"Strange, was I just seeing things?" Swordfish mused, swinging its rear tail while vigilantly scanning the electric stone-filled crevice and swimming a bit further away.

"I was sure I saw that flash of electricity; otherwise, how would I have found this place? But why is there no creature capable of producing that spark?"

Swordfish searched along the crevice for a considerable distance again. Neither Swordfish's mental sensing nor the eyes of the other Swordfish spotted anything unusual. Inside the moderate-sized electric stone crevice, apart from plankton, the occasional passing small insects, and aquatic plants, there was nothing capable of emitting light nor anything that posed a threat.

"Damn it, the unknown is always unsettling. Whatever, even if a Thunder Beast appears, that'd be something at least."

After searching for quite some time, even Swordfish had to suspect it might have been a trick of the eyes.

"Could it be I'm just being paranoid? Looks like the jumble of worries since arriving in this world is finally getting to me."

Seeing some companions already exhausted, and with a large group waiting at the temporary nest for electric stone to heal, Swordfish took a deep breath, suppressing its doubts.

"Forget it, let's take one step at a time. First, get the other Swordfish here and deal with the electric stone deficiency."

Deciding on the immediate plan, Swordfish swiftly led the school back toward the temporary nest.

"Wait, a few of you should stay behind to guard the mine."

Suddenly, Swordfish remembered that it should leave some Swordfish to guard the electric stone mine, or as a precaution. If it forgot the way, it could sense their approximate location to return here.

Thus, a dozen Swordfish stayed around the electric stone mine.

※※※

The shallow sea floor was gradually becoming bustling; the recent series of earthquakes seemed like a distant memory. The creatures now continued their existence, not recalling those natural events that profoundly harmed them or their predecessors yet reshaped the world.

Since the first appearance of vertebrates, fish have thrived progressively.

A Cephalaspis was slowly moving in the water, prioritizing brain protection by reinforcing its skull, resulting in a heavy head that required frequent rests after short distances.

Suddenly, its eyes perceived some ominous threat, prompting a frantic tail wag to hide among aquatic plants before exhaustion set in.

In the distance, a serpent-like colossal entity slowly advanced.

It was moving, yes, not swimming or walking, but seemingly gliding forward at a deceptively slow pace, as though inertia was propelling it steadily.

What kind of creature was this? A super predator? A colossal sea beast? A prehistoric giant squid—oh, never mind, we are even more prehistoric.

If any thinking creature saw this behemoth from afar, it would surely question its identity. Especially as occasional arcs of electricity encircled its body from a cylindrical head to its tail, underscoring its immense threat.

Naturally, under this daunting display, all creatures in its vicinity and on its path fled.

Predator?

Perhaps it's an immensely powerful predator, one beyond predation itself. (So hypothesized by the narrator.)

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Unconcerned with scaring off potential prey, the behemoth moved on, its silvery electric-flashing body embodying the apex predator's aura. Truly, such a beast worries not about survival. (Narrator's conclusion reached.)

It was approaching!

The gigantic creature neared the narrator's position (a great fog).

In the creature’s midsection, presumably its stomach, a slight bulge was visible.

So that's it, seems like it devoured a large creature recently.

(Imagining) Not long ago, a massive silvery serpent slithered through rocky crevices in the murky water, stealthily approaching a large, unsuspecting creature. It opened its massive jaws, engulfing the startled prey, then leisurely glided through the sea while digesting its meal, asserting its dominance. (Imagination ends with narrator shivering.)

Now, let's return to Swordfish.

Swordfish, freshly returned to the nest, was fortunate enough to find the school undisturbed by predators.

"Everyone get ready, I've found an electric stone mine."

Adding a mental note for dramatic flair, Swordfish joyfully guided all the Swordfish from the nest, reforming the substantial school above.

"Forward, our goal is the delicious electric stone mine."

Under Swordfish's lead, the school began moving slowly, but soon challenges resurfaced.

Ill Swordfish lagged behind the healthier ones, splitting the large school into two groups.

"So many obstacles!"

"Abandon the slow-moving individuals?"

This was barely considered—after all, the Swordfish had struggled immensely to find the electric stone mine for them. Naturally, the overall school’s depletion also played a significant role.

"Slow down the entire school?"

That would be a fatal mistake. Slowing the whole school would broadcast to predators that there's a large moving buffet. Even if most predators were repelled, making such an arduous effort for little reward was something Swordfish avoided.

In this critical moment, an idea sprang from Swordfish's mind.

Thus, a peculiar formation emerged. The healthier Swordfish swam the periphery, while the ill ones moved within, transported by their healthier counterparts, markedly improving speed.

While this boosted travel speed considerably toward normal levels, the school's defensive response to danger greatly diminished.

"This is the best we can manage right now."

Stubbornly choosing the relatively optimal solution, Swordfish continued leading the elongated spindle-like school forward.

The strange formation inadvertently mimicked a sea behemoth. Creatures, predator or prey, fled or hid at the sight of the massive shape. Even large predators dared approach, but Swordfish's timed electric bursts fended them off. As for super predators, encountering them was rare.

"This makeshift giant is impressive," Swordfish thought, pleased, though—

Surveying the bustling shallow sea, where his school’s electrical sparks briefly passed, devoid of any creatures save immobile plants and plankton.

"So desolate."

"Yet this swimming formation is only viable for urgent trips to the electric stone mine. Excessive electric discharge would drain too many nutrients, and scaring off prey would leave me mainly eating plants—not nearly enough."

Faced with the situation, Swordfish was speechless. Weighing the formation’s utility and costs en route to the mine, Swordfish deemed it too restricted, applicable only in special cases.

…

Finally, the electric stone mine came into view, and Swordfish fish appeared ahead.

However, they seemed engaged in a standoff.

As the approach continued, Swordfish noticed the advancing formation—a hundred, or even more, Swordfish.

"Wait, I left only a dozen; how'd it multiply into hundreds?"

Puzzled, Swordfish dispersed the formation, positioning adults in front in case of conflict. In the distance, the standoff revealed itself—between the numerous Swordfish and Swordfish’s guardians.

"So that's it." Swordfish understood the problem. "Seems the dispersed Thunder Bug evolution led to a new school, unexpectedly encountering us here."

As independent entities, disagreements are natural, made easier by long separation. Initially resistant, the hundreds of Swordfish slowly ceased confrontation upon Swordfish's approach. Once within Swordfish's mental sensing range, the schools merged into one massive formation of over a thousand.

"The initial electric flash must have been from these guys, maybe trying to intimidate us when they saw my school." The flash was explained; these evolved Swordfish settled around the mine, but upon spotting Swordfish, they attempted to drive off what they thought were competitors, little knowing it was the main consciousness's group. Yet that's irrelevant now. Without the main consciousness, they might challenge them, but with it, their primary task was to follow its lead. "Luckily, it was just a standoff, no fights ensued. At least Swordfish aren't as conflict-prone as humans."

Swordfish was delighted—finding the electric stone mine, and encountering a related species event since single-cell days. Settling the weary Swordfish around the mine as the original Thunder Bugs did.

"Let's stay here for a while, rest, and reproduce before continuing to land."

The sick individuals, protected within the school, sustained minimally by plankton and plants while replenishing electric stone to recover. Meanwhile, Swordfish led groups of hungry Swordfish to hunt animals reappearing after the disappearance of the faux-behemoth.