Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: A Hellish Voyage
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I stood on the rocky shore, dumbfounded.
Our destination was the Island of the Dead.
An uninhabited island located right in the middle of the Revierus Continent and the Dark Continent.
I knew there wouldn't be a proper dock since no one lived there, but we still had to cross the great sea.
I'd assumed Everfilt would at least arrange for a ship of a decent size.
But what lay before me was...
“What in the world is this?”
“Our mode of transport.”
“We're riding *that*?”
“Yes.”
Rhys Ganiol answered calmly.
But I simply couldn't accept it.
A menacing maw that looked like it could crush every bone in my body with a single bite.
A hard, spiky shell.
What had appeared on the shore was a giant alligator snapping turtle called an Elst.
“We’ve agreed to call them monsters. It’s something of a social contract.”
“It may be a monster, but we can ride it.”
“How do we know where this crazy beast will take us?”
“It’s fine. We can control it with Everfilt’s secret magic.”
“…”
The question of whether this was something dark mages usually did was on the tip of my tongue.
But I suppressed the urge to ask.
This man was my sworn enemy, but it wasn't the time to reveal my true intentions.
But as if sensing my discomfort, the Vice-Commander added an explanation.
“It’s not dark magic, so don’t worry.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You looked like you wanted to ask, so I preempted you. Human curiosity always finds a way.”
“Yes, yes. I’m sure it does.”
No matter what he said, he wouldn't convince me.
I'd already imagined crossing the ocean on that damn turtle.
A hellish voyage.
“Let’s go. Plenty of places to hold on.”
Rhys Ganiol climbed onto the Elst’s shell with a confident expression.
But his awkwardness suggested this was his first time sailing on a turtle too.
Then again, what kind of sane mage would cross the sea on a monster?
They’d just fly.
“I should mention, flying is impossible over the Sea of Death. The demonic energy flowing from the Dark Continent interferes with maintaining magic.”
“Tch.”
Feeling like he’d read my mind, I clicked my tongue with a bitter taste.
As I settled into a hollow in the shell, the Vice-Commander made a circle with his fingers.
He was asking if I was okay.
I gave a reluctant nod, my expression sour.
‘He seems to think this journey will be quite enjoyable…’
His beaming face looked like he was off on a holiday.
But I, anticipating the grim future ahead, squeezed my eyes shut.
* * *
“See? Didn’t I tell you we’d be screwed if we tried to cross the sea on this thing?”
“You didn’t say that…”
“Come on, my face and eyes said it all. That I’d rather die than go.”
I chided him with a teasing tone.
But Rhys Ganiol couldn't retort.
He was in no state to do so.
“*Bleeegh!*”
He was too busy heaving from terrible seasickness.
He said he was dizzy, but what did he eat to have so much to throw up?
“Feeding the fish well, I see.”
“*Ughhh…*”
The Vice-Commander glared at me with hollow eyes.
‘Oh! He must have heard that one.’
I felt a pang of guilt but didn't dwell on it.
He was the one who got us into this nauseating mess in the first place.
Honestly, he deserved a little scolding.
As I was thinking this, Rhys Ganiol staggered toward me.
“What is it? Just say it from over there.”
I waved my hands frantically to stop him.
I was afraid he’d fall into my arms, covered in vomit.
The Vice-Commander paused, then muttered in a weak voice.
“I should have listened to you, Lord Ray. We should have found another way…”
“See? A ship would have been a much better choice, right?”
“Yeees.”
I mean, wasn't it obvious?
That riding an Elst would be anything but a comfortable journey.
But I soon had to change my mind.
I was about to experience firsthand why the merchant ships on the eastern side of the Revierus Continent only sailed near the coast.
*Ruuuumble! Whooosh!*
“Whoa!”
Something dark flew from somewhere and slammed into the water’s surface.
It created a massive tidal wave of unimaginable proportions, spreading out in concentric circles.
What would happen once that towering wave passed?
First, everything on the surface would be flung high into the air.
‘And then?’
The water would come crashing down toward the deep trough at the center, creating a chaotic mess.
In other words, we were about to plummet hundreds of meters.
“Aaaaaah!”
Rhys Ganiol shrieked in terror.
He seemed to have completely forgotten his dignity as the Vice-Commander of Everfilt’s Mage Corps.
It was understandable, as sustained magic didn't work well in this area.
If he were thrown into the Sea of Death, even the most brilliant mage wouldn't survive.
I, too, was in a dire situation.
But unlike the Vice-Commander, I wasn’t particularly shaken.
“A madman who enjoys even the overwhelming power of nature…”
Wait, no need to call myself a madman.
I cleared my throat and quickly corrected myself.
“Ahem! Even nature can’t stop a man who enjoys it.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
“Just stay still. I’m trying to find a way for us to survive.”
I unfastened Calipe, scabbard and all, while preparing a spell.
Just as Rhys Ganiol had said, the demonic energy was interfering with my casting.
But it wasn't completely impossible.
It was just difficult to maintain spells like flight magic.
‘Single-shot attack spells are still usable.’
I finished casting in an instant and held out my left hand.
*Booooom!*
With a loud roar, we were thrown to the right.
The compressed air from a Wind Blast had exploded nearby, pushing us away.
I quickly reached out my left arm and grabbed the Vice-Commander.
Then, I landed at an angle on the face of the crashing tidal wave.
Calipe was already stuck to the soles of my feet.
—You damn bastard! How dare you treat me like this! Get your feet off me right now!
Alkheim’s furious rant echoed in my head, but I had no time to answer.
Surfing a wave while carrying another person was incredibly difficult.
‘Is it a good thing Rhys Ganiol is so scrawny?’
I focused all my attention on my feet, adjusting Calipe’s angle.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Alkheim quickly fell silent.
If I died, the Dark Spirit King would be trapped at the bottom of the great sea.
He would likely never get another chance at freedom.
“So just shut up and wait.”
“Aaaaaah!”
“You too!”
I snapped at the terrified, screaming Vice-Commander as I quickly judged the distance.
If I could just keep going like this, I felt I could reach the Elst soon.
Before long, I was able to grab hold of the giant alligator snapping turtle.
Surprisingly, it was swimming leisurely even on the tidal wave.
*Thud!*
“Made it!”
I kicked off Calipe and quickly climbed onto the shell.
Rhys Ganiol finally let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew! I really thought I was going to die.”
“My thinking was shortsighted. A normal ship would have been smashed to pieces.”
“I agree. Now I see why Lady Elicia recommended the Elst.”
As I nodded and braced myself, I heard the sound of something cutting through the air.
*Whoosh!*
It was the sound of Calipe returning after I had kicked it away into the sea while surfing.
I casually reached out and snatched the treasured sword from the air.
It flew toward me hilt-first, as if inviting me to grab it naturally.
“Nice try.”
*Clack!*
I caught the scabbard, stopping Calipe, and then casually hung it at my waist.
—Tch! Sharp bastard.
—I see right through you.
I scoffed at Alkheim’s petty trick and watched the Elst’s direction.
The giant alligator snapping turtle was swimming against the tidal wave, moving out of the danger zone.
As expected, its performance was on a completely different level from a normal ship.
It could move regardless of the wind.
Even if the sea spray was insane and the ride was terrible.
“I think we can relax a little now. We’re off course, but we can just take a slight detour.”
Even while struggling to hold onto the shell, Rhys Ganiol bowed his head.
A gesture of thanks.
But why would I save my sworn enemy, the one who turned Riverune into a sea of fire?
‘Because he can’t just die here for no reason.’
This bastard has to die at the moment I choose, in the way I choose.
I sneered inwardly but gave a casual wave of my hand.
“You’re truly incredible. To show such resourcefulness in such a desperate situation… And you can use magic, too?”
“It’s only at a 6th-tier level. I just picked it up here and there. I’m not a real mage.”
“So you used an artifact!”
“Something like that.”
It wasn't unheard of for non-mages to use magic.
They were usually people with great magical talent who had mastered other skills.
Like aura or spirit arts, for example.
Such individuals could cast magic to a limited extent through artifacts.
Of course, the way I used magic was on a different level entirely.
Rhys Ganiol seemed to more or less accept the explanation.
It was the most logical interpretation in this situation.
“By the way, I don’t think this is the time for idle chatter.”
“Pardon?”
The Vice-Commander, who was busy steering the Elst, tilted his head and looked back.
I shrugged and gestured upward with my eyes instead of answering.
Rhys Ganiol’s gaze shot up, and a raw curse escaped his lips.
“Son of a…”
It was a situation where even a gentlemanly mage couldn't help but swear.
The black object that had caused the earlier catastrophe was now rising from the depths.
I also let out a hollow laugh and looked up at the shadow that had blotted out the sky above us.
“We’re screwed.”
*Ruuuuuumble!*
A long time after a monstrous wave had crashed over the Elst.
We were sprawled on the white sands of a calm sea.
Not just Rhys Ganiol and I, but even the giant alligator snapping turtle was nearly unconscious.
“Despite all the hardships, we finally made it.”
I muttered, gazing blankly at the sky, which had become unbelievably clear.
But the Vice-Commander was in no condition to reply.
“*Gack!*”
He was busy spitting out the enormous amount of seawater he had swallowed.
‘He must be full. To think such a skinny man could get so bloated.’
Or maybe he’s just swollen from the water?
In any case, I couldn't move either right now.
Still, I couldn't lie on the beach forever.
I could see the tide coming in as the waves grew stronger.
Staggering to my feet, I cast my gaze toward the island’s interior.
But then I saw a human-like figure staring blankly at us.
“Huh? Who are you?”