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Finally.

When Biggie slashed down from the upper right, Shanuo seemed to have anticipated it. Instead of retreating, he advanced, subtly shifting his body to avoid the blade and closing the distance into Biggie's chest.

A cold sensation touched the skin on his neck. Biggie's body froze abruptly. Looking down, he saw that Shanuo's wooden sword was already pressed tightly against his throat.

"I… lost?"

A sense of absurdity surged in his heart.

Biggie stared blankly at the sword tip just inches away, his hand gripping his wooden sword trembling slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"How is this possible…"

This scene was not unfamiliar to him. Just a dozen minutes ago, he had also been defeated by a single sword strike to the neck while sparring with Kairal.

But the one standing in front of him now wasn't someone experienced like Kairal, a seasoned swordsman. It was a twelve-year-old rookie who had only been at sea for a few days!

The onlooking pirates were equally stunned. They had expected an amusing spectacle of a kid being toyed with and didn't anticipate this outcome.

"Hey, hey, what's going on? Did Biggie really lose?"

"Losing to a kid? That's embarrassing, isn't it?"

"He underestimated him too much—that's Biggie's problem…"

Amid the murmurs, the slim Kairal glanced at Shanuo thoughtfully.

As the strongest among the pirates, his sharp eyes quickly discerned that Biggie's defeat wasn't just because of underestimating his opponent.

"A masterful display of swordsmanship… As expected of the kid Red Foot brought aboard. What a talent…"

A flicker of interest flashed through his eyes. Kairal lit a cigarette, took a puff, exhaled slowly, and murmured softly to himself.

On the other side, after a moment of silence, Biggie finally accepted his defeat.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the burly man sighed helplessly. "It's over."

"Yeah, Biggie, it's over," Shanuo said with a grin. He sheathed his "Lake Toya" carefully at his waist.

After securing the sword, Shanuo leaned against the wall and began rubbing his wrist, which was red, swollen, and sore—a clear aftermath of the sparring match.

While massaging his wrist, he glanced at Biggie, who was leaning on the railing silently. Scratching his head, Shanuo called out, "Hey, Biggie, no need to feel down. I know you were holding back. Otherwise, I wouldn't have lasted past the first few moves."

"I wasn't serious at first, but I know whether I held back later."

Biggie shook his head, tossing the wooden sword back to Kairal. Then, with a wry smile, he said, "Losing to a kid like you is embarrassing, but I'm not the kind of man who can't admit defeat. A loss is a loss. Nothing more to say."

"Ha! Biggie, you're straightforward. Your strength is truly impressive—worthy of being the vice-captain on Uncle Tado's ship."

Shanuo chuckled and gave a compliment, helping Biggie save face in front of the other pirates.

"You brat."

Biggie glared at him, feigning annoyance, though he looked noticeably less gloomy.

Looking back, Biggie noticed the other pirates still chattering, clearly enjoying the spectacle of his loss. Among them, a yellow-haired youth with lip piercings had just made a joke about him, causing two nearby pirates to burst out laughing.

"You punks… Laughing at me, huh?"

Biggie growled, his fist clenching as he prepared to teach the yellow-haired youth a lesson. But before he could act, Kairal extinguished his cigarette and chuckled.

"Forget it. Lika's probably finished making breakfast. Let's head to the dining room. If we're late, we'll be stuck eating something the captain cooked."

The mention of "Lika" referred to the ship's cook and the only female member of the Tado Pirate Crew.

"The captain's cooking…"

At this, the pirates' expressions changed dramatically. Even the usually fearless Biggie shivered.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Not wanting to endure any culinary torment, Biggie dropped his plans for revenge and quickly led the way to the dining hall.

The other pirates nodded and followed without hesitation.

Kairal was the last to leave. Tossing the cigarette butt into the sea, he glanced at Shanuo, who hadn't moved.

"Hey, Shanuo, aren't you coming to eat?"

Shanuo forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace. "I already ate."

"Oh, right, you did."

Kairal nodded, gave him a sympathetic look, and disappeared behind the door.

The deck quickly became empty again.

"Damn it, I'll never eat anything Uncle Tado cooks again…"

Muttering in frustration as he watched everyone leave, Shanuo sighed and decided to take a nap on the deck.

Though thrilled by the results of his sparring session and having gained a better understanding of his strength, his twelve-year-old body was already exhausted.

However, as soon as he lay down, a series of mechanical, monotone voices echoed in his mind, startling him to his feet.

"You used the Wind Sword Technique to defeat an opponent. Proficiency +100."

"Congratulations on defeating your first opponent against the odds. You've received a Beginner's Gift Pack x1 and 1 Free Skill Point."

"Since you have no basic skills learned, the skill point has been automatically allocated."

"You have used the skill point. Congratulations on learning Steel Slash (Level 1) in battle!"

…

The voice was cold and unfamiliar, but Shanuo immediately recognized it—it was the system's reward notification!

"What the heck? This dumb system's been silent for three years, and now it suddenly decides to work?"

Squinting, Shanuo muttered with disbelief.

For three years, the system had been unresponsive. But after one fight, it suddenly threw all these rewards at him?

It felt like a stingy merchant ignoring you until you finally paid, only to suddenly shower you with guidance once you "invested."

Thinking back on the system messages, Shanuo couldn't help feeling excited. Any irritation he had melted away.

With a thought, a stat panel appeared before him.

Name: Shanuo

Hero Level: 1

Strength: 11

Agility: 15

Wind Sword Technique (Basic): Proficiency 558/1000

Skills:

• Steel Slash (Level 1): A forward sword strike that unleashes a sharp wave of energy to cut through anything in its path! Gains a Cyclone Edge effect upon hit, lasting 10 seconds. Stacking 2 Cyclone Edge effects creates a whirlwind capable of knocking enemies back. Using this skill with Step Slash will result in a circular strike.

• Rise from Death: Requirements unmet. Unlockable upon advancing Wind Sword Technique to Intermediate.

• Indomitable Will: Requirements unmet. Locked.

• Wind Barrier: Requirements unmet. Locked.

• Step Slash: Requirements unmet. Locked.

• Tempest Ender: Requirements unmet. Locked.

Reputation: Negligible.