Pirate Kingship
Chapter 47 - 46 Gus Joins, Phantom Blade

Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Gus Joins, Phantom Blade

Bruh’s urgent injuries finally became the last straw that convinced Byron to decisively start the ritual to concoct the Blood of Metamorphosis.

With the effect of the first attribute, "Historical Reviser," in place, he could not have avoided the vortex that was about to stir up the entire North Sea situation.

He had the protection of the First-Class Relic, the Storm Sigil Ring. Moreover, he had an ace up his sleeve: a chance to extract a Holy Relic based on his Decryption Rate to save his life.

Byron decided to take the initiative, letting loose and going all out.

He planned to not only chop off several of the York Family’s claws but also find a way to disrupt the Navy Department’s plans for Iron Anchor Bay, to make them truly feel the pain!

It would be even better if he could incidentally unravel the mystery of "Hidden: The Shadow of the Red and White Rose War".

If worse came to worst, he could just sacrifice himself by joining their ranks to play the role of a "trusted confidant" wholeheartedly!

Before implementing the plan, Byron needed to find a well-informed and influential local figure to help him dig up all the privateer captains serving the Kingdom of Hightins.

And he just happened to have a perfect candidate.

"Eight Fingers, go and invite Gus over. I have business with him."

Eight Fingers, who had been standing by his side all along, looked totally bewildered upon hearing the name.

"Gus? Captain, who is Gus? Didn’t just the two of us go out today? It doesn’t seem like any of the slaves we bought back are named Gus, right?"

Clearly, in just the blink of an eye, he had completely forgotten who Gus was.

Money-grubber Gus hadn’t gone far.

Just as he was about to leave, the crew of the Golden Deer were starting their meal. Since he had been hungry all morning, he took the opportunity to sit down at the dining table.

When Byron went to find him personally, Gus was fervently eating the Golden Deer’s signature dish: flatbread with black pepper mutton soup.

It was a dish exclusively for the crew members, something the captain wouldn’t eat.

With flatbread in one hand and a soup spoon in the other, he was eating with gusto, SLURPING contentedly.

Unsurprisingly, no one but Byron himself realized that an additional person was sitting among them.

"Ah, Captain sir, you’re here!"

Gus lifted his bowl and finished the mutton soup in one gulp, contentedly patting his belly.

He looked up to find Byron sitting quietly beside him, his eyes filled with... "a worthy prize."

He hurriedly put down his soup bowl and greeted him somewhat sheepishly, "That... The food we made was just too delicious, I couldn’t help myself, I really couldn’t. But I never freeload from friends."

He said, pointing to the pine long table in the inn, where the two not-yet-warmed Copper Furls from Eight Fingers were placed.

Although he hadn’t been spotted by anyone, he wasn’t planning to dine and dash either.

Perhaps his earlier statement, "Actually, I don’t love money. What I really love is freedom and dignity. It just so happens that money brings freedom and dignity," was truly from the heart.

Byron admitted to himself that if he had been born with such a power, he probably wouldn’t have had the restraint to only freeload off the Slave Trade Guild.

If someone else had this ability, they might have already become regulars at stores, banks, or even... women’s bathhouses.

Who wouldn’t like to be friends with such a person with principles?

Even bad people might prefer to befriend such a fellow more than good people do.

Byron took the two copper coins from Gus and also extended a hand to him with a smile, very sincerely and straightforwardly saying,

"Mr. Gus, I wonder if you would be interested in joining the Golden Deer to work for me?"

Michael wasn’t good at judging people, but Byron’s ability to do so was unparalleled.

The Sailing Logbook stated very clearly:

"Born with the innate ability of the assassin’s Concealment Aura, yet somehow lost their only ’Anchor’ during their growth. Not only were they unable to become a Transcendent, but there’s even a possibility that they could suddenly disappear from this world at any moment."

"Unless another person is found who can always remember them, there is a possibility for everything to get back on track."

Finding such a person and binding a sufficiently stable anchor was by no means an easy task.

Otherwise, Gus wouldn’t have failed 887 consecutive times.

Byron wasn’t actually capable either. It was purely because of the magical effect of the Sailing Logbook, which was connected to Spirituality.

To use an analogy from my own understanding, Gus’s body had an automatic function to clear its "cache." The moment someone turned their head, the information he left in their consciousness was automatically erased. As time passed, even old acquaintances—those who had known him since childhood and whose anchor chains should have been far more secure than those of strangers—were also gradually forgetting him. When there is no longer anyone in the world who remembers Gus, he will likely disappear from this world without a trace. But I can check the external historical records at any time through the Echoes of History, which is almost like having it recorded in my own mind. It’s merely the difference between an internal hard drive and an external portable hard drive.

"Captain, it would be my honor to serve you!"

Facing Byron’s offer, Gus agreed without any hesitation, immediately standing up and firmly shaking Byron’s hand.

He had indeed dreamed of finding someone who would not forget him.

He had initially planned to win over Byron with his unique talents gradually, but the pleasant surprise came much faster than expected.

As long as he completed the Anchoring with Byron through the Pirate’s Ten Commandments, he could prepare for the Promotion Ceremony and try to control his abilities actively.

He wouldn’t have to worry about being forgotten by acquaintances anymore.

That’s great! I can finally take up the profession and become a real assassin!

This referred to the assassin of the Gladiatorial Sequence.

The most representative figure in this Sequence was the Gladiator, one of the most ancient professions still in existence today.

Based on fighting styles and weapons used, they were divided into three branches: the Murmillo Fighter, the Thraex Fighter, and the Retiarius.

It is said that the first assassins were born in the arenas during the First Empire Era.

Thraex Fighters, who usually excelled with shortswords and daggers, would come together and suddenly assassinate dignitaries who enjoyed their performances.

They also became the progenitors of all modern-day assassins.

The Sequence maxim: To live towards death!

With a formidable talent like Concealment Aura, Gus was naturally destined to be either a master thief or a king of assassins—a perfect match for this Sequence.

However, after realizing his valuable talents, Byron helped him choose another path.

Centuries ago on the central Continent, the Eyrie Assassin Guild once pioneered a powerful new profession: the Eagles’ Nest Assassin.

With their terrifying assassination abilities, they nearly dominated an era, and their assassination attempts terrified all the nobility on the Continent.

Swordsmanship, disguise, assassination, theft, traps, explosives... they were well-versed in all.

One of their most iconic abilities was the Eagle’s Leap, allowing them to jump from any height without death as long as they held a dove’s feather in hand!

After the guild was eradicated by the Orders of Knights organized by the Church during the Crusade, their corresponding prerequisite knowledge, training manuals, and Promotion Ceremonies were also confiscated.

Falling into the hands of the high echelons of various countries on the Continent, they underwent adaptive modifications along different paths over the subsequent centuries.

A lineage held by the Lancaster Family was called the Phantom Blade.

It allowed one to freely control their own presence.

At Low Sequences, they could manipulate illusions. At Middle Sequences, they could even lend presence to these illusions, turning a small dagger into a massive sword with the power of imagination—killing with creativity.

They weren’t just assassins but also the perfect Scouts and intelligence agents.

I’m so poor now that all I have left is the Extraordinary Knowledge in my mind.

If there’s any opportunity to convert this knowledge into Power or Wealth, I absolutely won’t miss it.

Just as he was about to paint for Gus a glowing future as the "king of assassins" to motivate him to work hard for himself,

"That’s right!"

Gus suddenly looked up at Byron, rubbing his hands together with a fawning smile.

"Captain, now that I’m one of us, about that... can you give me back those two copper coins for my meal?"