The Strongest Wingless Gargoyle

Nine hours have passed since leaving Menardo's port before nightfall.

We'll be at noon in another hour.

With the wind in the sail, the ship continues to Kraken's emergence point in the northeast direction of the city.

This job involves crusading large demons, with a significant number of mercenaries participating.

The scouts, the ship's operators, and all of them together, are more than fifty catches.

There are three ships in total prepared by the Mercenary Alliance.

All of the ships are fairly large in wooden sailboats measuring fifteen metres long and five metres wide.

It is about the same size as Kraken.

Even in the sense of securing scaffolding and numbers to fight, this magnitude would be mandatory.

The outer part of the hull is also reinforced by iron plates and the like.

Mercenaries on board take a little early lunch and inspect their equipment on their own.

Looks like there's nothing left to prepare for the battle that's about to begin.

Engagement is scheduled for the afternoon, and if we can crusade well, we should be able to return to the city of Menardo between late this evening and tomorrow morning.

By the way, if you don't encounter Kraken, you will leave this watershed and return to the city.

The effort and money put into preparing will be a little wasted, but on board, fighting on nights with poor horizons would be an unhelpful measure because it is too risky.

… although it is probably unlikely that you will encounter it.

One of Kraken's properties is to eat magic.

It is likely that Kraken, which can also use magic sensing, has been drawn to the vicinity because it is sprinkled from the sky with luxurious magic containing bait preferred by Alliance handmade Kraken in advance.

Currently, species that can fly the sky, such as the Harpy species, are on their way to reconnaissance ahead of us.

When I'm ready for battle and looking out at the sea from the deck...

"Luminaria, how you doing?

"... Mr. Liol"

Mr. Lior, dressed in luxurious gear, stands next to me.

Behind us are two of my fellow elf women.

"You look nervous."

"Yeah, just a little..."

"It's okay, if it's dangerous, I'll protect you."

……

Mr. Lior tries to hold his shoulder so he takes a subtle distance.

You made the mistake of thinking I was lit, Mr. Lior doesn't look more concerned, but the women I was with give me an offensive look.

Oh, I'm in trouble for you to look like that.

Mr. Lior is an armed and well-known mercenary, but he is also famous for his bad femininity.

"You seem confident, are you okay?

The next opponent is Kraken, king of the sea.

I've had experience fighting Kraken in the past. Even I can't get distracted.

I don't mean to fall in love, but I did get stronger than I did when I fought Kraken on my mother's graduation exam.

Now you should be able to grab a victory even in human form, but you're no stranger to dangerous opponents.

"Kraken is a dangerous demon. If you stay alert, you'll get hurt."

"... I know, I've only been on one crusade before"

"Really?

"Oh, I'm fine because I'm also getting ready for what I deserve. Watch what I do."

That's what you say and you turn a grin on me, Mr. Liol.

"... yes, it's a different story"

"What is it?

"I hear you're close to that gargoyle."

"... Are you referring to Mr. Alberto?

"I'm not saying anything bad, you'd better cut the edge quickly with a guy like that who can't help it, it'll hurt your reputation"

"I refuse, I tell you... Mr. Alberto is an amazing man"

"Ha ha... you're a good joke, Luminaria"

Laughing like a little fool, Mr. Liol.

I feel just a little uncomfortable with what Mr Lior said.

I wonder what's wrong with having nowhere to go.

He said it wasn't perfect, how lame it usually is...

Sister Reese also said she was a reliable person (probably, quite possibly) on a really important occasion.

Something like that might resemble my father somewhere.

"Ha, he's the awesome guy? You don't know what that gargoyle did to me?

I also just found out that Mr. Lior and Mr. Alberto are face-to-face.

Mr. Alberto has something childish about him, but he shouldn't do anything violent with that, I guess.

I can't get my hands on it if I get rammed all I want with that strength.

"He will be! You put mud in my new armor! I didn't realize that. I was so ashamed of walking all over the city!

"... duh, mud?

"Well... it was the other Sahagin who painted it directly, but you're kidding me, and there are other things you can hide by sticking your own paper from the top on my fellowship form!

Oh, that guy is already...

Mr. Liole, who punches his tongue.

For some reason, it makes me feel like I'm pissed off.

What is he still doing? That guy.

But is it because I'm getting poisoned that I'm relieved to hear the story and say, "Good, it's the usual Mr. Alberto"?

"Uh... the"

"Yes, no, you had no choice but to tell Luminaria"

Look at me confused, Mr. Liol exhales loudly.

Stupidity is interrupted first.

"Look, that's enough!

"Come on!

"Oh, hey, don't pull... Bye, Luminaria"

Mr. Lior left when the women around him pulled his arms.

I was a little uncomfortable because I was being stared at from behind while I was talking to Mr. Liol.

I'm not even going to take it.

I have trouble being certified as a competitor on my own.

Ten hours have passed since departure from the port.

In front of the point where you planted the bait, wait for the scout to come back.

The ship has progressed well, but slight discomfort occurs.

Normally if you give me this far, I wouldn't be surprised if I ran into a sea demon a few times, would I overthink it?

Whatever, finally.

Before the imminent battle, I had a strange feeling.

(Like your father's coming nearby?

It's been decades since my mother recognized my strength and I started traveling alone, but I've never felt this way before.

Has it been a long time since I've seen my father and I'm feeling loose?

Your father is in Menardo's castle now.

When I was little, you didn't have a father who cared for me.

Despite the fact that it was early in the morning, Sister Reese and your father woke up and dropped me off.

Mr. Alberto was asleep, though.

My father looked very anxious when he dropped me off from the castle.

Perhaps in my father I remain a young child.

There are still people stronger than me.

In the raid of the advanced demons, Mr. Alberto gained nothing from his work.

Even in the simulation, Mr. Alberto had no hands or feet.

Now I still don't get to see the bottom of that guy's power.

The years I've lived and the number of training grounds I've crept in are different.

Maybe it's a natural consequence... remorse, toothache lingers.

My father and Mr. Alberto's realm are still far away.

(We need to hold on!

Yes, consolidate your resolve strongly.

I'm not strong enough to stay alert yet.

There's no such thing as a Mr. Alberto with a substandard strength here, or a father.

The harpy people from the earlier scout came back.

"They're eating the bait we planted, check the net for Kraken's teeth, they're close."

A voice of vigilance rises from all around the information that comes in, and tension runs on the mercenaries.

We proceed carefully with the ship so that we can respond whenever and wherever Kraken appears.

The scariest thing is to come from the bottom of the sea and be grabbed by the ship, but as a precaution, it covers the outside of the hull with a net fitted with tons of thunderbolt stones.

The simple defense of thunder demon stones being destroyed by demons is that thunder flows accordingly, but the demons of the sea, including Kraken, are generally weak in their thunder attributes, so they have considerable effect.

No matter, it's still not enough, but the chances of being suddenly attacked are greatly reduced.

It should be noted that when moving a ship fitted with thunderbolt stone, it seems likely to adversely affect fish swimming nearby, etc., but unless the demon stone is crushed, there is no harm because it does not produce a phenomenon (effect).

Eventually, we arrive at the point where we planted the bait.

When we stopped the ship and enough had passed.

"... what's going on?

"Hey, hey, hey."

"... No, I'm here"

Not long after the mercenaries' voices of doubt.

A slight disturbance occurs in the waveform of the sea surface and the ship begins to shake slightly.

Forward, we begin to see a tiny giant shadow on the water, and little by little the shadow is approaching our ship.

The sea level will flourish and you will be able to recognize the anomaly clearly.

Gradually its white giant surfaces and becomes dew.

"Shit, they're coming. Whoa, whoa!