Chapter 36 Changes, Date with Aoi (Rewrite)

Kanda spent some time explaining his sudden transformation to Antonia. As he focused his will, the blazing aura surrounding him faded, and his appearance returned to normal.

Just as he finished his explanation, a familiar ding echoed in his mind.

Ding!

[Player has successfully retrieved Crystal of the Beginning (Fire). You must train to master it. Reaching certain thresholds in mastery will grant powerful benefits.]

"AL, can you show me the benefits for each mastery threshold?" Kanda asked mentally.

[Affirmative. Displaying information...]

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Crystal of the Beginning (Fire) – Mastery Bonuses:

0% Mastery: Unlocks Battle Dress. Grants 10% resistance to fire-based attacks.

20% Mastery: 20% fire resistance, 20% increased fire-based attack damage, 80% damage reduction against water-based attacks.

40% Mastery: 35% fire resistance, 35% increased fire attack damage, 2× damage to wind-based enemies, 60% damage reduction against water.

60% Mastery: 50% fire resistance, 50% increased fire attack damage, 3× damage to wind enemies, 40% damage reduction against water.

80% Mastery: 75% fire resistance, 75% increased fire attack damage, 4× damage to wind enemies, 20% damage reduction against water.

100% Mastery: Complete fire immunity, 100% increased fire attack damage, 5× damage to wind enemies, and no resistance against water. Title "Fire Lord" unlocked.

(A/N: Element relationships: Fire>Wind>Lightning>Earth>Water>Fire. ">" means stronger. Dark and Light counter each other.)

---

Seeing the details, Kanda couldn't help but feel a slight pang of frustration. His current mastery was still at 0%.

Still, when one carried a strong purpose, hard work wasn't an option—it was a necessity.

Before he could plan his next step, Antonia tugged on his sleeve.

"Kanda-niisan... what about those maids trapped inside the crystals?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Wait a moment, Antonia-chan," Kanda said. Then he called out mentally, "Akari-chan, can Onii-chan destroy these crystals without hurting the Onee-sans inside?"

"En! You can, Onii-chan. Just put your hand on the crystal and command it to disperse with your will," Akari replied cheerfully.

Kanda smiled softly. As expected of Akari-chan, she's always reliable.

He approached one of the crystalized maids. Carefully, he placed his hand on the cold surface. Closing his eyes briefly, he focused his will, commanding the crystal to disperse.

Slowly, cracks began to form, spreading like spiderwebs across the surface before the entire structure crumbled into fine dust. The maid inside stumbled forward, unconscious but unharmed.

Kanda caught her gently in his arms.

"Antonia-chan, come check her!" he called.

Antonia hurried over with a worried look. After a quick examination, she let out a relieved sigh.

"She's alive! Her vitals are stable," she confirmed with a bright smile.

"Good," Kanda nodded. "I'll free the others."

Without hesitation, Kanda repeated the process, one by one freeing each of the frozen maids.

Antonia's subordinates quickly moved the rescued maids aside to check their conditions.

Throughout the rescue, Antonia stayed by Kanda's side, watching him with shining eyes.

Once the last maid was safely freed, Antonia couldn't hold herself back anymore. She threw her arms around Kanda's waist and hugged him tightly.

"Kanda-niisan... thank you. Really, thank you so much," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "They were my precious comrades, and if anything had happened to them..." Her words choked up.

Kanda gently patted her head, his hand warm and reassuring.

"It's fine, Antonia-chan," he said quietly. "I couldn't just leave them. Besides... I gained a lot from this crystal too. It's only right that I use my power to help others when I can."

Antonia nuzzled closer to him, her small hands clutching the fabric of his clothes tightly.

"You're really kind, Kanda-niisan," she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

Kanda chuckled softly. "Kind? I'm just repaying the favor. You all accepted me without hesitation. That's worth more than a hundred crystals."

Antonia looked up, her eyes sparkling with gratitude and admiration.

"I'll always support you, Kanda-niisan. Always!" she declared.

At that moment, a familiar, sulky voice echoed in his mind.

"Onii-chan, it's not fair! Akari wants head pats too!" Akari whined.

Kanda smiled warmly.

"Later, Akari-chan. Onii-chan promises to pat you lots after this," he replied gently.

"En! I'll be waiting, Onii-chan!" Akari said happily.

Kanda turned his attention back to Antonia, who still clung to him like a little sister unwilling to let go.

He let her stay like that a little longer. After all, they had both fought hard to protect what mattered to them.

After finishing his business in the room, Kanda walks out with Antonia toward the dining hall, where some of the maids have already prepared a meal for the two of them. Maya stands beside him, while Sarah stands beside Antonia as both sit down at the table.

While eating, Kanda curiously asks,

"Antonia-chan, where are your family members? I only see your maids around the mansion."

"I live here alone, Kanda-niisan," Antonia replies, her expression saddening. "My grandfather wouldn't let me live with him. He said he didn't want me to get involved in the family's internal struggles. When he was just a normal worker, our family lived peacefully. But once wealth came pouring in, everything started falling apart. In the end, he left me here under the maids' protection."

"I see..." Kanda nods sympathetically before asking, "Then, how about your involvement with the cult 'Underside of the Kitten's Paw'?"

Antonia hesitates a little before answering,

"Well... at first, it was just because I liked cats. I wanted to be like them—free and cute. When I realized not many shared my passion, I gathered those who did and formed a group. Over time... it turned into a cult. We started treating real cat people like divine beings. When Eris arrived on this planet, we thought it was a message from Heaven."

Kanda sweated a little hearing her explanation about the cult's eccentric behavior.

"Although it's not really my place to judge, I think you and your cult might want to tone it down a bit. Seems like it's gotten... a little too intense."

"How dare you speak to Antonia-sama like that, you brat!" Sarah shouted furiously, glaring at him.

"It's fine, Sarah," Antonia said calmly, raising her hand to stop her.

"I know my past behavior wasn't exactly good. I'm trying to change, especially after Eris accepted me as her friend. Thanks to her—and you too, Kanda-niisan—I'm not alone anymore. I've already told my followers to tone down their fanaticism. Now, we just admire cat-like cuteness normally."

"Hmm... That's good to hear, Antonia-chan," Kanda nodded. "So, what's your plan next? I suggest relocating closer to us. If Madam J targets you, we can act quickly to protect you."

"...Alright. I'll do that, Kanda-niisan. Maya, Sarah, please start preparing for our relocation."

"Yes, Antonia-sama," Maya and Sarah responded in unison.

After the meal, Maya drove Kanda back home. Before leaving, Kanda asked Antonia to keep today's events secret for now, which she agreed to.

== At the House ==

Back at home, Kanda gathered everyone and explained the events that had unfolded at Antonia's mansion when they asked if he had acquired the materials for his weapon.

At first, they were skeptical—except Eris. However, when Kanda demonstrated his new transformation, everyone was finally convinced. Durel immediately requested him to come to her lab for a full checkup, which he agreed to.

Later, they had dinner together—Kanda cooked since Maya was still busy helping with Antonia's relocation. After dinner, everyone retired to their rooms. As usual, his girlfriends cuddled with him in bed. Kanda reminded Aoi to prepare for their date tomorrow, while also setting up date plans for Manami and Melwin.

~ The Next Day ~

Kanda and the others were woken up early by Maya, who had already finished preparing breakfast. She mentioned the relocation was underway, and her help wasn't needed much anymore, which explained her early return.

After breakfast, Kanda went to Durel's lab.

Inside the lab, Kanda sat on the examination chair while Durel adjusted her equipment, her white coat swaying slightly with her movements.

"Hmm... no matter how many scans I run, your genetic structure remains hidden," Durel muttered, clearly frustrated.

"It's like your body's built a firewall against science itself."

Kanda chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe it's because of that weird blessing I got yesterday?"

"Possibly," Durel said, pushing her glasses up. She typed rapidly on her terminal before turning to him.

"From what I can see, though, your body has developed incredible fire resistance... and your overall strength has increased dramatically."

"Fire resistance, huh? That'll be useful," Kanda grinned.

Durel leaned closer, peering at him seriously.

"But be careful. Whatever changes are happening inside you, they're not normal. If anything feels off—even a little—you need to tell me immediately. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm not planning to turn into a monster," he joked.

Durel smirked slightly before adding,

"Also, no reckless experiments with your new powers. You're not some lab rat, but I won't patch you up if you come back here missing a limb."

"Geez, thanks for the vote of confidence," Kanda said dryly, standing up.

"Good. Now go—you're wasting your date time," Durel said, waving him off.

After that, Kanda visited Catia's equipment room to try and infuse his new power into his weapon. Despite multiple failures, he finally found a material that barely withstood the infusion.

Satisfied, he returned home for a quick lunch before heading out with Aoi for their date.

For the date, Kanda wore a blue shirt, black jeans, and a light blue cap. Aoi wore a light blue one-piece dress and a floral summer hat. They visited the town's aquarium, watching different types of fish and performances by dolphins and sea lions.

After some light meals at the aquarium, they strolled along the beach and sat together on a boulder, watching the sunset.

"Thank you for today's date, Kanda. I loved it," Aoi said happily, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Kanda smiled and replied, "It's nothing, Aoi. I need to make sure you all know how much I care."

"...En. We know, Kanda. That's why we chose you," Aoi whispered before looking up and kissing him.

He reciprocated her kiss, and their embrace deepened. After a while, they separated slightly, their breathing heavy.

With a passionate look in her eyes, Aoi whispered,

"Please, Kanda... take me. I want to feel what Eris felt with you."

Moved by her words, Kanda took her hand and brought her to the same hotel he once visited with Eris. The female receptionist was surprised to see him again with a different girl but said nothing, handing them a key with an envious look on her face.

Inside the room, they quickly washed up before gazing into each other's eyes. Their kisses grew deeper, full of desire, leading them to the bed. As the bed rocked with their movements, Kanda pulled away slightly, his voice thick with passion.

"Are you ready, Aoi? I won't let you rest tonight."

"En... I'm ready, Kanda. Please... make me yours," she whispered back, her cheeks flushed.

END OF CHAPTER.