Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Theory of Rank Limits!
The battle had starkly demonstrated to Santas that when it came to sheer physical prowess, he was utterly outclassed by the seemingly human figure before him, who was in fact a monstrous anomaly.

However, Santas was no longer going to show any weakness and look down on his opponent.

Having activated his Storm Combat Body, his enhanced spirituality not only amplified his spiritual power but also bolstered his physical resilience.

If faced with the same circumstances as before, Santas was certain he could at least fend off the attack.

“Escape! I must escape!”

“Who exactly are these mysterious pirates? Their abilities are unnaturally potent!”

In that moment, Santas harbored no thoughts of confrontation; his sole focus was on escape.

He had already strategized his retreat. Utilizing the momentum from the next assault, he planned to leap into the ocean, and swim to the safety of the Whirlpool Islands with nothing but the strength of his arms.

Forget about [Cyclops], forget about the pirate crew; he wanted no part of them.

Despite the young man’s formidable presence, wielding a massive sword, Santas knew that the weight of such a weapon would cause its bearer to sink immediately upon entering the water. Thus, diving into the sea represented his only chance at survival.

As the thought crystallized in his mind, a shimmering, silver-blue sword swung downward, trailing a cold mist, and clashed against his own gleaming spear.

“Crack!”

Santas’s expression contorted in shock. At the moment of impact, he had intended to use the force to spring back, but the sword’s power was overwhelming and relentless, smashing down with crushing force.

The terrifying strength was such that even his sturdy, peculiar spear could not withstand it; it bent and twisted under the pressure.

Indeed, the nature of their weapons was fundamentally different.

The spear, typically used as a throwing weapon, was not designed for direct clashes like this.

In contrast, the sword, a heavy, durable weapon, was optimized for powerful, cleaving strikes and resistant to wear.

Ordinarily, it would be foolish to meet a sword with a one-handed weapon in direct combat. Even with equal strength, the wielder of the one-handed weapon would be at a significant disadvantage.

The deformed spear struck Santas’s shoulder, the formidable force buckling his knees, forcing him to a kneel.

Ryan, his adversary, maintained a composed facade, yet a flicker of puzzlement crossed his eyes.

Was “One-Eyed” Santas truly this feeble?

He seemed no match for the Black Knight, not even close.

Flushed and straining, Santas desperately tried to lift his sword, but his arms refused to obey.

“Rip…”

At that moment, Santas heard the chilling sound of flesh tearing apart.

Struggling to turn his head, Santas caught a glimpse of someone standing behind him. It was a young girl, donning a whimsical blue and white gradient witch hat, who had materialized seemingly out of nowhere. Her right hand, cold and unyielding, pierced through his left chest, clutching his heart within its icy grasp.

“Is it you?”

Upon seeing her, Santas realized the origin of the dark blue lines that traced ominously across his body.

But such realization now held no meaning.

The sinuous lines had crawled up from his calves, snaking upwards until converging into a sinister curse mark between his eyebrows.

Ryan silently sheathed his sword, and as the girl, Freni, withdrew her hand, she tenderly mended Santas’s wounds. However, this gesture did not comfort him; rather, it sent chills down his spine, deepening his sense of dread.

Santas could feel his spirituality being ensnared by the curse mark lurking beneath the skin of his forehead, driving him to the brink of madness.

He briefly considered an escape, perhaps even a stealth attack on the now seemingly less vigilant Ryan and Freni, but despair soon overtook him. His hand fell limp, dropping the silver spear to the deck with a clatter.

He dared not gamble with his life.

He… was terrified of dying.

Meanwhile, Ryan and Freni turned their attention away from the crestfallen Santas to the rest of the Cyclops Pirate Group, who were visibly petrified.

Before either had to make a move, the pirates began to kneel in surrender, including the formidable second mate, “Ripper” Edge, a man of considerable strength as a first mate of the ship. They surrendered without reservation, influenced by their captain’s own capitulation.

Thus, this skirmish in the waters east of the Whirlpool Islands drew to a dramatic close.

…

Aboard the [Black Rose], in the captain’s quarters.

Freni occupied the captain’s chair, her hands elegantly crossed atop the wooden table. Behind her, Ryan stood stoically with his large sword strapped to his back.

Before them stood the defeated “One-Eyed” Santas, his expression vacant, and the captured alchemist “Twilight” from the pirate ship.

“Santas, you must sense the presence of the curse by now,” Freni began, her voice devoid of warmth.

“With this curse, your fate, life or death, hangs on my thoughts alone.”

“Remember, this predicament was spawned by your own aggression. There is no one else to blame.”

Santas, overcome with the weight of his situation, bowed his head in silent submission.

In that moment, Santas pieced together the true identity of the enigmatic girl before him.

She was none other than the infamous “Dark Moon Witch” Freni, a figure so notorious that the kingdom had disseminated wanted posters far and wide. Throughout their earlier confrontation, Santas had felt a prickling sense of familiarity with her, but only now did he manage to connect the dots.

“But I can offer you a chance to redeem yourself,” Freni’s voice cut through his thoughts, pulling his gaze upwards in astonishment. “Should you prove yourself worthy, freedom will be your reward.”

For a pirate defeated and captured, survival had seemed a fortunate outcome; the prospect of regaining his freedom was beyond his expectations.

“My demand is straightforward,” Furenyi continued. “You will return and serve as my clandestine agent, relaying continuous intelligence about the Whirlpool Islands, including major activities of the other two second-tier pirate factions, and any other anomalies.”

“Should the need arise, you will also assist in our operations.”

“Once the Moon Wolf affair concludes, your freedom will be restored.”

“How does that sound?”

Without hesitation, Santas nodded in agreement: “I accept.”

Acutely aware of his precarious position as a captive, Santas recognized his lack of leverage. Regardless of whether the Dark Moon Witch would honor her promise, he saw no alternative but to comply.

“A prudent decision,” Freni affirmed, nodding with a hint of satisfaction. She then turned her attention to the alchemist standing beside her, who wore a copper mask. “Twilight, isn’t it? You and Santas will operate together to deflect suspicion from other pirate groups. However, you too must bear the curse mark.”

The alchemist, Twilight, remained silent, merely nodding in acquiescence. Her survival depended on her obedience.

Freni extended her hand toward Twilight, and as she did, the copper mask clattered to the floor, unveiling a youthful, pallid face beneath.

Twilight was a young woman, about twenty years of age.

Quickly, the dark blue lines of the curse mark appeared between Twilight’s brows.

Once the mark was set, Twilight silently retrieved her mask and donned it once more.

“Now, share everything you know about the Mingjin Forest expedition,” Furenyi commanded.

Santas wasted no time and began recounting the details.

After the debriefing.

Santas and Twilight exited the captain’s quarters.

Left alone, Freni leaned back in her chair, musing aloud, “So that’s the situation… Unexplained lapses in control, a potion to clear the mind…” Her voice trailed off as she pondered the implications of their findings.

Ryan, standing beside her, wore a grave expression as well.

“The phenomenon of losing control without explanation could seriously impede our progress in exploring the Minin Forest,” he noted.

Fortunately, they had a solution at hand.

Twilight had provided the formula for a mind-clearing potion, and with Freni’s expertise in potion-making, they could produce it without difficulty.

The room lapsed into a prolonged silence until Ryan turned to Freni with a question.

“Lady Freni, may I pose a question?”

“Why did ‘One-Eyed’ Santas seem… unusually weak?”

“You’re referring to that, are you?” Furenyi responded, a knowing smile crossing her lips. “It’s related to the concept of rank limitation.”

“A professional’s compatibility doesn’t need to be perfect at 100% to advance; a minimum of 50% is sufficient to attempt an advancement. However, advancing at this minimal level often results in a lower success rate, and any spiritual gains made are weaker.”

“Most professionals do indeed advance this way since increasing compatibility beyond 50% is challenging.”

“Those who advance with full compatibility are known as ‘rank limit professionals.'”

“I see…” Ryan nodded, absorbing her explanation. Yet, internally, he pondered his own situation.

‘How will the “+0.5 spirituality” improvement from my travel clone translate into compatibility?’