Chapter 853

—Ah, I see. So that’s why you were rushing me, my friend.

Yog muttered as if it had finally understood. It must have sensed the chaos spreading vividly beyond the rising fog.

Right after that, a massive shape began emerging through the fog, its form resembling something flapping enormous wings.

"Watch helplessly from there, Purifier—"

As Rimuta’s drawn-out voice echoed on, the creature’s broad body became visible between those wings, covered in a hardened exoskeleton. Even its long, trailing tail shimmered with a bluish glow.

A ray?

Only then did Ian realize the flapping wings were actually fins. Of course, that wasn’t why his brow twisted.

The demonic beast carrying Rimuta was charging directly toward the side of the Crimson Coral Reef, leaving behind a blue trail of spray.

"Your subordinates shall become offerings to the deep sea first— What?"

Rimuta’s voice abruptly faltered.

Ian immediately understood why. A burst of golden light suddenly bloomed across the rocking deck of the Crimson Coral Reef.

It was magic pouring from the priest running frantically across the stern deck. More precisely, from the prosthetic left arm clenched in his right hand.

Miguel!

Ian’s eyes widened a beat later. Along with the worry, admiration rose within him once again.

After all, no one knew better than Ian just how cowardly Miguel usually was. He had probably moved without even thinking, but that didn’t make the act any less courageous.

—Get ready, my friend. I’m almost at the surface now.

Even while Yog’s whisper brushed through his mind, Ian’s eyes never left the Crimson Coral Reef.

The demonic beast charging toward the ship had begun blazing with blue light across its body, and the fairies and beastfolk hurriedly scattered aside to clear space.

"So, you weren’t alone after all!"

Miguel twisted his waist and slid to a stop before it just as Rimuta’s voice resumed.

Steadying his stance, he looked up at the demonic beast and spun violently, thrusting out his prosthetic arm.

Whoosh—

A golden trajectory erupted forth like a dragon’s breath, but Ian never saw the result of the attack. A torrential downpour of lightning flooded his vision in blinding white.

Why now, of all times?

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The thunderous explosion that accompanied it shook him violently.

***

Rumble! Boom!

As the thunderous crashes of lightning endlessly shook the air, the bright yellow dragon magic slashed diagonally through the blue explosion that was spreading thickly across the sea.

Even as he was slowly pushed backward, Miguel gripped the forearm of his prosthetic arm and grimaced terribly.

We’re screwed!

He couldn’t pierce through the demonic beast. At the final moment, the creature had flapped its wing-like fins and sharply dived downward.

The dragon magic blast had merely grazed across the armored-looking back and long tail of the beast.

Screech—

Even so, the demonic beast crashed downward like a kite with its strings cut, accompanied by a blue explosion—and that was exactly the problem. The creature had already flown dangerously close to the ship.

Fwoosh!

The instant the demonic beast crashed down, an enormous pillar of water erupted skyward.

"Everyone get down!"

"Hold on tight, you idiots!"

The fairies’ and beastfolk’s shouts rang out one after another, followed immediately by a massive shockwave as the ship lurched violently, almost as though it might flip over entirely.

"Arrrgh!"

To Miguel, it felt as though the ground itself was pitching back and forth beneath him. Even as he screamed and dropped to one knee, he never let go of the prosthetic arm he still gripped tightly with his right hand.

The dragon magic hadn’t fully dissipated yet. If he moved carelessly, he could end up killing an ally or destroying the ship itself.

Thud, thud, thud!

Having entirely lost his balance, Miguel was hurled across the deck helplessly. Heavy impacts slammed into him as the world spun wildly around him.

Fuck! So this is how I die?

Even amidst the chaos, Miguel instinctively realized he was about to be flung straight off the ship. He no longer had any way to stop himself.

To think he would fall into the Black Sea covered in cursed fog and die there. Until heading toward the Black Isles, he had never once imagined such an end.

Thunk!

At that moment, someone slammed into him while wrapping their arms around his waist. The impact drove the breath from his lungs, and suddenly the world flipped upside down.

Creak!

A short while later, he finally came to a stop with the sound of something scraping across the deck.

Of course, Miguel couldn’t gather his senses immediately. His entire body throbbed, and the world was still spinning.

"Are you alright, Priest?"

A growling voice pushed into his ears.

The face of a beastfolk with one eye covered by an eyepatch came into focus. It was Palmer. Keeping himself low to the deck, Palmer was even pressing one hand firmly against Miguel’s breastplate.

"N-No… Not at all…"

Only then did Miguel finally realize he was sprawled flat on the deck.

Palmer gave a slight nod in response. "I’m glad you’re unharmed." 

Miguel stared blankly at the beastfolk’s terrifying face for a moment before suddenly widening his eyes.

"Lily!" Jerking upright, Miguel whipped his head around. He had left her behind on the stern deck. "What about Lily? Is Lily safe?!"

Without removing the hand pressed against Miguel’s armor, Palmer nodded. "Don’t worry. The pointy-ear— I mean, Diana’s carrying her."

Miguel let his head fall back against the deck with a sigh of relief. "Thank the heavens… O, Lu Entre—"

Only then did he begin hearing the thunder again—the same thunder that had apparently been rumbling the entire time without him even consciously noticing it. Mixed in with it were groans and curses echoing from all across the deck.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Other than a few sailors getting thrown into the sea, yes. Though I think we’ve run into a bigger problem instead."

Miguel, who had been nodding faintly, suddenly stiffened at Palmer’s calm remark.

Furrowing his brows, he slowly opened his eyes.

Rimuta’s sinister voice continued, "To think you were hiding such an extraordinary armament… truly, you people cannot be underestimated. Had I arrived even a little later, I might have failed my task."

Contrary to its words, the creature let out a chuckle. "I wonder whether you prepared any plans for when the ship breaks apart."

The words were more than enough to make Miguel’s eyes snap open wide. "What?"

Palmer met his gaze, flicked his tongue across his lips, and nodded. "I don’t think we can stay aboard this ship any longer, Priest."

"What do you mea—"

Miguel’s brow twisted sharply as Palmer finally removed the hand pressing against his breastplate.

At last, Miguel pushed himself upright despite the pain throbbing through his upper body.

The devastated deck came into view.

"Fuck…."

"Grrrrr!"

Fairies and beastfolk alike clung to the railings or crouched so low they were practically sprawled across the deck.

Looking over them, Miguel blinked a few times before tilting his head in confusion.

"It’s a complete mess, sure, but it doesn’t look that bad."

Palmer raised his hand. "Look over there."

Following his gesture toward the rear deck, Miguel finally furrowed his brow. "You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me…."

Behind Diana, who sat collapsed while cradling Lily in her arms, the magical device that should have been fixed firmly to the stern railing now hung loosely.

The impact must have torn part of the frame away.

Captain Yalo’s sigh brushed past Miguel’s ears immediately afterward. "Well now, this is troublesome…."

Standing near where Miguel had been moments ago, the captain looked down at the deck with a smile that was somewhere between bitter laughter and disbelief.

And understandably so. Several long cracks now split across the deck.

Miguel smacked his lips uneasily as he muttered, "That side doesn’t look good either."

Palmer nodded. "The hull’s probably full of cracks too. Even if we keep rowing, there’s no telling when the ship might split in half."

"Then what the hell are we supposed to—" Miguel abruptly stopped mid-sentence. He had suddenly realized the thunder was now rumbling from beyond the starboard side.

Rumble! Rumble!

Turning toward the starboard railing, Miguel staggered to his feet.

Swoosh—

The lightning storm was gradually dying down, revealing the other smuggling ships racing behind them and the pirates still hurling harpoons.

Bwoooo—

Screech!

The demonic beast swarm, driven back once again by the rain of lightning, had also fallen far behind. And yet, it was all drawing closer to them again.

Not only had the current pushed the ship off course, but the hull itself had turned sideways. Of course, that wasn’t the only reason Miguel approached the railing.

"I don’t think this ship can keep going."

At Miguel’s words, every beastfolk and fairy scattered across the devastated deck turned toward him all at once.

Palmer rose as well, wrapping the rope at his waist tightly around one arm.

Pointing over the railing, Miguel turned toward Yalo. "So let’s split up and transfer onto the other ships. Move between them and anchor us in place so they can pass on both sides."

As Yalo clicked his tongue bitterly, Nehat approached from the forward deck and said, "Didn’t you hear him, Captain? He said get ready."

The captain stroked his beard in thought before finally glancing helplessly toward his first mate, Terua.

"Oars ready! Prepare!" Terua’s shout rang out.

Meanwhile, the fairies and beastfolk gathered around Miguel, clearly waiting for more detailed instructions.

After awkwardly scratching his chin, Miguel said, "First off, sorry about this, everyone. Looks like that demonic beast was carrying the lord. I screwed up and failed to kill it. And now the ship’s ended up like this."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Priest. If you hadn’t stopped that creature, things would have turned out far worse."

The one who answered was Diana, approaching from the rear deck. Her face was hidden behind a mask, and Lily, whose complexion had grown even paler, rested in her arms.

Miguel blinked while glancing toward her.

"The pointy-ear speaks correctly for once. Truly, it was a display worthy of the great Platinum Dragon’s messenger," Nehat added, her tone noticeably more respectful as she walked over from the forward deck.

Palmer nodded, as did the other fairies and beastfolk. Their gazes toward Miguel had subtly changed from before.

"Nah… come on, don’t make such a big deal out of it. I just did what obviously had to be done. Seriously now."

Miguel waved both hands dismissively in exaggerated humility. Even so, he failed to hide the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

That was when Palmer, standing beside him, said, "That corrupted lord seemed to feel his life was genuinely threatened. So then, how many more times can you use that draconic invocation spell?"

"Well, probably not again for another three days or so."

At Miguel’s answer, Palmer frowned deeply and looked back at him. "What?"

Miguel flashed a grin, revealing his yellowed teeth. "But that bastard doesn’t know that yet, does he? And he seems to think I’m the Purifier too. So…"

Slowly looking over the gathered fairies and beastfolk, Miguel crossed his arms over his chest and slightly lifted his chin.

"I’ll stay here and bluff like hell while the rest of you split up and transfer over fast."