Sovereign of the Ashes

At the bottom of Sein’s tower dwelled a horde of undead creatures, filling the expanded multi-level basement to the brim.

Known for their cold and quiet demeanor, these beings rarely descended into chaos despite being confined in a small space. More importantly, they were bound by a shared allegiance to their sovereign.

Before they departed from the Undead World, they were ordered to exhibit absolute obedience.

“Go forth, aid the legions of knights outside and repel any otherworldly creatures nearing the magic towers!” Sein commanded, his magic rod glowing with an ominous black light.

Under its dark glow, the long-silent undead creatures began to stir.

The black magic rod radiated a chilling light, appearing even more sinister in the dim basement.

A zombie about two meters tall stepped forward first. It roared skyward, then advanced in the direction Sein’s rod pointed.

Following the zombie, a myriad of undead surged out of the tower—skeletons, specters, corpse bugs, death moths, and countless other grotesque entities.

The most conspicuous among them was an undead knight clad in ice armor, wielding a lance atop a skeletal warhorse.

Teetering on the brink of Rank Two, the copious blood sacrifices of the ongoing conflict might just enable its ascent.

Undoubtedly, this near Rank Two undead knight was the leader. It spurred its mount out of the magic tower, brandishing its lance.

As it led the horde forward, their collective wails and screams filled the air.

These undead creatures had been summoned through a spatial passage connected to the Undead World, using the magic rod Sein had borrowed from Leena during a respite from the conflict.

A small smile on Sein’s face as he remarked, “This Dark Crystal Rod... seems a little different from when I first crafted it. Did Leena modify it?”

He could almost picture how Leena was diligently working under the dim glow of her laboratory’s magic lamp, doing her best to modify the rod to suit her needs even though she was not particularly skilled in alchemy.

After all, nothing served one better than their own creations.

Perhaps Leena’s efforts were also an attempt to keep pace with Sein, or at least to ensure she was not left too far behind.

With the Dark Crystal Rod in hand, Sein flew out of the magic tower.

Behind him, a seemingly endless stream of undead creatures poured out through the door.

In just moments, the number of undead gathering behind Sein surpassed a thousand.

***

Sein burst out of the magic tower, ready to fight.

In this interplanar war, he knew that he could only contribute more effectively by directly engaging the enemies rather than merely defending the fortress in the magic tower.

Since his involvement in this interplanar war, Sein’s fate had become intertwined with that of the Magus World Army—for better or worse.

Therefore, Sein was determined to fight with all his might, not only for the Order of the Steel Fist but also for himself.

He refused to perish in this foreign plane for no reason.

As a wielder of verdant flame magic, Sein was never the type to linger in the background casting spells.

While his long-range destructive magic was formidable, his performance at the frontline was even more impressive.

Upon exiting the tower, Sein immediately activated his elemental body—a hallmark of Rank Two mages.

This form not only provided enhanced strength and elemental proficiency but crucially improved survivability.

This was particularly vital as most mages possessed frail constitutions, making the elemental body essential for withstanding both physical and energy attacks.

Transformed into a burning giant clad in a cloak of verdant flames, Sein led a legion of undead, confusing onlookers with his appearance.

“Is he a necro summoner or a pyromancer?” a Land Knight witnessing the scene wondered aloud, momentarily distracted.

This lapse almost cost him his arm, nearly severed by his opponent—a Thunder Tyrant Ape of Rank Two, a rare entity from Thunderfall World.

The ape stood out on the battlefield, leading a dozen Rank One Tyrant Apes and hundreds of ordinary apes below Rank One.

Besides its formidable thunder power and robust physique, the Thunder Tyrant Ape wielded a nearly four-meter-long saber instead of merely relying on brute strength in combat.

The azure saber was crudely crafted. As an alchemist, Sein was offended by the wasteful use of such precious material.

The blade was forged by repeatedly hammering and sharpening a pure Thunder Crystal Core.

Putting aside the lack of an elemental array engraving on it, the blade was notably blunt due to its exceedingly poor craftsmanship.

Yet, the weapon was formidable due to the premium material from which it was made.

Each swing and collision with the blade unleashed a chain of lightning, showcasing its raw, destructive power.

On the battlefield, the saber was used as a blunt weapon rather than a blade.

The seven-meter-tall Thunder Tyrant Ape wielded it with great force, driving the black-armored Land Knight back steadily.

In battle, those who performed most spectacularly often drew the most attention.

Most combatants would steer clear of an adversary whose strength vastly exceeded their own.

For instance, Sein never dared provoke the demigod-level Thunder Beast King, towering hundreds of meters tall.

What chance would he have against such a formidable creature?

However, the appearance of the Thunder Tyrant Ape immediately caught Sein’s attention as it entered the battlefield.

More specifically, it was the azure saber it wielded that intrigued him.

Sein’s Dark Crystal Rod unleashed a beam of ghostly light, striking the Rank Two Thunder Tyrant Ape as he advanced toward it.

The verdant flames surrounding Sein forced the weaker enslaved creatures to scramble out of his path.

Upon reaching the Thunder Tyrant Ape’s side, Sein quickly retrieved the Verdant Flame Heart Rod.

Holding it in his hand felt reassuring!

Aside from greatly enhancing Sein’s elemental potency, this rod was also sturdy enough to serve as an effective melee weapon.

A blazing green flame manifested at the Verdant Flame Heart Rod’s tip. With Sein’s formidable mental focus, he condensed a fireball burning at a temperature exceeding three thousand Celsius!

With a swing, Sein brought the rod down on the Thunder Tyrant Ape’s head.

BAM!

The combined force of the impact and the elemental flame nearly caused the ape’s eyes to burst out of their sockets.