Chapter 68: The Luxurious Completion Ceremony (2)

The Gigatitan remained distant from the Cremo port. A huge tidal wave rushed and hit the monster’s eyes, which were as large as a rock.

The Gigatitan didn’t even blink. No, this ginormous monster didn’t have any eyelids to blink in the first place.

The Gigatitan’s eyes held a ferocious glare amid the splashing waves.

Its protruded eyes resembled that of a lobster or crab. Its two eyes used a total of sixteen colors, from the infrared light spectrum to the UV spectrum. They observed the sea near the port of Cremo with an eyesight dozens of times better than a human’s. As they watched, something that distressed its spirit came into view.

Its appendicular trembled violently.

It definitely saw a mermaid. The figure standing straight in the sea near the Cremo port was definitely a mermaid. It was a giant one it had never seen before.

The Gigatitan began to ponder.

The mermaids always made even this giant monster pause. Each one of them was powerful. Dozens and hundreds of soldiers teamed together to wage a large-scale hunt.

It wondered if it should swim away. After a few seconds, it shook its giant head. There was nowhere to run. There was only the deep sea waiting for it outside this offshore area. Something as uncomfortable and powerful as mermaids inhabited the place, its fellow kind.

The Gigatitan shook its tail in distaste when it recalled its fellow beings. A shameful memory assaulted his thoughts. There had been a war among its kind. It had to fend off its territory from the younger and stronger generations.

The humiliation of losing its territory.

So it couldn’t turn around and go back to where it came from. It’d only be shoved away by the younger and powerful ones.

If it is unlucky, one of them might smash its head and eat it up. So sticking to this place was imperative. For ten years, this part of the sea had served as a comfortable habitat for the aged and weakened monster. It was the ideal place of residence save for the downside that it could not meet its mate. Besides that, it was perfect as mermaids barely approached around here because it was near the large port run by humans.

There was no retreat. It couldn’t give up its habitat. Its large rock-like eyes flashed with incredible determination. Looking around the areas of the mermaid statue that stood offshore from the port, it was struck with a happy realization.

There were no other mermaids around. Only one strangely large mermaid stood in the area. Several things became clear in its head. One, it stood a chance against this mermaid left all alone herself. Second, it had to take care of that mermaid before she brought her own kind down here. Therefore, the Gigatitan decided to fight.

Its careful gaze started to grow ferocious. Two of its curled forearms began to tense up, simultaneously plunging its gigantic body into the water.

It hid underneath the violently splashing waves and began to charge forth assisted by the bottom of the sea.

It was bent on protecting its territory. It headed toward the waters near the port, where the giant mermaid statue stood.

The hundreds of people enjoying the party on board had zero clue what was coming.

“Hmm?”

Javier paused, but he didn’t know why. The fruit drink in his cup trembled when he was about to drink it. Several drops of the drink splashed out of the cup to ruin his scarf. Javier didn’t give a hoot about the smudges. His eyes simply focused straight ahead. He narrowed his eyes to slits with a frown on his face.

“What are you doing? Are you going to the bathroom?” said Lloyd, shattering Javier’s focus.

When Javier heard Lloyd’s question, he was provoked for a split second. He mustered up enough patience to reply, “I do not think the bathroom is the problem.”

“Then what is the problem? You’re frowning like you are upset.”

“Something is wrong.”

“Something is wrong?” asked Lloyd.

“Yes.”

“What is?”

“Look over there.”

Javier lifted his hand and pointed at the far distance in the sea. Lloyd looked at it and shrugged.

“I do not see anything except for the beautiful night sea that dances under the dusk.”

“I agree. There is nothing visible there. But something is…”

“What is it?”

“Something just feels wrong.”

Lloyd tilted his head to the side a little.

When he stared at Javier’s face, he could feel it right away. Javier wasn’t joking. He meant it when he said that something was off.

Javier is like that. He’s always serious and prudent.

Lloyd’s face and gaze turned serious as well.

“Be more specific.”

“Something seems to be moving…underwater.”

“Right down here?”

“No, far in the distance.”

“Could it be a whale or something?” asked Lloyd.

“It is way larger. And…it seems to be heading toward this direction.”

“What?”

No way.

Lloyd asked, “Can you sense how big it is?”

“Yes, but just an estimate. By length, it seems to be larger than Hamang when he turns gigantic.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, I am,” said Javier as he looked straight into Lloyd’s eyes.

Javier’s that serious. It’s gotta be true.

Lloyd trusted him wholeheartedly.

Javier will soon become a sword master. He’s experiencing sword master syndrome, which heightens his senses to an unnecessarily max level.

So it was possible for Javier to sense the incoming creature from dozens of miles away. That was even more true for Javier if the creature was larger.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Lloyd gulped dryly, an ominous image taking over him.

He could only think of one entity that was larger than Hamang in these waters.

The Gigatitan. What else?

The monster was swimming near? Lloyd looked around, and he saw dozens of people enjoying the party on deck luxuriously decorated with ornaments.

An orchestra was playing soothing music in one corner, and everyone was donned with expensive clothes as they chatted with one another. Some sipped their drinks with elegant smiles on their faces. Some adored the magnificence of the mermaid statue. There were also some couples dancing slowly to the music. Lloyd’s gaze scanned around the groups of people fast, and he finally spotted his target among them.

His target was no other than Count Cremo, the host of the party and owner of this city.

“Hey,” said Lloyd, “you didn’t drink, did you?”

“Of course not.”

“Okay, that clears out the possibility that you’re drunkenly talking. Alright, wait for my instructions.”

Lloyd then walked away after giving an order to Javier. Lloyd passed through the crowd and got near the count.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here. The man who built the foundation of our joy today. Welcome, welcome.” Count Cremo broke into a guffaw when he saw Lloyd.

He motioned to the people around him and said, “I got too carried away by the joyous occasion that I forgot to introduce this man to you all. He is Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of the Frontera barony. He is also the one who built the sturdy foundation that sits beneath the statue.”

Count grabbed Lloyd’s shoulder and introduced him to everyone. The old men and women, who seemed to exert considerable influence in the city, began to focus on Lloyd. But none of it mattered to Lloyd at the moment.

He pretended to cough. “Ehem. Hmm! Your Excellency. May I have a word with you?” asked Lloyd.

“What?” The count’s eyebrow twitched, his gaze wanting to know what it was about.

Lloyd’s voice grew more serious, sounding heavier. “It appears that the Gigatitan is heading this way.”

“What is that?”

This time, both of his eyebrows lifted upward.

“Gigatitan is coming near?”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“Are you certain?”

“The least we can do is to check it right now.”

Lloyd continued to explain. “My personal knight felt something suspicious. He said that something gigantic is coming towards us underwater.”

“You think it is the monster?” asked the count.

“Based on the size he can feel, yes, it is.”

“Hmm.”

The count’s head cocked to the side. His gaze looked doubtful.

“By any chance you are drunk?”

“No. I have not had a sip.”

“That makes it even stranger. Your personal knight and his senses. Can he ascertain it to be true?”

The count’s gaze traveled to the side. A sharp-looking middle-aged man was standing there.

“This is Sir Genovan. He is my personal knight and a talented man who is almost at the level of a high-rank sword expert. In other words, he, too, is suffering from the sword master syndrome.” Directing to Sir Genovan, he said, “Sir Genovan, do you feel anything strange in the distant sea?”

“Nothing, Your Excellency,” replied Sir Genovan with confidence.

Count Cremo’s gaze returned to Lloyd.

“Did you see? According to Sir Genovan’s senses, nothing is wrong. Moreover, if the Gigatitan was truly drawing near, countless coastal guard posts should have already set off the alarm. Are you, by any chance, distrusting the alarm system in my city which lived with the monster for the last ten years?” The count looked intently at him.

“No, that’s not it, Your Excellency.” Lloyd shook his head immediately.

Then, he plastered a salesman-like smile on his face.

“It appears that my personal knight and I have acted out of line because this is the first time we have attended such a fancy event like this.”

“Haha, it is all right. I can understand. Anyway, it does not change the fact that you have helped the city in a great way.”

“I am honored to hear that, Your Excellency,” replied Lloyd.

“Well, well, showing such humility. What a man of great character. Everyone, did you see that?”

The count turned around and faced the powerful men and women in the audience. They all replied to him with satisfied smiles. The count tapped Lloyd’s shoulder with his thick and large palm.

“It must have been considered difficult,” said Count Cremo, “to give such a warning under this kind of environment, but he worked up the courage to do so. It shows how much care he has for this city. Haha. I have never imagined meeting such a young man in a remote province. What a blissful day it is today. Everyone, raise your glasses. Now, raise it too, young man.” He paused and looked at Lloyd and then continued, “Today, take pride in your work and enjoy it. I shall make sure that you will be paid generously, so do not worry about anything.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Lloyd couldn’t help but smile in dismay.

Crap. This is bad.

Lloyd took the glass from the count and lifted it up to cheer with everyone, stealing a quick glance to the side.

Javier was looking at Lloyd. He nodded slightly. Lloyd understood right away. Javier was certain about what he felt. Lloyd bit his underlip without the count’s knowledge.

I can’t insist that the monster is coming when the count has made such a loud and clear announcement. I’m going to make a bad impression on the man. What should I do?

Lloyd trusted Javier more than the count’s big talk. He did so even when the count’s personal knight Sir Genovan said he didn’t feel anything.

Javier’s senses would be more precise.

Lloyd recalled the story in The Knight of Blood and Iron. He couldn’t remember reading anything about Sir Genovan. It only meant one thing, then. Sir Genovan was a nobody until the end of the novel. In other words, the knight wasn’t good enough to become a sword master. Even if Javier and Genovan were both the same high-level sword experts, the latter would seriously fall behind in fighting.

So it goes without saying that Javier’s senses are more precise.

“Cheers!”

Lloyd heard the count shout aloud. He put the glass to his mouth and pretended to drink it. After excusing himself, he quickly removed himself from the group. The plan to warn the count and respond to the danger failed. So now, it was time for Lloyd to take the matter into his own hands.

What should I do…Oh, that’s it.

Lloyd was looking around when he stopped at the sides of the boat. There were thick ropes that tied the sides. The ropes were tied to the metal stakes installed at the foot of the statue. They were holding down the boats from drifting off by the waves and tides, making sure that they remained at their own places. Lloyd scanned his surroundings. No one was looking at him.

The musicians were engrossed in their performance. The waiters were busy serving drinks and food. The nobles and merchants were enjoying the party. Not a single person paid attention to Lloyd. The same thing was happening on the decks of the other boats where the party was going in full swing.

It’s a do-or-die situation.

Lloyd quickly moved to Javier, and they exchanged glances.

Lloyd held out his hand and grabbed the hilt of the sword Javier tucked around his waist. He pulled it out.

The long sword glinted sharply against the light of the fading sun.

Lloyd quickened his steps.

In one stroke.

Not a moment was spared for the others to respond. It happened so fast that no one knew Lloyd had drawn a sword. Lloyd jumped over the side and landed on the cement ground of the statue. Then he struck down the ropes tied to the stakes.

The six ropes, which were as thick as arms, began to cut one by one. When the boats lost the ropes that kept them fixed and rooted, they began to stagger by the waves. People enjoying the party reeled just then, and the music came to a halt. Wine glasses dropped to the ground, shattering.

Amid the such ruckus, however, Lloyd didn’t stop. He jumped back to the boat. He passed the side and sprinted toward the stern, where there was a capstan that pulled up the anchor. Lloyd lifted his sword high once again.

The rope connected to the device got torn. He had cut off the rope that was connected to the anchor, the ropes and anchor for docking, and the front and rear of the boat. The ropes that tied the boat from the front and back were now gone. This got the large boat to stagger and move at full force. It didn’t take long until the waves and tides started drifting them off the statue. The whole deck went berserk as a result.

“Eh? Eh? What’s going on?”

“The boat is moving!”

“Ahhh!! That man! He’s holding a sword!” A lady shrilled and pointed at Lloyd among the crowds. Her shrill pitch was raised when she saw the long sword in his hands.

Lloyd didn’t care. He instead got on the ledge of the boat and yelled at the five others still lingering around the statue.

“If you want to live more, then cut off the ropes right now and disperse as much as possible!”

Just when Lloyd shouted and just when the count was about to bawl at Lloyd and ask what in the world he was doing…

At that moment…

A ginormous silhouette shot out from underneath. It crashed down on the five boats left around the statue, creating explosive waves as a result.