Kaito's mind stirred. His consciousness drifted back from the vast sea of stars to the real world.
In the bedroom, Fubuki and Mosquito Girl were still asleep—or at least pretending to be. The morning light poured through the window, tracing their graceful curves in a soft, alluring glow.
But with Kaito's perception, he could easily detect the faint hesitation in their breathing.
They were both awake.
Last night's madness had been far too wild, too shameful. Now, the two of them were silently playing ostrich—neither daring to open her eyes first to face this "open and honest" morning.
Kaito moved his arm slightly, the one pinned beneath them. At once, the two warm bodies clinging to him tensed up.
A smile tugged at his lips. Without hesitation, he gave each of their impossibly soft behinds a light but firm pat.
Smack. Smack.
"Still pretending to sleep?" His tone carried a teasing lilt. "If you don't get up soon, someone might see everything."
And he wasn't exaggerating.
When the Emperor Engine advanced earlier, the surge of energy had vaporized everything in the room except the main structure—curtains included.
Though Kaito's apartment sat high above Z-City, the nearest building across the way was still within telescope range. If some bored onlooker happened to glance this way, they'd get a full, uncensored view of the three of them.
Kaito didn't care if someone saw him. His physique alone could make women blush and men question their self-worth. But his women? Their beauty wasn't for free viewing.
"Ah!"
"Ugh…"
The two feigned sleepers could no longer keep up the act. Shame forgotten, they scrambled out of Kaito's embrace, covering themselves as best they could.
Still sore from the night before, they stumbled like startled fawns, hands flying to hide their vital spots as they fled from the now unobstructed bedroom.
Only the faint mingling of fragrance and flustered breath lingered in the air.
Their retreating figures made Kaito chuckle. He stretched lazily, muscles rippling under the sunlight, and walked to the window. The morning light of Z-City brushed across his face, casting sharp shadows on his rugged features.
After admiring the city for a moment, Kaito focused his mind, summoning the system interface.
[— Deterrence System —]
[Host: Kaito (King)]
[Level: 1 (Experience: 0 / 100)]
[Attributes: Strength: 100 | Agility: 100 | Spirit: 100]
[Skills:
• Emperor Engine (Profound Realm: 15 / ?)
• Carbonated Gas Bomb (Great Accomplishment: 0 / 3000)
• King's Summon (Beginner: 0 / 50)
• Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist (Great Accomplishment: 0 / 3000)
• Haoshoku Haki (Great Accomplishment: 0 / 3000)
• Kenbunshoku Haki (Great Accomplishment: 0 / 3000)
• Armament Haki (Great Accomplishment: 0 / 3000)
]
[Deterrence Points: 645,750]
The first thing that caught his eye were the three bold 100s in the attribute bar.
That was the feedback from the Emperor Engine's breakthrough to the Profound Realm—his body and spirit both pushed to the very peak of human potential.
But according to the system's description, to advance any further, he had to break through his limiter.
Kaito tried spending 100 Deterrence Points to level up, earning 10 free attribute points. Yet when he attempted to allocate them into Strength, the "+" symbol turned gray, unresponsive.
"As expected," he muttered. "You can't just brute-force a breakthrough. The limiter doesn't care about numbers."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "In this world, breaking the limiter means surviving countless near-death experiences—forcing both body and spirit beyond reason."
The first person who came to mind was Saitama.
Across the entire Earth, that unfathomable bald man might be the only one capable of pushing him to the brink.
But Kaito immediately dismissed the idea.
That guy had no sense of control. If he got excited mid-fight, one punch might be all it took to erase him completely.
Even though the Eternal Rhythm of the Emperor Engine theoretically made him immortal, Kaito wasn't eager to test that claim against someone who could shatter dimensions with a casual swing.
He vividly remembered how Saitama once caught the Ninja God's Dimensional Slash barehanded—while the man was in another dimension. That level of power defied physics itself.
"Forget it," Kaito murmured, exhaling softly. "The universe is big enough. I'll find a suitable opponent somewhere."
He turned his gaze back to the skill bar.
[Emperor Engine (Profound Realm: 15 / ?)]
The question mark intrigued him. It meant the skill had reached a bottleneck—one that couldn't be surpassed by Deterrence Points alone. To reach the highest level, Godly Attainment, he'd need more than power. He'd need something special.
But there was no rush.
Kaito's faint smile returned. The morning breeze brushed past him, carrying with it the faint scent of ozone—the lingering echo of the Emperor Engine's pulse.
A new day had begun.
And somewhere beyond the horizon, new challenges awaited.
With his current Dragon-level strength, Kaito was almost unrivaled on Earth—save for the gods themselves.
Still, he wasn't in a rush. When the boat reaches the bridge, it straightens itself; as long as he lived long enough, his path forward would open on its own.
"For now…" he murmured, eyes gleaming. "Let's just upgrade all the other skills to the Profound Realm first."
Glancing at the more than six hundred thousand Deterrence Points displayed on the interface, Kaito grinned like a man who'd just won the lottery.
"Anyway," he said with a chuckle, "we're not short on money anymore."
He waved his hand, and a storm of system notifications filled the air around him like a mechanical symphony:
[Deterrence Points - 3000! Skill 'Carbonated Gas Bomb' upgraded to Perfection!]
[Deterrence Points - 3000! Skill 'Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist' upgraded to Perfection!]
…
[Deterrence Points - 30000! Skill 'Carbonated Gas Bomb' upgraded to Profound Realm!]
[Deterrence Points - 30000! Skill 'Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist' upgraded to Profound Realm!]
[Deterrence Points - 30000! Skill 'Armament Haki' upgraded to Profound Realm!]
…
With each breakthrough, Kaito could feel the shift—his strength, agility, and spirit intertwining into something deeper, more fluid. Power no longer surged through him; it flowed, like it belonged there all along.
By the time his Armament Haki reached the Profound Realm, his entire being felt renewed. Every breath carried quiet dominance. Every movement held gravity.
"Ahh…" Kaito exhaled slowly, stretching his arms as his joints crackled like a string of firecrackers. "This… this is the high that only power can give."
He was still savoring the moment when a soft voice came from the doorway.
"Boss! Boss!"
Mosquito Girl entered lightly, holding a folded set of clothes in her arms. Her pink hair shimmered in the light, a few playful strands resting against her flushed face. Her watery crimson eyes still carried the faint hue of shyness from earlier.
"The communicator on the coffee table has been ringing," she whispered, stopping a step away. "It seems… to be an urgent message from the Hero Association."
"Got it. I'll check it out."
Kaito turned and accepted the clothes from her hands, slipping them on with practiced ease. Before leaving, he leaned down and planted a quick kiss on her cheek.
Her breath hitched, and color flooded her face once more.
By the time Kaito stepped into the living room, the Hero Association's communicator was still vibrating violently on the coffee table, buzzing like it might explode at any moment.
He picked it up, swiped his finger across the screen, and a bold red message instantly projected into the air before him:
[Urgent Distress Signal — S-Class Priority!]
[Z-City: Multiple Dragon-level entities detected. Immediate response required!]
Kaito's eyes narrowed. The faint hum of the Emperor Engine began to echo deep within his chest, its rhythm steady, commanding.
"Looks like the morning workout's been decided," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
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