Chapter 307: "The Shrimp That Rules All Shrimp," Ebitouzi
"EBIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!"
Ebitouzi, who let out a bizarre scream despite being a shrimp, swung down its pair of raised giant claws with all its might!
There is distance between us and the giant shrimp.
No matter how gigantic those claws are, their downswing shouldn't reach us.
However, even though that should be the case...... just before the giant shrimp performed the downswing motion...... my instincts sounded the alarm!
<Emi!>
At the same time, a warning from Extra-sama!
"Zaratopu! Full speed ahead!!"
<<<Huh!? Yes!>>>
Without understanding why, Zaratopu accelerated and fled from in front of the giant shrimp, almost simultaneously as the giant shrimp smashed its claws into the sea surface.
And, the next moment!
ZAA...... PAAAAHN!!
With such a roaring sound.
The sea...... split in two, as if it were a deep valley!
With the giant shrimp's smashed claws as the starting point, it was split right in half!
"Pyururururuuu!?"
Zaratopu let out a pathetic scream while circling around the giant shrimp, maintaining distance.
Aiming for that, the giant shrimp slowly changed its body orientation and continued swinging down its right claw, left claw, right claw, one after another.
Each time, the sea splits with a crack, crack!
"Hmm."
I observe the giant shrimp's attacks from atop the swaying Zaratopu.
It seems that the power of that downswing isn't simply generated by the mass of the claws.
<It's the same as Emi's [Great Mantis]. What's splitting the sea is the blade of magical power extending from the claws. It's a feat made possible by the abundant amount of magical power accumulated over a long period of time.>
I see, an abundant amount of magical power.
"Looks delicious......"
<<<Is that your impression after receiving that attack!?>>>
Zaratopu sent a [Telepathy] with a crying voice to me as I was slurping my drool.
"Of course. When it comes down to it, the world is divided into two: those who can eat and those who can't."
<<<That dichotomy is definitely wrong no matter how you think about it!>>>
You're noisy. Don't whine despite being a wild creature.
ZAAPAAAHN!
ZAAPAAAHN!
ZAAPAAAHN!
Even while we're doing this, the giant shrimp continues swinging down its claws one after another.
There are no signs of the giant shrimp running out of magical power, and at this rate, Zaratopu will be the first to exhaust its stamina and sink.
We also need to switch to the offensive here.
"Hey, Zaratopu. Get closer to the shrimp."
<<<Whaaat!?>>>
"I'll beat it to death. So, bring us close."
<<<Impossible! Impossible! Absolutely impossible, we'll die!>>>
"Haa......"
Geez, this guy......
It doesn't understand its own position.
I unintentionally let out a sigh.
"Hey, Zaratopu. You want to take back this territory, right?"
<<<W-Well, I don't really mind staying at that cape......>>>
"You said it, right? That would trouble the villagers. And if the villagers are troubled, what happens?"
<<<Uh, umm......?>>>
"In that case, I will kill you."
"Pyuruuuu!?"
"Now, go, Zaratopu! You're my underling, right!?"
<<<H-Hieeeeh! I shouldn't have said I'd become your underling! Whatever happens, happens!>>>
Threatened by me, Zaratopu finally made up its mind, turned to face the giant shrimp, and started charging!
But of course, the giant shrimp won't silently watch that happen.
Its giant claws are swung down, aiming at us!
"......!!"
I tried to intercept it using [Black Arms].
But, however!
<<<Nuooooh!! [ Water Wall ] !!!>>>
The one who moved faster than me was Zaratopu!
As soon as Zaratopu shouted that, the sea surface near us suddenly swelled up and created a huge wall!
And that wall firmly received the swung-down claws!
"Not bad."
<<<I-I can't do it multiple times!>>>
"That's enough."
Zaratopu opened a hole at the bottom of the [Water Wall] and passed through it.
That way, the giant shrimp is right in front of us!
"Leave the rest to me! You can withdraw!"
I shouted that and launched my [Black Arms] towards the giant shrimp.
My rugged and pointed [Black Arms] pierced deeply into the steel-like carapace of the giant shrimp like a harpoon!
"RAAAAAAH!!"
I pulled my body towards the pierced [Black Arms] and clung onto the giant shrimp's body!
Now, like this, it's mine!
When you cling onto a large creature's body and keep punching it, it dies!
It seems the time has come for this rule of thumb I learned in this different world to be useful again!
"EBIIIIII! EBIIIIIIIIII!"
The giant shrimp tries to shake me off by swaying its body, but my master-taught technique [Silverfish] never allows that!
I started running vertically at full speed, aiming for the giant shrimp's head...... on its wall-like body!
"Shushushuuuu!!!"
Along the way, the barnacles clinging to the giant shrimp's body extend their cirri to attack me, but they don't reach me.
Because I have deployed [Magic Slash Threads] around me!
The invisible magical threads slice the cirri that thoughtlessly approach me into small pieces!
"EBIIIIIIIIII!!"
Now, goodbye, Ebitouzi.
Soon, you will be just meat.
Crumble...... crustacean!!
Having reached the giant shrimp's head, I took a deep breath to regulate my breathing, then [Body Strengthening], [Body Strengthening], [Body Strengthening]......!
I gather, gather, gather magical power into my fist, just for the purpose of destroying!
Creak, creak creak, creak!
Making the space creak!
I tried to strike the best blow into the giant shrimp's head!!
......But, at that moment!
"Pyururururuuu!?"
Zaratopu's scream reached my ears!
Unintentionally looking down at the sea surface from atop the giant shrimp's head, what was there was.
Zaratopu's figure, grabbed by a huge white tentacle that flew out from the sea...... swung around with tremendous force and slammed into the sea surface......!