Following the conclusion of the Shadowbat Star Domain conflict, Sein refrained from making any rash moves.

Meanwhile, he received very little communication from Grandmaster Feylis from the subspace front.

This struck him as peculiar. Sein regularly reported his operational movements with Gregory and the others to his grandmaster, and he consistently sent resources and spoils from the frontlines back to the rear.

Yet, the directives coming from his Grandmaster had grown increasingly sparse.

What exactly was going on?

It would have been one thing for the Magus Civilization’s high command to lose interest in the subspace battlefield. But could it be that his grandmaster herself was now doing the same, delegating authority downward and stepping back?

This puzzling question was soon answered by Lorianne, who had arrived at the border of the Shadowbat Civilization’s star domain.

“Your grandmaster is currently working toward the peak of Rank Six,” Lorianne said.

“We have received reports from this battlefield,” she continued. “But without clear directives from the Magus Civilization’s leadership, your grandmaster is hesitant to decide whether to advance into the Arid Expanse Worlds.”

Sein froze when he heard this. Lorianne’s second statement did not surprise him much, but her first caught him off guard—in a pleasant way.

The barrier between Rank Six and Rank Seven was as daunting as the gap between Rank Three and Rank Four.

Across many star domains, the peak of Rank Three was referred to as the demigod realm, a threshold so distinct that it was treated almost as a separate classification.

For a Rank Six being, breaking through to Rank Seven overlord status was likely many times more difficult than a Rank Three advancing to Rank Four!

A large-sized star domain, spanning thousands of planes and harboring countless billions of beings, might produce only a single Rank Seven overlord.

For Feylis to step into the overlord realm, her first prerequisite was reaching the peak of Rank Six.

Within the Astral Realm, this stage went by many names—Quasi Sage, Supreme Deity, and others.

Only the Magus Civilization avoided such fancy titles and simply called it peak Rank Six.

Although breaking through this stage did not constitute a leap in life level, the difficulty involved was still immense.

Aside from rumors that the commanders of the Rosen Dynasty’s two Imperial Mobile Suit Legions possessed peak Rank Six strength, no other peak Rank Six beings were known to be active in Sein’s current war zone.

How long would it take for Grandmaster Feylis to advance?

It was likely this very uncertainty that had made Feylis more cautious and less decisive in her strategic choices regarding the Arid Expanse Worlds than she had been over two years ago.

“This is a good thing. We’ve been making rapid progress lately. Taking a short break to wait for Grandmaster Feylis to complete her advancement is perfectly reasonable,” Sein said to his mentor.

“By the way, my supply of Golden Apple Potions has been depleted over the years. I only have one left now. Do you happen to have any extras, Master Lorianne?” he asked.

There was little need for formalities between them. Over the years, Sein had grown used to relying on Lorianne for potions.

In one sense, this was a positive development. Their relationship had grown closer, and they communicated far more frequently than before.

On the other hand, it had led Sein to neglect his apothecary research in recent years. Even the Rank Six Apocalypse World creature’s carcass, which he had intended to refine into Apocalypse Potions, had been handed over entirely to his mentor for processing.

Sein had his reasons. Between constant warfare and research in other fields, he simply did not have the mental bandwidth to spare.

Still, that did not change the fact that his progress in apothecary had stagnated over the past few years.

Lorianne’s lovely face fell slightly as she replied, “I don’t have any extras either. I only have one vial left. You can have it.”

“I used up nearly all of my top-grade potions when your grandmaster and Gregory were badly injured by the Gallant Federation’s apocalyptical weapon last time,” she added with a sigh.

Sein sighed as well when he heard this. There was no way he could take his mentor’s final potion.

Lorianne continued, lamenting, “If only I had another Golden Apple. My recent research in botany has led to new insights, especially with those premium truffles obtained from the Hundred Flowers Worlds. Incorporating them into potions would definitely result in a major boost in efficacy.”

Even the most skilled cook could not prepare a meal without ingredients. This perfectly captured Lorianne’s predicament.

She was an apothecary expert, but without high-grade raw materials, her expertise amounted to nothing.

During the Clash of Civilizations, a single Golden Apple was worth more than an ordinary low-tier world-class secret treasure.

Where could Sein possibly find another one?

That question inevitably brought to Sein’s mind a certain pair of brothers from Titan World. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

If he could reconnect with Thor and Loki, securing one or two Golden Apples might still be possible.

Sein had obtained a large number of secret treasure fragments from the Eiyurant Papillon Civilization’s subspace.

Although they were only fragments lacking any origin law essence, their sheer quantity was impressive.

Moreover, Feylis and the others likely possessed valuable resources of their own. If each member of the Verdant Flame Faction contributed a little more, purchasing another Golden Apple from Thor might be within reach.

Even if the price was several times higher than before, Sein believed they could afford it.

The real problem was... where could he find Thor?

***

Sein received no word from Thor, nor did he hear any news of Feylis completing her advancement. Instead, the first thing he received was an order to advance on Planet Aquaria.

This command came directly through the Magus Alliance, bypassing Feylis entirely.

It was not only Sein’s group that received this directive. A considerable portion of the Magus Civilization’s combat legions were issued similar mission orders.

While Sein was still puzzling over this development, he soon learned the reason. White Stella had emerged from seclusion and had begun leading her sea race legions to assault Planet Aquaria from the direction of the Marvelous Plane battlefield.

Sein and his forces’ subsequent operations effectively coordinated with White Stella’s units, striking Planet Aquaria from both sides.

White Stella held tremendous influence within the upper echelons of both the Magus Alliance and the Magus Civilization. Her authority in this war zone was comparable even to Feylis’.

Back then, she had single-handedly overseen the battlefield around Marvelous Plane, while Feylis handled the Shadowbat Civilization front.

“Has White Stella already advanced to Rank Six?” Sein asked curiously.

“Probably not yet, but I heard that one of your alliance deities took advantage of the recent lull in the war to make a special trip into subspace,” Bernice replied.

“Who?” Sein asked.

“I believe it was Orric,” Bernice said after a moment of thought. “That Rank Five being who mastered hydro-attribute laws and worked closely with Gregory on the battlefield.”

Sein had been deeply absorbed in research and battlefield logistics lately and had not noticed Orric’s temporary absence.

What kind of consensus could Orric have reached with White Stella?

***

On the overlord-level battlefield at the edge of the Grand Eye Demon World Star Domain...

More than ten overlords had fought here for nearly a decade, leaving the entire star domain in a state of utter devastation.

The region was saturated with lingering law power, carrying violent and unstable energy fluctuations.

For Rank Four and Rank Five beings, these remnants of overlord-level power formed an extremely dangerous zone. Drawing too close carried a very real risk of death.

Even Rank Six beings would never casually wander through such a chaotic battlefield. To lose one’s life by accident would be the ultimate misfortune.

At the heart of the battlefield, the aura and presence of the Amenkha Empire’s Eighth Pharaoh had clearly weakened compared to years past.

This decline would only continue, eventually returning him to the state he had been in before breaking his seals!

The Eighth Pharaoh’s period of vulnerability had inevitably arrived.

Unable to break free from the encirclement of the Magus Civilization’s powerhouses, a flicker of despair finally appeared in his eyes.

Meanwhile, on the edge of the battlefield, the clash between the Evileye Tyrant Monarch and Klopp was gradually drawing to a close.