Cassian and Cassandra stood near the ship's bow alongside other passengers, all peering down at the massive sea serpents swimming beneath the waves. The creatures were nearly as long as the ship itself, their sleek, scaled bodies gliding effortlessly through the water.
At the very tip of the bow—shaped like the head of one of these serpents—stood a woman holding two glowing blue ropes in her hands. The ropes were connected to the beasts, allowing her to control their movements with precision. With a flick of her wrists, she guided the ship, making it turn smoothly in the water, the serpents obeying her commands without hesitation.
Cassian and Cassandra watched in awe, their curiosity piqued as they observed her mastery over the creatures. Once their fascination was satisfied, they returned to the cabin they had booked aboard the massive ship.
As they settled in, Cassian broke the silence. "Do you think they force the beasts to submit somehow? Or is it something else?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and amazement.
"Dunno..." Cassandra replied casually as they stepped into the room.
The moment they entered, her armor vanished from her body, catching Cassian completely off guard. He froze, staring in shock as she stood there, completely bare. Cassandra, confused by his expression, glanced down and gasped in surprise. Quickly, she crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her thighs together, a faint blush creeping onto her face.
"Don't get any ideas," she said hastily with a blushed face. "I must've subconsciously made the armor disappear."
With a focused thought, the armor reappeared, once again covering her figure. Cassian, meanwhile, sighed internally, a little disappointed at only getting the briefest glimpse of her bare form before it was hidden again.
"I didn't think that armor could get any more convenient," Cassian said with a grin as he sat down on the bed. Then, leaning back slightly, he asked, "So, how many days is it going to take us to reach the city from here?"
Cassandra, already heading toward one of the two rooms in their cabin, paused briefly before replying. "About a week at most," she said, stepping inside. Glancing over her shoulder, she added, "And just so you know, I'll be shut in my room the entire time, working on something. So don't disturb me—unless, of course, there's a kraken attacking the ship or something equally catastrophic."
With that, she closed the door firmly, leaving Cassian chuckling to himself.
who didn't have anything else to do which means he was free to check the system as he open his status.
[Name : Senior Trainee Cassian ven dyke
Warrior level : Adept
[System function : Training field (available)
Swords mastery : Apprentice Lv9, Gale whisper sword style Lv2
Half Body Massage Mastery : Lv2(419/500)
Passive skills : Self healing, Pain Immunity.]
[Mana Rotation and Sealing Techniques: Blood Fire Tempering
Rotations for Second Seal: 5/100
Resources Required: Fire Mana Crystal: 1kg
Heart of 3-Star Monster: (0/5)]
[Accepted task : The Skilled Masseur(0/10)]
[Finished Task : Path of the Gladiator (Completed), Beginner Monster Slayer (Completed)
[Training points : 31]
Not much had changed in Cassian's status over the past month, except for his fighting abilities improving slightly. His sword mastery had advanced, and he had even gained a new skill, Gale Whisper Sword. Aside from that, everything else remained the same.
As he reflected, he realized he should have accepted some tasks during his time at the academy tests maybe he could have completed a few by now. But back then, he'd been too focused on staying alive to think about it, so it was all fine for the moment.
Deciding to make up for lost time, he headed out to find some new tasks to accept, with the ongoing Complete Body Massage task still lingering in the background.
As he browsed through the tasks, he searched for one he could complete on his own, having plenty of free time while aboard the ship.
[Special Task: Increase Sword Mastery to Adept Level]
Reward: 500 Training Points
The unusual mission immediately caught Cassian's attention. The promise of 500 training points was tempting, but the six-day time limit made him hesitate. His current status didn't show much room for improvement, but he knew the leap from one mastery level to the next was significant.
It had taken him months to achieve the Apprentice level, and while advancing further had been easier due to facing stronger opponents, the ship provided no such challenges, forcing him to search for simpler alternatives.
[Task: Path of the Composed Warrior]
Description: A true warrior must remain composed in every situation, mastering not just their weapon but also their mind. Emotional control, focus, and clarity are critical in battle. Impulsive decisions can lead to mistakes, and hesitation can cost lives. Through meditation, warriors can achieve a calm and balanced state, improving their ability to adapt, strategize, and maintain control under pressure.
Objective: Meditate for four hours daily for five consecutive days.
Reward : 15 training points
This made Cassian pause for a moment. The task wasn't anything extraordinary, but sitting idle for even an hour—aside from sleeping—was not his style. With no better tasks available and this one offering the chance to be completed in a short timeframe, he decided to go for it.
[The trainee has accepted the task "Path of the Composed Warrior."]
"Now what should I do?" Cassian muttered to himself, clearly confused. "Sit cross-legged, close my eyes for four hours, and call it done?"
Shrugging, he decided to give it a try. Soon, he was in the lotus position, his face set in an unusually serious expression as he focused on his breathing—or at least tried to. His thoughts kept drifting, inevitably pulling him toward Cassandra's room.
'Should I knock?' he wondered, the question bouncing around in his head. But the thought of her getting angry made him hesitate, and he forced himself to focus on meditating again.
Unfortunately, his mind betrayed him, flooding with vivid images of Cassandra from that night.