Salman is actually a Transcendent from the Gold Sequence, a 'Gourmet'? At first, seeing those Man-Eater Sharks clearly controlled by some Extraordinary Power, I thought he must be a 'Beast Tamer' from the Wilderness Sequence.
Byron might possess a vast amount of Extraordinary Knowledge, enough to satisfy the advancement prerequisites for multiple Sequences, but he still lacked practical experience. Of course, for a young man who had lived in the food desert of Hightins for seventeen years, this was somewhat understandable.
There were numerous Transcendent Sequences and professions, covering most societal roles. However, due to differing national conditions, the distribution of these professions was extremely uneven. He didn't know about other places, but in Hightins—a land infamous for having the world's thinnest cookbook—the 'Gourmet' profession was an absolute rarity.
A Transcendent in the Gold Sequence—a Gourmet.
Sequence Motto: Money talks, truth is silent!
Prerequisite Knowledge: Culinary Mastery.
Every Transcendent of this Sequence requires a massive amount of Wealth for sustenance, and with sufficient Wealth, they can advance rapidly. Most harbor an infinite desire for Wealth.
The appetite of a Gourmet far exceeds that of ordinary people. They pursue exquisite food throughout their careers, even earning the title of 'Food Hunter.' Only when their appetite is satisfied and they indulge in the ultimate delicacies can their Power continuously improve.
Byron even suspected that no matter how high a 'Gourmet's' Sequence was, if they dared to enter Hightins territory, they would be reduced to their original state within three days.
Salman's primary area of activity was clearly not in Hightins' waters.
Unlike a First Order 'Attendant,' who only possessed passive abilities, Salman, as a Second Order 'Professional' rank 'Gourmet,' already had the core Transcendent Ability: 'Dietary Supplementation'! By consuming specially prepared foods, he could obtain various temporary buffs: eating Hawkeye for long-distance vision, pig brain for mental agility, or sparrow tongue for mimicking various sounds through vocal mimicry... It was undoubtedly a very versatile ability. High-Sequence 'Gourmets' could even temporarily transform into a particular Extraordinary Creature by consuming its flesh and blood, thereby displaying identical Talents.
At this moment, Salman gulped down a fiery liquor, mixed with some unknown substance that turned it blood-red. Overwhelming alcohol vapors billowed from him, burning his body fat. This not only sent him into a frenzy but also caused him to ignite in scorching flames, burning sailors from both sides, who screamed and scattered in terror.
This formidable power made Byron, who was dodging with the others, recall that the 'Gourmet's' core ability, 'Dietary Supplementation,' also allowed them to choose one type of food most compatible with themselves as a 'staple food.' This not only granted an extraordinary buff in a specific aspect but also, the more one consumed, the faster their 'Spirituality' improved. However, there was one absolute taboo... cannibalism!
At this thought, Byron's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Combining this with the Decryption Rate abruptly jumping to 40%, he instantly realized he might have touched upon the crucial part of that 'Secret Mystery: The Unspoken Secret.' The chefs who never survived more than a month on the ship, the captain tormented by gout who appeared calm but was actually mad, the 'Gourmet' with an insatiable appetite, the unknown 'staple food'... It seemed a faint line connected them all.
However, Byron soon had no time to dwell on secrets. Two powerful Second Order Transcendents were roaming the ship, locked in a fierce battle. Harold, the 'Fortress Guard,' employed a conventional, flawless 'Military Swordsmanship.' His core ability, 'Iron Resonance,' transformed all steel weapons on his person into extensions of himself, like his own limbs, claws, and fangs. His scale armor clanged, glinting with a cold, invincible light. Salman, now berserk with blood-red eyes that revealed his true 'Bloody Eye' aspect, countered with the ferociously aggressive 'Fisher Swordsmanship.' He fought more like a 'Berserker' than a 'Gourmet.' Sparks flew and the clash of steel roared.
With their only Transcendent, 'Bloody Eye,' occupied, the pirates—outnumbered and outmatched—began to fall back steadily. At this point, Byron dared not hold back any longer. Gripping his Bastard Sword, he charged into the fiercest part of the battle. His incredibly fierce 'Storm Sword Technique' became a bloody whirlwind of slaughter. Every flash of his sword was accompanied by a Navy sailor collapsing.
Honestly, in this world's Transcendent System, where cooperation was key, every profession had its weaknesses. Even High-Sequence Transcendents could be overwhelmed and killed if swarmed, let alone someone as low-level and uninitiated as Byron. Nobles and commanders entering a battlefield usually had lavish entourages of 'Guardian Knights' and 'Guardsmen,' forming coordinated teams. It was pure fantasy to think a single person can sway a naval battle involving hundreds.
With only three minutes remaining until the Level 7 wind predicted by his 'Weather Intuition,' over a third of the pirates aboard the 'Man-Eating Shark' had already fallen. The surviving pirate officers all had bloodshot eyes.
Suddenly, the second mate, drenched in blood, spotted a figure standing on the sterncastle of the 'Stern Cruiser' and exclaimed joyfully, "Look! The Navy even brought a noble on patrol! We don't need to wait for some miracle; if we capture him, the Navy will have to let us go!" He then signaled to a group of his capable Marines, who grabbed ropes and swung towards the warship.
Byron, of course, heard his shout and turned to look. He saw the young noble, who had been leisurely observing the battle, cast a disdainful glance at the bloodthirsty second mate and casually declare, "Decree: All pirates and acts of piracy committed without this nation's 'Privateering License' are illegal. The penalty is death by hanging!"
Byron yelled urgently, "Get back! Don't land on their warship!"
Unfortunately, the pirates moved too quickly, and there were no brakes in mid-air. Byron had barely finished speaking when all the pirates who had just landed on the 'Stern Cruiser's' deck were suddenly yanked upwards by invisible ropes that seemed to materialize from nowhere. They clawed at their necks, legs kicking and flailing, but couldn't break free. As the unseen ropes of law tightened, their faces turned purple. Soon, their tongues lolled out and their eyes bulged; they had been hanged to death on the spot.
HISS!
The pirates who witnessed this eerie spectacle shivered uncontrollably. They realized with horror that, aside from Captain Harold, the Second Order 'Fortress Guard,' the Navy ship concealed another Transcendent. It was a 'Law Mage' from the Tribunal Sequence—a role Byron was all too familiar with!
This was the manifestation of Royal Authority.
Sequence Motto: Ignorance of the law is no excuse!
Upon reaching the Second Order 'Professional' rank, the core ability acquired is called 'Decree.' By publicly reciting articles from their nation's 'Royal Iron Law' to pass judgment on specific actions, the 'Decree' takes effect within their jurisdiction.
Principle: Territorial Jurisdiction.
Besides land and territorial waters, this jurisdiction extends to ships belonging to their nation; neither citizens nor foreigners are exempt!
Although these waters were no longer within the Kingdom of Hightens' territory, the moment the second mate and the other pirates stepped onto the warship, their fate was sealed. This profession's direct combat capability is virtually nil, making it useless for territorial expansion. However, when used to maintain order within territories governed by their 'Royal Iron Law,' it is incomparably powerful! Once a crime is judged and confirmed, mortals have almost no chance of escape. Only a Transcendent of the same Order could hope to resist, while a High Order Transcendent might be immune.
One could only imagine the status of the Tribunal Sequence in a world where one of the fundamental Transcendent rules was known as the 'Silver Law.' All advanced knowledge for it was monopolized by the Royal Family and the Great Nobles; even ordinary nobility lacked the privilege to delve into it. From this, Byron immediately guessed the Law Mage's identity.
"That noble is York, represented by the White Rose on the ship's flag—he's here for me!"
His keen eyesight had already discerned the wanted poster nailed to the mast, displaying his own 5,000 Gold Pound bounty. He was once again grateful that the Talent he had just awakened was 'Cognitive Revision.'
The other pirates' hearts sank into despair. "What heinous crime did we commit? Why would the Navy deploy such a terrifying force against us?! Did we accidentally kill a Prince or something?"
Little did they know, true despair was yet to come.
'Bloody Eye' Salman was pinned down by the 'Fortress Guard,' growing increasingly gaunt as his fat burned away. The ordinary pirates were steadily pushed back under the Navy's fierce onslaught.
Amidst the howling wind, a nimble figure swung from the cruiser's yardarm to the pirate ship's mainmast. Shouldering the Kingdom of Hightens' Blood Cross Flag—a blood-red cross on a black field—he climbed vigorously up the net-like shrouds towards the masthead. Once victory on the battlefield was decisively established, there was no need to wait for the fighting to completely cease. Planting the flag atop the mainmast was tantamount to claiming judicial authority over the pirate ship from the perspectives of both Mysticism and maritime law. This would be the final straw.
If the 'Law Mage,' Baron Adonis, issued one more 'Decree,' no one on this ship would escape!