Sovereign of the Ashes

The sheer number of Rank One and initiate-class sorcery spell models was eye-opening to Sein, a divine tower mage from Viridescent Land.

One should never underestimate the importance of these foundational spell models.

Even the tallest tower was built upon its smallest bricks.

Without a solid foundation, how could one hope to grasp more profound and advanced magic?

Compared to the more obscure Rank Two and Rank Three sorcery spell models Sein had never encountered yet, these fundamental spells were far more suitable for newcomers to explore.

The spell models of ancient sorcery broadened Sein’s perspective.

More importantly, he realized that the Northern Witches Council was far from stagnant.

The spellcasting techniques and elemental principles utilized by these witches were partially derived from the latest advancements in Magus Civilization’s spell research recorded in Sky City.

Everything was constantly evolving.

It would be a grave mistake to assume that witches were outdated, stubborn relics of the past.

When it came to explorations of the truth and elements, the witches of the Northlands were in no way inferior to the spellcasters of the other major powers in the Magus World.

Through his exchanges, Sein managed to obtain several key research findings on the field of human enhancement and physical augmentation from Veyle.

The young witch had yet to recruit her own “guardian knight” due to her age, so the knight augmentation experiments she shared were the results of her seniors’ research rather than her own.

Sein was a generous Rank Three mage, and after acquiring slightly more than ten highly valuable Edelweiss Spirit specimens, he made a point of gifting one to each of his fellow witches.

A favor given often invites a favor in return.

Beyond that, Sein was also an accomplished alchemist.

During his time at the fortress camp, he voluntarily assisted the witches with various tasks, earning their goodwill.

The witches gradually warmed up to him and tacitly accepted his knowledge exchanges with Veyle.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the young witch to visit Sein’s tent so openly without arousing suspicion.

More importantly, much of the sorcery knowledge—especially the experimental data on knight augmentation and body strengthening—was indirectly passed to Sein through Veyle by multiple witches within the same camp.

The more withdrawn and aloof witches were unaccustomed to sharing the same space with a male outsider—especially when discussing sensitive topics like human anatomy.

As a result, the young and inexperienced Veyle had been unanimously chosen by her fellow witches to handle these exchanges.

Even so, the Northern Witches Council did not directly impart their core knowledge on human body modification to Sein.

After all, he was neither their apprentice nor a fellow witch!

What he received were accumulated experimental data, foundational theories, and records left by their predecessors.

To most people, these findings might seem less valuable than direct enlightenment on fundamental truths.

However, spellcasters like Sein understood that without these pre-verified results, they would be forced to take countless unnecessary detours in their research.

Each new knowledge and data he obtained deepened his comprehension and inspired fresh ideas in the field of body-tempering experiments.

These discoveries were vital for Sein’s future pursuit of body strengthening.

It was no wonder that Rank Two mages often traveled to explore the Magus World, while Rank Three mages pursued knowledge across the Magus Alliance.

Secluding oneself in a laboratory for centuries without venturing beyond was the height of foolishness.

True spellcasters were visionaries and seekers of truth who sought wisdom from every possible source.

Beyond his gains in body-tempering techniques, Sein was astonished to discover the witches’ profound understanding of the battle qi cultivated by knights.

Of course, this did not mean that witches were dual cultivators.

Due to their extensive studies on enhancing knights’ combat abilities, the witches had become intimately familiar with the battle qi they wielded.

Some highly experienced Rank Two and above witches even possessed the capability to develop entirely new knight cultivation techniques!

Until now, Sein had focused solely on body-tempering experiments, never truly delving into battle qi cultivation.

Thanks to the witches’ generous knowledge exchange, he had gained a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the battle qi that Magus World knights wielded.

Sein now had a wealth of data to experiment with—especially the next time he reunited with Natalya and Reina.

Beyond enhancing Reina and Natalya’s strength, this newfound knowledge might also allow him to elevate the prowess of House Grantt’s knights or perhaps improve the family’s core battle qi.

Though Sein rarely displayed his sentiments, he still held a deep, unspoken attachment to the family bound to him by blood.

***

The war in Edelweiss World raged on for nearly three more years after Sein joined the campaign.

The fact that the native creatures had managed to hold out for so long—despite their Rank Four god sustaining severe injuries and withdrawing from battle—was a testament to their resilience and bravery.

During the prolonged conflict, Sein finally understood why the Edelweiss Spirits were so valuable.

These unique elemental creatures, with their ability to fuse and enhance others, were the perfect familiars for mages of the Magus Civilization.

Until now, Veyle could not bring herself to harm the Edelweiss Spirit she received from Sein.

Instead, she patiently nurtured their bond, hoping that, over time, the little creature would become her familiar.

Surprisingly, the fusion ability of Edelweiss Spirits was not limited to the ice and snow creatures of their native realm—it could also work with Magus World mages.

For Rank Two or above Cryo Magi, who already possessed a cryo elemental body, merging with an Edelweiss Spirit could drastically amplify their power, more than doubling their combat potential!

Additionally, the immense mental focus possessed by witches of the Magus World ensured that they maintained full control over their bodies, eliminating any possibility of being manipulated by the Edelweiss Spirits.

In this fusion, the spirits remained in a subservient role.

They served as an auxiliary energy source—essentially an extra elemental battery that significantly increased both combat strength and endurance.

Upon realizing the full potential of Edelweiss Spirits, Sein could not help but feel a tinge of regret—if only he had been a Hydromancer or Cryomancer, he could have benefitted from their power himself too.

It also became clear why Merilyn, the Rank Four witch, had been reluctant to kill the Rank Four Edelweiss God.

As a powerful spellcaster who had mastered cryo elemental laws, obtaining the Edelweiss God’s support and assistance would immediately elevate her strength to an entirely new level!

Fortunately, Snowflake World had only birthed a single Rank Four Edelweiss God, with no other Rank Four cryo elemental creatures present.

Had a fully fused Edelweiss God merged with a cryo elemental creature, it could have posed a considerable threat to even a Rank Five witch, making the war far more challenging.

In the end, the Edelweiss World succumbed to the relentless invasion of the Magus Civilization’s forces.

***

With its homeplane devastated and its people on the brink of extinction, the once-defiant deity had no choice but to bow before the might of the Magus Civilization.

The final phase of the war had shifted towards preservation rather than annihilation, perhaps because Merilyn, the Rank Four witch, intended to claim the Edelweiss God as her own familiar.

Once the Magus Civilization forces secured the world’s planar navel and branded the majority of Rank Three Edelweiss Spirits, they began their orderly withdrawal.

Knowing the true worth of these Edelweiss Spirits, Sein murmured, “Once this war is over, the overall strength of Merilyn’s Little Coven will undoubtedly surge.”

It was not just Merilyn’s faction that had reaped immense rewards from this war—Sein’s own gains were just as great.