20- First Contact Outside the Nest

In the morning, I woke up refreshed but with an enormous hunger. I bought my milk and mixed it with crab powder, but to my disappointment, I had no results. I was beginning to suspect that my body had gotten used to this food and that its effect had completely worn off.

While having breakfast, I opened my status to check my new skill.

[Crystal Scale Siren]

Name: NexhaAge: Baby

Status: Normal

Lv: 2

XP: 20/40HP: 30/30 | MP: 15/15Attack: 3 | Defense: 32 (+5)Intelligence: 12 | Luck: 7 | Beauty: 30

Title: First of Many

Skills: Analyze, System Store Access, Passive Hardening

— My first skill that has nothing to do with the system? But... how do I use this?

With a simple activation thought, I felt my tail change. The translucent parts of the scales began to darken, like a full moon slowly being swallowed by darkness until it became a new moon. However, the bluish parts did not change, leaving a vibrant outline between the dark scales.

I waited a few minutes as the skill fully activated. My tail became heavier. As soon as I deactivated it, I felt immediate relief: the scales returned to normal, and the weight disappeared.

— So it's like a "heavy mode" and a "light mode"… I like it! At least there's no cooldown time after I deactivate it. The activation time isn’t long either… This skill is exceptional.

After finishing my breakfast, Krahs got up and stretched. He looked tired, probably because he hadn’t slept much after helping me the night before. He yawned and, impatiently, woke up Lilay, who begged for "just five more minutes."

— Wake up, Lilay. It's time to train.

— Nooo… — he whimpered, clinging to the seaweed.

Krahs sighed and effortlessly lifted Lilay from the makeshift bed. The little one tried to hold onto the seaweed as if his life depended on it but failed. The old shark just shook his head, and when he noticed I was awake, he asked:

— Are you feeling better?

— Yes… Much better, Dad.

The word "Dad" made Krahs freeze. I almost never said it out of embarrassment. But in this world, Krahs really was like a father to me and Lilay. When he finally snapped out of his trance, he gave me a big smile.

— Well, Nexha, you're already the same size as Lilay. I think it's time for you to accompany me outside.

— Really?! Can I?!

He nodded. Lilay, on the other hand, threw a tantrum about getting up. Losing patience, Krahs gently dropped him into the pool in the middle of the nest, and the poor thing sank like a rock. I laughed at the scene.

— Come, Nexha.

Krahs jumped into the pool, and I followed right behind.

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Leaving the nest for the first time, I was amazed.

Before me stretched an exuberant forest of moray eels and seaweed. Their stalks looked like bamboo, creating the illusion that I was in a grove on the surface rather than at the bottom of the sea. Bubbles escaped from my mouth as I marveled at the environment.

The small sprout I had seen a few days ago had transformed into a grand golden forest. The sunlight penetrated the shallow water, making the seaweed shine like stakes of gold embedded in the sand.

I was so enchanted that I almost didn’t notice Lilay sulking, refusing to swim, while Krahs carried him like a sack. The old shark sighed and gave him a gentle shake. Left with no choice, Lilay finally stopped being lazy and woke up.

— Let’s catch some fish to eat.

Lilay's ear fins perked up instantly at the word "food." As for me, I wasn’t too excited about eating raw fish again…

Krahs guided us through the bamboo-like stalks, swimming slowly so Lilay and I could keep up. From time to time, he looked back to check if we were still there.

When he spotted a school of fish, he told us to hide at the base of the seaweed. Moving slowly, he descended stealthily with his spear, avoiding attracting the fish’s attention.

Suddenly, in a swift strike, he spun the spear in an arc, creating an explosion of bubbles that sent the fish into a desperate dash upwards, toward the surface. Seizing the opportunity, Krahs powerfully flicked his tail and surged forward. With a single thrust, he impaled five fish at once.

The momentum launched him out of the water like a dolphin. He soared through the air, glistening under the sun, and dove back in effortlessly.

My eyes sparkled at the sight. Lilay, on the other hand, seemed more interested in the fish.

The children’s smiles warmed the old shark’s heart. He handed me a fish, gave two to Lilay, and then ate the rest himself.

The fish was saltier than the ones I ate in the nest. It seemed that eating underwater altered the taste. Lilay devoured his quickly and stared at me, knowing I wouldn’t finish mine. I offered him the fish head, and he ate it at an impressive speed without hesitation.

After eating, Krahs took us to the surface.

As soon as we emerged, I was mesmerized. The blue sky, the white clouds, and the shining sun took my breath away. The warmth was pleasant, neither too strong nor too weak.

Krahs lay on a large smooth rock, facing the sun. Lilay, imitating him, threw himself beside him and closed his eyes, enjoying the heat.

I tried to climb the rock, but it was slippery, and the waves kept crashing, making it difficult.

Lilay laughed at me, which annoyed me.

— Oh yeah? Watch this!

I dove underwater and mimicked Krahs’s hunting impulse, launching myself upwards forcefully. I managed to jump… but I miscalculated my trajectory.

I landed face-first on the old shark’s belly.

— Ugh!

Krahs flinched, clearly feeling the impact.

Lilay laughed so hard his cheeks hurt.

The old shark sighed in defeat.

— That was an impressive jump, but it was dangerous, child. You could have seriously hurt yourself. Jumping isn’t a game in shallow areas.

His concerned tone made me realize my recklessness.

We stayed on the rock a little longer, enjoying the warmth. When the sun grew stronger, Krahs called us to return to the nest and continue our training.

On the way back, he suddenly stopped.

His body tensed. Without hesitation, he hid us deep within the seaweed and covered us.

— Stay quiet. It’ll pass soon…

We watched as he swam away, gripping his spear tightly. Lilay and I were confused and scared. After all, we had never experienced this before. The safety of the nest had left us without a sense of danger. Krahs seemed alert, radiating immense fury as we felt vibrations of something approaching through the water.

Slowly, the large, sharp teeth appeared first. Then, the slender snout. The golden, serpentine body blended with the bamboo stalks.

The wide, misshapen teeth were exposed as if smiling, knowing that something delicious was nearby. The enormous moray eel opened its jaws like a great serpent, ready to strike.

Krahs's gaze turned into pure hatred. His body trembled—not with fear, but with barely contained rage. His eyes locked onto the creature with deep disdain, a furious fire burning within him. This wasn’t just an enemy; it was personal.

His muscles tensed, his tail swayed aggressively, and his grip on the spear was so tight his knuckles turned pale. Every fiber of his being screamed that he wouldn’t just fight—he would exterminate this creature.

The air around us felt heavier. Lilay sobbed quietly, feeling the same fear I did. But what scared me most wasn’t the moray eel.

It was Krahs’s hatred.

The moray eel was almost his size, but it showed no interest in him. Its eyes were locked on us—Nexha and Lilay.

And Krahs realized it.

His gaze sharpened further, his expression turning into something we had never seen before. That creature wasn’t just hunting.

It was hunting his children.

And that was unacceptable.

With a roar muffled by the water, Krahs prepared for battle, his hatred burning like a beacon in the darkness.