Chapter 625 - 856 – All Right, Since You Put It That Way

Ain was now a member of the Flame Blade Pirates and an important companion in Arton's eyes.

Under those circumstances, how could Arton bring himself to punish her?

Besides, what had happened had already happened. No punishment could change that.

Rather than leaving Ain frightened and uneasy, it would be better to come to a proper agreement with her so she wouldn't secretly go see Zephyr again.

"Captain, I'll follow you for the rest of my life."

Ain crawled over and wrapped her arms around Arton's thigh before biting down on his weak spot.

Then she launched an assault even fiercer than Kalifa's had been, thirty times over.

Ain had absolutely no technique right now. Everything she did came purely from emotion.

It was as though she intended to fully demonstrate her respect for Arton.

Or perhaps she had simply heard the words make it up to me earlier and now intended to thoroughly make it up to him.

Seeing how Ain was performing, Arton didn't say much. He simply sat down on the sofa.

Ain immediately moved closer on her knees, warming Arton while continuing to use her mouth to show him her determination.

Arton was delighted and simply enjoyed Ain's sure-kill technique.

She nearly sent him flying.

Fortunately, Kalifa had set a precedent earlier, so Ain managed to steady herself this time.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Captain?"

Ain wiped the corner of her mouth.

"I am, but considering what you did earlier, I can't let you off that easily."

"Get ready, Ain. Since you're wearing a bunny-girl outfit, show me a proper bunny hop."

Arton leaned back against the sofa with his hands behind his head.

"I understand."

Ain nodded firmly.

She recalled the image of a bunny hopping around that she had seen in her mind and imagined herself moving the same way.

Once she was sure she knew what to do, she began hopping just as Arton had instructed.

Arton nodded repeatedly as he watched Ain's performance, a satisfied smile gradually spreading across his face.

Ain noticed his smile and seemed to catch it herself, a smile appearing on her own lips.

Kalifa, Raki, and Conis, watching from the side, also breathed sighs of relief.

Then Raki and Kalifa, influenced by Ain, changed into the bunny-girl outfits they had bought earlier.

Seeing Ain in blue, Raki in red, and Kalifa in black, Conis couldn't help feeling envious.

If only I had a set too.

As if she had heard Conis's thoughts, Raki smiled. "Conis, I picked out a gold one for you. Try it on later. It should fit you perfectly."

"Really?"

Conis's face lit up.

"Of course."

With Raki's guidance, Conis quickly found the gold outfit she had bought for her.

Raki knew Conis's measurements extremely well, so the outfit fit her perfectly once she put it on.

"Great. Once Ain finishes hopping, I absolutely have to try it too."

Conis smiled.

"You haven't fought with me before, have you, Kalifa? Can your body really handle such intense exercise?"

Arton asked.

"I just changed into some new gear, so I feel completely different now."

"I feel like I've recovered quite a lot of strength."

Kalifa smiled.

"All right, since you put it that way."

Arton nodded with a faint smile.

How could he possibly refuse a golden bunny delivered right to his door?

...

"You can still do that?"

Ain sat astride Arton on the sofa, staring in amazement at Kalifa, who had her back to Arton and was performing her bunny hops.

Judging from her movements, Kalifa wasn't simply bouncing with her back toward Arton.

She was even using a sword hanging behind her back as part of the technique.

Ain lowered her head to look at her own scabbard. She had always thought of herself as a single-sword swordswoman.

But after watching Kalifa's performance, she realized she could apparently fight as a dual-wielding swordswoman as well.

She simply hadn't realized until now that she had another sword available.

"Surprised, Ain?"

Raki smiled from her seat beside her.

Like Ain, Raki was a little tired now.

There was no helping it. After Ain had properly performed a bunny hop for Arton, Raki had also put on a show for him.

Using techniques and moves they weren't yet familiar with naturally consumed more stamina than usual.

At least Raki felt more tired now than she normally did after fighting Arton.

"Yeah..."

Ain nodded.

There was no helping it. Forbidden techniques like these had never appeared in the comic-book versions of her derivative works.

"Kalifa actually taught us this through a practical demonstration."

Raki smiled.

"Miss Kalifa?"

Ain blinked and curiously looked toward Kalifa, who had also become somewhat exhausted from her earlier battle with Arton.

Compared with Ain and Raki, Kalifa's physical abilities were indeed somewhat lacking.

Perhaps she surpassed them in technique and inspiration, but sometimes technique and inspiration simply couldn't make up for an enormous physical gap.

Ain had been by Arton's side for some time now. Her name, photos, and videos had often appeared in both the voyage diary and its copies.

Under those circumstances, Ain had naturally accumulated a considerable number of points.

With those points, she had strengthened her body through the various benefits available to her.

Raki was the same.

Although she hadn't been part of Arton's crew for very long, she had joined the Flame Blade Pirates.

That naturally gave her access to points that could make her stronger than Kalifa.

"Heh. No need to thank me. Just think of it as us exchanging techniques."

"If you come up with any new techniques later, you can teach me too."

Kalifa casually patted her stomach.

Even while lying flat, she could feel the powerful energy surging inside it.

It gave Kalifa a strangely satisfying sense of fullness.

If her stomach itself could feel this full, Kalifa would have been even happier.

Unfortunately, Arton was currently monopolized by Conis, so Kalifa had no opportunity to fill her stomach.

As for what she had drunk earlier, unfortunately, Kalifa had already digested all of it.

After all, she was a CP9 agent with Life Return at her disposal.

...

For every 50 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.