Shrouded Seascape

Overall, the creature appeared to be a giant spider, towering as high as a three-story building. However, instead of a bulging silk sac on its back, it carried a mountain of brains entangled with spider webs.

The brains varied in size and shape and trembled slightly with each movement of the spider. They were still alive.

Among the brains, those of humans constituted only a small fraction. The majority of them were of strange shapes and seemingly belonged to other living creatures.

Clearly, the explosion of the Narwhale's gasbag earlier had been its doing.

Fortunately, the spider seemed to have been wounded prior. Two large gashes tore through its body, almost tearing it apart and leaving it bloodied. It was also why it moved so slowly.

"Oh my god. They actually managed to control it. Even if it's just barely, it's still shocking. These 1189-1's technology is far more advanced than we have ever imagined!" T appeared terrified. She seemed to have recognized the fearsome monster that was under the control of 1189-1.

"What is that thing? Does it have any weaknesses?" Charles quickly asked the most important question.

"Weakness? If that thing weren't on the verge of dying, you'd be dead the moment you laid eyes on it! All of us combined wouldn't even stand a chance against it!"

Reading the words scrawled on the ground, Bandages immediately released the vines holding down the wounded and commanded everyone to evacuate as quickly as possible.

The white dandelion-like fluff surrounding them dissolved in an instant to reveal the dark, grimy ground beneath. A cacophony of noises began to assault the ears of everyone present. A wave of nausea soon hit them, and it was so intense that they couldn't even stand upright.

Gritting his teeth, Charles raised his hands and signaled to the tilted Narwhale airship with flag semaphore.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The deck cannons adjusted their aim and unleashed a barrage of fire at the massive spider in the distance.

The explosives exploded upon impact, and the unsettling noise gradually faded away. But as the smoke cleared, an air of devastation shrouded everyone. The grotesque spider remained unscathed; its deformed body bore no new injuries.

Sparks of faint, pale blue light flickered across its form. It seemed to have formed a powerful telekinetic shield that had absorbed the blast.

The spider remained in its spot and didn't take another step. However, another completely identical spider had somehow, unbeknownst to everyone, crawled onto one of the Narwhale's other gasbags.

The sudden, unexpected weight caused the Narwhale to rapidly plummet.

Charles knew that this couldn't continue. If they were to turn and run now, those monstrous spiders would just slaughter them all.

"T, tell me how to deal with that thing?! Didn't you say it was on the brink of death?"

"Damn it! If we'd followed my original plan, we wouldn't be in this mess." T's tone was laced with evident frustration.

In the distance, a metallic screech rang out. The Narwhale's forward deck cannon was disassembled by the spider's weight.

"Quick! We don't have time!" The other explorers raised their weapons and relics and relentlessly rained down attacks on the spider. However, their efforts were futile; the spider wasn't even the least bit injured.

"Based on my inference, 1189-1 can most likely only control a part of its external brain. Once we sever the connection between them and the spider, the spider will then be completely paralyzed once again.

"Charles, get your crew to distract it while we try to enter its body and sever the nerves."

Having heard T's plan, Charles immediately turned toward his crew. Despite having no eyes, the crew could feel that their captain was looking at them.

When he felt Charles' gaze lingering on him, Dipp turned into a swirling mass of blue mist without hesitation. He then launched himself at the spider that was trying to dismantle the Narwhale.

Dipp knew that this could be a suicide mission, but he had to do it for his crewmates.

Bandages gently patted Charles on the shoulder without saying anything.

However, his actions spoke volumes.

"Let's go… try to stay… alive…" Bandages ordered the remaining crew to confront the spider head-on. They were clearly aware of the great danger that the spider posed to them, but they had no other choice.

As he felt their footsteps moving away, Charles' heart calmed down. He couldn't afford to panic now. In order to save everyone, they had to get rid of the massive spider.

"T, let's go."

Under Charles' lead, the other surviving green centipede-like creatures swiftly flanked the spider and maneuvered to its rear. When they reached the giant spider's rear, they were confronted with a writhing mass of flesh.

"Let's go. Once we're inside, you have to head for those two wounds on its body. I'll then lead you to the location of its neural network."

T was just about to move when Charles stopped her. "Wait, it's not time yet."

The green centipedes lay flat on the ground as they waited for the perfect opportunity. The sounds of roaring cannon fire and explosions grew louder and louder from the other side. Seizing the moment, Charles sprang into action.

Warm, greasy, slimy—those were the first sensations Charles felt when he dived into the mass of brain matter encased in spider webs.

He didn't dare to loiter. Using his sharp green claws, he tore at the web to clear a path ahead toward the gaping wounds.

Sensing the intrusion on its back, the giant spider prepared to retaliate. The brains around Charles and his group trembled.

Boom!

The previously dismantled deck cannon was reassembled. Under Lily's control, it fired directly at the spider's head.

Hissssss!

The spider parted its menacing mandibles wide and snapped at the foes in front of it.

The repeated interruptions caused a surge of boiling fury within the multiple 1189-1 entities that had merged to control the spider. Merging made their collective consciousness unstable and lowered their ability to think rationally.

Charles felt the spider shudder violently. He couldn't imagine the struggle Bandages and his crew were enduring at the front lines.

The only thing he could do was do everything in his power to take down this monstrous spider.

"We've reached! Go in!" Under T's charge, Charles and the other green centipedes burrowed into the spider's gaping wound. Like maggots in decaying flesh, they wriggled through the spider's body fluids of various colors.

The spider's tremors became more violent as they ventured deeper inside of it. Pink brains began emerging within the spider. They revealed their hidden metallic beaks and lunged at Charles.

Swish!

Charles raised his arms and performed a downward slash. The delicate threads between his arms effortlessly sliced the brain into two halves.

"It's here! Cut the blood vessels and nerves ahead!"

As T swiftly slashed ahead, Charles felt the dense network of veins and nerves clinging to the muscle tissue. Ignoring the brains that were continuously gnawing at his flesh, he led everyone to charge into the vascular jungle.