Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 244

Chapter 244: Presence of The Black Knight!
 

Ryan touched his face, feeling the unfamiliar contours of the [Overturning Mask] that altered his appearance. “Mr. Purple Wind, how are you?” Durand greeted him with an unsettling familiarity. “I’m really sorry for yesterday’s abrupt departure. If you’re not in a rush, perhaps I could make amends over a drink?”

When they first met, Durand had seemed much more reserved. Now, his demeanor had shifted, revealing a more forthright, if troubling, personality.

Ryan exhaled softly, his patience thinning. “No, I don’t hold it against you,” he replied, his tone firm yet polite. “However, the best apology would be to keep your distance from me.”

“Your words are quite harsh…” Durand responded with a feigned sadness, then quickly added, “Are you concerned about the Sky Sword Hall? Fear not, they won’t stir until the Sky Sword Tournament concludes. See? I’ve been here a while, and all is well.”

Ryan turned to leave, uninterested in prolonging the conversation, but Durand followed, quickening his pace. “If you have something to say, say it outright. Don’t equivocate.”

Stopping, Ryan faced the persistent swordsman with a resigned look. “Heh,” Durand chuckled, sensing Ryan’s impatience. “I see I can’t fool you, Mr. Purple Wind.”

“Remember my previous invitation? What about that sword fight?” His voice carried a challenging undertone, cutting through the ambient noise of the bustling street.

“I’ve heard tales of your prowess from this morning’s duel. You’re quite formidable… Let’s test each other’s mettle in a friendly spar!” Durand’s voice carried an earnest excitement.

“There’s much we can learn from each other,” he added, the challenge in his eyes unmistakable.

Ryan hesitated, the weight of his new knowledge pressing on his mind. After a brief pause, he shook his head, his decision firm. “Had you asked yesterday, I wouldn’t have declined. But now, I’m grappling with new insights into my swordsmanship that I need to assimilate fully. To spar now would not only be premature but perhaps even disrespectful to both your skills and mine.”

“Let’s defer this duel,” Ryan concluded with a courteous nod. “Once I’ve settled my thoughts, I’ll be ready to cross swords with you.”

With that, Ryan turned to leave, hoping to end the conversation decisively. Yet Durand, driven by a relentless urge to match against a formidable swordsman, wasn’t so easily dissuaded.

“Sometimes, the clash of steel sharpens both mind and blade,” Durand called out, following him. His words, intended to persuade, only heightened Ryan’s irritation.

As they reached the boundary between the inner and outer city, with Durand still in unwavering pursuit, Ryan halted, his patience worn thin. “Enough,” he snapped sharply. “Let’s find an open area outside the city walls to spar. But on one condition: after we duel, win or lose, you cease following me.”

“Hehe, agreed, agreed,” Durand replied, his face lighting up with anticipation. “Let’s head to the east side of the city. I know just the place—”

Their conversation abruptly cut off as a chilling hiss sliced through the night air, a black blade whistling invisibly close. Both men instinctively stepped back, eyes scanning the darkness.

From the shadows emerged a figure clad in black armor, imposing and sinister. “I’m sorry, but neither of you are going anywhere today.”

Ryan’s gaze fixed on the newcomer, his eyes narrowing in recognition and alarm.

This presence, this menacing aura… It was the Black Knight!

“So soon?” he muttered under his breath.

Durand grimaced, his interest clearly soured. “The Black Knight?” he scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. “Your intrusion spoils my fun. You’re nothing but lapdogs of the Alliance of Nations.”

“Mr. Purple Wind, allow me to handle this pest first, then we’ll have our duel,” Durand said, stepping forward with a confident swagger.

Ryan watched, a perplexed expression crossing his face. Did Durand truly believe the Black Knight had come solely for him?

Near the city gate, where the bustling inner ring of the city met the more rugged outer ring, Ryan stood quietly, observing as Durland strode toward the ominous figure of the Black Knight. His steps were deliberate, his eyes fixed, yet there was something almost peculiar about his approach. Ryan watched him closely, his lips curling into a faint, amused smile.

“He’s really going for it,” Ryan thought, but he made no move to intervene. There was no reason to. Durland was bursting with energy, and letting him burn some of it off seemed like the best option. “Like raising a hyperactive husky,” Ryan mused, the comparison making him chuckle inwardly. “If you don’t let it run wild, it’ll find a way to make your life chaotic.”

But then, a memory flickered in Ryan’s mind.

The Alliance of Nations. Durland was wanted by them, and the Black Knight was part of that very same alliance. Augustus, one of the leading nations in the alliance, had sent their people before. Could it be that this knight was after Durland specifically? Ryan’s gaze sharpened as he considered the possibility. Perhaps Durland, in all his reckless glory, had crossed paths with this knight before. Maybe the Black Knight had hunted him once, and Durland assumed he was back for round two.

In Ryan’s experience, the Black Knights usually only hunted down those connected to the witch, individuals guilty of some serious offense that angered the Alliance of Nations. Was Durland involved in something bigger than Ryan had imagined? Had he somehow been entangled in the witch’s web of crimes? The thought lingered as Ryan sized up the knight.

Though Ryan was also wanted by the Kingdom of Augustus, he wasn’t too concerned. His magical aura was faint, barely noticeable. It would take a much stronger tracker to pinpoint him. If the Black Knight was here, it seemed more likely he was targeting Durland. But… what if Ryan was wrong? What if this confrontation was a result of something far more complex?

Shaking his head, Ryan decided to hold back and watch. It was too strange to act without knowing more.

From what Ryan could sense, the Black Knight’s strength wasn’t overwhelming, he was likely just a bit stronger than a senior fourth-level warrior, but still far from reaching the peak of that tier. Durland should be able to handle him without too much trouble. Yet, there was something else that nagged at Ryan’s mind.

“This knight… he’s not the Third Seat,” Ryan muttered to himself. “He must be a follower of the Third Seat, which means the real threat might be nearby. If the Third Seat is on the island, things could get much worse.”

But there was also the chance that the knight wasn’t following anyone, that he was acting independently. Regardless, he was still a fourth-level knight. Watching how he fought would give Ryan valuable insight. If they ever faced someone from the higher ranks, this battle could provide useful knowledge for the future.

Ryan’s thoughts wavered, bouncing between possibilities, but he kept his eyes on the unfolding scene.

On the other side, the fight had already begun. Durland and the Black Knight wasted no time exchanging words; there was no need for idle chatter between them. The clash of steel rang out as they engaged fiercely, neither holding anything back. Each blow carried the weight of their full strength.

The location was key. They stood on the very border between the inner and outer ring areas, a place where the more civilized part of the city met the wilder outskirts. If this battle dragged on, it would surely draw attention, especially from the Sky Sword Dojo. Neither Durland nor the Black Knight would want interference from that particular group.

The fight escalated, and Ryan continued to watch silently, his mind turning over every possibility, every detail of the combat. There was much to learn from this encounter, and he knew that whatever happened next, the outcome would have far-reaching consequences.

The situation between the Alliance of Nations and the Sky Sea had long been settled through an ancient agreement, one carefully crafted to prevent unnecessary conflict. The pact was made between the Alliance and the leader of the Sky Sword Hall, establishing a mutual understanding: neither side would interfere with the other’s affairs. If a member of the Alliance committed a crime on the Sky Sea, the Sword Hall would handle it internally. However, if things got out of hand and attracted too much attention, it could lead to a diplomatic headache, something both sides wished to avoid.

In the present moment, green light crisscrossed the air as shadows danced in the chaos of battle.

The fight between Durland and the Black Knight had escalated to a fever pitch right from the start, with neither side holding anything back. It was a clash of steel, skill, and willpower. Ryan watched from the sidelines, his eyes never leaving the combatants.

Durland’s swordsmanship caught Ryan’s attention. Though he practiced Blue Sky Swordsmanship like many others from the Sky Sword Hall, there was something… off about it. It was as if his technique was muddled, with hints of something else woven into it, something that didn’t quite belong. Ryan couldn’t shake the feeling that Durland was suppressing something deep within his movements, almost as if he were fighting against his own instincts.