Sovereign of the Ashes

Drew was the only one of his kind who had ever battled with the Gallant Federation’s fleets.

It was said this happened when he was only a Rank Two, back when the federation’s legions were still hunting down the last survivors of Planet Klythera.

Countless lives were lost during that time.

Fortunately, several Rank Four and above Klytheran combatants fought with everything they had, buying Drew and the others a chance to escape.

What set the Klytheran survivors apart from other wandering races of the Astral Realm was that they had always maintained at least five Rank Four fighters.

That level of strength was significantly above that of most low-level planar races.

It was also the main reason the remnants of Planet Klythera had managed to survive and reproduce up to this point.

And among their hatred for the Gallant Federation, Drew’s ran the deepest.

For Klytherans like Karazo or Karl, their hatred stemmed from the stories told by their elders or the fragmented scenes they recalled in their inherited memories.

But Drew had lived through it and watched the last high-ranking powerhouses of the previous generation die one by one

Before their final moments, they placed a burden on him: revive their race and lead the Klytheran survivors to take revenge against the Gallant Federation.

Drew had dark skin and was blind in one eye.

That injury did not come from the Gallant Federation, but from the harsh years of survival in the Astral Realm, where danger and enemies were always lurking.

Even as a Rank Five powerhouse, Drew’s mind and thoughts had reportedly grown sluggish over the years.

After meeting him briefly, Sein felt that the man probably did not have much time left.

“I support the remnants of Planet Klythera joining the Magus Alliance and launching a war of vengeance against our old enemy, the Gallant Federation,” Drew said. “But I also hope the Magus Civilization can understand the hardships we Klytheran survivors have gone through.”

“On the battlefield, we will never retreat. But off the battlefield, I hope the Magus Civilization can give us the support we need.” Rank Five Klytheran Drew clasped Sein’s hand as he spoke.

It was then that Sein realized this old Klytheran man was not nearly as dull-minded as the rumors made him out to be.

“Understood. After you officially join the Magus Alliance, everything—resources, wealth, and your rights within the alliance—will be clearly laid out in the contract,” Sein explained.

“Our Magus Civilization is not as barbaric as the Gallant Federation. We offer help to allies and those in need whenever we can,” he assured.

Drew had lived long enough to not fall for Sein’s smooth talk, but he still caught the important part of what he was saying.

He gave Sein’s hand a firm shake. “The Magus Civilization values contracts and stands by its principles. I heard about that back when I first wandered the Astral Realm. I believe joining the Magus Alliance will make life better for us.”

Drew smiled, revealing a row of crooked, blackened teeth with many missing. For a Rank Five being to look like this was a clear sign he did not have long to live.

No, more accurately, just staying alive had become a kind of suffering.

The layers of scars and old wounds covering his body were so extensive that even Sein found them shocking.

It was hard to imagine the pain this old fighter lived with every single day.

Presumably, the only reason he clung to life at all was to serve Planet Klythera for a little longer.

Sein’s conversation with Drew did not last long. As they parted, Sein said, “I’ll find time to prepare a few potions for you to ease some of your pain, Elder Drew.”

Old Drew brightened instantly. He had no idea how skilled Sein actually was at potion-making, he was simply happy at the offer.

After Drew left, Karazo turned to Sein.

“Drew has done more for our people than anyone else. It’s thanks to him that I am who I am today. If you truly have the means to help him recover, then on behalf of all of us, I offer our deepest gratitude, Mage Sein.”

“We are friends. This is the least I can do,” Sein replied.

“By the way, where’s Karl?” He glanced outside, puzzled.

There were three Rank Five powerhouses among the Klytheran survivors: Drew, Karazo, and the exceptionally young Karl.

They represented the older, middle, and younger generations of their race’s elite fighters.

Karl had also come along on this return to the planet where the low-ranking Klytherans still lived—the place where he had grown up.

At the mention of Karl, Karazo let out a cold snort. “He probably doesn’t know how to face Drew.”

“Drew even asked me about him earlier,” he added.

Sein had seen enough of the clashes among this generation of Rank Five Klytherans over the years, so he chose not to comment further.

***

After wrapping up his meeting with Drew, Sein ran into Beatrice, the Rank Four female warrior.

This strong and fairly tall woman from Marvelous Plane had a surprising fondness for children.

During the tense standoff between the Blue Star natives and the Klytheran Legion, she had been the second most aggressive voice after Orric.

And yet here, on the planet where the Klytheran survivors lived, she showed nothing but warmth and genuine concern toward the vulnerable beings.

A young Klytheran boy was soaring through the air while Beatrice watched him from below.

He was not even a Rank One, but he wore boots infused with a trace of divine energy that was Beatrice’s gift to him.

Before long, the energy in the boots ran out, and the boy drifted back down to the ground.

His face lit up with excitement—he had clearly enjoyed every second.

Beatrice plucked a green leaf and gently wiped his cheek.

Despite his lively energy, a large patch of scarred skin marked his face.

“Does it hurt?” Beatrice asked softly.

“Not at all, big sister. I’ve had this scar since I was little. A lot of us have marks like this. Uncle Sivak said that once we advance to Rank One and become real Klytheran fighters, we can suppress this flaw,” the boy replied seriously.

Still wiping his cheek, Beatrice glanced up as Sein walked toward them.

“This trait among the lower Klytheran lifeforms is caused by the lack of certain rare but essential elements in their environment,” Sein explained.

“This time, Karazo and the others brought back a large amount of Gray Quartz from Blue Star. It should help ease the condition of these lower-ranking Klytherans. It’s even possible that after they migrate to the region near Blue Star in the future, this issue might disappear completely,” he added.