Off the coast of Yucatan Island, at another corner of the sea.
The murky waters of the shallows continually churned.
A group of four or five monstrous crabs, each the size of a small house, emerged from their lair at the bottom of the sea, prodded by the Fish Poison Potion that could suffocate even gilled creatures. On their backs, they carried not shells, but shipwrecks of varying sizes, densely covered with barnacles and other crustaceans. Even if these were merely small fishing boats, one could easily imagine how massive the crabs truly were.
[Bizarre · Haunted Shipwreck Crabs
Merged from sunken ships at the bottom of the sea, Dead Souls, and scavenging hermit crabs, they are best at ambushing passing boats underwater.
Especially as they grow in size and prepare to change "shells," they become increasingly aggressive toward all kinds of boats passing above them.
Taboo: When encountering such Bizarre creatures, you had best pray that your boat and their current size do not match up too well.
If you are part of a fleet equipped with various types of sailing ships, be sure to prepare for battle.]
Coincidentally, Hightins's Privateer Fleet was like a standard-issue hermit crab 'clothing store'—it had everything they could possibly want.
"Fleet, fire in unison! Load Blazing Bombs! Aim for the crabs' ship-shells! Fire!"
Under the banner of the Pioneer Navigation Colonization Company, six well-trained Privateer Ships lined up, their state-of-the-art military cannons spitting flames in unison. Dozens of fiery lines crisscrossed the dark seas, easily tearing through the shipwrecks on the crabs' backs before burrowing into their soft undersides.
SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK!...
The sounds of gunfire and screams filled the sea.
Whether it was Level Six naval ships, insignificant merchant vessels, or schooners, any sailing ship with cannons lined up along its sides was sure to find the Line Tactics most destructive. After a month of tireless, hands-on training by Byron, the team he had built from the ground up could now execute this tactic flawlessly. Before the group of Haunted Shipwreck Crabs could even reach them, two volleys sent them all stiffly floating on the water's surface.
Physical exorcism, without a hitch.
Behind them, the lead ships were followed by a sky-darkening fleet of pirate ships, with various black Pirate Flags fluttering proudly in the wind.
Black sails! Black sails!
Seven Pirate Generals, even more Privateering Pirates, Jamestown's major colonial companies... there were a formidable hundred or more Privateer Ships gathered, seeming to press down the very sea itself.
Watching this fleet easily dispose of a group of monsters set off a buzz of conversation on every ship:
"Deputy Commander Bill's crew is truly well-trained. No wonder they have the confidence to act as a lead ship, pioneering uncharted sea routes and clearing the way for the fleet."
"And the commander directing the battle just now wasn't him, was it? I think I saw him visiting another Pirate General, 'Throat Slasher,' on his ship just earlier."
Immediately, someone chimed in, sharing in the glory, "Don't you know? His fleet's lieutenant is none other than the now-famous Sea Hunter Byron! Back when we were coming from the First Circulation Zone to Banta'an, he led the fight against the Sea Monster, the Twin-Gun Squid. He didn't just drive it off; he killed it on the spot! He's a tough guy that even Major General Newman greatly admires."
"Right, I've heard about that too. It seems that one of the first pioneer mandates issued by Military Governor Newman upon taking office belonged to this Sea Hunter. If it weren't for a lack of experience, a person like him could have easily run for the position of a Pirate General, right? My name's Byron too; how come I don't have such abilities?"
"Hey, wouldn't you know it, this old fellow here is named Byron too. Seeing this Sea Hunter, even though I'm nearly fifty, I feel like I could still make a go of it..."
As everyone chattered, the legend of the Sea Hunter grew a little more.
In the Bantaan Archipelago, danger wasn't just found on the islands' forbidden lands. It was also rife in the sea, especially when straying from the established safe sea routes. The most notorious of these was the Devil's Triangle, which, although within the Sapphire Sea, meant certain death for anyone who dared enter.
They were not averse to taking a safe route. But most of the islands near the safe sea routes were occupied by Castilia, turned into an interlinked network of sea fortresses. And so-called Privateer Ships, though sanctioned by their respective nations, engaged in state-supported acts of piracy. Attacks on enemy nations during wartime were perfectly legal. But their main target was the Kingdom of Castilia, which was exceedingly wealthy and difficult to defeat head-on. Whether in wartime or not, once they fell into the hands of the enemy, they were certain to be treated as pirates and hanged. Even General Newman was fully intent on taking any opportunity to undermine the People of Castilia. Naturally, he wouldn't reveal his military strength recklessly.
The only option was to take the less-traveled, unexplored routes. But now, at last, they had reached the end of their journey.
The Tenor People were not a maritime civilization. The Imperial City was more than two hundred kilometers from the nearest coast. Therefore, the fleet also had to find a suitable location for a landing operation.
"Regroup! Alfred of Blood-Red Whiskey, you take the lead and clear the path ashore in advance! Wayne Dote, take your Eagle Spirit Warrior kinsmen to scout the route and contact the local city-states. The other Warships will maintain a defensive formation, ready to cover the other vessels as they come ashore."
The flagship Golden Deer, the pirate ships Osprey and Little Hawk (converted from merchant ships), Alfred's two sloops Whiskey and Tequila, and the Fragrant Leaf (taken from Tayman Brak Island) now spread out over the sea again, guiding the fleet ashore.
Byron, wearing the captain's tricorne hat, stood commanding with certainty aboard the Golden Deer. All the Warships and Pirates, from top to bottom, operated seamlessly. The natives on board were completely subdued by a combination of grace and terror.
As of today, Captain 721 Fission Mode had been in effect for a month. Every captain diligently instructed their apprentices, leading to a rapid improvement in the crew's quality. The captains themselves wished their disciples could graduate in three days. If they had acquired disciples or even grand-disciples before this operation, they could have made a fortune. They could have done so simply by taking a cut of the spoils without lifting a finger. They were quite distressed—think of how much less loot there would be to divide! This forbidden knowledge had been obtained by chance. There was no systematic method for advancement.
Four eagles, including Wayne Dote, who had undergone the ritual and also taken on the role of an Eagle Spirit Warrior, soared into the sky.
"Check your Swords, Firearms, and ammunition! Elite Marines, bring your lifesaving Blood Brew!"
Now, the Bloodthirsty Cult, as collaborators, had already unveiled the Foundation knowledge of the Holy Grail of Blood on a small scale. This allowed Byron to connect with many like-minded individuals with similar inclinations. It made him feel the warmth of not being alone any longer. Even the Swarm, to stimulate everyone's initiative, indicated that the next Promotion Ceremony—the first sublimation, the Sacrificial Holy Grail—would require 108 types of Blood Brew.
Considering Pirate General Bill's current special status, the Grand Wizard Swarm went beyond the Holy Grail of Blood. He rewarded him with several Blood Brew recipes. They were able to publicly use a few common types of Blood Brew, such as Hero's Frenzy Water and Angel's Kiss... He even hinted in his words that he would take Bill as a disciple upon returning.
But how could the old Wizard know of Byron's knack for insinuating himself into people's confidence—a social terrorist of sorts? While others would avoid him, how could Swarm dare to let him get close?
"Teacher, Teacher..."
Byron respectfully addressed him as 'Teacher.' This caused the mass-murdering sub-human to feel somewhat embarrassed and eventually, albeit grudgingly, accept the title. A beautiful bond between master and disciple was thus established. And it made the rest of the Pirates green with jealousy and hatred.
Of course, before my Storm Knight advances to the Third Order, I cannot perform the ritual, no matter how great the temptation of a fundamental change in Life Essence is. I want an upgrade without side effects; I don't want to turn into the ghastly figure that 'Teacher' has become.
During the short voyage, he had seen his teacher, Swarm, on more than one occasion. Swarm would be creepily eating blood-soaked raw meat, his body crawling with insects, as if undergoing some kind of devolution. Although Swarm himself claimed it was just a rare steak.
As Hightins's Privateer Fleet and the Chichen Itza Expeditionary Allied Army landed, others were not far behind. Forces from various kingdoms, cults, private colonization companies, and Great Pirate Groups converged from all directions.
Wars between Species were never over in an instant; they often lasted for decades. If they could just shatter the core of the Aztec Empire, that loosely united Empire would immediately disintegrate again, never again coalescing into a force capable of making a clenched fist to strike back. Yucatan Island was now like a hedgehog without its spines or a tiger without its fangs. This allowed even small forces like Byron's to find an opportunity to take a bite.
Then, all foreign Colonizers would accelerate their growth, entering a fast track of development, indulging in a frenzy of feasting.
At this moment, as all the eager forces were rubbing their hands in anticipation, most of them believed that Conqueror Cortes' destruction of the two Great Empires was merely intended to achieve this state of affairs.
Only Byron and a very few others glimpsed that trace of an extremely bloody, Hidden secret behind the war of annihilation!