Chapter 87-Different monsters

Chapter 87: 87-Different monsters

"Why did you stop it?"

"Because I don’t know what happens if we detonate that weapon underwater while all those creatures are surrounding us." She pointed at the radar. "We could kill them, but the resulting shockwave might damage the ship or attract something even worse. I won’t trade one unknown for another."

Nathaniel considered that. "Then we need to get away from the carcass."

"Exactly," she agreed with him as she had been thinking the same thing.

Aymara slammed her palm against the control panel. "System, full propulsion. Maximum safe speed. Take us away from the dead octopus and keep the barrier reinforced along the underside."

[Command confirmed, host.]

[Taking off at safe but fast speed.]

The engines roared, their deep vibration rolling through the deck. The cruise ship began moving forward, cutting through the dark ocean and throwing up walls of black water.

Behind them, the mutated creatures continued fighting over the carcass and didn’t pursue her.

Some pursued the vessel, others remained behind, tearing into the octopus’s enormous body, their silhouettes twisting through the red-stained waves.

Aymara watched the radar carefully. Just when she was about to sigh, she noticed one signal was still following them. The largest one.

It wasn’t falling behind. In fact, it was getting closer and closer. Her expression darkened. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

’Damn it!’ Nathaniel looked at the monitor and internally cursed too. "It’s keeping up with us."

"Yes, I noticed."

The creature surged through the water with terrifying speed. Its massive body cut through the ocean like a torpedo leaving a turbulent wake that churned the depths and then it disappeared from the radar.

Aymara went still. "No, not again," she immediately understood. "It’s coming from below again!"

BOOOOOOM!

The impact lifted the entire ship and the alarms erupted. The control room shook so violently that several panels broke loose from the walls and crashed across the floor.

Aymara grabbed the console with both hands and made sure to steady Nathaniel too before focusing on the mutant.

[WARNING! DEFENSIVE BARRIER UNDER ATTACK.]

[WARNING! PROPULSION EFFICIENCY REDUCED.]

[WARNING! HOSTILE ORGANISM ATTEMPTING TO BREACH HULL.]

Nathaniel stumbled toward her. "Mara! Are you alright?"

"I’m fine!"

She wasn’t entirely sure that was true. Her heart was pounding and the ship’s violent movements were making it difficult to remain standing but panic was a luxury she could no longer afford. Not now and not ever especially when Nathaniel was beside her.

Everything she had worked so hard to prepare was being tested again and she couldn’t afford to fail the test. She forced herself to breathe, drawing in air that tasted of smoke, hot metal, and salt.

She looked at the radar. The enormous creature was preparing for another attack.

Aymara’s lips curved into a cold smile. "All right, you ugly bastard."

She activated the nuclear blaster and this time, she wasn’t aiming at the creature’s armored back. She was waiting for it to open its mouth.

"Let’s see how much you enjoy eating something that explodes."

The creature charged at them aggressively and Aymara waited patiently. They had already taken multiple hits, she couldn’t be reckless.

Nathaniel gripped the console beside her, his face pale but his eyes fixed on the screen.

Ten meters, five meters and then three, the creature was closing in with every movement. The creature opened its enormous jaws, the darkness inside them yawning wider than a tunnel.

"Now!"

The nuclear blaster fired. A white beam shot through the ocean and entered the creature’s open mouth.

For one instant, everything went silent and then the ocean exploded.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

Aymara was thrown against the console and Nathaniel caught her before she could fall. The shockwave spread through the water, sending towering waves crashing against the ship’s barrier.

Blue light rippled across the hull as the defensive field strained beneath the blast. The monitor went white and then black and white again.

[TARGET STATUS: CRITICAL.]

Aymara slowly lifted her head. "Did we get it?"

The screen flickered as the system responded to her with the report.

[Target life signature: Fading.]

She exhaled. "Finally."

But before she could celebrate, the system issued another warning.

[ALERT!]

[Unidentified signal detected approaching from the north.]

Aymara’s smile vanished as the radar displayed a new object. Unlike the mutated creatures, it was moving across the surface.

Its shape was long and narrow and its speed was unnaturally high.

Nathaniel leaned closer. "Is that another creature?"

Aymara studied the signal while comparing its speed, trajectory, and mass to the previous contacts.

"No," her eyes narrowed. "It’s a vessel."

The system enlarged the image. And before them, a heavily armed ship emerged from the darkness, its deck crowded with armed men. Searchlights swept across the waves, cutting pale cones through the mist.

A black flag fluttered from its mast. Aymara recognized the symbol immediately, they were pirates.

The vessel’s searchlights swept across the ocean before locking onto her cruise ship. A loudspeaker crackled to life.

"Attention, luxury vessel! Cut your engines and prepare to surrender your supplies!"

Aymara stared at the screen with annoyance. She was craving pork so much and hadn’t eaten anything since she woke up before fighting for survival twice and now another trouble had come looking for her.

Nathaniel’s expression hardened at her side. "They must have seen the explosions."

"Of course, how could they not?"

The pirate ship moved closer and another voice boomed through the loudspeaker.

"Anyone who resists will be treated as hostile! We want your food, fuel, weapons, and anything else of value. Cooperate, and you might live!"

DING!

A series of system notifications rang through the control room, making Aymara’s eyes light up. After the brutal battle against the second mutant, the system had finally recognized her victory.

[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully eliminated a high-level mutated organism!]

[Reward: 5,000 System Points!]

[Additional kill reward: 2,000 System Points!]

Aymara stared at the rapidly increasing balance, unable to hide her satisfaction. Seven thousand points! After spending nearly everything to survive the previous battle, this reward felt like a lifeline thrown to someone drowning.

Before she could celebrate, another notification appeared that made her more happy than a king.

[Emergency Reward Unlocked: One-Shot Ship Repair ×1.]

[Weapon System Upgrade Available!]

Aymara immediately selected both rewards. A brilliant blue light swept across the ship as the repair function activated.

The damaged hull sealed itself, twisted metal returned to its original shape, and the cracks left by the mutant’s devastating attacks vanished one after another.

Within seconds, the ship’s structural integrity was restored to one hundred percent. The defensive barrier stabilized, damaged equipment restarted, and the alarms gradually fell silent but the rewards didn’t end there.

[Weapon systems upgraded successfully!]

[Underwater cannons: Enhanced.]

[Surface defense weapons: Enhanced.]

[Targeting accuracy: Increased.]

[Weapon energy efficiency: Improved.]

Aymara watched the updated status display with a satisfied smile. The ship’s weapons had not only become more powerful but could now lock onto hostile targets faster and operate more efficiently.

After facing two terrifying mutants, she had no intention of allowing the next enemy to catch her unprepared. "Now that’s what I call a proper reward."

She leaned back against the console, finally allowing herself a moment of relief. Beside her, Nathaniel studied the restored ship status, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

Aymara slowly smiled at the image of the pirates on the monitors. The ocean was full of monsters, some had tentacles and others had large bodies while some carried rifles and believed the apocalypse gave them the right to own everything they could steal.

She had dealt with two of those categories already. The third wouldn’t be any different so she reached for the communication microphone.

"System, activate all surface defenses."

[Command confirmed, host. Awaiting further orders.]

Aymara leaned toward the microphone. Her voice was calm enough to be mistaken for boredom.

"You have thirty seconds to turn around and leave. I am hungry and not in the mood to play with anyone, okay!"