Artemia: Journey To The Thirtieth Floor

47. Battle At The Coast

"Is it true that they're stealing metal from the ocean floor?" Yuki asked and came up to me as soon as I entered the cabin, sounding a bit too agitated.

I blinked my eyes twice, confused upon hearing her question. "I was just about to tell you that. How did you even find out about that?"

"Yukina relayed the knowledge to all of the people here."

"Oh, I see. Anyway, the answer to your question is a yes."

They listened intently as I told them everything I had learned from Hiraya. Speaking of Hiraya, that man disappeared into thin air like a ghost as soon as we stepped foot in the camp. Since I was unable to find him, I made my way to the cabin where Yuki was in. Moreover, now that I'm here, it seems as though I don't have any other words to say to them. It's a shame that Yukina went ahead and told them before I got an opportunity to do so.

Since I am someone who has bad trust issues, I asked Yuki if Hiraya's story regarding the past was true. Yuki smiled and confirmed that Hiraya was the one who had been taking care of her all this time and that all the stories he told me were true. That was a great relief. I'm going to assume that Shirayuki was the one who told her about all this.

"Are we going to set out now?" I asked as I took my katanas.

Yuki nodded as she took hers. "The nymphs told me about the arrival of a few naval fleets along the cliffs, which was rather tactical of them. Given our current state of vulnerability, it seems likely that they will launch an attack at any moment."

"Does it really have to be this soon? Not everyone is able to fight with us at the moment," Kai complained. Although he was already in possession of his firearms, Kai seemed to be rather grumpy.

"That's alright with me. All of those who have not recovered will be compelled to remain in this location."

We stepped out of the cabin, and Yuki quickly announced the mission. Everyone seemed to be concerned when they heard the news, but we soon clarified that only warriors who had healed from their injuries would be permitted to come with us. Despite the rush, Yuki was able to clearly articulate the plan for dismantling the naval force and prevent them from taking any of the resources. I mean, it's a given, considering that she's been in charge of them for quite some time now.

I couldn't help but let out a sigh as I rode the dragon that was assigned to me, frightened that the enemy was luring us into yet another trap. Now that I think about it, the last attack appears to be a trap for Yuki. There's no use in worrying about that because I have a feeling that I know where this battle is headed anyway...

When we arrived at the beach, the first thing we did was commence a search for the nymphs, whom we could not find. Because of the anxiety that I was feeling, I proceeded to fiddle with my fingers. Everything that will transpire from this point on will be a cause of a big tragedy for everyone involved. I swallowed the lump on my throat as I made my way to the location that was assigned to me.

"They're getting ready to dive," I pointed out as I made my way through the doors of the ship.

"It's tough to fight when submerged in water."

I quickly held onto my chest as I cast a glance towards Kasai. What a jerk! Because I couldn't feel or hear him approaching, I thought that I was going to die when he appeared out of nowhere. He smirked when he saw the expression I wore, and I had the urge to push him into the water, but I pulled myself together and kept my cool. Given that we are...well, outnumbered, I think it is necessary for me to remain on the defensive at all times. Things will take a turn for the worse if I get killed right now.

When I finally found an opportunity to sneak onto the ship, I carefully eliminated the ones who were in my path. Most of them are probably just dolls because they were reduced to mud after I slaughtered them. I haven't come across any robots that could be powered by crystals yet, which is odd considering how many they acquired. s**t, I haven't taught the warriors how to properly gouge the crystals out of the robots without being injured, nor have I trained them on how to distinguish them from other people.

As soon as I perceived the presence of a few recognizable figures on the ocean, my senses began to tingle. We had the distinct impression that someone was staring at each and every one of us from across the sea. Oh, hold on a second. No way in hell did I think these were real people! I turned to the sea and squinted my eyes, trying to see what those were. The sea monsters are here! Assuming this is the case, it suggests that Scylla and Charybdis are waiting in the shadows.

No...

I gritted my teeth, and I jumped into the water as I followed Yuki's directions to keep up with the divers. They're going to be fighting the ones up there while the water element users can follow the ones who are headed for the ocean floor since we're the only ones who can breathe underwater. It is necessary for me, on the other hand, to do it in a subtle way in order to avoid my cover as the Winter Warrior being blown.

Scylla swam towards me, who was protected by two more sea monsters beside her. "The minerals will be safeguarded by my friends.

I stood there watching her as she floated to the surface of the water, nodding. I clenched my fists together as I tried to persuade myself that I shouldn't keep her here any longer. I pulled as many soldiers of the naval army as I possibly could in my direction in order to distract myself from the possibilities that were continually running through my head. Because there are no ice plumes down here, I just made use of Fuyumi's full ability as a user of the water element in lieu of ice plumes.

While I pricked their bodies with water-filled needles, I was able to use the water that had collected inside their bodies to kill them. I didn't think I would be a monster when the battlefield was located under the water. It would be a big hassle if their blood pollutes Charybdis and Scylla's beautiful ocean, right? After I had slain them, I pushed their frozen corpses in the jaws of the sea monsters with the help of the currents, who were waiting for their meal.

I did all this while I wore an indifferent expression, which is something I would not have been able to do if I was in the present time. Perhaps this is what happens when you find yourself in the middle of the battlefield. Having sympathy for opponents who might have easily killed you if you hadn't been on your guard is downright hilarious. Because the other warriors had finished their battles as well, we returned to the surface to aid the other warriors who were still battling.

Oh...

There's already a bloodbath in the making, with Yuki taking the lead. I let out a sigh as I strolled up to them, assuming the same impassive demeanor that Yuki was displaying. Because of the energy flowing from the crystals, it is quite easy to locate the robots in this area. Besides, they were receptive to Yuki and Shirayuki's presence, which made my work a whole lot easier overall.

Our superior warriors were able to beat the majority of the naval army, including the twins in particular. It was pretty much a cinch to gouge the crystals out of the robots and hide them inside the forest because everyone was preoccupied. I've been keeping an eye out for Scylla and Charybdis in the meanwhile since I have a strong sense that something will happen today. No one else is aware of this, except for me, Yuki, and Hiraya.

"Hey, hey! You have to look out for yourself!"

I had a nasty grimace on my face as I stared at the opponent with scorpion tails. "Why don't you do it for yourself first?"

"I'm invincible, so I don't have to be concerned about it," says my opponent.

"Ah, I see..."I mumbled as I snapped my fingers.

Because he had his guard up, it puzzled him that nothing happened when I did that. Perhaps it was a bit too cold for him to be cognizant of the fact that he was transforming into an ice statue. I smirked confidently as I forced other ice plumes to explode from around his body. His metal body began to corrode and rust as a result of all of the water I put into him. I'm prepared to bet that his wiring is already in disarray and that he's already experiencing malfunctions.

"What did you do...?"

"Nothing much."

As soon as he had finally turned into a statue, I swung my katana at him, which broke him into tiny pieces. When the crystal revealed itself, I immediately transported it to the area where I had concealed the rest of them. My mission was to locate and treat our injured warriors since the majority of the enemy's soldiers had been slain. The kings are preparing to launch another attack, and I need to get them out of here as soon as possible before they succeed.

"Please do not leave this place. If you can still treat your wounds, try to do so."

"Fiyumi, please tell Yuki...to just withdraw!"

"What? Why?" I asked with my brows furrowed.

"The enemy has a plan..."

"This is a trap."

I know.

"I..." I trailed off as I sighed. "Okay, I will try to convince her," I assured them, allowing them to rest assured for the time being. Although...I have absolutely no intention of telling Yuki, who is well aware of the situation.

Ships continue to arrive at the coast, but the sea monsters seem to be keeping a tight rein on things. Scylla and Charybdis are standing on the ocean's surface, leading the creatures like a conductor would conduct an orchestra. Then I turned to look at Yuki, who was standing before a quite formidable enemy. I doubt that she's a robot because she does not have a mark on her temple like how the others do. If she did have a crystal implanted in her, Yuki's presence would have elicited a response from her.

Whatever. So I'll merely aid Scylla and Charybdis in their efforts to destroy the ships, knowing that Yuki is more than capable of dealing with her. Due to Fuyumi's enormous range of controlling water, manipulating the waves was a piece of cake. This is the least I can do for the two of them since Yuki has specifically asked me not to interfere when the three kings commence their attack. Even though I'm sorry for what's about to happen, I promised myself that I would not do anything that would disrupt the current course of events.

"Ivory, stay put. In your voyage in the future, you will encounter Scylla and Charybdis, who play a vital role. We will all perish if we attempt to halt the onslaught. Even if I'm guilty of this, it's the only option."

"I know that, Yuki..."

As the rain began to pour, I rose to my feet and heaved a sigh of frustration. As raindrops started to rinse my hair of splattered blood, my hair tie was removed. I gently picked up the piece of linen and spent a few seconds reading the names that had been embroidered into it. Scylla, Charybdis, Fuyumi, and Yuki. They have known each other for a long time now, huh...

There were memories surfacing in my mind that I couldn't get my finger on. For the time being, I'll assume that they belonged to Fuyumi. Three girls who seemed to be Yuki, Scylla, and Charybdis in the flashback. They seem to be having a nice time on this beach as if they were just normal kids playing freely. All of them were smiling and joking around each other, and they were even calling each other sisters.

Ah, I see now. Fuyumi would be enraged if she found out that we allowed her family to get cursed, would she not? We have no idea what she will think of Yuki when she finds that she did not do anything to protect them. But what about Yuki? How is she dealing with the stress of having to stay still while her family was being torn apart?

I looked at Yuki, but I couldn't see her face well with all the blood that got in her face. The only thing she was doing was clenching her teeth and swinging her blade in front to remove the blood. My heart constricted in pain when I realized that she was just stopping herself from approaching Scylla and Charybdis in order to shield them from danger. The warnings that she told me were actually for herself, not me...

"Kai..." I muttered his name when he approached me.

"What's wrong?"

"Stop Yuki and me from heading out into the ocean, no matter what."

Even though he seemed bewildered, I stared at him as if I were pleading with him. Despite the confusion, he still nodded and told Kasai to keep a watch on Yuki no matter what. I clenched my fists as I glanced down at my hands, frustrated that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be able to protect my friends, will I? I can bet Yuki is going through something similar at the moment. She's the one who's been with them since childhood, after all. Heck, I haven't even known them for that long, yet I already feel this way! What more would someone like Yuki feel?!

"Ivory..." Enkai called as he held my shoulders, worried. "Please calm down. Your hands are bleeding!"