The Great Tide Rises

North America.

A broadcast spread rapidly across the land, its content carrying a haunting melody.

Chino strode across the mainland, accompanied by several sound systems blaring the resonant recordings of 007 Siren's performance.

Its title: Large-Scale Extermination Tool for Creatures with Hearing.

The soldiers sent to fight Chino and the Fish-Men faltered at the sound. One by one, they abandoned resistance, collapsing to their knees in submission.

Such was the terror of 007's ability—an unyielding advantage against the unprepared.

Chino and his sea-born kin had come equipped, wearing hearing aids or blocking their senses to counteract the lethal melody.

Under the sway of the tide and the Siren's song, the Fish-Men carved through half the continent in an unstoppable surge.

Until an angel appeared.

On the skeletal remains of an abandoned skyscraper, a white-haired woman sat perched atop a concrete pillar, hundreds of radiant wings unfurling behind her.

Chino increased the sound system to its maximum volume, unleashing the full force of 007's melody. The sonic waves reverberated across the landscape.

But the angel did not falter.

She was unaffected.

No. That wasn't right.

The angel wasn't immune—she was absorbing the sound itself.

The angel rose to her feet, her serene expression marred only by the unsettling aura radiating from her wings. She spoke, but Chino, his hearing shielded, could not catch her words.

Without hesitation, he threw a punch toward her.

The angel dodged effortlessly and retaliated with a strike of her own.

The massive fist of Chino collided with the angel's delicate hand midair.

Boom!

The impact sent the angel hurtling backward, her white form cutting a blazing arc across the sky before crashing into the earth below.

Chino flexed his wrist, his confidence unwavering. The Ox stone embedded in his body amplified his strength to the peak of 3rd Step, rendering him a near-unstoppable force.

The angel emerged from the ruins, golden flames licking at her wings. "Peak 3rd Step… such grotesque and wretched creatures," she muttered.

Bang!

She surged forward, her radiant wings propelling her with unrelenting speed. Chino swung another punch, but the angel twisted around it, her movements fluid and precise.

In the next instant, countless wings slashed through the air, slicing deep into Chino's massive form.

Splat, splat, splat!

Green blood sprayed in torrents, his body riddled with wounds.

But as quickly as they formed, the injuries sealed themselves shut.

Chino's lips twisted into a grin. With the Horse amulet in his possession, his body was nearly indestructible. Unless the angel could annihilate him in one decisive blow, her efforts were meaningless.

He retaliated with a sweeping strike, his arm splitting into a writhing mass of tentacles aimed at ensnaring the angel.

She danced through the air, her movements impossibly swift. Her form fragmented into shimmering afterimages, surrounding Chino on all sides.

The tentacles lashed out, but each attack met empty space, unable to touch her.

Chino scowled, frustration building. If only he had the Rabbit stone…

Realizing his attacks were futile, he ceased his assault and brought his massive arms crashing down to the earth.

Boom!

The ground quaked violently, fissures ripping through the terrain.

Meanwhile, the Dagon Priests chanted fervently, summoning the tide to devour the land.

The angel alighted upon the fractured earth, her wings folding as she stood amidst the destruction. Nearby, robed figures gathered, their voices rising in fervent devotion.

"Look! Our angel battles the evil god from the sea!"

"Pray, believers! The angel will deliver us!"

"Offer your prayers! She will save us all!"

...

Chino unblocked his hearing. The Siren's song, now irrelevant, had been absorbed entirely by the angel.

Enormous waves surged behind him, their immense power stilled for a fleeting moment as he turned his attention forward. The angel was inconsequential now.

But before he could take another step, a pillar of fire erupted from the distance, tearing through the air like a comet.

Boom!

The fiery blast pierced Chino's massive hand, leaving behind a smoldering hole.

Hm?

He raised his hand to examine the damage, green blood dripping onto the ground. "This… Dragon's Burst?"

Under the influence of the Horse amulet, the gaping wound began to close almost instantly.

Unfazed, Chino waved his hand, and the Dagon Priests halted their chanting. The enormous waves froze mid-surge, their chaotic crests suspended like sculptures in the air.

For a moment, time itself seemed to hold its breath.

Chino looked up, his eyes narrowing at a figure hovering in the sky—a black-haired girl with dark wings, holding a glowing stone etched with the image of a dragon.

"What are you doing, Raven?"

001 crossed her arms, her posture defiant. "What are you doing, you stinky fish?"

Chino gestured toward the frozen tide behind him. "Using a great flood to destroy the world. Isn't it obvious?"

In a blur, Raven darted forward, stopping mere inches from his face. Her wings flared with irritation.

"Are you kidding me? That sweets shop was releasing new products today, and because of you, they had to close! Do you know how far I flew just to come here?!"

Chino remained silent, then sighed. "Fine. Once I've turned them all into Fish-Men, I'll have them work day and night to churn out your precious new sweets. Happy?"

001, Aurora's first creation, the strongest of all.

No one—no creation—wanted to face 001 in battle. Her strength was undeniable, but under most circumstances, her mind remained childlike, focused on trivial pleasures.

Raven tilted her head, considering his offer. "Hmm… alright, then."

Chino's massive form shifted slightly. "It's impressive you can still recognize me like this. But, for old times' sake, I need your help with something."

"What is it?"

"Give me the Rabbit."

Chino extended his hand, his massive fingers stretching toward her. Raven looked down at the three stones in her possession: Rabbit, Dragon, and Pig.

The Rabbit stone, the embodiment of speed, was what he needed to complete his power. With it, Chino would ascend to a peak 3rd Step, on the cusp of becoming a half-step 4th Step. Strength, speed, flight, immortality—it would all come together.

Raven retrieved the Rabbit stone from her pouch, her expression thoughtful. "I can't just give it to you. What'll you trade me?"

Chino's massive frame loomed closer. "What do you want?"

As they bartered, the angel—Moon—descended to the gathering of believers below. Her eyes gleamed with cruel intent.

Standing before the trembling followers of the Church of Light, Moon's wings spread wide, their radiant feathers shimmering with malevolence.

Her lips curled into a chilling smile. Without hesitation, her wings enveloped a nearby believer.

"Aaah!!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed as the angel's wings consumed the unfortunate soul. From her back, new wings unfurled, pulsing with the power of directed evolution.

Moon addressed the horrified masses, her voice both commanding and chilling. "Believers, hear my teachings. I am light, and I am darkness. You will use your flesh and blood as a bridge to elevate me to godhood!"

Her massive wings expanded, casting a shadow over the terrified crowd. They surged forward, enveloping the remaining followers, their desperate screams feeding her transformation.

...

Meanwhile, high above, Chino extended a massive hand to accept the Rabbit stone from 001. A silent agreement passed between them.

The stone's energy coursed through Chino, his speed increasing exponentially. The sluggishness of his enormous form vanished, replaced by a terrifying swiftness.

At that moment, Moon struck.

Her form blurred as she launched herself toward Chino.

But now, he was ready.

Chino's colossal body moved with impossible agility. Tentacles erupted from his form, twisting and writhing like living chains, wrapping around Moon before she could evade.

Caught mid-air, the angel struggled, but Chino's grip was unyielding.