Could it be we are going straight into the planet’s mantle?’ Hajime began to question accompanied with cold sweat. However, their underground travel onto the unknown finally ended. Hajime’s party was attacked by the biggest impact they had felt until now. The tremendous impact broke through the defense of “Vajra” and damaged the submarine. Along with the impact, the submarine was blown away with tremendous speed.
Hurriedly reactivating “Vajra” after the intense impact, Hajime questioned what happened and used the remote camera function from “Farsight stone” installed even in the Cross Bit to confirm the surrounding. Following that, the spectacle that entered his view was not the red world filled by magma, but magma writhing like a snake and greatly boiling the rampaging “sea.”
Apparently, Hajime’s party was blown away by the so called phreatomagmatic explosion when they spouted from a submerged volcano. The impact damaged the hull, but fortunately the water didn’t flood in, or maybe it should be said as expected of Hajime’s artifact.
Narrowly escaping from death, Hajime’s party was relieved to be able to return to the surface, but their suffering continued.
After being dumbfounded from turning round and round by the eruption, and then thrown out into the sea, the party immediately regained the control of the submarine and began their sailing. Both wings and stern were seriously damaged, but it was possible to sail by supplying the submarine with magic power. There was no problem other than the fuel consumption rate was overwhelmingly worse compared to when the screw, wings, and stern could be used.
Because it wouldn’t be able to endure another eruption, Hajime’s party hurriedly moved away, but a gigantic shadow followed the orca-shaped submarine. It was a gigantic squid-like creature. With length reaching 30 meters, and with more than 30 wriggling tentacles, its appearance was similar to a sea monster, the Kraken.
The monster mercilessly attacked the submarine. Twined by tentacles, the submarine was about to be crunched by sharp fangs that in the middle of its mouth. However, the monster was repelled by the submarine’s weapon (torpedo) and Yue’s magic.
Nevertheless, it didn’t end even after they repelled the Kraken-like monster. This time, they were attacked by a flock of sharks. The sharks were a kind of demonic beast, annoying enemies that cooperated while shooting out water tornados.
In the end, the ammunition inside the submarine was depleted and they could only rely on Yue’s magic. It was a situation where Yue used the magic power stocked inside Magic-crystallization stone and sucked Shia’s blood, since Hajime had already loss a large amount of blood. They somehow managed to get away while repelling the sharks, but they fought in «Guryuu-en Great Volcano» before so Hajime’s party had indeed exhausted all of their energy. Although Shia didn’t really do anything, she collapsed from anemia due to offering her blood to Yue because it was “the least” she could do.
Letting Yue and Shia rest, Hajime moved the submarine to the surface. They were in a location where there was only the sea and blue sky as far as the eye could reach, so they advanced towards the continent. Then, after sailing for half a day, due to calm climate and wave, Hajime halted the sub and rested, basking in the sunlight outside the sub.
The development from conquering «Guryuu-en Great Volcano» until the present time was truly a rapid one. No matter what, it could be said that other people except Hajime’s party wouldn’t have any possibility of surviving at all. It was alright for Hajime to unconsciously want to shout “What a bad luck!” like a certain user of gender-equal punch.
“How’s Shia?”
Although he was looking at the distance, Hajime asked Yue who’s currently seated on top of him.
“… She is still sleeping. I drank a lot… so she probably won’t wake up for a while.”
Yue’s reason was that the amount converted to magic power wasn’t as efficient compared to when she sucked Hajime’s blood. It was because the amount converted was several times more from Hajime, her partner of “Blood Pact,” than Shia who wasn’t. After picking the partner for “Blood Pact,” the effect of “Blood Conversion” from other people lowered while the effect became several times bigger if it was her contracted partner.
“I see. Well, it’s better for her to rest now. Anyway, we don’t know our current location much less about the time needed to reach the continent. We also don’t know what will happen so it is better to take our time to recover.”
“…Nn.”
The sea was at the west of the continent, so they only needed to head for the east to reach the continent. There was no problem because they could create water from magic and catch fish for meals. Things like fishes wouldn’t be able to escape from the submarine and magic, so even though they were in the middle of the vast ocean, it wasn’t a situation to be panicked about. Also, as long as they can confirm their location using the star at night, they could determine the course towards the continent. As such, they rested when they should.
The warm sunlight and breeze made Hajime relaxed. Watching Hajime with narrowed eyes, Yue…
“… Yue-san. What are you doing?”
“… Making Hajime energetic.”
Before he was aware of it, Yue exuded a bewitching aura and moved slowly. She seemed to want to energize him. But although she didn’t say which part, when Hajime saw Yue’s blurred eyes, he didn’t even think of resisting.
“Ngh… fufu, Hajime has become energetic.”
“… Wait, to do it in the middle of the ocean… Well, if it was me from half a year ago, I wouldn’t even imagine it.”
In the place they felt safe about while they were glad to be alive, Hajime and Yue showed each other’s body. For a while, the submarine was shaken by something other than the small waves.