Chapter 71: Let’s See What the Heroes Can Do

The giant tentacle crashed down toward the quarterdeck with the force of a falling pillar.

"Barrier! Raise the holy barrier!" Captain Daniel roared, drawing his silver broadsword.

Two battle priests positioned near the helm slammed their staves against the deck. Golden mana surged out, forming a shimmering hexagonal shield of light above the wood.

BOOM!

The tentacle smashed into the divine barrier, vibrating the entire ship. Cracks splintered across the golden light, but the magic held just long enough. The force deflected the massive limb, sending it skidding into the water and splashing violent waves over the deck.

"Ballistas, fire! Wind mages, slice it off!" Daniel shouted.

The imperial crew moved with seasoned discipline. The ballista crews cranked their gears and fired thick, steel-tipped bolts glowing with explosive fire runes. Three heavy harpoons slammed deep into the Kraken’s rubbery hide, detonating with loud cracks that sent burnt black flesh flying into the ocean.

The wind mages quickly chanted, swinging their hands down in unison. Sharp, invisible blades of pressurized air flew across the sea, slicing deep gashes into the monster’s rising tentacles. Dark blue, bioluminescent blood poured into the foam.

The Kraken let out a deafening, wet screech that shook the hull. Enraged, three more massive tentacles rose out of the boiling water, coiling to wrap around both sides of the corvette to drag it down.

Deep underwater, the crew of the USS Montana listened in total silence.

"Acoustic transient, multiple underwater detonations," Miller reported, eyes locked on the chaotic spikes running down his monitor. "Sounds like small-scale explosives. High-frequency whistling too. The wooden ship is holding its own, Captain. They’re biting back."

"They’re trained soldiers, not helpless fishermen," Gallagher said quietly from behind the sonar console. "Keep recording every acoustic spike. Let the computer build a library on their weapons and combat magic. Don’t ping active, stay quiet."

Tens of thousands of feet above the clouds, the RQ-4 Global Hawk circled silently, its high-resolution thermal lens tracking every movement with crystal clarity.

Thousands of miles away, inside the bunker, John sat back in his plush leather chair, sipping a cold soda. On the massive wall-mounted screens, the high-altitude optical feed showed the chaotic battle. The glowing spells, the burning harpoons, and the thrashing tentacles looked like a violent light show against the dark ocean.

"Their standard military doctrine is pretty solid," an Air Force analyst noted, leaning over the console next to John. "The ship’s crew is using barrier formations and coordinated kinetic-explosive fire. But that sea monster’s mass is too large. Their conventional ballistas aren’t hitting anything vital."

"They’re just stalling," John said, setting his can down on the desk. A slight smirk touched his face as he zoomed the screen in on the ship’s quarterdeck. "Those small bolts won’t kill a Kraken. The crew knows it, too."

Back on the deck, the situation quickly deteriorated.

One of the giant tentacles whipped through the air, smashing cleanly through the portside railing. Wood splintered violently as two imperial sailors were swept screaming into the dark water. The barrier priests dropped to their knees, blood dripping from their noses as their mana depleted under the relentless physical pressure.

The Kraken’s massive head surged higher, its beak snapping shut like a steel trap, preparing to crush the entire midsection of the ship.

Ayanokoji reached behind his back, his fingers wrapping around the grip of his silver spear. He didn’t look worried at all.

"Miyuki," he said calmly, his voice completely steady amidst the chaos. "Buff my speed and impact resistance."

Miyuki took a quick breath, her gentle eyes turning sharp and focused. She raised her wooden staff, a brilliant emerald light bursting from the tip.

"Understood!" she replied.

"Divine Aegis: Greater Haste. Titan’s Might!" Miyuki incanted rapidly.

Rings of brilliant emerald and gold mana flared from her staff, wrapping tightly around Ayanokoji’s limbs. His body felt lighter, his muscles surging with enhanced power.

A colossal tentacle crashed downward like a collapsing tower, aimed straight at the mainmast.

Ayanokoji didn’t hesitate. He kicked off the listing deck with an explosive burst of speed, leaving splintered wood in his wake, and met the falling mass in mid-air. Channeling his colorless aura into the tip of his silver spear, he thrust with full force.

CLANG—SHRRK!

The impact rang out like a hammer striking solid iron. His spear pierced through the tough outer hide, but the muscle beneath was so dense, so absurdly thick, that the blade only penetrated three feet before grinding to a violent halt.

The limb wasn’t severed. The sheer kinetic shockwave blew back into Ayanokoji’s arms, jarring his shoulders and sending him hurtling backward. He flipped mid-air and landed hard against the forecastle deck, skidding several meters before digging his boot into the planks to stop himself.

His blank expression hardened just a fraction. Its density is completely outside normal parameters.

The Kraken screeched, enraged by the sting. The black sea violently boiled as four more massive limbs erupted from the deep, rising dozens of meters into the air. Unlike common sea serpents or lesser dungeon bosses, this beast’s hide was coated in a thick, rubbery armor of hardened scales, resistant to both physical blades and magic.

Before Ayanokoji could reposition, a second tentacle whipped sideways with terrifying speed, striking with the mass of a freight train.

"Ayanokoji, watch out!" Miyuki cried out, slamming her staff down. "Sanctuary Ward!"

A golden barrier snapped into place just inches before him.

BOOM!

The impact shattered Miyuki’s barrier instantly like brittle glass. The leftover concussive force slammed into Ayanokoji, sending him crashing into the ship’s heavy iron winch. Wood shattered, metal bent, and he coughed up a spatter of blood as he hit the deck.

"Ayanokoji!" Miyuki gasped, already channeling pure healing mana. A soft green light washed over him, closing the internal bruising, but the drain on her mana pool was noticeable. Sweat beaded on her forehead. "Its physical power is too high... my tier-five barriers can’t take direct hits from that thing!"

Ayanokoji pushed himself up immediately, his eyes coldly analyzing the thrashing nightmare. "Don’t waste mana on full shields. Focus on targeted deflection and stamina recovery. It has multiple hearts and regenerative tissue. Cutting superficial flesh is useless."

The Kraken’s massive head surged higher above the waterline, its colossal beak snapping open, generating a terrifying whirlpool that began dragging the entire corvette toward its gaping maw.

Up in the heavens, the Global Hawk’s thermal feed caught every brutal second.

Back in the command bunker, John watched the screen with a calm, calculating gaze.

"Telemetry shows target Sierra-Bravo just took a hit equivalent to forty Gs of blunt force," the tactical analyst said, eyes wide. "He survived, but the creature barely registered his counterattack. That biological armor is absurd."

"Of course it is," John said smoothly, leaning forward. "Our destroyer took its time defeating that thing. It’s a sturdy motherfucker."

On the listing deck below, the wood groans under the horrific suction of the whirlpool.

Ayanokoji wiped the blood from his chin, gripped his spear with both hands, and lowered his stance. Beside him, Miyuki gritted her teeth, raising her staff as radiant, desperate mana flared around them both.

They were fighting for their lives.

"Should we intervene?" Ritcher, who was also watching from behind, asked John.

"Let’s wait, we don’t want to blow our cover for this."