Surviving as the Captain of a Mad Cthulhu Deep Sea - Chapter 24

chapter 24

Clash with the Duke

Chapter 24: Confrontation with the Duke

Charles felt a flicker of understanding. The previous threat still seemed effective. Even if the vampires outside knew they were trying to escape, they wouldn’t dare act rashly without someone to lead them.

“How strong is the Duke?” Charles pressed, anticipating the enemy’s imminent arrival.

“The power of the Blood Kin is tied to their age. The older they are, the more experienced and formidable they become. To become a Duke, one must be at least five hundred years old. They are fundamentally different from us. With a mere thought, they could easily slaughter thousands of ordinary Blood Kin.”

Five hundred years? Charles was slightly surprised. With such a long lifespan, how much would she know about the World of Light?

Audric shook his head at Charles’s speculation. “You’d have to ask the Matriarch about that. All the Blood Kin on our island were first led by her, and she’s the only one who has ever been to that accursed place. I’ve heard that the light there is so pervasive that even the slightest touch would turn you to ash. I don’t know how she survived.”

Hearing this, Charles clenched his fist tightly. As expected, clues to the surface world were scattered throughout the Subterranean Sea. If he set his mind to it, he could find them.

“Then why did your Matriarch come to this region?”

“Ah, I’ve heard of that. Legend has it that some entity informed the Matriarch of a place where there was no sunlight harmful to Blood Kin, yet abundant with humans.”

Charles was momentarily stunned. He had never imagined that the vampires had come here for such a reason.

Audric, being blind, couldn’t see Charles’s expression and continued speaking.

“But that entity deceived the Matriarch. This place isn’t just filled with humans; there are beings far more powerful than our Blood Kin. Even for Blood Kin, surviving here is extremely difficult. The Matriarch despises that entity deeply.”

The mention of beings far more powerful than the Blood Kin Matriarch instinctively brought to Charles’s mind the massive palm that had risen from the Subterranean Sea, leaving him utterly helpless.

“So, how much does your Matriarch know about the previous world? What country was she from? How many suns were there in the sky?” Charles fired off a barrage of questions, hoping to glean more details about the surface world.

Though he had obtained clues from 1068, cross-referencing was necessary for accuracy.

Audric gave a bitter smile. “Mr. Charles, I’m only 124 years old—still young. And you’ve seen my status within the Blood Kin for yourself. Do you truly believe I’m worthy of approaching the Matriarch?”

Charles sighed lightly, his disappointment palpable, and walked toward The Narwhal. This answer was exactly as he’d expected.

To get the answer, Charles knew he had to confront the Blood Kin Matriarch directly. But that was impossible unless he felt he had lived long enough.

Lily, who had been listening intently beside him, noticed Charles leaving and approached Audric, asking in a voice brimming with curiosity, “So your Matriarch fled to this island to escape the crisis? How pitiful.”

“No. We came to escape humans. As human power grows and conflicts with the Blood Kin intensify, our Matriarch foresaw an impending final battle. She led her children away to prepare. In truth, we coexist with humans. If all of you perish, we’ll starve and die as well.”

“Then how do you get food? Do you eat rats?”

“In the northern part of Black Spirit Island, we raise human groups. They provide a fixed amount of blood weekly, but it’s really too expensive… Normally, we have to endure the disgusting taste and eat human food.”

Time passed, and the Blood Kin loitering outside the Repair Shipyard grew in number.

Through the glass windows, they no longer hid their long, protruding fangs, and their bloodthirsty gazes were fully exposed.

Though they hadn’t attacked yet, Charles felt immense pressure seeing the vampires encircling the shipyard in layers.

“How much longer? If you don’t want to die, move faster!”

Charles’s roar echoed through the Repair Shipyard. As the enemies outside multiplied, his temper grew increasingly violent.

“Soon, soon! We’re driving in the rivets!”

The Factory Manager, sweat beading on his forehead, frantically urged his workers on.

Just then, the flapping of wings outside the door reached everyone in the shipyard.

Charles rushed to the window and peered out. A massive flock of black bats was swooping toward them, and the vampires outside cheered toward the airborne creatures.

The bats descended rapidly, their black-and-red-feathered cloaks coalescing into two figures—a man and a woman—who landed outside the door.

“Damn it!”

Annoyed, Charles could guess their identities without anyone explaining.

“Didn’t you say it would take half a day? Why are you back in just two hours?”

The Blind Vampire stammered, flustered by Charles’s question, unable to answer.

Charles waved his hand at the other sailors. “We can’t wait any longer! Everyone, board!”

Akasha eyed the stubbornly closed Repair Shipyard with keen interest. A small smile played on her lips as she revealed her sharp, fang-like teeth.

“Interesting. These humans seem to have some skill. Amande, leave them to me. It’s been too long since I tasted outsider blood.”

The male Vampire Duke beside her shook his head. “My dear, no. We must stick to our agreement.”

“As expected, blood will always win out. You’re as stingy as your sister.” Akasha shot her companion a contemptuous look before striding toward the iron gate.

The female vampire, barely 1.5 meters tall, extended her pale hands into the thick door crack and pulled with all her might.

With a ear-splitting screech of metal, the half-meter-thick steel gate tore open as easily as thin paper in her hands.

The sight before them left the two Vampire Dukes momentarily stunned. In the empty courtyard lay a small pile of explosives with a fuse smoldering precariously on top.

Before they could react to what was happening, a massive explosion rocked the entire Repair Shipyard, and flames soared skyward, engulfing the two Dukes.

Through the thick smoke, a charred corpse strode out of the flames, its eyes fixed on The Narwhal, which was fleeing at full speed in the distance.

The corpse rapidly healed, and soon, a naked Akasha stood in its place.

“Not bad. The stronger the prey, the better it tastes.”

Before she could finish speaking, black fur erupted from her body, and her pale skin began to mutate rapidly. In moments, a grotesque half-human, half-bat monster, three meters long, stood there.

“Shaaa!”

The monster’s body fragmented into a swarm of small bats, which charged toward The Narwhal in a dark cloud.

From the black smoke behind them, another flock of bats took flight, pursuing the first group.

Watching the bats rapidly approaching in the sky, Charles, standing on deck, turned and shouted toward the deck cannons, “Lily! Shoot them down!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The cannons roared relentlessly, and shredded bat fragments rained into the sea. But the bats were too numerous; the cannons alone couldn’t contain them.

They drew closer and closer, the flapping of their wings overhead tightening the hearts of the sailors like a magical curse urging them toward death.

Soon, the bats arrived, regrouping in the air to form a single Half-Bat Monster. It left afterimages as it plummeted toward the deck.

Its sharp claws swung toward the Brown Rats on the cannon carriage with brutal force. Blood splattered as Lily screamed.

Akasha watched the fleeing rats with her crimson eyes, a fireball materializing in her palm.

Just as she was about to hurl the flames, Charles, wearing a mask, suddenly appeared below her.

The sharp Black Saber slashed horizontally across her arm, and the hand holding the fireball fell onto the deck.

The masked Charles bowed gallantly before the severed limb.

“Hello there, beautiful. Did you drop this hand?”

“Your smile is truly disgusting.”

Akasha kicked off the deck with both feet, tangling rapidly with Charles.

Simultaneously, another Half-Bat Monster charged onto the deck. James, a four-meter-tall, snot-dripping figure, met it with a steel beam.

Other sailors supported him from a distance with various weapons.

Charles flipped backward, dodging the sharp claws, and immediately swung his right hand, still wielding his sword, toward the monstrous digits.

After they crossed paths, Charles leaped back and landed steadily on the ship’s railing.

Akasha didn’t pursue. She stood her ground, her massive crimson eyes fixed on the enemy before her.

Seeing the monster’s arm already fully restored, Charles cursed inwardly.

This goddamn, it doesn’t make sense. She’s using a cheat code!

“Young man, that mask looks good on you. Where did you get it? Unfortunately, you’ve chosen the wrong master.”

Charles, his mood now capricious, seized the opportunity. “Then I’ll give it to you. Will you let us go?”

Akasha covered her mouth and chuckled lightly.

“Do you really think that’s possible? It’s fine. I’m not in a hurry. We can talk slowly.”

“Kuaaah! It hurts! It hurts so much!”

Hearing James’s scream from behind, Charles grew anxious. The situation there was deteriorating. If they kept talking, soon they’d be facing her alone.

He turned and shouted at Audric, who had cowered in the cockpit.

“Hey! Blind man! What’s a vampire’s weakness?!”

Audric, trembling with fear, quickly advised, “The Duke’s only weakness is her heart. You need to crush it completely to prevent her regeneration.”

“Hmph!”

For the first time, anger flashed across Akasha’s monstrous face. She unfurled her two wings and lunged toward the cockpit. A traitorous kin was hated more than any enemy.

Clang! Clang!

The cockpit glass shattered, and Akasha easily caught Audric as he tried to escape. Her massive jaws, filled with razor-sharp teeth, snapped viciously, and with a scream that tore through the air, half of the Blind Painter’s neck vanished.

Just as she was about to completely swallow the traitor, Charles materialized behind her, and a blade radiating a chilling light pierced straight through her chest.

The Bat Monster flapped her wings once, sending Charles flying back, and glared down at the wound in her chest. A cold expression spread across her monstrous face.

“I’ve changed my mind. All you humans deserve to be buried beneath the Subterranean Sea!”

She brought her left hand behind her back and produced a round mirror the size of her palm. As the mirror appeared, a metallic scent of blood filled the air, growing thicker with each passing moment.

“Damn it! She has a Relic too!”

Charles kicked off the ground with both feet, charging forward to intercept, but Akasha spread her wings and soared into the air.

Under the glare of the massive searchlight, her grotesque body transformed once more. She completely changed from a Half-Bat Monster into a pig-nosed bat, five meters long.

As the pig-nosed bat opened its mouth, a piercing scream, like a requiem from hell, tore through the air.

Everyone instinctively covered their ears, even the other Half-Bat Monsters. Within seconds, blood began flowing from everyone’s ears.

Then Charles witnessed a spine-chilling sight: cracks began to spread across the hull of The Narwhal, spreading downwards like a spiderweb.

It was a steel ship! The sonic attack had inflicted devastating damage not only on the crew but also on the vessel itself. If she had screamed just a little louder, the entire Narwhal would have been torn apart!

Charles looked around in confusion, then leaped onto the chest of the battered James. He pointed at the bat in the sky, then at himself.

The dazed James remained motionless. When Charles swung his fist hard at the giant’s face, the behemoth finally stirred, grabbed Charles’s legs, and hurled him into the air.

Charles collided with the bat’s body like a cannonball. The sharp, agonizing shriek that had been tearing through the air finally fell silent.

With the sword still embedded in the bat’s body, Charles roared at the top of his lungs with all his might.

“Lily! Fire!”