On the azure sea, eleven sailboats formed an attack formation while crew members bustled about their decks.

“Still no word from the Jaegers? It’s been two hours… Their max flight time is one hour forty…”

The armored Knight Commander snapped shut his monocular telescope.

“Damn it… We have to assume they’re dead.”

Beside him, the golden-haired Farahir’s expression turned grave. Losing fifty-seven elite Jaegers—skilled aerial fighters, the navy’s prized unique unit—in mere moments meant this sea was far deadlier than expected. He’d secretly defected to the Priest Faction against Wales’ orders… If this expedition yielded nothing for His Excellency… his career would be ruined.

“My lord, let’s abandon this place. We could wipe out pirates on our return voyage and blame the Jaegers’ loss on them—”

“Fool! Sacrificing so many Jaegers for mere pirates? You’d have me humiliated before my peers?” The commander’s voice hardened. “Such heavy losses prove a powerful monster lurks here. The longer it’s survived… the greater its hoard. Cowardice at the first setback? Hmph. When will you ever amount to anything?”

“Yes, this subordinate was foolish. Thank you for your guidance…”

*Idiot superior… Why does my gut scream disaster? Please, let nothing go wrong.*

*Rookie… Already scheming behind my back after just joining. Can’t keep him. Must find a way to push him out. He’ll be trouble later.*

Silence fell between them, thick with hidden agendas. After twenty minutes with no Jaeger sightings—

“All ships! Advance into the misty waters! Deploy fog-clearing vessels! Maximum alert!”

Hatches split open at the sterns of the eleven ships. Medium-sized boats slid down ramps into the sea. Retractable plates revealed hook-and-pulley systems—evidently designed to hoist the smaller craft back aboard after missions.

“Report from the Omnidirectional Compass!”

Robed priests circled a massive table-sized compass, chanting spells. Magical symbols flickered across its surface.

“My lord… We detect intense evil spirits. Ghost Ships are active… Also, countless shipwrecks on the seabed. But… no gold or treasure signatures.”

“Countless wrecks but no gold? Exactly. The Ghost Ships here must have hoarded it all. Saves us the trouble of salvage. Destroy the Ghost Ships… and we sail home rich!”

The Knight Commander’s words ignited the crew. No sailor could resist treasure’s lure. Legends of heroes slaying Sirens for vast riches—even founding nations with their spoils—echoed in their minds. Every hand worked feverishly.

The fog-clearing boats pushed toward the mist’s edge, then halted. Torpedoes ignited with water-proof magical flames were tossed overboard. Their rear nozzles spat fire as their slightly upturned noses skimmed the waves toward the thick fog—

*Thud!*

A blinding flash erupted within the mist. The dense fog recoiled, parting into a temporary corridor.

“Hmph. Advance! Move while the fog can’t close! Let’s see what hides here!”

Signal flags fluttered as the Knight Commander barked orders. With no comms, the fleet tightened formation and sailed into the cleared path.

—

“The enemy dispersed the fog? Clever… Lil V, give them a surprise.”

“As you command… May I devour them?”

“Yes. Leave some fun for the others.”

Purames flicked his black coat and settled into the command chair. Lil V bowed, a cruel grin spreading across her face. She leaped from the *Resurrection Goddess* into the sea. The waves churned violently—but the ghost ship’s buoyant nature kept it steady.

Had the black water been clear, one might have seen a 120-meter-long sea monster gliding away: a shark-headed beast with no neck, rows of jagged teeth, green hide patterned with tiger-like stripes, and dense armored scales. A massive anchor dangled from a chain in its right hand. A glowing lantern-tipped tendril sprouted from its forehead. Webbed flaps stretched from its arms to ribs, propelling its bulk. Octopus-like tentacles writhed on its back. It had no legs—only a thick, ribbon-like tail undulating through the depths.

—

The mist proved thick. After ten minutes of crawling forward, the cleared path behind them gradually closed. Hidden reefs and whirlpools forced constant detours, slowing progress to a crawl.

“A treacherous place. Without the compass, humans could never navigate this.”

The deeper they sailed, the more the Knight Commander’s dread grew. What seemed small from afar revealed itself as a labyrinth of narrow channels—some barely wide enough for a single ship. One vessel had already struck a reef. Only quick reflexes and a priest’s barrier spell sealing the hull had prevented disaster.

Farahir regretted coming. He’d watched a guide boat get swallowed by a whirlpool—its crew lost. With the Jaegers gone, there’d be no rescue. Seven or eight lives, snuffed out before his eyes. The faces of sailors he’d greeted hours ago haunted him.

“The stench of evil thickens… Temperature’s dropping. I smell the undead’s rot. Full alert! Priests—maintain calming and anti-curse wards! Torches to every man! Earplugs—distribute them now! If you hear singing, shout warning and plug your ears immediately!”

“Ropes! Find ropes! Bind anyone who hears the Sirens’ song to the masts before they jump! Stay sharp!”

The commander weighed retreat. This place chilled his blood. But returning empty-handed after losing the Jaegers? His rivals would bury him. Jaw clenched, he pressed on.

Ten more minutes passed—then singing drifted through the mist. A maiden’s tender voice, stirring memories of first loves and the warm embraces left behind at port.

“Lisa… Lisa…”

“What are you doing?! Idiot!! Don’t go near the edge—you’ll fall in!”

“Quick! Bind him! Plug his ears! Help me!”

Crewmen scrambled to follow orders. The commander’s warning saved them; without it, ten percent of the greenhorns would have drowned.

But their nightmare had just begun.

A girl’s head surfaced beside a small boat. Goddess-like features. Skin like fresh snow. Bare shoulders and chest gleaming above the waves. Her sorrowful, pleading eyes shattered hearts.

“Huh? What are you doing here…? Need help? Such a lovely girl…”

“Fool!! Back away! That’s a Siren! Don’t let her near the boat!”

A veteran sailor yanked the young deckhand back, sword raised to drive the creature off. Only then did the youth see her lower body—a fish’s tail slapping the water, trying to draw closer. Her expression grew pitifully tender.

Yet some still jumped. Lured by beautiful mermaids, they let themselves be stripped bare as they sank into the gloom. Then the creatures transformed: cherubic mouths splitting to the ears, gentle eyes twisting into venomous vertical slits.

“Aaah—glug glug—no—glug glug—”

A dozen Sirens tore into the sailor. Blood clouded the water. Within moments, only clothes and bones sank toward the seabed—a graveyard of skeletons littering the ocean floor.

“Bastards! Recall the small boats! Throw depth charges—blast those demons!”

The Knight Commander saw men dragged under. He knew their fate—but could do nothing.

Crews lit barrels packed with lead, mercury, and alchemical explosives, hurling them into the sea.

*Boom! Splashhh— Boom! Splashh—*

Geysers erupted. Sirens scattered in panic, vanishing into the depths.

“Hmph! Filthy beasts! Count the crew!”

“Sir… sounds like thunder!”

“Hmm?”

The commander strained to listen. Rumbling rolled closer—not thunder. The mist parted like a curtain torn by wind. A thirty-meter wall of water surged toward them.

“Hold on! Don’t let go—*ever*! Priests—maximum barrier magic! NOW!!”

Terrified but obedient, the priests rallied at the prows.

“MAXIMUM BARRIER—ACTIVATE!”

Invisible triangular shields flared at each ship’s bow, cleaving the wave’s crest. But the fleet bucked wildly in the surge’s wake. Three ships capsized instantly—eleven reduced to eight.

Ships tossed violently as crewmen plunged into the water, only to be swallowed by towering waves.

“Damn it! What’s happening!? How can waves be this huge!?”

“Captain! More coming! More waves!”

“Bastards! Quick! Deploy the barrier!”

The priests gritted their teeth, summoning barriers to block the onslaught. But after the last round, they were spent—some coughed blood. Crewmen rushed over with healing scrolls, barely holding the line.

Then the cursed waves returned. Fiercer than before.

Damn it!!! What’s causing this!?

———

Two nautical miles from the Stormsea Knights’ fleet, shrouded in fog, Lil V revealed her Siren form. She lazily slapped the waves with her arm, sending fifty-meter tsunamis crashing toward the fleet.

“Hah… Poor fools… Sailing into this forbidden zone. The absolute death trap… Humans really are idiots~ Out in calm waters, I’d have to work to kill you. But here, in Devil’s Bay beyond the Dead Summer Cove? We’re invincible.”

Bored, Lil V stretched. Her tentacles shot out—two miles long—snatching drowning sailors. She happily munched her catch.

“Sis! You cheat~~ I haven’t eaten yet! My turn!”

Hill Rock, also in Siren form, slithered beside her. Unlike Lil V’s humanoid upper body, Hill Rock was pure monstrosity—a colossal squid with a flower-like maw lined with jagged teeth. His tentacles whipped sailors into that abyssal throat.

Sailors dropped from height were shredded by inward-facing fangs, vanishing into darkness.

“Fine, fine~~ Your turn. I’m heading back. Want my mer-servants?”

“Nah. Let me give them… *blissful* memories instead!”

Hill Rock always spewed crude jokes—except around Pipe, where he turned docile.

———

“Commander! The waves… they’ve stopped! The sea’s calm again!”

“Yeah… I see. Damn this place. What *is* this cursed sea!?”

“Shall we retreat?”

“Retreat!? Without answers? How do I explain this loss? Five Leviathan-class ships gone! Plus the fog-cutters and Jaegers! You want me dragged before the Tribunal for the rest of my life!?”

Spittle flew as the Knight-Captain shook Farano by the collar, then shoved him hard to the deck.

“Listen here—”

THUD! BANG! CRUNCH!

Three heavy impacts cut him off. The ship lurched violently.

“What was that!? Damn it! What is that thing!?”

The tilting deck tipped him off. He scrambled to the rail—just as the stern slowly lifted, exposing the hull’s waterline.

“What’s happening!?”

“A… A GIANT SIREN! IT’S A GIANT SIREN!!!”

A colossal tentacle erupted beside the ship, spearing the sky before slamming down.

“Ahhh~ HELP! NOOOO~!”

Panicked crew scattered. Some weren’t fast enough—crushed to pulp. The tentacle coiled around the hull, squeezing to snap it in half…

“Bastard!”

The Knight-Captain lunged, glowing sword drawn.

“Tch… Damn you! God of Light, hear your faithful servant! Lend me your power—work a miracle!”

His blade blazed like molten sun. Light sheathed his body, godlike.

“DIE! Divine Skill—Piercing Radiance! Divine Skill—Rapid Thrusts! Divine Skill—Fortify!”

The sword descended with apocalyptic force.

“Commander!! Amazing!”

“So strong…”

“He’s got this…”

Hope flared in every eye. They could win!

Then—CRACK!

The radiant blade struck the tentacle… leaving only a white mark before shattering. Like a knife snapping against steel plate. The recoil hurled the Knight-Captain backward.

“No… impossible!”

Stimulated, the tentacle’s suckers bloomed like grotesque flowers. Pale, thread-like tendrils shot out, cocooning him.

Muffled cries faded to silence as the cocoon tightened… shrinking to a tenth of its size. When it unraveled, only a puddle of acid and shattered armor remained—hissing as it ate through the deck. The armor alone proved he’d existed.

“MONSTER! MONSTER!!!”

Farano dove overboard. In the icy black water, he saw his final nightmare: a kraken larger than three ships, toying with the fleet. Its maw sucked in sailors and splinters—and him. Those barbed teeth drew him closer…

*It’s over… I never imagined… ending like this. I refuse to accept this!*