Yukino, usually the aloof high-tier beauty, now appeared flustered and cautious. Her embarrassed demeanor piqued Tatsuki's interest.
He smirked mischievously.
"Didn't you invite me over? Why? To admire your post-bath beauty? I have to admit, it's quite alluring."
"Y-you… stop saying such nonsense!"
Her ears and cheeks flushed crimson, and Yukino was completely at a loss.
Seeing her growing agitation, Tatsuki decided to drop the teasing and cut to the chase.
"Alright, tell me—what's going on?"
When Tatsuki shifted his fiery gaze back to the matter at hand, Yukino gradually calmed down. After letting out a deep breath, she secured her towel with one hand and grabbed Tatsuki with the other, pulling him into the apartment without even asking him to change his shoes.
Having good manners, Tatsuki closed the door behind him.
Yukino led him all the way to the bathroom. The door was closed, and there were water stains on the floor nearby, indicating she had rushed out mid-shower.
Pointing to the bathroom, Yukino whispered, "Inside… there's a monster."
"A monster? Is it worse than a zombie?"
Tatsuki was surprised. Given how many zombies Yukino had killed, it was strange for her to fear any kind of creature.
"It's… different."
Following Yukino's cue, Tatsuki opened the door.
What he saw was a grotesque, black, reptilian-like creature clinging to the surface before them. Its twisted body was covered with dozens of entangled arms and hundreds of shifting eyeballs, all fixed on Tatsuki and Yukino.
Its raspy voice muttered incessantly:
"Can you see me? Can't you see me?"
"Can you see me? You see me?"
"No, you can't see me! You can't see me!"
It repeated the same phrases over and over.
Standing this close to the disgusting creature, Yukino's body trembled slightly. Unconsciously, her left hand reached out and grabbed Tatsuki's.
Tatsuki, however, was completely unfazed. Instead, he sighed in disappointment.
"Sigh, I thought it would be something interesting. Turns out it's just a weak low-level wraith. How boring."
"You can see me?"
Ignoring the wraith's question, Tatsuki gently squeezed Yukino's soft, delicate hand to calm her down.
Then, with a smirk, he suggested, "Yukino, how about giving it a try and seeing if your ability can handle this wraith?"
A wraith?
Yukino was puzzled by the term, but since Tatsuki referred to it as such, she trusted he could handle the creature. Feeling reassured, she decided to give his suggestion a try. If her ability could deal with this kind of monster, she wouldn't have to be afraid anymore.
Under Tatsuki's watchful gaze, Yukino slowly raised her right hand.
The movement immediately drew the wraith's attention. Its hundreds of grotesque eyes widened, and it let out a menacing hiss.
"You can see me! You must see me! I will devour you!"
Its twisted, revolting body lunged at Yukino.
Yet, feeling the warmth and reassurance of Tatsuki's hand in hers, Yukino stood her ground, completely unafraid.
Her gaze sharpened.
"Ice!"
With a soft command, the air crystallized, forming seven or eight ice spikes, each about 30 to 40 centimeters long.
As the wraith's warped limbs reached for her, the ice spikes shot forth simultaneously!
The spikes pierced the wraith's body without a sound, likely due to the creature's unusual composition.
However, the attack was effective!
The wraith froze mid-movement, its body beginning to crystallize from the points of impact. The ice spread rapidly, engulfing it entirely before shattering the creature into fragments.
The wraith dissolved into black particles mixed with shards of ice, fading away into nothingness.
"I did it!"
Yukino clenched her fist in excitement.
But in her exhilaration, she forgot one crucial detail.
Her left hand was holding Tatsuki's hand, while her right was moving. Her towel, which had been loosely tied, no longer had any support.
Given Yukino's modest figure, the towel had nothing to cling to.
Coupled with her movements…
It was inevitable—the towel slipped!
Her snow-white, delicate body was suddenly exposed in its entirety to Tatsuki's gaze.
"…"
Tatsuki froze, completely stunned.
Yukino also froze, her mind blank with shock. She was so dazed that she didn't react immediately.
By the time Yukino's brain rebooted, Tatsuki had already thoroughly appreciated the view before him.
Yukino finally moved, but instead of screaming or panicking, she reacted with a calmness that rivaled Exusiai's.
Unlike Exusiai, who had laughed it off and sent him out of the room, Yukino's reaction was more composed. She calmly used her hands to cover her chest.
She ignored—or perhaps was too afraid to address—her lower half, standing perfectly still. Her flushed cheeks were in stark contrast to her icy demeanor as she said in a cool voice, "Could you please turn around?"
"Ah? Oh! Of course!"
Tatsuki quickly turned his back to her, but not before noticing the suppressed trembling in Yukino's voice.