Chapter 5: Indestructible

Good things don’t necessarily have to be obtained, nor are they always the best fit for one. Komer understood this well. He didn’t want to alienate himself from the Church of Pericles over this scroll. After all, it was the withdrawal of the Knights of Rema that had secured his victory in the battle of Plovdiv; otherwise, even with all his efforts, he might not have achieved such a good outcome.

The valuable contents of this scroll—such as magic spells, techniques to enhance magical power, and combat experience—needed to be copied and preserved. As for those blurry patterns that resembled water stains, Komer wouldn’t overlook them either. They might seem useless now, but who knew when they might prove essential? He didn’t want to regret it later.

This task was perfect for Finitz to handle. As a forest elf, she possessed innate sensitivity to ordinary objects. Since this scroll was created using magic overlay techniques, reproducing it manually would be extremely complicated and difficult. But as a forest elf, she had a natural affinity for wooden and wood-like materials. By using special wooden materials for replication, she could transfer the magical inscriptions and patterns onto wooden panels.

Of course, this would require considerable magical energy and could easily damage the scroll. Yet Komer trusted Finitz’s abilities—she had completed similar tasks many times before.

After making this decision, Komer felt much calmer. He needed time to reflect on himself and also time to process everything he had accumulated over the years.

Rebri was right—he seemed indeed too engrossed in worldly affairs, neglecting his fundamental cultivation, which was the foundation of his strength. Without it, he wouldn’t have been able to grow so rapidly. His extraordinary expansion rate was largely due to his superior fundamental power compared to other lords.

Without the Dark Primordial Force, Xuro and the others would not submit to him so easily, and Umma would certainly not accept him, let alone figures like Mihajlovic, Newman, and Vladkov. Without these fundamental forces, neither half-orcs nor barbarians seem likely to submit to his power. For these tribes that value strength above all, possessing great power—especially power that inspires fear—is the most direct means of control. They will only willingly serve their conquerors if they realize that the conqueror has far greater strength, which is entirely different from the principles inherited in human traditions.

Just as the Caucasus is the foundation of his rule and the barbarian military forces constitute his military base, his own Primordial Force is the core of his strength. Yet, he has neglected the cultivation of this force all this time.

With so many resources at his disposal—such as the scrolls in his possession and the vast collection of books obtained from Damansky Fortress, many of which are unique and rare—he hasn’t even had much time to examine them carefully, often skimming through them superficially. For dark mages, these books might be treasures they’ve long dreamed of possessing.

For someone who wields the Dark Primordial Force, having such resources allows him to master many spells more efficiently. The Eye of Darkness in Damansky Fortress is particularly effective in enhancing magical power. It’s a shame he hasn’t realized this; after all, he’s only spent a short time living in Damansky Fortress.

Looking at Big Bear’s performance over the years, his progress in the battles against Marko and Plovdiv has been almost nonexistent. Given that the battle against Marko was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a trialer, Big Bear’s advancement has been disappointing. It’s not that Big Bear’s innate potential is poor; rather, it’s because he has neglected to train him properly.

What exactly is he striving for? This question once again arises in Komer’s mind. In fact, Rebril had already hinted at it subtly, but Komer initially thought Rebril was merely asking him to find a proper balance between secular and religious powers. Now it seems he needs to define a more fundamental goal.

Secular forces? It seems I’ve already reached the peak. To move forward further, I would either have to advance into the Cordillera Wasteland or the Mogan Wasteland, or else challenge the entire Northern Alliance—both of which don’t seem very realistic at the moment.
What about religious beliefs? The Dark faction is eager to display its power in its own territory. Large numbers of Dark monks have begun entering the Caucasus, even openly challenging the existing Light Church. The Dark churches have been built right across from the Light churches— isn’t that an open provocation? Meanwhile, the Salvation Society is not only strengthening its own power but also actively undermining the Light Church. They can no longer hold back; perhaps they think they can now express their opinions openly. Comer really wants to ask the Salvation Society: Are you truly ready?
The complete withdrawal of the forces from St. Basil’s Church marks a relatively difficult period for the Light Church. But looking at the performance of the Pericles Church, Comer knows the Light Church will never easily withdraw from the stage that belongs to them. Temporary retreat is meant to lead to a more glorious resurgence. Whether it’s Frenst or Vazinki, or that inscrutable Julius II—thinking of the warnings Rebril gave him sends chills down Comer’s spine. This isn’t going to end so easily.
Comer feels a bit lost. Without a goal to strive for, life is like a rudderless ship. So what is my goal? Philip is no longer worth mentioning. Tracy has gone to Flanders, far away from Nicosia, which seems to be falling into my hands. What should I do then? Perhaps the only spiritual motivation left is to compete with the Light Church.
At this thought, Comer’s somewhat empty heart feels a little steadier. Fighting against the Light Church is full of fun—especially thinking about how he was once thrown into a spatial rift by those guys from the Inquisition. If he can’t get that revenge on them, Comer truly feels like a failure.
However, it’s not easy to completely defeat the Inquisition. Perhaps there are still divisions within the Light Church, with them undermining each other. But when their fundamental position is truly threatened, will they still stand by idly? Comer believes those guys from the Light Church aren’t that stupid.

Frenster had skillfully seized opportunities to become the most powerful force within the Church of Light. Even Julius II likely wouldn’t easily shake his position. Considering his ambiguous relationship with the orcs, Komer realized that this archbishop of the Periclean Church, who now claimed no interest in Nicomedia, might well become his greatest enemy in the future.

Interesting, truly interesting, Komer mused with interest. Knowing full well that this person would become his greatest enemy, he was now forced to return something that could strengthen him even further. This deal seemed like handing the executioner the rope meant to hang him—always feeling a chill around his neck. Yet without such a feeling, wouldn’t this challenge be rather dull?

While Komer pondered how his opponent might deal with him, Frenster was engrossed in playing with the Soul Ring in his hand.

“Denebi, why hasn’t the Vatican Palace shown any reaction after losing these items? If the Pope truly wanted to retrieve them, it would be effortless. The Pope isn’t in seclusion for cultivation—why would they just let it slide?”

“Archbishop, the Pope’s thoughts are beyond ordinary people’s comprehension. The Soul Ring is a treasure passed down through centuries in our faith, along with those scrolls that have been kept in the Vatican Palace for years. The Pope has never allowed anyone to view them—so why is he indifferent now that they’re lost?” Denebi was equally puzzled. “Could it be that this Soul Ring is…?”

“Denebi, do you really lack confidence in your judgment? This Soul Ring is genuine. I can feel the souls inside roaring, the vengeful spirits howling. It’s a pity they can only do that much.” Frenster shook his head. “Listening to the howls of those dark undead is truly delightful, Denebi. Would you like to experience it?”

Denebi shook his head. He knew his limits. Those spirits trapped in the Soul Ring had been vengeful kings for countless years. If not handled carefully, their howls would only harm him.

“The Soul Ring, the scrolls… I really want to see the descriptions of those interesting events in the scrolls. I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time.” Frenster’s face lit up with joy, yet his gaze seemed to pierce through all obstacles ahead, toward some distant place. An unspoken phrase lingered in his mind: “Without reading the scrolls, one cannot become a great master. Great master… why can’t I see this?”