Nathaniel drew his sword, Thornhill. The blade was a manifestation of sheer darkness, forged from the condensation of Xenos mass and ether in molten lava heated to unimaginable extremes—nearly one million degrees. The jet-black steel seemed alive, vibrating with unspoken power, whispering promises of destruction that reverberated through Nathaniel's very soul. The aura around Thornhill shimmered faintly, distorting the surrounding water and air, as if reality itself bowed slightly in reverence. Even the smallest nearby creatures—giant fish, spectral eels, and strange undercurrents of energy—cowered or perished within several kilometers of its presence. Holding Thornhill, Nathaniel felt a surge unlike any before: his speed, strength, and endurance multiplied tenfold, compensating for the suppression imposed by the strange properties of this dimension's water.
The enormous shark stared at him, its black eyes gleaming with predatory intelligence. Nathaniel could feel the creature's mind racing, estimating his movements, its consciousness spanning layers of soul and instinct he barely understood. Yet the boy's own body was taut with anticipation, muscles coiled like springs. He focused, his aura flaring faintly as Thornhill seemed to merge with him, each heartbeat sending pulses of energy rippling outward.
Then, with a sudden motion, Nathaniel moved. Faster than the eye could track, faster than the water itself could flow, he vanished from the shark's vision and reappeared behind it in a single fluid motion. Thornhill slashed cleanly across the monster's chest, sparks of Xenos and magic dancing along the edge, infusing the strike with power designed to purify the creature's soul, to sever the demonic presence nested within.
The strike landed, but only grazed the first layer of the shark's soul. The creature quivered, its massive form rippling with suppressed energy. "How… how did you move so fast?!" it bellowed, its voice rolling like thunder across the underwater expanse. It lashed out with one of its enormous fins, a strike that could have obliterated a building on land, but Nathaniel pivoted effortlessly, dodging with precision honed from countless hours of training under Eddy's watchful guidance.
"You can't reach me!" the shark growled, its voice laced with venomous power. "I exist in the deepest layer of my soul! Even your ether-infused sword cannot touch me! You lack the understanding to breach the soul's true depths!"
Nathaniel froze for a moment, processing the words. "Soul layers?" he repeated aloud, his voice echoing in the dense water. The concept was alien, and yet instinctively he felt the truth in it. Each being, it seemed, was composed of nested layers of essence, some shielded by energy, some by the very will of the creature inhabiting the body.
The monster sneered, rows of sharp, spectral teeth glinting in the filtered light. "You are but a child," it spat contemptuously. "Do not expect me to teach the secrets of existence to you."
It created a dead zone around itself, a swirling maelstrom of Xenos energy, twisting the water into chaotic spirals. Dimensional fissures opened briefly, threatening to tear apart the local space, destabilizing the very fabric of this underwater domain. Yet Nathaniel remained unshaken. Years of training with Eddy had taught him not just to wield energy, but to anticipate, to adapt, to transform limitations into opportunities. His aura merged seamlessly with Thornhill's, forming a protective shell against the chaotic assault.
The shark, now visibly panicked, unleashed its most terrifying technique: Dimensional Breaking. A colossal surge of destructive energy radiated outward, tearing at the water, warping the dimensions, and attempting to drag Nathaniel into a void where nothing could exist. Yet Nathaniel, calm and collected, anticipated the attack. In a single fluid motion, he moved faster than the water itself, faster than even light seemed capable of traveling, and appeared behind the shark.
In that moment, time seemed to bend. The shark's mind could barely process his movements; it watched helplessly as Nathaniel reformed with impossible precision. Thornhill's aura pulsed in resonance with Nathaniel's own magic and Xenos energy, bending reality as if willing the strike into existence. Nathaniel's thoughts were clear: The water's sealing restrictions no longer affect me. Thornhill amplifies my power tenfold… or more. I can touch even infinity if I push hard enough.
The shark's black eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "What… what kind of monster is this kid?!"
Nathaniel raised Thornhill, its blade a fluid shadow, energy coiling along its length. Another strike sliced through the water, destroying the next layer of the shark's soul. Yet the demon hiding deeper remained untouched, still cloaked in layers of protection. The shark hissed, recovering its confidence, as if challenging the boy: "You'll never reach me! I dwell in layers tens of thousands of times deeper than the ones you destroyed! Your attacks are meaningless!"
Nathaniel's jaw clenched. He gripped Thornhill with renewed focus, eyes narrowing. If I cannot reach the demon directly due to certain restrictions, then I will bypass them. Necessity outweighs caution. His mind raced, recalling all of Eddy's warnings about forbidden techniques, the dark arts capable of reshaping existence. Yet, in this moment, the weight of survival and purpose demanded action.
Summoning every ounce of his remaining energy, he prepared a technique that had always been forbidden: VALVE SMASH.
The attack erupted like a cosmic storm. Thornhill glowed with dark light, infusing the water and air with energy that bent reality itself. Waves of Xenos and ether pulsed outward, distorting space, crushing pressure into the surrounding mass. The strike hit the shark with unprecedented force, propelling it hundreds of kilometers downward, deep into the heart of the water. Its body was battered, organs crushed, the soul layers pierced one by one as the demon within was directly targeted.
The creature screamed, a sound that echoed like a thunderclap through the dimensional layers: "Impossible! I am a demon! Bound to the Supreme Lord! I will return!"
But Nathaniel's technique was absolute. Every connection between the demon and existence itself was severed. Every fragment of dark influence, every tether to the world or to power, disintegrated. The shark was freed of its possession, left as a living but inert creature, immense and formidable, yet finally silent.
Nathaniel exhaled slowly, lowering Thornhill. The water around him stilled, leaving a silence as deep and vast as space itself. He reached for the enormous creature, noting the scale, the raw power, even without Xenos influence. The sheer size, the density of muscle, and the weight of its body reminded him of the challenges he would face in the wider world.
From his bag—a mysterious artifact capable of storing entire alternate dimensional spaces—Nathaniel carefully placed the shark's body inside. The creature disappeared into the compact, unassuming space, leaving only ripples behind. His heartbeat was steady now, but a thrill of triumph surged through him. He had overcome a foe that, under normal circumstances, would have been invincible.
Yet questions lingered. The demon had spoken of a "Supreme Lord," a being of unimaginable power. Nathaniel's curiosity burned. Who was this Supreme Lord? What other layers of existence and authority remained hidden in this world? Each unanswered question sparked a thrill within him, a call to further adventure.
He rose to the surface, breaking through the water into sunlight that glittered like diamonds on the waves. The faint sound of shore waves lapping against rocks reached him, grounding him in the familiar reality of the outside world. Each movement back felt lighter, a combination of exhilaration and responsibility weighing on him. He was growing stronger, mastering techniques once forbidden, and learning to navigate dimensions beyond human comprehension.
As he walked along the shallow water, Thornhill at his side, Nathaniel felt a new awareness—a resonance between his magic, Xenos, and ether. The river, once a simple path for fishing, had become a gateway to understanding the very structure of life, souls, and power. Each step reinforced his resolve: he would continue to grow, to master the forbidden techniques, and to understand the cosmic hierarchy hinted at by the Supreme Lord.
The sunlight glimmered off Thornhill, reflections dancing across the waves. Nathaniel's eyes gleamed with anticipation and determination. The world outside was vast, mysterious, and filled with dangers far beyond any he had imagined. Yet with each challenge, each battle, each forbidden technique mastered, he would carve his path through destiny itself.
Today, he had triumphed over one of the mightiest beings of this underwater realm. Tomorrow, he would face the unknown again—and every trial would bring him closer to the truth about Thornhill, Xenos, ether, and the cosmic forces that governed all existence.
Nathaniel looked at the horizon, waves stretching endlessly, the sun reflecting off the distant water. He grinned, the thrill of victory and curiosity lighting his eyes. This was only the beginning. The universe, in all its layers and mysteries, awaited him.