Water Magician

Chapter 19: Sea … Heaven and Hell

Ryo had completely mastered Water Jet and Abrasive Jet.

Hunting with magic could be said to have become considerably easier.

When that happened, an insatiable ambition for something that has not yet been conquered was born.

Yes, it was the sea!

A sea was 500 meters to the southwest of Ryo’s home.

Michael (pseudonym) told him.

Once he was accustomed to Water Attribute Magic, he could harvest salt from seawater.

Although his salt stockpile was used quite liberally for the fish sauce barrel, he still had enough to easily last him for another half a year.

However, it was necessary to verify how much salt could be harvested from the sea.

Furthermore, there was also seafood.

He could certainly eat fish by catching freshwater fish from the river.

Although they were piranha-like fishes.

However, saltwater fishes from the sea had their distinct tastiness too.

Moreover, there were shellfishes, sea urchins, squids, octopuses, and such … well, he’ll have to dive to get them.

But that was okay, he grew up in the country so he was good at swimming!

To the southwest, after 400 meters from the barrier, a white sandy beach stretched across his sight.

It was a scene exactly like Phuket Island or Bali Island!

Of course, Ryo had never been to those places … he had only seen images of them.

Images are important!

He forgot the time for a while and just stared but he suddenly pulled himself back.

“Salt, I have to try harvesting it.”

First, he created a one-meter diameter ice bucket and an ice pail to scoop up seawater.

Scoop up seawater with the ice pail and pour it into the ice bucket.

Pour.

Pour.

Pour.

After the bucket was mostly filled, he imagined removing the water from the ice bucket.

“<Dehydration>”

The water was removed, leaving white grains and slightly colored grains.

He licked the white grains.

“Yup, it’s salty. This is salt.”

Success!

“And these with the color … oh, this is sand.”

Because he gathered seawater from near the sandy beach, the sand floating in the seawater was poured into the bucket.

“So I can acquire just salt if I gathered water from somewhere further away from the beach.”

Since it was an experiment, for the time being, he dumped the ice bucket and the salt in it into the sea.

He aimed for the rocky area that could be seen to the north.

“It would be great if I can get my hands on some seafood.”

When he reached a rocky spot, he took off everything he was wearing and jumped into the sea without hesitation.

A mesmerizing world just as he had imagined came into view.

The water was crystal clear and he could see the bottom of the sea.

There were colorful fish, coral, and other marine life that Ryo didn’t recognize.

And then, Ryo found one. A delicious-looking fish!

He returned to the surface of the sea to take a breath before kicking the surface once more and headed toward the bottom of the sea.

In his right hand was his trusty knife-tipped bamboo spear.

The white fish was about 50cm in length and looked like a sea bream.

He pierced it with one thrust using his knife-tipped bamboo spear like a harpoon.

It was a brilliant stab.

However, in that instant … the world changed.

At the very least, that was how it felt to Ryo.

The sea that was heaven to him up until that point had transformed into hell in an instant.

Ryo was floating. And he had forgotten.

That this was not Earth. This was 『Phi』.

Yes, it was a sea inhabited by monsters.

The instant Ryo killed that sea bream-like fish in the sea, he had become the sea’s enemy.

The colorful fishes fled and Ryo was forced to realize that the world had changed.

(This is bad. I should run.)

But it was too late.

When Ryo turned around, there was a school of fish called a Bait Ball.

The bait ball formed when sardines swarm in a spherical shape to counter tuna and other predators.

Sardines may still appear cute but the Bait Ball forming in front of Ryo appeared to be formed by monsters.

Yes, 『appeared to be』.

Ryo did not recognize the monster.

There was not a single sea monster recorded in the 『Monster Encyclopedia Beginner’s Edition』.

There was just one line.

Please refer to the 『Monster Encyclopedia Sea-Dweller Edition』 for monsters that live in the sea.

It affirmed that there were monsters in the sea and that there were quite many types such that a separate book was made.

At this point, Ryo’s chances of winning were much lower.

『If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.』

Just like the phrase from Sun Tzu, Ryo always had information on the enemies he battled so far.

Because he prepared using the Monster Encyclopedia Beginner’s Edition』.

Even when he faced that Assassin Hawk, he was able to fight because he had information.

But now, he had no information on his enemy at all.

『If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.』

His chances of winning had dropped to 50% instantly …

There was also such a phrase in the world of war.

『Opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation afforded by the Earth, and advantages of situation afforded by the Earth are not equal to the union arising from the accord of Men.』

Putting aside the opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven.

The opponent had a geographical advantage.

The sea was the home ground of sea monsters.

Ryo, who couldn’t even breathe, was nothing more than a foreigner.

Harmony of men. That splendid formation of a Bait Ball … showed that their communication was perfect.

There seemed to be no chance of winning.

(The smartest thing to do in a tight situation is to retreat.)

However, that was when Ryo noticed something strange.

(I can’t kick the water … I can’t even push the water with my hands.)

His body was not sinking.

But he could not grab the water and was unable to move.

Ryo was a Water Attribute Magician.

Even if he was a foreigner in the sea, he couldn’t understand the situation where he could not even grasp water.

The enemy did not wait idly as Ryo fell half into panic.

Monsters charged out from the Bait Ball like a missile or torpedo and flew toward Ryo.

(<Ice Wall>)

It was hard to comprehend forming an Ice Wall in the sea but for the time being, as he couldn’t move to dodge, he had no choice but to defend.

However, after a couple of the monster torpedoes deflected off the Ice Wall, he lost control of the Ice Wall.

It was stripped off in front of Ryo and disappeared.

(My control of the Ice Wall was stolen?)

The monster torpedoes continued without interruption.

Ryo continuously created Ice Walls to defend against that but they were peeled off from in front of Ryo and disappeared into the sea within a second of formation.

(Adding to the phenomenon where I can’t grab the water, I see. They have taken control of the water around me.)

Ryo was a Water Attribute Magician.

And he had trained his magic control to quite an extent.

Molecular control had significantly improved Ryo’s magic control skill.

However, this time the opponent was a bad match.

Monsters in the sea … at the genetic level, they had the technique to use Water Attribute Magic.

They had used magic control of Water Attribute Magic as part of their lives for generations.

Even though he trained at an unrivaled level, Ryo, a newcomer who just became a Water Attribute Magician just a few months ago, could not match up to them.

Moreover, the enemy numbered in the thousands.

Since they formed a Bait Ball, he could not see their actual numbers but it was probably at least a thousand.

The formation of Ice Walls barely defended against the monster torpedoes.

Although they were dispelled almost immediately after formation, he formed them just before the torpedoes collided so the Ice Walls that had served their purpose could be dispelled.

Defense was not an issue but the problem was oxygen.

Because of his daily training, he could last for about four minutes without breathing.

However, in this situation, it was 『only four minutes』.

How should he overcome it?

(For the time being, the water around my limbs, I wonder if I can put them under my control.)

When he tried to use magical power to touch the seawater around him, he felt a repelling force.

It was a similar sensation as when he previously tried to thaw the meat frozen in the storage by Michael (pseudonym).

However, the force was much stronger this time.

At the very least, for now, it seemed unlikely that Ryo would be able to snatch the control back from the opponent.

As expected of monsters living in the sea. Or perhaps it was due to the numbers?

At any rate, there was no chance of winning by scrambling for magic control.

He specifically explored the seawater under the control of the enemy.

(It’s limited to around my hands and feet huh? And it is quite thin. Well, even if it is thin, I can’t grasp it so isn’t it a fairly efficient method? It’s a shot in the dark but I have no choice but to try! The principle should be the same as Water Jet so it should work!)

He imagined it in his head while continuing to generate Ice Walls almost unconsciously.

The image of firing out Water Jet from the soles of both feet.

However, this time, instead of the usual thin stream, it would be a thick gush.

It was similar to when his Water Jet could not take shape in the beginning and was about the size of water coming out of a carwash hose, and he attached 32 to each leg.

The momentum would be on par with the Water Jet.

“<Water Jet 64>”

Immediately after chanting, Ryo’s body rose at once due to the repulsive force of the Water Jet that was ejected toward the seabed.

He reached the surface of the sea in an instant.

And he burst out of the surface with that momentum.

But that was not the end.

He took a breath and once again plunged his head into the sea.

He was aiming for a surprise attack on the Bait Ball from directly above it.

Sure enough, the Bait Ball was confused due to Ryo’s sudden rise and disappearance.

No matter how perfect the group of monsters can communicate, they could not deal with situations that they had never experienced before.

Ryo plunged directly from above while they were in that state.

And then, he thrust his knife-tipped bamboo spear many times.

And added in some side-sweeping motions.

He expected some resistance when swinging the spear in the sea but it was not that much.

It damaged quite a number of the monsters.

It seemed that the monsters were able to handle powerful magic control but their physical endurance was the same as an ordinary fish.

With a single sweep of a bamboo spear, they fell out.

It took less than a minute for the Bait Ball to crack and the monsters that formed it to flee.

(Phew, I somehow did it.)

Ryo let his guard down.

The enemy was not just one group.

The entire sea was Ryo’s enemy.

The best option would have been to escape to land the first time he reached the surface.

That said, it was too late.

From the shadow of the rock next to him, a shrimp about a meter-long appeared.

(Only the claw on its right arm is unusually large … what’s that? Bubbles?)

A moment later, Ryo lost consciousness.