Chapter 150: The Resin Core and the Tribe’s Tank
The air around Ignis vibrated with a crushing pressure. The bear, now transformed into an eight meters long and four meters tall massive beast, let out a huff that whipped up a surge of charred snow around him. His layers of hide and muscle were so dense they resembled the armor plating of a moving bastion.
Kellar extended his hand toward the small gem Ignis had delivered to him. The stone gleamed with a deep crimson hue, threaded with internal veins of resinous mana that throbbed with a steady heat.
[Adult Red Ape Core: A core containing the vital essence of an adult Red Ape. Consuming it may grant a portion of the Adult Red Ape’s strength, along with a chance to acquire its innate skill. Consuming it carelessly may cause the user’s body to explode.]
"A beast core..." Kellar whispered, closing his fist around the gem while assessing its properties. "The pure energy of this forest wasn’t just feeding the vegetation; it was concentrating inside this creature."
Brak and the pursuit squads returned at a run, stopping dead in their tracks upon seeing Ignis’s new, imposing form. The soldiers swallowed hard, staring at the bear god with a blend of dread and devotion.
"Report!" ordered Kellar, stowing the core into his leather pouch.
"Zone clear for two hundred meters, Great Shaman!" said Brak, coming to a stiff salute while keeping his eyes on the colossal mass of Ignis. "The surviving monkeys fled scattered into the depths of the mountain range. They won’t regroup in this sector."
At that moment, the rumble of treads and the creak of wood over the cleared highway announced the arrival of the main convoy. Elia, Liora, and the police officer led the column of sleds, followed by Lennis and the volunteers.
Upon entering the central clearing and witnessing Ignis’s colossal dimensions, the entire convoy slammed to a halt. The children on the wagons let out muffled gasps of awe.
"By the ancestors!" exulted Lennis, leaping from the lead sled with his eyes fixed on the rich, black soil of the burned ground. "Great Shaman... the pass is open!"
"And the ground is ready," said Kellar, pointing across the expanse of the former swamp. "Lennis, take your twelve team leaders and the volunteers. Mark the boundaries of the main highway and set up extraction crews at the resinous trunks. Starting today, the Mountain Fortress and the main village are linked."
"Yes, Great Shaman!" Lennis and the builders responded in unison, pulling out their surveying tools to begin the works.
Kellar looked toward Elia and Liora as they dismounted from the convoy and approached him.
"The path to the north is secure," said Kellar, extending a hand to his women. "Our grip on these lands has just taken its firmest step."
Once instructions were issued in the forest clearing, the unified column resumed its march along the newly opened highway. Kellar left behind a squad of twenty soldiers alongside Lennis and the volunteers, with strict orders to build an outpost for the continuous extraction of black sap and to maintain the control over the area.
With the convoy’s arrival at the gates of the Mountain Fortress, the impact of the new route became clear. The supply transport, which previously required two full days of brutal travel across rough terrain, had been slashed to a mere eight hours.
This logistical breakthrough would transform the tribe’s supply system. Over the past month, metal ingot shipments from the northern mines were only made once every fortnight to justify the resource expenditure and convoy fatigue. The process required the supply transport sent from the main village to march to a midpoint, where it met the fortress transports to swap cargo halfway and head back, avoiding overextending the troops on lengthy or vulnerable journeys.
From this point forward, the direct, non-stop flow would allow iron ingots and gunpowder reserves to be shipped to the main village on a continuous basis. Weaponry and ammunition production in the southern foundries was set to accelerate at an unprecedented pace.
As they crossed the imposing gates of the Mountain Fortress, the sun still hung high in the sky, staining the frozen peaks with a golden hue. Kellar calculated the light’s position, estimating it to be between five and six in the afternoon.
"What time did you leave the settlement?" asked Kellar, turning to Elia as he dismounted.
"Shortly after sunrise, as soon as the convoy was ready," Elia replied, adjusting her fur coat.
Kellar nodded to himself satisfied. The loaded convoy’s marching pace had been excellent; reducing a two-day journey to just about ten hours of continuous daytime progress surpassed even his most optimistic projections.
Helga marched toward them with steady steps from the main plaza. The fortress captain wore her light battle armor and her usual stern gaze, but upon seeing Kellar safe alongside the reinforcements, her expression relaxed.
"Great Shaman, the fortress is at your disposal," Helga began formally in front of the guards and newcomers.
Before she could continue her report, Kellar stepped forward, pulled her by the waist, and drew her against his chest. In front of the fifty riflemen, the miners, and the newly arrived settlers, Kellar kissed her on the lips.
Helga tensed for a brief second at the sudden public display, but quickly relaxed in his arms, returning the kiss with equal intensity. The message was clear and unyielding to anyone in the north: Helga was not only the captain in command of the walls, but the Great Shaman’s woman, and any hidden intentions or disrespect toward her meant challenging the absolute leader of the Overlord Tribe.
Kellar broke the kiss, keeping his hands on Helga’s waist while looking into her eyes.
"Has everything been alright here?" asked Kellar in a calm voice.
Helga cleared her throat lightly, trying to regain her formal posture in front of the watching troops.
"Everything has been going wonderfully," Helga replied, straightening her back. "The iron mines have maintained steady extraction, and the secondary foundries..."
"I didn’t ask about the mines, Helga," Kellar interrupted with a faint smile, closing the distance between them. "I asked if everything was alright with you."
The shaman’s words took her off guard. A deep blush flushed the mayoress’s cheeks, and she lowered her gaze for a second before looking back up at him with a much softer expression.
"Yes... I’ve been fine," Helga whispered, offering a small, genuine smile. "I’ve just missed you a lot."