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Chapter 236: The Rain Falls

Rain pours down. Massive waves begin to form, and a storm kicks up. The weather had turned wild, as if it knew the calamity that was about to unfold.

But that wasn’t all. Riding the waves was a single thread of emotion. Just like animals sensing the prelude to an earthquake, all kinds of marine creatures were noticing something ominous in the depths of the sea and fleeing.

The monsters were not an exception either. In fact, the monsters led the evacuation.

No one dared to confront such things. Even the sea’s gluttons, who would devour anything edible, weren’t thinking about chomping down on this extraordinary presence.

Only hatred dwelled within it. Not brainwashed, nor consumed by a thirst for revenge due to cruel deeds.

It was a being born of hatred, a creature that despised all existence except itself.

A massive form broke through the waves, heading towards the East Sea. A Bone Dragon reared its bony head.

And it intended to sweep away everything in the human settlements nearby as well. That was the essence of the monster’s existence.

*

“Captain, something is approaching!”

“Already coming, huh…?”

Hearing the report from the pirate captain, Pistachio Beard, Yeon-woo felt a chill run down his spine. It was faster than he anticipated. At this rate, would Kim Hang-po make it in time?

There was no way to persuade the Dragon Knight and Bone Dragon to join their side. He had tried to shed the darkness-tainted Elemental Mana that had absorbed Nephren’ka’s curse, but just getting closer made his heart race violently.

Judging that detaching them was futile due to their reactions, Yeon-woo made a decision. The Dragon Knight and Bone Dragon accepted that decision.

Riding upon the head of the Bone Dragon, the Dragon Knight advanced in the direction of the approaching threat. Before long, they would lose their senses.

With that in mind, they needed to position themselves to fight the first enemy they encountered.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Haha, no worries. I’m just glad I can be of help.”

“Hey, can’t you suppress it a bit more? You’re gonna make me lose my mind if you pull back all of a sudden.”

“In this situation, what else can I suppress? I’m just about to loosen the reins, so just drop it!”

“I want to maintain my sanity for a while longer too!”

“Sorry, I’m running low on power. But I’ll make sure you can fight to your heart’s content.”

“…If you say that, it just makes me look like a fool.”

The Dragon Knight grumbled at Yeon-woo’s apology while ascending into the sky atop the Bone Dragon. They clutched at the clouds, gliding through the air. Though it was a grotesque creature made of bones, the sight of it coiling upward into the sky was nothing short of mythical.

“…Yeon-woo.”

“Captain, you heard everything, right? It’s time for you to retreat.”

“Is there really nothing we can do to help?”

At the captain’s urgent question, Yeon-woo shook his head. They might be of assistance, but that would likely cost the lives of most of the crew. They were invaluable, precious individuals who needed to protect the sea alongside Kim Hang-po.

“If you want to fight together, get on Grandfather’s ship and come back. No fast boats allowed.”

“…Understood. I’ll hurry back with them.”

Even though he said it wasn’t necessary, he was still going. Yeon-woo forced a smile, but the fast boat quickly sailed away into the distance. He appreciated the good intentions, but the scolding felt unwarranted.

“Captain, even if we’re ghosts, is this really okay?”

From the side, the ghostly figure with a green beard piped up. Yeon-woo turned with a surprised look on his face.

“What’s that?”

“The captain is still quite young. The youngest member of our crew is at least five years older than him. Aren’t you worried about dying?”

“It’s my first time being worried about by a ghost. Shouldn’t I be happy that my crew is growing?”

“Still, having such a young ghost is a bit too much. I mean, it’s not like I was the one trying to off you.”

Looking away sheepishly, Yeon-woo burst into laughter. This guy really was the one who had tried to kill me, wasn’t he?

“When enemies are before you, your head tends to go a little crazy, right? Well, it could have been the commander’s influence too…”

“Yeah, yeah, it was because of the curse. Got it, understood. I appreciate you worrying about me, but to be honest…”

As Yeon-woo spoke, the green-bearded ghost started stroking his beard. There was no uproar about it not being red anymore.

Being a pirate, he couldn’t exactly be called a good guy, but maybe he followed some kind of code.

“I’m scared to death. A Kraken? What’s that even about? I came here to deal with you guys and now I’m stuck fighting something like that out of nowhere!”

“Isn’t the usual reaction to say you’ll definitely win in such cases?”

“No way, it’s the Kraken we’re talking about. Ugh, I’m scared.”

“Then why do it? If the captain doesn’t do it, someone else will eventually.”

“I’m scared too, but isn’t everyone else scared too? I’m just doing it, alright?”

With a snicker, Yeon-woo responded, but the green-bearded ghost was looking at him with a strange expression, as if to say he’d seen all kinds of weird people.

“You’re a strange one, captain. But still, doing something good before moving on isn’t a bad idea. After all, it’s you who’ll die, not us.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“Prepare yourselves, you rascals!! The most exhilarating battle in the world awaits us!! Hi, hi, ho!”

Hi, hi, ho! The ghost pirates wandering around all shouted their battle cry together, heading to their respective positions. Yeon-woo watched the scene quietly and couldn’t help but grin.

“Our battle cry is ‘Ahooy’ now?”

“Take that!”

With a finger raised at Yeon-woo, the green-bearded ghost adjusted the pirate hat upon his head. I’m grateful they’re eager to fight, but getting cursed is a bit much.

With that thought in mind, Yeon-woo shifted his gaze towards the Dragon Knight and Bone Dragon visible in the distance. A dark purple aura began to envelop them.

*

“Not exactly the best feeling, huh?”

An ominous energy swelled from deep within his chest, gradually taking control of his body.

Even amidst the mounting dread, anger bubbled within him over this feeling that was simply unbearable to endure.

‘Was this the sensation…’

Struggling to move his still-existing mind, the Dragon Knight gazed down below.

Before him, the Bone Dragon had been contaminated by a colossal amount of curses, no longer possessed of its sanity, simply trudging closer with an unseeing gaze.

Compared to the relatively smaller amount of curses that he himself was infused with, the Bone Dragon had absorbed an overwhelming amount, rendering any normal conversation impossible unless the Dragon Knight kept its impulses in check.

That meant the Bone Dragon must have constantly been feeling this sensation.

The Dragon Knight felt sympathy for the beast. Here in a world devoid of anyone to call its name, he pitied the Dragon with someone else’s name cast upon it.

“I can’t speak for others, but…”

Should I have at least told you my name? Did I never call you even once? Such thoughts drifted in the Dragon Knight’s mind as he felt consciousness sinking into darkness.

*

“It’s begun.”

Thunder rumbled from the distant sea. Since ancient times, Eastern Dragons have been said to control clouds and summon rains.

Even in its bony form, the noble beast’s power remained undiminished, shaking the heavens and earth with the Bone Dragon’s fury.

Lightning struck, and the wind howled. The wind stirred the sea, lifting it high like a whirlwind.

Yet even facing the wrath of the beast, the sea’s monarch was unperturbed. It did not waver.

That is why the Kraken embodies the terror of the sea. It doesn’t cower as it faces entities of a higher tier. It doesn’t bow down blindly to those greater than itself.

Boom!! With a tremendous roar, enormous octopus arms burst through the surface, each leg larger than a ship.

The tentacles were more substantial than a person, and the space between the legs gave a sense of its vastness.

“…It’s overwhelmingly powerful.”

There was no way to describe either as anything other than monsters.

Can a human truly stand tall before a Dragon’s wrath? Can a mere mortal remain composed in the presence of such manifested violence?

“It’s a legendary sight, Captain. What shall we do? Will you intervene?”

“No, let’s wait a bit.”

A Dragon and a Kraken… and a Ghost Ship. To be honest, they’re all renowned legends of the sea, yet lining them up like this somehow made the Ghost Ship seem rather insignificant.

“Are you some kind of minion?”

“…I have no words.”

It’s not like I can scold Davy Jones. That guy summoned the Kraken as his subordinate in the movies!

“They’re on their way, reinforcements. I wonder if it makes sense to step into the fray with just two ships…”

“Until the ships arrive, hold your positions! Crew, maintain tension and standby!”

Leaving Yeon-woo to extract only the weak parts of his comment and relay it to his crew, he focused his mana in his eyes, gazing at the battlefield of legend.

In the tempest of a sky dragon and a sea kraken, the presence of the skull upon the Dragon’s head remained unyielding.

“…So that’s what a Dragon Knight truly is.”

“Daddy, can I ride Shar too?”

“Hmmm, maybe later.”

That seems like it might not be just a simple matter of riding.

Something essential was missing that would qualify as a Dragon Knight… Yeon-woo felt that deeply within himself.

『───!!』

The Bone Dragon, wailing with rage, lunged, swinging its massive body. In response, the Kraken’s eight legs surged forth, each whipping in various directions.

Even at a considerable distance, the vibrations were palpable.

As Yeon-woo blankly stared, a sudden frown crossed his brow, and he wiped the rain off his forehead while muttering.

“…Wait, something feels off?”

“What is it?”

“It’s a dragon. Where’s the wish-granting orb? It can’t not have one!”

“…Oh? Where could it be?”

*

Untying the ropes that had secured the ship in place. The old man loosened all the excessive safety mechanisms, then opened the storeroom’s door.

With sweat pouring from his brow, the old man pushed open the door large enough for a massive ship to exit.

“Huff, huff…”

He exhaled roughly. Though the old man’s house was close to the sea, there was no direct path connecting the storeroom to the water.

In hindsight, it was likely an unconscious fear, a feeble hope that it wouldn’t be the Kraken appearing.

While he had relied on the power of a wizard to store the vessel, he couldn’t expect such aid now. The old man gazed at the logs stacked beside the storeroom. Slowly, he began to bring them over to lay on the ground.

His body drenched in sweat, he shrugged off his outer garments. The clothing clung heavily onto him.

He tore his pants at the knee. Sweat mixed with rain, washing over him. Though he felt a sense of refreshment, the pain of what lay ahead was far more prominent.

‘…Still, I must do this. There’s no avoiding it.’

The old man murmured to himself, channeling power through his body. He began to push the enormous ship. The enchanted vessel answered its master’s will, and the hull became extraordinarily light in an instant. But even so, it was a weight far beyond what a single human could push.

‘Still, I have to do this.’

He could not be Captain Ahab or an old fisherman. He was not the protagonist of a tale. His capabilities were limited. Alone, he couldn’t slay the monster.

“…You must board.”

What could possibly be so enjoyable? The young child who always came to listen to his tales. Standing at the sea was a group led by a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to that child. Nodding, the group approached to help push the ship, but the old man shook his head.

This was something he had to do himself. To slay the monster, even a weak old man had to die once.

(To be continued…)

 

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