Sovereign of the Ashes

A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.

The emotion Sein felt just moments earlier was nothing more than a fleeting pang—a brief stir of warmth at his mentor’s deep concern.

If given the chance again with a clear mind, he would still choose to break away from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring and establish his own Divine Tower of Ashes.

Only by doing so could he grow faster, gain greater strength, and one day repay Lorianne, Feylis, and everyone who had supported him.

“The Alveroth Empire was utterly despicable! I can’t believe they actually used you as bait. Even though they eventually wiped out that Shadow Fleet, they nearly sent you to your death!” Lorianne said angrily.

“Your grandmaster has already demanded compensation from them. It has been sent to your Ashen Fortress,” she added.

“I see... So I was really the bait,” Sein murmured.

He had never fully understood the true nature of his garrison assignment in the Grand Eye Demon World.

But when the Gallant Federation’s Shadow Fleet launched their surprise assault, and when Rank Six and above powerhouses from the Magus Civilization arrived suspiciously quickly afterward, he began to suspect something.

Unlike his mentor, Sein did not feel particularly outraged.

Maybe it was that old black mage mentality lingering in him, but he honestly did not feel like a victim.

The Astral Realm was a place where only the fittest survived, and Magus World was no exception.

He just happened to be the one stationed there. If they did not use a capable Rank Four like him as bait, then what were they supposed to do—send one of the Alveroth Empire’s own Rank Four powerhouses to take the risk?

Even assuming the Alveroth Empire had a Rank Four as fearsome as Sein on that battlefield, proximity alone made the decision obvious. They would definitely preserve their own talent and risk outsiders instead.

This mentality was not unique to the Alveroth Empire. When Sein reached that level of influence, he would undoubtedly act the same way.

Besides, he and the Alveroth Empire were not even in the same league.

Even if he knew they had schemed against him, what could he do?

There was no way he could challenge a top-tier force of the Magus Civilization, one that commanded multiple overlord-level powerhouses.

Moreover, the Alveroth Empire had actually been quite courteous back then.

Sein could tell that those Rank Six Magus World powerhouses had genuinely intended to save him.

Whether it was the Rank Six mage who unleashed that unique cryo elemental law domain, or the Rank Six knight who charged alone into the heart of the Shadow Fleet formation, both had played crucial roles in helping him escape a situation that should have been hopeless!

Sein was a rational man; he would not let surface-level appearances cloud his judgment.

So he even tried to calm Lorianne down by saying, “At least I have already played my part to contribute to the Magus Civilization. If the day comes when sacrifices are needed again, I believe countless knights and mages would step forward without hesitation.”

“Besides, I was simply fulfilling the duty the Magus Civilization assigned to me,” he added.

“You...” Lorianne sighed, momentarily speechless. But seeing him alive and well before her, the worry and indignation she had been feeling quickly faded.

Indeed, when the Magus Civilization demanded sacrifice and devotion, neither Lorianne nor Feylis would hesitate.

Even black mages and black knights understood their duty to their homeplane, proving their worth on the dangerous frontlines.

How could divine tower mages do any less?

After chatting a little longer, Sein received two more pieces of good news from his mentor.

Both Sia and Reina had successfully reached Rank Four!

Their ascension had come at nearly the same time as Sein’s breakthrough to Rank Five.

His current Divine Tower of Ashes legion was now being managed by the two of them, along with Marie.

Gaining two more Rank Four knights was a huge boon for the Divine Tower of Ashes.

It was a pity that Reina and Sia had advanced a bit too soon. Both of them had already arrived on the Netherworld Star Domain front and could not immediately return to Magus World to establish their knightly orders.

“When you entered Sanok World, did you not see my Verdant Spring Fortress?” Lorianne asked suddenly after they had finished discussing the main matters.

“Uhh... I was mainly thinking about meeting Master Fathis and how to present my findings on Blue Star, along with my stance toward the Shadowbat Civilization and the other worlds. I didn’t really pay attention to anything else. My bad,” Sein admitted awkwardly.

Nearly a hundred space fortresses orbited Sanok. If Sein had noticed Verdant Spring Fortress beforehand and mentally prepared himself, he might have managed his emotions a little better.

Lorianne said, “Your grandmaster’s Verdant Flame Fortress is also docked beyond Sanok. It’s one of the two highest-grade space fortresses in this region.

“During the wars of recent years, it was largely your grandmaster’s support that allowed the Sanok Star Domain’s frontline legions to launch full-scale offensives and coordinate flawlessly with your operations deeper in the star domain.”

“That Master Fathis is also a close friend of hers,” she added.

“I see. Grandmaster Feylis had truly helped out greatly,” Sein said with genuine appreciation.

“Considering your combat record on the way to Sanok, and with the war in Netherworld Star Domain nearing its end, Master Feylis thinks you will have a long stretch of recuperation coming up,” Lorianne said.

Sein thought about this for a moment, then slightly furrowed his brow. “The war in this star domain is already nearing its end, huh...? As for recuperation, I’m in no hurry. I don’t feel tired, and I’m still in peak condition.”

“Has Grandmaster Feylis received any new combat directives?” he asked.

“If she can, I think she should formally ask the Magus Alliance for authority over the development and future operations in this star domain. I have collected some intelligence that Grandmaster and the other Magus World leaders will likely find valuable,” Sein said.

“I think she hasn’t received any new directives,” Lorianne replied. “You can bring that up to your grandmaster yourself. I can tell she holds you in high regard.”

“We knew you’d appear in the Sanok Star Domain, and were able to arrive so promptly because your Grandmaster consulted a Rank Six astrologer she is familiar with,” she added.

Sein nodded. “Very well. I’ll speak with her directly.”

When it came to the Magus Civilization’s war strategy, Rank Six beings were already granted a fair amount of autonomy.

Take Master Fathis, for example—she now oversaw the entire Sanok Star Domain campaign.

Sein hoped that Grandmaster Feylis would eventually take charge of recruiting worlds like the Shadowbat Civilization and Marvelous Plane.

He envisioned her leading Magus Civilization’s legions against the Gallant Federation as they vied for dominance over the Golden Rock Worlds and Arid Expanse World.

With his familiarity with the Shadowbat Civilization’s people and his deep grasp of those star domains, it was only natural that Sein prioritized his own faction when there were gains to be made.

More importantly, he preferred fighting in places he already understood, instead of being dispatched to some unknown star domain to take on unfamiliar missions.