"Ding! Temporary mission [Escape from Kerry City] completed. Random reward: Navy Six Powers – Soru!"
The system notification echoed like a divine voice. Lin En's heart surged with excitement—he had obtained Soru, one of the Rokushiki techniques used by the Navy! Haha!
"System, I want to claim my reward!"
A stream of information poured into Lin En's mind, detailing the training method for Soru. As the data settled, Lin En found he had already grasped the basics—he had entered the introductory stage. With a bit of practice, he could now perform Soru in battle.
Elated by the reward, Lin En was eager to try it out immediately. But, since he was still fleeing for his life, he had to suppress the urge.
Through the night, Lin En drove the carriage at full speed. After several hours of travel—he wasn't sure how far they'd gone—he was finally far from Kerry City. Fortunately, the horses in this magical world weren't ordinary; they possessed traces of magical beast bloodlines, giving them excellent stamina. Otherwise, they would've collapsed long ago.
"Master Lin, stop the carriage."
A voice called out from inside—it was Lin Rongfu. He seemed to have recovered somewhat.
Hearing this, Lin En halted the carriage and jumped down. He lifted the curtain and entered the compartment, finding Lin Rongfu looking much better than before.
"How are you feeling, Grandpa Fu?" Lin En asked with concern.
"I'll live," Lin Rongfu replied with a weak smile. While his wounds had stabilized, full recovery would take a long time. "We're lucky Miss Iver helped us."
"I'll repay that favor no matter what," Lin En nodded solemnly.
"We can't keep traveling by carriage," Lin Rongfu said. "It leaves too clear a trail."
"You mean... my stepmother will still pursue us?" Lin En asked.
"She definitely will. That venomous woman won't rest until you're dead. She wants her son to inherit the Earl's title, and you're the biggest obstacle," Lin Rongfu said bitterly. "By sunrise, she'll surely send more people after us."
"What do we do then?" Lin En asked nervously, unsure how to proceed. He had been an ordinary man on Earth. Even with the system now, his thinking was still grounded in that ordinary experience—he had no idea how to handle this level of danger.
"Abandon the carriage. Let it continue forward to mislead them. We'll head into the forest and lay low until I recover," Lin Rongfu suggested, his eyes gleaming with resolve. This was a blood debt, and he would see it repaid. The Earl's title, rightfully Lin En's, must be reclaimed.
"Alright. I'll follow your lead, Grandpa Fu."
Lin En naturally didn't object. In this new world, aside from the system, Lin Rongfu was his greatest support. This loyal old servant was his most dependable ally.
The two jumped off the carriage. Lin Rongfu whipped the horse hard, and the beast took off into the night, dragging the empty carriage. Meanwhile, Lin En and Lin Rongfu slipped into the dense forest.
On the continent of Divine Grace, vast primeval forests were everywhere. Many were home to magical beasts and rarely visited by humans. Even powerful adventurers avoided deep regions. For fugitives like them, it was the perfect hiding place.
Back in Kerry City – Earl's Mansion
Bright lights filled the mansion.
"Useless! All of you are nothing but useless trash! You can't even capture a half-dead old man and a powerless brat! What do I keep you for!?"
Lady Rose, the Earl's wife, was livid. Her voluptuous figure trembled with rage, and her beautiful face was twisted with fury and malice.
She had waited for this day for so long—her husband, Earl William, was away on a trip to the capital, and she had seized the chance to eliminate Lin En, her greatest obstacle in securing the title for her own son.
She hadn't expected that half-dead old man, Lin Rongfu, who usually seemed so frail, to possess such terrifying strength. He had protected Lin En and carved a bloody path out. Even her trusted expert, Teddy, had been seriously injured.
And then there were those mysterious black-cloaked strangers—interfering in the family affairs of the Earl's House? Who did they think they were?
The entire city had been searched from top to bottom, yet Lin En and Lin Rongfu had vanished without a trace. After all that scheming, she had nothing to show for it. How could she not be furious?
Teddy and the rest of the guards—including Schroeder, the mage elder—could only bow their heads in shame under her wrath.
"Keep searching!" Lady Rose spat. "Turn the world upside down if you must—I want Lin En's head brought to me!"
"I don't care what it takes—put a bounty on him. Let every mercenary guild know: whoever kills that trash will be richly rewarded!"
"Yes, ma'am!" the guards responded in unison.
As they left, Lady Rose swept a table full of expensive porcelain to the floor, smashing everything in a fit of rage.
Back in the Forest
Morning light filtered through the forest canopy. In a hidden hollow beneath the trees, Lin En stirred awake. After entering the forest the night before, he and Lin Rongfu had found this small tree cave and collapsed from exhaustion.
Lin En opened his eyes to see Lin Rongfu already awake, keeping watch. The forest was full of unknown threats, and the experienced old man had only rested a few hours before resuming his vigil.
"Grandpa Fu, you're up so early—why not rest more?" Lin En asked.
"At my age, I don't sleep as much anymore," Lin Rongfu said with a weak smile. Though his condition had improved, his face was still pale. Last night's outburst of strength had further damaged his already injured body.
Seeing the old man so spirited, Lin En relaxed. His greatest fear was that Rongfu might collapse from his wounds after they'd finally escaped. By now, Lin En viewed the man like family.
The sun had risen, and golden rays filtered through the branches. Lin En stepped outside, letting the warm light bathe him. After the long, harrowing night, this moment felt like a new beginning.
"Grandpa Fu, we've made it. Things should go smoothly from here, right?" he asked optimistically.
"Yes, young master. Your path will be much smoother from now on," Lin Rongfu replied with a smile. Seeing Lin En full of hope filled him with comfort. After surviving this ordeal, the young master was finally starting to grow up. Even if he couldn't cultivate, perhaps he could still live a happy, peaceful life. If only... he could live long enough to see it.
"Starting today, no one can stop me," Lin En declared confidently, spreading his arms. "I have the system—who needs magic or aura? I've got Devil Fruits, Haki, and Rokushiki. I'll prove they're stronger!"
Grrrrr...
His stomach suddenly growled loudly.
"Master, please wait here. I'll go hunt something," Lin Rongfu said, struggling to rise.
"You're injured, Grandpa Fu. Let me go!" Lin En stopped him quickly. "You need to rest, and besides, I'm not the same as before. I'll take care of us."
"How can I let you do that? Taking care of you is my job..." Lin Rongfu insisted.
"Please, trust me. I'm stronger now. Let me handle this," Lin En said firmly.
Seeing the determination in his eyes, Lin Rongfu finally relented. "Alright, but don't go far. If you run into danger, call out immediately—I'll come at once."
"Don't worry! Get ready for a meat feast!" Lin En laughed and took the sword from Lin Rongfu before heading off into the woods.
Despite his confidence, Lin En felt a bit nervous. On Earth, he'd been an average office worker. Hunting wasn't exactly in his skillset. But his stomach left him no choice—today, he was going to play hunter.
Sword in hand, he moved cautiously through the forest, scanning for prey. Since eating the Mythical Zoan Phoenix Fruit, all his senses had improved dramatically. It didn't take long before he spotted a target.
A massive pink-furred rabbit, the size of a small dog. It had to weigh at least 20 or 30 kilograms. Lin En was stunned—was this what animals were like in this world?
"Nice. Rabbit meat is tasty, and they're not known for fighting back. Looks like I'm having roast tonight."
He crept closer with his sword raised, but the rabbit suddenly looked up—its red eyes locking onto his.
Before Lin En could react, the rabbit opened its mouth and spat a fireball the size of a fist straight at him.
"WHAT THE—It breathes fire?! This rabbit's a freakin' magical beast?!"
He barely had time to dodge.