Chapter 119: Gone with the wind, into the great sea

As Ethen reached the ship, he immediately noticed that the entire docking area had descended into chaos. Kang and Vira were each engaged against three individuals, their weapons colliding continuously as summoned beasts prowled around them, preventing anyone from getting close enough to the ship.

Meanwhile, atop the deck, Nick stood behind one of the newly installed mounted crossbows, rapidly cranking it back before sending another massive bolt hurtling towards the crowd gathered below.

"You fucker!! You think you can stop me from finishing my dream ship? I’ll show you how to die!!"

The mounted crossbow released another thunderous crack as a harpoon-like bolt tore through the air, forcing several men to scatter before crashing into the wooden pier behind them.

Nearly thirty armed men had surrounded the dock, some trying to climb aboard while others attempted to cut the support ropes holding the ship in place. Nick paid attention to none of them individually. Anyone who came within range was simply another target.

Years.

He had spent years repairing this ship with his own two hands. Replacing broken planks, patching holes after every voyage, saving every coin he could spare just to afford another improvement.

Now that he had finally found people wealthy enough to fund the ship of his dreams, these bastards had chosen today to attack it.

There was no chance he was letting them ruin everything.

"I’m here!!"

Ethen burst through the crowd without slowing his pace, his blade flashing twice before two attackers collapsed onto the wooden dock.

The remaining men instinctively stepped back, creating enough space for him to reach the side of the ship before vaulting aboard in a single motion.

"Are we ready to go?!" he shouted towards Nick while drawing his own crossbow.

His eyes swept across the battlefield.

Only around thirty people were visible, yet that was precisely what bothered him. These weren’t desperate bandits or ordinary thugs.

They were attacking openly inside one of the busiest ports in the kingdom, in broad daylight, without the slightest concern for the consequences. That kind of confidence only came from people acting under someone’s protection.

More enemies were coming.

That suspicion became even stronger after noticing the two Tier Five summoners among the attackers. They weren’t trying to hide their identities in the slightest.

"No!! They still haven’t fitted the last crossbow. It’s not perfect yet!"

Nick cursed loudly, pointing towards a heavy cart sitting only a short distance away. Resting atop it was the final mounted crossbow alongside several crates of reinforced bolts. The workers responsible for installing it had long since abandoned their tools once the fighting began.

Everything else had already been completed. The reinforced hull, the upgraded sails, the new bow, the harpoons and nearly every modification Nicolas had requested were already in place. Only that final crossbow remained.

"That’s enough."

Ethen calmly loaded a bolt into his own weapon before aiming towards the advancing crowd.

"Prepare to lower the ship."

Nick immediately turned around, irritation written all over his face.

"What do you mean that’s enough? Do you know how long I’ve waited to build this thing? One more crossbow and she’ll finally be complete!"

His voice carried genuine frustration.

To him, this wasn’t simply transportation.

It was his life’s work.

Unfortunately, reality had no interest in waiting.

Installing the final crossbow required several men working together while the ship remained completely still. Under constant attack, there was simply no way to finish the installation before more enemies arrived.

After glaring at Ethen for several seconds, Nick finally clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"...Damn it."

He hated admitting it.

But Ethen was right.

"Release the hold! We are setting sail!!"

The moment the order rang out, the crew immediately sprang into action. Thick chains securing the ship began loosening one after another while the massive lifting mechanism supporting the vessel slowly groaned into motion.

The enormous ship shifted slightly as its weight transferred onto the lowering platform, every creak of timber echoing across the harbour.

Kang and Vira noticed the movement almost immediately.

Without needing to exchange a single word, both of them altered their positions. Rather than continuing to press forward, they retreated towards opposite edges of the docking platform, intercepting anyone attempting to interfere with the ship’s descent. Their goal was no longer defeating the enemy.

It was buying time.

"Don’t let them set sail!! Attack the ship!!"

One of the opposing leaders roared, raising his sword high into the air as mana rapidly gathered around him.

The pressure surrounding his body intensified as he prepared to summon his contracted beast, his eyes fixed entirely upon the descending vessel.

Before the summoning could finish, however—

CRACK!

A thick wooden beam smashed directly into the side of his head, sending him stumbling several steps across the dock.

"You fuckers think you can do whatever you like?!"

One of the shop owners lowered the beam with an expression filled with fury.

"We’ll kill you!!"

His shout immediately drew a response from the surrounding marketplace.

The blacksmiths.

The carpenters.

The rope merchants.

The dockworkers.

One after another, people began stepping away from their shops carrying whatever they had within reach. Hammers, axes, crowbars, fishing spears and heavy wooden clubs quickly replaced the panic that had filled the streets only moments earlier.

This harbour belonged to them.

These outsiders had arrived, interrupted business, destroyed property and started spilling blood in the middle of the market.

No merchant here intended to forgive that.

At almost the same moment, the ship finally touched the surface of the water. The hull struck the waves with a heavy splash before rocking violently from side to side, forcing several crew members to grab nearby ropes to steady themselves.

Even so, the reinforced frame quickly absorbed the impact, stabilising itself far faster than an ordinary vessel ever could.

Seeing the successful landing, Ethen immediately looked back towards the platform above.

"Hm."

Understanding his intention instantly, Kang and Vira leapt from the dock almost simultaneously.

Their figures cut through the air before landing heavily upon the deck, the added weight causing the ship to sway once more before settling against the waves.

"Full speed ahead."

Ethen turned towards Nicolas, whose hands had already found the ship’s wheel.

The excitement in his eyes had returned.

The unfinished crossbow no longer mattered.

The shouting, the fighting and the crowded docks were already beginning to fade behind them.

What lay ahead was the Great Sea.

Exactly where Nicolas had always wanted to be.

With a wide grin spreading across his face, he spun the wheel sharply and shouted orders to his crew.

The sails unfurled completely, the wind caught them almost instantly, and the ship surged forward, leaving the harbour and everyone chasing them further behind with every passing second.