Sovereign of the Ashes

Since the Blue Star natives first shed their ignorance and built their civilization, they had always believed themselves to be the only civilization in existence.

That was what both the Blue Star natives and the Klytherans had told Sein.

If any other intelligent race had ever fought Blue Star’s natives for dominance, there was no reason for them to hide it—especially not from Sein.

And judging by the Blue Star creatures’ nature and way of life... Sein doubted they could take on any race in the Astral Realm.

This meant the ruins Gilbert and the other Rank Four mages had discovered could only belong to a civilization far older—one that predated Blue Star’s own history!

But what kind of civilization could leave ruins hidden so deep within Blue Star’s core?

Forcing himself to put his experiments aside, Sein left the space fortress immediately and flew toward the area where Gilbert and the others had gathered.

***

Beneath the vast, dark-blue ocean, a massive vortex churned upward, tearing open the sea surface.

Dozens of powerhouses from the Magus Civilization and Planet Klythera hovered around the turbulent waters, and two prism forts had already been deployed.

Several high-ranking officials from Blue Star were also observing the phenomenon with wide-eyed curiosity.

Just as Sein arrived, a Rank Four mage named Prand emerged from the vortex, coordinating with the surrounding mages to put up a large barrier.

“Master Prand, are Master Gilbert and the others still inside?” Sein asked.

The Rank Four researchers of the Magus Civilization were not especially gifted in combat. Still, each excelled in a highly specialized academic field and had made remarkable advances in their respective branches of study.

Even as a Rank Five being, Sein maintained proper respect for them.

“Ah, Master Sein. Yes, they are still in there,” Prand replied with a friendly smile. The chubby-faced mage was dressed in a loose, black robe.

“May I go in for a look?” Sein asked, glancing briefly at the Klytheran powerhouses and Blue Star officials who were unable to enter due to the vortex.

Prand hesitated only for a heartbeat before nodding. “Of course, Master Sein. You have full clearance.”

Then his expression grew solemn as he continued, “But I must remind you—please do not speak lightly of anything you see inside the ruins. Some things are best kept from outsiders.”

Who are the outsiders? And who are the insiders?

Nevertheless, Sein nodded and flew toward the ruins.

The deeper he descended toward Blue Star’s core, the heavier the gravitational pressure became.

Before long, the oppressive force grew strong enough that even ordinary Rank Four beings would struggle to withstand it for long.

And this pressure did not just weigh on the body—it pressed against the spirit and soul as well.

No wonder the Blue Star natives, despite having developed such impressive technology, still had not fully explored their own world.

Sein swept his gaze across the swirling waters around him. In the darkness, his sharp senses detected several law rune nodes.

These made it obvious that Gilbert and the other Rank Four mages were the ones who created both the vortex and the passage leading into the ruins.

Despite their lower life levels, that had never stopped them from discovering profound truths Sein had yet to grasp.

When Sein reached the end of the passage, the suffocating blackness abruptly gave way to a strange space of pale blue and soft white.

A membrane that was almost like an eggshell formed the outer boundary of this enclosed zone.

As soon as Sein stepped through it, that pale blue layer was the first thing he turned back to examine.

Gilbert and the others were gathered not far away.

The ruins themselves were small. Sein could almost take in the entire place with a single glance.

However, he was unable to scan the ruins with his mental focus. He could only sense a short radius around himself. Clearly, the space was protected by many wards and energy barriers.

Gilbert and the others were in the middle of dismantling one such barrier. Judging by the situation, they had already made some progress before Sein arrived.

As Sein approached them, his presence drew their attention.

Everyone present was a Rank Four mage or higher. Including Sein, only five people in total had entered the ruins.

Gilbert had been discussing something with the other three, but he paused when Sein came close and presented him with an object—no, it was a specimen.

“What’s this?” Sein asked curiously.

Inside the crystalline frame was an incredibly lifelike butterfly, roughly 1.6 meters in height.

This creature, which must have lived countless millennia ago, was long dead. What remained was nothing more than a preserved husk.

Sein’s attention quickly shifted to the metal rings around the butterfly’s wrists and ankles.

Even more intriguing was its back.

Its metallic wings looked artificial, clearly crafted with advanced technology. An oval gray crystal was embedded at the tip of each wing.

Having handled many Gray Quartz samples, Sein immediately recognized them as inert crystals—and they were far purer than most he had seen before.

“These are ancient specimens we found in the ruins of this secret realm. There are seven in total. The one before you is the best preserved,” Gilbert explained.

Sein nodded, but the true shock came when Gilbert declared, “We have strong reason to believe that these ruins buried deep within Blue Star belonged to a top-tier civilization.”

“We must report both this site and this specimen to the Magus Civilization immediately. The Magus Civilization should decide how to proceed and request a specialized investigation team to analyze the situation here,” he suggested.

“What?! How can you be sure these are the ruins of a top-tier civilization?” Sein asked.

Gilbert gestured toward another old Rank Four mage beside him and said, “This is Master Ralph. Aside from his deep knowledge of the geo element and crystal ores, he has also made significant contributions to the study of ancient civilizations.”

“Based on our analysis of the materials and artifacts inside, we estimate this site to be roughly thirty-two million years old. The evidence strongly points to a top-tier technological civilization.

“At the very least, it was unquestionably a large-sized technological civilization. Their use of laws and applied techniques goes far beyond anything a medium-sized world civilization could achieve,” Gilbert said.

His gaze lingered on the butterfly’s metallic wings, his expression shifting slightly as he added, “And it seems they were highly advanced in their understanding of inert crystals as well.”