Shiina's Punishment for Losing

At the sight of this, Xia Mu finally let out a small sigh of relief.

It hadn't been for nothing.

After the police arrived and took the unconscious shop clerk away, the Punish Evil and Promote Good mission was complete.

He'd earned another ten Skill Points.

A huge haul.

After giving a brief statement, Xia Mu carried Sakura to the infirmary to treat her injuries.

He thought it over. Tonight, he'd max out his damage resistance skills first. If he had any Skill Points left over later, he'd max out his medical skills too.

He might not need them, but it was better to be prepared.

There was nothing wrong with making a few extra preparations.

Aside from being a little shaken psychologically, Sakura had only scraped her knee.

The doctor cleaned and bandaged it, then sent them on their way.

So Xia Mu helped Sakura back to her dorm.

All the way there, Sakura's eyes were fixed on Xia Mu.

Was this what a hundred percent affection level did? It was practically the same as Hypnosis.

Xia Mu felt that if he asked Sakura to sleep with him right now, she might not turn him down.

But it was hard to say. A hundred percent affection didn't mean he could do whatever he wanted.

The Hypnosis skill was still more useful.

He stayed with Sakura until the middle of the night. Once she had drifted off to sleep, Xia Mu finally left.

Back in his room, he started looking up skills online.

The Golden Bell Shield was commonly known as Iron Shirt.

The principle was simple: repeatedly strike the body until its muscles adapted, making it more resistant to blows.

It was like the impact-resistance training in the military or the conditioning used in Boxing.

What mattered was the ability to endure long periods of practice.

But Xia Mu's skills weren't usually like those of ordinary people.

Because he could modify them.

Spending twenty Skill Points, Xia Mu learned Iron Shirt.

A flood of memories poured into his mind.

They were all about techniques for using key parts of the body to withstand blows and reduce damage, as well as which parts should never be used to take a hit.

Then Xia Mu's muscles were greatly strengthened.

As long as he activated Iron Shirt's vital point, his skin and muscles would become rock-hard.

Only then could his strength and defense be considered well-rounded.

But it still wasn't enough.

Xia Mu spent another ten Skill Points to modify the skill.

[Iron Shirt has been successfully modified]

[You have obtained Golden Iron Shirt]

[A special breathing technique that can briefly make your body as hard as titanium alloy. At maximum capacity, it can withstand sniper fire. Automatically activates when attacked.]

In the next instant, Xia Mu's body underwent a complete transformation.

The modified Iron Shirt had become instinctive to him. He could use it with every breath.

"Now that's satisfying." Xia Mu lay on his bed, feeling completely at ease.

Now he didn't have to worry about being assassinated.

Even if he stood still and let someone hit him, they probably wouldn't be able to break through his defense.

He'd truly become invincible.

He could spend his future Skill Points on other things.

He was gradually becoming a little invincible.

Xia Mu closed his eyes and drifted peacefully to sleep.

He really had to thank the two girls, Kushida and Sakura, for bringing him his first fortune.

He wondered which girls he'd have to correct next.

He couldn't wait.

Monday.

"What? You got full marks in every subject?!"

Shiina stared at the score report in her hands, her little face full of disbelief. "Xia Mu, are you kidding me?"

"Of course not. The school released the scores. I didn't fake anything."

Xia Mu waved a hand. As far as he was concerned, this bet had been a one-sided beatdown.

Even if Shiina had somehow done exceptionally well and gotten full marks too, it would only have been a tie.

But across the whole school, how many people could guarantee full marks every time?

"I, I..."

Shiina helplessly set the score report down on the low table. "I actually lost—to you, Xia Mu?"

She couldn't believe it. It felt like a dream, but the facts were right there in front of her.

Even Suzune Horikita, who usually secured first place, had been beaten by Xia Mu.

There was one other person in their year who had also gotten full marks.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

But she was hailed as a genius girl, while Xia Mu...

She gazed blankly at Xia Mu's smiling face, then pouted. "Fine, you're a genius too, Xia Mu."

After all, getting a hundred meant consistently scoring around ninety-eight on regular tests.

"I lost." Though she didn't want to admit it, Shiina still hung her head and said the words.

Still, she was secretly a little happy. At least now she didn't have to worry about Xia Mu being expelled for poor grades.

"Now it's time for you to keep your promise."

Xia Mu looked at Shiina with a teasing smile, arms folded across his chest as he waited for the show.

"I-I know!"

The moment Shiina remembered the bet, her little face flushed bright red. Gritting her teeth, she replied loudly, "A bet's a bet!"

Then Shiina took a deep breath, stepped in front of Xia Mu, and gave a graceful curtsy like a maid. She leaned toward his ear, her warm breath brushing against it. "M-Master..."

Her voice trembled. She'd never heard such an outrageous request in her life, but she still had to do it.

It felt...

Kind of exciting. Why was that?

"Wow."

"Not bad at all!"

Xia Mu looked at Shiina, who had bashfully buried her face in the bed, his eyes shining.

That "Master" had sounded so sweet.

And Shiina was wearing a white dress, with her hair falling loose and her pale, slender legs bright in the light—each one thin enough to fit in one hand.

Oh, yeah.

Maybe he should trick this cute little Shiina more often.

"Ahhh! Stop talking!"

Shiina buried her burning cheeks in Xia Mu's bedsheets and pressed a pillow over her ears. Her muffled voice came from beneath the sheets. "You're not allowed to tell anyone about this, or I'll never forgive you, Xia Mu!"

At least Xia Mu's bet hadn't been for her to wear a maid outfit like she'd planned to make him do. Otherwise, she would've been even more embarrassed.

Her original plan had been to make Xia Mu wear a maid outfit and walk around campus with her, just to embarrass him a little.

She hadn't expected that she'd be the one embarrassed instead.

But thinking it over, Shiina decided it wasn't so bad.

Xia Mu was the only one who'd seen and heard it, after all. It wasn't really a big deal.

"Eh?"

Then Shiina hit the pillow in frustration. Why was she thinking about it like that?

Her heart thumped away. Through the bedsheets, the sound reached her ears. "Somehow, I think I'm gradually falling for Xia Mu..."

Of course, she wasn't going to let Xia Mu know.

He'd only get even more smug.

In the end, Xia Mu had to treat Shiina to a luxurious ice cream before things finally settled down.

But now, whenever Xia Mu brought up Shiina calling him Master to tease her, she immediately turned into a bashful little girl and covered his mouth.

It was like a summoning spell. She was just too cute.

After school that afternoon, Xia Mu went to the court.

He'd promised Sudo he'd play a game with him.

Their opponents were Class C.

Naturally, each game cost five thousand points.