Chapter 7: Notis Island and the Taste of Blood
The journey across the sea was, as expected, dull and uneventful.
Thankfully, Mio wasn't alone. With Warwick by his side, it was far better than sailing in solitude—even if Warwick wasn't exactly a charming beauty to look at.
Onboard the ship, Mio had found a few fishing rods, so whenever boredom crept in, he would cast a line into the sea to kill time.
This particular morning, Mio was on the deck, sweating through his daily training routine—push-ups, sit-ups, and other simple exercises. They weren't fancy, but they helped improve his physique. In a world like this, physical fitness was vital.
Every kind of power, after all, demanded stamina.
"Huff... That's one thousand push-ups and one thousand sit-ups done!" Mio wiped the sweat off his brow, panting. He took a bottle of rum from Warwick, who had been quietly observing from nearby, and took a satisfying gulp. Then he walked over to the edge of the boat and squinted into the distance.
Something caught his eye.
A small island was slowly coming into view, and from the shape of the shoreline, he could already tell there was a town on it.
Eyes lighting up, Mio beamed with excitement. "Finally! A town!"
He quickly set sail toward the island, increasing the ship's speed.
"My strength isn't anything amazing yet, but I can definitely protect myself now. I should be on par with an elite soldier from the Navy Headquarters. Maybe even equal to the lowest-ranked non-commissioned officer in a pinch," Mio muttered as the island grew clearer. "In the North Blue, with Warwick backing me up, I should be among the top tier. Only a handful of people could actually pose a threat."