Chapter 15: Conquest
Having successfully brought six dark mages under his control, Komer felt much better. He could tell that Giovanni’s magical skill had likely reached the level of a grand mage. Giovanni’s bold style made it easy for Komer to sense his strength. The other mage, named Conti, was also formidable—only slightly inferior to Giovanni—though he clearly preferred to stay low-key. Aside from a few movements of his lips when swearing loyalty, Komer hadn’t heard him say a word since.
The true strength of dark mages could only be demonstrated through dark magic, but that didn’t mean they could only cast dark spells. Specialization was necessary, but knowing or mastering one or two other spells could be extremely useful at times. Thus, aside from those mages who were confident in their own spells to handle any situation, almost every mage possessed one or two other magical skills.
“Mr. Solka, your dark magic power is already quite refined, but you can further improve the speed at which you cast dark spells. For example, if you can release your dark energy more quickly in spells like Dark Devourment, its effectiveness will greatly increase.” Seeing Solka’s somewhat dissatisfied expression, Komer smiled faintly and said, “Of course, improving the speed of spellcasting isn’t easy. I happen to have a training principle that can help you make progress in this area. I hope it will be beneficial to you.”
He pulled Solka closer and whispered a few words of magic to him. Solka’s expression shifted from confusion to understanding, and eventually, his face lit up with excitement and enlightenment, his joy and realization unmistakable.
“Mr. Conti, I sense that your dark magic and power have reached a very high level. But it seems you’ve hit a bottleneck. Reaching this plateau is difficult, but once overcome, it will allow you to advance directly to the rank of grand mage. I suggest you hone your mindset through meditation. As dark mages, we’re prone to being disturbed by external negative factors, making it hard to maintain a calm state of mind. You must be aware of this. If you can calm down, set aside distractions, and meditate while consciously restraining all your desires, I believe you can make breakthroughs in a relatively short time.”
Conti’s mastery was clearly superior to Sorka’s; he no longer needed Komer’s guidance on specific methods. At his current level, he could even benefit from theoretical insights. Komer’s words were like a path through the mist, instantly lighting up Conti’s eyes. Conti knew he had been stuck at this level for quite some time but had never found the right breakthrough. The reason he had come to the north was partly in hopes of gaining inspiration by competing with the masters of the Light Church. Unexpectantly, his secret had been seen through by this dark lord right away. Could this guy really be the reincarnation of the Dark Emperor? Although Conti respected Komer greatly and even swore loyalty to him, deep down he still saw Komer merely as a savior who could help the Dark Holy Church out of its troubles. The status of the Dark Emperor, Kenifer III, was unmatched among the followers of darkness, almost on par with the Dark God itself. If this man was indeed his reincarnation… At the thought of this, Conti’s heart began pounding wildly—it would be the greatest fortune of his life. After briefly observing the performance of these dark mages, Komer’s casual comments immediately made them look at him with admiration. On the surface, Komer appeared humble, but his precise guidance instantly changed their earlier respectful expressions, with admiration and shock evident on their faces. Even Giovanni and Conti were visibly shaken. The ability to easily assess the skill levels of mages and provide crucial guidance was truly admirable. Superior guidance often helped many mages see the light, reducing unnecessary trial and error and minimizing risks during their training—a rare gift for any magic practitioner. Yet, in such a process, it was extremely difficult for practitioners to receive such help, as everyone’s methods and progress varied greatly. Even those within the same school differed significantly. Offering unsolicited comments would only lead to ridicule. Those who dared to critique others must possess profound knowledge and expertise in the field—a fact widely recognized in the magic world.
Komer’s move immediately won over all the dark mages present, including Giovanni. His words weren’t some profound or esoteric philosophy, but they precisely helped the mages see through the fog on their path of cultivation, greatly reducing unnecessary wasted time. If his earlier impassioned speech had united Komer with the dark mages, then his actions once again elevated him as their leader, firmly grasping the pulse of the group.
Everything seemed to be moving along Komer’s planned course. The allegiance of the dark mages gave him more confidence. Together with Mihajevic, Newman, Clarence, and Schaeffer, a medium-sized mage group had finally taken shape. If they could successfully rescue Rebrí, along with him as a guest mage, it could barely be called a large mage group, but all that would have to wait until Rebrí returned.
Komer was already considering who to send into this battle.
The main members of the mage group naturally couldn’t be left out. Marco wasn’t like other places—although one might speak down on the Church of Light as worthless, in actual combat, no one was a fool. The Church of Light had stood firm for centuries despite challenges from numerous dark forces; it was by no means an easy opponent. It was full of talented individuals and skilled experts, and the slightest carelessness could mean certain death. Komer dared not be careless either.
Even with just the mage group’s strength, a surprise attack might still be insufficient. Komer needed to consider the worst-case scenario: if the Inquisition, entrenched in the Prison Tower, received support from other forces in Marco City while the allies failed to control the situation, things could change.
In Marco City, aside from the military power of the Western Vatican, there were also the church forces led by the archbishops of Frenst and Vazinki. They had not only Holy Saints but also many quasi-saint knights at their disposal. Once they detected any abnormalities on the side of the Inquisition, they could respond in no time. Komer had to account for this possibility.
Komer planned to include Sorenberg and Vladkov in this operation as well. With the increasingly skilled Shatima added, this trio of warriors would possess considerable strength. Komer had originally hoped that Leclerc could also become a loyal member of his forces, but it seemed the time was not yet right—especially when it came to challenging the Church of Light, as it was still difficult for knights deeply rooted in the faith to accept such a move. Thus, Komer could only rely on Shatima to perform well in the battle to save Rebrí.
Komer also hoped that Bayezid, Javier, and Brianos would join this adventure, but after weighing the pros and cons, he gave up on that idea. Like Ilot, the three of them might be quite effective in conventional warfare, but in a clash between top fighters, they would not only be of no help but also cause unnecessary trouble. The principle of fewer, better fighters was at the heart of this mission.
“Is everything arranged?” Komer didn’t look up, his gaze fixed on the detailed map on the desk before him. It was Marco’s detailed map of the city. The Inquisition and the cathedrals governed by the two archbishops stood in a tripartite balance, each located in one of the three directions of Marco City. Meanwhile, the Western Vatican Palace and the church led by the Pope were precisely in the center of Marco City. It was said to be the place where the God of Light descended to earth, and it was here that the Church of Light gradually emerged.
“Hmm, everything has been discussed. The Order of Salvation has agreed to create some minor chaos on the flanks of the two cathedrals before we act, to draw their attention. It would be ideal if we could also lure the knight orders over. The Western Vatican Palace and church under Archbishop Julius can be ignored. The Pope’s Windborne Knights will not leave the Western Vatican Palace without the Pope’s orders, and Julius is currently in meditation and cannot emerge. So as long as we can break through the defenses of the Prison Tower in the shortest time possible, the mission will succeed. The defenses of the Prison Tower aren’t very strong; the only concern is that it’s too close to the Inquisition’s headquarters, which could likely bring reinforcements there quickly. Please take this into careful consideration, my lord.”
“Is that all? Is this the result of your efforts over such a long time?” Komer continued to stare fixedly at the map, not even glancing at the half-orc hybrid who had stood respectfully aside reporting, his tone somewhat peculiar, which made Mahagumi feel uneasy. Fran, who had been sitting nearby, gave Mahagumi a comforting smile. After pondering for a long time, Komer finally asked as if to himself, “Can I trust the promises of the Salvation Society?”
Mahagumi cautiously glanced at Komer’s expression and after some thought, said hesitantly, “My lord, I think since the Salvation Society took so long to come up with such an insignificant plan, it should be trustworthy. Otherwise, they could have simply agreed right away and used some other objective reason to shirk responsibility at the last moment.”
“Hmph, then aren’t they afraid of my revenge?” Komer retorted.
“Yes, that’s why I believe they wouldn’t lie to you. But it’s unrealistic to expect them to do much to draw the attention of the two major churches. In the end, we still have to rely on our own strength,” Mahagumi said, feeling relieved that Komer had finally spoken.
“Nonsense! Don’t you know we can only rely on ourselves?” Komer snapped, and Mahagumi quickly lowered his head.
“Fran, what do you think of this plan?” Komer asked, raising his head. His attitude toward Fran improved significantly.
“My lord, I’m not familiar with the strength of both sides. I can only share my thoughts on your plan,” Fran nodded. “It should be fine if we have an absolute advantage in strength to rescue Mr. Rebrí. The problem is how our people can escape after rescuing him. The Rema Knights of Frenst and the Sky Falcon Knights of Vazinki are both very powerful. If they corner us, it will be difficult for our people to get away. Also, I wonder if the rescue channels along the route are in place. That’s crucial. Once our people escape Marko, they’ll need to use disguises continuously to deceive the enemy and allow us to escape quickly. But that’s within the territory of the Northern Alliance, where this issue is especially important. The Light Church can easily get support from local secular forces. We must escape to the western kingdoms under orc control in a short time. Only then can we be initially out of danger. Before that, if the knights of the Light Church chase after us, we must find a way to stop them so we can escape.”
Komer took Fran’s opinions very seriously, his finger following Fran’s as it moved across the map. Although Fran approached the issue purely from a military perspective, she still provided Komer with valuable insights, especially with her insightful suggestions regarding the escape plan. He had initially thought that escaping from Marco would be enough to consider it a success, but upon reflection, if the two knight orders really pursued them, relying solely on a group of mages to fight against the knights in the wilderness would likely result in a slim chance of victory. Even if they managed to escape, it would probably come at a heavy cost.
Subconsciously, Komer drew a large circle covering the distance from Marco to the western part of the kingdom. This was a dangerous stretch—pure wilderness where the knight orders could fully utilize their combat advantages. The risk was quite high. Even if they succeeded in Marco, it was doubtful to what extent the people from the Salvation Society could hold off the forces of the two churches. Komer never relied on others for his own fate, so if he wanted to prevent the enemy from escaping, he needed to think carefully.