Sovereign of the Ashes
Chapter 1169: Gifting

Chapter 1169: Gifting

During his final years in the Knight Continent’s trial zone, Sein was surprised to bump into another old friend—Angreas, a Rank Three Kermoine Serpent Warlock.

Sein had tried visiting him on the West Coast years ago, but Angreas had been away. Shortly after, Sein was whisked off to Faeloria by the Spider Queen.

Angreas was undoubtedly a genius on the same level as Grimm and Sein, and one of the few mages who truly specialized in sonido magic.

The Kermoine Serpent bloodline gave a huge boost in elemental affinity across umbra, poison, and sonido elements.

After fighting side by side more than once in the past, Angreas had become one of Sein’s good friends.

Grimm, who had stayed in the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring during the Wild Gorilla World War, knew nothing about Angreas.

But after Sein introduced them to each other, the two quickly recognized each other’s expertise in the elemental arcana.

Angreas was still stuck at late-stage Rank Three, but Bloodline Warlocks were a different breed compared to traditional mages.

Once their bloodline awakened, they would gain a massive jump in strength—often half a rank or more.

In Magus World, Bloodline Warlocks were considered mages who were physically tougher and better suited for combat.

On the West Coast, where warlock clans were dominant, the knight profession had developed much more slowly.

That was because Bloodline Warlocks already had the close-combat strength and durability that knights offered other mages during interplanar wars.

Besides, knights of Rank Two and above also had to absorb powerful bloodlines to further evolve, just like Bloodline Warlocks.

In the West Coast region, Bloodline Warlock clans often went out of their way to suppress and marginalize knights.

Years had changed Angreas noticeably, especially his bloodline aura.

When Sein asked, he learned Angreas had been experimenting with purifying and extracting the blood of a Kermoine Serpent Emperor.

Unlike Grimm, who was calmer and reserved, Angreas was extremely competitive.

When he found out that both Sein and Grimm had already advanced to demigod realm, he grinned and declared, “I’ll catch up in no time. Make sure you don’t fall behind on the road to Rank Four.”

Considering Angreas had already begun to unlock the deeper mysteries of the Kermoine Serpent Emperor’s bloodline, he had good reason to be confident.

In response to his friend’s half-serious challenge, Sein—still wearing the Faceless Mask—laughed. “Good. I’m looking forward to the day you surpass me.”

The three friends spent their time discussing elemental mysteries, exchanging insights, and pushing one another forward on the path of truth.

Sein also brought out a stash of magic ingredients from Faeloria and shared them with his two friends.

Many of the materials from Purgatory were a perfect match for Angreas’ experiments, and the trophies Sein had taken from fallen Faelorian gods made Grimm’s eyes go wide.

Sein might give things freely to Leena, but both Grimm and Angreas were the kind of people who would never accept such gifts without offering something in return—even if Sein insisted.

Angreas, favored by his Rank Four and above elders as the brightest talent of the Kermoine Serpent Warlock Clan, had plenty of resources at his possession.

After receiving the materials from Purgatory, he returned the favor by gifting Sein a number of rare items.

Most were high-grade magic ingredients valuable to Bloodline Warlocks, the kind that money alone could never buy.

Since Bloodline Warlock advancement shared a lot of similarities with the Knight profession, many of these treasures could also be used by Sein to enhance his constitution through body-tempering experiments or as gifts to House Grantt.

Grimm, on the other hand, was not as wealthy as Angreas, but he was also not the type to take advantage of others’ kindness.

When Sein noticed Grimm eyeing one of the rare ingredients with clear interest but refusing to take it, Sein shoved a space ring filled with materials into his hand.

“Just take it. We’ll count it as a favor you owe me, alright? I’m sure I’ll have plenty of chances to need your help in the future!”

Grimm smiled helplessly. “I doubt doing one favor for you could cover all this.”

True kindred spirits were hard to come by. Grimm’s quiet nature was to Sein’s liking, while Angreas’ strength and talent had long earned Sein’s respect.

By sharing his materials with both of them, Sein was not only deepening old bonds but also making a smart investment.

He believed both had immense potential. That was why he was willing to put effort into their friendship.

By contrast, Sein had no interest in befriending Haywood or Berold from the Marmett Union Alliance.

He still remembered how, when he had been surrounded outside the secret realm by a crowd of Rank Three mages, it was only Leena and Grimm standing by his side.

Sein’s generous gesture brought the three of them even closer.

In today’s world, friendship required money too.

People with power and wealth always seemed to be able to blend just fine, no matter where they were.

The Knight Continent’s trial zone usually stayed open for a century.

A few years later, a pink space-time vortex appeared above the trial zone.

Since all the participants were Rank Three or higher this time, no monster hordes came to drive them away like Sein had experienced when he undertook the lower-level trials.

After all, kicking out a group of elite Rank Three and demigod mages was not a task for ordinary beasts.

If anything, those beasts would only end up as spell components for these mages.

When the vortex appeared, Sein and the others decided it was time to leave.

At this life level, they all understood the importance of respecting the laws.

If mages of Rank Three and below were still learning to follow the laws, then Rank Four and above mages were beginning to wield and even enforce them.

Anyone aiming to reach Rank Four and grasp more advanced truths would first have to learn to live by the system.

As Sein stepped through the vortex and left Knight Continent behind, he drew in a deep breath.

Although the elemental energy out here was far less than inside the trial zone, he preferred the outside world.