Sovereign of the Ashes

After departing from the command center, Sein located Natalya and the others through his divine tower badge.

While Sein had managed to remain in the seclusion of his magic tower’s laboratory for half a year, Natalya and the other knights could not sit still like him during a war.

Even Sein’s mother-in-law, having recovered from her injuries nearly two months ago, hastened to the south to join the final confrontation in the Verdant Leaf Forest.

Upon contacting Natalya and Reina, Sein was relieved to hear they were unharmed. He also learned that Gould and others were on the battlefield.

Tasked by the command center to join the fray, Sein set out southward, flying at top speed toward the Verdant Leaf Forest.

Although the Verdant Leaf World War had only been underway for less than five years, the living resistance forces had either been eliminated or forced into hiding in the Verdant Leaf Forest.

As Sein traveled from the central region to the southernmost part of the main continent, he witnessed the remnants of war across the vast forests and wilderness.

Yet, none of the native inhabitants displayed hostility toward him; only an unmistakable fear.

The insect creatures of Verdant Leaf World, once loyal to the Bamboo Leaf Dragonfly Clan, had capitulated to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring and were now initiating post-war reconstruction efforts.

No longer servants to their former clan, these weak but numerous insects were tasked by the mages of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring to gather and transport all unique resources of Verdant Leaf World to a designated area.

These included flowers with special elemental energy, energy crystals, tree hearts rich in dendro energy, and dark ores previously unknown to the native creatures.

The developmental level of Verdant Leaf World remained rudimentary; its native inhabitants, whether the Bamboo Leaf Dragonfly Clan or others, had never systematically harvested or utilized the plane’s resources.

Only a supremely advanced civilization like that of the Magus World could fully exploit every resource of Verdant Leaf World.

In the years following the war, the microplane of Verdant Leaf World resembled a block of cheese soaked in oil. All it took was just a light squeeze to collect an abundance of fragrant oil.

This situation was set to change within the next decade or two.

Due to the inherent limitations in planar resource development, a microplane like Verdant Leaf World could only sustain the unchecked mining of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring for a decade or perhaps a few decades.

Had it been one of the richer, lower-level realms, it might have supported the relentless demands of a certain divine tower or a knightly order from the Magus World for centuries.

It was apparent that the inability of Verdant Leaf World’s indigenous creatures to fully exploit their local resources might actually be a blessing in disguise for the plane.

In a way, they had preserved the natural resources of the Verdant Leaf World, shielding it from the dire consequences of over-exploitation.

Then again, would the mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring care about such preservation?

Fortunately, the exploitation by the mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring was calculated and controlled.

They aimed to extract the resources of the Verdant Leaf World to the maximum feasible extent without crossing a specific threshold.

This threshold had been meticulously calculated by the divine tower mages, with Lorianne herself personally involved in setting these limits.

As long as they operated within these bounds, the environmental balance and foundational laws of the Verdant Leaf World would not collapse.

Traveling at full speed toward Verdant Leaf Forest, Sein arrived at its outskirts a month later, only to find that the battle was already concluding.

In other words, Sein missed the climax. He was too late for the final battle that had unfolded in Verdant Leaf World.

The demigod-level guardian had fallen eight days before Sein’s arrival.

The forces responsible for the fall of the Ancient Verdant Banyan included Maya the centaur, the Sea King Crab, the Deep Sea Giant Eel, along with several Rank Three Sky Knights and grand mages.

Unlike Tourmaline, Maya and the others lacked the power to easily overpower beings of the same rank.

Moreover, the Ancient Verdant Banyan was not merely any demigod—it was regarded as Verdant Leaf World’s strongest creature; a formidable opponent bolstered by guardian laws and an extensive network of roots.

Furthermore, the Ancient Verdant Banyan was not merely any demigod—it was regarded as the strongest creature in Verdant Leaf World, reinforced by guardian laws and an expansive network of roots, making it a formidable adversary.

On top of that, the demise of the Ancient Verdant Banyan eight days ago was not due to the siege but its own decision to self-destruct.

This self-destruction was a selfless act on the guardian’s part, at least to the native beings of Verdant Leaf World.

Before its self-destruction, the Ancient Verdant Banyan had reached an agreement with Archimedes, the Rank Three grand mage from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

The Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Army had pledged not to commit mass murder against the indigenous creatures of Verdant Leaf World. Those who ceased their resistance would also be spared by the army.

The primary objective of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring was not destruction but to gain control of this microplane.

For those indigenous creatures of Verdant Leaf World who still posed a threat due to their combat abilities, the army upheld the promise made by Archimedes.

Master Archimedes only promised to spare their lives, nothing more.

Hence, those creatures were branded with slave marks on their foreheads and sent directly to the Magus Alliance’s slave market.

This arrangement benefited both parties; the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring could minimize its losses, and the indigenous creatures were spared for the time being.

Moreover, the surrendered native warriors of Verdant Leaf World could also be sold for profit, creating a triple-benefit scenario.

In recent years, House Jobbs from the East Coast had forged a close partnership with the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, even acquiring numerous properties along the Jewel Sea.

In the Fredem Underground City on the East Coast, House Jobbs and the Maya Tribe were considered competitors.

Hence, House Jobbs was secretly upset when the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring chose the Maya Tribe over them as their supplier during the Verdant Leaf World War.

Despite this, House Jobbs still managed to obtain some returns on their substantial investment in the vicinity of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

The selection of House Jobbs by the Divine Tower was not influenced by any personal relationships between the tower master’s apprentice, Sein, and House Jobbs—Sein’s sway had not yet reached such levels.

Instead, the tower’s decision was strategic, aimed at broadcasting a clear message—aligning with the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring guaranteed substantial rewards.

House Jobbs was one of the formidable merchant families who had invested in the area along the Jewel Sea.

As long as they collected their first barrel of gold from the divine tower for their initial investment, their ganis would surely attract attention.

Other merchant families in the Magus World, recognizing the opportunities presented by the Jewel Sea and the potential of aligning with the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, would be eager to follow suit, like rats drawn to the scent of cheese.

It was no wonder Dean Archimedes had told the magic initiates during the last regional academy war that they were living in the best of times.