Chapter 23

Part 1

Below the grass in the water were fast-swimming huge creatures that looked terrifying, but if one looked closer they would see a bunch of fly fishes gathered together impersonating sea monsters.

There were about seven of them each looking different but nonetheless, they were a few hundred meters large close to a thousand which made them so terrifying.

This is a form they take when hunting or to scare off other large predators.

To form this form of theirs there needs to be a fly kingfish in the middle of it piloting them.

And just like how monsters who evolved have cores, their core is the king and with its command, they form over him moving with each of the king's thoughts.

A hazy green energy was covering them resonating with the king, this hazy green energy is what keeps them together and strengthens them.

The seven hives all looked different each taking the form of other sea creatures.

The first one ahead was like an eel with two whiskers like that of a dragon or catfish.

The second one looked like a shark with three fins and 18 holes where the eyes were supposed to be.

The third one was a two-headed and two-tailed serpent, the fourth one was like a killer whale, the fifth one was like a bird with fish-like characteristics, the sixth one was like a swordfish, and the seventh one was like a huge version of fly kingfish.

They swam fast as they were warned about dangers coming to them.

***

Part 2

Grasses fell in the water making way for the Empire's vessel which was moving fast as it mowed them with the circular saws on the sides.

A soldier in a black and blue uniform held a monocular scouting ahead of them.

In the distance, he could see the tall grasses waving strangely like something was moving fast toward them.

"Enemy ahead." He shouted.

This shout brought everyone to attention preparing for battle.

Vice-Admiral Blade jumped on the figurehead looking ahead but in his view was nothing but that still didn't make him not get ready for battle.

Because their scouts are the best when it comes to their work besides the scout was looking from a high place and he was not.

"Vice-Admiral Magnolia, do you think there's more than one hive coming for us?"

To his question, no answer came as the person in question was busy ordering around the soldiers.

"Move, move, move 2nd commander Oyama 2nd commander Loebner move to the left and right side prepare the harpoon cannons and make sure you are not out of harpoons everyone else use the lethal crossbows supporting them." She paused looking at Vice-admiral Blade but shook her head and started ordering again.

"1st commander Saucer take our backs and take command while I and Vice-admiral Blade will take on the hives."

"Yes, ma'am…" All three sisters spoke simultaneously running into their positions while some soldiers followed them.

This vessel ship is 400 meters long and equipped with cannons that shoot harpoons and large crossbows the same size as the cannons.

Harpoon Cannon: Weighs 10,000 pounds and shoots 5 wireless harpoons 3-6 meters long.

This is not a cannon that shoots powdered ammunition and the insides of this cannon are made in a way that it can launch long distances.

Lethal Crossbows: lethal compared to the cannon but short-ranged.

"Enemy at 12 o'clock another at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock and their approaching fast." Yelled the scout.

"OK, soldiers prepare your aims, and scout shout when in range."

Everyone nodded in acknowledgment saying as their breaths floated in rhymes.

"Ki Art Accuracy Boast"

"Ki Art Penetration"

All soldiers aiming their crossbows shouted as the Ki in them surged traveling to their large crossbows.

All of a sudden something unexpected happened.

Bam

The ship was attacked from below tilting it sideways.

"Damn, they are below us." Vice-Admiral Blade shouted sheathing his short blades and attacking in crossed-down style.

"Fang Over Fang"

The image of fangs shot down into the water.

Splash

The water moved in two ways for half a meter deep before disappearing.

And as he thought there was nothing he wasn't dispirited though.

From the left side of the ship, the eel-like hive flyfish jumped out shooting out little water droplets.

2nd commander Loebner used her awakened ability to block the water droplets, though they looked like ordinary water droplets they were not because one hit of it and your head is gone but that only happens if you're a normal person as for others who awakened or are star-warrior it will only injure them.

The injury would be severe if multiple water droplets hit.

Flower petals appeared they formed together like wings blocking the attack.

"Fire!" She screamed as she blocked the attack.

The soldiers fired the cannons and launched the crossbows.

Boom Boom Boom

The harpoons were launched making loud noises as they penetrated the petals and headed for the eel hive flyfish which was 960 meters long but most of its body was in the water.

Before any of the harpoons could hit it though water rose and another hive came out this one like a bird being 300 meters.

This water didn't block the attacks but it made a slight turn to the side giving the eel hive time to dodge it.

Whoosh

Both hives flew up.

"Aim at the sky do not worry about the waters the saws will defend the side if they come at us." 2nd commander Loebner yelled preparing to shield them if they attacked from above.

The soldiers aimed their cannons and crossbows up shooting immediately without orders given to them.

It was not a sign of disobedience as they are experienced soldiers and once their battle begins they won't stop attacking unless told to do so.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

On the other side where 2nd commander Oyama was a hive similar to the eel appeared but it had two heads that were like serpents.

The distance between the ship and the hive wasn't small but due to the size of the creature it was in range.

Half of its body was hidden in the grass and water having two tails.

The two tails were like tubes sucking in the water as where the mouth was the water came out and the pressure of the water was increasing pushing the ship.

2nd commander Oyama's hands turned into tree trunks stretching out longer and it became a wall of trunks blocking the water but the water pressure was strong making her shout as veins was protruding from her hands and head as she used her ability it looked painful but she continued blocking it while shouting.

"Ahhhhhh…"

"Wall of Trunks Double Tree"

The soldiers next to her attacked to support her.

Whoosh

The harpoon and arrows were blown away as the hive that looked like a bird appeared flapping its wings, a combination of little flyfishes.

While this bird hive flew side to side blowing away the harpoons and arrows the two-headed and two-tailed hive increased the pressure shooting more water in large quantities.

At the front vice-admiral Blade attacked the water it looked like there was nothing but deep in the water he could sense a large creature bigger than the ship itself coming up.

The others were longer or bigger than the ship but didn't weigh more than the ship but what was coming up was definitely going to sink the ship with one or two hits.

So, before that happened he was attacking with all his might.

His skin which was dark turned furry expanding, the spine in his back cracked and moved like a snake rising up, his head from the nose to ears stretching longer forward and upwards as fangs protruded from his mouth, and his hands also grew longer passing the knees, and with a howl, he became a grey werewolf.

-Vice-Admiral Bill Blade Awakened Ability: Zoan Type Uncommon Dire Wolf

This was his hybrid form being three meters tall.

The growls that came out his mouth were growing and becoming hoarser.

"Roar"

Fearing for the worst he dived down into the water to confront the upcoming hive.

With his blades facing downwards, he slashed and slashed cutting down flyfishes that were being shot out from the mouth of a hive that looked like a killer whale.

They were like round balls having a strong impact when they came into contact with his blade pushing him back but he refused to give up holding his breath.

He dived down deeper ignoring them as he came face to face with the killer whale hive.

The big mouth opened to swallow him but he swam to where the upper jaw was stabbing down the blades.

"Fang Over Fang Bite Down Blades"

He stabbed hard pushing the blades deep into the hive which made it violently shake and with that force, he was pushed back to the surface leaving the blades behind.

Whoosh

"Huff" "Huff" "Huff"

He breathed out taking the oxygen, taking in the air he prepared to dive back but before that blood surfaced, and a large ball was shot out knocking him out of the water.

On the ball of flyfish were his short blades.

Gripping them he slashed out slicing the ball that was a combination of many flyfishes into many pieces.

"We are outnumbered and out leagued." Looking at the ship that was under siege from all sides by huge hives, he sighed.

Sigh

"Shave"

He disappeared reappearing on the ship's deck.

"What took you long?" Asked vice-admiral Magnolia.

"Sorry had to stop that thing before it knocked us." He replied still panting.

"Huff" "Huff"

"OK… then get ready I'll distract them for a few seconds." As she spoke she prepared a considerable attack.

"Ki Art Greater Stamina"

Ki surged in her veins and muscles giving her more vigorous stamina.

"Domain Expansion Grassfield Hair"

Her hair rose up turning green and long becoming a thick grass-like vine.

"Ahhhhhh now!" With her shout.

Her hair and the grass around her shot out in all directions aimed at the hives this alerted them making them fly into the sky to dodge.

It was then the helmsman stirred the ship to retreat when he saw this opportunity.

As well as Vice-admiral Magnolia, everyone else attacked to prevent them from getting swarmed and sunk.

The circular saws stopped moving as the grass was being manipulated to help them escape instead of being in the way of their ship.

There are two ways to use domain expansion. The first method is to create a dome that traps the user and the opponent into a realm of the user's power.

In addition, they can double their ability by using outside sources that match theirs.

The grass hair was still growing longer and thicker and clearly, this meant vice-admiral Magnolia was going all out as the strength in her body went into her head and it seemed if it continued longer she might collapse.

"Let me support you, vice-admiral ma'am." 1st commander Saucer said activating her ability.

"Healing Sprout"

Waves of sprout appeared on her body giving her stamina and strengthening her body like a cooling AC.

Suddenly the voice of the scout resounded, "Incoming from above." From his voice, they panicked surrounding Vice-admiral Magnolia.

Above the ship, the eel hive was zig-zagging like a snake coming at them fast as a bolt of electricity surrounded it.

"Boss!" A chubby soldier with a scar on his face called out to Vice-admiral Blade with a smile on his face as three others from the same squad as him stood next to him.

"Alright guys, after me." He gave them the same smile with his wolf mouth which was scary.

Kicking the deck with one foot he jumped up to confront the eel hive.

"Shave"

He left shadow after images appearing on top of the long eel hive which was swirling down.

With bloodshot eyes, he went into a frenzy repeatedly stabbing it with his short blades.

"Rapid Fangs"

From below the chubby soldier threw two harpoons like a spear it rapidly flew at the eel hive's head.

And while the harpoon was in the air another soldier jumped up transforming into a kangaroo kicking the two harpoons farther accelerating the speed it was going.

Splash

Blood splurted as the harpoons perfectly hit the hole that was like eyes killing punch of flyfishes that were in the head, this made the piloting fly kingfish move back farther into the eel's chest area.

Boom

Both the eel hive and vice-admiral Blade crash-landed on the deck while half of its body landed in the water splashing water into the ship.

The chubby soldier threw himself at the eel hive transforming into a bear.

"Booming Slam"

With that slam of the bear, many flyfishes died further lowering the number which makes up the body parts of the hive.

The other soldiers started launching the lethal crossbow and with each hit flyfishes died.

As the hives are a combination of flyfishes every damage done to it means the death of flyfish therefore if many are killed the size decreases making the hive weaker.

Vice-Admiral Blade was in a frenzy keeping it down while doing work with his short blades.

"Slamming Trunk Hammer"

Boom

The deck was damaged and the ship shook as the blood of flyfishes covered everywhere this was done by 2nd commander Oyama who came down with a strong attack splitting the hive into two.

The upper half which was on deck got separated from the other half and unfortunately, the fly kingfish was in the upper half leaving it defenseless against their onslaught

"Thiefing Wolf Claw"

A bloodied claw went threw the hive snatching the fly kingfish and aiming to end it once and for all.

When the hive was split in two vice-admiral Blade took the chance unleashing a deadly attack on the confused hive.

"Waaaaaaah"

Crunch

The werewolf vice-admiral put it in his mouth not giving the creature time to summon its hive back together.

Crunch Crunch Crunch

After munching it down he looked staggered.

"Huff" "Huff" "Huff"

He looked behind them his eyes shaking in shock because of what he was witnessing.

Three hives emerged from the waters combining with the other three looking agitated.

The flyfishes were like clouds of bees but larger and many in number their wings buzzing like locusts. They swirled like planes coming together piece by piece forming a huge sea creature.

They were in the billions not to mention somewhere in the water not visible.

The upper half of the body was forming as wings and hands attached to it and a large number forming the head, it was like seeing clouds coming together to form a monster.

"Roar"

The whole body of the creature roared in sinc sounding completely different from before.

What they formed was not an ordinary sea creature but not it was the nightmare of sea creatures and land, a monster of 4,860 meters

Name: Baby Kaiju Flyfish Hive

Overall Size: 4.86 kilometers

It had four green eyes each being the fly kingfish piloting the baby kaiju and the energy that enveloped it was massive and thicker.

It stood like a humanoid creature the arms being slightly smaller with wings that spanned 50 meters on each side the head being like a dinosaur with horns.

If not the energy keeping them together like that people who have phobias would die on the spot due to the continuous moving of the flyfishes as they kept in formation.

Back on the ship, everyone was flabbergasted.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" Asked one of the soldiers looking pale as the horror written on his face was clear.

Thud

Getting them back to reality was the fall of vice-admiral Magnolia who was drained out of energy after having kept the hives busy with her ultimate ability.

Vice-Admiral Blade grinned looking at the soldiers before saying in a hoarse voice.

"You three take her and escape we'll keep them busy, I believe with your abilities crossing the seas until reaching the closest base won't be a problem…"

"But sir…" 2nd commander Loebner said.

"No buts it's an order now go…" He screamed.

"Yes, 2nd commander leave it to us." The rest of the soldiers said, in their faces were the smiles of soldiers ready to go with laughter as no soldier cries in the face of death when serving their homeland.

Whoosh

2nd commander Oyama and 1st commander Saucer jumped into the sea on the shoulder of the 1st commander was Vice-admiral Magnolia and beneath the feet of 2nd commander Oyama was a wooden blank the size of two doors staying in the waters like a raft.

"Come on sis." Backend 1st commander looking at the sad eyes of 2nd commander Loebner.

The winds of petals blew pushing the raft as Loebner jumped on tears going down her face not looking back as they got farther from the ship.

No words were spoken as their looks conveyed all that needs to be said…

Even though an Empire vessel was defeated on this day, its soldiers were honorable and did not run in cowardice because they knew that death was not an option since they took an oath to fight for the Empire to complete its mission.

***

Part 3

Overlooking at the destruction he brought upon those who faced him the king roared in victory

"Roar"

The whole area of the grass field was frozen and broken apart as dead frozen hives lay there with missing kings as they became the food of the king.

"Send however many minions you wish they will end up the same dead under my paws."

The king moved forward still oozing the cold aura of ice as wherever he passed froze.

End of Chapter 23