Sovereign of the Ashes

“Has this world reached the critical phase of ascending into a medium-sized plane?” Sein asked in astonishment after arriving at the battlefield.

“Yes. Reports from all sources indicate that the current situation on this low-level plane is highly unusual,” Ximen Feixiao replied.

“The native beings here have all undergone varying degrees of evolutionary mutation within a short period of time. Their advancement speed has already exceeded theoretical limits. The concentration of planar energy in this world is also continuing to rise.”

Ximen Feixiao held a high rank within the Dawn Empire’s military and was also responsible for the deployment and assignment of scouting forces.

The Dawn Empire controlled quite a few complete planes, so he had likely encountered cases where a plane ascended from a lower level to a higher one.

But for Sein, who had been a Rank Five being for several years now, this was his first time witnessing the ascension of a plane!

The changes currently unfolding in Florenza held immense research value for him.

But Sein also knew that these changes signaled something else...

A native Rank Six being was about to emerge in this world!

The appearance of a Rank Six entity would bring no small amount of trouble to Sein and his forces.

With the native deities of the Divine Descendants Star Domain rushing back to defend their territory, along with the Gallant Federation’s second wave of reinforcements, the Dawn Empire currently had no spare forces to support Sein’s group.

In terms of raw combat power, the legions led by Sein far surpassed the native deities of Florenza Plane.

But one must not forget that these native beings were empowered by their homeplane.

All things considered, Sein did not want his legions to be pinned down on Florenza Plane for too long.

The Raging Tiger Army, led by Gongsun Wudi, was currently engaged on another medium-sized plane not far from this world.

Sein intended to resolve the situation here quickly, then join forces with her.

Recent battles and experimental research had deepened Sein’s understanding of law power.

After being repeatedly outmatched by Gongsun Wudi in sparring sessions, Sein suddenly felt the urge to test his strength against her once more.

“Order all legions to launch a full-scale assault on this plane!” Sein ordered.

Although the transformation taking place in this world held considerable research value, the outcome of the war mattered more.

Ximen Feixiao immediately acknowledged the command and departed.

As Sein’s order was issued, the planetary-class war fortress roared with a deafening boom, and the various war legions under his command quickly entered a state of readiness.

***

The first to launch a long-range strike against Florenza Plane was Sein’s planetary-class war fortress.

Energy beams erupted from the fortress’ countless cannon barrels, forming a dense barrage that rained down upon the planar barrier below.

Soon after, the Dawn Empire’s Dragon Howlers and Cloudpiercer heavy crossbows were deployed as well, along with various other siege weapons Sein had acquired from the Arriba Chamber of Commerce.

In an instant, the terrifying barrage unleashed upon Florenza Plane seemed, to the living beings within it, like the end of the world.

Almost at the same time, colorful energy shields and DF defense force fields rose from within the plane below.

The Gallant Federation’s resolve to defend this battlefield was clearly quite firm.

However, what truly blocked the barrage from Sein’s forces was not the federation’s technological weapons.

It was Florenza’s planar barrier!

“Has the planar barrier grown thicker than usual after entering its transition state? I thought that once a plane entered its ascension stage, it would become more fragile and unable to withstand even the slightest external disturbance,” Sein muttered to himself inside the main control room of the planetary fortress.

At that moment, he was using the Faceless Mask to observe and gather information from the plane below.

Fermera had already led a portion of the mechanical legion outside the plane, standing by for orders.

She was waiting for a breach to open so she could lead her forces into the fray.

Belphane, Ximen Feixiao, and the others were also waiting in readiness.

Sein’s thoughts raced. A moment later, his eyes lit up, and he suddenly raised his head.

“According to the laws of planar energy conservation, a world undergoing internal upheaval and metamorphosis fears one thing above all else—external interference that causes its ascension to fail!

“This planar barrier is stronger than ever because it’s this world’s instinctive self-protection. At the most critical moment, it’s pouring every bit of strength it has into defense. But because of that, once we break through, the damage inflicted on this plane will far surpass anything it has suffered before!” Sein said, growing more and more excited.

He had not done much research into planes in recent years, but this transitioning plane fascinated him greatly.

Insights and profound truths sprang forth from every direction like bamboo shoots after spring rain, leaving him utterly exhilarated.

Having grasped a thread of truth, Sein immediately contacted Fermera and the others, who were still standing by outside the planetary fortress.

“No need to wait for the planar barrier to break. Launch the assault immediately! Deploy the entire cannon fodder robot army as well! Send them in! Let’s do everything we can to tear open the planar barrier and” Sein ordered.

Fermera resolutely carried out Sein’s order. Ximen Feixiao followed close behind, launching a fierce attack of his own, while the God of Black Mist and the others reacted just as quickly.

Millions of troops charged toward Florenza Plane in unison.

Although the Gallant Federation’s garrison within the plane returned fire, the plane itself was simply too vast.

The federation could focus its defenses on beings of Rank Four and above, or even demigod-level entities. But Rank One and Rank Two beings were another matter.

As for cannon fodder with even lower life levels, there were far too many of them for the federation to deal with. Besides, wasting focused strikes on such insignificant targets made little sense!

In fact, even the planar barrier offered little protection against such low-level creatures.

The planar barriers of large-sized planes were mainly designed to defend against high-level beings. It was almost unheard of for low-level beings to be barred from entering a plane.

This, too, was a manifestation of the laws of balance in the Astral Realm.

High-ranking beings could not always bend everything to their will, and low-level beings were not always useless.

In this war, the most eye-catching performers were no longer Rank Six beings like Fermera and Belphane.

Instead, it was the eight hundred thousand ordinary cannon fodder robots that had just been manufactured in Sein’s Mechanical Space and deployed onto the battlefield.

Upon approaching the planar barrier of Florenza Plane, these cannon fodder robots encountered almost no meaningful resistance. They passed smoothly through the barrier and descended into this transitioning world.

These ordinary robots had extremely low energy levels, and most of their models originated from the Gallant Federation’s production lines.

Since a large number of Federation legions were also stationed within Florenza Plane, even the world’s will, currently in a state of metamorphosis, could not distinguish between Sein’s mechanical legions and the Gallant Federation’s own forces.

It was like looking at two swarms of ants from different colonies. Even on close inspection, it would be difficult to tell which belonged to which.

Conversely, major players like Fermera and Belphane were firmly barred from entering the plane.

Even with the planetary fortress beneath Sein’s feet providing constant fire support, the sturdy planar barrier showed no signs of breaking anytime soon.