The Vastness of Magical Destiny

"Hmm, we must be careful. The creatures inside the castle have sensed our presence. I suspect these human-faced spiders were sent to us on purpose. Although they haven’t caused us harm, I’m worried that as we delve deeper, we’ll face increasingly perilous situations. We absolutely must be mentally prepared," said Mr. Rebry, his gaze now holding a hint of cautiousness. Within such a vast castle, there were far too many places to hide and lay in wait for an ambush. Although the three of them had pushed their spiritual sense to its limits, many dangers couldn’t be detected by spiritual sense alone and would have to be faced with on-the-spot reactions. This ensured that the explorers were constantly tense, an anxiety that could easily lead to fatigue.

"Mr. Rebry, I think we should join forces and conserve more power. We could take turns using the spiritual sense detection spell. If we stay closer together, the range we need to detect will be much smaller, which will effectively conserve our energy. Then, if we encounter any enemies, we can face them with composure," Komer said, always with a hint of a sly smile on his lips. Damarlinsk Castle was so vast that searching every corner would be difficult and potentially expose them to danger, so conserving strength to be ready for any eventuality was essential.

"Hmm, that makes sense. Who should go first?" Rebry nodded, agreeing with Komer’s suggestion. After all, they were exploring an unfamiliar area, and no one could guarantee what lay ahead on their journey. Keeping as much strength in reserve as possible to use when it was truly needed made perfect sense.

"I will do it. I’ll use Dark Magic’s Eye of Dark Spirit to extend our detection range. This will ensure we have enough time to react. Of course, this is just standard detection; I can’t guarantee anything if something special happens," Komer said, his voice calm yet tinged with concern. Already facing an attack before even setting foot in the inner castle meant this exploration would be far from easy.

The disheveled Mage and the Dark Knight exchanged surprised looks and nodded in agreement, "Alright then, Sir, we’ll be counting on your efforts. It’s remarkable that someone of your young age has managed to cultivate the Eye of Dark Spirit—a true talent indeed. We’re truly looking forward to discussing and exchanging ideas with you after the expedition."

"Heh, you flatter me. I, too, am looking forward to delving into the rules and mysteries of the dark world with both of you," Komer replied with a faint smile, his eyes suddenly intensifying. In his heart, he recited the spell, and a purple-black aurora shaped like an eyeball slowly emerged from deep within him. Komer felt his awareness expanding like a tide over its banks, spreading in all directions, seeping through every nook and cranny like a liquid with nowhere it did not reach, perceiving every little detail. Until he felt drained, Komer knew his spiritual power could only sustain such a wide range for so long. He silently recited the spell once more to fix the magic in place, then nodded to the other two, indicating they could proceed.

The entrance to the inner castle was a pair of double doors, similar to those of the outer castle but on a much smaller scale. The outer castle’s doors were wide enough to accommodate three carriages riding abreast with plenty of room to spare, yet the inner castle’s doors could only just allow for two. The inner castle doors were made of unidentifiable timber covered with copper plating. Because no one had visited for so long, verdigris had covered the entire door, giving it an eerie appearance in the dim sunshine.