In the afternoon, Logan arrived at the training grounds. This time, he wasn't alone with Tokai Teio. Seiun Sky, his newly signed trainee, was also present.
Based on his memory, Sky's stats should be at their base levels—somewhere in the 90s, definitely under 100. She was a fresh save file.
In this world, stats didn't scale linearly.
For example, Rudolf's speed was over 1400, more than ten times Teio's current speed. But that didn't mean she ran ten times faster. If Teio ran at 20 meters per second, Rudolf running at 200 would make her a supersonic missile.
The higher the number, the steeper the diminishing returns.
Furthermore, unlike the mobile game, stats weren't permanent. They decayed.
If he focused solely on Power training, Stamina would eventually drop. All attributes were interconnected. Spending too much time studying to boost Wisdom would cause physical stats to atrophy.
It was a constant balancing act—a zero-sum game of biological resource management. The Trainer's job was to maximize these fluctuating values within a limited timeframe.
Logan had never formally studied sports science. He was just min-maxing based on the UI he used to see.
His ability to "see the numbers" made him more effective than veteran trainers. While others relied on intuition—sometimes overtraining their students into regression—Logan played by the math.
But now, blinded without the UI, he had to rely on experience.
"Warm up first."
"Yes!"
Teio and Sky jogged onto the track. Logan watched them go.
After signing Sky that morning, the System interface had briefly flashed again, confirming her status as a Trainee. It meant he now had "Command Authority" over her too.
But Logan wasn't happy.
It just made the world feel... fake.
This place looked like reality, but it felt like a sandbox mode. The map was unlocked, the emotions were patched in, but he was still the only "Player."
He was tempted to give up. To just rot.
In the past, training Teio was the only thing that kept him sane. Without a goal, he would have dissolved into a hedonistic vegetable, led around by his lust.
Humans need purpose.
If he let the world assimilate him, he would become a walking corpse driven only by desire. He refused that fate.
So, he treated Teio like a character build. His purpose was to turn her into a Stat Monster.
Warm-up complete, the two girls trotted back to him.
"Trainer, what's next?"
"Follow the plan I gave you."
"Okay."
As they began their drills, Teio whispered to Sky, "Don't you think Trainer has been acting weird lately?"
"Weird how?"
"He keeps muttering about 'games' and staring into space. Yesterday, he just sat by the flowerbed staring at the track for an hour."
"Is that weird? Boys his age love games," Sky replied lazily. "And staring into space is normal. Though I prefer sleeping."
"Is that really it?"
"Sure. Or maybe... he's stressed about your Debut Race. He's using games and spacing out to cope."
"Because of me? My debut is stressing him out?"
"Probably."
"W-What should I do?"
"Help him relax, obviously. Don't worry, leave it to me. One nap in Sei-chan's arms, and he'll be refreshed by tomorrow."
"In your dreams! Don't you dare touch my Trainer!"
"What do you mean 'yours'? He's mine too now."
"Dammit! Why wasn't I enough? Why did he have to sign someone else? Everything he wants to do to a Horse Girl, he can do to me! Everything he wants to do to a girl, he can do to me too! What is he dissatisfied with!?"
Teio fumed. Sky just smiled—a soft, fluffy smile that somehow carried a devastating amount of mockery.
"Maybe Trainer likes them softer? Or maybe he prefers a hug that feels more... comfortable. I fit that description."
"Haaah?? There is no way you're more comfortable than me! Anyway, I'm going to comfort him. You stay out of it!"
Teio dropped her ultimatum and ran off. Sky watched her go, unfazed.
Whatever. You can't guard him 24/7.
But I can.
While the girls bickered, Logan was analyzing his notebook. He had recorded the last known stats for both Teio and Sky, cross-referencing them with historical growth data from his "previous save."
Attribute decay. Diminishing returns. Synergy bonuses.
And then there was the Mood factor.
In the game, bad mood meant bad training rng. Here, it was simpler. A headpat, a cheek rub, or a foot massage could spike Teio's mood instantly. Even if she was depressed (ears drooping), a single kiss would have her perked up and ready to run through walls.
It's complicated.
Without the UI, he had to calculate everything manually.
"Two sets of single-leg hops into squats... then..."
"Trainer."
Logan was deep in thought when a weight pressed against his back. Teio wrapped her arms around his neck.
She was fresh from training, her skin glistening with sweat. The salty tang mixed with her natural citrus scent, creating a heady aroma that filled his nose.
"What is it, Teio? Done already?"
"Just taking a break. And I wanted to help Trainer take a break too."
Seeing his serious expression as he pored over the training charts, her anxiety vanished. This was her Trainer. The man who worked tirelessly for her sake. The person she loved most.
"Ahm~"
Teio opened her mouth and gently bit onto Logan's earlobe.
Her warm, wet tongue slid into the shell of his ear, sending shivers down his spine.
"Let me help you relax..." she whispered, her voice thick and sticky.