The Leash and the Spar
"A dog collar, huh? You really do have some nasty hobbies."
"I like it. It makes me feel like I'm your owner."
"It's not just a feeling..."
Reluctant as I was to admit it, as long as I was trapped here, I was her pet. With no way to escape, the only thing I could do was memorize the layout of this place. If I got even one last chance, I'd run. A real man from the Daehan Geon-ah ought to at least try to escape, even if it ends in failure.
While I was making that resolution and looking around, I noticed something strange.
'What the hell are those...'
"It's been a while since you've been outside. This way of life must be unfamiliar to you."
"Haha... It's a different culture, so I'll just try to understand."
No matter how much they called it Chinatown, this was still Japan. Why had they recreated a perfect Chinese street here? It wasn't just Chinatown—it felt like they'd transplanted an entire miniature China. The lifestyle, the buildings, everything.
And now I understood what Xiao Lian was trying to build. She wasn't just trying to control the area—she wanted to turn this place into her homeland. The same kind of cultural conquest that nation was infamous for. Witnessing that level of madness for the first time was honestly a little terrifying.
"Are they all Chinese?"
"Some are mixed-blood, but most are illegal immigrants. Want to talk to them?"
"No thanks. Their eyes are disgusting."
Whenever I walked down the street, the way the men stared at me was revolting. If they were at least pretty I could tolerate it, but there weren't many pretty ones. The ugly stares from those distinctively unattractive women made me worry they'd show up in my nightmares.
I didn't get much useful information from the walk with Xiao Lian, but it wasn't unpleasant either. The sunlight I hadn't seen in so long felt warm enough to fill my body with energy. If I ever got out of here, I'd like to go on a picnic with Yui.
"What are you thinking about so hard?"
"A woman."
"How insolent, concubine. It seems you still require more training."
"Would you believe me if I said it was you?"
"Then... I'll forgive you if you do it twice tonight."
So she'd been looking for an excuse to say that from the start. It pissed me off a little, but strangely enough, I started missing home even more. I miss you, Shinoda Yui. I wanted to bathe together again, and that time we played around with body gel at the soapland had been fun too. The ordinary days I'd spent with her had been so enjoyable and new that thinking about them hurt.
"Hey~ You two lovebirds over there~ If you're that happy, how about sharing some charity with me too?"
"That stench..."
A homeless person—or rather, a vagrant—approached me, the kind you could find anywhere. The smell hit me like it was drilling into my nose; his hair was wild and his skin was dark. 'Drug addict.'
The way he staggered toward us, his pupils unfocused and his gaze unfocused, confirmed it. He moved exactly like the junkies I'd run into all the time as a yakuza. That bitch was definitely on drugs.
"Did you just ask this queen for money?"
"C-come on, you look like you've got plenty. Can't you spare a little for a poor soul...? Think of it as helping the unfortunate, yeah?"
-Tap.
A filthy hand landed on Xiao Lian's shoulder.
"Disgusting."
"H-hey, if you just share a little..."
Watching this was getting on my nerves, so I moved first. I raised my leg, aiming straight for the vagrant's face, lifting it as high as I could before snapping it forward like a released spring. My leg, powered by elastic force, smashed into his face and sent the bum flying. The situation was over.
"Hmph. You didn't want to see me get dirty?"
"It was making me feel dirty just watching. Why were you just standing there anyway?"
With her strength, she could have knocked the guy out with a single spit.
"Watching was also entertaining. And since my concubine moved for me, it improved my mood as well. My eye for strong men was correct, as expected."
"That 'strong man' nonsense again... Even if a child is born from my genes, there's no guarantee it'll be strong, you know?"
"Why wouldn't it be? Don't you know that ability users who have children together have a high chance of producing ability users?"
Damn it, this woman even knew I was an ability user. It shouldn't have been easy to detect since I didn't have any flashy powers. How did she find out? It was a little scary, but since she wasn't torturing me, I decided to keep my mouth shut.
"I'm in a good mood, so let's head to the training ground."
"You planning to spar with me?"
"Hmph. Against an overwhelming difference in skill, it's not sparring—it's me humoring you."
Fucking bitch. Even if there was a skill gap, she didn't have to be so condescending. I'd been caught off guard last time, but in a proper one-on-one, I was confident I could at least land one hit on her face. In a fight, there's always an opening if you look for it.
"Fine, let's go. Don't complain if your face gets hurt."
"How amusing. Watching my stallion grow stronger will be another form of entertainment."
We arrived at the place she called the training ground, which was really just a flat, empty concrete floor inside a building.
'It's cooler than I expected.'
Given the location, the sensation under my feet felt different. It was like the floor was laced with blades—if I fell, I'd get seriously injured. I forced myself to stretch, circulating my blood. Even though we hadn't started yet, I wanted to be ready to charge in first. When the skill difference was this obvious, I had to fight dirty if necessary.
She was still stretching, her bare legs visible beneath the qipao, when I sprinted at her from behind. The timing was good and my body felt decent. I'd been drained from all the recent "releases," but my muscles hadn't wasted away. And just when I thought I'd grabbed her from behind—
"Should I call you clever... or just sneaky? How very typical of a small country."
-Boom!
Xiao Lian casually blocked the strike aimed at her head. Then she grabbed my leg in reverse and slammed me into the floor.
"Oho... Your reflexes are better than I thought. Or is it those eyes of yours that are impressive?"
"Both, actually?"
-Thud. Thud!
I kicked her hand away and escaped, checking my ankle. Even though she could have broken it, she'd apparently held back for the sake of "sparring." I loosened my slightly sore ankle, gripped the wooden sword with both hands, and poured strength into my arms. If I wanted any chance, I'd have to overwhelm her with swordsmanship rather than strikes.
"This time, I go first."
-Fwoooosh!
Right ear. I hadn't seen the full punch, but after fighting her twice, I'd learned her habits. She always opened with an attack aimed at the right eye and ear. Without using my ability, I dodged it cleanly and looked for the fastest way to counterattack. I brought my fingertips to her striking zone and twisted my hips and waist in a rapid rotation. Zero-inch punch. The fastest, deepest way humans could deliver impact.
"Kugh... You've gotten stronger."
"I haven't gotten stronger. You're just too predictable."
I hadn't actually gotten stronger. My stats were the same, and I hadn't gained any new techniques or traits. All I had was the courage to execute whatever movements popped into my head. While Xiao Lian was still adjusting to being struck, I tried to smash the hilt of my sword into her philtrum. Then I felt a faint heat and turned my gaze.
A black flame-like energy rippled in her hand before shooting straight toward my solar plexus.
"Kuaaaagh!!!"
"Remember this, my beloved concubine. This queen's true strength lies in martial arts and Qi control."
Only now did I understand the ability she'd been hiding. The power to control Qi, something every living being possessed. That bizarre attack I'd seen before had come from this ability. The strike that dug into my insides was enough to drain all the strength from my body.
'Fucking unfair... Some people just have to focus their eyes and see everything in slow motion.'
Honestly, my own ability, Mind's Eye, wasn't bad either. The problem was that using it required a lot of physical stamina.
"I have no hobby of beating my husband, so we'll end it here for today. Hehe, you can look forward to tonight."
"This is domestic violence... Kugh."
"In our great nation, it's legal as long as no bones are broken."
I didn't understand the logic, but once the pain subsided a little, I slowly got up. It still hurt, but it was the kind of injury that would heal with rest. I was reminded once again that sparring with this woman was dangerous.
"My back hurts."
"I'll have to give you a massage tonight."
"...Is 'not doing it' an option?"
"No. You must get pregnant."
Crazy bitch. Just as I was about to head back with that thought, a woman in a suit came running toward us in a panic.
"Big Sis!!! Some crazy bitch suddenly showed up in our territory...!"
"Haa, as expected, there's never a quiet day. I'll leave my concubine somewhere safe, so endure for a little while."
She tossed me into the bedroom and said,
"I'll be back soon, so keep the blankets warm. I'll be a little rough tonight, so you'd better prepare yourself mentally."
"I don't have to warm them naked, right?"
"Of course not."
Creak. Thud!
I stared blankly at the closed door before lying down on the bed.
'Yui... maybe?'
With a small hope in my heart, I closed my eyes. I hoped the person who'd come to save me was Yui.
-Creak.
"Let's go home, Oppa."