“Gao, what’s happening?!”
“Captain, we need to save Casablanca! Hibiscus is using a power called Astlan’s Ira and it is not that kind of power we shouldn’t deal with!”
“You’re saying that you will save Ca but, Gao, can you swim? Do you have any proper equipment to dive the depths of the sea and battle the whirlpools!?”
“That’s…! No…”
It was a grim reminder that I, Asagao Lionheart, not capable of the action called swim, diving no less. Also, braving the whirlpools are no good for me.
What should I do?
“Piii!!!”
“…”
Hibiscus together with Emby blazes through the sky with their jet-black flame. The two of them loses their control over their own consciousness and fiercely turns to the giant devil that is going to attack again.
The target of their hostility isn’t us but the devil.
Hibiscus brought out her soul weapon, the cube. With it, she summons several other more spirit summons based on sea creatures. One of them is giant whale the looks like it came from the pre-historic era donning spikes in its body and large razor sharp teeth with blazing dark flames.
There is more spirit summons that she called such as a huge sea serpent, a monstrous angler fish, scary piranhas and a shark. She commanded all of them to attack the devil which scale is incomparable to the summons she called.
She then fed the cube to Emby and their power grows exponentially. It agitated the devil further and now, the battle is solely her and the devil.
“Gao! Cus is…! She is going to win, right?!”
“No… that’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“It’s apparent that she won’t win…alone that is. If we can make the other ships listen to me and device a strategy.”
“You have something in mind?!”
“I have…but…”
“But…??”
“I’d rather go rescue Casablanca than think of everyone in this place. If I can rescue her now, chances that I can return Hibiscus sanity is high, afterward, we will just escape by ourselves if I have to.”
“Gao…”
I just felt pain courses through my chest as I saw how Merissa reacted from my word. Her face says it all… she was hurt…
I hate that kind of face because it also pains my heart. If we cannot handle this situation, then that’s my last resort.
“To be honest captain, I really don’t know much about everyone here and we just met yesterday. It’s vexing to say this but I’d rather take the chance of surviving rather than gamble the possibility of we can defeat that thing…”
I have to be stern and tell her upfront of what I think about this situation.
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“What are you saying Gao? I do make a pained face but…you haven’t realized yet that…you are tearing up…”
“Eh…?”
“I was hurt because… you made that extremely agonized face…”
“Wha--! M-Me…?”
“If you guys can escape by your own, that’s fine. I wanted you guys to be safe after all but… if you are thinking that leaving us here for your own safety is cruel and would betray our trust to you, you are sorely mistaken, Gao.”
“Capta--! Merisaa…! I… cannot do such decision…*sob*… i… don’t think I can do that anymore after you said that!”
I end up crying in front of her. I don’t want to!
I don’t want to leave them just like that! I want to save everyone! I want to do something for them! I don’t want to turn my back on them!
Life is a life…just thinking how each and every life has its own significance in this world, I cannot ignore their troubles anymore.
“Gao…I am happy. I am happy but it is too cruel for your own good to torment yourself with decisions. What is your sincere selfish wish, Gao?”
“I…I want to save Casablanca but…I am uncertain if Hibiscus could fight that thing for too long…”
“I see…”
“Merissa…?”
“Then, you said that if you can probably utilize every ship here, then the chances of defeating that would be higher.”
“But…!”
“I will go after Casablanca.”
“M-Merissa?!”
“I have the right equipment and I am a good swimmer. I will save her and you will do your job here.”
“B-But… it is also uncertain if… everyone would listen to me…”
“Ah…that…? Just a little persuading and you can move them as you please. They are not that difficult to cooperate with. They are just bunch of oddballs, just like me.”
“Eh…?”
“So stop crying. I will immediately follow Casablanca and you head to the control room. Ask for Ferd and he will do to your biddings.”
Merissa promptly left me and head towards inside the deck. It seems she will gather the necessary equipment for diving. I am only left there…
As I turn my back, I can see Hibiscus riding Emby as they soar through the sky as they attack the devil with flames as black as the night sky. Her summons also decreasing in numbers but she would always create more.
The devil is too huge and Emby flies nimbly so it cannot land any attacks. The ships around the devil respectively fire their own firearms. There are instances where Hibiscus and Emby almost got hit by a stray bullet.
I fear that Hibiscus may not be defeated by the devil but rather, she will get shot down by the other ships.
“Gao! What are you still doing here?! I am going! See you later!”
“M-Merissa?!”
I have forgotten the fact that Merissa is a dwarf so seeing her carry something bigger than her startled me. What she is carrying is like a machine…or rather…a vehicle with glass covering with some weird things that I see in sci-fi movies. A mini-submarine with a propeller or something…
She throws it down and jumps after it and enters the hatch. The thing immediately dives down as Merissa pushes and did something to it. I guess I won’t be able to operate something like that myself so Merissa volunteering was a god sent.
As for me, I have to do something or Hibiscus will be in danger. I don’t want Casablanca using Astlan’s Ira due to Hibiscus getting hurt.
I rush toward the control room.
.
.
.
“Umm…Ferd…?”
“Yes, Miss Gao?”
“Can…you…help me with this…?”
“Don’t be shy Miss Gao. Please, don’t feel too awkward. I am not that kind of person that would stare or devour or bully anyone. Please rest at ease, Miss Gao.”
“No…I am not being shy…rather… I told you to help me… where is the open channel comm. so I can talk to the other ships?”
“Oh, that! My apologies, Miss Gao! The open channel comm. right?”
“Yeah…”
Because most of the time, I can only view the control room from the outside where I also need to look up a little because it is located above the deck, I never think that it would be this complicated…
What can I say? As expected of pirates that are not run-in-the-mill…
Complicated buttons beeping here and there…a large steering wheel and all the crews responsible for it are seated separately doing their own jobs.
It’s like a command room…no…wait!
This is the control room…
“You simply need to press this one, Miss Gao.”
PUSH
A funny sound came out from the button he pressed. The one he pressed has a microphone on top of it so I guess that was obviously the one. Despite the exterior of this ship is like a classic wooden ship, the inside is perfectly modernized!
Even the air here is conditioned…
“Umm…After that?”
“You can speak now Miss Gao.”
“Yes…”
This guy…Ferd… I feel like there is something weird about him that ticks me off but I cannot put it in words. I guess he only tick me off with the way he says something or emphasizes words…
Anyway, I have to say something…
I try speaking at the microphone…
“Umm… h-hello…”
“A transmission from the Iowa?! This is rare…”
“Who is this?! This isn’t certainly Merissa the machine maniac.”
“Hello!~ What a young lovely voice!~”
“Heya! Girl, want to hang out with me sometimes? A date is fine with me.”
“Forget the shit ship captain of Prinz! Rather than date, would you like to experience the joy of being an adult in a comfy bed?”
“This perverts never stop with this shit.”
“Hey you Schultz bastards, your missiles almost landed on us!”
“Almost?! Damn! Next time, I’ll get you!”
“Graf’s ship is for the losers! Fuck you all!”
“Nice call, garbage from Leberecht. You guys seem to be still eating shit.”
“Hi, this is the River Mountain Ship, we received your transmission. Could you speak more in an abusive tone?! Please! PLEASE!”
“Listen here you Iowa bunch! Where’s that little shorty bitch!”
“This is…Hois…Ahahahaha! Should I start chasing--!”
PUSH
I immediately push the button to end the conversation with them. I slowly turn my head towards Ferd with a petrified look.
“Umm…Ferd…was that…the right channel?”
“Hmm? Sounds like perfectly normal to us.”
“Ahahaha…”
What’s wrong with you people!?