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There was an entire empire beneath the ocean, guarded by legendary beasts long believed to be extinct. Yet they had never vanished… they had lived in the depths all along—fierce by nature, but completely obedient to the queen's authority. None dared to disobey her.
Despite this immense wall of protection, the empire's cities thrived with life. Suspended trains faster than magnetic rails, towering skyscrapers, strange advanced vehicles, and technology seamlessly blended with the marine environment—this harmony was the secret beauty of the underwater nation.
At the center of this majestic civilization stood a colossal palace floating atop an artificial island. It looked like a moving fortress, surrounded by heavy weapons and complex machinery. On each side stood two towering giants forged from Aetherinium, a magical metal used to build the bodies of giants and sometimes industrial energy cores.
Inside this fortress, in a hidden meeting chamber, three figures sat face to face:
The King and Queen of Coralia… and the Queen of Veridian.
The King of Coralia broke the silence with a long, weary exhale after discussing the events of the day.
With tension in his voice, he said:
"Let me summarize what you witnessed… My children and that strange boy were caught in a fierce battle against four Awakened. They defeated two, but their leader killed the others. And when he sensed our presence, he sent the rest of his soldiers to delay us… so he could kill my children.
That boy… he's the one who saved them.
Even after his chest was pierced and his spine shattered… he reappeared behind the traitor butler from within a black cloud. Then he lit my daughter's sword with a strange violet flame that pierced the defenses of a Master-rank Awakened… and he pulled him down with him, throwing himself and the traitor into the abyss at the last moment?"
Queen Veridian replied softly:
"Yes…"
The king and queen still struggled to accept that a child the same age as their son had survived such a battle… let alone dragged down a Master-rank Awakened, a being heavier than a hundred-story building.
The king placed his hand against his forehead and muttered bitterly:
"Even after hearing the whole story… I still can't believe something like this actually happened."
Queen Veridian added:
"You're right… and what's even stranger is that the boy was human. It's normal for different races to appear here, but for him to be at the outskirts of the island instead of inside the inhabited city… it makes no sense."
Queen Coralia raised her head for the first time since the meeting began and said:
"Whatever he was doing there… he did nothing wrong. He gave his life for our children. The least we can do is honor him… with a proper funeral."
The king clenched his fist and spoke with regret:
"If only I had arrived sooner… that boy wouldn't have had to lose his life."
Queen Lythandra of the Elf's said gently:
"Belinar… this wasn't your fault. As you said, the boy wouldn't have survived anyway. Perhaps in his final moments, he chose this path. You know what happens to anyone who enters the Molten Rift… even we cannot escape it easily."
Silence settled once more. Their heads lowered in grief for the savior of their children.
---
Days After the Incident…
Caspian trained relentlessly with his father, testing his new strength, but every time he tried to use a skill, a sharp pain stabbed through his mana core.
It wasn't surprising; awakening at fifteen was normal. Early awakening, however, caused instability within one's bloodline.
And in Caspian's case… fear, stress, defeat, and the loss of a friend—even briefly—had left a deep scar.
Once his condition finally stabilized, his father spoke in his steady voice, though worry trembled beneath it:
"Don't push yourself too hard, son. Awakening before your time… is already a miracle."
Caspian looked away and answered:
"I know… but after the Hero awakened, many followed. I'm the seventh… which means others came before me and are already stronger."
He wanted power—not for admiration—but so he would never relive that moment of helplessness again.
His sister's screams, her fear, her tears… all of it echoed in his mind.
But he didn't realize these very thoughts were breaking his focus; true strength required mental and emotional discipline, not just physical training—something Caspian always dismissed as weakness.
One day, after a long session that yielded nothing, he crossed paths with his sister.
She too had changed. Watching her savior die for her—after she doubted him and refused to trust him—filled her with tormenting guilt.
Even on the day of his honorary funeral… she couldn't bring herself to attend. She only visited his grave in secret, crying each time.
They stood facing each other—
Caspian's bright smile gone, replaced by gloom, frustration, and exhaustion…
Cordelia's eyes empty, with dark circles carved beneath them from endless nightmares.
Neither had known a single day of peace.
The king and queen watched helplessly. No matter how much time they spent with their children, their joy never lasted. But after a year and six months,
---
Then One Day…
Caspian was fighting the beasts of the island, his spear moving with the speed and precision of a viper's strike. Without using a single skill, he shredded the five-star ghoul before him—similar to the one Arthur had slain in their first encounter. Every thrust tore open flesh or split limbs apart.
Minutes later, the monster was nothing but dismembered remains.
Caspian stood atop a hill of corpses.
He was only fourteen, yet his power had multiplied beyond belief.
A faint smile returned—not the arrogant smirk of before, but a calm, mature one.
Then he heard applause.
His parents, sister, and several nobles and ministers stood watching, clapping in admiration.
His mother and sister approached him with gentle smiles—expressions they hadn't worn in a long time—and handed him a towel and a large bottle of water.
His father spoke proudly:
"Well done… You're finally ready for the academy. But since there's still a long time before registration begins, we decided it's the right moment for you to go out and explore the outside world."
Caspian nodded quietly, then looked toward the central continent where the academy stood—surrounded by all other continents like the heart of the world.
With genuine excitement this time, he said:
"I'm ready."
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