To perform Divination on a person, the necessary casting materials were various media that could establish a mystical connection with the target.
Unlike most privateer captains proficient in brute force, Captain 'Magic Mirror' West of the Crystal Ship possessed a unique, forbidden divinatory knowledge.
Besides a wanted poster with the individual's portrait, he had also obtained a handkerchief that once belonged to Byron.
After all, following the Throne War, the entire Ganquan Palace, where the Lancaster Family lived, had fallen into the hands of the York Family.
Finding some of the Lancasters' personal items, which they had once used, was not a difficult task.
Of course, ordinary people could not even imagine the extent of protection that ancient Royal Family and Great Nobles had over their mysterious side.
Personal belongings were one thing, but obtaining more specific materials such as hair and blood was absolutely impossible.
The media most closely connected to him were, at most, a few pieces of his washed personal garments.
The effects of various Divination techniques were naturally greatly limited.
Catching Byron's trail on the vast sea was definitely not an easy feat.
'Magic Mirror' West stared at the silver mirror's surface, its Divine Light flickering with increasing frequency, and his excitement grew.
Although I'm just a Low Sequence Transcendent, and the mystical connection through this handkerchief to the target isn't strong, I can only lock onto the position of that 'Child of the Devil' when I'm close enough. But now I'm quite certain he must be nearby. I might even encounter him just by wandering into the port!
If I can capture him, I'll not only receive the full bounty of 5,000 pounds, but I also won't have to hand over 10% of my looting profits to those vampires at the Hightins Maritime Court for the next three years. Plus, the Privateering License in my hand will no longer have that annoying expiration date. This is all money, far more tempting than just 5,000 pounds!
Thinking of this, he was so excited he almost jumped.
However, when his eyes inadvertently caught sight of over a dozen Pirate Flags rippling in the breeze in the Pirate Harbor, he quickly regained his composure.
These flags, edged with gold, all belonged to the Great Pirates who sat on the Captains' Council.
Each one was a Mid-Sequence Transcendent of the Third Order or higher!
Casual brawling was not forbidden within Iron Anchor Bay, but overt killing was strictly prohibited.
If they killed someone in the street and attracted the enforcement squad, they wouldn't even be able to escape without a Navigator to guide them through the Maze Lock.
I want the bounty, and I also want the tax exemption for the Privateering License. Every time I think about the money I've lost for nothing, it's more painful than death. But to save face for the Great Pirates, I must use some unconventional methods to catch him.
The White Crystal Ship came to Iron Anchor Bay because we received orders from those lords at the Hightins Navy Department, requesting our assistance with a certain task. Our Privateer Ship can't be the only one here. With so many wolves and so little meat, I must act quickly to claim this prize for myself!
Having made a tough decision, West, caressing the silver mirror, suddenly called out,
"Pointer!"
A short youth, who looked barely 140 centimeters tall and was always toying with a gleaming dagger at his side, responded crisply,
"Present, Captain!"
His face was wrinkled, making him look like a small monkey.
'Magic Mirror' West blew hard on Byron's handkerchief.
It immediately turned into black powder that scattered over a small mirror, forming a crooked arrow, like a child's doodle.
As the mirror turned, the arrow magically maintained the same direction.
With an astonishing display of transcendent ability, he had activated the mystical connection between the handkerchief and Byron in one go, pinpointing his location at close range.
But this also meant that if they failed, there would be no second chance.
He handed the mirror to the short pirate known as 'Pointer' and instructed with utmost seriousness,
"I don't need you to kill anyone in the street right now. But whether you steal, rob, or deceive, you must get me a strand of his hair or a drop of his blood within half an hour. Can you do it?"
Pointer licked the blade of his dagger and said confidently,
"Heh, Captain, don't you know how fast my dagger has become after its Spirit Awakening? My 'Elbow Sword Technique' can shave a man bald without him feeling a thing, or slice his throat without him feeling any pain. Just wait for my good news."
With a flourish, the dagger vanished without a trace, and he turned and slipped into the port crowd.
West's 'Magic Mirror Divination' was like Byron's 'Blood Brew,' deciphered from 'Bloody Mary's Gourmet Cookbook'—also forbidden knowledge outside the established Sequence.
It offered more methods than the Tower Sequence 'Prophet,' who could only operate by the book.
With just a drop of blood or a single strand of hair, he had ways to kill the target silently, without attracting the attention of the law enforcement team.
"Captain, the chair is here."
Behind him, four exceptionally robust pirates carried a chair down the gangplank, respectfully inviting the captain to sit.
Once West was seated firmly on the sedan chair, he waved his hand, and his crew followed him into the harbor.
This was the price of the forbidden knowledge 'Magic Mirror Divination': an extreme obsession with cleanliness!
Like a mirror that absolutely cannot tolerate any dust.
He couldn't stand a speck of dirt. He had to bathe at least three times a day and was always spotless. Every corner of the pirate ship had to be scrubbed until it shone.
Even the only Miracle the 'White Crystal' had purchased at great expense was unrelated to Battle; it was used to purify seawater.
'Magic Mirror' West couldn't even stand the thought of the harbor's soil touching his shoes.
Forcing him into filthy alleys to track down Byron would be worse than death to him.
「...」
Underneath the notice board at the pier, Byron hadn't yet realized that another team pursuing him had caught up like a relentless specter.
Following Eight Fingers' gaze, he saw a series of wanted posters issued by the countries along the North Sea coast.
His own was among them, and his ranking was quite high.
The poster depicted a young man who, far from looking savage or fierce, could actually be considered handsome.
He was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a trace of immaturity still on his face. He had fair skin and broad shoulders, clearly well-nourished and from a good family.
Beneath his slightly disheveled black hair, his azure blue eyes—standard for North Bay Folks—were as deep as the ocean.
Byron had seen this wanted poster before on the mizzenmast of the 'Stern' Cruiser; it was indeed his true likeness.
"'Child of the Devil' Byron, Harkins People, 17 years old, Strength: An unawakened mortal, Second Grade wanted criminal, bounty: 5,000 pounds..."
However, aside from the portrait and a brief description, there was no origin, no surname, and no mention of his deeds.
Yet, among all mortal Wanted Criminals on the East Coast, the bounty on his head ranked first.
It even exceeded that of many notorious Second Order Professional Level Transcendents.
This bizarre combination made many passing Pirates speculate.
"What kind of major crime must a mere mortal have committed to warrant such a bounty?"
"Could he have stolen the King's treasures or abducted the Kingdom's Princess?"
"When will my bounty reach 5,000 pounds?"
In the eyes of lawless Pirates, the bounty was proof of their strength and the most prestigious pirate medal.
After all, the higher the bounty, the more numerous and formidable the Bounty Hunters, Navy personnel, Privateer Ships, and financially needy secret societies interested in capturing them would be.
To still roam free despite their relentless pursuit was the best testament to a Pirate's strength, danger, and cunning!
As word spread and Byron's legend grew, his 'legendary degree' [12] quietly turned into [13].
In this world, 'titles' themselves carried a touch of the mysterious.
A simple 'title' was of no use, and a simple 'legendary degree' was also useless.
But when the two combined, they could bring tangible Power!
Once the 'legendary degree' exceeded [20] and spread throughout a region, if maintained for several years to become deeply ingrained in people's minds, the 'title' could be completely solidified.
This was enough to greatly boost the strength of Low Sequence Transcendents, making it possible for the weak to defeat the strong—no laughing matter.
Therefore, no Pirate would intentionally hide their skills or refuse any chance to show off.
Many would even deliberately create terrifying legends about themselves to grow stronger indirectly.
This was evident from the Pirates who competed over the size of their bounties.
Judging by the corrosion from sea salt and dampness on the wanted poster, it must have been posted no more than a day ago.
After the military's failure, the scope of the manhunt has indeed expanded. Byron immediately realized that Iron Anchor Bay might not be as safe as he had thought.
Initially, the York Family and their trusted Navy pursued me, indicating they still intended to minimize the incident's exposure. But now that wanted posters have appeared even in Pirate Harbors, it shows York's determination to kill me has escalated. They no longer care who does it. They just want me dead!
Before I advance to 'Storm Knight,' I can still be traced by Divination. 'Cognitive Revision' can only affect the perceptions of Low Sequence 'Attendants' and 'Professionals'; it's not foolproof. Anyone around me could suddenly become an enemy. Performing the ceremony, completing the investiture, and receiving the protection of the 'Storm Sigil Ring' has become urgent!