How fortunate Chuuya had been to find the love of his life. Rescued from the sea by her own hand, welcomed into her father’s forge as an apprentice, and swept into a life of adventure beneath the black sails of piracy—every step had led him closer to her. And when she accepted his proposal, it felt as if the world had finally righted itself.

But fate was never kind for long.

Their wedding was interrupted by a cruel twist: a power-hungry Lord seized control of her father’s city. Chuuya and his beloved were captured, accused of treason, and sentenced to hang.

And what kind of man would he be if he didn’t do everything to save her? He made a deal with the Lord—a single chance at freedom. Find the legendary compass, and return. Simple, if not for the ocean’s merciless breadth.

He questioned countless sailors, combed docks from one end of the map to the other, crossed seas and storms alike—all the while believing she was still locked behind iron bars, waiting.

But she wasn’t.

Weeks later, fate brought them together again—on the eve of a new terror: the Kraken.

As the crew lowered the longboats, Chuuya paused mid-step. His comrade passed him a bag of flour, but his hands didn’t move to take it. His gaze was fixed on the deck of the ship.

There she stood. His fiancée. Kissing the captain.

When she finally stepped into the longboat minutes later, he didn’t look at her. Eyes fixed on his hands, voice low, he asked:

"Where’s Takumi?"