Sea Monster Stew Chapter 50

But Biche bowed her head even deeper. She wanted to save the ones who had helped bring her home, no matter what.

“I’ll do whatever you say… Please, just let them go. They haven’t done anything wrong.”

‘You haven’t done anything wrong either! Lift your head this instant!’

“Please. I’m begging you.”

Biche’s voice trembled with increasing desperation, until the tears she had been holding back finally welled up in her eyes. 

 

The Duke stared down at her, his lips twisting into a smirk. But his eyes still held a cold sneer.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot simply release your friends. It would be problematic if you creatures banded together and caused serious trouble…”

“Please… I beg you.”

“As long as you behave yourself, those two will be safe for now, so don’t worry.”

He glanced at the knights and jerked his chin towards Biche. The knights roughly seized Biche’s arms and led her out of the dungeon.

With a despondent face, Biche watched through the closing crack of the door. 

 

Calante and Fui were pressed against their tanks, watching her with anxious eyes.

 

As she was dragged back to the tower, she was consumed by deep self-reproach. 

 

The thought that innocent Fui and Calante were now in danger because of her wouldn’t leave her mind.

“Get in.”

 

The knights shoved Biche roughly into the cold room. 

 

*Clank.*

 

The sound of the lock being engaged echoed from outside the door.

 

Imprisoned once more in the cold tower, Biche curled up in the deep darkness and her overwhelming guilt.

 

* * *

 

Late evening, when the sunset dyed the sea a bloody red. 

 

Kisa’s pirate ship was slowly approaching the main island harbor of the Karabas pirate haven.

Normally, this would be the time when the entire island would roar with rough energy, a mix of shouts, the smell of alcohol, and boat whistles. 

 

But today, the harbor was unusually quiet.

A thick sea fog lay over the harbor, beyond the scent of seaweed carried on the wind. 

 

Staring into the impenetrable fog, Kisa watched the harbor closely.

The shadows across the island felt awkward today. 

 

As if all life had hidden itself beneath the sea, the entire island was submerged in silence.

 

‘Strange… Something’s different from usual.’

Kisa instinctively rested his hand on his sword hilt. 

 

Finally, as they docked at the port, a few crewmen emerged hurriedly from the thick fog on the island and caught the ropes thrown from the pirate ship. 

 

They greeted Kisa with awkward smiles.

“Admiral Kisa, you’ve returned safely!”

 

Their smiles felt unnaturally strained. 

 

Ignoring their greeting, Kisa scanned the fog-shrouded harbor. 

 

A strangely metallic smell clung to the edges of the wind.

‘…That’s the smell of blood.’

A cold, sharp chill tickled the back of his neck. Kisa unconsciously drew his sword and shouted.

“Ambush! Battle stations!”

At that moment, *BOOM!* 

 

A cannonball from somewhere pierced the side of Kisa’s pirate ship.

 

*Shing, shing.*

 

The sound of swords being drawn echoed repeatedly from within the thick fog. 

 

In an instant, sharp noises split the night air, and swift movements ignited one by one like lanterns from the far end of the harbor.

Simultaneously, as if by a lie, the fog lifted. And the scenery of the harbor burned clearly into view.

Slicing through the sea fog, Hildert’s familiars leaped onto the deck all at once. 

 

Among the familiars, mostly fierce beasts like lions and leopards, were mixed armored pirates. 

 

They roared as they swarmed the deck and began attacking Kisa’s crew.

‘That bastard Hildert, he actually did it!’

Assessing the situation, Kisa lopped off the head of a charging enemy and yelled.

“The Vice-Captain has mutinied! Draw your swords now…!”

His shout was drowned out by a massive cry that shook the land and sea. 

 

The sea stretching beyond the stern was transforming into a vast, green mountain. 

 

No, something within the water was slowly rising above the surface.

Its identity was a giant monstrous sea creature, a Kraken. 

 

The Kraken’s enormous shadow fell over Kisa’s pirate ship. It wriggled its countless legs, its large eyes scanning Kisa’s ship.

Its blue scales glittered, smeared with blood and slime, and bloody drool dripped from between its jagged teeth.

 

“…Damn it.”

Kisa muttered, looking at the blood-soaked Kraken.

“It’s already on its way back from sweeping through the others.”

‘Who had it killed? Other Admirals? Or regular crew members?’ Then, the sea monster’s pale yellow eyes, which had been scouring the deck, fixed on the giant’s hide that Kisa wore.

Cursing, Kisa rolled sideways. 

 

The creature’s massive fin and tentacles slammed down mercilessly onto the deck. 

 

*BOOM!* The ship shook violently with the earth-shattering sound.

‘Don’t tell me… it was ordered to target the Admirals first?’

Kisa stood up and glared at the brand on the Kraken’s forehead. A red spear piercing a crescent moon. The mark borne only by Hildert’s familiars.

To make a giant sea creature his familiar… How did he even manage to bind a soul into a monster the size of an island?

“AAAAGH! Admiral! Save m—!”

Just then, a crewman was caught by a tentacle, dangling in the air before his limbs were twisted and his body crushed with a sickening crunch. 

 

Others were struck by poisonous spines shot by the Kraken, vomiting blood from their mouths before being flung into the sea.

Blades and spear tips, monster claws and teeth tangled together, scattering red blood everywhere. 

 

The roars of familiars and the screams of men echoed from all sides. 

 

The sounds of tearing flesh and breaking bones were carried on the damp sea breeze, spreading in every direction.

Kisa hacked at the neck of a familiar blocking his path and summoned his giant hide soldiers.

‘We’re outmatched.’

He clicked his tongue briefly and summoned his regular hide soldiers as well. 

 

The hides appeared smoothly in the air, initially limp like deflated dolls. But the moment Kisa flicked his wrist, they all sprang to life. 

 

Their postures straightened as if their hollow bodies had been stuffed with cotton.

 

“Grab weapons!”

He barked the order while slicing a Kraken tentacle flying toward him. 

 

Green blood and black slime spattered, covering his face. Choking on the smell, he gritted his teeth and charged forward.

“Now!”

The hide soldiers grabbed weapons from the deck and began counterattacking the enemies.

 

 Next to Kisa, a crewman was ensnared by a monster’s tentacle, his head crushed. 

 

A severed hand rolled over from somewhere, bumping against his foot.

“Damn it!”

He spat a curse, kicked the severed hand away, and then ran towards the Kraken, which was leaning on the ship and shaking the hull. 

 

The Kraken recognized Kisa and swung its massive tentacle. 

 

A fierce spray of seawater drenched Kisa instantly, but she gritted her teeth and swung her sword. 

 

The tentacle was torn away, splattering green blood everywhere.

“Where is Doctor Puse?! Get the wounded onto the escape boats now!”

Kisa already sensed their defeat. This expedition had been impulsive from the start, undertaken with only a small crew. 

 

There was no way his current forces could handle the enemies, led by the Kraken. 

 

Moreover, he saw no reinforcements rushing from the island.

‘Has everyone… already been dealt with…?’

He glanced towards the silent main island. 

 

‘What had happened to the other Admirals? And Godfather? That bastard Hildert wouldn’t have spared Captain Hawk.’

Sticky seawater mixed with blood, the stench and screams filling the air. 

 

Kisa fought desperately, evading the beast’s tentacles and the enemies’ blades.

But no matter how hard he held on, the opponents were too many and too strong. 

 

It was impossible for Kisa alone to withstand the Kraken, a creature that usually required multiple Admirals joining forces to handle.

At that moment, the Kraken struck Kisa again with a tentacle large enough to cover the deck.

*BOOM!* The entire ship shook as if it would shatter, and Kisa collapsed onto the deck. 

 

His subordinates were already being captured and dragged away one by one.

The Kraken wrapped its tentacles tightly around Kisa’s fallen body, twisting it. 

 

In the process, the giant’s hide began to tear slowly. Some crewmen who saw the horrific sight screamed.

“Admiral!”

Those who misunderstood, thinking Kisa’s own skin was tearing, finally broke into sobs. 

 

But it was brief, as a human figure appeared from within the torn giant’s hide.

It was a young man who had lost consciousness, his eyes tightly shut. 

 

This handsome youth, with his vigorous features and long, sweat-dampened grey hair, swayed with the Kraken’s movements, his head lolling forward.

 

“Admiral Kisa… wasn’t a giant?”

“What the… he’s just a kid.”

Not only Hildert’s men who had swarmed the ship, but also Kisa’s captured crew were all seized by shock. 

 

A cold, silent stillness fell over the deck for a moment.