Chapter 566: Chapter 566

Brennen’s eyes widened as if they would tear. Sanford’s, of course, was no different.

Unlike the frozen Brennen, however, Sanford immediately spat a curse and spun around. "What the fuck?"

He ran to the stairs between the two masts that led below deck. Bending over, he shouted, "Starboard! All hands on oars! We’re turning the bow west! Move! Now!"

As the lower deck erupted into a flurry of activity, Ian emerged from his cabin and turned to Brennen. Only then did Brennen blink rapidly, as though snapping back to his senses, and look up.

"Take the young master inside," Ian said. His low voice carried undeniable authority.

Even so, Brennen’s lips trembled as he said, "Sir. What you just said... what exactly—"

"You’ll hear the explanation inside. They’re all awake," Ian cut him off without looking back, striding toward the stairs leading up to the aft deck.

His indifferent attitude suggested he had said all he needed to, and it was up to them to figure it out. Brennen stared blankly after him for a moment before finally scrambling to his feet.

"Ugh, wh-what in the world is coming— grh?" Brennen pulled the weakly stammering Simon up by force, slung him over his shoulder, and turned.

The ship was tilting to port. He had to get inside before he lost his balance. At Brennen’s glance, the squire also began dragging the limp attendant behind him.

"Hashim! We need to turn the sails! Grab a few men and get up here now!"

With the shouts that cut through the sound of the waves at his back, Ian strode up the stairs. Although the ship was tilting as it turned to port, he didn’t lose his balance in the slightest.

As he stepped onto the aft deck, a misty wind swept past him, billowing the Cloak of the Undying. His gaze, calm and unshaken, was already scanning the sea where the mist swirled behind the stern.

Good thing I grabbed some rest beforehand.

Far in the distance, to the aft-port side, ominous shades of blue and purple flickered like a wildfire through the swirling mist. As the ship turned, they were gradually moving completely behind the stern.

The bead of chaos essence gave off a low hum. A haze blurred Ian’s vision—Magic Detection. Chaos power surged through his veins, a purple gleam blooming at the core of his pupils.

Blue and purple hazes covered Ian’s vision like static. Yet, through it all, the flickering shapes in the distance became even clearer.

—How did you figure out they were coming this way, my friend?

As Ian stopped in front of the stern railing, Yog’s whisper followed in his mind.

Moving to the port corner, Ian replied, "In the end, they have no choice but to flee west."

There was no way they could maintain a tight formation while escaping. As a sort of allied fleet and pirates, it was obvious they would scatter in all directions. The scene unfolding before him was just that. The ships, which looked like blue fireflies, were spreading out haphazardly, and so were the purple masses chasing closely behind them.

—I see... No matter how wide this sea is, it was bound to come to this.

It was just a good guess, really.

The moment he had woken from his Meditation at Yog’s whisper, a quest window had popped up before his eyes. [The Sea of Death.]

The completion of the quest required crossing the inner sea safely and reaching land.

It probably just means I have to survive, one way or another...

"Stop— Switch positions by half! All oars out!" Sanford’s sharp command rang out—the turn was complete.

However, the hull was still tilted, and the bow was raised as if climbing a hill. Of course, this was no problem for Ian. His sense of balance was on par with that of a beastfolk warrior or a fairy.

"Full speed ahead! If you don’t want to die, row with every last bit of strength you have!"

With Sanford’s roar, the ship began to move even faster. The stern rose again as if reaching the crest of a wave, but Ian didn’t look back. His eyes were fixed on what lay beyond the oncoming waves of blue and violet.

A purple shape, which felt clearer despite being the farthest away, was writhing and rising. Its immensity was beyond doubt.

—You feel it too, don’t you, friend? That Bukikia thing... It’s completely lost in madness now.

That purple shape was undoubtedly Bukikia. And it appeared the archipelago’s fleet had pushed it quite to the brink. Considering the size of the fleet, it wasn’t surprising.

They were, after all, corrupted servants of an ancient god. They had likely inflicted considerable damage not only on Bukikia’s minions but on the creature itself, enough that it could no longer suppress its madness.

And then the tables turned.

If his goal had been to kill Bukikia, this would have been welcome news. The creature was already wounded and raging, burning away like a torch. Since it hadn’t even established a proper domain, leaving it alone would eventually lead to its own destruction, though the traces it left behind might foul the inner sea for ages.

However, in any case, given that they had to protect their ship and cross the sea right now, it wasn’t news they could exactly welcome.

Ian turned his gaze to the waves of blue and purple rushing in over the innumerable hills of water. They were getting closer, and even now, they were clashing and burning away. The faint, monstrous screams that brushed past his ears were no illusion.

As the bow dipped, the dark, cloudy night sky came into view. It churned like a raging storm, flashing erratically and unleashing thunder. To Ian’s eyes, it looked like a dazzling conflagration of clashing chaos.

"Ian—" Thesaya’s shout came from behind him then. She was scrambling up the cliff-like, tilted stairs.

Ian, who had retracted his chaos, turned around. "You’re later than I thought."

"Sorry! I had to get ready, too." Thesaya slid to a stop and grabbed the railing with a smile. Despite her words, she had only added leather boots and vambraces. She must have deemed any other armor meaningless.

"I let Moro’s reins loose. Sister and Snub-Nose decided to guard the sailors in the cabin. I bundled the sprout up in a blanket in the carriage and told him not to come out unless the ship sinks." Thesaya stood up straight and rattled off the words.

Ian nodded and asked, "What about the brat’s party?"

"I told them to manage on their own. Just gave them a rough idea of the situation. You should have seen the look on their faces when I told them the fleet was fighting the archdemon. The Blondie started throwing up again right away."

"So that’s why you were late." Ian let out a dry laugh and shook his head.

Thesaya shrugged and turned her gaze to the stern. "I was expecting some horrifying spectacle. Figures that now, of all times, all I see are waves."

It was a sight that could have been mistaken for descending a hill rather than waves. The waves had grown so massive, of course, due to Bukikia’s influence. Even if it couldn’t form a domain, the sea was its territory. Thıs text ıs hosted at NoveI[F]ire.net

"Anyway, everyone’s fleeing for their lives." Thesaya tilted her head to the right, beyond the jutting wooden frame.

Ian’s head also turned to the side. Far beyond the sea, where countless hills of water stretched, flashes of the sky sporadically revealed ships perilously cresting the waves.

—A feast day for monsters.

Yog’s chuckle whispered through his mind. As always, the creature was enjoying the spectacle.

Snorting faintly, Thesaya glanced to the other side and added, "Why’s there a ship over there? I was sure we were in the lead."

Ian turned toward the starboard. Just as she said, the form of a ship, no bigger than a fingernail, was visible climbing a wave like a mountain peak.

"It must have set sail from another port."

"Ah, right. There were more ports west of Rune Catis. Then it makes sense they’d be faster." Thesaya nodded.

Ian indifferently shifted his gaze upward.

"Keep rowing! Don’t stop!" Sanford’s shout echoed, and the ship tilted toward the stern again.

They were clearly cresting another wave. Ian, who had looked up at the sail, which was bent as if it would tear at any moment, looked back at Thesaya.

"It’s certainly different experiencing it firsthand than just hearing about it," Thesaya said, bringing a cigarette to his lips.

She already had one between her own. Ian took it without hesitation, sparking a flame in his palm.

"Getting nervous?" asked Ian.

"Yeah, a lot," Thesaya replied, lighting her cigarette.

Ian lit his own and flicked the growing ball of fire into the sea. "Actually, me too."

"Aren’t you supposed to say it’ll be okay, that everything will be fine?" Thesaya asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

Ian took a drag of his cigarette and shrugged. "This is my first time fighting sea beasts in the ocean. And pirates, for that matter."

"You’re honest in the weirdest ways." Thesaya let out a soft laugh.

Soon, her gaze returned to the sea that was appearing beyond the waves.

"...Whoa." A smoke-laced gasp escaped her lips.

It was likely because waves of blue and purple were surging beyond the sea, swirling with mist. Now, Ian too could faintly make out their forms. Ghostly ships and bizarrely shaped giant sea beasts.

Nodding at the whisper, Ian exhaled a cloud of smoke. To his modern-born eyes, those monsters looked like dinosaurs or deep-sea fish. Of course, there were also some that looked like cephalopods mixed in. They were all as massive as a yanar.

The entangled monsters disappeared beneath the surface, and monstrous roars of all sizes echoed from all directions. The ships were cutting through the waves at an incredible speed, even though they weren’t rowing.

One moment they were submerged, the next they shot up into the air. Each time, the surrounding seawater vaporized, spewing a thick cloud of steam.

"So you and Sister fought things like that beyond the wall," Thesaya murmured, watching the scene as if overwhelmed.

Ian replied with the cigarette still in his mouth, "I told you, this is a first for me, too."

"So, what’s the plan, Ian? At this rate, we’ll be caught soon. Is it just the usual fight hard and well?" Thesaya turned to him, tilting her head toward the sea.

It was a naval chase, yes, but at the same time it was a moving battlefield. And even at this moment, it was steadily catching up to them.

Ian looked down at Thesaya for a moment, then finally shrugged. "There’s someone else you should be asking that first."

As Thesaya blinked, Ian tilted his head toward the bow, just as she had. "I’m not the captain of this ship."

"Sir— Sir!" Sanford’s shout erupted then.

Thesaya blinked and looked back. Sanford, who had hastily come up to the deck, was stumbling toward them. As Ian and Thesaya stepped aside to the left and right without a word, he crashed into the railing and came to a stop.

"Please! Please save us—" Sanford gasped, his face desperate, as if he had long forgotten the pain in his arm.

Looking down at him, Ian replied calmly, "I think that’s my line."

"That’s not what I mean! The talisman!" Sanford shot up and added, "I need my talisman!"

"The Talisman of the Gale?" Ian asked, eyebrow twitching.

Sanford nodded his head so hard it seemed it would fall off. "We’re giving it our all, but they’re still catching up to us! We can’t keep up this speed. The rower’s stamina isn’t infinite! Whether we get tired or get caught, either way, it’s a dog’s death—"

"Alright, just tell me how to use it," Ian cut him off, subtly extending his right arm from beneath his cloak.

In his right hand, which he had rummaged through his pocket dimension while Sanford was rambling, was the blackish talisman.

"I-it’s simple!" Sanford gasped, his eyes wide, and swung his right arm back.

As Thesaya leaned back to avoid it, Sanford placed his hand on the wooden frame fixed to the railing. "You use it here!"

"Aha?" Ian’s gaze shifted to the wooden frame, specifically to the part in the middle that looked like a carriage wheel.

"You place the talisman on this cap, channel magic into it, and fix it here. !" Sanford took a stone plate that looked like a saucer from his coat and placed it in the hole in the center of the frame, then looked back. "And then, quickly—"

"—turn the pulley on the rope and lower the frame behind the ship." Ian finished his sentence.

Sanford nodded. "Yes. Then a tremendous wind will shoot out and push the ship. It’ll be very fast!"

So it really was a booster.

The corner of Ian’s mouth curled up on its own. It was clearly a last resort, meant for fleeing from pirates or warships.

"I’ll give you my magic ring, too!" Sanford added, biting his finger and struggling. "Please channel magic into the talisman for me! I have to prepare some things."

"Don’t worry about the magic," said Thesaya, snatching the cap from his hand.

At Sanford’s glance, she smiled with the cigarette still in her mouth. "A very capable mage is right here."

"Aha?! Th-That sounds good." A look of relief washed over Sanford’s face.

He swallowed and bowed his head low. "Then, I’ll be counting on you, Elder!"

"Once won’t be enough. No matter how good this booster’s performance is," Ian said, tossing the talisman in his hand up and down.

"What do you mean a boos— No, that’s not important." Sanford, who had been murmuring blankly, whiffed his head and continued, "I’ve never used it consecutively, but if you just recharge it with magic, it should be usable again right away. I’ve used it several times before with no problems, and I’ve maintained it thoroughly!"

"Don’t worry. We have plenty of magic," Thesaya said confidently.

Sanford looked at her with pleading eyes. "We just need you to use it a few times while the rowers rest. After that, we’ll alternate."

The ship crested another wave just then.

Sanford, who had looked at the revealed sea with terrified eyes, swallowed dryly and added, "The water isn’t very deep near the strait. It’s difficult for those monsters to approach that area. If we can just get there, we can escape somehow. It’s not as far as you think."

Sanford whipped his head around to Thesaya and grabbed her hand.

As Thesaya grimaced in disgust, he added, "So please, I’m begging you. All of our lives depend on you two!"

"Alright, just let go of my hand."

At Thesaya’s cold reply, Sanford quickly released her hand and turned his head. "Sir. That pulley—"

"I’ll figure it out, so go. You said you had things to prepare," Ian said, flicking the ash from his cigarette.

Sanford, who had paused, nodded. "Then, I’ll give you the signal!"

Exchanging a glance with Thesaya, he hurriedly turned and half-rolled back down toward the central deck as the prow dipped again.

"Hashim! Get ready to pull the sails! Now—"

As Sanford’s scream-like shout followed, Ian and Thesaya, cigarettes in their mouths, looked at each other.

Finally, Thesaya shook the cap in her hand lightly. "This is an even crazier plan than I thought. Let’s do it."