Gun of Ashes

The ship’s doctor roughly cut open the wound and extracted the bullet, performing hemostasis and suturing on Lancelot. In this situation, that was all they could do. Lancelot didn’t mind; he injected himself with a shot of Florun Potion, stood up again, and took command of the scene.

”Demons are crawling in along the damaged areas!”

Someone shouted in the pouring rain, followed by the sound of intense gunfire from the cabin.

”Notify them! Abandon other areas, defend the engine room!”

Lancelot shouted at the soldiers. As long as the engine room didn’t fall, the Horned Whale could keep moving forward. Under these circumstances, nothing else mattered; escaping this storm was the top priority.

The fierce gunfire continued, the scene before their eyes flashing by. Bola felt like he was caught in a frenzy of slaughter, with only the repetition of reloading and firing filling his mind. Streams of fire shot forth, but still couldn’t stop the demons’ advance. They were numerous as a swarm of ants, covering every part of the Horned Whale, gnawing at the steel with sharp teeth and claws, trying to drag it into the deep abyss of the sea.

”It’s coming! Watch for impact!”

Froki saw something and screamed, then rushed to the nearest structure, grabbing onto anything he could. He even chopped into the steel with his hand axe to anchor himself.

With his warning, the deck erupted into chaos again. Everyone ceased firing at the demons and, like Froki, sought nearby cover.

”What’s happening?”

Bola snapped out of his battle frenzy, looking around confused, his mind hazy. Then he saw it.

The boiling sea began to rise, as if something was about to emerge. Not just the people on the ship, even the demons instinctively tried to flee, as if some entity from a distant shore was about to descend.

”Bola! What are you standing there for?”

Lancelot yelled at him, throwing him a rope. Instinctively, Bola grabbed it, and the next moment, endless waves were lifted up. The swirling storm paused momentarily, then the surging seawater turned into a torrential rain. Beyond the blurred water curtain, a massive black figure appeared.

The aurora cast down illuminated it, its black scale armor like a clean mirror, reflecting the light, fully revealing its terrifying and oppressive form.

It was a giant serpent, an enormous sea serpent, its exposed part alone larger than the Horned Whale. The scales bore intricate patterns, like one crafted incantation after another, so obscure and incomprehensible that those observing it felt a stabbing pain in their eyes, averting their gaze.

A light seeped down, and the giant serpent’s eyes scrutinized everyone on the ship, with blazing white flames drifting in the beast’s pupils.

An instinctual fear welled up within each person who looked directly at it, where myth and reality overlapped. They became part of the story, stepping into the realm of the Gods.

”The serpent that encircles the courtyard.”

Bola muttered as he watched the blazing white serpent eyes. Then, the waves battered the Horned Whale, in the violent shaking, someone wailed as they were thrown off the ship. Bola rolled back and forth on the deck, fortunately maintaining his grip on the rope, not being detached from the Horned Whale.

”Speed up!”

Froki kept shouting. Such powerless shouting could change nothing. With the erosion spreading, communications had been disrupted. Each contact with the engine room needed a fearless soldier to break through the demon-infested cabins.

But it seemed that those in the engine room also saw this bizarre scene through their portholes. The Horned Whale became agitated, starting to accelerate, faster than ever, as it surged with the waves raised by the serpent.

The serpent was in no hurry to attack, like a predator toying with its prey. It observed the mortals’ struggles silently, savoring their despair. The fear almost solidified, spreading from the Horned Whale, like the aroma of fine wine, stimulating the demons’ senses, prompting them to let out bloodthirsty cheers, continuing their ascent.

”Froki! What do we do!”

Lancelot shouted to him. This cunning Viking seemed like the last hope; his knowledge of the Silent Sea surpassed anyone else.

”I don’t know!” Froki gazed fascinated at the serpent charging into the storm, his voice filled with excitement, ”Because I’ve never sailed this deep before!”

Due to environmental and ship constraints, before the Iron Armor ship appeared in Ice Bay, Froki had never ventured so deeply into the Silent Sea. He was both terrified and thrilled.

”Damn it, this madman!”

Lancelot cursed, realizing he should have expected this since Froki betrayed them. After seizing control of the Horned Whale, Froki’s goal was to steer towards the deeper parts of the Silent Sea.

This was a journey with no return, with no intention of leaving alive.

”It’s getting closer!”

Bola clumsily climbed up from the deck, seeing the serpent lowering its enormous head towards the Horned Whale. In such a comparison, humans appeared so small. Besides escaping, Bola could think of no other strategy.

Also at this moment, the survivors in the cabin felt their inner fear become uncontrollable; they went mad, doing whatever they could.