Chapter 276
Chapter 276
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 276
Chapter Title: 89. Partner (4)
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From high up, the 'playground' had looked flat. But down close, it wasn't quite so level. There were hills. And sunken terrain too.
At a depth of 200 meters, light barely penetrated overall. That darkness made it feel flat.
If she hadn't spotted it on the way down, she would've gotten lost here.
In other words, Yeoreum was now standing right in front of the flag.
Come to think of it, Yoo Ji-tae really was a total asshole...
Truth be told, even spotting it on the descent had been luck. She'd found it in one go purely by chance.
The flag was black.
This was deliberate. They'd intentionally set out a black flag.
Damn it, the whole place was already pitch-black like a sealed room. At least make the flag white or yellow...
Yeoreum grumbled as she grabbed the flag.
That nagging unease in her solar plexus suddenly clenched tight, triggering a diaphragm spasm.
'Ugh...'
Yeoreum clamped one hand over her mouth while gripping the flag hard with the other, curling her body into a ball. The urge to breathe crawled up from her lungs, through her throat, and under her tongue.
Even though this was the third time, the survival instinct tied to it was damn hard to ignore.
Was this what choking on rice cakes felt like?
No. More like rice cakes surging up from her stomach and getting stuck on the way out.
Fuck. I'm really gonna die.
Shrimp-curled, Yeoreum waited for the suffocation to pass.
She squeezed the flag tighter to keep from bolting.
If she fled even after grabbing it, she'd look like a total idiot in front of Yoo Ji-tae later.
'......'
After a hellish minute that felt like ten, Yeoreum finally lifted her head.
Suppressing the breathing impulse always left her mind a bit foggy. Still squatting, she raised her head.
Okay, I can breathe now...
Through hazy eyes, she took in the ocean scenery.
Nearby, it was just dirt and rocks.
Even farther out, no different. Hills here and there. Sparse seaweed and such.
Beyond that, too dark to see. The walls narrowing in, which she'd ignored on the way down.
...Something's off.
Shouldn't seabeds have coral, seaweed, fish in abundance?
Sure, there was some seaweed dotted around. Unidentifiable black lumps on rocks.
But even including those, this seafloor felt barren.
Gazing blankly at the world's floor like this...
Suddenly, Yeoreum felt utterly alone in the world.
'......'
Craving a smoke.
Habitually patted her side. Bare skin.
Oh right. Forgot the jacket.
Time to head up.
Yeoreum pushed off, swimming the opposite way she'd come, shoving aside the heavy water.
"......"
This spot was dry land.
Winter was watching Yoo Ji-tae carefully.
He'd pulled out pork belly and king oyster mushrooms from outside, prepped them, and was assembling the grill.
One problem: the lighter he'd brought was busted. No flame. Click, click. Click click click.
He tossed the lighter aside and used the Red Dragon's mana technique to ignite his fingertip. Soon, the charcoal was crackling to life.
"No."
The sudden word startled Winter.
"...Why?"
"Don't go in the water."
"...W-water, not that, much, wanna..."
Busted flat. Winter mumbled, feigning innocence.
Yoo Ji-tae had been failing at fishing for nearly three hours now. And Winter hadn't been allowed in the water.
He was using a ridiculously long fishing line.
When a bite came, he'd reel for a full three minutes. The line was that long.
But all that came up was seaweed or unidentifiable globs. Once, even a shoe.
Stoic as ever, but the futility made him seem deflated. Winter found it hilarious.
Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-tae kept blocking Winter from the water. For three hours straight.
To Winter, it was a fun game. The moment he looked away, dash for the water. He'd swoop in and snag her right back.
Opportunity knocked.
He half-ducked into the tent, rummaging in his bag. Winter crept toward the water stealthily.
Her previous charges had been too obvious. Better to erase her presence and go slow.
But somehow, he always knew. He turned.
Gasp. Eye contact. Winter bolted. She dove for the sea.
Yoo Ji-tae's hand snagged her mid-air, hoisting her up.
"Kyaa―!"
Failed again, but Winter burst into giggles.
"I said no."
"...Hehe."
In the end, Winter got dragged back in his arms.
That was how the time passed.
Yeoreum was still down in the water, but Winter paid it no mind. Whatever.
Though Yoo Ji-tae occasionally glanced underwater.
Winter wondered why he wouldn't let her in. Her feet had already dipped in, after all.
Finally, she couldn't hold back and asked.
"Why can't I go in the water?"
"...Yeah."
"Truth is, you could."
"...Then?"
"But around five to ten meters in, that's when it gets tricky."
Winter didn't get it.
The promo pamphlet showed tourists swimming and such.
"Humans are fine. But you're a dragon, right?"
"...Yeah."
"This sea has an owner. And the owner's laid traps. If you go in and try to come out, the traps'll hassle you."
"...Why?"
The owner had peculiar tastes.
The kind that locked guests in the basement.
Hard to tell host from hunter then.
"...Would I, be in danger?"
"Nah, you wouldn't be. You're buddy-buddy with water."
Winter thought of Yeoreum for a moment.
Yeoreum and water didn't get along.
An unbelievable thing happened.
Yeoreum had to rethink things again.
On the way down, the seawater had felt sticky like Nutella. It wasn't.
As she tried climbing about ten meters up, water-attuned mana began clumping into a shape. Thin and elongated, like a tentacle.
The moment she sensed something wrong and tried dodging, the formed tentacle shot out and coiled around her ankle.
No, fuck.
Is this that tentacle play crap?
Obaande.
A memory flashed: curiosity leading to some 'wholesome' site once, too gross to revisit.
The water mana climbed her toes, then suddenly clamped her ankle like jaws.
Unbelievable power.
Immense strength, like her ankle might burst.
And it was intensifying.
Eh?
Eh eh?
Hold on, this is―
Crack!
Aaah!
Her foot and ankle bones shattered.
Not once, but at least five or six times.
Muscles and ligaments shredded simultaneously.
Fuuuucking hurts...!
Pain hit late.
Sensation of bones misaligned wildly.
Looking down at her leg, Yeoreum's face hardened.
Bone pierced skin. Torn and crushed everywhere. Like crushed in a press, her right lower shin pulverized entirely.
Mind went blank.
What the hell? Couldn't process.
Never heard Yoo Ji-tae mention anything like this.
Breath catching.
Stay calm now.
The powerless water mana dispersed on the spot. Startled, Yeoreum swam furiously. Arms and legs flailing hard. Mana poured out generously. But the sea started devouring her mana.
Right ankle useless, so left leg and arms only. Poor propulsion.
"Hic...!"
Amidst, agony lanced from the dangling ankle. Yeoreum couldn't hold back a whimper.
Blood sprayed. Water so thick, it pooled in the currents.
Calm.
Stay calm.
Think.
Arms paddling busily, Yeoreum pondered.
Any life signs?
No. None before, none now.
Senses picked up only the 'silent sea' itself, same as always.
So, not someone targeting her deliberately with tentacles.
More likely a basic mechanism of mana spread through the sea. Like those 'hook-shaped mana particles.'
Snapping legs of anyone trying to leave the water.
Like a spinal reflex.
Not aimed at her personally. No 'specificity,' so maybe no further danger.
Yeah. It's fine.
No need to freak like an idiot...
Eh...?
But why's another one forming...?
Water essence gathered again.
Yeoreum freaked, paddled arms harder.
Whirling tentacle lunged. This time at her left leg. Couldn't let it. She twisted, then unleashed a waist-powered kick with all her might.
Force to shatter an elephant skull.
Water seemed to scatter... then reformed casually, latching onto her leg.
No.
No no no.
It coiled and gripped.
Ah fuck, done for...
Crack!
"Nghhh...!"
Scream burst through gritted teeth.
Left leg crumbled under irresistible force.
Eyes nearly bulged.
Not crying, but aware this time, pain near-faint level.
Tears flowed freely.
'Ha, fuck...'
The leg-crushing tentacle lost power and dispersed too.
Yeoreum sobbed, flailing arms.
Already stifled breathing surged to her throat.
Felt like puking.
Get it together.
Won't die here anyway.
Yoo Ji-tae won't let me, right?
No, even without him, I won't die.
But thoughts and feelings don't always align.
This loathsome water.
Friction making movement hell.
Holding breath, paddling arms.
Legs burning like fire.
Even pain-hardened Yeoreum struggled to endure.
Wanted to ditch it all, release polymorph to dragon form. Teleport out.
Intense impulse eroded her emotions like wildfire.
What the fuck kind of training is this?
What bullshit 'trial to grow stronger'?
Fucking bullshit...
Why only me, suffering like this?
That bastard's up there having fun...
Injustice fueled the impulse like oil.
That's why he'd said it.
― Brace your mind.
― Armor up mentally beforehand.
― Endure no matter how rough.
Yeoreum gritted her teeth.
Matter of pride.
Training or trial be damned. She couldn't quit in the face of it.
Getting stronger was secondary.
To survive, she had to press on.
Yeoreum forcibly crushed the impulse.
No diaphragm spasm amid anxiety. Good sign.
But unknown further threats. Even if mana-draining, needed propulsion.
Right leg: ankle to mid-shin wrecked.
Left: knee-down smashed.
But thighs? Tested: movable.
'Ugh...'
Agony sharp, but mobility key.
Rhythmic thigh kicks would add thrust.
Blood trailed. But out, treatable.
Mana gnawed. Out, recoverable.
Breath blocked. Out, fresh air.
As expected, ascent way harder than descent.
Even with good legs.
Yeoreum's mind reeled. Head spinning. Vision blurring. But no stopping.
Yeoreum pushed forward.
Toward that transparently shining bright sky.
Reel― reel―
"...Ah."
A bite...! Winter startled, tapped Yoo Ji-tae's arm with her palm.
But he just tilted his head puzzled. So Winter pointed urgently at the reel, urging him.
"...Hurry up."
"Huh?"
"...Not reeling?"
"Oh. Right."
Yoo Ji-tae started reeling.
Something soon burst from the water. Thinking it a massive fish, Winter's eyes sparkled.
Pffft―
The thing hooked on the line rose limply, mouth agape.
"Yerumi mulkkogi makes its debut..."
It was Yeoreum.
She crawled up on her knees, staggered, then collapsed sideways.
'Hah, hah...' Gasping hard, Yeoreum muttered.
"Whopper, you fuckers..."
Flat on her back, she squeezed her eyes shut and heaved deep breaths. Her face was blue clear to her lips.
Winter's eyes went wide.
Blood flowed from both Yeoreum's legs. Wounds grave.
Separate from disliking her, the sight shocked Winter a bit. Mild injury would've been fun. But this was too severe. Alarmed, Winter blinked rapidly and rushed over.
"...You okay?"
"Uh... Fine..."
"...How'd this happen?"
"Dunno. Must've bumped something on the way up."
Bump to this extent? Winter puzzled. As Yoo Ji-tae approached, Yeoreum crooked a finger.
"Hey. Lemme borrow your head."
"...My head?"
A fist flew.
Bonk...
"...??"
Shocked by the impact, Winter went cross-eyed.
It didn't hurt.