Chapter 292: Chapter 256: Leading the Church to Command the Lords
The second layer of the labyrinth, already very close to the third.
This place was already filled with misers made of treasure and the souls of greed; when the cicada-people swarmed in, it immediately became an ocean of monsters.
"You come at me with swords and spears, and javelins; I come at you in the name of the Lord of Hosts.
Joshua did not retract the short spear he had extended until he had slain every last inhabitant of Ai City!"
The iron-blooded holy light on the [Armed Priest] Brendan burst forth explosively.
A rust-colored cross formed above his head, his black robe billowed, and together with the Gun Sword in his hands, he transformed into a crimson meteor.
He charged forward, shattering all the enemies within his sight.
The [Penance Noose] of Sister Teresa was hardly effective against these creatures born of the Sea of Origin Matter.
After all, how could one use morality to bind and force creatures devoid of any sense of it to repent their sins?
She simply held onto a Life Gem that belonged to Herman and guided Father Brendan through divination.
"They must have gone to the third layer by now. I hope there’s still time.
Ever since discovering the existence of secret realm rules on the island, I knew there must be a world rift here.
But seeing these disgusting cicada-people, I can’t help but have an ominous premonition that there’s some great secret hidden in the third layer."
With one of their teammates fallen into the hands of Havana’s Governor, they could not possibly give up the rescue and flee in dismal despair.
Even after losing the "Universal Travelogue," their pace at clearing the labyrinth drastically slowed, but they still pressed on, closer and closer to their goal.
However, in a stroke of particularly bad luck, they ran into the army of cicada-people that had invaded the human realm right away.
After just surviving the first wave, their ominous premonition suddenly came true.
"What is...?"
Both of their pupils abruptly contracted.
WHOOSH—!
A group of four or five Middle Sequence cicada-people, flapping their blade-like wings, shot out from the depths of the labyrinth.
Their human-like faces bore cruel smiles filled with anticipation of a feast.
Theoretically, it wasn’t surprising to find Middle Sequence monsters guarding the treasure trove of a Fourth Order Pirate Warlord.
But what was unexpected was why so many appeared at once, including a Fourth Order one among them?
"Lord, our mission of tending lambs in the Bantaan Archipelago has only just begun, are we to return to Heaven now?"
Just as they were plunged into despair.
Suddenly, an invisible force of laws descended from the heavens, and the Middle Sequence cicada-people were instantaneously paralyzed in mid-air.
Then, right before the duo, they were reduced to ashes without a chance to struggle.
Making them almost believe it was but a terrifying illusion.
Then they regained their courage and headed straight for the third layer.
「The third layer of the labyrinth.」
Batches of Philosopher’s Stones were being transported back here by the maids, clinking as they fell onto the ground.
Their captivating hues intoxicated the onlookers.
Of course, Philosopher’s Stones had varying levels, and even those produced by Middle Sequence cicada-people had a significant gap compared to those described in legends.
Previously, Violet had built hundreds of cannons, depleting the Philosopher’s Stones they had painstakingly gathered.
The stones here might seem abundant, but they needed to be used sparingly, far from the point where they could spend them without care.
"Quick, pack them up, other treasure hunters might come at any moment.
Don’t let others discover that we’re not subject to weight limitations."
Violet instantly located Crystal Skull [Sun God] Kinich Ahau number five and Crystal Skull [Moon Goddess] Ischel number six.
Joined together, they formed a vast pocket dimension.
Two skull mouths opened wide, and treasures flowed into them like water.
"It’s not enough; there’s simply not enough room. Even if the pocket space is filled to the brim, it can only hold a small portion."
The girl laughed, her eyes crinkling and her mouth unable to close.
The treasures before her eyes could make an already wealthy family obscenely rich.
Byron timed his move perfectly, capturing the Middle Sequence cicada-people that dared to flee in one fell swoop. Even the one that ran the furthest couldn’t escape Silvergold Island and invade the human world.
Then, before a dismayed Velazquez, he shook the parchment in his hand and shook his head sadly.
"Your Excellency the Governor, as you see, your use as a pawnbroker overlaps with the Faustian Contract.
The [Scales of Domination]’s control is only effective for one day, and now, except for your soul and flesh, you have nothing of value left.
I have no choice but to turn you into the raw material for Blood of Transformation."
Despite being controlled by the [Scales of Domination], the latter still retained self-awareness, unlike the [Wild Hunt Servants] who were forced to shift in cognition.
Knowing full well that only the dead can keep secrets, he immediately wailed for mercy, "Mr. Mad Hunt, I am willing to exchange all of my possessions for my freedom.
I have many estates, mineral deposits, gold, and spices in Havana, as well as many beautiful, carefully trained girls.
My Slave Trade Firm began preparing them for the path of the Beast Spirit Warriors, then induced loss of control.
Turning them into various beast-human slaves, with cat ears, leopard ears, tiger ears, snake tails, fish tails, centaurs, lizards... all sorts included.
Local nobles have a taste for this, and using these slaves to bribe them works better than money.
I am willing to offer all of this to you!"
Byron remained unmoved, sighing regretfully, "Sadly, you can’t buy your life with things that already belong to me.
It so happens that your good brother, [Conqueror] Cortes has something to tell you."
"What? Who?!"
Upon hearing this familiar name, Velazquez’s body shook violently.
But he saw that Byron had already activated [Breeze Whisper], displaying all the sounds and images from the royal harbor in Havana right before him.
Allowing him to witness everything unfolding in his own home.
The blazing port, the frantic crowds running everywhere, and of course, the Governor’s Mansion, which had been breached by natives from the Aztec Empire in revenge.
Location: The vineyard he knew all too well.
Characters: The Aztec Emperor and the Governor’s wife captured by him.
Plot: The Aztec Emperor spoke in a very standard Lingua Franca:
"Madam, you wouldn’t want your husband to suffer torture, would you? Hehehe..."
His demeanor and tone were exactly the same as that of the already deceased Cortes.
This scene caused Velazquez’s eyes to almost split from their sockets, gone was the pride he felt when he and Cortes’s wife, Selena, were once affectionately teasing each other while he incidentally belittled Cortes.
"Beast!"
It really was karma, what goes around comes around.
Byron found Cortes’s method of revenge quite problematic.
Such things, you should do on your own discreetly. Why must you have me broadcast it live to her husband?
Even a pervert like me thinks you’re perverted.
He then promptly cut off the real-time communication between them.
"Look, your house, money, woman... you’ve lost them all.
And after this looting and face-slapping by the natives, there’s no way you can keep your Governor’s position."
Just as he was about to act, Velazquez screamed again in a dying struggle, his eyes red, "Wait, I still have value!
Mr. Mad Hunt, you should know that the colonizers left on Bantaan Archipelago are all second and third tier talents; the Kingdom’s experts mostly went to the Celestial Orbital Belt, right?"
Byron raised his eyebrows, "Are you threatening me?"
"No, no, no, I wouldn’t dare.
What I mean is, our Kingdom of Castile has a wealth of Sacred Relics from the Great Nautical Age, and our exploration progress is far faster than those headless fly-like adventurers.
One of the Kingdom’s adventure ships, the May Wind.
Equipped with a fine Figurehead and manned by the best sailors, led by the Fourth Order [Adventurer] Sir Balboa, who has passed all the Limit Eight Items.
It also carries a [Desire Compass] that always points to what its heart desires most, rightfully taking its place in the first tier among the first tier.
They had already sent word back before I set off.
The May Wind has found the best route, successfully breaking through the thousands of kilometers wide ’World Serpent’s Celestial Current Belt’ and entered the Southern Hemisphere.
The New Continent is within sight!"
Velazquez, in order to save his life, delivered an impassioned speech, painting a grand picture for Byron.
"Even though discovering the New Continent to the south, the passage there would surely be a secret of the Kingdom.
But I am willing to share the secret of the route with you.
And I promise to fully support the restoration of the Lancaster Party."
If Byron had not received prior intelligence on how dangerous the New Continent was, and even in the Whale Hunter’s view, only a Fifth Order Kingly Title like the [Ocean Throne] could clear the way for latecomers, he might actually have been tempted.
But at this moment, he just shook his head, already mourning for the adventurers on the May Wind, "The first to arrive in the New Continent? By now, their bones might have already rotted away.
Sorry, your exploration ship is gone too."
A flash of bloodlight erupted from his hands, and eventually, amid Velazquez’s curses, Byron ended his life.
He gained a bottle of high-quality Blood of Transformation and a third-order Undead Servant.
As for the three new entries, Byron ultimately chose the most practical one, [The Three Musketeers].
It increased the quota limit for all sorts of his abilities by one.
I’m choosing this just to add an extra [Wild Hunt Retainer] and an extra [Covenant with the Deity] slot. There’s absolutely no other intention.
Sky blue flames rose in his hands and rushed into the body of Quasi-Sword Saint Herman.
He also reserved the fourth slot of [Wild Hunt Servant] for him.
In Byron’s eyes, the value of this Sword Saint was obviously much greater than that of Velazquez.
The first three slots: one was possessed by Cortes the [Conqueror], who had taken over the current Aztec Emperor;
one was the [Falcon] Alvin from the Skinning Cult; the last was the [Fat Dragon] who had just made a great contribution.
Even the weakest Alvin was a key figure who would later help the [Fairy] Rigel hollow out The Skinners’ Church, replacing its foundations by stealth, and transform it into a medical church.
None of them could be discarded randomly.
Some ten minutes later.
BOOM!
When Teresa and Brendan finally pushed open the stone door to the third layer.
They saw Herman, already redressed, arm in arm with [Sea Hunter] Byron.
The latter greeted them warmly.
"You two, come and gather the treasure!
The rule that treasures can’t weigh more than one’s own body is really troublesome.
Even with everyone packing, we couldn’t take away even a thousandth, and there’s no need for any more fighting.
All of you have suffered significant losses in manpower, how about we all board our ship together for the return trip?"
By then, Byron had already learned about Velazquez’s plans for this church trio from his memories.
The essence of it was to leverage the church’s exalted position and plot various benefits for his own side.
It’s the same concept as "using the Emperor to command the vassals."
If Velazquez could do it, why couldn’t Byron Lancaster?
After this adventure on Silvergold Island, the strength of Pioneer Guiding Colonial Trading Company had soared.
Though they still hadn’t reached the strength of someone like Boss Cao, who could flatten any dissent,
this was already a perfect start.
With Herman nailed down as one of the iron triangle, was toppling the wall really that far off?
A smile spread across Byron’s face, but his mind was already made up.
It’s also time to go back and gather the old members of the Lancaster Party and, by the way, take over the Newman Family and the entire Hightins’ Royal Harbor, starting my path to vengeance.