Chapter 351 - 161: Never Going to Sea Again (Part 2)
’A mistake, a huge mistake... I never should have rushed into the Deep Sea!’
’A damn Sea Monster that huge... I can tell just by looking at it that I can’t handle it in the water. I’d better get the hell out of here, fast.’
But just then, a bone-chilling cold washed over Wei’en’s body—
[You have entered the repository of an unknown entity’s killing intent. As your Spiritual Power is below five thousand, you are about to be dragged into an endless slaughter Illusion Realm. Evaluation: You will likely die. Flee... Special Reward: Survival Points +40, Resilience Level +2, Spirit Level +2.]
’Convert stats! Resilience Level to Spirit Level, five thousand!’
Wei’en reacted in a flash. The moment he sensed something was wrong, he immediately boosted his Spiritual Power.
[You have stepped into the repository of an unknown entity’s killing intent. As your Spirit Level is now greater than five thousand, you have successfully resisted the Spiritual Power’s corrosion...]
Phew...
’That was a close one.’
But this confirmed his earlier suspicion: there really was a repository of killing intent under the surface of the sea!
He just had no idea what it actually was...
Wei’en had just breathed a sigh of relief and was continuing to swim upward, preparing to get far away from the giant Sea Monster, when another message materialized in his mind.
[You have been locked on to by the killing intent of a Deep Sea Aberration. Evaluation: Here comes a big one! Reward: Survival Points +40.]
’Forty?’
Before he could even process it, a powerful suction force pulled at him from behind.
’What is that?!’
Realizing he couldn’t break free with physical strength alone, Wei’en threw the rules of the Deep Sea to the wind and swept his spiritual perception behind him.
’Fuck!’
The giant, snake-like monster behind him had awakened. It opened its cavernous mouth, causing the seawater to reverse its flow, its pair of blood-red eyes locked dead on him.
The tentacles on either side of its dorsal fin were now thrashing wildly toward him, clearly infuriated by his intrusion.
At the same time, Wei’en’s perception picked up something else, something strange. ’What is that?’
"Nico, Ruke."
At this critical moment, Wei’en had the Secret Master cast a Blink Spell.
He first blinked to the location of the anomaly he had sensed, tossing the object he found there into his Space Ring. Without pausing, he instantly blinked again, this time to the surface of the sea, shouting at Ronan and the others waiting on the ship, "Get moving! Now!"
"Get moving?"
Ronan froze for a second when he heard him. Then, recalling old sailors’ tales, he dashed for the wheelhouse to start the steam engine. "Raise the anchor!"
The faces of the surrounding pirates drained of color. They knew that whatever could make their ever-composed Red-haired Captain look like this was serious business.
Wei’en landed back on the deck of the *Ronan* and helped the pirates haul in the anchor.
"What happened?" Clelia came running out, asking in surprise when she saw Wei’en’s grim expression.
"Go back to the theater and stay there!" Wei’en said, gripping the anchor rope with both hands and heaving it in. His mind was already racing.
’A "forty" for the killing intent lock-on... that means this Deep Sea Aberration is at least twice as strong as Henrik.’
However, Wei’en knew that in a place like the Deep Sea, you couldn’t judge its destructive capability by Extraordinary Power alone.
’Henrik, after all, wasn’t nearly this massive, nor did he have the natural advantages of a creature of the deep.’
’If we can’t shake this thing... I’m afraid I’ll have to abandon ship with everyone again.’
"ROOOOAR—"
A mere five seconds passed before a roar, as if from the very abyss, echoed from below.
Immediately after, a massive whirlpool formed around the *Ronan*, dragging the entire ship toward its center.
"Be careful."
Clelia was nearly thrown overboard by the force. She quickly grabbed the ship’s rail for support, shouted to Wei’en, and then ran toward the rear cabins.
’Even now, she wasn’t just running for her own life; she was still worried about her Guards.’
Wei’en stared at the whirlpool. "Ronan, can we break free?"
"I need a little time," Ronan shouted from the wheelhouse. "The steam engine needs to preheat! One minute!"
’One minute?’
Wei’en’s brow furrowed. ’If it weren’t for everyone else on board, escaping to the theater space would be the best option. But as it is...’
’Looks like there’s no running away. I’ll have to kill it!’
At that thought, Wei’en summoned the Mechanical Gate. For the first time since leaving Caster City State, he withdrew his sniper rifle, ready to give the bastard a nasty welcome when it surfaced.
’Here it comes!’
Within the range of his spiritual perception, he saw dozens of tentacles shooting up from beneath the waves.
BANG, BANG-BANG...
Wei’en’s hands became a blur as the sniper rifle fired a string of bullets. They carved bizarre arcs through the air before plunging into the water, instantly shattering the tentacles striking the ship’s hull, followed by those merely surrounding it.
[You have hit the Deep Sea Aberration with your sniper rifle, triggering Blast Rune, triggering Death Trait - Plague. Instant Death Progress: 45/10,000. Evaluation: Reward: Survival Points +10, Gunmanship +2, Resilience Level +1.]
[...]
[You have hit the Deep Sea Aberration with your sniper rifle, triggering Blast Rune, triggering Death Trait - Senescence. Instant Death Progress: 3,369/10,000. Evaluation: Reward: Survival Points +5, Gunmanship +1.]
’10,000?’
Fortunately, the tentacles weren’t covered in scales and didn’t have high defense, so they were easily stopped by the combined power of the sniper rifle’s bullets and the Rune Power they carried.
Even so, the sea, churned into a frenzy by the aberration’s attacks, caused the entire *Ronan* to rock violently.
"A D-Deep Sea Aberration..."
"W-We’re gonna die!"
"Dammit, shut your traps and pull up the anchor! The captain’s here, we’ll be fine!"
Wei’en ignored the pirates’ panicked shouting, extending his spiritual perception downward to carefully monitor the aberration’s movements.