Deep Sea Phobia
Bukjin spoke with a smirk. "It’s fine. Right now, I’m like a pest wandering the streets. Plenty of people are itching to catch me, and my reputation has already hit rock bottom. Unless it’s a girl like you, Mi—someone with broad horizons, a kind heart, and pure beauty—no one would ever join my Galaxy Guard."
Did the team name change again? Mi Yeo-yeon’s face flushed once more.
"Then what should we do?" she asked, her expression turning serious.
Bukjin replied, "Don't worry. I’ve already selected the remaining three members."
Who could he have chosen? The answer was obvious: Han Bul-bu, Ak Hong-hyang, and Baek Geum-un. His three former classmates.
Half an hour later, inside the office of the 2nd-year Grade Dean at the 3rd Academy, Bukjin’s teammates were gathered in one place.
"What?"
"Are you seriously saying you’re picking us?"
Han Bul-bu and Ak Hong-hyang asked in shock after hearing Bukjin’s proposal. To them, it felt like Bukjin was committing social suicide. Baek Geum-un, however, let out a cheer and spoke triumphantly.
"Haha! Pretty Boy Senior! You’ve finally made a choice you can be proud of! A man’s gotta be a man! I totally approve!"
It seemed Baek Geum-un hadn't quite sobered up from last night’s drinks. Bukjin put on a wronged expression.
"I’m serious. I don't have any other choice, do I? You’ve all heard the rumors spreading through the city. No one has come looking to join my team. I just barely managed to get Mi here to join after making a massive sacrifice. I have no choice but to fill the remaining three spots with my friends from the 3rd Academy. That way, my Earth Defense Force will at least look the part... Surely you three aren't thinking of rejecting my offer?"
Listening from the side, Mi Yeo-yeon felt a massive question mark pop up over her head at the yet-again-changed team name. Setting aside the name change... a massive sacrifice? I definitely joined of my own accord...
She remained silent, not knowing what to say. Since Bukjin had gone that far, Han Bul-bu and Ak Hong-hyang couldn't bring themselves to refuse. They eventually agreed to join. Baek Geum-un, of course, was the first to sign on.
"Haha! This is great. My Space Conquest Squad is finally complete!" Bukjin said, stretching his arms.
"Now we just need to get to know each other and draw up a strategy..."
"Wait, didn't you just call it the Earth Defense Force?"
"The name isn't important," Bukjin dismissed her concern casually. "By the way, does anyone here know the specific process or rules for the team matches?"
Han Bul-bu and Ak Hong-hyang had no answer. Mi Yeo-yeon felt a headache coming on.
The leader knows nothing... He doesn't even know the rules yet?
"I did a bit of research yesterday," Mi Yeo-yeon began, explaining the information she had gathered with saint-like patience. "This year’s team matches are different from previous years. They’ll be held on the ocean."
"A naval battle?" Bukjin asked, rubbing his brow. "Not a field battle like before?"
"Every team will board a combat vessel powered by a Mystic Gate Formation and be positioned in a designated sea area. The ships will follow a pre-designed orbit, giving every team’s vessel a fair chance to encounter every other team once. During these encounters, you must succeed in seizing the flag hanging from the opponent's ship. The team that captures the most flags wins first place."
Bukjin processed this for a moment. "Can everyone here swim?"
"Just the basics..." Ak Hong-hyang replied.
"I can manage a bit," said Han Bul-bu.
"I'm actually a pretty good swimmer," Baek Geum-un boasted.
"No problem at all," Mi Yeo-yeon finished.
Hearing their answers, Bukjin felt a pang of anxiety. It looks like... I’m the biggest problem in this group. If I start learning now, can I pull it off? No, wait. I have Water-attribute Mystic Energy. I won't drown in the ocean, right?
After a moment of deliberation, Bukjin decided he needed to seek advice from the Sea Race expert, Hae No-in.
"Wait here for a moment. I'll go bring someone to coach us."
Bukjin vanished from the office like a gust of wind. The remaining four were left staring at each other awkwardly. However, thanks to the sociable Baek Geum-un, the atmosphere soon livened up. Although Mi Yeo-yeon was from a different academy, she had met them at Manseung-ru the night before. The fact that she chose to join Bukjin’s team despite the terrible rumors earned her the respect of the others. The four of them bonded quickly.
A short while later, Bukjin rushed back into the office.
"Where's the coach?" the four asked, looking at him.
Bukjin huffed in annoyance. "Dammit. He’s a total highwayman. The old man is demanding a coaching fee... Baek Geum-un, lend me 1,800 gold. I have to pay the fee..."
"Here, take it," Baek Geum-un said, tossing her VIP-grade crystal fragment at Bukjin’s face. "There’s no password, so swipe it as much as you want."
"I knew I could count on you, Geum-un!" Bukjin caught the crystal with both hands, gave a bright smile, and dashed out again.
A moment later, he returned with a beaming Hae No-in. Behind them were Cho Heun, Ban Oe-min, and Ryu Gye-hae. Seeing the lineup of instructors, the students felt a surge of confidence.
At the harbor.
A merchant ship owned by the Sea Race, roughly thirty meters long, slowly made its way out of the port.
"Ah, the smell of the sea! It smells just like the seaweed from the Wave Power Merchant Alliance!" Bukjin shouted from the bow.
This was a side effect of Bukjin having watched too many commercials in his past life. Mi Yeo-yeon and the others had seen enough of Bukjin’s antics to be fully adjusted by now. They stood on the deck, gazing out at the vast ocean shimmering under the sunlight. Looking at the endless horizon made their hearts feel light.
"The ships used in tomorrow’s team matches are combat vessels provided by the military. They’re already docked at the harbor," Hae No-in explained. "However, because the military guards them so strictly, we can't see exactly what they look like. That said, the North Sea Empire’s warships are generally divided into four classes: Emperor-class, General-class, Taegum-class, and Shining Silver-class. Among them, the Taegum-class is the most suitable for flag-snatching. Therefore, there’s a high probability that tomorrow’s ships will be Taegum-class."
Hae No-in had a deep understanding of the North Sea Empire’s navy. He even pulled out a model ship to explain.
"Look at this. This is a Taegum-class combat vessel. It’s ninety meters long, sixty meters wide, and stands forty-five meters above the waterline. The four main parts of the hull are..."
As the merchant ship sailed further out, Hae No-in continued his brief lecture on the ship’s structure.
"According to the information released by the Education Bureau, the flag is hung atop the central mast. However, it is protected by a Mystic Gate Formation. To open the formation and reach the flag, you need four keys. These four keys are located in four fixed zones on the ship. You must seize all four keys to unlock the formation and take the flag. When two ships encounter each other, they will cross paths; the time it takes for them to move out of combat range is roughly the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn. In other words, if you don't capture the flag within that time, you waste your opportunity. And naturally, if you defeat the opponent and protect all four of your keys while they attack, that counts as a success as well. The specific strategy you use is up to you. What I can teach you today is how to get used to naval combat."
Perhaps because he had received the coaching fee, Hae No-in’s explanation was incredibly detailed and kind. In fact, the only reason they were able to use this merchant ship was because of Hae No-in’s influence. For the remaining hour of training, Bukjin and the others had to acclimate to fighting on a swaying deck. Under Hae No-in’s guidance, they began to learn how to harness the power of the waves rocking the ship to generate force.
Once the environmental adaptation training was over, the next step was getting used to the water. Everyone except Bukjin knew how to swim. Since Unmong City was a coastal town, almost all its citizens had experience with the sea. They were naturally comfortable in the water. Even Ak Hong-hyang, who said she could only "manage a bit," was swimming as freely as a fish once she dove in.
Watching them, Bukjin felt his heart tighten. The truth was, ever since Bukjin had watched deep-sea documentaries back on Earth, he had developed a slight case of thalassophobia—a fear of the deep sea. This wasn't a matter of courage.
"Why are you still dawdling instead of getting in the water?" Hae No-in asked.
Bukjin hesitated before replying, "A real man... doesn't just play in any old water."
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Hae No-in scoffed. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the water?"
"I'm not afraid of it; I just prefer to keep my distance," Bukjin argued sophistically.
Hae No-in’s expression turned stern. "The Mystic Energy attribute you awakened is Water. That means you can exert power on the ocean that is on a completely different level than on land. The fact that this competition is held at sea is a massive opportunity for you. Furthermore, the Fish-Dragon Transformation, the Three Swords of the Deep Blue Sea, and the Floating Light Shadow-Step I passed on to you are all secret techniques optimized for naval combat! You can only realize your true strength and the profound meaning of those arts by getting into the water!"
Without waiting for Bukjin’s consent, Hae No-in delivered a swift kick, sending him flying into the sea.
Splash!
Bukjin plunged into the ocean.
"Son of a—! *Glub!*"
Before he could finish his sentence, he was sinking beneath the surface. During the preliminary rounds of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition, Bukjin had entered a lake. But that lake was barely fifteen meters deep at its worst; it couldn't compare to the ocean. As he fell into the sea, his thalassophobia surged, and his entire body began to stiffen like a board. Every divine technique and secret method he had learned vanished from his mind.
Flailing his limbs and struggling wildly, Bukjin swallowed a large amount of seawater. He barely managed to poke his face above the surface, screaming for help.
Hae No-in frowned at the sight.
Is he really that weak in the water? It makes no sense... How can someone who awakened Water-attribute Mystic Energy look so pathetic?