Chat Group: Anime Girls are Moist

Half an hour later.

"Mm!"

Kurome woke from her slumber.

Her head was neither dizzy nor spinning.

Her body felt no pain.

It was as if the excruciating pain caused by the empire's body-strengthening drug—etched deep in her memory—was merely an illusion.

The kind of pain that felt like her body was being torn apart had been too real to fake.

"You're awake."

A gentle voice sounded from beside her.

She looked toward the source.

It was the woman with purple hair, the one who always took the initiative to talk to her.

Sheele.

Even Kurome, reserved as she was, regarded Sheele as a very kind person—a warm, elder sister figure.

"What… happened to me?"

Kurome looked at her own hands, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Her body felt light, her mind clear.

Since being injected with the enhancement drugs, she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this way.

Sheele's expression revealed a trace of helplessness, but she patiently explained.

"Not long ago, your body began to fail due to withdrawal from the drugs. You were on the verge of death."

"…"

Kurome recalled the painful memories from just before.

She understood the drugs.

They had made her stronger, but they had also taken a heavy toll on her body.

It was the price she had to pay to gain the strength needed to kill her sister.

She had long known how it would end for her.

And yet, she seemed to have survived.

"It was Akame who saved you!"

Mine entered the room with a snort.

She had no intention of being friendly toward Kurome, the sister Akame cherished so dearly.

"Sister?"

Kurome's gaze wavered. "Where is she?"

Sheele sighed and answered helplessly, "She made a deal with Rei Ao. The price was…"

Her words trailed off.

She couldn't bring herself to say what that price had been.

But Kurome already understood.

She had seen the transaction details in the chat group.

What she couldn't understand was—

"Why?"

Why would her sister, whom she intended to kill, use her own body to save her?

"Kurome, the truth is, Akame loves you very much. When your body started to fail, she was the one who was most worried."

Sheele sincerely hoped the sisters could reconcile.

Hearing this, Kurome's eyes, which had been dull, shimmered with emotion.

"Where… is she?"

"She's by the hot springs."

As soon as Sheele gave her the location, Kurome suddenly got out of bed and headed for the door.

"Kurome, where are you going?"

"To find my sister."

"Eh?!"

Before Mine could stop her, Kurome had already run off.

In the chat group.

Rei Ao: "@Everyone, [Image]"

Rei Ao: "Take a look at this."

Izawa Shizue: "It's a pool of water."

The image showed a misty water surface.

Frieren: "It's steaming… Could it be a hot spring?"

Tohru: "Huh? Isn't it just a hot water pit?"

Saeko Busujima: "Hot springs are relaxing and soothing."

Stella: "Huh? There's a hot spring? Ugh, ever since I came to Hagun Academy, I haven't soaked in one."

Ayame Yomogawa: "Me neither. There was no way to bathe in a hot spring on the Iron Fortress."

Mai Sakurajima: "Why are you suddenly sending a picture of a hot spring?"

Megumi Kato: "Yeah, Rei Ao-kun, have you already healed Akame's sister?"

Rei Ao: "Yes, she's unconscious at the moment."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "Then why are you suddenly posting about a hot spring?"

Rei Ao: "Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if anyone wanted to take a soak in the hot spring. There's still time."

[Ding!]

[You have sent a cross-dimensional travel invitation to all members of the chat group!]

"???"

The Night Raid members aware of the situation were stunned.

Now? A hot spring… That means—

Mine and Sheele exchanged glances.

"Ahhh!!!"

As they had expected, a scream erupted from the hot spring area.

A moment later.

The chaos subsided.

In the spacious hot spring area, an opaque barrier of light appeared.

On one side was the source of the commotion, including Akame, Kajika, Sui, Kurono, and the key figure, Rei Ao.

On the other side, there were only three people:

Frieren, who lounged lazily by the edge of the hot spring;

Stella, whose flushed face was submerged in the water as she blew bubbles.

"What the heck!"

Stella's face turned bright red with anger.

The three of them had simply accepted an invitation to relax in a hot spring.

Stella had only wanted to enjoy a peaceful soak, but the moment she arrived, she saw Akame being playfully handled by Rei Ao like a wriggling dragon.

The scene was far more shocking than watching a live broadcast in the chat group.

And to make it even more ridiculous:

The three companions who had come with her—Kajika, Sui, and Kurono—had somehow joined Rei Ao in his "dragon-taming war" and even divided the hot spring with a barrier of light.

But the barrier only obscured vision.

It didn't block sound or drifting objects.

Even while soaking in the hot spring, Stella could hear splashing water and the unmistakable sounds of waves.

Not to mention the occasional, melodious cries from the other side.

Stella now wanted nothing more than to leave; the longer she stayed, the closer she felt to exploding.

Unfortunately, they couldn't return unless Rei Ao sent them back.

What she had expected to be a relaxing soak had turned into this mess.

'Bloop, bloop…'

As she blew embarrassed bubbles, Stella suddenly noticed something odd drifting toward her in the water.

When it touched her lips, she immediately realized what it was.

"Wah!!!"

She stood up in shock, panicking.

Frieren opened her eyes slightly and glanced over, then said lazily, "Don't worry. I can sense that whatever Rei Ao is producing is very pure, and it even contains energy that can strengthen an ordinary person's body."

"Huh?"

Stella froze.

That 'thing'… could strengthen the body?

Did they think she was an idiot?

Nearby, Kurono Shinguuji, who had been intently eavesdropping on the activity from the other side, brightened at the comment.

She reached out to touch the floating substance in the water.

"Mmm!"

She felt warmth radiating through her body upon contact.

"It really does seem effective."

"???"

Stella watched this unfold, her mind reeling.

Could this really… strengthen the body?

Stella: "@Rei Ao! You pervert! Why are you so twisted?!"

Mai Sakurajima: "What happened?"

Stella: "Ask him!"

Rei Ao: "I just invited you to soak in a hot spring, didn't I?"

Stella: "Huh? So soaking in a hot spring involves you and Akame doing 'that'? And Sui too?!"

Sui: "Uh, I… I didn't do anything!"

('Not yet, anyway.')

Megumi Kato: "…In the hot spring…"

Tohru: "What are you talking about? I don't get it."

Ayame Yomogawa: "Um, maybe it was just an accident?"

Stella: "Accident? He's doing this on purpose!"

Rei Ao: "I didn't force you to soak in the hot spring. You could leave like Esdeath did."

Frieren: "He has a point."

Stella: "???"

Frieren: "Don't be so hung up on this. I don't mind. After all, I'm not human."

Saeko Busujima: "It's a bit of a shame I didn't choose to come earlier."

Ayame Yomogawa: "I feel the same way."

Stella: "Are you all insane? If more people show up, the hot spring will be completely polluted!"

Frieren: "It won't be. I can sense that Rei Ao is constantly using his power to purify any impurities."

Rei Ao: "Sharp observation."

Frieren: "Actually, I find your power intriguing. Could I study it sometime?"

Rei Ao: "Next time. I need to focus now."

Frieren: "Pity. Next time, then."

Stella: "…"

Stella stared in disbelief at the calm and composed Frieren.

Seriously?

How could they carry on such a relaxed conversation at a time like this?

"Sigh… If only it were just Rei Ao and me here."

Kurono Shinguuji listened to the commotion, her expression wistful.

Even though her feelings for Rei Ao were deep and immediate, she still longed for a private moment to confess to him.

"…"

Stella felt like losing her mind.

They were beyond saving!

Even the chat group was no help!

Not a single person was criticizing this laziness!

Some were even making excuses for Rei Ao's behavior!

What she didn't know was that most of the group was already used to this.

Either they were Rei Ao's allies, like Saeko and Ayame;

Or they genuinely didn't care, like Tohru and Izawa Shizue.

Some simply ignored it, such as Yukino Yukinoshita.

And then there were those who couldn't voice their complaints, like Utaha Kasumigaoka and Yumiko Miura, silently fuming in the background.

The water rippled and splashed around her.

Stella quietly sank back into the water, trying to calm the strange sensations in her body by shutting off her mind.

Outside the hot spring.

Kurome, running at full speed, suddenly came face-to-face with Esdeath, who was dressed in her military uniform.

Esdeath understood Rei Ao's combat power, just as she understood her own.

With the few people present, even adding herself, there wasn't enough time to fight freely or thoroughly.

Her purpose for coming here was merely to test the cross-dimensional travel function and to observe Night Raid—the group that had been causing the Empire so much trouble.

"This so-called secret base… how flimsy and weak."

In her eyes, it was as fragile as a bubble.

The sharp clicks of her high heels echoed as she walked.

She stopped suddenly.

Because she saw Kurome.

And behind Kurome appeared Najenda and her five companions.

"Esdeath!!!"

The moment Najenda spotted her, her pupils contracted sharply.

When she saw Rei Ao's cross-dimensional invitation earlier, she had already felt a foreboding sense of dread.

And now, her worst fears had come true.

Hearing that name, Mine and the others immediately entered combat readiness, their expressions tense and wary.

Just by standing there, Esdeath exerted an overwhelming pressure on everyone present.

~~~

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