❤️ Chapter 41 – Akane’s Bitter Lessons – Part 2 (R18)

I just watched her come at me. Two smaller, faster tentacles shot out from my sides, wrapping around her thighs and tripping her perfectly. She yelped as she face-planted onto the dusty concrete. Before she could even get to her knees, another tentacle, slick and probing, snaked between her legs from behind and pressed insistently against her clit. She let out a helpless, full-body shudder. Round two, and she'd lost again. I sighed, leaning back and taking a swig from a water bottle. "The aphrodisiac will wear off in about fifteen minutes. Or after you climax," I said, a smirk in my voice. "You decide when we start round three." She had a choice: Suffer through fifteen minutes of pure, helpless agony, or surrender to the pleasure and get it over with. For a long moment, she just gritted her teeth, her body shaking as she tried to fight it. "...Damn you... Damn you, Master..." she finally whispered, her voice ragged. She couldn't take it anymore. With a final, choked sob of frustration, she gave in. Her hips twitched, then began to buck her hips against the tentacle, actively seeking her own release. "Fine! Just... just get it over with!" My tentacle, sensing her surrender, changed its rhythm, pushing her mercilessly over the edge. Her second climax hit her like a freight train, a helpless, screaming orgasm that left her seeing stars. The moment it was over, the tentacle pulled back. She rolled over, panting, and glared at me. She'd made her choice. She was ready for round three. "Good choice," I said, clapping. "That deserves a reward." I opened my bag and tossed her a chocolate popsicle. "Your favorite. Don't worry, it's not drugged this time." Akane stared at the popsicle, then at me, her expression a mix of confusion and exhaustion. With a weary sigh, she picked it up, dusted it off, and unwrapped it. It was just chocolate. A flicker of understanding crossed her face. Lesson three: It's not just about fighting, but also about making smart choices. She ate her popsicle in silence, her mind working. When she finished, she got to her feet. She didn't transform. She didn't charge. She just stood there, looking at me with a new, calculating light in her eyes. "Okay, Master. I'm ready for round three. What's next?" "Looks like you're learning," I said. "For the final round, we'll make it fair. You win if you can touch my body." I stood up, my tentacles forming a defensive wall around me. "And if you win, you can ask for any reward you want." Akane's eyes lit up. This was a real challenge. "Just touch you? That's it? And I can ask for anything?" A slow, determined grin spread across her face. "You're on, Master." She transformed again. The red energy swirling around her was different this time. It was controlled and focused. Instead of rushing forward, she started to circle me, looking for an opening. A tentacle lashed out. She dodged. Another shot up from the floor. She sidestepped. Instead of fighting them, she was learning to evade. She feinted left, and three tentacles converged on the spot. As they pulled back, she dashed right, using the momentary opening. A tentacle whipped towards her. She grabbed a loose piece of rebar from the floor and used it to parry the attack, deflecting it just enough to slip past. She was getting closer. The last of my tentacles formed a tight cage around me. She looked me in the eye, a triumphant, feral grin on her face. Then she threw the rebar high into the air. My eyes, and the tips of my tentacles, instinctively followed it for a split second. In that instant, she dropped and slid, a low, fast projectile moving under the cage. Her outstretched hand slapped against my ankle. She'd touched me. She won. I clapped. "That was good. You're getting faster than I thought, Dark Ruby." I ruffled her hair. "You used to be a sledgehammer, all wild and explosive. Now you're a fist, strong, but flexible." I laughed. "So, what do you want for your reward?" Akane lay on the floor, panting, a wide, triumphant, and completely exhausted grin on her face. She thought for a long, hard moment. "I want you to teach me more," she said, her expression serious. "Not just fighting. The other stuff. The way you knew what Homura needed. Or how you handle Aoi when she gets all stressed. The smart stuff." Her voice dropped, a rare hint of insecurity creeping in. "I'm strong, Master. I know that. But Aoi's the strategist, Miki's the face, Homura's the secret weapon, and Chiyoko's the heart." "I'm just... the muscle. I want to be more than that. I want to be useful in other ways, too. So, for my reward, please teach me how to be smart. Like you." It was the most mature thing I'd ever heard her say. "Nothing wrong with being the muscle, Akane," I chuckled. "Everyone has their role. But I'm glad you want to grow." "Your wish is granted," I smirked. "Aoi's been complaining about your grades. I'll come over for some private tutoring later." My smirk turned evil. "And the punishment for failing... you already know what that is." A huge, brilliant grin split Akane's face. Private tutoring with a thrilling "punishment" for failure was the perfect reward for her. "Private tutoring?! With you, Master?! HELL YEAH! I'll even try to study! I promise!" She scrambled to her feet, her exhaustion forgotten, and gave me a quick, powerful hug. "Thanks, Master! You're the best! I'm gonna go home and read a textbook right now! Maybe!" She gave me one last, dazzling grin before turning and sprinting away, leaping over the factory wall with renewed energy, ready to tackle her new challenge with the same intensity she brought to every fight. "A remarkable outcome," Gemgem's voice hummed in my mind. "You have taken your most reckless asset and instilled in her a desire for strategy and self-improvement. Her potential has been increased."