The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 363: Volume 7: Spring Thunder Awakens the Hibernating Creatures, - 1: Dangerous Situation_2

Chapter 363: Volume 7: Spring Thunder Awakens the Hibernating Creatures, Chapter 1: Dangerous Situation_2

"Hmm, we must be careful. The creatures inside the castle have sensed our presence. I suspect these human-faced spiders were sent to us on purpose. Although they haven’t caused us harm, I’m worried that as we delve deeper, we’ll face increasingly perilous situations. We absolutely must be mentally prepared," said Mr. Rebry, his gaze now holding a hint of cautiousness. Within such a vast castle, there were far too many places to hide and lay in wait for an ambush. Although the three of them had pushed their spiritual sense to its limits, many dangers couldn’t be detected by spiritual sense alone and would have to be faced with on-the-spot reactions. This ensured that the explorers were constantly tense, an anxiety that could easily lead to fatigue.

"Mr. Rebry, I think we should join forces and conserve more power. We could take turns using the spiritual sense detection spell. If we stay closer together, the range we need to detect will be much smaller, which will effectively conserve our energy. Then, if we encounter any enemies, we can face them with composure," Komer said, always with a hint of a sly smile on his lips. Damarlinsk Castle was so vast that searching every corner would be difficult and potentially expose them to danger, so conserving strength to be ready for any eventuality was essential.

"Hmm, that makes sense. Who should go first?" Rebry nodded, agreeing with Komer’s suggestion. After all, they were exploring an unfamiliar area, and no one could guarantee what lay ahead on their journey. Keeping as much strength in reserve as possible to use when it was truly needed made perfect sense.

"I will do it. I’ll use Dark Magic’s Eye of Dark Spirit to extend our detection range. This will ensure we have enough time to react. Of course, this is just standard detection; I can’t guarantee anything if something special happens," Komer said, his voice calm yet tinged with concern. Already facing an attack before even setting foot in the inner castle meant this exploration would be far from easy.

The disheveled Mage and the Dark Knight exchanged surprised looks and nodded in agreement, "Alright then, Sir, we’ll be counting on your efforts. It’s remarkable that someone of your young age has managed to cultivate the Eye of Dark Spirit—a true talent indeed. We’re truly looking forward to discussing and exchanging ideas with you after the expedition."

"Heh, you flatter me. I, too, am looking forward to delving into the rules and mysteries of the dark world with both of you," Komer replied with a faint smile, his eyes suddenly intensifying. In his heart, he recited the spell, and a purple-black aurora shaped like an eyeball slowly emerged from deep within him. Komer felt his awareness expanding like a tide over its banks, spreading in all directions, seeping through every nook and cranny like a liquid with nowhere it did not reach, perceiving every little detail. Until he felt drained, Komer knew his spiritual power could only sustain such a wide range for so long. He silently recited the spell once more to fix the magic in place, then nodded to the other two, indicating they could proceed.

The entrance to the inner castle was a pair of double doors, similar to those of the outer castle but on a much smaller scale. The outer castle’s doors were wide enough to accommodate three carriages riding abreast with plenty of room to spare, yet the inner castle’s doors could only just allow for two. The inner castle doors were made of unidentifiable timber covered with copper plating. Because no one had visited for so long, verdigris had covered the entire door, giving it an eerie appearance in the dim sunshine.

Komer’s Eye of Dark Spirit had already extended beyond the door into the interior; there was nothing. No signs of life from ordinary or undead creatures, only a death-like silence. Rebry’s gaze was firmly fixed on an inconspicuous insignia in the corner of the copper door. A strange luminous flame began to rise slowly and drift towards the insignia. The verdigris quickly vanished under the glow of the flame, making the insignia stand out starkly.

Rebry seemed contemplative, "Solonberg, look, isn’t this the secret insignia of the Miranda family from among the Dwarves?"

The Dark Knight’s gaze also fell on the vigorously spiraled and plumed head emblem—a clan emblem featuring a human head, which is extremely rare in the world of mortals but fairly common among Dwarf clans. Dwarves often use the likeness of their ancestors as their family’s emblem to honor their heritage. Families renowned for design and architecture particularly favor engraving their emblems in inconspicuous corners of their creations, to signify the builder and designer of the work. The Miranda family is an ancient and highly esteemed clan among the dwarven people, residing for generations on the western frontier of the Blue Continent. Yet, it was uncertain why a mark of their family would be found here—could Damarlinsk Castle actually be one of their works? This seemed unlikely, but how else could the existence of this emblem be explained?

"Yes, it is the Miranda family’s emblem. Only Dwarf axes and chisels could engrave such forceful and deep lines; it would be quite difficult for mortals to achieve this, nor would they have any need to." The usually reticent Dark Knight nodded his head in agreement and said no more.

"Hmm, it’s hard to say whether we’re unlucky or if the heavens are looking out for us. If Damarlinsk Castle is a masterpiece by the Miranda family, then we will need to seriously consider our exploration here. The Miranda family, known for their aboveground structures, are particularly masterful with underground constructions. The famous Prometheus Labyrinth to the west was a joint endeavor between them and another prominent dwarven Clan—the Sharon family. Many treasure hunters and explorers have perished there." Rebry’s complexion turned somewhat unsightly, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.

"So, Mr. Rebry, are you suggesting that we give up now?" Komer’s inquiry was calm and temperate.

"No, that’s not what I mean. At the very least, we need to fully understand the castle’s aboveground architecture. As for the underground structures, I think if we are not very confident, it would be better to wait for some of my friends to arrive before making a decision." Rebry rarely backed down, but this time he did not want to take a needless risk, "I’m not afraid of heretics or creatures, but being trapped to death in a labyrinth wouldn’t be worth it. Some of my friends specialize in this, and I believe their arrival will bring us hope."

"Alright then, let’s proceed with our aboveground exploration first." Komer decided against further debate, seeing the wisdom in the other’s words. There was no sense in risking entry into those underground labyrinths without any assurance. It was better to thoroughly understand the overground structures first and wait for the arrival of experts in the field. With their assistance, the odds of a successful exploration would be much greater.

Mr. Rebry channeled a slow-moving Luminous Flame through his palm, spreading it over the coppery green-rust door. This was a simple yet practical spell from the Light Series that cleared dust. Any unclean substance clinging to the perimeter of the door would have nowhere to hide before this straightforward magic, which, of course, did not inflict much damage on the opponent.

As if cleansed by sunshine, the copper door seemed much brighter. Rebry, with gloved hands, gently pushed, and the door opened silently. A slight gesture from Rebry summoned a Puppet before the trio. Komer was taken aback, not expecting that this man was also skilled in Puppet Magic. The latter had been out gathering materials in previous days, and Komer had assumed he was crafting some special prop or scroll. He never anticipated that the man would create a Puppet instead. The Puppet’s expression was stiff, and although its form mimicked that of a human, it had an extra arm on its back holding a short sword. Rebry’s craftsmanship left much to be desired—the Puppet lacked any sense of beauty. Magicians universally agreed that only Puppets of artistic quality possessed the true spirit of Puppets, allowing flawless communication with their master and displaying the unique abilities Puppets are known for. Those made hastily and without care were nothing more than tools for fighting and struggled, not worthy of being called Puppets. They might more appropriately be termed props, and the Puppet under Rebry’s control certainly belonged to the latter category.