Sovereign of the Ashes

Sein had returned to the frontline with a different mount this time.

Rather than a “mount”, it was more accurate to describe it as a “friend”.

Sein stood atop Tourmaline’s head, just as he did when both of them traversed the South Sea and West Sea of the Magus World.

Although the legion of lesser aquatic creatures had been disheartened by the heavy losses they suffered in their previous battle, they rallied with renewed vigor upon seeing Tourmaline join the fray.

Tourmaline, the demigod-level dragon turtle, was capable of far more than just eating and sleeping.

As she lifted her head and emitted a distinctive dragon cry, a circle of turquoise-blue elemental light radiated outward from her, enveloping the area.

The aquatic creatures touched by this light seemed to bask in a divine glow, their faces were lit up with fervor and joy.

This ability was similar to the War Song’s Halo of the fox maiden.

Within that turquoise-blue light, Sein detected a concentrated presence of water vapor power.

For aquatic creatures, an increase in surrounding hydro elements naturally enhanced their battle prowess, though much of this boost was psychological and improved their morale.

***

After traversing four other friendly war zones where divine towers and knightly orders were located, Sein and the others finally reached a volcanic mountain range.

The Magus World Army had named it the “Flaming Sparrow Range”.

On the map in Sein’s crystal ball, the Magus Civilization Army had marked many territories of this medium-sized plane.

The map of this world was being charted rapidly, reflecting the diligent efforts of the Magus World’s knights and mages.

Though many areas had yet to be touched by the flames of war, their details were already outlined on the magic map, indicating these were the contributions of numerous elite powerhouses who had stealthily infiltrated enemy lines.

The largest active volcano within the Flaming Sparrow Range was distinguished by its striking azure blue ashes, beginning halfway up its slope.

The crystal balls of all participating Divine Tower of Verdant Spring mages were updated with information about various metal and mineral resources, including “Azure Gold”.

Putting aside the intensity of the fighting on this battlefield, this palace certainly contained a wealth of war resources.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the Flaming Sparrow Range, Sein observed a significant shift in the composition of the enemy’s combat legions compared to a few months ago.

The Wild Gorillas, once the majority, were now replaced by a diverse array of native creatures.

Sein had seen over seventy percent of them in the Verdant Wilderness World.

Like the Magus World, the Wild Gorilla World was driven by a strong desire to expand its dominance. Beyond its main warring races, it also had numerous subordinate legions.

Despite the Wild Gorilla World’s formidable background, its Wild Gorilla Army had suffered unsustainable losses over the past few months, battling against Magus Civilization’s invading forces in this prolonged conflict.

Unable to replenish their ranks, a large number of their subordinate legions had entered the fray, signaling a shift from their initial strategy of concentrating elite forces to expel the Magus World Army in a decisive blow.

For the Gorilla Gods, the most prudent strategy now was to conserve their strength and plan for a strong counteroffensive later.

This was also an indication that the initial clash between the Wild Gorilla World and the Magus Civilization Army had ended in utter failure.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the Flaming Sparrow Range, Sein was surprised to discover that the legions fighting in this war zone were from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain.

Although Sein did not recognize any familiar faces, he managed to make this deduction by observing their legion of enslaved creatures, which consisted mostly of short, stone-skinned beings armed with spears.

“It looks like Master Lorianne and the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain are collaborating more closely this time,” Sein mused, before pointing his magic rod forward.

The arrival of hundreds of thousands from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Army greatly alleviated the pressure on the knights from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain on the nearby battlefields.

The presence of Tourmaline and the even larger Rank Four giant squid by her side in particular crushed any remaining hope among the resisting native creatures of the Flaming Sparrow Range.

A massive rout ensued in the surrounding areas of the mountain range.

With the arrival of millions from the magic beasts half a month later, the conflict escalated into a full-scale hunt.

***

Sein had set up a temporary tent on Tourmaline’s shell.

While the other knights and mages were engaged in relentless pursuit on the battlefield, he immersed himself in his experiments.

Sometimes, inspiration could strike unexpectedly.

For mages, those sparks of wisdom and insight were extremely precious.

While Sein was fighting on the frontline a month earlier, an idea suddenly struck him during the eruption of the largest active volcano on the main peak of the Flaming Sparrow Range.

The hot, raging lava, unlike any he had encountered before, was tinted blue, with temperature and energy pressures far exceeding those of ordinary volcanoes.

With the resilience of his elemental body, Sein knew it would be difficult for him to approach the erupting peak.

He would have to wait until the volcano’s lava had cooled slightly to get closer.

This experience sparked thoughts about overcoming the hurdles of Rank Three in the future.

Drawing from Master Lorianne’s teachings and his own study of spell books, Sein understood that the transition from Rank Two to Rank Three mages involved a qualitative change in energy.

So far, Sein had mastered two types of pyro elemental energies—the Verdant Flame and Everburning Violet Flame.

He envisioned two possible paths for transforming and elevating these two pyro elemental energies.

The first was through a methodical exploration and research approach, where persistent effort over time would allow him to purify and enhance these two types of elemental energies.

The second idea, freshly conceived, involved combining several different types of elemental energies to create a higher level of pyro elemental energy.

He had experimented with this approach during the Verdant Leaf World War, finding the fusion of Verdant Flame and Everburning Violet Flame surprisingly effective.

This research of integrating the Everburning Violet Flame had led Sein down a path distinct from the pure verdant flame research pioneered by Grandmaster Feylis.

Sein respected and even revered the mysteries of verdant flame his grandmaster had explored.

However, as a spellcaster committed to the pursuit of truth, he was inclined to forge a distinct path for himself.

If this second approach could advance him to Rank Three, relying solely on the Verdant Flame and Everburning Violet Flame might prove insufficient.

The unique azure lava flames from the Flaming Sparrow Range had piqued Sein’s interest immensely, leading him to ponder their potential destructive power.