Pick Me Up!

We were ready.

10 seconds later.

The light from the mirror enveloped us.

As the light faded, I slowly opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was the mission objective window in the top right corner of my vision.

[Floor 31.]

[Mission Type – Exploration]

[Objective – Search the designated area!]

It’s good to see the objective from the start.

I took a breath and looked around.

“…Huh?”

Jenna let out a deflated sound.

Swoosh.

Splash.

“…”

I looked up.

A wide, blue sky.

I looked down.

Waves rolling beyond, the horizon stretching to the end of my sight.

“Where, where is this?! Why is there so much water?”

“Is this the rumored… sea?”

Velkist groaned.

Jenna jumped around in panic.

“But this place is…!”

“Don’t jump. It shakes.”

I examined the floor.

The planks were crudely intertwined. It was about 10 meters wide, with a pillar and a small sail in the center. A carelessly placed oars were next to the pillar.

‘…Huh.’

I chuckled.

“To summarize the situation,” Neryssa said in a calm voice.

“We’ve been summoned to a boat on the sea.”

“What, what? What is this? Why suddenly such a place?”

“I don’t know either.”

Neryssa finished speaking and looked at me.

At the same time, three pairs of eyes turned to me.

‘They want me to sort it out.’

I sighed and said, “Alright, alright.”

“What should we do?”

“First, check what’s on the boat. There should be useful items.”

I muttered and started walking.

There was a wooden barrel at the bow. I opened it. It contained simple food and water.

“Oppa, there’s something strange here.”

I took what Jenna handed to me.

A circular object fitting in the palm, with a long needle visible inside the glass.

It was a compass.

“Didn’t you find a map?”

I put the compass in my pocket and asked.

Velkist shook his head. Neryssa did the same. I also searched but found nothing.

The only things on the boat were food, water, a compass, and oars.

Eloka spoke with a ridiculous expression, “This is nonsense. Thrown into the sea and told to explore.”

“Should have asked to be sent to the desert.”

“There must be a reason we’re here.”

I took out the compass again and examined it.

“What should we do?”

“We have to row around.”

I lifted the oar with my foot and grabbed it.

“We’ll go in the direction the compass points.”

I looked at the mast.

The sail fluttered in the wind.

‘The wind direction is roughly right.’

One peculiarity was the prepared food and water.

It was likely a long-term mission.

I put my hand on my forehead.

‘Annoying.’

This was more bothersome than a maze.

“Two oars and five people. We can row in pairs.”

“Oar? You mean that wide wooden stick?”

“You row with it to move forward.”

I had never done it myself.

I had to find out how while doing it.

The presence of oars meant that relying on wind alone would be slow.

“I have a question.”

Everyone’s gaze focused on me.

“Do any of you know how to swim?”

Everyone became mute.

‘Damn it.’

We’ll need swimming lessons when we return to the waiting room.

Anyway, the mission was given.

Like it or not, we had to do it.

I assigned pairs.

Me with Velkist, Jenna with Neryssa.

“What about me?”

“You’re out.”

“Why? I can do it too.”

Eloka protested.

“The balance won’t be right.”

If the strength of two people rowing on each side isn’t similar, the direction might veer off.

It wasn’t for no reason that I paired a warrior and a rogue together.

“Then what should I…”

“Sit still. And.”

This was the key point.

I lowered my voice and said, “Never use fire magic. If you don’t want to become fish food.”

Eloka froze on the spot.

She looked like she had been hit hard on the back of her head.

“Oh, no…”

“Think about it. This is the sea. The boat is wood. If it catches fire, we all die.”

Eloka’s flames don’t extinguish easily even when doused with water.

Moreover, as the casting involves igniting the caster’s body, it was dangerous in itself.

The compatibility was the worst.

If she had used wind magic, the situation would have been completely different.

There would have been no need to row with such effort.

“…Alright.”

Eloka lowered her head.

There was no choice. Elementalists are the most affected by the characteristics of the field.

‘If such fields continue after the 31st floor…’

She’s out.

I’ll think about it after the mission is over.

I grabbed the oar.

“We always end up doing all sorts of things.”

Velkist muttered from the opposite side.

“If it’s hard, let me know. I’ll switch right away.”

“Go to sleep. It won’t be soon.”contemporary romance

It was nothing compared to our usual training intensity.

I held the oar upside down and put it in the hole next to the boat.

Then I let go and stood up.

“…Ha.”

Bubbles were rising near the boat.

Dark shadows emerged from the waves.

[Carnivorous Shark Lv.18] X 9

[Merman Lv.31] X 2

Thud!

Suddenly, the boat rocked violently.

The boat, almost flipping over, barely stabilized.

“Oppa!”

I could handle ten or a hundred on solid ground, but this was above the sea.

“Don’t panic. Get ready to fight.”

We all started preparing for battle.

Sharks and mermen.

A common combination in the sea.

‘If the boat flips, it’s over.’

Thud!

The boat shook again.

Black shadows moved chaotically under the water.

The streamlined bodies briefly appeared.

I took off my gloves and drew a dagger.

Without hesitation, I cut my palm. Blood oozed out with a sharp pain.

“Jenna, cover me.”

I took off the sword’s sheath and placed it against the mast.

Splash!

I dived into the sea.

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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