Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 84

Chapter 84: Umbrella Fire Scale Armor Set
“Ah, this is Withered Star Vine…” Ryan murmured under his breath.

His eyes widened as he stumbled upon an unexpected revelation. “Special Spirituality – Crazy Moonlight? What on earth is that?!” he exclaimed, his heart pounding with the shock of discovery.

Ryan had anticipated encountering the Withered Star Vine; it was renowned for its deceptive appearance as an ordinary vine, a detail he had thoroughly studied in briefings from his mentor, Freni. Known for its passive nature, this elusive plant monster seldom attacked unless provoked. Its vines, bathed in starlight over eons, had developed a mysterious resilience, acquiring a formidable resistance to both fire and slashing attacks.

The real challenge lay in pinpointing the vine’s covert location and thwarting its escape attempts. The Withered Star Vine was a master of camouflage, indistinguishable from mundane vines when motionless. However, once disturbed, it could vanish with astonishing swiftness. The key vulnerabilities of this botanical adversary were frost and starlight attacks, the former would slow its movements, inducing a dormant state, while the latter deceived it into absorbing what it perceived as benign starlight, only to suffer intense internal turmoil from the foreign celestial energies.

Fortuitously, Ryan was well-equipped for this task, possessing both frost and starlight offensive capabilities. His mighty Great Sword, dubbed the Ferocious Ice Flower, was imbued with chilling powers, while Furenee had supplied him with deep blue crystals that, when activated, mimicked the dispersal of starlight.

With such tools at his disposal, Ryan felt confident in his ability to subdue the Withered Star Vine with minimal difficulty.

Yet, the term “Special Spirituality-Crazy Moonlight” gnawed at his mind, causing him to pause. The word “moon” linked directly to the recent sightings of the Moon Wolf on the island. Could there be a connection between this mythical creature and the odd behaviors now manifesting in the Minin Forest? What mysterious agenda could the Moon Wolf have, and why here, in the Whirlpool Islands?

The outskirts of Mingjin Forest had already begun to show unsettling signs. Ryan was plagued by a torrent of questions with too few answers, creating a sense of foreboding that he couldn’t shake off.

With a deep sigh, Ryan set aside his swirling thoughts on the enigmatic “Crazy Moonlight.” For now, his priority was to capture the Withered Star Vine influenced by this peculiar force and aid Freni in advancing to the next level of her training.

Future investigations would have to wait.

His space ring flickered as he extracted three dark blue crystals and crushed them in his hand. A hush fell over the area as the subtle power of starlight began to permeate the surroundings.

Circling cautiously, Ryan ensured the starlight had sufficiently diffused before he approached the hiding place of the Withered Star Vine. Drawing nearer, he noticed minuscule light blue speckles on the vine’s surface, almost invisible unless scrutinized closely. This was it, the moment of truth.

The faint glimmer on the surface of the Withered Star Vine was unmistakable evidence that it was instinctively siphoning the starlight.

“Enjoy it while it lasts, little one,” Ryan murmured with a hint of pity, a wry smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Your joy now only heralds sorrow later.”

He lingered nearby, allowing the vine to greedily absorb the starlight, its fate unbeknownst to it. In the meantime, Ryan deftly extracted the [Pure Water Crystal] from his pouch, activating it to create a misty veil of water vapor around him, enhancing his subsequent frost attack’s potency. His steps were silent and measured as he prepared to walk past the vine, feigning ignorance of its true nature.

As he passed, the vine, once indistinguishable from an ordinary tree vine, sprang to life. Its entire length flashed a bizarre hue of blue and green, and its tip sharpened menacingly, aiming straight for Ryan’s neck from behind.

But just as the deadly tip was about to strike, the vine seized up. The alien starlight it had absorbed convulsed violently within it, disrupting its attack. Ryan spun around, his reaction swift, his greatsword, the Ferocious Ice Flower, drawn in one fluid motion. The blade, permanently encased in frost, struck true and deep into the vine’s body.

Amplified by the humid environment he had conjured, the frost quickly spread across the vine, encasing it in ice. The internal turmoil from the starlight and the intense cold from Ryan’s sword forced the Withered Star Vine into a state of vulnerability, akin to a creature on the brink of defeat.

Weakened and overwhelmed, the vine curled up defensively, its body coiling into a disc, dangling limply from a treetop. Ryan reached up and with a gentle tug, dislodged the frozen vine, securing his prize.

“Magic potion ingredients secured,” he declared, a note of satisfaction in his voice. He carefully placed the subdued vine into a specially prepared low-temperature container and exhaled a long, relieved breath.

Though the capture might have appeared straightforward, Ryan knew well that without precise knowledge of the vine’s characteristics and meticulous preparation, such a feat would have been impossible.

Mission accomplished, he began to make his way back, his thoughts intermittently drifting to the unsettling notion of “Crazy Moonlight.”

Back at his boat, Ryan was about to embark when he felt an unexpected vibration against his chest. Curious, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a silver round metal disc, a token from Master Silver Hammer.

“What’s this about?” he wondered aloud, examining the disc. On its reverse, inscribed words caught his eye: “The commission has been completed.”

“Smart little gadget, aren’t you?” he remarked in surprise. For comparison, he pulled out another disc, this one given by Master Copper Hammer, and found no such message. This peculiarity only deepened the is thought, prompting a wry smile from Ryan as he pocketed both discs and set his sights on new adventures.

“Could it be that Master Silver Hammer, as the elder craftsman, has mastered more advanced techniques in enchanting and smithing?” Ryan pondered aloud, a hint of admiration in his voice.

With a shake of his head, he dismissed further speculation. After all, the early completion of the commission by Master Silver Hammer was a stroke of good fortune, particularly amidst the complex circumstances he currently faced.

Deciding on his next move, Ryan adjusted the sail and set a direct course for North 1 Island.

The sea at night was deceptively calm, mirroring the calm before a storm, he thought as he navigated the tranquil waters.

Upon reaching the island, Ryan chose not to dock at the bustling port but opted for a secluded cove on the island’s perimeter. Given the recent wanted posters with Freni’s likeness distributed by the Black Knights, it was prudent to assume they might also be searching for him, a ‘blood son’ who, though no longer bearing the visible ‘blood mark,’ he knew he was still under the shadow of the kingdom’s bounty.

Stealth was necessary, even more so since Ryan knew the Black Knights had taken notice of him through Freni’s warnings. As he made his way through the dark, Ryan encountered pirates conducting a lackluster search, most were merely going through the motions, motivated not by genuine intent but by the coercion of the commanding Black Knight.

Navigating through these half-hearted patrols with ease, Ryan soon arrived at the entrance of the “Silver Hammer Blacksmith Shop” and pushed the door open.

A blast of warm air greeted him as he stepped inside. The familiar clang of metal and the glow of the forge filled the space. At the counter, he spotted Master Silver Hammer in conversation with Miss Bingyun. Upon noticing Ryan, Master Silver Hammer broke into a wide, welcoming grin.

“Ah, you arrived quicker than I expected, lad!” he exclaimed.

“I knew you’d be eager, so I sent word as soon as the casting was done. Come, take a look,” Master Silver Hammer gestured towards the back of the shop.

“This set of armor, my boy, is a true masterpiece among the lower-tier wonders,” he boasted as they walked. “I’ve even infused it with a blend of rare materials for extra resilience.”

Guided by the seasoned smith, Ryan entered a small chamber where the armor awaited, displayed prominently on a rack. As he approached, a notification popped up in his vision:

—[Umbrella Fire Scale Armor Set]

Ryan’s eyes traced the intricate details of the armor, feeling a mix of anticipation and awe at the craftsmanship before him. The adventure ahead seemed a little less daunting with such protection in his arsenal.