Pirate Kingship-Chapter 44 - 43: Enemies on a Narrow Path

Tribunal Sequence: Oath Knight.

When promoted, he didn’t choose his maxim from the Eight Great Virtues, or from anywhere else, but rather replaced it with a far more severe, unbreakable vow.

In routine combat, he functioned like a normal Knight, but under special circumstances prescribed by his vow, he would unleash an astonishing power.

For example: "Never marry, protect the populace," or "Sacrifice all, annihilate the foe!"

According to this Oath Knight’s vow, when he fought to protect his king, his lord, or honor, in addition to receiving a combat power enhancement, he could also share in some of his lord’s Talents or unique transcendent abilities.

The Oath Knight was thus also known as one of the professions best suited to the role of Guardian Knight—the most reliable spear and shield for their lord!

As Byron approached, a spark of Spirituality seemed to flicker with extreme difficulty in the hollow depths of the Oath Knight’s eyes, struggling to ignite.

Yet it ultimately failed to fully ignite, and his body slumped down dejectedly.

His wounds were simply too grave.

Astonishingly, even though his face was mangled beyond recognition, one could still see that his formerly furrowed brow had relaxed.

It was as if, after fleeing for a thousand miles, he had finally returned to a safe place.

"Damn it! How dare a mere witchcraft material resist? I’ll slaughter you!"

The nearby Woodpecker Maltz had finally dealt with his bleeding nose.

He unsheathed the Fischer Slash Sword from a pirate first mate beside him and viciously slashed at the Oath Knight in the cage.

Unexpectedly, a swordlight, as bright as lightning, flashed before his eyes.

CLANG—!

Sparks flew.

A Bastard Sword had already abruptly interposed itself between them, its strong blade firmly blocking the Fischer Slash Sword’s line of attack. Then, in a moment of engagement, the blade suddenly twisted!

The blade flipped upwards with a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, effortlessly deflecting the sword in Woodpecker Maltz’s hand from the side. This move also completely dismantled his defense, and with the finishing move of a Bull Sword Style, the sword tip was pressed firmly against his neck.

His gaze was sharp and icy, fiercer and more ruthless than that of an enraged pirate. "I’ve already told you, this is the material I want. You still dare to make a move? Are you eager to die?"

At the same time, Echoes of History had already revealed parts of this Transcendent’s past.

"Title: Woodpecker Maltz, Captain of the Chirping Insect Privateer Ship. His Privateering License is from the Kingdom of Hightins. What a small world!

A First Rank Beast Tamer of the Wilderness Sequence, Squire Level.

Sequence maxim: I come, I see, I conquer!

Their vision is the direct opposite of the name of the Wilderness Sequence. Their aim is to conquer themselves, conquer Nature, and then, step by step, transform the vast Wilderness world into a Humanized World suitable for Human habitation..."

The abilities of the same profession within a Sequence are all the same.

Byron didn’t need to consult the log. He knew, even with his eyes closed, that the three abilities of a Beast Tamer at Squire Level were "Soundless Step," "Superhuman Stamina," and "Mental Sensitivity."

This is a profession that leans towards the arcane, its combat prowess heavily dependent on its trained beasts. Competing in swordsmanship with a Storm Knight was simply displaying one’s meager skills before an expert.

However, it was the last revealed entry, "Forbidden Knowledge: Ant Queen’s Blessing," that made Byron slightly more cautious.

Having suffered one setback after another in such a short time, Woodpecker Maltz became completely enraged. A piercing chirp suddenly emanated from his belly.

ZII—!

The same shrill sounds then came from the bellies of the four or five pirates he had brought with him. Subsequently, their bodies engorged, and their skin turned blood red.

This was Maltz’s trump card, a Black Sorcery—"Ant Queen’s Blessing."

It is said that when ordinary ants are infected with tapeworms from woodpecker droppings, they break through their physical limitations, and their lifespan triples.

Other worker ants would mistake them for queen ants and care for them meticulously. Eventually, they would grow fat and large before being eaten by woodpeckers, allowing the tapeworms in the woodpeckers’ stomachs to continue propagating.

This forbidden knowledge operated on the same principle.

"Woodpecker" Maltz played the role of the woodpecker, and what he harbored in his stomach was the beast he cultivated: the Bloodline Tapeworm.

He infected his crew with tapeworms, granting them false strength to make them die for him. Once the tapeworms within these "queen ants" matured, he would use them to feed the mother worm in his own stomach, thereby enhancing his own power.

Maltz had cleverly combined his profession with forbidden knowledge, achieving an effect greater than the sum of its parts.

If he brought his meticulously cultivated team of "queen ants," their combat strength would be far beyond that of ordinary Squire Level peers.

The overall strength of his pirate ship might even surpass that of the Man-Eating Shark at its peak, when it was led by the Second Order Transcendent "Bloody Eye" Salman!

Looking at the prompts in the log, Byron shook his head slightly. Bloody Eye Salman was like this, and this Woodpecker Maltz is too. Once they obtain forbidden knowledge, Human Nature seems to drift further and further away. Compared to them, Magic Mirror West, with his severe mysophobia, was practically a Great Good Man, silently shouldering all the side effects himself.

Of course, "Woodpecker" couldn’t escape the side effects of the forbidden knowledge either.

Mentally: a deviation in Human Nature, gradually finding pleasure in toying with and torturing their prey.

Physically: like queen ants, both he and his parasitized crew would gradually transform into... females!

That’s right. This bunch of irritable brutes, who looked sturdy enough to carry horses on their shoulders, were all biologically female.

It was a pity that no matter how much they were enhanced, their small number was far from achieving a qualitative change through quantitative accumulation—not enough to defeat a Storm Knight in close combat.

CLANG! CLANG!

Eight Fingers and Gus also drew their weapons, instantly standing with Byron.

The Pirate Code was naturally steeped in pirate ethos. In Iron Anchor Bay, when facing a mortal threat, one could launch an unrestricted counterattack; the concept of excessive self-defense simply didn’t exist.

Byron had already decided. If this privateer captain—who, like Magic Mirror West, had clearly been summoned to Iron Anchor Bay by the Navy Department—dared to make a move, he would use the rules to eliminate them openly and justly. The enforcement team wouldn’t have much to say.

"Stop!"

Just as the two sides were about to clash, Michal, the profiteering merchant, rushed out from the other non-slave section with a group of guards armed with long firearms. They quickly formed a human wall, separating the two clearly ill-tempered parties.

Although Remit People were widely known for being cunning and unscrupulous, under normal circumstances, they highly valued their commercial reputation. If a customer were to be killed in a bloody fight within their establishment, not to mention the subsequent negative repercussions, they simply wouldn’t make any more money that day. And that was what it was all about—money!

"Eh, it’s you? Mr. Warehouse Manager?"

He then recognized Byron, the one who had embarrassed him a few days prior. The attendant, already at his wit’s end, saw Michal as a savior and quickly approached to tell the manager everything that had just occurred.

After listening, Michal beamed, his eyes crinkling with a smile that revealed his signature gold tooth.

"We only have one batch of this merchandise. Since you both want it, how about an auction? These materials are all Squire Level. Though they’re old, weak, and infirm, and can’t be trained as subordinates, their survival is guaranteed. Based on the standard price of 1,000 pounds for Squire Level slaves, moderately reduced to an average of 800 pounds each, the starting bid for the four of them is 3,200 pounds. Gentlemen, please place your bids."

Although Michal had suffered a loss because of Byron, he didn’t treat him any differently. People like him, who ran trading companies, were in business to make money, not to bicker over pride. As if they wouldn’t know which was more important: face or money?

The creator is my ancestor, and the customer is the creator. Conclusion: the dear customer is my ancestor. Perfectly logical, not a single flaw. If I were to go against money, to stubbornly pursue a big fish... no, a progenitor of considerable wealth, wouldn’t I be just like those idiotic, rebellious side characters in knight novels? In fact, if things like "face" and "Honor" could be sold, this Golden Eye of the Gold Sequence wouldn’t mind selling them all by the pound! Though, it’s not like he possessed such things to begin with...

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