12 Cancer King!

As Ryan stared at the gray font prompt flashing before his eyes, a flicker of astonishment crossed his face.

"Silverback shark... dying... secret... join in..."

Though the words seemed cryptic, Ryan grasped the essence of the message. Now, he faced a pivotal decision:

First, he could opt to slay the silverback shark. This choice was straightforward, defeat the beast, harvest experience points and spiritual rewards.

Alternatively, he could attempt to heal the shark. This route was fraught with complexities, not least the enigmatic mention of a "Secret." The shark's body bore numerous scars, evidence of previous battles and hinting at the perilous nature of this tryst.

As he pondered, a beach crab perished nearby, easing the tension in the stranded silverback shark, which now gazed at Ryan with what seemed like a plea in its large, mournful eyes.

Ryan was taken aback by this silent supplication. "Could it be that humans have aided it in the past? Does it recognize me as a potential helper?" he mused.

After careful deliberation, he resolved to save the shark. While experience points and spiritual values were beneficial, they weren't rare commodities. Beach crabs were abundant in the western periphery, hinting at other opportunities for gain.

Moreover, killing the shark would mean forfeiting any chance at the mysterious secret. Intrigued by the unknown and driven by his inherent love for adventure, Ryan knew that his traveler's avatar could risk it; after all, if his clone perished, it wasn't his true end. Adventure meant embracing risk, venturing into the unknown.

Decision made, Ryan sheathed his long sword, spread his hands in a gesture of peace, and cautiously moved towards the beleaguered shark.

His senses sharpened, ready to spring back at the first sign of aggression. Yet, perhaps due to past human interactions or simply because it was too weak to fight, the silverback shark made no hostile moves as Ryan approached. It seemed to recognize his intent, and in its weary eyes, Ryan read not threat, but an implicit trust.

Standing beside the massive, beleaguered silverback shark, Ryan felt a wave of relief wash over him. Carefully, he removed the "Necklace of Fertility" from around his neck, its pearls glistening with latent magic, and gently affixed it to the shark's rough skin.

The "Necklace of Fertility," strung with "Pearls of Fertility," was Ryan's only hope for treatment. Should this fail, his grim alternative was to mercifully end the shark's suffering.

As the necklace settled into place, the bleeding from the shark's numerous wounds ceased almost immediately, eliciting a visible sigh of relief from the creature. Its eyes softened, looking upon Ryan with a newfound gentleness.

Ryan's heart lifted at the sight, but his brow soon furrowed with concern.

Although the necklace had stemmed the bleeding, the wounds themselves were healing far too slowly. Closer inspection revealed residues of a potent acid within the wounds, stubbornly resisting the healing properties of the pearls.

With a resolve born of desperation, Ryan plucked a "Pearl of Fertility" from the necklace and, using stones from the shoreline, ground it into a fine powder. He then carefully distributed the pearl dust over the shark's wounds.

A hiss of white smoke rose as the powder met the infected flesh, causing the shark to flinch in pain. Yet, beneath the smoke, the charred flesh began to heal, slowly regenerating before Ryan's eyes.

"It's working!" Ryan exclaimed, a mix of relief and triumph in his voice.

Given the extent of the damage, he used another pearl, ensuring every wound was treated. Within ten minutes, the blackened flesh turned a healthy pink, and the shark's vitality visibly improved.

As Ryan watched, the silverback shark slid back into the ocean, its dorsal fin cutting through the water, a silvery flash against the blue. It swam about energetically, circling the shallow waters in a display of rejuvenation and perhaps, gratitude.

After a few playful turns, the shark approached again. It surfaced, nodding towards Ryan as if to acknowledge his aid, then playfully flicked its tail before diving. Its intelligent eyes seemed to convey a message beyond simple animal gratitude.

A voice echoed in Ryan's mind, almost as if the shark itself were speaking:

"Silverback Shark: You've healed me, and for that, I am deeply thankful. As a token of my gratitude, I am ready to guide you to the place of the 'secret."

Ryan, filled with a mix of anticipation and curiosity, prepared to follow his new ally into the unknown.

On the beach, a subtle smile played across Ryan's face.

The gray font's message was clear: the silverback shark was thankful and would not attack under these circumstances.

With this assurance, Ryan strode into the lapping waves, making his way to the side of the great shark. Climbing onto its back felt surreal, a novel experience unlike any he had in his past lives.

"It's quite majestic," Ryan murmured to himself, marveling at the sensation.

With a grin, he called out to his new companion, "Big Silver, let's go!"

The shark responded with a deep, resonant sound, almost like an acknowledgment, and set off towards the northeast.

As they moved, the wet, salty sea breeze whipped past Ryan's face, and the spray of the ocean cooled his skin. Clinging to the shark's fins, he felt a mix of exhilaration and awkwardness riding the mighty beast. While thrilling, the reality of riding a shark was proving more challenging than he'd anticipated.

"If I get the chance, I'll have to learn how to ride standing up," he whispered to himself, considering the future possibilities.

Guided by the Silverback Shark, Ryan arrived at the northern edge of the isolated island. This area, unlike the western outskirts, featured towering cliffs with slopes steep enough to defy any manual ascent.

As they approached the shore, Ryan noticed a significant gathering of beach crabs on the reef, easily numbering around thirty. But what truly captured his attention wasn't the crabs themselves.

In the midst of the crustacean crowd loomed a terrifying figure, its silhouette stark against the coastal backdrop. Its head was several times larger than any of the beach crabs, casting a daunting shadow that piqued Ryan's curiosity and heightened his senses for the mysterious "secret" that awaited.

The creature before Ryan looked like a colossal version of a beach crab, but with an unmistakable difference. Its entire carapace was a deep, inky black, and the shell on its back was sculpted into the formidable shape of a dragon's head, ferocious and striking.

"Could this be a 'special species' of beach crab, or perhaps, the king of them all?" Ryan wondered, his eyes widening in awe.

As they continued, the swarm of ordinary beach crabs dwindled behind them until they vanished from sight. A few minutes later, as they neared a natural cave tucked below the cliff's face, the silverback shark decelerated, its movements deliberate.

The shark emitted a low, rumbling "Woo-woo," signaling to Ryan that they had reached their destination.

Ryan's gaze followed the shark's to the cave entrance. There was a mix of longing and hesitation in the shark's eyes, emotions that resonated with the gravity of their journey.

The haunting echo of that rumble snapped Ryan back to the present. He shook off the lingering thoughts of the formidable crab and focused on the cave before him.

"Is this the place of the 'secret?" Ryan asked aloud, his voice tinged with surprise.

Nestled in a secluded nook beneath the cliff and surrounded by jagged rocks, the cave's entrance was well-concealed. Without the silverback shark's guidance, Ryan was certain he would never have found this hidden sanctuary on his own.

Noticing the apprehension in the shark's gaze, Ryan pieced together the clues. The corrosive damage that had marred the shark's body likely originated from this very cave. With a deep breath, he prepared to face whatever challenges lay within, guided by the shark's reluctant yet trusting lead.