Fireseed Furnace Core (23)

To be honest, Ian's first thought was not of a Crystal Dragon's breath attack, but rather, What treasure did it eat that it's planning to spit back out now?

In a sense, that guess was not entirely wrong.

Because the Crystal Dragon revealed the furnace core at the center of its body to Ian.

Now the youth understood why it had swallowed him before beginning to transfer authority... because this truly was something that could only be seen inside its mouth.

A vortex of light embedded within a peculiar throat bone.

This strange throat bone—let's assume it was a throat bone—extended from the Crystal Dragon's spinal structure. It bore obvious artificial ports, similar to the "data ports" behind Ian's neck—or rather, behind the necks of all Terrans—but far larger than human data ports, with many more functions. It could likely accommodate all manner of large-scale attachments.

And at the center of this throat bone was precisely such a strange vortex of light within Morien Steel.

Morien Steel was a psychic metal. It was not purely material, yet neither was it embodied psychic energy like a fairy. In a sense, it was closer to elemental crystal—a condensation of pure "vitality." Alloys forged from it could draw in the metal, stone, and sand of surrounding rock strata and material zones, automatically repairing any damaged areas.

Various creations made from Morien Steel would not trigger rejection reactions and could serve as material for all kinds of artificial organs and artificial bones. It was simply too expensive; using it as raw material was both extravagant and impractical, when many cheaper and better alloys could do the job.

But now, Ian saw a... USB drive? Or perhaps a portable storage device made entirely from Morien Steel.

And within that device, a dazzling vortex of Origin Matter shone.

Under Ian's Precognitive Vision, magnificent streams of golden and silver light shook the incomparably intricate inscription structures, forming countless birds in flight. As the many birds circled and wheeled, they formed an extraordinarily complex vortex, magnificent and resplendent.

Surging, magnificent Origin Matter flowed ceaselessly from that vortex. Though the quantity was not great, it was inexhaustible... If the Aether Crystal Dragon had not already been close to death, the Origin Matter emerging from it would definitely have been dozens of times what Ian now saw!

"Fireseed... Aether Furnace... gold and silver intertwined..."

Ian murmured to himself. He knew what the thing before him was.

Fireseed Furnace Core (Incomplete)

Fourth Energy Level · Incomplete · Authority · Inedible

An energy furnace core created by Redwood Laboratory in imitation of the Fireseed Engine aboard the Obera Fireseed Ship. Due to insufficient Origin Matter control technology, the quality of all Fireseed Furnace Cores fell below standard, making them unable to produce perfect aether bubbles.

But flaws did not mean it could not be used. A flawed Aether Furnace was still an Aether Furnace. Although it required a continuous input of refined Origin Matter as maintenance resources, the Fireseed Furnace Core could still output vast amounts of energy primarily composed of natural spiritual energy. Its conversion ratio was approximately one to eight, making it a super energy source that came close to creating something from nothing.

Most lifeforms on Terra could not withstand Fireseed without special modification.

...

"Fireseed Furnace Cores... They're actually nonphysical? Formed from flowing inscription structures..."

Ian spoke softly. "As expected, although Redwood Base was not a base specifically responsible for energy design, it still produced some Fireseed Furnace Cores for biological use because of its various powerful artificial lifeforms..."

"But even so, there was no one-hundred-percent completion rate— even Crystal Dragons could not withstand the power of a Fireseed Furnace Core. Only now, a thousand years later, has an Aether Crystal Dragon like this appeared."

Back then, Redwood Base—or rather, Terra's Pre-Epoch Civilization—must have hoped that artificial ecological lifeforms of the Crystal Dragon lineage could become the core of future biospheres during extraterrestrial colonization.

That was why they had specifically designed Fireseed Furnaces as energy sources for them.

No, not just Crystal Dragons... Frostbound Moths probably also had similar installation ports within their bodies.

Those two Fourth Energy Level giant beasts may have slaughtered each other over a Fireseed Furnace Core, ultimately both perishing in the Ruins Ice Abyss.

And judging by the final outcome, the Crystal Dragon side had clearly gained a slight edge—their descendants had continued to inherit Fireseed Furnace Cores. Although most had failed to adapt, this generation had produced a transcendent breed like the Aether Crystal Dragon.

A true Lord of the Labyrinth.

"...You intend to give this thing to me. If so, then I absolutely cannot tell anyone else about it."

Ian gazed deeply at the Crystal Dragon's upper jaw. He could guess its expression at this moment—the other party must have planned all of this long ago.

Whether it was Master Gose, Isengard, or even Bishop White Mist later on, none of them could possibly know about "Fireseed"... Perhaps that nun from the Machina Church knew a little, but it had to be extremely limited. At most, she knew Fireseed was something like a highly efficient true Aether Furnace.

As for ecological Fireseed ships, extraterrestrial ecosystems, faster-than-light engines, warp travel, and such, she definitely knew nothing whatsoever.

If they did know, the Machina Church would never have sent so few people.

After all, even Ian could only learn all this because of the Silver Chip. It was nearly impossible for them to obtain such information.

But the Aether Crystal Dragon knew—information concerning Fireseed existed within its bloodline.

It had originally been a "biological ecological core" created by Terra's Pre-Epoch Civilization to produce cosmic super-lifeforms akin to Aether Dragons... An existence like that was absolutely capable of bearing an Aether Furnace.

Or rather, without an Aether Furnace, a Crystal Dragon was not a complete form at all.

But just as the Pre-Epoch Civilization had never truly figured out how to make Aether Furnaces, neither had they truly figured out Crystal Dragons—proof of this was that the vast majority of these artificial lifeforms only reached the Fourth Energy Level. If they had truly been as perfect as in the blueprints, they would long since have become an entirely new kind of Fifth Energy Level lifeform!

"Wait."

Thinking of this, Ian felt that he had overlooked something. But he quickly realized it, his eyes widening. "True Dragons!"

"Those Fifth Energy Level True Dragons!"

"If those lifeforms that naturally possess the Fifth Energy Level... are creatures that naturally have 'magic furnace cores' and 'Aether Furnace Cores' in their bodies, and are perfectly adapted to them... then no wonder they are so powerful!"

Not only that.

"Ancient Dragons!"

Lowering his head, Ian stared at his chest.

Teacher Hilliard's core was pounding fiercely at this moment... It craved, craved the power of the Fireseed Furnace Core, craved its Origin Matter structure.

—This was what could truly complete it!

Yes, Ancient Dragons!

Those creatures called Ancient Dragons, which had no evolutionary chain and no origin among Magic Beasts... were they not powerful artificial super-lifeforms?

Just like Crystal Dragons—if an Aether Crystal Dragon had appeared out of thin air on the Terra Continent, would it not be an Ancient Dragon? A powerful existence capable of wielding pure Origin Matter energy, one which, upon reaching the limit of its growth, could threaten a nation—or even many nations!

An artificial biological weapon from the interstellar age... truly could unleash a natural disaster upon the Terra of today.

And now.

The Aether Crystal Dragon, which possessed the qualifications of an Ancient Dragon, intended to give the Fireseed Furnace Core to him.

As payment for his "silence."

Ian could not tell anyone else about the Fireseed Furnace Core. Its significance was too great, it was too precious, and no one knew of its existence.

By entrusting the Fireseed Furnace Core to Ian, the Aether Crystal Dragon knew not only that it could not keep this supreme treasure, but also that if others learned its offspring might possess the power to adapt to Fireseed, they would absolutely be regarded as tools of war.

Or perhaps suffer an even more miserable fate—being made into Magic Potions... Before they could even grow up and leave descendants, they would be turned into materials that could improve adaptation to Fireseed Furnace Cores.

Compared to such a possibility, it was better to give it to someone else—at least Ian did not seem likely to expose the fact that he possessed a Fireseed Furnace Core. One human and one dragon, they were accomplices who both possessed "Fireseed."

That way, at the very least, its offspring would have some chance of growing up.

Of course, the Aether Crystal Dragon did not know this. To be honest, it simply had no other choice. At least this "humanoid Ancient Dragon" before it gave it a sense of closeness, and he had not rejected its proposal to raise its descendants.

"All right, I agree."

Ian knew that the Aether Crystal Dragon was waiting for his answer, so he sighed and replied solemnly, "I will take care of your descendants. At the very least, I will ensure that your line does not die out."

He could not refuse Fireseed. Whether for the Ancient Dragon core or for the creations of the Pre-Epoch Civilization—with the complete Fireseed blueprints in his possession, as long as he had a real Fireseed to compare them against, he had the possibility of optimizing it once more.

In Ian's hands, Fireseed could exert far greater power than it could in the hands of anyone else on the Terra Continent.

Seeing Ian make up his mind, the Aether Dragon let out a soft cry that was either one of relief or of finally being freed.

The throat bone extended forward, while Ian silently raised his left hand.

Within the youth's eyes, golden and silver streams of light surged, carrying a faint mist tinged with blood-red.

He touched the vortex of light before him.