The three ships stopped about four hundred meters away. It seemed like they distrusted Erwen's arrows.
«Erwen, is it possible to attack from this distance?».
«Yeah. But at this distance, the majority will be able to counteract it».
True, his clan even has a wizard. They will have plenty of time to react before the arrow hits.
Boom!
At this moment, the mana cannon attached to the front of the enemy command ship rumbled and fired mana bullets at us.
Wow, I thought they'd at least tell us to give up first. I guess they think a conversation can wait until they win the battle. Hmm... or they plan to sink our entire ship and recover our drowned bodies later.
Wiiiip!
The mana cannonball rushed towards our ship in what seemed more like a straight line than a parabola.
«Shuitz!» Amelia urgently shouted my pseudonym, but it was Erwen who responded.
«Sir, I can take care of this». Without even giving me a moment to ask how, Erwen shot the arrow stuck in her bowstring.
Kwapala!
The arrow, which was charged with the power of a wind spirit, collided with the mana cannonball in the sea and exploded.
«Erwen, how many can you stop?».
«I think four or five at a time should be feasible».
Wow, really? Then we won't even need a bulletproof magic circle.
«I'm proud of you, Erwen. The next time a cannonball comes, block it like this».
«Okay!» After being recognized for her talent, Erwen waited anxiously for the cannonballs to fly towards us again, but unfortunately, they did not do so after the first shot. A period of unrest followed.
«It seems that the enemy is quite disturbed».
I had the same thought as Amelia, but it seemed like our opponent had quickly made a decision on how to handle this.
"Pum! "Pum! "Bam-bam!
The three ships fired their mana cannons simultaneously and shortened the distance between us. Erwen rushed to intercept them, but missed some.
¡Pum!
A projectile exploded at the bottom of the ship, shaking the hull.
Wow, looks like we should get going. I think the distance is also appropriate.
«Erwen, Elementalization.»
As soon as I gave the order, Erwen activated the ability without objection. But I figured she had one thing to clarify. «What attribute?»
«Agua».
When I also told him the attribute, Erwen carefully grabbed my hand.
Okay, link set.
[The Spirit of Water now dwells in your body. Any damage taken from Water attribute attacks is halved. Damage taken from attacks with the Lightning attribute is multiplied by four. When using a melee weapon, the damage you deal is reduced by 50%. Spring Water Blessing Bonus. Healing and regeneration effects are doubled. The speed at which you regain Soul Power increases by....].
Come to think of it, it was the first time he had used Elemental Barbarian (Water) mode in a battle royale.
Deslick.
I looked down to check my new look. Visually, there were no significant changes. My skin was just brighter and more hydrated than usual.
«Emily, volveré».
«Where...?»
Where else? The best defense is always a good attack. Hmm, but maybe I should still leave her with this.
«Oh, and one last thing. If you think it is too difficult to protect the ship, simply abandon it and jump«.
«What do you want...?»
There was no time to waste, so I skipped any long explanation.
Run.
Climbing onto the railing of the boat, I jumped into the rough sea. It was not a diving position. There was no need for that right now. The Spring Water Blessing was a one-line bonus without any flavor text to accompany it. A character who received this bonus could breathe and walk on water as well.
Grifo.
My body stood on the undulating surface of the sea as if defying gravity.
«Ooowoahhh!»
This was the Barbarian Jet Ski (Running) mode.
Sprint.
As soon as I landed on the sea surface, I screamed and ran forward.
"Pop! "Pum! "Bam-bam!
Surprised for a moment by the barbarian running over the water, the enemy soon began firing mana cannons at me again.
¡Bam! ¡Kablam! ¡Kablam!
For the moment I was able to protect my vital organs with the shield, but I couldn't ignore the mana cannons that were firing senselessly in my direction. After all, they were mana bullets. The damage reduction I got from my Physical Stamina didn't apply here. Every time they hit me, my bones hurt.
«Erwen, you don't need to block the cannonballs».
«Excuse me? What do you mean...?»
Erwen didn't finish the sentence. She watched the skeleton clatter as it rose from the water behind me.
[You have launched Risk Liability.]
[By the authority of the transcendental body, the potential inherent in this ability is now unlocked.]
[In exchange for the temporary deactivation of the Probabilistic Retaliation Immunity to Damage effect, the activation odds have been set at 100%].
A mana cannon used mana as a resource. So, simply put, whenever he received a suitable hit, he could return a suitable one.
[...reflects 30% of damage taken back to the enemy.]
[...reflects 30% of damage taken back to the enemy.]
[...reflects 30% of damage taken back to the enemy.]
¡Pum! ¡Pop! ¡Pppppp!
Immediately after being hit by the mana cannon, the skeletons appeared as afterimages and returned fire. But the bombing did not cause any damage to the ship.
¡Shaaaaaa!
A barrier of mana enveloped the ship. This easily blocked my mana cannonball, which was only 30% stronger than the original. With it on, the enemy was able to continue its bombardment without stress.
[Your Powerful Luck reflects 150% of the damage taken back to the enemy].
Oh, I keep a hematocrit.
«Gahhhcha!» As the only exciting sound effect accompanying a critical hit sounded, the skeleton next to me lit the fuse of a super-large cannon.
¡Poppp!
The mana cannonball flew out with a roar several times louder than usual and shattered the barrier surrounding the hull with ease.
«What kind of monster...!»
«Everyone, leave the Merina and escape!»
«Come here, quickly!»
One of the ships began to sink.
Damn sea.
To think it would sink after an impact. How much did we just lose?
¡Flash!
At this moment, a light flickered and the ship that everyone abandoned was returned to subspace.
Hmm, that can only be repaired later, then.
«Sink the ship!» Determined to solve the easiest problem first, the enemies directed their mana cannons towards the ship Amelia was on and fired.
Wow, I figured they would do that.
Erwen did what she could, but she couldn't stop the ship from sinking. She was too busy avoiding spells.
«Lord, it's magic!»
«Get behind me just in case!»
I hid Erwen, who was following me in spirit form, behind me. Although he was immune to physical damage while using Elementalization, he took much more damage from things like magic. And if Elementalization were deactivated here, the only thing in our future would be a one-way trip to the bottom of the ocean.
[...reflects 30% of damage taken back to the enemy.]
[...reflects 30% of damage taken back to the enemy.]
[...reflects 30% of damage taken back to the enemy.]
Magic flew along with mana cannonballs. Receiving all kinds of blows from a distance with my body, I ran forward. Although Risk Responsibility continued to deliver counterattacks regularly while I took hits, the enemy's attacks did not stop.
«Paltan is dead!»
«We have to stop him before he gets here!»
«More! More fire!»
«The enemy is also on the ropes! Just a little more!
It was a push with all the forces with both parties putting everything on the line. Of course, they must have thought they had the advantage. In the end, even if he got on that ship, he would be completely devastated. It was clear that they assumed they could overwhelm me with numbers and defeat me once I was tired.
What nonsense.
Shoot!
Just then, a flash of light penetrated my body.
[You have been hit by the Spear of Thunder].
The impact was so strong that my mind went blank for a moment. I felt like I was staggering, and although I managed to maintain my balance and avoid falling, my physical condition was already at rock bottom. Wounds were one thing, but the electric current that had just passed through my body seemed to have boiled my guts.
Damn lightning magic.
Was it because in addition to Elemental Barbarian (Water) he had Risk Responsibility? A whopping eight times the damage was enough to leave me at death's door. However, that seemed to be the case with my enemy as well.
«Gahhhcha!» Just in time, another Critical Hit appeared.
[Your Powerful Luck reflects 150% of the damage taken back to the enemy].
The skeleton launched a gigantic thunder spear that seemed straight out of ancient mythology. As the word «lightning» implied, the spear literally flew at the speed of light and shattered the second ship next to the flagship.
That... cannot be repaired.
For reference, I didn't even hear a boom. That was because my hearing was temporarily incapacitated.
Beeeeeep.
The ringing in my ears seemed to pierce my skull. My legs failed and I sank into the sea. Although it was partly intentional.
[The Energy of the Sea lives in your body. Due to the passive Origin ability, your Natural Regeneration has increased significantly].
I told you. I can't lose at sea.
Between the passive ability Waterstorm Origin and Elementalization, which doubled any healing and regeneration effects, my body began to heal almost as quickly as with a potion.
¡Shaaaaaa!
The twisted bones returned to their place and the burned, stabbed and bruised flesh came together again. Unlike with the potion, he felt no pain, so he could perceive the recovery process in more detail and in real time. Shortly after, I regained my hearing.
«Sir, are you okay?»
I guess he can communicate even underwater when in spirit form. But I can't speak.
I pointed up with my index finger, then shrugged and bowed my head.
«Are you asking me what's going on up there?».
That is.
When I nodded, Erwen quickly informed me. «The attacks have stopped for now. I think they think they gave you».
So they were already eagerly claiming my things.
«Ah, I can hear them faintly talking... I think the wizard is trying to use detection magic».
Hmm, then they'll soon find out we're still alive. I should surprise them before that.
When I made a gesture asking to be picked up, Erwen summoned a water spirit and pushed me away.
¡Chwaaa!
I shot to the surface again.
«...He is there!»
When I smiled like an aquatic ghost straight out of hell, my enemies were startled and full of praise.
«His wounds are all healed too...!».
«What kind of monster is that...?».
Most of them stared at me, stunned, but their leader was different. That's what a leader was: the person who had to make calm decisions in each and every situation.
«¡Capitan!»
«... The pro!»
Soon, the only remaining ship quickly changed course. This was why I hadn't used my healing powers before, even though there was plenty of seawater around. He knew that if he came back to life as a zombie and ran towards them, they would give up and try to flee. Even if he could walk on water, it was impossible to reach a ship like that on two legs.
Run.
But at this distance, I felt like I could do it.
When I started running, my opponents let out urgent shouts. «It's coming!»
«Quick! Faster!»
There wasn't even a cannon to keep me at bay. Anyway, they already knew I could heal myself, and seemed to have decided that it would be a bigger problem if the retreat of Probabilistic Retaliation made it difficult for them to turn the arc.
«Everything is already turned!»
«Mana stones! Cast mana stones, quickly!»
Finally, the bow was completely turned and the ship began to move away as if powered by an engine. At that time, the distance between the boat and me was about fifteen meters.
Joder...
I poured every last gram of my strength into running. If these bastards escaped now, the losses would be enormous.
Are they going to escape after destroying our ship? There is no chance. If you're going to leave, leave your ship behind!
«Aaaaaargh!» I accelerated with a scream, and the distance began to gradually reduce. It seemed like it took them some time to pick up speed after turning.
«It's going to catch up with us like this!».
«More! Throw more mana stones!»
As the distance narrowed further, fear blossomed on the faces of the bastards at the back of the ship. They seemed to be being chased by a monster.
¡Disparen!
Meanwhile, one of the men on the railing was hit by Erwen's arrow and fell into the sea. It was not an instant death, as it prevented his vital injuries.
«A-Help me...!», the guy shouted, struggling to keep his head above water, but our opponents didn't even try to save their fallen comrade. I was also too busy running to pay attention to him.
Run.
I walked past the man and lengthened my stride as long as I could.
Nine meters, eight meters, seven meters, six meters, five meters... The distance was reducing little by little, but not fast enough. The boat began to accelerate slowly and soon exceeded my running speed.
Five yards, six yards, seven yards, eight yards... As the narrow distance began to widen again, relief appeared in the eyes of those watching me from the back of the ship.
Damn sea.
This was nothing new, but the absence of a movement-related skill was a huge disappointment. Originally, my Shield Barbarian team only gained one movement ability at level eight, but I was lucky enough to get a Manticore essence before that. If I hadn't eliminated Jump, I would have gotten on that boat a long time ago!
Is that really how it ends?
I slowed down with resignation. Of course, it wasn't because he really thought he had lost the ship.
«Erwen, shoot our ship. You can damage it a little».
«...Our ship?»
«Don't worry about it now, hurry up.»
Erwen didn't need any more insistence. He shot an arrow towards the stern of the flagship.
¡Kwa claim!
Then it exploded.
«...That's going to cost a lot to repair.»
That was where the ship's mana propulsion device was.
After the mana propulsion device was destroyed, everything went smoothly. The increasing distance quickly closed again, and I soon managed to successfully climb onto the deck.
«Kill him!» Of course, my enemies didn't give up as soon as they saw me or anything like that. A battle began. Since they were an active clan on the sixth floor, they were not easy opponents.
So what if it's not easy?
The result was already decided. Erwen moved around me, still in Elementalization mode, to kill our opponents one by one, and I protected her while she did so. When the wounds on my body built up to a serious point, I just had to dive into the water and get back out.
¡Splash!
After repeating it about three times, the enemies lost their fighting spirit, dropped their weapons and surrendered. As the original fifteen enemies had been reduced to seven, more than half had died.
«Tsk, tsk, you don't know how to appreciate how precious life is. Are you going to go around wasting it?»
«Was wrong. Q-Please don't kill us...»
What are you talking about? You are already dead.
Hit!
As soon as they surrendered, the captain hit his head on the ground to plead and I made my hammer fall on him. Tying up the rest, I took control of the ship. «Who is your sailor?»
«¡Yo! »
Ugh, the sailor is still alive.
I turned to another man. «Hey, you're a magician, right?». The man nodded. «Are you just going to nod? Aren't you going to respond?»
«That's right. I-I am the magician...» I also left aside the only magician left from the battle.
«Judging by your tattoo, you're the son of a bitch who ran the other ship, right?».
«That's right». I also appropriated the types that the other two ships had.
«The remaining two of you... Just leave.»
«Excuse me? Where are we going?»
Where else?
¡Crunch, splat!
The remaining two were useless, so I got rid of them immediately. After my quick crew restructuring, I headed to the stern to check the condition of the ship. Below, I could see the mana propulsion device, which was horribly destroyed.
«Damn». I was really upset. «Guys, how dare you ruin my ship like this?»
«...S-sorry.»
«If you could solve things like this just by saying I'm sorry, what's the point of laws?».
Everyone bowed their heads in silence.
Hah yeah, what's the point of getting angry?
Splash, splash.
Just then, I heard water splashing near the bottom of the boat.
Hey? What is that...?
I grabbed the railing and looked down, quickly answering that question. «Ah.» It was Amelia. Did you really swim here? «...A castaway!» I threw the rope and when Amelia grabbed it, I put her on the boat.
«Schuitz, really...»
«¿Eh?»
«Leave me a free hit.» He sent his fist flying towards my stomach.