Sovereign of the Ashes

While Sein was busy conducting intensive alchemy experiments in his laboratory, Eugene was entertaining a few honored guests inside his tent at the heart of No Man’s Land.

These were his closest allies—individuals without whom the rise of the half-beastman race would not have been possible.

Unfortunately, when it came to the ascension of godhood, none of them could take Eugene’s place for various reasons.

Still, they did everything they could to support him. That included the upcoming interplanar war Eugene was planning—they had already pledged to assist in any way they could.

These guests were Senarius, the God of Forest; Reksha, the Champion of Wilderness; and Mangius, the Drunken Panda Immortal.

Senarius was a hybrid of elf and beastman, bearing the graceful appearance of a humanoid deer.

His mother was a Rank Five elf queen, and his father a Rank Five deer-headed Beast God from the Cervus Tribe.

Unlike most half-beastmen, Senarius had grown up with loving parents and a happy childhood.

It might have been hard to imagine a graceful elf falling in love with a savage beastman—especially given the elven ideals of beauty—but Senarius’ father had somehow won his mother’s heart. And in time, they had a child born of love.

As a hybrid, Senarius had to choose a plane to call home.

Given how low the half-beastman race ranked in Beastmen World, his parents made that decision for him.

Now a Rank Four deity, Senarius was officially recognized as the God of Forest in Elven World.

Most of his followers were half-elves, tree nymphs, tree demons, and forest wanderers.

Elves were also some of the most sought-after slaves in the Magus Alliance.

Whether male or female, their good looks and natural talent with elemental magic made them extremely valuable on the market.

That said, the slave trade was illegal in Elven World. Their gods were not as desperate for money as the beast gods of Beastmen World.

The Magus Civilization also supported Elven World’s anti-slavery movement, offering strong policy protections to shield elves and fight against the trafficking of their kind.

Unfortunately, laws alone could not stop smuggling and poaching.

There would always be people willing to take the risk for the promise of massive profits.

Compared to Beastmen World, the elves were a little more open-minded. These kind creatures did not hold much prejudice against half-elves.

Most half-elves in Elven World were able to live freely and equally alongside others.

Senarius was a half-elf, but undeniably a half-beastman too. That was why he gave Eugene so much support.

Many of the elven plants now found in No Man’s Land—like the Stringy Lotus and the Seven-Flavored Fruit—were high-yield food crops that had spread here largely thanks to Senarius’ help.

Then there was Reksha, the Champion of Wilderness—a legendary hero of Beastmen World.

He was a melee powerhouse with a natural gift for taming beasts.

In terms of raw strength, Reksha was definitely the strongest among everyone present.

He was also a shaman priest, and his bear companion, Ursa, was just as powerful as he was.

Aside from Ursa, he also commanded other powerful beasts, like a porcupine and a thunder lizard.

Reksha earned his title as a legendary hero because he was part of many Beastmen World’s myths and epics.

Even some famous Rank Four and above beast gods had once received help from him.

But despite his strength, Reksha was an enigma. He never stayed long in any kingdom, never built a shrine, or even attempted to ignite the divine fire.

In a world that embraced the system of divine beliefs, someone like Reksha was definitely an anomaly.

His race was also a mystery.

Some claimed he was a wolf warrior, since he always wore a wolf mask and his build resembled that of those from wolf clans.

Others said he was from the lion clans, because it was rumored his full name included “Sa’al”.

In Beastmen World, “Sa’al” was a surname reserved for the royal bloodlines. Even a Rank Three beastman who became king of a small nation might not be qualified to carry that last name.

Nobody ever figured out Reksha’s origin. But the fact that he showed up here today to support the half-beastmen might offer a clue.

As for Mangius, the Drunken Panda Immortal—he was another legendary figure in Beastmen World, though far less famous than Reksha.

In fact, many beastmen had never even heard of him.

The pandafolk of the Pandus Tribe were a minority race in Beastmen World.

They had the strength of bears and the agility of cats—easily one of the most physically capable races in the entire plane.

But unlike the lionfolk and tigerfolk, who were born fighters, the pandafolk of the Pandus Tribe were among the few peace lovers in Beastmen World.

Most of them lived quietly in their own secluded territories, and even their diets set them apart—they ate bamboo, not meat.

Though the pandafolk were not particularly well known across the plane, Mangius had traveled farther than either Reksha or Eugene.

Reksha’s fame never extended beyond Beastmen World, and Eugene, for all his ambition, had only traveled within the bounds of the Magus Alliance.

The Drunken Panda Immortal, on the other hand, had traveled far beyond that—venturing past the reach of the Magus Alliance and deep into the remote corners of the Astral Realm.

The title “Drunken Immortal” was already a hint at where he had been.

This was a Rank Four and above being who had once visited another top-tier civilization—the Immortal Realm.

Naturally, his capabilities were far beyond those of the average Rank Four from Beastmen World.

“When do you plan to strike that plane?” Senarius, the God of Forest, asked. “More and more beast gods are starting to keep an eye on this place. Even several factions in the Magus Alliance are paying close attention to your ascension.”

Though Senarius belonged to the elven pantheon, he was clearly the most anxious one among them. The other three were much more composed.

“I plan to wait three more years. My children are not ready yet. I won’t send them to their deaths just so I can become a god,” Eugene replied, shaking his head while leaning on his cane.

By “children,” Eugene meant the half-beastman legions that had formed in No Man’s Land under his leadership.

At present, their forces had grown to an astonishing five million—and that number was expected to double with the next round of mobilization.

The sheer size of the half-beastman population made it entirely feasible for them to launch an interplanar war, even if they were not as physically strong as the purebred beastmen...

Eugene’s words made Senarius fall silent.

Those who knew Eugene understood that while the old man usually came across as approachable and easy to talk to, once he made a decision, it was almost impossible to change his mind.

And in this case, Eugene’s reasoning was sound.

The half-beastman legions still needed more training if they were going to survive an interplanar war with minimal casualties.

“I agree with your approach. In the meantime, I will try to get the beasts under my command to accept the soul war songs of your qualified half-beastman priests,” said Reksha, the warrior in the wolf mask.

“By the way... what is going on over there? That dragon turtle is...?” Reksha gestured toward the nearby oasis with one thick finger.

Two magic towers stood in the oasis, but what truly drew the eye was the massive dragon turtle with most of its enormous body submerged in the lake.

Even with just a glance, Reksha could tell that this creature was no ordinary being.

“Oh, they are guests of ours. They happened to pass through the area,” Eugene replied.

“This is a stroke of fortune for our half-beastman clan, especially if we can gain their support...” Eugene’s dry lips curled into a smile.

“It would indeed be great to have the assistance of another Rank Four. But you know better than anyone that the key to your ascension still rests with you,” Reksha said, fixing his large eyes on Eugene.

Eugene nodded solemnly, well aware of the weight on his shoulders.

“The aura of that dragon turtle is quite unusual. It reminds me of a true dragon from the Immortal Realm I visited once,” the Drunken Panda Immortal said.

“But this one’s more mysterious. If I get the chance, I would love to speak with it,” he added with a smile.

Eugene nodded and replied, “Of course. They are very friendly, and they even solved the water shortage problem here in No Man’s Land-...”

Before Eugene could finish speaking, a sudden explosion tore through the air.

It came from the oasis—the very one they had just been discussing.

A violent surge of energy rippled outward, so powerful that even the Rank Four beings present turned to look.

There was no enemy attack, no signs of battle.

It seemed to be... an experimental accident.

Tourmaline, who was dozing off in the lake, was startled awake by the explosion.