Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Lizard Like Creature!
As the azure glow reached its zenith, it began to wane, casting intricate cobalt lines along the rim of the medal.

——

[Holy Relic·Azure Medal]: This revered medal is bestowed only upon those who have shown exemplary prowess within the hunter’s guild. Infused with arcane energies, it enhances the bearer’s physical attributes by two tiers for individuals at or below level 20. Congratulations, the relic is complete, and the holy powers within have been stirred.

This legendary token, reserved for the elite of the hunt, holds latent powers yet to be fully unlocked. To fully awaken this holy relic, one must vanquish ten unique formidable creatures. Progress stands at 1/10.

——

Gazing at the muted script that floated before his eyes, a flicker of astonishment seized Ryan’s expression.

[Azure Medal]Awakened?

Ryan had initially believed that his joint effort with Silver to defeat the dragon-headed giant crab might not suffice to stir the medal’s awakening due to the reliance on external aids.

Reflecting on it now, he realized his error.

The [Azure Blue Medal] had indeed fulfilled the awakening criteria; it was merely dormant due to missing elements in this world. However, upon returning to his homeland and encountering the requisite elements, the [Azure Medal] sprung to life.

The revelation that the [Azure Medal] could still gain strength post-awakening left Ryan astounded.

Such a relic surely had profound origins!

Yet, the quest to gather ten distinct special species was daunting.

Awakening… such a formidable and thrilling notion!

Although the path to full awakening was steep, the prospect of such power was invigorating.

Empowered by an added tier of physical prowess, Ryan felt a surge of vitality coursing through him.

[Physique] jumped from 6.31 to 7.90, filling him with an overwhelming urge to exert this newfound energy.

“Breathe… breathe…”

After inhaling deeply several times to calm the burgeoning thrill in his heart, Ryan gripped his [Great Sword: Fierce Ice Flower] and strode off the raft.

The sea breeze on the deserted isle was crisp, yet the relentless sun bore down, stirring a slight irritability.

Ryan lifted his gaze to the sun blazing overhead.

He recalled the term “red sun” from notes found in a cave beneath the cliff, pondering how long it might be before he encountered this “red sun” spoken of by the cave’s prior visitor.

Shortly after setting out, Ryan reached the northern edge of the territory.

Due to his previous efforts in clearing out the beach crabs, his journey was unhindered and uneventful. From afar, the remnants of the dragon-headed giant crab caught his eye. Its shell, despite being shorn of its once lethal spikes and cleaved into two massive halves, still radiated a regal aura.

“The dragon-headed giant crab’s carcass is still here?” Ryan muttered, his brow arching in surprise.

As he drew nearer, the details became clearer. The crab’s formidable shell remained, but the rest of its body was gone.

“Could it have been devoured?” he pondered aloud, a mix of compassion and caution flickering in his gaze.

Suddenly, the tranquility was shattered by a loud crashing of waves nearby.

Ryan spun around, his eyes widening as they met the sight of a large shark emerging halfway from the ocean, its fins thrashing the water with vigorous excitement.

“Silver, is that you? You’re alright!” Ryan exclaimed, a smile breaking across his face. He dashed into the welcoming sea, and Silver swam jubilantly around him.

Inspecting Silver closely, Ryan noted that the injuries from their last encounter with the crab had healed, leaving behind only slender, pale scars across his body. “It seems the ‘String of Abundant Pearls’ has remarkable healing properties,” he mused, impressed by the rapid recovery.

Such significant healing in a day suggested that the “Pearl of Fertility” was even more valuable than he had initially thought.

“Okay, calm down now,” Ryan soothed as he affectionately patted Silver’s head. The shark had grown since their last meeting, now nearly ten meters in length. His body bore deep red veins that seemed darker than before, a striking detail against the vast blue of the sea.

“So, you’re the one who ate the remains of the dragon-headed giant crab?” Ryan conjectured.

At this, Silver nodded, a glint of reminiscence in his enormous eyes.

Ryan wondered, “Does consuming other monsters lead to such noticeable growth, or is Silver an exceptional case?”

He pondered this for a moment before dismissing the thought with a shake of his head.

After all, Silver was his ally, and that was all that mattered.

“I’m heading deeper into the island to explore. You go find some food in the sea. Take these with you, and if you get hurt, use one.”

Ryan carefully extracted three “Pearls of Fertility” from his pouch and gently placed them between Silver’s teeth. He gave a firm nod as he issued the command.

At present, Ryan held seventeen “Pearls of Fertility” in total. He had crafted ten into the “Necklace of Fertility” that now adorned his neck. The remaining seven were distributed earlier, leaving him with just four in his possession.

Understanding their significance, Silver nodded vigorously, his eyes gleaming with appreciation and understanding. With a slow, purposeful turn, he began swimming towards the vast open sea, leaving Ryan watching his departure.

“You take care now… I’ll see you soon,” Ryan said, his voice carrying a mix of farewell and promise as he watched his friend disappear into the horizon.

Ryan then swam back to shore, standing at the water’s edge. He looked towards the island’s interior where giant trees stood like ancient sentinels guarding the deeper secrets of the island.

The map in the diary referred to this part as the second layer of the island, the forest area. Memories of glimpsing a giant bird there filled Ryan with a renewed sense of adventure.

Bolstered by a physique nearly eight times that of an ordinary person, and armed with the [Broad Sword: Ferocious Ice Flower] and the newly mastered [Storm Sword Skill – Breaking Waves], Ryan knew he had transcended his former limitations. It was notable that his enhanced strength allowed him to wield the large sword with one hand, a validation of his hypothesis on [One-handed Weapon Specialization]. This skill had indeed restored its bonus effect after he mastered using the great sword single-handedly.

With his current prowess, Ryan felt confident that he could take on the Dragon-headed Cancer again, even without Silver’s assistance.

…

Soon, Ryan reached a colossal tree that marked the beginning of the deeper forest. The air was thick with the essence of untouched wilderness, and standing before a tree that soared hundreds of meters into the sky, he felt as insignificant as an ant.

Vines draped from the upper reaches of the giant tree like verdant waterfalls, creating a scene of wild, untouched beauty.

Ryan inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh, earthy air before stepping cautiously into the primordial forest, a place untouched by human footsteps for ages.

“Crack…”

Each step he took compressed the moist, fallen leaves underfoot. Beams of light pierced through the canopy above, casting mottled patterns of sunlight that danced silently across the forest floor.

Ryan had barely advanced twenty meters into the dense forest when his keen ears picked up a distant rustling. Swiftly, he ducked behind the trunk of a massive tree and peered ahead.

Thirty meters away, nestled among the ferns, two burly wild boars with massive tusks, each half the height of a man, were vigorously rooting through the soil. Their grunts of satisfaction filled the air, mingling with a faintly aromatic scent.

“Could that be some type of fungus?” Ryan mused, his curiosity piqued.

He knew from experience that the island’s offerings were anything but ordinary. The coconuts here could rapidly restore one’s vitality. Given the enticing aroma now wafting through the air, whatever the boars had unearthed promised to be exceptional.

“There are just two of them,” Ryan assessed, eyeing their substantial size. “They don’t look too challenging, but I wonder if they possess any unique abilities?”

He prepared to move in for a closer inspection, but the necessary details eluded him from this distance.

However, just as Ryan readied himself to approach, a sudden chill of foreboding swept over him. This instinctual warning halted him, urging caution over haste. He decided to watch a moment longer.

The boars, sensing a shift in their surroundings, became visibly agitated. They paused their foraging, heads lifting, tusks gleaming slightly in the filtered sunlight. Despite their anxiety, the lure of the unearthed delicacy held them fast, they hesitated to flee.

Suddenly, a brilliant blue streak sliced through the air, accompanied by the acrid scent of ozone. When the motion ceased, the two boars lay crushed beneath the imposing figure of a monstrous creature.

Resembling a lizard, yet not quite, the beast was covered in fine light blue scales. Its long tail, accounting for half its length, sported a fringe of pure white fur, from which intermittent sparks of electricity flickered.

The lizard-like creature didn’t rush to devour its prey. Instead, it pinned the boars beneath its powerful claws, its movements deliberate and menacing. Slowly, it turned its head, its scarlet eyes scanning the surroundings until they locked onto the giant tree behind which Ryan was concealed.

Its gaze was chilling, a perfect blend of elegance and deadly intent.

“I was discovered,” Ryan whispered to himself, his heart pounding as the creature took slow, deliberate steps toward his hiding place.