Sovereign of the Ashes

Half a month later, at the base of a large waterfall in a jungle...

Water cascaded from a great height, sending white mist into the air and creating ripples that spread across the pool in all directions.

At the edge of the pool, an intense confrontation unfolded.

A black-armored knight bellowed in a deep voice, “How dare you injure two of my men! Go, take down that black mage!”

It was an unfair battle, with three remarkably strong Rank One knights against a female black mage.

Months of relentless battle and pursuit had taken their toll on the female black mage and the three knights, with all parties visibly fatigued.

The knights’ armor showed varying degrees of damage, and their bodies bore many wounds.

Conversely, though the female mage’s black robes were slightly tattered, revealing part of her fair leg, she seemed largely unharmed externally.

However, her evident exhaustion and nearly depleted focus reserve added a layer of vulnerability to her typically cold demeanor.

The outcome of the battle seemed inevitable.

Individually, the female black mage might have had a slight edge in strength, but she was outnumbered.

The drawn-out conflict had evolved into a test of endurance rather than mere bursts of combat power. It also allowed each side to gain a deep understanding of the other’s tactics.

As a result, the female black mage found herself at the greatest disadvantage.

While fighting and retreating, the female black mage had been moving toward the southwest.

She could not explain why she had chosen this direction.

In doing so, she had managed to evade the Ylli Knight Alliance’s main force but had become separated from the other black mages of Blackhaven, who were now being pursued by that main force.

The three knights continued pursuing her due to her exceptional performance in earlier encounters, prompting them to “pay her extra attention”.

“She’s running out of mana! Kill her! A black mage with her capabilities must be one of those that are wanted!” the black-armored knight declared.

The Ylli Knight Alliance’s pursuit of black mages, beyond historical feuds, was largely motivated by interest.

This was especially true for these Rank One knights who were inexperienced and lacking personal grievances.

Their relentless pursuit of the female black mage was driven primarily by the allure of the substantial bounty offered by the Ylli Knight Alliance.

Eliminating such a formidable target would yield rewards comparable to those found within the secret realms of the Knight Continent.

More importantly, it would secure them commendations and recognition from the leaders of the Ylli Knight Alliance.

The three Rank One knights intensified their assault but the expression of the female black mage grew increasingly melancholic and cold.

Three umbra energy balls were launched from her wand, which was topped with a bat-shaped ornament.

If all three formidable energy balls were aimed at a single target, they would undoubtedly cause most Rank One creatures to panic, delivering a significant destructive force upon impact.

However, spreading the attack among the three knights only briefly slowed their pursuit as they skillfully blocked or dodged the incoming attack.

The strongest knight, clad in black armor, responded more aggressively. With a swift swing of his heavy sword, he cleaved the dark energy ball aimed at him in two, setting off a series of chain explosions in the jungle.

A streak of black light flashed away as the mana-depleted female mage continued her escape toward the southwest.

“Is it really time to use this...?” she mumbled, pulling out a ring engraved with a peculiar gray crest from her chest pocket.

The ring exuded a strange and ominous aura, with traces of gray mist swirling both inside and on its surface. The strange crest on the ring seemed to contain this gray energy, preventing it from breaking free and fully dispersing in all directions.

Behind her, the three knights emerged from the flurry of umbra and pyro elemental explosions, led by their commander.

As young yet elite Rank One knights of the Ylli Knight Alliance, their pursuit was relentless, determined not to let their outnumbered target escape.

The pursuit continued through the jungle.

With her dwindling mana and focus reserves, the female black mage was forced to consider deploying her last resort.

Suddenly, a striking blaze of red and green fire appeared at the edge of her vision, inexplicably revitalizing her.

The three knights chasing her also sensed an overwhelming pressure and the malice emanating from the verdant flame.

They began to wonder whether this presence was targeting them rather than the fleeing black mage.

“Is that her accomplice? A new black knight?” the leading knight in black armor speculated.

The reckless barrage of verdant flames spared no mercy for the three Rank One knights of the Ylli Knight Alliance.

Sein had always been a sensible mage but on this day, he chose to follow his heart.

Arriving at the battlefield, he charged directly toward the three knights pursuing the female black mage without saying a word to her. His target was actually the most formidable among them—the knight clad in black armor.

His intensely burning verdant flames clashed against the knight’s black heavy sword, sending green sparks flying in all directions.

The powerful impact not only sent Sein recoiling over ten meters but also disrupted the black-armored knight’s advance.

While Sein possessed an impressive constitution and physique compared to ordinary mages, matching these muscular knights in brute strength remained a challenge.

Normally, Sein’s constitution was over 200 points, but activating his verdant flame body could boost it to around 400 points.

However, the black-armored knight before him was an elite among Rank One knights, likely boasting a constitution exceeding 600 points, further enhanced by his battle qi power.

In a solo battle, this knight was no less formidable than the female black mage they were pursuing.

The reason he had enlisted two peers for the ambush was due to concerns about any desperate countermeasures the female mage might deploy.

“I am Jeston of the Ylli Knight Alliance. Stand in the way of justice and you, too, will fall under its judgment!” Jeston declared, staring at Sein, who was enveloped in green pyro energy.

Facing Jeston’s admonition, Sein responded by summoning a magic rod that radiated powerful elemental energy.

Atop the magic road was the Verdant Flame Heart Crystal, which glowed dazzlingly amidst the surrounding verdant pyro elemental power.

Upon seeing this, Jeston raised an eyebrow.