Chapter 14: Oaths

“Well said! The Church of Light today is nothing but a toothless tiger—no, calling them toothless Tigers is an overstatement; they are merely puppets who use spiritual poison to dull the faith of the people while doing nothing but idling. Though they appear lofty and fearsome, they are in reality weak and easily shattered. Look at their performance over the years—how poorly they fared in the wars against the orcs, claiming to be protectors of mortals. I even doubt whether the Church of Light is nothing but a bunch of swindlers and vermin wearing the guise of glory. The Kingdom of Nicomedia has even lost its capital to the orcs, yet they can only utter a few pretentious cries without taking any real action. How can such worthless faith claim to be the guardians of humanity? Do they deserve respect? It’s utterly ridiculous!”
Komer kept on blabbering, showing off his eloquence. These people before him would become his most powerful vanguard against the Church of Light, and he had to keep them firmly under his control to maximize their effectiveness. For them, money and power were secondary; what mattered most was winning their allegiance, making them feel that they could represent their voices. Only then could he effectively gather them around him, willing to die for him.
“I think they’re just lucky enough to have relied on the little legacy left by their ancestors to show off and deceive ordinary fools all these years. In truth, they’re already on the verge of collapse. This era belongs to us, the ambitious Dark faction. History only moves forward, and those who stand in its way will become stepping stones beneath the wheels of time. Let’s be the gravediggers of the Church of Light.”

Kummer’s eyes also shone with excitement, his deep and powerful voice becoming even more persuasive. “I’ve always hoped that the Dark Sect would show its strength in the battle against the Light Church. It seems Xuro hasn’t disappointed me this time—he’s brought me the most devoted and loyal followers of our Dark Sect. You too are the strongest foundation of our Dark Sect. With you by our side, our Dark Flame will never go out under any circumstances. This is my expectation for you. The North has always been the stronghold of the Light Church. Here, our struggle against this decaying Light Church has just begun. If we can completely strip away the weak facade of the Light Church in this battle, I believe the entire Azure Continent will belong to our Dark Sect.”

These radicals, who were already dissatisfied with the Southern Dark Holy Church’s gradual shift toward peace, had always been fanatics within the Southern Dark Sect. They were quite dissatisfied with the Dark Sect’s current status. When the Great Secret Sect and other dark sects united under the banner of the Dark Holy Church, they naturally became the vanguard. Whether it was spreading dark doctrines, engaging in direct conflict with the Light forces, or exerting pressure on secular powers, either openly or secretly, they never hesitated. But as the Dark Holy Church gradually established its dominance in the South, it also needed to share power and coexist peacefully with the ruling classes in secular governments. Only in this way could the newly risen Dark Holy Church truly gain a firm foothold. For Xuro and others, these fanatical radicals gradually became obstacles to the Dark Holy Church’s full integration into the world. They themselves also realized that they no longer fit in with the mainstream forces of the Dark Holy Church, and coming to the North was undoubtedly the best choice.

Komer’s skillful inflammatory words spread like water over smooth stones; their restless emotions were instantly ignited by his speech. The fanaticism in their eyes was unmistakable, and the flushes on their faces showed that these dark mages’ emotions had reached their peak, like a boiling volcano ready to erupt. They never expected that the Dark Lord, who had always seemed low-key and mild according to the Abyssal Envoys, would have such an aggressive and clear stance, even declaring war on the Light Church so openly. How could they not be both surprised and delighted? Having always felt suppressed by the mainstream, they now realized that the Dark Lord was not as indecisive as those in power claimed. Komer had completely conquered the hearts of these fanatical mages with his impassioned words.

“Honorable Dark Lord, I, Giovanni Gamboronia, swear allegiance to you. I will always uphold the vows of our Dark Holy Church and dedicate my life to its glorious cause.”

As the lead dark mage, completely conquered by Komer’s eloquent declaration, knelt on one knee and swore allegiance to him with his hand on his chest, the other dark mages behind him, influenced by him, also knelt and swore allegiance one after another. The scene turned into something truly exhilarating, beyond Komer’s expectations and filling him with pride. Although he had subtly infused his words with a little spiritual magic, given that these mages were powerful figures in the dark arts, he didn’t dare use spells too overtly, lest they detect it and ruin the situation he had painstakingly created. He hadn’t expected his words to have such a wonderful effect, making these dark mages feel deeply grateful to him—even Komer himself was surprised and pleased.

“Everyone, you are precious treasures of our dark lineage. We are all extremely devoted and firm in our beliefs. I believe that as long as we unite, no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, we will surely conquer them. The blessings of the Dark Holy Church will spread across the entire continent.” Komer’s face shone with an unusual radiance, his eyes blazing with intensity. His raised hands seemed to want to embrace the whole world. At that moment, he seemed to be envisioning a bright future, even forgetting the many troubles and crises ahead of him.

“My Lord Dark Sovereign, please give your orders. We did not come to the north to indulge in pleasure. It fills us with shame that you have managed to establish such a vast domain in such a short time. Yet we still do not quite understand why the Church of Light still exists in the Caucasus. Can your realm truly tolerate the existence of these vermin? Why not eradicate them immediately?” Another mage, whose face was flushed red, couldn’t help but step forward and demand loudly. Their emotions were stirred, and they clearly wanted to take action right away to prove their loyalty and faith in the Dark Order.

“Sorka, do not be presumptuous. My Lord Dark Sovereign surely has his reasons. Indeed, we are very puzzled about this. Perhaps My Lord Dark Sovereign can clarify this doubt in our minds?” Giovanni from the Great Secret Order, whose complexion had gradually returned to its normal pale state, was undoubtedly the leader among these dark mages. Xuro had also subtly informed Komer about the extraordinary background of this influential Giovanni Giamboronia. The Giamboronia family was a highly prominent clan throughout the southern regions. Yet as the sole legitimate heir of this family, Giovanni had abandoned all its honors and status, willingly joining the Great Secret Order. Thanks to his exceptional talent, hard work, and his willingness to provide funds and support at any cost, he quickly became one of the high priests of the Great Secret Order. His fanatical and stubborn nature even gave Xuro headaches. Especially later on, his special status helped to fuel a large number of radical forces. It was for this reason that Xuro had to meet with Giovanni in person and ultimately persuade him to come to the north to serve the Dark Sovereign, aiming to help establish a new domain for the Dark Holy Church there.

“Gentlemen, the Light Holy Church has been able to stand for hundreds of years for a reason. Philosophers have long told us that existence is reasonable. First, we need to understand why the Light Church was able to defeat our Dark Holy Church hundreds of years ago. To find out the reason, we must understand the Light Church. Only by understanding our opponent can we formulate targeted strategies. Although the Light Church is now just a group of declining sheep, they once enjoyed glory for centuries. Hundreds of years of experience are no trivial matter. We are not arrogant ignoramuses; showing necessary respect for our opponents is also a form of respect for ourselves. That’s why I’ve tolerated some things that seem intolerable,” Komer cleverly argued. “Another important reason is that I’ve always believed in capturing the leader first. There’s no need to get entangled with those insignificant lower-level figures. We need to deal with those who hold great power, like the Inquisition and the Pericles Church. Only by completely overthrowing these forces can we truly be considered to have defeated our enemies. Once these forces fall, the rest will naturally dissipate.”

Giovanni pondered the meaning behind Komer’s words for a while, though still somewhat reluctant. He didn’t stubbornly argue with Komer on this issue. Although he was fanatically devoted, he wasn’t completely ignorant of the world. Growing up in the Gamboronia family gave him richer life experience than many others. If not for his excessive obsession with dark doctrines, he could have become a more important figure in the Dark Holy Church—something he was also aware of. But he didn’t care about that. He was more willing to see the Dark Holy Church spread its seeds across the entire Land of Azure and see them take root, and he was willing to make efforts for that.

“Lord Dark Monarch, you just said that one of our important tasks is to go to Marco. We’re all looking forward to this task. I wonder what exactly we’re going to do there?” Giovanni wisely changed the subject.

“Rescue someone—a person who is extremely important to our Dark Holy Church, someone who can play a significant role in its development,” Komer began to use his eloquence again.

“Oh?” Giovanni and the other mages looked filled with confusion. Who could possibly deserve such a massive effort? Although they had spoken ill of the Church of Light just now, everyone present knew that its power was not that fragile—many attempts to challenge it had failed to shake its authority. This mission to Marco was likely to unleash chaos and bloodshed. To pull teeth from a tiger’s mouth required thorough preparation, at least a clear understanding of the goal.

“We are going to rescue Mr. Rebrí. He is a true warrior who dared to abandon the Church of Light’s hollow fame and repent to dedicate himself to reviving our dark order. Such noble sentiments even I can only admire. In the last confrontation with Inquisitor Nojola and Lorenzo, he and I were sent to another dimension, while I managed to escape from that realm, but he never managed to break free from the Inquisition’s grasp. That’s why I’ve decided our first battle against the Church of Light must begin here.” Komer spoke with a sense of righteous indignation, yet his brows were shaded with deep sorrow, moving the dark mages deeply.

“Oh? My Lord Dark Monarch, how could we abandon such a steadfast man? Please include us in this battle. It would be an honor for us to participate. To see those self-proclaimed defenders of the faith from the Inquisition would make our trip to the North worthwhile.” Giovanni’s eyes shone with excitement; how could he not be thrilled at the prospect of such an anticipated bloodbath, especially since he longed to offer his blood to the Dark God?

“You will get your wish, Giovanni. Everyone, the North is not as peaceful as the South. It is filled with darkness, yet it also holds countless opportunities. To write a glorious chapter in dark history here, we must be prepared to shed blood. Only then can we open a new chapter for our Dark Holy Order. I know you all have sincere hearts. I believe that as long as we strive, our efforts will surely bear fruit.”