Chapter 43 Shrimp
The illumination provided by Eve brightened the ocean floor; however, it did not clarify the more distant areas.
Brett positioned himself atop the sea lion's head and gazed in astonishment at the scenes unfolding in the distance.
Particles of sediment on the sea bed were swirling in the water, and the ocean was disturbed, creating a tumultuous undercurrent that radiated outward.
A monumental disturbance originated from two massive creatures.
"Sea Kings?!"
Arlong exclaimed in surprise, "Two sea kings are engaged in combat! "
In the water ahead, two enormous and strikingly large beasts were clashing.
One creature, resembling a snake in its slender form, possessed a head akin to that of a black crow, with its body covered in circular patterns of black feathers.
This Sea King entity was colossal, making the sea lion appear diminutive in comparison.
Brett estimated the creature's length to exceed one thousand meters, categorizing it as immensely large even among Sea kings.
Nevertheless, it still fell short when compared to the five-thousand-meter Sea kings summoned by Shirahoshi.
In contrast to the crow snake, its adversary was significantly smaller.
Its length was likely below half that of its opponent, it was relatively large, larger then an ordinary Sea king, approximately four to five hundred meters long.
Yet, despite the crow snake's considerably larger size, it was overpowered and beaten by its smaller opponent.
The rival featured a tough, thick shell on its body, with a tail that extended backward resembling a steel whip, and the tail's end formed a bone hammer.
At that moment, the massive hammer cleaved through the water and struck the crow snake directly, instantly causing blood to pour from the enormous creature's mouth.
The giant snake, in a reluctant response, opened its mouth to bite its adversary, managing to create cracks in the opponent's solid shell. However, before its slender body could ensnare the rival, another powerful blow struck it.
The opponent had four pairs of thick legs beneath its abdomen, and further forward, two pairs of enormous pincers extended from where the head met the chest.
It was these two pairs of pincers that, having been contracted, suddenly exploded outward at that moment, creating a large breach in the deep water, and delivering a tremendous force that directly impacted the body of the crow snake.
The thousand-meter-long behemoth was flung backward and crashed heavily onto the distant seabed, stirring up a substantial cloud of seafloor sediment once again.
In the resulting cloud, the crow snake refrained from retaliating, it escaped without hesitation.
"ROOOAAAR!" Its fearsome head, also shielded by a thick shell, opened wide and let out a triumphant roar, signifying victory, though it showed no intention of pursuing its foe.
Its head bore a resemblance to that of a giant lizard.
A head resembling that of a lizard, a body akin to a scorpion, and prominent pincers reminiscent of a shrimp.
'These Sea Kings, it was like they were stitched together, using different beasts.'
Brett could not suppress a sigh at that thought.
However, despite it's unusual appearance, the sea king's fighting technique mirrored that of a giant mantis shrimp.
'Lizard scorpion shrimp? Nonetheless, the noise is overwhelming. I have been wondering, what is causing all this noise?'
Brett questioned if he was suffering from auditory hallucinations. Unfamiliar sounds echoed in his ears. The perceptive ability derived from the Death Squid seemed to have detected some peculiar disturbances.
"That was awesome! "
One of the fishman appeared extremely pale, "The might of a Sea King is indeed terrifying! "
In comparison to sea beasts, they are on a different level.
The cacophony of the battle was absolutely deafening.
At that moment, amidst the dust in the distance, the immense roaring beast abruptly turned its head, fixing its gaze directly in their direction with small eyes that seemed disproportionate to its enormous head.
The sea lion's eyes suddenly widened and its mouth quivered.
"We've been noticed! "
Arlong's expression shifted, "Brett! We need to leave! "
The fishmen represent a race that merely inhabits the deep sea, whereas the Sea kings are the sovereigns of these waters!
Brett was also prepared to depart.
Sea kings differ from sea beasts. They are challenging to tame if one is unable to communicate with them, making confrontation futile.
Yet, the colossal lizard shrimp refrained from launching an attack. It glanced their way before vanishing into the depths of the ocean without a backward glance.
"Not interested in us."
Arlong exhaled in relief, "It's alright. "
It appears that they truly lack interest. It is as if they did not perceive their presence. Their demeanor contrasts sharply with the aggressive appearance they exhibited during the previous battle.
Brett felt a tinge of curiosity.
Ultimately, it is inconsequential. Once Shirahoshi masters her abilities, all Sea kings will bow down in submission.
"Let's return. " Brett declared.
Despite a minor hiccup, the journey of taming sea beast progressed quite smoothly.
A sea lion was successfully captured.
They rode the sea lion all the way to the Forest of the Sea, then allowed the sea lion to descend to the ground and enter the large bubble.
Sea beasts are also amphibious and can survive on land.
Nevertheless, their fish tails make movement cumbersome.
They traversed the water wall again and returned to Fish-Man Island.
There is a method to facilitate the sea lion's movement around Fish-Man Island. It merely requires wearing a bubble swim ring like the fishmen.
However, a fairly substantial one is required.
This task is not overly complicated.
Fishman Island's bubble technology is well-developed. They retrieved the thick coral knots they had previously prepared, and Brett and Arlong deftly surrounded the sea lion's midsection with a ring of bubbles.
The immense marine creature then ascended into the sky.
"Grah?"
This sensation took the sea lion by surprise. It glanced around with excitement, as swimming and soaring through the air are entirely distinct experiences.
"Rooar."
After adjusting to the initial sensation, the sea lion emitted a roar and joyfully circled in the sky, its tail wagging.
It resembled an exuberant large dog.
After allowing it some time to move around, Brett placed his foot on its head and instructed, "Alright, now go in that direction."
The sea lion, brimming with energy, increased the speed of its tail and flew towards the training area.
As they hovered above the training grounds, the soldiers were still engaged in their drills. The appearance of a colossal beast in the sky could not go unnoticed.
"Wow! That's a sea beast! It's a sea lion! "
"Brother Brett is on the sea lion's head! "
"Did Brother Brett successfully capture a sea beast? That's amazing! "
While the tradition of taming sea beasts has always existed, it is a challenging task for the inhabitants of Fish-Man Island.
Yet, Brother Brett managed to return with a formidable sea beast after just one expedition! That's impressive!
Brett allowed the sea lion to alight in the square. Standing atop the creature, he proclaimed, ''It is to early to be surprised. My vision is for every squadron to possess a sea beast to aid in combat in the future!"
A moment of silence enveloped the training ground.
Then,
"Really? Brother Brett! "
"That's incredible! Who will be our opponent in this vast ocean, once we have sea beasts?!"
"No, even at the surface, we would still be unbeatable! That's a hundred sea beasts!"
The reserve soldiers erupted into cheers.
The sea lion raised its head with pride.
It could comprehend the fishmen's words and recognized that they were celebrating its presence.
"However, while capturing sea beasts is straightforward, identifying the appropriate one presents greater challenges. This endeavor will require time."
Brett continued, "Thus, in what order should they be allocated?"
For a brief moment, everyone held their breath.
Who wouldn't want their team to possess a powerful sea beast before the others?
Brett smiled, "We will discuss the rest later. Let's assign this sea lion to Brother Jinbei for distribution."
Jinbei nodded in agreement and then declared loudly, "Excellent! Therefore, I announce that the team demonstrating the best performance in the upcoming training will earn the right to care for this sea lion."
The captains' eyes sparkled with intense determination.
Whoever secures this sea lion will showcase which team currently reigns supreme!
"Understood! "
They responded in unison.
"Grooar."
The sea lion also let out triumphant roars.
Brett and Jinbei exchanged smiles from afar.
This is progress in a more favorable direction.