CHAPTER III Investigation

The morning was not like the usual morning which was filled with joy. The passengers who woke up that night stood around the outer deck without saying a word, just silent in silence.

Red blood streaked on the outer deck along with the woman's corpse. But on the higher deck, the corpse of the monster with brown hair was gone.

Just as the sun started to shine, the monster's body, which was left lying down for investigation in the morning, quietly evaporated and disappeared without leaving anything including blood.

The crew immediately formed a line to block passengers approaching the scene. In the middle of the scene of the incident stood the young lady and her samurai, among several other crew members who carried out forensics of the woman's corpse. Then the captain and his vice-captain greeted her.

"Oh, Miss Lucretia !! ... Erm, sorry for this incident, if only we were more careful in monitoring the departure, maybe this incident would not have happened "

"Wait a moment Mr. Pelsaert, we still can't conclude that the monster came from the beginning of the voyage, it could be that the monster came from somewhere in the middle of this voyage right !!"

"Yes, we can't conclude it at once, but in the middle of a vast ocean like this ...?"

Pelsaert cast his gaze towards the vast ocean.

"Still, just having seen that monster exist, shatters the normal logic that always denies the existence of such creature, which even with a pistol bullet cannot be injured."

Pelsaert could not deny the lady's statement this time. Then the vice-captain began to speak.

"If according to Mr. Watanabe who faced the monster head-on, how about it? Is there anything outstanding that can be used as a reference for investigation? "

"Sure enough, when the creature was throwing me at its appearance, I also felt there something wrong. When compared to such a large hand and strength, somehow I feel the energy it spent isn't as big as it should be? "

"Is that so?"

"Yes, as if his energy was not commensurate with the huge form he had, then the breath that the creature emitted continuously looked very heavy and long. Could it be that the creature has been hiding long enough while waiting for its prey, that it has lost a lot of energy and is starving? "

Lucretia who heard Watanabe's explanation began to walk toward the corpse of the woman who was the victim that night.

" Hmm… but why could this woman be outside last night? Isn't it common for young couples to spend the night in their cubicle with their lover? "

While watching the woman's face closely, a question escaped Lucretia's red lips.

" How? ... Have you found the identity? "

Lucretia asked a forensic crew around there. Then one of the crew immediately gave an answer.

"This woman's name is Ms. Adamasatia, 23 years old, and she was supposed to be together with her husband Mr. Robert Gale who just got married about two months ago. However, somehow we can't find the existence of Mr. Robert, Ms. Lucretia "

"Hmm…, so it can be assumed there were two victims? Or could it be ... that creature is Mr. Robert Gale himself? "

"Oi, oi, oi, don't tell me you want to associate this with the legend of the werewolves made up, miss?"

Watanabe immediately interrupted Lucretia's theory.

"After all, you saw for yourself, didn't you Waibe? The creature with hairy hair and big body .... "

" That's right, one of the assumptions we can take from the disappearance of Mr. Robert when his wife became a victim was Mr. Robert himself is the being the one who takes his wife out and finishes her by turning into a monster. "

The vice-captain immediately presented his opinion, cutting a long pause from Lucretia's statement.

"But why should he bother to take her out and take her somewhere out, is not it more efficient if he finishes her in a hidden place? Also, the time interval during which that boy ran tearfully towards us and returned with us to the outer deck door, shouldn't he be able to escape that time? "

"That is true"

The captain held his chin while confirming Lucretia's theory. Then he stood facing the crew behind him and issued his orders.

"STAY AWAY, THE APPEARANCE OF SIMILAR CASES DO NOT CLOSE THE POSSIBILITY !! INSIDE EVERY ROOM, AND DO STRICTLY TWENTY-FOUR HOURS SUPERVISION AROUND THE DEK OF THIS SHIP !! "

"SIR, AYE SIR!!"

Thus the entire crew of the ship, who were almost entirely wearing clothes with the VOC inscription on their chests, immediately moved to their respective posts and some were still on standby around the scene.

Edward, who saw from a higher deck with his parents, was silent to see the crew handling this case.

§

The night was approaching, all passengers were ordered to return to their respective rooms, including Edward and his parents. Then a knock on the door arrived at their front door.

Knock-knock-knock!

"Angel, are you in there?"

The father heard the voice immediately walked to open their door.

Kreeek!

"Pelsaert! How is the investigation, have you found a clue? "

The captain's face looked a little gloomy.

"No, there's still not the slightest clue. How's Edward? "

"It's okay, he's better"

"I'm sorry, because of the carelessness of my crew in checking departures, your family had this bad experience ...."

The captain still blames himself for this incident.

Kreek...

The door to the room opened wider as it revealed the mother and Edward who was standing behind his mom with anxious and panicked faces.

"By the way, how about this voyage, Mr. Pelsaert? … Have we almost reached our destination, can we anchor faster ?! "

"... hmm, for that I can not confirm, Mrs. Dekker. Because of this incident, even though we are actually close to the Australian continent, we are not allowed to dock except in our destination city Batavia "

"Frederica ...." Angel said sadly, hugging his wife's shoulder.

Meanwhile, the mother hugged Edward while shedding tears. Likewise with the father who hugged the two of them beside Pelsaert who could only bow down to swallow his guilt as captain.

But not long after, suddenly a woman's scream echoed into the hallway. Shocked both the captain and the family and immediately distracted them.

" This voice, could it be !!"

Angel's pupils sharpened.

"From the source of the sound, it doesn't look far from here. You guys wait here while I check "

All three follow the instigation of the captain who had rushed down the aisle of the deck. However, not long after the captain ran, he soon returned with a tense face.

"Run!! That creature is here, run immediately !! "

But before the family has the chance to respond to the captain's words, the wooden wall in the direction of the screams they heard, immediately shattered as a monster burst in.

"RAAAAARRGGHH !!!!"

A monster twice the height of an adult with a large hairy body and a mouth protruding like an animal, stomped its feet while roaring in front of the four people. Angel immediately took the initiative.

" Father? "

"Angel, stop !! What are you going to do with that short wood-block, huh ?! "

"No honey, don't !!"

The moment was created just like that, the moment for the monster who looked confused at the father who was standing in front of the monster with a small block of wood from the shattered wooden wall.

What was unexpected, the huge monster that had gone berserk suddenly stopped its movements at the actions of the father.

"There is no more way !! Hurry up and go with Edward "

"No, no!! There must be another way, do not do this, hon ... !! "

"FREDERICA !!"

Instantly Angel cut off his wife's words while turning his gaze back a little while the monster was still silent in front of them.

"Rrrrrrgh ..."

The monster's heavy breath blew while moving slowly toward the father.

"Go ... go, while this creature's attention stops on me "

"But, honey,..."

Frederica, who was dropping her tears, was unable to continue, realizing that their top priority was little Edward in her arms, who was terrified as he wondered what his parents were arguing about.

"Go ..., take care of Edward for me ...."

Frederica did not deny it anymore, her face seemed to hold back the grief, but she immediately stood up, carrying Edward.

"Pelsaert, you are the only one I can trust, please take care of them"

Pelsaert was unable to argue with him anymore, his tears also began to fall on the figure of his friend who was facing the big monster with a small wooden block.

Immediately she extended her hand to Edward's mother, and they immediately walked away from Angel. But with movements which released two people who taking Edward away, it appeared that it caught the attention of the monster who immediately responded with a roar severity.

"Eh ..., Father? FATHER!!"

It was as if time was moving slowly in Edward's eyes. Even he can't dive into the conversation his parent make, but upon his eyes right now he can assure that it was a critical situation for his father.

"RAAAAGGHHH !!!!"

Seconds he left his father who had to confront the monster with only a block of wood in his hand.

"HYAAAAA !!!!"

And the moment his father's scream echoed, there a shadowy figure that appeared from behind the monster.

Shining the moonlight behind him, the figure burst through the bedroom window using a rope from the upper deck. The figure then spun through the air as it passed the monster through under its armpits which ready to smash Edward's father.

Criiiiiiiiiiiiiiing !!

The sound of a katana cut echoed through the air.

The samurai's figure landed with a translucent dark purple blade that had slipped from its sheath.

Angel's face paled, and the monster in front of him stopped moving. Just when the monster's big hand was about to charge into his face. Then suddenly the big hand fell and was cut off, leaving a large body that seemed to freeze in front of Angel.

Watanabe stood up while heaving his sword back.

Sriiiiing ... Creek!

Instantly from the monster's cut arm.

"Suiryu-giri batto-jutsu, .... "

The circle continued to run around it and cut it open like a sausage sliced down in perfect circles by a skilled chef.

Plok , plok , plok , plok !!

The chunks of meat fell in turn to the wooden floor, in front of Edward's frozen father.

"... Tatsumaki "

The samurai pronounced the name of his move as if he was saying goodbye to the monster that had split into a pile of meat.