---
"Is this the last time I will be of use to anyone?"
The statement was not a cry of despair, but rather a soft whisper from within the heart, when he slowly stepped toward death. Something that Ren felt after successfully saving someone, even though he himself was not saved.
His consciousness slowly faded. His body was swallowed by the current and he sank deeper and deeper into the dark depths that seemed endless. Sharp pain spread from the wound on his back and shoulder, making his movements increasingly weak. Fresh blood seeped out and mixed with the salty water that pressed upon his entire body.
Every time he tried to take a breath, all that entered was the cold water, and his lungs felt squeezed dry as if not given even the slightest space to survive.
The water was cold, a cold that pierced to the bone and slowly stole every trace of warmth from his body. The world around him vanished, swallowed by silence. There was no longer the roar of the storm, no longer the frantic screams of the passengers, not even the thrum of the ship's engine. All the sounds that had previously filled his ears were now gone. What remained was only the silence that slowly consumed him.
His eyes briefly caught the refraction of moonlight that pierced the sea surface above him, glittering for a moment then fading as his body fell deeper and deeper. Amidst that darkness, vague shadows flickered. Whether it was just a hallucination due to his wavering mind, or indeed sea creatures passing by. The water pressure increasingly pressed against his chest and made time seem to stop.
Even on the verge of that death, Ren showed a faint, resigned smile blossoming on his lips. As if to convey that he could only accept what he was experiencing. Accepting all that happened.
For someone like him, there was no better decision than saving the lives of two poor little children in that condition, even if he had to sacrifice himself. That satisfaction arose from the resignation and humility that he performed until the end, and that was more than enough.
"How unlucky... I hope I can find a new life that isn't boring" he said, hoping with a resigned tone.
Ren closed his eyes in the depths of the sea, allowing his body to be carried away by the current and the terrifying silence. In his mind, the events of the last few moments spun—the calm atmosphere inside the ship, the tragedy of the ship's damage, the boy he saved from the wreckage, and his own body which was now helpless. Everything seemed so clear, and looked so real.
And before everything disappeared, his mind focused on a few moments ago. A terrifying night, the night before he sank helplessly.
That was the beginning of all the chaos…
—
A Few Moments Earlier…
—
The night sky stretched calmly above the vast ocean. The moonlight reflected a faint sheen on the water's surface, while drizzle fell like a fine curtain that enveloped the ship's deck. Waves rolled slowly, as if accompanying the long journey toward the opposite continent.
In the middle of that ocean, a large ship filled with many passengers moved slowly. Inside, its passengers were busy with their own worlds, some were chatting, others were eating heartily. And in one corner of the dining room, a young man sat alone.
His name was Shiumi Ren. A 20-year-old man, he was about to go to Europe with the aim of working there. He undertook that journey using this ship, crossing the wide ocean toward the foreign continent that awaited him.
Inside the ship, Ren sat eating alone while daydreaming about the job he would eventually do. The spoon in his hand moved slowly, then stopped. His gaze was empty, piercing the window glass wet with drizzle. The sound of clinking spoons and glasses nearby, mixed with the aroma of hot soup and toasted bread. But for Ren, all that hustle and bustle only sounded faintly, as if he were separated by an invisible glass wall.
A murmur finally escaped his lips, "Huh… working in Europe, huh?" he said softly, before letting out a resigned sigh. His face clearly radiated a fatigue that was difficult for him to hide, the lines of exhaustion were even more evident than the spirit that should have accompanied the journey toward the future.
"I hope, the job there is not too heavy, and the employees there are friendly towards an Asian like me" Ren thought while eating his food. The spoon moved again, but slowly, as if only to fill his stomach, not because he truly wanted to.
While eating, Ren's empty gaze finally stopped on something. Not far from his table, two little children were seen playing while laughing cheerfully. They were talking to each other with light tones. Their laughter was so clear, echoing among the sound of spoons and glasses, making Ren feel as if happiness was something far away from him.
He looked down, staring at the spoon in his hand that faintly glistened, struck by the light of the lamp. A thin feeling of envy crept into his heart, not only for the cheerfulness of those children, but also for the freedom they possessed.
A memory then appeared, crawling slowly from a corner of his mind.
Ren remembered his own childhood. A time when he had run on the field with his friends, laughing until he ran out of breath, or returning home with dirty hands full of soil while being greeted by the warm voices of his family. That was the happiest time, a time where he could laugh freely without thinking about the burden of life.
"If only time could be repeated…" he muttered in his heart. His lips formed a bitter smile, but it quickly faded, replaced by an empty gaze that pierced the plate in front of him. That hope felt like an impossible dream, because he knew that what awaited him ahead was only responsibility in a foreign country.
Spoonful after spoonful then went into his mouth. The taste of the food felt bland, as if it was only to satisfy his stomach. All around him, the sound of the children's laughter and the conversations of the passengers mixed into one, creating a small warm world, but Ren still felt like a stranger trapped in his own loneliness.
—
Meanwhile, on the upper deck, the atmosphere appeared different.
In the wheelhouse, the captain stood tall, gazing at the ocean which lay calm behind a thin fog. His hands gripped the ship's wheel with full conviction, as if the night's voyage was guaranteed to be without disruption.
However, a few moments later, in the midst of that calm, a faint voice spoke. A captain's instinct seemed to whisper and warn that something like a disaster was about to happen.
Suddenly, dark clouds began to accumulate on the western horizon. The wind also intensified, forcing the ship to adjust its direction and speed.
The captain continued to look out at the open sea and felt the bad premonition growing stronger. The fog grew thicker, obscuring the view ahead. Visibility was no more than a few dozen meters, making everything seem vague, like a white wall swallowing all shapes.
"What is that...?" he muttered, his eyes staring sharply, trying to pierce the white curtain that was rolling over the sea surface.
A dark shadow appeared in the fog, vague but slowly becoming clearer. The captain's heart pounded, a bad premonition spreading from the nape of his neck to his fingertips. As that thing drew closer, its shape began to become discernible, causing his eyes to widen, cold sweat dripping down his temples.
"That's—!?"
A giant iceberg suddenly emerged from behind the fog, looming cold only tens of meters in front of the bow. Its surface was rough, gleaming pale in the dim light, like an unyielding wall ready to swallow their ship.
"Danger!" The captain reflexively spun the ship's wheel with all his strength, trying to turn the ship sideways. However, it was all too late. The ship's momentum was too great, and the distance was too close. The next second, a collision sound shook the entire ship.
"BBOOOMMM!"
A hard impact shook the ship. The middle section of the hull struck the iceberg with a long creaking sound, steel crushed and peeled away. Large waves slammed the side of the ship, the deck vibrated violently, and the emergency siren roared, shattering the foggy night.
The booming sound resonated throughout the ship's body, causing the mast and framework to tremble like fractured bones. From the lower section came the roar of seawater rushing in, indicating that the hull could no longer withstand the pressure. The ship began to lose balance, slowly tilting to one side.
""W-what happened!?" shouted a crew member, his face pale.
"That sound… no mistake about it," whispered another in a trembling voice.
"Captain! What should we do!?"
The captain stared intently at the severely torn front structure of the ship. Cracks in the steel were clearly visible even though shrouded in fog. His breathing was heavy, but his voice was firm, cutting through the panic. "We hit a large iceberg. The ship's hull is destroyed, and if that crack widens, the ship could break apart at any time."
"Hi… hit an iceberg!?" one of the crew members was startled, his body shaking.
Hearing that, the crew members immediately turned toward the destroyed part of the ship. "Aaahh!? What is this—!?" Their eyes widened, shocked to see the bow truly torn apart. The steel cracks slowly widened, as if the front part of the ship could collapse at any moment.
The captain slammed his fist onto the ship's wheel. "Damn it! How could there be an iceberg that large on this route!?" he shouted, anger boiling along with the piercing fear.
For a moment he wanted to keep cursing, but the tense looks of his subordinates made him realize there was no time to drown in emotion. His jaw tightened, he took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turmoil in his chest. "No time to be upset… I must immediately find a way out," he muttered softly, more to himself, while thinking of a way to face this extremely urgent situation.
"You all! Quickly evacuate the passengers and guide them toward the stern of the ship! Immediately!" shouted the captain, his voice cutting through the storm's din.
"Yes, Captain!" The crew members rushed to carry out the order, their faces tense but full of determination.
The captain grabbed the loudspeaker, his voice trembling yet firm. "Attention! The ship's section has collided with an iceberg! All passengers immediately proceed to the stern! Put on life jackets, prepare to anticipate an emergency situation!"
The warning echoed throughout the deck. Instantly, panic broke out. Passengers ran in all directions, their screams mixing with the roar of the storm. The ship's crew tried to direct the evacuation route, shouting loudly to pierce through the low-pitched sounds of crying and screaming.
Ren, who was still in the dining room, felt his body tremble violently. He muttered to himself, "This… why could something like this happen!? Hit an iceberg, he said!? Damn" His hands trembled, his gaze fixed on the water that began to seep in from the lower floor, pooling around the frantic passengers' shoes. The screams of other passengers mixed with the shouts of the crew trying to maintain order.
Ren started running out to go toward the stern with the other passengers. The passengers, most of them in a state of shock and hysteria, rushed to grab life jackets and anything that could float in order to survive amidst the storm's onslaught. The sounds of crying and shouting mixed, creating a panic that increasingly suffocated the air.
But the ship's condition worsened. Its list continued to increase, and groaning and creaking sounds from the metal were heard, signaling the ship's imminent destruction.
The crack grew larger. The sound of steel shrieked loudly, causing the ship's body to be nearly split in two. The front section began to sink, dragging those who had not managed to save themselves. Meanwhile, the back section slowly moved away, lifted high by the large waves that continued to pound. Ren stood at the edge, his body tense, preparing to jump following the other passengers who had already fled.
However, amidst the hustle of panic and the deafening storm, Ren suddenly caught a sound. That sound was different from the frantic screams of adults, it sounded soft, muffled, almost drowned out by the roar of the raging waves.
"Huhuhu… Help…"
Ren stopped. His foot, which was about to step, froze. His heart thumped harder when he turned, searching for the source of that sound.
"What? A child's voice? Is there anyone still left behind?" he muttered, startled, his eyes widening.
While everyone was running toward the stern, Ren instead stood at the edge of the crack that was slowly widening. He stared toward the darkness behind the ship, the section that was slowly being abandoned.
Amidst the commotion, Ren heard the voice of another passenger at the stern who seemed to be frantically looking for their child. "My child? Where are my children? Huhuhu… I was too panicked and left them there…" cried a mother who ran while holding her head.
Ren flinched. His eyes and mind instantly connected the two sounds he heard.
"Huh? Child? Don't tell me…" he whispered, his eyes widening further.
Ignoring the increasingly high water, the scattered sharp pieces of metal, and the floor that was increasingly unstable, Ren immediately turned around, rushing toward the source of the sound. Every step felt like a gamble with his life, but he did not care.
He returned to search in the direction of the dining room earlier. The sound became clearer as he slowly approached. His breath felt tight, his chest rising and falling, his feet stepping on the floor that was slanted and slippery. Waves from outside slammed against the ship's wall, causing the sound of impact to mix with the groaning of metal. But amidst all that, the sound of that little cry still called. He then decided to go inside.
Ren pushed the door open violently. The loud shriek of the hinges mingled with the splash of water seeping through the cracks. His eyes quickly swept over every corner of the room, attempting to penetrate the chaos filled with scattered chairs. There, in that corner of the room, he saw two small children.
It turned out they were the same children he had seen before, when they were still playing and laughing in the corridor. It appeared they were trapped in this room.
Their faces were wet with tears, their small bodies shaking intensely. Their innocent eyes gleamed with pure terror, reflecting a horror they could not comprehend.
"Brother... please..." The voice was faint, almost inaudible, yet strong enough to pierce Ren's heart. So fragile, it made his chest feel constricted, as if his own breath were caught in his throat.
"Be calm. I am here. You are safe now," he whispered, trying to reassure them even as his own heart pounded fiercely, fear creeping into every beat. His voice was nearly drowned out by the continuous groaning of the cracking ship, but his grip on the children tightened.
"Come, we must be quick." With a careful yet strong motion, he pulled them out of the room, his steps dragging across the sloping floor, then hurried back to the boundary of the nearly split ship.
But it was too late.
The vessel finally and completely broke into two perfect halves. The stern, where the crew and the other passengers had gathered, was now far away, carried by the fierce current. Ren, along with the two children, was isolated on the destroyed bow. Strong winds and huge waves surrounded them, cutting off any path back.
"Damn it... too far... I can't jump with them..." Ren growled softly, his eyes sweeping across the impossible distance. Seawater hit his shoes, a flash of lightning momentarily illuminated the black chasm between them and the other part of the ship. The three of them stood on the edge of the oscillating metal wreckage, their feet slightly unsteady as the waves slammed hard from below.
The children were crying hysterically, their voices fractured by the storm. From across the gap, their mother screamed in despair, extending a hand that would never be able to reach them. Ren gritted his teeth, his heart feeling torn. "What must I do?" he thought, staring without an answer.
From the direction of the stern, the captain looked toward Ren with an expression of sadness. His eyes reflected the lightning, highlighting the face of a teenager with two children left behind there, with no way out. Beside him, a crew member bowed, his voice trembling with regret. "S-sorry, Captain! I did not know that someone was still trapped there."
The captain clenched his fist at his side, holding back his frustration. "Nothing more can we do... Now it is too late...," he muttered faintly, his eyes remaining fixed and unable to turn away from the teenager standing across the destruction.
There, Ren struggled to find a solution. His eyes wildly scanned every corner, searching for anything that could be used. But all he found was a dead end. The ship sections continued to pull apart, the stern receding further, and panic hit him deeper.
"Hah, what now!?" he cried out in desperation. His knees trembling, he bent over while holding his head with one hand. Cold sweat streamed down his temples, mixing with the relentless rain hitting his face. His breath was ragged, while the two children cried even louder in his embrace. Their cries of distress pierced the storm, making his chest tighter and making it difficult to think clearly.
However, in the midst of that despair, a thought suddenly came. Ren closed his eyes for a moment, then took a long, trembling breath and looked back at the receding stern.
"That is right... maybe I myself will not survive. But these two children still have hope. They must live," he whispered to himself. Determination slowly replaced the panic on his face.
Ren lifted his head and assessed the situation. "The sky is full of storms and lightning, the wind is blowing so strongly that the waves and the ship's hull are severely shaken. If the wind direction continues to push towards the stern and with the small bodies of these two children, they could be thrown or dragged further until they reach the stern, increasing the possibility of the two of them surviving."
That thought moved Ren. He tightened his embrace on the children, pressing their small faces closer to his chest, then prepared to plan his next step.
The sound of the wind was whistling fiercely around him. For a moment, his eyes were fixed on the turbulent waves; every splash of saltwater felt stinging on his skin and made his vision sore. The shriek of the storm drowned out all other sounds; only the cries of the two children could still penetrate the clamor, making his chest heavier.
Inside his body, his heartbeat thrummed louder than the thunder, urging him to act quickly before it was all too late. "There is no more time. It seems there is no other choice," he whispered faintly, his voice barely audible even to himself.
He stood with trembling legs, his body swaying as the waves hit the hull, but his eyes were now resolute. With all his might he shouted, his voice fighting the storm's roar and piercing the ears of the people at the stern. "Hey! Catch them!"
The shout made several heads turn in surprise. The crew members who had previously only tried to maintain their balance were now jolted, immediately running to the edge of the ship and extending their hands as far as possible, their eyes wide as they realized what Ren was about to do.
Without further hesitation, Ren embraced the first small body, swung it once for direction, then threw it toward the stern. The small body flew momentarily in the air, as if time had stopped between the flashes of lightning that split the sky. Everyone held their breath, their hearts feeling as if they were soaring along with the body.
His hand immediately grabbed the second child, his embrace brief yet full of resolve. With his last remaining strength, he repeated the same motion. The tiny body was once again thrown into the air, challenging the roaring storm.
The people at the stern were astonished. Some screamed in horror, while others stretched out their hands further, striving hard to catch the two. The small bodies floated amidst the heavy rain and the roaring wind, making everyone's hearts feel like they had stopped. It was as if the entire world was waiting in a brief silence, wondering whether those hands would succeed in catching them or if the small bodies would fall into the churning sea.
Initially, panic struck. The boy appeared as if he would not reach the stern. Several crew members even prepared to shout a desperate cry.
But suddenly, a fiercer gust of wind came from the side, pushing the small body slightly further. A small movement that determined his fate. The boy soared to the very edge of the stern, right where the crew recklessly stretched out their hands, and was finally grasped in a trembling embrace.
Instantly, a cheer of relief broke out among the crew. The mother's cries, which had been hysterical screams, now turned into sobs of emotion, her body nearly collapsing due to her overwhelming feelings. She was supported by a crew member, her tears mingling with the rain that continued to wash over her face.
Not far from there, the Captain stood at the side of the stern in his uniform draped in a soaking wet life vest. His eyes were fixed on the figure of Ren still standing on the opposite side, his silhouette bathed in the storm and lightning flashes. In silence, something weighed on his chest.
"What on earth is that boy…? So clever. A teenager daring to take a step that perhaps no one else would consider in these conditions. Willing to sacrifice his life for others, even though he himself might not survive." The murmur only echoed in the Captain's heart, but he knew well that his respect was genuine. He bowed slightly, raising his cap respectfully amidst the storm, a small gesture laden with meaning.
Ren saw all of this with a faint, almost imperceptible smile, his chest swelling with relief, albeit momentarily. Yet, that smile quickly faded as he looked down at the footing beneath his feet. Only he was not yet saved. The distance to the stern was too great; it was impossible for him to jump in this state.
The cracks all around him widened further, spreading rapidly like shattering glass. The ship groaned loudly, rumbling beneath his feet, as if preparing to drag him with it to the seabed.
"Jump! Quick! You can still be saved! We will throw you a life vest!" people shouted from a distance.
Ren merely shook his head, his expression turning bitter."No... I cannot swim. Even if they gave me a life vest, it would be useless. In the middle of a storm and waves this big, I will only drown," he whispered faintly to himself.
He took a short breath, then offered a wry smile. "How amusing... to die so foolishly. The boss in Europe is probably waiting for a new employee who will never arrive. Ah... let it be. Sooner or later, he will surely find a replacement."
The people at the stern instantly fell silent. The scream of a mother broke, calling out to him, accompanied by tears. Several crew members leaned out as far as possible, their hands stretched out in desperation. It was as if that impossible distance could be bridged by mere hope.
"No! You can do it! Just jump! We will help you!" one of the crew shouted, his voice fractured by the storm.
Yet Ren remained standing there, silent with a bitter smile, as if accepting that their shouts would never penetrate the wall that had already sealed his heart.
For a moment, he closed his eyes. There was a thin sense of peace, like accepting an ending he could not refuse. But that peace was shattered instantly as the deck beneath his feet collapsed. Twisted, broken iron, scattered, splintered wood, and the floor crumbled along with his body.
"Aaahhh...!!"
The sharp metal edge slammed into his back, the pain spreading until it made him scream, losing control. His body was thrown down, then dragged into the depths of the pitch-black water. He tried to move his arms and legs, but his body was only pulled further away until his breath was choked off. In his diminishing panic, he still managed to look up.
From above, the faint moonlight receded. The shouts, screams, and distant weeping faded, swallowed by the ocean's gloom. Until finally, Ren drifted to the seabed, into the darkness that consumed everything.
---
In the Depths...
His body continued to sink, dragged deeper by the never-ending darkness. His hands were frozen, his legs stiff and powerless. Every movement felt futile, like fighting the weight of a thousand chains binding him. His lungs burned, forced to fill with the cruel saltwater. The salty taste filled his mouth, stinging down to his throat. The world around him faded; colors and sounds disappeared, replaced by a cold silence that devoured everything.
However, before everything completely vanished...
A light suddenly appeared.
Not the light of the moon or stars, but a circle of glowing blue-green symbols, rotating slowly in an unknown runic pattern, began to form around his body. The water bubbles trembled, as if being sucked into the center of the light.
A mysterious voice, from an unknown source, echoed in Ren's mind, piercing the boundaries of his consciousness.
"O soul who refused to succumb to despair... you who willingly sacrificed yourself for others... another world calls your name. Be reborn."
Ren was unable to answer. His body was too weak, and his consciousness too thin. But deep within him, something unexpected ignited. A faint light of life flared.
The light slowly enveloped him, consuming his body until nothing remained but a faint silhouette. In an instant, he vanished from the seabed—
Not toward a cold death, but toward another place—to a different world that awaited with a new destiny.