Chapter 228: To infinity and Beyond!
A few minutes later, the prepared Kiana came out of her room to find Kouro waiting for her instead of going straight to the fleet shipyard.
Kiana approached him before clearing her throat loudly.
"Are you ready? Then let's go." said Kouro who was currently leaning against the wall.
Kiana nodded her head. The two of them walked without saying anything to each other, it seemed that because of the previous incident Kiana felt a little awkward with Kouro.
"Hey Kiana, what gift are you going to give Theresa-san?" Kouro asked suddenly.
"My aunt? Hmm... Probably bitter melon juice, I saw that she really likes drinking that... Though I wonder why she likes it." Kiana replied by sticking out her tongue as if she didn't like the taste of bitter melon juice.
"Oh? Have you ever tried it?" asked Kouro with interest, he had never tried drinking bitter melon juice.
"Yes. I tried it once and it was very bitter! Hmm... Maybe it's because she's an old woman that she likes bitter things like that." Kiana muttered while rubbing her chin.
Kouro just smiled in response to Kiana's statement and didn't try to answer her, luckily Theresa wasn't here, otherwise....
A 'love punch' would have landed on Kiana's head.
Kouro also asked Kiana what gifts she would give Himeko, Kallen, Sakura, and Higokumaru.
"Himeko and the others? Hmm..." Kiana was massaging her temples with an expression of deep thought.
"Hmm!... I give up! I don't know what they like!" Kiana said with a frown.
"It's okay, we'll find a gift for them together." Kouro said with a smile.
Because talking to each other made their awkward atmosphere subside, Kiana then turned to look at Kouro before asking.
"What about you, Kouro? What gift are you going to give them? "
"Hmm... Just a moment, let me think about it." Kouro then opened the 'Inventory' interface and looked at the various items he had gotten from opening the 'random box' he got after completing the [Daily Quest].
There were various items he had gotten from the box ranging from tissues, pens, books and so on, even the tampons and pads he had given to Kiana earlier, he had gotten from the 'random box'.
Kouro couldn't remember how many items he had gotten from the box so he was currently trying to go through his 'inventory' in case there were any useful items he could give as gifts.
'Hmm... Glasses? No, Wine produced in 1886? Can be considered... Women's kimono... Maybe... Sexy red lingerie set... Hmm... Difficult choice, but can be considered.... What is this? Vibrator? Throw it away.' Kouro thought with a serious expression.
Kouro didn't expect that browsing through his 'Inventory' felt so exciting and thrilling as if he was treasure hunting.
"... Hmm... I have a lot of choices for Himeko and the others, but for Theresa-san, I'll probably give her this as a gift."
He then took out a comic book called [Homu's Bizarre Adventure] before showing it to Kiana.
"This is... Homu's Bizarre Adventure! Even more so the latest volume that hasn't been sold at all! Where did you get it?" Kiana said with sparkling eyes.
"Oh, a friend gave it to me. I have more than one, if you want it, I can give it to you." Kouro said casually while handing the comic book to her.
"R-really? Thank you Kouro!" said Kiana with a happy smile.
'That smile... Right, I live just to see that smile!' Kouro thought with a determined expression.
*Growl!*
Suddenly a loud noise sounded from Kiana's stomach, making her blush with embarrassment.
"... I... Haven't had breakfast at all."
"Hahaha, it's okay I haven't had breakfast either, we'll have breakfast together later, so just wait a bit."
The two of them finally arrived at the open field where they saw Mei, Ayame, and Bronya who were already waiting, they also saw Fu Hua who was chatting with Ayame.
"Yo! Sorry for being a little late." Kouro greeted them all before turning to look at Fu Hua and asking.
"Oh? Class rep, do you also want to come with us to St. Freya's academy?"
"I really want to, but unfortunately I have a mission to do. I can only leave greetings for the headmaster and the others." Fu Hua replied with a helpless sigh.
"I see... It's a pity, good luck then." Kouro said.
Fu Hua nodded her head before saying goodbye to them and leaving.
Staring at Fu Hua's back, Kouro rubbed his chin with a pensive expression.
"You guys ready?" said Mei while looking at herself and the others.
Kouro and the others nodded their heads before Ayame suddenly asked, "By the way, who will drive Helios?"
"Hmm? Isn't it obvious? Who else if not me?" said Kouro with a look as if it was obvious.
"No!" x3 shouted Ayame and the others simultaneously.
"Kouro! You can't be a pilot!" shouted Kiana.
"Umu, the subject Kouro's ability to pilot the Helios is incomparable- incomparable in traumatizing someone." said Bronya.
"Kouro, I think being a pilot doesn't really suit you." Mei said.
Kouro raised his hands while slightly backing away at how hysterical they were about not wanting to make him a pilot.
"Fine, I understand, then who is the pilot?"
"During the one month you've been missing, we've learned basic things like flying the Helios." Ayame said, puffing out her chest with her nose up.
After saying that, Kiana then entered the Helios and sat in the pilot's seat before turning to look at Kouro and the others.
"What are you waiting for? Let's get going, I'm hungry!"
Kouro, Bronya, Mei and Ayame looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders and walking inside the Helios.
After they entered, the Helios quickly took off and traveled to the Far East city at high speed.
20 minutes later, just as they reached the city, Kouro who was currently looking at the view of the blue sky in the window suddenly turned to look at all of them and asked.
"By the way, have you all brought your parachutes?"
"Huh?" x3 Mei and the others looked at Kouro in confusion.
"What do you mean, Kouro?" asked Ayame.
Kouro blinked a few times before answering innocently, "Isn't it forbidden to bring the Helios into the city for personal business? So we'll just jump off Helios and parachute into the city."
"You're lunatic." Ayame said spontaneously.
"Bronya agrees with Ayame-Nee's statement." Bronya said.
"... We didn't bring a parachute at all... " Mei said with a troubled expression.
"Hmm... Problematic indeed... Then let's just free jump." said Kouro while patting her hand.
"Free jump, you eejit! Do you want us to jump from tens of thousands of feet above the surface?" Ayame said while hitting Kouro's head.
"Ouch!" Kouro rubbed his hit head before muttering in disappointment, "... I was originally thinking of letting you guys hold me while free falling since I can fly... But... That was indeed a rotten plan."
For some reason after he said that, the atmosphere suddenly became quiet for a moment.
"... Kouro, say that one more time." Mei said with an unknown expression, no, Kiana and the others also had the same expression.
"Hmm? I can fly?"
"No, before that." Ayame said.
"Uhm... Let you guys hold me while freefalling?" said Kouro with uncertainty.
Ayame suddenly relaxed her neck before saying calmly, "Ah...It just so happens that I suddenly wanted to feel the adrenaline rush of skydiving."
She then stood up and was about to approach Kouro before being intercepted by Mei and Bronya.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense, Kouro who knew nothing just watched them while blinking a few times.
"What are you guys doing?" Ayame said with a serious expression.
"That is precisely our question." said Mei with a cold smile.
They looked at each other with sharp expressions, making the atmosphere more tense for every second.
Kouro, who was crushed by the tense atmosphere, raised his hand to say something before Kiana suddenly appeared.
She looked at the three of them before saying, "Let's decide with paper rock scissors."
"To decide what?" asked Kouro, unfortunately his question was ignored by the four of them.
...
"Whoever manages to be the last one standing is the winner. " Mei said.
"Agreed!" x4
"Rock paper scissors!" x4
Kiana showed the scissors while Mei and the others showed the rock and immediately took Kiana out.
"No!!!" Kiana was seen falling to the ground while hitting the floor with a heavily disappointed expression.
Kouro quietly approached her while carrying popcorn and said, "Want some?"
Kiana didn't know that Mei and the others had worked together secretly to get her out first.
Mei, Ayame and Bronya looked at each other before nodding their heads slightly after seeing Kiana come out.
"Paper rock scissors!" x3
They balanced for a few times before Mei finally showed the paper while Bronya and Ayame showed the scissors.
Mei seemed to stare at her hand that was still posed with the paper before slowly clasping her palm with a serious expression.
"I have to try harder."
She then approached Kouro and Kiana who were currently staring at them while eating popcorn.
"Paper rock scissors!"x2 Ayame and Bronya fiercely and at high speed clashed with each other and strangely always balanced.
They did it more than a dozen times until their bodies were sweaty. Kouro who saw this wondered if paper rock scissors was a heavyweight sport.
"I admit you're good Bronya. But this is the end, give up, you can't beat me." Ayame said with a serious expression.
"I've been playing rock paper scissors all my life and I've never lost even Kouro can't beat me." she continued.
Kiana and Mei who heard this spontaneously turned to look at Kouro.
Kouro who was being stared at nodded his head confirming Ayame's statement.
"She's right, I never won against her in playing rock paper scissors when we were kids."
"Even so, Bronya will not give up, as long as there is hope even if it is small, Bronya will still go forward." Bronya said with a determined expression.
"... You're stubborn." Ayame muttered before assuming a stance with a serious expression.
"But I recognize your determination, I will fight you in earnest now."
Bronya did not reply but she also slowly set up a stance with a solemn expression.
"... Paper Rock scissors!"x2
Under the gazes of Kouro, Kiana and Mei, they saw Ayame's hands showing scissors while Bronya's showed rocks.
Seeing Bronya's hand, Ayame suddenly fell down with her teeth gritted.
"Bronya won." Bronya said as she raised her hand.
She then walked towards Ayame before sticking out her hand, "It was a great fight, Bronya really enjoyed it."
Ayame raised her head to look at Bronya who held out her hand to her, she then looked down at her hand before taking it and standing up.
"Right, it was a great fight. I was too proud of my skills that I forgot to hone them. Thank you Bronya for making me realize this."
"Umu." Bronya nodded her head.
Kouro didn't know what exactly happened, but he could only nod his head to see them getting along.
"By the way, Kiana, have you turned on the autopilot mode for Helios yet?" asked Mei.
"Already, once we exit the airship, Helios will automatically return to the Schicksal base."
"Good."
Mei nodded her head happily before turning to look at Kouro, "Alright, Kouro we're ready."
"Ready for what?" asked Kouro in confusion.
Kiana's eyebrows rose before answering with a frown, "Didn't you say earlier to take us into freefall?"
"Oh, that? You guys agree?" Kouro asked again.
"Of course!" x4 said Kiana, Mei, Ayame, and Bronya.
"Well... Since you've all agreed, step aside a bit I'll prepare to open Helios' hatch-"
"No need, let me do it, after all I am the pilot. " Kiana went straight to the pilot room and pressed a button to make the Helios' hatch open.
The wind suddenly came in and blew hard at all of them, Kouro immediately used the authority of [Void] and [Wind] to dispel it.
Kouro stood in front of the hatch before turning to look at Mei and the others, "Are you ready?"
They immediately nodded their heads in reply to Kouro's question, Bronya was the first to walk up to Kouro and immediately hugged his neck.
The second was Ayame, she immediately hugged Kouro's waist from the right, the third was Mei and she also hugged Kouro's waist from the left.
"Kiana hurry up!" Kouro said.
"I'm coming!" Kiana walked towards Kouro from the pilot room and stopped slightly when she saw that Kouro's body was already full of hugs from Bronya, Mei and Ayame.
"Mhn? What did you stop for? Come here, I'll carry you. " Kouro said while opening her arms
"Eh?" Kiana seemed to freeze after hearing his words.
"Tsk." x3 Ayame, Bronya and Mei silently clicked their tongues.
Kiana quickly regained her senses and stood before Kouro with an embarrassed expression and avoiding his gaze, Kouro unceremoniously picked her up princess-style before saying.
"To infinity and beyond!"
"Kyaa!"
Kouro let himself freefall in the sky making Kiana and the others spontaneously hug him very tightly.
Feeling the soft, supple touch from back to shoulders, Kouro's expression did not change at all, he then used the [Dominator's Touch] ability to control their weight so that they could float in the air just like him.
"Eh? I'm flying?" Ayame stared at herself floating in the air.
"I have an ability similar to Telekinesis. So I can control your weight and allow you to fly." said Kouro, who was currently floating upside down.
"Now, follow me!"
Kouro instantly darted down like an eagle targeting its prey followed by Ayame, Mei and Bronya.
"Eh! Wait for me, you guys!"
Kiana quickly followed them as well.
"The last one treats food!" Kouro shouted.
Kiana who heard this immediately shot off at high speed beyond Mei and the others because she remembered that she was broke.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone