Is Such a Battle... Possible?
"Is a battle like this... even possible?"
"...It must be, since it's unfolding right in front of us."
Kasla stared, entranced, at the sight of the six pirate ships being repelled—as if the sea itself were ablaze.
"But for it to be possible, there has to be one absolute condition. The condition called Adel."
"I thought I'd finally caught up a bit... Damn, he's pulling further ahead every time."
"That's why you should just give up like I did. Makes things easier. The guy's a monster."
"Giving up is defeat. I'm the daughter of the Black Crows. I won't lose to anyone."
Harun shrugged at her response.
"Well, obsession's a form of love, I guess. Chase him hard. Just don't let it twist you too much."
"...What? Ugh, you wanna say that again?"
"Heh."
Kasla glared at him, fist clenched like she was ready to swing.
"Yeah, cut the crap you don't mean. Harun. You, giving up? Still haven't broken that habit of hiding your feelings, huh."
Adel spoke up.
Swish—
He lowered a rope from the watchtower.
"Climb up and wait for the right moment. Then put one in the Archipelago King's head. You can do it, right?"
"Me?"
"You're the one among us who can shoot the farthest. And the most accurate."
Adel shrugged as if to say get on with it and tossed the rope his way.
"...Don't flatter me. Hearing that from someone better than me just makes my gut ache."
"I'm serious."
He gazed at the approaching pirate ships as he spoke.
"Your bow arm's fine, but your left leg's got a bad bruise. You support the bow with your leg, right? Some special technique."
Harun's face stiffened.
"Supporting the bow with your leg instead of your arm. That new archery you picked up... one of the Ulan hunting arts, Gray Blade. Right?"
"Adel, are you a ghost or something?"
Harun let out a hollow laugh and shot back.
"I just know bows a little better than most. Gray Blade's one of Muel's secret techniques too. Means you trained with her Beast Squad."
Adel had sensed it when they reunited. Joining Muel's notoriously grueling Beast Squad was proof enough of how much he'd changed.
"So trust my eyes, Harun. You're more precise with arrows than any hunter I know."
"...You're way too good at handling people."
But Harun didn't seem displeased. He grabbed the rope and pulled himself up to the watchtower.
Thud!Thud-thud!!Boom—
He reached the top in a flash, slung one leg over the railing, and hooked the bow to it.
"Hup...!!"
Like loading a crossbow, he yanked the string back with both hands, full force.
Creakkk...!!!
The greatbow bent as if it might snap any second.
"No way... from here?"
Kasla muttered in disbelief, eyeing the distant Guulho. It was well beyond her own range.
Bang—!!!
In that instant, a thunderous roar erupted, like a cannon firing.
Shrieeeek...!!!
The arrow streaked forward with ferocious speed, aimed straight at the Archipelago King on the deck.
Crunch—!!!
A dull thud, and the king at the prow toppled over.
"Did it hit?"
Kasla squinted into the distance.
"Of course..."
"...Huh?"
"Dead on. Kasla, hold tight. Everyone, brace yourselves!!! Impact incoming!! Get ready!!"
Kabooom—!!!
"Ugh, argh?!"
The ship rocked violently.
Clang! Clang!Thud-thud-thud...!!
Something began slamming into Adel's ship like a bombing run, things latching on all around.
"...Swordfish!"
Fish with razor-sharp horns rammed the hull relentlessly, as if forgetting their own mortality.
Splat! Splat! Crunch!!!
"Damn it, get off!! You sea monsters!!"
Rito Yepel rushed below deck for scented oil and splashed it everywhere.
[Gasp! Hack!!]
The fish choking and sputtering fell away.
"Ha, take that!! How's the taste, you cockroaches of the sea!! I always carry oil you bastards hate, just for this!!"
Rito bellowed triumphantly at the floating corpses.
"Only three ships lost to you scum. Hmph, think we'll fall again? Uh... but why are these guys here? They only live in the eastern sea."
"Because the Archipelago King moved."
"...What?"
"He used the Kraken's blessing. Started controlling the monsters. He's watching us from the deep sea right now."
Adel pointed at the Guulho.
"Look. The king on deck was a fake."
"In the water... that's a real monster."
"Well, our captain's a monster too, in his own way."
"Yeah, but..."
Harun glanced below the ship and swallowed dryly despite himself.
"What's that?"
"Deep-sea jellyfish. The century-old ones can bend light for illusions. Guess the Archipelago King's got a better nose than I thought."
At Adel's words, Rito whipped his head around. On the Guulho's deck, now within range, only a gooey slime remained where Harun's arrow had struck.
"He sniffed out the trap. Enemy's just one ship, but his fleet's twenty strong. Still, he brought the Kraken into the fray."
Adel clicked his tongue.
"Not a king for nothing. Gotta pick up speed. Gonu! Raise the center sail! Catch the wind!"
Shwaaak—!!
The ship surged forward at his command.
"Empty nests like that? Rania's pride's gonna take a hit."
"What can we do? If he saw the trap, they won't come rashly."
Harun asked worriedly.
"Nah. If they won't come, make 'em have no choice."
"No choice?"
Harun looked puzzled at Adel's reply.
"Capture the Archipelago King. Then they'll have to move, whether they want to or not."
"...!!"
Whittle down forces in battle, then behead the enemy leader—that was war's basics.
But Adel planned the reverse: take the leader hostage to force the fleet out.
'Is that even possible?'
Harun stared at Adel, face trembling.
Thump-thump- thump-
His heart raced oddly. He knew it was anticipation for Adel, showing a realm beyond his reach.
Leader and follower. Now he saw the line clearly.
'You're really...'
Harun felt his own heart shift a little.
"Fine. Just smashed six pirate ships, could use a breather... but better handle annoyances quick."
Splash—!!
Then Adel pulled Shan's scale from his pocket and addressed it.
"Drive the ship toward the sea demon stones. When the Archipelago King opens the sea path, they'll get pushed away anyway. No collision risk—don't slow down."
"How do you know he'll open a path?"
"Not sure."
Adel eyed Kasla from the deck.
"I'm gonna make him."
Sploosh—!!!
In that moment, Adel dove into the sea.
"...He'll be okay, right?"
"Who knows. But we have to trust him. That's Adel—he'll pull it off."
Unlike her worry, Harun shrugged it off casually.
"You seem... different somehow?"
Harun smirked at Kasla.
"Probably for the same reason as you."
* * *
'Kalderet. Rested enough? Time to work.'
With the dragon scale in his mouth, Adel swam deep into the sea.
[Caw! Caw!! Kyak!!]
[Grrrrr...]
The deep teemed with monsters. They circled warily but dared not approach.
The reason? The dragon scale in Adel's mouth.
Dragons ranked with ancient trees as the continent's apex predators. A great dragon's scale alone choked lesser monsters, keeping them at bay.
[Another annoying chore, huh.]
Black currents enveloped Adel, letting him glide freely through the churning waters.
[Shan's scale? You sly dog, holding onto that.]
Kalderet eyed the black scale.
[Now I get it. That's your ace. Planning to take down an ancient beast with a dragon scale?]
He addressed Adel.
[Dragons are their natural counters. Should slice through Kraken hide easy.]
'Yeah. Would've loved a sword from it... but no craftsman with the skill. Serpent family might manage.'
Adel figured he'd spare two of the remaining fourteen ships for Harun's sake alone—but the Serpent family's engineering was invaluable long-term.
'Not using it on the Kraken, though. Too small to finish an ancient beast—would take days of stabbing.'
[Then? Who for?]
Gurgle... glub-glub...
Adel pulled the scale from his mouth and held it before Kalderet.
'You.'
He grinned at the wolf.
'Eat it.'
[...What? Did I hear wrong? Or did the pressure mess up your head?]
Kalderet stared in disbelief.
[Feed a god a dragon scale?]
'Yup.'
[Ridiculous! Why would I eat that?! Think I'd stoop to it?!]
'You will.'
[Mmph?!]
Without hesitation, Adel shoved the scale into Kalderet's maw.
'No choice. You saw this coming, deep down. Right?'
[...What?]
'You taught me how to use divine power in no-wind zones.'
[Damn... spilled everything, huh.]
Whoosh—!!!
Black currents erupted from Kalderet, spreading like ink in the water.
'Dragon scales resist by nature. Magic, divine power, whatever—it fights back.'
[Hide the no-wind with dragon power, then unleash divine force inside... Clever bastard.]
'So show me what you've got.'
Adel stroked Kalderet's brow lightly.
[Kaaaaah—!!!!]
Suddenly, a massive eye loomed from the depths toward Adel.
Shrieeeek—!!
Fierce spray erupted.
Snap... Boom!!!
Kalderet swiped with a forepaw, shattering the vortex like glass.
[Show my skill? To trash like that? Absurd.]
His fangs gleamed in the abyss.