The Vastness of Magical Destiny

The situation was changing rapidly, and the seeds Komer had sown were beginning to sprout, whether it was in the region of Flanders, in the Southern Mediterranean of the Southern Continent, or within the Salvation Society in Nicosia and Hayreddin on Xifnos Island. These forces were emerging bit by bit. How much they would eventually impact the development of the Continent was unknown to Komer, but one thing was certain: the convergence of these forces would ultimately expand his influence continuously, allowing him to shake off the need to cower in the dark, wary of the authority of the Church of Light.

Nothing can be built without being destroyed first. After many years of lying dormant, the Dark Holy Church should rightly stand proud in the world now, Komer thought, somewhat absent-mindedly. From every angle, the current situation was the best opportunity for the Dark Forces. If they missed the opportunity when the strength of the Northern Church of Light was attracted by the beastmen and the Salvation Society, they would probably never forgive themselves.

The tranquility of the Nissai River made the entire journey extraordinarily peaceful, so much so that not even the frequently encountered red monkeys bothered them, which surprised the half-beast soldiers escorting them along the way. Their awe at Komer’s mysterious and noble stature grew even stronger. In fact, Komer had not employed any special methods, merely continually amplified and diffused the Deterrence skill from his psychic magic through air magic around them. This unique psychic magic could instill a tremendous fear and pressure from the ship into all creatures, including magical beasts, subconsciously making them want to avoid it.

The three days of sailing were very calm, which allowed Komer to quietly consider some matters, especially the stance he should take in various aspects.

In the Southern Mediterranean, he planned to continue his collaboration with Katrina, allowing Hayreddin’s fleet to grow stronger. He would keep up a façade of cooperation with the Gray Skull in the Nether Sea to maintain peace, while in the coastal regions of the Southern Mediterranean, he would fully support the Dark Holy Church’s emergence to publicly develop. He also aimed to swiftly win the official support of these countries and city-states, using this as a backing for his expansions to the north.

On his own turf in the Caucasus, Komer intended to stop hiding. Since the Religious Court had labeled him an adventurer exploring the unknown continents, it had been long enough, and it was time for him to "return from his adventures." As long as the Religious Court did not actively expose this thin veil of decency, Komer had no intention of provoking them; he had more important matters to attend to. Furthermore, Komer was confident that under the current circumstances, the Religious Court would neither publicly oppose nor challenge him again.

It was clear that he needed to accumulate more substantial power to deal with the threat from Homer in the North. As long as he lived, Philip’s threat to him would not cease. Instead of passively defending, it would be better to crush the opponent completely and resolve the threat once and for all. If Komer could secure Katrina’s position as Queen of the Kingdom of Nicosia, he might even claim the moral high ground, which is why the idea so strongly appealed to him.

However, at least for now, Komer knew he did not possess that strength. A force of 5,000 was already at a disadvantage against Homer, especially since he had allocated 3,000 to Livonia to help Katya establish a foothold there. Although they could be withdrawn if necessary, it was not very realistic to expect even 5,000 men to completely crush Philip, unless additional forces intervened.

Additional forces? Komer was lost in thought. Puber had already informed him in a letter that more and more barbarians were pouring into the Caucasus and Leon, with a large number of them appearing even around Bruce Fortress. Not only was the remaining labor from the Sanjia Tribe flocking in, but small tribes were also gathering around Sanjia Tribe to gain entry into the Caucasus and Leon as citizens of the Sanjia Tribe through official permits. The same policy was adopted in the Flanders Region, and the entire Cordillera Wilderness was roiled by policies of his own making.