The road continued calmly along the western coast past Azurewind.

On the left side, vast plains of greenery waved under the hot summer wind.

On the right side – cliffs towering over azure waters. White waves were breaking below, throwing glittering drops into the air.

The Black Tide has gone.

Its marks were left on the world, but the life has returned.

Seabirds were circling above in flocks.

Flowers blooming by the roadside.

Travelers passed cheerfully, delivering merchandise instead of emergency rations.

Jennie smiled softly.

"I’m glad..."

"The sea sounds peaceful again."

Leviathan responded from within her mind.

"It has started to heal."

"The spirits started to sing again."

Jennie closed her eyes for a moment.

Indeed...

Soft melody floated up from the waters.

It was no human music.

It was more subtle.

More gentle.

Like if the ocean itself has hummed its thanks.

Snow calmly walked beside her.

After showing his Divine Beast form in Azurewind, nothing has changed.

He still loved taking a nap.

He still accepted petting from Jennie.

And he still pretended to dislike it.

Sometimes some things are good to be the same.

Roxy happily hopped in front of them.

"I’m hungry."

"You’ve already said it for the fourth time," Jennie laughed.

"I become hungry when thinking."

"And you’ve been thinking while walking."

"I think better that way."

Snow sighed.

"One day you’ll hit a tree."

"I’m a mage."

"I’m too intelligent for that."

Three seconds later...

Thunk.

Roxy ran into a branch of the low tree.

She massaged her forehead.

"...The tree hit me."

Jennie couldn’t stop laughing.

Snow raised his eyes to the sky.

"I’ve stopped questioning it."

When the evening came, they’ve arrived to beautiful cliffs overlooking the endless ocean.

The golden sun was reflecting from the waters.

Horizon stretched infinitely.

"This place is perfect," Jennie said.

"We’ll camp here tonight."

Snow nodded.

"The breeze will scare any monsters away."

Roxy immediately dropped her backpack onto the grass.

"I claim the soft patch!"

She tripped over the backpack she’ve just threw down.

Jennie smiled.

"I should have expected it."

And the three of them started to set up the camp.

Snow collected dry firewood from the trees.

Jennie took a small pot full of the spring water running down the cliff.

Roxy wanted to help.

She accidently summoned gusts of wind spreading firewood everywhere.

"...I’ve tested air magic."

Snow silently walked away to gather the wood again.

Jennie patted Roxy on the shoulder.

"You’ve tried."

After finishing with preparations for dinner, Jennie stood near the edge of the cliff.

The sun was setting and coloring the sky with orange and crimson.

Slowly drawing Excalibur, she let golden light spread on the blade.

Then...

"Leviathan."

Answered by blue light.

The second Divine Sword appeared.

Jennie smiled.

"Let’s practice."

The swords were transforming.

From longsword to twin blades.

From curved sabers to spear.

Into double-edged polearm and back to sabers.

Smoothly, almost as if alive.

Excalibur happily laughed.

"Again!"

"Our transformations get smoother."

Leviathan calmly stated.

"Significantly better."

Jennie danced gracefully.

Her movements were similar to dancing rather than fighting.

Each transformation happens precisely when it needs to.

Not a single movement was wasted.

Quietly watching nearby...

Snow said.

"You’ve learned to fight instinctively."

Jennie nodded.

"At last, I’ve understood it."

"Swords are not separate weapons."

"They are one."

Leviathan quietly agreed.

"Exactly."

Meanwhile...

Roxy was sitting cross-legged by the campfire.

Surrounded by ancient books and scrolls.

Maps.

Pages from the old journals.

She was copying some symbols to her notebook.

Jennie walked up.

"What are you studying?"

"Divine Swords."

Jennie sat down beside her.

"Did you find something?"

Roxy adjusted her glasses.

"Not really."

"Almost all the records about them were destroyed during the Great Demon War."

She unfolded the map.

"According to this..."

"There were seven Divine Swords originally."

Jennie silently listened.

"We have Excalibur."

"Leviathan."

"And other five are scattered somewhere in the continent."

Roxy pointed to the faded marks.

"One is sleeping under the Northern Mountains."

"Other somewhere inside the Desert Kingdom."

"The others..."

She smiled awkwardly.

"...Nobody knows."

Jennie looked at the stars appearing on the sky above the ocean.

"I guess..."

"We’ll have to continue looking for them."

The campfire crackled peacefully.

Dinner was being cooked.

Snow returned holding fresh herbs.

Jennie happily accepted it.

"Thanks."

Snow nodded once.

This peace lasted for few seconds.

Then...

Snow stopped walking.

His ears moved.

His nose twitched, sniffing the evening breeze.

Jennie immediately sensed it.

"What is it?"

Snow sniffed once more.

And smiled.

"...Familiar smell."

Roxy looked around.

"Somebody is near?"

Snow nodded.

"I know this smell."

Calming footsteps echoed along the path of the cliffs.

None of them reached for their weapons.

Instead...

Jennie quietly smiled.

"I think..."

"I know who it is."

Mysterious traveler named Shanks appeared from the evening sunset.

In gray robes.

Wearing a wide hat.

Carrying the kettle in one hand with the tea leaves tied in the cloth pouch.

Shanks stopped a bit far.

And warmly smiled.

"It’s been a while."

Jennie’s face lit up.

"It has."

"You left without saying goodbye again."

He chuckled softly.

"I have this habit."

Roxy stood up and gave enthusiastic bow.

"Glad to see you!"

Snow quietly walked toward the traveler.

Without hesitation...

Shanks opened his bag.

And took a piece of the dried meat.

Snow immediately took it.

Roxy blinked.

"I still can’t believe he lets you feed him."

Snow looked aside.

"...Good meat."

Jennie laughed.

"So that’s your weakness."

Shanks sat by the campfire.

In few moments...

Kettle appeared above the flames.

None of them noticed him lighting it.

None of them noticed him collecting water.

But somehow...

Tea was already boiling.

Roxy stared suspiciously.

"...How are you managing to do that?"

Shanks smiled quietly.

"Lots of experience."

The aroma of the freshly brewed tea filled the air.

They sat by the fire enjoying the view over the sea.

No tension.

No fear.

Just peaceful conversation.

Roxy happily shared her experiences from Azurewind.

"I’ve finally managed to use my barrier!"

"You should have seen it!"

"It was covering the entire city!"

Shanks nodded.

"I’ve heard."

"That was excellent work."

Roxy blushed.

"That’s true?"

"It usually takes decades for mages to gain such skills."

"You’ve done it because your heart has steadied."

Roxy smiled shyly.

"...Thank you."

Shanks turned to Snow.

"And you."

"The Last Divine Wolf."

"You’ve been guarding your companion well."

Snow politely bowed his head.

"I’ve merely fulfilled my duty."

"No."

Shanks smiled.

"You’ve fulfilled your promise."

Snow looked at him strangely.

Just for a moment...

Something ancient sparkled between them.

But then it was gone.

At last...

Shanks looked at Jennie.

She was silently sitting by the fire, watching the sunset.

Studying her for a long moment.

Not to judge.

But as if comparing this girl to the person of a thousand-year-old memory.

Then...

Gentle smile appeared.

He slowly raised his hands.

Clap.

Clap.

Gentle applause echoed quietly over the cliffs.

Jennie blinked.

"...For what?"

Shanks looked her in the eyes.

The way he smiled revealed emotions of pride and nostalgia.

"Well...".

He stopped for a moment.

There was a fresh breeze blowing in from the ocean, taking away what was left of the sunlight.

"...you have grown more powerful".

His statement was simple, but there was something about this statement that left Snow speechless.

For the first time after meeting the Shanks, Jennie had this feeling that his statement carries the burden of ages.

The cheering died down with the evening breeze.

Jennie touched the back of her head and laughed awkwardly.

"I still have a long way to go."

Shanks shook his head slowly.

"Those who become really strong are always the last ones to realize it."

The flames of the bonfire crackled softly around them.

Above, the first stars started appearing one by one.

Below them, the sea glimmered from the reflection of the moon like a bed of scattered diamonds.

For some time...

Nobody said anything.

It was that comfortable silence that friends keep after traveling long distances.

Shanks poured out one more cup of tea.

Its warm aroma blended into the cool air of the night.

He passed the first cup to Jennie.

"The tea tastes specially well tonight."

Jennie accepted the cup with both hands.

"Thanks."

He poured another cup for Roxy.

Then one cup for himself.

At last, he put a wooden bowl filled with warm water, flavored with the aromatic mountain herbs in front of Snow.

Snow smelled the mixture and tasted it carefully.

"...You always know what everyone likes."

Shanks smiled.

"Listening is an essential skill for travelers."

Roxy laughed.

"I guess you were an legendary innkeeper before."

Jennie smiled.

"I would surely stay there."

Shanks smiled softly.

"Maybe in the next life."

He leaned back onto the stone.

His gaze was directed at the infinite sea.

"So..."

"Tell me."

"How was your journey?"

Jennie turned to the horizon.

So many things happened...

She smiled for herself.

"When I was leaving my home..."

"I just wanted to see the world."

She gently touched Excalibur with her hand.

"However..."

"I have met my old friends."

The golden sword purred happily.

"And one rather talkative sword."

Excalibur immediately objected.

"I’d prefer the word charming."

Leviathan calmly answered him.

"You say too much."

"I provide energy."

"You provide noise."

Jennie sighed softly.

"They quarrel like this all the time."

Shanks smiled quietly.

"I can imagine."

Jennie continued.

"I have met Snow."

She gently scratched Snow’s ears.

The Divine Wolf silently accepted her gesture.

"I have met Roxy."

Roxy proudly lifted her hand.

"The greatest disaster mage of the continent."

"The former disaster mage," - Jennie corrected.

"The current miracle mage."

Roxy blushed.

"Don’t joke about me..."

Jennie smiled still.

"We explored the ancient ruins."

"We found Leviathan."

"We saved Azurewind."

"I have met good people everywhere."

"Merchants."

"Hunters."

"Children."

"Families."

She looked into the dancing campfire.

"I used to believe that strength means winning the battles."

Her voice sounded softly.

"But now..."

"I think strength is protecting smiles."

Shanks kept silent.

Listening.

Every word.

Every memory.

He did not interrupt.

Did not correct her.

Only listened.

After Jennie ended speaking...

He smiled.

A soft smile.

Warm.

Proud.

Like a smile of a father after watching how his child overcomes all the expectations.

He did not explain why.

Roxy happily stretched.

"I think this is the best journey in my life."

"You almost died in the ancient ruins," - Jennie reminded her.

"I have learned a lot."

"You blew up two times."

"Learning can be explosive."

Snow sighed.

"...That’s true."

They all laughed.

Even the Shanks.

For some moments...

Everything seemed to become peaceful.

As if nothing evil will come to them.

Then...

The wind disappeared.

Entirely.

The grass on the cliffside stopped swaying.

The waves below stopped moving.

The campfire crackled strangely.

Jennie’s smile slowly vanished.

"...It’s strange."

There was no answer.

The seabirds that were hovering above them instantly disappeared.

Not because they flew away.

But because all of them suddenly fell silent.

Even the insects stopped singing.

All the coast became totally silent.

The silence was unusual.

Heavy.

Old.

Snow’s face instantly changed.

He slowly got up.

His ears flattened to the head.

All white hairs on his back stood on end.

His blue eyes focused on Shanks .

His gaze never moved away.

Roxy instantly noticed it.

"Snow?"

He did not respond.

He was tense.

Alert.

Watching.

Jennie looked at them.

"...What is happening?"

Snow quietly said.

"...I do not know."

"But..."

"...something has changed."

Shanks calmly raised his teacup.

He took one more sip.

There was no fear in his eyes.

No surprise.

Only calm acceptance.

As if he had been waiting for this moment since the very beginning.

He lowered his empty cup.

Not hurrying...

Not hesitating...

He quietly put it onto the ground next to the bonfire.

The small sound of the ceramic hitting the stone resounded in the unusual silence.

Click.

It sounded unusually loudly.

Shanks looked toward the dark horizon.

Then turned to Jennie.

His smile was still kind.

But somehow...

It was infinitely far from her.

"It seems..."

He paused.

The stars above began twinkling.

The peaceful atmosphere around the camp gradually disappeared.

"...our peaceful conversations..."

His gaze met Jennie’s.

"...have to finish."

Exactly at this moment...

Some pressure dropped from the sky onto the cliff.

The campfire shrank.

The air became intolerably dense.

Excalibur started trembling in its scabbard.

Leviathan completely fell silent.

Snow took one step forward, putting himself between Jennie and the traveler.

The moon hid behind the black clouds.

Nobody said anything.

Nobody moved.

The atmosphere which seemed to be like old friends drinking tea together...

Gradually transformed.

And somewhere far beyond the silent sea...

Something dark started waking up.