Into the Shrouded Depths

The water around Daniel felt unnervingly different. Every stroke he took seemed to carry not just the physical resistance of the ocean but also the weight of something unseen—an invisible force that pressed against him from all sides. As he propelled himself forward, a strange sensation clung to his body, like tendrils of darkness wrapping gently, yet persistently, around him. They whispered in a language he could almost understand, urging him toward unknown destinies.

He flexed his fins experimentally, testing his speed. There was no dramatic change in his physical form yet, but his movements felt sharper, more fluid—almost as if the water itself were yielding to his command rather than resisting his progress. It was a subtle transformation, one that hinted at the abyss's power now infused within him.