Ding!
[A new quest has been generated]
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Fun Training Camp
Difficulty: Normal
Type: Main Mission
Train the members of the Occult Research Club
Complete seven days of training (0/7)
Reward: Special Roulette Draw x2, Monthly Training Dungeon, 50,000 system points..
So this was the training trip before the Rating Game against Riser Phenex.
"I have school during the week, but other than that I am free."
Rias exchanged a glance with Akeno before nodding.
"I want you to come with us on a training retreat. Sparring with you will help the others gain practical combat experience."
"We will handle your school leave, and of course, we will pay you."
Arthur wondered how the system always predicted things so accurately, but he did not comment.
"Alright. I have gotten stronger since the demon fight, so this will be a good time to test my abilities."
They explained that they were preparing ahead of time for an important confrontation, though they did not clarify the details.
"Can Asia join us? I think she will feel lonely staying here alone for a whole week."
Rias smiled.
"Of course. I also wanted to invite her. Her Sacred Gear will be extremely useful."
Plans were made for the next morning.
Just when everything seemed settled, Akeno stepped close and leaned in to sniff Arthur's neck slowly as if savoring the scent.
"You smell a little like Asia today."
A cold sensation crawled down Arthur's spine. Her tone was soft, but he could tell she was serious. In the novel she had been flirtatious, but jealousy was something new.
Rias sensed the tension and quietly stepped through a magic circle to escape.
Akeno stared at Arthur with a serious expression.
"Do you have anything you want to say in your defense?"
Arthur thought the best choice was honesty.
"Would you believe me if I told you I like both of you? I do not want to choose between you. It would be easier if we could all stay together."
Akeno looked at him silently, absorbing his words. She knew very well that a boy with Arthur's looks, strength, and potential would attract many women in the future. She was not angry about Asia joining them. She was jealous because Arthur had done many intimate things with her but never went on a date with her, while he took Asia on a whole date earlier.
"Hmph, do whatever you want."
She folded her arms, waiting for his reaction.
Arthur stepped toward her with a calm expression.
"Since that is how you feel..."
He moved quickly, taking her by the waist and went straight to the room pushing her back against the wall.
A soft gasp escaped Akeno's lips, followed immediately by a low moan when his hand slid around her waist and pulled her body against his.
Their bodies pressed together, creating heat between them. He lowered his head and kissed her with a fierce, hungry intensity.
Akeno answered the kiss eagerly, letting out soft, breathy moans between their lips. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pressed back, refusing to let him dominate so easily. Their mouths moved with growing passion, breaths growing louder and heavier, brushing across each other's cheeks and necks.
Arthur's kiss deepened, and their breathing became ragged as heat built between them. His hand slid up her side, brushing her curves, causing another soft moan to escape her throat. She retaliated by grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him down for another kiss, pressing him harder against the wall. The dull sound of Arthur's back meeting the wall echoed faintly, adding tension to the moment.
Their clothes loosened as they kissed. Buttons slid open, fabric shifted, and soft rustling noises filled the space around them. Their bodies pressed closer, creating a light creak from the strain against the wall. Akeno's breath trembled against his lips as she tried to overpower him in the kiss, but Arthur refused to give control easily.
He lifted her with one arm and carried her toward the bed. Akeno wrapped her legs around him instinctively, letting out a quiet, shaky moan when his grip tightened on her waist. When he laid her on the bed, she immediately straddled his hips and pinned him beneath her with a confident smile.
"You are not getting off that easily," she whispered against his lips, her breathing warm and uneven.
She kissed him again, slower this time but deeper, almost possessive. The bed creaked beneath them as she leaned forward, pressing her body into his. Arthur's hands explored her waist and lower back, eliciting another soft moan from her throat.
Just when she seemed ready to take full control, Arthur broke the kiss and looked into her eyes.
"Akeno, I like you. You are someone I do not want to lose. Not now, not ever."
Her breath caught for a moment, her eyes widening subtly. It was the first time he had said something so honest and direct.
She looked as if she wanted to answer him with something equally sincere, but before she could speak, Arthur's head gently rested against her voluptuous chest.
Only a moment later, his breathing steadied. He had fallen asleep in her arms.
Akeno froze in surprise before letting out a long breath. The mixture of relief and disappointment softened her expression. She brushed his hair with her fingers.
"Even after all of that, you still fall asleep on me," she whispered softly, though there was affection behind her words.
She wrapped her arms around him, letting her cheek rest atop his head. Despite her earlier jealousy, she felt peaceful and strangely fulfilled.
She drifted into sleep with a faint smile.
---
The next day, the three of them were packing things for their trip. They filled a couple of suitcases with clothes and then tossed them into my inventory without much thought, using the system as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Akeno and Asia seemed to be getting along surprisingly well. I had been a little worried they might see each other as rivals, especially after yesterday's… situation, but instead they acted like close sisters. They chatted while folding clothes, exchanged hair accessories, and even laughed together. Maybe I was the only one stressing over nothing.
At ten o'clock sharp, Rias appeared at my door with Koneko and Kiba. After briefly introducing Asia to the rest of the group, she activated a teleportation circle beneath us. Light surrounded our bodies, and a moment later we were standing on a beautiful estate hidden deep inside a forest.
The air felt different here. Pure. Thick with mana. A powerful barrier enveloped the entire region, isolating it completely from the city.
After choosing rooms and unpacking a few essentials, we gathered in a large training field behind the estate. There was more than enough space to fight freely, even to unleash powerful spells.
Rias stepped aside and crossed her arms.
"Okay, first I'll face each of you individually. After that, all of you will fight me together."
The first to step forward was the blond swordsman, Kiba Yuuto.
"I'm at your service, Arthur-san."
With a respectful bow, a flash of magic surrounded his hand, and a shimmering blade materialized from nothing. His Sacred Gear.
I summoned my gauntlets, dark metal forming seamlessly over my hands. I still hadn't revealed the Boosted Gear. That trump card would stay hidden until the right moment in this storyline.
Kiba did not waste a second. He rushed forward with a speed far greater than that of an ordinary human, testing my reaction time. But even without mana, the pressure he felt from me was overwhelming. Just days ago, he thought we were close in physical ability, yet now he could barely breathe under my presence alone.
He slashed upward, aiming for my ribs.
But before the blade even completed its arc, I was already reacting. I deflected the sword cleanly and countered with a controlled kick to his abdomen.
Even holding back, the blow drove the air from his lungs and forced a bit of blood from his mouth.
But Kiba was skilled. He retreated, immediately circling me with blinding speed. His movements blurred as he searched desperately for an opening.
Unfortunately for him, the [Six Eyes] sees everything.
He darted behind me and swung toward my back.
I dropped instantly to the ground. His blade cut through empty air, and before he could recover, my foot rose sharply, connecting with his chin.
His body lifted from the ground, balance broken completely.
I stepped in without hesitation. Three precise, rapid strikes slammed into his torso, one after another, each forcing more air from his lungs. Kiba tumbled to the ground, unable to stand from the sharp pain exploding across his body.
"You rely too much on your speed. You need to improve your strength and stamina."
Silence filled the training grounds.
I looked up, expecting the next challenger.
But instead, the three remaining girls simply stared at me Rias with wide, calculating eyes; Koneko frozen mid-snack; and Akeno smiling faintly with that dangerous spark of interest.