HOME | DD

Description

Other names: "Kasumi"
Sex: Female

Species: Mutated Japanese giant salamander

Location of origin: Lake Kasumiguara, Japan

Date encountered: September 28th, 1978

Total height: 12 meters (42ft)

Total weight: 330 metric tons

Threat level: Medium

Aggression level: Medium

Known mutations:

- Advanced cellular regeneration can heal grievous wounds in seconds. Seems to be on-par with American counterparts such as The First Born and The Devourer.

- Barbed tongue can be deployed in the blink of an eye to harpoon prey. Barbs are pointed in many directions to make removing the weapon very difficult without causing further injury.

- Adhesive slime can be secreted from mouth. Slime starts out runny but quickly turns thick and foamy, entangling enemies and hampering their ability to move.

- Amphibious nature allows for survival on land and water.

History:

The mutant that would become known as The Kappa or "Kasumi" would be birthed following an accident at lake Kasumiguara in the Kanto region of Japan in 1978. A convoy of vehicles carrying several tons of Nebranium waste capsized during a severe rainstorm that hit the area. Fortunately, the accident was quickly cleaned up and no major radiation leaks were detected afterwards. However within that timeframe, the damage had already been done. The vile radioactive toxins seeped into the running water from the rain and spilled out into Lake Kasumiguara. Months later, sightings of a large creature began cropping up by both tourists and locals. The creature was described as having bumpy, rubbery skin and pale yellow eyes as well as small pointed teeth. From most estimates, the creature was approximately 12 feet in length and would most often be spotted during the day and occasionally during the evening where it's eerie glowing yellow eyes could be seen ominously gliding across the water's surface. Sightings of lake monsters were reported the world over, and it seemed now that one was present in Kasumiguara. Previously, there was very little in the way of unexplained sightings in the lake and as such, some began to grow suspicious of what the "lake monster" really was.

Cryptozoological enthusiasts began to take interest in the alleged lake monster, and a growing number of people began to gather at the shores of a lake equipped with cameras and binoculars in an attempt to see the mystery creature. Some courageous individuals even took out boats into the lake to get a close-up look of the creature. Despite the number of eyes focused on the lake, the creature was nowhere to be found. Even after days and days of searching for the creature, not one sighting of the creature was reported. Some were beginning to think that the creature may have been scared away by the increased activity around the lake, while others began to believe that the creature was a clever hoax. As interest in the monster slowly began to dwindle, some true believers still remained camped out by the lake in hopes of catching any glimpse of the creature in order to prove it's existence. One night, a group of teenagers camping near the shores of the lake had just retired after an unsuccessful day of trying to find the monster. As they put out their campfire and went into their tents, the ground began to tremble at rapid intervals, as if something large was walking on land. The teenagers emerged from their tents to try and find the source of the disturbance, but even with their lanterns and flashlights they could not determine the cause.

Suddenly, the trees behind the encampment began to rustle with activity, frightened birds took flight into the night sky in a hurry as something large made it’s way through the foliage. Before long, something enormous broke through the tree line and moved towards the camp. The shadowy figure stood at least 42 feet in height and was vaguely saurian in shape, but no details could be made out. Shining their flashlights, the teenagers revealed brief glimpses of the behemoth. It was indeed dinosaur-like in shape but had no features one would attribute to a reptile. It’s skin was brown and rubbery, pocked with boils and cancerous tumors. An atrophied arm dangled uselessly from it’s belly and globs of loose skin drooped from it’s twisted frame. The main giveaway however, was the eerie yellow eyes that shone dimly through the darkness. In it’s crooked, toothy maw hung several dead goats that the creature was still in the process of chomping on as it approached the lake shore. The teenagers turned off their flashlights and laid prone on the ground to avoid catching the creature’s attention as it paused to swallow it’s meal before entering the dark watery depths of the lake and disappearing from view. The whole ordeal had been terrifying for the teenagers who had not expected the creature to be so enormous, let alone be able to travel upright on land. It appears that the previous estimates were totally wrong, and people may have mistaken only a small part of the creature for the whole thing.

The next day the group reported their close-encounter with the authorities, who initially dismissed their claim as nothing but an alcohol-induced hallucination. However earlier in the morning a farmer had reported that several of his livestock were missing and that the pen where they were kept had been smashed open by something large. In addition, whatever did it left huge tracks that led back into the forest near the lake. Police that investigated the tracks found that they led directly to the shore of the lake where the teenagers reported seeing the creature enter the water. Patrol boats were dispatched on the lake on a particularly busy day where hundreds of visitors had gathered. Not wanting to stir up a panic, the police did not alert any of the visitors of the potential of a huge creature being in the lake and simply advised people not to swim out too far due to the current. After several hours of searching, one of the boats equipped with a fish-finder detected something huge moving underwater towards the western end of the lake. The boats changed their course and cautiously followed the huge object as it slowly traveled from one end of the lake to the other. After about 15 minutes, the object stopped moving and disappeared off the fish-finder. Sending divers to find the creature was considered, however it was quickly ruled out due to the potential danger the creature posed and the uncertainty of what it was capable of. It was known that it was carnivorous, and sending in divers might incite it to attack. Over the radio, an emergency news bulletin reported that a massive creature had just made landfall in Kashmia port and was beginning to wreak havoc on the city.

Before the searching police could process the idea of another monster, the object reappeared on the fish finder and was rapidly ascending to the surface right beside the boats. The surface of the water began to bubble and froth as a dark shadow rapidly rose from the depths. The crew of the ships braced themselves and took up arms as the shadow got closer and closer to the surface, the rubbery brown skin pocked with boils now barely visible below the water’s surface. The creature quickly slowed it’s ascent until the very tip of it’s snout broke the surface of the water. It’s nostrils flared and dilated as it took in a variety of new scents, including one that overpowered the rest. It reeked of decay and putrescence, a free meal perhaps? The creature’s yellow eyes momentarily glanced at the humans who had their weapons pointed at it. The sight of the creature looking right at them was enough to send the officers into a panic and open fire on the submerged creature. Bullets slammed against the rubbery skin of the creature’s snout with no effect, however the creature clearly understood that it was being attacked and promptly lunged out of the water. The monster’s jaws clamped down on the nearest patrol boat and crushed the vessel with ease as the crew jumped overboard to save themselves. The creature thrashed around with the remains of the vessel before submerging once again. The remaining boats moved in to rescue the crew when the object began making a beeline towards the western end of the lake with great haste.

After rescuing the crew of the destroyed patrol boat, the officers pursued the creature as it reached the shore where a small crowd of visitors were located. Using a megaphone, the police attempted to disperse the crowd and warn them of the coming danger, but were unable to get their warning across before once again, the waters of the lake began to bubble and froth. This quickly drew the attention of the crowd that looked on in amazement at the spectacle unfolding before them. Moments later, an enormous brown head with yellow eyes emerged from the lake to the horror of the onlookers. Soon the rest of the creature’s body emerged from the depths, streams of water running off of the various bumps and edges of the beast’s body. The creature stood fully upright and shook itself off, showering the onlookers with water as it trudged towards them. The onlookers quickly dispersed and fled the area as the creature let out a thundering bellow that shook the very earth. Some tenacious citizens stayed behind and snapped dozens of pictures of the creature before they too were forced to flee from the incoming creature. It seemed that the Monster of Lake Kasumiguara was no myth or hoax, it was very much real. The hulking monster made its way through the forests on a direct course for Kashima where the other creature was rampaging. The Japanese Self Defense Force was scrambled to action against both creatures in what was to be a war on two fronts. Utilizing vehicles, aircraft and infantry, the JSDF found the Kasumiguara monster first and immediately engaged it in a small town on the outskirts of the lake. The creature found itself under attack from several directions, explosives and bullets hitting it but causing no lasting damage. The saliva dripping from it's jaws turned thick and gooey before spitting out a stream of foaming substance at several infantrymen. The substance thickened further, and attempts to escape the ooze only entrapped them further. Another spray gunked up the treads of a tank, preventing it from moving as the creature batted the vehicle aside with it's paddle-like tail.

Fighter jets swooped down from above and rained down rockets upon the creature. The powerful explosives knocked the creature off it's feet and sent it sprawling to the ground. Quickly recovering, the monster scrambled for cover on all fours as it's wounds healed instantly. Another salvo of rockets scored direct hits and knocked the creature onto it's side. As it's injuries quickly healed, the creature ran into town. With the monster too close to civilians, the fighters were forced to break off their attack. The monster smashed aside vehicles and telephone poles as it made its way through the town, but didn't seem particularly interested in causing destruction to the town itself. The scent of it's target was growing stronger and more rancid as it approached Kashima. The other monster was proving even more difficult for the JSDF to take down, as projectiles simply passed right through it without harm. This creature, a slug-like mass of decomposing tissue, seemed all but invulnerable to physical damage as it emitted a rancid aura of decay that corroded everything around it.

At last, the Lake Kasumiguara monster arrived in Kashima where the odor of decay was at its most overpowering. Within moments the creatures came face to face and it seemed a showdown was inevitable. The Lake Kasumiguara monster eyed it’s quarry which had not quite been what it had expected. The free meal it was expecting was instead a living creature that was probably not going to allow itself to become prey. The mass stopped in its tracks upon detecting the presence of another living organism of similar size. The grotesque abomination pulsated and writhed as though every cell of it’s putrescent form was alive and examining the creature was standing before it. A large cluster of yellow nodes on the “head” of the mass appeared to function as the “eyes” of the creature, and were shielded by the bleached skull and jaws of a whale. Without warning, the mass sprayed a transparent fluid from the eye sockets of the whale skull imbedded in it that splashed onto the Lake Kasumiguara monster. Almost immediately, the amphibian’s skin began to turn a sickly black-green and soon sloughed off of it’s body in a smelly black sludge. Taken aback by the creature’s sudden assault, the Lake Kasumiguara charged at the vile mass as the liquified flesh quickly regenerated.

The salamander bit down on the sun-bleached rotten flesh of the mass and tore off a huge chunk of tissue that seemed to have no ill effect on the creature. Maggots and hagfish slithered through grooves and holes in the gaping injury. Retaliation was swift, and the mass extended and raised a large pseudopod that had several meter-long tentacles of a giant squid fused to it. The creature lashed out with the appendage and used the squid tentacles wrapped around the neck of the salamander. Despite their decomposing appearance, the tentacles where incredibly strong and were sufficient enough to yank the amphibian towards the mass which opened it’s skull jaws. The jaws clamped down hard on the Lake Kasumiguara monster’s head, and tiny tendrils of rotting tissue slithered their way up the amphibian’s flesh and began to fuse themselves to it’s skin. Bit by bit, the creature began to assimilate it’s amphibian prey until the behemoth grabbed the lower jaw bones of the mass and pried them open before forcibly pulling it’s head out of the disgusting quagmire of decay. The tentacles easily tore free and fell off of the amphibian as cellular regeneration cast off the dead tissue until it was normal again. Still ensnared by the squid tentacles, the mass attempted to pull the Kasumiguara monster back in to assimilate it but the amphibian responded quickly by biting off the tentacles. The appendages severed from each other with a sickening wet snap and oozed pale yellow fluid. The decomposing abomination reacted just as quickly by spraying more decomposing fluid as well as fleshy orbs that were covered in assimilated fish and other sea life.

As the decomposing fluid began it’s foul work, the fleshy orbs exploded with a noxious green gas and a hail of shrapnel made of bone and cartilage. The projectiles sheared through the rotting flesh of the Kasumiguara monster and causing further damage. However in spite of these fetid assaults, the damage was temporary as the amphibian rapidly healed from the effects of the fluid. A swipe of it’s paddle-like tail smashed into the side of the creature’s whale-skull head with sufficient force to rupture the yellow pods. The mass trembled and released huge quantities of methane gas from holes that formed in it’s hideous body, as though imitating a scream of anguish. Pressing it’s advantage the Kasumiguara monster rammed into the mass, displacing much of it and pushing it into the ruins of a burning building. The air filled with the nauseating stench of burning flesh as the creature released another blast of methane gas and raised it’s “head” to the creature, spraying a thick yellow fluid from the ruptured pods nestled between the whale jaws. The mass quickly reformed itself and attacked with a pseudopod consisting of snapping shark jaws that clamped down on the Kasumiguara monster’s arm. The amphibian buried it’s free hand into the pseudopod and ripped out large chunks of gelatinous dead flesh along with several of the long-dead sharks that composed it.

With a tug, the amphibian pulled off the rest of the appendage from it’s body before casting it into the burning building wreckage. The remains of the pseudopod shrieked and writhed in the flames as it slowly burned to ash. The Kasumiguara monster did a double take as it noticed the flesh burning in the fire, and the creature’s adverse response simply to being pushed into burning wreckage. The amphibian’s deceptively primitive brain began to work out how to defeat this creature by exposing it to fire. However it was not the only one who had observed this weakness: the JSDF had also taken note and began to ready incendiary weapons. The battle had now reached the refinery near the port. Plenty of flammable materiel in this area and thus plenty of opportunity to destroy this creature once and for all. However the battle was not going as the amphibian had thought, and the necrotic mass was overwhelming it with one relentless attack after another. It’s regeneration was being taxed to the limit from constantly having to heal from the mass’s plethora of decay-based attacks. The monstrosity raised it’s putrid body up until it absolutely dwarfed the Kasumiguara monster. The Kasumiguara monster backed away from the undead monster, somewhat intimidated by the display of size. The mass then allowed itself to lean forward and fall upon the Kasumiguara monster and smother it. The two creatures smashed into a large refinery tower, knocking down the network of pipes and valves that connected it to vast oil drums.

The Kasumiguara monster thrashed and clawed at the rotting flesh that surrounded and attacked it. Vile tendrils slithered out from the mass and imbedded themselves into the amphibian’s flesh, slowly spreading from the point of contact and once again attempting to assimilate the creature. Just when it seemed like the end was nigh for the Lake Kasumiguara Monster, the rotting mass of the creature writhed and retreated. The light of day hit the amphibian and air flooded it’s lungs. When it was able to regain it’s senses and heal, the amphibian looked over to see the creature engulfed in flames. The roar of fighter planes overhead also caught the amphibian’s attention. Soon several small projectiles fell from the bellies of the planes and landed on the creature’s putrid form. On contact, the projectiles exploded in bright fireballs that further immolated the creature. Geysers of flame erupted from several areas of the monster’s body, methane gas that it had released before ignited as soon as it made contact with it’s burning exterior. The monster burned from the inside out, even the sea-life that it had assimilated and visible on it’s exterior seemed to be writing and screaming in silent agony. Flakes of charred white flesh fell from the burning monstrosity like a grotesque snowfall. The creature attempted to crawl towards the water that beckoned it with the promise of salvation.

It’s attempt to escape was cut short when the Lake Kasumiguara monster sprung into action and buried it’s hands into the charred decaying mess, grabbing anything it could get a grip on. The creature was desperate now, willing to self-mutilate in order to escape from it’s attackers. The monster expelled the burning parts of it’s body, leaving them to die as it sought out the safety of the water. Another volley of bombs fell upon both creatures, setting them both ablaze. The Kasumiguara monster was far better off than the rotting creature which continued to burn, now a living fireball that slowly began to cease activity. The flames crackled and the creature’s body burned, leaving behind bones and teeth of the various creatures it had absorbed. All that remained now was the massive whale skeleton that comprised the bulk of it’s body.

With the other creature now effectively dead, the Kasumiguara monster made headway towards the water in order to avoid being attacked by the JSDF, as it’s body was already heavily weakened from fighting it’s grotesque foe. The lake Kasumiguara monster disappeared in the waters of the harbor for the time being, however it would leave a lasting legacy. The creature would be nicknamed “Kasumi” after the lake from where it came, and some would even view the creature as heroic for defeating the monstrosity that would become known as The Living Graveyard. US Military bases in Japan would also be made aware of both Kasumi and The Living Graveyard, and Black Mountain scientists eagerly examined tissue samples of both creatures. Remarkably, Kasumi shared many characteristics with known creatures such as The First Born, The Progenitor, and The Devourer. This opened up many new theories that Nebranium may create mutants with similar characteristics as another as long as they are closely related enough.

Description

Other names: "Kasumi"
Sex: Female

Species: Mutated Japanese giant salamander

Location of origin: Lake Kasumiguara, Japan

Date encountered: September 28th, 1978

Total height: 12 meters (42ft)

Total weight: 330 metric tons

Threat level: Medium

Aggression level: Medium

Known mutations:

- Advanced cellular regeneration can heal grievous wounds in seconds. Seems to be on-par with American counterparts such as The First Born and The Devourer.

- Barbed tongue can be deployed in the blink of an eye to harpoon prey. Barbs are pointed in many directions to make removing the weapon very difficult without causing further injury.

- Adhesive slime can be secreted from mouth. Slime starts out runny but quickly turns thick and foamy, entangling enemies and hampering their ability to move.

- Amphibious nature allows for survival on land and water.

History:

The mutant that would become known as The Kappa or "Kasumi" would be birthed following an accident at lake Kasumiguara in the Kanto region of Japan in 1978. A convoy of vehicles carrying several tons of Nebranium waste capsized during a severe rainstorm that hit the area. Fortunately, the accident was quickly cleaned up and no major radiation leaks were detected afterwards. However within that timeframe, the damage had already been done. The vile radioactive toxins seeped into the running water from the rain and spilled out into Lake Kasumiguara. Months later, sightings of a large creature began cropping up by both tourists and locals. The creature was described as having bumpy, rubbery skin and pale yellow eyes as well as small pointed teeth. From most estimates, the creature was approximately 12 feet in length and would most often be spotted during the day and occasionally during the evening where it's eerie glowing yellow eyes could be seen ominously gliding across the water's surface. Sightings of lake monsters were reported the world over, and it seemed now that one was present in Kasumiguara. Previously, there was very little in the way of unexplained sightings in the lake and as such, some began to grow suspicious of what the "lake monster" really was.

Cryptozoological enthusiasts began to take interest in the alleged lake monster, and a growing number of people began to gather at the shores of a lake equipped with cameras and binoculars in an attempt to see the mystery creature. Some courageous individuals even took out boats into the lake to get a close-up look of the creature. Despite the number of eyes focused on the lake, the creature was nowhere to be found. Even after days and days of searching for the creature, not one sighting of the creature was reported. Some were beginning to think that the creature may have been scared away by the increased activity around the lake, while others began to believe that the creature was a clever hoax. As interest in the monster slowly began to dwindle, some true believers still remained camped out by the lake in hopes of catching any glimpse of the creature in order to prove it's existence. One night, a group of teenagers camping near the shores of the lake had just retired after an unsuccessful day of trying to find the monster. As they put out their campfire and went into their tents, the ground began to tremble at rapid intervals, as if something large was walking on land. The teenagers emerged from their tents to try and find the source of the disturbance, but even with their lanterns and flashlights they could not determine the cause.

Suddenly, the trees behind the encampment began to rustle with activity, frightened birds took flight into the night sky in a hurry as something large made it’s way through the foliage. Before long, something enormous broke through the tree line and moved towards the camp. The shadowy figure stood at least 42 feet in height and was vaguely saurian in shape, but no details could be made out. Shining their flashlights, the teenagers revealed brief glimpses of the behemoth. It was indeed dinosaur-like in shape but had no features one would attribute to a reptile. It’s skin was brown and rubbery, pocked with boils and cancerous tumors. An atrophied arm dangled uselessly from it’s belly and globs of loose skin drooped from it’s twisted frame. The main giveaway however, was the eerie yellow eyes that shone dimly through the darkness. In it’s crooked, toothy maw hung several dead goats that the creature was still in the process of chomping on as it approached the lake shore. The teenagers turned off their flashlights and laid prone on the ground to avoid catching the creature’s attention as it paused to swallow it’s meal before entering the dark watery depths of the lake and disappearing from view. The whole ordeal had been terrifying for the teenagers who had not expected the creature to be so enormous, let alone be able to travel upright on land. It appears that the previous estimates were totally wrong, and people may have mistaken only a small part of the creature for the whole thing.

The next day the group reported their close-encounter with the authorities, who initially dismissed their claim as nothing but an alcohol-induced hallucination. However earlier in the morning a farmer had reported that several of his livestock were missing and that the pen where they were kept had been smashed open by something large. In addition, whatever did it left huge tracks that led back into the forest near the lake. Police that investigated the tracks found that they led directly to the shore of the lake where the teenagers reported seeing the creature enter the water. Patrol boats were dispatched on the lake on a particularly busy day where hundreds of visitors had gathered. Not wanting to stir up a panic, the police did not alert any of the visitors of the potential of a huge creature being in the lake and simply advised people not to swim out too far due to the current. After several hours of searching, one of the boats equipped with a fish-finder detected something huge moving underwater towards the western end of the lake. The boats changed their course and cautiously followed the huge object as it slowly traveled from one end of the lake to the other. After about 15 minutes, the object stopped moving and disappeared off the fish-finder. Sending divers to find the creature was considered, however it was quickly ruled out due to the potential danger the creature posed and the uncertainty of what it was capable of. It was known that it was carnivorous, and sending in divers might incite it to attack. Over the radio, an emergency news bulletin reported that a massive creature had just made landfall in Kashmia port and was beginning to wreak havoc on the city.

Before the searching police could process the idea of another monster, the object reappeared on the fish finder and was rapidly ascending to the surface right beside the boats. The surface of the water began to bubble and froth as a dark shadow rapidly rose from the depths. The crew of the ships braced themselves and took up arms as the shadow got closer and closer to the surface, the rubbery brown skin pocked with boils now barely visible below the water’s surface. The creature quickly slowed it’s ascent until the very tip of it’s snout broke the surface of the water. It’s nostrils flared and dilated as it took in a variety of new scents, including one that overpowered the rest. It reeked of decay and putrescence, a free meal perhaps? The creature’s yellow eyes momentarily glanced at the humans who had their weapons pointed at it. The sight of the creature looking right at them was enough to send the officers into a panic and open fire on the submerged creature. Bullets slammed against the rubbery skin of the creature’s snout with no effect, however the creature clearly understood that it was being attacked and promptly lunged out of the water. The monster’s jaws clamped down on the nearest patrol boat and crushed the vessel with ease as the crew jumped overboard to save themselves. The creature thrashed around with the remains of the vessel before submerging once again. The remaining boats moved in to rescue the crew when the object began making a beeline towards the western end of the lake with great haste.

After rescuing the crew of the destroyed patrol boat, the officers pursued the creature as it reached the shore where a small crowd of visitors were located. Using a megaphone, the police attempted to disperse the crowd and warn them of the coming danger, but were unable to get their warning across before once again, the waters of the lake began to bubble and froth. This quickly drew the attention of the crowd that looked on in amazement at the spectacle unfolding before them. Moments later, an enormous brown head with yellow eyes emerged from the lake to the horror of the onlookers. Soon the rest of the creature’s body emerged from the depths, streams of water running off of the various bumps and edges of the beast’s body. The creature stood fully upright and shook itself off, showering the onlookers with water as it trudged towards them. The onlookers quickly dispersed and fled the area as the creature let out a thundering bellow that shook the very earth. Some tenacious citizens stayed behind and snapped dozens of pictures of the creature before they too were forced to flee from the incoming creature. It seemed that the Monster of Lake Kasumiguara was no myth or hoax, it was very much real. The hulking monster made its way through the forests on a direct course for Kashima where the other creature was rampaging. The Japanese Self Defense Force was scrambled to action against both creatures in what was to be a war on two fronts. Utilizing vehicles, aircraft and infantry, the JSDF found the Kasumiguara monster first and immediately engaged it in a small town on the outskirts of the lake. The creature found itself under attack from several directions, explosives and bullets hitting it but causing no lasting damage. The saliva dripping from it's jaws turned thick and gooey before spitting out a stream of foaming substance at several infantrymen. The substance thickened further, and attempts to escape the ooze only entrapped them further. Another spray gunked up the treads of a tank, preventing it from moving as the creature batted the vehicle aside with it's paddle-like tail.

Fighter jets swooped down from above and rained down rockets upon the creature. The powerful explosives knocked the creature off it's feet and sent it sprawling to the ground. Quickly recovering, the monster scrambled for cover on all fours as it's wounds healed instantly. Another salvo of rockets scored direct hits and knocked the creature onto it's side. As it's injuries quickly healed, the creature ran into town. With the monster too close to civilians, the fighters were forced to break off their attack. The monster smashed aside vehicles and telephone poles as it made its way through the town, but didn't seem particularly interested in causing destruction to the town itself. The scent of it's target was growing stronger and more rancid as it approached Kashima. The other monster was proving even more difficult for the JSDF to take down, as projectiles simply passed right through it without harm. This creature, a slug-like mass of decomposing tissue, seemed all but invulnerable to physical damage as it emitted a rancid aura of decay that corroded everything around it.

At last, the Lake Kasumiguara monster arrived in Kashima where the odor of decay was at its most overpowering. Within moments the creatures came face to face and it seemed a showdown was inevitable. The Lake Kasumiguara monster eyed it’s quarry which had not quite been what it had expected. The free meal it was expecting was instead a living creature that was probably not going to allow itself to become prey. The mass stopped in its tracks upon detecting the presence of another living organism of similar size. The grotesque abomination pulsated and writhed as though every cell of it’s putrescent form was alive and examining the creature was standing before it. A large cluster of yellow nodes on the “head” of the mass appeared to function as the “eyes” of the creature, and were shielded by the bleached skull and jaws of a whale. Without warning, the mass sprayed a transparent fluid from the eye sockets of the whale skull imbedded in it that splashed onto the Lake Kasumiguara monster. Almost immediately, the amphibian’s skin began to turn a sickly black-green and soon sloughed off of it’s body in a smelly black sludge. Taken aback by the creature’s sudden assault, the Lake Kasumiguara charged at the vile mass as the liquified flesh quickly regenerated.

The salamander bit down on the sun-bleached rotten flesh of the mass and tore off a huge chunk of tissue that seemed to have no ill effect on the creature. Maggots and hagfish slithered through grooves and holes in the gaping injury. Retaliation was swift, and the mass extended and raised a large pseudopod that had several meter-long tentacles of a giant squid fused to it. The creature lashed out with the appendage and used the squid tentacles wrapped around the neck of the salamander. Despite their decomposing appearance, the tentacles where incredibly strong and were sufficient enough to yank the amphibian towards the mass which opened it’s skull jaws. The jaws clamped down hard on the Lake Kasumiguara monster’s head, and tiny tendrils of rotting tissue slithered their way up the amphibian’s flesh and began to fuse themselves to it’s skin. Bit by bit, the creature began to assimilate it’s amphibian prey until the behemoth grabbed the lower jaw bones of the mass and pried them open before forcibly pulling it’s head out of the disgusting quagmire of decay. The tentacles easily tore free and fell off of the amphibian as cellular regeneration cast off the dead tissue until it was normal again. Still ensnared by the squid tentacles, the mass attempted to pull the Kasumiguara monster back in to assimilate it but the amphibian responded quickly by biting off the tentacles. The appendages severed from each other with a sickening wet snap and oozed pale yellow fluid. The decomposing abomination reacted just as quickly by spraying more decomposing fluid as well as fleshy orbs that were covered in assimilated fish and other sea life.

As the decomposing fluid began it’s foul work, the fleshy orbs exploded with a noxious green gas and a hail of shrapnel made of bone and cartilage. The projectiles sheared through the rotting flesh of the Kasumiguara monster and causing further damage. However in spite of these fetid assaults, the damage was temporary as the amphibian rapidly healed from the effects of the fluid. A swipe of it’s paddle-like tail smashed into the side of the creature’s whale-skull head with sufficient force to rupture the yellow pods. The mass trembled and released huge quantities of methane gas from holes that formed in it’s hideous body, as though imitating a scream of anguish. Pressing it’s advantage the Kasumiguara monster rammed into the mass, displacing much of it and pushing it into the ruins of a burning building. The air filled with the nauseating stench of burning flesh as the creature released another blast of methane gas and raised it’s “head” to the creature, spraying a thick yellow fluid from the ruptured pods nestled between the whale jaws. The mass quickly reformed itself and attacked with a pseudopod consisting of snapping shark jaws that clamped down on the Kasumiguara monster’s arm. The amphibian buried it’s free hand into the pseudopod and ripped out large chunks of gelatinous dead flesh along with several of the long-dead sharks that composed it.

With a tug, the amphibian pulled off the rest of the appendage from it’s body before casting it into the burning building wreckage. The remains of the pseudopod shrieked and writhed in the flames as it slowly burned to ash. The Kasumiguara monster did a double take as it noticed the flesh burning in the fire, and the creature’s adverse response simply to being pushed into burning wreckage. The amphibian’s deceptively primitive brain began to work out how to defeat this creature by exposing it to fire. However it was not the only one who had observed this weakness: the JSDF had also taken note and began to ready incendiary weapons. The battle had now reached the refinery near the port. Plenty of flammable materiel in this area and thus plenty of opportunity to destroy this creature once and for all. However the battle was not going as the amphibian had thought, and the necrotic mass was overwhelming it with one relentless attack after another. It’s regeneration was being taxed to the limit from constantly having to heal from the mass’s plethora of decay-based attacks. The monstrosity raised it’s putrid body up until it absolutely dwarfed the Kasumiguara monster. The Kasumiguara monster backed away from the undead monster, somewhat intimidated by the display of size. The mass then allowed itself to lean forward and fall upon the Kasumiguara monster and smother it. The two creatures smashed into a large refinery tower, knocking down the network of pipes and valves that connected it to vast oil drums.

The Kasumiguara monster thrashed and clawed at the rotting flesh that surrounded and attacked it. Vile tendrils slithered out from the mass and imbedded themselves into the amphibian’s flesh, slowly spreading from the point of contact and once again attempting to assimilate the creature. Just when it seemed like the end was nigh for the Lake Kasumiguara Monster, the rotting mass of the creature writhed and retreated. The light of day hit the amphibian and air flooded it’s lungs. When it was able to regain it’s senses and heal, the amphibian looked over to see the creature engulfed in flames. The roar of fighter planes overhead also caught the amphibian’s attention. Soon several small projectiles fell from the bellies of the planes and landed on the creature’s putrid form. On contact, the projectiles exploded in bright fireballs that further immolated the creature. Geysers of flame erupted from several areas of the monster’s body, methane gas that it had released before ignited as soon as it made contact with it’s burning exterior. The monster burned from the inside out, even the sea-life that it had assimilated and visible on it’s exterior seemed to be writing and screaming in silent agony. Flakes of charred white flesh fell from the burning monstrosity like a grotesque snowfall. The creature attempted to crawl towards the water that beckoned it with the promise of salvation.

It’s attempt to escape was cut short when the Lake Kasumiguara monster sprung into action and buried it’s hands into the charred decaying mess, grabbing anything it could get a grip on. The creature was desperate now, willing to self-mutilate in order to escape from it’s attackers. The monster expelled the burning parts of it’s body, leaving them to die as it sought out the safety of the water. Another volley of bombs fell upon both creatures, setting them both ablaze. The Kasumiguara monster was far better off than the rotting creature which continued to burn, now a living fireball that slowly began to cease activity. The flames crackled and the creature’s body burned, leaving behind bones and teeth of the various creatures it had absorbed. All that remained now was the massive whale skeleton that comprised the bulk of it’s body.

With the other creature now effectively dead, the Kasumiguara monster made headway towards the water in order to avoid being attacked by the JSDF, as it’s body was already heavily weakened from fighting it’s grotesque foe. The lake Kasumiguara monster disappeared in the waters of the harbor for the time being, however it would leave a lasting legacy. The creature would be nicknamed “Kasumi” after the lake from where it came, and some would even view the creature as heroic for defeating the monstrosity that would become known as The Living Graveyard. US Military bases in Japan would also be made aware of both Kasumi and The Living Graveyard, and Black Mountain scientists eagerly examined tissue samples of both creatures. Remarkably, Kasumi shared many characteristics with known creatures such as The First Born, The Progenitor, and The Devourer. This opened up many new theories that Nebranium may create mutants with similar characteristics as another as long as they are closely related enough.