Maybe if Alessa hadn't STABBED HEIJI IN THE LEG EARLIER, Heiji could have gotten out of the way faster. As it was, though, now he had an octopus half-wrapped around his calf and half-wrapped around Hershel and this was not ideal. He nearly tripped over the thing, but managed to keep his balance and drag himself toward the shallow end of the pool, which was still tranquil and nice and ended in stairs that went up maybe and did not yet know the horror that was octopus fights.

Luckily, it seemed like he could make fairly good headway with the octopus dividing its attention between the two of them. It wasn't pretty but... maybe it would be all right? At least until the octopus thrashed around angrily and squirted ink at Hershel's hair. Now it was just being spiteful.