Chapter 134: Foundations of Strength
Frank sat cross-legged in the meditation alcove of his temporary cabin within the designated sector of the UR expedition zone. The walls were formed from polished grey alloy, humming faintly with embedded mana-conducting runes. A soft glow pulsed from a circular mana lamp overhead, casting a serene twilight across the room. Outside, the morning mist clung to the alien wilderness, curling lazily around twisted, barkless trees and jagged crystalline formations that jutted from the earth like the ribs of a long-dead god.
For the first time since his arrival, his mind was still..
Only peace and the satisfying weight of results.
He opened his eyes, summoning his spatial ring and bringing forth one of the precious items it now held. A single crimson vitality seed, warm to the touch, floated above his palm. It pulsed slowly, like a miniature heart infused with ancient life force.
The parasitic vine that had latched onto him months ago once a cursed burden had proven itself once more. While the others had focused on weathering the hailstorm and salvaging frozen beasts, Frank had silently let the vine feast. It had consumed corpses, sucked dry the ambient mana of fallen titans, and grown fat with vitality essence. Now, he had over forty seeds each one a treasure to body refiners.
He stored half into his spatial ring, leaving the rest with his physical body in case of emergency. The seeds would serve two purposes: one set as long-term cultivation material for his newly adopted dual-paths Titan's Hunger and Rooted Flesh, Boundless Bark and the other as contingencies for regeneration, or burst healing in dire combat.
The twin body-refinement techniques were monstrous in their requirements.
Titan's Hunger devoured anything with mass and mana to strengthen the physique. It was brutal, savage, and perfectly suited for battlefront growth.
Boundless Bark, on the other hand, was slower but offered terrifying defense and regenerative depth. It emulated nature layer by layer, cell by cell, forming a skin tougher than steel and nerves more durable than copper wiring.
And this planet UR was the best place to evolve such a path. Not Earth. Not with human civilization still struggling to adjust to the rise of mana beasts and awakened populations. He couldn't unleash his vine fully or start mass harvesting there.
He moved to the other items in his ledger.
Two tonnes of mana-enriched ice sat in his storage ring blocks of deep blue ice laced with intricate mana veins, so dense they resonated when tapped. Not only could they serve as raw material for crafting and refining, but they could also be used to practice Titan's Hunger as they were compressed ice mana
The rest of the ice over forty tonnes had already been carefully packed and sent back to the Okoli facility via the expedition pilot. Frank had personally overseen the packaging, embedding anti-theft seals and even adding low-level spatial markers for later tracking. This was not a mere shipment of raw material. It was a lifeline.
He did the math in his head again.
Even accounting for wastage, overhead, and trade skimming by the external handlers, this shipment would likely cover over a year and a half of their revised quotas. The 50% offering requirement, instituted after Philip's brutal crackdown and enforced across most family branches, was still heavy but now, finally, manageable.
A faint smile tugged at Frank's lips.
For the first time since arriving on UR, he felt in control.
Stretching out his limbs, he stood. His joints popped loud cracks echoing in the quiet room. His muscles felt tighter, denser, already subtly enhanced by the vitality energy that had bled into his body during battle.
He moved toward the window, pulling back the curtain.
Below, the makeshift barracks and supply platforms buzzed with controlled activity. Twenty adepts and ten commanders moved in disciplined formations, rotating between patrols, beast scouting, and resource extraction zones. All of them knew their role. All of them had begun to trust him not just because of his raw power, but because Frank always delivered.
And now, with tangible gains to show for their efforts, morale was higher than ever.
"This isn't just a resource run anymore," Frank whispered, voice filled with quiet resolve. "This is a foundation. A beginning."
The red vine around his arm twitched, sensing his rising intent.
"If this is how we begin…" he said aloud, "then I'll leave UR not just as a master… but as a Sage."
The morning mist outside began to lift, revealing the blood-orange sky of UR in its full, haunting beauty.
Frank turned back to his room.
There was still much to do. But for now he allowed himself to be satisfied