Chapter 209: The Siege of Tartarus

In the middle of the sea - Near Tartarus

On one of the three ships, Luna was standing near the bow, her hands raised as she channeled her magic alongside several other mages.

A complex magical formation had appeared before them, its countless runes rotating and shifting as they continuously bombarded the Great Tartarus’s barrier. However, despite their combined efforts, the shield remained intact.

Jooquin stood a short distance behind them, watching the proceedings with his arms crossed.

"So, Luna. Can the genius mage everyone talks about actually break through this barrier?"

Luna didn’t turn around. Her attention remained fixed on the magical formation.

"Of course I can. Just give me some time. Analyzing a barrier this complicated isn’t something I can accomplish in a few minutes."

Jooquin chuckled.

"Then I’ll leave it to you."

William, who was standing nearby, glanced at the surrounding sea before looking toward Luna.

"I’ll protect you while you work. Just focus on breaking the barrier."

Luna gave a small nod.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, allowing her mana to spread through the formation. Countless magical threads extended toward the barrier, probing its structure and attempting to understand the principles behind its construction.

’This is...’

Her brows furrowed.

The structure is incredibly complicated. Each layer seems to reinforce another, and the flow of mana isn’t following any conventional pattern.

She carefully examined the magical currents, trying to identify the mechanism that sustained the barrier.

’Could this be ancient magic?’

If that was the case, then it was considerably beyond her usual field of expertise.

Luna bit her lower lip.

’No. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Even if it’s ancient magic, it must have a weakness somewhere.’

She redirected her mana, gradually mapping the barrier’s structure.

’I don’t need to understand the entire spell. I only need to find its weakest point and destroy it.’

While Luna continued her analysis, Jooquin suddenly tilted his head.

"Ho?"

He looked toward the surrounding sea.

Something was approaching.

At first, only faint ripples disturbed the water. But soon, numerous figures began emerging from beneath the waves.

Their upper bodies resembled beautiful women, while their lower halves were covered in shimmering scales. Long hair flowed behind them as they swam toward the ships with unnatural speed.

A creature known for frequently sinking ships and nicknamed the Siren.

And there wasn’t just one or two of them.

Dozens were approaching from every direction.

Jooquin stared at the incoming creatures for a moment before bursting into loud laughter.

"HAHAHAHA! Looks like we’ve got some uninvited guests!"

He drew his weapon and turned toward his subordinates.

"What are you waiting for?! Kill them all!"

The crew immediately began preparing their weapons, while several warriors moved toward the edges of the ship.

Jooquin’s expression turned vicious as he pointed toward the approaching sirens.

"And whatever you do, don’t listen to their songs! Stuff your ears if you have to! I don’t want any of you jumping into the sea because some fish-woman decides to sing!"

His laughter echoed across the deck.

"Now, let’s see how many of these creatures we can kill!"

William watched the pirates rushing toward the incoming sirens and couldn’t help clicking his tongue in annoyance.

"Those barbarians..."

He turned toward the knights under his command and raised his right hand.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves! Protect all three ships and don’t let yourselves be distracted by their songs. Our priority is protecting the people on these vessels, especially those who are working to break through the barrier. Don’t allow anything to reach them!"

"Understood!"

The knights responded in unison before immediately moving into formation. Unlike the pirates, their movements were disciplined and coordinated. Some positioned themselves along the edges of the ships, while others prepared their bows and magic to intercept anything attempting to board.

Meanwhile, Jooquin had already jumped into the fray.

His curved sword flashed as he swung it toward a siren attempting to climb onto the ship. The blade sliced through her body, sending fresh blood splattering across the deck and into the sea.

Another siren lunged at him from the side, but Jooquin casually turned his wrist and cut her down with a second swing.

"HAHAHA! Is that all you’ve got?!"

The pirates around him cheered as they continued slaughtering the creatures.

For a while, everything seemed to be going smoothly. The sirens were numerous, but they struggled to overcome the combined defenses of the pirates and knights.

However, the situation soon changed.

A large shadow appeared beneath the surface of the water.

At first, it was difficult to distinguish its shape, but its enormous silhouette moved beneath the ships, stretching far beyond what any ordinary sea creature should have been capable of.

The water suddenly churned.

SPLASH!

A massive creature burst out of the sea, its long serpentine body briefly rising into the air before plunging back beneath the waves.

The impact sent water crashing against the ships.

Everyone who witnessed the spectacle froze for a moment.

"What... What was that?!"

One of the knights stepped backward, his face pale as he stared at the disturbed water.

"Some kind of monster?!"

Even William couldn’t immediately identify the creature. He had encountered numerous magical beasts during his career, but he had never seen anything quite like that.

His gaze remained fixed on the sea.

’What kind of creature has a body that large?’

Jooquin, however, seemed far less concerned.

A grin slowly spread across his face as he rested his curved sword against his shoulder.

"Don’t be afraid. It’s just a big snake."

He chuckled, watching the enormous shadow move beneath the water once more.

"That’s a creature known as the Abyssal Sea Serpent. Judging by how it’s moving alongside the sirens, I’d say those little beauties have somehow managed to control it."

His grin widened.

"Well, this should make things more interesting."

The enormous shadow continued circling beneath the three ships, its movements creating powerful currents that made the vessels sway from side to side.

The knights quickly tightened their formations.

"Everyone, maintain your positions!" William shouted. "Don’t let that creature get close to the ships!"

Several mages immediately began chanting, gathering mana in their hands as they prepared defensive spells. Others positioned themselves along the railings, ready to intercept the serpent if it attempted to climb aboard.

Meanwhile, Jooquin watched the water with an amused expression.

"HAHAHA! Come on, big fellow! Show us what you’ve got!"

As if responding to his provocation, the sea suddenly erupted.

BOOOOM!

The Abyssal Sea Serpent emerged from beneath the waves, revealing a massive head covered in dark scales. Its yellow eyes glowed ominously, while several rows of sharp teeth became visible as it opened its enormous jaws.

Its body was far longer than the ships themselves, and its movements sent waves crashing against their hulls.

"Incoming!"

A knight shouted as the serpent swung its enormous head toward the nearest vessel.

"Defensive formation!"

William raised his hand, and several knights immediately gathered their mana. A translucent barrier appeared along the ship’s side just as the serpent’s head slammed into it.

CRAAASH!

The defensive barrier trembled violently.

Several knights staggered backward from the impact, struggling to maintain their spells.

"Don’t let it break!" William shouted.

The serpent withdrew its head, only to dive beneath the surface again.

William narrowed his eyes.

’It’s testing our defenses.’

He glanced toward Luna, who was still concentrating on analyzing the Great Tartarus’s barrier.

’We can’t afford to let that creature reach her.’

"Reinforce the defensive formation! Prioritize the ship carrying the mages!"

"Understood!"

The knights immediately followed his orders.

On the other hand, Jooquin seemed to have found himself a new opponent.

He stood near the edge of his ship, watching the disturbed water with a wide grin.

"Well, well. I was getting bored of those sirens."

He raised his curved sword, allowing his mana to flow through its blade.

"Let’s see how tough your scales are!"

Just then, several sirens emerged from the water behind him. Their beautiful voices began spreading across the sea, forming a strange melody that seemed to seep directly into the minds of those who heard it.

A few pirates immediately faltered.

One of them dropped his weapon and began walking toward the edge of the ship with a vacant expression.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

His companion grabbed his shoulder, but the man continued struggling toward the sea.

"Stop listening to them!" another pirate shouted, covering his ears.

William noticed the situation and immediately barked an order.

"Use earplugs! Anyone who hasn’t prepared them, cover your ears with mana! Do not let their voices reach your minds!"

The knights quickly followed his instructions, while the mages began casting sound-dampening spells around the ships.

However, Jooquin merely laughed.

"HAHAHA! So that’s your trick!"

He raised his sword and released a wave of mana that swept across the deck.

Several nearby sirens were struck by the attack, their bodies thrown back into the water.

"Unfortunately for you, I’ve dealt with creatures like this before!"

Beneath the waves, the Abyssal Sea Serpent suddenly changed direction.

Its enormous shadow moved toward Jooquin’s ship.

And this time, it wasn’t merely circling.

It was preparing to attack.