Chapter Twenty: Racial Slaughter

In the boundless ocean, the water was deep blue and mysterious. The Ruinous Flying Fish darted between Shinjaku and Tetsuya, as if guiding their way. Suddenly, a flash of black light appeared and vanished in an instant, and Tiga’s enormous black form emerged within the sea. Tetsuya looked at Tiga, nodded slightly, and with a gentle wave of the black rhombic crystal in his hand, a dark radiance spread forth. At once, the lithe form of Gillogath appeared beside Tiga.

The two giants exchanged a nod, and then, in perfect accord, sank toward the deeper reaches of the ocean. Their arms pressed tight against their sides, they shot through the water like flying fish, forcefully cleaving through the sea as they sped onward in the wake of the Ruinous Flying Fish.

Light grew scarcer as they descended to the ocean floor, which became shrouded in darkness and silence. The other fish disappeared one by one, leaving only the Ruinous Flying Fish, undaunted by the pressure, gliding swiftly alongside the giants.

The depths were unfathomably mysterious—perhaps even more so than outer space. Human exploration of the ocean had always been far more challenging than the conquest of the stars. Even in the twenty-first century, humanity had reached the moon and sent explorers to Mars, yet their understanding of the sea barely surpassed a depth of seven thousand meters.

Here, it was as though time itself had lost all meaning. Tetsuya had no idea how long he had been swimming. Gillogath followed in Tiga’s wake, both pressing forward, while traces of Ruinous Flying Fish flickered ahead. The monotony of the journey, the unchanging darkness on every side, gradually wore on Tetsuya, a weariness creeping in.

The silence was ghostly, even terrifying.

Then, at some indeterminate moment, Shinjaku’s voice reached Tetsuya’s ears.

“We’re here!”

Tetsuya looked up abruptly. He saw that they now floated within a deep ocean trench. The surrounding water was beginning to boil, bubbles surging upward ceaselessly. In the distance, a vast swarm of unknown sea creatures was rushing toward them.

“Dive!”

Shinjaku’s voice rang in Tetsuya’s mind. Tiga immediately sank further, descending to the very bottom of the trench, with Gillogath in close pursuit.

Above them, the Ruinous Flying Fish clashed with the advancing horde of abyssal creatures. Their fins bristled, slicing through the water with renewed speed. The school darted through the fray, knife-like fins slashing opponents’ skin, and blood began to spread in dark ribbons across the sea floor.

“What are those...?”

“Deep Ones!”

Shinjaku explained, “A race under the dominion of Ghatanothoa, the Deep Ones are the embodiment of chaos.”

Through the giant’s eyes, Tetsuya could see the Deep Ones with startling clarity. They resembled humans who had adapted to live on the ocean floor, webbing stretched between their fingers and toes. Their heads were more fish-like, and when they opened their gaping mouths, rows of razor-sharp teeth glimmered within. Above their mouths, immense, protruding eyes never blinked.

Their skin was a dull, greenish-grey, while their bellies were white and slick. Most of their bodies gleamed with a slippery sheen, reminiscent of a frog’s back. A high, scaly ridge ran down their backs, allowing them to stand upright in a manner vaguely human. Gills quivered incessantly on either side of their necks, and long, webbed limbs propelled them through the water.

Yet what most intrigued Shinjaku were the weapons they wielded.

Most Deep Ones carried hooked claws, while a few bore hunting spears. Some even wore armor—though the armor resembled salvaged relics from sunken ships, ill-fitting and awkward, like the plate mail of humanity’s ancient age of cold steel, rather than anything forged for their own kind.

They appeared, in truth, a race of intelligence not inferior to humanity.

However, their civilization had not evolved to humanity’s level; at the very least, they had not yet mastered the art of forging armor. On the chaotic battlefield, it was clear that the Ruinous Flying Fish possessed the swifter speed, but the Deep Ones were more cunning, having developed tactics of their own. Those clad in armor were larger, swimming at the rear and uttering hoarse, shrill cries—like generals rallying their soldiers.

The Deep Ones with hooked claws fought the Ruinous Flying Fish in a tangled melee, while those with spears circled the periphery, targeting the larger fish. These warriors would often charge in with their spears, fearless as champions.

A Ruinous Flying Fish swept past a Deep One’s throat, its razor fin slashing open the creature’s neck. Blood billowed forth in a crimson cloud. Before the fish could escape, however, a Deep One lunged with its spear, plunging it into the flying fish’s soft underbelly. The weapon pierced clean through, ending the creature’s flight.

A deep, guttural roar sounded as a gigantic Ruinous Flying Fish led a new wave from another direction, plunging into the fray and tipping the balance of battle. The giant fish’s eyes glowed red, and it crashed through the ranks, smashing Deep Ones with its massive head and snapping them in half with its fearsome jaws.

The spear-wielding Deep Ones rallied together, stabbing at the giant with all their might, but it swept them aside with a single lash of its tail. Others were cut clean through by the creature’s blade-like fins.

“Waaah! Waaah!”

The armored Deep Ones uttered their hoarse, croaking battle cries, reminiscent of frogs, yet deeper and harsher.

Through Tetsuya’s bewildered gaze, an immense Deep One swam toward them, clutching a spear taller than itself. It seemed thirty or forty meters high, a monstrous figure rivaling the giants. Water parted before its advance, and a hatred blazed in its eyes. Its tremendous, guttural roar filled the depths, and sharp, gleaming teeth flashed with cold light.

“That is the leader of the Deep Ones, ‘Father Dagon’!”

Shinjaku glanced at it and explained, “The eldest of the Deep Ones, revered as ‘Father’. Dagon and his mate, ‘Mother Hydra’, command the Deep Ones in service to Ghatanothoa.”

Tetsuya steadied himself, awakening his system with a silent call: “Analyze its strength!”

“A+ class...”

“It’s no weaker than the God of Hyuranos...”

“Hmph...” Shinjaku snorted and explained,

“The King of Hyuranos was a single creature, created by Emperor Kalafal from the vestiges of the dark energies left behind by other Old Ones. Queen Monaira and Ghatanothoa are far stronger than it!”

Tetsuya fell silent, a realization dawning upon him. The so-called Nineteen Old Ones—if they were singular beings—must each possess power above A+ class. If they were a species, then their leaders would stand at A+.

By that reckoning, Ghatanothoa and Queen Monaira, the two solitary Old Ones...

Their strength was at the S-class level!