Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 34

– *The Watcher* asks if you really don’t know about Rift Coins.

 

 

 

“Um, I’m only F-rank… and this is my first time entering a Rift, so… Heh heh, I guess that must sound pretty strange?”

 

 

 

The Watcher remains silent for a moment, then begins explaining about Rift Coins.

 

 

 

A Rift Coin is, essentially, a type of point you can acquire by venturing into a Rift.

 

 

 

It’s not something tangible. Like mileage points, it’s recorded directly on an Awakened person’s status window.

 

 

 

The major advantage of Rift Coins is that even if you earn them in one Rift, you can use them in a completely different Rift as well.

 

 

 

“So… you’re saying it’s like a currency that works across totally different games?”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* says your wording is a bit odd, but it’s essentially correct.

 

 

 

In other words, it’s as if the gold you earn in Game A can also be spent in Game B.

 

 

 

Of course, the way each game uses that currency is different.

 

 

 

Some games might allow you to spend these points on improving skill ranks or efficiency, while others might let you purchase buildings or cause natural disasters. In some games, you could even bring someone back from the dead.

 

 

 

The rules for spending money differ from one game to another, but the type of currency remains the same.

 

 

 

That’s what Rift Coins are.

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* adds that there are some low-level Rifts that can be cleared instantly just by paying enough Rift Coins as soon as you enter.

 

 

 

“Wow… Then maybe you can clear this Rift just by paying Rift Coins if certain conditions are met?”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* replies that no matter how you look at it, this Rift does not seem low-level—but he can’t say for sure it’s impossible.

 

 

 

“Hmm. Got it loud and clear!”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* says he’s not done explaining yet.

 

 

 

Rift Coins can be extracted into the form of a small purple orb, and they can be traded between individuals. Because they look like pretty jewels, even ordinary people—non-Awakened—sometimes keep them. They sell for about 10 million won per coin.

 

 

 

“…So they’re basically a form of virtual currency?”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* says that’s a similar concept.

 

 

 

In the real world, they function as money. In any Rift, they serve as a medium to activate certain universal rules. In short, that’s what Rift Coins are.

 

 

 

Right now, Ji Yeonwoo has 10 of them.

 

 

 

“System, can I use these right now?”

 

 

 

In the past, he might have just mumbled such questions to himself, hoping the system would respond. Now he asks outright.

 

 

 

But there’s no answer.

 

 

 

“Huh, I was hoping you’d just tell me. Guess not.”

 

 

 

He shrugs.

 

 

 

“Well, I guess I’ll figure it out eventually. For now, it looks like I can’t use them yet.”

 

 

 

His exasperated complaint seems to trigger the system at last.

 

 

 

– *Once you have 100 points, the Coin Shop will open.*

 

 

 

“…If you were going to say that, why didn’t you just answer me right away?”

 

 

 

At least he learns something from this. If he asks the system a direct question, it stays silent, but if he speaks in a roundabout, mumbling way, he’ll often get a response.

 

 

 

“Anyway, 100 points, huh? Wow…”

 

 

 

He nearly died taking down that bull shark.

 

 

 

He’d have to do this nine more times to reach 100 points.

 

 

 

“That’s a long road… a *really* long road.”

 

 

 

Still, he doesn’t feel discouraged.

 

 

 

He’s going to keep getting stronger. In fact, he’s already much stronger now than before he fought the bull shark, having unlocked the **Enhancement** skill.

 

 

 

“And I could get even stronger right now!”

 

 

 

He turns his gaze toward the beach.

 

 

 

There, lying belly-up, was the dead bull shark.

 

 

 

*Sluurp.*

 

 

 

Ji Yeonwoo’s mouth begins to water.

 

 

 

Just a moment ago, it had been a predator trying to kill him.

 

 

 

But now, it was about to become his dinner.

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

Naturally, Ji Yeonwoo can’t cook and eat the bull shark right away.

 

 

 

There are quite a few obstacles to overcome before that.

 

 

 

First of all, he’s never butchered a shark before.

 

 

 

Well—technically, he has, but that one was only the size of his forearm. Nothing like this massive beast.

 

 

 

So how should he cook it?

 

 

 

Boiling, steaming, stir-frying, deep-frying… so many possibilities, but there’s no guarantee any of that will taste good.

 

 

 

Sure, he could just throw something together and eat it, but remember: Ji Yeonwoo’s “Satisfaction” directly correlates to how many skills he can unlock. Satisfaction is not something to be taken lightly. If he half-bakes the recipe, just tossing in whatever he knows, the resulting dish might only reach about 50% satisfaction.

 

 

 

Then he’d only unlock two skills instead of four.

 

 

 

If he really botched it—say 25%—he might get only one skill out of it.

 

 

 

And with the meat of an Elite Monster, that would be a huge waste.

 

 

 

But more than all that, there’s an even bigger problem looming:

 

 

 

Its body is laced with the pufferfish venom inside!

 

 

 

How can he remove that poison?

 

 

 

‘Well… it’s not that there’s *no* way…’

 

 

 

More precisely, there is a way to *withstand* the poison, not remove it.

 

 

 

But to do that—

 

 

 

“Ugh.”

 

 

 

Even Ji Yeonwoo would need some time to prepare himself.

 

 

 

In the meantime, he decides to postpone the “Butcher a Giant Shark” assignment.

 

 

 

He has a convenient excuse:

 

 

 

“I should probably go check on the raft first.”

 

 

 

Still, he doesn’t just do nothing.

 

 

 

He does need to drain the shark’s blood to keep the meat fresh.

 

 

 

He goes over to the base of its tail fin and slashes with a knife. *Sluuck!* The cartilage spine of the fish is severed, and blood starts pouring out.

 

 

 

Though the water may turn red for now, soon enough it’ll return to its usual clarity.

 

 

 

With that done, Ji Yeonwoo heads into the ocean.

 

 

 

Fortunately, the raft hasn’t drifted far from where it was.

 

 

 

He can see marks shaped like a bull shark’s teeth. The center of mass is off-balance, wires drooping here and there. Ji Yeonwoo looks at it with a heavy heart.

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* looks dejected. 

 

– He laments that he worked so hard on the raft, and now it’s ruined.

 

 

 

Ji Yeonwoo can’t bear to look equally downcast right now.

 

 

 

“Hey, at least it’s still afloat, right? If I remove the broken part and patch it up, I think it’ll be fine.”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* says he admires how you always stay so optimistic.

 

 

 

“Heh heh, I guess that’s just my nature.”

 

 

 

Ji Yeonwoo climbs aboard the half-sunken raft. The moment he does, it tilts dangerously, the axis skewing.

 

 

 

But it doesn’t flip over.

 

 

 

Even the fish piled on the raft stay where they are, without spilling into the water.

 

 

 

“It does smell a bit fishy…”

 

 

 

Since not much time has passed, these fish can’t be eaten as sashimi anymore, but they’ll still be fine for roasting or for drying and filleting. That’s a relief.

 

 

 

Well—maybe “relief” is debatable. There’s one little problem lying off to one side of the raft.

 

 

 

Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes settle on the edge of the raft.

 

 

 

“Hmm…”

 

 

 

Sorry… I didn’t mean to take advantage of you *this* much…

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

He checks over his spoils of war.

 

 

 

First, there’s the seaweed and kelp.

 

 

 

By rough estimate, he’s got about ten kilograms of kelp and five kilograms of seaweed.

 

 

 

He planted what he could, but time had passed, and only about 60% of the transplanted pieces took root.

 

 

 

The remaining 40% didn’t go to waste, though.

 

 

 

He could always dry them out and eat them.

 

 

 

The same goes for the fish.

 

 

 

Ji Yeonwoo quickly processes them:

 

 

 

Rock bream, along with lionfish, horse mackerel, filefish—he fillets each one into two pieces and lays them out to dry.

 

 

 

He’s quick and efficient with every single fish.

 

 

 

If the owner of the sashimi restaurant where Ji Yeonwoo worked for two years could see this, he’d be impressed—maybe even thinking, *He’s better than me…* while rubbing his nose proudly.

 

 

 

But both that boss and Ji Yeonwoo would hesitate when it came to the next fish:

 

 

 

A pufferfish.

 

 

 

And not just any pufferfish—its internal organs have been punctured so its deadly poison has spread throughout its entire body.

 

 

 

“Hmm…”

 

 

 

Neither Ji Yeonwoo nor his old boss could handle preparing *this* fish.

 

 

 

But…

 

 

 

He wants to eat it.

 

 

 

“Cluuuuuuuckkk!”

 

 

 

Kim Kkoko, evidently picking up on Ji Yeonwoo’s intentions, goes berserk.

 

 

 

The Watcher, likewise:

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* demands to know if you have a death wish.

 

 

 

*Poke!*

 

 

 

– *He says if you die, everyone dies!*

 

 

 

“Cluuck!”

 

 

 

– *Then he adds that even if that weren’t the case, it would make him unbearably sad!*

 

 

 

“Cluck-kuuuh!!”

 

 

 

They’re both your pets, so maybe they’re connected like party members? It almost seems like Kim Kkoko can understand the Watcher’s words and is chiming in.

 

 

 

That’s nice to see, but…

 

 

 

The nice part is overshadowed by the fact that they’re *both* scolding Ji Yeonwoo in unison.

 

 

 

“H-hey, calm down, both of you! It’s not like I’m just recklessly doing this. I’m telling you, there *is* a way to eat it safely!”

 

 

 

“Clu-uck!”

 

 

 

Kim Kkoko flutters her wings indignantly.

 

 

 

She’s so flabbergasted she’s actually left her eggs behind to come over and scold him.

 

 

 

Honestly, it’s no wonder Kim Kkoko is reacting this way.

 

 

 

Even in her weakened state, Kim Kkoko—an ancient bird—knows perfectly well that there’s no way Ji Yeonwoo’s human body can digest that pufferfish. The sea snake from before had a similar toxin, but by removing the head and certain sections, it was possible to eat it safely.

 

 

 

But this case is different.

 

 

 

While this fish *does* have some edible portions, that’s only if the rest of its body is intact. Right now, the venom has spread all over, saturating the entire fish. Edible and inedible parts are all mixed together.

 

 

 

In other words, one bite will instantly poison Ji Yeonwoo to death!

 

 

 

So this is a terrible idea.

 

 

 

Kim Kkoko imparts that message by smacking Ji Yeonwoo on the butt with her wings.

 

 

 

*Smack, smack!*

 

 

 

“Cluck-cluuuck!”

 

 

 

“Ow!”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* encourages her, saying, “Good job! Keep hitting him until he comes to his senses!”

 

 

 

“Cluck!”

 

 

 

*Smack, smack, smack, smack!*

 

 

 

“Ow, that hurts!”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* insists there is absolutely no way to eat that pufferfish without getting poisoned. 

 

– He says Kim Kkoko is exactly right, so please don’t be stubborn this time. 

 

– He points out that you don’t have any way to handle it anyway.

 

 

 

“Come on, I *do* have a way! I’m sure of it!”

 

 

 

– *The Watcher* asks what that might be.

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