The three men looked at William as if seeing him for the first time. Up until now, they had followed him perhaps because of his superior combat skills compared to theirs or his more thoughtful and deliberate nature for someone their age. But this time, William revealed a charisma and persuasiveness that seemed far beyond his years and station.
Vallon couldn't quite put into words how he felt about William at this moment. Compared to the usual calm and meticulous William, this version of him felt uncharacteristically impassioned yet carried an aura that was undeniably commanding, even captivating.
"You're right, William. Besides, I don't want to go back to the life I had before," Agin said in a low, firm voice. "Back then, I could endure it, holding back until I couldn't anymore. But now, I don't think I can hold back even a little. If I were to return, I'd probably smash those bastards' skulls in with an iron rod the moment I saw them."
Aramis and Vallon didn't say anything, but their expressions showed they agreed with Agin. Once the taboo of killing had been broken, the weight of the existing order and laws that had once oppressed them no longer felt as heavy or intimidating.
William smiled faintly and pointed toward a small mound in the distance. Beneath it lay the bodies of Danton, Gore, and Bamond, hastily buried. Vallon, in his straightforward kindness, had even placed a crude wooden cross made of branches on top of the mound—a gesture so simple it was almost laughable.
"Now, I hope you understand why I insist we go to the dojo to learn something," William said, his tone calm but firm. "I don't want us to be like those third-rate pirates, running from the Marines like homeless stray dogs. Life is already hard enough as it is; I refuse to live so miserably. If we're going to set out to sea, we need to ensure we can stand our ground on the ocean and not be driven back to the shore like cowards!"
Once again, William found himself in that strange and mysterious space in his dreams. But this time, it was different from the past few nights. With the completion of the [Escape from the Tiger's Mouth] mission and his successful departure from Danton's pirate crew, the space had finally undergone a change.
Previously, the space had been monotonous and dull, consisting of nothing but a single path shrouded in darkness. It had been so barren that William sometimes wondered if he was merely treading in place. Now, however, the darkness receded like a tide, revealing a stone archway at the end of the path. Beyond the archway, a small plaza flickered faintly into view.
Eagerly, William quickened his pace. As he passed through the archway, the path behind him vanished into darkness, just like the first intersection he had encountered. He didn't bother to dwell on it and instead turned his attention to the plaza before him.
Compared to the first intersection, the improvements in this new area were immediately apparent. The dirt beneath his feet had been replaced with a stone-paved surface, and the plaza itself was significantly larger.
In the southeast corner of the plaza sat an antique wooden chest. William's curiosity was piqued as he opened it. Before he could peer inside, a mirror suddenly sprang out of the chest, floating in front of him and startling him.
He took two steps back, focusing on the man-sized mirror. Glancing at the chest, which barely reached his calves, he wondered just how large its internal space must have been.
The mirror's reflection, however, did not show William as he was in this strange space. Instead, it displayed his physical body in the real world—the young man sleeping soundly by the campfire.
A mysterious light shone briefly across the mirror's surface, catching William's attention. When he looked again, he noticed that the image of his real-world self had changed. His posture remained the same, but his body had become almost entirely transparent, including his skin and clothing. Intrigued, William stepped closer to get a better look. As if responding to his curiosity, the mirror zoomed in on his real-world body.
Countless points of light appeared out of nowhere, gradually covering his body. The lights concentrated especially around his brain and spine, rushing eagerly into those areas.
It seemed the mirror existed solely to show William this scene. Before he could study it further, the mirror returned to the chest.
William rushed to the chest, peering inside, only to find it was an ordinary wooden box with no signs of connecting to another space. The magical mirror was, of course, nowhere to be found.
Still shaken by what he had just witnessed, William turned his attention to the center of the plaza, where a thunderous noise erupted. He spun around just in time to see a tall stone pedestal rise from the ground in a matter of seconds.
Atop the pedestal stood two life-sized stone statues. William stared in astonishment. Though the statues were crudely carved from ordinary rock, their poses were unmistakable. One figure held a dagger, stabbing it into the abdomen of another figure that struggled in vain. It was a depiction of his life-or-death battle with Danton in the sea.
There were lines of text engraved on the front of the pedestal. William hurried over to read them carefully:
Morgan William [Obscure and Unknown] Sea Calendar 1490 – ??? Birthplace: East Blue - Faraise Kingdom Skills and Specialties: Beginner Swordsmanship Special Talents: Lightning Reflexes Achievements and Feats: Gekokujō (Overthrowing Superiors)
William's eyes lingered briefly on the words "Obscure and Unknown" before focusing on the listed specialties. The pedestal seemed to respond to his gaze, causing small lines of text to appear beneath each entry.
[Beginner Swordsmanship]: You are a novice in the art of the sword. No longer swinging it like a fire poker, you have barely scratched the surface of this discipline. [Lightning Reflexes]: Your reflexes are extraordinary, granting you an exceptional reaction speed. (Mission Reward) [Gekokujō]: Your wolfish ambition cannot tolerate others standing above you—whether in reputation, rank, or strength. (Reward for defeating former captain Danton)
William spent a long time studying the description of [Gekokujō]. He hadn't expected that killing Danton would earn him something akin to an achievement reward. He quickly grasped the meanings of "Beginner Swordsmanship" and "Lightning Reflexes." The former, categorized as a "Skill Specialty," referred to knowledge and techniques that could be accumulated through practice. While it could be improved without relying on the space's rewards, the latter, categorized as a "Special Talent," seemed to represent innate qualities that were difficult to change through effort alone. "Lightning Reflexes" had enhanced his nervous system's reaction speed, something he could understand but not consciously control.
However, the exact criteria for earning "Achievement Feats" remained unclear. Skill Specialties required consistent practice, and Special Talents likely depended on the space's intervention. Achievements, on the other hand, appeared to be rewards for specific actions or accomplishments. William was eager to uncover the rules governing these rewards.
As he pondered, he scanned the edges of the plaza, noticing no new paths extending outward. He wasn't surprised. This had happened before. The paths seemed to align with his intentions and goals. Having killed Danton, William had yet to set a clear short-term objective. While going to the dojo to learn swordsmanship was a tentative plan, it was an easily achievable one. With no bounties on their heads and enough money to pay for training, they could go to Isshin Dojo or any other place they chose.
It seemed the space wouldn't present a new path too easily.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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