He drifted toward the sea.
On a plain on the seabed stood a large number of buildings, all made of stone.
Quite a few Starry Sky Octopuses swam through the city's passageways.
From time to time, low, murmuring voices could be heard.
He descended into the city, gently waving his tentacles to maintain his balance.
The surrounding octopuses glanced at him, then looked away and went back to their business.
He swam forward, his tentacles moving steadily through the water.
Many shops lined the passageways.
A sign hung outside one shop, bearing words in the Starry Sky Octopuses' own script-"Fresh Seaweed."
He glanced inside. Behind the counter stood an octopus selling something to another octopus. Several clumps of green seaweed rested on the counter.
He continued swimming forward.
A shop selling ornaments displayed a wide variety of designs in its window.
Although they wore no clothes, they still appreciated beauty, giving rise to a trade in ornaments.
Female Starry Sky Octopuses wore the most ornaments.
A tool shop displayed all sorts of tools in its window, some made of metal and others of minerals and similar materials.
Their shapes were strange. Some resembled wrenches, others screwdrivers, and still others pliers.
A food shop displayed blocks of various colors in its window-some blue, some purple, and some orange.
"This place isn't much different from a human city," he muttered.
An octopus passed him, carrying a bag in one tentacle. Inside were several blue blocks, apparently food it had bought.
Everything looked peaceful, with no hint that this civilization had established more than a dozen enormous testing grounds.
But on reflection, that made sense. Not every member of a species could possibly be involved in something like that.
After all, their levels of strength differed.
From what Odin could sense, none of