Sovereign of the Ashes

As the command center where Bev was stationed and the battlefield where Nergal fought came under attack at the same time, other overlord-level Magus Civilization powerhouses across multiple vast star domains were also being targeted by the Amenkha Empire.

However, their situations were not as dire as those faced by Nergal and Bev, who were directly confronted by Rank Eight overlords.

Most of the other Magus Civilization Overlords were being attacked by opponents of the same rank, though often outnumbered, or facing enemies with superior cultivation.

Deep within the Gallant Federation’s territory, a Rank Seven overlord known as the Shadow King—who usually operated within the Zeak Empire’s star domain—was suddenly cornered by three hostile overlords.

The Amenkha Empire had carefully selected its assassination targets based on intelligence and recommendations provided by the Gallant Federation.

The Shadow King was considered an ideal target—average in strength, known to act alone, and deeply hated by the federation.

It would have been strange if the Amenkha Empire had not chosen him.

The three overlords sent to ambush him came from different backgrounds: an imperial general, a Pharaoh from the Pharaohs’ Temple, and a monster king.

The imperial general engaged him head-on, while the Rank Seven Pharaoh cut off his escape route. The monster king, a bat-like creature that excelled in tracking and stealth, lurked nearby.

The Shadow King fell silent after finding himself suddenly surrounded by three powerful enemies—and with two of them clearly stronger than him.

“Just an overlord from the Magus Alliance? I thought we’d be taking down a Magus World native,” the imperial general said in disappointment.

“Let’s finish this quickly. Once the job is done, we retreat immediately. I don’t like the feeling of fighting in the territory of a hostile top-tier civilization...” the Rank Seven Pharaoh wrapped in a layer of white bandages replied.

The Shadow King’s presence grew more oppressive as he remained frozen like a formless shadow.

Then, with a sharp whoosh, he suddenly transformed into a streak of black light, slicing through space as he shot into the distance.

“You won’t escape!” one of the Amenkha Empire overlords roared in fury.

***

It was not just the Shadow King. Across this vast battlefield of civilizations, another Rank Seven Magus World knight was also under attack.

Within the database of the Gallant Federation’s ultimate quantum computer, Roland had always been held in high regard.

From the federation’s perspective, he was already a potential candidate to ascend to Rank Eight.

Moreover, based on countless data points and subtle indicators, Roland was believed to be connected to a top-secret project within the Magus Civilization—one so classified that even Aeberton, the Rank Eight Dark Knight, had been excluded from it.

To eliminate future threats before they could emerge, the Gallant Federation had every reason to move against Roland.

As for the Amenkha Empire, beyond targeting the Shadow King, they also needed a sufficiently prominent figure below Rank Eight to serve as a stepping stone and proof of their enduring dominance.

Roland, with his peak Rank Seven strength, was the perfect choice!

To surround and eliminate him, the Amenkha Empire spared no effort.

They deployed two Rank Seven monsters, along with a Rank Seven Pharaoh and an imperial general.

Among them, the Pharaoh stood at the peak of Rank Seven, while the general, though slightly weaker, was still a late-stage Rank Seven powerhouse.

From the very beginning, Nergal, Bev, the Shadow King, and Roland had been the Amenkha Empire’s primary targets.

The Magus Civilization had already slain a Rank Eight Pharaoh. If the Amenkha Empire could eliminate these figures in return, it would prove that their long-established might across the surrounding star domains remained intact.

However, they had miscalculated one thing.

This seemingly unassuming peak Rank Seven knight was far more troublesome than expected!

Even with four against one, they were unable to bring him down.

And soon, Roland gained a powerful ally.

Amidst the raging battlefield, with battle qi surging in every direction, Roland stood with his short hair disheveled and a massive, multicolored greatsword in hand. He watched as a mage slowly emerged from the gray vortex before him.

“Why are you here?”

Across the surrounding starfield, vast stretches of Byrne Empire space fortresses and prism forts burned in roaring flames.

In truth, Roland’s ability to hold the line in the early stages of the battle owed much to the sacrifice of these legions.

There was a reason why the Byrne Empire was known as the “Strongest Empire of Magus World”!

Although the Alveroth Empire strives to rival the Byrne Empire in every aspect, when it came to the quality of its legions and their fearless fighting spirit, the Byrne Empire stood unmatched.

Its soldiers charge forward without hesitation, even in the face of certain death.

Only the legions of the Byrne Empire were capable of such resolve, and Roland happened to command its most elite knight legion!

At that moment, a plump figure emerged from the gray vortex, gripping a bone-white magic staff.

Like Roland, the man radiated the overwhelming energy fluctuation of a peak Rank Seven powerhouse.

In fact, his aura was stronger, and he seemed only a step away from reaching Rank Eight.

Instead of answering immediately, the plump mage glanced around.

All across the battlefield, the Byrne Empire’s space fortresses were crashing down in flames. Even for someone from the Marmett Union Alliance, the sight made his chest tighten.

On an overlord-level battlefield, the involvement of so many lower-tier legions was nothing short of tragic.

And yet, when gathered in great enough numbers, those same legions could still bolster the strength of overlords. Otherwise, Roland could not have held out for so long.

Unlike the mage’s quiet melancholy, Roland had no patience for such thoughts.

To a knight like him, dying in battle was an honor.

He had long accepted that one day, he might also fall on the battlefield.

With unshakable courage and conviction, he would face any opponent head-on!

Letting out a small sigh, the plump mage scratched his head awkwardly and said, “Last time, I told Lady Bev I felt like I was on the verge of a breakthrough. She even helped me rebuild my soul tower and kept me away from combat missions. I didn’t even attend the 25th Magus Alliance Conference, just so I could focus on breaking through.”

He paused, then added, “But after all this time... that feeling is gone.”

As he spoke, his gaze drifted to Roland’s face, where a black gash ran across the knight’s cheek.

Roland’s cheek twitched slightly, the scar shifting with the movement.

“So why are you here now?” Roland asked again.

The mage took a deep breath and explained, “Not long ago, I reported the situation to Lady Bev. She told me to come to the front and try my luck. She said I might find that feeling again here.”

He glanced around at the battlefield and continued, “So... here I am. Looks like I showed up at the right time?”