Lance stared at the mark on his right hand’s middle finger, muttering to himself, "I can’t believe it…" His gaze remained fixed on the newly formed ring-like symbol, as if trying but failing to comprehend what happened.

I was equally stunned, my thoughts racing as I looked down at my own hand. "Did we just… share blessings?" I asked, my voice low, almost afraid to ask. "Can I really use your healing now?"

Lance finally looked at me, his eyes still wide with shock. A slow smile started spreading across his face, and with a sudden burst of excitement, he said, "I really hope so. A skill like your Champion’s Physique? That’s something I’ve always dreamed of having!" His smile grew into a wide, almost wild grin, and before I could say anything more, he dashed toward the deck of the small ship, laughing like a kid who had just received the best present of his life.

Still trying to wrap my head around everything, I ran after him. The rush of the wind as I reached the deck, the salty air, the ship swaying beneath me—it all felt unreal. Just one blessing had always seemed like a distant, impossible dream, yet now I had four? But even through the excitement, I couldn’t help but feel a bit cautious. "Shouldn’t we be more careful?" I called out, my voice barely loud enough to carry over the sound of the waves. "The crew might see us!"

Lance, now doing some complicated moves and jumps, landing effortlessly in the middle of the deck, laughed. "Don’t worry!" He spun around, arms raised like he was putting on a show. "My uncle’s in charge of this ship." He paused, giving me a cheeky smile. "My mother’s brother, to clarify."

He landed another complicated move, making it look way too easy. "Fascinating…" he murmured, clearly enjoying his newfound agility. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling the same rush of energy that he did.

"Show me how to use Archangel’s Touch," I said, stepping closer, still trying to grasp how this all worked.

Before Lance could respond, a deep grunt interrupted us. The captain appeared from behind, his weathered face hard as stone. He glanced briefly at the mark on my forehead but said nothing, his eyes settling on Lance. "I remember someone promising relief for my back and leg," he said in a gruff tone.

Lance chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Right, Uncle. You’re not going to believe this," he replied, his grin returning. He gestured for the captain to sit on a nearby crate while turning to me. "Watch."

He placed his hand over the captain’s back, and I watched as a soft, radiant light emerged from his palm. The captain grunted again, but this time in relief, his stiff posture relaxing under the soothing glow.

"You already used Soul Bond, right?" Lance said, glancing at me. "It’s the same principle. You search inside, focus on the blessing, and will it to happen. There’s not really much to it, but don’t overdo it. With so many blessings, it should tire you faster than usual."

The captain raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I followed Lance’s instructions, concentrating on the feeling of energy coursing through me. Tentatively, I raised my hand toward the captain, searching for the right power inside. I felt it, the warm energy tugging at my senses, and suddenly, light appeared at my fingertips. As the healing glow washed over the captain, his face softened, and I could see the tension melting away from his body.

A laugh escaped me—everything that had happened felt like a strange mix of dreams and nightmares intertwined. Before I could fully process it, the captain interrupted. "We’ll reach our destination in a few weeks, weather and winds permitting. But after that, I’ll be off quickly," he grumbled.

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Lance nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Uncle," he said, watching the captain as he stood up and left. Once he was gone, I took a moment to glance around the ship. The crew wasn’t large, but they worked efficiently on the modest vessel. Amid the activity, a thought struck me.

"I never asked…" I began, turning to Lance. "Where exactly are we going?"

Lance turned slowly, a grin spreading across his face, all teeth and a glint of something mischievous in his eyes. "The Outskirts," he said simply.

The word hit me like a punch in the gut, and all the joy drained from my body, replaced by a wave of dread. "The Outskirts?" I repeated, my voice trembling.

Lance laughed, slapping me on the shoulder. "Relax, whatever you’ve heard probably isn’t true. Yeah, the Outskirts are wild, and yeah, monsters roam there. But over the generations, we have managed to conquer quite a few parts of it."

"Monsters?" I whispered, my fear undeniable now.

"Yeah, but they’re just beasts," Lance shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

My mind raced back to the stories I had heard as a child, tales of monsters and the treasures heroes won after defeating them. "Wait… is it true that monsters can leave blessings behind?"

Lance’s serious nod answered my question. "Monsters are blessed creatures, after all. Sometimes, though rarely, blessings are left behind after their death."

I hesitated, my curiosity pushing me forward despite my fear. "But how do monsters get blessings? They’re so far away from the World Tree…"

Lance’s laugh cut through my confusion. "You mean, far from one World Tree," he said, grinning at my baffled expression.

"There’s more than one?" I asked, completely floored by the revelation.

"Of course," Lance explained. "Helenia’s Tree isn’t the only one. There are likely several wild, unclaimed ones scattered around. Every major kingdom has at least one World Tree."

I could barely process the information. I had always believed the World Tree in the city was the center of everything, the source of all blessings. The clerics always spoke of it as if it were the one true god.

We rested our arms on the railing, the wooden surface worn smooth by time and use. The waves below crashed gently against the hull, the ship rocking ever so slightly with each rise and fall. The quiet between us stretched, neither of us saying anything, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. I found myself staring at the endless expanse of ocean, the sound of the water pulling me deeper into my thoughts.

Lance didn’t speak either, his eyes fixed on the horizon, lost in whatever thoughts were swirling in his head. For a moment, it felt like the world had slowed down, the sea and the sky blurring into one vast, open space. The only movement was the ship and the occasional gull that swooped overhead.

After a long while, I broke the silence. "So, I guess I’ll need to learn how to fight?"

Lance turned his head to look at me, his eyes looking confused for a second before he laughed. "Of course you will," he said, still grinning as he looked back out at the waves. "Not just because of the monsters—that’s just the warm-up."

I frowned, feeling the lately all too familiar tug of confusion. "Warm-up for what?"

Lance’s grin widened, and he turned to me fully, his voice lowering. "We’re not staying in the Outskirts forever, Argus." His eyes gleamed with something I couldn’t quite place. "Eventually, you’ll have to claim the throne."

He said it so casually, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

But did I really want to be king? I knew I wanted to get stronger. Strong enough to not have anyone but me to determine my future. But a king? That was something else entirely, though I wasn’t about to tell that to Lance. Not after everything he’d already done for me.

I decided right then and there that I would at least try. Whether I’d end up being king or not, that was a decision I’d have to make when and if the time ever came.