Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Confronting Black Knight!
In the center of an a cubic shadow realm measuring twenty meters in every dimension, the atmosphere was thick with a mystical aura. The walls of this spiritual space shimmered, composed of a semi-illusory, swirling black fog, creating an almost tangible sense of enclosure.

Freni, known as the Dark Moon Witch, and the formidable Black Knight were positioned precisely ten meters apart within this obscure arena.

At that moment, an ominous array of chains, forged from the same black mist that constituted the walls, surged towards Freni from every conceivable angle. These ethereal bindings latched onto her limbs and neck, constricting her movements with an oppressive force.

The Black Knight’s signature ability, [Black Cage], was far more than a mere dueling space. As a sophisticated skill of a second-level Black Knight, it was designed not only to entrap but to weaken any adversary trapped within. Initially, the enemy’s strength would diminish by at least 10%, and their movement speed would be slowed by no less than 30%. At first glance, these reductions might seem minor, but at this elevated level of combat, they could decisively tip the scales in a battle.

Moreover, the debilitating effects of the [Black Cage] intensified the longer one remained within its confines, making it increasingly advantageous for its master.

Within this dark and dwindling sphere, the Black Knight drew his knightly sword, the blade adorned with a striking silver-white arc down its pitch-black center. He deftly maneuvered around, evading a barrage of dark blue arrows that materialized suddenly from thin air.

To a second-level elite like himself, these arrows bore faint spiritual signatures at their onset, too subtle for lesser, first-level professionals to detect but glaringly obvious to his enhanced senses.

“It’s futile, Miss Dark Moon Witch,” the Black Knight declared, his voice a chilling blend of calm and latent frenzy. “The legion of Black Knights hunting you has been uniquely enhanced. Their bodies have been fortified through prolonged exposure to the ‘Demon Suppressing Stone’. The effects of the [Black Cage] will only continue to sap your strength, leaving you ever weaker.”

“Your struggle merely postpones the inevitable,” the Black Knight taunted, his voice echoing ominously through the murky confines of the [Black Cage].

“And do you cling to the hope that your ally will come to your rescue?” he sneered with a contemptuous laugh. “True, your knight possesses formidable strength, but she remains a mere novice, a first-level combatant. Even if she manages to overcome those two underlings, the [Black Cage]’s barriers are beyond her ability to breach.”

“Moreover, my ‘pets,’ along with those two lackeys, are more than sufficient to delay her considerably.”

The Black Knight had dismissed Ryan from his considerations altogether. To him, Ryan’s burgeoning spiritual prowess as a newly initiated first-level professional was hardly worth acknowledging.

As he spoke, the Black Knight skillfully evaded ongoing assaults, methodically narrowing the gap between himself and Freni. In this tactical chess match, closing to within two meters of Freni would spell her defeat.

“Remarkable resilience,” he mused aloud, a grudging respect lacing his tone even as he advanced. “Even in your weakened state, the aura of the heretic witch is formidable. Against an ordinary second-level elite, such might would pose a serious threat.”

The Black Knight’s demeanor remained composed, his voice tinged with a hint of awe as he observed Freni’s efforts.

Meanwhile, Freni maintained a facade of calm, meticulously managing her dwindling magic reserves to stave off the knight’s advance. Yet, despite her composed exterior, a trace of sorrow flickered deep within her eyes, betraying the strain of her plight.

Seconds ticked by, each one heavy with the weight of the encroaching mist.

Before long, a minute had slipped away.

With each passing moment under the relentless assault of the black mist chains, the spiritual energy emanating from Freni waned perceptibly. The force and velocity of her dark blue energy arrows, once formidable, now visibly faltered, growing weaker as the duel dragged on.

The Black Knight, noticing the faltering strength of Freni’s defenses, allowed a savage smile to creep across his face. “It appears you can’t hold on any longer, Miss Freni. If so, perhaps it’s time we brought this delightful encounter to its conclusion…”

But before he could utter another word, a sudden, crisp “Crack!” echoed through the cubic space, abruptly slicing through his taunt. The sound sent a jolt through him, altering his expression from triumph to alarm in an instant.

At that same moment, the sadness in Freni’s eyes deepened, a silent testament to the gravity of what was about to unfold.

Reacting too slowly to the abrupt change, the Black Knight watched in stunned disbelief as dense cracks webbed across the spiritual confines of the [Black Cage]. With a resounding “bang,” the structure shattered explosively, casting both him and Freni into a tumultuous spiritual torrent. The violent dissolution of the [Black Cage] forced them abruptly back into reality, with the abrupt transition causing him a severe spiritual backlash, destabilizing his own energy and exacerbating his injuries from the intense turbulence.

The chaos momentarily seeded panic in the Black Knight’s heart, but he quickly regained his composure. Though unsure of the external forces that had shattered his [Black Cage], he recognized that the distance between him and Freni had closed to a mere two meters, the critical distance he had previously noted as decisive for victory.

Clutching onto this realization, he braced against the pain and disorientation, gathering his spiritual energy to launch one final assault the moment full reality reasserted itself.

As the distorted visuals of light and shadow stabilized and his boots hit solid ground, the Black Knight surged forward, intent on closing the gap. But just as he prepared to strike, a sudden gleam of silver-blue sliced through the air, Ryan, summoning the last of his strength, had unleashed a sharp, vertical strike aimed directly at his face.

The Black Knight’s brow furrowed slightly, his mind swirling with questions about how his adversary seemed to anticipate his every move. Despite his curiosity, he shrugged off the thought. The sword that had struck him, although rare and sizable, was wreathed in wisps of smoke. With his spiritual power lingering at a mere first level, he dismissed any concerns about it with a wave of indifference.

Hefting his own knight’s sword, he readied himself to parry the next blow. Harnessing the kinetic energy from their collision, he surged forward, propelling himself towards his true target, the Dark Moon Witch. In his mind, she was the priority; all else faded into the background.

The clash of steel rang outN sharp and echoing, as his long sword met the silver-blue blade of his foe. In that moment, the Black Knight’s strategy to turn the tide of battle using his agility was shattered by an unexpected reality.

A monstrous, almost titanic force coursed through his sword, overwhelming his defenses. The stark realization dawned on him: there was a limit to maneuvering cleverly in combat. Once an enemy’s strength surpassed that threshold, all such tactics crumbled into futility.

With a resounding “Boom!”, the overwhelming power drove his sword downwards. The Black Knight, his arm quaking and unable to bear the strain, felt his knees buckle. The hard deck beneath him cracked, spidering out under the force of his descent. His body, commanded by the sheer force, involuntarily knelt, and he heard the ominous crack of his own bones under the pressure.

Gasping, his face flushed crimson and veins in his eyes bursting with blood, he looked up along the length of the silver-blue sword to its wielder’s eyes. Those eyes, chilling, with a terrifying ferocity, like frost yet burning with an unholy fire, seemed to look right through him.

Confronted by that gaze, the Black Knight felt an overwhelming sense of insignificance, as if he were nothing more than an ant at the feet of a colossal beast, pitiful and utterly powerless.