Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Talking With Freni!
As Ryan perused the features of the [Thunder Ring], his face lit up with a satisfied grin. The ring’s properties were straightforward and unembellished, focused solely on reducing the damage from attribute energy attacks, a crucial asset for a melee combatant like him.

During battles, Ryan, ever in the thick of the fray, found himself vulnerable to ranged energy attacks. This ring, with its robust “armor” capabilities, would allow him to endure such onslaughts and advance aggressively toward his adversaries.

Indeed, the [Thunder Ring] proved a formidable upgrade over the standard [Energy Resistance Ring]. It offered enhanced damage reduction, even parrying 10% of energy attacks from fifth-level legendary professionals, a feat beyond the reach of ordinary mid-level items. The ring was rightfully adorned with the suffix “精”, denoting its superior quality.

Carefully, Ryan lifted the ring from its wooden holder and, after a moment’s consideration, slid it onto the middle finger of his left hand. The dark gold of his gloves contrasted strikingly with the dark silver of the ring, which emitted a subtle blue glow. The combination was understated yet undeniably opulent.

Satisfied, Ryan caught the expectant look of the towering blacksmith across from him.

“Uh…” Ryan momentarily faltered, then swiftly composed himself as the space ring on his hand shimmered, spilling the exotic materials of the [Upper] Molten Fish Dragon onto the floor.

“Master Golden Hammer, could you forge another ring from these materials? Ideally, one that enhances energy attacks,” Ryan requested, his tone respectful yet eager.

Master Golden Hammer examined the unique materials with a mix of excitement and a flicker of disappointment. While the materials were indeed impressive, they weren’t challenging enough to fully showcase his legendary smithing skills.

Ryan noticed the subtle shift in the blacksmith’s demeanor but chose to keep the conversation focused on the task at hand.

“Let’s stick to our usual arrangement then,” Master Golden Hammer proposed. “I’ll take the leftover materials as my fee for the forging.”

“Agreed,” Ryan nodded, confirming the deal. “I’ll await your message once the commission is complete.”

With a final nod, Ryan left the Golden Hammer Blacksmith Shop, his footsteps echoing slightly in the quiet street. Behind him, Master Golden Hammer watched thoughtfully, his curiosity piqued by the unusual materials. Yet, he quickly set aside such questions, adhering to his strict professional ethics not to probe into the origins of his clients’ materials.

“It’s time to get to work…” Master Golden Hammer muttered to himself as he stood, his immense stature nearly grazing the shop’s ceiling.

…

Ryan made his way back to the Shenjiu Inn, a building dripping in luxury. He ascended to his room on the top floor, labeled “103”, with Freni and Cecilia’s rooms adjacent, marked “101” and “102”.

After a brief hesitation at his door, Ryan decided to address some personal matters in his own space before seeking out Freni.

Pushing open the door, he was greeted by the lavish decor of his room. He crossed to the desk, settling into the plush chair, and withdrew the high-level rare item, [Goddess of Victory].

“Attachment,” Ryan spoke clearly, ready to unleash the full potential of yet another powerful artifact.

As Ryan pondered the fate of the “Goddess of Victory,” he initiated the attachment process. A subtle shimmer spread across the ship’s surface. Externally unchanged, the vessel had, however, undergone profound internal restoration.

Glancing at the control panel, Ryan noted with satisfaction that the “damaged” label had vanished. This high-level wonder, deemed irreparable by countless shipbuilding masters, had stealthily regained its former glory.

A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

With the “Goddess of Victory” restored, their small team’s need for a large, reliable vessel was resolved. More so, the ship’s unparalleled speed promised to expedite their journey toward the elusive golden tree.

Securing the ship back into its compartment, Ryan exhaled deeply, his demeanor shifting to one of serious contemplation.

Now, it was time to focus on the [Unnamed Ship Sculpture].

From past experiments, Ryan knew the repair metrics: a standard low-level artifact could boost the repair rate by 1%, while those marked with the suffix “精” could double that efficacy to 2%.

He had collected a hundred such artifacts from the royal treasury. By all accounts, these should suffice to substantially mend the [Nameless Ship Sculpture] his crucial lifeline in this world.

With a reflective sigh, Ryan began the ritual of offering these artifacts to the sculpture.

Fifteen minutes later, he scrutinized the sculpture’s repair progress, which frustratingly capped at 37%. The discrepancy was stark and alarming.

The repair requirements escalated exponentially: from needing two items per 1% repair after reaching a 10% repair rate, to needing four per 1% after 20%. The escalating demand reminded Ryan painfully of his travel clone’s leveling system, which similarly doubled its demands.

“What the hell!” Ryan muttered under his breath, a wave of panic rising.

Though 37% was a solid start, the path to full restoration was daunting. Reaching 100% would need over 10,000 low-level artifacts, a number so vast it made his head spin. He had nearly drained the royal treasury of Saint Toss to scrape together just a hundred; where on earth would he find ten thousand more?

Even if Master Golden Hammer were to dedicate his forge to the cause day and night, the sheer volume and the disdain the master held for low-level items rendered the plan impractical.

Realization dawned grimly: Relying solely on low-level artifacts was a fool’s errand.

Ryan took a deep, steadying breath, pushing down the surge of despair.

If the [Unnamed Ship Sculpture] was to be fully restored, he needed to tap into something far more potent, the “anchor” of their mysterious island destination. The energy inherent in such an “origin” point dwarfed even the highest-level magical objects in potential.

With a resolute shake of his head, Ryan closed the panel and stood. His mood somewhat stabilized, he prepared to leave his room and seek out Freni in room “101,” ready to discuss their next steps and perhaps find a new strategy together.

The late hour cast a heavy shadow over Ryan’s room, making his decision to visit a lady’s room feel inappropriate, but the urgency of “pollution” couldn’t be put off until morning. However, just as he was about to leave his room, a gentle knock echoed through the quiet.

“Mr. Ryan, can I come in?”

The familiar voice momentarily stunned Ryan. After regaining his composure, he walked over and opened the door, revealing Freni’s deep blue eyes that seemed to hold the tranquility of the ocean itself.

Adorned with a fluffy witch hat and dressed in a long skirt that gracefully transitioned from white to blue, she stood at his doorstep, a vision of ethereal beauty, her figure as if sculpted by divine hands.

“Captain, why are you here?” Freni asked, her voice tinged with surprise.

“I was actually about to look for you,” Ryan replied with a smile, stepping aside to let her in. As he walked back to the desk, the soft thud of the door closing mingled with the rhythmic tap of Freni’s footsteps, adding a comforting cadence to the room.

With a graceful ease, Freni took a seat next to the desk, the tip of her witch hat swaying playfully. “I was in a rush earlier and didn’t get the full story. I came over as soon as I heard you were back,” she explained, her voice as soothing as moonlight.

“You said you wanted to see me as well? What’s wrong?”

Ryan took a moment to gather his thoughts before he recounted the recent events involving the Fire Witch Milanla and the Water Drop Princess Ariel. Freni listened intently, her expression growing thoughtful.

After a reflective pause, she sighed, “This was Milanla’s own choice. We, as outsiders, cannot truly judge if it was right or wrong. And looking at the outcome, she did achieve what she desired. It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

“Let’s change the subject,” Freni suggested gently.

“Mr. Ryan, you mentioned wanting to see me, was there an issue?”

Ryan looked into her deep blue eyes, then briefly averted his gaze. “I learned of the pollution from the Water Drop Princess,” he started cautiously. “During your battle with the Black Knight, the dark blue veins on your body… they lingered unusually long. Is that a sign of the pollution deepening?”

The air in the room tensed for a moment.

Freni smiled slightly, her lips parting as if to reassure him, “You’re concerned about the pollution… Well, I can’t disclose much, for reasons I must keep to myself. Revealing them might trigger unforeseen consequences. However, do you remember Selina, the blood witch? With her aid, my initial condition improved considerably, and we might be close to a breakthrough in resolving this affliction.”

Ryan’s brow furrowed. “The Blood Witch… a capricious entity…”

A sudden realization seemed to strike him, connecting disparate pieces of information he had gathered, particularly concerning the mysterious [Holy Relic: Embrace of Blood] and its inexplicable link to these events.

Could the enigmatic beings Freni hinted at be the “spirit people”? And if so, why would such beings be so intensely concerned or even fearful, about witch pollution to the point of secrecy?

Lost in thought, Ryan barely noticed Freni standing to leave. At the doorway, she paused, her back to him. “Mr. Ryan, you were impressive in the duel,” she said softly, almost wistfully. “It would have been better if it was for me…”

The words were barely audible, and by the time Ryan looked up, puzzled, the door had clicked shut, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the silent, echoing room.