Eleo slammed the door open and flopped face-first onto the floor with a heavy thud.
"Owwwwwww…" he groaned, sprawled out like a starfish, arms and legs spread wide.
He blinked slowly, then lifted his head and looked around the empty room. "Wait… where'd everybody go?"
Crawling to the window, he pressed his face against the glass—rain hammered down in sheets, and thunder boomed across the dark horizon.
"It's storming?"
Panic sparked in his chest. He scrambled to his feet and rushed out, checking Amai's room first. Empty. Then Chiyo and Timmy's. Also gone.
His eyes went wide. "No way... don't tell me they're all dead…"
He sprinted up to the deck, bursting through the door—immediately getting smacked by howling wind and drenched by freezing rain. His ears flopped wildly from the force.
But then—he saw them.
Everyone was standing at the front of the ship, silhouettes against the storm.
"Guys! You're alive!"
Tony turned, visibly annoyed. "Of course we are."
Chiyo glanced back, rain dripping from her hair. "Yeah, Amai woke us up. Said we're almost at World 2."
Timmy popped up from Chiyo's head, raising his tiny arms. "And there's gonna be legendary monsters!"
Kenji folded his arms, expression stone-cold. "We'll kill them."
Olorun cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Pfft. Yeah, I ain't scared of no monster."
Amai stood at the railing, soaked, her hair clinging to her face. "Let's just pray I or Kawai don't die… or this whole ship goes poof."
Kawai let out a worried, "Meep meep."
Eleo stepped forward, blinking through the rain. "Wait… are you sure if Kawai dies, the ship explodes?"
Amai nodded without turning. "I'm positive. I go poof too."
Kenji narrowed his eyes. "Then shouldn't you be in your room?"
Amai shrugged. "I don't wanna miss this."
Suddenly—
WHAM!
The ship jolted violently. Everyone stumbled as the vessel lurched downward, as though the sea itself had grabbed hold and yanked it beneath the waves.
Chiyo shouted, gripping the rail, "What the hell was that?!"
Tony ran for the helm, boots splashing across the wet deck. "The engine stopped! Looks like we're sailing the old-fashioned way!"
Timmy squeaked in terror. "No! That means we're easier to spot! The monsters'll get us!"
Olorun's eyes widened. "Shit. He's right."
"MEEP! MEEP! MEEP!" Kawai shrieked, spinning in frantic circles.
A flash of brilliant white split the sky—
CRACK!!
Lightning struck the deck dead-center.
Tony swore loudly. "Shit, shit, shit—okay, this is bad!"
Flames burst from the strike point, licking hungrily across the wooden planks.
Kenji drew a sword, expression grim. "This is bad."
Chiyo glared at the fire spreading fast. "We just fixed this damn ship!"
Eleo pointed eagerly. "Let's just spit on it!"
Olorun grinned wide. "Yo, he's right!"
The two immediately started spitting wildly at the flames.
Chiyo smacked them both upside the head. "Quit messing around!"
Timmy peeked out from Chiyo's hair, eyes wide. "Wait—look. The rain's putting it out."
Slowly, the flames sizzled and died under the relentless downpour.
Amai's eyes narrowed. She moved carefully toward the edge of the deck, staring into the churning darkness beyond. "Hold on…"
Kenji turned sharply, hand already gripping his second sword. "You see it too."
Amai nodded slowly. "Yeah… the monsters."
Kenji's voice dropped low and dangerous. "Eleo. Olorun. Chiyo. Get ready."
He stepped forward, water dripping from his hair, both swords gleaming under the lightning's glow.
"They're about to attack."
---
Chiyo stepped up beside Kenji, eyes sharp and focused. Rain hammered down around them as thunder cracked across the black sky. The sea churned violently beneath the ship—
And then—
BOOM!!
A massive bolt of lightning struck the ocean just ahead, and from it surged a colossal Lightning Snake, its body glowing with crackling electricity, scales flickering with raw power. It burst from the water with a roar that shook the entire vessel.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" Chiyo screamed, eyes wide with shock.
Kawai screeched, "MEEP!!" and immediately dove behind Amai, trembling violently.
Timmy followed, clinging desperately to Amai's leg. "We're all gonna die!"
Kenji stepped forward without hesitation, swords raised high. "KEN-SLASH!!"
With a powerful roar, he slashed through the air with both blades, sending twin shockwaves of cutting force straight at the serpent.
Chiyo leaped forward, raising her hands with fierce determination. "Time to go BOOM, babies! Mini Cute Bats!!"
In a flurry of sparkles, dozens of small, fluffy bats with shiny button eyes and puffball bodies appeared. They zipped toward the Lightning Snake, squeaking adorably—
Then their eyes turned into shimmering hearts.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
They exploded in midair, surrounding the monster in bursts of pink and white light. The snake shrieked as electricity flared wildly across its massive body.
But it wasn't down.
Its entire form sparked violently before it opened its gaping maw and shot a massive bolt of lightning—
KZZZAAAAAAK!!
"KENJI!!" Chiyo screamed in warning.
Kenji didn't flinch. He launched himself into the air, blades crossed before him. "I've got it!"
BOOOOM!!
The lightning struck him dead-on, exploding in a brilliant blast of white and gold. Smoke trailed from his body as he crashed hard onto the deck, landing motionless.
"KENJI!!!" Chiyo and Timmy cried out together.
Chiyo rushed forward, summoning her bats again with frantic urgency. "Go! Get him back!"
The bats fluttered around Kenji's limp form, gently grabbing hold and pulling him back from the edge of the ship.
"Amai!" Chiyo shouted, voice edged with panic. "I need you to heal him—now!"
Amai shook her head, face stricken. "I—I can't! My powers only work during the day!"
"Crap!" Chiyo gritted her teeth.
Tony was still fighting the wheel at the helm. "Shit! The ship's not stopping! We're headed straight for the snake!"
Chiyo turned, shouting over the roaring wind. "Eleo! Olorun! Get your asses up here—we need backup!"
Eleo shot to his feet, dripping wet and wide-eyed. "Huh?! What happened?!"
Olorun cracked his neck, staring directly at the serpent with burning eyes. "Snakes… I HATE snakes."
He launched off the deck with explosive force. "SUPER JUMP!!"
As he flew through the stormy air, he began spinning rapidly. "SPIN TORNADO!!"
His body became a blur of limbs and raw speed—arms whirling like helicopter blades, slicing through wind and rain.
WHAM!!!
Olorun crashed directly into the snake's face, sending electricity flying in all directions.
But the violent impact sent him flying backward—
SPLASH!
He slammed hard into the ocean.
"Olorun!!" Chiyo screamed.
Timmy grabbed Eleo's arm desperately. "ELEO! Go get him!!"
"I'm on it!" Eleo shouted, eyes blazing. "Ink Rope!"
He hurled his rope into the churning water—it stretched out like a lifeline, wrapping around Olorun and yanking him back toward the ship.
But suddenly—
The Lightning Snake dove beneath the vessel and slammed violently into its underside.
The entire ship bucked upward.
Eleo stumbled—
"Whoa—!"
SPLASH!!
He was dragged overboard, still clutching the rope as he plunged into the black water.
"ELEO!!" Timmy screamed, running to the edge.
---
Underwater, everything was a blur of bubbles and shifting dark blue light. Eleo kicked furiously, still gripping the rope tight as he saw Olorun being dragged deeper by the snake's thrashing body.
And then—he froze.
From the abyss below, shapes began to rise.
More monsters.
Huge. Ancient. Terrifying.
Scales glimmering in the deep. Eyes glowing like distant stars. Teeth flashing white in the darkness.
Eleo's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
"…What the heck are those?"
The Lightning Snake twisted violently in the water, its body flickering with crackling energy. Olorun pulled back his fist and thrust it forward with all his strength.
WHAM!
His punch connected with the snake's face.
Nothing.
"OW—why is it built like a brick wall?!" Olorun shouted, shaking his hand in pain. "WHO MADE THIS THING?!"
The Lightning Snake hissed in pure rage.
But before it could strike—
GRRRRAAAAAAH!!!
From the shadows far below, the mouths of several massive monsters opened wide, releasing beams of multicolored energy that tore through the water.
Eleo's eyes widened in horror. "OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT—!!"
He twisted desperately, barely dodging a beam that flew past his face. "That almost vaporized my cute little nose!"
A few of the beams missed—but several others struck the Lightning Snake directly.
KA-BOOOOOOM!!!
The serpent was obliterated instantly, reduced to glowing chunks of meat and rising bubbles.
Silence filled the underwater space for a moment.
Then Olorun started wriggling his arms and legs, doing a little underwater victory dance. "I'M ALIVE! WOOOO!!"
Eleo grinned and started bobbing up and down, flailing his arms. "UNDERWATER PARTY!!"
Suddenly—
A beam of eerie light broke through the depths from below.
They both turned—and their jaws dropped.
Floating in the dark abyss were dozens upon dozens of legendary monsters—some locked in fierce, thrashing battles, others roaring and glowing with otherworldly power.
And a few… had their glowing eyes locked directly on Eleo and Olorun.
Several monsters began charging beams in their gaping mouths.
Eleo and Olorun looked at each other, expressions mirroring pure terror.
The beams shot toward them.
They both screamed in unison and swam for their lives.
---
Meanwhile, back on the ship…
Tony stood at the rail, squinting through the rain and scanning the churning sea. Lightning flashed behind him, illuminating his drenched face.
"Alright, let's see—" His eyes widened. "What in the actual hells...?"
From the ocean, a dozen massive beams of brilliant light burst through the waves, one after another, illuminating the storm in violent flashes.
Tony blinked slowly, processing. "Huh. Looks like Eleo and Olorun are having a party." He casually stepped back. "A really flashy one."
In the middle of the rain-soaked deck, Timmy bounced frantically on Kenji's chest. "KENJI, PLEASE WAKE UP!! I'll—I'll clean your swords for you! I'll even polish the handles, okay?!"
Kawai whined and jumped on top of him too, tiny flippers patting his face gently.
Kenji groaned faintly but didn't open his eyes.
Amai knelt beside them, brow furrowed with concern. "Timmy, do you have anything? Any potions? Healing dust? Magic jellybeans?"
Timmy looked down, voice small and defeated. "I really can't do much without potions. Once we hit World 2, I promise I'll buy like—so many. I'll even get the shiny kinds."
Suddenly—
CRACK!!
Lightning struck the mast again. The ship trembled violently, but miraculously, nothing caught fire.
Tony shouted over the wind, "Okay, that was too close! We can't fly outta here—which probably wouldn't help anyway—and we can't use the booster 'cause the engine's DEAD!"
He turned to Amai, frustration clear on his face. "Please tell me there's a way to turn it back on!"
Amai crossed her arms with a deadpan expression. "If the engine magically turned off, blame the strongest barrier in World 1. And I'm pretty sure we ran out of gas after sailing for five straight days without stopping."
Tony stared at her blankly. "…So no, then?"
Before anyone could respond—
WHOOOOOOM!!
Two more legendary monsters burst violently from the water—one to the left, one to the right. Their massive forms towered above the deck, roaring with primal rage that shook the air itself.
Timmy and Kawai screamed and clung desperately to each other, trembling.
"MEEEEP!"
"WE'RE TOO SMALL FOR THIS!!"
Chiyo rolled her eyes, summoning more of her explosive bats with a flick of her wrist. "Great. More of these bastards."