Chapter 58
Now, even though they had joined the fight, the large eel was far too massive an opponent for Kait and the Queen Bee.
Basically, it was like trying to fight a planet, so doing things the normal way wouldn't get them anywhere.
That being the case, their tactical options were limited. One was to focus entirely on supporting Tuna, but right now, Tuna didn't have a single advantage over the large eel. At best, they were equal in density. That wouldn't be enough to win.
"If it were just about size, I could've had it enter my body and thrash around inside, but..."
—Wouldn't that plan have a rather high chance of killing me?
"Well, with this kind of power gap, it's not feasible. If wrapping around it and squeezing doesn't work, then thrashing inside isn't realistic either."
In the end, Kait would have to be the one to take down the large eel. She should've asked the space jellyfish how it managed to defeat it.
Kait's psychic power wasn't completely invincible either. She could realize anything she could imagine, but if it was too far-fetched, the power wouldn't converge properly.
Crushing the large eel's weak point with psychic power would be the simplest solution. However, Kait couldn't quite imagine grabbing or squeezing objects using only psychic power. If she imagined the shape of a hand using the worker bees, she could manage it, so it must be a matter of imagination.
In short, she wasn't good at manipulating shapeless forces directly.
Skillfully crushing a weak point embedded inside a body—that was far beyond her.
"Well, either way, there's only one plan."
—And that plan is?
"Somehow expose the weak point and land a decisive blow. Trading blows with a creature the size of a planet will only exhaust us first."
—I see!
Aware that her tone with Tuna had become more casual, Kait conveyed the plan in a light manner. Tuna didn't seem to mind, so she decided to keep it that way. After all, Tuna had just made a mistake that nearly cost a life—he didn't get to complain if she treated him a little roughly.
Unlike Tuna, who seemed convinced, Emotion appeared to have a question. A voice came from below.
'Captain. I support the plan to aim for the weak point. But do you know where that large creature's weak point is?'
"Well, the color and size are different, but if it's the same species as Mr. Tuna, then I figure the weak point's the same too."
'I see.'
It couldn't be helped that Emotion hadn't realized it. After all, up to this point, Tuna and Emotion hadn't been able to communicate. However, the topic of Tuna's eyeball being his weak point had come up in conversation with the space jellyfish, so once the dots connected, understanding would come quickly.
The plan was set. Now, they just needed to create a situation where the large eel exposed its eyeball.
"Now then, Mr. Tuna."
—Yes?
"How does your species usually identify things without using your eyes... could you tell me?"
Kait grinned slightly.
***
—Kait, Kait! Help! I can't get away!
Some time had passed.
Tuna and the large eel were in the middle of a fierce chase.
Kait had ordered Tuna to just run and keep running, and was now observing the situation to make sure Tuna didn't get bitten—or to rescue him immediately if he did.
So far, Tuna had been bitten by the large eel three times, but each time Kait had managed to save him.
Apparently, the pecking order between them had already been established, as Tuna no longer showed hostility toward the large eel. On the other hand, the large eel was trying to devour Tuna like it was only natural, and Kait could see its focus gradually narrowing in on him.
—I'm gonna get eaten! I'm really gonna get eaten!
Kait thought he should focus, but didn't act. She was currently hiding. She held her breath and waited for the right moment, lying in ambush at close range between the two space eels. If she made a mistake, the whole ship could be blown away in one hit. It was terrifying.
She had instructed the Queen Bee to flee at full speed if it took any damage, since failure meant the Queen Bee would be destroyed.
"...Alright."
She could now feel that the large eel's attention had completely shifted away from her. Just a little longer.
Gapa—the large eel's mouth opened. Tuna tried to flee, but he was too late. The accelerating eel bit down on Tuna's tail.
—Owwww!
Tuna flailed, but the jaws clamped onto his tail showed no sign of letting go. Kait could hear his desperate cries in her mind, but she ignored them for now.
The large eel, which had been shaking its head to stop Tuna's resistance, suddenly froze. Normally, Kait would have interfered, but this time she didn't. As if trying to confirm something, it slowly turned its head to look around—still holding Tuna in its mouth.
—Owowowow! Hey! Enough already! Kait, are you done yet!?
Did she run away? No, that couldn't be. Maybe she took it down while it was thrashing? That didn't seem right either. When did she lose sight of it?
The large eel's movements clearly conveyed its wariness.
Then, as if struck by an idea, the large eel opened its mouth. It lunged at Tuna's unguarded back as he tried to flee in a panic.
—Gweh!
If it were a human, it would be the nape of the neck. The large eel bit into that area, but instead of finishing Tuna off, it paused in that position.
After briefly glancing around again, it began wriggling its head.
Now.
"Go!"
At almost the exact same moment, the Queen Bee fired a swarm of worker bees, and the large eel exposed its massive eyeball.
The worker bees flew toward the exposed eyeball and clung to it one after another.
"So it repositioned Mr. Tuna in its mouth to avoid a counterattack on its exposed eye. I see, smart move."
If Tuna had any chance of a comeback, it would've been to bite through the eyeball—the mutual weak point. And the large eel had been wary of that. Naturally, being of the same species, it could predict such behavior.
But it couldn't predict Kait's actions. She was a completely different creature. It couldn't understand what she was thinking, what she could do, or what she would do. In the end, it knew nothing.
"Know your enemy and know yourself... that sort of thing."
The large eel released Tuna and violently shook its head. But the worker bees clinging to its eyeball neither peeled off nor melted away.
Kait had predicted that while the outer skin might secrete digestive enzymes, the eyeball wouldn't. It was an internal organ, and if it was used for vision, any debris would obstruct its view. In space, where long-distance vision was essential, that would be a major disadvantage.
The reason it usually kept its eyes hidden inside its body was due to the need for cleanliness and the lack of effective defense. That analysis seemed to be mostly correct.
"And you guys don't have any body part that can shake off debris from your eyeballs."
Kait pulled a steel plate close and poured all her power into it. It would be the final, decisive strike to finish off the large eel.
She maneuvered the Queen Bee directly in front of the large eel, anchoring the worker bees in place and pinning its head so it couldn't move.
Confused by its immobilized head, the large eel thrashed its massive body, trying to eliminate Kait, whom it had spotted through a gap.
"Too slow. Sting it, Killer Bee."
In that instant, the released steel plate—Killer Bee—pierced the eyeball and drove deep inside. With all her strength behind it, the speed was incredible. It tore through the eye, dragging surrounding tissue with it as it penetrated.
The large eel's gills flared wide, expelling a massive burst of air.
Amid the explosive sound, something like the large eel's emotions radiated outward.
Kait didn't care in the slightest and sent the Killer Bee under her control straight ahead—toward the core of its life, deep within the eyeball.
"Sorry. I have no intention of listening to anything you have to say."
Total destruction. The Killer Bee rampaged through the large eel's massive weak point without mercy.
Soon after, the waves of emotion it had been emitting came to an abrupt halt.