SCIAW: Chapter 136/137

Chapter 136: Grandpa, Chika Loves You the Most~

"Grandpa, the reason I'm bringing this up is because of something Amamiya mentioned—human nature."

The old man's eyes lit up. Did he use his power to spark a discussion on human nature?

"People who gain power need to be the most mindful of human nature."

"The drug dealers on Tsukikage Island completely trampled on human decency. They were both dealers and addicts, consumed by drugs to the point of losing their humanity. That's why they could commit such inhumane acts without hesitation."

"Amamiya asked Kaguya if she had considered using her power to solve her problems after gaining it."

"And Kaguya's answer was yes."

The old man nodded slightly.

It was only natural.

Any caged canary, once given the strength to shatter its prison, would naturally consider overturning not just the cage, but everything holding it captive.

Shinomiya Kaguya had always been confined in such a cage.

But Kaguya was not a canary, she was a person, with her own will and the desire to control her destiny.

Who wouldn't want to flip the table if given the chance?

The only reason one wouldn't was if they lacked the ability to do so.

And Kaguya clearly had the ability.

"But human nature is like a bottom line, once crossed, it only gets easier to break it again."

The old man nodded again.

Whoever said this must have seen the darkest sides of human nature.

This was indeed a necessary lesson, especially for someone who had just gained the power to upend everything.

However, this particular lesson took an extreme view of human nature.

Drug dealers were people who had already lost their humanity and moral limits. For a group of sixteen- and seventeen-year-old girls to witness that level of brutality firsthand was definitely too much.

Now he understood why the boy hadn't wanted Chika and the others to see it.

Perhaps Amamiya hadn't intended for them to witness the very bottom of human nature, but rather to understand how people reach that point, how morality and boundaries are eroded step by step.

The bottommost depths of humanity were always the bloodiest and cruelest.

"Chika, you underestimated the weight of this lesson."

"Hehe~ Grandpa, you sound just like Amamiya-san."

"But even so, we made our choice."

From the very beginning, Chika had understood how difficult this would be.

Yet, they had all chosen to face it anyway.

"This isn't something we wanted, but it was something we needed to experience."

"Because we're bound to encounter similar things in the future."

The old man's eyelids twitched slightly—but he quickly regained his composure.

Perhaps… this was simply part of the process of transitioning from an ordinary person into someone who understood mystery.

For most people, such experiences were rare.

But for those involved in the mysterious, it was completely different.

The divide between them was even greater than the gap between the rich and the beggars.

The gap between ordinary humans and those with special abilities was not just social, it was a gap of dimensions.

"So, he taught you how to hold onto your morals and humanity?"

"And encouraged self-discipline?"

"Yeah."

The old man nodded slightly.

That was an incredibly gentle way to teach.

By showing them the worst aspects of human nature and comparing it to the atrocities committed by drug dealers, it would serve as a restraint, especially for young girls who had suddenly gained power.

"But it's not just about self-discipline."

"Amamiya also said that self-discipline doesn't mean enduring everything in silence."

Hmm?

The old man suddenly had a bad feeling about what his granddaughter was going to say next.

"When provoked, strength allows you to fight back."

"Self-control and humanity don't mean you have to keep enduring when you're wronged."

"Because if that's the case, then power is nothing more than another shackle."

"Self-discipline isn't about chaining yourself down, it's about knowing when to strike back!"

"And Amamiya also said that if you don't retaliate after being wronged, those emotions won't go away."

"They'll just fester, turning into suppressed resentment, eventually leading to even greater psychological pressure."

"So when you face that kind of situation, strength is the very thing that allows people to retain their humanity."

…

What a unique perspective.

The old man was momentarily stunned.

Somewhere, deep in his memory, he felt like he had heard something similar before.

But his thoughts were a little muddled, and he couldn't recall where.

Still… after thinking about it carefully, it actually did make sense.

Bottling up grievances only led to bigger problems down the line.

Wasn't strength precisely the tool for resolving injustices?

But then, another realization hit him, if this was the mindset they had adopted…

Wouldn't these kids immediately retaliate if anyone messed with them?

No need to wait for the next day, revenge could very well happen on the same day.

But after a moment, the old man chuckled to himself.

Would anyone even dare to provoke them in the first place?

That was the real question.

Anyone foolish enough to target a group of elite young ladies with high-status backgrounds would have to be suicidal.

And if someone didn't know their backgrounds and ended up crossing them, then… well, whatever happened to them afterward wasn't something he needed to worry about.

Wait a second…

Was his own thinking starting to resemble that foolish son of his?

That was dangerous.

He absolutely could not let himself become like that guy.

With that thought, the old man returned to his usual warm expression.

"Chika, what your classmate said makes sense."

"In the future, you'll encounter many situations that will challenge your morals and boundaries."

"You need to hold onto your bottom line and never let yourself become like those drug dealers."

The old man praised Chika's classmates generously before giving her a firm yet gentle warning.

"If you ever want to go on another trip, just tell me where you're going. I'll allow it."

"Yay!"

This was exactly what Chika had been waiting for.

She hated being restricted when she wanted to go out.

But now that her grandfather had personally given his permission, she no longer had to worry about being forcibly grounded in the future.

"Alright, alright, we've talked about all the serious stuff—Chika, you should head upstairs and get some rest."

The old man ended the conversation with a smile, gently urging his granddaughter to go back to her room.

"Hehe~ Grandpa, Chika loves you the most~!"

"Alright then, I'm heading upstairs to rest!"

Watching his granddaughter happily hop up the stairs, the old man's smile was filled with pure happiness.

Chapter 137: I Give You a Choice

In the Sanzenin mansion, after hearing all the hidden stories, Sakuya was momentarily stunned.

It took her a long time to process everything before she finally snapped back to reality.

"Oh my god… you evolved?"

Nagi rolled her eyes in response.

"What are you talking about? Evolved? Please."

"At most, I just received the favor of power."

A Vision was nothing more than an external magic organ. The moment it was taken away, its holder would lose the ability to wield elemental power.

That was far from evolution.

Not just for her, but for the others as well.

True evolution would only occur when external power was completely assimilated into one's being, when their own organs absorbed and converted it into elemental energy.

For now, they were merely in the transitional phase before evolution.

As she spoke, Nagi pulled Isumi closer.

"To me, Isumi is the real evolution."

Sakuya's gaze shifted immediately, her eyes turning sharp.

"I was so focused on Nagi-chan just now that I completely forgot about you, Miss Isumi."

"We've been friends for so many years, and yet you never told me you were a priestess?"

In response, Isumi looked at Sakuya with a hint of concern.

"Sakuya… can you really accept all these strange things?"

"Miss Maria still has the records of what the drug dealers did during our trip. Would you like to see them?"

"…"

Sakuya instinctively took a few steps back.

Her instincts were screaming at her, there was hell ahead.

She should not take another step forward.

But at the same time, the hell ahead was tied to something irresistibly intriguing.

And that temptation gnawed at her curiosity.

"Sakuya, do you really want to see it?"

Nagi smirked as she goaded her.

She knew full well that the recordings could leave anyone with psychological trauma.

But if Sakuya wanted to step into this world, then she needed to earn it by first confronting the harshest truths about humanity.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair for her to be the only one vomiting her guts out.

If she truly wished to step into the unknown, then she would first have to face the abyss.

Sakuya looked at Nagi's mischievous grin and felt her nerves tightening in alarm.

This is a trap. There's an abyss ahead.

"What if… I don't watch it?"

She still held onto a sliver of hope.

"Then don't get involved in this world anymore."

Nagi's words crushed any last shred of luck she had.

"Our club members will be training in another dimension soon."

"When that time comes, don't come crying to me because you're curious."

"…"

Her curiosity skyrocketed.

If Nagi-chan hadn't said anything, she might've been able to suppress it.

But now? Now, it was practically eating her alive.

She had to know what the battles and training of extraordinary people looked like.

And if watching this was the price of admission…

Even if every fiber of her being resisted, she had no other choice.

"Nagi-chan, I'm your sister…"

"There are no 'sisters' in the world of mysteries."

"Are you really this heartless?"

"I gave you a choice. Can't you just choose?"

…There was no escape.

Sakuya knew she had lost.

As long as she remained curious about the mysteries, she wouldn't be able to resist diving into the abyss.

"Fine! Let me see! Just get it over with!"

Tears welled up in Sakuya's eyes as she resigned herself to fate.

This time… she was definitely walking straight into hell.

Seeing Sakuya fully accept her fate, Nagi's face blossomed into a devilish grin.

"Maria, don't serve any meat dishes today. Sakuya definitely won't be able to eat them."

This was the true meaning of a direct hit.

Sakuya already felt a creeping sense of dread.

She didn't even need to see the recordings to know—this abyss would go far beyond her imagination.


---

Meanwhile, Ren had just stepped through the entrance of his home, dragging a suitcase behind him.

"This was the first time I've ever left my hometown."

Thinking back on the past two days, Ren couldn't help but sigh.

Just like he had said before.

For those who want to travel, both time and money are limitations.

And Ren had always been the kind of person without the luxury of either.

In the past, he was nothing more than an ordinary reincarnator with little presence.

He didn't know how to trade stocks, nor did he understand the complexities of economics.

He was the type of person who could lose money in a bull market.

Hoping to make a fortune through legitimate means was nothing more than a fool's dream for someone like him.

For ordinary people, the only way to earn money was to work and save.

And when you're stuck juggling both, how could you possibly find the time to leave the city you live in?

Only after gaining power and accumulating considerable savings had he even entertained the idea of traveling.

Lowering his head, Ren reflected on this trip and the rewards he had gained from it.

The corners of his mouth curled slightly.

"Not bad."

The River of Eternal Darkness had been a very generous gift this time.

One more Sefirot meant that he could tap into even greater power.

Each Sefirot had its own unique properties.

The ability of Sefirah Castle was primarily defensive—focused on survival, strengthening his chosen path, and even granting early access to higher-sequence abilities.

On the other hand, the River of Eternal Darkness was all about destruction.

It was the complete opposite of Sefirah Castle.

By obtaining the River of Eternal Darkness, Ren had now gained a powerful offensive tool, something he previously lacked.

That alone was enough to make him satisfied.

But if he wanted more, if he wanted even better rewards, he needed to expand his influence.

That wasn't something he could achieve overnight.

Unless the number of diary holders increased, or one of them drastically changed their fate, his opportunities would remain limited.

Still, Ren didn't feel disappointed.

Simply gaining the River of Eternal Darkness was already more than enough.

There was no need to be greedy.

Right now, his focus needed to be on obtaining the Sequence 8 potion.

He had already digested the potions of three different pathways.

Advancing his sequence was now the top priority.

So for now, he wouldn't concern himself with gaining more Sefirots.

He only needed to concentrate on the next step in his sequence path.