Sovereign of the Ashes

Another agonized scream rang out from behind.

Since Sein and the Scarlet Scales Mercs had taken the lead, the underground creatures, recognizing them as formidable adversaries, began to deliberately target the weaker members at the rear of the group.

The leader of the Scarlet Scales Mercs was no ordinary senior squire. Her distinctive red scaled armor appeared to be crafted from the hide of a rare and mighty magic beast. The traces of element energy imbued in it hinted at the work of an alchemist.

This armor, combined with her aggressive and expansive fighting style, made Sein consider her a match for a Quasi Knight.

People referred to her as “Scarlet” but that was not her real name.

Mercenaries like her often adopted a code name, like “Berserk Bear” or “Brave Bracer” due to the hazardous nature of their profession.

“Scarlet” was both elegant and fitting for a female knight. It was also possibly influenced by the color of her armor and the name of her mercenary group.

After the scream subsided, news came from the mercenaries—another one of them had fallen.

This time to a swarm of black bats hanging above them.

These creatures, each as strong as a magic lifeform, could overwhelm even an intermediate squire in numbers.

Acknowledging the loss, the leader of the Scarlet Scales Mercs paused in her tracks.

She addressed Sein, her tone softer than during her defiant stand in the tent against Earl Krue. “We’ve lost five people already. I think we should stop and regroup.”

This change in her demeanor suggested a newfound respect for Sein, especially after he had saved two of her members and demonstrated his formidable Fire Wall spell.

Unlike knights, who excelled in solo combat, the effectiveness and coverage of a mage’s area of effect spells proved to be devastating on battlefields.

His Fire Wall had incinerated several underground demihumans who could not escape in time, surpassing the efficiency of the mercenary knights.

In response to her suggestion, Sein remained composed.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, “As per Gypson Dukedom’s intel, this underground mine isn’t extensive, so there can’t be many demihuman tribes.”

“Considering their warrior-to-population ratio, we’re likely already seeing their full assault capability. Not all of them pose a threat to your mercenaries; in fact, most are physically weaker than a human teenager because their strength is limited by their stature,” Sein added, turning to the leader.

“You appear to be quite knowledgeable about them,” the leader of the Scarlet Scales Mercs commented, arching her thick eyebrow curiously.

“There’s a variety of demihumans in the Magus world. I just happen to know more about some,” Sein replied.

“Let’s keep moving. I sense we’re nearing our target. The intensity of attacks here exceeds that in other areas. It’s a clear sign that we’re on the right path.” With that, Sein led the way deeper into the cave.

The leader of the Scarlet Scales Mercs followed closely behind Sein and asked, “If we’re indeed heading the right way, should we call in the other two mercenary groups, along with the Gypson Dukedom army waiting outside?”

Her question revealed that she was not all brawn and no brains.

Besides, becoming a mercenary leader as a female knight demanded qualities beyond mere strength, and she evidently possessed these extra attributes.

Sein considered her query for a moment before nodding in agreement and said, “Yes.”

Upon receiving confirmation from Sein, a respected divine tower mage, the leader promptly dispatched her mercenaries to summon the other groups and the Gypson Dukedom army.

Earl Krue’s expression was less than pleased when he arrived.

Despite his noble status, his prowess paled in comparison to Sein’s father, Earl Grantt.

Earl Krue had only managed to attain the rank of a senior squire through the consumption of countless heavenly treasures and magic beast essences.

Therefore, he was significantly less formidable than battle-hardened squires like Scarlet.

Fortunately, he had two capable high-ranking squires and the military might of the Gypson Dukedom at his disposal.

These soldiers, in terms of numbers and tactical advantage, were crucial for the underground expedition.

“Master Sein, as per our contract with the mercenary groups, this mission was initially assigned to them to handle...” Earl Krue began, approaching Sein.

Yet, Sein showed little patience for his ramblings and cut him off sharply. “My task is to document the investigation of this mutated magic beast. Do you want your actions included in my report?”

Sein’s stern tone silenced Earl Krue.

For a noble of his stature, the prestige of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring was beyond his wildest imagination.

Interfering with or falling out of favor with the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring could result in him being stripped of his noble status within the Gypson Dukedom.

Feeling defeated, Earl Krue could only summon his retainers to lead the soldiers forward.

Two young mercenaries from the Scarlet Scales Mercs, who had noticed the situation, gave Sein an appreciative thumbs-up.

The leader of the Scarlet Scales Mercs did not seize this opportunity to mock Earl Krue. Instead, she observed from a distance, her attention mainly on Sein.

The leaders of the other two mercenary groups soon approached Sein to report their status.

While their groups had not encountered assaults as relentless as those experienced by the Scarlet Scales Mercs, they had still endured casualties due to the inclusion of many young recruits who could not wield battle qi.

Unlike the Scarlet Scales Mercs, they had not had the advantage of Sein’s expertise in neutralizing the toxins used by the underground demihumans either.

Hence, the combined losses of the two mercenary groups had exceeded thirty.

Sein threw a glance at the strong-looking leaders of the two groups and said, “We have yet to encounter the quasi-ranked magic beast. The reasons behind the aggressive behavior of the underground demihumans remain unclear.”

“As we approach our target location, caution is paramount if we wish to avoid a total wipeout of our forces.”

His statement visibly made the two burly leaders tense up.

After exchanging a glance with each other, they respectfully responded in unison, “Understood.”