Chapter 44: Undoing Buttons
After witnessing Kalon defend against her water attack by using one of her own skills, Thea dialed back the pace of the spar.
She had gotten what she wanted, and believed the man now realized she wasn’t a pushover, if he’d ever thought she was one.
Of course, she knew that if Kalon truly wanted to, she most likely wouldn’t stand much of a chance against him.
Water was strong against fire, so if he used his flame skills, she would at least have some sort of advantage.
Yet Thea knew there was something peculiar about Kalon and his abilities.
Despite previously being bullied, over the last week he had undergone a drastic change in almost every way.
His body was different, as though he had already reached Steel Rank. His skills were phenomenal.
And although she would never admit it to him, he was much more handsome now than before.
It wasn’t that he had been ugly. Rather, he had possessed a presence that was easy to overlook.
Now, there was no chance of that.
He was still six inches below the average height, but everything else about him stood out.
After their training was finished, the pair drank water directly from the fountain.
Thea watched as Kalon splashed a handful of water over his head to cool himself down.
It made her realize how hot she was herself.
She undid a few buttons of her jumpsuit so the upper part of her chest could catch some air.
Then, suddenly, she noticed Kalon’s eyes settle on her.
Not her face.
Her breats.
...
Kalon cursed inwardly.
Shit... I’ve been caught!
He quickly looked away and scooped a handful of water into his mouth, trying to play it off coolly.
He scooped another.
Then another.
"Where were you just looking?" Thea asked.
Shit!
Kalon scooped another handful into his mouth before looking up, out of breath.
"Sorry. I’m just really thirsty."
"..."
Thea blinked at him, giving him the same blank stare she always had before they became friends.
"You’re right... Clearly very thirsty," she said, her tone making it obvious she wasn’t fooled by his act.
Kalon was about to apologize.
That’s what the old him would’ve done.
Then he stopped himself.
Thea’s chest was right in front of him. The academy jumpsuit was too tight to wear a bra beneath, so he could clearly see how the soft curves were pressed against the fabric. A few droplets of water trickled from her neck, disappearing down the line between her breasts as though they were men travelling through mountains.
You’re not the same man as before. You don’t need to apologize for looking at something every man would notice.
Kalon leaned back against the fountain, feeling a newfound confidence settle over him.
"I can’t help it," he said. "They’re right there."
It was the first time he’d ever seen Thea blush.
Her usually pale cheeks turned pink.
Yet she didn’t turn away or try to cover herself. She simply struggled to meet his eyes.
"What are you doing... saying something like that so openly..."
Her voice was low and soft.
Kalon realized then what was happening.
His words and his confidence were making her nervous.
I’m actually making one of the most popular first-year students nervous.
It was still something he was getting used to.
Kalon laughed, which finally prompted Thea to look at him again.
"What’s so funny?" she asked, her voice still quiet.
"Oh, nothing." He grinned. "I was just thinking... if sparring with you is what it takes to see more of you, then I’ll make sure we train together more often."
"W-What?!"
Before she could respond, Kalon turned and started walking back toward the academy.
Thea remained where she stood, her cheeks as red as a tomato. Her fists clenched, and her brows furrowed.
Once she realized he wasn’t stopping, she relaxed and hurried after him, even breaking into a light jog to catch up.
...
The walk back was surprisingly pleasant.
...
Later that day, Kalon sat alone in his dormitory room, going over the changes that had been made to his system after sparring with Thea.
There was a new physical trait listed.
— Minor Water Resistance
It wasn’t much, but it was the start of a journey.
If he continued sparring with Thea like this, he would eventually develop complete resistance.
After that, he would focus on finding another sparring partner.
Maybe Sifa? Since Cryos is an ice planet, she’s likely to awaken an ice affinity at some point.
Speaking of Cryos...
The sun began to set, and night soon arrived.
Which meant it was time to explore space.
Kalon made his way to the rooftop and lay down in his usual spot.
As he gazed up at the stars, he thought about where to travel first.
...
Since I didn’t get to meet Josinia yesterday, I should probably visit her now.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, his system issued a notification.
「Space Seducer System Warning!」
A warning?
「Travelling to Josinia’s location right now will expose you to non-seducable Vendurions. Are you sure you wish to proceed?」
Kalon froze and immediately canceled the teleportation.
He needed to think this through.
Previously, although he had already been exposed to Vendurions, he had never received a warning.
He assumed that was because his initial teleportation hadn’t been the direct cause of the exposure. Instead, it had happened because of his own actions afterward.
Now, Josinia must have been somewhere so public that he would be exposed the moment he arrived.
System, how many people will I be exposed to if I travel there... and how would Josinia feel if I arrived right now?
The system processed the question for a few seconds before replying.
「You will be exposed to two non-seducable Vendurions.」
「As for how Josinia will feel, the answer is: Extremely Joyful.」
Extremely joyful... What could that mean?
Could she be in danger... waiting for someone to help her?
That thought alone was enough for him to make his decision.
Alright... take me to Venduros.