"Ghmmm!"

Scratching his head, Nik sat up slowly with a thin sheet rolling down his perfectly chiseled body with multiple arms around his thighs. From the bright streak filling the room, Nik reckoned that it may very well be afternoon but that was not possible—

"Hmm?"

Nik's eyes snapped open in realisation and he recalled the events of the last night, no, it was better to call it the events of the early mornings for Nik barely found his back touching the springy mattress after he went inside Saeko, Shizuka and Elizabeth, who had returned, until dawn.

And with the startling realisation came the implications of the promises he had already committed himself to. Without waiting, Nik leaned down to find the forehead of his wild trio and give them a soft peck before jumping out of the bed and quickly finding out his pants. He didn't have the time to find his underwear. Maybe it was torn? Nik didn't remember and his urgency didn't make it easier. Buttoning his shirt, Nik gave the bodies hidden under the thin sheet a longing glance before entering the washroom and quickly washing his face and combing his hair into a ponytail.

With his image at least, a little presentable, Nik donned over the Haori gifted by Sakonji and stepped out of the room, instantly coming face-to-face with the Onesie covered Ray probably waiting outside the room for him with a visibly annoyed expression.

"As much as I enjoyed giving your girls advice, I think, I'll have to reassess the situation if each one of your dates ends up making you wake into the afternoon."

Without making any excuses, Nik nodded sheepishly.

"Sorry, man, when Elizabeth came back... it just grew wilder." A broad grin touched Nik's lips as he recalled a few special moments about last night.

"Yeah, I know," the Succubus huffed, "The ENTIRE mansion knows! Now, let's roll. And don't worry, I have already packed lunch."

Ray pointed at the large box carefully wrapped before snapping his fingers.

"Do you remember your promise?"

"Yeah, I'll introduce you to Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke. But I have to say that I never came face-to-face with Inosuke."

"Don't worry." Ray shook his head, "Something tells me that he is quite a handsome guy."

"Alright then, oh, by the way, thanks for last night."

Nik smiled in gratitude while Ray crossed his arms with a small smile on his own face.

"Don't mention it... my taste in fashion is something I do not selfishly hide."

Nik nodded and carefully picked the large box stashed with food probably cooked especially for him when he realised that he still needed to feed Yuriko. Expressing the same to Ray, the duo walked towards Yuriko's room where Ray hesitated for a moment before sensibly waiting outside.

Entering the room, Nik found Yuriko in decent clothing— a rare occurrence— as the room was entirely dim. Had Nik's senses not increased alongside his stats, he would have been unable to observe Yuriko, who slept quietly with a peaceful expression on her face.

With Nik already moving on the clock, not another moment was wasted and he instantly mobilised his Breath of War God to bestow the negative Hamon onto Yuriko.

Activating his [Life Vision] simultaneously to check the amount of Hamon in Yuriko's body, Nik only left after he was satisfied with the result, not minding the obvious indications that the demonic beauty had already woken up and was trying extremely hard to not indicate any obvious signals for the same.

"Alright, let's go now."

Nik walked out of the room and smiled at Ray before picking up his packed lunch. 

"By the way... where's our Guild Master?"

Nik inquired while placing the large box on his left shoulder while tilting his head, finally finding the situation funny, Nik let out an embarrassed and hollow chuckle before putting the large box into his inventory, meanwhile, Ray, not minding Nik's antics pointed at her nose.

"Brian said that he received an Affiliation Quest to survive the attacks of other fiends...

He probably went out to kill them."

"That is just lovely."

Nik smiled and walked outside the mansion with Ray while regretting not wearing his underwear. After all... it felt weird...

With fifteen minutes of leisurely pace, Nik finally led Ray to the Flower Mansion falling under the Butterfly Estate belonging to Shinobu and walked past the gate, making a beeline towards the training hall from the outside and finally encountering Rei and Aoi, jogging while utilising their breathing techniques, the veins popping on their frame gave them away.

"Oh, keep up the hard work."

As the appointed instructor, Nik still managed to be shameless enough to compliment his trainees' hard work even if he himself was late due to debauched activities.

With a dark scowl on their faces, Aoi and Rei simply bypassed Nik, but not before giving the beautiful girl beside Nik an appraising glance, their eyes rippling in surprise and astonishment.

[Did they think I am their rival for the exotic last Incubus? How flattering.]

Not minding Ray's comments, Nik continued after waving at the duo while replying in kind.

[Not to sound rude... but there is no competition...

They got a snatch and you don't.]

"Tch!"

Ray huffed in slight frustration before following Nik and finally, the duo reached the ground littered with scorch marks while the open dojo revealed a crimson-haired youth battling against a pale beauty sporting a side ponytail.

"Oh? I thought you quit the job of instructor."

Shinobu's serene voice sounded behind Nik and Ray as Nik turned back and smiled widely.

"There's the honey I was waiting for." Observing Shinobu's broadening smile, Nik continued, "It's just that the Cultivator of War was enlightening me until the morning."

"Oh, I would surely enjoy the session personally taught by Miss Lisa Lisa."

Shinobu continued before looking at the sparring duo and then turning her attention towards Ray with a questioning glance.

"Who is this lovely lady?"

Nik's lips twitched while an appreciative— almost smug— smile touched Ray's lips.

"HE is Ray. A friend of mine and Brian and a natural talent in battles... I brought HIM to allow him to attend the sparring sessions."

"You needn't emphasize my gender twice." Ray gave Nik a flat stare before bowing towards Shinobu with a soft smile.

"Even my younger brother's praises don't do you justice. I am Ray, Nik's ELDER brother. It is a pleasure to meet you."

[Wait up, elder?]

Nik instantly inquired with a soft frown while Ray didn't mind the indignant look as Shinobu gazed at Nik with bright eyes before giggling softly.

"How rude of me. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Even though Ray looked quite cute, terrifyingly so, his earlier comment instantly put all of Shinobu's attention on Nik as the onesie covered Succubus nodded and walked into the dojo unceremoniously.

"Don't mind if I do."

Ray passed a smile before spotting a familiar blonde figure with a glimmer in his eyes and then he continued observing the strong, pumped up muscles of the youth lying beside Zenitsu with a boar's mask on his face.

"Why can't you be as cute as your elder brother?"

Meanwhile, Shinobu smiled with narrowed down eyelids and continuously patted Nik's shoulder. Nik's earlier reaction was all it took to understand that Ray might as well be the topic that could push Nik's buttons.

An act of revenge for the incident during their... heart to heart.

"He isn't my elder... whatever." Ray had already proclaimed that he was two years older than Nik... and he was also a guy. So what use was it to refute?

"Ara? Well?"

Shinobu continued and extended on her toes to blow into Nik's ear as he raised an eyebrow.

"— Well?— What?"

"What praises did you sing to unjustify my dazzling beauty?"

Alright, even Nik had to finally admit that Shinobu might just be more shameless than him. With a matching smile, Nik looked at the dojo with the corner of his eyes before turning and instantly pulling the already close Shinobu into a light embrace with his arms already resting on her thin waist that extended out to wide, prominent hips.

"Hm? Let's see. Your beauty is the only thing I praise in front of Ray and Brian," Smooth lies leaked through Nik's lips as he tilted his head and leaned down to repay the earlier, hot whispers into his ear with a similar kind, "But the experience of your lips, the touch of your skin... the being that Shinobu truly is...

That secret only belongs to me. So keep up the act... cause I only want the real Shinobu when we both are alone."

Nik's words instantly pulled an unconscious nod as the Insect Pillar was finally brought to reality with a roguish pinch on her perky butt, instantly making her purple eyes observe Tanjiro's and the pale beauty's gave over herself as a soft flush finally touched Shinobu's cheeks.

"This... is illegal."

She whispered hastily while Nik finally let go of her and gave a wolfish grin.

"Yeah, so?"

Not bothering a reply, Shinobu made an escaped while Rei and Aoi finally managed to jog an entire round of the mansion once again. It wasn't a jog, at least, not at the moment for the duo could barely stand.

"Where's Saya?"

Nik inquired while keeping an eye on Ray for a single moment, who just sat with a flat expression near the unconscious Zenitsu and matched Nik's gaze before the Succubus messaged him.

[Introduce me already.]

Nodding lightly, Nik smiled at Tanjiro, who had already stopped practicing with the beauty and spoke up while staying in the backyard.

"Tanjiro, he is a friend of mine, Ray. Can you please show him around before helping him stretch up for the spar?"

"Me?" Tanjiro looked behind with a quizzical expression, matching Ray's pink pupils as his heart shuddered for a slight moment before nodding with a gentle smile.

"Sure thing, Nik-san. What about Inosuke and Zenitsu? I need to bring them back—"

"I will help you."

Ray instantly stood up with a broad grin as the pale-skinned beauty stepped back and looked everything with her inexpressive, purple pupils while Nik finally walked up to Aoi and picked her up in his arms before taking the blushing girl into the dojo and then doing the same with Rei, although, his hands did momentarily wander around Rei's curvaceous body for few moments, deepening her blush.

"Now, where is Saya?"

Nik looked at the cross-legged, sweating and huffing duo while Tanjiro pulled Zenitsu over to his back and replied with a smile.

"Saya-san kept practicing till late at night, so she is still resting." As he spoke, his eyes fell on Ray, who was carrying Inosuke akin to a princess with his short stature, "Do you want me to help? Inosuke may be heavier."

"It's fine, really. Let's hurry. I want to... stretch as quickly as possible."

Nik ignored the implications Ray's words held and gazed at Rei and Aoi for a moment before looking at the silent lady with a lithe figure.

"May I inquire your name?"

As the lady looked at Nik with a silent smile, Aoi huffed out a reply.

"Her name *huff!* is Kanao Tsuruyi... she doesn't talk a lot."