Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein was unaware of the burden he had imposed on his mentor, Lorianne, who had just spent an entire day and night imparting to him a wealth of profound knowledge on elemental magic.

The information was undoubtedly advanced for Sein, far beyond what he could fully grasp in such a brief span.

Thankfully, Sein had recorded Lorianne’s teachings in his crystal ball, planning to review and study them upon his return.

Should any confusion persist, he knew he could always seek clarification from his mentor.

That was the benefit of living together with a mentor. Sein felt a profound sense of belonging and care as he recalled Lorianne’s repeated invitations for him to live on the top floors of the divine tower.

Although the memory of his mother was gradually fading in his mind, he remembered her as the epitome of beauty and gentleness.

Sein found in Lorianne a maternal figure, bridging the emotional void left by his mother’s absence.

While both Lorianne and Morsidor were his mentors, Sein felt a difference between them.

As Sein pondered the insights Lorianne had imparted, she exhaled a sigh of relief and swiftly changed the subject.

She was worried that Sein would ask her further complex questions on verdant flame magic.

It was today that Lorianne finally regretted her focus on dendro magic over the verdant flame magic taught by her mentor, Feylis.

She mused whether Feylis had faced similar mentoring challenges with her, given her penchant for probing into the complexities of dendro magic.

Perhaps this was karma in action. Whether Lorianne’s struggles mirrored those Feylis endured remained uncertain.

“You can explore the elemental knowledge I shared with you at your own pace. There’s something else I’d like to show you,” Lorianne calmly told Sein.

Sein, still absorbed in thought, paused before acknowledging her suggestion with a nod.

“Sure,” he replied.

As they ascended to the upper floors of the divine tower, Lorianne paused briefly before offering, “Should you encounter any issues, remember, you can always come to me.”

“Definitely!” Sein responded more promptly this time, nodding vigorously.

His reaction caused Lorianne’s pink lips to twitch. Although she remained outwardly composed, no one knew if she was secretly chastising herself for making such an offer.

In any case, Lorianne was definitely a qualified mentor who invested a lot of care and attention in Sein.

Given that Sein was her first apprentice, any shortcomings were not due to a lack of dedication but rather arose from her inexperience.

After ascending a few more floors, they reached a more expansive collection room that probably housed Lorianne’s most valued collectibles.

Here, Sein spotted a familiar sight—a massive silver mecha, previously seen on one of the battlefields in the Viridian Venom Flame World.

However, Sein recalled that the silver mecha should have been a trophy for the Divine Tower of Floating Flame.

Within the expansive collection room, only the head and a portion of the neck of the silver mecha were visible.

The rest of its body lay hidden beneath a layer of glowing oval elemental particles, emitting a faint fluctuation of spatial power.

Lorianne, who was leading the way, noticed Sein’s interest and casually shared, “In the Viridian Venom Flame World, I initially claimed that blue mecha. However, after discovering traces of your grandmaster’s power of laws within its remnants, Bernice requested an exchange.”

Bernice obviously held a deep fascination over the remaining power of laws left by Grandmaster Feylis.

Among the two Neisse Civilization mechas with combat capabilities comparable to that of a Rank Four being, the silver one before them was deemed more valuable.

Its superior strength, evident from the lesser damage it sustained, made it a prized acquisition for Lorianne.

However, it was not what Lorianne had planned to show Sein.

This mecha from the Neisse Civilization was too advanced for Sein’s current level.

After staring at the silver mecha for a good while, Sein followed Lorianne to a higher level of the collection room.

It was a specialized area abundant with pyro elemental energy particles. Lorianne had spent considerable expense to create this controlled environment.

Here, Sein saw a massive creature, towering tens of meters, kept within a cage.

It was a pyro elemental creature with a pair of dragon horns. Although its strength paled in comparison to the silver mecha, there was a distinct difference between them.

Without a pilot, the silver mecha remained inert and less imposing.

In contrast, the caged pyro elemental creature was a formidable otherworldly dragon!

“Is this being native to the Viridian Venom Flame World?” Sein asked, catching up to Lorianne.

The dragon’s sulfurous scent, tinged with a familiarity reminiscent of the Viridian Venom Flame World, did not escape Sein’s notice.

“Correct. This is a pyro elemental creature from the Viridian Venom Flame World, with a life level comparable to that of a demigod. It can also wield the power of law to a certain extent. It’s one of my more valuable trophies from the war, ” Lorianne clarified.

Lorianne and Sein’s presence elicited a suppressed roar from the Fire-Breathing Dragon King.

However, their reaction was minimal, as a pale green energy barrier promptly emerged, acting as a soundproof layer.

Even as the dragon attempted to rise, the heavy chains and the confines of its cage restrained its movements.

“The blood of this demigod-level creature could significantly benefit your Verdant Flame Body Tempering technique. During my earlier explorations to the Magus World’s west coast, I learned that the bloodline warlocks there would take dragon blood baths to augment their constitution,” Lorianne explained.

“This demigod-level Fire-Breathing Dragon King is a decent-quality specimen. Were it a Rank Four Fire Dragon, your body might not endure immersion in its blood. Beyond its use in enhancing the effects of your body tempering technique, dragon blood also serves as a premium magic ingredient. You should collect some for future needs,” she advised.

“Thank you, Master Lorianne!” Sein responded with respect.

“Hmph, if only your rank wasn’t too low to use higher-grade magic materials. I could have harvested its crystal core for the head of your magic rod,” Lorianne remarked, casting a glance at the still-roaring dragon with an icy smirk.

The dragon seemed capable of communication via mental focus. Upon hearing Lorianne’s words, it quieted its roar slightly.

However, the indignation in its eyes remained vivid, reflecting a deep-seated rage and sorrow.