Chapter 570 ·Reversing the Heavens and Stars

Several ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍months ago, the Flame Guardian, whose fire had gradually shifted from orange-yellow to blue, had already left the center of the magma lake where it had long resided, beginning to hunt along the outer perimeter of the molten basin.

Its ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍prey mainly consisted of other Flame Guardians that had strayed too far from their groups, and secondarily, those weaker Flame Orb Sprites.

As ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Enyard devoured more and more of its “own kind,” the blue portion of its outer flames grew larger. Soon, nearly all solitary fire-elemental creatures around the magma lake had been consumed by Enyard.

However, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just as Enyard was preparing to expand its hunting grounds further to satisfy its “appetite,” an unexpected [Flame General] passing by the magma lake suddenly took notice of its existence.

Throughout ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the [Flame Plane], there existed countless fire-elemental beings. Yet, the magma lake—located near the plane’s outer region—was typically inhabited by the lowest-ranked Flame Orb Sprites.

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fire-elemental creature like Enyard, already possessing the strength of a Flame Guardian, would normally relocate toward the central regions of the [Flame Plane], where fire-elemental magic was more concentrated. Very few of its kind lingered on the outskirts.

Thus, over the past few months, although Enyard had continued to hunt around the outer lake, most of its kills were mere Flame Orb Sprites. It had encountered only a handful of Flame Guardians of its own tier—hardly many.

Even so, Enyard was quite satisfied.

After all, unlike other wandering fire-elemental creatures, Enyard not only grew stronger by devouring its kind, but also received irregular “feedings” from its master, Janna.

Compared to the constant brawling and strife in the [Flame Plane]’s core—where even a meager gain required brutal struggle—its current life was rather leisurely.

If not for the fact that Janna’s other contracted creatures were improving too quickly, instilling in Enyard a sense of urgency, it would never have willingly left the magma lake to “hunt.”

Yet, just when Enyard thought its comfortable days could continue, an unexpected [Flame General], who should never have appeared in the outer regions of the [Flame Plane], completely disrupted its “training rhythm.”

Even though Enyard’s flames had already begun to turn blue, it was still nowhere near the power of the [Flame General], whose entire body blazed with blue fire and whose strength rivaled that of a formal wizard. The two were simply not on the same level.

Thus, the moment Enyard saw the [Flame General], its first instinct was to reach out to its master Janna through spiritual communication, even as it desperately tried to flee toward the depths of the magma lake.

However, the immense gap in power between them made escape impossible. With just one exchange, Enyard was completely bound at the lake’s center by the [Flame General], unable to move, much less run.

Just when Enyard had fallen into despair, believing it would be devoured whole, it realized that the opponent wasn’t trying to eat it at all. Instead, the [Flame General] seemed oddly interested, observing it with a curious gaze.

Only later did Enyard understand—the true intention of this [Flame General] who had “happened to pass by” was not to consume it, but to brand its soul with a slave mark, thus bringing it under his command.

But for Enyard, who had already formed a higher-level [Spirit Contract] with Janna, such an act was nothing short of torture.

Under the constraints of the [Law of Contracts], a single soul could not be bound to two different masters at once—especially not through the same type of “enslaving” and unequal contracts.

Thus, even under the crushing will of the high-tier [Flame General], Enyard barely resisted the first wave of mental assault thanks to Janna’s [Contract Mark] embedded deep within its soul.

Still, the natural rank suppression emanating from the [Flame General] left Enyard’s soul trembling on the brink of collapse.

Fortunately, Janna appeared just in time, saving Enyard from certain destruction.

Through that event, Enyard also witnessed—through a third-person view—the terrifying power possessed by its master’s other contracted creatures.

And that once again ignited a strange mix of crisis and fighting spirit within its heart—

「Enyard, whether you can devour it this time depends entirely on yourself.」

After using the Soul Crystal gifted by Janna to rapidly heal its spiritual wounds, Enyard heard her words and then flew to the towering wall of water, staring at the trapped [Flame General] within, like a beast in a cage.

Moments earlier, when the [Flame Guardian] was about to flee, Enyard had immediately sent a mental message to Janna, expressing its desire to attempt devouring the [Flame General].

Faced with this utterly “rebellious” idea, Janna barely hesitated before commanding the Ocean Envoy—Anna to stop the [Flame General] in its tracks.

The [Flame General], whose strength was supposedly on par with that of a formal wizard, had, through his own arrogance, caused the deaths of all his subordinates and nearly perished himself under Anna’s [Tide Summoning Magic].

Now, though he had barely escaped with his life, he was utterly spent—his former arrogance completely extinguished.

Even so, the fundamental gap in rank meant that any other Flame Guardian would still be crushed under his presence, unable to resist at all—

「Are you sure you want it to go in there and face that fire-elemental creature alone?」

「Mm. So I’ll have to trouble you to send it inside.」

Understanding Janna’s intentions, Anna no longer tried to dissuade her. She simply cast a spell, enveloping Flame Guardian—Enyard in a barrier, then sent it through the wall of water.

「Don’t come to regret this.」

「Don’t worry. It will succeed—after all—」

At that moment, Janna’s gaze shifted toward Flame Guardian—Enyard, now inside the water barrier.

The instant Enyard entered, it transformed into a blazing web of blue-tinted flames, lunging straight toward the [Flame General].

Seeing this, the [Flame General], who had never deigned to notice any low-tier fire-elemental creature, roared furiously and charged at Enyard with reckless fury.

Yet, a dying camel was still larger than a horse. The moment they clashed, Flame Guardian—Enyard was pinned down by the [Flame General], utterly unable to fight back.

「After all, I never said I would let my contracted creature face the [Flame General] alone.」

With that, watching her struggling creature, Janna once again plucked the [Strings of Frotenas]—

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