Rei's breath hitched as he shot upright, his chest rising and falling in sharp, uneven gasps. The sensation of drowning still clung to him, the phantom weight of the ocean pressing against his lungs. His fingers trembled as he clutched at his chest, searching—expecting to find the deep, fatal wound left by the merman's blade.
But there was nothing.
No gaping hole. No blood. Just a dull ache where the weapon had struck.
Then—
DING!
> [System Alert: Remaining Revives – 2]
Rei exhaled slowly, his pulse still thundering in his ears.
"Shit…" he muttered under his breath, fingers curling into fists.
It wasn't a dream. He remembered everything—the suffocating darkness, the desperate struggle, the countless stabs as he fought to survive. The overwhelming cold, the burn of salt water filling his lungs, the moment his body finally gave in to the abyss.
But… there was something else.
A memory flickered at the edge of his thoughts.
"Right… I got a skill."
He pulled up his notification log, scanning the words that confirmed it.
> [New Skill Acquired: Water Step]
[Effect: Allows the user to walk on water]
Rei stared.
Then blinked.
"…Wait. You're telling me I can actually walk on water now?"
I can walk now in water like that creature, but before he could fully process it—
DING!
> [Water Step – Active]
A strange warmth pulsed through his feet, spreading up his legs like a gentle current. It was subtle but undeniable, a tingling sensation just beneath the surface of his skin.
He hesitated for a moment, his body still sore from the previous battle. Then, cautiously, he stepped forward.
And he didn't sink.
Rei's eyes widened.
He took another step.
And another.
The water beneath him didn't ripple or splash—it simply held firm, as if he were walking on smooth stone.
A slow grin crept across his face.
"Holy shit… this is awesome."
He moved carefully at first, testing his balance. Unlike the boat, where every small movement felt unstable, here—he was light. Steady. Free.
He took a few more steps, gaining confidence. Then, just to test it, he jumped.
His feet landed softly, the surface beneath him unyielding.
He let out a small laugh. "I don't even need the boat anymore."
But his amusement faded as his gaze caught something in the distance.
A body.
Floating just beyond the gentle waves.
The Merman Captain.
His blue blood mixed with the sea, staining the water around him in swirling patterns. His once-powerful form now drifted lifelessly, his glowing eyes dimmed.
Rei's expression hardened.
"That bastard made me use a revive…"
But before he could dwell on it, another thought hit him.
My knife.
His head snapped toward the water, scanning for the familiar glint of his weapon. Had it sunk?
Then—
DING!
> [Item Storage Alert: Fisher's Blade has been stored in Subspace]
Rei blinked.
"…What?"
His hands moved instinctively, he open he's subspace and slipped his hand into it's little hole. He's hand past the floating Light Fish until—
There.
His Fisher's Blade. Safe. Untouched.
Relief flooded his chest, tension melting from his shoulders.
"Good," he muttered, exhaling. "At least I didn't lose it."
But then—
DING!
> [New Quest: Defeat the Merman Soldiers]
[Reward: Mystery Box]
Rei's blood ran cold.
Soldiers?
A creeping sense of dread settled in his gut.
He turned slowly—
SPLASH!
From the depths, figures emerged.
One.
Two.
Three.
Ten.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Webbed hands. Sharp, glowing eyes. Glistening, scaly skin.
Merman Soldiers.
They rose from the water in eerie silence, their gazes locking onto him with an almost predatory stillness. The ocean reflected their forms, the pale glow of the Light Fish casting long, shifting shadows.
Rei's throat went dry.
"…Oh, come on," he whispered. "I just revived."
His hand tightened around the hilt of his knife as he took a slow step back. The soldiers didn't move.
Then—
SHLAAAAASH!
Water surged around them, swirling violently as each one raised a hand. In perfect unison, liquid twisted and solidified into shimmering blades, the same as the captain's.
Rei's breath hitched.
"Wait… they can all do that too?"
He had assumed the ability to forge weapons from water was unique to the captain. But now, standing before him, were thirty mermen—each one armed, each one balanced effortlessly on the ocean's surface.
The realization made his grip tremble.
This wasn't fair.
One against thirty.
All of them warriors. All of them prepared.
And him?
One exhausted survivor. A single knife.
The Light Fish in his boat began to scatter, their soft glow illuminating the battlefield.
Rei exhaled slowly.
Then—
He grinned.
"Fine. You bastards wanna fight?"
He rolled his shoulders, adjusting his stance.
"Then bring it on."