Reborn with the Conquest System-Chapter 57: Unnamed

The first day it happened, he thought he was hallucinating. After all, it seemed he was the only one who noticed it following the ship.

The second day, the shadow came closer. The captain spotted it too, her entire body tensing at the sight. Muttering something he couldn’t hear, she asked him to keep watch.

The third day, the rest of the crew saw it as well. Their expressions warped, the sheer terror evident in their every move. None dared to speak loudly or make any loud noises.

The night after, Magnus stood on watch, the captain beside him.

"What’s our guest?" He spoke quietly. Unpleasant memories of the Sand Kraken lingered in his mind, his gaze always lingering to the shadow.

"I’ve asked around. No one knows what it is."

"Sounds great, just what you need on a sea voyage— an unknown monster following your ship."

His eyes were locked onto the shadow. "Judging by how much it’s closing distance, tomorrow we’ll know what’s up."

"I really hope it’s only curious..." A barely audible whisper escaped the captain.

"Doubt curiosity would make it follow us this far. If I had to guess— it’s after either one of us or the Drant."

The captain opened her mouth.

The shadow vanished.

"Fuck."

"Ah, fuck."

They spoke at the same time.

They both activated their mana, their backs leaning against each other. While Magnus’s skin shone with a black sheen, fiery red flames burned on the captain’s body.

The rest of the crew saw it, getting ready to fight for their lives.

Seconds passed.

Minutes passed.

Minutes turned into hours.

The sun rose on the horizon, a rare occasion on Sal’Margan. A cloudless sky greeted them, the warm colors breathing life into their tired nerves.

"It didn’t attack?" Magnus muttered, his eyes looking towards the sun. "I guess the dawn saved us?"

Even he felt an instinctive sense of dread from whatever had followed their ship. Seeing it vanish had caused his heart to race, an impending sense of doom engulfing him.

"It’s not supposed to be dawn yet." She turned to look at him, her complexion pale.

"Captain, the moon! The moon is in the water!?" A sailor shouted, yet Magnus didn’t register.

His heart dropped, his eyes gluing to the sun.

Coated in mana, though it caused discomfort — he could endure.

In his vision, the golden light vanished, a twisting mass of runes moving erratically. Something seemed to be forming—

[Magnus!]

He collapsed to the ground, his breathing ragged.

"What... Was that..."

[Magnus!!!]

Another alarmed system message, and he turned around. The captain had also coated herself in mana, her gaze locked onto the sun.

His hand shot out, covering her eyes. "Snap out of it!"

She collapsed to the floor, cold sweat covering her body. "What... Is that..."

He wanted to reply, yet a sound came from behind.

Thud.

Another. Then more. Turning his head, he saw the entire crew lying on the ground, spasming. Foam was coming from their mouths, their bodies flopping around like fish on land.

Only then did he feel his mana being drained. Rapidly being depleted.

He grabbed the captain by the collar, his other hand aiming for the ground. The floor collapsed, and they both fell through the floor—into the captain’s cabin.

Collapsed on the floor, he felt the mana drain stopped. He checked his mana, his heart sinking seeing the number.

15/248

’If I had stayed any longer, I might have ended up dead!’

"My mana... It’s almost gone!" The captain spoke, her voice shaking.

’System, what the hell is this? The—’

[Connection severed.]

A chill went down his spine. ’System?’

[Connection severed.]

Unaware of his thoughts, the captain spoke quietly. "Thank you, if you didn’t make me look away..." Her words trailed off, her eyes trembling in fright.

Magnus moved quickly, closing the curtains on the window, the hole in the ceiling being blocked by stacked up shelves.

"We’re fine now... Right?" Magnus whispered, sitting next to the captain.

A voice came from outside.

"Captain, it’s Altair. May I come in?"

Magnus was about to speak up, when a hand covered his mouth. Turning to look at the captain, a look of terror was evident.

"Altair fell overboard." She mouthed it off, not daring to make a noise.

"Captain! Hurry, it’s urgent!" He began knocking on the door, the rhythm growing frantic.

"Captain! CAPTAIN!" The voice began shouting, the door rattling as whatever was outside tried to enter.

Neither Magnus nor the captain dared to breathe loudly.

A few minutes passed, the door seemed like it would be broken down, the ground shaking every time the door was rattled.

’Something is holding the door together, that’s why it didn’t break!’

The voice vanished.

Silence descended upon the captain’s cabin, yet neither of them dared to move. Magnus eyes were locked through the gap in the ceiling he made, a bad premonition suddenly arising.

He gently tugged at the captain, pointing towards the ceiling hole.

"It’s gone..." She mouthed it off.

The hole in the ceiling had vanished, no rays of light coming in.

They huddle together in the corner, their eyes locked onto the window. The sunlight still shone in, once comforting, now a harbinger of doom.

A system window popped up, causing Magnus to smile.

’You back now budd—’

[WARNING: Unauthorized dimensional severance. Entity: UNKNOWN]

The same warning. And again. Window after window appeared in front of him, each one with the same message.

His hair stood on end. The captain sensed something, her concerned eyes turning to him.

’What is going on!’

His eyes turned to look at the captain, before a thought struck him. He reached for the Drant, letting the captain place her hand onto it from her side.

"Extract mana!" He mouthed it off and she understood.

’Whatever it is, I’m not going down without a fight!’

The warning still kept ringing in his ears, becoming more frequent.

Time passed. The ship swayed gently the same way it always did. His eyes wandered between the window on the left and the door on the right.

Time passed. The sunlights direction changed, now falling almost straight down from the gap between the curtains. The room became brighter. No sounds from anywhere.

Time passed. A shape loomed behind the curtains. Both their terrified gazes were locked onto it, ready for whatever came.

The light disappeared. The world was engulfed in darkness, only faint sparks and a flickering flame remaining.

’What the hell is going on!?’

Draining the mana from the Drant, they soon began to feel fatigue setting in. Magnus mouthed off that he would take the first watch, and the captain drifted off to sleep on his shoulder.

Hours passed, and he woke the captain.

Hours passed, and he was awoken.

Exchanging shifts like this while draining mana, the dark room remained constantly lit up.

The sixth time he rose, Magnus glanced at the corner of his eye. Then, his tired eyes met the captain’s.

The rays of light began to shine from the outside once more. The knocking on the door. The frantic voice.

The ship shook. Darkness descended once more, yet Magnus rushed to the window.

The captain tried to reach out and stop him—only to see his hands already clutching the curtains.

He tore them off, the starlight spilling forth into the room.

"We’re safe! We’re safe?" His voice frantic.

"Safe?" the captain smiled.

[————?]

A sudden wave of dizziness assaulted him, his eyes rolling backwards. The captain fired, lighting the lantern on the wall.

Her vision distorted, and she collapsed to the ground as well.

For a moment, the unseen gaze lingered on the fire.

The shadow underneath the ship vanished, returning once more to the deep. Stillness once more took over.