I Became A Collaborative Character In The Game

Chapter 56: Claymore Hem Mor

—–CROW—– 

“It actually appeared!”

“[It’s not my fault!]”

“[B-but maybe I jinxed it?]”

In any case, this wasn’t the time for banter.

The giant tentacles that had surged from the left and right sides of the galleon stood upright like pillars, then crashed down onto the deck.

*Crash! Crash! Crash!*

The railings shattered, and the entire ship shook violently.

The destructive power was immense, as the tentacles were thicker than logs and the portions visible above the water were easily over 20 meters long.

Equipping his nanosuit, Luther shouted,

“Integra! Weapons!”

“[Loading!]”

The drone, which had soared into the sky, swooped down towards the cabin.

At the same time, the tentacles that had struck the deck began to rise again.

Their ascent, casting dark shadows, resembled the emergence of ominous pillars.

“Run!”

“Kyaa!”

The passengers on deck screamed and scattered.

A significant number had already fallen into the sea during the first attack.

“[Master! Does a kraken appear in the original story?]”

It did.

But not at this time, in this place!

“[Incoming!]”

*Crash!*

The second attack rained down.

The deck groaned, and the ship lurched violently. Passengers fleeing to the cabins lost their balance and fell into the sea or were struck by tentacles, dying instantly.

And at that moment…

“Fire!”

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Cannon fire.

Cannonballs fired from both sides of the ship bombarded the upright tentacles.

“[Master! It seems to be working!]”

Indeed, the tentacles struck by the cannonballs retreated beneath the surface as if fleeing.

But Luther didn’t relax.

This wasn’t enough to repel a kraken.

It would come.

It would come again.

This time—

*Crash!*

A loud noise erupted from within the ship.

This wasn’t cannon fire.

It was the sound of tentacles slowly climbing the hull and forcing their way through gunports and windows.

“Uwaah!”

“Help me!”

Screams and crashes echoed from below deck.

And then tentacles appeared on deck again.

The sailors tasked with protecting the ship climbed onto the deck with harpoons and spears, but these weren’t weapons that could stop the tentacles.

The sailors, having made it onto the deck, trembled in fear, unsure of what to do.

“F-fire!”

The inside of the ship was already being ravaged by tentacles.

Seeing the tentacles about to descend, the man who appeared to be the commander shouted, and the sailors, with expressions of despair, began firing their harpoons.

Due to the large target, almost all of them hit, but that was all.

As if further enraged, the tentacles didn’t descend all at once, but rained down consecutively like a bombardment.

*Crash! Crash! Crash!*

“Uwaah!”

Screams and crashes mingled in a chaotic scene.

The ship lurched violently again, and the shadow of a giant tentacle loomed over Luther’s head.

“[Master! I’ve arrived!]”

At that moment, the Chain X, combined with the drone, flew towards Luther.

“[A man’s romance! Activating!]”

“[Access Code: Chain X!]”

*Vroom!*

The Chain X’s saw blade began to rotate with a powerful engine roar.

Catching the Chain X in mid-air, Luther leaped up and sliced through the tentacle before him.

*Thud!*

The severed tentacle landed on the deck and writhed.

The sailors’ gazes focused on Luther, and he immediately launched himself towards the second tentacle.

“[Rotation! Whirlwind!]”

While not a name he wanted to acknowledge, it was certainly descriptive.

The Chain X, spinning 360 degrees in mid-air, sliced through the tentacle in a single stroke.

“Oooooh!”

The sailors cheered at Luther’s performance.

But it was too early to celebrate.

*Crack!*

With an ominous sound, the ship lurched again.

Lowering his stance, Luther looked down at the deck below.

Integra spoke.

“[It seems the kraken has changed its tactics.]”

“[It’s trying to break the ship’s keel and split it in two!]”

An image of tentacles thrashing about inside the ship appeared in Luther’s mind.

It was the scene captured by the drone, which had re-entered the ship after delivering the Chain X to him.

What should he do?

Should he go inside and cut down the tentacles?

And at that moment…

“[Master! Another large lifeform is approaching!]”

“What?!”

Luther reflexively looked up.

Something massive was moving at high speed just beneath the surface of the water.

*Boom!*

A tremendous roar erupted from beneath the surface, and the ship shook violently.

But this time was different.

The ship hadn’t been directly hit. This tremor was from the aftershock.

“[The kraken is moving away from the ship!]”

It wasn’t a lie.

The tentacles thrashing inside the ship had disappeared.

Something that had approached at high speed had definitely attacked the kraken.

Then what was it?

A Dragon Lord?

A Dragon, perhaps?

“[Master! Sharing vision!]”

Luther immediately closed his eyes.

The drone’s camera, which had submerged, captured the creature fighting the kraken.

Pure white scales covering its entire body and four legs with sharp claws.

Smaller than the kraken, but much more combative.

“Trigon!”

Among the Dragon Lords inhabiting the sea, it was one of the top-tier creatures, along with the Serpent.

Its combat abilities were excellent, and “young krakens” like this one often couldn’t stand against a Trigon.

“[Master! Is it on our side?!]”

“[Like a benevolent monster often seen in monster movies!]”

Integra spoke with a somewhat excited voice, but Luther couldn’t answer hastily.

Like the Jogress, the Trigon was a malevolent Dragon Lord.

But there were no absolutes in the world.

Perhaps the sailors thought the same, as some of them clasped their hands and prayed at the sight of the Trigon, which had driven away the kraken and emerged from the water.

The Trigon looked down at the sailors.

Its draconic gaze held a sense of majesty, much like the kraken’s tentacles.

A few more sailors knelt and assumed a praying posture.

And at that moment, the Trigon opened its large mouth.

“Get away!”

“Kyaaah!”

Screams followed Luther’s shout.

The sailors who were doused in the thick, purplish acidic liquid that spewed from the Trigon’s mouth began to melt, literally.

“Kyaak!”

“Run!”

“Fire! We have to drive it away!”

All sorts of noises mingled.

The Trigon hadn’t driven away the kraken to save the people.

It had merely been competing for food.

“Kyaaa!”

At the Trigon’s roar, everyone on deck, and even those inside the ship, screamed and collapsed.

Only Luther, using noise cancellation, was unaffected.

“[No! There’s one more!]”

It was Ash.

Her black hair fluttering, she leaped onto the deck.

And Luther knew.

This wasn’t the usual Ash.

The person here now was Ash, Executor of the Holy Knights.

The pure white halo shining above her head was proof of that.

“Barrier!”

As Ash shouted and extended both hands, a translucent golden barrier rose from the deck.

“Kyaa!”

The Trigon, seemingly bothered by the light emanating from the barrier, backed away and repeatedly spewed acidic liquid, but it was useless.

Even the acidic liquid that melted people alive couldn’t penetrate the barrier.

“[Is that the power of the Stigma?]”

The unique abilities possessed by the fourteen Executors of the Holy Knights.

Luther nodded and extended his right arm.

Now that Ash’s barrier was deployed, his role was to attack, not defend.

“Integra! Buster Cannon!”

“[What? The barrier will break!]”

It wouldn’t.

The reason Ash’s barrier was so powerful wasn’t simply its defensive capabilities, but the fact that it allowed attacks from the inside.

“[Understood!]”

“[Combine Sequence!]”

“[Access Code: Buster Cannon!]”

The backpack, the Chain X, and the drone combined with Luther’s right arm, forming a giant cannon barrel.

Using his feet for support, Luther aimed and fired the Buster Cannon at the Trigon.

*Boom!*

Ash, who had deployed the barrier, flinched at the attack, which was no less than a pillar of light, and looked back at Luther.

The light that passed through the barrier struck the Trigon’s chest. Surprised by the unexpected power, the Trigon screamed, twisted its body, and submerged.

“Ooh! Oooooh!”

The sailors scattered across the deck cheered again.

Ash looked back at Luther with a surprised expression, and he smiled wryly and lowered the cannon.

Unexpected situations had occurred one after another, but things seemed to have settled down for now.

But as if to mock Luther’s relief, the situation wasn’t over yet.

“[Master! Watch out!]”

“Huh?”

Just as Luther lowered the cannon and relaxed, a kraken’s tentacle, having silently infiltrated the ship, attacked him.

Since the tentacle had infiltrated from the opposite side of the barrier and through the ship’s interior, there was nothing Ash could do.

“Luther!”

Ash deactivated the barrier and quickly drew her sword, but it was too late.

The tentacle that had grabbed Luther retreated below deck as if rewinding time.

*Crash!*

The tentacle holding Luther violently burst out of the ship.

Luther, hitting his head several times against debris and walls, briefly lost consciousness.

“[Master! Wake up!]”

Luther saw the bottom of the ship.

He was underwater.

And he saw the Trigon charging towards him from afar.

“Shit.”

The Trigon and the kraken collided, and Luther lost consciousness.

* * *

“[Master, wake up.]”

“[Master.]”

“[Master!]”

Desperate calls roused Luther.

Integra.

Support AI.

His partner.

“[Master! Are you awake?]”

“[Master!]”

He saw a woman with white hair.

Golden eyes.

She wore nothing and had a cold, hard expression.

Integra’s face.

But not Integra.

The Integra he knew was more—

“[Master!]”

Luther opened his eyes.

He saw Integra.

Integra, projected as a HUD.

Her hair, appearing gray or silver depending on the light, and her golden eyes were filled with tears.

“[Are you awake?]”

“[Can you see me?]”

“[Vital signs are currently normal.]”

“[Master, please tell me you can see me. Please?]”

A desperate voice.

An expression filled with mixed emotions.

Luther exhaled.

He nodded and said,

“I see you, I see you, Integra.”

“[Master.]”

Integra collapsed into Luther’s arms, burying her face in his chest and breathing a sigh of relief.

Although he couldn’t touch her because she was an image, Luther unconsciously reached out to her cheek.

To wipe away her tears.

But he couldn’t reach her.

Integra, laughing through her tears, lifted her head and said,

“[Master, I’m so glad you’re awake.]”

“[There seem to be no symptoms of hypoxia.]”

“[I’m so relieved.]”

“[Do you know how worried I was?]”

After speaking almost frantically, Integra breathed another sigh of relief.

Luther stared at her for a moment before widening his gaze to his surroundings.

“Where am I? No, what happened?”

“[The kraken and Trigon fought over you.]”

“[It’s presumed to be a similar situation to when the Jogress fixated on you in the Forest of Primordial Beasts.]”

“[The Twin Drive that activated when you fired the Buster Cannon seems to have provoked them.]”

Dragon Lords and monsters obsessed with energy cubes.

‘Is that why?’

The reason he was still alive.

If their goal was the power of the Twin Drive, it made sense that they had left him alive instead of eating him.

While unconscious, he wouldn’t have emitted the same energy as when the Twin Drive was activated.

‘It feels like they stored me in their nest, just in case I emitted energy again later.’

Recalling the events in the Forest of Primordial Beasts and Asain Canyon, Luther slowly nodded and asked Integra,

“So, who won in the end?”

“[The Trigon won.]”

“[This is its nest.]”

“[It seems to be a natural cave formed on the seabed.]”

The large cavity contained not only air but also light.

Luther sat up further and looked around.

All sorts of debris were piled up throughout the cavity, like a bird’s nest, but most of it was wreckage from the ship.

“Do you know what happened to the ship we were on?”

“[I don’t know for sure, but I presume it escaped.]”

“[The Trigon and kraken fought over you for quite a while.]”

It was a fortunate turn of events.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Luther asked Integra again,

“Where is it?”

“[It left the nest 17 minutes and 29 seconds ago.]”

“[I presume it went to find food to heal its wounds.]”

Then now was the chance to escape.

Since there was airflow, there might be an opening leading to the surface.

Thanks to being attacked while in a combined state, he still had the Chain X, the backpack, and everything else.

“Integra, use the drone to find an escape route.”

“[I’ve already secured one.]”

“[But Master, there’s something we need to check before escaping.]”

“Huh?”

Something to check?

At Luther’s question, Integra chuckled and said with a slightly serious expression,

“[Master, I’ve detected a Galactic Federation signal from the wreckage.]”

“[You know what that means… right?]”

Underwater.

Among the wreckage of numerous ships.

A Galactic Federation signal emitting from within.

A smile spread across Luther’s face.

—–CROW—– 

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