Black Prison Castle

The dinner Ventura ordered was delivered by the hotel staff, along with their daily complimentary quota of cigarettes and liquor. After finishing dinner, Karen returned to his bedroom to rest. Having expended a great deal of energy during the day's intensive learning, he quickly fell asleep. When he awoke, he glanced at the clock on the nightstand: a quarter to four in the morning. "Early to bed and early to rise makes for good health." Karen got out of bed, went into the bathroom, and began washing up. According to the curriculum schedule, today's lesson was supposed to be "Team Combat." Although the first two classes had seen their share of twists and turns, there was no denying that the pedagogical results had been remarkable. Even though the old fellows had stepped in out of boredom and itchy hands, they had no intention of withholding anything. They genuinely wanted to teach. Even if they lacked formal teaching skill, their own mastery was immense—a mere fraction falling from their sleeves was enough to benefit the youths immensely. Karen pressed a hot towel against his face. After a long moment, he took it off and drew a deep breath. Yes, he looked forward to today's "Team Combat" instruction. Leaving the bathroom, he glanced at the clock: two minutes to four. Karen walked out of the bedroom into the small living room. Ventura was just coming down from upstairs. "Up so early?" "Yes, Captain. I went to bed early last night, heh." Ventura first poured Karen a glass of ice water. Then came a knock at the door, unannounced by the doorbell. When Ventura opened it, Karen, seated on the sofa, saw Ashley, Bart, Mars, and Blanche all walk in. "Morning, Captain." "Morning, Captain." Karen nodded and replied, "Morning." He recalled mentioning yesterday that he would be up by four, and they had all arrived right on the dot. The premise of "it's great to be young" was that you had to be willing to learn while still young, rather than using youth as an excuse to constantly compromise with yourself. Based on Karen's experience from his previous life, as one grew older, learning ability and focus inevitably declined, unless one had previously cultivated the momentum of disciplined study and struggle through rigorous self-management. Otherwise, one would be like freshly molded clay left out in the sun—once dried and set in shape, it could hardly be kneaded and reshaped again. Bart and the others had brought over yesterday's quota of cigarettes and liquor. In this regard, they thoroughly embodied their captain's spirit. Ventura packed them away first; the suitcase he had specifically emptied was already on the verge of overflowing. These items would never be brought back home; during breaks once the training concluded, they would take them to the nearby black market to trade for point coupons. Everyone gathered around the coffee table and began voicing their doubts from yesterday's class. Karen cleared up their questions based on what he had learned yesterday and his past experience. This quiet yet enthusiastic atmosphere of study and discussion lasted until nearly eight o'clock. Only when preparing to go downstairs to assemble for class did everyone realize they hadn't eaten breakfast. In the end, as they went downstairs, they dropped by the hotel staff cafeteria to grab plenty of bread and milk, eating on the run as they hurried to assemble. Muri's squad was already waiting on the beach. Watching Karen's squad jog over while wolfing down food, none of them naively assumed Karen's team had collectively overslept and missed breakfast. Instead, it dawned on them: *Damn it! They held a secret morning meeting!* This training session consisted of only two squads, equivalent to two small classes. When the opposing class was secretly putting in extra effort, it inevitably heaped massive pressure onto them. Muri approached Karen, who was drinking milk, reached out to take one of Karen's bread buns, tore open the wrapper for him, and handed it back. "Uh, did you guys have a meeting this morning?" "An internal discussion," Karen said, glancing back at his squad members with a smile. "Opportunities to receive instruction from teachers of this caliber are rare, so we cherish them." He spoke with great modesty. In terms of family background, Muri's squad completely outclassed Karen's, but as genuine scions of prominent clans, they had no interest in flaunting their heritage—just as most normal people wouldn't boast about having bread to eat. "Um, what I mean is, next time you hold an internal discussion, could you include our squad as well?" "You want to join in too?" Karen genuinely hadn't expected Muri to make such a request. Well, ever since entering the Church of Order, the only ones who matched his stereotype of privileged "second-generation" brats were Vicolai and his grandfather. Other young masters like Leon and Laure, while naturally aloof and proud, were far from stupid. "Of course, you're welcome anytime. It's a great opportunity to exchange ideas and improve together." Muri smiled and said, "Thank you." Class time arrived. A small cruise boat appeared ahead, pulled up alongside the shore, and signaled for everyone to board. Karen suspected the vessel had been borrowed on short notice by the training base from a nearby resort hotel, as there was still erotic lingerie tucked into the crevices. This signified only one thing: today's lesson had undergone a last-minute change. What other last-minute change could there be? Karen figured the training base must have gotten used to it by now, considering the old fellows had already hijacked their classes for two straight days. The cruise boat sailed into the open sea. About half an hour later, an island appeared ahead, with a watchtower standing upon it. Once the vessel docked, everyone disembarked and waded ashore. Two people stood waiting by the water's edge. One was an elderly man in a white suit, and the other was a young man in a black suit whose age appeared slightly younger than most people present—perhaps only a year or two older than Ventura. Most importantly, the old man stood behind the youth, which clearly indicated who was primary and who was secondary. "Do you know them?" Karen asked Muri. "That elderly gentleman should be Husen, Director of the Tactical Office at the Whip of Order headquarters. My father told me when we spoke on the phone yesterday. But as for that young one, I don't know him, nor have I heard anything about him." The two captains lined up in the front row, with their squad members behind them. The elderly man in the white suit spoke: "I am your teaching assistant for today's class. You may address me as Director Husen. This gentleman is your instructor for today, Mavaglio. "In fact, I was originally supposed to conduct your lesson today, but since Mavaglio has arrived, I am yielding to him. He will pass down to you a true weapon of team combat." Karen noted that Husen hadn't attached any title or position when introducing Mavaglio, which meant this young man in the black suit held no official post. Mavaglio's gaze swept over everyone present before he spoke: "Hello, everyone. I am Mavaglio. I have no family name." The group immediately called out in unison, "Teacher." Mavaglio smiled and said, "Actually, I'm about the same age as you." An instructor... about the same age as us? Mavaglio did not dwell on the subject of age, shifting directly to the main topic: "The theme of today's lesson is team combat. I know that quite a few among you hail from the knight orders. I'd like to ask you: do you know of a war weapon called 'Black Prison Castle'?" Bart spoke up: "Yes. It is a mobile fortress of war, a warfare spell created by the great Lord Marchettini." Marchettini, one of the Twelve Knights under the God of Order in the mythological accounts of the *Light of Order*, specialized in forging implements of war. Karen had read the *Light of Order* many times. Marchettini's role among the Twelve Knights was very much like that of a logistical quartermaster; whenever he was mentioned in records of the various divine wars, it was always regarding what he had provided, prepared, or forged. "Yes, correct. It is a spell born strictly for war, created by Marchettini." With that, Mavaglio held out his open palm and said in a low voice: "Order's Warfare—Black Prison Castle." Immediately, a colossal black starburst appeared beneath his feet. The surrounding winds then gathered, sweeping up untold amounts of invisible power toward this spot. Seeing this, Bart and the other squad members with knight order backgrounds wore expressions of shock. "Is he going to condense the Black Prison Castle all by himself?" Karen sensed the winds around them; for a moment, even he could not fully determine what matter was being drawn in. Yet beneath Mavaglio's feet, a distinct layer of black substance appeared, like black sand swept over by the wind. Once piled together, it began arranging itself in an ordered array. It felt like building a house—a house erected by the wind. The foundation appeared, then the main gate, the battlements, the parapets, rising continuously, higher and higher, ever higher! In the end, it formed a miniature black castle. The curtain walls alone stood around twelve meters tall, enclosing a circular area of roughly three hundred square meters. Within this circle stood three structures, interconnected with one another and seamlessly integrated into the walls. The central structure was the tallest, resembling a watchtower. Its apex gave off a dark sheen; when it folded downward, a cannon muzzle emerged. The structures on either flank were only two-thirds the height of the central one. At the top of the left structure was a massive ballista, while atop the right was an immense mirror. A main gate was set into the center of the outer wall. It was hard to imagine that in just a few brief moments, a miniature castle had appeared before their eyes. From behind Karen, Bart explained, "The artillery piece at the highest point is a Judgment-grade magic crystal cannon, typically responsible for long-range firepower. "The giant crossbow on the left is a B-Rank War Piercing Crossbow, used for close-range sniping. "The mirrored surface on the right is a Reis Spell Mirror, capable of reflecting and amplifying formations and spell potency, generally serving defense. "The Black Prison Castle is a combat spell deployed by knight orders at the battalion level. In war, it provides friendly forces with a superior bastion for defense and offense. But it is a weapon of war that normally requires an entire battalion to summon, and it demands authorization from at least one of the battalion commanders." "So he summoned it entirely on his own?" Karen asked. "As you can see, yes, Captain." "Do you know this spell?" Karen asked. Bart pursed his lips and said, "Captain, it's not a question of knowing it or not. It requires authorization." "Authorization?" *Clack!* At that moment, the main gate opened. Husen stood at the entrance, made an inviting gesture toward everyone, and stepped inside. The group followed him in. The space inside was not particularly large; after all, this was merely a miniature castle. Once inside, the staircase in the tallest central structure proved very narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. When entering earlier, Karen had noticed that the main gate was actually "false." Though it looked remarkably like a massive iron gate, that was only an appearance. Furthermore, the black steps beneath their feet were also illusory—not real physical matter, but rather an energetic crystalline construct. When they reached two-thirds of the height, the Piercing Crossbow and the Reis Spell Mirror flanked them on either side. In other words, the side structures had no interior space; only the central tower could be climbed, and only from Karen's current level could one access the tops of the flanking structures. Karen deliberately lingered here for a moment. Since everyone behind him was from his own squad, he didn't have to worry about provoking anyone's displeasure. Karen even stepped onto the side platform and ran a hand over the Piercing Crossbow. This ballista was real—it was an authentic sacred relic. Moreover, shimmering threads wrapped around the weapon. Viewed from an angle, these threads were black, matching the exact color of the floor and walls. His squad members made way for him. Karen crossed to the other side and examined the Reis Spell Mirror. This mirror was real as well, wrapped in similar threads. Karen believed the Judgment magic crystal cannon at the very top of the central tower was likely real too, in a condition identical to these two sacred relics. What did this resemble? Karen knitted his brows slightly, a rather unconventional analogy forming in his mind: The cannon, the ballista, and the mirror were like three light bulbs. And this castle not only provided mounts for them, but the castle itself functioned as the wiring. These three weapons of war were governed by the castle. Further up, beneath the cannon, there should be a platform that served as the control hub. Through that platform, one could remotely command these three war implements to execute long-range bombardment, close-quarters attacks, and defense. Yet had such a castle been created solely to serve as wiring? Karen reached out and touched the wall. Far from being rigid, it felt somewhat soft, akin to the texture of his Sea God's Armor. Softness did not imply deficient defense; on the contrary, as long as sufficient spiritual energy was supplied from within to sustain its operation, its defensive capacity would be formidable, possessing even self-repairing properties. Still, what was the point of doing this? The three weapons of war were presumably physical objects summoned forth, somewhat like a refrigerator in one's home. What was truly manifested out of thin air was the black structure of the castle itself. Granted, it could defend, attack, and serve as an exceptionally reliable foothold. But the issue was... its cost-effectiveness was abysmal. Erecting it, maintaining it, and operating it all required massive infusions of spiritual power. This input-to-output ratio was just like what Mr. Hoffen had described regarding array masters in his notes: preparing a forbidden-grade array merely to chase away a mosquito that had strayed into one's bedroom. On a battlefield, rather than wasting such effort, one would be better off conserving strength for direct offense and defense. Karen simply couldn't fathom the rationale behind creating this. Unless... The spiritual energy powering it did not come from the summoner alone—or at least, not entirely. Only then would it possess practical value. Karen continued upward, arriving at a platform. Stairs led further up from here, presumably to the topmost level where the magic crystal cannon was mounted. This platform had eight long, narrow slit windows, providing adequate vision while prioritizing defense. In the center of the platform was a black sphere exuding an enigmatic aura. It seemed alive, as if gently undulating. From this sphere, Karen surprisingly detected an aura reminiscent of the Key to the Rubik's Cube. Clearly, this orb was the castle's control core. A black vine extended from the sphere, coiling around Mavaglio's wrist. This meant that the castle's current operation was under his control. Of course, Karen believed that many more black vines could extend from the orb, allowing others to assist in controlling various sections of the castle. Mavaglio said, "Welcome to your tour of the Black Prison Castle." Muri asked, "Is this what we're learning today?" Mavaglio nodded. "Yes, precisely." Muri asked again, "But what about authorization?" Clearly, Muri had also conferred with his teammates on the way up. Mavaglio replied, "Given the special nature of your upcoming entry into the Gate of Samsara and the character of the mission you are to undertake, authorization for the Black Prison Castle will be granted specifically to your two squads." Karen tilted his head back slightly. Bart hesitated, then glanced at Mars. Though both hailed from the knight orders, Mars was an array master and was clearly more familiar with this area. Mars immediately leaned in close behind Karen's neck and whispered, "Captain, authorization for the Black Prison Castle is held by a divine artifact in the Supreme Temple. Once we obtain authorization, we can resonate with that divine artifact. The artifact's power will descend, shouldering nearly eighty to ninety percent of the castle's energy consumption." Karen understood. The difficulty lay not in the spell itself—the spell's complexity wasn't actually all that immense. What was difficult was gaining authorization: registering one's identity credentials onto that divine artifact housed within the Temple of Order. No matter how high the spell's difficulty, success was always possible, but without authorization, it was completely out of reach. Even if one managed to manifest an identical castle, it would merely be an extravagant yet utterly useless... work of art. However, if eighty to ninety percent of the cost could be offset by the divine artifact's power, the castle's cost-effectiveness instantly skyrocketed. Mavaglio said, "Now, I will grant two authorization slots here. Each of your squads must select one person to receive this authorization. "Remember: once obtained, this authorization remains with the individual forever, until their death or expulsion from the church." This meant that the recipient was an individual, not the squad as a whole. As long as one did not betray the Church of Order, one retained the privilege of resonating with that powerful divine artifact for life. It was equivalent to receiving out of thin air a "divine artifact's aegis" normally reserved only for full and deputy battalion commanders of the knight orders. This was an astonishing temptation, a boon that would accompany a person for their entire lifetime! Mavaglio continued, "My recommendation is that the person receiving this authorization should meet the following criteria as much as possible: "First, leadership—namely, the ability to direct combat. "Second, familiarity with arrays, since the castle is fundamentally the operation of an array. "Third, soul strength, which is crucial for establishing resonance with the divine artifact. "Fourth, spiritual energy. In the event of an accident or emergency, the authorization holder is the primary supplier of power required to sustain the castle. "Very well, you may begin discussing your candidates." With that, Mavaglio turned his gaze to Muri's squad. Muri's squad plunged into an immediate discussion. As captain, Muri wanted the authorization, but the array masters in the squad, Digat and Pacio, also wanted it, and Iraman, who hailed from the knight orders, was keen on vying for it as well. Sensing their instructor's gaze, Muri said, "Please wait a moment, Teacher. Our squad will hold a vote." "Alright." Mavaglio turned his head toward Karen's squad. Every single member beside Karen... took a step back.