The first contact with the water was refreshing.
The waters around the archipelago were mildly warm, which made them full of life… and monsters, of course.
I swam deeper, getting used to the resistance of the salty water and looking for a more optimal spot. The area I was in wasn't too deep; I could reach the seafloor quite easily.
With the vitality I had gained, I wouldn't have any problem staying underwater for several minutes, but I knew for sure that that limit would be reduced if I pushed myself too hard.
Looking around, I could see stretches of marine rocks, algae lazily dancing in the current, and schools of fish swimming undisturbed. Among them were also some monsters, but since I recognized them, I didn't worry too much.
Not all monsters were necessarily aggressive. Some tended to be docile, while others only became active when hunting or if someone entered their territory. That said, those were only a tiny minority; most of them were bloodthirsty beasts.
I kept swimming forward, maintaining a steady pace. Nothing interesting seemed to be nearby, so I decided to head toward a crack in the rocky wall. I observed the natural entrance, judging the space. It was wide enough to let me pass even in a rush, crucial, since the last thing I wanted was to get stuck in an underwater passage and die suffocated.
Detecting no immediate threats, I slipped into the crevice, sliding into a narrow and silent natural tunnel. The darkness here was far denser than in the open seafloor I had left behind.
I activated Shadow Veil.
I had never thought of it as a handy skill underwater, but to my surprise, it turned out to be perfect. One of its properties, which I had ignored until now, was a sort of advanced perception in darkness.
I calmly moved through the entire tunnel.
Unlike the dungeon, this time I didn't have a specific target in mind. In these waters, there were thousands of different monster species, and among them were some Grade 1 reptilian monsters.
After a few more strokes, I emerged into a rather large underwater cavern, where strange glowing coral formations cast a dim violet light on the rocky walls.
I moved slowly and soon spotted a small group of anapuschi, mollusk-like creatures resembling sea slugs, but equipped with an organ that could shoot jets of pressurized water. Although they weren't a real danger, they were classified among the weakest Grade 0 monsters; their attacks could be annoying if used in groups.
I stayed still for a moment, but they didn't seem to detect me, thanks to my active ability, so I quietly moved toward one of the side openings, ignoring the group. Wasting energy and air on those creatures was senseless.
Honestly, I would've liked to activate Scaled Armor, but with the current ability already active, the mana consumption would be too high, leaving me drained in a moment of real need.
I sighed mentally and ventured into another tunnel, this one wider. The walls were uneven, covered in algae and bioluminescent crustaceans. The environment seemed to grow increasingly hostile as I advanced, and the water colder, probably because of the distance from the surface and sunlight.
Shit. There's no way through here.
In front of me stood a living wall of jellyfish. Their bodies floated lazily in the water, lighting the cave with blue and purple glows. The tentacles swayed like silk threads moved by their own will. I couldn't identify the exact species, but the fact that they glowed didn't give me good vibes. Usually, when something glows in nature, it's poisonous.
Thanks to my Poison Resistance, I might have survived a few touches… but I didn't plan to take unnecessary risks.
I chose to change course. A narrow but passable secondary corridor opened to my left. I moved quietly, but just as I was about to slip into the passage, something disturbed the water around me, almost imperceptibly… but enough to set off every alarm in my brain.
I immediately activated Scaled Armor.
Just in time, as a violent blow hit my back, pushing me forward and nearly making me crash into the jellyfish.
I turned with my dagger ready, spotting the threat.
A fish. No, an abomination. It was almost as big as me, covered in bony spikes along its back, with razor-sharp teeth. It swam sideways, with that predatory motion typical of beasts on the hunt.
Only then did I realize my mistake. The jellyfish's light had partially canceled the effect of the Cloak of Shadows.
From the force of the impact, it's a Grade 1.
The fish lunged at me again. I dodged as best I could, managing to scratch its belly slightly with my dagger.
The creature twisted in pain, then, strangely, turned to show its back full of bony spikes, and I immediately understood the danger.
I curled up defensively, and in the next moment, those spikes were fired at high speed.
Some were deflected by the scales, but others still managed to pierce through, making me wince from the pain.
When I opened my guard again, the monster was already on me, biting my arm. This time, the scales seemed to offer no protection, and the monster's sharp teeth tore through the flesh.
Luckily—or not—the monster's teeth weren't very long, so they didn't reach the bone, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.
"Blurp!"
A couple of air bubbles escaped my mouth, so I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to close my mouth.
The monster thrashed, trying to worsen the wound, so I tried stabbing it with my dagger.
Seeing the attack coming, the monster thrashed even more violently, even spinning in place.
Since it was latched onto me, my body was also dragged along by its frenzy, spinning the entire world around me.
ENOUGH!
I managed to shove my hand into the monster's gill, which froze for a moment, and I ripped out the internal flesh with force.
The monster opened its mouth in pain, and I wasn't about to waste such an opportunity. Smiling maniacally, I grabbed the monster's fin and hurled it toward the jellyfish swarm.
The monster tried to escape, but the more it struggled, the more the tentacles wrapped around it, until its body suddenly stiffened and lost all strength.
Paralyzing poison… interesting.
I looked down at my bleeding arm. The wound was quite deep, not to mention the spikes still lodged in my body.
The main problem was that I was losing blood too easily in the water, and my air reserves were running low.
Damn it, this will take forever.
As I had imagined, there were too many variables and difficulties when fighting underwater, but I had no other choice. With the prince now involved, I had to become a Grade 2 as soon as possible.
Vzzz
A strong pulse came from the Golden Rule rune, and I felt my blood draining, much worse than what was leaking from the wound.
I looked down at the rune, which was glowing darker than I had ever seen before.
My hair stood on end as I sensed a presence I never expected to find here.
I turned stiffly toward the jellyfish swarm, and there, on the ground, an eye was watching me intently.
I tried to activate Shadow Veil, hoping it would lose track of me, but its eye kept following me.
S-Shit… It's a befael.
A Grade 4 monster perfectly capable of blending with its surroundings. By nature, the creature was calm; it even ignored the jellyfish above it, but when it detected something dangerous, it went into hunting mode.
Come on, look at me. I'm just a Grade 1. A simple and harmless Grade-Fuck!
When I saw its other eye open as well, I started swimming with all my might, aiming to get out of that underwater cave.
ROOOOOAAAR!
That roar shook the entire cave, and even the surrounding monsters went into a frenzy.
The whole cave was vibrating, and I swam through the chaos, heart pounding in my ears, blood escaping faster than I could make up for, dissolving into the water like ink.
I approached the passage I had entered from, but at that exact moment, another tremor shook the cave. The walls groaned, a crack opened in the ceiling, and a cascade of debris collapsed, completely blocking the entrance.
No.
NO!
I floated for a moment in the agitated water, then swam in another direction the next moment.
If I tried to move those rocks, I was sure the monster would reach me.
I swam away, not even knowing where to go. The walls grew narrower, the water murkier—no, it was me. I was starting to see less. I was suffering from the effects of oxygen deprivation, and the way I was swimming wasn't helping my burning lungs.
BOOOM!
The rock wall beside me exploded all of a sudden, sweeping me into the current it created.
The befael, with its armored body, insect-like legs, and sharp tentacles, was just a few steps away.
This time, I could feel death whispering in my ear.
Sensing something, I dove behind a rock, but even so, the monster's tentacle shattered it easily, slamming me against the rocky wall.
"Boarb!"
My body arched from the pain, and my last bit of air escaped. My lungs were about to explode, and everything around me was going dark. Even sounds were muffled, with only the beating of my heart still audible.
Even so, I noticed a strange glow not far away, and somehow, I recognized it.
The befael came closer, but was momentarily distracted by another monster, which it immediately killed, but that brief pause was enough for me.
I moved with my last ounce of strength, darkness wrapping around me. I threw myself desperately into the light, feeling a searing pain in my back, and the next moment, I landed on a solid surface.