“Your victory is assured if not a single person on that ship dies! But if even one does, then I win!”
The moment I heard those words, an overwhelming urge to take him down surged within me. But first, I had to get Roel to the Infirmary. Realizing he couldn’t attack me just yet, he leisurely dove into the sea.
“I am one of the Twelve Demon Generals of the Neo Demon Lord Army, Sea Master Doridon! I will avenge Vito, Chiruchiru, and Baltz!”
As soon as I heard Doridon’s voice from the opposite side, the ship began to rock violently with the crashing waves. The turbulence was so intense that no one could stand without clinging to something for support. I wasn’t about to fall over from something like this; I dashed toward the Infirmary without a second thought. Passengers were in a panic, scrambling about the shaking ship.
A child whom Roel had been playing with was crying, held tightly by their parents. Even those in their cabins seemed anxious, as most people rushed into the corridors, clamoring to understand what was happening. The crew was doing their best to calm everyone down, but the chaos showed no signs of abating.
“Please! Roel, no, this child—please take care of her!”
Without waiting for a response, I laid Roel down on the bed and rushed back out. I was deeply worried about her, but I had to defeat that guy before anything else mattered. If someone on this ship dies, then he wins? What a joke.
“Don’t let the waves swallow you! Hold on tight!”
When I returned to the deck, waves were already crashing over it. Silver, Jijinia, Bottom, and everyone else had gathered in the center, trying to shield themselves from the waves that splashed onto the deck. They barely managed to hold their weapons, but in this situation, there was no way we could fight back if his minions attacked.
He was probably planning to strike from beneath the waves, knowing we couldn’t retaliate from there, trying to corner us like this.
【6 Fish Lancers have appeared! HP 600】
【3 Dead Lobsters have appeared! HP 820】
Six monsters resembling Doridon but with human upper bodies climbed onto the deck. Unlike Doridon, these were covered in scales from head to toe. Following them, a human-sized lobster leaped onto the deck.
【Okeanos has appeared! HP 3610】
【Emperor Squid has appeared! HP 4730】
Suddenly, a massive squid emerged from the sea, far larger than the ship itself. Nearby, a sea serpent surfaced in the same manner. If that thing went on a rampage, this ship would sink in no time.
So this is the game Doridon was talking about. He said he wanted revenge, but isn’t this all just his own doing? I don’t care if they’re part of the Demon Lord Army or whatever; what do they think life is worth?
“Doridon! If you want to fight, then come out and face me!”
“If you want to battle Lord Doridon, then dive into the sea!”
To my surprise, one of the mermen spoke, laughing mockingly. Even on this rocking ship, they stood there unfazed. Well, considering their lower halves were fish, saying they stood was a bit misleading.
The others were still in no condition to fight, barely managing to keep from being swept away by the waves.
“Everyone, get back inside the ship! I’ll handle this!”
“B-but… even if you’re skilled…”
“No, just trust me on this… That girl defeated a high-ranking officer of the Demon Lord Army that attacked the Kingdom of Avangarde. No one could stand against her then, so we have no chance of doing anything ourselves. Why not take a gamble?”
Silver calmed Bottom, who was still hesitant. A merman swung a spear made of an unknown material at me. I didn’t have time to deal with this. I needed to take care of these guys and that giant squid in the distance all at once.
“Sonic Ripper!”
The slash of the Sonic Ripper obliterated the Fish Lancers and the lobster, cutting through them effortlessly. With that momentum, it pierced through the squid that was raising its tentacles to attack.
【Rua unleashed the Sonic Ripper!
She dealt 428,293 damage to the Fish Lancers and the Emperor Squid!
The swarm of monsters has been defeated!】
The severed tentacles fell apart and sank into the depths of the sea. Just when I thought it was getting dark, another sea serpent opened its massive mouth, preparing to swallow the ship whole. I hadn’t realized how large it was from a distance.
Could this one also be a subordinate of Doridon? With creatures like this around, there was no way we could continue our voyage. I had to seal that mouth, not just for the future but for this very moment.
【Rua unleashed the Sonic Ripper!
She dealt 438,781 damage to Okeanos! Okeanos has been defeated! HP 0/3610】
Instead of sealing its mouth, it opened wide and then burst apart. The remaining serpent’s body fell back, sinking into the sea. The force of it nearly capsized the ship. Waves were already crashing onto the deck so frequently that it was hard to tell what was sea and what was ship.
We were all drenched, waves crashing over our heads.
“Bottom, did you see that?”
“Y-yeah. I’ll leave it to you…”
Before another wave could hit, everyone except me retreated to the ship’s cabin. But this was just the beginning. According to that merman, Doridon wouldn’t come up from the depths, and I had to take him down. I had no choice but to steel myself.
Even in the Abyss Cave, I had to dive underwater, but it was quite difficult to fight. Fish were definitely better swimmers. Back then, I hadn’t had to hold my breath for long since I was still at a low level, but how long could I manage now?
But then I realized something. If I wasn’t here, who would protect this place? If the ship itself was attacked, it would sink in no time.
“Ugh! I can’t think of a method, and I don’t have time to ponder!”
I quickly stripped off my clothes, tossing the hastily worn garments into the cabin to avoid being swept away. The people huddled in the corridor looked shocked, but I had no time to care. Now in nothing but my underwear, I dove into the sea.
◆ Underwater ◆
As expected, the current was fierce. If I tried to swim normally, I would just be tossed around and unable to do anything. I had to make sure not to let go of this sword.
I didn’t know if the Bastard Sword would work underwater. It might rust, but as long as it held up during this fight, that was all that mattered. Where was Doridon? Looking around, all I could see was the dark expanse of the ocean.
No, it wasn’t just Doridon who was here. The mermen from earlier and countless monsters surged toward me as if they had found their prey.
【20 Fish Lancers have appeared! HP 600】
【Death Shark has appeared! HP 1200】
Among them was a shark monster resembling the Killer Shark I had seen yesterday. They were fast, clearly accustomed to the water, and they lunged at me with their jaws wide open, intent on devouring me. My movements were slightly sluggish underwater, but against these foes, it was no problem. I sliced one cleanly in half. Its blood mixed with the water, but the rest vanished without a trace.
Not knowing how long I could hold my breath, I decided to stay still and wait for the enemies to come to me. After all, they were approaching me with murderous intent.
About twenty mermen were desperately trying to stab me with their spears. Engaging them head-on would be a hassle if more kept appearing. I had only one method left.
Fortunately, it seemed these mermen could speak, so they should be able to understand me. I floated there, pretending to show a gap in my defenses.
As expected, they took the bait, and their spears lunged toward me.
No, they didn’t pierce me. It felt as if I had been poked with a rubber toy, and the spears didn’t draw any blood.
What the hell were these guys? They seemed to be under the impression they could stab me. If they wanted to pierce me, they’d need fangs like those of that leopard-like monster from the depths of the Abyss Cave.
That monster had been terrifying; it had easily shredded the shield I picked up on the previous floor, and when it actually bit me, I thought my arm would be torn off.
The mermen seemed to have given up, keeping their distance and observing me from afar. Thank goodness they finally understood the gap in our power. This was the best way to handle troublesome situations.
At that moment, something wrapped around my leg.
Before I could react, I was yanked down to the ocean floor. Looking down, I saw Doridon, his arm transformed into an octopus tentacle, grinning at me.
“You’re a real monster for diving down here and enduring this water pressure.”
Even underwater, his voice was crystal clear. If I spoke, it probably wouldn’t even form words.
Was this some kind of technique of his? I could clearly see his mouth moving.
“Well, that’s what I was hoping for!”
The flow of water shifted. Just as I thought I could approach him, I was swept away, and suddenly the entire ocean seemed to come alive, swirling in a vortex.
“Doridon unleashed the Maelstrom!”
The currents began to collide and thrash around me. Despite the chaos, Doridon’s tentacles drew closer. The strikes from those tentacles mercilessly assaulted me. I was tossed around by the currents, only to find tentacles waiting for me wherever I ended up. Occasionally, they would wrap around me, trying to restrain my movements, but I could only tear them apart. Yet, those severed tentacles quickly regenerated and came at me again.
“Hehehe, how’s that? You can’t fight properly underwater, can you? Not a single one of the Twelve Demon Generals can defeat me in this domain! Did you know? Over sixty percent of this world is covered by ocean! To dominate this great sea, the source of life, is to dominate everything! No matter how skilled you think you are, look at you now! And how’s your breath holding up? Hehehe!”
Even in this dark ocean, his enthusiasm was unnaturally high. But as much as he pretended to care, it didn’t matter to me. Back in the Abyss Cave, I could hold my breath for up to thirty minutes. Now, I could last even longer. His confidence stemmed from the belief that he couldn’t possibly lose here. Indeed, I hadn’t anticipated this.
—How could I have been underestimated to this extent?
“By the way, I wonder what happened to those humans above? Did my minions kill them? Maybe they’ll sink if a hole is opened in the ship’s hull? If even one dies, you won’t be able to protect that life! When I heard Juo’s story, it clicked! This one here is just a soft-hearted fool who tries to protect the lives of complete strangers with all her might! I wonder how many will die? Just one? Or maybe all of them? I can’t wait to find out!”
So he called this a game. In that case, I had no need for pity or any such feelings towards him.
“Doridon swam around at high speed!”
Ignoring the currents, Doridon charged at me like a bullet. Even if I dodged, he would quickly change direction and attack again, coming at me from all sides. While moving, he swung his tentacles, creating about ten whirlpools.
“Doridon unleashed the Aqua Hurricane!”
Bubbles swirled and approached me at high speed. I was trapped by the currents, and I thought, “Is this it?” But that was far from the truth. No one in the Abyss Cave had ever attacked me with such a diverse array of techniques underwater, so I was a bit surprised. I had vaguely thought that the Twelve Demon Generals were about as strong as those three. That was all.
I had grown accustomed to this underwater battle. There was no need to be swept away by the currents any longer. I began to swim towards Doridon, who had been toying with me, now looking flustered at my approach.
“W-What is that movement…?”
His previously laughing face changed completely. It was crucial to fight in a place where one could maximize their strength. But I had fought against creatures like that since childhood—monsters lurking over molten lava that could melt iron, and others waiting in freezing cold that could freeze snot. The list was endless. But against such opponents, the best response was to get used to it. I had always thought that was the norm, so I couldn’t understand his panic. He claimed to be the strongest underwater, but wasn’t that just because there were no opponents here who could move as well as he could?
“Y-You…!”
“Yes, I’ve caught up.”
I tried to mimic his speech, but all that came out was a garbled sound. Did that even get through? Well, whatever.
“Rua’s attack!”
As the blade of my Bastard Sword made contact, Doridon grew larger, and with the impact, he was sent flying. Just as I suspected, the expected outcome unfolded before me. A monster many times larger than a regular ferry. While retaining the upper half of a human, his skin was pale, and his head resembled that of a shark, with octopus tentacles sprouting from his fingers. His lower half remained fish-like, transforming into an odd form.
Just like the other three Twelve Demon Generals, he had morphed into a monster. I couldn’t tell if he was human or not, but one thing was clear: at least his heart was not human. Anyone who would take lives as a game was monstrous enough. His grotesque appearance reflected that.
“Doridon, Raging Tyrant of the Great Sea appeared! HP 31,000!”
“I’ll destroy everything! Humans, things made by humans, food humans eat, those whom humans love, anything humans are interested in—everything, everything, everything, everything will be obliterated!”
Compared to his size, I was like a speck of dust; the difference was immense. If he truly went on a rampage, he could destroy not just the ferry, but the entire ocean. I had no evidence, but I felt that level of ferocity and hatred. When those octopus tentacles were unleashed, they pierced through even his own minions, crushing them without mercy. Even the mermen trying to calm their boss became prey. There was no distinction; that was the only way to describe it.
“I’ll sink that ship… I’ll sink it for sure!”
His massive body surged toward the surface. It was clear he was targeting the ferry. Even if he did nothing, just his enormous form emerging from the water would capsize that ship. Of course, I wouldn’t allow that to happen. I swam alongside the ascending Doridon, determined to push him away.
“Rua’s attack! Dealt 7,802 damage to Doridon, Raging Tyrant of the Great Sea! HP 23,198/31,000!”
I lightly kicked the lower half of his human body. Despite holding back, Doridon was sent flying far away at an incredible speed.
“Gah…! W-What the…?”
“Rua’s attack! Dealt 13,730 damage to Doridon, Raging Tyrant of the Great Sea! HP 9,468/31,000!”
I caught up to the flying Doridon. This time, I dove beneath him and kicked upward with much more force than before. With a speed greater than before, Doridon’s massive body shot towards the surface. All that was left was for me to catch up.
As Doridon burst from the water, the displaced seawater created a massive wave. He was thrown high into the air. In that moment, he was expelled from his beloved ocean.
“Hey, you don’t mean to say…?”
“I need everyone to clearly see that the one who caused all this trouble has been defeated.”
I leaped out of the water after Doridon. He was above me, and I was below, momentarily suspended in the air. I was sure the figures in the distant ferry could see us. Though I couldn’t make them out clearly, I believed those few silhouettes were Bottom and the others. Even if they were holed up inside the ship, the monsters certainly didn’t wait for them. The ferry was indeed under attack by monsters. I hoped everyone was safe. But first, it was time to finish this, Doridon.
“T-This guy can fight underwater too… This is unreal…”
“Rua unleashed the Sonic Ripper! Dealt 430,018 damage to Doridon, Raging Tyrant of the Great Sea! Doridon, Raging Tyrant of the Great Sea has been defeated! HP 0/31,000!”
Before he could finish his sentence, my Sonic Ripper tore through his massive form, obliterating him. But it was a fleeting moment, and gravity pulled me back down into the sea. For a brief instant, I could breathe the air above the surface. By the end, I was starting to feel a bit breathless, so it was just right.
◆ The Ferry ◆
“Is that…?!”
What Bottom saw was an enormous monster being effortlessly struck down by someone in mid-air. That figure quickly fell into the sea, but Bottom knew who it was. The mermen, the Fish Lancers, who had been attacking the ferry, stood dumbfounded as they witnessed the entire scene.
“Could it be that Lord Doridon has been defeated…?!”
“It must be a mistake! That can’t be Lord Doridon!”
Until that moment, the monsters had been in the lead, but as they processed the situation, their fighting spirit began to wane. However, it hadn’t completely vanished. The ferocious monsters had only one thing left to do.
“You humans, you’ve done it now…!”
Many were already battered and bruised in this situation. Silva and Jiji-Nia were gravely injured and hardly able to move. If I had been even a moment slower in defeating Doridon, they wouldn’t have survived to this moment. While they had taken down a few monsters, they were outnumbered, and the enemy was stronger. Bottom and the others had mentally prepared themselves, realizing how well they had held on. The monsters gathered around the ferry, ready to attack. It was a miracle that the ship’s hull hadn’t been breached, and the seasoned adventurers held their breath, waiting for Rua’s return.
“Silva, Jiji-Nia, can we survive until she comes back?”
“It’s not about whether we can; we have to. I refuse to die after coming this far.”
It was a form of encouragement from Bottom, who could barely stand. He was trying to rally himself, somehow maintaining his fighting spirit. The monsters were slightly intimidated by his fierce presence, leading to a brief stalemate.
Then, at last, the monsters surrounding the regular ship were cut down by the same slashing attack that had been seen from afar moments earlier. Before the astonished crowd, Lua emerged from the sea, her face breaking the surface as she kept the monsters at bay.
“Kill them!”
As one desperate Fish Lancer shouted, the monsters resumed their assault. Just as the deck of the ship was about to become a battlefield once more, a piercing light shot forth from the distance, striking the monsters from behind.
The countless monsters still swarming the sea and the ship were struck down one after another by the column of light. Without a moment to process the chaos, the monsters were wiped out in mere seconds, leaving Bottom and the others in shock, along with Lua, who had just resurfaced.
“I made it back… I’m so glad everyone is safe. By the way, what was that?”
Despite Lua being clad only in her underwear, the attention of everyone present was drawn to the ship in the distance.
“Th-that ship’s emblem! It’s from the Kingdom of Metallica?! What is it doing here…?”
As they drew closer, Silva quickly grasped the situation at a glance. The ship was several times larger than the regular vessel, its hull encased in something resembling steel. On it was a simple emblem depicting a single silver wing.