Chapter 107- (Bonus) Unbearable heat

Chapter 107: 107- (Bonus) Unbearable heat

The heatwave intensified as night approached, pressing down on the ocean like an invisible furnace.

Even as the sun sank toward the horizon, the temperature refused to yield. Steam rose from the waves in ghostly veils, and the air above the water grew so thick and scorching that every breath felt labored.

The ocean shimmered beneath the brutal heat, its surface glowing like molten metal.

Across Aymara’s cruise, the cooling system strained without pause, forcing blessedly cold air through the ship’s corridors. Nathaniel sat beside her in the control room as they both glanced at the rising numbers.

Suddenly, an alarm shrieked through the room. Pulling them away from the hostage situation.

[Warning! Abnormal ocean-level fluctuations detected.]

Aymara straightened, her pulse quickening. "What’s happening?"

[The ongoing heatwave has caused a slight decrease in ocean levels. Unusual underwater movements have also been detected across multiple regions.]

Nathaniel frowned at the display, his eyes narrowing. "The water level is dropping, but the temperature is rising. That combination could expose shallow reefs and underwater terrain that are normally submerged."

"Will that affect our ship?"

"Not immediately, if the decrease remains small. But the more concerning part is those movements," he pointed at water surfaces stirring uncontrollably across the ocean.

As if answering him, another warning flashed across the screen.

[Warning! Mutated biological lifeforms are displaying extreme aggression.]

Aymara’s expression hardened, but a flicker of unease passed through her eyes.

"Show me the underwater surveillance."

The screen changed, revealing several camera feeds beneath the ship. At first, the water appeared murky and still, its darkness disturbed only by drifting silt. Then a vast shadow streaked across one of the screens.

A fish with rows of jagged teeth slammed into a smaller creature, ripping it apart in a violent burst of blood before swallowing the remains. Nearby, mutated crabs tore at one another with snapping claws, fighting savagely over scraps. Farther away, a long, eel-like beast writhed through the black water, striking at anything that crossed its path.

They weren’t hunting for food alone. They were attacking everything they encountered.

Nathaniel’s face tightened. "The heat is affecting them. Their bodies may be reacting to the sudden environmental change, and the reduced water levels could be forcing some creatures out of their usual habitats."

"Wonderful," Aymara muttered. "As if giant sea monsters weren’t enough already."

She ordered the system to increase underwater surveillance and keep the ship’s defensive weapons on standby.

[Orders acknowledged. Underwater threat monitoring intensified.]

Aymara folded her arms, staring at the screens as shadows twisted through the depths. "Anything that approaches this ship without permission is going to regret it."

Nathaniel glanced at her. "You say that like confidence alone will stop them."

Her eyes snapped toward him. "And you say that like panic will help survive this monstrous new world."

"I’m not panicking. I’m telling you we don’t know what we’re facing."

"No, you’re telling me I don’t know what I’m doing," she argued back, their attention leaving the monitor.

"I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to." Her voice tightened, each word edged with old resentment. "Every time something goes wrong, you look at me as if you’re waiting for me to make the mistake that proves you were right to doubt me."

Nathaniel’s expression faltered. "That’s not fair," his voice flattened. He has never doubted her in the slightest and his eyes have only ever held admiration for her.

"Neither is having to pretend I’m not afraid so everyone else can keep believing this ship is safe."

"I have never asked you to be strong. Not in the past, not now and I’ll never dream of that," he claimed. "You can be whatever that you want and whether or not the ship is safe, dear... I am not going anywhere.

Aymara paused and pulled back get aggressive emotions. She didn’t know where the outburst came from or why she went out on Nathaniel like that. Perhaps it was the heat outside that was getting to her but she was relieved to see, he didn’t shout at her but rather gave a response that comforted her.

"You really a gem. Aren’t you?"

"I am," Nathaniel shamelessly praised himself. "I recommend holding me close so no one can take me away."

---

Across the ocean, survivors were struggling to endure the unbearable heat. People crowded into the shaded interiors of cargo ships, ferries, and fishing vessels, desperately searching for relief.

Some ships had no functioning air-conditioning, while others had run out of fuel to power their generators.

Water became even more precious, food spoiled faster in the scorching temperatures, and the heat made physical labor exhausting.

Survivors who ventured onto exposed decks risked dehydration, while those who stayed below struggled in cramped, airless compartments where sweat soaked their clothes and every breath felt stale but the heat wasn’t their only problem.

As ocean levels fell slightly in some areas, mutated creatures became increasingly active.

Beasts that had once lurked in deep water surged toward the surface, attacking boats and anything else that moved. Some struck vessels from beneath, tearing through hulls with powerful jaws. Others swarmed fishing nets, capsizing small boats as desperate survivors tried to retrieve their catches.

Distress signals spread across emergency channels. "Mayday! Mayday! Something is attacking our vessel!"

"Keep the children inside! Don’t go near the water!"

"Our engine is damaged! We need assistance!"

One transmission ended with a terrible crash, followed by screaming and static.

Another reported that an entire fishing group had disappeared after a school of mutated creatures surrounded their boats.

Farther away, survivors watched in horror as a massive shadow moved beneath a cargo ship before ramming its hull. The vessel tilted violently, throwing people against the walls as water began pouring into the lower compartments.

Some tried to escape in lifeboats, others never made it to the deck. The ocean, already dangerous enough, had become a hunting ground.

On ships without adequate defenses, people could do little more than pray that the creatures would pass them by. Those who had weapons fired blindly into the water, often wasting precious ammunition without knowing whether they had injured their targets.

Meanwhile, the heat continued. Beneath the darkening sky, countless survivors faced the same terrifying realization: the apocalypse was changing again, and every new disaster seemed worse than the last.

Back aboard Aymara’s cruise, Nathaniel watched another red warning appear on the surveillance display. He exhaled slowly.

"We need to assume this won’t end tonight."

Aymara reached over and squeezed his hand. "Then... Let’s stay up," she said but had no intention of letting Nathaniel stay up late, he was sick after all.

She looked toward the endless ocean beyond the windows, her expression calm but determined. This time, Nathaniel stood beside her, not as a silent observer or a voice of doubt, but as an equal partner in the decisions ahead.

Let the temperature rise. Let the sea monsters go mad. Let the entire world descend into chaos. Her ship had food, water, power, and weapons. Its defenses were strong, and its supplies could sustain them for a long time.

Most importantly, Nathaniel was beside her and it was not because either of them was certain they could survive, but because neither intended to face the uncertainty alone.

Aymara wasn’t going to lose the life she was building; not to the heatwave, not to the monsters, and certainly not to anyone who thought her ship was something they can eye at will.

Outside, something enormous moved beneath the surface and the ocean was far from finished with them.