novelraw Chapter 369: What?
Chapter 369: What?
Chapter 369: What?
"What?" Tavian asked, confused.
"Yes, we only have 27 members, and 30 if you take us three into consideration. Are you sure that only allying with us will be enough?" Leo asked after Tavian said that he no longer needed to approach others.
"Wait, are you telling me... people are not approaching the 1st rankers’ territory to join? Even I am being approached by 10s of people on a daily basis. And people are not approaching you guys? When the top 3 are in one place?" Tavian said, almost as if he couldn’t believe his own words.
Since Leo’s territory’s location was already revealed, people should be coming in heaps.
Leo scratched his chin awkwardly.
"They just cannot cross the traps laid in the surroundings?" Leo said, though even he sounded unconvinced by his own explanation.
Then Kaelion took over.
"He and Lily won’t allow people to join before going through a strict screening and contract-signing process. And of course, the process would only start if people actually managed to reach the territory."
"He lets his beasts loose in the surroundings to fight any people they find to gain fighting experience, with only one leeway—if they run, let them run. And if someone manages to cross that, just seeing the contract clauses is enough for people to turn their backs and leave. Of course, not before battling the said beasts again."
The screening he was talking about was done by the three girls, Virat, and sometimes Lily, since Leo was absent most of the time, either training or reading in the library.
"And you are confident in defending your territory with these 30?" Tavian asked. Initially, when he saw such a large territory and the various house structures while landing, he had assumed more than 100 members were guaranteed, but 30 was a surprise to him.
"Don’t get me wrong, I know you three can handle the whole fresher force, but it gets difficult when you are attacked from all sides. There are bound to be people who will slip through. And even if the other 27 are in the top 50, it will get extremely difficult for you to protect your beacon."
Leo sighed. Tavian’s reasoning was right—if he only had people from the top 50 whose strength lay between High 2-star to Pseudo 3-star. But he had Sylrael, a Low 4-star being who was equal to them, Naelith—a Pseudo 4-star, another equal to them. Then there were 3 more High 3-star elves. Even their strength was on par with, if not greater than, the top 10 students.
Leo was already sitting with nearly 8 people in his territory, whose strength could be said to be in the top 10.
Of course, since the elves weren’t beast masters, they would be outnumbered and face difficulties like they did against Leo and the group back in the realm. But now, with Bigfoot, who had already advanced to Mid 3-star, and their other beasts, it was impossible to lose.
Though Leo wanted to hide this, he needed to give a clue to Tavian. They were in an alliance now, and knowing each other’s strength was necessary to rely on one another.
"Tavian, I think you have realised we have acquired slaves?"
"Yes? Everyone does that for basic protection and menial jobs."
"Yeah, exactly. These slaves... or rather, I prefer to call them territory members, are not for menial jobs. For an estimate, one of them can easily take you along with another fellow top 10 student with you."
"Huh?" Tavian was left speechless.
Then he frowned.
"Are you joking with me?" he asked.
Leo shook his head and looked toward the door.
"Naelith, come in." He had already called her before through the mind link.
Tavian turned and was left dumbstruck at the sight of the red-haired elf. No, he wasn’t entranced by her beauty, but rather—
"Pseudo 4-star...? No, it could be more..." Tavian muttered. Since his strength had only reached Mid 3-star recently, he couldn’t sense Naelith’s strength properly, which was 3 minor ranks above his.
"Meet Naelith, a wood elf we brought after venturing into a secret realm just a week ago. She is currently a Pseudo 4-star individual, and yes, she isn’t the only one we brought here at her level," Leo hinted, without disclosing things about Sylrael.
Tavian snapped back to reality.
"Wait! You have another elf at her level? Damn, that’s insane..." He looked back, only to see Naelith staring at him with a blank, emotionless expression.
Tavian knew that venturing into a secret realm was dangerous, and you wouldn’t get even a tiny bit of help from the professor accompanying you, even if they had close relations with you. Doing that would make them answerable to the Principal, as the badge they wore sensed and recorded everything.
This only meant Leo and the others had captured these elves on their own.
"You really aren’t in need of any alliance..." he muttered.
"Even those arrays will be of little help." Tavian realised Leo had made the alliance just for the sake of it.
But he didn’t know Leo and Lily were curious about this array, and having a personal master at their disposal was the best way to learn it. And securing Tavian early meant that, in case he got stronger in the future, it would only benefit them—in exchange for help that could be provided just by sending a few beasts and elves, which was no trouble for them.
"Naelith, you can go now," Leo said. Naelith bowed slightly and left. Sylrael had successfully managed to impart some etiquette into her.
"So? You think we need more than 30 people?"
"Of course not, but what will you do in the future if you require workers for menial jobs? If your contract clauses are as strict as Leon says, I doubt people will join. You will need to bring in more slaves."
Leo shook his head.
"My contract clause doesn’t bind them or prevent them from leaving. It only asks them to keep anything related to us secret and follow basic loyalty clauses. If they aren’t even ready to fulfil that, I don’t need them. Simple as that. We are more than enough to handle things," Leo said calmly.
Tavian nodded.
"I agree. If I had strength and capabilities like you, I might have done the same. So I will respect your choice in this matter."
"So? Will you be forming other alliances? Just so you know, I don’t have any problems. It’s always best to have insurance, just like I did by allying with you," Leo asked.