848 Trump Card or Insidious Problem?
Cold wind pa.s.sed by, and the sweat on his forehead was almost frozen into ice. Donnie trembled hard because of the coldness. However, he was not woken up but merely looked at his right hand half in delight and half in fear, recalling the picture from just now.
The monotonous black, white, and gray, the eternal silence that seemed to affect the environment and completely overwhelmed the evil spirit, and the s.n.a.t.c.h that could directly penetrate the defense of the evil spirit. His right hand was so strange and so powerful!
It felt very similar to the black full armor that he met in his nightmares and the black, white, and gray that was sealed at the center of the illusionary cosmos!
Did something go wrong during the nightmares, and he was corrupted by the “monster” without him knowing it?
Donnie felt scared from the bottom of his heart when he thought of the monster that could manipulate their dreams and that resembled the purest death when he looked at it. So, he shook his head violently, waking himself from the trance. He roared in his heart, I need to find Karl immediately! Only he and the big shots behind him can help me fix the problem! They must be very interested in the monster!
The roars in his heart drove Donnie to walk forward toward the gate of the real castle. At this moment, he saw the glimmering powder on the carpet.
Powder of the evil spirit?
Donnie came to an abrupt halt. Was it left by the evil spirit after it died?
The powder of the evil spirit was a middle-rank material that was very rare and precious. It was something that Donnie never thought he could have before!
However, Donnie was stunned. Before stooping to pick it up or retrieving it with a spell, he heard a clear voice in his heart.
“The evil spirit just now must’ve been as strong as a fifth-circle sorcerer. Chances were that it was close to the senior rank. Killing me should’ve been as easy as killing an ordinary person for it, but it could not resist my right hand at all under the weird black, white, and gray. It broke like a bubble after I poked it…
“Is my right hand so powerful?
“The contamination of the monster alone has already turned me so powerful?”
Sensing the power of his right hand for real, Donnie hesitated. For a civilian who had grown from an ordinary person to a magic apprentice to an official sorcerer through hard work, such capabilities were beyond his imagination before.
“With the hand, I will have the power to suppress the specters below the senior rank. It’s possible that I can even affect the senior-rank ones…
“Also, it seems able to eliminate the extraordinary abilities below the senior rank like the ‘Elimination’ blood power. It may be even stronger than that…
“In such a case, I’ll be able to take adventures in the World of Souls and explore the mausoleums that are considered dangerous. I will acquire all kinds of materials and astronomical wealth, which will significantly improve my strength…
“Strength means position. I will be treated respectfully even if I am faced with a grand n.o.ble…
“My father and my mother wouldn’t need to worry about the grocery store anymore. They can enjoy the convenience brought by the alchemical items… Lily will have a chance to go to the generic school instead of helping with the family ch.o.r.es and waiting to be married without having a life of her own…”
Donnie’s facial muscles were unprecedentedly twisted in horrifying hideousness.
“After all, n.o.body could tell that something is wrong with my right hand! At least, Karl and the big shots behind him did not notice it!”
Gradually, Donnie put his right hand back into the pocket of his magic robe.
Bang!
The cold wind blew, and a window that was opened at some point bashed into the frame brutally.
Donnie was suddenly woken up. Sensing the freezing coldness, he was suddenly refreshed, and his desires were overwhelmed by his fear again.
“What happened to me just now? The monstrous air in my right hand makes me powerful, but who knows if it will corrupt me and turn me into an unconscious zombie one step after another?
“The power that is beyond control and of unknown sources must be studied carefully… Too many senior-rank sorcerers have been killed in reckless attempts…
“As long as I am alive, there will always be opportunities!”
Donnie finally made up his mind and decided to call Karl, who had left his personal number to him, immediately after he was back to the town. Then, the outcome couldn’t be more severe than losing a right hand. Also, with any luck, there would be some power that was controllable and did not have insidious problems left.
Outside of the castle, the tall person chuckled. “It’s good that the guy has a remarkable control over his desires. Otherwise, he would not just be corrupted by the air of death, and it’s possible that ‘Greed’ would be triggered.”
Primeval devils could never be extinguished as long as intelligent creatures existed. They would reappear and regather in a dozen years at most, except that they would not be as powerful as before for a while.
…
Donnie traveled in the quiet and dark forest by himself. Roars of beasts burst out now and then intimidatingly, but for Donnie, it was much easier and safer than the castle. Those beasts and ghosts combined could not compare to one “Paralyzing Breath” from the evil spirit.
He had left a note to Baron Herdos, indicating that he had fixed the problem of the evil spirit. Then, he returned to his town without any delay.
Enhanced by magic, Donnie saw the familiar town after only two hours. Except for the station of the magic steam train that was illuminated by the bright lamps, the other places were utterly dark and quiet.
Donnie chose to go to the station. He walked to the office and knocked on the closed door heavily.
“Who is it?” the cleric inside asked in fear. Could it be a bandit?
Many magic steam trains that s.h.i.+pped cargoes pa.s.sed during the night, so somebody had to stay in the station for coordination. However, in such a small town, barely any of the staff had the power of the magic apprentice, and they could only deal with dangers with the burst guns, but the bandits had already learned their lessons. They knew how to dodge the weapon and wouldn’t wait to be shot like what they did in the past.
If the bandits were as strong as knight squires or magic apprentices, it would be even more dangerous. After all, burst guns required human aiming and could not lock onto the target with spiritual power.
Donnie took off his sorcerer’s badge and waved it at the window. “I am Donnie. I need to use the phone in the station. This is the right of the sorcerers.”
According to the agreement of the Congress of Magic and many countries, the official sorcerers could use the communication facilities in public places with their badges in emergencies.
The cleric inside was greatly relieved. After confirming the authenticity of the badge, he opened the gate. “Come on in, Mr. Donnie. The phone is on the desk.”
Donnie nodded. Having no time to thank the guy, he hurried to go to the desk and dialed Karl’s number.
After three beeps, Karl’s lazy and vague voice came over. “Who’s calling me in the middle of a night? Do you not know that this is a very inhuman and brutal thing to do?”
He seemed to be rather angry to be woken up from sleeping.
Donnie was briefly stunned. Karl’s voice sounded less magnetic on the phone. “Karl, this is Donnie. I have run into something weird.”
“Donnie? What weird thing?” Karl seemed refreshed. Then, he said habitually, “If it is not weird, you will have to apologize to me. Interrupting other people’s sweet dream is punishable by sentencing into prison. I have to stay energized to listen to Grandpa Victor’s concert tomorrow, which is probably going to be his last one. I cannot miss it, and I cannot yawn during it…”
“The black armor monster in the nightmares is attached to my right hand,” Donnie said straightforwardly. That was the only way to stop Karl’s rambling.
In fact, he also knew that Victor’s concert would be held in Rentato tomorrow, as had been introduced by Arcana Voice.
As Mr. Evans’ music teacher, he was too old to hold concerts anymore even though he had been taking magic potions. It was said that he would hold a farewell concert in both Aalto and Rentato to show that he treated cla.s.sic music and pop music equally.
Although Victor was known for his good student, all music lovers knew that Mr. Victor’s achievements in music were enough to make him a master. His other few students had also distinguished themselves with their music even though they were not as good as himself or Mr. Evans. So, he had been praised to be the best music mentor.
Karl suddenly raised his voice. “The black armor monster in the nightmares? Does your right hand demonstrate frozen black, white, and gray, suppress the undead creatures, and eliminate spells?”
“How did you know?” Donnie was quite surprised.
Karl smiled. “Of course I know it. My father saw it and told me before. Hehe. It’s great that you told me, or your vitality would fade away quickly. Perhaps in a couple of years, your body will start to rot…”
“Then, what should I do?” Donnie was glad that he made the right choice.
Hesitating for a moment, Karl said, “It’s going to be fine for the time being. I’ll come to find you after Grandpa Victor’s concert. Alternatively, you can take the earliest train to Rentato tomorrow morning. I’ll have someone pick you up.”
“I’ll come tomorrow!” Donnie dared not delay at all and decided to go to Rentato the next morning. “Thank you, Karl. I’ll stop bothering you. I need to take a rest.”
Karl chuckled. “You’ve woken me up, and you want to go to sleep? No, you have to chat with me!”
“But you have a concert tomorrow…” Donnie could not refuse it. He felt that he was exhausted.
Although Karl was talkative, he was certainly not insensitive. Noticing Donnie’s reluctance, he ended the call.
Donnie went home quietly. He dared not go to sleep, fearing that he would have nightmares again. So, he began to meditate.
…
In the middle of the fuzzy and hazy meditation, Donnie’s body suddenly trembled. He felt that the scene before his eyes changed greatly. Around him was the frozen, dull black, white, and gray, where mountains, rivers, cities, and villages were reflected and countless undead creatures were wandering everywhere without the slightest sound or color.
“The World of Souls? I’m having a nightmare again?” Donnie thought in shock. He had entered a dream without sleeping?
“This city is a mess, but it looks somewhat familiar… It’s Aalto, ‘Capital of Music’, that the doc.u.mentary of the Sky TV Station mentioned!”
Donnie had never thought that he would come to a city on the other side of the continent.
Outside of the city, two persons that seemed both real and illusionary looked at everything quietly. One of them said in a low voice, “Brother, aren’t we going to do something?”
It was Karl’s voice. As it turned out, he could speak in the World of Souls, except that he was also in black, white, and gray right now!