Chapter 188: The Apprentice Samurai.

The following day arrived without incident.

Aria was the first to wake up.

She remained still for a moment, just lying there with her cheek against Jake’s chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat.

Strangely, she didn’t want to get up... as this was the best sleep she had ever had.

Her body felt light, and the dull heaviness from the poison had vanished.

Her limbs no longer felt sluggish.

Even her breathing felt cleaner, as if something inside her had been straightened out while she dreamed.

Yet, despite her reluctance, Aria understood she needed to rise.

She blinked slowly, looking up to see Jake still asleep, an arm around her back, his face more relaxed than she’d ever witnessed.

Aria’s ears turned red, yet she stared at him so intently without blinking, with that same serious face.

But at that moment, Jake spoke.

His eyes remained closed as a small, lazy, and knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Morning, Aria."

Realizing she’d been caught, Aria’s ears grew hotter.

"...Good morning, Jake."

She then slowly leaned up.

Now she was sitting on his abdomen.

Her open shirt had slipped off one shoulder and hung loose down her chest, revealing a glimpse of pale skin and the curve of her breasts, partially hidden and partially exposed.

She didn’t seem to notice, her eyes focused solely on his face.

She looked at him with clear curiosity.

"...How did you know?" she asked. "You did not even open your eyes."

Jake’s smile did not fade as he teased,

"That’s because our hearts are one now. We’re connected. So I know everything about you."

Aria froze. "...Everything?"

Then she nodded, completely serious.

"Is that an ability of your unique class?"

Hearing those serious words, Jake finally opened his eyes.

And then the alluring sight hit him at once.

She was sitting on his stomach, his shirt open over her chest, revealing her pale skin and the heavy curve of her large breasts, and her expression remained calm and earnest.

Jake smiled wryly and leaned up a little.

"Ah, silly. I was just joking. Can’t you tell?"

At those words, Aria tilted her head.

It was a small, cute movement that caused her open shirt to slip a little more.

Her eyes remained serious, as if she were trying to grasp the concept of a joke itself.

Jake’s heart almost burst from the sheer adorableness of the moment.

He sighed.

"Well, your captain has become quite strong now. I can perceive all sorts of movement around me, even when my eyes are closed."

Hearing this, Aria lowered her gaze slightly.

"...So it was not because our hearts are one?"

She sounded a little disappointed.

"Uhh..."

Jake covered his face with one hand.

’She’s too cute.’

That tiny hint of disappointment on her usually cold and calm face was simply too much.

Jake’s heart could barely handle it.

How could someone look so serious yet be so cute? He slowly lowered his hand and looked at her again.

The sight made him swallow.

Aria was still sitting on his abdomen in that barely-dressed state.

"...Not only cute," Jake murmured. "But dangerously seductive."

Aria blinked.

"Yes?"

Jake looked at her for one more second.

Then he leaned forward and their lips touched.

The kiss was light.

Just his mouth against hers, warm and brief, enough to steal the disappointed look from her lips.

Aria’s eyes trembled.

And as Jake leaned back, Aria unconsciously followed him slightly.

Her lips parted with reluctance, as though the brief kiss had concluded too quickly.

Observing this, Jake grinned.

He then gave her supple butt a light smack.

Smack!

Aria flinched, her eyes widening.

"Come on. We should get up."

His voice was easy, almost teasing. "I have a surprise for you."

Aria stared at him.

"...A surprise?"

"Yeah."

Jake sat up more fully, still smiling.

"You’ll like it. I promise."

Aria hesitated, then nodded, still looking like she wanted the kiss back more than she wanted to stand.

"...Yes."

With that, she got off him carefully, and held the shirt closed with both hands.

Jake stood up and stretched, letting out a soft "Uhh~".

The light of the cave fully illuminated him.

Without a shirt, his muscular body seemed different from the day before... It became broader, and tighter.

There was a newfound sensation of power just beneath his skin.

When he rolled his shoulders, the muscles across his back and arms shifted naturally, carrying a strength that hadn’t been there before.

A low breath escaped him as he moved, still getting used to the Superhuman power now filling his body.

Meanwhile, next to him, Aria simply stared.

She didn’t even blink as she did.

Her eyes slowly moved from his shoulders to his chest, then down to his abdomen, studying him with the same quiet seriousness she used when examining a sword.

The shirt in her hands gradually loosened.

Her lips parted slightly.

And... a tiny drop of drool gathered at the corner of her mouth.

Jake noticed as he looked back at her and blinked.

"...Why are you drooling?"

Aria immediately wiped her mouth.

Her expression did not change as she stated calmly.

"I wasn’t."

Jake stared at her.

"...You just wiped it."

"I was preparing my mouth," she said calmly.

"In case you needed me to use it again to serve you."

Her eyes dropped, still serious, to the slight tent in his pants.

Jake followed her gaze.

Then he immediately coughed and turned slightly to the side.

"Well... um... this is a biological reaction," he said defensively. "For your information, I’m not some sort of sex fiend!"

Aria tilted her head.

"...I did not say you were."

Jake cleared his throat again and quickly changed the subject.

"Anyway. About that surprise..."

He looked her over for a moment, then asked,

"Do you feel any different?"

Aria blinked.

She looked down at herself and slowly clenched her hand into a fist.

"...Different?"

"Yeah," Jake said. "Your body. Do you feel any changes?"

Aria was silent for a moment.

She moved her shoulders, stretched her arms, then took a slow breath.

Her expression gradually became more serious.

"...Yes."

Jake’s smile widened.

"What kind of changes?"

"My body feels lighter."

She clenched her fist again.

"And stronger."

Then she took a step forward.

Her movement was smooth and almost effortless.

"My breathing is also different. My body responds faster than before."

Jake nodded.

"Hehe... That’s because you’re no longer a Trash-class warrior."

Aria looked at him.

"...No longer Trash?"

"Yep."

Jake grinned.

"You’re a Common Class holder now."

For the first time that morning, Aria’s eyes showed a faint spark of surprise.

She looked down at her hands again.

Then she slowly clenched them as she murmured softly.

"...I’m a Common Class now...?"

Jake nodded proudly.

"That’s right. And your new class is called Apprentice Samurai. To be honest, it was quite strange. Usually there should be more class options to choose from, but for you there was only that one, so I just chose it—"

Jake, who was proudly explaining, suddenly paused as he blinked in confusion at the sight in front of him and that...

Aria was... crying.