Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 473: Stroll

The group of black mages that appeared before them had a distinct temperament and aura.

What further confirmed their identity was the array of special badges adorning their magic robes—featuring symbols like a skull, a dead spirit, a black cross, and others.

Sein had a similar badge in his possession—a green leaf that signified the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

It was clear that this group of Rank One black mages, with their exceptional demeanor, were likely elites from Blackhaven’s black towers.

Sein was unsure why this group had appeared there and wondered if mages from the black towers in Blackhaven were also invited to enter the Knight Continent.

Port Allen was vast, the twenty or so black mages here were certainly not the only ones in the city.

In other parts of the city, it was likely that there were other black mages or black knights.

Sein noted that most of the knights and mages who reacted to the Rank Two Knight were of Rank One or Rank Two.

In contrast, the few Rank Three beings present remained motionless the whole time. Their gazes even occasionally betrayed a hint of envy toward the black mages.

The disruption before Sein never escalated into a violent battle.

Like in most human cities in the Magus World, public fights among beings of Rank One and above were strictly prohibited in Port Allen.

The mages and knights from the divine tower mages and orders of the knights, responsible for maintaining order in Port Allen, were taking their jobs seriously.

With the imminent opening of the Knight Continent, it was expected that numerous beings of Rank Four or higher would visit the wealthiest coastal port in this region.

Therefore, maintaining order in Port Allen was crucial at such a pivotal moment.

The fact that these Rank One black mages were permitted entry into Port Allen indicated that their status was officially recognized.

Surrounded by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of knights and mages, the mental fortitude of these Rank One black mages was truly remarkable.

Throughout the entire ordeal, they showed not even a hint of cowardice.

After the surrounding knights and mages stepped aside, these Rank One black mages continued to stroll down the commercial street.

They occasionally pulled out magicoins or energy crystals to purchase their chosen items. After all, this shopping excursion was a rare treat for the black mages.

Back in Blackhaven, they had neither the variety nor the abundance of resources available here.

In the Magus World, the culture strongly emphasized the principle of equivalent exchange and the upholding of contracts.

Although the black mages occasionally encountered cold treatment and disdainful looks, they managed to acquire their desired materials in most cases.

Any unsuccessful transactions were simply due to a lack of funds.

At the end of the day, they were only Rank One black mages. While their potential was notable, their wealth was limited.

To avoid recognition, Sein donned his Verdant Flame Eye Mask.

After the latest modification, Sein’s Verdant Flame Eye Mask appeared quite ordinary in its inactivated state. It looked exactly like its original form—the Pale Mask.

However, once activated, it could transform into a formidable weapon capable of posing a threat to beings of the same rank.

After the assault by Van Basten, a Rank Two black mage, on the southern coast, Sein had enhanced the Verdant Flame Eye Mask numerous times, incorporating several innovative techniques he learned in Steel City and from Morsidor’s magic notes.

According to Sein’s laboratory tests, the Verdant Flame Eye Mask could theoretically allow Sein to challenge a Rank Two creature when fully charged.

Wearing the Verdant Flame Eye Mask and concealing his aura, Sein continued his explorations around Port Allen.

The aura restraint technique he developed from observing Tourmaline had proven effective against most so far.

Even some of the Rank Three mages in Port Allen failed to discern Sein’s true strength.

Those who did manage to see through him could not help but regard him highly.

What they admired was not Sein’s strength but his mastery of such a sophisticated aura restraint technique, which left them secretly astonished.

“What could be the origin of this Rank One mage? Could he also be...” mused one of the Rank Three grand mages who had noticed Sein.

The prosperity of Port Allen was pretty impressive, but Sein was no longer just a novice mage.

From the Viridescent Land to the Western Archipelago, Sein’s travels from south to north had exposed him to many wonders.

He had just exited “Fraren Flame Shop”, an alchemy store in Port Allen, when he spotted a tall female mage with long, black hair entering the “Daxi's Material Store” directly ahead on the right.

She walked briskly, likely not noticing Sein nearby.

Dressed in a black robe with a gray badge pinned to it, she seemed to be a black mage from Blackhaven.

Somehow, the moment she appeared in Sein’s field of vision, his gaze was inexplicably drawn to her.

It was as if a gravitational pull existed between them, compelling Sein to follow.

By the time he snapped back to his senses, Sein found himself at the doorstep of “Daxi’s Material Store”.

Tucked away in the corner of the street, this store specialized in intermediate and basic magic materials, focusing primarily on umbra elemental magic materials and essentials for necromancy, while offering a lesser variety of other elements.

Sein wondered whether stores specializing in umbra elemental materials generally preferred more secluded locations.

Upon entering, he was immediately struck by the store’s cold and dark ambiance. Nevertheless, the shop was surprisingly spacious and quite empty.

Despite its lack of aesthetic appeal compared to the “Fraren Flame Shop” Sein had just visited, it boasted a wide array of materials at reasonable prices

Moments after stepping inside, Sein spotted the female mage again. She was intently examining a selection of umbra elemental materials on one of the shelves.

According to Sein’s observation, those materials were crafted from desiccated carcasses of umbra elemental creatures.

Known for their flexibility and practicality, they were popular choices among intermediate magic materials.

Since the store was quite empty, the female mage immediately noticed Sein. Standing in front of the shelf, her expression shifted slightly as she looked up at him.

As a black mage, she possessed an acute intuition and sense of danger.

However, the Rank One female black mage could not discern his true strength since Sein was still wearing his Verdant Flame Eye Mask and restraining his aura.

Nevertheless, her gaze lingered on him, particularly on his mask.