Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 166: Offshore battleship Assault – Underwater Threat

When I opened the door on top of the submarine and entered the interior, I was surprised by how spacious it was. There was enough room for over a hundred people, including the Special Operations unit, the pale-faced superior officer, and Marcellus.

Inside the submarine, the lighting was dim, with only a few small lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Benches were fixed to the inner walls and floor, where we all took our seats.

“Is everyone aboard the submarine? Then… Demon Regiment, prepare for deployment!”

Marcellus gave orders through the communication orb he held. The submarine began to sway gently and slowly descend. It seemed we were finally starting to submerge into the depths of the ocean.

Descending like this was a peculiar sensation. I had fallen from great heights before, but this was an entirely different experience. It was strange, and there was no other way to describe it. Even though we were heading for the battlefield, I couldn’t help but enjoy the current situation, even if just a little.

“There’s quite a distance to the battleship. We’ll be moving slowly for a while… The diversionary operation on the surface should be starting soon,” Marcellus announced.

No sooner had Marcellus spoken than a deafening roar, accompanied by a powerful jolt, struck the submarine. The wooden hull creaked and groaned, and our superior officer let out an embarrassing scream. Making such a fuss over this; how disgraceful.

It seemed that the Imperial Army was fighting on the surface to buy us time as we approached. Farl and the others will probably be joining the attack from the sky along with the aerial combat units. To ensure their safety and the success of this surprise operation, we had to make it work.

“What’s that noise…? Something is coming!”

“Whoa!”

“Ughbu?”

Just as Mika sensed something, there was a sudden surge of immense spiritual power emanating from a little distance behind us. This energy formed into a torrent and slammed into the submarine. While the demon who had been towing us managed to dodge the direct impact with a last-minute realization, the submarine was shaken to a degree that was incomparable to when it started diving.

The interior turned upside down, and we were thrown against the walls and ceiling. It was clear that the submarine was under some kind of attack. I tried to sharpen my senses to assess the situation outside, but things felt different from the norm, making it hard to discern the details.

“What’s happening?! Report!”

“It’s a sea serpent! A sea serpent has appeared!”

I had a rough idea of the enemy’s size and shape. It was a serpent-like creature, perhaps three times the size of the submarine. True to its name, it was a snake of a size I had never seen before. Just its attempt to coil around us seemed like it could crush the entire submarine.

Despite its enormous size, the enemy had gone completely unnoticed until it launched its attack. Even factoring in our unfamiliarity with underwater conditions, its caution and cunning were proof of high intelligence. It was a truly terrifying creature.

The voice of the sea demons coming through the communication orb carried unmistakable fear. Perhaps due to their past as pirates, they knew better than us the horrors of a sea serpent. They were so distraught that it was hard to believe that these sea demons were the same people I had seen before the start of the battle.

“Gah! If this continues, the plan will be… protect the submarine!”

“It’s impossible! Our opponent is the ruler of the sea! We can’t win!”

“This is an order! Just make sure the submarine attaches to the battleship! Under no circumstances should you let the submarine be destroyed! Demon pulling us, increase your speed! Give it everything you’ve got!”

“Tch, damn it! I’ll do it fiiiiine’t!”

The Sea demon refused when told to fight the Sea Serpent, but if the submarine was destroyed, we would die and the entire operation would be ruined. Marcellus hardened his heart and issued the order to protect it at all costs.

The sea demons, unable to defy orders, had no choice but to face the sea serpent with their lives on the line. Even if they were to emerge victorious over the sea serpent, it was clear that many of the sea demons would pay a heavy price. No matter how much they despised these sea demons, Marcellus found it agonizing to send his subordinates into harm’s way under his own command, and he clenched his teeth so hard it felt like they might shatter.

Following the order to increase speed, the submarine accelerated abruptly. As a result, the interior experienced another violent jolt, causing some to stumble and fall. In particular, our superior took a spectacular tumble, hitting his head and losing consciousness. What on earth did you come here for?

“Uh oh! This is bad! Why are there so many sea serpents… Aaaaargh!?”

“Uwaaaah! I don’t wanna die!”

“What did you say?! Hey, report accurately! Can you hear me!?”

The worst news came through the communication orb along with screams. It seemed that we had been attacked by a formidable group of creatures known as sea serpents. There was no escape for us inside the submarine. We needed to get on the battleship as quickly as possible and distance ourselves from the sea. This was the first time I had ever felt so impatient to arrive on the battlefield.

Although the submarine accelerated, it was impossible to completely avoid the attacks from the pursuing sea serpents. Just as I felt a surge of spiritual power, another strong current closed in on the submarine. Although we managed to avoid it again, the interior was once again shaken violently. The creaking of the hull had grown louder, and I worried that it might grow into a breach at any moment.

“Ouch, damn it! Sophie! Aren’t you related to those damn things? Can’t you do something!?”

“There’s no way to do anything about it! Besides, only because I was synthesized with a snake doesn’t mean… Ah!”

Before Sophie could retort to Tigar’s idiotic rant, the submarine tilted sharply once again. This time, however, it wasn’t due to an attack but because the submarine was surfacing. In an instant, those who couldn’t grab onto protrusions on the walls or floor found themselves tumbling to the rear of the submarine.

The inside of the submarine was in shambles, but this turned out to be good news. That’s because the fact that we were surfacing meant that the battleship was now practically within reach.

“Everyone, get ready to fight at any moment! How long do you plan on sleeping?”

“Hmm…”

It seemed that Marcellus had also come to the same conclusion, as he encouraged everyone to prepare. However, the superior had apparently hit his head again when the submarine tilted, and he remained unconscious. No amount of slapping by Marcellus could rouse him. You’re nothing but a hindrance…

A few seconds later, as we heard a loud splash from outside the submarine, we collided with something in front, causing the interior to shake violently once more. Perhaps due to our attempt to flee from the sea serpents, the submarine had not slowed down at all and had struck something head-on.

As a result, this impact was the strongest we had experienced so far. Even I, supported by my tail, momentarily felt my body sway. As if to prove the force of the collision, a crack appeared on the front of the submarine… and water is flooding in!

“Hmph!”

Without waiting for orders from Marcellus, I swiftly sliced through the submarine’s ceiling with my twin swords. Without hesitation, I swung my tail, completely shattering the ceiling, and immediately leaped out through the hole.

As soon as my feet touched the submarine’s ceiling, the sea’s surface erupted violently…and frothy, crimson bubbles rose up. These bubbles rapidly expanded, and from beneath them, a giant, dark silhouette emerged.

“It’s huge!”

“So, this is the sea serpent!”

Seeing the massive sea serpent rise from the ocean’s depths, Tigar and Zald, who had followed me onto the ceiling, seemed overwhelmed by its size. In its mouth, the demon, which was probably the reason why the sea surface was dyed red, dangled limply from its jaws, with only his lower half hanging out.

The sea serpent raised its head upward, slowly swallowing the sea demon. Whether it believed itself to be overwhelmingly superior or was simply disregarding us, it kept its gaze away. This could only be described as the arrogance of a strong being, and it exposed numerous weaknesses.

“That arrogance will be your downfall.”

I created a sand platform in the air and used it as a foothold to approach before swinging my twin swords. My swords, meticulously maintained by the Popi people, were incredibly sharp, and with a single strike, I successfully severed the sea serpent’s neck.

The head of the sea serpent spun in the air before sinking into the sea. Just before it hit the water, I saw something metallic gleaming dully embedded in the sea serpent’s head.

Could it be that the Republic’s military was controlling the sea serpent? In other words, was the attack on us not a mere coincidence but a scheme orchestrated by the Republic Army? No, it would be more unreasonable to suggest that we were coincidentally attacked while approaching the battleship. This seemed to be a far more terrifying trap than the underwater bombs Asumi had mentioned.

I wanted to investigate further, but the sea serpent’s head was now at the bottom of the sea, and there was simply no time. Perhaps sensing that one of their own had been slain, the presence of what appeared to be more sea serpents was heading our way. It seemed that unintentionally, I had ended up saving the other units.

“Tigar Zald, follow Marcellus’s orders. I’ll block off the sea serpents.”

“Got it, boss. Leave it to us! We’ll meet up on the battleship!” Tigar said.

“We shouldn’t need to worry, but there’s always a chance. Don’t let your guard down.” Zald cautioned.

“I Know.”

After accepting their encouragement and advice, I manipulated the sand platform and took to the sky. It seemed that every sea serpent heading my way understood that I was the one responsible for taking down their comrade, as I could feel a strong sense of hostility emanating from all of them. It seems like there are only two possible outcomes: either I die or they will be annihilated.

The first to make a move was the one that had been lurking directly beneath us. It approached silently, just like it had underwater, and then lunged out from below, trying to swallow me whole by opening its massive mouth wide.

Before it could devour me, I leaped sideways from the platform to evade its attack. Despite its attempt to remain stealthy, the murderous intent it radiated was obvious. The only thing the sea serpent managed to swallow was the clump of sand that had formed my platform…and I could say it was his misfortune that he was able to swallow it.

“Explode.”

The sand within its mouth was under my spiritual control. Remote manipulation was a simple task, even from a distance. By rapidly expanding the tightly compressed sand, I caused the sea serpent’s head to explode from the inside.

Among the fragments of the head that rained down was something that reflected light. After creating a new platform and landing, I quickly moved the whole platform before grabbing it with the pincers on my cheek before it fell into the sea.

It was something made of the same metal as the one on the forehead of the sea serpent I had just slashed. It was small enough to fit between the pincers on my cheek, with intricate spiritual circuits etched onto it.

It was most likely the work of the Republic Army. I didn’t know what effect it had, but it was undoubtedly something troublesome. I tucked it into the gap of my waistband to hand it over to Marcellus later.

“Shaaaaah!!!”

“Oh no!”

It seemed that the sea serpents understood the danger of getting closer, as a few of them that had emerged from the sea spewed a massive amount of water from their mouths. I had intended to dodge it, but behind me, my companions were attempting to climb onto the battleship. There was no way to avoid it, so I had no choice but to hastily construct a wall of sand to take the torrent of water head-on.

However, it seemed that the hastily constructed sand wall didn’t have enough strength to withstand the impact. The compressed water struck forcefully, pounding my exoskeleton, and the shock reverberated through the core of my body.

“Guh… Is everyone alright?”

While I managed to shield most of the attack, the aftermath of the water’s surge struck the submarine we were on, shattering it. Some of my comrades who hadn’t yet attached themselves to the battleship seemed to have been thrown into the sea, but they clung to fragments of the submarine that was floating. It seems that no one has sunk.

Perhaps because I was acting as a decoy, another submarine surfaced, and the demons on it began to ascend the battleship’s sides. My role is likely to be important for the success of the operation itself. I steeled myself and tightened my grip on the twin swords in my hands.