BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM C.1031: High Waves, Higher Stakes (4)

The Chimaeric Demon acted. It bit into the monster's flesh, leaving a gaping wound on it and prompting the creature to leave his brother from the vicious grip. The two clones then put

some space between them and the thaid.

They exchanged glances, with the unharmed clone asking to his brother if he was ok, to which The replied he was.

Communication wasn't easy without the ability to speak, but the Chimaeric Demons had come up long ago with a series of communication methods based on facial expressions and gazes.

Then the two circled their opponent. Their initial clumsiness in the water was fading as they grew accustomed to their new bodies and the surrounding water, but it still wasn't easy to move, not like they wanted.

The only silver lining to the situation was that they were obviously faster and stronger than the sea thaid, but that didn't mean he couldn't hurt them.

However, this was a creature born and developed in the sea. It was much more experienced than them in underwater movements, and for sure, it was better than them at fighting under water.

The sea thaid eyed them with fury, and a slight tint of madness.

One of the Chimaeric Demons made the first move. He darted forward, his powerful tail propelling him through the water with increasing confidence.

The sea thaid tried to dodge the missile like attack, but his improved control allowed him to adjust his course. His teeth sank into the thaid's flank, tearing away scales and flesh.

The creature let out a loud, high-pitched cry of pain, like a whale's. The clones had never seen a whale because they went extinct centuries ago, eaten by thaids that spread in the water back then, but if they imagined one, it must have been like what they just heard.

The sound was muffled by the water, but was still powerful enough to send vibrations through the Chimaeric Demons' bodies.

After the screech, the creature whipped its tail around, aiming to dislodge the clone still on it, but he held firm and resisted the attacks.

The other Chimaeric Demon, the wounded one, saw his chance. While the thaid was distracted by the first, he charged, ramming the creature from below, on the creature's not-so-soft underbelly.

That made the other clone's wound more grievous.

The sea creature flailed, growing increasingly desperate as it battled against its two attackers. It finally shook off the clone chomping on it, but the other was quick to take his place, latching onto one of the thaid's fins.

The other, now free, circled around for another attack. He noticed that the thaid's movements were slowing down because of the blood loss. In fact, the sea was becoming blood red. It could be seen even from the surface.

The Chimaeric Demons were too smart to leave this chance to go. With a thrust of his tail, the clones shot forward, aiming for the thaid's gills.

He and his brother still needed to understand the proper way to fight underwater, but ripping off the monster's gills, or at least damaging it, would lead to the equivalent of suffocation for any land or flying thaid, at least in theory.

The clone's teeth sank into the flesh of the thaid's gills, and the creature let out another screech, the equivalent of a scream of agony. It bucked and twisted, trying to shake off its attacker, but the clones were stronger than it.

At that point, they started to have a clear picture of how to move underwater.

The clone currently pinning the monster with his mouth, seeing his brother's success, released his hold on the thaid's fin and swam around to its other side.

He, too, targeted the gills, but the thaid used its brain crystal power and blinded both of the clones. However, while the attack from the second clone failed, the first one was still attached to it.

It must have been a truly bizarre and uncomfortable experience for a fishlike thaid to find itself in combat against intelligent species.

Although these enemies appeared, based on its instinctive judgment, to belong to the same race, the situation was foreign and unsettling, because they used tactics it had never seen using. It didn't know what a tactic was, of course, but he could sense the battle was too hard than it should've been.

The sea thaid's struggles became even more desperate. It knew it had only a brief window of opportunity before the clones, currently blinded, would regain their sight and attack again.

It spun and rolled, its body sending currents swirling through the water above. But the Chimaeric Demons matched its movements with ease at that point.

Blood clouded the surrounding water, making visibility difficult. But the Chimaeric Demons didn't need to see clearly at that point. They could feel the thaid's weakening struggles and sense the slowing of its movements by sensing the water movements. The blood loss was too great.

Just as victory seemed within the Chimaeric Demons' grasp, a voice echoed in their minds. It was Erik. He was reading his clones' mind, so he had a rough understanding of what was happening.

"Hold back. I need to analyse the creature before you finish it. I need to find out how strong it is and how it compares to the other thaids we will find. Lure it to the surface. Use its rage

against it."

The Chimaeric Demons quickly let go of the sea thaid. They couldn't ignore a command from their creator. Their only job was to fulfill his wishes and keep him safe.

Swimming back, they created some space between themselves and the prey they had wounded. Their sudden retreat left the thaid confused, causing it to stay in the deep, struggling to breathe through its injured gills.

The two clones exchanged a glance, then swam upwards. They moved slowly at first, almost

teasingly.

Despite its pain and exhaustion, the sea thaid succumbed to its predatory instincts and took the bait. Driven by a strong and primal rage, the same one that affected all thaids, it surged forward, intent on not allowing its tormentors to escape from it.