A Predator Targeting a Predator
"I told you, that's not it! Tighten your core, gather it, and compress it as if you're kneading a ball!"
I gritted my teeth, looking at Minerva. Despite the fact that I was dripping with sweat and straining my abdomen exactly as she had instructed, she was standing comfortably in the shade, leaning on her staff and shouting at the top of her lungs.
"I did it! I'm doing exactly what you told me...!"
"What you're doing is just tensing up and sucking in your belly! You need to apply pressure, knead the mana as if squeezing it into a tight clump, and slowly compress it!"
[Casano! Not like that, like this! Try it like this!]
Undine chattered beside me, condensing water droplets in midair. She looked up at me with a bright, "Didn't I do well?" smile. I couldn't bring myself to say anything harsh to her, but my frustration remained all the same.
"I'll figure it out on my own...! Go and rest for a bit...!"
[Hmph... Fine...]
Visibly dejected, Undine pouted and flew over to Minerva's side. Minerva patted the head of the whining spirit, who was whimpering, "Master—" before turning her glaring, triangular eyes back to me, dragging out her words as she scolded me.
"Don't take your frustration out on the child! Do you really think you can defeat Haruna like that?"
Haruna. Yes, the only reason I was putting up with this absolute hell was to win the duel against Haruna, avenge the twin sisters, and taste her voluptuous body for myself. Recalling Haruna's weapon-class, ferocious breasts, I gritted my teeth and tightened my core.
"Not there...! Take a break!"
Because of Haruna's breasts, my energy had gathered in a completely different place. At Minerva's urgent call to stop, I finally relaxed my posture and caught my breath. Flustered, a light blush dusting her cheeks, Minerva gestured for me to come over to the shade.
"Fuuu..."
Trying to focus while enduring the blazing sun beating down on me—it was easier said than done. Gathering mana under the scorching heat of the suffocating jungle was a truly brutal training regimen.
"Drink this."
Minerva handed me a sloshing water bottle. The moment my hand wrapped around it, a thrilling, icy chill seeped into my palm. I quickly brought it to my lips and emptied the entire bottle in a single, desperate gulp. Groaning at the sticky, uncomfortable sensation of my underwear being completely soaked through with sweat, I slumped against a tree. Minerva looked down at me with a pitiful expression.
"And here I thought you were talented. I'm disappointed. This is the absolute basic of basics when it comes to mana manipulation."
"I told you, I can make it flow through my body."
"The principle of Sword Qi is controlling that flowing mana and coating your blade with it. Can mere flowing sand cut through a stone wall?"
So Haruna was the stone wall, and I was the flowing sand. Irritation flared within me, but knowing that Minerva's nagging was purely for my own benefit, I swallowed my annoyance and quietly reflected on her advice.
"Let's call it a day. You said you have to train with Haruna when you get back, right?"
"Isn't there some kind of elixir that would let me coat my sword with Qi in the blink of an eye?"
"The Imperial Treasury is filled with such treasures. Would you like to pay it a visit?"
"Huuu..."
I gathered the mana circulating through my body, guiding it with my will. Following Minerva's advice, I attempted to slowly condense the mana pooled in my abdomen. As I braced my core and tried to bind it, I could feel the flowing mana squirming and beginning to take the shape of a sphere.
Flinch.
The mana was tangled in a clumsy, spherical shape. But the moment I tried to focus and apply pressure to compress it, my concentration wavered, and the bound mana unraveled strand by strand. It was like solving one side of a Rubik's cube, only for it to completely scramble the moment I tried to align the next. It was a helpless situation.
"Still, doing that much in a single day is more than enough."
Unable to watch me struggle any longer as I sweated and strained even in the cool shade, Minerva stopped me. And here you were calling it the basic of basics just a second ago... I glared at her. In response, Minerva narrowed her eyes into sharp slits and looked down at me, scolding me once more.
"What is with that look? Glaring at your master like that is highly disrespectful~"
"It's nothing."
"Once you compress the mana, the next step is practicing shaping it into whatever form you desire. After that, it's about reducing the time it takes. There's no need to be so impatient."
"So, did I actually do well for my level?"
"Considering how recently you awakened your mana, your progress is nothing short of miraculous."
The witch's reassurance put a spring in my step. Back when I was rolling around in the mercenary bands, I was mocked as nothing but a walking meat shield. To think I actually had a hidden talent... Suppressing the grin tugging at my lips, I cooled my head. Minerva then whispered softly.
"But you still need to work harder... Specimens like you, Casano, are exceedingly rare."
"Specimens?"
"Ah, no, it's nothing... It's hot, isn't it? I have some plans this afternoon, so head back to the village with Dine."
She was clearly changing the subject, but I didn't press her. I simply nodded and saw her off. I didn't know what she was plotting, but since she had been doing her absolute best to help me ever since I mentioned wanting to defeat Haruna, it felt wrong to doubt her so easily.
[Master seems really busy—as expected of my master!]
It was a rather bizarre leap of logic, but I nodded along with Undine's praise and joined in.
"Indeed. She really is an amazing person."
[She also loves being called pretty...!]
Looking around warily, Undine leaned in and whispered softly in my ear. Come to think of it, she was the Witch of Observation. Was she watching us in secret? Taking Undine's hint, I spoke up in a loud voice.
"She's truly beautiful, and her heart is just as lovely. She really is wonderful."
[Yeah! I'm so happy to have such a beautiful master!]
After playing along with Undine's awkward little skit, I closed my eyes, enjoying the cool breeze that swept through the trees. Since there was still plenty of time before my scheduled meeting with Haruna, I wanted to savor this moment of peace.
[Casano—aren't we going back to the village?]
"Let's rest for just a bit. It only takes Lady Minerva ten minutes to get back and forth, and we still have an hour left before my appointment. You should rest here too, Undine."
[Huh...?]
Undine's eyes went wide at my words. She stared into my eyes, quietly twiddling her fingers as if counting something, before offering an awkward smile.
[I'm... slower than Master, so it might take me a bit longer...]
"Come on, where would we find a spirit faster than you? Come here."
I gently pulled the self-deprecating, dejected Undine into my arms and patted her back. Nestling quietly against my chest, Undine placed her hands on my shoulders with a shy smile.
[Is that so...? Then should we rest for just a bit?]
"Yeah, let's take a short nap together."
Savoring Undine's cool body temperature, I closed my eyes and buried my face in her soft, gelatinous form. Giggling happily, Undine snuggled deeper into my chest, wrapping her arms around me in return.
We ended up falling into a deep sleep and only woke up two hours later. We rushed back to the village in a panic, only to be greeted by Haruna, who wore a terrifying smile as she asked if we were seriously late on our very first day. After getting beaten to a pulp in a "sparring session" disguised as training, I crawled on the ground, filled with deep regret.
"Not like that! Extend your arm straighter!"
After the violence disguised as sparring finally ended, Haruna dismissed her subordinates, who had already finished their training, and offered to instruct me one-on-one. The guy who was supposed to be the next chief kept glaring at me as if he wanted to murder me, but his swollen face made his death stares completely non-threatening, so I simply ignored him.
"You have more than enough raw power, but your ability to absorb instructions is lacking."
Left entirely alone in the vast Training Ground, our basic training had begun with Haruna's nagging and was still proceeding with more of the same. Annoyed by Haruna repeating the exact same criticisms as Minerva, I broke my stance and snapped back with a sharp retort.
"I was born this way, what do you want me to do? I'm frustrated too..."
As if my blunt words had pierced her like a sudden thorn, Haruna's eyes widened in slight surprise. She stared at me for a moment before quietly parting her lips.
"I apologize if I sounded like I was blaming you. Your potential is immense, and my eagerness to see you succeed must have made me speak too aggressively without realizing it."
Seeing Haruna readily admit her mistake and offer a polite apology, I suddenly felt ashamed of my childish outburst. I lowered my head and apologized in turn.
"No, I'm sorry. You're the one helping me, yet I let my emotions get the better of me and acted like a child."
"Do not worry about it. Let us practice just a few more movements and call it a day. I do not know what Minerva is teaching you, but it seems today has been quite exhausting for you."
Soothed by my apology, Haruna stepped closer. Pressing her body against mine, she grabbed my arms and legs to manually adjust my posture. Because of the sweltering heat, her white martial arts uniform was soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to her skin and revealing the deep valley of her cleavage and the firm, sculpted lines of her back.
"Huuu..."
I tried my best to ignore the sensation of her sweat-drenched clothes pressing against me. Just as I was about to ask if this was the correct way to extend my arm, I noticed Haruna leaning her nose close to my neck. Her eyes were closed, and her nostrils flared slightly as she sniffed. Her cute, twitching nose and a rapidly spreading blush began to paint her face crimson.
"Lady Haruna?"
At my call, Haruna, who had been inhaling my scent with closed eyes, slowly fluttered them open to look at me. A heavy silence descended over the training ground, and in that instant, Haruna's voluptuous body pressed firmly against mine. The sticky sweat and her supple, elastic flesh melded together, evoking an incredibly lewd sensation.
"You need to extend your arm a bit further here."
Squish.
Her heavy, bouncing breasts pressed firmly against my shoulder. The soft yet firm sensation against my back and shoulder completely shattered my focus, but I still managed to thrust my arm forward as she directed. Tracing her slender fingers along my wrist to correct my form, Haruna slowly pulled away.
Schlick.
The sticky sound of our sweat-slicked skin peeling apart echoed softly in the quiet air. The sound instantly reminded me of the wet squelching of hips and thighs slapping together during sex. Unable to keep my cock from swelling into a rock-hard erection, I shifted into an awkward, half-bent stance, doing my absolute best to hide my raging hard-on.
"It is quite hot today... Perhaps we should head back..."
Ever since she had leaned in to sniff me, Haruna had been staring at me with a dazed expression, her voice trailing off in a soft, breathy tone. Her current state was strikingly similar to how the twin sisters looked whenever they caught a whiff of my sweaty underwear or body odor.
Unwilling to let this golden opportunity slip away, I stopped Haruna from leaving. I deliberately struck several different stances, begging her to check my form.
"If you insist... then let us do just a bit more before we go."
With trembling eyes fixed on my body, Haruna slowly pressed herself against my back. Embracing me from behind, she began to touch me with blatant intimacy—grabbing my thighs to guide my movements, pulling my arms into her chest, and adjusting my posture while pressing her entire front against me.
"Haa... Haa..."
Her dilated pupils, her tongue lolling out slightly like a dog suffering from heatstroke, her twitching ears, and her wildly wagging tail all made it painfully obvious that Haruna was far from normal right now. Watching her lose her mind to the sweltering heat and the thick, masculine musk radiating from my body, a smirk played on my lips.
Her rutting body was slowly heating up. Feeling the sweat drenching her back and hips, along with the sticky arousal leaking from her cleft, Haruna barely managed to cling to her sanity.
I shouldn't be doing this...
Looking at Casano, who seemed to have completely forgotten the mischievous question he had asked her yesterday and was solely focused on learning, Haruna vowed not to waver as she pressed her body against his.
He's so firm...
Dizzied by the thick, primal scent of a male wafting from him, Haruna tried to pull her nose away. She grabbed Casano's arm to correct his stance, but the rock-hard muscles pressing against her breasts and the overwhelming male pheromones were more than enough to shatter her fragile resolve.
"Lady Haruna?"
At the sound of Casano's deep voice calling her name, Haruna snapped back to reality. Her light gray trousers were already soaked through with sweat and vaginal juices, turning a dark, heavy gray. Terrified that he might see her pathetic state, she quickly covered her crotch with her hands and stammered.
"W-What is it?"
Casano closely observed Haruna as she flinched and hesitated to answer. Her body was drenched in sweat, and she was practically radiating the scent of a female in heat. Realizing she was already in a thoroughly depraved state, perfectly primed to take his cock, Casano stopped hiding his erection and stepped closer.
"I was thinking it's about time we head back."
Haruna's eyes locked onto the massive bulge straining against Casano's trousers, looking as if it were about to burst through the fabric. It's not even made of rubber, yet how can his cotton pants stretch like that? Just how thick and hard is his cock? Unable to stop the lewd fantasies from consuming her mind, Haruna simply stared at his crotch with her mouth slightly agape.
The cold, rational Haruna who had greeted him on his first day in the village was nowhere to be found. Having voyeuristically watched his passionate trysts with her daughters, her dormant female instincts had fully awakened. Though she herself had yet to realize it, from the moment she inhaled Casano's potent scent, she had already accepted him as the dominant male who would ravage her.
"Let's head back. I heard Tsuruka and Eruka will both be late today."
"Yes, let's..."
Seeing Haruna frantically looking down at her own body with trembling eyes, Casano suppressed a smirk, his lips twitching. Having thoroughly learned the instincts of the Beastkin through Tsuruka and Eruka, he had a strong premonition that with just a little more push, Haruna would crumble.
"I-It is so hot. I must go back and wash up immediately."
Finally realizing the state of her attire, Haruna hastily covered herself with her hands and took a step back. Her soaked white shirt clung to her, clearly outlining her sports bra underneath, and her light gray trousers had darkened so much they no longer retained any of their original color.
"If you don't mind, could I wash up first? I've been sweating since this morning."
Casano deliberately grabbed the collar of his shirt, fanning it to cool himself down. With that simple gesture, his sweat and potent male musk wafted through the air. While it was a calculated bait thrown at Haruna, it wasn't entirely a lie—his underwear had been soaked since his morning training with Minerva, leaving his entire body feeling sticky and uncomfortable.
"Do as you wish. T-Then, I shall head back first."
Patter, patter.
Without even looking back, Haruna bolted. Casano admired her swaying hips as he watched her retreat. Her figure, soaked all the way up to her waist, was fully on display. Her trousers, drenched to the point where it was hard to believe it was just sweat, clung tightly to the cleft of her buttocks, her thighs, and the insides of her calves, creating a perfectly symmetrical, wet outline.
"She's definitely conscious of me..."
Despite his approach and touches being entirely calculated, Haruna's body had reacted with pure, instinctual lust. There was no telling exactly how worked up she was, but judging by how quickly Tsuruka and Eruka had fallen, it wouldn't take long to conquer her. Enjoying the breeze that cooled his sweat, Casano slowly made his way back home.