Part 3
Clack!
Clack!
CLACK!!
The sharp crack of wooden swords echoed through the yard, slicing the morning air like drums of battle. It was a beautiful Sunday in Clara's estate — dew still clung to the grass, and the sun painted the horizon in soft golds and oranges.
The training had begun early.
Clara's courtyard, wide and elegantly lined with white marble tiles, had become the battleground for an intense sparring session. Lush trees surrounded the area, their shadows dancing with every movement.
On the sidelines, Clara, Elra, Crystella, Sev, Onin, and Yulleus watched intently.
Vellia was absent — off in the Market District buying food for the group, unaware of what was unfolding.
Selvaria's voice cracked like a whip.
Selvaria: "Don't loosen your focus, Masashi! You can't look away from your opponent — not even for a second!"
CLACKKK!!
Selvaria's blade slammed down with brutal precision, forcing Masashi back several steps.
But he didn't flinch.
Masashi: "Got it!"
A spark flashed in his eyes. He shifted, melting into a blur — activating stealth at the last second. His aura dimmed, his steps silent. In a blink, he slipped past Selvaria's guard, reappearing behind her like a ghost.
Selvaria's eyes widened.
She turned fast —
—but not fast enough.
Masashi tapped her shoulder with the tip of his wooden sword.
Masashi: "Tag."
The audience reacted with gasps and laughter.
Clara (grinning): "He actually pulled it off."
Onin: "His speed's getting sharper."
Crystella (smiling faintly): "And his focus… clearer."
Selvaria lowered her weapon, a smirk tugging at her lips despite herself.
Selvaria: "Good. That's the first time you landed a hit. But don't get cocky."
She walked past him, her voice calm but commanding.
Selvaria: "You're only scratching the surface of what 'Armor' can do."
Masashi turned to her, wiping sweat from his brow.
Masashi: "Then teach me more."
Selvaria's smirk widened. Her magic pulsed for a second, faint but heavy — like pressure in the air before a thunderstorm.
Selvaria (quietly): "Let's see how far you can go, Author."
The training continue, Meanwhile, A Messenger Riding on a brown horse arrived, having a small paper with a letter, Selvaria talked to the messenger and grabbed the letter from him, the messenger left and Selvaria call an emergency meeting, vellia was a little late on the meeting.
Selvaria: "I'm going to read the letter so be ready...."
Elizabeth--
"I am, Queen Veil Mariah Kristen Elizabeth, Inviting Masashi and his friends, Specifically the witches of time (elra), and the witch of ice(crystella), to come to my kingdom, UnderWater Come City Of Hydro, we need all of you to defend our beloved kingdom from the witch of darkness's plans."
Selvaria's face tensed. Her fingers gripped the paper tighter than she intended as her eyes scanned the elegant handwriting, penned in a shimmering ink that seemed almost magical.
She looked up. "This isn't just a request—it's a call for war."
Everyone went silent.
Elra and Crystella exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from surprise to grim acceptance. Clara sat forward, brows furrowed. Onin and Yulleus instinctively touched the hilts of their weapons. Masashi, meanwhile, looked more confused than anything else, sensing something was about to change again.
Then came the sound of rushed footsteps.
Vellia burst through the door, holding a basket of fresh fruits and bread, slightly panting. "I'm sorry I'm late! The market was packed because of the upcoming solstice celebration—what did I miss?"
Clara gently took the basket from her as Selvaria walked over.
Selvaria handed her the letter.
Vellia's violet eyes narrowed as she read. "Hydro... the underwater kingdom?" she whispered.
Elra nodded solemnly. "The capital of the Oceanic Pact. They were neutral last we heard."
Crystella added, "If they're reaching out now, it must mean the Witch of Darkness is already making her move beneath the waves."
Selvaria stood tall and crossed her arms. "We leave tomorrow morning. No delays."
Masashi raised his hand hesitantly. "Wait—how are we supposed to breathe... underwater?"
Crystella smirked. "You forget who you're traveling with." She flicked her fingers, forming a small crystal orb of shimmering aqua light. "We're witches, remember?"
Elra added with a slight grin, "Also, there's a spell for that."
Selvaria gave a final nod. "Tonight, we prepare. Tomorrow—we dive into the next battleground."
But deep in the shadows far from the mansion, the Witch of Darkness watched them through a mirror of rippling obsidian liquid.
Witch of Darkness: "So... they'll take the bait after all."
Beside her, the Pawn smirked. "And Masashi is slowly stepping into his role, just like the story says."
The Witch's gaze darkened. "Let's see how long he can keep pretending he isn't the one who wrote it."
The next day, the group arrived at Dusk-Land Port, their silhouettes outlined by the golden morning mist. The ship awaited, sails fluttering gently as the crew prepared for departure.
Selvaria stood at the edge of the dock, her coat brushing in the wind.
Selvaria:
"We sail thirty miles from here. At that point, we'll reach a hidden whirlpool. Don't panic—it's our gateway. The current will pull us deep beneath the waves, guiding us through a hidden passage. And there, beneath the ocean floor... you'll see it—a massive dome glimmering in the darkness. Inside lies the city of Hydro—the Underwater Dome City."
One hour later...
They arrived at the marked location in the open sea.
At first, it was nothing—just still, calm waters stretching as far as the eye could see.
Masashi:
"Are you sure this is the place?"
Selvaria narrowed her eyes, staring at the unmoving sea.
Then... a deep rumble vibrated beneath the surface.
The calm began to shift.
Ripples formed.
Then a slow swirl.
The water twisted into motion—spiraling faster and faster—until a massive whirlpool formed right beneath their ship.
Clara grabbed the railing.
"W-We're being pulled!"
The ship was caught in the vortex's grip, spinning as it descended into the sea. But instead of crashing or sinking, the vessel slipped into an invisible air bubble current—a spiraling tunnel of magic and air that cushioned them as they were pulled downward.
All around them, the sea shimmered in hues of blue and green.
Then, beneath the surface, it came into view...
A vast, glowing dome—bright as a pearl, resting on the ocean floor.
Inside, like a dream locked beneath the sea, stood the Underwater Dome City of Hydro—a world untouched by time.
Part 4
To enter the massive dome, they simply had to follow the spiraling air bubble current—a smooth, transparent tunnel of air that gently guided their ship downward.
As they descended deeper into the sea, the light shifted into brilliant blues and radiant silvers, reflecting off schools of glowing fish that darted past like streaks of light.
Then it appeared.
The Underwater Dome City.
A breathtaking sanctuary beneath the waves, encased in a shimmering barrier of magic and air.
The bubble current carried them through a large, arched gateway—part of the dome's structure—without resistance. No flooding, no pressure. Just seamless transition from ocean to city.
Inside, the city was brilliantly lit by natural light channeled through crystal spires at the dome's peak.
The buildings were a harmonious blend of coral growths, shaped and sculpted over time, and sandstone architecture, their textures warm and smooth, with seashell ornaments glimmering in the light.
Smooth sandstone roads wound between the structures, some wide and open, others curling around coral towers and flowing gardens of sea flora.
But the most stunning feature was the city's fastest transportation system:
Water Current Highways—streams of flowing water suspended mid-air like liquid glass. Small vessels glided through these clear channels, ferrying people from one district to another, controlled by current-benders and aquatic enchantments.
It felt alive.
Peaceful.
Ancient.
Yet advanced.
Selvaria smiled, breathing in the crisp, enchanted air.
"Welcome to Hydro—the city where the sea dreams."
As the boat glided through the water current and entered the heart of the Underwater Dome City, Masashi suddenly froze.
His heart ached, a sharp, twisting pain blooming in his chest. He clutched at it, staggering slightly, his vision blurring.
Then—
Darkness.
His surroundings vanished. The gentle light of the dome city gone. The voices around him—Selvaria, Clara—gone.
A strange, cold emptiness swallowed his senses.
Then a voice whispered through the black void.
> "Please... don't ever be friends with Princess Elizabeth..."
It was distorted, like a memory buried under layers of static and water.
> "She'll... tell... everything..."
The voice broke apart—male, or female, he couldn't tell. It sounded close, but also far—echoing through time.
His heart pounded like a war drum. His breath trembled.
> "She'll ruin everything..."
Then—
Light.
Masashi blinked rapidly.
He was back—aboard the boat. The others were chatting, unaware of what just happened. The dome city stood before them, unchanged. The air was calm.
But Masashi wasn't.
He clenched his fists tightly, eyes scanning the dome as a chill crept down his spine.
Who said that?
Why Elizabeth?
And what was she going to tell?
Masashi stayed silent.
He didn't say a word about the voice. He simply followed the others as their boat gently drifted into the bubble canal, gliding along the guided current. The vessel passed through an arch of glowing corals, slipping into the Underwater Dome City like a secret.
The city itself was breathtaking.
Glowing plants lined the sandstone roads. Dome-shaped houses built from coral bricks and pearl glass shimmered like underwater lanterns. Fish of every color swam in the bubble walls above, casting dappled lights onto the walkways. Streams of water twisted in the air like sky rails—transportation currents that zipped people across the city.
Selvaria looked back, smiling. "We'll meet the city's governor at the Pearl Hall. He's expecting us."
Masashi nodded absently, but his thoughts were still tangled.
> Don't ever be friends with Princess Elizabeth.
He glanced at her—Elizabeth—walking ahead, her long hair floating slightly with each step in the low gravity. She was smiling, talking with Clara. She seemed… normal. Innocent. Kind.
But the voice…
> She'll tell everything…
He didn't know what to believe anymore.
They arrived at the Pearl Hall, a spiral structure rising from the dome floor like a shell, glowing with soft aquamarine light. Guards with spearguns nodded and opened the massive doors made of reinforced coral bones.
Inside, the hall was spacious, glowing with bioluminescence and lined with ancient murals showing a history long forgotten: a war under the sea, a vanished city, and a throne empty for centuries.
A tall, bearded man in a robe that shimmered like fish scales stepped forward.
"Welcome," he said with a deep bow. "I am Governor Nerethi, keeper of the Dome and the Deep Truth."
His words echoed strangely.
Masashi's head throbbed again.
A flash—Elizabeth standing in front of a mirror, whispering to someone.
Another flash—her holding a book. The cover read:
> "Fractals of Fate: Sealed Histories."
Masashi gasped.
Clara looked at him, concerned. "Masashi? Are you alright?"
He looked up, shaken but trying to play it off. "Yeah… just felt a little dizzy."
Governor Nerethi turned to them.
"There is something you must all see," he said gravely. "Something hidden deep beneath the city—tied to the Ember Relic… and to the fate of one of your own."
Masashi's heart dropped.
He didn't know if the Governor meant him…
Or Elizabeth.
But either way—
The truth was closing in.
___________________________________
Part 5
While exploring the city and then they meet Princess Elizabeth, then the Elizabeth invited masashi and the others to her palace, to talk about some truth.
The introduction of this new chapter is a conversation between masashi and the others with Elizabeth, the conversation then turn into something.
Elizabeth tell the truth that masashi is indeed the author of this world, then as soon as Elizabeth about to tell how masashi got transferred or reincarnated to this world, an explosion interrupted their conversation.
Then they all got teleported, to a snowy region.
They're no longer in the city of water dome, they're somewhere else.
Then masashi Felt something in his chest, a pain and then someone whispered, it's that voice from earlier, masashi then losses his control and attacked crystella.
The battle between (hypnotized) masashi vs witch of ice Crystella.
Yulleus, Clara, elra, vellia, Elizabeth, sev, Onin and selvaria are just hiding, because two powerful being are fighting.
________________________________
The light from the explosion still flickered in Masashi's eyes when the world shifted again.
A split second—then ice and snow.
The sound of the water city vanished, replaced by silence and the howling wind. Flurries danced in the air, stinging skin and clinging to lashes. Masashi blinked rapidly, confused.
Where... are we?
Crystella stood ahead, her silver hair fluttering like snowfall itself. The others began materializing around him: Clara stumbling into the snow, Elra shielding Vellia and Princess Elizabeth, who had just moments ago been speaking of truths now left unspoken.
Then it happened.
A pressure.
Masashi staggered, clutching his chest. Something was wrong—a familiar ache bloomed through his ribs like vines tightening.
>> "Don't ever be friends with Princess Elizabeth… She'll—tell—everything."
That voice. It wasn't his. It wasn't real. And yet... it felt like it was a part of him.
His knees hit the snow. Steam rose off his body as the air around him thickened unnaturally. His eyes glowed faintly—like flickering ink.
"Masashi!?" Crystella shouted, stepping forward.
But he wasn't there anymore—not completely.
Something else was.
A blur.
Masashi lunged. His blade unsheathed by instinct, fast and precise, aiming straight for Crystella. She parried just in time, sliding back as ice erupted from her palms and coated the snowy field.
"He's been triggered," Elra whispered from where the others hid behind a crystalline rock.
"No," Clara gasped. "Masashi wouldn't...!"
"He's being controlled," Yulleus said grimly, his golden eyes narrowing. "This is no ordinary influence. It's a curse embedded in his soul."
Crystella spread her arms wide as a frozen sigil spun beneath her feet.
"Snap out of it, Masashi! I'm not your enemy!"
But the look in his eyes was empty. The author of this world had become its storm.
Blades clashed. Ice spiraled. Masashi moved like a shadow blurred with ink and rage, while Crystella danced between shards of frozen magic, trying not to harm him.
"I don't want to fight you," she shouted again—but her heart trembled. Not from fear, but sorrow.
Because she knew:
If she couldn't stop him now, she might lose him forever.
Flashback: before they got teleported.
Masashi: "so that's why this world is so familiar...."
Elizabeth: "yes, it's because you write us, the story, this world, the whole thing is made by you."
Clara and the others are watching and listening to their conversation, they are surprised that masashi is the God they called the "AUTHOR."
Masashi: "then did I sent myself here inside the book somehow?"
Elizabeth: "The truth is that....the witch of---"
End of flashback.....
The snowy wind howled like an ancient beast as Crystella stood her ground, her silver hair lashing like wild ribbons in the storm. Before her, Masashi's body trembled—his eyes dim, fogged with a violet-black light. The mark on his chest glowed ominously, pulsing in sync with the voice haunting his mind.
>> "Don't trust the princess… she'll break everything…"
"Masashi…!" Crystella called, voice cracking from cold and worry. "It's me. It's Crystella. You're being controlled—"
But Masashi didn't respond. With a flash of unseen energy, he raised his hand and unleashed a storm of flaming glyphs into the air.
Boom!
A radiant sigil exploded midair, hurtling towards Crystella, who raised an icy barrier just in time. Shards of fire collided with her magic, bursting into steam.
"You've never used that before..." she whispered, backing away, "...that's not your magic."
The Witch of Darkness had arrived.
From beyond the ridge of snow and frozen stone, Ciara, clad in shifting robes of pure shadow, descended without sound. Her presence turned the world black and gray—the sun eclipsed, the horizon swallowed by her darkness. Her eyes, burning like twin moons, fixed on Crystella.
"You never should've brought him here," Ciara said in a soft voice that felt like silk over a blade. "He belongs to us now."
Suddenly, Masashi surged forward—faster than ever before—striking with magic-enhanced fists, his body wrapped in smoky energy that made his movements unpredictable. Crystella weaved through the flurry, her palms glowing with frost, countering each strike with cold precision.
But it wasn't enough.
Ciara joined the fight, conjuring jagged spears of shadow that rained down from the sky. Crystella summoned a flurry of ice wings, shielding herself as the blizzard exploded around her. The battlefield became chaos—light and darkness colliding unrelentifl
Meanwhile, on the opposite cliff—
Orpheus, the Divine Dragon cloaked in celestial armor, descended with a thunderous roar that echoed like a breaking mountain.
Clara clenched her fists. "We'll handle this."
Elra, her eyes glowing with time energy, nodded. "We can't let him join the others."
Clara and Elra vs. Orpheus.
Elra opened a timestream rift beneath Orpheus' talons, forcing him to shift mid-air, but the dragon countered with a radiant beam of divine flame. Clara leapt forward, her enchanted blade clashing against the incoming fire, creating a shockwave that leveled the surrounding frost trees.
They danced through combat—time magic distorting space, Clara's agility slicing through the void. But Orpheus was ancient, wise, and unrelentiflam
Watching from afar, hidden behind a crystalized ice wall, stood Vellia, Yulleus, Onin, Selvaria, Sev, and Elizabeth. Their eyes wide with disbelief.
"This... is no longer a battle of mortals," whispered Vellia.
Elizabeth clutched her pendant. "Masashi... you weren't supposed to awaken like this."
And in the storm, Crystella, bloodied but unyielding, raised her staff.
"If I have to break through your mind myself, Masashi… then so be it."
She lunged forward, magic surging in defiance of both shadow and flame.
...To be continued.... (End of volume 2-Arc 2)