The underwater territory had descended into complete chaos.
Mermaids shouted.
Sailors argued.
Students aboard the academy vessel stared toward the sea with wide eyes.
And at the center of it all—
Kel remained completely calm.
The giant predator roared across the ocean.
Its wounded shoulder bled heavily.
Dark crimson blood poured down its scales and stained the surrounding waters.
The enormous creature had finally stopped eating.
For the first time in years—
Something had hurt it.
Actually hurt it.
Meanwhile—
The mermaid guards had completely forgotten their discipline.
"What was that?"
"How did you do that?"
"Where did the spear go?"
"No, seriously, where did the spear go?"
The original owner of the spear looked especially distressed.
"That was my spear!"
The surrounding sailors weren't much better.
Several had completely surrounded Kel.
Excitement burned in their eyes.
One sailor pointed dramatically.
"I knew it!"
Another nodded violently.
"It was the Divine Spoon Art!"
"That wasn't even a spoon!"
"The principle is the same!"
"It looked exactly like the stories!"
"No, it looked stronger!"
"The legendary version!"
"The original version!"
"The ancient version!"
"The underwater version!"
Kel felt a headache forming.
Inside his mind—
Seiren laughed mercilessly.
"Underwater version."
"..."
"They're evolving."
"..."
"Soon they'll create schools."
Kel genuinely feared that possibility.
Unfortunately—
History suggested Seiren might be correct.
The Guardian laughed harder.
Meanwhile—
The wounded monster released another furious roar.
The ocean trembled.
Waves surged outward.
Its enormous yellow eyes searched frantically.
Looking for its attacker.
Looking for the fool responsible.
Looking for revenge.
The moment the creature's gaze began sweeping toward the underwater territory—
Kel moved.
Ignoring everyone.
Ignoring the sailors.
Ignoring the mermaids.
Ignoring the arguments.
His body lowered slightly.
A stance.
A preparation.
The surrounding sailors immediately recognized danger.
"Aedon?"
No answer.
The mermaid guard blinked.
"What are you doing?"
Still no answer.
Then—
BOOM!
The ocean exploded beneath him.
Water erupted outward in a massive circular shockwave.
Kel launched upward.
Not swimming.
Not ascending.
Launching.
Like a missile fired from beneath the sea.
The pressure alone scattered nearby fish.
The mermaids stared.
The sailors stared.
Then lost sight of him.
Inside his mind—
Seiren sighed.
"There he goes."
The Guardian sounded oddly proud.
Like someone watching a familiar disaster unfold.
Above—
The ocean surface exploded.
A massive column of water erupted skyward.
Atop the academy vessel—
Hundreds of students turned simultaneously.
Then they saw him.
A lone figure bursting from beneath the sea.
Silver hair.
Dark trousers.
Shirtless.
Sword at his waist.
The same insane young man who had jumped into mermaid territory earlier.
"Aedon!"
Several students immediately recognized him.
The sailors aboard the ship pointed excitedly.
"The crazy one!"
"The underwater guy!"
"The mermaid hunter!"
"The flesh-tasting lunatic!"
The title spread surprisingly quickly.
Meanwhile—
The floating mermaids also recognized him.
Instantly.
Without hesitation.
Their expressions changed dramatically.
One nearly screamed.
"It's him!"
"The crazy human!"
"The one who wanted to eat us!"
Several mermaids immediately retreated.
Pure instinct.
Kel ignored them all.
The ocean beneath his feet rippled.
Then stabilized.
Water magic.
Simple.
Elegant.
The sea obeyed his will.
A circular platform formed beneath his feet.
Supporting him above the waves.
The sight alone stunned many students.
Most water mages could manipulate water.
Few could achieve such effortless precision.
The ocean breeze swept across his silver hair.
The wounded monster finally spotted him.
Their eyes met.
The predator froze.
Kel slowly drew his sword.
Shing.
The silver blade reflected sunlight.
The sea became silent.
The wind slowed.
Even the waves seemed to hesitate.
Then Kel pointed his sword toward the monster.
His voice carried across the ocean.
Calm.
Clear.
Unwavering.
"Let's finish this."
Silence.
Then—
The monster roared.
A roar filled with fury.
Pain.
Hatred.
And fear.
Because for the first time in years—
Someone had challenged it directly.
BOOM!
The creature launched itself from the black stone.
The enormous mass shattered portions of the formation.
Water exploded skyward.
Its massive claws tore through the air.
Its jaws opened wide enough to swallow a carriage whole.
The attack came instantly.
Violently.
Without hesitation.
The students aboard the academy vessel gasped.
Several stepped backward.
The mermaids looked terrified.
The sailors clenched their fists.
And Kel—
Moved forward.
Not backward.
Forward.
His body blurred.
A streak of silver crossing the sea.
The monster's claws descended.
Kel vanished.
The attack struck nothing.
BOOOOM!
The ocean exploded.
A massive wave rose toward the heavens.
Then—
A silver line flashed.
A sword strike.
Clean.
Precise.
The monster roared.
A deep cut appeared across its side.
Blood sprayed outward.
The battle had begun.
The predator attacked again.
Tail.
Claws.
Fangs.
Shockwaves.
Every movement carried enough force to kill ordinary warriors instantly.
Yet Kel continued avoiding everything.
Minimal movement.
Minimal energy.
Minimal effort.
Like flowing water.
Like drifting wind.
Inside his mind—
Seiren observed quietly.
Then spoke.
"You noticed it."
"Yes."
The Guardian sounded serious.
"The glow."
Kel nodded internally.
During the earlier exchange—
He had seen it.
A faint golden light.
Hidden beneath scales.
Near the creature's chest.
Something embedded there.
Something unnatural.
Something important.
The monster attacked again.
Kel sidestepped.
Its claws missed.
The ocean split apart.
Another sword strike.
Another wound.
The golden glow became clearer.
There.
Near the heart.
Embedded beneath flesh.
Then Kel accelerated.
The world slowed.
The monster's movements became obvious.
Predictable.
A step.
A dodge.
A slash.
The creature roared.
Its chest opened briefly.
That was enough.
Kel's eyes sharpened.
His sword moved.
One strike.
Nothing more.
The silver line flashed.
Then—
Silence.
The monster froze.
Its body trembled.
Its eyes widened.
A deep wound opened across its chest.
Something golden flew outward.
A crystal.
A gem.
A stone.
The moment it separated—
Everything changed.
The monster's eyes lost clarity.
Its intelligence vanished.
Its movements became confused.
Primitive.
Animalistic.
The transformation stunned everyone.
Then Kel moved once more.
His sword descended.
The final strike.
A clean strike.
A merciful strike.
The giant predator collapsed.
Its enormous body crashed into the sea.
BOOOOM!
Waves erupted.
The ocean shook.
Then—
Silence.
The monster was dead.
The students stared.
The sailors stared.
The mermaids stared.
Nobody spoke.
Kel calmly landed atop the water.
The golden stone floated nearby.
He caught it.
Examined it.
Ancient runes covered its surface.
Wisdom.
Knowledge.
Memory.
The moment the mermaids saw it—
Everything changed.
One gasped.
Another froze.
A third nearly dropped her weapon.
Then a trembling voice whispered:
"The Stone..."
More mermaids gathered.
Disbelief filled their faces.
"No..."
"It can't be..."
Then an elder mermaid pushed through the crowd.
The moment she saw the crystal—
Tears filled her eyes.
Her body trembled.
She immediately fell to her knees.
"The Scarder Stone of Wisdom."
Silence.
The name spread through the crowd.
Every mermaid froze.
The elder's voice shook.
"It was stolen."
The ocean became still.
"Centuries ago."
Kel looked down at the crystal.
Then suddenly understood.
Everything.
The intelligence.
The tribute system.
The manipulation.
The unusual behavior.
The predator wasn't naturally wise.
It had stolen wisdom.
Stolen enlightenment.
Stolen knowledge.
Yet—
Without guidance.
Without understanding.
Without restraint.
Wisdom had become corruption.
Intelligence had become greed.
Knowledge had become justification.
The creature had not become a sage.
It had become something worse.
A monster capable of reasoning.
A predator capable of planning.
A beast capable of convincing itself its cruelty was justified.
Inside his mind—
Seiren spoke softly.
"Power without understanding."
"Yes."
"Knowledge without wisdom."
Kel nodded.
Exactly.
The Scarder Stone had elevated the creature's mind.
But it had never elevated its heart.
And thus—
A predator remained a predator.
Only smarter.
The elder mermaid slowly looked toward Kel.
Then toward the stone.
Then back toward Kel.
Tears flowed down her face.
For centuries.
Their tribe had suffered.
For centuries.
Their sacred treasure had been lost.
And now—
A young human stood upon the sea.
Holding the very artifact they thought they would never see again.
The ocean breeze moved gently across the waves.
The battle was over.
The predator was dead.
And somewhere far away—
Aetherial Institute waited.
Unaware that one of its future students had already solved a centuries-old mystery before even reaching the academy.