Godzilla Can Swim

Until recently, he'd never understood how Godzilla could move so effortlessly through the sea. For something that big, it didn't make sense. He used to joke that maybe Godzilla had rocket boosters hidden in his thighs or used some kind of gas propulsion system to push himself forward.

But now? Now he knew.

It wasn't just about muscle. It was the way his body worked with the water instead of against it. His tail moved with long, sweeping motions, acting like a giant rudder and engine at the same time. 

His thick legs tucked in when needed, and his chest expanded just enough to control buoyancy. His dorsal plates cut through the current like blades, helping him stay balanced and stable.

He swam for what felt like dozens of hours, cruising at around fifty to sixty kilometers an hour. 

Every now and then, he'd snatch up some unlucky fish or come ashore to hunt land-based creatures. The further he traveled, the more varied the monsters became. 

Contrary to what some games suggested, the difficulty didn't always ramp up the deeper you went. Sure, a few monsters gave him a decent fight, but none matched the kraken.

Most encounters were over before they really started. Usually, one strike was enough. Two at most. The realization that he was now one of the strongest beings of his size gave him a quiet confidence. 

One time, he ran into a massive lizard covered in jagged, rock-like scales. It was earth colored and about the same size as him. From the way it looked and moved, he guessed it was one of those fantasy-style earth dragons.

His draconic blood stirred slightly, reacting to the beast's presence. Though it wasn't a true dragon, more like a distant cousin or dragon type beast, it still showed signs of intelligence and magical ability. 

It had potential maybe even close to the real deal. For a moment, Belial was curious. 

Then he casually smacked it aside, sending it crashing into the ground and opening a crater wider than his own body. The impact left the creature bleeding from its ears, bones shattered, dead in seconds.

After taking a bite, he only had one comment. "The meat's a little tough."

***

Meanwhile, somewhere nearby, a bitter wind howled across the frostbitten plains. The sun was out, but it did nothing, its light scattered weakly over the snow-covered ground, offering no warmth, only visibility.

"So cold..." Syltra pulled her robe tighter around herself, teeth chattering as the wind cut through the layers. 

As a noble born mage, Sylra wasn't built for harsh weather or wilderness survival. She didn't have the thick skin or muscle of a frontline warrior, nor the practical stamina of a seasoned ranger. 

Worse yet, her spellcasting specialization didn't do her any favors, water, earth, and a bit of ice magic. Elegant, but completely useless for warmth.

Fire majors could summon heat with a snap of their fingers. Air majors could bend the wind away with a lazy wave. But her?

She could… dampen the snow a little. Maybe harden the ground beneath her feet to stop it from sinking. Not exactly helpful when your limbs were going numb.

If she'd had money, she never would've left camp. That place had been blessed, literal heat arrays built into the tents, gently circulating warmth, as comfortable as a noble estate's drawing room.

But of course, money was the problem.

Her mentor had dragged her out here after some ridiculous lead about "earning quick credits" by investigating magical anomalies in the wild.

Naturally, Sylra had protested. Loudly. But her mentor hadn't listened, just handed her a cloak, promised her it wouldn't take long, and walked off into the snow.

"This place doesn't even look like it has anything," she muttered, setting down the triangular device strapped to her back. Inside it, a celestial sphere spun slowly, tiny sun and moon symbols moving among carved stars, an old tool for mapping magical energy. 

After jotting her notes in a heavy, leather-bound journal, she shoved her frozen hands back into her sleeves with a shiver. "Why would the lord even think there's a rich vein out here? It didn't make sense. He must've been desperate."

She sighed, her breath misting. Her talents might be useful in another world, but here, all she could do was question why she was the one stuck with this job.

A magic crystal mine wasn't just one type of ore, it referred to any mineral rich in magical power. These mines usually boosted the surrounding magic levels, drawing magical creatures or creating weird plant growth. 

But this place? It had none of that. No odd plants. No beasts. Just dry air and boring terrain.

If there really was something valuable deep underground, it'd be pure luck. 

Honestly, someone might as well play the lottery. She wondered how much the lord had paid her stingy mentor to take this gig, and why she was the one stuck doing it.

Grumbling under her breath, she dragged the bulky equipment along the dirt. That's when it happened.

Boom!

A burst of fire shot into the sky, flames soaring over a hundred meters high. A thunderous shockwave slammed into her, sending a hot gust across the plain. 

The air lit up with elemental energy, fire so thick she could feel it crackling. More fireballs and burning spears rained from the sky. 

A ring of scarlet flame expanded outward, and massive glowing red circles shimmered in the clouds. One of the circles cracked apart with a loud snap, and from the explosion, a see-through red sphere rose, only to be struck by a shadowy shape diving from above.

BOOOOM!

An even bigger blast followed, a fiery tornado roaring up from the ground like a blazing pillar connecting the earth to the sky. Syltra dropped to her knees, shaking. That scale of magic, only one person nearby could do that. Her mentor.

A tug at her cloak startled her. She turned, eyes wide, and saw an old man stumbling out of a dark crack in the air. Burned, bleeding, his white beard singed and robes in tatters. "M-Mentor? Lord Merlin!?"

"Hurry... take me... and go!" he gasped, pushing a scroll into her hands. Its seal shimmered green and blue.

"A Wind Walk scroll?" she breathed. It pulsed with stored magic, more power than she had in her whole body. 

Woven from rare materials, it was a priceless treasure. A spell meant to flee danger fast. Her mentor's emergency escape stash. Her hands trembled. 

"Yes... hold on to me..." he groaned.

Syltra didn't hesitate. She threw her equipment aside and hoisted her mentor over her shoulder. The weight nearly crushed her, but panic gave her strength.

Boom! 

A rock cracked loose and struck her head. She staggered, dazed, barely noticing the pain through the surge of terror.