Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Relaxation.
Soma is released from the hospital room. Currently, he is standing alone below the scorching sun from a tropical island that stung his skin; he is wearing a navy trunk and short-sleeved white hoodie, gazing toward the stretched view of the crystal blue ocean with its calming sound from the waves that washed away the shore, calming his thoughts.
After discussing it overnight, the leader, Ryuu, decided to end the dungeon exploration and turned this trip into an actual trip, enjoying the holiday they had. On the sandy white beach, the seniors were already playing.
"Soma, Good morning".
"Good morning, Soma".
Soma turned his attention to the side and found Ryuu and Kaori smiling while waving their hands to greet him. The two of them were in full gear, wearing the same colour swimsuit, green.
"Leader, Senior Kaori, good morning".
"Are you waiting for someone?".
"Ryuu, you are so dense; of course, Soma was waiting for the girls, right?".
"Yes, I am waiting for them".
"Look".
"I see, by the way, Soma…".
Out of nowhere, Ryuu and Kaori simultaneously lined up before him and bowed their bodies ninety degrees, which stunned Soma in place.
"I thank you for the help at that time. If it were not because of you, we would all be annihilated inside the dungeon".
"Me too, Soma. Thanks for saving my precious and our club members".
"...It's okay, I accept your gratitude, so can you guys please stand up in this situation and it attracts many gazes".
Seeing their leader bowing their head toward Soma made the other members who watched on the beach stop in their activity and felt intense shame, for they couldn't do a simple thing like thanking their saviour.
Many of them were briefed on what happened, and the article that came out after Mr. Ito revealed some lie to cover Soma's action; they began to feel regret, and one male student senior approached and, like Ryuu and Kaori, he bowed his head and said his gratitude to Soma.
"...Junior Soma, thank you for that time..".
"Me too, thank you…".
"Eh? Ah, um, okay".
One at a time, the male students began approaching his place and expressing their gratitude. Soma doesn't know why the male apologies, but they came to him because Soma saved their girlfriend, and some of them showered him with a fiery attitude, asking for some sparring time sometimes.
Ryuu and Kaori stepped aside and bid their farewell to enjoy the beach as a couple. Then, after ensuring that all males and the leader had bailed out, it continued with the female seniors and first-year students who sometimes deliberately showed their assets to Soma, trying to attract him away.
"What the hell is going on in here?".
Serafina's annoyed shout attracts the attention of the other girl, who tries to hit on Soma.
"Sera, you came?".
Soma and all of the girls gasped at the current seeing Serafina. She wears a tie-front black bikini, proudly showing her assets, that makes every girl in sight retreat while cursing in their mind. She also ties her black hair into a twin-tail, giving her the impression of being younger.
"What the hell, they disperse just like that. What exactly happened, Soma?".
"Nothing, by the way, that bikini suits you".
"Fufu, how do I look? Am I sexy?".
"...Yeah, you are".
[Extra Skill Puppeteer activated]
Thanks to the skill, Soma managed to retain his calm and converse with her like usual. However, it seemed Serafina was not satisfied with the outcome; switching her mischievous side, she hugged Soma's left arm, submerging it between her twin hills.
[Extra Skill Puppeteer activated]
"Um? What are you doing, Sera?".
"Nothing, I just want to see you embarrassed, that's all, but it seems this doesn't work either".
"What the hell is that, so suddenly?".
While the two of them were throwing banter at each other, the other girls began to appear together, with an additional Akane mixed in behind their groups.
"Soma, sorry for the wait".
Hina wears a triangle top red bikini adorned with frilly and a red skirt that matches her hair. She ties her hair into a ponytail, waving her hand before standing on the other side of Soma.
"How do I look?".
"You look cute".
"Ehehe, thanks".
"Soma".
Xiao Lian tugged Soma's hoodie from behind, fidgeting with a slight flush on her face; she wore the same triangle top white bikini and tied her hair into low pigtails cascading to the front.
"Hm, you look cute, too".
"Mm".
"Everyone seemed ready?".
Serafina scans the people around her who are ready to have fun on the beach, then casting aside her embarrassment, she lifts her fist high while shouting.
"Team Soma, let's go!".
"Oh!".
"Wait, why did you use my name?".
The four of them, plus Akane, began to free their wings, enjoying the nuance of the beach. They started swimming, playing in the seas, playing volleyball, and filling their days with a loaf of laughter, washing away the incident that happened yesterday.
Time passed, and currently, the sun had risen above their head, hitting them directly with its humidity and high temperature, making their body sticky from sweat and seawater.
The girls decide to buy some drinks and a meal while Soma stands alone, looking at the sea before him, waiting for the girls to bring his meal.
"You came?".
"...Ah".
Akane, who creeped out from behind, stood beside Soma while she cast her probing gaze on the scenery in front of her. The two of them stilled, careful to open their mouths.
Soma sighed as he knew the reason why she approached him at this time when the girls were missing. He already noticed her glare ever since they were regrouped earlier. She secretly glanced at his back, robbing Soma's intention. "This curiosity and a slight hostility she leaked remind him about Hina since they first met".
Before Akane gains momentum in their conversation, Soma needs to strike first.
"Wha..".
"Who are you?".
Soma clicked his tongue inside his heart and began to sigh.
"Me? I'm just a regular young boy that can be found anywhere".
"Don't play the fool with me. You didn't think I wouldn't realise your true self".
Akane's tone changed. She spoke with a chilling dagger that pierced his spine. Soma knew Akane as someone with a sharp perception of someone's character. However, Soma himself is at a loss. How should he answer her? If he just went straight to tell her his past, would she believe him?
But there is still another way to escape this predicament.
"Then, what do you want after knowing that?".
"...I don't know. It depends on your answer; if you are an ally that has the same purpose as Humanity, I will take no action, but if you are the opposite and decide to fight against us, then at that time, I will not hesitate…".
The atmosphere around them turned heavy all of a sudden when Akne released her murderous intent. From this point, people with high perceptiveness could understand just how well Akane can control her bloodlust. She purposely targets only Soma, and no other being around her gets affected by her intent.
However, this kind of pressure couldn't even be called one because it was too lukewarm to the people and monster Soma had fought so far, as well as the being that resides inside him.
Soma slightly lifted the corner of his lips and turned his attention to the side, sighing.
"..Then what if I was someone that would oppose you? What would you do to me?".
Akane's heart began to pound. She could feel a suffocating pressure that weighed down, squeezing her body in a dark cloud and invoking terror. Her breath turned shallow, and her vision distorted as she saw the malicious shadow that had the skin of a human sneering at her trembling body, making her body drenched in cold sweat for the cold, piercing bloodlust slowly tearing her consciousness apart.
"I'm joking".
As soon as Soma said those words, the world returned to its normal state, and Akane, who was being trapped in such a menacing illusion that came from Soma's murderous intent, her legs lost their strength, and she flopped to the sandy beach, gasping for air.
Soma, who saw her like that, gulped his saliva and regretted his decision to scare her like that. He took a bottle of water from his relic before crouching, meeting Akane's eye level.
"I'm sorry for earlier. I didn't know it would become this fatal. I'm truly sorry".
"...".
"Please take this, you are sweating too much".
"Ha, fuu, Whose fault do you think it was?".
"It's mine".
Akane, who regained her breath, replied with a sarcastic tone while knitting her brows, casting her disapproving look, and with a swift hand, she took the bottle from him and then began to open the cap before gulping the entire water in one breath.
"Have you calmed down?"
"Yeah, slightly, thanks".
"You are welcome. I didn't think I would get any gratitude".
"Shut up, forget about it!".
"No, I didn't mean to be sarcastic, but. Well, I'm glad you have returned to the way you are".
"...".
Soma, who felt the atmosphere turned somewhat awkward, started to rack his brain, trying to change topics. Accidentally, he gazed toward Akane, who was wiping her sweat. She was wearing a light blue bandeau bikini and a light blue skirt.
"That outfit suits you well".
"I didn't wear this for you to see".
"I know I just want to change the topic, that's all".
"Honest, aren't we?".
"Well, I am an honest boy".
"Hmph, Who knows?".
As the conversation between them began to lighten up, Soma parted his lips before opening his mouth.
"Akane, do you know the man named Mark in the academy?".
"Huh?".
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