Chapter 22: Friend’s mom, Nah! My Stepmom

"Aghhh"

Phat... Phat... Phat...

"Ughhhh...Gahhh"

Phat...Phat...Phat...

"Mhghh...Harder! Don’t stop, don’ttttt ahhhhh!"

Phat...Phat...Phat...

Phat...Phat...

"Arghhhh...Ahhh, yes, just like that! Just a bit more, fuckkk..."

William lay face down in nothing but his underwear, questionable noises echoing across the floor.

It was the seventh and final day before the next trial. Cent stood beside William, gripping the Bonk with both his hands.

[A/N]: Day 1, 2, 3, Trial, 4, 5, 6, Trial...

Cent pounded William with the Bonk, striking the precise spots outlined in the manual. This was their 25th session in three days, each round separated by breaks to let William’s skin recover.

His skin was toughening, nearing the low proficiency. After a few more minutes of being bonked, Rollie appeared with a completion notification.

[Congrats, dear~ IronSkin Forging Art (Low) has been achieved.]

When the notification hit, William let out a groan. "Stop." But Cent was too deep in his own rhythm, Phat...Phat...Phat... Watching Cent ignore him, William snapped, "Arghh! Stop, it’s done! It’s donnnnne, you bastard!"

At William’s outburst, Cent’s hand stopped mid-swing. William turned sharply and glared right at him as if he knew, ’Those last few hits were on purpose.’ Cent turned his head away, trying to ignore William’s glare.

William just shook his head and took a green Bloom for his bruises. Then he opened his status, both Strength and Constitution had climbed to 40, and IronSkin was now officially in his technique list. After the trial, he’d push it to the intermediate proficiency.

After a quick rest, he trudged back to his hut, still sore in places he didn’t know existed. Outside, a new troop had come from the life seed he had planted three days ago.

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Name: Greykmush (E-Rank)

Race: Mistvalle Mushassins

Rank: Tier 1 (Low)

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Attributes

Strength: 8

Constitution: 6

Agility: 7

Intelligence: 5

Mana: 8

Affinity: Mist

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Skill

Mist Blend (Low)

Allows to merge with the surroundings, reducing visibility by 15%. While active, movement speed is increased by 10%.

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Rank Upgrade Conditions

Tower points: 20/20

Tier 1 core: 0/3

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William felt a jolt of excitement when he spotted the newcomer this morning. An E-rank, close-combat type, just what he needed to add some diversity to his troops. Other than Cent and the mutt, everyone else was a fairy. Even the Imp was a half-fairy.

The creature looked like a gray mushroom with blade-shaped hands and two oversized, pitch-black eyes. It stood about a foot tall and was passed out as it had just been sprouted this morning. As for its gender, William couldn’t tell as it had only a mushroom cap and a thick stalk for its body.

He’d messaged Aunt Julia the night before to meet at the neutral zone today. He wanted to give her some Blooms and see how she was getting on. After a quick shower, he changed into the clothes he’d picked up from the neutral zone, loose black trousers and a white T-shirt that hugged his frame, showing off neat sculpted muscles.

They were meeting at the same Otterly Foods. William opened the portal to the neutral zone and headed for the restaurant. This time, he brought Vrdyl along. He’d already given nicknames to both, the nature fairy, Vrdyl, and the wind fairy, Nyx.

He noticed fewer lords hanging around the neutral zone today, probably because it was the last day before the trial. He made his way to the restaurant, where a commotion was happening at the corner booths.

He spotted three guys about his age crowding around a woman in the booth. As he got closer, he recognized Aunt Julia, and the boys around her were all from her building.

The boys muttered something, Aunt Julia shaking her head in refusal. William moved closer, trying to pick up their words.

"Julia, why don’t you come with us? None of your family’s here except your son, and who knows if he’s even alive," the boy on the left mocked.

Aunt Julia jolted. "Shut up! I know he’s alive, don’t ever say that again."

Rejected again. The one in the center, the building owner’s brat, moved closer, his eyes ogling her body.

"Let me be straight, Julia. We can work out a deal. I can hook you up with some TP, and I’ve got A-rank Titans. If you ever need help, I can do something for you." His eyes slid to Julia’s cleavage. "It’s a damn shame to have a body like that and not put it to use."

William, just a few steps behind and catching every word, was boiling with rage. But he knew that any violence in the neutral zone would get him screwed. Grinding his teeth, he muttered inwardly, ’These Mother Fucking Piece of Shits.’ He glanced around and spotted a half-empty cup of sweet chili sauce left on a nearby table.

He grabbed the sauce and stomped towards them. Without hesitation, he grabbed the bastard leaning over Aunt Julia by the shoulder and yanked him back. The moment the guy’s face turned, William threw the sauce cup right at his eyes.

The second the sauce hit his eyes, the boy jerked back. "Aghhhhh, it burns. It fucking burnnnnns!" He tried to rub his eyes, only making it worse. Half-blind in pain, he stumbled into the table and crashed to the floor.

William watched him writhing on the floor like a worm, a smirk tugging at his lips. ’Kekeke... get wrecked, you little shit. That’s what you get for the sin of drooling over my Aunt.’

One of the boys lunged in with a bottle of water, desperately trying to wash the sauce off. William slapped on a face of fake remorse. "Oh, shit! My bad, thought you were Dante."

The last guy by the booth just stood there, looking lost. He glanced at his buddy screaming on the floor, then shot a glare at William. In a flash, he lunged, grabbing William by the collar. "You bastard, you did that on purpose! Even if it was Dante, who the hell chucks sauce in someone’s eyes?"

William threw up his hands, playing innocent. "Hey! Dude, chill! It was an accident." The guy wasn’t buying that bullshit, he cocked his fist, ready to swing. But before the punch could land, the restaurant owner, the Otter, appeared out of nowhere in a sleek brown tuxedo.

William and the boy froze, caught off guard by Otter’s sudden appearance. Otter shot a glare at them. "Try anything else, and I’ll flag you both for violence. That’s a month long ban, and half your resources ceased."

The boy gasped and instantly let go of William’s collar. Not about to risk a penalty, William threw an arm around the guy’s shoulders and grinned. "No, Mr. Otter, he’s a friend. Just roughhousing, no violence, swear on his mom’s life." He pointed at the guy.

The boy’s jaw dropped at William’s shameless act. Swearing on his mom, seriously? But with shit about to hit the fan, playing along was the only way out. He forced a smile. "Yeah... yeah, we’re both f... Friends."

Otter shot them one final glare before vanishing without a word. Both let out the breath they’d been holding, with the second trial hanging over their heads, any penalty now was basically a death sentence. Meanwhile, the guy with sauce in his eyes was still burning like hell, and water wasn’t helping one damn bit.

Seeing his buddy still suffering, the boy hurried over and helped him up. He wanted no part of more trouble, so he made straight for the exit. After a few steps, he shot William a glare and hissed, "Just you wait."

William waved him off. "Go to your mom." After a beat, he added, "Oh, wait, my bad. She’s probably back on Earth." The guy’s face went red with rage, he looked like he could launch at William at any moment, but this wasn’t the time or place, so the pathetic trio stormed out of the restaurant.

As they left, Aunt Julia pulled him into a tight hug. William stiffened, caught off guard again. Her head pressed into his shoulder, and in a shaky, tear choked voice, she whispered, "Thank y... you. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do."

She trembled against him. This time, William didn’t just stand there, he wrapped his arms around her waist and muttered, "Don’t worry, Aunt. You’re safe now. I just shooed those bastards off."

As the hug lingered, his eyes drifted down her back. Her jeans clung to her like a second skin. Those naturally plump hips, sculpted by relentless daily yoga, arched perfectly beneath his hands. A goddamn masterpiece, if she bent over, it’d make a perfect heart, the kind that’s trending all over reels.

William’s heart hammered at the sight. He swallowed hard. ’Don’t worry, Dante. Your mom, my stepmom... Sorry, man, fuck those old traditions.’

Rollie caught William ogling Aunt Julia’s ass and flashed in with jealousy.

[Hmph! I’m way wider than her.]

She gestured pointedly at her rectangular panel.

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[A/N]: Drops some Powerstones, Golden Tickets, or Gifts. Your support keeps me encouraged to continue writing.