Chapter 11
Charlotte stood firmly at the bow of the pirate ship, his sharp eyes scanning the vast expanse of ocean ahead. Towering sea kings—monstrous Neptunes measuring well over dozens of meters—loomed just beneath the waves. Their sheer size was breathtaking, terrifying even.
How could a pile of mere corpses possibly attract so many of these sea kings? Charlotte thought in disbelief as he stared down at the largest Neptune approaching the ship.
"Boss! The sea kings are attacking us!" shouted one of the younger crew members from the stern, panic cracking his voice.
Charlotte's expression hardened instantly. Without a moment's hesitation, he sprinted toward the rear of the ship.
A massive tail smashed down toward the wooden deck, threatening to crush the ship like a twig.
Charlotte's instincts took over. He dashed forward and delivered a full-powered punch directly into the sea king's massive tail.
With a thunderous crack, a huge hole tore open, splitting the tail wide apart.
The sea king—a ten-meter-long behemoth with only its head exposed above the water—let out a pained roar, its single massive eye blinking in shock.
But that roar only summoned more trouble.
Seven or eight other sea kings, circling like predators, launched their assault simultaneously.
Charlotte could feel their fury wash over him, thick and wild, but beneath that rage was an unmistakable intelligence—a primal, cunning awareness.
"Damn it! Why do these sea kings dare to surface and attack now?" Charlotte muttered under his breath. He hadn't expected a mere handful of corpses to attract so many of these hundred-meter-long monsters.
His jaw clenched as the massive beasts closed in.
"Hold on tight to the handrails!" Charlotte bellowed to the crew, voice cutting through the rising chaos.
Without wasting a second, he dove headfirst into the crashing waves.
Stepping swiftly on the shimmering moonlight reflected on the sea, Charlotte galloped across the water's surface like a phantom.
His long sword gleamed as he charged toward the nearest sea king—an enormous creature about seventy meters long.
With a sweeping arc, Charlotte unleashed a flying slash nearly ten meters long.
The blade bit deeply into the beast's head, carving a crimson gash that ran from one side to the other.
The wounded sea king writhed violently, thrashing against the waves in agony.
Seeing the beast struggling, Charlotte knew he couldn't allow it to fight back any longer. His gaze flicked to the deck where a younger crew member was flailing helplessly in the waves.
Without hesitation, Charlotte swung his sword again, a brutal backhand slash tearing another deep wound into the injured sea king.
The massive whale-like creature, now bleeding heavily, lost all resistance. Charlotte sensed the fading life force as the aura of the beast dimmed and vanished.
He stepped onto the sea king's corpse, his boots sinking into the slick flesh, and lunged to rescue the drowning crewman.
"Help! Gululu! Help!" the boy shouted desperately, struggling as the ocean's waves threatened to pull him under.
Charlotte's legs propelled him swiftly, and with one powerful reach, he grabbed the boy, hauling him back onto the deck.
"Hold on tight to the rails! Don't let go! I'll handle the rest!" Charlotte commanded, eyes blazing with determination.
The crew clung to the ship's handrails, gripping with white-knuckled fear.
Meanwhile, the other sea kings surged closer, their massive forms casting dark shadows over the ship.
Charlotte's heart pounded.
This ship is new—still pristine. I won't let these beasts destroy it.
He leapt onto the head of the nearest sea king, sword raised high.
With a fierce stab, he drove his blade deep into its brain.
Explosive sword energy surged through the creature's body, shredding nerve and bone.
The sea king's roar cut short as it fell lifeless.
Without pause, Charlotte dashed toward the next beast, carving through its flesh with a deadly flying slash.
The sudden deaths of two sea kings rattled the remaining attackers. They ceased their siege of the ship but swiftly encircled Charlotte himself.
Standing atop the carcasses of his fallen foes, Charlotte gripped his sword tightly, eyes locked on the enemies surrounding him.
The battle hung in a tense stalemate.
Suddenly, a colossal squid—a monster larger than any of the others—wielded its massive tentacles and struck at Charlotte.
He moved with lightning speed, dodging the sweeping limbs.
Charlotte's gut told him this squid was the leader of the group—the true boss.
As the squid attacked, the other sea kings stirred into action, but this gave Charlotte a crucial opening.
Despite their massive size, the sea kings were slower than Charlotte, who was barely two meters tall.
He used his agility to leap from one sea king's head to another, drawing all their attacks toward himself.
With calculated strikes, he unleashed flying slashes again and again.
Within moments, two more sea kings fell beneath his relentless assault.
Their angry roars echoed across the waves—ferocious but tinged with fear.
Some of the smaller sea kings turned tail and dove beneath the surface, vanishing from Charlotte's sight.
Only three sea kings remained above water—including the giant squid.
The sea calmed strangely, almost eerily.
The three remaining beasts formed a tight circle, cutting off any escape.
Charlotte crouched, sword ready, prepared for the inevitable fight.
Behind him, the four support ships had been pushed away by the turbulent waves, now barely visible on the horizon.
The crew aboard those boats watched anxiously through binoculars.
A flicker of unease touched Charlotte's mind.
Suddenly, a flash of memory appeared—a vivid image of Xia Lu rushing to his side on the moon steps.
At that precise moment, the giant squid sprayed an enormous cloud of ink toward the spot Charlotte had just vacated.
Within seconds, the sea's surface turned pitch black within a wide radius.
Charlotte's heart skipped.
Not because of the ink itself.
But because this ink was corrosive.
Looking down at the remains of the sea king he'd killed, Charlotte saw where the flesh had been eaten away, shriveled and reduced in size.
What kind of Neptune is this? Corrosive ink? Why haven't I seen this in the anime? he muttered in shock.
Relieved he'd witnessed it, Charlotte thought wryly, If I hadn't seen this, I might have been the one confessing defeat here today.
Fueled by a surge of fierce determination, he locked eyes on the giant squid, raising his sword for a massive slash over ten meters wide.
The squid's enormous body was too slow to evade.
It raised its tentacles in a desperate attempt to block the blow.
Charlotte's blade sliced through the tentacle cleanly, severing it in two.
A loud, angry hiss burst from the squid as ink sprayed violently from its wounded limb.
Startled, the two sea kings beside it scattered, retreating hastily.
Seizing the moment, Charlotte launched himself at the squid, sword glowing with lethal energy.
With a devastating strike, he cleaved the squid in half from head to tail.
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