Under Laud's direction with the long whip, the sailors moved with the last vestiges of hope. The sail ropes were tightened, the winch turned relentlessly, and the sails, crafted from camel hide, were hoisted. These sails were remarkably resilient, capable of withstanding the torrential rain and ferocious winds.
The remaining crew discarded all cargo from the deck to lighten the ship's load.
Watching the cargo being tossed overboard, Laud's heart bled, yet he had no choice—his life was paramount.
The howling wind and swirling waters rendered the immense sailboat as vulnerable as a leaf on the verge of capsizing. The ship pitched and swayed, seemingly on the brink of sinking.
Lynn's strategy was straightforward: by adjusting the angle of the sails, he aimed to harness the gale to stabilize the vessel. This was an extremely delicate operation, but fortunately, despite their ignorance of aerodynamics, the sailors' decades of maritime experience allowed them to barely maintain control.
Under Lynn's command, the ship slowly altered course and surged forward at full speed in the direction of the current…
"Master Sorcerer, are you sure? That direction leads straight to the whirlpool!" Laud, who had just urged the sailors into action, turned and saw the course with mounting horror.
Were they fleeing the whirlpool, or were they heading straight to their doom?
He was now convinced of the helmsman's earlier words—he had no understanding of sailing!
"Of course, I know that's the whirlpool. What we need is to leverage the power of the Eye of Death!" Lynn said gravely.
With the sailboat's speed at only seven knots, escaping the vortex's pull seemed nearly impossible. The only solution was to align the ship's forward direction with the swirling current, circle halfway around the whirlpool, and then use the powerful centrifugal force to catapult out!
In truth, Lynn had no sailing experience, but he had undergone starship piloting training, understanding how to use planetary gravity for reverse acceleration. The principles were quite similar.
In essence, it meant to charge in first and then be flung out!
Lynn's explanation was brief, but Laud didn't grasp a single word, only sensing some vague logic behind it.
"We must be insane!" Laud muttered to himself, never imagining he would find himself sailing directly into a whirlpool!
Aside from Laud, the other sailors soon realized there was a problem with the ship's heading, but they had no time for despair as several sail ropes on the deck snapped under the relentless wind!
In such dire circumstances, only human effort could temporarily tighten the ropes to prevent further jeopardizing the ship's voyage.
Lynn continuously adjusted the helm, and with a violent yet brief jolt, the ship veered sharply to the right before steadying again. The swirling waters propelled the sailboat forward at an accelerated pace, heading resolutely toward the whirlpool.
A deafening rumble echoed from the distance, like thunder on a clear day. Through the thinning black mist, a corner of the Great Whirlpool soon loomed before them.
It appeared as a colossal funnel on the sea, a nightmarish sight. Vast amounts of seawater swirled into the abyss, and at the bottom of the vortex was a shadowy, chilling expanse, radiating an ominous aura, hiding unknown horrors…
Gazing at the terrifying whirlpool, Laud's face turned ashen, and the sailors' reactions were even more distressing, with some uttering nonsensical phrases.
"Mother, I'm coming to find you…"
"It's the stars, I see the stars!"
…
Lynn vaguely sensed something amiss. The Eye of Death seemed to affect one's mind; this was not a natural phenomenon caused by ocean currents or gravitational tides.
They needed to leave immediately…
Yet, their current speed was still insufficient!
"Use Fireball, at seven o'clock!" Lynn shouted, specifying the direction to ensure Jonny understood.
The silver-haired girl immediately complied, summoning a massive Fireball with her Magic Hand and hurling it toward the rear side of the sailboat.
Lynn mirrored her action, and the two fireballs collided, creating a powerful shockwave that made the ship creak but also increased its speed!
The heavily swaying sailboat narrowly skirted the edge of the whirlpool, propelled by the immense centrifugal force at speeds several times greater than normal!
The deafening noise also roused Laud and the others, breaking the mental grip of the whirlpool. As the terrifying "Abyssal Maw" receded from view, expressions of relief spread across their faces.
After a brief calm, the deck erupted in jubilant cheers as everyone expressed their relief at escaping death.
"That was incredible; we really escaped the whirlpool!"
"It must be a miracle!"
"Once we're ashore, we're getting married immediately—no more waiting!"
…
The entire crew celebrated with boundless enthusiasm. Two grizzled sailors embraced, kissing each other's cheeks.
"First Mate, once we've passed this sea, bring out the fine wines I've been saving. Let's have a proper celebration," Laud said, trembling, yet taking in the lively scene.
"But, Captain Laud…" The First Mate hesitated, then cautiously added, "The case of wine you treasured—it's already been thrown overboard…"
Laud's face fell as an immense sorrow engulfed him. The rare treasures he had accumulated over the years, stored in wooden crates on the deck, were now lost!
In his anguish, Laud even entertained the desperate thought of diving into the whirlpool to retrieve his belongings.
But such thoughts were ultimately futile…
Amidst his heartache, Laud did not forget the true hero of their "conquest" of the Eye of Death.
"Thank you so much, Master Sorcerer. You saved us all! If there's anything you need in the future, please don't hesitate to ask…" Laud turned to Lynn, removed his hat, and bowed deeply.
The once-boisterous deck fell silent as the sailors and crew members mirrored Laud's gesture, offering the highest respect to their savior.
If their respect for Lynn was born out of fear after the Harbor Battle, it was now a heartfelt admiration.
Having just witnessed the awe-inspiring and terrifying power of the Eye of Death, their gratitude and allegiance to Lynn, who had led them from the jaws of death, was profound.
"Please, continue to guide us on what to do next!"