Looking at the massive monster not far ahead, its feather-like fleshy fins flickering as it sliced through the schools of fish.
The corner of Su Yuzu's eye twitched.
It wasn't out of disbelief, though—it was from being shocked.
She had already sensed this world's deep malice toward girls.
Aberrants, which only girls could become.
That subtle little rule where the stronger you were, the fewer Catastrophe Crystals you had left to cover your skin.
And then there was... this crackling, electricity-spitting monster right in front of her.
If this were a subjugation quest in a game, failing at a moment like this would probably trigger a rather suggestive defeat CG.
"This thing... is an electric ray?"
Su Yuzu stared at the monster before her, its wingspan almost stretching four or five meters across.
The instant it began crackling and discharging electricity, Su Yuzu could clearly feel a numbing tingle run between her fingers and knees—and, most importantly, that intense mental fluctuation, or rather——
Mental contamination.
The Catastrophe aura came surging in wildly.
As if dragging the Catastrophe aura of these entire waters along with it, it came rushing straight at her face.
In that instant, Su Yuzu grasped why the academy had chosen her—a 'mental-type Esper'—as well as the extremely rare Sakura Mai, who possessed resistance to mental-type abilities, for this mission.
Only someone with a mind strong and resilient enough could withstand this kind of impact.
"This thing is way too unscientific, isn't it?"
"With a body this huge, could it really hold up against the water pressure? Could its bones really take it?"
"Science can't explain Catastrophe Crystals either." Sakura Mai bit her lower lip.
This was the first time she had taken this kind of mental-contamination-like impact head-on.
Sakura Mai could even foresee that... an ordinary Esper—or an ordinary person, for that matter—under an assault like this, might slowly feel the balance within them slide toward the Abyss.
From the moment they dove into the seawater, it was as though they had entered a Catastrophe Domain diluted countless times over.
Or rather... a "Catastrophe Environment."
This giant electric ray before them was simply amplifying that effect a little.
She subconsciously glanced over at Yuzu.
After learning of the delicate relationship between Yuzu and the Sakura family, Yuzu had truly become Sister Yuzu in Sakura Mai's heart.
Sakura Mai had once promised Father and Mother that she would definitely... definitely keep Yuzu safe.
But——
It came as something of a surprise to Sakura Mai.
Yuzu seemed completely unaffected by that mental contamination.
The girl was just eagerly gazing at the enormous electric ray before her, her expression even a little giddy.
The muscle twitching at the corner of her eye showed that, compared to the mental contamination, the current the ray unleashed while hunting had a somewhat greater effect on the girl.
But... Akiyama Yo clearly wasn't nearly so composed.
She was merely a Second Sequence water-immersion Esper.
Although her abilities were somewhat enhanced in an ocean environment by the effects of Water Drawing and Moistened Body, she... could still barely fend off this mental contamination.
The woman's gaze had turned dull and struggling.
It wasn't until Yuzu kicked her legs, drifted over to Akiyama Yo's side, and grasped the woman's hand that the woman finally fully came back to herself.
"The conditions in this bay have already exceeded our expectations." Akiyama Yo subconsciously tightened her grip on the girl's hand.
"Judging by its shape... this electric ray isn't just some ordinary deep-sea, bottom-dwelling electric ray that grew a little bigger."
"It seems to have come from somewhere far deeper."
"Sorry, Yuzu... to think your teacher would even need you to take care of her."
After Su Yuzu grasped her hand, Akiyama Yo could feel a smooth, trickling warmth flowing into her body along the girl's touch.
Although... the place it flowed into felt just a tiny bit ticklish and strange.
But it did genuinely ease the contamination's effect on her.
Akiyama Yo subconsciously assumed it was Yuzu's ability protecting her.
Electricity type counters water type.
All the more so since this electric ray came with its own mental contamination.
Caught off guard, Akiyama Yo had actually fallen victim to it.
Even without Yuzu's help, the woman probably wouldn't have faced any real danger—but... embarrassing herself was still a distinct possibility.
In a game, it would be the difference between a defeat CG and a Heavy Damage CG.
Unlike the round-fan-shaped, flat and broad electric rays Su Yuzu was familiar with, the ray before her—though also flat, with broad, flat fleshy fins—had a long, shuttle-like body.
Its long, narrow tail, glistening with a slick sheen of mucus, was brimming with a subtle malice toward girls.
She watched as the electric ray, devouring the little fish around it, suddenly wheeled about, its fleshy wings and long tail churning the seawater and kicking up a whirlpool.
It seemed to have set its sights on Su Yuzu and the others.
"Underwater combat seems to be a lesson three classes from now, but Teacher Akiyama shouldn't mind us getting a little early practice in, right?"
Facing the electric ray that was so obviously oversized, Su Yuzu kicked her legs and planted herself protectively in front of Akiyama Yo.
Combat underwater was completely different from fighting on land.
But Su Yuzu was utterly fearless.
It was just a small fry that didn't even qualify as a Catastrophe Beast.
At most it was a teensy hundred-million bit bigger, with a tiny bit of malice toward girls—that was all.
In fact, she'd even...
Su Yuzu had already begun mulling over whether to grill this ray or steam it later.
It looked like it would be quite the delicacy.
Up on the surface of the sea——
Soga Yura, who had been tracking Yuzu's movements this whole time with her mental power, had clearly also noticed that abnormal ray.
"The ecosystem here is far too abnormal."
"For a creature of that build to actually turn up in coastal waters..."
Tsukiyomi Fuya watched the footage transmitted from the cameras on the girls' diving equipment; thanks to the influence of the Catastrophe aura, the images were all, to varying degrees, blurred.
Tsukiyomi Fuya suddenly found herself curious about the footage circulating online... of Little Yuzu squaring off against those few Aberrants.
How that kind of clarity had ever been achieved, she couldn't begin to guess.
Weighing the situation, she said gravely, "It can already borrow the power of the Catastrophe aura. Give it a few more decades... and it might even transform into a Catastrophe Beast."
"But..."
Tsukiyomi Fuya watched the screen. "It's probably already out of chances."
Side of the Abyss——
The girl reached familiarly toward the chest of the maiden beside her.
Under the maiden's slightly embarrassed gaze, Su Yuzu drew a long, slender sword from the maiden's bosom.
Sakura Mai's legs trembled faintly.
She could feel it... Yuzu... Yuzu was doing this on purpose.
For an enemy of this caliber, there was absolutely no need to draw the Sword of Erasure.
Yuzu was doing it entirely to get back at her for that little stunt she'd pulled this morning.
And she deliberately... deliberately gripped the sword before drawing it out.
The red-hot blade of light split the seawater, cleaving the electric ray that had lunged at the girls clean in two.
The scorching edge even cauterized the wound, keeping the blood from dispersing and drawing in any unnecessary enemies.
And at the same time... it also sealed in the flavor.
This electric ray before her was the lunch Su Yuzu had already set her sights on.
In the distance——
In waters even more deathly still, a cute little nose gave a wrinkle.
"Grilled fish..."
"Smells so good..."
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