Sir Vincent…" Bartholomew approached Vincent and looked at him as if he was a different entity. "You…you repelled the Kraken with that…"
He pointed at the AT4 that Vincent was still holding on his shoulder.
Vincent threw the rocket launcher into the ocean, and Bartholomew was confused as to why he did that.
"That's the important thing. We repelled the Kraken. He won't be coming back soon as we have dealt significant damage to his body."
"That is correct. Now I'm starting to believe the stories that you actually repelled the Demon King General Telus because of that weapon…"
"Yeah…" Vincent chuckled softly. "Anyways, is this ship still seaworthy?"
Vincent asked that question because as he looked around, the extensive damage to the ship was evident. The deck was splintered, the mast was cracked, and the hull had taken a beating.
Bartholomew examined the damage critically. "We've taken quite a hit, but the Sea Hawk is a sturdy vessel. We should be able to make it to Akarios Island, but we'll need to make repairs as soon as we dock."
"Are there repair facilities on Akarios Island? Last time I heard, it was abandoned…"
"That may be the case, however, we have tools and equipment here that can fix the basics. We can make it work," Bartholomew reassured him.
Vincent nodded. "Alright, let's get moving then. The sooner we reach Akarios Island, the better."
The crew quickly set to work, making temporary repairs and ensuring the ship was still seaworthy. The Sea Hawk slowly started moving again, heading towards their destination.
As they sailed, Vincent gathered his team.
"I'm getting a bad feeling that whatever monster lurks in that Island is just as bad as the Kraken we encountered," Alpha 3 commented.
"True," Alpha 2 replied, scanning the horizon. "But we've handled worse. We'll adapt and overcome, just like always."
Vincent nodded in agreement. "We have to be prepared for anything. We don't know a lot about this world."
"How long till we reach our destination?" Alpha 4 asked.
Vincent glanced over his shoulder and called Bartholomew. "Captain! How long until we reach our destination?"
Bartholomew, still focused on navigating the ship, glanced back and replied, "Another hour or so if the weather holds and we don't encounter any more surprises."
Vincent nodded, turning back to his team. "Alright, let's use this time to rest and prepare. We need to be ready for anything when we land."
The team settled down, taking turns to rest and keep watch. The gentle rocking of the ship and the rhythmic sound of the waves helped ease some of the tension from their earlier battle with the Kraken. Despite the lingering unease, they knew they had to stay focused.
As the ship drew closer to Akarios Island, the outline of the island became clearer. Dense forests covered the landscape, and a jagged mountain range loomed in the distance.
The Sea Hawk finally approached the weathered dock. The crew expertly maneuvered the ship into position, securing it with heavy ropes. Vincent and his team disembarked first, weapons at the ready. They moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement.
"Clear!" Alpha 1 called out, signaling that the immediate area around the dock was safe.
Vincent and his team moved forward, their senses heightened as they navigated through the overgrown vegetation and crumbling structures. The island, despite its natural beauty, had an eerie, abandoned feel to it.
"Okay gentlemen, we are safe for now," Vincent said, turning back to address the crew of the Sea Hawk.
Captain Bartholomew affirmed with a nod. "We will fix the ship here and leave as soon as possible. After all, this is your land now, Sir Vincent, and we are just passing through."
Vincent was glad to hear that as much as he wanted them to go away so that he could begin his reconstruction efforts to clear out the island of dangerous monsters, it's not like they could just force them out of the island.
"Take all the time you need. And we apologize in advance that we are not much of a help as we don't know anything about ship repairs, especially something that is archaic."
Captain Bartholomew looked puzzled by Vincent's choice of words. "Archaic? What do you mean? This is the advanced and latest design of ships in the country."
Vincent smiled, realizing he had to be careful with his words as this was not his previous world anymore, and things were backward in terms of technology and culture.
"Oh, nothing. I didn't mean to offend you, Captain. Carry on now with your work. My men will scout the nearby areas."
"Thank you, Sir Vincent. We will begin the repairs now."
With that, Captain Bartholomew and his crews began prepping up for repairs and overhauls of the Sea Hawk. Meanwhile, Vincent gathered his team once more and ordered them.
"Alpha 1, 2, and 3, you will take the west side of the island. Scout the area thoroughly and report back any signs of danger or potential threats. Alpha 4 and 5, you will take the east side. Stay sharp and keep your radios on. I'll be here coordinating and receiving your reports."
The Alphas nodded and quickly moved into action, splitting into their designated groups. Vincent watched them disappear into the dense foliage, his mind racing with thoughts of what they might encounter.
Vincent settled himself near the dock, maintaining a clear line of sight to the Sea Hawk and its crew. He tuned into the radio frequencies of both scouting groups, ready to respond to any situation that might arise.
"Alpha 1 to Actual, we're moving through some thick vegetation here. No signs of any threats yet, but the terrain is rough," came the voice of Alpha 1 through the radio.
"Copy that, Alpha 1. Keep me posted," Vincent replied.
A few moments later, Alpha 4's voice crackled over the radio. "Alpha 4 to Actual, we have found something. It looks like an abandoned farm, but there's some sort of monster roaming around. It's about four feet tall, with a hunched, bulky frame. Its skin is pale and thick, almost like a stone. The creature has long, sharp claws and glowing yellow eyes. It moves slowly but appears very strong."
Vincent's grip tightened on his radio. "Okay, that's enough for now. All stations abort and return here. We don't know how many monsters are lurking on this island."
"Copy that, Actual. Returning to base," Alpha 4 responded promptly.
Vincent stayed alert, eyes scanning the perimeter as he waited for his team to return.
"Actual, this is Alpha 1. We're on our way back. No threats encountered," Alpha 1 reported.
"Roger that, Alpha 1. Maintain your vigilance and head back," Vincent replied.
Within minutes, the teams regrouped near the dock. Vincent could see the concern in their eyes, but also the determination.
"We will stay here for the meantime until they fix their ships," Vincent announced.