Chapter 10: Departure

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**Night, Dining Hall.**

Rhodes was seated in a corner, devouring his meal. His hands moved rapidly, and the mountain of food in front of him was disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His appetite far exceeded that of an ordinary person.

For most people, their physical conditioning improved gradually, and no matter how hard they trained, their daily energy requirements remained within a normal range.

Rhodes, however, was different.

His physical strength improved visibly with each passing day, a leap in progress that compressed months of rigorous training into a single day.

As a result, his body's need for energy and nutrients far surpassed that of an ordinary person.

Rhodes gnawed on a large, golden, roasted leg of lamb when suddenly, Reiz's voice broke the rhythm.

"Finally found you."

"Reiz? What's up?" Rhodes asked, glancing up briefly, his mouth still full.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Reiz rolled his eyes. "There's a practical mission tomorrow. Be there on time."

With that, Reiz turned and left without waiting for a response. It was clear their relationship was lukewarm at best, and the message was likely relayed at their squad captain Nia's request.

"Practical mission?"

Rhodes' eyes lit up momentarily, but the aroma of the food quickly pulled him back into focus as he resumed his feast.

---

**The Next Day.**

At the base of the headquarters' castle, a large crowd had gathered.

The revolutionaries lacked a standard uniform, so the group's attire was a chaotic array of styles. Rhodes couldn't help but marvel at the eccentric fashion sense that seemed so common in this world.

Fortunately, among this sea of oddities, a lone figure stood out—a bright spot in the chaos. At the forefront of the group stood Koala, her presence alone elevating the overall aesthetic of the team.

With Rhodes now among their ranks, their collective visual appeal rose even further.

"Wow, you're really something, showing up last," a tall, short-haired woman with an audacious outfit said, her tone laced with irritation.

"Am I late?" Rhodes asked casually, unfazed by her scorn.

Nia clenched her fists, clearly tempted to land a blow on him. While everyone else had shown up early, Rhodes had arrived just on time, which left her feeling undermined as the team leader.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Nia began explaining the mission:

"This task is to give you rookies a chance to experience bloodshed firsthand."

"Bloodshed? Are we taking down pirates?" Reiz asked eagerly, his eyes gleaming.

The Revolutionary Army, after all, was fundamentally opposed to traditional pirates. If given the chance, they wouldn't hesitate to take action against the wicked.

Nia scoffed. "Pirates? You're not ready for that yet. And in the New World, even a low-level pirate could squash all of you combined."

"We're heading to a group of islands near the White Soil Island. There are many wild beasts there—some as large as seven or eight meters tall, capable of swallowing you whole."

Nia's exaggerated descriptions sent a shiver through the group, but Rhodes remained calm, his expression unchanging.

"Hmm, ignorance is bliss," Nia thought, sneering inwardly. She looked forward to seeing Rhodes panic during the mission.

Rhodes, however, was genuinely excited. After a month of intense training, his strength had soared, and this mission was a perfect opportunity to test his growth.

---

As the team departed, the recruits donned gray cloaks, similar in style to the one worn by Dragon, the Revolutionary Army's leader. The uniformity added a sense of solemnity to their march.

For the next seven days, the group navigated the harsh terrain of the White Soil Island. Despite their extraordinary physical strength allowing them to cover great distances, the relentless sandstorms often forced them to change course, significantly delaying their journey.

Finally, they reached the coastline, where a large sailing ship awaited them.

Boarding the ship, the rookies fell silent, their minds preoccupied with the upcoming challenges.

---

Rhodes leaned against the ship's railing, gazing out at the vast ocean. This was his first time at sea in both lives.

No amount of videos or descriptions could compare to the raw experience of standing before the boundless expanse of the ocean. It was humbling and inspiring all at once.

Opening his status screen, Rhodes glanced at his energy reserves, which had risen to 73 points.

The seven days of travel had been a grind, limiting his ability to perform his electric-body refinement technique due to the lack of sufficient nutrition to sustain the process.

"If only I had a spatial ring," Rhodes thought idly, imagining how convenient it would be to carry around unlimited provisions.

As the ship sailed further, the White Soil Island disappeared below the horizon, and with it, the comfort of familiarity.

**(End of Chapter)**

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