[Scene: Sea Level — 40 meters from the ship | Just above the water]
The sea swirled gently below.
Solis and Ryven stood on its surface — thirty, maybe forty meters out from the nearest ship. No words between them. Just the wind. Just tension. Two shadows mirroring each other across a wall of tide.
Above it all — the clouds watched.
And from the deck behind...
[Scene: Ryven's Ship | Deck]
Kael cracked his neck.
Rhask planted his massive sword into the deck with a clang.
They stood alone. Or rather — not alone at all.
Across from them stood four figures.
Three wore masks, identical in height, build, and even breath. The silver-haired man stood between them — sharp eyes gleaming, a faint smirk on his lips.
Silver-Hair (glancing at Rhask's sword):
> "My, my… That blade is only a foot shorter than your partner beside you."
Kael (already annoyed):
> "Hey. Watch your words, white wig."
Silver-Hair (chuckling):
> "Tch. A pirate can't even speak the truth these days?"
> "Good thing Captain Ryven isn't here. I can use THIS."
And then —
CLAP. CLAP.
The sound echoed strangely — not like hands, more like stone striking stone.
A pulse rippled through the ship.
Suddenly—everything changed.
The air bent. Light warped.
A feild, invisible to the eye but loud to the soul, locked down.
A barrier — circular, complete — sealed the entire deck in a stillness soaked in dread.
"Nullwake Field," the pirates called it.
Within seconds—
Kael staggered.
Rhask grunted.
Even Ryven's own crew collapsed to their knees or flat-out fainted — drained of mana like water poured into sand.
Only the Silver-Haired Man and his three masked companions remained unaffected — standing tall, like puppets held by invisible strings.
Kael (blinking hard):
> "Hey, Rhask… You feel that too?"
Rhask (jaw tight):
> "Yeah. Something's feeding off our mana... this whole field is alive."
---
[Above — Crow's Nest | Arjun's POV]
Arjun narrowed his eyes.
He didn't like what he was seeing.
He reached behind, drew an arrow — and infused it with mana until it shimmered crimson-red.
Then—
FWIP.
The arrow soared, glowing.
But it never hit.
The moment it touched the barrier—it evaporated. Not deflected. Not blocked.
Erased.
Silver-Hair glanced up.
His smile widened.
Silver-Hair (casually):
> "Ah… backup, I assume."
He chuckled.
No fear. No rush.
Silver-Hair:
> "This is my domain — the Nullwake Field. It draws energy from every soul inside it… except mine."
> "And my sweet little dolls here—" He gestured to the three identical soldiers. "—don't need mana. I move them myself."
---
Kael and Rhask were on one knee now.
Breathing hard.
But still up.
Everyone else?
Unconscious.
Kael (panting):
> "Why the hell are you draining your own crew?"
Silver-Hair (shrugging):
> "They'll wake up. Eventually."
> "You? Hmm. That I doubt."
He gave a soft finger-snapping motion.
The three masked assassins moved.
Fast. Daggers in hand. Unreadable faces.
They lunged.
Rhask and Kael barely dodged.
Silver-Hair (surprised):
> "You can still move?"
Rhask (grinning, exhaling slow):
> "It's a race now…"
> "A test of who runs out of mana first. Us…"
> "Or you, keeping up your precious field."
Kael (internal, ducking under a slash):
> "Getting used to it…"
> "He's right. If we can last long enough…"
> "If we just don't fall—"
> "We can win."
[Scene: Ryven vs Solis]
Solis jumped through the air like a blade drawn by fate itself.
Ryven didn't move.
He just—swung.
One effortless slice through the air.
No contact.
No collision.
Just a whisper of motion.
But the result?
SHHHHRRRRRRRAAACK—!!
The sea split.
Not rippled — split.
All the way to the hull of his own ship.
The shockwave hit the ship like a divine judgment.
Even the ship nudged — groaning under the pressure.
Kael, on the deck, staggered—
Kael (yelping):
> "What the—?!"
Rhask (without turning):
> "Don't lose focus!"