Chapter 393: Verdant Blaze

The centipede’s head snapped toward the incoming arrow, and Leo could tell the beast’s entire being was filled with dread. Ignoring the pain in its back, it hurriedly tried to burrow into the earth.

"No, you won’t," Leo said calmly, extending his hand.

Stuing—Snap!

A surge of green vines erupted from the canopy, lashing down and coiling around the centipede’s body. Some seized its countless legs, others wrapped around entire segments, while a few yanked at its mandibles. Thick vines pressed it down, locking its writhing body against the ground.

SRAAAAKKK!

The beast screeched, frantically using its own root manipulation to break free, but Leo’s vines—denser, stronger—held firm.

All of a sudden, the multiple mandibles started to glow green as round green projectiles shot through them around the surroundings, especially towards Leo. Leo stomped his one foot as a sturdy earthen wall rose in front of him that blocked the seed shots. The next moment, the seed erupted, and vines started to grow endlessly around the earthen wall.

Some shots that missed landed on a tree, and the same thing happened; they burst, and thin greenish vines started to grow endlessly to try and strangle whatever they could find.

Leo frowned and used low-intensity solar beams to burn away the seeds in front of the wall that stopped the vine growth. He once again focused on Centipede to keep it restrained.

The other worms had already dug deep inside the ground and many were already killed by the girls and elves.

Then, as if realising it wouldn’t escape the incoming strike, the Centipede shifted to defence. Bark armour along its body thickened and expanded, plates grinding against each other as it coiled tightly, trying to minimize the damage.

But it miscalculated the arrow’s true strength.

Shing!

The arrow tore through the air and struck directly into the beast’s midsection.

BOOOM—TWOOSSS!

A blazing flare erupted the instant it hit. Flames surged outward at terrifying speed—only to halt abruptly, as if slamming into an invisible barrier.

Leo had already moved. With a controlled gust, he formed a circular wind wall around the centipede. Within moments, the entire area was engulfed in fire. The flames twisted, forced back by the wind, spiraling upward into a raging tornado around the trapped beast.

Tsk—KRRRRKKKKK!!!

The Thorncrawler shrieked in agony as the flames scorched through its outer layers, charring them black. With Leo compressing the wind, the fire intensified further, the heat growing sharper, more suffocating.

As if conducting music, Leo gently swayed his hand, guiding the currents to feed the inferno.

Around him, the territory members—except the elves—stared in stunned silence. Aina and other two girl’s mouth hung open, eyes wide at the sight.

High above, Brok was just returning with Lily and Sylrael. Even he paused his thoughts mid-flight, eyes widening at the spectacle below—a nearly 50-meter-high fire tornado, with a massive beast thrashing within its blazing core. Even from this distance, the creature’s shrieks carried through the air.

"Is that really Naelith?" Sylrael asked, trying to make out the flames.

"Hm... Leo or Kaelion doesn’t have fire affinity for something like this. It must be Naelith."

"Wow... when did she gain that much control over her fire?" Sylrael muttered. Then, almost at the same time, they noticed Leo’s movements.

"O-oh... it’s Lord—he’s using wind to guide the fire..." she realized, her expression quickly tightening into a grimace.

"Naelith must have overdone it... L-Lady Lily, please ask Lord to forgive her. I’ll make sure she learns to control her strength as quickly as possible."

Lily placed a hand on Sylrael’s shoulder, patting her gently.

"Don’t worry. Leo isn’t angry. And take your time teaching her," she said with a soft smile.

Down below, the heat radiating from the tornado began to reach the others. Faces flushed red, sweat forming and dripping under the oppressive warmth.

"I—I didn’t know someone this strong was among the brought s-slaves..." Aina stammered, wiping her forehead.

As Leo considered whether the beast was already dead, Naelith suddenly appeared beside him, dropping to her knees.

"I-I am sorry, my lord. I used excessive strength," she said, head lowered.

Leo didn’t look at her, his focus fixed on maintaining the wind currents.

"Don’t worry. Just train, and you’ll learn to control your strength. You and the other elves are free to use the arena on the plateau when we’re not using it. Pryde will ensure your flames don’t damage anything."

"T-thank you, my lord." Naelith struggled to steady her voice. She had only come to apologise because she feared her actions might bring punishment upon the other elves. Instead, he wasn’t angry—and even offered help.

Leo then turned toward her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"You also have wind as your subsidiary element, right?"

"How—uh, yes, I do." She almost asked how he knew, since she hadn’t used it, but stopped herself.

"And wood?"

"Yes... that too." Naelith gulped, uncertain where this was going.

Leo pointed at the slowly fading fire tornado. The centipede’s cries still echoed faintly from within.

"I want you to learn this—combine wind and fire to create a fire tornado. Do that, and I’ll provide advancement materials so you can rank up to Low 4-star. That will be your reward."

Naelith’s pupils shrank, though her lowered head hid it.

"M-my lord... really?" she asked, disbelief creeping into her voice.

From Sylrael’s stories about her dreams, slaves barely received enough food to survive, let alone grow stronger. Advancement had always been a distant dream. Yet here Leo was, offering materials as a reward.

Her fists clenched slightly. She had longed to rise in rank for so long.

Leo understood.

"I’ll say it again—I don’t see you as slaves. You’re part of my territory now. You’ll receive the same treatment as everyone else. Though you might work more, since you can’t betray me," he added plainly. "Work hard, and you’ll be rewarded properly. Now go. I’ll finish this."

Naelith nodded once, unable to find words, and quietly withdrew.

Leo cracked his knuckles, watching the barely living beast.

"Time to level up, kek."