The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 361: Volume 6: Cautious Planning - 14: Dark Knight

Chapter 361: Volume 6: Cautious Planning Chapter 14: Dark Knight

After spending several days with Rebury, Komer found that his entire Magic Knowledge System in his mind had undergone an earth-shaking cleanse and replenishment. Many formerly vague concepts were now clarified, and formerly insurmountable problems were now resolved with ease. For Komer, it was like a traveler groping through a road full of countless traps, suddenly finding himself on a bright and smooth path. All the potential pitfalls were clearly marked, and there was no longer a need to worry about falling into trouble from which he could not extricate himself. This feeling of having both a mentor and a friend could not be adequately described with just a few words like ’relaxed, joyful, and delightful.’

Faced with Komer’s myriad of bizarre questions, Rebury, who once traveled the Continent and prided himself on his extensive knowledge and superior intellect, also felt an immense headache. Each of Komer’s questions either surpassed the realm of magical common sense he was familiar with or overturned his longstanding magical principles. However, Rebury had to admit Komer’s genius in Magic innovation. The Mixed Magic that usually only Archmages dared to attempt was like child’s play to him, effortless and easy. Even the Dark Corrosion Magic that Rebury himself dared not touch was used by Komer in a Mixed Spell Assisting Technique to enhance the defensive and offensive capabilities of equipment and weapons. Apart from clapping in admiration, Rebury could find no other expression to communicate his feelings toward someone he considered not just a Magic genius, but a veritable freak of Magic.

Rebury could never understand how such a young man could possess such formidable Magic power and Spiritual Power. In addition to possessing powerful Dark Magic Force, Komer could also perform a trick or two of notable White Magic and Light Divine Technique. These two diametrically opposed types of Magic could coexist in one Mage, but it required the Mage to have at least several decades of experience in Psychic Magic cultivation. However, from any perspective, the fellow before him didn’t look like someone over thirty years old, and even if he had started cultivating from a few years of age, it was impossible to have such strength. In fact, Komer was not even twenty years old yet.

As for the specters lurking inside Damarlinsk Castle, both Rebury and Komer dared not take them lightly. After all, more than a hundred years had passed since the first Lord encountered misfortune, and in that time, Magicians from Cyprus had also entered the Castle to sweep it clean, yet still came out with nothing. Subsequent Lords continued to meet with misfortune, indicating that the entity hidden deep within the Castle was not an ordinary undead creature but was an intelligent and possibly cunning being. Whether it was a ghost, a spirit seeking redress, a successfully cultivated specter, or even a rare Demon from the Land of the Underworld that even they had no knowledge of, neither of them could be sure. To quote Rebury, they could only take one step at a time, and only after personally encountering it could they be certain.

Various Magic Scrolls and props were indispensable. For Mages of insufficient strength, these were lifesaving protective charms, and Komer was no exception. Even the usually proud Rebury dared not underestimate their value. Various preventive potions were equally important. In the Land of Underworld, one would inevitably encounter attacks from Dark and Necromancy Class forces. Besides defense through spells, potions could often play a supporting role at critical moments. This was Komer’s strong suit, and even after Rebury witnessed the various supporting potions Komer had researched himself, he couldn’t help praising him. He believed that if Komer were not a Lord, he could easily become the most successful merchant in the adventurer’s world with his endless stream of potions and props, which would undoubtedly be the most popular goods among Magicians, Adventurers, and even Knights.

Rebry had been waiting, and the person he had been expecting finally arrived. When Rebry asked Komer whether he wanted to embark on the adventure with just the two of them or to look for some reliable friends to explore Damarlinsk Castle together, Komer, after hesitating, decided to accept the more prudent suggestion. However, he asked Rebry not to take too much time, as with the growing prosperity within the territory, people of various races began to appear in Ugru more frequently, and the number of officials and public representatives coming to see him increased. The farm that temporarily served as the Lord’s Mansion was becoming increasingly inadequate for Komer’s status. Komer hoped to resolve this issue, which he would have to face sooner or later, as soon as possible.

The gaunt face of the man was half covered by a half-visored black iron helmet. It was only when he removed his helmet that Komer realized that the person before him was not very old, at most around thirty years old. His eyes were deep and filled with a cold indifference, only occasionally sparking with flames when Rebry mentioned the interesting things inside Damarlinsk Castle. His physique was not robust; in fact, he could be considered somewhat slender. Yet, the knight spear hanging between the legs of his mighty steed appeared to be no ordinary item. Komer guessed it was at least a century-old relic. The thin-bladed long sword slanted across his waist seemed more decorative, with a scabbard made of fish skin, embellished at the top with silver threads and emeralds making up a crest, possibly from those ancient families with long histories in the mainland southern regions. However, from the quiet bloodlust that seeped out from the scabbard of the decorative sword, Komer sensed a killing intent—it was an unequivocal instrument of murder. Although the gem that appeared to be an emerald was deliberately suppressing the aura in the scabbard, it was not so easy to control an object that has tasted the blood and souls of more than a hundred people.

Earlier, Rebry had simply told Komer that the visitor was a Dark Knight, which marked Komer’s first encounter with the Dark Knight Sorrenberger, known throughout the Continent. He lived on the edge of the swamp at the southern part of the Gratz region, south of the Galle Region, and was the closest ally Rebry could summon.

Komer found that the relationship between Rebry and this Dark Knight was not as close as he had imagined. Their relationship was more like a bizarre mutual need yet also mutual enmity—a strange sort of rivalry. Discussion and competition were probably the best means for them to elevate their own skills. After the arrival of the Dark Knight, Rebry simply briefed him on the upcoming mission and went to a secluded place with the Dark Knight, leaving Komer unsure what form their contest would take. However, when the two returned to the farm, their appearance took Komer by surprise—Rebry had dark circles under his eyes and purple-black bloodstains even soaked his arms, looking so weak that walking seemed to make him wobbly, while the Dark Knight seemed not much better off. His helmet had clearly been caved in by a heavy blow, leaving an indent, and his dignified knight’s attire was riddled with injuries, including a large slash across his waist, with bloodstains around his mouth indicating he had sustained considerable injury as well.

Although Komer could not understand why this Dark Knight would travel thousands of miles at the behest of such a disheveled magician, only to engage in such a baffling battle, he knew this would somehow impact his own plans of conquering the castle, for better or worse. As expected, Rebry proposed to delay the exploration until three days later, grabbing the majority of the potions Komer had carefully prepared. Fortunately, Komer saw that some of the potions had already reached the Dark Knight’s desk, so he had no choice but to take up his old profession and once again act as a Potion master.

The weather was clear, and the climate was suitable—it should have been a good opportunity for an adventure. Komer refused the requests of Ilot and Hesse, aware that when facing undead creatures like spectral ghosts, warriors and adventurers were not much help; having one more person might just hold the others back.

The moss and vine-covered door silently opened in front of Komer and his two companions. Komer examined the lintel above the door; due to the passage of time, he couldn’t make out the inscriptions. Noticing Komer’s gaze fixed on the lintel, a flash of cold light sped past, and the green moss and dirt on it suddenly fell to the ground. Nodding his thanks to the silent Dark Knight beside him, Komer could finally make out the forceful inscription: "With the Blessing of the Gods, Our Glory Shall Be Forged."

"Let’s go, a door isn’t worth such a long look. I’m afraid it will take us a week to get out if we keep this up," Rebry glanced at the lintel and shook his head, still dressed in his deep grey Mage Robe, his large sleeves hiding who knows how many secrets. Komer had never seen him change out of this unvarying outfit, but this time it seemed much cleaner.

The figures of the three vanished behind the door. A Human-faced Spider that had been descending on a thread seemed to be watching their departure for a while before nimbly contracting and springing back up, slipping into a gap next to the lintel.

Sorrenberger’s gaze rested on the high and profound walls on either side. From what he could see, this was a typical defensive fortress-style Castle, with a deep alleyway between two layers of walls, the outer lower and the inner higher. Every fifty meters stood a circular or semicircular Defensive Tower, their pitch-black windows covered in cobwebs and dust, seemingly recording the glorious history of the Castle in days past.

By the time he received the letter, Sorrenberger hadn’t heard from his companions for a long time. He referred to these Magicians or Knights, scattered across the Continent, practicing Necromancy Class magic, as companions because he really couldn’t find an accurate term to describe their relationship. Practitioners of Dark Magic were considered outliers in the world of magic, and even more so, heretics and incarnations of evil in the eyes of the Church of Light, which prided itself on its sanctity and orthodoxy. However, this didn’t suffice to sever the connections between them.

It took Sorrenberger ten years to transform from a bona fide knight into a well-known Dark Knight among his companions, and during those ten years, Sorrenberger became more and more immersed in the exploration of the Dark Heavenly Path. The endless Dark Spaces seemed like portals to a different world; once entered, there was no turning back, nor any desire to do so. The sensation of roaming in there was something others could never feel.

The young Lord behind him likewise filled Sorrenberger with curiosity, albeit not as much as the Castle they had entered. He could sense a rich Dark Demonic Aura emanating from the Lord, consistent with the news brought by Rebury’s letter; this outwardly guileless young man was indeed a dangerous individual. It wasn’t just the Dark Magic Power he held—rather, it was the combination of his boundless ambition with his power that posed the real threat, not just to people, but perhaps to the surrounding world as well.

The enormous size of Damarlinsk Castle caught Komer off-guard, despite his prepared mind. It was only now, being inside, that he realized how different the concept was from simply viewing from the outside. The broad alley distributed in an elliptical shape twists and turns, stretching a full two kilometers. Komer wondered how much effort and Money the first Lord had spent to construct such a Castle. Just the stone materials alone would have cost an astronomical sum, and to see such a magnificent and majestic building abandoned was indeed an unforgivable waste.

It took half an hour for the three to make their way around the alley between the inner and outer fortifications. Due to their sensitivity and vigilance toward the outside world, they all slowed their pace as much as possible, employing Perception Magic to detect any irregularities around them. However, to their comfort and slight disappointment, it seemed as though nothing had occurred along the way, even the faint cold aura Komer and Rebry had once felt had vanished without a trace.

At last, they returned to their starting point. The great door of the outer fortress had closed again at some unknown time, its silent emptiness casting an oppressive shadow over the hearts of the three.

"Alright, it’s time to hit the road." The indifferent expression usually present on Rebry’s face had disappeared, replaced by a thoughtful and cautious demeanor.