Reno's concern warmed Kaya's heart, and she nodded obediently. "Next, let's try limb regeneration."
Reno's knife flashed, cleanly severing a chicken's leg. After a brief moment of numbness, the chicken screeched in pain.
Kaya didn't hesitate. Her small hand glowed with white light, enveloping the stump of the chicken's leg.
Nami and Makino, whose jaws had just closed, gaped again, their eyes wide with shock. The muscles at the severed site began to writhe as if alive, slowly regrowing flesh.
As time passed, Kaya's face flushed red, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Clearly, limb regeneration was far more taxing than healing simple wounds.
After two minutes, a brand-new leg—slightly different in color—had fully regenerated. The rooster hopped about, lively as ever. Too startled to celebrate, it glanced fearfully at Reno, flapped its wings, and fled as if its life depended on it.
Demon.This guy's a demon.
"Phew, big brother Reno, I did it," Kaya said weakly, her energy drained.
Reno quickly supported her. "Well done. Rest now."
The test was a success, and Reno's face lit up with joy. He started to guide Kaya back to her room.
Wait. Suddenly, his eyes gleamed.
According to the system, the Healing Fruit could cure all diseases and regenerate limbs—but it also removed negative effects. Was fatigue a negative effect?
With a experimental mindset, Reno's palm glowed with white light, enveloping Kaya. Unlike her smaller aura, his light covered a much wider area.
Kaya was confused but soon gasped. She could feel her exhaustion rapidly fading. Within moments, her stamina was fully restored. Though sweat lingered on her forehead, she felt no trace of tiredness.
"How do you feel?" Reno asked, his tone laced with anticipation.
"I… my stamina's back," Kaya said, incredulous.
Just as he'd thought! Reno's heart raced with excitement.
If this was true, couldn't he exploit this endlessly? Remove negative effects with the Healing Fruit, rinse, and repeat? A perpetual human machine?
And what about that?
A sudden thought struck him. If he could erase physical fatigue, then after each "navigation technique discussion" with the girls, couldn't he… Keep going? Again and again?
In truth, he was always left wanting more. But the girls' stamina couldn't keep up with his intense "study sessions," forcing him to stop. If his theory held, he could use the Healing Fruit to wipe away their fatigue and continue until he was fully satisfied.
It seemed feasible.
Reno's lips felt dry, his gaze burning as he looked at Kaya. Gotta test it.
"Ahem," Reno cleared his throat, an idea forming. "Big brother Reno, are you okay?" Kaya asked with concern.
Meeting her puzzled gaze, Reno said earnestly, "Kaya, do you trust me?"
Kaya nodded without hesitation. "Of course I trust you, big brother Reno."
"And if I needed your help with something, would you refuse?"
Kaya shook her head firmly. "Never. Whatever you need, I'll help."
He'd driven off Kuro and "sacrificed" five years of his life to cure her illness. To Kaya, Reno was her savior—a debt she could never repay.
Nami and Makino exchanged a glance, their expressions odd. They could already guess what was coming. This time, they were certain it was happening.
Silently, they stayed quiet. So far, no woman Reno set his sights on had escaped. If they ruined his plans, they'd be the ones in trouble.
Seeing Kaya's agreement, Reno was thrilled. Anything, huh? With Nami and Makino as witnesses, she'd said it herself.
"Big brother Reno, what do you need?" Kaya asked, clueless.
Reno immediately feigned pain. "Kaya, my leg's a bit swollen. Come to your room and help me treat it."
Seeing his agonized expression, Kaya believed him completely, forgetting that Reno himself had the Healing Fruit's power.
After a quick word to Nami and Makino, she supported Reno back to her bedroom.
"The captain's so bad, pretending his leg hurts just to trick a girl," Makino said helplessly, watching them leave.
Nami smirked. "He's not lying. He just didn't say which leg."
Makino blinked, then realized what she meant. She shot Nami a playful glare. She's younger than me, but she knows so much.
…
Inside Kaya's Bedroom
The demon finally bared his fangs.
Kaya was flustered, but her trust in Reno led her to agree to his request. After a brief introduction, Reno began formally teaching her "navigation techniques."
Unlike with Nami, this was a gentler approach. Though Kaya's illness was cured, her baseline stamina was still weak, unable to handle high-intensity "navigation methods." Reno kept the pace within her limits.
Beyond recruiting Kaya, his main goal was to test his theory.
An hour later, the first "lesson" ended. Kaya was about to take a break when—stunned—a white light enveloped her, restoring her stamina instantly.
She panicked. Visibly panicked.
…
Evening
When Kaya emerged from the room, intimately clinging to Reno's arm, Nami gave a thumbs-up, her meaning clear.
Makino teased with a smile, "That sounded quite melodious."
Kaya's face flushed red to her ears. If there were a crack in the ground, she'd dive into it. Some things she just couldn't control.
Helpless, she kept her head down, avoiding Nami and Makino's gazes.
Reno quickly came to her rescue. "Ahem, we're all family now. Don't tease Kaya."
"We can barely protect ourselves—how could we tease her?" Nami quipped, rolling her eyes.
…