In the absolute darkness, a small vessel glided across the black surface of a restless, undulating sea. Its mast, a grotesquely elegant structure crafted from a demon's spine, strained and groaned under the relentless assault of the winds. In the eerie silence of this vast and lightless void, the swift boat cut through the waves like a razor-sharp blade. No sounds could be heard except for the morbid creaking of the bone mast and the soft, repetitive crash of water against its polished, metallic hull.
Sunny sat at the oar, his form a dark silhouette against the impenetrable blackness, his hands guiding the carapace vessel with an expert touch. He was steering them west, a direction dictated by a memory rather than any tangible guide. With no moon or stars to show them the path, it was hard to keep the boat on a true course. But there was a persistent mark left in his mind by the cold and menacing shadow of the Crimson Spire—using it as a compass, he was able to navigate the treacherous waters without losing his way, a living beacon in the form of a nightmare.
Black skies stretched above, an oppressive void without end, while the dark sea churned beneath. With nothing but a thin layer of steel and a layer of hope separating them from the tenebrous abyss, they sailed through the night. Below them, a countless number of horrors were hiding in the cursed depths. Several times, Kane, his senses heightened by his abilities, saw the large, menacing mind threads of colossal creatures moving close to their small boat, attracted by the sound of its passing. Powerless to do anything, he had no choice but to tremble in silence, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, praying that the terrible leviathans would turn away from their insignificant vessel. So far, luck was on their side. Perhaps they were too small and feeble to satiate the hunger of these ancient beings, mere gnats to be ignored by cosmic titans.
A few hours after the start of the voyage, a wave of profound relief washed over them. The suffocating influence of the Soul Devourer, a psychic presence that had held their minds captive, had finally faded. They were free.
Kane, in a surge of uninhibited emotion, went to where Cassie was standing and wrapped his arms around her in a tight, relieved hug. Cassie, caught completely off guard, started to blush, a faint crimson spreading across her cheeks even in the darkness. She awkwardly patted Kane's back, a silent plea for him to release her. Kane, sensing her discomfort, let her go.
Cassie, her face still warm, handed the staff she had been holding to Nephis and then, to Kane's and Sunny's surprise, she took Kane's hand and brought him closer to Sunny. As the three of them stood in a small group, she suddenly, without warning, hugged both of them. Sunny froze, his body stiff, completely stunned and having no idea what to do. He could feel Cassie's body pressed against him and shaking from suppressed sobs, her hands tightly wrapped around his neck. Meanwhile, Kane was just as confused, his mind trying to comprehend the whirlwind of emotions and actions unfolding around him. He could feel her trembling body against his, a tangible sign of her raw terror and profound gratitude. While he was trying to comprehend the situation, she quietly whispered to both of them, her voice thick with emotion, "Thank you… thank you…"
Feeling extremely awkward, Sunny pretended to clear his throat, a small, nervous sound in the vast silence. "Uh… no need to thank me. If it wasn't for your warning, we would still be stuck on that island, so we're even."
Kane spoke next, his voice a soft rumbling bass. "Yeah, your smart warnings helped a lot." Then, Sunny patted her back gently, and Kane gave her a gentle rub on her head, a gesture of comfort and shared relief.
Then, she released herself from the hug and whispered, her tone different, filled with a fragile vulnerability that made them both pause. "I... am... Sorry, both of you."
Her words hung in the air, a question without an answer. Kane and Sunny exchanged visible looks of confusion. Kane's mind raced. 'What is she apologizing for?' But he didn't ponder it for long.
Sunny spoke, his voice soft with genuine contrition. "Uh, I'm sorry too. For, you know, grabbing you back then."
Cassie wiped a few lingering tears from her eyes and, with a surprising amount of strength, dragged Kane to a corner of the boat, her hand a tight grip on his sleeve. Her voice, now a scared whisper, was a stark contrast to her previous emotional outburst. "Kane... Promise me, about one thing."
Kane tilted his head, his brow furrowed with curiosity. "What is it, Cass?"
Cassie spoke in a scared tone, as if waiting for a result that would either save her or damn her. "Don't hate me and leave me alone. I... need you... forever."
Kane thought for a moment, weighing her words carefully. He knew the weight of such a promise. "I can't give you a blind promise, Cass."
Cassie's face became dull, and she dropped her head, mild tears starting to form in her eyes. Kane, seeing her obvious distress, quickly whispered, "But I don't see a future possibility of it, Blonde Panda."
Cassie wiped her tears away, and suddenly her face became bright red with a mock anger. She puffed out her cheeks, a truly comical sight in the grim setting. "I... not... fat!"
Kane was surprised. He hadn't expected the sudden change in mood. 'Aren't pandas supposed to be sleepy?' he thought, a small, genuine smile forming on his lips. The conversation quickly devolved into a series of soft whispers and lighthearted banters, a moment of normalcy in the midst of their horrifying journey.
Looking back at the confrontation with Nephis, he understood the uniqueness of his own ability and the deep understanding of his Flaw. He seemed to have gained some good things from this ordeal, but some questions had also arisen in him, things he didn't have answers for. The most pressing was the term 'Domain.' Nephis's question, "Which Domain do you belong to?" had introduced a new term that Kane had never heard before. Kane thought, 'Maybe Dad didn't record it because, knowing it might be dangerous to me.'
He also remembered a detail from a previous conversation with Sunny in the Nest. Sunny had mentioned gaining a new attribute related to blood, and it seemed to have a name from memory, a name he called [Drop Of Ichor]. Sunny had also called it Lineage, a term Nephis had used. Kane thought, 'Is it really possible to gain a new attribute just like that? I need to do more research on it.' He then remembered the most intriguing and dangerous details from Nephis's conversation, the three words: 'Aster… Song... Vale.' Kane's mind went to the most terrifying possibility, one he couldn't ignore. 'I need to have a conversation with her. There might be a possibility that it might be related to my parents' death at the hands of that bastard sword.'
Kane spent many hours pondering these mysteries, as well as going over all the information about the Forgotten Shore he had gathered from his father's journals. The carapace boat, a silent ghost on the water, flew over the dark surface, drawing closer and closer to the western horizon. Soon, he felt that the night was already drawing its last breaths, the oppressive darkness beginning to thin. The first, faint light of hope ignited in Kane's heart, a fragile warmth against the cold.
However, this was when their luck had finally run out.
The disaster came unexpectedly, violently throwing them into a void of confusion and terror. This time, Kane had not seen anything approaching the boat. The danger simply appeared out of nowhere, leaving him no time to react. One second, the black waters were calm and clear. The next, they were boiling with movement, grotesque, coiling tentacles rising from them and wrapping themselves around the hull of the boat.
Kane tried to jump to his feet, but at that moment, the whole vessel was violently jerked to the side. Falling, he heard the dreadful moans of metal being bent and torn apart, a sound of unadulterated destruction. Then, salty water filled his mouth, a choking, briny taste of terror.
Rising, he caught a glimpse of Nephis standing at the bow of the boat, her silver sword lashing out at an approaching tentacle with a brilliant, desperate fury. However, blinded by the absolute darkness, she failed to notice a different, more immediate threat. Another tentacle, thicker than a tree trunk, twisted and coiled around her body with shocking speed.
Then, without even a scream, she was gone, dragged into the dark depths, with no hope of return. All that remained was her long blade, stuck helplessly in the bulbous flesh of the massive tentacle, a lone, silver beacon of her sacrifice.
Kane's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Crap! My luck seems to be in a full crazy mode.' Kane now saw Sunny in a state of sheer panic and Cassie huddled in a corner, trembling in fear.
The boat started to rip apart slowly, the creature's immense strength tearing through the reinforced materials as if they were made of paper. Kane's mind raced, a single, horrifying question echoing in his skull: 'Should I abandon Nephis?'
He remembered all their interactions, the bitter rivalry and the slow, grudging respect. Even though he had initially hated her, he had slowly come to trust her. They had fought battles together, eaten together, and strategized. For the first time in a long time, he didn't fight to survive alone. He had survived with a team, a team that didn't betray him.
After a long, agonizing pause, he summoned [Truffle Mask]. The decision was made. Kane told Sunny, his voice filled with a desperate urgency, "Protect Cassie!" and without another moment's hesitation, he jumped into the black water to rescue Nephis.
===================================================
Hi Guys,I am Back.From now on there will regular updates
Fanfic Ideas:
1.Naruto:King Grey is reincarnated(TBATE MC)
2.Shadow slave:Third son of Anvil
3.Naruto:Reborn as Kenpachi in uchiha
4.Shadow Slave: I am Azik Eggers
5.Naruto:Uchiha Raikage