But he was persuaded by the Sage, the Sage made him think about whether he could follow along, the idea of sailing together.
Now it happens again.
He had already put down his pride once, and this time he knew the Sage would solve it, so he didn't need to make a choice.
But things like this will happen again, what about next time?
On this voyage across the ocean, does he have to put down his pride every time and choose the result of divination?
He likes divination, and he likes to make decisions based on its results, but he doesn't like giving up his self-respect and pride!
Perhaps what the Sage said is correct, even a one-in-ten-thousand chance is still a chance...
"My sword is also sharp." Hawkins' tone carried an unquestionable conviction.
The sword was like Lily's, belonging to the rapier blade category; essentially, their swords were similar in width to the tachi, but Lily's was even slimmer, and their fighting styles were completely different.
That woman named Lily was a formidable swordsman.
Whereas Hawkins used ability swordsmanship.
"Rice Straw Hand-Prepared Blade!"
The sword transformed into bundled rice straw, swinging like a whip as Hawkins waved it, resembling a distant cut with flying straw.
This move's power was not inferior to a swordsman's Soaring Slash, perhaps even stronger.
"Interesting."
Granny shook her head, facing the fast-approaching rice straw whip, sitting on the throne without moving, only lightly moved her fingers, causing spikes to rise from the ground beside Hawkins again.
This time, Hawkins dashed away directly, dodging the stone spikes, wielding the sword hilt, making the straw dance snake-like in mid-air, sweeping straight at Granny's head.
Bang!
A stone wave rose from the ground, forming a stone wall, allowing the straw to strike against it with a dull thud.
This made Hawkins' pupils slightly contract; his 'Rice Straw Hand-Prepared Blade' might not be able to cut through steel, but it could cut through ordinary stone.
Yet there wasn't a dent found on the entire stone wall.
It's completely different in strength from those Stone Statue Knights encountered.
"Heh heh heh, stone can be transformed into high density, and when fused, its hardness can compare to steel. Your attacks have decent power, but I only casually wave and you can't withstand it." Granny said with a smile.
Hawkins missed the strike, hurriedly waving the sword hilt, making the straw twist around the stone wall, stabbing straight at Granny.
At the same time, his body shot to the right, during the action, straw wrapped around him, transforming into a four-meter-tall scarecrow form, one hand holding the sword while the other revealed five coffin nails, with the straw hand extending, like claws attacking, left and right alongside the straw sword.
Meanwhile, his mouth opened, spraying out a large number of coffin nails, resembling gunshots.
Granny lightly moved her fingers, that stone wall transformed back into stone waves, continuously rising around her, forming a fan-shaped giant wave to shelter from the attacks.
The stone wave wrapped around it, like a ferocious beast opening its mouth, clamping down on the rice straw sword and arms, trapping them firmly within the stone as if merged into one.
Hawkins tugged but couldn't move it; deciding promptly, he tore off his left arm with a snort, and straw fell from the sword body, retracting back.
A straw doll with a severed arm emerged from his body, falling down.
The sixth one.
Earlier, he used up four, but before that, he spent one dealing with that dead butler, making it six in total now.
Poof!
Yet, at this moment, a spike suddenly flew from the stone wall, piercing Hawkins' head, emerging another straw doll with a pierced head.
The seventh one.
The stone wall split open, revealing Granny's seated figure, looking with interest at Hawkins, "That's a substitution, right? Can it prevent harm for you? Such an interesting ability, but I do wonder how many times you can release it."
Hawkins yanked his head, pulling it off the head-piercing stone spike directly connected to the ground, spent another straw doll.
The eighth one.
This wasn't an instant attack; the spike piercing his forehead caused an instant death state, but if not pulled off this spike, this state would continuously apply until all straw dolls were consumed.
Before that, he had to sacrifice one to free himself.
But...
The attack was too fierce; he couldn't withstand even a single move, always resulting in either instant death or severe injury.
If this continues, it won't be long before he is defeated.
His limit now is only ten, all inflicted on the group of soldiers upon entering the Royal City.
Two more times and he'll be injured.
Before that...
Hawkins' eyes turned sharp, swiftly rolling a Tarot card with a piece of straw, drawing the top card and taking a glance before swinging the straw sword again, continuing to strike with the Rice Straw Slash, but as the straw sword extended forward, the stone wall turned into a wave, rapidly transforming into a stone blade.
Bang!
The stone blade deflected the rice straw sword, slicing fiercely downward, severing Hawkins' rice straw arm holding the sword, causing another severed arm straw doll to appear, while the rice straw sword fell and embedded into the stone ground.
The ninth one.
Hawkins quickly grew a straw arm, swiftly grabbing the hilt, seemingly about to pull it out, yet at this moment, a spike suddenly protruded from the stone wave, piercing him straight in the chest.