"How is he?"
Xuē Liuyue stood just outside the lacquered door, arms folded, her expression unreadable.
The robed girls stood in a line, their sleeves still faintly glowing from the healing enchantments they'd used earlier.
"His injuries were severe," one replied softly. "Internal bruising, fractured ribs, torn ligaments…"
"Can he walk?"
Another shook her head. "Barely. He shouldn't move yet, much less attend class."
Xuē clicked her tongue. "Tch. Figures."
Inside the room, Raizen sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed, body glowing faintly.
He wasn't resting—he was cultivating.
The air in Xuē's bar was thick with lust energy—more concentrated than any place he'd stepped into so far. Every giggle from the servers downstairs, every longing stare from a drunk customer, every whispered flirtation in the corners… it all lingered in the walls.
And it was pure—because of her. Xuē's girls weren't just beautiful—they were refined, trained, and unnaturally seductive.
The lust here was gourmet.
"…Hah." He exhaled softly, a reddish-black mist swirling briefly around his skin. The pain in his ribs dulled. His joints loosened. Muscles pulsed with new strength.
Not full recovery. But enough to stand.
Raizen opened his eyes and sat up.
Then stood.
The girls froze.
Xuē turned, brows tightening. "You—?"
He shrugged like it was just another Monday.
"Welp. Time for my next class."
The door creaked as he walked past.
The other girls gasped lightly behind her.
Raizen stood tall, shirt still half-open, bandages hanging loose from his torso. But his steps were steady. His eyes clear.
Xuē narrowed her gaze. "You shouldn't even be able to move."
Raizen rolled his shoulder, letting it pop.
"I shouldn't. But I've got a good insurance plan—horny drunkards."
Xuē's lips twitched against her will.
"…You still look half-dead."
He grinned. "Half-alive's enough to flirt my way to attendance."
She turned away before he could catch the smirk tugging at her mouth.
"You're not going to class like that."
Raizen tilted his head, mock innocent.
"Oh? Gonna explain it to the professor for me?"
He leaned forward slightly, voice low.
''Sorry, professor, he's injured and I dragged him into a bar and possibly assassinated him.' Real clean."
"Besides, I can't skip class right now—I've already used up all my absences this semester."
Xuē's face twitched.
"…Tch."
She exhaled sharply and turned. "Fine. Let's go. We'll walk there."
Raizen blinked. "Walk?"
"I have a car," she said with a shrug. "But watching you limp like a wounded chicken sounds more fun."
He was kinda annoyed.
Behind her, one of the girls gave a subtle nod. Another cracked her knuckles.
Raizen didn't catch it.
They exited the bar and stepped into the sunlit street.
The campus was only a few blocks away—close enough to walk. The neighborhood was upscale and quiet, but the moment they turned the corner—
Footsteps.
"Yo." A low voice called out.
Raizen stopped.
Six men blocked the sidewalk—thuggish, broad-shouldered, their eyes bloodshot with leftover rage.
A few more stepped out behind them, cornering the pair on both sides.
Xuē didn't flinch. She checked her nails.
Raizen tensed. His energy was barely stable—he could stand, but he couldn't fight. Not yet.
The tallest thug cracked his knuckles. "You sent our boy to the hospital, bitch. You and your pet there."
Xuē looked at Raizen. "Pet?" She smiled and commented "that pet would have bitten your dick off"
"Sigh… You guys need better opening lines," Raizen muttered, slowly stepping in front of her.
He wasn't sure if he could throw one punch without breaking again—but he took the stance anyway.
"Run," he said under his breath. "I'll distract—"
Xuē raised a single finger.
From the shadows—
Shhhhp.
Her robed girls appeared like ghosts behind the men.
The thugs barely had time to react.
One girl slammed a palm into the closest man's chest—he flew backward ten feet, groaning. Another twisted mid-air, landing a heel into a second man's jaw. Bones cracked.
Raizen's jaw dropped. "W-what—?!"
Xuē brushed past him casually.
"They're not just bartenders," she said. "They were trained by my clan—to serve me, protect me while I'm in this city."
Another man was launched into a parked car behind them.
"You… planned this?" Raizen asked as he limped beside her.
Xuē didn't look back. "Trash needs to be taken out regularly. I knew that meathead would send backup. Better to clean it up quickly—I don't have time for games."
He turned to glance at the chaos behind them. One thug was already unconscious. Another was begging.
"…This girl," Raizen muttered, stunned. "She's really not ordinary."
Xuē stopped in her tracks.
Her voice was cold, final.
"Let this be the end. I'm done playing your games. After class, don't come near me. Let's stop bothering each other for good."
Raizen stiffened.
Deep down, something twisted.
Takumi's lingering emotions still clung to her—still wanted her.
And Raizen, despite his usual perversion, knew she wasn't just another girl. She was a rare source of high-quality lust energy. Their clashes, their tension—it fueled him atleast.
But maybe… this was for the best.
The more he talked to Xuē, the more Takumi's soul stirred inside him.
And Raizen couldn't afford to lose control.
So he smirked. Forced. Cold.
"Good."
Xuē didn't reply.
But as she walked away, she paused—just for a breath—
and glanced sideways.
A flicker. Almost nothing.
Then her eyes returned forward.
Cold. Distant.
She never looked back again.