Shortly after the island exam, something changed in Gendai. A newfound curiosity—or was it desire?—began to take root, and at the center of it stood one person.
Kazimir.
She didn't quite know when it began. Maybe it was the way he fought, or how distant his eyes looked even when surrounded by friends. But most of all, it was his raw, untamed power. It drew her like a moth to a flame. A flame she wanted to claim.
And so, she began.
Their first "session" had been cloaked under innocent pretenses—just two classmates sharing time under the guise of power alignment training. But after each session, Gendai would ask casually, with a tilt of her head and a hint of something darker in her voice, "Would you be my partner in these sessions?"
Kazimir, without overthinking it—as usual—nodded. "Sure."
She turned with a small, satisfied grin. Step one… complete.
Later that same day, he was preparing for a solo dungeon run when she approached him again.
"I want to come with you," she said plainly. "I won't hold you back."
He looked at her, his sharp eyes calm as ever. "Alright. Let's go."
—
The dungeon was dark and pulsing with parasite energy, but that didn't stop Gendai from treating it like a stage.
"Hey," she said, nudging him lightly. "Take off the blindfold. I want you to actually see what I can do."
He blinked, then shrugged and pulled the cloth down. "Alright. Impress me."
Her smirk widened. With a fluid motion, she reached into her chest—literally—and drew out her spear, a glimmering weapon forged of dark essence. She looked back over her shoulder with a wink.
"Enjoy the show."
What followed was nothing short of mesmerizing.
She spun her spear with expert precision, flipping through the air with agile, acrobatic grace, slicing through the parasites in a flurry of movement. Her body twisted, bent, and danced through the battlefield, each move precise and deadly.
Kazimir watched in silence, eyes locked onto her.
When it was over, she skipped back toward him, the spear held playfully behind her back. She stood on the tips of her toes, teasingly close.
"So?" she asked, cheeks flushed. "Did you enjoy the performance?"
He nodded. "I'm impressed. You're really flexible."
She smiled sweetly. "And you've got nice eyes. I'd like to see them more often."
—
As they moved deeper into the dungeon, the conversation turned more casual… or so it seemed.
"You know," Gendai said as she stretched her arms, "I still remember when you obliterated that Rank A parasite. One move. You were still a student back then."
"I just have a high capacity for lightning energy," he said nonchalantly.
"Still. That's more than impressive," she leaned closer, voice dropping. "What else can you do?"
He chuckled faintly. "Guess you'll have to wait and see."
—
A moment of silence passed before she asked, "Hey, Kazimir… who do you think is the most attractive girl in our class?"
He didn't even pause. "Riah. We match."
Gendai's lips twitched. "And what about me? Do you think I'm attractive too?"
He glanced at her. "Yeah. You are."
Her smile deepened as her powers slowly began to activate. A subtle pulse of energy swirled around her—lust, temptation, charm.
"Then… am I enough to catch your eyes?"
She walked toward him slowly, lips parted, aura radiating heat and allure. Then, without hesitation, she leaned in and softly kissed him.
But something was off.
The moment their lips touched, the figure in front of her began to dissolve like mist.
Her eyes widened. An afterimage?
A voice came from behind her. "That's a useful power you've got."
Kazimir stood casually, arms crossed, completely unfazed. "I know you're a succubus. That's why I had my guard up."
Gendai froze.
"I… I'm sorry," she said quickly, voice trembling. "I was scared of rejection. I… actually like you. I couldn't help it."
He studied her for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.
"You didn't even pick up on the afterimage," he said with a smirk. "That's kinda funny."
She blinked. "You're… not mad?"
"Nah. Just surprised," he said, glancing around. "But we've been in here way too long. People might start thinking we died. Four hours for a low-level quest? That's suspicious."
He tapped his katana lightly against his shoulder. "Let's wrap this up. I'll handle the rest so we both get our points."
—
The two of them made their way through the remainder of the dungeon quickly, their dynamic strangely light despite what had just happened.
As they finally reached the exit, a familiar silhouette stood waiting.
Riah.
Her white hair flowed in the wind, phoenix aura simmering just beneath the surface. But what caught Gendai's attention—what froze her in place—was the look in Riah's eyes.
Cold. Deadlocked. Not on Kazimir.
On her.
She didn't even acknowledge his presence.
Gendai's heart skipped a beat.
Oh no.