Confrontation on the Pirate Ship

After translating the text into English and making the requested replacements, here is the corrected version:

Looking at the beautiful mantle, Vallynor couldn't help but appreciate it. But after a few seconds, he began to analyze it when a blue panel with a description appeared before him.

[

The Mantle of the Apostle of the God of Death - Artifact

A mantle created by the God of Death himself. Only the chosen and beings who have become apostles can wear it. Wearing it maximizes your connection to death. Spells related to Death become easier to use and more powerful. Furthermore, this mantle is more durable than most metals and can regenerate as long as even a fragment remains.

]

Surprised, Vallynor wanted to put on the mantle immediately, but with horror, he remembered that he had to go for training. Quickly checking how much time was left, he was pleased to see there was only one minute and thirteen seconds remaining.

Prepared for the training and before teleporting, Vallynor wanted to check the task panels. Opening the panels, he was surprised to find a completed task. It turned out to be the third quest. Vallynor, deep in thought, couldn't understand how he hadn't noticed that he had already completed two previous tasks, or perhaps it had just appeared. He quickly opened and read the contents of the new task.

[

There is no way back!

Congratulations, you managed to kill the Queen of the Forest and her son, and then merged their souls with yours, using the souls of hundreds of cursed children as threads. Now you can no longer consider yourself either human or dragon. The soul has become whole again but very fragile. You need to enlighten your soul using a technique that will not harm either human or dragon souls. And don't forget about the souls of the cursed children.

Objectives: Study soul and mind techniques related to humans, dragons, and darkness, reaching the first level.

Reward: Vias Deus will be replaced with????????????? (Error).

]

Confirming his decision, a new panel appeared in front of Vallynor, which read:

[

Congratulations on completing this task. You managed to find a solution for the first step. Although, to be honest, someone else solved it for you. Nevertheless, your soul still cannot fully stabilize and become whole. To achieve this, you need to develop your body, mind, and soul. Vias Deus will be replaced with materials that will help you in this development. You can also give a name to your development path; when you decide to name it, click here.

]

Several stacks of books and parchments suddenly appeared in front of him and quickly disappeared. Out of nowhere, Vallynor heard a voice:

"I will take these materials to continue my research and improve your development methods... Also, please leave the golden book in the room."

Vallynor immediately realized it was Caesar. He took out the golden book and left it on the bed. Then he quickly checked the time and panicked. There were only a few seconds left. Without further delay, he teleported quickly to the training field.

There, he met a displeased Alexander with a weapon in his hand. Alexander was restraining himself from shouting and attacking Vallynor. Regaining his composure, he looked at Vallynor and said:

"Free your hands and do ten laps on all the fields."

Looking at his hands, Vallynor remembered the mantle he received from the God of Death. It was still in his hands. Quickly stashing it in his inventory, he opened the task panel to check what task he had received.

However, he didn't even have a chance to glance at it. Alexander, giving him a harsh look, shouted:

"Fifteen laps!"

"Well, I'll check it next time. Better not provoke his anger right now," Vallynor thought. He quickly started running across the various fields, which surprisingly felt a bit easier than before. He began to feel more confident in all of this.

Alexander noticed this as well. He calmed down and began to analyze Vallynor's actions, contemplating how he could take revenge for his audacity.

***

"Today's all for now," said Alexander, looking at Vallynor. His body was covered in wounds, but they were healing. To help Vallynor recover even faster, Alexander touched his shoulder and directed his energy into him.

Neifan watched from the side and pondered what Vallynor could have done to anger Alexander. He recalled how Alexander made Vallynor train without breaks and even taught him to use his inner world. After that, he handed Vallynor swords and told him to fight.

Neifan could confidently say it wasn't a battle or a duel, but rather a beating, where Vallynor had to block or dodge Alexander's attacks. And today, it seemed Neifan wouldn't be able to teach Vallynor combat skills.

After bidding farewell, Vallynor teleported first to his room, where he calmed his mind a bit. Then he made a note not to irritate Alexander in the future and quickly checked the task panels.

[

The Second Day in Hell... Or, more accurately, training. ;)

Found in the last refuge of sentient beings who haven't fallen into eternal darkness, you were taken for training and survival assistance in this accursed world. You must train and learn, understand and realize how this world is constructed.

Objective: Complete the second day of training.

Reward: 2,500 necro-coins.

]

After reading the tasks, Vallynor realized that it was the same task as yesterday, only the description had changed slightly. However, the reward had been halved. What did that smiley face mean?

Knowing he had little time and not wanting to waste it on useless things, he looked at the second task.

[

The Second Step.

After several years of wandering in this world, we have managed to take the first step toward enlightenment with great difficulty. But don't celebrate too much. You've become a little stronger than an ordinary human, but for powerful beings, you're still a pitiful cockroach, bothering their eyes. They need to torment and torture you to become stronger.

Objectives: Advance to the second level of all forms of development.

Reward: A Gift from the God of Death (The God of Death is pleased with you, but don't provoke him further, or you may receive a **got's swords).

]

The comment caused an involuntary eye twitch, but after calming down, Vallynor quickly read the last tasks.

[

The Soul. What?

Your soul is a mixture of different beings, parts of different souls, all becoming one whole. Unfortunately, even after enlightenment, it is not yet complete. It has become stronger and is no longer susceptible to destruction, but not as resilient as a newborn soul. To change this, you must continue your path and illuminate your body, mind, and soul.

Objectives: Achieve the third level of awareness in all paths.

Reward:????

]

After reading the last task, he nodded and closed the task panels. He didn't dwell too much on why there were question marks for the reward. He had seen these symbols often and suspected that the reward would change over time because the third level wouldn't come quickly.

All the tasks were related to his development, and that seemed strange yet good at the same time. Becoming stronger would help him understand why everyone was so eager for him to become stronger. He didn't want to think only about defending against enemies. Maybe there was something more?

Closing the panels, Vallynor cleared his mind and teleported to Horkim's forge. The dwarf almost struck him with his hammer, shouting, "Don't touch my beauties, demons!" Then, smiling, he said, "Good thing it's you. I thought it was creditors and their gang."

Vallynor sighed and began a new lesson with Horkim, where there was no room for shouts like, "Not like that! You're a fool!..."

***

Leaving the forge, Vallynor immediately headed to his room and looked around, realizing he didn't know where the bathroom was. He didn't need to use the restroom unless he had overeaten. When he ate, food remnants didn't completely disappear from his body, leaving small crumbs.

Nonetheless, he now wanted to take a shower to cleanse his body. As an undead, he couldn't experience sweating, but external factors could still soil him. After working with Horkim on iron, he had, of course, gotten dirty.

In front of him appeared a small bell, and he heard Caesar's voice:

"Ring this bell, and a servant will come to fulfill almost all your wishes. You have ten minutes."

Vallynor took the bell in his hands and began to ring it. A small man in a servant's uniform appeared from the wall. After making a bow, he spoke:

"How may I be of service?"

"A fairy?" Vallynor asked.

"No, my name is Astro. I'm a House Pixie. 'Fairy' is a general term for various kinds of beings. You could say I resemble a fairy... So, why did you summon me, sir?"

"Oh, yes. Can you show me where the bathroom is here? I want to take a shower," Vallynor remembered the reason for summoning the servant and replied.

"Of course," Astro said, making a bow, and turned towards the door.

Vallynor followed Astro and quickly found the bathroom. Upon closer inspection, he realized he was in his previous world since it resembled a luxurious bathroom. However, with a more careful look, he noticed many details. Instead of a showerhead, there was a large circle with symbols, and a massive blue stone hovered above it. There were many such peculiarities.

"Do you need assistance?" Astro interrupted Vallynor and asked.

"No, it's not necessary," he replied, seeing that the working technique was different, though it was based on magic. However, the method of control was nearly the same. If he needed anything, he could turn and fiddle with things to figure out how they worked.

Before closing the bathroom door, Astro warned him that he had only a little time left.

***

Caesar felt someone enter the room, and he already knew who it was. Looking at Vallynor, who was dressed in a black cloak, Caesar carefully examined his cloak and said:

"Before we begin the lesson, I warn you to be diligent in your training. You've just taken the first step in your development, and for us, it's a small step. But everything starts with a small step. Let's begin."

Vallynor nodded and sat down. Looking at Caesar, who stood up from his desk, he silently said:

"Mana is the greatest energy that allows sentient beings to become powerful. However, it's a mixture of different types of energy, such as fire or water. What's the difference? The difference is that when using mana, the spell will work properly. If you use a specific type of energy, the spell takes on the characteristics of that energy. For example, if you use water energy to conjure fire, the fire will be summoned, but it will be weaker, and unexpected effects may occur. However, it all depends on the caster. Any questions?"

"What's better: mana or specific types of energy?"

"Mana. Mana is the source and, at the same time, the balancing energy. It's everywhere, unlike specific types of energy, which are rare and found only in special places."

"Are there any advantages to using specific types of energy?"

"There are. One of the most obvious advantages is the enhancement of spells."

While Caesar explained everything and went over all the nuances, Vallynor had to jot everything down on paper. He used a magical pen that extracted internal energy to write without ink.

After two hours had passed, Caesar said with some regret:

"That's all for today. For the next two hours, Fernando will teach you music and spellcasting using a musical instrument."

At that moment, a man dressed modestly and holding a violin in his hand opened the door to the room. Seeing Vallynor, he raised his hand joyfully and almost shouted:

"Hello, new friend. I will be your teacher for the next two hours today." He turned to Caesar and bowed, then continued, "With your permission, I'll take the boy with me."

Caesar nodded, and then he watched as Fernando started playing the violin. Later, Ferdinand and Vallynor disappeared. Caesar sighed and began tapping his finger on the table. During this time, a fairy entered the room and said:

"Tell them to pay the agreed amount to Fernando. And also... dark times are approaching soon."

"As you wish," the fairy said, making a small bow, and left the room.

***

Waking up, Vallynor found himself in front of a massive organ with huge pipes. When he looked to his right, he saw a guitar. Glancing around, he noticed various musical instruments, some of which he knew and others he was seeing for the first time in his life.

Behind him, Fernando appeared, playing a flute. After finishing his performance on the instrument, he joyfully explained through song what music meant and how the lesson would proceed. From the song, Vallynor understood that the first hour would be dedicated to a discussion of music and its intricacies.

Fernando paused and began to explain music more conventionally.

***

High in the sky, a massive ship soared. It was a black vessel, riddled with cracks and holes. Various creatures, from small to two-meter-tall individuals, roamed its deck, and they were all completely black.

They wandered aimlessly without a specific destination. One of the creatures even fell from the ship through a hole.

At the helm sat a man with a long black beard. His hands and feet were entirely black, while only his head and body were relatively pale. He held an old monocular in his hands, through which he scrutinized the city attentively. He could clearly see beautiful women strolling through the city.

Then he turned his gaze to his crew and said, "Well, my fallen ones, prepare the ship. We're heading straight for the city... RAISE THE SAILS!" The captain shouted, not letting go of the wheel, and directed the ship straight towards the city.

The fallen ones carried out the command, experiencing a strange sensation. At the same time, they clumsily damaged the ship itself.

***

While Fernando was teaching Vallynor, he suddenly fell silent. Then they heard a loud gunshot, and an earthquake made the instruments tremble, causing some of them to fall.

Fernando snapped his fingers a few times in rhythm, and all the instruments returned to their places. Vallynor heard another gunshot, followed by a new earthquake.

"What in the...?" Vallynor looked at Fernando. He wanted to ask where the male voice was coming from.

"Open the gates and give me ten hands, or I'll blast this city to hell. Ha-ha-ha!" The man wildly laughed at the end.

"That scoundrel again," Fernando didn't even attempt to see who was shouting. Instead, he began to sing, and all the instruments were surrounded by invisible domes.

Vallynor stepped outside and looked up, seeing a massive black ship, surrounded by gloomy clouds that moved like ocean waves. Next to him appeared Fernando, clicking his tongue and saying:

"This guy is named Vinson Galston, but everyone knows him as Blacktooth. He's a repulsive and unpleasant pirate who spends half his time drunk and commands his band of fallen."

"So, is he here for revenge?" Vallynor asked.

"Of course not. He's here for women and alcohol. And then he'll disappear again for a while."

"But why does everyone shun him? Is she willing to sleep with anyone?" Vallynor asked, pondering that the girls slept with anyone.

"No one wants to turn into a fallen. When he's done playing with someone, he sucks the remnants of their energy and turns them into fallen. His crew consists only of those he created."

"So what do we do then?"

"Drive him away or kill him. But because of that ship, he'll always be able to escape... Let's get back. We don't have much time."

Vallynor nodded and entered with Fernando. Projectiles and spells began flying behind them in response from the ship.

***

"Give me women and beer! Are you so pitiful?" Blacktooth shouted, observing as all the women responded with indignation to his insults and curses, promising not to satisfy him with their hands, mouths, or anything else. This irritated him.

"Give me something to eat at least!" Blacktooth yelled, closely eyeing the female part that hurled dangerous spells at him.

Hearing his request, the women grew even more furious at his audacity. Blacktooth found his target, raised his hand, and said, "Harpoon!" pointing a finger at the victim.

The ready harpoon instantly flew towards the target, piercing through the barriers in its path. It disappeared and reappeared inside the victim, flying further toward its intended target.

The girls immediately realized his intentions. This wasn't the first time he used the harpoon in this way. However, they didn't know how to fight it because he could pass through all obstacles. They could use it only once every five years, as the harpoon had to recharge for five years due to the limited amount of mana. But the depletion of mana had increased the time to three years.

The harpoon sped straight toward the target, while the girl herself tried to escape. Unfortunately, once launched, the harpoon would not stop until it reached its goal. And if the harpoon hit the girl, she would instantly find herself on the ship's deck, something no one wanted to experience.

Realizing she couldn't evade the harpoon, she began creating barriers in front of her and prayed for someone to save her. She didn't want her last days to end on this cursed ship.

At the last moment, Alexander appeared, stopping the harpoon with his sword. The harpoon came to a complete halt and dropped, vanishing into the hands of Blacktooth. He clicked his tongue and said, "15 years of waiting. Just a few moments that separated me and this lady from our love. And now you, appearing, are preventing her from being with her beloved."

"When did I love you?" She began to protest, calming her emotions after hearing what this killer had said.

"Go back, Vinson Galston," Alexander replied to him.

"Blacktooth for you, landlubber lion... I've come for my sacr... woman to warm my bed. And I won't leave this time, like the last... Your mother."

Alexander attacked Blacktooth with his sword, while he himself used the harpoon as a weapon. The fallen, aligning with Alexander, attacked like wild beasts, seeing a tempting prey.