**Ichthyocentaur Woman Saves Me from Drowning**
“Wait a moment, where are you going?”
The woman is flustered by me, who set out alone in a boat.
“Where am I going? I’m going to save my companion. I’ll draw that guy towards the shallows.”
“What are you talking about? There’s no way you can do that with such a small boat. It’ll sink in one hit.”
“If you think so, then help me.”
The woman’s words caught in her throat. Then, she let out a deep sigh.
“There’s no choice. Let’s try. But I can’t go on land, so you’ll have to deal with it alone.”
“Understood. But please lure my companion as far as you can, and then provide support from there.”
She nodded and turned her back to me.
“Here, grab on. I’ll run at full speed, so don’t fall off.”
I replied that I understood, but in reality, I had no idea what she looked like. Trembling, I stepped into the sea and grabbed onto her back. I felt something like a thick torso. From the surface of the water, it looked like a horse with fish fins. It resembled a Capricorn I had met before.
“Alright, I’m going to dive. Hold your breath.”
Before I could reply, she submerged herself in the sea. With a powerful undulation, she sped through the water. I slightly opened my eyes that were closed. The saltwater stung, so I didn’t want to open them for long. Vaguely, I could see a large shadow ahead. She kicked the water towards that shadow.
Each time I closed and opened my eyes, the shadow approached closer and closer. The water pressure pushed against my chest, and I could barely hold on to her waist to avoid being blown away. The horse-like torso had short, stiff hair, and my hands kept slipping.
As she approached the monster’s eyes, she kicked off its back and turned. The Uduras, who had been tapped on the shoulder, looked back as if to ask what was happening. It had a round head, a mouth lined with shark-like teeth, and short legs. It skillfully maneuvered with its legs and came towards us.
Swaying its large body, it charged as if pushing aside the water. As soon as she saw its figure, the Ichthyocentaur Woman also turned and ascended to the surface. Squinting into the approaching dazzling light, I closed my eyes. The next moment, she burst through the sea surface, and with me still clinging to her, she leaped into the sky. The clear blue sky spread out before my eyes. I exhaled the breath I had been holding in my lungs.
However, this brief moment of rest was short-lived. At a speed like a rollercoaster, the water surface approached again. I quickly inhaled. We returned underwater, but not very deep, and began to escape near the sea surface. Looking back, the Uduras was chasing us with its mouth open. The plan had worked, but due to the difference in size, it was rapidly closing the distance. I shouted with all my might.
“H-hey, it’s coming! It’s going to catch up!”
“I know!”
She replied, but it was only a matter of time before we were both swallowed whole.
