The Bermuda Abyss was silent.
Too silent.
Fog covered the enormous crater, while broken ships and ancient aircraft floated among the wreckage.
Leo, Chen Wei, Lily, Yuna, and the Wind Martial Artists stood together.
Something was moving beneath the fog.
A strange scraping sound echoed through the darkness.
SCRAAAAAPE...
Chen Wei slowly looked around.
Chen Wei: "...Did anyone else hear that?"
Leo: "Yep."
Chen Wei: "Good."
Leo: "Why?"
Chen Wei: "Because if I was the only one hearing things, I'd have to accept that I'm finally losing my mind."
Yuna sighed.
Yuna: "Focus."
Lily tightened her fists.
Lily: "Something is coming."
A huge shadow suddenly moved through the fog.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!
A gigantic skeleton burst out of the wreckage.
Chen Wei: "AAAAAH!"
Leo: "WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?!"
Chen Wei: "THAT THING HAS NO SKIN!"
Leo: "It's a skeleton!"
Chen Wei: "THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROBLEM!"
The Wind Martial Artists calmly looked at the monsters.
One of them stretched his shoulders.
Wind Martial Artist: "You guys can handle this, right?"
Another one nodded.
Wind Martial Artist: "Yeah."
The first Wind Martial Artist turned toward Leo's group.
Wind Martial Artist: "Great."
"You guys fight."
"We'll take a little rest."
Chen Wei's eyes widened.
Chen Wei: "...WHAT?"
The Wind Martial Artists immediately sat down.
One even pulled out a small snack.
Chen Wei: "YOU'RE SERIOUS?!"
Wind Martial Artist: "Very."
Chen Wei: "YOU BROUGHT SNACKS?!"
Wind Martial Artist: "Long journeys require preparation."
Chen Wei: "WE'RE SURROUNDED BY MONSTERS!"
Wind Martial Artist: "And you're very loud."
Chen Wei: "I'M LOUD BECAUSE YOU PEOPLE ARE USELESS!"
Leo grabbed Chen Wei by the shoulder.
Leo: "Relax."
Chen Wei: "How am I supposed to relax?!"
Leo: "We're World Martial Artists."
He looked toward the skeletons.
Leo: "This is basically our daily routine."
Chen Wei paused.
"...That's actually concerning."
---
Then the fog suddenly parted.
A massive shape rose from the water.
First came one head.
Then another.
Then another.
Then another.
The enormous creature slowly emerged from the darkness.
A gigantic sea serpent with multiple heads.
Its body was covered in dark scales, and each head stared at the group with glowing eyes.
Yuna's expression became serious.
Yuna: "That's not a normal sea creature."
One of the Wind Martial Artists finally stopped eating.
Wind Martial Artist: "You're right."
He slowly stood.
Wind Martial Artist: "That's Hydra."
Leo: "Hydra?"
The monster roared.
ROOOOOOOOOAR!!
The entire Bermuda Abyss shook.
Chen Wei: "Okay."
He cracked his knuckles.
Chen Wei: "Now I'm awake."
Leo smiled.
Leo: "Let's go."
Hydra's first head lunged forward.
WHOOSH!
Leo jumped aside.
The serpent's jaws slammed into the wreckage.
BOOOOM!
Leo landed on the creature's head.
Leo: "Too slow!"
The Hydra's second head attacked from behind.
Lily jumped between them.
Lily: "Leo!"
BAM!
She kicked the incoming head away.
Leo: "Thanks!"
Lily: "Don't make me save you twice!"
Yuna raised her hand.
Water suddenly rose from the abyss.
Yuna: "Water Prison!"
A massive sphere of water surrounded one of Hydra's heads.
The creature struggled.
Chen Wei grinned.
Chen Wei: "My turn!"
He rushed forward.
BOOM!
His strike sent the trapped head crashing into another.
Chen Wei: "Two for one!"
Leo: "Nice!"
Hydra roared.
Its remaining heads attacked simultaneously.
Leo jumped.
Lily ducked.
Yuna spun away.
Chen Wei rolled across the ground.
Chen Wei: "WHY DOES THIS THING HAVE SO MANY HEADS?!"
Leo: "It's Hydra!"
Chen Wei: "I KNOW!"
Leo: "Then stop complaining!"
Chen Wei: "I'M TRYING TO SURVIVE!"
One head suddenly appeared behind Chen Wei.
Chen Wei froze.
"...Oh."
Leo: "Chen Wei!"
Chen Wei slowly turned around.
Chen Wei: "Hi."
The Hydra opened its mouth.
Chen Wei: "BAD IDEA!"
BOOOOOOM!!
A powerful wind blast struck the Hydra from the side.
The monster was thrown backward.
Chen Wei stared at the Wind Martial Artists.
Chen Wei: "You guys finally decided to help?!"
One Wind Martial Artist casually lowered his hand.
Wind Martial Artist: "We were getting bored."
Chen Wei: "I HATE YOU PEOPLE."
Leo laughed.
Leo: "Let's finish this!"
Everyone moved together.
Wind compressed around Leo.
Water surrounded Yuna.
Lily rushed forward.
Chen Wei launched himself into the air.
The Wind Martial Artists attacked simultaneously.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A massive combined attack struck Hydra.
The creature roared one final time before crashing into the water.
SPLAAAAASH!!
Silence returned.
Chen Wei landed on the ground.
He looked around.
Chen Wei: "...Is it dead?"
Leo: "I think so."
Chen Wei: "Good."
He looked toward the Wind Martial Artists.
Chen Wei: "You guys almost got us killed!"
Wind Martial Artist: "But you survived."
Chen Wei: "That's not the point!"
Wind Martial Artist: "Then what is?"
Chen Wei opened his mouth.
Stopped.
Opened it again.
"...I don't know anymore."
Leo: "Let's keep moving."
---
They continued toward the center of the Bermuda Abyss.
The fog gradually became thinner.
Then Leo stopped.
His eyes widened.
Something was glowing beneath a pile of ancient wreckage.
Leo: "Wait."
Everyone turned.
Leo slowly walked forward.
He pushed aside a broken metal panel.
And there it was.
A small object floating in the air.
A strange key surrounded by swirling wind.
Leo's eyes immediately filled with tears.
Leo: "...No way."
Chen Wei: "What?"
Leo stepped closer.
Leo: "I searched everywhere for you."
He dramatically extended both hands.
Leo: "I searched the temples."
"I searched the mountains."
"I searched the sky."
"I searched places where nobody should even be searching!"
He wiped his tears.
Leo: "And you're here?!"
The Wind Key floated peacefully.
Leo began laughing.
Leo: "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Lily covered her face.
Lily: "He's broken again."
Yuna: "Completely."
Leo reached toward the Wind Key.
Leo: "Come to your father."
The Wind Key suddenly slapped him across the face.
PAK!
Leo froze.
Everyone froze.
Chen Wei slowly covered his mouth.
"...Did the key just slap you?"
Leo's cheek twitched.
Leo: "...Yes."
The Wind Key flew past him.
Straight toward Yuna.
Yuna blinked.
The key wrapped itself around her arm like a little floating ribbon of wind.
Leo stared.
Chen Wei stared.
Lily stared.
Yuna looked at the key.
Yuna: "...Interesting."
Leo: "Why does it like you?"
Yuna shrugged.
Yuna: "Maybe it has good taste."
Chen Wei immediately laughed.
Chen Wei: "OH, THIS IS GREAT!"
Leo: "Don't encourage it!"
Yuna looked at the key.
Yuna: "It seems to prefer beautiful women."
Leo: "WHAT?!"
The Wind Key happily floated around Yuna.
Leo: "I spent an entire journey looking for this thing!"
Yuna: "Apparently it wasn't looking for you."
Leo: "Traitor!"
Yuna grabbed the Wind Key.
THUMP!
She gently slammed it against the ground.
Yuna: "You pervert."
The Wind Key trembled.
A tiny gust of wind formed around it.
It almost looked like it was crying.
Chen Wei: "...Did we just emotionally damage a key?"
Lily: "Apparently."
Leo: "I feel bad now."
Chen Wei: "You were jealous of a key five seconds ago."
Leo: "Shut up."
---
The moment Yuna moved the Wind Key away from its original position—
CLICK.
Everyone stopped.
A strange mechanical sound echoed through the abyss.
The ground began shaking.
KRRRRRRR...
A circular platform emerged from beneath the wreckage.
Chen Wei stared at it.
Chen Wei: "...What's that?"
The platform rose.
Metal walls unfolded.
Lights turned on.
Then—
DING!
An elevator appeared.
Chen Wei stared at it.
Silence.
Then he slowly turned toward Leo.
Chen Wei: "So let me understand this."
"We spent half our lives looking for a mysterious temple."
"Other stories get mysterious ancient gates."
"Some people get magical portals."
"And our reward is..."
He pointed toward the elevator.
"...an elevator?"
Leo: "Stop."
Chen Wei: "This is supposed to be a legendary martial arts story!"
He pointed dramatically.
Chen Wei: "WHERE IS THE MYSTERIOUS GATE?!"
Leo: "Chen Wei."
Chen Wei: "Where's the giant glowing door?!"
Leo: "Stop roasting our own story."
Chen Wei: "The writer is probably sitting somewhere thinking, 'What can I do next?'"
Leo: "Enough!"
A tiny image of the writer suddenly appeared behind Leo.
Writer: "Thank you, my hero."
Leo slowly turned around.
"...Why are you behind me?"
The tiny writer disappeared.
Leo: "Forget it."
Chen Wei: "This story is getting weird."
Leo: "It was always weird."
They stepped into the elevator.
DING!
The doors closed.
The elevator began rising.
---
Higher.
Higher.
Higher.
The elevator passed through the ocean.
Then through the fog.
Then through the clouds.
The Wind Martial Artists stood silently inside.
Chen Wei looked at them.
Chen Wei: "So... how much farther?"
Wind Martial Artist: "This is where our journey ends."
Leo: "What?"
Wind Martial Artist: "Our headquarters instructed us to escort you only until the Wind Temple."
"We've done our job."
Chen Wei: "So you're abandoning us?"
Wind Martial Artist: "Correct."
Chen Wei: "I hate your organization."
Wind Martial Artist: "Understandable."
DING!
The elevator doors opened.
Everyone stepped outside.
And froze.
There was no ordinary temple.
Instead...
An entire civilization existed above the clouds.
A massive city stretched across the sky.
The clouds had become solid ground.
Buildings floated between enormous wind currents.
Bridges connected towering structures.
People walked across the cloud surface as if it were ordinary land.
Wind-powered machines moved through the streets.
Martial artists trained on enormous platforms.
And above everything...
A magnificent city floated beneath the endless blue sky.
Leo stared.
Leo: "...Wow."
Yuna smiled.
Yuna: "So this is the Wind Temple."
Chen Wei looked around.
Chen Wei: "This isn't a temple."
He pointed toward the city.
Chen Wei: "THIS IS A WHOLE COUNTRY."
One of the Wind Martial Artists laughed.
Wind Martial Artist: "Welcome to the Wind Civilization."
He waved.
Wind Martial Artist: "Our job ends here."
Chen Wei: "Yeah, yeah. Go away."
Wind Martial Artist: "Good luck."
Chen Wei: "You too."
They walked away.
Leo sighed.
Leo: "Let's find a place to stay."
Chen Wei: "Agreed."
---
A few minutes later...
They stood outside an enormous five-star hotel.
Leo looked at the building.
Then pulled out a thick stack of money.
Chen Wei: "No."
Leo: "What?"
Chen Wei: "Don't."
Leo: "I'm buying it."
Chen Wei: "LEO."
Leo threw the money onto the counter.
Leo: "I'll take the whole hotel."
The receptionist nearly fell out of her chair.
Receptionist: "The... whole hotel?"
Leo proudly crossed his arms.
Leo: "Yes."
Chen Wei covered his face.
Leo: "From this day forward..."
He dramatically looked toward the sky.
Leo: "The world is beneath my shoes!"
Chen Wei: "Please stop."
Leo: "I am the greatest billionaire in history!"
Chen Wei: "PLEASE stop."
Lily: "He's embarrassing."
Yuna: "Very."
Leo: "I own a five-star hotel!"
Chen Wei: "You bought one five minutes ago!"
Leo: "Details."
They eventually sat down for a meal.
For a brief moment...
Everything was peaceful.
---
Far Away...
Inside the alien headquarters.
The laboratory doors opened.
The scientist stood before a restrained figure.
The man slowly raised his head.
A cloth covered his eyes.
Dr. Veyron: "It's time."
The cloth was removed.
The man opened his eyes.
For one brief second—
A strange pattern appeared in his left eye.
A crimson glow.
His right eye changed as well.
A pale pink light flashed through it.
Then...
Both returned to normal.
Dr. Veyron froze.
His expression slowly changed.
Dr. Veyron: "...Impossible."
He took a step backward.
Dr. Veyron: "I actually did it."
He began laughing.
Dr. Veyron: "I've created a monster."
The laboratory doors suddenly opened.
A familiar masked figure entered.
The leader of the ten masked men.
He struck a ridiculous dramatic
"FINALLY!"
Everyone turned toward him.
Kaito Jin spread his arms.
Kaito Jin: "You finally completed it!"
Dr. Veyron sighed.
Dr. Veyron: "Must you always enter like that?"
"Absolutely."
He pointed toward the newly modified warrior.
"So!"
"Can he shoot mysterious black flames from his eyes?"
Silence.
"Or summon an army of crows?"
The warrior stared at him.
"No?"
He looked disappointed.
"Then what's the coolest thing he can do?"
The warrior calmly lifted a water bottle.
It floated into the air.
Then into his hand.
Everyone became silent.
The bottle gently rotated above his palm.
stared.
"...That's it?"
The warrior nodded.
"Telekinesis."
He paused.
"Honestly..."
He pointed at the bottle.
"That's actually pretty cool."
The other masked men remained completely silent.
suddenly turned toward them.
"Guys, I think we accidentally made a final boss."
One masked man sighed.
Masked Man: "You say that about everything."
"Because everything looks like a final boss when you're dramatic enough."
The warrior's strange eyes slowly narrowed.
For a brief moment...
The room became completely silent.
The red and pink glow returned.
smile disappeared for half a second.
Then—
He immediately pointed at the warrior.
"Okay, that was terrifying."
He turned around.
"I officially vote that he stays on our side."
Dr. Veyron laughed.
And somewhere deep inside those strange eyes...
Something awakened.
TO BE CONTINUED...