Jack was ejected back into the cold, dark water. Near the Kraken Spirit. The third chain was gone. Six remaining others awaited.
Fourth chain...
He repeated the process. Activating his [Mysterious Anomaly]'s illusions. Deceiving the wraiths to enter their ideal version of heavens.
The wraith of a wife found herself in an eternal embrace of the protective husband. Tears of joy were streaming down her ethereal and twisted face.
And then, the wraith of a zealot found himself bathed in the absolute forgiveness of the benevolent deity he believed in.
Finally, the wraith of a hunter was brought into abundant forests. A place where preys were plenty and no predator was targeting him.
Snap! The fourth chain was broken. Five more to go.
Jack felt the drain. Not of energy. But a strange mental fatigue from fabricating such intricate, personalized heavens. It was not just creating illusion. It was an exercise in understanding human deepest desire.
Fifth chain...
The wraith of a craftsman now fashioned masterpieces. Appreciated by his closed ones. Admired by all.
The wraith of a miner escaped dark and gloomy tunnels. Into the sky where no more earth surrounded his existence. The weight of earth was lifted from him, forever.
Then, the wraith of a clown found himself in a comfortable room. Relaxing. No longer be forced to act silly. No longer be forced to make others laugh.
Snap! The chain was gone. Four more to go.
Sixth chain...
The wraith of a farmer now stood on the fields of unimaginable abundance. Crops bursting with life. Waiting to be harvested.
The wraith of an explorer now discovered endless, untouched frontiers. His spirit of exploration could be freely unleashed.
The wraith of a doctor gained the second chance to save the patients he could not save previously. Blessed with knowledge and power to heal them.
Snap! Another one broke apart. Three more chains to go.
Seventh chain...
The wraith of an honest politician found himself in a country where his ideals could be upheld. Leading a just and righteous nation to peace and prosperity.
The wraith of a philosopher sat on a Zen Garden. Debating with the greatest minds in a realm of pure reason.
The wraith of a guard found absolute freedom. His chains of responsibility were gone. Not because of failure in duty. But because of commended honor.
Snap! The seventh chain was gone. Two more.
Jack felt exhausted. Mental fatigue pressed him hard. Guiding the wraiths' dreams of heaven was much harder than he expected.
Eighth chain...
The wraith of an inventor watched the world from the sky. His creation was used by the people from all over the world. Praised as the greatest invention of all.
The wraith of a revolutionary saw his dream flourish. A new age was dawning. The corrupt and oppressive government in his view was taken down by the power of the people.
The wraith of an artist found herself completing her vision. A gigantic painting showing landscapes of unparalleled beauty was completed. Full with vibrant and true colors.
Snap! Only one left.
Jack's movement was sluggish. His non-existent head was aching. But, he felt the Kraken's spectral form vibrate. With a mixture of anticipation and growing power.
Ninth chain...
Jack plunged in one last time. Three final wraiths.
The wraith of a lonely old woman found herself surrounded by many generations of loving family.
The wraith of a sailor now saw himself as a merman, swimming in an ocean of crystal light. Frolicking with waves and fishes. Utterly at peace.
The wraith of warrior apprentice found himself in the realm of gods. With endless feasts and honorable combat awaiting him. But devoid of the blood and pain.
Snap! The final chain shattered...
The last of the ritualistic bonds that restrained the Kraken Spirit dissolved into nothingness.
The Kraken Spirit was free at last. It roared. Not the roar of pain. But a thunderous, triumphant bellow that seemed to shake the very ocean.
Its colossal form expanded. Its luminescence was intensifying. No longer constrained. Ancient, titanic power surged through it. The seals on its skills shattered like glass.
There, below the sea, the water churned violently. Currents were twisting into violent maelstroms.
Above, on the luxurious steamship, the cultists sensed the change. Chants faltered. Panic rippled through their ranks.
The Kraken wasted no time. Its spectral tentacles had been freed from their ethereal bonds. They whipped upwards. Piercing the hull of the luxurious steamship with impossible speed.
The metal shrieked as it tore open. Wood splintered. And the screams of the cultists echoed across the water.
This was not a subtle attack. This was pure, unstoppable vengeance.
The Kraken's spectral form rose from the depths. Dwarfing the ship. Its huge, luminous eyes were fixed on its tormentors. It pulled, crushed, and slammed the ship.
Steam engines exploded. Decks buckled. And the golden-robed figures were tossed into the churning sea like dolls. Only to be crushed or dragged into the abyssal depths by spectral suckers.
No one survived. Not a single cultist on that ship. Their screams were brief. Their ending was absolutely devastating.
Jack hovered. Watching the spectacle. He had kept his word. He expected the Kraken to keep its word too.
The Kraken, amidst its furious destruction, spared a moment. To project a raw thought of acknowledgment towards Jack.
'The yellow-black liars are gone. My fury is unleashed. I keep my promise. The debt is not forgotten, Little Wisp. You have my gratitude. My core is yours.'
The Kraken Spirit's rage was sated for now. It began to meld into the depth of the sea. Its colossal form were gradually fading. Becoming a more natural part of the ocean.
Justice, in its own brutal form, was served.
Jack gave a mental nod. "Pleasure doing business with you, Big Guy." He whispered.
The Circle of Wealth's ship had been reduced into splintered debris. And sinking wreckage. The sea began to calm. Though an unnatural aura of ancient power lingered.
Jack floated. A small, spectral figure amidst the debris. He had held up his end. The Kraken had done the same.
'My core is yours'... That was the Kraken Spirit's farewell thought. What did that even mean? Was it a gift? A new opportunity?
An idea suddenly appeared in his mind. He made a decision instantly. He plunged downwards. A silent spectral arrow cutting through the dimming ocean.
Deeper he went. Past the sinking fragments of wood and twisted metal. Past bodies too mangled to recognize as human. He was unfazed. He kept moving deeper.
The abyssal depths unfolded before him. The light from the surface faded into an impenetrable gloom. And then, he saw it again. The massive, inert form of the Kraken. Resting permanently on the seabed.
It was still colossal. A mountainous mass of flesh and tentacles. Dark and lifeless. The spectral chains that had bound its spirit were gone. So did the Kraken Spirit. But, the body lay there. Lifeless
Jack hovered beside one of its immense tentacles. He extended a spectral hand, phasing it effortlessly through the Kraken's thick hide. No resistance. Just the cold, inert mass.
He pushed deeper. Driven by the Kraken's promise. His hand sank into the flesh. Reaching for whatever lay within. He felt for it. A faint, almost imperceptible resonance within his ghostly form.
And then, it appeared. As he drew his hand, a head-sized sphere appeared. Glowing over his hand. It pulsed with a soft, inner luminescence. It didn't look organic, yet it felt intimately connected to the deceased leviathan.
This was it. The core.
Jack let the core drop into his hand. A system notification, sharp and precise, bloomed before him.
[OBJECT OF POWER DISCOVERED! KRAKEN HEART CORE]
[AVAILABLE CONVERSION TO A SUPERNATURAL TRAIT]
CHOOSE ONE:
[UNDERWATER FORM: VOLDYANOI]
[UNDERWATER FORM: KRAKEN]
[UNDERWATER FORM: AHUIZOTL]
[UNDERWATER FORM: KELPIE]
Jack stared at the glowing text. It was an unexpected twist.
Object of Power? Available to be conversed into Supernatural Trait? That was new. Previously, every Object of Power turned into personal artifacts. Not traits.
And the choices... Was this really a trait? Not an incarnation form? What a weird system. Jack sighed and ignored the inconsistency.
The options were all 'Underwater Forms'. Mythical creatures associated with water.
Voldyanoi. Slavic water demon. Nasty piece of work, known for drowning people. Probably a hulking or fish-like or frog-like humanoid. Built for speed and brute strength underwater.
Kraken. Like the monstrous corpse in front of him? His gaze lingered. To become a Kraken? Of that size? That sounded like immense, destructive power. Great for a trump card. But how practical would a giant that size be?
Ahuizotl. From Aztec myths? It should be otter-like, or dog-like. Known for luring people into water and dragging them down. Agile, likely fast. A predator with cunning, ambush tactics, very likely. An aquatic brawler and stalker.
Kelpie. Scottish mythical creature. Water horse spirit. Lures people to ride, then drowns them. A horse form. Interesting, but a quadrupedal form? Probably not that awkward. He should acquire movement instinct and experience too, right?
All were formidable, he supposed.
A new form, specifically for the water. Interesting. His specter form could be used underwater. But his other incarnations were inconvenient to be used underwater.
He ran the calculations in his mind. Though the specifics of each form were still a mystery. What should he choose?