The structure of the antennae is extremely delicate, and its unexpected destruction could cause the mine itself to explode. Moreover, each mine had four antennae, so the work of modifying the mines was extremely nerve-wracking. Noda came up to the deck from his nap area at the bottom of the ship, holding a cup of coffee that he was happy to have recently become available.
Shikishima accepted the coffee and took a moment to enjoy its aroma.
"When I smell this scent, I feel that recovery is progressing."
"Mr. Shiki, aren't you sleeping? Let's switch places."
"No, this was the last modification work. The modification of these two mines is now complete."
"Thank you for your hard work. I apologize for entrusting you with this nerve-wracking work."
"No, I couldn't sleep anyway."
"You haven't slept at all?"
"When I think that the other thing might be GOJIRA...
"I understand. Sometimes I can't sleep when I think about the war."
"I want to kill the enemy. But at the same time, I find him irresistibly scary."
When Shikishima said that, his expression suddenly changed. Seeing the expression on Shikishima's face as he stared at something on the surface of the sea, Noda also lifted his hips.
"What's wrong?"
Shikishima ran from where he was sitting to the opposite edge of the ship and pointed at the sea surface.
"Deep sea fish..."
As if waiting for those words, the deep-sea fish, unable to withstand the sudden change in water pressure, began floating to the surface one after another with their stomachs sticking out.
Some of them even had eyeballs that bulged out in an ugly way.
Their numbers were incomparable to those seen on Odo Island and around the transport ship, and they increased in number to the point that they covered the surface of the sea where they floated.
"Is this?"
"······come!"
Shikishima shouted loudly as he rang the bell.
"Alert! It's GOJIRA. GOJIRA is coming."
Akitsu came onto the deck with Mizushima in tow, wearing a jacket, and was a little nervous about the situation as he quickly gave instructions to each member of the team.
"They're coming, kid! Be ready to drop mines at any time. Shikishima, get your machine guns ready!"
Shikishima was frightened by the number of deep-sea fish and advised Akitsu.
"Let's run away. After all, this is not an opponent we can fight on this ship. We can make it now."
I had a rough idea of the damage caused by the transport ship, but the number of deep-sea fish clearly showed that GOJIRA was much larger than it had been on Odo Island.
Chief, let's take a look at what's going on."
Noda agreed, but Akitsu ignored that and ran up the Monkey Rattle to the control deck, picking up the compass.
"Watch behind the scholar. Report from time to time."
"Chief!"
Akitsu picked up a radio and began communicating with Kaishin Maru.
"It looks like Yakko-san will appear from the Shinsei Maru to the Kaishin Maru. Get ready."
A surprising answer came back from Kaishin Maru.
"We'll take the credit for exterminating the monster."
"That bastard"
As you can see, activity on board the Kaishin Maru has increased.
Mizushima complained in a voice that sounded like he was about to cry.
"Captain!"
"If we run away here, we won't be able to make it to Takao in time. Then, where will the monster go? I don't want to see Tokyo become a sea of fire again."
"Even Mr. Cho doesn't like the instructions from the government, right?"
"Oh, I don't like it. But, someone has to draw the poor lottery."
Akitsu seemed determined. Certainly, in order to contain the threat of GOJIRA, someone would have to take the initiative. But is this "situation" like GOJIRA something that a wooden minesweeper can handle?
When Shikishima thought this, the answer appeared cruelly before his eyes. When the sea surface suddenly rose, Godzilla thrust its head above the surface, grabbed Kaishin Maru in its mouth, and dragged it underwater. It happened in an instant. The crew of the Kaishin Maru would have been dragged to the bottom of the ocean, unaware of what had happened
And Godzilla was far bigger than anyone could have imagined. Its surface had changed to an incredibly rugged texture compared to when it was on Odo Island, and Shikishima had undergone such a transformation that he couldn't even tell if it was the same GOJIRA from back then.
It seems that Akitsu has finally realized that this is not an easy case. This is a case that goes far beyond "justice" and "duty." Facing this thing called Godzilla is equivalent to confronting God.
"This...it's impossible no matter how much I try!"
Akitsu raised the engine throttle all at once in order to make an escape move. The engine screamed and stopped due to the sudden acceleration. It stopped... Mizushima and Shikishima turned to each other with wide eyes. The smell of burning oil...it seemed like the smell of death to both of them.Pitch black smoke is pouring out from the engine room.
"Scholar, engine!"
Noda, his face black with soot, emerged from the smoke, brandishing his tools, and shouted.
"I'm doing it now!"
Godzilla's dorsal fin, which destroyed Kaishin Maru with a single blow, rose to the surface of the sea like a small mountain. Then it started moving straight towards Shinsei Maru. The dorsal fin is getting closer and closer.
If such mass and speed collided with Shinsei Maru, this wooden ship would be easily destroyed to pieces. And it was only a few seconds away. After a few tense seconds that seemed like an eternity, Noda popped his head out of the engine compartment and shouted.
"Raise the throttle!"
When Akitsu raised the throttle lever, the regular sound of the engine could be heard coming from the engine room. However, the ship does not start moving easily. A certain amount of preliminary movement is required to move this mass.
The moment her dorsal fin was close enough to touch, Shinsei Maru finally began to move slowly.The resulting spray of water wets the stern of the Shinsei Maru, and Godzilla's dorsal fin passes right behind the Shinsei Maru, and Godzilla's dorsal fin passes right behind the Shinsei Maru.
Behind Shinsei Maru, which had finally gained speed, Godzilla, who had begun chasing her, began to slowly change direction. If we don't pull Godzilla away at this moment, he will surely catch up with him. And that meant the death of the entire Shinsei Maru crew.
"Drop the mines"
"He is almost here. We won't make it in time."
"He'll still do anything!"
In response to Akitsu's protest, Noda pushed a modified mine suspended from the davit crane at the stern above the sea surface.
When the dropping device was activated, the mine landed in the water and slowly approached Godzilla, swaying in the triangular waves created by the Shinsei Maru. When the mine was about to land on Godzilla's dorsal fin, Akitsu shouted.
"Now! Scholar!"
"It's close!"
Mizushima snatched the switch box from Noda who hesitated.
"Let's do it!"
Boom!
A huge column of water erupted, drowning out Godzilla's dorsal fin.
Amidst the spray of water from the mine explosions that rained down like a squall, everyone strained their eyes, hoping that Godzilla had inflicted a fatal wound on them.
However, Godzilla, completely unharmed, appeared as if pushing through the water column.The face raised to the surface of the sea is huge! Even the explosion of the mine at close range did little damage to Godzilla.
"It's not working"
"Bad, bad!"
Akitsu shouts.
"Shikishima! Fire the machine gun!"
Shikishima jumped onto his machine gun turret and grabbed his gun grip. At that moment, the tragedy of Odo Island flashed through Shikishima's mind. Godzilla's attack... Friends I want to protect. Machine gun in hand.
Shikishima noticed that his hands were shaking. Shikishima doesn't shoot easily, so Akitsu, who is impatient, yells in anger.
"Shikishima!"
Shikishima snapped and fired his machine gun. Once he started, he continued to fire like an addict. Replaced his magazine and fired more at once. However, Godzilla continues to pursue Shinsei Maru as if he doesn't care about such things.
It was completely different from the GOJIRA of Odo Island, which was also reacting to rifle bullets.
"No! It's useless!"
Behind Shikishima, who looked back at Akitsu, Godzilla raised his head wide and was about to pounce on Shinsei Maru. Noda came up with a method to capture the image of Godzilla with its mouth open and its fangs bared.
"Inside its mouth...what about inside its mouth?"
Noda and Mizushima immediately operated the davit crane and dropped the second mine. Godzilla's jaws were right in front of him.If this mine were to explode, the damage to Shinsei Maru would be considerable.
However, if things continue like this, their very survival is in jeopardy. While crawling under the machine gun emplacement and lying face down, Noda twisted the switch connected to the mine. The mine was unresponsive and was bouncing inside Godzilla's mouth.
Unexpectedly, Noda and Mizushima pulled the wire connected to the mine, only to find that it had been torn off midway. It seems that it was caused by being rubbed by Godzilla's sharp teeth while being shaken by the waves.