All sound disappeared. The scene depicted in the goggles was vastly different from the surface.
The seawater was flowing, which made the light's journey through the water even more bizarre. This was paired with the boundless view in the distance.
The three elements together created a pure blue painting that changed every second from shallow to deep.
"Gulp..."
Miyazawa Yu exhaled a string of bubbles and slowly reached his hand out. Resistance came from all directions as if to trap him in place.
But at the same time, they were incredibly gentle, giving him a sense of transcendent tranquility, as if he had returned to the amniotic fluid.
If Miyazawa Yu had originally joined the Pab club only for Sister Nanaka, his mindset was now quietly beginning to change.
Diving didn't seem as boring as he had imagined. On the contrary, it was incredibly inclusive, just like the Pab club. It allowed every unique soul to truly be set free!
[A new fitness activity has been detected. Attempting to match with an appropriate reward!]
[No matching abilities found in this world. Searching outwards!]
[A new world with 98% ocean resources has been matched. Congratulations, the host has acquired the skill: Fish-Man Karate (Gyojin Karate)]
"???"
Diving also counts as a workout?
No, that's not the point. The point is, what the hell is Fish-Man Karate? Although it sounds like karate, it seems to be a skill used in the ocean.
He suspiciously moved his arms and legs, trying to use the skill. However, Miyazawa Yu didn't feel any changes in his body.
It wasn't until he seriously got into a karate stance and threw a punch that the power, which should have been reduced in the water, increased instead! He instantly sent out a visible column of water!
"Boom!"
A muffled sound echoed back. Looking at the underwater rock that had been broken into two, Miyazawa Yu was instantly frozen in place.
So! So strong! This was already beyond what a bullet could do in the water!
And because water was a conductive medium, Fish-Man Karate could even apply its power to a much farther distance, not just around his body! It was just like a torpedo!
"Pah! Sister Nanaka! The ocean is amazing! Let's go diving every day from now on!"
"Huh? You're so enthusiastic? It seems you really like diving, Yu!"
Nanaka Kotegawa had waited for a long time and didn't see Miyazawa Yu come up. She was just about to go look for him when she was shocked by the first thing he said.
But having enthusiasm was always a good thing!
As a diving enthusiast, Nanaka was very happy to share her love with Yu!
"Phew! Ha— ha—"
"What's wrong! Are you okay, Iori?"
"Senpai Kotobuki, there's something in the ocean! I dove down and suddenly felt a strong current pull me. My goggles were pulled off!"
"What? This is shallow water. There's no way something that big could be here to pull off your goggles, right?"
He rubbed his head, confused. Ryūjirō Kotobuki took Iori's mask and comforted him, "I've tightened the goggles a bit. Try again."
"Okay, I'll try again..."
"Hmm? A strong current? It must have been a fish, right? A fish big enough to pull off your goggles would have to be about a meter long. It shouldn't appear in shallow water..."
Nanaka Kotegawa frowned as she looked at the spot where Iori had just dived down. She turned to Miyazawa Yu and asked, "Yu, did you see anything when you dove down just now?"
"Oh... that's strange. I don't know anything."
He didn't expect his one punch to feed Iori a few gulps of water. As the culprit, Miyazawa Yu naturally couldn't betray himself. He looked at the blue sky and laughed, trying to play it off...
Luckily, despite the hiccup, Iori finally experienced the fun of diving. He didn't even take off his diving suit after getting out of the water. He rushed into the store to share his joy with Chisa.
On the other side, after swimming with Sister Nanaka for a long time, Miyazawa Yu had a feast for his eyes. Even the naked men washing their diving suits next to him couldn't stop the perverted grin on his face.
"Cheers!"
Half an hour later, everyone who had changed their clothes gathered in the hall, each with a can of beer, to cheer together.
"Ugh... that was a great swim, a great swim! A beer after a good workout really hits the spot!"
He chugged half of his beer. Miyazawa Yu felt his fatigue instantly decrease by more than half, and the slight blush on his face warmed up his body, which had become a little cold!
"Yo~ Here are some snacks! Please help yourselves!"
"They look great! Thank you!"
"You're welcome. A neighbor gave us this sea fish. It won't be good if we keep it for too long!"
Toshio Kotegawa laughed heartily and patted Miyazawa Yu's back, asking, "How was it? Did you have fun?"
"Yes! The scenery under the sea is really different from the surface! Even the feel of the rocks was new to me!"
"I see! Nanaka told me that you want to go swimming every day. I knew you would fall in love with diving! The ocean is like that. No matter who you are, you can find a home in it!"
"...Find a home?"
Iori Kitahara held the beer can in a daze. His soul had once again fallen into the deep blue. It was a wonderful world that he couldn't let go of once he saw it!
"That's right! A home... Are you not afraid of water anymore, Iori?"
"Sorry, I'm still a little afraid of that..."
"I see. But you've already experienced the joy of opening a new door to a new world, haven't you?"
"Yes! Thank you, everyone!"
Iori Kitahara's smile became gentle. He shyly buried his head in his arms.
After all, he was just complaining before he went diving. Changing his attitude so quickly made him feel a little embarrassed, like a hypocrite!
"No, no, no. There's no need to thank us."
"In that case, Iori, Yu! Then..."
Miyazawa Yu turned his head to look at Shinji Tokita and suddenly had a bad feeling. As expected, the bastard immediately pulled out a dress.
"Then you can't refuse this new world either, can you?"
"..."
Even though it wasn't being handed to him, Miyazawa Yu's eyes instantly became as still as water.
Just as I thought. Senpais are senpais. They'll always find a way to mold you into whatever they want.
"No... no!"
"Gulp... I get it. But you have to allow me to wear a mask and use Iori's name!"
"Understood! All granted!"
"Wait a minute! Did you guys just make an impolite deal!"
"There's nothing we can do~ It's all for the funds. Just bear with it, Iori."
Miyazawa Yu sent the senpais to suppress Iori, who had been on his deathbed but suddenly got up in a panic, trying to protect what little reputation he had left.
The effect was outstanding! Iori, who wanted to flip the table in his anger, was severely punished. He then signed the unequal "Cross-Dressing Treaty."
This scene gave Nanaka Kotegawa a strange sense of déjà vu. It seemed that when Iori first arrived, he was also forced to join the Pab club like this.
He really never learns his lesson!
"Damn it, Yu! Did you ever think that I could also use your name?"
"It's fine. My face is here anyway. You can just use your own face to embarrass yourself, Iori."
Miyazawa Yu poked the tortured, non-recyclable trash with his chopsticks, completely dismissing the threat he made.
It didn't matter. He attracted girls with his face, not his name. Iori could go ahead and ruin the name "Miyazawa Yu" if he wanted to!
It was actually not a bad thing to be an anonymous person.
"Yosh! Then it's decided! Let's start the drinking party tonight..."
"Wait, Senpai Kotobuki!"
After settling on the participants for the Handsome Man Battle and the Tough Guy Battle, Ryūjirō Kotobuki immediately took out a chilled bottle of "water of life," ready to drink to his heart's content. But Miyazawa Yu snatched the bottle away.
"I've been thinking a lot today. Whether it's stripping or having a drinking party, the Pab club has left too many terrible things on us new members!"
"Oh my... that's a hurtful thing to say."
"Anyway! Tonight, we have to do something that a normal club would do!"
He didn't care about the senpais' feelings. They were all made of alcohol, and their memories would evaporate on their own after a while.
He had made up his mind to leave his mark on the Pab club. Miyazawa Yu held up a finger and said solemnly.
"The meeting place is Iori's room. Our activity tonight is Horror Night!"