Submerged Fish Hunt - 6

Silence ensued in the cave for a bit.

Winston, Anaak, Endorsi and Shibisu, all of them didn't dare make another sound in front of Yuri. The lady in question turned around again, and with deliberate drawn out steps, she slowly walked over to the ranker that had been crushed under shinsu.

She smiled.

"Looks like you're done here."

Ren chuckled in response.

"You're quite cunning princess. You even brought your crew here. This way, you won't even leave any evidence against you.

"Hehe. You might've noticed this as well princess. But this isn't my main body." The body of the ranker had been throughly crushed into a pulp. Red blood pooled around him, dyeing his rice ball suit with a thick shade of red.

The ranker coughed.

"Though that's not to say I've lost."

Suddenly, Winston had a bad premonition.

"The Bull." The ranker squeezed out.

Winston's eyes widened, and so did everyone else's.

"Bam!" Endorsi yelled in alarm while Yuri clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Ren laughed and said, "I do apologize princess. But that irregular is too dangerous for the tower. All irregulars have always brought chaos to the tower."

Yuri turned around with a scowl.

"Dammit!" She cursed as the ranker quieted down, this time for good.

Shibisu turned to Winston.

"Winston! Can you dive into the shinshu to help them?" He asked. Winston stared at him as if he were an idiot.

"Are you retarded? The shinsu pressure in there is too large. I would sink right down to the bottom." He replied with an annoyed expression.

Shibisu's expression turned dumb founded.

"Oh... right. Sorry." He said.

Suddenly, Yuri yelled out.

"That's it Evan!" Her voice boomed. "I'll tear this entire floor apart." She whispered, her soft words travelling all across the air.

Winston felt a chill travel up his spine as he watched on.

Suddenly, Yuri quieted down again and stared off into space for a moment, as if listening to something.

Then, she shook her head in resignation.

"Hey, regulars!" She said. All of them straightened up unconsciously, except for Winston who held transcendental control over his body.

"The test is held by the administrator so I can't provide any help. Sort something out." She shook her head and walked over towards Anaak and Endorsi, then, she genuflected and took the Green April that was in Endorsi's hand.

"This is too heavy for you still." She said. Anaak who had stayed quiet until now due to excessive blood loss widened her eyes and screamed in retaliation.

"When you've become a ranker, come and find me. I'll give this to you then." Yuri smiled and stood up. Anaak continued to yell back at her, despite being stopped by Shibisu and Endorsi.

Stopping just before stepping into the darkness, Yuri looked back and threw something towards Shibisu.

"Hey, fashion terrorist. Here." Shibisu caught the small object, which was in actuality a metallic wing.

"This..." Shibisu's eyes widened.

"Wolhaiksong?" Winston mused in surprise.

"Tell him Urek Mazino is waiting for him on the 77th floor." She smiled. "If he survives of course." She sighed.

Just then, Endorsi who had been quiet until now spoke up.

"He will survive." She said. Yuri raised an eyebrow, as did Winston.

"Why are you so sure?" Winston asked.

Endorsi only smiled in response and said, "I promised I'll date him if he comes back alive. I won't let him miss that opportunity." She chuckled.

"You're gutsy." Winston chuckled.

Without another word, Yuri disappeared into the dark, not even getting caught in Winston's night vision or spirit vision.

~~~

Bam and Rachel floated along the net made by the Goby Dolphins, their bubble heading up towards the Queen's mouth.

Bam stared off into the abyss of water down below, his eyes glazed over still.

That feeling... it's getting stronger the more time I spend here. It feels as if a wave is flowing into me from somewhere... Bam contemplated, opening and closing his fist, feeling the power that coursed through his body, relishing in it almost.

Rachel quietly gazed at his back from the corner of her eye, looking from the side of the bed she was on.

Suddenly, Bam shook his head and broke out of his stupor. He looked above towards the Goby Queen.

"Rachel, we are about to arrive at the Queen's mouth." He said cheerfully. Rachel smiled and nodded in response.

"You've changed Bam." She chuckled.

Bam smiled. "Well, I take a bath regularly now. I have many friends and have learned to use shinsu." He broke out with a toothy grin. Rachel looked behind her, her face devoid of expression.

"I've also gotten some muscle." Bam flexed his arm, chuckling as he did so.

Rachel smiled.

"But you still need help from others. You haven't changed all that much. You still can't do anything without me." She laughed.

"What?! That's not true!" Bam exclaimed, then, he began laughing along with her.

"How are your legs now?" He asked.

Rachel looked down at her legs in melancholy.

"They don't pain anymore, but I still can't move them." She shook her head in regret.

"Don't worry, Rachel! I will take you to the top!" Bam yelled to console her.

Rachel smiled at him. And just as she was about to acknowledge his words, something dashed out from the abyss.

Crash!

The bubble shook apart, as if a gigantic force had rammed into his, almost tearing it apart.

Bam almost lost his balance but stabilized himself.

He looked over towards the perpetrator of the act. It was a large creature, with four limbs and a tail, its maw vertical with one large eye that shone red. It's back held large flipper like organs, which in the water looked no different than large, tenebrous wings, dark red in colour.

"The Bull!" Bam exclaimed in terror.

How did it even reach here?! He thought, his mind in a jumbled mess.

As he took in the vision of the Bull turning around to dash at then again, his mind suddenly underwent a cold and unfeeling clarity, turning tranquil.

It doesn't matter how it got here! I need to protect us! Bam thought with a grim determination.

The bull blitzed through the waters, the shinsu bending around it in a way that propelled it forward like a bullet out of a gun.

It's streamlined shape when swimming, along with the 'wings' that seemed to take apart the shinsu around it made it's speed in water all the more frightening.

Bam extended his hand, immediately casting reverse flow control.

Quiet~

The Bull stilled in the water, its maw spread about, just 3 meters away from the bubble.

Sweat poured our of Bam's skin. His legs shook a bit from nervousness and stress.

Rachel's pupils shook, shrinking uncontrollably in fear. She did not say anything, fearful of making the boy lose concentration.

I need to attack! Bam thought, and without missing a beat, he extended his right hand and tried to use another baang.

Crash!

Shaaa!

The bull scraped the bubble, dashing forward as the bubble exploded from one side, cracks spreading on its side.

"Aargh!" Bam exclaimed in pain, clutching his hand which bled in red. A giant gash spread across his hand, making blood drip out from it.

"Bam! Are you okay!?" Rachel asked from behind him.

Bam gnashed his teeth in pain.

"I'm... I'm okay..." Bam managed to squeeze out.

Rachel looked over in worry.

Bam stood up without another word and gazed at the Bull that travelled towards them.

I... I need to do this... He thought.

Then, extending his hand, the Bull stopped. Once again, 3 meters from the bubble.

Huff Huff!

Bam huffed, sweat pouring incessantly from his forehead.

He glitter his teeth and concentrated.

Roar!

The bull roared as the reverse flow control was thrown slightly off it's body. And then, a bright ray of light flashed across the water.

Shaaaaaaaaa!

Shing!

Boooom!

A flash of light, and with it, the Bull fell down into the abyss below, disappearing into the darkness.

Bam genuflected, breathing heavily.

"Bam! Are you okay?! Talk to me!" Rachel yelled from behind.

Hearing her words, Bam managed to smile through.

"It's fine." He said. "The Bull... I took care of it." He laughed.

Then, he turned back and extended his bloodied hand to Rachel as the bubble slowly extended up towards the Queen's mouth.

"Rachel... let me be your legs. I will take you to see the stars." He huffed.

Rachel looked at him for a moment, and then, she smiled. A smile that reflected off from Bam's eyes, a smile that he would give anything in the world for.

He smiled in response.

Then, as Rachel extended her hands to take his.

Shove!

"Eh?" Bam blurted out as his feet lost their footing. Rachel stood on her legs, her arms in a pushing motion. "Rachel?"

"Sorry, Bam. But you should stay here."

The bubble went up above to the light, while the boy fell down into the darkness.

~~~

Anaak finally quieted down and laid onto the floor, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes.

Everyone ignored her.

There was silence for a moment as everyone sat down on the ground, getting a moment of relief.

"Well that was dangerous!" Winston exclaimed.

Shibisu chuckled.

"You can say that again."

Endorsi turned her head to look over and asked.

"How did you find us so fast? I thought we avoided you quite nicely."

Winston shook his head. "Not nicely enough apparently. Be thankful for that though. It saved your life." He chuckled.

"Ha! We were doing just fine!" Endorsi snorted.

Shibisu shook his head.

"Your condition suggests otherwise..."

Bam!

And just like that he was booked on the head.

"Even still, I never expected a teacher to be a member of RED." Shibisu said, rubbing his head.

"Me too."

Winston smiled. "I felt something was wrong. Almost made me not come here and stay at a safe distance."

Endorsi and Shibisu raised an eyebrow.

Winston explained, "I have good intuition. It works as some sort of danger sense." He laughed. "So I made a gamble and flipped a coin."

"Sigh! And here I thought you fell for me and came to save me like a knight in shining armor."

"Don't misunderstand. The result was a tails."

Winston held a smug look on his face.

Endorsi and Shibisu raised an eyebrow.

"Then why made you choose coming here?" Shibisu asked.

Winston smiled enigmatically.

"Who knows?" He said.

Endorsi and Shibisu looked at him for a moment before they both smiled.

"Thank you." Endorsi whispered silently. However, in the quiet environment, everyone heard it.

Winston wanted to make her repeat that somehow, but he decided against ruining the moment.

"What was that? I didn't hear you." Nevermind that.

Endorsi turned her head with a smile.

"It's best not to make a princess repeat her words."

"Winston!" Shibisu suddenly yelled.

"Yes?"

"Please let me call you my son!" He yelled again.

"No way in hell."

Pfft! A low laugh came out of Anaak's mouth who lied some distance away from them.

Then Shibisu too chuckled, and then Winston too along with them.

Endorsi stared at them for a moment before she too began to laugh.

Winston's laughter was contagious, eventually overtaking them all.

All of them shared a small moment of repose and friendship, a quiet instance that would soon become inconsequential. However, none of them cared for what would come next, neither did they bother to think about it. They just laughed, they laughed at the strange plays of fate, they laughed at their own moment of joy, they laughed, a smile on each of their faces. It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile.

~~~

A/N: The next chapter will be the last. Probably.

Throw some stones.

Also, tell me your thoughts. Are the character interactions fluid enough? How is the story progression?

Cheers~

Also, perhaps drop a nice review highlighting why you like the novel? Wink* wink* nudge* nudge*