Pearney said with a dark face, "I told you we were going in the wrong direction."
Last night, no one had realized something was amiss, and now it was unclear how far off the original course they had strayed. Where the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle might take the ship was anyone's guess. Had she been able to defeat the giant turtle, she surely would have dragged this troublesome creature out and given it a good thrashing.
After pondering for a while, Ivan voiced his opinion, "Given Joe's personality, he probably wouldn't lie, so he must have just switched to a different course, but the destination should still be Flying Fish Port."
After considering it for a moment, Pearney nodded in agreement with his statement.
Justine, who heard this conversation, felt considerably relieved. Being able to return to Flying Fish Port was all that mattered.
Two hours later, the Dark Lahr slowed down, and a small island appeared not far away.
The three people on the ship, sensing activity, had no time to bother with the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle. They were all on high alert, ready for any potential dangers that might arise.
The Iron Ridge Giant Turtle, utterly unaffected by the trio's vigilance, continued to drag the ship toward the reef island. It stretched its head down into the water and took a bite, capturing a translucent jellyfish in its mouth, whose tendrils wriggled, splashing up sprays of water.
Then the giant turtle sucked with force, and the jellyfish was slurped into its mouth like jelly.
"This is probably why it secretly changed the course," Pearney mused.
Watching the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle eat with gusto, Ivan wasn't sure what to say.
Pearney asked, "Didn't you feed it a nutrition potion?"
"If it were hungry, it wouldn't be acting like this."
"Just wait, once we reach Flying Fish Port, I'll certainly treat it to a well-prepared meal," Pearney grumbled.
Pearney was one to hold grudges, and Ivan doubted she would actually do it, unless she could defeat the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle.
After eating its fill, the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle continued on its way.
...
It was a new day at dawn.
At Flying Fish Port, the tranquility of the docks was shattered by the arrival of a small group of destroyers.
Silver Bone Rays, a species of sea beast with bone blades along their sides, typically appeared in groups of three or four. They enjoyed tearing apart docks and ships, and every visit inflicted certain losses on Flying Fish Port, especially when merchant vessels were docked.
The Silver Bone Rays burst out of the water, and a small boat was immediately slashed into pieces, scattering wood chips in all directions.
Their expressions turned grave.
Suddenly, a Silver Bone Ray came close. It was planning to swim past the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle and attack from behind, but a section of black vine shot precisely above it and in the blink of an eye turned into black vines that entwined around it, trapping it securely.
On the right side of the ship, the water around another Silver Bone Ray rapidly froze, rendering its body rigid.
The Iron Ridge Giant Turtle, accustomed to navigating the seas, possessed a strong combat awareness. With a swipe of its left claw and then its right, it inflicted serious damage on the muscular and metallic framework of the Silver Bone Ray, reddening the surrounding waters.
The remaining two Silver Bone Rays, witnessing the fate of their companion, circled the ship warily, hesitant to approach.
Ivan and Pearney each guarded a section of the ship, their eyes vigilantly scanning the sea's surface for any telltale ripples.
"That damned turtle."
The base of the ship suddenly rocked hard, and the bow turned, catching Pearney off guard, nearly causing her to fall. She silently cursed as she steadied herself on a post. When she became steady, she heard a commotion from the other side.
Following that, something heavy landed on the rear deck. When she turned around, she saw a Silver Bone Ray tightly wrapped in black vines.
Ivan leaped over and, with a fist wrapped in black Combat Energy, he smashed it forcefully into the head of the ray, knocking the struggling Silver Bone Ray unconscious.
"How did you manage that?" Pearney asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
Ivan smiled proudly and said, "Luck, just luck. It happened to leap up just as the stern swung over, and I managed to wrap it up."
That wasn't modesty; it was indeed largely due to luck, for without it, the Vine Entanglement spell could not possibly have pulled the nearly three-meter-long Silver Bone Ray onto the ship.
Under the Iron Ridge Giant Turtle's onslaught, another Silver Bone Ray was scared off, and the one severely wounded in the sea became food for the turtle. After enjoying its treat, the turtle then towed the ship to dock at the pier.
"It's Miss Pearney."
"The sorcerer has captured a Silver Bone Ray alive. I never expected it to be even longer than it appeared at sea."
Being the niece of Earl Hobson, Pearney was recognized by the two guard captains, and by their respectful demeanor, it was clear how favored she was.
The guards were even more interested in the Silver Bone Ray, which was the first they had seen caught alive, a creature notorious in the sea as the 'Silver Blade Ship Slayer.'
Captain Pierre was the most alert, instructing his men to fetch a long flatbed cart typically used for hauling heavy goods. After consulting with Pearney and Ivan, he beckoned the guards to lift the Silver Bone Ray off the ship and secure it on the flatbed cart, which they then pulled towards the dock's exterior.
Pearney tugged gently at Ivan and quietly suggested, "This is the first Silver Bone Ray caught alive at Flying Fish Port. Could we make a detour to the government office so that I could introduce you to my uncle?"