Volume 3 Chapter 167: The Sharks That Hunted Ships

The sand cruiser glided steadily across the golden dunes, its magical propulsion units humming beneath the hull as Ryota guided it through the seemingly endless expanse of the Endless Sand Valley. The vessel rose and dipped with the shifting terrain, its smooth underside skimming over the loose sand while leaving a broad trail behind it. Warm desert winds swept across the deck, carrying fine grains past the railings and into the air, and the afternoon sunlight illuminated the surrounding dunes in brilliant shades of amber and gold.

For the moment, the expedition was proceeding peacefully.

Rio had finished explaining the different species of Sand Sharks and returned to the front of the cruiser, where she could observe the surrounding terrain. Ryota remained at the steering station, keeping the vessel on the route she had indicated. Meanwhile, Akari and Memory had settled into the seats near the middle of the deck, enjoying the scenery as the cruiser carried them farther into the valley.

Memory leaned comfortably against the railing with Bubbles resting in her lap. The little blue slime occasionally bounced whenever the vessel crossed a particularly uneven stretch of sand, apparently treating the entire expedition as an amusement ride. Each time the cruiser dipped into a shallow depression before climbing another dune, Bubbles wobbled upward with a cheerful squeak, much to Memory's amusement.

Akari sat beside her, her long silver hair fluttering in the wind. The white scarf wrapped securely around Narukami Tenrai's scabbard remained in place, although she occasionally checked it out of habit. Whenever she noticed an unusual disturbance beneath the distant dunes, her gaze would linger on the shifting sand for several seconds before returning to the scenery.

Despite the dangers Rio had described, the valley was undeniably beautiful.

The dunes stretched toward the horizon like enormous golden waves frozen in the middle of a vast ocean. Sunlight glimmered across their ridges, while the wind continuously reshaped the sand into flowing patterns that seemed to travel endlessly across the landscape. Occasionally, distant rock formations emerged from the dunes, their dark silhouettes contrasting sharply against the brilliant desert. Some resembled the ruins of ancient towers, while others rose in crooked formations that looked as though they had been carved by centuries of relentless wind.

From a distance, it was difficult to believe that such a magnificent place could be filled with creatures capable of killing an adventurer because of a single careless mistake.

Memory, however, had not forgotten Rio's demonstration.

Every time the sand shifted suspiciously beside the cruiser, she leaned away from the railing and hugged Bubbles a little tighter. After the third occurrence, Akari finally noticed the habit and turned toward her friend with a mildly exasperated expression.

"You know, staring at the sand like that isn't going to make it less dangerous."

Memory immediately looked at her. "I'm not staring at it because I want to. I'm making sure nothing tries to eat us!"

"Wouldn't that mean you should stop looking at it?"

"What if something comes out while I'm not looking?"

Akari considered the argument for a moment, glancing toward the dunes before returning her attention to Memory. "Fair enough."

Memory nodded triumphantly, apparently satisfied that she had won the debate. From the steering station, Ryota laughed as he adjusted the controls to guide the cruiser around a broad dune.

"Don't worry. If something comes after us, I'll just drive faster."

Rio glanced over her shoulder, her expression suggesting that she had heard something particularly foolish. "That won't necessarily help."

Ryota's smile faded slightly. "You could have let me have that."

"Would you prefer reassurance or an accurate assessment of the situation?"

"Reassurance."

Rio turned back toward the desert. "Then we're probably fine."

Ryota stared at the back of her head in disbelief. "That wasn't reassuring at all!"

Rio laughed quietly before returning her attention to the valley. Behind her, Akari shook her head with a small smile, while Memory tightened her arms around Bubbles as though she were preparing for an inevitable attack.

The peaceful atmosphere continued for several minutes, broken only by the steady hum of the cruiser and the soft rush of wind across the deck. The farther they traveled, the more Akari appreciated how different Floor Two was from the beginner regions of Floor One. Here, the environment itself demanded attention. Even when no enemy was visible, the seemingly harmless landscape could conceal something dangerous beneath its surface.

After watching the distant dunes for a while, Akari finally turned toward her sister.

"Hey, Rio?"

"Hm?"

Akari rested her arms on the railing. "Why are you here on Floor Two?"

Rio turned around, looking slightly puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Aren't you supposed to be on Floor Three?"

Memory immediately looked up from Bubbles. "Oh, right! I was wondering about that too."

Rio smiled as she walked back toward the seats. She settled across from the two girls, resting one arm along the back of the bench while the sand cruiser continued moving beneath them.

"We are. We'll be heading to Floor Four soon, actually."

Akari blinked. "Soon?"

"Once we finish what we need to do on Floor Three."

Memory stared at her. "Wait. You mean you're already planning to leave Floor Three?"

Rio nodded. "Eventually."

She glanced toward the distant horizon, where the golden dunes blended into the hazy sky. "But right now, I want to explore Floor Two a little more."

Akari tilted her head. "Why? Is there something important here?"

"Not necessarily. I just haven't had enough time to enjoy it."

Rio looked back at her sister, her expression relaxed and unusually carefree.

"When we first reached Floor Two, everything happened so quickly. We were dealing with the situation in Versoza, rescuing Ramos and Silla, avoiding the assassins, and trying to get everyone somewhere safe. After that, we had to travel to Nendu and deal with the train ambush. Once we reached Floor Three, there were even more things to prepare for. Before I knew it, we'd already moved on to the next stage of our plans."

She shrugged lightly, as though the realization had only recently occurred to her.

"Sometimes, when you keep moving from one objective to another, you forget to appreciate the place you're actually in."

Akari watched her quietly. There was something different about Rio's expression as she spoke. She wasn't discussing a battle, explaining a skill, or outlining a complicated strategy. For once, she simply seemed happy to be traveling through the desert with them.

"So you came back because you wanted to go sightseeing?" Akari asked.

Rio smiled. "That's one way to put it."

Memory leaned forward, her curiosity immediately overcoming her earlier suspicion of the sand.

"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me the famous Rio, who always seems to know what she's doing, came all the way back to Floor Two just because she wanted to enjoy the scenery?"

"Yes."

Memory stared at her for a moment.

"...That's surprisingly normal."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"No, I mean—" Memory hurriedly waved her hands. "I thought you'd have some secret reason! Like a hidden quest, a legendary weapon, or some ancient treasure that only appears during a solar eclipse!"

Rio laughed. "Those things are nice, but they're not the only reason to play a game."

She turned toward the endless dunes, allowing the warm wind to brush against her face.

"Sometimes, it's enough to explore somewhere beautiful without worrying about what comes next."

Her answer was simple, but it carried more meaning than Akari realized.

Even before the reset, Rio had spent years playing Evermount. Yet it had been a long time since she had truly explored Floor Two. Once she became one of the game's strongest players, her journeys through the lower floors gradually turned into obligations rather than adventures. She returned to familiar hunting grounds for specific materials, visited towns to complete guild business, and traveled along established routes whenever a quest demanded it.

There had always been another raid, another event, another opponent, or another responsibility waiting for her. Even when she entered a beautiful region, she rarely had the luxury of stopping to appreciate it.

Now, for the first time in years, she could experience the world again without carrying the weight of her former position. She didn't have to rush toward the next achievement simply because other players expected her to. She could choose where to go, whom to travel with, and what she wanted to experience along the way.

And she intended to enjoy that opportunity.

Akari smiled faintly. "I think I understand."

Rio looked at her. "Really?"

"Yeah. We only started playing recently, but I already feel like there's so much to see. If I just kept rushing toward stronger monsters, I'd probably miss a lot of interesting places."

Rio's expression softened. "Exactly."

Memory nodded enthusiastically, clearly delighted to contribute something to the conversation.

"I agree! There are so many cute clothes and delicious restaurants in this game. It would be a tragedy if we spent all our time fighting monsters!"

Akari slowly turned toward her. "...That's what you took away from the conversation?"

"Of course."

Rio chuckled. "At least you're consistent."

Memory beamed proudly, while Bubbles bounced in her lap as if endorsing the statement.

"Pyu!"

For a while, the conversation continued in a relaxed manner. Akari asked about places Rio had visited on Floor Two, and Rio mentioned several regions worth exploring once they had more time. Memory occasionally interrupted to ask whether any of those locations had good restaurants, which prompted Akari to remind her that they were currently traveling through a desert filled with enormous predators.

Memory insisted that this made finding a restaurant even more important.

Eventually, however, she remembered something that had been bothering her since they boarded the cruiser. She leaned forward and looked directly at Rio.

"Actually, there's something I wanted to ask."

Rio tilted her head. "Go ahead."

Memory gestured toward the surrounding valley. "What exactly are we looking for on this expedition?"

Rio's smile widened.

"Ah. That."

She opened her system interface and selected a document from her inventory. A moment later, a large holographic projection appeared above the deck, displaying a detailed illustration of an enormous Sand Shark.

Unlike the Ganzame they had examined earlier, this creature was on an entirely different scale. Its broad, armored head resembled that of a prehistoric shark, while its enormous body stretched behind it in a thick, muscular line. Jagged fins protruded along its back, and dark mineral formations were visible between the rugged scales covering its hide. Even in the illustration, the creature looked powerful enough to crush a sand cruiser simply by colliding with it.

Memory leaned forward for a closer look, then immediately regretted her curiosity.

"...Please tell me that's not another shark."

Rio glanced at her. "It is."

Memory slowly leaned backward again. "...Of course it is."

Akari studied the projection with interest. The creature was so large that the illustration had to be reduced considerably just to fit within the display.

"Is that an Ouzame?"

Rio nodded. "Correct."

She enlarged the image, highlighting several dark formations along the creature's back.

"Our objective is to gather a special ore called Ouzamite. It's a rare mineral that forms along the backs of certain Ouzame. The ore is embedded in the rocky growths that develop between their scales, and it's one of the materials we need for a project I'm working on."

Akari examined the highlighted formations. "So we need to defeat one and collect the ore afterward?"

"Not exactly."

Rio tapped the projection, causing the illustration to rotate and reveal the creature's broad back.

"We need to find an Ouzame, get onto its back, and mine the Ouzamite directly from the formations growing there."

Silence settled over the seats.

Memory blinked once, then twice. She stared at the illustration as though she were waiting for it to change into something less horrifying. When it didn't, she slowly raised one hand.

"...I'm sorry. I think I heard you incorrectly."

Rio smiled. "You heard me correctly."

Memory pointed accusingly at the projection. "You're telling me we need to find a giant land shark, jump onto its back, and mine rocks off it while it's alive?"

"That's the plan."

Memory's face gradually lost color.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THAT'S THE PLAN?!"

Bubbles startled at the sudden outburst and bounced out of Memory's lap, landing on the seat beside her with a confused squeak. Memory immediately scooped the little slime back into her arms before turning toward Rio with an expression of genuine horror.

"Rio! That thing lives under the sand! It's a shark! A giant shark! And you want us to climb on top of it like it's a boat?!"

Rio burst out laughing.

She had expected Memory to be alarmed, but the sheer horror on the girl's face was so genuine that she couldn't help herself. Memory's cheeks had gone pale, her eyes were wide, and she looked as though Rio had just announced that their next expedition involved swimming through a volcano.

Akari covered her mouth, struggling to suppress a laugh of her own.

Memory immediately turned toward her. "WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!"

"I'm not!"

"You absolutely are!"

Akari looked away, her shoulders shaking. "...A little."

Memory gasped in betrayal.

Rio continued laughing for several seconds before finally raising a hand in surrender. "All right, all right. Calm down."

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN AFTER HEARING THAT?!"

"Because I'm not going to ask you to mine the ore yourself."

Memory stopped mid-rant.

"...You're not?"

Rio shook her head. "I'll handle the mining. I have the tools and the experience to do it properly. You and Akari only need to help keep the Ouzame occupied while I collect the material."

Memory stared at her.

Then she looked at Akari.

Then she turned back toward Rio.

"...Keep it occupied?"

"Yes."

Memory's expression became even more horrified.

"YOU MEAN DISTRACT IT?!"

Rio nodded. "Essentially."

"THAT'S WORSE!"

Akari finally lost her composure and laughed outright. Memory pointed at her accusingly, looking deeply offended by her friend's lack of solidarity.

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY SIDE!"

"I am on your side!"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!"

"Because your face is funny!"

Memory clutched Bubbles more tightly and looked toward the desert with the expression of someone reconsidering every decision that had led her to this moment.

Rio smiled affectionately. Despite her complaints, Memory was adorable when she became frightened. She tended to imagine the worst possible outcome, then convince herself that it was inevitable before the danger had even appeared. It was one of the reasons Rio found her so entertaining.

Of course, Rio had no intention of allowing that fear to turn into carelessness.

She leaned forward, her expression becoming more serious.

"Listen. We won't approach an Ouzame until we're ready. I'll explain what to look for, how to move on its back, and what to do if it starts diving beneath the sand. We aren't going to rush into a fight without a plan."

Memory regarded her suspiciously. "...You promise?"

"I promise."

Rio smiled warmly.

"And if things become too dangerous, we retreat. The ore isn't worth anyone getting hurt."

That reassurance helped a little. Memory's shoulders relaxed, although she continued holding Bubbles as if the slime were the only thing standing between her and certain doom.

Akari, meanwhile, was still looking at the projection.

"How big is an Ouzame, anyway?"

Rio considered the question for a moment.

"About the size of a three-story building."

Akari's eyes widened.

Memory slowly turned her head.

"...A three-story building?"

Rio nodded. "And its back is roughly the length of an entire soccer field."

Silence followed.

Memory stared at her. Akari stared at her. Even Ryota, who had been listening from the steering station, slowly turned around.

"...A soccer field?" he repeated.

"Approximately," Rio replied.

Memory's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. Finally, she whispered, "...We're going to get eaten."

"No, we're not," Rio answered.

"We're absolutely going to get eaten."

"We aren't."

"The shark is going to swallow the cruiser, and then we'll all die in the sand!"

"Memory."

"And Bubbles won't even get to see another restaurant!"

"Memory."

"And I just bought all those clothes!"

Rio laughed again. "Your clothes will be perfectly safe in your inventory."

Memory stared at her.

"...That is not the important part!"

Akari leaned back in her seat, smiling as she watched the exchange. Rio was clearly enjoying herself, but there was a purpose behind her explanations. She wanted them to understand the dangers before they encountered them firsthand. Even Memory's exaggerated panic was useful in its own way, provided it didn't prevent her from thinking clearly when the time came to act.

Ryota turned back toward the steering station and adjusted their course around another broad dune.

"Just so we're clear," he called, "if we find a shark the size of a three-story building, I'm not jumping onto its back."

Rio glanced toward him. "You're piloting the cruiser. You're not supposed to jump anywhere."

"Good. We understand each other."

"Besides," Rio added with a cheerful smile, "you'd probably fall off."

Ryota looked over his shoulder. "...I take back everything nice I've ever said about you."

"You've never said anything nice about me."

"Exactly!"

Akari laughed again, and even Memory managed a reluctant smile despite her lingering fear.

For a while, the cruiser continued across the dunes without incident. The wind remained warm, the sunlight bright, and the surrounding sand deceptively calm. Rio eventually closed the holographic projection and returned to watching the terrain. She had begun to relax into the rhythm of the journey, enjoying the scenery while keeping an eye out for signs of the larger predators.

Then Memory noticed something unusual.

At first, she thought it was a dark rock protruding from the sand beside a distant dune. As the cruiser moved closer, however, she realized that the shape was far too regular to be a natural formation.

It was metal.

Memory leaned forward, squinting against the sunlight.

"...Um. Rio?"

Rio turned. "What is it?"

Memory pointed toward the right side of the cruiser. "What's that?"

Rio followed her gaze, and the relaxed expression on her face gradually disappeared.

Scattered across the dunes were fragments of wood and metal, some partially buried beneath the sand. A broken mast protruded from one slope, its tattered sail fluttering weakly in the wind. Farther ahead lay a section of a shattered hull, its wooden planks splintered and scattered across the golden surface. The remains looked as though they had been thrown aside by an enormous force before the desert slowly swallowed them.

The cruiser continued forward.

As they approached, the wreckage became increasingly difficult to ignore. A broken steering wheel lay half-buried near a dune, while pieces of armor were scattered around it, their metal surfaces scratched and dented. Several weapons had been abandoned among the debris, including a spear with a snapped shaft and a sword whose blade had been bent nearly in half.

Then they saw another wreck.

And another.

Beyond those, more broken sand cruisers were scattered across the valley, their hulls torn open and their propulsion units destroyed. Some had been overturned, while others appeared to have been dragged beneath the sand before being abandoned. Long trails of disturbed terrain stretched away from several wrecks, disappearing into the dunes as though whatever had attacked them had returned to the depths from which it came.

The sight was dreadful.

There were far too many wrecks for this to have been an isolated accident.

Memory's smile disappeared completely.

"...What happened here?"

Akari leaned forward, studying the debris. Her eyes moved from the broken vessels to the scattered armor and weapons, searching for anything that might explain the destruction.

"Was there a battle?"

"Maybe," Ryota answered, slowing the cruiser slightly as he approached the edge of the wreckage. "But this looks like more than one fight."

Rio remained silent for a moment, examining the damage. Several hulls had been crushed from multiple directions. Some of the metal plating had been bent inward, while others bore enormous punctures that looked as though something had bitten straight through them. Several vessels appeared to have been struck from beneath, their undersides torn apart before they could escape.

Rio's eyes narrowed.

"These aren't ordinary battle damages."

Memory looked toward her. "...What does that mean?"

Rio pointed toward the largest wreck.

"Look at the hull. Something struck it from below, then tore through the side. The metal is bent outward around the opening."

Akari followed her gesture, studying the jagged edges. "...So whatever attacked it was inside the vessel?"

"Not necessarily. The force came from outside, but the hull was pushed inward before the metal gave way. Something hit the cruiser hard enough to crush the structure."

Ryota looked toward the dunes surrounding them, his hands tightening around the steering controls.

"...Something large."

Rio nodded slowly.

"Very large."

Memory hugged Bubbles closer. The little slime had stopped bouncing and stared at the wreckage with its tiny face tilted upward, as though it could somehow understand that something terrible had happened there.

Memory swallowed.

"...Was it the Sand Sharks?"

Rio's expression became serious.

"Most likely."

She glanced at the broken vessels again, mentally comparing the damage with the behavior she had described earlier.

"Given the damage and the number of wrecks, I'd say a pack of Ganzame attacked several sand cruisers traveling through this area."

Memory's face turned pale.

"...Ganzame?"

Rio nodded. "They're capable of attacking vessels from below. If a cruiser is moving through their territory, they'll strike the hull to destabilize it. Once the vessel loses control, the rest of the pack can attack from different directions."

Akari stared at the debris. "So they deliberately try to overturn the cruisers?"

"Yes. A stable vessel is difficult for them to attack, especially if the passengers are armed. But once the hull tips or the propulsion system breaks, everyone aboard becomes much easier prey."

Memory slowly looked at their own cruiser, then at the sand beneath it, and finally at the distant wreckage.

"...I don't like this place anymore."

Rio noticed the fear creeping into her expression. Memory's hands had tightened around Bubbles, and she was sitting farther away from the railing than before. Akari had become quiet as well, although her gaze remained focused on the wreckage rather than darting nervously between every patch of sand.

Rio couldn't blame either of them. The remains of the abandoned vessels made the dangers of the valley feel much more immediate than a holographic image ever could. Those wrecks were evidence that other adventurers had come here with their own plans, equipment, and confidence—and that something beneath the sand had been powerful enough to destroy them.

She leaned forward slightly.

"Hey."

Memory looked at her.

Rio smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry. You and Akari are both capable enough to handle Ganzame."

Memory blinked.

"...We are?"

"Of course."

Akari turned toward Rio. "How are you so sure?"

Rio answered without hesitation.

"Because both of you fought me."

The girls stared at her.

Rio continued, her expression bright with genuine confidence.

"You already know how strong I am. You managed to coordinate your attacks, force me to adapt, and push me into using skills I hadn't intended to reveal during the training fight. You have different abilities, but they complement each other remarkably well."

She looked toward Akari first.

"Akari, your physical strength and sword techniques are much better than you think. You don't need to rely on Narukami's lightning to be dangerous. Your speed and precision are already enough to threaten experienced opponents."

Akari's expression softened slightly, although her hand instinctively moved toward the white scarf wrapped around her scabbard. Her fingers rested against the cloth for a moment, and a shadow passed over her eyes.

Rio noticed the gesture but didn't comment on it. She understood why Akari had sealed the weapon, and she wasn't going to pressure her into using it.

Instead, she turned toward Memory.

"And Memory, your abilities give you far more options than you realize. You can summon a team of Terracotta warriors, manipulate your body through Maiden of Blue, and use Snowflake to change the battlefield itself. You don't have to overpower every enemy directly. You can create openings, control the enemy's movement, and support Akari while she attacks."

Memory blinked, absorbing the explanation.

"...You really think so?"

"I know so."

Rio's answer was immediate.

"You two are strong. More than strong enough to begin tackling challenges like this, provided you work together and don't underestimate what you're facing."

For several seconds, neither girl spoke.

Akari slowly looked toward Memory, who returned the glance. They had both heard Rio's explanations during their training, but hearing her say it again carried a different weight. Rio wasn't merely telling them that they could survive. She genuinely believed they had the ability to grow stronger, adapt, and face dangers that would have frightened them before.

Memory's grip around Bubbles loosened slightly.

"...Okay."

She took a slow breath and sat a little straighter.

"I'll try to be brave."

Akari smiled at her.

"You don't have to be fearless. Just don't panic so much that you forget what you can do."

Memory immediately looked offended.

"I don't panic that much!"

Akari stared at her.

Memory hesitated.

"...I panic a reasonable amount."

"Of course."

Rio chuckled, pleased to see some of the tension leaving their shoulders. For a moment, the three of them seemed to have found their rhythm again. Ryota guided the cruiser forward at a measured pace, keeping a careful distance from the worst of the wreckage while Rio continued scanning the dunes.

Then—

KRRRRR-THUD!

The entire sand cruiser lurched violently.

The impact threw Memory sideways against the seat. Bubbles bounced out of her lap, hit the floor, and rolled beneath the bench with a startled squeak. Akari grabbed the railing to keep herself from falling, while Ryota fought to maintain his grip on the steering controls.

The hull shuddered again.

THUD!

A deep, metallic groan echoed beneath their feet.

Ryota's eyes widened.

"What the hell was that?!"

Akari immediately looked toward the sides of the vessel.

"Did we hit something?"

"No!" Ryota shouted, wrestling with the controls as the cruiser tilted sharply to the left. "We didn't hit anything! Something hit us!"

Memory scrambled to retrieve Bubbles from beneath the seat.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SOMETHING HIT US?!"

Another impact slammed into the underside of the cruiser.

KRRRRAAANG!

The vessel lurched upward before dropping back onto its sand runners. The propulsion units flickered, and a warning indicator flashed red on the control panel. A thin vibration traveled through the deck, making the railing rattle beneath Akari's hands.

Ryota tightened his grip.

"Rio! The steering's getting unstable!"

Rio was already standing.

Her relaxed expression had vanished, replaced by the cold focus that appeared whenever danger became real. She stepped toward the railing and looked down at the sand rushing past the hull.

The surface around them had begun to ripple.

Several long disturbances moved beneath the cruiser, circling the vessel at frightening speed. One passed along the right side, leaving a deep trough in the sand before disappearing beneath the bow. Another shadow swept across the sand to their left, keeping pace with the vessel before suddenly veering away.

Rio's eyes narrowed.

She recognized the movement: the broad, coordinated sweeps, the speed, and the way the creatures were striking from below rather than attempting to leap directly onto the deck.

There was no longer any doubt.

"Ganzame," she said.

Akari turned toward her. "...They're here?"

Rio nodded.

"They're attacking our cruiser."

As if responding to her words, another enormous shape surged beneath the sand beside the vessel. Its dorsal fin briefly broke the surface, revealing a row of jagged ridges before the creature vanished again. The sand collapsed behind it, leaving a long depression that was quickly swallowed by the shifting dunes.

Memory made a strangled noise.

"THEY'RE ACTUALLY HERE?!"

Rio reached for her weapons.

Her right hand drew the Imperial Saber from her inventory, its polished blade flashing beneath the sunlight. With her left hand, she summoned the newly crafted Silvermoon Musket. The flintlock weapon appeared with a metallic click, its barrel catching the light as she checked the ammunition.

She secured the saber at her side and raised the musket, scanning the dunes for the next disturbance.

"Ryota," she called, her voice calm despite the shaking vessel. "Keep the cruiser stable. Don't let them turn us over."

Ryota gritted his teeth and adjusted the controls.

"I'm trying!"

"Keep trying. If the hull flips, we'll lose our footing and the whole situation becomes much worse."

"That was already my plan!"

Another impact struck the underside of the vessel, making the railing vibrate beneath Rio's hand. She ignored it and focused on the moving shapes in the sand.

One of the Ganzame surfaced several meters from the cruiser.

Its broad, armored head emerged first, followed by a muscular body covered in sand-colored scales. Its jaws opened as it turned toward the vessel, revealing multiple rows of serrated teeth. The creature's dark eyes fixed on the cruiser before it began circling again, searching for another opportunity to strike.

Rio's expression sharpened.

There it was: the first target.

She lowered the musket slightly and studied the Ganzame's movements. The creature wasn't attacking at random. It was watching the cruiser, waiting for the right moment to ram the hull again. If she allowed the pack to continue striking from below, Ryota would eventually lose control of the vessel. Once that happened, Akari and Memory would be forced to fight on an unstable deck while the sharks attacked from every direction.

Rio wasn't going to let that happen.

She glanced toward Ryota.

"Keep the cruiser moving forward. Don't stop unless I tell you to."

Ryota looked over his shoulder. "What are you going to do?"

Rio smiled.

"I'm going to make them focus on me."

Before anyone could object, she climbed onto the railing.

Memory's eyes widened.

"...Rio?"

Akari immediately stood.

"Wait! What are you doing?!"

Rio looked back at them, her silver hair blowing in the desert wind.

"Making sure the cruiser doesn't become their next meal."

Then she jumped.

For one breathless instant, Rio was suspended above the golden dunes, with the sand cruiser moving beneath her and the Ganzame circling nearby. The wind caught her hair and coat as she descended toward the enormous creature's back.

She landed directly on the nearest Ganzame.

THOOM!

The impact made her boots skid across its rough scales, but she immediately lowered her center of gravity and caught hold of one of the rocky ridges running along its back. The creature reacted violently, its body twisting beneath her as it realized that something had climbed onto it.

On the cruiser, Akari and Memory stared in absolute horror.

"...SHE JUMPED ON IT!" Memory screamed.

Akari's mouth hung open.

"WHY WOULD SHE DO THAT?!"

Ryota kept both hands on the controls, forcing the cruiser to remain stable as it rocked from another impact.

"Because she's Rio!"

Memory whipped toward him.

"THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING!"

"It explains more than you think!"

"IT EXPLAINS NOTHING!"

Below Rio, the Ganzame began to thrash. Its enormous body rolled to one side, then snapped in the opposite direction, attempting to throw her into the sand. The sudden movement nearly tore her hands from the ridge, but Rio tightened her grip and drove the tip of her Imperial Saber into a gap between the creature's armored scales.

SHNK!

The blade pierced the thick hide.

The Ganzame roared, its entire body convulsing as it tried to dislodge the intruder. Rio leaned close to its back, bracing one boot against a raised ridge and gripping the saber's hilt with both hands.

"Sorry," she muttered. "But I need you to pay attention to me for a little while."

The shark twisted again.

Rio held on.

Its movements grew more violent as it tried to scrape her against the sand. The creature's dorsal ridge plunged beneath the surface before bursting upward again, showering Rio with golden grains. She kept the blade embedded in its back, using it as an anchor while she waited for the next attack.

It didn't take long.

Two more Ganzame surfaced on either side of the cruiser.

Their massive bodies rose from the dunes with enough force to send waves of sand cascading down their flanks. Both creatures turned toward Rio's position, their jaws opening as they launched themselves into the air.

They were attacking from opposite sides.

And their target was the woman riding the first Ganzame.

Rio's eyes narrowed.

"Good. All three of you, then."

The two sharks converged, their enormous jaws angling toward her from the left and right. Their shadows swept across the sand cruiser, and for a brief moment the sunlight above the deck disappeared beneath their bodies.

Memory grabbed Akari's arm.

"RIO! LOOK OUT!"

Akari took a step toward the railing, but there was nothing she could do from that distance. The two Ganzame were already airborne, their jaws wide enough to swallow a player whole.

Rio released one hand from the saber's hilt.

Then she activated her skill.

[Skill Synchronization Activated]

[Sword Skill: Moonlight Dance]

A system notification flashed across her vision, and the synchronization effect took hold instantly.

Rio twisted her body, using the momentum of the Ganzame beneath her to begin a full rotation. Her Imperial Saber swept outward, and a circular shockwave erupted from the blade as she spun.

BOOOOOOM!

The shockwave struck both airborne Ganzame.

Her saber followed a heartbeat later.

The first blade caught the shark on the side of its head, carving a deep gash through the armored scales. The second strike swept across the other creature's flank, leaving a long, bleeding cut that forced it to recoil in midair.

The shockwave continued outward, catching the back of the Ganzame beneath her as well. The creature roared and jerked violently, its body twisting beneath Rio's feet.

For an instant, all three sharks were thrown off balance.

One crashed into the sand beside the cruiser, sending a tremendous spray of golden grains into the air. The second landed farther away, its body sliding down the side of a dune before disappearing partially beneath the surface.

The Ganzame Rio was riding thrashed beneath her, trying desperately to shake her loose. She drove her saber deeper into the gap between its scales and held on. The impact reverberated through her arms, but she kept her grip firm and her footing low. Once the creature's movements became less predictable, she pulled the saber free and shifted toward the center of its back.

On the cruiser, Memory stared with her mouth open.

"...She just hit three of them at once."

Akari's eyes followed Rio's movements.

"She used the skill to attack the two in the air while keeping the one beneath her off balance."

Memory slowly turned toward her.

"...You understood that?"

"More or less."

Memory looked back at Rio, who was still clinging to the moving shark.

"...I understood that she is completely insane."

Ryota gave a strained laugh from the steering station.

"That part's easier to understand."

The cruiser lurched again.

Ryota's smile vanished as the controls shuddered beneath his hands. The two Ganzame that had attacked Rio were recovering, and the remaining members of the pack were still circling beneath the sand. The creature closest to the cruiser had already begun moving toward the bow.

Its body traveled beneath the surface like a dark shadow.

Then the sand ahead of the vessel erupted.

SHHHHHRRRAAAAAASH!

A massive Ganzame burst from the dunes directly in front of the cruiser.

Its enormous head rose above the bow, and its jaws opened wide enough to swallow the entire front section of the vessel. Sand cascaded from its armored hide as it launched upward, its dark eyes fixed on the cruiser and the passengers standing aboard it.

Ryota's eyes widened.

"FRONT!"

Akari turned.

For a split second, she could only stare at the creature's open mouth. The shark was enormous. Its jaws stretched across the front of the vessel, and its rows of serrated teeth gleamed beneath the sunlight. If it reached the cruiser, the impact would likely tear through the hull before Ryota could turn away.

Memory screamed and hugged Bubbles against her chest.

"IT'S GOING TO EAT THE BOAT!"

Akari's hand moved instinctively toward Narukami Tenrai. Her fingers touched the white scarf wrapped around the scabbard.

For a moment, the memory of the dungeon flashed through her mind: the lightning, the explosion, Memory's injured body, and the fear that had followed afterward. She remembered the terrible moment when her power had overwhelmed everything around her, leaving destruction in its wake. The thought of repeating that mistake made her hesitate.

She couldn't risk it.

But she didn't need to use Narukami's divine power.

She had other skills.

Akari tightened her grip around the sealed katana and stepped forward.

"Get the cruiser out of its path!" she shouted.

Ryota wrenched the controls to one side, but the vessel was already committed to its current trajectory. The Ganzame was too close, and the shark's body blocked the safest route around the dune.

Akari lowered her stance.

The white scarf remained tightly wrapped around Narukami's handle and scabbard, preventing the blade from being drawn. She kept the weapon sealed and focused entirely on the physical technique she had purchased in the village.

No lightning.

No divine energy.

Just a sword skill.

[Sword Skill: Retsugeki]

Akari moved.

Her feet planted firmly against the deck, and she drew the sealed katana across her body in a single, concentrated motion. The skill compressed the force of her swing into a precise physical slash, accelerating the attack toward the approaching Ganzame. The air around her blade seemed to tighten as the force of the movement gathered, concentrating into a narrow line aimed directly at the creature's head.

A thin line of pressure tore through the air.

For a fraction of a second, the attack was almost invisible.

Then it struck.

SHRAAAAAK!

The concentrated slash cut straight through the Ganzame's armored head and continued down through its enormous body. The creature's forward momentum carried it a little farther before its movement abruptly stopped.

A deep line appeared across its body.

Then the two halves separated.

The Ganzame was cut cleanly in half.

Its massive body crashed into the sand on either side of the cruiser, sending a pair of enormous waves of golden grains rolling outward. The creature's jaws snapped shut as it fell, missing the vessel by only a few meters. Its remains slid down the dune and disappeared partially beneath the loose sand.

For a moment, nobody on the cruiser moved.

Ryota stared at the remains.

Memory stared at Akari.

Bubbles stared at the remains.

Akari herself stood near the bow, still holding Narukami Tenrai in its sealed scabbard. The white scarf fluttered gently in the wind, completely undamaged.

She blinked.

"...I hit it."

Memory slowly turned toward her.

"...You cut a giant shark in half."

Akari looked at the spot where the Ganzame had disappeared beneath the sand.

"...I know."

Ryota stared at her in disbelief.

"With the sword still sealed?"

Akari looked down at Narukami, then back at the others.

"...Apparently."

Memory's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.

"AKARI!"

Akari flinched. "WHAT?!"

"YOU JUST CUT A TRUCK-SIZED SAND SHARK IN HALF!"

Akari's expression became awkward.

"...It was a really good angle?"

"THAT IS NOT AN EXPLANATION!"

Ryota let out a disbelieving laugh, although he kept his attention on the controls. The cruiser had avoided the Ganzame's attack, but the vessel was still shaking, and several dark shapes remained beneath the sand around them.

Akari slowly lowered her weapon.

Her hands trembled slightly, not from exhaustion, but from the realization of what she had done. She hadn't drawn Narukami. She hadn't released its lightning. She had used a physical skill, just as she had promised herself she would.

And it had worked.

The thought brought a small, uncertain smile to her face. For the first time since she had sealed her weapon, she felt a little less afraid of what she might be capable of without Narukami's power.

Then a distant roar echoed across the dunes.

Rio's Ganzame thrashed again, and the two wounded sharks began circling back toward the cruiser. The remaining members of the pack had not forgotten their prey, and the disturbed sand around the vessel suggested that more of them were moving into position.

Rio looked toward the cruiser from the back of the shark she was riding. Even from a distance, she had seen Akari's slash cut through the Ganzame that had attacked the bow.

Her eyes widened with genuine surprise.

Then a proud smile appeared.

"Well done, Akari."

The wind carried her voice only faintly across the sand, but the expression on her face said enough.

Akari looked toward her sister.

For the first time since they entered the valley, she felt a little less afraid of what she might be capable of without Narukami's power. Rio's confidence had never been based solely on the strength of her unique skill. She had seen Akari's potential in her movements, her timing, and her willingness to keep fighting even when she was frightened.

Now Akari had seen it for herself.

But the remaining Ganzame were still moving.

The cruiser shuddered as another shadow swept beneath its hull, and the sand around the vessel began to ripple again. Ryota tightened his grip on the steering controls, while Memory pulled Bubbles close and tried to steady her breathing.

Rio shifted her footing on the Ganzame's back and raised her Imperial Saber, preparing for the next attack. The creature beneath her twisted violently, and the wounded sharks began to circle once more, their dark fins cutting through the dunes like blades beneath a golden sea.

The pack had tested the cruiser, and the adventurers had answered.

Now the Ganzame were changing their approach.

Their expedition had only just begun, and the real danger was only beginning to reveal itself.