Chapter 16: The return Journey

Ray alongside Ryan reached the pier and started loading his goods purchased onto the raft.

Observing his raft, Ryan remarked, "Brother, please be cautious of the large fish in the lake. It may deem your raft unworthy and could easily overturn it with a flick of its tail."

Ray did not take the joke seriously and expressed his gratitude for the assistance in carrying his luggage and the help provided the previous day.

After a firm handshake and a tight hug, Ray boarded his raft and set out to return to his adobe in the mountains. 

Ryan observed Ray drifting in the lake, leaving the patrol area of the island, and gradually disappearing.

After seeing off Ray, Ryan immediately started walking back to return to his house.

On his way back Ryan met with other villagers who greeted him with a smile and inquired about the chief summon.

Ryan greeted them and informed them that the chief had an important announcement to make, so he had asked them to gather.

Within a few of walking, Ryan reached the house, politely bid farewell to his fellow villagers, swiftly passing the other villagers, and stood next to his brothers, who were maintaining order in front of the house.

After a few minutes, all the villagers had gathered, so the eldest son went into the house and informed his father of their arrival.

Within a few minutes, Thomas returned followed by the chief trailing behind him.

As soon as the chief entered the scene all the villagers stopped their murmurs and eagerly waited for the chief to talk.

"We were residing on this island for nearly five years, and you guys have all followed me here from the once prosperous city to the remote wilderness where people won't bait an eye without asking any questions."

And I am grateful to you all for these years, due to our business rivalry I had made few enemies and we had to leave our hometown and flee this far as our enemies might follow us any distance to achieve their goal.

"Yesterday, I acquired a few spirit fruits, and everyone is eager to know the outcome. We have successfully obtained them, and I have transformed them into pills. Currently, I possess about ten bottles of pills, each representing a hope to become an ultimate warrior who could be a formidable force.

 Each household will have a pill, and I expect your continued dedication to digest the pill and achieve the status of a martial artist."

"There are approximately 70 households, and I will now distribute these pills accordingly. Line up to receive them and take the pill once you reach your home.

In a month, I will take everyone back to our former home, and we will regain what we have lost," the chief declared.

"The remaining pills will be added to the treasury, and any exceptional descendant or warrior can exchange them for their notable contributions." the chief commanded 

The villagers were jubilant as they listened to the chief's speech and started lining up obediently to receive the pill.

After the speech, the chief left the stage, handed the tedious work to his son, and retired to his home.

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While the chief was making a fiery speech to his villagers, ray who has left now was stuck paddling the raft to his destination as the water flow was not in his direction which increase the difficulty of navigating the raft.

"I should have asked for a nice boat, instead of insisting on using my own raft." ray lamented.

As ray was in a dilemma a big fish appeared in his view which was swimming in the lake while doing acrobatics across the lake.

Upon seeing the fish, Ray thought this might be the one the chief had been talking about. Ray believed the fish did not seem dangerous and might have been attempting to play with the villagers. This thought occurred after noticing the fish's silly expression while causing mischief in the river.

Watching the fish swim by Ray got a brilliant idea and started shouting to attract the fish but the fish stopped to observe him and ignored him afterward.

Seeing the fish swim by without stopping to his shouts Ray was downcast and began thinking of other options to attract its attention.

Ray searched all his supplies and didn't find any item that might attract a fish, then he remembered the pills the chief has gifted and took the bottle out.

As soon as the bottle stoper was opened the medicine fragrance was drifted along the wing and reached the fish and the fish which smelled the pill fragrance stopped swimming and started to move towards ray's raft.

It began circling around the raft and impatiently urged ray to throw the good, smelled food to it by seeing towards the pill bottle.

Ray chuckled and closed the bottle cap and put it back into his bag.

Upon seeing this the fish was downcast and ray saw the fish expressing "are you not going to eat then why did you take it out" 

Ray chuckled and asked it to pull his raft towards his home and he will reward the delicious food to it upon reaching his destination.

The fish thought for a second and agreed by moving its fins while positioned itself Infront of the raft.

Ray took a rope which was tied to the raft and other end was thrown into the lake which was taken by the fish and started pulling the raft at a steady speed.

In matter of few minutes Ray reached the Mountain valley where his house was located and directed the fish to swim through the passage which he had used to pass through.

The fish swam drifty in the passage and reached the small lake, and the fish pulled his raft to the center mountain.

After reaching the destination Ray took out a pill from the bottle and threw it into the lake which the fish drifty caught and swallowed it and happily burped and began swimming in the lake.