Chapter 193: The Gloomfin Devourer

The creature broke the surface in a flash of silver and teeth.

It was a flying fish, but wrong. Its body was sleek and torpedo-shaped, its scales shimmering with a metallic sheen, and its fins were long and blade-like, spread wide like wings. Its mouth was a jagged slit lined with needle teeth, and its eyes were black and depthless.

It launched itself from the water, arcing through the air with terrifying speed, and slammed into the deck of the lead ship. The crew scattered, shouting, as the creature thrashed and snapped, its teeth tearing through rope and wood.

More of them followed.

A dozen of the flying fish erupted from the waves, their silver bodies catching the grey light as they soared through the air. They crashed onto the decks of all three ships, their teeth snapping at anything that moved.

Jooquin didn’t flinch. He watched the chaos with a cold, knowing eye.

"Heh. With fish like these swimming around, it means something bigger is below us."

Luna had moved closer, her blood-red eyes fixed on the creatures. She heard his words and turned toward him, her expression sharp with curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

Jooquin gestured toward the flying fish, his grin not quite reaching his eyes.

"These things are prey." He pointed toward the waves, where more of the creatures were leaping from the water in frantic arcs. "When they start jumping like this, it’s not because they’re hunting. It’s because they’re running."

He turned toward the open sea, his gaze sweeping the dark water beneath them.

"Something is chasing them. Something big enough to scare a whole school into the air."

Luna’s eyes narrowed. She looked down at the water, her mage senses reaching outward, probing the depths.

"I don’t sense anything," she said quietly.

"You won’t," Jooquin replied. "Not yet. But it’s down there. Trust me. I’ve seen this before."

One of Jooquin’s crew, a burly man with a scarred face and a cutlass in each hand, ran up to him.

"Captain! The deck is clear! What are your orders?"

Jooquin didn’t answer immediately. He was still staring at the water, his weathered face unusually serious.

"Get the men to the cannons," he said at last. "All of them. And tell the helmsman to keep us steady. We’re not running from this."

The pirate nodded and ran to relay the orders.

Across the deck, William had already rallied his knights. They stood in a tight formation near the stern, their swords drawn, their armor glinting in the grey light. William’s grey eyes were fixed on the churning water, his jaw tight.

"Defensive formation!" he shouted. "Protect the mages! Don’t let anything board this ship!"

The knights moved as one, their training evident in every step.

Jooquin glanced at them, his grin returning, though it was thinner now.

"At least they listen to someone."

Luna stepped forward, her silver robes rippling in the wind. Her blood-red eyes were fixed on the dark water below.

"What are we dealing with?"

Jooquin’s grin sharpened.

"A Gloomfin Devourer. It looks hungry, and it’s heading straight for us."

The water beneath the ships began to churn.

A massive shape rose from the depths, its body longer than the lead ship, its hide a deep, abyssal black that seemed to swallow the light. Its fins were massive, jagged, and its mouth was a cavern of teeth, each one as long as a man’s arm.

It surfaced beside the lead ship, its massive eye fixing on the crew with cold, ancient hunger.

Jooquin’s grin didn’t falter.

"Alright, boys," he shouted, his voice carrying across the deck. "Let’s show these nobles how pirates fight!"

The pirates roared in response, their voices rising in a ragged, enthusiastic chorus that echoed across the water. They moved with practiced efficiency, each one knowing their role without needing to be told twice. Cannons were loaded, ropes were secured, and the ship shifted into a battle formation that spoke of decades of experience on the open sea.

Jooquin watched them with a gleam of pride in his eye.

On the noble ship, Luna wasn’t idle. She stretched her right arm forward, her silver robes billowing in the wind, and her voice rang out across the deck with cold, clear authority.

"Mages! Prepare for combat! Support formations, now!"

The mages under her command snapped to attention. They were a mix of Third and Fourth Circle practitioners, their robes marked with the sigils of their respective schools. They spread out across the deck, forming a loose semicircle behind William’s knights, their hands already gathering mana.

Luna’s blood-red eyes swept over them once, assessing their readiness. Then she turned her gaze toward the Gloomfin Devourer, its massive body circling the lead ship like a shark testing its prey.

"Barriers first," she commanded. "Defensive grid across all three ships. I want no gaps."

The mages obeyed. Shimmering barriers flickered into existence, layering over the hulls of the three ships. They weren’t strong enough to stop the Devourer outright, but they would absorb the first impact, buy the crews time to react.

William stood at the front of his knights, his sword drawn, his grey eyes fixed on the monster.

"Knights! Brace for impact!"

The Gloomfin Devourer lunged.

Its massive head slammed into the lead ship’s barrier, and the shield shattered on contact. The impact sent shockwaves through the hull, and several pirates were thrown off their feet. The creature’s jaws opened wide, teeth gleaming, and it lunged toward the deck.

But Jooquin was already moving.

"Fire!"

The cannons roared. A volley of iron and fire slammed into the Devourer’s flank, tearing through its hide and drawing dark, steaming blood. The creature shrieked, its massive body twisting away from the ship.

Jooquin laughed, his cutlass raised high.

"That’s it, boys! Keep hitting it! Don’t give it time to think!"

The pirates reloaded with practiced speed, their movements synchronized, their morale high despite the monster’s size.

Luna raised her hand, her blood-red eyes narrowing.

"[Arcane Barrage]!"

A storm of glowing projectiles shot from her fingertips, each one a concentrated sphere of mana. They streaked across the water and slammed into the Devourer’s exposed eye, forcing the creature to recoil.

The monster roared, its massive body thrashing, and the sea around it churned into a maelstrom.

William saw his opening.

"Knights! Advance!"

His knights surged forward, their swords blazing with mana, and drove their blades into the Devourer’s exposed flank. The creature shrieked, its blood spraying across the deck, and its tail whipped toward them.

William raised his sword and parried the blow, the impact driving him back several feet. His arms trembled, but he held his ground.

"Hold the line!"

Luna watched the knight struggle, her expression unreadable. Then she raised her hand again, her voice cold and precise.

"[Frozen Shackles]."

Ice erupted from the water, wrapping around the Devourer’s tail and anchoring it in place. The creature thrashed, but the ice held firm.

"Now!" Luna shouted. "Focus your fire on its head!"

The mages obeyed, their spells converging on the Devourer’s skull. Jooquin’s cannons followed suit, and the combined assault tore through the creature’s defenses.

The Gloomfin Devourer let out one final, agonized roar, and then its massive body went still.

Jooquin lowered his cutlass, his grin returning.

"Not bad, my lady."

Luna lowered her hand, her expression composed.

"It was a team effort."

William sheathed his sword, his grey eyes lingering on Luna for a moment before he turned away.

"Damage report," he ordered. "Check the hulls. Tend to the wounded."

The knights moved to obey, and the pirates followed suit, their earlier hostility forgotten in the aftermath of the battle.

Jooquin walked toward Luna, his footsteps steady despite the rocking deck.

"You know," he said quietly, "for a court mage, you fight like someone who’s been in real battles."

Luna met his gaze, her blood-red eyes calm.

"I’ve had my share of experience."

Jooquin studied her for a long moment. Then he laughed, his yellowed teeth flashing.

"I like you, my lady. You’re full of surprises."

Luna smiled, small and cold.

"I could say the same about you, Master Jooquin."

Jooquin grinned, tilting his head back with a theatrical flourish.

"Hoo, so I’m liked too? I didn’t expect my charm to still be working."

Luna’s smile didn’t waver, but something cold flickered behind her eyes.

"Don’t misunderstand," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "I meant that you’re full of surprises. Not that I’m fond of you."

Jooquin laughed, completely unbothered by the correction.

"Hahaha! Cold as ice, my lady." He leaned against the railing, crossing his arms. "But that’s fine. I’ve been rejected by better women than you."

Luna arched an eyebrow, but didn’t take the bait.

William, who had been supervising the damage report nearby, turned his head sharply at Jooquin’s words. His grey eyes narrowed with irritation, and his hand moved instinctively toward the hilt of his sword. But before he could speak, Luna raised a single hand, halting him without even looking in his direction.

"William," she said calmly. "The damage report."

William’s jaw tightened. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to argue. Then he bowed his head, his hand falling away from his sword.

"...Understood."

He turned and walked toward the knights, his footsteps heavier than necessary against the deck.

Jooquin watched him go, his grin widening.

"He really doesn’t like me, does he?"

Luna folded her hands calmly in front of her.

"He’s protective. That’s all."

"Protective?" Jooquin repeated, scratching his beard. "Or jealous?"

Luna didn’t answer. She simply turned her gaze back toward the open sea, her eyes tracing the horizon.

"The Devourer was only the first," she said quietly. "The waters ahead will be more dangerous. We should prepare."

Jooquin nodded, his grin fading into something more thoughtful.

"You’re right. That thing was just a taste of what’s out here now. Without the Sun Eater keeping the balance, every predator in these waters is testing new territory." He spat over the railing. "It’s going to be a long voyage."

Luna was silent for a moment. Then she spoke, her voice soft but certain.

"Then let’s make sure we’re ready."

Jooquin glanced at her, his grin returning.

"I like that attitude." He pushed off the railing and stretched his arms. "Alright, my lady. Let’s get to work."