As long as Ethan's power increased fast enough, the Blonde Guy would not be a threat, and Ethan could even turn the tables, using the characteristics of the Cuckold Template to quickly resolve the issue.
This was the fundamental reason he had always strived for strength.
If the dual cultivation ability was Ethan's foundation for existence, then the Cuckold Template was the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, forcing him to continuously improve his power.
While his immediate life safety was guaranteed, preventing his head from turning green still required effort.
Kasumi Takamine had B-rank power, but she had no real combat experience. If she genuinely encountered danger, the chances of her being overwhelmed were high, which was why Ethan strongly insisted she resign.
Since the Blonde Guy's presence had been detected, it was naturally impossible to let her continue taking risks.
If the matter had been resolved peacefully, Ethan would have been too lazy to pursue it, counting it as luck for the Blonde Guy.
But remembering the man's incredibly sinister expression when the two kissed in front of the fat department head, and Kasumi Takamine walked away with a flourish, tossing her work badge, it was clear the matter wouldn't end here.
On the other hand, Ethan's intuition had yet to be wrong. After the two returned home, the subtle sense of annoyance not only hadn't vanished but had intensified considerably.
Clearly, their previous attempt at bait-and-switch had spread, and the Blonde Guy was already preparing to confront them.
After Kasumi Takamine resigned, she quickly began preparations for the company.
Thanks to the support of the Gremory family, the process went exceptionally smoothly, receiving the green light all the way, even though most of the employees were underage.
Sunday, eight in the morning.
The Takamine mother and daughters finished tidying up and were just about to leave for their second base of operations to continue working on the company matters.
Suddenly, the front door was pounded upon. A group of uninvited guests stood blocking the entrance to the Takamine house.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
After the initial surprise, Kasumi Takamine quickly calmed down. She was no longer a frail woman. Although the black-suited men in front looked intimidating, it was hard to say who would win in a real fight.
With Kasumi Takamine present, Sayuri and Ayame naturally kept quiet. They stood obediently behind their mother, waiting for the situation to unfold.
Facing Kasumi Takamine's question, the large men in black suits, lined up in two rows, did not reply. Instead, they slightly bowed, looking toward a black luxury car parked on the street.
The car door opened, and a young-looking, blonde-haired boy, arm-in-arm with two scantily clad girls, slowly approached the Takamine mother and daughters.
"Aunt Kasumi, long time no see."
He smiled, his eyes inappropriately surveying Kasumi Takamine, occasionally looking at the sisters behind her. A lustful expression flashed across his face.
This scene was completely witnessed by Ethan, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion. A surge of anger rose in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.
Although he wasn't adept at intricate schemes, his emotional control was excellent, thanks to the suffering he endured when he first arrived in this world.
It appeared this Blonde Guy was the real deal. However, before figuring out his background and determining if there was a mastermind behind him, Ethan decided not to act yet.
He wanted to stay still until the moment was right, and when he did move, he would completely eradicate the roots, leaving no future troubles.
Kasumi Takamine looked at the brazen young man and the two overly exposed girls beside him, their faces unnaturally flushed with lust. A trace of disgust flashed through her heart.
Despite the aversion, after a careful look, she recognized who the newcomer was.
"Akira? Is that you? What happened to you?"
"Looks like Aunt Kasumi hasn't forgotten me. After all, having received help from my family for so long, you shouldn't forget what your benefactor's son looks like."
The boy, whom Kasumi Takamine called Akira, showed a triumphant smile and reached out a hand to pull Kasumi Takamine's slender hand, but Kasumi Takamine unhesitatingly dodged him.
"Akira, why are you here?"
Kasumi Takamine frowned, taking a few steps back to increase the distance between them. She did not bother to argue with him about the events of the past years.
First, with the two billion yen given by Ethan's parents, she didn't need to work at all.
Second, even if his father had given her a job at the company, she had never been lazy and performed her duties as well as anyone.
The profits she brought to the company far outweighed her compensation; every salary was earned through her labor and was rightfully hers.
Dodged by Kasumi Takamine, the Blonde Guy didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled casually. "Nothing, I just heard that Aunt Kasumi resigned over a man, even giving up her last month's salary. I wanted to see what kind of person had such immense charm."
Hearing this, Ethan offered a meaningful smile. A very familiar plot development. Now it's my time to perform.
He adjusted his physique, reverting to his appearance before the awakening of his dual cultivation ability, then adjusted his gaze and expression, trying to match the demeanor of his old self.
Although he lacked the black-rimmed glasses, that was just an extra bonus. Most cuckold victims don't wear glasses.
Conversely, the disgusting pig-like "Bull" guys always seem to be wearing glasses...
"Sis' Kasumi, what's going on?"
Ethan slowly walked out, hiding half his body behind Kasumi Takamine, then weakly peeked out and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
Gazing at the familiar yet strange Ethan, the Takamine sisters were momentarily stunned. No one had told them about this part of the plan. Seeing Ethan suddenly revert to his former appearance was a normal reaction.
Ethan hadn't expected the Blonde Guy to show up directly at their house, so he hadn't communicated with the Takamine sisters beforehand.
Fortunately, the girls had excellent chemistry. Using Kasumi Takamine's full figure as cover, he quickly signaled a few gestures. The Takamine sisters instantly understood, and their expressions immediately reverted to their previous calm.
They didn't know what trick Ethan was playing, but they knew they just needed to cooperate.
"It's nothing, Little Ethan. Just an acquaintance."
Kasumi Takamine introduced him. "Akira, the son of my company's President. If not for my limited energy, unable to look after four children simultaneously, you two might have become brothers."
So he's that guy. He really dyed his hair blonde. Except for his face, he's completely different from the original protagonist in my memory.
But his tendency to toy with women hasn't changed.
Ethan scanned the young man, then looked at the two girls whose faces were unnaturally flushed, thinking to himself.
Ethan was quite familiar with this original protagonist. After watching the hentai anime and still feeling unsatisfied, he had looked for the source material (manga/game).
Aside from his appearance matching the cuckold victim trope, in all other aspects, he was the Blonde Guy. Even his size below the belt was on the level of the Blonde Guy archetype.
He not only enjoyed training women but also liked to treat them like dogs. He organized orgies on trains, in movie theaters, public restrooms, and shopping malls.
Even when a woman was pregnant, as soon as she was past the delicate period, he would make her put on suggestive cosplay and start having sex.
However, since there was no netorare (cuckolding) involved, the sense of immersion was decent, and Ethan remembered enjoying the story at the time.
But now, due to the Butterfly Effect, this Akira seemed to have completely embarked on the Blonde Guy's path, and he was even setting his sights on the Takamine family.
Regardless of his past, since he was the Blonde Guy, and a Blonde Guy targeting his women, Ethan had no intention of letting him off.
While Ethan analyzed and strategized, the Blonde Guy was also examining him.
"So it's you. You're the one who stole my chance to be fostered by Aunt Kasumi, and now you're competing with me for Aunt Kasumi."
Upon seeing Ethan, the Blonde Guy's face suddenly turned vicious, yet his words made Ethan speechless.
Your dad wasn't as generous as mine, is that my fault?
As for competing with him for Kasumi Takamine now, that was nonsense. If the guy hadn't shown up on their doorstep, Kasumi Takamine would probably have forgotten who he was.
The reason she could recall his name earlier wasn't because she remembered him, but because she saw the company logo on his car, thought of the President who had confessed to her, and then remembered the son.
As for both father and son being interested in the beautiful, sexy widow...
One could only say that the allure of a beautiful, sexy woman transcends age groups.
To completely eliminate future trouble, Ethan kept all his inner thoughts to himself. Following the plan, he wore an innocent expression, letting Kasumi Takamine shield him.
Seeing Ethan hiding behind a woman, the Blonde Guy looked disdainful, but his heart was consumed with intense, almost maddening jealousy.
The plot development that followed was predictable: various insults and mockery. However, to Ethan's ears, the meager vocabulary of the Japanese was utterly harmless. If not for his flawless acting, he might have burst out laughing.
After finishing his arrogant threats and realizing that Ethan did not display the expected look of fear, the Blonde Guy's face turned extremely ugly.
"You guys, go! Break one of his legs first!"
The black-suited men, lined up on both sides, bowed and immediately began to surround the four of them.
At this point, the Blonde Guy added, "Be careful not to hurt Aunt Kasumi or the two older sisters."
"Yes."