Chapter 380: Kennel (1)

Chapter 380: Kennel (1)

Vikir, a low-ranking guard with no name or affiliation.

No one knew the identity or intentions of this hound that melted into the darkness of Nouvelle Vague.

'Did I give the picaresque mask to Camus for no reason? Maybe I should have kept it a little longer.'

Vikir thought as he moved forward, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

It's easier to be a little smaller to avoid the prying eyes of the guards.

Vikir briefly wondered if turning into a puppy would make it easier to hide.

... But Vikir soon had to change his mind.

There wasn't a single dog or cat in the Nouvelle Vague.

If he were to change into a dog, he would be very noticeable.

The guards occasionally had pets, but they were usually crayfish, crabs, and octopuses, and occasionally there were seals, fish, and water buffalo.

'If you're going to have pets, you're going to need an aquarium.'

This is the deep ocean, after all.

Vikir dropped to the floor, realizing that all the people around him were gone.

5th floor. Vikir's primary destination for his escape.

In front of him was a vast sea.

The vast plaza had large circular pools in each section, with narrow, steep passageways between them.

An aquarium, or fish farm.

This was the only aquarium in Nouvelle Vague.

"Let's see what they're keeping."

Vikir pulled up a bundle of ropes stacked in the corner of the aquarium.

Then, he threaded the pickled sea bass onto a hook as big as the anchor of a decent ship attached to the end and threw it into the pool.

pungdeong-

The bait sank into the salt water of the pool.

Then, there was a reaction.

Swoosh.

It was visible above the surface. A long, gigantic shadow approaching the bait.

...snap!

The rope pulled taut.

Vikir clenched his hands together and yanked on the rope.

chwaaaaaag-

A huge peak of water rose above the surface, and what was beneath the water was soon impaled on the hook.

It was a giant eel.

"...Hmm. So this is a Gulper eel."

The appearance of the 'Gulper eel' was indeed bizarre.

Its head and belly were enormous, with a skinny, tiny tail.

Meanwhile, its mouth, which takes up more than 90% of its head, is as large and wide as the main entrance to a great temple.

Despite its grotesque appearance, it was surprisingly not a monster from the Demon World, but an endemic species that originally lived in the deep sea.

It is also known by nicknames such as One-bite eel, Gulping eel, Elevator eel, etc.

[geu-ooooo!]

This giant deep-sea creature was immediately irritated when it was dragged to the surface.

When the huge mouth opens wide, one can see gums protruding from the teeth, each one shaped like a fish hook.

Behind each tooth was a row of razor-sharp barbs, as if to say, once bitten, never let go.

...Of course.

"It's a spoiled eel."

It posed no threat to Vikir.

Bam!

...Poof!

Vikir kicked the eel out of the water.

Splash!

The flubber mucus ripped away, and the eel slipped into the darkness of the deep.

The eel's stomach was empty.

Since then, Vikir has reeled in several more eels, using rope, hooks, and a pile of perch in the corner as bait.

Three small ones, just big enough for him, and two bigger than the last one.

Vikir did the same to them, tying a halter to their tongues and fins, and shoved them out the window.

The flubber window, once torn, healed quickly, so he didn't have to worry about the seawater continuing to rush in.

Then, as Vikir was pushing the sixth eel out of the water, Decarabia asked.

[Human, why do you keep throwing these eels into the sea? I'm not even going to ride it.].

"To distract them. It would take a lot of manpower to chase them all down, and it would take a long time."

[Aha. That's a good idea.]

"It's always a good idea to have a distraction when you can afford one. Especially if you're going to break out."

[So now we're on our seventh eel, huh? But why did we only catch six eels, don't we have to catch one more?]

Decarabia questioned Vikir, who threw all the eels out the window.

Vikir's answer was short.

"I'm not going out."

[...what?]

Decarabia asked in disbelief.

[No, if you're not going to, why did you untie the eel in the first place?]

"I told you, distraction."

Vikir smiled thinly.

"Riding the eel is a little later. The jailbreak is not yet finalized."

If we go out now, we'll be caught, no matter how many eels we untie. The currents are too slow.

Also, since there was no drinking water or food stored up, it was impossible to go on a voyage without knowing how long it would take.

There was also the risk that the eels would be eaten by larger deep-sea creatures along the way, or that they would run aground on reefs or rough currents.

So Vikir wanted to go into the escape prepared.

This is because it is right to exclude uncertain factors as much as possible.

... Just then.

"What is it, an escaped prisoner?"

An unfamiliar voice came from behind.

"...!"

Vikir instinctively sensed danger and wiped the burn marks from his face, returning to his bare skin.

Slowly turning around, Vikir hears footsteps approaching.

"I thought you were a guard because of your uniform, but I guess not."

The voice turns to face Vikir, an admiring note of interest in its voice.

"Hmph- this is what you look like, the face of the man who broke my handcuffs."

The being was admiring Vikir's face, not Garm's.

A young girl with green hair, lazy eyes, and a pale face that still looks to be in her early teens.

But the layers of restraints on her wrists and ankles were unmistakably familiar.

Despite wearing the uniform of a guard, the mysterious girl in the restraints wore a shiny rank on her chest patch.

<★>

One Star. The mark of a brigadier general, the rank above a colonel.

Vikir's eyes narrowed as he recognized her identity.

"...I see. You made that."

One of Vikir's oldest questions was finally answered.