Chapter 141

〈 Chapter 141 〉 Side Story 3: Hot Spring Trip (9)

<Women's Bath>

Yun Yuhwa had never once in his life felt jealousy toward another person. Before the fall of Yu Sung, he was the youngest brother doted on and showered with love by his older brothers, and he even awakened to the incredible special ability known as “Puppeteer.”

But today, here at this place, Yun Yuhwa experienced jealousy for the first time. And it wasn’t against some powerful overseas rival company or corporation—it was genuine envy directed toward a romantic rival over one particular person.

Plunk plunk. Yun Yuhwa involuntarily submerged his mouth underwater as two watermelon-like shapes floated on the surface. If he hadn’t done that, he feared his wide-open mouth might have been spotted by said rival.

Shiver. Yun Yuhwa subtly glanced around the steamy hot spring, pretending to look elsewhere.

Seok Harang, Cheon Gaeul, Himeji Hikari, and Yu I-shin.

Hikari, being a minor, was an exception. Regardless of her future potential, she held no significance right now. Phoenix had merely introduced Hikari as a talented individual but didn’t treat her with any particular favoritism.

Yun Yuhwa, 1 win.

Next came Seok Harang. After reaching SS Rank, her skin became even more flawless, and all traces of baby fat vanished, giving her a mature woman’s figure. However, her chest size faithfully inherited Korean genetics from her father Heo Yoon-hwan, remaining close to average. Still, Yun Yuhwa believed he was far kinder-hearted than Harang.

Yun Yuhwa, 2 wins.

Despite his winning streak, Yun Yuhwa couldn’t help but kneel before the overwhelming dominance of the top contender. The naturally formed hills floating on the water were shamelessly flaunting their presence. A check through Yun Yuhwa’s database confirmed there was no artificial enhancement involved, leaving him no choice but to swallow his tears of defeat.

Yun Yuhwa, 2 wins, 1 loss.

From here onward, things got ambiguous. There was Yu I-shin, the female hero who caught their eye for recruitment into PMC Yu Sung but ended up joining Phoenix’s monster army instead. Now serving as Gongsung, a high-ranking officer of the Blue Wind Sect, she boasted impressive volume comparable to Yun Yuhwa’s own.

Since direct measurement wasn’t possible, Yun Yuhwa had to resort to searching the database. Unfortunately, I-shin had never measured her body stats at any of Yu Sung’s hero suit stores. Even checking clothing sizes purchased from other branches yielded nothing—there wasn’t a single record left behind.

Yun Yuhwa concluded: this woman must be part of the anti-Yu Sung boycott movement. Her refusal to use anything produced by his company earned her a less-than-friendly glare from Yun Yuhwa. Naturally, any estimation of I-shin’s measurements would now carry some personal bias.

Yun Yuhwa, barely holding onto a 3-1 lead. Satisfied, Yun Yuhwa closed his eyes. Beside him, Harang splashed water onto his face.

“Kyaa?!”

“What are you so smug about, looking at other people’s chests?”

“…I wasn’t looking!”

“You’re an A-Rank, so everything shows. If you weren’t looking, then you’re kinda scary, huh? To me, I-shin seems bigger.”

Crack. Yun Yuhwa gritted his teeth and raised his head out of the water. I-shin’s gaze sharpened.

“President?”

“Why, Phoenix.”

“I thought I introduced myself as Yu I-shin earlier?”

“I don’t consider us close enough for me to address you by name.”

I-shin twisted her lips slightly before realizing the reason.

“Is this because I criticized your Hero Suits as garbage earlier? But that’s something you need to admit. Version 1.7 was terrible in terms of stability.”

“Hmph. There was a Version 1.8 after 1.6. That fact doesn’t exist in Yu Sung history.”

“At least you’re aware of your own dark past. Anyway, I’ll never buy anything from you again.”

“Excuse me? All the supplies sent to Seoul go through me. Did you know the lavender lace lingerie you wore earlier is our product?”

“…Since I didn’t pay for it, let’s leave it at that.”

Amidst the fierce exchange between the entrepreneur and the boycotting consumer, Harang quietly moved closer to Gaeul. The latter, enjoying the warmth of the hot spring, turned her attention toward the disturbance.

“Mommy? What’s wrong?”

“Can I touch you?”

“…What?”

Startled, Gaeul backed away. Most of her tentacles were already being scrutinized by Hikari beside her. Harang swallowed nervously, pointing with her finger.

“Both of them.”

“…Do as you wish.”

Gaeul raised her hands in surrender. Harang approached the enormous peaks she’d never seen before like a mountaineer taking their first step on an uncharted summit.

“Wow, amazing, jackpot.”

“Hey, you, stop.”

Gaeul grabbed Harang’s wrist with a tentacle.

“Why are you so good at this? You’ve clearly done this more than once.”

“……”

Harang subtly shifted her gaze. Knowing full well what kind of mischief Yun Yuhwa had uncovered regarding Gaeul and bluebirds, she knew revealing it would cause Gaeul to faint on the spot. So Harang quickly changed the subject.

“Sister, how do you maintain such a great body? Do you follow any specific diet? Like an entertainer’s regimen?”

“Nope. It’s genetics. I just don’t gain weight easily.”

Tsk. Without realizing it, Harang clicked her tongue. Meanwhile, Hikari lowered her tentacle and tilted her head curiously.

“Unless it’s due to magical energy concentrating in your chest area?”

“Huh?”

Four pairs of eyes turned toward Hikari. She held up her waterproof smartwatch, displaying its screen.

“People have unique magical patterns, and these affect different parts of their bodies. Areas where magical circulation improves tend to enhance bodily functions.”

“Could… could that actually be true?”

In response to I-shin’s question, Hikari paused briefly before snapping her fingers.

“The theory of physical enhancements during rank upgrades? That’s not a myth; it’s Professor Do’s hypothesis. I believe it’s accurate. If only the sample data weren’t male-dominated, it could have been published in academic journals.”

Hikari went on to explain the intricate mechanics of ‘Sample Study on the Relationship Between Magical Power Enhancement and Physical Adjustment.’

“Although the samples were predominantly male, the same principles apply to females. As ranks increase, more magical power flows through the body, naturally improving physical capabilities.”

“…”

Realizing the stunned expressions of the four women, Hikari immediately stopped explaining and held up three fingers.

“1. Increased daily calorie consumption. 2. Natural body adjustment. 3. Enhanced sexual function. In summary, there are three major effects.”

“Thanks for the explanation.”

Gaeul genuinely appreciated the clarification. She wasn’t cruel enough to interrupt the enthusiasm of a bright young girl. I-shin, meanwhile, marveled while touching her thighs.

“So my thigh fat reduction was also…?”

“It was adjusted during your awakening, likely in the direction you desired.”

Hikari tapped her temples.

“What exactly constitutes an ideal body shape? Ultimately, it reflects the will of the magical owner. This is where Professor Do and I differ. He believes magical influence reshapes the body for practical combat against monsters, whereas I think magical energy reads the brainwaves of its host and adjusts accordingly…”

As Hikari’s explanation grew longer, I-shin frowned while others discreetly avoided eye contact. Eventually, the three women cornered I-shin and leaned in.

“Did anything improve after becoming S-Rank?”

“…I did notice fewer age spots. How about you, Harang?”

Harang whispered softly, as if sharing state secrets.

“…I went up one cup size.”

“Really?”

“Probably true. Customer-sama mentioned something similar.”

Gaeul and Harang’s gazes simultaneously landed on Yun Yuhwa. Flailing his arms defensively, Yun Yuhwa quickly spoke.

“It was just talk! We don’t really know for sure! And we can’t exactly ask the person directly right now.”

“….That’s true.”

Harang nodded awkwardly. Despite coming to bathe and soak, she insisted on tying her hair up with a blue butterfly hairpin.

“Hey, Sister Yun Yuhwa, did you notice anything different when you awakened?”

“…I awakened directly at A-Rank.”

Cross-verification proved impossible. Ultimately, the three women had no choice but to consult an expert. Hikari, still bombarding I-shin with technical knowledge, finally began feeling parched from her lengthy explanations.

“…Let’s continue this outside, shall we?”

It was already past 10 PM.

* * *

“That statement is correct.”

Under Phoenix’s affirmation, everyone reached enlightenment. Hikari gleefully clapped her hands upon confirming her hypothesis. Sipping strawberry milk from a triangular pack through a straw, Phoenix continued her explanation.

“Primarily influenced by genetics, secondarily by magical power. Regardless, it’s true that physical adjustments occur upon rank awakening.”

“Then, does that mean… down there too…?”

At Hayate’s question, Phoenix hesitated momentarily before nodding.

“Even if it doesn’t double or triple suddenly, imagine gaining about 1cm with each rank increase.”

“But I’m already S-Rank. Is there no hope for me?”

“S-Ranks vary. Would you mind coming over and letting me check your hand?”

Hayate reluctantly stood and took Phoenix’s hand. Realizing what Phoenix intended, Gaeul bit her lip, but Phoenix simply closed her eyes and scanned Hayate’s magical energy.

“Too tedious to explain everything, so I’ll tell you the highest point. Himeji Hayate, maximum wind attribute 96. Right now, you’re around 94.”

“Does raising just 2 get me to SS?”

“That ‘2’ represents dozens of times the effort you’ve put in so far. Not many reach SS Rank. People generally understand their limits.”

Phoenix paused to reflect. Both Ryu Cheonseong and Yun Yuhwa exhibited clear discomfort and impatience at not accurately gauging their own levels. Pointing at Hikari with her index finger, Phoenix issued an order.

“The magic pattern detector—is it still just a concept?”

“Yes, yes! It’s still in the planning stage—”

“I’ll supply the A-Rank cores you need, so try making it. President Yun Yuhwa will support the budget too.”

“If you need more funding, Dr. Hikari, please let me know.”

By now, Yun Yuhwa regarded Hikari as an equal. The tangible and intangible future value he could gain through Hikari surpassed imagination.

“Since I have quite a fortune, I can arrange for the best research facilities and equipment worldwide if you wish.”

“G-g-grateful, hiccup.”

Hikari hiccupped and gasped for breath. Tears welled up in her eyes, and soon she burst into joyful sobs.

“Thank you, Hikari! Y-you, huuuuuuuuuu!!”

Hayate rushed over to comfort her, not asking why she cried, but silently embracing her and patting her back. Hikari’s tears were those of happiness.

Phoenix silently sipped her strawberry milk, observing the flustered crowd with a flick of her fingers.

“On such a joyous day, shall we all have a drink?”

Everyone raised their cups. Whether heroes, villains, or civilians, those gathered in the room set aside their suppressed powers and celebrated the night together.

* * *

<June 7th, 4 AM, Yellow Spirit Hall Mixed Bath>

“Finally, it’s gotten quiet.”

I soaked my body in the rain-drenched hot spring, slowly expelling alcohol from my system. The alcoholic breath mixed with the hot spring steam ascended into the night sky and disappeared.

‘I might not get another chance to enjoy this place, so let me indulge one more time.’

Fortunately, Chang Yeom was sound asleep, drunk. I enjoyed the tranquility, listening to the raindrops amidst the solitude.

Creeeeak.

The door opened. Who would come here at this hour? I flicked my finger to cast a light.

“Sir, what are you doing here at this time?”

It was Manager Ha Sun-tae. More concerned about being caught half-naked by a man than the sight of Phoenix’s nudity, I felt my throat dry under Ha Sun-tae’s stern yellow raincoat-clad gaze.

“Making noise with water while other guests are sleeping is problematic.”

“…Sorry.”

“If someone else besides me had come, what did you intend to do?”

“……”

My face turned red. Ha Sun-tae sighed and checked his wristwatch.

“I’ll put up a cleaning sign outside, but please finish up and leave within 30 minutes.”

“…Understood.”

Silence.

Watching the yellow raincoated Ha Sun-tae turn and disappear from the hot spring, I stood up.

“I expected someone to show up.”

Regrettable, but let’s plan for next time.

Quietly rising, I slipped out of the bath.

Afterward, I obediently returned to my room.

No unexpected events occurred as I had hoped, and I spent the early morning hours alone.

“…”

‘There’s no point in wishing for such events now.’

Slap.

I slapped my cheeks with both hands to regain focus.

‘I should only worry about surviving.’

And maybe save the world along the way.

“…The sunrise truly is beautiful.”

The sun rose above the horizon.

Rest was over.