The unbearable tension sent passengers and merchants running frantically in the dead of night—some still drunk, oblivious to the impending threat.
I watched the scene unfold in confusion, the chill of the night making everything feel even more surreal. But more importantly—I was about to beat up whoever had disturbed my sleep.
Was it fate that I encountered trouble at every stop?
Without hesitation, I headed toward the edge of the ship. My blood boiled from being rudely awakened.
As I reached the end of the deck, I saw Nadja stumbling toward me, struggling to keep her balance due to the ship's instability.
"RUN!!" she screamed, her face pale as if she had seen a ghost—or worse, the grim reaper himself.
Before she could reach me—
BOOM!
What the hell was that?
My mind raced—pirates? Bandits? Or something else? But what I saw was far beyond my expectations.
A monstrous kraken surfaced, its massive face looming right behind Nadja as it stared at us.
And the craziest part? The ship had already been ensnared by eight of its colossal tentacles and lifted into the air.
The ship was no longer moving! This was something straight out of the legendary sea tales I had read about.
My heart pounded, my blood burned, and my eyes remained unblinking—I was utterly shocked.
"Nao!!" Nadja yanked my hand, snapping me out of my daze. "We have to run!!" she urged. I followed her lead without question.
"NAO!!" Manabu's voice rang out as we sprinted across the deck.
We finally made it inside a cabin.
"What was that thing?!" Nadja asked, gasping for breath.
"That creature… that's what I saw sink my ship," Manabu explained, his voice shaking with fear.
"Is this happening because of me?" Manabu muttered, blaming himself.
"Where's the captain?" Nadja asked, trying to step out of the cabin.
Panic and fear started to consume everyone, so I grabbed Nadja's arm and pulled her back. "Calm down, we need a plan."
"A plan? This isn't something humans can defeat!" Nadja exclaimed, her panic escalating.
I raised my voice, my tone firm. "Do you want to know something?" I pulled her forcefully, making her sit before me as I locked eyes with her.
"Do you think insects can't defeat mammals? Even we, as humans, fear some insects. So let's make a plan—together." My voice carried conviction.
"How?" Her face was filled with fear, as if we had no hope left.
"Like this…"
—
(Élodie) What the hell is happening?! I questioned myself as I looked around—the ship was completely surrounded by enormous tentacles.
This was the first time I had faced a threat like this. What kind of creature was this?!
"Captain!!" a crew member called out, snapping me from my thoughts.
"We have two major problems. First, the ship is taking in water. Second, and the most terrifying—that thing." He pointed toward the kraken. "We need to act fast, Captain."
He was right. In this situation, my duty as captain was to think rationally and ensure the safety of the passengers.
"Alright, I need all of you to repair the damage to the ship."
"And the kraken?" he asked hesitantly.
"I'll handle it myself." I unsheathed my sword and made my way to the edge of the ship.
My crew hesitated, feeling guilty, but they trusted me. "Understood, Captain!" They rushed to their tasks.
As I approached the kraken, I took in its appearance. Its skin was dark, likely blending into the night. Its pitch-black eyes stared at me, exuding an ancient presence—this was no ordinary sea creature.
"What do you want?" I asked, pointing my sword forward.
No response.
"Maybe I'm a fool for trying to talk to a sea beast," I muttered, sheathing my sword and stepping closer.
"Shhh…" I took slow, cautious steps toward it, reaching out my hand.
WHUOOOOOO!!!
It roared, lifting the ship even higher with its eight massive tentacles.
This was bad!
I swiftly drew my sword and slashed across its face, leaving a deep gash. The kraken shrieked in pain.
WHUOOOO!!!
The ship rocked violently as it was slammed back down, sending debris flying and causing further damage.
"Do I have to cut off its head?" My anger surged, but my love for creatures like this screamed no.
The ship was lifted again—this time even higher. This was dangerous.
I sighed and made my decision. Forgive me, Kraken.
With a powerful swing, I slashed deeply into its head, forcing it to release the ship.
WHUOOO!!
The kraken went into a frenzy, thrashing violently and attacking the ship with its tentacles.
Without hesitation, I used my sword to push it back, repelling its attacks. "Sorry, but I won't let you do that." I smirked.
Then, with arrogance, I taunted it. "Is that all you've got?"
WHUOOO!!!
Its mouth puckered forward, preparing to unleash something. I braced myself.
"Come at me."
A blast of thick, black liquid shot toward the ship. My eyes widened in shock.
But before the attack could hit—
A body appeared in front of me, shielding me from the attack.
"The captain is this weak?" the man sneered, smirking at me.
"NAO!!!" I shouted in shock. "What the hell are you doing?! There's no time—"
Before I could finish, he covered my mouth with his hand.
"You're being too loud. It's annoying." His voice was calm, almost casual. "Right now, I need your help."
I hesitated, then asked, "What do you need me to do?"
For some reason, I started to trust this kid.
"Here's the plan…"