Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Trial of Strength!
Ryan watched, torn between concern and intrigue. The allure of the Holy Blood’s power was undeniable, yet the implications of joining Freni were daunting.

Just then, Freni’s anxious voice pierced his indecision. “Mr. Ryan, hurry! The effects are fading fast!”

Despite her calm tone, her tightly clenched fists, submerged and unseen, betrayed her inner turmoil.

With a resolved inhale, Ryan shed his hesitations. The mystical panel had revealed no conflicts between the Holy Blood and the First-level Spiritual Enhancement Crystal; their effects could indeed be synergistic. His spiritual foundation, already formidable, stood only to benefit. What untold heights could he reach if he advanced to the second level?

With a soft splash that sent ripples across the pool, Ryan submerged himself, leaving only his head above the crimson surface. Mere meters away, Freni’s face emerged, and their eyes momentarily locked, each quickly averting their gaze, a mix of embarrassment and mutual understanding passing between them.

Their entry seemed to stabilize the pool’s chaotic energies. What had threatened to evaporate now funneled vigorously into them, swirling into two distinct whirlpools of vibrant, bloody energy. This spiritual bounty washed over them ceaselessly, each pulse visibly enhancing Ryan’s spiritual essence, promising new realms of power previously unimagined.

As Ryan submerged himself in the sanctified waters of the Holy Blood Pool, a stirring within his spirit began, an agitation that seemed to emanate from the very essence of the sacred fluid. With each passing moment, a creeping lethargy seeped into his heart, growing relentlessly stronger until resistance became futile. Eventually, overcome by an irresistible force, he succumbed to a profound slumber.

Across from him, Freni experienced a similar fate. Time lost its meaning as both lay dormant, the pool’s mystical energies enveloping them.

After what seemed like an eternity, Ryan’s consciousness began to stir. Even before his eyes fluttered open, he sensed a vibrant surge of spirituality rejuvenating every fiber of his being. “The potency of the Holy Blood is beyond imagining…” he murmured to himself.

Slowly, his eyes opened to the transformed scene around him. The once opaque waters of the pool had cleared, revealing a lighter hue. Not far away, he caught sight of Freni. The murky water sculpted her figure into a silhouette of smooth, undulating curves visible beneath her snug attire.

She remained motionless, her eyes shut, with a delicate swirl of blood-red vortex encircling her, a sign she was still in the throes of the Holy Blood’s embrace. Remembering the scripture that noted the potency of Holy Blood was contingent upon the recipient’s bodily tolerance and spiritual rank, Ryan deduced that Freni, newly ascended to the second level, was yet to fully assimilate the divine essence.

Shifting his gaze, Ryan rose from the pool. He fetched a fresh set of garments from his space ring and quickly dressed. Now dry, he let out a sigh of relief and checked his spiritual stats on the panel:

[Spirituality]: 4.8—”Gluttony Hunter (First Level)” +1.5, Soul of the Other World +1.0, Traveling Clone “Pirate (First Level)” Feedback 0.3, Ten [First Level Spiritual Enhancement Crystals] +1.0, [Holy Blood] +1.0

“The spiritual boost from the Holy Blood alone is equivalent to ten [First Level Spiritual Enhancement Crystals]…” he thought, a notion forming about the efficacy of his earlier hypothesis.

With his spirit renewed, Ryan’s curiosity led him to explore the confines of the Blood Moon Temple. The walls and pillars were adorned with intricate reliefs, each pattern seemingly a cryptic narrative of its own. Sadly, without the aid of the mystical script, their stories remained elusive.

The temple, austere compared to its conventional counterparts, held a certain stark beauty. His inspection led him to a heavy stone door at the temple’s heart, guarded by the carved visage of a colossal wolf. Approaching it felt akin to walking into the gaping mouth of a fierce beast.

To his surprise, the panal flickered to life, offering a clue about this enigmatic portal. Intrigued, Ryan paused, considering the secrets that lay beyond, ready to unravel the mysteries of the temple.

The panel script before Ryan flickered ominously, revealing the nature of the challenge: [Trial of Strength]. This door, it explained, would adapt its resistance based on the race and rank of the one who dared to confront it, yielding only to sheer physical might.

A cautionary note followed: So far, no human had ever surmounted the [Trial of Strength].

“Oh?” Ryan’s interest piqued as he read the prompt. His confidence in his physical prowess was not unfounded, among his peers at the first level, few could match his strength, and even at the second level, he believed himself to be a formidable contender.

Positioning himself squarely in front of the door, Ryan placed his palms against the cold stone and pushed with all his might. Yet, despite exerting his full power, the door remained unmoved, as immovable as the mountains themselves.

A furrow creased Ryan’s brow in surprise and frustration. Glancing back at the script, he noticed a subtle update in the description of the [Trial of Strength]:

[Trial of Strength]: … Current race and rank of the attempter are: human, first level. Minimum [Physique] requirement to pass the [Trial of Strength]: 10.0

“10.0 [Physique]?!” Ryan exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and annoyance surging through him. The audacity of the Blood King in setting such a high threshold seemed almost a personal affront. Was this trial specifically designed to thwart human challengers? A first-level human with a physique of 10.0 was unheard of, perhaps only a giant could naturally achieve such a feat.

And what of a giant at the first level facing this test? How much more daunting would the requirement be? It seemed the trial was indeed crafted to be an insurmountable barrier.

After a moment of seething with frustration, Ryan’s thoughts turned calmer. His current [Physique] stood at 9.46, close, so very close to the threshold. If he could enhance his traveling clone to the next level, the additional power might just tip the scales in his favor, pushing his physique beyond the required 10.0.

With these thoughts, Ryan turned his attention inward, towards the [Nameless Ship Sculpture] residing deep within his mind. To his astonishment, the [Travel] function had completed its cooldown. “Did I really spend nearly a day submerged in the Holy Blood Pool it’s realy surprising?” he murmured to himself.

After a brief contemplation, Ryan retraced his steps to the Holy Blood Pool and settled at its edge, contemplating his next move, poised between the lore of ancient trials and the potential of his own untested limits.

Ryan had meticulously combed through the Blood Moon Temple, only to find that aside from the formidable [Trial of Power], there seemed to be little of value. As Freni continued to immerse herself in the transformative embrace of the [Holy Blood], Ryan saw an opportunity. He planned to use this time to embark on a “travel” adventure, aiming to enhance his travel clone.