Chapter 571 ·Flame Guardian’s Evolution

"Ding-dong—whenever ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the 【Flame General】 was about to gain the upper hand, the melody of 【Strings of Flotenath】 would resound within the soul of the 【Flame General】 at just the right moment.

Fear, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sorrow, anxiety, pain—more than ten kinds of negative emotions gnawed at the soul of the 【Flame General】 like venomous ants, causing its already unstable will, steeped in negativity, to collapse even further.

"Waa-waa—"

  ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍The Flame Guardian, on the other hand, who had been imbued by Janna with positive emotions such as courage, resilience, and focus, grew braver and stronger under her guidance. It forcefully endured the suppression from the 【Flame General】 and began its counterattack.

"Anna, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍my Soul Power can no longer support keeping you here—"

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the battle between the 【Flame General】 and the Flame Guardian intensified, Janna’s Soul Power, nearing the brink of exhaustion, forced her to stop playing the 【Strings of Flotenath】. She turned her head toward Anna and spoke.

"Then you must be careful. Don’t push yourself too hard in anything you do."

"Mm, I understand."

After reminding Janna, Anna—who had also been suffering discomfort while staying within the 【Flame Plane】—lifted her Contract Power and returned to the 【Material Plane】.

With Anna’s departure, the wall of water that had trapped the 【Flame General】 shattered, dispersing into a pool of liquid that splashed upon the ground.

"Roar—"

Seeing that the surrounding wall of water had vanished, the 【Flame General】’s first instinct was to flee.

But the Flame Guardian, now fiercer and braver than ever, gave it no chance. It lunged forward, opening its jaws wide, and began biting and tearing at the 【Flame General】 with relentless ferocity.

Meanwhile, Janna continuously employed the enchanting power of the 【Fragment of the Law of Beauty】 to mentally suppress the 【Flame General】. She even had the Hundred-Eyed Specter weave illusions around it, confusing its will to prevent any chance of escape.

"Roar—"

  Finally, accompanied by a desperate roar, the heavily wounded 【Flame General】 succumbed under the combined assault of Janna and the Flame Guardian. In the end, it was devoured whole by the Flame Guardian—like a “mad dog”—leaving not even a spark behind.

"Burp"

After swallowing the 【Flame General】, the Flame Guardian staggered as if drunk on strong spirits, collapsing onto the ground and letting out a long, satisfied belch.

Immediately afterward, its flames surged. The Flame Guardian’s body, which had only partially turned blue before, now became entirely azure. Its once-spherical, rotund body gradually stretched and reshaped into a new form—about three meters tall, with a humanoid upper body and a lower half still made of flame.

"It evolved this quickly—?"

Janna had thought that after devouring the 【Flame General】, Enyard would need several days to fully absorb the energy.

Yet, to her surprise, in just a matter of seconds, Enyard had completed a leap in evolution—from 【Flame Guardian】 to 【Flame General】—without a moment’s pause.

"As expected, for elemental beings, devouring one’s own kind provides far more efficient and economical growth than merely absorbing elemental essences—"

Whether violent fire-elemental creatures or other types of elementals, they could all grow stronger by “devouring their own kind,” accumulating the energy necessary for evolution.

Of course, aside from being brutally straightforward, this method also saved Janna a large sum she would otherwise spend on purchasing elemental essences.

"With Enyard’s evolution complete, I now have two Wizard-tier summoned creatures. If handled properly, perhaps I could even help Laura and Ines evolve the same way—"

Roar—

  As Janna was still contemplating the feasibility of her plan, Enyard—who had been “drunk” on the ground—slowly rose to his feet. He turned around and looked down at Janna with an air of superiority.

Seeing this, Janna, well aware of the base nature of fire elementals, merely sneered. She promptly located Enyard’s Contract Medium on the Witch Tree and, using her consciousness as a needle, pierced it sharply.

"Roar—!!"

Even though Enyard’s strength had far surpassed Janna’s, as a creature bound by a slavery contract, his life and death still rested entirely in her hands—allowing no room for resistance.

A slight manipulation of the Contract Medium was all it took for Enyard to let out a painful scream.

"I’d heard before that ill-tempered fire elementals often develop rebellious will once their power exceeds that of their summoner. I wasn’t entirely convinced before, but it seems that was quite true."

As she spoke, a silver-white whip materialized in Janna’s hand. Her eyes glinted dangerously as she looked down at Enyard, who was now writhing on the ground in agony.

"Today, I’ll make sure you learn your lesson."

Snap!—the whip fell. While torturing Enyard’s Contract Medium with her mind, Janna simultaneously unleashed the 【Soul Lash】 Witchcraft, striking his body repeatedly until he was on the verge of unconsciousness. Only then did she stop.

"M-Master, please forgive my mistake. I won’t ever dare to do it again!"

Seeing that Janna had finally stopped, Enyard—his eyes regaining clarity—prostrated himself at her feet, utterly stripped of his former arrogance.

"If you dare to defy me again, I won’t hesitate to destroy your Contract Medium and use your body as nourishment to raise a new summoned creature."

Upon hearing this, Enyard—now possessing full sentience—felt a surge of fear. Even the flames covering his body trembled uncontrollably.

"Take this. Consider this Fire Elemental Essence your evolution gift. Remember, during this time, do not cause any more trouble. Stay here and recover."

"Th-thank you, Master. I will remember your words."

Janna, well-versed in the principle of “a stick first, then a sweet date,” sensed Enyard’s complete submission. She took out the finest Fire Elemental Essence she had prepared earlier from her 【White Tower Signet Ring】 and handed it to him.

Enyard accepted the essence while still kneeling on the ground, not daring to rise.

"Alright, I’m heading back. Remember what I just told you."

Her Soul Power nearly depleted, Janna no longer had the energy to examine Enyard’s newly acquired abilities after evolution.

After leaving those final words, she once again activated her 【Spirit Traverse】 talent and returned to the 【Material Plane】—

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