Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 186

Chapter 186: Holy Flower!
The impact was catastrophic. Armor plates burst apart, creating a grotesque blossom of black blood and shattered flesh. Amidst the destruction, a dark, heart-shaped object burst forth, hurtling toward the labyrinth’s exit with alarming speed.

Reacting instantly, Ryan watched as the heart, now a blurred shadow of its former keeper, darted toward the cave’s entrance leading to the seventh floor. Just as it seemed about to escape, a complex ice-blue magic circle materialized at the threshold. Azure light surged up, encasing the black heart in a frosty grip.

“Ka-ka-ka…” The sound of fracturing glass filled the air as the icy hold began to crack under the heart’s desperate pulsations.

A second later, the azure “cage” shattered explosively, freeing the heart which continued its desperate flight toward the passage. Yet, its escape was thwarted by a swift, decisive stroke, a sword intercepting its path, its blade gleaming coldly in the dim light of the maze.

As the “Azure Light” arrested the flight of the broken black heart, Ryan moved with practiced precision. His greatsword descended with a definitive slash, splitting the corrupted heart cleanly in two. The sound of it cleaving apart echoed sharply through the cavernous maze.

Within the severed heart, eerie, phantom-like hands writhed momentarily, their movements becoming increasingly feeble, until they finally drooped in defeat. As the halves of the heart hit the ground, they disintegrated into myriad black fragments, scattering across the stone floor.

Meanwhile, the Skeleton Knight, still reeling from the encounter, lay immobilized at a distance. Suddenly, its body erupted, unleashing a torrent of black mud that swiftly engulfed the eighth floor, transforming the ground into a murky wasteland.

Protected by the “blood barrier,” Ryan remained untouched by the spreading filth. His attention was drawn to a striking contrast in the heart of the mire, a pure white flower, blossoming resplendently amidst the darkness. Its presence was a paradox, a symbol of purity emerging from corruption, a sacred bloom in the vilest soil.

A message materialized before Ryan, capturing his attention:

—

[Holy Flower]: This rare bloom arises only in the direst of conditions. It possesses a profound and mysterious spirituality. Upon harvesting, the Holy Flower withers into a [Holy Seed], which endures for no more than a day before dissolving into the ether.

Consuming the [Holy Seed] triggers a “Spiritual Explosion,” boosting spiritual capacity by +3.0 for three minutes. After this surge, the bearer’s spiritual limit will permanently increase by +1.0.

—

“Holy flower?” Ryan murmured, a mix of awe and curiosity in his voice. The defeat of the “Hanged Man” had yielded an unexpected treasure, one seemingly too sacred for such a dark origin. What was the true nature of that black heart?

Bending down, Ryan carefully plucked the delicate flower. As he watched, it withered in his hand, leaving behind only a glowing [Holy Seed]. With reverence, he placed the seed into his space ring, his mind still pondering the mysteries of what he had just witnessed.

Turning his attention to Yellow Sand, he saw her half-kneeling, the black mud creeping up to her knees. Her breathing was labored, and even behind her mask, the pallor of her skin was evident. The icy blue lines on her neck flickered ominously, spreading like frost across a windowpane.

Ryan hastened to her side, his concern mounting. The ice-blue lines were alarming, and he sensed an urgent need to act. “Open your mouth and swallow this,” he urged, producing a [First-order Healing Crystal].

Yellow Sand, her senses dulled from exhaustion and the mask’s barrier, opened her mouth reflexively but fumbled due to the mask. Realizing the oversight, Ryan swiftly adjusted, lifting her mask just enough to administer the crystal.

As the crystal dissolved, its healing energies began to counteract the creeping cold, offering her a reprieve from her ordeal. Ryan watched intently, hoping the quick intervention would stabilize her condition and grant her the strength to recover fully from the battle’s harsh toll.

As the ice-blue lines on Yellow Sand’s neck darkened and pulsed more urgently, and her consciousness wavered as if she were on the brink of collapse, Ryan acted with swift concern. Whispering an apology for the intrusion, he gently removed the mask that seemed to encapsulate her fading strength, revealing the vulnerable features of her pale, youthful face beneath.

Yellow Sand looked surprisingly young, her features still rounded with the softness of late adolescence, adding a poignant fragility to her appearance that tugged at Ryan’s protective instincts.

He quickly placed the [First-Order Healing Crystal] between her slightly parted lips, tinted a delicate pink. As the crystal dissolved, the menacing glow of the ice-blue lines across her face and neck visibly subsided, though they stubbornly persisted. With a mix of determination and distress, Ryan administered two more crystals, hoping to stave off the lingering effects of her ordeal.

The additional crystals seemed to ease her condition significantly; the ominous lines faded, retreating beneath the surface of her skin as her expression softened into one of exhausted relief. She slumped slightly, her body succumbing to the fatigue of the battle.

Supporting her gently, Ryan carefully replaced her mask and scooped her into his arms, carrying her to where Cyan River and the others had been left in relative safety. Despite Yellow Sand’s efforts to shield them from the worst of the battle, the divine oppression had overwhelmed them, leaving them unconscious.

Ryan’s handling of Cyan River was tender as he positioned her and Yellow Sand by the stone gate, a sanctuary from the encroaching black mud. He returned for Green Tide and Blue Mountain with less delicacy, hauling them to safety with an urgency that disregarded the mud caking their legs.

With his team secure, Ryan kindled a bonfire. The simple act brought a semblance of normalcy and a comforting glow that pierced the oppressive darkness of the underground maze. Leaning against the stone gate, he allowed himself a moment to relax, reassured by the fire’s warmth as he considered the time remaining, just half an hour until the mission’s end.

The defeat of the “Hanged Man” ensured a quiet conclusion to their ordeal, as no mapless pirate or adventurer could navigate the maze’s depths in such short order. Ryan reflected on the cost of their victory; though all had survived, the toll on his team was heavy.