Chapter 10: Byron's Strategy: Hoist the Sails!

Byron's sword strike was devoid of any flashy or distinctive moves—it was simply the most basic yet ultimate expression of speed. 

The essence of his technique could be summed up in one word: **fast!** 

From the moment he could wield a sword in this life, Byron had practiced various sword techniques relentlessly, regardless of the season. 

He had mastered the most fundamental **[Military Swordsmanship]**, the secret **[Silver Cross Swordsmanship]** of the Church, the widely spread **[Fisher's Slashing Swordsmanship]** among pirates... 

All the way to the unique **[Storm Swordsmanship]** of the Kingdom of Hastings. 

Though he had yet to step onto the **[Ladder of Glory]** and officially become a transcendent, his solid foundation in swordsmanship and the guidance of numerous court sword masters placed him firmly among the top tier of non-transcendent fighters. 

"The newcomer's sword is so fast!" 

"With the recent turmoil in the Kingdom of Hastings, many skilled fighters have fled overseas, and the seas have become noticeably more chaotic. 

How is this newcomer so strong as well?" 

"I've heard that the cooks are often the most formidable in an army. Could this newcomer, who once served a noble, be one of them?" 

The surrounding pirates were filled with awe. While the first mate's primary role was as a quartermaster and assistant to the captain, they weren't necessarily the strongest fighter among the crew. 

But they admitted to themselves that if they were in the same position, they might not have been able to block Byron's strike. 

Before signing the **[Pirate's Ten Commandments]**, Byron had been a captive. 

After signing, he became a recognized pirate under the **[Pirate's Code]**, one who played by the "rules of the game." 

His bold and unapologetic demeanor didn't provoke hostility from the other pirates. 

On a pirate ship, humility and meekness were the most useless traits. 

**"If you're not ruthless, you won't stand firm."** 

To establish oneself on a pirate ship, one must never let others perceive weakness. 

You had to be tougher, more ruthless than the rest. 

You had to become an enigma, unpredictable and unfathomable, so that anyone who dared to show malice would face a thunderous retaliation! 

This was the pirate's way of survival, a deeply ingrained instinct of the North Bay folk. 

Byron's display not only impressed the carpenter, young Hans, who already held him in high regard, but also earned smiles from many pirates who had never even spoken to him before. 

The only exceptions were the first mate, **[Bone Crusher]** Miles, and his loyal followers, whose expressions turned sour. 

"Enough, this is no time for infighting. 

I hereby declare that from now on, Byron Tudor, the cook, will also take on the role of warehouse keeper. 

Furthermore, under wartime regulations, everyone—whether cook or carpenter—will be assigned to combat roles. 

If we don't want our **Man-Eater** to be sunk, and to gamble on the slim chance of surviving by jumping into the sea, 

then we must fight with the courage to take the enemy down with us!" 

**[Bloodeye]** Salman finally spoke, his words decisive. 

Though he didn't let Byron replace the first mate, he granted him the authority befitting a cook. 

On a normal pirate ship, the cook's duties extended beyond preparing meals to managing the ship's stores. 

Byron's new position elevated him to the officer class, 

a far cry from the expendable cooks who could be killed at the captain's whim. 

Of course, all of this hinged on them surviving the day! 

Just as the pirates thought this unexpected episode had come to an end, 

Byron, having successfully asserted his authority and gained a voice, suddenly bowed to Salman and pointed at the sails on the foremast and mainmast, which had been reduced by half: 

"Captain, during my service under Lord Crawford, I had the opportunity to interact with shipbuilders from the Royal Shipyard and their closely guarded techniques. 

I've heard of an experimental method that might reduce the 'bow-down' effect of the upper sails, allowing the **Man-Eater** to gain even more speed..." 

Now, no one would casually dismiss his words. 

The dangers of the sea had eliminated all pirate ships that didn't adhere to pragmatism and the **[Pirate's Ten Commandments]**. 

**"Those with skill have privilege!"** 

Even the sole transcendent, **[Bloodeye]** Salman, listened intently to Byron's proposal. 

Under Byron's guidance, Salman personally climbed the swaying mast to make the modifications. 

In no time, three hastily cut triangular fore-and-aft sails were hung on the forestays of the foremast. 

As the sailors tightened the sheets, catching the strong sea breeze, 

**Whoosh!** 

Everyone on the forecastle felt the ship's bow lift sharply. 

The ship's carpenter, old Hans, grabbed a taut line to steady himself and exclaimed in amazement: 

"The effect is immediate! What... what's the principle behind this?" 

Originally, the **Man-Eater**, like other carracks and galleons of the era, was equipped with square sails, 

with only a single trapezoidal fore-and-aft sail on the mizzenmast acting as an air rudder. 

Because the ship's center of gravity was low, near the waterline, the upper square sails on the foremast exerted a strong downward force, pushing the bow into the water. 

Naturally, this caused the ship to bury its bow, reducing speed. 

It was common knowledge among sailors that in strong winds or rough seas, the upper sails had to be lowered. 

The Royal Shipyard hadn't yet found a solution, or warships would have already adopted it. But in Byron's previous life, there was a method: 

Using multiple triangular foresails to create a lifting effect, countering the bow-down force. Hence, they were called **"lifting sails"!** 

When Salman ordered the reefs to be shaken out, allowing the upper sails to catch the full wind, the **Man-Eater** no longer buried its bow. 

The ship's speed noticeably increased. 

With the help of the lifting sails, they could maintain full sail even in a force 6 wind, avoiding the need to reduce sail for safety. 

The once menacing pirates now looked at Byron with newfound respect. 

His formidable combat skills and profound knowledge transformed his initial image as a mere "cook," erasing any doubts about his claimed identity as a "noble steward." 

Some even began to actively align their perceptions with Byron's **[Cognitive Correction]**, reshaping their own beliefs. 

"No wonder he served a great noble. 

When I retire, I'll wash the blood from my hands, buy a title, and become a respectable gentleman. 

Perhaps I should start befriending Mr. Byron now?" 

In just a short time aboard the ship, Byron had earned the pirates' trust. 

Salman continued issuing orders: 

"Deploy the log line. I need to know our exact speed and the relative position of the enemy ship." 

"Aye, Captain!" 

A group of pirates worked together to throw a rope with a float over the stern. 

In this era, with vast expanses of open sea and few reference points, accurately measuring a ship's speed was no easy task. 

But experienced sailors had devised the "log line method." 

The technique involved throwing a floating object attached to a rope into the sea and measuring the length of rope pulled out over a set time to calculate speed. 

To minimize errors, the rope was often long, with evenly spaced knots dividing it into sections. 

By counting the number of knots pulled out in a unit of time, sailors could determine the ship's speed. 

This was the origin of the nautical term "knot" as a unit of speed. 

To convert, 1 knot equals 1 nautical mile per hour, or 1.85 kilometers per hour. 

Typically, a heavy sailing warship averaged 2 to 3 knots in normal conditions, with frigates being slightly faster. 

Only under ideal wind conditions, with all sails fully deployed, could speeds reach up to 10 knots, though such instances were rare. 

In the current force 6 wind, sailing with a following wind (downwind), they managed an unprecedented speed of 7 knots—about 13 kilometers per hour, roughly the speed of a bicycle. 

Unfortunately, in downwind sailing, the advantage of large square sails was too great. 

Even though the encounter was delayed, after a tense two and a half hours, the **Severe** finally closed within cannon range. 

The five-deck frigate, its gun ports open and menacing, loomed into view. 

The atmosphere on the pirate ship grew tense. 

Many pirates instinctively looked to the strongest among them, **[Bloodeye]** Salman, but a surprising number also turned their gaze toward... Byron. 

Facing a battle with overwhelming odds, they needed a pillar of strength. 

Byron stood on the quarterdeck, the best vantage point, feeling the sea breeze brush through his hair. 

His **[Weather Intuition]** continuously fed him information about the maritime elements, giving him a clear understanding of the approaching force 7 wind. 

"The fore-and-aft sails bought us half an hour. We just need to hold out for another half hour, and the tide will turn!" 

Using his claimed knowledge of navigation as an excuse, he quietly relayed this information to Captain Salman, 

who then announced it to the crew, giving the pirates a glimmer of hope that survival was possible if they fought hard. 

Drawing his sword, Byron joined the pirates, who were now pushed to the brink and ready to gamble everything, roaring in unison: 

"Victory or death, engage—!!!"