Chapter 296: Humans are really adaptable.

--Saturday, July 18, 2172

“Nejire… Why do you try so hard to get your mom together with Kai? I’m happy that Mom looks so joyful every day, and I don’t regret her joining the relationship… But I don’t think I could do what you do…”

As she watched a light rise into the sky from the garden, Momo, sitting by the window in a bathrobe that concealed the sensual lingerie she was trying on, couldn’t help but comment in a contemplative tone. Nejire, sorting through erotic lingerie on the bed, responded with a cheerful and carefree voice.

“It’s so everyone can be happy! I love Mom, and I love Kai, so if we’re all together, we’ll all be happy!”

“I kind of envy your way of thinking.” Momo turned to look at Nejire and commented with a warm smile. Nejire looked up, tilting her head slightly in confusion as she gazed at Momo.

“Really? Why? Isn’t it the most logical thing? I don’t want my mom to be alone and sad in 20 years.”

“What do you mean?” Momo couldn’t help but frown slightly and ask, puzzled. Nejire tilted her head even more, somehow looking like an adorable puppy, and replied.

“The obvious facts. Aunt Keiko and Mom are already past forty, but no matter how you look at it, they don’t even seem 30. Physically, mentally, or medically, they’re women in their prime, and no matter how many years pass, they don’t age a single day. Even Nemuri and the Pussycats are the same; they all look like young girls in their 20s.

“But how long will they stay like this, not aging? Or rather, who even wants to age? Kai-chan is way too amazing and gives everything for us. Everything he does is to keep us healthy, safe, and happy, and his abilities are influenced by that. After all, he explained himself that his subconscious heavily affects his powers.

“So, it’s pretty logical to think that his abilities, especially the medical ones, would lean in a certain direction—eternal youth. Because seeing us young and beautiful makes us so happy, and he wants us to be happy. Plus, staying young is the best way to avoid diseases. But if we really do achieve eternal youth, what’ll happen in 10 or 20 years?

“Women in their 50s or 60s looking like they’re in their twenties will draw attention. If it were just one or two, it wouldn’t be so strange, but if absolutely all of us stop aging, it’ll be way too noticeable. Even worse with our jobs, which are so public-facing, even Aunt Keiko’s, which is more low-key. So, since many people—especially those with wealth and power—don’t want to age or die, they’ll inevitably come after us.

“At the same time, I’m sure plenty of people out there won’t want immortals or anything like that to exist, and they’ll start attacking us. After all, envy, fear, and self-righteous heroism are terrifying. They can make people come up with endless excuses to destroy someone. I’m a case in point—though I haven’t killed anyone, I have beaten plenty of people to the brink of death.

“So, in a few years, to avoid those problems, we’ll have to hide. But if we’re forever young, who could be a suitable partner for Mom? Even if she picked someone really young, they’d age and die over time, which would force Kai to make them young too, and that could eventually lead to us being discovered.

“After all, we love Kai and wouldn’t betray him, but a stranger would be very tempted to do so. But if we’re all with Kai, then everything’s solved. Every few years, we change identities and move to another country, and so on. With us together as a family, even if others die over time, we can get through it and be happy.”

Hearing Nejire, Momo couldn’t help but widen her eyes and open her mouth in disbelief. She struggled to connect Nejire’s cheerful, innocent expression with such deep and almost tragic thoughts—something she herself had never even considered. After all, while it was true that all the older women looked so young, she was used to it and hadn’t bothered to think about it more deeply.

“…Do you really think Kai will end up making us eternally young…?”

After a few seconds, Momo asked in a slow, deep voice. Nejire brought her index finger to her chin, thinking for a moment before responding as she picked up an especially erotic lingerie set with shining eyes.

“I don’t think he’ll do it consciously, but I think it’s very likely to happen. Mom and the others are a clear example. Plus, Kai once explained to me that to create Angel’s Breath, he studied axolotls for a long time—creatures that can regenerate even their brains. But he ended up with an ability that’s faster and more powerful, and he took it even further, making it capable of curing incurable diseases.

“Considering that, and knowing there are animals naturally immune to aging, it wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up creating something like that by accident. After all, he doesn’t fully understand his own abilities, and since he can basically resurrect the dead, eternal youth doesn’t sound too far-fetched.”

“…”

Hearing Nejire, who had started undressing to try on the lingerie, Momo couldn’t help but take a deep breath. Listening to her, Momo found herself reaching the same conclusion as Nejire. It was indeed very likely things would turn out that way—a realization that led her into deep thought.

Meanwhile, Nejire, visibly excited, stood in front of the mirror wearing nothing but blue lingerie that exposed her nipples and vulva, quickly striking different poses. Seeing how sexy she looked, Nejire couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction and immediately went to grab the matching set she’d picked for her mother. Noticing Momo’s deeply furrowed brow, Nejire commented in a cheerful voice.

“No need to overthink it; it’s just a random idea. Honestly, I also want Mom to be with Kai so we can have kids together and play guessing games with them about who’s the mom. Plus, it’ll be so much fun to have a sibling-child and have Mom nearby when I’m having sex!”

“…”

Hearing Nejire’s cheerful voice, Momo couldn’t help but smile oddly, marveling at how profound Nejire could be at times. It was a side she didn’t show often, but when she did, it always left Momo reflecting deeply. But soon, Momo set her thoughts aside and commented with a smile as she stood up, deciding to mull over the topic on her own later.

“Well, let’s drop the heavy talk and help me pick out the dress I’ll wear.”

“Fufu, I’ve got a few in mind; let’s try them on!” Nejire replied with great enthusiasm, pulling out dresses.

…

…

…

Surrounded by a dome of light, Yumiko, clinging to Kai’s arm, looked at herself in her short, tight, long-sleeved dress that revealed her sensual figure and barely reached mid-thigh. In the end, at Nejire’s insistence, Yumiko had put on the dress, and surprisingly, not only did it fit well, but the design gave her a sensual and elegant aura she quite liked.

But even though she wasn’t someone who minded more revealing clothes—after all, she had the body and the confidence—wearing something like this for a private date with her Kai still made her a bit nervous. Fulfilling her secret desire so unexpectedly left her lost in a sea of emotions, her thoughts wandering nonstop.

“Yumiko, put this on. It’ll keep us from being recognized easily.”

Suddenly, Yumiko heard Kai’s voice, snapping her out of her thoughts and making her look at him. She couldn’t help but widen her eyes a little as she saw Kai now with light brown hair and golden eyes. Then she glanced at a pair of glasses, an unlabeled jar of cream, and what looked like a contacts case in his hands.

“What is this…?”

“Stuff to change hair color, eye color, and facial features. Things Keiko developed a while back and gave to me.” Kai replied calmly. Yumiko took everything as she commented in a soft voice.

“I see… What hair color will I have?”

“Black. And if you’re wondering, eye color is optional. You can pick whatever you want.”

Kai answered calmly. Yumiko nodded and opened the jar of cream, finding a kind of transparent gel inside, which she applied to her hair. But unlike what she expected, the moment the gel touched her hair, it quickly moved on its own to cover it completely.

Meanwhile, curious, Kai took out his phone and activated the camera to look at himself. Seeing the hair and eye color of his first life, Kai couldn’t help but widen his eyes in surprise.

(I really look like Daniel, just with beauty filters…)

“I’m ready.”

At that moment, Yumiko commented in a soft voice, prompting Kai to look at her. Before him stood a beautiful, voluptuous woman with unfamiliar features and long, straight jet-black hair, looking at him with striking green eyes behind thin, gold-framed glasses.

“Do I look good?” Seeing Kai’s gaze roam over her, Yumiko couldn’t help but ask with a cheerful smile. Kai nodded and replied as he put on his own glasses.

“Really good.”

“…You look handsome, but I like my Kai’s face better…” Seeing the change in Kai’s facial features, Yumiko couldn’t help but comment with a smile.

“Haha, it is what it is.” Kai replied, amused. But at that moment, he received a message from Sage, so he quickly announced aloud as he embraced Yumiko.

“[Accompany] Cancel!”

“Ah!!”

Finding herself mid-air, Yumiko let out a frightened scream and quickly clung to Kai, who kicked the air and sped away while laughing at the fear on his beautiful girlfriend’s face. After a few moments, Yumiko finally calmed down and hit Kai’s shoulder, her cheeks puffed up, looking quite a bit like Nejire.

“Kai! You idiot!”

“Hahaha, sorry. We were moving so fast that if I didn’t cancel the ability right then, we’d miss the target by a lot. I didn’t have time to warn you.” Kai replied, amused. Yumiko huffed in annoyance and turned to look the other way.

“Hmph!”

“What do I have to do for my Yumiko to forgive me?”

Seeing Yumiko acting like a spoiled child, Kai couldn’t help but hug her a bit tighter and ask in a soft, warm voice. Yumiko, with an adorable pout, replied while still looking away.

“If you give me a kiss and a date, I might consider forgiving you…”

“Then let’s get to it!” Kai announced as he scooped up Yumiko’s legs, striking the classic movie kiss pose in mid-air, and started kissing her.

The mix of vertigo from the fall and the warm kisses from her beloved made Yumiko’s heart race so fast it felt like it might burst. Between the adrenaline and excitement, she returned the kiss with passion. After a while, Yumiko felt herself ascending again, at which point she finally pulled her lips away from Kai and commented with glassy eyes.

“…That was the best kiss of my life…”

“So, do you forgive me?” Kai asked with a smile. Yumiko replied with a slight blush on her cheeks.

“You still owe me a date…”

“Alright, let’s have a little date.” Kai commented as he squinted to look down. Yumiko wrapped her arms around Kai’s neck and replied with a happy, adorable smile, like a child with a new toy.

“Yes.”

Shortly after, Kai landed silently behind a Victorian-style church and set Yumiko down. She quickly adjusted her dress and looked at herself in a mirror, then hugged Kai’s right arm and commented with a smile.

“Where are we going?”

“For now, we’re just checking out the area. It’s too late to head to the place I bought here.” Kai replied calmly while extending his Observation Haki to the fullest. Yumiko nodded cheerfully.

“Then let’s go!”

Emerging from behind the church, Kai and Yumiko found themselves near bustling activity—different music playing from various spots, food stalls filling the air with tempting smells, and people dancing in what looked like bars and clubs of all kinds.

“The people here seem so cheerful…” Looking around with curiosity, Yumiko commented happily. Kai nodded and spoke as he eyed a crowded food stall.

“Seems like it… Humans are really adaptable…”

“What do you mean?” Yumiko turned to look at Kai and asked curiously. Kai replied as he headed toward the food stall with interest.

“Well, I was checking some stats, and in this area alone, with just 400K residents, there were over 350 murders last year—almost one per day. There are drug cartels and gangs everywhere, and from what I read, regulations against quirk usage are pretty much nonexistent. But look at them; everyone seems pretty happy and carefree, so I guess they’re used to it and live life to the fullest…”

“It really doesn’t seem that dangerous…” Yumiko looked around at the laughing, dancing people and couldn’t help but comment as she gripped Kai’s arm a little tighter.

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