Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Wanting It Even Outside the Dungeon
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All our activities had naturally left both Cha Yu-ri's and my clothes and bodies caked in dirt and dust. As if we'd wordlessly agreed on it, we headed together to the hotel just outside the dungeon.
In truth, since our lust had already been satisfied, we could've just gone our separate ways back home. But for me, I wanted to spend some more quality time with her while we were at it.
...And it didn't seem like that was just my wish alone.
"I'm not heading there thinking we'll do more. I'm tired today...."
"Really? I was thinking we could go again if you wanted, Cha Yu-ri."
"...Are you really a guy?"
"If you say no, then we'll stop for today. I prefer seeing that ecstatic expression you make when you cum over forcing my dick into you anyway."
"...I've never made that face."
We kept up this banter as we walked to the hotel, then smoothly checked into the Premier Room we'd reserved.
It was such quick work that I didn't even give her a chance to open her wallet and pull out her card.
"Th-this time, I was going to pay."
"I told you last time—guys should cover the hotel bill. Besides, the monster materials you hunted earlier more than cover the cost anyway."
"Th-that was just because I'm grateful.... I didn't mean for you to cover the hotel...."
"What's the big deal? It's not that important."
"It is to me... Hmph."
Her cute lips looked like they'd only spit out more pointless protests, so the moment the elevator doors closed, I crashed my lips into hers for a surprise kiss.
She'd grown completely accustomed to our saliva-swapping kisses by now, entrusting her lips to me wordlessly. Our brief makeout lasted until the elevator reached the 14th floor—long enough to summon a white heart marked "10" beside her face.
-Slurp.
"Hah... Haaa...."
"You really won't do more today?"
"I said no. Let's just talk in the hotel until we fall asleep, then part ways tomorrow morning. Like normal 'lovers.' Don't focus so much on sex...."
"Got it. Like normal 'lovers,' right?"
Well, that didn't sound half bad.
Of course, the real question was whether Cha Yu-ri would stick to that mindset until the end.
"So, like last time, want to wash each other? Like normal lovers?"
"Y-yeah.... Of course...."
We tossed our dirt-covered clothes into the laundry magic tool together, then entered the bathroom just like before, touching and washing each other's bodies.
"Just show me your back for a sec, Cha Yu-ri. Let me check out that heart-shaped mole on your ass."
"Sh-shut up. You're just gonna tease me."
"I just wanna see because it's cute."
"F-fine, whatever. How long are you gonna keep doing whatever you wa—?!"
-Splashhhh....
"Still not gonna show me?"
"Th-the shower is cheating...! Spraying water like that is cheating too—ahh...?!"
Our naked frolicking in the bathroom bumped her projected points up to 20.
"Oh, Cha Yu-ri. The hotel has one of these."
"An ear pick? So what?"
"Lie down on my thigh quick, Cha Yu-ri."
"...Huh?"
"You said you wanted to act like normal lovers. Boyfriends picking their girlfriends' ears is pretty standard, right?"
"Y-yeah.... Okay...."
After gently cleaning her ear as she rested her head on my thigh, I pushed her projected points to 30.
"...How long you gonna stare?"
"What? This is the good part."
"It's a porn flick...."
"We're already at the hotel—might as well get our money's worth. And you suggested watching something together."
"I-I didn't know it'd be this.... I thought it was a romance...."
"Really? I don't mind either way."
"...Then stop your hands."
"Which one? My left hand tugging and flicking your nipple? Or my right with two fingers stirring inside your pussy?"
"B-both, obviously...!!"
I laid her exhausted, strengthless body atop mine, deliberately playing a dirty movie while starting with light teasing caresses to heat her up.
By the time it all wrapped up, her projected points had filled to 40.
"Can I put it in now, Cha Yu-ri?"
"I-I knew it.... This was your goal...."
"Took you long enough. Young lovers booking a double bed? Of course it'd end like this."
"I said I'm tired, so no sex today!"
"Saying that while your pussy's drooling such thick, sticky fluid? Zero convincing power, Cha Yu-ri."
"It's only wet because you touched it...!"
"Time to be honest, Cha Yu-ri. You want it right now, don't you?"
"...N-no! From today, we're gonna be normal lovers...!"
-Schlick.
"Hngh?! I-it's in...?!"
"So if we're doing it like normal lovers, sex naturally comes next."
"Th-then let me—ahh!—let me be on top and mo—! Tu-turn around quick...!"
"Give it a shot if you can. Not sure if you've got the strength left to overpower me, though."
"Ugh...! Y-you just wait, seriously...!!"
Was there ever a threat this un-scary and just plain cute?
I ignored her insistence on riding me and thrust up and down, savoring the slick, sticky grip of her pussy.
-Schluppp!!
"H-haaaaaang!!"
She eventually gave up even her token resistance, meekly wrapping her legs around me from below. As I came, she hit a grand climax of her own, wrapping up our second round.
"You were gorgeous again today, Cha Yu-ri."
"Sh-shut up.... You beast...."
Finally, we overlapped our faces for one last deep French kiss before lying side by side on the huge bed, pulling the covers over us and drifting off together.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Awakening Points Acquired +50 (Base 40, Bonus 10) ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The hotel room was comfortably cool. The pleasant sunlight filtering through the curtains woke me refreshed for the morning.
I hadn't overslept—it was a perfectly normal time. But the moment I opened my eyes, I felt an odd emptiness under the covers. Cha Yu-ri was already sitting at the edge of the bed, waiting for me to wake. It hit home yet again that someone out there was even more of a morning person than me.
"Sleep well?"
"Up early again today, huh."
"Circulate your mana in sync with your sleep cycle, and you'll wake up feeling great exactly six hours later."
"Mind teaching me how?"
"Focus on that single thread of mana flowing through your body... Wait, you can use mana?"
"You saw me swing my sword last time. It's technically stamina energy, so a bit different, but the root source of power is similar."
"......"
She knew we'd hunted together briefly, so I figured she realized I had an awakening ability. Surprisingly, she still seemed to think of me as just a guy stronger than average.
"I thought you were just swinging it with raw strength."
"No way you could cut a Woodrello's roots or block attacks without an awakening ability."
"...True."
I could've kept quiet about being awakened since she hadn't pieced it together.
Of course, I'd already declared I'd become a stronger hunter than her last time, so I'd have to reveal it eventually anyway. No big deal.
Besides, I hadn't spilled everything—just mentioned my swordsmanship.
Male awakened hunters were rare, but in pure human terms, it shouldn't affect things much. At least not in a relationship like ours.
But revealing that I got stronger through sex with women? That'd hit way harder. It might even invalidate all the love and affection I'd whispered to her so far.
'I absolutely can't let that happen.'
It was true I was sleeping with her and two other women for awakening points. But every time, my feelings for that partner were genuine—no faked love or insincere affection.
In those moments of sex, I poured my all into loving her. Pure, unadulterated sincerity.
Of course, if they saw through me, I'd just look like a sleazy playboy who loved dick. Couldn't be helped. To grow stronger, I had to sacrifice my personal reputation.
Leveling up as a hunter and building loving bonds with multiple women—if I couldn't have both, I'd cling to both as long as possible. That was my top priority right now.
"...Hey, you listening?"
"...Yes?"
"Knew it, you weren't.... I was explaining so carefully...."
"...Sorry."
Right, I'd asked about mana circulation. I'd zoned out, which was rude to her.
"Gotta start over. Listen properly this time."
"Yes, Cha Yu-ri."
"Controlling the energy in your body starts with focusing on one point..."
After that, Cha Yu-ri explained everything concisely: circulating internal energy, gathering it in the body, output methods for stronger effects—all her knowledge on the topic.
"Thanks for teaching me, Cha Yu-ri. I think I get it a bit now."
"Really? Might not help much if you're not a mage. I don't know much about other awakenings...."
"Swordsmanship uses stamina energy for body enhancement and more. Feels like I'm a step closer to being a stronger hunter thanks to you."
"If so, glad...."
It might not help much right now, but steadily circulating energy would increase my total stamina and mana pool.
And raising mana affinity to master flame magic would improve synergy with wind mage Cha Yu-ri. Wind and fire had always been a great combo.
"......"
"Wh-what?"
"Huh?"
"You just stared.... Something to say?"
"Beauties are meant to be gazed at all day without tiring."
"...Eek."
The heart that had vanished after last night's lust relief reappeared beside her face, marked "10." She really was weak to compliments like that.
"N-no weird talk. Try it like I taught you."
"When gathering energy, focus like you're halting only the flow through your body's center..."
Following her instructions, I concentrated on my body's core, filtering and pooling the mana flowing through me like sifting through a sieve.
A ticklish sensation built as energy gathered at my center, swelling like a massive mana clump.
And the most obvious change in a man's body from that was...
"...Wh-what are you doing."
"......"
Vulgar as it was, it was an erection.
The body's center meant the lower abdomen, and blood flow subtly synced with circulating energy.
So blood rushing there causing this was obvious.
I threw off the covers, exposing my throbbing arousal. Her gaze sharpened on me, and I casually shared my low-key impressions without bothering to hide them.
"Looks like gathering mana in a guy's core does this."
"......"
"Feels weirdly harder than usual too. ...Hey, Cha Yu-ri?"
"...Yeah, what?"
"Seeing my dick make you wanna do it?"
"...Th-think I'm some sex maniac like you?"
Yet her projected points had jumped to 20 just from spotting my erection.
Crude estimate or not, accurately reading emotions was an absurd ability, even by my standards. Shame most were sex-related.
"Who knows? A mana-enhanced dick inside might feel even better."
"...N-no. Gotta head to work today. Don't wanna inconvenience the party."
"Too bad, but can't be helped."
No matter how great sex and points were, I couldn't mess with her livelihood. Plenty of other chances.
Regretfully, I dispersed the pooled energy through my body, and my erection slowly shrank back.
"......"
She looked even more disappointed than me.
Ask her the same in this situation next time, and maybe she'd say yes.
"Hurry and wash up. We'll eat breakfast together, then head out."
"Like 'lovers'?"
"......Yeah."
Thinking of Cha Yu-ri who'd washed first, I thoroughly cleaned myself with hot water.
Just as she headed to the guild, I needed to freshen up and head back to the association.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Today was fun too."
Before parting at that familiar fork after leaving the hotel, Cha Yu-ri smiled and said.
"...Not great with emotions, but being with you fills me up somehow. Honestly, magic was my only interest before you. Feels a bit different now."
"Glad to hear it. More reasons to live the better."
Another reason to live beyond magic for Cha Yu-ri. In other words, she wouldn't throw her life away in despair if she lost her magic again.
Knowing I positively influenced her was comforting. She was the first person I'd definitively saved from a monster—practically part of my dream.
"Just in case..."
"If my magic fails like last time, I'll call you first—no weird stuff."
"...Good, you get it."
"Even if not, I'll probably call anyway...."
"Hoping you do."
"Yeah...."
Looking up at me, her gaze lingered on one spot on my face like she wanted something. Reading her mind, I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers.
It was a light peck—more like a lovers' lip touch than a deep mid-act kiss.
"...How do you always know first and act first? Others can't read my mind."
"What can I do? I can see what you want."
"...No other abilities besides swordsmanship, right?"
"...Huh?"
"Like mind-reading or something...."
...That spooked me for a sec.
"As if."
"G-good."
"What?"
"If you were a real mind-reader, I couldn't face you ever again."
"What if I'm lying because I predicted that reaction?"
"......"
"Kidding. Double awakenings aren't possible for guys."
"K-keep teasing and... I-I'll really kill you...."
She froze, blushed, then weakly punched me with her threat.
With a pink heart marked "30" by her face, it was zero threat—just adorable.
"A-anyway, gotta go. Lingering more'll make me late."
"See you next time, Cha Yu-ri."
"Yeah, se—se...."
"......"
"...Seong-cheol."
Why so shy just calling my name? Then I realized—it was the first time from her lips.
...Too bad it was a fake one, not my real name.
-Patter patter!
I watched her dash off with the changing crosswalk light, a fond smile on my face. Her final words had warmed my cheeks too.