Chapter 82

"A, ah! It's the demon of the deep sea!"

"Damn it, why is there a kraken here?"

No one on the ship could refrain from shouting. Worm wanted to join in the chaos, but he couldn't. The thick tentacle looming before him was oozing a filthy slime, trying to grab Worm.

"Get down!!"

Worm called out at the top of his lungs. Fortunately, the merchant quickly crouched, and the man at the opening was thrown out and groaning. There was no one to block the tentacle from Worm. While crouching, Worm twisted and drew his longsword, striking it with all his might.

The powerful strike, infused with magic, severed the tip of the filthy tentacle. Avoiding the remaining part just in time, Worm reversed the blade and continued to slash. The confined space of the ship and the dense crowd greatly restricted his movements, and the tentacle was scraping away at Worm's skin and magic barrier.

After repeating the slashes about ten times, the tentacle finally broke off. The muscular tentacle, with its high viscosity, was incredibly difficult to cut.

"Damn, it's so sticky."

While Worm glared at his dirty sword, his waist mask vibrated with excitement. He understood its perverse nature but was truly at a loss with its tentacle fetish.

Ignoring the mask's joy, Worm went to help a sailor who was struggling with another tentacle. Several sailors had already been grabbed, their limbs twisted like twigs. Spears and single-edged axes were stuck in the tentacles, but the thickness and slime prevented them from being cut.

"Aah, my arm!"

"Ugh, ah, ah!"

"Damn it, don't come here!!"

The tentacle had set its next target on a sailor swinging a saber. Worm ran along the wall and, almost touching the ceiling, swung his longsword down, successfully severing the tentacle at its base. The severed tentacle still thrashed as if still connected.

"Hey, is this going to be okay!?"

The sailor hacking at the severed tentacle answered as if crying.

"It's not okay, it's a kraken."

Worm had successfully defeated two tentacles ravaging the lower deck, but the upper deck was still under attack. The sounds of battle from the upper deck, including what seemed to be magical explosions, continued to reach Worm's ears.

"The mast is being targeted. Protect it!! Don't let it get close!!"

"First team, attack the body!!"

Worm called out to the passengers hiding in the corner.

"Hey, take these, defend yourselves."

Worm pulled swords out of his magic bag and scattered them on the floor. He wanted to keep the existence of the magic bag a secret, but the situation was dire, and it would be pointless if the ship sank. With so many people, they should be able to handle the thin tips of the tentacles.

"I've never held a sword."

"I'll pay you to protect me."

Worm kicked away a passenger clinging to his leg.

"Are you stupid? Did you see those big feet? If the ship sinks, cutting off a few legs won't matter. If you can't hold a sword, at least be a decoy and hug a tentacle. I'm going to provide support upstairs."

"Wait, the captain said to protect the passengers."

A sailor being dragged by a tentacle called out bravely, but Worm laughed in response.

"Do I look like a passenger to you?"

The sailor didn't try to stop him further and focused on controlling the lower deck. Worm's only weapon was his longsword. A halberd would be even harder to handle on a ship and wouldn't be effective in piercing the muscular tentacles.

Running up the half-destroyed stairs, the scene that greeted Worm was the worst possible. Countless tentacles were attacking from the port side, and the cries of captured sailors echoed as they were thrown around the deck and onto the mast.

"Damn, it's like a bad B-grade horror movie."

Worm, who had inadvertently used a phrase that didn't exist in this world, readied his longsword.

"What are you doing? Get inside—"

Worm met the tentacle trying to grab a sailor with a powerful strike. The tentacle, cut in half, swung and retreated to the sea.

"What's inside?"

"Go, do as you please."

The resistance of the sailors on the upper deck was fierce, and already four tentacles had fallen to the sea or the deck. Including the two severed by Worm, that made six, but there were still more than six tentacles left.

"An octopus has eight, a squid has ten, huh, the numbers don't match."

By the number of tentacles, this creature was neither a squid nor an octopus. Moreover, it had far more tentacles than either, making it a truly despicable opponent. A new tentacle scraped the ship's edge and approached Worm. Prepared, Worm saw the shadow covering him and reacted instinctively.

"Two of them!"

The kraken seemed to like Worm, as it was giving him quite a show. Spotting the ambush from above, Worm rolled to avoid it, and a second tentacle followed. Worm lay on the deck. Ironically, the slime on the deck acted as a lubricant, making it extremely slippery. The mask in his waist bag, covered in slime, was having a field day.

"Have some decency!"

Using the longsword as a support, Worm pulled himself back up, leaping to his feet.

Without hesitation, he thrust his longsword into the lying tentacle and tore it apart. The tentacle, which had been supporting a massive weight, lost its ability to move when its muscles were damaged. Seizing the opportunity, the sailors swarmed and created makeshift tentacle slices. With fewer tentacles, Worm had a bit of breathing room and scanned the sea.

"What is that?"

On the turbulent sea, the sailors were moving as if sliding. Whether it was an application of water magic or a skill, it was something Worm couldn't replicate. Among them was their guide, Sashief.

Sashief, who had rapidly turned his body and cut the approaching tentacle, was firing water bullets into the sea. Despite his friendly smile, he possessed superior combat skills and magic. Worm was impressed by his prowess.

"Is that a sea mage?"

The sailors of the archipelago nations, known for their unmatched skills at sea. Another sailor was using water pressure to launch spears. Worm, who knew how to use wind magic to launch short swords and spears, was witnessing this on the sea.

Worm, who was about to face a new tentacle, noticed that the tentacles were being retracted into the sea.

"What? The tentacles are retreating."

Hoping they had given up after a painful counterattack, Worm remained on guard.

"It's diving!?"

"Is it running away?"

The sailor, who was watching the sea, called out with a mix of anxiety and urgency.

"Bad, it's a top attack!!"

With Sashief's warning, the ship was thrown into chaos.

"Where's the cook!?"

"Out of magic. The others are no good either."

"Hey, what's going to happen? What's a top attack?"

Worm, who was left out of the situation, asked a trembling sailor.

"That kraken is diving deep and planning to jump onto the ship."

"You're kidding. It's going to jump!?"

"That's right. It will jump higher than the main mast."

If that massive body jumped over the mast and landed on the ship, even a large ship would suffer severe damage. It could even break the keel and split the ship in two.

"Hey, is it okay to burn the ship a bit?"

"Are you a mage?"

"Yes. So what?"

The sailor, who was hesitant to answer, was replaced by the captain of the Adelina, Verm Beggar, who carried two sabers.

"It's fine to burn it a bit. If you want to get to land, avoid the mast."

"Got it, I'll 'try.'"

With the captain's approval, Worm gathered his magic and prepared to face the kraken. The other sailors, armed with crossbows, spears, and throwing weapons, stood quietly, their eyes filled with determination, ready for the moment.