As Kazuha dives towards the whale again, striking out with anemo, Kokomi frantically casts her gaze around, searching for anything to use, anything to exploit. Assess the situation, assess the situation, use the environment-
But the environment is in every way the creature's domain, not hers. It's larger, faster, stronger, optimised for the ocean in every way that she isn't. She's not a god, nor a dragon, just a too-fragile mortal in a body that's neither adapted to the seas her soul yearns for nor strong enough to endure the lands she's chained to without great strain. For the first time in Kokomi's life, the ocean no longer feels welcoming, no longer feels safe. She's out of her depth, she's not the predator here, she's the prey, and this thing has been hunting her and Kazuha the entire time they've been on this expedition.
No geo to shield them. No electro to shock the monster into paralysis. No dendro to bloom and detonate. No pyro to scorch its hide. No cryo to freeze it in place. Just anemo to uselessly swirl water against water, and the ever-abundant hydro that it has a far greater command of. No elemental reactions, hydro barely scratches it, the only blade she has is a dagger too short to fully pierce its hide, there's nothing she can do-
-the slap of a tentacle sends her spinning sideways as a slash of hydro carves through the space she'd been floating, her bake-kurage taking the hit that could have killed her; as the construct dissipates, Kokomi spits out a curse and dives deeper, barely avoiding another slash. She'd frozen for all of a few seconds, but in a fight like this, the slightest moment of inattention can be fatal. She casts another glance around, keeping one eye on the whale - and finally, finally spots something she might be able to use.
Their ship isn't the first to awaken this monster's wrath, and the evidence of its prior kills litter the seafloor around them. Shipwrecks, broken weapons, scattered cargo, the skeletal remains of sailors who'd gotten unlucky and adventurers who'd thought to try their luck. And - there. A newer hulk, jagged spars of metal jutting out from where the hull had splintered apart, a still-intact elemental cannon atop its deck.
Snatching up a rusty harpoon from the seafloor, Kokomi propels herself back to Kazuha's side. A twist of hydro sends the weapon hurtling towards the whale, and as it jerks away from the hit, screeching and spilling yet more ink-dark blood, she grabs their shoulder, knowing there's only moments to speak.
"There's an old cannon back there that might still be operational. I'll distract the whale, you see if you can't get it working. All we can do with blades is annoy it."
Kokomi meets Kazuha's crimson eyes, swallowing down her fear. For this to work, the creature has to chase her. She has to be the bait, she has to be the prey, but it might be their only chance. "D-Don't worry about me. I think I'm faster than it is."
Her voice wavers, but if there's anyone who won't lose their nerve at seeing her nearly lose hers, it's the warrior who blocked the Musou no Hitotachi. Taking a deep breath of cool, soothing water, she turns back to face the creature, circling hydro around both of them in preparation to launch him towards the cannon...and her towards the whale.