Sovereign of the Ashes

Tourmaline’s sister, White Stella, should technically be classified as a dragon fish[1]—a distinct subgenre of dragon.

Although the amount of her dragon blood in her might be slightly less than that of Black Oblivion, there was no denying that White Stella was the more formidable of the two!

This was not merely because she was older than Black Oblivion and had cultivated her powers for a longer period but because White Stella also possessed significant influence over the Sea Kings within the Magus World!

The Sea Kings were exceedingly rare and special creatures that resided in the deeper parts of the vast ocean in the Magus World.

It was almost impossible to catch sight of them near coastal shallows. Only the deeper parts of the ocean could offer enough space for these creatures to roam and forage.

Mages of the Magus Civilization observed that the Sea Kings had a body length of about a hundred meters in their youth and exceeding a thousand meters when fully matured—making them a species even rarer and more powerful than the dragons.

Yet, the Sea Kings were limited by their intelligence.

The Sea Kings’ limited intelligence primarily focused them on basic needs like feeding and survival, preventing the development of more complex thoughts or behaviors.

As a result, the reputation of the Sea Kings was notably less distinguished than that of the dragons within the Magus World.

In fact, many knights and mages from the Magus World were not even familiar with the Sea Kings.

Conversely, the Byrne Empire’s mass-bred dragons were renowned throughout the Magus Civilization.

The Sea Kings were seldom utilized by the Magus World. Aside from a few superior aquatic races skilled in taming selected Sea Kings, it was believed that only the guardians of the seasons could summon these formidable beings from the ocean’s depths.

White Stella was another exception. Her rich dragon blood and formidable might enabled her to subdue most Sea Kings, even those stronger than herself.

The gift from the planar will, combined with specific genetic and bloodline mutations, had given White Stella the power to command these Sea Kings.

Then again, “command” did not seem like the right word, as those simple-minded Sea Kings were not White Stella’s subordinates.

Instead, she possessed a natural allure and affinity for the Sea Kings, compelling them to gravitate toward her, effectively becoming her companions.

It would be more accurate to describe them as White Stella’s pets!

White Stella had established a strong rapport with these Sea Kings, drawing them to her side.

The giant ocean beasts gathered here in the Sea God Bay were all Sea Kings. Among those under White Stella’s care, these were her favorites.

Stella’s appearance closely matched that of the women in the Magus World, save for the dragon horns on her forehead and the fishtail below her waist.

White Stella had command over many more powerful, albeit less visually appealing, Sea Kings. However, those creatures were not currently present.

Besides, those Sea Kings usually shied away from the surface, preferring the tranquil darkness of the ocean’s depths, which provided them with a sense of peace.

Since the Sea Kings were White Stella’s “pets”, the giant mermaid had no intention of introducing them to Sein.

White Stella was an extremely warm person, which explained why Tourmaline was so drawn to her.

Sein lifted his head, but it was difficult for him to meet her gaze due to their differences.

At White Stella’s suggestion, Sein ascended nearly four thousand meters into the air, allowing them to converse as equals.

Sein was immediately captivated by White Stella’s beauty; her face was undeniably perfect.

Had it not been for her imposing size and terrifying strength, she would undoubtedly have been considered a beauty that could make even a nation fall.

Momentarily distracted by her stunning features, Sein’s attention eventually drifted downward, where he beheld twin snowy peaks that rivaled the heights of the Zerzis Range.

Between them was a deep, seemingly bottomless gully that reminded him of the Fissure Trench he visited before.

Yet, it was not the peaks or the gully that held his gaze for long. Instead, Sein found himself fixated on two giant, milky-white shells.

Since White Stella closely resembled a mermaid, she shared many of their habits, including covering her chest with shells. Sein would not be surprised if the giant shells she used were prehistoric in origin.

Despite standing two meters tall, Sein felt as minuscule as a tiny insect in her towering presence.

Consequently, White Stella remained unaware of Sein’s awestruck state and the direction of his gaze.

Sein quickly composed himself. He had seen many “huge pairs” over the years and these experiences had honed his resilience, allowing him to quickly dispel any distractions.

After shaking his head to clear his mind, Sein conversed with White Stella normally.

He occasionally shared interesting happenings he encountered with Tourmaline while traveling across the ocean, prompting bursts of melodious laughter that resonated between the sea and sky.

Despite her immense size, White Stella’s aura did not overwhelm Sein as Black Oblivion did.

Even her gentle laughter seemed to contradict her majestic stature.

After speaking with Tourmaline in their language, White Stella turned to Sein and said, “I’ve arranged a welcome home party for Tourmaline at the Crystal Palace, you’re invited too, Sein.”

Sein intended to decline the invitation. After all, he did not come to the Western Archipelago to party. He was on a mission to find his friends.

Now that he had arrived, the anxiousness in his heart was palpable. Ideally, he would head directly to the north-central part of the archipelago to pursue leads immediately.

Perhaps sensing Sein’s urgency—or possibly informed by Tourmaline—White Stella smiled reassuringly and said, “It won’t take too much of your time. If there’s anywhere you need to go, just let me know.”

“I can send you directly there through my Well Teleportation spell.”

Well Teleportation, a sophisticated teleport spell in the Magus World. Sein had only heard about it but never witnessed it.

It was an advanced magic that could teleport any object from one water source to another.

White Stella’s mastery of this advanced hydro elemental spell highlighted the extent of her formidable powers beyond her innate physical prowess and her ability to summon Sea Kings.

1. Translator’s Note: White Stella should be classified as a Chinese Dragon Fish, which is known as Arowana in English. Not the butt-ugly Dragonfish in the deep sea. ☜