The strong, fishy smell of the sea breeze grew heavier, filling Rocky's lungs as he stood at the bow of the ship. The air felt damp and cold, and the waves beneath them churned violently, drawing up water from the deep and casting it high into the wind.
Rocky narrowed his eyes. He'd spent enough time near the ocean to know what this meant.
"There's a storm ahead," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind.
The crew, busy pulling down the sails, nodded and grinned in response.
"I didn't expect this kid to know a thing or two about the sea. Not bad!" one of them laughed. "A big, big storm's coming soon!"
"Hold on tight!" another called out. "If you get tossed overboard, don't expect us to fish you out!"
Hearing this, Rocky turned to Piro, his expression tense. "Get the tribesmen inside. Now."
Without hesitation, Piro began ushering the Kuruta people below deck, his words urgent but calm. The tribesmen, though wary, followed him quietly, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.
By the time Piro returned to the deck, the waves had grown larger, and Rocky was already by the rudder, speaking with the captain.
"Turn this ship around! We're not going to the Devil's Sea!" Rocky demanded.
The captain turned his head, flashing a wide grin lined with yellowed teeth. His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Oh? Is that so?" he chuckled. "Don't you wanna avoid the ones chasing you, kid?"
Rocky's gaze darkened. "What are you talking about? We don't have anyone chasing us."
"Don't play dumb," the captain replied, leaning lazily against the helm. "I've been doing this for over thirty years. I can tell when someone's running from something. But hey, doesn't matter to me. Long as you pay up, I'll take you wherever you need to go."
The captain stretched his arm, pointing to the distant horizon.
"You only got one way out, and it's straight ahead. If you turn now, those chasing you will catch up before you know it. There aren't many routes around these waters. If they've got a phone, they'll know exactly where to find you."
Rocky stiffened, his eyes narrowing in thought.
He glanced at Piro, who had been listening silently beside him.
The captain's words made sense, but the idea of pressing forward into dangerous waters seemed like trading one threat for another.
"Even if that's true, now isn't the time to take risks," Rocky said, trying to keep his voice steady.
The captain laughed again. "I get it. You care about your people. That's admirable. But turning back isn't an option. We've already entered these waters. Leaving will be just as hard as pushing forward."
Rocky froze for a moment, processing the weight of the words.
"Why not just turn the ship around now?" Rocky pressed, gripping the railing tightly.
The captain motioned to the crew, who were busy folding the sails.
"Look around, kid. What do you think my crew is doing?"
Rocky blinked in confusion.
Just moments ago, the crew had been pulling the sails frantically. Now they were folding them away?
Rocky's sharp eyes scanned the deck, noticing subtle details that others might have missed.
The ship… was accelerating.
Even with the sails down, the vessel surged forward at an unnatural speed.
Rushing to the edge of the ship, Rocky peered over the side, his gaze locking onto the water below.
"This is…"
The sea beneath them was moving rapidly in a single direction, swirling like a powerful current.
The realization hit him like a hammer.
"This is a special undercurrent," the captain explained, stepping beside him. "It leads directly to the Devil's Sea. Congratulations, kid. You found it on your first try. Some ships search for days and never get this lucky."
Rocky clenched his fists.
"Lucky? Seriously? You call this lucky?"
"In a way," the captain shrugged.
But Rocky wasn't interested in the captain's version of luck. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to get off this cursed ship.
"Hold tight, little devils!" the captain called out. "Things are about to speed up!"
The ship creaked violently as the water pulled them forward, causing the wood to groan under the strain.
Rocky grabbed the nearest handrail, his muscles tensing. The wind howled around them, making it nearly impossible to hear anything else.
Piro stumbled, nearly losing his grip, but Rocky caught his arm, holding him steady.
"Don't let go!" Rocky shouted over the wind.
Piro nodded, gripping the guardrail with white knuckles.
"Rocky…" Piro's voice wavered. "Do you think… we'll die out here?"
Rocky hesitated.
He had no answer.
The Hunter world was filled with bizarre and deadly mysteries. There was no telling if the Devil's Sea was a natural phenomenon or the result of something far more sinister.
"We'll leave it to fate," Rocky replied finally. "For now, we focus on staying alive."
"Brace yourselves!" the captain yelled suddenly. "Here comes another one!"
Rocky's eyes shot forward, and his heart sank.
A monstrous wave, at least four stories high, barreled toward them.
His grip tightened on the railing as the ship lifted, riding up the swell like a fragile leaf.
But somehow, the ship held.
To Rocky's disbelief, the battered vessel pressed forward, cutting through the waves with unnatural resilience.
More waves followed, each larger and more ferocious than the last.
Minutes turned into half an hour.
The ship plunged deeper into the heart of the Devil's Sea.
Suddenly, the captain grinned.
"Alright, lads! Get ready! Life or death, it all depends on this!"
Rocky's stomach twisted. "What's he talking about now?"
Before he could ask, the ship began to rise.
Rocky's eyes widened in shock.
Under the captain's command, the ship was riding a massive surge of water, lifting it nearly a hundred meters into the air.
On the other side, an even larger wave approached, towering above them.
"Here it comes!" the captain roared. "If we make it over this one, we'll enter the Devil's Sea!"
The crew cheered like madmen.
Rocky's jaw dropped.
"This ship isn't an airplane… we can't fly over waves!"
And yet, the crew pressed on, fearless and grinning.
Rocky exhaled sharply, his mind racing.
He glanced at the sea.
'If there's ever a time to awaken something new… it's now.'