The punishment was meant to be hard on purpose.
Lucian and Glacielle got ready, standing face to face with only a few inches between them. Every push-up brought their faces close to each other.
They both blushed a lot the whole time.
Marshal watched with crossed arms. "FASTER! THOSE ARE THE SLOWEST PUSH-UPS I'VE EVER SEEN!"
"Oh wait, I know why! YOU'RE DISTRACTED!"
Now she was laughing out loud.
They accidentally kissed in the middle of push-up number fifty.
Both of them stopped moving.
"THAT DOESN'T COUNT AS A REP!" Marshal shouted gleefully. "START OVER FROM ZERO!"
In unison, they all groaned, "NOOOOO!"
After many false starts, they finally finished one hundred and fifty push-ups. Both collapsed on the ground, panting and sweating.
Marshal stood over them victoriously. "Good. Now you're properly warmed up for actual training."
"Time for the REAL exercises to begin."
Both warriors shouted, "WHAT?!" in shock.
It was clear that Marshal was enjoying himself. Even though the beginning was embarrassing, the actual training session turned out to be very helpful.
Lucian fought Glacielle, but everything felt different this time. Every move was more careful, and every strike was pulled back a little to avoid hurting her.
Marshal saw right away and stopped them in the middle of their conversation.
"You're both holding back," she said critically. "That's actually WORSE than before your relationship developed."
She stepped between them. "Love doesn't mean coddling your partner. It means TRUSTING them to handle themselves in combat."
"If you love her, RESPECT her strength instead of treating her like porcelain."
"If you love him, DON'T make him worry by acting fragile when you're clearly not."
The lesson hit home. They adjusted their approach and fought seriously, treating each other as equals. Paradoxically, their combat coordination actually improved dramatically.
They moved in perfect sync, knowing what the other would do without thinking about it. The Lovers' Resonance ability turned on by itself without any effort on their part.
Marshal watched with a sense of grudging approval. "That's a lot better!"
"Your bond makes you stronger, but only if you use it the right way and don't let your feelings get in the way of your plans."
Lucian attempted synchronization with Glacielle at their new 6.0 Hearts bond level. The difference was astronomical.
One hundred percent efficiency and perfect synchronization. No stress, no pain, and no trouble keeping the connection.
It was like her power had always been his. All stats were shared, all abilities were copied, and he could feel her heart beating, sense how she felt, and almost hear what she was thinking.
"Whoa," he said. "This is fucking amazing."
Glacielle smiled and put her hand over her heart. "I feel you too, Master..."
"Not just physically through the connection, but on a deeper level! I can feel your heartbeat matching mine, your thoughts, your feelings, everything."
The soul bond was completely confirmed.
...
That evening around the campfire, Marshal brought up the topic everyone had been thinking about.
"So, about that third summon the system granted you," she began seriously. "We need to discuss strategy and party composition."
She used her tactical instructor voice. "Right now, I'm the main DPS and the leader's backup."
"Ice girl uses area ice magic to deal damage and control crowds."
"You, Master, are learning how to be a DPS and are in charge of tactics."
There was a long pause from Marshal. "What we really need is a tank that can take damage on purpose or a healer to keep us alive."
"Right now, we're basically a glass cannon party: we do a lot of damage but are easy to kill."
Glacielle nodded in agreement. "Marshal's assessment is right."
"The boss fights yesterday were very close calls, and if Lucian hadn't taken damage meant for me during that one phase, I might have fallen."
"We need someone who can protect the party and draw enemy fire while we attack from safe places."
Lucian thought about Corvus, who was still out there making plans for his next move. The next fight would definitely be a lot harder, especially without a strong frontline presence to absorb damage and shield them from enemy attacks.
"I agree... we REALLY need a real tank." He decided, "Someone who can hold the line of defense while we attack from behind their protection."
Even though we're outmatched, at least that tank could withstand the beating for us all.
"What a good way of thinking there, Master." Marshal patted his head. "You're going to treat the next bikini warrior as a meat shield?"
"What?! No!" Lucian shook his head. "I'm not THAT evil!"
Both of them laughed, and then the choice was made.
As night fell and the stars came out, the moment felt almost holy. Lucian was careful with the Emergency Summon Orb.
This one had a different energy that pulsed through it, with gold and deep ocean blue mixing together. "It looks different...?"
Glacielle nodded. "Yeah, I notice it as well..."
He shut his eyes and concentrated on what he wanted. "I need a warrior who can protect us."
"Someone who can take hits meant for others... a guardian, a shield, an unbreakable wall..."
"Someone who won't fall no matter what hits them..."
With all his strength, he threw the orb into the sky.
[Processing Master's desire and intent...]
[Analyzing current party composition...]
[Optimal warrior type selected...]
[Summoning: SSS-Rank Bikini Warrior]
[Classification: TANK - Defensive Specialist]
[Element: WATER - Adaptive and Resilient]
[WARNING: This warrior has unique personality traits]
[Recommendation: Prepare for cultural adjustment]
'What...? Unique personality traits...?'
The sky ripped open, but in a way that was very different from before. Not the blue ice of Glacielle or the golden fire of Marshal.
This portal was deep ocean blue with hints of aquamarine, like looking into the depths of a clear sea. They could hear the water rushing and the waves crashing, and the air smelled like sea salt.
A person came down through the portal with graceful, controlled precision. She fell into a pool of summoned water that appeared below her, and it splashed out dramatically before she rose from the depths.
The woman who came out was clearly taller than Glacielle, probably five feet eleven inches. She had a grown-up, curvy body that gave off the energy of a full-grown woman instead of a teenage anime girl.
It was a deep and rich ocean blue. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail that fell to the middle of her back.
Even when it was wet and dripping, it sparkled beautifully and looked like it was moving like water.
Her eyes shared the same deep ocean blue hue as her hair. Their eyes were half-closed in a knowing way that made it look like they had seen everything and found most of it funny.
Those eyes showed that the person was wise and mature.
Her face was beautiful, but it was more mature than adorable. She had elegant features, a confident smirk that looked like it was always there, and a beauty mark under her left eye.
It looked like she was in her late twenties or early thirties.
Her body was fit but very curvy. Her body boasts well-defined muscles and feminine curves.
Her body boasts a large chest that fulfills the requirements of an SSS-rank bikini, wide hips, and robust legs. This was a tank build that came to life, strong, long-lasting, and scary.
'Holy shit...! IS THIS GOING TO BE MY FIRST MILF PULL!? I CAN SENSE IT FROM THE AURA!'
'But wait... Marshal is my first MILF, but she's scary... and this one... looks so motherly!'
Her bikini armor was in line with the water element theme. The water patterns on the surface were always moving, and the color was a deep blue with silver accents.
It looked like a liquid but felt like a solid when you touched it. Like all armor required by the system, it covered about 20% of her body.
The design was fancy and expensive-looking, and there was a belt with different pouches on it.
Her tank's weapon was strange. A long whip made of condensed water that was about fifteen feet long when fully extended.
It was coiled around her hip and glowed a faint blue. It could apparently change shape between being rigid and being fluid.
She walked toward them with her hips swaying naturally, showing that she was confident and grown up.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Her voice was slow and grown-up, full of sophisticated humor. "A young Master who finally called me?"
"Fufufu, you made me wait a long time, my love."
She gave off instant ara ara energy.
Lucian's mouth dropped open. This energy was nothing like Glacielle's or Marshal's, and in fact was a very mature woman's aura that made him feel very young and inexperienced.
"Uhm, h-hi?" he said weakly, his brain short-circuiting.
She paused directly before him, examining him with a curious gaze. "My, oh my..."
"Wow, what a cute Master you are," she said as she lifted his chin with one finger. "Still young and growing, but I can work with this."
The teasing energy of the older woman was too much.
She stepped back and did a beautiful curtsy. "Octavia Tentakryl, SSS-Rank Bikini Warrior."
"Tank class, water element specialist. In my last life, I was the guardian of the Abyssal Depths, where I protected underwater kingdoms for centuries."
She gave a wink. "Nice to meet you..."
"...my dear Master."