The crew was swimming upward through the ancient underwater city.
For a few seconds, everything was silent.
Only the sound of their breathing could be heard through the oxygen tanks.
Then—
Ikiro suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened.
"The energy..."
He looked around.
"Something's happening."
Salim immediately felt it too.
The water around them was becoming warmer.
"I feel it too."
He looked down toward the ruins.
"The water... it's heating up."
Katsa suddenly turned around.
Her eyes widened.
"THE CAVE IS CLOSING!"
Massive cracks began spreading across the ancient walls.
Michael looked behind them.
"RUN!!"
The entire ground beneath the water suddenly cracked.
Deep below them—
the ores began glowing.
One after another.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Their light spread through the underwater city like a heartbeat.
Michael stared in disbelief.
"What is happening?!"
Ikiro clenched his fists.
"I thought we had ninety minutes..."
He looked toward the glowing ores.
His expression changed.
"It has started."
Everyone immediately began swimming faster.
"SWIM!" Ikiro shouted. "FASTER!"
Behind them, the ancient entrance collapsed completely.
The cave was sealed.
Michael looked back.
"The cave has closed!"
Ikiro shouted:
"Don't worry! Just get to the top!"
They pushed themselves harder than ever.
Their oxygen was running low.
The water became hotter.
The ruins shook around them.
Then Ikiro turned around.
"Hold on!"
Blue energy gathered around his hands.
BOOM!
A powerful blue blast cleared a path through the water.
The force launched the entire group upward.
They broke through the surface.
SPLASH!
Everyone gasped for air.
But nobody spoke.
They looked toward the sky.
Silence.
The sky was no longer blue.
It had turned orange.
The clouds stretched across the horizon like flames.
Katsa's eyes widened.
"It's happening..."
Salim slowly looked toward the coast.
And there they were.
Junyu and Ton were sitting near the shore, watching the sky.
Michael stared at them.
"What are you guys doing here?"
Junyu didn't answer immediately.
He simply kept looking toward the horizon.
Ikiro stepped forward.
"Waiting."
He looked toward the sky.
"For the portal."
A strange energy suddenly spread through the air.
Junyu stood up.
His expression became serious.
He looked into the distance.
"They're here."
Ikiro's eyes narrowed.
"Organization X..."
A massive portal began forming above the distant horizon.
A familiar voice echoed across the coast.
Morgan stepped through.
His eyes were fixed on the world below.
He smiled.
"LET'S START."
The wind suddenly stopped.
The orange sky darkened.
And the final battle had begun.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END.