"WHINE—!"
The giant whale, harpooned thrice, frantically attempted to dive deep into the ocean. However, it was hindered by the ropes attached to the harpoons. These ropes were tethered to many empty oak barrels and ultimately connected to the small boats' keels.
The immense buoyancy constantly tugged at it, preventing any chance of escape and forcing it to swim forward, pulling the three boats in a high-speed chase across the sea.
The intense exertion also accelerated its oxygen consumption.
Within minutes, the thrice-speared whale helplessly resurfaced to breathe again.
Seizing this opportunity, the other harpooners aboard the three boats launched another coordinated attack, deeply embedding three more harpoons into it.
SPURT! SPURT!...
Heavy blood loss and extreme fatigue considerably slowed the whale's pace. The intervals between its surfacings for air grew shorter, and each time it breached, it faced a relentless barrage from the whalers.
