Sett Chapter 9: Sigh~ Is this the Price? (Patreon)

"Are you really giving me this?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka raised the training manual in her hand, asking with some hesitation.

She was genuinely tempted by the manual.

As someone who had always been 'active' since childhood, Shizuka had a deep love for martial arts and combat. However, no matter how strong one was, they couldn’t compare to the power of guns and bombs.

Faced with reality, Shizuka had reluctantly chosen to become a teacher.

But now, a manual that promised to take her to a higher level was right in front of her, clearly telling her that martial arts could indeed transcend the ordinary.

How could this not thrill her?

"This manual must be incredibly valuable, right?" Shizuka asked, glancing at Higashino Tadashi with hesitation. "How much would I need to pay for it?"

"Ten billion? A hundred billion?"

"I only have three hundred million yen on hand…"

Shizuka looked troubled.

A manual like this, which clearly guided someone to extraordinary abilities, could easily be worth billions. And she wouldn’t find that surprising at all.

This was the path to transcendence!

Many rich and powerful people controlled economies and politics, living in the spotlight for a time, but after a hundred years, they all turned to dust.

But this manual offered the possibility to rise above such limits!

"It’s free," Tadashi smiled. "I told you, it’s a gift for you. No payment necessary."

"But…" Shizuka frowned, about to protest.

Tadashi waved his hand to interrupt her. "Just consider it rent for letting me stay here. Or think of it as a dowry or even the money for keeping you. Just take it."

"…"

Shizuka’s face twitched. Any sense of gratitude she was beginning to feel instantly disappeared.

This brat really couldn’t say anything decent!

"Alright, back to the main topic—what’s for dinner tonight?" Tadashi asked expectantly.

"Since when is dinner a 'main topic'…" Shizuka sighed and retorted, then added, "Let’s just order delivery. There’s a drawer with menus from fancy restaurants."

"Okay." Tadashi quickly found the menus and picked one to call for delivery.

Shizuka, meanwhile, sat quietly, feeling conflicted as she stared at the training manual.

She had only skimmed through it earlier.

There were many parts she didn’t fully understand.

Now, she began to slowly delve into its meaning.

…

As night fell, Shizuka found herself reluctantly dragged into the bathroom by Tadashi for a bath together.

Her well-proportioned and flawless body was like a work of art, which Tadashi certainly appreciated.

Shizuka didn’t protest, letting him do as he pleased—after all, they’d already done everything the night before.

After their bath, Tadashi insisted on giving her a massage.

To be clear, it was a proper massage.

Shizuka had overworked her muscles the previous night, and without a proper massage to get the blood flowing, she’d be sore for days.

Tadashi wasn’t a brute.

After giving her a normal massage, he simply held the now-relaxed Shizuka and they went to sleep—properly.

"This kid really just gave me a massage!"

Shizuka was amazed, secretly relieved.

She had expected to be exhausted again, but to her surprise, Tadashi let her off the hook.

At least he was considerate.

"Ugh…"

But when she saw his hands reaching over in his sleep, she couldn’t help but click her tongue.

This kid could never behave, even while sleeping!

"I give up!"

Shizuka sighed, closing her eyes and deciding to ignore whatever Tadashi was up to.

After the massage, her body felt so relaxed that as soon as her head hit the pillow, she drifted off to sleep.

…

In the following days, Shizuka began her Qi and Blood martial arts training under Tadashi’s guidance.

She had a natural talent for it.

In just five days, she mastered the core breathing techniques.

From here, she just needed to gradually refine her Qi and Blood, aided by special diets and supplements, and eventually, she would break past human limits and gain extraordinary strength.

"Your progress is impressive. In about a month, you’ll start to feel your Qi."

"With that, you’ll be able to control your Qi and Blood, temporarily surpassing human limits with enhanced recovery and endurance."

"In ancient times, you’d be a general capable of cutting down a hundred men!" Tadashi said, smiling as he praised her.

Shizuka rolled her eyes. Even if she became a hundred-man-slayer general, she was still getting worn out by him every night.

Was this the price of gaining power?

Shizuka thought bitterly, imagining herself as the tragic hero of a dramatic story.

Just a few days ago, she had been an iron virgin who hadn’t even held hands with a man!

Shizuka was astonished at her own transformation.

‘Had I repressed myself for so long that, once released, I couldn’t stop?’ she wondered, frowning.

After completing her training for the day, Shizuka took on an extra task assigned by Tadashi. A while later, she covered her mouth and headed to the bathroom.

After rinsing her mouth, she stared at her flushed face in the mirror, feeling a mix of emotions.

She was beginning to feel attached to this brat.

Whether it was the exhilaration of learning extraordinary knowledge during the day or the pleasure of their nights together, it all felt addictive—like something she couldn’t quit.

"Sigh…"

Shizuka pressed her hand to her forehead, feeling utterly helpless.

At twenty-seven years old, she had been completely conquered by a sixteen-year-old!

She couldn’t show her face in public anymore!

~~~

FBI!!!