"W-wow… those monsters they called zombies are so scary! They looked exactly like evil ghosts!"
Kanzaki Aoi, just back from the dungeon, still had lingering fear on her face.
The six of them had entered the dungeon together.
After untold hardships, they had finally cleared the first floor.
To be on the safe side, they chose to exit for now.
"Those zombies were almost identical to demons," Tamayo said quietly, eyes thoughtful. "It's just a pity their bodies and blood couldn't be collected for research."
She had originally planned to take samples.
However, monsters in the dungeon dispersed completely once they died—
not even a single hair remained.
As they were still discussing the mysterious nature of the dungeon, the door behind them suddenly flashed blue.
The light shone like a bright sapphire in the darkness, vivid and ethereal.
Everyone turned around in surprise.
Silhouettes slowly stepped out of the door, as if walking over from another world entirely.
Kanroji Mitsuri, who had been quietly standing beside Busujima Saeko, felt something the moment the light grew brighter.
Beside her, the "butterfly" swordswoman—
Shinobu Kocho—who had been chatting with Busujima, also froze.
Shinobu's eyes were drawn toward the door as if pulled by an invisible thread.
For an instant, her world stopped.
Time, sound, even the air—
Everything around her seemed to freeze.
She stood there like a beautiful sculpture, carved in shock, unable to move.
"Eh? Is someone new coming out? Wait… Makomo! Kanao!"
Kanroji Mitsuri's voice cracked in excitement, her mouth opening so wide it looked like she could fit a whole egg in there.
"Ah! It's Makomo-san and Kanao-chan!"
Kanzaki Aoi quickly recognized the two familiar figures.
Tamayo's expression softened.
"So… the ones we've been hoping for really have arrived," she murmured.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya had already asked her to search for these missing people.
But among the figures emerging from the blue light, there was one person Shinobu's eyes locked onto—
A gentle woman in a butterfly-patterned haori, with a smile as warm as spring.
"...Sister?"
Shinobu's voice trembled.
"Is it really… you?"
The face that always hid all of her thoughts behind a calm, unshakable smile…
now cracked for the first time.
Her expression wavered—fragile, trembling.
Like a soap bubble that would burst with just a touch.
Looking at the older girl before her—
at Kanae Kocho, whose warmth Shinobu had thought she'd lost forever—
The words she had never been able to say echoed in her heart.
I found you.
I really… found you here.
"It's been a long time, Shinobu. You've grown up so much."
Kanae's smile was full of relief and peace, as gentle as ever.
"...Sis… ter!!"
Shinobu's body moved before her mind did.
She lunged forward like a gust of wind and crashed into Kanae's arms, hugging her with all the strength she had.
She held on tightly—desperately—
as if Kanae might vanish like a cloud of smoke the moment she loosened her grip.
Since the day her sister died, Shinobu's tears had long run dry.
But now, they surged out all at once.
Like a flood breaking through a shattered dam.
"Sis… ter…"
Her voice shook as she buried her face in Kanae's chest, sobbing.
Kanae understood everything in an instant.
She could tell, with just one look, how much Shinobu had changed.
How much pain she had carried alone after Kanae's death.
How many hardships she must have endured.
Kanae gently patted Shinobu's back, over and over.
That single, simple gesture carried endless tenderness.
At this moment, that was all she could do.
Everyone around them had countless things they wanted to say.
Questions. Relief. Shock. Curiosity.
But right now, they all stayed silent.
They simply watched this reunion quietly, without a word.
No one dared move carelessly—
As if even the slightest sound
might shatter this fragile, precious tranquility.
--
"Sister, those two… they seem to be sisters as well."
Kaen spoke quietly, her eyes locked on the adventurers. She didn't even look back as she analyzed their every movement.
Hearing that, Shion followed her gaze.
Sure enough—she saw two girls wearing similar clothing, their appearances sharing a gentle resemblance.
Shion's expression softened.
Then, without warning, she stretched her arms wide open.
Kaen blinked in confusion and finally turned to face her.
"Sister… what are you doing?"
Shion didn't answer.
She only blinked her large, beautiful eyes—eyes that somehow carried an unshakably calm, gentle warmth.
Then she spoke softly, like she was stating something inevitable:
"Kaen… don't you also want to feel your sister's embrace? Come here."
"Eh???"
Kaen's whole brain shut down.
Why would her sister say something like that right now?
And why did she suddenly make such a strange pose?
What made it worse was that Shion's expression didn't match her words at all—it was as still and unreadable as a pond without wind. Not even the slightest hint of "caring sister" energy.
The contrast was so big Kaen practically wanted to scream.
But Shion remained motionless, arms open, waiting.
Kaen's cheeks flushed. She lightly poked her fingertips together, pouting with a mix of pride and stubbornness.
"I–I don't want a hug. I just… want to see why humans do things like this."
Despite her words, she didn't look away from Shion even once.
Before she could finish her excuse, Kaen suddenly dashed forward like a startled little rabbit and threw herself into Shion's chest.
In that moment, Shion's lips curved into the softest, most maternal smile.
She wrapped her arms around Kaen—gently yet firmly—like a mother holding a small child.
"Mm!"
Kaen's whole body stiffened from surprise, her long ears standing straight up. She looked like a frightened little creature unsure of what to do, her nervousness almost adorable.
Standing nearby, la (your third girl) watched silently.
A strange warmth spread through her chest as she witnessed the scene.
Her eyes gradually heated, and—completely uninvited—images flashed through her mind:
her, Kaen, and Shion… serving their master together again… bodies intertwined…
She sucked in a quiet breath, cheeks warming.
"I need to work harder… and teach them some new techniques."
She clenched her fist lightly.
"The master's happiness is in our hands…"
A sudden sense of responsibility washed over her.
Yami, of course, meant what he said—
when he announced he "wasn't sleeping tonight,"
he truly didn't sleep.
Utaha and Eriri witnessed everything from start to finish.
Ehem.
It had only been a few days since they officially started dating, yet Yami had already achieved his goal of sleeping with both of them.
At first, the two were shy and embarrassed, resisting only slightly.
But under the steady, gentle "attacks" of Yami's touch, both Utaha and Eriri eventually surrendered their rationality and simply let themselves enjoy it.
And unexpectedly… they found out the experience itself was pretty nice.
Carrying the full "firepower" alone was exhausting and stressful for any girl.
But sharing the burden—taking turns, cooperating—
made everything easier. They could rest, breathe, relax.
And watching each other's flushed faces, rolled-back eyes, and silly tongues sticking out…
…turned out to be fun in its own way.
Eriri especially enjoyed teasing Utaha, leaving subtle bite marks wherever she could.
By the end of the night, Nekoyanagi-sensei would probably faint if she saw Utaha's neck.
By the time dawn arrived—
Eriri and Utaha were completely wiped out.
They collapsed at around seven in the morning…
and likely wouldn't get out of bed anytime soon.
Yami Tsukishiro, however, didn't seem to need normal sleep at all.
Whether engulfed in darkness, bathed in starlight, or under the blazing sun—
Every source of light, every shadow, every celestial glow fed him.
Kept him energized and overflowing with vitality.
For him, sleep wasn't a necessity.
Just a human habit he kept for convenience.
Now he had other matters to handle.
He quietly picked up his phone, tapping the call button.
He dialed Mizuki's number—
Ready to finish the plan he'd prepared the night before.
--
Afternoon.
The scorching sun hung high in the sky.
"Ahh—nnnh~…"
Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a half-asleep groan as she woke up, stretching like a lazy cat.
Still dazed, she rubbed her eyes and staggered out of the room, hair completely messy and sticking out in every direction. She walked toward the bathroom like a zombie that hadn't fully loaded into the world yet.
As soon as she stepped into the living room, she spotted Yami sitting on the sofa.
Without thinking, she mumbled:
"Morning…"
Then continued straight toward the bathroom.
"..."
Yami opened his mouth—
half wanting to say something—
but ended up silently closing it again.
He really hadn't meant to see that.
Hiratsuka's shirt was dangerously loose… almost slipping far enough to reveal everything beneath.
And after Eriri and Utaha helped her bathe last night, she hadn't found proper clothes and ultimately went full vacuum to sleep.
Yami Tsukishiro let out a silent sigh.
To think that this seemingly carefree, rough-around-the-edges teacher turned out to be so bold...
That was not something he had expected.
Inside the bathroom—
"Hmm?"
After splashing her face with cold water, Hiratsuka finally felt her mind clear.
Then the question marks began.
…Wait.
Was that… Yami just now?
She looked around with sharper eyes.
This wasn't her bathroom.
This wasn't even her apartment!
"Hiss—!"
Her head spun as the memories returned.
She'd gotten drunk.
And… hadn't gone home.
She looked down and realized she was wearing unfamiliar, messy clothes.
Her collar was loose…
She peeked.
Vacuum.
"—!!?!"
Gan!
Had that kid, Yami Tsukishiro… seen everything?!
What was this situation?!
What did she do last night?!
Why is her life falling apart this early in the afternoon?!
She clutched her hair, making the mess even worse.
Meanwhile, Yami listened to her tiny panicked noises from outside and simply waited.
After what felt like a lifetime—
Hiratsuka finally stepped out of the bathroom.
She coughed, trying to gather some dignity.
"G-Good morning, Yami."
Yami leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, and smiled:
"Sensei, friendly reminder—it's already afternoon."
"Ah—this…"
Hiratsuka's face burned with embarrassment.
Yami patted the sofa beside him.
"Sensei, come here. I want to show you something."
"???"
Hiratsuka looked down at her vacuum state.
There was no way she should go near him like this, right?!
But Yami had already picked up the remote and switched the TV channel.
The news broadcast instantly caught her attention.
"Breaking News: Mr. Yami Tsukishiro—recognized as the strongest superpower and savior of the world (three times)—has officially announced the establishment of Potential Academy, a training institution for future superpowered individuals!"
"!!!"
Hiratsuka rushed forward, completely forgetting her appearance, and sat down to read the report closer.
This was headline news being broadcast across every single network.
The broadcast included:
● Previously unreleased footage of three world-saving incidents
— two kaiju exterminations
— one large-scale evil spirit outbreak
● An outline of a new superpower system
● A preliminary explanation of gene-lock levels
● Registration details for Potential Academy's entrance tests
The whole world had been thrown into chaos over this announcement.
Yami's title as the world's strongest superpowered individual wasn't exaggerated at all.
The footage of him killing the giant beast had already become a household legend.
Hiratsuka remembered what Yami told her the night before… and her expression froze.
"Th-The academy you mentioned… you actually founded that Academy?!"
Yami nodded calmly.
"That's right. Which is why I said you can work at my place from now on. You'll still be a teacher—just one teaching the next generation of superpowered individuals."
"..."
Hiratsuka Shizuka was speechless.
She had prepared herself for big news—
but not world-changing news.
She never imagined Yami had meant this:
not a small project, not a side job…
but the creation of an entire academy dedicated to superpowers.
A place that would shape the future of humanity.
"Tsk… don't joke around. I can't be a teacher at your superpower academy."
Hiratsuka Shizuka folded her arms, looking away.
"It's not like I know how to teach superpowers."
Yami met her eyes seriously.
"Shizuka-sensei… I want you there. I need you."
"...!"
The moment she heard that—
and saw how sincere he looked—
her heartbeat went berserk.
Why?! Why am I reacting like some high school girl?! Pull yourself together, Shizuka!
Trying her best to look composed, she cleared her throat and patted Yami on the shoulder.
"…Fine. If you're asking me like that, saying no would feel wrong. I'll do it."
Yami smiled like he expected exactly that answer.
"Shizuka-sensei, before you act like the mature adult in the room… maybe cover the part that's stealing the spotlight."
His eyes drifted downward… blatantly.
"W–WAIT!!!"
Only now did Hiratsuka remember she was still vacuum, shirt slipping and barely covering anything.
By the time she tried to pull it closed, it was far too late.
Yami had already memorized everything.
And he wasn't even pretending otherwise.
"You—!! What the hell, you little punk?! Are you seriously eyeing your teacher?! Aren't your two girlfriends enough for you?!"
Her face burned hotter than the sun outside.
Honestly?
It was a fair question.
Yami casually pointed his thumb at the closed bedroom door.
"It's not that. They just fell asleep.
They worked all night."
"...…???"
Worked all night.
Shizuka didn't need a diagram to understand what that meant.
But the real shock—
Yami Tsukishiro, unbelievably energized, perfectly fine, sitting there joking around with her.
He didn't look like someone who'd been doing… that all night.
Not even close.
She stared at him like he was some kind of legendary creature.
"…Are you actually a monster?"
Yami only smiled.
--
Hiratsuka Shizuka, feeling like her soul had taken damage, finally left later that afternoon.
She'd said she would handle her resignation paperwork and would also introduce a friend who could help teach at Yami's new academy.
After all, even a "Potential Academy" couldn't just be about superpowers.
Even if no one fully understood what triggered a gene-lock awakening, education couldn't rely on brute-force training alone.
They needed normal studies.
Discipline.
Moral guidance.
And if Shizuka brought in someone she trusted, Yami felt safer placing young girls he cared about in that environment.
The world governments had already offered to send instructors, but Yami declined immediately.
He had one non-negotiable rule:
All teachers must be women.
Not because he built the academy for academics—
this place was essentially a training ground for his own faction.
And since Eriri and Utaha would be part of the first batch of students…
He absolutely didn't want any men involved.
Pretty much a glorified girls' school.
This earned him a massive eye roll from Hiratsuka Shizuka.
Not only because of how ridiculous his request sounded—
But he seriously believes I have male friends?!
If she did, she wouldn't be a "single older woman" spiraling into frustration every time someone mentioned relationships.
Her own life was still stuck at zero…
Yet her students had boyfriends, girlfriends, and were already living heart-throbbing, intimate youth.
It was enough to make a teacher cry.
And as she was running around trying to help Yami—
The whole world was also moving.
Especially Tokyo.
Everyone's eyes were locked on Yami Tsukishiro.
Shinomiya Residence
"Hayasaka… what do you think about this 'Potential Academy'?"
Shinomiya Kaguya stared at the news broadcast, her expression serious but her eyes sparkling.
Hayasaka Ai's voice was calm, but sharp:
"Miss, the information is real. The head of the family has already begun to act."
"The head of the family"…
meaning Kaguya's older brothers.
Ai wanted to say more—
wanted to tell Kaguya that this was a rare chance.
A chance to escape the suffocating Shinomiya household.
A chance to break the chain of arranged marriages and political obligations.
A chance… to breathe.
But because of her position, Ai could only clench her fists and wait for Kaguya's decision.
Kaguya's eyes lit up, fierce and bright.
"Alright, Hayasaka! let's sign up together!"
Her voice was filled with burning determination.
Her first attempt at making real friends had crashed and burned.
This time, she would succeed.
Hayasaka Ai's clenched fists loosened.
A faint joy flickered across her face before she covered it with her usual professionalism.
"Yes. I'll prepare everything immediately."
Yukinoshita Residence
"Yukino. Haruno.
Both of you will apply for the entrance test."
Yukinoshita Yukino and her older sister Haruno froze.
Their mother, Yukinoshita Michiko, spoke with absolute authority—
the kind that allowed no room for argument.
Haruno raised an eyebrow.
"…Do I have to drop out of college for this?"
Yukino answered before their mother could:
"If it's necessary, then yes. If we pass… then dropping out is fine."
Michiko nodded.
"Correct. And if either of you successfully enrolls—
the entire Yukinoshita family will support you without reservation.
You will be the one who leads this house into the future."
She sipped her tea like she had simply commented on the weather.
But the sisters were speechless.
Lead the Yukinoshita family?
Them?
Not bound by arranged marriages?
Not tied down by politics?
It sounded… unbelievable.
But their mother's cold, calculating eyes told the truth:
The world was changing.
Superpowers were real.
And families that failed to adapt would disappear.
If they stayed the same,
they'd be left behind.
Even if only one daughter made it into the Potential Academy—
that alone would be enough for Yukinoshita to keep pace with the new world.
Yukino gazed at the news broadcast, her heartbeat strangely unsteady.
That man—
Yami Tsukishiro—
He kept shocking the world.
Kept changing the rules everyone lived by.
--------------------------------------
Support me at patreon.com/Arthorain and read upto 50 Advanced Chapters and R-18 Content!
--------------------------------------
Every 100 power stones = 1 Extra Chapter
By voting with [power stones], you can easily get double the number of chapters.