Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Conduct research?
Research for those doujinshi she draws? And Kanzaki Saku, this incredibly handsome guy, is willing to cooperate with her ideas? You call this a condition?
Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly felt that their positions had been reversed. Shouldn't it be her discovering Kanzaki Saku's leverage and threatening him?
Otherwise, she simply couldn't fathom how any member of the opposite sex would take the initiative to express a desire for some 'deep exchange' with her.
One had to realize that she was the most unwelcome person in the school: plain, working a job that everyone hated, and secretly a gloomy, greasy doujin artist. Boys should be wishing to stay as far away from her as possible.
Kasumigaoka had begun to suspect that Kanzaki Saku might have some strange fetishes.
Kanzaki Saku, of course, didn't know that Kasumigaoka considered him a niche guy with bizarre sexual proclivities. He tossed the doujinshi back to Kasumigaoka, leaving her to dispose of it herself, and departed.
Yes, today was just laying the groundwork. Kanzaki Saku didn't intend to start the battle right then and there. After all, Kasumigaoka couldn't run away, so waiting a bit longer wouldn't hurt.
Leaving behind Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was still somewhat dazed and lost in thought, Kanzaki Saku walked briskly through the campus. Taking the Disciplinary Committee Chair as a 'dog' was just incidental; his main target for today was not this black-haired beauty.
He had more important things to do.
He had long ago arranged to conduct superpower training with Takanashi Rikka. The agreed-upon location was under that same cherry blossom tree as last time.
When Kanzaki Saku arrived, a small figure was already waiting there.
Takanashi wasn't wearing that iconic pitch-black gothic dress today. Instead, she was dutifully wearing the Shuchiin uniform, though she had draped a strangely styled black cape over it. She wasn't wearing her eyepatch, and her golden right eye looked exceptionally bright under the tree's shade.
She stood leaning against the tree trunk with her arms crossed over her chest, trying hard to project a profound aura. Unfortunately, combined with her petite stature and cheeks that still held a hint of baby fat, the effect was more like a fluffed-up black cat trying hard to hiss.
Seeing Kanzaki Saku approach, Rikka immediately straightened her back, her golden eye gazing towards him.
"You have come, Contractor," she said, lowering her voice and using a tone she thought was very cool. "It is time to begin the Tyrant's trials."
Kanzaki Saku looked at her appearance, the corners of his mouth raising slightly. "Mhm, I'm here. Today is the first day of special training. Are you ready, my wielder of the Tyrant's Eye?"
"O-Of course!" Rikka nodded vigorously, her cape swaying gently with the movement. "I have made preparations to welcome all trials!"
"Very good." Kanzaki Saku walked up to her. "But before that, we must first determine the direction of today's training."
He sat down on the stone bench next to the cherry blossom tree and signaled for Rikka to sit over as well. Rikka hesitated for a moment but still sat obediently beside him.
"Your Tyrant's Eye, the abilities currently manifested are: True Name Revelation, Clairvoyance, X-ray Vision, and Energy Materialization."
Kanzaki Saku counted on his fingers—listing them out. "But these are all passive skills or offensive skills. Have you ever thought about developing some active auxiliary abilities?"
Rikka blinked. "Active auxiliary abilities?"
"For example, mind reading."
"M-Mind reading?!" Rikka's eyes went wide. "Can my Tyrant's Eye achieve such a thing?"
"Theoretically, it is possible," Kanzaki Saku spouted nonsense with a straight face. "Since it can see through True Names and panels, going a step further to capture surface thought waves is not impossible. Moreover—"
He paused, revealing a mysterious smile.
"As your Contractor, I also happen to need to train a new ability. We can coordinate with each other and progress together."
Rikka's eyes shone even brighter. "Coordinate with each other?"
"That's right." Kanzaki Saku nodded. "My ability is essentially the debugging of 'reality'. I want to try and see if I can achieve finer control over you."
He spoke in profoundly mysterious terms, but Rikka bought it completely. To her ears, this sounded entirely like a plotline where 'two powerhouses spar with each other to explore the true meaning of power together', which fit her tastes perfectly.
"I understand!" Rikka clenched her small fist. "Then, how specifically shall we do it?"
Kanzaki Saku stood up, walked in front of her, and extended his hand. "First, we need to establish a deeper energy link, just like last time. Close your eyes, relax your body, and feel the flow of my power."
Hearing Kanzaki Saku mention establishing an 'energy link like last time', a blush faintly rose on Takanashi Rikka's cheeks.
She naturally remembered last time, that energy interaction Kanzaki Saku called a 'Contract Ceremony'. Although she had been blindfolded then and many details were blurry, the memory of her body was unusually clear.
The sensation of that warm current surging through her body, those uncontrollable tremors, and finally that feeling of fullness as if her very soul were being filled.
Rikka secretly swallowed her saliva, her golden eye flickering for a moment.
"Like... last time?" she confirmed in a small voice, containing an anticipation she hadn't even noticed herself.
"Mhm, but it will go deeper." Kanzaki Saku nodded, his tone as serious as if he were explaining scientific principles. "What we want to attempt this time is complete synchronization. It requires you to relax your body and mind."
He extended his hand, palm facing up.
Rikka looked at that hand, hesitated for about half a second, and then placed her own small hand upon it.
A warm tactile sensation came from his palm.
"Close your eyes," Kanzaki Saku said.
Rikka obediently closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes cast fine shadows under her eyelids, trembling slightly.
"Relax," Kanzaki Saku's voice was low and gentle. "Feel my energy flowing into your circuits."
"Ugh..."
It was hot.
The warm current this time was more domineering than the last, almost barging recklessly into her body, rushing all the way up along her spine, reaching straight into the depths of her lower abdomen.
"Contractor..." she panted. "The energy this time... is so strong..."
"Because we are establishing a deeper layer of linkage," Kanzaki Saku said without changing his expression. "Bear with it, you'll adapt soon."
Rikka trembled all over and bit her lower lip.
She could feel that this 'training' seemed a bit different from the last time. Last time was more of a passive sensation, whereas this time, she was craving it herself.
After the previous contract, Rikka actually already understood vaguely what the two of them were doing. But she didn't resist; rather, ever since that time, she had been constantly looking forward to doing it again, so she was extremely cooperative this time as well.
"Contractor..." Rikka opened her eyes, her golden eye glistening with light. "I... I feel a bit strange..."
"Strange where?"
"My body... feels hot..." Rikka's face was so red it could drip blood. "And I want... want to be closer to Contractor..."
____
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