Chapter 219

Because these deep-sea behemoths were part of the White Castle War Pet Legion's main force, the gnoll captain had fought alongside a deep-sea giant octopus on more than one occasion.

Moni was quite fond of the deep-sea giant octopus. Every time they took the field, their sheer bulk alone exerted a crushing pressure on the enemy, making battles significantly easier.

But now, with a deep-sea giant octopus standing as his enemy, Moni Redmane finally realized just how terrifying these ship-sized monsters truly were.

Their colossal bulk granted them horrific strength, ensuring that every movement they made unleashed devastating destruction. Coupled with their innate talent for limb regeneration, they were utterly fearless death machines once driven into a frenzy.

The gnoll captain quickly drew the short knife strapped to his leg and cut the ropes securing him. Facing a giant beast like this, remaining immobile was simply too dangerous.

As he sliced through the ropes, the sailors inside felt the ship take a heavy blow and rushed out of the cabin to investigate.

"Damn it! Why is there a deep-sea giant octopus on this route?!"

"I'm filing a complaint with the Maritime Patrol Office! Those bastards take our money and do absolutely nothing!"

Seeing the crew bottlenecking the cabin doorway, the gnoll captain roared.

"Hurry! Get back inside!"

Against a massive Transcendent Tier creature like this, ordinary sailors were completely useless and would only add to the casualties.

The gnoll captain unhooked the compact Hand Crossbow from his waist and pulled a small wooden box from his coat. Opening it swiftly, he withdrew three specialized magical bolts.

These customized magical bolts were incredibly precious. Forged by gray dwarf blacksmith Masters and subsequently enchanted by runemasters, fewer than two thousand were produced each year.

However, to account for emergencies during maritime transport, White Castle issued three of these bolts to every ship captain.

Moni selected the bolt marked with a flame insignia, hastily nocking it and aiming at the sea.

Having witnessed a deep-sea giant octopus in combat on numerous occasions, Moni was deeply familiar with the beasts' fighting habits.

After snagging a ship with their tentacles, their massive heads would breach the surface along one side of the vessel. At that point, they would attempt to drag the ship under and capsize it.

This was the precise moment Moni was waiting for. Once the octopus's head broke the surface, it would be met with a magical bolt enchanted with a Burst Spell. Only by targeting a fatal weakness like the head could he kill the behemoth in a single strike.

Gripping the ship's rail with one hand to anchor himself against the violently rocking deck, the gnoll captain kept his Hand Crossbow leveled with the other, keeping a vigilant watch on both sides of the hull.

"Come on out, baby! I've got a present waiting for you!"

As if hearing the gnoll captain's taunt, the giant head of the deep-sea giant octopus surfaced from the dark water.

"Perfect!"

Seeing the massive octopus head steadily rising, the gnoll captain pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Suddenly, a massive wave crashed into the Cuttlefish, pitching the vessel sharply upward and throwing off the gnoll's aim.

The magical bolt struck the deep-sea giant octopus's tentacle instead.

Boom!

Accompanied by a deafening explosion and a flash of fire, a bloodied hole the size of a table was blown into the beast's flesh.

The deep-sea giant octopus unleashed a shriek filled with rage and agony, instantly shrinking back beneath the waves.

The very second the ship lurched, the gnoll captain knew they were in trouble. A deep-sea giant octopus's temper was proportional to its size; the Cuttlefish was now guaranteed to face its violent retaliation.

The gnoll captain immediately drew another bolt. This one bore a lightning emblem, signifying it was enchanted with a Thunderstorm Spell.

After suffering the blast from the Explosive Arrow, the deep-sea giant octopus wouldn't dare expose its head again so easily. However, water conducted electricity, and the enchanted bolt in Moni's hand could still inflict substantial damage.

Resting his hand against the rail, the gnoll captain stared at the surface where the giant octopus had submerged. Only a spreading pool of blood marked the water. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Huh? Did it run away?!"

Suddenly, a thick tentacle shot out of the pitch-black water, slamming down toward the gnoll on the deck.

His extensive military career had honed his reflexes far beyond those of an ordinary person. Amidst a shower of splintered wood, Moni Redmane rolled across the deck, narrowly avoiding the deep-sea giant octopus's crushing blow. The instant he steadied himself, the gnoll captain pulled the trigger.

Swoosh!

The Thunderstorm Bolt pierced the curtain of rain and impaled the tentacle. An intense flash of light followed as silver lightning erupted, arcing down the limb and surging straight into the main body submerged in the sea.

Struck by the massive electrical current, the deep-sea giant octopus's brain was instantly paralyzed. Its tentacle went limp and slid back into the ocean.

However, when the lightning detonated, a section of that tentacle was still draped over the ship, and the deck was thoroughly soaked with pooling rainwater from the storm.

As a result, tragedy struck both the gnoll captain on the deck and the Murloc clinging to the mast.

The electrical current raced through the standing water, shocking both the gnoll and the Murloc before either could react.

Fortunately, the vast majority of the voltage had discharged directly into the deep-sea giant octopus.

Tim the Murloc instantly lost all strength in his limbs and tumbled from the mast. The gnoll captain merely went numb all over, the wet fur on his body standing on end.

A moment later, the gnoll captain recovered his senses. He quickly surveyed his surroundings, realizing the wind and waves had somewhat subsided.

"Hurry! Tim! Hoist the sails! Once the paralysis wears off, it's going to come back!"

The gnoll captain rushed back to his post while Tim hurriedly untied the rigging, using every ounce of his strength to raise the sails to full billow.

The howling wind caught the canvas, propelling the Cuttlefish rapidly into the distance.

After the Cuttlefish had put some distance between them, a colossal octopus surfaced in the waters behind. Its thick tentacles whipped wildly across the sea; upon realizing the enemies who had hurt it were escaping, it immediately gave chase.

Glancing backward, Tim spotted the massive silhouette of the pursuing octopus.

"Captain! It's catching up!"

The gnoll kept his eyes glued straight ahead. He needed to steer the ship to cut through the waves at the optimal angle, reducing forward resistance to the absolute minimum. Hearing the Murloc's shout, he tossed the Hand Crossbow and the wooden box over.

"Load the bolt! When it gets close, shoot it!"

Tim caught the Hand Crossbow. Its mechanism was incredibly simple; after a moment of fumbling, he successfully loaded the bolt marked with a snowflake emblem, staring nervously at the enormous figure trailing the ship.

Suddenly, Tim noticed a large ship emerging off the side of the Cuttlefish.

"Captain, there's a ship next to us!"

The gnoll captain—Moni Redmane—hastily stole a glance. He realized the distant vessel had no sails drawn, yet it was moving several times faster than the Cuttlefish. He was instantly overjoyed.

"Fantastic! An Alchemical Ship! It's a big shot!"

A big shot meant a powerhouse, or at least someone with mighty bodyguards.

Moni Redmane quickly took out a flare gun and pulled the trigger.

Red fireworks burst in the sky. The large vessel alongside them had clearly noticed the Cuttlefish's plight and turned to intercept them.

The gnoll captain shouted.

"Hold on tight, we're moving in closer!"