Sovereign of the Ashes

Upon arriving at the Alpha-007 Star Domain, Sein and his companions were far from high spirits.

The total number of robots following Titanfang and the others had dropped to fewer than two million.

Recalling the massive robot legions of over a hundred million strong assembled when they first left Nexon, the scale of their losses became painfully clear.

Even worse, the number of intelligent robots, their most valuable assets, had fallen sharply.

The contrast between their dream of freedom and the grim reality before them silenced many of the intelligent robots.

What weighed even heavier on Sein and his companions was the sight of several sizable federal fleets stationed within the Alpha-007 Star Domain.

No one knew how fast they could break through the fleets, but everyone knew an even larger federal fleet was already closing in behind them.

Titanfang no longer asked Sein about support or rescue from the Magus Civilization. It probably did not want to ask—or more likely, did not dare to.

Between a lie and the brutal truth, Titanfang would rather its kind cling to a shred of hope.

“Let’s confirm our plan,” Sein said after gathering Titanfang and the other high-tier intelligent robots.

Everyone remained silent, watching Sein with their glowing eyes.

“The Alpha-007 Star Domain has three major wormholes. This place serves as a vital transit point for the Gallant Federation across the surrounding star domains. From what I know, we are in the early, most critical phase of the Clash of Civilizations. It’s highly unlikely the Gallant Federation would completely seal off all three wormholes.

“And based on the current situation, the federation has enough confidence to intercept us directly at the wormhole entrances. That is another reason they have not shut them down entirely.

“Of the three, the one connected to Monasque is out of the question. That leads straight to the federation’s heartland. The other two wormholes are our options. Their destinations are close to the federation’s frontlines, and neither side considers those areas major war zones. As long as we get close to the federation’s border, we have a chance to escape.

“The Clash of Civilizations is not just a one-sided offensive launched by the Gallant Federation against our Magus Civilization. Our counterattack will be no less fierce. In fact, the overall strength of the Magus Civilization surpasses that of the federation. It’s entirely possible that our legions have already broken through parts of their border.

“Unfortunately, I cannot establish contact with Magus World right now, so I don’t know the exact situation on the frontlines. But one thing is certain: once we encounter the Magus Civilization’s forces and identify ourselves, we’ll be safe.”

Sein’s tone was genuine, and his words were far more reassuring than those hollow slogans.

After fighting with Nexon’s intelligent robots for so long, a bond had formed between them. Sein would never betray them.

And if they ever joined the Magus Alliance, these robots would likely rely on Sein’s strength and connections in countless ways.

Over time, Titanfang and the others had also come to realize that Sein was not a difficult person.

Titanfang nodded and agreed to their next desperate breakout plan.

“Apart from the three main wormholes in Alpha-007, there should also be many smaller ones. I’m not too familiar with the federation’s layout of minor wormhole branches, but if the situation turns dire, we can consider using them for a scattered breakout. It might improve our odds,” Sein added.

***

A new wave of assaults began, and it was fiercer than ever.

The steady attrition of the intelligent robots’ combat power left Sein with fewer chances to hang back behind high-tier units and slack off.

From the very start of the charge, he was pushed near the front.

The furious barrage of artillery fire bombarded him, forcing his body to endure the relentless strikes.

Several massive federal mobile suits spread out directly ahead, cutting off his advance.

The Gallant Federation’s defense here was no joke!

At that moment, Sein’s body had once again shifted into its elemental form, cloaked in Azure Flame.

Against the federal legions, this flame gave him a much-needed edge.

He summoned Yuri from her spatial living device too.

In what could be the most important breakout battle, Sein had to throw in every resource he had.

The Faceless Mask had already been pushed to its very limits.

After surviving countless brushes with death and fighting relentlessly across the Gallant Federation’s territory, Sein’s mastery and control of this world-class secret treasure had improved dramatically.

Countless elemental rays burst violently from the mask.

The short-term firepower Sein unleashed by pushing the Faceless Mask to full capacity rivaled that of an entire federal fleet.

This was him fighting for his life!

No matter how it ended, at least he had fought to the very end.

***

Around the three major wormholes in the Alpha-007 Star Domain, rows of specialized rocket launchers were pointed skyward.

This was one of the Gallant Federation’s “secret weapons”.

Although their raw burst energy was not that high, the particle shock grenades they launched had the unique ability to disable lifeforms below Rank Seven.

These launchers were certified military weapons, tested and proven in battle.

They had even been used against living Rank Six beings, including a particularly troublesome opponent from Magus World.

That knight had been caught in the blast, crippled, and finally cut down by the federal legions!

Now, those same weapons were locked onto Sein, Titanfang, and their forces.

Whether flesh and blood, elemental bodies, or the federation’s own robots, none could escape the effects of these grenades.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A storm of projectiles was shot out by the metallic rocket launchers, leaving white trails across the starry void where countless energies clashed.

Sein, who had been fighting at full intensity, suddenly went slack and spiraled downward.

He was not the only one. All across the battlefield, Nexon robots plummeted like meteors.