Sovereign of the Ashes

“Are those Thunderfall World creatures planning to go all out?” Sein wondered as he continued unleashing a barrage of elemental attacks from the third floor of the magic tower. He peered toward the west and north, his expression grim.

Just moments before, a group of knights and mages, previously stationed at the southern part of the fortress, had departed to support the northern defenses.

As attacks from the creatures of Thunderfall World intensified, their numbers also surged around the fortress.

To prevent a breach, it was crucial to redeploy forces from quieter sectors like the southern and western fronts to bolster the more threatened areas.

Yesterday, Sein saw two Land Knights in the west, leading a group of Rank One knights and a considerable number of enslaved creatures toward the eastern part of the fortress.

The pressure of the war there was intensifying.

This relentless style of combat reflected the determination of the Thunderfall World creatures to resist.

It also prompted Sein to reflect deeply on the nature of war and its limits. He knew that Thunderfall World could not sustain this level of intense warfare indefinitely.

Sein and the other Magus World knights and mages were also actually struggling to defend the fortress.

On the front lines, the Magus World Army maintained its relentless assault, decimating the living forces of Thunderfall World.

Since Thunderfall World’s high command had allocated nearly half their forces to attack the lightly defended sections of the Magus World fortresses, the remaining Thunderfall forces, confronting the elite legions of the Magus World, faced a far more dire threat than those battling Sein and his comrades.

It was a desperate battle, with both sides going all out against each other.

Time was of the essence, and the Thunderfall World creatures were desperate to capture the main fortress base quickly.

Conversely, the leaders from the Magus World hoped that the fortress would hold out long enough for their main army to eliminate half of Thunderfall World’s elite forces on the Thunder Plains.

This should not go on for too long. Given the current intensity of the war, neither side could afford a prolonged battle with their limited resources.

The whirl of thoughts in Sein’s mind did not affect the rapid casting of his spells.

After days of repeatedly unleashing the specific one or two powerful area-of-effect spells, Sein could perform these incantations effortlessly, even with his eyes closed—though he was far from arrogant enough to actually do so.

Truth be told, he remained anxious even at this stage of the war.

“Invaders from the vile Magus Civilization, the Thunderous World will never yield to you! Rise, Sons of Thunder and all beings of the Thunderous World! The dawn of victory is ours!”

A loud voice of immense power suddenly erupted from the northeast of the fortress.

The voice’s majesty and grandeur surpassed that of the Rank Three creatures and demigod-level entities Sein had observed from afar.

It was a voice that could only belong to a Rank Four powerhouse, revered as a “god” in the Astral Realm!

As this commanding voice echoed over the battlefield, a visible frenzy and excitement ignited among the millions of Thunderfall World creatures engaged in combat.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Explosions resonated through the fortress base and the main battlefield to the northeast.

Hearing the voice of the great guardian inspired the Thunderfall World creatures to a fearless resolve.

In a final act of defiance, they detonated themselves, unleashing their remaining strength in spectacular bursts.

They were prepared to sacrifice everything for the Thunderfall World!

The “Thunderfall World” was the name those in the Magus World had forcibly imposed on this lower-level plane.

Its inhabitants, the Garths, preferred to call their homeplane the “Thunderous World”.

Sein had learned that there was already a plane by that name within the Magus Alliance, which likely explained why the orders had decided to call this plane the “Thunderfall World” instead.

It remained unclear whether the other Thunderous World had shown such fierce resistance when it was first invaded by the Magus Civilization.

Given the names, most of the inhabitants on both planes were likely electro elemental creatures.

The appearance of the Rank Four Violet Thunder Guardian dramatically escalated the war’s intensity on the Thunder Plains.

The creatures of Thunderfall World, whose morale had waned after more than a month of brutal combat, were now infused with a renewed, desperate ferocity.

Despite enduring relentless assaults from tens of thousands of knights and hundreds of thousands of elite enslaved creatures at the heart of the battlefield, the will to fight among the creatures of Thunderfall World soared to unprecedented heights.

This newfound fervor was fueled by none other than the presence of their guardian!

A brilliant purple light erupted in the center of the Thunder Plains.

Even from his position on the western side of the fortress base, Sein could see the radiant purple.

In contrast to the calm and gentle aura Master Lorianne usually exuded, this purple light unleashed a raw, violent force upon its emergence at the frontline!

Guardians typically represented the ultimate embodiment of their world’s will and inhabitants.

The Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Guardians of the Magus World each symbolized the depth and scope of the Magus Civilization’s power—the biting cold and ruthlessness of winter; the fervor and vigor of summer; the nurturing warmth of spring; and the plentiful harvest of autumn.

Since the onset of the interplanar war with Thunderfall World, one of the primary objectives of the knightly orders had been to eliminate the current guardian at all costs.

Only by defeating the Rank Four creature, Violet Thunder, could the Magus World hope to subjugate this plane.

Violet Thunder differed significantly from the previous guardian of the Viridian Venom Flame World.

The arrival of this Rank Four guardian and the resulting shift in the battlefield dynamics compelled a swift response from the Magus World.

A contemptuous snort, matching the intensity of Violet Lightning Thunder’s aura, echoed across the skies.

Moments later, a golden giant materialized at the center of the battlefield under the gazes of countless beings, standing across from the Thunderfall World’s guardian, whose body was shrouded in purple light.

This golden giant was none other than Brendek Satorra, the Order of the Steel Fist’s founder and a formidable Rank Four knight.

Having fought in the Thunderfall World for an extended period, it was only natural that Sein had heard of this esteemed Rank Four knight’s real name.

Rumor had it that the strength of this formidable Rank Four knight primarily stemmed from his mastery of a rare golden battle qi. He was also renowned for his formidable capabilities in both offense and defense.

Ever since this Rank Four knight had emerged on the battlefield, Sein noticed a palpable shift in the demeanor of the knights both inside and outside the fortress.

Their auras intensified, elevating their presence a notch above what it had been previously.

The enslaved creatures reacted even more dramatically. Upon witnessing the arrival of the Rank Four Knight, they revered him as a deity!

Even for an erudite and typically composed mage like Sein, the sight of this Rank Four knight stirred an undeniable excitement within him.

This figure represented the pinnacle of power in the Magus World’s interplanar war efforts!

With the mastermind stepping onto the battlefield, the conflict was brought to its ultimate climax!