I, the spiritual mentor of beautiful girls from all over the world

He felt he desperately needed a change of mood.

Otherwise, sooner or later, this sudden "daily routine" will drive them crazy.

He needs to go somewhere where he can regain his sense of "control" and "prestige".

Lynn got up and locked her bedroom door.

"Click."

The moment the door lock clicked shut, a familiar light appeared, and the world was reconstructed before him.

One second you're in the cozy daily life of a modern apartment, and the next you're in that eternally quiet Japanese-style courtyard.

The Milky Way flows, and cherry blossoms fall.

As always, it was peaceful.

Lynn took a deep breath, feeling that his mind, which had been in complete chaos because of Qiong Mei, was finally clearing up a bit.

It's better here.

Simple and pure.

All you need to do is figure out how to push the students to their limits.

With a thought, he appeared in the pure white, futuristic "manifestation training ground".

In the center of the field, a petite figure was tirelessly repeating the same action.

Thrust.

Thrust again.

Each strike of the blade was accompanied by a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air.

Fast, accurate, and ruthless—it's been refined to the extreme.

Sweat had already soaked through the purple lace nightgown that Lynn found so wickedly arousing, clinging tightly to her already well-developed and explosive body curves.

That usually cold little face now appeared incredibly holy because of her extreme focus.

It's Shinobu Kocho.

She was meticulously carrying out the "homework" he had left her.

Upon seeing Lynn appear, she immediately sheathed her knife and stopped what she was doing.

"teacher!"

Her voice carried a hint of barely suppressed joy.

Those usually sharp, piercing purple eyes softened instantly, as if filled with shattered starlight.

She walked quickly to Lynn, bowed slightly, and was extremely respectful.

Those bright eyes stared at him without blinking, filled with expectation and trust.

"you are back."

"Ah."

Lynn nodded in satisfaction.

"How's your homework coming along?"

"Reporting, teacher! I have completed 9,721 repetitions, each time strictly following the 'optimal force exertion model' you taught me. My body has begun to develop muscle memory!"

Shinobu Kocho's reply was like that of an excellent soldier reporting the results of a battle to his superior.

However, just as she raised her head, ready to receive the teacher's praise...

Her delicate, upturned nose twitched almost imperceptibly.

Ok?

This taste...

wrong.

Shinobu Kocho's amethyst-like eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of suspicion flashing in them.

Besides the familiar, clean scent of tea emanating from the teacher, there seemed to be... a hint of something else mixed in.

It was a very faint, slightly sweet scent, belonging to another girl...

Moreover, this scent lingered on the teacher's coat.

This jacket... isn't the one the teacher wore yesterday.

So, teacher... went to see another girl today?

He even gave her his coat?

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed wildly through Shinobu Kocho's mind.

The warm atmosphere that had been created in the training ground by Lynn's arrival subtly shifted into something more subtle.

The air temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees.

The joy on Shinobu's face faded at a visible speed.

Instead, she was met with a cold scrutiny that she herself was unaware of.

She looked at Lynn and tilted her head.

On that cold, exquisite face, a flawless, gentle smile slowly appeared.

That smile was just like the one she used to make when she imitated her older sister.

Sweet and friendly.

Yet it also carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

"teacher……"

Her voice also became softer, like a lover's whisper.

You seem very tired today.

"Did something happen... that's causing you 'trouble'?"

Chapter 16: The Breath of Karmic Poison!

That soft, whispered question instantly extinguished the warmth that had risen in the training ground because of Lynn's return.

Shinobu Kocho's smile was absolutely perfect.

Gentle and kind, just like the sister she remembered.

But deep within those amethyst-like eyes surged a cold scrutiny and intense possessiveness that even she herself hadn't noticed.

For the first time, Lynn felt a sense of unease.

It wasn't because he was being questioned, but because he saw a flame called "paranoia" in those eyes.

Once this flame is ignited, it may burn even more fiercely than her hatred for Doma.

He looked at her calmly, offering neither explanation nor attempt to conceal anything.

"I adopted a younger sister."

His tone was indifferent, as if he were stating a trivial matter.

"Her name is Kasugano Sora. Her parents died unexpectedly, and she is homeless."

"That's all."

Shinobu Kocho's smile faltered slightly.

younger sister?

So... he was just a poor child who needed to be taken care of?

The sharp hostility that had almost devoured her reason dissipated by most.

But what followed was an even more turbulent torrent of bitter jealousy.

In this training ground, she can receive the most rigorous guidance from her teachers and dedicate her soul to them.

But that girl named Kasugano Sora was able to stay openly by the teacher's side.

In his world.

Breathing the same air as him, seeing the same scenery as him, and enjoying his care as "family."

That was a realm I could never reach, no matter how hard I tried.

Why?

The moment the thought arose, an even stronger sense of shame welled up inside me.

What right do I have to question the teacher?

What right do I have to be jealous of that poor girl?

I am just one of the teacher's countless "visitors," a tool waiting to be polished.

Shinobu took a deep breath, suppressing all the turmoil in her heart, and lowered her eyes again.

"I lost my composure, teacher."

"Feel sorry."

Lynn sighed helplessly as he looked at her awkward posture, where she was clearly feeling wronged but was forcing herself to act sensible.

As a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, Shinobu Kocho is already much more mature than most of her peers.

I shouldn't put any more shackles on her already wounded heart.

Lynn didn't want to dwell on the topic any longer.

"The foundation is already solid; there's not much point in continuing to practice."

Lynn's voice regained its "mentor's" authority, forcefully bringing the atmosphere back to the teaching track.

Shinobu Kocho suddenly raised her head, and her dimmed eyes instantly regained their light because of his affirmation.

"So, teacher, what's next..."

"Next, I'll show you something new."

Lynn's lips curled into a mysterious smile.

"Shinobu, your sister Kanae's 'Flower Breathing' is an art that has reached the pinnacle."

Shinobu Kocho was stunned; she hadn't expected her teacher to give her such high praise.

"It seeks not destruction, but 'balance' and 'compassion.' Your sister is a true swordswoman with great love and vision."

"What she wanted to sever was perhaps not just the neck of the ghost, but also the chain of hatred that had lasted for hundreds of years."

Lynn's words made Shinobu's eyes redden slightly.

For the first time, someone understood my sister so deeply.

"But, endure."

Lynn changed the subject abruptly, his eyes sharpening.

"The sword that she wielded for 'compassion' belongs to her, but not to you."

He extended a finger, pointing it towards Shinobu's heart.

"Your soul is burning with anger and hatred as fuel."

"But you are trying to use the precise, elegant, and balanced 'operating system' of 'Flower Breathing' to control a bomb that could explode at any moment."

"The result is that all your strength is wasted in internal strife, and every swing of your sword is torturing yourself."

Lynn's words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through all the fog in Shinobu's mind.

She finally understood the source of the intense sense of disconnect she felt during the battle.

It's not that she's not good enough.

It's not that there's a problem with the older sister's inheritance.