Once, the sea was considered a place of mystery—a cradle of life, and at the same time, a source of terror. That fear was partly born from the fact that human knowledge could never fully grasp its depths.
Until the world became "like this," there were those foolish enough to believe that science could explain everything.
But science is no longer a testament to humanity’s wisdom, and the sea has returned to being a realm of the unknown.
Now, the sea is a domain where monsters roam freely, and the power of science has been utterly defeated by aquatic monsters. The most advanced torpedoes can’t even pierce like a needle, and naval mines aren’t even as bothersome as firecrackers. A harpoon in the hands of an Awakener is far more effective than any of that.
Because of creatures like that dwelling in the ocean, boarding a ship and venturing out to sea has become quite literally a gamble with one’s life.
It’s not storms, tsunamis, or whirlpools—but the direct threat of monsters—that compels every ship to carry Awakeners onboard.
That said, it’s not like monsters appear every time. In fact, the odds are low enough that Awakeners assigned to escort ships are often called "good luck charms," and it’s considered an easy, laid-back job. Every now and then, a captain decides to forgo hiring an Awakener entirely, grumbling about how "we don’t need some lucky charm," only for the ship to later turn up wrecked—or in pieces. That too, has become a part of daily life.
“Yaaawn… So sleepy. It’s dead quiet today too.”
That’s why “escort duty on sea vessels” is a pretty lucrative gig for Awakeners. Ships transporting expensive goods or large passenger ferries typically hire capable clans, but mid-sized boats can be handled even by underachieving Awakeners.
After all, they are Awakeners. Even one is more reliable than a group of regular people. That’s why such jobs are popular among those who just want to earn money safely—and this man was one of them.
Of course, if monsters did show up, he’d have to fight. But against small-fry aquatic monsters, even he could probably manage.
Which is why this man was also a truly lazy Awakener. He was a close-range damage dealer who carried a spear due to the threat of aquatic enemies—but it was obvious from a glance that he hadn’t been maintaining it properly.
On top of that, even though they were on a fishing vessel that had set out in the middle of the night, his groggy, sleep-deprived manner was starting to become an issue.
"Tch, damn 'lucky charms'..."
"Don’t say that. With our budget, this is the best we can afford."
Even the crew of the fishing boat were muttering complaints, so perhaps both sides were at fault. All that mattered to the crew was getting through this fishing trip safely. That’s why they ignored the disinterested Awakener and continued working... until a loud splash interrupted them.
“Ugh!” someone muffled.
Had the Awakener sleepwalked and fallen into the sea? That was the first thought that flashed through their minds.
“Please, no…! Check the area, now!”
When they turned toward where the Awakener had been just moments ago—they saw a figure. But it wasn’t the Awakener. It had a humanoid silhouette, but anyone with sea experience would immediately recognize it.
A monster taught on the very first day of sea safety training—a fish-man-type monster known as Merman.
Gripping a trident, the Merman fixed its hideous grin—a wet, slurping, twisted expression—upon the crew and lunged.
“UWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!?”
“H-HELP—HII!?”
Hands. Hands. Hands gripping the ship's edge. Then came the faces—countless Mermen.
One crewmate was yanked down by a Merman and impaled with a spear. Screams, terror, and despair. In the face of such horror, there was no room left for hope.
The emergency radio sent out a distress call from within the ship, but it wouldn’t make a difference. The crew would be wiped out long before help could arrive.
“Hihihihihihi!”
“Gyahahaha!”
Eerie, gleeful, cursed laughter rang out. In less than five minutes, not a single soul remained aboard the fishing vessel…
By the time a ship carrying veteran Awakeners dispatched on emergency response finally arrived, all that was left was the aftermath of a massacre.
“Damn it! Again…!”
“Massacred… It’s been like this every time lately.”
“Damn those Mermen…!”
The members of Clan Tachiuo cursed aloud. Mermen were considered the most intelligent of aquatic monsters—and the most dangerous.
They could form tactics, wield weapons with dexterity, and even assign roles within their ranks like Awakeners. Dubbed “swimming goblins,” Mermen had always been varied and dangerous—but lately, they’d grown even more vicious.
They achieve their objective, then retreat immediately. That’s the pattern. Or so it seems… But in truth, no one knows what they're thinking. All the response teams can ever do is react too late.
“Leader. Don’t you think this might be a sign of something bigger?”
“A sign? Sea monster disasters have been going on nonstop. What more could happen?”
“I don’t know. But doesn’t it feel like something is coming?”
Normally, the man called Leader would have shut that down with a sharp "Don’t talk nonsense." But just this once—he couldn’t bring himself to deny it.
Whether that vague sense of dread would turn into reality… no one could say.