fanmtl Chapter 348 348: Losing Hair Every Day Is Totally Reasonable, Right?
Chapter 348 348: Losing Hair Every Day Is Totally Reasonable, Right?
The girl loosened her grip, and a few strands of black hair drifted down.
She said nothing. She simply adjusted her stance and swung again.
Sweat dampened the hair at her forehead. Her breathing grew a little uneven, but she showed no intention of stopping.
Ritter glanced at the fallen strands and muttered, "Losing hair every day… totally normal, right?"
Time passed unnoticed. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon and dusk settled in, visibility had grown poor.
Ritter looked up at the sky and casually dispersed the two blood-forged swords.
"That's enough for today. Keep going and your body's going to fall apart."
He ruffled her hair again. Cool, smooth, familiar. Rua. Rua. Rua.
"Not bad. You're not as slow as I thought. Aside from biting a bit too hard."
The girl breathed lightly, looking up at him. After the exercise, a faint flush had finally appeared on her usually pale cheeks.
She suddenly raised her hand. Frost gathered, condensing into a delicate, crystalline ice rose that slowly bloomed in her palm. Its edges were sharp, its shape refined, more precise than before. Clearly, she had been learning from a certain "master of form" nearby. Ritter's blood dragon had been vivid enough to leave an impression.
She guided the ice rose forward and gently tapped the hand Ritter had used to hold the sword.
"Here."
Ritter paused, then chuckled. "What, thanking me with an ice flower? Works for me. It's beautiful. I like it."
The girl shook her head. She pointed at him, then at the ice rose, then mimed a sword swing.
Ritter raised a brow, thinking it over. "You mean… you can turn ice into a sword to practice from now on?"
She nodded.
"Not bad. Quick learner." Ritter grinned. "Do whatever you want. Just don't hurt yourself. The mist swords were only to help you get used to it anyway."
He stretched lazily and looked into the distance.
Joy Boy had apparently reached some kind of agreement with the siblings and a few townspeople who looked like leaders. He was walking back, smiling with exhaustion and satisfaction. Whatever he had done, it seemed to have worked out.
Ritter never asked how Joy Boy handled things. No one else did either. That was Joy Boy's business.
"I'm a pirate. Politics is a headache."
He took the girl's hand and strolled back.
From afar, they could see the siblings, A-Yang and A-Xing, working alongside Joy Boy and the townsfolk, hauling wood and stones. They were drenched in sweat, their little faces flushed, their eyes bright with energy.
The town had changed.
Ritter's earlier words had not been meant to tear them down, but to remind Joy Boy of a simple truth. These people were not entirely innocent. The world was never black and white.
Still, Joy Boy had done something remarkable. The dead city no longer felt dead.
The ruins remained, but people had begun clearing debris and repairing homes. Some knelt before graves, whispering apologies to the dead.
But more were helping each other, supporting one another.
Something called hope was taking root in this wounded land.
"A-Yang! A-Xing! Keep it up!" Joy Boy shouted, carrying three massive logs on his shoulder like it was nothing.
"Yes, Captain!" A-Yang yelled back, struggling to lift a stone bigger than himself.
A-Xing pushed from the side, her face red with effort.
Three figures. One rubber fool and two rookies. Yet somehow, they carried the momentum of an entire army.
That was Joy Boy.
His sincerity and openness had already begun to pull those two children out of their gloom.
Ritter stayed for this reason too. In this kind of atmosphere, maybe that same warmth could bring his own vice-captain back to the person he remembered.
Then, for no clear reason, the work suddenly stopped.
Joy Boy dropped the logs, planted his hands on his hips, and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Once this place is rebuilt, we're setting sail! We'll bring joy to the whole world! Wahahaha! I've got crewmates now!"
A-Yang copied him, hands on hips, chin raised. Small in size, big in spirit.
"That's right, Captain! We're going to become the freest adventurers!"
A-Xing looked at her brother, then at Joy Boy, and timidly joined them, hands on her hips.
"See… see every star in the world!"
The three stood side by side atop the ruins, heads held high, laughing like fools at a future only they could see.
Ritter watched and thought, this is ridiculous.
But then again, one person running in the rain looks crazy. A group of them starts to look like youth.
"This… is what blooming youth looks like, huh."
The surrounding townspeople couldn't help but smile at the scene.
Ritter walked over with the girl, watching the three idiots lost in their daydream.
His lips twitched.
Then he stepped forward and flicked each of them on the forehead.
"Ow!" x3
All three clutched their heads, snapping out of it.
Ritter crossed his arms, looking down at them, especially Joy Boy.
"Well, rubber idiot, picked up some decent crewmates, huh? They look… about as smart as you."
Joy Boy rubbed his head but didn't get angry. Instead, he proudly threw an arm around A-Yang and A-Xing.
"Of course! They're my companions! We're going to chase our dreams together! Right?"
"Yes, Captain!" x2
Ritter looked at the three shining faces full of reckless optimism and energy. Then he glanced at the quiet girl beside him.
Maybe… being around idiots like this wouldn't be so boring after all.
Suddenly, Joy Boy seemed to remember something.
"Ritter, look! I've got crewmates now!"
He puffed out his chest, hands on his hips.
A-Yang and A-Xing did the same, standing proudly beside him.
Ritter blinked.
What is this supposed to be?
"We practiced this for a long time just to show you," Joy Boy said. "We got too excited earlier and forgot."
Ritter snorted, turned, and waved a hand.
"Alright, that's enough posing. Work's not done yet, future Pirate Kings. Move it. Finish up, then we eat."
"Whoa!!!" x3
"Hey! Pirate King! That sounds awesome!"
"Then the three of us will all be Pirate Kings!"
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