Pirate Kingship
Chapter 48 - 47 Long Live the Captain!

Chapter 48: Chapter 47 Long Live the Captain!

Since they were going to hold an onboarding ceremony for Gus and use the Pirate’s Ten Commandments to help him with his Anchoring, they decided to conduct the ceremony for all the newly recruited crew members at once.

After lunch, Byron gathered all the current crew members of the Golden Deer in the rented, huge dry dock. This included the dozen or so veteran sailors who had been working in the dockyard, the more than twenty free pirates recruited that day, and about a dozen slaves. Altogether, the new and old sailors numbered fifty-six.

The Shipwright Hans and his son, the Honest Man Eight Fingers, the trainee Navigators Thomas and Parry, and the assassin Gus—these seasoned pirate officers—stood at the very front.

Byron surveyed the entire gathering and silently nodded. Whether they can fight or not is another matter, but at least the assault team, rigging sailors, gunners... the framework for each department is somewhat established.

He then thought, To be honest, those free pirates, picked over by countless captains, are hard to look at with my discerning eye. In a word: mediocre. However, the quality of these slaves is clearly higher. Having survived the harsh living conditions and high mortality rate of transport by sea, their physical fitness is undoubtedly exceptional. With a little training, they’ll be excellent material for basic sailors. Among the indigenous slaves, a young man named Wayne Dote particularly stands out. Although he hasn’t spoken much, Echoes of History revealed that he not only speaks the common tongue, but the other indigenous slaves also defer to him as their leader. He might even possess some Extraordinary Knowledge from his tribe. It’s just that his Spirituality hasn’t awakened yet, so this knowledge can’t be transformed into Power.

"Don’t worry," Byron announced, his gaze sweeping across every face in the crowd, seeing them as clearly as if they had been working together for years. "There will be bread, and there will be milk."

He then turned and took a thick book from a chest. Its hardcover was inlaid with a ferocious skull, symbolizing the Pirate Code. It was indeed the Pirate’s Ten Commandments of the Golden Deer! This was no petty single sheet of parchment like that of the Man-Eating Shark. Instead, it was a tome, a super-volume bound from a hundred pages of parchment, resembling a brick.

The visions of the two captains are clearly completely different, Byron thought. My ambition is a Pirate Group, a Pirate Fleet, even a military contracting company capable of influencing the life and death of a Kingdom. I believe that one day, this book will be filled with the names of pirates!

He opened the cover before all the pirates. The first gilded title page, with its ornate border, listed the Golden Deer’s ten commandments:

"One: Every man has equal voting rights, but the Captain’s orders must be strictly enforced.

Two: Fairness for all. The capable rise, the mediocre fall...

Nine: Traitors die! But no one’s talent will be buried. Accumulate merit to obtain resources, Extraordinary Knowledge, and Promotion Ceremonies!

Ten: All loot must be declared, with the Captain receiving fifteen percent...

After being voted on by all crew members, the Ten Commandments may be amended."

Little Hans, the Shipwright with the highest level of education and the aspiration to climb the Tower Sequence, stood beside him, reading the words to the pirates below, phrase by phrase.

The division of spoils, which the pirates cared most about, was not much different from other pirate ships. They had already been informed during recruitment and had no objections.

But when the pirates heard the unprecedented ninth commandment, everyone’s breath grew noticeably heavier. Accumulate merits to acquire resources, Extraordinary Knowledge, and Promotion Ceremonies! The words echoed in their minds.

Resources like Spirit Awakening potions and Spices represented the potential for Spirit Awakening. Spirituality, Extraordinary Knowledge, and Promotion Ceremonies together signified a complete precursor to becoming a Transcendent. This was the beginning of climbing the Ladder of Glory, breaking away from the common throng.

Even the Lighthouse Sequence Pirate, the most numerous and lowest-threshold Transcendent path on the sea, was not something these mediocre individuals dared to casually aspire to in the past. Even exceptionally talented geniuses, to cross that barrier, had to sign harsh contracts with their Captain. They were like donkeys with a carrot dangled before them, working themselves to death without necessarily ever getting a taste.

Perhaps only in large Pirate Groups, or in the crews of those Pirate Kings who had begun to value cultivating talent, would such a merit system be established as a universal law.

"Captain, is this all true?" one pirate asked, his voice trembling.

"Do we also have a chance to become Transcendents?" another chimed in. "Without harsh contracts? Just by working hard to build a record of merits, Captain?"

The murmur of excited voices filled the air.

Though it was deep into autumn, the dry dock felt like it was ablaze with a bonfire of passion; the pirates’ enthusiasm nearly set the building alight. Even the slaves, who had lost all hope, had their eyes light up the moment they learned they too possessed equal rights.

Byron raised a hand, palm out for all to see, and solemnly promised, "Of course! There is no doubt about it! Since I have written it into the Pirate’s Ten Commandments, it has the endorsement of the Pirate Emperor’s Pirate Code. I will definitely execute it without compromise in the future. That is my promise to you, and I hope your performance will live up to this commandment."

The Silver Law has not only shielded humanity from the chaotic Source Tides and various dangers but has also thoroughly solidified the social structure on the Continent, Byron mused. Dozens upon dozens of Kingdoms and duchies exist, yet sovereignty is always passed down through law and bloodline. Never has a commoner successfully usurped a throne. The same applies to the middle and lower classes; there are too many wolves and not enough meat, to the point that even the legitimate and illegitimate offspring of Nobility can’t all be provided for. For ordinary people, achieving a leap in social class is extremely difficult.

I know very well that once I open the path to advancement and let the long-oppressed lower classes see hope for ascent, an immense and terrifying force will be unleashed. In the past, even if someone wanted to do this, they couldn’t have succeeded. On a Continent with no unclaimed land, there weren’t enough surplus resources. But in the Great Nautical Age, on the boundless oceans, anything is possible! Piracy is precisely a profession where only the fittest survive—given basic conditions, the strong live, and the weak are eliminated. What I’m doing is sifting gold from these dregs; at the very least, they must be pig iron or brass to be useful. From pirate to King... my ancestors did it once, and I’m prepared... to do it again!

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Byron struck his sword scabbard on the ground, silencing everyone. Beyond the tangible benefits, his words, like a blooming lotus, now offered the clearly energized pirates an ideal to aspire to.

"Even the humblest Knight," Byron began, his voice ringing out, "dreams of the day he can ride a white horse with a silver lance, protect the maidens of his homeland, and then die gloriously! Even the most ordinary commoner has fantasized about standing atop a summit one day, wielding great power, and contending with the world’s most unruly warlords!

What is the greatest fear in a person’s life? It’s reaching a point where you can no longer strive, yet you remain mediocre, consoling yourself that there’s value in being ordinary. What does it mean to have ’no desires’? You can only claim that when you already have everything, when you’ve already succeeded! Look at those contemptible figures in the castles and Courts! Aside from a good father or a good surname, how are they better than you? You! My friends! Why can’t *you* replace them?!"

He paused, then roared, "Damn it all!"

This outburst, where he seemingly cursed even himself, had an immediate and potent effect.

"ROAR! DAMN IT ALL!" the pirates echoed.

"Long live the Captain!"

"LONG LIVE!"

With the experience from two lifetimes, I’ve truly mastered the art of motivational speaking—making promises far more tempting than any Salman could conjure, Byron thought with satisfaction. This first ’pie’ is within reach, not some distant mirage.

By the time everyone had left their fingerprints on the Pirate’s Ten Commandments and taken up their duties, they were all as energized as if they’d been injected with adrenaline, eager for action. They wouldn’t even frown if asked to attack the York Family’s Navy.

Byron then reassigned positions.

Old Hans, the elder Shipwright, advanced in age, remained in his post. Little Hans, still learning, was appointed acting quartermaster and ship’s cook. The Honest Man Eight Fingers became Sailor Chief, leading the boarding party. The trainee Navigators Thomas and Parry were appointed rigging master and sailing master, respectively. Assassin Gus was promoted to second mate, responsible for assassinations and Intelligence. The position of first mate was left open for Bruh, who had yet to recover.

Next, Byron assigned tasks. The crew would spend half of each day at the dry dock repairing the ship, striving to cut the projected month-long repair time by at least a third. This would ensure they were always ready to advance or retreat. For the remaining half of the day, Little Hans, Eight Fingers, and a few other pirate officers would lead training in Fisher Swordsmanship.

Coming from a formal military background like the Royal Navy Academy, I have more foresight than other pirate captains, Byron thought. I’ll provide this basic training for free; whether they can distinguish themselves is up to them.

Even so, "Praise the Captain!" became a common refrain among the crew.

The Golden Deer is finally back on track, Byron reflected. Once this fledgling crew survives a battle, kills an enemy, and lives through it, they’ll become a capable fighting force. And if manpower is insufficient, technology will compensate. My greatest hope now lies with the Golden Deer itself—this world-leading hybrid-rigged ship. Titles can bring Power. If, after its refit, it can solidify its status as the fastest ship in the world, I will undoubtedly reap enormous benefits! With internal affairs settled, I can finally focus my energy on dealing with those privateer captains.