Lord: I can see loyalty.

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On the training ground in the western border, the moonlight, like water, fell on Gina's face.

Gina gripped her broadsword tightly, her body rising and falling gently with her breath, feeling the new life force within her.

The power is very weak, like a small stream, flowing slowly through the meridians, yet it is endless, as if it will never run dry.

This is her own breathing.

"The breakthrough was successful?"

A familiar voice came from the edge of the training field.

Gina turned her head sharply, and in the moonlight, Vio was standing on the sidelines, having arrived at some unknown time.

Vio was dressed in plain clothes and did not carry a sword. He just stood there quietly, the moonlight shining on him and casting a long shadow.

The sensory abilities that Tier 3 granted Vio allowed him to discover the anomaly in the training ground long ago.

"Your Excellency..." Gina's voice was a little hoarse, and her tone carried a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

Vio stepped forward and stopped in front of her.

His gaze fell on the broadsword in her hand, then on her slightly heaving chest, and finally met her eyes.

"You've already reached the first level of breathing techniques," he said, his tone calm yet certain. "Can you feel it?"

Gina nodded.

She could feel that faint current of air slowly circulating within her body, each breath deeper and longer than before.

The broadsword in her hand seemed to have become much lighter, not in a real sense, but rather because her control over her strength had become more precise.

"I...I don't know what to do." She rarely showed such confusion. "I just kept swinging the sword, and then it..."

"That's right." Vio interrupted her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Breathing techniques aren't something you can learn just by thinking about them."

"You've practiced for so long and swung your sword so many times, your body has already memorized it. Today's battle, the Great Knight's guidance was just to help you open the door."

Gina was silent for a moment, then looked up at Vio.

Under the moonlight, a glint of light flashed in those calm eyes.

"My lord, I..."

"No need to say anything." Vio turned around and looked at the deep blue sea in the distance. "Practice hard, the road to becoming a knight is long."

"The first level of breathing technique is just the beginning. There are second and third levels. When you reach the third level, you will also be able to comprehend your own knightly aura."

Gina gripped the sword hilt and nodded heavily.

Under the moonlight, the two stood side by side, gazing at the vast sea in the distance.

There, there is a deserted island, an old pirate who has never shown himself, and a final battle to be fought.

"Let's go." Vio turned around. "We have things to do tomorrow."

Gina sheathed her sword and followed behind him. The moonlight cast their shadows on the ground, one tall and upright, the other serene, stretching long across the sand.

…………

The following morning, at Eagle's Beak Castle, in the main hall.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the hall was still very quiet.

The morning light streamed into the hall, bathing everything in a soft golden hue. Vio sat in a high-backed chair, with two people standing in front of him.

There were only the three of them in the hall.

Cohen was still dressed in a gentlemanly manner, with a dark coat, a crisp white shirt, and an elegant bow tie.

Vance stood behind him, much more unassuming, but with a straight back and a steady gaze.

"Your Excellency," Cohen bowed slightly, "we have obtained the information you requested."

Vio nodded. "Speak."

Cohen took a piece of parchment from his pocket and spread it out on the table.

It was a hand-drawn nautical chart, marking most of the islands and reefs along the western coast, with a solitary island circled in red at the southernmost point.

Next to it are three prominent words: Shipwreck Island.

"This is where Finn is hiding." Cohen pointed to the island. "Shipwreck Island, at the southernmost tip of the West, about half a day's sail from the mainland."

"This island is very large, several times larger than the broken reef island you visited before. The island has a complex terrain, with dense forests, reefs, and several natural caves."

He paused, then continued, "Finn lived on that island for at least twenty years."

"We've sent people to probe the area several times, but we haven't been able to get close to the core area. The island is surrounded by reefs, and people unfamiliar with the navigation routes simply can't get in, and besides..."

"And what?" Vio asked.

Cohen looked up, his expression grave. "The fishermen on the surrounding islands say that Finn's side has been shipping all sorts of things to the island for the past few months."

"Materials, treasures, and a large amount of food—it's not like they're preparing to escape; it's more like they're preparing for something else."

"Ready?" Vio frowned slightly.

“We bribed a fisherman who used to deliver goods to the island,” Vance stepped forward and added. “He said Finn was preparing something in the middle of the island and wouldn’t let them get close.”

"From a distance, all you could see was a large building that looked like a ship, but it was bigger than any ship. He didn't dare to get close and just glanced at it from afar."

Vio was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the isolated island on the nautical chart.

Shipwreck Island... Finn... The Big Plan...

"According to intelligence gathered from Ulysses's confidants, Finn is also reportedly keeping a sea monster on the island?" He looked up. "The fishermen also say they're building a huge ship? A giant ship that can be seen from a great distance?"

"It is indeed very complicated. Finn is too mysterious. We have been investigating in the Westerlands for so long, and we still don't know whether he has any people under his command."

All we know is that since he got old, he has never taken the initiative to attack, nor has he ever participated in pirate battles. Philip, Derek, and Ulysses all approached him, but he never agreed to speak to them.

"But this time is different." Vio stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the deep blue sea in the distance.

"He was obviously making preparations. Ulysses is dead, and the pirates in the Westerlands have been wiped out. He couldn't possibly not know that. If he just wanted to live a peaceful life, he wouldn't have made preparations on the island."

He turned around and looked at Cohen.

"Keep an eye on him. I need to know what he's doing on the island, and about that so-called sea monster. I need more accurate information."

Cohen nodded. "I understand."

"Also," Vio paused, "prepare a specially made ship for me. It needs to be fast, stable, and sturdy."

Cohen and Vance exchanged a glance, both seeing something in each other's eyes.

"Your Excellency, are you going in person?" Cohen asked tentatively.

Vio didn't answer; he simply turned his head and looked out the window.

The morning light shines on the sea, making it sparkle.

On the distant horizon, a few gray shadows can be vaguely seen; whether they are seabirds or sails, no one can say for sure.

"Finn, you old bastard," he said softly, "what on earth are you plotting?"