Sovereign of the Ashes-Chapter 1485: New Combat Orders

Master Medich appeared remarkably youthful, almost as young as Sein himself.

Among Rank Four mages, the two of them were still considered “youngsters”.

Even so, Medich was still Sein’s senior, and the help he had given during Sein’s vulnerable years was something Sein would never forget.

Master Medich had likely learned through certain channels about Sein’s recent campaign on the frontlines as commander of the Divine Tower of Ashes legion.

This would be the Divine Tower of Luminaris’ first deployment in the Clash of Civilizations.

Being a cautious man by nature, Medich had come not only to bid farewell but also to seek insight, hoping to learn from Sein’s firsthand experience on the frontlines.

Sensing his intent, Sein freely shared everything he knew.

He spoke in depth about his understanding of the Gallant Federation’s forces, detailing key encounters, tactics, and his broader assessment of the federal fleets.

Their exchange lasted nearly two full days.

Master Medich was truly a meticulous and gentle Lumimancer, showing no hint of awkwardness despite Sein’s now superior standing.

As Sein recounted his experiences, Medich activated his crystal ball to record every detail and would pause to seek clarification with sincere humility.

Of course, Sein was not the only divine tower master Medich visited before his deployment.

Leveraging his vast network and deep connections, he also humbly consulted several other divine towers and knightly orders that had previously fought on the frontlines in the Clash of Civilizations.

“Sein, you seem to understand the Gallant Federation’s lower-tier fleets and the operational systems of their technological civilization better than most,” Medich commented during one of their discussions.

Sein had, after all, once infiltrated deep within the Gallant Federation’s territory.

At that time, the two top-tier civilizations had not yet gone to war, so his understanding was drawn from direct observation rather than combat.

He merely pressed his lips together and gave no further explanation.

Aside from seeking advice from Sein, Master Medich sighed and delivered somber news—Rank Four knight Baldor had fallen on the frontlines of the Netherworld Star Domain.

Baldor had been one of Medich’s dearest lifelong friends.

Though Master Medich had many friends, there were few knights of Baldor’s caliber among them.

Sein’s memories of Baldor stretched back to his days as a black magic initiate.

It had been that silver-armored knight who first brought him before Master Medich—

an encounter that had set into motion everything that followed.

Sein was a man who remembered both kindness and grudges, but more importantly, he never forgot those who treated him well.

Back then, Sir Baldor had only been a Rank Two knight.

He later fell during the Magus Civilization’s early counteroffensive against the Netherworld Star Domain—a campaign that ended in their second major defeat there.

Even though Sein had been fighting on another battlefield at the time, he still heard about the news and was deeply puzzled by the Magus Civilization’s failure.

Now, however, the Magus Civilization had redeemed itself in the Netherworld Star Domain.

Over the past century, reports of victories had grown more frequent, and that earlier defeat eventually faded into insignificance.

Yet, hidden among all that good news were grim tidings, like the losses of Magus Civilization powerhouses like Baldor, whose deaths were only now being reported.

Sein could only sigh.

He recalled his experiences in Radbow World and realized that, in a war between civilizations, even Rank Four beings were painfully fragile.

Whether stationed in favorable or hostile war zones, the risk of death was always there. It was only ever a matter of probability.

Was there really anywhere safe left? 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Perhaps only the Magus Civilization’s homeplane could be called a true haven.

The two long-time acquaintances shared a few more quiet words of lament before parting.

Just before Master Medich left the Divine Tower of Ashes, Sein called out to him and slipped a Golden Apple Potion into his hand.

He had only three left; giving one to Medich meant he was down to just two.

It was both a gesture of repayment for past kindness and a wish not to lose this talented, virtuous senior to the battlefield.

Sein looked at him and said, “Master Medich, I hope we’ll have the chance to fight side by side again in the future.”

Medich stared at the potion in his hand, clearly taken aback. He had not expected to receive anything from Sein.

He tried to refuse, but Sein held him in place with his elemental power.

The gap in their strength was undeniable—Sein had truly surpassed him by a wide margin!

He was no longer just a peak Rank Four mage; he was already standing on the cusp of Rank Five.

Sensing Sein’s resolve, Medich finally nodded and replied, “Yes.”

***

After Master Medich’s departure, Sein returned to his usual rhythm of training and research.

The frontlines of the Clash of Civilizations remained tense, but stationed in the rear, Sein focused instead on achieving “stability”.

Reaching the peak of Rank Four had not been a major hurdle for him; he had advanced to this realm naturally.

His accumulated knowledge and deep foundation had long since paved the way.

Rank Five, however, was the true barrier he now faced.

During his meeting with Master Medich, he noticed that his aura and presence were harder to restrain than usual. This was the result of the unstable life force that often preceded a breakthrough.

“It seems like a catalyst is needed for me to advance to Rank Five,” Sein mused one night, gazing at the stars from the summit of his divine tower.

After spending another twelve years within the Divine Tower of Ashes, Sein finally received a new deployment order from the Magus Civilization.

“According to the war records, Master Sein has previously executed combat missions within the Grand Eye Demon World’s star domain, demonstrating commendable performance. The alliance now requests that you proceed to a resource transit base within that same star domain for a period of garrison duty.

“This assignment is not mandatory, as we are aware that you have already undertaken several consecutive high-risk missions. Even if you choose to decline, the Divine Tower of Ashes will still retain a rest period of no less than two hundred years.”

The Rank Four mage who delivered the order had made sure to convey this sincerely.

Not only did Sein have the right to refuse, but after already resting for a century, the Magus Civilization was generously offering an additional two hundred years of respite.

It was a gesture of goodwill toward both Sein and the Divine Tower of Ashes.

Yet Sein had no intention of refusing. He was willing to go wherever he was needed.

In a war of this scale, no one could truly remain uninvolved.

Besides, after more than a century of recovery, both Sein and the Divine Tower of Ashes had regained much of their former strength.

Still, Sein’s true desire was to head to the Netherworld Star Domain battlefield.

Not only because most members of the Verdant Flame Faction were stationed there, but also because the Netherworld Star Domain front was now the fiercest war zone.

Rumors claimed that the Magus Civilization had completely wiped out the Gallant Federation’s once-arrogant vanguard fleet.

Over a dozen overlords were currently fighting there, and that number could soon exceed twenty!

Among all the ongoing clashes between the Gallant Federation and the Magus Civilization, none matched the intensity or strategic importance of the conflict raging within the Netherworld Star Domain.

It could be the decisive battle that determined the fate of both civilizations.

As a member of Magus World, would it not be a shame for Sein to miss the chance to take part in it?