Chapter 1: Just My Luck

I’m… floating…

That’s the only thought I can process right now. Nothing more and nothing less

But its more than just floating, the feeling of being enwrapped, no embraced by…

I’m cold… but… It feels nice…

Not to mention I can’t hear anything.

No… I can hear something… Its muffled and feels like a flow… like… water…

Turns out my hypothesis was correct based on the fact that my eyes starting stinging like crazy and my hazy vision shrouded by a soothing turquois pigment.

I wince from the pain and my lids turn to autopilot shielding my eyes from more torment. I shake my head, forcing myself to snap out of whatever I got myself into. I can feel my mouth dropping wide open, desperate to harvest air that is impossible to gather for obvious circumstances. Unfortunately, my lungs are reminding me how impatient they are getting and decide be assholes about it by squeezing the life from my chest.

If they’re going down, those pains in the ass are taking me with them!

Like hell they are!!

My eyes are going to have to suck it up, because I peeled my lids back and force them to get a bearing of my surroundings. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for me to get a general direction of where the surface is and I force my limbs to go into overdrive and stroke myself upwards!

THAT IS NOT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT!!!

Mustering my arms and legs to swim for salvation could not be enough to stave off the desperate need for oxygen. The jabbing of my gut becomes sharper and I can feel as if my throat is being strangled!

Keep it together! Just a little more! Just… suck it up… for a little bit… a little bit…

Huge swaths of bubbles erupted from my mouth as my hand breaches the aquatic barrier!

Victory! Total Victory!

My triumph is short-lived, due to me forgetting the most basic rule of all that is science: You can’t grip water to grip yourself up!

Witnessing my hand slip below the surface makes my heart sink. But that’s not the only thing that’s sinking right now!

My chest is crushing me, my vision grows darker, and I can feel the water slowly pulling me away from the surface.

I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die… no… no…

Right now, nothing scared me more than what is happening right now. To think that I’m cruelly being dragged away from the surface with everything growing darker and the only noise I can hear is the muffled flow drumming against my ears.

Dammit, I can’t die! To let me breathe dammit!!

I rally my limbs for the few powerful brushes of movements I have left. Thinking I’m close enough, I ram headfirst towards the surface. I harvest as much oxygen as my lungs can carry at this point but water slipping through the wrong pipe hampers my efforts. My weary limbs continue to flail around desperately to keep me afloat, while my sight is temporarily blind, and my throat is struggling to take in air while choking on rogue water.

Not to mention a cold gush of wind brushing against my face! To say that this isn’t my best day would be an understatement.

After a few nasty coughs, my throat purified itself allowing me to draw in air a little easier. And my eyes are quick to clear way the water clouding my vision.

The only task to do now is find land.

Easy enough, now all I have to do is find out where land is!

I’m not trying to panic, but the more I look around, the more I’m convinced that I might as well be stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

I’ve remember reading stories and watching movies about WWII vets being trapped in these nightmare scenarios when I was younger. Seeing those men going mad of heat stroke, starvation, or even thirst certainly left an uncomfortable feeling in kid me.

Now, one favorite phobia is making its star appearance!

“No… no… nononononono! Shit! Shit! Okay-okay!” I cock my head in all directions, trying to find anything, anything at all that point me towards anywhere but here! “Okay, okay- alright… just need to find… I just need to find…”

What can I find?! There’s nothing out here! Not even a friggin’ raft! Wait, is that… oh gods!

Even if its for a moment, I feel as if the gods of fortune must are smiling on me right now. I guess they must have a thing for panicked guys like me, because they must have coerced the wind to blow what I can only describe as a decorative raft with sharp jagged edges and railings that made my skin crawl over how razor thin they are.

And it looks as if it is accompanied by other pieces of similar debris, though most of them are too small, battered, or inhospitable for me to rest.

“Oh, thank the gods!” I let out a shaky laugh and freestyle towards the raft pushing my fumes to the limit.

By the time my hands grip the ragged edges of the wood, I might have cut my hand as well as a splinter or two, but my big concern is this piece of debris rocking and rolling, denying me safe access aboard.

“Oh, let me on for fuAAGH!”

With a firm hold over one of the edge and a violent dive down away from me, I was able to slide aboard the uncooperative junk, threatening to throw me overboard again. I let out a proud laugh knowing that my grip still had some fight left in it.

Thankfully, the tossing and turning of my iron and wooden ‘savior’ settles itself and allows myself to stay.

I can’t help but snicker, thinking it wasn’t exactly all too thrilled to have me around.

“Yeah, guess I can’t blame ya, huh, pal?” I carefully shift myself to sit sideways. Its not exactly good anatomically speaking, but I rather not push my luck right now.

Especially I don’t want to suffer bruising or blunt from these spikes!

Curiosity seems to sprout as I scanned the only piece of solid ground, I’m on.

I think it’s safe to say that this is a part of a ship, but this too… circular? That the word I’m looking for? I’m no expert but aren’t ships usually sharper with their angles?

Well, either way, it doesn’t explain how the heck I even showed up here! Even though its hazy, I can still recall my name, address, family, my work. Maybe if I can just recall basic facts about myself, I’ll be able to figure out why I’m even here.

Unless this is all a dream.

That theory has been quickly cast aside after a pinch and slap to the cheek.

Okay…either I’m in a lucid coma, or I just magically been transported here.

The latter causes my lips to curve into a lukewarm smile, recalling all those isekai animes that have been overused to the point its like beating a dead horse.

Somehow a small part of me can’t help but wonder if this is somehow one of those isekai trademarks. Being transported to another world, being the chosen one to save the world from some dragon king or whatever, having super powers and being to level up, unlocking tier spells becoming an S rank adventurer, being able to check stats-

Huh... guess I never thought of that... if, by the off chance, I've been transported to another world, then...

"Stats!"

My croak of a command has gone unanswered as no digital or magical screen popped up in front of me.

Maybe I just need to think about it? Clear my mind and envision the stat screen...

I allow my lids to blacken my sight as I attempt to grease up the rusty gears of my imagination and try to picture that very convenient skill and trait list. But despite the strained effort, nothing appeared before me that shows me how much of an overpowered newcomer I am.

I can't even gain access to that invaluable item box when I extend my hand out to have it materialize before me.

Okay… Guess I can cross out being the main hero. And I might as well rule out this being a dream since NOTHING here is bending to my will!

I’m trying to occupy myself of how and why I found myself in the worst nightmare scenario anyone shouldn’t go through, I’m sure I can forgive myself if I’m razor thin close from going full on hysterical.

And if going crazy or thirst isn’t going to kill me, the wind, and the upcoming rainstorm, giving the ominous gathering of storm clouds blanketing a vibrant teal sky, will from hypothermia.

That’s when my oblivious mind somehow caught my biggest clue on what’s going on: What is it with color of the sky? Either my eyes haven’t recovered, or that’s its natural color.

Not to say that its not pretty, its mesmerizing! And that’s the problem! Science might not be my strongest suit, but even a moron knows what the sky looks like during the day. I guess this is a sign that the rainstorm is about to take the next shift, I don’t remember evening looking this vivid and lively.

Okay… let’s just… let’s just assume that I’ve been accidentally transported to another world by mistake.

For now, I’ll just stick with that theory for now for the sake of my own sanity.

A deep breath is expelled from my throat as I flop my back down a little harder than intended as my makeshift raft reminds me that I’m still on thin ice about my stay.

After silencing bad mouthing my only hope, and petty slamming the surface, I just gaze up at a thick clouded sky with that all too familiar rumbling signaling me of the upcoming storm.

It does not take long for the first drops of rain to fall from the heavens and patter my face with their tears.

Funnily enough, as the thunder’s roars grow louder and clouds erupted with pouring water, the fear and anxiety that nearly broke through the gates seem to be washing off my body as I feel more tranquil now.

I’ve always been a sucker for rain, and if storms are involved, all the better, but I never quite understood why that-

“What the-!”

My body springs up, jolting from an unsettling tingling against my heart, like a spider or centipede is crawling up it. I cry out flogging my chest with my hands only to feel something rock hard close to my heart.

“AGH!” My hands frantically brush against my chest only to feel a firm tug against the back of my neck.

Obviously confused, and slightly calmer now, it doesn’t take long for my cautious hands to connect to the dots to find that rogue bug is actually a necklace.

A quivering breath of relief follows, but now I'm at a complete loss since wearing any type of jewelry is not really my style. Regardless, I fish it out from under my shirt only to find myself gazing upon possibly one of the simplest yet gorgeous shimmering aqua turtle I've ever seen.

Its beauty is only enhanced by the faint glow growing more vivid from within its shell.

Almost like magic.

I couldn't savior the show sadly since the illumination flickering within has faded. At this point, I can't help but feel if my eyes are playing tricks on me.

If so, here's I how I would summarized my overall situation: I'm lost in the middle of an ocean, possibly in another world despite the insanity of that conclusion, I have some sort of turtle talisman that must have glowed, and I know I'm shivering and probably going to freeze to death! Just my luck!

And just when my luck could not get any worse, what has come into my bird's eye view far off into the distance is what looks like a rather majestic looking vessel.

As it drew closer, I can make out the large black sails with white markings piecing together a fierce turtle fixing its gaze on its shell. The sails hoisted above the deck, though to say it has a deck is a bit of a stretch as it looks more like a sleek roof. Not to mention the sails must have been there just for show as I can see what can only be oars propelling the ship forward from port to starboard.

And they were coming at mach speed, with the rogue waves hastening their approach.

"HEY!" My hands flail wildly as I attempted to stand but to no avail. "HEEEEEEY!"

I would find it odd that me howling has a gruff effeminate tone to it but given the situation I’m in I’m not all that surprised that my voice sounds different.

I don't care who these people are! I'm cold, freaked out, and tired! If I can climb aboard a ship that is virtually protected by the elements, that is a victory all on its own!

And with the ship slowing its speed as it closes in on me, it seems my victory is in sight!

"Oh thank you!" I gleefully whisper. "Thank you so much!"

I'm so happy that I blissfully ignore the small little paranoid voice in my mind saying that this is too good to be true. Things can't possibly get any worse right?

****

Turns out things aren't exactly worse, but I don't know if I can say that this is better.

I mean I'm no longer in my desperate situation of dying unceremoniously at sea, but my hosts could've at least offered me a blanket let alone a new pair of clothes.

At least they had the common curtesy to throw me into a fairly small but isolated room where the sound of grunting men rowing away serves as an unusual ASMR theme.

Well, I might as well make myself comfortable.

I waste no time peeling the clothes glued to my skin off by shivering body, but while brutally and thoroughly strangling the water out of the fabric, I doesn't take long to realize that this isn't my usual short sleeved hoodie but rather an elegantly woven blue silk gown with red and golden ornaments.

I scoff and ruthlessly discarded the piece of clothing onto floor.

"So that's the catch huh?" My voice cracks. "I just took over some random dead guy in the water that happens to be some rich noblemen or something. And now these guys are just gonna... what...? Ransom me off to some slaver or kill me to make a point? And to top it all off the only thing that would be remotely useful is some... turtle necklace that can serve as the worst night light ever?"

My fist slams against the hull before sliding down against the wall feeling the frightening certainty of what awaits me.

Even obnoxious NEET protagonists had better luck than me! Then again, they were at least competent...

With nowhere to go and nothing to do, all I can do is just curl up into a ball and allow my mind to infect me with surreal images, whether they be memories, mistakes, or even just blissful delusions, I allow the madness to consume me.

All while I can feel body growing number and wearier.

And just when I thought my insanity could not get any worse, a low creak startles me somewhat and I can see the door opening. I couldn't feel relieved, because I'm still sane enough that this is too good to be true.

However, I guess I can thank my imagination for providing me the small comfort of me glimpsing a tall slender woman with a powerful aura.

Turns out women like that leave a huge impression on me, because I can’t remember succumbing to unconsciousness.

Just… my… luck…