#002
Judging by the fact that they deliberately set a 3-minute time limit, it seemed like that was the case. It appeared that up to 3 minutes, I wouldn’t be affected by breathing issues or contamination… Still, ever since early in the game when I naively jumped into what seemed like a peaceful ocean and lost my leg to a shark monster, I’ve been hesitating whenever I need to enter water.
But this was inside my house, and it was still morning. At least up until the previous rounds, monsters hadn’t invaded residential areas, and except for specific regions like forests or mines, they didn’t appear during the day either, so nothing too dangerous should happen. More importantly, if the system intended for the game to progress, it wouldn’t try to kill the player from the very first quest when starting without any weapons.
I did have some slight trauma, but I’d just downed a calming potion so it shouldn’t be much of a problem. The space wasn’t that large either, so just going into the water briefly to drag out a box shouldn’t be too difficult.
Having finished my calculations, I decided to go into the water. Well, I didn’t really have a choice anyway.
“Now then, which one should I choose?”
The three boxes were located respectively right below the ladder, under the central table, and next to the broken, creaking door. If I chose the one below the ladder, it would naturally be the fastest and easiest… but it’s hard to ignore the conventional wisdom that the hardest box to obtain contains the best items.
What made this decision tricky was that in the previous tutorial, while there weren’t quests like this, each round randomly had one or two farming tools missing. Sometimes there was no axe, sometimes no watering can or sickle. This time too, there was a high possibility that each box contained different tools.
It would be nice if something that could be used as a weapon came out. From the looks of things, I wouldn’t be in a situation to cultivate even a small garden plot anyway.
“Playing around with people’s lives while talking about death.”
I grumbled as I carefully lowered my body into the water. Since it was still early spring, a thrillingly cold sensation wrapped around my entire body. Hunching my shoulders, I stood on the ladder for a moment and checked the underwater situation again.
Nothing had changed. The small fish scattered in alarm even at the tiny splash I made, then slowly gathered together again, and the seaweed was just leisurely swaying with the water’s flow. Everything was peaceful except for the broken furniture and household items floating around and the murky water color.
I took one last deep breath and dove underwater. As my head was completely submerged, a round clock appeared in the corner of my vision.
In the dim underwater space, three boxes glittered as if asking to be picked up. Items that need to be found sparkling and sending signals is one of the few privileges of being a game player. Should I call it the last bit of conscience from the system that dragged me here?
Aware of the ticking clock sound, I headed toward the farthest door as quickly as possible. My breathing was free, and the water’s contamination didn’t torment my skin. Producing bubbles, I swam smoothly toward where my target box was located.
‘Got it!’
The box wasn’t that heavy, probably due to buoyancy as well. The moment I grabbed the box, I pulled my body backward. The darkness outside the door was calm, but I kept watching for any possible monster appearances while quickly returning to the ladder.
Compared to how tense I’d been, the quest went smoothly.
‘I got nervous for nothing. Well, no matter how ruined the world is, the first quest couldn’t be that dangerous. After all, this is fundamentally a healing-based game.’
I reached the ladder without incident and was able to safely step onto it. My heart was racing so I missed a step once, but I safely climbed more than halfway up and placed the box on the loft first. Only when I put my hands on the attic floor and pulled my body up with arm strength did I relax a little.
Though it was a short time, perhaps due to excessive tension combined with the cold, my shoulders and back ached stiffly. The clock showed that 2 minutes and 4 seconds had passed. 56 seconds remained.
“Now, with this the tool box acquisition quest is comple—”
I was muttering while lifting one foot onto the ledge and grabbing the railing to completely get out of the water. That’s when something cold and slippery coiled around my ankle that had just escaped the water.
‘…Huh?’
The moment I looked down to check, my foot standing on the wet ladder slipped down. At the same time, my body was instantly sucked into the water.
“Gasp!”
Splash!
Instinctively clinging to the ladder, I confirmed what was pulling at my foot. Something long and pitch black was coiled around my leg, pulling me. It was seaweed. The seaweed that had been quietly swaying in the corner until just now had somehow, like ghostly hair, grown several times longer and was rushing to wrap not just around my ankle but also my arms and torso.
[45 seconds remaining.]
‘Shibal, seriously…’
To think I’d be attacked by seaweed inside my own house.
[21 seconds.]
I gripped the ladder tightly to avoid being dragged further, but the pulling force of the seaweed was considerable. Holding on with just one hand while tearing off the seaweed with the other, it wasn’t unmanageably tough, but it was extremely annoying as it would attack again every time I tore it off.
[13 seconds.]
‘If you’re going to do this, at least give me a sickle first.’
Whether it was my imagination or not, I was starting to get short of breath. While struggling with the seaweed, time kept decreasing.
[4 seconds.]
I don’t know how much water I swallowed while flailing around. Even though it wasn’t supposed to be harmful yet, I could fully feel the disgusting smell and taste, making me nauseous.
[0 seconds.]
When I finally shook off the persistent seaweed and completely pulled my body up onto the loft, I was dizzy enough that the world looked yellow.
“Gah, cough. Gasp.”
I collapsed while spitting out water. Even then, worried about being dragged back down, I rolled my body far inward.
[Time limit expired.]
“Gasp, damn seaweed bastard. Hah, system go die.”
Catching my breath, I cursed mentally. My head was ringing and I was completely drained as if I’d fought an intense battle. In the midst of this, I discovered a piece of seaweed still wrapped around my wrist and twitching, which I threw away with disgust.
Only after my breathing had somewhat stabilized did I roll over and look below the railing again. I could see the seaweed that had become short and docile again, as if putting on an act. It gave me chills. To think something like that was growing in my house.
Would I be able to sleep here again? What if the water rose even more during the night? No, even if the water didn’t rise, couldn’t that seaweed climb up the ladder like ghostly hair and strangle me in my sleep?
My body trembled. Not from fear. Just from cold. Right, spring hadn’t come yet.
[Settlement Support Box Acquisition Quest Complete! Congratulations!]
A quest completion window appeared. But no separate reward appeared.
“Congratulations my ass…”
[The reward for this quest is the acquired item itself, so there is no separate reward.]
I clicked my tongue while brushing back my dripping wet hair.
“How petty… I wasn’t even expecting anything.”
Generally, when you complete a quest, you’re basically given money and experience points, and for some special quests or events, items are given. As someone in beggar’s circumstances now, I wasn’t entirely uninterested in rewards, but having gone through the tutorial several times already and knowing full well how stingy this system was, I had long since discarded any disappointment.
“Let’s see what’s inside.”
It was treasure I’d struggled to retrieve from the very first round. I brought my hand to the box lid with a prayerful heart.
“Please let there be health potions and money and a sickle…”
I muttered my desired items while opening the lid, but.
“……”
Somehow the space seemed emptier than expected. The tool belt with lots of pockets and the shabby backpack were always included. Since they’re inventory, they’re basic items and essentials. The space isn’t very generous, so I must upgrade them whenever I get the chance.
And there was only one farming tool, and it wasn’t the sickle or axe I’d hoped for. It was a hoe. With all the land contaminated and unable to farm, what am I supposed to use a hoe for… It would be good if an axe or pickaxe or sickle came out. At least those three can be used as weapons. I sighed but had to think positively. At least it was better than a watering can.
Trying to console myself, I searched the bottom.
“Oh…?”
I finally discovered one thing I’d hoped for. A money pouch. Surely they wouldn’t have put something weird in the same money pouch as before. While not abandoning my suspicion, I quickly picked up and opened the pouch with anticipation.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
