The ship rocked violently as the dread serpent's massive, ice-coated coils surged from the abyssal waters of the Voidsea. The beast loomed above them, its scales reflecting the warped light of the void like a twisted mirror. Its glowing, pupil-less eyes fixated on the ship, and from the depths of its gullet came a horrific, guttural roar—a chorus of a thousand agonized voices crying out in unison.
"Hah! That's a hell of a voice you got there!" Kenny bellowed, grinning wildly. He hoisted his colossal blade onto his shoulder and leapt onto the ship's railing. "Alright, you lot! Keep the damn thing off the boat—I'll handle the fun part!"
Before anyone could respond, Kenny launched himself off the ship with a powerful kick, carving through the thick, fog-drenched air like a meteor. The serpent reacted instantly, exhaling a breath of frost that turned the very air into a freezing storm. Kenny slashed through it midair, scattering shards of ice before landing onto the serpent's back with a thunderous crash.
"Tch—He's enjoying himself," Velvet muttered, steadying themselves. "Alright, no way we're letting him hog the glory!"
The dread serpent, sensing the others' presence, turned its gaze toward the ship. The air around them grew heavy, thick with an ancient, paralyzing force.
"Damn! It's using It's dark ether" Übel warned, his voice strained as he struggled against the oppressive aura.
Leo gritted his teeth, his muscles locking up. "So... much... pressure...!"
A dark whisper slithered through their minds, the voices of doomed sailors pleading for salvation, cursing their fates.
"Pathetic. All of you... are doomed... to drown. Just as we did..." the voices echoed in a chilling unison.
Kouneli's knees buckled, but he forced himself to move, blood boiling with defiance. "It can talk!?" With a swift motion, he sliced his palm, sending a surge of blood outward. The crimson fluid hardened, forming jagged spires that pierced into the serpent's gaze. The effect wavered just enough for them to break free.
"Good work, Kouneli!" Velvet called out, shaking off the lingering effects. "Now, let's give our berserker some backup!"
Meanwhile, Kenny cackled as the serpent tried to shake him off. Its scales formed jagged ice spikes in defense, but he simply smashed through them, hacking away with relentless blows. Each strike sent waves of frost cascading into the air, but his strength was overwhelming.
"What's the matter?! Ain't used to someone fighting back?!" Kenny roared, gripping his sword with both hands. "Let's make this fun!"
The serpent, enraged, suddenly lunged toward the ship, jaws unhinging to crush it whole.
"No, you don't!" Leo yelled, leaping forward and slamming his sword against its fangs. The impact cracked the ice-covered teeth, halting the attack just short of the ship's hull.
"Keep it busy!" Velvet shouted. "I got something for it!"
Velvet's hands shimmered as they focused their energy, the lightning bending and twisting until an explosion engulfed the serpent's head. The beast shrieked, recoiling from the sudden flash.
Übel capitalized on the opening, launching a volley of flame spears that punctured its exposed underbelly.
"Kenny! Finish it!" Kouneli called.
Kenny's grin widened as he adjusted his grip. "Damn right!" He leapt high into the air, spinning his massive sword above his head before bringing it down with all his might. The blade cleaved through flesh, scale, and bone in one decisive stroke. The serpent's severed head fell, slamming into the waves with a resounding crash.
As the body twitched and slowly sank beneath the dark waters, its thousand voices let out a final, haunting wail before fading into silence.
For a moment, only the sound of the churning sea remained. Then Kenny, now drenched in the serpent's blood, let out a satisfied chuckle. "Heh. That was a damn good fight."
The others caught their breath, the weight of what had just happened sinking in.
"I really thought we were gonna die for a second there," Rajin admitted, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Yeah," Leo said, exhaling. "That thing wasn't just some monster. It was something ancient."
"Do you really underestimate this much?" Kenny said. "It's dead. Let's move."
The helmsman, still visibly shaken, nodded and turned back to his post. "We're almost at the Summer Isles... should arrive within minutes."
The ship continued forward, the oppressive fog finally beginning to dissipate. But as they drew closer, a different kind of chill seeped into the air—one that had nothing to do with the Voidsea.
Before them, the Summer Isles came into view, its once lush landscape now buried under an unnatural, suffocating winter. The very sea around it was frozen solid, jagged icicles stretching across the coastline like a fortress of death.
A veil of swirling snow obscured the land beyond, but even from a distance, they could see the once-proud headquarters of the Summer Company—now a frozen wasteland trapped beneath an endless blizzard.
Velvet exhaled, watching their breath frost in the air. "Yeah... this ain't natural."
Kenny scowled, gripping his sword. "Looks like we're walkin' into another damn mess. Good. I was just startin' to get bored."