Chapter 162: Making a Move to Seize

Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Making a Move to Seize

"My heavens! How can there be a Gray Whale this big!"

Captain Yoblin, who had just arrived, stared at the Gray Whale attacking the number five vessel and let out a horrified gasp.

Though he was widely traveled and had sailed the seas for decades, he had never seen a Gray Whale this large.

It was probably much larger than even an ordinary Blue Whale.

"Lord Baron, please head to the cabin and rest. We will resolve this situation."

Yoblin looked at Vili, a sense of worry in his heart. Although a situation like this was beyond his control, he knew it would surely displease the Lord Baron.

"It’s fine. I’ll stay here."

Vili gestured to Yoblin.

In truth, he didn’t believe Yoblin.

Had it been an ordinary Gray Whale, or even a Blue Whale, Vili was confident Yoblin could command the fleet to either drive it away or kill it.

But this Gray Whale was different. Within its body was a strange source of malice, one that seemed to be subtly influencing the whale’s mind and Constitution.

Even Vili couldn’t yet confirm the extent of its influence on the Gray Whale, so he needed to observe a while longer.

"In that case, I will go command the fleet."

Yoblin knew this was no time for pleasantries. If he couldn’t get the situation under control immediately, the Conch Fishing Team would suffer immense losses.

He gave Vili a slight bow, walked to the side of the deck, picked up a specially-made metal speaking horn, and began shouting orders to the crew.

Atop the ship, several crewmen waved large flags coated in a fluorescent powder made from some kind of seashell. Using these flag signals, they relayed the captain’s commands to the other vessels.

"Lord Baron, aren’t you going back inside the cabin?"

Yadon ran over with a sheet of oilcloth to shield Vili from the crashing sea spray.

The moment Yadon had woken up, he had gone straight to Vili’s room to look for him.

But after knocking several times and getting no response, Yadon had hurried to the deck, where he found Vili, just as he’d expected.

"In a moment."

Vili offered no further explanation. His attention was completely fixed on the frenzied Gray Whale.

By now, the Gray Whale was covered in wounds.

Giant Crossbow Arrows and Triangular Forks had already left its body riddled with holes.

But strangely, despite its injuries, its fighting spirit was undiminished. Pinned between several large ships, it maintained its vigorous energy, relentlessly ramming and fighting back.

Any other cetacean would have already bled out and died from exhaustion. This Gray Whale, however, only seemed to grow fiercer the more it was wounded.

"Why is this happening?!"

The burning torches on the ships provided ample light, allowing Yoblin to see everything before him with perfect clarity.

He felt as if his decades of experience had suddenly become useless. ’Aren’t Gray Whales the species most friendly to humans? They’re gentle and almost never initiate an attack.’ Yet here it was, assailing the fleet like a mad beast. He couldn’t make any sense of it.

’And its size... what on earth did it eat to grow so huge?’

’It’s grown far beyond the natural limits of its species.’

But Yoblin could find no answers to his questions.

The rampaging Gray Whale continued its assault, and several fishing boats were already damaged.

Though they were holding on for now with emergency repairs, if the Gray Whale’s Momentum couldn’t be stopped, the final outcome was uncertain.

The Conch Fishing Team might very well lose more than half of its vessels.

This was the culmination of a hundred years of work, passed down through three generations of Yoblin’s family!

"Surround it! Block its advance!"

Yoblin bellowed for the flag bearers to relay the command.

’This source of malice... it’s changed the whale’s physiological state...’

Despite the distance, Vili could see everything clearly.

He could clearly sense that each time the Gray Whale was wounded, the source of malice inside it would emit a strange Energy, stimulating its flesh to mend. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Others might not have noticed, but Vili could tell: the Gray Whale’s wounds were constantly healing.

However, this terrifying healing Ability was actually consuming the Gray Whale’s Life Force.

’After this battle, regardless of the outcome, this Gray Whale won’t live for long.’

’But that source of malice... what exactly is it?’

Vili now felt a strange sense of anticipation for the Extraordinary Items and Extraordinary Creatures discovered in the deep sea.

’Perhaps I should try to retrieve it...’

After a period of careful observation, Vili determined that while the Gray Whale was abnormal, the threat it posed was entirely manageable.

In fact, a true Hanged Man, driven by Belief Power, would have tried to execute the malevolent Gray Whale and destroy the source of malice within it the moment they discovered it.

Upholding Justice and self-sacrifice were the core tenets of a Hanged Man’s philosophy.

If they failed to do so, their own Power of Justice would wane.

But Vili was special. As a rather unqualified Hanged Man, he would only choose to make a move when he was certain there was no danger to himself.

"Yoblin! Get closer to the Gray Whale!"

Vili shouted the command to Yoblin.

Yoblin was stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected such an order from Vili. "But Lord Baron, it’s too dangerous! If we approach, the ship could be damaged, or even sunk!"

As the captain of White Bear Town’s largest fleet, Yoblin was a man of some standing. He knew Vili was a powerful Knight, but he couldn’t dare let him risk his life.

"Follow my command!"

Vili paid Yoblin no mind, simply reiterating his command.

"Yes, sir!"

Seeing Vili’s unwavering resolve, Yoblin loudly accepted the order.

He raised his speaking horn and bellowed to the helmsman, "Head for the Gray Whale!"

Under Yoblin’s command, the flagship began to close in on the Gray Whale.

The closer they got, the more the men on board could feel the immense power radiating from the creature.

’The source of malice... what could it be?’

When they were just over twenty meters away from the Gray Whale, Vili suddenly moved.

Before the horrified eyes of Yoblin and the crew, Vili planted his foot on the deck, drew his Cross Sword, and leaped toward the Gray Whale.

"Lord Baron!"

Yoblin cried out in alarm. Even knowing how powerful Vili was, the sight of him charging directly at the frenzied Gray Whale made his heart leap into his throat.

’If the Lord Baron comes to any harm, my entire family will likely be buried alongside him.’

By contrast, Yadon, standing to the side, was far calmer.

He had been by Vili’s side for a long time and knew exactly what kind of person he was.

’Since the Lord Baron has chosen to act, it means he is absolutely certain of the outcome.’