Those Who Dwell in the Sea (2)

How were we supposed to fight the giant fish that could emerge from the sea at any moment? Even though we had good night vision, we couldn't see it because it was underwater, making it difficult for us to take the initiative. Much as it frustrated me, we'd have to let it make the first move.

That wasn't the only problem. Since it was underwater—a place we couldn't see from here—we had no idea where the giant fish would leap from or who it would attack first. Our only consolation was that we could hear it when it burst from the sea, and Ruby's detection would alert us to its approach, making a completely surprise attack unlikely. It was still a disadvantage, though, so calling that a consolation felt questionable.

"Ruby, do you know the enemy's exact position?"

"Sorry, no. It's already outside the range of my Skill."

"Could it have escaped?"

"Nope. I can tell with my Skill when we're being targeted by an enemy."

There was a Skill called 【Hostility Detection】 that only scouts and assassins like Ruby could learn. It allowed the user to sense when they or their allies were being targeted by someone, so the fact that it was reacting meant the giant fish intended to continue fighting rather than flee.

【Hostility Detection】 had a wide range, making it convenient, and it was extremely effective against opponents with no means of concealing themselves. However, it had the drawback of being easily blocked by superior concealment techniques. Ruby herself had said that 【Hostility Detection】 alone could not prevent a surprise attack by an assassin whose level was only slightly lower than hers. Therefore, another Skill was needed to find an enemy of equal or higher level before they launched an ambush. It was highly versatile, but useless against specialists in that field.

In any case, it was more than sufficient for determining whether the giant fish, which was not even attempting to conceal itself, had fled. If it hadn't escaped, it would attack us again before long.

"W-what should we do!?"

"For now, we have no choice but to cover all four directions. Eiji, use your shield; I will use magic; Jigoro and Genjuro, handle things yourselves. Those who can fly, take positions in the air. Those who cannot, prepare to counterattack inside the four of us. Ruby, tell us immediately when you know where it is coming from."

"It's a big responsibility, but leave it to me!"

Since we could do nothing but wait for it to attack, our best chance of victory was to reinforce our defenses, weather its assault, and counterattack. We would cover all four directions with Eiji's impregnable defense, a reinforced magical barrier, and the prowess of Jigoro and Genjuro. Once one of the four stopped it and left it defenseless, we would finish it off all at once. That was the strategy I could think of at the moment.

Ruby's detection would be crucial then. If she could determine even a moment sooner which direction it was coming from, our chances of success would rise. Perhaps understanding that, Ruby deformed her smooth surface into an arm and gave us a thumbs-up. We could leave it to her with complete peace of mind.

Still, relying entirely on Ruby's detection would be a problem. We quickly formed up and braced ourselves without letting our guard down, ready for the enemy to come from any direction. We waited tensely like that, but there was no sign of the fish appearing. It was mentally exhausting to remain alert while waiting. Hurry up and come already!

"Geh!? Everyone, underneath us!"

"Whaaaaaat!?"

Immediately after Ruby shouted, the ship we were standing on lurched violently. A harsh, grinding vibration traveled up through our feet as well. I had no idea what was happening, but the fact that it was coming from beneath the hull gave me a vague feeling that this was about to become a disaster.

As I was thinking that, the ship and all of us were struck by an even greater jolt, accompanied by loud cracking sounds from below the hull. Ah, I finally understood what was happening. This was bad!

"That bastard put a hole in the ship!?"

With Jigoro's furious roar, the giant fish burst through the deck and soared into the sky. Just as it had when it cut through Nenashi's vines, it had spun around and used its pointed head like a drill to ram up through the bottom of the ship.

Although we had originally intended to sink the ship, the situation was now close to the worst possible outcome. We had gained a time limit: how long until the ship sank. If we didn't defeat the giant fish and retreat as quickly as possible, our companions who couldn't fly would become food for the sea. So first things first: 【Appraisal】!

――――――――――

Race: Sawfin Hairtail Lv81

Job: Sky Swordsman Lv1

Skill: 【Health Enhancement】

【Strength Enhancement】

【Defense Enhancement】

【Super Agility Enhancement】

【Sharp Fangs】

【Flexible Blade Technique】

【Scale Armor Technique】

【Whip-Tail Strike】

【Water-Ice Magic】

【High-Speed Flight】

【Coordination】

【Slashing Resistance】

【Piercing Resistance】

【Water-Attribute Resistance】

【Lightning-Attribute Vulnerability】

――――――――――

Sawfin Hairtail... I see, it was a hairtail monster. I felt like its fins had been shaped differently from those of a normal hairtail, but it was a monster, so I supposed that was to be expected. Its Skills leaned toward physical abilities, with physical defense from scales that blocked slashing and piercing attacks, as well as resistance to the water attribute, presumably because it lived in the sea.

Fortunately, it had no resistance to blunt attacks, and it also possessed the clear weakness of 【Lightning-Attribute Vulnerability】. We had someone here who could exploit both of those weaknesses.

"We'll attack with blunt force and lightning! Jigoro, you're up!"

"Hell yeah! Leave it to me!"

Jigoro leaped into the sky, violently discharging electricity from both fists, his horns, and even his hair in flashes so fierce they seared my eyes. His speed was truly like violet lightning, and my dynamic vision could barely keep track of him.

At that speed, Jigoro spun in midair and tried to slam down a heel drop. However, the Sawfin Hairtail flapped its pectoral fins and narrowly dodged the attack. It then flexed its entire body and swung its tail at my brother like a whip, aiming for him while he could not change direction in midair.

"Don't underestimate me! Kaaaaah!"

"Gyeeeeh!?"

Jigoro could not move freely through the air, but that did not mean he had no way to attack while airborne. He opened his mouth wide and extended his tongue, which was discharging electricity just like the rest of him, sweeping it through the air. His full-force surprise attack paid off, and his extended tongue struck the Sawfin Hairtail's body hard. The blow from the sharply swung, whip-like tongue shattered the scales it was so proud of, while the electricity coursing through its entire body made it let out a scream. Come to think of it, did fish even make sounds?

"You won't escape this time!"

"I'll help too!"

The Sawfin Hairtail, writhing in agony in midair, was attacked by Nenashi's vines and Iris's tentacles. Nenashi used his vines to bind the area from its head down to its pectoral fins, while Iris poured some kind of yellow chemical from the tentacles holding it onto the area around its tail fin.

I had expected Iris to tie it up as well, but apparently not. As I wondered about that, the chemical she had poured on began hardening before my eyes! The rear half of the Sawfin Hairtail became like an insect trapped in amber. The chemical had to be one of Shiitake's latest creations, but I was curious what item it had been made from and how.

"Hooorah!"

"Hmph!"

With the Sawfin Hairtail completely immobilized, Eiji brought a massive iron hammer down on its head from above. At the same time, Genjuro, who had somehow switched to a spear, struck upward with the butt of the weapon as though scooping it up. Its head was caught between the blunt weapons from above and below, a dull sound rang out, and then it stopped moving.

"Did we finish it...? That was close, but we managed somehow."

"That's fine, but let's get out of here already. The ship's taken on quite a lot of water."

As Toji said, we had no time even to feel relieved. There was no time to linger on a sinking ship with a hole in its hull. We would have to put looting the Sawfin Hairtail on hold and withdraw immediately.

I wanted to use Mass Teleport to return to Shiratsuki, but it was difficult to establish coordinates on the deck while it was still rocking violently. We had no choice but to resort to the primitive method of having our airborne companions carry us back one at a time.

"Then I'll take you up on that."

"I'll go first~"

"Be careful, Grandpa."

The first three to return were Iris, Toji, and Ruby. They were carried away by Nanako and Nanako's summoned beast, Mossan, and Shio, respectively. These three had not been chosen simply because of ladies first. Iris was not good at combat, Toji had low defense, and Ruby was light enough to be carried away and return immediately afterward.

Among those who could fly, Mikero and I stayed behind in case of an emergency. I was also handling detection with Magic Echo. An enemy that concealed its presence would be dangerous, but even if one appeared, only those who could either counterattack or withstand it had remained, so we would be fine.

As I watched the three pairs ascend into the sky, I repeatedly used Magic Echo to confirm that the area around us was safe. It was necessary to ensure that we could respond immediately if anything happened.

"So, brother? Find anything?"

"Stop asking as though you're hoping for an accident. Nothing so far—wha!?"

Just as I was denying Jigoro's question, which seemed to express his hope that something would appear, my detection picked up a response. Judging from its size and speed, I assumed it was a Sawfin Hairtail. However, my voice went up an octave because there were far too many of them.

Who could have imagined nearly a hundred signals entering the detection range simultaneously from every direction? A hundred! What were we supposed to do about that!?

"It's a swarm of enemies! They're all coming at once!"

"Ugh!? We're surrounded!?"

Nenashi, who was clinging to Mikero at the moment, let out a scream. The distinctive dorsal fins of Sawfin Hairtails were protruding from the surface of the sea, circling the ship we were aboard. It was a sight far more horrifying than any cheap horror movie.

Once the swarm of Sawfin Hairtails drew fairly close to the ship, they leaped like flying fish and charged while spinning, just as before. Damn! Could we stop them all!?

"Astral Magic Circle, Spell Adjustment, Sanctuary!"

I activated Sanctuary with every bit of magic power I had. Five glowing, spherical barriers were deployed. The first three shattered in an instant, but the fourth stopped the attack. That was thanks to my evolution and Job change.

We would be able to hold out until our companions returned. As though mocking that hope, the Sawfin Hairtails launched their next move.

"What are they...? No way!"

"So they're curling up and using their dorsal fins. How clever."

Until now, the Sawfin Hairtails had spun like ballet dancers to turn their pointed heads into drills. Now, however, they were spinning as though doing forward rolls and began shaving away at Sanctuary like circular saws. The Sawfin Hairtails behind them charged in the same way, spinning as they came. This was impossible! I couldn't block them all!

The remaining Sanctuary was sliced apart despite putting up resistance, and the dorsal fins of the Sawfin Hairtails bit into the ship. The ship began coming apart with the sound of wood being cut by a circular saw. Before it could even sink, the hull gave out, and the ship was split into eight pieces amid cracking and creaking sounds like its death throes.

"Ha-ha! This is crazy!"

"You certainly seem to be enjoying it."

"W-whoaaaaa!? Please help me!"

The ship had been torn apart, but it did not immediately sink. Jigoro and Genjuro used the wreckage that was still floating as footholds, leaping around while intercepting the attacks. Are you two Ushiwakamaru or something? You're far too nimble!

The heavyweight Eiji, on the other hand, was shouting for help. Everyone understood that he was not using an avatar capable of moving so lightly. We didn't have enough strength to lift him, but we could still support him. I hurriedly tried to fly over to Eiji.

At that moment, Magic Echo, whose effect was still active, picked up another response. If it had been something comparable to a Sawfin Hairtail, I would have ignored it because we were in an emergency. But the response I detected was far larger than those creatures.

"Waaaaaaaaah!?"

"This is incredible!"

"A whale? But what a bizarre one..."

What emerged from the sea was a whale with an outer shell resembling a mollusk's shell. The whale leaped out of the water with its mouth wide open, swallowed a section of the shipwreck along with dozens of Sawfin Hairtails, and then dove back into the sea.

The Sawfin Hairtails, which had gone from hunters to prey, scattered in all directions like startled spiders. When I hurriedly used Magic Echo, I found that the whale was pursuing the fleeing Sawfin Hairtails.

It seemed we had been saved. That whale had not come to rescue us; it had merely been drawn by the gathering of food. Still, it had saved us as a result, so I would thank it in my heart.

"We're sinking!"

"Magic Shield! Eiji, grab onto this!"

Eiji clung to the Magic Shield I had activated, holding on so he would not be swallowed by the swirling sea. With his strength, there was no danger of him falling off. Iris and the others must have noticed the disturbance on the sea, so help should arrive soon.

BOOOOOOOM!!!

Just as I began to relax, a roar loud enough to make my ears ring struck our ears from the direction in which the Sawfin Hairtails and the whale pursuing them had gone. I turned around to see what had happened, only to find that the whale from before had been pierced by a harpoon from beneath the sea!

There were many things I wanted to consider, but one thing was certain: the sea was as harsh as the sky, if not harsher.