Argo spent the rest of the day sitting inside his bunk, his thoughts more jumbled then ever. Questions would float up constantly, but he lacked the wisdom to discern their answers. He quickly tried to shove his anxieties to to the back of his mind, and curiously examined a new part of himself.
The mana core.
A seemingly simple blessing that had held mystical and profound meanings. Pure mana existed everywhere, flowing through every living and inanimate being seamlessly. An energy granted to humans by the Gods, serving as a means to combat the defiled left behind.
Only through a mana core could individuals harness ambient mana, channel it into themselves, and release it to achieve various effects.
Argo remembered a simple analogy, giving bread to people with different professions. While they all required food for energy, the ways they utilized that energy differed. Blacksmiths would create weapons, mages would cast spells and warriors would swing weapons. Mana was the universal source of energy capable of creating infinite phenomena.
Argo could feel the spherical shaped object resting in the center of his navel, as the mana in the air slowly funneled into his body. It was a miraculous feeling, and while Argo wasn't at the level of being able to observe mana directly he could nonetheless draw it into his core and repurpose it.
'That's weird.'
Argo observed the rate at which mana flowed into his body was like a torrent, speeding up and rapidly filling the center of his core. What started as a slow trickle quickly turned into a waterfall as he felt himself brimming with vigor and power. He was shocked, nearly knocking his head into the wall as he tried to understand the unnatural flow.
The mana around him also gravitated toward his being. It was like they desired to succumb to his will, floating around him with exuberant energy. It left Argo confused, as he manipulated them with ease unbefitting his current experience level.
He frowned, attributing it to [Hero of Finality]. Heroes blessed by the Tower were cherished by mana. Argo didn't think mana itself shared a cohesive mind, or had any thoughts whatsoever. He found it strange a natural energy could favor one being over the other.
He didn't complain about it, finding his intricate control over mana exhilarating. His current capabilities were still laughable, but with enough training and the blessing supplementing his growth, he would make huge progress.
BANG!
Argo looked up, his eyes meeting the wooden ceiling of his room that shook, dislodging dust particles onto him. The pirates were once again moving around in a clamor, yelling and drinking without a care in the world. Their hollering and bickering filled the ship with liveliness, as if they couldn't care less about the eternal night nor the monsters that prowled the deep.
After his conversation with the cold lady, he tried collecting information about the First Floor. Unfortunately, pirates tended to speak crudely and in slurs. This made it very difficult for Argo to understand their exaggerated tales, or figure out the conditions of the Isles of Endless Night.
'Isles of Endless Night, huh.' Argo silently recited the name provided to him. The naming was a little on the nose, but meaningfully so. While it didn't fully register in his mind yet, he dreaded living in a world devoid of sunlight. After living for so long with it, suddenly losing it was very disconcerting. It meant he would have to carry a lantern with him whenever he went out, or fear things may be watching him in the darkness.
It also caused his mind to wander to how the isles had ended up like this in the first place. He knew the floors of Halcyon differed greatly according to others. You could have a vast mountain range filled with snow, to a burning labyrinth in the bowels of the earth.
From the tall tales the rowdy sailors spun, it seemed like the night wasn't always like this. Which prompted Argo to think about the quest he received.
Pulling up the Records, Argo deduced that his quest about releasing the sun must have to do with the isles' eternal night. Yet there was another perplexing question to him.
'How does one exactly imprison the sun?' It sounded like a stupid question, but it deeply irked him. With all the types of unnatural phenomena Argo could only assume stealing the sun was commonplace.
Before he could continue his thoughts, an ear splitting shriek dominated the atmosphere. The large ship toiling in dark waves was subjected to an otherworldly force. The tranquil of the night was shattered with the metallic screech of a dying demon.
'What the hell?!' Argo silently cursed, nearly falling off his bed. His ears were ringing, and his vision was wobbly. It felt like someone had pulverized the back of his head with a metal hammer. If this was the aftershock of a scream, how dangerous was the actual creature creating it?
What followed was the sound of splintering wood, and boards coming apart at their seams. The entire ship shook, as an evil pressure dominated the ship. It felt like Argo was at the precipice of a large cliff, gazing at a malevolent abyss below. His heart was clasped in an iron-hold grip.
He could hear the pirates yelling in horror, and indignation as the sound of cannon-fire discharged into the night sky. It seemed they were used to sudden attacks, able to unleash a swift counterattack. Their quick actions spurred Argo into action, as he regained clarity.
BOOM! BOOM!
Argo slammed the door open, heading to the deck to investigate. He would've preferred to lock himself inside his room, waiting out whatever storm the ship was embroiled in. But the sense of danger filling the air shook those thoughts away. Who knew if remaining stationary would lead to his demise.
The ship shook again, and he could hear nails popping and metal shearing like the vessel was in the grip of a mad giant. The hull groaned under the immense strain, threatening to collapse against the monstrous force. The hallway would tilt in dangerous angles, slamming him against the walls.
Through some miracle, Argo managed to locate the stairs leading to the uppermost deck. He was met with a curtain of rain, dousing his hair and face.
Argo wished he should've stayed in his room. Through the dense rain that enshrouded the ship, a giant yellow eye appeared like a ball of hatred. Its sheer width seemed to span at least half the ship, causing Argo to shudder about how large its actual body was. An army of slippery tentacles as thick as trees slammed into the deck, either wrapping themselves around pirates and railings, or piercing through the floors.
He wasn't sure of its exact grade, monsters were scaled with from G-S based on their lethality and danger to humanity. He knew all monsters on Floor 1 were Rank 0, a rule ironclad set by the Tower. He could only hope this specific being couldn't manipulate mana or use a skill to turn the tides.
The creature that expressed malevolent hatred toward the ship resembled a kraken, a giant squid that was capable of flattening towns and destroying large scale ships in minutes. It was the first time Argo had laid eyes on an Abhorrent before. Most of his knowledge had come from recounts and word of mouth.
He was frozen in terror. His legs were shaking, and his body wouldn't respond. A grim smile tugged at his face, he couldn't even move. After everything that had happened, he was still scared.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
'What the hell is that? I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't be here!' Argo yelled in his mind, trying to get his body moving. The sailors around him promptly ignored the stuttering youth. They moved with fluid teamwork, reloading cannons and launching devastating counterattacks.
Argo was knocked to the side by a tentacle, the impact knocking the breath out of him. His vision blurred, and he collided against a pile of barrels. Sending splinters of wood into the air, he lay in a heap. It hurt. Just a stray hit had nearly knocked him into the other world, and his right side was screaming in pain.
Another shriek pierced the atmosphere, and Argo could feel something wet drip from his nose and ears. When he examined his fingers, they were stained in crimson blood. He was far too weak to do anything.
"Men, fire!" Captain Reid's voice boomed like a thunderstorm. Unbefitting his usual laid-back demeanor, his orders carried strict authority.
What followed were a deluge of explosions. The cannonballs pulverized the main body of the kraken, releasing acidic blood into the air. The galleon rocked uncontrollably, some of the larger tentacles released the ship from its grip. The smell of gunpowder rolled through the deck, and the tentacles started moving in a frenzy.
Like prodding an angry beehive, they swarmed the deck with bloodlust. Their inky facades downing pirates and shredding wood with feverish intensity.
Dozens of men were knocked to the side in the following madness, were sent overboard. The wooden deck began splintering from the pressure, disfiguring the landscape.
To Argo's shock, he felt an intense pressure engulf the air as several illusionary cannons formulated around the captain. They looked like they were crafted of emerald energy, radiating immense energy. Before he could further observe them further, they fired.
BOOM!
The winds whipped in a frenzy, the kraken bellowing in pain, sending more green blood flying. Indentations and scratches marred the surface of its large body, as men recovered from their surprise and started attacking.
Guns and cannons discharged in a discordant symphony, as sabers sheared the air cutting tentacles apart. Some started casting spells, an army of multicolored light in the form of spears, balls, and arrows slamming into the kraken's slimy exterior. In the flood of attacks, it looked like the tide was tilting in their favor.
Lightning crackled, fire blazed, and wind sheered to create a wave of unstoppable attacks that threatened the kraken's iron hold over the ship. It could only absorb the attacks with hatred, unable to shield itself.
Argo rolled, narrowly dodging a frenzied tentacle before scooping a saber off the floor. It felt uncomfortable in his hand, but its weight provided solace. Tightening his grip he attempted to slash a nearby tentacle.
To his dismay the slimy skin repelled the blade, almost causing him to stumble. Panic set in, as feelings of fear threatened to take over his sanity. No matter how much he mentally prepared himself for fighting an Abhorrent, witnessing the actual thing was a different story. He was just a kid from a remote village, untrained and inexperienced.
His knuckles whitened, and his breathing came out in wheezes as his blood felt like they were being filled with cold water. Even after suffering through that horrible trauma, he was still shackled by fear? Was he still the same child unable to do anything?
'Am I just a coward?'
"What the hell are you doing?" A familiar voice shocked him out of his stupor. A dark blur flashed past him, nearly camouflaging itself in the dead of night.
It was a small knight, or maybe a squire molded from inky black shadows. Its armaments lacked intricate designs, with only obsidian plate-mail covering its vitals for the sake of mobility.
Wielding an onyx short sword, its strikes sundered the air. The tentacle's flesh parted, and green blood spilled to the deck as Argo tried to regain his footing. The shadow knight was unshaken, utilizing it's swiftness to deliver debilitating strikes. Ducking and rolling with ease, it moved like an expert through the forest of disgusting appendages.
He glanced back, noticing the enigmatic girl glaring at him from before. Her expression remained aloof, but her obsidian eyes were covered in a sheen of annoyance.
"If you're not going to do anything, get out of the way." Expressing her dissatisfaction in an icy tone, she ran past him into the fray. Twin lights coalesced themselves into a pair of curved swords, turning into a storm of slashes. Argo watched her with newfound respect; she did possess strength worthy of her attitude. Paired with her capable summon, the two wreaked havoc on any open appendage.
But he couldn't rebuke her, she was right after all. He was useless, unable to lift a finger in resisting the attack of the colossal Abhorrent. He couldn't even wield his sword correctly.
Despite being inflicted with heavy wounds and sustaining continuous cannon and magic fire, the beast's crazed behavior persisted. If anything the attacks it sustained only seemed to anger it further, pushing it further into madness.
Captain Reid bellowed and his emerald cannons fired again, the winds bending to his will. The winds enhanced the ferocity of the attack, creating a louder explosion. Jackson followed, his saber slicing through the air with surgical precision, none of his moves wasting energy.
The pair moved in fluid cohesion, seemingly tempered by years of working together. The captain concentrated on ranged bombardment, capitalizing on Jackson's strength on close quarters. Like an impenetrable wall, the first mate's saber severed anything that threatened the safety of his captain.
Befitting the status of pirates, the crew yelled obscenities into the night air; their spirits blazing with the magic pulverizing the air around them. Their attitude was like they were drinking and hollering in a pub, not a battlefield. Even with their lives in danger their liveliness didn't hinder in the slightest.
Argo firmed his resolve, casting all unnecessary thoughts out of his head. Trying to use the excuse of being useless wouldn't do anything for him. If he truly wanted to get stronger, he had to take the first step.
He wasn't sure if Captain Reid and his crew were capable of eradicating the Abhorrent before them. It's sheer power was already threatening to sink the ship, but it could still have some hidden cards. Argo wasn't going to sit around and find out.
[The Miracle], a skill that let him interfere with the folds of fate, and clear a new path. If in his Inherent really was capable of forging a new path, then forge a new path he shall.
He steeled his mind, and like second nature invoked the power of [The Miracle]. Instantly he felt something within his soul come to life, as miniature particles gravitated toward his sword. While at first Argo thought it was mana, the particles radiated an unrivalled energy. The energy congregating around his sword was reminiscent of the prism-like color of Mirin's eyes. It was white, but also a multitude of colors from the color spectrum as they reflected against each other.
Argo could feel the mana in his sword gain newfound empowerment through the existence of the particles, as the colors surrounded his sword like a hurricane of light. It pulsated with an otherworldly glow, the former saber turning into a crescent moon of destruction.
Unfortunately the tentacles around him weren't going to let him do as he pleased. The monster had grown attracted to the light suffused around him. With newfound energy, it concentrated the brunt of its attacks on him.
Before they could even harm Argo, the shadow squire moved. Its sword drew beautiful arcs in the air, managing to block multiple strikes in his stead. No matter how many it cut down, more attempted to make its way to him.
Argo silently thanked the girl in his head, she wasn't as cold-hearted as he thought. She must've believed he was up to something useful; and he didn't want to disappoint her in the slightest. The potency of [Enhancement] was truly potent, forcing Argo to pour all of his concentration into maintaining it. It felt like he was trying to compress and mold pure fire, as it threatened to explode in his grip- only by sheer force of will was he able to keep going.
Argo grimaced, feeling his energy drain as he poured more energy into [The Miracle]. Both mana and his mental strength poured into the extraordinary skill, leaving his face pale. It felt like his very soul was being sucked dry to fuel such a miraculous power.
'So this is the power of miracles...' He silently muttered in awe.
"What are you doing lad?!" Captain Reid yelled, his eyes drawn to the angelic power filling the air around Argo.
Reflected in a nearby puddle, Argo could see himself. With his X-shaped red eyes, wielding a saber glowing with a god-like power. It presented an image reminiscent of a heroic legend.
Captain Reid's projections continued to fire non-stop, but his face was paling as each second passed. The previously vibrant green hue of his cannons were now a dark shade of moss, on the verge of collapsing. It was clear he wouldn't be able to hold on for longer.
Jackson's movements had slowed, clear exhaustion written on his face. He had shifted to dodging and parrying tentacles instead of dismembering them. They were overwhelming him, slowly pushing him back.
Argo yelled, the wind and rain slapping at his face threatening to snuff out his voice over the clamor of swords and thrashing of tentacles. It was a long shot, but he felt that with [The Miracle], he might just be able to turn the tides.
"Guard me you dumbasses! I might have a way!"
He felt his choice of words struck a chord within the captain. The prismatic storm of light that surrounded his sword was a testament to his words. He could only hope that the others would believe him.
Captain Reid bellowed, "You heard the kid! Let's place our bets on a dumbass!"
Despite the cacophony of intense battle, and a demon possessed behemoth lurking above the waves, the surrounding pirates hollered in laughter. They began fighting with increased vigor and ferocity, their penchant for violence riding at an all time high.
The enigmatic girl's black hair whipped in the wind as she gracefully cut down any tentacles near her, her dual short swords flashing in a deadly dance. Her swordsmanship left Argo in awe, and he his concentration waned when observing her.
Argo could only hope this miraculous power would be enough to deal devastating damage to the kraken.