Nolan, Lucas, Lara, Miss Ava, Mr. Norman, and I stood in front of the NS Scorpion. With a wide grin on his face, Mr. Norman declared, "Alright, everyone, let the journey begin."
We proceeded to board the NS Scorpion. Mr. Norman took his place at the helm, and as his co-helmsman, I stood beside him. He began teaching me the intricacies of switching between the Nuclear Reactor and the HydroVortex Engine, although most of the controls remained familiar from our previous adventures.
As Mr. Norman initiated the submarine's systems, a mechanical hum reverberated throughout the vessel, and the NS Scorpion seemed to come to life, as if a once-wounded beast had been healed and returned stronger than ever. With everything set, we began our journey through the waters of this unfamiliar world.
What astonished me the most was the discovery that we could travel at twice the speed using the HydroVortex Engine compared to the Nuclear Reactor. The HydroVortex Engine required a significant amount of water to operate effectively, and we were currently surrounded by an ocean, so there was no need to concern ourselves with water supply.
With this newfound knowledge, we continued our journey at an increased pace, eager to reach Mirage Island as soon as possible.
…..
A few hours had passed since we embarked on our journey. Currently, we had switched the NS Scorpion to its autopilot mode, and we all gathered in the diner to have some refreshments and light food.
"So, Mr. Norman, what about using the Captain's Quarters?" I suggested.
He shook his head, his expression a mix of seriousness and sorrow. "No, I'm not the captain of the NS Scorpion. Captain Francis was the captain, and just because he's no longer with us, it doesn't make me the captain," he explained.
"Frankie, why don't you become the new Captain of the NS Scorpion?" Mr. Norman suddenly asked me.
I was taken aback, my eyes widened in surprise. "Why are you suggesting this, Mr. Norman? Me becoming the captain? We have Nolan, who is the descendant of one of the original crew," I responded, still in shock. But instead of Mr. Norman, it was Nolan who chimed in.
"Well, I'm a Nautic Engineer, and I plan to stay as one. So I have no need for the NS Scorpion. Besides, what Grandpa says makes sense. You're the one who found the lost NS Scorpion, and you're also an ex-Navy, just like the original crew. It makes sense to make you the captain. Besides, Grandpa is very old, and he also has no use for the NS Scorpion at the moment," Nolan explained, trying to convince me.
"I am honored that you both think so highly of me, but what am I supposed to do with the NS Scorpion? To be honest, I don't even know what to do with my life in this world. I was about to discuss it with you two after this mission, but now it has come to this. Do you guys have any suggestions?" I asked the grandfather and grandson duo curiously.
Mr. Norman replied with something very interesting. "Why don't you revive the Scorpion Syndicate and become a mercenary?" I looked at him, intrigued, and asked, "What do you mean by that, Mr. Norman?"
He explained further, "Well, I mean that the NS Scorpion is now better than ever. And that's not all. You also have a Nautic Engineer to repair the NS Scorpion when needed. All you need now is a crew. Once that is done, you can revive the Scorpion Syndicate and regain its glory." Mr. Norman's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he spoke.
"And if you end up becoming a Mercenary, you can become rich very quickly because there are so many Mercenaries around, but most of them are just average people with average vessels, while you have this amazing Vessel along with your fighting experience. What else do you need?" Mr. Norman continued to point out the advantages of becoming a mercenary.
I contemplated the idea. Becoming a mercenary was indeed an attractive proposition in terms of financial gain, but it was also one of the most dangerous professions. While I was pondering this, Lucas chimed in.
"I think that's a very good idea, Frankie. If you decide to become a mercenary and the captain of NS Scorpion, then I am also planning to join you. That's not all; we can even give the women who came to this world with us some kind of office job. By doing this, they will be safe while still having a steady income, a place to stay, and food to eat," Lucas added, supporting Mr. Norman and Nolan's proposal.
*Sigh*
I sighed and said, "Alright, alright, I understand your point. Once this mission is completed, we will do that. Are you guys happy now?" I asked them with a tired expression.
"That's a great decision," Mr. Norman chimed in, smiling.
"Nolan, will you also join the Scorpion Syndicate?" I asked Nolan curiously.
"No, as I said, I will continue my job as a Nautic Engineer. The same goes for Grandpa; we are only accompanying you guys on this mission. After that, we will go back to our old lives," Nolan explained their situation.
"I see, that's too bad, but I understand where you are coming from," I told him with a small smile.
As we were discussing this, suddenly the radar and siren started beeping loudly.
"What happened?" Ava asked us with a panicked and shocked expression.
"I don't know. Let's go take a look," I told her and decided to investigate the source of this commotion.
Lucas, Mr. Norman, Nolan and I all quickly rushed to the command room and stared at the screens to see if we had any visuals of the target.
Then we saw it – a creature that was unlike anything I'd ever imagined. It was huge, so big that it made my heart race with fear. It had a shiny armor that seemed to glow faintly like it was from another world well maybe it is but you know. Each piece of armor had scars, like it had been through countless battles.
But what really scared me were its jaws. It had rows of sharp teeth, like a monster's mouth. When it moved, the jaws opened wide, and it looked like a dark abyss ready to swallow everything. It was a mouth made for destroying things, a nightmare come true.
As the creature moved, it seemed like a mix of graceful and scary. It was so big, but it moved smoothly through the water. I had never seen anything like it, and it left me amazed and afraid at the same time. Its eyes were bright like it had seen a lot in its life.
"Wait a minute, this thing is the armored giant fish we encountered while traveling from Mermaid Veil to Port Aurora. Last time, it gave us a lot of trouble, and we had to use a Nuclear torpedo to kill it. Should we just ignore it and try to go past it?" I recounted our previous encounter with a similar creature to Mr. Norman and Nolan.
"No, that won't work. Once these things spot something, they never let go of their prey. Despite their massive size, they're surprisingly fast, and they'll relentlessly chase their prey down, eventually catching and killing it with those monstrous jaws. We have no choice but to fight it," Mr. Norman explained, revealing information that was new to both Lucas and me.
"It's called an Armored Ravager, and I've faced many of these during my time with the Scorpion Syndicate. They're a menace to travelers and sailors, challenging to kill, and they attack anything they see on sight," Mr. Norman added, his voice tinged with exhaustion.
"So, what's the plan? We can try to fight it, as you suggested, but this thing seems exceptionally difficult to kill," I inquired, curiosity filling my voice.
Nolan, wearing a sly smile, suddenly made a bold claim, "Well, you guys mentioned how hard it is to kill, but that's for other people. Dealing with something like this should be a piece of cake for us."
"What in the world are you talking about? I've already fought one of these creatures, and it was incredibly challenging," I responded with a mix of frustration and disbelief.
Nolan simply shrugged and said, "I suppose it'd be quicker to show you rather than trying to explain it." With that, he walked over to the weapon interface system.
As Nolan worked frantically at the weapon interface, the massive armored fish drew closer at an alarming speed.
"No-Nolan, whatever you're trying to do, do it quickly, or else we will all die here," Lucas said with a panicked voice as he stared at the monitor.
"Just a few more minutes," Nolan replied, his focus unwavering. He aimed one of the mounted Aquarius cannons at the colossal armored fish, and the weapon began to emit a mechanical hum as it charged with energy. The creature, however, continued its rapid approach.
"Nolan, we need action now!" Lucas shouted, his voice filled with sheer terror.
"Nolan, do it now!" I shouted anxiously. Nolan swiftly pressed a button, causing the charged, energized plasma to shoot out from the gun. It struck the Massive Armored Fish directly, causing it to explode into thousands of pieces.