The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 488: Volume 11: Mist Cage and Smoke Lock

Chapter 488: Volume 11: Mist Cage and Smoke Lock

Gently plucking the seven-stringed harp in his hand, a few delightful notes immediately sprang up in the air, like wind spirits dancing gracefully aloft, giving one the urge to soar into the sky. The curtain of air magic surrounding him slowly dissipated, and of course, outsiders were unable to perceive this change in the elements of space magic. But Komer knew that the experiment he had designed to control air magic with musical notes had been a resounding success.

This magic curtain was in fact a hybrid of air magic and perception magic. It was controlled by two factors, one of which was touch. Should anyone enter its range, it would rapidly transform into a pre-set offensive magic array. Whether it was a mage or a martial arts expert who tried to force their way in, they would have to break the magic array first.

In order to protect his most important workshop, Komer deliberately set up a mixed magic array of earth-based and dark erosion magic. Dark erosion magic was a puzzle for any mage or paladin. To dispel it, one had to be a dark wizard or possess significant magical strength. As for the earth-based magic, Komer took advantage of the dark room set up beneath the room. On one hand, it could launch a powerful earth-based attack, and on the other, it could allow the equipment within the invaded room to escape into the underground passage below in the shortest time, thus protecting the equipment and items inside the room.

On the workbench still lay the round cylindrical metal tube, which was just starting to take shape. Just processing this metal tube had cost Komer a lot of effort. In the darkness, the magic metal alloy dark iron tube shimmered faintly with tiny sparks. This was due to the inclusion of Fenn Stone in the Usteel during forging, the ultimate extreme of fire-type magic minerals, an exceptionally unstable ore of fire magic power. Although it should be classified as a non-metallic ore, it could be forged in certain special ways to impart its magical properties to the metal, which was invaluable in enhancing the metal’s fire magic properties.

However, blending such an ore into metal was a challenge. Regardless of whether one is a smith or a mage, achieving this not only required a mastery of fire magic but also a profound understanding of both the metal and the nature of this fire magic power ore. Almost every such natural ore enriched with fire magic power exhibits varied characteristics, possessing mixed magical properties. For instance, some leaned towards the light series, the celestial fire of the light and fire magic blend, while others were inclined towards the dark class of nether yin fire, a fusion of dark and fire series. If one is not careful during forging and fails to control the temperature properly, not only could they fail to infuse the metal with the highly active sparkle of the fire magic ore, but the magic metal might also be ruined. More dangerously, it could even trigger an explosion of celestial or nether yin fire, which would be extremely dangerous for both the smith and the mage.

Maximi’s smelting workshop spent five working days scarcely managing to forge the Usteel into a cylindrical shape, and then another week to polish the inner wall of the cylinder smooth. The dwarf craftsmen in the workshop had no idea what this magic metal chimney, sent by the Lord’s Mansion to be processed, was intended for. To say it was a chimney, it seemed far too luxurious to be made of the expensive magic metal. And if it had another use, it certainly didn’t resemble any kind of magic equipment or prop. After countless debates over drinks, the dwarf craftsmen concluded that the Lord was likely designing some special magic array and needed this advanced magical instrument, incomprehensible to ordinary people.

After grinding the Fenn Stone into powder, the process of firing it with magic flame and soaking it in cathodic water was repeated three times. Finally, the flame magic power of the Fenn Stone was attached to the Usteel chimney. This endeavor took Komer five nights to complete, signifying the preliminary completion of the firing tube for the magic-armed cannon. The remaining work would be even more complex and difficult, yet Komer no longer had much time to focus on the development of the firing mechanism and the conversion and conduction device for the magic power ore. According to his own calculations, designing and completing these two key components would take at least six months, but his current heavy administrative duties left him little time to focus.

Originally, I had imagined that, as long as I had mastered the principles and the process, I could easily complete the design and prototype production in a short time. Now, I’ve realized this was nothing but a fantasy. Just to finish the design of the components alone required a great deal of time, and to machine these parts, merely preparing the magic metal materials was a wait of considerable duration. By my estimate, to complete a prototype of a magic-armed gun, just the cost of materials would be no less than 150,000 Gold Shields, not to mention the energy, time, and effort I would have to invest.

Gently caressing the dark metal chimney in his hand as one might stroke a beloved woman, Komer shook his head. The Gray Skulls would send someone every week or two to inquire about the progress. Considering their behavior on the Nether Sea, Komer felt he needed to test the patience of these folks. Mattdam’s port status was being heavily suppressed by the Homer Navy; under their very noses, these people remained indifferent. Although the agreement did not stipulate such a duty, this deliberate neglect still irked Komer. Support was a matter of reciprocity; he had already delivered several Mirror of Thousand Miles as promised, but now the Gray Skulls were wholly focused on competing with Katrina for supremacy in the North Mediterranean. Komer also no longer had that much time on his hands. Therefore, the magic-loaded gun project would simply have to be put on hold. After all, the grant that he had applied for from the Gray Skulls had not yet been fully honored, which provided a convenient excuse.

The wooden door opened softly, and a pair of dull eyes on a golden-cheeked face appeared, as if still not fully awake in a blur. Agile and flexible movements, along with open eyes, revealed that he was making considerable progress compared to previous times. Komer had given a psychic suggestion to the zombie at the far end of the room as soon as he entered the workspace, rousing it from slumber. After dealing with daily affairs, this place had become Komer’s most relaxing haven. For Komer, toiling away here was also a form of psychological rest and adjustment. The constant scheming and intrigue were exhausting, while trivial governmental affairs were a fast track to aging. Komer was growing increasingly fond of immersing himself in the world of magic, designing and crafting magical instruments, concocting and refining some potions, training zombies in response activities, enhancing his command over psychic power, and frolicking with that Pure Dark Mage Lome, whose original memories he had gradually erased. Even the notion of staying in the studio forever, working at his own pace, free from external influences and constraints, was a pleasing thought, though he knew it was merely a dream.

This was a spacious training room, equipped with wooden columns, ropes, iron balls, chains, and even hidden weapon chain boxes—everything needed for reaction training. The young girl mage stood next to Komer, watching curiously and quietly as the figure in the room moved about. The stiletto in her hand danced lightly through the air, and a shroud of grayish-black mist indicated the corpse had achieved the realm of magic and Fighting Qi. The fleeting shadow of the stiletto’s tip added a sense of mystery, as the ghostly figure darted and leaped among the columns, ropes, and swinging iron balls, even soaring through the air. Occasionally, when it activated a magic hidden weapon device, one or two projectiles would shoot out. Dodging, encountering, and attacking, its movements were fluid, not at all like a zombie, but rather an assassin primed for killing.

"Great Sage, your Silver Corpse has reached the highest level of its kind. Lome believes you can let it advance to the next stage of training," the girl’s tempting voice fully reverted to its original tone, devoid of the cold and murderous aura, which Komer found quite comfortable and natural to listen to.

Komer had gone to great lengths to completely erase the memories of this enchanting girl from the past, reviving the youthful vitality in her. The mask and makeup had long been removed, and her painted eyebrows and delicate face emanated a tranquility that could please any man. The ring-shaped hair bun added a playful touch to her head, with jet-black hair, and a youthful charm that was accentuated by a hint of mature elegance. Even though Komer saw her nearly every day, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of protective affection. Such a creature of natural beauty, yet nearly doomed to wither away in the stifling life of the Church of Light, brainwashed by countless doctrines that bound human nature. If Komer hadn’t rescued her from the Withered Soul Forbidden Land, this girl would have withered away within the suffocating atmosphere of the Church, eventually becoming one of those conservative and rigid old nuns.

However, Komer had to admit that the Church of Light was indeed unmatched in choosing talent, even though reviving this girl had cost him greatly. Her extraordinary attributes—the gift of great memory, keen perception, and innate magic ability—were treasures granted by Hades himself. After completing the spiritual cleansing and solidification technique, it took only one month for the girl to be able to discuss and exchange knowledge on Dark Magic fluidly with Komer. Of course, over this month, Komer had leveraged his powerful psychic strength and profound Psychic Magic to systematically instill his complete body of Dark Magic knowledge in the girl. But even so, it was astonishing. To have transformed from a pure Light Mage, a Protector of the Sanctuary of the Church of Light, into a Nether wizard—it was nothing short of miraculous, and even Komer felt an immense pride in his achievement.