Razeal, however, didn't hesitate for even a breath. A faint, confident smile curved on his lips the kind that revealed nothing yet implied everything.

"Well," he said calmly, his tone unreadable, "she's my… Bitch."

The way he said it almost made Maria blink in disbelief.

She had been about to say something, ready to maybe come up with something better , but his words struck her first. Her mouth opened, then closed again. For several long seconds, she simply stared at him, her expression frozen between confusion, outrage, and disbelief.

Bitch? How dare he...

Her noble pride twitched, but her sense of survival told her not to explode ..not yet.

Neptunia blinked too, caught off guard by the unexpected answer. "Umm… well, that was entirely unexpected," she said slowly, her brows arching high as her lips curved into an uncertain smile. "I'll be honest, I'm a little speechless."

Her eyes flicked between the two of them, pausing briefly on Maria, whose stiff posture said more than words ever could. Neptunia gave a light, awkward chuckle. "But hey, I won't judge," she added with an amused tone that didn't quite match the faintly judgmental look in her eyes.

Maria clenched her jaw slightly. "That's really not whatever you might be thinking," she said quickly, trying to explain, though her voice betrayed a trace of restrained humiliation. Her pride.. that quiet, noble flame.. burned at being misunderstood like this.

Neptunia raised her hands slightly, feigning innocence. "I understand, I understand," she said, nodding exaggeratedly, her tone far too casual. "Don't worry, I'm the same age as you two. I get everything."

Her words carried a teasing weight that made Maria's left eye twitch.

"No, you.." Maria stopped herself mid-sentence, taking a deep breath instead. She could already tell that arguing would only make things worse she'd end up sounding defensive or desperate. So she exhaled and let it drop, deciding it was better to ignore both of them for the sake of her dignity.

Razeal, on the other hand, didn't seem affected in the slightest. He just shrugged casually, like the conversation hadn't even mattered. To him..

Changing the topic entirely, his expression returned to its calm neutrality. "Also," he said, his voice level again, "I had other people with me ..they were shot out of the reverse gate along with us."

Neptunia blinked at that, her teasing expression replaced by mild surprise. "Other people?" she asked, frowning slightly. "How many?"

"Three more," Razeal replied, his tone clipped. "We were together when it happened, but the force of the reverse gate separated us. We were scattered in random directions. Since we landed in the Third Sea…" He paused, glancing at her, "do you think they might have ended up here too?"

Neptunia thought about it for a few moments, her expression serious now. "I wouldn't say that's likely," she admitted finally. "The reverse gate is unpredictable.. chaotic, really as i said before i never even thought about this way.. or anything as farr as i know...But as much as i know the current is strong enough to throw people across multiple seas in a heartbeat if you were able to come here.. That's the proof of it."

She folded her arms, thinking aloud as she explained. "There's a chance they could've been thrown anywhere.. from the Seventh Sea to even the Royal Ocean itself. It depends on where the current chose to release them."

Her tone turned more cautious as she looked at him again. "But first tell me ...are they strong like you?"

Razeal tilted his head slightly, considering the question.

Neptunia continued, her voice quieter now. "I'm asking because… you two survived something that should've killed anyone else. That impact alone could've crushed you flat. And if someone was unlucky enough to get caught by a monster or sea creature mid-descent…"

She trailed off, her gaze softening slightly. "Well, let's just say the chances of survival aren't great." She frowned again, rubbing her chin. "Honestly, I wouldn't believe either of you made it if I hadn't seen you standing here myself.. Which i am not even sure now."

Razeal sighed softly, running a hand through his white hair. "They'll survive," he said, almost to himself. "Though I'm not completely sure about one."

He tilted his head, thinking aloud. "I'd say… sixty, maybe seventy percent chance he made it." His tone was calm unnervingly so but there was a quiet weight behind it that showed he cared more than he let on.

Neptunia watched him for a moment, noting that faint flicker in his eyes. "So," she asked, "what are you planning to do?"

Her tone had changed less teasing now, more serious. "Are you going to wait for them to find you… or are you going back to search for them?"

The question hung in the air.

Before he could answer, she continued, her voice firm and businesslike. "Because if that's the case, I'll be honest ...I'm not going back with you nor i be waiting. I don't have the time for that."

She crossed her arms, her golden eyes steady on him. "But if you decide to keep moving forward.. toward the Royal Ocean then I'll cooperate. If we happen to find them along the way, great. I'll help. But I'm not turning around."

Her tone was practical, sharp, and straight to the point. "Going back would be wasting time.. and time isn't something I have much of right noww..."

Razeal's eyes narrowed faintly at her words, his expression calm but unreadable. He wasn't angry.. more like calculating, weighing her sincerity.

Neptunia didn't flinch under his gaze. "I'm being honest with you," she said firmly. "I don't do pointless detours. The deeper we go, the stronger the currents get.. and the more dangerous the creatures that swim in them. Turning back would just double the risk."

She tilted her head slightly, her tone softening just a little. "You'll have to decide now," she said. "Are you going back for them… or moving forward?"

Maria's gaze also turned toward Razeal, her expression sharp and searching.

This was his decision now.. his choice. And it would tell her everything she needed to know about him.

Would he go back for the others the people who had followed him, who had trusted him enough to come to Atlantis by his side?

Would he take responsibility for them, as a leader should?

Or would he just leave them behind without a second thought.. abandoning them the moment they became inconvenient?

Maria's eyes were heavy with judgment, her jaw tight as she waited. Let's see what kind of he really is... Not judging him from his past but present now..

Razeal stayed silent for a few long seconds, the tension around him growing thicker by the breath. He could feel both women's eyes on him.. one calm and assessing, the other silently ..

He ran a hand through his pure white hair, his expression unreadable. His gaze flicked once toward the faint, shimmering horizon of the underwater city.. the unknown depths stretching endlessly beyond it.

A quiet exhale left his lips. "Let's go to the Royal Ocean," he said finally, his tone calm but cold. "That would be best for us right now."

There was no hesitation in his voice, no emotion, no explanation. Just a statement .. firm and absolute.

For a moment, neither woman spoke.

"Uh… okay then," Neptunia said after a pause, blinking in mild surprise. She had expected him to deliberate, to hesitate at least a little maybe even argue for a reason to go back. But instead, his answer came instantly, cold and clean, as though he had already made peace with abandoning the others.

Her brows twitched slightly as she studied him. So he really doesn't care… she thought, her earlier impression of him sinking a little. Cold type dangerous and heatless.

Still, she didn't say anything aloud. If anything, his decision worked perfectly for her. The fewer attachments he had, the easier it would be to move forward without distractions.

From the side, Maria's quiet voice broke the silence. "I see…" she said softly, her tone mixed.. disappointment laced with resignation.

She didn't look at him directly. Instead, she stared ahead at the glowing coral walls, her hands tightening slightly at her sides.

In her heart, she had already known what kind of person Razeal was.. selfish, distant, bad and rapist ofcourse. But still… a small part of her had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he had changed coming up from her past.. as he would surprise her. That he'd at least show a hint of responsibility.. that he'd care.

But no.

She sighed quietly, shaking her head. I should've expected this.

The disappointment in her was bitter. For days now, she had seen glimpses of something human in him in the way he trained Levy, in the quiet moments he'd sometimes share with the others. She had thought there was a trace of care, maybe even loyalty buried deep beneath that icy exterior.

But now? Now he just looked like what she'd always assumed he was.. a cold, heartless man driven by nothing but his own goals.

He's the kind of person who would throw anyone away the moment they stopped being useful, she thought bitterly. If I ever get in his way, he'll do the same to me.. Right?

Her lips twitched as she looked down, silently cursing him in her head. Cold-hearted bastard. Sighing

Neptunia noticed the shift in Maria's expression and raised a brow slightly. She didn't comment, but she could tell what the girl was thinking. Her eyes lingered on Razeal, assessing the space between the two. They're not companions just two people walking the same path. She's in this for her own reasons or intrests too maybe, Neptunia realized.

But before the thought could sink further, Razeal's calm voice cut through the silence. "So," he said, turning toward Neptunia, "when do we leave for the Royal Ocean?"

Neptunia blinked, slightly caught off guard by his straightforwardness. "You can leave whenever you're ready... Maybe after taking rest," she replied. "We're standing right at the border of the Third Sea. To our right lies the crossing ..once we pass it, we'll reach the Second Sea. And beyond that…" she smiled faintly, "the Royal Ocean."

Razeal nodded once, his expression calm as ever. "Good. There's no need for rest," he said. "Let's continue now. The faster we move, the better."

Neptunia stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "You really don't know what you're rushing into, do you?" she said, her tone half warning, half exasperated.

Razeal tilted his head slightly but didn't respond.

Neptunia shook her head. "You two just fell from the Reverse Gate," she said. "You must be exhausted.. even if you're pretending otherwise. You should rest, eat something. Once we leave this place, we won't get another chance."

Razeal stayed silent, but she continued anyway, her tone growing more serious.

"Don't underestimate the dangers ahead. You think what I said before was an exaggeration?" she asked, crossing her arms. "It wasn't. You might have faced monsters in your sea before.. maybe even three or fourth-rank ones but the ones guarding these borders are on another level entirely."

Maria's head turned slightly, listening quietly now.

Neptunia took a step closer, her expression firm. "Beyond this point, there's no protection from the Royal Ocean Army. No interference from any Sea Lord's dominion. The creatures that roam between seas are ancient powerful, territorial. Some of them rank among the sixth and even seventh tiers if we are unlucky that js."

Her yellow eyes flickered faintly. "And that's not counting the countless smaller beasts, minions, and predators that swarm in millions. It's not just a journey alone.... it's survival."

Her tone softened slightly as she looked at him. "We might not even get the chance to rest again until we reach the next border. That could take days ..maybe weeks."

She crossed her arms again, her voice low. "So if you're smart, you'll eat something and take what little rest you can now. Otherwise…" She glanced toward the darkening water in the distance. "The sea will eat you alive long before you see the next light."

Her warning lingered between them, echoing softly under the pressure of the ocean above.

Maria frowned deeply, her brows knitting together as Neptunia's words echoed in her mind.

Monsters of the sixth and seventh rank?

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