Sophia called out, "We can't dodge forever!"

Caria pulled out her daggers. "We'll have to fight it!"

Aria cracked her knuckles. "Good. I needed something huge to punch!"

Lyra raised her hand slightly. "I can slow it down… but only for a moment."

"Good enough!" Rhys said, drawing Runius.

The sea beast circled the ship slowly, like a shark preparing to strike—

Then rushed forward.

The Fight

The creature lunged.

Aria jumped first and punched the side of its long snout.

A loud crack echoed across the water.

"TAKE THAT, YOU GIANT FISH!"

The beast hissed and swung a blade-like fin at her.

Sophia dashed in with her new sword. The blade turned faint for a moment as she passed through the fin—

Then solid again as she cut into it.

A long glowing wound split open across the creature's body.

Caria threw three daggers into its back. Each one exploded in a burst of blue mist.

The beast roared, shaking the entire sea.

Rhys ran forward, jumped off the railing, and launched himself high above the deck.

He brought Runius down toward the glowing spot on its spine—

"Runius Slash!"

The blade dug deep and cracked the creature's tough hide.

The beast thrashed wildly, throwing Rhys back toward the ship.

He hit the deck, rolled, and stood back up.

Aria shouted, "Did we get it?!"

Lyra shook her head slowly.

"No."

The glowing crack on its back began to shine brighter.

Not fading.

Strengthening.

The water around the creature began to churn and boil as more fins rose from its spine like spreading wings.

Caria froze. "Oh no… it's getting worse…"

Sophia swallowed hard. "It's entering another stage."

Rhys took a stance again, breathing heavily. "Doesn't matter. We finish this."

Lyra whispered, "It's charging a powerful attack…"

The sea became still.

Too still.

The creature raised its head.

Blue light gathered inside its throat.

Rhys shouted at the top of his lungs:

"EVERYONE—DOWN!"

Their first sea battle had truly begun.

The moment Rhys shouted—

FWOOOM—!!

A beam of blue energy blasted out of the creature's throat and tore across the ocean surface.

The water split apart in a long, smoking line.

Aria dove behind a barrel.

Sophia dropped to one knee and shielded her face.

Caria slid behind the mast.

Lyra calmly lowered her hand and formed a thin barrier of wind, just enough to push the beam upward a little.

The attack missed the ship by inches.

Aria peeked out. "IT HAS LASERS?! WHY DOES IT HAVE LASERS?!"

Sophia stood, eyes wide. "That wasn't magic… that was compressed water. It launched it like a cannon."

Caria pointed at its throat. "Look—it's still glowing. It can fire again."

Rhys grit his teeth. "Then we hit it before it charges!"

The beast whipped its tail, sending a huge splash over the deck and turning the ship sideways.

Everyone held on as the Aurora Wind almost tipped.

Aria screamed, "I HATE THE OCEAN!"

Rhys steadied himself, eyes locked on the monster.

"Caria! Distract it!"

Caria nodded sharply. "On it!"

She sprinted across the deck, throwing a flash bomb into the air.

It popped with a burst of bright white light.

The sea beast snapped toward her, confused.

That was enough.

"Sophia!" Rhys called, pointing at the glowing wound on its back. "Cut it open!"

Sophia jumped onto the railing.

Her Warden Blade shimmered, turning light and mist-like.

She leapt straight toward the beast as it lunged beneath the ship.

"Warden Strike!"

Her blade passed harmlessly through the water—

Then became solid at the exact moment she struck the crack Rhys made earlier.

CRUNCH—!!

A huge chunk of the hardened fin broke off.

The beast let out a deep, shaking roar and writhed violently.

Aria punched the air. "YES! DO THAT AGAIN!"

But Sophia shook her head, sweating. "I only get a few uses like that… I need a moment."

The creature dove suddenly.

Caria yelled, "Where did it go?!"

The water went calm.

Too calm again.

Lyra's eyes widened. "It's coming from below!"

Rhys reacted instantly.

"EVERYONE—JUMP!"

They all leapt or rolled away from the center of the deck—

BOOOM—!!

The monster shot straight upward from underneath, breaking through a huge wave and nearly smashing into the ship's belly.

The Aurora Wind tilted dangerously, water pouring across the deck.

Aria barely held onto the mast. "We're gonna flip!"

Rhys staggered, then spotted it:

A small gap on the creature's underside—

A softer spot.

A weakness.

He shouted, "There! Under its stomach! That's the vulnerable point!"

Sophia immediately readied her blade.

Caria spun two new daggers. "Got it!"

Aria cracked her knuckles. "Let's beat this thing DOWN!"

The beast crashed back into the sea, making the entire ship bounce.

Before it dove again, Rhys yelled:

"Everyone—HIT THE SAME SPOT!"

They moved.

Aria leapt off the railing and punched directly at the belly wound.

Sophia followed with a clean, sharp slice.

Caria threw two daggers that detonated on impact.

Rhys delivered a heavy, focused slash.

BOOOOM—!!

The creature let out a final, rumbling cry—

Its glowing body dimmed.

Its fins collapsed inward.

Then the giant sea beast slowly sank into the water with a soft splash, leaving only waves and drifting mist behind.

Silence fell over the ocean.

Aria collapsed on the deck. "I… am never… touching water… again…"

Sophia sat down hard. "My heart is still racing…"

Caria wiped her brow. "That was… too close."

Lyra finally relaxed her shoulders. "It's over."

Rhys leaned on the railing, breathing hard.

"Good work, everyone."

Puddle popped out of his shoulder, trembling.

"That was scary…"

Rhys rubbed her head. "Yeah. But we survived."

Aria lay spread out on the deck. "Please tell me Pearl Island is close."

Sophia looked ahead.

A faint shimmer appeared on the horizon.

"It is."

Caria smiled tiredly. "We'll get there before sunset."

Rhys took the wheel again.

"Alright. Let's finish this trip."

The Aurora Wind turned toward the shimmering land ahead—

Pearl Island awaited.

They sailed for another two hours, the ocean finally calm again.

No more shaking waves.

No glowing beasts.

Just steady wind and glittering water.

Aria sprawled on the deck like a dying starfish.

Sophia quietly checked her blade for chips.

Caria cleaned her daggers one by one.

Lyra leaned on the railing, watching the horizon with a soft smile.

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