Reborn As a Pirate - Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Bloody Moon!
“Bloody Full Moon?”

Upon receiving Freni’s urgent message, Ryan immediately abandoned his skill assessment, the urgency of the moment fueling his actions. His hasty movements were unchecked, and as he stomped toward the door, his foot struck the boat plank with such force that it splintered, weaving a web of fractures through the wood.

Yet, Ryan had no time to ponder such trivial destruction.

He flung open the door, stepping into the night. As he crossed the door frame, the eerie glow of the bloody moon bathed him in its ominous light. Simultaneously, a cacophony of indistinct whispers assaulted his ears, a garbled language that twisted his insides with unease.

“*&%*…&…*”

The whispers were unintelligible, yet they stirred a deep-seated irritability within him, an urge to shatter the serene facade of his surroundings into chaos. But as the whispers swelled, a soothing warmth blossomed deep within his soul, quelling the turmoil and silencing the voices.

“What on earth is this?”

Inwardly probing, Ryan discovered the source of this calming force: the [Unknown Ship Sculpture] nestled within him, glowing faintly. More precisely, it was the nine distinct trophies affixed to the ship’s mast that radiated this tranquil light.

His mind raced back to the description of these spoils:

——[Trophies]: How could a captain voyaging through worlds be without his trophies? Only objects of power and uniqueness qualify. These treasures, symbols of the captain’s conquests, also offer substantial aid.

“Is this also part of your aid?” he murmured to himself, eyes lifting to the skies where the blood-red moon loomed large, flanked by a waning counterpart.

One full, one waning; one red, one white.

The dual moons presented a surreal spectacle, their contrasting phases and colors painting a chilling portrait against the backdrop of the night sky. Underneath this bizarre celestial duo, Ryan felt an unsettling chill creep up his spine.

“Did that disturbing muttering emanate from the blood moon?”

The weight of this realization pressed heavily upon him. In the brief hours since midnight, while he had been immersed in his otherworldly adventures, the Whirlpool Islands had undergone startling changes.

“Could this be linked to the fabled Crazy Moonlight of Minin Forest?” he pondered, the pieces slowly aligning in his mind.

Blood Moon… Crazy Moonlight…

Denying a connection seemed foolish now.

His gaze drifted to the deck nearby where a group of pirates sat in a somber tableau. Clustered together, backs touching, their heads hung low in a semblance of rest. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could see their faces marred by dark blue lines, signs of the ‘curse seal’ taking effect.

Each detail etched a deeper sense of foreboding into the night’s eerie tableau.

These pirates, designated as tonight’s patrol guards, had fallen under the malevolent influence of the bloody moonlight. With no other recourse, Freni had invoked the “curse seal,” sending them into a deep, enforced slumber to protect the ship.

With each step toward the captain’s quarters, Ryan’s heart grew heavier. He entered to find Freni and Cecilia already awaiting his arrival, their expressions etched with concern and urgency.

“Mr. Ryan, you seem unaffected?” Freni queried, eyeing Ryan’s calm demeanor, a stark contrast to the havoc outside.

“I’m not sure why.” Ryan shook his head, a mix of confusion and relief in his voice. “It might be something inherent to my physical makeup.”

There were complexities he couldn’t quite disclose, secrets about his constitution that even he didn’t fully understand.

“Interestingly, this sinister blood-colored moonlight stirs feelings similar to the madness that grips the creatures of Minin Forest under certain spiritual influences,” Ryan mused, trying to piece together the chaos.

“Lord Freni, do you have any insight into what’s happening?”

Furenyi’s face took on a grave tone as she uttered a single word that sent a chill down Ryan’s spine: “Witchcraft.”

“Witchcraft?” Ryan echoed, taken aback. The possibility had skirted the fringes of his imagination but never quite taken hold.

Freni nodded solemnly. “Yes, it’s a form of power distinct from our known professional systems, sometimes referred to as heretical. It’s not bound by the conventional rules of magic and is wielded only by sea witches.”

Ryan’s thoughts raced. Freni was the only sea witch he knew of. Could there be another one, hidden within the Whirlpool Islands, whose powers were wreaking this havoc?

“How strong is this sea witch must be to invoke such a dreadful alteration,” he pondered aloud, unable to fathom the strength required to catalyze such widespread madness.

Freni’s voice grew heavy, laden with the weight of their grim reality. “Indeed, witchcraft. As it stands, the entire crew of the Black Rose has succumbed to the lunacy induced by the blood moon. Most are confined below deck. Without them, we three cannot hope to manage this fifth-level cruiser alone.”

She sighed, a sound of resignation. “While my witchcraft grants me the ability to command the ship briefly upon the seas, it’s not something I can sustain.”

“In essence, we’re trapped,” she concluded starkly.

“Our options are limited: wait out the blood moon until it wanes and normalcy returns, or confront and eliminate the source of this corruption ourselves.”

She glanced at a clock. “It’s just past five in the morning, yet darkness clings to the Whirlpool Islands as if the sun has forsaken us. Judging by the persistent presence of the blood moon, it won’t relinquish its grip anytime soon.”

A heavy silence fell over the room, each of them lost in their thoughts, pondering the grim choices that lay ahead.

Ryan’s gaze drifted to the knightly figure of Cecilia standing silently behind Freni. He noticed her head was slightly bowed, her eyes unfocused, lost in thought. Sensing there was nothing he could do to engage her, Ryan redirected his attention just as Freni broke the quiet that had settled in the room.

“There’s no need for undue worry,” Freni began, her voice carrying a calm assurance. “The three of us seem to be minimally affected by the blood moon. For now, we can remain aboard and monitor the unfolding events.”

As she spoke, her finger, adorned with a dark blue space ring, twinkled mysteriously. Suddenly, twenty thumb-sized, pale white crystals materialized on the table before her. “These are First-level Spiritual Enhancement Crystals. Each of you will take ten. They’re designed to boost your spirituality without any adverse effects. Using all ten can enhance a first-level extreme professional’s spiritual limit by about 33%.”

Both Ryan and Cecilia were visibly taken aback by the revelation. Cecilia, who had been silent up to this point, looked up, her eyes wide with a mix of astonishment and curiosity.

“A treasure that enhances spiritual limits?” she asked, her voice a whisper of disbelief.

“Yes,” Freni replied, her smile gentle, her eyes twinkling with the pleasure of sharing something valuable. “Cecilia, you should use them too. They might just help you regain some of your combat capabilities.”

Freni explained further, “Think of it as fortifying the walls of a vessel. It’s still the same vessel, but now it can withstand greater pressures, even if it’s temporarily mended, it will hold stronger against spiritual currents.”