visible on his arms and shoulders were a testament to his recent intense training. His body was noticeably more built and stronger, so much so that even Clara couldn't help but steal glances, her eyes filled with admiration and hunger.
Soon, the car turned into the private gym on the mountaintop. Nova, in a black sports bra and tight pants that revealed her perfect abs, was waiting at the door with a professional smile.
"Right on time!" Nova greeted them, her voice as energetic as ever, before waving them in. "Come on, today I've prepared a lower-body program especially for Clara. I guarantee your butt will be even rounder and bouncier than before!"
Those words hit Clara right where it hurt. She recalled the last time she had felt defeated by Nova's incredible power and strength. That feeling of inferiority was still deeply ingrained in her heart, but today she was determined to reclaim her dignity. She would show this woman who was truly the one who was "closer" and "more meaningful" to Owen.
After warming up, Owen went straight to the free weights section. He grabbed a pair of large dumbbells made for Awakened... 200 kilograms each! The muscles in his arms bulged, veins popping, as he began to steadily lift them up and down, a clear display of his superhuman strength.
Clara began her squats under Nova's close supervision. She tried to focus on her movements, but the corner of her eye was still fixed on Owen's sweaty back. After a few sets, she decided to begin her plan.
She feigned a slight stumble, creating an excuse for her plan, before turning to Owen with a sweet, slightly pleading voice.
"Owen~... could you come spot me? I'm afraid I might fall."
Nova raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised. She didn't think Clara, who already had a decent foundation, would need a spotter for this, but she didn't suspect anything.
"Sure," Owen, who was focused on his arm workout, didn't think much of it either. He replied shortly before putting the dumbbells down and walking over to help her.
Owen came to a stop behind Clara, placing his arms under her armpits in a standard spotting position. The warmth from his body immediately radiated onto her bare skin. His masculine scent, mixed with his faint sweat, enveloped her, making her heart pound. Clara took a deep breath, savoring the thrilling sensation in every cell.
She slowly squatted down a few more times... and on the fourth rep... she deliberately let herself fall backward!
Her full, soft, and bouncy buttocks, like fine jelly, crushed against Owen's groin with full force! The sudden soft, hot friction was like a lightning bolt striking Owen's body.
"Ah!~" Clara let out a feigned moan, her voice trembling and as sexy as possible. It was so syrupy sweet it could almost melt the ears of anyone who heard it.
Owen's reaction was almost instantaneous. He quickly supported her to keep her from falling, while the feeling of being crushed by those soft mounds of flesh was hitting him hard, greatly arousing his manhood. His member quickly hardened, creating a clear, prominent bulge in his sweatpants. It pressed and rubbed against the groove of her ass, unavoidably.
Clara, feeling that strong, hard change, secretly smiled like a victor. She felt the power she had over his body... and it was so sweet. She immediately turned to meet Nova's eyes, sending a challenging and mocking gaze, as if to declare, 'See? I'm much closer to him than you are!'
But Nova didn't understand Clara's intention at all…
She was still in full professional trainer mode. She frowned slightly, interpreting Clara's gaze as a plea for help and more advice.
"I know your body has improved a lot, much different from the first time you came, but that doesn't mean you can neglect the basics, Clara!" Nova said with a slightly critical tone, before walking over and patting Clara's hip lightly as encouragement. "The moment you fell just now shows you're putting too much weight on your heels. Try to tense your abs more, and squat straight down, like you're about to sit in an invisible chair. I guarantee you'll be much more stable! Come on! One more set!"
Nova's positive and well-intentioned advice made Clara's seductive plan crumble. Her deliberate action had been interpreted as a genuine workout mistake. Clara's face flushed with frustration. She could only bite her lip and nod helplessly before continuing with her squats…
Soon, that frustration built up, becoming the fuel that reignited the fire of competition in Clara's heart. She felt like she had been slapped in the face. The plan she had so carefully laid out had failed because of the "innocence (stupidity)" of the female trainer before her. But she wouldn't give up just like that... Never!
Clara bit her lower lip. She decided to "up the ante" in this game. After finishing her squats, she walked defiantly to the "hip thrust" machine, which stood in the middle of the gym like a throne. It was an exercise machine that focused on the glutes and had a naturally seductive posture... the perfect stage for her next performance.
She lay down on the bench slowly, deliberately making every movement as seductive as possible, before carefully placing her heels on the weight platform. Then she turned to Owen again... but this time, her eyes held not just a plea, but a fiery challenge.
"Owen, darling… could you come check my form on this one? I'm not sure if I'm doing it right."
And as she spoke that sentence, the corner of her eye deliberately glanced at Nova, who was standing not far away… A mocking smile flickered on her lips for a moment before she returned to her innocent expression.
That brief, challenging glint in her eye... was the final piece of the puzzle that made Nova begin to understand what Clara was trying to communicate.
Nova looked back and forth… at the image of Clara blatantly trying to seduce Owen… at the image of Owen, still trying to act casual with the still-not-subsided bulge in his pants… and the image of that mocking smile from a moment ago…
A spark of understanding flashed in her emerald eyes. 'Don't tell me she's challenging me over Owen?' The thought ran through Nova's head. If that were the case, Clara's actions were rather "cute" in her opinion. And at the same time... she couldn't help but feel it would be "fun" to mess with both of them. She decided to join this "game."
A cunning smirk appeared at the corner of Nova's lips, her eyes sparkling with a playfulness they had never seen before. She pretended to walk towards Clara with the professional and concerned air of a trainer.
Owen had no choice but to walk over and stand in front of the machine. Clara began to perform the hip thrust, lifting her rounded hips up and down in a slow yet heavy rhythm. Every time she lifted her hips to their highest point, she would squeeze her muscles until her buttocks were beautifully taut. Her eyes were fixed on the bulge in Owen's pants, a silent and blatant provocation.
As Nova was pretending to walk over to check Clara's form up close... she feigned a "slip"! Her perfect body lost its balance and fell with full force into Owen's strong back!
Owen, who was pushed unexpectedly, completely lost his balance. His tall, large body lunged forward, falling right on top of Clara, who was holding her hips in mid-air at that exact moment!
A ridiculously lewd "human sandwich" had been formed! The poor Owen had become the filling, pressed between two sexy women.
The first sensation he felt was the unbelievably soft and massive breasts of Nova crushing against his back. They were so soft, so firm, and so hot he almost went crazy. At the same time, his strong chest was pressed against Clara's full, trembling breasts below. And worst of all… his iron-hard member was crushed against Clara's hot, moist slit through the thin fabric, a perfect fit!
"Aaaaaahhh!~"
Clara let out an involuntary moan. It wasn't a moan from her performance, but one of true pleasure from the unexpected stimulation. A thrilling sensation shot from the point of contact through her entire body, making her jolt.
After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, Nova quickly sprang to her feet, her face flushed (from her convincing act).
"Damn it! Why is the floor so slippery! I'm so sorry, you two. I have to go take care of this. It'll be terrible if another accident happens…"
She said with a voice so serious, as if she were deeply concerned for their safety, before quickly walking over to grab a mop and cleaning supplies to meticulously scrub the floor, making her plan even more convincing.
Owen and Clara immediately scrambled away from each other, their faces flushed to their ears with a mixture of shame and lingering excitement.
Owen, who couldn't take it anymore... his desire had peaked and was about to explode. He stammered, "Uh… I… I have to go to the bathroom!" and then quickly beat a hasty retreat.
Meanwhile, Nova, who was pretending to be focused on mopping the floor, secretly looked up at Owen's retreating back and Clara's flushed face… On Nova's face now was a cunning and utterly satisfied smile… and she was the complete and utter victor of this game.
…..
The sound of Clara's final workout set echoed through the room, followed by her heavy panting.
Clara collapsed onto the black leather sofa in the rest area, completely spent. Her body was so limp it almost seemed to melt into the soft cushions. Small beads of sweat clung to her hairline and her flushed cheeks. Though she was exhausted, her eyes shone with the utmost satisfaction.
Opposite her, Owen was leaning against a small bar counter, watching Nova skillfully scoop mint-chocolate-flavored protein powder into a shaker cup. She didn't look tired at all, as if the workout had just been a light warm-up.
After the "hot sandwich" incident and his release in the bathroom, Owen's simmering arousal had calmed down, replaced by a serious thought that had been on his mind all week... a problem that had almost cost him his life.
He decided this was the best opportunity to consult the expert before him.
"Nova… I need your advice on something," Owen began, his voice firmer and more serious than usual.
Nova, who was shaking the cup with a loud "shk-shk-shk," paused. She turned to meet his eyes, a silent permission for him to continue.
Owen walked over and sat down on a bar stool opposite her. He admitted his weakness directly. "In my last fight with an Awakened… I realized clearly that my mana capacity is too small… pathetically small." He recounted the event, his eyes still showing a hint of fear. "I used up all my mana in just a few minutes of fighting. If there had been more than two enemies then, I would have died. It's a truly fatal weakness."
Nova listened intently. She showed no surprise, as if this were a problem she had heard countless times before. She chugged the entire protein shake before walking over to the sink to wash the cup, unhurriedly. The sound of water hitting the stainless steel was the only thing that broke the silence.
When she was done, she turned back to face him, leaning her hip against the counter and crossing her arms, looking at him with the eyes of an experienced teacher.
"That's not just your problem, Owen," she began. "It's a problem for almost every new Awakened who wasn't born with overwhelming talent... But luckily, there are ways to fix it."
She held up one finger. "There are mainly three paths to increasing your mana capacity."
"The first path… is natural growth," Nova said flatly. "The more you train, use up your mana, and let it recover, the more your body will slowly adapt and expand its limits to create more mana capacity, little by little… But this method is the slowest… so slow it's annoying. People who are impatient or have to risk their lives on the battlefield don't use this method."
She held up a second finger. "The second path… is the most popular on the market. It's absorbing mana from an external source, which is mostly 'Mana Stones'." She snapped her fingers with a loud 'snap!' and continued. "Basically, it's forcing your body to expand its limits to accommodate the large amount of energy that is slowly being injected. This method is many times faster than the first, which is why high-quality Mana Stones are as expensive as gold… or maybe even more."
"And the final path…" Nova paused, the playful look in her eyes gone, replaced by a seriousness and gravity. "...is the most dangerous and unpredictable shortcut."
"It's receiving a [Blessing] or a [Curse] from a high-level being in a dimensional gate," her voice lowered slightly, as if speaking of something forbidden. "Sometimes, when you complete a certain mission that pleases a god or a demon... or sometimes just because they feel like it... they might reward you by directly increasing your power, which includes a dramatic leap in your mana capacity in an instant… Of course, the chances of this happening are slimmer than winning the lottery twice in a row. And it usually comes with strange conditions or strings attached…"
She looked deep into Owen's eyes and began to advise him seriously. "Those are the three main paths most people know… And as your trainer, I recommend you use the first and second methods in a balanced way. As for the third method, even if you are lucky enough to be offered such a power, I don't recommend you accept it, Owen…"
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