Sovereign of the Ashes

On an ancient road where yellow sand danced in the wind, Sein stood with a dry, thorned wooden vine in hand, gazing into the distance.

A shimmering blue oasis lake stretched before him and Reina, its shores teeming with a dozen or so black-skinned rhinos, quietly drinking from the waters.

“I didn’t expect to find a desert in a low-level hydro elemental plane,” Sein remarked, pointing toward the oasis with the wooden vine.

“And those rhinos seem to have undergone adaptive evolution. They’re quite different from the other rhinoceros-like creatures we’ve seen,” he added.

Unbeknownst to them, twelve years had passed since Sein and Reina first set foot in Aqua Rhino World.

From beachy regions to the deep seas, rainforests, grasslands, and now this desert straddling the extreme west and north of Aqua Rhino World, they had traversed nearly the entire world in a wide arc.

In the initial years, Sein had immersed himself in studying and collecting the countless novelties and specimens Aqua Rhino World offered.

But after three years of fervent collection, with thousands of animal and plant specimens cataloged, his enthusiasm for this process began to wane.

Rather than leave Aqua Rhino World, Sein chose to stay and continue exploring with a new perspective.

Sometimes, the pursuit of truth did not require meticulous research.

Being close to nature, feeling its rhythm, and experiencing its diverse landscapes and elemental energy could also lead to growth—a realization Sein had only come to understand in recent years.

Perhaps this shift in perspective stemmed from studying treasures imbued with the power of laws or from Lorianne’s teachings over the years.

Regardless of the cause, Sein was certain that this approach to travel and discovery was the right one.

He absently touched his chest, his solid and powerful physique reflecting his life level.

Though the past decade had brought minimal increases in focus, mana, and constitution levels, Sein had significantly grown in other ways.

“I’ve heard from Master Lorianne that planar light aids Magus World creatures in growth, development, and perception of laws, paving a direct path up to the demigod realm. The bottleneck I’m facing now is likely due to advancing too quickly, leaving my foundation unstable,” Sein mused aloud.

“It may also be due to that planar light within me. Perhaps it allows me to perceive the differences between the laws of foreign planes and those of the Magus World more clearly than other knights or mages at my rank,” he added.

Sein’s ability had first shown itself during his earlier participation in interplanar wars.

At the time, he had been fully immersed in the chaos of battle, with no one to share such observations with, and he himself had not paid much attention to them.

It was not until his time in Aqua Rhino World that Sein truly became aware of this capability.

While the stark differences in the law environments between Aqua Rhino World and Magus World had provided Sein with valuable insights, the same could not be said for Reina, the Rank Two female knight accompanying him.

To her, Aqua Rhino World was simply a hotter, more humid plane dominated by rhinoceros-like creatures.

Any deeper revelations were lost on her; her primary interest lay in the local cuisine, especially the meat.

Nevertheless, Reina found the experience of exploring a foreign plane refreshing.

It was her first interplanar travel, and everything felt novel.

As someone who was not particularly curious and active, Reina was content to follow Sein wherever he went.

As long as she was not starved, this life of exploration seemed enjoyable enough.

Sein, contemplative as ever, observed the distant black rhinos with their distinctive humps.

The biological strength of Aqua Rhino World’s species was remarkable compared to other planes, thanks to the governance and nurturing efforts of the Tower Master of Wooden Rhino.

Though Sein had not encountered the powerful Rank Four Aqua Rhino King during his travels, he had interacted with many Rank One, Two, and even Three rhinoceros creatures.

Using the ordinary magic potions he crafted, Sein traded with the intelligent inhabitants of Aqua Rhino World, obtaining unique specialty resources in return.

With wisdom, determination, and perseverance, any Magus World traveler could often recoup the cost of teleportation to a foreign plane through trading.

Sein, for instance, had amassed a wealth of specimens and rare resources over the years.

If he were to sell these items for magicoins upon his return to Magus World, the profits would undoubtedly be substantial.

However, Sein had no intention of selling his finds.

For him, the specimens and resources were far more valuable as subjects for research and additions to his collection.

The night sky of Aqua Rhino World was filled with stars.

This low-level plane’s most remarkable natural phenomenon was its three bright moons, which not only illuminated the landscape but also caused unusually abundant tidal forces.

The campfire burned brightly, grilling the meat with a delicious sizzle. The rich aroma wafted into the air, drawing the attention of a few Humped Black Rhinos grazing nearby.

In Aqua Rhino World, most of the rhinoceros creatures were omnivorous.

“Humped Black Rhino” was the name Sein had come up with for these oasis-dwelling creatures.

Reina’s grilling and culinary skills were as exceptional as her formidable appetite.

Over the twelve years they had spent in Aqua Rhino World, Reina had prepared more than two-thirds of Sein’s meals.

Gathered around the campfire with Reina and Sein were Yuri and the fox maiden, whom Sein had released from their space pendants for the evening.

The possession of spatial storage equipment capable of transporting living beings allowed Sein and Reina to bring companions along and reduce some expenses when using teleportation arrays.

Sein, with his ample resources, did not concern himself with such minor costs.

Besides, treating a companion like Reina as if she were a mere summoned object to be stowed away in spatial storage was pretty disrespectful.

Yuri and the fox maiden, accustomed to the arrangement, did not mind staying in spatial storage, but Sein would not extend the same treatment to Reina.

The prosperity of the Magus Civilization was never built on petty savings or clever shortcuts.

The money Sein spent on teleportation arrays was not wasted; instead, it circulated back into the Magus Civilization’s market, further invigorating its economy.

At some point during his travel, Sein had begun reflecting on such broader matters.