Departure from Cerberus
The Heaven's Embrace glided out of the last fog bank, the stolen Poneglyph safe in the Realm.Robin had been in her library for hours, sketching every glyph and cross-referencing them against the Ohara archive hidden in the ship.
When she emerged, the crew gathered on the main deck.
"This," she began, tapping her notes, "is not just a coordinate marker. It's a warning. The island in question lies deep within the Calm Belt, surrounded by the largest concentration of Sea Kings on record. The text calls it Akua Nostra."
Reiju leaned back against the railing. "Never heard of it."
Robin's expression was grave. "That's the point. It's been hidden for over eight hundred years."
Vegito's tail swished lazily. "Sounds like a good day trip."
Into the Belt
Lilith set the Embrace into silent running mode, engines humming low. The sails retracted, wings folded in tight, and the hull shimmered with cloaking runes.
The air became unnervingly still as they crossed into the Calm Belt — no wind, no current, just a vast mirror of water stretching to the horizon.
Bell-mère lit a cigarette. "Feels like we're floating in a painting."
Carrot's ears twitched nervously. "Feels like something's watching us."
The First Sea King
It came from below — a shadow so vast it made the Embrace look like a toy boat. The water bulged upward, then exploded as a serpentine head the size of a fortress tower rose into the air.
Its scales gleamed black-blue, eyes burning with deep intelligence. It didn't roar. It watched.
Shyarly stepped forward, her voice calm. "It knows we're not prey."
The Sea King dipped its head toward Vegito, nostrils flaring.
Vegito floated up to meet its gaze. "We're passing through. If you've got a problem with that, speak now."
The creature blinked slowly, then sank beneath the surface without a ripple.
The crew exhaled as one.
The Herd
For the next six hours, the Embrace was shadowed by massive shapes beneath the water — a silent escort of Sea Kings.Tristan stared over the rail. "Are they… guiding us?"
Shyarly nodded slowly. "Not guiding. Guarding."
Robin looked up from her notes. "The Poneglyph said the Sea Kings would decide if the island's visitors were worthy."
Akua Nostra Revealed
At sunset, the water ahead began to glow faintly — shimmering turquoise light rising from below. Then, as if the sea itself peeled open, a ring of jagged coral spires rose from the depths, parting to reveal an island.
It was unlike anything they'd seen — a lush, towering jungle growing out of coral cliffs, with waterfalls plunging directly into the ocean from impossible heights. Crystal structures jutted out from the trees, refracting the fading sunlight into rainbow shards.
Carrot's jaw dropped. "It's… beautiful."
Landing
The Embrace settled in a sheltered lagoon. The Sea Kings stopped at the coral boundary, dipping their massive heads in what felt almost like a bow before vanishing into the deep.
Lilith scanned the area. "No marine signals. No active tech. It's like this place doesn't exist."
Vegito smirked. "Not for long."
The Guardians
As they stepped onto the beach, the ground trembled. From the treeline emerged towering figures — humanoid, but clearly not human. Their bodies were covered in layered coral armor, their hair flowing like seaweed, eyes glowing faintly.
One stepped forward, holding a trident of crystallized shell. "Outsiders. Few are brought here by the Kings. Why have you come?"
Robin stepped up beside Vegito. "We followed the message on the stone."
The guardian tilted his head. "Then you seek the Heart Vault."
The Heart Vault
The guardians led them into the jungle, where crystal pathways wound between titanic coral trees. At the island's center stood a structure half-grown, half-built — a temple of living coral and polished stone, its walls etched with Poneglyph script.
Inside, Robin's eyes widened. "These… aren't just historical records. They're design schematics."
Lilith's eyes gleamed. "For what?"
Robin traced a line of glyphs. "A vessel. Not a ship like ours — something older. Stronger. Designed to move between… worlds."
Vegito's brows lifted. "Interdimensional travel?"
Robin nodded slowly. "It's possible the builders came from somewhere else entirely."
The Test
Before they could study further, the lead guardian blocked their path. "Knowledge from the Heart Vault is not given. It is earned."
The floor beneath them split open, revealing a deep chasm filled with glowing water. Shapes moved within it — fast, graceful, and clearly predatory.
The guardian pointed his trident at Vegito. "One of you must survive the Trial Pool."
Vegito stepped forward immediately, tail flicking. "Guess that's me."
Trial Pool Combat
The moment Vegito hit the water, the creatures struck — lithe, armored predators with barbed tails and triple-jointed limbs. They moved in coordinated packs, striking from blind spots, trying to drag him under.
Vegito didn't bother powering up fully. Instead, he danced through them, grabbing tails, flipping bodies into each other, sending shockwaves through the water with casual flicks of his wrists.
The final strike was a single, spiraling punch upward that blasted a column of water into the air — and left every predator floating unconscious in the glowing pool.
Reward
The guardians bowed. "Worthy."
They led the crew deeper into the temple, to a sealed chamber. Inside lay a crystalline sphere the size of a small cannonball, pulsing with faint light.
Robin translated the inscription. "Key fragment. One of three needed to access the full schematics of the world-ship."
Lilith crossed her arms. "Which means the other two are hidden somewhere even worse."
Vegito grinned. "Sounds like my kind of scavenger hunt."
Closing Scene
As they returned to the Embrace, the Sea Kings surfaced again, surrounding the lagoon. One — the massive serpent from before — lowered its head close to Vegito.
In a voice like distant thunder, it spoke. "The sea remembers you now, Saiyan. Do not waste this gift."
Vegito smirked. "Don't worry. I'll put it to good use."
The Embrace lifted into the air, setting course for open seas — and whatever nightmare held the second key fragment.
[World State Updated]
Crew: Gains Sea King recognition and protection in the Calm Belt.
Treasure: First of three "world-ship" key fragments secured.
Foreshadowing: Two more fragments remain; other locations unknown.