Sovereign of the Ashes

In the living room on the second floor of the magic tower, Sein and Faye shared stories of their experiences over the years.

Sein had known since his days as an initiate that Faye was not one to tidy up because he often had to visit her dormitory back then.

During the twenty sandglasses of waiting just now, Faye likely focused most of her energy on her appearance and skin care, which might explain why the magic tower was still messy.

Yet, the mess made him feel at ease because it reminded him of the old days.

It appeared that Faye had been living alone all these years.

Without Master Morsidor’s presence as their connector, it was unlikely that Faye and Zorro would cohabitate despite being on good terms. Both of them were deeply engrossed in their own experiments too.

It was from Faye that Sein learned Zorro had been promoted to a full-fledged mage twenty years ago—around the same time Sein had reached Rank One.

As the primary inheritor of Master Morsidor’s alchemy legacy, Zorro had certainly lived up to Morsidor’s expectations.

Apart from his mentor’s alchemy skills, Zorro also inherited many of Morsidor’s connections in Blackhaven.

Despite Morsidor’s modest position at the Black Magic Academy, he had cultivated a vast network in Blackhaven.

Many full-fledged black mages owed favors to Morsidor, a renowned alchemist whose skills were coveted across all regions.

These connections were crucial for Zorro and Faye during their first challenging decade in Blackhaven.

It was not until Zorro attained Rank One and demonstrated his remarkable skills in alchemy that the two truly established themselves in the region.

While they could leverage their mentor’s reputation to find success beyond Blackhaven, within its borders, they primarily had to rely on their own abilities.

After all, the favors Morsidor had accrued would not protect Zorro and Faye forever—perhaps not even for decades.

Zorro’s timely promotion to Rank One helped them navigate numerous difficulties.

Zorro and Faye had made numerous enemies in both Blackhaven and Mordoron Island. After all, it was virtually impossible not to be caught in a quagmire when you were already in one.

Faye was even more informed about the situation in Blackhaven and the power dynamics on Mordoron Island compared to the Quasi Mage he had effortlessly strangled to death.

Through Faye’s insights, Sein learned that Faye and Zorro were still being supported by a Rank Two black mage—Jeanne.

Jeanne, in turn, was currently aligning with Martin, a Rank Three black mage, to secure her standing in Blackhaven.

Martin was one of the three deans at the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City.

The black mages had struggled significantly since the Divine Tower of Dawn destroyed Mystralora City.

Dean Dedaelon had died, and many other Rank One black mages were either dead or injured. Those who managed to return to Blackhaven were invariably wounded.

The biggest blow to this group, however, was the destruction of Mystralora City and the death of a demigod-level black mage named Jemal.

Jemal was the actual founder of Mystralora City, and also the mentor of Martin.

Jemal, already weakened by a severe illness and nearing the end of his life, was targeted by a demigod-level mage and two demigod-level knights from the Divine Tower of Dawn during the attack.

Ultimately, he failed to escape the underground.

Jemal’s death had immediate consequences—control over the twelve southwestern islands of Blackhaven, including Mordoron Island, was lost.

At the time of his death, Jemal was close to advancing to Rank Four.

Had he obtained even a fragment of the Sandworm King’s crystal core, a Rank Four creature, his chances of achieving Rank Four would have been nearly sixty percent.

Unfortunately, Jemal failed.

In the aftermath, Sein learned that the magic rod wielded by the Tower Master of Dawn had gained a geo-attribute crystal core on its tip.

Just as Zorro found it challenging to fully inherit Morsidor’s legacy and connections, Martin also struggled to maintain the empire his mentor had built.

Despite the challenges, Zorro managed to achieve Rank One. Although there remained a gap between his alchemy skills and Morsidor’s, it was not insurmountable.

For Martin, an early-stage Rank Three black mage, managing a fortune accumulated over ten thousand years by a demigod-level black mage proved to be overly optimistic.

Currently, Martin controlled only four islands, and his hold on them was tenuous.

As an early-stage Rank Three mage, he struggles to assert dominance, facing challenges not only from peers but also from some peak Rank Two mages.

Currently, the only person Martin could truly rely on was Jeanne, the Rank Two black mage.

The group of black mages led by Martin remained relatively united internally despite their struggles in the southern part of the Blackhaven.

After all, unity was essential for survival amidst Blackhaven, and not all black mages preferred to operate solo.

Since Zorro had been promoted to Rank One and honed his skills in alchemy, his status was relatively high within Martin’s circle of black mages.

With Zorro’s protection, Faye received first-class treatment among the initiates on Mordoron Island. She not only established a magic tower but also secured ample resources for her training.

Her only regret was not being able to attain Rank One.

Twelve years ago, she attempted a breakthrough, but unfortunately, it failed.

The resource conditions in Blackhaven were far inferior to those on the main continent of the Magus World.

Anna, the Quasi Mage from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, also failed to attain Rank One, but she had the opportunity to try again, maybe even a third time.

However, Faye’s single failure as a black magic initiate had effectively ended her chances of attaining Rank One.

Her visibly aged appearance now was not just the result of time passing but also the aftermath of her unsuccessful attempt to become a full-fledged mage.

“Zorro said he would gather enough resources for me to try again, but I turned him down. I know life has been tough on him too, and I can’t bring myself to cause him more trouble. He’s already done so much for me,” Faye confided in Sein.

Sein stepped forward, took Faye’s hand, and looked into her eyes. ”No, you should continue to strive for Rank One until you succeed. I believe you can become a full-fledged mage, and I am here to provide you with the necessary resources.”

With fervent conviction, Sein continued, “We still have a long path ahead of us in our pursuit of truth. Let’s walk it together.”