Elsewhere.
Leaning against the cabin door, Bai Luo watched a group of sailors efficiently carry out Beidou's commands. A sudden chill ran down his spine.
Is someone thinking about me?
But such thoughts were irrelevant now—what lay before him demanded his full attention.
"Prepare the ballistae! Ready the cannons! Combat units, cover the merchant ships! Prioritize their retreat!"
Beidou's voice rang out calmly as she observed the dark clouds drawing near, issuing each order with precision.
With Osial still suppressed beneath the ocean and the Jade Chamber's Guizhong Ballista out of commission, the only weapons Beidou's ship carried were traditional ballistae and cannons.
She never expected these to harm the creature lurking within the black clouds. After all, when she faced Haishan, these weapons had at best been a nuisance and could hardly scratch the dragonfish.
Now, the creature before them was even more formidable than Haishan.
If it were the past, Beidou would have charged into the storm without hesitation, engaging the monster in a battle of determination.
But time had tempered her. Her strength had grown, and she had matured considerably since then.
Back when she faced Haishan, she had made thorough preparations and brought along her most elite sailors.
This time, it was different. Their voyage was for trade, and they had encountered this creature by chance.
Many of the sailors onboard were ordinary people with no experience fighting sea monsters. Recklessly engaging the creature head-on would be far too risky.
Boom—rumble—
Thunder roared as gales surged within the black clouds, and the monster's massive form became increasingly distinct.
Beneath the darkened waters, its menacing dorsal fin emerged—a sleek, scaleless body glowing faintly with blue light, crisscrossed by intricate elemental patterns resembling organs.
"Another dragonfish? No— it's a sea serpent!"
With her extensive experience, Beidou quickly deduced the creature's true identity.
She had encountered serpent-like sea monsters before, but none as ferocious as this one.
What puzzled her most was the elemental patterns on its body.
For non-elemental beings to develop elemental organs was exceedingly rare.
Humans, for instance, required Visions to wield elemental power.
The origins of this sea serpent were worth investigating.
'A sea serpent? Could it be Orobashi, the Great Serpent of Watatsumi?'
Hearing Beidou's words, Kaedehara Kazuha immediately thought of the name.
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
Orobashi had been slain by the Raiden Shogun, and Kazuha had personally seen the remains of its imposing skeleton—a sight so chilling it could make one's spine tingle even in broad daylight. Resurrection was out of the question.
If it truly were Orobashi, it would either negotiate with them or obliterate the fleet outright. Why would it hesitate like this?
The winds howled louder, whipping up whirlpools on the sea's surface.
A foul stench of rotting fish filled the air, spreading across the waters.
Veteran sailors, accustomed to the sea, endured it, but the inexperienced sailors and merchants hoping to strike it rich in Inazuma were less fortunate.
Some, especially first-time voyagers, fared the worst.
Already seasick, they were now overwhelmed by the stench. The sound of retching echoed across the fleet, with some people nearly vomiting bile.
"Fire! Drive it back!"
At Beidou's command, the ships' ballistae and cannons, long prepared, began unleashing their firepower.
Sailors shouted as they turned winches to draw the ballistae taut. Massive bolts as thick as a person's arm were loaded and fired in unison.
The sound of cannon fire and bowstrings reverberated ceaselessly.
Gradually, the stench of rot was overpowered by the acrid smell of gunpowder.
But the results were less than promising.
Bolts and cannonballs vanished into the dark clouds with no discernible effect, as if an unseen maw had swallowed them whole.
Seeing this, Beidou quickly realized the situation.
"Sea Drake."
"Big Sis!"
Hearing his name, the ship's helmsman, Sea Drake, swallowed hard before responding.
Was he afraid? Of course he was.
Although he had once sailed with Beidou to slay Haishan, this unknown sea serpent was far stronger than that monster.
That sea monster, Haishan, had at least stirred their fighting spirit.
But this sea serpent...
Just looking at it made Sea Drake's legs tremble uncontrollably.
Even with a steadfast heart, his body's instinctive response was hard to suppress.
"Look at you—calling yourself Sea Drake? Might as well change your name to Sea Worm."
"Boss, I just—"
"Enough. Take a few of the rookie sailors and head to the other ships to escort the merchant vessels away. As for the route... we'll discuss that after we shake off this sea serpent."
Letting the sea wind whip her cloak around her, Beidou raised a wine jug, took a long swig, and spoke.
But with the storm raging around her, it was hard to tell whether she was drinking rainwater or wine.
"Boss! I'm not leaving. I'm staying!"
Having sailed with Beidou for so long, Sea Drake had developed a deep understanding of her intentions. He could guess what she was planning to do.
He couldn't leave.
"You're the best helmsman aboard the Alcor. I'd feel better entrusting those ships to you. Besides, do you think I'll lose?"
Tossing the empty jug into the sea, Beidou grabbed her massive greatsword, holding it single-handedly. Her voice brimmed with unyielding resolve.
At nine years old, she had dared to dream of slaying Haishan.
Back then, everyone laughed at her.
No one could have imagined that she would one day make that dream a reality.
Now, faced with this sea serpent, she knew she could do it again.
Because she was Beidou—the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean!
"I understand."
Sea Drake's nerves suddenly steadied. His once-trembling legs grew firm.
This was the kind of assurance an exceptional leader gave their followers.
Even when confronted with a god-level threat akin to Morax, those who followed her unwavering figure would dare to charge into the jaws of death itself.
After receiving the retreat orders, all ships except for the Alcor and two warships turned their bows around and sailed in the opposite direction.
As Beidou had said, there was always time to figure out the trade route later. Right now, the priority was survival.
And the only way to survive was to get as far away from this sea serpent as possible.
The serpent, however, noticed the fleeing vessels.
Coiled in black clouds and lightning, it surged forward, attempting to bypass the Alcor and pursue the merchant ships.
Compared to the few humans aboard the Alcor, the larger fleet was clearly more enticing.
But Beidou had no intention of letting it have its way.
"Stormbreaker!"
Purple lightning coalesced around her Blackcliff Slasher, forming the image of a dragonfish.
Beidou leapt high into the air, her blade arcing toward the massive serpent in the sea.
Just as she had once done when striking down Haishan.
. . . . .
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