The fusion process continued for a few more minutes, with Lohan acting as the voltage regulator between the two power sources.
Given all the signs that this world was not just a game, Lohan did not feel entirely comfortable letting these nuclei carry out the fusion on their own, as this could cause problems for the guild, or even result in an irreversible loss due to carelessness.
So, to ensure that nothing went wrong, Lohan tried to slow down the fusion, doing his utmost to guarantee that nothing went wrong during the process.
But even though this world wasn’t a game, with evolution rules focused on player satisfaction, it still followed a very similar logic.
Lohan didn’t know if this was something natural for everyone in the world or if they, as Players, had some advantage over the "Administrators" in processes like this, with the Administrators taking special care, but surprisingly, the Level 10 Core was digesting the Level 15 Core and undergoing an astonishing evolutionary process!
When the last trace of crimson glow disappeared, completely absorbed by the purple gem, which now shone with even greater intensity, Lohan retracted his tentacles and stared at the gem in bewilderment.
The new core, which he now assumed to be a Level 15+ hybrid, rested calmly in the wooden niche, which closed partially around it like a protective embrace under Lohan’s control.
Lisa walked over to the wall, pressing her snout against the wood, now much whiter and much more polished following the core’s evolution, and gazed at it with surprise as well. "The texture has completely changed. It no longer looks like a dead tree we’re stubbornly trying to keep alive. It looks... maybe as if we’ve rejuvenated this tree by at least a few dozen years?! Halon, did you notice that even the system messages for the guild have changed?!"
Lohan projected the Guild interface.
[Guild Notice: Main Headquarters has evolved to Level 2!]
[Environment Bonus: Mana Regeneration +25%, Stamina Regeneration +30%.]
[Additional Features:
Passive Purification Barrier: Creatures of Level 10 or lower with hostile intent are even more discouraged from crossing the guild’s boundary without permission from the Leader or Deputy Leader.]
[Star Walking Lv 1 → 2:
When two or more guild members are together and out of combat, everyone’s base agility increases by 10% →15%, also reducing stamina depletion during long journeys.]
[Star Cry Lv 1 → Lv 2]
[When activated, this ability summons the glow of shooting stars to orbit the heads of members bound to Astralis Requiem, regardless of location. For the next 5 minutes, all physical and magical stats, as well as Mana and Vitality regeneration rates, are boosted by 15% → 20%. However, the stellar lament comes at a high price: once the effect ends, astral exhaustion causes all members to suffer a 15% → 20% penalty to all their abilities for the next 15 minutes.]
Seeing this, Lohan was completely shocked.
These upgrades, even though they seemed to offer only a small 5% increase in both speed and the enhancements of Star Cry, were absurdly massive boosts!
Especially considering that they didn’t even know it was possible to level up these skills, or how to do so!
For the Astral Chest, they constantly consumed a few Mana Stones to expand its internal size, but for these other skills, the evolution method was a complete mystery to him.
And best of all, even though the weakness penalty that Star Cry inflicted after use had also increased by 5%, the duration of the weakness remained the same.
"This is insane," Lohan remarked, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction as he read through the upgrades. "These recovery bonuses will make our daily grind even more efficient, especially with new members joining. As long as they hunt near the guild headquarters, the higher recovery rate will greatly increase their leveling speed!"
He looked at Lisa, noticing that her fur also seemed to shine brighter under the hall’s new lighting.
The core fusion was slowly saturating every cubic centimeter of the headquarters with a little more Mana than before, and the natural light interacting with this ambient energy made the little white fox appear even more enchanting.
"Lisa, considering that we’ve seen the Elves in Thalendor respect progress..." Lohan said, returning to the form of a perfect blue sphere and blinking his two bright white eyes at her. "On that basis, I believe we could invite some Elven friends like Aeliana for an official visit in the near future to try to strengthen our relations with them."
Lisa let out a satisfied snort, sitting proudly in the center of the new hall. "I think that’s a splendid idea... considering the renovation Elle did, and with this new upgrade from the core fusion, bringing them here could completely change their perception of us!"
As they talked, Pip and Elle flew in through the main archway. The two little fairies hovered in midair, gaping at the change in the tree.
Pip, who now exuded a more powerful aura after Lohan’s upgrade, flew over to one of the glowing crevices and touched the white wood.
"Pip feels... Pip feels that the tree is singing!" the fairy boy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with joy.
Elle, for her part, began spinning in the air, leaving trails of sparkling pollen that now seemed to be instantly absorbed by the tree. "Elle is so happy! The plants outside are growing faster now. Elle’s unicorn friend is going to love the new scent of the Astralis home!"
Lohan and Lisa exchanged a happy glance.
The impact of their decision not to be selfish with the core was already yielding emotional and structural benefits even in ways they hadn’t imagined.
For example, the unicorn friend Elle mentioned, with the tree now more powerful and rich in natural and magical energy, that unicorn’s affinity would surely increase at an even faster rate, and when it reached a new peak, communication between them would be even easier!
"Halon, you realize we still have that Boss’s Mana Stone in the Astral Chest, right?" Lisa asked, reminding him of the other treasure they’d saved. "Now that the tree is fortified and we’re in an environment of accelerated recovery, I think it’s safe for you to absorb that gem, what do you think?"
Lohan pondered for a moment, feeling the tree’s energy nourish his biomass reservoir. "I feel like my core has never been this stable. With the Mana infusion from this new environment, I believe the chances of me losing control like last time will likely be even slimmer. But let’s take it slow. I want you to monitor my energy flow while I digest it. If you sense anything abnormal in my core, use your spiritual fire to burn me and forcibly sever the connection."
Lisa straightened her posture, assuming the role of guardian for him. "Count on me, Halon. I won’t let anything bad happen to my Vice President. Especially now that he’s turned our home into a stellar palace."
Lohan rolled over to the chest and retrieved the Boss’s Mana Stone, the gem that contained the Tree Sovereign’s lament and fury.
As he enveloped the stone with his blue mass, Lohan felt no fear, feeling much safer with so many safeguards in place.
At first, he thought he’d need to level up again to feel more confident handling this, but with these recent advancements, he felt much more confident about doing it now.
Lohan enveloped the crimson gem with his crystalline biomass, feeling the stone’s temperature contrast with the heat of his core.
As soon as [Efficient Digestion] began the molecular breakdown of the gem, a torrent of dense, greenish energy flooded his system.
Unlike the cold, electric Mana of other stones, this energy carried a calm, forest-like essence, pulsing with a vitality that seemed almost alive.
Lohan felt this charge subtly nourish his [Sacred Light Core], rekindling the golden flame that dwelled at his center.
Since the Sacred Light was the evolution of his ancient Natural Energy, the resonance with the essence of the arboreal Boss was nearly perfect, allowing the energy to be integrated without the violent conflicts he had experienced in past evolutions.
The sense of control expanded beyond his own membrane; through contact with the polished white wood of the guild headquarters, Lohan felt every plant fiber pulsing in harmony with his core.
It was as if he could feel the sap flowing and the roots digging deeper, transforming him into the true central nervous system of that sanctuary.
However, the calm was interrupted by the activation of [Memory Resonance].
His consciousness was suddenly pulled into the whirlwind of the Tree Sovereign’s memories. The mental corrosion that struck him was greater than that of any Level 15 Elite monster he had ever devoured, saturated with the lament and fury of a creature that had watched centuries pass in isolation.
But strangely, although the pressure was colossal, Lohan realized it lacked the sharp, chaotic malevolence of the Monster Spider that had nearly caused him to lose his sanity a few days ago.
The Boss’s memory was as heavy as a mountain, yet stable. Thanks to his [Parallel Processing Core], he was able to open independent channels in his mind, acting as a protected observer as he delved into images from an era long before the arrival of Players like himself.