Chapter 22: Do You Really Think We’d Gain That Much Weight…?

"That’s why we’ll be doing our secret girl power training before heading back…!"

"I don’t really need it, though…!"

"Me neither…!"

"The hunger to aim for even greater heights despite already being the cutest in the world…!!"

Ugh. What a pain. Secret girl power training, my ass…! Now that Rentarou’s gone, I can say it—this is just a diet, isn’t it…?!

"Wait… Did you all gain weight after that eating contest?"

"W-Well…! It couldn’t be helped! After that, I kinda started eating more little by little…"

"I never thought it’d get this bad, though…"

"Even so, Lady Hahari, you’re as beautiful as ever…!"

"Who knew those just a few cookies would pile up like this…!"

"I have a high metabolism, so I didn’t gain anything~."

Of course, Kurumi-chan would say that. A metabolism like hers must be the envy of every girl. Me? Well… I want to bulk up a bit, so gaining some weight wouldn’t hurt.

"If we’re talking about that, I haven’t gained anything either. Neither has Shizuka. We’ve been training nonstop."

"[It’s the fruits of the Small Animal Alliance’s labor!]"

"Not just Kurumi—even Kawaru and Shizuka?! Damn it…!"

"Yoshimoto Shizuka… To think you’d betray us…!"

"[N-No way, Aniki! Not a single betraying bone in my body!]"

Nah, we did betray them. Even if we ate more, we could’ve just exercised to balance it out. Well, I guess they didn’t realize they were snacking so much.

Still, this sucks… It’ll cut into my time with Rentarou. But ditching them feels wrong too… Fine. Guess I’ll do my usual training—the other kind, not the endurance one.

Honestly, I’ve been pushing my stamina to the limit, but no matter what, it just won’t improve. It has gotten better… by maybe 0.1 seconds. That’s how pathetic the progress is. As long as their diet isn’t endurance-based, it’s fine, but…

"Just asking… What kind of diet are you planning?"

"Running!"

"……Can I do a different training?"

Hell no. Running’s the worst. Yeah, I’m doing something else. Shizuka’s… apparently running with them. Damn… She’s not even that heavy, yet she’s pushing further…?!

Alright, time to start my training. And that is… cooking. Not slacking off, okay? I am doing other stuff too—50-meter sprints, metal bat swings, lifting barbells.

Huh? Can I even do those? Well… I struggle. I usually faceplant mid-sprint, swinging the bat was hard just holding it at first, and the barbell? Forget lifting—I couldn’t even keep it steady.

So what do these have in common with cooking? Why do they count as training—no, discipline? Simple: explosive output.

Not the usual kind, though. I know I can’t sustain long-term exertion. So I asked: What can I do? This was the answer.

In my life, the only thing I’ve ever been praised for over others is cooking. Not the quality, but the speed and sheer execution. Might sound ordinary, but cooking’s surprisingly physical.

Even weaklings like me can pull off dishes that should be impossible. Lately, it’s been obvious—I can cook for a crowd without Rentarou. Sure, I collapse after, but still.

The key isn’t the act of cooking, but the essence. Not sustained effort—total output. Dumping everything into one task. No… Wording’s off. "Trading all my stamina to achieve something." That’s the method I devised—and the core of my recent training.

Pouring everything into even the smallest dish. A 50-meter dash. Five bat swings. Holding a barbell for three seconds. Give it all—and suddenly, I’m way stronger than before. Not superhuman, but above average.

Problem? It’s impractical. Going all-out means I can’t use it in class or daily life. Zero stamina is crippling. Recovery’s slower too—like when I collapsed after cooking, but five times worse. At this point, my stamina’s not zero—it’s negative. Like borrowing energy to go all-in.

Think of it like a game: A skill that costs 10 MP, but I dump my entire 30 MP plus a 70 MP loan to fire a 100 MP super version. After that? Useless until MP refills.

Anyway… This might help in a pinch. It’s kinda like the Kaiō-Ken technique. Ideally, I’d reach Kaiō-Ken x100, but…

Huh? "Sudden power-ups are cheap"? The hell? Look at Rentarou—he pulls otherworldly strength outta nowhere without explanation! Compared to him, this is nothing. At least I’ve got logic behind mine.

Besides… I want to look cool in front of him sometimes. Lately, all he says is how "cute" I am—but I’m his girlfriend AND best friend. Is it so wrong to want your best friend to think you’re cool…?

Then there’s that other thing… “The Power of Love.” So far, the only times I’ve managed to tap into something close to it were at the Hanazono estate and during that food fight. Haven’t been able to pull it off since. Wish I could heal injuries as fast as Rentarou… Well, I can manage some recovery if I sleep it off, but still.

For now, that’s the goal. To get stronger, I need “Kaiō-Ken” and “The Power of Love.” The first one seems doable, but the second? Way harder. It’s not reproducible, and it only comes out when I’m backed into a corner. Ugh. What do I do? Asking Rentarou probably won’t help—doubt he’d give concrete advice. Plus, love’s gotta mean something different for everyone, right?

Honestly, if I just had more stamina, I could get stronger through proper training. But since I can’t brute-force my way through, all I can do is scramble for half-baked theories to make it work.

It’s frustrating… If I tried running 2000 meters, I’d be useless by the second half—hell, I might not even finish. Actually, I’d probably hit my limit around 300 meters. And this is me trying my best! Back then, 100 meters was my long-distance max.

How am I supposed to look cool like this…?! In my current state, depending on the situation, my athletic ability’s worse than Shizuka’s—I’m literal dead weight (if I collapse, someone’s gotta carry me).

No self-sacrifice, no stamina, no athleticism (except in short bursts), worse foresight than Rentarou. Oh, and let’s not forget my fantastic habit of tripping and taking damage for no reason. At this point, it’s all or nothing—Kaiō-ken or love, right?

…Oh crap, forgot to censor that.

—Two days later.

“…And that’s the situation… So, would it be alright if I welcomed Iku Sutou as my girlfriend…?!”

“Mei’s only been here for three chapters, dude?!”

“The pacing’s been weird since day one, manga and anime.”

“[Gotta go fast.]”

A new girlfriend arrived. Iku, huh? Feels like I’ve seen her somewhere. Where was it…?

“I’m Sudo Iku, Class 1-3! Nice to meet you!”

“She’s introducing herself like a new club member?!”

“Eh, I’m technically the junior here age-wise…”

Club… club activities… It’s on the tip of my tongue…!

“As a formality! Senpai girlfriends… I’d like you all to give me a spanking!”

“NO WAY IN HELL?!”

“If Karane-san does it, my butt’s gonna vanish…”

Spanking… bat… just a little more…! I need one more clue…! Huh? What’s up, Iku? You’re pointing at me—

“You’re… that guy from back then!”

…Oh. Right. That’s why she looked familiar.

“…I remember now too.”

“You two… know each other?”

Know each other? I guess you could say that. Hard to forget someone that intense. Though her looks and personality definitely don’t match.

“You’re…”

“You’re…”

“The self-spanking genius!!”

“That crazy-stoic masochist!!”