Summer, sunshine, beaches, vast coconut groves, an endless azure sea, and swimsuited passersby's everywhere... these are the first impressions a world-renowned resort brings.
Of course, in addition to ordinary passersby, one can also see many aimlessly wandering evil spirits.
However, by now, merely wandering evil spirits could no longer affect everyone's good mood.
"Hawaii, here we come!"
Moeha followed behind Chika, spreading her arms and cheering happily.
Next was Haruno.
Beautiful girls are usually very confident, and Haruno was no exception. She wasn't shy at all, imitating them by raising her arms and cheering happily:
"Hawaii, here we come!"
Sayu blinked, clearly a little excited but also a little embarrassed, so she turned to look at Natsuki.
Natsuki took a deep breath, then raised his arms and shouted:
"Hawaii, we're here!"
Seeing this, Sayu immediately let go of her inhibitions, a bright smile appearing on her pretty face, and she too raised her arms and cheered:
"Hawaii, here we come!"
"..."
After shouting, everyone turned their heads to look at Yukino, who was standing alone at the end.
"Stare—"
Hiranoshita subtly moved the corner of her mouth, as if she hadn't seen everyone's urging eyes, and directly turned her head to look elsewhere.
It was simply too embarrassing to shout so loudly with such a shameful action in a busy airport.
She couldn't do it, absolutely couldn't do it.
"Yukino, come join us." Haruno said with a sweet smile, "Shouting it out actually feels super good."
"That's right." Chika nodded in agreement, "It's really fun."
Moeha quickly said:
"My sister is right, Yukino-nee, just try it and you'll know."
Sayu nodded:
"Actually, not many people are looking at us, Yukino-chan, it's okay to try."
Natsuki finally said:
"So, Yukino is that concerned about what others think."
"Stare—"
Yukino turned her head, glared at Natsuki, and whispered:
"I just think it's a bit silly, I don't care about other people's opinions."
"Then just try it." Chika extended a slender finger and said crisply, "Being silly with friends is also a very happy thing in life, and it might even become a beautiful memory in the future."
Yukino: "..."
With the conversation reaching this point, Yukino could no longer refuse. She could only bite her lip lightly, take a deep breath, raise her arms above her head, her pretty face slightly flushed, and quietly shouted:
"Hawaii, we're here."
Click!
The sound of a phone camera suddenly rang out.
"Huh?"
Yukino's pretty face froze, and she quickly turned her head to look towards the sound.
"It wasn't me, I didn't take a picture." Natsuki argued, "It was Haruno-nee taking the picture."
"That's right." Haruno raised her chin and admitted, "It was indeed me taking the picture."
Yukino frowned slightly and couldn't help but say:
"Then what are you doing holding up your phone?"
"Of course..." Natsuki shook his phone, his voice faint, "Of course I'm taking a video."
Yukino: "..."
The two female assistant from the Strange Tales Management Bureau stood by, not urging them, until everyone finished playing around. Then they stepped forward and softly said:
"Mr. Natsuki, the private car has arrived. Shall we leave the airport now?"
Natsuki put away his phone and politely said:
"Thank you for leading the way."
"You're welcome." The two female assistant quickly bowed, "Everyone, please follow us."
"..."
Led by the assistant, they exited the airport. Because there were quite a few people, a special tour bus was waiting at the intersection.
Natsuki and his group didn't need to consider itineraries, travel expenses, or language communication, etc. They directly boarded the bus, and all subsequent arrangements were left to the assistant.
The journey was uneventful.
Half an hour flew by.
The tour bus slowly pulled to a stop in a private estate.
"Behind the estate is a private beach. We have leased the entire estate, and within a week, no outsiders will disturb us. The private beach behind the estate is for everyone to practice surfing. We have hired the most professional surfing experts to devise a training plan for all of you…"
Stepping off the tour bus, a female assistant began to introduce the upcoming itinerary.
Simply put, it boiled down to two words:
Wealthy.
Extravagant.
A luxurious estate, like a castle, was rented without a second thought for the cost.
Of course, merely having money makes one a parvenu; without connections, renting such a luxurious estate would likely be impossible.
As a 'privileged person,' Natsuki had all his miscellaneous affairs handled by the Strange Tales Management Bureau, and he didn't need to pay for expenses. He only needed to focus on training and completing his tasks.
This was the special privilege that came with being a top-tier player.
"Wasteful."
"Too wasteful."
Natsuki sighed inwardly, "No wonder everyone hates the Celestial Dragons, yet everyone wants to become one. Although it's very decadent, happiness is all that matters."
"Would everyone like to rest for a while, or go to the back of the estate for training now?"
A female assistant asked respectfully.
Natsuki looked at Chika and the others, and said, "What do you all say?"
"Let's train," Chika said with a clear voice, "We've been on the plane for so long; now is exactly the time to exercise."
Haruno stretched lazily, her voice languid:
"Life is about movement, and the morning sun is so nice, so of course, we're going surfing."
Players' physical fitness far surpassed that of ordinary people; flying for over ten hours straight wouldn't tire them out. They were still full of energy, only Moeha, being an ordinary person, needed consideration.
"Moeha, do you want to take a nap?"
Natsuki looked at the junior high girl.
"No way, I'm not tired at all," Moeha quickly shook her head, "I want to stay with Senpai."
"Alright then." Natsuki didn't insist. junior high school students actually have a lot of energy and can stay up all night and still be full of vigor. "Then let's go change and head to the sea for training."
A butler stepped forward and led everyone to the second floor of the estate, allowing them to choose their rooms.
Natsuki naturally had a room to himself, Yukino and Haruno stayed together, Moeha and Chika shared a room, leaving Sayu alone.
"Sayu-chan, why don't you stay with us?"
Chika enthusiastically invited her.
"No," Sayu shook her head, politely declining, "I prefer to stay alone."
If she stayed with the Fujiwara sisters, she wouldn't be able to do anything at night, but if she stayed alone, she could do whatever she wanted without worrying about being discovered.
"Alright then." Chika didn't think much of it, cheering, "Everyone go change into your swimsuits, see you later!"
Natsuki glanced at Sayu, pushed open the door to his room, and began to change.
A moment later.
The girls, now in their swimsuits, emerged from their rooms one by one.
First was Sayu, who usually preferred to wear a white shirt, appearing unremarkable. Now, in a swimsuit, she truly embodied 'looks thin in clothes, has flesh when undressed.'
Then came Chika and Moeha. The Fujiwara family's genes were very strong; both sisters were slightly plump and had developed very well. However, Chika was the older sister after all, and she was indeed superior to her younger sister.
After waiting a bit longer, Haruno finally pushed open her door.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting."
Haruno smiled as she walked out, with Yukino silently following behind her.
Natsuki's gaze couldn't help but drift over, almost blurting out the nickname 'Hiranoshita.'
Hiranoshita, it truly is you. As expected, you are unremarkable, flat as a board!
Chika, Moeha, Sayu, Haruno, and finally Yukino, the five girls stood together, their differences immediately apparent and undeniable. Any one of them could easily outperform Hiranoshita.
Even the junior high girl Moeha could beat several Hiranoshita's!
Noticing Natsuki's gaze, Yukino's pearly teeth quickly bit her lip, and she raised her right hand to cover her chest, then glared fiercely.
"…Pervert!"
"Commit seppuku!"
Yukino used to not mind being flat-chested; in this world, being flat-chested was the norm. But now, for some reason, she was just incredibly annoyed.
"Even a junior high girl is so…"
Her gaze swept over Moeha, and Yukino bit her lip even harder, feeling a sense of unfairness for the first time.
Why?
Why were they both girls, yet the difference was so vast?
"Don't be discouraged, Yukino," Haruno said with a smile, puffing out her chest, "You're still young, and there's still room for growth in the future. I, your older sister, am proof."
Yukino glanced over and couldn't help but retort:
"But you were already quite big when you were in junior high, weren't you?"
Development is a personal matter; even close sisters cannot be exactly alike.
"Alright, there's actually another way," Haruno raised her right hand to her ear, "As long as Natsuki helps…"
Yukino's pretty face quickly flushed, and she resolutely shook her head, refusing:
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Haruno smiled:
"Anyway, you two are already dating, what's wrong with a little help?"
Yukino gritted her teeth and said:
"That's why I'm not dating him!"
Natsuki leaned in: "Why is Yukino's gaze getting fiercer and fiercer?"
Yukino's pretty face was expressionless as she said, "Go away, don't come near me."
"…"
As they spoke, a female assistant approached and led everyone out of the estate to the private beach behind it.
"Wow, the sea is so beautiful!"
"This is a real beach!"
"Swimming! I want to swim!"
"…"
As they neared the sea, the girls all cheered.
Dazzling sunshine.
A crescent-shaped beach.
The boundless blue sea.
Seagulls circling in the sky, and rustling coconut trees—it had to be said that the reputation of a global resort destination was well-deserved.
"Hello everyone, I'm your coach…"
A woman in a swimsuit, with dark skin and a well-toned physique, stood under a coconut tree and began to introduce herself.
Her name was difficult to pronounce, and Natsuki didn't remember it, but judging by her skin tone, she was likely a local Polynesian, like the famous Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in American movies, who is of Polynesian descent.
Speaking of Polynesians, before Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe, they could be said to be a legendary people in prehistoric oceanic exploration. They had no indestructible large ships, no compasses, sextants, chronometers, and so on. They started with only a dugout canoe, yet they conquered the entire South Pacific, belonging to one of the legends in human history.
After a brief introduction, the female coach quickly asked, "Have any of you tried surfing, or have any surfing experience?"
Natsuki was the first to speak:
"No."
"No."
"No."
"…"
From Natsuki to Haruno, none of the six people had any surfing experience.
Female coach: "…"
At this moment, the female coach's mind was in considerable disarray.
Before she was hired, she had heard from the employer about the goal of Natsuki and the others: they wanted to challenge the Ozaki Eight. Yet, when she asked now, they were all complete novices with absolutely no experience?
To successfully teach them within one week and have them pass the Ozaki Eight?
Impossible to teach!
Absolutely impossible to teach!
Forget herself, even if a world-class surfing champion came, it would be impossible for a few rookies to pass the extreme challenge.
The female coach pressed her forehead, wanting to throw in the towel and leave, but thinking of the generous remuneration paid by the employer, she could only silently endure it, taking a deep breath and saying:
"Since you have no experience at all, we can only start by learning the most basic techniques… Alright, I suggest you still give up and enjoy the Hawaii sun and sea, go diving or try other activities. None of you have ever touched surfing, yet you want to pass an extreme challenge within a week; it's simply not something a human can accomplish."
Natsuki calmly said:
"Where there's a will, there's a way. What if we succeed? In any case, please guide us. Whether we can complete the challenge in the end is our business."
The female coach no longer tried to persuade them. She took the money and started to impart her experience and techniques to everyone.
Natsuki and his group listened attentively, then each chose a surfboard and began practical training in the sea.
Seeing Natsuki and the others' clumsy movements, the last shred of doubt in the female coach's mind vanished.
They weren't lying to her; their movements were so clumsy, they were indeed rookies.
Surfing is like riding a bicycle; once the body masters the technique, it forms muscle memory. In a sense, intentionally acting as if one cannot surf is harder than demonstrating surfing skills.
Besides, the young man in front of her had no reason to lie to her.
"Challenging the Ozaki Eight in one week?"
"Impossible."
"Absolutely impossible."
The female coach shook her head helplessly.
However, after only half an hour, she was shocked to discover that these rookies had successfully mastered surfing skills, and not just barely, but quite proficiently. Their balance was exceptionally astonishing, as if they had grown up by the sea, completely different from half an hour ago.
The most skilled among them was naturally Natsuki. He stood steadily on the surfboard, his feet seemingly rooted, without any wobbling, and he even smoothly rode a wave that she herself wasn't entirely confident about.
"Impossible…"
"Absolutely impossible…"
The female coach suddenly began to doubt her life.
What was going on with these rookies?
Their learning ability was too strong!
Half an hour later.
Natsuki jumped off his surfboard and returned to the beach.
"Senpai, here's your drink."
Moeha's short legs pattered, and she handed over a bottle of iced soda. Surfing was actually very physically demanding, and Moeha, being an ordinary person with average exercise habits, returned to rest under the sunshade after barely mastering the surfing technique.
Natsuki took the soda, tilted his head back, and took a sip, saying, "Thank you, Moeha."
"Eh heh~"
The praised junior high girl immediately lifted her small face and laughed triumphantly.
"Ah, surfing is quite enjoyable." Haruno held a towel, smiling as she wiped the seawater from her body. "The world is so big, it's really good to experience more of it. You might discover different kinds of fun."
Chika nodded in agreement, saying, "It's really interesting. Once you master the technique, it's not difficult at all."
"Mm-hmm." Sayu nodded along, "It's very interesting, she said."
Natsuki looked at the female instructor and said, "Instructor, we can increase the training difficulty this afternoon."
The female instructor took a deep breath and asked, "You… are you really not lying to me?"
"Eh?" Chika looked over in confusion, "Lying about what?"
The female instructor's tone was subtle: "Are you actually professional athletes, but deliberately pretending to be rookies?"
"Instructor, don't overthink it. We really are just rookies." Natsuki said seriously, "It's just that our learning ability is a bit stronger."
The female instructor: "…"
Morning training concluded.
Everyone returned to the villa estate, where a sumptuous lunch was already prepared.
After lunch and a short nap, the group set off again, led by the female instructor, to the afternoon training location.
The wind picked up nicely in the afternoon. Upon arriving at the sea, one could see the entire ocean surging with waves, each wave two to three meters high, crashing against the cliff rocks and splashing countless white fragments.
"The waves are so big." Chika put her hands on her hips and turned to look at her younger sister, "Moeha, you shouldn't surf this afternoon."
Moeha nodded obediently, saying, "It looks so scary, I won't go into the sea."
As a rookie, Moeha had a strong sense of safety and wouldn't joke around with her own well-being.
"Everyone, apply sunscreen first." Haruno said softly, "Even though there's no sun right now, you still need to apply sunscreen."
Haruno and Yukino helped each other.
Chika and Moeha quickly applied sunscreen.
Finally, only Natsuki and Sayu were left.
"Natsuki-kun, shall I help?"
Sayu walked over, her pretty face slightly flushed.
Natsuki said nonchalantly, "Then I'll leave it to you."
"…"
With everyone around, hugging and cuddling was definitely out of the question. Sayu diligently applied sunscreen to Natsuki's back, only secretly poking him three times with her finger when no one was looking.
"Poke, poke, poke—"
Hey, hey, what do you mean by this?
Are you trying to be like Patriarch Bodhi, making me sneak over in the middle of the night?
That was knocking on the head three times, not poking, poking, poking!
"It's my turn to help."
Natsuki turned around and began to help Sayu apply sunscreen, then gently patted Sayu's head three times.
Do you see?
This is the real secret signal.
Soon, the sunscreen was applied, and next, naturally, it was training time.
Except for Moeha, who chose to stay on the shore, Chika, Haruno, and Sayu all chose to go into the sea and challenge their limits.