"Chirp-"
Just as Nishikawa Tetsu and Minato were about to step into the enormous building shaped like a blooming lotus, the Giant Sea Hare behind them suddenly let out a strange cry.
They turned around, only to see its hill-sized body beginning to shrink!
There was a soft pop.
The imposing deep-sea beast vanished, replaced by a palm-sized, translucent miniature sea hare floating in midair like a little blob of jelly.
Its two tiny feelers wiggled playfully, and its small, glossy black eyes watched Nishikawa Tetsu. It even spun a nimble circle in the air.
Nishikawa Tetsu stared, dumbfounded.
"Holy shit, you're something else! You can take a beating, heal yourself, move fast, and now you can change your size whenever you want?!" Nishikawa Tetsu could not resist reaching out to poke the soft little blob of jelly in midair.
"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"
The miniature sea hare seemed to understand Nishikawa Tetsu's amazement. Clearly pleased, it bobbed up and down in the air, chirping happily as though showing off its new skill. Then it slowly floated ahead of them to act as their guide.
"This creature's physiology really is extraordinary," Minato marveled as he watched the miniature sea hare leading the way.
Following their tiny guide, the two entered the lotus-shaped building.
After passing through a corridor made from an unknown metal, with softly glowing crystals embedded along both sides, they arrived in an exceptionally spacious circular hall.
At the center stood an enormous device resembling a holographic projection platform. The surrounding walls were densely packed with futuristic-looking screens, consoles, and a complex web of connection ports for pipes and cables.
"Judging by the layout, this could very well be the city's control center!"
Nishikawa Tetsu's eyes lit up instantly. Like a treasure hunter entering a mountain of riches, he