Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s understanding of underground lives primarily encompassed the magic beasts, demihumans, and other creatures dwelling below the surface.

Faye enlightened Sein that Mordoron Island was not the only place endowed with rich underground resources. In fact, the entire Western Archipelago boasted a natural abundance of underground riches greater than many other regions.

Beneath the vast surface lay equally expansive underground space.

Interestingly, these spaces formed a ladder-like structure.

Although the resources near the surface were rapidly plundered by the black mages of Blackhaven, new resources continually emerged deeper underground.

This cycle likely enabled Blackhaven to maintain its existence, albeit barely, despite the land’s inherent barrenness.

In a medium or small plane, rampant over-exploitation of resources would lead not only to a yearly decrease in available resources but also to the eventual disintegration of the plane itself.

Only a vast plane like Magus World could sustain the relentless extraction of resources by the black mages in the northern Western Archipelago without compromising the plane’s overall development progress.

Faye was extremely familiar with Mordoron Island. She stood closely beside Sein, sharing the same flying metallic disk.

Following her guidance, they reached the northern part of the island by evening.

Zorro resided on a seemingly unremarkable hill on the surface world.

A modest black magic tower stood nestled in the shadows of a hill.

As the sun set in the west, the tower looked dull and desolate in the darkness.

This magic tower, constructed by Morsidor on Mordoron Island, was where Zorro had lived and studied as his apprentice.

According to Faye, Zorro was particularly fond of this tower.

Not far from the hills surrounding the magic tower, there was a small deposit of hematite concentrate.

Martin had allocated most of the revenue from this resource point to Zorro. While this arrangement seemed exceptionally generous, this resource point had originally belonged to Morsidor.

Furthermore, this allocation was not a gift to Zorro; at least two-thirds of the hematite concentrate and other materials extracted from this site were transformed into magic items and returned to Martin and his colleagues.

In a place like Blackhaven, success required one to play a specific role.

Among the newly promoted Rank One black mages, Zorro was undoubtedly leading a better life.

However, his position came at a cost—he was obligated to supply Martin and the other black mages with various magic items.

Perhaps intending to surprise Zorro, Faye chose not to inform him of Sein’s visit to Mordoron Island, even though she could easily contact him through her crystal ball.

When Sein and Faye approached the tower and rang the magic doorbell, Sein felt a stir of excitement.

“Is that you, Faye? Haven’t I given you free access to this tower? Why are-...”

A voice, transmitted through mental focus, came from within the tower. Almost instantly, the firmly shut door swung open, and Zorro stepped out.

Now appearing as a middle-aged man, he was clad in gray mage robes, his hair peppered with gray.

Upon spotting Sein and Faye outside his magic tower, Zorro’s words trailed off.

Although Faye appeared the most aged among the group, her energy was unmatched.

With a soft chuckle, she answered, “I do have access to this tower, but our dear junior here does not.”

Her laughter seemed to snap Zorro back to his senses.

A flicker of excitement and joy momentarily lit up his usually composed and mature demeanor.

The three of them were Morsidor’s last remaining apprentices in Mystralora City.

Mages tended to be a reclusive group, but black mages were basically hermits.

Despite meeting many new mages over the years, Zorro had made no new “friends”.

Except for a few like Martin and Jeanne, with whom he interacted more frequently, Faye remained the only person on Mordoron Island whom Zorro genuinely cared for.

In essence, Zorro maintained a very limited social network.

Despite the connections Morsidor had cultivated across the Western Archipelago, Zorro had inherited only a few of them.

Instead, it was more common for other black mages to seek Zorro out, requesting that he craft magic equipment for them.

Zorro typically charged the market rate for such services.

Martin provided him protection, Zorro offered his expertise, and those seeking his services brought the necessary raw materials.

This mode of operation allowed Zorro to meet numerous black mages, though their relationships were confined to basic business transactions, devoid of personal favors.

On the second floor of the black magic tower, Morsidor’s three apprentices gathered around a stone table, sharing stories of their past experiences.

Despite its slightly run-down exterior, the magic tower was surprisingly impressive inside.

Sein saw countless magic instruments, some familiar and others entirely novel, scattered across every floor of the tower.

Morsidor, an avid alchemist, had filled the four floors and three basement levels of the tower almost exclusively with alchemy equipment.

Though Zorro’s magic tower seemed slightly shorter than Faye’s, its interior was far more spacious.

Not only did the tower have four floors, but the basement had also been expanded into three levels.

“This magic tower be equipped with some sort of spatial technology. Master Morsidor’s lifetime achievements in alchemy are still beyond our reach,” Sein commented, surveying the tower’s expansive interior.

Zorro was still deep in thought, processing the events Sein had recounted.

The story of Sein’s escape from the underground and the collection of his mentor’s ashes had clearly pained Zorro.

After hearing Sein’s remark, Zorro excused himself momentarily. When he returned, he carried a stack of spell books and handwritten alchemy notes.

“Sein, your skills in alchemy rivals mine, and our mentor often spoke highly of you. These are all Master Morsidor’s spell books and the alchemy notes. Many of these notes were personally written by him. I believe they will greatly aid your advancement in alchemy,” Zorro explained, offering the materials to Sein.

Zorro had likely read all these materials already.

Mages valued their factions, but the most crucial aspect was the inheritance of knowledge.

Sein did not refuse the offer. Instead, he solemnly accepted the reading materials and bowed deeply to Zorro.

The gesture of respect was not just to express his gratitude toward Zorro but also in homage to their late mentor, Morsidor, and the legacy of knowledge he had left behind.

After receiving the notes, Sein divided the legacy he had inherited from Morsidor into three equal parts before presenting them to Zorro and Faye.