HoG - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Edict: Hanging!

"Salman is actually a 'Gourmet' of the Gold Coin sequence?" Byron mused aloud.

Initially, upon witnessing the meticulously controlled man-eating sharks, he had presumed Salman to be a 'Beast Tamer' of the Wilderness sequence.

Byron had indeed amassed a wealth of extraordinary knowledge, sufficient to meet the prerequisites for advancement in multiple sequences.

However, in terms of practical experience, he was still somewhat deficient.

This was understandable, given that he had spent seventeen years in the culinary wasteland of Hastings.

The world was home to a myriad of extraordinary sequences and professions, encompassing most social divisions. Due to varying national conditions, the distribution of these professions was markedly uneven.

While Byron was unfamiliar with other regions, in Hastings—a place known for its sparse culinary offerings—a 'Gourmet' was an exceedingly rare sight.

[Extraordinary Beings of the Gold Coin Sequence—Gourmet.

Sequence Motto: When money speaks, truth is silent!

Prerequisite Knowledge: Mastery of Culinary Arts.

Gourmets of this sequence require substantial wealth to sustain themselves, and with ample resources, they can rapidly progress.

Many harbor an insatiable desire for wealth.]

A Gourmet's appetite far surpasses that of an average person. Throughout their career, they relentlessly seek out delicacies and are even dubbed "Gourmet Hunters."

Only by satisfying their hunger and indulging in the finest flavors does their strength continue to grow.

Byron even speculated that regardless of how high a Gourmet's sequence might be, if they dared to venture into Hastings, they would revert to their original state within three days.

Clearly, Salman's primary domain was not the Hastings waters.

Unlike a first-tier 'Attendant' with only passive abilities, as a second-tier 'Professional' level 'Gourmet,' Salman had already acquired the core extraordinary ability: 'Nutritional Supplement'!

Consuming different foods prepared in special ways would grant temporary enhancements.

Eating an eagle's eye could improve vision; eating a pig's brain could enhance quick thinking; eating a sparrow's tongue could allow the use of ventriloquism to mimic various sounds...

It was undoubtedly a very versatile ability.

High-sequence Gourmets could even temporarily transform into a certain extraordinary creature by consuming its flesh and blood, exhibiting the same talents.

At this moment, after Salman consumed the potent alcohol mixed with an unknown substance, turning it blood-red, the alcohol vaporized and incinerated the fat in his body. This not only sent him into a frenzy but also ignited a fiery blaze.

The flames scorched friend and foe alike, causing the sailors to scream and scatter in panic.

Such formidable power.

As Byron evaded the chaos with the others, he recalled that a Gourmet's core ability, 'Nutritional Supplement,' also allowed them to select a food most compatible with them as their "staple."

This not only provided an extraordinary enhancement in a specific area but also accelerated the growth of their 'Spirituality' the more they consumed it.

However, there was an absolute taboo—cannibalism!

The thought sent a shiver down Byron's spine.

Combined with the sudden leap in the unlock percentage to 40%, Byron realized he might have stumbled upon the critical aspect of the "Secret: Unspoken Problem."

On the ship, chefs who never lasted more than a month, a captain plagued by gout, appearing calm yet harboring madness, a 'Gourmet' with an insatiable appetite, an unknown 'staple'...

It seemed a line was subtly connecting them.

But Byron had little time to dwell on these secrets.

The two formidable second-tier extraordinary beings rampaged through the ship, locked in mortal combat.

Harold, the "Fortress Guardian," employed the impeccable "Military Swordsmanship."

His core ability, "Iron Resonance," transformed all the iron weapons on his person into claws he could manipulate as if they were his own limbs.

His scale armor clanged, spitting out cold light, an unstoppable force.

Salman, the "Blood Eye," now in a berserk state, his eyes bloodshot, revealing his true nature as a 'Gourmet,' retaliated with the savage "Fisher Chop Swordsmanship."

He resembled a wild berserker more than a gourmet.

Sparks flew, and the roar was incessant.

With the only extraordinary being, "Blood Eye," being occupied, the pirates, who were at a disadvantage in both numbers and quality, were steadily losing ground.

Byron could no longer afford to hold back and charged into the thick of the battle with his hand-and-a-half sword.

His incisive "Storm Swordsmanship" became a whirlwind of death. Each flash of his sword inevitably heralded the fall of a naval soldier.

In truth, in this world's cooperative extraordinary system, every profession had its vulnerabilities.

Even high-sequence extraordinary beings could be overwhelmed by numbers, let alone low-level individuals like Byron.

Nobles and generals who entered the battlefield would typically be accompanied by an elite team of "Guardian Knights" and "Bodyguards," forming a complementary unit.

To attempt to influence a sea battle involving hundreds with one's strength alone was undoubtedly a fool's errand.

With only 3 minutes remaining until the 7th-level wind foretold by "Weather Intuition," more than a third of the pirates on the "Maneater" had already fallen.

The surviving pirate officers were all red-eyed with desperation.

Suddenly, the ship's second mate, drenched in blood, caught sight of a figure standing atop the stern castle of the opposing "Severe" and exclaimed with joy:

"Look, the navy went out on patrol with a noble.

We don't need to wait for any change in the weather. As long as we capture him, the navy will have to let us go."

He rallied a group of capable marines around him, seized ropes, and swung back toward the warship.

Byron overheard his shout and turned to look.

He saw the young noble, who had been watching the battle with a leisurely air, glance disdainfully at the bloodthirsty second mate and declare nonchalantly:

"Edict: All pirates and pirate actions without a 'Letter of Marque' from our country are illegal and sentenced to hanging!"

Byron quickly shouted:

"Come back, don't land on the enemy's warship!"

But the pirates moved too swiftly, and there were no brakes in the air.

As soon as the words left his mouth, all the pirates who had set foot on the deck of the "Severe" were suspended in the air by invisible ropes.

Despite their attempts to clutch at their necks and kick their legs, they could not break free.

As the invisible ropes of the law tightened, their faces turned purple, and before long, they stuck out their tongues, eyes bulging, and were hanged alive on the spot.

"Ssh—!"

The pirates who witnessed this chilling scene shuddered involuntarily.

They were horrified to realize that, in addition to Captain Harold, the second-tier "Fortress Guardian" of the Fortress sequence, the navy concealed another extraordinary being among them.

This was none other than a "Jurist" from the Judiciary sequence, with which Byron was all too familiar.

This was the embodiment of royal authority.

Sequence Motto: Ignorance of the law excuses no one!

Upon reaching the second-tier "Professional" level, the core ability acquired was known as "Edict."

By personally interpreting the legal clauses of one's own "Iron Laws of the Crown" and passing judgment on a certain behavior, the judgment could take effect within one's jurisdiction.

Principle: Territorial Jurisdiction.

This jurisdiction extended not only to territory and territorial waters but also to ships belonging to the country, applying equally to citizens and foreigners!

Although these waters were no longer part of Hastings' territorial sea, the moment the second mate and other pirates stepped onto the warship, their fate was sealed.

The combat effectiveness of this profession in direct confrontations was nearly nonexistent, and it was certainly not suited for expanding territory.

However, when it came to quelling rebellions within the territory governed by one's own "Iron Laws of the Crown," it was unmatched in strength!

Once a charge was established, mortals had almost no chance of escape.

Only extraordinary beings of the same tier could offer resistance, and those of higher tiers might be immune.

One can imagine the status of the Judiciary sequence in a place where the fundamental extraordinary rule is known as the "Silver Law."

All advancement knowledge was jealously guarded by the royal family and the high nobility, with even ordinary nobles lacking the qualification to glimpse it.

From this, Byron immediately deduced the noble's identity.

"The white rose noble flag on the ship representing York, this is aimed at me!"

His sharp eyes had already spotted the wanted poster with his face and a reward of 5,000 gold pounds nailed to the mast, and he was once again thankful for his newly awakened talent, "Cognitive Correction."

The other pirates were on the brink of despair.

"What great sin have we committed? Why is the navy using such a terrifying lineup against us?!

Did we accidentally kill a prince?"

They were unaware that true despair was still to come.

Salman, the "Blood Eye," was occupied by the "Fortress Guardian," and as his fat burned away, he grew increasingly gaunt.

Ordinary pirates were retreating under the navy's relentless assault.

And in the howling wind, a lithe figure swung from the warship's yardarm to the mainmast of the pirate ship.

Bearing a black flag emblazoned with a blood-red cross representing the Kingdom of Hastings, the figure nimbly ascended the mast along the web of rigging.

Planting the flag on the mainmast would, from a mystical and maritime legal standpoint, grant judicial jurisdiction over the pirate ship.

This was the final straw that would break the camel's back.

Once Baron Adonis, the "Jurist," issued another "Edict," no one on this ship would be able to escape!