Volume 3 Chapter 128 - Hot Spring Part 2
They reached the hot spring and saw that Kisuke is already snoozing off while Aika is still at the side hesitating with a flushed face and only a towel around her.
Even before Koneko decided to take a dip in the hot spring first, Kisuke is already helping himself to ease his mind a bit after a few experiments about Sacred Gears with the help of Aika.
Yoruichi saw that Aika is still fidgeting and ask, "Aren't you going to come in?"
"I'm strangely feeling embarrassed right now."
"Hmm? What's the big deal? Aren't you always running around almost naked every day while he's watching? Why feel shy now?"
Kuroka looked closely at Aika and notice that contrary to the two, Yoruichi and Kisuke that feels too 'Human', something strange is emitting from her, 'Now what is this pervert?'
Aika noticed Kuroka's expression but ignored her for now as she needs to refute Yoruichi's words, " 'Almost' naked! I'm not completely naked! I feel that I shouldn't cross that line."
"I don't really understand you. Just go in with a towel wrap around you." Yoruichi gave up understanding her and started to undress. She did it within just a few seconds and unhesitantly went to Kisuke's position and leaned her back towards his chest. Kisuke didn't react or whatsoever and continued to sleep peacefully. Although he's aware of everything happening, he chose to leave everything to Yoruichi as this is her field of expertise.
"Is it okay to not clean ourselves first?" Kuroka asks when she saw Yoruichi directly went to the pool of hot water.
"It's fine, nee-sama. This hot spring has an automatic cleaning function that can help wash our bodies." Without further ado, Koneko also started undressing and wrap a towel around her before getting in. She's also a bit vigilant against Kisuke's stare. But seeing that he didn't have a bit of reaction disappointed her as she knew he's aware of his surroundings. Also one of the reasons why Aika is being hesitant.
Aika followed after her and Kuroka, after a few moments of hesitation, went in like Yoruichi, without wrapping herself with a towel and sat down beside Koneko. Kuroka was shocked yet again but not as much as the first three because of the effect of the hot spring, rejuvenation. She can feel her tiredness melting away in realtime.
"Are you okay without covering yourself?" Aika asks Kuroka and pointed towards Kisuke, "Even though he's sleeping like that, he's pretty much aware of what's happening around him. In other words, he can see without using his eyes or even while sleeping."
Kuroka looked at Kisuke curiously and remembered how he instantly tied her up pervertedly and blushed a little, 'He's like that Yoruichi. He can instantly accelerate without any indicator. He and that dark-skinned woman may be very well even faster than Vali, but in terms of firepower and ability, they wouldn't stand against him. They are the type that moves in secret and deals a devastating blow on unsuspecting opponents…', "I don't really care about being seen." She replied.
"…A pervert." Aika muttered softly but it was heard by Kuroka quite clearly.
"I don't really want to hear that from someone who runs around almost naked every day." Kuroka retored.
Without minding them, Yoruichi faced Koneko, "Koneko-chan, make sure to take a dip in this hot spring for four hours every day for the whole week. It'll help you recover some of your injuries."
Koneko nodded silently but Kuroka immediately reacted at her words, "Injuries!? What do you mean by that!? Shirone, what happened and you became injured? Where is it? Let me see and heal you using Senjutsu."
Even though Kuroka knew that Koneko was involved in a troublesome incident that the devils may chase after her, she didn't know the full story as the higher-ups of the Underworld used some of their authority to lock the information down and one of the reason is Tiamat's appearance who is the secret judge of the game and the fact that a young Low-Class Devil trashed a mature High-Class Devil which wouldn't bode well for their positions if leaked to the public.
Aika first looked at Koneko but saw that she didn't want to speak as to her memories of the Rating Game is hazy at best. She then looked at Yoruichi and Yoruichi nodded to her. Getting her confirmation she asks Kuroka, "You didn't know? Koneko-chan came back from the Rating Game almost dying you know."
"What!? Shirone! Where are your injuries!? Hurry up and show them to me!" Kuroka started to slowly grope Koneko's whole body to check if there is something amiss but failed to find anything. She then looked back to Aika to confirm if what she is saying is true but Yoruichi beat her to it.
"You won't find anything with a check like that. All of her superficial and external wounds are already cured. The only problems remaining are those hidden and hard to reach areas. It was already stabilized but a bit of stimulation can worsen it. With that said, Koneko-chan, you're not allowed to use Senjutsu until you're fully healed."
"H-how can that be? Just what happened for her to incur that kind of damage? Did the retiring system not work?" Kuroka didn't give up and kept checking Koneko regardless of what Yoruichi said and that bore fruit as she noticed that Koneko's real vitality is hiding behind the vitality of a Low-Class Devil and is abnormally low, like a sick person. Kuroka didn't know how she hid her vitality but now she knew the problem, she could try solving it.
But before she could proceed, Yoruichi's voice rang out to stop her, "Alright. Stop right there. You only knew one part of the problem and just going with what you want will only worsen her condition."
Kuroka furrowed her brows and questioned Yoruichi, "What could possibly wrong with Senjutsu users nursing the vitality of other people? And I'm pretty confident with my skills too."
"Hooh… Then watch this." Yoruichi suddenly pulls a smartphone from her inventory and tossed it towards Kuroka. Kuroka caught it and took a look at it. On the screen is the Rias Gremory peerage having a meeting on how they would go and defeat Riser.
"What's this?"
"The Rating Game between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex. Everything is in there."
With her words, Koneko leaned closer to her older sister to watch as she's also curious of she has done to get such injuries. Aika also approached them because she wants to watch it again.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶