Limitless Seas

Ethan's vision blurred, his body barely able to move. His HP flickered at 1. He was seconds away from death.

Jade gripped his arm hard. "Get up, Ethan! We need to fucking move!"

The old man stood between them and the monster in human form. His expression was grim, his fists clenched tight.

The man before them wasn't just some guard. He was Dietrich.

A name that meant nothing to Ethan but carried weight when the old man said it. The name was European, foreign, dangerous.

Dietrich took a slow step forward, his boots echoing on the broken deck. His cold gaze locked onto them. "You thought you could steal from us and leave?" He scoffed. "Pathetic."

Ethan's legs wouldn't move. Running was useless. Fighting was impossible.

Jade shook him. "Move, goddammit!"

The old man exhaled. "You two. Leave."

Jade snapped. "Leave?! He just fucking punched through the ship! You can't beat him!"

Dietrich smirked. "Smart girl. Listen to her."

The old man ignored him. "Go."

Dietrich sighed. "Tired of this already. Fine. Die."

Then he disappeared.

Ethan barely saw the blur before Dietrich's fist smashed into the old man's stomach.

A shockwave ripped through the ship. The impact launched the old man across the deck. Blood spilled from his lips, but he didn't fall.

Dietrich raised a brow. "Still standing? Impressive."

Jade's grip on Ethan tightened. "We're dead if we stay here!"

Ethan clenched his teeth. Running was useless.

The old man wiped his mouth. "I never planned to win this fight."

Dietrich smirked. "Then what's your goal?"

The old man tossed something to Ethan.

A black book.

Ethan caught it. His fingers tingled. The book was wrong. Not heavy—but dense, like it carried something beyond weight.

Ethan looked up, confused. "What is this?"

The old man's voice was steady. "A Book of Knowledge."

Jade cursed. "This isn't the time! Just carry him and run!"

The old man ignored her. His gaze never left Ethan.

"When a person reaches level 100, they can manifest their entire life experience into a book."

Ethan's grip on the book tightened. "Why give it to me?"

The old man's breathing was slow. "Because this book belonged to someone who reached the limit of this world."

Dietrich cracked his neck. "I'll kill you first, old man."

The old man smiled.

"There are three levels to a Book of Knowledge," he said.

Dietrich lunged.

The old man moved.

His movements were sharp, controlled, faster than Ethan had ever seen.

It didn't matter.

Dietrich was a monster.

Every dodge, every counter, Dietrich adjusted. The old man wasn't winning. He was stalling.

Jade pulled at Ethan. "We have to run!"

Ethan couldn't move.

Dietrich's next punch landed clean.

The old man crashed into the mast. Wood splintered. He slumped to the ground, coughing blood.

Ethan's heart pounded. He was going to die.

The old man raised a weak hand. "Listen... memory, experience, forbidden."

Ethan forced himself to focus. "What?"

"The three levels," the old man rasped. "Memory—white. It contains every thought, every moment of their life."

Jade was panicking. "Shut up and move!"

The old man didn't listen. "Experience—yellow. It carries every emotion, every pain, every struggle."

Dietrich's steps were slow, steady.

The old man exhaled. "Forbidden—black."

Ethan's hands tightened on the book.

"Memory and experience—combined. Every technique, every secret, every level."

Dietrich rolled his shoulders. "You done?"

The old man grinned.

Ethan swallowed. "Who made this?"

The old man's grin widened, blood staining his teeth.

"A man who reached level 100,000."

Silence.

Jade froze. "What...?"

The old man continued, voice weaker.

"He achieved everything. But he wanted more. He challenged the gods."

Ethan's breath stilled.

Jade's hands trembled. "And?"

The old man laughed.

"He didn't even last a billionth of a second."

Dietrich's fist came down.

But that wasn't the end.

The old man's eyes locked onto Ethan. "But he had a plan B."

Ethan's heart skipped. "What?"

The old man's bloodied fingers tapped the book in Ethan's hands.

"Before he fought the gods… when he first reached level 100,000… he sacrificed 10,000 levels to create this."

Ethan's mind raced.

A Book of Knowledge… made with 10,000 levels?

Jade shook her head, confused. "Why the hell would he do that if he was just gonna die?"

The old man coughed more blood, his smile never fading. "Because he knew… that even if he lost, his will wouldn't."

Dietrich slowed his attack for just a second. "Hmph. He really thought that far ahead?"

The old man exhaled. "You don't understand. He was different. He reached where no one else had. He saw something."

Ethan clenched the book harder. "Saw what?"

The old man's bloodied fingers twitched. "The truth of this world. Something none of us have ever seen… a ceiling."

Dietrich scoffed. "Tch. More delusions."

The old man ignored him. His eyes burned into Ethan's.

"The reason I'm giving this to you… is because you have a chance."

Ethan's breath hitched. "A chance for what?"

The old man smiled weakly.

"To break the ceiling."

Dietrich's fist came down.