Pirate Kingship
Chapter 75 - 74: The Pirate Profession Skills Competition

Chapter 75: Chapter 74: The Pirate Profession Skills Competition

By noon the next day, black flags fluttered high over Iron Anchor Bay.

Thousands of pirate ships, large and small, had all sailed from their berths, stretching like a dark, oppressive cloud across the wide waters outside the harbor, extending to the very edge of the horizon.

Yet, they were starkly divided into two opposing factions.

These were led respectively by the Vice President of the Pirate Council, Redbeard Edward, aboard the *Goddess of Vengeance*, and the Bayfolk Princess Violet, aboard the *Flame Rose*.

It was obvious that the former commanded significantly more ships than the latter.

Before the proceedings began, every pirate had already chosen their side; there was no room for fence-sitters.

Byron and his *Golden Deer* were, naturally, among them.

To strengthen his control over the motley forces under his command, Redbeard had dispatched many of his confidants to various pirate ships.

Each led a portion of his Direct Lineage pirates, garrisoning different sub-fleets.

Byron, who had a plan all along, didn’t mind temporarily leaving Redbeard’s side and thus smoothly returned to his *Golden Deer*.

He designated it the flagship of his own sub-fleet of seven pirate ships.

Standing behind him were his key lieutenants: Guardian Knight Bruch and Phantom Blade Gus. Nearby, Honest Eight Fingers, the native youth Wayne Dote—who had been promoted to Gunner Chief after drinking Angel’s Kiss—and others were also eager for action.

Little Hans, for his crucial help to Old Hans in modifying the *Golden Deer*, had also received a bottle of Angel’s Kiss as a reward.

He was now sitting on deck, engrossed in a book.

Having witnessed the flair of a Gunpowder Artist, he aspired to the path of an Artisan, using knowledge to dispel ignorance, seizing every moment to improve himself.

Moreover, when it came to dealing with the side effects of Angel’s Kiss, Little Hans had a huge advantage that no other crew member could match.

He had a Daddy!

Suddenly, Byron, as if sensing something, looked up toward the clock tower in the city center.

"Everyone, get ready. It’s about to begin."

DONG! DONG! DONG!...

Under the gazes of countless pirates—some harboring hidden schemes, some anxious, and others with a mad bloodlust—the ancient Bronze Bell in the city’s clock tower was struck. Its grand toll, heard once every three years, resounded throughout Iron Anchor Bay, echoing far across the sea’s surface.

A solemn atmosphere descended abruptly.

Not just the rowdy pirates, but even the piercing gales over the sea seemed to still.

Then, in the Spirit Vision of all Transcendents, a blood-red, illusory net slowly unfurled above their heads. This was the secondary mystical law, the Pirate Code, that directly governed the Pirate Harbor.

Perhaps because so many Lighthouse Sequence Transcendents had gathered here, a colossal, phantom lighthouse had even formed in the sky. Under its radiance, Transcendents of the same Sequence felt their own Spirituality become more active.

Immediately, an ancient voice, devoid of any emotion and seeming to come from a thousand years past, echoed in the heart of every pirate:

"Count: Thirteen council members. A total of 1,186 captains possessing the Pirate’s Ten Commandments and acknowledged by the Code.

No new council membership applications this time.

Two candidates for Military Governor: Candidate One, Vice President Redbeard Edward; Candidate Two, Hereditary Council Member Violet Harrold.

Election conditions met. Election ceremony begins.

First round: Voting by ballot."

No sooner had the voice finished than a drop of blood-red light fell before each captain, materializing into a ballot stamped with a skull.

Both old sea dogs and new captains instantly understood.

Regardless of literacy, as long as it was a genuine expression of will, even a mere dot would suffice to cast a vote for the chosen candidate.

Byron, of course, also had one such less-than-precious vote.

Without even a glance, he simply wrote a "one" and cast his vote for Redbeard.

And, as it turned out, his vote indeed didn’t make much difference.

The two beams of light representing the candidates’ support rates were initially neck and neck, but soon a gap widened.

Violet was decisively overtaken by Redbeard, the gap widening until it was insurmountable.

Byron was not surprised by this at all. Redbeard had already thoroughly sold off Iron Anchor Bay’s interests, even signing stringent contracts with other like-minded council members. Naturally, he was leading by a large margin over Violet, who would never betray her people’s interests. He had even managed to hide that Silvergold Island "treasure map" securely, keeping it as a trump card for a potential comeback and sudden riches. This left Byron somewhat regretful that he hadn’t been able to ensnare more enemies.

After a mere ten minutes, the ancient voice resounded once more:

"Time’s up. Counting votes.

Candidate One, 671 votes. Candidate Two, 515 votes.

First round of the Military Governor election, voting by ballot: Candidate One, Redbeard Edward, is victorious!"

A tremendous cheer erupted from the pirate ships surrounding the *Goddess of Vengeance*, as if victory was already assured.

"Haha, that girl lost even the ballot vote! There’s no way she can win the combat. Our Captain Redbeard, a top-tier Wanted Criminal with a bounty of 58,000 pounds, how could he lose to a mere girl without even a title to her name?"

"Our Captain Redbeard is a Great Pirate with an Undying Body! He’s invincible!"

"I say the Bayfolk Princess should just marry our captain! Wouldn’t it be better if they ruled Iron Anchor Bay together? The Princess is twenty, our captain is forty—quite a match, hahaha..."

Many had witnessed Redbeard previously emerge unscathed from relentless bombardments and were filled with boundless confidence in him.

However, the election ceremony had only just begun.

Unlike the Mortal World, where voting decided everything, this was a world where the transcendent manifested.

It respected collective will but equally revered those powerful individuals capable of breaking rules and overpowering that collective will.

The winner of the vote would not be immediately elected. Instead, they would gain an advantageous privilege in the subsequent "combat" phase.

The Pirate Code activated automatically, and the ancient voice continued:

"According to tradition, the available combat methods are as follows:

One: Single combat. The two candidates duel one-on-one until one is dead or surrenders.

Two: Artillery duel. Each candidate leads a five-person gun crew, manning a Fortress Cannon. The cannons will be positioned one kilometer apart, and they will fire at each other until one side is annihilated or surrenders.

Three: Sailing Race. Candidates race their flagships around the island. The first to complete the circuit wins. During the race, any means may be used to hinder the opponent, including but not limited to cannon fire, boarding actions, and Curses.

Four: Warship duel. Candidates command their Warships in a battle to the finish, until one sinks the enemy vessel or the enemy raises a white flag to surrender.

Five: Fleet battle. Each candidate commands their Fleet in a naval engagement. Conditions for victory are the same as above.

Six: Treasure Hunt. Candidates search for a specific treasure or solve a mystery in a designated area. Any means may be employed.

Redbeard Edward, as the winner of the vote, please eliminate one option. Then, spin the roulette to randomly select one of the five remaining combat methods."

The "combat" phase of the Military Governor election was also very much in pirate style.

These six combat methods covered nearly all skills required for piracy: boarding actions, shore raids, pursuing merchant ships, infighting, plundering merchant convoys, and treasure hunting expeditions.

Rather than combat competitions, it was more like... a pirate professional skills competition.

Due to the Ladder of Glory’s professional specializations, every Transcendent had limitations. They needed companions from other professions to complement their abilities, as it was impossible to be proficient in everything.

Nor could one be skilled in all professional abilities.

Therefore, the first-round victor’s "elimination" privilege was especially precious. It allowed them to remove the single most disadvantageous option from the diverse combat methods.

"I eliminate the second option, the artillery duel," Redbeard declared without hesitation. Having experienced being bombarded once, he never wanted to experience it again; if this option were chosen, his defeat would be certain.

Then, with a forceful wave of his hand, the roulette, now showing only five options, began to spin rapidly.

Redbeard glanced at Violet across from him and noticed her face remained expressionless, as if she had completely given up.

He couldn’t help but flash a victor’s smug smile.

However, as the roulette spun slower and slower, Violet suddenly gave Redbeard a cryptic smile.

"Haven’t you noticed? All the council members on my side also voted for you."

Redbeard’s heart skipped a beat; an ominous premonition surfaced.

"What do you mean?"

Violet raised her right hand. The Seal Ring on her forefinger, symbolizing the Pirate Kingship of the North Sea, flared with Divine Light.

A pleasant female voice sounded in everyone’s ears:

"As Proxy for the Pirate King of the North Sea, I forcibly lock the sixth option: Treasure Hunt! Furthermore, I apply to initiate the Bayfolk’s Great Secret Treasure trial, designating the location as the Valhalla Hall of Valor! I accept the election’s penalty mechanism: one against all."

While the others were still confused, unsure what had just happened, the roulette faded away like the wind, leaving only a line of text.

"Combat event confirmed: Treasure Hunt!

Location: Valhalla.

Participants: Violet; all Transcendent captains from Redbeard’s faction.

Victory Condition: Find the Bayfolk’s Great Secret Treasure and unravel the secret of the prophecy."

Clearly, this was one of the Bayfolk’s long-held stratagems for ruling this place for a thousand years. While the winner of the vote could eliminate one option, these "locals" could forcibly lock one! Although, to maintain fairness, she had to pay the price of facing all enemies alone. But they had also cleverly exploited a loophole in the voting rules, planting their own five Great Pirates within the enemy’s camp.

The outcome was suddenly shrouded in mystery.

"What’s going on? Isn’t Valhalla the Bayfolk’s resting place?"

"That’s a world for the dead! I don’t want to go!"

"..."

The Privateering Alliance faction instantly erupted into chaos. Only Byron remained unperturbed. This was all part of the plan he had discussed with the Gunpowder Artist; nothing had taken him by surprise.

But as a long, desolate horn blast echoed and the scene before them rippled like water, a line of text suddenly appeared on the Sailing Logbook:

"You have discovered a new Hidden secret: Prophecy, Royal Authority, and the Mad Hunt Deity Woden’s Prophecy of Racial Revival! The legend that Bayfolk glory will be reawakened by blood and flame is clearly more than just a simple legend. Historical Influence: 69. Decryption Rate: 1%."