Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s movement created a faint sound of shifting yellow sand.

In the distance, Stenson, caught in a whirlwind of emotions, suddenly exclaimed, “Who’s there?!”

He was sad to see Marlon so weak, but he was also elated to see Marlon’s condition improving.

Marlon’s rejection of his blood offering did not concern Stenson. His sole focus remained on saving Marlon.

Sein’s presence, on the other hand, sparked excitement in Stenson’s slightly bloodshot eyes.

To Stenson, the presence of another living being meant there was food.

Marlon and Stenson had gone without food or drink for nearly three days, and while Stenson could endure a bit longer, Marlon’s condition was dire.

Stenson was adamant to locate the eavesdropper and debone him. His blood would quench their thirst, and his flesh would fill their bellies.

Driven by both hunger and overwhelming emotions, Stenson had lost his sanity. He transformed into a wild beast far more frenzied than most high-level magic beasts.

Sein caught a glimpse of a scarlet flash, and then Stenson, who had transformed into a massive figure, charged toward his location.

The sense of smell of this “beast” was much more potent than Sein had expected.

As Stenson was charging toward him, Sein noticed the black nails on Stenson’s hands had grown longer.

The reddish tint in Stenson’s eyes suggested that it was impossible for Sein to converse with him in a civilized manner.

Moreover, the speed at which Stenson was advancing forced Sein to retrieve his wand in self-defense before he could even explain his intentions.

Being targeted by a senior initiate who had descended into madness was far from an ideal situation, and Stenson was not exactly a weak one.

Fortunately, Stenson’s hunger and fatigue had sapped a considerable amount of his strength.

By the time he had closed in to within ten meters of Sein, Sein had already readied another intermediate magic spell.

“FIRE WALL!”

A massive wall of fire materialized before Sein.

The blazing flames intensified the already sweltering air, making the surroundings even drier.

However, Stenson’s frenzied charge continued unabated.

An umbra elemental energy flickered over his body as manes grew from his skin. To Sein’s astonishment, Stenson used his right arm to shield his eyes and dashed straight through the blazing wall of fire!

After passing through the wall of fire, Stenson wore a sinister grin on his darkened face.

Yet, before he could lay a hand on his prey, Sein, who had been visible moments ago, suddenly vanished into thin air!

Sein’s advanced invisibility cloak rendered his body perfectly invisible, although it could not conceal his breath and voice. Nevertheless,it proved effective in eluding Stenson, the “beast” who relied solely on brute strength.

Even the Fire Wall spell unleashed by Sein was just a diversion.

The spell’s intense heat served to mask Sein’s movements as he retreated, concealed by his invisibility cloak.

In swift succession, Sein readied his next offensive spell.

“FIERY HAND!”

A colossal hand made of fire materialized. This spell far surpassed the Fire Wall in both destructive power and impact.

Although Stenson’s forceful passage through the wall had seemed intimidating, it had taken its toll on him.

Burn marks marred his arms, thighs, chest, and various other parts of his body.

Despite being a senior initiate specializing in bloodline magic, he was not impervious to the pyro element.

As the Fiery Hand closed in, Sein aimed for Stenson’s exposed head.

In a desperate moment, Stenson let out a roar.

His body was once again engulfed in a dense black light, and his head underwent a dramatic transformation.

Two sharp fangs protruded from the corners of his mouth, and a pair of black, furry ears sprouted from his head. Even his hands transformed into massive, black palms.

Although Sein’s Fiery Hand spell managed to incinerate much of the mane on Stenson’s body as he shielded his head with his arms, it failed to deal a fatal blow to the formidable initiate.

Once the Fiery Hand spell’s duration ended, Stenson’s once-thick mane was reduced to ashes.

His body bore numerous scars, leaving Sein to wonder what trials he had endured in the past.

Covered in both blood and scars, Stenson appeared as a man teetering on the brink of death.

Just as Sein expected another reckless charge from the oversized initiate, Stenson, whose stature had grown to a daunting two and a half meters after activating two bloodline magic, took a stumbling step forward before collapsing with a thud!

Bloodline magic was fueled not only by the mana amassed through daily meditation but also by blood.

In normal circumstances, bloodline magic enhanced a mage’s combat abilities and resilience, but it was also the source of their success and downfall.

Weakened and even anemic, Stenson had depleted his strength by offering blood to Marlon earlier.

After invoking bloodline magic twice, he was left utterly drained.

He had become a victim of his own recklessness. Other initiates would have ensured to retain some residual strength for escape or other purposes, unlike Stenson.

Only Stenson would recklessly take Sein’s two attacks head-on.

It appeared that if he had not been exhausted both magically and physically, he would have continued to engage Sein in combat.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Sein deactivated his invisibility cloak.

The advanced magic items provided to him by Master Morsidor had proved their worth, particularly the invisibility cloak, which had saved him from a dire confrontation with Stenson.

Given the strength of Stenson’s blackened palms, augmented by two bloodline magic spells, Sein had doubts whether he could withstand even a single strike.

Re-emerging from his invisible state, Sein grasped his Acid Wand.

Stenson was down, but he had not drawn his last breath. He was breathing heavily and even made several attempts to rise to his feet.

Extensive burns marred his body, while old scars served to enhance his already intimidating appearance.

Sein did not rush over to end Stenson’s life with his Acid Wand. That would be too wasteful as his wand had a long cooldown period.

Besides, Sein still had some questions for the burly initiate.

“Why are you here?” Sein inquired, fixing his gaze on the pair of beastly eyes before him.

“The entry order and timing for senior initiates and intermediate initiates differ. How did the two of you run into each other? Moreover, where are the other senior initiates and Quasi Mages? If you provide answers, I may consider sparing your life.”

A minor fireball appeared in Sein’s hand.