Fubuki looked straight at Ren.

She couldn't detect anything to make her think he was having some ulterior motives.

And there was just something calming about Ren's presence that made her unconsciously lower her defenses slightly around him.

'It's just a date…'

Of course, there was the fact that he could only be lying about what he said, and he didn't really have any way to help her get stronger… however she was thinking about it seriously since she didn't feel like she had anything to lose.

Her gaze moved from Ren to her group member, Lily.

'I have a responsibility, to them… and to my sister…'

There was a risk true, but she was willing to take that risk if there was a slim chance she can get stronger quickly.

As that would mean she gains more strength, and while that would personally be enjoyable and a confidence booster for her, the main reason was to be able to protect her group as their trusty leader in dangerous situations.

'What's a date for such a chance?'

'Besides, my instinct is to stick closer to this man… and I feel so comfortable being around him…'

Surprisingly, she wasn't really experienced with men in general, and she does tend to look at them with slightly biased eyes.

But Ren was somehow different.

That was why, just the thought of being comfortable around him and wanting to stick closer as much as possible, made her blush slightly.

"Y-you really won't do a-anything?"

She asked him nervously, as she adopted a very cute and embarrassed expression he wouldn't normally expect from someone like her.

The Fubuki he knows was confident and very elegant, but here he was seeing this new side of her.

It made him smile.

'So, even someone like her can be cute this way'

But before Ren could answer her.

Someone spoke up before him.

"No way! This won't happen, you won't put your claws on the boss!"

Lily had jumped in between them and bared her teeth at him.

*Grrrr*

Ren's smile stiffened on his face as he felt awkward with this girl.

'Should I have also kicked her out like the rest of the members of her group?'

But then, he decided to just ignore her.

"Relax, I didn't mean it for real, I was just joking with you as a payback to you breaking into my house, I didn't expect you'd be so embarrassed though, haha"

Ren told her with a smile.

He really was just pranking her, since he felt she was too serious.

'Asshole!'

"Y-you! Don't ignore me!" Lily almost attacked him as he didn't mind her words besides giving her a brief look and then turning around to Fubuki.

When she put her hand on her folded nunchaku, Fubuki gently held her hand from behind and pulled her.

When Lily wanted to say something, she saw how red her boss, Fubuki was.

'Is the boss embarrassed? That bastard!'

"Lily, just sit down for now, and stay silent," She said to her group member as she regained a bit of her elegant aura and confidence.

She then looked at Ren in confusion. Her blushing face was very cute in Ren's opinion.

"Could you tell me what you mean by that?" She asked him.

Ren scratched his chin with an embarrassed laugh.

*Cough* *Ahaha*

"Well, although I do think you are very pretty, I was just joking about that date. As for the method to get stronger, I already decided to give it to you after I listened to your story," Ren finally said what he truly had in mind.

You can't blame him, he was just joking with her and seeing her reaction to his joke.

But, when he saw how nervous she was, he just felt like he had taken it too far.

As for her breaking into his house… on the count of her being the sister of Tatsumaki, and him having a slight crush on her from back in the day, he decided to let it go.

'Although I won't deny that I would really go on a date with her if she agreed earlier,' He was just like that. It was a joke, but if she agreed, why wouldn't he go? She was already a target for his increasing harem.

It was just not yet the time…

Fubuki at this moment felt like an idiot.

'He was just joking, sigh, that's a relief,' She was really relieved as she didn't want to do anything with a man. At least not yet.

So, she was prepared to sacrifice a lot. And that was exactly why Ren felt he had taken it too far.

Although she wasn't experienced it didn't mean she was oblivious to those matters, and she was just waiting for the right guy.

She just didn't like it being this way like a business transaction. And with someone she met for the first time.

Even Lily visibly relaxed as she found out he was just joking.

Thought both women still thought that he had a slight interest in Fubuki based on the topic of his jokes.

"And you'll tell me the method to getting stronger so easily?"

She still had some doubts too.

"What if I was lying to you?"

She couldn't see how he'd easily believe her.

But Ren didn't really rely on just that.

It was true that he knew her from the anime and basically, her story was indeed similar, but he also had something else to rely on.

Supposing that she lied and he couldn't detect it, the method he was going to give her to gain strength, made it impossible for her to lie.

"You think I'll give you such a precious thing so easily? Just because I trusted your words?"

He didn't hide it from her at all.

He had a smile though to not make her seem stupid or anything.

"No, and while I did trust your words and story to be correct, what I'm going to present you with… isn't something to be easily given just like that… However, you can't accept it anyway if you weren't a good person, so if it fails, it's on you,"

Ren told her.

And he was certainly aware of what he was speaking.

As for why he was going so far to help her…

'I would like to see if Fubuki can ever become as strong as her sister…' That would certainly be impressive.

Fubuki had interest colored all over her face as she heard his words.

"What is this method? You said you'll give it to me, right?" She asked him, slightly anxious.

She wanted to see this method and judge for herself if he was speaking the truth.

And Ren this time, had a sorry smile on his face as he looked at Lily.

"It must remain between us… You'll get it, but you can't give it to anyone else…"

"Don't bother convincing me or anything, just do as I say and you'll understand later…"

He crossed his arm, as he wouldn't hear anything else or say anything until the girl was gone.

Fubuki felt that determination of his and then bitterly looked at her group member.

Lily just by her boss lady staring at her, knew that she had to leave, and she didn't feel bad at all.

She knew that such a secret was something huge. And she had no business listening to something like that.

She smiled at her boss before she stepped out of the room.

"Now then…"

Ren refilled his cup of coffee.

"Listen carefully… this method you'll be given… it won't be a walk in the park to use it and get stronger just like that. A person would have to put some real effort into it, but I guarantee that it can work,"

"However, that is for regular people, as for you, you'd have to work even harder… why you must ask right?"

Ren asked her, and she nodded her head.

"I will give it my all, I promise you, and I would even be indebted to you if it really is true, so please tell me the method,"

Ren observed the desperation both in her eyes and tone.

And he sympathized with her.

But he wasn't going to tell her about the easy way, which was by his trait… that was still too soon.

"Don't worry I'll explain it all to you, so, don't interrupt me for now,"

*Uhm Uhm*

He cleared his throat and prepared to drop a bomb.

"The reason you'll have to work harder than others, is because the person you wish to surpass and then help, that being your sister Tatsumaki, is already aware and currently being a part of this 'Method'!"

*!!*

Fubuki stood up from her seating position.

"W-what? She also knows it?"

"How? Isn't she already strong?"

Fubuki didn't understand what was going on.

Her sister was already SSS rank, what more did she want?

And how did she know about this method? Wait… didn't he say that he is slightly acquainted with her sister? Is it due to this?

Fubuki was about to ask him, but Ren stopped her with his hand.

"As I said earlier, I'll explain so, just sit for now, sigh"

He sighed, and she became embarrassed as she always reacts this way when the subject is around her sister.

*Cough*

"I'm sorry, please continue," She said as she apologized.

Ren nodded his head.

"Well, your sister is strong, but that isn't really anything big in the grand scheme of things, and people can get even more stronger than that… but that is beside the point."

"The opportunity I'll give you will make sure you gain strength based on your own self and your effort… So, use this chance wisely"

When he saw she nodded, only then did he decide to start explaining to her the method he was going to use.

"Now let me tell you about it in depth…" Ren grinned at her as was about to make her a part of something great.

Fubuki heard her own heart beat rapidly as she had a feeling that what she was about to hear would change her life forever.

She looked at Ren's eyes intently and waited for what he was about to explain with acute focus. Not willing to miss anything with this chance she got.

"There is this place where a few great heroes gather…"

*******************

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-Special thanks to *"Arun"* ; *"ShadowFangus"* ; *"Coby"* ; *"John Dunkley"* ; *"Heitor Prado Bortoletto"* ; *"Ahmed"* and *"ThatEpicTragedy"*

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