Space-time is a collective concept—it encompasses both time and space.
Time carries the connotation of being endless and eternal, while space is unbounded and everlasting. These ideas of "endlessness" and "unboundedness" represent the absolute notions of time and space.
"Hmmhmmhmmhmm traveling through time and space"
This lyric seems innocent, but its literal meaning implies traveling through both time and space—a notion that immediately feels contradictory. Sure, we talk about traveling across the sky, diving deep into the sea, or reaching remote islands. But how exactly does one travel through time and space?
To possess the ability to truly traverse both time and space would upend all existing theories of the world. It brings forth an unavoidable dilemma: the time paradox.
Time paradoxes are born from the very idea of time travel. Their logic folds in on itself. To simplify, it would be impossible for the same person to appear in the same place along the same timeline, regardless of the point in time they arrived from.
Why? Because even the slightest deviation in behavior can lead to unforeseen consequences. The butterfly effect tells us that small causes can trigger vast, unpredictable changes. Theoretically, a misstep could be so severe it could collapse the world's logical structure—causing reality as we know it to vanish.
Unless—and this is a very big unless—one specific condition is met.
The traveler has never impacted the world in any measurable way. Their birth, their actions, and even their disappearance leave not a single trace on the timeline. To the world, they are a ghost.
Of course, achieving true zero impact is nearly impossible. Even the act of breathing, of existing, alters the environment in minuscule but undeniable ways. So the goal becomes minimizing the impact. But how?
If a person or race exists without recognition from any living being—unseen, unheard, unknown—then perhaps they make the faintest ripple. If they are myth, legend, rumor, or nothing more than shadow, they may be the least influential of all.
By this logic, only one group fits the profile: the Deep Sea Clan.
Yoren watched Skadi's puzzled expression. She herself seemed unaware of any connection to time or space travel. That in itself hinted that the phenomenon could be occurring without her knowledge.
Even so, Yoren couldn't say for certain whether the events Skadi described were truly time travel. From a purely objective viewpoint, this isn't just a scientific or magical problem. It has become a philosophical one.
Consider a simple analogy: a primary school student finds an injured animal and brings it to class. The teacher, hoping to foster compassion, uses class funds to buy food for it. Everyone believes the creature is a cat. Naturally, the class monitor buys cat food.
But here's the twist: the animal isn't a cat. It's a turtle.
Despite that, the belief that it is a cat leads to actions and consequences—purchases made, rumors spread. In this classroom, in this shared belief, the turtle has become a cat. This is idealism in action.
Now imagine a man from the future stands in the street. People see him and dismiss him as insane. To the world, he is no time traveler—he's a lunatic. Unless his actions ripple through reality and change it fundamentally, he remains a footnote, at best.
So if Yoren believes the incident Skadi mentioned was time travel, or even just a dream, he cannot judge its effect now. The truth lies ahead, hidden in a future he cannot see.
But then, a thought struck him.
He frowned deeply, standing on the deck, mind racing.
To Yoren, all change was relative. Every shift required a reference point. In a 100-meter race, if you fall at 20 meters, you're behind. But if everyone falls, then you've simply stayed the same. If others fall but you somehow slide backwards, then even stillness becomes progress by comparison.
If time and space were distorted—forward or backward—but you remained unchanged, would that be time travel?
The sea offers no answers. No matter the era, its vast blue face remains the same. Even to its dwellers, change is slow and imperceptible. If time rewound three years, what would change on this boat? The sky? The waves?
Nothing.
Except perhaps the people he might encounter. People who existed three years ago.
Like the one Skadi mentioned.
She looked confused, unsure of the past she had seen. Yoren suddenly wondered:
What if the Deep Sea Clan doesn't travel through time and space—but rather, remains untouched by their changes? Perhaps the world shifts, ages, and turns, while they remain anchored, steady. Not passengers, but constants.
Maybe it isn't all of them. Maybe it's a bloodline. A chosen few.
Even if this theory proved true, Yoren still couldn't see the full picture. One question loomed large: Who had Skadi seen in the past?
He had a terrifying guess. One that chilled him.
But he wasn't ready to believe it.
The sun dipped low into the sea, a glowing ember promising fair weather tomorrow.
At the edge of the deck, Skadi brushed a lock of hair from her face.
"Why did you suddenly stop talking?"
Yoren snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh, nothing. Just remembered something. You can continue."
"There's nothing more. If you have no other questions, I suppose this is goodbye. I was curious about that braised fish you mentioned, but it seems I won't have the chance. I have more pressing matters."
She stood, lifting her massive, strange sword with ease.
Yoren held up a hand.
"Wait!...One last question..."
"Wait a minute, I have one last question."
Skadi turned around.
"What?"
"It's still the same question as before. If the thing that attacked us isn't a disaster, then what is it? And why is it attacking us?"
"Sorry. That's a secret only for those of the sea to know."
As expected, Skadi wouldn't easily reveal the mysteries of the deep sea.
Yoren took a deep breath, wincing through the pain of his wounds as he stepped closer to Skadi, who stood at the edge of the deck.
"You saw it yourself. I was nearly killed by that thing. You saved not only me but everyone aboard. I'm truly grateful for that, but as a victim, I feel like I have the right to understand something. Just something."
"For those who dwell on land, knowing won't change anything."
"But I almost died. And what if this happens again? Even if I do die, I'd rather not die without knowing why."
"No. This is a secret. I have to go. If fate wills it, we'll meet again."
"Wait."
In desperation, Yoren reached out and grabbed her ankle.
"Don't go. Please."
"Let me go, or I'll drag you into the sea."
The sudden movement reopened his wounds. Blood seeped through the gauze wrapping his torso. Skadi frowned and squatted down helplessly.
"It's not that I don't want to tell you. But this kind of truth could cause panic among the land dwellers."
"I won't tell anyone. That's a promise. I, Huo Yu Yoren, never break my word."
Her eyes froze. She muttered softly to herself, as if caught by something deep within memory.
"Fire Feather... Yoren."
"Yes. That's me. If anything comes to mind, even just a feeling, you don't have to explain everything. But if you trust me—just answer the one question. Please."
Skadi's gaze drifted. Her red eyes flickered with hesitation, searching through some hazy recollection.
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"Alright. I can give you a brief explanation. I'll tell you about the Deep Sea's servants. But I won't say anything about the disaster itself."
"Understood."
Yoren exhaled. It wasn't everything, but it was something. Even knowing a little about the creatures serving the disaster was better than knowing nothing at all.
Skadi shifted the giant sword on her back and began.
"There are many types of deep sea servants. The one you saw today was just one kind. It's the weakest, but also the most numerous. We call them Dark Green."
"Dark Green?"
"Yes. Typically, Dark Greens act alongside another type of servant. Their prey is intelligent creatures far from land—ships like yours. Once they select a target, the other servant releases a strange pink substance into the air, combined with a specific frequency in its call. This... alters the thoughts of those on board."
Yoren's eyes widened.
"Alters thoughts? Why not just kill everyone?"
"Killing isn't the goal. Once the mind is controlled, the victims steer their ship through the fog, toward a hidden sea surrounded by jagged rocks. At the end of that path lies a mysterious island. When they arrive, the servants kill every man aboard, leaving only the women."
"What?"
The words struck him like a blow.
Skadi's tone remained steady.
"I know it sounds unbelievable. But the women are taken to that island and made to bear the offspring of the servants. Over time, they give birth to deep sea hybrids."
"...What the hell."
Yoren felt bile rising in his throat. The mere thought of it was nauseating.
But Skadi wasn't finished.
"Dark Greens live forever—unless killed. Their offspring do, too. At birth, the hybrids resemble us. But as they grow, they become grotesque. When they near adulthood, a transformation begins. Some complete it quickly, others remain half-changed. Once fully transformed, their size increases dramatically. Most reach lengths between 10 and 30 meters."
Yoren felt his skin crawl.
Now it made sense—what happened to the ships lost at sea over the years. Those powerful, horrifying monsters... they must've been the transformed offspring of the women who never returned.
Ships wrecked. Lives stolen. All part of a dark, unfathomable cycle.
And somewhere, out in the unknown seas, that monstrous island might still be out there.
Skadi rested the giant blade on her shoulder.
"That's all I can tell you."
"Thank you."
She looked down at him with quiet respect.
"Then I'll go now, Yoren. You're not a bad person. I don't hate you. I hope fate brings us together again."
Yoren raised his head, the last rays of sunlight painting the sea in hues of fire.
"Not hope. Certainty. We will meet again. That's a promise."
Looking into her unreadable eyes, he spoke with a rare intensity.
"This might sound foolish. But I want to tell you, honestly—right now I may be weak, but one day I'll stand with you. I'll face the deep sea's disasters, no matter what. I'll protect you, no matter the cost. Because I am Huo Yu Yoren."
He stood wrapped in gauze, his body broken but his spirit burning. Maybe it looked ridiculous. Maybe she thought he was a fool.
But he had to say it.
Thump!
A splash echoed across the quiet sea as Skadi disappeared into the waves.
No doubt, Skadi's strength and skill were far beyond anything Yoren had ever seen. She was the most powerful Operator he had encountered so far.
Right now, he couldn't stand beside her. He couldn't change anything. All he could do was let things unfold.
But he remembered.
Soon, history would take its course. Skadi would leave the ocean. For some reason, she'd step onto land and become a bounty hunter.
The world is vast. Sometimes, the one you seek never appears.
But the world is also small. Sometimes, the ones fated to intertwine with you cross your path... when you least expect it.