Lord: Sequence Master

At the Blackstone Port train station, Rosen held his ticket and boarded the steam train amidst the bustling crowd. He had chosen a ticket for the noble carriage, which inevitably drew some attention.

However, opting for a regular ticket would have caused even more suspicion. His ID was a noble emblem certificate, and using such credentials for a regular ticket would have raised questions. After weighing the pros and cons, Rosen decided that the noble carriage was the safer choice.

Before purchasing the ticket, Rosen had once again tried to enter his Mysterious Study Room while on the move. The result was the same as when he had traveled on the Black Shark—the room had remained stationary. However, when aboard the Black Shark, the study had moved with the ship. This suggested that the room's spatial location wasn't fixed. But why had it moved with the pirate ship and not with the train?

Rosen hypothesized that the Black Shark was an extraordinary vehicle connected to the Black Shark Captain's sequence. The steam train, on the other hand, was an alchemical vehicle without the spiritual nature of a knight's sequence. If the train had been operated by a Knight Sequence extraordinary individual, perhaps the Mysterious Study Room would have followed its spatial movement as well.

This was Rosen's best guess for now, based on his current understanding. Further experimentation would be needed to confirm or disprove his theory.

Seated in a private berth within the noble car, Rosen felt a bit nervous. While the Redstone Viscount had limited influence in Blackstone Port, the Black Shark Pirates undoubtedly held sway. If they discovered that one of their former passengers had survived the spiritual realm, they would surely hunt him down.

Still, Rosen wasn't overly concerned. Even if he stood before the pirates, they likely wouldn't recognize him. He had purchased his ticket through a tavern, hiding his identity as a hunter sequence user. Until he reached Sequence 6, he wouldn't even be considered a noble by most. As far as the pirates were concerned, there would be no connection between a Sequence 9 Hunter and a Sequence 9 Painter from Redstone City.

The noble car was equipped with alchemical formations that dampened sound and vibrations. Thus, even after the steam train departed, Rosen didn't hear the rumble of the engine.

Watching the ashen city of Blackstone Port fade into the distance, Rosen felt a growing sense of anticipation. Everything in this otherworld fascinated him, especially now that he no longer needed to hide constantly. He had finally left Redstone City, and for the first time, he was free to explore.

Out of curiosity, Rosen wandered the train, exploring both the dining car and the observation car. The dining car was self-serve, and Rosen was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The dishes featured ingredients unique to the cities along the train's route, all freshly prepared. Since the meal was included in the ticket price, he indulged.

After eating, Rosen made his way to the observation car.

Outside the cities, everything was shrouded in ash. It wasn't uncommon for ordinary people to spend their entire lives without leaving the city to see the world beyond. Even extraordinary individuals avoided venturing into the Ashen World unless necessary. Despite the danger, many were curious about what lay beyond the urban borders.

The observation car was outfitted with extraordinary telescopes that could pierce through up to a kilometer of fog, providing a rare glimpse into the ash-covered lands.

Rosen, intrigued by the outside world, rented a massive telescope. As he peered through it, the distant landscapes unfolded before him: mountains, lakes, forests, and abandoned villages and farmlands.

He also spotted numerous ash creatures, strange beings that avoided the train tracks. These creatures, shrouded in ash, had formed their own ecosystem within the mists, roaming the untamed world outside the human settlements.

After an hour of observation, Rosen reluctantly stepped away from the telescope. He made a note to explore the Ashen World someday. Venturing into this dangerous wilderness to hunt ash creatures and cleanse the land was the duty of extraordinary individuals. It was also the main mission for anyone below Sequence 6.

Only those above Sequence 6 were eligible to expand human territory into these ashen lands.

At higher sequence levels, resources such as elixirs became scarce, and many materials could no longer be artificially cultivated. After thousands of years of human expansion, many high-grade materials were either consumed or monopolized by the great noble houses. For most extraordinary individuals, reaching Sequence 6 marked the point where advancement became much more difficult.

As a result, the most prosperous and advanced human civilizations thrived along the borders of human territory, where access to untapped resources was still possible. However, these border regions were also the most dangerous, as they constantly fought against the threat of alien gods.

While the heartlands were generally less resource-rich than the frontiers, they still played a crucial role in producing population growth and talent for the border regions. The heartlands also housed spiritual realms that were inaccessible in the frontier. Though less advanced in some ways, the heartlands weren't entirely left behind.

After three days of travel, the train passed through numerous cities, finally reaching the capital of the Blazing Shadow Duchy: Blazing Shadow Royal City.

Calling the capital of a duchy a "royal city" was somewhat of a misnomer. However, the Grand Duke of Blazing Shadow held near-absolute power within the duchy. If he wanted to call his capital a royal city, no one could challenge him. There were even rumors that the Grand Duke was on the verge of being elevated to king.

Rosen disembarked through the noble exit and immediately noticed how different Blazing Shadow Royal City was from Redstone City.

Where Redstone City had a medieval architectural style, Blazing Shadow Royal City was an advanced, futuristic metropolis. Steam trains arrived from all directions, ferrying resources and elite talents from across the duchy.

Above the city, airships flew back and forth, constantly transporting rare goods and extraordinary individuals.

The streets were lined with alchemical technology, and towering skyscrapers with holographic advertisements filled the skyline. Wizard towers and floating castles stood alongside these modern structures, making Redstone City seem provincial in comparison.

Around the station, many ordinary people offered their services as guides, but Rosen ignored them. He didn't know the city's rules, and some guides could lead travelers into traps, with powerful backers lurking in the shadows. Rosen wasn't interested in such complications.

Instead, he purchased the latest city guide, a reliable alchemical product designed to familiarize outsiders with Blazing Shadow Royal City. Though expensive, the guide was well worth its price.

(End of Chapter)