Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 718: Mutual Requests

As Sein made his way to the top of the divine tower to meet his mentor, Lorianne also sent him a message requesting his presence.

As soon as the mentor and her apprentice saw each other, they waited for each other to speak.

After a moment, Lorianne broke the silence first by saying, “You first.”

“Uh, about the Verdant Wilderness World War that’s going to take place in ten years—I’d like to take Leena with me,” Sein began.

Worried that Lorianne might refuse, he quickly added, “There’s been a war among the black towers lasting over thirty years on her side, and it’s been years since I’ve seen her. I really miss her.”

Lorianne was known for her sentimental nature and often indulged her only apprentice.

Therefore, Sein knew that if he added a touch of emotion to his request, she would likely give in.

His strategy worked as expected, as Lorianne let out a soft sigh of relief upon hearing his request.

“Sure, you can bring Leena to fight with us! But...” Lorianne paused with a playful glint in her eye.

“Since I’ve helped you solve your problem, you should return the favor, right?” she asked, blinking at her apprentice.

A bad feeling crept into Sein but he braced himself and asked, “What can I do for you, Master Lorianne?”

Lorianne rested her chin in hand and thought for a moment before replying, “I plan to send you to the Verdant Wilderness World ahead of schedule.”

“Ahead of schedule? What do you mean?” Sein looked up in confusion.

“I’ve run many simulations over the years and found that a direct invasion, even using the space fortress’ main cannon to bombard the planar barrier, would be costly,” Lorianne began.

“The barrier of this world is thicker than we expected, even more than the Viridian Venom Flame World or Verdant Leaf World. This is likely due to the laws of this low-level plane. That’s why I need you to help me with some arrangements in advance to reduce the thickness of this barrier,” she explained in a serious tone.

Sein contemplated the implications of sneaking into a realm where the majority of creatures would be hostile.

The thought of encountering numerous beings of Rank Two and above, possibly even Rank Four creatures, made his scalp crawl.

He even began to question whether Lorianne truly regarded him as her apprentice.

“Why me?” Sein asked, his eye twitching.

“Because I trust you,” Lorianne answered flatly.

Noting Sein’s hesitation, she assured, “The danger of entering the Verdant Wilderness World is actually quite low.”

“The demigod-level plant sovereign of this plane, the Green Spikefur King, has allied with us. Once you arrive, it’ll ensure your safety. I’ll also cast a shaping spell on you to transform your appearance into that of a plant-like creature native to the Verdant Wilderness World. You’ll just need to sneak in quietly and carry out some reconnaissance on the planar law nodes according to my instructions,” Lorianne explained.

She opened her eyes wide, striving to appear as earnest as possible, as she attempted to convince her apprentice.

“Uh, I think it might be better to assign a Rank Three grand mage or a Rank Three Sky Knight to this task. What do you think?” Sein suggested, looking squarely at Lorianne.

Lorianne shook her head and explained, “Rank Three beings entering would likely trigger a huge backlash from the planar will, significantly raising the risk of exposure. Those of Rank One are too weak to carry out the mission, so Rank Two is just right.”

“And among those at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, you’re the best candidate,” she added earnestly.

Despite her reassurances, Sein could not shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Unlike his unreliable mother-in-law, Sia, Lorianne normally would not put Sein’s life at risk.

Raising his head, Sein gave his mentor a scrutinizing look.

His gaze was piercing.

After a few seconds under his intense scrutiny, Lorianne shifted uncomfortably and tugged at her magic robe.

“Do you have any other questions?” she asked.

Sein narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at Lorianne’s face for a long moment before suddenly saying, “Tell me the truth, Master Lorianne.”

Sein and Lorianne shared a strong rapport, which allowed them to speak openly and comfortably with each other.

Upon hearing his direct question, Lorianne twirled a strand of her green hair around her finger, pausing momentarily as she hesitated.

Lorianne cleared her throat and confessed, "Ahem, entering the Verdant Wilderness World is no easy task, and locating the exact planar node is even trickier. You’ll also need to set up a special device. The safest way to enter and carry out a mission is for me to split out a strand of my mental focus like how I would create a clone, then hide it in the person who will be carrying out the mission.

“While I have dissected numerous humanoid creatures, I have never thought of sending a strand of my focus into someone else. I’m not keen on hiding a part of me in another male mage but we also don’t have any particularly outstanding female mages at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring. After much consideration, you’re the only one capable enough to carry a strand of my consciousness on a mission to Verdant Wilderness World.”

“Just accept the task! It won’t be too dangerous. If we encounter any insurmountable crisis, the strand of my consciousness will release enough energy to bring you back safely. As long as you can complete this mission, you’ll receive the most credit for this interplanar war,” she promised.

“Do you have any complaints?” Lorianne poked Sein’s forehead.

Some things were better explained clearly.

Now that Master Lorianne had laid everything out for Sein, he felt much more at ease.

Moreover, Sein understood that if Lorianne had alternatives, she would not have assigned him such a “dangerous” mission.

However, danger was relative.

At least from Master Lorianne’s briefing, Sein understood the “challenges” of this mission.

But with Lorianne’s protection, it should not be too problematic...

“So, when do I leave?” Sein asked.

“Not anytime soon; I still need some time to prepare, and this gives you a good opportunity to familiarize yourself with Verdant Wilderness World,” Lorianne replied.

“Hmm, the space fortress is expected to be delivered to me in twelve years, and figuring out how to operate it correctly during an interplanar war is another significant challenge,” she added with a frown.

The upcoming Verdant Wilderness World War was expected to be more challenging than the Verdant Leaf World War.

Likewise, the resources and troops that the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring planned to commit would also be greater.

It remained uncertain whether other powerhouses of Rank Four or above would be involved, aside from Lorianne.

When they purchased the space fortress at Capiche Business Alliance, Master Cipher did offer her assistance if the war required it.