"I'm home!"
Kirigaya Suguha announced through the door intercom.
The door clicked open in response.
Only after it had fully closed did Akira emerge from the alley.
Light poured from the windows of the house—someone was definitely inside.
He wouldn't be using the same strategy he did with Kasumigaoka Utaha.
With family members present who also possessed a certain level of combat ability, it was no wonder the difficulty rating had hit red.
Still, thanks to his earlier success, Suguha's capture progress had already reached 50%.
One more round, and the reward would be within reach.
But the sudden appearance of her family raised the stakes.
And that only made things more interesting for Akira.
He felt it.
A challenge not too difficult, but just hard enough to make victory sweet.
The game's design was clever—success always seemed close, yet tantalizingly out of grasp.
His gaze drifted to the lit room on the second floor.
A plan began to form.
Suguha returned to her room.
Today's practice had left her drenched in sweat. She'd already rinsed off at the dojo, but she wanted another shower at home.
Just as she started to undress, a breeze slipped in, brushing gently against her bare skin. The curtains swayed, revealing the dim evening sky beyond.
Did I forget to close the window?
She thought little of it and walked over to shut it tight, pulling the curtains closed.
Even though the window faced no other buildings and no one could possibly see inside, she always made sure to cover up at moments like this.
Pulling off her top, she stood before the full-length mirror and studied her own figure.
Her body was superb—delicate yet ample. Yesterday, Akira hadn't wanted to leave.
Still… compared to Busujima Saeko, she had some catching up to do.
"Big pervert."
"Cheating jerk."
Hidden beneath the bed, Akira watched it all unfold.
His nose tingled—he almost sneezed. He pinched it quickly.
Things were at a critical stage. He couldn't mess up now.
He wondered who this skinned NPC was scolding.
Could it be him from last time?
A silent chuckle escaped him.
Looked like he'd left quite the impression.
"Suguha, the bath is ready."
"Okay, Mom."
She pulled on a loose T-shirt, grabbed her laundry basket, and headed downstairs.
Only when the door clicked shut did Akira crawl out from under the bed.
What a shame.
He might've unlocked a "secret observation" trophy.
Suguha's figure really was top-tier—soft, flexible, unlike ordinary girls.
Akira would sometimes use a bit more force.
Don't get the wrong idea.
He meant with his hands.
Downstairs, Suguha stepped into the bathroom, phone in hand.
She'd told herself she wouldn't think about Akira, but she was already typing out a text.
Unread.
Minutes passed. Still unread.
A flicker of anger rose in her chest.
What was that cheating jerk doing now? Was he with Busujima?
After a few seconds of hesitation, she mustered the courage to call him—her first call since exchanging numbers.
"The number you dialed is out of service area."
Out of service?
He probably turned it off so no one could interrupt him.
She blew angry bubbles into the bathwater.
Less than half an hour later, she stepped out.
"Eh, Suguha, you're done already? I was about to join you."
"Mm, I'm tired today. I want to rest early."
"Alright then. Get some rest."
Back in her room, Suguha sprawled across the bed.
Her mind kept replaying images of Akira and Busujima together.
Then she remembered yesterday's wildness.
She rolled over and hugged a pillow tight.
That's when a hand reached out from beside the bed and gently covered her mouth.
"Don't make a sound."
She froze.
Then she recognized the voice.
Akira.
Her resentment vanished in an instant.
This guy… how dare he.
This was her home. Her room. Her parents were right downstairs.
But even as she scolded him in her head, her heart raced with something sweeter.
She'd misunderstood. He wasn't with Busujima.
Everything he'd done today was leading to this moment.
A surprise he'd planned just for her.
Akira sensed no issue. After all, this skinned NPC had been surprisingly obedient yesterday.
"Your parents are downstairs," he whispered.
Suguha rolled her eyes.
You know that, and you're still here? If they catch you, I'm not lifting a finger to help.
Hmph.
Meanwhile, Akira had already undone all her buttons.
One-handed unbuttoning—an essential skill for any player in this game. And he'd mastered it.
Suguha stayed quiet as a doll. No resistance at all.
She even helped remove the rest of her defenses.
When she turned over, Akira used his mouth to keep her silent.
God's Hand activated.
Human Cannon activated.
The entire sequence went off without a hitch.
Smooth. So smooth it surprised even him.
God's Hand amplified sensation. Backstabber and Human Cannon boosted output.
Paired with Bewitch Heart from the sidelines…
What woman wouldn't fall completely under his spell?
Agility +2
Capture progress for "Kirigaya Suguha" reached 90%.
Reward: Agility +20.
Existence Weakening unlock progress: +25%.
Too bad there's no trophy.
Holding the drowsy Suguha in his arms, Akira felt pleased.
Two conquests down. Existence Weakening was at 50%.
One more—Busujima Saeko—and he'd be ready for Suou Yuki by tomorrow.
He'd just tested it. Bewitch Heart was stronger than expected.
That opened up new possibilities.
Maybe he could become Suou Yuki's older brother or something.
The phone on the bedside table buzzed—time was almost up.
He had Suguha hug the pillow, then slipped away.
With 22 extra points in Agility, Akira moved like a ghost—faster than ever.
Now, even facing Busujima Saeko, discovery seemed unlikely.
Back at the pool, Suguha had sensed his presence.
But Busujima was stronger, which meant her senses would be sharper too.
Still, with Existence Weakening at 50%, Akira felt ready.
He couldn't help but wonder:
Would the Busujima Saeko in this game feel different from the one in reality?