"I thought it was a well-made boat," he remarked.
"...Hmph. Don't flatter me," came the gruff reply, as Anglago tried to hide his pleased expression.
Inside, Yi-Han sighed. 'The fact that this ferry is the best option saddens me.'
Without the ability to learn the enchantment immediately or become friends with the ice spirits, the ferry was the only option left.
He had no choice but to check it out, however begrudgingly.
"How many can it carry?"
"Twenty, easily!"
Anglago's confidence only served to heighten Yi-Han's concerns, especially considering the small ferry seemed barely capable of carrying ten.
"Good timing. Now that you’re here, Wardanaz, try boarding it!"
Yi-Han struggled to remain composed, his already cool demeanor turning colder.
Anglago flinched at his expression. 'Did I speak too harshly?'
"Before that... I'd like to see you row it alone. It won't be as easy with others aboard."
Anglago reacted enthusiastically to Yi-Han's words, quickly climbing aboard the ferry after tossing aside his coat.
"Watch this!"
He skillfully began rowing with well-carved oars in each hand, the sail-less ferry gliding smoothly over the lake's calm surface.
Anglago's friend watched in admiration. "Impressive, Anglago!"
Gliding as if he owned the lake, Anglago seemed truly free, evoking a sense of liberty in the White Tiger students, a feeling long forgotten. It was as if they were not at a magic academy but on some tranquil, beautiful lake.
'The boat doesn't leak.'
While the friends from the White Tiger were lost in the feeling, Yi-Han coolly analyzed the situation. The ferry didn't leak, and after more than ten minutes on the lake, there were no attacking monsters or skull principals. It seemed safe.
"What do you think, Wardanaz? Do you acknowledge Anglago's skill?"
"Sorry, but not yet."
"Why not?"
"Anyone can row alone. But can he do the same with another on board?"
Provoked by Yi-Han's challenge, Anglago's friend shouted, "Anglago! Wardanaz is asking if you can show the same skill with me aboard?"
"Of course!"
Anglago quickly brought the ferry back to shore and shouted as he took his friend aboard, "Watch this, Wardanaz!"
"Let's see. It's impossible to row the same with another person aboard," Yi-Han taunted.
Anglago, reacting effectively to the provocation, rowed even more vigorously than before, his muscles swelling with effort.
For over twenty minutes, Yi-Han goaded Anglago with comments like 'Still unsure,' 'Anyone can do this for a short time,' and 'Your true skill might soon be revealed.'
Having confirmed what he wanted, Yi-Han nodded. 'Perhaps I can befriend these White Tiger folks after all.'
"Huff... Huff... Huff... See... my... skill..."
"Yes, I admit defeat," he acknowledged.
Upon hearing Yi-Han's words, Anglago wanted to shout for joy but was too exhausted to do so. He could only pant heavily, lying sprawled on the grass.
After a considerable rest, Anglago finally regained enough strength to stand.
“Then let me ride it too.”
"...You too?"
Anglago let out a weak voice unintentionally, revealing his fear after several strenuous efforts at rowing.
Seeing his hesitation, Yi-Han offered simple encouragement. "Surely you're not lacking confidence..."
"Get on!"
With a sudden burst of energy, Anglago leaped up and boarded the ferry. His friend, Dukma, asked with a worried expression, "Wouldn't it be better if I got off?"
"Dukma! Don't you trust me?"
"...I'm sorry, Anglago. I have disrespected your honor!"
"Let's get moving."
Yi-Han spoke in a disinterested voice, indifferent to the knights' display of friendship.
'First, to ascertain the island's location.'
Now that he knew the ferry was reasonably safe, his next objective was to locate the island and secure a path to it.
Anglago gritted his teeth and began to row. Once again, the ferry slid over the surface of the lake.
Yi-Han frowned, concentrating on observing the surroundings.
'If only I had a telescope.'
It would have been much easier with an artifact or magic.
A memory of what Arlong had told him came to Yi-Han's mind:
-A master swordsman uses mana to activate and enhance their physical abilities. While not as refined or systematic as magic, this power is more than sufficient in a life-or-death melee.-
If this was true, perhaps it was possible to enhance his vision with mana.
Yi-Han gathered his mana.
He was not yet able to circulate and control the mana within his body to strengthen a single organ.
However, Yi-Han had an abundant supply of mana to squander.
He released the mana throughout his body, focusing it on his eyes, temporarily enhancing his vision.
"?!?!"
The two students beside him panicked as Yi-Han suddenly emitted a fierce aura.
They had forgotten something. They were on a lake! – a perfect place to dispose of a body!
In a rush, the two White Tiger students grabbed their wooden swords, fearing for their lives.
That's when Yi-Han exclaimed, "Found it!"
"??"
"I've located the island."
"What?! How did you find it!"
Anglago was astounded.
Even when building the ferry and after setting it afloat, they had not found any trace of the island.
They had thought it impossible to venture further without taking undue risks.
"Lucky, I suppose. But why are you holding your wooden swords?"
"..."
"...It was just a reflex, being startled by your sudden shout."
"Seems you're more scared than I thought."
The White Tiger students were almost in tears.
It was your sudden outburst of mana that startled us!
Yi-Han meticulously recorded the direction.
"Let's head back. Now that we've confirmed the direction, we can return later."
"Alright. Got it."
Anglago was inwardly relieved. His muscles had been screaming in protest for a while.
"Ugh."
Fatigued, Anglago clumsily missed a stroke with the oar.
'What's that?'
Startled by the sensation of something soft struck by the oar, Anglago flinched.
Splash-
"...???"
And soon, he would discover what he had hit.
From beneath the lake's surface, a bulging mass of water emerged, shifting its shape.
The presence of a spirit was palpable. It was a water spirit.
With a hiss, the water spirit launched sharp spikes of water. Yi-Han kicked Dukma's back, knocking him over just in time. The water spikes narrowly missed Dukma's head.
"I'm sorry, Wardanaz! It was me, I disturbed the water spirit!"
"Anglago! What have you done?"
Dukma, who had fallen forward, cried out in shock. Angering a water spirit on the lake was an unbelievable mistake.
'No... it doesn't seem angry.'
Unlike the panicked duo, Yi-Han coolly observed the spirit. Although fierce, it was much weaker compared to spirits like Ferkuntra. Lacking sophisticated communication abilities, it clearly wasn't a high-ranking spirit.
The emotion emanating from the spirit was... fear!
Yi-Han couldn't understand why the water spirit was afraid of them. Was it really scared just because it was hit by an oar?
'...Damn.'
Yi-Han cursed under his breath, realizing the truth. The culprit wasn't Anglago; it was Yi-Han himself. His earlier rampant release of mana to find the island had terrified the spirit in the water.
Whish, whish, whish!
The frightened spirit, trying to drive Yi-Han away, shot more water spikes. The White Tiger students screamed at the chilling attack, but Yi-Han, without even blinking, countered effortlessly with his staff. The water beads erupted from the lake, intercepting the spikes with dull thuds.
'At first glance, it seems threatening, but it's not really that strong.'
The White Tiger students were deceived by its appearance, but with calm reactions, they could have easily avoided or blocked the attacks. To Yi-Han, who had blocked Professor Boladi's attacks countless times, the spirit's spikes were no longer a threat.
'This... this guy...'
Anglago was more amazed by Yi-Han than the angered spirit. It was unbelievable that they had entered together and learned together. What kind of training did the Wardanaz family provide to turn someone into such an emotionless fighting machine?
Yi-Han turned his head and looked down expressionlessly at Anglago. Even as the water spikes flew menacingly, Yi-Han parried them without looking, making Anglago's heart sink.
"Pull yourself together and get up. I need your strength."
"Are you... not blaming me?"
"..."
Yi-Han was momentarily puzzled.
'Ah. He thinks it's his fault.'
Anglago mistakenly believed that the water spirit's behavior was due to him hitting it with an oar. Such a misconception.
"You are at fault. But anyone can make mistakes."
There was no need for Yi-Han to correct him.
"What matters is how you act afterward."
Anglago was moved without realizing it.
To think that there would come a day when he would be so touched by the words of Wardanaz...!
"Alright. Leave it to me!"
Anglago drew his sword and stood up. Yi-Han then asked, as if wondering what he was doing.
"What are you doing?"
"...Aren't I supposed to deflect the spikes? With my swordsmanship?"
"No. Row the boat."
"..."
Anglago sat back down and took hold of the oars.
Meanwhile, the water spirit realized that none of its attacks could harm this monstrous being.
Trembling, the water spirit made a different choice.
"...Wait!"
Yi-Han, realizing too late, tried to intervene urgently, but the water spirit had already begun summoning its companions.
"Shield, expand!"
Instead of water beads, Yi-Han spread out a broad shield.
The frightened water spirits began targeting not Yi-Han, but the ferry itself.
'Cowardly spirits.'
Yi-Han vowed never to let his guard down again in the face of water spirits.
As he thickened the water shield, Yi-Han maintained his composure, but the continuous assault of water spikes had the two White Tiger knights screaming in terror.
The opaque water shield barely held against the viciously striking spikes, leaving them wondering if it would penetrate at any moment.
Yi-Han's apparent ease made it all the more terrifying. Aren't you scared?!
'Professor Boladi would be in tears seeing this.'
Yi-Han was incredulous at the spirits' unvarying straight-line attacks.
By this point, they should have realized they couldn't breach the water shield, yet they kept repeating the same attacks?
Amidst the intense exchange, the ferry gained speed.
The distance between them and the frightened spirits began to widen.
"...Wait. Where are we heading?"
Yi-Han realized that the ferry was speeding towards the opposite side of the lake shore.
In his frantic rowing, Anglago had inadvertently directed them towards the island.
