Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: Steam, Steel, and Screaming

School loser in life and weakest in another world but with a catch

As I lounged in the tranquil surroundings of Elowen's home, my companions still recouping from our previous escapades, my gaze drifted to the sleek firearm lying beside me. Its metallic surface gleamed in the soft light, beckoning me to test its might. Yet, a nagging sense of incompleteness lingered, like a whisper in the wind. Where was Luna? The question nagged at me, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

With the gun by my side, I felt an insatiable urge to master its potential. I rose to my feet, the creaking of the wooden floorboards beneath me echoing through the silence. The others watched me with a mixture of curiosity and concern, but I just gave them a reassuring nod.

"Time to get some practice in," I declared, striding toward the open fields beyond the homestead.

The sun cast a warm glow over the landscape as I made my way to the designated training area. Trees stood like sentinels, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. I eyed them with a critical gaze, mentally mapping out my trajectory.

With a deep breath, I launched into a fluid sequence of movements, gun-fu at its finest. I sprinted toward the trees, dodging low-hanging branches and leaping over roots. The gun felt like an extension of my body, its weight familiar and comforting. I squeezed the trigger, and the report echoed through the air as I targeted the trees.

Each shot was a precise strike, a symphony of lead and wood. I kicked off the trunk of one tree, using the momentum to propel myself toward the next target. The trees became my partners in this deadly dance, their limbs shattering under the onslaught.

As I moved, a grin spread across my face, the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins like liquid fire. This was what I was made for – the thrill of the hunt, the precision of the shot, the artistry of gun-fu.

But amidst the chaos, a fleeting thought crossed my mind: Luna would have loved this. The image of her smile, her laughter, and her eyes sparkling with excitement flashed before me, and for an instant, my focus wavered.

I pushed the distraction aside, refocusing on the task at hand. The trees stood no chance against my gun-fu. With each successful hit, my confidence grew, and my movements became more fluid.

My muscles scream as I drop onto the bench, sweat clinging to me like a second skin. Every breath I take feels like fire in my lungs, but it’s the good kind—the kind that tells you you’ve earned it.

Training’s over. Finally.

I run a towel through my soaked hair, heart still hammering from the final spar. If Luna saw me now... Would she be impressed? Would she flash that rare smile of hers—the one that always messes with my head?

...Nah. Not likely.

Forget it. I don’t care. I’m not doing this for her. I’m not doing this for anyone.

Still... I glance down at myself and sigh. My clothes are half-clinging, half-sliding off. Dirt smeared across my arms, a gash or two still stinging from practice. I look like I just crawled out of a monster’s digestive tract.

I need a bath. Badly.

Elowen’s somewhere nearby—probably humming to herself or pestering a squirrel. She’d definitely yell at me if I showed up in this state.

I shuffle down the corridor, boots squelching with each step, and then—wait. There it is. A faint, golden light flickers around the corner, shimmering against the stone wall like a mirage.

My instincts tingle. Is it mana? A spell? Or...?

Only one way to find out.

I creep forward, heart racing—not from fear, just...curiosity. The kind that usually gets me into trouble. I reach the door, old wood creaking as I push it open—

"Ooohoo!!! JACKPOT!!!"

Steam billows out like it’s welcoming me into another world. Inside, crystal-clear water bubbles gently in a natural hot spring pool, surrounded by smooth stone and glowing lanterns. The scent of minerals and sakura blossoms hangs in the air. It’s practically divine.

Without thinking, I strip down in record time, tossing my clothes into a forgotten heap. I leap in with zero hesitation—

SPLASH!!!

The water hits like molten silk—hot enough to make me wince, perfect enough to make me melt. Muscles loosen, pain fades, and for one blissful second, I feel like I’ve transcended the mortal realm.

“Haah... now this is what I call luxury...”

I sink deeper into the steaming waters, arms stretched along the edge of the spring like a king surveying his hot, misty kingdom. Eyes closed. Muscles relaxed. Completely, gloriously, unapologetically naked.

For once, my mind is blank. No training. No monsters. No lectures. Just warmth wrapping around me like a lover’s embrace.

And then—

That feeling.

The air shifts. A ripple in the silence. The kind of sensation that crawls up your spine and whispers: You’re not alone.

I crack one eye open.

And there she is.

Seraphina.

Right. There.

Not behind a tree. Not outside the spring. No, she’s literally standing in front of me. In the same pool. Close enough that steam dances off her silver scales like firelight, and water trails down her curves in ways I absolutely should not be looking at.

I blink. Twice. Just to make sure this isn’t some post-training hallucination.

It’s not.

Her long, wet hair clings to her shoulders, framing a face that looks impossibly calm for someone who just walked in on me in this state. Or maybe...she knew?

And then it hits me—

I'm naked. In a hotspring. With Seraphina. The naga. I’m mean a really pretty naga….

Panic? No. This is beyond panic. This is that moment when your brain splits in half like a cursed scroll.

Left brain’s screaming:
“Bro, it’s time. This is it! She’s gorgeous, curvy, and if you don’t do something, I swear we’ll never forgive you!”
It’s saying things like: “Forget species—scales are hot. Ask for a tail job. Or a kiss. Or—hell—just die smiling!”

I want to drown myself.

Right brain’s whispering, deadpan:
“Leave. Now. Before you end up on the wrong end of a magical harassment lawsuit.”

Thanks, brain. Very helpful.

I try not to move. I try not to breathe. I try not to exist.

But Seraphina doesn’t say a word. She just tilts her head slightly, eyes calm, lips curled into something between a smirk and a challenge.

Then—oh no—she glides closer. Her lower body coiling with that fluid, serpentine grace that makes even a simple movement look hypnotic. And as she rises slightly out of the water—

Yeah.

Let’s just say those are enough to make any man die with a smile. Her chest practically defies physics, glistening under the steam like it belongs in a forbidden shrine.

I gulp so hard I nearly inhale the spring.

She stops right in front of me. Inches away. Water dripping from her fingertips.

"You look tense," she says softly. "Do you want me to help you... relax?"

"Uhh... Seraphina... I just wanted to enjoy this bath," I mumble, sinking slightly lower in the water, like the hot spring can somehow hide me from what’s clearly becoming a situation.

She leans in—too close—her violet eyes gleaming like she’s hunting me for sport. Her long silver hair clings to her damp shoulders, framing her impossibly flawless skin. “Hmm? And why aren’t you sleeping then?” she asks, tilting her head just enough to send another wave of steam straight into my face.

I choke slightly. "I—I felt dirty. After training. Figured I’d clean up."

"Mmhm." Her voice is laced with syrup. Dangerous syrup. Like the kind that makes you smile right before you die.

She slides closer through the water, her movements smooth and coiling, serpent-like. She is a naga after all. But tonight, she's not acting like a warrior. She’s acting like—like something else. Something very adult.

“Well,” she purrs, “since no one’s around… why don’t we enjoy this moment... together?”

BOOM.

My heart detonates like a spirit core hit with a critical spell.

Am I—am I ascending!? Is this nirvana?! Am I about to evolve from “battle-hardened virgin” to “springtime hustler” in one cutscene!?

But somewhere deep inside my exploding brain, a tiny voice screams:

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, CHAMP!”
That’s the rational side. It’s trying to pump the brakes. But right now, my body’s ignoring everything. Every warning. Every self-preservation instinct. I can’t move. I’m frozen. Trapped between heaven and a really hard place.

Then—
Through the swirling mist—
A shadow. No, two—

“Ahem.”

The steam parts like curtains, and there she stands:

Elowen.

Wrapped in a towel, one hand on her hip, looking less like a startled maiden and more like an overworked manager who just walked into the world’s worst staff meeting.

Her deadpan stare slices through the tension like a cursed blade.

“Umm... I need this bath clean,” she says flatly. “Not for you two to stage an orgy of your unresolved lust.” Her tone doesn’t rise, but it carries the weight of ten thousand eye-rolls. “Do you need privacy? Or a priest?”

“THAT’S NOT THE POINT!!” I cry, leaping back against the stone wall, arms flailing like a slapped fish.

Then—

“KEEEEEEEEE!!!!”
A strangled squeal from behind her.

Kline.

Biting down on his towel, eyes wide, face redder than a cursed tomato. He’s crouched behind Elowen, trembling like a kid locked in the candy shop of sin.

“LUCKY BASTARD!!!” Kline roars, practically chewing through his towel like a mad dog. His voice echoes through the steamy chamber, laced with the fury of every single lonely man watching his dreams burn.

“HOW?! WHY?! I TRAINED TOO!!”

Bro. Please.

I don’t even have time to process my own humiliation because right now, Seraphina isn’t just looking at me—she’s stalking me. Her serpentine tail glides through the water with slow, predatory sways. Her eyes gleam like she’s about to pounce on her prey.

And unfortunately…

That prey is me.

But hey… at least…

I got… some… fun—?

Wait…

Why is it suddenly cold behind me?

My blood freezes.

Something—someone—is behind me.

I don’t see her. I just feel her. The pressure. The aura. The low-level mana flaring like a dagger pressed to my spine.

Then—
A voice, sharp as frost and soft as silk.

“What. Are. You. Doing. Randy?”

My entire soul ejects from my body.

Luna.

Of course it’s her. She appears out of the mist like a final boss. Arms crossed. That calm expression that says “I’m not mad”… but also says “your funeral is scheduled for tomorrow morning.”

I slowly turn.

Yep.

It’s Luna.
Standing there like judgment itself, her cat tail and ears is looking intidimating right now, eyes glowing with that faint glint of wrathful serenity.

But then—

Wait, who's—

A second girl steps out from behind her. Short hair. Fierce tomboy energy. A towel barely hanging on as she marches straight into the chaos like a war general.

I squint.

“...Elysia?”

Yep. It’s her. My senior.… And judging by her twitching brow—

I’m about to die a second time.

“RANDY…..!!!” she purrs like a scary yandere girl.

I shouted at everyone “I’M NAKED NOW!!! WHY DON’T YOU ALL GET THE HECK OUT AND LEAVE ME AT PEACE?!”

The entire bathhouse trembles. I swear I see lightning flash behind her.

“Ooooh~... Luna appeared out of nowhere~,” Seraphina hums, utterly unfazed, still draped across the rocks like a seductive mermaid in heat.

Luna doesn’t even blink.

Her glare sharpens.

“Uh huh. Just one day, Randy. One day,” she says, her voice icy calm. “I look away... and you activate a full romance route with a naga.”

I panic. “L-Luna, I swear—this isn’t what it looks like!”

“Really?” she says, stepping closer. “Because from my angle, it looks exactly like what it looks like.”

I’m cornered. I’m wet. I’m naked. And then—

“...Don’t you have me?” says a quiet voice beside me.

I turn.

Who—!?

Elysia?!

She’s staring at me now. Her cheeks are flushed—part anger, part… something else? Her eyes meet mine for just a second. Then she looks away.

I am now officially trapped…

In the middle of a naked elemental triangle of doom.

On one side: Seraphina, seductive, smug, and still lounging like she owns the damn spring.

On the other: Luna, radiating quiet wrath, like a storm goddess two seconds from striking me down with divine fury.

And then there’s Elysia—eyes flaring, fists clenched —and I think she just declared war on reality.

I need a teleport scroll.
A coffin.
An emergency evacuation dragon.
Whichever comes first.

My heart’s pounding like a war drum. My body’s frozen, but my brain is sweating so hard I’m probably turning this hotspring into a soup pot. I need a plan—pronto—before someone commits murder or marriage on the spot.

I raise my hands. “H-Hey, Luna!! You—you suddenly popped outta nowhere! I was just—uh—training! Yeah! And I got sweaty so I had to clean up!! That’s all!!”

What the hell am I even saying!?

Luna doesn’t move. Her eyes narrow, slicing through my nonsense like a blade through tofu.

“…So?” she says coolly.

I gulp. I can feel her thoughts, like a psychic whisper in the back of my skull:

“There isn’t a single excuse in this world that can outrun me.”

Oh crap. She’s not just mad. She’s mind-link mad. I forgot—

We’re soul-bonded.

I try to think of anything else—literally anything—but it’s too late.

“Indeed I am.”
She says it aloud.

“F-Fuck!!!” I yelp, slapping my forehead. “Stop reading my mind! That’s not fair!”

“I can’t help it,” she says, stepping forward like a reaper in a towel. “Especially when your brain is screaming ‘hot naga seduction’ so loudly that even the trees outside are blushing.”

Seraphina stretches lazily in the water, steam swirling around her like a summoned illusion. “Mmm… I’m flattered~” she purrs. “I do try.”

Luna glares at her. “You’re on the list now.”

“Oh no~ Not the list~”

And then—

BOOM.
Elysia stomps forward like a lit fuse, face flushed with either steam or rage—or both.

She jabs a finger toward Seraphina.

“Who’s the homewrecker here?!” she snaps.

“HOMEWRECKER!?” I yelp. “W-Wait—hey, Elysia!! We're not even in a thing! You can't homewreck something that doesn't exist!!”

Her eyes flare. “Not yet! But you and I—we’ve had moments!!”

“Have we!? When!? Was I unconscious?!”

Seraphina smirks. “You know, this is turning into quite the performance. Shall I fetch popcorn?”

Luna’s voice lowers dangerously. “No need. I’m about to burn the stage.”

I need to get out. Now.
But all exits are blocked by beautiful, powerful, emotionally unstable women.

And I’m still naked.

I don’t care anymore.

My soul is cracked. My brain is fried. My body’s wet, tired, and terrified.

So I do the only thing that makes sense—

I dive.

Straight into the steaming water.
Splash. Vanish. Escape.

Underwater, the chaos above blurs into muffled echoes—until one voice pierces through:

“FIND HIM!!!”
Elysia’s fury rings like a war horn.

“RRAAANNNDYYYY!!!”
Kline?! That bastard’s enjoying this too much!

Then—

“Randy… I can smell you from far away…”
Luna’s voice.

Chilling. Monotone. Predatory.

I break the surface, gasping—and instantly regret it.

"She's a cat-girl, sure," I mutter, shivering. "But this is NEXT-LEVEL INSANE—"

“Randy…” Elysia's voice slides into my ears like a dagger dipped in sugar. “Stop running. Let me take them down… and we’ll go together. Forever. No one can stop us again…”

Nope. NOPE. That thought physically hurts my spine.

Suddenly—

“Hey!! Luna!! You’re the one not making sense!! I thought you had no feelings for him, right?!” Seraphina’s shouting now, steam hissing around her.

“But… But—EKKKK!!! Shut UP!!!” Luna explodes. “He and I are already connected!!! I can’t just leave him like this!!!”

I stop swimming.

Wait.

WHAT THE HELL AM I LISTENING TO?!

Connected!?

WHEN!? HOW!?

(FLASHBACK)

That night…

Luna… sleeping beside me…

The heat… the memory…

Her soft breathing…

Her hand…

My shirt…

Oh….Shit..

"I’M NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE!?!?!?!?" 😱

I’m screaming inside. My world is spinning.

And then—

“L…u…n…a…”
Elysia’s voice drops to demonic final boss levels.

BOOOOOM!!!!

An explosion rocks the hot spring. Steam, fire, and magical debris go flying. Sword clashes echo across the tiles like thunder.

The peaceful bathhouse?
Gone.
Now it’s a warzone.

“HEY!!! THIS IS MY OWN ZEN!!!” Elowen screams from behind a crumbling pillar. “WHY THE HELL ARE YOU USING MY PLACE LIKE A DAMN ARENA!?”

“SHUT UP!!!!” Seraphina yells, tossing a wave of water magic.

“THIS IS PERSONAL!!!” Elysia roars, using her abilities and magic?.

“MOVE AWAY!!!” Luna snarls, wind magic swirling around her like a hurricane.

I duck under the water of the pool. This is insane.

KABOOOM!!!

A figure rockets from the heart of the explosion—limbs flailing, steam trailing behind him like a comet made of shame.

Kline.

Charred. Tattered. His towel? Gone. Long gone. His body twists through the air in glorious slow motion, arms flapping like wings that forgot how to fly.

SPLAAASH.

He crashes down in front of me like a fallen meteor, face-first into the shallows.

I stare in horror.

His hand twitches. He lifts his head weakly, eyes barely open. One trembling finger reaches out toward me like a dying soldier on the battlefield.

“...r…u…n… b…r…o…”

That’s all I need to hear.

My instincts SCREAM.

“RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, NOW!!!”

Adrenaline kicks in like a combat spell.

I leap out of the hot spring like I’m launching an ultimate escape technique. Water sprays in all directions, my feet hit the stone, and I take off—bare-assed and terrified—toward the forest.

Branches whip at my skin. My feet slap against the dirt. My lungs burn with every breath.

I don’t care.

I just run.

Heart pounding. Palpitating. Breath ragged. Eyes darting like prey in the wild.

But then—

I hear them.

Not footsteps.

Not spells.

Voices.

Soft. Lethal. Terrifying.

“Randy…”
Luna’s voice. Calm. Cold. Laced with quiet murder.

“Randy… dear~”
Seraphina’s voice. Sultry. Whispered. Sweet… and deadly.