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Over the past two months, Rojen had encountered pirates eight times, racking up an astounding 500 million in his system balance.
A fortune like this brought him immense satisfaction. For Rojen, security had always been tied to wealth, and now, with such a vast sum at his disposal, he felt at ease both physically and mentally. But deep down, he knew this was all in preparation for the storm that lay ahead.
A storm unlike any before.
Instinct told him that the upcoming battle would be his most difficult yet.
"Dragon-Elephant Prajña Merit, the Changing Muscles Classic, the Washing Marrow Classic— my body has already surpassed its previous limits."
"In terms of swordsmanship, I've mastered multiple schools, and with the talent of a martial prodigy, I've fused them into a seamless whole."
"As for internal energy..."
Rojen fell into deep thought.
The world of Martial Arts has always treated internal energy as a profound and elusive force, which means that it is difficult to master. If he had chosen a single technique to focus on, he would have likely reached extraordinary heights in just these two months.
With his Ren and Du meridians already unblocked, achieving an innate state, he could generate Internal Energy at an astonishing rate with the right method.
But Rojen was looking beyond immediate gains. He had absorbed the knowledge of countless martial masters and internal energy disciplines.
Why limit himself to what already existed? Why not create his own?
"These past weeks, I've studied 306 internal energy techniques, committing each to memory and mapping out the intricate structure of my body."
"Through internal visualization, I've focused all my meridians into a single point at the base of my skull, forming a comprehensive meridian map."
"Perhaps… I can begin crafting my own internal energy technique."
Throughout history, learning from predecessors had always been the common path, yet forging something new—blazing one's own trail—was the true challenge.
Rojen was determined to carve his own path and create his own martial domain.
Still, he understood that the creation of an internal technique was a long and arduous process, one that couldn't be rushed.
"As long as I make a little progress each day, I'm improving."
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; even water can carve through stone over time. There's no need to hurry."
With his newfound strength, his very essence had ascended to another level.
His perspective had expanded, his thinking had evolved, and his vision had grown broader than ever before.
This was the power of the system.
With both the system's assistance and his own determination, Rojen had laid the foundations of true mastery in a remarkably short time.
From this moment on, he was no longer someone struggling to catch up. Instead, he stood on equal footing with, if not surpassing, many so-called geniuses.
---
After three more days of sailing, 'The Logan' finally arrived at a transfer station.
"Captain, how long are we staying this time?" Jason scratched his head as he spoke.
Life at sea was monotonous, to say the least. To make matters worse, his captain had been either meditating or performing bizarre movements, barely acknowledging him.
The only other companion on board was that ridiculously intelligent cat, but it was as aloof as could be. No matter how many times Jason tried to engage with it, the feline barely spared him a glance.
It was getting awkward. Spending day after day in the middle of the sea with no one to talk to was a lonely experience.
"Half a day," Rojen replied, his expression serious. "Time is tight— we need to move quickly."
A growing sense of urgency weighed on him. The storm was coming.
The closer they got to Baterilla, the more clues Rojen began to notice.
When they first entered the South Blue, pirate activity was rampant, with ships appearing frequently. But as they traveled farther, the number of pirate encounters dwindled. Now, at the port of this island, there were only two or three small pirate ships docked— nothing like the bustling criminal activity they had seen before.
"What could be causing such a sudden drop in pirate presence?"
With this question in mind, 'The Logan' slowly approached the island's port.
This was the third transfer station on their journey to Baterilla— Yassa Island.
Jason secured the ship's anchor tightly before he, Rojen, and the ever-aloof cat disembarked onto the island.
Having learned from their previous experience, their supply run was much more efficient this time. In under half an hour, Jason was already carrying a massive bundle on his back.
An hour later, Jason shoved five large bundles into 'The Logan''s storage room and let out an exhausted sigh.
Finally, the two of them and the cat found a moment to relax in a small, unnamed bar on Yassa Island.
Soft, slow music filled the air. On a modest stage at the center of the bar, a scantily clad dancer swayed her body in rhythm with the melody.
"Not bad, not bad. Really not bad."
Jason grinned, watching intently. His smile was so genuine that a bit of drool even began to form at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing Jason's ridiculous expression, Rojen shook his head in exasperation. He had glanced at the dancer earlier— her looks were average, though her figure was quite impressive.
"Drink up. We're leaving soon."
"Once we get past this island, Baterilla won't be far."
At Rojen's words, Jason quickly wiped his mouth, nodded obediently, and reluctantly took one last glance at the dancer.
"You're heading to Baterilla?"
A voice suddenly interjected from a nearby wooden table.
"Yes. Why?" Rojen asked, turning to the man.
"That place isn't exactly peaceful right now," the man said with a shake of his head.
Another patron joined in the conversation.
"The Marines have been gathering in large numbers there. Word is, even high-ranking officers from Marine Headquarters have arrived. Pirates from the surrounding waters have been completely wiped out in the past few weeks."
"Damn it! Just thinking about it pisses me off. I was doing just fine in those waters, and now I've been forced to come here!"
A burly man suddenly slammed his cup down on the table and cursed.
"Haha! Old Rays, you idiot! Why'd you become a pirate in the first place? Didn't you nearly get yourself killed by the Marines?"
Laughter erupted from the nearby crowd.
"Laugh all you want. What do you know? Being a pirate isn't just about crime—it's about the sea, about chasing freedom. You don't get it."
Old Rays huffed. "I'll lay low for a bit, but then I'm setting sail again. This time, I'm heading for the Grand Line."
Despite the jeers from the civilians, Old Rays didn't seem the least bit angry. He simply accepted their jabs with a grin.
Rojen's eyes flickered as he observed the man more closely.
This burly pirate exuded the essence of the sea, yet there was no malice in his demeanor. It had been a long time since Rojen had seen a true pirate like this.
"Dreams… the sea… freedom…"
Rojen murmured under his breath.
A distant memory surfaced— words spoken to him before he first set sail.
"Rojen, haha, don't stop me! Chasing the sea is chasing a dream!"
"It's chasing freedom!"
"That's the longing of a man for the open sea!"
"Haha!"
Back then, Rojen had spent three days and nights trying to dissuade him.
He had only one thing to say.
"You will die."
But that person had been willing to risk everything.
Because for him, sailing wasn't just about survival— it was about the pursuit of freedom. It was about chasing a dream.
(End Of This Chapter)