Sovereign of the Ashes

Body tempering was far from straightforward, a sentiment true for many pursuits in this world.

Sein had previously thought that the knights of the Magus World led easy lives, at least on the surface.

However, the process of body tempering had revealed to Sein the unseen struggles that knights faced, which go unnoticed by most mages.

Sweat was not the only thing the knights shed, but also blood.

Sein realized that the knights must have dedicated immense effort and time to tempering their bodies, far more than himself.

While on his journey of body tempering through elemental power, Sein admitted to taking numerous shortcuts.

Firstly, he could not afford to spend a huge amount of time in extensive physical training like knights.

Secondly, Sein did not have to strengthen his body as much as knights of equivalent rank.

After all, his main source of strength was his intellect, not physical prowess.

Compared to the body tempering processes of ordinary knights in the Magus World, the body tempering experiments designed and conducted by Sein incorporated a great deal more specialized knowledge exclusive to spellcasters.

This was also made possible by Sein’s understanding of human anatomy.

This specialized approach would likely be beyond the grasp of his peers in the Verdant Flame Faction, despite their own mastery of certain Verdant Flame Body Tempering techniques.

Subjecting oneself to experimental procedures in the laboratory was no small ordeal, often bordering on torturous.

Self-experimentation was generally approached with extreme caution by mages, given the inherent risks. Mages were generally rational beings, few would recklessly endanger themselves under normal circumstances.

It took a young mage with Sein’s resolution and courage to conduct experiments directly on their own body.

Of course, Sein had already evaluated the risks and determined them manageable within his thresholds before placing himself on the experiment table.

High risks were always linked with high rewards.

Eager to venture to the Western Archipelago and navigate the perilous Blackhaven, populated with black mages, Sein recognized the necessity of formidable strength.

Throughout the first to the seventh rounds of the body tempering experiment, Sein encountered issues of varying magnitudes.

Most were minor issues. The only significant mishap occurred during the fourth experiment when the huge experiment device burned a small, bloody hole into Sein’s shoulder.

The incident left Selina so distressed that she refused to assist Sein in what she deemed were “dangerous experiments”.

Fortunately, Eileen was back in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring and stepped in as Selina’s replacement.

As a Rank One mage with a higher mental focus level, Eileen was capable of operating the experiment device with more precision.

Not only that, she could also contribute intellectually to the experiments, enhancing their feasibility through discussions with Sein.

As expected, their collaboration led to a smoother process from the fifth experiment onward.

By the eighth round of the experiment, the body tempering experiment presented no major issues. The collected data and Sein’s physical feedback all pointed to the viability of this passive evolution strategy.

***

The rumbling noises in the laboratory began to fade as the large, conical device above the experiment table slowly retracted. The special container previously filled with various special solvents had been significantly depleted.

Sein recorded his findings in his crystal ball, marking the body tempering experiment for the day as complete.

The air was thick with a pungent mix of odors and a subtle hint of blood—an aroma far from inviting.

Eileen, through careful analysis and tests, deduced that the solvents used in Sein’s experiments posed potential risks to human cells.

The “verdant glaze”, categorized as a Grade B resource by the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame, was notably less compatible with the flesh of Magus World’s humans.

Sein’s mastery over verdant flame magic endowed him with an increased resilience to the substance’s adverse effects.

Even so, that did not change the fact that verdant glaze was a harmful substance.

When Sein opted for this highly risky and potentially detrimental method for strength enhancement, Eileen’s expression was one of grave concern and bewilderment.

“I don’t understand. Why resort to such extreme measures for improvement? Were you this reckless too when you were an initiate?” Eileen asked after putting away the experiment tools.

Although Sein was still naked, he was not embarrassed since he was comfortable around Eileen.

The experiment left special marks on his skin—reminiscent of scars yet distinct in nature.

Sein’s physique and elemental affinity had seen marked improvements from his recent series of experiments.

As the immediate discomfort subsided, Sein took a deep breath and rose from the experiment table. He put on his loose black magic robe again, reflecting momentarily on Eileen’s question.

His approach deviated far from the norms of conventional mages, bordering on a level of audacity that even madmen rarely ventured into.

Indeed, mages of the Magus World were sometimes deemed mad by beings from other planes for their unorthodox practices and hobby of dissecting other creatures for research.

Sein was merely a madman among the madmen.

“I’m used to doing things that way. Besides, the outcomes speak for themselves. This is a viable approach for body tempering,” he replied.

“Viable? By sacrificing decades, even centuries, of lifespan for incremental strength gains?” Eileen furrowed her brow in disapproval, clearly not in agreement with Sein’s perspective.

“No one is immortal. Although Rank One mages could theoretically live for a thousand years, many don’t survive to their final day,” Sein remarked nonchalantly and momentarily silenced Eileen.

She was reminded of her friends and the other Rank One mages who perished during the Viridian Venom Flame World war.

Many were freshly promoted Rank One mages, presumably with an abundance of years ahead of them.

Yet, they met their ends in the Viridian Venom Flame World. Some returned to the Magus World only as lifeless bodies or ashes, while others perished without leaving a trace behind.

Their demise, apart from misfortune, stemmed from a deficiency in strength.

The war in the Viridian Venom Flame World was not particularly brutal by conventional standards.

With the might of the Magus Civilization Army, the campaign was largely a pushover, save for unexpected hitches.

The casualties primarily comprised war mages who were participating in an interplanar war for their very first time, lacking in both prowess and experience.

In stark contrast, the casualty rate among seasoned full-fledged mages was below five percent, which spoke volumes about the situation.