Nolan pressed the button, and the Mounted Aquarius fired a powerful charged, energized plasma that hit the Massive Armored Fish head-on, causing it to explode into thousands of pieces.
I was left in shock and confusion, my voice trembling as I struggled to comprehend what had just transpired.
"What's going on?" I managed to stutter out. The Massive Armored Fish, which had given us so much trouble during our previous encounter, had now disintegrated into nothing more than bloody scattered debris. My mind raced, trying to make sense of this unexpected turn of events.
"Are you surprised? This is the power of the Mounted Aquarius. It's so powerful that something like the Armored Ravager is not even considered a threat anymore. However, the Mounted Aquarius does take a minute to charge," Nolan explained, his grin radiating triumph.
My curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn't help but wonder, "If this is the power of just one weapon, what would happen if we fired all four of them at the same time? Could their combined power surpass that of the Nuclear Torpedo?"
Nolan contemplated for a moment before responding, "I doubt it. I experimented with the Nuclear Torpedo when I was working on NS Scorpion, with Grandpa's assistance as well. That thing is unlike anything I've ever seen. It's truly a weapon of mass destruction. How did people from your world even manage to create something like that?" His expression was a mix of terror and curiosity.
"Well, I'm not sure, to be honest. All I know is that it's one of Earth's best and worst inventions," I replied with a wry smile.
Nolan's expression became complicated as he said, "Well, I kinda of understand what you're trying to say."
But before we could continue our discussion, Mr. Norman interrupted, saying, "Alright, you two, that's enough."
"Well, it's true that both our worlds have their fair share of negative sides, but at the same time, those inventions also help us greatly. For example, on Earth, people have managed to harness the power of nuclear energy to produce electricity, the same thing that was once considered a weapon of mass destruction," he said with a serious tone and continued.
"In this world, people have harnessed the power of water to produce energized plasma, which is considered a way of transportation. But Nolan found a way to use that plasma as a weapon. We should never blame the technology, but rather how people use those things to hurt others," Mr. Norman concluded his speech.
I was really impressed. To be honest, for the first time, the things that came out of his mouth really made sense.
"Anyway, that's enough about that; we still have stuff to do. Nolan, check if we are on the correct path, and Frankie, since we fired a very powerful weapon for the first time, there could be some kind of damage on NS Scorpion because of the recoil. You go and look for that, and Lucas, you help Frankie," he assigned our tasks and turned to Lara and Miss Ava.
"As for you ladies, Lara and Ava, keep an eye on the radar and the monitor because sometimes these bastards travel in groups. So, I won't be surprised if there were a few more of them nearby," Mr. Norman gave us all clear instructions on what to do. We all nodded and followed his orders.
Lucas and I went to inspect NS Scorpion for any damage, but luckily, there was nothing to be found. Mr. Norman's experience had proven invaluable, as within a few minutes, we spotted two more of those massive armored fish. Experience truly makes a difference, and it was a wise decision to bring Mr. Norman along for this mission.
"S-so wh-what should we do?" Lara, who was monitoring these two Massive Armored Fish, asked with a trembling voice, likely because she was scared of their terrifying appearance. To be honest, I don't blame her; anyone would act the same in this situation.
"What else? We kill these bastards. Dammit, it looks like Daniel Kim rubbed off on me. I am also starting to say the word 'bastard' a lot," Mr. Norman said this and cursed Daniel Kim for his weird new habit.
"Well, we can deal with your new habit later, Grandpa. First, let's take care of the problem that is quite literally in front of us. Frankie, come here; I will teach you how to use these Mounted Aquarius," Nolan said to Mr. Norman and offered to teach me about these terrifying weapons.
"All right," I said, following his instructions. I aimed at one of the fish while Nolan aimed at the other. We began to charge two different Mounted Aquarius units, and with a mechanical hum, they started to charge. Luckily, this time the two Massive Armored Fish didn't notice us until now, so we didn't have to rush things.
"Now," Nolan declared, and I pressed the button once I heard him. However, he was slightly faster than me. Two powerful energized plasma shots were fired, one after another, and they both hit the Massive armored fish head-on. Once again, it looked like they were just vaporized because of these terrifying weapons.
"All right, everyone, crisis averted," Mr. Norman said with a sly grin and continued.
"Now let's go finish that coffee that I was drinking before, but now that I think about it, it's been some time. So, I am pretty sure it would have gone cold," Mr. Norman said with a sad expression.
Nolan, Lucas, and I looked at each other and burst into laughter for some reason, maybe because of this old man's antics.
"Don't worry, Mr. Norman, I will make you a new one," Lucas reassured Mr. Norman.
Upon hearing that, his face brightened, and he started smiling again. After that, we all enjoyed a well-deserved break.
…..
It had been a few days since our encounter with the Massive Armored Fishes. After that, we came across a few more of those, but we easily killed them with the help of the newly upgraded NS Scorpion.
Now, I was just lazing around on the bed in the captain's quarters. The captain's quarters had also undergone a revamp, with a new and better bed, incredibly soft and comfortable. I usually fell asleep as soon as I hit it. That's not all; the ventilation system for the room had been vastly improved, and now I had my very own temperature-controlled oasis. It was a cozy place to be, and Rex, my loyal dog, was sleeping peacefully by my side.
As I was lost in these thoughts, someone suddenly began knocking on the door aggressively. Rex woke up, clearly startled. Who could it be? Curiosity piqued, I went to check, and to my surprise, it was Lucas. He looked extremely surprised and shocked, and he began speaking rapidly.
"Fr-Frankie, you should come and see this," he panted, his breath coming in short bursts.
"What happened? Is there an emergency?" I asked, my voice tinged with panic.
Lucas took a moment to catch his breath and then said, "No, it's nothing bad, but you should definitely come and see this."
Intrigued and slightly anxious about what had unsettled Lucas, I followed him. Instead of heading to the command center, he led me toward the hatch that would take us outside.
"Lucas, why are you going outside? Where are the others? Is the NS Scorpion stopped now? What happened?" I bombarded him with questions.
"Frankie, just follow me, and you'll understand everything," he replied, urging me to join him. With a mix of curiosity and concern, I complied, climbing the ladders that led us outside the NS Scorpion. Once we reached the exterior, Lucas signaled for me to look ahead, where the others had gathered, their eyes wide open in astonishment.
I followed their gaze and beheld a sight that defied the laws of nature—an island, suspended in the air, cradling a colossal tree resembling a banyan. It was evident that this was no ordinary island or tree.
The Banyan tree was a titan among trees, its colossal form resembling skyscrapers of the natural world. Its single branch, thick as a city pillar, stretched out like a bridge to the heavens, defying the logic of gravity. The sheer scale of it left me in awe.
But what truly mesmerized me were the sub-roots of the Banyan tree. These massive tendrils, resembling electric poles, extended from the tree's base. Some even dangled outside the floating island, suspended in mid-air. They were so thick and substantial that they defied the mightiest of winds, an astonishing testament to nature's resilience.
Yet, what truly boggled the mind was the fact that this entire spectacle was afloat in the sky. The floating island, carrying the colossal Banyan tree and its intricate sub-roots, seemed to hover as if held by some ancient magic, defying the very earth below.
Connecting this skyborne marvel to the ocean were massive tubes, resembling colossal conduits of unknown origin. They pulsed with enigmatic energy, creating a mystical connection between the heavens and the depths of the ocean.
"What the hell am I seeing now?" I couldn't contain my shock, and my eyes were as wide as everyone else's.
"These are called GigaLinkers," Nolan explained to me with a wry smile.