Deliquent and tattoo improvements!

The sound of water echoed in the bathroom, water vapour covering the mirrors.

A moment of peace greeted the pair as Ryuji enjoyed Yumiko scrubbing his back with a rough, soapy cloth. Although the scraping sensation hurt at first, he became used to it after four days.

"Hmm~ your back is so muscular for such a young man. Even the males of my race don't work this hard, you know?"

"Impressed?"

"Hmph... maybe a little."

"Heh!"

Yumiko seemed to enjoy scolding him with questions while humming as she washed his back. Neither of them felt the same embarrassment as before.

However, she still became shy after waking up and seeing him in battle mode.

Yumiko told him the truth about humans finding beasts disgusting, which was a fact after he asked a knight out of curiosity.

'This world is a little weird, well whatever...' 

"My mother owned several martial arts gyms and taught me since I was young. Honestly, the training regime was the very limits of my body. Each year, she would spend months perfecting each movement or exercise."

'Come to think of it, she never forced me even then. Spending time with my mother was nice, and she was always fierce when working. No... even the fierce mother was the best to me.'

Ryuji also struggled when she forgot her towel and revealed her chest and small garden to him, and it took all his willpower to resist pushing her down. Their comfort was likely because of the two halves of the calamity star inside them.

Whatever they did, it always felt better and more relaxing together.

"Are you thinking about her?" Yumiko asked while adding more hot water and bath oils. 

Since the group started paying, they could bathe twice and receive more expensive washing oils and soaps that smelled better.

"Yeah, it still feels like the day before when she bathed with me like this and taught me about women and martial arts."

Ryuji believed it was a bonus from Alan for offering to help them so openly, though.

'Well, the Top hero group still only bathes once, after all.'

"Your mother, was she strong?"

"Mmmm, mother was the strongest, and I am teaching her martial arts to you."

"Oh my, a mommy's boy? However, am I not washing your body? Thanks. It's actually strange you overreact to a beastkin female, you know? Normal human men wouldn't get so hard~ fufu."

Yumiko started teasing him this way after the third day.

Now, it seemed to relieve her stress as she became more comfortable around him.

However, the more she joked about something that taught Ryuji, the more embarrassed her as she would often freeze up when he showed his 'strange' nature of lusting after a beastkin female.

"Well, I cannot deny you are a beautiful woman. You are almost as good as my mother, so be thankful."

"Oi! Don't sway that brutal weapon in my face, you damn human! Ryuji, oi!"

***

Thanks to that meeting with Alan, training became relaxing.

Ryuji noticed that many knights also greeted him and Yumiko, even though she was a beastman without a terrible face now. 

'Did he speak about our offer?'

"Hero Ryuji, can I speak to you before you go for dinner?" 

'Speak of the devil.'

"Sure, do you need our party or just me?"

"Ah, if possible, you and your partner are fine. It's about that thing I asked."

"Sure, I'll wait here after cooling down."

Ryuji turned to Yumiko, who wore a better-quality Maid dress, black tights made of monster hide, and, underneath the white apron, a shirt made of chain mail. Despite it being used, she seemed happy he paid the money for her.

While dancing around the training area in glee, she looked up at him and noticed him beckoning her.

"What's the matter, Vincenzo?" Yumiko became confident after training because she beat him easily in the short sprinting laps before they started.

"Let's spar."

'I want to see if I can hope to watch Mother's martial arts shine again in this lifetime.'

Ryuji seemed to have a rather shy side when complimenting Yumiko and things related to his mother; thus, he didn't tell her why he wanted to fight her.

"Fine! Don't cry later!" Yumiko teased him, her fox tail waving like a whip and her eyes narrowing and focused like a cat.

"Winner gets to order the loser!" 

"Hmmm~ sounds good!"

Her body suddenly trembled before a shadow clone of her body appeared, forming a strange stance that mixed kickboxing and kenpō.

Yumiko and her shadow dashed forward, her speed faster than before. It seemed she might have gained an increase in her agility.

'Mother said agility was the hardest thing to improve, even with training. Yumiko is naturally agile and flexible.'

Ryuji dodged her kick as the clone dashed to the side before lunging forward with an elbow strike to his ribs. His pole blocked her strike, but the impact, although light, shook his stance and left his ribs slightly numb.

"You blocked it..."

"Is there a limit to how much strength you can put into a clone?"

"I can use all!"

Yumiko lunged forward with a double kick to his inner thigh and chest, and the clone attempted to sweep him from behind with a kick.

Ryuji dodged to the side, the clone's kick almost knocking him off balance as Ryuji retreated. He suddenly understood the danger of a lucky blow from a novice—out of reflex, his left hand shot out and slapped her massive ass with a loud smack.

"Pervert! I didn't lose yet!"

"Who is the pervert? You were kicking me with your tights, showing your lack of underwear, you damn beast!"

"Heh~, I know you got aroused. Cute human, come to mommy fox for a wet kiss."

"!!!"

The moment she revealed something so insane, it caused him to be stunned as she lept at him, wrapping both legs around his neck.

Her black tights and golden fur pressed against his face while the clone lowered her hips and, with her full power, punched him in the abdomen and chest with a powerful dual blow.

"Guha!"

The pain almost made him fall as Yumiko took advantage, pushing him over using her firm hips, tightly gripping Ryuji's neck in a triangle.

Yumiko's face seemed strangely red as she locked her legs around his neck and face, allowing her damp warmth to press against his lips. Her movements made him bewildered, and he struggled to breathe through the thick and overwhelming scent of a female beastkin.

Her strength wasn't enough to choke him, but he couldn't recover from his natural lust and tapped on her plump thigh to surrender.

"I win, R-Y-U-J-I~ fufu, stop sniffing my crotch, you dirty little boy!"

Before she realised what had happened, the boy had training in many arts and styles, even those that were not actual sports but just things he found fun.

The poor fox was then slammed to the ground with a devastating powerbomb, smashing into the dirt as the damage from his attack forced the shadow clone to vanish.

"You lose, Yumiko," Ryuji smirked while watching her chest rise and fall, her dress and underskirt revealing her soft thighs wrapped in the black tights as she lay on the ground, glancing at him in pain.

"Bastard... ah!"

However, Ryuji didn't let her up.

He grabbed her by the tail, lifted her off the ground, and started spinning while ignoring her cries of pain.

"Wait, Ryuji! Stop, ah! It hurts! That's sensitive! Wait, you bastard! Stop it!"

"Then admit you lose. Don't attack me when I'm sleeping, or I'll make you a mother!"

"Ah, you bastard! Let go of my tail! Ah! That's not fair!"

Ryuji didn't let her go until Alan arrived. He tossed her on the ground, and she looked like a mess, causing Alan to chuckle.

"I was a little late speaking with the knights who wanted to request your help. Forgive me."

"Alan, don't worry about it. You're helping us so much. How many of us would die without you being so strict to make them work hard?" Ryuji smiled before Alan glanced at Yumiko, who growled at him like a cat.

"Hero Ryuji, you should be careful. This beastman seems to have chosen you, so it will be terrible when she goes into heat."

"Heat?"

"Yes, beastmen have a period once every few months when they are extremely lustful. Then, their bodies become more fertile. Though I am not an expert, dog types, especially, will choose a partner first. So, build up your stamina, otherwise that fox might just eat you alive during a red moon."

"Ahem... sorry, I got distracted..."

Alan was quite amusing to Ryuji after they got to know each other. He lost the strict mood when alone and felt like an elegant older brother.

"The group would like to enter the dungeon tomorrow, but their vanguard is on sick leave. Payment will be one silver and a share of any loot you can use."

Alan looked a little anxious before asking. "Are you willing to help? For this, you will be alone. This time, your partner isn't quite up to the level needed."

"EH!? I don't want to leave Ryuji!" Yumiko suddenly jumped up, glaring at Alan, who smiled gently.

"Don't worry. Hero Ryuji will only be gone a day at most; if you feel worried, I can lend you this tool here. It will let you watch him in the dungeon, making you less worried."

"Hmmm... Okay then."

"Where should I meet them?" 

"Ah, that is--"