Tuna Sashimi, Fresh in Season

Okay, thank you, thank you very much, RandomTettoGuy!

Within 20km, huh….

In that case, all I had to do was head for the beach in front of the Tower. Simple as that. I'd skimmed enough of the gallery to have a rough idea, but hearing it directly made it sound even easier than I'd expected.

No, the real problem was something else entirely. I gave my own body a slow, despairing once-over.

No panties. Bottom half missing in action. The current owner of a white T-shirt that had long since given up being a shirt and become a dress. And, of course, the shark tail.

"…."

If I walked into the Tower looking like this, I'd be dragged off to a police station or a government office before I could say gate.

And Nemo was no better. A scarlet dress that defied all explanation, the kind of outfit human society would never let slide.

If the two of us strolled out side by side like this, it was only a matter of time before we were hauled away together by the friendly officers of the local precinct.

Right. Clothes first. Clothes.

Nemo was roughly the same height and build as Mom. If I dug out some of Mom's clothes, it would probably work out.

The problem was me. My height had shot up like crazy ever since middle school, and I now stood at a full 185 centimeters. Which meant that even if I found the clothes I'd worn as a little kid, they were guaranteed to be comically short on my current body.

"Let's dig through the closet… Nemo, wait here a sec."

"Yes, my Queen."

"Whoa, I actually found them!"

I flicked the dust off a pair of shorts I'd excavated from the deepest recesses of the clothes pile. Who knew how long they'd been buried down there — the dust came off in fat little clouds. Judging by the size, they were probably the black shorts I'd worn back in elementary school.

"See? This is why you never throw stuff away."

Okay, technically it wasn't that I hadn't thrown them out — I'd straight-up forgotten they existed. Whatever. A win was a win!

I held the shorts up against my waist. The length and the fit were, to my genuine astonishment, perfect.

"…Sigh."

Fine. A white T-shirt, the shorts, and a jacket thrown over the top. That would have to do. I still had no underwear, but looking like a functioning member of society took priority for now….

Now all that was left was finding something for Nemo to wear. I dragged over the yellow bundle sitting in the corner of my room and undid the knot.

The moment the bundle fell open, a familiar scent of fabric softener washed over me.

I rummaged through it and pulled out a single piece of white cloth.

"Ah, hmm. Maybe this'll work?"

Shaken out, it turned out to be a simple white dress with not a single ornament on it. It looked like it would fit Nemo's frame well enough too.

"Nemo, come in—"

Clack.

"Yes!"

The door flew open before I'd even finished calling. As if she'd been standing one minute and one second away from my command, Nemo marched straight into the room.

"Will you try this on? Here."

I held the dress out to her.

"Understood. One moment, please!"

"Mm-hm."

Ssss…

Drip… drip….

The dress Nemo was wearing began to melt away from her chest downward, like it was dissolving into water.

"Wha— eep!"

I yelped and slapped both hands over my eyes.

"Hold on! Don't take it off here! G-go change outside!"

"There is no need to conceal one's body before the Queen, however…."

Nemo tilted her head, looking genuinely puzzled.

"…As you wish!"

Only then did she clutch the dress to her chest and leave the room.

…I'm definitely going to have to drill some manners into her later….

Alone again, I tidied up the scattered mess of Mom and Dad's clothes.

One by one. Neatly folded. Making sure not a single crease was left behind.

"You have to stay right next to me. Got it…?"

"Of course, my Queen!"

Dressed head to toe in Mom's dress, Nemo actually looked remarkably normal. She didn't have a show-stopping shark tail like I did, so to anyone else she'd read as nothing more than my big sister or guardian with an unusual hair color.

Which meant the plan was to lead with the normal-looking one, and have me bask in the reflected glow of ordinary humanity….

Oh no. I'm cooked.

The elderly couple from next door came into view up ahead. The same grandpa and grandma I'd chat with on my morning walks, back when I'd occasionally rough up baby tuna on the side.

There's no way they'll recognize me… right?

I ducked quickly behind Nemo. Just then, Grandma spotted me and narrowed her eyes.

"Harbang, what in tarnation is that…?"

"You know how it is with kids these days, Gran. It's called cosplay."

"Ahh… cosplay? I know 'bout that."

Grandma nodded sagely, satisfied.

"Lawd, I can't keep up with young folks' fashions no more~"

"Hehe, neither can I."

"…."

Thankfully, my identity stayed a secret.

Yeah. Better to be mistaken for a cosplaying MZ brat than to get reported, honestly.

After walking for a good long while, I realized we'd left the village completely behind. All that remained was to make our way down the cliff face ahead, and we'd reach the beach — the same beach that used to be packed with tourists before the Submerged Tower rose out of the sea.

But now—

It was nothing but an abandoned shore, plastered over with no-entry signs and faded yellow caution tape.

Though of course, that no-entry order applied to humans and humans only. Most of the signs had been smashed to pieces, and the caution tape hung in ragged shreds here and there.

Well, to be fair — if a posted sign were enough to keep monsters from crawling onto land, would they even be monsters?

"Down here. Careful on the way down."

"Yes, my Queen."

We started down the steep path that wound along the cliff face.

…It turned out these stubby little legs of mine weren't quite up to the task. Nemo, who had been matching her pace to mine at my side, smiled with her eyes and asked:

"Shall I carry you?"

"…No. I can do it myself!"

Because if I let even that slide, I would officially become a chump shark…!

"Nnngh-hah…."

"You did it!"

After wobbling and tottering our way down, I finally set foot on the sand.

I immediately swept my gaze around the area, checking whether any baby tuna were lying in ambush or prowling the beach — but thankfully, the coast was completely clear.

Fwoooosh—!

A blue system window materialized before my eyes.

"Ah, so that's the thing…."

I stared at the window for a moment, then turned to Nemo.

"Nemo, did you get one too? The entrance whatever-it-was."

"Yes. I can see it as well!"

Nemo nodded.

"Shall we go in?"

"Yeah. Before those tuna bastards catch our scent and come up—"

Cha-poo! Cha-poo! Poocha!

"…."

Before I'd even finished the sentence, a familiar sound of splashing came from beyond the waves.

I turned my head, slowly. So slowly.

"What kind of cliché is showing up the SECOND someone mentions you—?!"

One by one, dorsal fins began to rise above the surface of the water.

One, two, three….

…There were enough of them that I gave up counting. At least ten — possibly more. A force that size was something I'd almost never run into even back when I was a man.

G-gotta get inside, NOW…!

"L-let's go, Nemo!"

If I tried to put up a token fight here, I was going to die, plain and simple. Without a moment's hesitation, I slammed YES.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Shaaaaa—

My body was engulfed in blinding white light. The glow flooded my vision in an instant, and I squeezed my eyes shut in alarm.

And a short while later, I felt a sensation like my whole body bobbing gently to the surface of the water.

Water?

"Ulp… phoooh…."

I cautiously opened one eye.

The scene spread out before me was—

Like an entire ancient city swallowed whole by the sea. Exactly the kind of vista you'd see once in a movie or a video game.

Crumbling stone buildings and pillars stretched endlessly into the blue water.

And thankfully, the first three facts I confirmed were these: the deep-sea water pressure, whatever it was supposed to be, wasn't crushing me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at all. It wasn't nearly as dark as I'd expected. And best of all, there wasn't a monster in sight.

Huh…?

It was only then that I looked around me in detail.

Where did Nemo go?

Hold on. This isn't one of those absolute garbage systems where the spawn point is random on entry… is it?! The moment the realization hit me — that I might be alone, dropped in the middle of an unfamiliar underwater city — panic came flooding in.

Flailing my stubby little limbs, I paddled in frantic circles, scanning for any sign of Nemo. My anxious tail wormed its way between my thighs.

And right at that moment—

Shaaaaaa—

From within the dispersing light, Nemo emerged.

"My Queen, I am here."

Oh, thank god… phew.

I started to let out a relieved sigh — then froze. Only then did my tail swing back into its proper position too.

Wait, what?

She can talk underwater? And just as clearly as she could on land?

So then… can't they hear my voice?

I carefully opened my mouth.

"N-Nehmo… can you heah me…?"

"…Yes! Perfectly!"

…Yep. Just like in the bathroom, my pronunciation was a mangled mess.

Right at that moment, my breathing went wrong, and water came rushing in — past my mouth and deep into my throat.

"Urgh—?!"

I clutched my throat on reflex. But something was strange.

Far from choking, I felt the cold water circulating gently through my body.

"Huh?"

I opened my mouth again, carefully this time.

"Nemo, can you hear me?"

"Yes! Perfectly clear!"

This time, an astonishingly crisp voice flowed out of me.

In the bathroom, I'd been instinctively blocking the water from sliding down my throat. But this time was different.

The moment I stopped rejecting the water and accepted it, the cold current began circulating smoothly through my whole body.

"…I really have become a fish, haven't I."

The belated realization made me a little sad.

"…?!"

It was only then that my eyes finally registered what was floating around Nemo.

"By the way, Nemo — why is there SO much blood around you?!"

Nemo glanced down at herself once, then tilted her head with perfect composure.

"Oh, you mean this?"

Red blood drifted around Nemo like smoke, curling and hovering in the water.

"It seemed best to deal with them first. I estimated it would not take long, so I decided to let you enter ahead of me, tidy up the Leviathan's fluids, and follow after!"

Nemo bowed her head, calm as could be.

"My apologies, my Queen. I simply could not leave the fluids of the Leviathan who dared to quicken your heartbeat to float about untended…."

"Ah, a-anyway, as long as you're not hurt… just tell me next time before you do something like that. I thought you'd disappeared."

Though in truth, I was the one who'd chickened out and entered first….

"I will bear it in mind."

Such a good girl, not even arguing the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠point….

I looked Nemo up and down. Not a single wound on her.

"You're… strong, aren't you? It looked like there were so many of them."

"…Thank you."

Nemo smiled, looking a little bashful.

"I did not expect to be praised for something as minor as this!"

"…."

Something about that felt off. Why did it sound like she was asking whether that even counted as praise?

And right at that moment—

Nemo quietly scanned our surroundings.

"Ah. It seems they have identified us."

KEEEYAAAK—!!

The instant I saw the Leviathan fluid flash past in front of me, chills shot down my spine.

These are the Leviathan's fluids…? Look at them — they're just TUNA…?!

Well, obviously nothing like the ones I'd seen on land. They'd grown twice the size, at least, and their entire faces were bristling with rows upon rows of razor teeth.

Their fins were twisted into something grotesque, and where their legs should have been, there were instead grasping claws that looked exactly like they'd been designed to tear us apart.

"Th-those things are insane! They're so fast…?!"

Despite their massive bodies, the creatures were carving through the currents at blistering speed, circling round and round us.

"THOSE are supposed to be tuna?!"

"Ah."

Nemo nodded at last, as if finally understanding.

"So THAT is what you meant when you called them tuna, my Queen."

"You're figuring that out NOW?!"

"Yes. Those are the fluids of the sea dragon Leviathan. To be precise, juvenile specimens, not yet ten years of age."

Nemo went on calmly, watching the monsters encircle us.

"On land, they apparently lose much of their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠size and strength from the lack of moisture. Thank you for the lesson, my Queen!"

THAT was them shrunken?!

—KEEYAAAK!!!

The screeching only multiplied. The Leviathan fluids whirled around us like mad, tightening the encirclement little by little.

And their numbers were still climbing even now.

"Th-there's too many of them…?!"

Desperate, half out of my mind, I reached into my skill window and pulled out Poseidon's Spear.

Eyes squeezed shut—

Swish… swish….

Swinging it against the drag of the water with this pathetic body of mine was pure agony….

"Please wait just a moment, my Queen. I shall deal with this at once!"

Nemo gave a single, unhurried flick of her hand.

And immediately, from every crevice in the rock around us and every crack in the seafloor, brilliantly multicolored coral began to erupt into explosive growth.

The corals that shot up in an instant soon closed around us, forming a protective bloom.

Our surroundings were now aggressively, unapologetically colorful. I'd been staring blankly at the rainbow-lit coral reef before I finally came back to my senses.

"Y-you do realize we didn't come here to do landscaping, right…?"

"Pfft…"

Nemo covered her mouth, giggling.

"You are quite the joker, my Queen!"

"…That wasn't a joke."

"I shall award you another point, then!"

Nemo flashed a bright smile and extended one hand forward.

"May I hope for a little praise again this time?"

And with a light flick of her fingertips—

In that instant—

The flowering tips of the beautiful coral reef snapped open all at once. The petal-like segments flipped inside out into razor-sharp blades, and tendril after tendril lashed out in every direction — so fast it was nearly impossible to follow with the eye.

SHKK—!

SHRFF!

KWAAAAJIK—!

The Leviathan fluids that had been circling us, closing their encirclement, were one by one hacked to wretched pieces. The blades sprouting from the coral reef sliced, split, and tore the flesh from the creatures without pause.

The swarm of hundreds dwindled before my eyes.

"EH-EH-EH-EH?!"

They're— they're filleting them?! ALL of them?!

Blood and gobbets of flesh billowed through the water, dyeing it red. But Nemo didn't so much as glance behind her.

Instead, she gently took both my hands in hers, folded them together, and looked at me — only me — with a soft, contented smile.

"How is the water temperature, my Queen? I trust it is not too cold?"

"…."

Behind Nemo's back, the Leviathan fluids were still being diced alive.

SHKK—!

SHRFF!

Nemo gazed at me with pure, guileless eyes, as if none of it existed at all.

"Uh… I'm fine. Yeah."

"Wonderful!"

I nodded awkwardly.

And as the coral reef's automated filleting operation gradually wound down, I was certain of one thing.

This girl is a complete and utter maniac…?!

Behind Nemo's radiant smile, the coral severed the last Leviathan's head from its body.

Oh, but she's on MY side.

That's our Nemo — she's INSANE…!

Rustle, rustle.

"…An egg?"