Sovereign of the Ashes

Angreas’ personality was quite similar to Sein’s—both were reclusive mages who preferred to travel alone.

However, Angreas was much more of a loner compared to Sein.

Before meeting Leena, Sein had contemplated traveling with Guinness and others.

Angreas, on the other hand, had journeyed alone through the Knight Continent’s trial zone the entire time.

It was unclear whether he was the only member of House Farrell in this trial zone or if solitude was simply in his nature.

Sein recalled learning that the ancient bloodline inherited by bloodline warlocks might have a profound influence on their nature and moods. It made him wonder if snakes were generally solitary by nature.

When Sein warmly greeted Angreas, the typically stoic Rank One warlock’s face softened slightly.

He nodded at Sein, then took the initiative to approach him.

By this time, the crowd outside the Elemental Gate had swelled to over thirty knights and mages. Most were clustered in groups of three or five, with only a few true loners among them.

The Rank One Kermoine Serpent Warlock seemed to have no other acquaintances here. Aside from Sein, no one else had greeted him.

“It’s been a long time, Master Sein and Lady Leena,” Angreas said as he approached them.

Angreas hailed from the illustrious House Farrell of the West Coast, a lineage far more distinguished than House Grantt of the Viridescent Land, boasting a history spanning at least a hundred thousand years.

His extensive family background endowed Angreas with refined manners and considerable knowledge.

While Sein and Leena were drawn to this location by their curiosity about the recent elemental disturbance, Angreas, along with a select few knights and mages, understood the true significance behind this elemental gate.

“Angreas, do you know what lies behind this elemental gate? It’s surprising to see that it has attracted so many knights and mages here,” Sein asked.

His question caused a contemplative expression to flicker across Angreas’ face.

However, Angreas did not withhold any information, possibly because he still required assistance from Sein and Leena.

Although one could enjoy greater freedom and spontaneity while exploring the trial zone alone, this often meant falling behind in the scramble for certain resources.

A recent encounter with three Anolis Warlocks had made this painfully clear for him.

“It’s probably a legacy secret realm. Given the size of this elemental gate and the timing of its opening, it’s most likely a major secret realm,” Angreas speculated.

He proceeded to give Sein and Leena a detailed explanation of what a legacy secret realm entailed and what they might encounter within.

Most of the legacy secret realms on the Knight Continent had been established by powerful beings of Rank Three or higher.

Moreover, many were situated in subspace—a dimension beyond the reach of ordinary, low-level creatures, and even some Rank Four beings struggled with control over such power.

There were many different legends concerning the origins of these legacy secret realms, but it was widely acknowledged that some were established by Rank Five or Six powerhouses from ancient times.

Throughout the history of the Knight Continent’s openings, many fortuitous ones and prodigies indeed inherited legacies from these ancient powerhouses.

Upon departing the continent, these exceptional individuals continued to forge their destinies in the Magus World, perpetuating the legacies of those formidable ancient forebears.

While the secret realm before them might not be the legacy of a Rank Five or Six being, it undoubtedly originated from a being far more powerful than the Rank One knights and mages currently gathered here.

Securing a legacy from an ancient powerhouse within this realm would undoubtedly make their expedition to the Knight Continent worthwhile.

After hearing Angreas’ explanation, Sein recalled, Ghur, the Rank One knight from the East Coast whom he had met upon his arrival on the Knight Continent.

Ghur was incredibly passionate about discovering the various legacy secret realms scattered throughout the continent.

However, as Sein scanned the crowd, he realized Ghur was nowhere to be seen among the thirty or so knights and mages gathered outside the secret realm.

The trial zone was simply too vast, and Ghur’s whereabouts remained a mystery.

The opening of any legacy secret realm was a fleeting, one-time opportunity.

As such, none of the knights and mages present considered leaving after arriving. Instead, they all waited with bated breath for the secret realm to open.

While Sein and Angreas were conversing, the elemental gate near them suddenly underwent a transformation.

Initially green, the gate turned blue following a slight tremor, sending out waves of energy fluctuations in all directions, much like ripples spreading across water.

These elemental fluctuations were more intense than before, and it was likely that even trialists further afield had detected the commotion here.

Eventually, a subtle humming resonated through the area, and a faint vortex formed at the center of the elemental gate.

As soon as the vortex appeared, the gathered knights and mages charged toward the gate in unison.

Sein and Leena were among them, with Angreas swiftly joining the rush.

“How about we join forces again? We’ll split what we get equally,” Angreas proposed.

Sein and Leena exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement.

***

The elemental vortex that connected to the secret realm reminded Sein of the spatial teleportation arrays he had previously used.

However, the spatial disorientation was milder, and the transit through the vortex was considerably quicker.

In a trance-like moment, Sein, along with Leena and others, emerged from the vortex and found themselves outside a massive, ancient manor.

This was presumably the subspace Angreas had described earlier.

While it had been daytime when Sein and the others were waiting in a jungle on the Knight Continent, they now found themselves under a moonless night lit only by a few dim stars in the subspace.

Despite the sparse light sources in the sky, the secret realm was not enveloped in total darkness.

The massive ancient manor was illuminated by odd yellow lanterns and special crystals adorning its eaves.

Sein immediately recognized those crystals as lumenstones, commonly found in the underground veins of the Magus World and a staple material for many basic lighting tools.

Despite Sein’s extensive travels and myriad experiences throughout the Magus World, the manor exuded an aura of antiquity and mystery that was unfamiliar to him.

The yellow lanterns and the soft light from the lumenstones created a mysterious ambiance throughout the entire secret realm.

While Sein and Leena were still taking in their surroundings, the knights and mages who had entered the realm before them had already gathered at the manor’s gate, evidently contemplating how to breach it.