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"Become yours?!"
Haruno Yukinoshita froze for a second, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly.
It didn't take her long to catch the meaning.
The look she gave Max shifted—just a little, but enough.
If he had agreed to her "sponsorship," then everything between them would've been hers to control. She'd be on top, and Max would be below. The initiative would always rest in her hands.
But Max clearly wanted to flip that.
He wanted to be the one holding the reins.
The Max she'd known before was restrained, subtle. The Max standing before her now was direct, bold. Like chains had been broken off him.
"That's right. You'll be mine." Max smiled, nodding.
"…"
Their eyes locked.
Haruno tried to read him, but—
Nothing.
His gaze was calm, steady, like the endless night sky—quiet, unfathomable, but oddly magnetic. And under that calm, she could faintly sense an almost unshakable confidence. Like nothing could faze him, even if the sky came crashing down.
Max had changed. Really changed.
And she had to admit…
Compared to before, she found this version of him… just a little more attractive.
Maybe it was because she'd already had some fondness for him to begin with.
The thought suddenly popped into her mind:
If it's Max…
After a brief silence, Haruno smiled slyly, her voice teasing but laced with meaning.
"Becoming yours isn't out of the question… but you'll have to show me you've got what it takes to satisfy me."
She paused, her eyes glinting.
"Right now? You don't."
"Don't…?"
Max raised an eyebrow. "Haruno-sis, you haven't even tried me yet. How can you be so sure? That's slander."
"You haven't—tried…?"
Haruno blinked.
Then her brain caught up, and her eyes flew wide open.
Her already-flushed cheeks deepened into a brilliant red, her expression swinging between shock and embarrassment.
Did Max just… flirt with her like that?!
It was the first time anyone had dared say something like that to her.
Sure, her family and upbringing had made her more mature than most girls her age. But in reality, she'd never even been in a relationship.
She was just too outstanding.
Most guys didn't even come close.
And with her family background, it wasn't exactly easy to meet someone who could.
So up till now, she'd never had someone she really liked.
Max was younger than her by a few years, sure. But when they talked, she didn't even notice the age gap. He treated her casually, never putting her on a pedestal, and never sucking up to her status.
He just saw her as a normal person.
That alone had left her with a good impression.
She'd already had the idea of wanting to "claim" him before. She just never voiced it.
Now, with her fondness growing stronger, the words had slipped out.
"What's wrong?"
Max's easy smile made her fluster even more.
"You know what's wrong," Haruno shot back, rolling her eyes.
If it had been any other guy daring to talk to her like that, she would've taught him a hard lesson on the spot. That was Haruno Yukinoshita.
"Let's just say I've opened up a bit."
Max, sensing she wasn't actually angry—just shocked and a little shy—knew where he stood.
They'd only known each other for about a year, not too long but not short either.
Before his golden finger appeared, he had liked Haruno, but he wasn't delusional.
He was a genius, yes. But so was she.
And she wasn't just any girl—she was the eldest daughter of a wealthy family, refined, experienced, and sharp. Not to mention, she had a sly streak. Winning her over wasn't going to be simple.
So he'd always kept his distance, burying his feelings.
But now?
Everything had changed.
The golden finger had opened up his world.
What he wanted was freedom.
His journey wasn't meant to be small. His journey was the stars and the sea.
So why hold back?
Wives? He wanted them all.
"Opened up, huh…"
Haruno tilted her head, her expression thoughtful at his answer. Then she chuckled lightly.
"In that case, I'll be waiting. Show me the real you, Max. Make me fall for you."
"One day, I will."
Max's smile was quiet, but full of weight.
Haruno gave him a little smile of her own, then let the matter drop.
Time passed in comfortable silence.
Soon, Hiratsuka Shizuka returned to the private room.
The three of them continued eating, chatting here and there between bites.
Half an hour later, after food and a short rest, they stood to leave. Haruno settled the bill.
When they stepped out of the restaurant, her personal secretary and driver already had the car waiting.
Once Hiratsuka slipped into the back seat, Haruno turned to Max.
"Really don't want a ride from me?"
Max smiled, shaking his head. "Nah. A walk after a meal's good for the body. Just make sure Shizuka gets home safe."
He planned on wandering around a bit. Maybe something unexpected would turn up.
After all, in this giant crossover world, there were still plenty of unknowns—like the rumored existence of yokai.
"…Fine. Just be careful."
Seeing he wasn't budging, Haruno didn't push. She waved a hand in goodbye.
"Yeah, you two take care too."
Max gave her a grin, watching their car drive off before slipping on his headphones and heading toward his place.
His pace was slow, almost like an old man out for a stroll.
He didn't bother adjusting his life energy to bait evil spirits anymore. With his infinite reserves, the scraps of energy from average spirits didn't even matter to him.
Now, he just let fate guide him.
As he walked, he summoned the Universal Compendium.
Two new entries appeared—Hiratsuka Shizuka and Haruno Yukinoshita.
The moment he'd laid eyes on them, their profiles had lit up.
That was the only condition: he had to see them with his own eyes.
Even for people he already had connections with, the Compendium required face-to-face contact before recording them.
Once the connection was valid, the entry appeared fully lit.
Alias: Hiratsuka Shizuka
Rank: White
Description: Cute Shizuka
Reward: Mastery of Martial Arts
…
Alias: Haruno Yukinoshita.
Rank: White.
Description: Scheming Siscon.
Reward: Mastery of Housework.
…
"As expected."
Max glanced over the rewards, unsurprised and unfazed.
Both of them were ordinary humans.
If not for their unique roles in the original world setting, they probably wouldn't have even been included in the Compendium.
Still, more skills never hurt. With a thought, he claimed the rewards.
In an instant, countless martial arts techniques and theories flooded his mind. His muscles trembled imperceptibly as his body absorbed them, turning knowledge into instinct.
It was like he'd spent years training.
In the blink of an eye, Max had become a top-tier martial arts master, his control over his own power rising to a new level.
The martial arts mastery fused completely, followed by housework mastery.
So, after becoming a master fighter… Max also became a master of house chores.
Three seconds later, the rush faded, leaving everything calm again.
With both rewards claimed, Max closed the Compendium and let his invisible awareness expand outward.
His mind stretched across a kilometer in every direction.
He could cover the entire country if he wanted, but there was no point.
Within that kilometer, no life form could hide. Everything was visible to him.
And two particular presences immediately caught his attention.
"....."