Pirate Kingship

Chapter 405 - 326: Blood Source Secret Realm, Massive Heroes_2

Chapter 405: Chapter 326: Blood Source Secret Realm, Massive Heroes_2

These black crosses resembled some kind of holy emblem, yet they lacked the sacred aura of those found in churches. Instead, at first glance, they instinctively struck one as terrifying execution racks, a disturbingly apt match for the dreaded "Impalement Punishment."

Adding to the oppressive atmosphere, a phantom Blood Moon hung perpetually over the city. Seemingly sunken yet never fully set, it bathed the city in a sanguine hue, eternally fixing it in a state of nightfall.

A single glance revealed an entire city as deathly silent as a tomb, unnerving any who beheld it.

The local expert, Blood Red Whiskey Alfred, explained to Byron and his companions, "According to the data gathered by religious orders from their various explorations, this appears to be a city projection from the Mythological Era, once part of the Night Demon Kingdom ruled by the Old God Lilith.

Before the Silver Era, the Night Demons were the ruling class within Lilith’s realm.

The current noble titles originate from that period. It seems that in the earliest times, only the rank of Earl existed, which gradually expanded to the variety we see today.

The lord of this domain back then was apparently named ’Impaler Caipes.’ Details of his life are unknown, aside from his particular fondness for executing his enemies by impalement.

However, we have never been able to find a corresponding figure in the historical records of the Old Continent.

The Church’s thousand-year-long cultural blockade wiped out everything from the Mythological Era."

Many Transcendents vaguely knew that a cataclysmic event, leading to the Twilight of the Gods, had occurred at the end of the Mythological Era and the beginning of the Silver Era.

Yet, no one knew the true details.

It was only known that afterward, the Church initiated an oppressive rule spanning over a thousand years. Throughout the Dark Age, civilization across most of the Silver Continent virtually stagnated.

The sheer intensity of this all-encompassing, strict supervision was such that it felt as if any spark of civilization could attract the scrutiny of Indescribable beings lurking in the darkness, thereby inviting unforeseeable disasters.

Even repeated acts of self-censorship were deemed a necessary price.

During that time, all forms of heresy were sternly prohibited. Not only were historical records from the previous era burned, but even the corresponding access within humanity’s sea of collective subconscious was forcibly locked down by the Church.

Consequently, even the Bloodthirsty Cult could not find any information about this historical figure from the Mythological Era in the "Key of Omniscience," the public library of the Silver Code.

What a pity.

Every time he encountered a historical lead severed by the Church’s suppression, Byron couldn’t help but complain inwardly, The Church actually dared to lethally target ’Historians’ and archivists for a thousand years—truly commendable audacity. In the Dark Millennium that just recently passed, Black Witches were the most brutally suppressed, and the second most were likely those Tower Sequence ’Historians’ who attempted to unearth historical truths. I dare say, in less than a hundred years, the Church’s reputation will absolutely stink to high heaven.

Based on experiences from my past life, looking back over five thousand years of history, how many rulers dared to kill their court historians? Even the Sima clan, who were as lowly as the floorboards beneath the Royal Family’s feet, didn’t kill them. Fortunately, they weren’t killed. The official histories record: Sima Zhao publicly committed regicide. If they had been killed, the unofficial histories might have recorded: Zhao publicly ’tested’ the emperor; when the emperor refused to comply, Zhao forced him, causing the emperor to rupture and die. Or, the truly wild histories might have recorded: Zhao publicly ’licked’...

Enough, this was becoming absurd.

Byron reined in his runaway thoughts.

Official history might not always be true, but unofficial history is definitely wild, and there’s no limit to just how wild it can be. No one can remain powerful forever. Due to pressure and resistance in recent years, most of the taboos from the Dark Millennium have gradually been lifted. Coupled with internal divisions, when the Church can no longer hide the truth with one hand, it will likely be a case of ’when a wall is falling, everyone gives it a push,’ followed by a reckoning that aims to kill the spirit as much as the body.

Just as they set foot in this ancient city.

"AWOOO—!"

From a nearby alley, shrouded in a layer of blood-red light, suddenly came the howling of a beast.

Soon, several grotesque monsters appeared before them. Their bodies were hunched, their skin ashen, and their hands and feet bore sharp, cold-gleaming claws. A thick stench of carrion emanated from them.

They were, indeed, a genuine pack of ’Bizarre Ghouls’!

From an alley on the other side, accompanied by a few piercing wolf howls, four or five massive black wolves, taller than bison, slowly emerged. Their faces, however, were half-wolf and half-human.

This was clearly a group of degenerate, Fallen Werewolves.

Moreover, their own levels were not very high, the strongest being only Low Sequence. They hesitated, facing an enemy that vastly outnumbered them.

"Everyone remember," Blood Red Whiskey reminded them, "don’t get separated here, and don’t bleed. As long as you stick with the main group, you won’t be in danger."

It was just like when Byron and Violet had cleared "Silvergold Island."

Many Secret Realms, forbidden zones, and special areas were formed due to accidental breaches between the Material World and the Sea of Origin Matter.

As a result, in a relatively enclosed region, not only did various bizarre entities from human history and fantasy appear, but also, similar to those Bizarre Evil Spirits, various strange taboos formed due to the conflict between Divinity and Beastliness, Order and Chaos.

Hearing Blood Red Whiskey’s reminder, the taboos of the Blood Source Secret Realm, which they had been repeatedly told about before entering, automatically surfaced in everyone’s minds:

"First, the city is mainly divided into two parts: the outer Lower District and the inner Uptown District. In the center of the Uptown District lies the Screaming Well, whose Source of Life can heal any physical injury. For every measure of the Source taken, ten times the amount of blood must be repaid. First Rank Blood of Transformation can be exchanged on a one-to-one basis. This is also one of the best materials to assist with the ’Ritual: Blood Feast Chalice.’

Second, the entire city is filled with various beastmen, among whom Ghouls, Werewolves, Goatmen, Batmen, and Mothmen are the most numerous. However, as long as your group outnumbers them within your line of sight, they will not attack. Conversely, an attack is inevitable.

Third, all Bizarre creatures are extremely bloodthirsty. Once they smell fresh human blood, it’s possible to attract beastmen from several districts simultaneously, breaking the critical point of the numerical comparison."

Each time the Bloodthirsty Cult entered this place, they usually did so in large groups of dozens, precisely to fully utilize these rules and minimize unnecessary combat.

But Byron issued an order directly, "Eight Fingers, lead the way! Target: the Black Church in the Uptown District. Although the World Rift here connects to the burial site of ’Mother of Creation, Lilith,’ it’s only Third-Rate. No Middle Sequence Bizarre creatures can pass through the World Rift. Clear out all the beastmen we encounter along the way. This will fulfill the prerequisite for the ritual: A Blood Feast under the Red Moon. In any case, when I initiate the ritual, the ’Blood Feast’ offerings will attract all the city’s Bizarre creatures. We might as well clean them out now."

"Yes, Captain."

A contingent of sixty Wings of Death immediately deployed into a combat formation at the front.

These individuals were all the elite of the elite, core Guardsmen painstakingly accumulated over the half-year implementation of the Captain 721 Fission Mode and the reorganization of the Lancaster Party.

All members were First Order Transcendents, enjoying the treatment of pirate officers.

Among them were twenty Lighthouse Sequence Bayfolk Berserkers, twenty Fortress Sequence Musketeers, and twenty Lighthouse Sequence Pirates.

Equipped for long-range, mid-range, and close-range combat, they could adapt to various battle scenarios.

Violet shook her traveler’s bag, and ten bronze Field Cannons mounted on gun carriages were rolled out.

"Fire!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!...

The entire force thundered towards the Uptown District.

The Wings of Death occasionally allowed an enemy to slip into their midst, only to be dispatched by Byron with a single sword stroke.

With every beastman he slew, Byron would unhurriedly take a gulp of Blood Brew, his eyes and skin beginning to take on a faint reddish hue.

The first mouthful was the [Hero’s Berserk Brew], capable of inducing a semi-berserk state in warriors.

The second was [Desire’s Merry Froth], offering drunken ecstasy and the pinnacle of worldly pleasures.

The third was the [Blue Blood Spring], which could heal various external injuries. The fourth was [Bloody Mary], promising eternal youth...

A hero slaying a tiger and boasting of drinking eighteen bowls of wine was nothing. Before reaching the Black Church in the city center, Byron intended to drink his fill of 108 different types of Blood Brew, allowing his body to thoroughly memorize their effects.

With this, the bloodline sublimation ritual of the [Blood Feast Chalice] officially began.