Martial artists can only grow if they consume items that boost or recover their vitality – which is why pet shops are such lucrative businesses. They provide not just companions, but also ingredients harvested from carefully selected mystique creatures.
"What are you thinking?" A voice snaps him out of his daze. He looks up to see Dorothy and Priscel standing beside him, both dressed in outfits far nicer than he'd expected.
"I'm starting to feel embarrassed about buying you dinner now," he says helplessly. "Why'd you change into such pretty clothes?"
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't attracted to them, but his priorities have always kept his mind occupied. He'd maintained a respectful distance from both women, but seeing them dressed up like this sends a flutter of excitement through him.
Dorothy, already beautiful on a normal day, now wore bold attire – short shorts that highlighted her curves and toned thighs, paired with pink stockings and a shirt that left little to the imagination. Priscel, meanwhile, was dressed in what looked like loungewear – her bra was visible if you looked closely, and tight leggings showed off every contour of her legs, while her shirt covered only her chest, leaving her midriff exposed.
Sean feels his face grow hot, and he swears he can feel a nosebleed coming on.
"Oh? Our little young boy is actually getting excited?" Priscel teases, noticing his beet-red cheeks.
"Come on, stop messing with him – you know he's not even eighteen yet," Dorothy chides, though she's smiling too.
Sean starts coughing, remembering that in this world, he's still considered underage. Fortunately, once you become a martial artist, the federation lifts age restrictions on things like drinking.
"I picked this place because I eat here often when I have free time," he explains as they head toward the restaurant. The stares of passersby make him uneasy, but no one dares to approach them – not with Wuk trotting at his side, clearly marking him as a martial artist.
When they step inside, Sean freezes. At a nearby table sit several familiar faces – his classmates from school.
"Sean? What are you doing here?" His best friend Jericho starts to stand up, then stops dead when he sees Wuk climb onto Sean's shoulder.
Everything seems to freeze in the restaurant.
"That – that – you – you!" Jericho stammers, unable to form a complete sentence.
Sean sighs and gestures to Wuk. "This is Wuk, my partner. I just signed a contract with him today."
Jericho stares blankly, as do the rest of their friends.
"Wait a minute! Aren't you the same foolish kid from yesterday?" Priscel's voice cuts through the silence. She looks at Jericho with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Sean can only pray for his friend – he knows firsthand what Priscel's pranks are like.
"Come here! Drink with us!" she calls out, pulling Jericho toward their table. "We're celebrating your classmate becoming a martial artist!"
Before anyone can protest, she grabs Jericho by the collar and drags him over.
Sigh. "Brother, if there's a video of you drunk all over the fedweb tomorrow, I'm sorry," Sean says with a guilty smile.
"What do you mean?" Jericho asks, a chill running down his spine.
"Bring us your strongest liquor! He'll be paying!" Priscel shouts, pointing directly at Sean.
"She really never changes, does she?" Dorothy says with a helpless smile.
"Well, her personality is what brought the three of us together in the first place," Sean replies.
"I never thought you'd become a martial artist so quickly," Dorothy says, though her eyes are clearly asking why didn't you tell us? "It seems like you've been hiding your abilities."
"I wasn't – the dojo I joined was just perfect for me. I reached the Vital Realm in just one day."
His words stun everyone at the table.
"Are you telling me my best friend is a martial genius!?" Jericho exclaims, his eyes wide with excitement.
"I don't know about genius, but I joined the Black Ape Dojo and their basic martial art just clicked with me. It helped me develop my vital power faster than expected."
"Right! You mentioned feeling a connection to the technique! I never thought it would be this strong – like it was made just for you!"
"Guests, your order is here." A waiter with delicate features and long hair approaches their table, carrying plates piled high with food.
"Michael, send some food over to my friends too – I'll pay for theirs," Sean says, nodding toward his classmates who are still watching intently.
The waiter smiles and bows slightly before heading off.
"Michael? That's such a strange name for a pretty girl," Dorothy comments.
Sean and Jericho exchange odd looks.
"Michael isn't a girl," Sean explains, coughing awkwardly. "He's an adult male – and he's straight, by the way."
"That girl was a guy!?" Both Dorothy and Priscel shout in shock.
They turn to watch Michael talking to Sean's friends, his slender frame and graceful movements making it hard to believe he's male.
"Wait – how do you know his sexual orientation is normal!?" Priscel asks, looking at Sean strangely.
"I asked him once because I was thinking of setting him up with one of my buddies," Sean admits with a sigh.
Jericho bursts out laughing. "I still remember when he punched you in the face and slapped you with a steel plate!"
"Yeah, I deserved that," Sean says. The incident hadn't been the original Sean's doing – it had happened after he'd arrived in this world.
"So you two have history together, huh? No wonder you seemed so familiar with each other," Dorothy says.
"Don't let his looks fool you," Sean warns. "He's known for dating any girl who shows interest in him – especially pretty ones."
"Oh? So behind that delicate appearance is a total player?" Priscel exclaims before grabbing a bottle of liquor and taking a long drink.
"DA*MN! This stuff is strong!" she shouts, her face already flushed.
"Looks like someone underestimated the drinks here," Sean says with a hint of schadenfreude. "This place was started by a retired monster hunter – he might be out of the game now, but he was quite a legend back in the day."
" Brat! Why am I the only one drinking? This is your celebration – you need to drink too!" She glares at him, clearly annoyed by his amused expression. Before he can respond, she throws a bottle at him.
He catches it easily, shaking his head. "You're the one who started drinking without warning."
He pours himself a glass and takes a slow sip.
"Tch! So pretentious! Real men drink straight from the bottle!" Priscel grabs another bottle and shoves it at Jericho.
One gulp later, Jericho slumps over the table, completely unconscious with a bright red face.
"Tch! Lightweight!" Priscel complains, opening yet another bottle.
Dorothy is sipping her drink slowly – as a non-martial artist, even a small amount could knock her out, and she's not taking any chances.
"Brat, I saw you deep in thought earlier," Priscel says, narrowing her eyes at him. "Are you thinking about heading out to the wilderness?"
Sean flinches – her perception is sharper than he'd realized.
"I am, but not right now," he admits. "I just don't know how to explain it to the boss."
"Why do you need to explain? Are you feeling guilty? Here's an idea – ask the boss to let you join the shop's hunting team."
"Unfortunately, I can't. I already have an agreement with the Gold Family."
"That complicates things," Priscel frowns.
"It's not that I feel guilty toward the boss – but I'd feel bad leaving Flowery behind."
"Wait! Don't you dare leave the shop! We don't have anyone else who can handle Flowery!" Priscel shouts suddenly. Even Dorothy looks at him with pleading eyes.
"I don't want to leave," Sean says honestly. "I've grown close to Flowery too. But the only way I can get stronger is by gaining real experience fighting mystique creatures and monsters outside the city."
Priscel nods in agreement. She knows how lonely Flowery gets, and she's never been good at keeping the young woman focused or happy.
"I think I'll keep working here, but only on weekends," Sean offers. "Don't worry – maybe I'm not even that good at hunting anyway."
Every young person dreams of becoming a martial artist and monster hunter – it's a source of pride for their families and city. Sean is no different, though his reasons are entirely his own.
His body craves energy – ever since signing the contract with Wuk, his appetite has been enormous, and adding Jasmine to his bonds has only made it worse. He doesn't know if this is normal for Spiritual Tamers, or if it's unique to his situation. Either way, he needs to find ways to replenish his energy – and fast.
The three of them continue drinking, with Sean and Priscel sharing their knowledge with Dorothy, hoping it will help her when she eventually begins her own martial arts training.
"I'll take Dorothy home," Priscel says after a while, lifting the now-unconscious woman like a princess. "You should do the same with your friend."
Sean inwardly curses – he knows exactly what Priscel has been up to – but he says nothing as he hoists Jericho onto his shoulder.
"Jericho, I'm sorry, but you're going to be in for it when we get back to school," he sighs.
Earlier that evening, Priscel had pulled out her phone and started recording while Jericho was drunk:
A couple of minutes earlier
"So what do you want to do with your life?" Priscel asks, holding up her phone to record.
"I'm going to become a martial artist and show that rude gorilla how manly her little brother can be!" Jericho slurs, roused briefly by a strong cup of coffee but still thoroughly drunk.
"I'll marry twelve wives – all sexy and graceful! Not like that muscle-headed gorilla with no boobs or brains!"
"I'll bring our family dojo back to glory and fill it with beautiful, cute disciples!"
Ahem. "I think my aunt is looking for me – it's getting late, so I should go," Sean says quickly. Before Jericho's sister can respond, he shoves her brother into her arms and takes off running.
She calls out his name, but all she can see is his back disappearing into the night.
When Sean gets home, he immediately places an order for large quantities of meat and the iron Wuk needs for evolution. In this world of martial arts, delivery services operate 24 hours a day – a necessity for practitioners with constant energy needs. He's determined to spend every last coin on improving his strength.
Taking a deep breath, he opens his system interface and selects the task to create the fist technique.
[King Kong Punch created... Syncing with bonded pet Wuk.]
A vivid image floods both their minds – a massive ape standing tall, its fist crashing down to shatter a boulder into dust. Wuk chitters excitedly, and neither of them pays any mind to the mild headache that follows. Strength is what they both crave more than anything.
"Tomorrow, we'll see just how strong you become after evolving!" Sean says, ruffling Wuk's fur.
Suddenly, he hears a soft rustling from his backpack. He smiles and opens it to find Jasmine peering out, her amber eyes wide with curiosity as she takes in her new surroundings.
"This will be your home now," he says gently, rubbing her head. "Don't worry – once I find a spirit cultivation technique, we'll both reach heights you've never imagined."
"The two of you stay here – I'm going to go get us some dinner," he says, heading for the door. Then he notices Wuk looking at Jasmine with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
How could I forget what he's like? Sean shakes his head and sighs.
"Wuk, come with me. I need your help carrying all the food we ordered."
He can only prevent the situation of the two being alone together, with Jasmine's disposition, she's going to be pranked relentlessly by Wuk if he's given any chance.