Pirate Kingship

Chapter 441 - 348 Each’s Growth (4400)

Chapter 441: Chapter 348 Each’s Growth (4400)

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was late June.

As the seasons changed, the intensity of the Source Tides grew stronger, and the weather within the Bantaan Archipelago became even more volatile and unpredictable.

In the northern part of the crescent-shaped Yucatan Island, on the fringes of the Aztec Empire, lay the Tlaltelolco Suburbs, which experienced a subtropical desert climate.

A hurricane swept through, bringing with it pattering, large raindrops, and even frogs and sea fish whistling by.

As it passed over the city, it inevitably picked up an ominous tinge of blood, seemingly foretelling the tragic fate of certain individuals within this indigenous city-state.

BOOM... BOOM...

A group of a dozen or so pitch-black buffaloes, with large heads and broad shoulders, as if forged from pig iron, formed a Steel Torrent racing across the wilderness at high speed.

As the largest mammals in the Bantaan Archipelago, standing over two meters at the shoulder and weighing up to a ton, their group charges were unstoppable.

However, it was somewhat strange that among the buffalo herd there was one snowy-white buffalo, not only special in color but also exceptionally robust.

It was almost like a moving small mountain.

Just as they charged out of the indigenous city-state, filled with the cries of battle, and were about to break into the boundless grasslands taller than men—

CRACK! CRACK!

Amidst a series of crisp snaps, the legs of the five or six buffaloes in the front row were easily broken by the dense pit traps hidden on the ground. They instantly lost control, crashing heavily to the earth with mournful bellows, like overturned war chariots.

This also blocked the escape path of their comrades behind them.

At the same time, a group of elite Pirates with pale skin, dark circles under their eyes, and an intense aura of death emerged from the dense grasses.

They wore the insignias of the "Pioneer Navigation Military Dispatch Company" and the Aztec Royal City, indicating their status as Imperial mercenaries.

Together, they raised their "Deck Cleaners," equipped with rain covers, and pulled the triggers on the bewildered buffaloes before them.

Steel pellets shot out, and blood splattered; most of the buffaloes collapsed on the spot.

Only a mere three or four black buffaloes transformed into [Buffalo Warriors], wielding obsidian saw-swords and furiously charging forward.

"MOO—!"

The white buffalo from the group bellowed, its eyes blood-red, as it leaped into the air and transformed into an enormous white bull-headed man.

Wielding two hefty obsidian saw-swords, he charged at them, crying out in grief and anger, "Those damn rebels have already aided you in taking over the city-state! Why won’t you let us go? Must you and the Aztec Royal City truly wipe us out completely?"

Eight Fingers, the "Honest Man," along with the twenty Bayfolk Berserkers by his side, each drew a gleaming double-bladed battle axe from their backs and strode forward to meet them.

Cold severity filled Eight Fingers’ increasingly stern face as he said, "[White Bull King] Cuauthémoc, stop struggling! You killed the messenger of the [Lord of Heaven], didn’t you? Daring to bully us honest folk? You all deserve to die!"

The slain messenger wasn’t entirely one of Byron’s men; he was just an envoy sent by Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Royal City, to negotiate their surrender.

And he wasn’t exactly "honest."

Perhaps his attitude was a little too overbearing, and he was a bit too arrogant toward other indigenous people, which led King Cuauthémoc to execute him on the spot.

Those who lived in Tlaltelolco were known as the "Reed Marsh Folk," a group of [Buffalo Warriors] who worshipped Putshanwe, the [White Water Buffalo Spirit].

The city-state’s royal succession wasn’t determined by heredity. Instead, whoever could capture a white water buffalo as a spirit beast would automatically be crowned King or named heir.

How much talent and luck must one have to encounter such fortune in a lifetime, to ascend to the throne in one leap?

Such a hard-won position was naturally treasured all the more.

Though they were only being asked to abandon their worship of the Guardian Spirit and integrate into the Golden Law system, the situation was different for the Reed Marsh Folk. Their kingship derived from the white water buffalo, so abandoning their faith was tantamount to renouncing the legitimacy of their King.

How could he willingly comply?

The stubborn King naturally became the enemy of all classes within the city-state.

Until matters finally reached this current state.

His existence blocked the paths of too many. Most of the city-state’s residents, seeing a chance for upward mobility and further advancement, rose in rebellion that day, offering food and drink to welcome the Aztec forces.

Unfortunately, the [White Bull King] didn’t actually understand this.

And for some reason, the envoys sent by the Aztec Royal City to other city-states... well, they always died!

It was as if they had a predisposition to being killed; they were frequently murdered while on missions.

When news of an envoy’s murder returned, the Aztec Royal City would immediately raise the banner of "disrespecting the gods," dispatch troops for a punitive expedition, install compliant proxies in power, and then gradually assimilate the conquered city-state economically and spiritually.

Compared to the relatively mild Taya Empire in the south, [Conqueror] Cortes and the Aztecs were far more savage and direct.

Their moral bottom line was almost non-existent.

Correspondingly, their efficiency was remarkably high, so Byron simply turned a blind eye.

"HAAH! Bloodthirsty Berserker!" Eight Fingers roared.

A circle of crimson light exploded around him. His body instantly swelled by a size, and his eyes turned a cold, blood-red.

Though he appeared mad, extreme lucidity remained in the depths of his eyes.

Slogging through the mud, he, a mere Second Order, was the first to charge the Third Order [White Bull King].

The Miracle axe blades, gleaming with divine light, clashed with the shaman-blessed obsidian saw-swords, unleashing an explosive shockwave.

Although clearly of a lower Class, Eight Fingers was not crushed by his opponent; he only retreated half a step but successfully held his ground.