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The next day started just like any other day, and I couldn't wait to get out of Zelran Ocean. The entire crew was, of course, up early managing the ship as I decided to make my way up to the crow's nest.

The frigid air felt even worse up here, but the job of a lookout always had to be done no matter the weather.

I used my telescope to see farther across the ocean, and I could tell that we were almost out because there seemed to be less ice around. The Zelran Ocean was quite weird how the temperature here can just plummet suddenly for a time. It's almost as if the world was being controlled in a way.

"Just less ice and more water." I sighed, "I kind of feel like Delfar is pretty boring after hearing about other planets and me-" A sudden gust of wind passed over sending chills throughout my body.

"Ugh....so cold! Was that the planet's way of telling me to shut up?" I shook my head at the thought.

I took another look across the ocean, but still, nothing unusual was happening.

"Hey! You see anything?"Fay asked as she flew up to me and landed on top of my head.

"No, I don't see anything. Although I kind of having this bad feeling something is about to happen." I frowned slightly.

"Mmm...I kind of feel that too."

"Really?" I place my telescope down as I looked up at her.

"No, I'm just kidding~, "Fay said before she started to laugh delightedly.

I groaned in annoyance as I took one last look through the telescope.

"Hm..?.... It's more Qualze!" I shouted at the top of my lungs so that everyone on the ship could hear me. I had spotted yellow fins sticking out of the ocean several hundred feet away to the left of us.

"Again?.... Wait, why am I complaining?"Derek said after he had heard about the approaching Qualze.

"Prepare for battle!"Derek commanded sternly.

Liam was taking a rest to stabilize himself because the curse started to flare up a bit. He couldn't have another episode or he would be out for a while.

"Aye, Sir!" The crew members worked rapidly as they aimed the magic cannons at the incoming Qualze.

I shouted again, "Derek! I counted about 100 it has to be the leading pack. The queen might be somewhere!"

"Damn. I knew a previous couple of days went too smoothly! We need to thin them down as we escape!"

Once they were in position Derek would give the order, "Fire!".

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The cannonballs whistled through the air as several of them would hit the oncoming Qualze. The hit obliterated them on impact, leaving only smoke behind. The cannonballs were made out of sturdy unique material, and being shot out of a magic cannon made them quite lethal.

The remaining Qualze became angry as they all started to use their magic.

But it was different this time!

The abundant water around them instantly formed into considerably large spheres above their heads, and they launched them as if they were a cannon!

Derek's eyes bulged as he shouted, "Fay! Shield now!"

Fay flew into the air instantly, "Aye, sir!"Fay closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment as a red flash of light appeared around the ship. Her magic shield now protected the ship.

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*Booom! Boom! Boom!*

The spheres of water hit just like a cannon, but with even more force. It would move the ship slightly to the side even though the magic shield protected it.

"Guh..."Fay groaned as sweat started to appear on her brow.

"Fay? How many of those can you take?"I gazed up at her with worry.

"N-not much I'm afraid...these Qualze are stronger than the others!"Fay frowned as she closed her eyes again to focus her magic, strengthening the shield.

"Shit...Derek! Fay can't take too many more of those!"I jumped out of the crow's nest and onto the main deck before running to Derek.

"Take evasive maneuvers! Ellie, use your wind to move us while Fay is focusing on the shield!"

"Aye, sir!" Ellie wheeled herself onto the quarter-deck and closed her eyes to focus. She willed the wind to push the sails, causing the ship to move even faster. However, it wasn't quite fast enough as the Qualze were still closing in.

Derek groaned, "We won't be able to outrun the Qualze at this rate." He then turns to me, "Maybe you should get to the bridge and-."

I realized what Derek was trying to get me to do and I immediately blurted out, "No way!"

(There is no way I could use that power again...no way!)

I became frightened at the thought as I closed my eyes. Derek could see I was afraid, but instead of reprimanding me he would suggest another plan.

"Ian..." Ellie caught a glimpse at my vulnerable side, but she decided to focus on her task than to try to comfort me.

"Listen up! Our captain is still resting. So, we need to at least hold them off for a bit. I say at least another hour before the captain is awake. Reload those cannons now!"

Despite being one of the weakest pirates, Derek never shrank away from his duties as the first mate. The crew had no trouble listening to him, despite his slightly off-putting character as slight know it all.

The crew members rushed to reload the cannons with the remaining Qualze fast approaching.

*HISSSSS!!*

Several of the Qualze started to cover their bodies with water and leaped into the air.

They were going to ram the ship!

"Fire!" Derek said as another round of cannonballs shot out, exploding on impact. The explosions would seize some of the Qualze, but some were lucky enough to get through!

*Crash!*

The Qualze slammed right into Fay's shield with so much force that ship even started to tip to the other side slightly. Once they realize nothing was happening, they would repeatedly slam into the magic shield to shatter it.

Fay screamed as she struggled desperately to keep her magic shield up. However, despite her size, she was also someone quite strong!

"....T-Thorn Festival!" Fay's sparkling eyes became fierce as every piece of wood on the outside of the ship turned vivid red. In the next instant giant horrifying thorns thrust out, impaling the Qualze that were attacking the ship. The thorns then retracted into the ship, causing the Qualze to sink into the ocean.

Instant death!

A moment of silence would commence. The crew knew Fay was a magic user, but besides using her shield she never used anything else in front of them.

"Holy shit! They got fucked!"A random crew member would break the silence as everyone was quite shocked by the display.

I looked up to see if Fay was fairing well, but I would see the little fairy falling from the sky.

"Fay!' I quickly climbed up the ladder leading to the crow's nest and jumped off halfway to catch Fay midair.

I immediately fell onto the deck, but the pain of the impact was only minuscule.

"Fay are you alright?!" I shouted as I looked at the weakened fairy in my hands. Derek instantly rushed to my side to check on her as well.

"I... don't like using that magic..."Fay muttered as she immediately fainted. The shield that was protecting the ship instantly disappeared along with the little fairy's consciousness.

"Fay?! Fay! Wh-" I shouted before I was smacked in the head by Derek

"Shut it, kid! She is just resting! Take her away to the infirmary!"Derek sternly said as he glared at me.

I gritted my teeth as I nodded slightly before getting up on my feet being extremely careful with Fay in my hands.

"I can't...go on..." Ellie said as her face was drenched with perspiration. She immediately lost control over her wind and the speed of the ship decreased. Ellie wasn't used to using her powers on that large of a scale, and she quickly ended up exhausted.

Derek clenched his fist as he tried to come up with another plan, "Shit we only have about 30 minutes before the captain wakes u-"

*Rumble!*

The ocean started to shake as if it was angry. All of the living Qualze quickly stopped chasing the ship and turned around to look at the source of the rumbling.

*HISSSSSSSSRRRAAAA!!*

A large amount of ocean water sprayed into the air in the distance as a giant blue-skinned fish almost twice the size of the ship revealed itself!

"Holy shit it's my ex-wife!"The same member who spoke out earlier shouted. The monster was really ugly

"Not the time man!"The member next to him shouted as he looked at him in disbelief. "What is he? An idiot?" He thought.

"No really They lo-!"

"Shut up!" Derek glared at the two members who were talking, and they immediately shut their mouths.

"Is that the queen?! How the hell is it so big?!" I stared gloomily at the Qualze Queen and it looked even more ghastly than an average Qualze. Its exposed teeth were as large as an adult male and I lost count how many there were. The cruel eyes of the queen were frightening to look at, and the entire crew could feel its bloodlust several hundred feet away

*HISSSSSSRAAAAAAA!!*

I groaned in agony as the noise of the queen was deafening and fear started to sink into my body.

We didn't stand a chance!