Paladin of the Dead God

Isaac, as the final successor of the order, certainly had the qualifications to take on this mission.

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Gebel gave a faint smile. Seeing the hint of fear fade from his face, Isaac felt a sense of relief.

In truth, Isaac had been worried that after completing his revenge, Gebel might follow his fallen comrades and take his own life. But with Isaac by his side, perhaps Gebel would find new purpose.

“However, my current concern isn’t my old comrades. It’s what lies beyond once we reach the mainland. If we’re heading to Miarma, then just beyond the desert is the Outer Realm, isn’t it?”

“The Outer Realm?”

“A place beyond the reach of the Codex of Light’s order, where creatures of chaos roam. It’s said to be a refuge of the old gods. There might be monsters from there crossing over.”

Isaac, of course, was familiar with the Outer Realm. In the game, it was an unfinished zone, a place where rebellious players would venture, only to meet inevitable death at the hands of monsters far beyond their abilities. The creatures there were portrayed as impossible to defeat.

But in this world, the Outer Realm wasn’t an “unfinished zone.” It was a real land, inhabited by the ancient monsters born from Nameless Chaos. Isaac wondered if Gebel was aware of the full implications of what he was talking about.

“…I’ve been watching you for a while now, Isaac. It seems like you never really have a solid plan, yet you always manage to get through somehow.”

Isaac couldn’t predict how the former servants of Nameless Chaos might react to seeing him. So far, their reactions hadn’t been particularly friendly, but there was no way to know for sure. For now, though, his attention needed to be on the ominous clouds approaching on the horizon.

The Nightmare Strait was drawing near.

***

“Wrap the sail lines around your bodies!”

“This is madness! We need to turn back!”

The farther they sailed into the southern sea, the more violent the waters became. What had started as a gradual increase in turbulence had now turned into a full-blown frenzy. The sailors, all seasoned members of the Salt Council, had thus far managed to keep the ship from capsizing, but it was only a matter of time.

They hadn’t even entered the true madness of the Nightmare Strait yet.

“Aaahhh!”

A young sailor was suddenly swept overboard by a massive wave. Eidan immediately began chanting a prayer, his eyes wide with determination. Instead of sinking, the sailor bounced back up to the surface, where ropes were quickly thrown to pull him back aboard.

If even the sailors were struggling, the soldiers fared far worse. Trapped inside the cabins, they had no choice but to endure the terrifying conditions. It was in these moments that they truly understood why this sea was called the Nightmare Strait.

“The fleet’s breaking apart!”

One by one, ships began to fall out of formation, some retreating north, either by choice or due to the overwhelming force of the storm. Isaac didn’t order them to return.

It was part of the plan.

If breaking through is too difficult, retreat. No soldier’s life is worth less than any objective.

His words had sounded noble, but in truth, those retreating ships were bait. Isaac needed them to lure out the key to crossing the Nightmare Strait.

Despite being pounded by the relentless waves, Isaac clung to the mast, keeping his gaze fixed on the horizon.

“Sir Holy Grail Knight! Shouldn’t we turn back now?!”

Eidan approached Isaac, his waist tightly bound by sail ropes. Despite his decades of experience as a sailor, even he struggled with the storm. And knowing that they were only at the entrance of the Nightmare Strait filled him with dread for what lay ahead.

But Isaac shook his head.

“Not yet!”

“…I’ll follow your orders, but I can’t guarantee there won’t be a mutiny soon!”

Eidan grumbled as he clambered back across the deck, though a mutiny in such conditions was unlikely. His words were more an expression of his frustration than a genuine threat.

Isaac, however, was just as anxious. If the ship sank before they caught what he was after, everything would be for nothing. Just then, a thought crossed his mind. Tying himself securely to the mast, he drew the Luadin Key from his cloak.

Under the stormy, cloud-filled sky, the Luadin Key shone like a beacon.

“Come!”

The nearby sailors were divided in their opinions. Some thought Isaac was attempting to use a powerful relic to cut through the storm, while others believed the Holy Grail Knight had finally lost his mind. The latter seemed more likely as time went on, especially as more ships disappeared from view.

Only Eidan’s ship remained, loyal to Isaac.

The rest of the fleet of the Dawn Army of Issacrea had scattered. Now, Isaac was the sole captain of the only ship left.

But Isaac continued to wave the Luadin Key confidently.

“Sir Knight, now—”

Just as Eidan began to protest again, the ship lurched forward violently, almost capsizing. With all his might, Eidan managed to keep the ship upright. He was about to defy Isaac’s orders and turn the ship around when Isaac suddenly shouted.

“It’s here!”

Isaac wasn’t looking at the horizon but at the water beneath them. A ship, surrounded by foam and icy mist, was rising from the depths at a terrifying speed. The reason Isaac’s ship had nearly tipped over was because of the turbulent water caused by the rising vessel.

Accompanied by a chilling cold, one of the infamous ghost ships of the Nightmare Strait emerged from the sea.