Rei sat on his small boat, gripping his fishing rod as the gentle waves rocked beneath him. The faint morning breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean, filling his lungs with each steady breath.
His mind was still focused on his newly enhanced rod—how it pulsed ever so slightly in his hands, charged with the essence of the Light Fish. He wasn't sure how much of a difference it would make, but it was progress. A step forward in this endless survival trial.
And then—
DING!
A soft chime rang in his ears.
Golden text shimmered into existence before his eyes.
> [System Update: Day 2 Reached]
[Daily Survival Reward Unlocked!]
[Reward: Fisher's Blade (Mid-Rare)]
[Effect: Grants Basic Combat Proficiency When Held]
A sudden weight settled into his palm.
Rei glanced down.
A sleek, sharp-edged knife rested in his grip, its blade smooth and polished like it had been freshly forged. A simple weapon—no engravings, no unnecessary ornamentation.
But the moment he held it—
A sensation rippled through his body.
His stance shifted, his grip instinctively adjusting as if his muscles had long known how to wield a blade. His breath evened, his reflexes sharpening in an instant.
"Combat proficiency?" Rei thought, testing the weight of the knife.
For the first time since arriving in this hellish ocean—he had a weapon.
He exhaled, a small, triumphant grin forming on his lips.
"Finally."
But before he could fully admire it—
TUG!
His fishing rod jerked violently.
A sudden, immense force ripped against the line, nearly yanking him overboard.
Rei gritted his teeth, gripping the rod tightly as his boat lurched beneath him. His arms burned from the strain, his muscles protesting as he fought against the unknown force below, but thanks to the Determination buff, he held on.
"Another big one—!"
With one final pull—
SPLASH!
A massive, twisted figure burst from the water.
Rei's breath hitched.
The thing tangled in his line was no ordinary fish.
It had a humanoid torso, its limbs webbed and elongated, its flesh a sickly shade of blue. Its head resembled that of a fish, but its piercing, intelligent eyes sent a chill down Rei's spine.
But the worst part—
It wasn't struggling.
It merely stared.
And then—
The creature suddenly twisted free, its body slithering out of the line with an unnatural grace.
With an eerie, fluid movement, it **landed onto the surface of the water—**standing upright as if the ocean were solid ground.
Rei's stomach dropped.
"The hell is this?!"
The creature's gills flared, and without warning—
SHHAAAAA!!
The water beneath its feet rose, spiraling upwards and solidifying into the shape of a blade.
A sword, made entirely of the sea.
Rei's grip tightened around his own weapon.
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
"Oh, shit—"
The creature lunged.
Rei barely had time to react.
His body moved on instinct, his new combat proficiency kicking in as he raised his blade—
CLANG!
The impact shook his entire arm.
The force sent him skidding backward, his boat rocking dangerously beneath him.
He barely managed to regain his footing before the creature landed back onto the water, its cold, lifeless eyes locked onto him.
"How the fuck do I fight this thing?!"
It had perfect footing, able to move freely on the water's surface.
Meanwhile, he was trapped on a wobbly, unstable boat—one wrong move, and he'd be thrown into the ocean.
The creature lunged again.
Rei parried, the clash of their blades ringing through the air.
CLANG!
Again.
CLANG!
Each blow forced him further back.
"Shit—" Rei's eyes darted around, searching for an opening. "If this keeps up, I'll lose my balance!"
Then—
The creature leapt onto the boat.
Its webbed feet gripped the wooden surface, its posture shifting into something more human-like.
Rei's eyes narrowed.
A small, sharp grin formed on his lips.
"So you wanna fight up close now?"
The monster rushed forward.
It slashed wildly, its movements erratic yet precise.
Rei ducked.
Dodged.
Weaved through the onslaught of strikes.
Then—
SLASH!
His knife sliced through the creature's side.
A spray of light-blue blood splattered across the wooden deck.
The monster hissed, its gills flaring as it leapt back onto the water.
And then—
It screamed.
Not just any scream.
An unnatural, distorted wail, like the sound of metal scraping against bone.
Rei's grip tightened around his knife.
"It can feel pain."
He took a slow step forward.
"Good. Then I'll kill it before it kills me."
He lunged.
The creature met him mid-strike.
CLANG!
Their blades clashed—again and again, the sound of steel meeting water filling the air.
But then—
Rei saw an opening.
A split-second gap in the creature's movements.
He struck—
SLASH!
His knife carved deep into the creature's fish-like head, forcing it to recoil.
It let out another inhuman screech, its body shifting unnaturally, as if its form was struggling to stay together.
Rei smirked.
"What? Scared now?"
But then—
The creature leapt high into the air.
Its movements became sharper, more calculated.
It had learned from their fight.
And this time—
It attacked with deadly precision.
Rei parried—
CLANG!
But his footing wavered.
The boat tilted beneath him, the water rocking violently.
His stomach lurched.
"Shit—it's trying to knock me off!"
The monster pressed forward, striking with relentless aggression.
Rei gritted his teeth.
His stamina drained.
His arms ached.
Tiny cuts and gashes formed along his body from grazing blows.
Then—
The creature's mouth curled into a grin.
A horrifying, familiar grin—
The same twisted smile the Deep Eater had before it swallowed him whole.
Rei's breath caught in his throat.
The monster struck.
CRASH!
The impact sent him flying.
His vision blurred.
The world tilted—
And then—
SPLASH!
Rei plunged into the endless ocean.