Chapter 585

I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

Ian’s brow furrowed in disgust, but even so, the strength in his arms did not loosen.

Crack—

The sensation of cutting through hard mud traveled up the hilt. The blade sank deep, up to the crossguard, and a moment later, Ian collided with a sticky membrane. The impact wasn't severe, thanks to the unpleasantly soft surface, which was covered in small protrusions. Of course, the viscous fluid that filled the eyeball also helped to slow him down.

What a load of shit, seriously…

His brow furrowed even deeper. The surroundings were growing lukewarm as Karha’s divinity began to burn away the chaos. The remnants were then claimed by the essence bead.

Rumble… Rumble…

The bead of chaos essence pulsed vividly, sucking in the chaos. As Ian quietly clicked his tongue at the sensation of burning heat outside and chilling cold within, a piercing scream vibrated through him.

At the same time, Bukikia began to thrash convulsively. Ian instinctively reached out his left hand and grabbed one of the protrusions in front of him; the deeply embedded blade was sliding downward, tearing through flesh.

Fwoosh—

A moment later, a crimson light, visible even with his eyes closed, erupted like lava and engulfed him. It was undoubtedly Bukikia’s bodily fluid.

Rumble— Rumble—

The pulse of the bead of chaos essence grew stronger, then all his senses vanished. However, Ian didn't panic.

Always at times like these.

It was a phenomenon he was now all too familiar with. He must have been connected to Bukikia’s consciousness again. And just as he’d thought, memories that were not his own flashed before his eyes.

The sunlit sea stretched out in beauty. Countless kin swam alongside, and behind them loomed massive sea beasts, shaped like a blend of octopus and squid. Unlike the ones Ian had seen before, these sea beasts looked comparatively natural, sharing the waters with the many predators of the ocean.

And then came the sight of ships attacking them. Chaos erupted with roars and screams, the sea darkening with blood as the creatures fell. Through the turmoil, crimson-tinged waves surged forward.

I told you. I’m not interested.

Amidst the anger and desire for revenge that were not his, Ian guessed that his last blow must have been a fatal one. The creature had been dying already, after all.

Still, the scenes continued to flow, mostly of bloody battles. Sinking ships, terrified humans, dying minions, and a lightless underwater cave appeared.

After anger and fear tangled in chaos, a black wall cleaving the middle of the sea appeared before him. Darkness spread from its slimy surface, muddying the sea.

—It’s interesting, I’ll give you that.

The whisper pierced his mind just as the vision of the darkened sea and the vast ocean intersected. The feelings of longing and desire were clear.

—Thanks to you, it looks like this thing has really lost it, Friend. It’s moving with us still attached.

At that moment, all his senses returned. As Yog had said, Bukikia was moving. Between the pulse of his essence bead and the fading heat, he felt the pressure of the current rushing past his body.

So only the desire to return to the ocean remains, then.

As he thought this, Ian realized Yog hadn't been thrown off either. If it had, he would have been pulled along with it by the rope. It seemed Yog had torn into Bukikia’s hide and buried its head there.

His eyes then twitched as he remembered Yog was injured. It hadn't been a shallow wound to begin with, and now, after ramming Bukikia at full speed, its condition was surely much worse.

—How about we just stay on for the ride, my friend? If you can still hold your breath, that is.

Ian, who had crouched to leap off, paused. The creature’s languid whisper continued.

—This thing, it’s going up now. Let’s get off once we’re on the surface. That seems safer.

The creature was right. Ian finally realized that Bukikia was ascending at a diagonal. It wouldn't be surprising if it tried to create a massive waterspout in a final, desperate act. That was a situation he had to prevent.

As Bukikia’s scream tore through the water, Yog’s laughter-tinged whisper spread languidly.

—Besides, this thing’s chaos is quite tasty.

So that was the real reason.

The corner of Ian’s mouth twisted up slightly. He didn't jump. He just pushed the hilt of the sword in his right hand deeper. Whatever state Yog was in, it wasn’t about to die this instant.

***

Crack, Boom!

The series of crystal barriers all exploded at once. The sea beast that had surged up with several tentacles screamed and plunged beneath the surface.

"What in the world are you doing, Ian?"

But there was no trace of a smile on the face of Thesaya, who was standing at the stern railing. Wiping the blood from her nose with the back of her hand, she whipped her head to the right.

Another crimson arc was approaching diagonally from the port side. Below the surface, the long shape of what looked like a deep-sea fish was becoming clearer. As she strode forward, worm-like veins bulged and twitched around her eyes.

"Ugh!"

Thesaya frowned and staggered. She clutched her head, then vomited a mouthful of blood. It wasn't a magic exhaustion. The roots and blood vessels within her were overheated. It was a backlash from having cast far too many spells in succession.

Rumble— Boom!

As she gasped for breath, the orange fireball that had been unleashed exploded, scattering flames downward. The sea beast that had briefly shown itself beneath the surface screamed and sank.

"Are you alright, Sister?" Lucia shouted, lowering the arm she had held out.

Thesaya started and snapped back at her. "O-Of course! It’s nothing!"

However, her face was deathly pale. The blazing sacred flame behind Lucia was not in good shape either. The warmth still covered the deck, but the fire was far smaller than when it had first been kindled. There was no more fuel left to feed it.

Screech—Buo-oooooo—

At the monster cries that followed, Thesaya immediately turned, preparing a spell. Her eyes, veins twitching, narrowed a moment later.

The sea beasts were moving away. Wailing as though in confusion, they all turned toward the distant sea.

"Could it be?" Thesaya and Lucia looked at each other at almost the same time.

"Ian!"

They weren't the only ones who had noticed the change.

Sanford, raising his one eye as he looked over the sea, also brightened. "They’re retreating! The sea beasts are retreating!"

He threw his arms in the air and let out a hearty laugh. As if the reason didn't matter at all, he looked down the stairs and bellowed, "Keep rowing! The cliff is right in front of us! Who knows when the situation might change—"

A scream that seemed to tear the very air apart drowned out his voice. He whipped his head around, his eye widening as if to split. Far beyond the rolling dark sea, a giant shape was rising diagonally, its crimson tentacles flailing.

"By Lu Solar, my goodness…" Sanford’s cry of shock wasn't just because of the archdemon.

Atop its massive body, which was reminiscent of a sperm whale, a blazing red arc that flowed like fire had caught his eye. It was tracing a path that followed a brightly shining yellow line.

The violet trail plummeting amid the spray was obscured by its overwhelming presence, hardly visible at all. A moment later, the archdemon curled its outstretched tentacles and crashed into the surface of the sea.

Whoosh—

Waves spread outward in concentric circles.

Sanford, who had blinked, instinctively ducked. "Everyone, get down! Brace for impact! A wave is coming—"

However, the oncoming wave was not as fast or as fierce as the one that had nearly capsized them before. The hull merely lurched once, as if cresting a hill.

Screech—

A strangely mournful scream echoed. Sanford, who had been crouched down and gripping the stair railing, carefully straightened up. Far across the sea, which had calmed as if the wave had washed it clean, a crimson smoke was spewing from the massive, floating body of the archdemon like a curtain.

"Huh."

The ominous crimson light swirled and scattered toward the inner sea. And even then, the writhing giant body of the demon cut through the currents, pushing forward. Sanford had no trouble realizing that it was heading for the Black Sea. So too were the crimson arcs that were gathering to follow it.

Of course, not all the sea beasts were heading for the Black Sea. Some, as if entranced by the crimson light the archdemon was emitting, were heading away, toward the inner sea.

"Ta Jakar…." A low murmur came from the side.

Sanford turned blankly. An orc warrior, gripping the inverted haft of his battle hammer on the deck, stared out at the distant sea with shimmering eyes.

"Ta… what?"

"The Savior of the Desert has executed the archdemon of the deep, just as he brought rest to the former guardian of the Golden Desert," Mukapa said in a solemn tone and finally turned to face Sanford.

"So… you’re saying…" Sanford muttered a beat later, his head turning back to the sea.

"He really… that monster… What in the world? You scared me!" Sanford leaped into the air.

A large, purple arc had just shot up from the port side of the deck. It was the orca sea beast.

"Yog?" Lucia gasped, her eyes wide behind her mask. She was looking up at the sea beast as it drew an arc through the spray of water. Of course, she was the only one looking at it.

Thud, thud, thud, crash!

A red arc plummeted onto the deck a moment later. The eyes of everyone, including Shahin and Simon, who had poked their heads out of the cargo hold, were focused on Ian as he rolled across the floor.

Drenched, chest heaving, Ian was already forcing himself upright. However, he didn’t so much as glance their way.

Fwoosh—

He immediately ran toward the orca sea beast that was disappearing below the ship, thrusting his left arm into the rising spray. The falling rope flew into his grip. He slid to a stop and pulled the rope with both hands.

Creak—

The dented deck and the railing where the rope was hooked screamed. Ian, gripping the rope, was slowly dragged forward before he finally came to a complete stop.

As he worked his arms to haul the rope in, Lucia ran to his side. Sanford, in a daze, followed her to the railing.

Lucia pushed her mask up to her forehead as Sanford looked down.

"Holy…"

The orca sea beast, with the rope wrapped around its body, was now visible on the surface. Entrails and fluids were pouring from its burst abdomen. It even twitched feebly.

Lucia’s lips quivered as she looked down at it. "Don’t tell me that Yog—"

"No," Ian cut her off, still gripping the rope. He looked back at her and added, "It’s not dead."

Hiss…

Just then, a black smoke began to seep from the sea beast. As Sanford’s eye widened, the smoke, shimmering with a faint violet light, shot toward Ian and into his chest.

Ian immediately let go of the rope, drew his Truesilver Steel Sword from his waist, and said, "See? It’s fine."

A bright yellow Mantra circuit flickered uncertainly along the blade as it slid free of its sheath. Ian brought the sword down on the rope at once. The cut rope vanished beyond the rail, and the magic running along the blade dispersed like mist.

As Ian sheathed his sword again, Thesaya said, "So, is it over?"

She was descending the stairs, her face as pale as her hair.

"Yeah. Looks that way," Ian replied, one corner of his mouth twisting up slightly. The red divinity that had been blazing around his body was now faintly scattering.

His head then turned to the right. "But your role isn't over yet, Captain."

"Y-Yes, sir!" Sanford flinched and straightened his back stiffly as he answered, unable to meet Ian’s eyes. "Don’t worry, Agent of the Saint!"

Ian didn't answer. Instead, Lucia and Thesaya, startled, leaned over the railing and reached out their hands.

Thump—

Their palms caught Ian’s chest just as he collapsed forward. He had fainted on his feet. Lucia let out a sigh of relief and pulled him onto the deck.

"Mukapa. Could you carry Ian? Honestly, I think I’m about to pass out," Thesaya said, looking away.

Mukapa immediately placed the battle hammer down and strode over. He kneeled on one knee and gently lifted Ian into his arms. His movements were as reverent as if he were performing some kind of religious ritual.

"Superhuman…"

"Glory be…"

Shahin and Simon, standing near the stalls, were no different. They stepped aside as if parting the way, bowing their heads.

"You heard what the Agent of the Saint had said, didn’t you?" Thesaya, who was stumbling after Mukapa, suddenly looked back at Sanford.

"Do your part. Captain," she added with a cold glint in her eyes that didn’t suit her smile.

"Yes…. Don’t worry…." Sanford replied, bowing his head.

He couldn’t help the sour look on his face. The past night had felt like a month. Thanks to the blessing of the brazier, he still had some strength left, but his mental fatigue was well past its limit.

"Just a little more effort, Captain. I’ll also do my best to keep the sacred fire going for as long as possible," said Lucia, as if to soothe him, and turned toward the brazier.

Sanford, who had let out a deep sigh, looked out at the sea. As the waves subsided, Bukikia, scattering a crimson mist, was already far in the distance.

In the end, the archdemon of the deep met its end in its homeland. Though for a while, the Black Sea and the inner sea would swarm with masterless sea beasts.

Sanford finally turned his gaze away without any lingering attachment and strode toward the stairs. "What are you all doing? The wave passed ages ago! We’ll rest when we’re under the lighthouse! So start rowing now!"

The battered Black Wave cut through the water again, toward the lights atop the seaside cliffs, now close at hand.