Ch.165Chapter 165 – The Identity of What Caused the Storm

The bracelet on Pathos’s arm was an artifact created by Valkena, the guardian deity of blacksmiths.

This artifact, named the Infinite Shadow, became two hammers at its master’s command.

Befitting an artifact made by a god, this weapon possessed a special ability.

Specifically, if the wearer was an “ability user,” it would amplify the power of their abilities when used.

In that sense, Pathos and the Infinite Shadow were truly a perfect match.

When the heads of the two hammers he created collided, Pathos’s ability awakened with the first collision.

The second collision determined the target to which the ability would be applied.

And with the third collision, his ability began to move toward its goal.

A white hemispherical light formed from the collision of the two hammers.

This hemisphere of light spread in all directions to correct what Pathos deemed “abnormal” back to normal.

The storm raging in these waters was more powerful than any previously observed.

However, Pathos’s ability originated from the great goddess Epitrina who ruled this world.

No matter how powerful the storm, it was useless against an ability derived from the great goddess.

Everywhere the white hemispherical light spread, the storm that seemed about to destroy even the grand mansion calmed, and the sea regained its tranquility.

The massive waves that looked capable of breaking the keel of a large sailing ship in a single blow also subsided.

And this left a deep impression on the people of the Archipelago Alliance who spent their entire lives at sea.

“That’s an incredible ability, Colonel Como.”

“I see it too. These eyes of mine clearly witness those terrifying storm clouds disappearing.”

Colonel Como, captain of the steel warship, let out a hearty laugh.

They had fought against storms their entire lives and had struggled to subdue them.

Yet that man standing on the sea with Amina’s help had calmed the storm by simply repeating the action of making his hammers collide in the air three times.

The sea before them now was tranquility itself.

Except for the gentle rippling of waves, a truly clear blue sea had revealed itself.

“Kalos. Prepare for battle. It seems the uninvited guest who created this storm has arrived.”

Colonel Como spotted something dark floating in the sky far beyond the bridge window.

“Yes, Captain.”

Kalos saluted at Colonel Como’s words and went outside the ship.

Outside, warriors who followed him were already waiting with their weapons.

“Warriors of the Archipelago Alliance! Heroes of the sea! That man from the great land far away has opened a path for us! Now, what must we do?”

“Hunt! Hunt! Hunt!”

In response to Kalos’s words, the warriors raised their weapons to the sky and shouted what they must do.

“That’s right! From now on, we begin the hunt! It’s time to prove our valor, so as not to shame the one who bravely opened the path for us!”

“Waaaaaah!”

“Let’s go, warriors! The sea will protect us! The sea is our mother and our cradle! As long as Mother is with us, we will never be defeated!”

“Keeeeeeek!”

As soon as Kalos finished his speech, a bizarre cry that could hardly be considered a sound made by any living creature in this world echoed from afar.

The dark entity that appeared after the storm cleared was flying toward the steel warship from the sky.

“Kweeeeeeek!”

The surface of this massive entity—which looked like a clump of black ink pasta left abandoned for weeks until mold bloomed—was covered with countless mouths full of teeth and bird-like beaks that clattered and made noise.

Particularly, around the toothed mouths were scattered eyeballs, creating such a grotesque appearance that an ordinary person would have wet themselves in terror at the sight.

Kalos felt extremely disgusted looking at that bizarre black mass that had already descended near the sea.

This meant he was a powerful warrior with enough strength not to be overwhelmed by fear even when facing that black mass.

“It may look terrifying, but for warriors of the sea, fear and terror are merely obstacles to overcome!”

The moment Kalos saw that black mass, he recalled the fear and terror he had forgotten.

But he was someone who had overcome the fear and terror of the sea, which was more frightening than anything else.

Therefore, that black mass, so small compared to the sea, was not an entity of fear and terror to him.

“Everyone prepare for battle! Form ranks and create a battle formation!”

“Yes sir!”

The warriors of the Archipelago Alliance, who had lived their entire lives at sea, responded in unison to Kalos’s command and dispersed in an orderly manner.

After scattering in all directions, they quickly formed a formation at regular intervals and charged toward the black mass, running across the sea’s surface.

As the Archipelago Alliance warriors ran across the sea in formation, the seawater began to gather beneath their feet.

“Haap!”

When Kalos, who was at the center of the formation, leaped toward the black mass, the rest of the warriors jumped simultaneously.

The seawater moved with them as if attached to the soles of their feet, forming pillars that followed their movements.

“No matter how strong you may be, before our mother sea, you are nothing but a mere insect!”

“Keeeeeeek!”

As if hearing Kalos’s provocation, the black mass continued to emit strange screams.

But the warriors’ fighting spirit did not diminish despite hearing those screams.

“Here we go! Taste the power of Mother! Ocean Spear!”

Kalos thrust the spear in his hand toward the direction from which the black mass was approaching.

As his spear made a whooshing sound, the warriors scattered in all directions, and the pillar-shaped seawater attached to their feet transformed into a giant spear that flew toward the black mass.

The enormous spear-shaped mass of seawater rushed at tremendous speed toward the black mass, which was flying toward it while making strange cries.

The two collided.

And the spear-shaped seawater pierced through the black mass.

“Kyuieegegek!”

The black mass let out a bizarre scream that could not possibly be expressed in human language.

Seeing this, Kalos realized the creature was still alive and prepared for a second attack.

“Let’s go! Hammer!”

“Yes!”

“Anvil!”

“Yes!”

At Kalos’s call, the warriors divided into two groups and stood in line to his right and left.

“Eternal rest to that monster!”

“Rest to the monster!”

“Rest to the monster!”

When Kalos called for rest, the divided warriors leaped up from the sea.

The seawater then transformed into two shapes—one an anvil, the other a hammer.

Kalos gestured toward the black mass that was writhing in agony, impaled by the seawater spear.

The spear that had pierced the black mass rose into the air at Kalos’s gesture, and beneath it was placed the anvil made of seawater.

Kalos gestured to place the black mass on the anvil, then opened his left hand with the palm facing the sky.

Next, he raised his right hand and brought it down hard against his left palm.

“Kwaaaak!”

As his hand moved, the giant hammer made of seawater swung down onto the anvil.

—Thwack!

A sound that couldn’t possibly be made by seawater meeting seawater rang out, and the monster screamed.

With the seawater hammer coming down on the seawater anvil, the black mass had been flattened like a pressed noodle.

But still, the creature wasn’t dead.

Kalos was disgusted to see the black mass still alive despite this technique that had killed sea dragons, krakens, and even the king of the deep sea creatures with a single blow.

He had deliberately used his most powerful technique to subdue the opponent in one go without giving it time to recover.

‘Perhaps?’

Seeing this, Kalos had a thought.

Perhaps they needed the power of the guest from the great land far away to kill this creature.

With this in mind, he turned his head to look at Pathos.

Coincidentally, that guest from the great land far away was also looking in their direction.

Kalos appeared before Pathos with a single leap.

“Count. We need your help.”

“What is it?”

“To kill the monster that caused the storm, we need your power.”

Kalos thought that Pathos, the Sword Destroyer, could surely kill that monster with his ability.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for the storm summoned by that monster to disappear.

After much deliberation, Pathos accepted his proposal and moved to the monster with his help.

The monster was still placed on the anvil made of seawater.

Pathos transformed the Infinite Shadow to create a giant hammer.

It was so massive that it should be called a giant hydraulic press rather than a hammer.

Pathos brought the hammer down on the monster without any difficulty.

—Thud!

Once.

—Thud!

Twice.

—Thud!

And finally, a third time.

As the hammer was swung for the third time, the black mass was enveloped in white light and vanished, creating a pillar of multicolored radiance toward the sky.

It was the moment when the cause of the storm that had existed between the Ryu Empire and the Archipelago Alliance was eliminated by Pathos’s hand.