Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 772: Fighting At Full Strength

Leena was closer than Sein had anticipated.

Just beyond the cliff, in a more open and flat area, tens of thousands from the Magus World Army clashed with the Wild Gorilla Army.

Sanchez, with its immense size and white skeletal dragon wings, was undeniably the most conspicuous existence on this battlefield.

Leena was not riding on its back but was close enough that Sein spotted her immediately.

The Magus World Army engaged in the melee below included the undead creatures Leena had brought and a contingent from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain.

Sein even spotted a demigod-level knight who had transformed into a flame giant, wielding a massive flaming club and battling a Wild Gorilla of comparable size on the horizon.

Though no demigod-level hostile powerhouses were near Leena and Sanchez at the moment, they were surrounded by five Rank Three Wild Gorillas.

Sanchez had been confined in the Knight Continent’s subspace for far too long.

Although its return to the Undead World had swiftly elevated it to a respectable demigod, its forces were less extensive than those of veteran undead sovereigns.

Forced by Sein to join the battle in the Wild Gorilla World, Sanchez brought numerous Rank One and Rank Two elite undead creatures, but only one of Rank Three.

Constantly spewing deadly dragon breath and skilled in melee combat, Sanchez’s tough dragon skeleton had also been hardened by undead freezing qi, making it tougher than steel.

Undead creatures normally overwhelmed their opponents with sheer numbers.

This time, however, Sanchez was outnumbered and viciously assaulted by a group of Wild Gorillas, leaving it cursing its fate.

Upon Sein’s arrival, the first scene that greeted him was Leena surrounded by a few Rank Three Wild Gorillas.

After downing yet another mana potion, Sein, still in his elemental body form, leaped into action again.

Natalya and Reina had also consumed potions earlier to replenish their stamina and battle qi during their flight here.

Half of the potions Natalya and Reina used had been prepared by Sein before the battle; the others were acquired from their families or the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

While potions could not alleviate the mental fatigue and stress induced by intense, high-paced battles, they replenished enough mana and battle qi for the knights to remain in their peak condition for an extended period.

This showed why Magus World’s mages were so coveted, particularly those with specialized skills, who were highly esteemed by knights of equivalent rank.

Sydney, the Rank Two knight from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain, found herself less fortunate in terms of resources compared to Sein and the others.

Her potions and disposable magic items had been mostly depleted in previous battles.

Exhausted, both physically and mentally, she had no choice but to consume her last “Warner’s Strength Potion”—a rare concoction from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain that could quickly restore half of a Rank Two knight’s strength and battle qi, valued at forty-seven magicoins.

In essence, an interplanar war was an affair that drained both money and resources.

Although the war’s real benefits had yet to be determined, the Magus World Army had already suffered significant losses.

Sydney’s situation was just a small reflection of the broader battlefield.

Meanwhile, Sein faced a formidable challenge as five Rank Three Wild Gorillas confronted him simultaneously.

To be exact, it was not just five as two more Rank Three Wild Gorillas were coming his way.

Reina and Sein’s previous exploits had shone too brightly, drawing the attention of the Wild Gorilla Clan. They knew it was crucial to take both of them out first.

In total, Sein and his allies were now contending with seven Rank Three Wild Gorillas, along with a host of Rank Two enemies. It was no doubt an extremely chaotic party.

Fortunately, their objective was not to annihilate their opponents but merely to withstand the onslaught.

Even with Sanchez, Kingfisher, and Green Spikefur King joining forces, they could only hope to distract the seven Rank Three Wild Gorillas temporarily.

Rank Three creatures and demigod-level beings were tough opponents; only stealth tactics like Sein’s previous cold, calculated ambushes had proven effective.

Demigod-level beings were not fundamentally different from Rank Three creatures; they could harness the power of laws slightly earlier and possess greater energy reserves.

The countless scratches on Sanchez’s bones bore witness to the severe onslaught it had endured in the brief duration of the battle.

Fortunately, the battlefield was bolstered by ample fearless undead creatures and various allied forces providing aerial support. Additionally, the continuous long-range strikes from the rear mage legion never ceased, maintaining relentless pressure on the enemies.

Without these supports, Sanchez would have been pulverized into bone dust by the legions of Wild Gorillas.

After a quick incantation, Sein unleashed a Fire Storm spell from his magic rod.

The Fire Storm was directed at a Rank Three Wild Gorilla near Leena.

The Everburning Violet Flame and Verdant Flame mingled into a dual-colored torrent, causing even the resilient Rank Three Wild Gorilla to glance back nervously as it felt the scorching heat approaching it.

With its powerful muscles, jumping ability, and keen vision, the Wild Gorilla was confident it could dodge Sein’s magic.

However, that did not mean that the surrounding Rank One and Two Wild Gorillas, along with the ordinary gorillas of lower life levels, were capable of the same feat.

The primary role of high-ranking creatures on the battlefield was not merely to engage peers in combat but to decimate lower-ranking adversaries.

This explained why Magus World mages, though fewer than knights in interplanar wars, consistently tallied higher kill counts—the expansive reach of their magic spell far exceeded the physical strikes of knights of the same rank.

As Sein’s dual-colored Fire Storm surged toward the Rank Three Wild Gorilla, this growing fiery tornado with a diameter of at least ten meters devoured hundreds of low-ranking Wild Gorillas along with several Rank One and Two opponents.

Regrettably, some of Magus World’s enslaved creatures were also caught in the devastating storm—an unavoidable consequence of using such expansive magic.

While Sein could manage precise control with single-target spells, area-of-effect spells were much harder, and he was reluctant to exhaust too much of his precious mental focus.

Although mental focus could be replenished with potions, it recovered slower than mana.

Besides, overexerting a depleted mental focus could lead to severe repercussions, including temporary reductions in a mage’s capabilities.

Sein’s use of such a potent area-of-effect spell made it clear that he was an exceptional mage among his peers in the Verdant Flame Faction.

As a result, many of the undead creatures instinctively rallied to Sein’s side.

However, the most dependable allies were actually the Magus World knights.

Protecting the mages was their sworn duty.

Though puzzled by Sein’s presence at the frontline, the Rank One and Rank Two knights from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain upheld their duty.

They cut down enemies before them and moved to form a protective ring around Sein.

Sein found himself suddenly at the center of converging forces as three Rank Two Knights from different directions approached, each flanked by Rank One knights from the Order of the Fiery Molten Mountain and waves of enslaved creature cannon fodder.

Additionally, numerous legions of Wild Gorillas were also advancing toward him.

Sein’s progress toward Leena was forcefully halted.

Despite being a mage with a tempered body, he had no intention of diving headlong into a horde of Wild Gorillas, especially with several Rank Three Wild Gorillas also charging in his direction.

As the pyro elemental energy within him surged and roiled, Reina positioned herself as a human shield in front of Sein. At the same time, Natalya covered his right flank and Yuri guarded the left.

Sydney, the Rank Two knight he had just met, instinctively took up a protective stance behind him.

Armed with dual-colored flames that danced like twin dragons twirling around a pearl, Sein settled back into the role of a conventional mage, unleashing his most powerful spells from the heart of the battlefield.

Compared to his aggressive close-quarters combat style, Sein’s ability to unleash devastating spells from a distance allowed him to reap the lives of his enemies on the battlefield more rapidly.

“Dual Fire Storm!”

“Upgraded Solar Eye!”

“Meteor Shower!”

“Terra Flame Incineration!”

“Flame Lash Chain!”

***

One devastating spell after another was released from Sein’s magic rod, each belonging to the arsenal of a Rank Two mage.

As Sein scattered the pyro-attribute magic spices, its rich but pungent scent overpowered even the smell of blood surrounding him.

Had Sein not been skilled in apothecary, sustaining such a high frequency of powerful spellcasting on the battlefield would have been impossible.

Of course, the spells he released—including “Pyro Giant Chain”, “Explosive Fire Bomb,” and “Shower of Light Flames”—were slightly less potent offensive magic, released by the magic items he had prepared in advance.

Even so, no one could deny that his skill in alchemy power was a crucial facet of his strength!

Since Sein had holed himself up in the laboratory of the divine tower previously, many mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring were unaware of his true capabilities.

He did not fight at his full strength in the last Verdant Leaf World War and the earlier Thunderfall World War either.

Besides, every mage was continually improving.

This first battle in the Wild Gorilla World finally allowed Sein to demonstrate the full extent of his strength as a tower master’s apprentice!

It was evident that both his spellcasting speed and destructive prowess rivaled that of three Rank Two mages combined!

Most importantly, Sein’s ability to cast spells and scatter magic spices remained unaffected under such intense conditions. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Such mental fortitude was truly extraordinary!

Why were mages typically positioned at the rear?

That was because they tended to have weaker constitutions.

Even a slight error or minor disruption in their incantations could lead to failure in unleashing their spells or dangerous elemental backlashes.

Sein’s eyes were calm, devoid of any emotion.

The coolness of his aura seemed to lower the temperature of the devastating pyro magic he unleashed, though such a thing was, of course, impossible.

Nevertheless, his fiery onslaught, coupled with his strikingly cool demeanor, made him a standout figure on the battlefield.

Eventually, the three Rank Three Wild Gorillas could no longer bear to watch their ranks decimated by Sein’s relentless assault.

Sein delivered his magic spells with greater precision than mages positioned further back, effectively targeting the throngs of Wild Gorillas.

One of the three formidable Wild Gorillas decided to give up besieging the skeletal dragon, opting to confront Sein directly.

In terms of killing speed, the surrounded skeletal dragon was no match for Sein, who was fighting at his full strength.