Chapter 480

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Lucky ]

Chapter 480: The Naval Battle (2)

The Invincible Fleet of the Donquixote clan.

When it comes to naval warfare, they were the most formidable force in the empire.

The fleet moved forward, cutting through the blue waves of the deep sea, as darkness loomed heavily ahead of them.

At the forefront, standing at the bow of the lead ship, Vikir faced the fierce sea breeze head-on,

He was deep in thought.

‘Infinite darkness covering the world... this must be one of the abilities of the First Corpse.’

The usually clear skies of the Imperial Capital showed no signs of moonlight or starlight tonight.

But...

...BOOM! Splash—

Only massive tidal waves continued to crash relentlessly.

“If this keeps up, the ship might capsize,” Bianca said, her voice tinged with worry.

But standing beside her, Tudor merely scoffed.

“You think a wave like this can overturn the ships of Donquixote? Not a chance!”

And he was right.

The Invincible Fleet lived up to its name, pressing forward through the waves without a single ship running aground.

The massive ships were linked together by thick chains, making the entire fleet one entity—one ship was all, and all ships were one.

This was the Chain Formation, a tactic of linking ships with chains.

Thanks to Vikir’s suggestion, the fleet’s ability to break through was greatly amplified.

Seeing this, Camus nodded in admiration.

“As long as we’re cautious of fire attacks, this is a great strategy.”

“With this torrential downpour, we won’t need to worry about fire attacks,” Vikir replied.

“Exactly. Given the current situation, this is the best approach. You really are my boyfriend!” Camus grinned, giving Vikir’s arm a playful tap.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com

At that moment...

“...!”

Vikir’s expression changed as soon as Camus got closer.

“A smell.”

“...?”

Confused by Vikir’s sudden remark, Camus quickly sniffed herself.

“Huh? What? Do I smell? I shower every day! I even brushed my teeth just before meeting you, you know! And I was thinking of wearing perfume, but I thought it was inappropriate for the battlefield... Or maybe it’s sweat from this morning’s exercise...?”

“Not that kind of smell,” Vikir interrupted, dismissing her frantic explanation.

“The smell of a demon.”

“...!”

“The faint scent of a half-demon.”

Camus’s expression hardened.

“That’s strange. At this point, the part of my body occupied by Sere is so small that it shouldn’t even give off a noticeable scent.”

“I’m not saying it’s coming from you,” Vikir replied in a low voice.

In the past, when Camus operated as the ‘Queen of Corpses,’ she had shared half of her body with the Eighth Corpse, Sere.

Vikir had already smelled the half-demon scent on Camus back then, and it had left an imprint on his memory.

And now, that familiar scent was carried by the sea breeze.

It was coming directly from the Imperial Capital, from the very direction of the palace—the heart of the empire.

“...!”

Soon, Camus also caught the scent Vikir had noticed.

Indeed, this smell, so distinct and intense even from a distance, was unmistakable.

“A strange scent. Not a typical demon’s,” Orca, who had been on watch, leaped down and spoke.

Having spent countless battles among demonic beings, Orca had developed the ability to recognize such scents.

And at that very moment—

BOOM!

A tremendous roar erupted from the front, and in an instant, the towering tsunami before them was torn apart.

The wave, now with a gaping hole, collapsed powerlessly.

And everyone aboard the ships witnessed it.

...Splash!

Moments later, a hand gripping the line of Marquis Sade's fishing rod emerged from the water.

The one who landed on the ship's deck was a black-and-white orca with white spots.

“Sometimes, I need to stretch in this form as well.”

Orca, having transformed into his orca beastman form, took a damp cigarette and leaned it toward Bastille, who lit it for him.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The fragments of the tsunami that Orca had shattered underwater were taken care of by the heads of each clan.

Though they were mere fragments, each was still a substantial water mass, splashing in all directions.

Thunk!

With the hem of his black cloak fluttering, Osiris, perched on the front railing near Vikir.

Having just obliterated a massive tsunami, Osiris turned his gaze towards Vikir as if sensing his thoughts.

Perhaps because they were brothers, Osiris immediately read the emotions in Vikir’s eyes.

“Are you troubled by our father's actions?”

Vikir didn’t bother to respond.

And Osiris didn’t press further.

However, as Osiris turned away, he added, “I couldn’t understand Father’s actions either.”

“......”

“But I could empathize.”

“......!”

Understanding without agreement is a rare occurrence, though not impossible.

Osiris turned his gaze towards Cindiwendy, who stood on the watchtower of the nearby ship.

“One day, you might come to understand too.”

Osiris left behind a murmur, “Though understanding isn’t necessary,” and vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.

“......”

Vikir sank into deep thought.

The women following him, his father who had turned to ash, the extinguished Gate of Destruction, and the final confrontation with the last of the Ten Corpses.

The ship rocked violently, and so did his mind.

Vikir took a deep breath.

The ship may shake, but the mind must not.

Especially in critical moments like this.

Vikir shook his head, clearing away unnecessary thoughts.

There was no need to think far ahead.

Only one thing mattered.

“The demon must die.”

All that was left was to go all-in on the imminent showdown with the First Prince.

Finally, something appeared in the chaotic darkness where the sky and sea melded into one.

A sharp structure pierced the horizon, rising into view.

Kirko, standing on the railing, shouted, “Is that the central clock tower? I’ve seen it in books!”

The symbol of the imperial capital, standing tall and unchanged despite the passage of time, was in full view.

The fleet advanced into the heart of the capital, a once-prosperous and trendsetting city now submerged underwater.

It was a grand yet somehow bittersweet entry into the imperial capital.

[Translator - Clara]

[Proofreader - Lucky ]