The Water Magician

It's a sad story.

At night, Ryo shouted.

"Eureka! Eureka!"

He ran around while shouting.

Abel watched, dumbfounded.

This was a beach with no one else but the two of them.

So, even if he made a commotion, it wouldn't disturb the neighbors...

However, Abel was a sensible person too.

"Ryo, what's wrong?"

He asked, just to make sure.

Ryo came to his senses.

And he answered.

"Abel, there is a custom of shouting 'Eureka' and running around when one makes a great discovery."

"Yeah, that's the first I've heard of it."

That was only natural.

Abel probably didn't know about Archimedes from ancient Greece.

He wouldn't know the story of Archimedes shouting "Eureka" while running naked down the street either.

"I'll tell you about it tomorrow if I'm successful."

"O-okay..."

And the next morning.

Ryo ran close to the beach.

As he did so, Abel disappeared into the forest to hunt.

Ryo chanted.

"Ice Create Submarine!"

Then, a ten-meter-long submarine made of ice appeared.

It matched the perfect image!

"Hehe, with this, I can win!"

He seemed satisfied with the result.

Ryo patted the submarine.

"Yeah, your name is Rondo. Rondo-class first ship Rondo. You'll become the ruler of the sea!"

Saying that, Ryo boarded the Rondo.

The inside was very simple.

It was a single-seater... meaning there was only one seat.

In front of the chair, there was only a control stick protruding from the floor.

Basically, it was supposed to move and attack using Ryo's water attribute magic, launching things like Icicle Lance.

For now, he just created it.

That was the feeling.

First, a trial voyage.

"Okay, let's set off into the ocean!"

The Rondo started to move slowly underwater, shooting water from the back.

Perhaps due to the high transparency.

The scenery underwater was very beautiful.

Since it was a submarine made of ice, Ryo could see in all 360 degrees.

He might have been elated by the unexpected scenery.

He noticed something approaching just in time.

"Dodge!"

He tilted the control stick to the left.

At the same time, water spurted out from the side of the Rondo with a water jet thruster.

With the thrust from the side and the jet from behind, the Rondo swiftly moved diagonally forward to evade.

After dodging, Ryo realized.

That it had long arms.

He had entered the territory of a kraken.

Since he didn't know where the territory began, unexpected contact (engagement) could happen anytime, anywhere...

But at the same time, he was excited.

"If it's Rondo, I can fight the kraken!"

Yes, he gained that confidence.

However, it was only for a moment.

He felt something glowing red far ahead.

"The kraken's... eye?"

At that moment...

"Huh? Rondo? It's not moving..."

The control stick wouldn't move.

Moreover, the water jet from the back had stopped.

"My magical control was taken..."

Despair clouded Ryo's face.

The kraken had taken control of Rondo's magic.

Now unable to move actively, Rondo was being drawn towards the kraken.

With Ryo still on board.

"Rondo! Move!"

Ryo poured all his magical power into it.

But it wouldn't move.

He tried to regain magical control, but of course, it didn't go well.

"This is bad..."

Still inside the Rondo, Ryo was being pulled closer.

"Rondo! Wake up! Please!"

He understood it was impossible.

It belonged to the kraken.

But still, he shouted.

Yet, there was no response.

"Rondo..."

The moment Ryo called out with a voice that seemed to fade...

Bogo.

"Huh..."

When he realized it, Ryo's body was underwater.

The Rondo had ejected Ryo's body from the back.

(Rondo!!!!!!)

Ejected, Ryo was thrown backwards.

The Rondo, having expelled Ryo, was being drawn into the kraken.

Having its magical control taken away, it shouldn't have been able to do that... yet, as if it had a will of its own, it seemed to muster its last strength to expel Ryo.

(Rondo...)

Ryo's tears quickly mixed with the sea.

Yet, through his tears, he saw the fading Rondo... and it seemed to be smiling.

As if satisfied for having saved its master... it seemed to smile.

When he came to, Ryo was washed up on the beach.

He looked out at the sea.

He wished it were a dream.

But he understood it wasn't a dream.