NOVEL WEB Chapter 33
(In an Instant, Everything Ended Without Explanation.)
“Ugh, uuuuh…!”
When consciousness returned after what seemed like seconds, I found myself clinging to a log. It was what had just moments ago constituted our raft.
“Iori! Iori!”
I frantically scanned the surroundings. The wreckage of the raft floated in all directions. The vehicle of hope we had spent the entire day building…
“There she is! Iori! Iori!”
Iori was floating a few meters away, lying on a log with her body partially submerged in the sea. She seemed unconscious.
“Iori! Wake up! Iori!”
I swam over to her and lifted her face above the water’s surface.
“Cough! Cough! Masato-kun…”
Iori was safe, which relieved me, but the situation was dire.
“What… what just happened?”
Iori also realized the grim reality.
“The raft got destroyed,” was all I could say. It hadn’t been able to withstand the high waves.
In this environment, even surviving until now was a stroke of luck. If we were engulfed by those massive waves, we might not have made it.
(However, in this situation…)
The impact from earlier had disoriented me. I had no idea which direction was north anymore.
“Wait a minute…”
I fumbled for my pocket. Miraculously, my smartphone was still there, undamaged thanks to its waterproof feature.
“I left the compass app running!”
If that was the case, then the direction my phone indicated as “south” would actually be north. While still clinging to the log with Iori, I operated my smartphone.
“It’s that way! North is that way!”
I pointed forward.
“Even if we know north…”
Iori’s despair was evident, and she was giving up.
“That’s true, but we can’t just float here and accept our fate—”
I suddenly realized something while looking at my smartphone.
“What is it?”
“Iori, look!”
“Huh?”
“Cellular signal! The signal icon is showing!”
“Really!?”
“Yes, look!”
I showed Iori my smartphone. There was only one bar of signal, but it was there.
“Help!”
We both shouted simultaneously.
“We need to make the call!”
I opened the phone app and dialed “118,” the emergency number for maritime incidents.
“…ck…”
The call connected, but we couldn’t hear anything at all. The combination of poor signal and the raging storm and rough seas made it impossible.
“Hello! Can you hear us? Hello!”
…
We couldn’t hear anything, but the call was definitely connected. The call timer was counting up.
“We don’t know if they can hear us, but please help us! We’re about to die! Help us! Help us!”
“Help us!”
Iori and I kept repeating “help us” into the smartphone.
However, there was no response, only the merciless fury of the elements. Massive waves approached us.
“Iori, hold onto the log—”
Before I could finish my sentence, we were engulfed. The log, our lifeline, slipped from my grasp. The powerful currents offered no resistance.
“Blugh! Cough, cough!”
I waited for the chaos to subside and resurfaced. But I couldn’t see Iori anywhere.
“No way…”
I dove into the sea. Without goggles, I could hardly see anything, and the seawater stung my eyes.
Still, I managed to find Iori. I couldn’t clearly see her, but I knew it was her. It was more of an intuition, or dare I say, destiny.
(Iori!)
I swam desperately.
(My Swimming Skills Were Never Good.)
In fact, my physical education grades, in general, were mediocre. When we had soccer classes, I always ended up playing defense. Nevertheless, I swam with all my might and managed to grab Iori.
“Iori! Wake up!”
I lifted her while still in the water, swimming through the raging waves caused by the storm. The lifeline, the log we had clung to earlier, had disappeared due to the high waves. There was nothing left to hold onto.
“Ugh, uuuuhhh…”
Iori’s consciousness began to return, and she dramatically expelled seawater from her body before speaking.
“Masato-kun?”
“I’m alive!” I replied.
“Thanks to you. But the situation seems even worse now.”
“Yeah, it’s becoming truly desperate.”
There was no log for us to rest on, and I had dropped our smartphone. The waves had disoriented us, and we had no idea which direction to go.
“What do we do…”
“Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do.”
“But…”
“But there’s still a chance.”
“What do you mean?”
“The breaststroke.”
“Breaststroke?”
I nodded as I was currently using the breaststroke to carry Iori.
“It consumes less stamina, and it’s easier to breathe with. So, we’ll swim using the breaststroke to aim for land.”
“But… we’re still dozens of kilometers away from the mainland, aren’t we?”
“True, but we have no other option. I won’t give up and die helplessly. Will you?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Iori let go of me and started swimming breaststroke on her own.
“We’ll definitely make it back alive!”
“And then, Masato-kun will confess to me, and we’ll live together!~”
“Yeah!”
We swam without any clear direction, not knowing whether we were heading north.
“Uh-oh, Iori! My body is starting to feel lighter!”
“Really!?”
“Probably. Right now, I think my brain is producing all sorts of chemicals due to the excitement of this overly desperate situation! I’m getting pumped up, even though we might die!”
“Such mental strength! My body just feels heavy and painful!”
After that, Iori muttered quietly, “I might not make it.” Fortunately, I heard her voice.
“I won’t let you die and leave me, Iori!” I approached her.
“Come on, I’ll carry you!”
“It’s okay, I’ll be fine!”
“Don’t push yourself! Rest on my back, and then we’ll swim again!”
“Okay, just for a little…” Iori clung to my back.
“Leave it to me. I’m actually quite good at swimming. I even got first place in the elementary school swimming competition.”
“Really?”
“Of course not, I was an unnoticed introvert with no notable achievements since elementary school!”
I carried Iori while swimming, using my hands to paddle and my feet to kick.
“Are you okay, Masato-kun?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
That was a lie; it was actually quite tough. The doping effect from the brain chemicals was wearing off. I couldn’t feel my limbs anymore, and I wasn’t sure if I was still swimming.
“Why won’t this storm stop!”
Iori shouted angrily towards the sky. The storm continued to rage, attacking us relentlessly.
“This… in a place like this…”
I had lost the strength to shout. The edges of my vision were darkening.
“Masato-kun, I’ll swim on my own.” Iori must have understood my condition.
“Have you recovered?”
“Yeah, I’m fine now.”
“I understand.”
“Okay, then I’ll let go.”
After signaling, Iori indeed released her grip on my arm. She slid off my back and into the water. However, she didn’t attempt to swim. She just floated there, not moving.
“Iori, what are you doing!?”
“I’m sorry, Masato-kun. I can’t do this anymore…”
Tears started flowing from Iori’s eyes.
“If you’re too tired, I can carry you!”
“Stop it. Masato-kun, you might have a chance of surviving alone. So, please stop trying to save me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! After coming this far, you’re getting all timid now!”
“I want to survive! For your sake!”
Iori shouted amidst her tears.
“You know that, Masato-kun! We’ll both die like this! I don’t want to be a burden, and I don’t want to die!”
“Iori…”
“So, I’m sorry.”
Iori waved her hand, still crying, trying to force a smile.
“Fine, I understand.” I approached Iori and grabbed her by the collar.
“Masato-kun!?”
“Shut up and listen! I can’t survive on my own!”
I swam while holding onto her.
As long as I had my right hand and both legs, I wouldn’t drown.
“No, let go! Masato-kun!”
“Shut up! Be quiet!”
My vision blurred with tears. I couldn’t tell if it was from seawater getting into my eyes or for some other reason. I didn’t have the luxury to think about it now.
“When we get back to the mainland, we’re going to live together, right? You’re waiting for my confession, right? I won’t let you die! If you understand, just hang on and be quiet! I’ll get us through this!”
The next moment, Iori started crying loudly.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Masato-kun, I’m sorry…”
“If you’re going to apologize, then cling on me! Let me use my left hand too!”
“Okay…”
Iori wrapped her arms around me.
“Don’t you dare talk nonsense like this again.”
“I won’t! I won’t ever let go!”
“That’s the spirit.”
I nodded and swam with all my might.
Somewhere along the way, it had gotten dark, and thunder was rumbling. The storm continued relentlessly, and we didn’t know when the next big wave would hit.
“We won’t lose! I won’t! We won’t!”
The prospect of a happy future with Iori on the other side of this ordeal gave me strength.
However, reality was merciless. Love or whatever didn’t have any influence here.
(I can’t go on… I’m at my limit…)
The moment of reckoning had arrived. Even when I tried to take a breath, my face wouldn’t rise above the water. Unconsciously, my eyelids closed.
“******! *******!”
Iori was saying something, but I couldn’t make it out. The extreme fatigue had impaired my hearing.
(For all my earlier bravado, this is quite pathetic…)
I chuckled inwardly. All the strength had left my body, and my consciousness was fading.
“Iori…”
I wanted to see Iori’s face one last time. Thinking that, I forced my eyelids open. What I saw in my field of vision was unbelievable.
However, I didn’t have the capacity to react to it.
I turned around and looked at Iori’s face.
She was crying while saying something.
But before I could listen, my consciousness slipped away.