Chapter 308: Chapter 268: Father of Immunology: A Trifle, Merely a Parasitic Disease
Even at the crucial moment of life and death, that streak of gold still firmly captivated everyone’s attention.
Gazing into the distance, the blood-dripping dragon head flag of the Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company fluttered in the wind atop the mast.
A figure, as straight as a javelin, dressed in the uniform of a Pirate General, stood against the fierce storm at the very tip of the bowsprit, his cloak billowing wildly, yet not wet in the slightest.
Beret Tanya gave a wretched smile.
"The Golden Deer? The Sea Hunter? I didn’t expect you to be the one to come at this time. No matter, the circumstances of the Lancaster Party couldn’t get any worse. I am a sinner of the Lancaster Party. If only I hadn’t been so convinced I was the most capable of leading the Lancaster Party to victory, so obstinate in my ideals. By now, we might have already captured you and would be celebrating in the International Port together."
Seeing the clearly extraordinary new Golden Deer, the hearts of others were equally filled with dismay.
Blessings never come in pairs; misfortunes never come singly.
Caught between two foes, it was uncertain how many of Lancaster’s last remnants could escape.
Like dogs that have lost their homes, we fled from the Old Continent to the royal harbor, and then followed Beret Tanya from the royal harbor to Gornaf; have we finally reached a dead end?
However, just when the Storm Knights were preparing to face their final, desperate battle, they suddenly felt a burning sensation on their chests where the Storm Sigil Ring’s dragon emblem was branded. Then it gradually emitted a blue-green supernatural aura, passing through their clothes and dyeing the ramparts a deep azure.
This meant...
"HISS—!"
A group of Storm Knights, watching this mysterious yet intensely familiar scene, suddenly widened their eyes. Then they abruptly looked up towards the powerful warship that had forcefully entered the fleet formation, seizing the T-position.
The ten Bronze Cannons on one side of the ship autonomously adjusted their angles, not exploiting the teetering town’s vulnerability, but instead aiming at the eight-tentacled flagship amidst the monster fleet.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!...
The cannon flames, interspersed with a hint of blue supernatural light, burst forth.
The 18-pound cannonballs, as if endowed with eyes, slightly adjusted their trajectories in mid-air and heavily struck the aft castle of the May Wind, which bore eight tentacles. These were not only shockingly powerful large-caliber cannon shots but also carried positive energy enchantments typical of Stormforged Weapons. The aft hull, covered with sinister Barnacles and seemingly indestructible, couldn’t stop the invasion of the cannonballs, which blasted open one large hole after another.
"EEEEEE—!"
The monster warship issued a shrill, piercing cry for the first time as bright blue blood oozed forth in large quantities.
Before it could swing its tentacles to retaliate, the Golden Deer had already veered around against the wind, drawing a perfect arc on the sea surface and speeding towards the open waters, so swiftly that the enemy vessels could hardly respond. This round of attacks that damaged the very body of the May Wind successfully drew its ire.
A total of nine monster warships swung their tentacles together to turn their prows, abandoning the hundreds of coral people who had just landed, and pursued the Golden Deer.
Meanwhile, the figure standing on the bowsprit suddenly rose into the sky amidst a whirlwind, unfolding a signature pair of wide Wings of the Storm behind him. In the blink of an eye, he arrived above their heads, his bright military boots treading on a wisp of sea breeze, gently descending as his vast cloak flapped tumultuously behind him like dark clouds.
On the forefinger of his raised left hand, a ring of bright light emerged. That was the glow of the Storm Sigil Ring, the signet of the Grand Master of the Storm Knights!
A group of defenders dumbfoundedly looked up at the figure before them... the Sea Hunter, the Storm Admiral.
An absurd thought instantly struck at everyone’s heart, sending a shiver of excitement through their bodies.
Then a thunderous shout exploded in their ears:
"Where are the Storm Knights?!"
All those under the Order of Knights’ command, their bodies responding instinctively faster than their thoughts, stood to attention, their right feet stamping the ground as they responded in unison:
"Here!"
Byron’s constant Cognitive Revision was then lifted, and after many months, his true appearance was finally revealed. His black hair was neatly groomed. His azure eyes pierced one’s soul. His stature was tall and proportionate. He descended with a charge of wind and lightning, like a mighty Thunder God come to save the world.
"Your Highness—!" Old Sam involuntarily stepped forward, his eyes brimming with tears.
An ordinary appearance might be fabricated, but no one in the entire world could wield the Storm Sigil Ring and claim the title of Storm Admiral other than Byron Lancaster himself.
The Sea Hunter they had long strategized to usurp, planning to take his place, was actually their own lord?
Their same lord, who had lost everything, had grown from a mere mortal to a renowned pirate of Banta’an in just over half a year. He had built an empire from scratch that even they envied. Today, he had descended like a divine soldier, saving all their lives.
It was likely that their every move, in collaboration with Iris to embed an undercover agent, was under his watchful eye.
And what had these people accomplished over the past half year? Debating who would take charge after seizing power!
Compared to him, it seemed as juvenile as child’s play.
Excitement, shame, and a trace of pride stirred through the crowd as they knelt en masse with complex emotions. A group of grown men choked up, pounding their chests and stamping their feet.
"Your Highness, it really is you!"
"You’ve finally returned."
Byron’s expression was stern as his gaze moved across the crowd, naming elders and peers alike:
"Sam Leopold! Beret Tanya! Riley Donahue! Orkut Tyler!..."
Hearing their own names, they all instinctively puffed out their chests and held their heads high. Soldiers all have a hero complex. They naturally worship a leader who can continuously lead them to success. It was like the famous declaration: "The Emperor will arrive in his faithful Paris today! Rejoice!"
Since His Highness can build such a foundation with a group of pirates, then if I were in their place, I could surely do even better!
After naming more than twenty individuals, the next words were:
"Worthless, all of you! Shed your effeminate ways, get up, and grip your swords tightly! I will lead the charge! All you need to do is hold off the Coral People’s attack. Whoever dares to embarrass me again and again with defeat, I will, in my capacity as Grand Commander, kick them out of the Storm Knight Order!"
Nobody dared to rebuke him, for everything Byron said was the truth. This was particularly true for Beret Tanya, who felt his cheeks burn. He had always considered himself the most appropriate leader of the Lancaster Party, for one reason only–because he was stronger, more excellent! Yet he had lost the royal port on his watch, and almost lost Gornaf Island as well. The already few remnants under his leadership were nearly annihilated.
Compared to the currently ascendant Sea Hunter, the great pirate soon to become Jamestown Royal Harbor’s highest military commander... I am truly worthless.
"Wings of Death, teach these men how to fight."
Byron pulled out the *Overseas Pioneering Order* and gave it a casual flick; one hundred and forty elite pirates of the Wings of Death landed on the city walls.
"Aye, Captain!"
Each one wore an Azkek’s Cursed Coin around their neck. Gripping their Deck Cleaners, they fired in unison from the front line, shattering another wave of Coral People. Even the severed limbs and body parts that fell at their feet were kicked away.
"Your Highness, beware of Coral Sickness!" Old Sam immediately cautioned.
Byron, the Father of Immunology, waved it off nonchalantly.
"A trifle, merely a parasitic disease."
He then picked up the No. 8 Crystal Skull, the Feathered Serpent God, and dropped a droplet of his blood on it. The divine light flickered, shining down upon all members of the Lancaster Party.
The sole historic title listed in the annals: "Father of Immunology."
You have filled a significant gap in the field of medicine, altering the course of medical history, and indeed, the development of human civilization.
Acquired title effect: Blood of Immunity.
"Within the field of immunology, by consuming just one drop of blood from any related patient, antibodies can be produced in one’s blood within twenty-four hours. This includes but is not limited to influenza, measles, rubella, smallpox, chickenpox, rabies... one will certainly not die due to a compromised immune system. Moreover, others who consume your flesh and blood will also gain immunity against various complex diseases."
"Parasitic Immunity" is a series of complex biological reactions wherein the host body recognizes and repels parasites, serving to protect the body’s integrity. It falls under the jurisdiction of the immune system. No matter how complex, nothing escapes the selection of antigens by the Blood of Immunity.
Byron, ever prudent, had found a Coral Person days before and used the Blood of Immunity to develop antibodies within himself. Then, utilizing the effects of *Daystar’s Knowledge Light*, he effortlessly mass-vaccinated his troops, directly immunizing them against the dread-inspiring Coral Sickness.
The men on the ramparts, who were prepared to meet their end from the infection, not only avoided death but also saw the barnacle larvae on their bodies quickly desiccate, falling to the ground like powder.
At that moment, the Golden Deer had already slowed, drawing the monster fleet into the open sea in the distance. Just as the enemy was about to complete its encirclement, a huge sound of water suddenly erupted. A Blue Hole rapidly expanded on the surface of the sea, and all 38 Privateer Ships, arranged in a crescent encirclement, were instantaneously deployed to the battlefield!