Sovereign of the Ashes

After a brief incantation, two black samurais and an undead knight riding on a white skeleton warhorse slowly emerged from a pitch-black summoning vortex on the grassland atop Tourmaline’s back.

There were two types of undead summoning.

The first involved local summoning, which used less mana but required the presence of sufficient skeletons or blood sacrifices in the area.

The second type summoned entities directly from the otherworld, consuming more focus and mana but placing fewer requirements on the surrounding environment.

Regardless of the method, necromancy and summoning magic were deeply related.

Sein was currently testing out the undead summoning spell he had recently mastered.

With the Western Archipelago’s Blackhaven still shrouded in mystery and having previously encountered a black mage, Sein preferred to keep his origins concealed.

He planned not only to mask his original appearance and aura but also to keep his lumen and pyro elemental abilities hidden.

Upon arriving in the Western Archipelago, Sein would assume the guise of a necromancer who had recently been promoted to Rank One.

Of the three undead creatures that materialized from his spells, the black samurais each displayed the prowess of a senior squire, while the undead knight was on par with a Quasi Knight.

Having only delved into undead magic for a short period, Sein’s rapid progress was remarkable.

Apart from Sein’s solid foundational knowledge, his notable innate talent in umbra element and necromancy was another layer of reason for his proficiency.

“It’s a pity that I haven’t found any summoning magic for ranked undead creatures. The Magus World’s emphasis on guarding knowledge has made these spells rather inaccessible. If I were in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring right now, with access to my mentor’s collection and the library’s resources, I’m sure I’d find some valuable texts on necromancy,” Sein thought to himself.

Glancing at the black book in his hand, he mumbled, “However, the knowledge in ‘The Compatibility Between Necromancy and Summoning Magic’ is too complex to have been written by an ordinary mage.”

Putting the black book away, Sein waved his right hand.

The black samurais and undead knight that recently appeared in the summoning array quickly vanished in a dazzling burst of elemental light.

Sein’s eyes curiously lingered on the burst of gray elemental light and the complex array pattern beneath their feet.

According to the necromancy books he had read, more than seventy percent of the undead creatures summoned in the Magus World originated from a large world under the governance of the Magus Alliance—the Undead World.

While the status of the Undead World was not on par with the Titan or Elven Worlds, it was nearly as influential as another large world known as the Beastmen World.

These powerful worlds, home to Rank Seven overlords, were all pivotal to the development of the Magus Alliance.

The Undead World, in particular, had been a key member of the Magus Alliance for a considerable period.

Mages from the Magus World could easily summon undead creatures from the Undead World and its vassal planes to aid in their battles, thanks to the compatible rules and orientations of these worlds.

Only beings of Rank Four and above, particularly those at Rank Seven, possessed the means to influence the laws of these worlds.

Although Sein had devoted considerable energy and efforts to necromancy recently, he remained clear about his main focus and avoided becoming sidetracked.

For instance, he had not dissected the cells of those undead creatures or deeply explored the principles of summoning magic.

It was not because he was uninterested, but rather because of his limited resources. Besides, he had yet to encounter any mage proficient in all areas of magic.

His prior research into the verdant flame magic alone had already consumed much of his time and energy, not to mention the need to also focus on his alchemy studies.

The efforts Sein invested into the undead summoning spell mirrored the energy he had devoted to the apothecary.

He believed mastering the necessary spells in these fields alone was sufficient without delving into its mysteries and principles.

After all, he was only exploring around to satisfy his curiosity about various types of magic. His current priority was preparing for his upcoming trip to the Western Archipelago.

Lorianne often rejoiced in the fact that she did not need to worry about Sein after taking him on as an apprentice. He always knew what he should and should not do, maintaining a level-headedness that made him seem like a natural-born mage.

Considering his need for a spell capable of summoning ranked undead creatures, and recalling the vast collection in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring’s library, Sein wondered whether any divine towers within the Marmett Union Alliance’s territory might be open to the public and pondered the possibility of using the Arcane Light found in every divine tower, despite the associated costs.

However, he hesitated and shook his head upon recalling the substantial amount of Arcane Points he had spent the last time he accessed the Arcane Light.

“I wonder if there are any books on necromancy among the legacy from the Rank Two black mage. There should definitely be some on the umbra element. I guess that’s really all I need,” Sein mumbled, remembering the black beam of light unleashed by that black mage during their battle.

***

After completing his magic study for the day, Sein approached Tourmaline’s head.

The dragon turtle was rather easygoing and had previously granted Sein permission to stand there.

The river before them stretched endlessly. The Magus World was so expansive that even a behemoth like Tourmaline found it challenging to explore fully.

The dragon turtle was playing with Sev while Yuri watched at the side, with her pink mecha standing behind her.

Sein’s arrival drew everyone’s attention, including Tourmaline, who slightly raised its head.

Sein smiled and said, “When we fought that Rank Two black mage earlier, none of us even realized the island was actually you. How did you manage to hide your aura so perfectly? Normally, the more powerful the being, the more intimidating and oppressive its aura should be to weaker creatures around it.”

Tourmaline tilted its head thoughtfully, seemingly pondering this question for the first time.

It could suppress its aura like second nature, so it should be an innate ability.

Tourmaline was capable of thinking critically. After all, it was only inexperienced, not unintelligent.

After a brief pause, Tourmaline responded, “Maybe... it could be related to my breathing rate?”

“Just your breathing rate? Is there any subtle control of the body’s muscles involved?” Sein probed further, intrigued.

This question seemed to stump Tourmaline, who blinked cluelessly while murmuring, “Is there... or is there not, I wonder...”