Captain – Chapter 658 – The Petrel Facing the Storm

The collision sound struck like a war drum, suddenly thundering forth and drowning out all other noise in the area.

Even this most violent sea in the world and the divine thunder that rose with godly might fell into momentary silence after this “drumbeat” sounded.

Only then did the explosive roar reach everyone’s ears, accompanied by giant waves and splashing water, radiating outward in all directions from the collision point of the two mountain-like behemoths.

At the very center of the battlefield, the giant warship and specter that had seemed somewhat reckless, even childishly spiteful in their collision, separated upon contact and retreated backward or to the sides.

Under such tremendous impact force, even the Goddess Hestia, which might have been heavier than ordinary mountains, couldn’t help but veer off course, its bow rising high before falling back down.

Quite coincidentally—or perhaps as someone had anticipated—after the giant warship’s bow fell at an angle, what now faced the giant serpent was the half-turned broadside.

And countless open gun ports.

Without needing orders, at such a moment, faced with an opportunity that might only appear once in this battle, the pirates on the gun deck all roared as they opened fire.

“Fire the tether chains!”

“Open fire!”

The scene from the Death Silence Triangle seemed to repeat itself.

“Pop pop pop…”

A total of thirty-six chains inscribed with divine script whistled forth once again. Though most missed due to poor conditions, the remainder still embedded like iron nails firmly into the Hydra’s body or necks.

What followed naturally was gunfire and cannon blasts that could ignite white flames to burn souls.

But unlike that previous time, facing the specter’s completely healed scales and having lost the help of that gauze-like night color, the concentrated fire’s effect was not optimistic.

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Indeed, a large portion of the firepower was blocked by the electric light wreathing those black scales, and the giant serpent had prepared early by raising wind and waves for protection.

The situation that should have tilted in their favor as the captain had said began to grow uncertain.

Amid countless electric serpents and flying spray, the specter that had been repelled by the initial clash finally adjusted its posture and pressed forward like a towering mountain.

Atop that mountain peak, twelve ghostly suns blazed brilliantly, filled with cruel colors.

Facts proved that with sufficient preparation, without falling into traps or fighting in panic, this giant warship alone was far from capable of suppressing the overlord from the old calendar.

Even the goddess statue at the bow, even those sufficiently vast divine blessings, could only temporarily halt its advance but couldn’t determine victory.

This was something already proven in that battle a thousand years ago.

For such ancient war machines to force it into headlong flight required a sword-bearer, like the gods or human leaders.

Unfortunately… no such existence remained in the present era.

Facing gunfire and cannon blasts denser and more sudden than cold rain, the giant serpent thought indifferently, advancing unhindered, not caring even when occasional wounds scattered golden blood.

Its ghostly green pupils pierced through gunsmoke and giant waves, falling upon the deck of the Goddess Hestia, rapidly searching for that girl… and a cat.

In its view, only those two could threaten it in this battle.

But compared to the enemies it faced in the old calendar, neither Roy, who had just completed her transformation, nor the cat whose aura seemed faint and obviously in a weakened state, qualified to become that sword-bearer, much less to sever its heads.

Even in that battle long ago, its heads had been bitten off by itself.

That had been a desperate measure.

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At that time, to escape and show the opponent the terrible consequences its death would bring, it had not hesitated to sever part of its fundamental rules itself.

This was its greatest difference from those “kin,” and the reason it could repeatedly escape pursuit and encounter that pirate. But though it was better than death…

That kind of pain truly penetrated the soul, more terrifying than death’s coldness.

But even though it had gone that far, even willing to set aside pride and hatred to part ways with the girl and never meet again, she had still pursued it here.

Unwilling to leave it any path to survival!

Since that was the case, it naturally couldn’t swallow this grievance.

Though this seemed like being forced into desperation, the specter that was actually more cautious and cunning than anyone had already calculated its chances of victory before finally turning back.

Otherwise, it could have fled into the Cursed Sea and made the situation even more chaotic.

Soon, one of the giant serpent’s gazes fell from the giant warship’s mainmast onto that “furball” from the girl’s mouth, sensing what it was doing.

Knowing that cat was watching the Cursed Sea and couldn’t spare much attention, the cold light in the specter’s pupils intensified. It stopped paying attention to it and looked toward the broadside instead.

All gazes focused on that sun that had been born not long ago yet already blazed intensely.

Though it couldn’t match her ancestor, that noble indifference and the majesty and aura similar to those gods it most despised was already beginning to show.

In perhaps another century, or even shorter, it would truly have to avoid her.

But… who told you to be so hasty? So urgent that you’re practically seeking death.

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Gazing at that figure who had made no moves since the battle began, as if stunned by the situation spiraling out of control, the killing intent in Hydra’s eyes suddenly intensified.

Like wildfire blazing fiercely.

Intent on burning away that “newborn’s” aspirations and naivety until not even ash remained.

It truly couldn’t understand what backing the person before it possessed to dare drive it away like this, and she would never find the answer to that question.

In this age where gods were not seen, as long as those two seated on the thrones of the present world and old era across the great sea didn’t act, no one could solve that problem.

Therefore, in the giant serpent’s original expectations, this battle simply wouldn’t occur.

It would quietly coil in its birthplace, licking its wounds, waiting for the girl to enter the Cursed Sea and chaos to arise before seeking an opportunity to flee far away and hide in the world’s shadows.

The specter had even considered diving into the Putrid Abyss or swimming down the waterfall at the far northern edge to reach the depths called forbidden, never appearing in the world again.

Waiting thousands or tens of thousands of years until all curses were severed and divine grace dissipated before returning.

But that plan had undoubtedly been shattered.

However… if it could devour that divine descendant, plus that cat, it might be able to recover completely in a short time and thereafter fear nothing.

It might even mend its original sin-like flaws and stand above the rules.

This was equally tempting.

Thinking this, the giant serpent’s main head, which had been cautiously staying somewhat behind, couldn’t help but slightly open its massive maw, exhaling ghostly airflow, no longer hiding the greed in its heart.

At this moment, it had already waded through cannon fire, ignoring pain, and arrived before the giant warship.

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The distance between it and that sun was less than twenty meters.

But just as it prepared to lower its head, drive its magic power, and tear through that annoying shell around the giant warship to directly face… or rather taste that delicacy…

Sudden change erupted!

In the specter’s vertically contracted green pupils that shrank due to unease suddenly surging in its heart, in its incredibly clear perception of the girl, she finally moved, and the devil’s great power that had been silent until now erupted without cause.

That slender figure that had been still as a virgin suddenly moved like lightning across the sky.

The moment you saw the light, it was already right before you!

Vaulting over the ship’s rail, landing on the tether chain deeply embedded in the giant serpent’s main head’s neck, then charging toward the peak of this highest mountain amid wind, rain, and shadow.

Roy’s movements flowed like a single breath, as if heaven-made.

When the Hydra finally awakened and its main head roared and struggled backward while its other heads frantically bit toward her like mad things, trying to halt her steps…

She had already run more than halfway, entering that deep, dense shadow.

Amid the strangulation of five serpent heads from front, back, above, and below, amid blazing electricity and cannon fire…

The girl kept moving forward, pressing ahead without retreat, like a petrel facing the storm.

Or like… that wild night color.

The gentle night.