Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s confrontation with the Rank One wolf spider marked the climax of his ten-day campaign through the Thunder Marsh.

This wolf spider was adept at harnessing electro elemental energy and boasted formidable close-quarters combat skills.

However, it was no match for Sein, who possessed superior strength and was skilled in close-quarters combat.

Sein’s constitution significantly outstripped his focus and mana levels, which led him to adopt a combat style quite unlike that of traditional mages.

He remained unfazed at the prospect of suffering minor pains and injuries.

On the battlefield, Sein’s mastery of the verdant flame body transformed him into a towering figure akin to a pyro elemental giant.

With assistance from Yuri, it took Sein no longer than twenty sandglasses to defeat the wolf spider.

Yuri, who had been his steadfast companion for many years, had grown significantly in all aspects of her life.

During this battle, the disparity in strength between both parties was so stark that Yuri realized her primary role was to restrain the wolf spider, preventing its escape and ensuring a smooth fight for Sein. She even let Sein deliver the fatal blow to the creature.

This approach was not a reflection of increasing sycophancy on Yuri’s part.

Years of loyalty had honed her skill in reading Sein’s mood and she could tell that he needed an outlet to vent his frustrations.

This need had been building since his arrival in the eastern part of the Thunder Marsh, where he had been unleashing his wrath across a vast swath of the area.

After the battle, Sein’s focus and mana reserves were considerably depleted. With his own hands, he extracted the most valuable heart core from the wolf spider. He also preserved its eight spider claws, jaws, and teeth as specimens before storing them away.

With a slight frown, he looked at the larger pieces of the abdomen and other remnants before deciding to distribute them to the four Sea Lizards as a reward.

Years of experience in the Knight Continent’s trial zone had altered Sein’s perspective on the value of Rank One creatures.

To him, their flesh and blood held little worth beyond their calorific content, making them ideal nourishment for the Sea Lizards—unless they possessed specific scientific or collectible value.

“We’ve been here too long. Let’s head back,” Sein said, glancing toward the fortress base.

***

When Sein returned to the camp at Thunder Marsh, cloaked in a gloomy aura, he was greeted with the good news of Kelman Grantt’s awakening.

Coinciding with this was the return of his ancestor, Julius, from his patrol mission.

In the fortress’ recuperation area, Sein found Kelman lying in bed, but awake this time.

The white bandages swathing Kelman’s body had lessened significantly compared to ten days ago, revealing his mature and handsome features.

Sein, considered handsome even by the high standards of the Magus World, could attribute much of his appearance to genetics.

His mother had been a beauty, and Kelman Grant was undeniably a striking man.

With his recent advancement to Rank One, Kelman appeared remarkably younger, though his skin was still rougher than Sein’s—marked by sun exposure and rigorous training, unlike Sein’s, which had remained relatively smooth from long hours spent in research labs.

Despite their different paths, the familial resemblance between father and son was striking.

“Sein, you’re here,” Kelman said, his face breaking into a frail smile upon seeing his son.

Though Kelman’s injuries were severe, his recent awakening was a sign of a smoother recovery ahead.

Jeremy Grantt stood by the window in Kelman’s room, a smile lighting his face as he remarked, “Thanks to those potions you brought, the healing process has been remarkable. Several of my comrades have even asked about them.”

With Kelman’s awake now, Jeremy was noticeably relieved.

Since the ongoing Thunderfall World war involved only three orders of knights and lacked any divine towers, this restriction had driven the prices of various magic potions sky-high, making them both expensive and scarce.

Though the Order of the Steel Fist could procure bulk supplies through the Magus Alliance or the divine towers near Viridescent Land, none could supply them as effectively as a divine tower directly participating on the battlefield.

Many knights felt uneasy advancing toward enemy legions without the protective barrage of an elemental frenzy flying over their heads.

The war had dragged on, partly because the intrinsic power of this world surpassed what the three orders had anticipated.

The three leading knights, each of Rank Four or Five, faced their own unique challenges, that gradually became apparent. The next steps were theirs to decide.

In the room, Sein brought out his experimental instruments to check on Kelman once more.

With his expertise in the Verdant Flame Body Tempering technique and knowledge of human anatomy, Sein was better equipped than many full-fledged mages who had mastered just one or two healing spells.

Sein also took out some rare supplies he had acquired in the Knight Continent’s trial zone to replenish Kelman’s qi and blood.

These exotic resources were completely unfamiliar to both Kelman and Jeremy, who stood beside Kelman’s bed.

Yet, their instincts reacted immediately.

As Sein held a bright red, coral-like plant, both Jeremy and Kelman gulped subconsciously, feeling an overwhelming urge to devour it.

Every cell in their body screamed that ingesting this plant would bring them immense benefits.

“If you consume this directly, your body won’t absorb it as efficiently. I’ll prepare some potions with it for both of you soon,” Sein offered.

Although the offer extended to both of them, Jeremy quickly waved his hand and said, “You should give them to Kelman first...”

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed from outside the room. “What’s that good stuff?!”

The purple-furred Reverse Winged Lion King and Julius strode in, having just reported the completion of their mission at the fortress center.

“Hey, little guy from House Grantt, I caught a whiff of something really nice from afar,” the Lion King said, raising an eyebrow.

“House Grantt never flaunts their wealth openly. You should have put up an elemental barrier before doing something like this. There are plenty of old geezers around here with keen noses!” it said.

While the lion was speaking, Julius had already conjured a purple energy barrier that enveloped the room, sealing it completely from the outside.

A low exclamation promptly rang out, “Holy shit! That’s a lot of good stuff you got from your trip!”

“That’s a... Blood Coral, right?” Julius observed, pointing at the red plant in Sein’s hand.

“Such an item isn’t typically accessible to most people. Did you receive it from your mentor?” he asked.

“No, I acquired this during my travels,” Sein replied calmly, shaking his head.