The river's surface... went still.
Too still.
On the deck of the warship, the man raised his hand, black energy swirling and gathering. Highly condensed. Heavy.
"Terminate."
He brought his hand down.
BOOM!!!!!!!
The surge of energy streaked toward the water, piercing through the surface, aimed straight for Van Thien.
Deep beneath the waves, the light was fading. Thien's body no longer reacted.
"...not... yet..."
His consciousness flickered. The black energy reached him.
...But
IT DID NOT PIERCE THROUGH.
"...?"
The man froze. Beneath the surface, a small vortex appeared. At first, it was faint. Then, it spun faster, dragging the surrounding water into its center.
"What is this...?"
He narrowed his eyes. The black energy was being bent—not blocked, but violently redirected.
BOOM!!
The energy exploded harmlessly to the side, tearing the river apart. But Thien remained.
Silence. One second. Two seconds.
Then—
RUMBLE...
The patch of water where Thien lay dipped inward—not from an impact, but as if something was... lifting him from below. Bubbles rose in a thick froth, the whirlpool expanded, and the wind shifted as the air grew ice-cold.
For the first time, the man did not attack immediately.
"Down there..."
His gaze sharpened as a shadow flickered past. It was fast—shapeless, merely a blur of motion within the depths. Then, it vanished.
"Hmph."
He lowered his hand, ceasing his assault. His eyes remained fixed on the river.
"So that's how it is..." His voice grew deeper. "You... did not come alone."
Underwater, a hand softly touched Thien's back. It was light, yet steady. A surge of force flowed into him—not an explosion of power, but a stabilizing current. Thien's heartbeat... gradually returned to rhythm.
"...!"
His pupils snapped open. The surrounding water was no longer chaotic; it felt calm, as if it were being controlled. In the distance, smaller vortexes linked together, forming a current... with a will of its own.
On the surface, the man stood silent. A second passed. Then, he chuckled softly.
"That is enough for today."
There was no sign of anger, no injury. Yet, he stopped.
"I will remember this aura."
His gaze swept across the water.
"Next time... it won't be this simple."
He turned his back, his cloak swaying in the breeze.
"Move out."
BOOM!!
The warship shuddered, slowly departing the area. The waves parted to either side, leaving only silence in its wake.
Beneath the water, the mysterious figure supported Thien. No words were spoken, no face revealed—only a fleeting gaze that swept across the surface. Deep. Calm. Then, they vanished into the heart of the river.
The water returned to normal. Far off, a small ripple rolled lazily, as if nothing had ever happened. Only Thien remained, drifting in the current, his breath weak, but alive.
And somewhere... the river was still watching.