440,

With one catapult, the two flew into the sea.

Not only were they carried by the raging currents, but they were also tumbling continuously.

Exhausting all his strength, the young man barely brought the professor back to the surface of the sea.

Clutching onto the nearest piece of driftwood, they could only drift in the vast ocean before the constantly churning waves.

The deep-sea behemoth and the Ice Queen were still locked in a fierce battle, and though temporarily safe, death was not far away.

"Kid..."

Possibly affected by the impact, the professor, who went underwater first, was now in a dazed state.

"Professor..."

With no strength to keep afloat, as soon as the young man released his grip on the professor's right hand, the professor would sink straight down into the depths of the ocean.

"Let go..."

Upon hearing the professor's words, the young man grew angry.

"No!"

Although the young man held onto the professor single-handedly, his physical strength had long been depleted.

Before long, if he continued to forcefully hold onto the professor, the young man would also sink into the sea.

Kicking fiercely, the young man hoped to swim closer to a larger piece of driftwood with the professor.

However, the driftwood was also adrift on the sea, barely keeping both of them afloat. The young man had exhausted all his strength and couldn't even think about swimming a bit closer.

In despair, the professor grabbed the collar of the young man and spoke.

"Promise me! You will definitely swim on! Promise me..."

Although not explicitly stated, both understood.

"I will take you with me! You and I, the two of us!"

"Haha... you rebellious brat... The end of the world is right before our eyes, and you choose now to rebel..."

Exerting all his strength, the professor uttered his final words.

"Promise me... No matter what, you will swim to the end..."

"I..."

"Pro...mise..."

"I... I promise you... I will definitely, definitely reach the end of the world..."

Tears and seawater mixed together, amidst sobs, the young man's weak right hand finally let go.

The professor, who had always been by his side, silently returned to the embrace of the sea.

In that final moment, he smiled.

The battle between the deep-sea behemoth and the Ice Queen drew closer to the young man, and he knew it would soon engulf him.

The young man no longer had time to hesitate.

Exhausting his last bit of strength, the young man swam towards the waterfall at the end of the world.

He swam on and on, even as his body cried out in pain, he maintained his swimming strokes, hoping to keep moving forward.

In the chaotic water flow, every inch of progress was extremely difficult.

But the young man did not give up, he kept swimming on and on.

Until a short distance before the waterfall, the turbulent water flow finally unified.

In that moment, the young man only needed to wait quietly, for the current to carry him to the waterfall, fulfilling the professor's dying wish.

Promise me...

I promise you...

Making a vow once again in his dream, when he opened his eyes, the young man found himself in another world.

Lying on the beach, the sea had brought him to a magical place.

No waterfall in sight, no more dark clouds in the sky.

In this tranquil space, everything was white.

Except for the white sky and white grains of sand, there was only one other color - the red amaryllis flowers blooming on the beach.

Symbolizing the wishes of countless heroes, the flowers stretched forward all the way.

There, stood a massive sphere.

At the edge of the world, the future of Attersass awaited.

Tears streamed down the young boy's face as he stood before the colossal orb.

"I have arrived, Professor..."

In the ultimate moment, the boy said contentedly,

"I have kept my promise...I have reached the end...Father..."

Reaching out his right hand, as it touched the sphere, both the boy and the sphere emitted a dazzling light.

In an instant, the boy and the orb merged into one.

At the moment when the last hope of humanity and the future of Attersass combined, the world ushered in a new era.

The boy, now a new life, would continue the great adventure story of the professor.