Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 472: Black Mages

This island was the largest Sein had encountered to date; it dwarfed even the continents of most planes.

Even the combined landmass of the eastern and western continents in the Viridian Venom Flame World did not make up one-fifth of Greenland Island’s size.

On this island, there were seven divine towers and over fifteen orders of the knights.

In other words, the sheer might of this large island located within the central Western Archipelago nearly rivaled half of the southern coast.

Moreover, Greenland’s extensive territory was surrounded by a few medium-sized islands and over a dozen smaller ones, all falling under the influence of these divine towers and knightly orders.

Sein was not originally a mage from the Western Archipelago, so he was relatively unfamiliar with the local power dynamics.

However, since his arrival in the archipelago, he had observed that the magical civilization here was considerably more advanced than that of the southern coast and the surrounding areas of Viridescent Land.

It was the archipelago\'s remarkably efficient and rapid teleportation network that had enabled Sein to reach the southern parts of Greenland Island in just two months.

Sein was currently at the southwestern edge of Greenland Island.

In the distance, a vast light-blue energy barrier stretched across the horizon, separating the sea and sky.

This barrier served not only as a divide between the Knight Continent and the outside world but also marked the boundary between the Western Archipelago and the forces of Blackhaven.

Over the past two months, Sein had nearly circumnavigated this barrier before finally arriving in Greenland Island.

During his journey, he had managed to gather substantial information about the imminent opening of the Knight Continent.

He learned that the continent was staggeringly vast, and only a few areas in it would be opened this time.

Furthermore, trialists entering the Knight Continent would not necessarily find themselves in the same area upon entering; placements were randomly assigned.

The entrance to the Knight Continent was not limited to Greenland Island alone.

Greenland Island merely served as one of the northern entrances, primarily accommodating trialists from the Western Archipelago, the eastern coast, and a select few Blackhaven.

There were also other entry points in the eastern, southern, and western regions of the Knight Continent.

With the opening of the continent drawing near, Sein felt no need to venture far to other entrances.

Gazing northward at the light-blue energy barrier, Sein struggled to pinpoint the exact location of Zorro and the others.

The blue expanse before him was desolate—not even a black mage was in sight.

Clearly, they were all on the other side of the barrier, far from this location.

The Knight Continent should open really soon. Sein let out a relieved sigh before turning to head toward the coastal city behind him.

The coastal cities throughout Greenland Island became unusually lively due to the upcoming event.

Knights and mages from across the Magus World gathered here, significantly boosting the prosperity of both the island and the entire Western Archipelago.

The coastal city just behind Sein thrived exceptionally well. It greatly benefited from the opening of the Knight Continent and was also among the wealthiest and most open cities in the region.

Here, hundreds of thousands of knights and mages gathered, raising questions about how many of them actually qualified to enter the Knight Continent.

***

The bustling commercial atmosphere of the major coastal city known as Port Allen rivaled that of any other in the Magus Civilization that Sein had visited before.

Perhaps due to the imminent opening of the Knight Continent, the city was not just filled with Rank One and Rank Two beings; Rank Three powerhouses were also occasionally sighted.

Human knights and mages were not the only creatures of the Magus Civilization appearing in Port Allen. Sein also observed numerous aquatic races from the Magus World.

These aquatic beings differed somewhat from those Sein had encountered on the Southern Coast.

Given their distinct regions of origin, their cultures and the accessories they wore varied significantly.

As a Rank One mage, Sein blended seamlessly into the bustling crowds of Port Allen.

Since beings from various parts of the Magus World had gathered here, the city boasted an advanced commercial sector and was exceptionally well-stocked with goods.

However, prices tended to be higher than Sein had anticipated.

For instance, unique resources from the southern coast and Steel City were priced twenty to thirty percent higher here in the Western Archipelago.

Despite the steep prices, wealthy individuals were abundant. Sein, considered affluent among Rank One mages, was just one of many with substantial wealth.

It was entirely possible that a seemingly ordinary Rank One or Rank Two being could be the direct descendant of a Rank Four or higher powerhouse.

“Tch, why are the black mages here?!”

A commotion erupted not far ahead of Sein.

Drawn by the mention of “black mages”, Sein quietly made his way forward.

True enough, there were indeed black mages in Port Allen—more than twenty of them, clad in black robes, surrounded by a crowd.

Although they were only Rank One black mages and not as powerful as the other Rank Two and Rank Three beings in Port Allen, they possessed a distinct aura of ferocity and a chilling temperament that set them apart from ordinary mages.

Their presence captured the attention of even the stronger Rank Two and Rank Three mages and knights gathered around them.

Yet, amidst the onlookers, these black mages displayed no signs of panic or distress—only a profound coldness and indifference.

This was no ordinary group. Sein could sense the ice-cold demeanor of murderers who had emerged from battlefields strewn with corpses and seas of blood.

“They must be from Blackhaven. What are they doing in Port Allen? I’d love to crush their heads one by one!” a towering knight exclaimed as he flexed his wrist.

The tough-looking knight stood three meters tall, clad in gray heavy armor with a large sword slung on his back. Clearly, this Rank Two Knight was not one to be trifled with.

Crack! Crack!

The sounds of his wrist cracking seemed to echo his intense disdain for the black mages, perhaps stemming from an unpleasant past encounter.

His words resonated with many of the surrounding knights and mages.

The black mages, along with the black knights, had long been ostracized and regarded with hostility in the Magus World. Only a few were willing to associate with these rebels.

Aside from the minority that had started their journey as black magic initiates, the majority of these black mages were branded as one after committing errors that led to their being wanted.

The divine towers generally showed leniency for minor offenses among their mages—typically offering the choice between a fine in magicoins or a verbal reprimand.

Thus, being actively wanted by these towers indicated that one had committed serious violations.

In the Magus World, wanted mages fell into two categories—those who have taken lives and those who had caused significant and detrimental impacts on the development of the Magus World.

Many black mages had not reached the notorious heights of the latter; most were wanted for the former reason.

For a mage to be marked as wanted, the gravity of their crimes—specifically, the lives they had claimed—was significant in terms of number or life level.