Sovereign of the Ashes

These changes in Sev could be classified as a benign biological evolution.

Sein was uncertain about the exact changes that the blood of a Rank Four creature had induced in Sev, but recent tests revealed that Sev’s stats had improved markedly compared to two years ago.

Such enhancement was beyond what could be achieved through mere diet, sleep, or rigorous training.

During these two years, Sein had diligently continued with the Verdant Flame body tempering experiment.

Yet, his growth in constitution was still slower than Sev, who had benefited from the blood of a Rank Four creature.

Naturally, Sein was pleased with this outcome, so much so that upon learning of Sev’s rapid constitution growth, he seriously considered acquiring the blood and flesh of a Rank Four creature for himself.

Nevertheless, Sein’s idea was nothing more than a daydream.

Fighting a Rank Two creature was already too much for Sein, let alone facing a Rank Four.

Besides, his mentor, Lorianne, was a Rank Four being. It was unthinkable for Sein to ask her for a drop of her blood.

Even if he mustered the audacity to make such a request, she would likely have struck his head with her magic rod before he could even finish speaking.

Aside from beings like Lorianne, even the blood of a demigod-level creature like Tourmaline held considerable power.

Sein had once used a portion of the demigod-level Fire-Breathing Dragon King’s blood, given to him by Lorianne, to temper his body.

The dragon’s blood had miraculous effects on Sein’s experiments. This meant that Tourmaline’s blood might even lead to better outcomes.

However, Sein never made this request to Tourmaline.

He valued Tourmaline as a true friend and believed the sentiment was mutual.

As a friend, Sein refused to exploit their relationship for personal gain.

Unlike the socially adept mages who thrived on networking, Sein was not one to schmooze.

Although he had only a few close friends, he cherished each one deeply.

Although he could not obtain blood from a Rank Four creature for the time being, studying the changes in Sev’s constitution and the composition of its blood yielded significant insights.

Like a sponge, Sein absorbed any knowledge that could benefit him--necromancy, summoning arts, and now, the knowledge of bloodline.

Surprisingly, Sein’s enthusiasm to acquire vast and complex knowledge never waned, even after such a long time. He even found ways to interconnect the different areas of expertise, showcasing his unique ability and talent.

Indeed, this may be why he could be considered a “genius”. Without such qualities, Lorianne would likely not have valued him so highly.

***

Traveling across the vast western ocean was monotonous but rewarding.

Throughout this journey, Sein scarcely stopped to rest.

The anticipation of reaching the Western Archipelago to reunite with his lover Leena, and his seniors—Zorro and Faye—had left him increasingly anxious and excited.

To manage this anxiety, he immersed himself in various experiments.

As a qualified mage, maintaining mental clarity was essential, and Sein had been doing a great job in this aspect.

Two years later, they were finally approaching an island known as the Overflowing Sandy Island.

The silhouette of the distant island stirred a surge of emotion within Sein.

According to Tourmaline and the aquatic races traveling with them, the Overflowing Sandy Island was technically part of the Western Archipelago.

During their voyage across the western ocean, Sein and Tourmaline had come across many islands, some so large they might well be called “continents”, each with its own unique ecology and characteristics.

Yet none sparked the excitement in Sein as much as the seemingly unremarkable Overflowing Sandy Island.

“Western Archipelago, here I come!”

***

The Western Archipelago, with its high density of islands, had held a special place in the Magus World since the primordial era.

In this region, even the smallest island was comparable to one of the continents within the Viridian Venom Flame World in size.

This distinction stems from the Magus World

Other than these smaller islands, there were also countless micro islands, isles, and islets.

The sheer number of these micro islands, isles, and islets was difficult to tally, as new islands frequently emerged and old ones vanished due to the ongoing geological changes in the vast Magus World.

As a world civilization in constant development and expansion, the Magus World had to increase its power and influence across the surrounding star domains and civilizations while ensuring that its internal development was proceeding healthily.

Currently, four guardians oversaw the Magus World. These guardians were not involved in external decision-making or strategic planning. Instead, they focused intensively on the internal development of the Magus World, more so than anyone else.

The Western Archipelago typically fell under the jurisdiction of the Spring Guardian and the Summer Guardian.

One of the many reasons for this dual guardianship was the substantial number of islands—over three thousand excluding smaller and micro-sized ones. This increasing count also clearly indicated the continuous expansion of the Magus World.

Although this was Sein’s first visit to the Western Archipelago and he was unfamiliar with the region, he had a clear goal and a preliminary plan.

After all, he had already planned this in his head countless times.

His first destination would be Thousand Leaf Coral Island, located in the central part of the archipelago.

It was the hometown of his late mentor, Master Morsidor.

Apart from his intention to fulfill his late mentor’s last wish by scattering his ashes in Geyzes City, Sein was also on a quest to uncover traces of black mages in the surrounding areas.

It was highly possible that Zorro and Faye would leave behind some traces in Master Morsidor’s hometown.

Discovering such traces would give Sein a clearer direction in his next destination within the Western Archipelago.

However, life never goes according to plan sometimes.

Before Sein could locate Thousand Leaf Coral Island on the magic map, the dragon turtle Tourmaline had brought him to the Sea God Bay in the southeastern part of the Western Archipelago.

Sea God Bay was the dragon turtle’s hometown and birthplace.

It was not exactly a bay as its name suggested but an inland sea surrounded by medium-sized islands.

The difference between this inland sea and the Jewel Sea near the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring was akin to comparing a lake with a pond.

Given this significant disparity, convincing Tourmaline to relocate to the Jewel Sea appeared to be a formidable challenge for Sein.