The sea didn't stay calm.
---
It shifted.
---
Not on the surface.
---
But below.
---
Something was moving.
---
The ship creaked as the waves grew heavier.
Not violent—
But unnatural.
---
Rovan stood near the helm.
Eyes narrowed.
Focused.
---
"…This isn't normal."
---
Thalren didn't respond.
He didn't need to.
---
He felt it.
---
The sheath pulsed.
---
Stronger than before.
---
Not a warning.
---
A reaction.
---
"…Closer…"
---
The voice returned.
---
Clear.
---
No longer distant.
---
Thalren stepped forward.
Closer to the edge of the ship.
---
His eyes fixed on the water.
---
The surface trembled.
---
Then—
---
It stilled.
---
Completely.
---
No waves.
No movement.
---
Silence.
---
Too silent.
---
Rovan's grip tightened slightly.
---
"…Get ready."
---
Thalren didn't ask.
Didn't hesitate.
---
The air grew heavy.
---
Then—
---
The sea broke.
---
Violently.
---
Water erupted upward—
---
A massive shape surged from below.
---
Larger than before.
Far larger.
---
Its body twisted through the air—
Dark.
Heavy.
---
Its presence alone shook the ship.
---
"…Tch—"
Rovan stepped back slightly.
---
"…That's not a small one."
---
The creature let out a deep, distorted roar.
---
Not just sound—
Pressure.
---
It hit the ship like a wave.
---
Thalren stood still.
Unmoved.
---
His eyes locked onto it.
---
No fear.
Only focus.
---
The creature lunged.
---
Fast—
For something that size.
---
A direct strike toward the deck.
---
Thalren moved.
---
A sharp step.
---
He avoided the impact—
---
The deck cracked beneath the force.
Wood splintered.
---
The ship shook violently.
---
Rovan grabbed hold of the side.
---
"…Don't let it hit again!"
---
Thalren didn't reply.
---
He stepped forward.
---
Not back.
---
The creature twisted—
Preparing another strike.
---
Thalren closed the distance.
Fast.
---
Before it could move—
---
He struck.
---
A direct hit.
Bare hand.
---
The impact echoed.
---
But—
---
The creature didn't fall.
---
It barely reacted.
---
Its body absorbed the force.
---
Then—
---
It retaliated.
---
A sudden swing.
Massive.
---
Thalren shifted—
---
But this time—
---
He was pushed back.
---
His feet slid across the deck.
---
A small distance—
But noticeable.
---
Rovan's eyes sharpened.
---
"…So this is different."
---
The creature roared again.
Louder.
More aggressive.
---
Its eyes fixed on Thalren.
---
Not the ship.
Not Rovan.
---
Him.
---
"…It's targeting you," Rovan muttered.
---
No response.
---
Thalren stepped forward again.
---
Calm.
Measured.
---
The sheath pulsed.
---
Strong.
Urgent.
---
"…Not yet…"
---
The voice came again.
---
Clear.
---
But this time—
It resisted.
---
As if holding something back.
---
Thalren's grip tightened slightly.
---
"…Then I'll do it myself."
---
A quiet whisper.
---
The creature attacked again.
---
Faster.
More violent.
---
Thalren moved.
Dodged.
Countered.
---
But this time—
---
It wasn't enough.
---
The creature's size—
Its durability—
Different from before.
---
Stronger.
---
He struck again.
---
Another impact.
---
This time—
The creature staggered.
---
Slightly.
---
But still standing.
---
Still attacking.
---
The ship shook again.
---
Cracks spreading further across the deck.
---
"…At this rate—"
Rovan muttered.
---
"…The ship won't last."
---
Thalren didn't look back.
---
Didn't hesitate.
---
His eyes remained fixed.
---
Focused.
---
The sheath pulsed again.
---
Stronger than before.
---
The presence returned.
---
Close.
---
Watching.
---
Waiting.
---
"…Closer…"
---
The word echoed.
---
Almost impatient now.
---
Thalren stepped forward.
---
Directly into the creature's range.
---
A dangerous move.
---
But intentional.
---
The creature lunged—
A full-force strike.
---
Thalren didn't dodge immediately.
---
For a moment—
He stood still.
---
Then—
---
At the last second—
---
He moved.
---
A sharp shift.
---
Inside its reach.
---
A precise strike—
---
Not at its body—
---
But at its movement.
---
A weak point.
---
The creature's balance broke.
---
For a moment—
It faltered.
---
That was enough.
---
Thalren struck again.
---
Stronger.
Faster.
More precise.
---
A series of impacts—
---
All focused.
---
All controlled.
---
The creature roared—
---
Unstable now.
---
Its movements slowed.
---
Then—
---
A final strike.
---
Direct.
---
Decisive.
---
The creature froze—
---
Then collapsed.
---
Falling back into the sea.
---
Water crashed around the ship.
---
Then—
---
Silence.
---
Heavy.
Still.
---
The waves returned.
Normal.
---
The pressure faded.
---
Thalren stood still.
---
Breathing steady.
---
Unshaken.
---
The sheath—
Went silent.
---
The presence withdrew.
---
"…Still not enough…"
---
A faint echo.
---
Then gone.
---
Rovan exhaled slowly.
---
"…You're insane."
---
A pause.
---
"…Fighting that barehanded…"
---
Silence.
---
Thalren looked at the sea.
---
"…It wasn't enough."
---
The words were quiet.
---
But clear.
---
Rovan watched him.
---
Carefully.
---
"…You're chasing something," he said.
---
A pause.
---
"…Something deeper than this."
---
No response.
---
The wind slowed.
---
The ship steadied.
---
But the calm—
Didn't last.
---
The water beneath them shifted again.
---
Slow.
---
Heavy.
---
Different.
---
Rovan's expression hardened.
---
"…No…"
---
A step back.
---
"…There's another one."
---
Thalren's eyes sharpened.
---
The sheath pulsed violently.
---
Not calm.
---
Not controlled.
---
This time—
It reacted.
---
Strongly.
---
The sea trembled.
---
Not like before.
---
Deeper.
---
Wider.
---
The ship tilted slightly.
---
Wood strained under pressure.
---
"…This is bad," Rovan said quietly.
---
"…This one's different."
---
The water didn't explode this time.
---
It opened.
---
Slowly.
---
Like something rising—
Without force.
---
Without urgency.
---
And that made it worse.
---
A shape formed beneath the surface.
---
Larger.
---
Far larger.
---
Not fully visible—
But undeniable.
---
Thalren stood still.
---
Watching.
---
The voice returned.
---
Clear.
---
Heavy.
---
"…Now…"
---
Silence.
---
The sheath trembled.
---
For the first time—
---
It resisted.
---
Not holding back—
---
But pushing.
---
Thalren's hand moved.
---
Slowly.
---
Toward the sword.
---
Rovan noticed.
---
"…Wait…"
---
A pause.
---
"…You're finally—"
---
Thalren's fingers touched the hilt.
---
Cold.
---
But alive.
---
The sea below responded.
---
Violently.
---
The massive shadow moved.
---
Closer.
---
Rising faster now.
---
The air twisted.
---
Pressure surged.
---
The ship trembled—
On the edge of breaking.
---
Thalren's grip tightened.
---
His eyes—
Calm.
---
Deadly.
---
"…Not yet…"
---
The voice resisted.
---
But this time—
---
He didn't listen.
---
"I'm not done yet."
---
The words cut through everything.
---
And in that moment—
---
The sea roared.
---
The shadow surged upward—
---
And something far beyond before—
---
Was about to emerge.