While our companions slept, we were attacked from the sea and sky.
With everyone awake, we finally had a chance. Cecilia launched a preemptive strike against the Harpies, who were observing us from the sky, by climbing up Philiana’s back and leaping onto them.
Using them as stepping stones, she cut down the Harpies flying in succession. Blood poured down with each flap of their wings. After incapacitating about three of them, she elegantly landed back on deck.
“Phew, this has become quite the situation. Even if we drive these guys off, can we escape the Mermen?” Philiana asked.
“We’ll have to force them to leave,” I replied.
Philiana threw a long harpoon towards the water’s surface. I was amazed that she was monitoring the sea while fighting in the sky. I was already panicking and didn’t know what to do.
“H-Hey, get away from there!”
Lauren’s voice turned my head, and I saw that the cabin was swarming with Harpies. Lauren and Pauline were resting in there. I thought they were in a safe place, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
Beside me, Sharin was struggling with a bow she wasn’t used to.
“What are you doing? Let me!” Nina snatched the bow and shot quickly. But the arrow flew straight up and disappeared into the sky.
“What do you mean? You’re still practicing. I just held it a second ago.”
“I didn’t say anything,” I retorted.
Just then, reinforcements of two Harpies swooped down towards them. As if on cue, the arrow Sharin had shot earlier also fell.
Sharin jumped up, caught the arrow, and thrust it into the enemy’s shoulder as she passed.
“Gyyyaahhh!!”
The impaled Harpy thrashed and fled.
“Was this all part of your plan?”
“You can even make sarcastic remarks now?”
“Hey, you guys! Stop messing around and help!”
As Kasharo spoke, an explosion was heard from the rear of the ship. Water splashed everywhere. She had taken out what could be called bombs, similar in shape to dynamite. She lit the fuse and threw it into the sea.
“Some of them are no good because they’ve gotten wet, but I kept them stored so water wouldn’t get in. Keep throwing them!” Kasharo laughed heartily, the sound drowned out by the explosions interspersed with Mermen’s screams. Wait, wasn’t your daughter still in the sea? It had gotten completely dark, so I couldn’t see anything. The Mermen, perhaps to hide in the darkness, had also stopped surfacing.
“Um, aren’t they gone already?”
“Don’t be an idiot. Do you think they’d give up that easily? Blast those damn fish!”
Kasharo carelessly threw bombs into the sea. Then, she took out something round. She pulled the attached wire and tossed it.
A moment later, a higher water spout than before erupted. The sheer impact made our companions stop. I thought I saw something white floating on the black water. Was that… no, I should try not to think about it.
“Arisugawa, the Mermen are retreating. Only the Harpies are left,” a voice announced. The Harpies circling overhead stopped and turned towards us.
“GiiieeeeeeEEEEeeeee!!”
They all screeched at once. The sound was so loud that I could feel its waves throughout my entire body. I instinctively covered my ears and hunched my shoulders.
“KyyyaaaAAAAAAAaaaaa!!”
My head felt like it was splitting! It felt like my brain was being shaken directly. My stomach churned, and I felt like I was going to throw up. Was this one of Siren’s techniques? But if it was a magic-infused voice, a shield should be able to deflect it.
I raised my shield in front of me. It seemed to help a little. But I couldn’t move an inch against the chorus of death. Just then, one of them broke formation and intruded. The Harpies were confused by their companion’s strange, flapping movements and turned their fangs on them.
“Now’s our chance, Pillon, lift me up!” Cecilia grabbed Piyo’s leg and slashed into the disrupted chorus. The strange Harpy that suddenly appeared thrashed and fell onto the deck.
“Giiiii”
It let out a strange cry and flew away. Looking at the cabin, Lauren and Pauline were peering out the window. It was Lauren’s puppet; they were safe.
Meanwhile, Nina’s arrow hit an enemy’s wing. She looked at Sharin with a happy expression.
“Huh? What is it? Didn’t you see that?”
Elana’s fireballs illuminated the night sky like fireworks. The surprised Harpies finally seemed to give up and fled. It looked like we had managed to repel both enemies. I wondered if the Sea Tiger was all right. She had dived into the sea alone.
“Gyaaaah”
“Ugh”
The Mermen’s screams sank into the pitch-black sea. It turned out they had been following from behind the ghost ship the whole time. The Mermen who couldn’t escape were mercilessly bitten and then thrown into the night sky.
“Hah! Is that all you’ve got? I’m not done playing yet!”
The Sea Tiger had harpoons stuck in her, but she didn’t care. Bombs were being thrown from the front, and killer Orcas were chasing from behind.
“Enough! Sea Tiger, stop it!”
I shouted, but it seemed my voice wasn’t reaching her in her frenzy.
