While everyone kept running along the beach, competing over the enemies that continued coming ashore, Megumi had already taken the lead and occupied the area with the most monsters thanks to the versatility of the Ten Shadows Technique.
That area was the sea.
Megumi wrapped his legs in shadows to form a fishtail and swam quickly underwater.
His spiky, sea urchin-like hair, which usually stood upright, became ordinary shoulder-length hair after being soaked by seawater.
Beside him, a toad and a large snake worked together to eliminate enemies.
The clumsy heavy-armored crabs were not difficult for the toad and the large snake to handle.
First, the toad would shoot out its tongue and pull the heavy-armored crab down from behind. Then, the large snake would move in and crack its shell.
One by one, the heavy-armored crabs were dealt with under Megumi's command of his Shikigami.
Unlike the heavy-armored crabs, which required some effort, if they encountered monsters with weaker defenses, such as octopuses or jellyfish, the large snake and toad could swallow them whole and kill them directly.
Just as Megumi relaxed, thinking that all the enemies this time were just small fry, the enemy's counterattack arrived.
First, a jellyfish that looked as if it were wearing a hat suddenly shot a water bullet into the toad's belly.
Then, a hunter ray shaped like a throwing knife violently swung its body, cutting out a water blade that left a wound on the large snake.
The enemy's sudden counterattack made Megumi's expression turn solemn.
He began commanding the large snake and toad to dodge attacks while simultaneously figuring out the enemy's attack methods and patterns, personally joining the battle as well.
For Megumi, who treated his Shikigami like family, there were times when he would rather be injured himself than let his Shikigami fall into danger.
Plop.
"Hoo, inhale. Hoo."
After fighting underwater for a while, Megumi immediately grabbed the toad and surfaced to catch his breath.
The large snake circled around him, protecting him.
After a brief rest, Megumi dived back underwater.
Just then, a light blue figure appeared beside Megumi.
Megumi's pupils suddenly constricted. He remembered this figure.
Just now, it was this creature that had swung a water blade and nearly cut the large snake in half.
Megumi immediately kicked off with both feet.
His body and the toad instantly separated, moving to opposite sides.
However, the expected water blade did not appear.
Megumi hesitated for a moment, then had the toad attack the blue hunter ray.
To Megumi's astonishment, the toad's long tongue passed through the opponent's body, as if the enemy before him was only a phantom in the water.
Suddenly, a prompt appeared beside Megumi's ear.
[Congratulations, you have received the blessing of the Aberrant Hunter Ray. Do you accept?]
[Yes] [No]
Without hesitation, Megumi clicked yes.
The next second, Megumi discovered that he could breathe underwater, and a new cursed tattoo appeared on his hand.
According to the panel prompt, he could use the hunter ray's ability through this cursed tattoo.
Megumi waved his hand, and a water blade instantly shot into the distance.
After understanding the situation, Megumi immediately stopped hunting enemies and swam toward the beach.
He wanted to inform his teammates of this news as soon as possible.
The number of underwater enemies was much greater than those on the beach. Going down earlier would give them a greater advantage.
On the other side, by the shore.
"What should we do? Should we attack them?"
Momo, holding a broom, asked Kasumi hesitantly.
"How about we look for other enemies?"
Kasumi scratched her cheek awkwardly with one hand. She also found it hard to strike.
In front of the two girls were several seal-like creatures called Puff-Puff Beasts, exposing their bellies in a friendly manner as they sunbathed.
Just now, when Kasumi walked up, pursing her lips and preparing to strike, these cute Puff-Puff Beasts had suddenly raised their heads and looked at her with teary eyes.
Their expressions seemed to ask, "Are you going to kill me, friend?"
She couldn't do it. She really couldn't do it.
"I think so too."
Just as the two reached an agreement and were about to leave, a voice rang out.
"Blood Manipulation, Convergence, Piercing Blood!"
A blood arrow appeared, piercing through several Puff-Puff Beasts in succession.
The Puff-Puff Beasts weakly wiggled their tails, then were killed by Noritoshi.
"The seals are so cute! How could you kill them?"
Momo instantly bristled.
"These are enemies, Nishimiya."
Noritoshi replied coldly.
His eyes, narrower than Suguru's, made it impossible for Momo to understand what he was thinking.
Momo could only accuse him of being heartless and cold-blooded.
Splash.
Just then, Ultimate Mechamaru, who was beside Noritoshi, suddenly jumped into the sea.
"See? Even Mechamaru jumped into the sea because he was ashamed to team up with you."
Momo immediately pointed at the jumping Mechamaru and said this.
"..." Noritoshi.
Because he had always lived in the Kamo Family, where the women in the clan were all respectful and well-behaved, this was the first time Noritoshi had met a girl whose words were so difficult for him to understand.
Noritoshi, who had received a proper aristocratic education, began trying to reason with Momo.
After all, in his opinion, truth became clearer through debate.
Then he found himself becoming more and more confused as the debate went on.
Noritoshi had originally wanted them to accept the idea that "Puff-Puff Beasts are very good targets for scoring points, which can help the Kyoto School quickly become stronger and win." Gradually, he began to feel like he no longer understood Japanese.
Fortunately, not long after, Ultimate Mechamaru, who had jumped into the sea "because of him," returned.
"All of you, stop for a moment. I have important information."
At those words, Momo finally stopped her verbal barrage.
Everyone's gaze turned to Ultimate Mechamaru.
"Just now, I noticed that everyone from the Tokyo School had jumped into the sea, so I had Ultimate Mechamaru follow and observe.
While tracking them, I found that after they came into contact with a blue creature, they all became able to move freely underwater, and it is suspected that they gained new Cursed Techniques."
Ultimate Mechamaru's expressionless machine face spoke.
"I see. If that blue creature can grant us the ability to move freely underwater and combat Cursed Techniques, then the conditions for both sides will be equal."
Noritoshi's tension, caused by Megumi fighting alone underwater and monopolizing the richest resource area, eased greatly.
"Since that's the case, let's enter the water and fight as soon as possible. Kokichi, do you still remember the locations of those blue creatures?"
Noritoshi asked seriously.
"I remember a few."
Ultimate Mechamaru nodded.
"That's good. You come and rendezvous with us as well, to prevent yourself from being attacked by enemies and eliminated right after entering the water."
"What about Todo?"
"There's no need to worry about Todo. Besides, he's with Yuji from the Tokyo School. If the other side informed Yuji, he will follow on his own."
Noritoshi really was not worried about Todo.
On one hand, it was because Todo himself was very powerful.
On the other hand, if they all went underwater and only two people were left on the beach, the number of enemies there would actually still be quite considerable.
So whether Todo came or not made no difference.
"I understand."
Kokichi immediately went to the beach, and everyone dived into the water together.
At the same time, Megumi, who had been exploring the seabed for a long time, encountered a truly formidable enemy.
(To be continued.)