Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi

After a dinner of Cold Pasta, which I assure you is so much more delicious than it sounds, we went to bed early.

Thanks to the horror of facing Charybdis, we were all exhausted. Well, I don’t think my familiars were horrified, but we all fell asleep quickly enough.

The next day, I woke up refreshed.

A new day!

A day for new horrors!

No need to be bogged down by yesterday’s doom!

Hahah!

Members of the [Ark] also woke up with a new mental state.

“It’s too late to go back anyway. We can only struggle ahead,” said Gaudino-san sagely.

“We can only do our best,”

“Indeed,”

“Yes,”

Despite the short answers, there was a calmness to their attitude. I guess they must have achieved some sort of enlightenment?

Well, people who regularly fight monsters and challenge dungeons should have pretty strong mental health, right?q

Rather than resigning or giving up, they choose to be philosophical about it. I can only applaud their good attitude.

To that, I could only say, “W-well, let’s have breakfast first.”

Today’s breakfast consisted of a plain omelette, consommé soup with plenty of vegetables, and a butter roll. It was one of my simpler Western-style dishes.

Naturally, this simple breakfast was for myself and the [Ark], although I did expect to have to give Feodora-san a little something extra later. I doubt she could resist the Gigantic Minotaur Steak Bowl that my familiars were chowing down now.

A hearty breakfast later, I was shocked when everyone from the [Ark] asked to try the Steak Bowl (with Feodora-san eating three full bowls by herself), we all boarded [Mizumaru] and headed out into the open sea once more.

Today, the sea was a gentle marine blue under the brilliant sunshine.

I’d have enjoyed this trip better if this was not a dungeon.

No, wait.

The sea in this entire world is horrifically dangerous, infested with Krakens, giant fish, giant squids, whirlpools with teeth and other deep sea horrors.

Nevermind.

[1]

“Oi, what’s that thing?” Siegwald-san squinted into the horizon.

“An island?”

“It looks like it’s moving…”

“Is that… doesn’t it look like a dorsal fin?”

“What’s a dorsal fin?”

“The fin on the back of a fish.”

“That can’t be…” I was suddenly reminded of the ‘Jaws’ movies back on earth.

By now, I was squinting against the sunlight along with members of the [Ark], trying to see what that sail-like black thing was.

“”I think it’s a fin,”” said Dora-chan.

No duh.

[1]

Suddenly, the shadow leapt out of the water.

Splash–!!

“A fish? Wait, how big is it?!”

For a moment it looked like the fish was suspended in the air, backlit by the false daylight. That long pointed snout, that sharp under lip, that sail-like fin on its back and crescent moon tail…

“I-it’s a marlin?!” I have only seen these fish in fishing magazines, but there is no mistaking the shape.

There is a reason why fishermen liked to pose with this fish. Even back on Earth, it’s huge! This one, however…

The second time it leapt into the sky, it looked… significantly bigger. About 20 meters? No, 30 meters? More? Even taking that long nose into consideration, that’s still too big!!!

“O-oh my, that’s… that’s probably a Tyrant Swordfish…” Gaudino-san muttered.

“A Tyrant Swordfish?”

“Yes, it’s an A Rank monster you only meet at sea. It’s said to be as troublesome as Krakens since it could sink large ships…”

“S-seriously?”

“With one poke of that long nose…”

We all stared down at Sui’s transparent body.

“Say…” began Gaudino-san. “Slimes are incredibly sturdy, right?”

“I- I think so,” I said. “So, um, like, I think we don’t have to worry about that fish sinking us… More importantly,” I turned to look at two sleeping lumps next to us. “They don’t seem to be worried.”

I was actually suuuper anxious, but I don’t want to look bad in front of professionals!!

“It’s coming!”

The quiet Feodora-san actually shouted.

“”Aruji~ big fishy~ big fishy~””

The Tyrant Swordfish was speeding at us so fast that it created a wake behind it.

“Eh, ehhh!!!”

No lie, I lost all my cool then…

“”Gotchu~~!””

“Sui!”

Somehow, Sui manages to wrap her tentacles around the Tyrant Swordfish’s long spear-like snout.

““Hm? Umm~ Aruji~!?””

Instead of slowing down like a sensible, normal creature, the Tyrant Swordfish splashed its tail and shot forward, its spear-like snout actually stabbing through Sui.

“Sui!!”

We all struggled to maintain our footing as Sui was pushed back.

“”Ou!! I’ll finish it off! Hold it down, Sui!””

Dora-chan took off into the air and Ice Spears stabbed through the fish’s head and body.

“”Ah~ Sui wants to kill it~~!!””

“”Hey, I’m helping you because you’re being pushed back.””

“”Mu, it’s Sui’s prey~!””

As my two smallest familiars quarrelled, I cleared my throat and beamed at members of the [Ark]. “Ahem, as you can see, there’s no need to worry.”

“Indeed,” said Gaudino-san. “In a way, your Slime is actually safer than any fortress.”

“Considering how Fenrir-dono and Ancient Dragon-dono are still sleeping…”

“Well, it certainly is an experience,”

“Many strange experiences…”

I don’t know what to think about Feodora-san’s ‘strange experiences’ remark… let’s just ignore it.

Meanwhile, Dora-chan and Sui were still arguing. I’m so glad that the [Ark] couldn’t hear their childish quarrels…

Still, better put a stop to it.

“Ahem, Sui, Dora-chan, don’t argue. Does the Tyrant Swordfish has any Drop items?”

““Ah~ hmm… here~ there’s this~!””

Sui’s tentacle rose from the sea and dropped a lump onto the [Mizumaru].

“A meat Drop?”

“”Is it delicious~?””

“Hmm,” I pretended to study the meat as I cast [Appraisal]. “Looks like it should be delicious when grilled with Teriyaki sauce or Garlic Soy sauce.”

If it’s anything like the real Marlin fish from Earth, it could only be good.

“”Ou!! Delicious you say? Hear that, Sui?!”” Dora-chan crowed.

“”Yes~!!””

“”Let’s hunt ‘em all!!””

Wh-what is that pocket monster hunter-like battle cry??!!

“”Alright!! I’ll fly ahead, you just follow me!!””

“”Let’s go~! Fishy~!””

“Uh, you guys-” Before I could say anything, the two of them had already decided things on their own.

“”A fin! Righ ahead, Sui!!””

“”Yay~!!””

“Ooff!” I actually stumbled from the sudden increase in speed.

“Hey,” said Gideon-san. “What’s going on?”

“Uh…”

“So noisy, keep it down will you?” Fer grumbled.

“Oh, the young ones are hunting fish? Hmm, good for them. I shall rest here…”

“… …”

“… …”

“Uh, Mukouda-san?”

“…yes?”

“Are we… hunting Tyrant Swordfish?”

“I don’t know about ‘we’, but Sui and Dora-chan are hunting Tyrant Swordfish.”

“Aaa…”

“Indeed,”

[Gumihou: Here we go again!!]

[1] Dramatise spotting the ‘shadow’