Pirate Kingship-Chapter 589 - 425 The First Challenge: The Trial of the Lake Monster Gibaro
"The Mummy of the former King? And my Goddess of Suicide? Why are they here?"
Two seemingly unrelated things not only came together but also propelled the Decryption Rate of 'The Dark Clouds Over the Sun Empire's Royal Succession'.
This discovery made Byron frown subconsciously, his thoughts whirring as he tried to figure out what connection there might be between them.
"Atahualpa mentioned some of the Empire's situation to me before. Ordinary mortals have an average lifespan of 35 years, and their limit is around 150 years. If they can't ascend to the Fifth Order as a [False God] and forge their own immortal Divinity before their life runs out, they will begin to age rapidly. In the end, they are even likely to explode or collapse into a Sun Holy Stone. It sounds similar to the fate of the Sun when it reaches its twilight years. His father, the former King Huayna Capac, did not manage to take that crucial step, but he was much luckier than most Descendants of the Sun God. He did not die of old age with a violent end by explosion or collapse but passed away like a normal person, leaving a complete Corpse. It is said that among the tribes of the Descendants of the Sun God, it is usually only those who die unexpectedly that preserve such complete bodies. These Descendants of the Sun God are strange, doing the opposite of normal Humans. While others yearn for a peaceful death, they chase death on the battlefield, the latter having a far greater chance to leave a complete body behind and be mummified. Byron's Intelligence channels were not only from Atahualpa. He had also tapped into the collective subconscious of these Quechua People of the Sun Empire early on, using the Authority bestowed by the [Lord of Heaven] to extract many Hidden secrets. This Continent truly believes that All Things Have Spirit. Most people return to the sea of the collective subconscious after Death, while a select few of exceptionally noble blood enter the Sky City above Machu Picchu to sleep at the feet of the God, and a portion become Nature Spirits in a twist of fate. In other words, in the Hundred Beasts Paradise, where the Source Tide is particularly lively when the Blood Moon is overhead, life and Death are not clearly divided. An extremely small number of Nature Spirits can even become new Totem Gods, reborn from Death to rejoin the Empire. Of course, these Totem Gods are exceptions; no one can guarantee such a heavenly encounter after Death. The crucial point was that because the "Solar Codex" and Death are so vastly different, neither the Sun God nor the various other Lesser Gods had yet extended their Authority to the Netherworld. No matter one's status, even The Pantheon struggled to intervene much after Death and could not pull strings for their descendants. As a result, those Divine Descendant Nobility mostly mummify their members after an accidental death to serve as an Anchoring for the soul in the Material World, at least offering them a better chance than a Lonely Soul. During family festivals or sacrificial ceremonies, these Mummies are brought out to be offered fine food, fine wine, and offerings to sustain their existence in the Spiritual World. If they can't become a Fifth Order [False God], they might return as a Nature Spirit or a Totem God. Under this tradition, the Mummy of the old King serves as a conduit to his spirit, and it is entirely normal for it to be brought forth to witness History during the coronation ceremony of the next King.
As for why the Crystal Skull was on him? The only connection between the two that Byron could think of was: "Could it be that the former King Huayna Capac, seeing Death as inevitable but unwilling to enter eternal sleep in the Sky City above Machu Picchu, actually chose not to die of old age but instead used the Authority of the Number 13 Crystal Skull, 'Goddess of Suicide'—which protects suicide victims—to prematurely end his own life? Since it could push the Decryption Rate forward, it doesn't seem as simple as just to increase the odds of rebirth as a Totem God.
Byron was always eager to collect all thirteen Crystal Skulls and combine them into his first Zero-Level Sacred Relic, "Earthly Heaven"!
The Number Thirteen Skull, "Goddess of Suicide," which protects suicide victims and all kinds of Undead, and the Number One Skull, "[Lord of Heaven]," are equally important.
On this trip, he reverted to the old practice of the Pioneer Navigation Military Dispatch Company by agreeing to provide military support for Atahualpa, and one of the main purposes was to take this critical treasure from the Royal Family treasury.
Originally, he thought the "dark clouds" referred to the open battles and secret maneuvers of various factions behind the four Princes. Previously, his main focus had been on the Totem Gods, Ancient God's Chosen Races, and foreign Colonizers. But now, he was unexpectedly involved with a treasure that seemed to be entwined with the deceased King, and his expression became uncertain.
It was not until the Sun Chariot carrying the King's Mummy took the lead through the path cleared by the two parties, flying towards the small island in the lake, that Byron stood up straight along with the others, thinking to himself:
"There might be unexpected events at this coronation ceremony. Now that I've come this far, I can only be extremely careful, taking it one step at a time. At least I have the Sailing Logbook, and the Intelligence I possess is far more comprehensive than others. Getting closer will allow me to directly seize ultimate control over the 'Goddess of Suicide.' The most crucial thing is to help Atahualpa get through this. Once the throne is secured, I can plan slowly. If necessary, I'll find a chance for a sleight of hand—heists, after all, are a Pirate's way!"
At this moment, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, who had been at loggerheads, found their spat meaningless after their father's Mummy interrupted.
