Chapter 119-First aerial threat

Chapter 119: 119-First aerial threat

Nathaniel ignored her sarcasm and examined the technical readings. He wanted to see if he can find another solution.

"The chains are secured to a heavy anchor on their vessel. If we force the engines to turn, we might damage the propellers or the drive system."

Aymara’s stomach dropped. She had invested heavily in the ship’s defenses, and its weapons could destroy most ordinary threats. But a physical restraint around the propulsion system was a different problem.

The ship was powerful. It was also enormous and without functioning propellers, its ability to maneuver was severely limited.

"Can we detach them remotely?" she asked.

"Not without cutting through the links or releasing the anchor on the other end."

Aymara pressed her lips together. For the first time since the pirates had arrived, genuine alarm crept into her eyes.

"System, activate emergency propulsion."

[Emergency propulsion activated. Main movement remains restricted.]

The ship lurched forward slightly before the chains tightened again.

A metallic groan reverberated through the lower decks and then the engines fell silent.

The cruise ship stopped moving. For one terrible moment, neither Aymara nor Nathaniel spoke as the moment settled between them.

The ship that had carried them through storms, monstrous fish, and countless dangers now sat nearly motionless on the ocean.

Aymara stared at the navigation display. "Tell me that’s a temporary reading."

Nathaniel’s face had grown pale. "I’m afraid it isn’t."

Another alert flashed.

[Warning! Main propulsion system immobilized. External restraints detected.]

Aymara gripped the edge of the console. "Those bastards!" She cursed angrily.

Nathaniel looked at the surveillance screens, his mind already working through the possibilities.

"If we can’t move, they can surround us more easily. We need to prevent them from approaching the hull while we find a way to release the chains."

"I know that!" Her voice came out sharper than intended. She drew a breath and forced herself to calm down. "Sorry."

Nathaniel looked at her. She rarely apologized so quickly, and the sight of her standing before the console, visibly frightened despite her efforts to hide it, unsettled him more than the warning itself.

He reached for her hand. "We’ll figure it out."

Aymara squeezed his fingers. "We’d better. I refuse to let those idiots steal my ship after I spent so much money making it beautiful."

Nathaniel almost smiled but just then the system sounded another alarm.

This one was different as the warning tone rose and fell rapidly, accompanied by a new cluster of red markers appearing across the outer surveillance display.

Aymara’s head snapped toward the screen. "What now?"

[Warning! Multiple unidentified aerial lifeforms approaching.]

Nathaniel frowned. "Aerial threat?"

The camera feed switched to the sky above the ocean and captured the unfolding scene.

At first, they saw only dark clouds and the shimmering haze of heat rising from the water. Then several black shapes appeared on the horizon, flying toward the ships at astonishing speed.

More and more followed the first wave. Within moments, dozens of them had gathered above the ocean, their metallic bodies glinting beneath the fading sunlight.

Aymara leaned closer to the screen. "What in the world are those?"

The system began scanning the approaching creatures.

[Biological mutation detected.]

[Threat classification: Unknown.]

[Warning! Hostile behavior predicted.]

The first creature swept over one of the pirate vessels. It looked like a bird, but only in the broadest sense.

Its body was covered in overlapping metal plates, and its wings were made of segmented blades that moved with an unnatural, mechanical precision. Its hooked beak shone like polished steel, while its eyes glowed a deep, unsettling red.

Another followed and then a third. Their wings beat against the hot air, producing a harsh metallic clatter that carried across the ocean.

Nathaniel’s face tightened. "They aren’t ordinary birds."

"No kidding."

Aymara activated the long-range cameras. The creatures were circling the vessels, dipping toward the water before rising again. Some carried scraps of flesh in their beaks, others had dark stains coating their metallic claws.

Then one of them suddenly changed direction. It plunged toward the surface, seized something floating in the water, and tore into it with its sharp beak.

Aymara watched as the creature lifted its head. A dark, viscous fluid dripped from its mouth. "What the hell?" She was horror-striken.

The system scanned the surrounding water.

[Warning! High concentrations of blood detected.]

Aymara’s eyes widened. "The pirates’ boarding attempts left blood in the water."

Nathaniel immediately understood immediately. "The injured men, the damaged boats, and whatever died beneath the surface. The smell must have attracted them."

As if confirming his suspicion, the flock descended. Hundreds of metallic wings beat against the air as the birds rushed toward the pirate fleet and the ocean erupted into chaos.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE THINGS?"

The first scream came from a pirate standing near the railing. He pointed toward the sky just as the flock descended upon their vessels.

The creatures moved with terrifying speed, striking at exposed men and tearing through equipment with their metallic beaks.

One landed on the deck of a small pirate boat, its talons piercing the metal surface as easily as a knife through cloth.

A man raised his rifle and fired. The bullets struck the creature’s body, producing a series of sharp metallic sparks.

The bird barely reacted. It turned its glowing eyes toward him and then it opened its beak. A stream of greenish liquid sprayed across the deck.

"Aaargh!"

The man screamed as the acid struck his arm and shoulder. His clothing dissolved almost immediately, and the exposed skin beneath began blistering. He stumbled backward, desperately trying to wipe the substance away, only to scream louder when it burned through his fingers.

"ACID! IT’S SPITTING ACID!"

Panic spread across the vessel. Men fired rifles, pistols, and mounted weapons at the approaching flock.

Bullets ricocheted off metal feathers, while several birds continued flying as though nothing had happened.

One creature took a direct hit to its head. Its body spun sideways, but it recovered almost immediately and attacked the gunner responsible.

Another was struck by a burst of automatic fire that would have torn an ordinary animal apart. Its metallic wings folded for a moment before snapping open again.

The creatures couldn’t be killed so easily. Their bodies were not merely covered in metal. The plates were fused into their flesh, forming an armored shell that protected their vital organs.

Their wings, beaks, and claws were equally reinforced, making conventional bullets almost useless.

Rourke watched one of his men empty an entire magazine into a bird without causing any meaningful damage.

His expression twisted. "Stop wasting ammunition! Aim for their eyes!"

The order came too late as three birds dived toward the deck.

One struck a pirate in the chest and sent him crashing against the railing. Another released a spray of acid across the weapons station, eating through cables and leaving the mounted gun useless.

The third landed beside a group of men and spread its wings. Its beak opened and a cloud of corrosive liquid splashed across the deck.

Men screamed and scattered as the acid ate through their protective clothing and began dissolving the metal beneath their feet.

Rourke stumbled backward. "Get inside! Everyone, get inside!"