"System, how long will the process last?" Mikael asked as he walked into the basement, towards the underground pool.
It was 2 am, and everyone in the house was fast asleep.
{One hour, Host.}
He gritted his teeth as he realised that he would have to suffer the pain for what would feel like an eternity.
However, this was something that would benefit him a lot.
Not long after he arrived by the side of the pool, he quickly took off his clothes and slippers and dived right into the water.
"Start."
As soon as he gave the command, he felt the pill appear in his mouth, nearly the size of a ping-pong ball, but it immediately started melting and vaporised as if it never existed.
Seconds later, he felt his body growing hot, and not long after, every muscle fibre in his body was being scorched.
Unbeknownst to him, not everyone in the house was sleeping.
A figure entered the gym and looked around for him, soon spotting his clothes, and then immediately rushed forward to look into the pool.
Raeya's eyes widened when she saw his body emitting a faint red glow, and just when she saw him about to surface, she hid behind the pillar and looked at him from the reflection on the glass wall.
Her heart tightened when she heard his groans, whimpers, and cries, but she felt that something very special was happening, and she stayed hidden, shedding tears in silence.
She hated him. She hated him so much... and yet seeing and hearing him in pain tore her heart.
Minutes later, the water in the pool started heating up, soon reaching a boiling point, and as the steam rose, the exhausts came to life and started clearing it.
The heat in the gym had turned it into a sauna. She slowly slumped down against the pillar and kept watching him thrashing and screaming in the pool.
Nearly 40 minutes later, he stopped screaming, and by now, only half the water in the pool remained.
She waited to see or hear some movements, but there were none. Fearing the worst, she stood up and rushed towards the pool, bearing the heat and the burning mist.
She found him lying on the pool bed, surrounded by a golden glow, which did not allow her to take a good look at him.
Something told her that he would be fine, and she stepped back and sat down next to the door, waiting for him to come out of the gym.
Raeya could hear her heart thumping in her ears as minutes passed by, and just when she wanted to get up and go inside to check on him again, she finally heard a splash.
The exhaust had cleared away the steam and had now stopped, so she could hear him getting out of the pool and then maniacally start laughing in excitement.
And Mikael had every reason to feel this way.
[The Villain Sovereign System]
[Host: Mikael Abraham Zarayne]
[Age: 24]
[Status: Second Son of the Zarayne Family of Sylvor City]
[Personal Networth: 1.44 Billion Draks]
[Cultivation Realm: First Profound Realm (Peak)]
[Race: Ashaya (Esper)]
[Talent: Indigo]
[Charm: 97/99]
[Villain Value: 0 Points]
[Fate Value: 488]
{Congratulations, Host! You have gained the perfect affinity to Fire Element. You have also developed heat resistance. Anything under 300 degrees Celsius can not harm you}
{Congratulations, Host! You have attained a piece of Phoenix's Power of Healing and have become an Esper.}
How could he not be happy after gaining such benefits? He almost forgot the pain that he had just suffered.
Mikael could feel that he was much stronger than before, and it was not just the sudden gain in Cultivation, which had pushed him to the Peak of First Profound Realm. His Aura seemed purer, and his senses were also much sharper now.
Even the simplest of things like breathing was much more exciting and refreshing, and he felt light but powerful.
He observed that his physique had improved a lot too. There were more toned lines on him, and despite being lithe, his muscles packed explosive power. He did not look human for how beautiful his body was now.
Perfect v-line, shark muscles, eight-pack abs, and just the right amount of fat, which prevented him from looking freaky.
There were barely any facial changes, but his temperament had improved a lot, and he felt that he had a much more confident reflection in the mirror.
He scrunched up his nose when he picked up the clothes, which now had the smell of the pool water and were soggy.
Mikael walked towards the locker and threw them in the basket along the way.
There was only a pair of workout trousers inside it and he wore them before walking out of the gym.
Suddenly, he froze as he heard the soft breathing of a person, and felt her eyes on him.
He looked down in the left corner and found Raeya sitting there, hugging her knees, and staring at him.
"Hey, why are you crying?" He worriedly knelt next to her and gently cupped her cheeks, wiping away the tear stains on her face.
He could see the questions in her eyes, and he sighed when he smelt the odour of the pool water from her. She had seen it all and had even entered the gym.
"Come." He picked her up in his arms, and she did not resist him.
By the time they entered his bedroom, she had a faint blush on her cheeks as her face was pressed against his chest, and for some reason, he found it hard to keep control of his urges.
Making up his mind, he took her inside the dressing room, and then into the bathroom.
Raeya finally panicked after she realised where they were, and when he put her down on her feet, she tried to run out but was pinned against the wall by him.
His soulful blue eyes stared into her enchanting green eyes, and unable to resist her anymore, he leaned in a captured her lips.
His hands reached under her thighs, and then he lifted her, helping her wrap her legs around his waist.
And Raeya gave up all the struggle as she tasted him after three years.
A tear escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheek, and she too could no longer control her urges.
Before she knew it, they were under the shower, soaking wet and still kissing each other.
Then her clothes were off, and he dropped his trousers as well.
Still wet, he carried her to his room and dropped with her in the bed, pinning her under him.
She could feel his hardness pressing against her, and when he propped himself up on his hands and stared into her eyes, all her hesitations subsided.
"I love you, Rae." He told her, and she believed him.
She always had.
A sweet moan escaped her mouth when his lips landed on her neck, and then he planted kisses all the down to her shame.
She wanted to stop him, but as soon as she felt his lips against her lower lips, her back arched.
Waves of pleasure pulsated through her, making her body tremble, and she could not help but clutch his hair as she sought more.
"Ahhhn~" She loudly moaned when he helped her experience a mind-numbing orgasm, and then she panted heavily, starving for oxygen.
His lips were still on her, planting kisses on every inch of her skin, which made her tremble at his touches.
And finally, he climbed over her.
"Lift your back a little." He said to her, and she complied, allowing him to slide a small cushion under the arch of her back.
He spread her legs further apart and leaned down to kiss her. She tensed up when she felt his hardness arrive at her entrance, but she dropped her worries when she realised that the one she had on top of her was her husband.
Raeya grimaced as he made his way inside, painfully stretching her walls, and despite all her efforts to relax her muscles, her defensive mechanisms were quite strong, making it more painful for her.
Her screaming was caught in her throat and she could not even breathe when he tore past her innocence and filled her all the way to her cervix.
She started sobbing and whimpering at the pain, and he planted a few kisses on her face and remained still, panting as he fought the urge to move.
When she finally opened her eyes again and looked into his eyes, which were filled with struggle, love, and care for her, she did not want to disappoint him.
"Move." She whispered and pulled him down to capture his lips.
The searing pain was growing unbearable with his movements until her body reacted and excreted love juices in defence, making his movements easier.
She felt very sweet in her heart as he remained gentle with her, not losing control, and he was finally rewarded when she started experiencing some pleasure as well.
Once her moans leaked into his mouth, no longer in just pain, he picked up a stronger rhythm, and both of them lost themselves to their carnal desires.
Afterwards, there were only moans and grunts and their calls that accompanied the sound of beating flesh.
Half an hour later, Raeya let out a loud cry as her orgasm flooded through her, and then she felt him burst inside of her, inseminating her, marking the consummation of their marriage.
She hugged him tightly on top of her with all the strength that she could muster, and unable to control her emotions, she kept panting kisses on his head and temple.
"I love you, I love you... I love you!" She kept telling him as a few more tears leaked out of her eyes, and he did not doubt her words.
"I know, Rae. I always knew." He smiled and then kissed her, tasting her sweet mouth, and then mischievously moved again inside of her, sending tremors through her body.
And just like that he started another round.
An hour later, when Raeya had no strength left in her, she lay in his arms like a kitten, possessively holding onto him.
"Are you not tired?" She whispered the question.
"Not really, but let's rest now." He planted a kiss on her head and traced her skin with his fingertips.
"Sorry..."
"Hey." He chuckled and gave her another kiss on the head. "I am happy. Very happy." He told her. "I love you."
She nodded her head with a smile and then planted a kiss on his chest.
"Mikael."
"Yes, Love?"
"Will you be honest with me about something?"
"Depends on what you want to ask." He laughed when she playfully hammered a fist on his chest. "You want to know what happened in the gym?"
"Yes."
"I awakened some powers. It turns out that I am an Esper."
"I see."
Espers were not really a secret in the world. Though the governments and media withheld a lot of information about them, which turned them into nothing more than super soldiers in the public eye, the families that they belonged to knew these things better.
And Raeya and Klara were even more aware of these things since they had studied under a Master on Mount Eden for five years of their life.
They had a Senior Sister who was also an Esper.
"What are your powers?" She curiously asked.
"They are related to heat resistance and healing." He did not hide them from her. "Aren't you curious why you are no longer feeling sore?"
"Oh." She blushed and then closed her eyes. "Let's sleep."
Raeya feared that he would start another round, so she immediately started meditating and entered the dreamland within minutes.
Mikael laughed in his heart at her cuteness, and then closed his eyes as well, deciding to get some sleep.