In a tense circle, the crew sat on the deck. Everybody had crossed their arms and focused every ounce of anxious attention on the plan that Hongjoong had spread in their midst. The earlier aches and pains of their long night of drinking had subsided into sober gravity. Once their decision on how to proceed finished, it was time to get drunk again. No way they would go into this battle sober.

"I do nay know 'ow large the enemy's territory be. We can guess by them dead fish that 'e dwells in the area beneath us." Hongjoong's unpractised fingers drew a few lines that reminded him of a Kraken's tentacles. Long, and with suckers larger than his face on them. They ended in nothingness. Trembling fingers had left them squiggly.

"We need to access the creature to kill it. But I do nay know 'ow long those arms be, or 'ow the creature beneath looks." To emphasise his words, Hongjoong drew an uncertain circle in the middle of the tentacles. It was probably too small for a creature this size, but the crew got the gist of it.

"Shall we drop the anchor to alert it to our presence?" Jongho suggested quietly. His hat threw a shade over his eyes that had widened with curiosity and hesitation.

"Nay, I do nay want us to get stuck there. Last time, it appeared by itself, without the dead fish, too. Maybe we angered it back then." Hongjoong put the pen down. Deeply in thought, they all stared at the estimated size of the tentacles compared to the Grief. It wasn't good news.

"Might 'ave been injured or 'ad fledglings at that time. They grow aggressive o'er such things," Yeosang muttered. His eyes scanned the horizon. The skies had become cloudier today, but it was still a pleasant day. Just like the old lady on the market had predicted.

A good day to fight.

"What be its grub?" Yunho swayed on his heels. His long arms were wrapped around his legs as he eyes the drawing disbelievingly.

"By that size, probably whales. I ain't surprised if it mistook us fer one." Nervously, Hongjoong played with his pistol. The solid metal under his shaky fingers alleviated some of his worries, but his major discomfort didn't lift off him.

"Will it come to the sky to eat us?"

With a shake of his head, Hongjoong tried to find the right words to explain.

"I do nay think it 'as interests in little pirates. It rather just-" He clawed all of his fingers and crossed them with each other. Then, he abruptly ripped them apart.

Mingi grimaced. Wooyoung nodded wisely.

"So like a large version o' a regular squid. They peel open shells to spy its insides. Maybe we look like an 'ard shell fer it," the navigator noted. Then he frowned again. "Usually I would rouse a squid by pokin' it until it moves, but I think that be a bad idea given the size of this devil."

Not as if anybody would have wanted to dive down and wake the monster themselves, too. Hongjoong shuddered at the thought of viewing the entire beast beneath him as he swam around. Again, they sat cluelessly.

"We could try light? Most creatures be interested in light. We could try to use the sun so our shadow falls deep," Hongjoong suggested. The idea got approving grunts out of several crew members. A seagull startled San when it squawked at them from the railing. With glares at the offending bird, the crew immersed themselves in their talk again.

"So we will try dwellin' around 'ere under the sun until it notices us. An' once it comes to the sky-" Hongjoong gestured towards the tons of cannons and other weapons they had brought on board. All secured and ready to shoot at any misbehaving Kraken.

"That be a jolly plan. What else?" Wooyoung scribbled in the logbook, eager to get as much information as possible before they would throw themselves into the battle. If the logbooks made it but they didn't, other sailors could try their luck with the beast.

"Its arms 'ave suckers on 'em. That side be more vulnerable than the other. An' it will nay pierce yer bodies. Ye either get crushed or drown."

A horrible cacophony of dying voices recalled in Hongjoong's mind. Of smashed legs, bloodstains where seconds ago a crew member had stood, and destruction everywhere. The cruelty of the dwelling one to just destroy and not actually end their lives was all the worse than a battle against any pirate or navy crew could ever be. No morals, no second thoughts. Just hell.

"If ye fall into the water ye might survive. I did last time. As long as ye stay away from the ship. 'Old our advantage 'ere fer as long as possible, but rather save yer lives than try to return once ye fall. Maybe the ocean be kind an' carries ye aft to the island."

Hongjoong had nearly stranded on a desert island with black sand on its beaches at first. Survival would have likely been impossible. He owed the jack tar that much.

"Maybe other ships will come by an' check fer survivors or valuables. If ye get saved, try yer best to endure. Findin' aft to the crew be the last goal," he finished pensively. His words had darkened the faces around him, but they didn't dare discuss or upset him further. The captain's orders were irrevocable.

"Maybe if we fend off those tentacles fer a while, the rest o' the body will appear. Or it dies on its own."

San agreed to Yunho's grim wish with a helpless nod. Then, he rose to his feet first. His hand settled on his sword.

"Then, Capt'n, be ye ready to lead us into the battle ye been yearnin' fer forever? We be at yer side, ready fer yer commands."

With a crooked smile, Hongjoong got to his feet. Wooyoung packed the map away before the rest of the crew joined the movement. Their bright eyes shone with steely determination. None of them gave up easily. If this battle were their last, they would go down only after they used even their last might to fight the Kraken.

"Aye. Me 'earties, I thank ye fer yer support until 'ere. I wish fer ye to spy the light o' tomorrow, too, an' join ye in Davy Jones' locker if ye do nay. May the tides be on our side."

The pirates sealed the pact with a loud call. Shoulders squared and hearts awakened as they spread out. Their promise stood against the waiting beast.

As Hongjoong hurried past the railing to join San at the sails, he glanced at the ocean. More fish had come up. They covered the surface of the water in large numbers. Grey and sickly green scales shimmered under the surface to create a carpet of rancid death. The pirate swallowed the need to cast up his accounts as he gripped onto the rigging. His boots found purchase on it without issues, and he swung himself up the mast. On his other side, San had grit his teeth as he wrapped his legs around the wood they balanced on. With specific care, he fastened the sails. Hopefully, they would survive the worst of the battle so the pirates wouldn't be stranded out at the ocean after they won their fight.

One shiningly white sail after the other disappeared in rolls fastened to the masts. The surface to attack lessened, and the ship slowed in its voyage over the ocean.

Directly above the unknown and looming monster.

After they had strapped all sails tightly to their places, the two pirates moved on to the next mast. Beneath them, the crew hurried to adjust the weapons, load the cannons and tie the steering wheel in place. Mingi stood at the ready to counter potential leaks with an infinite supply of wooden boards and a bucket full of nails. Wooyoung stared at the clouds and calculated the speed of the wind. Yunho handed out blunderbusses to everyone. Jongho opened all doors wide to allow easy access in case they needed to storm in. Yeosang searched for a place to store his emergency medical bag in where no tentacles would easily steal it.

Cabezon wasn't there.

Through the thickly spread blanket of dead fish, Hongjoong could barely see the surface of the water anymore. His pearls clinked and jingled as he leaned back to get a better look out over the ocean. The carpet frayed in the distance to end in the open ocean again. They had to sit right above the Kraken territory.

Hongjoong climbed back down. He equipped a bag with ammunition, a larger rifle and two smaller pistols. As many bullets as he could. Still, he also wore his sword slung over his back.

Bottles passed around, filling the pirates with enough alcohol to fuel their spirits. Hongjoong numbed towards his pains and cramps.

Once everything was ready, the crew collected on deck and nearby again. Yeosang sat at the forecastle, his blunderbuss ready in his veiny hands. San manned the helm. The rest had spread out to stare over the railing.

They waited.

The sun was scorchingly hot above them. It shone its unforgiving rays right from the top of the sky as if it wanted to burn their ship like a beacon. Hongjoong wore his hat, but he had left the coat since it was impractical to fight in.

When after a while of sweating and agitating their anxious nerves nothing happened, Wooyoung let go of a weakened breath. The suspense was killing them slowly and drove their minds mad with its smell of rotting flesh, saltwater, and heat.

Hongjoong slowly walked along the railing. The ocean was steady enough that any larger movement would be felt instantly. Unsuspecting and dark, the water danced over the dead fishes and bumped them into each other.

The other side was also empty.

On his way back to his prior spot, Hongjoong grabbed a spear they used for hunting sharks. They stood neatly in their barrel in case someone needed them. The curious eyes of his crew followed him when he stepped back on the edge. Carefully, he leaned his hip against the solid wood and brought the spear over. He had to stretch to extend it to the surface of the water. With gentle pushes, he nudged the fishes apart. Idly, they floated aside to create space for him to look into the water.

Deep dark blackness. The sun reflected on the rich blue surface and made the sea shimmer and shine. Nothing to see underneath.

With his breath held and teeth clenched into a grim lock, Hongjoong walked along the railing once more. His spear pulled a trail through the shaking fishes. He pushed the corpses aside until he could scrutinise the depths. When he came up with nothing, he continued his path.

His silent crew members watched him, not intervening. They knew to hold their posts as he probed for the creature.

Ultimately, Hongjoong halted near Mingi. The man itched to hold on to Hongjoong as he leaned far over the railing to reach further. He restrained himself, however. Both of their eyes searched the unsuspecting ocean.

Through the masses of floating bodies, Hongjoong detected something. Dark and unmoving, like a reef. The colour might as well have indicated a regular stone.

He tried to reach it, tried to scrape the tip of the spear along and feel its texture. If they ran onto a reef, then their plans to win and survive lessened even more. Even though neither Yongguk, nor the market lady, nor Wooyoung had mentioned any reefs in these waters. They were too far out to find them here.

No creature of such size would prefer a confined space.

After a second of consideration, Hongjoong gathered his wits. With a long arm, he pulled the spear back. When he launched it back forward, he let go in the middle of the movement. Like an oversized arrow, it shot into the water and embedded itself deep into the pretentious rock.

A tremble went through the soft flesh. Then, the spear dropped from the water-resistance as the thing beneath moved. Instantly, Hongjoong retreated from the railing. Mingi copied him. Their mouths fell open when the ocean shifted, more fish drifting away through the interruption.

A second later, the tentacle shot through the water surface.

Cold spray hit the pirates as it grew taller and taller, reaching for the sky. Thicker and longer than their mainmast, it loomed above them to curl and uncurl. Squishy, white suckers tested the air. The spear had left a gaping hole that leaked blue blood over the creature's skin.

The pirates stared in awe.

Once the first shock had subsided and the water calmed around the unseeing tentacle, Hongjoong pulled his gun first. With all his hatred and regrets and frustration over the loss of his previous crew, he shot. And a rain of bullets followed that ripped the flesh apart to colour the water an even deeper blue.

The Kraken had awakened.