Waves howled ceaselessly against the sides of the great warship, sending spray flying in all directions, yet the towering, fearsome vessel did not slow in the slightest. Like a reef standing firm against the current, it surged forward through the open sea, cutting through wind and wave as it advanced into the deep waters.
Atop the warship, a banner bearing a blood-red skull and dagger snapped in the wind. Behind it followed a vast armada of warships bristling with massive, menacing cannons and packed with pirate silhouettes — a sight that would have struck terror into the hearts of even the largest merchant convoys.
Because this was the Crimson Tiger pirate fleet — the undisputed overlord of the pirate forces beyond the Dambresian coast!
The Crimson Tiger appeared to have committed the bulk of its strength. Not only were there over a hundred enormous warships, but the crew numbered more than five thousand.
This scale of mobilization was clearly beyond what the Crimson Tiger could manage on its own, even accounting for several rounds of expansion.
However, once the Tifa forces and other elite units that had migrated from the North were added to the mix, a pirate power formidable enough to stand toe-to-toe with the Imperial Navy had taken shape.
"I never expected... that the story of the indigenous empire actually turned out to be true..."
At the bow of the Crimson Tiger, Isabelle stood with the legendary Red Dragon sword hanging at her hip, its faint draconic aura pulsing around the blade. Her eyes were fixed on the distant horizon, a glint of cold killing intent lingering within them.
After all, the incident on Nightmare Island where they had been outwitted by the natives still weighed heavily on the pirate captain's mind.
It was precisely because of Isabelle's relentless raids on the native tribes that she had ultimately gathered a wealth of information about the overseas indigenous empire, and this time she had confirmed its exact location — ready to deliver a devastating blow in a single strike.
"I just didn't expect that my cousin would agree to this plan... and even come along in person..."
Isabelle looked toward the cabin, a grave expression in her eyes. "Is it for the faith... for godhood? Could our family actually produce a deity?"
In the past, Isabelle would never have dared entertain such a blasphemous thought, but things were different now!
The miracles Raylin had brought were far from a one-time occurrence. For this cousin of hers, Isabelle possessed an unprecedented level of confidence.
Moreover, she could directly feel the divine power radiating from Raylin on this very expedition.
"This time... for my cousin's ascension to godhood, no matter who stands in my way, I will cut them down without hesitation!!!"
Isabelle gripped the hilt of the Red Dragon sword and silently steeled her resolve. The solemn pressure radiating from her caused the surrounding pirates to shudder involuntarily as they glanced at their leader.
—After transitioning to the Dragon Bloodline Sorcerer class and studying the [Dragon King's Divine Power] Meditation Method, Isabelle had not only completely suppressed the demonic transformation of her body but had already stepped across the threshold of [Legend], becoming a Legendary Dragon Bloodline Sorcerer!
Beyond the Dambresian coast, Isabelle's former title of the Crimson Witch had gradually given way to a new name — Daughter of the Red Dragon.
Together, she and Leyin had become the two great powers of the outer seas — one in the light, one in the shadows — deeply feared by the factions who knew the truth of their strength.
This unwavering conviction was simultaneously transmitted to Leyin's heart.
Seated in quiet meditation within the captain's quarters, Leyin could not help but smile faintly.
"Faith born of love?" Sensing a particularly thick strand of faith extending through the void, Leyin nodded to himself.
Once Isabelle had learned of his ambition to ascend to godhood — and that he had already obtained a sliver of divinity — she had immediately become his devoted follower. She had even begun actively promoting the worship of the Feathered Serpent God
What surprised Leyin even more was the intensity and fervor of Isabelle's devotion. It was even slightly more resolute than Tifa's faith.
Had Leyin already ascended to godhood, he would have had no doubt that Isabelle would become one of his fanatics.
"A pity… just managing to produce a single devotee this fanatical is already a stroke of luck…"
Leyin extended his senses to the faith of the other pirates, and a bitter smile crept across his face.
Though Isabelle was now throwing all her weight behind promoting his cult, the unfortunate reality was that he was merely a divine vessel at most — capable of responding to his followers' prayers at best, with no divine miracles to bestow. This meant he was completely outcompeted by true gods, or even by false gods such as demigods and devils.
After all, followers were no fools. If Leyin had nothing tangible to offer, how could he expect them to give their devotion without reservation?
Had it not been for Isabelle — a person of considerable authority — pushing his faith relentlessly, the cult of the Feathered Serpent God would have collapsed long ago, scattered to the winds.
"Therefore, I must provide tangible benefits to my followers as quickly as possible… Aside from ascending to demigod status and bestowing divine miracles, I can use my existing power base to offer other forms of material compensation… This is simply the principle of equivalent exchange…"
Leyin suddenly arrived at a moment of clarity.
In essence, the path of faith in the world of the gods followed the same principle of "equivalent exchange" that governed the Wizards.
Followers offered their faith, and in return the gods promised to receive their souls into a divine realm upon death, granting them protection and divine miracles. The so-called threads of faith were, in their truest form, nothing more than a covenant between deity and mortal.
Of course, even the
By the same logic, in the relationship between follower and god, the follower contributed far more while the god contributed far less. It was precisely this kind of "surplus inflow" that allowed a deity's divine power to accumulate continuously, eventually enabling them to ascend to ever greater heights.
Unfortunately, in the current age where the churches of rival gods competed with ever-increasing ferocity, the gods had no choice but to offer followers more and more in an escalating arms race, creating a vicious cycle of mutual depletion.
To make matters worse, devils and demons lurked at the edges, snatching away souls whenever they could.
"That is the tragedy of gods—their foundation rests upon mortals, so they absolutely cannot relinquish faith in the material world… A god who loses its faith will gradually wither and perish. It may seem as though they endure forever, but in essence, they are nothing more than flowers reflected in a mirror and the moon on the water's surface…"
He was currently merely a clone. His true self still walked the ancient Warlock path; that had never changed! That was the power that truly belonged to him! Leylin was crystal clear on this point.
Of course, under the rules of the
Since this body was only a clone, Leylin could naturally attempt godhood without the slightest hesitation.
"Still… even I didn't expect that when all I wanted was to find a place to expand my faith and comprehend the Domain of Slaughter, the Indigenous Empire would simply fall into my lap… Could it be that the World's Primal Force is favoring me, granting my every wish? What a joke!"
After finishing his deliberations on the God-Man Covenant, Leylin shifted his attention to other matters.
He had been contemplating conquering a territory to promote the integration of his followers, as well as comprehending the Domain of Slaughter and spreading his faith—yet the Indigenous Empire had simply appeared on its own.
There had always been legends about the Indigenous Empire in the outer seas of Danbres, and Leylin had heard rumors about it, but for
To the
"Could this be… after one cycle of reincarnation, has the World's Will come to see me as a complete native and is trying to win me over? Or has the Will of the Gods fallen into such deep slumber that it cannot react to anything in the outside world… Or perhaps it's a matter of balance? Because the gods' pursuits have diverged from the will of the World of Gods, and a kind of betrayal has been born?"
Numerous possibilities flickered through Leylin's eyes, then were fed to the Chip for deduction, simulating the changes that might unfold in the future.
"The future is uncertain… but seizing the present is never wrong!"
After a long period of contemplation, Leylin let out a long breath. "Regardless, conquering the Indigenous Empire, comprehending the Domain of Slaughter through continuous slaughter, and expanding my faith—these are all the most urgent priorities right now…"
With that thought, Leylin sent out a divine thought directly.
"Master!" A moment later, Tiffany's figure materialized from the darkness, utterly silent, without the faintest ripple of energy.
"Have you met Isabel? From now on, you will be working alongside her to spread my faith throughout the Indigenous Empire…"
A faint golden glow flickered through Leylin's eyes.
"I have, Master. If you possess such strength even in the outer seas, what is the Indigenous Empire to worry about?"
Tiffany said respectfully.
He was still quite surprised to learn that Leylin had a legendary-level Bloodline Warlock under his command, though he also felt reassured. As for Leylin's divine command, he naturally didn't dare show even the slightest negligence.
Watching Tiffany's figure disappear, Leylin nodded silently in approval.
Tiffany's retreat from the Northern Lands had gone relatively smoothly this time. Although they had lost some manpower during the process of splitting up and dispersing, those were all peripheral forces who knew nothing of the core secrets. The Priest Corps, which Leylin valued most, had safely arrived at the outer seas, giving him the confidence to wage war against the Indigenous Empire.
After all, during the course of conquest, faith could often play an unexpected role.
This war could also serve as a selection and training ground for priests. With Leylin's discerning eye, a large number of talented individuals would surely be discovered, laying a solid foundation for the future structure of the Church.
Two legendary figures in Isabelle and Tiffany, a battle-hardened army tempered through countless engagements, Leylin himself—a divine being—personally presiding over it all, and Farlan Island continuously providing reinforcements from the rear—this was the foundation of Leylin's confidence!
For this campaign, Leylin had dispatched virtually every elite under his command.
And his ambition was clearly something that couldn't be satisfied by mere territory and population alone.