Haruto didn't know whether magic was hard to learn or not, but he did have a Talent Extraction System.
If he got lucky and succeeded in one go, he wouldn't need three days—three hours would be enough.
Of course, the prerequisite was finding a beautiful girl who knew magic and was willing to "go at it" with him.
"Ahem..." Rias snapped out of her thoughts, returning to her composed, mature demeanor.
"Actually, you don't need to rush with magic. There's not much difference between C-rank and D-rank."
She looked at Haruto and suggested, "Rather than magic, improving your combat skills would yield faster results in terms of strength."
Compared to supernatural beings like youkai or pure-blooded devils, Haruto's physique wasn't particularly strong, but in most cases, he still held the advantage.
Even half-breeds, like Yuki Shinozuka, didn't surpass Haruto in physical strength.
The effects of Basic Body Mastery weren't just about perfect muscle control—it also strengthened his muscles specifically.
"Yeah, I've thought about learning karate or some other martial art," Haruto replied.
"But after checking out a few dojos, I wasn't satisfied. The progress is too slow, and it takes too much time."
Commercial dojos teaching karate, judo, and the like started from the very basics, focusing on competition-style techniques.
To learn the essence of practical combat would take a long time.
And, of course, it would cost a lot of money.
The poor study literature, the rich train martial arts—that's how it's always been.
Not only were there tuition fees, but once training began, nutritional supplements would also become a major expense.
"If you want to improve your combat skills quickly, there's a simple and brutal method," Rias said mysteriously.
"Though I'm not sure if you can endure it."
"What is it?"
"Right now, there just happens to be someone skilled in close combat here." Rias glanced at the white-haired loli and smiled. "If you spar with her a few times, your close combat skills will definitely improve rapidly."
Haruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Getting beaten up while receiving guidance did sound like a way to gain double the experience.
But Koneko Toujou seemed to have superhuman strength—he wasn't sure if he could handle it...
"President, the person you're talking about… isn't that little girl, is it?"
Haruto didn't want to cause trouble, sticking to his role as a complete newbie to the supernatural world.
"Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask—why is there a little girl in the club?"
Rias beckoned to the white-haired loli. "Koneko, come here. This is Haruto Seishu, the one I mentioned before—our future comrade."
Koneko gave Haruto a faint nod. "Hello."
"Hello."
The white-haired loli seemed unremarkable, but Haruto was more intrigued by the white cat ears on her head.
On screen, it didn't seem that way, but seeing it in person, I really wanted to reach out and touch it.
As if sensing Haruto's covetous gaze, Koneko took two steps back and looked over warily.
"Haruto, this is Koneko Toujou, my Servant. Her class is Rook."
Ignoring Koneko's objections, Rias pulled her over.
With Haruto in her left arm and Koneko in her right, she buried both their faces in her ample bosom.
"We're family now, no need to be so distant~" Rias pushed her chest forward, bringing the three of them even closer.
"Haruto, Koneko may look petite, but she's not a little girl. She's the same age as you, sixteen this year."
"Mmm... mmmph..."
Haruto tried to respond, but all he managed was to dampen the fabric of Rias's blouse—not a single word escaped.
They were truly massive. Even through layers of clothing and with another person sharing the space, they completely muffled his mouth.
Feeling suffocated in her embrace, Haruto tried to move away a little bit, but "mistakenly" ended up biting the perky peaks atop her breasts, which could be felt even through multiple layers of clothes.
A tingling sensation spread through her chest, electric shocks radiating from her nipples, feeling them stiffen up from the stimulation. A faint blush appeared on Rias's cheeks as she quickly released her grip.
Freed from the seal, Haruto wiped the drool from his lips, looking innocent.
He hadn't meant to—it was just that Rias was too sensitive. Even through her uniform and bra, a few accidental nibbles had been enough to make them perk up.
"President, Koneko—just call me by my name."
Haruto said, "Koneko, can I call you that?"
This was the first time she'd been so intimate with a man, and she'd gotten excited. Rias was genuinely embarrassed.
She struggled to keep a straight face, not wanting to give Haruto and Koneko any reason to laugh.
"Alright, Haruto." Rias subtly shifted closer to Koneko. "But Koneko's real name is Shirone. 'Koneko' is just a nickname."
"Oh~" Haruto nodded.
He not only knew her name was Shirone but also that she had an older sister named Kuroka.
He also knew she'd abandoned the name Shirone and taken on "Koneko Toujou" because of that very sister.
"Koneko is—"
The white-haired loli tugged at Rias's sleeve, stopping her from continuing.
Rias glanced at the downcast Koneko, her heart aching but helpless.
Even after all this time, she still hadn't moved past what happened with her sister.
"That wasn't your fault, and Haruto isn't the kind to—"
Koneko kept her grip on Rias's sleeve, head bowed in silence.
"Alright, I won't say anymore." Seeing this, Rias relented, reaching out to stroke her silver-white hair.
Only then did Koneko let go.
Rias gave Haruto an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Koneko, she..."
"It's fine." Haruto cut her off. "Everyone has secrets they don't want others to know."
"Oh? So you have some too?" Rias caught the implication, her interest piqued.
Haruto shrugged. "Who knows~"
He had far too many secrets—about crossing worlds, his Talent Extraction ability, future events...
If he really told her, Rias might not even believe him.
"Hmm~"
Rias narrowed her eyes, her peach-blossom gaze growing even more captivating.
"I want you to become my Servant even more now."
Haruto rolled his eyes. "Why emulate Akeno of all people? One scheming woman is enough."
"Oh? I'm telling Akeno you called her scheming."
"Uh... slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue, President. Please don't tell Akeno-senpai about this."
Haruto froze. The atmosphere had been too relaxed, and he'd accidentally voiced his inner thoughts aloud.
Fortunately, Akeno was out on business, otherwise he would've been in for some serious teasing.
"Pfft."
Rias couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. This is serious business."
"Koneko, you'll be responsible for guiding Haruto in close combat these next few days."
Koneko, who had overheard most of the conversation, accepted without further questions.
"Haruto, don't underestimate Koneko," Rias turned to advise him. "Not only does Koneko have the Rook-class bonuses, she's also a Nekoshou."
After being reborn through the Evil Pieces, Koneko became a hybrid with the advantages of both Devil and Nekomata bloodlines.
Among Japanese Nekomata, the most powerful are the Nekoshou, also known as Cat Youkai.
With her class bonuses, she possesses formidable martial arts skills along with excellent offensive and defensive capabilities.
Though petite in stature, she's a genuine all-rounder in combat.
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