Sinking the Fairwind
When people in battle witness something utterly absurd, their minds often go blank for a moment. That was the current state of the sailors managing the ship of the organization called Fairwind.
Even when some kid came charging in, dragging a two-meter hammer that looked twice the size of his body.
Even when that boy's hammer suddenly leaped up, wreathed in blue flames, and obliterated the stern of the ship entirely.
"What... is this...?"
"...Huh!?"
"No way!?"
It was an utterly incomprehensible scene unfolding before their eyes, leaving them unable to tell if it was a dream or reality.
And then, finally.
Krrrrr.
The precious "cargo" loaded on the ship spilled into the sea, and with half the vessel destroyed from the stern, it began to tilt slowly backward.
"Phew!"
Only after seeing the little culprit of the disaster wipe sweat from his brow atop the sinking mast did they snap out of it.
Then, belatedly, they took in the boy's appearance.
"Made it just in time."
He smirked down at them, casually separating his weapon—tall as himself—into a small hammer and a staff with leisurely ease.
At that sight, their eyes rolled back in fury.
"Grab him!"
"He's insane!"
"Catch that bastard!"
Every one of them screaming shared the same thought: if they didn't catch him now, the organization would punish them.
And for organization members who failed a mission, the price was usually their lives—or worse. Naturally, they were desperate.
The sailors, faces pale as ghosts, charged at the enemy driven by pure survival instinct. But the moment they saw the boy still grinning amid it all, a sliver of reason returned.
—We think we can take down the monster who smashed the ship in one hit...?
"W-Wait!!"
The moment their advance halted, the boy kicked off the sinking ship and hurtled toward them at terrifying speed.
"Wait, my ass..."
With a sneer, the hammer—still boy-sized even after separating the staff—swept horizontally.
Bam!
Blood sprayed before the gangway linking to the ship.
"Demon worshippers belong in hell."
Spouting words fit for a holy knight, Tiny calmly caught his breath in secret.
'Went overboard destroying the ship.'
Moreover, he'd expended a ton of mental energy adjusting the force to hit only the hull without damaging the cargo.
But it was fine.
That single blow had taken out just three, but their shattered bodies sprayed fragments everywhere.
The surrounding foes, drenched in gore, froze in terror, unable to move.
Overwhelming displays of power in the opening exchange often yielded effects beyond mere physical damage.
"Anyone wanna surrender?"
Even as he spouted such lines to buy time recovering mana, the small fry didn't notice.
"H-Hiiik!"
"H-Hyaak!"
"M-Monster..."
Unfortunately, one wasn't fooled by the bluff.
"You bastard!!!!"
Turning, Tiny saw Husel—the one facing off with Wolrang—roaring like thunder as he charged.
And in that instant, through his synced vision with Wolrang, he spotted the claw marks etched on the man's back.
Even the faint blood seeping from those wounds.
"Grraaaang!"
Wolrang pursued a half-beat late, but in that split second, a soul weapon like a slender blue water jet stretched long, aiming for his throat.
'Tch!'
Among basic attributes, wind and water were the trickiest to handle.
Both twisted unpredictably with mana blades reflecting their nature—wind usually more so, but near rain, rivers, or seas like now, water took the crown.
"Taaah!"
Kwaaaang!
The warhammer, squeezing out his remaining strength, smacked the water-jet soul weapon.
A bid to sever the source before it could morph unpredictably—but the shattered stream reformed into daggers, pouring toward Tiny's body.
"Hup!"
Pabababak. Tadadadang!
His blue armor-like mana blocked them all, but the stinging pain shoved his body sliding toward the sea.
Then, a chilling presence closed in from behind.
"Damn it!"
Using the momentum, he spun harder, swinging Stamp with full force.
Kwaaaang!
A massive water spear hurtling like a lance burst into droplets, scattering everywhere.
In that moment.
"Die!"
Twin daggers flashing eerie light closed in, carving a cold cross on Tiny's body.
'Hup.'
His blue armor swelled in an instant—ironclad.
Pulling Stamp to the cross's center was half luck.
Kwaaaaang! Puuuung!
Tiny's body rocketed back into the sea, and Wolrang's paw, arriving a beat late, smashed Husel's side.
Puuuuk.
"Guh! You fucking mutt!"
Husel, flung over ten meters, spat curses as he righted himself—but Wolrang flinched and halted mid-pounce.
And in that instant.
Paaaang!
Tiny burst from the sea, soaked, landing squarely on Wolrang's back.
Clank.
Kyaak, ptui.
"Round two, you psycho beastkin freak!"
Stamp extended back to two meters, glowing bluish, and Wolrang's body half-faded in response.
—Kruk?
—Mana's critically low. Sorry, just focus on moving.
To recover his bottomed mana, he'd reclaimed most of the power sustaining Wolrang's materialization.
Yet Wolrang, who should've reverted to spirit form or been dismissed, somehow held a hazy shape, sturdily supporting Tiny.
Legs and spine—essentials for mobility—solid; the rest ethereal.
Even Husel, radiating killing intent at Tiny's taunt, froze at the bizarre sight.
"...Can spirits even do that?"
"Duh!"
Duh... bullshit.
If partial materialization was commonplace, spirit users taking backlash wounds bad enough for dismissal would all be idiots.
Husel, realms above, couldn't miss it.
"...You're a freak. I have to kill you. What are you lot doing, you useless trash? Move!"
His icy glare shifted not to Tiny, but his dazed minions watching the duel.
"U-Us?"
"Damn..."
"L-Let's go."
Husel's underlings, faces ashen, gripped weapons and crept toward Tiny's rear.
Tiny snorted at the sight.
"What? Not confident solo?"
He knew Husel was recovering from the shock, but provocation was all he could muster.
His own state was worse, after all.
Vmmm.
'Faster... come on.'
His improved Mana Body secret art frantically absorbed ambient mana to heal internal wounds—but combat mana remained scarce.
'Had to improvise.'
Tiny's gaze flicked to Wolrang below.
—Kring.
Wolrang tilted his head curiously at his semi-material state while eyeing Husel.
Tiny had tried it on a whim in the heat; his freakish mana sensitivity made it possible.
Only viable pressed against Wolrang like this.
'More research might make it useful.'
For now, only for emergencies like this—no need otherwise.
And with no time for rumination, research would wait.
"All mouth, brat."
"All coward, geezer."
Flames sparked in Husel's eyes, but he held still.
Tiny guessed why.
Their realm gap was clear, and...
'Sea beside him—he's sure he'll recover faster.'
Both knew the other was healing, but each trusted their speed more—stalemate.
Broken by Husel's pale minions shuffling closer.
"D-Die!"
"Drop dead!"
"Uwaaaah!"
Fueled by rage, yet sensing death, their clumsily dark-auraed weapons targeted Tiny's back.
No clue why trash risked lives so faithfully, but...
No mercy.
"Get lost!"
Kwaaaang.
At Tiny's will, Wolrang wheeled, and Stamp's wide sweep crushed the rear approachers.
Then, blue water-crosses surged at Tiny's turned back.
But Wolrang, bearing him, didn't counter—instead bolting forward without looking.
"Hraaah!"
Kwaaaang!
Tiny's swung Stamp pulverized Husel's minions a beat before the soul weapon hit.
Spirit-fused mount Wolrang outpaced his solo speed, swiftly escaping Husel's range.
And.
"Aaaah!"
"S-Save..."
Ignoring the screams of trash not yet dead from his strike, Tiny turned with a chilling smile, igniting blue mana flames on Stamp's hammerhead.
Husel, charging with gritted teeth, faltered.
A Superior water knight like him, sea at his back, barely recovered—yet the kid looked fully restored.
'How... is that possible?!'
But he didn't retreat.
Stalling was to finish the kid for sure—not from fear of loss.
The gap felt in clash was real.
Monster kid or not.
'He can't even use mana blade!'
That was his limit.
"Die!"
Kwakwakwakwa.
Twin swords poured remaining mana—his secret art, Grand Cross, firing blue soul weapons in a cross, blanketing ahead.
Sea surges blocked all dodges, targeting vitals.
'It's over.'
Husel smirked in certainty—until the death-defying kid bared teeth maniacally, hurling himself forward.
As Husel's eyes widened in shock.
"You first!"
The wolf-lad's massive warhammer end blazed blue flames, slamming with unimaginable force.
Kwaaaaaang!
'Guh...!'
Twin swords instinctively raised shattered; Husel's arms twisted grotesquely.
Dazed shock wracked his body.
'Not yet! Not like this...!'
Kaduduk.
'I won't die!!'
Resentment at his abandoning kin, parents, the world—half-unslaked—clutched his fading soul.
And soon.
Puuuung!
His body launched far, plunging into the sea.
"Kiiiii."
Barely clinging to reason, he transformed to true form underwater.
Krrrrr.
Luckily full moon night—crushed "flippers" regenerated instantly upon shift.
Pain reignited grudge, but no outlet now.
Mana-sensed pier scene: kid eyed sea regretfully, no dive.
'Won't come in.'
Merely land defeat for land-bodied human.
Husel, orca beastkin, swallowed grudge in the depths.
'After the job's done, we'll meet again, kid. Then...'
He turned, moonlight glittering off waves he left with lingering hate.