HoG - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Byron's Strategy

Byron's sword strike was devoid of any flashy or distinctive moves, embodying only the most basic yet extreme speed. Its essence could be summed up in one word: Fast!

Throughout his life, he had practiced various sword techniques tirelessly since he was old enough to wield a sword. From the most basic 'Military Swordsmanship' to the secretly transmitted 'Silver Cross Swordsmanship' of the church, the widely spread 'Fisher Chop Swordsmanship' among pirates, all the way to the 'Storm Swordsmanship' unique to the Hastings Kingdom.

Although he had not yet embarked on the 'Stairway of Glory' to formally take up a position, he could not be considered a true extraordinary being. However, with a solid foundation in swordsmanship and the guidance of many court swordsmanship masters, he was undoubtedly among the top tier of those below the extraordinary level.

"The newcomer's sword is so fast!"

"During this period of intense turmoil in the Hastings Kingdom, it seems that many skilled individuals have fled overseas, significantly increasing the chaos on the high seas. This newcomer is actually this strong?!"

"I've heard that the cooks are the most formidable members of an army. Could it be that this newcomer, who once served a great noble, is such an existence?"

The surrounding pirates were full of amazement. Although the first mate's main role was that of a quartermaster and assistant to the captain, he was not necessarily the most capable fighter among the ordinary pirates. But they asked themselves, if they were in his position, they might not have been able to block Byron's sword strike.

Before signing the 'Pirate Ten Commandments,' Byron's status was that of a captive. After signing, he became a pirate recognized by the 'Pirate Code,' adhering to the "rules of the game" as one of their own. This display of sharpness did not provoke hostility from the other pirates.

On a pirate ship, humility and gentleness were the least useful qualities. If you're not tough, you won't stand firm. To establish oneself on a pirate ship, one must be tougher than the other pirates, with more ruthless methods. One must become an enigmatic puzzle, unpredictable and unfathomable, ready to strike back with the most painful thunder if any malice is shown. This is the way pirates survive, and it is also the instinct deeply ingrained in the bones of the baymen of the North.

Byron's performance not only won over the carpenter Little Hans, who had a great liking for him from the start. Even many pirates who had never exchanged a word with him smiled in his direction. Except for the first mate, 'Bone Crusher' Miles, and his followers on the ship, who looked displeased.

"Enough, now is not the time for infighting. I declare that from now on, Chef Byron Tudor will, in addition to his main duties, also serve as the ship's storekeeper. At the same time, the wartime regulations will be enforced, with victory as the top priority. Whether cooks or carpenters, everyone will be included in the combat teams. If you don't want our 'Maneater' to be sunk, to gamble on the slim chance of survival by jumping into the sea, show the courage to perish with the enemy!"

'Blood Eye' Salman finally spoke, settling the matter with a decisive blow. Although he did not allow Byron to replace the first mate, he did grant him the powers a chef should have.

On a normal pirate ship, the head chef, in addition to cooking, also serves as the ship's storekeeper. Byron's acquisition of this position was equivalent to being promoted to the rank of an official officer. He was no longer on the same level as those poor disposable cooks who could die at any moment at the hands of the captain.

Of course, all of this was predicated on everyone surviving the day!

Just as the pirates thought an unexpected interlude would come to an end, they saw Byron, who had successfully established his authority and gained a voice, suddenly bow to Salman and point to the reduced sails on the foremast and mainmast, saying:

"Captain, when I served under Lord Crawford, I came into contact with many shipwrights from the Royal Shipyard and their secret shipbuilding techniques. I heard of an experimental method that might reduce the 'burying' effect of the high sails and further increase the speed of the 'Maneater'..."

At this point, no one would dare to ignore his words lightly. The dangers of the sea had caused all pirate ships that did not adhere to pragmatism and the 'Pirate Ten Commandments' to vanish from the seas. Those with ability had privileges!

Even the only extraordinary being, 'Blood Eye' Salman, couldn't help but focus and listen carefully to Byron's modification plan. Then, under Byron's guidance, he personally climbed the swaying high mast to make the modifications.

Without wasting too much time, he hung a hastily trimmed triangular fore-and-aft sail on each of the three forward stays that were tensioned between the foremast and the bowsprit of the sailing ship.

When the foot ropes of these three fore-and-aft sails were pulled taut by the sailors and began to catch the strong sea breeze,

Whoosh—!

Everyone standing on the forecastle felt the bow of the ship suddenly lift.

Old Hans, the 'Shipwright,' who was assisting nearby, grabbed a taut sail rope to steady himself and looked up in amazement:

"The effect is immediate? What... is the principle behind this?"

The original 'Maneater,' like other carracks and galleons of the era, was equipped with square sails. Only a trapezoidal fore-and-aft sail was hung on the mizzenmast, serving as an air rudder. Since the center of gravity of the warship was very low, near the waterline, and the high square sails on the foremast had a large thrust and lever arm, they produced a force that pushed the bow into the water. Naturally, the warship would bury its bow, and the speed would decrease.

The common knowledge among sailors was that in strong winds and high seas, the high sails must be lowered. The Royal Shipyard of the present day had not yet found a solution, otherwise warships would have been the first to be equipped with it, but Byron's previous life had already had a solution. That was to use multiple triangular headsails to create a lifting effect, counteracting the burying of the sailing ship, hence they were also called "lifting sails"!

So when 'Blood Eye' Salman ordered the reef points to be untied, allowing the topsails to fully catch the wind, the 'Maneater' no longer buried its bow. The ship's speed noticeably increased. At least with the help of the "lifting sails," the Force 6 wind did not force them to lower the sails to avoid danger.

The once fierce-looking pirates now looked at Byron with a newfound respect. His powerful strength and profound knowledge had completely transformed the initial "cook" image, and there was no longer any doubt about Byron's repeatedly emphasized "noble steward" identity. They even actively cooperated with Byron's 'Cognitive Correction' to brainwash themselves.

"Indeed, an elite who has served great nobles. When I retire, I'll wash the blood off my hands, buy a title, put on formal attire, and become a respectable gentleman. Perhaps I can start associating with Byron... now?"

Byron had just boarded the ship and had already won the trust and respect of the pirates.

Salman continued to issue orders:

"Throw out the log line, I need to know our speed and the relative position of the enemy ship."

"Aye, aye!"

A group of pirates worked together to throw a bunch of ropes and floats over the stern of the ship. In this era, the sea was vast with few reference points, and without advanced equipment, accurately measuring the ship's speed was no easy task. But experienced sailors had invented the "log line method" for measuring speed.

The specific method involved throwing a float with a rope attached into the sea while the ship was moving, then measuring the ship's speed based on the length of rope pulled out over a set period of time. To reduce errors, the rope could be very long, with knots tied at regular intervals, dividing the entire log line into several segments. By measuring the number of segments pulled in the same unit of time, the corresponding speed could be determined.

This is also the origin of the term "knot" as a unit of speed for ships. To convert, 1 knot equals 1 nautical mile per hour, or 1.85 kilometers per hour. Typically, a heavy, sail-powered battleship would average about 2 to 3 knots in normal weather, with cruisers slightly faster. Only when encountering suitable wind speed and direction, along with a fully spread sail, could the speed be pushed to around 10 knots, but such conditions were rare.

Under the current Force 6 wind, they were sailing with a tailwind (downwind) and managed to achieve an unprecedented high speed of 7 knots. That is, 13 kilometers per hour, roughly the speed of a bicycle. Unfortunately, when sailing downwind, the advantage of large square sails was too great. Even though the encounter was delayed, after two and a half hours of tension, they were still caught within the firing range of the 'Severe.'

The five-rate cruiser, with its menacing gun ports open, violently entered everyone's field of vision. The atmosphere on the pirate ship suddenly became tense. Many pirates couldn't help but look at 'Blood Eye' Salman, the strongest on the ship, and a considerable number of them subconsciously looked at... Byron.

Facing a battle with a disparity in strength, they needed a backbone. Byron stood on the aft deck with the best view, feeling the sea breeze through his hair. His 'Weather Intuition' continuously fed him information about the various elements of the sea, giving him a clear understanding of the impending Force 7 wind.

"The fore-and-aft sails have bought us half an hour for the 'Maneater.' We just need to hold on for another half hour or so to turn the tide!"

He whispered this information to Captain Salman, using his knowledge of navigation as an excuse. He let Salman announce it to the crew, giving the pirates a glimmer of hope that they could survive if they fought hard, greatly boosting morale.

Drawing his sword, he roared with the pirates who were cornered and had no choice but to go all in:

"With me, engage—!!!"