Chapter 107

〈 Chapter 107 〉 Part 1, Chapter 6 (13)

The monster froze.

Moby Dick froze.

The sea froze.

“Wh-what the hell…”

Hayate stepped down, releasing his magic power, not onto the water surrounded by wind magic, but onto the surface of the frozen sea itself.

Thud, thud. He tapped the ice lightly with the tip of his boots. It wasn’t just the surface frozen like a winter river. The sea was frozen solid, all the way to the bottom.

Could even an Esper really pull off such an impossible miracle? Halting the charge of an S-Rank monster, freezing hundreds of following monsters, and practically creating an island by freezing the sea…

Pwaang–!

The cruise ship sounded its horn and began moving again. Already inside the ship were Korea’s S-Rank Hero – Gawein, who had been newly selected as a Round Table candidate, along with Hwakwon and Seung-Hyung, who had gone in to rescue people.

If Korea ever produced an SS-Rank hero, it would be Hwakwon. His S-Rank awakening was that exceptional, whereas for nine years, Princess Snowflower remained stagnant at S-Rank and had several shortcomings.

And yet, there she stood at the edge of the ice island he’d created, looking down on Moby Dick like a queen. Hayate adjusted his goggles, obscured by frost, pressing them against his scarf.

“You’re the disciple of Light Blade, right?”

Perhaps SS-Rank. Certainly, there must be some connection. But now wasn’t the time to delve into that; stopping Moby Dick was more important.

Paaang! Hayate raced across the ice. Running on solid ground was faster than floating in mid-air any day.

Princess Snowflower, Harang, who had her hand pressed against Moby Dick’s forehead, waved sheepishly.

“…Come to think of it, we haven’t properly introduced ourselves. Nice to meet you?”

“Same here.”

The two shared an awkward laugh. Just a minute ago, they hadn’t been in sync at all, silently cursing each other internally.

But Hayate felt even more embarrassed. He hadn’t been able to stop Moby Dick, while this woman had successfully sealed it with overwhelming force.

“…Thanks.”

“Huh?”

Harang shook her smartwatch, clearly checking if the translation had malfunctioned. Irritated, Hayate shouted again.

“I said, thank you!”

“My goodness, what’s gotten into you? Didn’t know Gale Guest cared so much about his own countrymen.”

Though Harang asked innocently, to Hayate’s ears, it stung like a blade.

At the time of the Na Gate incident that destroyed Okinawa, Hayate had been traveling abroad and couldn’t return until Okinawa had already sunk beneath the waves. Not until he joined the Round Table after the Dodgers Gate incident did he become somewhat tolerable in international rankings.

Hayate’s uncomfortable emotions emanating from his magic caused Harang to quickly bow her head.

“Ah, sorry. Guess there’s some backstory there.”

“…You sensed that?”

Reading emotions through magic power was a technique that only worked on amateurs. Even if Hayate had momentarily faltered, he wasn’t clumsy enough for Harang to detect emotional fluctuations in his magic.

“Are you really SS-Rank?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Prepare for battle. This thing isn’t dead yet.”

Harang tapped the ice with her other hand. The purple eyes within the frozen Moby Dick continued glaring at her. Hayate took a stance.

“Hmph. So you didn’t kill it after all. Move aside, I’ll cut it down.”

“…First off, your sword won’t pierce this. And second, we can’t release it now.”

Hayate pointed irritably at the deep gash on Moby Dick’s back.

“Doesn’t this scar prove my strike made it bleed like a fountain?”

“Tch. You poured all your magic power into one swing? Like this thing would let you hit it again.”

“Then I’ll cut it now.”

“No, you’re misunderstanding. Did flying around at supersonic speeds damage your eardrums? I said we can’t release it now.”

Harang pointed with her thumb behind her. Their backs were now close to land where heroes waited near the approaching cruise ship.

“Rescue the people first, then you can cut or freeze it later. You didn’t come here just to kill this thing, right?”

“…Not exactly.”

Truthfully, he wanted to thank her for saving the cruise ship. For rescuing his younger sister, Hikari, aboard the ship.

But seeing this foreign woman, who wasn’t even part of the Round Table – someone who had failed a previous screening – reach a higher level than him made him slightly envious. Hayate closed his eyes briefly and took a breath.

“Alright. I admit it. You’re stronger than me right now.”

Relieved by this admission, Hayate regained his composure. Of course, hearing those words, Harang’s expression soured.

“That comparison is meaningless anyway. More importantly, let’s figure out how to kill this thing. It’s trying to break free from the inside.”

Harang indicated the hand she had placed on Moby Dick’s forehead.

“For now, I’m suppressing it, but to kill this thing, we’ll have to release it once. And before the people on the cruise are rescued, it will break free.”

Gurgle. An earthquake shook the ice island. Hayate nodded.

“Is it trying to fire a breath attack from inside?”

“It might. Anyway, prepare your attack. As soon as I release it, you need to split Moby Dick in half.”

Harang pointed to Moby Dick’s back. Her implication to slice open the already torn skin made Hayate grimace as he climbed onto Moby Dick’s back.

“Why are all the women around me so tough?”

“What’re you talking about? How soft do you think I am?”

Haha! Hayate barely suppressed a laugh. Harang glanced at her smartwatch with a blank face.

[Good job, Harang! We’ve entered the cruise park!]

“…Not offering speed support?”

The screen showed the cruise ship speeding towards a natural park. It looked ready to crash into the land.

[Yu-Sung’s net, cough! Manager Yun Yuhwa is here! Since the ship can be replaced, priority is rescuing the people first. We plan to use the park as a buffer zone!]

“Yuha-ssi? Ah, hold on. What about the park?”

[That’s also covered by Yu-Sung! No need to worry about land compensation anymore!]

“Wow, incredible.”

Harang couldn’t help but smile. She was reminded once again of Yun Yuhwa’s staggering financial power.

“Ah, by the way…”

Harang blushed as she checked her clothing. Despite using magic power and falling into the sea, half of her clothes were soaked, and she was still wearing slippers.

“Did…did I fight well?”

“What? Why’s the translator acting up? Is it broken?”

Hayate, perched on Moby Dick’s back, tapped his smartwatch. A pair of dark sunglasses suddenly appeared, startling him.

[Great job, Himeji Hayate-kun! As expected, our treasure! Now, just decapitate Moby Dick!]

“…Hah, shut up.”

Hayate simply turned off the screen. Harang tilted her head.

“Some high-ranking person, huh?”

“The Chief Cabinet Secretary. Nothing special.”

“Cabinet? …Defense Department? Minister? You call that nothing?”

Harang snorted.

“At the Round Table level, that kind of position means nothing, huh?”

“Not exactly. Didn’t you hear what that guy just said?”

“About killing Moby Dick?”

Harang tilted her head. Hayate slapped his chest in frustration.

“If you release this and I cut it, then who gets the finishing blow when Moby Dick dies?”

“The finishing blow? That would be you, right?”

With an innocent look, Harang received a scolding finger wag from Hayate.

“Hey, listen carefully. Even though I’m affiliated with the Round Table, if I claim this kill, it will be registered under Japan’s association. While we may settle the share later, capturing Moby Dick will be credited to Gale Guest.”

“So?”

“Aren’t you upset? After all the work you put into freezing it to death, I’m swooping in to take credit?”

“What nonsense, you idiot?”

Hayate checked the translator again. Though unsure, the word ‘idiot’ translating as ‘トライ (try)’ seemed like a mistranslation due to the distinct pronunciation and its apparent vulgarity.

“Can you repeat that? Seems like there’s a translation error.”

Harang cleared her throat and changed her wording.

“Hmm. Doesn’t matter to me. Whoever catches it, what difference does it make?”

She pointed at the cruise ship and smiled. The cruise ship slid roughly 300 meters across the ground, finally stopping in the middle of the park. Nearby waiting heroes started boarding to rescue the passengers.

“We should kill this thing immediately and save the people. Don’t you think?”

“……”

Hayate put on his goggles and wrapped his scarf tighter. He felt his face flush with embarrassment at having selfish thoughts amidst the monster’s threat.

“The thirteenth seat of the Round Table has been decided.”

“Huh? What did you say? Didn’t catch that.”

“You’re strong.”

Harang scratched her head awkwardly. The mini phoenix pinned in her hair briefly sparkled but went unnoticed by her.

Gurgle Gurgle—-

The vibration from inside the ice stiffened both heroes. A massive surge of magic power erupted from within Moby Dick’s body.

“What the…?!”

“Hey, get back!”

Harang leapt far back, and Hayate jumped high into the sky. Moby Dick’s violet eyes gleamed, and purple magic power began to gather at the wound Hayate had inflicted.

■■■■■!!!

Like a whale spouting seawater, Moby Dick unleashed its magic power. Despite injuring itself, it slowly began breaking the ice that restrained its body.

“…So, it’s targeting me, huh.”

Standing firm on the frozen sea, Harang swallowed hard. Was it fear of possibly being killed that made Moby Dick’s killing intent focus solely on her?

“Here’s Princess Snowflower! Moby Dick’s aggro is on me!”

[What? Rescue operations aren’t finished yet!]

“I’m fine!”

Kwaang! Breaking through the ice, Moby Dick shot up above the water. Hovering in mid-air, it dove straight toward Harang with its head.

Harang performed a large backward somersault, landing on the frozen sea again.

“I still have plenty of magic power!”

The sea froze over. Moby Dick slammed its head into the ice island and slid forward.

■■■■!

The Moby Dick, with a split forehead, wriggled its body and crawled along the ice island. Harang teased it by wiggling her fingers.

“Ugly as hell and stupid too, aren’t you?”

■■■■■■■!!!

“Ah, it understands language! Hey! If you’re annoyed, come at me! Do you like whale meat?”

Moby Dick dived underwater, chasing Harang. Harang quickly flew north, starting a game of tag with Moby Dick.

“……I wonder if she’ll pass the personality test.”

With a lighter heart, Hayate pursued Moby Dick.

* * *

“Haaaaa!”

Seung-Hyung’s punch shattered the Deep Abyss’s head. The slow-moving monster, swinging its arms as it walked, was easy prey for the S-Rank esper.

“Are you alright?!”

Seung-Hyung tore open the door. Inside, a bearded man lay collapsed on the bed in panic. The man mumbled in Japanese.

“Mo, monsters…”

Seung-Hyung’s smartwatch instantly translated the words. Seung-Hyung grabbed the man’s shoulder to reassure him.

“Don’t worry, I’m a Korean hero.”

A screen popped up, translating Seung-Hyung’s words into Japanese. Though relieved, the man still looked uneasy.

“B, why a Joseon person? Where are our heroes…?”

“Currently, this ship is in Busan, Nam-gu district of Korea.”

Seung-Hyung displayed a map. Seeing the location, the man relaxed briefly before remembering something and shaking Seung-Hyung’s shoulder.

“T, a murderer’s younger sibling is roaming around!”

“Eh?”

Seung-Hyung didn’t understand. A murderer? And their sibling?

The man, realizing his companion was Korean, provided additional explanation.

“One of the Round Table heroes, Gale Guest’s younger sibling is on this passenger ship! They’re running around the corridors saving people!”

“……?!”

Seung-Hyung’s eyes widened as he finally understood why Gale Guest had rushed to Alaska at supersonic speed.

“Governor! Is Gale Guest’s younger sibling among the rescued citizens?!”

[What?! …No! Besides, that younger sister is in the first year of junior high school! There’s no way she’d be on this ship alone!]

Shaking his head, Seung-Hyung listened as the man confidently declared.

“They came to wake me up personally! That’s why I remember! Red eyes, black hair!”

“Which way did they go?”

“Out of the room to the left! Said they were waking people up!”

“Understood!”

Seung-Hyung immediately dashed out into the corridor. Soon, Pungbaek arrived, alerted by his communication.

“Master! Please leave this person to me!”

“What?! Aren’t you…?!”

“There might be more people trapped inside!”

Seung-Hyung infused his eyes with magic power. His vision transformed into rainbow colors. Amidst the blue hue of the entire corridor, occasional red human shapes became visible.

Leaving Pungbaek to rescue the Japanese man, Seung-Hyung ran down the corridor and reached the stairs leading underground.

He could feel warmth on the cold floor. Seung-Hyung immediately touched it.

“Blood?!”

The metallic scent confirmed it was blood, trailing sporadically towards the basement.

“Damn!”

Seung-Hyung kicked off and sprinted down the stairs.

* * *

“Haa, haa.”

Hikari leaned against the car, barely holding onto consciousness. The shockwaves rocking the passenger ship had caused her to faint in the corridor, and upon waking, she fled to the basement.

Escaping not from a monster, but from a human.

Bang, bang, bang! The sound of a man’s footsteps on steel plates made Hikari hold her breath.

“Where are you? Come out!”

Despite his shouts, the man held a crowbar of unknown origin, ready to strike at any moment. Though one might think he intended to attack the monsters on deck, he was searching for people instead.

“Murderer brat! Show yourself!”

“……Gulp.”

Hikari covered her mouth with both hands. Her heart pounded so loudly she wished it would stop.

“All because of you, we’re going to die!”

Descending to the basement, the man was unaware of the outside situation. Even if Hikari tried to inform him, he would surely try to kill her.

Instinctively, Hikari sensed it. The purple aura flowing from the man’s eyes resembled the kind seen in dimension gate monsters.

There was no time to satisfy her intellectual curiosity about “how a human could…” Hikari desperately hoped the man would give up and flee elsewhere or that Korean heroes outside would find her.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded from Hikari’s smartwatch.

[A message to all Japanese nationals in Korea. The S-Rank monster Moby Dick has left Tsushima and is heading towards Busan…]

Ding! Hikari quickly powered off her smartwatch.

In the side mirror of the car she hid behind, she saw the reflection of a sailor with purple glowing eyes, wielding a crowbar and grinning.