The sea sparkled beautifully, as if it held jewels. Staring quietly at the famous erald beach, I gazed at the translucent seawater and couldn’t help but exclaim.
’This is what an unpolluted sea looks like…’
Seeing a genuinely unpolluted sea for the first ti in my life was a real treat. I had seen it a few tis through internet videos or virtual reality devices, but that didn’t an it was real.
The image of the earth’s oceans as humanity’s trash can was strong. Every nation and corporation indiscriminately dumped polluted wastewater, plastic waste, and radioactive materials into it—a global garbage dump.
There was a reason why the sea had changed so much. It was due to the invention of technology that could purify polluted waters.
’You can only see this in private beaches on Earth, right?’
No matter how much they dirtied the ocean, with just a click of a button, it could return to its original state. So corporations and countries hesitated not at all about polluting the sea. The prevailing mindset was, ‘Why’s it a problem if we can just purify it afterwards?’
Thus, the oceans of Earth were always polluted, with only the unpolluted spots being the segregated private beaches of the rich. Naturally, as a grad student’s salary or status, I couldn’t even dare to approach that…
’Of course, this isn’t completely unpolluted either…’
Just then, the results of the seawater analysis arrived on my pad. The composition I tested earlier with the detector on my wrist when I fell into the sea with Galm was on the screen.
The seawater’s components were as follows: water, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, so plankton, ammonia, vitamin stuff, and more.
’So soone peed in the sea, huh?’
Anyway, it seed humans everywhere, whether on Earth or here, were no different when it ca to sneaking in their ss when no one was looking.
Moreover, substances like Neochromine Trioxides, Cyclobectolin Dihydrate, and Hexafluoroz Xenonites were also detected. At first, I tilted my head in confusion over their structures, but soon realized they were special materials that only existed in this world.
And what kind of effects those substances had as well.
’They seem to make the ocean look a bit more beautiful and cleaner…’
Of course, there was no way that would be good for the human body. Just like microplastics, the side effects were so minuscule that they wouldn’t be noticed imdiately.
It wasn’t a coincidence that Galm ntioned the odd taste in the water. There were indeed strange substances in the seawater.
“Hmm…”
Learning that the city or any local corporation distributed harmful chemicals in the sea for managent made wonder. Should I spread this information widely? Or should I just brush it off?
What was certain was that it was not sothing I should be worrying about alone. Instantly, I decided to toss this issue to the boss.
As I casually turned my head to the side, I saw the boss, who had just finished her work and was enjoying sunbathing, react imdiately and open her mouth.
“What’s up? Did you make another ss…?”
“…Should I tell you later?”
“No, just tell now. Don’t make things a hassle later….”
Regalia said this as she stood up. The exhaustion was etched all over the young girl’s face. She hadn’t seed this busy when we first t, but now she looked like a worn-out worker.
Considering that since I joined the Evil Organization, Evilus Corporation had tripled in size, it made sense. While the influx of additional workforce had not increased proportionally.
In the end, it ant Regalia had to manage all those tasks by herself. One could easily spot the face of a weary worker on her.
“I found sothing in this sea…”
I explained the oddity I discovered in the sea as calmly as possible, so as not to stir her feelings too much. I tried to downplay it so she wouldn’t see it as a big issue.
Whether that explanation was effective, Regalia responded as if it was nothing to fret over.
“Chemicals for making the sea clean, huh… Then the leading corporation or the city hall must know about it too. Just let it slide.”
“Is that okay?”
“You said it yourself, right? There’s no imdiate threat. Then you just need to analyze this back at headquarters. We can use this information to pressure O City later.”
Regalia requested that I not make a big deal out of it, assuring she would handle it herself. I understood and nodded, then looked back at the beach.
The unpolluted sea, once the domain of the rich, shimred under the sun.
*
Gururuk-!
Beneath the sea, the massive squid, the ruler of these waters, fud, bubbling in outrage. It was all due to the noise made by humans in the distance.
—Gurururur.
They say shared wall noise can lead to murder, and the ocean noise was no different. The giant squid wanted nothing more than to rush over and rip those humans apart.
But there was a reason why it hadn’t done so yet. Stronger predators than the giant squid had already decided to tear the humans apart, and since all those predators were taken out by the humans, the not-so-powerful giant squid had beco the top of the food chain.
In the end, the squid’s survival instinct manifested in fleeing from humans, even when the unbearable noise ca crashing in.
—Gururuk-!
However, no matter how much it fled and held back, anger wouldn’t just disappear easily. The rage rely accumulated. I could imagine it wanting to dash out and shred every human to pieces right this mont…!
At that mont, corporate motorboats passed above the sea, releasing loud engine sounds as toxic chemicals were dumped liberally. The giant squid, right below, was directly hit by the swirling motor’s current carrying those harmful substances.
The chemicals, ant to maintain the beauty of the sea, began to seep into the squid’s skin. While scientists believed it wouldn’t cause significant harm to humans, it certainly did not an it wouldn’t harm other animals.
Ultimately, after absorbing a large amount of toxic chemicals, the giant squid began to die rapidly. Was the ruler of the erald waters about to et its lonely demise?
—Gururuk……!
Surprisingly, in its rage, the giant squid awakened its psychic powers. The survival instincts were kicked into high gear, igniting a type of enhancent on its body.
As it digested the toxic substances inside, the giant squid began to grow larger and larger. It beca a creature that might belong in a myth, surpassing even a giant squid. Such size could not have been born through normal evolution.
The squid now bore the obligation to maintain its great size and looked toward the beach. There seed to be a lot of energy over there. It even had excuses to attack humans full of rage.
Those humans sought its death.
As the lord of this sea, it had the duty of just revenge.
Thus, the mythical giant squid descended upon the mortal realm, charging toward the beach—only to et its demise almost imdiately.
*
“—Oh?”
While swimming enthusiastically, Levitan sensed sothing swimming toward her and turned her head. Galm behind her seed to feel it too and was giggling.
Quickly climbing up onto the sandy beach, Levitan reached out her hand toward Galm. Recognizing her intent, Galm reached out his hand too.
“Rock-paper-scissors—!”
Monts later, winners and losers were decided.
“Damn.”
“So I get to do it, right—?”
“Got no intention to give up! I’ve never seen sothing like that before.”
“If you think you can’t, I guess I’ll concede.”
Levitan said this and crunched down on the creature’s genetic material. Galm realized she wasn’t planning on yielding at all.
As the tiger beast sighed in disappointnt, a massive squid revealed itself above the sea.
—Gurururur-!
As it spewed enormous bubbles from its maw, the sudden appearance of the monster made people scream and dash away.
“AAAAAH!”
“It’s an Awakened species!”
“Call a Hero!”
At the ntion of a Hero, several onlookers at the beach flinched, while Levitan, who was bouncing in place preparing to spring away, quickly dashed across the water.
She lifted her feet before they sank into the sea, then lifted the opposite foot before that one sank. By repeating this, Levitan successfully ran across the water and reached the squid monster at an incredible speed.
With a swift kick, she nailed it straight in the squid’s face.
—PAANG-!
A sound akin to a giant balloon popping echoed as a large hole appeared in the squid’s face. The squid, now with a hole in its head, collapsed into the sea, while Levitan landed safely on top of the falling creature.
“What the—? Weakling.”
Chortling at how the monster fell from just one kick, Levitan gestured casually toward Galm, who looked on with disappointnt in the distance.
Watching all this from the sidelines, the boss sighed lightly as she removed her sunglasses.
[Today, an Awakened species wreaked havoc at Erald Beach in O City… Fortunately, there were no casualties…]
[The O City hall decided to award Mr. Levitan for stopping the Awakened creature with the ‘Brave Citizen Award’—]
“…Levitan?”
The woman in the TV with rabbit ears perked up as she looked at the pixelated figure, her face reflecting shock at seeing soone she didn’t expect there.
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