Chapter 87: Incredible Returns! Awakening The Titan Mana Heart!

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After Riven and Elisa regulated each other’s Mana Pathways and the crazy Mana Signatures surging from their bodies until they completely calmed down, the two of them decided to rest for a short while.

Well, Elisa was stubborn about resting. After living five years completely paralyzed and powerless, she did not hesitate to start using her Mana again the moment Riven healed her "Mana Cramps."

"Look what I can do, kids!" Elisa said with bright excitement, her eyes sparkling.

She began playing around, making small fruits float gently through the air while the children clapped and laughed in pure awe. The light objects circled around the room under her careful control, and for a moment the house felt warm and full of life again.

While she entertained the children, Riven noticed a new notification appearing in front of his eyes.

[You have forged a [Titan Mana Heart – Level 1]!]

[You gained +50,000 Mana.]

[To increase the power of your Mana Heart, please constantly control the fluctuation of Mana within your body and reinforce your Mana Heart with it.]

[By pressuring your Mana Heart and forcing it to crack and heal over time, it will grow larger, robust, and increase your total Mana Pool.]

[Consuming compatible ingredients, elixirs, pills, and practicing compatible cultivation methods will also help its growth.]

"Fifty thousand Mana... that’s amazing for what it is. Not bad at all," he muttered quietly to himself, feeling the dense new core of power settling inside his chest.

[Two Compatible Cultivation Methods have been found. Which Method do you wish to Connect with the Mana Heart? It is recommended to do one at a time to control Mana properly.]

[Option 1]: [Divine Frost Emperor’s Legacy – First Step]: Increases Mana Regeneration and Cultivation Speed by 200%. Imbues Cultivated Mana with Divine Frost Essence.]

[Option 2]: [Ten Thousand Poison Heart Sutra – Poison Accumulation Phase: Stage 1 (12/100)]: Increases Maximum Mana Capacity by 100% and Mana Capacity Growth through Cultivation by 50%. Imbues Cultivated Mana with the Essence of Ten Thousand Poisons.]

"Wow."

It seemed the first option offered faster cultivation and stronger ice magic, while the second did not increase cultivation speed but raised his maximum Mana pool and how much that maximum capacity would grow whenever he advanced a rank.

He wanted both of them. However, for his own sake and for the long road ahead, he decided to choose one first. The one he selected was the better long-term option.

Ding!

[You have chosen the Second Option.]

[Your [Ten Thousand Poison Heart Sutra – Poison Accumulation Phase: Stage 1 (12/100)] has become permanently connected to your Titan Mana Heart.]

[The more Poisons you drink, absorb, and accumulate, the more your Titan Mana Heart will advance its Mana Cultivation.]

[Your Mana is now being imbued with the Essence of Ten Thousand Poisons. You can freely shift your Mana Nature to this Element, increasing the power and effectiveness of all Poison-Elemental Magic, Skills, Techniques, and Attacks by 300% when channeling this Mana Nature.]

"Mana Natures..." Riven nodded thoughtfully. "Fascinating. I had no idea such a thing even existed. So I can freely shift between them. Although the rest of my Mana natures are still mostly underdeveloped, the first one that grants actual boosts is this one — the Ten Thousand Poison Essence!"

With this new connection, his ability to create deadly poisons had increased even further, and so had his power to detoxify dangerous substances. However, he was not confident enough to believe he could now save his wife easily with this alone. He still knew there was a long and difficult road ahead before that day would come.

"Well, it has sure been a long morning," Riven said with a small smile as he looked around the lively room. "How about some breakfast? Or should we skip straight to lunch?"

"It’s still not too late for some brunch, maybe?" Elisa asked, her earlier exhaustion already fading as she continued floating a few more fruits for the children.

"Good idea," Riven nodded. "I think I’ve got some stuff here in my storage ring." He checked the contents carefully. "Hmm... How about Dinosaur Burgers? Or Steak? Which one?"

"Dinosaur?!" several voices asked at once in surprise.

Riven realized he still had a couple of subspecies of the Tyrant Boss stored away. They were the smaller, raptor-like dinosaurs with crystals growing over their bodies. They were smaller and more agile than the main Tyrant, but their meat was also much tastier. He still remembered eating one whole during his earlier dungeon run.

Everyone agreed immediately, even Vladimir, who tried to look uninterested but failed to hide the hunger in his eyes.

Riven took out the giant dinosaur corpse and carried it to the backyard. He carefully butchered it there, separating the best cuts, then returned inside with a large tray full of long, deep-red pieces of meat.

He had stored away the remaining parts such as the scales and organs. Later he planned to sell them online. Monster parts, even from D-Rank creatures, always sold well because they were constantly in demand for the creation of equipment and medicine.

The rich smell of delicious dinosaur steaks soon filled the entire house. Everyone felt as if they were floating on cloud nine as the mouth-watering aroma of grilling meat spread through every room.

Riven seasoned everything carefully and neatly. He prepared multiple different cuts, meat skewers, and small croquettes which he deep-fried until golden. Lastly, he made a large batch of mashed potatoes mixed with special seasoning and dried, grilled cherry tomatoes that gave the dish a warm reddish color.

This was his recipe for Mediterranean Mashed Potatoes, something his mother had always made for him when he was younger. It was both delicious and simple to prepare.

As for side dishes, he prepared plenty of fresh salad and also made a smooth Myconid Cream that could be drunk alone or poured over the meat.

Half an hour later, the table was completely full of delicious grilled dinosaur meat prepared in several different ways. Carlos was the first to reach out. He grabbed a big piece of ribs and bit into the tender, juicy meat. His eyes widened instantly as he realized it was the most delicious meat he had ever tasted in his life.

The rest of the group quickly followed, the earlier tension of the morning completely forgotten as the warm meal and lively conversation filled the house with a rare sense of peace.

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