Chapter 412: Island
"Why are there so many sea otters?!" Charles exclaimed as he leaned over the railing to look downward into the waters.
A dense crowd of sea otters had encircled the Narwhale, each wielding shells and gleefully pounding them against the ship's hull. The incessant hammering chipped at the Narwhale's white paint, causing it to flake away. Charles couldn't help but grimace at the sight of his ship getting damaged.
"Feuerbach! Get your sharks to drive them away! They are hurting our companion!" Charles called out urgently.
A bed of distinctive green hair emerged from the inky dark waters. Feuerbach acknowledged Charles' command with a nod and then vanished beneath the waves again.
Shortly thereafter, multiple red shark fins emerged, slicing through the water as they darted toward the otters.
However, the otters seemed unfazed and persisted in their boisterous pounding activity until a spreading pool of blood on the Narwhale's port side signaled danger. It was only then that they realized the severity of the situation and dispersed in a frantic rush. Almost immediately, the irritating thumping noises stopped.
"Captain," Feuerbach called out from atop a shark. "It seems like those otters didn't recognize the sharks."
Charles surveyed the now tranquil waters and the sea otters lurking fearfully beneath the seaweed and asked, "How's the situation down there? Are there signs of any other creatures besides these otters?"
Just then, Dipp emerged from the waters with a splash and a sea urchin as large as a durian in his hands.
"Captain, it's a massive seaweed forest right beneath, thriving with a rich diversity of marine creatures. If there were any habitable islands nearby, this area would be a prime breeding farm."
Rich diversity? If there are this many sea otters, then what are their natural predators? Especially considering that they couldn't even recognize sharks. Charles pondered to himself but soon realized that there was no time to waste.
"Let's now dwell on this. We need to get out of here immediately. Our destination isn't this seaweed forest. Full steam ahead!" Charles commanded with a wave.
In response, the Narwhale picked up speed as her engines hummed louder. The dense patches of ink-blue seaweed blurred past the crew's vision.
However, this particular sea region wasn't that simple to navigate through. Soon, the sea's surface was dotted with new obstaclesenormous green lotus leaves, each spanning the size of a basketball court.
Typically, lotus leaves would never be found in the ocean, yet here they were. As the Narwhale moved forward, the leaves became more numerous and densely packed, to the point where the ship had to push through them to move. Thankfully, the lotus leaves were easily brushed aside.
The peculiarities in the surroundings had spurred Charles to stay vigilant by the deck cannon. If any danger were to arise, he would immediately issue orders for a counterattack.
The mice had gathered around his feet and were ready for battle.
Plat!
Suddenly, the serene surface of the lotus leaves to the left of the ship was disrupted. A black toad, as large as a small cottage, emerged from beneath and landed on a leaf.
Unlike typical toads, the protruding humps on its back were not poison glands but rather hundreds of small yellow eyes densely packed together. All of them were staring intently at Charles and his crew.
With a guttural croak, the toad's crimson belly expanded and contracted as it filled the air with its deep calls.
Accompanied by a series of mechanical clicks, the deck cannon of the Narwhale swiveled and aligned its aim squarely on the giant toad.
"Hold fire. Don't attack rashly!" Charles cautioned the mice.
He didn't care what these creatures were; at least for now, there had been no direct conflict between them. He always remembered his goal was to find the giant key and not to waste time in such places.
Under the watchful gazes of the giant toad's multitude of eyes, the Narwhale continued its journey ahead.
Plat!
Another toad made its entrance and landed on another lotus leaf. Its appearance instantly escalated the tension on the deck.
As the crew watched anxiously, the number of toads started increasing, their croaking sounds merging into a relentless chorus that tested everyone's patience.
Regardless of the identity of these toads, their hundreds of eyes and immense stature hinted at their potential threat.
"Should they decide to attack, ignore everything else and focus solely on making a path for us to get out of here," Charles instructed the mice at the cannon.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, the mice squeaked in affirmation.
Everyone, including Charles, had brandished their weapons and were braced for a tough fight.
But contrary to their expectations, the toads around them soon began to dwindle in number. It seemed that the Narwhale had traversed beyond their habitat.
Just as Charles was about to let out a sigh of relief, the speeding Narwhale came to an abrupt stop with a roaring sound, the inertia sending him hurtling toward the ship's edge.
Catching himself in mid-fall, Charles quickly regained his composure and deployed a grappling hook from his steel prosthetic to anchor himself to the deck.
Did the toads attack us? That was the first thought that came to Charles' mind but he soon dismissed it. The toads in the distance had remained stationary and were merely croaking and observing from their lotus platforms. It appeared that the Narwhale had collided with an obstacle.
Charles dashed toward the prow and peered anxiously into the depths to find Dipp and Feuerbach already assessing the situation.
"What's the situation down below?" Charles called out.
"Captain, we had collided into a reef!" There's a large depression beneath the bow of our ship!"
Hearing this, Charles let out a sigh of relief. It was just a simple grounding, and they were not facing any immediate threat.
Charles turned from the bow and gestured decisively to Bandages, who was stationed in the ship's bridge.
Bandages returned a gesture of understanding, and the Narwhale began its slow retreat.
No one knew what lay below the inky dark waters, so the Narwhale waited while the underwater scouts explored the depths.
Having become a Deep Dweller, Dipp was now like a fish in water. He moved through the water with ease, his speed several times faster than on land. His movements were fluid, reminiscent of a shuttlefish weaving through the water. He resurfaced once more, and the translucent eyelids slid away from his fish-like eyes.
"Captain, good news! It's not a reef! We've reached our destination; the island we're searching for is right ahead.
"It's partially submerged, and that's how we ran aground!"
"What?!" Charles exclaimed in astonishment as he surveyed the surrounding seaweed and vast green lotus leaves.
His guess had been right. The island they sought after lay within this sea of seaweed.
"Is there any path ahead? A passage for our ship?" Charles asked.
"Yes! I've scouted ahead. There are several openings for us to go through!" Dipp confirmed.
Casting a glance at the toads lingering near, Charles commanded, "Advance at full speed! Our destination is within reach! If the key is on this island, we are going to find it!"
Cosyjuhye's Thoughts
Erm.... Knowing the author, this is what I would call "the calm before the storm".
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