Chapter 210: Breaching the Barrier

The enormous shadow beneath the water suddenly accelerated.

Before anyone could react, the Abyssal Sea Serpent burst out of the waves and opened its massive jaws.

"LOOK OUT!"

CRAAASH!

Its teeth sank into the side of Jooquin’s ship, shaking the entire vessel. Wooden planks splintered beneath its enormous bite, and several pirates lost their footing as the ship tilted violently.

Jooquin barely managed to steady himself. However, rather than showing fear, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Tsk. That damn thing is more troublesome than I expected."

He turned toward his crew.

"Prepare the electrical nets! Hurry!"

"Aye, Captain!"

Several pirates immediately rushed toward the storage area, pulling out large nets reinforced with metallic threads and magical components.

Jooquin knew the Abyssal Sea Serpent’s weakness. Its enormous body was highly susceptible to electricity, making electrical attacks particularly effective against it.

While his subordinates prepared the nets, he opened a nearby chest and retrieved a scroll.

"Let’s see how you like this!"

He tore the scroll apart.

The moment it activated, a brilliant flash of light erupted from his hand. Several bolts of lightning shot toward the serpent’s head, striking its scales with explosive force.

BOOOOM!

The serpent immediately loosened its bite.

Its enormous head recoiled as electricity spread across its body, forcing it to retreat slightly from the ship.

"NOW! THROW THEM!"

At Jooquin’s command, several pirates hurled their prepared nets toward the creature.

The nets spread through the air before falling over its massive head and upper body.

ZZZZT!

Electricity surged through the metallic threads.

The serpent writhed violently, releasing a deafening roar as its muscles began to spasm. Its movements became sluggish, and its enormous body sank partially beneath the waves.

"HAHAHA! That’s more like it!"

Jooquin raised his curved sword triumphantly.

However, their advantage didn’t last long.

The sirens surrounding the ships suddenly gathered together. Their mouths opened, and an incredibly loud, high-pitched cry erupted from their throats.

SKREEEEEE!

The sound spread across the battlefield, making several people cover their ears.

The electrical nets began vibrating violently. The magical threads holding them together started to loosen, and several sections eventually snapped apart.

The serpent seized the opportunity.

With a powerful movement, it tore through the remaining nets and plunged beneath the waves.

Jooquin’s smile disappeared.

"Tch. Those annoying fish!"

He immediately turned toward the sirens approaching the ship.

"Fine! If you want to interfere so badly, I’ll deal with you myself!"

His curved sword flashed.

Unlike his reckless laughter and rough demeanor, his swordsmanship was surprisingly refined. He shifted his weight with every movement, using precise swings and quick footwork to cut down the sirens attempting to board his vessel.

One siren lunged toward him from behind, but he turned his wrist and redirected his blade in a smooth arc, cutting her down before she could reach him.

Another tried to grab his leg, only to receive a swift kick that sent her tumbling back into the sea.

William, who happened to witness the exchange, raised an eyebrow.

’His swordsmanship... That’s considerably better than I expected from a pirate.’

He had initially assumed Jooquin relied mostly on brute strength and the numerical advantage of his crew. However, the man’s movements suggested years of actual combat experience.

There was clearly more to him than his appearance suggested.

Before William could observe any further, another violent impact shook the ship.

BOOOOM!

The Abyssal Sea Serpent had returned.

Its enormous body slammed against the hull, causing the entire vessel to sway violently. Several pirates stumbled, while some of the knights struggled to maintain their balance.

"DAMN IT! IT’S BACK!"

The serpent struck again, this time using its massive body to ram the ship.

The other two vessels immediately responded.

"LOAD THE CANNONS!"

Their cannons turned toward the creature, and moments later, a series of deafening explosions echoed across the sea.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Cannonballs struck the serpent’s exposed body, producing bursts of water and dark scales. The creature recoiled, but its enormous size allowed it to withstand the bombardment.

The third ship soon joined in, firing another volley.

"Keep firing! Don’t let it approach!"

Jooquin watched the creature struggle beneath the bombardment before turning toward the group of mages aboard his vessel.

"Oi! You lot!"

Several mages immediately looked in his direction.

"Prepare yourselves! I’m sending you straight toward that snake!"

One of them blinked.

"Captain... What?"

Jooquin grinned and pointed his curved sword toward the serpent.

"Use your magic to propel yourselves over there! I want you to hit it with everything you’ve got!"

The mages exchanged glances before reluctantly beginning their preparations.

"You’re seriously asking us to fly toward that thing?!"

"That’s exactly what I said!"

Jooquin burst into laughter.

"Don’t worry! I’ll make sure you have a ship to return to!"

William glanced at him with an increasingly irritated expression.

’Barbarian bastard...’

The mages exchanged uneasy glances, but none dared argue with Jooquin for long.

"Prepare your spells! We’ll launch together!" one of them shouted.

They quickly gathered near the edge of the ship, channeling their mana into their legs and backs. Several magical circles appeared beneath their feet, preparing to propel them toward the enormous serpent.

William noticed what they were doing and frowned.

"Are you seriously going to send them directly toward that monster?"

Jooquin glanced at him with a grin.

"Of course. What else do you suggest? Asking it nicely to leave?"

William’s expression darkened.

"Just make sure they don’t interfere with Luna’s work. We cannot afford to lose our mages."

"Relax. They know what they’re doing."

Jooquin raised his hand.

"NOW! GO!"

The magical circles beneath the mages flashed.

BOOM!

One after another, they launched themselves into the air, flying toward the serpent. Some carried glowing spears of lightning, while others gathered fire and wind magic around their hands.

The serpent noticed their approach.

Its enormous head emerged from the water, and its yellow eyes focused on the incoming attackers. It opened its jaws, revealing rows of sharp teeth, before releasing a deafening roar.

"Don’t let it scare you! ATTACK!"

The mages unleashed their spells.

Several lightning bolts struck the creature’s head, while powerful explosions erupted along its neck. The combined attacks forced it to recoil, its massive body thrashing against the waves.

However, the serpent wasn’t going to remain a stationary target.

Its long body suddenly twisted, sending a powerful wave toward the airborne mages.

"Watch out!"

One mage managed to evade by accelerating sideways, but another was caught by the edge of the wave and thrown off course.

Fortunately, a fellow mage caught him with a wind spell before he could fall into the sea.

"Keep your formation! Don’t get separated!"

Meanwhile, the sirens began gathering beneath the mages.

Their voices rose again, producing another wave of high-pitched sounds that disrupted the magical formations around the ships.

William immediately recognized the danger.

"Don’t let them sing! Archers, target the sirens!"

The knights released a volley of arrows, forcing several sirens to retreat beneath the surface.

But the Abyssal Sea Serpent suddenly raised its head again.

Its mouth opened wide, revealing a gathering mass of magical energy deep within its throat.

William’s expression changed.

"Everyone, take cover!"

The serpent unleashed a powerful torrent of water.

BOOOOOOM!

The attack swept across the battlefield, forcing the airborne mages to scatter. Several defensive barriers appeared around the ships just in time to prevent the torrent from striking their decks directly.

Jooquin grabbed the railing, his coat whipping violently in the wind.

"HAHAHA! This is what is called hunting!"

He looked toward the serpent, his grin returning.

"Come on, you bastard! How long are you going to keep struggling?"

William glanced at him in disbelief.

’Does this man ever take anything seriously?’

But his attention soon returned to the main ship.

Luna was still standing within the magical formation, her eyes closed as countless mana threads continued probing the Great Tartarus’s barrier.

Despite the chaos surrounding her, she hadn’t moved.

In fact, the magical formation around her had begun changing.

Several runes rotated into new positions, and a faint blue glow spread across the surface of the barrier.

William noticed the change.

"Lady Luna! Have you found something?"

Luna didn’t immediately answer.

Her brows remained furrowed as she followed a particular flow of mana through the barrier.

’There!’

A faint irregularity had appeared within the otherwise complex structure.

’I found it. The barrier’s energy is circulating through several interconnected points. If I can disrupt one of those connections...’

A small smile appeared on her face.

’I might actually be able to break through.’

She opened her eyes.

"William! I need you to buy me a little more time!"

William immediately turned toward her.

"How much?"

"Just a little longer! I’ve found a possible weakness, but I need to confirm it before attempting anything!"

William looked toward the battlefield, where the serpent was still struggling against the combined attacks.

Then he raised his sword.

"Everyone! Hold your positions! We must keep those creatures away from Lady Luna until she finishes!"

The knights responded immediately.

"YES, SIR!"