Knock, knock, knock.
The polite sound of knocking echoed from the other side of the door.
Lauren, ever vigilant, opened the door to reveal a stranger with a crow-like face.
“Who are you looking for?”
“I’m here to see Lynn. Is Lynn around?” Nocturne inquired.
Lynn, who had been engrossed in learning the demon language, hurried to the door upon receiving the ssage. Seeing the familiar figure of Nocturne standing outside, Lynn quickly ushered him inside.
“I didn’t expect to see an official wizard like you here in Demon City,” Lynn remarked.
“That’s quite normal,” Nocturne replied nonchalantly. “The major guilds are based here in Demon City. Occasionally, other official wizards co out to purchase supplies. It’s just that interactions with wizard apprentices are rare.”
As Nocturne entered the building, he casually surveyed his surroundings. “This place of yours is rather intriguing, reminiscent of the style found in the chanist City.”
“It’s a bit of a hodgepodge,” Lynn said.
“So, how is your preparation to beco an official wizard coming along?”
“Almost there,” Lynn nodded in response.
“Hm, I also believe it won’t be difficult for you,” Nocturne said casually, as if Lynn becoming a wizard was already a certainty.
“Are those your new followers?” Nocturne’s gaze shifted to the dwarves in the distance.
“Hm, they didn’t seem too bad, right?” Lynn responded with a smile.
Nocturne tilted his head proudly. “Just a bunch of greenhorn dwarves. But you’re right; you should indeed prepare to train a follower army.”
Unlike Lynn, Nocturne was a key mber of the Black Crow clan, considered a beacon of hope for his people.
For other matters, the Black Crow clan couldn’t assist him; he had to rely on his own efforts. However, when it ca to training a follower army, it was a simple task for the Black Crow clan.
He didn’t need to put in the effort himself; there were already people in place to train his followers.
This was both a benefit of the tribe and responsibility.
“If you don’t mind, how about you consider cultivating so Black Crow followers?”
Nocturne suddenly spoke up.
Lynn was montarily taken aback, surprised by Nocturne’s unexpected proposal.
“Our Black Crow clan isn’t a large one,” Nocturne began. “Unlike the dwarves, elves, orcs, and trolls, who are widely distributed and even backed by gods, our clan once had a god of our own. Unfortunately, that god was slain during the War of Faith. Without a god, our clan is considered inferior, so we sought refuge with wizards.”
“Don’t worry. Once they beco your followers, your orders will be supre. If they disobey, how you choose to discipline them is entirely up to you,” Nocturne frankly explained the reason. “I’ve recomnded our Black Crow clan to many wizards, not just you.”
“Our Black Crow clansn are hardworking, loyal, and reserved. If you’re interested, I can bring a group of Black Crow clansn for you to select from. Of course, if you prefer, you can visit our territory and choose them yourself.”
Lynn couldn’t help but liken Nocturne to an arms dealer who promoted their own weapons.
The Black Crow clan was like an arms manufacturer teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. They had voluntarily allied with the wizard civilization, offering a portion of their shares in exchange for protection.
To boost the popularity of their weapons, they marketed them to various promising rcenary groups and nations. They even went so far as to offer their weapons for free, hoping they would shine in battles. If the weapons proved their worth in war, they would naturally beco sought after, reviving the manufacturer’s fortunes.
Of course, this was rely a taphor. In reality, the Black Crow clan wasn’t weaponry, but it was more fitting to describe them as lifelong rcenaries.
“That’s fine, but forget about visiting your clan’s territory. If you bring a few mbers here, that will suffice. Just don’t bring too many—I can’t afford to support a large group,” Lynn responded with a touch of humor.
Upon hearing Lynn’s agreent, Nocturne’s face broke into a genuine smile. His deanor towards Lynn grew noticeably warr.
Why would he refuse if others wanted to invest? It was also a way to draw closer to Nocturne, who was an official wizard after all.
If it were soone else, they wouldn’t even have the qualifications.
And Lynn himself genuinely lacked followers. The Black Crow clansn were born with the ability to fly, which could make up for their scouts and aerial capabilities.
“By the way, there’s another matter. Lady Maybetessa is currently involved in a plane conquest and is seeking collaborators. She asked for recomndations, and I’ve put your na forward.”
“? I’m just a wizard apprentice,” Lynn protested, shaking his head. They seed to have an overinflated opinion of him.
“Just because you’re an apprentice now doesn’t an you’ll always be one,” Nocturne replied. “Do you have any idea how long it takes to conquer a plane?”
Lynn fell into silence. He wasn’t sure, but he imagined that a war to conquer a plane would not take too long.
“Even if it’s a one-sided crush, it would still take at least several decades to fully stabilize the situation. If the balance of power is even or the situation is complex, it could take hundreds or even thousands of years. If you haven’t beco an official wizard within that ti, it would only an I misjudged your potential,” Nocturne said, pointing to his own eyes.
“However, I’m not suggesting you go imdiately. It would be better to wait until you beco an official wizard or are about to beco one,” Nocturne added, his tone suggesting deeper aning.
“Most wizards are research-oriented and belong to the academic side. In fact, the majority of wizards fall into this category. But then there are what are called throne wizards. They are the ones who conquer large kingdoms or even obliterate entire empires through war and invasion, forging their own wizard’s throne through their destinies.”
“What’s the difference between a throne wizard and an ordinary wizard?” Lynn asked.
This throne wizard sounded more impressive than an ordinary wizard.
“I don’t really know,” Nocturne said, shaking his head. “Because I’m also just an ordinary wizard, hahaha.”
Lynn didn’t find this particularly amusing. Instead, he sighed in resignation.
Nocturne spread his claws. “It’s said that throne wizards possess a special destiny blessing related to the downfall of kingdoms. But destiny is such an elusive concept. I only have a vague understanding. I’ve seen throne wizards, but they seem much like ordinary wizards at a glance. Oh, and Harin is one of them.”
“Of course, there aren’t many throne wizards around these days. During the period of great expansion of wizard civilization in the past, external wars were frequent, and wizard apprentices were expected to fight on the battlefield. The ergence of throne wizards was more common then. Now, as the situation stabilizes, opportunities for becoming a throne wizard are much rarer.”
“The main issue is that suitable targets for conquest are fewer and farther between. Many planes have begun to band together, and those entities have beco more cautious and intelligent,” Nocturne sighed.
“Have you heard of the Gods Alliance?” Nocturne asked suddenly.
Lynn remained silent.
“Alright, it seems you haven’t. Let explain. Just as there are alliances among our wizard civilizations, there is also a similar alliance among the gods.”
“Originally, the gods were in a state of mutual hostility. You should know that the essence of gods is that their status is bestowed upon them by their respective planes.”
“For example, the Fire Gods who control flas can appear in different planes, and each of them holds a similar divine occupation. These gods are generally in a state of hostility towards one another because if one can assimilate the Godhead, divine occupation, and divine power, it will enhance its own strength. Moreover, the scope of their divine authority will expand from one plane to two, or even three or more planes, thus transforming from a singular god into a multi-dinsional one.”
Nocturne sighed deeply as he continued. “But because of the appearance of wizards…”
He paused, as if searching for the right words. “It’s all the fault of those earlier wizards, who plundered the gods so ruthlessly that it forced the remaining gods to band together.”
——
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