Chapter 176: Evaluation


    The rest of the entire week was spent in total debauchery. Nik would have his way with Shizuka and Shigure in almost every single corner of the mansion...


    And boy! Was the mansionrge!!


    Of course, all the good days muste to an end and the same happened with Nik, when a brte with a set of icy-blue pupils stepped into the mansion. Her body being the very definition of the hourss figure as she crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom, entuating her figure.


    "What''s this... scent?"


    She sniffed and frowned softly before making her way towards the four outstanding sources of Hamon and immediately fell upon the scene of a struggle.


    "Like I said! He should start hunting demons already instead of wasting time with you two!"


    "It isn''t a waste of time!" Shizune immediately retorted while Shigure nodded gently and muttered.


    "Jealousy... is ugly..."


    "That does it!" Saeko almost roared before mming her hands on the table while ring at the voraciously eating Nik with malevolent expression.


    "Don''t you have anything to say?"


    She hissed while Nik nodded and looked sideways, matching Lisa Lisa''s stunned expression with a smile.


    "Wee back, Miss Lisa."


    The trio''s expression took a major 180 and they immediately settled down while starting to eat their dishes rather elegantly. Shigure turned her face towards Shigure, her violet eyes calmly regarding the icy blue treat and nodded.


    "I see... you have returned..."


    "Wee back, master!"


    Shizuka chimed in with a joyful expression while Saeko retained her usual impassive expression.


    "I am humbled in your presence, Master."


    Alright, it was no brainer that Saeko took the first ce in the most borate and polite greeting, but still, Lisa Lisa couldn''t help but frown at how chummy Nik, Shigure and Shizuka looked together.


    ''He couldn''t have...''


    A sense of foreboding erupted within Lisa Lisa''s heart as she narrowed her eyes while observing Nik before nodding at them and taking a seat where a servant had already ced the futon and dishes.


    "How goes the training?"


    Although the situation felt extremely strange and deep down, even if she knew what could have happened behind her back, Lisa Lisa could only suppress her own emotions. With her question directed towards Shizuka, the blonde student seemed to have returned to her previous meek and shy self as if she was presenting her love to her parents.


    "Y-yes, master. Nik''s training is going well. His mastery over the three breathing techniques and the control over Hamon is already nearing the elite level...


    And when he mobilises the weapons attuned to his breathing technique, his attacks are the level of master, just a step below Pirs."


    "Hoh?"


    Lisa Lisa raised an eyebrow. Not at Nik''s progress, but Shizuka''s behaviour around Nik for she wasn''t shy, at least, not now, making Lisa Lisa almost confirm her suspicion about something happening between them. Looking towards Shigure silently, Lisa Lisa waited for her assessment as her reply made Shizuka choke.


    "Pir... at least."


    And nodding at Shigure''s words, Saeko looked at Shizuka and sighed.


    "If you weren''t so busy doing..." holding her tongue in time, Saeko looked at the duo nking him at the side when her mind spun in motion as a small smile finally touched her lips, causing a sense of unease within Shigure.


    "What I mean is, Shigure and I are already considered one of the top pirs that even others have a tough time facing... and well, Nik with his Breath of Water can easily reach our ranks even without the required physical strength."


    "But he didn''t beat you even once..." Shizuka muttered indignantly as Lisa Lisa finally sighed.


    "What Saeko meant is, youck the necessary experience to judge someone''s battle strength. Alright... Nik will follow me to the backyard after the breakfast while Shizuka, you are going to focus on the research and Shigure and Saeko... you two can y around."


    She stated in a nonmittal manner when Saeko grinned.


    "Master~ I was thinking... maybe... just maybe, I take Nik out to give him the necessary experience?


    After all, the Kasugai Crows are not going to give him missions until you say so... and there are still five lower moon demons left, right?"


    Shigure''s and Shizuka''s expression immediately turned and their stares turned into sharp and cold daggers that were pointed at Saeko who simply brushed them away with an evil grin before Nik shook his head.


    "I actually don''t think that is necessary... instead of taking me to face demons...


    Isn''t it better that I am given a chance to spar against each of the pirs? I mean, if you are going to train me... then you should do so properly without anything left out.


    After that, I can go out and hunt demons."


    Nik''s words caused a thoughtful expression to appear on Lisa Lisa''s face while Shizuka did shift a bit towards Nik, making the brte master sigh while a mocking grim from Shigure was all it took to make tick marks go off the roof on Saeko''s forehead.


    "It is possible. But not many Pirs are willing to let their time go to waste.


    Either way. Feast well, for today is thest day of your visit to this mansion. Whether you learn the technique or not, from now on, you will bear the name and responsibility of learning under me alongside Sakonji Urokodaki."


    "But..." Nik swallowed a chunk as the warmth exploded once again within his body as he spoke candidly.


    "Aside from thest part of the breathing technique... you haven''t taught me much..."


    "But Shizuka taught you the rest of my expertise."


    "Yes, she did..."


    Nik muttered without any care. Honestly, Nik didn''t even care who he had to call his master or whatnot. He just enjoyed the slowly frustrating expression forming of the otherwise impassive Lisa''s face.


    "Just... I am your master from now on, understood?"


    She spoke up with a flush as she felt something formless brushing past her body, making her feel hot once again. But strangely, there was not a hint of Hamon while her gaze towards Nik grew marginally passionate.


    "I see... master."


    Nik smiled charmingly as his violet gaze bore into her, making her thoughts rumble into a jumble of illicit emotional as she did ''witness'' or at least, ''felt'' herself getting ravaged.


    But this time around, the feeling was quite subtle, even gentle.


    Making her aware that what she was doing was actually daydreaming aboutmitting illicit actions against her own, most recent, disciple...


    Which, quite embarrassingly, made her feel hot all over again.