Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: [Trophy: Crimson Horn]
As Ryan hesitated, not knowing his next move, the dragon-headed giant crab stirred suddenly. Its four powerful legs coiled beneath its hefty shell, muscles taut and ready. With a sudden burst, it launched into the air, a terrifying spectacle of flailing limbs and snapping claws. Ryan’s eyes widened in disbelief as the colossal creature soared before crashing down towards him with earth-shattering force.

Ryan’s heart skipped a beat. Instinct took over as he threw himself to the side, barely escaping the impact. He hit the ground hard, the tremors of the landing rippling through the earth, propelling him forward. He tumbled uncontrollably, coming to a jarring halt against a rock the size of a small boulder.

Coughing, the salty tang of seawater stung his thighs, mixing with the raw pain of scrapes. He winced, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, a clear sign of internal injuries. But for Ryan, pain had become a mere background noise to the adrenaline flooding his system.

Struggling to his feet, Ryan clutched the rock, his gaze fixed on the dragon-headed giant crab now languishing in a vast sandpit some distance away. “Such power,” he marveled, despite his grim situation, “Is this the ‘crushing pressure’ the legends spoke of?”

Defeat was bitter, and as he stared at the formidable beast, Ryan knew this battle was a lost cause. His efforts, including the barely effective [High-spirited War Cry], had scarcely bothered the beast. The chasm between their strengths was daunting.

Yet, Ryan had a unique advantage. His ability to reincarnate through his traveling clone meant endless opportunities to learn and adapt. With each resurrection, he gleaned more about the crab’s tactics, holding onto the hope of one day overcoming the monstrous foe.

But for now, a rueful smile crept across his bloodied lips. “Let this battered body serve one last purpose,” he mused, determined to uncover as much as he could about the crab’s attack patterns.

After a tense moment, the crab regained its footing and turned slowly, its gaze seething with rage upon spotting Ryan. The creature’s eyes burned with an indignant fury, outraged that such an insignificant ‘bug’ dared to challenge its might.

Raising its mighty pincers, the crab’s body throbbed with pulsating red veins, a sinister glow enveloping it like an aura of impending doom. The air thickened with the intensity of its rage, the very essence of the beast seeming to explode with spiritual power, ready to exact its vengeance on the audacious human who dared to defy it.

As Ryan gazed at the dragon-headed giant crab entering its “violent state,” a grimace formed on his lips.

“It looks like my testing plans are dashed…” he muttered with a sour edge in his voice. In its enraged state, the crab could easily reduce his already battered form to nothing more than a pulp with a mere flick of its massive claw.

“Maybe it’s better to regroup and try again next time…” He had always known that his initial foray might well end in defeat, yet facing the reality of failure stirred a reluctant bitterness in his heart.

Still, acceptance gnawed at him. What good is defiance if strength does not support it? As these thoughts swirled, his eyes caught the rapid advance of the crab, its long, menacing horn aiming straight for him. Gripping his sword tighter, Ryan decided that even facing certain death, he would not falter.

Just then, a startling disruption, a loud splash, echoed through the air. Ryan’s ears perked up as a blur of red and silver streaked past. The giant crab was suddenly knocked sideways by an immense force.

Before him, a gigantic shark, nearly ten meters in length, its body adorned with stark red veins against its silvery sheen, had clamped its jaws around the crab’s tough carapace. The sheer weight of the shark pinned the crab down, rendering it nearly immobile, though it frantically snapped its pincers in a vain attempt to dislodge its attacker.

Ryan’s eyes widened in recognition. “Silver!” he exclaimed. Though much altered in size and appearance, he recognized the shark as the same silverback that had once swallowed the “Red Obsidian Crystal” and disappeared into the ocean’s depths. His initial shock quickly turned to concern.

Ryan knew his clone could respawn after death, but White had only one life to live. The shark might rule the ocean depths, potentially capable of defeating the dragon-headed giant crab alone in its native element. But here on the shore, the situation was perilously different.

Despite Silver formidable bite, the crab’s shell, composed of the skull of some ancient behemoth, resisted all attempts at penetration. If the battle dragged on, White might succumb, not just from the crab’s defenses but from lack of oxygen and diminishing strength.

Ryan clenched his fist, determination setting in. “I have to do something!” The stakes were clear, and he couldn’t allow his unexpected ally to meet such a dire fate on his account.

Knowing that Silver had not only helped him discover the cave but had also secured the invaluable holy relic [Azure Medal] amidst a trove of crucial information, Ryan could not stand idly by and watch his ally succumb to death.

Moreover, Silver had charged ashore and engaged the dragon-headed giant crab solely to rescue him. As the crisis intensified, Ryan’s mind raced for solutions.

Big Silver, was also had, surpassed the dragon-headed giant crab in every aspect except defense. However, the crucial dilemma was Big Silver’s inability to penetrate the crab’s formidable back armor. If Silver released its grip, the crab might escape, presenting an even greater threat.

“We need to breach that draconic armor…” Ryan thought, his determination hardening. Lacking the means to enhance Silver’s attack, weakening the crab’s armor was the only viable strategy. With a spark of insight flashing in his eyes, Ryan set his plan into motion.

Ignoring the sharp pain that wracked his body, Ryan sprinted toward the entangled forms of Silver and the crab. As he drew close, he retrieved three “Pearls of Fertility” from his clothing, tossing them expertly into the shark’s mouth, nestled between Big Silver’s imposing teeth.

Without a second’s hesitation, Ryan activated his last resort, the [Ring of Black Eclipse]. A chilling sensation swept over him as the ring consumed his blood, bringing him to the brink of collapse. But the sacrifice was necessary.

The ring’s true power unleashed, a dense, black mist radiated outward from Ryan, enveloping everything within a five-meter radius. Although the mist obscured sight, Ryan, being the caster, found his vision only slightly impaired. He watched as the mist touched both Silver and the crab, emitting a sinister sizzling sound indicative of corrosion.

Remarkably, the crab’s previously impervious carapace began to show signs of degradation; it grew brittle under the relentless assault of the black mist.

Ryan had strategically positioned himself so that most of Silver’s massive form remained clear of the mist. Fortuitously, the “Pearls of Fertility” he had administered reduced any collateral damage to Silver, who sensed the weakening structure in its grasp and redoubled its efforts.

With a resounding snap, a significant crack splintered across the crab’s carapace. This initial fracture acted like a catalyst, setting off a domino effect. Within moments, what was once an invincible shell was now a web of vulnerabilities, riddled with cracks.

Under Silver’s relentless effort, the battle reached its climax. With a powerful clench of its sharp teeth, Silver finally pierced the dragon-headed giant crab’s weakened carapace, penetrating deeply into the creature’s soft inner flesh. Cyan blue blood sprayed wildly as the shark’s terrifying bite force severed the crab’s body.

This devastating injury was surely fatal.

Watching from a half-kneeling position, Ryan was on the verge of relief when the situation took a dire turn. The crippled crab, convulsing violently, spat out a torrent of foam from its mouth, launching it like a high-pressure water jet.

“Not good!” Ryan gasped, realizing the imminent danger.

The jet’s razor-sharp force pierced Silver effortlessly, then carved a semicircular swath through the air. Blood and viscera trailed from Silver’s grievous wound as its life force waned dramatically.

Simultaneously, the jet swept towards Ryan, who, drained of strength, couldn’t dodge. The water jet sheared off one of his hands and a leg in an instant. The crab, having delivered its dying assault, collapsed, its life extinguished.

Unbearable pain overwhelmed Ryan as he toppled over, now missing limbs. Staring at Silver, whose eyes were dimming, a fierce determination ignited within him. Gritting his teeth against the excruciating pain, Ryan dragged himself in a bloody trail to Silver’s side. He removed the “Fertility Necklace” from around his neck and, with trembling hands, placed it into Silver’s mouth, hoping it might preserve the shark’s fading life.

As Ryan’s vision blurred and his consciousness ebbed, a shimmer caught his eye, a dragon horn, unscathed by the corrosive mist, having fallen from the crab’s shattered armor. The horn, still covered in pulsating red veins from the crab’s violent state, appeared menacing yet majestic.

Weakly, Ryan reached out and grasped the luminous horn. His world darkened, slipping into shadows, and in the final moment before succumbing to unconsciousness, a grey text prompt flickered before his eyes:

[You have obtained [Trophy: Crimson Horn]!]