Another flicker—Ben moved instantly. His fist lashed out, connecting with solid chitin as the Phantom Ravager reappeared, slamming it viciously into the dirt. The Phantom shrieked in surprise, desperately trying to vanish again—but Ben's grip tightened rcilessly, pinning it down. "Too predictable."
With one decisive strike, he crushed the Ravager's head under his boot, black blood spraying in all directions. "Consu!" [Phantom Ravager consud. Acquired 65 biomass.]
Ben stood up, breathing steadily, and surveyed the remains of the nest. Corpses littered the area, blood staining the ground dark. He quickly consud the remaining few Ravagers that lingered nearby, but frustration crept into his expression. "No new body parts again?" Ben muttered, irritation flickering across his face as he kicked a broken Ravager corpse aside. "What kind of garbage luck is this?"
At least the biomass haul was decent. He quickly checked the ti—his supply group should be returning soon. 'Might as well head back, restock, then get back to hunting.'
The solo hunts were proving far more efficient than expected. Minimal resource consumption, steady biomass gain, and a direct opportunity to refine his combat techniques. Fighting alongside the Krell was useful, but it was different. When alone, he couldn't rely on overwhelming numbers—he had to adapt, think creatively, and push his own limits. These past two battles had sharpened his instincts, his power elevating several tis over.
By the ti he returned to the stronghold, it had already undergone major improvents. The construction was almost complete, lacking only minor finishing touches. The outer wall now stood fully reinforced, lined with angled spikes, designed to prevent scaling or direct charges. The main gate had been doubled in thickness, reinforcing its structural integrity far beyond its original state. Inside the inner yard, the Krell worked tirelessly, finishing the last of the traps, preparing to move on to installing the spiked pits outside.
Ben's gaze shifted to the storage area, now filled with uprooted mushroom trees gathered by the Krell—valuable material for constructing more ballista. As he surveyed the vast space between the inner and outer walls, an idea struck him. 'I should build a forge here… with an armory right next to it.' That way, he could automate armor production for the Krell, ensuring a constant supply of weapons and gear.
But after so thought, he made an adjustnt. Instead of spreading out, he'd build upwards. A multi-level forge would save space, and he didn't need to store much here anyway. Most of the storage would be prioritized for ammunition—bolts for the crossbows and ballista.
Speaking of which, four ballista weren't enough to fully cover the entire periter. If the Ravagers attacked in full force, there were still blind spots in the defense. He needed more towers. Another four, positioned at the midpoints between the existing ones, ensuring complete coverage of every approach angle.
Than add ten Krell scout per section—north, west, east, and south—bringing the total to forty dedicated guards. That ant expanding the total pupation further, not counting the krell scout on the tower. He need to expand more the living area to hold them all.
But that wasn't enough. He needed more Krell Workers to manage forges, than add dedicated squad to guard each cardinal section.
As for the forge Ben plan to build three, Two dedicated to ammunition production.
One purely for weapons and armor.
The priority would be weapons first—getting every Krell fully equipped—before proceeding to armor production. His fingers drumd against his arm as he thought about storage. He could organize the armory locker-style, with each Krell's full set stored together, or categorize by equipnt type. After so thought, he settled on the latter. More efficient. Easier to resupply.
Just as he began designing the forge layout, his thoughts were interrupted. The two squads he had sent out earlier returned. As for the other scouts, they were still out there, pushing the borders of the map, exploring deeper into the bio's vastness.
The more they uncovered, the more Ben realized. This place was massive. Even when he had climbed high, reaching the cavern ceiling, the land stretched far beyond his vision.
What he had assud was the bio? It barely even covered a fraction of it. Probaly just he outer layer
Ben leaped down from the wall, landing effortlessly in front of the gate as the Krell caravan approached. He frowned slightly, noticing sothing off about the returning party. It wasn't the Krell themselves, but rather the large, oddly ornate carriage they were pulling.
From a distance, it seed perfectly normal—just a fancy carriage, nothing special—but the closer it ca, the stronger the mana he felt. His eyebrow twitched. "You gotta be kidding …"
As the caravan halted, all the Krell knelt respectfully. But Ben's eyes remained fixed on the carriage. Without a word, the carriage door swung open dramatically, and Elvira stepped out, flashing a proud smile. "Surprise! My Beloved" she exclaid, arms spread dramatically. "I've arrived to support you personally in your battle against these…um…Ravager things."
Ben's expression remained flat, unimpressed. "Let guess, you built this carriage because you didn't actually finish the talismans, right? You're to absorbed with your research and didn't make a single one till I remind you."
Elvira's eyes darted to the side. "W-what? No! Of course not!" she protested quickly, laughing nervously. "This is a mobile laboratory! An ingenious innovation, really. Now I can create talismans and potions anywhere, anyti. You know…while moving."
Ben folded his arms skeptically. "So, instead of finishing your task on ti, you decided to build an entire lab-on-wheels?"
"Exactly!" Elvira said, sounding entirely too enthusiastic. "Efficiency! Ti managent! Besides, it's incredibly safe and spacious inside, perfectly suited for carrying essential supplies."
Ben's eyes narrowed further, inspecting the carriage more closely. His stomach sank as he realized what exactly she had built the whole thing from. It wasn't just ornate—it was entirely made from white gemstone. He almost choked on his own breath. "Wait…did you seriously make this entire carriage out of white gemstone?"
"Ah, yes, as expected from my beloved!" Elvira bead proudly, clearly misunderstanding his tone. "It's exceptionally sturdy and has excellent mana-conductivity! And look, storage!" She hurriedly swung the carriage door wider, revealing neatly stacked materials from the main base. "See how spacious? It's an investnt!"
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