The trio of Reina and her companions spent a moment celebrating their newfound-and remarkably efficient-method of cultivation before a cloud of unease settled over them.
”Previously, Uesugi was terrified of losing control,” Hamazaki Reina noted, her expression clouded with worry. “He was afraid that the girls he… combined with… would end up injured or even dead. But now that he’s realized that’s not the case-and that it actually boosts his own power-what happens next?”
”The secret about him being a walking power-boost isn’t going to stay under wraps for long,” Kurumizaka Ruri agreed with a somber nod. From what she’d seen so far, Aki didn’t exactly strike her as a man of high moral character. In the past, his refusal had stemmed from a genuine fear of causing harm-he’d had a bottom line, even if it was a thin one. (If they ever realized that Aki’s ‘restraint’ was actually just a pathetic fear for his own life, they’d likely brand him as total human trash on the spot.)
”It shouldn’t spread that quickly,” Sasaki Yukina countered. As the strongest of the three and the one who had spent the most time in Aki’s bed, her insight was the most profound. “The power boost isn’t actually that overt, and the stronger you are, the less of a jump you get. We were at it for nearly twelve hours straight; it was only because of Reina’s Insight Eye that we could definitively confirm his fluids were responsible for our growth.”
”True,” Reina conceded. “Then we keep it quiet for as long as we possibly can. In the meantime, we do our absolute best to squeeze Uesugi dry.” The three of them reached a silent consensus, their lovely faces flushing a deep, suggestive crimson.
Aki, completely unaware that he had been officially designated as a private, human-shaped XP farm, was busy contemplating his next move to level up. First, he needed to find a way into the Hidden Academy to begin training his mana.
Talent was just the foundation-the potential that made the road ahead easier-but mana and actual magic skills were what provided real combat power. Second, he needed to scout and win over women with outstanding talents. With a bit of luck, a single high-tier skill could double his effectiveness in the Inner World.
Finally, he had to survive the disasters brought on by the Loser’s Script. He had to stay alive while using the script’s unique traits to bring every girl who crossed his path into his bed. (If they have talent, great; if not… it’s still a win for me.)
Monday arrived. Under the familiar boughs of the cherry blossoms, Aki found his path blocked by the same blonde punk from before.
”Hey, kid. It seems like my warnings went in one ear and out the other,” the blonde snarled, his face darkening as he clenched his fists.
In the past, Aki would have panicked. But today, the fear lasted only a second before a cold calm took over. “You really can’t blame me,” Aki replied. “Sasaki and the others forced my hand. I didn’t have a choice.”
”Heh, no choice? I think you just didn’t want to resist at all,” the blonde spat. He had been watching for days, but Reina and her friends had been so eager to drain Aki that they were practically glued to him. Even over the weekend, the four of them had stayed locked inside Kurumizaka Ruri’s house. Finally, his persistence had paid off; he had caught Aki alone.
Aki shrugged, looking innocent. “Actually, they invited me today too. I just haven’t been home in a few days and didn’t want my family to worry.”
The blonde’s temper flared. He couldn’t wrap his head around it-how could someone as incredible as Big Sister Reina fall for this dull-looking loser? She’d even dragged her friends along to join in. And if they were going to do that, why hadn’t they invited him? Since he couldn’t confront his “Big Sister,” he’d just have to make this idiot suffer until he crawled away for good.
With a cold glint in his eyes, the blonde lunged, reaching out to drag Aki toward the Little Forest for an after-school “lesson.” Aki sidestepped, letting the attack whistle harmlessly past.
”Huh?” The blonde looked confused at the miss and immediately ramped up the speed of his strikes.
This was Aki’s first time using actual force in a fight, and he wasn’t taking any chances. Activating his Insight Eye in tandem with Physical Activation, he pushed his combat stats to their absolute peak. He caught a pair of glancing blows to the ribs, but the fists that had once seemed terrifying now only caused a dull ache. Once he found the rhythm, Aki countered with a vicious lead uppercut that sent the blonde reeling in a dizzying circle.
As he prepared to move in for the finish, Aki realized something was wrong. This punk’s strength was average at best-likely weaker than Sasaki Yukina-but that wasn’t the weird part.
The weird part was that this guy was, quite possibly… a girl in disguise.
Through the lens of his Insight Eye, the charade fell apart. Beneath the tough-guy act was a slender frame and features that, while masked, retained a distinct softness. Most tellingly, there was no Adam’s apple, and her chest was bound tight with white bandages.
”That explains it,” Aki muttered. “I wondered why I never felt any actual killing intent from you.” Aki didn’t follow up with a finishing blow. He wasn’t just afraid of the fallout; he realized that despite the tough talk, the “blonde” had been pulling her punches the whole time, as if afraid of actually breaking him.
”Tch, so you’re just a tomboy,” Aki said. “As a girl, why aren’t you like Hamazaki Reina, trying to get in my pants? Instead, you’re obsessed with causing me trouble?”
”Hmph. I hate stinky men more than anything,” Shinomura Yuki snapped. Since her disguise was blown, she didn’t bother hiding it. In Kuoh Academy, she was a minor celebrity-a girl who dressed as a man and spent all her time chasing after other girls. Aki had been so busy avoiding “thugs” that he’d never bothered to listen to the school gossip.
Now that the threat of both death and a “cuckold ending” had vanished, Aki’s mood brightened. “This isn’t exactly the place for a heart-to-heart. How about we head somewhere else?”
Seeing a crowd of bystanders starting to gather, Aki reached down and grabbed Shinomura Yuki’s hand to pull her up. Yuki’s face went dark. She let out a sharp huff, slapped his hand away, and stormed toward the school gates. Aki followed her with a grin. He was looking for new talents to farm, and one had just landed in his lap. Besides, he still had a few scores to settle for all the times she’d pushed him around.
Summary:
Aki’s female companions realize his potential as a magical catalyst and vow to keep him to themselves. Aki shifts his focus to entering the ‘Hidden Academy’ to solidify his power base and avoid his ‘NTR fate’. A schoolyard confrontation with his recurring bully leads to the shocking discovery that the ‘blonde thug’ is actually a girl in disguise.
Trivia:
- The ‘Inner World’ logic suggests that bodily fluids carry magical energy, setting up a specific H-RPG progression mechanic.
- Shinomura Yuki’s lack of killing intent hints that she might be a future ally or target for Aki’s ‘talent farming’.
- Aki’s ‘Loser’s Script’ is framed as a literal force he must battle against, implying the world has a ‘plot’ he is disrupting
Character Insight:
Reina and the girls shift from simple curiosity to a possessive, predatory dynamic. Aki transitions from a passive victim to a proactive player, evidenced by his calculated use of ‘Insight Eye’ to uncover Yuki’s secret rather than simply defending himself.
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
Introduction of Kuoh Academy as a base of operations and the ‘Hidden Academy’ as a necessary destination for systematic magic learning. The concept of ‘Disguise’ (male/female) is introduced as a viable stealth tactic in the Inner World.
TL Notes:
The term ‘Yellow Hair’ (黄毛) is localized as ‘blonde punk’ to reflect the common trope of the interloper in Japanese adult media, while ‘NTR Template’ is adapted to ‘Loser’s Script’ to emphasize the narrative burden on the protagonist.
Glossary:
1 ↩ Insight Eye: A perception skill allowing the user to see through illusions, disguises, and analyze power levels.
2 ↩ Hidden Academy: A specialized institution within the ‘Inner World’ for the formal study of magic and combat skills.