Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 567: Impending Major Battle

When Sein emerged from his meditative state, it was the tenth month of his seclusion.

The transition to Rank Two had been smoother than he anticipated.

Upon opening his eyes, Sein saw his arms and then his entire body, now fully transformed into verdant flames.

He surmised that even his eyes had become twin sparks of radiant verdant flames.

To outsiders, he indeed appeared as a living “fire man”.

A crystal ball floated before him, unaffected by the raging verdant flames thanks to Sein’s refined control over elemental energy even after his advancement.

The information within the crystal ball swiftly transmitted into Sein’s sea of consciousness.

Upon reviewing his stats, Sein sighed in satisfaction.

Focus: 1317 points Mana: 1764 points Constitution: 1899 points

The values far exceeded those of a typical mage newly ascended to Rank Two.

Some mages endured significant hardships to achieve Rank Two, then spent decades, even centuries, to elevate their mental focus from just over 1,000 points to Sein’s current level.

The substantial increase in his stats, despite his recent promotion, was expected given his solid foundation.

The surge of several hundred points in his constitution was anticipated.

However, his mana also increased significantly, reaching a level nearly comparable to his constitution, which surprised Sein.

He speculated that this might be linked to his ability to freely convert the cells in his body into elemental particles.

Constitution itself represented the resilience and strength of Sein’s body.

Therefore, the surge in constitution significantly boosted his mana level, marking the first unexpected boon Sein encountered post-advancement.

However, the 300-point increase in his focus did not bring him much joy. Instead, it caused him to frown slightly.

Focus was the most important stat for a mage; an unplanned increase could sometimes be detrimental, potentially disrupting Sein’s carefully laid development plans.

Sein had anticipated that his focus might increase significantly upon advancing to Rank Two, but he expected the surge to be no more than 200 points.

However, the reality proved different, and after some reflection, Sein realized where the process might have deviated.

Glancing at the empty vials of magic potions littered around the meditation room, Sein sighed.

“I guess taking too many magic potions isn’t necessarily good. Some mages, in their pursuit of breakthroughs, constantly consume potions to rapidly boost their mental focus. While there might be significant short-term gains, the long-term consequences can be detrimental.

“I don’t want to become dependent on potions. Overuse leads to increased resistance, diminishing their effectiveness when I truly need them for future advancements!” Sein thought to himself.

With a casual wave of his hand, a fiery hand manifested in the room, incinerating the bottles, vials, and other unneeded items scattered around the room.

The underground meditation room had changed significantly over the past ten months.

It appeared to have sunk slightly, and the walls were scorched and showed signs of deformation—all caused by the unchecked power of the verdant flame during Sein’s breakthrough attempt.

Fortunately, the magic tower was protected by elemental wards and constructed with sturdy materials that could withstand Sein's flames to a certain extent.

Otherwise, he would have had to offer hefty compensation to the fortress command center!

Taking a deep breath in the meditation room, Sein reverted from his elemental form back to his human body.

This seamless transition between elemental particles and flesh-and-blood cells showcased the sophistication of the Magus World’s magical civilization.

Compared to his “burning fiery” appearance, Sein’s restored human form, with its handsome features, was far more pleasing to the eye.

Although Rank Two mages in the Magus World could elementalize their bodies, none stayed in their elemental form every day.

After all, their natural human appearance was their true form.

Their elemental body was merely a special form acquired upon reaching Rank Two, not an “identity” to be maintained permanently.

A grand, black magic robe materialized, enveloping Sein's sturdy form.

This robe was not typical magic equipment but was condensed from pure elemental particles.

With his advancement to Rank Two, it was time for Sein’s alchemy research to take a new direction.

Perhaps one of Sein’s next projects would be to create a set of “elemental clothes” suited to his current needs.

These considerations, however, were for the future.

Having concluded his period of seclusion, Sein walked out of his basement and ascended to the ground floor of the magic tower.

***

Sein’s promotion to Rank Two mage had caused only a minor stir in the Thunder Marsh camp.

Apart from a few who paid close attention to him, his advancement went largely unnoticed.

Everyone was mostly distracted by the escalating conflict on the western front, where a major battle seemed imminent.

Most of the knights who had previously fought alongside Sein had been reassigned there.

Now, the only knights remaining at Thunder Marsh camp were those who were lightly or severely wounded.

Including Sein, there were only seven mages left in the camp, as the others had been transferred.

The fortress command center seemed unconcerned about potential ambushes from the creatures of Thunderfall World, likely because these creatures were too preoccupied with their own troubles to mount an offensive.

As the Magus Civilization’s army mobilized, it was the native creatures of the Thunderfall World who truly felt the pressure.

The three knights of House Grantt had not yet been deployed to the western front, possibly because they were waiting for Sein.

In the recuperation area of the space fortress, Jeremy looked at Sein.

“I didn’t expect you to actually be promoted to Rank Two,” he remarked, his expression filled with complex emotions.

Being surpassed by a junior could certainly evoke mixed feelings.

Although Jeremy was proud of Sein’s achievement, there was also an undeniable hint of melancholy.

Jeremy was not old, nor had he exhausted his potential to the point of needing to rely solely on his descendants to carry on the family’s legacy.

“Where’s Julius? How’s my father doing these days?” Sein asked, deliberately avoiding speaking about his achievement to spare Jeremy any pressure.

“They’re patrolling the eastern part of Thunder Marsh. The fortress command center is on high alert for any potential attacks, especially with the great battle approaching. As for Kelman, he’s recovering well. Thanks to your potions, his condition has improved significantly,” Jeremy replied with a smile.

His concern for Kelman was heartfelt, reflecting a familial bond much deeper than the one between Sein and his own father.

“Julius and I are thinking of bringing him along when we head to the main battlefield on the western front,” he added.

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