第１５９４堀：海の怖さ (Part1)
Chapter 1594: The Terror of the Sea
The Terror of the Sea
Side: Yuki
"The sea is terrifying."
That was my first impression upon seeing the information delivered by Tori and her team. Honestly, what else could I say?
"...That’s a monster I’d rather not fight. Those lugworms are something else."
"Yeah, no kidding. Are we actually going to hunt these things?"
Sia and Sona, who were looking over the report with me, were wearing expressions of subtle disgust. I couldn't blame them; if someone told me to go out and slay those things, I certainly wouldn't be jumping for joy.
As it turned out, the battle between the giant fish and the giant lugworms had ended in a victory for the worms. The reason was simple: once the one-on-one skirmish began, more worms swarmed in to attack the fish. Of course, more fish flew in afterward, but while the worms suffered some losses, every single fish that dared to strike was eventually consumed by the swarm.
"Well, a full-scale extermination is a tall order. But if you two want to turn this place into a resort or a playground for the kids, I don't think you have a choice."
If the two women who might become the lords of this territory wanted to utilize this beach, they would have to clear out the monsters, whether they liked it or not.
"...If this is the only viable location, I suppose we have no choice but to consider it."
"Seriously, Sia? You’re joking, right?"
"I said *if* it’s the only place. Sona, what would you do if your son decided to run off on his own because he wanted to play?"
"Ugh... when you put it that way, it’s too dangerous. I guess we have to exterminate them..."
Fair enough. If we’re going to build a port here, we’ll need to ensure safety, which means a serious monster-hunting operation is inevitable. They weren't wrong. Still, it was too early to commit.
"Well, it’s just one candidate. I’m not expecting us to decide on the spot. Besides..."
I turned my gaze, and there stood Dressa and her team.
"It depends on our coastal survey. Though, we haven't covered everything yet."
"I know. I just want to know what you’ve found so far. It’s all new territory, after all."
"Fair enough. Here you go."
I took the documents from Dressa and, naturally, sent the data to Sia and Sona as well.
"Thank you for the data. But, you were out on the sea while Tori and the others were surveying the coastline, right?"
"That’s right."
"Wait, so you mean you just brushed aside those monsters and sailed your ships right through?"
"Indeed. But it wasn't much of a hassle."
"..."
We all stared at Dressa in shock.
"It’s a different situation from Tori’s team. Their priority is studying the monsters' habitats. Our priority is getting the ships out on the water. We kept our magical output at maximum to intimidate anything nearby. That’s why those kinds of monsters didn't show up. Well, some did, but they were one-hit kills for us. They weren't even a nuisance."
"Ah..."
That made sense. Dressa’s team needed to survey the coast, but they were doing it from the sea. Their operational area was different from Tori, Riel, and Kaya’s. They didn't have time to worry about the land.
Nodding in understanding, I looked over Dressa’s documents.
"I see. It’s not much different from the coast and beaches Tori’s team surveyed."
"Exactly. In addition to the crabs, octopuses, and those lugworms, there are numerous unique fish-type monsters."
The report included photos of over twenty newly discovered species. There were plenty of ordinary fish, but that was a matter for later. Generally speaking—though I’m not sure how to describe them—there were twelve types of fish shaped like rice scoops or surfboards. The remaining eight included long, serpentine creatures like moray eels, sword-like fish resembling hairtails, fish with abnormally developed jaws like crocodiles, and creatures that looked like sharks with even higher offensive capabilities.
There were also plesiosaur-like types and something that looked like a violent, shrimp-like version of *Anomalocaris*, an ancient aquatic creature I’d seen on some educational program. Whether this meant they were more diverse than land monsters... well, Weed is a treasure trove of rare monsters, so it’s hard to tell.
"In terms of combat power, they’re around level 30. The plesiosaur-like 'Sea Waves' and the 'Fang Shrimp' are in the 40s—they’re the boss-class monsters in this region. When Sheila and the others were surveying the depths, they found individuals of both species that were much larger, with levels nearly double that."
"That’s huge. Do they really grow that big in the sea?"
Both were six or seven meters long by default, but these were nearly fourteen meters. Having something the size of a building swimming up to attack you—this wasn't an environment where humans could easily make a living. If you just sent out a normal ship, it would be sunk in an instant.
After all, the ships in this world are wooden. If they were attacked by a fourteen-meter creature, the hull would be breached immediately. Even modern ships with thin armor would be in danger. Well, to prevent that, we deploy magical barriers on the armor, equip destroyers with heavy anti-submarine capabilities for our carriers, and keep Sheila and her team stationed underwater.
That reminded me.
"The survey is clear, but were there any attacks on the ships themselves?"
That was my biggest concern. How would sea monsters react to ships that suddenly appeared?
"There were. But only on small vessels. They attacked anything in the five-to-ten-meter range. They don't seem to mess with anything larger. Sheila and the others think it might be because they don't see them as prey—or perhaps they fear they might be the ones being eaten."
"I see."
That’s a common occurrence on Earth, too. Predators don't usually attack prey larger than themselves. Size alone is a threat. Still, it meant that small boats were definitely at risk. It would be quite difficult for people to go out fishing. I had imagined as much, but the Rogari Sea really is a dead zone. It’s no wonder people don't want to go out on the water.
As for everyone else in the office who had been listening in...
"The sea is truly terrifying."
"...Indeed, it is a place to be avoided."
"I wonder if the people from the Dark Guild are getting attacked too~?"
"Probably. Like, *yoink*, dragged right into the sea."
"Ugh... I trained with Sheila and the others, and those things are genuinely troublesome~"
Oh, so Rushi is training for underwater combat, too? She really does everything. Just as I was thinking that...
"We understand the monsters of the sea and the beach. But tell me, can we utilize the materials from these monsters?"
Nina and Canaria asked for additional information about the monsters with their usual composure.
"Well, the small crabs and octopuses were delicious, so I wonder if the larger ones are just as tasty?"