**Bermuda Triangle – Open Sea, Eternal Afternoon**
The sea had become a mirror of glass—unnaturally still, reflecting the pale, endless sky in perfect, unbroken blue. Sunlight poured through the surface in golden pillars, illuminating drifting schools of fish that moved in slow, curious spirals. The fog had vanished completely, leaving only infinite water and infinite silence. The floating corpse of the giant shark drifted like a ruined continent—scarred, bloodless now, home to curious remoras and tiny glowing jellyfish.
Yuki and Honokage swam forward—slowly, side by side. Their hands were no longer linked, but close enough that their fingers occasionally brushed beneath the water. Yuki's black dress trailed behind her like spilled ink, jewelry catching stray beams of light and scattering them in soft violet sparks. Her crimson eye glowed faintly—soft, almost gentle now, no longer burning with battle rage.
Yuki turned to him—voice light, almost wistful.
"Hey… don't you think this place isn't as scary as people think?"
Honokage glanced at her—red eyes softening for a heartbeat.
"I think so…"
Yuki smiled—small, genuine—and dove deeper, graceful as a shadow.
Honokage chased after her—voice echoing through the water.
"Wait, Yuki! Where are you going?"
Yuki pointed ahead—giggling, bubbles rising around her face.
"Just come with me. I think I've found something."
A small fish swam by—bright orange, striped like a clown's costume, with wide, comical eyes.
Yuki burst into laughter—bubbles exploding in a silver cloud.
"Look at that clown-looking fish!! Bwahahahaha!"
Honokage couldn't help but smile—soft, almost tender.
"This creature is cute."
Yuki turned—something caught her eye, a faint, pulsing glow in the blue distance.
"Wait… what is it?"
Honokage followed her gaze—squinting.
"I think… this is a cave."
They swam toward it—entering a wide underwater cavern lit by thousands of amethyst crystals embedded in the walls. The light was soft purple, magical, dancing across the water like living stars. The crystals hummed faintly—ancient, peaceful.
Yuki reached out—holding one gently in her palm.
"This thing glows… It really glows!"
She leaned toward Honokage—smiling wide, eyes sparkling.
"What do you think? We should take those to our home."
Honokage shook his head—gentle but firm.
"I think we shouldn't. Let the crystals stay there… like they stayed forever."
Yuki pouted—playful—then swam upward, spotting a massive, wide fish drifting lazily near the surface.
She grabbed Honokage's arm—pulling him behind her.
"What are you doing!?"
Yuki smirked—mischievous, eyes bright.
"Just be ready for the ride! Wweeeeeeeee!!!"
She slapped the fish's head lightly—once.
The fish's eyes glowed—suddenly alert—and surged forward.
Yuki laughed wildly—hair whipping behind her, dress fluttering like dark wings.
"There is soooo much funnnnn!!!!"
Honokage—clinging to her waist—voice strained, half-laughing, half-terrified.
"Stop this thing right nowwww! I will vomit."
The fish crashed into a rock formation—water exploding in a white plume.
Yuki and Honokage floated safely—laughing, breathless, clinging to each other.
Yuki wandered—spotted a treasure chest half-buried in sand.
She opened it—inside, an old pistol, jewelry, coins.
She held the pistol—swam back to Honokage, grinning.
"Hono-kun\~ I found something."
Honokage—wary.
"And what?"
Yuki raised it playfully—teasing.
"It's a gun! Let me test."
Honokage panicked—eyes wide.
"Why me!? Whyyy me!???"
Yuki smiled sweetly—innocent.
"Because you are my pookie."
She aimed—playful.
"Be ready! Phew phew."
She fired.
Bullet slowed in water—barely crawling.
Honokage caught it easily—expression deadpan.
"So that's the power of a gun? It will take years to kill me."
Yuki burst out laughing—dropped the gun, hugged him tightly.
"Bwahahahahahaha! You really thought I'd shoot you randomly like that? I don't let you escape from me that easily! I knew about physics—that's why I did it."
Honokage turned—pouting dramatically.
"Don't talk to me then… You wanted to shoot me anyway."
Yuki hugged him from behind—voice soft, affectionate.
"Aww… don't be dramatic."
Honokage didn't respond—silent.
Yuki stopped smiling—looked at him carefully.
"Hono-kun…? What happened?"
Honokage—voice quiet, distant.
"Nothing…"
But he was different—colder, withdrawn.
Yuki—nervous.
"You want to go home?"
Honokage—cold.
"From now… this is my home."
Yuki—shocked, voice cracking.
"Why? We lived in Paras City. It is our home—not this dangerous place!"
Honokage—voice flat.
"I know it's dangerous. But it's better than you."
Yuki—voice breaking, tears welling.
"But why!? Tell me please!!"
She reached closer—tried to hug.
Honokage pushed her away—hard.
"Don't touch me. From now… we are separated!"
Yuki's heart shattered—crimson eye dimming, tears falling freely.
"No… No! You can't quit me like that!"
Honokage—voice hollow, pained.
"As you know… I was cursed. I lived inside you. I am a curse after all. I don't want you too."
Yuki—panicking, reaching.
"Wait! Please listen to me! We can settle it!"
Honokage punched—hard, deliberate.
Yuki ragdolled backward—thrown skyward from the sea.
She crashed onto a rock—blood leaking from her mouth, body limp.
Yuki tried to stand—shaking, tears mixing with saltwater.
"You… really hit me."
Honokage rose from the water—black eyes glowing.
"I did the right thing. Now go away… or I will hit you again."
Yuki stood—tears falling, voice trembling.
"No way!! I'm not leaving you alone! Come back to Paras City with me! Or we stay here! I can't leave you in danger like that!"
Honokage—cold, final.
"You can't understand… Okay. Let me go."
His crimson-black aura flared—teleporting.
Yuki screamed—voice raw.
"Nooooo!! Please!!!"
He was gone.
Yuki fell to her knees—expression broken, tears streaming.
She held her face—sobbing.
"What have I done… What have I!? Hono-kun… I'm sorry… The gun joke… I should never have done it… Please come back!"
No response.
Only waves—gentle now, lapping against the rock.
Yuki wiped her tears—sat on the rock.
"Okay… I will wait for you… I won't eat, won't move, won't go… Please come!"
Evening fell—sun sinking, painting the sea in blood and gold.
Yuki still sat—hope fading.
Night came—stars reflected on the water, sharks hunted fish playfully around her, dolphins circled curiously.
Dawn—seagulls hunted, one landed beside her, tilting its head, as if asking why she didn't move.
Morning—dolphins danced nearby, brushing against her legs gently.
Afternoon—mythical creatures appeared—glowing jellyfish, ancient sea turtles—but none hurt her.
Yuki sat still—waiting.
Days blurred—sunrise to sunset.
She grew weaker—skin pale, crimson eye dimming, body trembling from hunger, exhaustion.
Yuki—voice faint, cracking.
"You… didn't come."
But she didn't give up.
Dolphins circled her protectively. Sharks ate small fish nearby. A baby seagull perched on her head, preening her hair. A blue whale passed—gentle, curious, blowing soft air bubbles around her.
Yet Honokage never returned.
Yuki—voice breaking, tears falling.
"You actually left me here… to die… How could you do this to me? I love you… really love you… Please return to me."
No response.
Days passed—weeks perhaps.
Yuki hadn't eaten, drunk, slept—still in the same spot, same position.
She became very weak—vision blurring, body swaying.
Yuki—last whisper.
"I gave my best…"
Vision faded—she collapsed into the water.
The sea caught her—gentle now, like a cradle.
She drifted—past sunken ships, glowing coral, silent cities beneath the waves.
Sharks followed—protective. Dolphins pushed her forward. Seagulls circled overhead, crying mournfully.
A shark slid beneath her—lifting her on its head, swimming steadily toward land.
Hours later—night.
The shark laid her gently on a beach—then vanished into the sea.
Yuki lay unconscious—weak, injured, barely breathing.
**Paras City – Blu's Mansion, Same Time**
Blu sat in his chair—quiet, troubled, staring at maps of the world.
Astra sat on the sofa—small, worried, silver eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Sister… she hasn't returned. Honokage and she went to hunt the megalodon… but didn't come back. It's been six days! I can't even sense her energy anymore… I don't want to lose her… I already lost Sensei Sai."
Blu—voice low, heavy.
"I can't hold back anymore… I have to call the whole force to find her."
Suddenly—a worker burst in—slamming the door.
Breathing heavily, face pale.
"President Blu! I found the missing girl!"
Astra stood instantly—eyes blazing silver.
"You… really found her!?"
Blu—tense, rising.
"Where?"
Worker—panting.
"I saw her on the South jungle beach during coal mining. She seems… too weak. Almost dead."
Astra grabbed the worker's collar—silver eyes burning.
"Take me there! Right now!"
The worker choked—fear in his eyes.
Blu stepped forward—calm but firm.
"I know how you feel right now. But that's not the way to interact with people."
Astra released him—breathing hard, tears falling.
Blu and Astra teleported.
**South Jungle Beach – Night**
Yuki lay on the sand—weak, injured, barely breathing, black dress torn, jewelry dull with salt.
Astra saw her—expression shattered.
Tears escaped instantly.
An orange ancient burning aura flickered around him—for one second—raw, uncontrolled.
He fell to his knees—holding her tightly, crying nonstop.
"What happened to you!? Who did this to you!!! Please… reply to me!"
Blu turned away—voice quiet, pained.
"She isn't able to talk. We need to get her to the hospital."
Astra nodded—teleported with her.
**Hospital – Paras City, Dawn**
Astra laid Yuki on the bed—sat beside her, holding her hand, tears falling.
Blu stood—talking to nurses, voice low.
Nurse fed her nutrients—she woke slowly.
Yuki's first sight—Astra.
She gave a faint smile—reached up, touched his cheek.
"I'm really sorry… to make you worry about me."
Astra—tears falling faster.
"Just rest… That's my duty. I don't want to lose my people. At least tell me what happened there?"
Yuki's smile faded—eyes distant, pained.
"Actually… Honokage quit me. Even… he beat me. Coldly. I waited for him… days… he never came."
Astra hugged her tightly—voice shaking.
Blu gritted his teeth—quiet fury.
"I knew… That curse is just a coward."
Yuki—soft, pained.
"Please don't say that… I love him a lot."
Blu—sharp.
"You love him… but does he love you?"
Yuki clutched her chest—feeling a sharp pain, tears welling.
"Yes… I know he loves me. We enjoyed… spent time together there."
Blu—voice hard.
"If he really loved you… then why did he beat you? Why did he quit you?"
Yuki's eyes filled—voice breaking.
"I… I don't know… maybe… the gun joke… maybe I hurt him too much…"
Astra—soft, fierce.
"Whatever… I don't know about Honokage. But I can say… I won't make you sad. Never. Just… don't go like that again. I was really worried about you."
Yuki—faint smile, tears falling.
"I promise… I won't."
The room fell quiet—only the sound of soft breathing and distant waves.
Outside—the world was still broken.
Inside—two hearts held on.
Waiting.
Hoping.
For something—or someone—to return.
But deep down—Yuki knew.
That day… he quit her.
And the silence that followed was louder than any storm.