Chapter 23 Heavenly Feathers (*)

Number One suddenly felt like he had been tricked. He didn't think it was necessary to ask about her Soul Art but it seemed to be a mistake.

"I thought you need a partner to train your battle skills," Number One pointed out but Nami didn't wait for his answer. She has already sat down with her legs spread and closed her eyes.

"Come closer and place your hand here," Nami instructed while rubbing her lower belly. "I will need you to pour your Soul Energy into me which will connect us. It is a one-time thing and not painful at all, so you don't need to worry too much."

Number One was still reserved but he eventually approached while placing his hand on Nami's smooth belly. It didn't really matter what she asked him to do as long as he didn't need to expose his secrets. The contribution points he received would help him greatly in the future.

"Mhmm, good boy," Nami praised and shifted even closer. She coiled her soft breasts around Number One's arm and hugged it tightly which eliminated any chance of escaping.

"What now?" Number One questioned as he was still focused on the job but Nami only smiled comfortably.

"Relax and let me focus," Nami informed softly and leaned her weight on Number One's body. "It will help if you can hold and treat me as if I was your girlfriend. The main reason why our bodies need to be compatible is for my attraction. If I am not relaxed and comfortable in your arms, my Soul Art won't activate."

Number One didn't really know how to treat a girlfriend but he acted on instinct and slowly embraced Nami with his right arm. He brushed her long hair onto one side and gave a gentle massage to her shoulders. Her body visually relaxed so he moved onto her neck and repeated the circular motions.

"Mhmm…" Nami moaned constantly and behaved more suspiciously as time went on. She grew visually restless with her breathing getting louder and body grinding against his own.

Number One noticed his fingers slide deeper inside her panties each time which made him think he was being lied to. He was about to warn her when he suddenly spotted a noticeable difference to her skin. It was glowing all around her back and the glow spread across her body.

"Ahhh… I need more…" Nami battled her moans to speak amid her transformation. "Touch me lower… I need more stimulation…"

Number One finally believed her fully and turned serious. It was clear she needed to be aroused so he slid his hand down her back and grasped her bottom for the first time. Nami instantly reacted with cries of joy and jolted up on her knees.

​ "Whoa…" Number One wasn't prepared to experience such wetness when his left hand pierced right into her panties. Nami was basically soaked and she trembled as soon as she felt his touch.

"Just a bit more… Please…" Nami pleaded as she leaned forward with their foreheads bumping together. She was clearly offering her lips to him and Number One stopped resisting his inner desires.

Number One smacked Nami's butt and immediately mashed his lips against hers to stop her cries. He kissed her rapidly with starved energy and Nami pushed forward with a similar hunger. Their mouths pried open in mutual understanding and his tongue pushed past her teeth to the moist space within.

Mhmm!

Nami was surprised by Number One's aggressiveness but she accepted it fully with her own attack targeting another area. She grasped his fingers and rubbed them between her legs with raw passion. He eventually began copying her movements and stimulated her on his own.

"Ahh, it's coming!" Nami announced with an ecstatic cry and her eyes snapped open. "Do it now! Pour your Soul Energy into me!"

Number One followed her sudden order and his palm lit up with white light. He couldn't see her belly clearly but as her body sucked his Soul Energy, a small black tattoo appeared on her glowing skin. It slowly expanded and formed into a single feather that wrapped around her waist.

Nami wasn't satisfied with just one feather and continued to absorb until a second feather showed on the opposite side. He drained his Soul Energy until the feather was fully formed and hugged his arm excitedly.

"Don't move, it's your turn now," Nami informed softly and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sorry for lying… It will only hurt for a moment."

Number One raised his eyebrows just before he felt the worst burn of his life. He tried to jerk his hand away but Nami held him with all her strength and poured her own Soul Energy into him. A black light covered his arm and soon burned a mark of two feathers on the top of his hand.

"Ugh…" Number One couldn't help but grunt as his whole body trembled and he gripped her bottom uncontrollably. Nami didn't mind and let him vent his frustration until the tattoo was fully formed.

The pain vanished without trace soon after and Nami breathed deeply relief as she looked down to inspect their tattoos. "Amazing… I didn't think you would actually be this strong. We managed to create two Heavenly Feathers which means you are actually a Soul King, not a Soul Grandmaster."

Number One was mad at himself for not questioning her properly beforehand but that anger disappeared as soon as he lifted his arm and clenched his fist. His left hand felt so much more powerful and he couldn't pinpoint why. "Tell me everything. What did you do to my hand?"

Nami pursed her lips at his obvious interest and pulled away. "Lay down first. I will massage your hand as it must be sore."

Number One couldn't tell her his regeneration has already taken care of everything so he complied. He could have expected that Nami's plan was mainly trying to sit on top of him while her massage was just an excuse.

"What you are feeling is the power of the Heavenly Feathers. It is a special ability of the females within our family that allows us to dual-cultivate with a partner," Nami revealed as she rubbed his palm. "You might think it is a blessing but it is actually a curse. It makes it extremely hard for us to cultivate on our own and we are forced to find a partner that can help us."

Nami sent him a loving gaze and kissed his hand. "Even though I have a Black Soul Talent, I was only able to reach the rank of a Soul Adept. I was stuck with my progress so I desperately needed a partner to continue improving. I was finally able to break the curse and increased the capacity of my Soul. I'm now a Soul King thanks to you."

"It is the first time I ever heard about this…" Number One commented speechlessly. "Does it mean you basically stole my progress?"

Nami immediately shook her head. "It's not stealing if you don't lose anything. You are actually benefiting from the deal by receiving the Heavenly Feathers. They represent our connection and allow you to copy my Soul Arts, one for each feather. Once we improve further, we can create even more feathers."

Number One's eyes brightened at that fact but he didn't let himself get carried away. Even though that would solve some of his problems, he knew the exchange was too good to be true. "What are the disadvantages then? If that was all, you would have countless stronger experts lining up to be your partner. You wouldn't need to come here to search for one."

Nami paused and suddenly released his hand. "I can tell you if you promise not to be mad."

That alone was enough to alert Number One and he lifted himself abruptly. He caught her wrists and pushed her against the bed with her arms pinned. "Tell me now."