Chapter 310 - 305: Armor of the Tree

Chapter 310: Chapter 305: Armor of the Tree

After the strategy meeting, Velin swiftly assigned tasks. He gave full authority over the defensive deployment to Diana, who was more familiar with the troops, and assigned Tristan to assist her using all the domain’s resources.

Now, the most vulnerable link in the entire battle plan rested on his shoulders.

The final dam that would complete the encirclement had to be indestructible.

A massive seawater cultivation tank dominated the center of the laboratory.

Following the optimization plan from the system panel, Velin had catalyzed the growth for several hours. A new generation of fast-growing Red Leaf Trees had now taken shape.

Inside the tank, the deep purple trunk’s surface had a rough, rock-like texture, a stark contrast to the reddish-brown parent specimen.

Velin picked up an iron hammer and smashed it down on a sample of the trunk he had taken from the tank.

CLANG!

Sparks flew. The webbing of Velin’s thumb went numb as the recoil sent the hammer bouncing back.

He set the hammer down and leaned in for a closer look.

There was only a shallow white mark on the sample’s surface.

Velin called up the system panel.

[Rock-Armored Red Leaf Tree]

[Level: Level 4]

[Bloodline: Siren Redwood 32% (Silver Tier), Pliant Steel Toughness 15% (Golden Tier), Mixed Bloodline 53%]

[Overall Assessment: Possesses granite-level hardness and toughness.]

[Cultivation Requirements: Each plant requires 5 kilograms of high-concentration Ether soil, 50 grams of Earth Vein Crystal Powder, and 0.5 milliliters of Sub-Dragon Species spinal fluid.]

Velin’s brow furrowed as he read the last line.

He picked up a charcoal pencil and began scribbling calculations on a piece of parchment.

The final dam to seal the bay would be at least ten kilometers long.

At a density of five plants per meter, he would need fifty thousand Rock-Armored Red Leaf Trees.

The tip of his pencil underlined the "Sub-Dragon Species spinal fluid" entry.

’At this rate, the wall would be too expensive. So expensive that even I can’t afford it.’

From an economic standpoint, the plan was a failure.

Velin walked to the door and ordered the guard outside, "Go and get Master Valerius."

Soon, the white-haired master arrived, jogging all the way.

"My Lord."

"Master, take your people and put all your efforts into cultivating Fast-Growing Red Leaf Tree seeds immediately."

Valerius was stunned.

"My Lord, the Fast-Growing Red Leaf Trees... I’m afraid they won’t withstand the impact of the Sea Beasts."

"I know." Velin paced around the room. "If one wall isn’t strong enough, we’ll build four."

"Four?" Valerius gasped. "My Lord, that would require at least two hundred thousand seeds! Our cultivation soil, our manpower..."

Velin sighed. "It’s a measure of last resort."

Seeing Velin’s resolve, Valerius opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately just bowed and accepted the order.

Velin was left alone in the laboratory.

He stared at the Rock-Armored Red Leaf Tree sample, his brow furrowed in thought.

Substituting quantity for quality was a move born of desperation.

’If possible, I need a better solution.’

Deep in the night, the oil lamp in the laboratory still burned brightly.

Velin was buried in a pile of biological illustrations, hoping to find some inspiration.

KNOCK KNOCK.

A knock on the door.

"Come in."

Barrett pushed the door open and entered, his armor scraping softly as he walked.

"My Lord, the west coast patrol routes have been adjusted as per Lady Diana’s request. The garrison at every outpost has been doubled."

Velin grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze falling on the plates of Barrett’s chest armor.

It was an old, standard-issue set of Scale Armor, its edges worn, but every single scale had been polished clean and bright.

"Barrett," Velin said suddenly, "When were you issued this armor?"

"To answer you, My Lord, I bought it five years ago when I was a mercenary." Barrett replied truthfully, though he seemed surprised by the question.

’Armor...’

An idea flashed through his mind like lightning.

’Why not give the trees their own armor?!’

His thoughts immediately turned to marine life.

’Most ocean creatures have hard shells. And I know of at least six that can attach themselves to other organisms.’

’Barnacles, sea squirts, oysters...’

But the one Velin favored most was coral.

They could build reefs stretching for kilometers; they were arguably the ocean’s greatest builders.

He immediately picked up his pen and wrote a letter to Caroline, the head of the Golden Sail Commerce Association.

In the letter, he used the most precise biological terms to describe the organism he needed. It had to have several key traits: rapid proliferation, a sturdy structure, adaptability to the Gray Sea’s saline water, and, ideally, the potential for symbiosis with wood fibers.

The letter was sealed with wax and dispatched to the port by the fastest courier.

Just two days later, a clipper flying the Golden Sail flag docked, having braved rough seas to get there.

An ocean scholar wearing a monocle and carrying several heavy, sealed wooden crates was brought directly to Velin’s laboratory.

After a brief greeting, they got straight to business.

"Baron, your request is... peculiar."

The scholar opened a crate, revealing a glass tank of live coral. "Based on your description, we’ve selected three potential samples."

He pointed to the first tank. "Stone-Skin Coral. It has the highest hardness but grows slowly—it takes ten years to grow a palm’s-width."

He gestured to the second. "Marsh-Dwelling Coral. It grows very quickly, but its structure is porous. It crumbles at the slightest touch."

Finally, he pointed to the third and smallest glass tank.

"This is Glimmering Coral. It grows extremely fast, and its secretions have a slight resistance to Magic Energy."

Velin’s gaze locked onto the Glimmering Coral.

[Glimmering Coral Insect]

[Level: Level 2]

[Bloodline: Armored Bone Coral 44% (Silver Tier), Mixed Bloodline 56%]

[Overall Assessment: Possesses high physical strength and growth potential. Its Middle Tier bloodline potential has yet to be tapped. Highly malleable.]

[Possible Evolution: Crystal Coral Insect]

[Evolution Method: 10 grams of Original Blood Crystal powder, one drop of a Sea Siren’s tear, one complete Moonlight Sea Eel, catalyzed in an Ether-enriched environment.]

’This is the one.’

Velin had the scholar leave the samples and then showed him to a room to rest.

He constructed a small Ethereum Gathering Array and placed the glass tank with the Glimmering Coral Insects at its center.

He quickly completed the procedure as outlined in the plan.

Gradually, an unusual glimmer began to emanate from the seawater.

Velin held his palm over the tank and mobilized his bloodline power.

[Spring Messenger]

The creatures in the tank began to madly absorb the Ether Energy gathered by the Array.

The water began to boil. Under the torrent of energy, the tiny coral insects stretched, divided, and recombined.

As time passed, the substance secreted by the coral insects was no longer milky white, but took on the vitreous sheen of gray and silver.

When the progress bar reached 100%, the seawater had become incredibly murky.

A moment later, the sediment settled, revealing the new creations.

They were too small to see, so Velin had to use his [View] ability to observe the results.

[Crystal Coral Insect]

[Level: Level 3 Magical Beast]

[Abilities: Rapid Calcification, Ether Plunder, Basic Magic Resistance]

[Overall Assessment: Actively absorbs ambient Ether Energy to accelerate coral construction. Its secretions have a hardness approaching that of steel and possess a rudimentary degree of magic resistance.]

Velin walked to the other side of the room and fetched a Fast-Growing Red Leaf Tree sapling. He immersed it in the tank and sprinkled in some Original Blood Crystal powder.

Tristan happened to walk in at that moment, holding a report on allied supply consumption.

"My Lord, have you abandoned the plan for multiple dams?"

He looked at the apparatus in the center of the lab and immediately realized something.

Velin didn’t answer. He simply gestured for Tristan to look at the tank.

At first, nothing happened.

But after a few minutes, Tristan noticed a faint, grayish-white substance seeping out of the submerged bark’s surface without warning.

As if alive, the grayish-white substance began to slowly creep downward.

Soon, more of the substance emerged from all over the bark. It linked together into patches that expanded continuously, devouring the sapling’s original form bit by bit.

Tristan’s eyes widened. He set down the report and stepped forward for a closer look.

The sight was bizarre; it was as if the grayish-white layer was "growing" out from within the bark itself.

An hour later, the lower half of the sapling was completely encased in a grayish-white layer about half a finger thick.

The shell’s surface was rough and porous, appearing both formidable and solid.

Velin took the sapling out of the tank and handed it to the guard beside him.

"Strike it with your longsword."

The guard was stunned for a moment, then drew the longsword from his waist, took a deep breath, and swung down with all his might!

CLANG—!

A piercing clang exploded in the laboratory.

The longsword was flung high into the air. The impact split the webbing of the guard’s thumb, causing him to lose his grip. The weapon flew from his hand and clattered to the floor.

He stared at his hand in astonishment, then back at the sapling.

On the grayish-white coral, there was only a single, inconspicuous white mark.

Velin finally broke into a satisfied smile.