Black Magic
"Captain, have you returned?"
As I entered the castle, Elbern and the attendants were already waiting.
"Shall I prepare a meal for you?"
I scanned the line of attendants and spotted a girl half-hidden behind them.
Elbern, noticing my gaze, explained gently.
"Mari asked to go for a walk with one of the attendants. She hurried back upon hearing of your return."
She's adapted well, it seems.
She looked nothing like the girl I'd first met in the slums.
Her once skeletal frame had filled out healthily, and her dirty, rough skin had transformed into the smooth, glowing white complexion of a noble lady.
For me, who had been receiving steady reports on the slums via Cervantes and feeling pangs of guilt, Mari's changed appearance offered a small comfort.
"...I see."
"How shall I prepare the meal?"
"Skip it."
I headed straight to my room, ignoring the stares of the knights and officers.
It wasn't just fatigue.
Right now, time for black magic research was more crucial than ever.
As I entered the room, my shadow rippled like a living thing, undulating in black waves.
From within it, Ascaros emerged.
"This place... is Haven, then."
Ascaros had said that after transferring to his new body, side effects left him unable to use 70% of his power.
But he could still wield basic black magic. One such spell allowed him to lurk in a target's shadow.
That's how he'd hidden in mine and followed me here.
"Yes. This is Haven. The territory of the Jin Gang Regiment that I rule—Cheongam Castle."
"Shall we begin the black magic lessons at once?"
His voice carried the joy of a lich who, after millennia of solitude, had finally found a disciple.
"Yes."
"Have you fully grasped the contents of the first grimoire?"
"I've understood it perfectly in my mind. But my proficiency is still lacking."
Perfectly grasping it in my head and executing it with my body are proving harder than expected.
I'd kept trying on the way to Cheongam Castle, but the black mana in my body still wouldn't obey my will.
The more I tried to control it, the more fiercely it rebelled—a stubborn, unruly force.
His bony finger carefully turned the yellowed page of the grimoire.
Chapter 1: Conversion of Mana
"Lord Astra, you've already mastered Chapter 1, Conversion of Mana, on your own back there..."
The System handled that.
"And Chapter 2, the Flow of Dark Energy, seems intuitively awakened as well."
It's constantly rampaging, so I couldn't ignore it even if I tried.
"Chapter 3, Emission and Manipulation of Black Mana, should be possible at a basic level..."
Proficiency starts lacking here... He must think that because he saw me use black mana to impose restrictions.
When I'd infused black mana into the Like Vessel, it had been more the System's aid than my pure will.
It had flowed naturally then, but not now.
"The part you're feeling deficient in is likely Chapter 4: Fusion of Will and Black Mana."
In that moment of imparting his research and knowledge, the skeleton form radiated the unmistakable dignity of the archmage who had once shaken the world.
"It is the process of fusing one's deepest, unyielding will with the ferocious, mad black mana."
Ascaros fixed his glowing red eyes on me.
His gaze deepened, as if sensing the black mana still untamed and raging within me, that dark energy.
"It is only natural. Black mana always rampages at first. Until it fuses with will to gain direction... it is merely uncontrollable chaos."
Ascaros's explanation matched perfectly the sensation of the black mana churning inside me.
Unpredictable, uncontrollable chaos itself.
Will...
As someone possessing the game character 'Astra,' did I even have true will? The heavy responsibility as Jin Gang captain? The desperate desire to return to the real world? Or the burning curiosity to uncover this world's deep secrets?
"The moment will and black mana fuse, you gain the qualification to learn the second grimoire. The foundational spells systematized from fused black mana... and the third will guide you to your unique black magic."
"First, listen to the voice of your inner self—"
Ascaros gazed at me with red eyes, then his voice subtly mixed with admiration.
"As expected... Lord Astra... You're already fusing them?"
Will... my will...
As he said, I was focusing my mind, delving deep within.
My will.
From the moment I arrived in this world, my will had been singular.
Survive.
This wasn't some clichéd fantasy where I possessed a character in a beautiful forest, dreaming of a rosy future.
I'd awakened in a place where death could come at any moment—my only struggle was to survive.
To survive, I'd deceived people. Used game knowledge, pretended to be strong, exploited their expectations.
All of it was the most primal, powerful manifestation of human will: to live.
I'm... weak...
No matter the strong traits and abilities surrounding me, I myself was far too frail.
Physically and mentally.
I must become stronger.
But could that be true will?
I want to grow stronger. That's true. I do.
But what's the real reason I want strength?
Yes, my will is...
To survive.
Nothing else could exist alongside it.
* * *
I spent the next week learning black mana control from Ascaros.
As a result, I'd perfectly mastered the first grimoire's contents and was now on the second stage: basic spells.
Wooong—
In the dark room, five black orbs floated lazily.
"Perfect."
The most basic foundational spell: Manifestation of Darkness.
This deceptively simple spell could become a powerful attack depending on the user's will.
The orbs gradually shifted forms, morphing into various shapes.
Phew... Changing them all to the same shape at once is doable, but different shapes for each is still tough.
Turning all five into cubes was easy. But one sphere, one pyramid, one hexagonal prism...
Making each a distinct shape still required more practice.
But the most surprising part of learning black magic was that even my spells appeared more mystical and powerful to others, thanks to the False Name Imprint effect.
Even Ascaros, seeing my magic for the first time, couldn't hide his astonishment.
"Incredible. The darkness you create, Lord Astra... it feels alive. How did you conceive such magic? It's utterly different from the black magic foundations I've researched for millennia."
I let him misunderstand.
He already saw me as a genius black magic user.
Knock knock—
As I opened the second grimoire to check other spells, someone knocked.
I dismissed the floating darkness and responded.
"What is it."
"It's Elbern. Lord Astra, the lords have gathered."
Right. Today was the important meeting.
My first face-to-face with the lords ruling the Jin Gang territories except Cheongam Castle.
They were the first powerholders I'd meet directly since becoming Jin Gang captain.
"I'll be down shortly."
In the audience chamber, five humans and two beastkin sat waiting.
Absolute rulers in their domains, yet before the name 'Captain,' even they were tense.
Seven? There should be eight territories under Jin Gang besides Cheongam.
As I entered, they rose in unison, bowing respectfully.
Once I sat, the man on the far left stood to introduce himself.
"Greetings, Lord Astra. I am Rodwin, lord of Hyeonam Territory—"
"Hold."
I cut him off mid-introduction.
"Why are there only seven here? I was told Jin Gang rules eight territories."
"Th-that is..."
"Rodwin, allow me."
The woman beside Rodwin stepped forward.
"Greetings. I am Rozelina, lord of Cheongpungwon."
"..."
I stared at her silently.
This wasn't something to overlook.
A week ago, I'd ordered all lords to attend.
Ignoring it was a direct challenge to the captain's authority.
"The absent lord is from Greenwood Territory."
"Greenwood?"
Elbern added from the side.
"Greenwood is the territory closest to Cheongam Castle."
"The closest one dares not come... Do they mock me?"
For the first time in a while, I unleashed the pressure of the Domain of the Absolute.
The entire audience chamber fell into heavy silence.
"Urk! Captain, it's... On the way here, the lord of Greenwood's daughter suddenly fell ill with an unknown disease..."
"And?"
At my low voice, they all broke into cold sweats; some struggled even to breathe.
"Where is he now."
"Heard he's returned to Greenwood and summoned a physician from Bai Ling Regiment."
Bai Ling Regiment.
The regiment ruling Haven's snowy plains, famed for superior medicine and supply chains.
"We'll hold the meeting once all are present. And Elbern."
"Yes!"
"Prepare to depart for Greenwood."
Everyone paled at my words.
"If he won't come, I'll go myself."
The lords' faces turned ashen.
To them, those words sounded like a death sentence for Greenwood's lord.