The female doctor pointed toward distant Mount Mihara. "We came to record the volcano's readings..."
She went on to explain many technical parameters that Bella didn't understand. The two didn't continue their conversation—the wind and rain were simply too intense.
The fierce typhoon swept across the Pacific off Japan, carrying massive amounts of water. It was as if the sky had burst open, with countless gallons of rain pouring down in a torrential deluge.
The ferry in the storm was like a leaf, rising and falling with the waves.
When facing the typhoon, Bella wasn't as composed as Sadako. The former ghost lady now clung to a metal handrail as thick as an arm, letting the violent wind and rain batter the ferry without any trace of panic.
Just a typhoon—she'd long grown accustomed to it.
On the pitching ferry that felt like a roller coaster, Bella could still maintain her balance. But looking around, she found that several people including Sadako and the female doctor were all very calm. Strictly speaking, she was actually the most flustered one.
Why are you all so calm? Can't you give me a chance to show off? She shook her head, sat down in the cabin, and—mimicking Sadako—hugged the metal handrail nearby, listening to the crisp "tap-tap-tap" of the torrential rain striking the deck.
Ten minutes later, everyone became less calm.
Visibility in the wind and rain dropped to near zero. The surroundings grew darker and darker. The ferry spun in circles on the sea surface. The captain let go of the wheel in frustration—he couldn't steer at all right now.
Izu Oshima was located about 65 nautical miles (roughly 75 miles) south of central Tokyo. Normally, they'd just need to head north, and they'd reach Tokyo in half a day. But now the ferry wandered aimlessly on the sea like a headless chicken. No one could tell east from west, north from south. All they knew was that several currents beneath the ship seemed to be pushing them toward an unknown sea area.
"Don't worry, we'll be back in Tokyo soon." Among the passengers, besides the female doctor's group of three, there was a middle-aged couple. The husband was now consoling his wife.
Bella frowned. Though she was a self-appointed captain, having piloted the Flying Dutchman a few times, she understood some nautical knowledge. Looking at the direction now, it didn't seem like they were heading north. As for what direction exactly—she couldn't say.
Human strength was far too insignificant before nature. The ferry had now lost mobility and could only drift with the currents.
They traveled through the storm for an unknown length of time.
Darkness surrounded them. The captain had shut off the ship's lighting. Bella looked for ages but couldn't make out the hands on her watch.
Just as she was about to say something...
"BOOM!" A tremendous crash sent all the passengers toppling to the port side. The captain and the other two sailors' faces turned ashen. They knew this kind of impact only happened in one situation—when the ship's bottom struck a reef!
Near Bella, the female doctor was thrown out of the cabin. Under the massive force of the impact, she tumbled toward the outer edge of the deck.
"Grab my hand!" In a flash, Bella lunged forward and seized the female doctor's hand, forcibly pulling her back.
The thin female doctor was soaked through. She whispered quietly, "It's all my fault, it's all my fault..."
Passengers and crew all around were screaming. Bella didn't catch what she said. She was about to ask again when a large dark shadow suddenly shot up from the outer edge of the deck.
By the light of a lightning flash, she barely made out the shadow's features.
A fish-like head, body covered in dark green scales, with palm-sized fins at the elbows and neck.
Bella was shocked. This thing looked identical to what she'd captured off the coast of Baja California. A fish-person?! How did it get here? Coming for revenge?
Seeing the fish-person's sharp claws reaching for the female doctor's throat, she yanked her arm, flinging the doctor behind her. No time to hide her strength now.
Left foot forward, right foot back, she punched the fish-person's left cheek.
The deck beneath her feet pitched violently. Large amounts of rainwater had accumulated on the deck—unstable and slippery. She couldn't even unleash thirty percent of her usual ten-percent strength. Still, this punch rivaled those of boxing champions.
The fish-person was sent flying. Bella felt her fist strike its jaw, knocking out two sharp teeth.
Weak! With that one punch, she understood. This thing just looked scary—its actual strength was mediocre. Other than swimming fast, she saw no special abilities.
New grudges and old scores—she figured this thing had come looking for her.
The next moment, two fish-people each leaped onto the bow and stern. Bella kicked up, punting the nearest one back into the sea, then attacked another fish-person fiercely. She wanted to eliminate this enemy, then deal with the two at the stern.
But she hadn't expected that while this fish-person had a similar build to the others, its combat skills weren't weak. It dodged and weaved—three defensive moves, two offensive strikes. Most importantly, this one wielded a pitch-black, scythe-like single-handed weapon.
Bella's Fushigiri and backpack were in the cabin. Now empty-handed, while also dealing with the pitching deck, she fought to a stalemate for the moment.
After seven or eight exchanges, she finally caught a flaw. She grabbed the hand holding the weapon and bent it forcefully outward.
This rather powerful fish-person apparently knew some joint techniques too. It jumped to the side with the motion, planting one foot on Bella's arm while its free hand clawed at her eyes.
"Get lost!" Bella released her grip and quickly stepped back, spinning half a circle. Then she twisted her waist and swung her leg in a textbook side kick, striking squarely at what seemed to be the fish-person's heart.
Not done yet—she grabbed a nearby iron hook used for hanging ropes and hurled it, hooking the fish-person's neck. Then she yanked her arm back. While it was in midair unable to exert force, she kicked again.
This kick struck the side of the fish-person's head. "CRACK!" Its skull made a crisp sound. Pale white vertebrae burst through the back of its neck, dripping with dark green blood. The fish-person's head lolled to one side. It staggered two steps after landing, then fell into the sea with a "splash."
Bella rushed back to reinforce as fast as possible, but casualties had already occurred at the stern.
The middle-aged couple lay in pools of blood. One sailor had an arm severed and was now unconscious. The captain and another sailor had locked themselves in the control room. The female doctor's two students were nowhere to be seen.
The female doctor now stood like a mother hen protecting Sadako, facing off against two fish-people.
Wa la la la ka ka la...
Xi ka ka wu wa la ko wu la wa la wa...
The female doctor and the opposing fish-people conversed in a strange language.
Bella: "...??"
She was utterly baffled.
She didn't understand a word of what either side was saying. It seemed the female doctor was putting on a brave front, trying to use words to force the other party to retreat.
What's going on? Bella spoke ten foreign languages fluently. Counting those she could speak but wasn't proficient in, she knew at least fifteen languages. Yet this was the first time she'd heard a human speak this kind of language.
Had humans already deciphered the fish-people's language? Or was it only the female doctor who could speak it?
Something was off. Though she'd moved to the female doctor's side, she still carefully maintained about three feet of distance while signaling Sadako to come closer.
"I'm human. I always have been. Please believe me," the female doctor said in a voice only Bella could hear.
Did I say you weren't human? Why say that? Bella was thoroughly confused.
Still, her arrival put the two fish-people at a disadvantage. Without a word, they turned and leaped into the sea.
Bella hesitated, so she didn't pursue. The wind and waves outside were too fierce. She worried this might be some kind of luring tactic. Plus, there was this somewhat mysterious female doctor beside her...
She had doubts and didn't hide them.
Her probing gaze fixed on the female doctor, hoping for an explanation.