Chapter 6 : The Shattered Starsea

The colossal mechanical jellyfish stretched its luminescent tendrils across the night sky of Emerald City, resembling a drifting river of stars. Beneath its translucent shell, the azure energy core pulsed rhythmically, and its massive body glided through the air, each movement of its tendrils sending waves of magical resonance through the atmosphere. A suffocating pressure filled the air.

Leo took a deep breath and suddenly pushed off the ground, leaping onto one of the jellyfish's gear-shaped suction tendrils using a collapsed stone pillar for momentum. The friction between his boots and the metal produced a sharp screech. The tendril beneath his feet trembled slightly, sensing the intruder, and began to twist violently in an attempt to throw him off.

At that moment, a shadow emerged from the darkness—

The masked thief!

"Your opponent is me."

Twin daggers reversed in grip, the thief lunged at Leo like a bolt of lightning!

The razor-sharp blades sliced through the air with a piercing whistle, aiming straight for Leo's throat!

Leo reacted swiftly, raising his broken sword to block. Sparks erupted in the night as steel clashed against steel. Their battle unfolded atop the jellyfish's main tendril, a battlefield of constantly rotating mechanical gears, where each misstep could mean plunging into the abyss.

Just as the thief's blade was about to cut into Leo's collarbone—

He froze.

Silver moonlight spilled over them, casting light upon a faint scar on Leo's collarbone—a shallow five-pointed star, as if branded by searing light.

The thief's pupils constricted violently, his entire body stiffening.

"…Impossible."

Leo didn't waste the moment. With a swift flick of his broken sword, he tore away the thief's mask.

A face—both unfamiliar and strangely familiar—was revealed before him.

Yet, Leo's expression remained unreadable. His memory was still blank. Even looking at the man's face, no recollections surfaced.

The thief seemed momentarily stunned, as if struck by the complete lack of recognition in Leo's eyes. His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something—

But before he could, the jellyfish's tendril suddenly whipped through the air, hurling him skyward!

The thief plummeted toward the ground. But just before impact, a mechanical tendril shot out, wrapping around him and suspending him mid-air.

A low voice echoed through the battlefield.

—The voice of the Exiled Elder.

"Keep stalling them, thief boy! Once the jellyfish absorbs enough life energy, it can reverse the curse on you!"

The thief's gaze flickered. He looked at the battlefield—saw Leo fighting alongside the city guards, saw the jellyfish's tendrils coiling around helpless civilians, draining them of their life force.

In his ears, an old memory resurfaced—

A younger Leo, standing atop Emerald City's high tower, overlooking the people below. His gaze was resolute, his voice echoing across the city.

"The Great Tree will create a better purification system for Emerald City."

Back then, he was filled with hope, filled with conviction.

And now, the thief's fists clenched ever so slightly.

Elsewhere, Luna maneuvered along the jellyfish's exterior, her mechanical core resonating faintly with its energy pulses, as if something inside was calling to her.

Then, she noticed something—

The rhythm of the jellyfish's energy core… was perfectly synchronized with the masked thief's breathing!

"…What is this?"

Ignoring the risk, she leapt into the jungle of mechanical tendrils, her silver-white fingers brushing against the jellyfish's core.

Instantly, her visual systems collapsed. A flood of foreign memories surged into her consciousness—

—A boy, curled up inside a merfolk tidal altar.

But he wasn't an ordinary boy. He had the body of a human, but the tail of a merfolk.

A priest stood over him, star-forged dagger in hand, his voice cold and merciless.

"Weaklings are unworthy of the Song of Tides."

The dagger slashed across the boy's throat. He writhed in pain, his voice stolen forever…

Luna's eyes snapped open, her mechanical heart pounding wildly.

"…I see now."

The masked thief was the one providing the water-element core energy for the mechanical jellyfish.

Her gaze locked onto him. His combat movements—something was off.

Every third strike, he deliberately slashed at specific angles, leaving marks on the metal surface!

A coded message!

Luna dashed toward Leo. "The thief is transmitting a message through his attacks!"

Leo inhaled sharply, analyzing the marks to pinpoint the jellyfish's main energy conduit. With a sudden leap, he raised his broken sword high—

And struck.

Squelch!

The primary conduit was severed. The jellyfish's energy flow spiraled into chaos. Its glowing tendrils convulsed violently, and its core pulsed erratically, its blue light flickering in distress.

At the same moment, the city lord suddenly appeared behind Luna, grabbing her arm.

But the thief moved.

Feigning an attack on Luna, he spun at the last second—

And drove his dagger straight into the city lord's heart.

The city lord's eyes widened, disbelief flooding his face as blood trickled from his lips.

"…You…"

The thief said nothing. He only cast Leo a long, lingering look before turning toward the jellyfish's core.

"…This is my final defiance."

He spread his arms wide—

And released his last, stolen voice—

A merfolk's battle song.

A thunderous wave of sound burst forth, shattering the jellyfish's protective barrier in an instant!

Its entire system collapsed. As it plummeted, the core's gravitational pull surged, drawing in everyone nearby. Their bodies began crystallizing—

Leo reached out, trying to grab the thief—

But his fingers grasped only empty air.

The thief's lips moved, forming silent words—

"Go to the Clockwork Court… find the real…"

Before he could finish, his body fully crystallized, sinking into the abyss alongside the jellyfish.

The waterfall reversed its flow, clouds churned—

Revealing a floating citadel of interlocking gears, suspended high above the heavens.

The Clockwork Court had awakened.