Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s ambitious vision teetered on the edge of possibility. It was a reality burdened with complexities not to be underestimated.

Yet, amidst considerations of far-reaching plans, an immediate crisis demanded attention—Kurt was at his limit!

As a Rank One Knight, Kurt possessed formidable strength, but even that had its bounds.

In group combat, sheer numbers and relentless assault could very well overwhelm him.

The Sea Lizards, driven by desperation, proved to be formidable adversaries.

Navigating through the eye of the storm had depleted a considerable amount of Kurt’s stamina and battle qi. The ordeal also left him marked with numerous cuts on his chest.

The fact that he could still fight valiantly against a fellow Rank One Sea Lizard chief, all while withstanding the assault of a group of lesser Sea Lizards, proved his formidable strength.

Yet, his gradual retreat toward the ship signaled a critical depletion of his strength.

Likewise, the goateed elder had also slowed the speed of his spell releases.

The Sea Lizards were not merely rushing to their demise. They skillfully used the sea to conceal themselves, significantly diminishing the efficacy of the goateed man’s cryo magic spells.

For these sea dwellers, the ocean acted as a natural fortress.

Despite Kurt’s prowess, facing thousands single-handedly, especially while contending with an equal, proved too much.

Moreover, these aquatic creatures were not entirely feeble; had they been, Sein would not have considered utilizing them.

With a snap of his fingers, Yuri, the Rank One engineer, appeared behind Sein.

At this moment, her face was noticeably pale. It seemed like their recent navigation through the storm’s eye had affected her more than Sein.

Sein was not the type to give opposite genders preferential treatment. Yuri had served as his soul slave for quite some time now, it was time for her to prove her worth.

Sein issued a command directly to Yuri’s soul. The pallor on her face prompt gave way to a look of resolve.

Among the engineers, Yuri was far from frail.

In fact, among all the Rank One creatures present, she might well be deemed the strongest!

After all, she was a Neisse Civilization engineer, boasting combat power on par with peak Rank One, or possibly even Rank Two creatures.

Yuri wore four slender pendants on her neck—one distinguished by a ruby inlay, while the others bore a grayish-white hue.

These were not mere ornaments but spatial equipment meticulously crafted by Sein for her specific use.

Given the massive size of the Neisse Civilization’s mecha units, they could only be transported around through specialized spatial equipment with a large capacity.

Fortunately, Sein had been improving his skills in alchemy.

Crafting the four spatial equipment to store Yuri’s mecha units was within his capabilities.

The four pendants were used to store Yuri’s main unit—the Burning Flame, and three other standard mecha units.

However, it was unrealistic to expect these mecha units to match their original, factory-fresh specifications, as all of them had been reassembled from an assortment of salvaged spare parts.

Thanks to Yuri’s proficiency in manufacturing and maintaining mecha units, Sein did not have to worry about sourcing brand-new units for her.

A burst of red light emerged and a pink construct over ten meters tall materialized in the sky, into which Yuri quickly settled herself within the cockpit in its chest.

The appearance of the Burning Flame Unit was less majestic compared to its time in the Viridian Venom Flame World due to the mismatched white and blue special metal parts fitted on it.

The construct’s soles had been substantially modified too as Yuri had to replace the damaged sole flame generator with parts from standard units due to severe damage.

Though these modifications undoubtedly affected the Burning Flame Unit’s combat capabilities, the true extent of this impact remained to be tested in battle.

This was also another reason behind Sein’s command for her to fight.

This battle marked Yuri’s debut as Sein’s soul slave, a challenge she approached with confidence and determination to not disappoint.

The influence of Mirage’s Almanac of Souls transformed Yuri’s perception of Sein, replacing her initial resistance with a desire for his acknowledgment and praise. Even a simple pat on her head would send Yuri over the moon.

Such was the potent nature of soul magic, piquing Sein’s interest in exploring its depths further, particularly after studying Mirage’s Almanac of Souls.

Sein’s affinity for the umbra element naturally fostered his acceptance of necromancy and soul magic.

Yuri proved herself worthy of Sein’s trust.

Once inside the cockpit of the Burning Flame Unit, she transformed it into a blur of red, charging at the nearest Sea Lizards.

Wielding a pyro elemental energy sword crafted by Sein, she cleaved through the Sea Lizards with ease.

Those who sought refuge below the surface of the sea fared no better, as the sword’s heat vaporized a huge amount of seawater, filling the area with the scent of blood and singed flesh.

From the outset, Yuri demonstrated overwhelming strength, surpassing even Kurt’s efforts in the fray.

Yuri’s efficiency in dispatching enemies was undeniably impressive.

She could have further leveraged the cannons of her construct to enhance her combat effectiveness. However, Sein, unlike the resource-abundant Neisse Civilization, could not afford to supply endless energy blocks for the mecha.

Occasional blasts of energy rays were manageable, but relying on them consistently would deplete Sein’s reserves of resources and energy crystals at an unsustainable rate.

While Sein’s strength was rooted in his magic prowess and knowledge, Yuri’s power, beyond her mental focus, largely depended on the energy crystals powering her constructs.

These disparities stemmed from distinct evolutionary paths and civilization systems, making it challenging to determine one as superior to the other.

Ultimately, however, it was the Magus Civilization that triumphed in the war, suggesting that, perhaps, the Magus World held a slight edge.

Yuri’s onslaught halted the Sea Lizards’ assault on the ship, marking the beginning of the end of their offensive.

This was soon followed by the collective efforts of the brown-robed mage beside Sein, another Rank One knight and a few magic initiates onboard, signaling a decisive failure in the Sea Lizards’ attack!

Against such formidable opposition, the Sea Lizards stood no chance of overtaking the ship, despite it potentially harboring resources critical for their survival through the harsh winter.

The deaths of many Sea Lizards drew large schools of fish, turning the site into a feeding ground and inadvertently achieving the Sea Lizard leaders’ grim objective of reducing their population.

A melodious yet sorrowful conch sounded from the old Sea Lizard, and the other Sea Lizards finally withdrew, leaving behind nearly three thousand of their fallen in the sea.