Vir, looking at his master who had passed away with a smile on his face, didn’t succumb to sadness or tears. Instead, he gently carried his master on his back, softly saying, “Master, let’s go home,” and began the slow walk back to the dojo. His slender frame might not seem imposing, but it exuded a strength of character.
Upon returning to the dojo and seeing the blood-stained ground, Vir ignored the bodies of their enemies. He carefully carried his master, senior brother, and senior sister to the back mountain. He cleaned their faces, changed them into clean clothes, and buried his master in the front with his senior brother and sister behind him, just as they had stood together, smiling at him when he first met them. Instead of tombstones, he placed their swords in front of their graves—his master’s and senior brother’s swords, and his senior sister’s curved knife.
Having completed these tasks, Vir didn’t linger on the mountain. He returned to the dojo, changed clothes, packed a bag, took a bottle of wine, and strapped the Blood Scorpion sword to his back. He retrieved two large barrels of highly flammable oil from the storeroom, pouring it throughout the dojo and courtyard.
Standing outside the dojo, Vir recalled his first visit, meeting his master, senior brother, and senior sister. “Goodbye, my family,” he said, tossing the lit iron lighter into the courtyard. Flames quickly engulfed the dojo, burning fiercely in the morning sun, consuming the place filled with so many memories.
Returning to the back mountain, Vir sprinkled some wine on the graves of his master, senior brother, and senior sister. He took a sip himself and sat on a large rock in front of their graves, reminiscing. From his bag, he took out a wooden instrument shaped like an oval with hollow insides and a large air hole on top, with six smaller holes on the front. This was the Adam Wood he had obtained during his first mission, later crafted into an instrument unique to this world—a xun.
Vir played a melancholic tune he loved from his previous life. The mournful sound of the xun echoed through the back mountain, imbuing the morning with a sense of sadness. A young boy with a short ponytail and a black coat sat on a large stone in front of three graves, playing a peculiar instrument. The morning breeze gently moved his coat, giving him an air of melancholy and resilience beyond his years.
When the song ended, Vir looked into the distance before walking towards Loguetown without looking back. He did not say goodbye to his master, senior brother, or senior sister, fearing he might break down and cry. His master had once told him, “A man does not cry.”
Throughout the walk, Vir reflected deeply on the deaths of his master, senior brother, and senior sister. He had always known such an outcome was possible. Even if he had died last night, it wouldn’t have been unexpected. As assassins, they always faced the risk of being killed in their line of work. “Master, senior brother, senior sister, don’t worry. I, Vir, will live an extraordinary life,” he muttered to himself.
Upon arriving in Loguetown, Vir didn’t wander. He went straight to a shipyard to retrieve a ship he had commissioned a year ago. Approaching the shipyard, he ignored the fat boss’s curious expression and asked directly, “Where’s the special ship I ordered? It should have been ready long ago. Get it to the dock.”
The shipyard boss, looking apologetic, hesitated before calling over a worker and whispering to him. “I’m sorry, sir. Since you hadn’t come for a long time, another customer bought your ship. How about I find you a replacement?” the boss said with a sly smile.
“Do you want to die? If I don’t see my ship in five minutes, a single person won’t be left alive in this shipyard. I’m in a very bad mood right now,” Vir said, his black pupils narrowing, glaring at the fat pig of a boss as if he’d slaughter him at any moment.
The boss, sensing the sudden change in Vir’s aura, from a melancholic youth to a red-tinged demon, trembled uncontrollably. “I’ll show you the ship right away. Please follow me,” he stammered, too scared to argue.
“Kid, your ship caught my eye. You can scram now. A ship made of Adam Wood is rare, but it’s built too strangely. It needs to be dismantled, and it’s too small,” said a burly man approaching with a group. The man’s chest bore his pirate flag, flaunting his identity.
Vir didn’t waste words on the ruffian. He drew his sword and, with one slash, split the pirate’s head from his mouth upward, shaking the blood off his sword. “Anyone not involved, get lost, or I’ll kill you,” he said coldly, watching the stunned group.
“Run! The boss is dead with one strike. This guy’s too strong.”
“Wait, take the boss’s body!”
“Forget it, saving ourselves is more important.”
The henchmen, chattering in fear, quickly fled. The fat boss, legs trembling, couldn’t move. “Keep moving, or you won’t be able to walk ever again,” Vir threatened, scaring the boss into guiding him to the ship.
Not far away, a peculiar wooden ship appeared. It was about ten meters long and five meters wide—neither big nor small. The ship had no sails; half was a deck, and the other half a cabin. The deck featured lounging chairs, sunshades, fishing rods, and a fishing platform.
The cabin had three and a half levels. The bottom half-level was a large cold storage for food. The first level, flush with the deck, contained the helm and a small control panel, with a dining room and kitchen adjacent. The second level had a bathroom and bedroom, while the third housed a training room and storeroom.
The ship’s power came from several large batteries Vir had procured from the black market, eliminating the need for sails. Initially skeptical, Vir had asked if a ship could run on electricity. The shipyard boss said it was possible, but finding large batteries was difficult, and ships powered by electricity couldn’t travel far without recharging. Vir’s ship, however, solved this issue with him acting as a mobile power source.
After boarding, Vir went to the helm, opened a hidden compartment, and placed his hand on a golden metal ball to charge the ship. In ten minutes, the batteries were full. He kicked the fat boss off the ship and steered it towards Loguetown’s port.
With his spirits lifted, partially due to the imminent voyage, Vir was filled with a renewed determination. One last task remained before setting sail. Unsure of his destination, he headed towards the New World, eager for the promised adventures.
Docking at Loguetown’s port, Vir disembarked and walked purposefully towards his next destination.
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