Plush…
With a small splash, the creature emerged from the water’s surface.
Even this tiny sound reverberated, so it cautiously surveyed the surroundings. But,
Splash, splash.
No matter how careful it was, it had made a sound, and so it simply gave up.
The one fortunate fact was that the creatures that had been chasing it were nowhere to be seen after it had erased the traces of what was presumed to be a Wild Dog.
Inside its being, it felt something bubbling as if boiling.
A sensation of change was occurring within, an experience completely foreign to it, causing a strange swelling feeling.
“KUURRNGH! KUUURRGH!”
“WAH-WAH!”
“KUNG!”
Without time to ascertain what had changed, it needed to move to evade the pursuing creatures.
Whether these were the missing Wild Dog’s companions, or if they had merely caught the faint scent of lingering blood, the cries heard from all directions were enough to set it into motion.
It acutely realized how relaxed things had been before the crisis.
And so, one mountain followed another.
While desperately splashing to escape, it noticed that the roaring cries of the creatures were coming from every direction it tried to escape to.
And what that meant was abundantly clear.
For reasons unknown, they were precisely targeting it.
It wasn’t mere paranoia; no matter where it was heading, the sounds were following.
Realizing it had nowhere left to run, it made its choice.
There was nowhere to go but upwards from the ground.
The black, murky water flowing in the sewers.
The fleeting thought of whether this body should enter the water was quickly overshadowed by the pressing danger of being shredded into jelly pieces if caught.
Gurgle.
The sound of submerging reached the ears.
Not long after diving, faint sounds of something pushing off the bottom could be heard.
Although it was hard to gauge exactly how close due to the muffled aquatic environment, it was evident they were nearby.
Fortunately, the breath was not constrained, and it stayed tightly coiled, waiting for the surrounding noises to wane.
Crouched in the cold, lightless place, it reflected on how precious the ground had once seemed.
Occasionally, something flapped into its being, hinting at the possibility of fish living in the dark, murky liquid.
The sharp, fishy smell of raw sushi pervaded.
Not to mention, the mere thought of the internal organs was unpleasant enough.
One would have to be desperate to consume these things willingly.
It yearned for home.
Back at home, it wouldn’t have to consume tasteless things like this; instead, there would be cup ramen or a hefty supply of retort curry waiting.
Even cooking the current raw fare would be preferable…no, these were things it didn’t want to eat anymore.
Even from the basic fact that it exuded such a briny smell signified that these things weren’t meant to be eaten by humans.
It deliberately diverted its gaze from the question of what creature it had become to consume such food.
For how long had it been submerged, feeling this desolation?
Since it didn’t require breath, it had no concept of how long it had stayed underwater.
Only when it became evident that all sounds had ceased did it surface moments prior.
Nothing seemed amiss, and it cautiously emerged.
Surprisingly, it felt an unexpected fondness for the damp floor.
Everything truly was relative.
Emerging carefully, it noticed an unusual heaviness in its body.
Though it had felt its previously diminished body growing after eliminating the Wild Dog, a new, unexpected weight pressed on it.
Looking down in confusion, it noticed its insides were filled with water.
It had thought fish were constantly entering due to the continuous briny taste, but apparently, it was simply full of water.
It felt like a plump snowman.
With this, movement was proving increasingly uncomfortable.
Recalling the first time it had consumed something, and subsequently expelled it due to nausea, it pondered if voluntary excretion might be possible.
But…how?
Its threshold for disgust had risen to the point where retaining foul contents elicited no particular reaction.
That meant natural expulsion was unlikely.
After a brief contemplation, it pictured mentally discharging the ‘fluid’ inside.
It didn’t want to elaborate on the specifics of this mental imagery.
When it regained focus, the floor was soaked, and all the water had drained out.
Only then could it inspect the slightly altered state of its body.
Its stature seemed largely unchanged.
Though approaching a brighter area to inspect itself in the light, a peculiar sensation arose.
What was previously akin to a vague human silhouette now bore a more human figure.
Not that anyone would mistake it for a human, given its translucent, bluish form remained intact.
But that was secondary.
“─?!”
A blurry reflection of something assumed to be itself rippled on the water’s surface.
While it was no longer surprised by the jelly-like texture, the overall shape veered from its expectations.
Though hard to specify, its current form appeared more akin to that of a Girl.
The Wild Dog’s eradication must have smoothed its head contour, allowing long strands to extend, resembling a Girl’s silhouette.
It was neither fully human nor beast but something in between.
Details were blurry, and its facial features were indistinguishable; perhaps the face was just a vague blob.
Why this form?
Shouldn’t it resemble its erstwhile human form?
It didn’t know.
Such understanding was beyond the current situation, so it chose to ignore it for now.
What mattered now was what to do next.
There were two options.
To stay here indefinitely, eating the available fare despite lacking a palate.
Or find an exit to the outside world.
Though, the previous Wild Dog’s flight suggested this place wasn’t safe either.
Whether the outside world was the one it knew or an entirely different one was uncertain.
Given the infrastructure here, it seemed likely to be familiar.
At that point, the decision was made:
To die outside if it must.
There was no desire to perish in this musty place.
Perhaps a hidden truth was the growing aversion to consuming this inedible fare.
Deciding to find the exit, it immediately encountered a challenge.
Following the larger tunnels rather than smaller ones seemed the way, but
It had no idea which direction the Wild Dogs had fled toward.
One way led perhaps to the entity that had eradicated the Wild Dogs.
The other was presumably closer to the exit.
A choice had to be made.
“Finally, the order to move in has come,” muttered the Man as he finished reading the directive, his forehead creasing as he pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
With a faint striking noise, the Man lit the cigarette, smoke curling up as he deeply inhaled.
The command to “secure” the target, something he had long expected, didn’t quell the discontent visible on his face.
‘If they like it so much, let them go down themselves,’ he thought.
Had it been any other regular, or even harsh and remote area that humans could enter, he wouldn’t have minded.
He was well aware of the dangers of his job and was compensated accordingly, with plenty of benefits to balance it out.
Sure, he had to sign a slightly unusual contract, but it was one of the best jobs for people like him.
Still,
‘Entering a Singularity is basically a death sentence, isn’t it?’
It was a term used to describe locations or objects beyond human comprehension, the dangers of which couldn’t be overstated.
The outside world was oblivious to their existence, leaving no one to vent his frustrations to.
Having watched the demise of those who attempted to publicize such matters, he sighed.
“Haa….”
His anger shifted briefly to whoever had given the order for him and his team to descend, but it didn’t last long.
‘That guy is also pitiable. Just followed orders.’
Sent to one of the worst possible places, it was uncertain if he’d ever see the man in glasses again.
Rather than worrying about an outcome that could already be grim, he thought it more productive to focus on his and his team’s safety.
As he smoked the cigarette almost to the filter, he crushed it into the ashtray and reviewed the directive once more.
Stripping away the flowery language, the message was simple enough:
1. Secure the object known as 0746 – KR -1, or the Amalgamated Liquid Monster.
2. Best effort must be made. Necessary equipment would be provided.
3. Permission is granted to enter 0015 – KR, also known as the Sewers. The operation will last until the Amalgamated Liquid Monster is secured.
4. Your safety is wished for.
5. After completion, burn this directive.
If they really wished for their safety, they wouldn’t have sent them down.
He chuckled silently at the formal safety wishes, knowing the higher-ups would just grin and push them anyway.
‘Still, they are providing equipment.’
The Man neatly folded the directive and placed it in his pocket, contemplating the appropriate gear as he lost himself in thought.
Though they had spoken that way, with his guidance, the area they were headed might still be relatively safe compared to others. With caution, they might avoid trouble.
Despite the space defying logic, the data he had so far about the ‘Sewers’ came to mind.
‘Just need to be careful of the biggest one.’
Summoning the assistant team leader, the Man concluded his reflections.
Despite knowing it carried orders, the weight of the paper tucked away felt heavier than expected.
