Sovereign of the Ashes

Upon hearing Faye’s words, a surge of anger rose within Sein.

Daelis, the Rank One black mage, was undoubtedly Sein’s sworn enemy.

Driven by both a duty to Morsidor and a personal obsession, Sein swore that he would kill that woman!

His animosity extended beyond Daelis to the person she aligned herself with, Gandra the Rank Three black mage, who would not allow his precious apothecary to be killed so easily.

This explained why Daelis had accepted Zorro’s challenge—most likely because many underestimated Zorro.

Among Morsidor’s apprentices, Zorro was the one who had inherited the greatest portion of his legacy in alchemy and closely resembled his mentor in talent.

In the realm of alchemy, Zorro’s skills and diligence were undeniable.

However, in combat, it was a different story. Sein did not mean to discredit his senior, but Zorro had shown no significant prowess in battles.

At their level, Zorro might not even match Faye in a fight.

Therefore, Zorro’s defeat was expected.

Losing an arm was a harsh lesson that further deepened the animosity toward Daelis among Morsidor’s three apprentices.

What goes around comes around.

It was not that they lacked the desire to take revenge on Daelis; the right moment simply had not arrived yet.

Sein assessed that Daelis was likely a peak Rank One black mage. Her ability to assassinate Morsidor through a sneak attack was clear evidence of her formidable skills.

At that time, Morsidor was a mid-stage Rank One mage. Yet, with his arsenal of magic artifacts, he could likely have faced a peak Rank One or even a Rank Two mage head-on.

An alchemist who had amassed resources for hundreds of years should never be underestimated. Even if they could not defeat their opponent, they could have escaped.

If Morsidor had not possessed such capabilities, Dean Martin would not have invited him in the first place.

Currently, Sein, judging solely by his focus and mana levels, was at the mid-stage of Rank One, having only attained this rank not too long ago.

However, with the addition of his Verdant Flame Heart Rod, Verdant Flame Eye Mask, and other magic equipment, Sein was confident he could face mid to late-stage Rank One enemies on equal footing.

This was a quest for vengeance for his mentor, and Sein was prepared to face the dangers.

Although Sein acknowledged that he was not strong enough to cause upheaval in the heart of Blackhaven, he was willing to stir trouble in the outer twelve islands.

According to Faye, the most powerful being there was merely a Rank Three grand mage.

While a Rank Three Grand Mage was a formidable adversary for him, Sein still had hundreds of Virdescent Seeds he received from Lorianne to rely on.

Sein had not even used the most potent of these, the milky-white seed, even when his life was in peril on the southern coast. He had reserved it for the looming uncertainties in Blackhaven.

“I’ll find a way to fight Daelis and avenge our mentor!” Sein declared with unwavering conviction.

Faye looked at Sein, her expression tinged with concern, but she remained silent.

The commitment to avenging their mentor was a sentiment shared by all three of them.

As Sein and Faye discussed their plans for revenge, a sudden rumble echoed from outside the magic tower.

Both of them felt the ground shake even in the basement, as if the entire tower trembled.

Faye’s face paled instantly. As the tower’s owner, she could sense external disturbances through the tower’s prohibition arrays.

The pair quickly ascended to the first floor.

Even without any detection magic, Sein could already spot a black mage in brown robes hovering midair as he peered out from the tower’s windows.

He was clearly the one who caused the tremor, as a large, deep-yellow fireball was swirling ominously at the tip of his magic rod.

A voice transmitted by mental focus boomed, “How dare you injure my apprentice and stir trouble on Mordoron Island!”

Sein’s actions during his earlier passage through Mordoron Island had finally come back to bite him.

The unexpected appearance of this arrogant black mage was likely not to seek justice for his ill-fated apprentice. He was here to rob Sein.

After all, there were no saints in Blackhaven.

Sein’s earlier actions had exposed him as a “newcomer” to the region. As such, the permanent residents of Mordoron Island were eager to “welcome” him in Blackhaven’s unique way.

The arrival of this Rank One black mage might just be the beginning—or perhaps he’s merely scouting the area.

Should Sein appear weak, the other cunning and ferocious black mages would devour him like sharks or hyenas.

Sein could not expect any intervention from Rank Three black mage Martin. As of now, Martin was not even aware of his existence.

Moreover, Martin’s control over the four islands he governed was far from complete.

Unlike Gandra, Martin ruled over his territories neutrally and leniently.

This approach enabled him to quickly gain a superficial hold over the four islands, attracting black mages from other regions.

However, this strategy also had its drawbacks, notably Martin’s difficulty in safeguarding the interests of the black mages under his command.

The brown-robed mage hovering before them, and the sharks and hyenas lurking in the shadows, likely knew that Faye’s magic tower was constructed by Zorro, a prominent figure under Martin’s command.

Yet, this group of profit-driven black mages had still converged here, drawn by the scent of potential gains.

To them, nothing else mattered when weighed against the promise of profit.

Unless Martin could eliminate a few black mages as a stern warning and establish order on the four islands surrounding Mordolon Island, this chaotic situation would persist.

However, from the current state of affairs, the establishment of any semblance of order here seemed still a distant prospect.

“He’s Bhabaluka, a Rank One black mage. He arrived on Mordoron Island not long ago and has been eager to establish his reputation. This isn’t someone who shies away from conflict. In the ten years since his arrival, he’s had numerous confrontations with other mages of his rank,” Faye explained with a grim expression.

After observing the brown-robed mage outside the tower, Sein turned to Faye and asked, “If I take this guy down, will I get on Dean Martin’s bad side?”

Faye was taken aback by the question, but she quickly recovered and replied, “I don’t think so. From what I’ve heard from Zorro, Dean Martin also disapproves of these troublemakers. Besides, Dean Martin values the relationships forged among the black mages at the Black Magic Academy of Mystralora City.”

“Except for mages like Daelis who betrayed him, all other black mages who fled from the Gloomhaven to the Western Archipelago are treated leniently by Dean Martin,” she added.