The endless stretch of ocean surrounded Elion, a deep blue canvas with no land in sight. The only things breaking the silence were the occasional roar of the waves and the menacing shapes lurking beneath the surface.
He looked around, took a deep breath, and summoned the system.
"System, open status window!"
[Status Window]
NAME : Elion Viro
LEVEL : Lv. 108 (↑33)
AGE : 14 Years
HP : 10,800/10,800 (↑3,300)
IP : 10,800/10,800 (↑3,300)
Strength : 317 (↑66)
Intelligence : 563 (↑70)
Stamina : 320 (↑66)
Agility : 301 (↑66)
Skills : [Creation Lv. 3] [Inventory] [Taekwondo Lv. 1] [Karate Lv. 1] [Sword Lv. 2] [Dragon Breath Lv. 1] [Endless Tentacles Lv. 1]
"Hm… too bad I didn't use my [Dragon Breath] skill. I should've used it to finish off that kraken," Elion chuckled. "Now that I think about it. Turning it into a grilled squid wouldn't have been a bad idea."
[Well, that's on you.]
"What do you mean? You're the one who told me to create a big, basic fucking sword."
[Hey, at least it worked, right? I just wanted to see something like that once in my life.]
Elion raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "In your life? You're way too shady. Who are you, really?"
[Wow, kid. You think systems don't have lives? That's racist.]
"What? Racist?" Elion couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He sighed, deciding not to dig deeper. "Whatever, man."
He glanced at his status screen, noticing his imagination points, and suddenly remembered something important.
"Oh, right. I haven't eaten today. No wonder I'm so hungry."
Activating his [Creation] skill, Elion imagined a bowl of instant noodles. He visualized the ingredients, the cooking process, and the final dish.
In an instant, a bowl of steaming noodles appeared in his lap, and the savory smell made his mouth water.
Sitting on top of the giant Kraken's head, Elion started eating hungrily.
"Sucks to be a system, huh? You can't even taste food," Elion teased as he slurped the noodles.
[Keep that trash to yourself. I don't need it,] the system replied, annoyed.
"Sure, sure," Elion chuckled, enjoying his meal.
After finishing his meal, Elion shifted his focus back to his current situation. He stared at the vast ocean with a tired expression before reactivating his [Creation] skill. Before him, a simple boat appeared—basic, barely large enough to hold him.
"Great," Elion muttered sarcastically. "I'm stranded in the middle of nowhere with a boat straight out of a kid's drawing. This should be fun."
[You should be grateful you can even create that,] the system chimed in with its usual condescending tone.
"Yeah, yeah. You're right," Elion sighed, grabbing a pair of makeshift oars. "Now, if only this thing came with an engine…"
Although his Creation skill had reached level 3, it still wasn't enough to create anything as complex as a functioning engine. The limitations of his skill made him rely on his wits and intelligence, which, with a 500+ intelligence stat, was nothing short of brilliant.
Elion knew he couldn't row forever, and using only paddles would be far too slow and exhausting.
Taking a deep breath, Elion paused for a moment, eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon. His mind was already racing, calculating every possible advantage. He quickly devised a solution using the resources he had—wind power.
"I can't create an engine yet, but I can use something much simpler," Elion muttered, his mind working faster than ever.
He began designing a small sail with his [Creation] skill, using a combination of cloth and wood to craft something that would catch the wind.
Once the sail was up, Elion used the stars to orient himself, taking into account celestial navigation and applying knowledge of ocean currents.
With his high intelligence, he could estimate the direction of the closest landmass, analyzing wind patterns and the movement of the surrounding water.
He understood the Coriolis Effect, and using that, he plotted a likely course to shore.
The wind began to fill the sail, pushing the boat forward at a much faster pace than rowing could ever achieve. Still, the sail wasn't perfect, and there were times when the wind would die down, forcing Elion to pick up the paddles and row for a while.
"This should work for now," Elion said with a smirk, feeling a sense of pride despite the situation.
-----
One night, as Elion floated under a starry sky, he let out a long sigh. "This boat is ridiculous. I need something more… functional."
[Finally realizing that, huh?] the system teased. [What took you so long?]
Elion ignored the jab, instead focusing on his [Creation] skill once more. This time, he envisioned a larger ship—a vessel that could withstand the open sea and serve as a home while he searched for land.
With a few waves of his hand, the small boat transformed into a sturdy, medium-sized ship. It wasn't luxurious, but it had space, a roof over his head, and better durability.
"That's more like it," Elion said with satisfaction as he stepped aboard his newly created ship.
[You should add an engine next time,] the system suggested.
"Yeah, I'll get right on that," Elion replied, grabbing a telescope and looking out at the horizon. "Maybe after I learn how to make one."
-----
With the larger ship, life at sea became a little easier. Elion no longer had to rely on flimsy paddles, though he still needed to pay attention to everything around him.
Days turned into weeks as he watched the stars, the wind, and the waves, piecing together a plan to escape the endless ocean.
One evening, while adjusting the sails under a sky full of stars, Elion muttered to himself, "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this."
[Oh, now you're a sailor too?] the system kicked in, dripping with sarcasm.
Elion smirked. "No, but with these stars, wind patterns, and a bit of oceanography, I can figure out where I need to go."
[Well, look at you, Mr. Big Brains. I bet you're feeling pretty smart out here with your fancy theories.] The system teased.
Elion rolled his eyes, smirking. "Of course. I've got a brain, unlike you."
[Oh, really?] the system mocked. [That tiny thing you call a brain is doing all the work, huh? Why don't you go ahead and explain to me how all this ocean stuff works? Enlighten me, since I obviously don't have one.]
Elion chuckled. "Alright, system-with-no-brain. Let me dumb it down for you. First, there's something called an ocean current. Think of it like a big conveyor belt in the water. The wind pushes it, the Earth's spin moves it, and it helps guide my boat."
[Oh, a conveyor belt! How fancy. And here I thought the ocean was just water. But tell me, oh wise one, what's that thing you keep mumbling about the stars for?] the system asked, dripping with sarcasm.
"Celestial navigation, genius," Elion said, mocking the system. "At night, the stars act like a map. Some stars, like the North Star, don't move. So, if you know how to read them, you can tell where north is."
[Oh, stars as a map. And here I was thinking they were just pretty lights in the sky. But what about that… what did you call it? The Coriolis thing? Sounds made up.]
Elion sighed, shaking his head. "It's real, and it's easy. The Earth is spinning, right? So, when something moves across it, like air or water, it gets pushed to the side a little bit.
In the Northern Hemisphere, it moves one way, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it moves the other. That's the Coriolis Effect. It helps create the ocean currents."
[Wow, Mr. Big Brains. You mean the Earth is spinning and pushing water? I had no idea how complex it all was. And here I thought you just needed a paddle.]
"Very funny," Elion shot back, annoyed. "It's not just about paddling. I'm using the stars, the wind, and the current to figure out where I'm going. Basic stuff."
[Basic, huh?] the system said, pretending to be impressed. [So you're navigating the endless ocean like a pro now, right? Well, good luck with that. I'll just sit here with my non-existent brain and watch you work.]
Elion grinned. "Yeah, you do that. Just sit back and relax, while I do my things."
[Okay, Mr. Big Brains. Looks like you've got this all figured out. You don't need me anymore, right? I'll leave you to it then.]
Elion chuckled. "Yeah, I don't need you for now. So, just enjoy the ride."