The seal Cthulhu had cast upon Haru began to tremble.
Fine cracks spiderwebbed across its surface—fragile lines trying to contain something too vast, too powerful.
And then—
Boom!
The seal shattered.
In an instant, everything returned to its rightful place. Haru's memories surged back like a crashing wave, grounding him, centering him.
It calmed his breathing… but not the cold fury raged in his crimson eyes. Even before a King-Rank being, Haru stood undeterred and unshaken.
Cthulhu, for the first time, seemed uncertain.
"What… are you?" the sea king asked, his deep voice echoing with genuine confusion.
Haru didn't flinch. He met the beast's gaze and said, calmly yet firmly, "Let go of me."
A moment passed—and then the tentacles restraining him began to change color.
Red…
Yellow…
Bright blue…
Until—
Fwoom!
They erupted into flames, hissing and cracking, before melting into ash.
Freed from their grasp, Haru's body began to fall—limp, but conscious.
