Sovereign of the Ashes

Within the confines of the Divine Tower of Floating Flame’s space fortress, Sein had scarcely enjoyed a respite of less than a month when he was thrust back into the fray due to an unexpected battle.

Over time, Sein adjusted to the unpredicted nature of war.

He had not ventured into the Viridian Venom Flame World for leisure. Warfare and plunder were the core objectives of his journey.

Initially, Sein harbored a keen interest in everything the Viridian Venom Flame World had to offer.

However, as time progressed, he found his curiosity waning.

The piles of specimens and items he collected from the native creatures of the Viridian Venom Flame World promised Sein a rewarding research future upon his return to the Magus World.

These spoils, along with other loot, ensured that Sein would not worry about resources for his cultivation in the foreseeable future.

Indeed, Sein was not lacking in wealth.

After the successful conquest of the Blue Fiery Trench by the Magus Civilization Army, primarily spearheaded by the Divine Tower of Floating Flame, the army continued its conquest eastward and southward.

Initially, Sein joined the push east alongside the other mages, but months later, they were redeployed south to support another battlefield.

In a conflict of this magnitude, Sein’s movements were not of his own choosing.

He and his fellow mage troops were dispatched wherever they were needed.

The ones with a certain extent of authority on the battlefield were likely the Rank Three mages and above within the space fortress.

Through continuous engagement in warfare, Sein, once a novice Rank One mage of the Magus World, experienced rapid growth.

His demeanor had become markedly more reserved, his newfound coldness and murderous aura far removed from that of a typical magic initiate.

Yet, Sein’s character had evolved significantly since his days as an initiate.

Not only did he maintain regular contact with his senior, Selphy, but he also forged meaningful relationships with numerous mages throughout his time in the Viridian Venom Flame World.

Most of these mages hailed from the three other divine towers, as the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring had sent very few mages to the war.

Consequently, Sein found himself becoming better acquainted with mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame, Divine Tower of Whispering Flame, and Divine Tower of Floating Flame.

This camaraderie among mages from the four different divine towers was likely a deliberate strategy by Grandmaster Feylis and the tower masters at the war’s outset.

The four divine towers shared common interests, and fostering strong bonds among their mages during the conflict was seen as beneficial for future collaboration and long-term development.

Nearly a year after the conflict at the Blue Fiery Trench concluded, Sein received a call from Eileen from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

It was apparent that Eileen’s injuries had significantly healed since then, as she had already participated in two skirmishes before getting in touch with Sein.

“It was quite the challenge to reach you!” Her image was projected by Sein’s crystal ball in his room within the space fortress.

Eileen, likely stationed in another space fortress, managed to communicate with Sein across the expanse of the Viridian Venom Flame World, thanks to the fortresses’ information channels.

Given their limited mental focus as Rank One mages, direct communication across such vast distances was currently beyond their capability.

Sein was currently a little north of the central lava sea in the Viridian Venom Flame World.

On the other hand, Eileen was with another major force of the Magus Civilization, launching an assault on the sea of molten lava from a position that seemed to be in its southwestern region.

The sea of molten lava dwarfed that of the eastern and western continents of the Viridian Venom Flame World combined, posing significant challenges to its conquest and exploration.

After not seeing her for more than a year, Sein noted that Eileen’s complexion had significantly improved.

However, his attention was quickly drawn to the gray owl perched on her shoulder.

“Seven?!” Sein could not help but exclaim.

Seven the owl appeared smaller than it was a year ago. Hence, it did not look out of place perched on Eileen’s shoulder.

Back when Sein was still an initiate, Seven was huge enough to be used as a transportation tool.

Despite its reduced size, the gleam in Seven’s eyes was noticeably more vivid and intense than before. This led Sein to speculate that the owl’s form before him might not be permanent.

Sein’s great-grandfather, Julius, had a Rank Two super-ranked magic beast, the Reverse Winged Lion King, serving as his mount.

The lion, typically modest in size, could drastically increase its size up to tenfold whenever necessary.

Upon hearing Sein’s call, Seven responded with two excited hoots.

While Seven was capable of speech, like Sein, it seemed to struggle with expressing emotions.

In fact, those two excited hoots conveyed more feelings than words could express.

“It has ascended to Rank One more than half a year ago. I wanted to tell you right away, but I couldn’t reach you,” Eileen explained, shaking her head.

In the Viridian Venom Flame World, mages of the Rank Three and above might have the capability to promptly establish communication through specific methods.

However, the Rank One and Two mages would have to rely on the communication channels facilitated by the space fortresses to connect with the other mages across different war zones.

“Thank you for looking after Sev for me,” Sein expressed his sincere gratitude.

“You’re welcome, I’ve already received your compensation!” Eileen responded generously.

Sein initially thought she was referring to the magicoins he paid for her medical expenses in advance, but Eileen’s subsequent remark took Sein by surprise.

“Your big bed is very comfortable. I expected no less of a luxurious single room. It’s so much better than the room assigned to me in this fortress!”

“Sev has also been an incredible ally. It really helped me out a lot in the battle I fought a few days ago,” Eileen said while affectionately scratching Sev’s chin.

Sein knew Sev extremely well and recognized the contentment in its response to Eileen’s affectionate gesture.

For Sein, Sev had always been more of a companion than a pet, deserving of respect and equality rather than playful teasing.

“No one knows how long this war will last. It doesn’t seem like the main forces and space fortresses we’re in will be joining forces anytime soon either. In any case, we need to remain vigilant in the battles ahead,” Sein reminded Eileen with a serious look on his face.

“I know. Don’t worry, I’ve been careful,” Eileen assured him.

Despite Eileen’s optimistic assurance, her experiences of being severely injured and nearly losing her life had instilled in her a heightened sense of caution in warfare.

The presence of Sev, a Rank One magic beast, at her side provided an additional layer of protection.

“I’m not complaining about it either. At least, I’ll get to enjoy your luxurious room longer,” the woman teased Sein.

“Besides, I’ll also get to keep this little helper around at the cost of nothing.” She gently flicked Sev’s head while chuckling softly.