On the desolate, empty beach, eight creatures with fish heads, human bodies, and webbed limbs approached, led by a burly figure, all stepping through the surf.
They crawled onto the sand on all fours, slowly rising to their feet under the moonlight, and began to shamble toward the shore.
Their coarse, cloth garments clung wetly to their skin, which was slick with mucus and reflected a cold, faint glimmer in the moonlight.
“la, la, Cthulhu, fh tag nl.”
The chanting was low and hoarse, exuding an icy, bloody aura. A thick, fishy stench spread rapidly as they landed, and in the blink of an eye, the entire beach was filled with a nauseating smell.
Slap. Webbed feet stepped onto the dry sand. The leader faced the night sky, looking up at the silver and crimson moons, and let out a silent roar. Following suit, the other eight fish headed monsters also raised their heads and let out low growls at the sky.
“fa, ta, ka…”
The leader suddenly raised both hands, its low voice echoing across the beach:
“The master of eternal slumber…”
“Waiting for your arrival in dreams…”
The fish headed beings behind followed the leader, slowly occupying the beach. The eight monsters automatically formed a circle around the leader, then began to sway their bodies rhythmically, emitting a string of repetitive, incomprehensible syllables.
What are these people doing? Why such a commotion just to come ashore?
However, Lynch could not spare the thought. As their forms became clearer, a tremendous pressure radiated from them.
Before this pressure, one felt like a weak beast facing its most powerful natural predator.
Lynch felt his heart tighten in waves, and a surge of terror hammered against his willpower as he lay prone.
Danger. Run.
A simple, direct thought flooded his mind; it was the final struggle of his primal instinct.
Don't panic.
Lynch took a deep breath, suppressing his instinctual fear, and lay motionless on the sand. With each breath, his mind quickly regained its calm. The fear had been as abrupt as its arrival.
It is a good thing my willpower is strong enough to resist the filthy mental shock. If it were an ordinary person… hmm?
As his heartbeat gradually steadied and he relaxed his mind, Lynch suddenly realized a major problem.
Oh no, what about the ordinary people?
Just as he realized this, several screams erupted nearby.
The three young journalists had turned ghastly pale, their shrill cries piercing the night sky.
That was close. Good thing I prepared in advance.
Lynch felt a secret sense of relief. For safety's sake, he had maintained his phantasmal sound ability so that their voices would not carry.
However, he did not even have a second to feel relieved before he watched in horror as the three young journalists suddenly scrambled up and ran out from their hiding spot, screaming—just as it had happened in Officer Natalie's memory.
The chanting stopped abruptly. The nine deep ones turned their gazes toward the reef simultaneously. As their focus converged, an invisible pressure quickly shrouded the area.
“Heh heh…”
The deep ones did not move their bodies, but the eerie laughter came from the leader's mouth. The three young men had already run out of the shadows, exposed under the moonlight, and were scurrying around the reef in a blind panic.
Lynch could no longer spare any thought for those three. Maya was still beside him, her mouth covered by his hand as he held her to the ground. She struggled twice before going limp, trembling in his arms with a deathly pale face.
Those few are definitely discovered and must suffer the consequences, but at least I will save this one first.
Lynch looked down at the female journalist, who was struggling to contain her terror, gritted his teeth, and pulled her into his arms.
Whether you survive or not is up to you.
【Authority, Concealment, Ability, Presence.】
While hiding his form, the concealment ability's presence effect activated. It was a three second hiding effect, but its success depended entirely on the target's trust in Lynch; he was not even sure if it would take effect.
Do you trust me, you crazy journalist?
As it turned out, she trusted him this time.
The moment the skill activated, the female journalist and Lynch vanished simultaneously. There were no longer any lurkers in the shadows.
Lynch did not delay for a single second. He immediately hoisted Maya onto his back and leaped into the air, using his body to nimbly push off the protrusions of the reef like a cat, climbing toward the top of the two story high rocks.
While Lynch was changing his position, the three young men below suddenly went mad, inexplicably brawling with each other. Within seconds, two of the journalists grabbed the third by the hair and slammed him against the reef repeatedly. A few heavy blows deformed the man's head, leaving him covered in blood and twitching in a heap until he went completely still.
The other two immediately turned their sights on each other and became entangled. They pulled out their self defense knives and stabbed them viciously into each other's bodies—once, twice, never stopping until both were covered in bloodied holes, finally collapsing to the ground.
Lynch did not see any of this. Using those three seconds, he had already carried Maya to the top of the reef, circled to a depression on the back side, and tucked both himself and Maya inside.
No sooner had they hidden than Maya's form became exposed, and the sound of footsteps on sand rose from below.
Crunch, crunch.
The footsteps grew closer, sounding like a death knell in his ears, hammering heavily against Lynch's heart.
“There are actually three more little shrimps hiding here. Heh heh, foolish humans, daring to look upon the faces of the children of the deep sea.”
The leader's hoarse voice held no emotion, and even its laughter was as cold as the depths of the sea:
“You lot, search the area. Some little shrimps love to hide around the reef; don't let them fool you.”
“Aow, aow, aow.”
A similarly low response came from below, followed by the sound of chaotic footsteps.
Lynch felt a sharp pain in his arm; he did not need to look to know that the female journalist had gripped him tightly, her nails nearly piercing his flesh.
I am trembling too, damn it. What good does it do to grab me?
Lynch held his breath, tense, not even daring to use his ability for fear of being sensed at such close range. He and Maya huddled tightly in the depression, not daring to move a muscle, focusing on the sounds below.
“Bang.”
Something slammed heavily against the reef. The rock shook, sending fine sand and gravel cascading down. The massive jolt felt like a hammer blow to their hearts. The female journalist pressed her other hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.
Patter, patter. Someone was climbing below, and the sound was moving higher. Maya's face went even paler, and Lynch gripped his cane, ready to fight with everything he had. Fortunately, just before they were found, a scream erupted below, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground and a burst of mocking laughter.
“Why won't this float up? Damn rotten seaweed. I've looked above; there are no shrimps hiding there.”
“Is that so? Haha, human, I see you. Come out.”
With a bang, a stone smashed against the reef, sending stone chips flying.
Lynch's eye twitched, and Maya's eyes widened, nearly rolling back in her head as she drifted toward fainting.
“Fine, it seems there were only those three rotten fish.”
The leader's hoarse voice came again, and the crunching footsteps slowly moved away:
“Return. The contact has arrived. Do not be late; humans have so many rules.”
Whew. Lynch let out a long breath. It seemed they had not been discovered.
He was actually just tense, not overly afraid. His divine authority was fully charged, so theoretically, he could easily finish these things off. But activating his divine authority for a few deep ones would be overkill. However, with his level two strength, fighting these things head on would be a certain death sentence.
Regardless, it was good they had not been discovered. It was just a pity about those young men.
He sighed internally and signaled for Maya to stay tucked away and quiet. He then activated his ability and poked his head out to survey the surroundings.
The contact has arrived… who could it be?
Sure enough, a beam of light was swaying in the distance. Behind the light, a figure walked slowly toward them.
However, as he looked at the figure behind the light, Lynch's expression became increasingly twisted.
A goose yellow gown with a train, a lady's hat adorned with feathers, and an exquisite folding fan held in her hand.
The slender figure approached with an elegant stride.
Miss Valente, a mysterious smile on her lips, walked straight toward the group of fish people.
Rate on N.U.
