The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 183: Chapter 184: A Mountain of Mana Crystals

After the food had been distributed, Ares returned to the meeting room.

Octavia was waiting for him.

Ares looked toward her.

"How is the research division progressing?"

Octavia immediately straightened.

"Quite well, Master."

She opened a document.

"Since the last report, we’ve completed several projects that were previously in development."

She placed the first report on the table.

"The first is a new mana-conductive communication device."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"Communication device?"

"Yes."

Octavia explained.

"It allows members stationed at different facilities to exchange short messages through a stabilized magical connection without relying on couriers."

Ares nodded.

"That could be useful."

"It has already been tested between the main headquarters and three distant facilities."

She continued.

"The connection remains stable even when the distance exceeds several hundred kilometers, although maintaining it continuously requires a significant amount of mana."

Ares considered that.

"Can it be improved?"

"Yes. The current model is only the first prototype."

Octavia placed another document on the table.

"We’re working on reducing the mana consumption and increasing the range."

"Good."

Octavia continued.

"We’ve also completed a new magical preservation device."

"What does it do?"

"It slows the deterioration of organic materials and certain magical ingredients by placing them inside a controlled temporal field."

Ares looked at her.

"That could help with food storage."

"It can."

Octavia nodded.

"We’re currently adapting it for medical supplies and rare ingredients as well."

Ares smiled.

"Good work."

Octavia bowed her head.

"Thank you, Master."

She paused before continuing.

"Most of the research division’s projects are progressing according to schedule."

Octavia’s expression became slightly more serious.

"But there is one problem."

Ares looked at her.

"What is it?"

"We’re running low on mana crystals."

Ares remained silent.

Octavia continued.

"Several of our newer devices require highly purified mana crystals as their primary energy source. We’ve used a considerable portion of our existing stock for research, testing, and construction."

"Can’t we buy more?"

"We can."

She shook her head.

"However, the available supply is extremely limited. Most mana crystals are obtained from specific dungeons or rare mining sites, and the majority of the high-quality crystals are purchased almost immediately by major organizations."

She paused.

"Even with the budget you’ve provided, there simply aren’t enough available for us to purchase in the quantities we require."

Ares nodded slowly.

"So what are you doing?"

"We’ve assigned several members to search for suitable dungeons and underground mineral deposits."

Octavia opened another report.

"Some are currently investigating abandoned mining regions, while others are searching for dungeons known to contain mana crystal formations."

"Have they found anything?"

"Not yet."

Octavia shook her head.

"The search is ongoing."

Ares thought about it for a moment.

Then he remembered something.

"Oh."

He reached into his spatial storage.

A small mana crystal appeared in his hand.

It was only slightly larger than his thumb, but the moment it appeared, the atmosphere inside the room changed.

Octavia’s eyes widened.

The crystal was extraordinarily pure.

It wasn’t merely transparent.

It seemed to contain a faint light within its center, while delicate streams of mana moved through the interior in perfectly stable patterns.

Octavia slowly stood.

"Master..."

She stared at the crystal.

"May I?"

Ares handed it to her.

Octavia accepted it carefully.

The moment her fingers touched the surface, her expression changed completely.

"This..."

She examined it from every angle.

"The purity..."

Her voice became quieter.

"This mana is incredibly stable."

She activated her perception.

Her eyes widened further.

"I’ve never seen a mana crystal this pure."

Vhan leaned forward.

"What is it?"

Octavia looked toward him.

"I can’t give an exact percentage without proper equipment, but the purity is extraordinarily high."

She turned toward Ares.

"Master, where did you obtain something like this?"

Ares shrugged.

"I found it while traveling."

Octavia stared at him.

"You simply found it?"

"Yes."

Vince looked at the crystal.

"That is extraordinary."

Aurora nodded.

"Even the mana crystals we’ve purchased previously were nowhere near that quality."

Samantha looked fascinated.

"Could the research division use it?"

Octavia answered immediately.

"Absolutely."

She looked toward Ares.

"This single crystal could provide more than energy for several of our current projects, and its purity would make it extremely valuable for testing our more advanced devices."

Ares smiled.

"Then take it."

Octavia froze.

"Master?"

"You said you needed them."

He shrugged.

"So use it."

Octavia lowered her head.

"Thank you, Master."

Ares reached into his spatial storage again.

This time, however, he didn’t bring out one crystal.

He opened a small spatial gate beside him.

A faint golden light emerged from within.

Then another.

And another.

Several mana crystals appeared on the floor.

Then dozens.

Then hundreds.

The room became completely silent.

Vhan’s eyes widened.

Vince stared.

Aurora’s expression froze.

Samantha, Celeste, and Andrea all turned toward the growing pile in disbelief.

Octavia slowly stepped backward.

"Master..."

Ares continued pulling them out.

The pile grew.

One hundred.

Two hundred.

Five hundred.

The crystals continued appearing until the floor was covered in them.

Some were small.

Others were nearly the size of a person’s fist.

Every single one possessed an extraordinary level of purity.

Octavia stared at the mountain of crystals.

Her mouth opened slightly.

"Master..."

She looked toward Ares.

"How many..."

Ares stopped.

He looked at the pile.

"Quite a few."

Octavia stared at him.

’Quite a few?’

She slowly turned toward the others.

Nobody seemed capable of responding.

Vhan finally spoke.

"This is..."

He walked closer and carefully picked up one of the larger crystals.

His expression became increasingly astonished.

"We’ve never possessed this many mana crystals in the history of the Order."

Vince looked across the room.

"And these aren’t ordinary mana crystals."

He held one toward the light.

"The purity is remarkable."

Aurora approached the pile.

"Just... how did you obtain all of these, Master?"

Ares shrugged.

"I found them inside a dungeon."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

The room became silent again.

Ares looked at the crystals.

’Now that I think about it, mana crystals really are incredibly rare here.’

He glanced toward Octavia.

’If finding a dungeon or mining site that contains them has such a low probability, it’s no wonder the research division was struggling.’

Octavia was still staring at the enormous pile.

"Master..."

She lowered her head.

"This will completely change our research capabilities."

Ares smiled.

"Good."

He looked toward the crystals.

"Then use them properly."

Octavia nodded firmly.

"We will. Thank you very much, Master"

Vhan and Vince exchanged glances.

Their expressions were difficult to describe.

It wasn’t merely admiration anymore.

It was something closer to disbelief.

Ares had returned from another world.

He had brought technology.

Food.

And now enough high-purity mana crystals to completely transform the research division.

Vhan and Vince the Four Black Roses, the Seven Crowns, and the officers surrounding them all understood the same thing.

Their Master had once again brought something impossible into their hands.

And Ares...

Ares simply looked at the mountain of crystals and wondered what else he might need to bring back the next time he visited Earth.

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