Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Iron Rusts. But Gold Does Not.
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Iron rusts. But gold does not.
The tips of the tentacles sprouting from the center of a Deep One's head glowed even in the ocean depths, just as gold shines in the darkness.
Thus, the Deep Ones who built civilizations prized gold artifacts.
Pirates who seized what they wanted by force adorned themselves with more gold artifacts the stronger they were.
Yabun, captain of the Yabun Pirate Fleet, was no different.
Necklaces of varying thicknesses, rings on every finger, bracelets, anklets, and rings piercing his lips.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
The artifacts draped over Yabun's body clinked noisily.
At his words, the Deep One subordinate shrank back.
"They're escaping Kraken's territorial waters."
"Escaping?"
Yabun keenly caught the choice of words from his subordinate.
"Not fleeing?"
"Yes. That's right. They're coming out. They weren't badly hit by the Kraken."
"Impossible! They have no divine grace!"
The subordinate hesitated before speaking.
"There was someone using strange powers."
"...Explain in detail."
The subordinate explained.
"The Kraken ambushed them right on time. But just before the first ship was smashed, the sea around it froze solid in an instant."
"Froze?"
"Yes. Not just the sea, but the tentacles froze too, and it swept up our guys who were waiting in ambush. They froze solid and shattered when struck. It was just like... Lord Manda's power."
"Manda?"
Yabun slammed the table.
"Hard to call it divine power. Gods can't intervene with that much force easily. Even if they could, they wouldn't waste it just to pull a fleet from the Kraken. ...A mage like Manda, then."
As the subordinate knew, Manda was Yabun's rival.
Both held seats on the High Council as grand priests, but their territories overlapped, forcing constant clashes.
The result was Yabun's defeat.
Though Yabun's bloodline was far larger in scale, Manda was a mage.
Mages were unpredictable, and no priest wanted to make an enemy of one.
Instead, Yabun secured privateering rights.
Through those, he aimed to advance into forbidden continents.
He planned to conquer part of the continent, build a new force, return to the mainland, and strike Manda.
But to the subordinate, achieving that seemed unlikely.
'He backed the wrong horse big time, but it's too late to cut losses. What to do.'
Hoping Yabun would get scared here and retreat to the homeland, the subordinate said,
"Captain, what now? At this rate, we'll have to face them off Doltan Island. They have strange weapons and a mage like Lord Manda."
"Hmph, such a coward."
Yabun said,
"Why fear anything when the god is with us? They're land bugs who can't even breathe underwater."
"True, but..."
"We'll face Manda someday anyway. A land bug mage makes a fine practice dummy."
"How will we fight?"
Yabun grinned.
"The knights from His Holiness the Pontifex, whom I secretly summoned, have arrived."
"Knights from His Holiness...?"
"Yes, those ones. If His Holiness lends knights, it means the Deep Light watches over us too. I'll lead my ship with them to victory."
The subordinate judged it might not be too late to cut ties with Yabun after all.
"Interrogation complete."
General Iyan Tata climbed onto the deck and reported.
The burly Lizardman's hands were drenched in blood, but his face showed no disturbance.
Basen Rak Oran thought how fortunate it was to have this Lizardman as an ally and said,
"No new intel?"
"No, sir. Matches what we already know."
Escaping Kraken's waters hadn't been easy.
The Deep Ones had assumed vanguard ships from Danyeol and Mangul would be wiped out by Kraken, so most attacks targeted the rearguard Black Scale ships.
Black Scale ships quickly formed two ranks for volley fire, hitting only part of the seventy-ship fleet.
Luckily, before full engagement with pirate ships, Danyeol and Mangul ships returned from Kraken waters to support, forcing pirates to flee.
'If that Garuda hadn't used magic, it would've been a brutal fight.'
Black Scale and allied navy scattered scout ships over a wide area, then gathered flagships to confer.
Mainly to share intel on Doltan Island from interrogating captured Deep Ones, but more importantly, to discuss the mage hidden until now from Asbestos.
This raised diplomatic issues.
Garuda's magic hadn't distinguished friend from foe, sweeping some Mangul sailors into the sea.
Oldor hadn't properly informed Mazhdari of this.
Yet Mangul lodged no strong protest.
The mage's power was already evident.
With troll knights escorting such power, she could take on every ship here.
And Asbestos's General Oldor made no effort to hide it.
Having revealed the power, he wielded it openly like authority.
"I'll take overall command of the allied navy from here."
But Black Scale was the exception.
Precisely, with Mazhdari's power exposed, unease lingered between the groups, ready to erupt anytime.
Back on his ship, Basen told Tione Itimo and Iyan Tata,
"After pirates, they might pick petty fights. Tighten discipline on sailors and soldiers."
Fortunate or not, Yabun's fleet was no pushover.
"Doltan Island!"
At the lookout's shout, Basen gazed ahead.
His eyes could already make out the island's shape clearly.
General Iyan said to Basen,
"I'll do final checks on soldiers and cannons."
"Do it. No hitches in battle."
"Yes, sir."
"Wait."
Iyan followed Basen's narrowed gaze.
The lookout yelled,
"Something fast approaching! Half-submerged!"
Basen could ignore it.
Half-submerged meant no ship, no swimming Deep One.
But they'd faced unpredictable foes before.
Better safe.
"Tione! Halt the ship! Iyan, target it as enemy with cannons!"
As Black Scale lead ships halted first from pirate caution, allied vanguard slowed one by one, noticing.
Oldor Maeyn on Whalebeard turned his ship, reducing speed.
"...What the hell is that?"
From above, Seong-un watched and sighed.
He knew what rushed in but warning would complicate things.
'Black Scale's in the rear anyway. They'll figure it out.'
Bobbing up and down through waves, foam hid their forms even up close.
Oldor gripped shield and sword warily.
Something shiny burst from the foam.
'Fish?'
A massive fish nearly three meters long.
Its scales flashed sunlight, blinding troll knights.
Few spotted the pair of wing fins spread wide on its sides, or the Deep One hunched behind them, spear in hand.
"Aargh!"
The giant flying fish rocketed over the warship; the Deep One impaled a troll knight's shoulder with his trident and vanished over the opposite rail.
Only then did Oldor realize the foam hid fellow knights.
Oldor shouted,
"Deep Ones riding giant flying fish! Back from rails! Duck!"
But his cry drowned in crashing waves as giant flying fish leaped.
Dazzled troll knights plunged into the sea with the fish.
'Damn! ...No. Shed armor, swim back aboard.'
Oldor crouched low, peering over the rail.
But atop the waves unfolded contrary to his hopes.
Deep One squads methodically speared fallen knights.
Oldor nocked an arrow hastily, but lacked force to hit underwater Deep Ones.
'Damn it!'
Oldor bolted inward, half-running to Mazhdari.
Meanwhile, Basen assessed the vanguard chaos.
Unbelievable, yet threatening—the assault spread to unprepared rear ships.
"Knights on giant flying fish knock deck crew overboard quick; infantry finish them in water. Clever tactic exploiting their race."
General Iyan said,
"Hide all troops below deck?"
"One way, but... look."
Basen pointed to a vanguard ship with the same idea.
As soldiers hid below, Deep Ones climbed the hull sides.
Unable to use new cannons, forced into melee.
"We might win melee, but more enemies prolong fight. Can't maneuver when main force arrives."
"...Then?"
"Iyan, don't overthink. Not land, not cavalry on cockatoos or horses, but these are mounted knights. No fancy tactics needed. Fight as usual."
Iyan's face brightened.
"Understood. Preparing all soldiers."
Giant flying fish knights were Deep One elites.
Ideal against ships; tamed ones could glide—ten meters lengthwise, forty sideways—with rider aboard.
Few races endured hundreds of kilos slamming down; untrained soldiers fainted and drowned from trident pins alone.
Normally Pontifex's guards, but aided high priests on divine orders.
"Next ship's ours."
Having ravaged ships unchecked, confidence soared.
Next deck empty, but they pressed on.
'All hid below. Sometimes fools stay. Signal infantry to seize after.'
The giant flying fish leaped.
"Attack!"
But the Deep One knight erred in judgment.
As it crossed the deck, prone soldiers thrust spears at 45 degrees.
'Damn!'
The knight yanked reins, veering.
'Close, but dodged!'
Illusion.
A round shadow eclipsed his view.
"No.1 Ogre Destroyer!"
The risen ogre destroyer swung an arm, delivering a clothesline to the knight.
"We won't yield to the sea!"