Chapter Thirteen: Be Prepared for Adversity

Her pure and charming face suddenly flushed with a gorgeous crimson hue. Even Ko Mer couldn’t help but widen his eyes. Until now, Uma had not fully taken control of this body. But one thing was certain: even this saintess of St. Basil’s Church could only maintain her inner light in the darkness throughout her life. Regaining control over this body was almost impossible, unless Uma could be utterly destroyed at its core.
But Ko Mer couldn’t imagine anyone else in this world capable of doing that. Neither Frenster nor Vazinki seemed likely to succeed. Perhaps Julius II could, but would he give him such a chance?
The rose-colored blush gradually faded, and Uma’s face returned to its icy pale tone. Ko Mer watched with interest as this dark elder, having lost her true self, tried to subdue her opponent. Clearly, she failed. The Church of Light was extremely selective when choosing its saintesses, especially when it came to tempering their wills, setting many barriers along the way. Saint Elena’s performance far exceeded Ko Mer and Uma’s expectations.
“Uma, still no way?” Ko Mer crossed his arms and carefully observed her smooth face. The redness had faded, but her expression remained unchanged, indicating that Uma’s efforts had once again failed.
“Hmm, these damned Church of Light folks. I really can’t imagine how they manage to train people’s wills to be so stubborn. Every time I fall short—it’s so frustrating,” Uma said, also disappointed. She could see her dark powers gradually eroding everything in the other’s mind, yet she always failed at the last moment, leaving her utterly disheartened.
“Do you think the Church of Light, having endured for hundreds of years, lacks any real skills? If it were that easy to solve these problems, the Church of Light would have long since perished,” Ko Mer shook his head slightly. “Don’t worry. We have plenty of time. Time can erode everything.”
“But I’m not willing to give up! Being constantly held back like this prevents me from fully dedicating myself to training. Such a perfect set of abilities remains unused—this is like deliberate torture,” Uma said through gritted teeth. “Without it, I can’t master many of the most advanced techniques.”
“Hmm, then maybe you need my help. I’m confident I have some expertise in this area,” Ko Mer suggested kindly. “Sometimes, relying solely on one’s own strength isn’t the best approach.”

“No, no. I must solve this problem on my own; otherwise, with this flaw, I will never reach the pinnacle.” Uma was firm on this point. Mental setbacks were undoubtedly the greatest harm to a magician. Rather than let others help, Uma preferred to bear the greater cost and try it herself. This was an inevitable part of magic cultivation—if things went too smoothly, it only meant greater dangers might lie ahead.

“Then that’s good. Now you have time to achieve everything you want.” Komer stretched his body. “How about you go back to beneath Damorlensk Fortress first? The strong dark atmosphere there might help you wield your mental magic more effectively.”

Uma hesitated. The environment at Damorlensk Fortress was naturally the best, but three centuries of solitude made her afraid to return there. Even though she could enter and leave freely, she still subconsciously rejected the suggestion.

“Komer, do you really think it’s safe for you to leave now?”

“What, Uma? Do you think something’s wrong?” Komer became alert and immediately asked back.

“I can’t say for sure, but I always feel it’s strange that our Dark faction can remain so calm. In the past, Emperor Kenifer was betrayed when he reached the peak in every aspect, resulting in his downfall and eternal disgrace. Now it seems you’ve also reached a glorious peak, with even the members of the Light Church having to submit to your power. Do you really think they’ll submit willingly?”

Uma’s words shocked Komer. Was this jinx predicting something?

Frenst and Vazinki had already compromised with him, the Salvation Society had to yield under his dominance, and the Dark faction could only rely on his strength to maintain balance. All this made him somewhat complacent. The peak of worldly power had made his mind overheated. Everyone cheered for his achievements, expecting him to reclaim Jazair and create even greater glory, without realizing the crisis he faced.

But what crisis was it exactly?

Komer pondered deeply. In terms of the secular world, even if the Northern Alliance and orcs joined forces, they might not pose much of a threat. The three knight orders, along with the armed forces of barbarians and half-orcs, were enough for him to face any enemy with ease. But what if there was chaos within the three knight orders?

Komer’s mind was slightly troubled. Undoubtedly, his foundation among the three major knight orders was not solid, and his control over them was far weaker than that over the armed forces of barbarians and half-orcs—indeed, it could be said to be quite fragile.
If, under some special circumstances, the three major knight orders turned against him collectively, or even if they remained neutral as a group, he might end up collapsing and disappearing just as Uma had said.
But could the Northern Alliance and the orcs do such a thing? The answer was definitely no. However, just because the Northern Alliance and the orcs couldn’t do it didn’t mean no one else could. Komer pondered silently—what about the Light Church?
Would Frenst and Vazinki continue to compromise with him like this? The answer was no. Clearly, this was only a temporary compromise, and all parties needed time to catch their breath and process things. So, for now, he seemed safe. But this was only under normal circumstances. Once other forces got involved, the situation might change—and very likely in a way that was unfavorable to him.
At that moment, Komer thought deeply, cold sweat trickling down his spine.
It’s never too early to be prepared for danger.