The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 848: Volume 26: Accumulating Power, - 11: Army Corps

Chapter 848: Volume 26: Accumulating Power, Chapter 11: Army Corps

When Komer shared his thoughts and intentions with Newman, Newman’s intense interest was almost immediately piqued. For him, magic mechanisms were far more appealing than the "Star Magic Array," as they didn’t require profound magic spells or substantial mana. Instead, they largely depended on ingenious concepts for magic mechanisms and a good command over the choice of materials; magic played more of a supportive role, which, of course, was indispensable for the magic mechanisms.

Komer intentionally guided Newman toward certain areas of exploration, such as the magical enhancement of siege devices to strengthen their attack power and durability, and the installation of magical reaction devices on the City Wall to counter nocturnal stealth assaults by enemy Soldiers. These proposed ideas helped Newman step out of his misconceptions almost immediately and acknowledge his advantages in this field. Komer also generously promised to provide Newman with more Funds and support on magic materials and even to help him recruit some Magic Apprentices gifted in magic mechanisms to hasten the progress of his research.

However, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Newman immersing himself in the study of magic mechanisms did not help Komer resolve the current weakness of the Caucasian Mage Group. If, in the last Battle of Busen Plain, Uma’s Undead Army hadn’t restrained the power of the Royal Court Magicians and the Church of Light, the entire Caucasian Mage Group would have likely crumbled long ago—a pain Komer felt deeply. Without a powerful Mage force as a backup, the Army he meticulously trained would have to pay a much higher price to win a war.

Komer did not harbor extravagant hopes for the extent of his Mage force, but the severe situation in the North forced him to invest more effort into his Mage force. It was particularly challenging to recruit reliable and powerful Mages, especially since he had made clear his stance of potential confrontation with the Church of Light. Mages affiliated, even slightly, with the Church of Light were unlikely to join him readily. Under these circumstances, Komer was compelled to dedicate significant attention to Magic Arrays.

The secret chamber beneath Damarlinsk Castle left Komer with quite a few useful books, especially about Magic Arrays. Komer, during moments of Meditation, casually examined these when he had nothing else to do. A Magic Array, in essence, was about enhancing or overlaying certain large-scale magic or powers. To amplify and overlay such powers, special mediums were necessary, such as the induction of special Demon materials, or a specific minor spell as a catalyst, or even a particular naturally or artificially created environment. In a nutshell, a special inducer was needed, and importantly, one or several Mages capable of wielding such immense power were required to manage and control it to ensure that the Magic Array, once activated, released power in the direction intended by the caster.

This Earth Magic Array also emerged in Komer’s mind only after seeing Clarence’s proficiency in earth-based magic, and recalling the setup of the "Star Magic Array" beneath the obelisk in Damarlinsk Castle. However, like Space Magic and Psychic Magic, Star Magic was considered one of magic’s three least popular fields, and not many on the Continent were knowledgeable about Star Magic. Finding someone skilled in Star Magic was even more challenging. Except for Komer, only Newman had some exposure in this domain, and since he could not enter the battlefield himself, Komer had no choice but to rely on Newman.

Finding a replacement for Newman in Homer and the Caucasus was exceedingly difficult. Komer knew how crucial further bolstering his Mage Corps was for his future grand ambitions. However, ever since he had publicly appeared in the Caucasus, he had consciously maintained a certain distance from the Great Mysterium Sect. He did not want to fully expose his connection with the Dark Lineage before securing decisive control over Nicosia, as it would only cause the entire Northern Alliance to unite under the banner of the Church of Light. He still needed to be patient. Everything had to wait until his next plan succeeded before it could be truly implemented.

Komer sat blankly in his study within the Lord’s Mansion, pondering. Time, oh time, waits for no one, yet it forced him to stop and wait. Not everything was ready, neither his various preparations nor the political situation within the Kingdom of Nicosia allowed him to act according to his plans yet.

Komer’s army had just entered the drill phase, and under Lecler’s training, the Homer Knight Order had started to recover, but this still required time. Having inspected them a couple of times, Komer could tell that those haughty knights had not yet fully accepted him at heart as their lord. After all, previously infamous as one of the Three Wolves, he had suddenly become the lord of these knights. Even though he had already gained recognition from both Godeburg and Cartin, the knights still harbored deep-rooted aversion towards this ill-reputed, illegitimate noble. However, this did not matter much to him; he was convinced that it would only take time to gradually dissolve their doubts. Komer firmly believed that if he could stand shoulder to shoulder with them and share the bloodshed of two real battles, these proud knights would eventually accept him—he was confident of this.

The Barbarian infantry and Half-beastman infantry had been formally separated upon Komer’s recommendation; the Barbarian Army was named the Furious Wave Corps. They were primarily heavy charging infantry, equipped with double-bladed axe spears and light iron lamellar armor as their standard gear. The Earth Dragon Fighter Squadron and Thunder Peng Knight Squadron had been formed independently from the Furious Wave Corps. Komer did not want to see an intact Barbarian unit as this did not align with his thinking nor the interests of Homer and Caucasus.

The Half-beastman Army was named the Rock Corps, symbolizing the Half-beastmen’s unyielding tenacity. They would primarily consist of heavily armored infantry, capable of both attack and defense. Their spears, while slightly lighter than the Barbarians’ double-bladed axe spears, were even longer. At the same time, they were also equipped with huge, sturdy tower shields and slightly lighter kite shields. Their tough, two-ply iron lamellar armor was internally reinforced with tightly wound cowhide, which minimized the damage from light weaponry, and ordinary arrows couldn’t even penetrate this hybrid armor.

A new Mortal corps had also been formed, wherein Komer and Fran, after deliberations, decided to name it the Ghost Weasel Corps, symbolizing the troop’s agility and ferocity. Compared to the numbers of heavy infantry from Caucasus and Homer, this was more like a support unit. However, over time, this unit would further grow in strength as city defenses largely depended on them. Round shields and horse-chopping swords were their standard equipment, and they were also equipped with simple and convenient light crossbows to enhance their mid-range attack capabilities.

The final unit was undoubtedly composed of Half-Elves and Mortals forming the archer squad, with Half-Elves mainly constituting a powerful mid-to-long-range attack force, while Mortals primarily served as long-range heavy crossbowmen, marking the premiere candidate of the long-range attack units. Together, they formed the Flying Feather Corps, a military force into which Komer and Fran placed great expectations. Since its formation, this corps had scarcely suffered losses, and through several battles, it had rapidly grown, continuously bolstering its ranks. Initially exclusively consisting of Half-Elf soldiers, the increasing proportion of Mortals through real combat proved their irreplaceability in any military class.

The power of all five armies still required time to further integrate and perfect, especially the Barbarian troops that had been severely damaged in the last Busen Plain War. Besides firmly holding onto the soldiers provided by the Sanjia Tribe, the number of soldiers who came from small Barbarian tribes flooding into Caucasus to enlist had also significantly increased. However, whether in combat experience or skills, they still could not compare with the veteran soldiers, but this significantly reduced Komer’s dependence on the Sanjia Tribe’s soldiers. Although still in a deadlock with Sanjia, if they were to desperately call back their soldiers, it was uncertain how many would follow their original chief; if that were to happen, Komer would have to depend on the remaining veterans to lead a bunch of greenhorns.

Komer believed that his actions could hardly be concealed from Galle as well as Poznan and Silesia, but under the current circumstances, they could hardly react significantly to his movements. Apart from strengthening their own power, they seemed to have no other option. The quarrels between the two heirs had already led to the gradual decline of the entire central government system of the kingdom, which seemed like a good thing for the Great Lords, but on the other hand, it also harbored great risks. Without the restraint of central government, any Great Lord need not worry about consequences anymore. Both Homer and Galle could do as they pleased and could even legitimately buy a justification for actions, such as waging a war against a lord, without bearing any moral condemnation. (To be continued. For further details, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters, support the author, support authorized reading!)