CHAPTER 499: CHAPTER 382: SAINT BYRON AND THE FINAL OBSTACLE

TWANG! TWANG! TWANG!

Amidst the grating tension of fishing lines, it wasn’t just the Ghost Battleships that were being hoisted high.

Due to the rule that "Spiritual Material can only enter, not exit," the abode of the Old Gods—the Kraken’s "stomach"—was also being dragged step by step toward reality.

Compared to the initial scene where the Nightmare’s projection failed to move The Golden Deer, this was a hundred times more astonishing!

Both friend and foe on the battlefield were left wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Even the earth-shattering battle cries fell silent for a moment, after which Byron clearly heard the exclamations of the nearby Adventurers:

"His Excellency the Sea Hunter—no, Holy Mr. Byron! Not only has he not been dragged into the water, but he’s actually pulling the Old God along with him?"

"This is surely not the strength of a mere mortal! Just now, Holy Mr. Byron beseeched the Creator for a divine miracle. Could it be that the one true God, the Creator Himself, has truly manifested? Even a Cardinal Archbishop or a Saint couldn’t possibly have such clout, could they?"

"Since the incarnation of the Trinity’s Saint Heir, the Creator has never shown any miracles. At most, He has created a group of Saints who, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, achieved great feats for the Church. Could Holy Mr. Byron really be an incarnation of the Holy Spirit? This is the only explanation for his ability to summon divine miracles to confront the Old Gods."

In their speech, the onlookers had already subconsciously bestowed upon Byron a holy title. Whether they believed in the Creator or not, whether their faith was devout or lukewarm, the reverence in their subconscious had deepened.

The reaction of the crew of the *Butterfly Fish*, who had just had their lives saved, as well as the Priests of the Order of Sanctity who moved with the Fleet, was even more exaggerated.

Many fell to their knees on the deck, tears streaming down their faces as they cried out,

"Praise the Holy Spirit! Our Lord has brought down a miracle! Surely He intends for us to open up the unknown world under the leadership of Saint Byron, so that more of His flock may bathe in God’s Grace. I’ve seen the light, I truly have!"

The maxim of the Order of Sanctity is "to be with God." They are not natural scientists; they don’t talk about science. If there is anything in this world that cannot be explained, attributing it to the great power of the Creator is unquestionably right.

Now that they could witness with their own eyes the "miracle" created by the Holy Spirit, each one’s faith grew firmer, and some were even promoted on the spot.

This also solidified their speculation.

Since even these worldly and experienced overseas Pioneers held this view, one can imagine the terrifying prestige the name Saint Byron would bring him once the tale of today’s first battle for the colonization of the New Continent spread among the Adventurers.

After all, the Book of Creation Gospel states that the Holy Spirit has always guided humans in seeking truth in the Mortal World. Theoretically, anyone can be possessed by the Holy Spirit.

If one isn’t afraid of being executed by the Heresy Tribunal, anyone can claim to be the incarnation of the Holy Spirit.

But Byron had long seen apparently troubling signs from those Cardinal Bishops and Saints who plotted the "Eternal Life Plan" on behalf of the Seventh Order sole deity, the Creator.

He decided it wouldn’t hurt to take an even bolder step.

With today’s "miracle" halo, if he could bring sufficiently significant benefits to the Church in the future—such as a brand new diocese with tens of millions of parishioners—then let alone Sister Teresa, whom he had already firmly bound to him, even the Pope might have to personally send him a certificate of citizenship from Heaven.

The slot for the head of the household would need to be properly filled out with the grand name of the Creator.

And as long as he secured that status this time, allowing Byron to stir the waters in the foreseeable religious conflicts, then when he finally shed the guise of "Byron Tudor" and revealed his true face, it would not be so easy to retract.

As for their worshipped "miracle"?

Heh, indeed only a being of similar stature can contest the Old Gods. But the underlying logic of this world is: the collective is king! Since both the Fifth Order [King’s Title] and the [False God] are exalted by their citizens and followers to achieve their status, then, thinking boldly, is it gods who create humans, or humans who create gods? That remains a question. If it’s humans who create gods, and since I am human, it’s perfectly reasonable for me to hold a few shares in the Creator, wouldn’t you say!

Byron, halo ablaze above his head and bathed in platinum Holy Light, appeared to be fishing for Old Gods. Yet, in reality, he hadn’t exerted even the slightest bit of his own strength.

This fishing expedition was going much more smoothly than the last one at the International Port, when he, in Dragon Knight form, had teamed up with his sister for a grueling struggle.

His preparations this time were exceedingly comprehensive; unless something unexpected happened, this angler would never return empty-handed!

The pirate officers who had always followed Byron knew exactly what was happening.

Gus, who had grown up in Iron Anchor Bay as part of the Traditional Faction Bayfolk, had the least reverence for the opposing Church and was animatedly explaining the differences among anglers to the others:

"Anglers may seem idle, but anglers are not all the same. The first type is the ’catch is king’ angler. They meticulously calculate how much fish they need to catch to break even when buying bait. Their goal is to capture the most fish with the cheapest tools and bait. In reality, these people are the worst at fishing; many fish in the ponds survive *because* of them. They’ll use ten pounds of bait and catch only a few ounces. The fish eagerly await their arrival, thinking, ’As long as we offer up a pair of young boys and girls at the appointed time, the God of Groundbait will ensure our prosperity and well-being!’

"The second type is the ’technique is king’ angler. They love to learn and enjoy studying various fishing methods and formulas. For them, fishing is merely a way to validate their research results, and every one of them is a master angler."