At just nineteen, Misao was regarded as an extraordinarily beautiful and adept diver among generations of sea priestesses.
Her body was perfectly fit and trained, her lungs honed through years beneath the sea - while her youthful body and fearless vitality were ready to take on challenges far beyond the norm.
And recently, during a routine deep dive, Misao held her breath underwater for over ten minutes while propelling herself at full speed - far beyond what should have been possible. At first she expected agony, panic, and the desperate instinct to breathe. But then, she felt exhilaration. The crushing pain of water flooding her lungs slowly dissolved into something transcendent: a euphoric calm, as though the ocean itself had accepted her.
For the first time, Misao realized that underwater, she no longer felt human limitations.
She felt invincible.