Velandel looked at the bewildered Hans. For the first time, a clear ripple appeared on his usually calm face.
His gaze locked firmly onto Hans, who had just removed his blindfold, and he walked straight toward him.
"You… can use the Heart Net?"
Hans was taken aback and waved his hands hurriedly.
"Huh? I don't know! I just… just felt like I was about to get hit, so I dodged…"
"Is that so?" Velandel's brows knit slightly. "In that case, I will be your opponent next."
Without waiting for a response, he took the cloth-wrapped wooden staff from Hiriluk's hand.
Hiriluk opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately remained silent. After all, if they could learn this ability, it would certainly be a good thing.
"Ah? Well… alright."
Hans sighed and obediently put the blindfold back on, still muttering nervously.
"I'm not a combatant, you know… so please go easy!"
Velandel gave no reply. With a flick of his wrist, the wooden staff swept toward Hans's abdomen from the left!
Blindfolded, Hans seemed completely unaware. Yet just as the staff was about to strike, he suddenly threw himself to the right, landing face-first onto the cloud ground. The staff barely grazed his back as it passed.
Velandel's eyes sharpened, but his movements did not slow.
Before Hans could even get up, Velandel stepped forward, raising the staff high and bringing it down toward the back of Hans's neck with a faint whistle of wind.
Lying prone, Hans seemed to have eyes on his back. Without even having time to shout, he rolled twice to the left in a clumsy scramble. The movements were ugly, but they once again caused the fierce strike to miss, leaving only a shallow dent in the soft cloud ground.
Over the next dozen breaths, Velandel's attacks came in a continuous stream, striking from every possible angle and cutting off Hans's retreat.
And yet Hans, relying on a series of awkward and graceless movements, caused each of Velandel's attacks to miss again and again.
The crew members who had been practicing nearby gradually fell silent. Even Aldo stopped joking around, his eyes widening in astonishment.
Velandel finally halted.
For the first time, his calm expression clearly shifted.
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, expanding his Heart Net and locking his perception firmly onto Hans, who was still brushing dust off his clothes.
The next strike came even faster, aimed straight at Hans's left shoulder.
This time, however, Hans—who had been able to roughly sense the direction of the attacks—suddenly lost all guidance.
He tilted his head slightly from side to side, confusion appearing on his face. His body froze in place without making any evasive move.
Smack!
The staff struck his shoulder solidly. Though wrapped in cloth, the blow still carried weight.
"Ow!"
Hans cried out and quickly pulled off the blindfold.
Velandel also lowered the staff and stood still, looking at him with a complicated gaze.
"You already possess the Heart Net."
Hans rubbed his shoulder, still looking completely confused.
"The Heart Net…? I really don't know!"
"There's no need to doubt it. I've already tested it," Velandel said calmly. "Your Heart Net likely awakened only recently. When I struck you just now, what did you feel?"
"Well… at first I could sense your staff right in front of me. But suddenly it just… disappeared! And then I got hit."
"Exactly."
Velandel nodded slowly.
"That's because my mastery of the Heart Net is deeper than yours. When two users of the Heart Net clash, what they compete in is their depth of control and familiarity with it. The one with the greater mastery can not only perceive the opponent more clearly but can even interfere with or conceal their own attack intentions to a certain degree, making it impossible for the weaker one to sense them. You lost the sensation just now because I covered the trajectory of my attack with my Heart Net."
Looking at Hans's still bewildered face, Velandel softened his tone slightly.
"You said you're not a combatant. Then what are you?"
"I'm the ship's navigator. I'm responsible for guiding our course and controlling the ship."
"A navigator…"
Velandel studied Hans, a thoughtful glint flashing through his eyes.
At that moment, Aldo—who had been watching from the side—rolled his eyes mischievously.
He quietly sneaked behind Hans and reached out to tap him.
Yet just before his hand touched him, Hans—who had been facing Velandel—suddenly tilted his head.
"What are you doing?"
"Huh?"
Aldo froze in place, his hand still raised.
The two stared at each other.
A brief silence followed.
"Holy hell! It's real! Hans, you actually learned it?!"
Aldo burst out first, shouting like someone who had just discovered a new continent. He grabbed Hans by the shoulders and began shaking him vigorously.
"Hans! Hans! Teach me! How did you learn it? How did you do it? Is there some secret trick?"
Hans's head spun as he was shaken.
"Brother Aldo! S-stop shaking me! I really don't know! I just… just felt it!"
The other crew members quickly gathered around.
"Hans, that's incredible! You learned faster than the captain!"
"Come on, tell us—what does it feel like?"
"So the first one on our ship to master it is Hans!"
"If I'd known being a navigator could train this, I would've become one too!"
Velandel watched the noisy group of Blue Sea people, especially the giant man jumping excitedly around Hans. In the end, he let out a faint sigh that was barely audible.
Originally, he had believed that the difficulty and depth of the Heart Net would be enough to discourage these outsiders.
Yet the situation had unfolded in ways he had not expected—again and again.
Not long afterward, Riberra Sami slowly opened his eyes, having finished his meditation.
Aldo finally released the poor Hans and turned toward Riberra Sami.
"Boss, you're awake? Come look! Hans already knew how to use it and didn't even tell us!"
"Hey! Don't make stuff up! I only just found out too!"
Riberra Sami walked over. He first nodded to Hans, then turned to Velandel.
"My companion's awakening was unexpected, and he likely has many questions. During your future instruction, would it be possible for you to guide him a little as well? Of course, we are willing to offer additional payment, or exchange something that may interest you."
Velandel looked at Riberra Sami, then at Hans, and finally at Aldo and the others whose faces clearly said we want to learn too.
Suddenly, he felt that the task the Great Elder had entrusted to him was becoming far more complicated.
"I wouldn't call it guidance," Velandel finally said slowly. "I myself have only just stepped onto the path of the Heart Net. If he has questions, I can try to answer them. As for payment…"
He paused, his gaze passing over Riberra Sami before drifting toward the direction of Bika village.
"…there's no need for that for now. Let us first see how far he can go."
"Then… thank you, Elder."
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