Chapter 33 | So I Reincarnated as a Dying Sun God, Now What

While Kraken was still feasting on the Starfolk, torrential rain had already begun to pour from the sky.

If the Sea God Nahros symbolized the raw power of nature, then Kraken was practically the tempest that followed in his wake.

With Kraken's arrival, massive storm clouds rolled in from west of the horizon. The dense, impenetrable dark clouds and the sudden shift in atmospheric pressure turned the surrounding air sweltering and suffocating.

With a sudden crack of thunder, the layered clouds tore open, and a heavy downpour cascaded from above.

Aboard the rocking vessel, Horn steered the ship through the ocean. Howling gales and a torrential wall of rain pressed down all at once.

The sea turned treacherous, massive waves throwing the ship into the air before crashing it back onto the water's surface, which had turned a murky gray.

Fekro gripped the railing, his face pale and grim.

Amber quietly watched Kraken feeding.

Thick tentacles slammed against the shoreline, scooping up vast swathes of Starfolk.

Kraken paid no attention to the vessel. Its body was far too immense, and the delicacy before it dulled its senses—to it, Fekro and his companions were as insignificant as ants.

Yet even so, Fekro's group fared no better. The surrounding air felt frozen, and even the ambient mana was rendered inaccessible, leaving them feeling as though they were trapped inside a coffin.

The Starfolk piled themselves up in neat stacks like lambs to the slaughter, actively aiding Kraken in its feast.

Squelch, squelch. The bizarre, sickening sounds of Kraken feeding grated on the ears. Life and blood were being transformed into mana for Kraken, filling it with delight and satisfaction.

The Starfolk swarmed forward, eagerly anticipating being devoured by Kraken. As Kraken ate, every living creature within a ten-nautical-mile radius seemed to have gone extinct—after all, what else remained in this ocean besides the Starfolk?

The sacrifice and feeding soon came to an end.

It had come, eaten its fill, bestowed its Blessing, and departed.

As Kraken left, the rain began to subside.

Kraken's island-sized form submerged once more into the depths, kicking up another wave over ten meters high that tossed the small boat wildly about.

The three held onto the gunwales with all their strength to keep from being thrown overboard by the massive surge.

By the time the ripples completely smoothed out, the party had finally managed to make landfall.

In stark contrast to the earlier clamor, deathly silence now blanketed the entire island, save for that patch of charred beach.

Fekro felt a sharp pang of regret in his heart—that shot had not only proved useless, but had also wasted twelve gold coins of his own money.

Silence reigned over White Reef Bay as Horn, Fekro, and Amber stepped off the ship one after another.

They headed toward a cavern set into the hillside for a simple reason: that was where the villagers of Tide Town stored their sacrificial items.

Aside from that cave, there was hardly anything abnormal along the coast of White Reef Bay.

Before long, they arrived in front of the cavern used for the ritual.

Gazing into the pitch-black entrance, Amber could not help but stop in her tracks, hesitation taking hold of her.

Amber was already inclined to retreat. “I think it's better if we turn back now.”

Fekro turned back to look at her. “Now?”

“Whatever comes of going any further isn't something we can handle.”

Hearing this, Fekro dismissed her concerns. “Hey, hey, hey, we've already made it this far. If we head back now, we probably won't get a single copper of the bounty.”

He cast another glance at the dead-silent horizon and the beach where not even a single crab remained.

“Besides, all those sea monsters were eaten. There's nothing left here to threaten our safety.”

“That's right, and I know the terrain here,” Horn said in a deep, muffled voice. “After all, the reason the sea monsters went so wild might be right on this island.”

Amber hesitated briefly before coming to a quick decision.

“Fine, but we only take a quick look. If we spot anything wrong, we retreat immediately.”

“Yes, yes, yes, Big Sister Amber, we'll do as you say.” Fekro let out a short laugh and followed Horn into the cavern where the preparations for the ritual were kept.

Reaching this point in his story, Fekro suddenly began to tremble all over, unwilling to speak any further.

The lights of the church shone bright, and the chanting of nuns echoed in waves around them, a sacred sound that seemed capable of purging all the dark things in the world.

Beside him, Amber kicked Fekro hard. “What a coward! You were the one constantly shouting about how 'twelve gold coins can't go to waste' and 'we might as well check it out since we're here'!”

“How is that the same?!” Fekro jumped up from his chair, trembling uncontrollably.

Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder. In his state of extreme tension, Fekro shrieked at the top of his lungs, his former suave composure completely shattered.

Turning around, he saw Cecia.

Without anyone noticing, she had come to stand behind Fekro.

Her long ash-white hair was still messy, unbrushed after having just woken up, and her clothes were merely draped casually over her body. She looked somewhat dazed and groggy.