Chapter 341: Hands-On Teaching!

However, when Himekoji pushed past Yukinoshita and stood confidently in front of the claw machine, equipping the “Plush-Grabbing Master” skill—

He suddenly frowned, realizing things weren’t so simple.

[Ding!]

[Skill Equipped!]

[Plush-Grabbing Master —]

[Simply shatter the claw machine’s glass and all the plushes inside are yours for the taking! No plush is too tough for one punch! If there is, just use two!]

“……”

Himekoji’s face visibly darkened.

He stood before the machine, deep in thought, plunged into a considerable awkwardness.

Hell, what kind of nonsense is this?!

One punch, and he’d be hauled away by security immediately, right?

Was this grabbing a plush?

This was getting yourself grabbed by security!

“What’s wrong, Pervert-kun?”

Yukinoshita stood nearby, arms crossed, seeming slightly impatient.

Her desire for the panda plush, coupled with the repeated failures earlier, had stripped the girl of her usual steadiness and calm.

“Weren’t you saying how good you were?”

“Ahem…”

Himekoji covered his mouth half-heartedly with a cough.

Naturally, he was inwardly groaning—

I did think I was pretty good, before. Who knew the System would mess with me…

[Ding!]

[“Plush-Grabbing Master” Skill Upgrade Pack now on a sizzling hot sale! Only 998! Carry the plush home today!]

Hearing the System prompt, Himekoji inwardly breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he thought he’d finally been saved.

Though it was still the System’s signature forceful-salesman con-artist style, Himekoji couldn’t afford to complain right now.

After all, he’d already boasted earlier. He was on the spot now, the arrow already nocked on the bowstring. He had to shoot.

He had to show off this time!

Besides, 998 was nothing to Himekoji nowadays, with practically every mission he took starting at five thousand.

Unknowingly, as his “perverse” work proficiency kept soaring, his fees were rising rapidly too.

Just 998 to show off a little and have some fun in front of Yukinoshita? Not a bad deal!

…

[Ding!]

[Upgrade Successful!]

[Your skill has been enhanced! Go for it!]

The moment the System’s voice faded, ten thousand ways to grab plushes instantly flooded Himekoji’s mind.

His head was now filled with fancy tricks.

This time, without needing Yukinoshita to urge him, Himekoji immediately began his act.

He started with a flashy move—

The Hook Swing Method!

Honestly, this method was tricky. It tested both skill and whether the operator had enough good karma.

But these weren’t issues for Himekoji, with his cheats active.

Piece of cake!

But, of course, even the flashiest move needed the most basic step: picking the target.

First, the target plush couldn’t be too close to the glass or the chute barrier. Otherwise, during the swing, Claw-san might accidentally bump into it.

Confirming no obstacles were near the target plush, Himekoji began his fancy operation. He worked the joystick, swinging the claw left and right, making Claw-san sway widely and continuously from side to side.

Then, timing it perfectly, he pressed the drop button at just the right moment.

The claw descended while swinging wildly. Once it grabbed the plush, the swinging continued even as the claw started rising with the plush in its grip.

Himekoji watched the claw machine intently the whole time.

Then, just as the plush rose to about the right height, Himekoji suddenly let go of the button.

All the earlier maneuvers had built up to this moment.

The wildly swinging claw, releasing the plush, sent the plush flying towards the chute hole thanks to the force of its momentum.

“Ding dong!”

For the very first time, the triumphant chime signaling a successful grab played.

“That actually worked?!”

Yukinoshita, who had been completely baffled throughout, finally understood at this moment. She covered her mouth, gasping in disbelief.

“No need for shock, really. Basic technique. Just the basics.”

Facing Yukinoshita’s amazement and praise, Himekoji didn’t forget the virtue of modesty. He waved a hand nonchalantly, playing it cool.

He explained offhandedly.

“The reason you kept failing earlier? Claw-san was slacking off! He was punching out early before even moving over to the chute. That’s why you were just that tiny bit close to winning every time.”

“To avoid that trap, I pulled out my Himekoji-style Ultimate Hook Swing Technique!”

“Claw-san won’t move to the chute? No problem. Just swing the plush into the chute.”

This hands-on demonstration plus commentary, Himekoji believed, was perfect.

He glanced smugly at Yukinoshita, lifting his chin slightly. Seeing her dazed expression, sure enough, she seemed captivated by how cool he was.

‘Coach! I want to learn plush grabbing!’

He wouldn’t bat an eye even if Yukinoshita knelt before him and said that next.

Hold on… if she actually did that, he’d probably be a bit surprised…

“L-Let me try.”

But Yukinoshita wasn’t the type to give up easily. After her moment of daze, her eyes immediately burned with renewed fighting spirit.

If that Pervert Himekoji could do it, why couldn’t she?

She just needed the right method.

Exactly!

Pushing Himekoji aside from the controls, Yukinoshita stepped forward, rubbing her hands together. Her confidence flared, brimming with fighting spirit!

Result—

Well… she failed again.

Of course she did. Fancy moves like the Hook Swing? Only cheaters can manage those.

Yukinoshita had no idea she was trying to challenge a cheater.

The girl was stubbornly single-minded. She figured since Himekoji used this method to grab a plush, she should be able to as well.

So, the previous scene repeated.

Yukinoshita began feeding coin after coin into the machine, one after another.

Having saved money meticulously for his Imouto, Himekoji was naturally frugal. Watching Yukinoshita splurge like this was painful! Such a waste!

It was physically hurting him to see it.

He couldn’t help stepping in to lend a hand.

“Like this here.”

“You have to shake the joystick like this.”

“Don’t shake.”

“Steady your breathing.”

Seriously, it’s just grabbing a plush.

Why was her breathing getting uneven, too? Was she really that nervous?

Himekoji, teaching personally with hands-on guidance, couldn’t help inwardly laughing at the Yukinoshita he currently held.

Huh?

Wait!

Currenty holding?

Holy crap!

Only then did Himekoji realize his recent success had made him a bit too carried away.

Hands-on teaching?

Wasn’t this posture way too intimate?!

Himekoji was holding Yukinoshita from behind, as if embracing a warm, soft piece of jade.

The moment he realized he was actually holding her, his mind was thrown into chaos.

No wonder Yukinoshita’s breathing had suddenly become shallow! Himekoji felt that compared to her, he wasn’t doing much better! His breathing was rapid, and his heart was pounding!

Maybe the best thing would be to stealthily withdraw his hands and pretend nothing happened?

Himekoji was just about to do that very thing.

But then—

[Ding!]

[Select an option!]

[A: Keep this position and teach Yukinoshita how to grab the plush, hands-on!]

[B: Keep this position and teach Yukinoshita how babies are made, hands-on!]

……