Sovereign of the Ashes

The passive evolutionary mysteries uncovered by Sein in the Athenians were more abundant than he had initially expected.

The discovery of numerous cellular-level mysteries hinted at a potential breakthrough in Sein’s constitution growth, which had long been stagnant.

However, these passive evolutionary mysteries unraveled from the Athenian woman were far better suited for Reina and Natalya than Sein, as they shared the same physiology as women.

It was no wonder the female creatures of Athena World were significantly stronger than their male counterparts.

In addition to their training techniques, the women of Athena World possessed a special organ capable of secreting a type of microparticles under conditions of heightened nervous tension.

These microparticles stimulated the muscle cells of Athenian women, enabling them to endure greater tearing and impact forces.

Of course, these particles could be analyzed and replicated.

Unfortunately, their effects on male creatures were limited to just thirty percent, whereas they were fully effective for female creatures.

Sein theorized, based on subsequent tests, that the efficacy of these particles might also be influenced by hormonal factors.

In any case, Sein achieved his desired results from the experiment conducted on the Rank Three Athenian female warrior.

As for the “outrageous request” made by the warrior before the experiment, Sein simply shook his head and refused.

Sein was not the adventurous type when it came to matters like these.

Besides, the appearance of this Rank Three Athenian warrior could only be described as mediocre. Combined with her slightly different physiology compared to humans of the Magus World, she failed to pique Sein’s interest.

If Sein were someone who lacked decency, he would have preferred Yuri or Azelia over the Athenian warrior.

Both the engineer and the fox maiden had been by Sein’s side for many years, and in terms of appearance, they were undeniably more attractive than the rugged and battle-hardened Athenian warrior.

Of course, as a gesture of fairness for her cooperation in the experiment, Sein paid the Athenian warrior five hundred magicoins.

This was an exceedingly generous reward, and the Rank Three female warrior fully understood the significance of such a sum.

To put it into perspective, her entire life savings amounted to only a few hundred magicoins.

The wealth of Magus Alliance creatures was simply beyond comparison to that of native knights and mages from the Magus World.

It was entirely possible for the personal wealth of a well-established Rank One mage from the Magus World to surpass that of a Rank Three creature from an underdeveloped allied plane.

The Magus Alliance operated as a system where resources were continuously funneled toward the Magus Civilization.

While allied planes often boasted substantial magicoin reserves, this wealth was measured collectively.

If those reserves were evenly distributed among every Rank One or higher creature in that specific world, they would become noticeably scarce.

Athena World, considered a relatively prosperous plane within the Magus Alliance, was no exception.

The personal assets of Rank Three creatures in this world generally amounted to just a thousand magicoins.

In comparison, creatures from large allied planes might be slightly wealthier, but only to a certain extent.

Sein, Reina, and Natalya spent seven years traveling through Athena World.

As a medium-sized realm, Athena World was almost as vast as Wild Gorilla World.

Seven years was sufficient for them to traverse only about a quarter of its territory.

However, even this limited exploration offered enough insight for them to understand the culture and customs of this world.

Exploring a world did not necessitate visiting every corner of it.

Once Sein and his group found nothing left in Athena World that piqued their interest, they decided it was time to move on.

Their only regret during their seven years in this world was not having the opportunity to meet Empress Athena herself.

As a Rank Six creature—and the strongest among her rank—Empress Athena was an existence far beyond the reach of Sein and his group.

However, during their visit to the imperial city, they were fortunate enough to lay eyes on a full-body sculpture of the empress.

The statue stood an awe-inspiring seven hundred meters tall, depicting a warrior goddess holding a weapon in one hand.

Interestingly, it was a sword rather than the saw wheels typically wielded by Athenian female warriors.

Sein wondered whether this preference for a sword was a change influenced by her travels through the Astral Realm.

Although they did not meet the Rank Six empress, Sein and his companions had the honor of briefly witnessing a Rank Four warrior goddess soaring through the skies before their departure.

The sight was fleeting but impressive, suggesting the presence of a significant number of powerful Rank Four and above creatures in Athena World, alongside its legendary Rank Six empress.

The exact strength of Athena World’s forces remained a question.

With a lingering sense of regret at the limitations imposed by their current life levels, Sein and his group left this medium-sized realm behind.

***

After leaving Athena World, Sein and his group resumed their journey.

The next three low-level planes they explored were Dead Soul World, Black Star Plane, and Planet Karst.

Among them, Planet Karst was the only technological allied plane.

It was Sein’s first time visiting a purely technological civilization, and he could not deny that Planet Karst left him with a peculiar impression.

The society and customs of this technological plane were, in many ways, even more bizarre than those of the Athena Plane he had visited earlier.

“I suggest you don’t go out dressed like that. That looks hardly appropriate,” Sein said, glancing at Natalya in the laboratory.

She was dressed in an ultra-short skirt paired with thin flesh-colored stockings.

Her outfit was purchased in Planet Karst during their visit.

This form-fitting attire was not practical for combat and lacked any protective qualities. It was purely aesthetic, designed to be visually appealing.

The intelligent creatures of Planet Karst seemed to have a “playful” nature—or so Sein thought, as he found himself slightly flustered at the sight of Natalya in this outfit.

Lately, he and Natalya had been “exploring the truth” in bed more frequently.

For Sein, he believed that truth was always laid bare.[1]

“Don’t worry, I won’t wear it outside. I’d much rather stick to my armor. I’m just wearing this because you seem to like it,” Natalya teased with a playful giggle.

“When did I say I like it?” Sein retorted.

***

Sein and his group continued their journey across the Ylli Knight Alliance while exploring foreign planes.

Eventually, they arrived at the Divine Tower of Dark Flame, located in the northern part of the Ylli Knight Alliance’s territory.

The Divine Tower of Dark Flame was located in a remote region near the Alveroth Empire, where resources were rather scarce. The area was largely considered unclaimed territory.

According to rumors circulating within the Ylli Knight Alliance, black mages were frequently sighted in the area.

Sein could not help but wonder what the Tower Master of Dark Flame had in mind when choosing such a desolate place to establish his divine tower.

Nevertheless, the Divine Tower of Dark Flame was a critical and necessary stop in Sein’s planned travel route.

The pyro elemental resources available in this region and the basic pyro elemental knowledge offered for sale by the divine tower held immense appeal for him.

To Sein’s surprise, upon arriving at the Divine Tower of Dark Flame with Natalya, he discovered that the tower was currently engaged in an interplanar war—and the conflict appeared to be raging intensely.

The war, initiated by the Divine Tower of Dark Flame, had already lasted twelve years, and from the information Sein gathered, there was no indication that it would end anytime soon.

1. Translator’s Note: I’m just gonna leave this up to your imagination. Interpret this random sentence however you like because my interpretation is too inappropriate to be posted here. Wtf, Mr. Author! ☜