The ship sailed steadily across the vast blue sea, its wooden frame creaking softly with every wave it cut through. Behind them, the Land of Thaloun Grass slowly faded into the horizon—its once vibrant fields now reduced to a distant memory swallowed by mist and light.
No one spoke at first.
The silence lingered.
Ethan stood near the edge of the ship, his hands gripping the railing tightly. His eyes were fixed on the vanishing land, but his mind was somewhere else entirely.
Someone.
A moment.
A goodbye he wasn't ready for.
A voice finally broke the silence.
"We're sorry to inform you," one of the travellers said calmly, stepping forward, "it will take seventeen days to reach the Land of Feredore River."
Seventeen days.
It sounded long… but not long enough.
Leo, who had been standing quietly at the center of the deck, lifted his head slightly.
"Then we use that time," he said firmly. "We train. We prepare. We conserve our energy."
Alice crossed her arms, nodding in agreement.
"Then it's settled," she added. "When we arrive… we make sure we save everyone."
There was no hesitation in her voice.
Only resolve.
The ship continued forward, gliding beneath a sky painted with drifting clouds. The rhythm of the waves became the only constant as each of them slowly retreated into their own thoughts.
Alice remained with the travellers, carefully studying their navigation techniques. She listened closely, asking precise questions, memorizing every detail about the route to Feredore River. If something went wrong, she wanted to be ready.
Rein stood at the quieter side of the ship, her staff held gently in her hands. She closed her eyes, focusing—feeling the flow of her power, trying to understand it, control it, and push it further. Small flickers of energy responded to her will, but she wasn't satisfied.
Not yet.
Not when what awaited them could destroy everything.
Leo stood alone.
The wind brushed against him as his mind raced far beyond the ocean in front of him.
Kharous Raine.
To defeat him… strength alone wouldn't be enough.
Leo clenched his fist.
"No…" he muttered under his breath. "I need something more."
He began analyzing everything he had.
Lumina Energon.
Ethereal Rapier.
Luminous Slash Piercer.
Light Cross Seal.
Divine Burst Fist.
Each ability was powerful.
But not enough.
Not against something like Kharous.
Leo took a step forward, raising his hand as energy slowly gathered around it.
"If I can't move… if I get trapped…" he whispered, eyes narrowing, "I need something that can protect me."
Something automatic.
Something explosive.
Something absolute.
He exhaled sharply.
"Lumina Energon… but targeting myself…"
The light began to flicker around him.
"And Divine Burst Fist… the vortex… the explosion…"
He visualized it.
Energy descending from above—
Striking him—
Then erupting outward.
A shield.
A counterattack.
Both at once.
"But that's not enough…" Leo gritted his teeth, forcing more energy to flow through his body. "I need to control both… fuse them… perfectly."
The energy around him surged, unstable for a moment before fading.
He stopped.
Breathing heavily.
"…Again."
At the far end of the ship, Helmond stood quietly, staring down at the surface of the sea.
The water reflected his face.
But for a brief moment—
It wasn't his.
A different version stared back at him.
Cold.
Familiar.
Terrifying.
Kharous Raine.
Helmond's eyes darkened.
"…So that's what I am."
His fists slowly clenched.
A creation.
A clone.
A failure.
His entire life—built on something that was never truly his.
For a moment, anger surged within him. Raw. Violent.
But then…
Another memory surfaced.
A cave.
Two people.
Leo.
Rein.
The moment they found him.
The moment everything changed.
His expression softened, just slightly.
"…No."
His voice was quiet—but firm.
"My life isn't his."
Helmond lifted his head, his gaze steady now.
"They gave me something real."
A purpose.
A reason.
A choice.
"I'll end this," he whispered. "I'll end him… no matter what."
The wind howled softly as if responding to his resolve.
Somewhere deep in his thoughts, one truth lingered among all of them.
Luminous Flame.
They didn't know what was happening there.
No communication.
No confirmation.
Only uncertainty.
And that uncertainty was heavier than any enemy.
As the ship continued its journey across the endless sea, each of them prepared in their own way.
Training.
Thinking.
Remembering.
Fearing.
Hoping.
Seventeen days.
Seventeen days before everything changes again.
And none of them knew…
If they were already too late.