Sovereign of the Ashes

Dark green waves of energy swept through the sky, altering the verdant forests below in unexpected ways.

Sein watched as a ten-meter-diameter giant tree extended its "claws" toward him. Though it moved slowly, its hostility was unmistakable.

Yet, even this threat paled in comparison to the powerful surge of energy emanating from the west.

Before the Viridescent Seed he had hastily planted could fully activate, Sein found himself unable to control his own body, pulled skyward by the relentless waves.

"Is this the full force of a demigod-level powerhouse?" he wondered.

Drained of mana and focus, Sein was starkly aware of his powerlessness against the overwhelming force.

He resigned himself to fate and only attempted to use his elemental body to lessen the impact of the energy surge as much as possible.

As he was sent flying eastward, pain tore through his body, blurring his consciousness.

He caught a glimpse of the spot where he had planted the Viridescent Seed; a colossal plant creature was now emerging from the ground.

Behind him, he felt a familiar, toned body enveloping him in a tight embrace.

In such a critical moment, Sein could have summoned Yuri to shield him from some of the damage.

Yet, Sein did not do it.

There might not have been enough time; he managed only to plant the Viridescent Seed and could do no more.

Or perhaps it was a sudden surge of compassion that prevented him from doing so.

Humans were not devoid of sentiment.

Years of companionship had bred some kind of affection, including for the woman who came to his rescue.

As he slipped into unconsciousness, Sein murmured bitterly, "I've been screwed over by you two."

Human life was fragile.

Even for a Rank Two mage who could elementalize their body, facing the full force of a demigod-level assault was still overwhelming.

Sein was currently so weakened that he was no more powerful than lower-ranked creatures.

As darkness engulfed Sein's consciousness, he became oblivious to everything that followed.

***

As Sein's consciousness emerged from the darkness, he found himself in a clean recuperation room, submerged in a tank of water.

The tingling sensation he felt reassured him that he was still alive, though his condition was dire.

He looked down and realized that his body was still in a "semi-elementalized" state, its surface unstable and some areas darkened ominously.

The pool emitted an unpleasant odor, a result of the reaction between the magic potions and his elemental body.

Sein could not help but wonder about the concoctions the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring had used in their attempts to preserve his life.

At the bottom of the tank, thumb-sized green plants released bubbles as they absorbed the necrotic tissue and elemental cells from Sein's body.

These were plants Sein had never seen before, likely rare and special in their function.

Aside from observing his surroundings, Sein assessed his own condition.

Being alive was a miracle in itself, yet his physical state was alarmingly poor.

As Sein regained consciousness, his mind also cleared.

However, seventy percent of his body from the neck down remained elementalized, while the remaining thirty percent had decomposed into flesh and blood cells.

These were the dire consequences of facing a demigod-level attack with the body of a Rank Two creature.

Even his robust constitution seemed inadequate in the face of such power!

Yet, it was precisely this resilience that had afforded him a fighting chance.

Without his high constitution, even the intervention of a demigod-level giant plant, and timely rescues by Natalya, Sia, and other powerhouses from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, survival would have been unlikely.

The body tempering experiments Sein had undergone since reaching Rank One proved invaluable.

Had it been another Rank Two mage with a weaker constitution, who had exhausted their mana and focus levels, they would likely have disintegrated into particles at the first onslaught of the enraged demigod-level giant tree's energy wave.

Sein's vital condition was clearly under close surveillance.

As he awakened and turned his attention to the small green plants at the bottom of the tank, the clean, white hatch of the recuperation room opened.

Archimedes, the dean of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring and a Rank Three grand mage, stepped in.

"Your constitution is truly extraordinary. No one, apart from the tower master, would have believed you could survive such a devastating blow. When Sia brought you back to the fortress base, only less than thirteen percent of your body remained elementalized," Master Archimedes said in amazement.

"Who brought me back? How's the battle on the frontline?" Sein asked hoarsely, immersed in the water tank.

He would have preferred to communicate through mental focus, but in his current state, even the slightest exertion caused splitting headaches and tremors in his elemental body.

Sein's memory flickered back to the moment he was engulfed by the demigod-level power.

He surmised that the milky-white Viridescent Seed must have absorbed most of the impact, for without its protection, his survival would have been impossible.

"It was Rank Three Sky knight, Sia, who brought you back," Archimedes replied.

"The Viridescent Seed you had was activated successfully, but since you lost consciousness, the Tower Master assumed control of that demigod-level plant from outside the plane. The Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Army continues to advance according to the plan. With two demigod-level combatants present, the western battlefield is secure for now," he explained.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Sein asked further.

"A month. I thought would take two months or more, but you've awoken much sooner. It appears that your exceptional constitution, along with the Healing Water Crystal Coffin and Life Green Algae provided by Tower Master, played significant roles in your recovery," Archimedes answered.

"So it's Master Loriane who provided these... What about Rank Two Land Knight, Natalya? How is she?" Sein asked.

Although it was Sia who rescued him, he recalled the familiar, strong chest he had felt behind him just before losing consciousness—it was definitely Natalya.

Besides, he would never forget the aura of that idiot.

"She's faring slightly better than you and is currently recuperating next door. Youngsters these days are quite devoted to their partners, huh?" Archimedes remarked with a smile, stroking his white beard.

Sein and Grimm were quite close, and he also knew from Master Lorianne that Master Archimedes was a married man.

His wife was rarely seen in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, yet she and her husband shared a close bond.

Grimm often mentioned receiving considerable care and guidance from both his mentor and his mentor's wife.

Unlike the other seasoned scholars who immersed themselves in their studies, Master Archimedes cherished emotional connections. Hence, he was impressed by Natalya and Sein's actions during this ordeal.