Aria's expression shifted, the playful spark in her eyes replaced by something sharper — the kind of gleam Rhys had learned meant trouble with a side of excitement.

"It's the monthly Tidebeat," she said, leaning against a railing that overlooked the distant ocean. "Every full moon, the ocean sends something back — beasts drawn by the mana currents under Bluewave. They rise with the tides, trying to reclaim what the city took from the sea."

Caria groaned. "You mean that time of the month when the whole city goes into lockdown and we don't sleep?"

Aria grinned. "Exactly! Think of it as a festival… but with more screaming and fewer fireworks."

Sophia sighed, folding her arms. "You call that a festival?"

"Hey, it's tradition," Aria said, unbothered. "The people here even celebrate it afterward — Tide's End Feast and all that. Free food, free music, hero bonuses. What's not to love?"

Rhys frowned slightly, glancing toward the horizon. "That explains the walls," he murmured.

"Walls?" Lyra echoed.

He nodded. "When we entered the city, I noticed — the outer walls facing the land are normal height, but the ones facing the sea are massive, reinforced with mana seals. At first, I thought they were to stop tsunamis or storms… but I guess it's something else."

"Right you are," Aria said, smirking. "Those walls were built after the first Tidebeat nearly wiped Bluewave off the map. Now they're strong enough to withstand leviathans. Or at least, that's the hope."

Lyra's gaze drifted back toward the sea, where the morning sun glittered over the endless blue. "So it's not just a storm… it's a calling."

Aria shrugged. "Something like that. Every few weeks, the mana under the ocean surges, and the creatures rise with it — sea drakes, kelp fiends, siren beasts, sometimes even things that don't have names."

Sophia's voice grew quiet. "And we're just… supposed to fight them?"

Aria grinned, fire in her tone. "Not supposed to — chosen to. Why do you think adventurers flood this city every month? It's a chance to test your strength, earn rewards, and maybe get your name sung at the Feast."

Rhys felt the faint vibration of mana in his pocket, and when he checked his system log, a new quest flickered into view:

[Quest: Defend Bluewave City from the Beast Tide]Objective: Repel the oceanic beasts and protect the city .Rewards: Rare loot, city merit points, increased reputation, and a chance to earn a Sea Rune of Resonance.Time Limit: 2 hours until the first wave.

"Looks like I've already got the quest," he said quietly.

"Same here," Sophia confirmed, her system light faintly glowing.

Caria exhaled. "Great. And here I thought we'd have a quiet morning for once."

Lyra closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the low hum beneath the city — a deep, rhythmic pulse that matched the sound of waves. "It's already begun," she whispered.

Aria drew her sword, her grin widening. "Then what are we waiting for? We head to the eastern wall — it's always the first hit. You'll see it soon enough — the water starts glowing before the beasts rise. Pretty and terrifying."

Rhys tightened his grip on his blade. "Alright. Let's move."

As the group turned toward the upper terraces, bells began to ring across Bluewave — low, resonant tones that echoed through the city. The once-calm harbor was already shifting: the sea shimmered with streaks of bioluminescent blue, and the air vibrated with distant roars.

From the docks, guards shouted orders. Ships sealed their mana cores, barriers flared to life, and the massive runes along the walls began to glow like veins awakening.

The Beast Tide had begun.

Aria glanced back at Rhys, her voice carrying over the rising wind. "Don't worry — it's just like a big event raid! Tons of enemies, chaos everywhere, loot at the end!"

Rhys gave her a flat look. "You say that like we won't almost die."

She winked. "Almost is the key word."

Lyra's pendant pulsed faintly against her chest as the first waves began to crash against the walls. "The sea dreams," she murmured, "and now it's waking."

And as the water split open in glowing arcs, revealing the shadowed forms of beasts rising from the depths, Rhys drew his blade — the sea wind rushing past him like a call to battle.

The defense of Bluewave City had begun.

The roar of the sea deepened — not the natural kind, but something vast, alive, and deliberate.

Rhys stepped up onto the eastern parapet, the spray of saltwater misting his face. From there, the sight stretched endlessly: the horizon had turned into a glowing scar of blue fire, mana veins snaking across the ocean's surface like lightning trapped in water.

And then he saw them.

Countless silhouettes rising beneath the glow — fins, spines, serpentine coils, wings of translucent coral. The tide wasn't just rising; it was summoning. Each wave revealed another shape, another beast, another sound — the deep bellow of leviathans, the shrill cry of sea harpies, the grinding roar of armored crustaceans climbing onto the coral barricades.

For a moment, even Rhys forgot to breathe.

Then a gust of sea wind cut across the wall, carrying with it the distant sound of voices — hundreds, maybe thousands. The city's defenders had gathered in full force.

Mages stood in gleaming lines, hands raised as glowing sigils spun around them. Archers with enchanted arrows lined the battlements, and squads of adventurers — each marked by guild crests and artifact weapons — were already forming into parties.

It wasn't chaos. It was anticipation.

The air trembled under the weight of mana being drawn, shields being raised, blades being summoned from light and shadow.

"By the gods…" Caria breathed. "There's… so many of them."

"Players?" Sophia asked.

"Both," Rhys murmured.

From the left wall, a formation of blue-cloaked knights marched into place, their armor marked with the emblem of the Sea Wardens Guild. To the right, a band of rogues shimmered in and out of sight, shadows flickering over the glowing stone. Overhead, floating mages formed circles of runes that glowed brighter with every incantation.

Aria whistled low. "Now that's what I call a proper raid turnout."

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