II

Then Raven transformed back into her raven form.

"Your Number is 002, also known as The Deep One."

"The Deep One?"

"What do you mean?"

The Fish-Man looked at the Raven with an incomprehensible expression. Who would have thought that the girl was actually a raven?

"My master named you that for a reason, just as I am called The Imitator."

The Fish-Man unconsciously took a step back. "'That Master'... You mean, the one who gave me the potion?"

"You... are you human? Are you... a human?!"

Raven flapped her wings, scattering raindrops from her feathers, then flew straight to the Fish-Man's shoulder.

"I'm not human, and you don't have the right to know about my Master."

"But, if you want answers, let's be realistic. Think about why you're here, who put you in this situation. Don't you want revenge?"

Fish-Man's eyebrows trembled. "Now... I look like this. If anyone sees me, I'll be captured!"

The Raven stretched out her wings, mimicking Mei's mocking tone. "Oh, it's a shame that humans invented so many types of clothes, and yet you can't figure out just need to wear them?"

Fish-Man looked at his webbed hands. "But with my current appearance... where are we going to find clothes?"

Raven shook her head, her voice dripping with sarcasm "Can you equip brain... I'll help you find some, wait here and try not to get caught."

...

After about twenty minutes, Raven returned in the form of a young girl, carrying several bags.

Fish-Man sat under the eaves of the pouring rain, hugging his knees and shivering.

"Wear these," Raven commanded, tossing the bags at him.

Fish-Man hesitated, "Where did you get these? Did you pay for them?"

Raven rolled her eyes "Do you think a shop owner has to pay for their own merchandise?"

"You... a raven, you own a shop?"

Raven smirked "I just transformed into the shop owner."

Fish-Man obediently changed into the clothes. They were oversized, and included a mask, hat, and sunglasses.

After he finished dressing, Raven draped a raincoat over him "There, now no one will notice your... unique appearance."

"Although, your body shape is still a bit... exaggerated."

Fish-Man looked at his hand "No one can see it, but why do I feel... it feels... so hot?"

"Ah!"

"Aaaah!!"

Suddenly, Fish-Man fell to his knees. His body began to shrink, and all his distinctive fish features disappeared in an instant.

"I... I transformed back?"

Fish-Man excitedly removed his gloves, revealing his now human hands. But as soon as the rainwater touched his skin, his hands elongated and turned fish-like again.

"Wait, what?"

"Does this mean that if I touch water, I'll turn into a monster?"

He quickly put his gloves back on, realizing that as long as he dried the water off, he could revert to his human form. But once contacted with the water, he will transform back into Fish-Man.

"So, does this mean I can't take a shower anymore?"

Raven was silent for a moment before replying, "Your priorities are something else. Alright, enough nonsense, should we go take revenge now?"

Fish-Man took a deep breath "You're right, we should go for revenge."

"It's rare to get this kind of ability. Even though I can't say it's great, I refuse to live like I did before!"

...

Fish-Man walked on the street, there were very few people on a rainy day, and people passing by him did not pay attention to him.

But there was a teenager who was stunned for a moment when passing by him.

"Enko, how are you?"

"Nothing... I just smelled something fishy."

"Let it go, it's probably just a man selling fish!"

...

In a suburban area, within the confines of an abandoned wheel factory, seven men lounged amidst the misty atmosphere, they were playing poker.

"Two cards, do you want them or not?"

"I'll fold two."

"By the way, what about that kid? Did you just dump him there?"

"Don't cause murder."

"Don't worry, he'll definitely survive."

One man looks outside "It's been pouring for days now."

"The rainy season."

"Hm, this rain reminds me of a web novel I read recently. There was this killer who struck on rainy days, wearing a raincoat. He picked a day to kill nine people in a row, leaving no trace."

"And when he killed someone, he'd cry. I initially thought the murderer must be mentally ill."

"But turns out, the killer wasn't human at all!"

A thunderous boom echoed through the factory, causing everyone to jolt in surprise.

The storyteller, oblivious to the sudden tension, continued, "What's with your faces? I'm not done yet."

"I thought it was some mysterious, mind-bending plot, but a fish as the killer? Who would've guessed?"

Silence greeted his words until one person timidly pointed behind him.

"Behind... Behind."

The storyteller turned, only to find a man in a black coat standing motionless at the main gate, rain pelting down around him.

As the man stepped inside, the onlookers watched in silence. He shed his soaked garments one by one until his true form was revealed: that of an ordinary human.

"Huh, it's just that kid. He played us for fools!"

Another person stepped forward "We were just about to revise our plans, but..."

Before the man could finish his words, the figure who had just entered, suddenly strode back out into the rain.

In an instant, his limbs contorted at grotesque angles, bones audibly shifting as scales erupted across his skin. His head morphed into that of a fish, and sharp fins sprouted from his back.

With this monstrous transformation complete, Fish-Man reentered the factory.

The onlookers, stunned into silence, instinctively stepped back.

"Fish-Man... Fish-Man?"

Clack.

Clack.

The creature's membranous feet clicked against the cement floor as it drew closer.

Panicking, the men scrambled to grab steel pipes, bricks, and anything they could use as weapons.

"He's coming, he's coming!"

"What the hell is this?!"

"Stay calm, let's hold our ground!"

Clark!

The monster took a step forward, then dropped to all fours, launching itself forward in a grotesque, twisted sprint.

"Run quickly!"

One man tried to flee but was immediately tackled by the monster.

He screamed, kicking frantically at the monster's abdomen, but it was unfazed.

"No, don't kill me, hurry, save me!!"

Fish-Man stared down at the screaming man, the world in his eyes growing increasingly blood-red.

With a swift, brutal motion, the monster's hands twisted the man's neck, silencing him instantly.

...

After that, the Fish-Man lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he found seven horribly mangled bodies scattered around him, his claws dripping with blood and bits of flesh.

He stared at his hands in bewilderment, tears began to flow uncontrollably.

"Did... did I kill them all?"

Fish-Man covered his eyes with his hands, tears streaming down uncontrollably. "What have I done? I don't want to... ha ha ha..."

"Ha ha, oh oh, I don't want to kill anyone, I don't want to... huh huh... Oh oh oh oh..."

A figure appeared at the factory's main gate, staring in shock at the hellish scene inside.

Hearing the noise, Fish-Man looked up.

The newcomer, realizing the danger, turned and bolted.

"Huhu, oh oh, I'm so sorry, so sorry...!"

The sound of crying continued behind him as he ran desperately through the rain, but the wailing seemed to follow him, haunting his every step.

"Help....." The young man couldn't finish speaking.

"Oh oh ah, I don't want, I don't want, huh huh...."

The body lay on the ground, while the Fish-Man cried while pulling up the body with both legs, slowly dragging him back to the factory.

But outside, there is someone else.

He hid in an container and tightly covered his mouth.

Cold sweat flowed down his forehead, coldness poured out from the soles of his feet, straight to his core.

Half an hour passed, that person did not dare to move a bit, the dark night below left only the sparse sound of rain falling.

"This is, what is he?"

Recalling the previous images, the man's pupils trembled, and his whole body trembled from the inside out.

He poked his head out of the container, but there was nothing outside.

But at this moment, behind him suddenly came a hysterical cry!

"Oh ah, do you hear it, do you hear it, ooh ha ha ha ha!!"

!!!

The man suddenly turned his head, two round eyes were right behind him!

Poof!

---------

002 - The Deep One