Dragon Quest XI: Partners Until the End

[Chapter 35]

Meeting with the Kahuna proved to be well worth the trip. Not only did he tell the group where the fishermen were heading, he also provided some helpful advice about the giant squid they were going to face: tentaculars hate loud noises. It made sense, considering the tentacular back in Gondolia was shooed away by the cannons back then, but it was useful and helped the party devise a scheme around that idea.

Though, his kindness did not end there. With the help of another Lonalulu resident—an older woman that had a penchant for firing cannons—the party received a kanono cannon as long as they promised to take care of it in honor of her late husband.

So with those in mind, the party met up with Dave and clued him in on what was happening. Sylvando was quick to steer the ship out to the location, which wasn't too far from the village. Within a few hours, a fleet of ships could be seen in the distance with no sign of the tentacular in sight.

"Ooh, these must be the gallant squid-hunters! I wonder which one's our blushing husband-to-be?" Sylvando uttered with an excited tinge. He cupped the sides of his mouth, his voice booming out to the fishermen. "Yoo-hoo! Over here! Excuse me, which one of you big, brave boys is Kai?"

As the Salty Stallion crept closer to the fleet, all the fishermen had turned towards their ship. They frantically waved towards them, throwing their arms about in an odd charade as several voices carried across the waters, overlapping with one another. It was hard to decipher what was being said, and their frenzied movements only made it more confusing.

"They're trying to say something but it's hard to understand when they're all yelling at once," Freya muttered, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried her best to pick out certain voices to hone in on. However, it was difficult, and, judging by the disgruntled expressions of those around her, she wasn't the only one having trouble understanding what was going on.

"'A good view'...? 'I love you'...?" Sylvando breathed out, squinting his eyes in confusion. Finally, after a few beats, he tilted his head to the side with a bewildered tone. "...'Above you'?

"Look out! Up there!" Erik called out, snapping his head to the sky. Everyone followed suit and a collective gasp rang through the air. Free falling from the sky, a large ship crashed into the sea, just barely missing the Salty Stallion. The waves it created sent the ship rocking haphazardly, forcing the party members to stumble to catch their footing.

"Is everyone al—?" Freya began asking but was stopped as a loud rumbling was heard. Suddenly, a large object broke through the water surface, causing water droplets to rain down overhead. Once the mist had cleared, the infamous massive tentacular was there for all to see. It towered over the vessel and clung on tightly to the ship's bow. Its slimy tentacles splayed all over the deck, making the ship creak under its heavy weight.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding!" Erik groaned as the monster let out a ghastly wail. Taking the chance, Sylvando ran from his helmsman position and onto the deck where the rest of the party was at. He took his place beside the kanono cannon, placing a hand on his hips.

"So, we meet again, Señor Squid! I picked up a little present for you in Lonalulu. Everyone—cover your ears!" The jester called out, shifting the cannon to aim at the monster. Instantly, everyone heeded the man's words as he lit the fuse on fire. The wick began to burn quickly, and he let out a final yell, striking a pose with a smirk. "Say hello to my enormous friend!"