NoveLight ™
Chapter 44: The Ship Was Eaten
“Analysis of the recovered ship prow suggests that it was broken off by something massive.”
This was the conclusion Ringo reached after examining the prow they had retrieved days earlier.
“Broken off?”
“Yes, ma’am. It appears to have been swiftly and simultaneously clamped from both sides and then torn apart. Analysis of the surrounding damage and the residual material embedded in parts of the structure indicates that a massive creature bit into it.”
“…Just to confirm, this isn’t because you’ve been watching too many B-grade movies, right?”
“No, ma’am. The damage patterns on the wood, and here—this residue—clearly point to teeth marks. We’ve even recovered tissue samples embedded in the wood. Genetic analysis is ongoing, but we should have results soon.”
Ringo displayed a simulation of what might have occurred. Although the identity of the creature remained unknown, the simulation depicted a massive beast lunging from below, biting into the wooden ship, and tearing it apart in one aggressive motion.
The pattern of destruction on the wood revealed the sequence and direction of the applied force, allowing for a detailed reconstruction of the event.
“Hmm… Is it some giant whale-like creature, or are we dealing with a magical fantasy monster?”
“So far, the recovered tissue shows no scientifically abnormal properties.”
If the ship had been crushed slowly from the outside, the hull would likely have been uniformly flattened. However, the prow had detached with minimal overall damage, leaving a clean break—as if severed by sharp shears.
This creature had neither squeezed nor slowly destroyed the ship. Instead, it had snapped through the wooden vessel with a single, effortless bite.
“A creature that can bite through an entire ship like this… is just roaming around?”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ve already identified sea creatures much larger than anything we’re familiar with. It’s plausible that such massive predators also exist and consider those creatures their prey.”
The commander folded her arms, frowning deeply.
While she had been focused on potential human incursions, they had stumbled upon a far more immediate and direct threat. If such a creature approached <The Tree>, would they even have the means to stop it?
“Until we can identify it, we can’t develop countermeasures. We’ll have to reallocate resources from ocean surveys to searching for this monster.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will make the adjustments.”
Currently, many solar-powered Swift drones were equipped with electromagnetic emitters and sensors to survey ocean currents. They had been used to locate drifting debris, map currents via Doppler analysis, and more.
However, to search for a massive sea creature, they would likely need visible light sensors. If the creature remained underwater, they could only spot it when it surfaced. Since electromagnetic waves were mostly absorbed by water, visual detection was the only viable method.
“This is frustrating… Should we prioritize launching satellites? Or accelerate the seabed mining platform development? Without enough data, I can’t determine the optimal solution…”
“Yes, ma’am. Following the ghost ship, this large creature poses an urgent threat. Resource limitations mean we’re piling up critical tasks.”
Each of these issues was crucial, making prioritization difficult.
“This giant creature attacked the ship by biting from below. Assuming it’s carnivorous, it likely preys on large sea creatures. Tracking such moments could lead us to it.”
“So… Find a pod of whales or something and follow them?”
“Yes, ma’am. Let’s monitor such groups and expand broad-area imaging surveillance.”
“Alright. That’s our plan. Proceed with it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A month passed after this decision.
During the subsequent surveys, they identified several pods of whale-like creatures and began tracking them. However, the elusive giant predator remained unseen. It was likely diving deeper than the drones could observe, making visual detection impossible.
Fortunately, the sea creatures hadn’t been spotted along the shipping routes to Telek Harbor. The giant predator would probably avoid areas with no prey. Still, precautions were necessary. They assigned Swift drones to patrol above key locations, ensuring they could at least monitor an attack if one occurred.
“We’ve identified several remnants of ships with similar bite patterns. As we refine our understanding of ocean currents, we’re narrowing down the region where the ship was attacked.”
Drifting debris seemed to follow predictable currents. Barnacle growth on the remains suggested the attack occurred less than a month ago. By calculating the currents’ speed, they pinpointed an approximate location.
No pods of sea creatures were found in the area, raising questions: Were they never there? Did they flee? Or had they been consumed entirely?
“If we follow the current’s trajectory, the debris—and possibly the predator—could be drifting closer to <The Tree>. Ocean currents average a few dozen kilometers per day, so over two months, it could have traveled 500–600 kilometers.”
“This situation is far from reassuring.”
She examined a map resembling a developing nautical chart. While their survey area remained uneven due to prioritizing the predator search, their overall coverage had expanded significantly. With a better understanding of the currents, they could now narrow their patrol zones.
“What do we do if it’s headed this way?”
“Sister, must we kill this giant creature?”
“If it threatens us, yes. Losing even one Alpha-class destroyer or transport ship would be a disaster.”
Considering the creature’s anticipated size, capture seemed unrealistic. While studying it would be ideal, eliminating it might be their only option if it proved hostile.
“We could drive it away with attacks, but that might draw its ire.”
Large creatures were often highly intelligent. Retaliatory attacks could provoke persistent targeting. Eliminating the creature decisively and using its remains for study would be the cleanest solution.
“Some documents suggest avoiding unnecessary killing. But in this case, that doesn’t seem applicable, does it?”
“You’re so serious, Ichigo.”
As usual, she patted her younger sister Ichigo on the head.
“How you interpret ‘unnecessary’ depends on the situation. Personally, I think killing for its own sake is wrong. But this is about self-defense and academic research. Plus, as I said, sparing it might cause more problems later.”
“I don’t fully understand killing for its own sake, but I see your point. I’ll inform the others, so we can all observe during the operation.”
“Alright. Make sure to call everyone. Ringo, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes, ma’am, Commander.”