Wooooooo————————
The intense, somber horn's cry echoed across the heavens once more, drawing every eye toward the radiant beacon cutting through the darkness of the sea.
"Aaaaung~~~~"
The sea monster breached the surface in answer, loosing its own drawn-out cry that seemed to shake the very foundations of the world.
A familiar dread settled in the hearts of all who watched, as they braced themselves for another agonizing cycle—to be lured into false peace by the monster's song, only to be torn back to wakefulness by the light screen's harsh grace.
But this time proved different.
People retained their consciousness entire, able to discern every twist and nuance within the sea monster's terrible voice.
How strange...
Though the cry remained terrifying beyond mortal comprehension, the sea monster's voice had lost its seductive magic. The spell that had bound their minds lay broken.
Had the creature truly weakened?
Suddenly, the sky erupted in brilliant fire.
CLANG!!
A fierce lightning storm exploded across the dark heavens above.
Blue-white flashes appeared without warning, vanishing in mere heartbeats—yet in those instants, they revealed to mortal eyes the boundless dark clouds, whirlpools, and storms that churned overhead, creating a scene of breathtaking terror.
The sea wind suddenly intensified tenfold, whipping men's hair into wild disarray and threatening to tear the very sails from their rigging.
The ocean remained relatively calm below, showing only small, fleeting wave crests that rippled across its surface like scales upon some vast serpent's back.
Yet every soul understood this was merely the calm before the storm—the sea gathering its fury and power, ready to erupt in wrathful roar at any moment. And this would be triggered by the tempest raging in the sky above.
All eyes turned heavenward.
Silver light splashed across the vast dome of night, chaotic lightning darting randomly through the darkness, illuminating the boundless black clouds that roiled like the very substance of nightmares.
At the storm's heart, rays of lightning flashed around a massive gray-black tornado, growing denser and brighter as they descended—outlining a scene both clear and terrible beyond words.
The sea's surface there had become a range of undulating mountains, waves tall as castle walls crashing against one another in endless succession.
A storm unprecedented in living memory.
At the very least, none among the living had been granted the dubious honor of witnessing such desperately treacherous seas.
"Gods preserve us... furl the sails! Quickly now!"
Earl Hewett trembled like a leaf in autumn wind, retreating step by step from the porthole while shouting commands that none could hear above the growing tempest.
The crew members within the cabin scurried about like ants before the flood.
Yet the Oak Shield's deck continued operating at its own measured pace, as if the storm were merely summer rain.
The mages rebuilt their barriers against wind and wave with practiced precision.
The gunners constantly adjusted coordinates and cannon angles with steady hands.
The great guns had fallen silent for a time, but now—at last!—the sea monster no longer cowered in the depths like some craven thing.
The gunners stood ready, awaiting their officer's command to unleash their full fury at maximum speed.
But no such order came.
The officers remained wholly focused upon the sea monster's movements, watching every shift and turn with hawks' eyes. Not only did they await the King's word, but in such critical moments, they bore responsibility to make decisive choices and assume the true duties of command.
However, His Grace had explicitly commanded them to hold position.
All could do naught but play the role of silent witnesses, lending atmosphere to this approaching mythical battle with their gaze and prayers.
Faria Flowers counted herself fortunate to stand among them.
The composure she displayed matched that of any man upon the deck. She stood tall and stable, seemingly oblivious to the chaos of wind and wave.
Her eyes sought the Graceful Light through the storm.
Above the royal vessel rose a tornado unlike any in mortal memory—black wind wrapped with streaks of lightning, isolating space itself, summoning a deep tunnel that led straight to the seven hells.
Only the sea's surface at the very bottom remained touched by calm light, clean and gentle as heaven's own gate.
The Graceful Light stood before that celestial portal.
Light and darkness divided here with razor precision.
Heaven and hell were presented simultaneously, clashing with fierce determination, contending for dominion over the mortal world.
"Aaaaung~~~"
Most of the sea monster's bulk now lay exposed upon the water's surface. Gold and silver intertwined brilliantly across its hide, catching the light until it seemed almost divine in its terrible majesty.
Yet it remained a creature of horror.
It had summoned this storm, awakened hell itself, and now pursued fresh life with ravenous hunger.
The beast positioned itself beside the royal warship—too close by far. With merely a stretch of its disgusting tentacles, the monster could entangle the entire Graceful Light in its crushing embrace.
But it did not strike.
The Graceful Light moved first.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The royal vessel's cannons roared to life!
"Aaaaung!"
The sea monster writhed and retreated a considerable distance, yet the cannon fire pursued it without mercy, explosions blooming like deadly flowers across the dark waters.
"Long live His Grace!"
"Gods grant us victory!"
"Ha! The sea monster cannot—"
Voices rose in excited cries from every ship, men unable to restrain their joy and relief at this sudden turn of fortune.
The cannonballs were finally free from the monster's vocal control, exploding entirely around their intended target rather than in empty air.
Every soul understood the significance of this victorious sign!
Officers requested permission to join the battle, one after another.
Beric Dondarrion shook his head firmly. "His Grace has given no such order. Besides, observe more carefully—the shells explode only a hundred meters from the sea monster, causing no harm as yet!"
Was this true?
Faria squinted through the storm, studying the distant creature, yet could discern no detail at such range.
The light screen provided the answer with cold precision.
"Aaaaung~~"
The sea monster held position at roughly thirty or forty ship-lengths' distance from the Graceful Light.
Its cry urged the tornado to greater fury.
CLANG!!!
Violent lightning struck straight down like the very wrath of gods!
The dim storm vortex spun faster still, stimulating ever more electric fire to dance across the roiling clouds!
What of the Graceful Light? How did she fare in this divine tempest?
Amid bursts of exclamation from the fleet, Faria could not help but rise upon her toes, straining to peer through the chaotic darkness.
All that could be seen was gold and white light blazing like a second sun upon the waters.
Wooooo——————————————
In that instant, the light flared to impossible brilliance.
The Graceful Light scattered an even richer and more vast radiance across the storm-torn sea.
Then—by all the gods old and new—it stood up!
Men stared in blank amazement.
In the space of a single breath, the golden hull transformed into a dazzling breastplate, the silver-white steel molding itself into a strong and resilient body. The hundred-foot mast became a massive spear, while the ironwood deck solidified into a heavy shield of war.
The sea giant revealed only its upper body above the waves.
Yet it stood steady as stone, tall as a mountain, radiant as the sun itself—visible to every soul across the islands like some god descended from the heavens.
"Aaaaung~~"
Even the sea monster's cry now carried notes of hesitation and weakness.
Though the creature had surfaced completely, its great head reached only to the giant's chest.
"STORM GOD!"
A voice grand and majestic as thunder itself traveled from the giant's mouth across sea and islands, reaching every ear within leagues.
"I am entrusted by the gods of heaven to stand against the coming apocalypse and preserve the mortal world! Your patron, the Drowned God himself, stands among those I serve—how dare you bar my path this day?!"
The faces of all who heard bore expressions of wonder, as if they listened to myths made flesh.
The sea monster answered only with its endless cries, urging the storm above to descend upon the giant with all its fury.
"Then let us have war!"
The giant took a single step forward.
Rumble~~ The entire seabed shook as if the world's foundations cracked.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
White mist and fire burst from the giant's form—the cannons could still be employed in this divine battle!
"Aaaaung!"
The sea monster aimed its great head at the giant and released a massive column of water, a geyser with force enough to shatter castle walls.
The giant raised its shield with ponderous grace.
Thump~~
The sea monster struck the barrier without reservation, its entire bulk contracting from the tremendous impact.
The giant raised its spear, preparing to drive it down into the creature's flesh.
"Aaaaung~~!"
The sea monster whipped eight tentacles forward in desperate defense, wrapping them around the giant's body to block both arms and obscure its face.
Two tentacles contracted and extended in rhythmic strikes, like some monstrous hunter testing its prey's defenses.
The giant struggled twice, yet could not immediately break free from these crushing bonds.
What would come to pass?
Thunder crashed overhead with deafening fury, waves grew mountainous, threatening to drown this mythical battle in their churning embrace.
Splash~~
A massive wave swept toward the fleet like judgment itself.
People grasped desperately at anything secured, curling their bodies small, struggling to endure the torrent's crushing impact.
Faria's strength had fled her entirely.
Fortune smiled upon her—the dense railing blocked her body from being swept directly back into the hungry sea.
She closed her eyes tight, her mind seeking refuge in the light screen's glow.
There were images there... visions of what was yet to come...