Treasure Hunting System： The Ocean Conquerer

Chapter 645: Chapter 298: The Church of the Endless Sea

It took the better part of half a day for them to finally circle half of the island and arrive at the entrance of the straight passage ahead. Many ships were at the entrance, waiting to proceed. After a short wait, Alka and the others slowly began to follow the other ships forward.

On Right Son Island, where Holy Mother Island was situated, several watchtower-like structures could be seen. The watchtowers had golden patterns and were topped with large Crystal Stones. On the other side, Left Son Island, which belonged to the Holy Machine Church, had structures resembling giant cannon emplacements. Their dark muzzles were aimed at all ships heading to the island’s central port.

As Alka’s ship passed through the entrance and sailed inward, an unknown seal activated on both sides of the hull, clamping all the cannon muzzles shut. Fortunately, they had encountered this before. It seemed all factions sealed a ship’s cannons upon its entry into port, to prevent anyone from rashly firing within the harbor.

”That must be the Holy Mother Church’s cathedral, right?”

Hearing Lucilia’s words, Alka turned to look. He saw a plain in the center of Right Son Island’s crescent-shaped area. A large complex of buildings stood there, its central Great Cathedral particularly conspicuous. The cathedral had gray outer walls and an architectural style featuring slender, pointed spires packed closely together. Its architectural style was almost identical to that of the Great Cathedral they had seen in the Homeland Sea, though its overall appearance was not very similar. It was essentially confirmed that this was the Holy Mother Church’s cathedral on this island.

After a few glances, Alka lost interest; he had seen many such cathedrals before. They only differed in size. Besides, compared to the Great Cathedral, the awe inspired by this cathedral’s scale and appearance was considerably less. Instead, he turned to look in the other direction. He was still very interested in the Holy Machine Church.

If the Holy Mother Church’s cathedral was characterized by a tall, slender dome and a multitude of spires, the Holy Machine Church’s cathedral somewhat resembled a domed structure, its highest point looking like a Lighthouse. The entire church complex was exceptionally symmetrical and orderly, exuding a sense of discipline and minimalist beauty. The other buildings were arranged around this Lighthouse-like structure. The overall color scheme was gray-black, with numerous metallic materials incorporated into the construction, all gleaming with a metallic luster. A huge gear stood before the Lighthouse, forming the cathedral’s most conspicuous symbol. This gear rotated slowly. It was unclear whether it served a specific purpose or was purely decorative.

If the Holy Mother Church’s cathedral aligns with my idea of a solemn religious edifice, then the Holy Machine Church’s cathedral looks more like a work of modern art.

Following the current, Alka’s ship, the Sound of Dawn, was guided directly to Right Son Island, where it docked at a berth. A member of the Church, robed in the vestments of the Holy Mother Church, approached, followed by two Knights in light Soft Armor. After glancing at Alka’s ship, he quietly moved on to the next vessel.

”What’s going on? Aren’t they collecting a docking fee?” Jason asked, watching the scene with some confusion. Charging docking fees at such a port should be standard practice; it’s a necessary means to maintain operations.

”How could they not? Look over there.” Hearing Alka, Jason turned his gaze. He saw a ship nearby whose crew seemed to be negotiating with another Priest. After some money was exchanged, a stamped seal was affixed to that ship. Clearly, docking fees were being charged. Yet, their ship hadn’t been charged, nor had it received such a seal.

”Our ship must have been classified as a Church vessel,” Chadite said after a moment’s thought. ”Wasn’t this ship built in the Great Cathedral’s shipyard? Perhaps he recognized the craftsmanship.”

”That’s quite possible,” Alka replied.

After chatting casually for a while, Alka turned to the others and said, ”Since we’ve all arrived on this island, let’s go our separate ways for now.” With Saints from both the Holy Machine Church and the Holy Mother Church aboard, there was no need to be overly concerned about safety. The entire island could be considered friendly territory.

Alka, Chadite, and Jason disembarked and headed towards the central Holy Mother Church. They passed through the port district, bustling with people and the movement of cargo, and arrived at the residential area surrounding the church. Here, signs of devotion to the Holy Mother were ubiquitous. The religious atmosphere was exceptionally potent.

They continued onward, arriving at the foot of the church. Alka looked up, taking in its footprint and overall size. Aside from the Great Cathedral itself, this was the largest church Alka had ever seen.

He found himself somewhat anticipating what the Holy Mother Church’s main cathedral, their headquarters in the Endless Sea, would be like. If he got the chance, he would definitely have to go see it.

”It seems someone is already waiting for us,” Jason said suddenly, looking a short distance ahead.

Hearing this, Alka lowered his gaze from the towering church and looked in the direction Jason indicated. He saw a middle-aged Priest in the robes of the Holy Mother Church, quietly watching them. The Priest met their gazes directly, making no attempt to look away. Seeing Alka and the others look his way, the Priest nodded. Alka walked directly towards him.

The Priest watched them approach, then crossed his hands and nodded. ”Welcome, honored guests, to the Endless Sea. We are pleased you have arrived safely. May the Holy Mother bless you.”