As the team ascended to the fifth floor, the air grew dense, carrying the salty tang of the sea. The chamber stretched wide before them, a massive pool of water dominating the floor. It wasn't just a pond—it resembled an inland ocean, its surface eerily still and glinting with an unnatural shimmer.
"Is this some kind of trap?" Haruki muttered, kneeling at the water's edge. The reflection of the cavern ceiling wavered in the pool like a distorted mirror.
Before anyone could respond, Aiko and Dante stepped forward, activating their Water Walk skills. A faint ripple of energy coated their soles, and they effortlessly strode onto the surface of the water.
Haruki followed, but the moment his foot touched the pool, he plunged knee-deep. "What the—?!" he exclaimed, stumbling backward.
"You don't have Water Walk, do you?" Aiko asked, glancing back at him.
"I've got something better," Haruki grumbled, drawing his blade. "I'll figure it out."
Before he could finish, the calm surface of the water erupted with violent force. A shark the size of an orca burst out, its jagged fins slicing through the air. Water cascaded down its gleaming, scaled body, and its eyes burned with feral hunger.
"Haruki, move!" Dante shouted.
The shark lunged, its cavernous mouth snapping toward Haruki. He barely managed to dodge, tumbling into the water as the creature's massive tail swiped at him. The force sent shockwaves through the pool.
Submerged, Haruki struggled to orient himself. The beast struck like a missile, grabbing his leg in its powerful jaws and dragging him downward. Pain shot up his body as he felt the pressure of its teeth. His dagger flashed in the murky water as he drove it into the shark's eye, twisting until it released him in a violent spasm.
Haruki swam upward, gasping for air as he broke the surface. "It's not alone!" Aiko shouted, her voice echoing in the cavern.
The water churned as more sharks, identical to the first, erupted from below. They moved with predatory precision, their sleek bodies cutting through the water like blades.
Aiko's hands moved in a blur as she conjured a flurry of ice shards. "Freeze!" she yelled, launching the spikes toward the nearest shark. They struck true, impaling the creature and halting its advance. She followed up with water magic, forming spiraling jets that pierced through another.
But Haruki wasn't faring as well. Without balance or footing, he couldn't land a clean strike. Every time he tried to attack, a shark would slam into him from the side, throwing him off. One of the beasts seized his leg again, dragging him down as another rammed into his stomach, knocking the air from his lungs.
"Haruki!" Dante yelled, diving toward him. But the deeper Haruki was pulled, the harder it became for anyone to reach him.
Haruki's vision blurred as he struggled against the suffocating water. The shark's grip tightened, and blood from his wounds mingled with the swirling currents. His chest burned as his lungs screamed for air.
I'm not dying here! Haruki thought, gripping his dagger. He drove it into the shark's skull repeatedly, each strike more desperate than the last. Finally, the blade punctured deep, and the beast spasmed, releasing him.
Haruki clawed his way to the surface, gasping for air. Aiko wasted no time, her voice echoing with resolve. "I'm ending this!" She slammed her palms together, and the entire pool froze in an instant. The sharks thrashed against the ice, their movements slowed as they struggled to break free.
For a moment, silence fell over the cavern. Then, with a deafening crack, the ice shattered.
From the depths emerged a colossal shark, far larger than the others. Its fins were jagged like blades, and its rows of teeth gleamed like shards of glass. It moved with terrifying speed, launching itself toward the group.
Haruki leapt forward to intercept, his blade aimed for its head. The creature's barrier activated, deflecting his strike and sending him tumbling back into the water. The shark roared, its voice shaking the cavern as it swiped at him with its massive tail.
"Haruki, activate Water Walk!" Dante shouted, charging the creature from the side. He drove his blade into its flank, but the shark retaliated, throwing him into the air and slamming him into the cavern wall.
Haruki coughed, struggling to stand. His body felt heavy, his wounds searing with pain. "I'm trying!" he growled.
Aiko unleashed a massive lightning spell, aiming for the shark's exposed underbelly. The electricity crackled through the air, but the creature's barrier absorbed the brunt of the attack.
Haruki gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet. He closed his eyes, focusing on the energy coursing through him. Then, with a shout, he activated Water Walk.
Energy surged beneath his feet as he sprang into the air, landing on the water's surface with newfound precision. "Let's finish this!" he yelled.
Haruki dashed across the surface, his blade glowing with power. The shark lunged, its jaws snapping, but Haruki dodged with agility, leaping onto its back. He drove his blade into its skull, the force of the strike shattering its barrier. Blood erupted from the wound as Haruki struck again and again, each blow more ferocious than the last.
The creature let out a final, ear-piercing shriek before collapsing into the water.
Haruki staggered back, panting as the others regrouped.
"That was… brutal," Dante muttered, wiping blood from his forehead.
"It wasn't as strong as the others," Aiko said, clutching her side. "But without Water Walk, we wouldn't have stood a chance."
Haruki sheathed his blade, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. "One more floor," he said grimly. "Let's finish this."
The team exchanged nods before turning toward the sixth and final floor.
The chapter ends