Sovereign of the Ashes

When it came to defending the Divine Descendants Star Domain, the Gallant Federation adopted a strategy that differed somewhat from the one it had used during the Grand Eye Demon World War.

This time, the Gallant Federation did not station its forces in the main world of the Divine Descendants Star Domain. Instead, it dispersed its fleets and technological legions along the frontlines of this vast star domain, close to the battlefield.

It was likely that even the Gallant Federation itself understood that the forces it had dispatched were not enough to defend the entire Divine Descendants Star Domain.

Because of that, it could only provide limited support to the planes that needed it most.

Reebos World and Green God Plane—the two worlds Sein and his group were about to conquer—were precisely such worlds. Both were garrisoned by the Gallant Federation’s legions.

Of the two, Reebos World was the plane Sein and his forces had chosen to attack first.

Green God Plane was slightly farther away. It was a low-level world teeming with plant creatures, and the strongest being there was a peak Rank Five entity known as the God of Green Trees.

Although Gongsun Wudi had assigned Sein and his group to low-level planar battlefields, neither of these worlds would be easy to conquer.

On Reebos World, the Gallant Federation had deployed a considerable military force.

As for Green God Plane, the God of Green Trees alone would be a formidable opponent.

Fighting within its own plane, such an enemy could draw upon the essence of the entire world and the power of its laws to strengthen itself.

Even with Rank Six combatants on his side, Sein had no idea how long it would take to exhaust the God of Green Trees’ divine power.

Powerful plant entities like this, once fused with their own planes, could withstand attacks from higher-ranking opponents without relying on external equipment or enhancements.

They were truly difficult to destroy.

***

Outside Reebos World, by the time Sein and his forces arrived, the Gallant Federation legions were already in full battle formation. They had established an extremely tight defensive line.

At the same time, the native deities of Reebos World and their legions of believers had also prepared themselves for a fight to the death.

The first obstacle Sein and his forces needed to overcome was the federation’s defensive line outside Reebos World.

Without large-scale warfare platforms such as space fortresses, Sein and the others had to adjust their approach. The Dawn Empire’s technology in this area was relatively underdeveloped, as such platforms were never a priority for the Martial Civilization.

After discussing the matter with Belphane, Ximen Feixiao, and the others, Sein decided that the Rank Six combatants would spearhead the assault, reducing casualties among their own forces as much as possible.

After summoning Belphane on the eve of battle, Sein said, “My planetary-class war fortress transformation technology is not mature enough yet, so I can’t risk using it here. I’ll have to rely on you and Fermera instead.”

Belphane waved her hand dismissively.

As a knight, charging head-on into enemy fire was part of the job.

In Magus World, knights had always served as shields for spellcasters. That had not changed since ancient times.

General Ximen Feixiao of the Dawn Empire then said, “I can lead my legions in a coordinated charge from both flanks.”

“We have already witnessed the strength of the federation fleet in the Kales Star Domain. I believe my men can advance while withstanding their firepower,” he added.

Sein shook his head.

“Martial cultivators may rival knights in strength, but that’s not how wars should be fought. There is no need for pointless attrition.”

“General Ximen, please reserve your elite legions until we’ve broken through the Gallant Federation’s defensive line. Deploy them only after that. For now, we should use our overwhelming advantage in high-tier combat power to reduce losses among the mid and lower-tier legions as much as possible,” he advised.

“I am sure both you and the Invincible General would rather lead your legions back to the Dawn Empire alive. Dying in battle is not the ultimate purpose of knights or martial cultivators.”

Sein’s words left Ximen Feixiao silent.

In truth, his earlier suggestion had come from a sense of responsibility. He did not want Sein and the other Magus Civilization powerhouses to shoulder all the frontline risks alone.

In that respect, the Martial Civilization was indeed quite dependable.

When there was work to be done or danger to face, they truly stepped forward.

Unlike certain alliance planes or foreign gods with ulterior motives, they did not hesitate at the first sign of hardship, only to become eager once personal gain was involved.

Sein then turned to the God of Black Mist. “Your Kales Pantheon must field at least five hundred thousand frontline troops to charge alongside Belphane and Fermera.”

His tone left no room for negotiation. It was an order.

Charge alongside? The God of Black Mist immediately understood what Sein’s command really meant. His followers were being sent to the front as cannon fodder.

He did not dare resist. After all, it was his followers’ lives on the line, not his own.

Sein had not instructed the God of Black Mist himself to join the charge.

Even if his follower legion suffered heavy casualties, the God of Black Mist could simply issue another divine edict to replenish their numbers!

To deities of the divine faith system, followers were essentially a “renewable resource”.

Sein had previously mentioned that once Reebos World was conquered, he would share a portion of the spoils with the God of Black Mist and the others.

Whether Sein truly intended to honor that promise, or had merely dangled it before them like a carrot, remained to be seen.

In any case, for the time being, the God of Black Mist did not dare expect too much.

The moment Belphane let out a furious roar and charged forward in her Rank Six Lawful Body, the battle outside Reebos World erupted at full intensity.

The battlefield felt entirely different when high-ranking warriors from one’s own side led the charge.

The army of five hundred thousand followers assembled by the God of Black Mist and the others was essentially cannon fodder, with very little real combat ability to speak of.

However, with Belphane leading the charge and Fermera unfurling her metallic wings as she fearlessly plunged into the depths of the federation’s defensive line under a dense barrage of energy beams, even the cannon fodder found their fighting spirit rising.

“With the great God of Black Mist’s divine emissaries leading us to victory, we have nothing to fear!” some of the God of Black Mist’s fanatical followers shouted excitedly.

In the days that followed, several murals commemorating this war appeared in the God of Black Mist’s temples.

In these murals, Belphane appeared as a “Bronze Giant” wielding two massive iron maces, while Fermera was portrayed as an eight-winged mechanical angel with beams of energy streaming from her wings.

Both were depicted as the God of Black Mist’s “divine emissaries” or “divine servants,” and would be venerated by future generations of the Kales Star Domain as symbols of that intense war.

Perhaps this was another example of how narrow and absurd the perspectives of lower lifeforms could be.

Belphane and Sein, however, did not care enough to make an issue of such a trivial matter.

After fighting side by side with Sein and the others in this battle, the God of Black Mist would likely be seen as an influential ally with strong backing once he joined the Magus Alliance in the future.

“Things are looking good up ahead. Notify General Ximen Feixiao that the Dawn Empire’s legions may move out,” Sein said from inside the planetary fortress to Mel, the Rank Four Dragon Warlock standing beside him.

Mel lowered her head and relayed the order through the crystal ball.

A moment later, the Dawn Empire forces positioned on both flanks of Sein’s legions shifted into an arrowhead formation. Following closely behind Belphane and the others at the front, they charged toward Reebos World.

The Dawn Empire legions advanced with incredible speed. Before long, they had caught up to the cannon fodder legions of the Kales Pantheon, who were already under heavy fire from the federation.

It seemed that, in this battle, the Dawn Empire legions led by Ximen Feixiao were determined to once again show Sein and his forces the spirit of the Dawn Empire, as well as the fearless, death-defying will of its martial cultivators.

As a result, compared to other fronts, the Dawn Empire legions on this battlefield fought with even greater morale.