The longer I sailed through the storm, the more I was convinced that it has something to do with the seagulls. Even though we spent an entire day (24 hours) inside of the storm, we were yet to leave it. The waves stopped growing stronger at some point but they didn't start becoming weaker.

Everything felt like we are in the eye of the storm but we were in this situation for far longer than it would appear to be natural.

Aside from occasional flooding and minor damage to the hull, there was nothing to be concerned about. We were not in the state of immediate threat.

Then, the winds suddenly stopped, and the storm dissipated in moments. The final waves struck the ship, and then everything around us went quiet.

---

Patricia cautiously looked around, and looked at me with the same shocked expression as I looked at her.

“Those little guys are surely something…” I couldn’t help looking at the seagulls flying as if nothing happened.

“I am glad they stopped torturing us…” Patricia fell on her knees and finally breathed out in relief.

I checked the situation around us and confirmed that nothing happened. The radar and the sonar were still alive, despite everything. The guns were fine. The hull… After the water is pumped out, everything should be fine. ‘Tis but a scratch.

‘Ping…’

Just when we finally relaxed, I heard a ‘ping’. I continued listening but nothing came afterwards.

“What is it?” Patricia looked at me, when I put an earphone to my cat ear.

“Nothing. I must’ve misheard.”

‘Ping…’

“Y-you are pale… Please, tell me it’s alright…” Patricia paled together with me.

[The sonar is not malfunctioning, neither should my ears... Maybe...]

“H-hey… h-how b-big can sea m-monsters be…?”

‘Ping…’

“T-they say that the Western abyss monsters can be huge… Huge like towns…” We both became white as paper.

‘Ping’

“We are doomed…”

‘Ping’

“Whatever it is, it is ridiculously huge, and fast!”

‘Ping’

“Let’s run!” (P)

‘Ping’

“Too late. ‘Full ahead’! Man the stations!”

‘Ping’

The seagulls scattered, and started grouping far above.

‘Ping-Ping-Ping’

As the enemy approached, I steered the rudder like crazy. Soon the destroyer started drifting like in a Tokyo drifting race.

‘Ping-ping-ping’

‘Whooosh’

Something passed by the ship. It was huge.

Even through the water, even from a distance, even though it was deep, I saw it.

A long snake-like body with green scales. A huge head, which is as big as the ship itself. And a speed surpassing any and all sail ships.

As the monster passed completely, the pinging calmed down but soon I started hearing fast pings again.

‘SPLASH’

In a few kilometers I saw how the creature surfaced. Its huge head looked at us, and saliva started dripping.

‘RAAAAAAAAAA!!!’

“We are doomed…” (P)

While the creature was still looking at us, I started praying to all of the gods that are willing to hear me.

The guns aimed, and I pulled the trigger of fire control.

BANG BANG BANG

After it saw muzzle flashes, the creature dived back, and started accelerating towards us.

Pom Pom

The depth charge throwers fired.

BOOM BOOM

‘RAAAAAA!!!’

As the charges exploded, the creature surfaced and shook its head in fury. I aimed at the point where I hoped its head would be, and fired.

BANG BANG BANG

The shots missed but I had some time before the monster dived. The next wave of shells scattered around near its head, and the creature twitched.

‘RAAAAAA!!!’

It dived again, only to receive another portion of charges. Its trajectory was somewhat shifted so I hoped it was hit. Since it was slowed down, I tried firing anti-submarine shells. Just in case.

BANG BANG BANG

The target was too deep, and when it regained consciousness, it charged forward. I started to spray and pray, only hoping to stall it until I gain some speed and distance. The monster was too fast to fight it without speed.

Pom Pom

BOOM BOOM

The charges exploded somewhat near, and made the creature surface and shake in fury. I grasped the opportunity, and fired everything that I could. Torpedoes included.

---

BANG BANG BANG

The time stopped.

I saw how the shells flew out of the barrels, and arced on their way to the monster’s head.

I saw how the reptilian pupil focused on me, through the distance and a layer of glass.

And I saw how the shells hit the eye, scattering around splashes of blood, and causing a terrifying screech.

‘RAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!’

Meanwhile, the torpedoes were pushed out of the tubes by the compressed air.

For a second I saw a notice but before I could read it…

KABOOM

The ship shook as the first pair of tubes exploded. Now I perfectly understood what the ‘high explosive’ sign meant.

[THOSE THINGS CAN EXPLODE?!]

I was lucky that the damage was only done to the tubes themselves, and the oxygen generator below them. There were no hull breaches, and I was not broken in halves.

As I was done dispatching the damage control to the burning oxygen generators, I finally returned my attention to the monster.

It was still where it was. Its head was turned at me, and its right eyes was closed. What was a bit more important, is that…

…its throat was glowing…