Sovereign of the Ashes

In the star-filled expanse beyond the secret realm, the first major clash finally erupted.

It was between the legions led by White Stella from the Marvelous Plane battlefield and the Arid Expanse World legions redeployed from the Shadowbat Civilization front.

The Arid Expanse World legions arrived slightly earlier.

The moment they emerged from the subspace secret realm, tens of millions of Arid Expanse World troops immediately linked up with the Gallant Federation’s special operations forces.

In a single, overwhelming push, they drove the Magus Civilization legions—already struggling to hold the space outside the secret realm—straight back into the secret realm itself.

However, before Arid Expanse World could continue pushing forward, White Stella’s forces arrived!

Concerned for the safety of her brother and two younger cousins, White Stella ordered over ten law-wielding sea kings to spearhead the assault directly against the Arid Expanse World legions.

Close on their heels came tens of millions of troops from the sea races, followed by mixed legions of the Magus Alliance.

In terms of eliteness and individual combat strength, Arid Expanse World’s troops clearly surpassed those of Aquaria.

Long before the Magus Civilization and the Gallant Federation extended their influence into nearby star domains, Arid Expanse World had already been a dominant regional power and on the verge of ascending into a large-sized world.

Had Prince Orven of Aquaria not usurped the throne and changed the political landscape, this star domain would have seen the Shadowbat Civilization and Aquaria join forces to resist Arid Expanse World’s expansion.

The elite legions of Arid Expanse World were not scattered outright by the sea kings under White Stella’s command.

Still, they were clearly shaken by the sudden arrival of the Magus Civilization’s massive reinforcements!

A vast oceanic marsh, formed from dense hydro elemental energy and reinforced by corresponding law power, spread across the stellar battlefield.

With White Stella’s intervention, the Arid Expanse World legions under Seiron were forced to halt their push forward.

Years of relentless warfare had forged Arid Expanse World’s troops into a brutal, battle-hardened force.

They were already the strongest legion in the region. Hundreds of planes had been reduced to desolate wastelands beneath the iron hooves of the Arid Expanse World Army.

Had it not been for Sein and the others’ timely intervention, Marvelous Plane would have become yet another stepping stone for Arid Expanse World to display its valor.

Upon sensing the arrival of Magus World’s sea race legions, Seiron forcefully paused his advance toward the ruins of the Eiyurant Papillon Civilization.

With a stiff turn of his head, the peak Rank Six being fixed his gaze on the Magus Civilization legions closing in from behind.

In truth, Seiron had little interest in dealing with the Magus Civilization’s forces pressing in from behind, but orders from the Gallant Federation were absolute!

As Seiron led his troops into battle against White Stella, the federation’s special fleets—which had long been lurking in the surrounding area—began entering the subspace secret realm one after another.

During Feylis’ earlier clash with Seiron, she had once described him as a “pitiful creature”.

What, exactly, had she meant by that?

The Arid Expanse World legions were clearly shaken by the sudden appearance of the sea races behind them.

White Stella, commander of those sea races, was now also filled with both shock and fury.

Could it be that there truly existed enemies who could withstand the sea kings’ charge?

White Stella had only mobilized a few sea kings this time, and she had not brought any Rank Six ones out of Magus World.[1]

Otherwise, no matter how elite the Arid Expanse World legions were, they would never have been able to endure a charge led by Rank Six Magus World sea kings!

Failing to break through the Arid Expanse World legions’ formation in a single strike, White Stella retrieved a pristine white conch from her shell without any hesitation.

Pressing her lips to its tip, she blew it like a war horn, creating a melody that reverberated across the battlefield.

White Stella had performed on the Marvelous Plane battlefield before.

Back then, her melodies had been enchanting and melodious. Now, however, they carried unquestionable authority and a chilling, murderous intent.

Under the influence of the conch’s melody, tens of millions of sea race warriors across the stellar battlefield were instantly driven into a state of frenzied fervor.

The ten or so law-wielding sea kings displayed the most extreme madness.

One of them—a peak Rank Five narwhal—twisted its massive body and charged straight toward the heart of the enemy’s formation.

Several Rank Five creatures from Arid Expanse World rushed to intercept it, yet they failed miserably.

In truth, White Stella’s sea race legions had come close to breaking the Arid Expanse World’s formation moments earlier.

The presence of Seiron himself in the center, supported by numerous formidable Rank Five subordinates, had prevented the entire formation from collapsing.

If these sea race legions, especially the sea kings, continued their efforts, the Magus Civilization might very well break through.

CRACK!

A blinding white flash erupted as the Lightning Ax materialized in Seiron’s grasp.

This world-class secret treasure, custom-forged for him by the Gallant Federation, appeared to resonate with the countless subtle steel needles hidden throughout Seiron’s body.

Those needles served as critical conduits, allowing Seiron to shatter the limitations of his original life form and push his combat strength to the peak of Rank Six.

Who said the Gallant Federation understood only technological advancement?

Judging by their ability to help Seiron unleash his latent potential and elevate his combat strength, the Gallant Federation’s achievements in this aspect were nothing to dismiss lightly.

Armed with the Lightning Ax and clad in the world-class secret treasure known as the Wasteland Armor, Seiron fixed his cold gaze on the sea race army before him.

The legacy treasure of the Arid Expanse World took the form of full-body armor.

Seiron’s horned helmet concealed his face, revealing only a pair of narrow, crimson eyes through its slits.

With a brutal swing of the Lightning Axe, he struck viciously at the peak Rank Five narwhal.

Already wounded from battling multiple Rank Five creatures of Arid Expanse World, the massive narwhal seemed to sense death closing in at that very instant.

A mournful cry echoed across the battlefield as a desperate yearning for survival filled the many eyes on the creature’s head.

As the leader of these sea kings, White Stella refused to stand by and watch her mount be cut down by Seiron.

The sea anthem came to an abrupt halt. White Stella charged straight toward Seiron, wielding the Royal Trident.

Violent lightning collided with the crushing pressure of the ocean beneath the star-filled sky.

Raging tides scattered outward as countless smaller arcs of lightning tore through the battlefield.

When the turbulent energy finally subsided, White Stella stood at the center of the battlefield, her face slightly pale.

Across from her, Seiron remained motionless. His cold, crimson eyes calmly assessed White Stella, who had intercepted his strike.

Though Seiron and Orven were both Rank Six combatants, the creature standing before White Stella was far superior!

The Royal Trident emitted a faint, continuous hum in White Stella’s hand, as though it were still recovering from the violent clash.

1. Author’s Note: The Rank Six sea kings had not been deployed to the Clash of Civilizations frontlines because they were still needed to suppress the deep oceans. Moreover, White Stella herself was only at Rank Five. Although she could earn the favor of Rank Six sea kings and even bring them into battle, she could not command them as effortlessly as her own Rank Four and Rank Five sea kings. ☜