The shadows emerged from the currents as if the sea itself were spitting out something that should never have existed there. They moved at an abnormal speed, cutting through the water along precise, almost military trajectories. They were not disorganized creatures; there was no chaos in their movements. Every movement seemed calculated, as if they were obeying an invisible formation within the water.
The princess immediately took a step back.
"It's them."
Her voice came out low, but filled with tension.
Scarlet was already at the front at the same instant, drawing her weapon and adjusting her stance even underwater. Liriel began gathering mana around her body, creating small luminous distortions in the underwater environment. Lyannis analyzed the enemies' advance routes in absolute silence, as if she were already predicting their next movements. Rai'kanna observed everything with a colder gaze, evaluating the attack pattern. Eara stayed close to the group, clearly trying not to get lost under the pressure of the moment. Liriel's assistant remained farther back, but her body was slightly tense.
I took a step forward.
"Defensive formation. Don't let them break the group."
The girls reacted immediately.
And then the battle began.
The first creatures advanced like living spears. Their bodies were dark, covered by a layer of demonic energy that distorted the water around them. They did not seem to have a fixed form, but assumed humanoid silhouettes for a few moments before deforming again. With every movement, they left trails of darkness in the ocean.
Scarlet was the first to intercept them.
A swift strike cut through the water with enough force to create a small pressure wave. The creature was deflected, but not destroyed. It retreated while spinning on its own axis, as if it had absorbed part of the impact.
"They're far too resilient!"
Rai'kanna advanced immediately afterward, releasing magical energy condensed into shards of light. The projectiles crossed the battlefield and struck two of the shadows, forcing them to retreat for a few seconds.
Lyannis shouted.
"They're testing our formation!"
And she was right.
The creatures were not attacking in a disorganized mass. They were analyzing. Quick movements, short attacks, immediate retreats. A combat reconnaissance pattern.
The princess watched everything with wide eyes.
"They never fought like this before…"
Liriel then raised her hand.
"I'll stabilize the area."
A wave of energy spread around her, creating a slight luminous barrier that altered the flow of the water. The currents around them slowed, reducing the enemies' mobility advantage.
The shadows hesitated for an instant.
And that was enough.
"Now!"
I advanced.
The sword manifested with an intense glow even underwater. The initial impact against the first creature generated an explosion of bubbles and pressure, violently forcing it backward. The second strike followed immediately, precise, piercing the core of energy sustaining its form.
It disintegrated into dark particles.
But that did not stop the advance.
More creatures emerged from the currents.
This time in greater numbers.
The battle stopped being a test and became a real confrontation.
Scarlet fought with precision, taking advantage of every minimal opening. Rai'kanna alternated between attacks and support, creating small explosions of light that interrupted enemy formations. Lyannis guided the group with short commands, constantly reorganizing positions. Liriel maintained the barrier while adjusting the flow of mana to the environment. Eara helped with small magical interventions, creating distractions with compressed water. Liriel's assistant finally began to act, casting support spells that stabilized the pressure around them.
The princess, even without directly participating in the battle, watched everything with an increasingly shocked expression.
"They're far too coordinated…"
I noticed the same thing.
It wasn't just an invasion.
It was an army.
And that completely changed the level of the threat.
The creatures began reorganizing themselves across the battlefield. They no longer attacked individually. Now they formed groups. Small groups that surrounded specific points of our formation. They were trying to break the center.
"They want to divide us," Lyannis said quickly.
"They won't succeed," Scarlet replied, spinning her body and striking two creatures at the same time.
But the ocean began to vibrate.
A different pressure emerged in the depths of the battlefield.
Something larger was approaching.
The shadows retreated slightly, making room.
And then he appeared.
A larger creature, with a more defined structure, emerged from the depths of the currents. Its body was covered in pulsating demonic markings, and its presence made the water around it seem heavier. Unlike the others, it did not move unstably. Every step was firm, like a commander evaluating the battlefield.
The princess involuntarily took a step back.
"This one wasn't in the reports…"
Rai'kanna narrowed her eyes.
"Then they evolved quickly."
The creature slowly raised its arm.
And all the others stopped.
Silence.
Even underwater, it was strange.
It was absolute control.
I gripped the sword more firmly.
"That's the commander."
Scarlet positioned herself beside me.
"Then we take him down first."
Lyannis analyzed him for a second.
"If he falls, the formation will collapse."
Liriel adjusted the energy around her.
"But he's sustaining part of the environmental pressure."
The creature then advanced.
The impact was immediate.
A pressure wave was released with its first movement, forcing the group to quickly reposition themselves. The water around us became unstable, making movement more difficult.
"He's manipulating the ocean," the princess said in shock.
I advanced again.
This time, it wasn't just brute strength.
We needed to break the command structure.
The sword shone with greater intensity, cutting through the pressure and opening a path. The commander reacted quickly, blocking with his own arm wrapped in dark energy. The impact generated an explosion of currents around us.
Scarlet appeared from the side, attacking in sync with me.
Rai'kanna launched energy directly at him, forcing the enemy to defend against multiple directions.
Lyannis shouted the opening.
"Now!"
I concentrated everything into the next strike.
And at that moment, the entire battlefield seemed to hold its breath.
The first true commander of the demons in the ocean stood before us.