The top deck of the ship fell into complete silence.
Everyone had been stunned by Ur's methods. None of them had imagined that this young man, who had been sitting off to the side with narrowed eyes, seemingly lost in thought, would turn out to be someone so ruthless and sparing with words.
The remaining Vichy tribesmen stared at the two fallen corpses of their kin, their eyes bloodshot with fury. The way they looked at Ur was filled with hatred and killing intent, as if they wished they could devour his flesh and drink his blood.
But aside from glaring at him, they did nothing more. Each of them behaved with astonishing obedience.
Ur looked at them coldly, like a killer without emotion, and without money.
After that, things became much simpler.
Thanks to Ur's successful "physical negotiation," the remaining Vichy tribesmen answered nearly every question Pasfield asked.
According to them, the Azure Water was also known among the Vichy as the "Sacred Water." It existed only in the Vichy holy land—Gulya Glacier.
Moreover, Gulya Glacier was not accessible at all times. Only when a female Vichy tribeswoman became pregnant would she be permitted to enter the glacier. From then until the child was born, she would drink the Sacred Water daily.
Only in this way could young Vichy children be born with strong enough bodies to survive the monster-infested and bitterly cold environment of the Northern Sea Region.
Aside from this circumstance, at no other time were other Vichy tribesmen allowed to approach the holy land.
When Pasfield heard this, his eyes immediately lit up. He eagerly asked about the location of Gulya Glacier, but the answer dealt him another blow.
These tribesmen did not know where the holy land was located.
Only the Priestess of each tribe knew the route leading to it, and the priestess of their tribe had already been killed by the invaders from Seaweed Blade.
Upon hearing this, Ur silently drew the Dark Dragon Fang from his waist.
The Vichy tribesmen immediately changed their tune, saying they could bring them to their tribe for a "visit." Perhaps they might find a nautical chart left behind by the tribe's Ritual Maiden.
Satisfied, Ur wiped the blade clean and sheathed it once more.
In truth, both Ur and Pasfield knew that even if they went to these Vichy tribes' settlements, the chances of finding a navigation chart were slim.
Still, it was at least a thread of hope.
At the very least, they now knew where the Azure Water was located. Guided by several Vichy tribesmen, the group began heading toward their tribe. Taking this opportunity, Ur also voiced his doubts to Jangsen regarding the power of "martial force."
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"It's not some secret technique. It's just a very simple skill. Once you cultivate 'Force,' you'll naturally be able to release this kind of power." Jangsen stood with Ur on the deck of the Dori XVII, discussing the nature of martial force.
He didn't deliberately hide anything, or rather, there was no point in hiding it. Everything depended on whether one could grasp Force in the first place.
Jangsen opened his palm. As his muscles tightened, Ur immediately sensed an invisible power gathering in his hand. It swirled there, unable to break free from his body, until the magic within him was stirred by that power.
Gradually, a strange energy sphere, a mixture of Force and magic, formed in his palm.
Whoosh!
With a casual flick of his hand, Jangsen hurled the sphere outward. It exploded upon the sea's surface, sending a towering white spray into the air.
"This is the power of Force. Compared to magic, its destructive power is far inferior. But if one possesses exceptional martial skill, this Force can unleash might no weaker than magic," Jangsen explained solemnly.
Ur stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"However…" Jangsen's expression suddenly grew wistful. "Compared to magic, cultivating Force is far more difficult. An ordinary mage with a bit of talent can grasp magic fairly easily after some study. But to master Force, even with extraordinary talent, without relentless training, it's impossible to even touch it."
"I began training my body at six years old. I exercised more than ten hours a day, every day. Even so, I didn't gain initial control over Force until I was around forty. Young man, take my advice. Since you're already a mage, don't try to cultivate Force. This path is far too—" He stopped abruptly.
Because right before him, Ur, after watching Jangsen's demonstration, slowly drew his long blade.
With a casual swing forward, a faint yet clearly visible crescent-shaped blade aura shot out.
"…Hm? What were you just saying?" Ur asked, only now seeming to react, looking at Jangsen in confusion.
Jangsen: "..."
I swear you're doing this on purpose.
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Jangsen left.
Ur didn't understand why the old man suddenly walked away, though he thought Jangsen's beard seemed to curl upward slightly when he departed.
After about two days of sailing, the Dori XVII finally reached the island where these Vichy tribes lived. During those two days, Ur had spent most of his time learning to apply Force.
His earlier perception had been correct. What Jangsen called Force was, in fact, the same as the Sword Intent Ur had grasped.
However, compared to Jangsen, Ur's Sword Intent was still far too weak. Even though he could barely release Blade Aura, its lethality remained limited. From this alone, one could see just how terrifying Jangsen's martial attainments truly were.
Most Vichy tribes lived upon glacial islands. The region was freezing year-round. For ordinary people, survival here would be nearly impossible, but for the Vichy, who had lived here for generations beyond counting, it was simply normal life.
The moment Ur stepped off the ship, he sensed an extremely radiant magical presence lingering in the air.
"Strange… Why does this magic feel so familiar?" He scratched his head, puzzled. The residual magic in the air felt exceptionally familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had encountered it before.
After pondering for a moment, Ur ultimately gave up thinking about it for now. Under the guidance of the Vichy tribesmen, the group slowly headed deeper into the icy island.
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