Sovereign of the Ashes

Among the Magus World mages and knights, journeying into the Astral Realm seemed to be a common tradition upon reaching a certain rank.

At present, many Magus World powerhouses were still exploring the Astral Realm.

With the battle of civilizations fast approaching, some would undoubtedly return in time.

However, those who had traveled too far might not make it back before war broke out.

The one Nergal had just mentioned was likely one of them.

Despite her absence, there was no need to worry that she had disappeared entirely.

If Magus Civilization ever faced an extreme crisis—one that demanded her strength—then no matter how far she was, she would return as swiftly as she could.

That said, it was unlikely that the Magus Civilization would ever need to call upon her strength.

The upper echelons of the Magus Civilization had already conducted comprehensive war projections and evaluated the strength of their enemy.

If top-tier civilizations could be further categorized, then the Magus Civilization was already at the peak of the mid-stage, standing on the verge of stepping into the late stage of top-tier civilization development.

This rapid expansion and rise in power was due to various factors.

While the Gallant Federation was also considered a top-tier civilization, the Magus Civilization had determined that its opponent was still in its early stage of development.

Even after annexing the Rosen Dynasty Civilization, absorbing much of the Radiant Celestials’ legacies, and taking over several large vassal worlds, the Gallant Federation still fell short in comparison to the Magus World.

At best, they had only just reached the mid-stage of top-tier civilization development.

This disparity in power filled the leaders of the Magus Civilization with unshakable confidence as they prepared for war.

Yet, considering the fundamental differences between a technological civilization and a cultivation civilization, the leaders of the Magus Civilization remained cautious.

After all, the outcome of a war between top-tier civilizations remained uncertain until the very end.

Strength alone did not guarantee victory.

History across the Astral Realm was filled with unexpected turns, where the few overcame the many and the weak triumphed over the strong.

The Magus World’s caution was, in itself, a sign of respect for their enemy.

When the Spider Queen innocently asked whether the Magus World powerhouse who had wounded the master of the Tablet of Fate would also intervene in the Faeloria War, Nergal chuckled lightly.

For her, ordinary interplanar wars could no longer interest her.

Chasing the footsteps of the Supreme Knight Overlord and reaching the pinnacle of supremacy in the Astral Realm was her current goal.

There was only one scenario in which that figure might set foot on the battlefield of an interplanar war—if the Magus Civilization stood on the brink of annihilation.

Otherwise, her attention remained fixed on unraveling the mysteries of the Astral Realm’s origin.

Nergal dismissed the topic with a wave.

“Well, this large-scale war of total conquest isn’t something you need to concern yourself with right now.”

His gaze flickered toward the Tablet of Fate.

“The tablet’s owner was likely only injured—not dead. And with that world’s space-time laws sealing it off, I can’t pull that little guy back to Magus World just yet. But I can at least help him with his current predicament.”

He lifted his finger, pointing at the projected image of Sein still fleeing for his life.

This Rank Three mage, against all odds, had somehow become the key to the Magus Civilization’s future invasion of Faeloria.

Hence, Nergal did not mind intervening.

“Fine, try to make sure he survives. He still has the stone slab and some of my other belongings in his possession,” the Spider Queen replied.

Nergal let out another chuckle. Then, with a casual flick of his fingers, a burst of power surged forth.

***

In Faeloria...

Sein, still caught in his endless escape, suddenly felt his body lighten.

An unfathomably powerful force surged through him, pushing him forward with unstoppable momentum.

It repelled the enemies around him and propelled him straight toward the far west.

The speed was unlike anything Sein had ever experienced before!

Sein barely had time to process what was happening as the scenery around him blurred, streaking past him in reverse.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the Silver Spider Ring.

No matter the circumstances, it seemed he could always rely on the Spider Queen—even though, just days ago, he had been cursing her in his mind.

Yet, as he hurtled westward instead of into a space-time passage, Sein immediately understood that he was not leaving Faeloria anytime soon.

The early onset of the Avatar Crisis was not just something the Spider Queen had realized in the Magus World—it was something he himself was now experiencing firsthand.

He could clearly feel the planar laws shifting and the environment around him changing lately.

By all rights, the power of laws should have been far beyond Sein’s reach.

After all, he was still a newly promoted Rank Three mage.

And yet, ever since crossing paths with the Spider Queen, he had been thrust into trials far beyond his level.

He had either been forced to work on experiments beyond his comprehension or forced into direct combat with Rank Four extraplanar entities.

Through these ordeals, his foundation had solidified, and he had gradually begun to develop his own understanding of the power of laws.

This invaluable knowledge was the most critical factor in a mage’s metamorphosis from Rank Three grand mage to a demigod.

Contrary to what many might believe, a mage’s mana and focus levels played far lesser roles in reaching demigodhood.

The status of a demigod was not achieved through simply accumulating mana through sheer effort.

At this stage, enlightenment was the key.

For Rank Four mages, the true challenge was refining that enlightenment into a force they could wield as naturally as their own limbs.

Sein owed much of his rapid progress to the Spider Queen.

Without her guidance and the brutal experiences he had endured, he would never have reached the demigod realm so quickly.

As expected, people were often shaped by their circumstances.

Back at the Divine Tower of Dark Flame Academy, Sein had been the one pushing the initiates to their limits.

Now, karma had come full circle.

An irresistible force wrapped around him, and he was sent hurtling straight toward the Purgatory in far west.

Yet even as he vanished into the distance, the allied forces of the Faelorian pantheon refused to relent in their pursuit.

These forces were primarily under the deities of the Justice League.

Other factions—such as the Dark Alliance and the Wings of Nature—had little energy to spare for hunting Sein, as the Avatar Crisis had already begun, consuming their focus.

Only the Justice League had the unity and determination to persist, hounding him relentlessly until now.

***

In the land of Purgatory...

This was the far west of Faeloria, where the sky burned blood-red, and the landscape stood in stark contrast to the rest of the realm.

The chant of “Infernal Purgatory, endless blood wars” had echoed for ages—not just among demons, but across many corners of Faeloria.

As a result, Purgatory was dubbed the “Blood Keep”, a name that struck fear into the hearts of Faeloria’s weaker beings.

A massive Rank Three demon lord, covered in green scales, let out a thunderous roar.

“What the hell is going on? Why are there so many Justice League legions closing in on us? Is the war about to reignite? Someone, inform the kings!”

This demon lord ruled over a territory at the very edge of Purgatory.

All this while, his territory had been locked in a brutal stalemate with the Justice League legions stationed just beyond Purgatory’s borders.

Time and time again, the two sides had clashed.