Sovereign of the Ashes

In the brief moment between the plump mage’s appearance and his exchange with Roland, the Amenkha Empire overlords on the surrounding battlefield were left utterly shocked and speechless.

The first question that crossed the peak Rank Seven Pharaoh’s mind was: Where did he come from?

The second question that followed almost immediately was: How did he get in?

A piercing shriek rang out as sinister necromantic energy condensed into a massive finger, pressing down toward the plump mage.

The plump mage’s conversation with Roland was interrupted. Facing the “Finger of Death” from a peak Rank Seven Pharaoh, he extended a single finger of his own.

Equally dense necromantic energy gathered at his fingertip, mirroring the force bearing down on him.

Two Fingers of Death, born from different civilizations and shaped by entirely different understandings of the laws, collided in the starry void.

The resulting surge of energy condensed into a rolling gray cloud of death that spread outward in all directions.

Now that Rogge had arrived, Roland no longer needed the foundational support of the Byrne Empire legions on the surrounding battlefields.

In terms of raw power, the plump mage was clearly superior.

On top of that, this guy was a necromancer.

What was a necromancer’s most famous trait again?

Their necromantic magic? No, no, no. It was their ability to summon and command legions of the undead!

Calling a necromancer a “one-man legion” was hardly an overstatement.

Roland knew Rogge well enough to know he still had other trump cards up his sleeve.

The collision of dense necromantic energy left the Amenkha Empire’s peak Rank Seven Pharaoh powerless.

When high-ranking powerhouses clashed, even the briefest moment was enough to gauge the strength of the other.

The peak Rank Seven Pharaoh was reluctant to admit it, but without activating his Unsealed State, his necromantic power was indeed slightly weaker than that of this Magus Civilization mage.

“The necromantic barrier you set up outside the battlefield seems a bit crude. It’s almost as if your Amenkha Empire doesn’t place much importance on this sort of thing,” Rogge remarked.

“Magus Civilization mages, on the other hand, have a much deeper understanding of magic arrays and the domains of law. Just look at me—I broke through your barrier with almost no effort.”

After exchanging blows with the Amenkha Empire’s Rank Seven Pharaoh, the plump mage’s professional instincts kicked in, and he seized the opportunity to point out the flaws in his opponent’s use of necromantic laws.

“Don’t get me started on your Finger of Death... Why are you still blindly fixated on stacking necromantic energy? Don’t you know that combining a tetradecagram array with the structural power of the spiral laws can greatly enhance the condensation of necromantic energy? It’s far more efficient than your crude method of stacking power,” Rogge rambled on, stroking his chin as he analyzed the situation.

To a Magus World mage, Rogge’s remarks would have sounded like a normal exchange—a discussion of theory and truth.

But to the peak Rank Seven Pharaoh of the Amenkha Empire, they were nothing short of outright humiliation!

Although the two monster kings were also overlord-level beings, their grasp of law power could not compare to that of Rogge or the Rank Seven Pharaoh, so they were quite confused.

The other late-stage Rank Seven imperial general understood the concepts Rogge mentioned, but like the Pharaoh, he was just as consumed by rage.

“Mwahahaha... You are lecturing me on the use of law power and calling my work crude?!”

A furious voice erupted from the peak Rank Seven Pharaoh, accompanied by a burst of maniacal laughter.

The outer layer of his thick “bandages” began to unravel rapidly!

An aura even more formidable than before immediately radiated from his body.

Though each seal breaking normally left them briefly weakened, in this explosive state, the strength of the Amenkha Empire’s powerhouses surged dramatically.

Thanks to this ability, they were able to face opponents of higher rank more frequently than beings from other civilizations in the Astral Realm.

It was not just the peak Rank Seven Pharaoh; the late-stage Rank Seven imperial general’s aura also rose noticeably when his black armor shifted.

It seemed the Amenkha Empire’s military employed a slightly different method of self-sealing compared to the Pharaohs’ Temple.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the imperial general was somewhat more impressive than the more powerful Pharaoh.

Thick black mist surged from the cracks in his armor.

Seeing that even the imperial general’s strength had subtly risen by a minor tier, Roland could no longer maintain his calm.

“Where’s that skeleton of yours? Hurry up and summon it!” he shouted to the plump mage, who was still busy analyzing his opponent.

“While you’re at it, get all your undead chimera beasts, ghouls, or whatever else you have to take care of those two monster kings over there!” he added.

Rogge could only roll his eyes at the knight, who had seen through his full potential.

This time, however, he had no intention of holding back. When the aura of the peak Rank Seven Pharaoh across from him became so overwhelming that even he could barely withstand it, he quickly waved his right hand.

A flying skeleton, as pure and crystalline as white jade, appeared beside him.

It was the plump mage’s most prized possession, and he would never trade it for anything. Rogge had even developed an indescribable attachment to this skeleton.

He had unearthed it years ago in the ruins of a top-tier ancient civilization.

It had been by his side throughout his rise, quietly enduring countless long, silent hours in the laboratory and witnessing his steady climb to the overlord realm.

Even the skeleton itself had grown in power over that long journey.

Thanks to Rogge’s relentless investment in it, the White Jade Skeleton had long since reached strength rivaling that of an overlord.

Perhaps it was extraordinary from the very beginning—and Rogge was the one who uncovered it and gave it new life!

Roland knew full well that this skeleton was more than a match for an overlord, which was why he urged the plump mage to release it immediately.

From the moment it appeared, the White Jade Skeleton stood unwaveringly by Rogge’s side, acting as his personal bodyguard.

It shielded all the threatening attacks from the two monster kings and the two Amenkha Empire overlords.

While chanting his spells, Rogge swung his magic staff again and again.

Obscure necromantic energy and spatial forces swirled into being before him and his allies.

The Black Samurai Emperor, the Mummy King, the Skeleton of Despair, the Delirious Beetle, the Underworld Lich...

One after another, formidable dark and undead creatures emerged from Rogge’s octagram and decagram magic arrays.

The beings he summoned ranged in strength from at least Rank Six to the peak of Rank Six, with some approaching overlord-level power.

With Rogge’s Undead Summoning spell, their side soon outnumbered the enemy!