Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The eruption of black threads was extremely swift, and in almost an instant, more than half of Blood Harbor was completely shrouded within.

These threads extended in all directions. As long as they touched a living being, they pierced into it—whether human, bird, or even insect, all were bound by threads, the entire Blood Harbor densely entangled in black lines.

At the place where the black threads had erupted, above the head of the 【Compassionate Mother】 where “Mira” had once existed, the black lines twisted and tangled together, weaving into a black sphere.

That sphere was like a cocoon, pulsing endlessly with a slow rhythm.

Ash’s squad withdrew for a temporary rest. The Banshees who came to support were led by Nini. She frowned as she looked toward Blood Harbor in the distance, swam up to Hughes’s side, and spoke hesitantly:

“Lord, I feel these black threads must carry some kind of connection—either strengthening the 【Compassionate Mother】, or controlling and killing those on land. That thing above the monster’s head may gradually grow, or perhaps control the threads. What do you think?”

“Your analysis is very good.” Hughes glanced at Nini with some amusement and said, “But if you were to ask my opinion—then Ash, if the command were still yours, how would you decide?”

Ash’s voice held not a trace of hesitation: “I believe we should launch the attack immediately.”

Nini’s eyes widened: “That’s a Heretical God we’re facing. Shouldn’t we first figure out Its weakness?”

Ash said, “What else do you carry at your waist, and what are you holding in your hands? I believe steel and gunpowder are the best analysis. Instead of wasting time trying to figure out Its weakness, it’s better to simply blanket It with firepower.”

Hughes chuckled and joined in, “I develop industry, build weapons, and desperately push production capacity upward so that those at the frontlines don’t have to worry about what weaknesses there are.”

“If It has a weakness, then firepower saturation will definitely strike it. If It has no weakness, then we’ve saved the time of analyzing.”

“That is my suggestion.”

Nini was a clever woman. Her eyes darted back and forth, and then a trace of excitement appeared on her face: “I understand!”

Through the Mind Link, she began issuing orders without pause. The supporting Banshees split into several squads—some advancing to close range, others spreading out in place, unhooking heavy machine guns from their backs and preparing to fire.

Hughes did not move forward. He had not come personally to the frontlines to micro-manage. Combat matters were to be left to the professionals—the Banshees were far more skilled in this than he was.

Nini simply hadn’t been accustomed to this mode of combat. Once her thoughts were clear, the rest needed no interference from him.

Of course, the enemy was even less accustomed than they were.

The 【Compassionate Mother】 was clearly preparing some great attack, but just as the opening was completed, the Banshees’ offensive came.

Bullets flew across the sea, sweeping equally over every inch of Its flesh.

In just a moment, the 【Compassionate Mother】 let out a wail.

Bullets tore through Its flesh. Though It healed at an astonishing speed, the sheer flood of bullets was overwhelming. Even if each individual round dealt negligible harm, the combined force was terrifying.

Like raindrops striking the ground, bullets hammered Its flesh into rippling waves, and in an instant, sprays of blood blossomed across Its body.

The 【Compassionate Mother】 may have been a Heretical God, but Its body was still composed of Its followers’ flesh and blood. The human body was pitifully fragile before bullets.

Beaten by the rainlike barrage of gunfire, It staggered back several steps—but this was only the beginning. More and more Banshees joined the firing line.

The Gatlings in their hands roared furiously. When the barrels grew hot, they plunged them into seawater to cool, hissing up plumes of white steam.

This inflicted tremendous wear on the barrels, but—Castel was hardly lacking in such things. The Prince had secured them at any cost. Firearms treasured by the Harbor Guard as priceless were, to Castel, mere consumables endlessly rolling off the assembly line.

With the production capacity of the island’s munitions factories, within a single day—

At once, steam billowed across the sea. The battlefield seemed like it stood above the clouds. It looked beautiful, almost sacred.

But the 【Compassionate Mother】 surely did not find it beautiful.

It wailed as It thrashed Its head madly, dragging along the countless black threads atop Its head.

The first to be dragged were the insects. They buzzed, trying to fly away, but the black threads pulled them back. These originally illusory threads now seemed like real cords, yanking them swiftly toward the 【Compassionate Mother】.

The black cocoon above Its head tightened its lines. As the insects were pulled in, It pulsed violently.

In an instant, the ravaged, hole-ridden body of the 【Compassionate Mother】 was healed. Even consuming only insects brought about such a change.

Yet the newly restored body was once again torn apart beneath the storm of metal. As a Heretical God, It was indeed powerful, but the fire rate of the heavy machine guns was no less fearsome.

“It’s working!”

“Excellent, Its rate of recovery can’t keep up with the damage we’re inflicting!”

The Banshees shouted excitedly. Earlier, Ash’s squad of barely a dozen had struggled to suppress the 【Compassionate Mother】. But the larger force Hughes had brought was an entirely different matter.

Their weapons and ammunition were more than abundant. With no concern for loss, they simply unleashed firepower saturation, battering the Heretical God so badly It could not lift Its head.

“Lord was right—firepower saturation truly is the best way to solve the puzzle!” Nini’s eyes shone with excitement, as though a new world had opened before her. “Those threads are Its means of healing!”

Yet Hughes frowned at this moment—though such a tactic could indeed wear down the 【Compassionate Mother】, after all Its total number of threads was limited, and the Banshees’ bullets were endless.

But many of those black threads were connected to the people of Blood Harbor!

Not only the Harbor Guard and commoners, but even the Holy Guard had been ensnared. If the 【Compassionate Mother】 dragged them in for consumption, the losses would be catastrophic.

“Look! That cocoon above Its head doesn’t seem to be penetrable!” Nini shouted, pointing at the Heretical God’s crown.

Hughes narrowed his eyes and looked carefully.

The black cocoon had grown larger after devouring the insects, its pulsations more urgent. It was entirely woven of black threads.

Such a thing could block bullets. Even heavy machine-gun rounds struck it only to scatter sparks—unable to pierce through.

“One squad, with me!” Nini cried out, switching into the Mind Link: 『Steam Rifles, Breach Mode!』

The Steam Rifle was a creation of the Mechanical Sanctum, built with three modes: long-range sniper mode, close-range explosive mode, and mid-range breach mode.

There was also an overload usage method, but the Banshees had never dared employ it. After all, the thing came with no manual. Their current usage had only been figured out through trial and error.