Eldritch Horror Theatre

How...

Compared to Rachel, who was completely dumbstruck, Li Min possessed significantly more mental fortitude.

Even so, the savage blow playing out before her eyes battered her hard-won clarity until her mind teetered on the brink.

Unable to comprehend what she was seeing, she grabbed Rachel and frantically retreated, frost rapidly gathering before her to form a shield.

She didn't think she could create a defense stronger than the cliff, but she had to do something—

A sharp crack rang out. Li Min's heart jolted as she realized that jagged spikes were rapidly erupting from her newly formed ice shield, spreading outward and plunging straight into the water below the cliff.

No...

She knew perfectly well that power manifested erratically in the Ash Sea, but she had never expected it to fail her at a time like this.

She had only wanted to stay as inconspicuous as possible, yet her actions had morphed into a direct attack on that Divine Being. A wave of despair washed over Li Min.

It was gone?

Among the floating shards of ice, there was no trace of the massive tentacle to be found.

"Did that thing... slip back into the water?"

Rachel had finally regained her senses, her voice trembling slightly.

"No."

Li Min shook her head.

"It isn't there anymore. I'm sure of it."

"It left?"

Rachel stared blankly. She unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, but a swarm of questions soon surfaced.

"Then what was it here for? Is it not going to kill us?"

"It seems so. Given its display just now, if it truly wanted to kill us, we wouldn't have been able to escape."

Nor could we have survived it.

Looking at the obliterated cliff, Li Min added silently.

"I don't think that was the legendary Sea God. It wasn't frenzied enough. It is definitely a Divine Being, though... Is this the one you encountered?"

"Yeah."

Rachel nodded firmly.

"Strange. If its previous attacks were anything like that, it's hard to imagine you having any chance to escape in here. And this prank-like behavior... wait a second—"

Li Min seemed to realize something.

"It isn't killing people. It's herding them!"

Herding...

Her friend's deduction sent a chill through Rachel. She lowered her head, murmuring to herself.

"It really does feel like it... Every time, it struck once and left, but always at critical junctures, leaving us with only one choice. It forced us in here step by step... like a flock of sheep..."

The more she spoke, the more terrified she became, a bitter expression crossing her face.

"Whatever its purpose, it looks like you were right. Things are far bleaker than we thought."

"Don't lose heart."

Li Min calmly reassured her.

"Look on the bright side. At least we don't have to flee outside anymore. Our goal of trying to make contact has already been achieved."

"...You're right."

Although her friend was now completely unrecognizable, that familiar practical demeanor brought Rachel a measure of peace.

"What do we do now? Risk heading deeper to see if we can shake it off?"

"Or go regroup with the others?"

Rachel pointed back the way they had come, her implication clear.

Better to use a crowd to spread the risk than be stalked alone by a monster with an unknown agenda.

"When I left them, I told them I was just doing a scouting run. Bringing back this kind of intel is definitely enough to justify returning."

"Neither."

Li Min firmly rejected her suggestions.

"We aren't going to them, and we aren't going deeper. We're going to find a place to hide."

"Just like you mentioned earlier, I happen to know a pretty good spot."

...

"It's hard to believe there's a cave like this up here."

A moment later, Rachel surveyed their surroundings, unable to hide her surprise.

Li Min had brought her to a highly concealed cave near the peak of the Floating Island.

It was remarkably spacious, and devoid of any organic life, the pale gray walls were inexplicably dry.

"Our ship was completely torn apart earlier. I can't even imagine what kind of force could carve a hole out of this rock."

"That's because it wasn't carved."

Retreating to a corner to rest and conserve her strength, Li Min casually explained.

"Just like how you can't imagine how such a solid island could vanish overnight."

"They might look like lifeless objects, but they grow. They form amidst the rising and falling tides of the Ash Sea."

"That also means they can unpredictably dissipate—or die, you could say."

"Everything here is like that."

As if answering Li Min, a fine drizzle began to fall outside without warning. The cave entrance was instantly curtained by water.

Just like the sea, the rainwater was a dead, pallid gray.

"Don't tell me you brought me here just to get out of the rain."

Despite having both of her suggestions shot down earlier, Rachel actually seemed to be in decent spirits.

Faced with the sudden downpour, she was even in the mood to crack a joke.

"Now, can you explain why we're hiding?"

"Simple. I just figured out why it herded you all in here."

Li Min didn't keep her in suspense.

"It isn't teasing you, nor is it expecting your group to repent for anything. It's foraging."

"Foraging?"

The answer shocked Rachel, and left her completely bewildered.

"But it obviously didn't eat us."

"You aren't food. You're bait."

...

"It herded you in here to wait for something else."

"To use us to fish out its real food?"

Realization dawned on Rachel.

"That's why it won't kill us, but won't let us leave either... That actually makes a lot of sense."

"But didn't they say anything inside the Ash Sea loses its meaning the moment it leaves? Why would it hunt for food that could kill it?"

"I'm not entirely sure either, but right now, it's the only explanation that fits. I can only assume that, for some specific reason, it no longer cares about the consequences."

Li Min shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, though. As long as the other bait does its job, we'll get our answer soon enough."

"So that's why you wouldn't let me regroup with them..."

Rachel murmured thoughtfully.

"Exactly. All we have to do is outlive the rest of the bait, until the bait loses its purpose."

"Bait clustered together makes for an easier target. So, for the time being, we need to minimize contact with them."

Li Min's voice trailed off. Rachel cast her a puzzled glance, only to find Li Min staring intently toward the cave entrance.

Following her gaze, Rachel saw a silhouette gradually coming into focus through the curtain of rain. A moment later, someone poked their head inside.

"Excuse me. Mind if I step in to get out of the rain?"

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