Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 349: Raid Begins

Chapter 349: Raid Begins

The three days went by, full of sweat and hard work. One day was spent resting, training, coordinating, and laughing.

Thus, on the morning of the fourth day, they began. The world crisp as the fleet of Kobaya ships pushed off from the shore, the newly crafted wooden hulls cutting through the gentle waves. Fishermen rowed steadily, their strong, practiced strokes propelling the boats forward. Players stood ready for combat, one close-ranger fighter paired with a long-range fighter. Guilds huddled together in their respective ships.

Every usable eye scanned the horizons. Humans were alike in the regard that dangers could not be accepted as such until they witnessed it.

Kazi stood at the prow of the lead ship, his gaze fixed on an outline of Princess Otohime’s island that did not yet come into view for everyone else. Beside him was his new party: Jackson, the southern man whose axe gleamed in the early light; Kibiwott, the warrior skilled with the spear; and Remmy, the archer with a penchant for calling everyone brothers.

The fleet moved through the water. An hour later, Kazi raised a hand. A signal for Remmy who promptly got an arrow and began aiming at the air.

"Fire Dart!"

Remmy launched the Fire Dart high into the sky. The fiery projectile acted as a signal flare. A faster method to guide the ships and maintain and adjust their formation. The bright trails left by the Fire Darts weren’t only to guide; they were to inform everyone that nothing was sensed yet.

After all, while there were many sensors, none were better than Kazi who could glimpse into the future. Well, not that he outright told them. All he did was demonstrate his skills. The rest spoke for itself. They thought he was that good.

His left pulsed. Nothing.

Kazi’s senses were on high alert, however. This close, he had to be. The serene waters belied the danger that lurked beneath. The presence of the Samebito, the monstrous shark-like creature that guarded the waters around the island.

The Samebito had to be here soon.

"Fog..."

The fog of the island was approaching. The stone towers that were the plague of the canoers appeared.

"Remmy," Kazi called out. "Two Fire Darts."

Remmy did just that. Two Fire Darts, a signal that the fog was coming and to be vigilante. That was the Samebito’s habitat. The dense fog that surrounded the island was a treacherous shroud that had thwarted many before them. Previous attempts to reach the island using canoes had been disastrous. The narrow, unstable vessels were no match for the dangers hidden within the fog. The waters were strong, large stone towers stood tall in their way, and the Samebito had claimed many lives.

But the newly built Kobaya ships were different. Sturdy and swift, they were designed for this very challenge.

The moment the fleet ventured deeper into the fog, visibility dropped to near zero. The world became a ghostly realm of shadows and whispers, the only sound the rhythmic splash of oars and the mutterings of the players and fishermen. Slowly, everybody got louder, yelling and asking if they were going the right direction.

Kazi could see.

"Keep ahead," Kazi declared. "This is normal fog! Relax!"

Remmy, standing near the center of the ship, periodically launched a Fire Dart high into the sky. The fiery projectile cut through the mist like a beacon, its bright trail guiding the ships and keeping them in formation. Typically, when fog and fire came together, it created water vapour. But with the stability of the arrow, the Fire Dart was stable.

"Stay close and keep your eyes sharp," Kazi called out to the fleet. "The Samebito thrives in this fog. There’s some stone towers too. If we ever come close to them, I’ll let you know."

Going at full speed and ramming into a stone tower were issues the previous generation struggled with. For sensors, sensing life versus sensing inanimate objects was difficult in this early gate.

Jackson’s southern drawl was thick with determination. "Aye, we’ll keep our heads on a swivel. Ain’t no fish man gonna catch us off guard."

Kibiwott adjusted his grip on his spear, eyes scanning the fog. The tension was palpable as they pressed on, each rower and warrior attuned to the slightest sound or movement. The fog seemed to pulse with a life of its own, shifting and swirling in unnatural patterns.

Kazi’s left pulsed: he saw the future. He saw a dark shadow passing beneath his lead ship. Kazi’s eyes narrowed. "Stay steady, everyone," he called out, loud to carry over the sound of the oars. "The Samebito is here."

A huge splash of water spilled onto the boat and a whizzing sound cut into their ears. Something had lurched high up. Snapping up, a grotesque humanoid shark was falling down on the shop, the silhouette visible even in the fog.

Kazi foresaw this and reacted instantly. Jumping high, he met the humanoid shark and conjured a Fire Ball in his hand and shoved it right at its heart. The explosion lit up the foggy sky and the shockwave rocked the boat.

Splash!

The Samebito dropped into the waters, smoke following. Kazi touched back down to the kobaya. He knew this wasn’t the end. Seconds later, as predicted, the Samebito burst from the water and lunged, its massive jaws opening wide. It could have swallowed every single man and woman on the ship. Kazi met its charge head-on for a second time and delivered a powerful kick to the creature’s head, sending it crashing back through one, two, three stone towers.

So far away that no one could see the shark anymore.

Everyone on the ship stared in astonishment at Kazi’s display of strength and agility. He landed gracefully back on the deck and gave them a casual finger-salute. "We can move onward," he said, a confident smile on his face.

Jackson gaped, then picked his jaw up and asked in his accent, "I-is that thing dead, man?"

Kazi stared at the yonder with a hand over his brow. "Hm...no, I don’t think its dead. I feel a small bits of its energy. I admit, I relied on momentum power in that kick."

’If I had used Mastered Flow of Mana, I probably could have killed it.’

He clapped his hands together, high in the air. "Listen up! The shark is likely still out there and it’s going to stay its distance. But make no mistake! Stay. On. Guard. Understood!"

Grunts of agreement echoed. Although not dead, the fact that they had such a powerful, reliable sensor leading them brought comfort. The fishermen in particular were thrilled by Kazi’s abilities. This time, they could do it. This time, victory could be achieved.

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