The wind whipped through the shore like it was tryna break up a fight before it started. Hydro stood there, fists loose but steady, the five rowdy cosplayers spread around him like vultures sniffing for a cheap win. They squared up, cracking their knuckles, loud and performative — like they thought this was some anime convention brawl that'd end with security pulling them apart and some TikTok clip going viral.
But then Milky Way's voice slammed through the tension.
"STOP! BOTH OF YOU, STOP!"
Everyone froze — even the seagulls seemed to pause midair. Hydro slowly dropped his guard, still breathing steady, eyes scanning each face like he was predicting their next move. Milky marched right into the middle, no fear at all, like some tired manager breaking up his employees' dumb lunchtime beef.
"What the hell is going on here?" Milky asked, glaring at both sides.
Before Hydro could even open his mouth, the muscular guy exploded, voice cracking with rage.
"HE KICKED MY CROTCH, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED!"
A few heads turned from the sidelines. Someone even snorted trying not to laugh. Hydro blinked once, slow, then rubbed the back of his neck like he was fighting the urge to sigh.
"Really?" he said. His tone wasn't mocking — it was surgical. Calm. Analytical. "If I actually kicked your crotch, you wouldn't be standing right now. You'd be on the sand crying, holding your ego in both hands, probably needing ice for a week. So tell me…"
He leaned forward slightly, voice dropping just enough to sound like he knew something they didn't.
"If your crotch got hit that bad, why are you still walking fine? Why are you standing like a cramped-up runner instead of a dying victim? Doesn't that sound a little… inconsistent to you?"
The guy frowned, confused for a split second. "What are you talking about?"
Hydro smirked slightly, switching gears like a detective breaking down a fake alibi. "See, there's this thing called delayed neural shock. When a real crotch injury happens, the nerves around the lower abdomen — specifically the pudendal and genitofemoral nerves — seize up. It's not about the pain; it's about the system panic. You get paralyzed for like fifteen seconds minimum. That's the body's reflex to prevent further damage."
He stepped closer, pointing at the guy's stance.
"But look at you. You're shifting weight evenly. You're flexing your toes. You don't even have that little limping shuffle most guys do after a hit down there. You sure you're not just... making this up?"
The guy opened his mouth to argue, but Hydro wasn't done. His voice picked up that confident rhythm — the kinda tone that sounds like someone both bullshitting and educating you at the same time.
"And just so you know, if it was hit, you'd have micro-swelling in your urethral tract. Which means that, by tomorrow, you wouldn't be able to pee properly. Pain. Burning. The whole 'why does it feel like fire' scenario. That's physiology, not opinion."
Now the rowdy dude blinked. His brain caught up with the fake diagnosis and went pale.
"I—uh—"
One of his buddies whispered, "Bro… do you feel like peeing right now?"
"I think I do, man…"
"Then the CR's at the right," Hydro said, pointing casually at a small restroom hut nearby. "Better make sure everything's still working before you start yelling false claims in public."
Milky Way stood there blinking, half-impressed, half-lost. The crowd that had gathered slowly started dispersing, whispering things like "Damn, he's kinda smart though" or "That guy's built like a biologist with anger issues."
Hydro just sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, finally letting his shoulders drop. The rowdy group awkwardly shuffled away, muttering curses under their breath, trying to save face.
Atlarus Quinn finally walked over, looking both relieved and entertained. "Whoa, didn't know you could handle that kinda situation that smooth," she said, tilting her head. "You turned that into a science lecture."
Hydro shrugged. "Eh, when you've seen too many idiots start fights for ego points, you learn how to make 'em choke on logic instead. Besides, I wasn't about to let this turn into a full-on convention fight video titled 'Beach Cosplay Gone Wrong.'"
Bea giggled, brushing sand off her legs. "You didn't even look mad, though."
"Oh, trust me," Hydro said, exhaling through his nose, "I was pissed. But yelling only feeds people like that. Quiet confidence messes 'em up more."
Milky finally sighed, rubbing his temples. "Okay, fine, you handled that well. But no more theatrics, please. I don't want the beach staff calling the police or something. Hydro, you good?"
"Yeah, all good. Just a little irritated," Hydro said, tone mellow but his eyes still sharp, scanning where the rowdy guys went. He didn't trust coincidences — not in his world. Not anymore.
Milky nodded. "Alright. Let's keep things chill then. Quinn told me you wanted to help with something?"
Hydro blinked. "Help?? Wai—Oh right — yeah. Can I help with the volleyball game? Like, uh… what's it called again? The one who keeps the score?"
"The referee?" Quinn said.
"Yeah, yeah, that! Sorry, forgot the name. Been a long week."
Atlarus grinned. "Sure, you can be the referee. You're neutral enough."
Hydro cracked a faint smile. "Neutral, huh? Yeah, I'll take that."
The tension finally faded. Music started playing again from someone's Bluetooth speaker, the air turning back to that laid-back, beachy vibe. Hydro leaned back in his chair, staring out at the ocean — but part of him was still replaying that moment. The healing. The illusion.
He knew he'd healed that guy's injury on instinct. Vitakinesis — that flicker of power that still lingered inside him despite the System's deletion. He used it subconsciously, and that bothered him. Because if he could heal like that… what else was still awake inside him?
As the laughter and volleyball sounds filled the background, Hydro's mind drifted to one cold realization — maybe the System wasn't gone. Maybe it just stopped talking.
Alright bet — here's **"ON THE EDGE 極 [2/5]"**, packed with life, sports energy, beach-side chaos, and Hydro's signature inner calm with that buried cosmic awareness under it all.
The afternoon sun hit different — gold streaks cutting through salt air, the smell of grilled food mixing with ocean breeze and sunscreen. The whole beach turned into a scene that felt too alive to freeze in time. And right in the middle of it all was Hydro Undergrove — whistle in mouth, clipboard in hand, trying to look like he wasn't about to die of secondhand chaos.
"Alright," Hydro muttered to himself, looking down at the score sheet. "Team One — Bea Tsuki, Kai Tsuki, Atlarus Quinn, Terry Quinn. Team Two — Nate Grey, Yurei Zeun, Matt Tomizawa, and Kristine Denise."
He blew the whistle — short, sharp, official.
"GAME START!"
A small crowd from the Ohara Community gathered around, cheering. Beach volleyball might've just been a friendly game, but these people played like the prize was a free anime figure or a year's worth of boba.
The ball launched up high, bright against the blue sky. Bea jumped first, smacking it with a clean, practiced form. Hydro nodded a little. Okay, they got coordination. Not bad.
Nate dove for the receive — he hit the sand hard, caught it perfectly, and sent it spiraling up. Kristine followed with a spike that almost nailed Terry in the face.
"WOAH!" Terry yelped, ducking just in time. The ball bounced off her arm, barely saving the team.
Hydro scribbled notes. "Tsuki team: strong offense. Grey team: lethal accuracy. Both chaotic."
"Ref! Did that count?!" Bea shouted, hand up.
"Ball's in!" Hydro called back, raising one hand like an actual professional ref. "Point goes to Kristine's team!"
Kai sighed dramatically, throwing her hands up. "Ughhh! Bea, you said you'd cover the left side!"
"I did! The wind shifted, Kai!" Bea argued.
Atlarus stepped between them, laughing. "Hey hey hey, chill. We're not in nationals or somethin'."
Hydro chuckled under his breath. They sound like siblings fighting over a broken controller.
Kristine and Nate fist-bumped, hyped over the point. Yurei just gave a silent thumbs-up, eyes on the sand like he was mentally simulating plays. Matt stood by the net, confident grin plastered.
Hydro's whistle cut through again. "Alright, serve!"
The rhythm picked up — rallies went longer, hits sharper. Kai found her footing, diving for wild saves like she had rubber bones. Terry, though hesitant, got better every serve. Bea's spikes had energy — that raw "I've got something to prove" kind of drive. Quinn played like a strategist, reading every move, directing her teammates like a tactician commanding a four-person army.
Meanwhile, Hydro stood there — not detached, but quietly entertained. The way the sand shifted under players' feet, the weight of each motion, the cheering — it reminded him of something. Not war. Not violence. But life. Raw, unfiltered, unpredictable life.
"Point! Bea's team, 7–6!" Hydro announced.
A few claps erupted from the small audience. Mina was standing on the side, holding an orange soda bigger than her head, cheering, "GO MISS BEA!!"
Hydro smiled faintly seeing her excitement. Kristine turned toward Mina and yelled playfully, "Hey! Traitor! You're supposed to root for me!"
"I root for whoever gives me snacks!" Mina replied confidently.
Everyone laughed. Even Hydro chuckled, shaking his head.
Milky Way walked by with a tray of drinks, saying, "If this was an official tournament, you'd be the most chaotic referee alive, Hydro."
Hydro just shrugged. "Better chaos than boredom."
Another serve launched. This time, the game felt more balanced — like both sides were finally synced into rhythm. The sound of the volleyball hitting hands echoed against the ocean. People started crowding more, watching how unexpectedly competitive it got.
Kristine dove for a save but face-planted straight into the sand.
"Ow ow ow ow ow!" she yelled, spitting sand.
Bea paused mid-serve, laughing so hard she fell to her knees.
Hydro blew his whistle again. "Pause! Medic—uh, sand removal timeout!"
"Ref, you're supposed to say technical timeout!" Nate said.
"I don't get paid for this, Nate!" Hydro said back, earning laughs all around.
Yurei handed Kristine a towel while Kai helped brush sand off her hair. Mina came running over with a bottle of water like a mini nurse. The whole scene felt… human. Wholesome even.
Hydro wrote something on his clipboard. 'Note: sand damage = real problem.'
Atlarus walked over to Hydro, leaning close. "You know, you're kinda good at this. You sure you've never ref'd before?"
Hydro tilted his head. "I've handled way worse. This is easy compared to breaking up dimensional fights or cosmic beasts."
Atlarus laughed, thinking he was joking. "Yeah sure, 'cosmic beasts.' You're weird, Hydro."
Hydro just smirked. "You have no idea."
The game resumed, tension building again. The scores climbed. The crowd started counting out loud. "15–15!" "16–15!" "16–16!"
By now, both teams were covered in sand, sweating but smiling. Terry nailed a perfect block against Yurei's spike, earning cheers from her side. Kristine called out strategies mid-play like she was commanding a unit. Bea's energy was infectious — that confident, fierce aura that made her teammates push harder.
Hydro watched, keeping score, but his mind drifted again. That creeping feeling in his gut — not danger, just awareness. He felt… observed. Like the world's code was watching him breathe. His vitakinesis earlier — that subconscious healing move — it didn't just "happen." It triggered. And now, he could sense something faint, deep in the sand beneath them. Like microshifts in the fabric of the world.
He shook his head. Nah. Not now. Not during volleyball.
"Hydro, what's the score?!" Bea yelled.
"Eighteen to seventeen, Bea's team leading!"
"WHAT?! No way!" Nate complained.
"Complain again, and I'll deduct a point," Hydro teased, tone dead serious but eyes playful.
"That's not how volleyball works!" Nate said, laughing.
"Shh, ref's word is law," Hydro said, jotting something down exaggeratedly.
Everyone laughed again, easing up the match's tension. It was fun — chaotic, human, and refreshing. For once, Hydro didn't feel like an immortal anomaly trying to pretend to fit in. He just was.
Then — the match point.
Kristine's serve came like a bullet. The ball spun, slicing through air like it had vendetta. Bea leapt, slammed it back with a clean spike.
"BLOCK IT!" Nate yelled, but it was too late. The ball hit sand.
Hydro blew the whistle, holding up his hand high.
"GAME! Team Bea wins, 21–19!"
The beach erupted into cheers. Bea fell backward laughing, Kai tackled her in a hug, and Terry jumped around like she just won a championship. Kristine's team laughed it off, giving them props for a good game.
Hydro clapped lightly. "Well played. Both sides."
Milky walked back with popsicles, handing them out like rewards. "That was wild. Didn't think y'all were gonna take it that seriously."
"Hydro was scary as a ref," Kai joked, smirking.
Hydro shrugged. "Rules are rules."
"Bro, you invented half those rules," Nate said.
Hydro smirked again. "Exactly."
The group burst into laughter once more. Everyone slowly scattered — some hitting the waves, some lounging on mats, some refilling drinks. The atmosphere was bright, effortless.
Hydro sat down near the water, letting waves brush his sneakers. He watched everyone from afar — his friends, the people he protected without them knowing it. For a second, he felt like maybe, just maybe, he was finally living normal again.
But deep under that peace, he could still feel it — a faint pulse in the sand. Like a heartbeat that didn't belong to the Earth. Something beneath the surface, dormant, watching.
Hydro blinked slowly, brushing it off. Nah. Not now.
He leaned back, the sound of laughter and waves mixing. Mina ran up to him holding two popsicles.
"Hey! You were such a cool referee!" she said, offering him one.
Hydro smiled softly. "Thanks. You think so?"
"Yeah! You sounded like a teacher when you yelled at Nate."
"Guess I did."
He took the popsicle, the sweet taste weirdly grounding him in the moment. No cosmic battles. No systems. No gods. Just him, friends, and summer heat.
For once, Hydro wasn't fighting monsters — he was just existing.
But the wind carried a static hum, and somewhere deep down, he knew peace never lasted long.
Got it — we're goin' full cinematic mode with this one. A 2k+ word-length chapter that's cinematic, emotional, chaotic, and has that deep tension between Hydro's "I just wanted peace" vibe and the world's constant demand for his power. Here's the full draft of **"ON THE EDGE 極 [3/5]"**, done in that long, fast-paced, anime-style narration with deep dialogue moments.
The sky started turning orange, fading into little indigo. The laughter from the volleyball match was still echoing through the beach. Hydro was sitting at the edge of the water, popsicle stick in hand, mind on autopilot. The gentle sound of waves brushing against the shore mixed with distant chatter and music from a portable speaker someone forgot to turn off.
"Yo, Ref! You zonin' out again?" Bea yelled from across the sand, waving her arm.
Hydro blinked. "Just… resting my neurons."
Kai laughed. "You what?"
"Never mind," he said, smirking a little. He leaned back, staring at the horizon.
It was one of those moments that made him feel human again — something rare for him. No blade, no blood, no gods whispering inside his head. Just him and this messy, imperfect, beautiful world.
But the peace never lasted. It never did.
A faint ping echoed in his vision — subtle, but unmistakable. A glowing blue interface materialized midair, semi-transparent, just above his line of sight.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[HYDRO, IT'S ME. SOMA. CAN I TALK TO YOU FOR A MINUTE?]
Hydro froze. His chest tightened, pupils narrowing.
"…Soma??" he whispered under his breath. "Wait—did you put the System interface on me again?"
The screen flickered. Another notification appeared.
[NO. I DIDN'T PUT THE SYSTEM TO YOU AGAIN. IT WORKS ONLY AS A NOTIFICATION.]
Hydro tilted his head slightly, exhaling through his nose. "Oh… okay, good. You scared me for a second. I thought we were gonna do that System drama all over again."
He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Alright then, spill the tea, what do you uh… need?"
The ocean breeze hit harder as the next notification blinked into existence.
[YEAH. SO THIS HUMAN NAMED DAIZO KONOHAGURE HAS A CORRUPTED GAME SYSTEM ON HIM. YOU CAN ONLY SEE SYSTEMS, NOT THE OTHERS.]
Hydro's eyes twitched. "…Daizo Konohagure?" He muttered, voice low. "You mean that guy that got ragebaited after I destroyed his machine??"
Another set of glowing words formed, faster this time.
[YES. DAIZO KONOHAGURE. HE COMPLETELY LOST HIS HUMANITY AFTER HE ACCEPTED TO BECOME THE PLAYER OF THE JUDGMENT SYSTEM.]
[THE CREATOR IMMEDIATELY GAVE HIM A BIT OF GODLY POWERS AND ANOTHER SWORD, MAKING HIM THINK "GHOST" IS A USELESS BLADE.]
Hydro's stomach dropped. The background noise of the beach faded for a second, replaced by static silence.
He clenched his jaw. "What the hell… Another creator? Don't tell me someone's out there reinstalling broken Systems again. H—how?"
The system flickered — blue light dimming, static glitching across the text.
[LISTEN HYDRO, EVACUATE THESE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY. I CAN'T MESSAGE YOU AT THE MOMENT. SAVE THOSE PEOPLE AND DON'T DO SOMETHING RECKLESS. GOOD LUCK, FRIEND.]
The interface dissolved into blue particles — gone.
Hydro blinked once, twice. The world around him seemed normal for about five seconds. Then the ground… shook.
Thump.
The sand rippled beneath his palms.
Thump.
Plastic cups fell from picnic tables.
Then the sky cracked.
Hydro looked up — his entire body freezing. Multiple Gates burst open above the island, twisting the air like black holes tearing through the atmosphere. Some hovered above the ocean, others right above the beach, massive, pulsing with red and purple corruption.
Screams broke out instantly. People pointed phones upward, recording in panic. "Yo what the hell is that?!" "Is that a movie thing?!" "It's some kind of… hole?!"
Hydro stood slowly, his heart pounding hard but his face cold.
"Oh no…" he muttered. His pupils shrunk — a faint silver glow flickering inside them.
From those Gates, figures started crawling out. Their forms distorted — like glitching polygons made of smoke and sinew. Long limbs, flickering shapes, screeching in synthetic distortion.
Hydro grabbed the speakerphone from his duffel bag and cranked the volume to max. His voice blasted across the island:
"EVERYONE GET OUTTA HERE NOW!! EVERYONE GET OUT OF HERE!!"
His tone cut through the chaos like a siren. The tourists and locals panicked — some dropped their stuff, some ran barefoot across the sand, others grabbed kids and sprinted toward the docks.
Hydro ran across the beach, pulling people up, guiding them toward the forest path. "Go—move! Stay low!"
Bea ran up, eyes wide. "HYDRO! What's going on?!"
"Doesn't matter—take Kai, Atlarus, Terry, and everyone else inland! Find cover!"
"What about you?!"
Hydro didn't answer — just turned toward the horizon. His hand trembled slightly, that familiar weight building in his chest.
He told me not to do anything reckless…
Yeah, right.
He pressed the speakerphone button again. "MOVE FASTER! If you got a car—load everyone up! GO!"
The monsters began descending — falling like meteors from the Gates, smashing into the ocean and sand. The impact sent waves crashing.
Hydro looked up. "Shoot."
A massive shadow loomed above him — a winged, digital-looking creature. Its body looked like it was stitched together with cables and red data veins, half-biological, half-machine.
Hydro whispered, "You're not supposed to exist here."
The creature roared, distortion breaking through the air. Hydro barely had time to dodge as it slammed into the beach, sending sand flying like a shockwave.
He landed on one knee, sneakers digging into the sand. "Alright then…" He pulled down his hood, eyes sharp. "Guess I'm clocking in early."
He clenched his fists, shadows flickering around him for a split second before he suppressed it. Not yet. People were still here.
Kristine stumbled toward him, face pale. "Hydro, what are those things—"
"Don't ask, just run!" He pushed her toward the others. "Get to the inland road! Stay off the sand!"
She hesitated, tears in her eyes. "What about you?"
He gave her a half-smile. "I'll live. I always do."
She swallowed hard and ran.
Hydro turned back to the chaos. Dozens of creatures crawled out of the Gates now — some slithering, some floating, some with mechanical halos spinning above their heads. All of them carried that same red static pattern across their skin.
He muttered to himself. "Daizo… what the hell did you do…"
The sky rumbled again, the largest Gate above the ocean pulsing violently. Another roar echoed, this time deeper, older, almost intelligent.
Hydro's thoughts raced. Soma said corrupted… Judgment System…
That meant this wasn't random. Someone sent them. Someone was using Daizo's System as a beacon.
Hydro pressed his hand against his temple. "Think, Hydro, think."
Then he froze — the creatures weren't looking at him. They were… scanning the island. Their glowing eyes moved in sync, like they were searching for something else.
"They're not here for me," Hydro realized, whispering. His heart skipped. "They're… looking for something."
He didn't like that. At all.
He grabbed a broken beach umbrella, flipped it upright, and jammed it into the sand like a makeshift signal marker for evac direction. "Head toward the trees! Follow the umbrellas!" he yelled again through the speakerphone.
Yurei appeared beside him, panting. "We got everyone near the west docks, but the ferries—"
"They're gone, I know."
"Then how do we—"
Hydro cut him off. "There's a tunnel road on the south side of the resort. It leads to a police outpost area near the hotel. Get them there and lock down the entrance."
"You sure you can handle this alone?" Yurei asked, staring at the sky.
Hydro looked up — his reflection flickering in the red Gate's glow. "I've handled worse. Go!"
Yurei nodded once and sprinted.
The ground trembled again. Hydro took a deep breath. His shadow flickered faintly, whispering around his feet like black smoke tasting the wind.
He didn't summon Ghost yet. Not while there were still people in sight. He had to stay restrained. He had to trust Soma's warning — even though his instincts screamed otherwise.
He raised the speakerphone one last time, yelling, "KEEP MOVING! DO NOT LOOK BACK!"
The monsters howled again — dozens of them now, stomping through palm trees, their distorted bodies glitching like broken avatars.
Hydro's expression hardened. "Alright, let's dance then."
He stepped forward, the first creature lunging at him. He ducked, grabbed its arm, twisted it, and slammed it into the ground. The thing burst into static dust. Another came from the side — Hydro backflipped, kicked it midair, then stomped the ground to absorb the landing shock.
But his strength was limited — he wasn't using his full power yet. His body still remembered restraint. He had to protect, not annihilate.
Not yet, he told himself. Not in front of them.
The Gates started spreading further apart — like multiplying errors across the code of the world. Hydro could sense faint data streams connecting them — traces of Daizo's corrupted System.
He muttered, "So this is Judgment, huh? What a joke."
Then, above all the noise, a voice echoed — deep, metallic, and eerily human.
"HYDRO UNDERGROVE."
Hydro froze mid-step. He knew that tone. That distorted reverb of hatred and god-complex.
He looked up — the red Gate in the center expanded, lightning flashing within it. A silhouette emerged, holding a glowing sword — metallic, long, infused with blood-red data circuits.
"Daizo…" Hydro whispered, eyes narrowing.
The silhouette smiled — jagged teeth visible through static flickers.
"IT'S BEEN A WHILE."
Hydro didn't respond. His fists clenched. The wind around him shifted, the world holding its breath.
Daizo stepped out completely, his body now unrecognizable — half-human, half-digital monster, his eyes glowing like corrupted rubies.
"You ruined everything," Daizo said, voice echoing across the island. "You destroyed my legacy, my machine, my honor."
Hydro's voice was calm, almost disappointed. "You destroyed that yourself, Daizo."
"You think you're some god of balance," Daizo spat, walking across the air as if gravity no longer applied. "But you're nothing without your swords. Without your pity."
Hydro's jaw tightened. "This isn't the place. There are still people here."
Daizo tilted his head. "Then let's make it quick."
Hydro glanced back — people still running toward the inland. Kristine, Bea, Kai — all of them moving fast. He had to stall, not fight yet.
He exhaled. "Daizo. You've got one chance. Shut that Gate down and maybe you can still save what's left of you."
Daizo laughed — a cruel, digital noise. "Save? Oh no, Hydro. I'm way past saving."
And with that, he raised his sword — red lightning crackling from the blade. The energy hit the sand and vaporized an entire volleyball net in an instant.
Hydro's eyes glowed faintly — the color of a dying star. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I figured."
The waves crashed, the wind screamed, and Hydro finally reached into his duffel bag — his hand brushing against the hilt of Ghost.
"Alright then…" he muttered, pulling it free. "Let's see what kind of 'Judgment' you really believe in."
The sword sang, light bursting out of it as the chapter ended on that rising hum — Hydro standing between the retreating survivors and Daizo's corrupted system army, knowing that this time, the fight wasn't just about survival.
It was about corruption, memory, and the line between humanity and godhood.
And the world — once again — was holding its breath for Hydro Undergrove.
The street road leading inland was chaos. Dust and sand still fell from the trees as tremors rumbled through the island. The sounds of screams, static howls, and collapsing gates echoed from the beach behind them. Bea, Atlarus, Terry, Yurei, Nate, Kai, Mina, Kristine, and Matt sprinted down the slope — sneakers, slippers, bare feet, anything to get traction on the dirt path.
"KEEP MOVIN'!" Bea shouted, sweat streaking her forehead. "Don't look back!"
Mina clutched Kristine's hand tightly. "M-Miss Kristine… what's happening?"
Kristine glanced back, face pale but calm for the girl's sake. "It's just… a bad dream, sweetheart. Keep running, okay?"
"Where's Hydro?" Nate shouted over the chaos.
"Back at the beach," Atlarus said, gritting her teeth. "He told us to run."
"Figures," Terry muttered, out of breath. "He's always the one covering for everyone."
They cut through a clearing near the cliffside. For a moment, the roar of monsters seemed distant — the sound of crashing waves echoing below.
Then a voice broke through the static.
"Well, well… look what we got here."
They stopped.
Out from the trees ahead, a group of men stepped forward — suits torn, sleeves rolled up, tattoos peeking from under white dress shirts. The emblem on their collars was unmistakable — the Konohagure Clan.
Ten of them, all armed.
"The Ohara Clan… I see now," one said, smirking. "The boss said you have Ghost. Where's the keeper?"
Bea's eyes sharpened instantly. "What are you talking about?"
Another Yakuza stepped up, a scar running down his cheek. "Don't play dumb, sweetheart. The blade's got a scent. It was last seen with your little community boy back there. Where's Hydro Undergrove? And where's the keeper of Ghost?"
Atlarus folded her arms. "He's not with us. What do you want from him?"
The man chuckled darkly. "You'll see. But we didn't come empty-handed. There's something else we're looking for too."
The group stiffened as one of the Yakuza pulled out a photo — old, creased, with a little girl's face on it.
Mina froze.
The man smirked. "Ahhh… the Five Million Dollar Girl too. Didn't think we'd hit two jackpots in one day."
Kristine's heart stopped. "Mina…?"
Mina blinked, confused, her small hand gripping tighter around Kristine's. "Why are they calling me that…?"
Bea's tone shifted — colder, sharper. "You better explain right now what the hell that means."
The man flipped the photo, showing the Konohagure Clan's insignia stamped on the back. "See, this little girl's daddy used to run one of our banks. Five million dollars vanished from our vaults — and before anyone could trace it, he disappeared and left his daughter holding the key."
Mina's eyes widened. She reached into her small pendant instinctively. Inside, a tiny metallic key glimmered faintly.
Kristine gasped. "That's what you— You mean this was the vault key?"
The Yakuza grinned. "Didn't know we'd get to attack Ohara, then get Ghost and the Girl at the same time. Easy money."
Bea stepped forward, eyes glowing faintly with blue light. "Oh yeah?"
The air shimmered. Magic energy pulsed through the group as intricate sigil lines crawled up their arms and across the ground.
In an instant, weapons materialized.
Bea's hands shimmered first — two blue-gold tonfas, glowing with divine etching, emitting faint bursts of kinetic light every time she flexed her wrists.
Atlarus manifested a halberd — long, curved, its pole wrapped with silver filigree. Its blade vibrated like a tuning fork of energy.
Terry's iron gauntlets clicked into place, hexagonal plates glowing with teal flames that pulsed like heartbeat sensors.
Nate raised a twin-bladed staff, both ends igniting into vibrant plasma.
Matt spun a chain scythe, the blade segmented with blue runes that shifted as it moved.
Kristine, despite her soft tone, drew a light crossbow, white and gold, her expression calm but ready — she'd trained for emergencies with Hydro before.
Kai held a folding blade, a short sword with circuitry-like patterns running down its spine — compact but deadly.
And Yurei Zeun… stepped back, eyes narrowing. In his hand, a faint blue flame flickered and took shape into a ashen bow, black as soot but lined with cracks of blue energy. The string was pure light, humming softly like a whisper from another realm.
The Yakuza stared, both impressed and uneasy.
"Well, damn," one of them said. "Didn't expect cosplayers to have actual weapons."
Bea smirked, sliding into stance. "If you want the girl and the Ghost…" she said, spinning her tonfas. "You'll have to go through us first."
The Yakuza sneered. "Don't say we didn't warn you."
In an instant, the two sides clashed.
Blue and red lights collided in bursts of sand and dirt. The sounds of clashing metal echoed through the forest. Bea ducked a punch, spun, and smashed her tonfa into a thug's ribs, launching him into a tree.
Terry caught a blade with his gauntlet, sparks flying, then threw a brutal uppercut that sent another Yakuza tumbling.
Yurei knelt and fired a charged arrow that split into three midair, hitting three targets at once — the energy burst knocking them off their feet.
Nate spun his staff like a propeller, parrying multiple attacks, then slammed it down, creating a shockwave that sent dust flying everywhere.
Kristine reloaded quickly, aiming carefully, her bolts hitting shoulders and weapons to disarm, not kill.
Amidst the chaos, Mina was pulled back by Kai, hiding her behind a boulder.
"Kai, what's happening?!" Mina said, shaking.
"They're after you," Kai said, gritting her teeth. "Just stay down, okay? We'll handle this."
But one Yakuza lunged past Terry, eyes locked on Mina. He raised a knife.
Before anyone could react, Atlarus flipped forward and kicked him right across the jaw — a brutal, clean strike that sent him flying. He slammed into the dirt with a grunt and didn't move.
The forest went silent for a second.
Bea cracked her knuckles. "Guess we still got it, huh?"
Atlarus smirked. "Oh, definitely."
Yurei looked back, eyes scanning the treeline. "We shouldn't stay here. More might be coming."
Bea nodded. "Let's move. Protect the girl."
As they regrouped, the camera metaphorically panned upward — the distant sound of thunder and crashing waves bleeding into the next scene.
Back at the shoreline, Hydro was a blur of motion.
Daizo floated above the water like some corrupted deity — red energy streaming from his body. His corrupted "Judgment Sword" vibrated with static.
Below, the ocean rippled violently as a Giant Orc, twisted and glitching like corrupted data, stomped through the shallows. Its eyes flickered like camera shutters, its mouth roaring with static growls.
Hydro didn't waste time — he sprinted along the shore, veering left and diving straight into the water. Daizo's red lightning followed, cutting through the surface behind him.
Hydro touched the waves — and everything changed.
"Shadow Surf."
His shadow peeled off the sand, spreading across the water like black ink. From it rose a manta ray-like construct, massive and sleek, its wings made of condensed void energy.
Hydro jumped on its back — and instantly, they were moving.
The Shadow Manta glided across the waves, leaving trails of dark mist. Hydro crouched low, wind slamming against his jacket as the water split around him.
Dozens of corrupted monsters gave chase — glitched beasts, water serpents, floating fragments of broken armor.
Hydro reached behind him — drawing Ghost with his right hand and God Eater with his left.
The clash began.
He swung God Eater first — the blade emitted pure divine resonance, slicing through the first creature and turning it into red static bits. Ghost followed immediately, its ethereal edge slicing through a second one mid-leap, the blade's spirit wailing faintly.
The Manta tilted sharply — Hydro ducked low, flipping both blades and parrying a tentacle strike. He spun Ghost once, then plunged it downward, impaling the creature from below as his shadow absorbed the impact.
The monsters kept coming — some from above, diving like corrupted eagles, others lunging from the depths.
Hydro kicked off the manta, flipping through the air and slicing downward — a perfect cross-slash that split four enemies midair.
As he fell, the Shadow Manta caught him again, gliding faster now, dodging incoming projectiles.
Hydro's breathing was sharp, focused. He wasn't angry — he was precise, like a storm that knew exactly where to hit.
Another creature lunged — Hydro threw Ghost like a boomerang, the blade spinning, cutting through three enemies before returning to his hand in a burst of spectral light.
God Eater glowed violently. Hydro gripped it tightly, then whispered, "Swords of Swords."
The ocean surface rippled as thousands of energy swords formed in the sky — glowing silhouettes of every weapon Hydro had ever mastered, suspended in midair.
Then — they fell.
Each blade struck true, raining down like divine punishment. The monsters didn't even have time to scream — they disintegrated into pixelated dust, dissolving into data mist that evaporated into the sea.
Hydro landed on the water's surface, standing atop it as if gravity forgot him. His coat flapped in the sea wind, droplets scattering around him.
Across the distance, Daizo hovered — unmoved, silent, watching.
Hydro raised his gaze slowly. The two locked eyes, both motionless, both aware this was the calm before the real storm.
The last remaining fragments of the corrupted beasts faded beneath the waves.
The only sound now was the ocean — and the faint hum of two god-tier weapons resonating against each other's presence.
Hydro pointed Ghost forward.
Daizo raised his Judgment Sword in reply.
The world trembled.
And between the crash of waves and the flicker of Gate light above them, the standoff began.
The water burned with light, streaks of purple and red stretching across the horizon like veins in the sky. Hydro stood knee-deep in the waves, both Ghost and God Eater humming in his hands — twin reflections of his dual existence. The battlefield around him? Unreal. The air cracked with noise, gates shimmering above the ocean as if the entire world had gone corrupted, glitching between realities.
Behind him, monsters of all kinds — twisted, polygonal, dripping black fluid — began closing in. Some looked like sharks with human arms, others like broken dolls held together by red wires. They muttered in static, their words half-human, half-machine.
"Kill the boy… destroy the code… eliminate the shadow user…"
Hydro tilted his head, irritated, exhausted, but still wearing that cold grin that never quite reached his eyes.
"Man, you all really don't shut up, huh?"
The monsters snarled, tightening their circle. But before any of them could move — the ocean erupted. Daizo Konohagure descended from above, floating like a glitching god, his body radiating red lines of system code. His right arm was fully mechanical now, eyes flickering between crimson and black.
"You've got nowhere to hide now, brat," Daizo growled, voice layered with distortion. "You've been in my way since the day you stole Ghost. You think you can play hero? You're just a scared little boy with too much power."
Hydro's grip tightened. "Hero? Nah. I'm just the guy cleaning up your mess."
Daizo smirked. "You don't seem to get it. You're not stopping me. You're standing in the way of something bigger — something cosmic. I've been chosen by the System Creator himself. The red code flows through me now."
He pointed at Hydro, his mechanical arm glowing. "You're obsolete."
Hydro raised his chin. "You talk too much."
Daizo laughed, spreading his arms wide — the ocean behind him split open like glass. Hundreds of Magic Beasts emerged — some flying, some crawling, some half-transparent as if spawned from corrupted data. Each one spoke in distorted tones, blending words and growls.
"The boy with the swords must fall…"
"The Ghost and the God Eater… cannot coexist…"
"He breaks the balance… delete the anomaly…"
Hydro sighed and slowly slid his swords back, letting them cross on his back. Shadows started creeping from his feet, spreading like smoke across the water.
"Alright then. You wanna play numbers? Let's play."
The shadows surged — dark tendrils stretching across the island as if the ground itself was waking up. And then, one by one, his army began to rise.
From the abyss came Noirach, the humanoid spider, crawling out with its long, black arms clinging to the sand, eyes gleaming blue.
Umbrion, the first of the Shadow Legion, walked out next, silent and regal, wielding a blade wrapped in black flame.
Then Tensilang, the twin-bladed samurai, his armor echoing faintly with the sound of ringing metal.
Behind him towered Dreadmaw, the colossal dinosaur-like beast whose roar made the sea tremble.
Then Dr. Totem, a hunched orc sorcerer carrying a floating skull, his voice crackling with runic chants.
And lastly, Terra, Hydro's oldest companion — her form shifting between solid and smoke, eyes glowing faintly gold.
Fifty thousand shadows filled the beach, their presence thick and heavy. The wind turned cold. The world seemed to pause.
Hydro cracked his neck, eyes gleaming. "Yeah. That's about right."
Daizo's grin twisted. "You think your shadows can stop me?"
"No," Hydro said. "They're just here to set the mood."
The shadows surged forward.
Everywhere, worlds collided.
The gates above Nagashima flickered, and fictional beings — characters from video games, cartoons, manga — started fighting into the new reality.
A squad of magical girls spun through the air, blasting energy beams at a horde of glitch wolves.
Toy soldiers fired tiny bullets that somehow exploded like grenades.
A mech pilot shouted, "Reactor's overheating!" before slamming into a dragon.
Even a group of Lego people tried to build a barricade out of beach chairs and snacks.
It was absurd, terrifying, and beautiful chaos.
Bea Tsuki and Atlarus were holding the line nearby, their blue blades cutting through the chaos like lightning. "We can't let them get through! Protect Mina!" Atlarus shouted.
Mina, clutching the golden key in her hand, hid behind Kristine. "I didn't mean to cause this…"
Kristine grabbed her hand, smiling. "Hey, hey, it's not your fault, kid. Just stay close, okay?"
Meanwhile, Hydro's shadow army clashed with Daizo's beasts — black fire against corrupted code. Umbrion sliced through a lion-headed demon. Tensilang leapt into a crowd of ghouls, spinning like a cyclone. Noirach threw webs made of pure shadow, trapping monsters midair and crushing them.
Hydro ran straight into the frontlines, his movements blindingly fast, cutting through enemies with both swords — the ethereal glow of Ghost blending with the divine fire of God Eater. Every swing drew streaks of blue and gold light, scattering fragments of reality like pixels.
clang!
slash!
boom!
The sound of chaos drowned everything.
Daizo raised his corrupted sword — black and red, dripping like molten code. "You think you can fight me, Undergrove? You're nothing but a failed vessel. A monster pretending to be human."
Hydro spat blood, then smirked. "Yeah? Maybe. But at least I didn't sell my soul for a f███ing power-up."
They charged.
Every clash shook the ground — Hydro's movements sharp, Daizo's attacks heavy like earthquakes. Hydro dodged a downward strike, his shadow soldiers leaping to shield him. Dreadmaw bit a corrupted wyvern in half while Hydro flipped backward, landing on the beast's spine before vaulting toward Daizo again.
The two blades met — Ghost shimmering with sorrow, God Eater blazing like divine wrath. Sparks exploded. The world flashed white.
Daizo growled. "You're wasting potential! You could've been like me — unstoppable!"
Hydro's eyes glowed faintly purple. "Nah. Being unstoppable just means you stopped growing."
Daizo roared and sent a wave of red energy across the battlefield. Hydro crossed his swords to block, the explosion flinging him back into the sand. His coat was torn, blood dripping down his cheek — but he was still standing.
Hydro looked up, smiling through the pain. "You done?"
Daizo hovered, raising his sword again. "You're finished, brat. Your shadows won't save you this time."
The monsters regrouped, surrounding Hydro as the shadow soldiers began fading, their energy almost depleted. The ocean boiled. The air thinned.
Hydro breathed out slowly, his pupils shrinking. "Alright…" he muttered, voice low.
"Come get some... "
The two charged once more — water and fire exploding beneath their feet. The world warped around them, colors glitching, time skipping frames like a corrupted video. Hydro swung upward with Ghost, Daizo blocked, and Hydro countered with God Eater, slicing through Daizo's red code barrier.
Daizo screamed, his arm disintegrating into static. "You… you bastard!"
Hydro didn't answer. He just stepped forward, slowly, until he stood inches away. "You said I've got nowhere to hide? You're right. I don't hide. I fight."
But before Hydro could strike again — Daizo unleashed a final blast of red data, engulfing everything around them. The ground exploded. The shockwave hit Hydro like a truck, sending him crashing into the shoreline. His swords flew out of his hands, embedding themselves into the ground meters away.
Hydro struggled to stand, the wind knocked out of him. Daizo's laughter echoed through the burning waves.
"See, Hydro? You can't win against the Creator's code. You were never meant to exist in this world."
Hydro's eyes dimmed as he looked up at the sky, his body trembling. "Guess I'll just… break the code, then."
The screen — the sky — the gates above — all flickered red, white, black. The fight wasn't over. Not yet.
Hydro, bloodied and breathless, standing in the smoke as Daizo's power keeps rising, the world literally collapsing around them.
Daizo laughed through blood and broken pixels, his aura flaring like corrupted static. His eyes were burning red, flickering like a broken CRT screen. "You think you've won, Undergrove?!" His voice glitched mid-sentence, like an old VHS tearing itself apart.
Hydro wiped the blood off his cheek, his tone calm but ice-cold. "No," he said, raising his blade, *God Eater* humming like a sleeping sun about to awaken. "I already have."
The air trembled. Reality started to fold as both their energies collided — crimson data static from Daizo, dark blue cosmic radiance from Hydro. It wasn't a fight anymore; it was two universes crashing together.
Daizo dashed, leaving behind afterimages of glitch and flame. Hydro countered with blinding precision, his body moving like instinct — no hesitation, no thought, just pure motion. Their blades clashed, the impact shattering the sky for miles.
"Your system's gone rogue, Daizo!" Hydro shouted, sparks flying from God Eater's edge. "You're not even fighting for the clan anymore — you're just a puppet!"
Daizo smirked, blood dripping from his teeth. "Then what are you fighting for? A bunch of fake people? A corrupted world that doesn't even need you?"
Hydro spun, his sword glowing brighter. "I fight for the ones who still believe they're real."
The ground exploded as Hydro slammed his foot down, summoning Ghost with his other hand. Both swords now in play — divine and haunted — the battlefield lit up like a storm made of memories and judgment.
Daizo screamed and charged again. Hydro blocked with Ghost and instantly countered with God Eater, a radiant slash tearing through Daizo's guard. Sparks and glitching particles flew as Daizo stumbled back, growling in fury.
Then Hydro's expression changed — that smirk, the one that said this is over.
He lowered his stance, God Eater aimed straight forward.
Daizo hesitated for half a second. "What are you—"
Hydro's grin widened. "I got the last laugh."
The divine blade lit up like a cannon made of compressed stars. The air bent around it. Time slowed. And with one pull of his will, God Eater fired — a straight beam of holy energy blasting Daizo through buildings, through the sky, through his own corruption.
Daizo screamed as he was sent flying, his data-like body glitching apart midair.
Hydro exhaled sharply, then moved.
He raised his hand — Dominion of Harmony.
Invisible tendrils of force wrapped around Daizo mid-flight, grabbing him like gravity itself had chosen sides.
"You think power makes you untouchable," Hydro said, his voice steady as stone. "It only makes you accountable."
He threw Daizo down with telekinetic rage, slamming him through a high-rise. Concrete shattered like glass, flames bursting out in spirals.
Hydro didn't stop — he grabbed a massive chunk of rubble mid-air with pure telekinesis and flung it like a meteor. It slammed into Daizo again, detonating with enough force to make the ocean ripple.
Daizo coughed up blood, his corrupted fabrics glowing and stitching themselves together. "You… you can't—"
Hydro appeared in front of him with a blur. "I can."
He snapped his fingers. "Dagger Rush."
Dozens of spectral daggers flew from his duffel bag, spiraling through the air like guided bullets. Each dagger pierced Daizo's form, breaking the digital corruption apart piece by piece until Daizo fell to one knee.
Hydro raised his arm again. "Shadow Spear."
Five enormous spears of pure shadow erupted around him and launched forward in unison, impaling Daizo's regenerating body, pinning him to the ground. Daizo's scream was cut short as his entire form began to flicker, the Judgment System glowing through his chest like a dying heart.
Daizo's system flared — red holographic symbols spiraled around him, glitching and twitching.
[JUDGMENT SYSTEM: LIMIT MODE ENGAGED. POWER OVERFLOW—]
Hydro walked closer, dragging God Eater across the ground. Sparks hissed against the asphalt.
Daizo raised his head, eyes wide in panic now. "You can't destroy it—! You can't destroy—"
Hydro leveled the sword at him. "Watch me."
He charged it one more time — a blinding pulse of divine light — and fired point-blank. The beam tore through Daizo's core, splitting the Judgment System in half and reducing his corrupted essence into nothing but radiant dust.
Daizo's last words were static. "The—Creator—will—"
Then silence.
Pixelated ash scattered in the wind.
Hydro exhaled, lowering God Eater. The battlefield was silent. The monsters that still remained began backing away instinctively, trembling before the energy radiating from him.
Hydro turned his head slightly. His expression softened. "Buona vita nell'aldilà, Daizo."
Good life in the afterlife.
Then — he raised his hand again. The air twisted, shadows swirling around him like a living aurora.
"Fixation."
A quiet hum filled the air — then, a symphony.
The sky brightened. The storm clouds parted. The shattered buildings reassembled in reverse, glass pieces floating up like fireflies. Trees regrew their branches. Cracked streets healed themselves. The ocean calmed.
Every single wound of Nagashima Island mended as if time itself bowed before Hydro's will.
His aura spread — dark mixed with light, shadow with color. Every particle shimmered, painting the ruined land back to life. It wasn't destructive power anymore. It was creation. Restoration. Harmony.
A hurricane of color burst from him — swirling black, blue, gold, and crimson. The wind reversed, pulling debris and ashes back into form. Broken glass reassembled midair, bridges reattached, buildings rewound into their original shape. Every collapsed structure rewound like time itself was apologizing.
The beasts' bodies atomized, sucked into their own Gates. The sky flickered — those Gates collapsing in on themselves with vibrant light, until only calm remained.
The ocean stilled. The sun peeked out.
Hydro stood at the center, eyes closed, the shadow of God Eater planted in the sand. For once, the world was quiet.
No more chaos.
No more systems.
Just silence — and the faint sound of waves.
He turned around, watching in the distance where his friends were — alive, safe, and clueless about the storm that almost wiped them all out.
Hydro smiled faintly. "Guess I gotta come up with another story again…" he muttered, brushing dust off his sleeve.
He picked up his duffel bag, slinging it over his shoulder. The sea wind hit his face, warm this time, carrying that familiar scent of peace after war.
And as the sun lowered into the horizon, Hydro whispered softly — almost like to himself:
"Let's keep moving. There's still light left to chase."
He walked away.
The camera pans to the sky, where the sun flares in a burst of gold — washing away every trace of the battle that came before.
Nagashima was quiet again.
The nightmare was over.