Ian chose a fine day to set sail, blessed with bright and sunny weather.
The sky was a deep azure blue, dotted occasionally with drifting white clouds.
Gazing out at the boundless ocean and feeling the gentle sea breeze brought a profound sense of relaxation and joy.
Growing tired of rowing, Ian simply hoisted the small sail on his fishing boat, letting the sea breeze carry him forward.
He lay back in the boat, watching unfamiliar birds fly across the sky while checking his system.
He hadn’t chosen to set sail solely to find a cure for Kuina; it was also because he had hit a bottleneck!
Opening the system’s attribute interface, Ian checked his current status.
He was now Level 5.
This was the result of the experience he had accumulated over the past six years from constantly sparring with Zoro in Shimotsuki Village.
Relying on his earlier mastery of Nen and his longer history of studying swordsmanship, Ian won far more often than he lost during their clashes.
The reason he only “won far more often” rather than “won every time” was because Zoro truly possessed extraordinary talent.
In the last few years, Zoro had actually managed to comprehend his own sword techniques.
Although the only techniques he could use at first were Tora Gari and Ushi Bari, Ian could genuinely feel the power of Nen on his blades.
Of course, in the terminology of this world, it was actually the fluctuation of Haki.
Through these two sword techniques, Zoro had gradually begun to control his inner power.
Because of this, even Ian could only fight him to a draw when Zoro used those moves.
If Ian wasn’t careful, Zoro might even catch an opening and defeat him.
As Zoro’s strength increased bit by bit, the experience Ian gained from defeating him also rose slightly.
It could be said that Ian reaching his current level was entirely thanks to Zoro’s contributions.
However, after reaching Level 5, Ian found that even if he defeated Zoro, he could no longer gain experience points.
The system seemed to have a default rule preventing him from farming too much experience from the same opponent.
Furthermore, there were no ferocious beasts or similar creatures on the island where Shimotsuki Village was located.
This resulted in his inability to level up for the past two years.
This was also one of the reasons he had wanted to set sail two years ago, only to be stopped by Master Koushirou.
Presumably, within the system, Ian, as the host, was also considered a card.
Judging by star ratings and aptitude, he was currently akin to the most basic one-star green card.
This was evident from the attribute points he gained after leveling up.
For every level he gained, he received +5 Strength and +5 Speed.
Reaching Level 5 meant an increase of 20 points in both Strength and Speed.
This was likely the aptitude issue the system had mentioned.
When Ian used EXP Books to level up the Akechi Samanosuke Hidemitsu card to Level 5, he noticed that this three-star card gained 15 Strength, 15 Speed, 20 Health, and 20 Nen per level.
That card was likely a balanced type, meaning its post-level-up attributes increased equally in Strength and Speed.
It served as a perfect point of reference.
Ian had also tried asking the system if he, the host, could use Breakthrough Stones to increase his star rating and aptitude, but he was told it wasn’t possible.
He needed other special items.
As for what those special items were, the system didn’t tell him.
Although a bit disappointing, the system’s answer at least gave Ian a glimmer of hope.
Based on the 30% conversion ratio, every level the Akechi Samanosuke Hidemitsu card gained provided him with exactly 5 points of all-around attribute bonuses.
Therefore, Ian’s current attributes looked like this:
Name: Ian Level: 5 Doriki: 217 Strength: 82 (Base 5 + Level Up 20 + Card 35 + Self-Training 22) Speed: 78 (Base 5 + Level Up 20 + Card 35 + Self-Training 18) Health: 89 (Base 10 + Level Up 40 + Card 39) Nen: 99 (Base 0 + Level Up 40 + Card 39 + Nen Cultivation 20) Skills: [Advanced Swordsmanship]: Sword drawing speed +30%, Destructive power +30%.
Proficiency (10000000/10000000) [Intermediate Nen Cultivation]: Increases hourly Nen recovery rate.
Current recovery rate: 5 points.
Increases total Nen Energy by 25%.
Proficiency (6811/50000)
Of the two skills Ian currently possessed, Advanced Swordsmanship had long since maxed out its ten million proficiency points.
Strangely, however, Advanced Swordsmanship could no longer be upgraded.
This was the so-called bottleneck!
Ian knew there was definitely a higher realm of swordsmanship above it, but he lacked the insight and opportunity, leaving him unable to advance.
As for the Nen Cultivation skill, it had accumulated through his daily practice with the bamboo sword.
Limited by his total Nen capacity, it couldn’t level up as rapidly as his swordsmanship proficiency, so it was currently only at the intermediate level.
However, after the Nen Cultivation skill leveled up, it actually increased Ian’s total Nen capacity by a percentage.
This was a rather pleasant surprise.
Both Advanced Swordsmanship and the Nen Cultivation skill affected Ian’s Doriki.
Otherwise, with his current attribute values, it would be impossible for him to have over two hundred Doriki.
Of course, it was said that one needed around 500 Doriki to be considered superhuman.
Ian’s two hundred-plus Doriki seemed quite low, but that wasn’t actually the case.
During his long, continuous practice of sword techniques, Ian discovered something: when he channeled his Nen Energy to use Issen, his Doriki would undergo an instantaneous change!
This change was naturally an increase, and the magnitude of the increase varied depending on the amount of Nen Energy Ian drew upon.
For example, if he wrapped all 99 points of his Nen around his sword to execute Deflect Issen, his Doriki would at least double in that instant!
Because the Issen skill was instantaneous, this surge in Doriki was hard to notice without careful observation.
Ian had only discovered it by accident.
After reviewing his attributes, Ian flipped to his card backpack to check the cards he had acquired.
He could draw a card for free once every 100 days.
Over two years, that was about seven draws, and over these six years, Ian had drawn a total of twenty-one times.
Although the chances of pulling a full card from single draws were very slim, with enough attempts, he was bound to get lucky eventually.
Out of these twenty-one draws, Ian had gradually pulled three complete cards.
Having cards was a good thing, but the problem was that they were all one-star and two-star cards.
They were: Rando (One-star green card, Source: Yu Yu Hakusho), Shinpachi Shimura (One-star green card, Source: Gintama), and Unicorn Jabu (Two-star blue card, Source: Saint Seiya).
When he drew these cards, Ian was completely dumbfounded.
Although he knew that such low-level cards weren’t worth cultivating, it was only after looking at their attributes and skills that he truly understood why they weren’t worth it.
Low base attributes were one thing, but they even had only one skill each.
The Rando card was slightly better; its skill was the Shrinking Spell, though he had no idea what effect it would have when used.
What left Ian the most speechless was the Shinpachi Shimura card.
This card had only one skill: Tsukkomi!
And then there was Unicorn Jabu.
Weren’t Saints supposed to use Cosmo?
Yet, in the card’s attributes, it also had the Nen attribute!
Thus, Ian understood.
It seemed that no matter what kind of card was drawn in this system, their skills were all categorized under Nen…
It appeared that in the system’s concept, Nen abilities had unified the entire universe…
Although Ian still had one available card slot, he didn’t want to waste it on these cards.
The percentage bonus was already low, and the cards’ base attributes were so meager that even if he equipped them, the stat boost would be practically nonexistent.
He might as well save it and wait until he saved up enough money for his first ten-pull to equip that four-star orange card.
After drifting on the sea for half the day, Ian’s stomach began to rumble, so he sat up and opened the bundle he had brought with him.
This bundle contained the luggage Ian had packed, including a few changes of clothes.
Besides that, there were three days’ worth of dry rations.
Ian had heard from Uncle Hull in the village that it took three days by boat to reach the nearest town from Shimotsuki Village, which was why he had prepared these rations.
Taking out some dry rations and a bottle of water, Ian sat on the boat and started eating.
However, right at that moment, he noticed a small cloth pouch inside his bundle.
He didn’t remember packing this item, so out of curiosity, he picked up the cloth pouch and opened it.
To Ian’s surprise, inside the pouch was a stack of green banknotes and a white envelope.
Ian counted them; the stack of banknotes totaled twenty thousand Berries.
It was his first time holding so much money in his hands.
He then opened the envelope, and sure enough, inside was a letter left for him by Master Koushirou!
Even though he hadn’t come to see him off, Master Koushirou had always kept him in his thoughts.
These twenty thousand Berries were Master Koushirou’s entire current savings, and he had actually given it all to Ian for his travel expenses.
Ian felt a deep sense of warmth.
Twenty thousand Berries wasn’t a lot, but it represented Master Koushirou’s care and concern for him.
Just as Ian was sighing with emotion, he suddenly heard the system’s voice ring out in his mind.
“Currency detected.
Does the host wish to recharge?
Make your first recharge to receive the First Recharge Gift Pack!”