Sovereign of the Ashes

A mournful howl echoed above the sea just as Sein and Yuri turned around.

The only remaining Rank One knight was impaled by the black mage’s magic rod, which was a unique bone rod tipped with a white bone claw.

Sein suspected that this claw was not crafted through alchemy but was instead fashioned from the palm of a formidable otherworldly creature.

The potent magic fluctuations emanating from the rod suggested that, while it might not rival Sein’s Verdant Flame Heart Rod, it was far from ordinary.

As the Rank One knight lay grievously wounded, a gust of wind swept across the sea’s surface.

Thatch had gathered a raging aero elemental power, not for battle but for escape.

Both he and Sein had quickly recognized the futility of resistance.

The sensible and calm qualities typically exhibited by mages enabled these two Rank One mages to almost immediately discern the vast disparity in strength between themselves and their opponent, as well as the formidable nature of their enemy.

This quick judgment highlighted the fundamental differences between a mage and a knight.

Although they were quick to realize their situation, the Rank Two black mage barely gave them any time to react.

In just less than fifteen sandglasses since the battle started, the two Rank One knights had been either fatally or critically wounded.

As the black mage violently withdrew his white bone rod, the bony claw at its tip clutched a still-beating red heart.

Despite losing his heart, the Rank One knight in the sky did not succumb instantly.

His strong vitality and resilience were evident as he faced his end not with despair but with defiance.

Since the black mage was within striking distance, the grievously injured knight mustered the last of his strength for one final assault!

“I’ll fight you to death!” he roared, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

He gathered all his remaining power to squeeze the black mage’s body with his arms which were gradually growing stiff.

If his opponent were a Rank One magic beast, the knight was confident he could have used the last ounce of his strength to strangle it to death.

Unfortunately, his enemy was not a mere beast but a formidable Rank Two black mage.

“Reckless fool...” The black mage scoffed disdainfully.

Before the knight could inflict damage on him, the black mage transformed into a thick black cloud, effortlessly escaping the knight’s desperate hold.

This encounter starkly illustrated the immense gap that existed between ranks, especially since a Rank Two mage’s ability to elementalize their body could render them nearly invincible against the physical attacks of knights.

Since the elemental body of a Rank Two mage was this powerful, Sein could not help but wonder what kind of special abilities a knight in the Magus World would obtain upon reaching Rank Two.

The last valiant efforts of the knight, though ultimately futile against the Rank Two black mage’s superiority, bought Sein and Thatch precious moments to escape.

At this point, Sein and Yuri had already managed to put some distance between themselves and the battlefield, leveraging the notable flight speed of Rank One creatures.

Meanwhile, Thatch was even faster. In just the blink of an eye, he had turned into a mere black dot on the horizon.

Speed and the ability to escape had always been the strength of an aeromancer.

Unfortunately, speed did not always equate to safety.

Sometimes, the quickest to flee could paradoxically become the most noticeable target.

Unfortunately for Thatch, this proved true. The Rank Two black mage did not intend to let anyone escape.

Having just eliminated the last Rank One knight, the black mage observed the directions in which Sein and Thatch fled.

Thatch had headed northwest, while Sein took off to the southeast, each trying to maximize their chances of survival by distancing themselves as much as possible from the deadly black mage.

The black mage returned to the form of a black cloud, laughing coldly as he chose to pursue Thatch, who was escaping with the fastest speed.

Sein was protected by Yuri, making them a more time-consuming target.

Moreover, Sein’s escape speed was slower than Thatch’s, so the black mage knew that he could still catch up to him after finishing Thatch off.

***

Ten sandglasses had elapsed since Sein fled from the ship.

Each sandglass measured one minute, and by now, the ship was already out of his sight.

Yet the pressure and sense of crisis weighing on his heart had not subsided. The flying speed of a Rank Two mage was something he could not match at his current level, especially when he had not mastered any useful escape techniques or spells.

Only by venturing out of the divine tower and experiencing the dangers and malice of the world firsthand could Sein truly understand his own insignificance and shortcomings.

Master Lorianne was right—perhaps it was too early for him to explore the Magus World when he had just been promoted to Rank One.

His lack of worldly knowledge and strength made it challenging for him to cope with such a sudden crisis.

Had he possessed Thatch’s aero magic and escape abilities, his chances of escape might have been slightly improved.

However, that would also make him a more immediate target for the Rank Two black mage, whose interest he had clearly piqued more than Thatch.

At this moment, Sein was in a grim mood. Beyond the persistent sense of crisis weighing on him, another pressing concern troubled him deeply. He had just hurriedly tested the Viridescent Seeds given to him by his mentor during their escape to see if they could be activated.

While the seeds did sprout, the plant creatures they produced were significantly smaller and weaker than expected.

Typically, these plant creatures could grow into beings with combat abilities equivalent to Rank One creatures. However, with only water to activate them, their strength was diminished to that of an intermediate initiate.

Amidst the sea, these plant creatures’ potential was drastically limited.

Sein knew that if the Rank Two black mage had any sense, he would not bother with these weaker underwater plant creatures.

Sein also held back from testing the more precious and rare Rank Two Viridescent Seeds, suspecting their effectiveness might not be significantly better under such circumstances.

Clutching the most valuable milky-white Viridescent Seeds in his hand, Sein faced a critical decision—whether to use this trump card.

The life-saving item that Lorianne had given her sole apprentice was certainly exceptional.

Sein knew that Lorianne’s world laboratory had cultivated only two milky-white Viridescent Seeds, and he had one of them.

The profound care and affection his mentor held for him were undeniable. However, Sein now grappled with whether to use this precious seed.

Could it resolve the crisis at hand?

Considering the dangers he had already encountered before reaching Blackhaven, could there be even greater challenges ahead?

Time was pressing, and activating the Viridescent Seed would take a while.

Concerned that the plant creatures it might spawn would not sufficiently threaten the Rank Two mage, Sein realized he needed to prepare thoroughly.

Just as he sighed lightly, resigning himself to use the precious seed, a voice transmission from Yuri interrupted his thoughts.

“Master, look!” she exclaimed, pointing south.

In their frantic escape, Sein had lost track of their exact location in the ocean.

It was the onset of the storm season in the Boundless South Sea, so numerous vortex storms were already forming.

Yuri was pointing at a massive tornado storm gathering in the distance.

The sky above was dark with storm clouds, and lightning streaked through it.

Sein, having once navigated through these treacherous waters on Kurt’s ship, knew well the ocean’s perils.

He remembered the exhilarating yet terrifying voyage through the weak zones between storm gaps.

The storm’s eye, where its power was most intense, was formidable—likely too much for even a Rank Two mage to handle.

Seeing an opportunity, Sein decided to use the storm’s might to their advantage and led Yuri toward the converging tempests.

As they neared the storm, Sein’s excitement grew when he spotted a small island in the storm’s eye!