Ability Awakening

"All right, back to the main topic. You already know what Level Upper does, so it's time to explain its side effects."

Rod's words drew the two girls' attention back to the matter at hand.

"Forcing the brain to operate using someone else's brainwaves has a tremendous impact on the body's functions. In other words, users may fall into a coma."

"This coma generally occurs during the later stages of the program's operation, and the user's safety cannot be guaranteed. Simply put, Level Upper is a key that opens the door for espers without abilities, but its users must also bear a certain amount of risk."

"That risk may cause someone to fall into a coma permanently, never to wake again. Or they may simply lose their abilities again after sleeping."

Rod's explanation gradually froze the atmosphere. Saten Ruiko and Frenda looked at the Level Upper on the table as though it were Pandora's box.

They clearly knew the dangers it contained, yet they could not help wanting to open it.

"Honestly, if that's the case, how could anyone use it? You gain an ability, then lose it again after one nap. It'd be better never to have had it in the first place. Right, Ruiko... Ruiko!?" Frenda forced out a smile, seemingly trying to persuade Ruiko—or perhaps herself.

However, when she noticed the change in Saten Ruiko's eyes, Frenda cried out in shock.

"N-No... if I could, even if it were only for a moment, I... I still want to..." Saten Ruiko's eyes were filled with confusion, but her words revealed her longing for an ability.

Show it more clearly, Ruiko. That thirst for power.

Saten Ruiko's confused eyes met Rod's calm gaze. After a long silence, she pressed her lips tightly together and slowly spoke.

"Even knowing Level Upper's side effects, I... I still want to use it."

"Huh!? Are you an idiot!? Ruiko, you understand this perfectly well! Using it only gives you superpowers temporarily, and then you lose them again afterward. That's completely pointless!?" Frenda shouted in disbelief, trying to persuade Ruiko to give up such a crazy idea.

"I know that!? But no matter what, I can't suppress that longing!? Are people without abilities really defective products?"

As if venting her emotions, Saten Ruiko shouted at Frenda. Tears slid uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.

The sorrow and heartbreaking yearning in the girl's eyes left Frenda speechless. As someone without abilities herself, she naturally understood exactly how Ruiko felt at that moment.

"Sorry, Frenda. I lost my composure." Saten Ruiko wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and apologized. She had not expected that emotional outburst either, but whenever she thought of the desire buried deep in her heart, carrying her family's expectations made it difficult not to stake everything on the rare opportunity before her.

"I've decided! Mr. Rod, I'll use Level Upper." Saten Ruiko placed a hand on the Level Upper, determination filling her eyes as she made up her mind.

Rod turned his gaze toward Frenda. Noticing his look and seeing Saten Ruiko's decision, Frenda let out a helpless sigh before speaking.

"Count me in."

"Frenda!" Saten Ruiko looked at Frenda with a moved expression, never expecting her to choose to use Level Upper alongside her.

"Hmph, don't misunderstand. I just want to get an ability and vent a little in front of that Kinuhata girl, so she'll stop showing off in front of me all day." Frenda's pretty face flushed slightly as she hurriedly denied it—a textbook tsundere response.

"Well then, since you've made up your minds, I'll leave this Level Upper for you to use."

"Be prepared for the consequences!" Rod instructed them, his gaze serious.

"Yes!" Saten Ruiko nodded solemnly.

A short while later, Saten Ruiko saw Rod off, leaving only the two girls sitting across from each other in the room.

After a long silence, Saten Ruiko pulled a laptop out from beneath the bed and plugged Level Upper into it. As a pop-up appeared and she was about to click the play button—

"W-Wait!?" A startled cry interrupted Saten Ruiko, making her flinch. She looked at Frenda in displeasure.

"What is it?"

"W-Wouldn't we need to make some preparations first? Like cola and snacks." Frenda waved her hands in a panic and hurriedly suggested.

A bead of cold sweat rolled down Saten Ruiko's temple as she retorted speechlessly.

"We're not watching a movie."

"But they can help ease the tension, can't they?"

"..." The two girls looked at each other, and then—

Drinking cola and eating snacks, the two girls once again focused on the play button.

Saten Ruiko took a deep breath and was about to press it again when—

"Wait!?" Frenda's loud cry came again. Even with Ruiko's good temper, veins bulged on her forehead this time.

Noticing this, Frenda hurriedly scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.

"This time, I'm the one who needs to calm down. Hahaha, it's fine. Go ahead and press it. I'm ready."

Saten Ruiko gave Frenda a suspicious look, but she also realized that Frenda's repeated interruptions had made her less nervous than she had been at first.

Not bothering to argue, Saten Ruiko prepared to press the button again, only for Frenda to speak up once more.

Thud!

A satisfying sound—must have been a solid hit.

Ignoring Frenda, who was clutching the large bump on her forehead and rolling around wildly, Saten Ruiko pressed the play button. A deep, strange audio track sounded throughout the room. The two girls suddenly felt dizzy, but the strange sensation gradually faded after a few seconds.

After a long silence, Frenda, no longer fooling around, stood up and asked Saten Ruiko.

"Do you feel anything?"

"I got dizzy for a moment, and then... that was it?" Saten Ruiko answered blankly.

"Huh? What kind of answer is that?" Frenda retorted speechlessly.

"Then what do you feel?" Saten Ruiko asked back in annoyance.

"Of... of course I have. My ability has already awakened," Frenda said stubbornly, her pretty face flushing red.

Never mind whether it had awakened or not—she just had to agree first.

"Then what is your ability?" Saten Ruiko asked, arching a brow as she moved closer to Frenda. Clearly, she did not believe Frenda could awaken an ability just like that.

"My esper power? Hahaha, that's my secret. How could I tell you?" Frenda leaned back guiltily, making Saten Ruiko even more suspicious.

"W-wait, I know! Blue-and-white stripes!?" Frenda suddenly cried out, making Saten Ruiko freeze. Then she realized what Frenda meant, and her cheeks instantly turned bright red.

Although she usually lifted Uiharu's skirt and peeked at the view beneath it, when it came to herself, she could not handle it either.

"Wait... X-ray vision!?" Saten Ruiko said in astonishment.

"Hehe, impressive, right? It's actually X-ray vision. That's a pretty decent support ability. I've heard this ability is also known as 'men's dream,'" Frenda said, winking mischievously. The meaning in her gaze was truly suggestive.

Suddenly, a chill swept beneath her skirt. A strange upward gust rose from under it, making Frenda instinctively clutch her skirt as her pretty face turned scarlet.

"Oho~ White lace beneath black pantyhose. How mature~" Saten Ruiko teased. How could Frenda not know who had blown that naughty gust of wind just now?

"Ruiko!?" Frenda pounced on her in irritation, and the two girls tumbled into a playful scuffle, their skirts fluttering wildly.

Soon, the room filled with the two girls' laughter.