The steady hiss of running water echoed faintly through the hallways, accompanied by the occasional drip of condensation falling against the tiled floor. Morning light seeped through the curtains of the dorm-like building, painting pale gold streaks across the wooden walls.
Sakurajima Mai stirred awake after a restless night, her hair tangled around her face. When she stepped out of her room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the first thing she saw froze her in place.
Haruto Amakawa emerged from the steamy bathroom, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. His lean, well-defined muscles glistened, water still tracing the sharp lines of his shoulders and chest. With a casual yawn, he stretched, entirely unbothered by the scene.
"Morning, Mai," he said lazily, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
"...!!"
Mai immediately spun her head away, her cheeks burning crimson. She had acted in dramas, walked red carpets, faced the glare of cameras countless times—yet never had she been so flustered in front of one man.
"Y-you just got back?" she stammered, clutching her arms around herself.
Haruto flopped onto the worn sofa, the springs creaking as he stretched out like it was his personal throne. He gave her a lopsided grin, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion yet tinged with amusement.
"Had no choice. Took some effort to completely wear Saeko out."
"...Huh?" Mai's mind blanked. Then it clicked, and her whole body stiffened.
"D-don't you dare talk about something that indecent with me!" she snapped, her voice breaking in flustered outrage.
Of course, the chat group had already made sure everyone saw what happened. Saeko's trade, the terms, the results—every detail had been displayed. Even Frieren had commented in genuine curiosity, questioning whether a human could really be exhausted to such an extent. No one else, however, had dared answer.
Mai's thoughts tangled in knots, unwillingly recalling the timer on that trade. Nearly ten hours had passed. Ten whole hours—
Why the hell am I thinking about this?! she scolded herself, her embarrassment boiling over.
With a sharp glare at Haruto, she spun on her heel, stormed into her room, and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the frame.
"Heh," Haruto chuckled under his breath, the sound low and self-assured. His golden-brown eyes narrowed with quiet amusement. "You'll come around, Mai. Sooner or later, you'll belong to me too."
He leaned back on the sofa, fingers drumming against the armrest, before his expression turned more thoughtful. Wonder how Saeko's holding up...
---
Elsewhere in the same house, Rei Miyamoto, Saya Takagi, and Shizuka Marikawa were gathered nervously. The air in the hallway carried a faint, lingering scent—sweat mixed with something sweeter, heavier—that none of them dared put into words.
Through the cracked bedroom door, Rei peeked cautiously. The room was messy—blankets tangled, pillows shoved against the wall, faint marks of struggle etched into the sheets. At the center of the chaos lay Saeko Busujima, unconscious but breathing steadily, her skin flushed, her lips faintly parted as if she had collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
Rei's cheeks turned pink. "I-is Saeko-senpai... okay?" she whispered.
Shizuka, who had stepped out from checking on her, gave a small nod. Even the ditzy nurse's face was tinged with color. "She's fine. Just... completely drained and really dehydrated. I'll prepare something for her once she wakes up."
Even as a professional, Shizuka had struggled to wrap her mind around it. The medical reality of someone being pushed that far was shocking enough—but what baffled her more was Haruto himself. His stamina, his endurance... it wasn't natural.
Saya crossed her arms, irritation masking her own embarrassment. "That guy... doesn't he know how to show even a little restraint? Honestly, he's insane."
Rei hesitated, then muttered, "...But Saeko-senpai did request the trade herself."
Saya faltered, her face heating up. "T-that's not the point! It's still way too perverted!"
Rei bit her lip, keeping quiet. A part of her, one she didn't dare admit aloud, was starting to envy Saeko—not for what she'd endured, but for the strength she had gained as a result.
---
The next day, the sun filtered through the half-opened windows of the school building.
Haruto sat at a desk, mood unusually light. Between Saeko's growth, Ayame's progress, and his own gains, things were looking good.
A faint, almost playful smile tugged at his lips as he opened his status.
[Level]: 30
[Description]: You possess the power to turn a city into a wasteland where no one survives.
Not bad. His experience gain from zombies had slowed, but it didn't matter. Level 30 meant that if he wanted to, he could freeze an entire city. He glanced over his list of abilities, though, and frowned.
「Freeze」 「Self」 「True Sight」 「Transformation」 「Blessing」 「Sword Aura」 「Cognitive Disappearance」 「Basic Archery」 「Basic Swordsmanship」
Some were powerful, some clunky. The list felt scattered—like pieces of different puzzles jammed together.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the chat group flickered to life.
[Ding! A new function has been unlocked—Ability Fusion!]
「Ability Fusion」: Merge abilities with similar qualities into a stronger, more complete form.
Haruto raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Now that's convenient. Chat group, you're spoiling me."
Chat Group: Would you like to activate automatic fusion of compatible abilities?
"Yeah, go ahead." He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. "Let's see what happens."
A chime echoed.
[Fusion Successful!]
「Sword Aura」 + 「Basic Swordsmanship」 → Sword Qi Mastery
「Sword Qi Mastery」: Mastery over swordsmanship, allowing the release of devastating sword energy at will.
Haruto smirked as he read the description. "Not just Basic Swordsmanship anymore... but every style, every technique. A universal mastery, huh?" His fingers itched to draw a blade, to carve the air with raw energy, but he restrained himself. The classroom wasn't the best place to go wild.
The chat flickered again—this time, Frieren's voice entered.
Frieren: "So it's true. The new feature condenses skills into their core essence... impressive. I've already tested it on my magic."
A faint glow of her status shimmered into view:
[Name]: Frieren
[Level]: 30
[Abilities]: Elf Bloodline, Elf Magic
[Items]: Staff
Frieren: "Everything I had... all the hundreds of spells—they've all merged into a single ability. 'Elf Magic.' Efficient, but overwhelming."
Haruto: "Heh. Looks like even you're surprised. That's rare."
Frieren: "...I admit, this is more useful than I expected."
Haruto leaned back, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction. Power was consolidating, sharpening. And for him—the more efficient, the deadlier.