Sovereign of the Ashes

With the development of the Divine Tower of Dark Flame back on track, Sein, who had been occupied for several years, finally found a moment to rest.

The pyro elemental qualitative transformation experiment he had planned to focus on had been delayed far longer than anticipated.

After the conclusion of the Gumo Plane War, Sein had obtained a wisp of the Origin Dark Flame, but he had yet to find the time to study this invaluable flame in detail.

During his tenure as dean, Sein had been too preoccupied to stay in touch with Natalya and Reina, who had long since ventured into the Ylli Knight Alliance’s territory.

Since Reina had recently been promoted to Rank Three, she needed to test her newfound power.

Meanwhile, Natalya also wanted to hone her skills through battles.

With the two traveling together in the Ylli Knight Alliance, Sein was somewhat reassured about their safety.

Taking advantage of the lighter workload at the academy, Sein reached out to Selina and Eileen, who were far away in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, using the tower’s communication facilities.

Over the years, the two women had shown consistent, albeit moderate, growth. Unfortunately, their talent was not on par with Sein’s.

Despite their diligence, it was clear that they would not reach Rank Two until they were at least five hundred years old.

After all, neither of them could be called geniuses.

Sein also managed a brief conversation with his mentor, Lorianne.

Upon learning that her apprentice was serving as the Divine Tower of Dark Flame Academy’s dean, Lorianne delivered a rare, scathing reprimand.

It was not that she doubted Sein’s abilities and experience, her issue was entirely different.

Lorianne found it utterly absurd that her apprentice had chosen to lead an academy under someone else’s divine tower rather than helping her in lightening her workload.

“I should have mentored a Craghog[1] instead of you! At least I could slaughter it for a feast!” Lorianne exclaimed indignantly.

Hearing his mentor’s grumbling, Sein had no choice but to find ways to placate her.

“I’m only serving as dean at the Divine Tower of Dark Flame to gain experience. The contract is only for two hundred years. Once I’ve learned the ropes of being a dean, I’ll return to assist you, Master Lorianne,” Sein explained.

“Surely, you wouldn’t want me to assist you without the proper knowledge and cause trouble at your divine tower, would you?” he added.

After hearing his explanation, Lorianne’s mood improved slightly.

While she did not hold back from reprimanding her apprentice, she still took the time to catch up with his training and studies.

“I see you’re reaching a critical point in all aspects of your advancement. When exactly will you be promoted to Rank Three?” Lorianne asked.

“It should happen within the next few years. The more I work on the pyro elemental qualitative transformation experiment, the more new insights are uncovered. The wisp of Dark Flame I acquired not long ago has even opened up a new research direction,” Sein replied.

“Anyway, I don’t intend to let this delay my promotion. I believe it’s not too late to study the deeper mysteries of elemental qualitative change in greater detail after breaking through to Rank Three,” he remarked thoughtfully.

Lorianne nodded, satisfied with his response.

“While the timing of your promotion and your age hold little significance in the grand scheme of things, advancing to a higher life level will provide you with an exponential increase in focus and a broader perspective. This will allow you to pursue the truth in a more systematic and comprehensive manner,” she said.

“Once you’ve advanced to Rank Three, I will visit your grandmaster on your behalf. According to the customs of our Verdant Flame Faction, your grandmaster should bestow upon you new pyro elemental knowledge.

“But bear in mind, this will be the final piece of knowledge granted to you by the faction. Both your grandmaster and I believe that after reaching Rank Three, there is little more to gain through academic study alone.

“To unravel deeper truths, you must rely on your own exploration. Each Rank Three mage, whether advancing to Demigod or even Rank Four, must master a unique power of laws.

“While the insights of others can serve as a reference, true mastery cannot be imitated perfectly. Ultimately, you will need to carve out your own path,” Lorianne shared.

The information Lorianne shared with Sein was among the most crucial aspects of the legacy knowledge passed down to those within their factions after being promoted to Rank Three.

If Sein had not advanced so quickly and been so far from her, Lorianne would have taken the time to properly explain the details to him.

As for visiting the Grandmaster Verdant Flame to request new pyro elemental knowledge for Sein, that was completely unnecessary.

The truth was, Lorianne had another motive: she wanted to flaunt a little in front of her mentor and seniors.

She was definitely the only one with a Rank Three apprentice as young as around three hundred years old.

Though age was just a number, becoming a grand mage at such a young age was undeniable proof of Sein’s exceptional magical talent and, indirectly, a reflection of Lorianne’s skill as a mentor.

Sein’s rapid advancement could not be attributed solely to the wisp of planar light within him.

Surely, everyone would have to acknowledge that Lorianne excelled in mentoring her apprentice.

***

After ending his remote communication with his mentor and others, Sein returned to his experimental research with renewed focus.

Just as Sein was about to achieve a breakthrough in deciphering the Dark Flame and the qualitative transformation of the pyro element, the Tower Master of Dark Flame came back.

True to his word, the Rank Five tower master demonstrated a precise sense of timing, returning to his divine tower exactly three years after his departure.

With the tower master’s arrival, Sein, along with the other three deans and vice deans, were summoned to the top floor of the divine tower to present their work reports.

These years had been among the most turbulent for the Divine Tower of Dark Flame, and the tower master was eager to understand the current state of affairs.

To his surprise, the situation was better than expected.

Sein, whom the tower master had appointed as dean in his most desperate moment, had played a pivotal role in stabilizing the divine tower.

His audacious approach to “poaching initiates” from the Alveroth Empire even earned special praise from the tower master.

The other deans and vice deans watched in disbelief as the tower master openly commended him instead of rebuking Sein for his boldness.

“Let’s not limit ourselves to the Alveroth Empire—it’s too far from us. We should set our sights on the divine towers near us, especially the Divine Tower of Astral Sun and the Divine Tower of Gray Plume!” the tower master declared with enthusiasm.

His tone darkened as he slammed the table, spreading waves of pyro elemental energy from his hands.

“Those old fools dared to impeach me at the regional inspection meeting! Let’s see how they feel when we rob them of their initiates!”

As a more powerful Rank Five mage, the tower master’s approach was far more audacious than Sein’s.

Noticing the troubled expressions on the faces of Keith, Bob, and the others, the tower master waved dismissively and assured them, “There are no rules in the divine towers or the knightly orders that forbid poaching initiates. As Sein said, we’re not taking these initiates for sinister research or to harm them. We’re simply offering them a better environment for growth.”

“And if the guardians get involved, I have enough points to defend myself! If they have a problem with me, they can fight me in a one-on-one duel and see who comes out stronger!” he smirked with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Still sensing the reluctance among the other deans and vice deans, the tower master’s expression soured.

“What are you afraid of? If something goes wrong, I’ll take full responsibility!” he growled.

It was hard to tell if the tower master’s fiery temper stemmed from any unjust treatment he might have endured during his three-year absence, but his demeanor suggested he had returned with a score to settle.

Sein and the others dared not defy him. They merely nodded in compliance, silently acknowledging their orders.

1. Author’s Note: The Craghog is an omnivorous livestock species native to the Beastmen Plane. Known for its high meat yield, it’s a favorite among the Beastmen. It resembles the domesticated pigs of the Magus World but is characterized by its thick skin. ☜