LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 3: Shadows in the Deep
Chapter 3: Shadows in the Deep
[In the depths of the Pacific – Mariana Trench]
Oblivion descended into the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. The pressure here was immense, enough to crush a submarine like an empty can, but Oblivion felt nothing. The metallic hum that had guided him since his awakening was strongest here, resonating from the earth's core. He sensed a vast deposit of nickel-iron, far larger than any he had consumed before. It lay deep within the earth's crust, accessible through a network of hydrothermal vents.
As he approached the vents, he detected another presence, smaller and more… artificial. The metallic hum was distorted by the rhythmic clang of machinery. He rounded a bend in the trench and saw them: human submersibles, clustered around a massive drilling platform. Powerful lights illuminated the area, revealing the intricate network of pipes and drills boring into the seabed. They were extracting resources, just as he was.
Oblivion paused, observing the human activity. He didn't sense any aggression from them, so he focused on their activity. He could easily bypass them and reach the nickel-iron deposit, but he was curious. He had inherited memories of his human life, fragmented and incomplete, but they were there. He watched as the submersibles moved around the platform, their robotic arms collecting samples of rock and metal.
Suddenly, one of the submersibles, a small, two-person craft, strayed from the group. Its powerful floodlights swept across the trench, illuminating the jagged rocks and strange, bioluminescent creatures that clung to them. Then, the light fell on something much larger.
The two divers inside the submersible froze. Their breath hitched in their throats. For a moment, they could only stare in stunned silence at the colossal silhouette that loomed in the distance, partially obscured by the murky water. It was vaguely reptilian, immense, with a long, reptilian body and what appeared to be spines or plates running down its back. The light caught the glint of something metallic on its head – a horn, perhaps? – before the creature turned and descended further into the darkness, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.
"Did you… did you see that?" one of the divers stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
The other diver, his eyes wide with fear, fumbled for the radio. "Deep Core Ops, this is Submersible Delta-7. We have a… an unidentified visual. Repeat, unidentified visual. Large… extremely large. We sighted a silhouette. Possibly biological. It's… gone now."
Before they could transmit more details, the connection became staticy, the signal lost due to the trench's depth. The divers were left staring at the empty space where the silhouette had been, their hearts pounding in their chests.
[Pan Pacific Defense Corps HQ – Shatterdome – 2024]
Ten years had passed since Trespasser's devastating attack on San Francisco (2014), and the world was reeling. The Kaiju attacks had escalated in both frequency and scale. The Jaeger program, though promising, had proven unsustainable, with each deployment costing billions and often resulting in significant collateral damage. The Wall project was nearing completion, a desperate attempt to create a physical barrier against the Kaiju.
In the Shatterdome, Marshal Pentecost reviewed the latest reports. The disappearance of Karloff was still a major concern. But even more troubling was the discovery made by the Jaeger teams at the battle site.
"Marshal," Dr. Aris Thorne reported, displaying a series of microscopic images on the main screen. "We've analyzed the samples taken from the seabed. It is simply fascinating… it has a strange effect on the surrounding environment. It's… regenerating."
The images showed dead coral, bleached white by the Kaiju's toxic blood, now showing signs of rapid regrowth. Tiny polyps were sprouting, and vibrant colors were returning to the reef.
"Regenerating?" Pentecost frowned. "How is that possible?"
"We don't know," Thorne admitted. "The Kaiju blood is highly toxic, yet whatever was in that sample seems to be acting as some kind of catalyst for life. It's… absurd."
[Flashback – Anchorage, Alaska – 2013]
A younger Marshal Pentecost stood in a dimly lit hangar, observing the construction of the first Jaegers. Beside him stood a young Raleigh Becket, a promising Jaeger pilot.
"These machines," Raleigh said, gazing up at the towering frame of Gipsy Danger, "they're our only hope, right?"
Pentecost placed a hand on Raleigh's shoulder. "They have to be, son. Or we will all lose."
(Present – Shatterdome)
Pentecost shook his head, the memory a bittersweet reminder of a time when hope was still plentiful. Now, the situation was dire. The Kaiju were evolving, adapting, and now, there was this new phenomenon of regeneration. And the report from Deep Core Operations… it all felt connected.
[In the depths of the Pacific – Mariana Trench]
Oblivion reached the nickel-iron deposit, a vast, metallic mountain rising from the trench floor. As he began to consume the metal, a new memory surfaced from the depths of his inherited consciousness. It wasn't a vision of another beast, but something more… abstract. A sensation, a feeling of his own form shifting, expanding, contracting. He focused his will, drawing on the energy that flowed through him, and felt a strange tingling sensation spread through his body. Something was… changing. He wasn't sure what, but he felt different, like a new potential had been unlocked within him. He instinctively knew this newfound ability would be invaluable, a powerful tool in the battles to come.
(Time Skip - Several Weeks Later)
Oblivion had spent the intervening months consuming vast quantities of metal, growing steadily larger and more powerful. The nascent bud on his forehead had now fully formed into a second horn, mirroring the first, its golden etchings glowing faintly in the darkness. He now stood at approximately seventy meters tall, a formidable predator even in the crushing depths of the ocean. He had also mastered the strange sensation he had experienced in the Mariana Trench, practicing it in the secluded depths. It felt… unnatural, a manipulation of his very being, but he could now control it with increasing precision.
He was hunting a school of bioluminescent fish when he sensed a familiar disturbance in the water. It was the same primal aggression he had felt before, the same distinct lack of a metallic resonance. Another Kaiju. But this time, the disturbance was distant, faint, originating far to the east. He sensed the creature moving towards the surface, its massive form disrupting the currents.
Oblivion, with his enhanced senses honed by his constant growth and the inherited memories, could perceive these disturbances from vast distances, even through the dense ocean water. His unique physiology, adapted for the vastness of space, allowed him to perceive subtle changes in pressure, temperature, and even the electrical fields generated by living beings. This allowed him to observe events without alerting anyone to his presence.
Oblivion paused, sensing no immediate threat to himself. He decided to observe.
[Coastal California – The Wall – 2025]
The Wall, a colossal structure of reinforced concrete and steel, stretched for miles along the Californian coastline. It was humanity's last line of defense, a desperate attempt to hold back the tide of Kaiju that had ravaged the world for over a decade. But even the Wall proved insufficient.
The Kaiju, designated "Knifehead," emerged from the ocean with terrifying speed. It was a Category IV, its head shaped like a massive blade, its body covered in thick, bony plates. It charged towards the Wall, its powerful limbs churning the water into a frothing mass.
The Wall's automated defenses opened fire, launching a barrage of missiles and artillery shells. But Knifehead shrugged off the attacks, its thick hide deflecting the explosions. It reached the Wall and slammed into it with immense force. The concrete buckled and cracked, then shattered, sending chunks of debris flying. A massive breach had been created.
A Jaeger was deployed immediately, rushing to intercept the Kaiju before it could reach the populated areas inland. A fierce battle ensued, the Jaeger using its plasma cannons and melee weapons to engage the monstrous creature. But Knifehead was relentless, its bladed head slicing through the air, its powerful tail smashing against the Jaeger.
After a brutal fight, Knifehead was finally brought down, but not without heavy losses. The Jaeger was severely damaged, and the breach in the Wall was significant. The world watched in horror as the Kaiju threat once again breached humanity's defenses.
[Pan Pacific Defense Corps HQ – Shatterdome]
In the Shatterdome, Marshal Pentecost watched the battle unfold on the monitors, his face grim. The destruction of the Wall was a major setback, a clear sign that their current strategies were failing.
"We need to rebuild the Wall," Pentecost said, his voice heavy. "And we need to find a better way to fight these things."
"Marshal," Dr. Aris Thorne interrupted, his voice urgent. "We've received new data from our deep-sea monitoring stations. There's something… unusual happening in the Pacific."
Thorne displayed a series of graphs and sonar readings on the main screen. "We've detected unusual energy signatures, concentrated in the area where the other Kaiju fought. It was not a Kaiju signatures, but it's definitely something biological. And its helping… rejuvenate."
Pentecost's eyes narrowed. "Rejuvanating? Like the areas where that unknown creature's blood was found?"
"Exactly," Thorne confirmed. "But these signatures are much stronger, much more widespread. It's as if something is actively… healing the ocean. And the samples we collected had some unique golden colored blood, it is unlike any Kaiju blood we've ever seen."
Another officer then spoke up, "Also, we have received reports from deep sea mining operations of a large silhouette that appears to be biological. It's not a Kaiju signature and it has been sighted near the Mariana trench."
A tense silence filled the Shatterdome. The implications were clear. Something else was in the Pacific, something powerful and unknown. Was it another type of Kaiju, one that hadn't attacked yet? Or was it something else entirely? The destruction of the Wall, the regeneration effect, the mysterious energy signatures, and now the reports of a large silhouette… it all pointed to a new and terrifying threat.
[In the depths of the Pacific – Near the Breach]
Oblivion had followed the distant disturbance to the surface, observing the chaos from below. He saw the massive creature, Knifehead, breach the Wall, and he watched the smaller, metallic forms – Jaegers – engage it in battle. He observed their movements, their weapons, their coordinated attacks. They built machines to fight creatures like that? he thought, a flicker of understanding passing through his mind. Interesting. He also felt a familiar energy signature from the place he had fought the other Kaiju. My body…it appears to have some sort of effect on this planet's ecosystem.
Suddenly, the water around him began to churn violently. Another Kaiju was emerging, even larger than Knifehead. It was another Category IV, its massive form dwarfing the damaged Wall. Oblivion felt a pull to intervene, but he held back, observing the unfolding events. He could sense another Kaiju appearing ,a second Kaiju, creating the double event.