Master of the Sea

Morvain dashed toward the main deck, navigating through the wailing and scared crowd. The ship rumbled once more, shaking like an earthquake. Unlike the previous shake, this time the unprepared people fell over, some inadvertently pushing Morvain in their descent, causing him to trip.

The experience was painful, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. Getting back on his feet, he resumed his sprint, determined to reach the main deck amidst the chaos.

"Please, please..."

A cry reached Morvain's ears, and he turned around to find an old man on the ground, struggling to move. He cursed the gods under his breath and rushed to help the elderly man get back on his feet.

Another lightning bolt streaked across the sky, briefly illuminating the chaotic world around him. In that fleeting moment of light, Morvain's eyes widened in disbelief. There it was—the colossal figure of the kraken. The giant sea monster's body was partly concealed beneath the stormy waves, raindrops adding a shimmer to its slippery skin in the brief illumination.

What captured Morvain's attention the most were its eyes—large, glowing orbs that burned like gold. Fierce and hungry, those eyes seemed to penetrate through the rain and chaos, fixating on the ship with an intensity that sent shivers down Morvain's spine.

The kraken's gaze held a primal force, a hunger as ancient as the sea itself.

He instinctively gulped, and his gaze was drawn down to one of the kraken's massive tentacle, which was now pinned to the deck. People armed with swords, shields, spears, and various weapons were attacking the tentacle while it was held down by ice.

'Cryomancy is indeed impressive,' he couldn't help but acknowledge the power of ice magic that was keeping the kraken's tentacle restrained.

Cryomancy, the ability to manipulate ice, was the primary Awakened power of the Frostholm Lords. Their natural affinity for ice and cold, likely due to their residence in the icy mountains of the north, made this ability rare and unique.

This exceptional power was possessed by only a handful of individuals globally, earning them fame and recognition. 

In contrast, the "Iron Fury" ability, shared by both Eldric and the Hound, was more widespread. This power, found in both lowborns and highborns, particularly made individuals valuable as soldiers. Those who could Enlighten using this ability often received knighthood, a standard practice across the world.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sight of cracks forming on the ice. The Captain's urgent voice cut through the chaos, "Brace yourself and be ready to jump at any moment."

True to the Captain's warning, the ice shattered completely, and the slimy tentacle swept across the deck. People were flung away like rag dolls in its path.

Quick-thinking individuals like the Captain, Lady Lumiere, a blond guy with a spear and others agile enough had managed to jump in time to avoid being thrown into the sea. As another lightning streaked the sky, he took a moment to get a good look at the Kraken.

This was his first time seeing something like this in real life. He'd heard stories about heroes like Lorn, the Moonblade, and their adventures defeating massive Krakens in the East of the Empire. But those tales always felt like legends, not something that could happen.

Now, here he was, watching a huge beast emerging from the deep water, tearing through a fleet like it was nothing.

The creature was around fifteen to twenty meters tall, like a super-sized angry octopus. It had two tentacle-like things above its mouth, hanging down like wriggling mustaches. The sheer size and anger of the beast were beyond anything he could have imagined from stories.

Lady Lumiere skillfully leaped over the threatening tentacle, using its own motion to propel some ice crystals into its path. The crystals pierced through the tentacle, and ice quickly formed, crystallizing and halting its movement.

The colossal beast roared, causing the entire ship to shake as it struggled against the icy restraint. Just in time, half a dozen warriors leaped over, grabbing the tentacle and pinning it to the ground, preventing it from breaking free.

'Iron Furies...' Morvain thought, observing the brave yet seemingly reckless individuals leaping onto the Kraken without a moment's hesitation. Their armor gleamed in the rain and lightning, creating a captivating spectacle.

Among them, a blond warrior soared through the air, thrusting his spear into the end of the tentacle, completing the process of pinning it down. The ensuing onslaught of magic and weapons resembled an attempt to sever the tentacle since reaching the creature's main body proved challenging.

However, Morvain noticed that most attacks were futile, as the slimy tentacle absorbed both the impact and energy of the assaults. While the ice on its body slowed its movements, it was not enough to halt the creature's relentless rampage.

What bothered Morvain the most was the realization that the Kraken was only employing one of its tentacles. He wasn't suggesting that the Kraken should unleash all its tentacles, as that would spell doom for everyone on the ship, including him. However, the single tentacle it was using proved challenging enough to handle.

As he observed the ongoing battle, Morvain suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold in the air. It was the kind of chill that seemed to penetrate deep into his bones. The atmosphere became cool and pulling, as if a gentle yet firm suction was coming from one side. When he turned his attention to the Kraken, he noticed that its enormous maw was wide open, drawing in both air and water.

'What in the world?! Is it trying to suck us all in?'

While Morvain found some cover behind the wooden walls of the main deck, others weren't as fortunate. The force of suction wasn't overwhelming, but it was sufficient to unsteady the warriors, causing them to stagger on the floor.

They clung to the railings for dear life, and like everyone else, Morvain initially believed the suction was the attack. However, he soon realized how wrong he was.