Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s research on the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring’s badge sparked a wave of new ideas.

Once he wrapped up the badge’s analysis, he shifted his focus to enhancing some of the magic items he had previously utilized.

A pale white mask lay on his experiment table.

It was known as the Pale Mask—a basic magic item Sein had acquired during his early days as a junior initiate.

The mask’s basic function of clear vision was something Sein had outgrown, prompting him to revitalize and expand its capabilities.

Apart from that, he planned to integrate three additional spells into the mask—Pyro Ray, Sense and Refocus.

Sense was a common detection magic spell that had proven invaluable in his underground expeditions.

Refocus was a unique magic array that could aid spellcasters in the rapid recovery of mental focus.

It was not something Sein had learned in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring. He had acquired the diagram by dismantling Master Morsidor’s Acid Wand.

As for the Pyro Ray, it was a potent offensive spell.

The addition of these three spells would elevate the Pale Mask from a basic to an advanced magic item.

Sein began by meticulously engraving the magic arrays of the Sense and Refocus spells onto the mask.

The two support spells were less demanding in terms of material requirements, but they primarily tested Sein’s skills in alchemy and precision in engraving.

It took Sein half a month to finally complete the two engravings on the Pale Mask.

His slow progress was largely due to his relatively limited experience in creating advanced magic items.

He anticipated that as his expertise grew, so too would the efficiency of his magic equipment creation.

Having successfully integrated the two support spells into the mask, Sein turned his attention to the more complex task of engraving the Pyro Ray spell.

Concerned that the Pale Mask’s original material might not withstand the heat of the pyro elemental particles during activation, he formulated a solution.

After careful deliberation, Sein concocted a special translucent glue by mixing specific alchemy materials in a precise ratio.

He coated the mask with the red substance, allowing it to cool and harden before embarking on the intricate task of engraving the Pyro Ray spell.

Sein’s theories and approaches were proven to be valid.

Ten days later, the mask had evolved beyond its initial form, warranting a new name to reflect its enhanced state.

With its surface now a rich crimson, Sein aptly renamed it the “Crimson Mask”.

Equipped with the Sense, Refocus, and Pyro Ray spells, the mask had undoubtedly ascended to the status of an advanced magic item.

This marked Sein’s first successful creation of an advanced magic item, reflecting his significant progress in alchemy—a result of Master Morsidor’s teachings and his diligent studies at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

Sein set a crimson-colored, advanced pyro-attributed energy crystal in the center of the Crimson Mask, positioning it to align with the forehead of its wearer.

This crystal not only provided supplementary energy but also enabled the mask to autonomously recharge by absorbing elemental energy from its surroundings.

Additionally, it could receive extra energy through the energy crystal, allowing the Pyro Ray spell to be fired up to ten times!

Sein could further increase this capacity by swapping out the energy crystals, albeit at a lavish expense.

Upon completing the experiment, Sein gazed at his creation with immense satisfaction.

The crimson mask before him was no longer just a normal magic item; it was, in his eyes, an artistic representation of his current alchemical prowess.

Even when the mask became useless to him in the future, it could serve as a keepsake—a memento of his journey and achievements in alchemy during his time as an initiate.

Aside from Sein, Selina was also in the laboratory.

While she lacked innate talent in alchemy, her eagerness to learn and assist had earned her a place in Sein’s laboratory.

Upon seeing the finished Crimson Mask, Selina expressed her awe and admiration.

“Sein, your skills in alchemy are truly incredible to be able to craft advanced magic items! The mask looks stunning, and the energy crystal in the center resembles an eye,” she marveled.

The respect in Selina’s tone brought a modest smile to Sein’s face, but her words inadvertently sparked a deeper thought in him.

While Sein’s recent focus had been on alchemy, he had not forgotten his desire to further enhance the Solar Eye magic spell.

However, the complexity of expanding the spell to thirty-six eyes through six Solar Eyes as elemental nodes was currently beyond his capabilities.

Even so, Sein’s challenges in visualizing this expanded spell model in his sea of consciousness did not limit his ability to innovate with alchemy tools.

After all, his studies in alchemy and magic were intertwined, both serving as means to bolster his strength and legacy.

Given that both fell under the same spellcaster research system, Sein pondered the possibility of integrating the two disciplines into a unified field of study.

“The Solar Eye spell’s requirements for alchemical materials far exceed those of the Pyro Ray. This mask may not be durable enough to support such a demand,” Sein mused, looking contemplatively at the Crimson Mask on his experiment table.

***

Two months later, in the laboratory...

The Crimson Mask, firmly secured on the experiment table, had been successfully engraved with two Solar Eye elemental nodes.

Sein was in the midst of engraving the third node when suddenly, the air crackled with an unexpected surge of energy.

Caught off guard in his intense concentration, Sein flinched.

Seconds later, a violent explosion erupted, accompanied by a blinding flash of golden light.

Reacting instinctively, Sein dodged to the side, narrowly escaping the brunt of the blast.

The explosion left his laboratory in chaos, smoke billowing from the experiment table.

“Sein, what’s going on?” Selina’s voice echoed from outside as she hurried upstairs after hearing the commotion.

Violent coughs echoed from within the laboratory.

When Sein opened the door, he emerged amidst a dense cloud of smoke that billowed out into the surrounding area.

He was covered in soot and looked quite pathetic.

Yet, it was the Crimson Mask in his grasp that drew the most attention—it had tragically split into two pieces.