Sovereign of the Ashes

At the Chaos Sea Star Domain’s border...

Their return to this realm of chaotic laws signaled that Sein and his group were entering the region once inhabited by Blue Star natives and the Klytherans.

“After you entered that space-time rift back then, you ended up getting transported to this star domain?” Feylis asked Sein.

“It was even farther than this,” Sein replied. “After entering the rift, I first passed through a short stretch of the space-time corridor. Then, using the last trace of my power, I forced my way through a portal,” Sein replied.

“It was only after breaking through and returning to the Astral Realm that I felt I was ready to attempt my breakthrough to Rank Five. And not long after advancing, I encountered the Klytherans in a nearby star domain...”

He had explained this before to Lorianne, so his grandmaster likely already had a vague idea of what had happened.

This time, though, Sein went into greater detail, particularly about the moments when he had come dangerously close to death.

“War and crisis are the conditions that best draw out a being’s full potential. That danger you faced in the Grand Eye Demon World became a crucial catalyst for your advancement to Rank Five,” Feylis commented.

Inside the fortress, Bernice, Aelid, and several others were present.

Despite being surpassed by his junior, Bernice showed admirable grace. She even praised Sein several times, much like Gregory did.

Aelid, however, had grown far quieter in recent years, becoming increasingly reserved at gatherings like this.

He was nothing like the spirited grand apprentice he had been when he first reached Rank Four and stood proudly among his peers of the Verdant Flame Faction.

As Sein spoke with Feylis, Aelid listened intently.

After hearing Sein’s account and Feylis’ comment, he could not help but wonder whether his slow progress these past years came from not facing enough danger.

While Aelid brooded over that thought, Feylis continued praising Sein.

“Quickly exiting the space-time corridor was a wise decision. Had you stayed there longer, the loss of time and vitality would have been the least of your concerns. The far more dangerous consequence would have been reappearing in the Astral Realm at coordinates so distant from the Magus Civilization that even an overlord-level being could not reach them within any reasonable timeframe.”

“Such an outcome,” she concluded, “would have been no different from being banished by space-time itself.”

“Due to certain past experiences, I’ve gained some understanding of the basic theories behind space-time forces. It was precisely that realization that pushed me to fight through my injuries and force my way out of the portal at all costs,” Sein replied respectfully.

“Oh?” Feylis raised an eyebrow.

She was clearly curious about Sein’s “certain past experiences”, but since he did not elaborate, Feylis chose not to pry.

She gazed out toward the Chaos Sea and simply remarked, “No wonder that when you first vanished, even the Rank Five astrologers I sought could not pinpoint your exact location or circumstances. The sheer number of hazardous zones within this star domain, combined with its chaotic environmental laws, far surpasses that of most star domains.”

“This star domain is indeed the most complex I have ever encountered,” Sein replied. “Fortunately, I met the Klytherans, who knew this place well enough to guide me back then.”

“Since Klytherans have joined the Magus Alliance, let them continue to act as our guide,” Feylis suggested.

***

The Magus Civilization’s vast troops advanced into the Chaos Sea Star Domain in a mighty procession.

Long before they arrived at the borders, the many races scraping out a living in this domain had already heard the news.

Those nomadic groups hostile or resistant to the Magus Civilization had already migrated away from the Chaos Sea.

However, many other groups simply maintained a neutral stance, passively watching the arrival of the Magus Civilization’s forces.

After all, no matter who arrived, their daily struggle continued all the same.

Given the barren nature of the Chaos Seastar Domain, even the descendants of the once-powerful Planet Klythera struggled to survive.

One could only imagine how much harder it was for the other Astral Realm races that lived here.

When poverty turned into destitution, even the looming threat of a massive alien civilization became something they could afford to ignore.

It was the slightly better-off species who first considered fleeing, worried that the Magus Civilization’s armies might target them for war spoils.

Before Feylis led her forces into the Chaos Sea Star Domain, the Magus Civilization’s reputation here had not been particularly favorable.

Upon returning to this star domain, Sein gradually pieced together various bits of intelligence.

The “Collector” who had once traded information with him had long since fled, with no trace of his current whereabouts.

Sein’s new information sources now came from elsewhere, such as the partially preserved Freedom Star City.

Among the intel he had gathered, two pieces stood out the most.

The first was that, with the backing of the Gallant Federation, Arid Expanse World had declared war on the Shadowbat Civilization and several nearby small and microplanes.

The conflict had apparently been raging for decades, and the Shadowbat Civilization was now barely holding its ground.

The second was that the previous Ocean King of Planet Aquaria had passed away seventy-six years ago, and a new successor had ascended the throne.

Orric was rather unlucky. After being away for nearly two centuries, he returned to find not only his father gone, but also the throne that should have been his taken by Orven, his younger brother.

Aquaria’s unique evolutionary mechanisms and civilizational structure allowed Orven to advance to Rank Six the moment he obtained the Ocean King’s Crown, a world-class secret treasure.

By drawing on the plane’s origin energy and the crown’s power, he achieved this leap instantly.

Under equal conditions in solo combat, Orric might not even stand a chance against his younger brother now.

And yet, for over ten thousand years, Aquaria’s succession system had always placed Orric—the eldest prince—as the rightful heir to the throne.

This was not only the belief of the late Ocean King, but also that of the kingdom’s other four Rank Five powerhouses!

So how did Orven end up ascending to the Ocean King’s throne?

Through further intelligence gathering, Sein and his group gradually pieced together the truth.

Seventy-six years ago, shortly after the previous Ocean King’s death, Aquaria had gone through a period of intense unrest.

The sudden succession of the second prince, Orven, clearly provoked dissatisfaction among many of Aquaria’s Rank Four and Rank Five beings.

It also violated the late Ocean King’s final will.

As a result, the mighty Aquaria fell into nearly two decades of civil strife.

Throughout that entire period, Orric remained completely unaware of what was happening.

He was still marching with the Magus Civilization’s vast army, wondering how he should bring up the idea of joining the Magus Alliance with his father, all while stationed inside Sein’s Ashen Fortress.

Very few detailed reports of the civil war ever reached the Chaos Sea.

But the outcome was clear: Orven had successfully secured the throne.

Fifty-six years ago, he declared allegiance to Arid Expanse World’s faction, vowing to work alongside them to restore order and manage resources across the surrounding star domains.