The Predator Targeting Predators, Haruna
Crack, crack.
"I expect you to give this everything you've got," Haruna said flatly as she warmed up. Her arms looked slender, but the power coiled within them was undeniable.
Shaking off my tension, I stretched my own limbs, stepped up to face her, and offered a polite bow.
"I'm far from perfect, but I look forward to learning from you."
"...You have quite a few scars."
Haruna's eyes swept over my body, evaluating me. Sierra, Tsuruka, and Eruka had all pointed it out before. My body was indeed covered in scars—remnants of my naive, clueless days when I had first dropped into this world.
"They're just proof of my past foolishness. But those scars taught me lessons that helped me grow."
"I, too, learned many lessons from this one."
Slide.
She traced the scar running across her eye. It was a diagonal slash over her right eye, but miraculously, the eye itself was undamaged. The wound had only grazed her skin.
"But enough idle chatter. I'm sure you don't care to hear an old woman's stories."
She casually referred to herself as an old woman. Looking at her, she could easily pass for Tsuruka and Eruka's eldest sister, but I refrained from offering cheap flattery. If I flattered her now and got my ass kicked anyway, I'd just look pathetic.
Thud.
Haruna widened her stance. The precise distance between her feet and the solid extension of her fist were the epitome of martial simplicity. If you can't avoid it, you might as well enjoy it. I raised my fists, locked eyes with her, and gritted my teeth.
"......"
Maintaining her silence, Haruna slowly closed the distance. A sharp crack echoed from her tightly clenched fist. I purposely let my left arm hang loose, feigning a lazy jab to bait her.
"Hup!"
Spotting the opening, Haruna lunged with a straight punch. The moment I saw it coming, I raised my guard and threw a right counter, but a sickening crunch echoed as my balance shattered.
Crack!
My guarded arms and upper body were violently forced aside. The sheer weight of Haruna's punch crushed my guard, and the residual force slammed into my body, throwing me hard against the dirt.
Scrape!
Dragging myself up from the dirt, I ground my teeth and charged again. A simple straight punch had completely shattered my guard—it was absurd, but letting myself get beaten without fighting back would make my blood boil.
"You're already losing your composure," she remarked flatly.
Keeping her guard down, Haruna evaded my punches with effortless, rhythmic footwork. My full-power swings cleaved only empty air, draining my stamina with every miss. She lightly caught my overextended right arm, swept my right ankle to break my balance, and released her grip to let me crash to the ground.
Crash!
The moment I hit the dirt, I swept my leg out, kicking up dust to strike her ankle. Haruna, not expecting me to counter immediately from the ground, took the hit. Her eyes flickered with surprise, but she instantly lifted her leg and stomped down hard.
"Haaah...!"
With no time to spare, I rolled frantically across the ground to dodge her foot, then sprang back up to take my stance. The scratches from the dirt and gravel stung, but the burning anger in my chest drove me forward. I wanted nothing more than to land a single clean hit on her.
"Your reflexes are good, but you lack calm."
That's what you think. Feigning another reckless, full-power punch, I caught her off guard as she stepped to dodge. I drove my knee straight toward her abdomen. But just as I thought I had landed a blow, a sharp pain shot through my knee. Haruna had blocked it with her own knee, then immediately stomped down on my foot to break my stance.
"Ugh...!"
It felt like I was catching her off guard, but her monstrous reaction speed allowed her to deflect everything. Her overwhelming skill was infuriating. She calls herself an old woman, but she fights like a goddamn demon. Fueled by rising anger, I focused on dodging her light, probing jabs, waiting for a real opening to counter.
"Yes, like that. Watching with your eyes and analyzing slowly—that is what's important."
"Are we fighting... or did you just come here to lecture me?"
I couldn't hold back my irritation at her calm, patronizing tone. Just fight already, stop nagging. Haruna's eyes widened in surprise, but a smirk quickly played on her lips.
"It is simply too boring otherwise. I have to do something to keep myself entertained, don't I?"
"Grrr...!"
How long had it been since someone toyed with me like this? I thought I had grown competent enough to survive on my own, but facing a true powerhouse after so long shattered my composure entirely.
"Damn... you...!"
Spitting out a curse, I waited for her right arm to extend, then pivoted my shoulder and slammed my entire body weight into her torso. Haruna crossed her arms to block the tackle, but I immediately drove my elbow upward in a sharp arc, aiming straight for her mocking mouth.
*Smack!*
"Oh...?"
With her arms occupied, she finally took a hit. Haruna rubbed her jaw, which barely showed a mark, and licked her lips with a smirk.
"So you do have some pride. A little teasing makes you fight much better than before."
"Cut the chatter and keep fighting."
"So hot-tempered..."
I spat a mouthful of bitter saliva onto the dirt. Casting aside any useless mind games, I lowered my arms, caught my breath, and glared at her. Seeing me recover, Haruna flashed an annoying smile and lunged forward.
Thud! Thud!
She matched her speed to mine, and we exchanged a flurry of blows. Her patronizing attitude infuriated me, but what angered me even more was the fact that I was still being pushed back despite her holding back.
We traded dozens of blows. With no room to counter, I barely managed to deflect her relentless punches. But eventually, my defense slipped. Her fists began to slip through, striking my body and leaving behind throbbing pain.
"Haaah...!"
"You must be punished for striking a lady's face."
Thwack!
The moment I threw a kick, she countered and stomped on my foot, pinning me in place. Instantly, her fist shot forward and cracked against my jaw. Fortunately, it was a straight hit, so I didn't lose consciousness, but the impact rattled my brain, forcing me to stagger backward.
"Pant, pant...!"
"That spiteful look in your eyes... I like it."
"Fuck...! There's a limit to how much you can toy with me!"
Completely snapping, I abandoned all form and charged at her. Haruna raised her guard, expecting a punch, but I slipped past her arms, wrapped my hands tightly around her throat, and used my momentum to tackle her to the ground.
"Kh...?!"
For the first time, she sounded startled. A surge of triumph rushed through me. Pinning her to the dirt, I squeezed her neck with all my might and raised my fist. As I thought, dirty street fighting suited me much better than proper martial arts. Haruna gasped for air, her fists repeatedly slamming into my ribs from below.
Thud! Thud!
The impacts echoed through the training ground, sounding like someone beating a heavy punching bag. Even as my ribs screamed in agony under her brutal blows, I refused to let go.
Grit!
"You piece of...!"
Swallowing my curses, I poured every ounce of strength into my grip. Even if I got knocked out, I wanted to leave a mark on this arrogant woman. Thwack! With bloodshot eyes, Haruna gritted her teeth and delivered a devastating blow to my side. My vision instantly went black.
***
"Haa... Haa..."
Haruna caught her breath, feeling the rough dirt and gravel pressing against her back. She stared up at Casanova, who had collapsed on top of her with his face buried in her chest. Trying to calm her racing heart, she fought down the urge to smile.
"Cough...! Cough!"
He had actually tried to choke her to death out of pure, unadulterated spite. Feeling the lingering trace of his desperate struggle on her chest, a shiver of excitement ran down her spine. It had been so long since she had encountered a true male. Suppressing a throb of arousal—or perhaps pain—she slowly pushed Casanova off her and laid him on the ground.
"Mother...! Casano...!"
Pitter-patter!
Eruka, who had been watching from afar, ran over with a mix of excitement and worry. Even to her, a lover of battle, the fight had been incredibly intense. For a clear underdog like Casano to push her mother this far... Of course, Haruna had held back immensely, but no opponent had ever fought back with such raw, desperate ferocity.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. Let's get Casano back to the house first."
"Yes..."
Eruka looked down at Casano with soft, worried eyes, gently stroking his face and lips. Seeing her daughter look so completely in love, Haruna let out a soft chuckle before asking with genuine concern:
"Do you love him that much?"
Though she had seen them embracing earlier, she hadn't expected Casano to possess such a wild, ferocious side. As a mother who had left her daughters behind to follow a prophecy, she felt she had no right to pry, but she couldn't help but worry.
"Yes. He treasures both me and Sister deeply," Eruka replied maturely, sensing her mother's concern. She gently brushed a stray lock of hair from Casano's forehead, her eyes filled with devotion. Realizing her worries were unfounded, Haruna pushed herself up and looked down at the unconscious man.
The outsider from the prophecy. He possessed a fierce, wild temperament and an overwhelming masculine presence. Even the steadfast Haruna had felt her composure waver for a split second from his scent.
Haruna stroked the red handprints bruising her neck and licked her lips. It had been so long since she had felt such sensations. Her life had been a dull cycle of dominating and crushing others, but now, she felt as if she had finally met an equal. A thrill of anticipation ran through her, making her womb throb. How far can I train this man? Shivering at the sensation, she turned to leave.
Eruka hoisted Casano onto her back and followed her revered mother. As the mother and daughter walked away, each lost in her own thoughts, a quiet breeze swept through the empty training ground before fading away.
***
Lick, lick.
A wet, warm sensation on my face pulled me back to consciousness.
"Ah...!"
Tsuruka was hovering over me, licking my cheek with worried eyes before burying her face against mine. As I patted her back, I felt another strange sensation on my other cheek.
[Slurp...]
"Undine."
Hearing her name, Undine glared at me with half-closed eyes before bursting into tears and throwing herself onto my chest. I wrapped my arms around both of them, gently patting them to soothe their worries.
"Were you worried?"
[I thought you died...!]
"It seems you took quite a beating from Mother, Seobang-nim."
[I heard you got scolded by that scary lady from earlier... Sniff, why did you do that...?]
I patted Undine's soft, jelly-like bottom. Seeing this, Tsuruka nudged her own hips closer, her tail wagging as if asking for the same treatment. Smiling, I patted both of their bottoms.
"We were just sparring. It's no big deal."
[But they said you couldn't do anything and just got beat up...! Should I go punish her for you?]
Who could have told her that? I looked around the room, but Eruka was nowhere to be found. Sensing my confusion, Tsuruka giggled and covered her mouth.
"Eruka is currently sparring with Mother after bringing you back, Seobang-nim."
[They were fighting so fiercely—it was scary!]
I buried my face in Undine's cool, jelly-like head. The coldness helped soothe the throbbing pain in my face and calmed my mind.
"I wanted to wait until you felt better, but would it be alright if I told you something now, Seobang-nim?" Tsuruka asked, her expression turning serious. I swallowed hard and nodded slowly.
"Mother said she will be staying in the village for a while. She wants to train both you and Eruka during her stay..."
Fuck. I swallowed the curse rising in my throat and forced a smile, trying to hide my annoyance.
"Really? Well, fighting her did feel like it would help me grow stronger... That's great."
It wasn't entirely a lie. Even that brief clash had sharpened my reflexes and judgment. I hated being lectured, and her constant nagging during the fight had infuriated me, but there was no denying the benefits.
"I am glad to hear that... She will likely discuss it during dinner, but I believe there is something else as well..."
[Oh, right! A bunch of beastkin I've never seen before are coming to the village!]
"Yes, she will probably bring that up during dinner as well."
With a lot on my mind, I rolled over on the bed, pulling Tsuruka down with me. Her martial robes parted, exposing her smooth, flat stomach. I pressed my face against her belly and blew a loud raspberry.
Pfffft!
[Ah! That's an embarrassing sound!]
"Seobang-nim...!"
Tsuruka blushed furiously, glaring playfully at Undine. Wanting to tease Undine as well, I pulled her down beside Tsuruka and blew a raspberry on her belly too.
[Kyahahaha! That tickles!]
One of the best things about contracting with Undine was that she could now experience physical sensations. Watching her react with pure, unadulterated joy—like vibrant colors spreading across a blank canvas—made me want to grant her every desire.
As our playful laughter died down into a comfortable silence, Undine spoke up, her voice filled with sudden shyness.
[The wish coupon Casano promised me... I want to use it today...]
Ah, the promise I had made to soothe her when I asked for her help with Sierra's backdoor. I nodded readily, fully intending to keep my word.
"Sure, go ahead. Is there something you want, or something you want to do?"
[Um...]
Blushing deeply, Undine glanced at Tsuruka before whispering in a tiny voice:
[Tonight... I want us to all have sex together...]
Tsuruka gasped and covered her mouth in shock, while Undine buried her blushing face in my chest. I fought to keep my lips from twitching into a massive grin and looked at Tsuruka. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't force them if they were uncomfortable.
"I-I do not mind."
Perhaps remembering the night before we left, when she and Eruka had been thoroughly claimed together, Tsuruka's face turned bright red as she hung her head. Seeing my two lovely girls so beautifully flustered, a wave of excitement washed over me. I pulled them both close and rolled around on the bed.
"We should definitely try new things. If that's what Undine wants, then we'll do it."
[What's this? Why are you so happy, Casano?]
I had tried to play the role of a generous, accommodating master, but my excitement must have slipped through. Undine glared at me with playful, half-closed eyes.
"I'm just happy to see you after so long, Undine."
[Really? Hehe!]
She smiled innocently and rubbed her face against my chest. Tsuruka snuggled closer as well, rubbing her cheek against mine as I wrapped my arm around her waist. I closed my eyes in bliss. Even after a brutal day of getting beaten to a pulp by Haruna, the prospect of a passionate four-way session with my beautiful females made it all more than worth it.