Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 242

Chapter 242: New Sword Skill!
As the warm autumn breeze danced through the forest, it whisked away the last golden leaf clinging stubbornly to the treetops. The leaves spiraled downward, catching the sunlight as they fell, their descent stirring up clouds of dust that sparkled like tiny stars scattered across the forest floor.

“How about I teach you swordsmanship?” The question floated gently on the wind as Noel stood near the cliff’s edge, her voice echoing softly in the quiet, causing Ryan to pause and squint slightly, wondering if his ears had deceived him.

Noel approached with a playful smirk, her footsteps light on the leaf-strewn ground. The idea of her offering sword lessons seemed as surreal as the forest scene around them. Seeing Ryan’s hesitation, she scrunched up her nose, a playful frown forming. “Hey, Mr. Ryan, do you doubt my skills?”

Ryan snapped back to reality, his gaze sharpening as he regarded her seriously. “Why?” His question was straightforward, seeking her true intentions.

The old adage that nothing comes without a price rang in his ears, a belief that had guided much of his cautious nature.

“If you really need a reason…” Noel tilted her head, her expression a mix of annoyance and mischief. “Consider it a curiosity to explore how sword skills evolve through another’s practice.”

Her voice took on a wistful tone. “The path of the sword is infinite, yet the human body has its limits. I’ve pushed myself as far as I can go. To break beyond, I need fresh techniques, fresh movements. In you, I see that potential.”

“It’s just that, while your current level is commendable, it’s not yet where it could be. I want to push you further,” she continued, her eyes gleaming with challenge.

“How about this? Once I deem your skills refined enough, we’ll duel for real. No holding back, just you and me, blade against blade. What do you say?”

Her laughter broke the tension, a light, airy sound that softened the seriousness of her proposal.

Ryan exhaled deeply, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement at the sudden shift in atmosphere. His question had been a mere formality, a part of him already decided.

Peering intently into Noel’s eyes, he voiced one lingering doubt. “Are you the leader of the Sky Sword Dojo?”

With a playful “Ah, la la,” Noel tapped her chin with a slender finger, her eyes twinkling with humor. “That, I am not.”

“Why, do you bear a grudge against their leader?”

Ryan shook his head, dismissing the thought. “Not at all.”

“Enough talk then,” Noel declared, her figure blurring as she closed the distance between them in an instant. Her fingers, swift and precise, tapped Ryan’s forehead gently.

Before Ryan could grasp the moment, a flood of profound knowledge surged through him. This was no slow drip of learning but a rapid, overwhelming cascade. It was unlike any traditional method; it was direct, efficient, and startling in its immediacy. Noel had imparted the foundational techniques of Sky swordsmanship directly into his mind, setting him on the path to mastering its deeper secrets.

The experience was so profound that Ryan felt as though he had journeyed through the entire process of learning from the very beginning. As he sat with his eyes closed, absorbing the flood of knowledge, Noel watched from her perch high above. A flicker of weariness crossed her eyes, imparting skills in this manner was an exhausting ordeal even for her.

“It’s like planting seeds,” she murmured to herself, her voice barely more than a whisper carried away by the breeze. Swiftly, her form blurred, and she alighted atop a nearby tree, her feet swinging casually. The golden rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the leaves, casting playful patterns on her bare, crystalline toes, surrounding them with a soft glow.

From her lofty view, Noel observed Ryan with a mix of hope and curiosity. This act of teaching might have been spontaneous, but now that Ryan was her pupil, she couldn’t help but speculate about his potential.

The technique she had used, known as “Sky Blue Swordsmanship,” was renowned for its efficiency and directness. However, it came with stringent demands. The giver must possess immense strength and precision, while the receiver must have an extraordinary capacity to assimilate and endure. The process varied greatly between individuals; the duration and intensity of the pain involved could be extreme, but the outcomes were invariably profound.

Noel had set her expectations clear: if Ryan could integrate the essence of sky swordsmanship within a day, he would prove himself worthy.

Yet, what she hadn’t anticipated was the speed at which Ryan would complete the process. Mere seconds had passed, perhaps ten or fifteen, when she noticed Ryan slowly opening his eyes.

“Did the teaching fail?” Noel wondered initially, a flicker of doubt passing through her mind. But she quickly dismissed the thought. The legacy of “Sky Blue Swordsmanship” had never failed. The worst case in its long history involved a recipient who remained in a state of trance for a week, emerging frail but successful.

If not a failure, then what could explain Ryan’s rapid mastery? The question hung in the air, unanswered, but Noel’s eyes sparkled with excitement and disbelief as she pondered the potential within him.

As Ryan’s eyes opened, the last traces of a faint blue glow faded from his pupils. Before him, invisible to anyone else, a panel materialized, outlining details only he could perceive.

Captain: Ryan Leland

Age: 18

Bloodline: Descendant of the Vikings

Title: Son of Blood, Son of Overthrow (Blood Oath Contract is invalid), Favored by the Dark Moon (protection lost), God Slayer

Talent: Soul of the Otherworld

Spiritual: 27

Physical: 51.92

Path Occupation:

– First Level: Glutton Hunter (100%), Pirate (100%)

– Second Level: Apostle of Joy (100% – “Joy after Pain” not completed), Storm Fighter (25%)

As he took in the information, a sense of awe filled him, mixing with the newfound knowledge swirling within his mind. Noel, from her treetop vantage, watched, eager to see how far this unexpected prodigy could go.

[Professional Skills]:

– Level 1:

– [Gluttony Hunter]: Food War, Gluttony Heart, Blood Hunt

– [Pirate]: High-spirited War Roar, One-handed Weapon Specialization, Water War Specialization

– Tier 2:

– [Apostle of Joy]: Aura of Joy, Tide of Pain, Gospel

– [Storm Fighter]: Brave Strike, Storm Body, Throwing Expertise Enhancement

[Learning Skills]:

– Storm Sword (Master),

– Sky Blue Sword (Proficient),

– Navigation (Beginner),

– Wonderful Items (Beginner)

[Special Skills]:

– Dragon Helm (Master),

– Dragon Power (Proficient)

——

The panel displayed only a minor update, introducing a fresh sword technique in the [Learn Skills] section.

Ryan’s gaze locked onto “Sky Blue Swordsmanship.” As he concentrated, a detailed description materialized:

[Sky Blue Swordsmanship (Mastery)]: An esoteric art from the Sky Blue Sword Dojo, embodying the dual nature of the wind, silent nurturer and fierce destroyer. You’ve mastered its basic stances and derivative moves. This unique method of learning ensures that upon advancing in proficiency, specific “special sword skills” will activate automatically.

Newly Acquired [Special Sword Skill – Wind Slash]: Step forward, unleash a swift slash, enhancing both movement and attack speed. The extent of enhancement depends on your [Spirituality] and swordsmanship level.

“Sky-Wind Walker,” Ryan murmured, recalling the stance Noel had demonstrated. “Was it her mastery I witnessed earlier? And now I’ve reached the same level, is it due to that unconventional teaching method?”

His thoughts were interrupted as Noel dismounted from her tree perch gracefully and landed on a jutting rock. She stood with her hands clasped behind her back, leaning slightly forward to fix her keen gaze on Ryan.

“Well, you seem to have absorbed it rather quickly,” she observed, her voice light yet carrying a hint of challenge. With a flick of her wrist, a standard-issue gray-silver long sword spiraled from her grasp and embedded itself into the ground before Ryan.

“I’d love to see you wield your one-handed long sword using the Sky Blue Sword Technique, but let’s start with something more basic for now,” she advised, her tone teasing yet encouraging.

After a moment’s pause, Ryan reached out and grasped the handle of the gray-silver sword. The moment he lifted it, a wave of familiarity washed over him, as if he’d been training with the long sword for decades.

However, he was more accustomed to the weight and heft of a greatsword; the lighter long sword felt somewhat foreign in his grasp.

With a deep breath, Ryan adjusted his grip and readied himself. He glanced at Noel, who had now stepped off the rock to face him on equal ground, mirroring his stance with a similar long sword in hand.

“Let’s see what I can do with this then,” he said, his voice resonant with a mix of anticipation and resolve. As he spoke, he settled into a ready position, his eyes narrowing slightly as he prepared to demonstrate the newly acquired skills.