The Core Area
In the final fifty years of his reign, the third-generation Navigator "Zhou," unwilling to be erased from history, orchestrates a devastating conspiracy: he plans to detonate the planet Tai to fuel his ascension into the cosmos as an invisible being. Under the guise of building an offshore entertainment resort, he secretly constructs a prison designed to extract and refine substances from the sea. Members of the primitive tribes are enslaved to mine blood diamonds and blue diamonds—energy sources that are ultimately channeled into Zhou’s floating island. Within the prison, a lie about freedom circulates: anyone who digs up a blood diamond can escape. The protagonist, Gareth, believes this wholeheartedly—until his small monster companion accidentally uncovers the truth: those who find blood diamonds simply vanish. A fierce desire for freedom ignites within Gareth, but he harbors a hidden secret: a unique ability that triggers a dark mutation when confined in enclosed spaces. To consolidate his rule, Zhou once allied with one of the primitive tribes—the Flower Clan. But when they unexpectedly learn of Zhou’s ultimate plan to destroy the planet, they betray him. They pass the information on to the distant Mermaid Clan—a primordial race tasked with assisting in the transition of Navigators. Shocked by the revelation, the Mermaids activate their long-dormant "Core Plan": to locate the destined heir of the Spirit Grass Clan, related by blood, and journey to the planet's core alongside the Mermaid Princess. There, through fertilized eggs splitting core cells, they will create a new world and migrate life across it. Just then, Gareth is thrown out of the prison after losing a boxing match and rescued by the Mermaid Clan patrolling outside. The Mermaids, desperate to understand the prison’s inner workings due to the sea’s corruption caused by Zhou’s extraction rituals, take Gareth back for interrogation. During the process, Gareth develops a secret romance with the princess, which provokes jealousy and betrayal from the Mermaid Prince. However, the very act of being framed triggers Gareth’s latent mutation, enabling him to slay a monstrous sea beast—an act so astonishing it raises suspicions among the Mermaid elders. Upon confirming his identity, they are stunned to discover that this young man is none other than the long-sought destined heir of the Spirit Grass Clan. Meanwhile, Zhou discovers the Mermaids’ Core Plan through a genetic link triggered when the Princess heals Gareth. He immediately dispatches the Flower Clan army to massacre the Mermaids. In his dying moments, the High Priest uses all his remaining power to teleport Gareth, the Princess, and the little monster away, guiding them toward the Earth Clan—the only ones capable of opening the gate to the planet’s core. During their escape, they face relentless beasts and mysterious forces aiding them from the shadows. Eventually, they reach the Earth Clan. With the help of its elders, they enter the core using consciousness, where they encounter the Guardian of the Core—the Ferryman. This same mysterious force had been helping them along the way. It turns out that Zhou’s reckless exploitation of planetary resources has disrupted the balance of the Underworld, prompting the Ferryman to join the fight for salvation. Together, the four traverse black beaches, deserts, snowfields, and abyssal depths, overcoming countless dangers before finally reaching the Core Gate. Gareth unlocks the final door using his royal bloodline, only to find Zhou already waiting. As Eryon struggles in battle and appears overwhelmed, the evil spirits they’ve encountered along the way suddenly turn against Zhou. Armies from the Earth Clan and other tribes arrive in spirit form. All the races of the planet unite at the core, converging their collective strength to confront the ancient gods seeking to extinguish the spark of life.
