Sovereign of the Ashes

Driven by the surging horde of beasts within the trial zone, Sein and Leena were forced to retreat toward the southeast.

Sein also realized that the beasts were not intent on killing them but merely aimed to drive them away.

Under normal circumstances, one would not perish at the hands of a beast horde unless they chose to fight to the death; at worst, they might sustain injuries.

Sein and Leena remained in the trial zone for a little over two more years, constantly pursued by the beast horde.

It wasn’t until Sein’s twenty-third year in the trial zone that he and Leena finally reached the “exit” in the southeast—an elemental vortex suspended in mid-air.

The surrounding horde of beasts seemed indifferent to the vortex, with none rushing into it.

As trialists, Sein and Leena knew that this elemental vortex was their escape route, prepared by the law creators of the Knight Continent.

The relentless beast hordes made it impossible for Sein and Leena to remain in the trial zone, especially considering their injuries.

More than twenty years of trials had significantly enhanced their strength, knowledge, and resources, reaching remarkable levels.

It had not been long since Sein and Leena attained Rank One, and they were only in their seventies, not yet a century old.

However, they were both nearing the requirement to attempt a breakthrough to Rank Two.

Sein was advancing more quickly than Leena in this regard.

His focus and mana levels had already surpassed 800 points, and his constitution was growing even faster, nearing 900 points.

This rapid growth was fueled by the increasingly fierce and frequent beast hordes of recent years.

Without the constant threat from the beast hordes, Sein would not have improved so dramatically in such a short period.

The abundant cultivation resources and the rich elemental energy in the area also played crucial roles in his rapid development.

Had it not been for the twenty-three years of trials on the Knight Continent, Sein would have needed at least three times longer to achieve the same level of growth in the Magus World.

On top of that, the trial zone on the Knight Continent had provided Sein with countless benefits and access to many rare resources unavailable in the outside world.

“Let’s go!” Taking Leena’s hand, Sein flew toward the elemental vortex.

***

The scene beyond the elemental vortex was similar to Sein’s initial arrival at the Knight Continent.

They saw a special blue-violet space, a direct passage ahead, and a bright light at its end.

Sein and Leena flew straight toward this light.

As they emerged from the blinding white glow, they were greeted by a familiar vista of blue sky, turquoise sea, and rolling waves.

The concentration of elemental energy around them plummeted, indicating they had left the Knight Continent’s trial zone.

Nevertheless, the elemental energy levels here in the Magus World still far surpassed those of most intermedium and low-level planes.

A majestic port city stood in the distance, by the coast.

This locale was unfamiliar to Sein; it certainly was not the same entry point he had used to enter the trial zone before.

Dozens of knights and mages were standing nearby, each radiating considerable strength.

“Twenty-three years in the trial zone huh? Well done, you two. Head to Beselle City and rest up. An airship will take you back to your respective divine towers,” a mature female mage in a red dress said as she approached them.

”Alternatively, feel free to explore the city. With the continuous return of trialists, several bazaars have emerged. You’re sure to find something of interest,” she suggested to Sein and Leena.

Despite her formidable Rank Three strength, her demeanor was courteous. Perhaps her politeness stemmed from recognizing their status as Knight Continent’s trialists.

Leena was wearing a black magic robe tailored by Sein. After spending time with him, her hostile aura typical of black mages had diminished greatly.

Without overtly disclosing her identity, it was unlikely anyone would suspect her true nature.

With a respectful bow to the Rank Three mage, Sein and Leena made their way toward the port city.

***

This port city was definitely not Port Allen, where they had stayed before entering the Knight Continent.

They had emerged in the southeastern part of the Western Archipelago.

While Sein and Leena spent over twenty years in the trial zone, they also traversed the Western Archipelago from north to south.

Fortunately, there were multiple exits within the Knight Continent’s trial space, including both the northwestern and southwestern parts of the Western Archipelago.

If they had emerged from the southwestern exit, the journey back to Blackhaven would have been twice as long.

However, Sein and Leena would have welcomed the longer journey, as reaching Blackhaven sooner meant facing their inevitable separation sooner.

Although Leena had devised a plan to reunite with Sein using the Undead World as a transit point, this would require considerable preparation.

Once she returned to the Black Tower of Cinderbones, she would need to set up a specialized magic array altar and conduct further research.

Their time in the Knight Continent had been fruitful, providing them with ample resources to establish the magic array altar and even advance to Rank Two.

If everything went smoothly, Leena would be able to rendezvous with Sein outside the Magus World without any problem.

After two weeks of exploring the port city, Sein and Leena decided to return to Blackhaven.

They declined the free airship ride offered by the nearby divine towers and chose to fly back instead. This allowed Sein to resume his travels through the Western Archipelago on his way back to Blackhaven.

He intended to accompany Leena back home and avenge his late mentor, Master Morsidor.

Twenty years marked the conclusion of the Knight Continent’s trial for Rank One mages, as well as for many Rank Two mages and the less fortunate Rank Three mages.

This was the right time to settle old scores.

Despite lacking a Rank Three intermediary like Martin, Leena’s status within the Black Tower of Cinderbones and her connections to the Black Tower’s Master might just coerce the Rank One black mage, Daelis, to confront them.

“Even if you weren’t seeking revenge, I’d have planned to confront Daelis after the trials,” Leena told Sein.

“No, I must personally avenge my mentor,” Sein replied firmly.

While Sein and Leena were traveling through Berkeley City, a bustling human metropolis within the Western Archipelago, Selphy, a mid-stage Rank One mage, had just boarded an airship provided by the local divine tower.

She had also recently completed the trial on Knight Continent and was heading back to the Divine Tower of Verdant Flame.

As she stood on the deck, taking in the aerial view of the city, she noticed a tiny black dot moving below. Squinting, a look of surprise crossed her face.

“Huh? Why does that person look like Sein?”