Not long after, Yuuki was already in the kitchen, busy preparing food. Actually, he felt quite enthusiastic when doing household chores, so cooking wasn't a big problem for him—which was actually a problem for almost all Seventh Unit members who weren't very skilled in the kitchen.
However, in the middle of cutting vegetables, he suddenly stopped. His eyes looked left and right, a strange feeling tickling the back of his neck.
"How strange..." he muttered softly. "I feel as if someone is watching me. But... I don't see anything. I'm alone in this room. Maybe I'm just imagining it."
Yuuki sighed deeply. He hadn't even been working here for a full day, and already felt like he was being watched. This further strengthened his belief that he was trapped in a truly crazy situation.
"..."
(Interesting. Coincidence or sharp intuition?)
Naoki, who was secretly observing from the corner, was stunned for a moment. But he quickly lost interest. After all, watching someone cook was boring—unless it was Shokugeki no Sōma with extreme fanservice showing orgasmic reactions and semi-naked bodies that pampered the eyes.
Not wanting to linger, Naoki left the kitchen and began exploring the dormitory complex. He wanted to see the remaining two Seventh Unit members he hadn't met yet.
While walking in the corridor, he stopped in front of a large window facing the training yard. There, he found the figure he was looking for: the Seventh Unit Commander, Uzen Kyouka.
(Kyouka and I aren't related, right? But our eye and hair color are identical.)
That thought just crossed his mind.
Indeed, Kyouka had dark red eyes and long white hair left loose past her waist. Above her ears, she wore metal ornaments that looked like small wings.
Perhaps because she had just finished or was about to undergo a training session, she wasn't wearing full military uniform. Instead, she wore a somewhat tight white thin t-shirt and sports shorts that facilitated movement.
Every time Kyouka swung her sword with impressive precision and strength, her plump breasts swayed up and down with a rhythm that defied the laws of gravity, a sight difficult to ignore.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, in the middle of a sword swing, Kyouka turned sharply toward the window where Naoki stood. Her sharp red eyes seemed to pierce directly at him.
At the same time, Naoki's reflexes worked. He immediately slipped behind the wall, away from the window.
(Wow, crazy intuition! She really sensed my gaze, even though I'm using Spatial Reflection! This is why truly tough and experienced warriors are so troublesome.)
Worried about being discovered if he continued peeping, Naoki decided to immediately leave that area.
On the other hand, Kyouka who was still in the training yard frowned, her eyes still staring at that empty window.
"Maybe I'm too sensitive." She muttered to herself, then sighed and refocused on her swordsmanship training.
Meanwhile, Naoki who had already left, accidentally passed by Himari in a corridor.
The dark sea-green haired girl walked with quick steps, her expression still sour, completely unaware of Naoki's invisible presence just a few centimeters beside her.
(I wonder what her reaction would be later if she knew that soon I would 'molest'—ah, my tongue slipped—I mean, kiss her older sister, Yachiho? Although on the surface that sisterly relationship looks bad, they actually care for each other very much. It's just that no one can be honest.)
Looking at Himari's retreating back, Naoki concluded that he wasn't too interested in that girl. Instead, the mother of the three Azuma sisters—Azuma Fubuki—was far more interesting in his eyes, both in terms of appearance and mature woman nature.
Not long after, while walking near the bathing area, Naoki finally met the last Seventh Unit member: Suruga Shushu.
(Whether it's her cheerful nature, innocence, or appearance... this girl really resembles... It's not an exaggeration to call her a copy of Nakano Yotsuba from Go-Toubun no Hanayome.)
Shushu had short blonde hair that only reached her neck. A black ribbon was tied on her head to hold her hair, and her eyes were bright green full of life.
At that time, Shushu planned to bathe. Because she felt alone and of course didn't realize Naoki's presence, without shame or hesitation, she began removing her casual clothes in the changing room. Jacket, shirt, shorts, and finally her underwear—everything was removed.
Instantly, her beautiful body was fully exposed in the air. Her plump breasts seemed like they wouldn't fit in two hands, and her full hip curves made Naoki recall the elders' quotes about women who would bear healthy offspring to form a soccer team.
(As expected from an ecchi anime world, fanservice scenes like this are commonplace here. Thanks for the fanservice, Shushu...)
Naoki instinctively couldn't avert his gaze from the sight presented. He wasn't a eunuch and beta protagonist; he was a normal man with hot blood.
But he wasn't the type of person who was only satisfied with watching. So, with determination and a bit of regret at having to leave, he immediately turned away and left the bathing area, while Shushu cheerfully entered the large steaming hot bath, completely unaware that she had just become viewing material for an invisible visitor.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Naoki came and went from the Seventh Unit headquarters without being noticed by a single Seventh Unit member. His presence at that headquarters was like dust particles crossing sunlight—present, yet uncaptured by senses.
"It must be admitted, teleportation ability is truly difficult to counter without special preparation. No wonder in many anime, abilities based on space and time are always categorized as high-level or rarest." Naoki muttered while stepping on barren ground.
His pupils still emitted a blackish-golden Inverted Cross pattern, a sign that «Pandemonium» was still active. After all, walking around in Mato alone required extra vigilance. He had to always be ready to face any situation.
He only had one life. Once dead, that's it. He didn't intend to be careless just because he felt he had power.
Arrogance was the greatest killer.
Just look at Gojo Satoru, wasn't he cut in two right at the waist because he was too confident in his Infinity defense?
Naoki's thoughts then shifted to the figure of the strongest combat power in this world.
"By the way, speaking of arrogance... the strongest human in this world, Yamashiro Ren, is also known to be very arrogant."
"Her arrogance is probably equivalent to Gojo's. A power almost unmatched does tend to give birth to such haughtiness."
*RUMBLE!*
Suddenly, from the ground around him, dozens of ordinary Shuuki emerged, emitting threatening roars. However, Naoki didn't even glance at them. He didn't stop his steps, let alone raise his hand.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Instinctively, he launched several invisible Reality Slash waves. Space around those monsters—
*PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!* *PU-CHI!*
In the blink of an eye, without explosion sounds or screams, all those Shuuki were cleanly sliced into several parts before finally collapsing and disappearing into dust.
*TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP!*
Naoki kept walking, as if he had just swept some dust from his path, his mind still immersed in his contemplation about arrogance.
"They don't realize that human arrogance is the biggest stumbling block hindering self-progress, even a civilization."
"In the primitive era, without endless inter-tribal conflicts and futile internal disputes, humanity could shorten its evolution and progress process by at least a million years, dominating the world much faster."
"In the dynasty and kingdom era, without blind suspicion between kings and their subjects, without eroding corruption, and without rigid hereditary succession systems, so many visionary emperors and leaders wouldn't have perished in the second or third generation. Their knowledge and wisdom could have been inherited, building a more solid civilization."
"And in this modern information era..." Naoki sighed, his tone containing deep bitterness. "...Behind every virtual account, hidden are fake faces. Hypocrisy reaches its peak."
His mind drifted to his old world, and also his new world full of inequality.
"Women who upload statuses 'Honey, I want to go to the salon today' on social media, might actually be cheating and having fun in a luxury hotel room."
"Young people sitting neatly in brightly lit classrooms, full of talk about etiquette, loyalty, and noble values... Perhaps years ago, through cunning ways and dark connections, they replaced the destiny and opportunities that should have been a 'rags to riches' success story for someone more deserving but less fortunate."
"Hypocrisy, moral decay, conspiracy, and political intrigue. Such rotten social etiquette is actually worshiped by the world as if it's an achievement."
Naoki finally stopped his steps. His lips sneered, his tone full of deep contempt toward all that falseness.
He gazed at the gloomy horizon. Then, with one final firm statement, he reminded himself:
"I must not be arrogant."
Arrogance would make him careless.
Arrogance would make him underestimate enemies.
Arrogance was the beginning of destruction.
And Naoki, with all his ambitions and secrets, couldn't let himself fall into that trap.
He would be strong, he would be careful, and he would keep moving forward—without repeating the foolish mistakes that had destroyed so many great people before him.