"Set the staysails, catch the wind on the starboard quarter... Everyone else, don't waste time, focus on your training. Every drop of sweat you shed now will spare you a drop of blood in battle."

During the Golden Deer's full-speed return voyage, Byron did not dare let himself or the crew idle for a moment. As the number one captain in the Captain 721 Fission Mode, and ultimately its beneficiary, he gathered all the Extraordinary Level pirate officers aboard, including Honest Eight-Fingers, Phantom Blade Gus, and artillery expert Wayne Dote, as well as the apprentices they were responsible for training.

Even the least skilled among them had drunk more than one bottle of "Angel's Kiss" through accumulated merits; otherwise, they wouldn't have had the qualifications to board the Golden Deer.

He began to teach them a fundamental skill that Transcendents could rely on when all external forces were stripped away: the Flow State. Combining the knowledge of the Lancaster family and his past life, he generously shared the insights he had refined.

"...this ability can't even be restricted by the Lawbreaker Stone; you can rely on it at any time... And to reach the Flow State, you must start by focusing on your breathing. Because breathing is the anchor of the mind and the key to unlocking the Flow State. When the storm rises, as long as the anchor holds, the ship won't drift away. No matter what stray thoughts try to disturb your inner peace, if you firmly grasp your breathing, you will certainly not go wrong."

Unconsciously, his voice became incredibly gentle, mingling with a special way of breathing that made others involuntarily attempt to follow its rhythm.

Inhale—Hold————Exhale——

Sitting cross-legged on the deck, the Second Order [Oath Knight] Bruh entered the state the fastest.

After ridding himself of his "fiancée," the moment he boarded the ship, he immediately shed Bill's outer coat, as if something unclean clung to it. Then, he eagerly focused all his attention on his breathing.

Soon, even without deliberate control, the duration of his inhalation, breath-holding, and exhalation naturally reached the perfect ratio of 1:4:2. Unlike the time he originally guided Catherine by hand, using the more efficient "Heart and Breath as One," Byron had now switched to another method.

I demonstrate myself and explain the key points, which is more suitable for this one-to-many teaching. It emphasizes them slowly grasping it on their own, making it easier to pass on the experience to other apprentices later, and... Well, he couldn't come up with any more reasons. In reality, Byron himself couldn't stand getting too intimately involved in "Heart and Breath as One" with a bunch of smelly men.

After all, whether it's riding in a carriage, on horseback, or running, as long as one can reach the Flow State, it is the Flow State. There's no difference in quality due to different methods.

Bruh had solid foundations and entered the state much faster than the others. Especially since he activated the Oathsworn Spirit's possession mode, the battle experience and instincts of those heroic knights also influenced the [Oath Knight]. It was like having an Old Grandpa with him at all times.

As the [Sun Knight] Gawain took possession, a tangible flame seemed to flow with Bruh's breath, and his progress leapt forward rapidly.

The others advanced at varying paces, but all treasured this opportunity to learn valuable advanced knowledge, eager to comprehend this magical state by the minute.

Aside from Bruh, Gus has the highest talent, Eight-Fingers has the purest mind, and Wayne Dote falls in between. If properly guided, they might all reach the Flow State around the time they advance to the Middle Sequence. The legend of attaining that state in the mortal stage is one in ten thousand; it's not something to extravagantly hope for.

Even though Byron had already pinned the blame on Newman and his bunch of scapegoats, he never forgot that his own strength was the true foundation of everything. Letting those expendables and scapegoats take the forefront was just to ensure that he would be strong enough when there were no more shields to hide behind! Depend on the mountain, and the mountain crumbles; rely on people, and they flee. One must rely on oneself. On this point, there can be no confusion of priorities.

Byron had plans for these direct lineage subordinates of his. He had just obtained the key materials from the Swarm to create a higher-grade Blood Brew, "Cinderella," to help Eight-Fingers regenerate his severed fingers.

Ingredients: Over 10 ml of Second Order Blood of Transformation, 30 ml lemon juice, 30 ml orange juice, 15 ml pineapple juice, 10 ml red pomegranate syrup, plus the fresh tail of a gray cloak lizard.

The effect would be like Cinderella's: a splendid transformation to regenerate lost limbs. The maximum effective range is all extremities. Don't talk about mere fingers; even if a man inadvertently practices that kind of taboo swordsmanship, he can regain his vigor!

As time passed, those who couldn't maintain the perfect breathing state on deck began to rise and step back, continuing their training in other areas.

"Captain, when will our 'Storm Cloak' have a chance to take the stage? Without a suitable environment and assassination targets, the apprentices can't even get a chance to start the [Ritual: Phantom Killer's Serial Murders]."

Phantom Blade Gus had a different professional trait from the others; he was in charge of training assassins, not captains. Under the Pioneer Navigation Colonization Company, they already had their separate establishment. Byron's profession was [Storm Knight], and he named this assassination squad "Storm Cloak," showing his expectations for them.

Seeing the port of Georgetown on Great Tayman Island and the white sails docked in the port appearing before them, Byron, with a meaningful tone, said to Gus,

"The time for you to show your prowess is coming soon.

"From today, this will become an international port. This is undoubtedly an opportunity that comes once in a millennium for the Tayman Archipelago, but it is also a lurking crisis, all dependent on the skill of us helmsmen. In the near future, the Tayman Archipelago could become the place with the most mixed assortment of people in these waters, second only to the pirate city, Black Sails Harbor.

"I and Lady Lancaster will take care of the overt threats. As for you, your task is to eliminate those unpredictable stealthy arrows in the shadows. I entrust my back to you, Storm Cloaks, tonight and every night thereafter!"

Gus and his carefully selected group of apprentices were instantly fired up with enthusiasm. The sense of being entrusted with an important mission made them beat their chests one by one:

"Captain, unless the enemy steps over our dead bodies, the 'Storm Cloaks' will never let anyone threaten your safety or lay a finger on our homeland."

See, isn't a collective sense of honor born from shaping a lofty mission?

In reality, the [Golden Law] that shrouded the entire Tayman Archipelago, and had been gradually spreading across Yucatan Island, was like an omnipresent net. Byron had sent over half of his Undead Servants from his Mad Hunt Legion to key nodes, serving as his eyes and ears. Not just in the territory of the Tayman Archipelago, but in every place covered by the Golden Law, nothing could escape his gaze. The [Golden Law], which integrates real-time monitoring, instant communication, data analysis, and several other functionalities, is what truly underpins Byron's confidence in opening up his territory. The Storm Cloaks simply played the role of an execution squad.

Byron would never place his personal safety entirely in the hands of others. Doing so would be as foolish as those idiots who cross the street without looking and blindly trust that others won't dare to hit them.

It was then that his spirituality was suddenly stirred. He abruptly looked up towards a particular corner of the harbor—the station of the Privateer Fleet.

"It seems like there's trouble at Georgetown docks. Full sails, full speed ahead!"

The Law Network also transmitted the sight of the conflict taking place at the port.

A slave ship bearing the insignia of the Golden Palm Trading Company had docked at the pier. A slave-catcher team, armed with firearms and swords, came pouring out of the ship with a CLATTER. But they did not strike at the port. Instead, under the leadership of two clearly Transcendent individuals, they surrounded a pirate officer from the Privateer Fleet standing on the pier and shouted excitedly,

"I finally found you! Did you think that by changing to another pirate flag, I wouldn't recognize you, Hook Pirates?! Two months ago, your Pirate General [Hook] borrowed a large sum of money from our Golden Palm Trading Company to build a Privateer Fleet. The agreed monthly interest rate was 43.33%, and it was due to be repaid in full, principal plus interest. Recently, the life gem left by Hook suddenly shattered, and your station was all but deserted. If the Castilians hadn't ordered a batch of contract slaves on the neighboring Tayman Brak Island, and we hadn't passed through here while making our delivery, we would never have found you. Mr. Viktor, you were the [Hook] Pirate Group's quartermaster at that time. You're not trying to default on the debt, are you? Hurry up, pay up!"

The speaker spat out his words while waving a paper contract in his hand. It certainly looked like there was some truth to the matter.

The Remit People's racial maxim: Every penny counts! Most Remit People are silver-tongued and cruelly greedy. Even when facing their benefactors, the most common way they repay kindness is to send them to heaven. What more when dealing with their debtors? Their attitude was downright predatory.

However, with a glance through the Law Network, Byron unexpectedly discovered that the two leading Remit People were actually old acquaintances of his. One was a crafty merchant he had dealt with several times at Iron Anchor Bay, a Gold Sequence [Golden Eye] named Michael. The spoils from the [Man-Eating Shark] were sold to him, and later Byron used most of the money to buy from him that renowned 32-pound carronade aboard the [Golden Deer]. This guy claimed, "If I haven't made enough profit from the last deal, I'll surely make it back in the next one. No one in this world can take advantage of me, Michael (Chapter 45)!"

The other, with somewhat graying hair but still exuding a formidable air, was no stranger either—the captain of a slave ship. It was he who bought Bruh, the Guardian Knight, when Bruh was seriously injured and barely escaped from a group of Blood Cross Knights under the York Family's command. He seemed to be called James (Chapter 40). A Gold Sequence Second Order Professional Rank [Vault Guardian], he was adept at guarding vaults and any property. In other words, an elite security guard who managed the gate. He was also a man who, in one step, avoided forty years of detours.

Seeing them, Byron was somewhat troubled:

Meeting old acquaintances in a foreign land, and they've suddenly become my creditors? I knew that [Hook] had borrowed a hefty high-interest loan from the Remit People to afford those ten pirate ships and a full complement of pirates (Chapter 138). But I never imagined that his creditors would turn out to be these two old acquaintances. I never bothered to inquire about the specifics of the loan because I had no intention of repaying it for him! What does [Hook]'s debt have to do with me, the [Sea Hunter]? But if this gets out, I fear my resounding reputation might not sound so good. If I want to raise funds in the future, these fat sheep might not be fooled anymore. So, these creditors... should I kill them, or kill them?