Chapter 16: Aren’t there going to be icebergs?

"Hmm. They might something Kraken-like. It's a classic sea monster."

"What is this? Is it a giant squid? Or is it an octopus?"

Tomochika checked the hull.

A number of huge tentacles extend out of the sea and wrapped around the ship.

The tentacles were long enough to entangle a luxury cruise ship. If this was a cephalopod, then its body must be even more massive.

"Hmm. It's got more than eight tentacles, so it's not an octopus. Or are there several of them?"

"Is this the sort of thing you expect on a voyage?"

"If I had expected this, we wouldn't have made such a big deal of the resort."

Of course!"

The passengers were in a state of panic.

What had been an elegant trip on a luxury cruise ship had turned into a horror story of sea monsters.

It was impossible to remain calm in this situation, but on closer look, the tentacles that were entangled around the ship had not moved since.

They didn't go on to crush the ship or slam the tentacles down.

No, what can I do about this ..."

There was nowhere to run because they were on the sea. It's just too much for Tomochika to handle.

"Hey, youngster. Are you awake?"

『I just woke up. 』

When Mokomoko spoke to him out of nowhere, she heard a reply.

This was the weapon from the Aggressor, Sawamaru, which had been separated and was being used as a communication device.

"We have a problem. A Kraken has attacked!"

『I'm going to look outside… Oh, squid like tentacles? It's got tentacles. 』

"I want to meet up with you. I'm on my way."

No matter where they went, there would be no special safe place. So Tomochika decided that they should aim to meet up with him.

『Where are you? 』

"The pool at the end of the ship."

『It's on the top floor at the back of the ship. So we should meet in the middle. 』

The ship was huge.

It would be better to move with each other to shorten the time until the gathering.

"Takato-kun. Can you beat this?

『I don't feel any killing intent. I'm not sure if it's a wild animal or not. I think it would be a pity to kill it. 』

"It's a wild animal, but it doesn't behave like one."

"It's movements seem unnatural for a wild animal"

After getting entangled, the Kraken did not do anything in particular.

However, as for Yogiri, he guessed it was just taking a look for now.

"Everyone, please calm down! We are of the Crimson Lotus Bond. We have been entrusted with the protection of this ship."

A girl in a swimsuit was talking to the passengers around her.

The passengers seemed to have calmed down a lot, as the Crimson Lotus bond seemed to be well known.

"As you all know, the Crimson Lotus Bond is a mercenary group led by the hero Hornet. This kind of monster can be dealt with by Hornet without any problems."

It seemed like a ridiculously huge monster, but it seemed that the hero could defeat it, and that was something everybody knew.

"The person that spoke to you before was from the Crimson Lotus Bonds, wasn't she?"

Thomochika recalled that Hornet was said to be able to vaporize even icebergs in an instant, but it seemed she wasn't kidding.

"Hmm. It was the boy who came with his mother. He said he was with a group of mercenaries guarding a ship.

"I wonder if they are the escorts."

The two girls in swimsuits must have been swimming because they were all wet.

The one who had been talking to everyone was a girl with a sword who looked to be about the same age as Tomochika.

The other girl had a cane and seemed to be older than the girl with the sword.

She was armed and didn't seem to have forgotten her duties, but she still seemed to be enjoying the resort enough.

'Well, let's leave this to them and we'll hurry up."

Tomochika's presence here would be of no use.

Evacuation should be left to the Crimson Lotus bond.

Just as she was thinking this, the ship began to shake again.

When she looked around to see what was going on, she saw that the tentacles near her were wiggling.

Then the suction cups of the tentacles split open and something slithered out from inside.

What?"

Tomochika couldn't believe her eyes.

It was a staircase, and it had popped out of the tentacles and extended into the ship.

It was a simple staircase made of metal.

And there were only a limited number of beings who use such things.

It was a human who came down.

"Hello. We're pirates."

"They're really pirates! We aren't going to end up on an iceberg?"

Ten people came down from the nearest tentacle.

There were stairs coming down from other tentacles as well, so the same thing must be happening elsewhere.

The composition of the group that called themselves pirates was a miscellaneous one.

The first man who came out and introduced himself was clad in knightly armor and had a soft demeanor.

But those who followed behind him were a pirate, a rugged warrior, and a woman who looked like a craftswoman.

Our goal is to hold you hostage for ransom, so if you remain calm, we will not harm you. We expect you to use your judgment wisely."

"Huh? Does it look like I can't escape?"

"Hmm. If we make a bad move, there will be a battle."

"Mokomoko-san, can't you just rush in and blow yourself up?"

"I can't! What do you think of your ancestors?"

Then, two of the Crimson Lotus Bonds stood in front of the pirates.

"Didn't they know that we, the Crimson Lotus Bond, were here? You were unlucky to attack this ship."

The one who said this was the older girl with the staff. It seemed that she had a more violent temperament than the girl with the sword.

"No, we've done our research beforehand. And we've been instructed to dispose of any combatants who are not passengers."

"Right. Then no need to be shy!"

The girl raised her cane.

Immediately, a number of burning spheres appeared around the girl.

Perhaps not expecting the scale of this magic, the pirates' faces changed.

"You'll be sorry you ever messed with this ship! I will burn you to the bone!"

However, the group of fireballs did not have the effect that the girl expected.

The fireballs did not fire, and everything disappeared as if nothing had happened.

The girl looked shocked and swung her wand down again and again.

But her magic was never activated again.

"My lady, that's bad for my heart. ..."

The knightly-looking pirate spoke to the new person coming down the stairs.

"No, I have been relying on you too much, so I thought it would be nice to do something like this once in a while."

"Our mission is based on your power, young lady. We can't have you doing this on a whim."

It was a girl dressed in men's clothes, that looked like a warrior.

A knightly man seemed to the commander of the group, but the girl's position seemed to be even higher.

"You!"

Judging that the girl with the staff had been neutralized, the girl with the sword moved.

However, the girl with the sword was quickly and easily struck back.

A pirate-looking man slashed the girl's neck with a cutlass.

"Stupid… Mirna is…"

The girl with the cane had lost her will to fight.

"Hmm. The crimson lotus bond didn't have a sword technique on its own. She must have been fighting with her Gift."

"Does that mean the Gift is useless?"

"Hmm. My power is also reduced considerably. Fortunately, Enju is radio-controlled, so I can handle it, but I don't think I can transform the tentacles."

"So, where do you keep Sawamaru , in your bathing suit?"

It usually mimics a piece of clothing, but Tomochika thought that would be too much for him in this form.

"There is a lot of dead space in Enju, so I store it there."

"So, how do we get in touch with Takato-kun?"

"The Sawamaru I gave the youngster is just a receiver, so I don't know what to do with them."

"I don't know the difference!"

"Anyway, I guess we'll have to make do without it."

Fortunately, Tomochika and the others were probably considered to be just passengers.

But if they were going to move on from here, they had to deal with the pirates.

"Okashii! What should we do with the other one?"

Kill her."

He answered immediately.

"I've always wondered if a woman could be of use to you."

"No. Our job is to kidnap rich people and get ransom money, and we don't have time to deal with women who don't make us money. If you want a woman, buy a professional one after the job is done."

"Hey."

The pirate-looking man slashed at the girl with the cane.

The girl with the cane was standing upright. She must have had very little experience in close combat.

"Well, gentlemen. Our kidnapping is a business. We will not ask for an unreasonable amount of money. We will charge each of you as much as you are willing to pay, and once we receive your payment, we will release you, so please don't worry."

"Pigeons, are useful…"

Tomochika remembered that the magic carrier pigeon had a payment function.