Sovereign of the Ashes

“Is Sein still in there?” Feylis asked, standing outside the Mordora Star Domain in her verdant flame lawful body.

Gregory, who was covered in wounds, stood beside her.

Feylis’ elemental form was slender and tall, but its resilience and explosive power were anything but delicate.

During the earlier breakout, she had even clashed head-on with a peak Rank Six vizier in his unsealed state.

Although she had been slightly outmatched, she still managed to leave a mark on him and successfully led the surrounding legions off the battlefield.

The price she paid, however, was a visible scar that now marred her cheek.

A faint but potent aura of necromantic energy lingered around the wound, clinging to it like something alive. Its corrosive nature made it clear that it would not fade anytime soon.

At her question, Gregory shook his head, breathing heavily. “No news from him. But the others made it out.”

“Sein was among the first to enter the Mordora Star Domain. He left with Tourmaline... which means he is most likely still trapped inside,” Feylis said grimly.

“Shall we go back in and pull him out?” Gregory asked, clearly ready to act.

Once he entered combat mode, Gregory looked more like a knight than a mage.

Feylis had rushed here mainly to rescue Tourmaline.

White Stella would have to wait, but Tourmaline could not be left behind.

During the chaotic retreat, she had been too focused on leading the breakout and had lost track of Sein and Tourmaline.

That was her mistake.

Just as Feylis gave a slight nod and prepared to charge back in, a violent surge of spatial energy erupted outside the Mordora Star Domain.

A ripple of light tore through space. From within it emerged a colossal dragon turtle.

This same creature had once appeared on Planet Aquaria, and its overwhelming overlord aura now flooded the surrounding starfield.

As it arrived, the violent overlord-level shockwaves spilling out from the center of the Mordora Star Domain seemed to weaken, dispersing as they approached its massive form.

The moment it appeared, many of the Magus Civilization’s powerhouses, including Feylis, let out a quiet breath of relief.

***

Magus World...

At the junction between Sky City and the Alveroth Empire lay a hidden valley tucked away in subspace. It was a place of striking beauty, where elemental energy gathered in extraordinary density.

Within the misty valley stood two towering magic towers.

One was gray-white, the other a pale blue.

At the top of the gray-white tower, an old man had just finished casting a long-distance teleportation spell. He stood on the platform, catching his breath.

“Baxia may only be Rank Seven, but his life force is absurdly strong. The amount of Overlord Soul he carries... even an old man like me cannot help but feel envious. Sending him to that star domain nearly drained me dry,” he said with a wry smile, glancing at the elderly woman beside him.

“Hmph. If you can’t handle it, then don’t force it. Who are you trying to impress?” the old woman shot back without hesitation.

The old man only chuckled, unbothered.

Nearly two hundred thousand years had passed. He was far older than he used to be.

In his prime, he had single-handedly led Magus World into the ranks of a large-sized world.

Back then, he had been the pride of the entire plane.

Now, he was simply... old.

But age had not dulled him entirely. If anything, his knowledge had only grown deeper and more vast than ever before.

The old woman had just mocked him for his age, yet the next moment, her expression turned serious.

“I heard Bev and the others took heavy losses on the frontlines not long ago. Even Clair has fallen. Should we step in?” she asked.

The old man fell silent.

The two of them were among the very few native overlords of Magus World who had yet to join the war.

For them, protecting Magus World itself was their foremost duty. This was especially true for him.

His Omnipotent Soul had long since stabilized, but the countless battles of his youth had severely depleted his Overlord Soul.

Even after years of recovery within the soul tower of Sky City, he still could not match the vitality of the younger generation.

Perhaps... the next time he fought without holding back would also be the last.

That was precisely why Bev and the others were so reluctant to call on him.

“Compared to the frontlines, Magus World is our foundation. We must guarantee the absolute safety of our home plane,” the old man said at last.

“The Amenkha Empire... the Gallant Federation... I don’t believe either side has revealed their ultimate trump card yet. Let us wait. Bev will reach out if they truly need me.”

He let out a quiet sigh.

He had already entrusted the Light of Wisdom to Bev. If he were needed, he could reach the frontlines in no time and do his part.

The old lady rolled her eyes at him. “No one is asking you to throw your life away on the frontlines. Don’t you have any other elemental powers to rely on besides your Omnipotent Soul?”

“All those years buried in experiments have turned your brain to mush! As for guarding the home plane, the four great guardians are stronger than ever. Out in the Western Archipelago, we have that ox and that snake, and beneath the Boundless South Sea, that ancient sea turtle is still asleep. Are you really needed?”

She paused, then muttered in a softer voice, “Even though you might still be the strongest among them.”

Her words left the old man momentarily speechless.

But she was not wrong.

Still, as the defining profession of the Magus Civilization, it would feel strange if its strongest soul overmage were not present during such critical times.

And truth be told, he could not even confidently call himself the strongest anymore.

Lilith, the Rank Eight Dark Summoner who had left the Magus Civilization years ago to wander the Astral Realm, had likely already surpassed him.

The old lady clearly had the same thought. She snorted in annoyance.

“The Clash of Civilizations has been going on for so long. I still can’t believe Lilith and Carel haven’t returned.”

“Carel is a knight, so maybe he is facing some challenges. But Lilith? I refuse to believe she does not have a way to return. She is a Summoner! Would it really be that hard for her to return using her Undead Monarch or even her soul tower as a teleportation node?” she muttered.

Not everyone was as dependable as Bev.

In her eyes, Lilith was still far too immature.

The old man smiled faintly. “There, there. If Lilith hasn’t returned, then she must have her reasons. Perhaps she’s dealing with something important right now. Besides, we’re not really in hot water now. Our advance on the frontlines has only slowed.”

“Anyway, I’ll take your advice and cast a few super-forbidden spells on the frontlines later,” he added gently. He had always been patient with her.

“What could be more important than the war our Magus World is fighting right now?” the old lady snapped, clearly frustrated.

This time, the old man did not answer right away.

After a long pause, he spoke quietly.

“Maybe that child has already found her path to Rank Nine...”