The God of Jesters
Chapter 663 - 10.03.5 Krakens.

Chapter 663: 10.03.5 Krakens.

These seas were horrific. God knows how many horrific creatures lived in the deep, dark seas. Even the mermen were merely the tip of the iceberg and one of the most harmless beings compared to the things that had been hiding inside the seas for ages.

The pheromone on Wajih’s body belonged to one of those dangerous beings. As for the specific one, I can’t tell. All I had were notes or details. My memory and personal experience left me blind to the specific nature of this creature.

But if a Grandmaster was used as bait to hunt this creature, then the creature should be something far stronger than one can accept.

"In ait, it might appear to spread too far, but once this smell touches water, it will start spreading at a faster rate than one can except... by now, it had already exceeded a hundred kilometer of radius, and it will keep spreading the more you delay. Death is upon your people." He will survive, he has the strength for it. But the same would not be the case for the rest of his men.

"Hmm." And he turned quiet, believing me would generally be foolish in his place, but I was right once, and I would be right again if he didn’t listen to me. "Speaking of which, what is the job you were looking for." And so he comes around, finally agreeing to work for me.

Which I happily obliged. "A forbidden area under Cynark... a perfect place to hide from whatever sea creature will come for you," I spoke with a hint of mischief, but the man called Wajih remained quiet for a bit, looking at me deeply and thinking of some solutions in his mind before saying. "Too little still, what else can you provide me with?" He asked, knowing full well that if he didn’t make landfall, most of his crew might be turned into fish chow, and the chaos caused would probably bring in some third parties to know what just happened.

"You seem interested in powerful blood... I might have a way to get you some Totem blood." I was going to give him some of my blood, wonderful, isn’t it?

Hearing my words, he fell into contemplation and chose to agree at the end, knowing full well that he could just escape whatever disaster might be heading his way if he just got to one of the Fateh Alliance Islands. Though considering how he had stolen something precious from them, there was a high chance of being caught if he got too close to them. Not to mention, even those abandoned islands that were spread around the seas were not safe, whatever was coming wouldn’t have much issue acting against a small island, it might even destroy it entirely, so a bigger island was needed.

Even then, I believe this man must have many other options, he must be aware of the hidden archipelagos used by pirates. But he never chose those options and agreed with my suggestion.

Why? Well, the answer to it was a bit obvious if one thinks about it. ’He is suspicious of me in some ways.’

My knowledge of the pheromone might seem a bit too random in his eyes, he might even wonder if I used his second in command to earn his trust and if I might be part of his enemy’s group.

Concerns like these are what caused me to hide the fact that the zone we will be entering will also be the place his enemy might be going. I don’t wish to scare him off early on, if he learns of this fact, he might wonder how did I learn this, or how much else did I know.

Which will increase his worry and suspicion about me, which is why I remained quiet.

Once we get there the answer will be obvious to him, if he didn’t want to die, he will have to do as I say.

Perfect plan, isn’t it?

Though unaware of what my thoughts were, the mind of Wajih was thinking of something entirely different. ’The timing of it all.’ He looked at the shapeshifter dwarf and the way he obtained this mission. ’I am exposed... I can’t return to Azad for the time being... not on this ship at least.’

With their long-winded plan failing in the end, those people might abandon all reason and face him directly in a frontal fight. Which might cause massive losses on their end, but no matter how strong Wajih is, he can’t survive such an army on his own. Nor his mercenary band will support him in such a personal vendetta.

’This ship is compromised... I need to leave.’

He had made up his mind. Although he was not capable of speeds and teleportation like a Legendary being, flight was still possible for him. Although it would take too much of his endurance to travel in the air for long distances on seas, this was the only path left for him.

Which is why after calling for a meeting, he explained his men. "You are to turn back and return with the loot... tell Kasim that he will be the temporary captain of the band during my absence. " Kasim was the vice-captain of the mercenary band and a dear friend of Wajih, though he would never say it out loud, but he did trust this brash vice-captain of his more than anyone else in the team which is why he chose to give his seat to that man before planning his escape.

"But why Captain?"

"The potion I drank before... It will attract certain enemies and I can’t protect you all on my own. So I will leave them away while you do your job." With those words, he took out a small pouch and took out multiple scales and flesh of the Immortal Serpent. "This was my haul, keep it safe, I would expect my share once I survive." This meant, that if he didn’t return in the next year or so, then his share could be divided among the participants of this mission.

Well, that is if any one of them can reach the Land of Azad safely.

For now, giving his people one last look, he left the ship with me in the tow. " Can’t you fly?" He asked, and I just shook my head. Learning these few forms already took too much from me, and now learning how to mimic a bird? Now that will take even longer. "But I can swim faster than your flight on the seas." the green head was currently asleep and with last week’s practice, I had been able to transform as fast as I usually did before losing my experiences.

Which the man agreed to and watched as I turned into a merman. "Do mermen look like this?" He asked, looking at my form. And I shook my head while dropping into the seas. "No, I am a bit humanoid while they merely mimic the human form and nothing more." The Mermen were horrific creatures said to mesmerize the sailors and cause them to crash their ships. An ability innate to them the legendary Mermaid kings are even said to have mesmerized an entire town and turned them into an offering to their god.

Their psychic capabilities were something to behold for they were considered natural-born mystics in their own right.

If not for the fact that the majority were limited in their growth, the mermen might have been the strongest race on this planet.

"The real ones, they only mimic human shapes, but they are not human... remember this, killing them will be easier this way."

I spoke, before turning my eyes in a certain direction. "Seems like whatever it was is here." My eyes can’t see it, nor Wajih’s senses can detect the thing flying through the deep ocean, but I can feel its existence, along with many others like it following behind.

’What is this?’ First time in my life had I seen something as absurd as this, the size alone exceeded that of a merchant’s 60-meter ship, and this is ignoring the tentacles. ’A Kraken?... a whole pack of them.’

Were they even creatures that lived in groups? I don’t think so. But for some reason, they were here, attracted by the unique musk on Wajihs body. "What... what are they?" Wajih wondered, finally feeling the terror as he witnessed a tentacle break out of the sea which alone exceeded the size of the biggest mammal that Wajih had ever seen.

"Kraken... not the real one of course, just something left from its bloodline." The real Kraken was a beast of legends, these giant squids can’t compare to that. But they were closer, its descendants that had regressed in their strength and size altogether, but they still remained the beast that had the capability of reaching the grandmaster just through their natural growth cycle alone.

"We can never outrun them, they tracked us here so fast," I spoke, feeling that the waters were not as safe anymore.

While Wajih turned silent for a bit before saying. "They seem to have loads of blood... don’t they?"

"Hmm?" It was at this time, that I finally understood that the man I employed was not a normal person. He was something far from it, he was one of the absurd ones. ’Ho Malidi... did you already know?’ I spoke as I saw multiple small beads made of metal appear, forming a floating halo around his body.

And then, the battle broke out.