Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein and Seven found themselves in a complex and dark cave sloping downward and filled with jagged rocks.

As they ventured deeper into the cave, the sounds of dripping water reached Sein’s ears.

Sein conjured a small fireball in his hand to illuminate their path.

Despite being capable of using the “Brilliance” spell, Sein chose to use his fireball spell so that he could also swiftly react to any unforeseen circumstances.

Apart from his Pale Mask, the damaged geo elemental shield ring and invisibility cloak were also two of his major losses.

Clutching his Acid Wand tightly against his chest, Sein was ready for any sudden threats.

Not only that, he also wore the black crystal bracelet Leena had left for him on his right wrist.

Seven, being an owl, surpassed Sein in night vision and danger perception.

Not only that it was also a quasi-ranked magic beast with strength on par to a full-fledged mage.

Unfortunately, its severe heart wound had significantly weakened its strength.

Undeterred, Sein and Seven pressed further into the cave, losing track of how many turns they navigated.

Suddenly, they stumbled upon a middle-aged man in a black robe behind a massive boulder.

The man was slumped against the boulder and appeared debilitated.

Upon sighting the man in black robe, Sein could not contain his emotions and exclaimed, “Master Morsidor?!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Sein rushed forward, and Seven followed suit with a couple of hoots.

He quickly assisted his mentor while Seven kept a vigilant watch from a vantage point on the massive boulder.

The fact that even Morsidor, a full-fledged black mage, sustained injuries hinted at potential dangers beyond their control.

“Sein, is that you?” Morsidor slowly opened his eyes when he heard Sein’s voice.

Morsidor’s face appeared older and paler than Sein remembered.

Such a rapid change did not align with the few short years they had been apart.

The signs of aging and frailty were evidently linked to the severe injuries he had sustained.

“Yes, Master. It’s me. What happened?” Sein urgently inquired as he helped Morsidor sit up and asked, “Where are Zorro and Faye?”

Morsidor, second only to Leena in aiding Sein during his formative years, had been pivotal in his growth.

Although Sein had only spent four years in Morsidor’s faction before venturing into the Sand World, those years marked his most rapid development.

He not only saw an improvement in his magical prowess but also in his knowledge, as well as his access to resources and status within the academy.

Sein owed much of his current standing to Morsidor.

He would not have survived the Sand World without the magic artifacts and the black key his mentor had provided.

Reuniting his mentor filled Sein with excitement.

Despite being twenty-four, he felt like a child in the presence of his elders.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Sein, holding back a sniffle, retrieved a few basic healing potions from his space ring and attempted to treat Morsidor’s wounds.

His efforts, while sincere, revealed his relative inexperience.

Morsidor, a full-fledged mage of high caliber, would naturally prioritize immediate self-treatment after sustaining such severe injuries.

Given Master Morsidor’s inability to treat his own injuries, what could a few basic healing potions in Sein’s possession do?

Acknowledging Sein’s genuine concern and futile attempts, Morsidor’s usual stern expression softened.

He let out a soft sigh and said, “That’s enough. The effect of normal healing potions is limited on me. Apart from the external wounds, it’s actually poison that is depleting my life force.”

Morsidor’s revelation stunned Sein.

“Poison?! You’re poisoned? What happened?” Sein could not help but press for more details.

Morsidor, now seated with Sein’s assistance, leaned against the boulder, began recounting the events that unfolded after Sein entered the Sand World.

The battle between black mages in the Shadow Valley and a sudden attack by mages from the Divine Towers was fierce.

It was a clash between creatures of Rank One and above. Morsidor, being a formidable Rank One black mage, sustained minimal injuries in the valley due to his wide array of magic artifacts.

He was able to bring Zorro and Faye, who managed to return from the Sand World, back to Mystralora City.

Most of his injuries were sustained after returning to Mystralora City, where the mages from the Divine Towers on the surface intensified their assault on Mystralora City, even enlisting knights of Rank One or above.

The mysterious dean of the Black Magic Academy was pursued by a mage of the same rank from the Divine Tower and two Rank Three knights.

He had vanished into the depths underground, ultimately sealing the fate of Mystralora City’s downfall.

As for the poison on Morsidor...

“I was poisoned by another Rank One mage, Daelis! I never expected she would turn against me after the failure of that mission in the Sand World! Her situation isn’t any better though. I have injured her by detonating multiple magic artifacts at close range. She should be nearly crippled even if she doesn’t die!” Morsidor sneered coldly.

Morsidor’s sneer momentarily dispelled Sein’s perception of him as a frail, aging mage leaning against a boulder, restoring the image of a formidable black mage in control of significant power.

Having such a mentor was reassuring.

However, the question lingered—Could Morsidor recover from his injuries, including the poisons in his body?

In addition to uncovering the original cause of his mentor’s injuries, Sein gathered some information about Zorro and Faye from Morsidor.

It turned out that when the black mages of Mystralora City decided to break out, three escape routes were determined.

The first group was led by the two vice deans, Martin and Jeanne. Although this was the strongest group, they also expected to face the most resistance.

The second group was the ordinary black mages with little affiliation to the Black Magic Academy, dispersing in various directions.

Although individually less powerful, their numbers and widespread dispersal increased the likelihood of survival.

The last escape route was the dark passage used by Master Morsidor and other injured but capable black mages with backgrounds.

Only very few black mages in Mystralora City knew about this hidden passage.

Even Morsidor himself only learned of it from Martin shortly before his departure.

Those qualified to use the dark passage shared a common trait—they all hailed from the Western Archipelago.

Vice Dean Martin intended to regroup in the Western Archipelago, promising substantial benefits to Morsidor and others despite the impending collapse of the Mystralora City.

However, this promise could only be fulfilled when Martin returned to the Western Archipelago.

Black mages like Katherson from the academy plantation, who remained unaware of the secret passage, served as mere cannon fodder to cover the retreat of the other two groups.