CHAPTER 504: CHAPTER 385: THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES: HE’S RUNNING NAKED

"Look quick, there’s a new development!"

Dagon and Bonaparte, who had been looking extremely grim, knew that the situation was so dire it was beyond salvaging, yet they had no retreat left.

After being completely contaminated by the Old Gods, they were first the Kin of the Old Gods, then the independent-willed Pseudo-Gods.

It was impossible for them to just let go of the territory they had climbed up from the seafloor to seize, only to lose it so easily.

This wasn’t only about territory; it was also because the corpse of their own Chief God lay beyond the World Rift!

It was similar to how the Book of Giant Insects Sect had wiped out the Bloody Mary Faction to monopolize the holy land of Shampoo Island. These Kin would only be more fervent about this particular holy land.

"The recovery of the Source Tide is still insufficient. The Bantaan Archipelago and the Old Continent are far from meeting the conditions suitable for Kin survival.

This piece of the Southern Continent is our Fortress Bridgehead for attacking the human world. Now, the various sects serving gods have spread all over the East Coast.

If we lose this perfect location, capable of forming the natural terrain ritual ’Nightmare Triangle,’ we’ll be forced to traverse the vast hinterlands of the Southern Continent. Our only option then would be to clash with the Indigenous Sun Empire, established by the Quechua People on the West Coast, where altitudes often reach thousands of meters.

This is the strongest of the three great indigenous empires, possessing the most complete heritage from the Mythological Era. The Aztec and Taya Empires cannot even compare to them.

Now is not the time."

On the battlefield before them, the "working fish" that evolved from marine life had already suffered heavy losses from being caught between the Sea Monster Legion and the Colonial Fleet.

The Colonial Fleet itself had been devastated by two rounds of attacks from the Legendary Warships and the Nightmare projections. After each round, ships were sunk en masse. Even though the Sailboat Collector and Byron had protected their own, they were still severely weakened.

Both sides had played almost all their cards. What remained was a contest of damage endurance and willpower.

The strategic turning point could come at any moment.

But once those Ghost Ships were added into the equation, it would be the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

In the depths of their despair, Norwich York gave them an enormous surprise.

"Join me in taking down the Blue Dragon King first!"

If they weren’t absolutely certain they hadn’t paid him off, they would have thought this guy, who only knew how to cause internal strife, was actually a traitor they had bribed.

Suddenly reinvigorated, they cried out,

"We haven’t lost yet, hold the line!"

The Mid-Sequences Transcendents aboard the various Ghost Ships retained their senses. Those below the Middle Sequence retained only their instinct for slaughter, though their allegiances from their former lives remained intact.

Seeing the signal flags waving on the Second-class Battleship King Edward, the nearby Ghost Ships immediately swarmed towards the Blue Dragon King.

Since their mainstays were Warships, they were far more adept at fleet battles than adventure ships and pirate ships. They consciously formed small groups into simplified battle lines.

The Golden Deer, however, retreated at the fastest speed in the world, as if it were none of its business, quickly breaking out of the encirclement of Ghost Ships.

But onboard, Byron reached out toward the empty air in front of him and pulled out a new outfit—dazzling and extremely luxurious.

He shook his head and sighed,

Norwich York really has a short memory. I was actually thinking of dealing with you all after the main battle, sending you on your way then. But it seems I should deal with you, this scourge, first.

What he had pulled out was none other than the fully formed First-Class Holy Relic: The Emperor’s New Clothes.

The mission Byron had previously assigned to Hawkeye James and the others was to take his bat avatar to the New Continent or Luanyun City, to be the first to land and complete the final Decryption Rate.

They never imagined that Dagon and his cohort would move Luanyun City right into the center of the battlefield.

Just now, as he pulled the Phantom Fleet, along with Luanyun City, from the Dream Realm into reality, the "Secret: The Root of the Bloody Plague, Historical Influence 38" instantly saw its Decryption Rate go from 92% to 100%.

The higher historical influence of this secret meant that the treasure extracted from it was, of course, stronger than the Nation-Destroying Nail!

He began to chant the deeds of this Holy Relic,

"You are the Emperor’s New Clothes; you are the swindler’s fallacy of calling a deer a horse; you are the ministers’ veil of ignorance..."

The Sailing Logbook then promptly displayed the complete information of this Holy Relic.

[Holy Relic: The Emperor’s New Clothes]:

"In ancient times, a luxurious and foolish king cared only for pursuing beautiful and exquisite clothes, never focusing on governing his kingdom.

One day, two swindlers claimed they could make the most gorgeous clothes in the world.

But this garment was not only light as air but also visible only to Sages; fools could see nothing. It even demanded vast treasures to sew this clothing.

In the end, everyone, including the King himself, claimed to see the garment to cover their own ignorance.

The King even paraded naked through the streets.

It wasn’t until a child’s innocent cry, ’But he isn’t wearing anything at all!’ that the lie was thoroughly exposed, and everyone awoke as if from a dream."

The effects of the new clothes are threefold:

"First, [Calling a Deer a Horse]:

You can portray good as bad, tall as short, or a deer as a horse. Everyone will believe your lies; no one can expose them except true Sages.

Second, [You’ve Truly Tormented Me]:

A non-royal utilizing this power can achieve the effect of ’donning the yellow robe,’ usurping the Royal Iron Law of a kingdom. This makes it unclear who the true King is.

Depending on their affinity and foundational conditions, they may inherit a portion of the original King’s power. The better their foundational conditions, the greater the power they can claim, potentially becoming an Abreast King, sharing equal authority.

The time limit is one day.

Third, [He Runs Naked]:

Only when the tide recedes does one discover who has been swimming naked.

If this power is used on a true ruler, it is as though a lie elevates him to a divine pedestal of wisdom, producing the ’fatal adulation’ effect of arbitrary rule.

However, when someone declares, ’But he isn’t wearing anything at all!’ it will strike like lightning cleaving the night sky.

As the lie shatters, everything built upon it will collapse in ruins."

Each ability can be used once. After all three abilities are spent, the Holy Relic: The Emperor’s New Clothes will completely vanish.

As Byron finished chanting, the new clothes in his hand shone with an even more dazzling light, yet only he—the Sage with a Saint’s halo—could see it.

Looking up at the approaching Blue Dragon King and King Edward, these two Warships both with ’King’ in their names, the corners of his mouth curled into a devious smile:

It’s easy to claim territory, but hard to defend it. The danger in this part of the Southern Continent far exceeds that of the Bantaan Archipelago. Even if we capture the whaling grounds today, there will undoubtedly be an endless emergence of the Bizarre, Evil Spirits, and Affiliated Kin. The colonial powers, led by the Kingdom of Castile, will surely want a share of the spoils. Only strength guarantees one’s interests. To firmly defend my share, there must be a linchpin here to command the situation. Nothing fits this role better than a powerful Ghost Battleship belonging to the Kingdom of Hightens. Even our respected sovereign, His Majesty Edward IV, would wholeheartedly agree. And the name of this Ghost Battleship... shall be... King Edward!

Saying this, he pointed decisively at the Blue Dragon King.

A multicolored gossamer, visible only to himself, instantly enveloped the entire First-Class Battleship, which was as large as a small mountain.

[Calling a Deer a Horse], a greatly enhanced version of "Cognitive Revision," was activated.

The very next moment, in full view of everyone, the Blue Dragon King transformed into the King Edward, and the King Edward became the target of all—the Blue Dragon King!

The identities of the two Warships were quietly swapped, unnoticed by anyone, including Fifth Order Legendaries and Pseudo-Gods.

Following Byron’s cue, Prince Sorrenberg cracked a mischievous smile, strikingly similar to his son’s,

"In the name of the Fleet Commander, I order: all ships load solid bullets and fire at... the Blue Dragon King!"

"Aye! Warships, volley fire! Gun crews, open fire!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Cannonfire, laced with ghostly green flames, instantly illuminated the sea.

The unsuspecting "Blue Dragon King" and its captain, General Norwich York, were instantly obliterated in the siege led by the "King Edward."

In his final moments, as he was being torn apart by the endless cannonade, old York, so confused he no longer knew who he was, could only move his parched lips and helplessly mutter,

"Damn it... FUCK!"