Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Ryan vs. the Black Knight!
In a breathtaking maneuver, Ryan vaulted skyward, narrowly evading the gnashing jaws below.

The chilling snap of teeth clashing echoed beneath him, and only then did Ryan catch sight of the formidable creature.

This was no ordinary shadow hound but a colossal variant, the Shadow Hound Leader, whose jaw stretched grotesquely wide to ensnare its prey more effectively. Its spiritual aura pulsated strongly, clearly of a higher echelon.

Ryan’s footfall cracked against the creature’s clenched teeth as he executed a flawless backflip, dodging a lethal strike from the seated black knight.

He landed deftly, the greatsword slung over his shoulder, surrounded by a nimble aura of flickering white light.

In a mere 0.8 seconds, his blade was primed with power, and he unleashed a fierce slash towards the recovering Shadow Hound Leader.

“Swish—”

As a cloud of black mist swirled into the air, Ryan’s blade moved with lethal precision, severing one of the forelimbs of the colossal Shadow Hound Leader.

In that fleeting moment of vulnerability, as Ryan’s sword descended in an arc, the Black Knight seized the opportunity. With his own blade humming with intensified spiritual energy, he executed a formidable technique.

“Secret technique, [Charge Slash]! Prepare for a strike with double the might!”

The blade, trembling with power, was mere inches from Ryan’s neck. In this critical instant, Ryan’s eyes flashed decisively, and he opened his mouth to unleash a powerful spell.

The air vibrated with the force of [High-spirited War Roar], the sound waves infused with potent spirituality. They enveloped the Black Knight, momentarily stunning him, though it lasted only 0.1 seconds, it was enough.

Empowered by the morale-boosting roar, Ryan’s strength and speed surged. Rather than charging headlong, he cleverly maneuvered his sword in a swift, defensive arc.

“Dang—!”

The greatsword met the knight’s longsword mid-strike, not only blocking but also redirecting its deadly trajectory towards the knight’s exposed neck. The swift movement stirred a gale, causing the knight’s hair to whip wildly around his face.

Caught in the after-effects of the [High-spirited War Roar], the Black Knight was momentarily too slow to evade.

Just as the silver-blue blade was about to make contact, the Black Knight’s form liquefied, merging seamlessly into his own shadow, a defensive maneuver reminiscent of the shadow hounds’ ‘shadow fusion’ ability.

This knight, unlike his brethren, could merge into shadows instantaneously, using a significant surge of spiritual energy to dodge what would have been a fatal blow.

Reemerging over 20 meters away, the Black Knight gasped for air, his chest heaving from the near-death experience.

“A [first-level pirate] wielding such power? Who are you?” he demanded, his voice heavy with a mix of awe and caution. Ryan’s prowess was proving far more formidable than even the witch of equivalent rank.

“Tsk.” Ryan sheathed his sword, slightly frustrated. The Black Knight, endowed with a far superior spiritual reserve, was barely affected by the [High-spirited War Roar]. If not for that, Ryan’s strike could have been fatal.

With a deep exhale, signaling a pivotal decision, the knight’s shadow spirituality flared ominously.

In an instant, he had ensnared Ryan within the [Black Cage], a spatial trap far more expansive than those set by ordinary knights.

“Swish, swish…”

From every direction within this shadowy domain, countless black chains shot forth. However, they did not bind Ryan as expected. Instead, they wrapped around the Black Knight himself.

“Originally, I was unwilling to use this trick…” he confessed, hinting at the dire nature of the technique he was forced to deploy.

The voice of the Black Knight was a ragged, hoarse whisper, as though each word scraped against the gravel of his throat. The armor he donned clattered, strained by the writhing black chains that ensnared him, eventually giving way to expose his upper body. Rippling muscles, defined and powerful, stood stark against the dim light, each contour etched with the promise of raw strength.

As the black chains made contact, they fused seamlessly into his skin, morphing into intricate, dark lines that sprawled across his torso, weaving a complex, mystic patterns. When the final chain melded into him, a burst of terrifying spiritual energy erupted forth. The air around him twisted violently under the pressure of the dark spiritual force emanating visibly from his form.

With a slow, deliberate motion, the Black Knight raised his hand. The shadowy spiritual energy was so dense that his long sword, now enveloped in this dark aura, transformed into a blade of pure black energy.

“Die!” His command was a guttural roar, more beast than man.

Propelled by the newfound power, his form blurred into a swift shadow, hurtling towards Ryan with a speed that defied his earlier capabilities.

Ryan’s pupils dilated in response, time seeming to crawl to a standstill around him. Sparks exploded in the air as their swords clashed, casting a sinister glow that flickered across Ryan’s stunned face and the widening eyes of the Black Knight.

Blood dripped ominously from the knight’s energy sword, as it ran a lethal passage across Ryan’s throat. Yet, what should have been a fatal blow was undone within moments. Before the Black Knight’s disbelieving eyes, Ryan’s wound ceased bleeding, rapidly scabbing over and then healing completely, leaving behind unmarred skin as though the blade had never touched him.

Even the most potent of recovery elixirs known to the knight couldn’t rival such miraculous healing!

As Ryan’s pupils shifted color, a terrifying transformation overtook his demeanor. The air around him seemed to pulse with the presence of a colossal beast, baring its fangs in a silent roar.

Instinct screamed within the Black Knight, a primal urge to flee from the overwhelming force before him.

“Zila la…” The sound was barely a whisper, but the implications were immense. In Ryan’s grasp, his sword burst into flames, the searing blue of its blade now wreathed in intense, fiery red, flames born from the legacy of the male fire dragon, leader of his kind.

—[Food War·Male Fire Dragon’s Sorrow!]

[Male Fire Dragon’s Sorrow]: A blade ensnared by the dragon’s soul, granting swiftness and fiery wrath to each strike.

The heat was so intense it caused the shadow spirits to sizzle and melt away, even distorting the very walls of the [Black Cage] that confined them, a testament to the fire’s formidable power.

“What kind of flame is this?!” The Black Knight’s eyes narrowed to slits, his voice a mixture of awe and fear, as the stability of the [Black Cage] itself seemed threatened by the unfathomable power of Ryan’s fiery blade.

In the ultimate manifestation of [Food War·Male Fire Dragon’s Sorrow], Ryan could indeed shatter the confining walls of the [Black Cage]. However, even in its incomplete state, lacking the full culinary powers, it retained formidable might. That alone was sufficient.

Ryan flashed a grin, his teeth gleaming with a ferocity reminiscent of the male fire dragon’s wrathful roar. The moment he had been ensnared within the [Black Cage], he initiated the charging sequence for his [Storm Sword Skill – Breaking Wave], harnessing every ounce of his focus.

Aware that his speed couldn’t match that of the Black Knight, Ryan knew a drawn-out battle could swing either way. To clinch victory, he needed to strike unexpectedly, using every advantage.

One such advantage was [Gluttony], which drastically accelerated his body’s recovery. Although the term “drastically” might have been an understatement, given Ryan’s swift resurgence to full strength, it proved to be more beneficial than he had anticipated.

Within moments, Ryan’s power surged to its peak. “[Storm Sword Skill – Breaking Wave], unleash the second tier!” he declared, his voice thundering through the arena.

His greatsword cleaved through the air, creating a towering, oppressive wave that, in the Black Knight’s vision, seemed to loom like a colossal tidal force. Under the crushing might of such power, even the sturdiest metal would warp and yield.

The assault was a deceptive blend of grace and velocity, reminiscent of a slow-moving, yet unstoppable tide.

“Sizzle…”

The interplay of ice-blue and scarlet sword shadows danced through the air, a ballet of deadly precision as the swords clased with blue streak coming on top.

“Pala…”

Blood spurted as the [Black Cage] buckled under the force, its walls cracking and shedding dark fragments. The Black Knight turned just in time to see Ryan’s sword pierce through his left shoulder and burrow deep into his chest, cleaving his heart in twain. A wry, pained smile flickered across his face as his organs disintegrated under the intense heat of the dragon’s flame.

Such devastation was beyond the resilience of even a second-tier extreme professional. The vitality that had once been his pride was now his undoing.

“Monster…” These were the Black Knight’s final words, a resigned whisper, as his sword clattered from his grasp.

With that, the twelfth seat of the Black Knights was vanquished.

Expressionless, Ryan withdrew his sword, his gaze piercing through the now crumbling spiritual barriers of the cage. Beyond, suspended in midair, was the blood witch Serena, witnessing the fall of her champion.