金瓶梅第2部

"Captain," Tycondrius grimaced, "The previous times I sailed on waterborne vessels, I hadn't encountered any such creatures."

"Yeah, that's a given," Krysaos shrugged. "Most ships either have expensive enchantments on 'em or have a Sea Witch that the beasties know not to f*ck with."

Tycon nodded in understanding. The Sea Wolf fleet didn't have much coin for enchantments... or metallic eating utensils, for that matter. However, they did have Sea Witch Lieutenant Eilean in their employ. At Port Saint Guinefort, she was also responsible for training neophyte water mages-- likely to protect their other ships.

"Even a bunch'a charms to appease the sea god can get 'em to leave you alone," Krysaos sighed... "and we got... none o' the abooove~"

"Charms, you say?" Tycon grimaced.

"Trinkets, baubles, lucky bones..."

Tycon shook his head. Krysaos was telling him there was a reason for the sailors he associated with to carry a plethora of superstitious junk.

"Your sea god is stupid."

"You're tellin' me," Krysaos scoffed. "Don't worry, though. I'll take him out if I get the chance."

He patted the pistol holstered on his hip. It was the weapon he had when Tycon had originally found him, washed ashore, half-naked and battered by the elements.

"Got a single shot," The Captain explained. "The sea god, himself, gave it to me... and I plan to give it back... right between his stupid sea god brows."

"Hm, very well," Tycon pursed his lips and nodded.

The pistol and bullet combination were granted by a divine power. Tycon hypothesized... that such a weapon was capable of slaying at least the sea god they were created by.

...If Krysaos wished to pursue that quest, Tycon would have very much liked to be on his side, rather than not.

Of course, he couldn't neglect his own quest... or his safety.

"Should we be worried about... that?" Tycon gestured towards the water.

"W'can see it's 'ead!" Catshit screeched, "It's peekin' outta da drink!"

A serpentine neck of sorts rose up from the ocean waters... logically connected to the massive form below. Tycon knew a great many things... but the denizens of the deep ocean and their natures remained a mystery to him.

"That... doesn't look like a creature I've ever seen," He frowned... "--not with a head like that."

"Well," Krysaos crossed his arms, smirking... "It's a head, alright. Just not what you're thinking."

"What are you--" Tycon furrowed his brows, "Knowing that grin, it must be something overtly offensive."

"Ayep," The Captain nodded. "That, right there, is a Leviathan's wang."

Tycon's face twisted in revulsion, "I beg your pardon?"

"See the big guy below the surface?" Krysaos pointed, "That's that thing's wang."

Tycon peered over one of the few unbroken railings to take a better look. The creature might have been larger than the ship... but it was certainly smaller than the Leviathans he'd heard detailed in stories.

It was said that the previous Fleet Admiral of the Royal Navy, Guillaume De la Croix commanded such a Leviathan... yet the height of his contracted beast was compared to rocky hills and castle walls.

Then again... sailors did enjoy exaggerations in their stories.

"That..." Tycon's face twisted in revulsion... "is a Leviathan's--"

"It's a Leviathan's wang!" Bob yelled, pounding his axe against his shield.

"Leviafan's wang?" "Anuvver Leviafan wang!!" "Leviafan WANG!!"

"Another one?" Tycon questioned.

"Levia-FAN'S WAANNNNNNG!" Catshit pointed his blunted sword, "Let's GET 'EM, BOYZ!!"

And with that... the peach-colored Coral Boy jumped off the ship, kersplunking into the waters below.

"Wait, no!" Krysaos held his hand out, "Stop!"

More and more Coral Boys began to join the suicidal leap. Many ran off. One made a clumsy attempt to somersault backwards. A barrel-- likely with the barrel-loving Coral Boy inside of it rolled off the ship, breaking yet another one of her railings.

"Dat WANG'll learn to mess wit da crew of da NEPTUNE'S REVENGE!!" Bob snarled before he, too, leapt into the wang-infested waters.

Krysaos had his palms covering his face, too shocked to even make an attempt at dissuading the last Coral Boy.

Tycon pursed his lips... "They do have... spirit."

Each Coral Boy was extraordinarily reckless and had powerful builds. Much like the other Sea Wolves, each of them could easily fight creatures and persons above their ranks-- mostly Bronze.

Krysaos had a small platoon of them... but rather than order them in combat, he could only gently guide them towards objectives.

And so... the Coral Boys did battle against the Leviathan and its wang. When it began its counterattack, the stone-men were launched back with force, hard enough--

...powerful enough to break bones.

However, once the defeated Coral Boys sank into the depths, moments later, they would resurface and rejoin the fight.

After a particularly valiant charge that was far more serious than the situation should have been... Bob chopped down the Leviathan's wang with his axe, felling it similar to a mighty tree.

With the wang defeated, the Coral Boys hacked, chopped, stabbed and even bit the Leviathan below.

"Sea god's sh*tstinkin' pants," Krysaos cursed... "Those sons of bitches did it."

"DERE'S MORE A' DEMMM!!" One of the Coral Boys shouted.

It was Catshit. He had good senses.

Two more Leviathans began to surface... then a third, all at least as large as the first.

"BLOOD AND THUNDER!!" Bob cried out.

The powerful voices of the Coral Boys came together for their warcry, """VICT'RY AT SEEEEAAAA!!"""

Krysaos was crouching on the deck, face buried in his palms. If he were crying, Tycon would not judge him negatively.

"Captain..." He nudged the man with his good arm, "Our crew has the possibility of being overrun."

"Quit it, LT! I'm thinkin'!! Arrrrgh!" Krysaos growled as he rubbed his temples.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he got to his feet, "I got it!"

He got to his hands and knees, peering over the portside of the Neptune's Revenge.

"Coral boys!!" He shouted, "This isn't a fight!!"

Tycon narrowed his eyes... but decided not to intervene. No matter how dire, if Krysaos was trying to talk his way out of a situation, it was best if he were allowed to do as he pleased.