Waiting for Rescue in the Open Sea
"The sky is truly clear."
Watching the blue sky with the sun hanging high, Kang-rim exclaimed in admiration.
Never mind that his stomach was churning from the rocking waves and his throat was parched from the scorching heat, making him feel like he was dying.
"It's so clear that I have a feeling we might get rescued today."
Three days had already passed since they began drifting.
Perhaps the fact that their flagship had sunk hadn't been reported yet, as there was no sign of any friendly ships. He had been worried that a ship from the Beastman Union might appear, but fortunately, that hadn't happened so far.
Of course, that wasn't entirely a good thing.
They hadn't seen a single island throughout their entire drift.
"Yes, rescue will surely come today. We'll definitely see an island."
They were in an archipelago, so why were there no islands in sight? Had they drifted too far away? Or were they nearby, but he just couldn't find them? If there was one, what kind of island would it be? Would it be their own? Or an enemy's?
He preferred the former, but if it were the latter, he wouldn't know what to do. All his weapons had been sent to the bottom of the sea.
This was exactly the moment when a rescue team should appear. Wasn't this the kind of situation where a cartoon-like development should happen? No, it would definitely happen. This was a world inside a game, so it should be possible, right? Yes, they would definitely be rescued today. The heavens would surely help them.
That was how Kang-rim was slowly losing his mind.
"...Are you suffering from heatstroke?"
Sua was dumbfounded by Kang-rim's nonsense. If he had nothing to do, he should just take a nap instead of wasting his energy on such exhausting behavior. She was already annoyed to death by the heat, and seeing him act like a lunatic only made her more irritated.
At the very least, just sleep. No matter what you say, there's no way to avoid starving to death.
With that thought, Sua opened her mouth.
"Just go to sleep. Stop talking nonse—ahhhk!"
Before she could even finish her sentence, Sua shrieked. It was because Kang-rim had tickled her side again. Sua's entire body, twisting this way and that, was soon drenched in sweat.
"Sorry, but let me keep talking nonsense."
"Haa, huuu..."
"Because if I don't, I feel like I'll go crazy."
As Kang-rim said, he was facing a situation where he couldn't endure it unless he went crazy.
"No, it's been three days, why isn't anyone coming? Shouldn't they see us, whether they're enemies or allies!"
Eventually, Kang-rim, reaching the limit of his patience, began to lash out. As he pounded on the boat, the lifeboat rocked violently.
"Hey, stop it, stop! Are you trying to kill us all!"
Only after Sua personally pulled Kang-rim's head into her cleavage did his outburst cease. The soldiers and officers who witnessed this scene felt a great sense of relief.
"Hmm, comfortable."
Despite almost capsizing the boat, Kang-rim was incredibly shameless.
"Stay like this. I think I'll be able to fall asleep that way."
"Ugh, you damn bastard..."
She wanted to shove him into the sea right then and there, but Sua held back. She knew all too well that if she shoved him in, the one who would be in trouble was herself.
"I should have kept that bastard Tie locked up properly."
Kang-rim regretted it deeply. "If I had locked him up properly, this wouldn't have happened..."
Kang-rim had lost his flagship. No ship was anything more than an ant trampled by humans in front of an ironclad, yet he had never imagined it would meet such an end, sent to the bottom of the sea in that manner.
'To think Tie would actually use that power.'
The culprit who sank the flagship was Tie. Tie had used a technique called Beast Transformation to become a giant tiger.
'I knew that technique appeared at the end of Part 1...'
Beast Transformation, as the name suggests, meant returning to the original form of the beastmen. In other words, the giant tiger Kang-rim faced was Tie's true form. Kang-rim had been aware of this fact, but since the story of the end of Part 1 hadn't progressed yet, he had been at ease. He believed there was no problem since the conditions to use that technique hadn't been met.
The result of such complacent thinking was the ending of drifting in the middle of the vast ocean.
'It's all my fault. I should have kept watching him until the end...'
Because he had transformed suddenly without any signs, no one had the chance to stop him. He should have at least stationed guards, but because he was certain that the restrained Tie wouldn't be able to escape, Kang-rim hadn't taken any measures. In the end, Kang-rim's arrogant thoughts led to Tie's escape, resulting in a giant hole in the ship.
The hole was too big for repairs to be meaningful.
"Abandon ship! Everyone, head to the lifeboats with the Master!"
Upon receiving this report, the captain immediately ordered everyone to leave the ship. As the order was given, the survivors hurried to the lifeboats to avoid drowning. It was an unexpected accident, but thanks to the captain's quick judgment, a significant number of soldiers were able to survive. The officers, the captain, and Sua and Kang-rim were the same.
Although there were those who died in the explosion or drowned because they couldn't get out in time, it was a miracle that two-thirds of the total 200 personnel survived. Kang-rim was also grateful for this point.
'It is fortunate, but...'
However, one fatal problem arose.
'The boat is too small.'
The lifeboat was too small to carry all the survivors. They were facing a situation where they couldn't predict when they would sink because the weight was too much. This was the reason why Sua held Kang-rim back from acting out, and why the soldiers and officers couldn't move a muscle.
If there had been at least one or two more lifeboats, they could have distributed the personnel, but unfortunately, there was only one lifeboat on the flagship. The reason there was only one was simple. Because they had never faced the crisis of a ship sinking before, they hadn't felt the need to add extra lifeboats. Because they hadn't felt it, they were left in a position where they had to rely on a single lifeboat.
If they could return alive, he would order all ships to carry more lifeboats. When you don't know when something like this might happen, how could you not? The more insurance you have, the better.
Kang-rim vowed that to himself.
'The problem is Tie...'
Even if they returned alive, the question was how to deal with Tie. It was doubtful whether they could defeat Tie with the current forces they had, and above all, it was doubtful whether they could return Tie, who had become a monster, to his original state.
"Hey, Sua. Can a beastman who has become a beast return to normal?"
"They can return."
Sua answered Kang-rim's question.
"I haven't transformed myself, but it's not impossible to return to your original form once you transform. I've seen records of past leaders who became monsters and returned to normal."
However, Sua, who started with that, also informed him of the following fact.
"If Tie doesn't keep breaking the transformation, he might degenerate into a beast. Because we were originally beasts that only relied on instinct. If Tie fails to break the transformation, we might face an even greater disaster."
"That's a headache."
It's a problem if he transforms into a monster, and it's a problem if he can't break the transformation. He had to catch him again when he somehow returned to his original form. The problem was whether that was even possible.
"Hey, Sua, do you know why Tie was able to transform?"
Kang-rim asked the thing he was most curious about.
"Doesn't there have to be some condition? Even if there is a Spirit Artifact, I don't think you can transform just with that..."
In the original game, the conditions for obtaining Beast Transformation were very strict. It was a skill that could barely be obtained only by playing the game in spare time for about a month. Kang-rim believed that since it was such a skill, the conditions for using it in this world would also be strict.
However, Tie had used Beast Transformation in one go. Kang-rim wanted to know if the reason that was possible was simply because of the Spirit Artifact, or if there was some other means. Because it was better to exclude variables as much as possible.
"The Spirit Artifact is the key."
Sua answered.
"We beastmen can return to our true form through the Spirit Artifact. Unfortunately, only our Gumiho tribe and the Tiger tribe led by Tie possess that Spirit Artifact. All other beastmen have lost it."
"Wait, by any chance, you too..."
"Yes."
Sua didn't deny it.
"I can transform too."
"What about now?"
"Of course I can't. You took it."
Only then did Kang-rim understand everything.
'As expected, the Spirit Artifact was the key.'
To think there existed a means to skip all the strict conditions. And to think Sua also possessed that means. Kang-rim couldn't close his mouth in surprise. Although Sua, who had brought up the story, felt bitter.
'I should have done it like Tie. Why didn't I?'
Tie had used Beast Transformation as a last resort when he saw the opportunity. As a result, he had dealt a blow to this piece of trash. Then, what about himself? He had only clung to assassination and hadn't even thought of using that power. He had never even thought of using it, fearing that he wouldn't be able to return to normal once he transformed. Would it have been different if he had done it?
'Let's stop. It's already in the past.'
It was already over. With himself and the residents all becoming livestock, what could he aim for? What could he do after dedicating everything to that guy? It was best to just give up and live as his slave. Even if it was annoying to always have to serve him.
"A Spirit Artifact... so that was the condition."
Kang-rim fell into thought.
'To think that would be the variable.'
He had thought it was just an item that helped control the Gumiho tribe, but to think it was possible to do more than that. If he had known this, he would have increased the intensity of the torture until he spat out the Spirit Artifact. Kang-rim was so ashamed of his own laziness, thinking he should take it easy since they would be conquered soon.
At the same time, he had doubts.
"Sua, is that Spirit Artifact Tie has the same as the Yoryeok-seok I ate?"
"I haven't seen it directly, but it must be the same. Perhaps that too can grant power to the Tiger tribe."
"Then..."
Kang-rim asked.
"Is it possible for me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, can I transform too?"
"..."
Was transforming limited only to beastmen? Couldn't a human who absorbed the power also use it? Kang-rim asked with that meaning, but Sua remained silent.
"Hey, answer me."
"..."
"Oh, so that's how you're going to be?"
Kang-rim raised his right hand. Sua's face turned pale as she confirmed that the remote control was in that hand.
"Th-that is..."
"I brought it just in case. Why, did you want me to lose it?"
"Ugh..."
"Now, a penalty for not listening..."
"W-wait! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!"
To think he would act so recklessly with such an absurd question. Sua, not wanting to be forced to reach climax again, immediately raised the white flag.
"Actually, I don't know either."
She answered honestly.
"There has never been a precedent for a human using that power. That's why I didn't know how to answer!"
"Is that so?"
"And, even if you can use it, I don't know what price you'll have to pay. Are you still going to do it?"
"Hmm..."
It was certainly unclear whether it would work or not, so was it worth taking the risk to use it? Even if it were possible, what about after that? Could he still enjoy himself by ravaging women like now? It might be better to carefully watch the situation instead of gambling and falling into the abyss for no reason. Because Tie's current state was strange to anyone's eyes.
'That guy definitely...'
He could have ended everything. He could have killed Kang-rim right there. He could have avenged himself. Even though that opportunity had come, Tie hadn't done it. He had only growled at him as if he were resentful. He had done nothing and just ran away. Why did he do that? Could it be that some problem had occurred? If there really was a problem, it would be helpful for the conquest...
"Master, I apologize for interrupting your pleasant time."
At that moment, a woman with navy blue hair in a ponytail approached. Kang-rim turned his head toward the woman.
"Captain, what's the matter?"
It was the captain. Originally, she should have been wearing a military uniform, but she was only wearing underwear that revealed her voluptuous breasts and pelvis. Because she had fallen into the water just before getting on the lifeboat, her clothes had gotten wet. So, she had no choice but to be in her underwear.
The captain reported with a serious face.
"It's an emergency. We don't have much food left."