Chapter 531: Rebirth
The intense pain washed over Gater's nerves like a tidal wave.
He gave his all to restrain himself from exerting too much force, avoiding any reaction against the procedure that might lead to greater agony.
Yet the sensation of his entire skeleton expanding, pushing his body to its breaking point…
Surpassed all the pain Gater had ever endured.
Even more than fifteen years ago, when he was ambushed by a dark bat…
His back and legs torn open, wracked by the creature's neurotoxin…
This was three times worse!
What shocked Gater the most was…
His pain threshold was slowly increasing.
His hope of succumbing to the pain and passing out, thereby escaping it, was impossible.
It felt as though the lord was showing him the very limits of what a human body could endure in pressure and suffering.
Gater could even sense, quite clearly, the damage his bones were inflicting on the rest of his body as they changed.
Yet whenever that damage reached a certain level, the surrounding high-concentration nutrient fluid would be greedily absorbed, continuously repairing and altering the injured areas.
This provided Gater with fleeting moments of relief just before he reached his breaking point.
But that momentary reprieve only made the subsequent pain hit deeper.
The tightening after a brief relaxation was even more unbearable.
It was impossible to tell how long this went on.
Gater, though steadfast in his will, had grown dazed from the repeated shocks of pain.
Yet amidst the unrelenting torment, he could faintly feel a peculiar coolness spreading within him.
This kept his body going and his will intact.
Unbeknownst to Gater, the second operation on him was already complete.
Beside him, a verdant Life Tree stood, emanating a gentle glow.
Compared to its initial height of just over ten centimeters, the Life Tree had now grown to four meters tall.
Its growth rate was astonishingly fast!
In just two years, even the recently expanded underground lab would no longer be able to conceal its presence.
Surrounding the Life Tree, tens of thousands of Oriental Red Leaf Mulberry seedlings were visibly sprouting and growing.
Life Tree, a transcendent plant.
Status: Excellent.
Stage: Sapling.
Challenge Level: 12+.
Talents:
Legendary - Life Spirit LV1: Absorbs elemental energy, radiates vitality, and grows faster under greater pressure.
Specialties:
Legendary - Life Aura LV1: Provides 2 points of health regeneration per second to all living beings within 500 meters. Once it accumulates a surplus of one million points, it can permanently extend lifespan by one day.
Transcendent - Life Nourishment LV2: Gradually enhances the physical constitution and innate potential of beings nourished by its vitality.
Attributes: ???
Luck: -5 (Doom - Envied by Fate)
Evaluation: Its very survival evokes envy from the world's will.
This three-to-four-meter-tall Life Tree was still considered a sapling.
What fascinated Matthew most was that the more this little guy was "pressured," the more vigorous it became.
Matthew had even felt a pang of pity, wondering if his method of "cultivation" was too harsh.
But after communicating with the "Wisdom Tree Sapling," Matthew was completely reassured.
The fledgling, still somewhat naive entity was gleefully proclaiming:
"Straining…pain…relief…comfortable…"
Ah, it was a selfless existence that found joy in giving.
As Matthew reflected on the sapling's "evaluation," he felt he had described it perfectly.
It was completely out of place in a world of survival of the fittest, where everyone competed for resources.
With its assistance, the underground lab saved a great deal of nutrients and provided an extra layer of security for the procedures.
None of the other Life Tree saplings grew as fast as this one—perhaps because Matthew could "monitor" it at all times.
It was foreseeable that as the Life Tree continued to mature, the effects of its Life Aura would only strengthen.
To maximize its benefits, Matthew had not only planted it in the underground lab…
He had also placed it beneath the Professional Training Academy!
Providing the best education and resources for the children was not just empty talk for Matthew!
In the approaching Elemental Tides era, these young ones held great promise for Matthew's plans.
As for the veteran Gater, his surgery was a resounding success.
Even Matthew had not expected Gater's extraordinary willpower to carry him through the entire procedure.
Such a remarkable performance earned Gater a substantial reward.
Not only did he successfully complete the surgery, but his transcendent specialty, Steel Bones, advanced directly to LV2.
Matthew meticulously analyzed this excellent data and reached a critical conclusion.
A strong foundation in both will and physique greatly enhanced the effectiveness of the surgery.
Before surgery, candidates should undergo training in these areas.
"Tell Gater they can rest for five days. After that, they'll have their third procedure. During this time, they need to intensify their training and adaptation."
"For the other Catachan people not undergoing surgery, arrange for them to train alongside other refugees. Teach them how to survive and thrive in the Bay Territory."
"Combat skills are secondary; what matters most is their acceptance of the Bay Territory."
Matthew recorded these results and instructed Arnold, who would be handling the next group of Catachan candidates.
Arnold, clearly eager, nodded in agreement and looked with satisfaction at Gater's increasingly formidable physique, remarking with anticipation:
"With their addition, we'll be unstoppable."
Matthew chose not to dampen Arnold's enthusiasm.
Compared to the terrifying adversaries they would face in the future, the armed forces being cultivated in the Bay Territory were just beginning their journey.
The next day.
Bay Territory.
Bay City, refugee temporary settlement area.
Clear skies.
A dense crowd of refugees stood in neat rows on the open plaza.
Several hundred handrails extended from the ground, organizing the scattered refugees into orderly lines.
Refugees who had just arrived in the Bay Territory experienced their most comfortable day in months or even years.
They were all given new clothes.
They had meals that were about 70% filling.
They now had secure accommodations, free from fear of attack.
Some of them even had their first personal bedroom and bed in their lives.
Many had trouble sleeping last night, worried it was all just a dream, that they'd wake up and find nothing had changed, everything returned to how it was before.
The Bay Territory would not let them succumb to such doubts.
At the break of dawn…
Everyone was given breakfast.
It was a breakfast richer than anything Gater had ever tasted.
Two peeled, tender white eggs—sweet and delicious.
Six thick slices of dark bread, two more than yesterday, apparently accounting for his larger appetite.
Two fist-sized pieces of white swamp crocodile meat—clean, untainted cuts that Gater had never seen before.
The flavor was exceptionally fresh and nutritious, though the portions were small.
There was also rich, smooth milk with no trace of a fishy taste.
Just this breakfast alone could be traded with other Catachan tribes for 20 well-crafted metal arrows.
After yesterday's "stroll" and the surgery…
Gater was now able to eat breakfast calmly and collectedly.
However, he still struggled to understand why everyone was gathered together like this.
Wasn't this harder to manage?
To better control the Catachan tribes…
One had to maintain tight control over food distribution.
Keep strict oversight of weapons and equipment.
Most importantly, break up the larger Catachan groups and subdue them bit by bit.
When numbers grow large…
And they gather together…
Trouble is bound to arise!
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Heavy footsteps immediately caught everyone's attention.
Behind several Bay Territory soldiers…
Eight towering steel constructs marched in orderly formation.
Their frames were slightly slimmer than those crafted by City Lord Annie.
But their nearly six-meter height was more than enough to keep everyone standing obediently.
The silver-white armor, seamlessly encasing its entire body, left almost no weak points vulnerable to attack.
The chest section housing the control core was reinforced with thick armor plates, faintly glowing under sunlight with traces of pale golden adamantium.
The dazzling and elegant magic array patterns illuminated the Bay Territory's dragon-shaped crest.
Its humanoid head featured gem-like eyes that emitted a faint, searing red light.
When people looked at it, they couldn't help but feel as though it was "staring" straight at them.
The immense sense of oppression made every onlooker involuntarily lower their gaze.
Gater could clearly feel the tangible oppressive force radiating from these so-called steel golems.
The imposing aura, capable of weighing heavily on the spirit, gave Gater a sensation similar to facing "Yaya."
Gater's hunch was correct. The Bay Territory's steel golems, collaboratively crafted by Modenken, Victor, and Macaron, had been named Dragon Cavalry No. 1 by Yaya.
Their most defining feature was a "Deterrent Aura" akin to dragon's might.
This aura could suppress all combat units below extraordinary strength, reducing their attack power by 50% to 10%!
Beyond their impressive combat capabilities, they were perfectly suited for defending the city and maintaining "order."
Gater had a sudden epiphany—he finally understood.
The Bay Territory dared to act this boldly because it never gave anyone a sliver of false hope.
He rubbed his leg, noticing that his old wound, which had been faintly aching, seemed to have completely disappeared.
With the presence of several steel golems standing guard, a cheerful old lady, aided by a loudspeaker, happily addressed the crowd:
"Welcome everyone to the Bay Territory. Some of you might be wondering if we're short on people."
"After all, such a big matter requires an old woman like me to step up…"
The old lady's tone carried a playful note, making it hard for everyone not to chuckle.
But no one dared, except for a few unruly children who were quickly hushed.
Pretending not to notice, the old lady instead shook her head with a self-deprecating smile, cheerfully adding:
"The Bay Territory is indeed 'short on people,' because everyone is busy with their own responsibilities."
"Newborn babies are sent to the childcare center, where there are 3,000 caretakers looking after them."
"The childcare center cares for them until they're two years old. Parents can visit and look after them two days a week, but only after undergoing training…"
Every adult, including Gater, instinctively widened their eyes.
Could infants and toddlers really be cared for entirely by the territory?
This seemed almost too good to be true.
Surely this couldn't be real, right?
Training?
What kind of training?
Did taking care of children really require training?
The old lady seemed oblivious to their surprise, or perhaps she just didn't care. She smiled warmly and continued:
"Children aged two to five are sent to kindergarten for care."
"There, they learn basic language, literacy, good habits, understanding the world, and cultivating their interests."
"Parents can bring them home every evening to care for them."
"However, everyone must note: no unjustified hitting or scolding of children is allowed. Otherwise, you'll face 'special training' and penalties."
"In severe cases, you'll be permanently stripped of custody, with the territory taking over their care by professional means."
These words immediately caused an uproar.
While most people agreed it was wonderful for the territory to help raise children, they questioned how anyone had the right to take away custody.
A vague sense of unease began spreading through their hearts, stirring fear.
The scene grew noisy as murmurs and discussions filled the air.
The old lady didn't immediately silence them; instead, she waited until everyone was involved, their faces growing more indignant, before speaking with a calm smile:
"There's no need to worry. The territory trusts that the majority of parents wouldn't mistreat their children."
"However, there are always a few fools who, knowing nothing, resort to violence to vent their stupidity."
"It's only against such people that the territory takes measures to protect the children, ensuring their safety and proper growth. Is there anyone who objects to this?"
The adults fell silent. They couldn't quite understand the Bay Territory's motives, but they could only remain quietly cautious.
This was all the territory wanted from them—just their silence, planting seeds that would grow over time.
As for the children, they were staring in a mix of awe and fear at the gleaming Dragon Cavalry No. 1.
These little ones found the massive figures incredibly cool and powerful!