Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 216

Chapter 216: Dire Circumstances!
Visibility was poor, obscured by the thick dust; any other hunter might have met their end under such conditions. But Ryan was no ordinary hunter; he was prepared with contingencies far beyond the norm.

As the deadly tail blade neared, two “blood cores” materialized on Ryan’s shoulders, instantly expanding into a protective “blood barrier.” The air was punctuated by a crisp ‘click’ as the barrier, now riddled with cracks, absorbed the brutal impact. The vibrant glow of the blood cores dimmed significantly, teetering on the brink of shattering.

His barrier, fortified by a robust 169.3 [Physique], was nearly compromised by the single, ferocious strike. Had Ryan not instinctively fortified the [Relic: Embrace of Blood] with his own life essence, converting his blood into additional energy, the barrier would not have merely cracked, it would have burst apart.

Normally, his full-health blood barrier could withstand two hits from superior beasts; against a “crown” monster, it barely held against one. Yet, Ryan withstood the tail blade’s devastating sweep.

The impact sent the dragon’s tail recoiling, much to the creature’s surprise. Its attack, which would have shattered lesser defenses, was thwarted by Ryan’s peculiar “eggshell” barrier. Yet the dragon was relentless.

The Sword-Tailed Dragon, towering over 20 meters tall, loomed above Ryan, its mouth agape. Deep within its throat, a sinister red glow began to brew as it lunged forward, intent on crushing him. For anyone who hadn’t faced such a behemoth, the terror of this moment was unimaginable. It was akin to facing the gaping maw of a great white shark, but on a scale that dwarfed even that fearsome predator. The Sword-Tailed Dragon’s jaws, large enough to engulf Ryan whole, snapped shut with the force to rend steel, let alone flesh.

The blood barrier Ryan had hastily erected trembled precariously under the immense force. Even as chaos erupted around him, his gaze remained unfazed, a calm center in the storm of battle.

Ryan focused intently, drawing deep into his reserves of power. This was the moment he had been preparing for, the culmination of all his strength gathering to a critical point. His spiritual energy and power swelled, condensing into a pristine sphere of pure force, then erupting spectacularly.

His greatsword, now a conduit for his might, was enveloped in roaring flames that eclipsed the intensity of any previous skirmish, even his legendary duel with Pope Libra.

As the greatsword cleaved the air, the skills “critical hit” and “fatal blow” activated in tandem, amplified by the [Secret of Fire] technique, which was fueled further by his significant blood loss. This combination propelled the power of his strike to new, unprecedented heights.

“Die!” Ryan bellowed, his voice thundering through the cavern as he swung the greatsword with lethal precision. The blade slashed through the air, powerful enough to subdue even the towering waves of an enraged sea, crashing down upon the jaw of the Sword-Tailed Dragon.

The impact resounded like a clap of thunder, echoing off the cave walls. Dragon blood, scalding hot, sprayed wildly as the beast’s colossal frame staggered backward, its jawbone stark white and exposed, stripped of scales and flesh.

Ordinarily, such a devastating blow would leave even a “upper three-star” monster reeling into unconsciousness. However, the [Crown] Sword Slayer Dragon, a creature of far more formidable caliber, merely recoiled from the pain, its wild ferocity now fully awakened.

Before this moment, the colossal dragon had regarded Ryan with a dismissive sneer, hardly considering the diminutive human a threat. But now, wounded and enraged, it recognized the true danger posed by this seemingly insignificant foe.

The dragon roared, a sound that dwarfed its previous bellows, sending Ryan staggering back as the cave seemed to shake at its foundation. Its throat glowed a menacing red, signaling an imminent, devastating attack. It bent to seize its own tail blade, which was wrapped around its massive form, in its jaws.

The sound of its tail blade heating in the fiery breath was akin to metal forged in an intense blaze, the air around it shimmering with the heat.

Ryan’s face set in a grim line. Quickly, he summoned a “Blood Spear,” a less potent weapon yet his only immediate option. He hurled it at the dragon in a desperate bid to disrupt its looming charge. The spear struck true but penetrated only the outermost layer of the beast’s armored hide, lodging itself ineffectually.

To the [Grand] Sword Dragon Slayer, such a wound was trivial, no more bothersome than a mosquito’s bite.

The tension in the air was palpable, swirling like a vortex around the dueling figures. Ryan sensed the impending force of the dragon’s retaliatory strike. It promised to be cataclysmic, far surpassing their previous encounters in sheer destructive power.

Despite reinvigorating his blood barrier to its fullest, Ryan knew it would be inadequate against the ferocity of the [Grand Position] Sword Dragon Slayer’s next move. The battle was reaching its climax, and the stakes were life or death.

The limited supply of blood energy from the [Holy Relic: Embrace of Blood] was insufficient to activate the fully powered “Blood Core” technique. Ryan knew he was at a disadvantage.

With a contemplative sigh, Ryan exhaled softly, his concentration deepening as his spiritual energy underwent a rapid transformation. A shimmering ice-blue aura encased his form, hinting at his next strategic move. He reached for his [Light Crossbow·Ice Crushing], his fingers deftly engaging the mechanism as he aimed and fired.

The crossbow bolt whistled through the air, striking the Sword-Tailed Dragon squarely. The impact was less than effective; not only did it fail to penetrate the dragon’s formidable scales, but the bolt also shattered from the sheer force of the rebound. Ryan, however, had anticipated this, the true purpose of his attack was to activate his professional skill, [Joyful Frozen Aura].

From the remnants of the broken bolt, a creeping frost began to spread across the dragon’s hide. The scorching red of its tail blade dimmed under the creeping chill, the frost subtly undermining the dragon’s fiery defenses.

[Joyful Frozen Aura]: Upon impact, reduces the enemy’s speed by 17% for 3.4 seconds, influenced by Ryan’s current 33.5[Spiritual] level. The reduction affected not just physical movement but all aspects related to the dragon’s speed.

The Sword Dragon’s response was visceral; its muscles tensed as the power within its “flame gland” intensified, heating the tail blade to an even more fearsome temperature, honing it into a weapon of devastating sharpness and heat.

As the dragon flexed, its entire body coiled like a drawn longbow, the cave flickering in ominous red hues as it prepared to unleash its heated tail blade. Thanks to the [Joyful Frozen Aura], the typically blistering attack slowed significantly, allowing Ryan a crucial moment to discern its trajectory and brace for defense.

“Clang!”

The sound of metal meeting an unstoppable force echoed as Ryan, foreseeing the strike, raised his greatsword defensively. He then surged forward, executing his [Special Sword Skill – Defensive Charge], meeting the fiery onslaught head-on.

The collision was catastrophic. The “tyrannical blood membrane” he conjured twisted grotesquely upon impact before bursting apart. Ryan, overwhelmed by the force, bled profusely, his body flung back and embedding deeply into the cavern’s rocky wall.

The [Grand] Sword Slayer, now fully engaged and displaying the terrifying might deserving of its title, overshadowed even the famed “Upper Three Stars” Princess Blazing Spider in sheer combat prowess. The stark disparity in their levels was evident, a chasm not easily bridged by mere numbers.

Ryan’s defensive maneuvers, the “Domineering Blood Film,” combined with the protective qualities of his [Ceratops Armor] and [Dragon Helmet] significantly mitigated the impact. The combined defenses absorbed over 90% of the attack’s potential damage.

Yet, the pain was overwhelming. Both of Ryan’s arms suffered shattered tibias, numerous ribs broke, and his internal organs sustained severe trauma.

With just a single, mighty blow from the Sword-Tailed Dragon, Ryan was left gravely injured, teetering on the brink of death, his situation dire and the outcome was uncertain for hi..

The [Crown] Sword-tailed Dragon, not far from the impact site, spun its formidable red tail blade back to peak power and directed another lethal slash towards Ryan, now embedded in the rock.

Ryan’s survival hung by a thread. With no energy left to mount a defense, his situation was dire. His Blood Core and special sword skills were depleted. The [Ceratops Armor], though previously reliable, now bore large cracks from the onslaught, drastically reducing its protective capabilities. Only the master-level [Dragon Helmet] remained intact, offering a mere 20% damage reduction, insufficient against the looming threat.

The true might of the Sword-Tailed Dragon, now fully unleashed, had surpassed all of Ryan’s expectations. Despite his recent advancements through two professions, enhancing his strength considerably, he was still outmatched in this direct confrontation. The disparity between the “upper” and the “crown” was huge, Ryan found himself in a precarious limbo, not quite matching the elite yet too strong for the lower tiers.