The Kraken Cruise began at a pier where a vessel resembling a pirate ship was moored. I had expected a small boat, but this was a ship of considerable size.
Though it had been built somewhat compactly to suit the attraction, making it a small-to-medium sailing ship, it was still far larger than I had envisioned.
Upon checking in, we were given a briefing on the rules. We were told that the Kraken Cruise relied on phantom magic rather than a real Kraken. For the sake of the performance, the monster would attack the ship, but we were only to counterattack according to the moderator's instructions. We were strictly forbidden from using our own weapons or magic.
"It sounds like we're going to be fighting the Kraken in earnest," I remarked.
"Since they mentioned following a moderator's instructions, maybe a character like Falcon from the Dragon Adventure will show up to lead the way?" Hina suggested. "There are cannons on the deck, so we'll probably be using those."
The attraction seemed to take place primarily on the deck, and we were free to stand wherever we liked. With cannons and ballista-like bows prepared throughout the area, I got the feeling this was less of a "panic-thriller" and more of an action-oriented attraction where we'd fight the Kraken with our own hands.
"Hah! So you're the lot who want to board my ship! I'm the Ship Captain... well, just call me Captain! While you're on this ship, you're all my subordinates. You’ll follow my orders to the letter out on the water, so keep that in mind. Alright, then—we're heading out! Hoist the sails!"
A Captain with the aura of a pirate skipper appeared, and the Kraken Cruise officially began. The ship lurched into motion.
It was impressive to feel the vessel actually heading out into the open water. The experience felt quite authentic. The Captain looked the part of a pirate, but since the setting wasn't explicitly a pirate ship, he came across more as a rough-looking sea man.
"There are rumors that a Kraken lives around these parts," the Captain called out. "It doesn't hurt to be on guard, but there hasn't been a ship hit by a Kraken in years, so there's no need to worry too much."
He delivered the line like a textbook example of a plot flag. As the ship pressed forward, the sky began to cloud over. I wondered how they were managing the effect; over toward the rocky mountain area, it was still perfectly sunny, yet clouds loomed directly above us. It was likely more phantom magic.
"The weather's turning foul, and the wind doesn't feel right... A storm might be brewing. Alright, you lot, get inside before the rain starts—whoa!?"
An impact rocked the ship, cutting the Captain off mid-sentence. Though the sway felt significant, some kind of protection magic was clearly at work; we didn't feel the centrifugal force pulling us to the sides, allowing us to remain standing easily despite the ship's tossing.
"What was that shock!?"
"Captain! L-look over there!"
One of the sailors pointed toward the sea, where a giant squid tentacle erupted from the surface. It was much larger than I had anticipated. If a single limb was this massive, the Kraken itself had to be at least thirty meters long.
"A Kraken tentacle... it actually showed up!? It's just one limb—the main body must be underwater! Hey, guys, blast that thing! Don't let it wreck the ship!"
Under the Captain's orders, the sailors manned the cannons and ballistae. The tentacle flinched as it was struck, but four more limbs immediately burst from the waves.
"Dammit, there are too many of them! Hey, guests! Lend a hand! Stand in front of a cannon or ballista and touch the magic crystal. A target circle will appear in front of you; get the tentacle inside that circle, touch the crystal again, and let 'em have it!"
Taking the Captain's cue, we moved to the vacant stations. When I touched the magic crystal as instructed, a crosshair appeared. I found I could aim the weapon just by tilting the cannon.
The cannons and ballistae were strictly gimmicks for the attraction and were light enough to be moved with a finger, making it simple to track the targets. When our shots connected, the Captain voiced his approval.
"Nice! Good arm! Keep blasting those legs! They might come from any side, so stay sharp! If we keep the pressure on, the main body is bound to lose its patience and show itself!"
I see—I had the general gist of the flow now. We would defend the ship from the tentacles appearing all around us, and once we dealt enough damage, the main body would appear for the decisive battle.
The sheer scale of the tentacles was incredible. Even though it was just an attraction, the sensation of fighting a giant monster was quite exhilarating. With my total lack of combat power, I never get the chance to fight monsters of this caliber in reality. It was a different experience than the one I'd expected, but it was very interesting in its own right.
"Hm? What’s this? There’s a button-like interface under the magic crystal..."
- Use Special Attack (Eden) …… The Kraken dies.
- Use Special Attack (Machina) …… The Kraken dies.
- Summon an Otherworld God …… The Kraken dies.
- Call for reinforcements using Baby Castella as bait …… The Kraken dies.
- Add Pet No. 3 (Temp) standing behind you to the front lines …… The Kraken dies.
- Help me, Shiro-san …… 『End of the Story (Epilogue)』
- Kraken: "Please! Stop! Help me! Just fight me normally!!"
"……Right. Let's do our best to take down the Kraken with the cannons."