Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 188: Golden Radiance

The radiance did not come from a magic spell. It was a mark of distinction, signifying his top ranking in the individual score among initiates in the current Regional Inter-Divine Tower Academy War!

This prestigious status was achievable by initiates from all major divine towers, provided they met two criteria—achieving the highest individual score and reaching at least ten thousand points or more!

Sein, bathed in this golden glow, instantly became the most conspicuous figure on the battlefield.

Even his invisibility cloak failed to obscure the brilliant light.

At that moment, the surviving initiates from the Divine Tower of Shadow finally saw the assailant who had been wreaking havoc in their rear ranks.

Sein’s unfamiliar appearance, combined with his use of exceptionally powerful lumen magic spells, clearly indicated he was not one of their own!

“Damn it! An intruder from another academy is launching an ambush on us. Take him down!” shouted the only remaining Quasi Mage from the Divine Tower of Shadow, his voice echoing with frustration across the basin.

There were at least a hundred initiates still present within the basin.

Even at full strength, Sein might struggle against the relentless onslaught of hundreds of magic spells.

At this point, his condition was far from optimal.

However, the expected barrage of magic spells never came.

The disarray caused by the extraplanar plant creatures’ charge left the initiates from the Divine Tower of Shadow scrambling in all directions.

The Quasi Mage, adept in umbra magic, had initially set his sights on Sein for revenge, assuming Sein’s recent exertions had weakened him.

Moreover, Sein’s high score made him an attractive target, whether for vengeance or point gains.

Unfortunately for the Quasi Mage, his plans for retribution were thwarted as the battered extraplanar plant creature engaged him once again.

The quasi-ranked vine creature also seized the opportunity to lash its writhing vines toward the remaining Quasi Mage from the Divine Tower of Shadow.

Being the closest to these extraplanar plant creatures, he was their natural target.

Despite their plant nature, these extraplanar creatures displayed notable intelligence.

The quasi-ranked vine creature, in particular, seemed to recognize Sein as an inadvertent “ally”.

Rather than dispersing their forces, they focused on the panic-stricken initiates from the Divine Tower of Shadow, inadvertently helping Sein by keeping them at bay.

This development spared Sein, who had exhausted most of his focus and mana reserves, from any significant threats.

The nearby initiates, who could have posed a threat, had already been decimated by the thirty-six beams from Sein’s Solar Eye spell.

Sein calmly retrieved several restorative potions, which could replenish his focus and mana levels, from his space ring.

As he collected his trophies, he finished off any surviving initiates from the Divine Tower of Shadow.

Among them was a severely injured male initiate with a broken right arm and a gaping hole in his chest.

He was coughing up blood while struggling to reach his badge with his left arm.

Although the badge was on his chest, the severely injured initiate, weakened and in pain, struggled in vain to grasp it.

As he made futile attempts, a steady stream of crimson blood oozed from the wound on his chest, staining his magic robe.

As Sein approached the wounded intermediate initiate from the Divine Tower of Shadow, he could see the fear and plea for mercy in the man’s eyes.

Gathering the last of his strength, the initiate\'s left hand finally managed to clasp his badge.

However, before the male initiate could activate his badge, Sein’s Pyro Chain Blade descended.

The swift decapitation caused the intermediate initiate’s left arm, raised with great effort, to fall limply back to his side.

Sein collected the initiate’s magic rod indifferently and a brass-colored space ring from his bloodied finger before leaving behind the lifeless body as he moved on to his next target.

“Devil! This guy is a devil!” another initiate nearby cried out, having witnessed the entire scene.

In a mix of terror and desperation, he activated his divine tower badge.

In a flash of crimson light, he successfully escaped the trial space.

Dismissing the junior initiate who had fled from his mind, Sein mused, “A devil? Is that some kind of extraplanar creature? I don’t recall seeing it mentioned in any materials available in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring’s library.”

Each divine tower was unique, differing not only in their library architecture but also in the depth of genealogical knowledge and the extent of their book collections.

Sein was not certain what a “devil” exactly was, but the fleeing initiate’s reaction suggested it was nothing benevolent.

Sein efficiently gathered his trophies and dealt with the remaining initiates, taking no more than five minutes.

His ambush and the subsequent counterattack by the extraplanar plant creatures had inflicted severe losses on the initiates from the Divine Tower of Shadow.

Yet, as most initiates retreated from the heart of the basin, about nearly a hundred remained.

With his mana and focus not fully replenished, Sein knew better than to engage them.

The extraplanar plant creatures, too, had suffered greatly in the battle.

Their dwindling numbers, now reduced to a dozen or twenty, could no longer provide substantial support to Sein.

“It’s time to leave.” Sein sighed, regretting his inability to eliminate all the other initiates from the Divine Tower of Shadow.

Beyond the hostile or fearful glances of the surrounding initiates, Sein was preoccupied with the golden light radiating from the divine tower badge on his chest.

For many participants in this trial, the golden radiance was a mark of the highest honor and prestige.

However, for Sein who was currently in the Divine Tower of Shadow’s territory, this glow was drawing unwanted attention.

Attempts to stow the badge in his spatial equipment were thwarted by an unseen force, leaving Sein standing out like a conspicuous, luminous “torch” in the darkness.

“I need to find a way to hide or deactivate this thing!” Sein muttered in annoyance as he activated the Levitate spell and swiftly withdrew from the basin.

The nearly hundred remaining initiates from Divine Tower of Shadow could only watch in silence as Sein departed, their expressions a mix of hostility and fear.