The Duke's Passion

Chapter 853 Stay fucking still

ROARR!!!

Stefan was flying toward the Kraken tentacle after waiting for an opening. However, just before the tip of his Lancelot could penetrate the tentacle, a piercingly loud shriek erupted in the air, The sudden shriek disrupted Stefan's speed, and since he was mid-air, he was defenseless at the appearance of another tentacle. Pain erupted on the side of his stomach, making his lungs constrict while bits of blood came out of his mouth.

ROARRR!

Stefan came flying away, almost losing consciousness at the pain he had inflicted. For sure, a rib or two broke with that attack, piercing his lungs as a result. Thanks to his years of experience, Stefan was able to suppress the pain before he could land anywhere.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to regain control of his weight and body. Stefan succeeded, landing on the piece of a boat on the surface, only to jump up to find a more stable surface. The Kraken continued to shriek, making Stefan's ears bleed.

Stefan watched his weight as soon as he regained his footing on a piece of much bigger wood. The wood was still sinking slowly, but he settled on it temporarily. His hand was placed on the side of his stomach, gritting his teeth because of the pain, and then gazed up at the monstrous tentacles wiggling over the ocean.

"What's going on?" he wondered, touching his bleeding ear.

The Kraken was still screaming, but unlike the screams it released at the beginning, it sounded like the Kraken was writhing in pain. Stefan had been fighting this monster for minutes while everyone else fled the scene as ordered.

From Stefan's observation, this Kraken was called a legendary thing for many reasons. A thick layer of slime covered its skin, making it its protective barrier. Even if Stefan pierced through this protective barrier, its skin itself was thick but soft. Meaning, most of his attacks simply bounced off.

Brute force wasn't enough to inflict damage on it. Stefan had to be smart with his every attack. The reason he wasn't tiring himself by fighting blindly, but instead, conserved his energy by repelling the Kraken's attack, all the while waiting for an opening.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

However, just when that opening came, and he finally did a move, this happened.

"Something is wrong..." he trailed off, deserting the sinking wood where he was standing as a tentacle swung into it. Stefan found another floating wood around the same place, taking his time to regain balance due to the violent waves the Kraken's action was creating.

"There's definitely..." he breathed out, lifting his head at the monster ahead of him. "... something off."

The Kraken wasn't attacking Stefan anymore. It looked like it was simply throwing a huge fit. Stefan turned his head in the fort. All he could see were tiny people rushing to the land, narrowing his eyes as his gaze scanned the fort.

"Alphonse." Stefan's eyes opened from its squinting, furrowing his brows.

Alphonse was just standing on the corner of the fort, and no one was paying attention to him. All the Divine Orders have already reached the land. It would be impossible for them not to notice Alphonse, especially Charlotte, Kristina, and Ramin.

Those three didn't have a good memory of Alphonse. If they hadn't forgiven Stefan or believed him, they wouldn't have simply ignored Alphonse. Moreover, Stefan didn't mention to everyone that Alphonse would also be in the land of Spade. Not because he had forgotten about it, but that was Alphonse's wish.

Alphonse's only request after talking to Stefan before this happened was not to tell Samacl anything about it. Samael already had an idea, but he didn't pry. Alphonse also didn't explain the reason, and Stefan didn't question the reason for this request.

Even if Alphonse wouldn't explain himself, Stefan already knew why.

Alphonse didn't have the courage to face Samael or Lilou. I le was too ashamed to even look at their shadows, let alone stand before them. Stefan could understand his brother because he also felt the same way. It was just that Stefan had to swallow that shame and guilt because if he didn't, things would be different. A lot worse.

"Unless he already talked to them," was Stefan's guess, which he thought was the only logical explanation for a rather peaceful situation back in the fort. "So that means..."

Stefan's eyes veered in Alphonse's direction once again. He sized up his brother, observing him for a minute. Seeing that Alphonse was not moving a muscle as if he was a statue, Stefan figured out what was happening.

"What did he do?" wondered Stefan, looking back at the violent monster before him, standing still despite the waves. "He should've told me beforehand."

A frown dominated Stefan's face, but he knew there was nothing he could do. On a battlefield, anything could happen, and that included a change of plans or an improvise of a plan.

"lle must be underwater," he told himself, keeping his attention on the Kraken before him. "Whatever he is doing... I have to take advantage of it."

His jaw tightened, eyes glinting with determination. Attacking the Kraken now was a lot riskier, especially when it was rampaging. However, that also meant I wasn't in its right mind. He might not know what was going on, but one thing was for sure; Alphonse had done something underwater.

Little did Stefan know, it wasn't Alphonse who was the cause of the Kraken's current state. It was another person, whom Stefan didn't expect to be in this place.

Claude.

****

The moment Claude pulled out the parasite leeching on top of the Kraken's head, his eardrum nearly shattered. The Kraken's scream underwater was silent, yet its waves nearly broke Claude's ear drums. Despite that, his ears were bleeding and the underwater waves were taking him away, Claude pierced his fingers on top of its head.

The Kraken wiggled and struggled, screaming on and on, but he was determined. Regardless of the disadvantageous setting, Claude gritted his teeth and fought the force coming at him. 'Stay fucking still! he mentally cursed, reaching out his other hand with great difficulty to pluck out another parasite. I'm trying to help you!"

SHRIEK!!