We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 127 The Way of Judgment, A Gift from the Federal Chief!

Before Xia En's eyes, the white mist kept breaking, twisting, and reforming, gradually forming a scene that existed in history.

Before the cliff.

The man, whose face was obscured, walked up to the giant, who was as tall as a mountain, and questioned him in a voice filled with suppressed anger.

"King of the Cyclopes, I once regarded you as a respected elder..."

"But why did you betray my trust and attack my crew?"

The Cyclops king cast a cold gaze.

“Wayne Moriarty, don’t you understand?”

"We are not equal beings to begin with. Your talk of peaceful coexistence is nothing but a naive fantasy!"

"Once the door to the treasure is opened, the key naturally becomes useless."

"Now, I'm giving you your final choice..."

"Surrender, or die!"

His voice boomed like thunder as he finished speaking.

That tangible pressure seemed to transcend countless years. Even though Xia En was just an observer, he couldn't help but be shaken and his body trembled slightly.

In response, the man named Wayne Moriarty let out a soft sigh.

"Although you are a king, you lack the demeanor of one. Your foolishness will also bring ruin to your subjects."

"Then I shall judge your sins."

With that, Wayne drew his longsword from his waist and resolutely walked toward the giant king, who was ten times his size.

"Now is the time for judgment!"

hum-

In an instant, everything in the mist seemed to freeze.

Air currents, dust, and even the body of the Cyclops and the blood flowing in its veins... all seemed to become extensions of a certain will, carrying out the commands it issued.

This sword strike is called [Judgment]!
In an instant, a brilliant sword light slashed down from above.

The originally rough and uneven cliff seemed to be smoothed out by the sword light without any hindrance, leaving only a smooth, mirror-like cross-section.

At the same time, a clear line of blood appeared between the brows of the Cyclops King.

Suddenly, his massive body split in two.

With a deafening crash, flesh and bones collapsed like a building.

The crimson blood almost turned into a lake, constantly seeping into the soil and becoming nutrients for the entire island.

Xia En stared blankly at the scene, yet vaguely caught something in mind.

Perhaps the essence of this swordsmanship is a kind of ritual?
Only those in a higher position can "judge" and "rule" those in a lower position.

The [Judgment] sword technique itself is actually about seeing oneself as a great will that transcends the material world, and then borrowing the power hidden in this world to unleash astonishing power.

The moment he realized this, a profound understanding arose in his mind.

[Learned Skill: Sword of Judgment!]

[Quality: Epic]

[Type: Skill]

Current proficiency level: Beginner

[Description: This is a unique sword technique you learned from your battle with Wayne Moriarty.]

[It contains the essence of the "Way of Judgment," and by continuing down this path, one can gain early access to a portion of the power of the "domain."]

In an era before the clear distinctions were made between different professions within the secret path, extraordinary individuals explored and progressed along various routes.

The "Way of Judgment" is one such great path.

Now is the time for judgment!

Before long, Shane came to his senses. In the mist, only the long-decayed giant's corpse and the smooth rock wall remained.

"Epic skill, the path of judgment..."

Excitement gleamed in Xia En's eyes.

He hadn't expected to have such a pleasant surprise just by venturing deep into the isolated island.

To be honest, this should be the first epic skill that Shane has obtained.

He had also heard of the concept of "the way of judgment".

This is actually an older way of dividing power, which some people also call "the Way".

Each secret path profession is actually a refined branch of a different path.

However, what Xia En cared about more was the description of mastering the power of the [Domain] in advance.

Even third-tier Mystic Path practitioners like Karlless and Quinn have not yet come into contact with true Domain Power, which is enough to demonstrate the strength of this power.

“The future is promising!”

Xia En smiled, but soon another question came to mind.

"Wayne Moriarty, that name... I feel like I've heard it somewhere before?"

Upon hearing this, An, who was standing nearby, suddenly remembered something and took out a cardboard book to write.

[Wayne Moriarty...is that the Federation's Chief Wayne?]

"...Federal Chief?"

Xia En was taken aback at first, then quickly recalled the legends surrounding this person. It was said that this man was one of the founders of the Federation, and also the Federation's most powerful figure in public!
When the Federation initially took over the various islands, it actually encountered tremendous resistance.

After all, the governor of each island is equivalent to the emperor of the island, possessing supreme power, so why should he obey the administration of the Federation?
Just when the federal government's progress seemed to be stalled, the federal chief intervened.

He led the Federation Navy to conquer more than ten large islands in just six months and decisively defeated the super-large pirate fleet that was ravaging the seas at the time.

This made him famous throughout the seven seas, deterred many wavering neutral islands, and laid the foundation for the establishment of the federation.

With this chief's strength, he could have become the ruler of the Federation and held power over the Seven Seas.

However, when Wayne's reputation and strength reached their peak, he chose to retire and rarely appeared in public.

His most recent public appearance was five years ago at a large federal ceremony.

Some say that as Wayne got older, his strength declined, and coupled with a host of injuries, he was forced to retire.

Some say he is trying to climb the final step of the "Stairway to Godhood"!
But no matter what.

The title "Federal Chief" has become a unique nickname for Wayne Moriarty.

"It's actually him..."

Xia En was secretly surprised.

However, the man's words and actions in the mist also matched his imagination of a strong person like the "Federal Chief".

If he were the Federation's chief, it wouldn't be impossible for him to wipe out all the Cyclopes on the island.
only……

"It seems that the [Ember Treasure] on this island has already been discovered by the Federation Chief."

Xia En sighed, slightly regretful.

It's not hard to guess from the conversation in the afterimages that both the Cyclops and the Federation Chief knew about the existence of the [Ember Treasure].

Moreover, it seems that the Cyclopes wanted to use these outsiders to open the door to the treasure and were plotting to discard them after they had served their purpose, which is why this killing occurred.

Shaun speculated, "Perhaps... Wayne Moriarty is also a holder of the [Proof of the Lord of Cinder]?"

In the early stages of the Federation's expansion, it was thanks to the [Ember Treasure] that they acquired technology far ahead of their time, crushing ordinary islands.

If the Federation Chief possesses the [Proof of the King of Cinder], then all of this makes sense.

Regret is regret, but we've come this far, there's no reason to just turn around and leave.

Xia En looked up and looked ahead.

There, amidst a forest of enormous skeletons, stood an ancient, pitch-black gate, silently awaiting his arrival.

Soon, Xia En led a man and a dragon into the gate.

A dark red light ignited from the ember-like patterns on the door.

A strange yet familiar burning sensation briefly appeared, and when they opened their eyes again, they found themselves inside the [Ember Sanctuary].

The scene here is not far removed from the style of the previous shelter.

The mysterious pale floor and ceiling emit a cool glow, giving off an unusual sense of technology.

Its art style is completely different from most existing islands.

But after looking around, Shane's mood sank to rock bottom.

There is no other reason.

Compared to the sanctuary in Coral City, this place is far too spacious!

The rooms were empty except for some discarded items and containers, which proved that some ancient treasures had once been stored there.

Having anticipated this, Xia En wasn't too disappointed and planned to check all the rooms before leaving.

at this time.

Suddenly, Xiange became excited, her big eyes sparkling with excitement, and she spoke as she led the way.

"Captain, over here, over here!"

"My nose is very sensitive; there must be something good here!"

Xia En's lips twitched, and he thought to himself, "When did you develop a treasure-hunting ability?"

"Or is this a dragon's instinct?"

Even so, he followed along with some skepticism.

Before long, they arrived at the deepest part of the corridor.

The door to the room on the left was closed, but the door to the room on the right was open.

Xia En looked closely and his eyes lit up.

The room contained several items that exuded an extraordinary aura, and there was also an envelope on the table.

Without much hesitation, Shane walked to the table, opened the envelope, and checked the contents.

The letter was written in a strong, vigorous hand, and it read:

[To those who follow in the footsteps of those who seek the treasure of the embers.]

I regret to inform you that I have already claimed this treasure.

It took my crew and me three days and three nights to empty this place!

But treasures are something that's usually first come, first served, so I don't think you'll blame me for that, right?

However, the fact that you found this secluded island shrouded in mist after me can be considered a matter of fate.

So, after much thought, I've decided to leave you a small gift. I hope you like it.

—Wayne Moriarty.

(End of this chapter)