Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 213

Chapter 213: Black Knight’s Investigation!
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Ryan noted the time 21:07. Midnight was still a few hours away, ample time for him to engage in some private endeavors.

Positioning himself beside his desk, he closed his eyes and concentrated. A moment later, a vivid blood-red light burst from the relic clasped in his hand, the [Embrace of Blood]. As the light intensified, Ryan’s skin paled visibly, his features drawn as if he were bleeding unseen.

The sensation was familiar yet distinctly intense. The significant blood loss plunged him into a state of serious injury, a condition he had encountered willingly in numerous battles. But this experience was different; amidst the physical discomfort and pain, a bizarre sense of joy bubbled within him.

The second-level professional skill of [Apostle of Joy], [Tide of Pain], was now in effect!

The odd mix of agony from his injuries and the euphoria flooding his spirit lingered for a full minute. Then, a notification flickered on his panel, the [Pain Value] had incremented to “1/100,” signifying a 1% increase in his career compatibility as an [Apostle of Joy].

Phantoms flickered at the edge of his vision. Ryan inhaled sharply, invoking the [Heart of Gluttony]. As his “Gluttony Level” diminished, his physical state began to stabilize rapidly.

From his space ring, he summoned a steak from the [Superior] Molten Fish Dragon, a delicacy far more succulent than the tougher flesh of the [Superior] Thunder Dragon, and a favorite of Ryan’s. The high-grade monster meat was rich in nutrients, swiftly restoring his depleted energy reserves.

A long sigh escaped him, a spark of excitement igniting in his eyes. His hypothesis was proving correct; the combined effects of the [Embrace of Blood], the [Heart of Gluttony], and the nourishment from high-level monster meat were accelerating his compatibility improvement with the [Apostle of Pleasure (Level 2)] skill at an impressive rate.

With tonight’s progress, Ryan was confident he could push the compatibility of [Apostle of Joy (Level 2)] to 25% of its first stage limit before dawn. Energized by this prospect, he braced himself for another cycle of pain and pleasure, each step forward fueled by the promise of greater power.

As midnight approached, Ryan lay sprawled on his expansive bed, his gaze unfocused and his limbs still trembling slightly from exertion. It took several moments for his breathing to steady as he contemplated the day’s rigorous trials.

“Twenty-five times in one day… That’s pushing the limits,” he murmured, a wry smile tugging at his lips. The relentless cycle of ‘pain’ and ‘joy’ had tested his mental fortitude to its boundaries. If not for the resilience honed through years of arduous travels, he might have faltered under the strain.

But his perseverance had paid off, yielding tangible rewards.

His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he regarded the glowing panel before him:

—

2. [Tide of Pain]:

The exclusive skill of the Apostle of Joy… (details omitted)

Each 1% of professional compatibility translates into 1 ‘pain value,’ with the current tally at: 25/100. In combat, each point amplifies [physical] and [spiritual] attributes by 1%.

At 25%, the next step ‘Pleasure after Pain’ is required to further enhance compatibility.

—

The prospect thrilled him. Twenty-five ‘Pain Points’ equated to a 25% enhancement in both physical and spiritual prowess, a formidable boost that could turn the tide in any battle. While the impact on his traveling clone’s already formidable physique was uncertain, the spiritual augmentation alone was significant.

All he needed now was a fitting adversary in the travel zone to engage in a spirited duel and complete the ‘joy after pain’ sequence, pushing past the first compatibility threshold of the [Apostle of Joy].

This path, the ‘Original Sin Path,’ was peculiar but offered rapid advancement with the right strategies.

Noticing the clock strike midnight, Ryan acted. He retrieved a ‘small bamboo raft’ from his space ring, sliding it under his bed for easy access. He then detached the ‘Attachment’ from the [Holy Goddess] and merged it into the raft. The Holy Goddess was cumbersome to deploy at sea, making the more compact ‘small bamboo raft’ a preferable choice.

With preparations complete, Ryan settled back into bed, his mind set on the journey ahead.

“Travel, start!”

…

Far from the well-traveled routes, Ryukin Island lay in the heart of the Whirlpool Islands, a mysterious location seldom visited by outsiders.

Today, the island awaited an extraordinary visitor.

Silently gliding through the dark waters, a colossal warship with a pitch-black hull akin to a specter of the night moored at the island’s dock. Its bow was adorned with a massive horn, five meters in length, a trophy from a leviathan easily surpassing a hundred meters. This horn, now a structural component of the ship, signified the prowess of its crew, a bold declaration of strength. The mighty creature that once bore this horn would have reigned supreme even in the vast inland seas, yet here it served as a mere emblem, a stark reminder of the fierce battles fought by those who sailed these waters.

Three knights clad in imposing black armor descended from the ship, their visors gleaming ominously under the moonlight. The knight at the forefront bore a distinctive golden “4” etched between his brows, a mark of status that left no room for ambiguity about his identity.

This was none other than the Fourth Seat of the Black Knights.

The Black Knights were a fearsome order, with twelve ranks in total. Each rank was fiercely contested, divided into tiers that reflected the level of power each knight wielded. The tenth through twelfth seats were reserved for second-level combatants, the seventh through ninth seats for third-level, and the coveted fourth through sixth seats for those at the fourth level of power. To hold the fourth seat was to stand at the very pinnacle of extraordinary strength, an elite capable of hunting even fourth-level witches with terrifying efficiency.

As the Fourth Knight surveyed the desolate island, he spoke with icy detachment, “Twelve, you seek death here, don’t you?”

The knight who answered bowed low, his posture stiff with respect. “Yes, sir.” This was the squire of the Fourth Black Knight, a position held by those who had once vied for the same rank but fell short in the brutal competition. Despite being at the same level of power, the squire knights submitted to their superiors, the sheer disparity in skill and combat prowess forcing them into subservience.

To be a squire under the Fourth Knight was no small feat. His strength eclipsed those who held the seventh through ninth seats, a fact well understood among the Black Knights.

Having received his confirmation, the Fourth Knight said nothing more and proceeded deeper into the island, his steps unhurried yet purposeful. The other knights followed in his wake, their presence radiating an aura of grim authority.

Soon, they reached a massive sinkhole, hundreds of meters wide, a gaping wound in the earth that silenced even the most hardened warriors. The Fourth Knight paused, staring at the scene before him, his thoughts stirring beneath the cold mask of his visor.

“Legend…” he muttered under his breath. “But why would a legend intervene in a pursuit against the Dark Moon Witch?”

The plan had seemed foolproof. After the twelfth seat, a second-stage knight, failed to capture the witch, the Fourth Knight, at the apex of the fourth stage, had been dispatched to ensure success. Yet, the devastation before him suggested something far beyond what even he had anticipated.

If a legendary figure had truly aligned with the Dark Moon Witch…

“No, that’s not it!” The Fourth Knight’s voice snapped with sudden realization. “If a legend intended to deal with the twelfth seat, it wouldn’t require such destruction. A mere flick of their power could have eradicated the twelfth seat without a trace.”

His eyes narrowed, sharp with calculation. “The twelfth seat was likely caught in the crossfire of a battle between two legends and perished as collateral.”

Even with this new insight, the Fourth Knight’s expression remained tense. The emergence of not one, but two legendary beings in the outer sea was a matter of grave concern. The implications stretched far beyond the isolated conflict, threatening to disrupt the delicate balance of power across the continent, particularly for coastal kingdoms like Augustus.

The situation had grown far more perilous than a mere witch hunt. It was now a matter of navigating the clash of titans, forces that could reshape nations with a single gesture. And as the Fourth Knight stood before the abyss, he knew his next moves would determine much more than just the fate of the Dark Moon Witch.

“Under the shadow of a legend, we are all nothing but ants.” This saying was more than just words, it was a grim reality.

Legends wield the power to change the tides of fate itself!

“Relay a message to headquarters,” the Fourth Knight commanded, his voice firm yet laced with the weight of the decision. “Inform them of the presence of two legends in the outer sea region. Also, request assistance, see if the Third Seat can be dispatched to back us up.”

After a moment’s pause, he added with a calculating edge, “For now, we’ll pursue and wait for the right moment to strike.”

“Yes, sir!” The two squire knights responded in unison, their eyes burning with determination despite the daunting task ahead.

The Fourth Knight surveyed the devastation before him, scorched earth and fractured stone, the remnants of a clash far beyond his own power. “A legend…” he muttered, a hint of longing and resignation in his tone. For any professional, becoming a legend is the ultimate dream, a goal that towers above all others.

But that ambition is blocked by a chasm so deep that even the most capable fall short. Despite holding the prestigious Fourth Seat among the Black Knights, even he wasn’t certain he could ever cross that abyss and ascend to legendary status.