The ice block gradually slowed its glide. Feng Yi's heart pounded with tension as he prayed, "Just a little further... almost there..."
As the movement decelerated, his anxiety grew. When the ice finally came to a stop, Ye Yu's head just barely touched the finish line.
A notification chimed.
"Congratulations to Ye Yu for passing the third trial. Ye Yu is eligible for triple rewards. Participant Feng Yi did not reach the finish line. Would you like to continue? Choosing to forfeit will downgrade the reward from triple to double."
Feng Yi exhaled in relief, closing his eyes with a faint smile. With a thought, he whispered, "Withdraw."
Ye Yu's success was enough—it was all he had hoped for.
In the next instant, Feng Yi materialized aboard his pirate ship. The crew gasped at the sight of him.
"Captain!"
The ship doctor rushed forward to examine his wounds. Carefully unwrapping the bandages, the doctor paled—as did every crew member present. The injuries were horrifically severe, enough to make one's hair stand on end.
The doctor worked swiftly, administering blood transfusions and treating the wounds. Feng Yi's life hung in the balance, demanding immediate intervention.
Meanwhile, Ye Yu received his triple rewards. Though the experience points were substantial, the steep difficulty of leveling up meant he only advanced to Level 36.
Yet, Level 36 was already terrifyingly high. The most elite Chosen Ones from this trial had only reached Level 34 at best.
Ye Yu's progress was arduous, but the payoff justified the struggle.
Xiong Houdao rejoiced. As a teammate, he was thrilled that Ye Yu had secured triple rewards—Feng Yi's efforts hadn't been in vain. He had truly succeeded.
But what brought Xiong Houdao the greatest joy wasn't Ye Yu's gains—it was Feng Yi's accomplishment. Had he failed, it would have been a tragic waste, given how much he had sacrificed in this Mystic Realm.
Ye Yu was teleported out, appearing on the deck of the Tyrant Feather Pirate Ship.
Qiao Ling'er immediately activated her Heal-Heal Fruit abilities. The crew shuddered at the sight of Ye Yu's wounds—just as gruesome as those from his battle with the Giants.
Suddenly, Ye Yu's eyes snapped open. Though exhaustion still weighed on him and rest was necessary, the pain wasn't as unbearable as he'd expected.
He knew this wasn't solely due to Ling'er's healing. The moment he was teleported out, he had regained consciousness and sensed his injuries had improved slightly compared to before he blacked out.
His awakening now was partly due to his level-up, which enhanced his physique, vitality, and recovery.
But even with the level boost, his wounds shouldn't have improved this much.
At the same time, Ye Yu's mind raced. Triple rewards? He passed the third trial?
He had intended to withdraw before losing consciousness. What happened? Did his teammate make it possible?
Weakly, he asked, "Does anyone know what happened? How did I pass?"
He had done nothing in the third trial. Moreover, given his condition, he shouldn't have lasted—prolonging the trial would have been life-threatening.
Xia Ling spoke up, "Captain, focus on resting and recovering first. We'll explain once you're better."
Ye Yu nodded, but fatigue overwhelmed him, and he slipped back into sleep.
Every member of the Dominant Feather Pirate Crew felt profound gratitude toward Feng Yi.
Then, the Mystic Realm's announcement echoed throughout.
"This trial has concluded. Only one participant cleared all three stages, while two teammates from the same crew passed the second stage. Thus, the three individuals have earned triple and double rewards, respectively."
The revelation stunned the world, leaving everyone in awe of the crew's achievement.
"He actually passed."
"Only Ye Yu made it through the second round, enduring the combined attack of a powerful team."
"Yeah, not only did he survive, but he also cleared the third round. Truly creating another miracle—so strong."
"Envious. His level must have skyrocketed. The first round was so tough, yet Ye Yu passed it. The base was already high, and with triple the rewards, it must be even more. He definitely leveled up significantly."
...
At this moment, many top Chosen Ones wore grim expressions.
But they quickly consoled themselves—at least he was a Non-Ability User. If he were a top-tier Ability User, things would be far worse. A Non-Ability User leveling up a bit more wasn't a big deal.
Besides, the higher Ye Yu's level, the harder it would be for him to progress further. They would catch up soon enough.
Yang Luo, however, disagreed. His face darkened as he clenched his fists in frustration. "Damn it. All for nothing."
Ba Ye also looked displeased. "If only I'd put more effort into the first round. The rewards would've been greater. This Mystic Realm didn't even give me a level-up. What a waste."
Wang Jue sighed. "It would've been better if Ye Yu had died. But not only did he survive, he cleared all three rounds. We really lost out this time. Maybe, Yang Luo, we shouldn't have listened to you."
Yang Luo frowned. "The plan was sound. I still firmly believe in my judgment. Don't assume Ye Yu will falter later—what if he maintains his lead indefinitely?"
"That's just your speculation. We still believe Ability Users have greater potential. We'll prove it. Once our levels are high enough, I could even defeat you one-on-one."
Yang Luo nodded. "I hope so."
...
A day passed.
Qiao Ling'er let out a relieved sigh, amazed. "The Captain's recovery and physical resilience are incredible. He's already seventy to eighty percent healed—and it's not just because of my healing abilities."
Xia Ling and the crew were finally at ease upon hearing this.
Throughout the day, Xia Ling continued to feed Ye Yu as before.
When Ye Yu woke up, he felt much better—no longer fatigued, just waiting for his injuries to fully heal.
The wounds had been severe, and he'd expected a much longer recovery time, but it was progressing faster than anticipated.
Ye Yu asked, "Now, tell me what happened. Have any of my teammates contacted you?"
Xia Ling nodded. "Xiong Houdao reached out to us. The third round was between you and Feng Yi."
"Oh?"
Ye Yu was surprised. He had assumed that clearing the third round was largely due to Xiong Houdao, given his formidable Paw-Paw Fruit abilities. But it turned out to be Feng Yi.
"That's how it was."
Xia Ling began recounting what she knew.
The crew listened again, still shaken by the events. Ye Yu's expression shifted from shock to disbelief, then to deep emotion and gratitude, before turning urgent as he pressed, "How is Feng Yi now? Have you heard anything?"
Ye Yu now understood. Though the details of the third round weren't fully explained, he realized why his injuries weren't as severe as they should have been—Feng Yi had taken on ten percent of the damage. He knew all too well how terrifying that ten percent was.
Yet, Feng Yi had chosen to endure it, held on, and faced the third round.
Their success was undoubtedly because of Feng Yi.
Ye Yu was deeply worried—what if something had happened to him?
Xia Ling said, "Captain, rest assured. We've looked into it and made contact. Although there was a life-threatening situation when they emerged, they've been resuscitated and are now out of danger. They haven't woken up yet, but despite the severe injuries, their condition is gradually improving."
Hearing this, Ye Yu let out a sigh of relief, feeling immensely grateful, yet his eyes turned icy cold, brimming with killing intent.
"I will find the three of you, no matter what."
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