"Ninety... ninety-one..." In a small, dimly lit room, a strong, low voice resonated as if it were enduring something, the words trembling slightly.
A towering figure was doing push-ups on the floor beside the bed, beads of sweat trickling down his chiseled muscles, pooling into a sizable puddle that exuded a potent scent of youthful masculinity.
"Ninety-nine... one hundred. Haah—" Ito Yoshito pushed himself up forcefully, launching himself off the floor to stand upright.
Shaking his sore arms, he made his way to the bathroom.
Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, a smile unbidden spread across his face as he admired his physique, feeling completely satisfied with his current state.
The mirror reflected a muscular man standing at six feet three inches tall, his muscles robust and well-defined without appearing bulky.
His flat abdomen showcased eight sculpted abs, as meticulously crafted as a work of art, while his thick chest was as hard as rock.
His well-defined V-shaped torso and the demonic-looking muscles of his back came together in a perfect display of raw strength.
The boy's name was Ito Yoshito, aged sixteen, and just entering high school.
But the Yoshito of today was not the same as the boy of his past.
A month ago, his despicable father had fled from crushing debts, only to be captured by debt collectors and sent to an unknown fate.
Just before he left, he had even contemplated selling Yoshito to pay off his debts, revealing his son's address to his pursuers.
As a result, the debt collectors came looking for him, believing that Yoshito should pay for his father's sins.
Naturally, Yoshito refused outright.
His father was nothing but a worthless gambler who had never fulfilled any parenting duties and had subjected Yoshito to abuse during his childhood.
When Yoshito finally gained the strength to resist, his father abandoned him without a second thought. Fortunately, he had neighbors who provided help, or he might have starved to death.
It could be said that not seeking revenge against his father was already an act of compassion.
How could he possibly help him pay off his debts?
As for his mother, she had died in childbirth.
The reason Yoshito's body was now occupied by a traveler from another world was that he had refused to repay the debts, leading to a violent confrontation with the collectors.
Despite having trained in kendo from a young age and possessing exceptional physical capability, he found himself outnumbered. In a moment of carelessness, he was struck in the back of the head, sustaining numerous cuts and severe injuries.
The debt collectors certainly wouldn't let him die easily; after all, who would pay the debt?
They took him to the hospital.
However, before reaching the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
That's when a traveler from another world, who had also met an untimely end yet miraculously found themselves in this body, took over.
The debt collectors, upon discovering Yoshito had awakened, decided to skip the hospital and took him to meet their boss.
---
"Hm? My dear, is that really necessary? Reina…"
"Hmm~?" The stout man was cut off by Reika's sharp glance, her blue eyes narrowing.
"Fine, whatever you say. Listen up, boy, you'll keep Reina safe at school. Consider it a way to offset part of the debt. Once you graduate high school, we'll figure out your situation. But get him to the hospital; we don't want him dying on us," the stout man waved his hand, signaling for them to leave.
"Got it!!!"
Yoshito said nothing and silently followed the group as they prepared to exit.
"Hold on, kid. Give me your contact info, and report on Reika regularly," Reika called out, her deep blue eyes locked onto his, as if they were an endless abyss ready to swallow him whole.
She approached him in her red high heels, looking up to meet his gaze with an eerie smile.
"You wouldn't want to end up sold off for debts, would you…"
At that, Yoshito felt as if he had fallen into the trap of a ravenous, lurking wolf.
"What did you say to him, dear?" the stout man asked.
"Nothing…" Reika replied coyly.
One of the suited henchmen, now tasked with escorting Yoshito to the hospital, helped him with registration before leaving.
As night deepened, the stars twinkled in the night sky while the bright moonlight streamed through the window, casting gentle shadows as the curtains rustled softly.
Lying on the hospital bed, bandaged all over, Yoshito finally sorted through the memories of the original owner of the body, realizing the gravity of the situation.
He couldn't help but feel speechless at the original owner's obstinacy
Did he truly believe he could take on seven opponents at once?!
As he pondered how to escape this predicament, he suddenly noticed a dark ring on the middle finger of his right hand adorned with strange symbols, one of which possessed a peculiar little protrusion at its center.
"Hm? Isn't this my family heirloom? How did it come along with me? Could it have brought me here?"
Yoshito studied the ring, a flurry of questions racing through his mind.
When he pressed it with his other hand, he felt a sudden sting.
The symbols on the ring began to glow red, and the protrusion released a small pin that pierced his finger, drawing blood.
Simultaneously, a surge of information flooded into his mind, intensifying the already painful throbbing in his head.
Thankfully, a cool energy from the ring brushed over him, dulling the pain just enough to keep from shouting out.
The information conveyed the ring's functions:
1. Reads thoughts, consuming energy based on the closeness of the relationship between the reader and the subject.
2. Enhances physical and mental abilities, needing energy to do so, with active exercise reducing energy consumption.
3. The energy, which Yoshito dubbed "Shame Points," is generated by eliciting feelings of shame in women. Originally possessing 10,000/10,000 points, Yoshito now had only 100/100 remaining due to the journey.
The greater the feelings of shame, the more energy generated. Energy would regenerate at a rate of 5/hour.
Shame emotions could be used to expand capacity or improve recovery speed.
After sorting through this information in his mind, Yoshito decided to rest. Just then, a series of footsteps echoed down the quiet hallway, followed by the sound of a door creaking open.
A tall, beautiful figure stepped into Yoshito's hospital room.
He turned to look, and there stood a nurse in a white uniform, her sleek brown hair cascading down her back.
She wore a nurse's cap, and beneath her fitted white lace stockings were matching white high-heeled shoes that accentuated her height.
Approaching Yoshito's bed, she adjusted her glasses, her already captivating eyes sparkling behind the frames.
"Mr. Ito, it's time to take your temperature," she announced, smiling.
Given Yoshito's knife wounds, monitoring his temperature was necessary to check for infection.
Her voice was melodious and carried an alluring charm, perfectly matching her mature presence.
Captivated by the beautiful nurse, Yoshito managed to maintain his composure.
"Thank you, Nurse," he responded with a polite smile.
The nurse's smile widened, and she playfully licked her lips, accentuated by her pink lipstick, making her cherry-red mouth glisten even more.
"Hm? Nurse…" Yoshito began.
"Don't worry, I'll help you take your temperature right away."
She sat on the edge of the bed, causing the soft mattress to form a rounded impression.
With the thermometer in hand, she leaned in toward Yoshito's forehead, her curvy body subtly shifting closer.
"Nurse, you aren't this a bit too close?"
A faint scent of medicine mixed with her alluring fragrance filled the air, causing Yoshito to unconsciously twitch his nose, inhaling deeply.
"Sorry, Mr. Ito. I have pretty poor eyesight… I need to get closer to see properly."
Before Yoshito could collect his thoughts, he felt a sudden soft pressure against his face, as if struck by a cushioned ball.
What should have been a simple temperature check turned into a ten-minute ordeal, raising concerns about the nurse's eyesight.
Meanwhile, Yoshito sensed an unusual shift with the ring.
A message from the ring flashed in his mind:
Shame Points: 30/105.
From the moment the nurse had entered, Yoshito realized the ring could connect to her, reading her thoughts.
Yet, he hesitated to expend his precious Shame Points on the whims of a stranger.
He wanted to conserve energy to expedite his healing.
However, an opportunity to gain more points lay before him now—better seize it!
'This was my last wave… No, wait, my last point! Take it! 0/105!'
'How lovely! It makes me so eager to indulge! I want to devour him…'