CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2: ABILITY

Now that everything had settled down on Rika's mind, she began to recall the last moments of her life before the petrification thingy happened.

Being away for almost a year in Japan, receiving prestigious awards from every side of the world, she became busy. Due to her lack of communication with pretty much all of her acquaintances, a certain annoying brat kept on calling her in the not-so-good time every time, begging for her to come and visit. 

Not that he can't go to her.

She finally had enough of it when she received a sudden phone call, telling her that the brat fell into an accident. In sheer panic, Rika had canceled all of her appointments in an instant and flew back to Japan within the day which she immediately regretted when she had found out that was, after all, a complete fraud. 

How nice. 

The first time they had met each other in a while, she encountered the brat laying down in the middle of an exclusive beach, surrounded by maids and butlers attending to its urgent need. From what she sees it, the presumptuous brat was just tanning. 

HOW NICE. 

She got angry and stuff happened. After the heated moments between the two that only consist of strides of lecture and angry remarks which is honestly ironic coming from Rika and in the end, they've each decided to just get ice cream for reconciliation. 

Just as they're about to enjoy the cold treat, a green light suddenly emerged from the sky that leads to the petrification of humanity and fasts forward to her revival and the whole ship's construction. 

Moments passed and all of the people that were closely acquainted with the man named Senku were gathered to explain the next step in the plan. Rika was briefly introduced to all of them, most were very much happy to welcome her to the group but the rest, well not so much.

In the distance, there can be seen a suspicious Magma looking at the newly revived woman. Perhaps a budding romance was about to form in his stone heart?

"Hey, Senku! You're not that reliable when it comes to forming decisions, huh? Look at her!" He pointed out to Rika, which made him earn a blazing gaze coming from the lady without him noticing. "Can this body even make a decent floatie? Your head must be all mushy from encountering that Tsukasa and Hyoga guys from before."

Never mind the 'budding romance thing.

'Does this man, trying to get on my nerves just now?' 

Senku and Kohaku were about to say something to defend the Rika but then they noticed the irk mark forming on the lady's temple. 

Screw being a muscly and toned, she can do anything just fine with everything related to building stuff, and besides, 

"Do not worry yourself for such a thing, sir Magma. I have you, don't I?" Rika retorted as she neatly put her hand on his biceps, feeling every muscle he has in that area. Her face holds a gentle smile and that only looks toward him, Magma. "I may not be strong and courageous just like you, but with your mighty help, I know that you can help me build such an amazing ship for us to use." 

Though unnoticeable to other people, due to the wonderful statement that was given by Rika, a blush was immediately formed in his cheeks. He just brushed it off by taking a pretend cough before saying that a frail girl like Rika should thank him for helping her build an enormous ship.

The gentle smile on her face was even wider now than it ever was. She just hummed in the agreement that had just formed.

On the side, there was seen a shocked Kohaku. "Magma immediately cooperated with her?" Kohaku whispered as she put her two hands on her mouth. "She crazy skilled at talking."

A woman version of Gen but with the added perks of being good at building and innovating stuff.

She doesn't need to become strong and big just like him. She just needs to run her little mouth and everything she wants to obtain will naturally fly into her hands.

That's what you call being practical and logical. A pragmatist, in other words. 

 A girl like her would never miss an opportunity to live a life full of luxury and lazying even if it means sacrificing other human beings' welfare at her disposal. 

Magma will never live a day in his life, knowing that he was manipulated to do the impossible task of constructing the said ship in her stead.

She's going to make sure that he will be dealing with heavier loads of work but never going to be as important as it was with doing other stuff. Meaning that he will work his ass off, trying to build a ship but will never get the right recognition for it.

She's not that brutal, right?

I mean she could make him do other impossible tasks but she resorted to just dealing with him like this. Can't blame her, though.

She never liked getting her hands dirty by doing the work but her dedication to improving and making things is way beyond the limits. Kind of ironic. 

"Now now everyone! Onto the next person to revive!" She took a glance at the sexy reporter that she had just come to encounter. All people except Rika had nodded their heads in response as they were starting to do find something,

Or rather someone.

After a few moments of searching. "Is it around here?"

Senku asked as he was looking at the reporter who was currently on her knees, trying to examine something closely. Rika was staying with him, communicating things about the construction of the ship. "That's right. The 'Nanami' Academy..."

Rika's ears perked up by the familiar name, the reporter had stated. "A naval school like this would have sailing ships as part of their curriculum."

 "Is that why you are here, Rika?" Senku speculated. He had thought that if Rika was a well inverse ship engineer, she might know how to operate a ship already, which would be pretty easy for him as he was currently looking for an experienced captain.

She shook her in response. "No. I am not a student of this school. It just so happened that I was visiting a friend of mine who's studying here." 

With the conversation going on, the reporter comes back in to say something about the agenda. "Well, if we wake up one of the students or someone like that, they'll probably be able to steer a boat or ship--"

Senku cut her up. "All right, it's statue excavation time! Dig, Dig, Dig, GORILLA TEAM!" 

"YEAH! LEAVE IT TO US! 

"I told you, I'm not a gorilla."

After a few moments of collecting a bunch of old statues, they had finally found the 'one'. 

A gasp was heard coming from the reporter. "He's here..."

"RYUSUI!!"

Rika, who had been sitting on the rock this whole time, trying her best not to hinder the work of others was shocked to hear such a familiar name after thousands of years passed,

"What?"

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Unedited.