Cold crushed in from every direction.
Trafalgar sank fast, the ocean swallowing light and sound alike. Pressure wrapped around his body like an invisible vice, mana currents grinding against his skin as if the sea itself were testing him.
His lungs burned.
His vision blurred.
But his grip on Maledicta never loosened.
'Yeah… that sent me flying,' he thought grimly, bubbles tearing free from his mouth as he forced his body to stabilize. 'Prime rank. No surprises there.'
Below him, the water darkened.
The Leviathan moved, circling him.
Its vast presence warped the currents, each slow coil sending pressure waves through the depths. Trafalgar could feel it now, clearer than before: the weight of a creature born at a higher rank. Not malicious. Not hateful.
Simply dominant.
Mana flared around Trafalgar's core.
"Alright," he muttered, voice lost to the water. "Guess we're doing this properly."
The air shifted.
For a heartbeat, pressure folded inward—then collapsed.
