Sheyan held his breath as he witnessed such an extraordinary sight. He had prepared earlier; an apple, fried bacon, two loaves of rye bread according to Chris’s instructions, and threw them into the water.
A peculiar sound rung softly; the soft sound of a Greece Harp. From beneath the water surface, a shadow darted back and forth. This shadow was strangely fast, like a black belt darting around rapidly.
Sheyan observed the shadow, and felt a queer dangerous sensation welling up in his heart; as though he would get polluted and suffer dire consequences. He knew this was his high perceptive sense warning him. Thus, he reflexly took a step back in precaution, that he may dive behind the nearby rocks to take cover.
The shadow seemed as though it had no intention to surface. After consuming the food Sheyan threw in, it dispersed. The silverish glow on the water surface gradually dimmed, at this moment he could see a message in a bottle, covered in moss and algae, floating inwards at a fast pace.
Sheyan picked up the bottle, as the silverish glow dissipated regaining its earlier turbulent condition.
He wasn’t willing to continue staying by the seashore, as his lone figure was extremely prominent in the darkness of the night.
After entering a tavern, he tossed out 2 guineas and requested a room from the bartender.
Presently, taverns were the combination of a supermarket, hotel and even a brothel. Thus, the bartender was not surprised at all, bringing Sheyan to the back as they rounded a corner, and entered into a room.
Probably because their main customers were mostly pirates or sailors, this room was renovated to look like a ship’s cabin. Atop the wall, hung a decorative rudder. It had small oval-shaped windows, and beside it was the popular darts game set at the time. On top of a bench at the side, were several distinct burn marks, it seemed like an inconsiderate customer had previously pressed their cigarette bud there. The room’s only praiseworthy aspect was an old fashioned greyish striped linen made bed sheet that was relatively clean. It even gave off a clean and fresh fragrance as though it had previously been in the sun.
Sheyan sat down on the bed, and carefully inspected the bottle. This was a dark brown, thin neck circular body type bottle, with a thick layer of wax sealing it which maintained the cork of the bottle to be clean and dry.
The surface of this bottle was no longer glossy, several vine and algae had attached itself to it; producing a deliberate rough feeling. What surprised Sheyan was that, the bottle was icy-cold to touch; as though it was just taken out from a freezer. Holding it eliminated all trace of warmth from his hand all the way into the bone marrow.
According to Chris, if he opened this bottle, the mission would abruptly cease and cause an evil spirit to emerge. This evil spirit was an illusionary being and no amounts of attack could harm it. Instead, it would carry out curses on people and the user that opened it would have a 100 HP reduction within 5 minutes. Then, it would vanish. Previously, an unfortunate member impulsively opened it, and was subsequently cursed by that evil spirit.
Before entering the nightmare realm, that unfortunate member was a pickpocket. He was known as a sly and slick expert who could pinch out over 10 coins secretly from others without harming them. His agility had painstakingly been raised above 20 points, however, his physique was only on par with an average person. In the end, after suffering from that curse, and even after racking his brains to think of a solution, he could only watch in silence as he stepped into death’s doors after five minutes……one could only imagine his crumbling state of mind before dying.
After witnessing such a scene, the rest obviously dared not open up their bottles. After a series of investigations, Chris’s party managed to discover an old person named, Palesius, who resided inside Turtuga castle and expressed great interest in this object.
That old man’s status wasn’t low in the castle, he was probably a butler who had earned the trust of his masters. Every day at 9 in the morning, he would go out to purchase groceries.
Once one passed the bottle to him, one would obtain a hefty reward of 20 guineas and even obtain his friendship. From then, one can use the excuse of visiting Palesius to freely enter the outer area of Turtuga castle. This was obviously not without any benefits, based on Chris, using a piece of whetstone in there could enhance your weapon’s attack powers permanently by 11, and even held a certain percentage of receiving other deeper level mission.
However, Sheyan had no intentions of following the action sequence that Chris took.
Firstly, Chris brat wasn’t a good person. Earlier he had exploited the agreement contract, and purposely omitted the essential clue of having to build a good relationship with Mole Waller. This caused huge frustrations to Sheyan. According to psychologists, a person would let his guard down the most when he was nearing success. Therefore, if Sheyan continued to follow this action sequence, he may encounter another trap that Chris had craftily set up.
Crucially speaking, the rewards from this did not attract Sheyan much. After Ammand’s generous division of loots, Sheyan’s personal guineas exceeded 3 figures. A mere 20 guineas was not important.
Regarding the ability to be able to freely enter the outer courts of Turtuga castle, it looked like it provides many benefits, but to the killer of the Madam of the castle and a Bell and Mug pirate member, frequently entering that place was not a good idea. If something went wrong, it would do more harm than good.
Therefore, Sheyan chose to attempt the other pathway of this side mission – that was opening the bottle which Chris’s party avoided!
The spirit’s curse seemed exceedingly dreadful, but unfortunately this sort of abnormal conditions (loss of blood etc) would not threaten Sheyan at all.
Once he equipped the title of ‘pirate ringleader’, his maximum life points would reach as high as 190 points. Even now, his life point was worth 170 points. Draining 100 HP within 5 minutes to him, was just a slight strain….. It would not carry any life threatening or crippling injuries at all.
After carefully weighing out the pros and cons, Sheyan steadily picked up the bottle and willfully absorbed the icy chill into his body temperature. He retrieved the candlestick beside him, before using his hand to touch the flames for a moment; as though he was testing the heat of the flames. He then placed the tip of the bottle against the candle.
Slowly, the thick and reliable wax started melting from the roasting heat.
Following the heat from the flames, the wax at the tip started dripping, one drop at a time, onto the table. A faint fragrance permeated into the air.
Sheyan looked at this image, and suddenly recalled a time when he was young where Uncle Dasi told him a ‘haunted house’ story, which was roughly about Uncle Dasi’s father.
When he was young he travelled with his friends for business. In a mountainous area when the sky had turned dark, they found a small house. There was nobody in the house, a sinister looking headless idol was displayed in the center of the house, but the rice bags, firewood and bed were fairly organized. Although everything felt very eerie, their stomachs were rumbling with hunger from walking the whole day in the mountains, in addition to the pouring rain, they decided to rest there for the night.
Naturally, the few businessmen decided to start a fire to cook their meal, after eating they slept early. In the end, the house had no chimney, the vapour from cooking the meal extended everywhere. Not long after, when their meal had not yet finished cooking, they realized dozens of horrifying evil spirits had appeared and frantically charged at them. Astounded, they fled for their lives, two of their counterparts fell off an overhanging cliff because of the slippery roads. Afterwards an experienced and intelligent colleague mentioned that the house was a trap set up by bandits, the crux was the firewood that they used to cook their rice.
This firewood was probably layered with a poisonous mushroom extract from Ailao town, interpreting it would simply mean a layer of hallucinogen. After it burnt up, it would produce a smoke which would cause the inhaling persons to hallucinate. Adding up the surrounding eerie environment, the sinister headless idol, of course a terrifying image would be formed.
Yet when Sheyan saw the burning candle wax and after smelling the faint fragrance, his heart unconsciously formed an anxious and ominous premonition. Because following this present generation, to open up this message in a bottle, the most common method was undoubtedly to melt off the wax.
Therefore, it was hard to determine if there were booby traps devised with it. As such, he immediately moved away the bottle and from the candle flames, before opening the window to take in a few breaths of fresh air. He did not know if he was paranoid or what, but Sheyan felt that his head had cleared up a little.
Although there was no notification of damage from the nightmare imprint, he still had a strange paranoid feeling. He swiftly checked on his personal attributes, and instantly he obtained the origin of his paranoia! Because on the side of his attributes showed a prominent notification:
[ 14% chance of your attack being ineffective when attacking an enemy ]
Very naturally this cruel effect faded rapidly, because Sheyan immediately examined himself again after reading those words. He realized this damned negative buff had not much difference in nature. That effect of probability in rendering an attack ineffective had dropped to 13%. It looked like within a minute, this debuff would gradually fade away and wouldn’t alarm anyone.
“So that’s the case.” Sheyan roughly figured out the tragedy of Chris’s party.
If not for Sheyan’s outstanding perceptive sense and his quick thinking, he would’ve been caught up in the deluding vicious cycle of that invincible spirit.
While waiting for the damned negative buff to wear off, Sheyan leaked out a cold grin as he held onto the bottleneck of the bottle. He decided to use an efficient and swift approach to open up this conspiracy filled, supernaturally tough bottle.
“Piank!” This durable glass bottle was smashed hard against the opposite wall. Although the algae and moss that lodged onto the external of the glass provided some sort of cushioning, Sheyan had utilized his entire bodily strength!
Under the high pressure of 12 points of strength, this rum bottle exploded into fragments scattering everywhere. During the moment it shattered, a strange serene radiance glowed from inside. That radiance swelled up like a mist, and rapidly spiralled into the air. It then metamorphosed into a blurry light blue transparent apparition.
The apparition’s face consisted of high cheekbones, protruding lightbulb like eyes which enhanced its already terrifying appearance. Its model was akin to the ghost army in the Lord of the Rings.
Sheyan instantly activated his ‘insight’ ability. This was despite a red warning appearing, due to Sheyan having already used the ability an entire 9 times and his perilous economic situation. Without paying up utility ponts it was no doubt showed him a red deficit letter.
Following the activation of insight, gentle rays enshrouded onto this apparition, causing it to make a threatening gesture. Sheyan instantaneously obtained first-hand information.
[ ‘Contract Apparition’ (Loyal servant spirit, only a portion of its protective instincts remained) ]
[ Species: Dead spirit ]
[ Life span: 24 hours (Remaining of 23 hours 57 minutes) ]
[ Height: 4 inches, Weight: nil ]
[ Strength: 8 points ]
[ Agility: 7 points ]
[ Physique: 5 points ]
[ Perceptive sense: 11 points ]
[ Charm: 0 points ]
[ Intelligence: ? points ]
[ Spirit: ? points ]
[ Remaining life points: 50 points ]
[ Dead spirit category characteristic: Immune to fear, illness, deformation, pains, bleeding effects. ]
[ Dead spirit category characteristic: Divine type ability will deal twofolds damage, fire type will deal 1.5 folds damage. ]
[ Passive ability: Blur – 50% chance of an enemy’s attack rendered ineffective. Suppressed by divine type abilities, unable to prevent damage from any divine type. ]
[ Ability: ? ]
[ Ability: ? ]
Sheyan looked at the question marks in this report. He understood that his own intelligence and spirit could not match up greatly. Therefore, certain accurate information was unable to be displayed. Looking at the ‘Blur’ skill of that apparition, a portion of comprehension grew in his heart; looks like after the minerals mixed in with the wax were released, the highest negative buff that a person inhaling it would be ‘50% chance of rendering attacks ineffective’.
Based on that negative buff, in addition to its ‘Blur’ skill, it was no wonder that Chris’s party could not cause any harm to it.
There was an underlying message, it was either the divine type ability was relatively rare, or it was considered a relatively high level ability. If not, Chris’s party would have at least one contestant who could use an ability of similar type.
Observing the apparition whistling and twirling around in the room, Sheyan reached out his left hand. Instantly, his cobalt steel exoskeleton materialised on his arm.
Although the apparition seemed pretty terrifying, Sheyan had likewise faced off with a horrifying creature like the decaying undead. That was considered a warm-up and he currently felt no hint of pressure.
Nevertheless, he could imagine Chris’s party, whom had inhaled the mysteriously vile poisonous fog and coupled with them having no preparation beforehand, they would’ve definitely been frightened stiff when encountering such a creature thought to only exist in fables!
Sheyan had no long range battle capabilities. Therefore, naturally he arched his body down, and aiming towards that apparition, he charged at it viciously.
Floating in mid air, the apparition abruptly shuddered hazily. Then, it raised its misty fuzzy arms directly at Sheyan. Simultaneously, a gigantic formless vortex formed at the front of its arm. The vortex was not absorbing air or water, but the surrounding heat!
Sheyan couldn’t help quivering violently as he felt a cold chill gripping part of his heart. Concurrently, he received a notification.
[ You have been cursed by the contract apparition ]
[ You will lose 100 HP within 5 minutes ]
Everything was similar to what Chris had estimated. The only difference was, the unlucky victim had a mere 50 HP at that time, and did not even last for 3 minutes. Instead, Sheyan felt vigorous and lively even after 3 minutes.
After releasing its curse, that apparition had consumed quite a bit of energy and remained floating on its original spot. Sheyan did not show any courtesy as he pounded across with his ferocious fist!
When his fist came into contact with the surface of the apparition, he felt the skin on his left hand suddenly immerse in frost; as though he had plunged his hand into ice water. A layer of ripple correlated across the surface of the apparition, causing Sheyan’s attack to completely be negated; as though hitting an empty space.
Passive skill, ‘Blur’ success!
Sadly, Sheyan hadn’t anticipate for the mysterious skill of this apparition. Once his fist failed to contact with something, his whole body tumbled forward and his fist heavily smashed onto the opposite wall. The tough wooden board cracked under such ferocity, producing crackling sounds as wood pieces and dust puffed out.
The bartender below shouted out in frustration.
“Oi oi oi! The mister above, I remember you telling me you wanted to rest and not destroy the room. If you are unable to calm yourself, then I will be delighted to clear your head a little. Presently, I regrettably have to increase your bill for repair fees.”
Sheyan answered by tossing a bag of coins down.
He immediately turned around, staring at that apparition in front of him, he once again raised his fist.
The candle flames brightly reflected against the cobalt steel exoskeleton, flashing out a cold glimmer!
That apparition spat out a mouth of white vapor, it rapidly flew towards Sheyan. After it swept past the nearby table, this floating dull mist suddenly lifted up a knife from the table, before slicing forward like lightning.
Sheyan’s fist once again failed to connect, because he had no time to react, that knife sliced open a long wound across his face. Blood trickled down the wound like a small red serpent, giving off a miserable look.
In spite of that, Sheyan was relaxed as though he just released a heavy load. Perceiving the necessity for this apparition to borrow a weapon to conduct its attack, therefore, it meant that it didn’t possess further stronger killing abilities. Furthermore, Sheyan had his innate ability ‘Endurance’, such an injury was nothing to him.
Thus, Sheyan’s only worry was if this apparition would suddenly release another of its ‘curse’! Regardless of how much vitality he had, he would still be unable to withstand another blow.
Sheyan once again bent forward, leaning his centre of gravity forward, he once again barrelled in aggressively. In that moment, Sheyan had already braced his entire body, like a long bow that was extended fully. He was extremely clear in his heart, he had consecutively missed two entire strikes!
Following the probability of 50%, the chance of three consecutive strikes to hit was a lowly 80%! Sheyan inhaled deeply, his eyes ignited with a blazing fury!
His pair of eyes were not blazing with hatred nor anger, but from top to bottom, it was pure insanity! They were like a devout extreme religious believer, and nothing could replace the faith in his heart!
This time, the shimmering white cobalt steel exoskeleton whizzed in mid air, splitting apart the air with its pressing strength as it heavily crashed against the body of the apparition. This time, Sheyan felt something different from the previous two rounds. He was completely unable to restrain himself, as he felt his fist had immersed into the interior of an extremely viscous substance, with an interior boiling with dense eeriness!
Nevertheless, the latent insanity within the fist exploded out like a one-off destructive torrent!
Under the immense agony, the apparition suddenly faced upwards; extending its mouth before issuing out an extremely sorrowful and piercing shrill. It seemed as though something was exploding forth with unparalleled maliciousness within it. This screech was so abrupt, it echoed around the entire room, piercing into his brain and the rest of his body.
Such an internal attack caused Sheyan, who was bearing the brunt of it, to be overwhelmed in dizziness and tottered on the verge of collapse. Then, the apparition seized the opportunity to fly out of the door, however as it flew, it left spots of facula from its back; resembling a comet that was gradually dissipating. Evidently, the strike it received from Sheyan wasn’t light.
After roughly 3-4 seconds, Sheyan regained control of his body. His battle with the apparition had not exceeded a minute, as such, the damage caused by the curse had not even reached 30 points. Astoundingly, after being assailed by such an unprecedented sorrowful screech, his life points had dropped by 70 points.
When Sheyan urgently accessed his battle statistics from the nightmare imprint, he became gravely shocked!
”
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