The crowd swallowed us the moment we stepped deeper into the Salt Hub. Instantly, people swarmed all around, their bodies crushing and squishing into ours. The loud sounds of people going about their business filled the air, drowning out any sounds that Cacophony or I could make. The borrowed rod rested lightly across Cacophony's shoulder, drawing a few curious glances as people squeezed past. Still, it seems that something about her demeanor caused any would-be thieves to think twice.
I continued to hold the bucket in one hand and to ensure that we didn't get separated, Cacophony tightly held my other hand as I led the way toward our final destination. Despite the cacophony of the Salt Hub—quite fitting, considering my companion's name—her grip remained steady, firm enough that I almost worried she'd crush my fingers without realizing it. Every so often, she'd give a small tug, guiding me around a large crate or a distracted vendor who nearly swung a net full of seaweed into my face.
The two of us drifted with the flow of bodies, swept through gaps in the crowd like debris carried along a river current. Luckily for us, we didn't have to walk across the entire four hundred feet length of the platform. Connected to the sides of the hub platform were multiple docks and fishing strips for anyone who wanted to use them. The strip that we were currently headed to was located only about fifty feet into the platform and on the right side.
We veered right, slipping through a narrow seam in the crowd where two elderly women were arguing over the price of dried squid.
"Veri," Cacophony murmured behind me, her voice soft but sharpened by amusement, "your reflexes are better than they were when I first awakened."
I dismissed her crude observation. "It's just my awesome observation haki in action."
Finally, we broke free from the densest part of the platform. The noise lessened just enough for our footsteps to become audible again, the boards beneath us groaning with tired familiarity. Compared to the sprawling chaos of the hub, this strip was both shorter and slimmer—only about ten feet wide and sixty feet long. As we entered the strip, a message was painted on the wood.
It read: Fishing Strip R-01
The two of us passed over it without giving it much thought, walking down the length of the strip to find a suitable spot. Up ahead, the strip stretched out in a straight line without any railing, dotted with scattered figures.
While not extremely popular, a decent number of people sat along the edge with their lines cast, looking to catch something to eat. Additionally, there were cheap fishing boats out on the water using fishing nets. If you also factored in the people at the other fishing strips, there really was a lot of competition.
As we continued, Cacophony loosened her grip on my hand, though she didn't fully release it.
The sounds of the Salt Hub lessened further as we went—dimming but never fading.
We continued down the strip toward the far end, the last ten feet of the strip, where fewer people had set up. Gentle splashing echoed below us, the tide pushing and pulling at the wooden pillars.
I surveyed the area. "Yeah. This is perfect. Not too crowded, not too noisy."
I then cleared my throat. "Could you—uh—well, could you free my hand?" I lifted our joined hands. "I require it to release my chi and make the fish gather."
"But I've grown rather fond of holding it," she murmured, tightening her fingers. "Who knows, if I let go, I very well may go flying away or get separated. Is that alright with you?"
The edge of my lip twitched. "If that happened, just call my demonic name three times in front of a reflection. If you do, I'll be summoned."
Cacophony chuckled as she let go of my hand. "I see. Now that I don't have to worry, let's get to work."
Cacophony let her hand fall back to her side, the ghost of amusement still tugging at her lips. Then, without ceremony, she lifted the fishing rod from her shoulder and extended it toward me.
"Here." She said. "You should be the one to do it since you're more used to modern equipment. I'll remain by your side as your support."
Tossing the bucket onto the wood, I accepted the rod with both hands, feeling its familiar weight settle into my palms. Inwardly, I sneered.
'Of course, she'd shove the actual labor onto me. When it's something this boring, who would want to do it themselves?'
I adjusted my grip on the fishing rod until it felt comfortable in my hands. "Very well. Observe closely. You may learn something today."
Unlike the majority of my words, these were based on the complete truth. Admittedly, I did have some knowledge when it came to fishing. It was impossible not to when you lived in the Aquatic Graveyard.
As Bruno had mentioned before, there was a lure at the end of the line, so I didn't need any bait. The only thing was, the lure was clearly handmade by the bulbous-nosed shortie. It was crude and unfashionable. While it did resemble a small fish, that resemblance was quite weak. It's only when I squinted that I realized what it was supposed to be.
I took note of the crappy lure, but I couldn't do anything about it at this point. Instead, I stepped forward, nearing the very edge of the strip. The wind lifted lightly off the water, brushing against my face as I checked the line, made sure the hook was good, and gave the rod a few confident, completely unnecessary flourishes to demonstrate my alleged mastery.
Once everything was set, I cast the line with a practiced flick.
The hook arced outward and dropped cleanly into the water with a soft plip, barely disturbing the water's surface. The bobber rocked once, then twice, then settled into the rhythmic sway of the tide.
"There," I declared, grinning and lowering the rod with a flourish. "Textbook execution."
"No doubt," Cacophony murmured, completely straight-faced.
With the first step completed, I sank onto the edge of the wooden strip, letting my legs dangle over the water. The planks were warm beneath me, heated by hours of sunlight. A second later, Cacophony did the same, sitting beside me, close enough that our shoulders brushed against one another.
I waited for her to say something, but she remained silent. For a brief moment, I considered speaking, but all I could think of were baseless delusions and statements of false grandeur. Usually, I would've gone ahead and said them, but I guess something about the atmosphere caused me to hold my tongue.
Cacophony kept her eyes on the bobber, watching it sway with unblinking interest. Meanwhile, I stared at the water's surface with a tinge of hope in my eyes.
'Maybe this won't be so bad.'
And so, time passed.
***
The feeling of something pulling at my hair caused my tired eyes to weakly open.
"Huh?"
A sharp tug jolted my scalp again.
My consciousness clawed its way back from the abyss of boredom-induced sleep, and I blinked blearily at the world. At the edge of my vision, I saw a strange blob of white blocking my view. When I turned my head to face it, the creature tilted its head and met my gaze.
A seagull was standing on my shoulder, seemingly unbothered by my waking up. After staring at me, it leaned forward and resumed yanking on strands of my hair.
"Wh—HEY!" I flailed, nearly dropping the fishing rod. "Unhand me, foul sky-rat!"
The gull screamed directly into my face, an unholy sound that rattled my eardrums, then hopped backward with a flap of white wings. Dissatisfied with my defiance, the bird flapped its wings fiercely and flew upward.
Before I could try and grab it, the damnned thing flew away.
Instantly, I faced Cacophony. "Why didn't you wake me up?!"
"There didn't seem to be any need. Neither you nor the bird was in danger. And the seagull seemed to be having fun."
A frown plastered itself atop my handsome, kingly features. I looked down at the bobber in the water.
'How long has it been? Isn't a fish going to take a bite? There's no way that Bruno's lure is that bad! Ah, this is exactly why I hate fishing! A waste of time trying to catch an animal that doesn't even taste all that great! Earlier, I imagined hunting stray cats, that's not sounding like such a crazy idea right about now...'
My soul felt as though it were on the verge of collapse.
The clock continued to tick, second by second, minute by minute. All the while, it didn't look like we were getting closer to reaching our goal.
'And she says that we're doing this for me. So that I don't go hungry and get good nutrition... Stuff like that is totally overrated! If this is the cost, I don't need it!'
Just then, an idea sparked in my dying mind, and my eyelids shot open. I turned to Cacophony with a voice dripping with excitement.
"That's what this is! Man, you really had me going there. You shouldn't do that to people!"
Caught off guard, Cacophony took three seconds before she spoke. "Have I done something?"
"You don't have to pretend anymore. It's the literal elephant in the room. I was just so caught up with my hatred for fishing that I didn't see it until now. You're doing one of those things where you tease me by keeping quiet about something and waiting for me to notice. Whelp, you don't have to wait any longer. I've caught you."
Cacophony nodded slowly. "And, what is it that you've realized exactly?"
I smiled. "I'm glad you asked, my dear Watson! This whole time, you could've just used magic to make our problem go away! Man, what a joke. Come on, come on, cast a spell that makes all the fish gather at our feet. Actually, let's go all out and make those whims, Jack and Bruno, super jealous! A dolphin! No, a whale! No, no, it has to be a great white shark! Hurry up and use a spell to call 'em over!"
As a self-proclaimed magic enthusiast, it's shocking that it took me this long to realize something so simple!
Met with my overwhelming excitement for magic, Cacophony gave a resigned exhale. She chose her words carefully, "...Veri, that's not how magic works."
I gave her a thousand-yard stare in return. "Oh, please," I scoffed, flicking my wrist dramatically. "You're the Vampire Empress. A woman who probably once snapped her fingers and caused eclipses or whatever. Don't tell me summoning a shark is the line you won't cross. And—alright, you know what, fine! I get it, we've got to keep a low profile and whatnot, so we can settle for a couple of regular fish."
The refined Empress shook her head. "No, I truly do mean that it's not possible. At the very least, I cannot do it."
I stared at her, absolutely dumbfounded. I motioned toward the water. "But, it's magic. You can do anything with it as long as you have the mana—or, no, I guess it's spiritual energy, right?"
"Incorrect." Cacophony raised a finger and pointed at the fishing rod in my hand. "Can that rod summon fire?"
"Obviously not... What's your point?"
"In that same vein, magic isn't an automatic solution for every problem. Magic is not wishful thinking given power. It is a precise, delicate art governed by rules, rituals, and technical constraints. Every spell is designed with a particular purpose in mind, and that purpose tends to be quite narrow. Spiritual energy serves as the base material; a mage is someone who has mastered the art of weaving it."
Cacophony gazed upward and picked out her next words. "In many ways, I would say that it's akin to what you call science. The creation of even a single spell requires rigorous studying, understanding, and experimentation. Some spells can take years or decades to be completed. And every single mage who casts a spell must have a deep understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind that spell. For that reason, a mage's combat arsenal tends to focus on only one or two spells."
...
I was far too shocked to formulate a reply.
'So mages aren't mystical jacks of all trades; instead, they're specialized scientists. Wait. Wait—hold on. What? Specialized? Technical? Narrow purpose? A mage's arsenal is only one or two spells!'
My heart plummeted so fast I nearly dropped the rod.
'But magic is meant to be the ultimate cosmic cheat code; it's not supposed to have limits. But if that's true, then the mysterious forbidden arts I've always worshiped…'
I felt defeated; the cruelty of this world had bested me.
Cacophony watched me quietly, her legs swaying idly over the edge of the wooden strip. The tide rose and fell beneath us, almost mockingly calm.
Slowly, she tilted her head. "You seem… troubled."
'That's putting it lightly.'
I spoke in a whisper. "No comment."
'If a fish doesn't bite soon, I think I might jump into the ocean and grab one of those scaled suckers.'
Cacophony hummed once, soft and contemplative. Her eyes flicked from my devastated face to the motionless bobber and back again. Then she asked, as if reading the perfect moment to twist the dagger, "Veri, you seem to have a deep hatred for fishing. Given your personality, I can understand why that'd be the case. Still, there must be another reason you avoid it."
"Oh, that's easy. Fishing is one of humanity's greatest evils."
"...So you truly just hate the waiting that much?"
"I loathe the waiting."
Cacophony poked further. "And the smell?"
"I abhor the smell."
"And the unpredictability?"
"It might as well be a personal attack on my honor."
"And the food?"
"I absolutely detest the—wait, huh?"
"The food. The fact that fishing will keep you fed. You spend your money on television for entertainment, a radio for safety, and rent for housing, but you didn't buy a fishing rod for food. If you had, then you wouldn't have to spend as much money on other food sources."
I grimaced. "That's sound logic."
"So? What's the answer? Truthfully, why do you not buy a fishing rod of your own? At the moment, it might be out of the question, but when you still scavenged, there must've been a point where it was feasible. Tell me, is the taste of fish just that terrible?"
"Well... It's... Actually, I've got some history with evil sea devils; it's a long, tired story. Even so, I'd be happy to tell it to you!"
As the next words were about to escape my lips, my head naturally turned to the water. Suddenly, I felt an odd sensation in my chest. I couldn't quite place what it was, but it filled me with worry.
BLOOP.
The bobber violently jerked.
Cacophony blinked, gaze snapping to the water. "Veri," she said calmly, "something is—"
BLOOP-BLOOP!
The bobber vanished beneath the surface—yanked down with such force that the rod nearly tore itself from my hands. In the heartbeat that followed, the world narrowed to the violent pull of the line. My grip locked around the handle, knuckles blanching, as something unseen below dragged me forward with primal, merciless strength.