A/N: Bonus Chapter for Supergift—Castle.

Thank you ’Tevin_Rawson’ for your generous support.

It really helps!

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Chapter 405: Blooming Lotus [Bonus 2/2]

Hummmmmmmmm...

Yano’s eyes widened as he saw—and heard—the tall, proud tree at the absolute centre of the mound begin to pulse gently with a greenish-white aura. A soothing hum spread through the air, filling one’s being with vitality just by standing near it.

"He actually did it," Katherine chuckled from the shadows, and Brant shook his head in agreement.

"How much control does he have over that colossus that he can tell it to voluntarily stop the treasure’s advancement and make it happen at will?" Brant said, clearly amazed. There were very few like Leo.

"He must have taken good care of that beast—especially that little dryad," Katherine replied.

"Whenever I see that little disaster, she’s busy tending to the plants on the colossus’s back. No wonder the colossus likes Leo so much. That dryad is basically its kid, and it seems thankful of Leo of raising such a good kid."

Then Katherine scoffed.

"I know a certain fellow who spoils his daughter just like Leo does that dryad."

Brant gave a nervous cough and glanced around.

"Keep an eye out. We don’t want any academy staff showing up under the pretext that the treasure tree is dangerous and needs monitoring—just so they can snatch it from that brat."

Katherine nodded.

"Though I wonder if that will even happen. Brother Tarun has become so obsessed with Leo that he might actually kill anyone who messes with him."

"Yeah... I wonder what he saw in him that we didn’t," Brant muttered. "Searching every corner of accessible land just to gather top-tier treasures for him—for inter-academy competitions and beyond. And aren’t those treasures ranked far higher than what the brat can handle? He might not even be able to digest them."

Katherine nodded again.

"I guess he has his reasons. He might know something we don’t. In the end, he has more knowledge than we do. All we can do is support Leo and Lily to the best of our abilities."

Brant nodded before completely disappearing into the clouds, while Katherine melted into the shadows.

The very next moment, the sky lit up.

HUMMMMMM—SHIINNNGGG!

A pillar of golden light burst around the tree, spearing into the sky. The entire mound was bathed in radiant gold, illuminating the dark lands far and wide.

"L-Lord!!!"

Leo suddenly heard a girlish voice from above and chuckled at the sight.

Aeila was clinging tightly to the branch she stood on with all four limbs. Her face, bathed in golden light, looked utterly terrified as she stared down at Leo with teary eyes.

"Why are you up there?" Leo asked, an amused smile spreading across his face. He had already sensed her at the top of the tree but had said nothing—just to see this exact reaction.

"M-My Lord! I am sorry! You told me to climb the highest place possible, and since I was given access to come here, I climbed it. I-I am sorry! I won’t do it again!"

"Stay right there. This phenomenon isn’t harmful," Leo said, turning to leave. But at that moment—

Ding!

Cragviel Colossus (Mid 3-star)

Mortal Bloodline (51% → 79%)

Blood Bond - 59% → 60%

Traits:

1. Endless Growth - Locked

2. Controlled Weight Flow - Locked → Unlocked (1%)

3. Natural Habitat Harmonisation - Locked

4. Titanic Endurance - Locked

5. Geo-Resonance Sense - Partially Unlocked (99%) → Unlocked

But what Leo saw next was completely unexpected.

Ding!

Name: Aeila

Race: Wood Elf

Status: Low 2-star

Talent: [Spirit Link] - 3 star → 4 star

- An advanced version of thought communication that connects [multiple individuals] → [multiple individuals, including live puppets,] through a shared mental network. Communication is faster, clearer, and can include images, intent, and directional awareness. At higher mastery, the user can maintain the link over [long distances] → very long distances.

Leo’s pupils contracted, and he sharply turned back to look at Aeila.

The elf had just begun to relax when she jerked under his gaze.

"L-Lord, I am sorry..." she stammered, thinking she was doomed—that Leo had decided to punish her. But—

"Nothing. Just pay attention to your job. I need to do something else," he said, pointing his finger toward Aeila.

But Aeila soon realised he wasn’t pointing at her—but at something behind her.

She turned, and the moment her eyes landed on it, her breath caught—not out of fear, but awe at the beauty before her.

The surrounding branches and leaves twisted and spiralled, forming the shape of a flower. With each pulse released by the tree, it grew clearer, more defined—until it resembled a fully formed bloom.

A flower made of pure, pulsating vitality.

"Aeila, keep that thing safe until I return."

With that, Leo vanished from his spot, leaving Aeila completely flabbergasted.

The heaven and earth phenomenon was still ongoing, and Leo knew it would take time to settle. Until then, many would have already begun their assault.

And he was right.

"HEAVEN AND EARTH PHENOMENON!!!"

A sudden uproar spread across everyone present in the territory.

00:00, 7 February.

Ting!

>Leo’s territory bounty is active for the next 24 hours!

"Charge!!!"

Yano couldn’t believe his eyes. He had only ever heard and read of a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon—never witnessed one himself.

So, when he had heard that this event had happened during the trial of a certain city, he felt a knot occur in his stomach because he had refused to go to that same trial city where he got a chance in order to seduce and bring back some talented girl who was from the outskirts.

Because at that moment, he was already indulging another girl whom he found in his trial city and didn’t want to leave her. As a matter of fact, the girl was a life-talent individual, and he had arranged her to be in Aurelius Beast Academy and then in his territory so he could keep on indulging with her every time.

His fist clenched tightly.

This is my chance!

"The heavens have favoured me once again! And I will take everything they have to offer!" he shouted, charging forward.

A Heaven and Earth Phenomenon itself was an extremely auspicious event—one that carried a chance of granting boons to those nearby. Not to mention, even the lowest-tier treasure capable of triggering such a phenomenon was at least purple-grade.

A treasure like that could be sold for millions of AC.

He had to obtain it.

And if not that, then at the very least—he had to get close.

Being already this close to a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon was a one-in-a-million opportunity.

"Rock! Dig inside and retrieve that treasure for me!" Yano shouted hysterically.

"Huh?"

Yano suddenly stopped dead in his tracks—and so did the others around him, their eyes widening in shock.

"Rock...?"

Rock—his Boulder Rock Snake—was on the verge of death right in front of them out of nowhere.

Its rocky body was terribly chipped, marred with deep slashes and cuts, while violet flames clung to its form, slowly devouring it.