Chapter 69: A Happy Misunderstanding #69 Special

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The sun broke free from behind the rugged mountains, casting a golden glow as Ace's footsteps resonated along the dirt trail. His breath synced with the rhythm of his strides, inhaling the crisp mountain air that rejuvenated his lungs.

Ascending the steep trail, Ace sprinted, his face marked by determination and streams of sweat. Navigating the rocky terrain demanded nimble footwork, pushing him to his limits.

The rhythmic thudding of his steps echoed through the mountains, his unwavering focus fixed on the challenging path ahead. Despite the burning sensation in his muscles, Ace pressed on, fueled by the determination to conquer the demanding ascent.

Not content with merely conquering the uphill sprint, Ace introduced heavy weights, intensifying his workout. The added resistance tested his endurance, turning each step into a strenuous battle against gravity. Gasps filled the air, but he persisted, unwavering in his resolve to build stamina.

Over the preceding month, he had consistently pushed his body to its limits, embracing a rigorous workout routine. Carrying a minimum of 100 kilograms on his shoulders, he covered over 100 kilometers while running with the added weight every day.

This dedication propelled his speed, strength, agility, stamina, and reaction speed to unprecedented levels. Furthermore, his flexibility, endurance, balance, and mental acuity underwent remarkable improvements.

Running with weights was just one facet of his training. He delved into various regimens, incorporating high-intensity interval training for speed and stamina, weightlifting for strength, agility drills for nimbleness, and reflex-focused exercises to sharpen reaction speed. Luckily, Shinobu emerged as an excellent instructor for these diverse methods.

Mitsuri's flexibility exercises introduced an extra dimension, enhancing his overall flexibility. Long-distance running and breath control exercises played pivotal roles in building endurance.

To complete his training, he seamlessly integrated balancing exercises, fostering a harmonious connection with all elements of his regimen.

Thanks to relentless training and consistent application of his martial art-derived breathing style, he underwent a significant increase in strength, nearly doubling his overall power.

His body, fortified by Shinobu's crucial support and the enhanced healing factor from his breathing style, withstood these intense exercises. Swift recovery spared him from losing an entire month.

However, he underwent a couple of surgeries, resulting in a torso adorned with battle scars. In his view, these scars looked quite appealing, as what man wouldn't appreciate battle-hardened marks.

Gradually, Ace's brisk run came to a pause as he reached a specific spot, his gaze captivated by a breathtaking waterfall. Approaching it, he felt the cool mist on his face, delivering a refreshing sensation. The rhythmic rush of water provided a tranquil melody, briefly interrupting the intensity of his training.

In that moment, he fully immersed himself in the natural beauty surrounding the cascading waterfall, creating a serene atmosphere. Slowly, Ace began to remove the weights from his shoulders, feeling the burden lift both physically and mentally.

The cool mist from the waterfall added a refreshing touch to the atmosphere, cooling his heated body. As the weights dropped to the ground, he continued to peel off his clothes, each layer shedding the remnants of his intense training session.

However, just as he was about to remove his pants, a sudden shout abruptly halted his actions.

"Aceeeeeee!"

Turning swiftly at the exclamation, Ace spotted a pink-haired girl running toward him. It was Mitsuri, her eyes sparkling with both excitement and exhaustion.

"Mitsuri!" Ace greeted, a warm smile breaking across his face as she approached.

Yet, his eyes sparked with admiration as he saw her glistening body, sweat accentuating every curve, especially her chest, rapidly bouncing up and down from the way she was running. It was a sensual sight, enough to captivate anyone.

Mitsuri quickly reached him, breathless from the sprint. She had to pause for a moment to catch her breath, unaware of how with every breath her chest gracefully bounced.

When she finally regained control of her breath and looked at Ace, she noticed him gazing at her chest, unknowingly making her quite happy and shy. However, confusion set in since she had never seen him stare at her chest before.

Perplexed, she followed his line of sight, looking down only to find that her chest had partially become exposed during their continuous run, glistening with sweat. Crimson colored her face as she swiftly fixed her cleavage, chuckling nervously.

Ace, attempting discretion, couldn't help but grin at the unexpected but amusing turn of events. "Well, that was quite the entrance, Mitsuri."

She laughed embarrassedly, "I guess I should pay more attention to my running form."

But then her attention was suddenly drawn to the beautiful waterfall in front of her. It was breathtaking.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Ace asked, capturing Mitsuri's attention as they both stood in awe of the stunning waterfall.

Mitsuri nodded, her earlier embarrassment fading as she focused on the natural beauty before them. "Absolutely. This place is like a hidden paradise. I can't believe we've been training here for so long without discovering it."

Ace grinned, "Well, now it can be our little secret place. A sanctuary to unwind after the intensity of training."

"Secret?!" Suddenly, all kinds of thoughts began to form inside Mitsuri's head, imagining just her and Ace in this waterfall, spending their time in it, and maybe even...

Ahhh!, what are you thinking, Mitsuri!! He already likes Yuki-chan and maybe even Shinobu. You can't intervene between them. What if it angers them or hurts them?! You can't do that!? B-But what if they don't mind? Can I be also be-

"Mitsuri?"

Startled, Mitsuri snapped back to reality, realizing Ace was calling her name. Flustered and caught in her inner turmoil, she stammered, "Ah, Ace! I was just...uh, lost in thought."

Ace chuckled, unaware of the whirlwind in Mitsuri's mind. "Lost in thought by the waterfall? It has that effect, doesn't it?" 

"Y-Yess, it is truly amazing," Mitsuri quickly replied, attempting to shake off the thoughts that had momentarily consumed her. 

Ace, oblivious to Mitsuri's internal turmoil, gestured toward the waterfall. "Want to take a dip in, then?"

Mitsuri thought for a moment, but then quickly nodded, "Sure, why not? A refreshing dip sounds perfect right now."

"Let's go then!" Ace said as they quickly climbed to the top of the waterfall, reaching its peak. He took a moment to appreciate the panoramic view before swiftly removing his pants, leaving him in only shorts.

Mitsuri, slightly caught off guard, couldn't help but blush at the unexpected sight.

Ahhh!!! He is getting naked in front of me!!

She quickly turned away but then suddenly realized that since they were going to bathe together, she would also have to change her clothes, causing her to tremble.

Mitsuri felt conflicted. 'Does he really want us to bathe naked? He's not even hesitating at all! Should I stop him? But what if he takes offence and ends up hating me? No, no, Mitsuri, Ace is a good friend. I shouldn't assume the worst. But I also feel conflicted; part of me doesn't want to stop him. Uhh, what are you thinking Mitsuri, think about what Yuki-chan and Shinobu-chan would say? How would they react if they found out we bathe naked together? Would they hate me? Ugh, I'm so torn. Or maybe I should just join him and keep it a secret. He did say it would be our special place, and he promised not to tell anyone. That way, nobody gets upset – yes, that seems like the best solution!'

Ace, noticing her trembling, quickly said, "If you're uncomfortable, Mitsuri, you don't have to force yourself."

"N-no, I am very comfortable; it's just I was thinking about something," Mitsuri quickly denied, not wanting to create a misunderstanding. So she directly loosened her clothes completely even if her face flushed, revealing her completely naked body to him, showing she was not uncomfortable.

Ace, caught off guard by the unexpected boldness, almost went blank and had to quickly avert his gaze, trying to regain composure and prevent a nosebleed.

"Why the hell is she getting naked?!"

Mitsuri, seeing his reaction, couldn't help but worry. Does my body not look good that he is not even looking? Am I that ugly and undesirable? She even felt like crying.

"Uhh… Mitsuri, you didn't actually have to get naked to bathe. We can do it fine with just our underclothes," Ace said monotonously. He didn't think she would directly get naked in front of him.

"Huh?" Mitsuri blanked out upon hearing the words. What did he mean by not getting naked? Was one not supposed to be naked during a bath? Wasn't he also getting nake–

She abruptly halted her thoughts, realizing Ace still had his shorts on and wasn't undressing. It suddenly dawned on her that it was only her mind that had played tricks with her and created a false scenario that he was getting naked and panic set in.

No, no, no, no, no! What have I done? I completely misunderstood everything! Will he be angry, thinking I exposed myself intentionally? Will he tell Yuki-chan and Shinobu-chan that I'm taking advantage of him? Will he hate me now? Oh, no, no, I can't let that happen. Mitsuri, you really messed up again.

The realization of her misinterpretation flooded Mitsuri with regret and anxiety. Mitsuri, realizing her misinterpretation, felt a wave of regret and anxiety wash over her. She bit her lip, nervously glancing at her side, unsure of how he would react.

"....I-I am sorry Ace. I misunderstood your words and got carried away by my thoughts. Don't be mad plea–" Mitsuri quickly apologized but her words got stuck in her throat when she saw him.

He was naked, fully, as much as the day he was born, showing off his chiseled body filled with manly scars throughout his torso. His physique, full of lean and perfectly defined muscles as if they are hand-sculpted by gods, shone when the rays of the sun reflected on glistening sweat like a shining beacon.

Slowly, her eyes looked downward unknowingly to her, as she glanced for the first time at what was supposed to be a male private part, and only one word came to her mind.

Majestic.

The unexpected view left Mitsuri in a state of awe, her initial shock transforming into a moment of silent admiration. Even though she had never seen any other before, she knew what the normal parameters are, courtesy of being Shinobu's friend, who is a medical prodigy.

Ace looked amused, seeing Mitsuri staring at his body with her mouth agape and a slack jaw. He coughed to make her snap out of her trance.

*Cough*

The sound brought Mitsuri back to reality, and she quickly averted her gaze, her face turning crimson with embarrassment. Ace, still amused, chuckled, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them.

"Uhh.. What are you naked, Ace? Didn't you say it was supposed to b-WOAH!!" She wasn't able to complete her words as Ace suddenly appeared before her and tackled her directly into the waterfall, falling into it together.

"Since we both misunderstood each other and are already naked, there is no going back from this point. Let's just enjoy ourselves now. Haha," Ace said, laughing, as they were falling into the water.

The sudden turn of events caught Mitsuri off guard, her words turning into a surprised yelp as she and Ace plunged into the refreshing cascade of water. 

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