Just as he got into the car, Hikari closed his eyes to rest for a few minutes, when his phone vibrated. Someone was calling.
Hikari took it out and looked. The caller was [Yukino].
Hikari thought it was that cute snow woman widow Yukino calling, so he immediately pressed the answer button and asked with a smile, "What's up, Yukino-chan?"
But unexpectedly for Hikari, the voice on the other end wasn't Yukino's clear tone, but another woman's voice.
["Human, when are you coming back? Did you bring the Hypnosis Ring?"]
Even though it was over the phone, the voice, unlike Yukino's clear one, was a bit husky but still very pleasant. It was unfamiliar, but just from the way he was addressed, Hikari immediately knew who it was.
"Miss Kaede, class isn't over yet. What are you in such a hurry for?"
["You think I'm stupid? Just because I'm from the Oni race doesn't mean I don't know basic human common sense! High schoolers like you are already out of school by this time!"], Kaede said angrily.
"Mm, school is over, but I had something to deal with today, so I'm heading back a bit late. Could you help me tell Yukino-chan that she doesn't need to cook dinner for me tonight, or at least cook less?", The casually spoken lie was exposed, but Hikari remained calm.
["I called you to ask when you're coming back and to borrow the Hypnosis Ring for research, not to pass along messages for you! Get your priorities straight!"], Hearing Hikari's calm tone, the Oni lady angrily raised her voice.
"Alright, I get it. Don't forget to remind Yukino-chan," Hikari said dismissively and then hung up.
["You…"], Kaede wanted to say more, but realized the call had been abruptly ended. Listening to the beeping tone, her fair face turned red with anger.
———
As the daughter of the Kiriryuin family, she had never been treated this way.
So many outstanding young men from the monster world had tried to court or even propose to her, but she turned them all down.
In the monster world, no one dared to be this rude to her. Not only lying with every word and acting indifferent, but even hanging up rudely.
Hikari, a mere human, had the worst attitude toward her, absolutely infuriating.
Kaede angrily raised the phone high and nearly threw it down.
But remembering that it was Yukino's phone, she reluctantly handed it back and relayed Hikari's message.
"That guy Hikari said not to cook for him tonight. Just let him starve…"
"Mm, I heard," Yukino nodded.
Seeing Yukino with her usual smiling expression, Kaede couldn't help but say, "Yukino-chan, aren't you worried that Hikari is out fooling around since he hasn't come home after school? He's got that playboy look, probably off playing with other women."
To Kaede's words, Yukino cheerfully replied, "Not worried. If Hikari-kun wants to see other women, that's fine. I can't satisfy him alone anyway. As long as Hikari-kun still likes me, cares about me, and keeps a place for me in his heart, I'm already very satisfied."
"And don't think so badly of Hikari-kun. Maybe he's out working hard to support me. You don't know, but Hikari-kun treats me really well. He even pays my rent now. I told him I'd get a job to repay him, and he wouldn't even let me…"
Hearing Yukino's words, Kaede choked on what she was going to say, completely speechless.
She instinctively wanted to refute that as a snow woman, Yukino should easily satisfy Hikari, not the other way around.
But she quickly remembered what she overheard through the wall last night, the noises coming from Yukino's bedroom.
Those heart-wrenching moans still echoed in her ears. Kaede's face flushed red, and she swallowed her words.
'That elephant-trunk-like guy really might be stronger than a snow woman. Strange indeed.'
But hearing Yukino's last sentence, Kaede couldn't help but shake her head and say, "Yukino-chan, you're just too kind. There's no such thing as a good man. Human men are especially sly. I heard they're very fickle. It'd be lucky if he doesn't scam you for money or your body, but earning money for you? I don't buy it."
"You just haven't seen Hikari-kun's good side~", Yukino said.
"Heh, what's so good about some average human? As a powerful Oni, I'll never like such shallow and flirtatious humans," Kaede said with hands on her hips.
To Kaede's words, Yukino just smiled and didn't bother trying to convince her.
She knew that due to past impressions, Kaede had a prejudice against Hikari.
But she knew Hikari very well.
From a lonely snow woman with unsatisfied desires to someone with a dependable partner, now fully fulfilled in every way, Yukino was already very happy and content.
"Since you're not a snow woman, how would you know the joy of a snow woman~", Leaving a line that Kaede couldn't understand, Yukino happily entered the kitchen, planning to still make more food and leave some for Hikari when he came back late.
———
[Elsewhere]
Hikari originally wanted to chat sweetly with the cute snow woman over the phone.
But unexpectedly, the caller was that busty airhead of a Oni girl with a grudge against him.
So he quickly hung up.
There was still a bit of distance to the café where he was headed.
Bored, Hikari casually opened the Pure Love System panel.
"I've got over 2,000 Pure Love Points now. If I reserve over 1,000 for daily upgrades, I can still afford a spin."
"After all, if I can get information about the demon world from Kaede and access the other side of this world, the stronger I am, the safer it'll be."
Hikari immediately activated the lottery wheel.
[Ding! Consumed 1000 Pure Love Points! Drawing…]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host received reward: 'Shenbao Nutrition Drink' x9!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host received reward: 'Heavenly Thunder Seed'!]
For someone unlucky like him, Hikari was used to getting consolation prizes. As long as it wasn't some boring daily skill, he was already happy.
But this Heavenly Thunder Seed… what was it?
When it appeared, it looked like a water droplet, constantly emitting arcs of electricity.
Hikari opened the system description curiously.
[Heavenly Thunder Seed: Upon fusion, the host will gain increased resistance to electricity, along with a limited ability to control electric-type energy. Host can release electric currents from the body to attack enemies. Current strength scales with physical fitness and the size of the seed. (Reminder: When using this with friends or non-Minotaurs, please control the output accordingly. After all, women are made of water.)]
"Electric-type ability?", After reading the description, Hikari raised an eyebrow.
Without delay, he chose to fuse.
The drop-shaped Heavenly Thunder Seed turned into blue light and moved to his dantian.
After selecting fusion, he saw threads of deep-blue arcs emitting from the seed and spreading through his body. It felt like being electrocuted. But not painful, just pleasantly tingly.
As the tingling spread throughout his body, Hikari opened his eyes slightly, a flash of blue light appeared in his pupils, then disappeared.
He opened his palm to see a thread of electric blue, about the size of a needle, flickering in his hand.
"It really does discharge electricity," Hikari looked at it with slight joy.
Gaining a new supernatural power felt pretty good.
But the joy faded quickly as he regained calm.
After careful inspection, he realized that although this ability was cool, it didn't really boost his current combat strength much.
Even at full power, he could probably just stun a human.
Which was too weak for his current physique.
However, according to the system, the Heavenly Thunder Seed could grow over time.
But it grew very slowly unless assisted through other means.
For example, by cultivating the Taoist technique 'Five Thunders True Method'.
Not only could that speed up the seed's growth and power, but also help cultivate the technique itself.
Following the explanation, Hikari opened the 'Five Thunders True Method' info.
'Five Thunders True Method': A highly advanced Taoist technique. Once mastered, it allows one to summon and control thunder, pray for rain or sunshine, exorcise demons, suppress plagues, and guide souls.
According to the system, this technique was indeed powerful. Mastery would earn him a thunder god title at the very least.
But the training requirements were strict, first step: fuse a Heavenly Thunder Seed.
And normally, to obtain one, you'd have to go get struck by lightning, with odds like winning the lottery. Pretty harsh for an average person.
But now, Hikari could skip that step. If he could just get the technique, he could start cultivation.
"So basically, this thunder seed's weak because it's not meant for battle, but as a key to start training 'Five Thunders True Method'."
"Once I reach a basic level, the seed will split into five, the Five Viscera Thunders. Not only will my lightning power increase drastically, but I'll even be able to call down real thunder."
"This technique is crazy powerful. Probably even more effective against demons than my Diamond Demon-Suppressing Technique. Sounds awesome but…"
"Where the hell am I supposed to find the 'Five Thunders True Method'?"
Hikari was speechless. A technique this mystical probably didn't exist in the real world.
And who knew how many spins it'd take to randomly get it?
[Ding! Heavenly Thunder Seed detected! Unlocking 'Five Thunders True Method' exchange paths!]
With that system prompt, Hikari's eyes lit up. Three golden frames appeared under the Heavenly Thunder Seed with the exchange conditions:
['Five Thunders True Method · Upper Volume': Grants immediate access and cultivates the technique to beginner level.]
[Cost: 5000 Pure Love Points!]
['Five Thunders True Method · Middle Volume']
[Unlocks after exchanging for the Upper Volume.]
['Five Thunders True Method · Lower Volume']
[Unlocks after exchanging for the Middle Volume.]
"Ask and you shall receive. Nice… the hell it is!"
"Just the upper volume costs 5000 points? There's still middle and lower volumes? What is this, gacha skin fragments?"
Hikari stared at the requirements, extremely speechless.
Way too expensive. But at least better than blindly spinning forever.
And if it costs that much, the technique must be ridiculously powerful.
He just had to keep grinding points.
If he could master this, combined with his ever-strengthening physique, even going into the monster world wouldn't be scary.
Pulling back from his thoughts, Hikari realized the car had arrived at the designated location.
He took out the fare and handed it to the driver.
As the taxi driver took the money, he suddenly twitched.
"Wha… What happened? I felt like I got shocked," the driver said, confused.
"Hm?", Hikari's expression also turned puzzled.
"You feel that too? Could my car be leaking electricity?", the driver asked.
Hikari smiled, "Maybe just static?"
"Yeah, probably," The driver checked the car but found no issues.
By the time he turned back, Hikari had already gotten out.
As he stepped out, Hikari's smile faded, replaced by a sigh.
'I really need to practice controlling this discharging thing more…'
Actually, he didn't intentionally zap the driver for testing.
That taxi guy was just a regular bystander, not some Minotaur.
But because Hikari had just fused the Heavenly Thunder Seed, he couldn't control the electricity well.
So little arcs kept leaking from his skin, like static. For now, he had to avoid touching others.
Given his current physical condition, he'd probably master it in two or three days.
For now, he should go meet today's mental support counseling student.
Whoever it was, he hoped she wasn't too "tingly."
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