"Hey! Where the hell does this thing come from?" Said Akira while trying to parry its large sword. The temple guardians suddenly appeared out of nowhere, attacking Akira without any reason.
Akira parried its blade and destroyed the body with his swing. The temple guardian fell, and its body shattered after hitting the ground.
Akira erased his scythe and searched from left to right for Umi. Umi abruptly vanished without a trace. Akira had no idea where she was because he couldn't sense her. She then appeared behind Akira, startling him.
Akira was taken aback that he couldn't detect her. He mistakenly believed she possessed the same ability as Hiroshi, but she was far more advanced. Akira inquired as to why the temple guardians had appeared out of nowhere. The sea cave was quiet at first, but then the noise of a crowd was heard and then vanished.
Akira could hear them, but he couldn't find them. Because he was inside an underwater cave, the smell was fishy that was all he could smell. He couldn't pinpoint the source of the noise because it echoed everywhere.
He was perplexed and needed answers, but she didn't answer him. Umi sighed, and then she finally spoke. She responded that these voices could only be heard by those with spiritual senses.
Akira scratched his head, thinking that perhaps what she meant was his keen instincts, which could track the voice. A loud noise caused a strange pain in Akira's ears. It sounded like someone was yelling in his ears. Umi didn't hear or feel them at all. As Akira groaned, the voices grew louder and louder.
The voices eventually stopped, and Akira calmed down. He inquired of Umi as to what was wrong with the cave. It had temple guardians and an enigmatic voice.
Akira finally took the time to reflect on what had occurred. Akira inquired about Umi's arrival. The cave was about 120 meters deep into the sea, and Akira's strength allowed him to swim deeper and launch himself like a harpoon. Umi, on the other hand, did not appear strong but mysteriously appeared here. Though, Akira managed to live even though the water pressure was crushing his lungs and body. Regular humans could only withstand 20-30 meters.
"May I ask, were you here by coincidence or by fate?"
"Fate? Isn't a coincidence the same word as "fate?"
"Just answer me!" Umi was impatient and wanted Akira to answer.
"Well, I guess it's a coincidence. After all, I got here after doing my training, and suddenly I heard a strange girl singing in the middle of nowhere. I tried to follow it and it brought me here."
"I see..." Umi's eyes widened, and she stood silent in shock.
She was overjoyed that someone had overheard her singing. She asked Akira to follow her again, but this time she directed him to a different location. Umi took him to a vantage point from which he could see something. A massive hole in a rocky wall; even without any protection, such as glass, the water did not pass through. It was as if they were inside a bubble barrier.
When Akira arrived, he saw wrecked ships and houses in the depths of the sea. It looked as if it had been destroyed a long time ago. The location resembled a kingdom, complete with statues, temples, houses, and skeletons. Akira heard voices calling out for assistance while gazing at the kingdom.
"These voices that you heard came from those trapped souls. They sought hope and peace but they were trapped in an endless void of darkness. No escape, nothing to feel, loneliness, it's many ways worse than death." Umi pointed at the wrecked place.
"Trapped souls?"
"Yes... I want you to do something for me, I don't think I could reward you, but I'll-"
Akira silenced her by lifting his finger in front of her and letting him speak.
"I like doing favors for free, don't need to reward me. Besides, I can see that you are in deep trouble, I can see it in your eyes. I'll try my best, so tell me what should I do to help you!"
Umi smiled, relieved that she had found hope. She instructed him to go to the sea temple, which housed a crystal that he had to destroy. She'd lead him and give him advice on what he should do...
Akira cheekily smiled "Alright, lead the way!"
Umi led him to the destined location by walking slowly and answering his previous questions.
"So uh, what is this place?"
"It's a sea dungeon."
"Sea dungeon?!" Akira was shocked that he went to the sea dungeon accidentally because he thought it was an underwater cave.
It used to be just an ordinary underwater cave, but that was a long time ago, according to Umi. She witnessed with her own eyes how the underwater cave was transformed into a dungeon, years after years until she lost count. Akira asked if she knew how this happened, and she said yes. She saw everything for thousands of years. Akira eventually stopped and was shocked that it happened thousands of years ago.
Akira asked if she was immortal, and she shook her head. She wasn't immortal, her job was to guide people to help her out. Then Akira understood what she said. He wanted to ask if she had gone out before, but she answered no. She knew that Celesta existed but she never went out. She stayed here, singing, praying, walking around all alone for ages. Akira felt sad that had to hurt, he saw her expression as her head hung low with teary eyes.
Akira said to her that he promised to free the trapped souls, and once it was over, he would take her out of here. She replied to him that it wouldn't be possible. Akira asked why but she didn't answer.
Akira arrived at the place she led and there was a giant gate. Within there it had many dungeon monsters he had to avoid or kill, his main objective was to destroy a red crystal to end all of this. Akira nodded and so he went in, Umi stopped him and she unleashed a bright orb from her palm. She asked Akira to grab it and so he did. This orb contained a light source to help him to find the directions of his objective. Akira nodded and entered the dungeon.