Chapter 223: Kirari's Style of Fitness, People are Living, Art is Dead
[Akarin's Note: Silverman Gym is the main fitness center from the anime 'Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?' (How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?). It is an elite, world-renowned gym chain famous for its state-of-the-art equipment, hardcore bodybuilding culture, and its overwhelmingly muscular personal trainers.]
It proved that there was a very compelling reason Ren had been personally invited by the owner of Silverman Gym to serve as an exclusive coach back in the day. Simply put, he was an exceptionally competent and ruthlessly professional instructor.
The vibrant, pulsing atmosphere of the gym was alive with the rhythmic clanking of iron plates and the steady hum of treadmills. Bright fluorescent lights glared down from the high ceilings, reflecting off the spotless mirrored walls that lined the expansive free-weight area.
The faint, metallic scent of iron mingled with the subtle aroma of floor disinfectant, creating an environment purely dedicated to physical refinement.
At this time, Sakura Hibiki and the rest of the girls had already lined up in front of Ren. He moved down the line with effortless authority, handing out personalized fitness plans and tailored routines.
[Akarin's Note: Sakura Hibiki is the main protagonist of the fitness anime 'Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?'. She is a high schooler at Kōyō Women's Academy who joins Silverman Gym to lose weight because she has a massive appetite and loves eating junk food.]
Each clipboard he handed over contained a meticulously calculated regimen based on their individual body fat percentages, muscle mass, and personal fitness goals. Basically, everyone shared a similar foundation of core exercises, but the subtle nuances—the exact weight on the bar, the resting intervals, and the specific number of repetitions in a set—were vastly different.
It was absolutely worth mentioning that, whether Momobami Kirari was doing it on purpose or simply acting out of habit, she possessed a truly terrifying talent.
[Akarin's Note: Momobami Kirari is the main antagonist of the Kakegurui series. She is the 105th Student Council President of Hyakkaou Private Academy and the absolute head of the Momobami Clan, a powerful conglomerate of elite families.]
Even when executing the most reasonable and biomechanically correct standard postures, she somehow managed to project a profoundly sultry and hypnotic aura. It was as if every extension of her limbs and every arch of her back was a calculated display, designed exclusively to show off the flawless, curving lines of her figure to the man instructing her.
It wasn't until an entire hour had passed that the group finally dispersed. After patiently guiding everyone through the labyrinth of gleaming machines and familiarizing them with the specific equipment for their respective exercises, Ren allowed them to transition into independent training.
However, this independence wasn't absolute. Far from it.
For example, Sakura Hibiki was a complete beginner to the world of fitness. Her blonde twin-tails bobbed erratically as she struggled on a simple chest press machine.
She would frequently perform movements with hilariously incorrect form, her arms trembling like jelly. She then collapsed dramatically against the padded leather seat, whining that she couldn't push another ounce of weight.
At times like these, Ren would casually step over, his presence immediately silencing her complaints. He would gently but firmly adjust her posture, tapping her shoulders to correct her alignment and physically guiding her elbows into the proper angle.
In stark contrast, Igarashi Sayaka was an absolute machine.
[Akarin's Note: Igarashi Sayaka is Momobami Kirari's fiercely loyal secretary. She is deeply infatuated with Kirari, dedicating her entire existence to serving and protecting the Student Council President.]
Perhaps due to a lifetime of rigorously trained discipline and her unwavering dedication to perfection, Sayaka's execution ability was frighteningly strong. Once Ren explained the mechanics of a movement, her analytical mind immediately processed the geometry of the exercise.
She rarely made a single mistake after being told what to do. Her back remained perfectly straight, her core tight, and her breathing rhythmic.
Naturally, Ren did not hold back in expressing his approval, praising her flawless form on multiple occasions.
Praise, after all, should never be treated as a luxury. Ren understood this deeply.
Don't be stingy with your compliments; it will make two or even more people genuinely happy, and it costs absolutely nothing to offer a few words of validation.
Of course, the golden rule of coaching was to ensure that you only bestowed that praise when someone had truly earned it through effort and excellent execution.
Sayaka's cheeks would flush a deep, satisfying crimson every time he commended her, driving her to work even harder.
The gym floor was a symphony of feminine struggle.
"Ugh... Ren, I'm so tired~" Hibiki groaned from the floor, sprawling out on a yoga mat like a deflated balloon, completely abandoning her crunches.
"Ren-san~ Is my movement on the cable machine correct?" Ayaka called out from the opposite end of the room, adjusting her grip on the triceps rope.
"Ren, Ren! My lower back just can't flatten out against the bench!" Gina complained, squirming awkwardly under an empty barbell.
Yet, despite the chaotic chorus of girls vying for his attention, Kirari was undeniably the one Ren found most troublesome.
Although he had anticipated a certain level of difficulty from her right from the beginning, he truly hadn't expected the Student Council President to be this incredibly high-maintenance.
She summoned him over to ask about every single piece of equipment no less than five times. To make matters worse, Kirari's self-imposed requirement for each piece of equipment was five grueling sets.
Compared to the complaining beginners, the most serious and dedicated trainees were actually Courage and Akemi.
[Akarin's Note: Courage and Rantabi are First-Class Book Masters (Inspectors) for the World Gourmet Organization (WGO) from Food Wars!. Sōryūin Akemi's older sister is Sōryūin Shion, the chairwoman of Kōyō Women's Academy, where the girls attend.]
Ayaka seemed to be lost in thought, absentmindedly curling a light dumbbell, while Gina kept abandoning her station to eagerly ask Ren when he would start his own practice. The silver-haired Russian girl made no secret of the fact that she simply wanted an excuse to watch him sweat.
Sōryūin Akemi, however, was in a completely different realm of existence. She perfectly inherited her older sister's eccentric hobbies—or rather, the deeply ingrained, fanatical personality traits of the entire Sōryūin family.
She was someone who didn't just love fitness; she worshipped it. She devoured bodybuilding magazines and lived for the thrill of watching professional bodybuilding competitions.
For Sōryūin Akemi, fitness was not just a passing hobby to stay in shape. It was a lifelong goal, an unparalleled joy, and the very driving force of human existence!
Although Hibiki and the others constantly complained about the burn in their muscles, once Akemi started exercising, she was truly uncontrollable.
Her eyes glazed over in a state of euphoric trance. The most unsettling part was that her workouts came with their own special, highly inappropriate sound effects. With every heavy squat, she would unleash deep, macho grunts that sounded entirely at odds with her elegant, refined appearance.
"Ren~" a sultry voice purred from the isolation machines.
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling exasperatedly before walking over. He looked down at Kirari, who was draped gracefully over a preacher curl bench, her vibrant blue eyes looking up at him through her pale lashes.
"You're training chest today, Kirari," Ren said, crossing his arms over his chest. "So you absolutely don't need to be sitting at that arm exercise machine. Get back here."
Kirari blinked innocently, tracing a manicured fingernail over the rubber grip of the machine in front of her. She slowly turned her head, offering him a devastatingly coy smirk.
"Eh? Can't I train my arms today? They feel so... neglected."
"It's best to train only one primary muscle group at a time," Ren lectured smoothly, refusing to fall for her trap. "Otherwise, your muscles won't be able to handle the systemic fatigue, and your recovery will suffer."
"Come over here quickly. After you finish this last set of incline bench presses, you can all go for a run to finish up with some cardio~"
"Oh~" Kirari practically purred the syllable, pushing herself off the bench with an agonizingly slow, deliberate stretch that accentuated her curves, before sauntering over to the free-weight area.
On the other side of the gym floor, Courage observed the entire interaction. The beautiful WGO Inspector watched Kirari with a diligent, eager expression, as if she were a student observing a masterclass.
Because Courage didn't procrastinate and possessed a strong work ethic, she had finished her prescribed workout quickly.
Now, she stood by the water cooler, absentmindedly massaging the slight ache in her toned biceps while carefully analyzing how effortlessly Kirari flirted with Ren.
Courage could instantly sense that the silver-haired girl was an absolute expert in the art of manipulation and seduction.
When Kirari finally finished her last set of presses, racking the bar with a soft clink, Ren gave an approving nod. He stretched his arms high above his head, the movement causing his fitted shirt to pull taut against his athletic torso.
"Hmm. With that, all the strength exercises are officially done," Ren announced, clapping his hands together to get the room's attention. "Now, all of you can head over to the treadmills and go for a run."
Courage quickly stepped forward, wiping a delicate bead of sweat from her brow with a pristine towel. "Mr. Ren, what about you? What are you going to do now?"
Ren flashed a confident, easygoing smile. "Since I'm already at the gym, of course I'm going to train myself~"
"I want to watch!"
Six feminine voices chimed in perfect, overlapping unison, echoing sharply across the rubberized floor.
Ren scanned the circle of girls surrounding him. Every single one of them—aside from the fiercely obedient Sayaka—had shouted their desire to observe him. He sighed, waving his hand dismissively toward the cardio section.
"You all need to do your cardio," Ren instructed firmly. "It's the absolute best time to do cardiovascular work right now, while your body is thoroughly warmed up and your glycogen stores are depleted. Go quickly, don't make me repeat myself~"
Hearing Ren employ his strict coach persona, everyone instantly stopped their protests. They turned on their heels, shuffling toward the rows of treadmills with heavy, reluctant steps.
Watching the girls finally leave the free-weight equipment area, Ren breathed a long sigh of relief. He took a moment to center himself, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck until the joints popped satisfyingly. Then, without a moment of hesitation, he walked directly toward the heaviest bench press station in the corner.
He didn't bother warming up. Ren immediately began sliding massive, forty-five-pound iron plates onto the ends of the Olympic barbell.
Clang after clang echoed loudly as he loaded several of the heaviest weight plates onto each side, locking them in place with metal collars. The sheer mass of the iron actually caused the thick steel bar to bend slightly under the gravitational pressure.
He lay down on the padded bench, planted his feet firmly against the floor, gripped the knurled steel, and effortlessly unracked the monstrous weight. He began his sets, repping the bar up and down in a fluid, pistoning motion.
There was absolutely no change in his expression whatsoever. His breathing remained perfectly steady, and his face was entirely devoid of the strained, blood-vessel-popping agony that usually accompanied such a lift. To anyone watching, he looked as casually relaxed as if he were lifting a hollow PVC pipe.
Meanwhile, a few dozen yards away, several heads poked out from behind a large bank of elliptical machines.
It was Courage, Hibiki, Ayaka, and the others. They hadn't touched a single treadmill. And the most outrageous part of this espionage mission was that Kirari, the dignified Student Council President, was the one actively leading the stealth operation, peering intently through the gaps in the machinery.
Ayaka slapped both hands over her cheeks, her eyes practically bugging out of her skull. "Oh my god! Can he seriously do such heavy bench presses so easily?!"
"As expected, you don't need ridiculously huge, bulky muscles to possess such terrifyingly strong explosive power!"
"Wait a second!" Sakura Hibiki gasped, pointing a trembling finger at the distant bench.
"How many reps is this set?! He's way past twenty! Why hasn't he stopped yet?!"
"As expected of someone who has the qualifications to be friends with the Thai God of War!" Gina whispered fiercely, her eyes shining with pure, unadulterated awe. "Brother Ren is truly amazing!"
[Akarin's Note: Kaolan Wongsawat is a major character from the Kengan Ashura and Kengan Omega series. He is the Thai God of War, an undisputed heavyweight boxing champion, and a master of Muay Thai.]
"Hmm. He truly lives up to the title of being my future man," Kirari murmured softly.
A deeply possessive, predatory smirk played across her lips as she watched the steady flexion of Ren's chest muscles through his shirt.
"What an intoxicating sense of security. It's exactly as the host introduced him before. Right, Sayaka?"
Sayaka, crouching loyally by Kirari's side, nodded furiously, her face flushed red. "As expected of Mr. Ren!"
"But... President, what exactly was the host's introduction?" Courage interjected quietly, leaning in closer to eavesdrop.
"Ah," Kirari chuckled darkly. "It was something along the lines of a 'White Butler' with a slender, elegant figure that completely contradicts his absurd height and weight class..."
"Hehe... Eh... Hehe~!" Akemi suddenly giggled, a disturbing amount of drool pooling at the corner of her mouth.
Her eyes were completely bloodshot as she stared fixatedly at Ren's form. "As expected of Brother Ren... just look at that muscular explosiveness!"
"Even though his muscles aren't overly bulky, the density! The sheer, unadulterated power radiating from him!"
"I can feel the testosterone from here! Brother Ren's physique is truly the absolute zenith of physical art!"
Everyone naturally chose to ignore Akemi, who was currently acting incredibly strange and descending into her own bizarre, muscle-worshipping fantasy. Instead, they kept their focus entirely locked on watching Ren's training.
It proved a fundamental truth: anything in this world could be elevated to the exalted level of art, whether it was the delicate mastery of cooking or the brutal, sweaty grind of fitness.
Since ancient times, the human body has always been one of the primary subjects chosen by legendary artists to paint and sculpt. It can be said that this appreciation is deeply embedded in human aesthetic. A body meticulously sculpted through countless hours of agonizing sweat and unrelenting effort is no less magnificent than a priceless work of art.
In fact, it is superior—because people are living, breathing entities, while works of art are merely dead stone and canvas.
On this fateful day, Sakura Hibiki and the others learned that fitness could actually be pushed to these horrifying extremes.
They watched in stunned silence as Ren moved to the butterfly machine. He casually slid the selector pin down to the absolute maximum weight at the bottom of the stack. Finding that insufficient, he proceeded to grab massive iron weight plates and physically hang them over the top of the machine's weight stack for extra resistance.
They watched him drop to the floor and perform perfectly balanced, one-handed push-ups. And if that wasn't terrifying enough, he casually reached back with his free hand, lifting the heaviest forty-five-pound plates from the floor and stacking them, one by one, squarely onto his own lower back until a small iron tower was balanced precariously on his spine.
Gina swallowed hard, her throat bobbing as a bead of cold sweat rolled down the back of her neck. "Hey, hey... Ayaka... are you absolutely sure you want to tell your sister about this kind of training content?"
Ayaka shook her head slowly, looking utterly dumbfounded as she watched Ren effortlessly press himself off the floor with half a ton of iron on his back. "I feel like... if I tell my sister what we just saw, she might honestly believe I'm hallucinating. She wouldn't believe that such completely unscientific training methods even exist..."
Despite the monstrous volume of his workout, Ren completed his training very quickly.
When he finally stood up and racked the last set of weights, he didn't even feel like he had broken a sweat. His breathing was as calm and measured as a tranquil lake. His body was already naturally very strong, but after forming his demonic contracts with Lucifer and Cerberus, his underlying physical fitness and cellular density had ascended to a realm far beyond human limits.
He casually grabbed his towel, draped it over his shoulders, and turned toward the cardio section.
"Hmm?" Ren raised an eyebrow, spotting the cluster of girls quickly scrambling out from behind the elliptical machines to stand innocently by the treadmills. "Are you all done running already?"
"Mhm! Mhm! Mhm!" Six voices agreed aggressively, heads nodding in desperate unison.
In reality, not a single one of them had run so much as a single step.
Ren didn't bother calling out their obvious lie. He simply stretched his neck side to side and glanced at the large digital clock mounted on the gym wall.
"Hmm? Look at the time. It's already noon."
"We've been here long enough. It's time to head back."
Akemi immediately perked up, snapping out of her muscle-induced trance. "Brother Ren!"
"Do you want to go grab something to eat together with us later? We can go to that new high-protein diner!"
Ren smiled warmly but shook his head. "Sure, maybe another time."
"You all hurry up and go to the locker rooms to change. I still need to go find someone before I leave."
"Okay!" Five voices chirped obediently as the girls turned and began heading down the hallway toward the women's locker room.
However, unlike the other five, Kirari did not move to follow them.
She stood perfectly still, her piercing blue eyes locked onto Ren. Slowly, she licked her bottom lip, a predatory, thrilling smile blooming across her flawless face.
She tilted her head and spoke softly without breaking eye contact. "Sayaka."
"You go ahead to the locker room and change first. I have something... private... to tell Ren."
Sayaka paused, casting a brief, curious glance between the two of them, but her absolute loyalty overrode any questions. She bowed her head deeply. "Yes, President."
Once Sayaka's footsteps faded down the hallway and they were entirely alone in the deserted corner of the gym, Ren crossed his arms. "What do you need, Kirari?"
The silver-haired girl stepped forward, completely ignoring all boundaries of personal space. She stopped only when the tips of her sneakers bumped against his, her face tilted up so that her warm breath ghosted against his collarbone.
"Although your performance as my coach today had a few minor, irritating flaws," Kirari whispered, her sultry voice dropping an octave, rich with intoxicating implication, "it still satisfied me quite a bit."
"You took very good care of me. So, of course, as the Student Council President... I have to ensure I give you the promised reward."
She reached out, her delicate fingers lightly trailing down the muscular line of his forearm before her hand closed firmly around his wrist.
"Come with me," she commanded softly, a dangerous, thrilling glint in her eyes as she began pulling him toward the secluded, shadowed corridors at the back of the gym.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]