Byron didn’t rush over immediately. Instead, he made two more heists along the way, harvesting relics from the hands of two weak mortal Heroic Spirits, ensuring he could call for backup anytime to save the situation. He then avoided the other ship-coffins on the route and hurried toward the source of the noise, eventually arriving at his destination.
The journey had taken much time, and the cry for help had turned from the initial wail to a quiet whimper, as faint as the buzz of a mosquito.
From the sound of it, the guy was likely breathing out more than he was breathing in.
Because Violet had stipulated that in this treasure hunt, it was she alone who would take on all of Red Beard’s captains.
After hearing the cry for help, Byron was not in a hurry at all.
Even though five council members from the Bayfolk side had exploited a loophole in the rules to join by casting their votes for Red Beard.
It wasn’t Byron’s turn to save a third-order great pirate.
The only reason he came was to see if he could pick up some bargains.
Hiding behind a towering reef, Byron looked over at a region of mudflat.
There, on a dismantled ship-coffin that had been rearranged into the shape of a cross, lay a bloody eagle.
"No, not an eagle, but a person like an eagle!"
Byron’s expression turned grave, and he subconsciously held his breath.
Staring intently, he recognized the unlucky fellow, whose voice sounded familiar—the captain of the Chirping Insect from the Privateering Alliance, known as Woodpecker.
At that moment, Woodpecker was being stripped by two Bayfolk Heroic Spirits. They had cut open her ribs from the back and pulled out two wing-like... lungs. With the feeble breathing of the unfortunate soul, the lobes of her lungs flapped up and down like the wings of an eagle.
Bloody and horrifying.
The name "Blood Eagle punishment" immediately leaped into Byron’s mind! Here, the "Blood Eagle" clearly did not refer to an eagle but a person.
It was a cruel punishment invented by the North Bay Folks, which Byron considered possibly more brutal and bloodier than "being cut in half at the waist" or "lingchi."
The condemned would be fed a potion by the Bayfolk to ensure they wouldn’t die too quickly.
Then the victim would be tied, back facing up and face down, to the execution frame.
The executioner would slowly cut open the victim’s skin and flesh to expose the rib cage.
Then using hands, the executioner would break the victim’s ribs from the back, making them resemble two outspread wings.
Thanks to the Herbal Medicine, the condemned had not died completely and with the faint breathing, the "wings" would gently flutter.
Moreover, the "Blood Eagle punishment" was not just a punishment, but also a ritual of Black Sorcery.
One of the Heroic Spirits, who seemed to have mastered forbidden knowledge in life, held a dagger made of human bone and chanted spells.
"CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP..."
Sharp, eagle-like cries echoed across the open ground.
Even after being dead for who knows how many years, performing Black Sorcery was as instinctive as breathing.
Woodpecker’s bloody body quivered more violently.
Bones piercing through flesh, strands of blood mist clung to it, forming patches of bloody flesh and feathers.
Through the ritual of the "Blood Eagle punishment," they intended to transform a living Transcendent into a Blood Eagle that could be commanded by others.
Byron watched all this with a cold eye, without the slightest intention of intervening.
"This is also why Violet dares to take on all the enemy alone. Non-Bayfolk Descendants are rejected by Valhalla, provoking intense hostility from Heroic Spirits. They are not only targeted first but also face extraordinarily cruel treatment upon defeat. This is a punishment reserved only for mortal enemies! Of course, Heroic Spirits aren’t too friendly towards descendants either. Or rather, fighting valiantly with all their might is their most sublime welcoming ritual for their descendants. Perhaps only Violet, the most legitimate Bay Citizen Princess, would be treated with favor."
Just as Woodpecker was about to be transformed into a Blood Eagle.
A sharp insect-like chirp suddenly emanated from within her.
Dozens of blood lines shot out from her body, flitting away in all directions like lightning.
The Heroic Spirits were clearly unprepared for this turn of events, and they were unable to stop her in time.
Woodpecker’s own profession was that of a Beast Tamer, and she had also mastered the "Forbidden Knowledge: Queen Ant’s Blessing," harboring her parasitic control worms within her own body.
After a long symbiosis, the worms had almost become one with her.
The deeper Woodpecker delved into the study of forbidden knowledge, the more intimately her Spirituality merged with the worms.
Eventually, even if she had to abandon her body, she could continue to exist in the guise of an alien being.
But she hadn’t reached that level yet; she needed to find a new host quickly to continue surviving.
The desperate cry for help was not to save her life but to attract the attention of a warm-blooded ally amidst the spirit-filled Hall of Valor, to take over their body in passing.
"Ha-ha, I smell it; I can smell it!"
One of the worms, a blood-red nematode with an earring curled around its tail, suddenly emitted a wave of surprise and spiritual fluctuation.
Then, like a rubber band, it shot rapidly towards a towering reef.
There lay the scent of a flesh host.
But when Woodpecker clearly saw the silhouette hidden behind the reef, she couldn’t help but subconsciously pause for a moment.
This Mr. Executioner was truly Red Beard’s right-hand man, his staunch confidant. Within the Privateering Alliance, everyone knew it, everyone was aware. If she were to take over his body, even if she avoided this disaster, she’d likely be devoured alive by the ferocious Red Beard afterwards.
"Doesn’t matter, worse comes to worst, I’ll change bodies again if I encounter someone else. Even if frequent body-swapping before completing the queen ant’s transformation might lead me to lose myself due to the host’s influence, it’s better than dying right now."
Woodpecker might hesitate, but Byron, who had long been prepared, certainly would not.
If he knew this individual intended to take over his body and turn him into a woman, he might have been even more resolute when striking.
Byron drank a cup of "Blood Brew·Frost Marguerite" ahead of time, with cold mist coming out of his mouth and nostrils.
In the instant when Woodpecker rounded the reef.
A bone-chilling cold stream suddenly burst from his mouth.
The blood-red nematode, having left the warm body of a human, could hardly resist the severe cold and quickly lost strength.
At this moment, even her brain matter seemed to freeze solid.
And then, Byron shattered her into fragments with a strike of his sword’s scabbard.
The Black Mass Ceremony continued, and the elements after her death were collected by the octopus silver coins on Byron’s person.
The Chirping Insect’s crew, all modified, and the collective mark of Hightins Privateering Alliance grew even deeper.
The Holy Grail of Blood activated at the same time.
Byron discovered that perhaps, thanks to Woodpecker’s habit of "cultivating" the crew for her own consumption, the quality of the Blood of Transformation brewed by this maternal bloodline worm was nearly on par with that of a Second Order Transcendent.
"Now I can prepare a few more cups of ’Angel’s Kiss,’ bestowing the crew with a profound motherly love. What a great bargain I’ve picked up."
And it wasn’t just the Blood of Transformation; Woodpecker had also brought an excess fourth Heroic Spirit relic. It was a critical item used to call for reinforcements, and Woodpecker hadn’t even managed to discard it while fleeing for her life.
However, compared to the three Byron had collected himself, this gold earring was clearly a bit different.
Etched upon it was an abstract yet familiar right eye to Byron.
Exactly like the one on the cover of his "Sailing Logbook" (Chapter 2)!
The Echoes of History meticulously read out the information it carried:
"Sacrificial earring, from a millennium ago, belonging to a god of prophecy, Authority, and the Mad Hunt. Once a Miracle, it deteriorated into an ordinary object over the long passage of time and eventually became the burial accompaniment of its own master. Along with the master’s Heroic Spirit, waiting in Valhalla to be awakened anew."
"Secret: The prophecy of racial revival by the god Woden of prophecy, Authority, and the Mad Hunt, with a historical influence of 69." The Decryption Rate leaped from 1% to 11%.
"A millennium-old emblem? From the Mad Hunt Deity?"
Although there weren’t many valuable pieces of information, Byron suddenly realized that perhaps his greatest trump card, the "Sailing Logbook," didn’t come out of nowhere.
It wasn’t simply a novice’s privilege that he was entitled to after his transmigration.
Valhalla was originally chosen as a battlefield to contend with a crisis, not in quest of some legendary Great Secret Treasure.
After receiving hints, Byron couldn’t help but develop a strong curiosity towards this God who only existed in legend, as well as the Great Secret Treasure alluded to in the prophecies.
Although he was very certain that, apart from the invisible Creator, there were no real gods in this world, an influence of 69 from the Red and White Rose War was merely 31, and it already possessed world-class influence. An influence of 69 was probably enough to completely overturn the world’s order.
"Too bad, Violet mentioned Valhalla has nine levels. Without the capabilities of a High Sequence Pirate King, one simply doesn’t have the qualifications to delve into the ultimate secrets. This matter concerning the source of the ’Sailing Logbook’ might be important, but it’s not urgent. Better not to aim too high and instead continue steadily enhancing my strength. Once I safely get through this, I’m sure Violet will do me the courtesy of letting me come back here again in the future to fully unravel this secret. She wouldn’t want her father, the North Sea Pirate King, to remain unaccounted for, right?"
At that moment, a series of piercing cries suddenly came from overhead, interrupting Byron’s thoughts.
Looking up, he noticed four or five giant Blood Eagles circling in the sky above.
Heroic Spirits probably didn’t have too many opportunities to turn outsiders into Blood Eagles, but in the ship burials, both the deceased and their slaves would have to be buried alongside.
These Blood Eagles were clearly the enemies of that very Heroic Spirit during his lifetime.
After locking onto Byron, an outsider, they immediately dove towards him.