Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 155

Chapter 155: Gluttony Joy!
Now, seated by the flickering campfire, he was engrossed in a more pleasurable activity. He sizzled steaks cut from an [Upper] Bloodclaw Dragon over the flames. Anticipating a significant culinary upgrade, Ryan meticulously basted the steaks with honey and sauce, their surfaces crisping to a perfect golden-brown after a diligent half-hour of grilling.

The moment the “Blood Claw Dragon Steak” was ready, Ryan didn’t hesitate. He tore into the tender meat, savoring the juicy, flavorful bites, far superior to the tougher, coarser “Unicorn Dragon Steak” he’d had before. It was a known fact that larger creatures often provided tougher meat due to their dense muscle fibers, but this steak was an exception.

As Ryan devoured the succulent steak, warmth radiated through his body. When the last piece settled in his stomach, the familiar prompt of the panel materialized before his eyes:

[[Gluttony] reaches “100/100”, completing the second “Gluttony Joy”. The following permanent benefits are obtained: Special skill [Dragon Armor (Mastery)] Damage received is permanently reduced by 10%. (Rank determinations apply: if from a creature one rank higher, effectiveness halves; two ranks higher, nullified).]

[[Gluttony Hunter (Level 1)] Compatibility increased by 25%, now at 50%, Spirituality +1.0 (Total)!]

The gluttony meter didn’t merely reset to zero, it surged forward to “59/100” before pausing, its progress a testament to Ryan’s indulgence.

Rising from his seat by the fire, Ryan felt a surge of newfound strength coursing through him. A satisfied smile played on his lips as he noted the upgrade of [Dragon Helmet] from “Entry Level” to “Mastery,” effectively doubling its damage reduction to 10%.

Although modest, Ryan knew that with each increment in skill level, his defense would become formidable. Imagining himself in battle, armored and formidable, the greatsword warrior with both devastating offense and impenetrable defense, his smile widened.

Moreover, the benefits of his second culinary venture extended beyond mere physical fortification. The increase in professional compatibility meant a substantial boost in his spiritual power. His baseline spirituality had soared to 5.8, while his traveling clone now boasted a powerful 7.0 surpassing many second-level professionals though he remained at the first level. In the world of adventurers, Ryan’s rapid ascension was not just promising, it was meteoric.

Languid from the feast of dragon steak, Ryan reclined beside the warm, crackling campfire. He relished the pleasant lassitude that only comes after satisfying a deep, primal hunger. Time stretched on as he lay there, the flames painting flickering shadows on his face.

Eventually, he stood, shaking off the remnants of his reverie. After a brisk pack-up of his campsite, he set his sights on a new horizon, the surface desert. Deep in the Rotten Miasma Abyss, an ancient dragon stirred, far beyond his current means to challenge. Wisdom dictated a tactical retreat; to grow in strength before facing such a formidable adversary. His next target, prompted by tales from a reclusive dragon man, were two elusive [superior] monsters rumored to dwell not in the caves, but in the open desert.

The “Roaring Black Tiger” guarded a mystical gate, while the “Unparalleled Hunter” prowled an oasis, a stark contrast to the underground life he had known.

Ryan ascended the hidden passageway leading up from the [Bonfire Point-Corruption Abyss Outpost], emerging under the night’s canopy. Moonlight cascaded over the landscape, draping the rocks in a luminous, silvery veil. He paused, struck by the surreal beauty of the night, a sight he had never witnessed in his travels here. His experiences had been limited to the harsh light of noon or the dying embers of dusk, never the serene tranquility of moonlit darkness.

“Ah…” A breath escaped him, half in awe, half in cautious release. Nights here, he knew, harbored greater perils than the day. His superior physicality offered little advantage without night vision, and the darkness teemed with nocturnal predators.

His eyes lifted to the crescent moon, inspiration striking. The hermit had mentioned the “Oasis under the Moon” as the haunt of the “Unparalleled Hunter.” With the moon as his guide, finding the oasis might lead him straight to his quarry.

Ryan descended from his rocky perch, determination setting his path towards the “second petal area.” The first, a desert dominated by the lordly [Upper] Unicorn Dragon, was unlikely to host another superior monster. His quest led him deeper, beyond the established bounds.

The chill of the Desert Wasteland night bit at his skin, the temperature plunging below 5°C. Each breath he exhaled turned to mist before his eyes, and the gusting wind threatened to leech away his warmth. Yet, such harsh elements barely registered against his seasoned endurance.

With his massive sword slung over his shoulder, Ryan marched on, the moon his lantern and the whistling wind his unsung melody. As he trekked, the barren rocks gradually gave way to sparse vegetation, dotted with hardy cacti, a sign he was drawing closer to his goal.

Ryan’s spirits lifted as he spotted the first signs of vegetation, a telltale marker of water nearby. In the vast desert, such signs typically pointed to one thing: an oasis. With this promising thought, he quickened his pace, driven by the prospect of finding his next challenge.

Minutes later, a reflective glint caught his eye beyond a mound of sand. Under the moon’s luminous cascade, a shimmering expanse unfolded before him, a silver gem in the midst of the barren desert. The oasis lay ahead, its waters gleaming under the celestial light, transforming the scene into a vision of silver.

As Ryan approached, the oasis seemed to come alive. Fireflies danced over the bushes like tiny, flickering stars, creating a spectacle that resembled a scene from a dreamlike fairy tale.

“This must be the oasis. But where is the ‘Unparalleled Hunter’?” Ryan murmured to himself, his gaze scanning the tranquil waters and lush greenery. His hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his great sword, ready for any threat that might emerge.

He stood at the water’s edge, observing. The scene was peaceful: small lizard-like creatures sipped at the water’s edge, unperturbed by his presence. The place seemed devoid of danger, a stark contrast to the perilous tales of the hunter he had read.

“It’s not wise to keep watching from here…” Ryan thought aloud, his voice tinged with determination. He decided to venture further in for a better look.

The oasis under the moonlight was breathtaking. Palm trees and cacti flourished, fed by the life-giving waters. Yet as Ryan neared the lake, no attacks came. The lizard creatures watched him with wary eyes but made no move to engage.

“Could it be that this isn’t the right oasis?” The thought crossed Ryan’s mind as he observed the peaceful coexistence around him. He bent down, his fingers breaking the lake’s mirror-like surface, sending ripples across the cold water.

Suddenly, a soft rustling sound caught his attention. Peering closer, Ryan spotted several crabs emerging from beneath the lake’s edge. Unlike the larger “beach crabs” he’d encountered in other regions, these were smaller, about half a meter tall, with much slimmer bodies, a new species, perhaps.

Ryan’s mouth watered at the sight. As a “glutton hunter,” his appetite for novel delicacies was insatiable, and these crabs promised a tantalizing boost to his “gluttony level.”

With a grin, he decided it was time for a small hunt. “Time to see how these taste,” he chuckled, as he readied himself to catch a few of the unsuspecting crabs.

Just then, a sudden loud “boom!” echoed across the oasis, snapping Ryan’s attention from his culinary plans to the potential dangers that might lurk in this deceptive paradise.