Floor 1—-
Nonoka, Rei, Sōshin, Gakuto, and Emeru all watched as a dozen Escorts exited the gate, forming two lines. In between them was a translucent water casket, with Han's body inside. A water bubble enclosed his face.
"Friend Han!" Sōshin called out.
Sōshin went over to the casket, but Escorts stopped him. Kei tapped his weapon on the ground. "Stand back. The boy cannot hear you."
"What's going on?" Nonoka questioned. "Where's the others?"
Rika and Zaria quickly exited the portal, their faces confused and their voices frantic. The Escorts all turned, allowing them to pass.
"I dunno what happened!" Zaria said, stammering. "He was…he had a gun…he shot himself…!"
"We thought we were dead, but he didn't…." Rika added, turning toward the Escorts. "Is he…alive?"
Kei examined the casket. "The boy is mortally wounded. Alive, but not for long. It seems he's in a deep slumber right now. Come. He must be brought to our Mistress."
Nonoka looked between Han and the two girls. "Wait. Han…saved you?"
The girls didn't respond.
The door in the center began to open, forcing a large gate to rise from the ground. It glowed a mysterious purple color.
"Beyond this door, your Master awaits," Kei explained. "Be careful not to lose yourself in the flood."
The Escorts took the casket into the gate, and Gakuto turned to face the team, giving them a disappointed but firm look. "Well, kids. It seems you've gotten what you wanted."
None of the girls responded as Sōshin stepped forth. "We must save Friend Han! Come on, team!"
Emeru climbed onto Sōshin's back. "He's right! I can't lose my food source! What are we waiting for?"
Without hesitation, Sōshin jumped into the portal. Gakuto looked back at the girls. "As I said, you're all family."
He jumped in as well, and the girls all shared a look before following.
Floor ???——
The group landed behind the Escorts and Han, who was still encased in his casket. They were standing over an endless stormy sea, with no land in sight.
"This is where Master is?" Zaria wondered.
"Oh no," Rika realized. "How do we tell him about this? He'll hate us!"
Nonoka cut between them. "Calm down. We need to find him first. He still needs our help. Then we'll deal with the Han situation."
A loud rumble echoed from below them, shaking the surface of the sea. The group looked down and noticed the body of a titanic serpent-like creature, causing Rika to jump into Rei's arms. "T—that's not a fish!"
Leviathan rose from the water, tossing Omariro onto the water's surface, who was back to normal, his body older.
"Disappointing."
The group immediately rushed over to check on Omariro, who used his cane to push himself back up.
"Master!" Zaria exclaimed.
"Are you alright?" Rika asked.
"What is that thing?" Rei worried. "It's so big!"
"Children," Omariro noted. "Should not have come."
As the group helped him up, he noticed Han inside the casket. "Boy injured."
Guilty looks crossed the group's faces, with both Gakuto and Sōshin giving them unimpressed stares. Rika immediately stepped forward. "We're so sorry, sir! We never thought this would happen! I didn't know he'd shoot himself for us…"
Zaria quickly cut in. "Those water guys said we could save him! He's still alive, Master! We can still fix this!"
Rika looked at her hand. "My healing didn't work, though. The damage must be really bad."
Sōshin gave them all a slap. "I told you! Han is a friend! No more bashing Friend Han! Friend Han needs our help!"
Rei rubbed her face. "Ow! That's mean!"
Nonoka sighed. "We deserve it. Okay. We'll help him. It doesn't mean we're cool, but he helped us get this far, so. It's only right."
Zaria and Rika nodded, and Rei did the same. Emeru jumped into Sōshin's arms. "You heard that, Sea Lady? Work your magic and fix him!"
Leviathan examined the casket. "Hmm. This? This is something I cannot do."
Everyone turned to her.
"Can't do?" Gakuto questioned. "You've always been able to heal with your waters!"
"Ah. Yes. I can. But that applies to sea creatures. Han here is a land creature, so only the Land Beast is capable of healing such a thing."
Zaria's eyes widened. "That crazy mud beast?"
"Indeed."
"Okay, well come with us and make him work his magic!"
Leviathan chuckled. "You're a funny one. I will come. But not until I am defeated in this place."
"Wait, what?" Gakuto realized. "But you're the Sea Beast! You want us to kick your ass inside the SEA?"
"Yes, Gakuto. You're a Kaidanchō now, no? Then show me."
Water tendrils rose from the ground, restraining both Gakuto and Omariro. Zaria tried to cut them free, but another tendril knocked her away. The Escorts watched, praying in an odd formation.
"You guys gonna just look dumb or help us out?" Nonoka hissed.
"We shall not defy the Mistress," they all chanted. "Face her judgment in battle!"
Omariro broke free of the tendrils, forming his bow and lighting Leviathan up with a barrage of arrows. A tide rose to swallow them all up.
Leviathan zipped toward Omariro, but he pulled his fist back and pushed her, emitting devastating purple energy that stunned the beast and knocked the kids over.
"Some energy remains inside you, Destroyer," she noted. "You may not be able to hold it for long, but you are still who I think you are!"
As she came in for another strike, he delivered three punches to her face, staggering her. The kids watched, shocked, but Leviathan sent Omariro sliding back with her tail, then turned toward them, diving underwater.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Zaria realized. "Rei! Shield!"
Rei formed her shield around the group just as Leviathan bit into it, shattering it. Before she could devour them, Gakuto delivered a powerful headbutt to her jaw.
"Now!" Gakuto ordered. "Take the opening, kids!"
Rei fired a beam of moonlight at Leviathan as Zaria kicked her spear into the beast's side. Both attacks bounced off, and Sōshin sped them away as Leviathan sprayed ice from her mouth.
"How can we beat something that huge?" Rika worried. "She's not even breaking a sweat!"
Emeru stretched her arms around, attempting to pull Leviathan out of the ocean, but with a twist of her neck, the latter sent Emeru flying. Leviathan analyzed the rest of the group, her eyes locking onto Zaria. "Hmm. You smell…familiar."
"Me?" Zaria pointed. "Uh, you got the right gal?"
Leviathan circled Zaria, her frame trapping the girl. "Yes…fairly familiar. You and your companion here."
She drifted over to Rei, who backed away. "Erm, I don't think we've met, have we?"
Leviathan scooped Omariro, Rei, and Zaria up, dragging them underwater.
???—-
By the time they emerged from the waters, the trio noticed they were standing on a small island surrounded by ruins and ocean. Leviathan burst from the water, eyes locking onto Omariro. "You sense it too, don't you? Why hide the truth from these girls?"
Zaria turned to Omariro. "Master, what's she talking about?"
Omariro didn't respond.
Leviathan shot out ice spikes at the group, but Omariro sliced them all into pieces. She sped around the island at such speed that tides began to form, and Rei formed a shield to block just as a large wave came crashing onto the island.
Leviathan jumped into the air, slamming into the island and partially sinking it. Zaria's spear began to spin. "Jugen-Tōshi: Senkai Yari!"
As Leviathan tried to bite her, Zaria used her spear to fend the beast off, the weapon becoming lodged inside Leviathan's mouth.
"Hmph."
Leviathan crushed it with a clamp of her jaws. Rei's moon crests slashed at Leviathan, to which the latter retreated into the sea. "That power…"
Her glowing eyes locked onto Rei. "How did you acquire it?"
Rei shrugged. "No idea! Everything before Okinawa is so fuzzy!"
Leviathan whacked Rei aside with her tail before sending large chunks of water flying at Zaria, who dispersed them with her spear. Leviathan closely analyzed Zaria's stance, lifting an eyebrow. Waves of ocean waters surged onto the island, but Zaria leapt into the air.
"Tenkai-geri!"
She performed a cartwheel kick on Leviathan's head, slightly catching her off guard. Zaria landed perfectly back onto the island's surface.
Leviathan split the island in two with a powerful water beam, as Omariro safely caught Zaria and Rei, who clung on tightly.
"Kids in danger," Omariro realized. "Must end."
Leviathan sized him up. "Your move, Master."
Omariro set Zaria and Rei down, his abyssal greatsword forming once more. Both girls watched, utterly stunned.
〈*Lethal* Skill: Active.〉
With a reality-warping slash, Omariro destroyed the entire sea and split Leviathan into pieces. The raw force caused Zaria and Rei to fly away.
〈Error…Error…Room Destabilizing.〉
The entire floor cracked into pieces and disappeared.
Floor 1—-
The group landed on the first floor. Rei and Zaria landed on Gakuto's back, knocking him to the floor. "Ow! Heavy, aren't ya?"
The Escorts emerged with Han as Leviathan emerged, her body fully restored. Omariro appeared in the room, with glowing purple eyes and purple flames erupting off his body.
"Master…?" Zaria whispered.
Leviathan bowed down to Omariro. "Yes. Indeed. You are worthy of commanding me once more."
Omariro dragged his greatsword along the ground as Leviathan stood up, her form dwarfing the entire room. Nonoka and Rika's eyes widened as they noticed the energy erupting off Omariro.
Even Gakuto was at a loss for words.
"Sir, wha—-what was that?" Zaria stammered.
"Forbidden," he replied. "You saw nothing."
His body shifted back to normal and his sword disappeared. The Escorts handed the casket over to Leviathan, and she placed it on her head. "I grant you authority over the Sea, Master."
Both her and Omariro's bodies began to glow, and a blue tether linked them before disappearing.
"Did we win?" Sōshin asked. "Yay, Friend Omariro! You did it!"
He and Emeru looked at the stunned faces of the others, especially Rei and Zaria. "Friends…?"
Omariro got on the head of Leviathan as all the Escorts bowed. "God-King! God-King! God-King!"
They all began to dance in rhythm as Leviathan slithered over to pick up the others. "Come, we must not waste time."
The Escorts all stepped aside as the group climbed on, and a gate opened, allowing Leviathan to exit.
Karuizawa, Japan—-
Leviathan slithered them over to the edge of the lake, right beside the mansion. Omariro hopped off, noticing something was off. "Seal gone. Beast escaped."
Leviathan allowed the others off. "Behemoth can never stay still for too long. That was to be expected."
She noticed the large footprints leading far away. "Even now, he's still so obvious."
While she and Omariro talked, Rei tugged at Gakuto's arm. "Mr. Gakuto…what is Master?"
Gakuto shook his head. "I don't know, but it's not my place to question."
He took the casket with Han inside, as the others watched Omariro. Leviathan dipped her head into the water. "The best course of action is to reclaim the services of Ziz. With the two of us working together, we can tame Behemoth once more."
Sōshin sped over. "Who's Ziz? A new friend?"
Leviathan shook her head. "Hardly. He's the Sky Beast. Also known as the King of Beasts. If you thought reaching me was hard, wait until you enter his domain."
"Sky Beast will be found," Omariro declared. "Transport to location."
"Of course, of course," Leviathan stated. "But you know that Ziz doesn't like many…guests. Who will you leave behind?"
Gakuto came back outside. "I can stay back. Gotta watch over this kid and make sure that stone mammoth doesn't come back."
Emeru jumped onto Gakuto's shoulders. "Me too! I'm done with *beasts.* Besides, maybe I can lure my brother back!"
Omariro turned to the others. "Come. Quest awaits."
Sōshin immediately hopped on, bouncing back and forth. "Ooh! I'll make sure we save Friend Han, no problem!"
Zaria hesitated, before climbing atop the beast as well. The others followed her lead. Leviathan took off for the sea.
As the beast dove underwater, Zaria instinctively clung tighter onto Omariro, one thought racing in her mind.
"Master…are we…nothing to you?"
——