Pirate Kingship-Chapter 594 - 428: Thief! Who stole my Panacea?
594 Chapter 428: Thief! Who stole my Panacea?
"Kill!"
"For my beloved, annihilate them all!"
"As long as I bring back their heads, my sister is bound to agree to marry me! Kill, kill, kill..."
The attackers were three squads composed entirely of Molten Giants; three princes and six guards totaled nine individuals. They had just set eyes on Byron and his party when they all transformed into mini-giants at least three meters tall. Carrying all sorts of sparkling heavy weapons, they moved with strides tens of meters long, like nine unstoppable fire meteors, burning all the...weeds in their path to cinders. Indeed, even with their abilities, in the Hundred Beasts Paradise—a land akin to a kingdom of giants—the only things they could likely disregard were those weeds.
Thick smoke billowed and flames erupted along their path as they encircled Byron's party from three sides. Based on their position, the stone gate had transported them to a location only a few kilometers away. They likely hadn't wasted a moment after entering the trial before launching their assault. In other directions, others might also be frantically charging.
Seeing this, Atahualpa couldn't help but exclaim in horror, "Have you gone mad? What good does it do you to risk your lives trying to kill us in the first trial? Moreover, Tequel, Yulapa, Atacucho, haven't you all already accepted my bribes? Aren't you afraid of the contract's backlash?!"
Normally, unless one encountered a madman like the former King, Death Dusk Supay, who had slaughtered all his brothers, the main danger during the coronation ceremony typically originated from the Secret Realms. Even if fratricidal battles occurred, they usually took place during the final trial's grand melee, by which point the remaining combatants would be each other's last enemies, shedding all reservations. Byron had proposed a strategy of match-fixing, bribing those Third-Order princes overlooked by others, mainly targeting that final melee. Starting a life-and-death struggle now made no sense at all!
"Your Highness, it's not that they've gone mad," Byron explained. "Rather, the Pleasure Banquet Sisterhood, under that Fourth-Order Succubus, has made its move. 'Lust' for the Succubus has completely dominated their minds, rendering them immune to the allure of 'greed' within the Secret Realm. It's like meditation; the state isn't about thinking of nothing but focusing on a single thing, using techniques like breath focus, mindful centering, or visualization to eliminate other distracting thoughts. Thus, while lust controls them, it also protects them."
Just as Byron had anticipated, Charm Demon Teres Axuber was clearly not content to remain a mere manipulator in the shadows. Her earlier move to make Guard Captain Xin Qi Luo Ka withdraw was just the beginning. Today, she had indeed snuck in with the Second Prince and personally activated the contingency plans the half-succubi had implanted in some trial participants using their allure. She wouldn't even wait for one trial to conclude before attempting to eliminate Byron and Atahualpa, who had nearly exposed her. Who knew what other schemes she had in store for them.
"Guardsmen, assemble!"
BOOM!
Violet immediately summoned her six Gun Demon Spirits. Upon landing, they merged with 32-pounder Field Cannons, transforming into six colossal steel beasts. Dust plumed as the rubber wheels beneath them spun rapidly, allowing them to nimbly form an arc, shielding the three individuals in the center. Only with the protection of Heroic Guards did Tier 4 Heroes become truly complete. This marked the beginning of the Ladder of Glory's collective power gradually leveling the inherent strength of the Bloodline Codex, which was concentrated in individuals. For this Fourth-Order Gunsmith, who had invented Copper-Shell Fixed Ammunition, collective power was augmented by another factor: technology! She used technology as a lever to access power far exceeding what her own Class could typically achieve.
Violet's Calamity Divine Light was linked to Byron. He used his Divine Sight and the ravens' positioning to provide guidance for the six Demon Spirits.
"Fire!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!...
Thunderous explosions rocked the dense jungle as six large-caliber Bronze Cannons fired with unprecedented speed, their blaze illuminating the dim forest. Long chains of Scatter Bombs automatically fed the cannons, allowing for continuous fire without manual reloading. The scorching metal storm, enchanted by both Calamity Curse and Master Gunner, formed an unbroken barrage, sweeping across the entire forest with them at its center.
The flora suffered first; not just weeds, but even massive trees requiring several people to encircle were instantly riddled with holes. Some assailants, relying on their Fire Element bodies, charged recklessly forward. Others produced formidable Miracle-grade shields to defend themselves, while still others spun their heavy weapons like windmills. All displayed a desperate, life-risking fervor for 'love,' relentlessly closing the distance.
Nearby, prompted by Byron's explanation, Atahualpa quickly understood the cause and effect, his expression turning grim. "Your Majesty, what do we do now? Including these three, a total of 72 of my brothers—seventy percent of them—accepted my bribes. I also signed a golden-page contract of mutual aid with them, as per your instructions. If other brothers are controlled and turn against us like these three, even if the contract's binding power activates, we'll be completely helpless against them. The money itself is irrelevant, but it seems all our prior preparations might have been for nothing!"
Byron, however, smiled with calm composure. "How could it all be for nothing? Have you forgotten that you first lent me that money, and I then gave it to those attendants? Nominally, it was money you gave, but in essence, it was my investment. Now, it's time for repayment."
He stepped forward, casually flicked out a golden stock certificate, and boomed, "I am now demanding to sell the shares I hold in these three, forcing a dissolution and complete liquidation!"
With that, he reached out and made a fierce grasping motion towards the group of Molten Giants. He instantly activated the "Sell-off" ability of the Sacred Relics:
When parting ways, one can demand a settlement of dividends, forming a Mysticism chest, and forcibly extract the organization's wealth, knowledge, Power, and treasures to offset the dividends. The more shares held, the higher the value of the items extracted!
The money invested in the various princes was merely the bribes from the past few days. The chest's level was clearly not as high as when he had extracted from the five Demon Dragons in Tayapan City, from which he had obtained three fishing hooks: red, gold, and purple. From each of these three, he only obtained a single red fishing hook, the lowest grade.
Then, it was time to test their luck again. This time, Byron didn't ask Violet, who was known for her good luck, to draw. Instead, he entrusted it all to Atahualpa, whose life was fated to be entwined with wealth. The latter did not disappoint. Upon understanding the hooks' purpose, he was overjoyed at Byron's foresight—preparing for failure even before seeking victory—and with a wave of his hand, he cast the three red fishing hooks.
TWANG—!
TWANG—!
TWANG—!
The sound of taut fishing lines was followed by a series of earth-shattering screams.
"Ahhh… ahhh… ahhh…"
Three large pieces of Holy Gold skeletons were expelled from the bodies of the three princes, followed by six smaller pieces from their guards. Evidently, upon receiving the bribes, they had eagerly used the Holy Gold to integrate it into themselves and enhance their strength. Now, not only was it all reclaimed, but a hefty interest was also extracted. Their auras plummeted dramatically, their Divine Light dimming greatly.
Even Atahualpa, despite his immense wealth, beamed with joy as he held the pile of Holy Gold. "I was worried that giving too much money might have negative repercussions, so I only gave each of them two hundred thousand pounds of Gold as pocket money. Today, what I've gotten back is Holy Gold! Though less in quantity, its value has doubled. This is an absolute fortune!"
He couldn't help but look at Byron, who stood beside him, his eyes gleaming. In merely seven days, the return on investment had reached 100%—even more profitable than loan-sharking! If the throne weren't his priority, he would have seriously considered partnering with Byron to orchestrate a grand swindle, carving a hefty profit from the wealthy and powerful figures in his own kingdom.
On the periphery, the nine attacking Molten Giants, caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, could no longer pay attention to the surrounding metal storm. In the instant they clutched their heads and screamed, Violet mercilessly tore them to shreds.
However, after eliminating three princes—and thus three political rivals—in one fell swoop, Byron regarded the Crimson Holy Grail in his hand with a troubled expression.
What's going on? I only collected a third of the expected amount? I was personally at the forefront of this 'Court Bloodshed Event,' yet I received so little. Where did the other two-thirds go? Could Teris have stolen it all while she's conducting her Fifth-Order ritual? You're far too greedy! Don't blame me if I run into you sooner rather than later. I'll use you, the biggest Blood Bag, to boost my own gains!
「Elsewhere...」
Theresis Achebeir, having encountered few obstacles and arrived at the second trial ahead of Byron's party, also discovered that nine of the slaves under her control had suddenly died. Her expression remained impassive. It would be best if they managed to kill Byron's group, she thought. If not, I'll continue the hunt later. Besides, Nobility always played dirty. There's no need to fight on the front lines like a warrior. As long as political rivals died due to one's schemes, a share of the benefits could be claimed.
But the next moment, upon checking her gains in the Blood Cup, she, like Byron, was utterly aghast.
Why only a third? Why are the gains in the Blood Cup so meager? Who stole my Panacea?!
Theresis Achebeir was furious. She had believed that the number of participants in this Court power struggle, and the level of power involved, would be more than sufficient for her to advance to a Fifth-Order Pseudo-God. Yet, to her surprise, she discovered the gains were far less than anticipated, and a sense of foreboding crept into her heart.
Where did the other two-thirds go?
Clearly, Byron and Theresis were both conducting the Crimson Holy Grail ritual. However, instead of the spoils being divided based on contribution, they had each received only a third. It was as if the resources of these trial participants were not only being contested by the two of them, but there was also a third party that neither had yet realized!
