Sea Bulwark

"Hey idiot, yeah you, fuck you!!" = Conversations

'Idiot?! Me?! I hate this guy...!' = Thoughts

"Begone Thot!" = Spells, Attacks, Rage moments, demonic forms, yada yada yada. You get the point.

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Enma's POV 

Everyone has been busy getting themselves ready for the upcoming battle.

Meanwhile, I sat at the edge of the roof of my mansion while I let my feet dangle in the air and pondered about a particular feeling from the previous fight.

'Although it was just for a split second, the moment I launched my Domain Expansion back then was different from the previous ones before.' 

I carefully remembered the details and sensations of my previous use of Domain Expansion and compared them to my past ones.

'I noticed that it took less time to deploy it, as well as it went smoothly without the need to expend more effort.' 

I touched my chin and narrowed my eyes as I remembered another more concerning aspect that changed.

'However, the main difference will be the time flow. Before I used Domain Expansion, I noted that the sun was at its highest point. After Cthulhu broke it, however, the sun has practically not moved even an inch. I don't remember my Domain Expansion being able to do manipulate time in it before.'

I gripped the sides of my head as a throbbing headache assaulted me.

'Gah! I need Death-sensei's guidance with this. His Divinity Realm was my inspiration for making Domain Expansion after all.'

An image of a looming figure surfaced in my head. The dilapidated cloak along with an ominous aura around him made me shiver subconsciously.

'I can't believe he has a handsome face under all that terrifying gait and aura of his.'

I shook my head and closed my eyes as the refreshing sea breeze blew across my face. 

A presence approached me from behind and stood there, I assumed that they also enjoyed the sea breeze that brushed by.

"What do you have for me, Marine?" I called out to the person behind me, although I still have my eyes closed, I already knew who it was the moment she entered my range.

"You never fail to impress with that keen sense of yours Enma boyo, anyways the Sea Bulwark is ready. It won't be long before we depart."

I hummed and nodded my head in response, eyes still closed. I let out a sigh as I stood up from the ledge and stretched. My bones gave out satisfying cracks in the process and made me groan in relief.

"Alrighty then, time for us to set sail. Time waits for no one, ain't that right Marine?" 

She only chuckled at my antics before she walked back from the way she came from. "Meet you at the port boyo, don't forget about the others now, especially that blonde girl. I still have a rather, intimate discussion with her."

"Whatever you say, Marine, just don't break the poor girl. Don't want her to end up like you, so young and already have back problems."

I calmly dodged to the side as a brick sailed across the air. I silently watched as it plummeted down below and hit the ground(?) With a thud.

"FUCK!"

Well, not the ground it seems. I shook my head in amusement before I leaned over and saw a young person sprawled across the pavement.

"Sorry for that lad, my grandma can't aim right nowadays. Too old and stuff you know?" 

"What kind of grandson let their grandma get up all the way out there?!"

"The bored kind." I chuckled as the person rolled their eyes and walked away with clear resentment in his footsteps.

'He seems nice.' I thought to myself.

I chuckled lightly as angry huffs of air were being made behind me. I turned to Marine and saw her gritting her teeth and glaring at me with righteous fury.

"STOP CALLING ME OLD DAMNIT!" 

"Mah mah, calm your tits down Marine. Why don't we proceed to the docks now?" 

I watched as Marine's face tightened to a frown before scoffing off. She waved her left hand out and signaled me to follow her. To which I shrugged my shoulders and followed behind her with quick steps.

It took us about half an hour on foot to reach the docks due to the location of my mansion. 

I really should've moved my mansion closer to the docks, however the stink fish scent made me decide otherwise. No one can bear smelling that everyday, not even me.

Marine took the lead as I swept a glance at our surroundings. The docks were lively, a bunch of fishermen were loading their capture nets and tools needed to catch fish and other aquatic and marine life to their ships.

While some merchant ships docked at the side with the crew unloading their precious goods needed for trade.

Towards the leftmost side of the docks, however, is a very peculiar place. I tilted my head upwards a bit and noted the black flags waving in the air above the massive masts of the ships.

Pirates, you'll be surprised at how the locals aren't running away and screaming in fear at their presence. Well in Feltiore, that's the norm.

After all, if the governing authority of Feltiore is a pirate herself, why would you be scared of a bunch of drunkards?

I sighed lightly before chuckling in amusement, Marine was really a scary pirate back in her prime. Having only the Flying Dutchman and her wits to rely on, Marine ruled the Grand Sea for a good decade before she retired and settled down and built this fort city of Feltiore.

Most pirates dared not to create big ruckus around here as it's also a safe place for them to relax and not worry about getting their heads decapitated by bounty hunters.

The three big Crystal Cannons by the entrance of the docks are also part of the reason as one of those cannons can blow up a hill if charged fully, let alone three fully charged ones. Even I would have trouble trying to defend myself from such attacks.

While I preoccupied my mind with the past of Feltiore, I felt Marine stop in her tracks. I carefully extended my senses towards the front and "saw" a huge door.

I turned my head and looked at the said door and had to blink for a couple of seconds.

"This is where you kept Sea Bulwark?" Marine turned to me and grinned.

"Yep! Couldn't let such beauty be out there with those ugly ships now can I?"

I chuckled mirthfully and scratched the back of my head before looking back at the door.

A huge warehouse stood in front of us. A pair of giant double doors stood towering over us while I sensed a lumbering beast inside. I smiled to myself as I recalled Sea Bulwark's first voyage on the open seas. 

"Come on then, let's get her on the waters first." I shook my head to get rid of my melancholy thoughts before I followed Marine inside the warehouse.

We went through a small door at the side and entered. It was dark, with the only illumination coming from the gaps of the ceiling, doors, and the window panes at the top.

I can see a silhouette of a ship in the darkness. It's hard to make an accurate detail of how it looked due to the shadows and darkness encroaching the place.

I smiled to myself and carefully watched Marine pull a lever to the side. A rumbling sound echoed out the huge warehouse, and I heard a creaking noise behind me.

I turned around slowly and saw the two huge doors slowly parting up and opening.

'So that's why there is a lever, I thought I would have to push it open. Hmm, this is nifty.'

I muttered to myself as sunlight slowly crept in from the parting gaps of the huge door. It bathed me in a warm sensation as the warehouse lit up.

"I didn't think you would be this fancy now Marine. Last time I checked, installing such a mechanism is expensive." 

Marine stepped up beside me and smugly puffed out her chest. I had to look away at the alluring show.

'I'm only loyal to Pekora. I'm only loyal to Pekora. I'M! ONLY! LOYAL! TO! PEKORA!' I chanted silently in my head and pushed back the raging blood that nearly threatened to rush out of my nose.

Marine probably didn't notice as she spoke in a smug tone.

"Heh, I've been the ruler of the Grand Sea for a decade Enma-boyo, it might be expensive to some, but it's just cheap change for this young lady."

'Young lady? Where? I don't see any.' I silently cursed but didn't dare to say it out loud for the fear that Marine might throw a temper tantrum.

I deadpanned at Marine which made her grin at me. I rolled my eyes before turning back to look at the ship behind us.

She's as beautiful as the day she was born. I smiled softly as I approached Sea Bulwark. I carefully held out my hand and touched its streamlined hull.

The rough and hardwood caressed my skin as I slid my fingers across the various wave-like patterns engraved upon its hull. I backed away and tilted my head upwards to look at the figurehead at the front of the ship.

I stared hard at the figurehead as it stared back. Most commonly known as the Leviathan, its figure was carefully sculpted as Sea Bulwark's figurehead and symbol.

The reason I used the Leviathan as Sea Bulwark's figurehead is due to the saying of the God of Light.

"The Leviathan can breathe fire from the fiery depths of hell, have scales that are the most impenetrable defense amongst all other creatures, and its indomitability amongst all other marine life forms. The Leviathan is one of the most terrifying creatures there is to exist amongst the mortal realm."

His words, not mine. Since I killed one before, and it's not so powerful. However, one aspect of the Leviathan that I find annoying is its scales. 

Even as an Archmage, I had trouble trying to get through its tough and impenetrable scales. I had to resort to a disgusting method of letting it swallow me and kill it from the inside.

As such, I thought it was fitting for the impenetrable Leviathan to be Sea Bulwark's figurehead.

I made Sea Bulwark with the thought of it being the Atlantis' Guardian. Atlantis represents all of the ocean and seas in HoloEarth. It's fitting for the ship that will be its guardian to be known for its impenetrable defense.

I smiled to myself before levitating and looked at Sea Bulwark from above.

Sea Bulwark has one main mast and two supporting ones. Many have asked me why did I not use three main masts instead of the combination of two supporting and one main mast. That is due to the unique characteristics of Sea Bulwark.

The Bulwark was blessed by Gura's father, Poseidon. As such, the Sea Bulwark's main ally on the open sea is the sea itself. Regardless of the current, regardless of the lack of wind. The seas themselves will push Sea Bulwark to maintain its speed. The wind was never an issue, as well as the current.

The Bulwark was crafted and built in a streamlined function in order for it to achieve the fastest speed it can get. The wave-like patterns on the hull of Sea Bulwark will help it maintain buoyancy against harsh impacts from enemy fire.

Lastly, the back of Sea Bulwark was different from other ships, there are two portholes the size of a ball at the back. Those are propulsion systems built according to my magicka elements. It can either propel the Bulwark using Wind Magicka or Water Magicka when it's underwater.

She is a beauty. Every line, every grafted piece of wood, and every part of the Sea Bulwark was crafted by one of the most professional shipwrights in the whole of HoloEarth.

Flam Kila, an expert, and famous shipwright is the person who made Sea Bulwark. Before making Sea Bulwark, Kila made the Flying Dutchman. Believe it or not, Kila belonged to Marine's Hounshou Pirate Crew before. 

He settled down here at Feltiore when Marine retired and took the post of the head shipwright of Feltiore. He repaired the ships from various people that came to Feltiore as such he is famous for his masterful works.

Sea Bulwark was claimed to be his masterpiece. Something that irked Marine, but there was nothing she can do as Sea Bulwark was made from 10,000-year-old Celeste Wood I got from a corrupt noble that I killed before.

Celeste Wood is one of a kind wood that grows even in the harshest environments there is. A ten-year-old Celeste Wood can fetch up to 10,000 gold coins. While a hundred-year-old one can fetch from 100,000 to 500,000 gold coins depending on whether it's a 100 year old one or a 900-year-old one.

As for a thousand-year-old Celeste Wood, that thing is priceless. No one would be stupid enough to sell such rare wood.

Regardless of how expensive Celeste Wood is, in the hands of an amateur shipwright, it can only become trash. Only someone like Kila is worthy to even dare create such a magnificent ship from it.

I sighed as I touched Sea Bulwark's deck. The familiar feeling of the hardwood of the Bulwark made me feel melancholy. 

Marine also jumped aboard and looked at the Bulwark with a longing look. I laughed and patted her shoulders.

"As long as we get out of this situation alive. She is all yours Marine. Take care of her, as long as you stay true to its namesake, then the seas will forever be your ally."

Marine didn't say anything as she softly sobbed by my side. Losing Flying Dutchman was like losing the most important part of her heart.

Flying Dutchman has been with Marine for as long as a decade, it has never failed to live up to her expectations. It's more than just a ship to her, it's a part of her. She was Marine's partner for a decade.

Seeing it get crushed by Cthulhu was a huge blow to Marine. She might not show it, but Marine cared more about her ship than anything else. Giving her Sea Bulwark wouldn't be a waste, a great ship can only show its might under the hands of a great captain.

Marine is such a captain. As such, I have no regret in giving her the Sea Bulwark. My journey has just begun, and I don't think it's time for me to venture out of the sea.

After all, I haven't even explored all of this continent yet. Why should I hurry to go to another one?

"Well Marine, shall we?"

Marine smiled before she walked up the stairs and rested her hands on Sea Bulwark's helm. I laughed heartily as Marine grinned at me and adjusted her hat with her right hand, while her left hand rested on the helm.

"Are you ready to set sail Enma-boyo?!"

"Aye aye... Captain!"