Sovereign of the Ashes

The creation of a top-tier magic artifact could never be accomplished overnight.

Although Sein was satisfied with the current functions of the Demon Mask, he still felt there was room for further improvement.

For this reason, he wanted to discuss it with the Succubus Queen, hoping she could give him a Rank Three or higher Bat Demon or, better yet, another Succubus.

It had to be said that after hanging around Lorthisra for so long, Sein’s shamelessness had been honed to an impressive degree.

In truth, Sein had been living quite comfortably since arriving in Purgatory.

No, to put it more accurately—he was better off here than he ever was in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring!

Aside from the numerous demons in his territory—who occasionally disappeared, only to reappear in his castle as test subjects—he had also acquired an abundance of rare minerals and materials through the Purgatory demons.

For instance, the materials he used to craft the Demon Mask were not even from his own reserves. Nearly all of them had been scavenged from Purgatory.

The Purgatory demons were really nice to Sein.

These rare resources could fetch a high price in the major churches and temples of Faeloria, yet for Sein, they cost next to nothing.

All he had to offer in exchange were some of the less valuable extradomainal items from his spatial storage equipment to befriend the Succubus Queen.

“The sheer abundance of this world’s resources is beyond imagination. No wonder the Spider Queen is going to such lengths to invade and conquer this plane,” Sein mused, gazing at the vast collection of rare materials within his castle.

Faeloria was capable of sustaining nearly two thousand native gods with its immense reserves. That alone spoke volumes.

Sein had never visited other large worlds, so he could not be certain if all of them in the Astral Realm were this rich in resources. However, Faeloria definitely far exceeded his expectations.

Even just the sheer abundance within this three-level Purgatory would be enough to make any divine tower master from the Magus World green with envy.

If Master Lorianne were to set foot here, she would undoubtedly rally the entire Verdant Flame faction to carve out a significant share of this world.

Wiping out all her debts in a single war would no longer be a dream for her!

Sein might not have fully grasped the extent of Faeloria’s riches, but Lorthisra certainly did.

Compared to other large planes in the Astral Realm, Faeloria was undoubtedly in a league of its own.

The Titan World within the Magus Alliance was also a large-sized world, home to overlords and thousands of gods.

Yet, its development to such an extent was not achieved by relying solely on its own plane.

Instead, it maintained control over a vast number of enslaved planes, siphoning resources from them to sustain and empower the entire Titan race.

Sein’s contact with the Spider Queen had dwindled lately.

On one hand, maintaining such long-distance communication was both costly and mentally exhausting for her.

On the other, the Avatar Crisis had officially entered its initial phase, making it difficult for the Spider Queen’s influence to reach this world.

“That space conch of yours... It has a lot of storage capacity, doesn’t it? I always see you taking things out of it.”

Sein turned at the sound of the voice.

“It’s an extradomainal treasure too. How about a trade? Hand it over to me, and I’ll give you something of equal value in return,” the Succubus Queen proposed, watching him intently as he stepped out of his laboratory.

“No,” Sein refused without even thinking.

“What if I agree to your last request and give you a Succubus?” she pressed.

“No.” Sein shook his head firmly.

The space conch was a gift from Tourmaline, containing nearly all of his possessions. More than that, it held sentimental value.

There was no way he would hand it over to the Succubus Queen.

Sein’s firm refusal brought a small smile to the Succubus Queen’s face.

In Purgatory, Sein was probably the only one who dared to defy her.

Still, she did not dwell on the matter. Instead, she mused aloud, “After observing you for some time, I’ve realized that the power you wield is similar to the mages of the Prime Materia Plane.”

“Hmph. Can they even be called mages?” Sein scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain.

The Succubus Queen seemed to understand his contempt.

“Not all mages in the Prime Materia Plane worship Eluvira—the Goddess of Magic—or any other deities. I know this because the elemental energy they unleashed is neither divine power nor channeled through the Weave.”

Her words made Sein frown slightly, falling into silent contemplation.

Faeloria’s elemental particles were incredibly active—it was, after all, a large world brimming with rich resources.

Upon arriving here, Sein discovered that he could still cast magic as easily as he had before.

If even he could wield magic so freely, then why wouldn’t the Faelorians have discovered the same and embarked on their own paths of self-evolution?

Then again, why was the Succubus Queen telling him all this?

Looking up with mild curiosity, he asked, “Is there something you wish to tell me, Your Highness?”

“There is an organization in the Prime Materia Plane known as the Godslayers. They have covert ties with us. Within this organization are mages who can wield magic without relying on the Weave or divine power.”

The Succubus Queen paused for a moment before continuing.

“The scale of this Avatar Crisis far surpasses anything in the past. Even I am struggling to stabilize my essence—I could be knocked from my altar at any moment.”

Her eyes gleamed with intent as she said, “I hope you can work with us by joining forces with the Godslayers and help us navigate this crisis.”

This Succubus Queen was truly something else!

While other high-ranking demons—like the Bloodwar Monarch—were fixated on the Spider Queen, Anastasia alone recognized Sein’s true value.

She had spent considerable time observing him and getting to know him.

And now, her intention was for him to teach the Godslayers real magic!

What a bold idea!

For a moment, Sein was completely stunned.

Back when he had first arrived in this world, Sein had entertained the notion of correcting its misguided approach to magic.

This had nothing to do with betraying the Magus World—it was simply the ethos of an orthodox mage.

But thinking about it and actually doing it were two very different things.

Sein had neither the time nor the energy to teach others.

To this day, he had yet to take on an official apprentice.

As if reading his thoughts, the Succubus Queen smiled and said, “The power of the Godslayers is not something we, the Purgatory demons, take lightly—especially given their role in the Avatar Crisis.”

She took a step closer, her voice soft and persuasive.

“In exchange for your guidance, we will fully support your experimental needs. Didn’t you mention last time that you wanted a demon lord to assist in your research?”

Clearly, the Succubus Queen had not been idling away her time in Sein’s castle. She had studied him thoroughly, pinpointing his exact interests and needs.

More than that, she recognized the obsession and insatiable thirst for knowledge that consumed him whenever he was unraveling truths.

Sein had no real reason to refuse her offer, and what truly sealed the deal was her next words.

“Don’t you want to slaughter a few deities in their avatar forms during the crisis? With the help of the Godslayers, I’m sure it won’t be long before you have a few divine specimens for your experiments.”

It was pure temptation, and Sein took the bait without hesitation.

“Deal!” He clapped his hands, sealing the agreement without a second thought.