Chapter 23: A Battle That Captivates Hearts (6)

The dark castle lay before them like a dormant giant. The warm and humid climate of the Caucasus seemed to vanish instantly, replaced by an indescribable chill that stemmed from deep within, one that seemed to penetrate to the very bones of everyone.
Caesar calmly observed the solitary castle, standing tall and proud on this plain, its murderous aura gradually eroding people’s wills.
“Is this Damansky Castle?” Caesar’s lips twitched slightly, though his eyes remained fixed on the castle’s ancient gates, as if trying to uncover traces of past history from those aged doorways.
“Indeed, Damansky Castle—the symbol of the Caucasus, a castle known as the Demon Castle,” Lorenzo sighed softly. “Today’s battle will make it famous in history.”
“Damansky Castle does indeed have a certain presence. Lord Noyora, do you sense anything?” Caesar asked, tilting his head slightly.
“Lord Caesar, do you mean the gloomy aura?” Noyora countered. “This castle is strategically located atop a natural ‘eye of darkness.’ The abyssal forces of hell seem to flow endlessly from here, as if it were meant for evil beings from the start.”
“It seems Lord Komer anticipated our arrival. He’s quite clever—waiting patiently while taking advantage of the home field,” Caesar laughed, his eyes filled with mockery. “If he thinks this will solve everything, he’s far too naive.”
“Lord Caesar, never underestimate him. Even when Lorenzo and I joined forces to throw him into a spatial rift, we couldn’t defeat him. He returned anyway. Though I hate that guy, he’s indeed a formidable opponent,” Noyora said seriously, not wanting them to be careless.
“Hmm, I can sense he’s already waiting for us. Perhaps he’s even more eager for this battle than we are,” Caesar’s tone changed. “Then let’s see what kind of mysteries await us to overcome.”
Thirty-plus cavalry units formed a neat formation as they slowly approached the castle. Caesar’s expression grew increasingly relaxed—he was genuinely interested. A figure shrouded in so many mysteries was about to be revealed before him. Such an extraordinary journey, a sudden and dramatic rise—how could a rogue youth reach such heights in just a few years? Caesar was truly looking forward to it.

The ancient bronze-green gates seemed to be blown open by a gust of wind, silently swinging open before everyone. A melodious voice, amplified through magic, echoed: “Honored guests have arrived—why not enter the fortress and take a look?”
“It’s better to obey than to refuse, Lord Komer. Meeting you today must be a great event for the continent as well.” Caesar nodded slightly and led his horse forward. His eyes sparkled as he scanned the surroundings, while his ears tried to pinpoint the source of the voice. To his disappointment, the speaker had clearly used magic to disperse the sound, making it impossible to determine its exact location.
Yet once they stepped through the gates of Damorlensk Fortress, everything became clear.
At the forefront stood a man in a simple mage’s robe, his face showing a hint of determination. A faint glow emanated from the staff in his hand as he stood proudly in the square beneath the obelisk. Behind him were several people of varying appearances, all of whom had clearly been waiting for Caesar and his party.
“Lord Komer?” Caesar stopped his horse and fixed his gaze on the young man’s steady face.
“That’s right, Lord Caesar. I’ve long heard of your fame. It’s truly a fortune to meet you today.” Komer appeared quite relaxed. He stretched his right hand backward and said, “These are my friends. They heard that Lord Caesar would be visiting Damorlensk Fortress and couldn’t help but rejoice. To meet the leader of the renowned Wind Riders across the continent—well, it’s a lifetime achievement for them.”
“Oh?” Caesar’s gaze sharpened as he glanced slightly behind Komer. He hadn’t expected that even knowing the Wind Riders were allied with the Tribunal, there would still be so many reckless people daring to confront them. Did they really think the Light Church had declined to the point of being ignored?
“Lord Komer, may I introduce your friends who have come from afar?”
“Of course.” Komer smiled. “These are knights from our Nicomedia Black Flame Knights Order: Vladkov, Sorenberg, Jacques…”
“Dark Knights?” A faint smile appeared on Caesar’s lips as his sharp eyes scanned the faces of Vladkov, Sorenberg, and the others. Yet Vladkov and Sorenberg remained calm, even showing some anticipation, which surprised Caesar. At least he couldn’t detect any emotional fluctuations on their faces, meaning they must have known the purpose of his party long ago.
“Well, you can call them that,” Komer shrugged. “These three are Sobchak from Bessarabia, along with his friends…”

“Well, the Eagles of Bessarabia? Even the people of Bessarabia want to get involved in this chaos?” Caesar’s sharp gaze pierced Sobchak’s face. Sobchak wore a bitter expression, but he remained calm under Caesar’s intense stare.
“Lord Caesar, aren’t you here to stir up this chaos as well?” Komer realized that the other man’s presence was already overwhelming him, and he had to counterattack. “Do you think we can avoid or dodge it?”
Caesar turned his gaze back to Komer. The contemptuous expression on the latter’s face finally stirred a hint of anger in Caesar’s otherwise calm heart. This guy was too arrogant.
“Very well. I hope you won’t regret it.” Caesar nodded firmly and said no more.
“Lord Caesar, since we’ve embarked on this path, we have no intention of regretting it. It’s as simple as asking you now whether you regret joining the Church of Light. To pursue the dreams we’ve strived for our entire lives—even if it means death, it’s a death worth having. A person without dreams or aspirations, living in this world, is no different from an animal, living in ignorance.” Komer shook his head. “Lord Caesar, I think we needn’t attack each other’s views. I believe both of us understand that we’re not children who will give up our positions just because of someone else’s words or threats.”
Caesar laughed. “Lord Komer, setting aside our differences, I must admit you’re a remarkable man. At least it’s not easy to inspire the people behind you to stand with you. But let me tell you—while you can be so arrogant when facing others, you’re not good enough even in front of the Wind Riders!”
“Whether I’m good enough isn’t up to me, nor is it up to you, Lord Caesar. Indeed, the Wind Riders enjoy a great reputation on the Azure Continent, but that’s just the past. The philosophers have long told us that only the present can bury history. If you can’t understand this truth and continue to indulge in past glory, then I can only say that you and your Wind Riders will end up as mere dust in the trash heap of history.”
Such bold and reckless words even Caesar, usually calm and composed, couldn’t help but become furious.
Who in the entire continent would dare speak such nonsense? Even the entire Bohemian Court Magic Knights would not be so presumptuous. And yet, this young boy dared to insult them freely today. How could this be tolerated?

Nuo Yaola and Lorenzo also suddenly changed color, while the Wind Riders were filled with rage. If not for the Iron Discipline of the Wind Rider Order restraining them, a great battle might have erupted on the spot!
“Very good, Lord Komer. I’d like to ask—who can take on such a heavy responsibility?” Caesar, though inwardly furious, remained calm, even showing a faint smile. But if you observed closely, you’d notice his thick eyebrows were sharply raised—something familiar to everyone as a sign that Caesar was extremely angry.
“You’ll see. You can see it today,” Komer said with a slight smile.
“Just them?” Caesar’s sharp gaze swept behind Komer. His youthful fervor was now boiling over due to Komer’s words.
The contempt in Caesar’s tone also angered those behind Komer. Though the Wind Rider Order was renowned across the continent, the Light Church’s influence was waning, yet the Wind Rider Order hadn’t stepped in to change that. Instead, the Inquisition had become infamous. As Komer said, the tide of history couldn’t be reversed by any one person or group. This battle would witness the direction of that tide.
Stari’s gaze shifted to the other side. He wasn’t very interested in this Caesar Knight. Although he realized this knight was an unprecedentedly powerful mortal, he was more interested in the female warrior on the other side of the crowd. The jellyfish people’s keen sense told him that woman was by no means a knight—her body exuded a strong aura, one unique to dragons, and quite familiar.
Apart from the ice dragon they had fought in the swamp, Stari couldn’t recall ever encountering a dragon before. Yet now, before him stood a plump and alluring mortal form—which surprised him greatly. Could his sense be failing? Impossible. There was only one answer: that woman was actually the ice dragon in human form!
Thinking of that chaotic battle, Stari’s blood boiled with excitement. Before coming here, Komer hadn’t revealed the specifics, but Stari knew the jellyfish people had no choice. For the health of their entire race, even sacrificing their lives was worth it! Yet he hadn’t expected the ice dragon to appear here too, and even more so, to be on the same side as him.

Thinking of this, Stari couldn’t help but regard Comer, who was engaged in a verbal duel with Caesar, with a bit more respect. If this ice dragon could truly transform into its dragon form, then no matter how strong that Caesar knight was, he would likely have little chance of winning!