Practicing Geppo

After encountering the Lone Wolf Pirates led by the pirate Arnold, Daniel canceled the luxury cruise ship's original route and ordered it to change course back to the Goa Kingdom.

Duen knew about this, and he thought returning to the Goa Kingdom was a good choice as well.

For one, he could finally see this kingdom for himself. For another, Foosha Village was in the Goa Kingdom—the place where the protagonist had been born and currently lived. If he ran into some airheaded fool, he should be able to earn quite a few Emotion Points.

In the morning, prompted by his unyielding biological clock, Duen woke up on time as usual.

After washing up, he took down the black broadsword braced against the door, opened the door, then suddenly stopped mid-step and glanced diagonally downward.

Nami, who had been curled up in the corner with her eyes constantly sweeping the surroundings, hurriedly stood up when she heard the door open.

Duen frowned slightly. "Don't tell me you stayed here all night?"

Nami said, "Do you think I'm an idiot? I just got here. I've only been waiting outside for a little while."

"Oh..."

Seeing that Nami appeared to have nothing on her, Duen raised the corner of his mouth in amusement. "Did you hide all the Beli?"

"You ask too many questions!" Nami did not want to answer. When it came to money, she did not like revealing anything to anyone.

"I'm worried you'll lose it. It'd be safer hidden with me."

"It'd be even less safe with you..."

Nami curled her lips, then her expression swiftly changed. Her eyes brimmed with expectation as she looked at Duen. "Are we playing cards again?"

Duen shook his head. "Do I look like someone that bored?"

"Not really." Nami shook her head too.

"I'm going to have breakfast, then take a look around the ship. Interested in coming with me?" Duen invited her.

"No." Nami refused decisively.

Duen took out the bag of Beli from his clothes and weighed it in his hand. "Still no?"

"Let's go right now!"

"You changed your mind pretty fast..."

They arrived at the dining hall.

Because of the hour, there were not many people there. These noble lords also did not seem particularly lively, likely still unable to shake off the psychological trauma from when the Lone Wolf Pirates had invaded a few days ago and their lives had been beyond their control.

Although sea parties were still held on the cruise ship every day, the atmosphere could no longer return to what it had once been.

Being attacked by pirates at sea was hardly unusual, but these pampered nobles and wealthy men treasured their lives too much to withstand even the slightest setback. They were terrified that this cruise ship would become a pirate target again and that they would once more become fish on the chopping block.

"Sit down. Don't be nervous."

Duen sat at a table by the window.

"I know."

Nami let out a breath, calming herself before sitting across from Duen.

She did not like appearing in public. The years she had spent living in constant fear had taught her to keep a low profile. Though she had always longed for light and beauty, cruel reality had forcibly squeezed her into a dark corner, leaving her to spend every day in unease.

Resting his left cheek on his hand, Duen calmly watched Nami across from him. Although she was only fourteen and had already entered puberty, she was not very tall yet, probably only around 1.6 meters. Her whole body looked quite slight, and with her still-childish face, she gave off an even more immature impression.

"What are you looking at?" Nami turned her head slightly in discomfort, glancing toward both sides behind her from the corners of her eyes. Vigilantly, she asked in a low voice, "Is someone there?"

The intense vigilance and survival instinct she had honed through years of desperate circumstances left Duen unsure whether to laugh or cry. He could only shake his head.

The waiter walked over with a menu. "What would the two of you like to order?"

Duen accepted the menu and handed it to Nami. "You order first."

After looking at the waiter, Nami cautiously asked Duen in a low voice, "We don't have to pay, right?"

Only after seeing Duen nod did Nami briskly open the menu and order without restraint. "One golden fried rice, one salt-and-pepper lamb chop, one sweetheart salad, one..."

The waiter hurriedly took out a pen and began writing in his notebook.

"...one lemon juice, and another serving of ice cream. That'll be all."

After ordering, Nami handed the menu to Duen with a hint of anticipation in her heart.

"Sir, is that all right?" The waiter looked at Duen as well.

Duen took the menu and flipped through it. "Yes. Don't bring any of the dishes she ordered."

"Eh!"

"Hmm?!"

"Negative Emotion Points from Nami +..."

The corner of Nami's eye twitched slightly. Her heart had ridden from the bottom to the top of a roller coaster, only to plunge back into the abyss. If you didn't want any of it, why did you let me order?! That's not how you play this!

"Negative Emotion Points from Puke +88..."

The waiter grumbled inwardly as well. I copied down every single word, and now you want none of it? Aren't you just messing with me?

"Two servings each of cheese bread, pan-fried fish fillets, and jam egg rolls. One thick soup. Oh, and bring some honey too."

Duen handed the menu back. The waiter said, "Please wait a moment," then withdrew.

Duen said seriously, "Eating too much in the morning makes it easy to gain weight."

"Mm..." Nami answered distractedly, looking elsewhere. She did not feel like dealing with the guy in front of her right now.

First Mate Simon walked over. After having his wounds bandaged, he looked much more energetic. He greeted Duen enthusiastically, "Mr. Duen!"

Duen nodded as a return greeting.

"This is..." Simon looked at Nami sitting across from Duen, somewhat surprised. He remembered that Duen had boarded with Daniel alone. Why had an acquaintance suddenly appeared at his side now?

Duen replied naturally, "She's my younger sister."

"Younger sister..." Simon's gaze quickly swept over Nami before moving away. He smiled. "Brother and sister, I understand, Mr. Duen."

On the lonely sea, nothing that happened would seem particularly strange.

Hearing the implication in Simon's words, Duen lifted the teacup from the table and took a slow sip before saying, "Fine. It's exactly what you think."

An explanation was a cover-up, so he did not explain.

Nami wore an indifferent expression. She was neither surprised nor angry, nor was she embarrassed.

Seeing the two of them act as if they were used to this, Simon seemed to recall something. He fell into a daze, his body trembling slightly before he hurriedly came back to himself. "Then I... won't disturb your time alone."

With that, he turned and left.

After walking a few steps, Simon looked back at the young man and woman talking as they gazed at each other, and a trace of bitterness unexpectedly rose in his heart.

He also had a childhood sweetheart he had grown up with. Back when they were young and ignorant, he had boldly declared, "When I grow up, I'll definitely marry you."

But as he grew older, his understanding of the real world gradually deepened. Once he became an adult, he threw himself into work as a sailor, clinging to the belief that only making something of himself could truly bring happiness, and worked hard with determination.

Yet because work at sea kept him busy, his contact and meetings with that childhood sweetheart became fewer and fewer. In that silent waiting, misunderstandings and barriers inevitably arose. One headed south while the other went north, and the distance between them grew bit by bit. Later, under all kinds of pressure, he could no longer even see her back...

What was making something of myself for?

Simon's heart wavered. Even after becoming first mate, he had been unable to hold on to his original happiness...

He was a little jealous of Duen.

"Negative Emotion Points from Simon +50..."

After breakfast, ending with hot tea to warm his stomach, Duen stood and walked out of the dining hall. Nami followed behind him silently, still thinking about the Beli on Duen.

They made their way to the uppermost deck of the cruise ship. Duen drew his broadsword and began practicing sword swings while Nami stood by the railing, watching helplessly.

After practicing a thousand swings, Duen was already drenched in sweat. He sheathed the broadsword behind his back, looked thoughtfully into the sky, and began bending his knees.

He stomped downward with both feet, then explosively launched himself upward.

With the rhythmic exertion of his legs, Duen remained suspended in the air two meters above the upper deck for a full five seconds before finally descending.

Although it consumed a great deal of stamina, he was now certain that he had indeed mastered the skill of Geppo. He was simply not proficient in it yet, probably only at the beginner level. The system's so-called levels likely referred to proficiency. The higher the level, the greater the distance and speed of each step through the air.

This martial art used explosive leg strength to repeatedly kick the air in a short span of time, allowing one to float. Once he had learned this technique, Duen would gain tremendous initiative in both attack and defense.

Nami, whose attention was already focused on Duen, opened her mouth wide in shock. She simply could not understand it... Jumping through the air—was that really something a human could do?

"Let's go back."

Duen let out a long breath, gave Nami a look, and walked down from the deck.

"Hmph..."

Nami came back to her senses, stuck out her tongue at Duen's retreating back in dissatisfaction, and muttered, "If it weren't for the Beli, I wouldn't like being ordered around like this..."

"Negative Emotion Points from Nami +55..."