Kaito's breathing quickened slightly, but soon calmed down.
At this moment, their eyes met. Reading the content in each other's gaze, they both turned away.
Kaito didn't hesitate. He quickly removed his clothes, picked up a towel, and after a simple wash in the shower area, he stood at the hot spring Akina had mentioned.
This hot spring was different from ordinary ones; it was the 'Angel Hot Spring (Water)' obtained from the Gacha, an A-rank reward.
She finally got lucky with a draw, but unfortunately, it wasn't a direct ability gain, but a special item.
This hot spring water is self-cleaning, maintains a constant temperature, and is a light gold color.
After obtaining it, Akina simply modified the artificial hot spring in her residence, replaced the old facilities, cleaned it, and then poured the Angel Hot Spring in.
Due to the special nature of the Angel Hot Spring, there will be no need to change the water or heat it in the future.
Next…
As long as a person soaks in it once, besides making the skin better and making you more beautiful, all diseases in the body, including cancer, poisoning, etc., will completely disappear. It's like holy healing water.
Most importantly, the more you soak in this Angel Hot Spring, the more your physique, strength, vitality, spirit, and magical power will comprehensively improve based on the number of soaks, until you reach A-rank physique!
You heard that right, it comprehensively improves everything until it reaches A-rank.
Just like when you draw an A-rank reward from the Gacha and directly get a physique enhancement to A-rank level.
This one, however, is gradual.
Although it will certainly take a long time, needing to soak many times, this Angel Hot Spring increases all attributes comprehensively. A longer time doesn't matter; having something is better than nothing.
Thanks to this, Akina's body was reformed, allowing her to gain magical power.
From now on, she can also learn Magecraft.
Obtaining superpowers won't be as awkward as Misuzu, who has no energy to continuously use abilities, can only consume physical stamina, and grows very slowly.
"Kaito, is the water temperature suitable?"
"Come on, you said it yourself, doesn't it always stay at one temperature? And there's no need to change the water at all."
"Hehe, that's true... It was my oversight. Can you turn around?"
"Hmm."
Kaito turned around in the hot spring, and then saw Akina wrapped in a towel.
In her hand were a towel and special lotion for scrubbing backs.
"What, just like this?"
Kaito said with a slightly mischievous smile.
He had turned around hoping to see something, but this was it.
"Ahem, well... I-I haven't adapted yet."
Well, it turned out Akina chickened out.
Kaito wasn't surprised. She was brave, decisive, and an out-and-out strong woman.
But she was still a woman after all, and in front of Kaito, she had no dominance left.
Not doing what Mika, Shodai, and the others did was already considered rational enough for her.
"Hahaha, alright. So, are you planning to scrub my back now?"
"Hmm, are you willing?"
"This is great. I've never experienced what a back scrub feels like."
Yes, he's seen so many anime scenes with back scrubbing.
But experiencing it himself? Well, it seems he only ever gave himself a quick rub with a towel and that was it. Not so particular.
Kaito stood up, pulled up a stool, and sat down while Akina, her face extremely red, dared not look but couldn't help sneaking a peek.
"Th-then I'll start scrubbing your back..."
"Okay."
========
On the other side.
Ginko was biting her lower lip, staring intently at the board. Similarly, Ai was also activating her 'cheat'.
'Was this the level of Shogi after only two weeks of learning?'
'If I wasn't careful, wouldn't I accidentally lose!?'
'Is this talent...'
'Why don't I have it...'
Looking at Ai's serious face, Ginko admitted that she was not only envious, but also a bit jealous.
Being jealous is human nature, an understandable psychological feeling.
But after becoming Kaito's disciple, this jealousy wasn't so strong. Rather, she had been constantly moved and motivated by the two sentences Kaito said.
[Hehe, coincidentally, I also want to witness the birth of the world's top female Shogi player.]
[And as for your skills, I will also let you climb higher mountains.]
With these two sentences, Ginko also gained unprecedented motivation and became filled with confidence in challenging for the position of professional player, even Ryuo.
Perhaps her talent wasn't good enough, but she believed that as long as she kept working hard, she would eventually reach the realm Kaito spoke of!
"I lose."
After another twenty minutes, facing the checkmated situation, Ai lost any chance to turn the tide.
Finally, after she resigned, the unwillingness in her heart gradually amplified.
The taste of failure is hard to bear.
Very hard!
Playing Shogi, perhaps this process isn't fun at all!
The idea that the figure playing chess while battered and bruised, striving hard, is cool, etc., was becoming more and more of a joke.
Only the figure like Kaito, strategizing and toying with the enemy from beginning to end, was the coolest!!
Unable to help it, the thought of becoming Kaito's disciple emerged in Ai's mind.
Previously, she had repeatedly refused, but this time, she didn't want to refuse.
She still liked playing Shogi, but she didn't like being tortured!!
"Ugh..."
It's a disaster!!
It seems she refused too early!
She shouldn't have let Ginko come; otherwise, she might be the senior sister now!
Well, at this moment, Ai, hit by the blow, started thinking wildly, and even her eyes transformed into black Rinnegan, with countless black lines spinning around in a darkening state.
"Um, Ai, have you really only studied Shogi for two weeks?"
"Gah!"
"???"
'What does that mean? Is it a dialect word?'
'Like some dialect from Kansai?'
"Um, what did you say?"
"No, nothing. I don't want to talk to you right now, you know?"
Ai, with darkened eyes, replied with a terrifying smile.
Would this make Ginko give in?
Obviously not!
"Is that so? Since you don't want to talk to me, forget it. I'll tell Sensei later that you've given up on Shogi. That way, Sensei will have more time to teach me."
"!!!"
She panicked, she panicked.
Ai panicked again!
Having just thought about giving up on Yaichi and becoming Kaito's disciple, her intentions became even more intense.
She didn't want to taste the bitterness of defeat again!
She wanted to win, you know?
I, Hinatsuru Ai, want to win!!