Lord: I can see loyalty.

Vio took a deep breath, began practicing his breathing technique ahead of time, and strode into the knight's training room.

He closed the door behind him, and in no time, the magical aura in the air became even stronger. Vio could feel the magic flowing into his body with each breath.

He understood that he must immediately begin to fully utilize and train his breathing techniques, otherwise the accumulated magic power within his body would only increase and he would not be able to fully absorb it.

Vio quickly took a few steps forward, his skin instantly covered in a dark color, revealing muscle lines, while power surged through his body!

call--!

He first tried throwing a punch at the most ordinary speed, aiming straight at the huge stone target placed inside the room.

The result was obvious: the huge rock crumbled as if it were a pile of sand, while he was unharmed.

Next, Vio looked at the shield, as tall as a person, made from Southern Magic Mine behind the boulder.

He tried to reach out, and the visible magic in the air seemed to be controlled, flowing into the magic ore shield, making the purple light exceptionally dazzling.

call!call!call!

Vio unleashed three rapid punches, pushing his speed and power to the limit of his current physical abilities, but could only leave three huge, exaggerated fist marks on his body.

But he didn't stop his pace and punches; instead, he maintained this extreme speed and began to keep throwing punches!

Instantly, the magical air around them was dispersed by the force of the punch, and the shield began to twist and deform.

Bang!

With a loud bang, Vio stopped, panting heavily.

The magic ore shield in front of him was so distorted that it was unrecognizable. As Vio stopped his attack, the purple light on the shield also dissipated.

Vio landed a seemingly light punch on the shield again, and the once sturdy magic ore shield shattered.

The magic that had dissipated in the air began to coalesce again.

Vio also felt his limbs go weak and staggered back a few steps until he regained his balance when his hand touched the wooden vat in the middle of the room.

He glanced back, then simply relaxed his body and, maintaining his breathing technique, submerged himself in the water tank.

puff!

Upon entering the water, instead of the comfort I had imagined, I was met with a wave of intense heat.

It didn't look like he was lying in water; it looked more like he was being thrown into a fire!

Vio understood that this was because the magic in the water was flowing into his body, and the breathing technique was repairing his body.

He gritted his teeth, letting the intense heat surge through his body.

It wasn't an ordinary burning sensation; it felt more like countless tiny fireballs drilling into my blood vessels and flowing throughout my body with the blood.

He could feel the magic power surging into his body at several times the normal speed, entangled and fused with the airflow generated by the breathing technique, and finally forcibly pressed into his limbs and body.

pain.

That fucking hurts!

But Vio didn't move, not even frown.

This level of suffering was nothing compared to the perilous battle with the black mud monster in Mount Loba.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe a quarter of an hour, maybe half an hour, but the intense heat suddenly began to subside.

It didn't disappear little by little, but rather vanished quickly and completely, like the receding tide.

Instead, a warm current rises from within, flows over the shoulders and arms, and finally reaches the top of the head.

Wherever that heat flowed, the previous pain and soreness vanished, and the muscles seemed to be reforged, becoming even firmer.

Vio closed his eyes, fully experiencing the change.

The breathing technique operates automatically within the body, and the flow of air is more natural than before. With each cycle, one can feel a subtle increase in power.

Finally, the heat flow disappeared.

The water in the tank returned to normal, just like ordinary bath water, without any abnormalities.

Vio opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.

The dark skin has faded and returned to its normal color.

But he could feel that the breathing technique was still running in his body. It was a very strange feeling. It didn't require any deliberate effort to activate. The breathing technique existed in his body naturally, just like a heartbeat.

He slowly raised his right hand, a thought forming in his mind.

The dark color instantly appeared on the skin and then faded away just as quickly, so fast that one might doubt whether it was an illusion.

But Vio knew very well that it wasn't an illusion, because he could clearly feel the strengthening effect of the breathing technique on his body was still there!

It's second order!

Vio was completely unfazed.

Vio stood up from the wooden vat, letting water droplets slide down his muscle lines. He walked to the pile of shattered magic ore shields, glanced down at them, then closed his eyes and brought up his control panel.

Name: Vio Rose

Race: Human

【Features: Advanced peak of Basic Swordsmanship, Advanced peak of Dune Swordsmanship, Second Stage of Sand Breathing Technique】

[Status: Full of energy and high spirits]

As expected, that's exactly what happened.

Vio opened his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. The second level of his breathing technique allowed him to control the color of his skin, which was no longer the dark black of concentrated power—a pleasant surprise indeed.

In future battles, this will allow us to launch surprise attacks.

He put on a simple outer robe, pushed open the door of the practice room, and went out.

The sunlight was blinding; it was already afternoon.

You can go and test your skills on Gina.

…………

Southern border, by the sea, Keslow Village.

The waves crashed against the rocks, making a rhythmic splashing sound, and the sea breeze carried the salty, fishy smell and the aroma of grilled fish.

As one of the few coastal villages in the South who have become wealthy, Keslow Village is now very lively.

The dock has been expanded to twice its original size, with small fishing boats coming and going every day. The village streets have been paved with stone slabs, and half of the originally simple residential area has been renovated.

All of this was undoubtedly thanks to the group of pirates who struck fear into the hearts of many.

The Black Pearl Pirate Crew.

Since submitting to Count Vio, this group of pirates has completely changed their ways and stopped plundering.

Their main jobs now are fishing, transporting goods, and most importantly, but also the least productive so far: helping the Earl inspect the coastline.

Because the enemy at sea has not yet appeared.

Of course, there are also side jobs like drinking, bragging, and fighting.

At this moment, the largest tavern in the seaside residential area is bustling with activity.

"Let me tell you!" A burly man with a face full of scars slammed his fist on the table, spitting as he spoke, "Those idiots in the Western Territory this year have practically handed us money!"

"We just cruised along that route for three days, and they didn't dare go out to sea! When we came back, the hold was full of fish, and we sold them for a good price!"

"Bullshit!" A skinny guy on the other side jumped up. "I clearly scooped up 500 pounds of tuna in one net! What could your lousy net possibly catch?"

"Say that again, you fucking idiot?"

"Fine, I'll say it. So what?"

The two rolled up their sleeves, ready to fight, but the people around them quickly pulled them back, though they couldn't help but smile.

This atmosphere stems from the fact that the village was the birthplace of these pirates and the hometown of many others.

In the corner, a middle-aged man sat against the wall, slowly sipping a glass of ale.

He was none other than Axel, the leader of the Black Pearl Pirates.

He looked at his boisterous subordinates, a slight smile playing on his lips, and didn't stop them; this kind of liveliness was actually quite fitting.

"Boss!" a gruff voice rang out, and Masane strode over, plopping down opposite him. "Those girls outside, they still don't believe me!"

"Bragging again?" Axel raised an eyebrow. "You still have the nerve to say that?"

Masane chuckled, not caring at all, and picked up the wine glass on the table, drinking it all in one gulp.

"By the way, boss," he lowered his voice and gestured toward the door, "that Glenn is still on patrol today."

Axel followed his gaze.

Not far from the tavern entrance, a silent, burly man sat on a rock, wiping the exaggerated greatsword in his hand.

Sunlight shone on the sword, reflecting a terrifying luster. He polished it meticulously, as if the sword were his only companion.

A crowd of people, including pirates and villagers, gathered around the giant sword, all staring at it in amazement.

"This sword must weigh at least a hundred pounds, right?"

"More than that, I'd say at least 150!"

"What do you know? This is a magic ore sword, a gift personally bestowed upon it by the Earl!"

Glenn ignored the comments and continued polishing his sword.

Axel watched for a while, then suddenly stood up, took his wine glass, and walked out.

They quickly arrived at Glenn's side.

"Brother Glenn." He knelt down beside Glenn, offering him a glass of wine. "Want a drink?"

Glenn looked up at him, took the glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

"That's great!" Axel grinned. "Hey Glenn, haven't you been getting bored patrolling this village these past few days?"

Glenn did not reply.

"How about we go out to sea for a spin?" Axel pointed to the sea. "Just a short trip, enjoy the scenery, do some fishing, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Glenn remained silent.

Undeterred, Axel continued, "Don't let our rough appearance fool you; we're all honest men. We all admire a tough guy like you."

"If you're willing to come aboard, I'll give you the position of first mate, how about it?"

Hearing this, several pirates nearby began to shout, "First Mate! First Mate!"

Glenn finally raised his head and glanced at Axel. His gaze was calm, as calm as that of a dead man.

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, "I can't swim."

Axel was taken aback, then burst into laughter.

"Okay! Okay! Don't worry, actually several of us on board can't swim!" He slapped his thigh.

Glenn looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then shook his head.

"I have my own things to do."

Axel sighed and simply patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, come find me anytime you figure it out."

He stood up and was about to walk back.

"Boss!" one of the pirates suddenly shouted, "There's a ship on the sea!"

All eyes turned to the sea instantly, and the pirates' expressions quickly turned serious.

In the distance, a small boat is slowly sailing towards the shore.

The boat was very small, so small that it could only fit one person. It had no sail, only a pair of oars, but no one was rowing it.

The boat simply rose and fell with the waves, moving slowly but maintaining a stable direction.

Axel frowned.

"Judging from their appearance, they came from the west," Masane said in a low voice, his brow furrowed slightly. "The direction of the western border..."

The pirates instantly became alert, and several quick-thinking ones had already quietly reached for the weapons at their waists.

Western border.

Those pirates who have been entrenched in the coastal ports haven't been very peaceful lately. It's said that several forces have joined together and are consolidating their territories, preparing for a big operation.

At that moment, a small boat came from the west, but there was only one person on board...

"Don't move," Axel commanded in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the ship.

The ship is getting closer and closer.

The people on the boat gradually became clearer.

It was a man, very tall and thin, but you could see his muscles. He was wearing a white shirt, which was soaked by the sea and clung to his body in a wrinkled mess.

His hair was disheveled, his face was pale, and his eyes were sunken. He looked exhausted, as if he had just gone through a long journey or a fierce battle.

But strangely, he didn't have any obvious major injuries.

The small boat docked, and the man staggered off the boat, stepping onto the sand. He looked up at the crowd on the shore, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

The pirates surrounded him, but didn't make a move. Axel stood at the front, sizing up the uninvited guest.

"Who are you?" he asked in a deep voice. "From the West?"

The man looked up, opened his mouth, and was about to speak.

"Elefise!"

A voice came from behind the crowd.

Everyone turned around and saw that Glenn had stood up, and for the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared in his usually calm eyes.

He strode forward and pushed aside the people blocking his way.

This man was the tall, thin swordsman he had fought alongside in Kuoqiao Village!

Elifis.