Hiratsuka Shizuka had only one thought—escape!
Right now! Immediately!
She endured the aching soreness of her body as she carefully lifted a corner of the thin blanket, gingerly getting out of bed. She didn't dare make a sound, terrified of waking the slumbering "beast."
The purple dress scattered on the floor had long been wrinkled beyond recognition in last night's "fierce battle," even stained with certain unspeakable traces.
Hiratsuka Shizuka picked it up, her face burning again.
She quickly put it on, not bothering to tidy her disheveled hair or makeup, grabbed her purse, and didn't even have time to put on her heels—she just slipped out of the office barefoot like that.
Fortunately, it was still early.
The Genesis Company employees hadn't come to work yet.
Hiratsuka Shizuka successfully made it to the parking lot.
The cold morning wind blew in from the parking lot entrance, hitting her flushed cheeks and clearing her head slightly.
Sitting in her car, she looked at herself in the rearview mirror—eyes still carrying a hint of allure, lips swollen and red, complexion haggard yet dazed—and felt so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.
"Ahhh..."
Hiratsuka Shizuka collapsed, clutching her head, forehead knocking against the steering wheel as she wailed.
After a while, she barely managed to calm down.
But her face was still burning red as fire.
"I'm never coming here again, even if it kills me!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka bit her lip and drove out of the parking lot, yet her mind uncontrollably echoed with all the details from last night.
Thinking of how she went from fierce resistance at the start, to powerless endurance midway, to complete abandonment at the end, and even... actively cooperating.
"That little bastard!"
She cursed in a low voice, but there wasn't a trace of hatred in it—rather, it carried a tremor she herself hadn't noticed.
At the same time, she couldn't help being astonished.
That guy's stamina... what was the deal with it?
Even if he was young, it shouldn't be to that extent, right?
As fierce as the ridiculously exaggerated male protagonists in adult manga—just absurd!
Thinking of this, she felt her cheeks burning even hotter, feeling unbearably flustered.
...
...
An hour later.
Seiji finally opened his eyes, yawning as he got up.
He'd woken when Hiratsuka Shizuka left—he just pretended to still be sleeping to avoid provoking little Shizuka.
Otherwise...
Given Hiratsuka Shizuka's thin skin, she'd probably fly into an embarrassed rage on the spot and fight him.
Mm, in the physical sense.
After all, he'd tormented little Shizuka quite a bit last night.
"Hehe, where there's one, there's two—you can't escape, Sensei Shizuka."
Seiji stretched comfortably.
With his movement, the bones throughout his body emitted a series of crisp popping sounds.
Unlike Hiratsuka Shizuka's complete exhaustion, he only felt refreshed and invigorated, as if last night's "high-intensity exercise" that lasted nearly the entire night was merely an exhilarating workout for him.
He sat up, his mind stirring.
"System, view rewards."
The next second, a screen glowing faint blue light that only he could see appeared before his eyes out of thin air.
[Ding! Detected host has completed Stage 2 conquest of 'Hiratsuka Shizuka,' now distributing rewards!]
[Reward Content: Special Talent—Double Bones!]
[Talent Description: This talent will reshape and strengthen the host's skeletal system. The host's bone density, hardness, and toughness will be significantly enhanced. Additionally, bone marrow's blood-forming and recovery functions will be greatly strengthened, granting the host recovery power and sustained endurance far exceeding ordinary people.]
Looking at the talent description, Seiji let out a sound of admiration.
"My physique was already strong—add this [Double Bones] to it, and I'll probably really be as fierce as a tiger." He murmured to himself, excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Accept talent."
With his thought, a scorching warm current suddenly surged up from the base of his spine!
This warm current, carrying an overbearing and domineering attitude, climbed up along his spinal column, instantly spreading to all four limbs and hundreds of bones, seeping into every single bone in his body!
"Mm..."
Seiji couldn't help letting out a muffled groan.
Wherever the warm current passed, inside his bones, it felt as if countless tiny furnaces were being ignited, conducting an intense forging and compression.
The density of his bones was increasing madly, becoming heavy and solid, as if mercury had been poured into them.
The joint ligaments between bones also seemed to have been cast with molten steel, becoming incredibly tough.
He could even hear from inside his body a series of fine, dense "pop-pop" sounds, like roasting beans.
That was his bones—undergoing transformation!
This process lasted a full ten minutes.
When the warm current finally subsided, Seiji slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
He felt he'd been... reborn.
Standing up from the bed, just a simple standing motion made him feel the earth beneath his feet had become incomparably solid.
Inside his body, inexhaustible power filled him, as if he could punch through a wall with one fist.
Seiji walked into the bathroom, standing before the massive mirror.
His reflection in the mirror didn't seem to have changed much in form—his muscle lines remained smooth and perfect. But his entire "quality" was completely different.
Beneath his skin, astonishing power seemed to be stored.
His already upright posture now stood like a javelin, straight and exuding a steadfast, mountain-like composure. His eyes had also become deeper and sharper, as if they could see through people's hearts.
His entire being radiated a strong aura of commanding presence.
...
...
After showering and changing into loose athletic wear, Seiji came to the company's attached private gym.
He walked to the bench press rack.
No warm-up needed.
Seiji loaded several 40-kilogram plates onto each side of the barbell, totaling 240 kilograms. This weight, for his previous self, would have required serious focus to complete three standard sets.
However now, he lay on the bench, hands gripping the barbell, just with a slight flex of his pectoral muscles.
"Whoosh!"
The 240-kilogram barbell rose like a hollow plastic tube, lifted effortlessly by him—throughout the entire process, he couldn't even feel the slightest resistance.
"This easy?"
Surprise flashed through Seiji's eyes.
He stood up and continued adding weight.
260 kilograms... easy as a toy.
280 kilograms... no pressure at all.
300 kilograms... starting to feel a tiny bit of weight, but only that.
340 kilograms... this was already world-class strongman level, yet he pressed it with ease to spare.
Seiji's breathing gradually became somewhat rapid, but not from fatigue—from excitement!
He loaded the plates to an unprecedented weight—380 kilograms!
This number had quietly surpassed the current unequipped bench press world record (335 kilograms).
He took a deep breath, lay down again, and steadily gripped the barbell bar that was slightly bent from the weight.
This time, he finally felt pressure.
"Up!"
He growled lowly, the power of his pectorals, deltoids, and triceps twisted into one force, erupting violently!
The incredibly heavy barbell, under his push, rose at a steady yet powerful pace, slowly pushed upward!
Until his arms were fully extended!
Success!
And he felt he still had strength to spare.
Seiji continued adding weight—ultimately testing out that his unequipped bench press limit was 426 kilograms!!!
Huff! Huff!
As he returned the barbell to the rack, Seiji panted, looking at his arms that showed no exaggerated muscle bulges yet were perfectly formed, his heart filled with shock.
His physical capabilities had completely transcended the category of "ordinary humans," reaching—or rather, breaking through—the theoretical limits of the "human" species.
He had become a true "superman" in every sense.
"This is truly... astounding."
Seiji's face was full of delight. Feeling the majestic power surging like a river within him, an unprecedented, overwhelming confidence in his ability to control everything filled his heart.
...
...
Meanwhile.
Almost all mainstream media's financial and entertainment sections used eye-catching headlines to report yesterday's opening of Genesis Company.
Normally, an entertainment company wouldn't be focal news.
Every year, countless large companies opened or closed.
But the difference was that Genesis Company's president, Seiji, was himself a famous figure throughout Japan!
[Literary Giant's Crossover! Youngest Naoki Prize Winner Seiji Commands 10-Billion Yen Cultural Empire!]
[Genesis's High-Profile Rebirth—Mysterious President Turns Out to Be 18-Year-Old Genius Writer!]
[Exclusive Interview with Seiji: I'm Not a Businessman, I Just Put Armor on Creativity!]
High-definition photos spread Seiji's young, handsome, and spirited image throughout Japan.
His already clamorous fame spread even further.
Many people who didn't follow the literary field or entertainment industry also remembered Seiji's name.
These news stories, like stones thrown into a lake, stirred ripples across different circles.
...
...
In Tokyo's Minato Ward, inside a luxurious office overlooking the entire Tokyo Bay.
A blonde, blue-eyed middle-aged man in haute couture suit watched the news on his tablet with interest.
He was Orlando, the person dispatched by the Spencer family to Japan to clean up and consolidate the family's cross-branch assets.
"Seiji... Genesis..." His expression showed contemplation as he murmured, "That name sounds familiar."
His Japanese female secretary smiled and reminded him, "Orlando-san, this Fujiwara-san is the buyer who purchased our family villa outright some time ago."
"Oh, now I remember." Orlando had a sudden realization. Then, thinking of something, a playful smile curved his lips. "I recall... that girl removed from the family council was called... what was it?"
"Eriri Spencer Sawamura." The secretary answered, "According to our previous investigation, she's still living in that villa."
"Is that so?" Orlando enlarged the news photo.
In the photo, Eriri wore a white dress, standing intimately beside Seiji, though her face carried a hint of shyness.
Orlando chuckled lightly, casually tossing the tablet onto the desk.
"Heh, seems this child abandoned by the family has pretty good luck." He murmured to himself, "Found herself quite a capable backer. That's good—saves us a lot of trouble."
A disowned branch bloodline was a negative asset.
The family didn't need them to contribute anything—on the contrary, if these people caused trouble, it would damage the family's reputation.
After confirming that Eriri's current life had no connection to the Spencer family and wouldn't bring any potential trouble, Orlando cast the matter to the back of his mind and stopped paying attention.
...
...
In Kyoto, inside a mid-range apartment.
Mrs. Kasumigaoka was reading the newspaper.
When she saw her daughter's name mentioned obliquely as "someone close to President Fujiwara," accompanied by an elegant and charming photo, she froze slightly, then smiled with relief.
"Our Utaha really had great fortune." She took off her glasses, speaking to her husband's photo with emotion, "Fujiwara-kun is not only brilliantly talented, but now has such great enterprise—he's ridiculously accomplished for someone so young."
Her husband's photo naturally couldn't speak.
Mrs. Kasumigaoka continued on her own, "Yes, it's Utaha's blessing to have met him. From now on, we won't need to worry about her future anymore."
In her view, her daughter's lifelong happiness now had solid security. With Seiji's current wealth and status, even just a little leaked through his fingers would be enough for her daughter to live comfortably for a lifetime.
As for that absurd "First Wife, Second Wife" arrangement—facing such enormous wealth and social status, it wasn't unacceptable.
Rather, she was surprised that Seiji would publicly establish their status.
Surprised by Seiji's depth of affection for her daughter.
...
...
Tokyo, Shimokitazawa.
Inside a livehouse called "STARRY."
Nijika Ijichi was sprawled on the bar counter, listlessly wiping a wine glass; the PA lady was at the mixing console, adjusting equipment.
"Wow! Look at this news, everyone!"
The livehouse door was suddenly pushed open. Nijika Ijichi, with her yellow side ponytail, rushed in like a gust of wind, waving a newspaper in her hand, her face full of excitement.
"Nijika, what are you making such a fuss about?" Seika Ijichi lifted her eyelids, saying listlessly.
"Sis! Look! This Seiji! He's that super famous genius writer! He actually started a company! So amazing!" Nijika spread the newspaper on the bar, pointing at Seiji's photo excitedly.
Just then, Ryo Yamada, carrying a bass case, walked in expressionlessly.
She glanced at the newspaper without much reaction.
"A writer starting a company? What's so great about that?" Seika Ijichi curled her lip, clearly uninterested in this kind of financial news.
"He's not an ordinary writer!"
Nijika Ijichi's eyes nearly sparkled as she recounted like a treasure trove, "He wrote After School and won the Edogawa Rampo Award, and also wrote The Devotion of Suspect X and won the Naoki Prize! And he's the youngest winner of both awards in history! He's a once-in-a-century genius!"
Hearing these thunderous book titles and award names, Seika Ijichi's hand wiping the glass paused slightly.
The PA lady also curiously came over.
"Is he really that impressive?" Seika Ijichi picked up the newspaper and looked carefully, couldn't help but exclaim, "Only eighteen... truly a monster."
After hearing this, everyone felt surprised.
But that was all.
For them, Seiji's world—whether as a literary giant or business elite—was far too distant from them.
Like stars in the sky—though dazzling, they would never intersect with the ground beneath their feet.
After commenting for a bit, they each went back to their own business.
Only Ryo Yamada.
She quietly walked to the bar and sat down, her water-blue eyes staring at Seiji's confident, composed face in the newspaper, a strange gleam flashing through her gaze.
"This person... must be very rich, right?" She murmured in a voice only she could hear.
A thought, like weeds, sprouted uncontrollably from the depths of her heart.
If she could have as much money as him... could she... buy back the hospital?
This thought appeared only for an instant before she snuffed it out herself.
She gave a self-deprecating smile.
Why would he?
She had no relationship with him whatsoever. Out of the blue—why would he help you?
Ryo Yamada, stop daydreaming.
She shook her head, casting that unrealistic fantasy to the back of her mind, pulled a few grass leaves from her pocket, put them in her mouth to chew, her face returning to that indifferent expression of not caring about anything.