Boom!

The Kraken's tentacles slammed against the barricades again, shaking the shoreline.

Soon, more smaller sea zombies swarmed around its bulk, climbing over each other to reach the docks!

These normal-sized zombies could be handled by the Automated Turrets and held back by the Aegis Force Barrier.

However, the Kraken-like zombie was not easy to deal with.

The defenders fired nonstop, but the monster was too large!

On the bridge of the Providence, Harry gritted his teeth.

"We can't just keep shooting blindly… For normal zombies, the brain is the weakness. But for this thing… where is its brain?" He had no idea.

He was shooting the tentacles and injuring them, but that was it. He could easily tell that they were close to killing this gigantic Zombie!

The crew worked frantically, scanning the creature with various detection skills and sensors.

Soon, the readings showed clusters of corrupted tissue spread throughout its body, but one area near the central mass glowed brighter than the rest.

"There!" shouted one officer who was wearing the enchanted Monocle.

"Behind the eyes, deep in the skull. That's the core infection point!"

Harry nodded. "All units, focus fire on the head. Keep the tentacles busy until the Providence's main cannon is ready."

The Trident Mechs moved in.

Amon led the charge and since there was now a clear plan to defeat this thing, he finally felt more confident…

Soon, his mech slashed at the tentacles with a glowing halberd.

Two others flanked him, stabbing and cutting to keep the monster distracted.

Rooooaaaarrr!

The Kraken roared, thrashing harder, but the wounds they inflicted did not heal.

Black blood and other matter poured into the sea, staining the waves.

"That's good," Amon said over comms. "It's not regenerating. Keep opening those wounds!"

The Providence's turrets fired in steady volleys, blasting chunks of flesh from the tentacles.

Snipers on the walls picked off the smaller zombies, preventing them from overwhelming the dockworkers.

On the other hand, inside her damaged cockpit, Kira was unconscious. She was already being rushed to the medics. Her sacrifice had bought them time, but now the battle had to end.

There were so many things happening at the same time that Fiona could barely monitor everything…

Soon, Harry turned to the weapons officer. "Status of the main mana cannon?"

"Charging. Thirty seconds left."

"Hold the line!" Harry shouted.

The Kraken then charged forward, smashing one Trident Mech into the waves!

Boom!

The pilot, Ryn, ejected just in time, parachuting into the water as another mech pulled him clear.

Amon's mech was struck across the chest, and his armor cracked, but he held firm, stabbing into the creature's eye again to keep it distracted!

"Cannon ready!" the weapons officer shouted.

Harry raised his hand. "Target the head. Fire!"

The Providence's main mana cannon unleashed a blinding beam of energy.

Whoosh~

It tore across the sea, striking the Kraken directly in the skull.

Boom!

The blast exploded, sending chunks of rotting flesh flying.

Thankfully, it was successful! The monster was pushed back with its tentacles flailing wildly.

"Direct hit!" the crew cheered.

But the Kraken didn't die.

Its body convulsed, and it slammed both tentacles into the water, creating massive waves that crashed against the docks!

At this point, a huge part of their barricade was already destroyed!

Harry clenched his fists as they had to end this quickly… "Again! Keep firing!"

The cannon began recharging, while the turrets and Tridents pressed the attack.

Amon then shouted over comms, "We need to keep that head exposed! Aim for the wounds!"

With this command, the mechs coordinated, stabbing into the Kraken's skull, tearing away chunks of bone and tissue.

Soon, the Providence's turrets concentrated fire on the same spot, blasting it open wider.

Finally, the cannon was ready again.

Harry didn't hesitate. "Fire!"

The second blast struck the exposed wound, burning straight through the skull.

Boom!

The Kraken convulsed violently, its tentacles thrashing in every direction.

One slammed into the watchtower and its barricade, shattering them completely… Thankfully, the defenders there were already evacuated.

Soon, the monster's movements slowed. Its tentacles dropped heavily into the water, splashing uselessly, and just like that, the glow in its eyes faded.

Then, with a final shudder, the Sea Zombie King collapsed into the waves.

Whooshh~

Its massive body floated, lifeless, into the sea.

Silence followed. The defenders stared as if worried that it was still alive…

However, someone from the comms confirmed it!

"I got the message! It's called Tentacle Sea King!"

This was the message that Joseph, the Mana Cannon Operator, saw…

[ You have eliminated Tentacle Sea King Zombie. ]

[ Congratulations! You are the first to eliminate Tentacle Sea King Zombie, a high-tier zombie! ]

[ Hint: Only the first elimination of each Mid-Tier and above can provide special rewards! ]

[ You can select two rewards: 3 Double Experience Potions, 500 Zombie Cores, 3 Random Rare Gift Pack, 2 Gold Treasure Chests. ]

Shane then selected the 3 Double Experience Potions and the 3 Random Rare Gift Packs.

Soon, the smaller sea zombies were also eliminated, and some of the higher-tier even scattered, retreating back into the depths of the sea!

***

On the Providence, Captain Harry immediately made a broadcast to inform everyone of their victory!

Soon, the crew erupted in cheers. Harry also joined their celebration as they survived this unexpected attack… Now, they truly had an experience in battling against the Sea Creatures!

"We did it… Providence defeated the Sea King Zombie!"

Amon's voice also came through the comms…

"Good work, everyone. The Kraken is dead. Secure the area and recover the wounded."

Soon, the Trident Mechs dragged the carcass away from the docks, as it would be looted by either Raze or Shane later on.

After all, both of them possessed an item that could give them multiple rewards in one looting process. It was an item that could only be obtained in the Secret Shop, and everyone knew that this King Zombie would give them a huge reward. They might as well have those things multiple times!

Just like that, the injured were treated, and the damaged shelter was being repaired. Dockworkers rushed to repair the barricades…

Eudora and Cici immediately helped repair the Mechs, while Vasco and his team went to check the condition of the Providence.

"What a hectic day…" Harry muttered as he looked out over the sea, the waves still stained black due to the ink that came out of the Zombie…

"This was just one monster. If more of these Sea Zombie Kings exist… We'll need to be ready."

***

Meanwhile, Fiona was already connected to Shane through the comms. She quickly reported what had happened.

[ Shane: Really? A Sea King Zombie and its horde? We're in the safe zone, right? Did it disappear or something? ]

[ Fiona: It's still safe zone this morning. We even gathered fish without issue. ]

[ Shane: Then it's suspicious. A Sea King Zombie wouldn't attack so easily. ]

[ Fiona: I think that's still possible. Only low to advanced-tier zombies get warded off by the safe zone. ]

[ Shane: True… But the Sea King Zombies are different. They're smart. The Hammer Sea King I fought before had certain behavior. It only acted when something stimulated it. ]

[ Fiona: Do you think it got lured here? ]

[ Shane: Not sure… For now, use your rats to investigate. Try searching for any suspicious person entering or leaving the shelter. ] 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

[ Fiona: Copy that. ]

[ Shane: And Fiona… focus on anyone who looks too calm or even happy about the destruction. That's not normal. ]

[ Fiona: Understood. I'll have my swarm watch closely. ]

[ Shane: Good. Report back as soon as you find anything. ]

[ Fiona: Will do. Stay safe, Shane. ]

After the chat ended, Fiona leaned back against the wall of the command post.

The battle outside had ended, but her work was just beginning.

She checked the time… it was the right hour to summon another rat.

She raised her hand, whispering the command.

Soon, a faint glow appeared, and a rat scurried out of the shadows…

"Join the swarm," Fiona ordered softly.

"Search the shelter. Look for anyone who seems happy about the destruction. Anyone smiling, laughing, or acting suspicious while others are repairing and grieving."

The rat squeaked in acknowledgment and darted off, disappearing into the cracks of the dockyard.

Fiona's swarm was already spread across Blue Haven Shelter… dozens of rats hiding in alleys, rooftops, and storage rooms.

They were her eyes and ears, able to slip into places no guard could reach.

Soon, she closed her eyes, focusing on the link.

Through her Sense Link, she could sense their movements, their tiny claws scratching against wood, their whiskers twitching as they sniffed the air… and almost everything they could see.

"Mhmm…"

Fiona felt that Shane was being too cautious, but she didn't mind it at all. Even if there wasn't really any perpetrator about this attack, she would still be using her rats to find spies anyway.

Soon, she found dockworkers were busy repairing barricades. Mechanics were fixing damaged Trident Mechs. Medics rushed the wounded to the infirmary.

Most people were exhausted, grim, and worried.

However, she noticed something off hanging on the roof of the Portal Hall...

"A bat?"