Sovereign of the Ashes

Seated on the main throne of a vast, empty hall, Clint looked at the grievously wounded green giant leader and the swirling mass of yellow sand elemental floating in the air before him.

The Rank Three green giant leader had been shot by a federal warship in the sky, leaving a gaping hole in its belly.

Yet it still survived, even with its intestines spilling out. Somehow, it even managed to bring the badly injured Sandy back to the frontline command post.

This spacious hall served as the Rank Five knight’s command chamber, as he disliked directing his legions from a space fortress.

To the green giant leader, the pain of its injury was nothing compared to the terror of standing before the Rank Five knight.

Clint had not spoken a word since they entered, but the Rank Three giant leader was already shaking uncontrollably, frozen in place.

If Sandy had not carried a message from an esteemed Rank Four mage of the Magus World, the giant leader would never have dared come anywhere near this place, even if it had grown three extra pairs of balls!

Clint paid the trembling giant little mind. He cast a brief glance at it, then shifted his attention entirely to Sandy.

Compared to when it left Sein’s side, the creature’s hue had noticeably faded. This was a clear sign that it had been severely injured.

On a battlefield as chaotic as the Black Tide Plane, even an elemental that focused solely on evasion could not avoid every threat. The area-of-effect spells alone could overwhelm any ordinary Rank Three lifeform.

Under the gaze of a peak Rank Five knight, Sandy remained calm.

Soon after taking shape, it had accompanied Sein to Eternal Sand World and received a gift from the Eternal Sand Lord.

Later, at the Divine Tower of Ashes, it had often played with Tourmaline and been fed all sorts of delicacies.

The oppressive presence that rattled the giant did not faze Sandy. It swayed from side to side, seemingly taking in the strange devices scattered through the hall.

Clint was inclined to accept Sandy’s story, though he still found it hard to believe.

A Rank Four mage had slipped deep into the Gallant Federation’s stronghold and made it back after completing a mission?

Perhaps it also helped that Sandy’s appearance had stirred a bit of fondness in Clint.

After all, the Desert Kingdom of Jehannah lay across the largest desert in Magus World.

Many of its knights, including Clint, wielded geo-attribute power, with a natural affinity for sand, which was a branch of geo and aero elemental powers.

Even so, Clint did not accept the account at face value.

He still had to verify Sein’s identity and the crystal he had sent with Sandy before taking the next step.

***

Shortly after Clint submitted information about Sein and the elemental crystal, he received a response from the Magus Alliance.

The alliance’s efficiency in handling the matter was shockingly fast!

They verified Sein’s identity and notified Clint, along with all Rank Four or higher combatants on the Black Tide Plane, that they could cooperate with him as they saw fit.

But compared to the “trivial matter” of persuading the Huusians, the alliance’s leadership made it clear that Clint and the others were to bring Sein back safely at any cost.

Even as a Rank Five knight, Clint held deep respect for someone like Sein, who had dared to infiltrate the heart of the Gallant Federation.

It was no surprise that the alliance would want to recover him.

Since the war with the federation began, the Magus Civilization’s covert operatives sent deep into the enemy’s territory had been steadily wiped out.

Rescue attempts had been made, but most either died or were captured, with only a rare few making it back alive.

This mage named Sein had managed to escape on his own, making him an invaluable asset. No wonder the higher-ups demanded he be retrieved “at any cost”.

Once Sein’s identity was confirmed, Clint immediately contacted the grand masters of the knightly orders and divine tower masters on the Black Tide Plane. He even summoned back a Rank Five mage from the frontlines.

Using the special magic array that Sein had sent through Sandy, Clint and the others finally established a communication link with the mage who had been waiting anxiously.

“Finally! I was just about ready to force my way out,” Sein said, smiling wryly at the pale yellow elemental light screen in front of him.

Beneath his feet was a complex magic array etched into the floor. He was currently in a hidden fortification beneath the Huusian fleet.

It was through the magic arrays Sein had prepared that he was finally able to connect with the other Magus World powerhouses.

But the federation had powerful signal-blocking wards where he was hiding, causing the elemental light screen to flicker.

On the other side, Clint gave a brief introduction of himself and the other Magus World powerhouses present in the hall.

Sein’s eyes lingered on a gray-bearded elder named Smarque, the sole Rank Five mage fighting on the Black Tide Plane. He was the one who had activated the array on their side to make this communication possible.

“Master Sein is truly skilled with array arts. To think that you managed to reach us even with the Gallant Federation’s signal suppression in effect,” the old mage commented with admiration.

Sein’s knowledge of array arts had all come from watching the Spider Queen, and Master Smarque’s compliment made him think of her.

Sein shook his head. “I couldn’t have done it alone without your help, Master Smarque.”

He turned his attention to the others and asked, “What are your thoughts on the defection proposal I had Sandy deliver?”

Clint and the others had been ordered to cooperate with Sein as needed and to prioritize his safe return.

Compared to getting the Huusians on their side, ensuring Sein’s survival was the far higher priority.

Clint answered evenly, “I don’t think you should take such risks, Master Sein. Withdrawing first would be the smarter choice. We’ll do everything we can to support your retreat. Those Huusians are an unknown factor. If they refuse to defect, wouldn’t that put you in grave danger?”

Sein shook his head. “I know the Huusians well enough. I believe their chances of defecting are very high. The real question is what the Magus Civilization is willing to offer to them. This will affect my chances of success.”

He continued, “Once the Huusians are on our side, the battles on the Black Tide Plane and Ferramo World will turn sharply in our favor. That’d give the Magus Civilization a major advantage across the entire Transversa Star Domain. Sir Clint, I urge you to consider this carefully.”

As a frontline commander on this plane, Clint could not help but desire the glory such a victory would bring.

Sein was right. Securing the Black Tide Plane quickly would benefit him as well as the other Magus World legions.

The Alliance’s leadership had also made it clear that Clint and his people were free to cooperate with Sein as they saw fit.

After discussing the matter with several nearby Rank Four and Rank Five knights and mages, Clint finally nodded in agreement.

Since the Magus Civilization had demanded that they recover Sein “at any cost”, they gave him great authority in his negotiations with the Huusians.

He was free to grant them as much as necessary to ensure their defection.

After ending the communication with Clint’s group and gaining a clearer picture of the star domain around him, Sein let out a long breath.

The time had come for him to face the Huusian King.

Clint and the other knights had their own priorities to consider, while Sein had his.

Beyond repaying a debt to the Huusians, Sein hoped to end the conflict on the Black Tide Plane as quickly as possible and then coordinate with the Magus World legions for a surprise strike on Nocchi, the planet he had passed through earlier!

As a major supply and transit hub for the Transversa Star Domain battlefield, Nocchi’s strategic importance could not be ignored.

More importantly, Sein’s real objective was the Rank Four Nexon robot that was being held captive on Nocchi.

His mission in infiltrating the Gallant Federation had been to secure the defection of Nexon’s robots.

With other Nexon robots missing in action, Sein suspected the overwhelming firepower of the federal fleets had already annihilated them.

Even if Titanfang had survived the federation’s secret weapon, its chance of breaking out afterward was slim to none.

Besides, the Gallant Federation had destroyed Planet Nexon itself!

Without a Rank Four robot to present, how could Sein possibly prove he had fulfilled his mission?

Sein refused to walk away empty-handed after risking his life on this mission. That was why he had to rescue that Rank Four robot imprisoned on Nocchi!

It would stand as undeniable proof of his success behind enemy lines in the Gallant Federation, along with the Magic Cube in his possession.

Time was of the essence. If the Magus Civilization’s offensive in the Transversa Star Domain grew any stronger, that Rank Four robot might be sent away before he had the chance to act.