Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 108

Chapter 108: Grand “Performance” (Part 3)
“We are currently in your true spirit space,” Serena continued, her smile tinged with fatigue. “This is a place untouched by external entities, a realm where our conversation remains ours alone.”

“I’ve expended considerable effort to reach here,” she added, a hint of urgency in her tone. “Time is short, and there is much I need to tell you.”

“You’re on the brink of being consumed by corruption, aren’t you?” Serena’s words hung heavily in the air, causing Freni’s eyes to widen in alarm.

“The corruption that afflicts witches is akin to a worm nestled deep within the tarsal bone, ceaselessly gnawing away at both body and spirit. The rampant, unchecked harnessing of magical forces only hastens this decay,” remarked an elder with a tone of grave concern.

“You’ve been overly reliant on your magic in recent years,” she observed, eyeing Selina with a mix of worry and reproof.

Selina offered a wry smile, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous light. “So, are you tempted to break this ancient curse with me?”

Freni furrowed her brow, her voice steady but curious. “Why would you offer such help to me?” She pondered, aware that among witches, alliances were rare without hidden motives.

Selina’s smile broadened, rich with untold stories. “Once, in my darkest hour, I too was aided by someone else. Now, as the shadows gather around my own life, it seems only right to extend the same kindness.”

Freni seized on a phrase, her voice tinged with urgency. “On your deathbed, you say?”

“Indeed, I am dying,” Selina replied, her tone casual as if discussing the weather rather than her own mortality. “After a century and a half, death seems a natural, even welcome friend.”

She waved off any further discussion of her fate. “Let’s not dwell on such trivialities. We have more pressing issues, like the curse.”

“The affliction of witches stems from the ‘first witch,’ a curse believed to be cast by the very cosmos itself,” Selina explained, her voice lowering to a reverent whisper.

She continued, “While magic is a wild and potent force capable of touching the very essence of existence, it comes at a dire cost, the gradual corruption that eats away at us.”

“The stronger one’s spirit is, the higher one rises in power, the more one can stave off this corruption. Yet, there remains a limit, a boundary that no witch has crossed since the era of legends.”

“Promotion to a fifth-level legend has been impossible under the weight of this curse; an unbreakable law since the Golden Age. Many witches perish from the corruption before ever nearing the legendary threshold.”

Selina’s expression turned solemn, her eyes glinting with a fierce determination. “But based on ancient teachings, after centuries of relentless study, I have uncovered a method to shatter these chains.”

“Each advancement in one’s mystical path must be executed to perfection. By pushing beyond the known limits at the fourth level, one can achieve a power and spirituality that far exceeds peers.”

“With such a foundation, and the special secret technique I’ll share, you can rise above the curse, ascending to the realm of a true fifth-level legend.”

“The legendary spiritual fire you will wield can then fully suppress the curse, freeing you from the threat of corruption forever.”

“How does that sound? Intriguing, isn’t it?” Selina concluded, her voice infused with a hopeful fervor that seemed to light up the dim room.

Selena’s hands fluttered like leaves in the wind as she beamed a comforting smile.

“…but I fear I might not last long enough to see that day,” Freni said, her lips tightening as she spoke of the affliction consuming her. “The pollution within me…”

“Ah, fret not, my dear witch Freni,” Selena chuckled, her hand playfully covering her mouth. “Your level of corruption might be alarmingly high, but rest assured, I wouldn’t have invited you here without a solution at hand.”

“I possess a unique technique to drastically reduce the taint in your essence. Furthermore, I will unlock the ‘Blood Moon Temple.’ Nestled within its sacred walls lies the ‘Holy Blood,’ a miraculous elixir capable of shattering spiritual boundaries,” Selena explained, her eyes twinkling with secrets.

“The extent of your transcendence will depend entirely on your inner strength,” she added, setting the stage for Freni’s trial.

Freni paused, processing the enormity of the revelation. “So, the emergence of the Moon Wolf was a beacon to draw witches like me to the Whirlpool Islands?”

“That’s only a fraction of the truth.” Selena’s smile deepened with intrigue. “There’s also a personal experiment I wish to conduct at twilight of my life. After languishing at the brink of the fourth level for ages, the allure of the fifth-level legend is too tantalizing to resist.”

“Even if my chances at ascent is fleeting…” Her voice trailed off, leaving a whisper of curiosity in the air.

“And, just a little heads up,” Selena’s tone shifted as she glanced sideways. “The young knight accompanying you must prove his worth to gain entry to the Blood Moon Temple. Should he fail my test… well, only the worthy shall claim the reward.”

Turning on her heel, Selena’s smile lingered, though her eyes carried a chilly detachment.

“You…” Freni started, a mix of objection and concern flashing across her face. But before she could articulate her thoughts, the enigmatic blood witch had vanished.

In that instant, a flood of arcane knowledge surged into Freni’s mind, overwhelming yet enlightening.

…

In the present moment, Selena’s gaze dropped to the young knight below, who had just triumphed over the black knight on the bloody stage.

“What a splendid ‘performance’…” she murmured to herself, her spirit soaring to new heights of power even as the abyssal pollution gnawed at her essence.

Her newly elevated spirituality shimmered weakly, struggling against the relentless corruption.

Yet, Selena seemed unbothered by her impending doom. The grand spectacle she had orchestrated had pushed her beyond mere limits, nudging her tantalizingly close to becoming a legend.

Meanwhile Ryan felt himself spinning and twisting uncontrollably, like a small fish caught in a tumultuous whirlpool. The currents of the sea ensnared him, dictating his every move with their relentless force.

Time lost all meaning as he was swept away in the vortex. Eventually, the violent spinning slowed, and the oppressive darkness that clouded his vision began to ebb away like a retreating tide.

As his senses steadied, Ryan’s first instinct was to check on the girl clutched tightly in his arms. The relief was palpable when he saw she was still with him, unharmed by the chaotic journey. He exhaled deeply, his breath a mixture of relief and lingering adrenaline.

Surveying his surroundings, Ryan found himself in an awe-inspiring, albeit strange, space. Towering stone pillars framed his view, their surfaces adorned with intricate and grandiose reliefs. These colossal structures, several meters in diameter and soaring nearly a hundred meters into the air, guided his gaze toward a structure of unimaginable grandeur.

Before him stood a temple that seemed designed for giants. Its vast gates and expansive walls stretched upwards for over a hundred meters, culminating in an extraordinary sight, a massive stone sculpture of a giant wolf, its head bowed as if watching over the temple’s entrants. The wolf’s eyes, ancient and knowing, seemed to fixate directly on Ryan and the girl in his embrace, Freni.

A soft moan interrupted his awe-struck observations. Ryan looked down in surprise to find Freni’s light blue eyes fluttering open, her gaze foggy yet stirring.

“Lady Freni, you are finally awake,” he murmured, a note of concern in his voice.

“Have I… slept for a long time?” Her voice was soft, tinged with confusion, like the delicate mist that lingers after a morning rain. However, as her awareness returned, the fog in her eyes cleared, revealing a sharp, penetrating gaze.

Before she could ponder the barrage of knowledge flooding her mind, Freni noticed an unusual warmth enveloping her thighs and armpits. “Not too long, right?” Ryan responded, his cheeks coloring slightly as he realized their compromising position. He quickly, yet gently, set her down.

Freni felt very light in his arms, akin to a delicate bundle of flower petals, her weight barely noticeable. Even through her dress, Ryan could feel the softness of her form as he carefully placed her on the ground.

Silently, Freni reached up to adjust her disheveled, fluffy witch’s hat. The wide brim shadowed her face, concealing her expression as she posed a question, “Mr. Ryan, where are we?”

“We’re in the Blood Moon Temple, an ancient relic from the Age of Gods,” Ryan explained, his tone mixing reverence with a hint of awe. “Lord Freni, are you injured in any way?”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, rubbing her temples as she tried to assimilate the rush of new knowledge that weighed on her spirit. “Before this, the blood witch drew me into a peculiar realm and imparted some wisdom. By the way, Mr. Ryan, she mentioned she would ‘test’ you. Did you fare well?”