Unreasonable Naval Battle
It was an utterly unreasonable naval battle, with the enemy ship barely visible as just a silhouette on the horizon. They were riding a full-fledged steel battleship. I stared at it in bewilderment, as if a machine straight out of the future had suddenly popped out of nowhere.
In that brief moment of daze, dazzling beams from their triple-barreled cannons sliced through the orange sunset sky, hurtling toward our ship. Golden beams tore across the crimson heavens amid booming echoes. The explosive boom from a war movie reached us belatedly, and light rained down onto the sea surface.
Kwoooosh! The ocean surged violently, rocking the ship as if it might capsize. Crew members dashed frantically across the deck, the navigator gripping the helm and shouting something, but the ringing in my ears from the blast drowned it all out.
Clear Mind
Keeping my cool with Clear Mind, I immediately flipped open my Memorize Spell Book. Massive rubber dinosaurs inflated and launched skyward. Targeting them with their light weight for instant ascent, I began chanting my spell.
"Page 3! Fireball!"
Fireball
Aim with my finger, fireball rocketing skyward. The fireball ejected from the magic circle collided with the rubber dinosaurs, instantly brightening the surroundings and engulfing everything in flames.
In that gap, the ghost ship's engine roared harshly as it accelerated, circling the island to use it as a shield and pulling back. But the steel battleship mercilessly bombarded the island too. Not stopping there, with a pew-oooong, its secondary guns sprayed light like machine guns.
Like a meteor shower in reverse, lights defied the sunset, climbing backward against gravity before raining down indiscriminately on us. Waves raged wildly, the churning sea surging and receding as if to swallow the ship whole.
Grabbing the slipping Hyacinth amid the rising deck water, I forcibly braced my legs and scowled at the island-blocked view. Too far—can't reach.
"Mortis! What's the situation?!"
"It's a warship from the Holy Eagle Kingdom! Attacking out of nowhere—these crazy zealots!!"
Mortis created a massive light shield, blocking incoming shells. I too launched rubber dinosaurs skyward to intercept the holy power bullet hell.
Riko stormed out irritably with her staff amid the chaotic rough sailing, Circe following behind.
"They shoot without warning?! Are they insane?!"
"Maybe 'cause we're enemies?"
"They know what ship this is and still fire?!"
Holy power beams poured down, intent on smashing both the Empire's naval ships—including ours—like it was nothing. Hard to believe it was all holy power.
Finally snapping, Riko swung her staff as the battleship entered view, carving a massive rune in the air.
"ᚠᚨᛚᛚ ᛚᛁᚷᚺᛏᚾᛁᚾᚷ"
⟨ Fall Lightning ⟩
A fully chanted rune spell. Lightning from a clear sky struck the battleship—but scattered just before impact against a golden barrier.
"Holy shield! Argh...!"
I too unleashed consecutive fireballs at the massive ship.
Fireball (Continuous Fire)
Pages tore from the burning book as fireballs streaked straight, slamming into the battleship. Boom! Chain explosions and thunderous blasts echoed. Water plumes from the blast obscured vision, but I fired the second volley without hesitation.
Smoke cleared to reveal the unscathed battleship accelerating, closing in as if to ram us.
"Torpedoes!"
At the captain's shout, black shadows surged from below the surface toward us. Torpedoes too? What connection do the Holy Kingdom and this steel ship even have?
No time to ponder—the battleship aimed its bow at us, closing fast while unleashing full cannon fire. Boom! Boom! The captain took the helm from the knocked-out navigator. At the stern, Mortis deployed her shield, erecting a massive holy barrier to block falling shells once more.
In this precarious spot, I glanced at Circe, who smiled reassuringly. A torpedo hurtling toward us wrapped in giant octopus tentacles, yanked skyward. The sea kraken, infused with faith's light, swung the missile back at the battleship.
A colossal shadow dwarfing the torpedo dove under the ship, tentacles from both sides coiling to crush it. On contact, a golden holy barrier crackled into view. Crew inside hacked at the kraken's tentacles, forcing them off.
Meanwhile, the Empire's ships slipped away. Ignoring them, the steel battleship accelerated solely toward us, narrowing the gap relentlessly.
My first thought: Why us? Even Prince Castella shouted in confusion.
"Why are they chasing us?"
"No—why are you even on board?!"
"Followed on instinct. Couldn't help it!"
The prince excused himself, claiming bird instincts made him tag along with the flock leader. Somehow, we'd ended up with the Empire's third prince aboard, drawing inexplicable murderous intent from the Holy Kingdom.
Because of Mortis's All Gods Temple ties? Even if spotted through a scope, this level of aggression? Or targeting the prince? If following, they should've crossed paths when he flew overhead. No way—it was just on the route!
Just for passing by, unleashing torpedoes, main guns, secondaries, even light swords that looked like holy skills—all to sink us?
Using the kraken distraction, we began pulling away. Thunder rumbled as dusk deepened. Sudden downpour hit, tossing the ghost ship wildly.
Everyone turned—jagged reefs pierced the waves.
"Damn it—a maelstrom!"
Captain's yell as sails ballooned near-tearing. Crew furled sails, killed engines, grabbed anything to avoid rolling. Like entering another world, the savage sea swept us toward rocks, fate hinging on the captain's helm grip.
Rubber dinosaurs as buffers thudded on impact, tilting the ship sharply. I wrapped Kid's thrown rope around my waist, bracing legs. He passed it to Hyacinth, Castella, Mortis—her leaping to grab it, I yanked her head back into my arms.
"Mortis! Why the attack?!"
"They watched from the horizon at first—but surged when holy power leaked from the island. Hero zealots claiming ownership of hero relics. Maybe they think we recovered holy armor!"
"If it's hero stuff—doesn't the prince's cursed sword count?!"
"My fault?! Damn zealots! Better than scheming nobles! Why covet a sword I can't even use!"
That hit close—another with a cursed sword here. Mine's unnoticeable unless summoned... Toss the relic overboard to shake them?
Hyacinth, reading me, pulled out the goddess statue.
"Throw this and they stop?!"
"...No, just realized a fatal issue."
The steel battleship smashed holy-blocked rocks, defying currents in pursuit—like a horror movie stalker. Piercing high waves with endless holy barriers; even if breached, its hull seemed unbreakable.
Mortis murmured, watching: dumping relics might be pointless now.
"Your holy power outshines the relic, Radamu. At this range, they've noticed. Won't believe it's from a person..."
"Then clear the misunderstanding?"
"Dunno—might kidnap and brainwash you into a god. Your infinite holy power could let them conquer the Empire and Trust Union."
Dire indeed. Elves, now zealot abduction. Sun faded, night fell; chased by a sea sun of holy glow, lashed by rain, swept by currents into darkening depths.
"『ᛏᚨᚴᛖ ᚠᛚᛁᚷᚺᛏ』"
That instant, a word of power echoed. Massive mana surged, drawing eyes—but darkness hid the form. I knew it was Circe, gripping the rope tight.
Master Sorcerer's word inscribed a rune on the world—our ship plunged into sea and my summoned rubber dinosaurs, cushioned softly, then rocketed skyward on rune power.
A fierce waterspout propelled us above clouds, past the unstoppable battleship. "Unfurl the wing sails!!" Captain bellowed—wing-like sails burst from all sides. Stabilizing mid-storm drift, I buffered below with dinosaurs.
Braked midair just before sea slam, splashing down. Absurd escape through storm vortex.
"That was fucking insane..." Kid whooped in awe. Castella yelled at the lost battleship: no cursed sword, you bastards!
Finally exhaling in relief, we scanned our location—when a pirate ship with dark red hull and golden sails erupted from below, slamming our ghost ship sideways.
Ship flipping, everyone on deck plunged into the sea. No time to recover amid bubbles; deck-fixed, I admired passing seaweed, coral, fish—then crushed under the hull, we sank en masse into the depths.