Venti: "Hold on to me."
"Don't let go."
But despite his efforts, the boat slid inexorably toward the center of the tornado.
The water spiraled up around them, throwing up jets of icy foam.
In seconds, they were pulled into the current, spinning faster and faster, unable to escape.
The boat tilted precariously, then was sucked into the swirling mass.
Venti felt his stomach clench as the world around him became a chaotic mix of water, noise, and spinning.
His abilities remained silent, as if something was completely severing his connection to the Anemo.
Venti: "We'll have to be careful."
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffffffffffffyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Trapped, pulled ever deeper into the watery tornado, the two boys disappeared into the whirlpool, at the mercy of a force they did not yet understand.
The water swallowed them abruptly.
The cold pressure closed its invisible fingers around their bodies as the watery tornado pulled them ever deeper.
Before being completely submerged, Venti and the little boy instinctively inhaled a huge gulp of air, filling their lungs to their maximum.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
But very quickly, this reserve became torture.
The whirlpool spun them relentlessly, disorienting their senses, making them feel as if up and down no longer existed.
The world was nothing but liquid chaos, a dark spiral punctuated by air bubbles that escaped against their will from their tightly pressed lips.
Their bodies swirled around each other, sometimes drawn together, sometimes separated by the force of the current.
Venti's head was buzzing violently, his ears ringing from the pressure, while his chest burned more and more.
Each second made the urge to breathe more unbearable, his lungs contracting painfully.
The little boy, clinging to him with all his might, began to tremble, his movements becoming erratic, weakened by panic and lack of oxygen.
Around them, the light was gradually fading.
The blue of the surface turned a dark green, then into near-total darkness, disturbed only by the ceaseless movement of the water.
Fatigue crept slowly into their limbs, heavy and treacherous.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Their muscles refused to obey, each attempt to struggle becoming slower, weaker.
The burning sensation in their lungs shifted to a dull ache, then to a disturbing numbness.
Venti's thoughts became muddled, his mind reeling as the tornado continued to pull them ever deeper.
Finally, their strength gave out.
Their bodies ceased to struggle, floating passively in the raging current.
In total darkness, deprived of air and bearings, Venti and the little boy lost consciousness, leaving the sea to decide their fate.
A few minutes later:
Venti: "HHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHH."
A violent coughing fit shook Venti.
He inhaled sharply, the air entering his lungs like a burning fire, before being expelled in a series of irregular gasps.
Beside him, the little boy was also regaining consciousness, breathing with difficulty, his hands clutching the damp sand.
Around them, the silence was strange, almost unreal, broken only by a faint, distant lapping and the soft rustling of water flowing between the rocks.
Venti: "Kid."
They were in a vast underwater cavern.
The high, uneven walls were covered in bioluminescent algae that diffused a soothing blue-green light, enough to illuminate the entire cave without ever being blinding.
Clumps of coral in various shapes rose up everywhere, some resembling frozen flowers, others sharp-edged natural sculptures.
The floor was carpeted with fine sand, interspersed with shells and fragments of coral, as if the sea had slowly sculpted this place over centuries.
Venti remained motionless for a moment, trying to understand how they could breathe.
The air was perfectly breathable, fresh and slightly salty, as if the cavern possessed its own atmosphere.
His heart was still beating too fast, but the panic was gradually fading, replaced by a profound confusion.
He slowly sat up, his hands still trembling, then turned his head toward the little boy.
Venti: "Are you all right… you're not hurt?"
The boy blinked several times, ran a hand over his forehead, then nodded with a small, tired smile.
Little boy: "I'm fine… well, I think so."
"I'm just a little dizzy."
He took a deep breath, as if to reassure himself, then looked around with wide eyes, a mixture of wonder and apprehension.
Fear seemed to gradually give way to childlike curiosity.
Little boy: "Where are we…? It doesn't look like the bottom of the sea."
Venti followed his gaze, taking in the cavern again.
He had a strange feeling, as if this place wasn't entirely natural.
Something in the air, in the way the light from the seaweed pulsed softly, gave him the feeling of being watched… or expected.
He clenched his fists slightly, trying to ignore the faint unease that ran down his spine.
Venti: "I don't know… but one thing's for sure, we're not on the surface anymore."
"And that tornado… it brought us here for a reason."
He stood up completely and offered the boy a hand to help him to his feet.
Beneath their feet, the sand gave way gently, releasing a few air bubbles.
Somewhere in the cavern, a larger-than-usual seaweed suddenly pulsed with a more intense light, like a slow breath.
Venti stared at that glow, his mind still clouded by the loss of consciousness.
Venti: "Whatever this place is… we'll have to be careful." "
The little boy: "..... "
The little boy nodded silently, gripping his fishing rod a little tighter, as they both realized they might have just entered a place far more dangerous—or far more ancient—than they had imagined.
For the next few minutes, the two boys cautiously advanced into the cave.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
Their footsteps echoed softly on the damp sand, sometimes muffled as they brushed against softer patches.
Venti led the way, carefully watching the ground to avoid the puddles scattered throughout.
Some seemed shallow, while others plunged into darkness, as if connected to submerged tunnels.
Above them, long, suspended strands of seaweed swayed slowly, animated by an invisible current.
Venti was careful not to let any of them brush against his face; their glistening texture inspired an instinctive distrust.
After what seemed like a long walk—probably nearly two kilometers—they spotted movement near a pile of rocks.
Venti: "... "
A small crab with a purple shell timidly emerged from a crack, its claws raised in defense before it froze.
The boy immediately crouched down, his eyes shining with surprise.
Little boy: "Look... a crab. It's alive."
Venti smiled slightly.
The presence of this creature was reassuring.
If life forms could survive here, it meant the place wasn't entirely hostile.
He observed his surroundings with a more analytical eye.
Venti: "So there's food... and probably drinking water too."
"These puddles must be connected to a natural underground reservoir."
"We're not going to die here, at least not from hunger or thirst."
This realization eased some of the tension that had weighed on their shoulders since they woke up.
The crab finally disappeared among the rocks, leaving behind a strange feeling: this cave wasn't dead; it was alive, in its own way.
As they resumed their walk, Venti suddenly realized something.
He remembered very well having given the boy his name earlier, but he didn't recall the boy doing the same.
He slowed his pace slightly, then turned to face him.
Venti: "Hey… I told you my name, but you never told me yours."
"What's your name?"
The boy looked up at him, seeming to hesitate for a second, as if weighing the importance of this simple piece of information in such a strange place.
The little boy hesitated for a moment, then raised his head with a slightly more confident air, as if he had finally decided to trust Venti.
Arthur: "My name is Arthur."
Venti nodded gently, registering the name.
Venti: "Pleased to meet you, Arthur."
They resumed walking side by side, their footsteps crunching slightly on the damp sand.
The atmosphere of the cave remained strange: too calm, almost peaceful, as if the place were waiting for something.
The luminous seaweed cast shifting reflections on the walls, sometimes giving the illusion that the rock was breathing.
After a few minutes of silence, Arthur finally asked the question that seemed to be burning on his lips.
Arthur: "Do you think we'll manage to get out of here…?"
Venti took a few seconds before answering.
His gaze drifted for a moment into the depths of the cave, as if comparing this place to others he had already traversed.
Venti: "The last time I found myself trapped somewhere like this, it was in a dungeon… and it ended with a fight against an Abyss Lector."
Arthur's eyes widened.
Arthur: "An Abyss monster…?"
Venti: "Yes."
"But this doesn't really feel like a dungeon."
"It's more… natural."
"Well, that doesn't mean there's nothing dangerous."
"These kinds of places always hide something."
"And often, the further you go, the tougher that 'something' becomes."
To lighten the mood, Venti gave a mischievous smile.
Venti: "Imagine if, at the end of the tunnel, we stumble upon a huge giant crab spewing magma."
Arthur remained silent for a fraction of a second, then burst out laughing.
Arthur: "Well, I imagine more of a seahorse with four legs that shoots lightning bolts!"
Venti burst out laughing too, the sound echoing off the cave walls.
For a few moments, the fear seemed to recede, replaced by this childlike lightheartedness.
Venti: "Honestly… if creatures like that really existed, the world would be even stranger than it already is."
Arthur: "Or funnier."
They continued walking, chuckling softly, though deep down, a thought lingered:
In a world where the Abyss, elemental monsters, and strange powers already existed… nothing guaranteed that the creatures they had just imagined weren't, somewhere, quite real.
Ten minutes later:
After a few more minutes of cautious walking, their steps stopped almost simultaneously.
In front of them, on a slightly wetter patch of sand, lay another crab.
Its shell was a vibrant orange, almost luminous under the glow of the bioluminescent algae.
Between its claws, it carefully carried a thick, twisted piece of seaweed, as if it were a precious object.
The crab moved slowly, but with astonishing determination, following a precise path, without ever hesitating.
Arthur leaned slightly forward, intrigued, while still keeping his distance.
Arthur: "It seems to know exactly where it's going…"
Venti: "It looks like ants."
Venti watched the scene in silence for a few seconds.
The crab's steady movement, its constant direction, all reminded him of the behavior of social insects he had seen elsewhere.
Venti: "Yes… a bit like ants."
"It's surely following a path it knows by heart."
The two boys exchanged a glance, then a silent nod sealed their decision.
If such a small creature could move through this maze of caverns without getting lost, then it must lead somewhere.
Without another word, they began to follow the crab, adapting their pace to its slow progress.
Ten seconds for a meter.
Ten interminable seconds, during which the silence of the cave seemed even more oppressive.
Arthur sighed softly.
Arthur: "At this rate… it'll take a while."
Venti gave an amused smile to mask the impatience that was beginning to overwhelm him.
Venti: "Patience is a virtue."
"And besides, at least he's not leading us straight into a trap… well, I hope not."
As they walked on, Venti couldn't help but stare at the crab's orange shell.
His mind, as often happened, began to wander.
The reflections of the seaweed on the shell almost gave him the impression that heat was emanating from it.
Involuntarily, an absurd image formed in his imagination.
Venti: "…"
In his mind, the crab transformed.
A sort of small volcanic crater appeared on its head, from which incandescent bubbles escaped, like a mini volcano ready to erupt.
He shook his head slightly to banish this ridiculous vision.
Arthur, noticing his strange expression, glanced at him sideways.
Arthur: "Why are you staring at it like that…?"
Venti shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips.
Venti: "I was just thinking that, in this world, even a crab might end up spewing magma."
Arthur chuckled softly as the crab continued its slow advance, oblivious to their speculations. Unbeknownst to them, this small creature might just have become their only guide in the depths of this unknown cavern.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
The two boys resumed their silent walk, still following the first orange crab at a respectful distance.
The light sound of their footsteps on the damp sand mingled with the gentle lapping of water flowing between the rocks.
Time seemed to stretch strangely in this cavern; each second felt longer than the last.
After about four minutes, which in reality represented barely twenty meters, they noticed movement to the side of the path.
A second orange crab appeared, almost identical to the first.
It too held a piece of seaweed firmly between its claws and advanced with the same methodical slowness.
Arthur frowned slightly.
Arthur: "There's another one… Are they all doing the same thing?"
Venti instinctively slowed down, carefully observing the scene.
The two crabs finally met.
Almost in perfect synchronicity, they each placed their piece of seaweed on the sandy ground.
Then, even stranger, they began to move their claws from side to side, making small, repetitive movements, like a silent ritual dance.
Arthur's eyes widened.
Arthur: "It looks like... they're dancing."
Venti: "Yes... that's exactly it."
For a few seconds, the crabs continued these strange movements, their orange shells reflecting the bluish light of the hanging seaweed.
Then, as if given an invisible signal, each calmly picked up its piece of seaweed.
Without the slightest hesitation, they began to move forward in the same direction, perfectly aligned, continuing their slow procession.
Venti remained motionless for a moment, deeply intrigued.
His gaze fell upon his hands, then he almost instinctively felt the flow of mana that lay dormant within him.
An idea crossed his mind.
Venti: "…"
He briefly imagined activating Stat Boosting on the crabs.
Accelerating their movements, strengthening their stamina, seeing them advance ten times faster through the cavern.
It would save them precious time… and yet, something held him back.
Venti: "No…"
Arthur turned his head toward him.
Arthur: "No what?"
Venti shook his head gently.
Venti: "Nothing."
"I was just thinking… it would be wrong to interfere."
"They've been doing this long before we arrived."
He observed the two crabs again, now side by side, patiently advancing with their seaweed.
Venti: "Sometimes it's best to let nature take its course."
"Even if it's slow."
Arthur nodded slowly, as if he understood without truly understanding.
A slight smile appeared on his face.
Arthur: "And besides… it's kind of reassuring, isn't it?"
"To see that something here is working normally."
Venti smiled back.
Despite the strangeness of the situation and the potential danger that might lurk further into the cavern, there was something strangely peaceful about the scene.
The two boys then resumed their walk, following the orange crabs as they continued on their way, indifferent to being observed, unknowingly guiding two young adventurers through the unknown depths.
Chapter 49: Subsurface water
the End