Harry stood on the bridge of the Providence, the pride of Blue Haven Shelter.

The ship was now fully grasped by him after studying its systems for over a month.

"I still can’t believe... I’m the captain now." He muttered.

He wasn’t supposed to be here, not as captain. Just over a month ago, he had been a factory worker in New Genesis Shelter, fixing gears and welding steel.

But when he luckily obtained some Survivor Skills, everything changed.

He got skills that enhanced coordination, boosted crew morale, and heightened his perception, useful for naval combat. With that in consideration, Mr. Wadsworth had reassigned him.

Now, he was captain of the strongest ship Blue Haven possessed.

He had trained relentlessly, learning Providence’s advanced systems like mana cannons that could pierce armored zombies, automated turrets that tracked targets, and the Trident Mechs, towering five‑meter machines designed to fight in the sea itself.

Harry was speaking with his crew when the alarm was set off!

’Enemy attack detected. Approaching from the east.’

The bridge lights shifted to red.

Crew members scrambled to their stations... After all, the enemy was coming from the sea. They would surely be mobilized soon!

"All hands, battle stations! Turrets online, mana cannons charged!"

From the observation deck, the sea churned violently.

A shadow rose beneath the waves! It was massive and writhing.

"Sea zombies," muttered one of the gunners. "But this... this isn’t normal."

The water erupted as a colossal octopus breached the surface!

"W-what the—"

Its flesh was spotted, gray, and it was rotting! Some barnacles could alos be seen fused with bone could also be seen. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Is that a tentacle? Why is it so huge?"

"Kraken?"

They couldn’t help but feel alarmed as the tentacles were raised, leaking black matter into the waves.

Harry’s heart sank. "That’s no ordinary monster. That’s a Sea Zombie King if not a Lord..."

***

Out on the docks, Kira, the short-haired female pilot, was already in her Trident Mech.

"Amon and the others aren’t here... I have to do this." She muttered.

She had just finished hauling a batch of fish that filled three trucks.

Her mech’s arms still smelled faintly of salt and scales.

Then, she started running combat drills when the alarm hit.

"Kira, enemy sighted!" she heard through the comms and it was coming from Fiona.

She turned her mech toward the sea and froze.

The creature towered above the waves, fifty meters wide, its tentacles thrashing against the barricades. Dockworkers screamed, scattering as crates and nets were flung aside.

"If that thing reaches the walls, the shelter’s finished," she muttered.

Without hesitation, she activated her Trident’s thrusters and charged into the surf!

[ Hey, Kira! Don’t fight it! Just stir that thing away until we’re done preparing! ]

Another voice came through the comms, and this time, it came from Tundra.

"Roger that!"

Just like that, her Trident Mech’s legs locked into aquatic mode, stabilizers activated as it plunged waist‑deep into the water.

"Come on, you bastard," she growled. "Look at me."

The octopus roared and swung a tentacle toward the dockyard! The snipers, cannons, and turrets fired, but it was not stopping at all!

Because of that, Kira swiftly moved and intercepted it!

Her mech’s trident spear glowed, and she thrust upward, piercing the tentacle!

Bam!

Black blood and other matter sprayed everywhere, covering the mech’s armor.

The monster didn’t feel any pain, but it turned its attention to her.

"Got you," Kira whispered.

She dodged another stri... She then activated her thrusters as she vaulted over a crashing wave.

Her mech moved fast, but the tentacles were everywhere!

Her spear slashes across another tentacle. The zombie flesh resisted, but the mana edge burned through.

"Good thing I installed more Mana Crystals here..." Kira muttered.

For a moment, it seemed she had the upper hand.

The Providence’s turrets opened fire from behind, mana bolts slamming into the creature’s bulk.

Snipers on the walls picked off smaller sea zombies swarming around its base...

But the Sea Zombie Kraken was too strong.

A tentacle whipped across the water, faster than she could react. It smashed into her mech’s torso, sending her flying.

"Shit..."

She crashed into the shallows, and alarms blared inside the cockpit.

"Kira!" Harry’s voice roared over comms. "Pull back!"

She coughed, blood on her lips.

"Not yet... I can still fight." She said this as she noticed that the other pilots were just getting into their cockpits!

Her mech staggered upright, with one arm already damaged...

She raised the spear again and charged forward, stabbing deep into the creature’s eye!

Boom!

The Kraken thrashed wildly after its eye was damaged.

Because of this, large waves surged against the barricades! Some waves even toppled over some people who were running away!

But the retaliation of the Zombie hadn’t started yet. Three tentacles slammed down at once, crushing her mech!

Crash!

Kira was hit directly! Soon, the cockpit was filled with smoke.

Kira screamed as the controls shattered around her.

One tentacle ripped the mech’s arm clean off, another crushed its legs. She tried to eject, but the system failed.

"Damn it...!"

The last thing she saw was the creature’s maw opening, and rows of sharp, bone‑like teeth were about to eat her!

On the Providence, Harry’s fists clenched. "Tridents, move in! Rescue her!"

Three more Trident Mechs surged into the water quickly!

They hacked at the tentacles, forcing the Kraken back. One mech grabbed Kira’s wrecked cockpit, hauling it free from the waves!

"Medic! Get her out!"

The rescue was desperate, but it worked. Kira was pulled from the shattered mech, her body was already mangled, blood pouring from crushed limbs.

She was barely conscious, but she was still alive! This was the vitality of someone who had received an Aegis Serum!

"She’s alive... Give her first aid quickly. Anna will save her! Just buy her some time!" Amon, the ace pilot of the Trident Mechs, said as he saw Kira’s condition...

After that, he immediately took over the command.

"We need the mana cannons and the Providence to coordinate with us, or this huge Zombie will not die!" Amon shouted.

Soon, Mana cannons fired in volleys, turrets shredded swarms of lesser sea zombies, and the remaining Tridents fought tooth and claw against the King!

Then, after buying time for the Providence, it was able to charge its main weapon...