Ty, pressed against the cracked window of the boat, felt the entire structure tremble under the creature''s violent energy. The Pantsankes, as it had been named earlier, bore a striking resemnce to a panther, albeit with the elongated body of a serpent, cloaked in fur.


    As the creature amassed energy for its st, a peculiar calm washed over Ty. Unlike Waddle, who scrambled for cover, Ty stood rooted, mesmerized as his hair bristled lightly, a scent wafting from the creature''s energy that was strangely captivating.


    Just as the st hurdled towards them, a miracle unfolded before Ty''s wide eyes. Rusuf emerged, his presencemanding as he met the onught with a force equal in ferocity.


    The energies shed, a spectacle of power and light, suspended in mid-air while lightning danced chaotically around them. This standoff, however, was fleeting; the attack soon shattered into myriad particles, dissipating into the night.


    Rusuf, the barrier between them and annihtion, was propelled back by the force, his form crashing onto the deck amidst Ty and the others. The impact roused some from their forced slumber, while others remained untouched by the chaos, still ensnared in dreams.


    Ty''s gaze followed the aftermath of the sh—a towering geyser of water marking the spot of the encounter. Without hesitation, he dashed to Rusuf''s side, concern etching his features as he spotted arge splinter of wood embedded in Rusuf''s shoulder.


    Rusuf, his breathsing inbored gasps, managed to say, "Yeah, I just didn''t expect such a heavy push back."


    "Hey, be careful. You don''t want to lose too much blood," Ty cautioned, his voiceced with worry.


    Rusuf offered a weary chuckle, "Don''t worry about me, pris—oh, it''s you, demon boy, from the local town. I suppose it makes sense you''re here."


    As Ty opened his mouth to confirm, a familiar prickling sensation interrupted him. He turned, his hair standing on end once more, to see the serpent creature gathering energy for another assault.


    "Damn, how do we even beat a creature like that?!" Ty eximed, the urgency clear in his voice.


    It was then Waddle appeared, determination in his stride, wielding a piece of wood like a weapon, positioned over Rusuf''s head


    Ty''s quick reflexes kicked in, propelling him forward to push Waddle back before any rash actions could unfold in front of Rusuf, whose focus remained unbroken on the looming threat.


    "What the hell are you doing? This is not the time to be attacking royals!" Ty hissed, bewildered and frustrated by Waddle''s intentions.


    Waddle, undeterred by the imminent danger, retorted, "If we''re going to die, I might as well get revenge on them. They are terrible people; you don''t understand."


    Rusuf, rising to his feet with a determination that seemed to push past the pain, interjected, "You can try for my headter. For now, I don''t intend to let anyone on this boat die."


    "Is there anything we can do to help, Rusuf?" Ty inquired, eyeing the creature as its attack neared readiness.


    Rusuf offered a half-smile,den with resolve. "No... actually, yes. I need you to act as a decoy, if that''s okay with you."


    "A decoy for what?" Ty''s confusion was evident in his voice, even as he felt the weight of his shackles disappear, Rusuf having unlocked them with a dexterity that left Ty barely aware of the action.


    "I''ll maneuver the ship out of her range. She won''t pursue us because she has her offspring to consider. But I need bait to draw her attention away," Rusuf exined, his n clear despite the risks it entailed.


    Ty, grappling with the gravity of the situation, offered, "I suppose. So, you want me to shoot fire at her or something? Just fly toward her using your fire to distract her for a bit, nothing crazy. Don''t engage or get into a direct fight with her."


    "Once I''ve gathered enough energy around the ship, I''ll divert it towards the shoreline," Rusuf detailed his n, a sense of urgency underpinning his words.


    Confusionced Ty''s response, "Wait, how do you know I can lift off the ground with my mes?"


    Rusuf, while preparing for the impending confrontation, answered, "I see past many things in this world. We don''t have time for that discussion," just as the second wave of energy was unleashed from the creature. In a swift motion, Rusuf ripped the wooden splinter from his shoulder and leapt forward, his de shing against the iing attack.


    Seizing the moment, Ty jumped into action. Behind him, Waddle''s voice carried a mix of betrayal and confusion, "What the hell are you doing working with them!"


    Ty, letting Waddle''s question hang unanswered, focused on the task at hand. As he maneuvered through the air, thoughts raced through his mind, "I can''t imagine what he''s been through, but I''ll have to address thatter. For now, it''s about not getting drowned. Though, part of me wonders if I could make a run for it right now if I wanted to."


    With a determined inhale, Tymitted to his role, leaping through the breach torn into the ship''s side. Under his feet, the ck mes roared to life, thrusting him forward through the air toward the imminent threat.


    Below him, Rusuf engaged bravely, his figure a beacon of resistance as he met the creature''s onught with unyielding force.


    As Ty maneuvered, his attention was momentarily captured by the creature''s gaze—red eyes that observed the chaos below with a disquieting calm, as if assessing whether Rusuf and the vessel would sumb to its wrath.


    Gathering his focus, Ty conjured a ming arrow, the knowledge imparted by Yun-Jin guiding his hands. The bow materialized, drawn from the ether of his determination. With the arrow of fire cradled between his palms, he let it fly, a silent plea for it to find its mark.


    The arrow zed through the air, striking true as the creature''s attention snapped upwards, locking onto Ty. Above the turmoil, he hovered, an avatar of defiance, his feet a whirl of ck me, drawing the creature''s ire away from the ship and towards the sky.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om