The Great Black Sea
黒海
Arthaex
Chapter 5: Fangs Beneath the Tide
The sun had barely risen, casting thin streaks of light over the restless waves, but the ocean already felt wrong. Kurohane's ship cut through the water as he left Shinkai no Shima behind, the blackened horizon stretching endlessly in every direction. His hands gripped the railing of the deck, knuckles white, as a strange, unnatural chill passed through him.
The sea whispered its warnings.
It shifted, twisted, rising in uneven swells, as if something massive and unseen was moving far beneath. Kurohane could feel it in his bones, the vibrations traveling up through the wood of the ship, through his boots, and into his very soul. This was no ordinary storm. This was a predator. The hunger of the deep.
And it was aware of him.
Suddenly, the water split violently. A massive shape erupted from beneath the hull, splashing waves across the deck and sending Kurohane flying. The sea itself seemed to quake as a colossal beast rose from the abyss, scales blacker than night glinting faintly in the sun. Its jaws, lined with endless rows of jagged teeth, opened impossibly wide, and two glowing eyes pierced through the storm, locking onto him with a predatory hunger.
A Sea Beast.
The roar of the creature shook the air, a sound so loud that the waves around the ship crashed violently against its sides. The ship rocked and groaned as if it were about to be torn apart. Kurohane scrambled to his feet, Kinryu clutched tightly in his hands, golden heat spilling across the deck like molten fire. Sparks ignited wherever his scythe cut the wood.
The beast struck.
A massive tentacle smashed into the ship, snapping masts and shattering planks. Another wrapped around the hull like a vice, lifting the ship slightly out of the water and then crushing it downward with terrifying force. Kurohane barely leapt out of the way in time. Kinryu's golden glow surged, and he swung it in a wide arc, striking the tentacle and turning it solid. The sound of cracking and splintering wood filled the air as pieces of the beast's appendage fell back into the black waves.
The beast shrieked, a piercing, unnatural sound, and lunged again. Its jaws snapped just inches from Kurohane's body, the air vibrating with the force of its bite. Another tentacle lashed out, catching him midair. He twisted and tried to swing Kinryu, but the pressure from the sea around him slowed his movements to a crawl. The scythe's golden heat dimmed, swallowed by the darkness of the ocean itself.
Breath left him. Pain shot through his chest as he was lifted high above the deck, dangling helplessly. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he felt the pull of unconsciousness. This monster was unlike anything he had faced. Its body was a living storm, half-serpent, half-leviathan, a nightmare born from the Black Sea itself.
Then, a voice cut through the roar.
"HEY! LET HIM GO!"
A brilliant explosion of fire erupted from the sky, crashing into the beast's glowing eye. Steam hissed and erupted around it, forcing it to release Kurohane midair. He fell, smashing into the deck with a shudder that rattled his bones. He coughed violently, golden light from Kinryu flickering weakly along the edges of his scythe.
Ryukai stood at the bow, his small frame trembling, yet a fire burned in his eyes. Flames danced across his palms, hot and wild, as he faced the creature alone.
"I-I didn't think it would work…" he stammered, his voice cracking.
"Ryukai!" Kurohane shouted, struggling to rise. "Step back! It's too dangerous!"
"I won't!" Ryukai yelled. "I won't let it touch you again!"
The beast roared again, thrashing the ocean around them, lifting walls of black water into the sky. Ryukai's hands glowed brighter, flames twisting like serpents around his body. His fire met the waves, superheating the water, creating steam explosions that temporarily blinded the Sea Beast.
Kurohane rose fully to his feet. He met Ryukai's eyes.
"Together," he said.
Ryukai nodded, determination overriding fear. "Together."
The brothers moved as one. Ryukai's flames formed barriers, heating the water into thick, blinding steam. The Sea Beast struggled against it, confused by the sudden surge of energy. The currents it controlled began to falter. Its jaws snapped, but its movements slowed as Kurohane surged forward, Kinryu blazing gold.
He leapt into the steam, twisting midair, and drove the scythe straight into the creature's chest. The golden light spread rapidly, flowing through its massive body, searing and solidifying its shadowy form. The Sea Beast screamed in agony, a sound that made the very ocean tremble.
It thrashed violently, dragging the ship and both brothers, but Ryukai's flames intensified. The combined pressure of gold and fire burned through the creature, boiling the water around it. Steam and black waves collided, creating a roaring explosion that blinded everything in sight.
When the smoke cleared, the Sea Beast lay shattered, fragments of black scales sinking silently beneath the waves. The ocean stilled. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Kurohane collapsed to one knee, chest heaving, Kinryu still glowing faintly in exhaustion. Ryukai sank to the deck beside him, fire flickering weakly in his hands.
"You did good," Kurohane said quietly, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.
Ryukai exhaled shakily. "I… I actually helped… I didn't mess it up."
"No," Kurohane said with a faint smile. "You saved me."
For a moment, silence returned, broken only by the gentle lapping of the remaining waves. The brothers stared out over the blackened water, chest heaving, hearts pounding.
But far beneath the surface, something darker stirred. A presence older than the oceans themselves, ancient and patient. The Black Sea was awakening. And somewhere beyond the horizon, other Umi No Oni had begun to stir, sensing the surge of Kinryu's power.
The Black Sea's shadow would not be silenced. Not yet.
Kurohane straightened, Kinryu's golden glow flickering against his face. Ryukai stood beside him, fire still crackling faintly across his palms. Together, they had survived death. Together, they had proven their strength.
But this was only the beginning.
The oceans themselves whispered promises of terror, of battles yet to come, and of a darkness deeper than even Ankoryu's lessons could prepare them for.
The Black Sea had claimed its first warning.
And the brothers would answer it.