Sovereign of the Ashes

Although Sein was indifferent to the Quasi black mage’s wooden house and the experimental materials inside it, that did not mean they held no value to others.

He had long been aware that more than one intermediate or junior initiate had been lurking in the shadows around the area where he had murdered the black magic initiate with brute force.

Sein had no interest in discovering the exact connection between these initiates and the Quasi Mage.

Since these weaker initiates had chosen not to confront him directly, Sein saw no reason to harm them.

On Mordoron Island alone, Sein had gleaned from the Quasi Mage’s memories that there were at least thirty full-fledged black mages.

The number of magic initiates was even larger, estimated to be in the thousands.

Sein knew better than to try to eliminate them all. After all, there was no benefit in drawing unwanted attention.

He was not so conceited as to think he could act brazenly in Blackhaven, let alone run rampant across Mordoron Island.

Moreover, he should not overly rely on the energy shields given to him by White Stella and Tourmaline for absolute safety.

***

After Sein departed, a skirmish erupted around the wooden cabin. Several black intermediate and junior initiates clashed over the “legacy” left by the Quasi Mage.

The body of the Quasi Mage, which Sein had discarded without a second thought, became the primary target of these initiates.

After all, it was a rare and valuable resource for experiments. Its high elemental content also made it an ideal material for synthesizing undead chimera.

The skirmish ended very quickly.

Most black magic initiates residing on Mordoron Island knew that the Quasi Mage had a powerful backer—a full-fledged black mage—who would not take his death lightly.

A few astute initiates abandoned the fray over the Quasi Mage’s remains and instead hurried to the Quasi Mage’s magic tower to report the incident.

Thanks to retaining partial memories from the Black Quasi Mage, Sein was able to navigate Mordoron Island more cautiously, avoiding certain pitfalls.

While the full-fledged black mages of Mordoron Island were scattered across the territory, the few Rank Two black mages resided in the northern part of the island.

During his journey, Sein intentionally avoided the habitats of the black mages, sticking mainly to the border areas of each mage’s territory.

However, the information from the Quasi Mage was limited, primarily covering the southern part of Mordoron Island where several full-fledged black mages resided.

He knew very little about the central and northern regions and had never even heard of Faye and Zorro.

Instead, Sein stumbled upon a familiar name in his memories—Jeanne.

Jeanne was one of the most powerful Rank Two black mages on Mordoron Island. In fact, she had once served as one of the three deans at the Black Magic Academy in Mystralora City.

She was also the one who had facilitated Zorro and Faye’s escape from Gloomhaven to the Western Archipelago, following a request from their mentor, Morsidor.

While Joanie was undoubtedly a powerful Rank Two black mage, Sein was unsure if she was on par with Van Basten, as he had never interacted with her directly.

During his time as a magic initiate, Sein did have some encounters with her apprentice, Liliana.

At that time, Liliana, a senior initiate, was quite arrogant and paid little attention to a lower-ranking initiate like Sein.

Had it not been for Morsidor’s reputation at the time, that girl would have certainly snatched Sein’s Acid Wand for herself.

As Sein ventured deeper into the island, he initially managed to avoid much trouble. However, some encounters were inevitable.

After effortlessly strangling two more Quasi Mages and three senior initiates to death, Sein decided to undo his Aura Restraint spell and soared toward the heart of the island.

With his aura as a Rank One mage now obvious, no more fools came to provoke him.

Yet, by revealing his aura as a Rank One being, Sein began to attract the attention of the local black mages on Mordoron Island.

Though the island lacked a large population of ordinary humans, it was a gathering place for numerous full-fledged black mages.

Although the Quasi Mage identified only thirty of them on Mordoron Island, the actual count exceeded fifty.

Mordoron Island, situated in the south-central part of the Western Archipelago, served as a thoroughfare for black mages from Blackhaven traveling south in search of resources.

Thus, the island was bustling with black mages.

Sein had not previously encountered them because these black mages, like many in the Magus World, tended to be reclusive and intensely focused on their studies.

To survive in Blackhaven and ascend beyond a single life level, these black mages relied not only on their remarkable combat abilities but also on their adept skills in information gathering and concealment.

Sein noticed some of the gazes from the shadows, while others eluded even his keen awareness.

Faced with these generally hostile stares, Sein maintained a stoic expression and continued on his way, choosing to worry about potential threats only as they arose.

In a place like Blackhaven, one could rely on no one but themselves.

Should a black mage dare to stand in his way, Sein was more than ready to demonstrate his strength.

As it turned out, Blackhaven’s full-fledged black mages were much more cunning than the initiates—devious, even.

Having achieved significant milestones and a life level of Rank One and beyond, they had seen much and grown more calculating and composed.

They watched Sein closely like hyenas, gauging his strength without revealing themselves.

If Sein showed any weakness, they would pounce without hesitation, eager to use his remains to fuel their own advancement.

However, if Sein maintained his tough appearance, these cunning mages would bide their time, waiting for a more opportune moment to strike.

In fact, many of these full-fledged black mages had already noticed Sein when he overpowered the other Quasi Mages.

For now, Sein was a mysterious figure known for his mastery of pyro elemental magic and extraordinary physical strength.

Yet, no one fully understood the extent of his abilities and strengths until someone was willing to step forward and test him.

At the moment, none of the full-fledged black mages seemed eager to make the first move.

But patience had its limits—someone would undoubtedly take the bait.

Sein was merely passing through Mordoron Island, but a prolonged stay would surely disrupt the island’s delicate balance of power.

Conflict was inevitable!

Many full-fledged black mages, previously confined to their laboratories, were eager to see how this drama would unfold. Some were even prepared to become part of the action themselves.