Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein’s “Dragon Core Fruit Potion” was a concoction of several rare and exceptional ingredients like the Dragon Core Fruit, Dragon Blood Herb, Noctowl Stag Horn Powder, and Silver Spirit Apricot.

To enhance the potion’s stability, Sein added a measure of dragon blood.

The finished product comprised several vials of rich, crimson potions.

The art of potion-making extended beyond merely grinding and mixing ingredients. A careless approach could easily result in a dangerous poison or, at best, a useless concoction.

Over the years, Sein’s skills in apothecary had grown significantly—perhaps aided by a stroke of luck.

In just half a day, he had expertly crafted these powerful red potions.

“The Silver Spirit Apricot I plucked from Tourmaline’s back is unexpectedly soft. In terms of value, it certainly matches the Dragon Core Fruit,” Sein remarked to Leena after completing the potion.

Through Sein’s explanation, Leena came to understand who Tourmaline was—a mighty dragon turtle. Naturally, she was thrilled that Sein had such a powerful friend.

More importantly, Tourmaline had gifted Sein not one, but several Silver Spirit Apricots.

Reflecting on their bond, Sein pondered the possibility of one day convincing Tourmaline to relocate to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

If that were to happen, Sein might gain access to all the Silver Spirit Apricot Trees growing on Tourmaline’s back.

“Although the potions were successfully crafted, they’re far too potent due to short brewing time. You probably can’t consume them without first neutralizing them in some way,” Sein explained to Leena apologetically.

With her dark, onyx eyes fixed on Sein, Leena responded, “I never intended to take these potions in the first place. They’d be more useful to you, wouldn’t they?”

“And what exactly do you mean by ‘too potent’? Are there any side effects?” Leena asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Shaking his head, Sein replied, “There are no severe side effects. Given my current constitution, I should be able to handle a potent potion like this.”

“Should?” Leena raised an eyebrow at him.

As seasoned, sensible mages, vague terms like “should” should not even be part of their vocabulary.

“I’ll just give it a try first. I have faith in my potions,” Sein declared, then tilted his head back and gulped down the red potion.

As the potion washed down his throat, a fishy taste spread, followed by a burst of scorching heat that violently coursed through his body.

His skin began to turn a vivid crimson, and the pyro elemental particles around them intensified dramatically.

Had Sein conducted the test with his crystal ball, he would have realized that his mana level was steadily and slowly increasing.

Among the potions Sein had previously encountered, only Laurent Water—which aided magic initiates in advancing to full-fledged mages—produced effects similar to the one he now faced.

As Sein’s mana values began to climb, his focus and constitution were subtly shifting as well.

The increase in focus was moderate, not overly dramatic.

However, his constitution’s growth rate accelerated progressively, eventually outpacing the increase in his mana!

The most visible sign of Sein’s rapidly increasing constitution was his skin, which had turned an alarming shade of red.

Beneath his magic robe, Sein’s body was undergoing an inexplicable transformation and turning even more robust.

Sein had experienced a similar phenomenon once before, during his visit to the underwater crystal palace at Sea God Bay.

There, Tourmaline’s sister, White Stella, had given him a strange sea kelp that caused his constitution to surge dramatically in a short time.

The red potion he took was not as effective as the sea kelp, yet the physical reactions it triggered were just as intense.

Beyond the intense pain and redness, a particularly awkward situation arose for Leena, who was in front of him—Sein was pitching a tent in his pants.

The sight of it caused Leena to blush deeply.

Meanwhile, Sein was consumed by the dramatic transformations occurring within his body.

The medicinal properties of the red potion were proving to exceed his initial expectations.

While Sein’s body could withstand the potion, its side effects—particularly the catalytic effects in certain areas—were more intense than he had anticipated.

While his mind was still clear, he took a deep breath and turned to Leena, pleading, “Help me.”

At that moment, Leena, slightly biting her lower lip, clearly understood what Sein needed most.

Initially uncertain if she could manage the task, Leena hesitated before she grasped Sein’s arm and led him toward the tent.

Overcome by urgency, Sein could no longer hold back. He swept Leena into his arms and quickly carried her into the tent.

“Hey, wait! Let me transform back first...!” Leena yelped.

***

The battle in the dimly lit tent raged through the night.

This encounter proved far more challenging for Leena than any previous ones.

Leena felt overwhelmed from the beginning, barely managing to endure the entire session despite being in her adult form.

In the end, Leena collapsed limply into Sein’s arms, utterly drained and dazed.

Sein, on the other hand, appeared invigorated.

A crystal ball materialized quietly in his hand. Observing the changes in the numerical values of his stats, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

Catching the smirk on Sein’s face, Leena, who had regained some of her senses, bit him fiercely.

A clear teeth mark appeared on Sein’s neck but faded quickly thanks to his robust constitution.

“How are you so strong now? You even did it from...” Leena’s voice trailed off, her embarrassment preventing her from finishing the sentence.

Unlike other women who might have been more adventurous between the sheets, Leena still harbored reservations about certain activities.

Had it not been for Sein’s dire situation, she would never have consented to such actions.

Sein scratched his head in embarrassment.

Despite Leena’s constitution being slightly stronger than that of most mages, she had been unable to meet Sein’s intense needs the previous night.

As a result, Sein was forced to seek an alternative solution. But, of course, he made sure to get Leena’s consent first.

In reality, the peculiar effects within his body had mostly subsided by the first half of the night.

He could have used other potions to neutralize the excess elements in his system.

However, Sein chose not to, instead surrendering to his impulses and indulging his desire.

As a result, Leena was left so exhausted that she could not get out of bed for more than two days.

Sein’s hand glowed with white healing light as he gently rubbed Leena’s smooth back.

Under Sein’s soothing touch, Leena wore a contented expression and no longer looked as annoyed as before.

“I’m sorry,” Sein apologized softly as he blew on Leena’s ear and gently nibbled her earlobe.

Melodious giggles escaped Leena as she was amused by Sein’s playful actions.