Chapter 164: A Gamble for Nobility
Chapter 164: A Gamble for Nobility
Introduction: Captain of the Bloodsail Pirates, William McCoy, formerly an Imperial Officer, possesses the strength of a Grand Knight. He is proficient in Imperial Swordsmanship, Black Shark Breathing Technique, and an unknown martial art. He excels in the use of Knight's Longswords, Rapiers, and Iron Claws.
Known for his deadly Iron Claws, he can defeat most enemies with a single pair of them. With a single punch, he can penetrate the armor of a fully-armored Knight, earning him the nickname 'Bloody Hand Will'!
(Note: He is incredibly formidable in close combat. If encountered, it is strongly advised to avoid confrontation.)
Iron Claws?
Rain was familiar with these weapons. They typically consisted of four interconnected iron rings, with a half-circle iron hoop at the back for gripping, and the rings were worn on the index, middle, ring, and little fingers. Some Iron Claws even had steel spikes attached to enhance their damage.
In the hands of a skilled martial artist, these claws could be devastatingly fast and powerful.
The second portrait was of Kraut Dagen, Vice-Captain of the Bloodsail Pirates and Captain of the Ruul.
The painting depicted a handsome man with a chiseled face and a neatly trimmed goatee, looking more like a noble than a pirate.
Vice-Captain of the Bloodsail Pirates and Captain of the Ruul, Kraut Dagen, a fallen noble of the Empire, possesses the strength of a Master Knight. He is proficient in Bloodsail Swordsmanship and an unknown breathing technique, and favors the Knight's Longsword.
Nicknamed 'Gentleman Pirate'.
(Note: Second only to Bloody Hand Will in strength, it is advised to avoid confrontation if encountered.)
The third portrait caused Rain's pupils to constrict in surprise.
A Knight and an Apprentice Wizard? Interesting.
The third portrait was of Mara Nasar, a Seer and Captain of the Shipwreck.
The painting showed a hooded man with a slightly pale face, almost devoid of any beard, giving him a youthful appearance. However, Rain noticed the slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, suggesting he was older than he looked.
Seer and Captain of the Shipwreck, Mara Nasar, of unknown origin, possesses the strength of a Senior Knight and a Second-Level Wizard Apprentice. He has mastered Seaweed Divination and the Water Therapy Spell, and his knowledge of other spells is unknown. He is also skilled in Bloodsail Swordsmanship.
Mara Nasar is well-liked among the Bloodsail Pirates for his abilities in divination and healing.
(Note: As his proficiency in Wizardry is unknown, it is advised to avoid confrontation if encountered.)
The fourth and final portrait was of Bilgir Jamal, Captain of the Hooked Blade.
He had a distinctive hooked arm and a mouth full of crooked teeth, accentuated by the pipe he was smoking, giving him the most stereotypical appearance of a pirate who had spent his life at sea.
Captain of the Hooked Blade, Bilgir Jamal, a Bloodsail Pirate who has sailed the seas for over thirty years, possesses exceptional maritime experience.
As the most senior member of the Bloodsail Pirates, he is responsible for liaising with other pirate organizations and holds considerable influence among them.
Nicknamed 'Old Scoundrel'.
(Note: Despite his age, he is cunning and crafty. It is not recommended for inexperienced fighters to engage him.)
At that moment, Rain's ears perked up as he faintly heard a conversation amid the crowd's chatter.
"I say we choose the fourth one, Old Scoundrel Bilgir. He should be the easiest to take down."
"Indeed, the others are too strong and dangerous."
"But Nazbi might choose the fourth one too."
"If they beat us to it, we'll go for the second one. I have advanced armor, so I should be able to hold my own against his swordsmanship alone."
"True, but the Seer knows Wizardry, which is too risky. One curse, and we're done for!"
"..."
Rain looked up and recognized the speakers as the noble heirs Has had mentioned, the top contenders among the participants of the Ennoblement Examination.
An Excellent Rating is achieved by defeating the First Mate, but taking down the Captain would undoubtedly be even more impressive.
However, from their conversation, it seemed there was more to it.
These individuals likely shared the same goal as Rain.
Were they also aiming for a high enough score to receive an invitation from the Swordbearers?
Rain's gaze swept across the portraits of the four individuals, lingering on the images of Bloody Hand Will and Seer Mara, before returning to the first two.
Below the portraits, Rain found schematics of two pirate ships: a four-masted ship and a three-masted vessel.
The four-masted ship was Bloody Hand Will's flagship, almost indistinguishable from a standard Imperial Navy four-masted vessel, which piqued Rain's curiosity.
The three-masted ship, on the other hand, belonged to the other three pirate captains. Being built in the shipyards of Rosby City, all three ships shared similar hull designs.
Rain focused his attention on the cabins of the Captains, First Mates, Shipmasters, and other senior officers.
The captain's cabin of this three-masted ship was located at the stern, just below the second deck. If the ship were docked in the harbor, Rain estimated the waterline to be about four meters above the water surface based on the blueprints.
Additionally, the blueprints showed that the captain's cabin was equipped with a small side window, some circular and others semi-circular, making it easily identifiable, especially when there was light coming from the room.
This caused Rain to nod slightly.
However, the notes on the blueprints indicated that the hull thickness of the three-masted ship was approximately thirty centimeters, while the hull thickness of the four-masted ship reached nearly forty centimeters.
This detail caused Rain to furrow his brows slightly.
At the bottom of the page was a two-story building with dozens of rooms, resembling an ancient castle.
From the annotations on the side, Rain learned that this was the base of the Bloodsail Pirates on Mortre Island, known as the 'Bloodsail Fortress.' It was built from massive reefs and appeared to be extremely sturdy.
The Bloodsail Pirates, however, preferred to call it the 'Little Fortress.'
Upon seeing this, Rain became a bit puzzled. Was this a strategy to split their forces?
One team for boarding combat?
Another team to attack the Little Fortress?
Just then, someone suddenly asked, "Sir, is this a boarding battle? Are their leaders on their ship or in this Bloodsail Fortress?"
Apparently, Rain wasn't the only one with doubts.
"We won't know until we reach the ship," the Navy Lieutenant General shook his head.
"But it won't be a boarding battle; it will be a shipboard battle."
"Your task is to familiarize yourselves with the structures of both the ships and the fortress," the Navy Lieutenant General added.
At that moment, the middle-aged man with a goatee and noble hunter attire spoke up, "Lastly, I must remind everyone that unexpected situations may arise during the battle. Even the officials in charge of the ennoblement examination may not be able to rescue you in certain circumstances."
"So, please value your lives and don't take unnecessary risks," he continued.
Then, after a pause, he offered a comforting word, "Even if you don't pass this ennoblement examination, you can try again in five years."
Although he said this, Rain knew that not many would heed his words. Most of the participants believed in their own abilities and had no doubts about their chances.
However, for the few who were around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, age was a disadvantage. For them, this might be their last chance.
After all, in five years, they would be in their thirties, and unless they advanced to senior knights, their chances of passing the ennoblement examination would naturally diminish.
So, they would choose to take a risk.
In his previous life, there was a saying, 'Take a risk, and a bicycle becomes a motorcycle!'
Now, they were taking a risk to turn from commoners into nobles!
Rain, understanding the situation, slowly removed his chrome iron set and put on a leather armor made from otter skin. With his 'Iron Skin Level 3' extraordinary trait, he was naturally more suited to wearing leather armor.
After shedding over a hundred pounds of weight, Rain felt much lighter.
Around 1 a.m., they arrived at Mortre Island.
It was then that they noticed another ship behind them, from which emerged dozens of elite Navy assault troops wearing swordsman light armor and equipped with bows and crossbows, along with over ten Navy officers.
Apparently, this was the main attack force.
Huh? She's here too?
Rain quickly recognized one of the officers as the female lieutenant he had met at the Navy Home Hotel, Marika.
Marika wasn't the only female officer; there were two others who might be responsible for record-keeping, communication, and coordination.
As Rain jumped off the ship, his dark vision allowed him to see clearly in the darkness. The island wasn't large, and in its center stood a small castle, which resembled a miniature fortress.
This was undoubtedly the Bloodsail Fortress.
Rain could vaguely see the cannons with their dark metal sheen mounted on the walls of the Little Fortress.
Nearby, about two to three hundred meters to their left, was a simple quay where a four-masted ship and three three-masted ships were docked.
These were undoubtedly the main vessels of the Bloodsail Pirates, matching the designs on the blueprints.
Suddenly, a pirate-dressed man emerged from the bushes about ten meters away, startling everyone.
However, the Navy Lieutenant General seemed to have anticipated his presence and calmly asked, "What's the situation now?"
"Your Excellency, due to the Bloodsail Pirates' heightened vigilance against potential Imperial Navy attacks, the meeting between Bloody Hand Will and the envoy took place on the central four-masted warship, the flagship 'Bloodsail'."
"From the time of the banquet until now, neither Bloody Hand Will nor the envoy has left the flagship. The other three three-masted ships are also on full alert, including the captains and first mates, who remain on board."
"Therefore, the weakest defense is at the small fortress due to the absence of key personnel." The spy, disguised as a Bloodsail pirate, swiftly reported the latest developments.
Rain nodded slightly, realizing that there was an informant involved, which explained how the lieutenant general had immediate knowledge of the situation upon landing.
Given the current situation, it seemed that a raid on the pirate ships was imminent! However, to reach the simple quay where the pirate ships were moored, they would first need to traverse a rocky path, arriving at a beach illuminated by four or five warning bonfires, before engaging in a boarding battle.
At this moment, Rain could see a row of torches slowly approaching from the path, likely a pirate patrol team. A hundred meters away on the beach, two or three dozen pirates moved in the shadows.
It appeared that they would need to clear out the minor pirates before boarding the ships.
The Navy lieutenant general spoke up, "The assessment has officially begun. You all understand the situation. From now on, every kill you make will be recorded by a dedicated person."
"Let's begin!"
Seven or eight newly knighted archers took the lead, while others, more cautious, hid behind their bows, aiming at a group of pirates carrying torches.
The pirates, commoners of varying skill levels, had no chance against the formally knighted archers and were swiftly dispatched without even a chance to cry out.
The record-keepers swiftly began documenting the kills.
As they continued along the path, a second group of Bloodsail pirates met their demise.
By the time they reached the beach, the most prolific among the new knights had already killed eight pirates, including a skilled archer.
Despite the numerous pirates scattered around the bonfire on the beach, when it came to launching an attack, the knights still outnumbered them. Notably, a pirate leader died from two sword thrusts and four sharp arrows in an instant.
This was achieved even with several knights wielding heavy weapons who hadn't had a chance to demonstrate their full potential.
Most of the time, they had to eliminate the pirates silently, as they hadn't officially initiated the boarding battle yet, and any alarm raised should be delayed as long as possible.
The new knights with heavy weapons naturally lacked the agility of their lighter-armed counterparts.
Rain glanced sideways, noticing a group of elite Navy assault troops, already aiming their powerful bows and crossbows at the pirates, confirming his suspicions.
When the pirates on the beach were all eliminated, some of the new knights participating in the ennoblement examination had yet to make their first kill.
One such knight, standing next to Rain, carried a large hammer on his back, his face betraying his anxiety.
He had attempted to ambush a pirate but was thwarted by an arrow from another knight, who claimed the 'prey' for himself. Though frustrated, he could do nothing about it.
Noticing Rain's calm demeanor, the knight asked curiously, "Why aren't you worried at all?"
"The quickest among them have already met the assessment requirement of twelve kills."
"Oh, and I'm not skilled with a bow either," Rain shrugged.
"Indeed, you're out of luck without a bow," the knight consoled, seeing Rain's double-handed greatsword and warhammer.
"I should've practiced archery more," the knight sighed.
Rain stepped forward, picking up a thick piece of wood used for ship repairs, one side coated with linseed oil. He examined it closely, then snapped it in half.
With a nod, Rain signaled his readiness.
The pirates on the beach had been cleared out, and now the main event, the boarding battle, was about to commence.
The group expected the Navy lieutenant general to step forward and give instructions, but surprisingly, the two dozen Navy officers, the examiners in noble hunter attire, and the statisticians showed no intention of intervening. Instead, they stood at the back, watching with amused smiles as the group prepared for the next phase.
Soon, many gathered around the most capable of the noble heirs.
Rain recalled the name 'Nazbi', who led a group of twelve or thirteen towards the southernmost ship, the 'Hooked Blade'.
Simultaneously, several Navy officers of the highest knightly rank followed, along with the examiners in hunting attire and the statisticians.
Due to the figureheads at the bow of each ship, such as the large curved hook on the 'Hooked Blade,' it was easily recognizable.
Of course, not all participants in the assessment chose to engage in boarding battles.
According to the recent intelligence from the spy, the easiest target seemed to be the small fortress nearby, where there were almost no Master Knights.
Therefore, a significant portion of the group spontaneously formed a team and headed towards the small fortress.
With these two groups in motion, the remaining individuals were few, including Rain, numbering around ten.
"Hmph, a bunch of slackers," a noble scion scoffed.
The scion continued, "It's unlikely to achieve a good evaluation at the small fortress. If you want a good evaluation, follow me to the 'Ruul'!"
"I'll handle the 'Gentleman Pirate' Klout," Rain responded.
Upon hearing that he could withstand the formidable second-in-command of the Bloodsail Pirates, the remaining New Knights glanced at each other in surprise.
Apparently, they were not content with merely passing the assessment; they aimed for a good evaluation.
After a moment's thought, most of the remaining group followed the noble scion to the 'Ruul,' located next to the 'Hooked Blade.'
After all, the remaining number of participants was insufficient to attack another pirate ship.
Or rather, one of the remaining pirate ships was a four-masted vessel, the flagship of the Bloodsail Pirates, the 'Bloodsail.' The other was the 'Bloody Hand Will,' commanded by a Grand Knight, which was the Navy's target.
The captain of the 'Sinking Ship' was a mysterious professional with peculiar methods, making him equally challenging.
"Rain, aren't you going?" The Great Hammer Knight took a few steps and noticed Rain still standing in place, prompting him to turn and ask in confusion.
Rain shook his head slightly and replied, "I'm not going."
"Well, if you can't handle it, you're still young, so you should be able to achieve a passing evaluation at the small fortress."
In the bonfire's light, the Great Hammer Knight got a clear look at Rain's youthful face, assuming his hesitation was due to insufficient strength.
"I plan to follow and see if I can get a good evaluation," the Great Hammer Knight said before quickly heading towards the 'Ruul.'
Now, only Rain and a female knight remained on the beach.
Rain glanced at her; he seemed to recall Has mentioning her in the training grounds—her name was Evelyn, the daughter of a certain viscount from Rosby County.
Evelyn also looked up at Rain, a young man carrying two heavy weapons. She hadn't seen him in the training grounds before, as if he had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Evelyn was curious; she intended to join the Navy in attacking the 'Bloodsail,' but what was this young man planning to do?
Could it be the same as her?
The beautiful Navy Lieutenant Marika also noticed Rain still standing on the beach, which puzzled her.
In her opinion, this young man's strength was not lacking.
After all, knights skilled in using two-handed heavy weapons were rarely weak, especially when they carried both a two-handed greatsword and a two-handed warhammer.
However, it was unlikely that he would choose to attack the flagship while remaining on the beach. During the Navy Assault Team's group offense, there were often few opportunities to attack before the enemies were defeated.
Unless he planned to challenge the Bloodsail Pirates' leadership in single combat, the Navy Assault Team might grant him that courtesy.
At that moment, Rain suddenly sprang into action, heading towards the northernmost three-masted ship, the 'Sinking Ship'—the vessel of the Diviner Mara Nasar.
It was noteworthy that no other assessee had chosen this warship, as it had a wizard apprentice of unknown strength on board.
The Navy Lieutenant General, who was preparing to divide his forces to attack the flagship 'Bloodsail' and the 'Sinking Ship,' was momentarily stunned by Rain's actions. However, he immediately waved his hand, and Lieutenant Marika, along with an officer who had reached the Master Knight level, quickly reacted and followed Rain.
"Is he planning to scout alone? Wearing leather armor and carrying heavy weapons, what a strange outfit."
"Even if he manages to sneak in and gather some intelligence, this assessment calculates the number of kills. Could this young man believe that gathering information will earn him a passing evaluation?"
"Additionally, if he's discovered, he'll immediately be surrounded by pirates, essentially failing the mission." The Navy officer following Rain had numerous questions swirling in his mind.
However, Rain stopped just short of the 'Sinking Ship,' which was odd.
He raised his head to survey the ship's rear for a while.
Then, he simultaneously removed both the two-handed greatsword and the two-handed warhammer from his back.
This move perplexed Lieutenant Marika and the officer, who exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes. Why was he taking out both heavy weapons?
Was he planning to use them as one-handed weapons?
Unlikely!
(End of Chapter)
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