The sea was in turmoil.
Not the kind that raged with waves or thunder — but the kind that whispered of something ancient, something coming.
The waters of Vaelstorm's coast sat still.
Too still.
Not a ripple, not a breeze, not a single gull's cry to break the weight of silence.
Fishermen standing along the pier felt the hairs on their arms rise. The tide was wrong — it hadn't moved in hours. The air felt heavy, pressing down on their lungs like the calm before a storm that had forgotten to arrive.
A few brave souls squinted toward the horizon. For a heartbeat, the water split.
A dark fin — impossibly large — cut through the surface, gliding fast toward the coast before vanishing beneath the depths.
"Did you see that?" one fisherman breathed.
No one answered.
Because the sea had gone quiet again.
Completely.
The city of Vaelstorm, unaware of the omen, carried on in blissful ignorance.
Children played near the market.
Sailors drank and argued in the taverns.
Hunters laughed about the latest commotion caused by the "student" Will.
The betting tables were alive — not with danger, but with wagers on how many more times Will would stir up trouble before the week's end.
The warnings were already forgotten.
The people had heard too many false alarms to take one more seriously.
At the guild hall, Will stood before the Guild Master, their conversation still echoing from the night before — persistence meeting weary disbelief.
Meanwhile, beyond the city's walls, Hunnt and Willa continued their training under the dim morning sun.
The two moved in silence, blades and breathing in sync.
Steel whispered through air as Willa practiced her combos; Hunnt's long sword carved smooth arcs, his rhythm steady and measured.
But far beyond them, at the edge of the world, the ocean shuddered.
---
Below the water's surface, an immense shadow stirred.
Schools of fish scattered like dust.
Lesser sea monsters — serpents, crustacean wyverns, and aquatic drakes — all turned their heads toward the approaching presence.
The deep rumbled.
From the abyss rose a silhouette so vast that the light bent around it.
Bioluminescent streaks of blue and gold rippled across its scales as it surfaced, breaking through the waves like a moving mountain.
Thalazur – The Abyssal Conductor
Classification: Leviathan-Class Wyvern
Rank: ★★★★★★★ (A Rank Apex)
Element: Water / Lightning / Control
A low, thunderous roar vibrated through the depths — not loud, but commanding. It wasn't a cry of challenge. It was an order.
In the strange language of monsters, its voice reverberated through the ocean floor:
Prepare the attack. The humans don't expect us to charge their home.
From every crevice and trench, the lesser sea monsters responded —
Yes, Master!
Their synchronized roars rippled through the current like a living pulse. Then, just as quickly, silence fell again.
Thalazur's massive eyes glimmered beneath the waves — cold, intelligent, and full of purpose.
It turned, diving back into the abyss to marshal its forces.
The sea went still once more.
---
On the outskirts of the city, Hunnt suddenly stopped mid-swing.
The longsword's tip froze in the air, his expression tightening.
"Hunnt?" Willa asked, lowering her shield. "What's wrong?"
Hunnt didn't answer right away. His eyes turned toward the distant coast, his breathing slow, deliberate. The faint hum of Observation Haki sharpened the air. He could feel them — hundreds of presences beneath the water, unified, moving as one. And one among them — vast, heavy, oppressive — like the sea itself had a heartbeat.
His voice was quiet when he finally spoke. "It just arrived."
Willa blinked. "What did?"
Hunnt turned to her, his gaze steady and grave. "A Leviathan-Class Wyvern. It's at the coast."
Her blood ran cold. "How… how can you possibly know that?"
Hunnt's expression didn't change. "Years of experience."
A long pause. The sea breeze carried the faint metallic taste of ozone.
"What should we do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Find your brother," Hunnt said. "And prepare for the worst."
---
Moments later, Willa sprinted into the city streets, searching the crowds until she spotted her brother leaving the guild hall, frustration still written across his face.
"Will!" she shouted, waving her arms.
He turned, confused. "Willa? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Hunnt said the Leviathan just arrived," she said, breathless. "It's here — at the coast!"
A few people nearby overheard. Some stopped. Others snickered.
"What now?" a merchant muttered. "Another one of their acts?"
"Drama duo's back again," someone laughed. "Hey, at least make it exciting this time!"
Will ignored them, gripping his bow tightly. "Are you sure? How does he even know?"
"I don't know," Willa said. "He just told me. He's preparing — he said we should too."
The laughter around them grew louder. Someone clapped mockingly. "A Leviathan, huh? Maybe next week it'll be a dragon!"
The twins exchanged a glance — silent understanding passing between them.
Without another word, they turned and ran home.
---
When they arrived, Hunnt was already waiting.
He stood near the doorway, fully armored, the Infernal Drakebreaker gauntlets gleaming like molten iron, his longsword sheathed across his back. The air around him pulsed faintly with restrained power.
He looked up as they entered. "You're back," he said evenly. "Good. Start packing. You'll need to leave the city soon."
Will clenched his fists. "Let us help. We can fight!"
Hunnt shook his head. "No. This isn't something you can handle. It's a Leviathan. Even seasoned hunters avoid them."
"I can still shoot!" Will said, desperate.
"And I can shield!" Willa added.
Hunnt's gaze hardened. "This isn't about courage. It's about survival. You fight that thing, you die. Simple as that."
Willa took a step forward. "Then I'll die fighting beside my brother."
"Don't be foolish," Hunnt said, but his tone softened slightly.
Before he could continue, the ground trembled.
A deep vibration rolled through the city — not from above, but from beneath.
Then came the sound.
A roar unlike anything they had ever heard before.
It wasn't just heard — it was felt. The air shook, windows shattered, and the sea itself rose as if answering the call.
Every hunter in Vaelstorm froze.
From the docks to the guild hall, every head turned toward the horizon.
And there — emerging from the mist — they saw it.
A silhouette vast enough to dwarf ships, glowing faintly blue beneath the water. Lightning flickered across the waves as the ocean erupted.
Thalazur had arrived.
The Leviathan's roar split the air, and with it, the sea answered — waves crashing into the harbor, dragging ships from their moorings.
The people screamed. Bells rang. Hunters scrambled to their weapons.
Hunnt stepped forward, his voice low, calm amidst the chaos.
"It's begun."
The twins looked at him — fear and awe blending in their eyes.
The war for Vaelstorm had started.