Sovereign of the Ashes

The primary distinction between a Rank Two mage and a Rank One mage was the ability to elementalize their body.

Aside from that, one had to possess a minimum of 1000 points of mental focus to become a Rank Two mage, which was nearly ten times that of a newly initiated Rank One mage.

However, this significant numerical difference did not directly translate to combat prowess.

Ten Rank One mages could not simply overpower a Rank Two mage due to multiple complex factors.

The Rank Two black mage before Sein was confident that he could withstand a siege from a dozen Rank One creatures and emerge unscathed.

Black mages were the group within the Magus World that had most thoroughly studied and understood knights and mages.

Unlike conventional divine tower mages like Sein, whose research primarily focused on the elemental power and specimens from otherworldly planes, the black mages focused on studying native creatures due to the restrictive conditions of their environment.

To avoid capture by knights and mages from other divine towers, they also had to possess a deep understanding of their adversaries.

Most black mages were skilled in human anatomy—a subject Sein studied as a mandatory course at the Black Magic Academy.

Moreover, the harrowing environment of Blackhaven, notorious for its dreaded Trial of Despair, inevitably raised questions about the kind of lunatics it nurtured.

Thatch’s orders made him a particular thorn in the side of the encroaching black mage.

This alchemy cargo ship was not only capable of flight but was also equipped for defense.

It was rumored to be one of many vessels salvaged by House Guilleman from divine towers.

Originally war airships used during interplanar wars, these vessels were armed with numerous powerful magic cannons and sub-cannons to meet wartime needs.

Though now repurposed for navigation within the Magus World, the ships still retained some of these weapons for basic defense.

As soon as Thatch issued his orders, over ten magic initiates adjusted the ship’s two magic cannons, which had not been used in years but were well-maintained.

The magic array at the base of these cannons glowed white as they began charging up.

The Magus World’s magic cannons were formidable weapons, not to be underestimated.

Even the highly conceited Rank Two black mage was not eager to take them head-on.

With a chilling laugh, the black clouds violently spread in all directions, quickly enveloping half of the ship.

A flock of black crows suddenly burst forth from within the clouds and attacked the magic initiates on deck.

A magic rod appeared in Thatch’s hand and he quickly recited an incantation. A small hurricane materialized in front of him before hurtling toward the crows. The intense aero element immediately scattered several of the birds.

However, at the moment Thatch unleashed his spell, the Rank Two black mage made his move too.

It was clear that from the outset, the black mage had not considered the magic initiates or the two magic cannons a serious threat.

The magic initiates lacked significant power, and while the magic cannons were powerful, they required time to charge up and suffered from accuracy issues.

In the broader scope of the Magus Civilization’s conflicts, cannons mounted on space fortresses or war airships were typically used more for area saturation than precision strikes due to the unreliable hit rate of individual magic beams.

Ultimately, it was merely a lifeless weapon with inherent limitations.

The real targets for this Rank Two black mage were Thatch, Sein, and the other Rank One beings.

If he could eliminate them, he could easily overpower the entire ship.

A beam of dark energy shot out from the clouds, aimed directly at Thatch, who had just unleashed his spell.

The reaction speed of a Rank Two mage, especially one capable of elementalizing their body, was significantly faster than that of a Rank One mage.

With a mere wave of his hand, the black mage delivered a powerful elemental strike.

A light blue energy shield immediately enveloped Thatch’s body to block the attack from the Rank Two mage.

This shield, while robust enough to block most Rank One spells, began to crack extensively under the assault.

However, aeromancers like Thatch were always known to be quick and great at escaping.

At this critical moment, he reacted with remarkable speed and summoned a light aero elemental force around his legs, which propelled him swiftly to the other side of the ship.

The Rank Two black mage’s attack left no room for negotiation or error.

While Thatch was fighting with the black mage, Sein and the others prepared for battle.

Drawing on his experience in interplanar wars, Sein’s initial strategy against a superior enemy was defensive rather than offensive.

He rapidly conjured several layers of magic shields around himself.

While a single shield might not be able to withstand a blow from a Rank Two black mage, he believed that multiple layers could offer some degree of protection.

Yuri, the engineer, also quickly prepared herself to join the fray.

The Burning Flame Unit she commanded caught the black mage’s attention, prompting him to give it several intrigued glances.

This black mage had long terrorized Blackhaven’s Eastern Archipelago and made a name for himself, yet he was relatively uninformed about the recent interplanar wars the Magus Civilization was involved in.

Hence, this was his first time seeing creatures and mecha units from the Neisse Civilization.

Given his advanced skills in alchemy, he displayed a particular curiosity toward the mecha unit that Yuri was piloting.

Behind Yuri, two smaller grayish-white mecha units appeared. Together, they formed a protective formation around Sein.

Yuri’s primary role was to protect Sein, even at the cost of her own life.

After fortifying himself with several magic shields, Sein was ready to join the battle.

Meanwhile, the battle between Thatch, the two Rank One knights, and the Rank Two black mage escalated rapidly.

However, this intensity was mostly from the perspective of Thatch and the others.

To the Rank Two black mage, it seemed more like a trivial amusement.

After all, the disparity in strength was simply too great!

During the clash, one of the Rank One knights suffered severe injuries. His right arm was corroded to the bone by the dark clouds above.

Despite their efforts, Thatch and the others could not ascertain the full extent of the black mage’s powers or his specific elemental abilities.

So far, the black mage had showcased formidable skills with the umbra element, as well as corrosion and air-type magic.

While at the Monique Black Market, Sein learned of the black mage’s considerable skills in alchemy.

This knowledge led him to conclude that the opponent likely wielded some powerful magic artifacts.