The Arrival of the Catastrophe
"Ortus ship destruction, complete."
"Any anomalies?"
A grating voice, like metal scraping metal, leaked from the black-robed figure, making the bowed man's shoulders tremble violently for an instant. He cautiously opened his mouth again.
"...Th-three of the concealment magic circles were discovered and destroyed. The joint magic circle's efficiency will drop by more than 60%."
His voice trembled finely as he swallowed hard and reported. The black robe began interrogating him in that chilling tone.
"The reason?"
"O-one was the Rock Wall Knight!"
"Quiet."
At the black robe's single word, the man's excited, rising voice fell quiet again.
"...I don't know about the other two traces. We suspect the royal knights were mobilized."
A snicker escaped the black robe's lips. The reporting man slammed his forehead into the floor with a thud and cried out.
"F-forgive me! This mistake will definitely be rectified at the next council...!"
"Good."
"...by, what?"
Wiping blood from his forehead without a thought, the man blankly lifted his head to gaze up at the black robe.
A 60%+ drop in the concealment magic circle's efficiency wasn't just a minor reduction in effect. Chaos in Carun was the Kraken's job anyway, and the operation's ultimate goal was to slaughter any surviving royals or high nobles amid the turmoil, severing the kingdom's lineage.
With reduced efficiency, the magic hiding their widespread detection and terror operatives would fail. Many operatives would sacrifice themselves, and if anyone spotted those using demonic energy and survived, it would spell disaster for the organization's future.
And yet... 'good'?
Terrified yet baffled, the man didn't dare ask. Surprisingly, the black robe offered a kind explanation.
"Even for me, facing a Challenger-grade inside the relic's barrier would be tough. Luring the Rock Wall Knight out of the castle means the magic circle did its job."
He didn't even consider the operatives' losses, but the man couldn't object.
Moreover.
"What of that Morse family descendant?"
"H-he hasn't left the royal castle. His future movements are unpredictable..."
"Still nothing confirmed about him?"
"F-forgive me."
As the man thudded his head again, the black robe clicked his tongue briefly and turned.
"Enough. I'll capture him myself and check. Even if I have to rip out his brain, I'll uncover his intentions."
"...Yes."
"Good. The Kraken is coming. Everyone, stay low and wait. Launch the operation right after the sea catastrophe passes."
"Yes!"
Realizing the audience ended safely, a smile finally crept onto the man's lips. All that remained was picking up the sheaves after the legendary beast passed. With the organization's top leader joining, failure seemed impossible.
* * *
Rumble rumble rumble.
The sight of a massive wave nearly 30 meters high surging in evoked soul-crushing terror, even from afar.
But Carun's forces, prepared before it hit, squeezed out their last courage.
"Raise the barriers, higher!"
"Mages, prepare more thoroughly!!"
"Left barrier, higher!"
Groooaaan.
To counter the wave bearing down on Ortus, a seawall nearly 20 meters high erupted from the eastern harbor with a roar, defending the entire coastline. Carun Kingdom's capital-intensive masterpiece.
Yet it seemed insufficient against the approaching wave.
Then, mages climbed atop the barrier's center rear.
"For my hometown, Ortus...!"
"Carun's fate rests in our hands!"
"We can block it!"
Shouting to bolster themselves, each held a glowing blue stone.
Mana-frozen stones: mana crystals. This rare, expensive material equipped every kingdom mage and mercenary, proving the royal family's wealth again.
"Just hold a moment! The big wave over the barrier is only once! No earthquake!"
"Use your most efficient magic! Shields, fire—anything but stupid lightning!"
"Many civilians haven't evacuated! This center cannot break!"
Royal mages shouted to rally spirits. Climbing ladders behind the 10-meter-spaced barriers, they cast confidently against the disaster.
And as the house-sized wave hit.
Most mages succeeded despite nature's fury.
"Shield!"
"Fire Wall!"
"Fire Bomb!"
"Winds, arise!"
Transparent, red, white mana surged, blocking the wave topping the barrier.
Quuuuaaa rumble.
Quaquaquaquaqua.
What felt eternal to the mages passed in a heartbeat.
Rumble rumble.
Ortus's outskirts they couldn't fully block shook like an earthquake, shattering everything.
But compared to expected damage, it was minor.
The first wave destroyed only the fringes.
"Woooaaah!"
"We did it!"
"We blocked it!"
"Long live Carun!!"
Cheering mages. But pale soldiers below began their real duty.
"The catastrophe isn't over!"
"Assemble all civilians in the castle!"
"Move faster!"
"If you want to live, to the castle!"
Confused civilians, thinking it over, resisted some.
"...Why the castle!? What did we do wrong?!"
To commoners, entering nobles' turf sounded bad.
But.
"The monster approaches—the castle is safest!"
"His Highness's order! Evacuate inside!"
Faces ashen, they bolted for the castle.
"Monster...?"
"What!?"
Initially baffled, but.
"His Highness? Then... probably true?"
"D-damn! Let's go!"
"Me too!"
A few sprinting sparked a race.
Result: chaos at the gates between crowds and controlling soldiers, lasting two days.
Two days later, nobles' patience snapped.
"More people than expected, Your Highness."
"Even using all inner mansions, we can't house them all."
"No, before that—Kraken? Is it true, Your Highness!?"
Nobles crammed in the unprecedented crisis. Ministers' eyes on the throne, but the king eyed the small knight below: Tiny.
Gazes shifted to Tiny.
"...Sir Tiny's claim? His strength I acknowledge, but... absurd, Your Highness!"
"Agreed! Tidal wave maybe, but Kraken? Ridiculous!"
"So he's the fool..."
Nobles exploded after two days in cramped quarters housing peasants.
Not just complaints.
"Your Highness, why heed one man for this? Processing a few demon worshippers doesn't justify such nonsense."
Most nobles hadn't felt demon threats recently. The prince's relic theft attempt was secret, so to them, the king seemed swayed by an unproven young knight.
Proof King Emerd von Karon's influence barely silenced them two days.
Yet Tiny's eyes didn't waver amid hostility.
Unlike claiming on senses alone before, he had proof now.
During the wave, guided by Wolrang, he checked Gail Anderson's mana-cut zone: swam eastern sea caves to an air-filled underground cavern, finding...
"Yesterday, in an eastern Ortus cave, a monster corpse resembling a Kraken hatchling and Sir Gail Anderson's body were found."
The throne room erupted at Tiny's grim words.
"What!?"
"Sir Gail!"
"Why the Sea Wave Mage!?"
"Your Highness, true!?"
Even presumed-dead shocks differently with a corpse. Gail's death wave hit.
The king nodded solemnly.
"The Kraken comes. The tidal wave was just its prelude. All, stay inside the castle."
The heated air froze.
"Not all. Ship-capable vessels smashed in terror attacks... Suspected demon worshippers lurk in Ortus. Best stay meekly inside."
Outer guard captain Tilan's addition reignited chaos.
"What!?"
"Explain, Sir Tilan!?"
"What's happening, Your Highness!"
"Enough! Silence!"
Bang.
Armrest slam hushed nobles. Blue mana from throne cooled the heat forcibly.
The king declared gravely.
"...Carun will overcome this crisis."
Optimism without basis. But squeezing his faint mana circle worked.
"If His Highness says..."
"We must believe."
"Indeed, when has he spoken falsely!"
The king's lifelong path reviving Carun lent weight to mere resolve.
Hiding pallor, he sank into the throne, steadying trembling hands, gazing calmly.
"Gail Anderson, my friend, didn't die in vain... His legacy will save our kingdom!"
Not baseless.
When Gail's body reached him, weeping king's touch triggered a message. Tiny saw it too.
Your Highness, forgive this disloyal vassal for breaking our promise to stand till the end and departing first.
But believe I fought to the last for you, for the nation.
I leave proof here—may my body reach your hands.
In the Kraken hatchling's body...
Tiny sighed in relief recalling it.
What a man.
Regret at never meeting him alive lingered.
Then.
Sudden massive demonic energy prickled his skin.
"Damn! So soon!?"
All eyes on shouting Tiny, but he stared east window, unnoticing.
Precisely, the monster part outside.
Rumble rumble.
Beyond now-few-meters waves.
A colossal pillar pierced sea and sky.
Like an octopus leg magnified millions-fold, unreal.
Killing intent pulsed across distance from the grotesque pillar.
"What... is that?"
As someone's words pierced silence.
The cloud-touching limb plummeted toward Ortus.