Surviving as the Captain of a Mad Cthulhu Deep Sea - Chapter 12

chapter 12

The Narwhal

Chapter 12: The Rat

Charles and his crew boarded The Narwhal. Compared to the dilapidated Old Rat, The Narwhal was spacious, clean, and a welcome sight. To ensure everything was in order, he meticulously inspected every cabin. As captain, he needed to know the ship as well as he knew himself.

After confirming everything was in order, Charles returned to the bridge and gave a casual wave. Black smoke began to billow from The Narwhal’s smokestack as the ship slowly set course for the deep sea.

Watching the Coral Island shrink in the distance through the window, Charles walked over to the speaking tube and shouted, “Chief Engineer, how’s the new ship?”

A few seconds later, James’s earnest voice came through the speaking tube.

“Captain, the ship is magnificent! The steam is building rapidly, and it’s surprisingly cool below—only 39 degrees!”

“Push the turbines to their maximum and let’s test the speed.”

“As you command, Captain.”

Black smoke billowed relentlessly from the Narwhal’s chimney as the vessel began to accelerate. When it reached its top speed, Charles, at the helm, felt as if he were steering a speed boat.

Just then, a white object floating on the sea caught his eye.

“Chief Engineer, slow down!”

The speeding Narwhal gradually decelerated, and Charles got a clear look at the object. It was a grotesquely bloated and decomposed corpse. Instead of lying submerged to be eaten by fish, the corpse was bizarrely standing upright on the sea’s surface, staring motionlessly at the Narwhal.

Charles wasn’t stopped by curiosity about the corpse’s origin, not at all. He’d seen far stranger things at sea. He simply wanted a target for his new cannon.

Boom!

The recoil of the deck cannon sent the hull shuddering violently.

Charles had never fired a cannon before, so his aim was poor. But after firing a dozen or so rounds, the waterlogged corpse exploded into pieces. Whatever force had resurrected it, it couldn’t withstand the cannonballs.

Charles was certain that if he’d had this ship during their encounter with the Sea Mark Monster, the outcome would have been entirely different.

After testing the new ship’s capabilities, Charles turned his gaze to the nautical chart hanging on the wall. This chart, given to him by the Explorers’ Association, was essential for navigating with his compass.

“First, follow Route 6, then turn south at Sea Mark 68 to reach our destination.”

Charles’s finger traced its way across the nautical chart.

“Aye, Captain!” the Second Mate replied, his hand on the helm. The red-haired man looked around eagerly, as if excited by the prospect.

“Your name is… Krona, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Captain. That’s me. My mother gave me the name. Captain, have you really explored the island as Fred described? Can that monster truly create people who don’t exist in our memories? How did you find them back then?”

Charles frowned slightly, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.

“Just keep the ship steady. The First Mate will relieve you when the time comes.”

As the Captain turned and left, Krona’s mind was in turmoil.

Did I ask something I shouldn’t have? I even had flattering words ready.

The days passed one by one on the sea, and the old sailors and new crew members gradually adjusted to each other. Though Dip was too young to earn everyone’s trust, the others got along well.

The Narwhal sailed swiftly, and in just seven days, they reached the vicinity of their target waters.

Bright beams swept across the pitch-black sea in all directions, searching for the target island. The nautical chart and compass only provided a general location; the precise coordinates had to be painstakingly determined through crude, slow methods.

Inside the Captain’s Cabin, Krona glanced at Charles beside him.

“Captain, I’ve heard there are people who can find islands at sea. They say it’s much better than searching blindly like this—like some kind of magic. Can you do that too, Captain?”

“Enough nonsense. Just focus on steering the ship.”

Charles found the second mate far too talkative.

“Um… I… I have a way…”

Bandages, who had been sitting quietly in his chair, interjected.

Seeing both men turn their attention to him, Bandages continued slowly, “The Order… has a ritual… to seek the aid of the Shell God… We must… offer a human sacrifice.”

Charles stared at Bandages with a complicated expression. His first mate still seemed to be under the influence of the Cannonball Cult. He could only hope that time would soften the brainwashing the Evil Cult had inflicted on him.

“Forget those disgusting things. We don’t need them.”

“Captain, look! There’s something over there!”

Charles followed the Second Mate’s finger and saw a faint island in the distance. They had found it.

The excited crew crowded the deck, gazing at the distant island.

Remembering past experiences, Charles ordered them to observe the island from the ship rather than landing hastily. He had The Narwhal circle the island to survey it.

The limited light only allowed them to see the island’s outer edges. The island was massive, and it took three hours for The Narwhal to complete a full circuit at its current speed. Under the light, the island appeared barren and desolate.

The most striking feature was the bizarrely shaped rocks. Some were as tall as three or four-story buildings, while others were half the height of a person. The rocks were spaced far apart, with a faint, almost rhythmic pattern. For a moment, Charles felt as if he had stumbled into a quarry.

“Do you think people could live here?” Dip asked hesitantly, but no one could answer.

Charles knew that whether people could live on this island or not, some danger was undoubtedly lurking. This was a Grade 5 Island, and five Exploration Ships had already explored it and never returned.

“Throw a few saltwater fish onto the beach to see if there are any carnivorous beasts on the island,” Charles ordered.

Following his command, several saltwater fish were tossed onto the sandy shore. Their bodies were deliberately cut to release blood, and the scent began to spread. Everyone watched anxiously.

The fish, deprived of water, suffocated within minutes. Thirty minutes later, Charles suddenly spotted two glowing eyes among the rocks.

Squeak, squeak, squeak~

Black fur, a slender tail, and eyes like black beans. It was just an ordinary rat.

In full view of the crowd, the rat scurried to the dead fish and began tearing into it.

Joy spread across the people’s faces. The appearance of a normal creature was good news. If the rat could survive on this island, so could they.

But before they could celebrate, more greedy eyes emerged from the crevices between the rocks. A swarm of rats surged toward the dead fish like a wave, and the white sandy beach was instantly covered in dark brown fur.

The relentless gnawing sounds from the shore sent shivers down the spines of the men on the ship.

“Th-these rats are a bit… numerous…”

Second Mate Krona forced a smile as he glanced at the Captain.

At that moment, Charles thought of something else. Mice always occupy the lowest rung of the ecosystem. The sheer number of them clearly indicated that other predators must exist on the island. He didn’t know what they were yet, but at least they weren’t cats.

While Charles was thinking, the rat swarm had already retreated like the receding tide, leaving not even a fish bone on the yellow sand.

“Deckhands, drop anchor, secure your weapons and explosives, and prepare to disembark.”

As Charles’s command rang out, the crew sprang into action. For this expedition, he had prepared more explosives than usual. Even if the gunpowder proved useless, it was better to have it than not. If the island’s danger was limited to these rats, the explosives would surely prove useful.

Two wooden boats were lowered into the sea. All the crew members except for Bandages, the injured First Mate who remained to guard the boats, disembarked. A strip of cloth was tied to each of their shoulders, bearing the name and rank of every sailor. This was to ensure that no one would be added or missing when they returned to the boats.

The group walked slowly between the rocks. The seasoned sailors, having experienced this before, remained relatively calm, but the rookies were visibly agitated. They flinched at the slightest sound of the wind. As they ventured deeper into the island, the rocks gradually became less solid, and animal skulls began to appear sporadically on the ground.

A hint of disappointment crossed Charles’s face. For the moment, there seemed to be no passage to the surface here. As he hesitated whether to press deeper, a red light suddenly appeared between the distant rocks.

Charles ducked behind a massive boulder and whispered to the others, “Quick, put out all the torches!”

Though the other sailors didn’t know why, they obeyed their captain’s command. As the torchlight vanished, the distant red glow became even more distinct. The bright color flickered between the rocks, approaching them.

As it drew closer, everyone clearly saw the nature of its color. The creature resembled a swollen leech, approximately five meters long by visual estimation. The red light emanated from bioluminescent spots embedded beneath its translucent skin, flickering in a deeply unsettling manner. Though wingless, it hovered freely in the air. Twisting its six stalked eyes forward, it scanned its surroundings as if searching for something.

The people hiding behind the rocks held their breath, while the more timid ones closed their eyes and began to tremble. Charles stared at the creature’s stalked eyes. Their very appearance made it clear this was no peaceful being. The best course of action was to avoid disturbing it at all costs.

Gurgle.

Suddenly, a sound came from someone’s stomach. It was faint, but in the silence, it echoed like thunder. Whoosh! The Leech’s eyestalks instantly swiveled towards the humans. Its mouth, bristling with thorns, let out a terrifying low growl. Its translucent body flickered slightly before vanishing without a trace.

“It’s invisible! It’s coming!”

Charles gripped the explosives at his waist, tensing every muscle with a determined expression. He was ready to fight the monster to the death. The other sailors also tightened their grips on their weapons, their hearts pounding in unison.

As Charles counted down in his mind and was about to hurl the explosives, the pitch-black surroundings suddenly lit up with a crimson glow. The Leech materialized atop a rock, its eyestalks now pointed elsewhere.

Squeak, squeak, squeak~

The sound of a rat came from that direction, growing louder as if deliberately trying to attract attention. The leech twisted its swollen body and quickly flew toward the sound, its red glow vanishing.

In the darkness, Charles let out a sigh of relief, cold sweat on his brow. He never dreamed he’d be saved by a rat.