SCIAW: Chapter 113/115

Chapter 113: You're Really Not Afraid

"This is all I can do."

Glancing back at the abandoned laboratory, Ren stood still for a moment.

He didn't know the identities of the people who died here, nor did he know what they'd endured in life.

But death was absolute.

The moment they died, everything about their past vanished.

No names. No stories. Nothing left.

He didn't know them.

And maybe that was for the best.

Leaving their lingering spirits here to wander aimlessly was pointless cruelty.

At the very least, eliminating their final obsessions would give them some measure of peace.

"I'm probably just meddling."

Ren chuckled softly, almost self-mockingly.

But even knowing that…

He couldn't just walk away.


---

With a final flick of his hand, a gray flame ignited, engulfing the laboratory.

When the fire burned out, Ren was already gone.

The gray fog reappeared every few kilometers, making his figure blur and shift like a mirage.

In less than 30 seconds, he was back near the hot spring hotel.

With a familiar gesture, Ren opened a spiritual door and stepped through.


---

The moment he entered, he sniffed the air.

"Hmm. Good. The gray fog worked."

No lingering smell of blood, burnt flesh, or chemicals.

Satisfied, Ren headed toward the main hall.

As he approached, he caught the tail end of Saginomiya Isumi's nervous voice.

"…The power from that hand… I've never seen anything like it."

Hearing what she said, Ren's steps faltered slightly.

A trace of helplessness crossed his face.

She saw it.

Sefirah Castle's power was on a level far beyond ordinary perception. Only individuals with extraordinary abilities could glimpse it and even then, only under specific circumstances.

Usually, without the corresponding authority, the gray fog that accompanied his power remained invisible.

Unless… he actively suppressed his status and someone with spiritual sensitivity happened to witness the moment of manifestation.

Which was exactly what had happened.

Thankfully, only Isumi had the capability to perceive it.

Ren shook his head with a sigh and stepped into the hall.

"Were you talking about me?"

The sudden voice startled the group.

For a moment, everyone froze except one person.

Fujiwara immediately jumped up and stood in front of him.

"Amamiya, what kind of power did you get?"

"…"

Ren exhaled slowly.

"You really aren't afraid of anything, Fujiwara-san."

"Why would I be afraid?"

Fujiwara puffed out her chest with absolute confidence.

"You wouldn't hurt us."

"And honestly, do you think anyone here is scared of you?"

The tense atmosphere immediately lightened as the girls exchanged smiles.

Indeed, none of them were afraid.

If they were, they wouldn't have gathered together to wait for him.

Kaguya shook her head slightly.

Sometimes, she truly appreciated Fujiwara's presence.

That troublesome girl always had a way of breaking the tension in the room and lifting everyone's spirits.

"Compared to fear, we're actually more curious about what you saw in the back mountain that made you so angry."

"Not to mention, your reaction was a bit… excessive."

"Miss Isumi was scared half to death when she witnessed what you did."

"Based on her description, it's hard for us to imagine what could have happened to provoke such a response."

Kaguya's words were reasonable, and Ren could sense the curiosity hidden beneath the concern.

He hesitated for a moment before replying.

"The back mountain… I did see some things."

He lowered his eyes.

"It was those things that made me decide to deal with the evil spirits immediately."

"My methods… might've been a bit extreme."

Kaguya wasn't surprised by his answer.

Seeing something unbearable could easily lead to impulsive action.

"Amamiya-san, can you tell us what you saw?"

"…That's not something you need to know."

"No." Kaguya's expression turned firm.

"That's exactly what we need to know."

Her refusal to back down was clear.

"Amamiya-san, you said it yourself, our fates are now intertwined."

"There are some things we'll have to face together, even if we don't want to."

"We don't need you to protect us from everything. We can help carry that burden too."

Her voice was calm, but her words struck Ren's heart like a sharp blade.

He sighed softly.

"I never denied what I said."

"We're connected through the diary, and our fates are indeed entangled."

"But this… this is too much for you."

Kaguya shook her head.

"Isn't it the same for you, Amamiya-san?"

"I have decades more life experience than you."

"That's ordinary life experience, isn't it?" Kaguya's eyes didn't waver.

"But when it comes to what we're dealing with, you're just as new to this as we are."

Her logic was sound, and Ren, who was never good at debates, found himself at a loss for words.

"Hehe~ Amamiya, you should just give in."

Fujiwara grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Kaguya's the best when it comes to arguments. You won't win against her."

"…"

Looking at the triumphant look on Fujiwara's face, Ren chuckled helplessly.

"You really are a good friend to Shinomiya-san."

He shook his head.

"Fine, fine. But later, after I've had a bath."

"Half an hour."

"And, Ms. Maria… no meat for dinner tonight."

He turned his gaze toward the petite figure sitting on the couch.

"Also… Sanzenin, you should sit this one out."

"I'm not a child."

Nagi immediately stood up in protest.

"Isumi is my best friend."

"If she knows something this important but keeps it from me, I'll never let her hear the end of it."

"There are things I need to know too!"

Ren cast a questioning look at Isumi.

She gave a resigned sigh and shook her head.

The message was clear: it was impossible to stop Nagi from joining them.

Ren let out a soft sigh of his own and turned toward Maria with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Maria."

"You'll probably have to deal with a very restless Nagi tonight."

Maria gave a light, knowing smile.

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Amamiya."

"This… isn't exactly new."

_________
Chapter 114: Enlightenment!

A half-hour break.

Ren went to soak in the hot springs to relax his body and mind, washing away the exhaustion and dust from earlier.

The girls also headed to the hot springs. It was clear they needed to mentally prepare themselves to hear the story about the back mountain.

After both sides were ready, they gathered in the living room again.

"Alright, let's go over the situation at the back mountain in detail."

As he spoke, Ren handed his phone to Hayasaka.

Hayasaka swiftly retrieved a projector, connected it to the phone, and began projecting the images onto the screen that had been set up in the main hall.

The projection appeared on the screen.

The image was taken from a high vantage point, capturing the drug lab that the special forces had raided.

The facility was quite large, just from a rough estimate, it spanned several thousand square meters.

Its exterior looked simple and unremarkable.

The walls were made of white plastic with an iron sheet roof on top.

However, considering that it was a drug production and research site, the simplicity made sense. It was clearly a temporary setup designed to be quickly dismantled and relocated if discovered. There was no need to invest in a more sophisticated structure.

Soon, the footage showed fully armed elite troops surrounding and storming the base.

The footage was exceptionally clear.

Even the moments when the drug dealers were shot were captured in sharp detail.

The grim reality of a drug raid played out in front of them.

"…"

The room fell silent as everyone watching felt the weight of life slipping away before their eyes.

People who had been moving just moments ago lost all signs of life after being struck by a few bullets.

It all happened so suddenly.

It all happened so naturally.

They knew drug dealers didn't deserve sympathy.

But knowing that didn't mean they were ready to watch a life vanish right in front of them.

This was something they had to face sooner or later.

Because the world they were about to step into was far more dangerous and unforgiving than the ordinary one.

The loss of life was something they needed to accept.

Ren didn't interrupt them. He didn't tell them to stay indifferent or to harden their hearts.

There were some things people needed to process on their own.

Since they had chosen to watch, they needed to find the resolve within themselves.

The footage continued as the special forces cleared the base, methodically eliminating the remaining drug dealers.

The screen froze there.

"This was just the beginning," Ren said.

"The Metropolitan Police Department's raiding team is highly competent. They showed no hesitation when dealing with the drug dealers."

"My guess is that someone senior in the department gave them specific instructions beforehand."

"Otherwise, they would've likely left one or two survivors to interrogate."

"But from how they operated, it was clear that eliminating these drug dealers was their primary objective."

He explained this while gesturing toward the frozen image on the screen.

The video resumed, shifting to the interior of the laboratory.

The lab was lined with thick plastic sheeting, most likely to contain chemical odors and minimize the risk of accidents during production.

Everything was designed with efficiency in mind.

But now, the laboratory was littered with corpses.

Unlike the earlier long-distance shots, these scenes were much closer and more vivid.

The grotesque clarity turned the girls' faces pale.

"All of these drug dealers were addicts themselves," Ren said, his tone steady.

"They got into the trade for money… and to feed their own addictions."

"So, none of them were innocent. They chose this path knowing exactly what it meant."

"In pursuit of wealth and indulgence, they were willing to do anything, no matter how cruel or inhumane."

"Hayasaka, pause it here."

"Understood." Hayasaka stopped the video.

Ren exhaled and turned toward the group.

"What you're about to see next is the darkest, most depraved side of the ordinary world."

"Are you sure you want to continue?"

This was Ren's final warning.

Kaguya's expression was grim.

She had never witnessed such a scene in person before.

As a sheltered young lady who grew up in a privileged environment, she had always been kept away from such brutal realities.

But now, it was happening right in front of her eyes and even more horrifying scenes were yet to come.

Still, she gritted her teeth and stood firm.

"Amamiya, this is our collective decision."

"Maybe the scenes that follow will push us beyond our limits, but this is something we have to face."

"Since stepping into the mysterious world, we've gained more knowledge about reality... and sooner or later, we'll encounter situations like this again."

"That's why, no matter what, we have to accept these truths we've never faced before."

Ren recognized Kaguya's resolve.

Her rationality had guided her to this decision. She understood that this was a necessary experience, and she was prepared to endure it.

But what about the others?

His gaze shifted to Sonoko and Ran.

When Sonoko noticed Ren looking at her, her face turned pale, but she straightened her back and met his gaze.

"Ren-kun, I'm the same."

"I made this decision myself, and I have to accept the consequences."

Ran, who was usually the most timid when it came to these things, hugged her arms tightly.

"I feel the same way as Sonoko."

"There'll be more situations like this in the future. If we can't accept it now, it'll only become more dangerous later."

"So... I won't be left behind."

Ren gave a slight nod, acknowledging their determination.

Finally, his gaze landed on the youngest of the group—Nagi.

"You don't need to—"

"You don't have to say it," Nagi interrupted, raising a hand to stop him.

Her face was pale. The sight of so many real, lifeless bodies had shaken her. This wasn't a horror movie with fake props, everything she saw was real.

"My mom chose this path."

"Maybe she was lucky... but I know I don't have that same luck."

"If I can't even endure this, I'll never be able to move forward."

Everyone had made up their minds.

The atmosphere was heavy with determination.

And then—

"Ughhh... Amamiya, I'm scared!"

The tension shattered in an instant.

Fujiwara's fearful voice broke the silence.

The others turned toward her, their expressions blank as they processed the sudden shift in mood.

Ignoring the collective stares of death, Fujiwara scrambled to sit beside Ren.

"So... please let me hold onto you!" she pleaded.

"I'm scared I won't be able to handle it otherwise!"

"…"

You know you can't handle it, yet you're still insisting on watching?

Ren sighed.

"If you're that scared, you don't have to watch."

"No way!" Chika immediately refused.

She tried to stretch her neck and act brave, but her body trembled so much that it was impossible to take her seriously.

"Kaguya's watching it, so I can't back down!" she declared.

"If I give up now, how can I call myself Kaguya's best friend?"

Hearing that, Kaguya was momentarily touched.

But when she saw Fujiwara clinging to Ren's arm like a frightened child, her entire body practically glued to his side that fleeting warmth disappeared without a trace.

Annoyance surged through her chest for reasons she couldn't quite explain.

_____________
Chapter 115: Vomited
Ren, who was being held, felt slightly stiff.

However, he could clearly sense Fujiwara Chika's fear through her trembling.

She was terrified, so much so that her body wouldn't stop shaking.

Yet, despite being scared to death, she was forcing herself to watch.

Ren sighed softly.

"...Hayasaka-san, continue."

"Understood." Hayasaka gave a slight nod and resumed the video.

The scene transitioned to the basement of the laboratory—a confined, enclosed space.

The entrance was sealed off with thick plastic sheeting.

Everyone knew instinctively: this was the critical part.

They held their breath and watched in silence.

The camera moved past the plastic barrier and into the underground lab.

As the lights turned on, the interior was revealed.

"…!?"

The girls couldn't help but cover their mouths.

What greeted their eyes were dozens of lab tables, each occupied by a corpse.

The victims spanned different ages.

There were elderly individuals, middle-aged men and women, and even children who appeared no older than ten.

All of them were strapped to the tables. The deep marks on their wrists and ankles painted a vivid picture of the unimaginable agony they endured before death.

Their faces were frozen in expressions of sheer horror.

Numerous needle marks were visible on their bodies.

It wasn't hard to imagine what kind of experiments these drug dealers had conducted on them.

The more emotionally sensitive members of the group reached their limits.

"Ugh...!"

Ran and Sonoko felt a powerful wave of nausea crash over them.

They scrambled for the trash cans that had been prepared beforehand.

"Ughhhh!!!"

Their stomachs revolted, and they vomited uncontrollably into the bins.

The sight, the stench, the implication of what had occurred in that lab overwhelmed them.

As Ran and Sonoko lost control, the others followed.

One by one, each girl grabbed a nearby trash can and vomited as their bodies reacted to the trauma.

Ren felt Chika's trembling intensify.

Without a word, he extended his hand and used his abilities to pull a trash can from across the room, placing it in front of her.

"Th-thank you... Ughhh!!!"

Her gratitude was cut short as she bent forward and emptied her stomach.

See? I told you it was better not to watch.

Even Ren himself felt uncomfortable looking at the horrific scene.

Those individuals on the lab tables had become addicts due to the experiments conducted by the drug dealers.

Their endless suffering had planted a seed of hatred so strong that many of their souls had likely turned into malevolent spirits after death.

The true perpetrators of these crimes were well-known to these spirits.

But because the village chief hadn't been present at the back-mountain base, those vengeful spirits remained trapped above the island, unable to exact their revenge.

Ren gently turned to the side and began patting Chika's back to help ease her nausea.

But in such situations, there was no way to stop vomiting until their stomachs were completely emptied.

The only one who seemed relatively stable was Isumi.

Her eyes burned with fury—but not fear.

It was clear she'd witnessed similarly horrific scenes before.

Everyone else was visibly shaken.

Even Kaguya, who was usually rational and composed, and Maria, who always maintained an air of maturity, were overcome by the shock.

No one had been spared.

After ensuring Chika could manage on her own for a moment, Ren stood up and walked over to grab some tissues.

He returned, handing a few sheets to Chika.

"...Thank you."

Chika accepted the tissues but immediately bent back over the trash can as another wave of nausea hit her.

The room remained filled with the sound of retching for another half a minute.

Not because the trauma had passed but simply because there was nothing left in their stomachs to expel.

The girls wiped their mouths with tissues, their faces pale and exhausted.

They all looked utterly drained.

But compared to the violent sickness from earlier, they now seemed slightly better.

"...Even children weren't spared."

Kaguya's voice was cold and trembling.

She had just witnessed the darkest depths of human depravity.

Drug dealers who would strap children barely ten years old to lab tables for their grotesque experiments had no right to live.

But then a thought struck her.

"Wait… Amamiya-sama," she said, turning toward him.

"Tsukikage Island isn't that big. How did the disappearance of these children go unnoticed?"

"…"

Ren didn't answer.

Instead, he silently raised a hand and pointed toward something on the projected screen.

Kaguya was momentarily stunned.

But she quickly grasped the implication.

Her gaze shifted toward the frozen image on the projection, her expression turning complicated.

It wasn't that the parents of the missing children didn't care about their disappearance.

They simply never had the chance to.

The drug dealers had already taken control of them.

And the reason behind it was painfully obvious.

Any parent who tried to raise concerns about their missing child would mysteriously vanish soon after.

On an island as small as Tsukikage Island, the pattern should have been suspicious.

But the drug dealers had prepared their cover story in advance:

"The family went on vacation."

A convenient lie to explain the disappearances.

The townspeople, not wanting to dwell on such unsettling events, chose to accept the deception.

"I see..."

Kaguya clenched her fists, her voice low.

"So this... is the darkness that exists in the ordinary world."

The others also realized the truth.

Their eyes returned to the screen, where the bodies of the tortured children remained on full display.

A heavy silence descended over the room.

They had never encountered this level of human depravity before.

This was their first exposure to it and it left a scar deep in their hearts.

"How does it feel?" Ren asked softly.

"A lesson you'll never forget."

Kaguya took a shaky breath. Her face was still pale, but she gave a small nod.

"This... was necessary," she admitted.

The brutality they'd witnessed had etched itself into her memory.

Drug dealers weren't simply criminals.

They were monsters who had long since abandoned their humanity.

"Amamiya... is the supernatural world like this too?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Ren gave a faint, bitter smile and shook his head.

"In the supernatural world," he began, "with power comes the loss of restraint."

"Now ask yourself, how many people can still cling to their humanity when given absolute power?"

He gestured toward the screen.

"These drug dealers are evil, yes. But the supernatural world?"

"It's filled with hidden blades and constant, suffocating malice."

"There are countless people who will abandon their principles in pursuit of power."

"Compared to them... these drug dealers are almost tame."

The room fell into another long silence.

The truth weighed heavily on everyone's shoulders.

Kaguya's eyes remained fixed on the screen.

She thought back to the moment she had obtained the Ice-Ice Fruit.

Her first thought hadn't been about justice or responsibility.

It had been about freedom.

"...Like me," she muttered.

"When I got the Ice-Ice Fruit, I couldn't help but think of using that power to break free from the shackles placed on me."

Ren gave her an approving nod.

"That's exactly it," he said.

"Human nature is fragile."

"When you're trapped, you accept it because you have no other choice."

"But once power enters your hands—once you realize you have other options—"

"That's when the real test begins."

"Because under repeated indulgence... human nature shatters."

Kaguya closed her eyes and let his words sink in.

She had always thought of herself as rational and disciplined.

But the mere taste of power had tempted her to abandon that self-control.

The line between human and monster... was thinner than she'd realized.