The coast of Aurelis gradually disappeared under the morning fog.

Standing at the prow of the exploration ship Azure Horizon, Jennie watched in silence as her silver hair fluttered in the salty breeze.

The city of never-ending nightlife had turned into no more than a silhouette on the horizon.

Before them...

Only endless sea stretched.

Jennie placed her hands on the wooden railing.

"So this..."

With a smile she completed her thoughts.

"...Is the western ocean."

Beside her, Snow walked. His fur shone white under the morning sunbeams.

"It is called the Ocean of Memories."

Looking at him inquisitively, Jennie asked.

"Why the such name?"

Snow looked at the waves.

"Because the sea remembers everything."

"The rises and falls of kingdoms."

"The births of dragons."

"Wars of Gods."

"Even when people forget..."

"The ocean doesn’t."

His voice sounded softly, reverently.

Silently watching the waves, Jennie.

In that moment, she believed that they really are alive.

Captain Helena stood at the helm of the ship.

"Steady course."

Answered the sailors in chorus.

"Aye, Captain!"

Thanks to the magical runes, the enchanted sails caught the wind, and the Azure Horizon smoothly sailed over the water.

Unlike ordinary ships, faint blue runes gleamed along the wooden hull of the ship.

Every time, tiny barriers flashed around the vessel to disappear soon afterwards.

Staring at that with wide eyes, Roxy exclaimed.

"So many magic circles..."

Laughing, the sailor explained.

"This ship wouldn’t survive in these waters without them."

He pointed to the ocean.

"The western sea is beautiful."

"But beauty can be dangerous."

During that day, Jennie noticed something strange.

Soft beams of blue light hovered over the water.

They wove over it like ribbons.

Intuitively stretching her hands towards them, Jennie caught the strand of light, which then broke into millions of glittering fragments.

"It feels warm..."

Snow smilingly explained.

"Mana currents."

"They flow through the ocean as river flows over the land."

Quickly opening her notebook, Roxy exclaimed.

"I’ve only read about these!"

"They form over centuries thanks to gathering of the natural mana."

"The ships can sail faster along those."

Nodding, Helena confirmed her statement.

"The experienced sailors know how to use them."

"If you know the currents..."

"The sea itself helps to move your ship."

Watching the glowing beams wove along the water, Jennie.

They looked like invisible roads leading to the horizon.

It was amazing.

By noon, one of the sailors shouted from the lookout tower.

"Something off the port side!"

Turning to look, all saw.

Gentle waves on the water.

Then...

An enormous shape appeared.

Jennie blinked.

"...A turtle?"

It was an absolutely unique creature.

So huge was its shell, that there was a whole forest on it.

Pine trees swayed gently in the breeze.

Little waterfalls poured from mossy rocks.

The birds nested in the branches.

Flowers bloomed on the patches of soft grass.

Swimming through the sea, the turtle carried its little ecosystem wherever it went.

Roxy opened her mouth in surprise.

"It’s carrying a forest..."

Smiling Helena said.

"That’s an Elder World Turtle."

"They have lived since before written history."

Snow slightly bowed his head.

"They never attack unless threatened."

Watching the giant turtle passing by the ship, Jennie.

Opening slowly the enormous emerald eye, it looked at her.

Not aggressively.

Just quietly curiously.

Smiling with warmth, Jennie.

After closing its eye again, the giant turtle continued its eternal journey across the sea.

At dusk...

The sky turned orange and crimson.

The first stars appeared in the darkening sky.

Then...

The sea began to glow.

Little silver fish leaped from the water.

Leaving behind the beams of blue light, each of them flew like a shooting star and dived gracefully in the water.

Gasping, Roxy exclaimed.

"They’re beautiful!"

Laughing, Helena said.

"Moonlight Flying Fish."

"They appear only after the sunset."

Flying around the ship, thousands of glowing fish were watched by the sailors, smiling.

Resting her elbows on the railing, Jennie remarked.

"I’ve never seen anything like this."

Nodding, Snow agreed with her.

"There are still many wonders in the world."

Landing on the deck, one of those little fish looked up at her with curious golden eyes.

Holding it carefully in her hands, Jennie.

The scales of the little fish glittered like little sapphires.

"So small..."

"So brave."

Joyfully sprinkling water on her face, the little fish.

Laughing Roxy exclaimed.

"It likes you!"

After putting it back into the water carefully, Jennie.

Once circling the ship, the little fish disappeared in the glowing waves.

That night...

The sea suddenly became unusually calm.

Not even a breath of wind disturbed its surface.

The sailors went silent.

Narrowing her eyes, Helena ordered.

"Everyone stay alert."

Strange deep sound echoed from underneath the ship.

Whoooooom...

Gradually bulging up the water, something absolutely enormous arose from the depths.

Instinctively resting her hand on Excalibur, Jennie.

Then...

A whale appeared.

Or maybe, calling it a whale would not be enough.

It was larger than some villages.

Glittering with ancient blue runes on its body, the creature was equipped with crystal-like fins.

Swimming besides the ship, the sea itself seemed to be moving together with it.

Taking off their hats, the sailors.

No one said anything.

Smiling gently, Snow said.

"A Mana Whale."

"They are the oldest living beings in the world."

Releasing beautiful low melody, the creature sang.

Echoing across the endless sea.

Closing her eyes, Jennie.

Filling her heart with the sound of this melody.

For a moment...

She forgot all battles.

All loneliness.

Even the feeling of being forgotten.

There was only the melody.

And the endless ocean.

When she opened her eyes...

The Mana Whale was already disappearing under the waves.

Leaving only the shimmering ripples behind.

Whispered softly Jennie,

"...The sea really is alive."

Looking at the moonlit horizon, Snow agreed with her.

"Yes."

"And tonight..."

"It feels as though it has begun to remember someone."

Far ahead...

Beyond the glowing mana currents and the calm waves...

Something ancient waited patiently beneath the endless blue.

The night passed peacefully.

Only the gentle sound of waves accompanied the crew as the Azure Horizon sailed farther into the western ocean.

By dawn, the cheerful atmosphere had disappeared.

Even the experienced sailors had grown unusually quiet.

Captain Helena stood beside the ship’s wheel, studying an old sea chart.

Every few minutes, she glanced toward the horizon before looking back at the compass in her hand.

Something wasn’t right.

Jennie noticed.

"Captain?"

Helena looked up.

"Our compass has stopped working."

Roxy blinked.

"...Stopped?"

The captain handed it to her.

The enchanted needle spun wildly in every direction before becoming perfectly still.

"It hasn’t pointed north for the past hour."

Roxy frowned.

"I’ve never seen magic behave like this."

Snow slowly walked to the edge of the deck.

His sharp blue eyes scanned the sea.

"The ocean’s mana has changed."

Jennie joined him.

"It feels... heavier."

Snow nodded.

"As if something deep below has awakened."

A cold breeze swept across the ship.

The warm morning sunlight disappeared behind thick gray clouds.

The western sea, which had been calm only moments ago, slowly transformed.

The water became unnaturally still.

Not a single wave touched the hull.

No seabirds circled overhead.

No flying fish leaped from the water.

The silence itself felt unnatural.

One sailor whispered nervously,

"Even the sea is holding its breath."

Hours passed.

The Azure Horizon continued moving forward, carried by invisible mana currents.

Then...

The lookout shouted from the mast.

"Captain!"

"Something ahead!"

Everyone rushed to the bow.

Far in the distance...

The ocean appeared to be sinking.

At first, Jennie thought it was an illusion.

But as the ship approached...

She realized the truth.

The sea itself was spinning.

Slowly.

Silently.

An enormous whirlpool stretched across the horizon.

Its size was beyond imagination.

It was so vast that entire ships looked like tiny leaves floating beside it.

The swirling water reached high into the sky, forming a colossal wall of blue.

Roxy’s face turned pale.

"...That’s impossible."

Captain Helena gripped the railing tightly.

"I’ve sailed these waters for thirty years..."

"I’ve never seen anything like this."

The sailors hurried across the deck.

"Lower the sails!"

"Secure the cargo!"

"Prepare for impact!"

Everyone expected the whirlpool to drag them into its depths.

Jennie quietly placed one hand on Excalibur.

Snow lowered his body into a fighting stance.

If the ship was pulled under...

They would have only seconds to react.

The whirlpool continued growing larger.

The roaring water echoed like thunder.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

The ship reached its edge.

Captain Helena shouted,

"Brace yourselves!"

The crew held onto anything they could.

Roxy squeezed her eyes shut.

"This is it!"

But...

Nothing happened.

The Azure Horizon didn’t shake.

It didn’t lose control.

Instead...

The whirlpool suddenly slowed.

Its violent rotation became graceful.

The roaring waters grew quiet.

Jennie stared in disbelief.

"It’s... changing."

The swirling ocean began separating.

The massive wall of water split into two enormous halves.

Like giant doors opening.

The sea wasn’t attacking them.

It was welcoming them.

A deep blue light rose from beneath the ocean floor.

The water continued pulling away until an enormous circular pathway appeared in its center.

The path descended into the depths of the sea.

Without a single drop of water touching it.

Roxy slowly lowered her hands.

"...How..."

"...is that possible?"

Snow smiled faintly.

"The ocean remembers."

The crew stood frozen.

No one dared speak.

The sea had opened.

Captain Helena removed her hat.

"I’ve spent my life searching for legends."

"I never believed I’d witness one."

Jennie looked down into the opening.

The staircase-like pathway disappeared into darkness.

Yet faint blue lights flickered far below.

Like stars buried beneath the sea.

Ancient...

Beautiful...

And impossibly old.

Excalibur’s voice echoed gently inside her heart.

"The seal has weakened."

Jennie answered silently.

"Because of Leviathan?"

The Divine Sword replied,

"Yes."

"It is calling."

As the ship drifted closer, the blue light grew brighter.

Massive stone pillars slowly emerged beneath the water.

Each pillar was covered in glowing runes.

Ancient statues stood between them.

Their faces had long since been worn smooth by countless centuries beneath the sea.

Coral covered broken stairways.

Colorful fish swam peacefully around forgotten monuments.

Nature had embraced the ruins rather than destroyed them.

Roxy could hardly breathe.

"An entire city..."

"No..."

"A civilization."

Snow nodded.

"It existed before many of today’s kingdoms."

Jennie carefully observed every detail.

Nothing felt hostile.

Instead...

The place radiated quiet dignity.

Like an old guardian patiently waiting for someone to return.

One of the scholars accompanying the expedition slowly opened an ancient manuscript.

His trembling hands turned yellowed pages.

His eyes widened.

"It matches..."

"Every single description."

He looked toward Captain Helena.

"We found it."

"The Sunken Temple..."

"It truly exists."

Several sailors quietly crossed their hearts in prayer.

Others simply stared in silence.

Legends told around campfires...

Stories passed down for generations...

Had become reality before their eyes.

Suddenly...

Tiny blue lights began rising from the depths.

Hundreds of them.

Then thousands.

Small glowing figures circled the ship.

At first glance, they resembled butterflies.

But as they drew closer...

Jennie realized they were tiny spirits made entirely of water and light.

One floated in front of her.

It tilted its little head.

Then smiled.

Without fear.

Without words.

It gently touched Jennie’s fingertips before darting happily toward the glowing pathway below.

Another followed.

Then another.

Soon...

An entire trail of tiny spirits stretched downward into the depths.

Snow watched quietly.

"They’re guiding us."

Captain Helena looked at Jennie.

"I’ve led this expedition..."

"But somehow..."

She smiled nervously.

"I think they’re waiting for you."

Jennie looked toward the endless staircase descending beneath the sea.

She took a slow breath.

Beyond those ancient ruins...

Beyond the forgotten city...

Beyond a thousand years of silence...

Something was waiting.

Not with hatred.

Not with anger.

But with patience.

Far below...

Hidden in the heart of the Sunken Temple...

A Divine Sword had begun to awaken.

And for the first time in a millennium...

Its long wait was almost over.