At the same time, the others all breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the gymnasium in complete ruins had made them worry about unnecessary trouble, but Eriri had restored everything so effortlessly.
The ability to manipulate time sent shivers down their spines. However, they couldn't help but wonder—if such power could be used on themselves when they aged, wouldn't that mean eternal youth and immortality?
Of course, that was just wishful thinking. After all, they were nothing more than ordinary people without any special abilities.
Ignoring their thoughts, Eriri smiled at Kikyo Kushida and asked, "So, do you still want to play volleyball with us? Of course, we won't use any supernatural powers."
"No, no, I'm good!" Kikyo Kushida quickly waved her hands with an awkward smile.
She had finally realized that Kei Karuizawa—whom none of them could defeat even when they teamed up—had never actually used her full strength.
And since Eriri and Yukino were clearly much stronger than Kei Karuizawa, insisting on playing against them would be nothing short of asking for a beating.
She wasn't a masochist, so there was no way she would go through with it.
Eriri and the others didn't stay in the gym for long. Just a few minutes after the match between Kei Karuizawa and Yukino ended, Eriri used teleportation to take herself, Kei Karuizawa, Yukino, and the ever-observant Honami Ichinose straight to Kei Karuizawa's dormitory—where they had visited once before.
As for Kikyo Kushida, Suzune Horikita, and the others, they were left behind in the gym, staring at the now-empty space where the four had just been. They exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to process what had just happened.
...
Inside Kei Karuizawa's dormitory, Honami Ichinose was brimming with enthusiasm as she looked at Eriri.
"Eriri, I said I'd treat you all properly, so let me handle today's lunch!"
It was already past eleven, and lunchtime was approaching. Normally, students didn't have to prepare their own meals, as the campus had a cafeteria and a variety of restaurants.
However, in order to properly welcome Eriri, Honami Ichinose insisted on cooking herself.
"I don't mind. But how do you plan on doing that? There's no kitchen here for you to cook in," Eriri replied with a nod. She was used to eating Aoi Kujo's cooking, but she wasn't opposed to trying something new.
"Oh, don't worry! As soon as I heard you were coming, I prepared all the kitchenware in advance. I even stocked up on ingredients and stored them in my inventory!" Honami Ichinose said proudly, giving a thumbs-up.
Then, her tone shifted slightly. "But we'll have to go to my dorm. I have all the cookware in my storage space, but cooking inside Karuizawa's dorm might not be the best idea."
"It's not a big deal. I don't mind," Kei Karuizawa said nonchalantly, shrugging. "You can cook here if you want."
She understood Honami Ichinose's reasoning. Cooking would produce oil and smoke, which could affect the room's cleanliness. To avoid that, Honami Ichinose had suggested using her own dormitory instead.
"No way! I don't want to trouble you, and since I'm the one treating you all, it should be done in my place to show sincerity."
"Alright then," Kei Karuizawa relented, seeing how determined Honami Ichinose was.
As for Eriri, she had no objections at all. Whether they stayed in Kei Karuizawa's dorm or went to Honami Ichinose's dorm made no difference to her.
It wasn't as if Kei Karuizawa wouldn't be joining them if they went to Honami Ichinose's place, so there was no reason to overthink it.
With their decision made, Eriri spoke up, "Alright then, let's head over to Honami's dorm."
Once again, she activated teleportation, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves inside a room with a cute and cozy aesthetic.
"I have to say, teleportation is ridiculously convenient. You can go anywhere in an instant. I wonder if I'll ever be able to use this power in the future," Honami Ichinose mused, her face filled with admiration.
"Of course, one day you all will be able to do it too," Eriri said with a light pat on Honami Ichinose's shoulder.
She firmly believed that given enough time, all chat group members would eventually reach the pinnacle of the multiverse. And as someone close to Eriri, Yukino would naturally receive the same treatment.
Even though Yukino wasn't part of the chat group, her rate of power progression wouldn't fall behind the group members.
By then, using teleportation would be as simple as breathing.
"Mmm, I'll look forward to that day then!" Honami Ichinose nodded enthusiastically, growing more excited about the future after receiving Eriri's assurance.
"Alright, you all go ahead and relax for a while. I'll get started on lunch."
"Sure, I'm looking forward to your cooking."
"Hehe, leave it to me!"
...
The student dormitories at Advanced Nurturing High School were considered quite luxurious. Each unit included not only a bedroom but also a living room, making them feel almost like real homes.
Honami Ichinose was currently in the living room, preparing their meal. However, she wasn't making anything overly complicated.
After all, she wasn't a professional chef—she only helped with cooking at home occasionally during holidays.
That said, the dish she was preparing was one she had made the most often, so she felt confident in her skills.
In the bedroom, Yukino sat quietly in a chair, engrossed in a book.
Judging by the illustrated cover, which featured two girls in an intimate pose, it was clear that she was reading a yuri light novel.
The book was none other than the latest work by Utaha Kasumigaoka, featuring illustrations by Eriri.
Recently, the yuri version of Love Metronome had successfully concluded, receiving a fairly positive reception.
If not for the first volume's initial impression affecting reader expectations, the series might have achieved even greater success.
However, with the popularity of her first book and the added boost from Eriri's illustrations, Utaha Kasumigaoka's new work became an instant hit upon release.
Within just a few hours, all copies had sold out in major bookstores. In response, the publishing house, Fujikawa Fantastic Bunko, had ramped up its printing efforts, much to the delight of editor Machida Sonoko.
Interestingly, some readers who had never read Love Metronome bought the new book simply because they wanted the illustrations, treating the novel as a "bonus." But after reading it, many of them were instantly captivated.
While they still valued Eriri's artwork the most, at the very least, Utaha Kasumigaoka's new novel was no longer being dismissed as "toilet paper."
Naturally, book-loving family members also wouldn't miss out on Utaha Kasumigaoka's latest release.
While Yukino quietly read her book, Eriri and Kei Karuizawa sat facing each other on Honami Ichinose's bed. At that moment, Eriri's right palm was pressed against Kei Karuizawa's chest.
However, she wasn't modifying Kei Karuizawa's body—she was planting a brand-new energy seed within her.
This energy seed was powerful enough to allow Kei Karuizawa to advance to Level 6 Peak and, with some effort, even reach quasi-Level 7.
Since this was the first time Eriri had prepared such a potent seed, she wanted to ensure everything went smoothly. That's why she wasn't casually tapping Kei Karuizawa's forehead like before.
It definitely wasn't because she wanted to feel how soft Kei Karuizawa's chest was.
Soon, a supremely powerful energy seed—capable of obliterating Earth upon release—was successfully implanted into Kei Karuizawa's heart.
Aside from enhancing her strength, this energy seed also fortified and protected her heart.
The process was surprisingly smooth, far easier than Eriri had expected. If she ever planted another seed of this caliber, a simple tap on the forehead would suffice.
That said, Eriri still felt that pressing her palm against the chest was a better approach for optimal implantation.
Flexing her fingers slightly and savoring the residual softness in her palm, Eriri finally withdrew her hand, looking satisfied.
With the support of this new energy seed, Kei Karuizawa, who had been stuck at Level 3 Peak for some time, instantly broke through to Level 4, Stage 1.
She slowly opened her previously shut eyes, her gaze soft and dewy as she looked at Eriri, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Just then, a cool and composed voice suddenly cut through the air.
"Are you two done?" Yukino asked.
Her eyes remained fixed on her book, but the way her fingers gripped the pages a little too tightly betrayed her inner turmoil.
Although she had grown accustomed to seeing Eriri interact closely with others back at home, the sight of Eriri pressing against Kei Karuizawa just moments ago still left her feeling rather irritated.
It wasn't just jealousy—there was also the fact that she was an A-cup, while Kei Karuizawa, though not particularly large, at least had a noticeable curve.
"Ah… y-yes, Yukino. Eriri-sama has already implanted the energy seed," Kei Karuizawa stammered nervously upon hearing Yukino's voice.
Eriri remained unfazed, but Kei Karuizawa immediately panicked.
Though she wasn't aware that Eriri and Yukino were officially together, she did know that Yukino's identical twin sister was in a relationship with Eriri.
She feared that if Yukino saw what had just happened and told her sister, things could get complicated.
Even though she longed to be with Eriri, that didn't mean she wanted to come between Eriri and Yukino's sister.
"If you're finished, then get off the bed. It's not polite to keep sitting on Ichinose's bed," Yukino said calmly, flipping a page in her book.
"O-okay."
Taking a deep breath, Kei Karuizawa steadied her emotions, glancing once more at Eriri—who remained completely unfazed—before slowly getting off the bed.
Eriri, on the other hand, showed no intention of moving.
Instead, she leaned forward, stretched her legs out behind her, and sprawled comfortably across Honami Ichinose's bed.
Resting her cheek on her folded arms, her fair, delicate legs swayed gently up and down—a small but irresistibly cute gesture.
"Eriri, why are you still lying there? It's not very polite to just stay on someone else's bed."
Noticing that Eriri hadn't moved, Yukino couldn't help but shift her gaze from her book to look at her.
However, the moment she saw Eriri's current posture, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. Her eyes were drawn to Eriri's small, endearing movements, unable to look away for a long while.
"What does it matter? I'm sure Honami doesn't mind. Why don't you come up and lie down with me for a while? There's still plenty of time before lunch."
Stopping the gentle swaying of her legs, Eriri turned slightly to the side and patted the space beside her on the bed, inviting Yukino to join her.
Yet, instead of responding immediately, Yukino simply stared at her, seemingly lost in thought.
A full minute passed. Just as Kei Karuizawa was beginning to think Yukino was bottling up her anger and was about to explode, she suddenly saw Yukino close her book, stand up from her seat, and walk toward the bed.
In Kei Karuizawa's stunned gaze, Yukino calmly took off her indoor slippers and climbed onto Honami Ichinose's bed.
She then lay down directly beside Eriri, pressing intimately against her in the very spot Eriri had been patting moments before.
Without hesitation, Eriri naturally wrapped her arms around Yukino, burying her face in Yukino's neck, while Yukino also hugged Eriri tightly. Their smooth, slender legs intertwined as they nestled against each other.
"Eh? Eh?!"
Watching the two embrace like lovers, Kei Karuizawa's mind was thrown into chaos.
"What's going on? Isn't Eriri-sama supposed to be with Yukino's sister? Why are Yukino and Eriri-sama acting like a couple? Did Eriri-sama abandon Yukino's sister for Yukino? Or… are Yukino and her sister both with Eriri-sama?!"
For a moment, Kei Karuizawa's thoughts spiraled into complete disarray, with countless wild speculations racing through her mind.
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