Mikhail Katyurichev – The Path of Strength

After being expelled from the school of magic, the newly minted destroyer goes to a place where dark magicians are treated better in the hope of finding a mentor. But the reality turns out to be much more cruel. No, dark magicians are not killed on the spot here, because local rulers need them much more than ordinary warriors. And since the hostility does not stop for a minute, and military clashes are frequent, each of the local barons is not against receiving a battle mage. Therefore, a magician, especially a dark one, is not at all eager to share knowledge with possible future competitors. No, the hero quickly finds a place to live, with his talents. Moreover, unlike the school of magic, no one controls him here. And balancing between conscience and reason, on the one hand, and one’s dark desires, on the other, becomes much more difficult.

Although a significant role in this is played by his adopted daughter, whom he saved from death, and in whose company he turns from a soulless magician of destruction into an ordinary father. In addition, here he finds a friend whom he can trust, learns the long-forgotten art of demon fighters and finds time for his own research.

The already far from kindest hero, in conditions of complete impunity, very quickly becomes a cruel and ruthless magician who does not care about human lives. Moreover, if earlier he tried exactly this and pulled himself together in every possible way, now he didn’t even notice how much he had changed. Fortunately, there was still someone in his life to pay attention to this. And circumstances force you to leave your home, and not alone, but by taking custody of a healer and a demon who accidentally fell into the world. The result is a classic group of adventurers, in communication with whom our dark magician quickly thaws, and despite his difficult character and some consequences of a demonic blood transfusion, he begins to look more and more like a person. Now as part of a group, the hero sets off to meet adventures that do not keep you waiting. A group of fugitives gradually turns into successful mercenaries, especially since they have somewhere to return to.

The free baronies as a setting are very different from the civilized kingdom of the first book. Here, everyone is for himself, and in constant confrontation, no one shys away from stabbing in the back or using the services of a dark magician. But at the same time, life is in full swing, intrigues are woven. Of course, things don’t come to the point of open war, but no one is against pinching their neighbor’s border villages. In such conditions, there is room for a dark magician to roam, especially since no one here considers you the personification of evil, but on the contrary, they fear and respect you.

The hero continues to balance between conscience and dark desires

Constant change of environment, travel, adventures come one after another and do not let you get bored

The company of a demon girl brings an element of variety, a touch of humor and even hope for the development of a romantic line for the hero

For some time, the hero really turns into what he was so afraid to become - a dark magician indifferent to other people’s lives