Preparing for the Final Evaluation
As soon as the battle began, I charged straight at Minji. She blocked clumsily, her panic plain as day. She'd always worn that cocky grin during our spars, but this flustered look was a first. Still, I couldn't just wail on Kang Minji, so I aimed for her openings with light thrusts.
"Wha...?"
"Focus on the fight, Minji."
"You started it out of nowhere!"
Was she mad about letting the attack through? Her eyes sharpened with focus.
Let's probe a bit first.
I recalled yesterday's sensation using the Incubus Eye. There'd definitely been some drain. Replaying that feeling, I sensed something faint stirring inside me.
Mana?
Being able to wield mana made all the difference. Minji could explode with those bursts of speed because of it. I was still clumsy, nowhere near her level.
Like this?
Activating the Incubus Eye forced mana expenditure, so I kept using it to get the hang of the flow. Naturally, her glowing spots popped into view.
"You... you fucking perv! You wanna die?!"
"My bad, my bad."
Those massive tits straining her buttons weren't my fault. Minji kept closing the distance in a rage, but every time, her openings lit up clear as day.
"I told you not to look!"
"Not my fault...'
Blame those huge boobs, not me. Fists versus sword usually favored the blade, but Minji was different. Her gloves were oversized gauntlets—perfect for grabbing swords, each one a shield that cramped my attack paths.
But my combat experience has the edge.
Minji's openings were too plentiful.
Power of regression?
Maybe all those deaths etched instincts into my body. I kept distance, landing one-sided strikes.
"You keep that up and when I catch you, you're dead!!"
"My bad."
I'd poked on purpose, but admitting it would just piss her off more. She charged, snarling, but her emotions made her sloppier than before. I'd learned over hundreds of fights: stay calm, no matter what.
Her physical stats edge mine out a bit, but experience makes this easy?
The more we sparred, the more my upgraded body felt natural. The gap widened inevitably.
"..."
Minji noticed, her face darkening. She tried grabbing my sword like always, but I never let her.
Even in repeated bouts, she landed zero hits.
"You okay, Minji?"
"..."
Spars were always her one-sided wins. Not anymore. Mine was overwhelming.
"Wanna keep going?"
"Sheathe it..."
Her competitive streak kept her from quitting quick, but after all she'd put me through, mercy wasn't on the table.
She'd hate pity anyway.
Experience let me read her every move, every attack. She focused offense, skimping defense. I hammered that weakness.
"..."
I caught her grinding her teeth. I timed strikes for her attack wind-ups; she realized it was her flaw.
Relentlessly targeting it might seem cheap, but ignoring it helped no one. Monsters and villains wouldn't hold back.
"Opening!"
"Urgh!!"
When physicals match, experience rules. Her greenness couldn't match my regressed battles. Her shield finally shattered under the barrage.
"This much... of a gap?"
Minji slumped, too stunned for anger. She'd never even closed in, just taken hits.
"Told you it'd be different this time."
"Pushed back this hard...?"
She muttered like she'd lost a kingdom. Had I teased too much?
Strong stimulus applied to Kang Minji.
Kang Minji's Favorability has increased.
So I could farm Fate Points like this too?
"I lost."
Minji admitted defeat cleanly. That quick acknowledgment was her charm.
"Don't forget the bet we made before starting."
"That's such bullshit!"
"You said it yourself—you lost."
"No..."
I leaned in close; she went quiet. Weak to pushiness, huh?
I gripped her trembling shoulders. Conquering Minji was key to more Fate Points.
Favorability's high, but she's not fully hooked.
A sudden spike didn't erase her past view of me as a loser sidekick.
"You'll grant my wish, right?"
"...What is it."
She looked pissed, but her ragged breaths screamed excitement. She was probably guessing—and recalling the cave.
That near-death hookup must've burned into her brain.
"You'll keep the promise?"
"I never promised!"
Words said, but no resistance. I closed in silently. Backed to the wall, she had nowhere to go. I cupped her face gently. Our lips met soft and warm. My tongue invaded; hers responded with hot breath, tangling fiercely. Saliva swapped in a sticky, messy kiss. Hers was passive at first, but knowing she liked it rough from the cave, I ravaged her mouth. She shuddered harder, breaths heaving. I slid a hand to her chest. The uniform made it feel even better than the cave. She pushed weakly; I kissed rougher. She started swallowing my saliva.
I recalled her recent Favorability jump. 50 meant romance viable; she was over 70. This skinship was fair game. Her "pushes" had zero force—proof.
High Favorability always this reactive?
Generally yes, though it varies by individual.
Pulling back, saliva strung long between us. Her half-lidded, dazed eyes made me want to pin her right there.
"Minji. That's my wish."
"You... you psycho! This is the training room—what the hell?!"
"Didn't like it?"
I growled low, staring down; she flinched. Into this?
"Lo... Loser like you—don't make that face!"
Weak to aggression. Note to self.
I wasn't serious. Just wanted to see her shake. Doing it here was insane—public school facility, high interruption risk. Too dangerous for fun.
"So you won't?"
"What if someone sees, you idiot!"
Thinking of others meant she didn't hate it?
"Then somewhere empty's fine?"
"That's not..."
One more kiss? As I leaned in, footsteps approached. The door clicked open; Minji shoved back frantically.
"One shield's down?"
The instructor who'd set the barriers entered. Public space, so this was common. Elite rooms had tight security; this didn't.
Fucking mood-killer.
I swallowed the urge to curse him out—would wreck school life.
"Shields are one-use. Fight without resetting? Use suppressors. Unleashing mana bare risks injury—you know that."
Minji fixed her uniform in the corner. Her heavy breaths passed as spar exertion. Instructor kept talking, oblivious.
"20 minutes left. Continuing?"
"We're done. Let's go, Minji."
"Uh... yeah."
Perfect. Spar with Minji till finals. Time to show those old bullies the new me.