His creepy, wrinkled eyes were completely locked onto Sylvia's sexy curves, his gaze openly lingering on the heavy, bouncing weight of her large breasts under her tight training top.
"Ah, Instructor Sylvia," the old man wheezed, wiping a bit of dust from his sleeve while flashing a yellow-toothed grin.
"Your kicks are as delightfully fierce as always. Truly, a magnificent view from the floor!"
Sylvia rolled her bright blue eyes, completely ignoring the old man's dirty comments as if she had already gotten used to his daily nonsense.
"You old asshole," Sylvia snapped, crossing her arms firmly beneath her chest, which only made her cleavage look deeper and more prominent.
"Have I not told you a hundred times not to bother my students. If you have too much free time, why don't you go and clean up the monster outside the city?"
She didn't even wait for his reply.
Instead, she stepped slightly in front of Alex, shielding him, and her strict expression softened just a fraction.
"Don't worry about him," Sylvia told Alex, gesturing dismissively at the grinning old pervert. "Although he looks like a fragile old creep, he is actually very strong."
"He won't get hurt by such low-level attacks. I could kick him through a solid brick wall, and he'd just dust himself off and ask for seconds."
Alex stared at the old man in pure disbelief. 'Just who the hell is this guy? Is he some kind of hidden big shot?'
"Well, he might be a massive pervert," Sylvia continued, lowering her voice so only Alex could hear, "but he won't cross the line and physically force himself on others. He just likes to talk trash and act like a creep to get a reaction out of the new girls."
The old man nodded vigorously in the background, entirely unashamed of the accusation. "Yes, yes! I am a true gentleman! I merely appreciate natural beauty!"
"Shut up before I break your jaw!" Sylvia barked over her shoulder, silencing him instantly.
She then looked back at Alex, giving him a reassuring nod.
"Well then, go home and rest," she told Alex, her tone shifting back to her usual commanding instructor voice. "You did good work today."
"Your body is adapting faster than I thought. As for this old fool, I'll take care of him. I'll make sure he stays at his desk where he belongs."
Alex let out a long breath.
The adrenaline from his anger was fading, replaced by his burning desire to get home and use the system.
He pulled his oversized gray hoodie a little tighter around himself, giving Sylvia a polite, respectful nod.
"Thank you, Instructor," Alex said, his soft, breathy voice filled with genuine relief.
Without sparing a single glance at the old man, Alex turned on his heel and practically sprinted out the main glass doors of the Gene Association.
Alex hurried through the darkening streets of Iron Creek City, his mind entirely focused on the glowing blue interface.
When he finally pushed open the back door of the blacksmith shop, the house was surprisingly quiet.
Usually, there must be someone home either Elena or Marcus. Today, however, only Uncle John was home, quietly eating dinner at the kitchen table.
Alex gave his uncle a quick, breathless greeting, not wanting to waste time.
He rushed straight upstairs to his bedroom and locked the door behind him with a solid, satisfying click.
Wasting no time, he stripped off his sweaty training gear and hopped into the shower.
He didn't stay long, just enough to wash away the sweat from the training.
Stepping out, he carefully dried his pale, hypersensitive skin and slipped into the new casual clothes he had bought a few days ago.
It was a simple set, a loose-fitting, ultra-soft white t-shirt and light cotton sweatpants.
Sadly, buying just a few sets of these high-quality, frictionless clothes almost completely drained his remaining credits.
His bank account was painfully low again, but as the soft fabric worn over his developing chest without causing any painful rubbing, he knew it was worth every single penny.
Feeling fresh and secure, Alex climbed onto his bed.
He sat cross-legged right in the center of the mattress, taking a deep, steadying breath to calm his racing heart.
"Status," he commanded softly.
Instantly, the sleek, translucent blue screen materialized in the dim room, floating just an arm's length away.
His dark eyes scanned past the terrifying feminization progress bar and locked straight onto his skills.
His eyes immediately locked onto the golden [+] signs next to his Iron Body Foundation Art and Flowing Spirit Sword Forms.
His heart raced.
All he needs to do was click, spend his Source Power, and watch his strength skyrocket.
[ Skill: Iron Body Foundation Art - Entry Level (1/100) (+) ]
[ Skill: Flowing Spirit Sword Forms - Entry Level (1/100) (+) ]
[ Source Power: 153 ]
His finger trembled slightly with anticipation.
He now had about 153 points of source power to spend. If one point equaled ten days of grueling cultivation, he was about to skip years of painful effort in a matter of seconds.
He slowly raised his pale hand, reaching out to tap the glowing [+] symbol next to his sword forms.
But just as his fingertip was about to brush against the holographic screen, the temperature inside his small bedroom violently plummeted.
A sudden, freezing chill crept up his spine, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
The air grew heavy, thick with a dark, suffocating pressure that he hadn't felt in three whole days.
Then, a phantom breath brushed directly against his ear. "How are you doing, my little vessel? Do you miss me?"
Alex froze. His hand stopped in mid-air.
The voice was smooth, velvety, and dripped with a dark, sadistic amusement that revibrated right inside his mind.
The three days of peaceful silence were officially over. The Naagin Empress had returned.
"Fuck, this bitch is back…" Alex cursed internally, his good mood shattering into a million pieces.
For three whole days, he enjoyed every second filled with absolute peace and quiet, but now the ancient ghost had returned to ruin his life.
"Aw, don't be so hostile," the Empress purred, her phantom presence wrapping around him like a heavy, suffocating blanket. "I was only gone for a short while to digest some energy and new memories."
"Look at you. Wearing cute new clothes, parading around in a sports bra, and even catching the eye of that filthy old man at the front desk."
She let out a low, dark giggle that vibrated against his skull. "Though I must admit, watching you squirm while that old fool undressed you with his eyes was quite entertaining. You truly are a magnet for getting into trouble."
Alex gritted his teeth, his pale cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and pure anger.
He hugged his arms across his chest defensively, glaring at the empty air.
"Damn it, here comes another pervert.." Alex thought bitterly, his hands curling into tight fists.
He was surrounded by them. First the desk clerk, and now this ancient ghost who loved nothing more than sexually harassing him in his own head.
"I don't know who told this first," Alex sighed heavily in his mind, "but the proverb's right... the older they are, the more perverted they are."
"Not to mention she's an ancient relic… I couldn't even imagine how old she is!!"