Chapter 231
Chapter 232
“Oh, here they come!”
As Seong-ryong muttered that while watching Yeon-woo dash out from the ship, he furrowed his brow at Yeon-woo’s peculiar behavior.
“What are you doing?”
Yeon-woo was peeking behind a rock, burying something in the ground, and then moving to another stone to scratch something with a dagger while approaching Seong-ryong at a hilariously slow pace.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Yeon-woo dashed over. Seong-ryong, emerging from the ship he was sitting in, asked,
“What were you up to?”
“Whoa! You were watching? I couldn’t just leave without a parting gift, you know. Good timing! I don’t have to dismantle the ship, right?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter all that much.”
“Then let’s leave a surprise gift there! No problems, right?”
“That might be so, but what are you planning to leave behind?”
“A bomb.”
Yeon-woo nodded seriously after saying that, and Seong-ryong, his expression solidifying, also nodded.
“That’s a brilliant idea. Do it immediately.”
*
“That’s what happened.”
Upon hearing Yeon-woo’s words, the group rested their chins thoughtfully. They may have concealed some parts, but understanding shouldn’t have been an issue.
“Hoh, Dragon Knight… So, is that what they call those who made contracts with dragons? Or is there something else to it?”
“The Necromancer merely resurrects the dragon’s bones as Undead but doesn’t actually control it; that task falls to the Dragon Knight, the Undead.”
Seong-ryong and Baek In-hwa reacted similarly. Seong-ryong scratched his beard with an intrigued expression and fanned himself, while Baek In-hwa nodded as if realizing something.
Since it’s a method not commonly used in the Cult of Oblivion, there was a sense of learning involved.
“Couldn’t you bring it along?”
“It seems like it can’t move. They mentioned that it wouldn’t be able to hold out for much longer.”
“Hmm, we need to deal with that pirate ship quickly.”
“That’s a relief. If we’re only dealing with pirates, joining the Coast Guard will suffice.”
The reason they needed Kim Hang-po’s ship was that they required a large vessel to confront the dragon.
But if that ambiguous Dragon Knight was keeping the dragon restrained and it was just a simple pirate vessel, then the Coast Guard’s speedboat might be enough to handle it.
If they could deal with the Necromancer, the Dragon Knight would be free, which would allow them to fight the Kraken with the dragon’s help. Moreover, if Kim Hang-po took charge of the ship, the danger from the Kraken would significantly decrease.
Of course, life rarely goes as smoothly as one hopes. Honestly, things had been going too well so far. It was about time for some obstacle to show up.
“In any case, remember this. Riley, please ask Amir for assistance from the Coast Guard, and Seong-ryong, Baek In-hwa, you two handle your personal maintenance. It will probably show up soon.”
After giving appropriate instructions to the necessary individuals, only Shar, Nea, Tae-oh, and Dawn were left. They looked at each other with sparkling eyes, wondering what they should do, while Yeon-woo had nothing to say. There wasn’t much to assign them.
“…Nea, please prepare dinner, and Shar, how about going to visit Grandfather with Father? Tae-oh and Dawn, you two just play well.”
“Got it!”
“Let’s hurry!”
“Confirmed. Off to play, Dawn!”
With a variety of responses, they could leave. Dawn shot them a pitiful look, but they ignored it.
Old man Kim Hang-po was, once again, standing at the dock watching over the horizon. It might seem insane to stand at the dock regardless of the rain, snow, or storms for days on end, but his gaze was extraordinarily clear.
“What’s the matter, Student?”
Without turning around, the old man spoke, and Yeon-woo cleared his throat. This needed to be serious. Approaching his past lightly would be very disrespectful.
“Could you do me just one favor?”
“If you’re asking me to steer the ship, I have to decline.”
“That’s not it. I know you always keep an eye on it, but I sincerely hope you’ll maintain the ship for me.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“It will come. You feel it too, don’t you? This time, it’s definitely coming.”
“…”
Kim Hang-po fell silent. Yeon-woo knew better than anyone that this silence meant agreement.
He couldn’t possibly not know. He was one of the few who understood the Kraken’s biology better than Yeon-woo. It was obvious he had investigated everything about the Kraken out of a thirst for revenge.
Even apart from that, this man was an expert of the sea. He had to know about territorial disputes of marine monsters.
“…Is that so? Is it coming…?”
The old man’s hands trembled slightly as he spoke. Seeing his expression that looked almost furious, Yeon-woo easily discerned the emotions bottled up within him.
Even without using the Dragon’s Eye or scrutinizing the color of the opponent’s mana, he could tell. That feeling was all too familiar to Yeon-woo.
It was fear. The old man was feeling fear.
[Why is Grandpa scared?]
At Shar’s question, Yeon-woo gave a bitter smile. Right, she wouldn’t understand. Normally, one wouldn’t. Such emotions tend to be beyond the grasp of those who know too much and are too powerful.
In the case of that old man, it was even more so. After catching just a glimpse of the tentacle of a formidable monster, he must have certainly researched it countless times. But could he truly say he comprehended everything about that creature?
Regardless of revenge, when faced with something longed for, everyone feels fear. They wonder whether it will really be okay, whether they are fully prepared.
During the chaotic crossroad of emotions, some might abandon their wishes, while others might stand and clutch the fruits of their labor.
‘From here on out, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s step back.’
They had no choice but to trust the strength of heart that the one once known as the Dragon King possessed before returning.
*
The old man, like a lifeless corpse, returned to his home. It was a house reminiscent of a fortress. Despite its large size, the predominance of gray hues gave an impression that it lacked luster.
The old man trudged toward the back yard. The destination was the warehouse. It was a massive storehouse, almost making one wonder what could possibly fit inside.
The door of the warehouse opened with a high-tech sound.
It was a dock. Even though it wasn’t a port or shipyard, the dock seemed strangely fitting due to the imposing ship standing tall in the center.
At the bow was a giant dragon. The green, shimmering dragon looked down upon the old man. Standing before it, the old man always felt like a sinner.
“…Can you fight?”
The dragon’s gaze appeared fixed on him. It naturally seemed to say, of course, it could fight, as if questioning why he was even asking. Its face, resembling that of an irritable dragon, held an arrogant tilt.
The old man slowly climbed onto the deck. Slowly, he recalled the day he first encountered it. He had drifted to a deserted island, and suddenly monsters had attacked; he had fought for three days and nights to survive.
After slaying all the monsters, a cave he had never seen appeared. Inside, as if in compensation, a magnificent Western-style galleon had settled.
It was great to acquire a ship that could take him off the deserted island, but the man was left wondering how to navigate such a massive vessel.
But that question was soon answered. Amazingly, the ship began to move according to the will of the man who had climbed aboard.
An unnamed magical ship. Even after becoming the old man he was now, he had yet to decide what to call this vessel.
Given that it had been rotting in the warehouse for decades, perhaps there was no reason to give it a proper name.
With a feeling that it was as if the world had handed him this ship for revenge, the man immersed himself in thought. How could he confront that monster? Which ship would be the most advantageous against it? He had spent years researching and designing it.
As a result, the old man ended up investing a considerable sum to modify the ship. Admittedly, it was a nonsensical act. To tamper with what was essentially a miraculous artifact? What if it broke during such absurd endeavors?
However, the ship listened to the old man’s wishes. It didn’t break and adapted to the changes effortlessly. The most perfect ship to kill the Kraken had been completed.
It appeared to have harmoniously combined both Eastern and Western shipbuilding technologies. Instead of increasing height, it broadened the area. It was designed so that the tentacles could not grab it all at once, enabling the crew to fight back even if it was caught.
Simultaneously, it was made so that when they infused mana, sharp spines would sprout from the deck, forming a defensive barrier. The dragon-shaped figurehead and the strong inspiration taken from the turtle ship only added to this.
“What should I call you?”
There was no answer. However, the answer had already been decided. In his heart, everything had come to a conclusion. Upon seeing the ship before him, the fearful unease he had felt evaporated like bubbles.
“…Munmu.”
Following the mandate said to be handed down from a king who vowed to protect the kingdom after death, the old man bestowed that name upon the ship.
*
“What, what is happening!!”
A man with a nervous demeanor shouted, but there was no response. After all, those lowly Undead couldn’t possibly reply.
The cave was quietly rowdy. While only the man could speak, the explosions erupting all around made it chaotic.
The man hastily gathered the Undead. Most of the connections were severed. It appeared they had been torn apart in the blasts. He had no idea how they had discovered this place, but it was surely the despicable Coast Guard’s doing.
As the man’s gaze fell upon the ship, he caught a whiff of a pungent smell. It wasn’t the scent of gunpowder but rather the smell of something burning…
“Damn it!! Put out the fire, you fools!!”
Yelling towards the ship that was engulfed in flames, the gathering skeletons started scooping water to douse it. Their bony hands, riddled with holes, hardly made any difference.
The man hurriedly began to gather the scattered bones of the skeletons to create a basket.
Undead, by nature, could do nothing without being commanded, meaning they would infinitely repeat actions like this without purpose. Modifying his commands bit by bit, the man let out a roar.
“I’m going to kill every last one of you and turn you into Undead…!!”
The suit he wore trembled as if it were shaking in the Coast Guard’s base.
“Is anyone telling my story…?”
Unaware that he was receiving blame for things he hadn’t even done, the man absentmindedly scratched his ear.
(To be continued in the next episode)
