Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
Outside the city.
In an underground chamber.
Baishi, shirtless and breathing heavily, was doing push-ups while counting aloud: "496, 497, 498, 499, 500!"
After completing his 500 push-ups, Baishi leaped to his feet and exhaled deeply.
In an instant, a white mist shot out from his mouth and nose, extending a meter into the air.
It was winter in the Land of Iron, and the temperature had dropped significantly, yet Baishi was drenched in sweat, his body a clear testament to the intensity of his training.
He took a moment to steady his breath, glanced at the time, and muttered to himself, "It's almost time. I need to get going."
He had bought his ticket several days ago, and today was the day he had planned to depart.
Casually removing his weight gear, Baishi sealed it in a scroll and, as usual, checked his status panel.
As expected, after a month of evolution, his **[Cold Resistance]** had successfully reached level IV, with the progress bar at 43.2%.
Now, even in the freezing cold of the Land of Iron, he could survive without any protection from the cold.
He understood that evolution was about overcoming weaknesses and adapting to various environments. **[Cold Resistance]** gave him the ability to survive in extreme cold, ensuring that the harsh weather wouldn't pose any threat to him.
While this didn't directly enhance his combat strength, it could prove to be life-saving in certain extreme situations.
Baishi didn't consider this a waste of time.
In addition, his basic attributes had significantly improved over the past month.
Among them, [Strength] had increased the most, from 25.1 to 32.5. [Agility] followed, rising from 26.1 to 31.4. [Constitution] and [Intelligence] had the smallest increases, up by just 0.6 and 0.7, respectively, reaching 51.1 and 41.3.
And this was with most of his focus on improving [Cold Resistance]. If he had dedicated himself fully to boosting his basic stats, the results would have been far more impressive.
Shaking off his thoughts, Baishi closed his status panel, quickly washed up, and set off.
······
In the city.
In a room at an inn, Baishi's figure appeared without a sound.
After listening carefully for a moment to ensure the area was safe, he erased the Flying Thunder God seal from the corner of the table.
Next, he used a ninja technique—Wood Style: Transformation Technique—to alter his appearance to match the person who had reserved the room three days ago.
He retrieved his deposit, walked out of the inn, made his way to the harbor, and boarded the ship. Everything was proceeding smoothly.
At this point, Baishi was confident that he was truly safe.
From buying the ticket days ago to reserving the room and his journey today, he hadn't sensed anything out of the ordinary. This assured him that his plans were still intact.
About half an hour later, the cargo ship set sail.
That's right, a cargo ship.
The reason he was taking a cargo ship was simple: no passenger ships were currently traveling to his destination, so he had no choice but to board a cargo vessel.
Where was he headed?
The answer was the Land of Water, specifically, the seas near the Land of Water.
The vast ocean was home to many islands, but finding one suitable for survival was no easy task.
After all, he was still human. Humans needed food, water, and shelter. While his needs might be fewer than most, they still existed.
The seas near the Land of Water were scattered with islands. Some might not be suitable for ordinary people, but they could work for him. Even if the environment was harsh, that would be fine—it might even help him evolve the necessary abilities to survive.
It was precisely for this reason that he had to take a cargo ship.
The area wasn't particularly stable. Pirates were notorious in the region. During peaceful times, they kept a low profile, knowing that provoking someone from the Land of Water could lead to severe consequences.
But since the Ninja World War had broken out, pirate activity in the area had become increasingly rampant. Passenger ships were now too fearful to venture into those waters.
Only cargo ships, with sufficient escort power, dared to sail there, motivated by the prospect of profit.
As for why cargo ships carried passengers, the answer was simple—demand creates the market.
With fewer passenger ships, cargo ships saw an opportunity to make extra money. Baishi had paid a large sum to secure a spot on one of them.
For Baishi, money was just a number. If he needed more, he could always find a noble or two and use his influence to acquire it. So, he didn't mind the expense.
All he hoped for now was a safe journey to his destination. Everything else could be dealt with later.
······
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
The cargo ship, which had departed from the northern port of the Land of Iron, passed the Land of Lightning and finally docked in a place called the Land of Fragrance.
Located in the northwest of the Land of Water, the Land of Fragrance was officially recognized as a country, but in reality, it was just a slightly larger island.
Like most small countries, the Land of Fragrance did not have its own ninja village. Instead, it relied on a military force composed of regular citizens to maintain order.
However, unlike other small countries that were frequently raided by pirates, the Land of Fragrance was relatively wealthy due to its production of spices.
Because it was near the Land of Water, it was able to easily distribute missions, which deterred pirate groups from disturbing its people.
The locals here lived fairly peacefully.
Walking through the streets, with shops of all sizes lining both sides, Baishi couldn't help but mentally note this place as a potential base for future supplies.
After familiarizing himself with the area, he left a few Flying Thunder God seals behind and began preparing for his journey out to sea.
This time, unlike before, Baishi planned to sail alone, so there was much more to prepare.
First, he needed to buy a ship. The size didn't matter as long as he could sail it by himself—or with a few people.
Why the option for a few people? Simple: he had the Shadow Clone Technique, which allowed him to make several copies of himself to act as separate individuals.
Next, he needed a map of the nearby seas. It didn't need to be overly detailed, just enough to ensure he didn't get lost in the vast ocean.
Lastly, he had to purchase supplies. His quest to find a suitable island would not be a short-term endeavor, so he had to ensure he was well-stocked.
Having decided on his course of action, Baishi wasted no time. With money as his ally, he completed all his preparations in less than two hours.
At the dock.
Baishi stood on the deck of a ship approximately four or five meters long. Staring out at the shimmering sea, he felt a surge of boldness within.
"No wonder so many people want to become pirates. The ocean really does need someone to conquer it!"
Muttering to himself, Baishi secured the anchor, raised the sails, and, with the help of the wind, the ship slowly moved away from the dock and disappeared into the vast sea.
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