After selecting the top 100 pairs, the host announced:
"Next, we will choose the top 10 and announce the grand winner. But for now, please line up and register your schools at the registration desk.
All participants will receive free hotel accommodation and meals during the contest. The first three days are free for teachers and students to enjoy this beautiful location."
Sakura, Ms. Yumi, along with Kenji and Raisa, queued up and registered. After a short wait, they were assigned two hotel rooms.
Originally, Raisa wanted to sleep in the same room with her mother, Sakura, and Ms. Yumi. But Sakura refused and jokingly "sold her off" to share a room with Kenji, saying:
"You're only 10 years old anyway, what's the problem?"
So here they were—Raisa sulking in the same room with Kenji, sitting by the bed, scratching her head even though it wasn't itchy.
"It's okay, I can sleep on the floor," Kenji said casually.
Raisa was surprised, then felt a bit guilty.
"Don't… What if it affects your performance in the contest? We'd both lose."
"Alright then, let's sleep," Kenji said, and immediately dove under the blanket Raisa was using.
Raisa was stunned.
"That fast?! At least pretend to hesitate a little!"
"Well, I really don't want to sleep on the floor either. What if I get sick and can't perform?"
"Ah… You've got a point."
"By the way, have you decided what kind of video we'll make for the contest?"
"Hmm, how about we film something at the beach tomorrow, while playing around?"
"Sounds good."
Their room was close to the beach, and the weather in this region was much colder than usual. Even with thick blankets, the chill still seeped in.
Without realizing it, Raisa reached out and held Kenji's hand, gripping it tightly.
"Are you cold?" Kenji asked, shivering, his teeth slightly chattering.
"Yeah… Is the AC too cold? Or is it snow season? I even saw snow out the window," Raisa replied.
"Hmm, just holding hands still feels too cold," Kenji muttered.
"Then… what do you want?" Raisa asked nervously.
"How about we cuddle? So we don't get sick tomorrow," Kenji suggested.
Raisa, though hesitant and cold, realized Kenji had a point. If they stayed cold like this, they might really get sick. Reluctantly, she nodded. The two of them fell asleep in each other's arms, huddling together under the thick blanket.
Outside the room, Sakura, in her vassel form with long white hair and blue eyes—an elegant woman who could control temperature—nodded at Ms. Yumi.
"I didn't expect you to mess with your daughter like this," Ms. Yumi said with a half-smile.
"Well, I'm good friends with Kenji's mom, and we both… hope their relationship will grow," Sakura replied calmly.
---
The next morning, the weather was bright and sunny. Kenji and Raisa were already at the beach, wearing their swimsuits. Sakura helped Raisa put on a float ring.
"Kenji, didn't it snow last night?" Raisa asked, puzzled.
"I don't know… We traveled at the speed of light. The climate here might just be different."
"Ah, yeah… You're probably right. So, what kind of video should we make?"
"How about we do a transformation video? We change forms twice in one clip."
"Nice! Let's do it."
---
Kenji's video came first. He stood with the beautiful beach as a background, wearing a swimsuit.
First, he transformed into Hercules, showing off his toned muscles, then summoned his Lion Aura skill. A majestic shadow of a lion appeared behind him, posing alongside him in a powerful stance.
After a short pause, he transformed into Thor, proudly holding up his lightning-wrapped hammer. With a small motion, he cast the lightning into the sky—only for it to transform into a shower of glowing flowers.
Raisa helped him edit the video with effects and transitions. Once Kenji approved it, they promised to upload both videos at the same time.
---
Now it was Raisa's turn. Wearing her swimsuit, she transformed into Miranda, who also appeared in stylish swimwear. Miranda displayed her AK-203 weapon skill and activated mini-nuclear drones, though she didn't fire them, of course.
After a brief pause, she transformed into Ranita, wearing a more alluring swimsuit. She summoned two zombies—Poison Zombie and Bone Zombie. Though they were undead, their bodies remained intact and beautiful, resembling humans except for their glowing brains, the only "hot" parts of their cold bodies.
The two zombies acted as Ranita's personal attendants: giving her massages, applying sunscreen, and serving her fresh fruit juice as she relaxed under the sunlight.
After finishing the edits, they uploaded their videos at the same time.
"How about we set a deadline?" Kenji suggested.
"Hmm… what if we go with 24 hours? So, by tomorrow morning?" Raisa replied while thinking.
She recalled how just yesterday, her previous video had already received lots of donations and gifts within 24 hours. She was confident she could win again. In fact, she had already started planning what request she would make if she became the winner.
After that, they decided to play and enjoy the beach, which looked stunning with its sparkling white sand.
The sun was shining brightly, gentle waves lapped against the shore, and the laughter of Kenji and Raisa filled the air.
"Kenji! Watch out!" Raisa shouted as she threw a water balloon at Kenji.
Splash! The balloon exploded right on his head. Kenji's once neat hair was now messy and soaking wet.
"Ow! That's cheating!" Kenji shouted as he chased Raisa, who ran off toward the sea while giggling uncontrollably.
They splashed water at each other, laughing as the tiny waves tickled their feet. Occasionally, Kenji slipped on the wet sand, and Raisa laughed so hard she fell too.
Soon after, they built a sandcastle together, though the result looked more like a stack of donuts than a real castle. Kenji stuck a wooden stick on top and said, "This is the defense tower!"
"Why is the tower crooked? That's not defense—it looks like melting ice cream!" Raisa replied, making both of them laugh until their stomachs hurt.
Then, they tried riding a banana boat pulled by a vassel with transformation skills that took the form of a giant dolphin. As the banana boat made a sharp turn, Raisa nearly flew off and clung tightly to Kenji, making his face turn red like a boiled crab.
After playing, they sat under a beach umbrella while eating ice cream. Kenji took a big bite too fast and immediately clutched his head.
"Brain freeze! Brain freeze!!" he yelled.
"Haha! You're like a hero defeated by ice cream!" Raisa said, holding back her laughter.
After a full day of playing at the beach, Kenji and Raisa returned to their hotel room. Still feeling a bit sticky from the sea and sun, they flopped down on the bed and pulled out their phones to check their VWorldVassel accounts.
Raisa opened the video she had just uploaded and stared at the donation numbers.
"Huh? Only three thousand?" she muttered, confused.
She glanced over at Kenji. "Kenji, how much did you get?"
Kenji, casually munching on some chips while lying back, replied without much thought, "Around... one million five hundred thousand, I think?"
Raisa froze. "WHAT?!"
She instantly grabbed Kenji's phone out of his hands. Kenji jumped in panic, trying to take it back.
"Hey! Hey! That's private!"
But it was too late.
Raisa stared at the video's caption, eyes wide.
"I made a challenge with @ohmygoddess. If I get more donations, I get to make one request! Feel free to suggest requests too, everyone!"
Raisa let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the bed. "If you ask for something weird, I swear... I'm calling my mom."
Kenji grinned. "Who said I'd make the request? I told the followers they could suggest too..."
Raisa sat up, eyes wide. "NOOOOOO!!!"
@RiceAddictVibes:
"Make Raisa cosplay as an anime maid and feed Kenji in public while saying, 'Master, don't be naughty~'"
@RamenOverdose:
"Kenji must carry Raisa bridal-style while she screams, 'I'm embarrassed but I like it!'"
@MrNoFocus:
"Ask Raisa and Kenji to do a dance challenge wearing sexy couple outfits during their transformation sequence!"
@CuriousInnocence:
"Raisa has to be Kenji's live alarm clock for a whole week! Wake him up every morning singing a love song while dancing!"
@LegalLoliUwU:
"The request is: Raisa must call Kenji 'My beloved husband' non-stop for 24 hours—even in front of their teachers—with cameras rolling!"
@SplitSideMadness:
"Raisa must take her zombie maids and do a girl idol cosplay group. Only she sings while the zombies do seductive dances!"
@WeirdCommentKing:
"Request: Raisa has to carry Kenji bridal-style while shouting, 'I will protect you, my fragile little man!'"
@LimitlessDelusion:
"Dare! Raisa must pretend to be Kenji's wife for one full day—make his lunch, call him 'honey,' and throw a slipper if he complains!"
@PhilosophicalPervert:
"Raisa must wear a duct tape bikini and call Kenji 'Big Lord' while bowing three times every time she sees him!"
@DarkRoomFan69:
"Please make them do a slow-motion soap opera kiss scene—but have something super random ruin it at the end!"
@AlwaysWrongZoom:
"Request: Raisa has to apply sunscreen to Kenji using only her cheeks, not hands. Slow-mo please, with heavy breathing in the background."
@ObedientSimp42:
"Raisa must be a maid for 24 hours—but like a dominatrix version, whip and all. Kenji has to respond with 'Yes, Mistress!' to every command!"
@TwistAddict3000:
"They must roleplay as a couple but 'accidentally' get locked in a bathroom for two hours. Don't turn the camera off!"
@WaifuKnight666:
"Tell Raisa to cosplay as Kenji's favorite character—but she 'accidentally' forgets half the outfit."
Upon reading the netizens' outrageous and embarrassing requests, Raisa couldn't hold back her reaction. Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she bit her lip, shooting Kenji a look so intense, it was as if she wanted to devour him whole right then and there.
The air grew heavy between them. Kenji shifted nervously, feeling her gaze pierce right through him.