Sovereign of the Ashes

After Sein repaired the Guilleman Chamber of Commerce’s alchemy ship, it sailed significantly faster than before.

After all, his expertise in alchemy far surpassed that of the few magic initiates on board.

With a dragon turtle leading the way, the giant ship sailed even faster than before when two humpback whales pulled it.

Sein discovered that Tourmaline held a high reputation across the Boundless South Sea of the Magus World.

It seemed that not only did Elisa, the pink-tailed mermaid, regard it as Sea God, but all aquatic races they encountered on their voyage revered Tourmaline similarly.

During their journey to the Marmett Union Alliance, Sein even encountered two Rank Two mermen riding elemental seahorses.

Both of them were leading a sizable group of aquatic guards.

Had these two been escorting the ship earlier, they likely would have thwarted the Rank Two black mage’s ambush.

However, Elisa did not recognize those powerful mermen.

As more aquatic races gathered around Tourmaline, the pink-tailed mermaid reluctantly returned to the azure crystal necklace.

What was initially set to be a boring voyage through the Magus World’s Boundless South Sea became interesting and lively thanks to Tourmaline’s presence.

Some of the sea creatures became rare and unique underwater specimens in Sein’s collection.

While Sein refrained from targeting intermediate and high-level aquatic creatures possessing significant intelligence, he considered the lesser sea creatures and plants without such intelligence fair game.

This opportunity also allowed the magic initiates aboard to expand their knowledge and collect unique undersea specimens, following Sein’s example.

Despite the perilous journey that nearly cost them their lives, the survivors reaped considerable benefits.

Even the ordinary human sailors managed to gather undersea pearls, which, once sold, would sustain them comfortably for years to come.

***

After sailing past Zerzis Range, the most majestic mountain range in the southern region of the Magus Continent, Sein and his companions would reach the waters within the Marmett Union Alliance’s sphere of influence.

Thanks to Tourmaline’s protection, their journey had been smooth despite the storm season in the Boundless South Sea.

This was the calmest and most peaceful period Sein had experienced since arriving in the South Sea of the Magus World.

The imposing Zerzis Range dwarfed all life forms. Even Tourmaline, the dragon turtle, craned its neck to gaze at its highest peak, which was perpetually shrouded in clouds, making its grandeur elusive to the naked eye.

“Have you ever been to the highest peak of the Zerzis Range?” Sein asked as he landed on Tourmaline’s horn.

Having spent considerable time together, Sein had come to understand Tourmaline better—it was a mild-mannered formidable sea beast.

A casual, equal-footed approach to conversation seemed to resonate better with Tourmaline than excessive deference.

Tourmaline shook its massive head and replied, “No, I’m afraid of the cold. Third Sister told me it’s freezing up there all year, but there are some interesting creatures.”

Its response had given Sein even more insight into its family background.

Sein knew Tourmaline had two elder brothers, the mention of an elder sister piqued his curiosity about the family tree of the dragon turtle.

“Tourmaline, how many siblings do you actually have?” Sein asked.

“I realize we’ve grown quite close, and I’d love to know more about your family,” he added after choosing his words carefully.

Tourmaline was quite simple-minded, having spent most of the past five thousand years since hatching in slumber.

Over the past few days, Sein had come to understand that suppressing the eye of the sea in the Boundless South Sea a thousand years ago marked Tourmaline’s first significant mission away from the Western Archipelago.

This revealed its sheltered existence with a limited experience with the wider world and minimal interactions.

Nevertheless, its formidable size and lineage endowed it with a natural superiority over most lower-level life forms.

The dragon turtle family’s ability to engage with the Guardians hinted at its significant connections and influence within the Magus World.

Sein’s questions seemed to please Tourmaline.

Throughout its entire life, it had little to do besides eating and sleeping. Though all the aquatic creatures it met treated it with deference, it had not forged many “friendships”.

“Could this be the friends and friendships Big Brother and Third Sister often speak of?” Tourmaline pondered.

Without much hesitation, it replied, “I have three elder brothers and one elder sister. I’m the fifth and youngest. Besides my immediate family, I have two elder cousins on my father’s side, though we’re rarely in touch with each other.”

Indeed, the dragon turtle family was bigger than Sein had initially anticipated.

The very thought of Tourmaline’s siblings conjured images of even larger, more imposing dragon turtles in Sein’s mind.

***

After sailing past the southern tip of the Zerzis Range, Sein and his companions increased their speed.

The giant ship cut through the waves, making a beeline for Cannes Sea City within the Marmett Union Alliance’s territory.

Despite the interruption caused by the Rank Two black mage, Sein and his companions ultimately reached their destination ahead of schedule.

Cannes Sea City, located on the southeastern coast of the Marmett Union Alliance’s territory, was a bustling metropolis constructed partly over the sea.

Compared to the southern coast, the coastal region of the Marmett Union Alliance was livelier and more prosperous.

The azure sea city drew not only massive merchant and airships from the south but also specialized trading vessels from Steel City to the north, the Western Archipelago to the northwest, and the western ocean.

The Mamett United Alliance was a standout in the southwestern part of the Magus World for its magical innovations.

Its technologically advanced civilization had popularized the use of teleportation arrays throughout the region.

All the divine towers were interconnected, and all the major cities and ports were equipped with teleportation arrays and floating docks.

In terms of magical prowess, the Marmett Union Alliance was perhaps second only to Alveroth the Magic Empire.

While the Pyro Secret Society, to which Grandmaster Feylis, belonged, was a recognized power in the heart of the Magus Continent, it still fell short of the Marmett Union Alliance’s technological and magical capabilities.