The Demon Shark and Judge Jack's rakshasa form were completely submerged under water. At that moment, Jack's innate survival system registered the shift in environment. The dark, pressurized water of the ocean was incompatible to his current form.
Fortunately, he wasn't helpless. He had once gained a power to thrive under water. And, that power was currently triggered. The... [Voldyanoi Shapeshift] ability.
The blazing armor instantly dissolved in a swirling vortex of bubbles. Replaced by another type of strangely shaped dark armor.
And then, Jack's body automatically reshaped itself. His skin turned into a mottled, scaly green and blue. It was thick and rubbery to resist the intense deep-sea pressure. Gills slit open on his neck. And his limbs grew powerful webbed digits.
He had transformed into a muscular, armored voldyanoi. A murloc wearing dark, tribal armor.
With this form, the water was no longer an obstacle. It was his domain. He could breathe perfectly. And his vision, as well as the other senses, adjusted itself instantly to the murky, dim depths of the ocean.
The [Judgement Warhammer] remained in his grip. Its runes were glowing with a cold, underwater light.
The Demon Shark had thought it had drowned or weakened its attacker. It was shocked to find the creature on its back was still gripping its fin tightly.
Jack seemed to get stuck to its back. Using the natural underwater ability of the voldyanoi to stay in position. Despite the shark's desperate, thrashing rolls.
The shark twisted its body and tried to snap its jaws backward. Trying to bite him.
But Jack simply kicked off its dorsal fin. Launching himself into the open water. He swam circles around the beast. His body structures and webbed limbs made him able to move with incredible speed underwater.
The shark was fast. But the voldyanoi was agile.
Jack closed the distance again. He swung the [Judgement Warhammer]. Aiming for the side of the shark's head. The water slowed the swing slightly. But the sheer force behind the hammer bypassed the aquatic resistance.
BOOM! The blow landed on the shark's jaw. Sending a shockwave through the water.
But the beast was tough. Its eyes were blazing in hostile light as it surged forward. Aiming its massive snout directly at Jack's chest in a ramming maneuver.
Jack braced himself. He couldn't dodge in time. The impact sent him flying backward through the dark water. His armor cracked under the pure kinetic force.
But, even in this form, Judge Jack's [Hyper Regeneration] characteristic still existed. The damage, including the crack in the armor, was recovered in visible speed.
The Demon Shark pursued. Its wounds were also already showing signs of closing as its high-speed regeneration worked overtime. It was a creature born of a chaotic spatial rift. Its physical resilience was absurd.
Jack stabilized himself in the water. He realized that this would be a battle of attrition underwater. Unless he could bypass the beast's physical defenses. He needed a decisive blow to end this.
This... had turned into another battle against a demon. Jack sighed and focused his mind back to the battle.
He gripped the [Judgement Warhammer] with both hands. Swinging his war hammer against the charging beast.
BOOM! The hammer head struck the shark's head with a thunderous crack that echoed across the water like a war drum. The impact redirected the shark's charge sideways.
The shark retaliated. Its jaw snapped shut just next to Jack's shoulder blade. It missed, but the impact over the sea water still sent Jack reeling.
Jack kicked his webbed feet and lunged again. Flinging his war hammer toward the beast's head. Slamming it again and again. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Demon Shark retaliated with its charge, bites, and tail strike. The sheer speed of its movement made its attack connected to its target often. Forcing Jack to reel backward again and again.
The underwater battle kept going. Both creatures were powerful and resilient. Both were able to breathe underwater. And they kept recovering at incredibly fast speed. It was a stalemate.
The stalemate situation only changed two hours later. Due to certain probability 'luck'.
...
The Demon Shark charged at Jack. Its maw was wide open. But it wasn't to swallow him whole. The creature was smart enough to know that swallowing such enemy alive would cause even more trouble inside its body.
No. The shark didn't want to engulf Jack. It wanted to bite him and tear him to pieces, using its super sharp teeth.
Jack didn't dodge this time. He swam straight toward the oncoming maw.
But, at the very last second, just as the rows of razor-sharp teeth were about to close around him, Jack spun his body in the water. Utilizing the full power of his voldyanoi muscles. And swung the hammer with everything he had.
As the hammer swung, a strange, absolute silence fell over the underwater battlefield. The runes on the [Judgement Warhammer] flared with a cosmic, undeniable authority. It was no longer glowing in its primordial red color.
Its runes was now glowing in golden color. The lucky strike. The low-chance of the [Judgement Warhammer] innate trait was activated. The incredibly low probability of a 'true strike' had triggered.
The hammer head made contact with the left side of the shark's hide. KA-BOOM!
There was a massive explosion sound. But, there was no splatter of blood. Nor was there a physical shattering of bone for the demonic beast. Instead, a ripple of pure, golden energy spread through the beast's entire body.
The 'true strike' completely bypassed the Demon Shark's terrifying physical armor, its thick hide, and its high regeneration capabilities. The attack struck directly at the core of its existence... its soul.
The hostile, chaotic light in the Demon Shark's eyes instantly vanished. Replaced by a dull, lifeless gray color.
The massive beast froze mid-charge. Its colossal muscles went completely limp.
It was dead. Instantly.
Jack drew the hammer back. He watched silently as the giant carcass of the Demon Shark began to slowly drift. Not upward like most dead bodies. But downward... into the endless, dark trenches of the sea.
He returned his [Judgement Warhammet] back to his system inventory. Then, with a powerful kick of his webbed legs, he swam upward... toward the glittering, pale light of the surface.
On the surface, the situation had long quieted down.
The slaver frigate was now almost entirely submerged. Its bow was pointing toward the sky as it slowly slipped beneath the waves.
The remaining slavers who had survived the shark's initial attack were now splashing helplessly in the water. Screaming for help that would never come.
The Silent Mermaid hovered nearby. On its deck, most of the crew were watching. Waiting. Only Serene and Autumn weren't there. These two were already in the Mirror Mansion. Taking care of the unconscious slaves there. Checking for injuries and healing them.
Reina stood at the railing. Her eyes were fixed on the spot where Jack had gone under. Rune was hovering near her shoulder. Glowing in peaceful blue color. Indicating that the danger was over.
Suddenly, the water broke...
A dark armored, muscular voldyanoi leaped out of the foam. Landing powerfully on the deck of the ghost ship.
As soon as the creature's feet touched the ancient wood, it started transforming. And the monstrous, murloc-like features receded. Shifting back into the familiar, hulking form of Judge Jack, the rakshasa.
And, right afterward, the form morphed again. This time, it reverted back to Jack's human form. A tough mercenary clad in leather outfit.
Jack exhaled a long breath. Wiping a stray drop of sea water from his face.
"Dear!" Reina said. Stepping forward with a dry towel. "You took your time."
"The damned beast had a lot of fight in it." Jack replied. Taking the towel and drying his hair. "But it's done. It's at the bottom of the ocean, dead."
"That's good." Baroness Artheim said. Walking over with her hands folded behind her back. "A remarkable display of power, Captain. I must admit, your various forms are... highly efficient."
"Wait, Cap!" Leon chimed in. "What the heck is with that murloc thing. You can transform into more than the hulking brute?"
"Well... it's one of the perks being the member of the Circle of Jacks." Jack started to weave his lies. "Our leader gave every member an ability to adapt into undersea atmosphere. Mine was... well, that thing."
Jack lied without any hesitation. For any ability he had with troublesome explanation... let the made-up organization be the source.
"That's..." Leon was speechless. "Damn! Can I join this group, Cap?"
"Nope." Jack simply answered. "First, your name is not Jack. And, even if your name is Jack, you need to be invited by our leader personally."
He grinned wide. Making up the story even more. "Racer Jack has recommended many people with 'Jack' names to him, but so far no one is invited. The 'boss' has his own criteria which we don't really know."
He then turned his gaze toward the mirror in Chloe's hand.
"How is it?" Jack asked Chloe. "The rescue, I mean."
"Thirty-two survivors." Chloe reported. "All slaves. Some are heavily injured. Serene and Autumn are taking care of them. We left the slavers to the sea."
Jack nodded and turned back to his crew. Everyone but the healer sisters was here.
"Moby! Draw the anchor. Argust! Get us back on course." Jack ordered. Pointing toward their original destination in the Myriad Island Archipelago. "We've delayed enough. Let's get to Bigbanyan Island as fast as possible."
"Understood, Captain." Argust replied, Quickly moving to the control cabin below the deck.
The Silent Mermaid turned. Its dark, tattered sails caught the non-existent wind once more. The ship glided away from the graveyard of the slaver ship. Leaving everything behind. Including the helpless floating slavers and the Demon Shark's remains that was submerged to the bottom of the sea.