Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 192

Chapter 192: Molten Dragon!
For Ryan just the inadvertent leak of his aura was enough to scare these monsters away in panic – Ryan had hunted so many special species during his travels and had already developed a “special aura” of his own.

Normally, he just tried his best to suppress it so as not to show it, but when traveling, he had no need to suppress himself at all.

To him, only special species are a threat.

And the large magma lake that appears before his eyes at this moment, such a vast ecological environment, cannot possibly be unoccupied by special species.

Although, he didn’t see it now.

But his hunter instinct made him feel depressed and uneasy before he even stepped into this place.

This feeling becomes stronger as time goes by.

It even made him want to turn around and run away.

“call…”

Ryan took a deep breath, exhaled deeply, and adjusted his state. He did not rush to step in, but observed his surroundings carefully.

Soon, he discovered something “abnormal”.

There are large puddles of sticky green stuff on many rock walls and the ground. Because the distance is too far, it is impossible to tell what it is specifically. It looks a bit like algae?

But the appearance of green algae in a high-temperature environment like a volcano is extremely strange no matter how you think about it.

After observing for more than ten minutes and finding nothing else, Ryan finally decided to go in and investigate.

There is no gain from watching from a distance. If you can observe these strange green algae plants up close, with the help of the panel, you may be able to obtain additional information.

Just as Ryan arrived in front of the nearest pool of “green algae”, before he could check the prompts on the panel, a vibration came from the ground.

“Boom boom, boom boom…”

That is the phenomenon caused by a heavy and huge object running on the ground.

Ryan’s expression changed slightly, and he raised his hand to grasp the hilt of the greatsword behind him.

About ten seconds later, a gigantic beast nearly twenty meters tall slowly walked out from the entrance in front of him.

Its entire body is covered with a hard royal blue shell, and its dark green hammer-shaped horn, forelegs and tail are particularly distinctive.

Along with its appearance, an extremely terrifying aura instantly filled the entire lava lake, making it difficult for Ryan to breathe.

Even with his newfound clone, a behemoth a hundred times stronger than any ordinary human, Ryan hesitated. The prospect of challenging the mighty [Upper] Molten Fish Dragon seemed daunting, even reckless.

He instinctively recoiled, retreating swiftly from the beast’s imminent descent.

“Boom!”

The impact was so great that the rocks and magma burst upwards as the dragon slammed into the earth, carving out a colossal pit over ten meters across. The crust gave way, revealing molten innards that slowly pooled into a seething, fiery basin.

Normally, such a forceful strike would leave any creature reeling from the recoil, possibly stunned or immobile for precious moments. But the Molten Dragon, nestled within its newborn magma pool, was astonishingly unfazed. In less than a heartbeat, it propelled itself towards Ryan with alarming velocity.

Leveraging its powerful legs and whip-like tail, the creature, despite its bulk, moved with an agility that belied its size, rapidly closing the distance on the ground.

The “lava dragon,” as Ryan grimly noted, bore down on him with relentless speed. Escape was no longer an option.

“If evasion is futile, then I shall face it head on!” Ryan declared, his resolve steeling. His eyes narrowed, and with a fluid motion, he unsheathed the massive sword slung across his back, bracing for impact.

This bold defiance only fueled the dragon’s rage, hastening its charge. They collided with a thunderous crash.

“Bang!”

Contrary to expectation, the collision didn’t send Ryan sprawling. Instead, the Molten Dragon recoiled as if it had struck a wall of solid volcanic basalt. Ryan stood unyielding, the force of the blow merely causing the creature to stagger back, slightly dazed.

A crimson aura flickered briefly as the “blood film” around Ryan absorbed the shock, allowing him to maintain his momentum.

His sword, now aglow with white flames, completed its charge cycle seamlessly.

“Rip!”

With a fierce cry, Ryan brought his sword down, slashing through the air and striking the dragon’s head as it attempted to recover.

“Clang!”

The sound of metal on hardened lava shell echoed ominously. The force of the blow pushed Ryan back several steps, his grip vibrating from the impact, fingers tingling with numbness.

“Hard! Very hard!” Ryan gasped, assessing his adversary’s resilience. The sword had only managed to etch a shallow groove into the dragon’s lava-like armor. It was clear that breaking through would require a significant effort, perhaps five more such charged strikes, barring any critical hits.

Beneath the rugged “lava shell armor” of the Molten Dragon lay an intricate fortress of scales, dense muscle, and sturdy bone, each layer meticulously engineered by nature to ward off the fiercest of attacks. This remarkable defense system not only distinguished it but also arguably surpassed that of the formidable Black Roar Dragon.

The sharp assault on its senses had snapped the dragon from its dizziness. It responded with a guttural roar, pivoting sharply as it lashed its enormous lava-laden tail at Ryan. The air crackled and popped, whipped furiously by the tail’s mighty force.

Ryan, opting for defense over further offense, hoisted his sword in a blocking stance, using the tail’s momentum to widen the distance between them swiftly.

He landed dozens of meters away, hands trembling from the encounter, his expression grave. Despite his efforts to mitigate the impact, the sheer power behind the dragon’s tail had left his fingers tingling painfully.

Meanwhile, the [Superior] Molten Dragon disappeared back into its magma pool, submerging entirely, vanishing without a trace.

Ryan’s gaze hardened. Unlike the Unicorn Dragon that burrowed into the earth, the Molten Dragon made scant movements beneath the molten cover, rendering it nearly undetectable. Only the subtle vibrations spreading through the ground hinted at its lurking presence.

Taking a deep breath, Ryan centered himself, tuning into the faint tremors underfoot.

About ten seconds passed before his eyes narrowed decisively, and he let out a sharp cry: “Ha!”

His call, infused with spiritual energy, reverberated powerfully. Suddenly, the ground exploded ten meters from Ryan, as the immense form of the Molten Dragon erupted from its hiding place.

Adapted to the sensory demands of its magma-rich environment, the dragon relied heavily on auditory and vibratory cues, making it incredibly sensitive to sound. The spiritual cry overwhelmed it, causing it to writhe on the ground in agony.

Ryan wasted no moment of this golden opportunity.

With an athletic leap, he advanced on the dragon’s head, even as he manipulated the [Holy Relic: Embrace of Blood], siphoning his blood to fuel his “blood energy” while thrusting his body into a “severely injured stage” to maximize his power.

As Ryan approached, his buffs aligned: [Secret of Fire lv.1] and [Liberation of Power lv.2] elevated his strength and resilience, boosting his damage, reducing incoming harm, and increasing both his critical hit potential and stamina efficiency.

The spiritual force surged within his sword, igniting a dazzling flame along the blade. Power built and condensed within its steel until, at its zenith, it unleashed in a blinding, explosive release.

Beneath the imposing “lava shell armor” of the [Superior] Molten Fish Dragon lay a formidable cascade of defense: scales as tough as armor, muscles rippling with strength, and bones dense as iron. In terms of sheer defensive might, this creature even eclipsed the fearsome [Superior] Black Roar Dragon.

Recovering from a disorienting blow to the head, the Molten Fish Dragon shook off its stupor with a menacing growl. It pivoted, its massive tail sweeping through the air with such force that it seemed to tear at the very fabric of gravity itself.

Ryan, sensing the imminent danger, didn’t attempt another strike. Instead, he lifted his sword in defense, using the massive tail’s momentum to propel himself backward, swiftly putting distance between him and the beast.

He landed dozens of meters away, shaking out his hands which tingled painfully from the impact, his expression etched with determination. Despite his efforts to lessen the blow, the force had been overwhelming.

The [Upper] Molten Ichthyosaur, seizing the moment, dove back into the safety of the magma pool. It submerged completely, vanishing without a trace beneath the molten surface.

Ryan’s gaze intensified. Unlike the Unicorn Dragon that burrowed underground, the Molten Dragon’s submersion into the magma made it nearly invisible, its movements obscured by the flowing lava. Only subtle vibrations rippling through the earth hinted at its continued presence, lurking just out of sight.

Ryan exhaled slowly, his focus sharpening as he tuned into the faint vibrations beneath his feet.

After a tense ten seconds, his eyes narrowed with resolve, and he suddenly shouted, “Ha!”

The cry, imbued with spiritual power, echoed deeply. The ground near Ryan erupted as his call disturbed the hidden dragon; the massive body of the Molten Dragon surged from the earth.

Adapted to the perpetual darkness of magma-filled environments, the dragon relied not on sight but on acute hearing and sensitivity to vibrations. Ryan’s spiritually charged shout struck the creature painfully, exploiting its heightened sensitivity.