Chapter 176: The Merfolk (3)
Where have I seen that before? Ketal’s thoughts churned as he gazed at the scene unfolding before him. He struggled to pinpoint why the sight felt so oddly familiar. Was it during one of those raid dungeons? I can’t remember exactly...
That was rare for him. Every major incident he’d experienced since stepping outside of the White Snowfield, every brush with death and every strange encounter, was stored in his memory in vivid detail.
Yet, right now, no matter how hard he tried to recall, the answer evaded him. Not remembering was a foreign feeling, and Ketal did not like it. It gnawed at him, a small but persistent splinter in the back of his mind.
His reverie was interrupted as the massive leader of the sea primates, having gorged itself, finally lumbered away from the freshly ravaged carcass.
No sooner had the leader withdrawn than the rest of the horde surged forward, eyes wild with hunger. They moved as one—a mass of writhing limbs, fur, and teeth—diving on what remained of the enormous whale.
The sound was sickening, echoing through the area like the snapping of dry bones beneath winter ice. In a matter of moments, the gigantic whale was completely devoured. Not even a single bone remained to mark its passing. The appetite of the sea apes was monstrous, unfathomable.
With their bellies full, the apes no longer rampaged in a wild frenzy. Instead, they scattered throughout the sunken city, their movements deliberate and predatory, but no longer desperate. Aquaz’s eyes narrowed, the faint light of divine power flickering around her.
“It doesn’t seem like they’re just destroying the city for fun,” she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
The apes had begun to tear down the homes and coral structures of the merfolk. At first glance, it looked like senseless destruction—mindless beasts venting their rage on whatever they encountered.
But Ketal saw something more. The apes didn’t simply smash and scatter. They moved with intention, gathering the pieces of broken coral, torn kelp, and shattered shells. They piled the debris methodically, occasionally pausing to rearrange or inspect their growing hoard. It became clear that this was not random chaos.
Then, with a gasp, Aquaz pointed. “Look there.”
“They’re building something,” Ketal replied, his voice calm but tinged with intrigue. “Those apes are constructing new homes out of the ruins. The merfolk’s dwellings were always too small for creatures of their size.”