SCIAW: Chapter 174/175

Chapter 174: Guiding Fujiwara

Chika was suddenly lifted into the air by an invisible force.

"Eh?"

At first, she didn't react. But when a sudden burst of warmth and humidity reached her senses, she realized something was wrong.

The sensation of being held vanished, and she found herself in an unimaginable place.

Looking down—

The abyss of her nightmares stretched beneath her.

She was standing on the ocean.

"!?"

Her body tensed, trembling uncontrollably. The shaking was accompanied by an inexplicable warmth spreading down her legs.

Chika froze, her entire body stiff.

Especially when she realized that she had been released and was no longer held in place, her muscles locked up even further.

But more than fear.

A crushing sense of shame threatened to overwhelm her.

She knew it.

If Ren and Kaguya ever found out that she had wet herself out of fear, she would never be able to show her face again.

No matter what, she could not let them find out.

Luckily, she was wearing a skirt today instead of warm leggings. It shouldn't be too obvious… right?

"Fujiwara-san," Ren's voice called out from a hundred meters ahead, standing casually on the water.

"Now, do you have the courage to move forward?"

"I…"

The terror surged again, paralyzing her limbs. Chika's body trembled violently.

But this time—

Ren didn't use the vast, crushing depths of the trench to instill fear in her.

Instead, he delivered something even more terrifying.

"You… didn't just pee yourself, did you?"

"!?"

In an instant, all her fear was buried beneath sheer, soul-crushing shame.

Her head shot up, eyes wide with disbelief.

Across the water, Ren stood calmly, watching her.

At this moment, she no longer cared about the dark abyss beneath her feet.

Her private embarrassment had been exposed—her dignity was on the line.

Step.

She took her first step forward.

Then the second.

Then—

She sprinted.

Her body wobbled as she ran, fueled entirely by panic.

Right now, Chika couldn't afford to dwell on her fear of the deep ocean.

She had far more pressing matters to worry about.

Like making sure Ren didn't tell anyone.

It took her just ten seconds to cross a hundred meters, while wearing a skirt and small leather shoes.

"Haa… haa…"

Panting heavily, Fujiwara Chika felt like her lungs were on fire.

But even then.

Her tear-filled eyes glared at Ren as she grabbed the front of his shirt in a desperate grip.

"Don't say it!"

The overwhelming shame was too much to bear.

But Ren only chuckled.

"You're too controlled by fear."

"Now… check for yourself—did you actually wet yourself?"

Chika's mind blanked for a second.

Then, she focused her senses, shifting her attention downward.

And—

She felt nothing.

No warmth.

No dampness.

Nothing at all.

"…W-What?"

Her brain short-circuited.

"What's going on?"

"Your senses deceived you."

"And that deception—"

"—was caused by my ability."

"When your ability to think independently weakens, your emotions become much easier to manipulate."

"By distorting your senses just slightly, I made you think you felt something embarrassing."

"And that overwhelming shame was enough to suppress your fear."

Chika trembled, then raised a small, trembling fist and lightly hit Ren's chest.

"Y-You scared me to death…"

For a second there, she had truly thought her life was over.

If it had been real, she probably would have jumped into the ocean out of sheer embarrassment.

But it wasn't real.

She had been tricked.

Ren, meanwhile, simply pointed downward.

"Now, do you still feel as scared as before?"

Chika hesitated—

Then looked down.

The sea below was still an endless, inky abyss.

The darkness stretched far beneath her feet, completely unfathomable.

Yet—

Though the fear still existed, it no longer controlled her.

It no longer threatened to paralyze her completely.

"…Much better."

She took a slow breath, calming her racing heart.

She had grown.

Even if it was through some… questionable means.

"Fujiwara-san," Ren spoke again, his voice even.

"You're afraid of the unknown, things lurking in the darkness that you can't understand or control."

"That trench beneath you is a place where light never reaches."

"The more imaginative a person is, the harder it is to suppress that fear."

"But—"

"What if you had enough power?"

"For example—Shinomiya-san's power."

Chika followed his gaze.

Kaguya stood calmly on the sea, completely unshaken.

The water beneath her feet had frozen over, spreading outward in all directions.

If she weren't deliberately controlling the spread of ice, the entire cruise ship would have been frozen solid by now.

Chika felt the cold even from a distance.

"Hiss—"

A shiver ran down her spine.

Looking at the vast, frozen surface beneath Kaguya's feet, she finally understood something.

Strength was everything.

"If I had power like that…"

"…Then I wouldn't be afraid anymore."

She was sure of it.

If she possessed strength like Kaguya's, she wouldn't feel so helpless.

"So," Ren said with a small smile.

"This is why so many people have… chuunibyou tendencies."

"The desire for power is simply an acknowledgment of one's own weakness."

"And an understanding of one's limitations."

"Power itself is a form of courage."

"It's the same as how money is often a man's source of confidence—"

"—because with money, men feel bolder, more capable of taking action."

"Power works the same way."

"It gives people the courage to face the impossible."

Chika's breath evened out.

Slowly.

She realized how much her mindset had changed.

"So, Fujiwara-san."

"I hope you remember this feeling."

"Power is the key to unlocking your own heart."

"But—"

"Don't just envy others. Desire it."

"Shinomiya-san's abilities aren't suited for you."

"But with that desire, you'll eventually obtain the power that you need."

Chika clenched her fists, exhaling softly.

For the first time.

She had a clear goal.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 175: One-Sided "Morning Exercise"

Chika, now much calmer, decided to put everything behind her.

"Amamiya, next time you want to explain something to me, just say it directly."

She was confident in her ability to understand things.

There was no need for such… extreme hands-on teaching.

"Alright, next time, I'll explain it with words," Ren replied.

Talking was easy, after all.

Chika nodded, then suddenly froze.

"Wait… then why did you use practical teaching just now?"

"Some things can't be explained properly with words alone. It's more effective to experience them firsthand."

"…I see."

Chika finally understood.

From what she had learned about Amamiya, he wasn't someone who socialized much.

In a school where people only addressed each other as "classmates" out of habit, it was understandable that he wasn't great with words.

"Ugh~ Does that mean there'll be more 'practical lessons' like this in the future?"

Just imagining it made her head ache.

She let out a sigh, then looked down at her feet.

Her small leather shoes gently tapped the surface of the water.

For the first time, she noticed that there was something solid beneath her.

"…What is this?"

"Just a simple magic trick."

"Huh?"

Magic? On the ocean?

Chika had heard of water-walking magic tricks before, but those were usually performed in pools.

Who in their right mind would perform such a trick on the open sea?

"Let's go, Fujiwara-san."

"Shinomiya-san is ready."

At Ren's words, Chika finally turned her attention to Kaguya.

The frozen area beneath Kaguya's feet had expanded significantly.

The sea itself had turned into her battlefield.

"Kaguya… why are you so fired up?"

Chika didn't quite understand why Kaguya seemed so excited right now.

Ren placed a hand on Chika's shoulder.

A small flicker of fire appeared.

And in the next instant, they were back at the cruise ship's railing.

"Shinomiya-san, it's time to begin."

"…"

Standing on the frozen sea, Kaguya took a deep breath and gave a small nod.

If she didn't know that Ren wasn't trying to make her mad, she might have thought he was doing it on purpose.

Inhale~ Exhale~

Her unstable emotions unconsciously intensified the chill in the air.

"Sizzle!"

The frozen surface beneath her expanded even further.

There was no mistaking it, Kaguya's resentment had grown heavier.

At that moment, Nagi, Maria, and Isumi descended from the cruise ship.

A faint green wind surrounded the three of them, slowing their fall.

"Guard!"

Maria's elemental power activated, and crystalline rocks floated around their bodies like protective armor.

Clearly, they understood that their own abilities weren't enough for a direct fight, so they were focusing on defense.

Kaguya turned her attention to Isumi.

According to Ren, she was the main force of this battle.

Then there was no need to hold back.

An ice flower with razor-sharp spikes bloomed beneath her feet.

Exploding outwards in an instant.

Isumi swiftly leaped backward to evade, but—

"Bang!"

Nagi and Maria weren't so lucky.

The two of them were forced back, their protective crystal armor dimming considerably.

"You're really going all out, huh?!"

Nagi couldn't help but complain.

"Is she just taking out her anger on us?"

"Nagi, don't say that," Maria sighed.

It was obvious that Kaguya was irritated.

And the reason was Ren.

After all, he had just been interacting with Chika the entire time.

Right in front of Kaguya.

Anyone could see what was going on.

Well—

Maybe only the two people involved didn't notice.

Maria narrowed her eyes at Kaguya.

"The frozen sea is Shinomiya-san's domain. Watch out for ice spikes rising from the ground."

Just as she said that.

Kaguya conjured an ice bow.

"Nagi, dodge!"

Maria's expression changed as she saw Kaguya's next move.

She quickly condensed a rock spear from her elemental power.

"Bang!"

Ice and rock clashed, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

The moment Isumi landed, countless talismans shot out from her kimono sleeves.

"Boom!!!!"

The talismans detonated as soon as they neared their target.

A massive crater exploded across the frozen battlefield.

And—

Among the shattered ice shards—

Kaguya's body lay in pieces.

"!?!"

Even Isumi was momentarily stunned.

But—

Something felt off.

Kaguya's physical state wasn't right.

Elementalization made her immune to physical attacks.

The technique Isumi had used was more of a test than a lethal strike.

It shouldn't have had such an effect.

Suddenly—

A hand shot out from beneath the ice.

It latched onto Isumi's ankle, tight.

She stumbled.

Looking up—

An ice spear rose from below, aiming straight for her.

Without hesitation, Isumi pulled out a talisman and constructed a barrier to block the attack.

"Ding ding!"

The ice spear clashed against the barrier, momentarily stopping.

But—

"Crack! Crack!"

The barrier began to fracture under the relentless assault.

It wouldn't last long.

The attacks were coming too fast.

Just as Isumi was about to figure out an escape plan.

Another hand emerged from the ice.

This one aimed straight for her chest.

A cold white glow radiated from it.

Shit—!

Instinctively, she raised both hands and poured spiritual energy into them.

"Bang!"

A sudden shockwave blasted her backward.

She barely stabilized herself in midair, regaining her footing.

Looking back.

Even the barrier itself had been completely frozen.

"This cold… it's insane."

For the first time.

She was overwhelmed.

Her hands had turned purple from frostbite.

The sleeves of her kimono were completely frozen stiff.

"Ha!"

From above—

Nagi, still airborne, gathered a massive amount of elemental energy into a blade.

Swinging downward, she slashed at the frozen battlefield.

The wind sword cut clean through the floating ice.

But—

Before the severed ice chunks could even drift apart.

They were already re-frozen.

"This is ridiculous…"

Still hovering in midair, Nagi let out a frustrated sigh.

The frozen sea was simply too advantageous for Kaguya.

As long as she had enough cold energy, the battlefield would remain completely under her control.

(To be continued.)

***
Junkdog's Note: Kaguya Blitzing hahaha