SCIAW: Chapter 172/173

Chapter 172: “Morning Exercise”

The night was long, but for those who went to bed right after boarding the ship, it wasn't a problem.

Throughout the night, the cruise ship remained incredibly steady, making it easy to forget they were even at sea. The calm waters ensured a comfortable journey, allowing the crew to work without any additional concerns.

The passengers, too, enjoyed a peaceful rest, with nothing to disturb their sleep until dawn.

By the time morning arrived, the sky had already begun to brighten.

Perhaps due to being out at sea, the entire ocean was covered in thick fog.

Fortunately, the cruise ship had reached the designated coordinates at precisely 3:24 a.m. and had already dropped anchor. However, instead of docking directly at the island, the ship remained 1,500 meters offshore.

It wasn't a matter of choice, the waters around the island lacked any shallow areas suitable for docking. Instead, they plunged straight into the deep sea.

Looking down from the deck, there was no sign of clear blue water, only a vast, pitch-black abyss stretching endlessly below, evoking an eerie sense of despair.

With such depths, docking was impossible.

However, a certain distance away from the trench surrounding the island, there were some shallower waters where a cruise ship could safely anchor.

Everyone's rooms had large windows with a view of the sea.

Early in the morning, Amamiya Ren was already awake.

He walked over to the window, pulled back the curtains, and gazed at the world outside—completely shrouded in dense fog.

The morning mist at sea was truly thick.

The heavy moisture in the air explained the dense fog. It was even thicker than the fog in major cities, though with one key difference—urban fog was often filled with dust and pollutants, making it difficult to breathe. But out here, the sea fog was pure, composed only of water vapor.

Opening the window, Ren stepped out onto the balcony.

As expected, the air was damp but refreshingly clean. The lack of dust compared to city air was noticeable.

He narrowed his eyes, allowing his spiritual vision to activate.

Through his enhanced sight, he easily pierced through the dense fog, revealing the island hidden behind it.

The land was untouched by human development.

There were clear signs of life on the island—plenty of birds, snakes, and insects—but no large animals.

That, however, was expected.

In the distance, a still-active volcano stood tall.

It was one of the reasons why large animals were absent from the island.

With eruptions occurring once or twice a year, survival for larger creatures was incredibly difficult.

Given the scale of the volcano, each eruption likely affected the entire island.

Could large animals even endure such an environment?

The odds were slim.

Observing the island's surroundings, Ren finally understood why the deep trench existed next to it.

Structurally, the island appeared to be the result of tectonic plate collisions, forcing land upward to form a volcanic island.

In other words, what they saw above the surface was just the peak of an active volcano.

Realizing this, Ren was momentarily speechless.

It was rather astonishing that an island formed through volcanic activity would only experience two eruptions per year.

Rather than being excessive, the frequency seemed surprisingly low.

If this island was truly just the exposed peak of a massive volcano, then two eruptions a year seemed unusually restrained.

Out of curiosity, Ren took out a Maple Leaf Gold Coin and flipped it.

The coin landed heads-up.

"…Seriously?"

He covered his face, feeling exasperated.

In a way, their knack for picking locations was impressive, they had managed to choose an unexpectedly unique place yet again.

No wonder this island couldn't be sold.

It was practically a ticking time bomb.

Anyone with knowledge of geology would steer clear of it.

Only scientists studying volcanic activity might find value in such a location.

Was anyone else interested in this island?

Of course—despite its dangers, it had its uses.

After all, for them, this island served as a unique operational base.

Shaking his head, Ren turned back into his room and closed the glass door.

He left his cabin and headed toward the main hall of the cruise ship.

The other girls who had joined the trip were already there.

"Good morning, Amamiya-san."

"Good morning, Shinomiya-san."

Ren glanced around, noting the excitement on their faces.

"Looks like everyone had a good night's rest."

Seeing their enthusiasm, he made a sudden suggestion.

"If everyone's in good shape, how about a morning battle before breakfast?"

"!?"

No one had expected such an abrupt proposal.

"This will be a demonstration match and also serve as morning exercise. It won't require high intensity, but it'll give everyone a better grasp of each other's abilities."

"It'll be especially beneficial for Sonoko, Fujiwara, and Aizawa, who don't have any supernatural powers."

"Oh, and Fujiwara—bring a video recorder."

"You can film the battle however you like."

"What do you think?"

Although the idea was sudden, the group quickly became interested.

"Let's do it!"

Chika's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"That's right! This is a fantastic suggestion."

Sakuya's gaze also lit up—she was eager to witness a battle between supernatural powers firsthand.

"Ohhh!!!"

Sonoko's eyes widened in amazement. This would be her first time witnessing such a fight, and she was thrilled.

For those without powers, this was a rare and exciting opportunity.

For those who did have powers, it was an even greater motivation.

Kaguya and Nagi exchanged glances, sensing a competitive spark between them.

Neither had seen the full extent of the other's strength before, and both were curious.

"It's a great idea," Kaguya agreed.

She wanted to test her own abilities against Nagi's.

"What do you think?"

"I'm in."

Nagi didn't hesitate. For an otaku, she was surprisingly competitive.

"But… isn't there a gap in our power levels?"

Despite her enthusiasm, she was realistic. She knew she wasn't a match for Kaguya.

"That's true."

Ren didn't deny it.

"Devil Fruit users have a higher starting point in combat."

"Visions have great potential, but their initial power is naturally different from Devil Fruits."

"Plus, Shinomiya-san possesses one of the most powerful Logia Devil Fruits—giving her innate elemental abilities."

"Even without much combat experience, she already has a major advantage."

"So, we'll need to establish some additional rules."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 173: "You Can Only Get It If You Want It"

"Shinomiya has the advantage, so Sanzenin can have Maria and Saginomiya assist her."

"Huh? A three-on-one?"

Chika exclaimed in surprise. She hadn't expected Ren to propose such an extreme setup.

"Even so, Shinomiya still holds the advantage."

While a three-on-one might sound overwhelming, the gap in strength between the two sides remained clear.

Even with this arrangement, Ren still felt that Kaguya had too much of an edge.

"Sanzenin and Maria have only recently obtained their Visions. While their elemental abilities have great potential, what they need most right now is to refine their control and mastery over those powers."

"Without extensive training, Sanzenin and Maria won't be able to contribute much in a fight."

"I object!"

Sakuya raised her hand in protest.

"Isn't Shinomiya in the same situation?"

"This is the difference in starting points based on the nature of their powers."

Ren explained patiently.

"Unlike Visions, Devil Fruits grant immediate strength without requiring training. From the moment she ate the Ice-Ice Fruit, Shinomiya-san had access to powerful elemental abilities."

"Especially since she possesses a Logia-type Devil Fruit, widely considered the strongest class, specifically one that grants ice-based powers."

"The moment she ate it, Shinomiya-san gained the ability to become ice itself, rendering her immune to all physical attacks."

"In contrast, the attacks that Sanzenin and Maria can currently generate are entirely physical."

"In other words, their attacks would be practically useless against her."

"The real key player in this three-on-one match is actually Saginomiya."

Sakuya turned to look at Isumi, who stood calmly in her purple kimono, and blinked in confusion.

She couldn't quite see how Isumi would be the "main force" in this battle.

"Saginomiya possesses spiritual exorcism abilities, and that power isn't physical."

"That's why she's the central fighter in this match."

"As for Sanzenin and Maria, their main role here is to familiarize themselves with the elemental powers they've acquired."

"So, what do you think, Shinomiya-san?"

After finishing his explanation, Ren left the decision to Kaguya.

Kaguya took a moment to consider.

She trusted Amamiya's judgment.

A three-on-one might sound daunting, but she was confident she could handle it.

"I think it's fine."

"In that case, Fujiwara-san, get the video recorder. Let's head outside."

"Oh!"

Chika's excitement flared up as she immediately dashed to her room to retrieve the video camera she had prepared earlier.

Once she was ready, Ren led the way onto the ship's deck.

By now, the thick fog that had blanketed the area earlier had mostly dissipated.

As the sun rose higher, the mist had completely lifted.

From the deck, they had a clear view of the island before them.

Surrounded by the deep blue-black ocean, the island stood prominently in the distance.

Even from afar, it was evident that no signs of human habitation existed, no modern buildings, no infrastructure.

A completely untouched island.

A vast trench encircled the island, plunging deep into the abyss.

This eerie natural barrier spanned approximately 700 to 800 meters across, adding a sense of isolation to the island.

Looking down at the sea below, the depths were unfathomable.

It was as if one were gazing into an endless void.

"This place… there's an entire trench surrounding the island?"

Chika's eyes widened.

Zooming in with her camera, she confirmed the sheer scale of the trench.

The more she looked, the more uncomfortable she felt.

She stepped closer to the railing, adjusting the camera to film the abyss below.

However, as she peered into the darkness, her breathing became uneven.

"Thalassophobia?"

Ren's voice came from behind her, grounding her for a moment.

Chika took a slow, deep breath.

"Well... I did have a slight reaction."

She looked at the abyss before her, troubled.

"I've never been good with dark places."

"The trench is pitch black—no light reaches down there. Every time I look into it, I can't shake the feeling that something… unnatural could emerge from the depths."

A classic case of deep-sea phobia.

But at its core, this fear wasn't irrational.

Humans had always feared the dark, feared nature itself.

Compared to the vast, uncontrollable world around them, humans were minuscule.

When nature shifted even slightly, countless people perished simply because they couldn't adapt.

The best way to overcome such fear was to face it head-on.

Or—replace it with a stronger emotion.

Excitement.

Ren didn't say anything further. Instead, he turned to look at Kaguya.

"Shinomiya-san, let's go."

Kaguya glanced at Chika, who still looked uneasy, and sighed.

Then, without hesitation, she stepped toward the guardrail.

With a light push, she vaulted over it.

"!?"

Chika's scalp tingled.

A loud thud echoed.

Panicked, she rushed to the railing and looked down.

What she saw made her breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hah…"

Below, Kaguya stood calmly atop a floating platform of ice.

"She's… changed so much."

For the first time, Chika truly realized how different Kaguya had become.

"Ever since she ate the Ice-Ice Fruit, she's taken a completely different path."

"The deep sea that you fear…"

"…is something she can now conquer."

On the water, Kaguya adjusted her stance.

With every step she took, an ice platform formed beneath her feet, allowing her to walk effortlessly across the sea.

This was the power of her Devil Fruit.

"So, Fujiwara-san… what about you?"

"I…"

Fujiwara Chika bit her lip, watching Kaguya walk across the water.

A quiet sense of envy stirred within her.

"I… I don't have that kind of power."

That was exactly what Ren had been waiting to hear.

Desire.

The qualification to obtain power began with wanting it.

Without it, there was no path forward.

Ren silently stepped behind Chika.

"Tell me, Fujiwara-san…"

(To be continued.)