Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 107

Chapter 107: Grand “Performance” (Part 2)
“Mr. Knight, congratulations are in order. You’ve navigated the script of the ‘Hero’ and ‘first witch’ through what can only be described as a ‘miracle’ of ‘fate’. Now, come, follow me to claim your reward.”

With a flick of her withered, pale fingers, Selena sent out blood-colored ripples that seemed to warp the very air around them.

Ryan felt an unexpected lightness envelop him, and with a mix of surprise and alarm, he realized that the blood crystal column they were on was rapidly descending. Below them, the bloody stage began to disintegrate, transforming into streams of blood that poured into the gaping maw of the dormant Mingjin Volcano beneath them.

The volcano, long silent, now trembled ominously, its quakes growing more violent by the moment. The column where Ryan stood hovered directly above the crater, poised dangerously close to the reawakening inferno and the solidified lava within.

The pungent stench of sulfur invaded his nostrils, and the heat around him intensified dramatically. Ryan, wide-eyed, turned to Selena with a look of desperate confusion.

“No, big sister, if you have a death wish, spare us from your fiery finale!”

Ignoring his plea, Selena produced a strange, blood-colored sphere and hurled it into the solidified lava layer. Miraculously, the hard rock seemed to dissolve before the sphere, allowing it to pass through unimpeded.

The light emanating from the sphere intensified, illuminating the rock layers, rendering them nearly transparent. From Ryan’s vantage point, he watched in stunned silence as the sphere descended into the depths, finally nestling into a slot atop a protruding pillar of a stone temple.

A stone temple? Here, in the depths of the Minin Volcano?

Ryan’s pupils constricted in shock. Hidden within the heart of a long-extinct volcano lay a secret stone temple, an ancient relic untouched by time.

As the shimmering orb settled seamlessly into the slot, the ground beneath the transparent crystal stratum began to shift, descending with a quiet grace. The tempestuous Mingjin Volcano, notorious for its fiery eruptions, was lulled into a serene dormancy once again.

“No, that can’t be right!”

Ryan, his eyes wide with a mix of astonishment and disbelief, scrutinized the ancient stone temple before him. Instead of spewing the anticipated magma, the temple seemed to draw the fiery liquid into its core. Intricate crimson veins spread across its facade, etching arcane symbols with each passing moment.

“What on earth is this place?” Ryan murmured, his voice tinged with awe and curiosity.

“The Blood Moon Temple,” Selina, the blood witch, responded in a hushed tone that seemed to resonate with the mystique of the surroundings. “It’s a relic from a bygone era, shrouded in secrecy, accessible only with a specific ‘key.'”

“Last era?” Ryan echoed, his mind racing to connect the dots.

He knew that they now lived in the Golden Age, which followed the mythical Age of Gods, a time when deities roamed freely and the cosmos was a tapestry of celestial kingdoms and devout worshippers.

As the temple’s entire surface pulsed with red light, a handprint-shaped indentation emerged on the ancient dust-covered door. Selina stepped forward, an ethereal aura emanating from her, as potent as the raw energy of the ocean during a storm, making Ryan feel like a mere speck in its vastness.

“The key, combined with an untainted wisp of legendary spirituality, unlocks the Blood Moon Temple,” she explained.

Lifting her hand, Selina pressed her palm gently against the handprint. Simultaneously, she channeled a strand of spiritual essence, rumored to have originated from the Circus Leader, into the lock.

In an instant, a blinding surge of crimson light engulfed everything, overwhelming Ryan’s senses. When the brilliance finally receded, he found himself staring at a slowly swirling vortex door.

“The reward I offer you is entry into the Blood Moon Temple,” Selina declared, her voice echoing slightly. “What you discover inside will depend on your own abilities and courage.”

“Go,” she urged.

With a subtle gesture from Selina, an invisible force propelled Ryan forward. He, along with his companion Freni, was swept up by a torrent of mystical energy, plunging into the vortex.

As they disappeared into the portal, it sealed behind them, leaving only the faintest hum of magic in the air. Selina watched them go, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. She then turned away, her form dissipating into thousands of blood-red particles.

Near the volcano’s rim, the majestic Moon Wolf sat in silent vigil, its fur stained with the blood of its battles, the white of its coat a memory. Selina reappeared beside the great beast, kneeling and embracing it tenderly, a solemn companion in the quiet aftermath.

Despite her small stature next to the imposing Moon Wolf, Selina’s embrace of the great beast painted a striking picture of tranquility. They seemed as natural together as the moon and stars in the night sky.

“I’m exhausted… at last, it’s done…” Selina’s voice was a breathy whisper, tinged with relief and weariness. As she spoke, the mask she wore began to crumble from the bottom up, its fragments carried away by the gentle night breeze. Revealed underneath was a face of delicate youth, glowing and vibrant, belying the true age of its bearer.

Yet, her eyes told a different story. They held a depth of age and experience, a stark contrast to her youthful visage, reflecting the vicissitudes of a life that spanned 150 years.

Leaning against the broad side of the Moon Wolf, Selina gazed up at the still-hanging blood moon. The sky bore the sight of two moons, an enchanting yet eerie spectacle.

Lost in thought, Selina reminisced about a hopeful young girl she once knew, but much had changed since then. The sands of time had eroded all she held dear, reminiscent of the narrative she had crafted in “The Brave and the First Witch.” The lines from her own story echoed in her mind: “Her body has been ravaged by relentless pursuits, her kin and all she cherished reduced to ash.” And then the haunting question: “If you were the ‘first witch,’ would you still care for this world’s fate?”

“To hell with this world!” Selina exclaimed with a wry smile, settling back against the Moon Wolf, bracing herself for what might come next.

“Tap… tap…”

The distant sound of footsteps broke the stillness. Selina glanced towards the source and noticed a figure approaching, a young girl clad in light silver scale armor, a long sword at her waist, rushing toward the volcano. Despite her evident exhaustion, marked by sweat-soaked brow and labored breaths, her determination didn’t falter.

A soft whimper from beside her drew Selina’s attention back to the Moon Wolf, who watched the approaching knight with a peculiar intensity. “You sense it, don’t you? The royal blood of the Moon Wolf lineage within her?”

“It’s astonishing,” Selina mused aloud, her gaze shifting between the knight and her loyal companion. “A human bearing the royal blood of the Moon Wolf?”

Her thoughts then wandered to Freni, the sleeping partner of the knight. With a gentle chuckle, she reflected, “What a fortunate child you are, far luckier than I ever was… With such companions, perhaps you truly can break the shackles of destiny, perhaps?”

As the knight girl, Cecilia, charged toward the volcano, Selena extended her hand and flicked her wrist gracefully. In an instant, a surge of blood-colored magic welled up beneath Cecilia’s feet, enveloping her completely.

“Consider this a final gift from me to you,” Selena murmured, her voice a blend of melancholy and resolve.

—

Rewinding time by half an hour, the scene shifts.

The blood had just obscured her vision when Freni’s dark blue magical energy erupted in a futile display of defiance. The disparity in their magical powers and spiritual essence was stark and unbridgeable.

Realizing the futility, Freni ceased her struggles, her mind drifting to her companion. “I wonder how Mr. Ryan is faring?” she pondered, concern etching her features.

Freni had always known the witch controlling the Whirlpool Islands was strong, but the reality of her power was overwhelming. It was uncommon for witches to clash without existing grudges, making the unprovoked attack even more shocking.

As worry weighed heavily on her, Freni felt her consciousness slipping further into darkness. Despite her efforts to cling to awareness, the pull of the abyss was relentless. Eventually, she succumbed to the void.

After what felt like an eternity, Freni’s eyes fluttered open.

“Are you awake?” A soft, female voice caressed her ears.

Lifting her gaze, Freni recognized the figure before her from the shock of bright white hair, the Blood Witch Serena!

“You?!” Freni exclaimed, her heart pounding with anxiety. Scanning her surroundings and finding no sign of Ryan, she demanded, “Where is my companion?”

Her body surged with magic, ready to confront Serena despite the overwhelming odds.

“Little one, calm yourself,” Serena soothed, her form shimmering slightly, giving her an ethereal appearance. “Your companion is safe, just elsewhere. Should he prove worthy, you shall see him again.”