Chapter 856

Boom, boom, boom!

The ship was still being shoved violently sideways. The port-side deck, now tilted close to the surface of the water, began tearing apart from the edges like jaws opening wide.

You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.

Miguel’s eyes twisted instinctively as he lay crushed beneath the starboard railing. And he wasn’t the only one who noticed it.

"Hold on tight! The ship’s breaking apart!"

"Holy shit!"

"Goddammit! I’m not dying like this— Not like this!"

Cursing and panicked screams erupted from the beastfolk and fairies waiting at both the bow and stern.

Immediately afterward, Palmer urgently shouted, "I’m moving toward the rear before the ship splits completely apart—"

Miguel barely turned his head enough to answer. "A-Alright! Be careful!"

The deck was splitting farther and farther apart now; the crack rising upward like something alive. It was clear it would tear straight through nearby sections.

That was likely why Palmer was trying to move toward the stern.

For a brief moment, Miguel watched his retreating figure climb upward along the slanted railing, gripping it with both hands one after another.

"Aaaagh!"

"Whaaaa—"

The faint screams echoing from below made Miguel’s expression twist further.

He realized the rowers below deck were beginning to fall beneath the widening split in the hull.

The screams cut off abruptly, as though severed with a blade. The sea had swallowed them whole.

Fuck! O, Lu Entre!

Grinding his teeth, Miguel began reciting a prayer inwardly. He already knew it was useless here.

However, he couldn’t abandon the futile hope that perhaps even a single soul might still be saved from the ancient god’s beast.

Crackle!

Meanwhile, the rupturing crack finally tore completely through the deck. The hull itself had already split more than halfway apart as well.

Whoosh—

Yet the rate at which the ship was being dragged slowed even faster than the destruction itself. Only seconds later, the ship that had been leaning sideways with its center split wide open began righting itself again.

Miguel’s eyes widened instantly.

The ship had started tilting back in the opposite direction like a roly-poly toy, lifting his lower body helplessly into the air as he clung to the railing.

Crunch!

The hull finally ripped the rest of the way apart.

By the time it lurched back again, the ship had completely split into two sections, each rotating away from the other.

"U-Urgh?" A muffled scream burst from Miguel’s mouth.

Right beside him, the jagged cross-section of the broken ship was tipping toward the sea, and the strength in the arm hooked over the railing was rapidly failing.

"Ahhhh—"

Sailors who had tumbled below deck alongside the shattered wreckage vanished beneath the surging black waters. The moment Miguel looked down at them, a rough hand suddenly seized the back of his neck.

It was Nehat. Both her feet and her grappling hook were anchored to the railing.

Pulling Miguel upward with the one remaining arm she still had, she said, "Hold tightly onto me, Priest."

"H-Huh?"

As Miguel gasped for breath in confusion, Nehat bared her fangs and jerked her head toward the bow. "Hurry. We need to climb toward the front before we sink."

"A-Alright!" Without hesitation, Miguel wrapped both arms and legs tightly around Nehat.

It was admittedly an embarrassing position, but thanks to her much larger frame, it wasn’t especially uncomfortable.

"Quit dangling there and climb up, Pointy-Ear!"

Just as Miguel grabbed the prosthetic forearm with his right hand, the view of the bow deck rising diagonally into the air spread out beyond Nehat’s shoulder.

"How the hell did it end up like this?"

"You’d better call me your savior from now on."

"Damn it... Fuck!"

The beastfolk and fairies were crowded together along the bow railing. Several of them were even clutching the napes, wrists, or ankles of their companions with one hand.

They had likely caught those who lost their balance or nearly got flung overboard. However, there was no way to tell whether everyone had survived.

Whoosh— Crackle!

Pulling on the rope, Nehat spun gracefully before landing atop the sharply tilted deck. The metal claws protruding from her gauntlets and plated boots bit directly into the wood as she crouched low and strode forward.

Miguel clung tightly to her as though hanging from her.

"Are you trying to drag me to you, Purifier?" Rimuta’s roar thundered through the air, fury and disbelief tangled together.

Only then did Miguel realize the sea dragon was still dragging the ray-beast.

However, that wasn’t what widened Miguel’s eyes. As his vision tilted upside down, he caught sight of the central mast leaning diagonally through the air.

Swish—

And right in the middle of it, figures were soaring through the sky while hanging from ropes. The Kurdian captain Yalo, his waist wrapped several times with a thick rope. And clutching him tightly from behind was the first mate, Terua.

Since when the hell were they up there?

Miguel stared blankly as the pair shot upward toward the right.

The thick rope tied around Yalo’s waist had been wound tightly around the horizontal spar high above. How they’d secured it up there in that tiny window of time was completely beyond him.

Still, one thing was obvious. They had come up with a way to avoid being flung off the ship.

"Very well! I shall gladly face you! But while I do, every last one of your subordinates will become living sacrifices!"

It was only after Rimuta’s booming shout continued that Miguel realized that wasn’t all.

Yalo, swinging leftward like a pendulum, suddenly whipped the rope in his right hand forward.

The violently swaying line snapped outward like a massive whip.

Crunch!

The portion coiled around the central mast unraveled smoothly as it slid free.

Miguel stared numbly at the two figures cutting through the air alongside the rope.

And the moment he craned his head around Nehat’s shoulder, he finally understood where they were headed—beyond the starboard railing, another mast jutted upward at a sharp angle.

He didn’t need to think long to realize what it belonged to: the remaining half of the Crimson Coral Reef, completely separated from the bow section.

Swish—

The rope, cutting through the air like a whip, snared the crossbeam an instant later.

The trajectory of Yalo and Terua hanging beneath it naturally shifted direction.

Miguel’s mouth hung open stupidly.

"I see, so that man is from Kalikram," said Nehat.

Blinking, he looked up at her. "Kalikram?"

"A massive mountain range stretching between deserts. They say countless heretical tribes once lived there in ancient times," Nehat answered without taking her eyes off Yalo and Terah.

She continued climbing steadily across the tilted deck. "Most Kurdians who use strange tricks come from there."

"Ah, so that’s why they called him a Sorcerer."

Only then did Miguel remember Yalo’s nickname.

By now, Yalo and Terua had already disappeared below. Since the rope hadn’t swung back, they had likely landed safely on the stern section.

Miguel blinked as he asked, "But why head over there? That side’s sinking too, isn’t it?"

Nehat paused briefly before glancing down at him with a low growl. "I suppose you still can’t see it yet, Priest. The smuggling ships are coming this way. Though they’ll reach that side first."

Miguel’s eyes widened at last.

Licking her lips with a smile, Nehat added, "That’s why the bastard crossed over there too. Just wait a little longer. They’re almost here."

Miguel lifted his head and looked up.

The edge of the sharply tilted bow deck was already close now.

The beastfolk and fairies were hanging onto the railings or standing beyond them, waiting. The same was true atop the forward mast they had just passed.

"Hurry the fuck up already!"

Everyone was staring in the same direction with desperate intensity. Then, from somewhere off to the left, a voice amplified by magic rang across the sea.

It was Diana. She sounded fairly close. Since she couldn’t have switched ships again, it meant the Silent Storm had nearly caught up.

This fast?

That alone was enough to brighten Miguel’s face. They had clearly forced their way straight through the sea creatures' waves and shockwaves to follow them.

Swoosh, crunch!

At that moment, Nehat planted both feet on the deck and hurled a hooked rope upward.

The hook caught with a sharp clang, and gripping the rope tightly, she lifted her upper body at an angle.

Miguel’s eyes widened at almost the same moment. The tilted wreck had already sunk all the way to the lower section of the central mast. It was sinking far faster than he had expected.

"Grab the priest. Priest? You relax now," said Nehat.

Huge hands reaching down from above seized Miguel all over immediately afterward.

"Don’t move."

It was the beastfolk crouching above him. As he relaxed the strength in his limbs and was hauled upward, Miguel finally turned his gaze to the side.

Another wrecked half of the ship was sinking nearby at a similar angle. However, its situation was far better than theirs.

Swoosh—

An intact smuggling ship, the Silent Storm, was already pulling alongside it. Several wide nets hung from the side facing the wreck.

Swish!

Beastfolk and fairies kicked off the sinking ship’s railings and hull in succession, leaping through the air.

Some landed directly on the deck after clearing the railing, while others clung to the nets.

Clatter—

Of course, Yalo and Terua were crossing over as well. The rope they had extended was now hooked around the Silent Storm’s mast.

It was then that the beastfolk lowered Miguel onto the railing.

"Be careful. You can crouch down now."

"Th-Thanks!"

One wrong move and he’d tumble straight down the slanted hull into the sea below. Quickly dropping into a crouch and grabbing the railing tight, Miguel still couldn’t pull his eyes away from the scene ahead.

Whoosh—

The Black Wave, its oars rowing furiously, was now passing along the opposite side of the wreck. Every fairy and beastfolk standing on its deck was looking this way.

They were all soaked like drowned rats, clearly battered by spray and crashing waves on the way here.

At the center of it all stood the one-eyed captain Sanford, waving both arms over his head while shouting, "Just hold on a little longer! We’re rowing our damn arms off over here!"

As Miguel’s gaze swept from the central deck to the stern deck, his eyes finally narrowed.

He had finally spotted Lily standing atop the starboard railing. Behind her stood Phoebe, poised as though ready to reach out and grab her at any moment.

Of course, there was no need to think deeply about why Lily was standing there again.

Screech!

Though their numbers had greatly dwindled, the sea creatures carrying the corrupted were still drawing closer from afar.

The swarming sea creatures continued trailing behind them as well.

"When it’s time to transfer over, hold on to me again," said Nehat, climbing atop the pointed railing jutting out from the bow while skillfully unhooking the hook from the railing.

Miguel hesitated before asking, "Couldn’t I ride on your back instead?"

"If you don’t mind the sword getting in the way." Miguel nodded immediately at the answer and turned back toward the sea creature horde again.

The beast ships were still burning like signal beacons, illuminating the surrounding darkness. They even seemed to be different ones from before, which meant Ian was still out there fighting them even now.

Rumble! Zap!

At that moment, the lightning Lily unleashed streaked brilliantly outward. The instant it struck the sea surface, branching arcs spread outward like a massive spiderweb.

And it didn’t stop after one strike.

Rumble!

Before the previous flash had even faded, Lily hurled another bolt slightly farther to the side. She had cast the spell consecutively.

The sea creatures charging through the waves convulsed violently alongside the corrupted riders mounted atop them before sinking beneath the water.

However, Miguel squeezed his eyes shut and clicked his tongue for another reason entirely.

Still not here yet?

The sea dragon that had dragged away the armored ray beast was nowhere in sight, though it had seemed to be heading back toward Ian.

"Everyone, get ready to jump! Right now!" Sanford’s harsh shout tore through the air.

Miguel slowly opened the eyes he’d unconsciously shut. The Black Wave, its port side covered in nets, was pulling up right beside them now.

Sweeping his gaze across the deck, Miguel suddenly inhaled sharply.

"Lily!"

He’d spotted Lily bent halfway over the railing while Phoebe clung tightly to her legs from behind. Lily jerked violently, as though she were coughing up blood.

Just as expected, she had clearly pushed herself too far with the magic.

"Jump in order!"

"Anyone who cuts ahead and causes an accident gets killed!"

That was when the fairies and beastfolk began shouting over one another.

Almost simultaneously, those lined along the starboard railing started launching themselves across the gap in sequence.

Swoosh—

From the bow deck of the Black Wave to the nets hanging nearby, fairies and beastfolk began landing one after another through the air.

Surprisingly, a few surviving sailors were mixed among them as well.

The beastfolk who had hooked rope grapples onto the Black Wave were carrying them over their shoulders as they leapt.

"Climb on, Priest." Nehat dropped to one knee.

Miguel immediately wrapped both arms around her shoulders. The massive sword strapped diagonally across her back was somewhat cumbersome, but it didn’t stop him from locking his arms and legs around her securely.

"Looks like I’ll have to copy that Kurdian captain after all."

Rising back to her feet, Nehat began spinning the hooked rope overhead.

Clang!

The instant she thrust her arm forward, the hook shot out and caught around the Black Wave’s yard.

"Hey! Why the hell are you hooking it there? You’ll rip the sail apart!"

Ignoring Sanford’s outraged yell completely, Nehat hurled herself forward.

The wreck, already more than half submerged, shot away behind them in an instant.

However, Miguel never looked back. Far beyond the sea creature horde, a massive column of water was erupting upward. Within it, tangled flashes of blue and violet gleamed vividly together.