...Gwen plays with the ocean, birthing ripples that disrupt its glassy surface. As calm returns, she gazes into the sea's shadowy mysteries, nerves simmering. Izzy, her companion, slides onto her back, finger-shaped branches tracing comforting patterns across Gwen's tense shoulders.

[Are You Okay, Master? Nya...]

Gwen "No, I'm not okay. We don't know just how deep this ocean is. If only we could tie a heavy, indestructible camera to a rope. That way we can survey what's down there."

[Ummm... What About The Terrarium? Nya.]

Gwen "Oh, you mean the one Sarah gave to me. Yes... it is quite heavy but by no means is it indestructible. It isn't even a camera-Wait... the black widow! Of course! That specimen can be our camera! Izzy, you know what to do!"

A terrarium emerges from Gwen's inventory. She pops the lid off. Izzy inserts a slender piece of bark into the arachnid's cranium.

The spider twitches briefly, then halts, its eyes glinting with newfound loyalty toward Gwen. It dips its head in a respectful gesture...

Gwen "Good. You'll be our eyes. Black widows have terrible night vision underwater but nothing we can't fix with a little biomodification. As for the terrarium, we'll just have to risk it and see how deep this thing can go. I'm sure that the designer of this trial would make it fair to this point at least. That's one problem... now for the second problem."

Her fingers wrap around the metallic soap.

Gwen "This will be my source of oxygen but I can't fight while being inside the bubble. It's too fragile. So I better take a deep breath before engaging in combat." "Speaking of combat. Izzy. We need to spare as much of your strength as possible."

Gwen hoists Izzy onto her shoulders.

Gwen "Alright, I want you to extend your branches so it covers the length of my arms. On my right, I want some kind of weapon with the same sharpness as a conodont's teeth. I say a trident because of the reach and its hitbox would be bigger than spears. On my left hand, I just want a buckler reinforced with an armadillo shell and covered in spikes as sharp as you make them."

She regards her feet with a glance.

Gwen "Oh, right. Nearly forgot about mobility. Just cover my feet and create some fins on my Achilles' heels. Now... for the hardest problem. How do we make a swirl at the bottom of the ocean? It just doesn't seem possible. Maybe... what if we try "that"."

[What Do You Mean, Master? Nya?]

Gwen "Izzy, remember that time when we went out to a quarry."

[Oh Yeah! Izzy Remember! We Were Looking for Fossils. Shiny Ambers. Nya.]

Gwen "Yeah, it was wonderful. Wasn't it? Do you remember our method for digging? You know the one where you plant yourself and slowly break the surrounding ground before spinning and grounding them into dust."

[Yes! That Was Fun, Master! Izzy Think She Knows What to Do! Nya!]

Gwen "Excellent, I guess it's time for our little arachnid here to take a little voyage down below."

She secures a lengthy rope around the terrarium, setting it adrift into the sea.

Turning towards Izzy, her screen shifts as she taps into the spider's perspective.

The lens reveals a crystal blue seascape, eerily devoid of marine life. Nothing of interest here.

The terrarium plunges into deeper waters, and the blues transition into an amber haze. This layer is an unexpected treasury, flaunting wealth from across the globe - yen, euros, even a solitary Kuwaiti dinar. Yet, this underwater cache extends beyond money. Luxury cars, golden weapons, and... bank safes?

Gwen "These items are associated with wealth. Is there perhaps a theme?"

It plunges deeper, the scenery morphing into a dark sapphire hue. At this depth, an ethereal gallery floats- paintings and statues suspended in time and space.

Gwen "Is that the Mona Lisa? Why is it here? Wait. The items before were associated with wealth then maybe these represent fame. The question is what are the connections between them? I need more answers."

As the terrarium descends further into the abyss, the surroundings adopt a scary crimson hue. A barren, bloody canvas greets Gwen, and excitement courses through her veins as she believes they've reached the ocean floor.

Suddenly, a colossal fist slams into the side of the terrarium.

Propelled by an unseen uppercut, the terrarium hurtles upward, piercing through the layered depths before crash landing on the raft. Gwen scoops it up, noting the near fractures. The spider, miraculously, remains unscathed.

Gently, she stows it back into her inventory.

Gwen "What... in the world did that? To send an object from the seabed to the surface. Such immense force. Izzy... looks like our hands are going to be pretty full."

Gwen equips Izzy. She wraps around her arms forming the trident and shield.

Equipping Izzy, her branches morph around her arms, materializing into a trident and shield.

Gwen "They look nice. Izzy, are you ready?"

[Yes, Master! Nya.]

Gwen catapults into the ocean depths.

As she crosses the first layer, an odd event unfolds. Out of the abyss, spectral creatures appear- skinless fish and skeletal humanoids. With agile movements, Gwen dismantles the skeletal menace, each strike sending bone shards whirling into the fish, temporarily hindering their pursuit.

Gwen "Nice! That worked!"

She attempts to skewer the fish, but their nimble maneuvers direct them toward her thighs. Gnashing rows of teeth tear into her skin. Seizing the moment, Gwen impales them one by one, using herself as a lure.

... Silence returns. The aquatic phantoms have all been vanquished.

Gwen retrieves her mechanical soap, shrouding herself in a protective bubble. Drawing a deep breath, she administers four bandages, mending the wounds.

Gwen "Man, that was a bit of risky play but a mere loss of blood is enough for me to take it. Those creatures were never there before. My presence must be their trigger. How cruel? But I mustn't lose hope."

Gwen continues her descent.

In the second layer, an eerie quiet prevails but then a bizarre rustling disrupts the tranquility. She tugs her shield closer, tracking the strange disturbance amongst the floating artwork. Then it reveals itself...

An odd creature, a bizarre hybrid of goblin and merman.

On its back, it carries precious artifacts ensnared in a large fishnet. Its attire, filthy rags, is a stark contrast to the wealth it bears.

Grinning at her, it showcases a mouthful of needle-like teeth.

Gwen observes the creature more closely. Some teeth are missing, just as it's right leg and left eye are.

As she appraises it, the sea goblin, sensing the judgment, erupts into rage and lunges at Gwen.

Gwen "Shit! This speed!"

It swipes at her face but she dodges-

A transparent yellow hand shoots forth from its fingertips.

The phantom hand phases through her mouth, wreaking havoc on her teeth before plundering them.

Izzy, acting quickly, injects a coagulating fluid into Gwen's cheek, staunching further blood loss.

The sea goblin revels in its mischief, laughing as it opens its mouth wide, now boasting a full set of teeth.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Gwen "That bastard steals things. That yellow hand... must have a set of rules for it to steal. It must be something the bastard lack, seeing that its teeth are restored. Dodging would be pointless so... the only solution is..."

The sea goblin renews its assault, but... Gwen meets it head-on, darting forward.

Taken aback, the goblin falters, providing an opening for Gwen to skewer its right hand. A twist and a yank, and the hand is no more. The creature gazes at its amputation in disbelief, its skin and eye alight with crimson rage.

She flips the sea goblin off.

Gwen "Come. You foul creature."

Predicting its next move, she guards her right hand. Her left lunges forth, landing a series of decisive blows to its chest. Unfazed, the sea goblin grins.

Switching into an upward slash, the spectral hand grazes her chin and infiltrates her left eye socket. Meanwhile, his claws manage to decapitate her right leg.

Gwen "Arrrrgh!"

Gwen thrusts herself away, hastily applying a bandage. It's insufficient. She grabs two syringes, driving them through the bandage and into her wounded socket.

The goblin looks on, baffled about where she got those items. Growing wary, it circles her, affording Gwen a moment to collect herself. An idea sparks, eliciting a sly grin.

The goblin, rattled, backs away.

Feigning a gesture to sever its remaining arm, Gwen baits the sea goblin. Frustrated, it claws at its treasure trove. As Gwen's left eye regenerates, she peels away the bandage...

To the sea goblin's shock, her eye is whole once more.

Casually, Gwen discards the bandage. The goblin snatches it, attempting to treat its right leg. The effort is futile. Gwen can't help but erupt in laughter, inadvertently choking on the surrounding seawater.

Izzy stabs into Gwen's neck, expelling the invading seawater from her respiratory system.

[Master. Next time don't laugh. Master. Nya]

Gwen "Alright. Sorry. I haven't had humor like before. Time to finish this whole charade."

With renewed fury, the sea goblin charges, targeting her right hand again.

This time, the yellow spectral hand occurs prematurely.

Gritting her teeth, Gwen takes the chance...

She hoists her left leg, guarding her hands. Success!

With all the power she can muster, Gwen lands a stunning blow to the goblin's left hand, wrenching it off entirely.

It stares down speechless before greeting her with pitiful swipes.

The spectral hand, however, fails to surface. With its fighting spirit gone, Izzy delivers the killing blow, a brisk stab to the heart.

[Master Is Out Cold. Good thing Master Gave Izzy Soap. Nya]

Inside the bubble, Izzy stitches up Gwen's leg, preventing blood loss. She then waits and waits...

Within the protective bubble, Izzy stitches Gwen's leg, staving off further blood loss. Then they wait and wait...

Gwen wakes up.

Gwen "Excellent job with the stitching, Izzy. Okay... I know this is going to be a bit painful..."

She administers five syringes into her thigh.

Izzy looks on, marveling as Gwen's missing limb regenerates, sprouting anew like a fantastical beanstalk. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Gwen gazes down at her restored right leg.

Gwen "Time to get going."

Popping the bubble, they submerge into the third layer.

Navigating between timeless paintings and exquisite statues, Gwen inspects each piece. All authentic, save one anomaly: a framed canvas boasting nothing more than a solitary eye at its core.

Gwen punches the eye... It flinches.

From the canvas's rear, eight shadowy tendrils emerge, swiftly disappearing into the crowd of floating art.

Gwen "What the hell was that thing? It does seem to be hostile... not yet at least."

She scours the area, hunting for the creature, but it stays hidden. Sensing a lull, Gwen decides to venture deeper-

It fastens onto her back, flinging her upward before retreating once more.

Gwen "Okay, you are a pretty interesting creature. I have to admit. Unlike the first guy, you prevent instead of stealing. Why don't you want me to go down? Unless there is something you want from me."

Gwen swims toward a miniature Statue of Liberty.

Gwen "Let me try taking this down with me."

Emerging once more, the creature ensnares both Gwen and the statue.

She lashes out with her trident, only to have it harmlessly pass through the creature.

With a swift spin, it catapults them back to the upper reaches of the third layer.

Gwen "Welp, that didn't work. Maybe if I do it at a larger scale. Izzy, are you ready for some heavy lifting?"

[Hell Yeah, Master! Nya!]

Gwen maneuvers from artwork to sculpture, latching each to Izzy with hook-embedded ropes. She amasses a collection of 43 paintings and 47 statues. The creature's silence, however, sets her nerves on edge.

Gwen "Alright then let's see how much you can handle."

She ventures further down...

The creature descends in hot pursuit, attempting to snatch the treasures, but its eight tentacles prove insufficient. Abandoning the artwork, it redirects its focus, setting its sights solely on Gwen.

Gwen "As expected, that's what you would do."

Gwen dodges the tentacles' grasp.

The creature's appendages become entangled amidst the cluster of paintings, struggling fruitlessly. Gwen locks eyes with it, witnessing the horror in its gaze as they plummet together into the fourth layer.

She employs her mechanical soap.

[Master, Why Didn't You Finish It Off? Nya.]

Gwen "Sometimes in life. You have to give others the same treatment they give you. Since it never tended to hurt me, I'll try my best to do the same. Though, I did try to swing at it which makes me kind of a hypocrite. That is why when you have a certain belief, always put the word "Sometimes". That way you don't feel accountable when you go against it."

[Izzy Thinks That was Very Brillant! Nya!]

Gwen "Thank you, Izzy."

Gwen pops the bubble and reaches the final realm.

This domain appears as if submerged in a sea of crimson liquid, resembling a pool of red Kool-Aid. Yet, Gwen knows that something sinister taints this hue. Curious, she reaches out to touch the sea bed.

Gwen "Awesome. Wait... This isn't sand! It's bone dust!"

Scanning her surroundings, she finds the seabed strewn with skeletal remnants— bones of humans, fish, and even mammals.

In the distance, a colossal shadow looms, catching Gwen's attention.

Gwen "Okay, Izzy. Prepare for battle. Also, in case we are in trouble. Can you launch us to the third layer?"

[Yes, Izzy Can It it! Nya.]

The large shadow finally unveils its true form—

A monstrous shark of megalodon proportions. Its sleek body lacks fins but compensates with four muscular humanoid arms adorning each side. Crawling ominously, it inches closer to Gwen. In a desperate attempt, she hurls her trident, only to witness the creature's agile evasion.

Gwen "Return!"

The trident finds its way back into Gwen's grasp.

The megalodon, amused and taken aback by her trick, appears to chuckle in its own way. It takes a powerful leap, descending with a forceful swipe toward the seabed.

A torrent of razor-sharp bones gouges into Gwen's limbs, inflicting deep wounds.

The creature springs once more, lunging forward. Gwen manages to block the tackle, but the impact propels her across the sea bed.

Gwen "Iz... zy... To... Top. Now..."

Izzy's branch strikes the seabed, propelling Gwen and her companion back up to the third layer. Seizing the opportunity, Gwen retrieves her mechanical soap and retreats within the safety of the bubble. With utmost care, she removes each bone fragment, tending to her injuries with six bandages and two syringes.

Gwen "We are running low on healing supplies. Shit. That thing was fast. We could barely do anything! I don't even think we can have enough time for digging. There has to be something that can distract it-

Suddenly, the entire ocean trembles.

Gwen emerges from the bubble, cautiously peering into the depths below. The megalodon rampages, relentlessly thrashing against the seabed. It emanates a profound rage. Gwen narrows her focus, contemplating her next move...

Gwen "Wait a minute. Those are the statues and paintings we brought down there. Let's keep observing."

Observing the megalodon's rampage, Gwen witnesses the destructive force as it obliterates paintings and shatters statues. Shards of glass and fragments of marble embed into its flesh, creating a growing array of scars with each assault.

Gwen "Izzy, you thinking what I'm thinking."

[Yes... Wait, What Are We Thinking? Nya.]

Gwen "Oh Izzy. You're so adorable. I'm talking about the objects in the second layer. That specimen down there would have a harder time breaking them and most likely lose all its strength especially if we bring down something sharp."

[Oh! Izzy Got it Now! Master, That Was Brilliant! Nya]

Gwen and Izzy swim back to the second layer. They retrieve ten golden swords and hurl them into the depths below. Seeking further weaponry, Gwen discovers an entire cart filled with silver and platinum knives. With Izzy's help, they transport the cart down to the fourth layer.

Gwen "Excellent. Now. We watch the chaos unfold."

The megalodon spots the objects and begins thrashing its arms downward.

The swords find their mark, impaling the palms of its four front arms. Roaring in agony, the creature attempts to dislodge the swords, but its massive hands only succeed in pushing them deeper into its flesh.

Gwen retreats into a soap bubble and settles down.

Gwen "That went surprisingly well. Let's see how it handles the cart of knives."

The enraged shark drags its numb front arms along the sea bed until it catches sight of the scattered knives.

Blinded by fury, it bolts forward, its right arms swiping at the knives, causing them to implant into its body. The knives pierce through, leaving behind deep cuts, particularly around its gill region.

Gwen "Hold on! I have an idea. Izzy, can you get me to the gills? Forget the shield or the trident. Use whatever means you can to get me there and help me latch on."

[Aye Aye, Master! Nya!]

Eight flexible roots sprout from Izzy, spinning and propelling Gwen onto the shark's gill.

The creature notices her presence and attempts to shake her off, but its strength wanes. Its arms, numb from the injuries, fail to grasp her.

Capturing the moment, Gwen plunges her entire arm into one of the wounds.

Gwen "Gotcha! Now I just need to find that."

Gwen's determined grip grabs hold of what feels like a vital vein, and she punctures a hole into it.

The shark thrashes and rolls in agony, each motion testing Gwen's will and straining her spine.

Gwen "This is the end! Take this!"

She grips... The rolling stops.

The shark's once fierce eyes turn vacant, while blood pours from its gills and eyes.

The colossal titan's body collapses onto the sea bed, motionless and defeated.

[Woah... Master. What Did You Do?]

Gwen calls forth a soap bubble, leaping inside to rest.

Gwen "Not too sure as I'm not familiar with the biological structure of this creature but I assume that there must be a vein or perhaps multiple veins that connect with its brain. You can say that it was a gamble. I poked a hole through that vein and create a vacuum inside it with my power. The water that normally passes through the gills would enter that vein and right into the brain. Though... I didn't expect it to go this smoothly. Izzy, I'll just... rest here for a bit. Can you do the thing?"

[Of Course Master. Nya.]

Izzy propels off Gwen's back, embedding firmly into the sea bed.

Several roots extend and spin, generating a powerful whirlpool. Gwen gazes downward, intentionally popping the bubbles, allowing the two to drift toward the vortex's center.

Amidst the swirling chaos, twelve purple hands manifest from Gwen's back. As she approaches the center, a screen materializes before her, displaying...

[Congratulations for completing the trial, Aspect of Destruction. You have gained Vortex Battery (Apply Speed)]