156 The sea—!

Viewing the sunrise from the mountain's peak.

So what if I did, really.

I expected some kind of awe, but nothing came.

Probably, sunrises like this are only moving when paired with the effort of climbing a high mountain—accomplishment is part of the experience.

I climbed here too easily, and this mountain wasn’t particularly tall to begin with.

Forget the sunrise—on the summit, another sight is visible.

The sea.

A beach perfect for summer vacation.

Waves crashing in.

The sun blazing bright.

The sea.

The sea—where romance between man and woman unfolds.

In my past life, I thought of such places as the domain of the lucky and popular, but here, on this shore, no such frivolous figures exist.

Private beach—entirely mine.

No choice. I must go.

Thus, beginning descent toward the sea.

The monsters—whether due to the sudden fall of the mountain’s sovereign, the wind dragon, or sheer fear of my presence—I suspect it’s likely a combination of both—flee and hide with desperate urgency.

Frankly, hunting each one here yields negligible experience points. So, overlooking them isn’t a hardship.

I’m not particularly hungry either.

Though more palatable than the dungeon’s monsters, the thought of the seafood awaiting me ahead makes skipping them seem reasonable.

Thus, I descend the mountain without interruption.

I pause briefly to gather some wild fruit along the way. It takes time, but I reach the shore within approximately one hour, by subjective measure.

I step to the water’s edge.

The waves touch my feet.

Cold.

Ah.

The current temperature isn’t high.

Seasonally, it’s likely spring or autumn.

Not summer.

That may explain the low water temperature.

Swimming would be difficult for a human.

However.

I have already ceased being human.

I no longer fear mere coldness.

Therefore, let's go.

Splash splash.

Hmm?

Yes.

I'm not sinking.

What is happening with my buoyancy?

I can force myself under for a brief moment using strength.

But I am immediately returned to the surface.

Even without effort, I float on the water's surface.

And without effort, I am carried by waves back to the shore.

Damn.

I cannot swim as a spider.

This is unforeseen.

I never considered not sinking.

Even in my previous life, I was not skilled at swimming, but I did sink.

I never imagined I would be like a floating ring permanently attached.

How am I supposed to dive or gather shellfish like this?

Would acquiring swimming skill allow me to dive?

No, but obtaining that skill would likely take considerable time.

Fire resistance was the same—skills tied to one's race were notoriously difficult to acquire, requiring high proficiency levels.

Incidentally, how many points would it take to purchase swimming skill?

Check via Wisdom Search.

Ah.

It requires one thousand points to acquire swimming.

High.

Better to give up on that then.

Slightly shocked by the inability to swim, return to the shoreline.

No, not that I can't swim.

Only that I can't dive.

I can float, so I can swim normally.

Not with a mallet.

Not at all.

Hah.

No choice.

Perhaps try fishing with the universal thread.

Retrieve a piece of monster meat stored in the sky pouch.

Attach it to the end of the thread.

Convenient—no hook needed, it sticks on its own.

Then, launch the thread far away.

Professional anglers might cast rods to send lines far, but in my case, I can launch the thread with ease using my thread control.

I confirmed the line extended far beyond the shoreline, then waited for a catch.

No sooner had I waited than the line twitched.

Hm?

Surprisingly strong.

Heh heh.

Yet my strength, regardless of circumstance, already reaches Dragon-class levels.

No ordinary monster will outpace me.

I pull steadily.

With my universal thread, there is no risk of breaking, nor of slipping free.

I recall—there is a term for when prey escapes the hook, called "breaking free"?

My universal thread’s adhesion surpasses even that of a piercing needle. No issue.

Even a Dragon-type cannot easily escape, unless burned by fire.

The silhouette of a fish emerged from the shallows and leapt.

The opponent's futile resistance is swiftly ended, dragged ashore.

The catch was a shark.

More precisely, a water dragon in the form of a shark.

Water Dragon Skill level seven. That would technically qualify it as an upper-tier dragon.

Mid-tier, upper-rank dragon.

The shark, still struggling on the beach, is quickly dispatched.

Not the fish I expected, but a shark is still a fish.

I've never heard of shark sashimi, but it must be edible.

Attempt consumption.

Skin tough!?

Wait—thought it looked like ordinary skin, but the skill includes dragon scales.

Scales.

No wonder it's hard.

Skin won't be edible, so peel it.

Good.

Reattempt consumption.

I'm eating.

Ah, yes.

Delicious.

Not moving enough to be called moving, but definitely tasty.

Want soy sauce.

Incidentally, shark fin is a luxury ingredient, isn't it?

Was it the tail section?

Ah.

Distinct taste from the flesh.

Delicious.

I think I’m not suited for food reviews.

Just whether it’s good or bad.

I used to criticize announcers for saying things like “You can’t convey that on TV,” but now I realize the announcers have it tough too.

Hm.

Thank you for the meal.

Hmm.

Fishing is good.

Let’s catch more and more from the sea.