Night blanketed the ocean. The sky was dark, and the waves moved gently without a storm.
In the middle of the sea, Zata descended to Earth. His feet touched the surface of the water, yet he stood upon it without sinking. The ocean around him remained calm, as if it were holding his body in place.
That sea was the Mariana Trench.
Not long after, the water before him began to stir.
From the depths emerged a colossal creature. Its body was long like a sea serpent, covered in dark scales, coiling above the surface of the ocean. Its head towered high, far larger than any ship.
It was Leviathan.
"Zata," the heavy voice echoed.
"Ah… when will it be my turn to play?"
Zata smiled faintly.
"Hahaha… perhaps in the sixth or seventh game."
"Then why have you descended to Earth?" Leviathan asked.
"I just needed someone to talk to."
Zata replied.
In the distance, a massive ship passed by. Several people aboard noticed the gigantic shadow in the sea and the figure of a man standing upon the water. Searchlights were turned on and directed toward them.
The bright light swept across Leviathan's scales.
Zata frowned.
"How annoying."
He stepped forward and threw a punch toward the ship.
"0%," Zata said.
In an instant, the ship was destroyed and sank without creating a massive wave. The sea became calm once again, as though nothing had happened.
Leviathan stared at Zata.
"Even your 0% power still feels overwhelming."
"I minimized it," Zata replied casually.
"Otherwise, this would've become a disaster."
"You're too powerful," Leviathan said.
"Not really," Zata answered.
"Then… what is your full power?" Leviathan asked.
Zata turned his head slightly.
"My punches have no limit. I simply choose how small the impact will be."
Leviathan fell silent for a moment.
Zata looked toward the dark ocean.
"Keep me company."
Leviathan nodded. His gigantic body moved through the water as he swam deeper into the sea, while Zata simply walked into the ocean, piercing through the darkness of the abyss.
They arrived at the bottom of the Bermuda Triangle. The pressure of the sea felt crushing, and old shipwrecks were scattered across the seabed, half-buried beneath sand and coral. A dim bluish glow illuminated the place.
Leviathan coiled his massive body among the ruins.
"This place is always quiet."
"Perfect," Zata said.
"No humans. No disturbances."
For a moment, both of them remained silent, accompanied only by the slow movement of the ocean currents.
Zata stood calmly at the bottom of the sea. The immense water pressure had no effect on him whatsoever.
In front of him, Leviathan coiled his giant body, his dark scales reflecting the faint light.
Leviathan spoke first.
"Zata, I heard Slenderman is dead. Is that true?"
Zata chuckled softly.
"Hahaha… Slenderman was always weak physically."
He looked into the darkness of the sea.
"But his death is not the end."
Leviathan narrowed his eyes.
"Not the end?"
"It's only the beginning," Zata answered calmly.
Leviathan remained silent for a moment before asking again.
"Then what exactly is Slenderman's power?"
Zata let out a light sigh.
"Slenderman's power is the manipulation of whoever kills him."
"If he is killed by a human, that human will slowly lose control over themselves."
"Their thoughts, emotions, even their actions."
"And it is absolute."
Leviathan smiled faintly.
"Hehehe… the beings connected to you are always dangerous."
"And if that person dies, what happens to Slenderman?"
Zata turned back toward Leviathan.
"Slenderman will revive."
"Exactly as he was before."
Leviathan fell silent. The ocean around them suddenly felt even heavier.
"And this time," Zata continued quietly,
"he will not appear without purpose."
Leviathan understood immediately.
"That child…" he muttered softly.
Zata nodded.
"Yes. Hikari."
At the silent depths of the ocean, the truth slowly began to form.
Yesterday's battle was not the end.
It was merely the beginning of something far greater.
And without anyone realizing it,
the bond between Hikari and Slenderman had already begun to form.
Leviathan coiled himself calmly. After a while, he spoke again.
"Then… what about Vendico, Scarlet, and Zhael?" Leviathan asked.
Zata turned slightly and smiled faintly.
"Hm. So even you care about the weak."
Leviathan snorted quietly.
"Not care. They are the same as me—enemies of humanity."
Zata stayed silent for a moment before speaking in a flat tone.
"Fine. I'll answer."
"Vendico, Scarlet, and Zhael are completely dead."
Leviathan slightly raised his head.
"Completely?"
"Yes," Zata replied.
"At that time, Scarlet briefly summoned Satan while fighting against humans."
Leviathan looked shocked.
"And Satan?"
"Satan did not truly die," Zata answered calmly.
"At that moment, I merely erased his existence."
Leviathan fell silent before asking again.
"What about Zhael?"
"Zhael died at the hands of a human sorcerer," Zata answered.
"That human used absolute death magic. Nothing remained."
"And Vendico?" Leviathan asked.
Zata glanced into the darkness of the sea.
"Vendico also died completely. He was simply too large."
"His movements were slow, and that became his weakness."
Leviathan remained silent for quite a while before asking quietly,
"You have no intention of recreating them?"
Zata shook his head.
"No."
"I'm not interested."
Leviathan understood that answer.
If Zata said he was not interested, then their stories had truly come to an end.
At the bottom of the sea, the names that once brought destruction were now nothing more than legends.
But Leviathan knew the real threat was far from over.
The depths of the Bermuda Triangle became silent once again after their long conversation.
Leviathan exhaled deeply before asking in a serious tone,
"So… do you not intend to create invaders again to fight humanity?"
Zata raised an eyebrow.
"Hm… do you have a suggestion?"
Leviathan looked into the darkness of the sea.
"What about the creatures beyond the Wall at the Edge of the World?"
Zata looked slightly surprised.
"Huh? What creatures?"
"They say those beings will attack humanity once the wall is opened," Leviathan answered.
"And how strong are they?" Zata asked casually.
"I don't know," Leviathan replied.
"But their numbers are 999 to 1 against humans."
Zata laughed softly.
"Hahaha. Numbers do not always mean strength."
"I could kill them all."
Leviathan fell silent for a moment.
"Huh? Are you serious?"
"Yes," Zata answered calmly.
"Do you want to come with me?"
Leviathan hesitated.
"If possible, I will. But… there is no water there."
Zata smiled faintly.
"Then I will temporarily erase your dependence on water."
In an instant, the space around them distorted.
They appeared at the Edge of the World.
A colossal wall stood towering before them, as though it existed to seal away something that should never be released.
Zata stepped forward.
He raised his hand… and punched.
0.1% of his power.
The wall cracked, then shattered open.
Beyond it appeared countless monsters, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
Zata stared at them without fear.
"Listen to me, filthy creatures."
"I am the King of Invaders."
"I will kill all of you before you ever lay a hand upon humanity."
Without hesitation, every monster charged at once.
Zata took a single step forward…
and threw one punch.
0% of his power.
In an instant, every creature was annihilated without a trace.
Leviathan stood frozen in silence.
Once again, he realized the same truth as before—
Zata…
was not a being that could ever be measured by numbers.